Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
VeloSF... Not your average spin class...
A training ride with my
husband should not be a difficult thing to get right. We’re both competitive
athletes, challenging for spots on the 40-44 podium in triathlon races. We are
training for the same races and we share the same triathlon coach who
understands that we like to align our schedules… And yet, it’s almost an
impossible challenge to achieve our goal of spending time together,
accomplishing our training goals and enjoying the ride. What’s the problem? It’s
simple. We don’t ride the same speed… his 6ft frame and 175lb lean muscle mass and
higher W/kg makes him stronger and faster.
Friends often point out to
me, how wonderful it is that we share the same hobby and that we can train
together (triathlon is the reason we met) but in actual fact, it’s a cause of
stress in our relationship. He debates whether to wait for me at the top of
hills. He encourages me to sit on his wheel on flat and rolling terrain… but I feel
guilty for being *slower* on the hills and then I don’t want to draft on the
flats as it then makes my ride too easy. Riding outside together has become a difficult
conundrum to solve without one of us compromising on our training plans.
Thankfully, we discovered an
antidote for our riding (and marital) harmony at VeloSF, a San Francisco based
studio offering 28 indoor cycling classes a week. Indoor riding is the great
equalizer. Setting up our bikes side by side on Computrainers at VeloSF, we are
able to execute a ride with specificity to our fitness and performance
objectives without leaving the other behind. To put it more finely, my husband
cannot put the hammer down and drop me like a bad habit while his rear wheel is
securely anchored in place!
However, to describe VeloSF
as an indoor cycling studio is a grave injustice. It is certainly nothing like
a spin class you might encounter at a regular gym. Kate Ligler, general manager
of VeloSF describes the facility as follows: “It’s a cycling based performance
center that offers small group (up to 20) cycling classes on a periodized
training cycle.”
Sounds fancy but what does
that really mean?
Step one: Visit VeloSF for blood lactate testing. The test
takes about an hour and consists of cycling on your own bike, attached to a
Computrainer while a physiologist staff member adds increased load at regular
intervals.
When I tested, I warmed up
for 15 minutes and then began the test. I started cycling at 100 watts with the
load increasing by 20 watts every three minutes. Ligler, who is a trained
physiologist and member of the coaching staff alongside her management duties, took
a sample of blood and noted my heart rate at the end of each three minute interval.
This continued through eight rounds until I flamed out spectacularly, heaving
over the front of my bike, unable to pedal any more as she moved the load to 260
watts. My legs and heart were having none of it. I softly spun for another 10
minutes, trying to flush out the lactate that was now clogging my quads, and
hoping that my heart rate would come down from its elevated levels. It did
after a minute or two of easy spinning
Step two: A VeloSF staff member analyzes the results and
prints out a personalized power profile before discussing with you how the
information will be used in your training plan. The results are in the form of
prescribed zones (1 through 5) with a personalized range of watts for each
zone. VeloSF even has a sticker with the zones so you can plaster the
information on your top tube for easy reference while riding!
In my case, riding at less
than 145 watts corresponds to zone 1 and should be considered very easy. Zone 2
(150-180 watts for me) is endurance riding, still comfortable. In fact, the
high end of zone 2 corresponds with my typical ironman effort. Zone 3 is tempo
riding (185-205 watts) and in my experience is in line with my half-ironman
bike efforts. Zone 4 was set at 205-225w and zone 5 was anything above 230
watts. I annotated the zone 5 on my sticker, writing “hurtbox” alongside the
prescribed power zone.
Step three: Sign up for a scheduled class to fit your schedule. VeloSF
coaches recommend that you take two 90 minute classes per week. This forms the
basis of the facility’s periodized training plan. Each period comprises 12
weeks of training that adjusts focus as you go through the calendar year. The
winter months focus on longer, base training intervals while the spring and
summer months aim to prepare you for race season and will include higher power
and higher intensity, building on the base you developed earlier in the year. Each
class is scripted down to the minute by Matt Dixon, an elite triathlon coach
and owner of PurplePatch Fitness (www.purplepatchfitness.com), however, the VeloSF coaches are encouraged to tweak
based on their knowledge of the individuals in the class and their own coaching
and cycling experience.
I typically attend classes
every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon but have been known to add a third session
on Saturday if the weather forecast calls for rain. Of course, my husband sets
up his bike right next to mine as often as our work schedules allow.
Step four: Retest every 3 to 6 months and adjust your training
plan accordingly.
What makes VeloSF unique? You’re
probably wondering why my husband and I don’t just ride a trainer a home, using
the data. While I could certainly attempt to write my own interval sets or
scour the internet for plans, I keep going back to VeloSF for the community,
the camaraderie and I confess, that extra little push to get through tough
intervals. Also, even after 11 years of riding and racing competitively, I
haven’t stopped learning. The educational value of being surrounded by
knowledgeable and experienced coaching staff is very valuable.
Last month I attended a
Saturday class, coached by Tyler Stewart. Tyler is an elite triathlete, a Cat 1
cyclist and ultra-runner (www.tyler-stewart.com) and she coaches three packed classes each week at
VeloSF. Tyler has held numerous Ironman
bike course records over the years, including the former Ironman (M-dot) bike
course world record for her 4:42:40 ride at Ironman Texas in 2011.
For the first thirty minutes
of a two hour class, we focused exclusively on drills. Really? I thought to
myself. A quarter of class doing drills? I quickly discovered that you learn a
lot about your pedal stroke during 10 minutes of cycling with only your left
shoe clipped in. Tyler instructed the class to vary cadence and power as we worked
our way through 10 minutes on each leg. She urged us to think about elongating
the pedal stroke, imagining an elliptical movement, avoiding dead spots in our
pedaling motion. The clacking sound of a slack chain was a major
giveaway to Tyler, even over the class’ musical soundtrack, that you weren’t
holding tension on the chain. On several occasions it elicited the suggestion to
athletes to reduce cadence and watts to a level where they could pedal with
constant tension. Shifting around in the saddle and leaning to one side by
athletes also caught her attention and each time she spotted someone twitching
she made suggestions to help the individual adjust their cycling form. Tyler
encouraged us of the benefit of this 30 minute set: “Cycling with two legs at
higher cadences will hide bad form. Bad form means you’re giving up watts. You
cannot hide during these drills!”
The *main course* of the
class was quite simple” 6 x 5 minutes in high zone 2 (~175-180 watts for me)
with 5 minutes recovery in low zone 2 in between each interval. On paper, this
seemed like a piece of cake. I can hold 180 watts for five hours at a time in
an ironman triathlon, I wouldn’t even need to lower the watts for the rest
interval in between the sets! However, Tyler quickly explained that the theme
of today’s class was leg speed, getting our legs used to riding at different
cadences, in particular higher cadences that should feel uncomfortable to us.
She targeted a cadence of 110 rpm for the intervals but also advised athletes
to adjust up or down based on their typical *base* cadence, i.e. where they
usually feel comfortable. I settled in for the first interval and 110rpm felt
fine. Tyler picked up on this and suggested that 115+ rpm might be a better
guide for my uncomfortable cadence. She was right, the next intervals
were more challenging and uncomfortable for me. While I had set the
Computrainer to a constant 180 watts, upper zone 2, for the 5 minute interval, it
felt very challenging and I noticed that my heart rate was more in line with
what I would expect with zone 4 riding. I needed every minute of the recovery 5
minutes at lower watts and lower cadence!
The cadre of coaching staff
at VeloSF is highly decorated in the fields of cycling and triathlon. One of
the most popular coaches is Meredith Kessler who joined Velo as a member with a
dream of being a successful triathlete 5 years ago. Meredith’s dream came true
as she worked her way through the amateur ranks before turning professional two
years ago. So far in 2012, she has won Ironman New Zealand and placed second at
Ironman California 70.3. Two professional cyclists are also on staff: Olivia
Dillon rides for Team NOW and Novartis and is a former Irish road and
time-trial champion and Alison Starnes rides for team Exergy Twenty12 and is a
member of the USA national team.
In spite of the decorated
resumes, members consistently attest to the accessibility of the coaching
staff. Coaches endeavor to get to know and understand the goals of athletes
that regularly attend classes, offering advice and support, before, during and
after each workout. As general manager, Ligler explains: “on a daily basis our
coaches do a fantastic job of staying in close touch with athletes in their
class. The classes truly become supportive communities where we all understand
that we are doing our own personalized wattage zones. Community is
absolutely our greatest asset as a facility.”
What does that VeloSF Community
look like? Are they all budding professionals like Meredith Kessler? While you
would be hard pressed to find a single member that isn’t training for an event
of some sort; a century ride, a Gran Fondo, a triathlon or a full season of
bike racing, a lot of the athletes describe themselves as recreational rather
than competitive. The age range of members is also broad: the oldest member is
84 years old and he’s right at home in class alongside junior cyclists (14-16
years). Ligler estimates that two thirds of the member base are triathletes
with the other third focused solely on cycling.
