Some Recent Rides...

I have been on a number of rides since I last checked in here, but today I will only share one of those rides with you all.

The Little Colorado River, just outside our cabin

It was the morning of December 8th...our 16th wedding anniversary.  Donna and I were celebrating our big day in Greer, Arizona.  For those of you who have never been to Greer, or have never heard of it...it's a quiet little mountain town, nestled among the White Mountains in Northeast Arizona.  Greer gets it's fair share of snow every winter....I know, those of you who are not from Arizona cannot imagine that us 'desert dwellers' get any of that white stuff.  Believe me though...the Northern parts of our great state get plenty!

OK, back to the story already!

We rented a cabin for a few days, and of course I took my bike...I'm in training, remember?  I planned to get in a few rides while we were there, taking advantage of some altitude training (although there is some question as to whether or not there is really much benefit to that...but that's another story!)  I was prepared for the cold weather, having brought all of my cold weather riding gear, including my very expensive GORE winter riding gloves.

I got a lot of funny looks heading north with this setup!

I waited for the sun to come out from behind the mountains before I ventured out.  I figured it would be too cold to ride in the shadows...hmm.  The 'rides' I was planning wouldn't be trail rides, as the trails were all covered in snow and ice.  I was planning on riding the 373 (aka "The Road to Nowhere") out to the 273 and back...about 16-miles all in all.  I topped of the air in my tires, threw my hydration pack on, donned my beanie and helmet, and hit the road.

About a mile into my ride I noticed that my hands were already getting cold!  "No biggie" I thought.  I've felt that before, and my hands have always warmed up after my blood gets pumping.  Today however, would be quite different.  My education in exercise science made me aware that, while you may not feel like you need to drink often during cold weather exercising, it is very important to do so.  So...at about mile number two, I decided to take a quick sip of water from my Camelbak...only to find that the water in the hose and bite valve had frozen over.  It was at that point that I should have turned back...but you know me.

I kept riding for another mile, making some short but steep climbs, all the while feeling the 8200+ feet of altitude, and the ever increasing pain in my hands.  I passed by the Greer Fire Station and thought, for a moment, about stopping in and saying hello to my brethren...all in an attempt to get warm...but my legs kept pedaling.  There was an apparent disconnect between my brain and my body...probably caused in part by a frozen brain, and the hypoxia I was experiencing due to the 'thin air'.

Shortly after passing by the warm fire station, I decided it would be be wise (certainly much wiser than my choice to ride in the first place) to head back to the cabin.  As I turned, so too did the wind!  I was riding into a gentle but freezing cold head-wind on the way out, and wouldn't you know, on the way back I found I was riding into that same wind!  By this time, I could not feel three of my fingers on my right hand, and two on my left hand...it was like they weren't there.  Thoughts of frost-bite were now freely roaming around in my mind, as the hypoxia increased, and my ability to think clearly began to diminish. 

I finally made it back to the cabin...my ride was only six miles, but it felt like sixty!  As I made my way up the short set of steps and onto the patio, all I could think about was just how much my hands were going to hurt as they defrosted.  You all know what I'm talking about right?  We've all experienced the painful sting as our hands return to normal temperature after being in the cold for a short time.  Well....multiply that by at least 100, and you will have some idea of what I was going through.

As I walked through the door, Donna (unaware that I was hurting) looked at me and let out one of those little sorrowful laughs.  You see, I looked as though I had just finished a marathon, and I had snot frozen to my nose and upper lip...yeah, it wasn't a pretty sight!

I began to peel the layers of clothing off, removing my helmet, beanie, and gloves.  The instant those gloves came off, and the heat being radiated by the, highly efficient, fire place hit my skin, the pain set in...full strength!  I was truly reeling in pain...it felt as though someone were forcing my to hold my hands on a burner...it was excruciating!

The pain lasted about 30-minutes, then finally subsided.  I was amazed at what had happened, as it didn't feel that cold when I walked outside.  I checked the weather on my trusty iPhone, only to find that it was 11 degrees when I left!  I wont make that mistake again.

Just Checking In...

Hello my faithful followers!  It's been a while, I know.  But remember, that was the deal this time around...occasional posts.  What I am finding out however, is that by not writing as often, I find that I have too much to write about, and try to fit into such a 'small space'.  I don't want to bore you with too long of a post, so that makes it a little difficult...oh well, here goes.

In my last post I mentioned that I was having some IT Band pain, remember?  Well guess what?  It's still there!  Not as bad, but present none the less.  The resiliency of youth...it's long gone.  But as I like to say..."Press On!"  And so I will continue to ride and train, making a concerted effort to rehab my IT Band along the way, and perform a variety of corrective exercises in an attempt to elicit some degree of healing, while still riding.  That's life for an old fart like me I suppose...press on.

Not a bad looking setup!

Since I last checked in with all of you, I have had some really great rides!  Over the thanksgiving holiday, I had the opportunity to ride in mountains around Monterey, California.  This is where the annual Sea Otter Classic mountain bike race takes place, and it is beautiful terrain!  Surprisingly however, it was nowhere near as difficult as I had been lead to believe.

