One foot in front of the other.
Date: 2/10/09
Consecutive Days Run: 41
Runner: Brandon Wood
Shoes: La Sportiva Wildcat GTX
Location: New York, NY
Type of Run: Quick and snowy
Time of Day: 5:17 PM EST
Distance Run: 2.81 miles
Time Run: 00:26:05
Average Pace: 9:17 per mile
Weather Conditions: Cold (31 degrees Fahrenheit), Snowing, Wind
Disposition: Good, Excited
Link to Run Detail: Today the snow came. The East coast welcome a brutal Nor’easter that brought with it blizzard conditions. I have been watching this storm coming ever since the disappointing lack of snow from last weekend. I know that some may abhor the snow, and I’m sure that if the white stuff chose to park itself on top of us all winter, I might feel a bit different. However, as it is, I adore snow and I could not have been more excited to go and run, mid-blizzard.
I left my building and stepped into a beautiful world of white. To my delight, my Garmin had picked up a signal and seemed to be in fine working order. I stepped to the sidewalk and went. Most of the sidewalks were fairly clear, and the snow that covered everything was a very heavy, packed snow. I decided to go on my normal two mile loop which turned out to be very snowy, but again, not so hard to run due to it being fairly packed. My pace was significantly slower than it normally is because, even though the snow was packed, with each step my feet would slip back a bit.
About .8 miles into my run, I decided to head up into the hills of Inwood Hill Park. It was absolutely incredible. While the snow was looser and far deeper than it had been. The trees in the trails were heavy with snow and many hung into the paths I ran. The wind seemed to be constantly in my face and I had a hard time seeing where I was going, regardless of my Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp. This is not a knock to the headlamp, but rather a testament to the winds that buffeted me as I ran.
Running the snowy hills was so much fun and I wish I could do it more. It was definitely a much harder leg workout than I am used to simply because of having to be aware of every step and because of each step being cut if half when the snow slipped away. I really do hope we get some more snow!
Beast of Burden Winter 100 Miler
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Date: 1/12/09
Consecutive Days Run: 12
Runner: Brandon Wood
Shoes: Newton AW Trainers
Location: New York, NY
Type of Run: Interval run followed by slow group
Time of Day: 5:23 PM EST
Distance Run: 11.00 miles
Time Run: 01:28:03
Average Pace: 8:00 per mile
Weather Conditions: Cold (27 degrees Farenheit), clear
Disposition: Good
Link to Run Detail: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/22246646
About the Run: Today was a long day. I began at 5:45, waking up to shower, warm-up in said shower and go move my car (NYC alternate side parking rules, don’t ask). I got to my office at 8 AM and was there until 4:45 PM. Right before I left to go change and head to Central Park, I had a Cliff Bar because I knew that I’d need some calories. Bad idea.
I headed to the gym to change and then right back out again to go meet the Laminator who was gracious enough to put my bag in his locker at New York Sports Club on West 73rd. We met, he took my bag and we went our separate ways, only to meet again at Bethesda Fountain at 6:30 with a bunch of NYC area Twitter buddies.
My assigned run for the day was a tough one: Warm up for a mile then run 5×1 mile at your 5K race pace recover for 2 minutes between each. This was added upon by the fact that it was colder than I had expected and the wind had decided to kick up and swirl around the park. On top of that, my stomach had begun to do flip-flops from the Cliff Bar. I set off, doing my warm up and then getting into the first fast mile. Right away, I knew I was under what should be my 5 K pace, but I was aiming for 5 K effort rather than just pace. It so happened that sack in the middle of my first mile was Cat Hill, a lovely little slice of hell nestled on the East side of Central Park. By the time I got to the end of that mile, I thought I was going to lose my lunch, but managed to maintain things.
The rest of my run went OK. Not my best workout ever, but I still pushed myself. When I finished and headed to Bethesda Fountain, people had just begun to gather. In all, I think about 18 people showed up. About little less than half went to do a hill workout while the rest of us headed off to run the upper loop on the park. I really is so much fun to have a real sense of camaraderie while running, especially when the TriLife triathlon team comes at you from the other direction and their larger group doesn’t move an inch, thus making our smaller group run in the car lane (thanks guys). Afterward, we headed to Dive 75 to partake in a few libations before heading to respective boroughs. Good friends and good times!
This morning in New York City was one of those autumn days when the crisp air bites just enough to make you feel invigorated. It is the part of the year where the city seems somehow washed clean of the humid grit and grime that the summer brings.
So, it was an incredible canvas upon which to join the team from Newton Running for a clinic and group run in that stalwart of nature stuck squarely in the middle of the city, Central Park. We all met at The Boathouse at about 7 o’clock AM amidst runners getting in their last taper runs before the 40th running of the New York City Marathon on Sunday.
Once the group of about fifteen runners had assembled, Danny (Abshire, co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Newton Running) bid us all good morning and went on to, first and foremost, discuss exactly what “natural running” is. Among the assembled members of the Newton team were Jennifer Abshire (Danny’s wife), Erin Gehlsen, Pam Simich and Josh Cox (American Record holder in the 50K and super nice guy!).This was followed by a quick demonstration by Danny of proper form and technique. It still strikes me how everything he says is not some huge secret, but is quite simply common sense.