VeloSF has also developed a
capability to work with hand cyclists, unique in the Bay Area. Ligler recalls:
“I remember the first time Carrie Finale came through the door. She was the
first handcyclist to visit the facility and she wanted to know if we could figure
out how to make the Computrainers work with a handcycle. We had to reinvent
everything, from how we positioned the load generator on the bike, to how we
calibrated the trainer, to the way we ran our physiological assessments. She
challenged us as a facility but we made it work and she trained with us,
started racing and then started winning almost everything! Carrie is now a member of the US Paralympic
Team. It’s been inspiring to work with her.”
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Going Pro
Article I wrote for 3/GO magazine.
Going Pro
What prompts amateur triathletes to transition to the professional ranks? How does this change their approach to training and racing? Jordan Blanco caught up with a handful of women that have taken the leap and applied for a “USAT professional license” for the 2012 season. She also caught up with two relatively new pros, Meredith Kessler and Caroline Gregory, to hear their advice for new professionals.
In the 2011 season, Sarah Piampiano, Kim Schwabenbauer, Beth Shutt, Jessica Smith and Beth Walsh not only dominated the W30-34 category in Ironman and 70.3 racing, taking age-group wins whenever they toed the line, but they also dominated the overall amateur races. They collected 5 Ironman and 8 Ironman 70.3 amateur titles in total. The season culminated with Jessica Smith winning the overall amateur women’s title at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas and Sarah Piampiano scoring a 4th place in W30-34 and finishing as the top American amateur female at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
There were probably a few North American age-groupers in the W30-34 category that breathed a sigh of relief when after the Ironman World Championships race in Hawaii these top female competitors announced via Twitter and posted on their blogs that in 2012 they would be “Going Pro”.
When asked why they had made the decision to relinquish their amateur status, it is clear that all five athletes are excited by the new risks and challenges that professional racing presents. As Schwabenbauer, explains: “After winning two amateur titles at the Ironman distance, I had a feeling with some more training I may be able to improve my times, and although it might be a tough process to get on the pro podium, I’m willing to put in the time and take the risk.” Smith also saw “going pro” as the next step in a series of challenges she had set for herself: “I’m always setting new goals and looking for a new challenge. When I started in triathlon my goal was to finish an Ironman. Then it was to qualify for Kona. After that I realized maybe I could race as a pro. Now I want to win as a pro.”
Among our group of new pros, Piampiano is perhaps taking the greatest risk, leaving an investment banking job in New York to relocate to Santa Monica, California, to train and race full-time. “Such a small percentage of people in the world are afforded the opportunity and have the ability to be a professional athlete. It is a real honor and privilege. The chance to chase a childhood dream has been put in front of me, and for me to walk away from that I feel would be a mistake.”
The path to becoming a professional triathlete varies greatly among the group. Shutt found solace in swimming and biking while nursing running injuries before finally stringing the three sports together in a triathlon. Coincidentally, Schwabenbauer also came to triathlon from running, at the suggestion of fellow new pro, Shutt. Schwabenbauer recounts: “Beth Shutt, a good friend and fellow Penn State Cross-Country teammate, had shared with me that she had begun doing triathlons the previous year and really enjoyed the three sport disciplines vs. just being a runner. On a work trip to the Big Island, I saw the sign for the Ironman World Championship starting line and I said to my husband, “I’m going to do that race one day!””
At the other end of the spectrum, both Walsh and Piampiano had a bumpier ride to their current professional athlete status. While Walsh may have been athletic in high school, as she puts it: “College was a different story. I was on a strict training regimen of beer, Wendy’s, and half a pack of cigarettes a day. I used to heckle the girls in my dorm for working out and didn’t comprehend why anyone would do that. I slept past noon at least 3 days per week. I may or may not have gained the “Freshman 15”. I never in a million years imagined I would become a pro triathlete at age 31.” Things have clearly changed since her college days as Walsh ran the fastest female amateur marathon of 3 hours and 10 minutes at the Ironman World Championships in 2010.
Piampiano was a two-sport athlete in college, skiing Division 1 and ranking nationally as a cross-country runner. However, as she graduated and transitioned to the working world, her participation in sport fell by the wayside, succumbing to the long hours, unhealthy lifestyle and pressure of her Wall Street career: “My start to triathlon was a bit of a fluke, to say the least. In late 2009 my friend and I bet whether I could beat him in an Olympic distance race. He had been training for months and at the time I was smoking a pack+ of cigarettes a day and drinking like a fish. On race day I showed up on a bike my brother had bought in France 20 years ago for $200 and raced my heart out. I beat my friend, but more importantly I loved every second of the experience. I quit smoking on the spot and the rest is history!”
Racing as a professional affords these new pros much greater flexibility in planning their racing seasons, no longer having to sign up a year in advance and saving money on Ironman and 70.3 race entries since The World Triathlon Corporation (organizing body for M-dot branded Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races) charges a flat rate of $750 to each professional triathlete, regardless the number of races entered. These athletes are also happy that they will no longer be contending with the mass swim start of the amateur race. As Walsh colorfully puts it: “I won’t miss the trepidation that comes before an Ironman mass swim start where you know you are about to get clocked by 2000 of your closest friends.” Even the strongest swimmer of the group, Smith, is happy to no longer battle with thousands of others in the swim: “Goodbye 2,000 people kicking and hitting each other while desperately searching for clear water. Swimming might be one of my strengths, but it is still my least favorite part of the race.”
The new pros have been doing their homework to understand the different racing dynamics they’ll face this coming season. Shutt notes: “I talked with a few current pros to ask what they thought were the main differences of competing as a pro and most all said that the racing is tougher in the sense that you spend much more time on your own. I think it will also be a challenge to learn how to really push yourself even if you aren’t winning or competing for a Kona slot.” Walsh admits to a little fear: “I’m scared of swimming and biking alone in no man’s land for an entire Ironman. I tend to fall into a daze on the bike if I’m not around others who are pushing and motivating me. I may be doing lots of talking to myself and finding that “inner” strength.”
Their concern is not misplaced. Caroline Gregory just completed her first season as a pro triathlete and agreed with this view: “The pro race is so different from the age group race. As a pro you are often completely alone out on the race course. You have to believe in your training, and find the motivation from within.”
November’s Ironman Arizona was Smith’s pro debut. The day before the race, she caught up with Meredith Kessler, a triathlete entering her 3rd season in the professional field. Kessler shared some specific swim tips and friendly strategies: “The first 500 yards will be really fast. I’ll look to get in a pack with Leanda [Cave] and we’ll swim 5-7mins really hard to separate ourselves before dialing it back. Get on our feet at the start.” Smith acknowledges the change in pace and rhythm that the pro race implies: “I think racing as a pro will be challenging because the race will always begin when the gun goes off. At any point I will have to be ready to swim, ride, or run outside of my comfort zone to stay in [the race]... there is a lot more strategy involved at this level and I still have a lot to learn!”
Will our new pros miss anything about amateur racing over professional racing? We asked our pros for their thoughts. Kessler confessed that she missed some of the simplicity of racing as an amateur, but neither she nor Gregory hesitates to state that they love racing as professionals. In fact, they both acknowledge that it has helped to lift their game.
Kessler: “The bar is being raised in the sport on both the professional and amateur levels. Breaking 10 hours in the amateur ranks… is becoming the norm for many, which is just incredible! Especially, because amateurs typically do triathlon as a hobby on top of their already busy lifestyles. On the professional level, breaking 9 hours is now the new “black!” The sport of triathlon is making huge waves. Chrissie Wellington, among others, has raised the level of women's triathlon. The rest of us are working hard to be able to compete truthfully with athletes of her caliber.”
Gregory: “[Racing as a professional] is the opportunity to race amongst the best athletes in our sport, the opportunity to represent sponsors and brands to the rest of the endurance sport community, the opportunity to reach within and see what you’re really made of, and the opportunity to be a positive role model.”
Want to hear more about these women as they train and race in 2012? Check out their websites and follow them on twitter… and most of all, look out for them at the races! Website Twitter handle
Caroline Gregory www.carolinegregory.blogspot.com @ckgregory
Meredith Kessler www.meredithkessler.com @mbkessler
Sarah Piampiano www.sarahpiampiano.com @SarahPiampiano
Kim Schwabenbauer www.fuelyourpassiononline.blogspot.com @fuelyourpassion
Beth Shutt www.thetrialofmilesmilesoftrials.blogspot.com @bethshutt
Jessica Smith www.jesssmithtriathlete.blogspot.com @ jesssmithtri
Beth Walsh www.bethwalshracing.com @IMBethWalsh
Meredith Kessler’s five words of wisdom to keep our new pros centered as they challenge themselves in 2012:
BELIEVE… that you have what it takes to compete with the very best.
LIMITLESS… answers are limitless, find the answers you need in order to prevail.
GUMPTION… you might fall but it’s how you get up that counts and that takes gumption.
SIMPLICITY… keep it simple while figuring out what works best for you.
RESILIENCE… the body is resilient so your head needs to be too!
Going Pro
What prompts amateur triathletes to transition to the professional ranks? How does this change their approach to training and racing? Jordan Blanco caught up with a handful of women that have taken the leap and applied for a “USAT professional license” for the 2012 season. She also caught up with two relatively new pros, Meredith Kessler and Caroline Gregory, to hear their advice for new professionals.
