If I Only Knew NOW What I Thought I Knew THEN

Sol Play Adventures - C&O Canal Kid's Bike Trip

2011-07-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Nine kids, two adults, one teenager, twelve bikes, five days of biking, five nights of camping, tons of support from family, friends and the Arlington community and an idea turns into a reality…

Several months ago, my friend Joey and I came up with an idea to start a kid’s camp that uses outdoor adventure as a means to encourage alternative learning opportunities as well as promote physical and emotional well being. After talking to friends, family, teachers and school administrators about our ideas for the camp we knew we were on to something that would interest parents and engage their kids. Word started to spread about our camp - and we needed a name: Sol Play Adventures. In Spanish, Sol means “sun” and elicits thoughts of the outdoors and its vast resources. And Sol Play makes one think of “fun in the sun!” SOL is also the abbreviation for Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL). These two meanings converge to form the core theme of Sol Play Adventures.

We decided to test the concept with two camps this summer. In the inaugural camp, held last week, nine kids joined Joey and I on a C&O Canal Bike Adventure where we explored the middle section of the C&O Canal. We started our journey at the Paw Paw Tunnel (in Paw Paw, West Virginia), and completed our adventure in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Every day was full of memorable experiences. On the very first night, we witnessed the most amazing natural light show - courtesy
among the trees lining the C&O Canal tow path. We hiked through the nearly mile long pitch black Paw Paw tunnel canal at night, our headlamps night vision setting casting an eerie red glow. Some of the kids, who were initially hesitant about entering the long dark tunnel, found they were intrigued by the structure and started asking questions about it – opening the door for Joey and I to discuss the history of the tunnel and the canal. The kids were able to apply information they learned in school and explore concepts in greater detail. Our goal was to never directly answer a question. As much as we could, we answered questions by asking them additional questions. It was fun for Joey and I to watch the kids figure out the answers to their own questions. It was clear to Joey and I from the first night that the underlying concept for Sol Play was a solid one.

As the week progressed and they got to know each other better, the kids had surprisingly deep and mature conversations - like the one they had about what being “normal” means. These conversations began very organically by the kids and involved little to no adult interaction.

Competitive Uno

It was equally rewarding to see the kids sit around a single table eating ice cream in Harpers Ferry as we neared the end of our trip. There were several empty tables available, yet they all elected to sit together at one table – and talked and laughed for nearly an hour with no adult involvement. They had bonded as a result of the adventure and it was a good thing!

Dam 4 Caves

The day after our return I surveyed several parents to find out what their kids had thought about the trip and I was pleased to hear that overwhelmingly they had a great time. Some of the stories they told their parents were expected: “Glow”, the stray cat we encountered at our first camp site near Fifteen Mile Creek; eating pies at Weavers in Hancock, MD; fish nibbling on their toes in Antietam Creek, MD; hiding in the nooks and crannies of the caves we explored along the trail (headlamps off); bragging about being in the “fast pace group” or the advantages of riding in “leisure pace” group; and observing wildlife, and debating who had the “best” and “worst” of everything.

What surprised me was that many of the kids' stories focused on their newly acquired knowledge of the C&O canal. They were eager to explain to their parents how the locks worked, the mechanics behind raising a railroad track over the canal so canal boats can pass under it as needed, why the canal was necessary, why it was ultimately a financial failure and the canal’s role in the Civil War.

Operating a canal lock in Williamsport

The trip left me physically exhausted but at the same time exhilarated. Sol Play Adventure’s next trip will be August 29^th – September 2^ndin Confluence, PA. Keeping in line with Sol Play’s mission – the adventure will include educational links, physical challenges, personal achievement and lots of fun. We still have a couple slots available – so let me know if you are interested!

Antietam Creek - Fishy Pedicure

of thousands of fireflies dancing

How to Run 40 Miles and Still Have Fun - Run Around the Gorge

2010-10-26T17:44:00.000-07:00

I am sore. I mean really, really sore. More sore than I have ever been. But if the Run Around the Gorge race had a third day on the schedule - I'd be at the start line ready to go. And I'd be smiling!

The inaugural Run Around the Gorge race took place this weekend - a two day 40 mile trail run around the New River Gorge in West Virgina (http://www.runaroundthegorge.com/). It was more than a race - it was an event. For highlights - jump down to the bottom of this post.

First about the "racing" part - I've linked the course description including the topo maps and elevations for both days - http://www.runaroundthegorge.com/course.html . To say the course was beautiful would be a gross understatement. At every turn - there was something more beautiful than the last. I left the ipod at home and enjoyed the sounds all day - birds, waterfalls and rapids. I ran much of the race on day one alone and I was never, never bored.

I put "race" in quotes, because I never felt like I was racing. I strained my hamstring in August, so I all but stopped running in preparation for Savageman, which took place in mid-September. After Savageman, the longest long run I completed was only 12 -13 miles. I was not in racing shape, but I felt like I had enough base fitness to get through the weekend. And while there were a couple times I questioned this reasoning, I finished both days in a respectable manner. But more importantly, the race director had created a light hearted fun atmosphere around this event. EVERYONE had fun. There were less than 30 racers in all, and I can't think of anyone who did not enjoy the weekend.

I know that some of my friends question my definition of fun, but I guarantee that anyone who spent time at this event would be inspired to join us next year for the Second Annual Run Around the Gorge!

Weekend Highlights:

Arriving at Opossum Creek to a refrigerator full of beer and wine - and looking around the room and seeing everyone with a full glass. CARBO LOADING!!!!
Finding out that I'd be sleeping in a room with seven women and I'd be on the top bunk. Funny when I was 10, I thought the top bunk was awesome... of course when I was 10, I wasn't tall enough to hit my head on the ceiling when I sat up!
Discovering that the other six women in the room over packed as much as I did.
Seeing old friends and acquaintances I didn't expect to see and meeting new friends, whom I am sure I will again see at future races.
Getting stuck in the downstairs bathroom - not once, not twice but THREE times! BTW - did anyone ever tell Mark that the door to bathroom didn't work? Because I never did!
Hanging out with a bunch of people that didn't get upset when they got stuck in the bathroom... a couple times (yeah - we are all slow learners!).
Navigating a spiral staircase in the main house that was far more technical than any downhill paths during the race.
Realizing that there were far more women at this race than men. I think there were 24 racers and only 5 were men. Women ruled this race!
Being the "Meanest Racer"on Saturday. Which really means that my race time for day one was closest to the average time for all racers. Yeah - I can be mean sometimes but really I'm just average.
Taking the "alternative route" on Sunday down the climbers ladder and along the endless wall.
Stepping into a crevice between two rocks hidden by leaves and falling thigh deep, scrapping my shin and and hitting my knee on the way down.
Having a mere "flesh wound" that looked a lot worse than it really was - and having Jody tell her version of how it happened. I'm guessing It was far more dramatic from her perspective behind me- one second I was running and the next I was two feet down - sunk between rocks
Looking forward to uphills when I had an excuse to walk and give my my quads and knees a rest.
Learning that ladybugs bite. Not kidding.
Eating two McDonalds Cheeseburgers on the way home and not feeling guilty about it!

I hope to post pictures later this week!

2010 NFL Flag Football Regional Tournament (Raven's Stadium)

2010-10-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

I love it when everything comes together at the last moment - which is exactly what happened for the Arlington Thunder 9-11 Flag Football Team. Every year, Arlington Youth Flag Football sends one or two all star teams in each age group to the annual NFL Regional Flag Football Tournament, hosted this year in Raven's Stadium. Winners of the regional tournaments, held around the country, go on to the National Tournament in Florida, all expenses paid courtesy of the NFL.

Earlier in the season, the decision was made to send one Arlington team in the 9-11 category, but at the last minute there was a push to form a second team. Just to provide some perspective - the first team was formed in August, before the actual season even got underway. The second team, Arlington Thunder, was put together the first week of October and Ethan was asked to join the team. The tournament was on the third Sunday of October. In other words - Arlington Thunder had two weeks to assign positions, develop and learn plays and construct a defense. And to confound matters a little more, the person who volunteered to coach had to back out at last minute.

So when I got a call from the league commissioner asking if I would consider stepping into the coach position, I was at the same time flattered and terrified. I was in no way qualified to coach an All- Star team! Sure I coach a league team - but I was doing that by the seat of my pants. I knew enough about running plays and setting up a defense not to embarrass myself or the kids!

As it turns out, I'm a pretty fast learner and so were the kids (okay - the kids learned faster than me, but don't tell them that!). With a ton of help from the league commissioner and and a great assistant coach, we ended up having a pretty spectacular tournament. Despite our late start, and the challenges of a Columbus Day holiday weekend, the kids pulled it together and exceeded everybody's expectations.

Funny thing - we didn't win the tournament. We didn't even win our pool, but after the disappointment of losing the final pool game wore off (which didn't take long) - there was immense pride over what we had accomplished. We (and when I say we - I'm including the coaches) learned a new and complicated defense and contained the other teams - allowing only two touchdowns during pool play. Now that's something to be proud of! And on offense - not only did the kids learn the plays, they executed them well. It was incredible to watch as I called in the plays from the sidelines through one of the players and then see them line up without confusion. They we were calm and confident throughout the tournament.