The Sea Otter Classic

 Before leaving on our trip to Monterey, I downloaded some trail maps of the area.  However, these maps lacked information as to where one should park their car if driving to the trail-head.  So...as I was driving around looking, I stumbled upon a parking lot full of roughly 30-40 mountain bikers gearing up for a Thanksgiving morning ride.  It was obvious that I was not a local...and I was waiting to here the dreaded "Yer not from around here...are you boy?"  Thankfully, they responding instead by introducing themselves, and freely providing me with advice if I chose not to follow them.  That's the friendliness associated with the mountain bike community...that differs greatly from the often 'snooty' road bikers...sorry all you roadies, but it needed to be said! You guys should really lighten up!  Anyhow... my new best friends were heading out in a number of different directions.  I chose to ride with a small group that was heading toward the area that I had maps for.  I rode with them for a little while, but soon realized (once my nervousness subsided) that I was actually riding far below my ability, as well as the intensity needed for some good training.  So I said thanks for letting me ride with them, and then disappeared.  Okay, not really...but I did slowly pull away from them on a long climb, and eventually left them all together.  It was actually a really good feeling knowing that I could hang with these guys...a real confidence booster...similar to the time when I rode with a local rider in Laguna Canyon while training for the Police and Fire Games.

Beautiful riding scenery in the hills outside Monterey, California!

The next day I rode along the recreation trail that parallels the Monterey Bay coastline.  This is a multi-use rec-trail...paved and flat, so it was nothing demanding...just a beautiful way to get in a light recovery spin after a day of climbing.  The scenery was beautiful, and my turn-around point was just past the famous Lover's Point in Pacific Grove.  I stopped to take a few shots of the surf pounding the sea wall, then jumped back on the bike and headed home...around 12-miles total.

Pacific Grove, California

Yesterday I rode with some of my firefighter brethren....attacking a section of the Black Canyon Trail system that I had never ridden before.  It proved to be quite challenging...both mentally, and physically.  You see, one of my fellow firefighters' brother-in-law joined us...oh, by the way...he's a cop.  He was joined by yet another police officer, who was fairly new to the sport of mountain biking.  Oh, I forgot to mention that this particular trail is NOT the place to bring a beginner!  This trail runs along the Black Canyon...hence the name Black Canyon Trail, and there are many places where the trail is only about two feet wide, and the fall exposure is quite high...over 100 feet straight down into the river bed below.  Kinda scary, even for a fairly seasoned rider like me.  Oh yeah, there is a tremendous amount of climbing involved in this ride as well.

One of the 'easier' parts of the trail

Well, it looked as though the ride wouldn't happen at all, as the rain (and hail) began to fall quite heavily while I was driving up towards Black Canyon City.  It was so bad in fact, that Interstate 17 was completely white due to the amount of hail that was falling.  It was actually something between hail and snow...solid enough to hit hard, but soft enough to splatter when it hit the windshield of my car.  i arrived at the trail-head parking area to just behind one of my fellow firefighters.  As we were discussing whether or not we should ride, the cops showed up.

Before I go on, let me fill you in on the typical relationship between cops and firefighters.  They refer to us as hose draggers, and we call them (appropriately) donut eaters.  Most cops don't care too much for firefighters...we think it is because they are jealous of our great schedules; the fact that our trucks are far cooler than their cars; and the fact that the public generally loves us, while they (more or less) loathe the cops.  We often tell them that they somehow must have stood in the wrong line when they were handing out applications, or that since they failed the fire department entrance exam, there was really only one occupation left that would accept them.  As you can see...there is not much love lost between our two service organizations.  In reality though, their not too bad...I even have friends and relatives who are police officers :)

So as I was saying...we were there, minding our own business, and the cops showed up...oh wait, that's a different story!  Let's just say that when these cops showed up, it was game on...and they started it.  The brother-in-law cop pulls up next to us, rolls down his window and says "Don't tell me you firemen are going to pu--y out!"  With that, I pressed the button on my power window, effectively silencing the little donut eater.  Moments later, the rest of my firefighter family arrived.  Seeing friendly faces, I got out of my vehicle to greet them, which apparently offended said brother-in-law cop.  He looked at me and said, "What?  we're not good enough for you to get out and say hi to us?"  Blah, blah, blah.  After a few minutes of bantering and decision making, we elected to go on the ride.

'nuff said!

 
Much to the joy of bro-in-law donut eater, who quickly stated just how much he was looking forward to kicking some firefighter ass out on the trail.  And with that, we headed out on what was planned to be an 18 mile ride, taking us about 2 hours.  Remember those numbers.  Right out of the gate, we were faced with a 1 1/2 mile climb...the cops didn't fare too well.  upon reaching the summit, I (like a good mountain biker) stopped to wait for the slower riders.  Roughly 10-minutes later, the group was intact.  The problem with this however, is that when the last guy gets to the top, the rest of the group is usually well rested, and ready to go.  This however, is not the case for the last guy...he still needs to rest.  So...to make a long story short...we made many stops like this one.  Fifteen to be exact!  Not exactly what I had planned for.  Oh by the way...it was the two cops that we were waiting for most of the time!  Total ride time...four hours!

I'll check back in soon!

Iliotibial Band Syndrome...part of getting old I suppose!

Yesterday I had planned to ride for three hours on the course that I will be racing on in January.  Unfortunately, my three hour ride turned into just under 1 1/2 hours due to some pretty nasty pain in my left IT Band.   I noticed on my second lap, and it just never went away.  I elected to shut it down after only two laps around the course, to prevent it from worsening.

