Fall is what I wish my times would do, like under 19. Seriously, Thursday marked the first day of autumn. While the humidity is still here, the temperature has fallen a bit.
Saturday morning agenda-5k
I passed on a closer fun run (broward) to race! I had to travel over 2 hours to northern palm beach county to do the bridge buster 5k in lake park. Last time I did this race, I carpooled with Jon & Jeffrey plus was badly injured. Now, my problem is illness. To add to my misery, it was windy. Well, I did the best I could & despite the dismal time, by the grace of God, I won my age group & made the top ten (7th). There were many festivities but the post race wasn't so good unless you paid at the concession. Except for title winners, those who placed got medals. However, since they were spinners, I give them credit for the awards.
Saturday evening agenda-5k
Initially, I planned on skipping this race (twilight 5k) because of the following:
a. I had to return to Miami to meet team, pick up packet & drop off my bike at the escape to Miami expo, then would have to come back to palm beach several hours later.
b. I have to front the money (put on by an opposing racing team)
c. ten year age groups
d. night race (typically hot & humid)
George recommended I give it a try but I told him it depends on circumstances. After I was done with the expo, it was 2 hours from that race start or go home; sorry, but I couldn't turn down a race. I had a hell of a time just trying to find it, even with the GPS. The race started with several females on quads (roller skates) & us runners had to dodge them along the curvy trails & side walks. It was hot & humid as expected. When the dust cleared, I was 6th overall but could not stay because I had the long drive home to get ready for the main event tomorrow. George agreed to pick up my award & told me I was 2nd & he was ripped off. He would've been first in his normal category but instead was pitted against 60 year olds; totally unfair. The post race seemed to be great but I missed all the festivities to be at my best for the team.
Sunday agenda-triathlon.
There were 2 triathlons available-tropical & escape to Miami. I passed on the former & chose the latter due to proximity. There were 2 distances at the escape to Miami triathlon: sprint & Olympic. As team captain, I chose the former because the swimmer is really a runner & she says that's her worst discipline; she does just fine. Technically, cyling is my worst in comparision to running. The team captains job is to get the best out of the athletes by focusing on the needs of the team & allocate the resources appropriately. We were a team of 3 runners. She was the only who could swim, I was the most experience & currently the fastest of all of us & Spencer is definitely the fastest runner of all of us. She had a great swim this day, my cycling was the 2nd fastest of all teams & he blew away the field with his running. We were so fast (2nd overall), we were mistaken for an all male team! We had to have that corrected later as the top co-ed team. After I finished my task for the team, I noticed someone from another team who seemed to be down on his luck. He told me that he just same earlier and the runner didn't show (supposedly sick but he suspected he went out the previous night) & now he'd have to run. I told him I'd be willing to run. Naturally, he was shocked & stated I might be too tired having just finished cycling. I replied, 'oh, I forgot. You don't know who I am. I am Jasper! Well, he took the chance & it paid dividends. I passed over a hundred people & that team was the 4th fastest of all teams, 2nd in male division. Remarkable, considering all that could go wrong for them was occurring before I started-runner quit & their biker took a spill. I had all kinds of hardware around my neck this day. It was my first 5k (actually 3.9 miles according to Spencer's Garmin) at the escape.
Superb weekend, 4 awards, 2 individual & 2 teams.
Honorable mention
* George placed 2nd overall in fun run 5k
* Linda was 4th overall in fun run 5k
* Both the aforementioned ran the twilight 5k
* Bryan got 2nd overall in twilight 5k
* Jon W got 3rd overall in twilight 5k
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, I heard the day of atonement. I need to do that & rest because I had been sick all week since last Sunday night.
Saturday agenda-5k
The United states air force marathon took place in Ohio, but why do that when there were 3 to choose from locally-1 in Dade, 1 in Broward, 1 in Palm beach; I chose the former for the following reasons:
a. sick all week & was forced to curtail training
b. proximity
c. inaugural
Plus, having skipped the local race on independence day cost me a lot of money so I thought I couldn't go wrong; I couldn't have been further from the truth.