The kids who did not get much playing time were all mature, upbeat and supportive of their teammates. These kids let the coaches focus on the game - they were ready to go in when needed and did not distract when they were not. I have to give my own son, Ethan credit here. Despite being the coach's son, he was substituted in one game for only two snaps. And that was only because the assistant coach thought to put him in. Ethan knew before the tournament that there was a high possibility that he would not play - he was the youngest player on the team and the only one that would be eligible to play in this age group again next season. Quite frankly, for the week leading up to the tournament he was miserable and at times made me miserable too. But on game day, he learned what it meant to be part of a team. Best lesson ever!

Savageman Race Report 2010

2010-09-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Savageman is a stupid race. A stupid, hard race. A stupid, hard, fun race. And I love it! This year was no exception. For those of you unfamiliar with this race, it is billed as the "hardest half ironman on the planet" (http://savagemantri.org/TriathleteMag_100BestRaces.pdf) Some even compare the difficulty to an ironman, particularly the bike section that takes you up and down the mountains of western Maryland. (http://savagemantri.org/) For much of the race you feel as though you are going either 4 miles an hour or 40 miles an hour - and not much in between.
The quick summary:

Total time: 7:36:44 (scary I know, but it was a PR!)

Westernport Wall:  Third Brick Baby!

2^nd in AG (okay there were only 4 of us – but it was a good day!)

The weather for the race was perfect. If anything, the warmer temps caught some off guard. In past years, if you failed to wear appropriate outer clothing you would surely freeze during the long descent out of Deep Creek into Westernport. This year I was overdressed with just arm warmers. And the air was dry, nearly no humidity - so I never really felt like I was sweating. I had to be very, very deliberate about hydrating during this race.

Several weeks before Savageman I strained my right hamstring during a long training run. In the days leading up to the race, I came up with several race strategies - from not doing the race at all to doing an aqua-velo. And under no circumstances would I do Westernport Wall. I already had two Bricks and I was not going to risk further injury (http://thoughtiknewthen.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html. - last year's rr)

View from the top of the Wall - 31% grade.

The Wall during 2010 race day mayhem.

While I could feel the hamstring biking up hills, it was only when I ran that it really hurt. I did not run for a week and half before the race and I only did easy, flat rides. Not the best confidence booster going into the race. The strategy I ultimately settled on included swimming my normal race, taking the bike section easy, staying seated at all times – and not get discouraged by the number of people passing me. Run the flats and down hills and power walk the up hills. I also knew I needed to stay hydrated and fueled – which is surprisingly hard for me to maintain.

Above all else, I had to finish the race to earn the Finishers Shirt. The shirt is not one most women would wear, including me. But my kids love them. The first year it did this race I gave the shirt to my oldest and last year my middle son got the shirt. So as I left for the race this year, my youngest made it clear that it was his turn. I did not dare return without a shirt!

With few exceptions, I followed my strategy to a tee and it paid off. The one big exception was at the Wall. As I approached the Wall I had a downright argument with myself. I had the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. Would I be stupid or smart? Was it worth the risk to blow my hamstring? With little training, I probably didn’t have the strength to make it to the top regardless. But as reached the bottom of the Wall, I took a deep breath and up I went. Not the prettiest of climbs – as a matter of fact, it was down right ugly. But I did it. And I was glad I did.

I cramped on Killer Miller, but not nearly as bad as I did last year and I cramped on the run only when I tried to run the up hills. It was clear that I had favored my right leg during the bike because all the cramping was in my left leg. I only had to stop twice on the run – far less than last year. In the end it was the run and the fact that I did not cramp as badly as I did in past years that led me to a PR. Go figure - a strategy based on an injury results in a PR.

And have I mentioned the volunteers, the spectators and the other racers? Seriously, I don't think you will find a better group at any other race!

Will I do the race again next year…. Of course I will! Want to join me?

Swimming - Fresh and New!

2010-03-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

I started swimming this week after taking several months off. Some people can swim everyday all year long. Others force themselves to swim just enough to ensure they won't drown during the swim portion of their next triathlon. Like baby bear, I find swimming from mid-March to mid-September to be "just right". When I start up in March, it feels fresh and new and by October I am at my strongest for the last big race.

I swam competively as a kid through high school and so you might think that bodes for triathlon. Yeah - I was a breast stroker. Breast strokers as a whole do not make for very good freestylers. Today I swam the 100 IM as fast as 100 freestyle! Let me assure you my IM is NOT fast...

Like many age group swimmers, I stopped swimming at 18. I hung up the suit, put away the googles and didn't pull them out again for 20 years. Open water swims has made the whole swimming experience enjoyable again. I tolerate the chlorine and the black line at the bottom of the pool knowing that in a few short months I'll be swimming outside unrestricted by lane lines and walls!

Take a look at the attached Luna Training tips on open water swimming from Luna Pro Linda Gallo.

http://teamlunachix.com/tips_and_training/tips/tags/videos/

Two Poems by Ethan

2010-01-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Ethan is my 9 year old fourth grader. He recited these two poems to me the other night and they both made me chuckle so I thought I'd share.

Messy Desk

Messy Desk, Messy Desk,

Glue, Highlighters,

Pencils, Markers, Erasers, My Three Week Old Lunch

Some Color Pencils and...

YES!

My Homework.

Ten Years

Ten years from now I'll be president.

Ten Years from now I'll be famous.

Ten years from now I'll be driving a Ferrari.

Ten years from now...

hopefully.

In ten years, Ethan will be 19 and it won't surprise me a bit if he reaches every one of his goals - regardless of how those goals change over time.

Watchung Trail Marathon

2010-01-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Watchung Trail Marathon confirmed my notion that low key races are the best kind of races for me. I like races that don't require a ton of effort just getting to get to the start line. The best races offer quick registrations with no lines, no chips, no bibs, no t-shirts and a guy at the start line who yells, "Set, Go!"

Despite this relaxed atmosphere, the training I devote to these events is no less than if I were racing Boston or NYC marathon, assuming I could qualify for either! I picked Watchung partly due to the timing of the race - I wanted something in January or February to get me through holiday eating season, and partly because of the location - near my parent's house in New Jersey.

The race provided only limited support. There was a table at the start/finish line with food items. Racers could stock up as they passed the table at the end of each loop. It was packed with items donated by participants and included everything from sports bars, cookies and bags of chips. And of course Luna Moons. Someone even brought a bottle of Jim Beam. Yep – I like this trail running attitude!

There was an ultra and marathon race option. The ultra racers did three full loops of the course and the marathoners did two full loops and a modified third loop. The course was absolutely beautiful. When I wasn’t looking at the ground I was soaking in the great scenery. At the race start it was 11 degrees and I don’t think it warmed up much as the day went on. The trail was mostly snowy – but there was a fair amount of ice. I wore my Yak Traks for the first loop, and they worked great. Unfortunately by the end of the loop my feet were hurting and I knew if I continued wearing them, I would suffer. I could not have asked for a better first loop. I came in a little under my 2 hour goal – but I knew my second lap would take a little longer. For starters, I had to replenish my nutrition and I had to stop at my car (the course ran through the parking lot!) to refill my bottles and change into dry gloves. I also had to use the rest room… and so did everyone else. The thought of finding a spot in the woods wasn’t an option at that temperature!

I felt good as I started my second loop – although I had to take the first quarter of mile substantially slower as the trail was covered in a sheet of ice. When I was finally able to open up and really start running again, I tripped on a stump and I landed on my pelvis. I jumped up right away, mostly out of embarrassment – but to my surprise it did not hurt… at least not yet. I ran with different groups throughout the day – some that I caught up to and others that passed me and enjoyed conversations with all of them. I chuckled each time I took a bit of my Cytomax – between the cold air temps and constant jiggling the Cytomax turned into an orange slushy.

As I passed the point where I would turn off to complete the marathon on the third loop, I thought maybe, just maybe, I would do the ultra instead of just the marathon. It was ONLY four more miles – how much harder could it be. I tucked the thought in the back of my mind and went on to finish the second loop.

I was still feeling pretty strong as I started the third loop. Fortunately, I did not have to use the rest room and I filled my bottles with HEED at the community nutrition table. I grabbed a couple oatmeal cookies and I was off. I was almost done! But as I ran, my pelvis started to hurt with each step. But I was almost done.

I spent a good portion of the race with my eyes trained to the ground. Missteps, I learned, can be costly. It was during the third loop that another racer stopped me and pointed out a small herd of deer right next to the trail. In the middle of the herd was a white deer. Unbelievable! I thanked the gentleman for waiting for me just to point the deer out to me. I have no doubt that I would have completely missed this spectacle as I was so focused on the trail. I looked behind to see if I could return the favor – but no one was there.

The final loop seemed like it would never end. I looked at my watch - based on distance and my perceived pace, I should have been nearly done with the marathon, but I had not even reached the marathon turn off point. My pelvis was hurting and my morale was sinking. By the time I approached the marathon turn off, the thought of doing “just four more miles” was not an option. The final approach was nearly all up hill and required quite a bit of navigating over rocks and logs. But I finished. And there was no official finish line, no finishing chute, no finisher’s medal. Just a guy who didn’t know me giving me a big hug! Awesome!

I learned afterwards that several racers compared the recorded mileage on their Garmins and that each full loop was actually between10.7 and 10.9 miles and the modified third loop that was roughly 7 miles. If you do the math, you will note that did somewhere near 28.5 miles!
I was already happy with my performance – but adding in the extra miles made my time more in line with my expectations. I smiled the whole evening after the race. Laughing was out of the question, as was sneezing – both made my pelvis hurt! I’ll be back again next year… anyone interested?

The Boy who Gets Everything By Seth Novak

2010-01-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

Jordan has three sisters who are triplets and they are from different places. One is from America, another is from Argentina and the last one is from Mexico. He has one cat named Jackie.