Those of you who are runners or cyclists are most likely familiar with IT Band pain, and understand just how long it can hang around.  I figured I had better take it easy on it so as not to risk not being able to train.  For those of you who have not had IT Band pain, or don't even know what it is, here is a very brief lesson on IT Bands.

The Iliotibial Band (IT Band) is a thick piece of fascia that runs down the lateral aspect of each thigh.  It's origin is a small muscle known as the TFL (tensor fascia latae), which is located in the front/lateral aspect of the hip, just up and over from the hip flexors.  The IT Band runs the length of the upper leg, and crosses the knee joint (on the lateral aspect), where it attaches to the tibia, just below the lateral condyle (the bony prominence on the lateral aspect of the knee).  During repetitive exercises such as running and cycling, the IT Band rubs back and forth across the lateral condyle, creating inflammation...and often times, excruciating pain. 

During my most recent 24-hour race, I over-stressed my hip flexors and TFL, thus causing a tightening of my IT Band.  When the ITB tightens, it creates greater amounts of friction on the lateral condyle...and produces pain.  Unfortunately, once the pain begins, it is usually too late to do anything about it other than cease the activity that is causing the pain.  Well....let me tell you that there was no way I was going to stop, and let down my team mates during our 24 hour race!  So...my choice to continue resulted in a great deal of progressive IT Band tightness...and pain.  The deep tissue massage that I received the other day helped to alleviate some of the tightness and discomfort...but not all of it.
 

Training with IT Band Pain...or IT Band Syndrome (as it is officially referred to) is somewhat like walking a tight-rope.  It must be done very carefully so as not to cause more damage than good.  This requires a great deal of 'therapy' to manage the symptoms as well as the cause.  Fortunately I have a fair amount of knowledge in this area, and I should be able to take car of it on my own.  If not...I'm looking at $40 a session with a Physical Therapist!  

The good news is that (other than my ITB pain) I felt really good on my ride yesterday.  My lungs felt good and it was a nice change to be able to ride without my sinuses feeling like they were full of fluid...because they were!  I am confident that I will be able to perform well on my very first (and quite possibly my last) attempt at a solo 12-hour race.  I just need to figure out what is most important for me...to try and ride continuously for the 12-hour duration, or to pace myself by riding three or four laps, then taking a break to eat and hydrate...alternating like that throughout the 12-hours.  Either way, its going to be a tremendous amount of work, that I am sure I will pay for in the days following the race!

Oh by the way...I will be receiving my third frame from Ellsworth tomorrow!  It's time to build it up again.  The light weight of that racing frame will be very helpful in this 12-hour race format.

Thanks for reading!  Check back in a few days for the latest update.

A Slow Return to Training

Well...this is exactly what I was NOT hoping for...a very slow return to getting back on my bike following last weekend's 24 Hours of Fury race.  That's right, I have not been on my bike since then.  I believe I suffered some minor over-use injuries during that race, so I suppose that some time off the bike is actually quite beneficial...physically.  Mentally however, an entire week off of my bike seems like such a long time, and plays havoc on my confidence level and my perception of my own physical condition.

Two days after my race I had a deep tissue massage performed to help relieve some extreme soreness.  I originally scheduled a 55-minute session, but early on in the process of working on my legs, it was quite apparent that I would need to extend that session to 80-minutes.  My legs were so tight, that the massage therapist was having difficulty getting the muscles and fascia to relax.  I am a huge fan of deep tissue massage, but this was the most pain I had ever experienced during a session.  All in all, the therapist spent 80-minutes on just my legs!

Tomorrow morning will determine whether or not a week off of my bike was helpful or not.  I plan to get up early and attack the trail that I will be riding, hopefully for 12-hours straight, on January 7th.  Papago Park will play host to the 2012 12-Hours in the Papago Mountain Bike race again this year.  This trail system is often referred to as the 'bunny hill' of Phoenix mountain biking, as it is not considered to be difficult when compared to the plethora of highly technical riding spots located throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan area.  The loop used for the race last year was roughly 6-miles long, and information regarding this years race states that the same course will be used, however it is stated to be 10-miles long...hmm.  In any case, while relatively easy, there are a couple of short, steep climbs that when performed repetitively over a period of 12-hours, transform this 'bunny hill' into a lung and leg crusher!

So my plan is to get out there early tomorrow, and ride for about 3 hours to see just how many calories I expend.  This is an important piece of information when it comes to planning my nutritional intake over the course of 12-hours...of riding.  This becomes quite tricky when the majority of time (if not all of it) will be spent pedaling.  Much of my caloric intake will come in the form of liquid and gels...which can get quite boring and have been known to cause gastrointestinal issues when consumed over long periods of time.  Wonderful.

Another Race to Prepare For

Wow, it seems like an eternity since I last blogged!  I was very surprised when I opened up my blog to find that people are still reading it...in fact I was very honored.  Well, even though I have a number of other items on my plate...actually, I think I have a number of plates, and each of them are overflowing...I thought I would start writing again.  You see, I have a couple of races coming up and I thought that I would share those experiences with anyone who cared to read about them.  I will not be nearly as prolific in my writing (a promise that I will make to my wife) this time around, but I will do my best to share on a regular basis.

