Fish, Bike, Run

Yellowstone by Moonlight

2011-09-17T21:09:00.000-07:00


The Clock Strikes Midnight

Last Friday night, Susan and I drove to West Yellowstone so that I could ride with some of the Billings cyclists on their annual West Yellowstone Moonlight Ride. I was excited to go because of how close it was to Dillon (about 2 1/2 hours), that we haven't been to Yellowstone yet this year and it's something we have wanted to do. So we packed up our camping gear and headed for the park.

We got to West Yellowstone about 9:30 pm and went to my first campground choice (FULL) so we had to drive about 10 miles out of town to set up the night's camp. "So much for me riding to and from the starting point of the ride," I thought. 'Oh well."

The West Yellowstone version of this ride would take us from the Park's entrance to Old Faithful and back, for a total of approximately 62 miles, or 100 kilometers (a metric century). The start time was to be midnight and the return time was to be 6:00 am Saturday morning. Yes, we would be riding all night long. The overnight low was to be below freezing. This was going to be interesting, to say the least.

I awoke after a 30 minute power nap and got dressed to go. It was 11 pm and not that cold out, so I opted for leg warmer vs. tights, a base layer with jersey, arm warmers and my rain jacket. I have winter gloves and a fleece head band to cover my ears. I felt good at the time, but would soon find out that I was under dressed. I was fooled further by seeing one of the riders, Mike, dressed in baggy shorts with knee warmers and not much on top.


DJ Mike and his Pimped Ride

"How cold could the park be in early September?" I thought.

We got all our gear together (I didn't have anything extra to bring along). Joe would be our sag support, while ride leader, Spencer Stone, Mike, Dick and I would ride. Miked finished his cigarette and we rolled out at 12:15 am.

Dick on the Long Road into the Park


Captain Spencer

The nearly full moon was high by then. It was quiet and we had the roads all to ourselves. I think I counted only two cars passing us on the way in, and Joe kept a good distance away and drove with only his parking lights on. I was using my new headlight, a 350 lumen light (normal headlights are about 50 lumen), that I got just for this ride (and for early am or late pm commutes). It turned out to be a spotlight and made us feel like we were riding in a parking lot, so early on in the ride I shut it down and rode without anything. (Note: We all had flashing tail lights for safety.)

Riding in the dark with only the moonlight MADE this ride. I have been through the park in all four seasons, but never at night. It is a magical place any time of the year, but the moon gave it a completely different feeling. We could have been on Venus or Mars, or on a haunted trek through the wilderness. It was eerie, to say the least.

It was very cool.

My riding mates were cool, too. I'd only ridden with Spencer before, on a club ride in Billings, a year and a half ago. Dick and Mike I just met this night. Mike was a character. An engineer, 24 hour MTB racer, smoker and lover of vintage music, Mike provided the music, via MP3 player and speaker on his bike rack. We were serenaded by Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead and countless others as we rode in the darkness.


"Sugar Magnolia" at 1:30 am.

Like I said, this ride was going to be interesting.

The ride went off without a hitch. I got really cold about 5 miles from Old Faithful and I began to question my ability to finish the ride off. "At least we have the sag," I thought. But when we finally got to the Old Faithful Lodge and sat in the warm, cozy and quiet great room, I began to feel better. We had the place to ourselves and we spent nearly an hour refueling and thawing out. It was sublime!


A little bleary eyed at 3:30 am

Old Faithful Lodge...the next day.

But alas, we had 30+ miles left to go and after we all accepted this, we mounted up and headed out. It is here that I have to give big props to Dick, who furnished me with a long sleeve jersey as a fourth layer. Man did that make all the difference on the cold descent back to West Yellowstone. All was good on the return trip, but I did get cold about 5 miles out from the finish. It was pre-dawn and at the coldest part of the day. Joe said that he saw 32 degrees, but Susan had 28 on her thermometer. I'll take the average and just call it COLD.


Dawn Patrol...post ride.

We thawed out in the lobby of the start/finish motel along with 150 Asian tourists, getting their breakfast buffet. Their presence seemed to add to the dream-like state that my sleep deprived, cold induced body was in.

It was interesting and then it was over. Spencer and my new friends were on the road, heading for Chico Hot Springs for a soak and snooze before heading back to Billings, the tourists were loading up for a busy day of sightseeing and Susan would soon pick me up and take me back to camp for a nap. It still feels strange as I write this, but it was an incredibly fun (and interesting) bicycle ride that I would recommend to any and all adventure seekers.

If I'm in Montana next year, you bet I'll be on this ride again.

Backroads to Bannack

2011-08-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago I rode the cyclocross bike to historic Bannack. Bannack was the first capital of the territory of Montana. It was a true wild west town. They mined gold, hung thieves and cattle rustlers, and drank plenty of whiskey! It is one of Montana's famous ghost towns and like the Coolidge townsite, is a piece of Montana history.

It started with listening to an old timer's stories of the wild west. This man grew up in the mountains and canyons to the south of Bannack. His grandfather homestaded here in the 1800's and his father and now he lives in the same log cabin (c. 1860's). He told of stories of cattle rustlers and a lawless land. And there was gold...

I'm living in Dillon, Montana. It is a cow town of about 5000 folks, sitting in a wide valley at about 5000ft elevation. The Beaverhead River runs through town, site of some amazing fishing, and the Big Hole valley and river a few miles afar offer up even better fishing. I've landed several 18" browns and rainbows with an occasional 20+ incher. I can definitely say that I live in a pretty special place.

So after listening to this man tell his story, I decided to check out Bannack via bike. I've been to Bannack by car (about a 25 mile drive from Dillon), but this time I decided to take the road less traveled. I mapped a backroads route that would take me past a few different mines, along the old stagecoach route and finally down Hangman's Gulch to the old ghost town. Soon it was Saturday and I was off.

I headed out from the KOA campground that I have been calling home and immediately started climbing my favorite local hill, the two mile long ascent up Ten Mile Rd. Ten Mile climbs about 500 ft to the Argenta Flats...my playground. It is here that I take my CX bike on a weekly basis. There are miles of dirt roads and tracks to explore and I can ride anywhere from 20 to 50+ miles into Pioneer mountains from here.

I rode out to the Ten Mile Stage Stop then crossed highway278 (the only asphalt road I had to cross today) and continued to climb up toward Badger Mountain. I worked steadily through 7000 ft elevation and arrive at the New Departure Mine. Road Closed!

I didn't know it but the road ended at the private property of the mine. No problems, I would just go around, but instead of backtracking, I turned up a single track and kept climbing. The CX bike did its best, but I finally had to perch it on my shoulder and hike it. I stumbled across a closed mine...maybe it was the Old Departure Mine, and continued up. At the ridge I hit the next FS road, and with Badger mountain to my direct north, began to tear it downhill.

The backside of the mountain was amazing. Awesome vistas in every direction and not a soul to disturb me. In fact, I only saw three vehicles the whole ride, another thing I love about Montana.

I took a short detour to the DelMonte Mine to check it out. it was too cool. Then it was past Road Agent Rock, site of Bannack Sheriff Plumber's lookout for unsuspecting miners and coaches. He robbed several of them of their gold before being hung in Bannack. There are still remnants of the old coach road along side the rock.

I tore off the the hillside on my descent to Bannack. I was looking for the second lefty into Hangman's Gulch and almost missed it. Due to its lack of use, it was overgrown and easy to miss. This rocky trail was slow-go, but very scenic. The gulch dropped me off at the gallows and then the town. When it was all said and done I had biked or hiked 22 miles. Susan arrived shortly there after and we had lunch at the creek.

This off road ride did just what I had wanted it to do, give me an escape from my reality and transport me back to a time of pioneers. I am so fortunate to live where I do!

Back in Montana...and Loving It.

2011-06-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

Well it has been 9 weeks now since we packed up and headed north. It is FINALLY warming up here, but we are still getting weekly storms and our rivers are swollen with 100 year flood runoff.

I fished until the water really began to rise. It has been a torrent of chocolate colored rapids for a few weeks now. It was a blast and I hooked and landed several 16-18" fish. Of course, I lost a couple that were significantly larger, but still managed to enjoy myself. :)

With the weather so rough, and the new job, it has been easy for me to put off cycling (and racing for that matter). It seems that this year is not going to be the year that I get back into racing. Instead, I am going to ride for pleasure. I have been doing a lot of off road riding at a much slower pace...all solo, since I don't have any groups like in Roanoke Rapids or Clovis. It has been nice to take in the county side and to get reacquainted with my home state.

Man have I missed the Mountains!

Running has been my main source of therapy and training though. It's nice to still be able to put in some long runs on the weekends and the endless trails and forest service roads have made running a real joy.

I raced 11 Miles to Paradise back in May and had a blast. I finished 15th male at 1:21, 5th in the 40-44's. Not bad on a challenging up and down, singletrack course.

It has been nice to mix up the elevation on both the bike and the run.

Next up is a Century around Anaconda this Saturday with TONS of climbing, then I am riding the RATPOD, a 130 mile charity ride for Camp Mak-A-Dream, a summer camp for seriously ill children. I haven't ridden this ride for several years. It used to be 154 miles, but was shortened a few years ago to its current distance. Everyone seems to like the new route as it is more scenic and has much less traffic. I can't wait to ride it.

And if anyone would like to donate to Camp Mak-A-Dream, please go to my Firstgiving link. It is tax deductible.

Last but not least, I have put together another Web Album. It has some nice shots of the Dillon area from my perspective. We have a lot of town photos too, but I just haven't gotten around to organizing them. So there will be more photos to come.

Adios for now.

Humble New Beginnings

2011-04-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have now realized three things: I'm old, I'm slow and I'm fat.

Granted, I've got loads of endurance, but all that the past six months of marathon training has given me was a distant view of the peloton racing on up the road.

It wasn't entirely my fault, or was it?

We began the Roubaix '11 all together, Bob and I setting the tempo as we rolled along the Frenchtown Frontage Road. I could feel that my legs weren't great, feeling sluggish as we rolled along. We hit the first climb on Six Mile Road and topped it with the bunch. Sure, I was winded, but no big deal. Racing is about suffering and surviving.

We go speeding down toward the Nine Mile valley and the three loops to follow. Then we hit a really rough section of road with foot deep pot holes and I am in the middle, unable to get a good line. I'm rattled, I lose both my water bottles and slow to a crawl trying to get a better line. I'm instantly at the back of an accelerating pack and have to sprint to get back up to speed. I'm in the red zone, am sucking wind and I am losing contact with the peloton. Yikes! This wasn't supposed to happen.

I shouldn't have lost my focus. I should've been with the group, but instead, I screwed up and got gapped. I chased for the entire first lap, giving it the best tempo and intervals that I could. It was then that I realized that my cycling fitness just wasn't there. My race was over. I DNF'ed after the first lap.

