I am nothing if not predictable

Had a fantastic time on vacation (a couple days with Kathleen's family, a day with my family, then 2-1/2 days of snowboarding and recreation in La Crosse with Josh and Justyna). First day of snowboarding was a little slow, but tons of fun - lesson at 10:00, followed by most of the rest of the day on the bunny slope (made it to one of the beginner level real slopes, ended up walking it most of the way down). Soaked the pain away in the hotel hot tub, ate leftover tortiere. Woke up pretty sore the second day, hit the bunny slope again at about 12:30. The first hour or so I was dragging - felt like I'd forgotten everything I learned on day one, felt really exhausted, but pushed through it. At that point, I started having fun again, and things started falling into place. Stayed out on the bunny slope until 9:00 closing, except for a quick break in the lodge around dinner time. At about 8:30, I was flying down the bunny slope, working on heel edge turns (toe edge turns were not a problem, but I still haven't completely mastered heel edge turns). Near the bottom of the bunny slope, I was going a little two fast, and overcompensated on a turn. Snowboard flew out from under me, and I landed hard, first on my pelvis/back, then on my head. Head's fine, didn't get knocked out or anything, most of the impact was on my pelvis. Rode back to Champaign the next day in a lot of pain, did not pass go, did not collect $200, went directly to convenient care. Most likely have twisted my sacrum, am on plentiful prescription drugs until Monday (Tylenol3+Flexeril+800mg Ibuprofen). The annual blowout NYE party is tonight, which I will unfortunately miss most of. Am registered for a 7.6 mile trail run next Saturday, which I'm not sure if I'll be able to make or not. Not an auspicious start to the new year, but at least I only went to the ER once in 2005...

Tags: snowboarding, injury, wisconsin

6 hours in, i'm toast

Heading to lodge for a cocktail, then back to the hotel hot tub...

On vacation

We're snowboarding in Wisconsin!

WTF is with my legs?

After yesterday's run, I was expecting at least a little soreness. This morning, no pain at all...

Vacation

Started my vacation in proper fashion - up at 6am, had a bowl of cream of wheat with almond butter and a little Hammer Gel, then took off for a 12.5 mile run (was planning on trying to do 13-14 miles, but miscalculated the route slightly). Including stops at home for refueling/clothing changes + traffic light stops, it took me 02:30:32. My goal for the half marathon is 01:55 or less, which I can now say with all confidence is very do-able! Fueled with Perpetuem, supplemented with 2 Endurolytes at roughly 01:00, 3 Endurolytes at roughly 02:00 (started having some leg cramping issues at about 01:45, thought some additional electrolytes might help, which they did).

Tags: running, half-marathon

Sunday Sunday Sunday!

That would be me, after completing the first indoor time trial in the winter series that a local bike shop is running. I did the 10k flat course, finished in 19:06, average watts 233. Left before the event was finished, as there were riders competing for close to 2 hours after I was done (the time trial is done in 30 minute blocks, two riders at a time). When I left, I was dead last in terms of time, about in the middle of the pack in terms of watts generated. They're running the series for the next few months, and I'm planning on doing all of the), it'll give me good motivation to do speed work on the bike before the biking season starts in earnest.

Unveiled!

The vegan turduckens were baby portobello mushrooms, stuffed with caramelized onion chutney, stuffed with a morel mushroom stuffed with porcini mushroom and fig/chesnut stuffing. The turduckens were then topped with more of the fig/chesnut stuffing and baked with a little balsamic vinegar, and topped with Murray River salt.
'Twas quite a hit!

The vegan turducken cometh

...details to follow tomorrow after the unveiling!

2006 Racing/Event Plan

I think I've got events picked out for 2006 - here's where things stand right now:

• 01/07 - KRR Siberian Express Trail Run
• 03/04 - 500 Festival 10k in Indianapolis (last chance to qualify for preferred start at the half-marathon)
• 03/18 - KRR Mountain Goat 10k
• 05/06 - 500 Festival Half-Marathon
• 05/28 - Bike The Drive
• 06/03 - Balltown Double Century
• 06/10 - KRR Lake Mingo Trail Run
• 07/16 - Ride Across Indiana
• 08/12 - KRR 8 hour race
• 08/26 - PCC End of the season ride
• 08/27 - Bike Psychos Double Metric
• 09/24 - KRR Wild Wild Wilderness Trail Run
• 10/26 - Death Valley Double Century

(a number of these dates are unconfirmed, and are based on estimates from last year's dates for events)

Also to be fit in there somewhere are if possible:

• Self-guided biking camp (take a week off, spend the week biking, try to get in around 100 miles/day)
• County line ride (ride around the border of Champaign country
• State line ride (ride from Champaign to Indiana and back)

Clothing/Tooth Inventory

Ate breakfast, worked from home, ran 2.65miles to dentist appointment, ate 1 envelope Hammer Gel after appointment, ran home, ate lunch.

Had a perfect bill of health from my dentist - which I seem to have had all of my dentist appointment for the past few years. I'm somewhat mystified by that, as I haven't made any major changes to my dental care. The theory that occurred while I was in the dentist's chair, which is the one I'm going with for the time being, is that my dietary changes while losing weight eliminated a lot of sugar from my diet, and as a result, my teeth are happier...they were never in terrible shape (aside from night-time grinding), but I often had a filling every couple years....

Now the entertaining part - the clothing required to run in 3-9 degree weather to/from my dentist:
1 pair Nike Dri-Fit running tights, size medium
1 pair generic winter running tights, size XL
1 pair wicking socks
1 pair athletic socks
1 pair wool socks
1 pair Race Ready running shorts
1 Body Glove wicking sleeveless shirt
1 cotton race shirt
1 Pearl Isumi long-sleeve wicking shirt
1 hooded sweatshirt
1 Asics windbreaker
1 Helly Hansen hat
1 pair Nike Dri-Fit fleece running gloves
1 pair Thinsulate mittens

I'm planning on running to/from work as well, and for that, I'll be eliminating/changing a few layers - will be removing wool socks, one of my top layers (probably the sweatshirt), replacing the wicking socks with Injinji toe socks, replacing the windbreaker with my insanely shiny Nike jacket, making me even more of a Nike whore.

This'll make today an 11 mile day...now I just need to make that 11 miles in one run, rather than 4...

The feeling has returned to my fingers (updated)

Finished the Jingle Bell 5k in 23:46, which does not qualify me for preferred start for the Indy half-marathon. I've got a couple of additional events that I can look at using for qualification, so all is not lost, and I'm still pretty pleased with my finish (almost 20 minutes faster than when I did Rattlesnake Master back in 2000 at my slowest/close to heaviest). Amusingly, due to a clerical error, the race organizers had me listed as a woman, and showed me coming in first in my age group (as a woman). In reality, I finished abut 4th or 5th in my age group for men (should know final results soon), and placed either 42nd or 43rd overall among men (out of 118 racers). Now, I'm going to eat a Belgian Blue hamburger on whole wheat toast and curl up on the futon with my dogs...

UPDATE:
Final results are in - I placed 5th in my age group, and 42nd out of 117 male runners!

I get more done before 8am...

Run? Check!
Shovel snow? Check!
50 crunches? Check!