So..."what races do I have coming up?" you ask.  Well...in light of the fact that I did not get to participate in the 2011 World Police and Fire Games, I am planning to compete in 2013...in Belfast, Ireland.  Yep, that's right...Ireland!  I suppose traveling with my bike to New York was simply good practice for an international trip with my bike...I'm hoping so at least!

I also have a race coming up in the next few months...January 7, 2012 to be exact.  It is the annual '12-hours in the Papago' 12-hour mountain bike race.  I competed in this event last year, as a member of a four man team.  This year however, I am planning to step up my game somewhat, and ride it alone...just me and my bike, turning as many 6 1/2 mile laps as possible over the course of twelve hours.  I have been asked already "Why would you do such a thing?"  I suppose my answer is similar to the famous response used by many a mountain climber..."because it is there".  

I am closing in fast on becoming fifty years old, and the way I see it, my window of opportunity for accomplishing certain things in life is slowly closing.  I know what many of you are thinking...really, I do.  Many of you are thinking that I have succumbed to mid-life crisis huh?  Well, that's not exactly the case.  You see, I wont be trading in my trusty Honda Element for a fancy convertible sports car (although I have been eying the new Range Rover Evoque!) or swapping out my extremely hot 40-something wife for two non-stop texting 20-somethings (the thought of that actually makes me cringe)...nope, this is all about staying healthy, active, and hopefully inspiring as I enter into the later stages of my life...and doing it through a sport that I absolutely love...mountain biking.

I also feel as sense of obligation to a small company who was gracious enough to provide me with a pro-level sponsorship....Ellsworth Handcrafted Bikes.  Due to the cancellation of my event in the Police and Fire Games, I was not able to 'pay them back' so to speak.  I am a firm believer in the importance of loyalty, and I would like to think that I am a man of integrity.  As such, I would like to give back to the company that helped to support me and my dream of competing.  The race in January will be a good opportunity to do that, whether I reach the podium or not.  

My training for the Games was designed specifically for cross country racing, which is usually 10-15 miles.  While many would consider that a test of endurance, it is just a sprint when compared to the task of riding a bike for 12-hours...a mountain bike.  So...my training will need to be adjusted...quickly!  Starting tomorrow, I have 61 days until race day...not much time to train, but what the heck.

So wish me luck on my first 12-Hour Solo race...it should be interesting! 

...an American tragedy remembered

Our last two days in New York were spent sightseeing.  Donna took me to Central Park, where we strolled around for nearly an hour.  I had never been to the park before, and I was amazed at just how big it is...and beautiful too.  As we walked along 59th Street, which borders the southern edge of the park, we admired the beautiful apartment buildings that overlooked the lush greenery of the park, and wondered just how much those places must cost...a fortune I bet!

Apartments along 59th Street, overlooking Central Park

As we exited the park, we walked east towards Columbus Square, and found an interesting art exhibit, aptly named "Faces of Ground Zero - 10 Years Later".  This amazing exhibit, by photographer Joe McNally, displays over fifty life-sized photographs of some of the surviving heroes of 9-11...many of them firefighters.  Next to each photograph is a description of each individual, as well as an excerpt from an interview with each subject.  It was heart wrenching to read the stories of each of these heroes...some of whom (firefighters) told of losing their family members, who were also firefighters.  To say the least, it was a very sobering exhibit.

Donna next to the fountains at Columbus Square

Amazing life-sized hi-def photography

Later that day, we made our way towards Ground-Zero to see the progress of the memorial, as well as the new One-World Trade Center tower.  I had not been to this area since me original visit, and I was really looking forward to getting a glimpse of the memorial.  The site was not slated to open to the public until September 12th however, and the view of the area was obstructed by a tall fence, making it impossible to see the memorial.  The tower however, was quite visible...and extremely impressive.  

A look inside the exhibit

The building was originally dubbed as the ‘Freedom Tower’ however, it is now officially known as One World Trade Center, or 1 WTC.  Construction began on the building on April 27, 2006 and is scheduled to be completed in 2013.  The tower is being constructed on the same site as the original 6 World Trade Center, an 8-story building that was demolished during the events of 9-11.  Upon completion, 1 WTC will be 105-stories tall, making it the tallest building in the U.S. and one of the tallest in the world...1,776 feet.  The height is fitting to say the least, as it represents the year of our country’s independence.  

This is what 1-WTC looks like currently...

...and this is what it will look like in 2013

We happened upon FDNY Firehouse 10, or 10-House as it is referred to, which is located right on the corner of Liberty Street, across from the WTC. This fire station is possibly the most photographed station in the world, as it sits just a few yards from Ground Zero...in fact, it is technically within Ground Zero!  10-House lost six brother  firefighters on 9-11, as well as their house.  This fire station was rebuilt after sustaining significant damage as a result of the collapse of the twin towers.  

Ladder 10

Memorializing fallen brothers

When we walked by the fire station, I was amazed by just how many people were congregating just outside the apparatus bay doors.  As I made my way through the mass of people, poking my head inside to the see the trucks, I noticed a beautiful memorial to the six lost brothers, located inside the bays.  Many of the on-duty firefighters were outside, taking pictures with the visitors...it was great to see them interacting with the public in that way...saying thank you for their support over the years, especially since that fateful day that took the lives of 343 members of their family.