On a positive note, Bob and I allowed Big Alex Gallego to get up the road and to hold onto the lead to win the Master's A race. John finished second to win the uphill finish over a chasing peloton for a 1,2 for MBW Racing. Woohoo.

Big AG across the finish

John busting a mov

Lesson number two: I suck at fishing! My best bud and fishing partner-in-crime, Morgan, and I headed out to Rock Creek for some spring fishing. I got schooled as he landed five to my one in our afternoon on the river. man, have I got some work to do!

Next up, the spring Skwala stonefly hatch and the Bearmouth Road Race. Have I got a lot of work to do!

Fish Today and Roubaix Tomorrow

2011-04-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

RMR circa 2008 edition

Well I'm back in Missoula, Montana for the week. It's been good to be back, though it's been a little chilly. Good news as I'm on the new team, MBW Racing, from our home shop, Missoula Bicycle Works. They have a great Cat 1-2 and Master's A (40+) team. I'm stoked to be riding for their Master's team.

I've got the CX bike all dialed in with a 50 tooth big chain ring and brand spankin' new 25c tires. Forecast for tomorrow is light rain and snow. Should be in the low 30's at the start. Looks like things are shaping up for a great race. Let's just hope that I have good luck and can stay right in the mix!

Today was Fishing 101, and by that I mean that I got schooled by my best fishing buddy, Morgan. He landed 5 of 6 that he had on the line. I landed 1 of 5. Whoops, looks like I'm a little rusty. Anyhow, it was cold and windy today with not much of a bite until about 2pm when a nice March Brown hatch came on. I had a poor selection of dries, so Morgan hooked up 4 times before I got a suitable pattern on that the fish would hit. All-in-all it was an OK first day, but I can't wait to hit the Skwala stonefly hatch that should kick in over the next few weeks.

Be sure to check in next week for the race report...and maybe some trout picks, too.

Spring and the Budding of the Clovis New Mexico Cycling Club

2011-03-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

All Smiles

It's my last weekend in good ol' Clovis, so I thought that I had better post one more time before I go.

The last three weeks have been fun. I dusted off the 'cross bike and started hitting the road. It has felt good to spin after all of those cold winter running miles, and besides, heading back to Montana means two things: Big Fish and Big Bike Rides.

So I thought it might be a good idea to get back on the saddle and start riding. Here are pics of the Clovis cyclists I rode with today.

Starting out on Llano

Acqua e Sapone

Greg catching a break

I'm getting back to Montana just in time for my favorite local bicycle race, The Rocky Mountain Roubaix.   This "spring classic" takes place on the same day as the Paris Roubaix race in northern France.   Paris Roubaix is known for its foul weather and 27 sections of 'pave' or cobblestones. Our Rocky Mountain race can have very ugly weather and has several sections of rough dirt road as a comparable challenge to France's pave.   It is the must race of the spring. It attracts riders from all over the northwest and is talked about for months before and afterward.

Okay, so now you know my motivation for getting back on the bike.   Yes, it mostly because I don't want to get my @ss handed to me by the boys I'll be racing with.   That said, this year I will be racing with the Men's Masters A category.   This 40+ men's group is always stacked, but hopefully those aging hearts, lungs and legs will falter just enough so that I can hang with them.

Today was a typical spring Saturday in Clovis. The sun was shining, it was warm outside, and the wind was blowing 30 mph out of the west.   Joy.

New acquaintance, Carl, had sent the email.   "Saturday ride to Melrose...3hrs...9am."   I replied, "I'll be there, and I'll be bringing a new guy from the Trailer Park, Danny."   Danny's a young gun in the Air Force, fresh off a 5 year tour in England.   I saw him ride out one WINDY afternoon this week on his bike and thought, "he might be alright."   See, that's what you've got to do around here, just get out and do it, wind or no wind.

Carl, AKA the Instigator

So we rolled out of the RV Park and headed east with the wind to our backs.   We FLEW to the meeting point and then turned around to begin a 30-mile slog into the wind. JOY.   We started off easy to let every one's legs warm up and get used to the resistance that Mother Nature had given us.   Ugh!

We rolled for a few miles with Carl and I taking the front.   He and I are both used to many solo miles.   Carl is an Ironman and I, a Nomad.   Things didn't seem all that bad.

After my pull (and a few photos) I happened to look back...and I saw what looked to be a cyclist chasing, so I told the guys to soften it up a little and I turned to fetch him. It was Greg, owner of Leslie-Gibbs Candy, and a regular rider to the Saturday ride, so I'm glad I turned around.   And he, too.   Greg had been chasing hard for a few miles, solo, and was cooked.   I spelled him and then we worked for about 15 minutes to get back to the group...hmm, I don't know how much they slowed down for us.   But, ah, who cares.   I need the work.   I haven't been feeling very strong in the legs since Austin and I've got to get the lead out!

Finally together, we kept it a very sensible pace out to the base. Nick turned for home and the rest of us forged on for Melrose, still about 20 miles west...and into the wind.

We struggled. I pulled...a lot.

We complained.   We joked.   We all hurt.   It was a good time (seriously).

Randy and Wayne turned for home several miles from Melrose, but still got in at least 40.   Danny and I got the green light to go on ahead, so I pushed it a little harder just to see how my legs would do with the resistance.   Man, is it gonna be a long season if they don't get a little stronger!

Finally, the remaining four of Carl, Danny, Kirk and myself, refueled at the truck stop and then bolted for home.   What took nearly 2 hours going out was about 45 minutes coming back.   Kirk and I led the charge, the wind to our backs. It felt like we were flying, and we were.   We averaged about 26 mph, but there were a few times we were over 30. Nice!

Back in Clovis I wished my compadres a good ride and a good day, and then it was off for home.

58 miles.   Thanks boys!

3 Amigos on last week's ride

Moving On...the Austin Marathon Post

2011-03-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

Okay people, it has taken me three weeks to get over the Austin Marathon and I have finally moved on. So here is the blog, in all it's glory.

First, I want to say that Susan and I had an AWESOME time in Austin. It was our first time to the Texas capitol and let me tell you, it lived up to all the hype we've heard about it. We took off early on a Friday morning so that we could have as much time there as possible. It felt good to get away from the eastern New Mexico plains and to get into the Texas hill country. We got there about five o'clock and headed straight to the expo.

Saturday began with a light drizzle. We loaded up the doggies and headed to Magnolia Cafe for an awesome breakfast. That powered us up for a big day of exploring and shopping. We checked out Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop and Espresso Bar (Lance's bike shop). It was cool to check out all the TdF and Team Radio Shack gear.

We toured downtown, the capitol and later had a picnic lunch at a beautiful park. It was cool and dry by then, perfect running weather. Saturday night was pasta at Mandola's (on my friend Betsy T's suggestion). It turned out to be one of those marathon experiences that really makes the trip. The line to this family run Italian Deli was down the street when we got there. It took us an hour to get in, but their hostess brought out ice water with lemon, and their cook brought us squares of cheese pizza that was to die for. Most everyone was either a marathon runner or athletic supporter.

It turned out to be the highlight of my entire weekend!

And then it was Sunday, race day. It was humid and cloudy, but no drizzle. We got downtown early enough for me to drop my gear off at the finish line. Susan took a couple of snap shots and then it was off to the starting line. I was nervous (as usual), but I felt good. The leg hadn't been hurting for a week and I was ready to get going. Twenty thousand runners towed the line. The state capitol looked like a refugee camp for runners. We were everywhere.

I tried to line up near the 3:10 marathon pacers. I was a 100 yds or so behind then when the gun went off. It was 44 seconds to cross the start line...and I was off. The start was surprisingly fast as we tore off downhill, then up, then down, then up. Hmm? I tried to pace myself at about 7:00/mi pace with the hope to catch up to the pace group in a few miles. I caught them at about mile 3, the beginning of a three mile climb. I settled right in.

The pace was a little slow, about 7:45 as we climbed, and I felt good. At the top of the hill was a dip and rise, then it was a three mile downhill back into downtown. The pace down was 6:45/mi. The heat and humidity were really beginning to get to me now.

Susan was at mile 8, camera in hand. Check out my sweat! I handed her my shades as I wasn't using them, and we were off.

keeping up at mile 8

We turned the corner from there and followed the lake. By mile nine I knew that I wasn't going to last with the group and I finally let them go at mile 10 and yet another hill!

My legs were beginning to ache, and I could slow down some now. But the damage from running ten miles of hills in 71 minutes or so had been done. My legs would soon be toast!

Mile11 through 12 were a killer hill that slowed my pace down to 8:06/mi and at the half way point, I just wanted to turn right with the Half Marathoners and call it a day. But then I thought, "If I do that, I won't get my T-shirt or nice finisher's medal" so I kept on running. Besides, maybe I'd still be able to pull off 3:20 and BQ (Boston Qualify).

The second half of the marathon was just painful. My legs hurt EVERY step from mile 12 on. I really had to focus on the smoothness of my running and to just keep going.

The 3:15 pace group caught me about mile 15. They dropped me like a bad habit. The 3:20 pace group caught me about mile 18 and I was only able to hang onto them for a mile or so. Wow, was I tired!

It wasn't until mile 23 that things started to improve. It was the start of a downhill and my friend Betsy was manning the aid station. Man was it good to see her. She gave me a hug and a piece of banana, and most of all, a reason to stop for a moment. Her big smile and words of encouragement helped me carry on toward the finish. Moments later, the 3:30 pace group caught me, but I was able to hang with them all the way to the finishing hill. I tried my best to salvage a 3:30:00 but alas, was only good enough for 3:31:38 by the chip on my shoe, 44 seconds more by my watch.

So, the Austin Marathon was all about survival, and was the single hardest marathon that I've run. I was in decent enough shape, but the three H's: heat, humidity and HILLS got the best of me! I left humbled and determined to someday return to the Texas hill country so that I may redeem myself and conquer those damn hills.

Legs Don't Fail Me Now

2011-02-13T14:48:00.000-08:00

Just a few more miles

It's been a while since my last post. Needless to say that it's been a long haul, these three-and-a-half months. My life has been consumed with Pfitz's marathon training, work and battling the elements.

In early November I moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to beautiful Clovis New Mexico. Land of feed lots and packing plants, railroad tracks and boarded up buildings. This is the Llano Estacado, the stacked plains. This is where high plains meet high desert. And, it is where the winds blow...ALL THE FRIGGIN' TIME!!!