His parents gave him lots of toys and games. But Jordon never got the one thing that he really wanted. More than anything, Jordan really, really wanted love.

He told his parents he didn't want toys, all he wanted was love. But they never listened to him. Instead they asked him if he wanted more toys.

So one day, Jordan put all his toys into a shredder machine and melted them into letters that said, "Mom and Dad, I don't want toys. All I want is love."

This time his parents listened to him and they didn't give him too many toys, but they gave him lots and lots of love. Jordan now get everything he wants, including love.

Dictated by Seth to his Mother

Postscript - Seth is adamant that he is read a book every night. And I do mean EVERY night. Lately though, he has decided that he wants to write books (see previous post). I feel compelled to tell everyone that I DO love Seth and that all characters in his stories are fictitious! And no - he still has not gotten an XBox.

The Boy Who Never Gets Anything By: Seth Novak

2009-12-27T18:21:00.000-08:00

Jacob lives in a house with his twin sisters, Allysa and Laura, his parents and two cats. Jacob never gets anything because he is always naughty. Not even for Christmas or his birthday.

Jacob really, really wants an XBox, but his parents already said "no!" when he asked. So he asked again and his parents said "NO!!". So do you know what Jacob did next? He asked his parents again. This time his parents sent Jacob to his room.

While Jacob was in his room he thought about what he had done. So he went down stairs and said sorry to his parents. And they forgave him, but they still did not give him an XBox. He did get a football and from then on he was nice to everyone.

THE END

(This story was dictated by Seth to his Mother)

Lessons from A Tough Loss-Seth's Flag Football Team

2009-11-12T06:05:00.000-08:00

It was perfect football weather. Parents huddled on the sidelines under umbrellas and several layers of clothing. The rain was steady through the entire 6-8 flag football semi-final game, played under the lights at the Wakefield High School synthetic field last evening. Seth's team, the Redskins, was undefeated during the regular season. The talent, particularly with some of the older kids, is impressive. Seth is among the younger group of kids, and while he is super fast and can run an opposing player down, he is just as happy to horseplay with his teammate's siblings, dribble a soccer ball on the sidelines or watch a separate game on an adjacent field.

During the playoffs, everything gets a little more serious compared to the regular season. All the kids play, but in a close game the playing time is skewed to the kids who have proven through the year to be among the better players. Seth was in a couple plays, but spent most of the game on the sidelines where he kicked a soccer ball around and tackled unsuspecting spectators.

The game was very well played by both teams and was ultimately decided in overtime. It was a tough loss for the Redskins. The season officially came to a close as the coach handed out the third place trophies. We were all cold and wet, so no one lingered to lament the season. As we walked backed to the car Seth leaned his head against by wet jacket and he didn't say a word. In the car, I turned to look behind as I backed out and saw Seth in a quiet but intense sob. I was admittedly taken aback. Could it be that he was this upset over the loss - when he barely watched the game? I stopped the car and hugged him for a good long time. When we got home, he carried the trophy with him everywhere and when he woke up this morning, he asked if he could bring the trophy to school.

As is often the case, I learned a lesson from this experience. I coach a couple teams and there are always those players who appear uninterested. As a coach - these kids can be very frustrating. Through my perception of disinterest I assumed these kids didn't care. Last night, Seth proved my assumption wrong.

This experience also confirmed a couple beliefs. First, it is okay - in certain games - to play some kids more than others. Yes - all the kids want to play. But as long as expectations are set, and the concept is presented in thoughtful way by the coach and parents, the experience can be a learning opportunity. I am also a firm believer of presenting trophies only to the teams that win or place. I am positive that if the game last night was a regular season game, Seth would not have been nearly as upset over the loss. He understood the significance of the game and he reacted accordingly. Similarly the pride he has for this trophy reflects the accomplishment attached to it.

Seth is already looking forward to next season!

Savageman 2009

2009-09-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

Savageman has a way of bringing you back. In 2007 I swam as part of a relay and volunteered on the run course. I was so caught up in the energy of the race, I couldn’t wait to sign up the for the 2008 race and not just for the relay – I wanted to do the whole thing. And I did. And it kicked my ass. I swore I’d never do it again. Ever. But the very next day following the 2008 event, I was already planning my strategy for 2009.

In many ways, typical race pressures are irrelevant at Savageman. The field of women racers is proportionally much smaller, but the women who sign up are serious athletes. Where in a typical race I finish in the top 25-30% of the field, at Savageman I finish near the bottom. And I am okay with that - because this race is truly a competition between the racer and the course.
For several months prior to the race I steadily prepared, adhering to my training plan like never before. I lost some weight and worked on my strength. I was feeling fit and strong going into this year’s race. I had a race plan. I was ready.

I could not have asked for a better swim - long strokes and straight lines. The fact that there was no fog this year made sighting a breeze. If anything the sun glare this year proved to be the biggest swim obstacle. The final turn buoy was a swan boat. Seriously, it was a boat in the shape of the swan (the swan boat is featured on the finisher shirt.) Ed King, a long time family friend and Deep Creek resident was the captain of the boat, so as I made the turn I gave him a great big wave. This was the first of several memorable “Savage Moments”. I bettered my swim time over last year by three minutes and I was off to a great start.

During the first 35 miles of the bike course I felt great. I took my time going up Toothpick Road, the comparatively small hill leaving the park. It is easy to be too aggressive on this hill and burn your cold quads in the first 5 minutes. I loved, loved, loved the four mile switch back descent that leads into Westernport. I knew my best opportunity to gain ground was on the down hills – so I only sparingly used the brakes and enjoyed the ride.

When I turned onto MD 825, I took off my arm warmers and started mentally preparing for the Wall. Westernport Wall is a 1.2 mile 12% grade hill, with the last 100 feet at 31% grade. Making it up the Wall earns you a brick and bragging rights. I got one last year, and planned to do the same again this year. Like last year, I switch backed up the two blocks leading to the final and steepest stretch of the Wall, and when I hit the final stretch I pounded it. Another brick and 35 miles to go!

At the top of the Wall, I pulled over and allowed myself 30 seconds to catch my breath and get my heart rate down, because after the wall the real work began, starting with a long 6 mile ascent up Savage Mountain. Last year, this part of the course nearly did me in mentally, but this year I was ready for it. The road side signs up Savage Mountain, and along the rest of the course for that matter, were hysterical. My favorite sign: “Shut up Julie and just pedal!” I let out a signature belly laugh and then I heard Julie (I had no idea she was so close) – about five riders up yell back “That’s my sign!” It was another one of my favorite Savage moments.

Everything was going great until I came to Killer Miller a 1.2 mile 8% grade hill. My quads and hamstrings simultaneously seized. It was a miracle I didn’t fall right there and it was sheer will power and the support of follow racers and volunteers that I made it to the top.
So it seemed that despite sticking to my nutrition plan, the rest of my race was going to be plagued by on and off cramping. And from the moment I first cramped, Savageman became a completely different race for me. Before cramping, I was on my way to obliterating my time from 2008. After cramping, I just wanted a PR – even if it was only by 30 seconds. So when I wasn’t cramping I was hitting the pedals hard to make up for the time when I was cramping. The final ten miles of the bike course was relatively flat with rolling hills; but in true Savageman style, we had a nice head wind for the final five miles

Cramping continued to be a problem through the run. I ran as hard as I could when I could, knowing I would be intermittently sidelined. Once again the support and encouragement from other racers and volunteers when I was doubled over on the side of the road was totally awesome.

As I was coming up the hill from the first turn around, I passed Julie as she ran the other direction and she was clearly having trouble breathing. When I saw her again on the fire road I was seriously concerned for her. Someone retrieved her inhaler, but it did not seem to be working. She promised that she would stop racing if her breathing did not improve. She was so upset because her legs felt great – she just couldn’t get air. I joked – that I was doing fine from a cardio perspective but legs were shit and together as one racer we could kick ass. I got laugh and hug and off we went. It was another priceless Savage moment.

Julie eventually passed me as I struggled through the last three miles. I was still running, but the cramps had clearly taken a toll on my legs. When I crossed the finish line I knew I had put everything on the course – and it felt good. My parents and several friends were there to make sure I didn’t fall over. I was afraid to sit as I was sure I would never get up again. I was happy and tired. I achieved a PR despite cramping.

The first thing I said after the race? “I’m taking next year off!”” But in true Savage style, I’m already planning for next year.

My 2009 IronGirl Observations

2009-08-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

IronGirl is always an inspirational race for me. For many women, this is the first race they’ve ever done. Others haven’t attempted something athletic for years. Women of all shapes and sizes come out for this event. Some are fast and others a little slower. But no matter fast – everyone eventually does 21.4 miles! Below are my observations from this years race:

• Duck poop smells really bad… and tastes even worse. Note to all IronGirl participants – not all open water is as icky as Centennial Lake!
• Seven minutes between waves means you tread water for quite a while.
• The first woman out of the water this year was really, really, really fast!
• I am pretty sure the swim was longer this year than last year.
• Breaststroke and backstroke is acceptable if it gets you through the 0.62 miles of the swim. Congratulations to everyone, who before IronGirl, never would have imagined swimming that far.
• Secure goggles are a must – particularly if you are in a really big wave. My wave had no less than 175 participants!
• Buoys provide a perfect place to stop and catch your breath if needed. I apologize to anyone I hit with my wide stroke as I turned the buoys.
• Mountain bikes far outnumber tri bikes at this race. The speed at which some of these women move on their mountain bikes is inspirational.
• Riding four across the road is not uncommon. Perhaps we should review blocking at the next Luna Bike Clinic!
• I saw more people drafting cars than other cyclists… or maybe they were just waiting to pass?
• I did not see any women walking their bikes up the hills…and there were some tough hills! Way to gut it out!
• There is one really hard hill on the run. And you have to do it twice! Congratulations to everyone who ran up this hill. Of course, I think I ran slower than some walked!
• IronGirl has one of the longest finishing chutes. It is great to have so many people cheering you into the finish.
• The cold duck sponge at the finish… AWESOME!