After Danny’s introduction we all set out for a quick three mile run around the bridle path that encircles The Reservoir. I have discovered, twice now, that The Boathouse is a fantastic meeting place, however upon leaving The Boathouse and heading North along East Drive, you immediately come upon what has come to be known to many a runner as the bane of their existence; Cat Hill. Today however, with a group of new friends and runners, the Cat was tamed without a problem. We then entered the bridle path loop at about East 85th Street. Now, when I spoke earlier about the time of year, I neglected to mention the brilliant colors the abound in Central Park. Entering the bridle path was like entering another world. We were surrounded by the brightly colored tree canopy as we all ran effortlessly through the park. The other runners on the path, including the occasional professional who came flying by, made the air ring with fresh excitement. Danny, Jennifer and Josh (the Newton crew accompanying us on the run) were so wonderful, and took the time to speak to everyone in the group, discussing everything from technique to the weather to Broadway shows! The wellspring of running knowledge was unparalleled and the kindness and caring with which it was dispensed was overwhelming.
As we wound our way through the trees and back to The Boathouse, it was the perfect end to a wonderful run. There were lessons learned, friends made and a good run had by all. Among those that came was Ty Garner. Ty was at the Newton clinic in the spring and also became and Ironman in Wisconsin with me in September. The next time Newton does a clinic and group run in your area, I cannot encourage you enough to go. It’s an awesome experience!
I am SOOOO excited! Once again, the Newton Running team will be heading to the Big Apple! They’re going to be here for the New York City Marathon which is being run next Sunday, November 1, 2009.
While they’re here, they wanted to spread the love to all of those who are die hard members of the Newton tribe and to all those who are curious to see what the Newton running philosophy and shoes are all about! If you wear other brands of shoes (or none at all!) come! For that matter, even if you’ve never heard of Newton, come on by!
Danny Abshire, co-founder of Newton, will be heading up a clinic in Central Park on Friday and Saturday morning, October 30 & 31. Danny will go over the Newton philosophy and technique and then we will all go on a group run in Central Park, where he and other members of the Newton team will give pointers and tips for improving your technique and form.
As an added bonus, they’re going to come bearing gifts! Each participant in the free clinic will be given a Newton Running hat!
If you have any questions regarding the event, please feel free to contact me by leaving a comment or click the CONTACT ME link above! If you’d like more information on Newton Running, check out these links:
SEE YOU THERE!!!
Who: Newton Founders, Danny Abshire and Jerry Lee and the Newton Running crew
What: Free Newton Running clinic and group run. Free Newton Running hat to all who attend! (someone will be there to watch bags and such)
When: Friday, October 30, 2009 7 AM EST
Where: The Boathouse in Central Park, New York, NY (click the link)
The water in Lake Monona was the same temperature that it had been the day before during the practice swim, pleasantly cool/warm. This made getting in the water not terribly unpleasant. This is a good thing because, if you were trying to get close to the first buoy as I was, thus giving yourself the best line, that meant that you would be treading water for about the next twenty to twenty-five minutes. There was quite a bit of bumping and errant legs and arms while we waited, to be sure, but it was soon ten minutes to start, which was the time for the professional start.
The pro’s were wearing pink caps for the women and silver caps for the men. This was a good thing to notice for me because it gave me bait. At exactly 6:50 AM, the pro’s started. It was all I could do not to go with them since my heart was about to beat out of my chest with excitement.
Then, promptly at 7:00 AM the cannon sounded and we were off!
Now, as I explained earlier, the position where I lined up is THE place to be if you’re a fast swimmer. That being said, the intensity in the scrum that follows a starting gun in that position is incredible. There are arms, hands, legs and feet all moving in different directions and all moving very fast and powerfully. One of the tricks to being successful in that environment is to not take anything personally. If you get a black eye, it’s just part of the game, and to be honest, not that uncommon.
So, when the cannon fired, all hell broke loose around me and I was a willing participant, throwing
more than my fair share of arms and legs. My strategy was to take it easy and let the pack work itself out around me while staying up with the faster swimmers. This worked well, and I was soon in more or less open water. I was told by an Ironman Wisconsin veteran that the buoys were spaced 100 meters apart (in case I wanted to watch my splits). This was a huge help when it came to sighting, which is the practice of quickly lifting your head up to see that you are on the right course to the next buoy. Swimmers that had fast starts began to fall off of the leading group, and eventually I was able to stop worrying so much about being run into.
During training, I calculated my warm-up distance to be about 1,800 meters. This was the point at which my shoulders had flushed all the built up lactate and would let go. It was at that point where I could really go on autopilot. This point came right about where it should have, at about 1,500 meters. I should also note the added challenge of the sun. The sun rose in such a way that when we got to the first turn buoy, it was in our eyes. It continued to be in our eyes through the second turn and did not subside until we made the third turn, which was either the home turn or the prelude to the second loop, depending on which lap you were on.
About half way through the second loop, I began to pass slower swimmers. They really didn’t present much of an issue and I got through them easily. A really awesome point came when, just after the second turn in the second loop, I saw a couple of pink caps and a couple of silver caps. These were the professionals that had started ten minutes ahead of the rest of us. It was a small victory, but a morale boosting victory nonetheless.