When I arrived, the winds had just begun to blow (for the season) and haven't stopped since. As I sit here to write the winds are whipping at 30 miles per hour outside the RV. It has been a challenge running in this wind, especially with the build up in mileage necessary in marathon prep. I tried running in the early mornings, which were hit or miss. If the winds were calm, it would be alright. But this was definitely the minority of times. Usually it would be blowing 15 to 25 mph and make the windchill feel like it was in the single digits. I would have to zigzag through the neighborhoods to avoid the several miles of inevitable headwinds back to the RV. I would return just as the sun was rising, looking like a lost winter hiker coming out of the wilderness, moments shy of collapse from the exposure.


Clovis Sunrise

Slowly, but surely the wind and cold would break my spirit.   Knowing this I began to mix things up.   Pfitz was mixing it up too, with tempo and pace runs.   I began to run after work, right from the hospital.

Blocks around here come in two sizes, the half mile or the mile square. They run on straight North, South, East, West plots. I mapped out a 4-mile loop that took me down MLK Jr to 7th to Thorton and back on 21st...perfect!   I could now run 2 or three laps a night for ~8 1/2 or 12 1/2 miles, or I could cut a lap in half for ~11 1/2 miles.   The winds are predominately westerly/south westerly which made my running a headwind/tailwind/tailwind/headwind.   It was tolerable and actually pleasant to be running these short loops after work, in the dark.   That was until the "people" started coming out. Seems I was running in a pretty rough neighborhood on this run.   Come on people, it was MLK.   Since when was MLK in a good neighborhood?   I was oblivious of it until I was looking at the paper one day while at work and I saw a familiar looking photo. It was a picture of the apartments I'd been running past 2 to 3 times a night under the caption, "Clovis Murders Down For The Second Year Straight."   Oops!

Oh well, back to the drawing board.   It was time for a change anyway, so I looked up my trusty Google maps for an answer. What I found was a 10-miler that ran around town, or a 12-miler that i ran as an out and back, uphill and into the wind. I was able to still push myself when needed and it bypassed the 'hood. Whew!

Weekends weren't as creative though. I settled on running ~5 miles into the wind with anywhere from 10 to 16 miles of cross or tailwinds for my long runs. My iPod playlists helped me battle the winds and the boredom on my long runs and got me through it.


The Long Road Ahead

Along the road there were a few detours. We took two weekend trips to Santa Fe. Though beautiful, the 7000' elevation and brutal cold (both times were below zero) made it next to impossible to train. It was no big deal though, as my long run mileage wasn't up too high yet. Ruidoso, on the other hand, was during big mileage. It was the week after my 55 mile week and I needed to run 16+/- miles. The weather was beautiful, but the mountain terrain and (again) 7000' elevation made it tough. I managed to run a mostly road 15 miles, but turned up lame by the end. My left calf muscle hurting from the extended downhill running back to the hotel. The next day's run was worse. Uh oh, looked like I had an injury developing.

I took a few days off, resting my weary muscles; massaging and stretching them; hoping things weren't too bad. I tried my next week's running and ouch! UH OH. Now what? So that puts me to two weeks ago.

These past two weeks have been that I can only call "an extreme taper." Forced rest. No problem. I am very familiar to injury and have become a whole lot smarter at treating them properly. I've been successful with Kinesiotape and cross training. The leg is feeling much better, but I'm still not running. The plan for my final week, marathon week, is to tape and try short runs tomorrow, Wednesday and Friday, then Carb-it-up for a GREAT run come next Sunday.

Austin Marathon here I come! I'm still going to try for sub- 3:10, injury or not. It will be as much a surprise for me as anybody at this point in the game.

Of course, I will keep you posted.

Running With Friends

2010-11-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Alyson, Brian and I

On the eve of my last day in North Carolina, I was thinking of all of the wonderful people that I've met while I've been here.   First, I had the pleasure to meet up with the Roanoke Valley Cycling Club and rode most every Tuesday and Thursday night during the summer heatwave that plagued much of this country.   We rode hard and had a blast. Some nights I came out on top and other nights I had my ass handed to me. Thanks guys for sharing your roads with this Montanan.

Next I traveled to Charlotte, the Queen City, and began to focus on running. I am a social runner by nature, but so much of my time I fish, bike or run alone. This is mostly because I don't know many people in the area and often times there aren't any clubs that I can find. So I just go solo.   But Charlotte has many clubs and meeting places for just about any activity that one may want to try. So one Thursday night I went to the U.S. Whitewater training center to meet the runners from the Charlotte Running Club for a trail run. It was here that I met Brian and Alyson, a husband and wife team, that were both very good runners.   I exchanged numbers with Brian and he and I began running together on Sundays.   Brian and I have a similar pace and he was in the middle of his marathon training, so it made it nice to have someone to run long with on the weekends.   We got a few good runs in during my eight weeks here and let me tell you, this guy is going to qualify for Boston this December when he races in Florida.   Go Brian!

So thinking of Brian got me to thinking about my buddy Joel in Ketchikan, Alaska.   Joel and I ran almost every Sunday for most of the time I was in Alaska. We even raced the Inaugural Road to Nowhere 10K on Gravina Island.   Joel was a great running partner and friend that I find that I often miss when I go out on my Sunday runs.

With Alaskan Joel and Missoulian, Nadia

But my initiation into long distance running with a group came from my good friend, Dean McGovern.   As a long-time member of Team Stampede, Dean has hosted the Sunday long run from his hose for more than a decade. I started running with him in either 2000 or 2001, not long after we moved to Missoula.   I had taken several years off of both running and cycling due to injuries, but was ready to get my then, massive, out-of-shape body, back into condition.   So with the help of a group I got back into it. And in the process I fell in love with big, epic runs in the wilderness and with the company of others who loved them the same as me.    Even today, I feel that Dean is with me whenever I go BIG.

But let me not forget Joe Campana, Missoulian/world traveler, and good friend who I ran nearly every Tuesday and Thursday morning for years.   I could always count on him showing up at my front door about 5:35 am, listening to ESPN radio and ready to run. We marathon trained and raced together for a few years and it has been infinitely harder to roll out of bed and hit the road on those days since we stopped running together (he and his family moved to India three years ago).

And last, but not least, there is Lyn. Lyn and I started our friendship before I was old enough to drink beer (legally).   We started together as cycling partners that evolved into running partners and then into beer drinking partners and now are a nice mix of all of the above. Lyn and I raced my first century together in 1986, my first 1/2 marathon together in 1995 and my first marathon together in 2003. Talk about a long lasting relationship!

Lyn and I at the Palm Springs Half

So tomorrow I am off for a different part of the country, rural eastern New Mexico. So who will I be running with? Looks like I'll be running with Pete Pfitzinger (former Pro Marathoner). Well, not exactly. I have begun marathon training and am following his 18 week, 55 mile maximum weekly mileage program. I have used my watered down version of his 18/55 program in the past and have been in good shape to run a decent marathon. But this year I am going to stay more true to his plan, which is a much bigger plan than I have ever done. Not so much with the mileage, as with the amount of interval and tempo work to improve my VO2 max and lactate threshold. I have been feeling really good after the summer cycling and four month return to running program that I planned for myself. So I'm going to give it a go and go for a new PR in the marathon. Yes, I'm going to put it on paper. I am going to run a 3:07 marathon this coming February in Austin, Texas.

There, I said it. Now there's no going back. So I'm counting on Pfitz to get me in shape to crush my old PR of 3:13. Here is an example of this program that I got off of the Internet. Pfitz.plan.

Well there may be a running group in New Mexico, but I'll be running with Pfitz and the fond memories of those who I've run with in the past.

A Welcome Fall

2010-10-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today was the Hellgate Duathlon, a race that I have either raced or volunteered, for many years.   It is the last official race on the Team Stampede (Montana) race calendar.   I have always loved it because it's fall.    The air is crisp and snow has already fallen in the mountains. The aspen leaves have turned and all but fallen off and the air is still.   It's the quiet that I enjoy...right before the storm of winter sets in.

I hope my friends all had an enjoyable race. I'm sure they did.   As for me, I have been enjoying the southern fall.   It's finally cool enough that I can run with some clothes on and I have been taking advantage of this in order to begin advancing my mileage. The last three weeks have been 25 to 34 miles per week and I am feeling good.   I'm getting that base that I used to have back and it feels good.

The leaves are turning here too.   Some light rain has softened up the ground and I have found some good trails to run on.   Life is good!

Today I met the Charlotte Running Club for an early morning run at McAlpine Park. This is a nationally recognized cross country course and is loaded with trails to run. Today we racked up a dozen miles that went over easy.

Last weekend was my Solo Sunday Run at the U.S. Whitewater training Center.   The pictures here are from that run.   I clocked a hilly 11 miles with about 1200 vertical feet of climbing.   The trail system there is extensive and are ideal for running and mountain biking.

So with my recent success of injury-free running and mileage building, it looks like I'll give running another marathon a go. Right now I am seriously considering running Austin, TX in February. It's not inked yet, pending a move to Clovis, New Mexico for my next job, but it looks hopeful. And I am hopeful to be healthy and ready to run a solid marathon by then.

Who knows...maybe I'll even be in shape enough for a new PR. We can always dream, right?

Rain and Shine

2010-09-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful weekend here in Charlotte, NC. Dinner out at Copper, a fine Indian restaurant on Friday night led to a sunny Saturday spent exploring the city and checking out the Festival at the Park. I ran a hot afternoon four-miler and then relaxed.

Sunday was forecast for rain and I had planned to meet a new friend for a long run through the city. I got up early to make breakfast and greeted the sunrise with a walk with Susan and our dogs. Wow, was it beautiful!
The rain hadn't yet come, so off to Brian and Alyson's house for a 12 or 13-miler through some of Charlotte's most historic neighborhoods. I met Brian and Alyson at a Charlotte Running Club run last Thursday at the U.S. Whitewater Training Center where we ran a hilly, trail run. Brian and I ran together and I realized that we had a similar pace, so I asked him if he would want to run and he agreed.   Alyson is a marathoner and Brian has been building himself up with the hopes of completing the Jacksonville Marathon this coming December.   Also, just to mention, the two of them just finished hiking the ENTIRE Appalachian Trail (AT) this summer. There is nothing like logging 2000+ continuous miles to build up an excellent base for running you first (or 15th) marathon.

So Sunday took us into Uptown (downtown), Myer's Park and Dilworth, plus many other districts that I'm not yet familiar with. We got lost (of course), but to no worry.    An extra mile or two would be okay. We finished up in just under two hours for a total of 13 miles, woo hoo! What a beautiful Sunday.

I thanked my newest friends and left for home.   It was about then that the clouds rolled in, the temperatures dropped 15 degrees and it started to rain. So Susan and I headed for another hip area, Noda, and for Cabo Fish Taco. Cabo is an indoor/outdoor restaurant with killer fish tacos and dollar off margaritas on Sundays. I was in heaven.    They tout themselves as California Style, but we found them to be a little more Caribbean, with a Big Kahuna surfer feel. But one thing was for sure, their food was incredible, and I could've sucked down another margarita (or three).