2009 Calleva 10 Hour Adventure Race - Sharing it with a Friend

2009-08-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

I competed in my first adventure race last May (2008), and ever since I have gently tried to convince some of my “outdoorsy” friends to try one with me. I’d do so by sending an occasional e-mail with a link to an upcoming race or I would casually work the topic into a conversation while having an evening beer with my neighbors. I found that people fell into one of two camps – a.) they were not interested in the competition aspect of the race or b.) they were concerned that they were not in good enough shape. In my mind, I will not convince someone who is not motivated by competition – but it is a relatively easy to get into shape. Besides, as I explained to my friends I was happy to go at any pace, just to share the experience. Nonetheless, my emails and conversational suggestions continued to be rebuffed.

So I was pleasantly surprised when my neighbor Bob responded that he was interested in being my teammate for the 2nd Annual Calleva 10 Hour Adventure Race. This race has two categories: Expert and Sport, for the less experienced teams. Bob and I signed up for the Sport category and named our team “4th Street”. Clearly, Bob and I are not the most creative when it comes to names!

After several gear checks and re-packing of our Camelbacks, we were ready for the race start at 9AM yesterday morning. It took us roughly 7½ hours to complete the race and we hit many of the optional check points.

We bush wacked through briars and poison ivy. We rode up hills and through single track. We walked and occasionally ran through a long trek. We paddled across the Potomac. We - or more accurately – Bob did several adventure challenges and nailed them. First, he walked the high wire, twenty feet above ground and then the balance beam – also twenty feet up. When we got to the third challenge, the idea was for me to actually contribute – but in the end it was Bob who hoisted me up into the pendulum swing. As the volunteer at the balance beam said (with a British accent) “Bob, you were brilliant!”

We saw a black snake and a bunch of tiny toads. We picked up trash (a bonus minute for each piece we picked up!). We scratched up our legs on the briars and probably have poison ivy. We sweated – A LOT! We looked like we did an adventure race.

We met some fun people and had a great experience. Bob tells me he is ready for the next race… anyone else?

Canoe Camping - 2009

2009-07-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

I thnk I am ready to sell the house, quit my job and spend my days riding my bike, hiking and camping with the kids. Oh yeah - gotta pay for college. Oh well.

Michael, the kids and I spent the weekend camping on the Potomac with the Skoloda's (minus Maureen and Natalie - Natalie had a big swim meet and I hear she rocked it!). It was all boys and me.

The camping area is completely unsupported - no bath houses, toilets, garbage cans, etc. Other than a fire ring and a bare spot for the tent, you are on your own. And the only way to access the site is via boat - canoe in our case, thus keeping it simple is key. Only bring what is necessary - which includes at least two cases of Yeungling! We spent the entire day yesterday canoeing up the C&O Canal and down the Potomac through the rapids. I'll post pictures - the ones I took before I dunked my camera when I flipped my canoe! (I had just taken it out of the dry bag to snap pictures of the kids riding the rapids on their backs - oh well, it was a cheap camera and though the pictures are a litttle fuzzy, at least I still have them)

Joey and his boys along with Micheal and Seth are still camping. I wish I could have stayed (despite the rain last night), but I had to bring Brendan and Ethan home last so that they could get ready for a week at overnight adventure camp - for which they leave in an hour. I am already jealous of them.

hmmmm.... wondering if college is really necessary ; )

Pictures available at: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033201&id=1213604982&l=34fa22367e

Almost Bike Camping

2009-07-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

So it rained just a little. Brendan and I made it from the house on our bikes to the Billy Goat Trail. We hiked trail A with the intention of moving on from there to camp at Swains Lock. Half way through the hike, the skies opened and we got drenched! We giggled the whole time. There was no sense looking for shelter - we couldn't get any wetter. On the way - we saw toads and lizards everywhere. Very cool!

Before starting the hike we fortunately covered the gear with plastic, so everything stayed dry. But as we walked to the bikes we had to decide if we would still camp or call it a day. We decided that we had a great day together and risking it with a miserable wet night was probably not the smartest idea. So we biked down to the deli on MacArther Blvd., ordered a couple sandwiches and called Michael to hitch a ride home.

While we waited for Michael, Brendan asked when we could try again. He told me he was so lucky to have parents that do cool things like bike camping and he could wait to try again. I love that we had so much fun together! In all we biked nearly 25 miles and hiked the Billy Goat Trail. Not bad!

Oh - and with all the rain last night... glad we came home.

Off to canoe camping today.

Pictures available at: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032993&id=1213604982&l=1faab60428

Brendan's 5th Grade Graduation

2009-06-16T05:03:00.000-07:00

Last night was Brendan's 5th Grade Graduation Ceremony and I had the honor of speaking. Below is my speech:

A couple weeks ago I went to a meeting where I met the new superintendent, Dr. Murphy and he asked what we all liked most about the Arlington County Public Schools. Almost without exception, everyone answered that they liked having the flexibility to choose the school in which to send our children.

Well, you can call me the odd guy out on this one – because I’m here to tell you that having a choice stressed me out! Now some of you have heard this story – so bare with me. Choosing an elementary school for Brendan, in my mind was more difficult than choosing a college for myself. I mean, let’s put this into perspective – I would only spend four years in college. But Brendan would be in elementary school for 6 six years. And if you add Brendan’s brothers, the Novak’s would spend eleven years at any one school. We finally narrowed it down to two schools, Claremont and our neighborhood school, which is within walking distance from our house. Now, as we like to say in Arlington: “there are no bad choices” when it comes to schools. But at the time, Claremont was a new and untested school. This was a difficult and important decision. So to make our final decision we did what any good parent would do. We left the decision to Brendan. And when he said he wanted to go to the Spanish school, we did up all the paperwork and signed him up. It wasn’t until a month later that one of our friends asked Brendan why he chose Claremont and he answered very matter of factly, “I want to ride the bus to school.”

In the end, I’m glad Brendan chose Claremont regardless of his reasoning. I’ve enjoyed watching many of you grow up together. It happened so fast. Birthday parties, play dates and sleepovers. But I particularly enjoyed going to the Outdoor Lab with you a couple weeks ago. I was most impressed with a group of girls who came together to help their friend through some adversity. When Julia’s clothes and sleeping bag became soaked when they fell outside the tent, her friends came to her side. They gave her some of their dry clothing and then tried to figure out how to keep her warm through the night. The most impressive thing – is that this all happened without drama. No one got upset, no one blamed someone else. It was a very mature reaction to a difficult situation and I suspect it is reflective how you have all grown to who you are today.

Here is the cool thing about elementary school – you guys have become good friends with your classmates. In some cases – best friends. Many you will continue to be friends in middle school, through high school and college. Many of you will stay friends even if you go to different schools next year, or in high school. Some of your friends – will be your friends for the rest of your life.

But here is what I as a parent did not expect. I too have made friends – with your parents, your teachers and the school staff. We met and hung out at the bus stop or in the lobby after dropping you off. We bonded while working together on school parties or attending class trips. And we stressed a bit while working on PTA fund raisers. And finally – we called each other when your backpacks were such a mess that all hopes of locating the Tuesday packet were lost. I will stay in touch with many of your parents for years after you graduate 5th grade – and some I will stay friends with well after you have graduated from college.

Much has and will be made of the fact that you are the first class to go through Claremont - Kindergarten through 5th grade. This celebration is well deserved. You have had a lot to do with how this school has shaped itself and personality it has taken on. But you should also recognize the other people who were also key to the development of Claremont – namely my friends: your teachers, the staff and your parents.

Fifth graders – while this evening is about you, I think it is also appropriate to thank those who helped you get here. So kids - please stand and lets say a great big thank you on the count of 3.

So now I reflect back on Brendan’s very first day of school when Brendan’s dad and I walked him to the bus stop where we met the first of many parents with whom we would become friends. As you sit here tonight I suggest that you too reflect back on your years here at Claremont as you anticipate your exciting future.

Congratulations and GOOD LUCK!

Seth lived 912 Years

2009-04-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

“And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth…” Wow, so Seth wanted to continue reading the Bible last night (see previous note/post) and you can only imagine how excited he was when I read his name at the end of Chapter 4 of Genesis. He ran downstairs because he had to tell his brothers that he was “famous”!

As a non-religious person, I have to admit that reading the Bible to a six year old has been a very interesting experience. Seth has a lot of questions that I can only answer in context of the words that I am reading to him. By the time we finished Chapter 5, Seth was wondering out loud if God was in fact good. It seemed to him that God was pretty harsh after Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge. Why did Adam serve over his wife? - A very good question from a six year old. He also did not understand why God was not nice to Cain after Cain offered fruit from the ground to God. Seth did understand that it was pretty drastic for Cain to kill his brother – and he assured me he would never kill his brothers. Good to know!

So there was a lot of begetting in Chapter 5 and hundreds of years passed in a few short paragraphs. People lived many years back then – including Seth who lived “nine hundred and twelve years: and he died” So much for fame.

