My Blog

Racing Update

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:16:04 -0500

Its been a while since i have posted anything. It’s been a fun race season. I upgraded to Cat 4. and have raced a handful more crits and road races. Cyclocross season is coming up more to come..

Marathon thoughts

Fri, 29 May 2009 09:37:43 -0500

After having 2 disappointing attempts at a sub 3hr marathon in Chicago. I decided to take a year off from the marathon to focus on cycling and enjoy running for just the pure fun of it.

The 2007 Chicago marathon was 90 degrees and impossible to have a PR that day. People were passing out right and left, one guy died and hundreds went to the hospital. Some really good runners were 15-20min of their normal finishing times. I finished 420th out of 25,500 with a time of 3:11 I even started catching some top 100 guys. all in all a good race but I still wanted a sub 3.

2008 looked promising I was doing more speed work and more miles than ever before and it was showing. I ran a 10K after a 50mile week in 37:06, and in September I ran a ½ marathon in 84min in the poring rain. I was feeling confident and with the strong ½ time I was right on target for a solid sub 3hr marathon. As race day rolled around I was fighting a little cold and the forecast did not look good. Another hot fall day in the 80s. I was ok until mile 19 and hit a wall like I have never felt before. You always hit a wall in a marathon its how you manage to break though it. This one was more like getting hit by a semi truck. I started to cramp up, my legs felt like some one was sticking steel rods in them. I tried to shake it out and keep running but my body was shutting down. Every few miles I would have to stop and my legs, back, stomach would cramp up. I never felt like quitting a race like this. I was really close to just pulling out. I ended up slowing finishing in a disappointing 3:15.

I needed a break from the marathon it a race that takes so much out of you mentally and physically. But I am egger to race again and break a sub 3. I’m looking into racing a spring marathon in 2010.

Why sub 3? It’s a bench mark in running that puts you into the next level. A sub 3 would be in the top 1% of runners in the major marathons. Yes that’s faster than Oprah and P Diddy jogged their marathons…

Vernon Hills Grad Prix

Sun, 3 May 2009 16:52:54 -0500

Vernon Hills was a great turnout for the Half Acre team. Im still surprised how many places in Illinois have “hills” in their name being that this state is flat as a pancake.
I felt stronger in this race and was able to hang with the pack for the entire race. It’s really an adrenaline rush racing a criterium with 50 riders going 24-30mph. I am enjoying the adrenaline rush and break from distance running. However, I miss the meditative part of distance running and racing. I am really looking forward to training for another marathon soon.

hillsboro roubaix

Sat, 4 Apr 2009 12:12:38 -0500

Hillsboro is a about 5 hr south of Chicago. About 7 Half Acre team mates traveled down to the little southern Illinois town. The Team stayed at the fancy Comfort Inn and had to fight the senior citizens for the free continental breakfast at 7am. The race was fun about 25miles of hills windy roads and cobble stones. I ended up placing 14th out of 50 riders.

first race

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:24:11 -0500

Wow crit racing is fast. Monday was my first race and i was dropped . Thursday I had a much better race, I stuck with the pack and managed to keep up the pace with a lot of cat 4 guys. we raced again friday night then woke up at 6am with patrick to head off to Spring Super Criterium. The cat 5 guys on the team did really well for a bunch of rookies.

Morning rides

Mon, 9 Mar 2009 10:08:38 -0500

I have been trying to get some training rides in before work. Im not used to the time change, this morning I was rushing out the door with a pice of toast and my OJ in my water bottle. and it was pitch dark at 6:30am. I met Patrick on the path and we road to Northerly Island and did some intervals. Once the sun came out it turned into a beautiful morning

Start of training

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:54:11 -0600

Well another week of brutal weather not much time to get on the bike. Joe had a few guys over and we did a 3hr ride on the trainers with 2 of those hrs heavy interval sessions. Riding on a trainer is like prison by yourself. However riding with a few guys made it a lot more fun.

New bike

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:34:06 -0600

I bought the Frame in December and have been excited about building a new cross bike. Thanks to our team sponsors SRAM & Cycle Smithy I was able to get it together before the start of the season.

EAT MORE train less

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 12:18:46 -0600

This winter has been pretty brutal on training. Some good food with lots of butter and a Belgium double sounds better when its -5 then throwing on running shoes or getting on the bike. However, I am still managing to get a few runs a week to keep my base up.

Running

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 11:01:11 -0600

I heard this quote a while ago and love it
“every morning in Africa, an antelope wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion, or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest antelope, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or an antelope—when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” (unknown)