Fast forward thirty hours and I'm home from a long Monday's work and am getting ready to run. The rain keeps coming down steadily, but at least it's cool. I head out for an easy 4-mile recovery run after my long run yesterday and my mind begins to drift off to Ketchikan and my many, rainy runs with Joel Jackson and the others from the Ketchikan Running Club. Seems like it's been forever since I've run in the rain...and how many times I ran in the rain up north. I actually MISS running in the rain, or at least something different than the heat and humidity that has plagued the south for the past three months!

Then, before I knew it, my run was over. Susan was cooking up a delicious meal and I didn't want to come in. Outside it was raining, but inside my head, I was shining.

Changing Gears

2010-09-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

"Racing to the Top" last summer in Alaska

So long Roanoke Rapids and hello Charlotte, North Carolina!

Last weekend I moved from the Northern part of this beautiful state to the Southern part, and it's biggest city, Charlotte. Gone are my new found friends that lit up the roads every Tuesday and Thursday night, and who (or what) will replace them.

Before I go any further, I do have to give a big shout out to all of the wonderful cyclists that took me in like family when I was in Halifax, county. Thanks guys and gals for making me feel at ease on and off the road!

But now I'm in the Queen City and am feeling a little different about what I want to do. This is a great, big city (with it's great big number of people and cars) so cycling in the city will definitely be a challenge. I have looked into some cycling groups, but none are close to where we're staying, so maybe this is the impetus that I need to get back into running.

All of this year's cycling has kept me in decent shape, and the boys in Roanoke Rapids put a little snap back into them too. But I have been thinking a lot about what's been going on with my training and time and have come to the realization that I need to mix things up a bit. So now that I'm finally injury free, I am starting to add more running into my training.

Wow, how out of condition a few months of minimal running will do to one's fitness. But a couple of one to one and a half hour runs have begun my ramp-up of weekly mileage with a goal of getting back into marathon-mode. My hope is to get my mileage (and fitness) up to a level that will enable me to compete in a good fall or winter mid-distance race and then into marathon shape in time for next spring.

So it turns out that this area is quite a hot spot when it comes to running, and cycling. So my hope is to mix it up, do something different and maybe even race a little bit. We'll see what comes next...

A Century on a Saturday

2010-08-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

Time has been just flying here in North Carolina. I have been here almost two months and my assignment at the hospital is drawing to a close. I have two weeks left here and that gave me some urgency to plan a big ride. Be sure to click on my Web Album to the right for pictures!

When I first started researching Roanoke Rapids, I looked up cycling routes and found that it is just about a hundred miles around the lakes. The Roanoke River is dammed up into three lakes, Roanoke Rapids, Lake Gaston and the Kerr Reservoir. So last week I suggested to Randy that I would enjoy some company as I circumnavigated the lakes. He was game, and with a club-wide text later, we had a few riders. So this past Saturday, 7 am, we headed out for some camaraderie and open roads!

It has been cooling down some here in the south. The mornings are often foggy, keeping the temps in the upper 60's vs the mid to upper 70's. Saturday was perfect southern bike ridin' weather.

Six of us headed west for Littleton, 20 +/- miles from here. That is where Jimmy and Chris turned around. The remaining four, intrepid cyclists, headed on for what was estimated to be a 115 mile ride. Turns out it was 120 miles and approx 4000 vertical feet of climbing. I know, not a lot by western Montana's standards, but enough to give us a solid workout.

And what a workout it was!

The first 55 miles flew by. We refueled at the pit stop gas station and headed on. The four of us kept a steady pace of 20 mph and things just rolled along. What beautiful and deserted country roads they were. We passed plantation homes, small and large farms, all growing cotton, tobacco and soy beans. We rode small rollers up and over, mile after mile. It was one of those rides that could put you in a trance.

We turned for home at about 90 miles, maybe 25 more to go. And I was still feeling good. The last couple of hours were really beginning to warm up, but no problems to speak of. A quick stop at a small church to refill our bottles and we were off. It was here that Gordon headed straight for home (to save himself some miles and a couple of "real" hills) and Randy, John and I continued.

I remember looking down at y computer as it clicked past 100 miles with not a care in mind.

Then I bonked! It was mile 106, right after a pull. Wow, how the lights go out quickly! Mile 108 was the highly anticipated Johnny's Hill. I had been in the big chain ring for the ENTIRE ride...until now. I was in my 39/25 pedaling squares as John and Randy passed me on the hill. Oh well, there was nothing left and I knew it. Over the top Randy began to cramp and soon he was behind us. (I found out later that he finally called for a ride.) I finished the last 1/4 of my Clif bar and the rest of my water. Pedaling flat and with a heart rate of 150 to 160, I had to slow down and told John to go. Young John, at 23, was the last man standing. He raced Coeur d' Alene this year for Kona with a 10:40 ish time (not really sure) and his strongest event is the bike. Good job out here John!

It took me an hour to get the last 14 miles home, but still managed a 6:08 final time. And Randy, I called for a ride too, from the convenience store two miles from my home. Yeah, I probably could've limped in from there, but the ICE COLD 32oz Dr. Pepper and A/C were calling me in like Sirens and I couldn't resist.

Another memorable ride!

Thursday Night Gas

2010-08-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Roanoke Rapids, NC - Any Thursday Pm Ride

So I've been meaning to post more, so here I go. It didn't take me too long to hook up with the local cycling club: The Roanoke Valley Cycling Club, to start getting some club riding in. I have done a lot of solo riding this year and it is always a nice change of pace (literally) to ride with a group.

And let me tell you, these boys don't disappoint. I have been able to make it to most every Tuesday and Thursday post-work ride. Good groups of twelve to twenty riders have been showing up. And though they are from all fitness levels, they are there for the same reason, to ride and ride hard.

Last Thursday night started out hot as hell, but with a stiff breeze. We headed west to offset the southerly gusts and make things more tolerable. That was all that it took for the Big Boys to start pushing the pace. Then as we turned back for home (and into a cross-tailwind) things really heated up. We had several long stretches at LT (lactate threshold). My final tally was about 30 minutes at LT and an average pace of 23.5 mph for the entire ride. Tough! And with a driving thunderstorm for the last 40 minutes plus.

This Thursday was much calmer, mostly because it was hot (again), but also because Mike and Randy were absent. These two guys run the peloton. So we ran at a more sensible pace, about 21 mph. That said, the last 10+ miles were as hard as I have come to expect. hammering this time were Robert (think Fabian Cancellara), John (think Andy Schleck) and Jimmy (think Levi Leipheimer). I don't know, but it was all I could do to hang on. After the ride, it was all about giving props to each other and promises to meet up the next time.

So I know where I'll be on Tuesday and Thursday nights, riding my tail off with some real nice guys (and gals).

Southern Fried Cycling

2010-07-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a while since I've last posted on FBR, but not for lack of activity. The last month and a half has been full of events. I finished up work in Billings, Montana and headed to the east coast. The forth of July was spent in a little State Park in Minnesota where I ran some trails along the Des Moines River. It was awesome to be in some of North America's last prairie grasslands, chocked full of fireflies (and mosquitoes).

Eventually, I made it to my next resting spot...North Carolina. We're sittin' just south of the Mason-Dixon line, in rural, Halifax County. And let me tell you, life here is a whole lot different.

First of all, it's hot. Second, it's humid. Put the two together and you've got a sauna. Seems I've traded the long, cool spring in Montana for one of the hottest summers on record, here in the south. In the two weeks we've been here, it's been 90 to 100+ and humid everyday, except for yesterday. Whew!

But that hasn't kept this crazy man from getting out there. See, for a rural area, there is quite a devout group of cyclist. So on the knowledge of a co-worker, I gave them a call...

This brings us to last Thursday and my first group ride. Sportin' the Jamis Supernova cyclocross bike and 25c tires, I roll up to the meeting point. Everyone is expecting me...? And in a few, we head out for their requisite 30 to 40 miler, after work ride.

It was on this ride that I met "the Preacher," "the Law" and several other characters. And let me tell you, this was a group of characters. The banter between them started as we rolled out and didn't stop. It was awesome to be able to sit in on their ride (and their conversations).

I hooked up with them again for an early Sunday morning ride to beat the expected 101 degree heat. The pics in this blog are of our group. One thing I have definitely learned in two rides is that these boys (and girl) can put the hammer down. See, it's nearly flat here, so they make up for it with some blistering pacelines. Sunday's ride had a protracted stretch that ranged from 26 to 30 mph. Good thing I had the Orbea for that one.

So, needless to say, cycling in this neck of the woods is hot! Mostly literally, but figuratively as well. Looks like I'm going to have some great rides here in the south.

Ciao.

Weekend Update

2010-06-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday morning was great weather and a big group from the Billings area decided to take its Saturday ride up to Molt, Montana for breakfast and then do several more miles to justify the big caloric intake. Steve Mysse sent out an email boasting of KOM points, downhill attacks and a TTT along River Road that peaked my interest. The big question...would anyone barf???

So we rolled out at 7:45 am and headed up "the Hogback" aka. Molt Rd. This is a nice 700+/- foot climb that stair steps up to the top of the Rims. You HAVE to take a look a the web album for some nice shots of both Saturday and Sunday's rides.

Of course, I ended up setting the pace up the first, long climb up the hogback, and by the time we got to the top it was only "Lawyer Mike" and myself. I pushed it pretty hard and pulled off to let Mike lead, and me to recover. We climbed together to the top then rode easy while the others caught up. Yep, another tough climb with another tough Billings "Club Cyclist."

Breakfast was AWESOME. Great food at the Prairie Winds Cafe with live Bluegrass music (playing every Saturday to a packed house). Randy was the brave soul that ordered biscuits and gravy. I had the French toast.

Then we were off for the downhill attacks on Buffalo Trail. I climbed this a few weeks ago into a stiff headwind, so descending it today was nice. It is a 5 mile descent with a few saddles that lent themselves well to attacks. I gave everyone a look and took off...

The chase was on. Wayne countered with a nice punch. The group was beginning to break up. A slight uphill came and I jumped. I dug hard until the faint taste of coffee grounds and syrup started to come back up, but it was enough to shake Wayne off my tail and solo to the bottom.

It was there that we said goodbye to the women, Nancy and Pam, who headed back into town. The five of us, Wayne, Steve, Randy, Chris and myself headed for Laurel and eventually home. Randy attacked while we were chatting and almost escaped at the climb outside of Laurel, then we all settled in for the ride to River Road.

My first time on River Rd. I found this rolling, country road to be real nice. We set into a 5 man paceline, and with the prevailing tailwind, proceeded to crank it up. The pace whittled it from 5 to 4 to 3 and to finally just Chris and I sprinting to the sign at Duck Creek. It felt good to finally work hard for a few intervals. This definitely wasn't the Tuesday Hell Ride in Missoula, but it was a good effort for my former racing legs. Who knows, maybe I will race again one day!