The swim was fairly uneventful and felt good, though I was being a bit conservative. I came out of the water in a time of 54:46. This breaks down to 1:27/100 m (7 seconds slower than my workout pace, annoying) and put me at fourth place in my division and thirtieth overall.
Swim Exit Helix
Upon exiting the lake, racers were directed to run up one of the helices (plural for helix, I had to look it up too) to get to the transition area. It was pretty amazing running up the helix through the throngs of people that lined the entire thing. This included Danielle and Kevin, whom I almost missed because my brain was a little scrambled and there were so many cheering people! I also had one of the professional women running in front of me, so that gave me a focal point. I was a little dizzy from running up the helix too, so I needed to focus on something.
When I got to the wetsuit strippers, I must admit, it was kind of fun to flop and get de-frocked! I ran into the transition bag room and my bag was already in the hand of a volunteer waiting for me. I grabbed it and headed into the men’s transition room (separate rooms because there tends to be nudity) where I was greeted by another volunteer who dumped out my bag and handed me everything I needed as I asked for it. Simply amazing. I got a little scattered during transition and I believe that next time, I will take more time and sacrifice the few seconds so that I can think things through a bit more.
Bike Transition Area
As racers ran out of transition, there was a row of volunteers, about twenty-five strong, bedecked with latex gloves covered with sunscreen. I ran over to them and suddenly, there were about eight hands coating every exposed part of my body. Kind of surreal, but helpful! I then began the run to my bike along the top of the parking attached to Monona Terrace. Another mistake I made was to put on my cycling shoes in the transition room rather than waiting until I got to my bike. This left me running to my bike on my toes, which is fine, but I would have preferred to be in socks. Again, the volunteers had my bike in my hand when I got to my row, ready and waiting for me!
Then I was on my bike and on my way! Riding down the helix at the opposite end from the swim
Bike Course
exit was cool, but it was a non-aggressive area and any aggressive riding would get you a two minute penalty. The bike course, was basically out of town for (roughly) sixteen miles, followed by two loops of a forty mile course and then the same sixteen miles back into town.
About 2.5 miles into the ride, I was cruising along nicely and feeling good. All of a sudden, my rear wheel hit something in the road and I almost lost control. I immediately knew that I had a flat, and pulled over to change it. Now, as I said earlier, I was riding with Zipp “deep-dish” wheels (clinchers). These wheels require a valve extender, which I had never used before. Fortunately, knowing I would be using these wheels, I watched a detailed video on Zipp’s website showing how to install the valve extenders.
It so happened that I stopped right by some volunteers who immediately made sure I was ok and then told me that they had a floor pump, which would make things far easier than my small hand pump. They also checked the road to clear whatever debris I had hit. I must say that, even though I was very angry and I am sure, cursing up a storm, the volunteers were nothing but helpful. It took me about three minutes to get the tire changed and ready to pump. By that point, the bike tech volunteer was on the scene in case I needed any technical help. She offered to put my wheel back on for me so I could avoid getting my hands greasy on the chain. This is where things began to go not-so-well.
As I got back on the bike and headed off, I wasn’t doing much shifting because I was on a flat portion of the course. However, as soon as I had to shift, my rear derailleur went crazy! Before I go on, I want to be clear that I in no way blame the bike tech who helped me. I think something just simply got bumped out of whack when the tire got changed. So, as I rode the derailleur was skipping gears and jumping back and forth on gears, and I didn’t have my best climbing gear at all. I was forced to stop probably five times to try to fix it by fine tuning. Eventually, after about fifty miles, it was reasonably fine.
The bike course at Ironman Wisconsin is hard. I say that not necessarily because it’s of any steep climbs or anything, but because it simply does not let up. From the time you hit the loop, and a bit before for that matter, the hills begin. there are a few hills that are substantial, and even a couple of great downhills (especially one at Garfoot Road where they have to place hay bales for crashes). There are ninety degree turns at the bottom of downhills that immediately go uphill, and hard turns at the top of climbs that keep climbing. The road conditions are not so fantastic. There is one stretch in particular that does it’s best to beat you to death for about three miles.
I am usually a very salty sweater and as such, when I ride, my sweat often drips onto the lenses of my sunglasses. This is annoying because it blurs my vision and is generally gross. The day was also turning out to be much hotter than I had thought. I heard someone say that it was about 85 F in the sun. As I hit the loop, the sweat began to hit my lenses, and I recall being annoyed. However, after about an hour of that I could all of a sudden see more clearly. I believed that this was because I was settling into a rhythm. In fact, it was my body slowing my sweating to a crawl. This is not good. I think I began to notice this about three or so hours into the bike, right about the time we picked up “Special Foods” bags. The bag pickup is when I noticed that I had not packed ANY ELECTROLYTES OR SALT. There were none in myT1 bag, and none in my bike “Special Needs” bag. So, I went into maintenance mode. I tried getting down as much Gatorade Endurance as possible, to no avail. I could only take in about one bottle every twenty minutes. I was also trying to get down water, but again, my stomach simply didn’t have the room.