Dinosaurs and Genesis

2009-04-22T06:41:00.001-07:00

Seth (my 6 year old) loves to be read a book before bed each night. Last night he went to the bookshelf and chose the Bible. We are not a religious family, as a matter fact, I don’t think Seth has ever been in a church, so I found his selection curious. This particular Bible was a gift from my Great Grandmother when I was probably 10 years old and it has several colorful pictures throughout the book, which is probably what drew him to it.

I read the first chapter of Genesis. You know - the fist six days in which God created the earth, the heaven and all that inhabit them. Perhaps it is the way in which the bible repeats the same thought over and over again much like a child’s book, but Seth understood the content surprising well. He stopped me every couple of paragraphs to talk about what was happening or the meaning of a word. I had to admit to not knowing what firmament was except that the Bible defined it as “heaven”.

Seth noted on the sixth day, that God created “beasts” which in his mind had to be the dinosaurs. But this is also the same day that God created “man”. He knew this was not possible since dinosaurs and humans did not live at the same time. But he didn’t just dismiss the Bible as wrong. Instead, he thought about how it might work and perhaps God created monkeys on that day since humans evolved from monkeys.

His thought process reminded me of a scene from Inherit the Wind, a play based on the Scopes Monkey Trial, where the Clarence Darrow character argued that conceivably creation and evolution were not separate doctrines. I have not read the play since 10th grade, but I clearly remember the concept put forth that since the earth was created before the sun, it was possible that a “day” could have been millions of years.

I love that kids can take seemingly complex concepts and make them so simple.

Ethan's Adventure Race

2009-04-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

I presented the idea of doing the NV Racing Family Adventure Race to my kids several weeks prior to race. I have to admit, I was a little taken aback when they did not respond enthusiastically. What kid would not jump at the chance to ride a bike through mud puddles, run through thickets and balance on fallen logs across a bubbling stream in search of checkpoints? So I kept asking them. I asked them the week before the race, the day before the race and the night before the race. It wasn’t until the morning of the race that Ethan, who I am convinced only said yes because he felt sorry for me, finally acquiesced. So we rushed to change clothes and load the bikes on the car. Within an hour we were in Gainsville, registered for the race and studying our map and passport.

The race consisted of 12 checkpoints around three bike drops. Each team, consisting of an adult and a kid had to visit all three bike drops (bikes could not be dropped anywhere else on the course) in their quest for checkpoints. The kid’s age group determined the number of required checkpoints and Ethan’s age group - the 8-9 year olds - had to find 8 checkpoints. They could get any 8 of the 12 checkpoints and in any order – thus some strategy was required.

In an effort to stretch out the field before everyone jumped on their bikes, Mike Spiller, the race director led everyone in a quarter to half mile forerun. It is always fun to see who is pulling whom when adults run with kids. I’ve done several Girls on the Run races and love watching the girls who take off only to leave their buddy runners (often their Dads) in the dust gasping for air. I am not at all embarrassed to say that Ethan led me the whole forerun, but I held my own!

We were among the first teams to finish the forerun. We jumped on our bikes and headed to the first bike drop. It was here that Ethan learned his first lesson of adventure racing. Never follow another team. A father and daughter team arrived at the bike drop at nearly the same time we did. They jumped of their bikes and headed to the left and into the woods. I took out my map and quickly got my baring. Ethan wanted to know why we weren’t going into the woods like the other team. I showed him the map and where three of the four checkpoints were up the path and to the right. We reached Route 29 and turned into the woods. Ethan spotted the first checkpoint and yelled “I found it, I found it”. I had to remind myself that this was a family race, though my competitive nature wanted to hush him and not give away our location. We headed down the path to the next checkpoint and followed the stream to the third checkpoint. As we followed the stream, Ethan took every opportunity to cross it via downed trees. Perhaps it was not the most efficient path, but he was having fun.

In fact, he was having so much fun that when we jumped on our bikes in search of the next bike drop, he yelled back “This is the BEST DAY of my life!” I smiled and didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day. Ethan used this phrase with me once before when we were on an all day canoe trip last summer. Near the end of the day, after paddling for nearly six hours, we hit some bubbly “rapids” on our return trip. He just loved maneuvering through the rocks and having the water splash into the boat. I think I may have a budding adventure racer!

We arrived at the second bike drop where we quickly picked up two more checkpoints. Ethan was looking forward the next drop, because this final stop included checkpoint 6. At the beginning of the race, Mike gave a little color on several checkpoints, including checkpoint 6 – which required crossing a log over the stream for quite a distance to the flag. As soon as he described it and suggested that some parents may want to cross the instead of their kids, Ethan was intrigued. He must have asked me 20 times, when we were heading to checkpoint 6. When we arrived, Ethan ran across the log and back like he was on solid ground. Me - I stayed on the path and watched. I’m sure if I had run as fast as he did, I would have been swimming in the stream!

We ran to the last two checkpoints at a pretty good pace and along the way we approached a father with his son. Both were clearly exhausted – and as we passed them, I heard the Dad say, “I think we need to talk your Mom into doing the next race.” Go Mom!

We finished the race in an hour and half or so during which Ethan and I rode or ran nearly entire time. He ultimately placed in his age group and won a pair of biking gloves –He loves these gloves so much that he as not taken them off since the race!

When we arrived home, we told Ethan’s brothers all about the race. You can bet that all three will be signing up for the next race in October. Thanks NV Racing!

Thank you to Dan Hicok for the photos http://danhicok.smugmug.com/gallery/7922082_x7Krz/1/513938522_XaXsg#513938522_XaXsg

Death Valley Marathon

2009-02-10T05:31:00.000-08:00

A quick note for those who have asked about the race in Death Valley this weekend: It was definitely not the race I signed up for – but was, without a doubt, an adventure!

Quick run down:

• The average rainfall in Death Valley for the month of February is 0.42 inches and only 2.33 for the entire year. On the day of the race it rained nearly an inch. And it rained the day before!

• I saw the most incredible scenery including a double rainbow (the day before the race), one of which was so vibrant – you could see the violet end of the spectrum.

• I was so excited to take pictures of the rainbow, I jumped out of the car before it was in park – and it ran over my foot. Okay – not entirely, but enough to snuff my shoe off.

• Due to flooding and 15 inches of snow (yes – snow) in Titus Canyon, we had to run the alternate route (trail run) to Badwater (below sea level).

• It rained nearly the entire race.

• It was windy.

• The new course was an out and back. It was a significant two mile descent to start and a gradual decent to the turn around. The reverse was true for the return.

• I think I added significant distance to the race weaving around the puddles and avoiding the mushy sand to find the best line to run.

• On the return – I no longer tried to avoid the mud puddles. There were just too many!

• Mud can be slicker than ice.

• You could see the finish line for three long miles.

• I only stopped once to walk for 20 seconds. I yelled at myself to keep running.

• The last two miles were the longest two miles I’ve ever run. I shuffled the entire two miles. I think it would have been faster to walk.

• I was a wet, cold, muddy mess when I finished.

• They had the BEST tangerines at the finish line. I think I ate the equivalent of 8 before they dragged me away!

• I wore shorts and a long sleeve shirt. My legs were freezing and my shirt was so wet – it stretched over my hands.

• My feet were pruned.

• My shoes were full of mud and water.

• They may charges us extra to clean the rental car!

• It was miserable.

• It was incredibly fun.

• And I shared the experience with some great people – a couple friends I’ve known for a while and some I just met. I am in awe of the athletic talent of my friends!

And yes - I’ll definitely do this race again!

Cliff

2008-12-28T14:58:00.000-08:00

10-24-2008

By: Brendan Novak

Ms. Mich's 5th Grade Class

I dedicate this to my mom and dad, Laura and Micheal Novak

I heard the bell at 6:30am. I passed my groggy but awake tent partner Wilson on my way to breakfast. At 8:00am after breakfast, (soggy instant oatmeal and water) we started to make our way to the cliff.

When we got to the cliff, I couldn't peel my eyes off the scene. I could see the vast mountains and steep valleys, dotted with trees. I must've stopped walking because my counselor was yelling my name.

When we got to "the bowl"(a pit on top of the cliff) they came up with the order. I was third to climb and last to repel. As I got my helmet on to climb, I gave my counselor my camera to take a picture.

I hooked my rope to the carabiner as my counselor put me on belay. I hopped onto the cliff and started climbing. At first it was easy but when I got to the "wall" there were no handholds!

After a couple minutes of struggling, I decided to jump. As I soared up, I grabbed for handholds left and right. When I got as high as I could, I got ready to make a second attempt.

I had a lucky break as I spotted the perfect handhold. I grabbed it and started climbing. When I got over the edge, I felt as though I won the lottery. The scene was more beautiful than before. The afternoon sun was sparkling on the lake.

When they called my name, I got up to go wait in line to go repelling. I strapped my harness on as the line inched forward.

When it was the person in front of me's turn (Wilson) they clipped him in and he muttered bye, and jumped.

After Wilson was done descending, they called my name. I walked over and they started hooking me to all kinds of carabiners. After they were done, I backed up to the edge.

I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I could feel my legs pushing off the edge and myself plummeting toward the ground. As my feet touched the ground I knew, I was doing that again.

Svageman Pictures

2008-09-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

Savageman Video

2008-09-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have not found a clip of me going up the wall... but if you can imagine it, I was after Chas (I saw him on the Wall with about three guys between us) and right before the guy who had the bad fall (You will hear "We Are the Champions"playing in the background, which is what I heard as I scaled the Wall). The videos below were taken by Pete Warner's wife Igda. I personally like the video with the guy who actually starts rolling backwards.