Saturday's Total: 67 miles

The Sunday ride was posted to go up the Beartooth Highway to the pass at 10,900 ft. Wow!
I have always wanted to ride "the biggest ride in Montana." This is one for the books and with just a few weeks left in Billings, I had to take it on. So under drizzly and uncertain conditions, Susan and I headed for Red Lodge.

Soon we were climbing in earnest and soon we were all alone to conquer this mountain on our own terms. I had one of those once in a lifetime rides. The mountain was a huge challenge, but I felt good. The weather was challenging, but not miserable. I climbed well, despite having 65+ miles on my legs the day before and was first to the vista and then to the Wyoming state line. State line is at 10,290' roughly 3 miles and 600' from the true summit, but the weather seemed to be turning and the wind was blowing 30 mph or so. It was at this point we all decided that we'd had enough and turned around for home.

We climbed about two hours and descended about 90 minutes. Coming down was interesting as my rear hub/freewheel began to make a horrible sound and vibration. I had to keep pedaling to keep it form screeching. Lucky for me we had a strong headwind all the way back to Red Lodge. Wayne and I double teamed it and pushed through the wind and back to Red Lodge.

Total miles: 50 + 2 beers and lunch at Bogart's.

It was a good weekend of food, riding and camaraderie. Thanks to all the guys and gals of Billings, MT to put on such fun rides. See you next week!

Tuesday Rides with BACN

2010-05-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

The past two Tuesdays have been AWESOME after work rides with the Billings Area Cycling Network, or "bacon" as they are referred to around these parts.

Tonight's edition was a spectacular ride to the top of the "Rims" then out to Molt, MT and back to town via Buffalo Trail Rd. I took the cyclocross bike as it's been my main ride this year. I have been commuting to work with it and the boys from Missoula Bicycle Works can be proud to know that this baby has over 2K miles on it since I bought it last November. Thanks guys.

I rode out to the meeting point, Phipps Park, at the edge of town. Here I met Wayne and Randy, two great guys that I met last week on the Pryor Ck loop (another great ride). Last week we hammered it out, but this week was just a smooth ride of 32 or so miles for the loop.

Let me tell you that I was glad that I had about a six or seven mile warm up before we started, 'cause the first 4 miles or so is the stair step climb up to the top of the rims. Thankfully we had a nice tail wind to assist us which gave us time to chat about Mick Rogers' winning of the Tour of California. I gave a shout out to young Teejay VanGarderen from Missoula, the 21 year-old that was instrumental in pulling Rogers up to the top of Big Bear. If you missed watching it, que lastima!

Randy climbing

Once on top, the three of us turned it up a notch.

Wayne pulling us into Molt, MT

I don't know if it was the Pro Tour talk or the tail wind, but we were feeling good and we pushed it up to 30 mph. For a few minutes we could've been in the Pro Peloton. Nice!

Me riding west into the "Old West."

We blazed past Buffalo Trail (our return route) so that I could see Molt. Motlt, MT has an "almost famous" cafe that is known for playing some killer bluegrass music on Saturday mornings. Susan and I have been wanting to get out there to have breakfast. I hope we can do it once before our time here is up!

Our route home turned us into a cross headwind, forcing us to echelon and take short pulls. I'm sure glad that I had two Amigos to share the workload. It's times like these that more is better, but we did just fine. So far, I have noticed that these Billings boys (and probably girls, too) can ride!

Back at the bottom I said, "Adios" and made a bee-line back home. I guess I put in about 50 miles total for my pm ride, plenty to work up an appetite. Thankfully, my totally awesome wife had dinner ready...a great end to a busy day.

Montana Weekends

2010-05-24T17:45:00.001-07:00

Riding the Rimrock in Billings

I love Montana! Living here the past 11 years has sealed it. I have traveled to many parts of the country, and can find charm in most of them, but there is something about being able to get up in the morning, go for a run or a bike ride, then head out to catch the afternoon Caddis hatch and fish for a few hours, just to work up a hunger for some strong Ale and a nice dinner downtown.

Whew!

That is what I did last weekend back in my adopted hometown of Missoula.

It was graduation weekend for UM and the town was all a buzz. The Farmer's Market was going, it was a warm and sunny weekend and everyone just seemed happy. I have been recovering from my Red Lodge muscle pull from Hell and felt the need to get out and move.

So Saturday, my long time fishing partner, Morgan, and I headed out to Rock Creek. The fishing was good and in 4 hours we landed a dozen fish or so. Of course, it was the big one that got away. :0 It was topped off by some strong KETTLE HOUSE beer and a few fish stories!

Saturday night was all about the fish fajitas at El Cazador with the family, crazy Nadia, Kay and Terry! Yum.

Sunday was the easiest (and one of the quickest) rides to Clinton with the Le Petit group (Northern Rockies Racing) and was capped off with the 4+ mile climb up to the top of Pattee Cyn with Tyler...thanks bro.

BBQ for more food and, yes, beer. Can you tell that I was glad to be home?

Yep, people say things are different up here in Montana, you know, rural and all. But I just don't care. To me, it's freedom to do what I love to do...Fish, Bike, Run!

Riley and I on the Stillwater.

From the Peaks to the Prairie (Race Report)

2010-05-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

Wow! It was a tough day out there, April 25th.

I had signed up to race Montana's first adventure race, Peaks to Prairie. In its 32nd year, P2P has challenged its competitors by racing 73 miles from the National Forest Boundary in the mountains above Red Lodge to the river valley and lowlands of Billings, Montana. It is the combination of running, cycling and down river kayaking that makes this race unique. It is "all downhill" making for fast splits, but is often complicated by inclement weather and tough water conditions. This year was no exception.

The morning started out with 28 degree temps and a fresh coat of snow on the ground. I wasn't too worried about the weather as the sun was out and the winds were calm. I was more concerned about my calves. See, I've been dealing with a chronic calf strain since racing the Lasse Viren 20K this past December. Then it was the Palm Springs Half Marathon and the Desert International Triathlon that both re injured me. I thought that I was through the woods until heading out for a 5-miler three weeks ago, when it came back with a vengeance, forcing me to walk the last two miles back home. I hadn't run since that day!

But the race started off well. I had no pain and was running fast. The miles were clicking off at sub-6:30 pace and I was one of the leading soloists. Then at mile six, my "good leg", the left calf, went into spasm.

I couldn't run.

I had to stop and stretch along the side of the road and watched as EVERYONE raced by. I began to hobble and turned over a couple of 9 minute miles until my legs freed up enough to move a little quicker. But the damage was done, only six miles into the 73, gulp.

I finally made it to the transition area, at 59 minutes. Before the spasms I was on about a 54 to 55 minute pace. I put on a long sleeve jersey and headed for Laurel, Montana some 43 miles away. It was cold, but bearable. But the wind was picking up and 30 mph gusts were hitting us from the left. We had to battle the cross head winds the whole way. I pushed the best I could, focusing on using my quads and glutes, as the calves (now both) were protesting. I passed lots of relay cyclists then began to pick off soloists. At one point I had passed the eventual winner (as I found out later), but with the winds so hard, I skimped on my nutrition and bonked about 10 miles from the transition point. I quickly began to eat, but he and another soloist ended up passing me. I tried to minimize the damage and hit T2 only a minute or two behind them both.

The bike to boat transition took me 5 minutes easily. I could get off my bike, but that was it. My legs were cramping and I couldn't get down to put on my shoes or get into my boat! A lovely volunteer asked me if she could help. All I said was, "just give me a minute." I finally got myself ready and into my kayak, and then it was "paddle like Hell mode."

The wind was shifting from a north westerly to a north easterly, which put it into our faces. For the next two and a half hours I paddled NON-STOP. It was tough, but once I was in the boat, my legs began to feel better. Determined to finish strong, I paddled hard and took good lines down the river. I passed two soloists along the way, but got passed by another just before the finish line. I crossed the line exhausted and in 5th place. Man was I glad to be done.

My final time was 5:20:52, seven minutes faster than when I won this race back in 2006. Which tells me two things: the first is that the competition has gotten a whole lot tougher, but also that I have too. I literally hobbled to a faster time than 4 years ago, and likely would've been 10 minutes faster had I been at full strength. This would've put me in the top 3 and in contention for the win!

So even though I didn't win, or even make the podium, I was happy with my result. It was a "tough day at the office" as the Pro's would say, but made for a memorable race.

Now I'm taking an extended break from racing and will finally concentrate on rehabbing my legs. I think I need to see a PT :-)

Farewell Ride with Lyn

2010-04-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

I have been totally bummed these past three weeks ( and hence the lack of posting).

Seems I lost ALL of the pictures that I took on Lyn and my last ride in the Southland. Saturday, March 27th, Lyn and I met at the Starbucks in Moreno Valley, CA. my hometown. I wanted to ride some of the roads that I used to ride, oh 15 years ago, so after a bagel and a shot of espresso, we were off.

Early spring in southern California cannot be beat. The sun is warm, the skies are still clear of most of the summer smog and the desert flowers are in bloom. It was a gorgeous day. We headed south around Lake Perris, through Nuevo, up Juniper Flats Rd ( a 600' climb) then towards Lake Skinner and the vineyards. We took a brief fueling stop then began the long, stair step climb up to Sage Rd. ( 1800+ ft) to our high point of the day. Along the way, we passed the Indian Oaks Trailer Park and its grocery store. It was here that a nice ranch woman sold us candy bars and asked if we were lawyers....

Once in Sage, it was just a small climb then a big winding decent into Hemet. Wow has Hemet changed! I could've joined many a Cholo gangster and hung out on the corner, "Que onda, Ese?"
We had a good Mexican lunch there...at 70 miles.

The last 22 miles included blowing sand and dirt from a hard crosswind. I thought I was going to lose Lyn, but then true to his form, he dug deep and kept the pace with me. As the winds turned to a tail, we motored back toward Lake Perris at 30+ mph. Man did that feel good!

Lyn said that he's out of shape, but for a guy that does ZERO riding these days, that guy can still go. I can't wait to ride with him again, especially after he has a few miles under his legs.

Our last climb of the day took us into Lake Perris Rec. Area ( 200' then 300' climbs). The lake hasn't changed other than the whole area has aged. I can still remember going there as a kid and teen, just like it was yesterday!

Back at the cars, we cooled down then headed our separate ways. We covered 92 miles of rollers for about 3800' of total climbing over a stunning course.