In the 2011 season, Sarah Piampiano, Kim Schwabenbauer, Beth Shutt, Jessica Smith and Beth Walsh not only dominated the W30-34 category in Ironman and 70.3 racing, taking age-group wins whenever they toed the line, but they also dominated the overall amateur races. They collected 5 Ironman and 8 Ironman 70.3 amateur titles in total. The season culminated with Jessica Smith winning the overall amateur women’s title at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas and Sarah Piampiano scoring a 4th place in W30-34 and finishing as the top American amateur female at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
There were probably a few North American age-groupers in the W30-34 category that breathed a sigh of relief when after the Ironman World Championships race in Hawaii these top female competitors announced via Twitter and posted on their blogs that in 2012 they would be “Going Pro”.
When asked why they had made the decision to relinquish their amateur status, it is clear that all five athletes are excited by the new risks and challenges that professional racing presents. As Schwabenbauer, explains: “After winning two amateur titles at the Ironman distance, I had a feeling with some more training I may be able to improve my times, and although it might be a tough process to get on the pro podium, I’m willing to put in the time and take the risk.” Smith also saw “going pro” as the next step in a series of challenges she had set for herself: “I’m always setting new goals and looking for a new challenge. When I started in triathlon my goal was to finish an Ironman. Then it was to qualify for Kona. After that I realized maybe I could race as a pro. Now I want to win as a pro.”
Among our group of new pros, Piampiano is perhaps taking the greatest risk, leaving an investment banking job in New York to relocate to Santa Monica, California, to train and race full-time. “Such a small percentage of people in the world are afforded the opportunity and have the ability to be a professional athlete. It is a real honor and privilege. The chance to chase a childhood dream has been put in front of me, and for me to walk away from that I feel would be a mistake.”
The path to becoming a professional triathlete varies greatly among the group. Shutt found solace in swimming and biking while nursing running injuries before finally stringing the three sports together in a triathlon. Coincidentally, Schwabenbauer also came to triathlon from running, at the suggestion of fellow new pro, Shutt. Schwabenbauer recounts: “Beth Shutt, a good friend and fellow Penn State Cross-Country teammate, had shared with me that she had begun doing triathlons the previous year and really enjoyed the three sport disciplines vs. just being a runner. On a work trip to the Big Island, I saw the sign for the Ironman World Championship starting line and I said to my husband, “I’m going to do that race one day!””
At the other end of the spectrum, both Walsh and Piampiano had a bumpier ride to their current professional athlete status. While Walsh may have been athletic in high school, as she puts it: “College was a different story. I was on a strict training regimen of beer, Wendy’s, and half a pack of cigarettes a day. I used to heckle the girls in my dorm for working out and didn’t comprehend why anyone would do that. I slept past noon at least 3 days per week. I may or may not have gained the “Freshman 15”. I never in a million years imagined I would become a pro triathlete at age 31.” Things have clearly changed since her college days as Walsh ran the fastest female amateur marathon of 3 hours and 10 minutes at the Ironman World Championships in 2010.
Piampiano was a two-sport athlete in college, skiing Division 1 and ranking nationally as a cross-country runner. However, as she graduated and transitioned to the working world, her participation in sport fell by the wayside, succumbing to the long hours, unhealthy lifestyle and pressure of her Wall Street career: “My start to triathlon was a bit of a fluke, to say the least. In late 2009 my friend and I bet whether I could beat him in an Olympic distance race. He had been training for months and at the time I was smoking a pack+ of cigarettes a day and drinking like a fish. On race day I showed up on a bike my brother had bought in France 20 years ago for $200 and raced my heart out. I beat my friend, but more importantly I loved every second of the experience. I quit smoking on the spot and the rest is history!”
Racing as a professional affords these new pros much greater flexibility in planning their racing seasons, no longer having to sign up a year in advance and saving money on Ironman and 70.3 race entries since The World Triathlon Corporation (organizing body for M-dot branded Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races) charges a flat rate of $750 to each professional triathlete, regardless the number of races entered. These athletes are also happy that they will no longer be contending with the mass swim start of the amateur race. As Walsh colorfully puts it: “I won’t miss the trepidation that comes before an Ironman mass swim start where you know you are about to get clocked by 2000 of your closest friends.” Even the strongest swimmer of the group, Smith, is happy to no longer battle with thousands of others in the swim: “Goodbye 2,000 people kicking and hitting each other while desperately searching for clear water. Swimming might be one of my strengths, but it is still my least favorite part of the race.”
The new pros have been doing their homework to understand the different racing dynamics they’ll face this coming season. Shutt notes: “I talked with a few current pros to ask what they thought were the main differences of competing as a pro and most all said that the racing is tougher in the sense that you spend much more time on your own. I think it will also be a challenge to learn how to really push yourself even if you aren’t winning or competing for a Kona slot.” Walsh admits to a little fear: “I’m scared of swimming and biking alone in no man’s land for an entire Ironman. I tend to fall into a daze on the bike if I’m not around others who are pushing and motivating me. I may be doing lots of talking to myself and finding that “inner” strength.”
Their concern is not misplaced. Caroline Gregory just completed her first season as a pro triathlete and agreed with this view: “The pro race is so different from the age group race. As a pro you are often completely alone out on the race course. You have to believe in your training, and find the motivation from within.”
November’s Ironman Arizona was Smith’s pro debut. The day before the race, she caught up with Meredith Kessler, a triathlete entering her 3rd season in the professional field. Kessler shared some specific swim tips and friendly strategies: “The first 500 yards will be really fast. I’ll look to get in a pack with Leanda [Cave] and we’ll swim 5-7mins really hard to separate ourselves before dialing it back. Get on our feet at the start.” Smith acknowledges the change in pace and rhythm that the pro race implies: “I think racing as a pro will be challenging because the race will always begin when the gun goes off. At any point I will have to be ready to swim, ride, or run outside of my comfort zone to stay in [the race]... there is a lot more strategy involved at this level and I still have a lot to learn!”
Will our new pros miss anything about amateur racing over professional racing? We asked our pros for their thoughts. Kessler confessed that she missed some of the simplicity of racing as an amateur, but neither she nor Gregory hesitates to state that they love racing as professionals. In fact, they both acknowledge that it has helped to lift their game.
Kessler: “The bar is being raised in the sport on both the professional and amateur levels. Breaking 10 hours in the amateur ranks… is becoming the norm for many, which is just incredible! Especially, because amateurs typically do triathlon as a hobby on top of their already busy lifestyles. On the professional level, breaking 9 hours is now the new “black!” The sport of triathlon is making huge waves. Chrissie Wellington, among others, has raised the level of women's triathlon. The rest of us are working hard to be able to compete truthfully with athletes of her caliber.”
Gregory: “[Racing as a professional] is the opportunity to race amongst the best athletes in our sport, the opportunity to represent sponsors and brands to the rest of the endurance sport community, the opportunity to reach within and see what you’re really made of, and the opportunity to be a positive role model.”
Want to hear more about these women as they train and race in 2012? Check out their websites and follow them on twitter… and most of all, look out for them at the races! Website Twitter handle
Caroline Gregory www.carolinegregory.blogspot.com @ckgregory
Meredith Kessler www.meredithkessler.com @mbkessler
Sarah Piampiano www.sarahpiampiano.com @SarahPiampiano
Kim Schwabenbauer www.fuelyourpassiononline.blogspot.com @fuelyourpassion
Beth Shutt www.thetrialofmilesmilesoftrials.blogspot.com @bethshutt
Jessica Smith www.jesssmithtriathlete.blogspot.com @ jesssmithtri
Beth Walsh www.bethwalshracing.com @IMBethWalsh
Meredith Kessler’s five words of wisdom to keep our new pros centered as they challenge themselves in 2012:
BELIEVE… that you have what it takes to compete with the very best.
LIMITLESS… answers are limitless, find the answers you need in order to prevail.
GUMPTION… you might fall but it’s how you get up that counts and that takes gumption.
SIMPLICITY… keep it simple while figuring out what works best for you.
RESILIENCE… the body is resilient so your head needs to be too!
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Keep the Ocean on your Right: The Coast Ride
There’s no more iconic starting point to an epic adventure than the Golden Gate Bridge. Riding my bike 370 miles from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge to downtown Santa Barbara in three days counts as epic in my world. This is The Coast Ride.
The Ride was scheduled over a three day weekend, taking advantage of the Martin Luther King holiday to be absent from my job as an investment manager without taking a vacation day. On Saturday morning, my husband Rich, a couple of overnight guests who had traveled from San Diego and I caravanned to the Ride’s start point at the Golden Gate Bridge. Even as an 11 year San Francisco resident that rides across the bridge on a regular basis, seeing the tawny red paint of the bridge and the lush green of the Marin headlands in the background, brought a smile to my face. I was excited for a *destination ride*… three whole days of cycling that would not include a loop, a lollipop or even worse, the dreaded out and back route!
There was plenty of excitement and buzz among the 70 or so cyclists assembled to start the Ride. As professional triathlete, Beth Walsh notes: “I do The Coast Ride because I love incorporating adventure and life experience into [triathlon] training. I love to blur the line between vacation and training and get the best of both worlds.”