9-11 Memorial outside of FDNY 10-House

This gives you a better perspective of the size...this is just half!

We decided to grab a little lunch, so we headed south towards Battery Park, where we found a restaurant right on the waterfront.  After a nice lunch, we walked back toward the financial center, along the Hudson River.  As we walked, I looked across the river at New Jersey, and imagined what it would have been like to witness Chelsey Sullenberger, the Captain of US Airways Flight 1549, safely ditch his A320 Passenger Jet into that river, saving the lives of all 154 people on board...amazing!

10-House's station patch

As we made our way back uptown, Donna walked me through 3-World Financial Center, where the American Express Corporate offices are located.  The entrance to the AMEX offices is on the second floor, and as we walked by I stopped to take a picture of the American Express sign above the entry point.  As soon as I lifted my phone to snap a picture, a security guard...all right, yes...a rent-a-cop, shouted at me, and lifted a finger; shaking it side to side as if he was my mother telling me not to do something.  Really?  Did he think I was going to obtain someone confidential information, such as someones credit card number, through the cheesy lens of my iPhone camera?  I mean, come on!  The only thing visible from the outside is the very sterile looking reception desk...nothing else is visible!  If I remember right, I performed a very adult-like roll of my eyes, and tried my best to snap a picture as I walked away...as if to say "whatever!"  I know, I know...not very nice, but like I said in my last post..."when in Rome"...after all, it was New York! :)

My attempt to get a shot of the AMEX...on the run!

That night we had a nice dinner at a wine bar by the name of Ayza, which is a really cool little place located on west 31st Street in Manhattan.  We sat out on the patio and enjoyed the nice cool evening...something we hadn’t experienced in Phoenix for a few months...it was very relaxing, and a great way to spend our last night in the city.  We called it an early night as we had to get back to the hotel to pack for our early morning return flight to Phoenix...where we would unpack, and repack for our next trip...which by the way, was the very next day!

I highly recommend it...11 West 31st Street.

 

Before we left however, I was determined to don my racing gear, and get a shot of me riding my bike in New York.  After nearly three whole seconds of thought...I decided not to unpack my bike.  Here's how it went down instead...

That's my bike case I'm riding...better than nothing!

That’s right!  We were leaving the next day for our long awaited summer vacation...St. Maarten!

...and the hits just keep on coming!

As Tom Cruise so eloquently stated in the movie A Few Good Men...

 

As I shared yesterday, we arrived in New York safe and sound, excited to about the race.  Everything was going smoothly...right up to the point when I found out the race had been cancelled.  Thinking that maybe, just maybe the race would simply be postponed, or moved to another venue, we set out towards our hotel.  Donna and I arrived in Vernon, New Jersey around 5pm only to find that our hotel had been evacuated due to a lack of water!  Wow!  Could things get any worse?  First the race, now this.  When we had spoken to the hotel staff, prior to leaving Phoenix, we were informed that the broken water main had been repaired, and that they had not lost power.  Today however, we were informed that the water main had never been repaired, and that the power had only recently been restored...huh?

Fortunately however, they had transferred all reservations to a nearby hotel...but it was not as nice as the one we had reserved...oh yeah, and they wanted to charge us more!  Well, after a little attitude was thrown around (on my part) they decided to offer us the same rate.  Shouldn't that have been done automatically?  Oh well, at least we had a room to stay in...but not for long.

The view outside our room in Vernon, NJ

We were originally scheduled to be there for the duration of our trip, but due to the cancelled race there was really no reason for us to stay in Vernon...besides, it was in the sticks...beautiful, but the sticks nonetheless. After a short amount of time on the Internet (thank God that was available) Donna found us a great little place to stay in Manhattan...The Stay Hotel.  Amazingly, the price was not much more than we were paying for the room in New Jersey!  My wife is awesome!

Oh by the way, the room number was 911...how fitting!

As it should be!

This room was nice...small, but nice!

So....first thing in the morning, we packed up and headed for the city, bound to turn disappointment into pleasure, and start our vacation a few days early. 

As we were driving from New Jersey to the Big Apple, I realized that I was actually going to have to drive in the city...New York City!  When I had visited once before, I thought "man, I hope I never have to drive here!". You know me though...I am up for most any challenge, and that is exactly how I embraced this little task...as a challenge and an adventure.  As with many things in life that tend to scare us...often those that we have never experienced...I took to this like a fish to water!  I just kept saying to myself "when in Rome..." 

Driving into Manhattan...what a blast!

Driving in the city was a blast! It was like a race...only slower.  It required a 'spidey-sense' of sorts.  You know, that sense that Spiderman had, where he could feel what was about to happen before it happened.  My spidey-senses were on full alert as I anticipated who would jump out in front of me, or who would quickly merge into my lane.  Well, that last statement is really only partially correct, as I am convinced that there are no lanes on the streets in the city...the lines are merely suggestions!  

This guy was taking the whole 'Spidey Sense' thing a bit too far!

After a great race...I mean drive...we had reached our hotel...and what a nice hotel it was!  Like anything, in the city, it was small...but it was actually very nice.  We unloaded our stuff and grabbed a taxi...bound for the Althletes' Village at the Jacob Javits Center.  Once we arrived, I checked in and received our credentials...even though the race had been cancelled.  We then met up with Paul (my mountain bike team mate) and his wife Michelle, who wanted to take us to a hole-in-the-wall, family style restaurant in Little Italy, where she has been going since she was 16 years old.  She grew up in Brooklyn, and promised us that this place was amazing.  Once we were finished touring the Athletes' Village we jumped on the train and headed to Little Italy. 