Dade= united way 5k, Broward=cell-ebration 5k, Palm beach=firefighter 5k. Check this out:
Mine drew 268 finishers, Broward, only 55
Top winner 16:50, Broward-18:55
Top master 18:41, 4 oa while Broward-25:20, 10 oa
Top woman broke 19 while Broward-23:51 3rd overall here was low 17 while Broward over 21! My time today was good enough for 2nd overall over there in Broward; what a shame!
Today was like dejavu of last weekend but all on 1 day. Sickle cell (Broward race) & firefighter (Palm beach race) 5k's. Kinda like a shift up north in counties.
Choosing events is like rolling the dice, sometimes you win, sometimes you don't. Hind sight is 20/20 so I have to deal with my decision. In fact, I actually need to praise the Lord because I still haven't fully recovered from illness & still made the top ten with a low 19! I got past a STOL teammate who actually led for nearly 2 miles. This qualified me to win my age group. Post race was very basic. Awards here were medals for anyone not overall.
Sunday agenda-the finale!
There was a marathon (fox cities) in Wisconsin & a rec bike ride in Clermont but there was no way I could miss the trilogy bonus round. It is the series finale and at stake-my age group and relay division inaugural duathlon titles! This truly would be a bonus round for me as I added a tri international relay to the plate. Having not fully recovered from illness, this would be an extreme challenge. I thank the Lord for deferring that somewhat & allowing me compete at nearly 90 %, still a viable threat. Multirace offered both sprint & Olympic distances for both the duathlon & triathlon. So much went down that it is best I surmise the events separately even though it was basically strung through.
Duathlon (individual)
I pre-registered for all 4 races of the inaugural sprint duathlon series and this bonus round was the finale. I was injured in #2, posting my worst bike & run times. Unfortunately, that bike time counted toward the relay as well, jeopardizing my chances of getting the elite runner to agree to a series. Since God is good, he did continue & I will expound on that next. Returning to the solo, I now need a good performance this day to drop that bad one. I ran conservatively (14 oa) to reserve strength for a decent ride. I had to fight the wind going to the bridge, it subsides temporarily, then reversed while headed due west. Once I turned around, I had to fight an even stronger head wind going back east. I was lucky to break a half hour & make the dirty dozen. After that, the 5k. I am still disappointed running over 21 minutes but remarkably, that made the dirty dozen. The transitions were slower as expected because I have to pass off a chip to my teammate. The combined times propelled me into the top ten; excluding relays, top 8. Also, my highest podium placement with 3rd overall master. I have officially won my age group for the inaugural du! Of note, also within the top ten highest points of the series winners.
Duathlon (relay)
Many wonder why I would be crazy enough to 'du' as an individual & a team. This was not my original intention but came out of chance. Running races were hard to find during the summer which is why I do multisports so Spencer West (an elite runner & runner's depot teammate) asked me about races he could possibly do between seasons, since he's heard about the number of events I do each year (100+). Naturally, as an experienced team captain, I suggested he run on a relay. We won despite my struggles aforementioned so I told him I'd understand if he didn't want to do any more with me. He was gracious & said 'non sense' and agreed to make history by signing on for the remainder races; I felt like Pat Riley when he got back Wade and signed up LeBron & Bosch. We never looked back since and are now the very first relay team to win the inaugural du series, plus on top of that, 4th overall highest points of the series winners. If we decide to the defend this title, in order to improve on that dismal T1 time that shows, I will have to commit. Regarding this race, he posted the fastest run splits of any athlete, including the overall winner! My ride was within the dirty dozen. We placed 4th overall thanks to him.
Triathlon (relay)
Many wonder why I would be crazy enough to enter into a triathlon relay after 'du'ing both as an individual & a team. This also was not my original intention but came out of chance. A triathlete sought me for the run, & at first, I said no because I already committed to a relay. As an experienced team captain, I have to be aware of possibilities, timing & positioning. Another sprint was impossible but the new distance of international was added; inaugural for the trilogy. After some calculations and realization that more history could be made (the first team to enter this distance & my first involvement at this distance at a trilogy), I reconsidered & had to convince them I could do it (succeeded in the past). By the grace of God, as Hanibel of the A-team would say, 'I love it when a plan comes together'. I made it back after completing the 2 categories with ample time to get the chip from Andre's son. I had an average run but it was good enough for us to win, making more history. The swimmer (Andre's brother) was the fastest of all finishers, including the overall winner! The cyclist matched my time but for double the distance; awesome. We got an inaugural commemorative finisher's medal in addition to the category win.