After handing off our backpacks containing post-ride clothes and fresh cycling kits to the SAG Monkey (a company that describes itself as a “personal bike concierge”), Rich was anxious to start riding and so we made a quick exit to avoid being at the tail end of a pack of 70+ riders, when the group pushed off moments later.
Knowing I had 370 miles of riding ahead of me in the next three days, my plan was to ride within myself, but hopefully stay with a group of riders in order to conserve as much energy as possible. The first few miles from the bridge are fairly hilly – think Escape from Alcatraz bike course – and not the smoothest of pavement. As I descended towards the landmark San Francisco restaurant, the Cliff House, my wheel hit a pothole and I heard a clattering of metal. My rear light had fallen from my seat post and skidded into the middle of the road. I rested my bike at the side of the road and planned to dash into the roadway to retrieve it… but first I had to wait for the entire peloton of 70+ riders to pass me by. It was mile 3 and I was already off the back. Not the way I wanted to begin this adventure. Luckily for me, a fellow rider and friend, Monica, had an early mechanical that put her towards the back of the group. She saw me at the side of the road and slowed her pace to allow me to catch up. I cannot lie… while I was thankful for the company, I was annoyed that my husband was at the front of the large group and our little group of two was bringing up the rear. The law of numbers pointed to the fact we would only get further behind as the miles wore on.
And then it struck me… I was so focused on my *destination ride* and how quickly I would reach the *destination*, that I was forgetting the journey aspect of my adventure! I needed to reframe things in my mind otherwise it would be a long 20 hours in the saddle to cover those 370 miles over the next three days
The journey on day one of the Ride would take us from San Francisco to the coastal town of Seaside on the edge of California’s Monterey peninsula. 125 miles that would largely hug the Pacific coastline. The best phrase to describe the first 75 miles of day one would be “Surf’s Up!” The cycling route takes us past some of the best surf beaches that Northern California has to offer, including the world renowned big wave break, “Mavericks”, off the coast of Half Moon Bay. The waves were drawing big crowds on this sunny Saturday morning and cars lined both sides of the road as we passed the main beach in Half Moon Bay. Surfers in neoprene with boards wedged underarm were jogging across the road and down the beach. It made me consider the passion and focus that surfers have for their sport, not unlike our little group of cyclists. It was heart-warming to see so many people outdoors, enjoying what they love to do.
The 75 miles to the Davenport lunch stop passed quickly as Monica and I swapped updates on family, work, training and triathlon racing plans as well as enjoying the views. Her positive energy and enthusiasm were infectious, quickly dispelling any frustration I had felt earlier. In her words: “I love the Ride. I love just waking up, eating, riding, eating, sleeping, and doing it all over again without having to pack lunches for kids, get uniforms ready, carpool, housework....it's 3 days of focus allowing myself to be alone and think, or to hang with a group of like minded individuals.”
After lunch, I joined a group of riders which included my husband. The route south from Davenport pulls away from the ocean, through downtown Santa Cruz and smaller neighborhoods until buildings start to thin out and the road flattens. The land wedged between Watsonville to the East and the Pacific Ocean is predominantly farmland. In the summer, you’ll find yourself riding through strawberry fields but in mid-January, it appeared that kale or another dark, leafy vegetable was the crop of choice. At this point in our ride, the wind had picked up and was coming from the southwest, causing a challenging mix of head and crosswinds for those seeking protection in the group. Sitting third wheel behind two Cat 1 guys, I was able to take advantage of the wide shoulder to position myself in echelon to the left of the rider ahead and remain protected from the wind. Those positioned further back in the group were less fortunate. With the boys in front pushing a strong pace and me hanging on for dear life, our group of fifteen splintered into two groups, with just four of us left up front. By the time I realized this we were less than ten miles from our destination and our route had realigned us with the ocean on the right-hand side. We soon exited the main road and jumped onto Monterey Bay Coastal Bike Trail for the last five miles into Seaside. Rolling along the bike path was the perfect cool down to a 6 hour riding day.
The SAG Monkey had arrived with all our gear and the goal now was to check into our hotel room and begin the process of recovery so we could do it all again tomorrow. Typically, my recovery comprises chocolate milk, some nutritious food, compression socks and chilling out on the couch for an hour or two. However, Rich and I were lucky enough to be testing some “Recovery Pump” boots (http://www.recoverypump.com/) so by the time I was finished with my shower, he had hooked up the boots, switched on a sports channel and was officially recovering!
After a good night’s sleep, the alarm sounded at 5am the next morning. Having spent about two hours wearing the recovery boots the evening before, I was excited to find my legs did not have that heavy feeling typical of the morning after a long ride.
The journey on day two would be the longest and hardest day in the saddle: another 125 miles with 8,000ft of climbing. With my legs feeling quite spritely, I was anxious to get going and navigate through the town of Monterey and get a start on those hilly miles before the larger pack of cyclists. I convinced Rich to push off in the dark about 30 minutes before the main group’s planned departure. Why else had we brought our bike lights if weren’t going to use them?
The first 15 or so miles are a little tricky, until you join highway 1 in Carmel. A few miles later we reached the Carmel Highlands and the ocean was once again on our right. At this point, and for most of the day’s ride, the shoulder would be almost non-existent so I was thankful for the early morning sunshine to enhance our visibility to motorists. The 90 or so miles that comprise the Big Sur coastline not only offer breath-taking views but also leg-breaking terrain for cyclists. There are just two Category 3 climbs in those 90 miles, so the 8,000ft of climbing comes largely through a relentless succession of rollers as Highway 1 clings unsurely to the jagged coastline.
Rich and I were trading off pulls consistently every mile, though he would let me to set the pace on the hills, lest I fall off his wheel if he were climbing upfront. As we ascended a small climb, he called me to look to my right towards the Pacific Ocean. I was ecstatic to see a small group of whales a couple of hundred yards offshore. January is in the middle of whale-watching season in Big Sur as California Gray Whales migrate south towards Baja California from their summer home in Alaska. I have cycled these roads numerous times but seeing whales was a first. The excitement re-energized my legs and we soon reached Ragged Point near the southern end of Big Sur for a well-deserved lunch break. I devoured the saltiest, grilled ham and cheese sandwich, I have ever tasted. Washed down with a diet coke, it hit the spot and I was ready for the final 45 mile run-in to Morro Bay.
The rollers taper off after you descend from Ragged Point and the visible landscape widens out. Combine that with a steady tailwind and the first twenty five miles from Ragged Point are fast and fun, a welcome boost to our average miles per hour. While less dramatic than the Big Sur coastline, the scenery remains appealing including an entire beach of sunbathing sea lions north of Cambria, just before the road heads inland for a few miles. The ocean is on your right once again for the final 10 mile push to Morro Bay. You immediately notice the town’s distinctive Morro rock, a 500 foot volcanic plug that sits at the harbor’s entrance. I was excited to see the rock but its sight belied the remaining distance. The last 10 miles seemed to pass by slowly. Rich and I were surprised that the large group had not yet caught us as we rode into town in search of our hotel and the SAG Monkey with all our gear. Next door to the hotel was a small taqueria so we delayed checking in for 20 minutes while we replenished with some fish tacos, chips and guacamole and some ice cold Tecates.
After 45 minutes in the recovery boots and a brief stop by the hotel’s *happy hour* wine-tasting, we joined the group dinner picnic tables assembled in front of the hotel and caught up with our fellow cyclists, swapping stories on the sights of the day: I caught up with a friend, Natalie, and she shared that “scarfing down a grilled ham and cheese at Ragged Point after all that crazy climbing was the highlight of the day!”
Day three brought the final leg of the journey: 120 miles from Morro Bay to Santa Barbara. I’ve done this ride before and while it’s the shortest day and the climbing is half of the day prior (4,000ft), it doesn’t feel any easier. What is more, the navigation is much more complicated and the route keeps you away from the Pacific Ocean for most of the day. The first 12 miles from Morro Bay to San Luis Obispo (SLO) are spent on the wide shoulder of highway 101, a two lane highway that is open to cyclists. We left with the main bunch and the pack of 70 cyclists riding two by two down the freeway must have been quite a sight for passing motorists.
Many riders stopped for coffee and bagels in the cute college town of SLO but with more than a hundred miles to go, a small group of us continued on. As the day warmed up, so did the legs of the stronger cyclists and the pace began to quicken. I was determined to hang on as long as possible, even if it meant burning every match in my book. The group of forty quickly splintered but I managed to stay with the front group of 15 or so, in spite of seeing my power meter read 300+ watts more times than I usually find comfortable. While I could never spell out directions for The Ride without a map, I knew which way to point my bike at each turn… that was a comforting feeling since I feared being dropped by this group at any point!
After a water stop in the farming town of Guadalupe, we plowed on towards the designated lunch stop in Lompoc. About 15 miles in, a couple of guys that I didn’t know well, went to the front and pushed the pace on the increasingly rolling terrain. I quickly found myself unhitched from the group, staring down 20 miles of solo riding to Lompoc. I half-expected to be caught by one of the grupettos behind. Indeed, I half-hoped I would be caught as the terrain was hilly and I was feeling the accumulation of miles in my legs from the prior two days. Misery loves company!