At about mile 80 the leg cramps began. It started in such a way that I could simply ride out of the saddle for a bit and they would stop, but after a point, no matter which way I situated myself, my legs simply would not stop cramping. So, rather than get angry, I did my best to remain calm, pulled to the side of the road and sat on the ground with my legs in a neutral position until the cramps subsided. You may be asking why I didn’t stretch, and believe me, I tried that. The problem was, when I tried to stretch my hamstrings, my quadriceps would cramp and when I tried to stretch my quadriceps, my hamstrings would go into knots. So, neutral was the only way to go.
A bit more about the course; as you ride into the town of Verona, and it’s outskirts, there is an amazing, festival-like atmosphere. It is something akin to Alpe d’Huez in the Le Tour de France. There are people lining the climb, cheering you on, patting you on the back and messages of encouragement written in chalk on the road. Upon arriving in Verona, the cheers are deafening as you ride through the barricaded crowds. Again, simply amazing.
The ironic part of my bike leg is that after I bonked (and yes, I did in fact bonk. HARD), I was riding quite well. I think this was due to the act that to avoid complete shutdown of my muscles, I had to be efficient. This paid big dividends in terms of pace. There were more stops scattered throughout the rest of my ride, but again, I stayed calm and did what I had to do.
When we finally made the turn back toward Madison, I was feeling so elated, that I seemed to be ok for the majority of the ride in. Again, riding up the helix this time, was just as amazing. So much cheering from overhead and upon arriving to the dismount line, your bike was taken from you and the crowds went nuts! My bike time was 6:29:47 with an average speed of 17.2 mph. I must say that I added at LEAST 30 minutes to my bike split with all the stopping I did. That said, I am pretty proud of my actual riding. Nutrition, not so much.
As I got into T2, I knew that I needed to take sometime. I had put a Pedialyte in my transition bag specifically to replace electrolytes. I also asked the transition room volunteers if they had any salt. They had electrolyte tablets, which I welcomed. I took my time and kind of just sat there for a few collecting myself. Then I began the marathon.
As I headed out on the run, I was well aware that for me, this was rapidly becoming a race of
attrition. A volunteer was kind enough to point out the insane amount of salt that was coating my jersey and told me to make sure I got some salt in me. About 3 miles into the run, I saw Tory from Newton Running, and it was a much needed boost, not so much in pace or anything, just in morale. Tory ran with me for about a quarter of a mile, asking if I was doing ok and telling me I looked like I was doing well. This meant so much to me.
I decided early on in the run, that I would not run any of the uphills and I stuck to that. This was especially helpful because at about mile 5, I began to overheat. So, when I got to aid stations, which were located every mile, I stopped if I needed to. I just told to volunteers manning the stations that would be sitting down for a few minutes and not to worry, I was fine. After I began taking small breaks, I did a bit of run walk alternating. This seemed to work out ok. however, at about mile ten, I began having a hard time urinating (pardon the gross details). I knew that all I could do was to keep taking in chips and gatorade at the aid stations.
Annie and Bubba
The way the run course is set up, the half way point is right beside the finish line. As I got into the downtown area, near the finish/halfway point, I saw Kevin and Danielle for the first time since that morning. It was awesome! I felt so elated and happy to see them, and one of my dogs, Bubba. A bit further and closer to the finish, I again saw Tory with Tim this time. Tory, once again, made my day by walking with me for a bit and offering words of encouragement. I distinctly remember telling her that I was sorry for having to walk in a shoe that is the epitome of a running shoe!
I continued on to the turn around. On the way back I waved to Tory and Tim and saw Danielle and Kevin again. They informed me that J was about a mile behind me. I figured he’d catch me pretty soon since I was walking a lot. Sure enough, he caught me at about mile 14 or so. He was also having a rough go of it on the run. I would like to take a second to thank J for walking with me and stopping with me and waiting for me. It meant so much to have a friend there to talk to and with whom to commiserate. I can tell him a thousand times and he’ll never know how much that meant.
J and I walked together from about mile 14 until about mile 20. He wanted to see what his legs could do, and I was happy to let him at it. I continued to walk, eventually passing by a woman who asked me how much further we had to go. I told her about 4 miles and kept going. However, I noticed a distinct note of exhaustion in her voice and I told her to come and walk with me. She did, her name was Julie and we walked and talked for about the next two miles. Her husband had finished about the time J had. This too was her first Ironman and she was, like me having a hard time. It was again, so nice to have company to talk to. With about 2 miles to go, we began running. With about a 3/4 of a mile to go, I asked Julie if she wouldn’t mind if I went ahead. She was happy to oblige.
That last bit of the race went by in a flash. I know if was adrenaline and endorphins, but I felt like new. I approached the finish and felt overcome with so many feelings that to begin to describe them here would add another page to this report. Then I heard the words I had been waiting to hear. “Brandon Wood, you are an Ironman!”
On the day before our race, Saturday, September 12, 2009, J and I had decided to take advantage of the Gatorade Practice Swim. The practice swim was essentially a free swim of the course in Lake Monona and began at 7:00 AM.
For J, this marked a big step. Up to this point, he had done a couple of open water swims sans wetsuit, a couple of pool swims with wetsuit, and of course the requisite pool training. This would be the first time he was in the murky water of a lake, the same lake in which he would be covering 2.4 miles the next day.