Chas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13sNSbv0ihk

bad fall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iusiDneOhaI

guy going backwards on the right:http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=isg_rY4Njwc

Savageman Race Report

2008-09-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

Short Version:
Savageman Half IM was the hardest race I’ve done yet. But I accomplished my goals of making it up Westernport Wall and finishing the race – which means I’ll have a brick with my name installed in the Wall along with everyone else who made it up and finished the race. I am happy with my race, although the further away I get from it, the more I second guess the effort I put forth. Immediately after the race, I felt like I could check the box on this race and move on. Now, I’m thinking I may have to try again…

Long Version:

I signed up for Savageman several months prior to the race date. I had so much fun being part of a relay (swimming) and volunteering last year that I just had to give the whole race a try this year. I went into this race with two goals in mind: 1) to make it up the Westernport Wall, a 100 foot 31% grade hill; and 2) to finish the race.

Pre-race
When I walked out of the house race morning, the air temperature felt warmer than what I was anticipating. This was good, but it meant second guessing my race attire. It wasn’t until I was in the transition area that I settled on my tri jersey with a long sleeve wicking jersey on top – both of which I would put on after the swim in order to stay as dry as possible. It seemed everyone else was going through the same debate – it was not an easy decision.

Swim
Similar to last year, the swim start was very foggy – but unlike last year, the start time was delayed for 20 minutes. It was still quite foggy when my wave (the first wave), started, but by the time I rounded the orange turn buoy, the sun was out and all was clear. The occasional passing motor boat made for an interesting ocean wave feel on the return leg. My swim was a little slower than I wanted, I think in part because I had a hard time sighting for the first half and secondly because I was purposely conserving energy for the remainder of the race.

T1
The path up to the transition area was long and uphill – true to Savageman style. Along the way I stubbed my toe – but chose to ignore it. Once in transition, I took my time to dry off completely, eat a Luna Bar, take my endurolytes and dress according to plan. The first 20 miles or so was mostly down hill, so it was important to dress warmly enough to be comfortable in the wind but not so warmly that the up hills were uncomfortable. In the end, I feel as though I struck a good balance.

Bike
The first 20 miles was fun, fun, fun! I love down hills. These hills were quite technical, so you couldn’t go at it with abandon, but they were still fast and fun. I was a little concerned though, that with only a few up hills, my legs were not getting the warm up I had hoped for going into the Wall.

Westernport Wall
Despite having come to Savageman last year, I was not able to make it to see the Wall, so on Saturday I checked it out. Driving up the hill that approaches the wall was intimidating in and of itself, but the sight of the actual Wall was awesome http://www.savagemantri.org/Westernport_Wall.html . My first practice attempt, I fell about half way up when my front wheel got stuck in a rut as I weaved up. Not only is the Wall steep, but it is laden with divits and ruts. Finding the right path is as import as leg power if you are going to be successful. So for my second practice attempt, I elected to go straight up the right side, and with a little self encouragement and some cheering from a couple bystanders, I made it up. My confidence got the shot it needed.

As I approached the Wall on race day my nerves were on overdrive. Taking Chas Ryan’s advice, I weaved up the hill approaching the Wall to keep my heart rate down and to keep the legs fresh. The line on the right side was clear when I got to the base of the Wall so I stood up and yelled "GO, GO, GO" to myself until I was up and across the line. And then it was over – I did it. I gave myself a congratulatory yell and then looked up to see that I still had a big hill to climb. Not sure how I missed seeing the hill the day before – in retrospect I was only concerned with the Wall itself but should have looked beyond it. And when I turned the next corner, the hill only got longer! It was clear that the remainder of the bike was not going to be as easy as the first 20 miles.

The Rest of the Bike
It seemed like the last 36 miles were all up hill – and big steep hills at that. The high I felt after making it up the Wall quickly faded as I trudged up one hill after another. Each hill was marked with the length, grade and Cat number. I’m not sure if it helped, but at least it gave me a sense for how long I would have to withstand the misery. On a couple hills, like Killer Miller (the name says it all) I had to weave in order to make up. There were several people on many hills that had to walk, and I knew there was no shame in it, but sill…

If I do this race again, I will not make the mistake of think that the Wall is the hardest part of course. The hardest part is the cumulative affect of all the hills that follow the Wall. I am truly psyched that I made it up the Wall – but next time I want to be strong enough to attack the rest of the course more aggressively.

At one point I started to feel a wet sticky sensation in my right shoe and I was reminded of my stubbed toe. Once again – I had to ignore it, because there was nothing I could do, but hope it wouldn’t affect my run.

T2
Often in races as I approach T2, I have to be reminded to slow down as I approach the dismount line. This time, as I approached I asked the volunteer, as I slowly rolled to the line if I had to get to the line before dismounting. She chuckled, but I sensed she’d already heard the question from previous riders.

I racked my bike and took my shoes off to find the tip of my sock soaked with blood. I was feeling very fortunate that I brought extra socks. I cleaned my foot up and put on the fresh socks. It was a long T2.

Run
I did not have my running legs right away, so I walked out of transition and started running soon after. Fortunately the first part of the run was generally flat, so I could ease into a rhythm. Unfortunately, my toe was beginning to hurt – sort of like a mild sprain. It was more a nuisance, but it was annoying nonetheless. The first lap was really hard. I had to walk up the steep hills, my legs just were not listening to me reason with them. I so wanted to run this whole course…next year (did I just say next year?). I started to feel pretty good the second loop. My toe was not hurting as much and with each step and my legs were loosening up. I was running up the first steep hill of the loop and feeling pretty proud of myself when my left Achilles seized – not too much, but enough to remind me it was there and enough to make me stop running. I started running again and about 5 minutes later my Achilles yelled at me again. How annoying! I tried running with my toes flexed (seemed intuitively the right thing to do), but every couple minutes, it would act up and I would have to stop running abruptly.

Knowing I had to finish the race in order to get my brick, I conservatively jogged/walked the rest of the race. As I approached the finish line, I sped up a little only to be jolted by the pain. I envisioned myself crawling over the finish! But I made it over upright; I got my medal and the satisfaction of knowing I earned a brick in the Wall.

I am proud of my effort. I know I could have run faster, but some things are out of my control. It was a little dissatisfying at first, but then after thinking about it, I realized that I finished a race that many would never attempt. I know I probably should not even attempt to do half IMs at this point in my life as I have so many other things going on, but something keeps drawing me to them. Savageman was a hard race and one that I was pretty sure I would not do again immediately after finishing. But now knowing what I do about the course, I would do things differently – both in training and race execution. So I’ll give it a couple of months and who knows… maybe I’ll try to earn a second brick!

Brendan's Luray Pictures

2008-09-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

I did the Luray International and Sprint races a couple weeks ago. I brought my oldest son, Brendan, with me and to keep him occupied during the races, I gave him my digital camera. On the first day he took close to 400 pictures, mostly of people I do not know -which is kind of surprising given the number of people I knew doing the race! It was even more surprising that of all the picture he took, only three were of me. When I asked him why he took so many pictures of people he didn't know, he explained that he was practicing for when I came by.

Unfortunately, the "practice" pictures, turned out far better then the pictures of me!

General Smallwood Sprint

2008-07-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

"Okay... just settle down," the voice in my head was trying to calm me. " Let the air come. Don't force it." Panicking during the swim happens to other people, not me. I'm a swimmer - at least I used to be. Now I was hoping just to get through the swim, heck I was hoping to take another stroke. I was as close as I have ever been to waving the kayaks over.

I signed up for the General Smallwood International Distance Race several months ago, but switched to the sprint distance the day before the race. For a variety of reasons, I was not feeling prepared for the longer distance. This race was the first of two official DC Luna Chix races, where the whole team either races, volunteers or both. I love being part of a team - the camaraderie and the support on race day is awesome.

On race morning, the Luna Chix team and friends gathered at the tent and then headed down to the swim start. There was quite a bit of time before my wave, so it was nice to have team mates to hang out with. The women's international wave started early enough ahead of the women's sprint wave that we were able to cheer Katie out of the water (she was the second woman out!).

A couple minutes later and I was in the water with the rest of the women doing the sprint race. I was doing this race with no expectations except to get a good, though expensive, brick work out. My focus on the swim - long strokes, roll the body and sight often. I tend not to sight and often find myself adding significant yardage to the swim, so I planned to sight frequently. And that's when it happened: I picked up my head and I got a foot to the jaw and water where I should have gotten air. I tried over and over to get a breath, but nothing I was getting no air. I tredded water and thought to myself, "alright - calm down, let the air come because if you don't you won't finish this race." (When I told this to my neighbor he laughed and said, " You know, most people would be concerned about drowning. You, on the other hand, were thinking about the race." - perhaps I should reassess my priorities!) After what seemed like minutes, but I am sure were only seconds, I was swimming again and with each breath the air came easier. If I harbored any expectations for the race, they were gone.

I exited the water and jogged up the long path to the transition area, where I changed into my bike gear. I am really starting to love the bike. I did not preview the course beforehand so I did not know the second half was almost all down hill. I love the speed! It seemed I did all the passing while on the bike - in fact, I don't think I was passed by any women at all. Still - it was no where near race effort. I had a good ride, but definitely could have gone faster. As much as I enjoy the bike, I struggle with the run.