I put my head down, reminded myself to enjoy the journey and was quickly rolling by the Lompoc city limits sign. I was elated to reach Subway and find a bunch of cyclists in line to order. I grabbed a quick bite of my husband’s turkey sandwich and, rather than take a leisurely lunch, the two of us jumped on our bikes to tackle the final 40 miles. We pushed off at an easy pace with another rider, professional triathlete Kate Major. However, our departure had prompted a few others from the group to rally and they quickly joined us to form a group of 10 or so. I was amazed to find that a few guys were still feeling frisky after 300+ miles and disappointed that my plan of a steady pace with just 1-2 other riders had been so quickly foiled. I was soon ejected out of the back of the group on another solo journey. It was now a familiar pattern. The next 15 miles included a steady, stair-step climb but with a strong prevailing tailwind, it seemed easier than any prior ride and I was quickly descending to the coast for the final stretch to Santa Barbara: a 20 mile sting on highway 101. Rich had waited for me at the rest stop just as we joined 101 and I was thankful not to be riding on the highway solo. It was great to have the ocean once again on my right and we enjoyed the last few miles looking out on the Channel Islands and counting the oil derricks off the Santa Barbara county coast. We reached our exit in under an hour – thank you tailwind! – riding through city streets to the hotel where SAG Monkey was waiting with some victory beers!
Three days, 370 miles and 19 hours of cycling. I had completed my fourth coast ride. I handed off my bike to the crew to transport it back to San Francisco, grabbed a shower and then loaded up the minivan. An hour later, we set off on the journey north, keeping the ocean on our left.
The Ride was scheduled over a three day weekend, taking advantage of the Martin Luther King holiday to be absent from my job as an investment manager without taking a vacation day. On Saturday morning, my husband Rich, a couple of overnight guests who had traveled from San Diego and I caravanned to the Ride’s start point at the Golden Gate Bridge. Even as an 11 year San Francisco resident that rides across the bridge on a regular basis, seeing the tawny red paint of the bridge and the lush green of the Marin headlands in the background, brought a smile to my face. I was excited for a *destination ride*… three whole days of cycling that would not include a loop, a lollipop or even worse, the dreaded out and back route!
There was plenty of excitement and buzz among the 70 or so cyclists assembled to start the Ride. As professional triathlete, Beth Walsh notes: “I do The Coast Ride because I love incorporating adventure and life experience into [triathlon] training. I love to blur the line between vacation and training and get the best of both worlds.”
After handing off our backpacks containing post-ride clothes and fresh cycling kits to the SAG Monkey (a company that describes itself as a “personal bike concierge”), Rich was anxious to start riding and so we made a quick exit to avoid being at the tail end of a pack of 70+ riders, when the group pushed off moments later.
Knowing I had 370 miles of riding ahead of me in the next three days, my plan was to ride within myself, but hopefully stay with a group of riders in order to conserve as much energy as possible. The first few miles from the bridge are fairly hilly – think Escape from Alcatraz bike course – and not the smoothest of pavement. As I descended towards the landmark San Francisco restaurant, the Cliff House, my wheel hit a pothole and I heard a clattering of metal. My rear light had fallen from my seat post and skidded into the middle of the road. I rested my bike at the side of the road and planned to dash into the roadway to retrieve it… but first I had to wait for the entire peloton of 70+ riders to pass me by. It was mile 3 and I was already off the back. Not the way I wanted to begin this adventure. Luckily for me, a fellow rider and friend, Monica, had an early mechanical that put her towards the back of the group. She saw me at the side of the road and slowed her pace to allow me to catch up. I cannot lie… while I was thankful for the company, I was annoyed that my husband was at the front of the large group and our little group of two was bringing up the rear. The law of numbers pointed to the fact we would only get further behind as the miles wore on.
And then it struck me… I was so focused on my *destination ride* and how quickly I would reach the *destination*, that I was forgetting the journey aspect of my adventure! I needed to reframe things in my mind otherwise it would be a long 20 hours in the saddle to cover those 370 miles over the next three days
The journey on day one of the Ride would take us from San Francisco to the coastal town of Seaside on the edge of California’s Monterey peninsula. 125 miles that would largely hug the Pacific coastline. The best phrase to describe the first 75 miles of day one would be “Surf’s Up!” The cycling route takes us past some of the best surf beaches that Northern California has to offer, including the world renowned big wave break, “Mavericks”, off the coast of Half Moon Bay. The waves were drawing big crowds on this sunny Saturday morning and cars lined both sides of the road as we passed the main beach in Half Moon Bay. Surfers in neoprene with boards wedged underarm were jogging across the road and down the beach. It made me consider the passion and focus that surfers have for their sport, not unlike our little group of cyclists. It was heart-warming to see so many people outdoors, enjoying what they love to do.
The 75 miles to the Davenport lunch stop passed quickly as Monica and I swapped updates on family, work, training and triathlon racing plans as well as enjoying the views. Her positive energy and enthusiasm were infectious, quickly dispelling any frustration I had felt earlier. In her words: “I love the Ride. I love just waking up, eating, riding, eating, sleeping, and doing it all over again without having to pack lunches for kids, get uniforms ready, carpool, housework....it's 3 days of focus allowing myself to be alone and think, or to hang with a group of like minded individuals.”
After lunch, I joined a group of riders which included my husband. The route south from Davenport pulls away from the ocean, through downtown Santa Cruz and smaller neighborhoods until buildings start to thin out and the road flattens. The land wedged between Watsonville to the East and the Pacific Ocean is predominantly farmland. In the summer, you’ll find yourself riding through strawberry fields but in mid-January, it appeared that kale or another dark, leafy vegetable was the crop of choice. At this point in our ride, the wind had picked up and was coming from the southwest, causing a challenging mix of head and crosswinds for those seeking protection in the group. Sitting third wheel behind two Cat 1 guys, I was able to take advantage of the wide shoulder to position myself in echelon to the left of the rider ahead and remain protected from the wind. Those positioned further back in the group were less fortunate. With the boys in front pushing a strong pace and me hanging on for dear life, our group of fifteen splintered into two groups, with just four of us left up front. By the time I realized this we were less than ten miles from our destination and our route had realigned us with the ocean on the right-hand side. We soon exited the main road and jumped onto Monterey Bay Coastal Bike Trail for the last five miles into Seaside. Rolling along the bike path was the perfect cool down to a 6 hour riding day.
The SAG Monkey had arrived with all our gear and the goal now was to check into our hotel room and begin the process of recovery so we could do it all again tomorrow. Typically, my recovery comprises chocolate milk, some nutritious food, compression socks and chilling out on the couch for an hour or two. However, Rich and I were lucky enough to be testing some “Recovery Pump” boots (http://www.recoverypump.com/) so by the time I was finished with my shower, he had hooked up the boots, switched on a sports channel and was officially recovering!
After a good night’s sleep, the alarm sounded at 5am the next morning. Having spent about two hours wearing the recovery boots the evening before, I was excited to find my legs did not have that heavy feeling typical of the morning after a long ride.
The journey on day two would be the longest and hardest day in the saddle: another 125 miles with 8,000ft of climbing. With my legs feeling quite spritely, I was anxious to get going and navigate through the town of Monterey and get a start on those hilly miles before the larger pack of cyclists. I convinced Rich to push off in the dark about 30 minutes before the main group’s planned departure. Why else had we brought our bike lights if weren’t going to use them?
The first 15 or so miles are a little tricky, until you join highway 1 in Carmel. A few miles later we reached the Carmel Highlands and the ocean was once again on our right. At this point, and for most of the day’s ride, the shoulder would be almost non-existent so I was thankful for the early morning sunshine to enhance our visibility to motorists. The 90 or so miles that comprise the Big Sur coastline not only offer breath-taking views but also leg-breaking terrain for cyclists. There are just two Category 3 climbs in those 90 miles, so the 8,000ft of climbing comes largely through a relentless succession of rollers as Highway 1 clings unsurely to the jagged coastline.
Rich and I were trading off pulls consistently every mile, though he would let me to set the pace on the hills, lest I fall off his wheel if he were climbing upfront. As we ascended a small climb, he called me to look to my right towards the Pacific Ocean. I was ecstatic to see a small group of whales a couple of hundred yards offshore. January is in the middle of whale-watching season in Big Sur as California Gray Whales migrate south towards Baja California from their summer home in Alaska. I have cycled these roads numerous times but seeing whales was a first. The excitement re-energized my legs and we soon reached Ragged Point near the southern end of Big Sur for a well-deserved lunch break. I devoured the saltiest, grilled ham and cheese sandwich, I have ever tasted. Washed down with a diet coke, it hit the spot and I was ready for the final 45 mile run-in to Morro Bay.