The Athletes' Village at the Jacob Javits Center

Paul and I with the infamous Cancellation Notice

I won't bore you with the details, the food was awesome!  No menus...They just start bringing you food...and you devour it...along with a few bottles of wine!  Oh, by the way, they don't bring out the normal sized bottles of wine...nope, they bring out the magnums!  I'm not saying I got drunk (because I didn't) but I am glad I didn't have to drive home!

The next day we got up late...imagine that!  We took the train up to Central Park and walked around for a while, grabbed some lunch, and then hoofed it home to get ready for dinner at Del Frisco's...mmm good!  After dinner we walked across the street to the Radio City Music Hall where Donna had reserved tickets for the Cirque De Soleil show, Zarkana...what an amazing show!  

Dinner at Del Frisco's

Cirque De Soleil...Zarkana!

Tune in tomorrow...if you are interested...to read about our last day in New York.

...and you thought it was over!

Hello my faithful followers!  It has been quite a while since my last post, and I am sure you have all been sitting on the edge of your seats, awaiting the next installment...well, here it is!

This post was written while on our trip...some while still in New Jersey; some in our hotel in Manhattan; and some on the plane, while returning to Phoenix.  I had intended to post this much earlier, but I had no way of uploading photos from my iPhone to my iPad...check that...Donna's iPad!

So here it is...

Those of you who have read my most recent Facebook post are already aware of my circumstances.  Donna and I arrived in New Jersey, safe and sound...even a little ahead of schedule!  However, there is bad news too...

Those of you who travel know that getting your baggage can sometimes prove to be problematic. How often have you arrived at your assigned carousel, waited for your luggage, only to find that it had come out on another carousel?  Well, I am happy to say that was not the case for us!

Our Welcome at the Newark Airport

Not only did our luggage come out where it was supposed to, it came out pretty quickly...even my bike case came through the "bulky luggage" area just fine...and it was located right next to our baggage carousel! 

Things were going nice and smooth...possibly too smooth.  Next step...rental car.

Let me start by saying that I have had some real bad experiences with rental car agencies in the past.  I should also tell you that we were requiring a specific type of vehicle due to the volume and size of our luggage.  As many of you well know, reserving a specific vehicle is really a crap-shoot, and almost no agency will 'guarantee' you that they will have it on their lot once you arrive. Donna had made arrangements ahead of time, and was even offered an upgrade at no cost...a way of saying thank you to me for being a firefighter. Thank you Dollar Rental Car! 

When we arrived at the rental car desk...oh wait, I haven't even told you about our experience getting all of our bags onto and off of the shuttle.  So, let's back up a bit and talk about that...

Again, if you have traveled, you have no doubt had to take some sort of a shuttle to get to the rental car area.  Isn't it amazing just how many escalators or elevators are involved in this little journey to get to the shuttle or tram?  It seems to me like every one of these requires an 'up and over' of sorts. Well, let me say that we made it through this little challenge with flying colors!

So, back to the rental car desk...

You would think that if you had talked to the director of operations of Dollar Rental Cars in New Jersey, and had been offered some sort of deal, that it would have been noted on your reservation, right?  I don't know, maybe I simply expect too much. Anyway...of course there was no notation made on our reservation, but my wife (being the great organizer that she is) printed out a copy of the email communique...a smart move!  So just like that we were given the deal that we were offered...again, too smooth.

We ended up with a very nice vehicle that easily accommodated all of our luggage, and didn't smell like cigarettes!  Off we headed for our hotel, The Appalachian Resort in Vernon, New Jersey. 

This is just MY luggage...

It all fits...even Donna's luggage!

Shortly after we began our drive, my team mate Paul (whom we had traveled with to New Jersey) called me with some bad news.  He had checked his email, and found out that all mountain bike Events had been cancelled...shortly after we touched down In Newark.  Apparently, the amount of rain that Irene dropped on the area, had caused significant erosion to the ground that supports the gondola at the Mountain Creek Ski Resort.  What does that have to do with mountain biking you ask?  The Mountain Creek Ski Resort was scheduled to host the mountain bike events for the 2011 World Police and Fire Games.  The gondola is required to get both racers and spectators to their respective locations on the mountain.  So...if the gondola can't be used, the races can't be run...it's just that simple.

So, with no race to win...I mean compete in...we are planning on going to the athletes' village so that we can get the bag of goodies we paid for within our registration fees (which by the way, I am not expecting to get refunded...not without a little 'push and shove' anyway.

So that's the story.  It's not how I had dreamed it would turn out...my dreams involved an all out effort to come from behind, passing the first place rider just prior to the finish line...then hoisting the Gold Medal above my head with tears streaming down my cheeks.  Hey, it's my dream...I'll cry if I want to!

Tune in over the next few days to get a glimpse of how are stay in New York turned out...and to see what a wonderful vacation we had following the race...well, the cancelled race!

2 Days...whatever!

 Those of you who have read my most recent Facebook post are already aware of my circumstances.  Donna and I arrived in New Jersey, safe and sound...even a little ahead of schedule!  However, there is bad news too...