Ironman Wisconsin Swim Course
So that he could get the hang of things, I stayed with him and we took our time going once around the loop. J quickly got the hang of the nature of swimming in the lake, which was something considering you could barely see your hand outstretched in front of you. Being that this was J’s first organized triathlon, I did my best to put him through his paces to try and demonstrate what may occur on race day. With him swimming straight ahead, I swam all around him, hitting his arms and torso, pulling on his legs and pushing him off course. If you’ve never been in a triathlon with a mass start or even several people starting at once, this is incredibly useful so that when race day comes, you’re not shocked at what goes on. Suffice it to say that J did an amazing job of keeping his cool.
After going around the loop once with J, I wanted to finish the distance (2.4 miles) and do the loop again myself, this time at my own “easy” pace. This loop also went well. I took it nice and even, making sure to work on sighting because we were in the water at roughly the same time we would be there the next day and the sun was presenting some major challenges. My time for that loop was about 29 minutes. This was a reasonably acceptable time for a practice swim, especially considering the water temperature was about five to ten degrees warmer than I could have like, though still wetsuit legal.
At 10:30 AM, I, along with some twitter buddies and people from this site, had planned to meet at the Newton booth in the expo. So, I swung back by our hotel to pick up Danielle and drop off J. We then headed back to the expo where a few of us met. Among those there were @triboomer, @nickjantz, @kevsbrtny and @chrisdandeneau. It was a lot of fun hanging out and taking a few minutes to get some pointers on the course from those more experienced than I. Danielle and I
Even in a picture she looks fast!
also got to spend some more time talking to the Newton folks where we both met Newton Co-Founder and CEO Jerry Lee. We also got to hang out more with Tory and pick her brain about all things running and triathlon. One thing you must know about Tory is that even standing still beside you, she looks like she could kick your ass in any race, any day.
After the meetup we headed back to our hotel to get some food and to get our bikes and transition bags ready for drop off which took place that afternoon from 10 AM to 3 PM. A little explanation of the “bag” situation; when you check in, in your race materials you are given five plastic, drawstring bags. They are designated as follows:
Bike Gear Bag (T1)
Bike Special Foods Bag
Run Gear Bag (T2)
Run Special Foods Bag
Morning Clothes Bag
The gear bags are pretty self-explanatory, holding whatever you need for your transitions. As for the “Special Foods” bags; these were not necessarily for food, but rather for whatever you think you may need halfway through the bike and again, halfway through the run. For instance, in my bike bag, I had an extra tube, in case I got a flat and was down to one tube with me on the bike (better safe than sorry!). The other thing in my “Special Foods” bags included: (Both) Chia, Probar, Beta-Alanine, Pepto chewables (run) Shot Blocks, Pedialyte. If you look closely, you can see an enormous problem I ran into during the race. As for my bike, I did a close inspection and a short ride to double check everything. I also removed my Speedfil since I’d be taking it with me in the morning.
The “Special Foods” bags did not have to be dropped off until race morning, so the transition bag drop off was rather easy. Just go the proper room and put your bag in the area for your number. The bike drop off was just as easy, although I did forget a bag to cover my handlebars to keep them dry overnight. Thankfully, Tory (bless you Tory!) came through with a plastic bag!!
I then headed back to the hotel to relax and do nothing. This sort of worked. J and our two other friends who were racing, JR and Cass, were going to drop off their gear and then go drive the bike course, which was a VERY necessary activity for this particular course. I decided to go with them and asked them to give me a call when they got back. They returned at about 4:45 PM and we headed out to drive the course.
Ironman Wisconsin Bike Course
I won’t go into too much detail of the course here because I will talk more about it in the next segment of my report. Suffice it to say that this course is much more difficult than you’d think. It’s not that the hills are so steep or huge, it’s just that they don’t stop. The course is beautiful, to be sure. Lot’s of rolling cornfields and plenty of cattle that I’m sure turned more than one stomach on race day! The drive took about two hours, to do one loop or the two loop course.
Once we got back to the hotel, it was time for food and rest. Danielle and I headed out for some dinner where I got a big grilled chicken salad. The whole day I had been hydrating with a 2:1 water to Gatorade mix, and I was worried that I’d have to up twenty times during the night to use the bathroom. Luckily, I only had to go once, and with my alarm set, it was time for bed.
Part III coming soon!
Newton Sir & Lady Isaac Review
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
As endurance athletes, we all have little tricks that keep us moving. This morning, I found a new one for myself. Yesterday I read the passage in Dean Karnazes‘ book, Ultramarathon Man where, in the middle of “The Relay”, (a 199 mile race from Calistoga, California to the beach at Santa Cruz, California usually run by relay teams where each member runs three legs of 5.5 miles (Dean did it alone)) he is worried about the last 65 miles of the race he had left to go. His wife said not to worry about the next 65 miles, but just worry about getting to the next light pole, or the next 65 feet.
As I got up this morning at 4:45 AM, I was greeted, not with a dimly lit sky showing the first beams of the sunrise, but rather with a sky that I imagine looked just the same in the middle of the night. The overcast skies brought along with them a light mist, some wispy fog and about 90% humidity. Nevertheless, out the door I went, ready for an arduous run through air as thick as molasses.