The rollers taper off after you descend from Ragged Point and the visible landscape widens out. Combine that with a steady tailwind and the first twenty five miles from Ragged Point are fast and fun, a welcome boost to our average miles per hour. While less dramatic than the Big Sur coastline, the scenery remains appealing including an entire beach of sunbathing sea lions north of Cambria, just before the road heads inland for a few miles. The ocean is on your right once again for the final 10 mile push to Morro Bay. You immediately notice the town’s distinctive Morro rock, a 500 foot volcanic plug that sits at the harbor’s entrance. I was excited to see the rock but its sight belied the remaining distance. The last 10 miles seemed to pass by slowly. Rich and I were surprised that the large group had not yet caught us as we rode into town in search of our hotel and the SAG Monkey with all our gear. Next door to the hotel was a small taqueria so we delayed checking in for 20 minutes while we replenished with some fish tacos, chips and guacamole and some ice cold Tecates.
After 45 minutes in the recovery boots and a brief stop by the hotel’s *happy hour* wine-tasting, we joined the group dinner picnic tables assembled in front of the hotel and caught up with our fellow cyclists, swapping stories on the sights of the day: I caught up with a friend, Natalie, and she shared that “scarfing down a grilled ham and cheese at Ragged Point after all that crazy climbing was the highlight of the day!”
Day three brought the final leg of the journey: 120 miles from Morro Bay to Santa Barbara. I’ve done this ride before and while it’s the shortest day and the climbing is half of the day prior (4,000ft), it doesn’t feel any easier. What is more, the navigation is much more complicated and the route keeps you away from the Pacific Ocean for most of the day. The first 12 miles from Morro Bay to San Luis Obispo (SLO) are spent on the wide shoulder of highway 101, a two lane highway that is open to cyclists. We left with the main bunch and the pack of 70 cyclists riding two by two down the freeway must have been quite a sight for passing motorists.
Many riders stopped for coffee and bagels in the cute college town of SLO but with more than a hundred miles to go, a small group of us continued on. As the day warmed up, so did the legs of the stronger cyclists and the pace began to quicken. I was determined to hang on as long as possible, even if it meant burning every match in my book. The group of forty quickly splintered but I managed to stay with the front group of 15 or so, in spite of seeing my power meter read 300+ watts more times than I usually find comfortable. While I could never spell out directions for The Ride without a map, I knew which way to point my bike at each turn… that was a comforting feeling since I feared being dropped by this group at any point!
After a water stop in the farming town of Guadalupe, we plowed on towards the designated lunch stop in Lompoc. About 15 miles in, a couple of guys that I didn’t know well, went to the front and pushed the pace on the increasingly rolling terrain. I quickly found myself unhitched from the group, staring down 20 miles of solo riding to Lompoc. I half-expected to be caught by one of the grupettos behind. Indeed, I half-hoped I would be caught as the terrain was hilly and I was feeling the accumulation of miles in my legs from the prior two days. Misery loves company!
I put my head down, reminded myself to enjoy the journey and was quickly rolling by the Lompoc city limits sign. I was elated to reach Subway and find a bunch of cyclists in line to order. I grabbed a quick bite of my husband’s turkey sandwich and, rather than take a leisurely lunch, the two of us jumped on our bikes to tackle the final 40 miles. We pushed off at an easy pace with another rider, professional triathlete Kate Major. However, our departure had prompted a few others from the group to rally and they quickly joined us to form a group of 10 or so. I was amazed to find that a few guys were still feeling frisky after 300+ miles and disappointed that my plan of a steady pace with just 1-2 other riders had been so quickly foiled. I was soon ejected out of the back of the group on another solo journey. It was now a familiar pattern. The next 15 miles included a steady, stair-step climb but with a strong prevailing tailwind, it seemed easier than any prior ride and I was quickly descending to the coast for the final stretch to Santa Barbara: a 20 mile sting on highway 101. Rich had waited for me at the rest stop just as we joined 101 and I was thankful not to be riding on the highway solo. It was great to have the ocean once again on my right and we enjoyed the last few miles looking out on the Channel Islands and counting the oil derricks off the Santa Barbara county coast. We reached our exit in under an hour – thank you tailwind! – riding through city streets to the hotel where SAG Monkey was waiting with some victory beers!
Three days, 370 miles and 19 hours of cycling. I had completed my fourth coast ride. I handed off my bike to the crew to transport it back to San Francisco, grabbed a shower and then loaded up the minivan. An hour later, we set off on the journey north, keeping the ocean on our left.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The art of the Facebook status update
There was a story in this past weekend's New York Times, discussing the variety of Facebook status updates. In an email exchange with a friend, she mentioned that she thought status updates fall into just a handful of categories. I've merged her categories with mine... any others?
1. Mundane - Having coffee. Going to bed. I'm cold. I'm home.
2. Esoteric - Is Fifth Business. Debt is the slavery of the free. Is closer than you think. Will insert Tab A into Slot B.
3. Location/Travel - At the Met. In Miami. Going to Mexico. Coming back to San Francisco.
4. Action - Tuning a cello. Riding to Point Reyes. Putting on snow chains. Reading the Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies.
5. Thought - Wondering if it is possible for a man to be a cougar. Loves caramel corn.
6. Culinary - French toast, coffee and Suzanne Vega. Izzy's for steak dinner with the boyz. Seared tuna, tomato salad and a glass of Cloudy Bay. Going to brunch at Ella's.
7. Inquiry - How do I put air in car tires? Anyone want to swim at OC at 3pm? Skiing in Tahoe this weekend?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Mt. Lemmon hill climb
This is the profile of the climb I did today in Tuscon, Arizona. In fact, it's the third time that I have done this climb... but today's climb was my fastest and highest wattage, even though I rode resolutely in what most coaches would call zone 2. That gives me some good feedback on my conditioning so early in the year... even though I had done a lot more mileage at this stage in 2008, in February 2009, I am still fitter :) Yay!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Manchester United
It is noteworthy to me that Manchester United ended the weekend at the top of the Barclays premiership table. They've been trailing league leaders Liverpool for the first half of the season but a solid run through the Boxing day and New Year period combined with faltering play by Liverpool and Chelsea in recent weeks has jettisoned MY team to the top of the table... with a game in hand!(I really wanted to post THIS picture of Ronaldo)
I'm a *Man Utd* fan and always have been. Well, I've been a fan since 1982 when, while watching the World Cup that summer I developed a pre-teen crush on the then England and Manchester United captain, Bryan Robson. Incidentally, Bryan Robson also wore the famed #7 Man Utd shirt that has been worn by David Beckham and which currently adorns the torso of footballer of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Funnily enough, it wasn't cool to be a Man Utd fan in the 1980s. They were a Premiership team (called Division 1 back then) but they hadn't won the division title for 20 years. It wasn't until 1985 that they even had any Cup success, beating Everton 1-0 to win the F.A. Cup. I recognize that since I hail from Sheffield, most would question my loyalty to a team based on the other side of the Pennines (300 mile ridgeline in the north of England that separates Yorkshire from Lancashire) but as you can see, there's history to my fandom. Nowadays, Manchester United is probably the *winningest* football team in the world with the most global fan base. No one would question that its players of the last 10 years are among the most famous... I mean, David Beckham and his clothes-horse wife, Victoria, regularly appear in the US gossip magazines, People and US Weekly... hilarious for a country that doesn't even know what football is... they can't even get the name right!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Life Rhymes...
I was listening to the California Report on KQED in the car the other day and Michael Krazny's guest quoted Mark Twain: "History doesn't repeat itself, at best it sometimes rhymes." The quote struck a chord.
This week has been a particularly stressful one for me. A combination of the economic situation and a business unit reorganization generated layoffs of around 10% at my firm. I had been somewhat worried about the *safety* of my own position but I can thankfully report that I am still employed. Unfortunately, the positions of both my direct manager and her manager (my skip-level manager) were *eliminated* (euphemisms abound in these situations!).
The new organizational structure is much flatter and my new manager is a good friend. I'm happy for him because it's a great new role for him and I'm even happier for myself as I now have a cleaner reporting structure, more responsibility and the most triathlon-friendly manager I will ever have in my career! There'll be no need to explain why I need to miss the industry conference in Miami in October since I have some small race I'd like to do in Hawaii. He was calling and texting my coach all day long when I raced IMAZ and I'm sure he'll do the same for Hawaii... that's of course if he doesn't come and watch for himself!
This was not my first *downsizing process* at a financial institution but I feel very lucky that my position has never been *eliminated*... I've seen dear friends lose their jobs but on this occasion and in previous situations, I have been positively impacted. With the increased responsibilities, I'll be feeling a *little over my skis" for a while but I'll grow a lot in the process.
The Mark Twain quote felt pertinent as I wrestled with my new career reality, anxious about the new office world order, nervous about my bigger role and sad about the exited colleagues. I've been there before. The situation is different so "history has not repeated" but I've dealt with similar issues. Some physical and emotional rhythms are repeated... The echoes and resonances of those past experiences will help me handle the new situation with greater confidence than I might otherwise.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Simpson's Paradox
I know that I am a maths (Brit) dork, given a past posting about *emailing equations* as well as a fascination with running numbers for everything I do... I remember all race times, splits, positions, wattages, min/mile paces etc...