Those of you who travel know that getting your baggage can sometimes prove to be problematic. How often have you arrived at your assigned carousel, waited for your luggage, only to find that it had come out on another carousel?  Well, I am happy to say that was not the case for us!

Not only did our luggage come out where it was supposed to, it came out pretty quickly...even my bike case came through the "bulky luggage" area just fine...and it was located right next to our baggage carousel!  
Things were going nice and smooth...possibly too smooth.  Next step...rental car.

Let me start by saying that I have had some real bad experiences with rental car agencies in the past.  I should also tell you that we were requiring a specific type of vehicle due to the volume and size of our luggage.  As many of you well know, reserving a specific vehicle is really a crap-shoot, and almost no agency will 'guarantee' you that they will have it on their lot once you arrive. Donna had made arrangements ahead of time, and was even offered an upgrade at no cost...a way of saying thank you to me for being a firefighter. Thank you Dollar Rental Car!  

When we arrived at the rental car desk...oh wait, I haven't even told you about our experience getting all of our bags onto and off of the shuttle.  So, let's back up a bit and talk about that...

Again, if you have traveled, you have no doubt had to take some sort of a shuttle to get to the rental car area.  Isn't it amazing just how many escalators or elevators are involved in this little journey to get to the shuttle or tram?  It seems to me like every one of these requires an 'up and over' of sorts. Well, let me say that we made it through this little challenge with flying colors!

So, back to the rental car desk...

You would think that if you had talked to the director of operations of Dollar Rental Cars in New Jersey, and had been offered some sort of deal, that it would have been noted on your reservation, right?  I don't know, maybe I simply expect too much. Anyway, of course there was no notation made on our reservation, but my wife (being the great organizer that she is) printed out a copy of the email communiqué...a smart move!  So just like that we were given the deal that we were offered...again, too smooth.

We ended up with a very nice vehicle that easily accommodated all of our luggage, and didn't smell like cigarettes!  Off we headed for our hotel, The Appalachian Resort in Vernon, New Jersey.  

Shortly after we began our drive, my team mate Paul (who we traveled with) called me with some bad news.  He had checked his email, and found out that all mountain bike Events had been cancelled...shortly after we touched down In Newark.  Apparently, the amount of rain that Irene dropped on the area, had caused significant erosion to the ground that supports the gondola at the Mountain Creek Ski Resort.  What does that have to do with mountain biking you ask?  The Mountain Creek Ski Resort was scheduled to host the mountain bike events for the 2011 World Police and Fire Games.  The gondola is required to get both racers and spectators to their respective locations on the mountain.  So...if the gondola can't be used, the races can't be run...it's just that simple.

So, with no race to win...I mean compete in...we are planning on going to the athletes' village so that we can get the bag of goodies we paid for within our registration fees (which by the way, I am not expecting to get refunded...not without a little 'push and shove' anyway.

So that's the story.  It's not how I had dreamed it would turn out...my dreams involved an all out effort to come from behind, passing the first place rider just prior to the finish line...then hoisting the Gold Medal above my head with tears streaming down my cheeks.  Hey, it's my dream...I'll cry if I want to!

5 days...

Hey...the countdown continues...or resumes...whatever.  Things are looking pretty promising for us to head to New Jersey.  As you are all probably aware, Irene didn't amount to as much as expected, even though it did take lives and destroy property.  My heart goes out to those families who have lost loved ones as a result of this storm.

Irene hit the New York area as a Tropical Storm rather than a Hurricane, therefore the damage was less than expected in that area.  The good news is that many of the cancelled sporting events have been rescheduled...and thus far, cross country mountain bike racing is on schedule!  

We found out earlier today, that our hotel suffered a water main break, thus causing a total loss of water to the property.  Additionally, the roads leading to the property were closed due to flooding.  This evening however, we were informed that the water main had been repaired!  The roads however, are still impassable, so how we are going to get there remains to be seen...oh well, its an adventure right?

I'll post from New Jersey in the next day or so.  Stay tuned for the adventure!

6 Days...

Well...the news is not getting any better as Hurricane Irene approaches the New York and New Jersey coastlines.  Over the past two days the WPFG Organizing Committee has been forced to suspend, and or cancel, a number of sporting events...or is it all events?  Hmmm....

That is the problem...everything that comes out is just a little more vague than the information that was released previously.  This morning they even stated that events on Saturday the 28th and Sunday the 29th have been cancelled.  What?  Is that different than the previous announcement that was made, stating that events occurring on Saturday and Sunday were cancelled?  Or the other one that stated that ALL events had been suspended?  And what does ALL really mean anyway?  Are we talking ALL as in a complete cancellation of the Games?  Or are we just talking about ALL events occurring on Saturday and Sunday...which by the way are the 27th  and 28th...respectively.

As you can see, things are really somewhat chaotic...and I can understand (to some degree) why there is so much confusion on the WPFG's part.  However, this is an event for people who, like me, are in professions that require us to perform at our very best during times of utter chaos...so you can see why I am a little frustrated with the lack of this organization's ability to adapt and overcome in the face of adversity and chaos...better known as Irene.

I'll keep you all posted as learn more throughout the day.  Keep smiling...I am!