Fortunately, it was not quite as hot as it has been for the last few days in the pre-dawn hours. The temperature was a mild seventy degrees and the mist felt good on my skin. Now, I have noticed recently that it takes me somewhere between two and four miles before I warm up and realy feel good on my runs. Coincidentally, that is also the approximate distance on which I am on a slight uphill.
As I got into the run, the thick air did indeed start to stick in my lungs a little bit, as expected. So, I focused on remaining relaxed with my breathing and inhaling down to my groin. This helped a bit, but I need some more encouragement, and since I was the only one around, it had to come from me. So, I saw a light pole bout one hundred yards ahead. I said (yes, out loud), “Hey light pole! You’re mine!”, and then I went and got that light pole. When I got there, I looked at the incline in front of me and said to the tree at the end, “Hey tree! You’re mine!”
I kept this up for most of my seven miles and it felt so great! I have recently started running, sans Ipod, and I have found that due to this I have the time to become much more introspective about what I’m doing. Contrary to what I initially thought would happen, this has resulted in my runs feeling more easy and they seem to go by much faster. Of course, it helped this morning that I was pushing my pace a bit.
What do you do when you need encouragement and you’re the only one there?
Vineman Results (search for bib #40)
Brandon’s Marathon on The Running Front!!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Brain Surgery Frees Runner, but Raises Barriers
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
So, I went for a ride from home (Manhattan) to Nyack this morning and it was wonderfully cool! I loved it! As I got to the Western side of the George Washington Bridge, I almost ran into a BIG, wild turkey, almost immediately after that I saw a rabbit, so I decided that today would be nature day. Not that I would go looking for things, but they just seemed to find me today!!
As my ride continued, I saw (and when I say, “saw” I don’t mean saw through the trees, I mean up close and personal!!) another turkey, two more rabbits, a chipmunk and a groundhog!
This evening when I got home from work, I went for a run in The Cloisters, Fort Tryon and Inwood Hill Parks. On the last leg of my run in the hills, I was coming down off of a rise and all of a sudden, from my left about ten feet in front of me, came a baby skunk!! IN MANHATTAN!!! It was one of the cutest things ever! However, not being an idiot, I immediately froze (as did the skunk), and slowly turned around and HAULED ASS in the opposite direction!
Weird day, huh?
Yesterday was the Achilles Hope & Possibility 5 miler in Central Park. The famous, Ari and I had arranged to meet at the registration tent prior to the race and to run the event together. Achilles Track Club, for those who may not know, is an organization who holds as it’s mission statement: “Our mission is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics, promote personal achievement, enhance self esteem, and lower barriers.”. I am no stranger to Achilles and have been there to cheer on many of their athletes before this event and have also been passed by one of their Iraq War veterans in a race!
Now, to say that I was “re-inspired” by this event is not entirely true. I think that, to be “re” anything, one needs to have lost their initial drive. I have not. However, as I stated in my article last week entitled, “Time”, I have been struggling with the amount of my life my training must take up, but lacking the time to allow it to do so. This weekend, I found myself renewed. On Saturday, I went on a 5.5 mile run in the morning, then headed out to rehearsal. Following rehearsal, I headed home and went on a 30 mile ride down the West Side Greenway (my first time on that route in a while). Knowing that I had an event the next morning, I looked forward to that soreness that makes you feel alive, like your body is working again.
The next morning, I went to the event in Central Park. First, walking through the parking area in front of Tavern on the Green, the amount of high-tech wheelchair gear was amazing! The amount of high end wheelsets on those chairs could almost surpass the wheelsets on überbikes at a triathlon. As I walked toward the registration tent and looked around, the people there, some with mental disabilities, some missing one or both legs or arms, I began to think. What if I wasn’t sore that morning because the part of me that should be sore was missing? Would I still be there? What if I couldn’t walk to the start, but had to use my arms? Would I still be there?
These athletes were there because they are just that, athletes. No matter what, at the end of the day, they were not letting some small thing like being a double leg amputee stop them from going out and using what God gave them. The wheelchair start went off before the main pack, and it was incredible to see these athletes, some of whom were forced to go backward in their chairs, due to their condition, just smile the whole time.
As Ari and I got to about mile 4 (holding down about a 7:15/mile pace), the heat and humidity began to kick my ass a bit, I said to Ari, “I’d like to go on the record and say that I am officially no longer having fun.”. Once I got home and had the chance to reflect, it made me realize how thankful I was to have been able to toe the line with the athletes from Achilles. So, to each and every one of the member of Achilles Track Club, thank you! I would also like to say a special thank you to the veterans who were there running. You have given of yourself with an unconditional love for our country and I am eternally grateful. As long as I have breath, I will defend and honor the sacrifices you have made for our freedoms. Thank you.
Official Results:
Time 36:55
Pace 7:23/mile
Running with the Pack Episode 49 (with me!!)
2009 Patriot Triathlon Official Results
Rio de Jinero Marathon (GO RAPHAEL!!!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Yesterday evening, at 5:30 on a particularly beautiful day here in New York City, a group of runners met at The Bosthouse in Central Park. We were meeting with the common interest, not only of running, but of running smart and running healthy. The vehicle through which this took place was Newton Running.