I am actually more than a math dork, I am a statistics dork! Statistics was my inital major in college even though I eventually graduated with a double major in languages and only a minor in math and statistics! I suppose I was in denial in college but I soon put that straight after college joining a *white-shoe*, New York investment bank trading fixed income... now I work for an investment management firms that prides itself on the number of geeky quant jocks it employs :)
I delight in taking a statistical approach to things and recently I came across a work problem which reminded me of the *Yule-Simpson effect*, a.k.a. Simpson's Paradox. What is it, you ask? It is a statistical paradox, wherein, individual results are reversed when the results are combined into a group... simple, d'oh! That's probably not too clear, so let me try an *athletic* example... One of my favorite books, Michael Lewis' Moneyball, demonstrated the richness of statistics available in the world of baseball. Let's review some batting averages:
1995 1996 Combined
Derek Jeter 12/48 .250 183/582 .314 195/630 .310
David Justice 104/411 .253 45/140 .321 149/551 .270
In the example above, Justice had the higher batting average in both the '95 and '96 seasons (.253 and .321 respectively), but when you combine the two seasons, Jeter comes out on top (.310)!!! (gratuitous picture of Derek Jeter below)
How the heck does Jeter have the higher 2 season average?
Looking more closely at the results, this phenomenon occurs when there are large differences in the number of at-bats between seasons. I like to think of it as a scale issue, it's not just how well you do it, it's how often you do it!
So why does this Paradox suddenly capture my attention? After I won my age-group at Ironman Arizona last November, I bumped into an acquaintance who congratulated me on winning my age-group at the race and getting a *Kona slot*. She (intentionally?) weakened her congratulatory feedback by adding that it looked to be an *easy age-group*. WTF? What does that mean? I took it to assume that my age-group wasn't the fastest. Indeed, if you take away the forced groupings, the results might be different. She was right... I wouldn't have won any of the younger age-groups... but hey, I'm not younger so I won by the rules of the race! My race might have been different had I reacted in a more competitive fashion and picked up the pace when I was passed by a 28 year old versus a 38 year old? But I was racing for an age group placing and Kona slot, so I was officially racing against the 38 year old and not the 28 year old...
USA Triathlon rankings involve the same paradox. I could finish ahead of another age-grouper every time we compete against one another, but if that athlete races more or enters *easier* races, she may well have a higher ranking overall at the end of the season.
So what? I think reflecting on the above has been a healthy reminder that numbers, be they rankings, wattages, bpm are just that, numbers. They need a context, a comparison and a reference point to make them come alive... and even then we need to proceed cautiously...
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda...
I keep thinking of things I would like to write about... if only I had the time... when I change my full-time career from financier to writer? I think I'll keep my day job and continue to pay the rent/bills!
Human interaction - the small stuff... basically the concept of feeling better about yourself and gaining positive vibes from others by being upbeat, pleasant, making smalltalk... at the grocery store, to the valet guys, at the water cooler... Maybe it's just me that gets a buzz from this, but a positive human interaction, however mundane, lifts my spirits.
Give me back my Gym! - the overwhelming increase in people working out at the gym in January... a direct result of lofty New Year's resolutions which will fade by the 3rd week of January... but which annoys the hell out of the *regulars* for those few weeks!
Simpson's Paradox - case-wise superiority but overall inferiority as applied to the Age-group competition in triathlon. Forgive my academic background as a mathematician but this is basically the concept that as an age-grouper, you can consistently win races but still not have great overall rankings... depends which races you do, who shows up etc.
Human interaction - the small stuff... basically the concept of feeling better about yourself and gaining positive vibes from others by being upbeat, pleasant, making smalltalk... at the grocery store, to the valet guys, at the water cooler... Maybe it's just me that gets a buzz from this, but a positive human interaction, however mundane, lifts my spirits.
Give me back my Gym! - the overwhelming increase in people working out at the gym in January... a direct result of lofty New Year's resolutions which will fade by the 3rd week of January... but which annoys the hell out of the *regulars* for those few weeks!
Simpson's Paradox - case-wise superiority but overall inferiority as applied to the Age-group competition in triathlon. Forgive my academic background as a mathematician but this is basically the concept that as an age-grouper, you can consistently win races but still not have great overall rankings... depends which races you do, who shows up etc.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Vineman has sold out!
There goes my race plan unless I can use my resources and contacts to finagle an entry? I was looking at the alternatives for another mid-season 70.3 race and unfortunately the Boise Idaho race clashes with Alcatraz... which I cannot possibly miss... A more realistic alternative is the Lake Stevens (Seattle, WA) race which takes place in August. However, that will come right after my BIG week of training in the Sierras... What should I do? Maybe I need a more flexible plan? Ditch the Tahoe training week?
Actually, it was much easier... I used my contacts and got myself off the waitlist already :)
Friday, January 02, 2009
2009 Goals
I don't want to make any New Year resolutions but I have a few goals for 2009, many of which relate to the triathlon racing season... since I already qualified for Hawaii with my *flukey* performance at Arizona, I feel confident and relaxed about training in 2009, although the *success* at Arizona prompts me to think I can achieve even more in 2009 so the goals will seem a little lofty ;) Of course, in true JC-style, the goals will come in the form of a Top Ten List!
10. Swim at least 10k every week (unless it's a work travel week)
9. Do the core program 2x/week
8. Run regularly at the track and include form drills
7. Run sub 1:40 at a half-ironman
6. Take rest and recovery seriously
5. Stop eating peanut butter chocolate malt balls (highly correlated with #1)
4. Cook more... even if it means finding people to cook for ;)
3. Manage my triathlon/travel budget
2. Run a 3:45 marathon at IMH
1. Maintain a race weight of 125lbs (will help with the run goals!)
10. Swim at least 10k every week (unless it's a work travel week)
9. Do the core program 2x/week
8. Run regularly at the track and include form drills
7. Run sub 1:40 at a half-ironman
6. Take rest and recovery seriously
5. Stop eating peanut butter chocolate malt balls (highly correlated with #1)
4. Cook more... even if it means finding people to cook for ;)
3. Manage my triathlon/travel budget
2. Run a 3:45 marathon at IMH
1. Maintain a race weight of 125lbs (will help with the run goals!)
Monday, December 01, 2008
Dude, I won...! Ironman Arizona race report
After a 2 and a half year hiatus from Ironman racing, this past Sunday I returned to the site of my last race in April 2006 (Tempe, Arizona) and toed the line for my 5th Ironman distance race at Ironman Arizona.
Those last 2 ½ years have been tumultuous and uncertain for me: I left JPMorgan, my employer for the prior 10 years, unsure that I could ever regain a passion for my career and finance again, I was chased out of the US due to an immigration snafu, unsure if I’d ever make it back to California again, I spent 4 winter months in London unsure if I’d ever see sunlight again, I battled with anemia and exhaustion for almost a year, unsure if I’d ever run a sub-9 minute mile without collapsing to the floor again.
Ironically, it was the week before Thanksgiving last year that blood tests revealed my hematocrit was 29% and that I was severely anemic. I still haven’t figured out why it happened but understanding the cause of my fatigue brought with it solutions: daily dosages of iron supplements and treating filet mignon as a dietary necessity instead of a luxury!
Sunday’s race was the culmination of a year-long process not only to get myself healthy again, but also to get myself to the level of supreme fitness required to challenge for a *Kona slot* in an Ironman triathlon. My life/work situation had changed since my last Ironman race and therefore my training also had to change to accommodate my unconventional work hours (~5am to 3pm) and the reduced amount of time I had to dedicate to training.
I won’t bore you with all the minutiae of the race but here are a few bullet-points:
- the swim was easily the roughest triathlon swim of my career as I was getting beaten up all the way to the halfway turnaround buoy
- exiting the swim in the top third of competitors (instead of the bottom half) offers up a very different dynamic on the bike. I’m used to just riding by tons of people but this time I was surrounded by packs of guys, with very few women in sight
- the first 5 miles and the last 5 miles of the run were the hardest 10 miles of my life
- the entire marathon was an agonizing mental battle with my mind whipsawing between thoughts of quitting the race and the insanity of the race distance and dreams of achieving all my racing goals
As for the race results, I got off the bike in first place in my age-group, briefly relinquished that lead in the middle of the marathon before snatching it back in the closing miles. I finished in a total time of 10 hours 33 minutes and 6 seconds, some 33 minutes faster than my previous best, good enough for 1st place in my age-group and an AG course record. I PR’ed every leg of the race with a swim of 1:09, a bike split of 5:19 and a marathon time of 3:56. I also qualified for next year’s Ironman Hawaii! I’m in shock… I think I’ve revisited the ironman.com website 10 times since the race just to check that I did indeed just have the *race of my life*!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Winged O
The Olympic Club is a San Francisco institution. It was established in 1860 in San Francisco and during the past 148 years, the Club and its members have been dedicated to the pursuit of amateur athletic excellence. The Olympic Club enjoys the distinction of being America's oldest athletic Club providing facilities, coaching and financial support for amateur athletes in a wide variety of sports. Most famous is the Lakeside Club, home to one of the top golf courses in California and the future host of the 2012 US Open. The downtown Club includes two full-size swimming pools, a running track and indoor courts for every sport imaginable (squash, racquetball, basketball, handball, soccer).
