The Finish - In the Dirt Triathlon 11-6-2010

 

Dan Wilson

Follow my quest for Ironman 2013

http://roadtoironman2013-danwilson.blogspot.com/

What do you brign to a Triathlon?

Well about 30 things:

 

Swim:

Wetsuit

Goggles

Shorts (bike and run too)

Gu (energy gel a couple of minutes befor the start)

Glide

Flip Flops

Water

Cap

 

Bike:

Bike

Shoes

Helmet

Gloves

Camelback

Skull Cap

Socks

Shirt

Sunglasses

 

Run:

Shoes

Water Bottle

 

Misc:

Beach Towel

Trash Bag (for wetsuit)

tools

breakfast

Gu

Pump

Sunscreen

Toilet Paper

Jacket

Phone

Backpack

 

Dan Wilson

Follow my quest for Ironman 2013

http://roadtoironman2013-danwilson.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Tina!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife Tina.  I would marry you again "a thousand times!"

 

 

Today I am a Triathlete - My first triathlon

Today was an important day in my training. I learned so many things.
1. I have the best support group on the planet. I had my own cheering section. Thanks Tina, Katie, Max and Danielle (my wife and kids). Thanks Mary Anne (my good friend and Danielle's mom). Thanks Tresa and Bella (our close friends). You guys mad me feel great during and after the race.
2. I am making good progress toward my goal and have a long way to go.
3. My bike fitness is good. I made it as high as 4rth overall from about 50th before having mechanical problems.
4. Never take a new bike to an important race.
5. Always give help to a fellow competitor. It makes u feel good.
6. Settle in on the swim asap. I swam over 500 yards before I settled down and trusted what I has learned in training.
7. I need to do more open water swimming and maybe some more smaller triathlons.
8. A 4 mile run can feel like a marathon if the terrain is brutal.
9. My current age group is tough! The overall winner was 45 and 6 of the top 15 were between 45 and 49.
It was a great experience. I finished 17th in a field of over 137 and 6th in my age group. I didn't take home a medal but I still felt victory.
Mahn Sae!
Try harder and Never give up!
Sent from my iPhone

Happy Aniversary Honeyah!

Training for Ironman is, well, difficult.  For the athlete there is the long hours of training and suffering that is quickly rewarded with results.

The family of an Ironman on the other hand, sees only sacrafice.  Sacrafice that the Ironman selfishly takes day in and day out, seemingly withour reguard - Not this one!

Without you, I cannot become the Ironman that I so selfishly want to become - THANKYOU, I love you and Happy 10th Aniversary Honeyah!

Oct 12 2010

As I run for hours on end I think about odd things. Last Tuesday I contemplated how lucky I was to be an introvert and how beneficial that was to my training. I look forward to the hours of solitude that running provides me and the mental cleansing that gets me prepared for my workday.

Then Thursday as I dodged a car driver hurrying to work I contemplated mortality and the many friends and family I had lost the past two years. I somehow likened those losses to endurance training and how each of those would prepare me for the inevitable more difficult losses I may have to endure in the future.

On a brighter note I thought today a I read Karno's 50/50 book how cool it would be to run marathon some day with my, now 5 yr. old, daughter Katie; one more for the Bucket List

NGU!

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October Update

My first tri is rapidly approaching. I am almost ready; I need to drop 5 more lbs.

I've been very busy at work the past month, but have managed to maintain a good training routine.

I've been doing more running lately due to some motivation I gained from reading Dean Karnazi's first book.

So...while on a business trip last month my coworker complained of a sore hip and proclaims that her body has let her down. Being my usual sensitive self I responded that she was incorrect, that in fact it was her that let her body down.

Ngu!!!

Sent from my iPhone

September 5 2010

I entered my first ever mountain bike race a couple of weeks ago. I entered as a cat 3 racer which probably wasn't really fair, but it was my first race. I bettered the fastest rider by over 2 minutes. It was a blast.

I have been running barefoot once a week, which leaves me with extremely sore calf muscles. There is some serious muscle building happening and I will continue with this experiment for a while longer.

Swimming is starting to become enjoyable. I actually look forward to my time in the pool now. I upgraded my underwater headphones too.

Shopping continues for a road bike but no real hurry; I can ride!

I am going to drop my weight to 165 for the in-the-dirt tri this November so I am watching my nutrition closely now. Got to get enough fuel to build endurance and drop 10 pounds in two months.

NGU!

Sent from my iPhone

Aug 24th, 2010

What's New?
I've started running barefoot.  Not that I am ever going to compete barefoot, but I am convinced that it is a great training technique.  Read  "Barefoot Running" on sportsci.com or the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougal to learn more.

I will be competing in my first bicycle race this weekend.  The Rim Nordic Cross Country Series Final.  I hope to walk away with a trophy, but thinking like that I'll probably get spanked!  There is a link on the right if you want to learn more.