We were met by Danny, Ian and Ian. Danny, being one of the founders of Newton was not only INCREDIBLY in touch with his product (obviously), but is one of the foremost experts on running in the world today. With the help of the Ian’s, Danny explained in very clear terms the theory and technique behind using the Newtons to further proper running technique. What was of great advantage was the fact that what Danny was explaining is not some revolutionary concept that ad piles upon piles of numbers to digest, but rather, was simply common sense and utilizes our true “natural” running technique.
After we met, we went up to a part of the park where there was a traffice turn around (fortunately with no traffic) so that we could run around the circle to nail down the technique. One of the FIRST things we did was TAKE OFF OUR SHOES! I think it is important to note, to the Newton skeptics out there, that 1. Not everyone was wearing Newtons. and 2. They explained the technique WAY before the technology.
We then went on a short group run on the bridle path (not too sure how far) and during the run, the Newton crew was taking the time to look at our strides one at a time and gives us tips and encouragement. They also were more than happy to answer any questions that we had.
I will go more into detail about some of the things we discussed on next week’s show, but for now, suffice it to say that if Newton is EVER in your area you should go talk to them. In the meantime, I will be putting up videos every day (if I can remember) that come from Newton themselves. If you would like to explore more about Newton, please visit their site, or feel free to ask me any questions if that is easier for you and I can pass them along. However, they are extremely accessible and I’m sure would be hapy to help out with anything you may want to know!!
For my part, I would like to say thank you so very, very much to everyone from Newton!! If you guys EVER want to do another thing in NYC, you can count on me to drum up as many people as I can get my hands on!!
Xterra Wetsuits (50% off until the end of June!!!!)
Patriot Triathlon (Go Shrekilocks!!!)
Dreamfar Triathlon Team (Thanks guys!!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
I just got this AWESOME tweet from @SirIsaac (Newton Running’s Twitter name):
@sirisaac: Attn: NYC! We’re doing a free running clinic/group run in Central Park with Newton’s founders on June 16 at 5:30pm, Boathouse
followed by this tweet:
@sirisaac: @ironbrandon This NYC running clinic is per your request 
SOOOOOOOO AWESOME!!
So, if you’re in the New York City Area, please come to the event! Here are the details:
When: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 5:30 PM EST
Where: The Boathouse in Central Park in New York, NY
What: Running clinic and group run with the founders of Newton Running
I am SOOOOOO excited and I hope to see lots of people there! Let me know if you’re coming so we can meet before and maybe grab a drink afterward!
I just got home from completing the NYRR Half-Marathon Grand Prix: Brooklyn. This was my first official “half” and I think that despite my lack of training for this particular event, it went very well!
In brief; the race began in Prospect Park doing about two full loops of the park and then moved to Ocean Parkway. It continued down Ocean until hitting Coney Island and Surf and then the boardwalk. The course in the park was not bad although there were a couple of sizeable hills, which somehow seemed like no trouble at all since I was running with some friends. Once the course exited the park it was (with the exception of a brief down and then up around the freeway) pretty flat and I fould plenty of trees along the side to escape the sun, which was a factor.
Please check back on Tuesday for Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 43 where I will give a much more detailed race report and interview my wife, Danielle who also ran and did a great job!
Our official times were:
Danielle: 2:22:13
Brandon: 1:51:36
De Soto Cool Gear (scroll down the page)
Soldier passes away in Country Music Half Marathon
Wildflower Triathlon (Bobby Cockrill)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
YouTube Video’s using a foam roller
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In the midst of all my IT band problems, I have been itching to test out my leg while at the same time, nervous about taking my first running strides. All that said, I just got in from going for a four mile test run, and guess what…….
IT FELT GREAT!!!
There was a bit of soreness in my ITB, but I just kept a close eye on my stride, being sure to not make any extraneous movements. I also did this run wearing an IT Band Compression Wrap (sometimes know as a cho-pat)
As soon as I returned from the run, I did a nice 15 minute stretch session, which included a foam roller. And the biggest shock…it STILL feels good. Ususally, my ITB acts up the most AFTER my runs, but as I sit here writing to you, it feels absolutely fine!
Anyway, all that is extremely encouraging, and I plan to do another 4 miler this Thursday, just to give the leg another stretch.
Both times I went for my run on the Westside Greenway last week, the path led me by the Westside impound garage used by the NYPD. This is a MASSIVE structure which holds thousands of vehicles. Both times I ran by I saw sitting out front on a tow truck getting ready to be taken inside, a UPS truck. Boo, NYPD traffic, BOO.
If you are reading this and your package was late, maybe this is why. feel free to send a bill to the City of New York and their rolling tax-collectors (NYPD Traffic).
Brandon’s Marathon on YouTube!
Sentara New Year’s Day 5K Results
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The boys over at the Running with the Pack podcast recently ran the Tussey Mountainback 50-mile Relay and kicked some serious ass. Here is Allan’s email about the event as well as a video he shot.
So, my buddy Jason gave me this really cool page that shows a visual elevation comparison of several major Ironman events, including my race, Ironman Wisconsin. I have tried my darndest to insert the working chart into this post but I cannot for the life of me get it to work. So click the link below to check it out!!