What a great weekend. This was my first time being involved in 3 distinct events at the same venue, more history! On top of that, 1st time making the podium 3 times at the same event on the same day (history)! Praise the Lord!
Saturday agenda-5k
The United states air force marathon took place in Ohio, but why do that when there were 3 to choose from locally-1 in Dade, 1 in Broward, 1 in Palm beach; I chose the former for the following reasons:
a. sick all week & was forced to curtail training
b. proximity
c. inaugural
Plus, having skipped the local race on independence day cost me a lot of money so I thought I couldn't go wrong; I couldn't have been further from the truth.
Dade= united way 5k, Broward=cell-ebration 5k, Palm beach=firefighter 5k. Check this out:
Mine drew 268 finishers, Broward, only 55
Top winner 16:50, Broward-18:55
Top master 18:41, 4 oa while Broward-25:20, 10 oa
Top woman broke 19 while Broward-23:51 3rd overall here was low 17 while Broward over 21! My time today was good enough for 2nd overall over there in Broward; what a shame!
Today was like dejavu of last weekend but all on 1 day. Sickle cell (Broward race) & firefighter (Palm beach race) 5k's. Kinda like a shift up north in counties.
Choosing events is like rolling the dice, sometimes you win, sometimes you don't. Hind sight is 20/20 so I have to deal with my decision. In fact, I actually need to praise the Lord because I still haven't fully recovered from illness & still made the top ten with a low 19! I got past a STOL teammate who actually led for nearly 2 miles. This qualified me to win my age group. Post race was very basic. Awards here were medals for anyone not overall.
Sunday agenda-the finale!
There was a marathon (fox cities) in Wisconsin & a rec bike ride in Clermont but there was no way I could miss the trilogy bonus round. It is the series finale and at stake-my age group and relay division inaugural duathlon titles! This truly would be a bonus round for me as I added a tri international relay to the plate. Having not fully recovered from illness, this would be an extreme challenge. I thank the Lord for deferring that somewhat & allowing me compete at nearly 90 %, still a viable threat. Multirace offered both sprint & Olympic distances for both the duathlon & triathlon. So much went down that it is best I surmise the events separately even though it was basically strung through.
Duathlon (individual)
I pre-registered for all 4 races of the inaugural sprint duathlon series and this bonus round was the finale. I was injured in #2, posting my worst bike & run times. Unfortunately, that bike time counted toward the relay as well, jeopardizing my chances of getting the elite runner to agree to a series. Since God is good, he did continue & I will expound on that next. Returning to the solo, I now need a good performance this day to drop that bad one. I ran conservatively (14 oa) to reserve strength for a decent ride. I had to fight the wind going to the bridge, it subsides temporarily, then reversed while headed due west. Once I turned around, I had to fight an even stronger head wind going back east. I was lucky to break a half hour & make the dirty dozen. After that, the 5k. I am still disappointed running over 21 minutes but remarkably, that made the dirty dozen. The transitions were slower as expected because I have to pass off a chip to my teammate. The combined times propelled me into the top ten; excluding relays, top 8. Also, my highest podium placement with 3rd overall master. I have officially won my age group for the inaugural du! Of note, also within the top ten highest points of the series winners.
Duathlon (relay)
Many wonder why I would be crazy enough to 'du' as an individual & a team. This was not my original intention but came out of chance. Running races were hard to find during the summer which is why I do multisports so Spencer West (an elite runner & runner's depot teammate) asked me about races he could possibly do between seasons, since he's heard about the number of events I do each year (100+). Naturally, as an experienced team captain, I suggested he run on a relay. We won despite my struggles aforementioned so I told him I'd understand if he didn't want to do any more with me. He was gracious & said 'non sense' and agreed to make history by signing on for the remainder races; I felt like Pat Riley when he got back Wade and signed up LeBron & Bosch. We never looked back since and are now the very first relay team to win the inaugural du series, plus on top of that, 4th overall highest points of the series winners. If we decide to the defend this title, in order to improve on that dismal T1 time that shows, I will have to commit. Regarding this race, he posted the fastest run splits of any athlete, including the overall winner! My ride was within the dirty dozen. We placed 4th overall thanks to him.