My training for a few more weeks is:
Bike: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday ~ 50 miles
Run: Tuesday and Thursday ~ 16 miles
Swim: Mon thru Friday  ~ 5 miles

NGU!

Dan

47th

I turned 47 this week, which also means that I have been on this road to ironman for a year now. I have come a long way and still have a long way to go. I can rum a marathon in 4 hours swim a mile in 30 minutes and bike all day. I'll be ready when the road ends in Kona.

Early Saturday

he boyz are getting up early for a ride this morning.  Early for them anyway, I would already be on the trail if this were a weekday. 

Last week was typical week of base building.  Swimming every day for lunch, and either a bike or a run in the morning.  A mile swim, although not fun, is getting pretty easy, I am going to start doing more, since on good days the mile only keeps me in the pool for 30 minutes.  I probably should run at least twice a week, I have been only running once a week, just because I enjoy Mountain biking so much more than trail running.  I don't want to loose the base I built for the LA Marathon. 

I'll be running the LA Marathon again this year; registration is already open if you want to run it with me.  I'll be looking to make a 3:45 this year, 20 minutes off of last year's time.

Lance Armstrong Crash May 20 2010 Amgen Tour of California

Check out this video on YouTube:

Lance's TDF hopes are dashed. Bummer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui-ZOlfHlzM&feature=youtube_gdata

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Happy 4rth

Spent the weekend in the mountains riding bikes an motorcycles. Had some great workouts and great adventures. One of which was dropping my motorcycle in a 3 foot deep creek and having to turn up upside down to empty the water out of the motor to get it running again.

NGU!

Sent from my iPhone

31 minute mile swim!

After a morning 12 miler on the Mountain Bike, I swam a 31 minute mile in the afternoon.  I am very pleased with the progress I am making in the pool.  Having music in the pool is super cool too.

I met some guys on the MTB trail a few weeks ago.  These guys are fast and they are making me faster.  Thanks Eddie, Mike and Joe, you guys rock!

Where do you find the time

Where do you find the time is probably the phrase I hear most often from family and friends, aside from you are nuts.

Training for a triathlon, working, being a husband and a father ( in no particular order) is a busy life. Add in a couple of unplanned events and it seems impossible at times. So here are some of my tchniques.

Firrst of all you need to decide that training is important and that you are willing to make small sacrafices to squeeze out some hidden hours in your day. You might have to miss those brown nosing lunches with the boss or DVR the néw season of True Blood, but the hours ARE there for you to train.

Keep gear with you as much as possible. I keep, in individual bags, a complete set of running, riding, and swimming gear in my car, office and home. This way anytime I feel like doing a run after a ride or a ride after a swim I always have the gear I need with me.

Work out early! Nobody will notice when you work out early so get at least an hour in before the rest of the world rolls out of bed and show up to work early.

Lunch is a free workout! Take every minute of that hour lunch plus 10 minutes. Sneak some snacks back on the job and now you are up to two hours of training per day without taking anything away from your family.

To get that impossibe 3rd hour you need to put the kids to bed on time and hit the treadmill, stationary bike, or climber for an hour. You might think you are too exhausted to train at 9pm but it is actually really good mental training. Your not going to be fresh after 112 miles on a bike so that mental toughness will pay double. Make sure to get your electrolites and a pinch of protein before you pass out for the day. You'll kill yourself if you do the late then early workout to many days in a row. You need at least 7 hours of sleep!

The weekends are another story. Later in training you are going to need some serious time on the weekends to train. So make sure to spend plenty of weekend time with friends and family in the months leading up to your event. Banking some understanding is what I call it.

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10 Miles

Today's swim makes an even 10 miles of swimming since I got back in the pool a couple of weeks ago.  Starting to feel a little more natural.  I think by the time I hit 100 miles this summer I will be ready for my first Triathlon! 

Ordered some waterproof gear for my iPod today, gotta have music to get through such a boring task.

NGU!

Motivation

I have come to a realzation, perhaps an epiphany. There is no oil shortage, no drought, no hunger, no disease or any other lacking in the world.

What we DO have is a great shortage of motivation. Motivation comes in tiny doses and is the rarest of comodities; some never find it. Motivation is the key, the escence that can satisfy all need, cure all disease and truely perform miracles.

Where does it come from? Why is it so hard to find. I don't have the answers but to get to where I want to be, I sure as heck better figure it out soon.

NGU!

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Mini-Biathlon Sunday

For the first time I tried running after riding, and I was pleasantly surprised.  I rode my ususlal 12 mile local ride in the mountains by my house, a little over an hour, then as quick as I could, changed into running clothes and ran for another hour, probably 6 or 7 miles (I left all my electrons at work).  I didn't feel the effects of the ride during my run.  I need to double those distances and see what that feels like.