The second quarter mile was up hill and I was passed by several racers, including a woman from my age group. It's just a training run - not race...right? Well darn it anyway! The last mile and a half of the run was through a wooded path. I love trail runs, so I picked up the pace a bit. I ran across a little bridge and up the small hill to the finish line. It was a good work out. I put in a good effort to be sure, but I was far from spent.

I headed over to the Luna Chix Tent and met up with Emily. We cheered in the rest of the Luna Chix team as they crossed the finish. Emily scouted the early result postings and was cautiously excited as it appeared she took first for her age group in the sprint. Katie also took first in her age group in the international race. So I decided to hang around a bit, eat some barbecue and cheer my teammates as they took their place on the podium. They were giving chairs instead of hardware...nice. When my name was called for third place in my age group, I felt like a 6 year old opening a birthday present. It was a silly giddy feeling - "really me...but I didn't really race!" It was a complete surprise and the first time I've ever placed. Of course, now that I've had time to review the results, I have to chuckle a bit. There were only 14 women racing in my age group and I suspect many of them were beginners. This couple with the fact that I did not give it my best race effort.... But still, I got a chair!

Wild Wonderful 24 Hour Adventure Race - Part Two

2008-05-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

When I arrived at my house after driving home from the race, my kids ran up to me - first to give me a hug and then to count the bruises, scrapes and scratches. There were a lot to count. My husband was right behind the kids and he simply asked - "... so when are you doing the next one?" He knew, as did I, that doing this race would mean that I would get hooked and doing just one would not be enough. I had a dim thought of doing an adventure race one day, but I purposely did not want to do one because I was afraid that I would add it to my growing list of hobbies. Time is precious - and I am simply running out of it. But the opportunity to do an adventure race presented itself during the month I took off between jobs and I'm glad I took it.

From what I've gathered, no two adventure races are the same. They can consist of a variety of elements, including water sport (swimming, white water, kayaking, etc), trekking, ropes, mountain biking, to name a few. They can range in time from a couple hours to a couple days. The Wild Wonderful Adventure Race was a 24 hour race consisting of white water rafting, trekking, mountain biking and an optional orienteering course.

I spent the week before the race at the Odyssey Adventure Academy (see previous blog) with nine other racers and most of us went on from the academy to race. My team consisted of two other academy participants - Curtis and Andreas. Unlike the other teams, none of us knew each other prior to the academy, and it was clear from the beginning that managing personalities would become as difficult as the physical aspect of the race. I often referred to Andreas, a 31 year old software engineer from Uruguay who is temporarily stationed in Memphis, as the "bad boy from South America." Curtis was far more conservative and a bit of a geek. By the end of the academy he managed to alienate just about every other participant. At the very least he prompted many eye rolls. He was however, a great navigator - something I clearly was not.
As for me - I have my own flaws and my lack of patience came out often - particularly as I became more and more exhausted. At times it felt as though we were stopping every couple minutes, to get our barrings or change clothes, etc. when I just wanted to ride or walk. Curtis and Andreas - on more than one occasion had to remind me that we had a long race and stopping was inevitable. The three of us did not have much in common, but in the end we really did not have much opportunity to hang out and talk anyway.

The race started with white water rafting. Teams were placed on rafts based on lottery with 7-8 total people per boat. We ended up with the perfect storm resulting in what I believe to be a last place finish in that stage of the race. First each team had to select a member to run up stairs, down a little hill, jump into the water and swim to the raft. Most rafts had two teams and thus two swimmers. We had four teams - a team of three, a team of two and two solo racers. We were only as fast as the slowest swimmer and unfortunately one of the solo racers was pretty darn slow. We also only had seven paddlers, while most other boats had eight. And just to put the final nail in the coffin - our guide, Stan, announced that last time he did a race like this one - his boat placed last. In fact, the only person who nearly got ejected from the boat was Stan. Despite the less than stellar finish, the water was high so we got to go through a number of class 3-5 rapids.

After the white water, we transitioned to the first trek along the Endless Wall. With in the first hour of the trek, I slipped and hit my knee squarely on a rock. Andreas asked me if I was okay. I replied "Don't ask me again, because I'm afraid if I think about it I'll have to stop, sit on a rock and cry." Yeah - it hurt... a lot! It bruised and swelled and fancied a couple scrapes, but as I continued, it hurt less and less. We came across the first couple check points with relatively no problem until CP 4. There were about six teams hanging around a flag that didn't seem quite right according to the coordinates. The navigators all huddled and discussed until someone finally called the race management. He described the location of the flag and mentioned that it did seem quite right. The person on the other end of the line, suggested we punch our passport and move on. She took a list of all the teams for further reference. We punch and were ready to move on - but by this time Andreas had disappeared. I whistled, I yelled and I got very annoyed. He had gone off exploring and now we could not find him. After several minutes, we finally located him and continued on - but not after letting him know that he had to stay with in 100 feet of his teammates per the rules. We caught up with the other teams by the time reached CP 5 about 6 hours into race. CP 5 was the transition to bikes and we were all looking forward to getting off our feet for a bit. BUT - as we were getting our bikes ready we over heard another team talking to the race director, apparently the flag we thought was a check point was actually mistakenly left up from the previous race several months ago. We were very disappointed to learn that we had to trek back to the real CP 4 and return to CP 5. This mistake cost us nearly an hour - more than physically - it wore us down mentally.

When we finally made it back to CP 5, we discovered that Andreas had a flat. It seemed like we were never going to get beyond CP 5! Andreas was quick with the tire change and we were off to to check points 5a and 6. We went screaming down a hill in search of CP 6 when I discovered that I had no back brakes... scary. We pulled over to fix them and a solo rider walked past us on the steep incline. We said hello and asked how far he thought CP 6 was - and that is when we found out that it was actually behind us. It wasn't too far distance wize, but we would have to work our way up the huge hill we just came down. Another costly mistake!

There were several points where we were unsure of our direction, but after a while I learned that Curtis did best if he went on his first instinct then when he second guessed himself - so I was the one who after listening to his options - generally pushed him towards his first direction. Most of the time he was right on. We ended spending over 10 hours on the bikes mostly at night. Andreas nearly fell asleep as we rode and swerved several times. We ran out of water at 3AM and had to re-fill at a stream. Right before dawn my front lamp began to dim, but we made the bike cut off and thus could continue to check point 11. Unfortunately, we did not make it in time to do the long course, so we had to settle for the short course (which seems like a misnomer to me...).

We transitioned from bikes back to trekking and I was ready to move... once again my teammates had to urge me to be patient. I think because I was moving slower to stay with the team, I started to fade - I did most of the trek out to CP 11 with my eyes closed. I think Andreas was completely a sleep - yet still walking. After the check in and turn around at 11 I got my second wind and as I walked back to the finish - this time with my eyes opened, I was amazed at what I had traversed with my eyes closed!

We reached the finish line and successfully completed the short course in less than 24 hours. We opted to get at least one optional orienteering point. We found one and then lost the concentration to go after any more. I was exhausted and ready to be done. We returned to the finish line, grabbed some food and started talking to other racers. I had to chuckle when I found myself asking other racers about good races to do in the fall... yeah, I'll be doing another!

Adventure Academy and Race - Part One

2008-05-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

What a great week! When I took off a month between jobs, I promised myself that I would do something entirely for me. My plan was to go away for a week all by myself - no kids and no husband. This sounds selfish, and it probably is - but man was it great!

Given the uncertainty of when I would be leaving one job and starting the next, I did not have much time to plan my trip. I knew I wanted to go some place where I could play and sweat - what ever I did, I wanted to go at it hard! I searched the internet for options. I looked a vacation packages and camps. I soon focused in on surfing camps and adventure camps. Surfing in Costa Rica looked like a blast, but since I had waited so long to make a reservation, the flight was over $1500 - thus making the trip financially unreasonable. So adventure camp it was...

I quickly weeded out those camps that had pictures out of shape people on their site. I soon focused on Odyssey Adventure Academy - a 5 day camp that culminated in a 24 hour race. I rationalized all the gear I had to purchase by comparing it to the cost of the plane ticket to Costa Rica. Besides - I knew I'd use the gear again and it helped that REI was having its annual sale!

There were 9 students at the academy. Some were experienced adventure racers and other, like me, who had no experience at all. I was the first one to show up at Camp Washington Carver near New River Gorge in West Virginia. The gates were closed and a quick stroll through the camp revealed no one. I was beginning to fret that I sent my money to a black hole! Fortunately another person showed up, and then another until there were seven of us hanging out at the locked gate, wondering if there was in fact a camp. There was no cell phone service at the camp. After about an hour we left as a group to find a location with cell service - when we finally able to reach a live person, we learned that the location of the camp had changed. Apparently none of us got the e-mail... At least we didn't have to go through any of those silly ice breaking exercises, since we all got to know each other while we hung out at the locked gate. Everyone had a great sense of humor, and I was looking forward to a fun week.

When we finally made it to the correct location, we were shown to our lodging. A 20' x 20' cabin with a loft. Six of of us were to sleep there - four women and two men. Good thing we all liked each other!

The first day was repelling and ascending. We spent the morning learning techniques and safety and headed to the cliffs in the afternoon. The repelling was awesome! What a high. I headed over to the "lobster claw"climb next. Two people had gone before me up this wall. Mike, a very fit and experienced adventure racer, scaled the wall with some difficulty but made it all the way up. The next woman got stuck at a very difficult section and ultimately gave up. When it was my turn and when I got to this same section of the climb, I refused to stop trying. It took a lot of coaching from the instructors and some pure gutting out but I made it through the section. The rest of the climb was tough, but the adrenaline got me through it.