Triathlon (relay)
Many wonder why I would be crazy enough to enter into a triathlon relay after 'du'ing both as an individual & a team. This also was not my original intention but came out of chance. A triathlete sought me for the run, & at first, I said no because I already committed to a relay. As an experienced team captain, I have to be aware of possibilities, timing & positioning. Another sprint was impossible but the new distance of international was added; inaugural for the trilogy. After some calculations and realization that more history could be made (the first team to enter this distance & my first involvement at this distance at a trilogy), I reconsidered & had to convince them I could do it (succeeded in the past). By the grace of God, as Hanibel of the A-team would say, 'I love it when a plan comes together'. I made it back after completing the 2 categories with ample time to get the chip from Andre's son. I had an average run but it was good enough for us to win, making more history. The swimmer (Andre's brother) was the fastest of all finishers, including the overall winner! The cyclist matched my time but for double the distance; awesome. We got an inaugural commemorative finisher's medal in addition to the category win.
What a great weekend. This was my first time being involved in 3 distinct events at the same venue, more history! On top of that, 1st time making the podium 3 times at the same event on the same day (history)! Praise the Lord!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
9-11
Today marks the 9th anniversary of that fateful day when terrorists attacked us on our homeland. Millions of innocent victims died because of al-kaida's twisted translation of the Quran. I find it hard to believe that their version of the bible could actually promote this behavior just as I know my bible (king James version) does not support racism, even though many claimed to be Christian. My condolences to all & I give my respect & honor the troops, dead & alive, who serve to protect & defend our freedoms.
Saturday agenda-5k
This weekend will be my first dedicated strictly to running, thus reflecting the season. That means I passed on a tri that was held in Clermont today & will pass on another held by same company tomorrow. Also reminiscent of the season is a choice of races. There were 7, the furthest in the tri-county area was the freedom walk & run (WPB). Therefore, I chose the closest, the sickle cell 5k, which also was in my county (have few races). This race brought back many memories. First of all, it was held at the stadium (now called sunlife) where I got my first overall victory in the last century and also the top runner 2 events back. They say its the 31st annual this year but I never heard of it until that year I won. Last year, the infamous blocking techniques were implemented to assist their chosen runner to win the race. The good news is that I didn't have to worry about that this year. The bad news is that I didn't have to worry about that this year because money was being offered for the top 3 overall, which will naturally draw Ronnie Hollassie, plus many other faster runners. Remarkably, Jon W didn't come to claim the 2nd slot, so some unknown guy (a master) cashed in. Courtney took the last slot. With no master title offered, I was relegated to age group. Fortunately, despite a dismal performance, I still made the top ten (6th) & won my category. That poor showing was largely due to the late start. Already scheduled late at 8, it was delayed over 20 minutes with extracurricular activities, including a warm up aerobic session for the walkers, making an already hot & humid day much worse. On top of that, there was virtually no shade; I had to drink & throw water on me like I was doing the Ironman in Kona! Sadly, no plaque but instead a medal. I lucked out again as they ran out of medals for many who placed & what they gave was decent, a 3D image of runners on front, name & date of race on back and not a generic one. However, the age group & place was noticeably lacking. Post race refreshments was horrific but acceptable for meat eaters (hot dogs). The mile markers were good but no clocks. However, what was good is that a health fair was on & the battle of the bands were back. More importantly, it was for a good cause. I couldn't stay this time, as I needed to prepare for the main event the next day.
Sunday agenda-5k
Although many events were available, far & near, my undying commitment to the racing team (runner's depot) made the firefighter 5k a no brainer. Check out the list below:
1. Chicago half marathon
2. nation's triathlon (in D.C., would have required a swimmer)
3. Florida challenge tri (also would have required a swimmer)
4. aces of clubs 10k & 5k
I knew this race would be challenging, so I prepared to bring my A game. All of the best of the RD team show up here, even the rarely seen Kenyan Mike Korir (race winner) make it. The boss, Renee Grant, often too busy to make the races, definitely appears here as this company, not only puts on the race, but dominates it. The race was unusual for me because split second timing usually puts out working clocks to gauge your performance each mile; not this year. I had to judge strictly by the field & thanks to the turn around, I could estimate who may be a threat to the master title as well as the age group. My failure to break 19 eliminated my chance for the master but my category was still possible, although without a fight. Allan W had a great start & lead through the 1st mile & a quarter before my steady pace got by him. He can be a good closer so the pressure was on for me not to decline significantly. By the grace of God, I outlasted him but surprisingly, he was not one to be concerned with (5th), as somebody I didn't know was seconds behind me. I won my category & made the dirty dozen; woo hoo! Post race was nice but the awards were the best-trophies! Sadly, 2 of friends, 1 male (also rival) & 1 female didn't make the cut due to the high quality field. On top of that, it was high in quantity (900+).