Fast forward three weeks and I'm 1500 miles to the north, in Billings, Montana. The weather has been surprisingly warm for Montana, but I'm not complaining. I'm still getting out in shorts, but need a base layer for my upper body. We haven't spent much time in Billings before this, but so far, we are enjoying it. Big race coming up this weekend, Peaks to Prairie. It is an adventure race that includes running, cycling and kayaking. Wish me luck!

E

My Personal Quest

2010-03-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

As I travel the country and work in different locations, I am always checking out what each place has to offer. Each corner of our amazing country is unique. Some have natural wonders, while others have history that is our primary draw. But there is more. When I come into an area, the first thing that comes into my head is, "can I ride there?"

Call it a character flaw.

I don't see the beautiful neighborhoods, but rather, the beautiful roads. Where do they lead and where can I ride?
So I have made it a point to plan (at least) one Epic Ride in each place I go.

Placerville, CA had two hundred mile rides into the Sierra foothills. Amazing!

Quincy, CA had a 60 miler that climbed a pass. (It was winter)

Libby, MT had the STOKR, a 95 mile loop that climbed 6000' or so. It wasn't the hardest century, but was definitely a challenge.

Ketchikan, AK lacked the roads to put in an epic ride, but it put on a decent off road race and more than made up for it with some incredible fishing.

Ventura, CA had several great coastal and mountain routes, some really big. My favorite was a 75-miler with three good climbs including the infamous Balcom Canyon.
And lastly, Palm Springs, CA had the Tour de Palm Springs, a nearly flat century, that left me wanting more.

So I am planning my Epic Ride for my last weekend here in SoCal. Call it my swan song. I have designed a route that starts in my home town of Moreno Valley, CA and will wind through the small towns I used to ride to when I was much younger. I have invited my long-time riding partner, Lyn, to do this with me. We will ride down to Lake Skinner and then turn East toward the ominous San Jacinto Mountains. It's here that the ride gets tough. We'll do a series of climbs that will take us up to about 4500', then it's 25+ miles descending toward the desert floor and our finish. I don't have a clue of the mileage, but it will surely be greater that one hundred, and could have 8000 total feet of climbing. I'll be sure to bring the Garmin to get the statistics.

So wish Lyn and I a good ride this coming Saturday and check back for pictures and details of our adventure!

A Triathlon Tale

2010-03-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, I did it! I completed my first triathlon in twenty-plus years this past weekend in the Desert International Triathlon. And I have just three words to say: Open Water Swim.
I have been training now for more than a year. I have worked really hard on my stroke and my endurance, and I have felt pretty good about myself....that is, until I jumped into the water with several hundred more swimmers.

So all I have to say is that I panicked, choked, and generally sucked out there. All of my training seemed to disappear as I battled for real estate. I began to hyperventilate and had to take breaks every few meters in order to get myself to calm down. I had the fitness, for sure, but wasn't able to use it until after the half way point. This is only the second open water swim that I have ever done, the first one in 1986 was a 400m swim that I was able to muscle my way through. So, of course, I was confident that I would be alright for this 3/4 mile swim...uh, WRONG!
But I did survive, and learned a valuable lesson. Next time you can be sure that I will do my share of open water swimming BEFORE I line up at the start.

Sunday was cool and cloudy with rain in the forecast. I was well rested and carbo-loaded. I felt good. So after finishing the anxiety ridden swim, I quickly got into brick mode and got to work on the bike. It was here that the rain began to fall, but I thew down a respectable bike split, averaging 24 mph, and finishing in 1:02.

The run was on a mix of pavement and dirt as it circled the lake. We ran two laps and after the first two miles, knew that I was having a good run. I averaged 6:36/mi pace and finished the six miles in 39:38. No one passed me on either the bike or the run legs.

So I chased myself back into the pack, so to speak. My final tally for the race was 83rd place overall (out of 573) and 69th in my gender. In my age group (40-44) I made it to 13th. Not quite top 10, but with lots of room for improvement. Total time: 2:14:40

So am I discouraged? Am I satisfied? I guess the answer is yes, and this just means that I will have to try another Triathlon in order to figure all of these mixed emotions out. See you out there!

E

Race Week

2010-03-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

Hey there race fans. This is the big week. Sunday marks my return to triathlons after a long hiatus and I'm feeling really good. I've spent a lot of time in the water and finally feel like I've developed my technique, I have a few miles on the bike and my running has been coming along too.

So now comes my favorite part of all the preparation...Race Week.

Yes, now I get to relax, have my fill of carbohydrates, and get ready for race day. I'll get in three easy runs, one bike and one swim before the weekend, just to stay loose and to keep my mind in focus. This taper is necessary to allow my body to store the most muscle glycogen that it can so that I'll have all the energy I need for the two hour-plus race.

Mentally, a taper can be challenging. One gets used to a schedule of workouts that increase each week and the marked decrease in activity can make one antsy and anxious. Over years of racing, I have taken the approach of waiting for and looking forward to the rest, so I feel just fine kicking back.

Which reminds me of my taper before the Boston Marathon in 2006. We took a two week vacation to Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and I enjoyed lounging around in a hammock, sipping beers or fresh margaritas from the bar down the beach from us. I did so little running that my wife even began asking me if I was going to go out and run. "Nah," I said, "let's go for a swim."

The result was a strong marathon for me, despite the tough course.

So, taking it easy has become easy, so to speak.

My goals for this race are one, have a solid race physically, and two, to go sub-2:15:00. To do this, my transitions will have to be good and I'll need to race each discipline hard. So wish me well and stay tuned for the results...in another week.

Yee Haw!

Triathlon Training

2010-02-24T19:09:00.000-08:00

Triathlon: to swim, bike and run.

I've resisted it for so long, about 20 years, but no longer. I have been closet training for triathlons for about two years now. Two years! It has taken this long to actually learn how to swim and to get into some reasonable shape. You see, triathlons have their own degree of difficulty. You have to be accomplished in all three disciplines. And for me, a non-swimmer, it has taken me a long time to commit to becoming a triathlete.

Blame it on Team Stampede.

This is the team of cyclists and triathletes that I've hung around for the past several years. I've trained and raced bikes with these guys, done some tough workouts and even helped with our local races. I've raced multisports like Peaks to Prairie and The Glacier Challenge, winning P2P in 2006. But I haven't raced a triathlon since I was right out of high school...back in the late 80's, Gulp!

My intro to Triathlons began during my senior year in high school. I ran track and our local paper guy would come out to cover our meets. He was a triathlete , would hang out with us and began talking to me about triathlons. I had begun riding bikes and was, of course, running. He showed me some basics on swimming. That was enough to get me through several sprints, but I realized that this was a skill that would limit my abilities, so I dropped tri's and just kept pedaling.

Fast forward a dozen years or so and I traded swimming for kayaking. And I have been happy with not swimming...until the infectious enthusiasm of our team started me thinking of triathlons. Hell, I was routinely running and riding 1/2 Ironman to Ironman distances, so if I could only learn to swim...

So here we go. I'm training for my first triathlon on March 7th, the Desert International Triathlon. I decided on an Olympic Distance Tri to break away from the shorter swim Sprint distance, and to take advantage of my endurance base.

So my training is still a little unorthodoxed for triathlons. I have basically been training for a Century (100 mile) ride and the Palm Springs 1/2 Marathon, both of which I completed two weekends ago. I swim two days per week and have built my base to 2400 yds per workout. So I'm feeling good about this first race, and am now looking forward to racing up to an Ironman. So my goal is to race a 1/2 Ironman in 2010....and a full Ironman in 2011???

Wish me luck in two weekends and stay tuned for my race report and Susan's pictures. It should be a great race!

E

So I've got this brick, now what?

2010-02-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I rode 109 miles on Saturday and I raced a half marathon on Sunday, now what?

Well, it has let me know that I still have some kind of fitness and has given me a gauge for my spring training. I have found that as I work my way around the country, it can be difficult to be consistent with my training. So I wasn't really sure how well I would do. My longest ride in the past ten months has been 75 miles, and my longest run has been ten or eleven miles. I haven't done any road racing or speed work with the exception of a 5K in Ketchikan last fall and the Lasse Viren 20K in December...both of which about killed me.

But as my friend and long-time cycling and running partner, Lyn Willoughby, said, "I'm relying on a lifelong body of training." Yes, Lyn, I think you are very right.

Saturday's ride was easy. I felt like a million dollars, like I could've ridden forever...or at least another 50 miles. The course was easy; no big hills or headwinds to tax the legs. So over a couple of beers at dinner, I started to think about the next day's 1/2 Marathon. Could I run it hard? How hard?

So as Lyn and I lined up on Sunday morning I told him that I was going to try running hard. And so I sealed my fate...

I headed out and soon began knocking out 6:45 miles with little effort. I knew that I was probably going out too fast, but I really had no idea on my pace for a road race, so I just kept going. At 6 miles I was at 39:27. Ouch! I was tearing it up and started thinking about sub 1:30 for my half. The legs felt fine for the moment. I kept it up for two more miles, then began to fatigue, but was still in the low 7's (7:05+/-) then 7:19. Gulp!

It came down to the wire and I crossed the the finish in 1:30:15 by the clock. But I had forgotten that I was racing with a chip and managed to pull a net 1:29:57 out of my @$$. It was good enough for 25th male overall and 5th in my age group. It was an incredibly hard run at the end and I payed for it dearly over the next few hours, but it gave me some perspective on how hard I could go.

So what now? I am currently training for my first triathlon since I was about 20 years old. I will be racing here in La Quinta on March 7th in the Desert International Triathlon. I will be racing the Olympic distance race (3/4 mile swim, 40K bike, 10K run). At this point I am feeling good about it and am already starting to think about racing a Half Ironman distance race (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run) for a total of 70.3 miles.

So what is your next challenge?

The Palm Springs Brick

2010-02-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

This weekend is going to be a whole lotta fun. The Tour of Palm Springs is this Saturday. It is a bicycle tour around the Coachella Valley. There are various lengths to ride, from 5 miles to 100. My friend, Lyn, and I will ride the century. As far as centuries go it's an easy one, so we're going to ride it hard. It should be fun.

Sunday is the Palm Springs Half Marathon. It is a flat and fast course and should really test my fitness level, coming off the 100-miler the previous day.

So this weekend we will complete the "Brick." That is, an epic ride, followed by a run. If this were a triathlon the two disciplines would be back-to-back, but in this case they are consecutive days. Still, I am in training for the Desert International Triathlon and this will help me gauge how my legs are building up their endurance.

Desert Running

2010-01-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, since I don't have the beach to run along, I'll have to make do with the desert. What I am finding is that the desert (in the winter) actually has some great off road running. I have already done 3 trail runs since moving out here, but this last one (yesterday) was magnificent!