I swam 5 times last week for an hour, about a mile each day.  I have so much room for improvement here.  I still feel pretty incomfortable in the water.  I am out of breath after 100yards.  I have been watching videos on technique and realize that I don't know how to swim!   I'll be spending alot of time in the pool!

Back in the Pool!

I finally forced myself to get back in the pool yesterday.  I swam for an hour and by the end I was starting to find a rythm.  Swimming is tough and I am still figuring it out.  Time to do some studying, I am definitely doing something wrong.

Happy to report...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/03/a-happy-ending-to-a-marathon-nightmare.html

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Try Harder!

Not much to talk about lately, I am remaining fairly discipline with my workouts post marathon.  I am at least working out an hour a day and taking only one rest day per week.

I took a pretty good spill on my bike last Saturday. I laid in the dirt for a couple of minutes thinking I might be hurt, but I got lucky again; only a few bumps and scrapes.  My back still hurts, but I’ll be fine in another week or so.

Things I need to do:

I need to get in the pool a lot!

Put a training plan together for the Triathlon this fall.

Try Harder!

NGU!

Back to Work

Days have passed and so has the incredible high from completing my first marathon.  It is very addictive, I wish I could have that feeling every day.  I rode yesterday, and did Tae Kwon Do and Climbing machine Friday.  I'll ride again today.  I need to start swimming more and pick a training plan for my first triathlon this Fall.

NGU!

Memories of my first marathon

In no particular order:
230 am wake up
2 hour drive
1 hour shuttle
30 minute wait for outhouse
Delayed start
Running shoulder to shoulder
Chills I am really doing this
Spectators everywhere
People cheering me using my name
Lots of hills
Live bands
Water cups everywhere
People in their church clothes
Cheerleaders
Gay couples
Strippers
Boomboxes
Pete the wheelchair racer
The Rider turned triathlete from Calgary on the shuttle
Energy from the crowd
Pain at miles 21,22,23
Strength at 24,25,26!!
Running strong at the finish
My greatest mental and physical achievement
4 hours 5 minutes
Receiving two medals
Finding a friend in the finish chute
Proud Dad
Congrats from everywhere
Lunch by the pier wirth my family
Wearing a paper blanket
Walking normally
21 year old in cardiac arrest at mile 18

Special thanks to all that have supported me, especially my fmaily.

Before the run

What a new, incredible experience and a graat performance.  I came very close to breaking the 4 hour mark, my time was 4:05, that is great for a 46 year old first time Marathon runner.  I could have run it faster, mile 26 was my fastest mile @ 8:30. 

Miles 22 and 23 were brutal, but the rest was good.  Amazing to see all the people lined the entire route cheering, live bands, radio stations; I was smiling most of that 4 hours.

I was still coughing from my cold before the race, but about 5 miles in it seemed to go away and returned shortly after the race - weird.

I just cannot capture it in words; it is an very satisfying accomplishment. 

I'll take the week off to recover, I am a bit sore as you might imagine.  Then back to training for the "In the Dirt Triathalon" this fall; my first Tri.

NGU!

Dan

RaceDay Alert

Tomasz Stec @ Finish in 04:19:48 (NET). Pace: 9:54. Powered by Honda.

RaceDay Alert

Dan Wilson @ Finish in 04:05:42 (NET). Pace: 9:22. Powered by Honda.

RaceDay Alert

Tomasz Stec @ 40K in 04:06:03 (NET). Pace: 9:53. Predicted: 4:19:33. Powered by Honda.

RaceDay Alert

Dan Wilson @ 40K in 03:54:09 (NET). Pace: 9:25. Predicted: 4:06:59. Powered by Honda.

RaceDay Alert

Tomasz Stec @ 30K in 02:57:02 (NET). Pace: 9:29. Predicted: 4:09:00. Powered by Honda.

RaceDay Alert

Dan Wilson @ 20K in 01:54:51 (NET). Pace: 9:14. Predicted: 4:02:18. Powered by Honda.

RaceDay Alert

Tomasz Stec @ 20K in 01:54:12 (NET). Pace: 9:11. Predicted: 4:00:56. Powered by Honda.

RaceDay Alert

Dan Wilson @ 10K in 00:57:46 (NET). Pace: 9:17. Predicted: 4:03:44. Powered by Honda.

2.5 days left to the LA Matathon

The adversity just does not stop.  I have had a cold for a few days now, nothing to concerning, but I learned today that my youngest daughter has Strep Throat, so I am a little concerned for the both of us.  I'll take whatever leftover anitbiotics we have around the house tonight and tomorrow morning to give my body a little help with the battle. 

The weather is predicted to be mid 70's, which is great for the spectators, but not so great for us runners that have been training all winter.  Above 65 degrees you can expect to run up to 2 minutes per mile slower, that will be humbling to say the least.