Running in the Center of the Universe
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Strong Island Results (To see full results, just click “Get Results”. To see MY results, search for bib #32.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
My Run for Central Park Results
Full Run for Central Park Results
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Strong Island Rookie Triathlon
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon
Redondo Beach Triathlon results
Bobby crosses the finish line at clock time 5:18:27 (click here for the video!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Here are the details:
First; about 3 days before the race I was riding a bike to the store. The bike has SPD pedals, but I was wearing flip flops because it was just to the store and back. Somewhere along the way the pedal rolled and I cut my the high part of my heel (almost near the bottom of my achilles). No real damage, but there went any hope of not wearing socks.
Days before:
I kept up regular, but lesser workouts up until the Friday before the race (race was on sunday). During the day on Saturday, I went to the check in/clinic they had for the event. Got to take a look at the course and so on. On Saturday night I had a big plate of penne with pears in a gorgonzola cream sauce. Went to bed at 10 pm.
Race day:
I woke up at 5 am, had two eggs with cheese and a banana. I wanted to be checked in and in the transition area by 6:15, but made it at about 6:20. I had plenty of time to set up my transition area just right. I was wearing a one piece tri suit by TYR, and a Zoot Fuzion, full wetsuit (which I will never do again, I’ll explain later). I had two bottles of water set to hose the sand off my feet and everything ended up working out just right.
The start:
The day was overcast, so not so hot and the water was about 62 (f-ing cold). I was in the 3rd wave, which I think was the biggest (34-14 y/o). I got near the front of the group.
The swim:
Had a clean start and got into the mix right away catching multiple feet hands and elbows to my face and other parts. I am sure I also returned the favor. It took me about 5 minutes to pull out in front of the big pack. There was one guy that just took off and ended up out of the water about 30 seconds ahead of me. I pulled way out and I think I was third out of the water for my wave. The reason I will never wear a full sleeve wetsuit again is that it created resistance to my stroke. I had to work harder to get my arms out of the water and this ended up killing my breath. And let me tell you, I am feeling it today.
Coming into the breakers was fine. I caught a couple nice wave that gave me a great push, but I also caught one that broke under my legs and almost flipped me. Once i was standing, I had about 20 yards of water to run out of, which was SOO hard. Once out of that, I had about 75 yards to go to the transition. The real problem was that the entire run up the beach really was UP the beach. By the time I hit the boardwalk into T1 I was in so much pain. I got to my area ok, took a drink of FRS and got my socks and shoes and helmet, etc. on. I then tried to get on my bike before they reminded me that I had to run out of the transition. All in all, I think I was in the transition for about 45 seconds to a minute.
The bike:
I was riding a Cannondale R5 with Look Keo Sprint pedals. It is a road bike and not a tri-bike per se, but it did a great job, and since I train on my own road bike anyway, it is what I am used to. I did rather well on the bike and I believe I only lost about 4 places to guys that were definitely seasoned triathletes and riding $5,000+ tri-bikes. I took advantage of drafting and using it even passed one of the guys that had passed me. I made it into the transition very well and got my cycling shoes off and my running shoes/hat/glasses on in about 30 seconds.
The run:
I was using Yankz for my shoe laces so I saved a lot of time with that and the fact that I had socks on made my shoes go on even faster. The run was a 2 mile course, that was on a lot of boardwalk, which was nice and easy on the legs. However, running is by FAR my weak point and I lost probably about ten or so places to guys that were crazy fast. At mile one there was a set of about 5 stairs that burned like hell. Just beyond that was a water station. It was at that water station that I discovered the bad side of drinking water from a cup while running (I choked). I also dumped the remainder of my water on my head, forgetting the fact that I had a Nike Dri-fit hat on and it would push away any water that hit it! Oh well. The final 30 yards included a hill (up) which sucked and then a nice sidewalk.
My official time was 52:48 and I finished 6th in my age group. I am not sure about my overall place, but I will let you know once they post that info (if they post that info). Overall, I was extremely pleased with my performance. I need to work on my running, no doubt, but I hung in there and it felt awesome to finish.
So, as I spoke about on my last podcast episode, I’m back! So is nipple chaffing!
The problem I run into is that I get going, only intending on going for a short-ish run and that turns into me going for close to an hour…hence the nipple chaffing. I am now keeping a stick of Body Glide in my gym bag constantly to hopefully alleviate this problem.
Anyway, in less than 48 hours I will be driving across the US from NYC to Logan, Utah with my wife and my dog in three days. The problem is that I have to get in my workouts!! My goal is to run every day once we arrive at our destination (1 night Moline, IL; 2nd night, somewhere in Wyoming) given that it’s not too cold and that I can motivate myself to even THINK about running after having driven for 15 hours+.
On top of that, it will be three days that I am out of the pool and not able to swim. This is important because, as I said, I have the Redondo Beach Triathlon on June 8th. ANOTHER problem is that, the morning after we arrive in Utah, I fly to San Diego to lend my moral (and if needs be, physical) support to Bobby as he runs in the San Diego Marathon. As soon as my plane lands, I am heading to the hotel and then to the race course to run, with Bobby, however much of the race he has left.
SOOOOO…..focus. I have to be focused and intent on my goals. Off we go!
Thanks so much for visiting my site! My name is Brandon Wood and I am an opera singer living and trying to make it in New York City. This site and podcast follow my adventures on the way to competing in and training for all kinds of endurance events, especially triathlon and running. Click the "About Me" tab for more info!