I took off from "home" and headed to a local trailhead, 2 miles away. From there it was up, up, up and into the wilderness. For those of you who have never been to the desert, it is just as wild as any mountain forest. The desert has many challenges. The land can be very rugged, there are lots of cacti and dangerous critters, like rattlesnakes and mountain lions. Plus, you can get lost and die of exposure if you don't know what you're doing.

I grew up in the desert and know my way around. But I respect it and am always careful when I go into the back country.

Check out my web album of Saturday's run and you can be sure that I will be posting more big runs soon. Take care.

Oak Glen Ride

2010-01-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

So being back in Southern California after all these years has been good so far. My old riding and running partner, Lyn, lives here and last weekend we got together for an "easy" 45 miler up to Oak Glen. We started in Redlands, rode up Wildwood Canyon then turned left for the big climb up to Oak Glen.

Oak Glen sits at 4950' and our total climbing was 4500' over our 45 miles. It was a great ride!

Riding those roads brought back lots of good memories from when I was in my 20's and riding them for the first time.

Winter Riding

2009-12-27T20:11:00.001-08:00

So this winter isn't going to be like the winters of the past. No snow and plenty of sunshine. If that makes you a little jealous...it should. Christmas day was a 75 mile solo ride up the beast of a climb by the name of Balcom Canyon. It averages 18 percent for about two-thirds of a mile and climbs about 600 vertical feet. OUCH! When I hit the grade I had to look down at my wheels 'cause I thought I was riding with either a flat, or with my brakes rubbing. It was brutal.

The traffic was light and I had most of the roads to myself.

Today's ride was with the Rincon Triathlon Club. We did a nice, hilly ride into the Santa Barbara mountains for a cool, 65 miles. The legs felt better after yesterday's rest and the last 20 miles along the coast were just spectacular. Tons of surfers and dolphins, all playing with the big surf that is leading in a storm.

2009-12-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

Hey now. For the next three months it's going to be all about the beach. We just moved down to Ventura, CA and will be spending the winter here. This is the land of sun and fun. AND lots of training and racing opportunities. The last 5 months have been more about the fishing, and I already have about as many miles on the bike in two weeks as I did in two months in Ketchikan. With any luck, I'll be bronzed and ripped by the time the spring racing season gets here.

Ketchikan Highlights

2009-10-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

I just thought that I would post once more before leaving Alaska. It has been three months since I've posted, but not for lack of material to talk about. We have had minimal internet service since moving out of Clover Pass Resort and into the woods. We have been staying in a beautiful spot, but it is in among dense forest, limiting our cell and internet. Oh well, better late than never.

I have had a bomber time here in Ketchikan. I got nearly my fill of fishing, biking and running. All have been great! I continued fishing throughout the summer and hooked up with several Cohos as well as more humpies than I think I could have counted. I even hooked a King Salmon in Ward Creek that proceeded to rip line off of my reel. I was fortunate to only lose my leader as my 5 weight rod strained from its weight. I'll have to say that he was the biggest adrenaline rush of the summer. Here is a nice Coho to whet your whistle. The king was easily twice this size!

I returned to swimming (and actually have progressed a lot) to get me prepped for my 2010 goal of racing triathlons. Triathlons were originally a goal for '09, but the lack of access to a pool and the abundance of fishing have kept my focus elsewhere. September's fishing slowed and the 30+ inches of rain were motivation enough to get into the pool. I'm up to a solid mile now and feeling much better about my stroke...yes!

The rain limited my cycling to the 3 days that it didn't pour, so I began upping the running mileage. I had been struggling to get two days per week in, but now I average 4 days. I posted an email with the local running club and have met some great people. Local runners Joel, Sue, Max, Greg and Bob made me feel welcome and even humored me and ran in Nowhere, AK 99901. Look at Bob's press release on an Anchorage Political Blog after our unofficial, Inaugural 10K run.

http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/11/sarah-palin-makes-surprise-appearance-at-the-road-to-nowhere-run/

I have to especially thank Joel for being a great running partner. Joel was raised in Ketchikan, but has ties to Montana. He ran track and cross country with his older brother, is about the same age and physique and runs the same pace. He's an outdoorsman and father of three, and an all around great guy. He came out to run with me every Sunday and we had some epic trail runs here. Thanks Joel.

Susan and I did some awesome kayaking. We paddled out to small islands and beach combed for cool stuff. This summer's weather was awesome, while it lasted. We also went out some and found some great art to remind us of our time in Ketchikan.

So now we are off for California and I am so excited as the weather will be great, there are triathlon clubs, aquatic centers and weekly group rides. There are awesome restaurants and plenty of sights to see. I can see myself getting a golden tan and maybe even get back into racing form!

So thanks for reading and be on the lookout for some great posts!

E

Battles Lost and Won

2009-07-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hey there fly fishing aficionados. It seems like fishing and watching the Tour de France has taken up most of my time these past three weeks. I have been working my tail off trying to get into some bigger fish. I went out to the creek yesterday afternoon and fished my favorite hole.

I arrived and there was already a guy fishing, so I stepped in just below him.
His name is Grayson, from Idaho. He's also up here for the summer and was trying to get some fish for dinner. He had a couple of hits, but no hook ups yet.

I caught on on about my 5th cast and released it.
Then I snagged into another line, but as I was pulling it in, it began to move upstream.

Can you believe that it had a fish on it!

It had been hooked in the salt water and gotten free, I guess.

I released it and went back to fishing.

Then Grayson hooked up, and it looked like a nice sized pink.

He played it too hard and whip, out came his lure.

And right into his leg!

Ouch!

We ended up keeping our limit of two fish each, he got to cut a hook out of his leg and I got to watch. All-in-all a good day.

This morning began at 5am on the lake. Of course there was already someone hogging the point, but I stepped in and began casting the best I could.

He was hooking up on every 2nd or 3rd cast, and after 20 minutes of me beating the water,

I beat it.

I headed for the creek and had the place to myself, with the exception of two bald eagles.

I hooked up on my fourth cast and landed about 6 pinks.

I released all of them as they weren't very big, or bright.

Then I hooked a larger one.

Wow, did he run and flop, and as he did, I saw that he was bright chrome.

"At last," I thought, "I had a silver on."

Oh yes, it took me 15 minutes to play this boy to the bank

and I was rewarded with a 27 inch silver.

It wasn't big for a silver, but still weighed about 7 pounds.

Now I can finally say that I have gotten into a real fish.

Sunday Morning Silver

Nice little Humpy

Friday Night Hook Up

2009-07-18T22:24:00.000-07:00

Shh, don't tell anyone, but I went out last night and hooked up...literally.

I went out to the lower stretch of Ward Creek

between the lake and the mouth with Ward Cove.

It's a stretch about a mile long.

It's a steep hike to the water, but there are two good stretches of water to fish.

I was the only one there.

Just me and the fish.

And the Pink Salmon are coming in now.

There are still some silvers coming in, but most of them are in the lake now.

Just as an aside, I hooked into two silvers last weekend, but lost them both.

So tonight I wasn't going home empty handed.

It wasn't long and I had a fish on. It was a nice, shiny pink (the one above).

It measured 22 inches and weighed 3 or 4 pounds.

I landed 2 more, both spawning males, and about 2 feet long.

I lost a bunch, too. I'm still a bit rusty.

I went back this morning and landed another four pinks, so silvers.

I must have lost a dozen more fish.

It was a total kick!

Back In The Saddle Again

2009-07-03T22:18:00.001-07:00

Wow, a lot has happened since my last post!
I still have a 100% catch record for every day that I've gone out and fished, but I haven't been out to fish, to bike, or to run...in the past two weeks!

You see, two weekends ago, I totally "jacked up " my lowback. I'm not sure how it happened, but it could very well be due to the fact that I've been in a forward-flexed position, almost exclusively, since I've arrived to Ketchikan. I have been riding 44+/- minutes to and from work and then I've been fishing after work and on weekends. And somewhere in there my back finally said, "enough."

It got bad and then got worse. I didn't think it was too bad until the second and third day. I was having constant radicular pain down to the bottom of my foot and I couldn't move. That is when my co-worker, Sharon, PT (aka Angel) came to my rescue with a more accurate diagnosis or a nasty disc derangement, and started talking sense into me. You see, the silvers are beginning to run in Ward Creek and fishing in general is getting HOT. But I have had to take it VERY easy until just yesterday. I really thought I was in trouble. I haven't had trouble like this since I messed up my back in '97. (Man does that sound like a 100 years ago)
So I had to lie prone for a week, brace and tape my spine, pray, hope, and generally not screw up, while the inflammation was going down and I was beginning to heal. Fast forward 12 days and I am now able to sit 30 minutes and the leg pain is largely resolved. Whew!

But things are still weak, and I can still flare myself up easily.

So why not try and fish?

And fish I did. I went out last night in search for silvers. The conditions were perfect, but I couldn't quite get my casts out. So no silvers, but one nice rainbow at 14 inches. My back argued with me the rest of the night.
Then this morning, our neighbors (in the RV Park and at home in Lolo, Montana) Gary and JR Tripp, took me out for my first-ever, salt-water salmon fishing trip.

The back held up a little better (still taping and bracing, both) and we ended up hooking into 18 fish. We landed 12 Pinks (Humpies) and 1 nice Chum. I hooked 7 and landed 5 (all Pinks). I had hoped for a nice Silver (or 3) but was excited to get into the Pinks. All of the keepers ranged from 3 to 6 lbs. and the Chum was 9 lbs. Nothing big today, but super fun. The guys said I could go out with them again on Sunday, so maybe I'll just do it!

Thanks again guys for taking me out!

Check out dinner!

PS. Fish count: 21 Rainbows and Dollys, 5 Pinks. One weekend of fishing forever lost!

A Date with Dolly

2009-06-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I went out last night (to Ward Lake) and met up with Dolly (Varden). We had a great time and I went back there this am with a coworker (Damon) and hit some of the same spots that I fished last weekend.

Last night the fish were rising and I missed a nice one with a leech pattern at the outlet, but the access was hard, so I moved over to the inlet where another angler and his 3 kids were fishing. They were getting into fish and were kind enough to share. So side-by-side we casted and caught. I only landed two fish, both Dolly Vardens, but at about 14 inches each, gave me a nice fight.

This morning's outing was GREAT! I landed another nice Dolly and then 8 rainbows. Three were 15 inches and just as bright and beautiful as you could imagine. Sorry, no pics of them, but the pic above is of the Dolly. I'm out again tomorrow, so fish beware.

~E~

Alaska Freshwater Fishing

2009-06-14T22:52:00.001-07:00

Wow, I guess I know what I'll be doing these next few months.

Last night was my first time out fishing here in Ketchikan. I made my way to the fly fishing shop inside Sockeye Sam's to ask they guys about local fishing and they directed me to a local stream that comes and goes from a small lake, Ward Lake. It is a local favorite among fly fishermen, so I decided to give it a go.