A Wake-up Call

Just when you begin to think that your own life is chaotic, God gives you a little wake-up call. Today I just found out that a friend of mine, whom I have not had the opporutnity to see for quite some time, has created a blog, to chronicle the heart wrenching story of his newborn baby girl Ryan.  My friend, Jared Clifford, is a firefighter for the city of Goodyear, Arizona.  I was fortunate enough to have met Jared when he worked with the Sun City Fire Department, and have considered him a friend ever since.

Jared and his wife Michelle learned that their baby girl was to be born with spina-bifida and a congenital heart defect, when they received an ultrasound to reveal the sex of the baby.  Since then, it has been a whirlwind of emotions for the Cliffords, but they have held strong to their faith in Christ throughout this challenge.

I have added their blog to my favorites list, and I ask that you take a few moments to read their story.  I guarantee it will touch your heart...deeply.  Please keep my friend and his family in your prayers!

7 Days...Well, maybe.

Ok everyone, as of today, I am officially one week away from race day.  I am in great riding shape, I have shed roughly 15 pounds of fat from my body...there is no question that I am ready to race.  The question that remains however, is will there even be a race now?

As I am sure you are all aware, there's this little storm off the east coast...I think they're calling it a hurricane..Irene, I believe.  Well, that little storm is projected to pack quite punch!  So much so, that New York Mayor Bloomberg cancelled all events for Sunday the 28th...which obviously includes a number of World Police and Fire Games events.

A direct path into the New York, New Jersey area!

 I really have nothing at all to complain about...I am truly blessed!

Two of my team mates who were scheduled to compete in the triathlon, found there flights to be cancelled early yesterday morning.  As the day went on, they also learned that the triathlon had been cancelled, effectively ending their plans to compete in the Games.

One of my other team mates, who I have been training for the past seven months, is scheduled to compete in an event known as The Toughest Competitor Alive competition.  He actually made it out yesterday, albeit, nearly eight hours later than scheduled!  My concern is that he is now in New York, when everyone is being asked to leave...hmmm.

I will be very disappointed if my race gets cancelled...I was really looking forward to testing myself against an international field of competitors.  I will not however, be angry.  Whether I race or not, I cannot deny that I have benefited from this journey thus far.  I am in the best shape I have been in for years, I have learned that

I can push my body beyond what I thought I was capable of, and I ended up with a beautiful new bike! 

If I do race, this is most likely what it will be like!

What I (and everyone else) should be concerned about is the safety and welfare of those 65 million Americans who are being threatened by Irene.  Let's pray for their safety...and maybe throw in a little prayer that I might get to race after all!

9 Days...

Man oh man...time seemed like it was standing still for so long...but now it is just flying by! It feels odd to me that I am now at the end of my journey...a journey that has lasted roughly seven months.  I have learned a great deal during this time, some of which will, and already has made me a better coach.  I now have a greater understanding of what it takes to dedicate one's self to accomplishing a goal.  As a coach, it is easy for me to lose sight of what is really involved...the sacrifices, the pain, the sweat, and sometimes the tears.  This little journey of mine has certainly increased my awareness of what my athletes go through to get to where they aspire to be.  I am now much more empathetic...as I have experienced many of those same things...especially pain.

I began this journey with transparency, and as I wind down and approach race day, it is time once again to let each of you into my world, through the crystal clear, transparency that lies in pictures.  I did not post pictures of myself at the beginning of this journey for any reason other than accountability.  You see, by posting those pictures, I was laying it all out there for the world to see.  By now, each of you should know me well enough to understand that there was no way I was going to come up short of my goals (or at least not give it my all)...and fail in front of each of you.  So...the question remains, did I achieve my goal(s)?

The down and dirty, quick answer is NO...not completely!  I came up short on my body-fat percentage.  My goal was 10%...but I was only able to achieve (and sustain) 11.6%.  Can I live with this?  Yes...but I will still try to achieve that goal when I get back from my race.  I still believe it is possible, I just need more time.  Below I have listed my final numbers, as well as my numbers from way back when this whole thing started.  The final numbers appear in blue, while my beginning stats appear in red.

Total Body Weight:   186 lbs           194 lbs

Bodyfat Percentage: 11.6%            18.8%

       Fat Weight:          21.57 lbs        36.47 lbs 

     Lean Weight:         164.43 lbs      157.26 lbs

Total Fat Weight Loss:  14.9 lbs

Total Lean Mass Gain: 7.17 lbs

Circumference Measurements (in inches)

Chest:         41 3/4     44

Shoulders: 48           51

    Neck:     12 1/2     12 3/4

Waist:        33 1/4    35

Thigh:       22 1/2    21

Calf:         14           14

Bicep:      14 1/2     14

As you read through the numbers above, you may think that my math is off.  Looking at the total Body weight values, it appears that I lost a total of 8 pounds.  Yet when you look at the Total Fat Weight Loss, it shows that I lost almost 15 pounds.  How is that possible?  The answer lies in the total amount of lean mass I gained over my little journey...7.17 pounds.  This lean mass gain must be figured into the calculations to understand how these numbers could be derived.  When figured correctly, it shows that I lost nearly 15-pounds since the start of my training program, even though my body weight only went down by 8 pounds.  

Now for the real transparency...pictures!

THEN...January 30, 2011

YESTERDAY...August 23, 2011