My 4 hour goal is going to be tougher that I thought, I am going to run it, the question is how well, and how miserable it's going to be.

On a higher note:
I have attemted to set up the LA matathon tracking system to automatically update my blog, so race progress updates should be forthcoming here, facebook and twitter!  Gotta love SN.

NGU!!!

10 days! I'm Ready!

Wow!  I ran 416 miles since I started running in August 09.  I'm in pretty good shape for the Marathon, my left knee is a little sore, but loosens up after a couple of miles.  I am treating it daily so it does not become an issue.  I've overcome injury and sacraficed much to get here.  I know your question, because I answer it daily...Am I ready?  I think so.  My goal, now, is a 4 hour Marathon, and I plan on "leaving it on the course."  So if I can't walk the next day; it is planned.  4 hours is a lofty goal for a guy that has never entered a race, let alone a Marathon.

You can track my progress race day at http://www.lamarathon.com/runner-info/race-day-tracking/

BIB# = 5385

Peak week complete!

2 20 mile runs within 15 days, add a few 8s and 12s and a bunch of 5s and it's all easy from now untill race day. I only lost 4 pounds today during the 20 miles compared to 6 last time. 4 pounds is about right. I ran it in 3 hous and 18 minutes, pretty slow but I have a cold and ran a fast 10k yesterday. I will be faster on race day.

I can't believe I have come so far since my very first run 6 months ago. The work has paid off!

NGU!

Sent from my iPhone

Peak Week

This week is the peak training week caped by 28 miles this weekend. If I can get through this injury free I will be ready to marathon.

Last week I ran 35 miles. This week will be 43 then less each of the three remaining weeks.

NGU

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25 mile weekend

Ran 5 Saturday about half of it in the dirt. Today I ran 20, practicing my marathon strategy and expermenting with nutrition gels and cheewies and stuff. It went pretty well. The marathon seems less daunting with a 20 miler in the bank. I am back on schedule now; feeling great about that.
NGU!

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Only 38 days left...

and I am getting there.  I can run for miles at my desired marathon pace and only have a heart rate of 110 or so.  My leggs are what I am not sure about.  I'll find out Sunday as my training plan has me running 25 miles over the two-day weekend.  I am not looking forward to the test, but am focusing on the what the results will teach me about myself mentally and physically.

I am not concerned about my weight anymore; 170 will be my Marathon weight.  This is not the time to deprive my body of calories.  I might even put on a couple of pounds.  Fat stores alot more energy than muscle does, and I will need it.

Wish me luck.
NGU
Rider

Superbowl Sunday

Ran on the hamster wheel through the entire Supercross lights and the 450s. 12 miles, 20 for the weekend and 35 for the week. I still have a lot of work to do. Forrest Gump is my hero!

NGU

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Rainy weekend

The treadmill I recently purchased is paying dividends on all these rainy days we have been having. Ran 8 miles today at 7 mph. That is myarathin goal. That ahold keep me under 4 hours even if I walk through the water stations. NGU!

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46 days to go...

I didn't feel like running for an hour last night so I just ran faster.  Ran 5 miles in 35 minutes and went to bed.  Probably do the same tonight.

48 day to the LA Marathon - I'm BACK!

I ran 68 miles in January, so at that rate I should be able to do the matathon in about a week...lol

I feel great today after running 12 miles yesterday, I even took a leiserly 12 mile Mountain Bike ride with a buddy today!

NGU!

La marathon

The race is right around the corner and I am still 4 weeks behind where I should be. I ran 12 miles today.
NGU!

Sent from my iPhone

53 day to fo to the Los Angeles Marathon

My legg seems fine  now, I actually had forgot about it for a couple of days, except that my co-worker Dave asked about it a minute ago.  I have been afraid to push up my mileage for fear of re-injury, but I need to start pushing.  I didn't injure my leg running, so I need to get it out of my head.  I am going to start pushing, wish me luck.  I need to get to 20 miles in the next 5 weeks.

With two weeks of rain and snow, I went and bought a Treadmill .  It was delivered and I assembled it last night.  I ran 3ish miles to test it out...one less excuse!

On a higher note, I won another Desert Race the weekend before last.  One or two more and I should get my Expert Licence!  WoooHoo.  Also finished the purchase and registration of my future road race bike.

Thanks for the support, and NEVER give up!

Dan aka Rider.

Only 68 days left

Haven't had much to write about lately.  Have been riding and working on machines for the past month and NOT running.  My weight is stuck at 170 which isn't bad, but was hoping to see 160.  My leg is pretty good now so I started running again.  There is still time to catch up on my training plan if I don't have any more problems.  I am slowly ramping up my running trying to get back on plan; I am optimistic.  Whish me luck!

Dan