Saturday night only produced two small rainbows, but I saw many larger ones rolling. There could be Rainbows, Steelhead, Salmon or Dolly Vardens in this system. The guys teased me for saying I was going out there with my 5 weight rod and 5lb. test leader. I heard about a 30 inch Dolly being caught at the same place that I was going to fish. Hmm?

Sunday am was an early start to the lake's inlet, but after an hour of not even one hit, I moved up into the creek. This is small water, 10 ft or so wide, but it can get some big fish. I was primarily fishing for trout, but was secretly hoping for one of those nice Dolly Vardens.

On my second hole I hooked a nice rainbow of 12 inches. I released him and caught another smaller one. Nice. Then I saw a little deeper hole and hit a bigger one. When I got him to my side, I realised that I had just hooked a jack (juvenile) steelhead. He was about 17 or 18 inches. I quickly released him and moved upstream. And on the next hole I hit my first Dolly.

WOW!

Did he run and jump. I landed him and at 15 1/4 inches, would make a good dinner,

and boy was he sure good!

The little Steelhead

Trail Running with Alison

2009-06-06T07:44:00.001-07:00

Well many weeks have gone by without posting, but it's not because I have been idle. A lot has been going on since my Easter run in the mountains. We moved to Libby, Montana for 6 weeks and are now on our way to Ketchikan. I put a hold on my marathon training since I was no longer going to be anywhere near a marathon come June or July. But I have kept on running and biking, and I even tried fishing the mighty Kootenai River once...no fish. I had the chance to get out and kayak twice and have generally mixed things up quite a bit since April.

The running has always been a consistent thing for me. Being back in Missoula has just reinforced how much I love to run, particularly trail running. Zoo-town has miles upon miles of trails for hiking, biking and running and I was privileged to be able to get out there several times in the couple of weeks that I was there.

So off we went to Alaska, via Washington State and British Columbia. We like to take new routes to keep things interesting, so we headed along highway 20 to Winthrop, WA. Winthrop is a cute little tourist town made up like the old west, complete with big western store fronts and wooden boardwalks. It is also the home of my good friend, and awesome ultramarathoner, Alison. It wouldn't be right to go through Winthrop without taking in a BIG trail run. So Alison, her friends James, William and I decided to head out on a run. Thank GOD the three of them were "tapering" for a 50miler the next weekend, otherwise I may have died up on a mountain somewhere outside of Winthrop. You see, ultrarunners are a breed unlike any other. They aren't particularly fast,but they can run forever. This is very much different from the running I have done lately, which has been shorter and much faster. So I knew I would be in for some suffering if we were to go for a "longer" run, but we only ran about 11 miles...straight up and then back down, a mountain! James estimated that we climbed about 4000 vertical feet in 5.5 miles...Ouch! The best thing about the run was that Alison and I ran together and had a lot of time to play catch up. She is currently training for the 50 miler and then the Wasatch 100 miler in the fall. Alison has really started coming into her own these past two years, winning and placing high in a number of ultra events. I can really see her becoming one of the best ultra women in the USA. Nice work Alison!

So I have really embraced trail running again, and with the move to Alaska, will likely be running a whole lot more. Sure there will be some biking, and a LOT of fishing thrown in there, but trail running is just a fun way to get some exercise!

See you on the trails.

Easter Sunday Run

2009-04-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend was nice. Susan and I got away for the weekend with a trip to Quinn's Hot Springs. It was our first time there and it didn't disappoint. We had a good dinner (with a great bottle of wine) on Saturday night and then camped in the woods with the RV. Sunday morning was majestic. This spring has been the most invigorating spring in quite sometime. Maybe it was the isolation of Northern California that did it, but I have really enjoyed being back in Montana, with the warming and lengthening of the days.

So we got up early Easter morning for a run/hike. I took off early and ran up Seigel Creek Rd. As you can see by the pictures, it's just a forest service road. I climbed up the road for 30 minutes or so before turning back toward camp. Susan made it a hike and we caught up with each other about a half mile from the RV.

My run was fantastic. I felt like superman. These past few weeks have been tough getting in my training days, so every time I run after a day or two off, I feel great. That says something about rest and recovery, not to mention topping off the glycogen stores in the muscles.

So now that we are back in Montana for a while, maybe I'll just start fishing. Who needs all this running anyways? =)

Spring Training

2009-04-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, spring is finally here. It has been a long time coming and the last two weekends have been incredible. My wife and I spent the last weekend of March in Monterey and this weekend in Missoula. Both weekends were excellent weather for getting out for a bike or run, so I did just that.

My spring training program definitely stepped up too. My weekend long run at the beach hit 14 miles and I've been consistently running 4 days per week, plus one to two days cycling. I'm feeling stronger each week. I still don't have the weekly mileage that I'd like, but it's slowly getting there. I'm still planning on running a late spring/early summer marathon, though I'm not sure where I'll be or which one I'll run...

My goal for the spring is building back some much needed strength and endurance!

Mountain Biker Pete

2009-03-20T21:35:00.001-07:00

Wow, spring is here and we've had an awesome week in Northern Cal. It has given me the opportunity to get out and ride. So, I called a local mountain biker, Pete, who was kind enough to show me the local roads and trails. Tuesday was a nice 30 miler, on the road, after work. We did a figure 8 around the valley and included a few small climbs. But it was Wednesday's MTB ride that was awesome. Turns out that Quincy has literally hundreds of miles of singletrack and forest service roads that climb and traverse the hills and we covered about 18 miles just outside of town.

Pete has been riding these trails for ten plus years and has been instrumental in cutting some of the trails. And at 55 years old, this guy still has what it takes to climb and descend some steep slopes. All-in-all it was a great ride. Thanks Pete.

Happy Trails

Chandler Road

2009-03-16T19:02:00.001-07:00

Ah, how I long for these Rave Runs. I have found a local loop that can be ten, twelve or sixteen miles of rural country roads. Chandler Road makes for the perfect training route for those Sunday long runs. I've run the ten and twelve milers so far and will try and run the sixteen before I leave this area if my mileage ramps up enough.

The road winds along the base of the mountains that surround Quincy and the scenery is stunning. These pictures were taken after my run this past Sunday, just as the rain was starting to come down. I've run out here several times in all different conditions. Today was a long sleeves and pants sort of day, but last weekend was sunny and warm enough for shorts and short sleeves.

The hillside is lined with big ponderosa and lodgepole pines, fir and cedar trees. I've run into coyotes, deer, grey squirrels and lots of birds. The other night I was running and I saw and heard a great blue heron calling in one of the farm fields. It was an amazing sight.

This old homestead is absolutely my favorite house in all of Quincy!

So, what is your favorite run and why? Is it the landscape that gets you, or the terrain? For me it's a run that takes me to a place far, far away from my daily routine.

Enjoy and keep on running!

March Madness

2009-03-07T21:16:00.000-08:00

Or should I say frustration?

Well March has been here for a week now and it seems like time is getting away from me already. We "spring forward" tonight, losing yet another precious hour and I'm already starting to get a little stressed. You see, March is a busy month for me. On the first I was supposed to begin Marathon training for the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, but a week has gone by now and I've been out running, oh three times. This has been partly due to Sierra Trading Post's delay in getting me the right shoe, sending me the same, wrong shoe twice! And tonight I finally ran with the right one, only to find that it was too small. Ugh!!! So it looks like I'll be suffering for another week until we get it all worked out. Remind me to NEVER buy my running shoes online again, will you?

Okay, with that off my chest, I guess I can start planning for the next three months or so.

First, I'd better get off my a** and start running. This week wasn't a complete loss as I did manage to get in a soggy 8 miles on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday and a fast 4 tonight. If I suffer through 10 tomorrow, I'll have 26 for the week. But then it's gotta start ramping up. My longest run of the year-to-date is only 12 miles, so I have quite a bit of mileage building ahead of me.

I sure miss Dean's Sunday Group Runs in Missoula. They were always so motivating.

Next, I've really got to start trying to ink my next job, you know, the one in Alaska. That way I don't have to travel 1800 miles or so to run the Marathon. I'll only have to drive to the starting line and hit go on the old stop watch. My company has been very good at getting me work, so I'm not too worried. But it's always nice to have that signed contract to help guide me through the whole moving on process.

Last, but not least, I've got to concentrate. This has been made much more difficult by the above two issues. I am especially distracted by the proposition of actually moving to Alaska. It is going to be a really long drive for the motorhome and tow vehicle, and we're only giving ourselves two weeks. Two weeks should be enough time, save for a freakish storm that may stop us like the Donner party, somewhere in Canada, eh? And then, of course, it's all about keeping it together mentally, because we are so excited about our move that we can hardly contain ourselves. It's going to be hard to keep my focus on the present with such a big move on the horizon. I'm already envisioning myself fishing those Alaskan waters for trophy salmon and steelhead...

Wow. Well thanks for saving me a trip to the psychologist. I just wanted to be sure you got some credit.

So if you see me running down the road next week with my fly rod in one hand and my cell phone in the other, try not to laugh out loud, alright?

Thanks.

A Day in the Life

2009-02-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

My wife encouraged me to begin writing about what is happening in my life, and I've wanted to for a while, so here I go...

Today was a good day. I love good days like this. It was sunny and warm enough to spend the majority of it outside, soaking it up. Susan and I took our three dogs up to Lee Summit for a morning hike. The pass was partially covered with snow, but the gated logging road that we chose to hike on was wide and open. We were surrounded by giant fir and cedar trees, and we enjoyed a beautiful, three-quarter hour long hike in the early morning sun.

A drive back to Quincy for our breakfast seemed a nice reward for our efforts. It was fabulous. My occasional coffee was their French roast, and we shared a giant, veggie omelet. Talk about perfect.

Then it was back home for a quick prep of my commuter bike, an old cyclocross bike, that I would be using for a weekend group ride around town with the local club. At 11 o'clock we took off, eight local cyclists from the Plumas-Sierra Cycling Club and myself. Today's ride would loop around town and climb up LaPorte Road for a few miles, before returning to town. This was my first ride with them and I have to say that they were very welcoming and nice to this out-of-towner. We rode together for about two hours under blue skies and I must say that it sure felt like spring was here.

After I got home I did my weekend chores: washing the car, putting away our camping gear from last week's trip and tuning up my bike (it has really needed it). Susan and I did our weekend grocery shopping, took the dogs for a walk in the park, and then settled in for dinner and some TV. All-in-all it was an easy day.

So there you have it. Pretty boring, I know, but it doesn't take much to make me feel good these days. I hope that this blog will give me an opportunity to share some good stories and pictures and maybe even dispense some valuable information for others who have similar interests.

I hope to talk about my passions of fishing, cycling, running, or just about anything else, like good beer or maybe who is serving up the best burgers in town...

Cheers!