Day two we learned navigation. Despite the great instruction, it was clear from the get go that navigation was where I was going to struggle the most... After doing classroom work in the morning, we headed out to the park to test of our knowledge. Before leaving, we packed up our gear in our packs. Because of our tight quarters, I left some things in my car that I had to retrieve for the day's activities. After getting what I need out I slammed the door shut (the car was parked at a side angle and the door needed a hard slam to close). I was horrified when I realized my finger was caught in the door. I had to drop everything out of my other hand so that I could open the car door to release my finger. I took a quick look at the cut and bent finger to confirm no broken bones. The cut was pretty deep, and I knew I was going to need at least a butterfly band aid. I made my way up to the main cabin where every was waiting to leave and found a fellow participant who I knew was a doctor in real life. He took a look and confirmed I would probably need something to avoid infection and to help it heal faster. I thought it would be okay to do the afternoon field work first and then we could pick up some durabond and steri stripes at the pharmacy. One of the instructors went to work cleaning my finger and and bandaging it up, during which I got more and more light headed, until I eventually was looking up at three faces all of which were asking if I was okay. Yep - I passed out! In the process I hit my chin on the fireplace and scraped it up pretty good. Now the Doc was checking my face to see if I broke my cheek bones! They all laughed when I said "you guys are still going to let me go today - right?" They did let me go - taped up fingers, bleeding chin and all. Since there was no durabond or steri strips to be found, I headed out to the closest urgent care facility and they took care of the finger. The emergency doctor and I had a little disagreement over whether I could continue doing the adventure camp... I won. I was back at the camp and I was able to grab a quick bite of dinner before heading out for nigh navigation.

Day three was canoeing and kayaking. Good thing we are building a new garage... cause I'm going to need the space for the new kayak! Day four we spent another day on the water white water rafting. In addition to all the field work I've described above we had class room work on first aid, back pack packing, foot care etc. We also did a little mountain biking and trekking. In all the earliest I went to bed all week was 11 PM the latest was 3 AM and averaged about 1 AM. By Friday I was beat and I still had a 24 hour race on Saturday! Stay tuned for my next entry about the race...

Is Doing it All Too Much?

2008-05-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote about “doing it all” (see previous blog entry). I read an article a couple weeks ago about how people are squeezing “31 hours of tasks in a 24 hour day” by multi-tasking using a plethora of electronic devices(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3735970.ece). Are we all really that consumed with trying to do all? When is doing it all too much? And most importantly – are we setting unrealistic or unhealthy examples for our kids?

I am currently between jobs and I’ve taken a month off to relax, rejuvenate and start my new job re-energized. During my first week off I learned that… well, I don’t know how to relax. Heading into the week, I planned to read a book, write, spend time with the boys and work-out. But as I sat down to read my first book, I'd found my mind drifting to the things I "should"be doing. So instead of relaxing, I headed to Home Depot to buy a door, I got both cars serviced, I cleaned out two closets, I raked the front yard, and so on. As the week came to close, I could feel myself stressing that a week had already passed and, despite all that I had done, I really hadn’t done anything!

I sit a local coffee shop as I write this entry because I know that if I sit at home, I will feel compelled to switch the laundry from washer to dryer, to empty the dish washer, make the bed and pick up shoes – man we have a lot of shoes! At night, I watch an hour of TV during which I fold a load or two of laundry. If I watch TV without folding, I feel guilty. No one makes me feel that way except me. Sleeping past seven o’clock - like I did on Mother’s Day - is a guilty pleasure reserved for holidays. Of course, I didn’t actually sleep since the kids came into my room every five minutes to encourage me to sleep until they were finished making breakfast.

A couple days ago, my oldest came to me before going to bed and started to cry uncontrollably. When I finally calmed him down, he explained that he had not done his homework for two days. When I asked him why he hadn’t done his work, he said that sometimes he just wants to play. Brendan is a very responsible and smart kid so his response hit a chord with me – every kid should be able to play! A couple days later I met with the teachers to see how we could relieve some of the stress. His teacher looked at me and simply said – "Your son wants to be like you. He sees you doing it all and he thinks he can do it too." Ouch.

The night after Brendan’s crying out burst, he actually came to me and asked how I do it all. Without much thought, I told him that I just find away. I now realize that I could not have responded more inappropriately. What Brendan doesn’t see or know is that some things don’t get done… or they take far longer than perhaps they should. Our basement is piled with so much stuff, that I will not let anyone outside the family down there for fear of embarrassment. We have more “junk drawers”then most people have junk. And until last week, my closet was such a mess that finding anything was chore. Oh – and it has been year since I washed my car. I pay people to do things that my parents did themselves.

So how do I do it all? First off, I sometimes don’t do it very well – but deciding what is important help set priorities. Family will always come first for me. Leading a fit life style comes next and my professional career is also up there. If you see me doing it all... it is usually focused in one of those three areas.

Next week I head to West Virginia to participate in an Adventure Camp culminating with a 24 hour Adventure Race. My kids are jealous. Mountain biking, rock climbing, repelling, trekking…I can’t think of anything more fun - except perhaps a surfing camp in Costa Rica (next time)! So this week I WILL relax. I will read a book, I will sit in coffee shops writing, and I will pick up the kids early from school. I will write a little and maybe even take a nap. I will do this all - and I will not feel guilty!

A Tri- Personality

2008-04-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote this article for the Spring Edition of the DC Tri Magazine:

I lead a triple life: I am a mother, a full-time career woman and a very amateur triathlete. With few exceptions, my three lives seem to exist exclusive of each other. Yet the most frequently asked question from all three groups is “How do you do it all?” I will never assert that I have the answer to that question. In fact, at times, I believe I am a complete failure. But stories of failure, whether perceived or real, are just as important to tell, because “doing it all” can be hard!

The realization of just how separate each of my lives can be occurred to me after the Reston Century Bike Ride last August. I had a vague idea of doing a long ride that Sunday and set my sights on fifty to sixty miles but I had not yet signed up for the Reston ride. Friday morning I emailed my regular training buddies and suggested we do the Reston Metric Century (65 miles). After a couple more e-mail exchanges the ante was upped and we all agreed to do the full century (100 miles). By the time the ride started I was talked into doing the double metric (125 miles). It was a good group of riders and I was looking forward to a fun but challenging ride.
While it was clear that I was out of my league, I managed to keep up with the group - at least initially. The group with which I was riding were all very good age group triathletes and I am at best, a middle of the packer. In fact, compared to the other very fit and lean women in our group - I felt like an out of shape, overweight imposter. In stark contrast, when I attended a camp presentation by my oldest son and his fellow campers a week earlier, I looked around the room at the other fifteen or so 35 to 45 year old mothers and just about every one of them was truly overweight. To them, I may as well have been an elite athlete. My kids are easily the most important thing in my life and I am proud that I can exemplify a healthy and fit lifestyle. I am convinced that the fitness I have gained through triathlon will ensure that I will be around to watch my kids grow old.

One of the many reasons I enjoy biking is the opportunity it provides to really talk - and a good conversation makes the miles just melt away. I love talking about my kids; but I’ve realized that unless you have your own kids, hearing kid stories can only be tolerated in small doses. Since most of the triathletes with whom I train do not have children, riding conversations tend to revolve around upcoming races, plans for future training, coaches and the like. Conversely, at the school bus stop, we talk almost exclusively about our kids and discussions about my races are usually limited to someone asking the distance of each leg, followed by a shaking of their head and then a quick diversion to the latest school gossip. I’ve also come to realize that talking about my professional career in risk management is a non-started with triathletes. No matter how you slice it, buying insurance just isn’t that interesting. At the office, similar to the bus stop, a discussion about a race is usually limited to someone asking the distance of each leg, followed by a shaking of their head and then a quick diversion to the latest work gossip.

At some point during the Reston ride, a group decision was made that 110 miles was sufficient as it was a hot, humid day, so we decided on a course that veered slightly off the marked Reston route. I had a vague idea of where we were, but figured I was with a larger group and I would just continue following them. While we were still on the marked route, we came upon spray painted directions on the road that provided for two options – turn right for a “hilly” ride or continue straight for the “more hilly” option. I was horrified as I watch the group go straight. I’m pretty sure I rolled backwards a couple times going up that long steep hill. I was the last of the group to make it up, over and down the hill where the group was waiting. I told them that for the rest of the ride they shouldn’t feel obligated to wait for me as I wasn’t sure if I could maintain their pace for the next 30 miles. Besides, based on my recall and their description of our newly planned route, everything eventually ran into the W&OD trail.

Well, I missed the trail - by seven miles. By the time I doubled back and eventually found the turn off to the W&OD trail, I had gone nearly 14 additional miles. I finally made it back to Reston Town Center where my group was just finishing their post ride meals. I proudly announced that I just had completed 123 miles. They cheered, congratulated me and laughed with me as I described my misadventure. Despite being extremely tired, I felt good.

The e-mail banter among the group started that evening, where everyone chimed in about having a great time on the ride. The banter quickly turned to training plans for the upcoming week: swimming on Wednesday, riding on Thursday and so on. As I read the e-mails, I had a slight twinge of jealousy because for me, Wednesday meant football practice for one kid, Thursday was soccer practice for the younger two kids, and so on. But as I watched Brendan make an interception, Ethan score a goal and Seth explore bugs in the dirt piles on the soccer field, I realized that “doing it all” is worth it.

DC Tri Magazine Spring 2008