In an era where conventional wisdom and a lot of sponsorship and advertising dollars support the fact that sport is as much of a profession as a Wall Street banker, nurturing and supporting elite amateur athletics seems quaint, something from a bygone era. Becoming a member of The Club doesn't disabuse you of this notion. A quick read of the monthly magazine, The Olympian, underscores the focus on sporting prowess and achievement, but it is far from your average workout facility. There is a strict Clubhouse dress code (jacket and tie, no jeans) and an event list that comprises Fight Night, Crab Feeds and lectures from visiting academic luminaries.
As a competitive triathlete for the past 7 years, I had come across and competed against *Olympians* in their internationally recognized *Winged O* tri-kit. When I returned to San Francisco from London in 2007, I began seeking a new triathlon sponsor and was quickly recruited to the Olympic Club triathlon team. *Recruited* in the amateur sense since there are no signing bonuses or multi-year contracts for my commitment to wearing the Winged O, although the interview process rivaled BGI's in the number of interviewers and the detailed resume questions!
I just completed my first full season racing for the O-Club triathlon team and the season ended on a high note. I won my age-group division at Ironman Arizona in a course record time of 10hrs and 33 minutes. For those unfamiliar with triathlon distances, an Ironman comprises a 2.4mi swim, a 112mi bike ride and a 26.2mi run. Of course, as an amateur athlete my prize for winning the race was non-monetary... a 1st place Lucite trophy, a finisher's medal and finisher's t-shirt but most importantly I won the right to endure the Ironman experience all over again at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii next October.
In an era where conventional wisdom and a lot of sponsorship and advertising dollars support the fact that sport is as much of a profession as a Wall Street banker, nurturing and supporting elite amateur athletics seems quaint, something from a bygone era. Becoming a member of The Club doesn't disabuse you of this notion. A quick read of the monthly magazine, The Olympian, underscores the focus on sporting prowess and achievement, but it is far from your average workout facility. There is a strict Clubhouse dress code (jacket and tie, no jeans) and an event list that comprises Fight Night, Crab Feeds and lectures from visiting academic luminaries.
As a competitive triathlete for the past 7 years, I had come across and competed against *Olympians* in their internationally recognized *Winged O* tri-kit. When I returned to San Francisco from London in 2007, I began seeking a new triathlon sponsor and was quickly recruited to the Olympic Club triathlon team. *Recruited* in the amateur sense since there are no signing bonuses or multi-year contracts for my commitment to wearing the Winged O, although the interview process rivaled BGI's in the number of interviewers and the detailed resume questions!
I just completed my first full season racing for the O-Club triathlon team and the season ended on a high note. I won my age-group division at Ironman Arizona in a course record time of 10hrs and 33 minutes. For those unfamiliar with triathlon distances, an Ironman comprises a 2.4mi swim, a 112mi bike ride and a 26.2mi run. Of course, as an amateur athlete my prize for winning the race was non-monetary... a 1st place Lucite trophy, a finisher's medal and finisher's t-shirt but most importantly I won the right to endure the Ironman experience all over again at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii next October.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Anemia
So I discovered why I've been so *pokey* in racing triathlon this year... I have iron-deficient anemia! Hematocrit levels of 29-30% and ferritin levels well below the normal range are the reason for my heart rate spiking the second I go uphill on the bike or try to pick up the pace on the run... it all makes sense now! D'oh!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Boca Raton *junket*
It's a picture of the morning catch of four dolphin fish and 2 kingfish… this morning's fishing escapade! I also landed a barracuda and a silky shark, both of which had to be returned to their ocean homeland :(
I was just off the coast of Fort Lauderdale and it was my first ever game fishing *junket*… alas, with the 4-5ft swells I spent the first 30 minutes of the trip regurgitating last night's steak dinner. Eeuuww!
However, my contribution to the *chum* seemed to awaken the fish, the catching of which became a welcome distraction to my weak sea legs. We had about 6-8 lines in the water at any point in time and it was a ballet-like scene as I ducked and dived on deck to avoid entangling lines with fellow fishermen as we reeled in our bounty.
I was too quick to judge… this has to be my photo of the day… a portrait of Donald Trump that was hanging in his Mar a Lago mansion in Palm Beach…
“Anyone for cricket?”
Monday, October 01, 2007
Sentinel 2007
Wow… it was fantastic to see so many Lombardi jerseys out on the course today… and all of them were smokin' fast! Great to see Paul, Andy, Ray, Greg, Charlie, Tricia and Elizabeth tear up the course!
My race was an *on again, off again, on again* event this week… depending on which day you asked me. My mood was moving in line with work and the financial markets. Thankfully, the markets closed up on Friday… so I guess I was racin'…
My day was eventful before the gun went off. My pre-race preparation was cavalier at best, having decided to sleep chez moi on Saturday night. A distracting locale! I was throwing race gear into my backpack at 10pm, forgoing the *laminated tri-geek checklist* that I created for such occasions. I woke at 4am on Sunday, scoffed down a yoghurt (who eats yoghurt pre-race?) and then set off for the drive to Santa Cruz. It was just as I was cresting the Santa Cruz mountains on highway 17, I realized that I had left 2 key items at home… sunglasses and my bike helmet! Oops! $7.99 plus tax at the Chevron gas station solved the sunglasses problem but WTF was I going to do about the helmet??? I broke the news to Katie as I arrived in transition and she leapt into action to beg, steal or borrow me a helmet, securing one from Olympic Club swim coach, Scott Williams. I would have made a great spectator but I really appreciate Katie and Scott's efforts to make me race J
The race itself was fairly uneventful… no kicks to the head in the swim… I hammered for all of 5 minutes on the bike and then came to my fitness senses, and notched the wattage down… I was *as pokey as they come* in transition… and the run was *hang on for dear life* by mile 3 as I had somehow skipped the 4 th triathlon discipline, "nutrition".
Results – not as shockingly bad as I thought they would be! 12 minutes slower than the last time I raced Sentinel, but good enough for lucky 13th place, racking up 7:40 min/mi on the run and over 20mph on the bike. I even had a swim that was middle of the pack!
My race was an *on again, off again, on again* event this week… depending on which day you asked me. My mood was moving in line with work and the financial markets. Thankfully, the markets closed up on Friday… so I guess I was racin'…
My day was eventful before the gun went off. My pre-race preparation was cavalier at best, having decided to sleep chez moi on Saturday night. A distracting locale! I was throwing race gear into my backpack at 10pm, forgoing the *laminated tri-geek checklist* that I created for such occasions. I woke at 4am on Sunday, scoffed down a yoghurt (who eats yoghurt pre-race?) and then set off for the drive to Santa Cruz. It was just as I was cresting the Santa Cruz mountains on highway 17, I realized that I had left 2 key items at home… sunglasses and my bike helmet! Oops! $7.99 plus tax at the Chevron gas station solved the sunglasses problem but WTF was I going to do about the helmet??? I broke the news to Katie as I arrived in transition and she leapt into action to beg, steal or borrow me a helmet, securing one from Olympic Club swim coach, Scott Williams. I would have made a great spectator but I really appreciate Katie and Scott's efforts to make me race J
The race itself was fairly uneventful… no kicks to the head in the swim… I hammered for all of 5 minutes on the bike and then came to my fitness senses, and notched the wattage down… I was *as pokey as they come* in transition… and the run was *hang on for dear life* by mile 3 as I had somehow skipped the 4 th triathlon discipline, "nutrition".
Results – not as shockingly bad as I thought they would be! 12 minutes slower than the last time I raced Sentinel, but good enough for lucky 13th place, racking up 7:40 min/mi on the run and over 20mph on the bike. I even had a swim that was middle of the pack!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Fleet Week in San Francisco
Some photos taken from my friend's deck... the Blue Angels aerial display...
That's water spray...
Monday, August 13, 2007
River luge... Tahoe 2007
I just returned from a week of swimming, biking and running in and around Lake Tahoe in a desperate attempt to get in shape before the triathlon season is well and truly over... I was doing pretty well, training hard, sleeping lots, managing my nutrition... that is until my friend, Wendy, showed up and slowly led me astray from my more serious demeanor. What fun!Here are some pictures from the trip. I swam across Donner Lake - a repeat of last year's swim but this time was 5 minutes faster, in spite of the choppy conditions. A long swim is never the highlight of any trip or race for me but the Saturday that started with a 3 mile swim only got better as the day progressed! After a hearty bagel sandwich for breakfast/brunch, the gang went for a ride. As we rode through Tahoe City, a jolly nice man tagged onto our ride... and I recognized him as Conrad Stoltz, Xterra triathlete. The South African accent is hard to hide. Thankfully, he jumped on the front and dragged us all back to Truckee, even pulling Wendy and I up the steep slopes of Northwoods Blvd!
Post-ride, we rounded up a small group to head over to the Truckee River for some impromptu rafting... poor's man's rafting consists of heading down the river on some $5 lilo's... I christened the sport *River luge-ing* and I'm pretty sure that I won the race down the river :)We headed over to Tahoe City mainstay, Sunnyside, for a view of Lake Tahoe over Saturday night's dinner! Here's me with Wendy and Megan.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
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