Honorable mention
* Thursday began Rosh Hashanah
* Ramadan begins around this time
* Louis Molina wins age group
* George wins age group
* Spencer wins age group (5th oa)
* Julia is 3rd overall
* Runner's Depot men's team sweep all titles (top 1-3, M) & top ag categories
* Anyone I missed, like Louis Best (2 ag), congrats!
Saturday agenda-5k
This weekend will be my first dedicated strictly to running, thus reflecting the season. That means I passed on a tri that was held in Clermont today & will pass on another held by same company tomorrow. Also reminiscent of the season is a choice of races. There were 7, the furthest in the tri-county area was the freedom walk & run (WPB). Therefore, I chose the closest, the sickle cell 5k, which also was in my county (have few races). This race brought back many memories. First of all, it was held at the stadium (now called sunlife) where I got my first overall victory in the last century and also the top runner 2 events back. They say its the 31st annual this year but I never heard of it until that year I won. Last year, the infamous blocking techniques were implemented to assist their chosen runner to win the race. The good news is that I didn't have to worry about that this year. The bad news is that I didn't have to worry about that this year because money was being offered for the top 3 overall, which will naturally draw Ronnie Hollassie, plus many other faster runners. Remarkably, Jon W didn't come to claim the 2nd slot, so some unknown guy (a master) cashed in. Courtney took the last slot. With no master title offered, I was relegated to age group. Fortunately, despite a dismal performance, I still made the top ten (6th) & won my category. That poor showing was largely due to the late start. Already scheduled late at 8, it was delayed over 20 minutes with extracurricular activities, including a warm up aerobic session for the walkers, making an already hot & humid day much worse. On top of that, there was virtually no shade; I had to drink & throw water on me like I was doing the Ironman in Kona! Sadly, no plaque but instead a medal. I lucked out again as they ran out of medals for many who placed & what they gave was decent, a 3D image of runners on front, name & date of race on back and not a generic one. However, the age group & place was noticeably lacking. Post race refreshments was horrific but acceptable for meat eaters (hot dogs). The mile markers were good but no clocks. However, what was good is that a health fair was on & the battle of the bands were back. More importantly, it was for a good cause. I couldn't stay this time, as I needed to prepare for the main event the next day.
Sunday agenda-5k
Although many events were available, far & near, my undying commitment to the racing team (runner's depot) made the firefighter 5k a no brainer. Check out the list below:
1. Chicago half marathon
2. nation's triathlon (in D.C., would have required a swimmer)
3. Florida challenge tri (also would have required a swimmer)
4. aces of clubs 10k & 5k
I knew this race would be challenging, so I prepared to bring my A game. All of the best of the RD team show up here, even the rarely seen Kenyan Mike Korir (race winner) make it. The boss, Renee Grant, often too busy to make the races, definitely appears here as this company, not only puts on the race, but dominates it. The race was unusual for me because split second timing usually puts out working clocks to gauge your performance each mile; not this year. I had to judge strictly by the field & thanks to the turn around, I could estimate who may be a threat to the master title as well as the age group. My failure to break 19 eliminated my chance for the master but my category was still possible, although without a fight. Allan W had a great start & lead through the 1st mile & a quarter before my steady pace got by him. He can be a good closer so the pressure was on for me not to decline significantly. By the grace of God, I outlasted him but surprisingly, he was not one to be concerned with (5th), as somebody I didn't know was seconds behind me. I won my category & made the dirty dozen; woo hoo! Post race was nice but the awards were the best-trophies! Sadly, 2 of friends, 1 male (also rival) & 1 female didn't make the cut due to the high quality field. On top of that, it was high in quantity (900+).
Honorable mention
* Thursday began Rosh Hashanah
* Ramadan begins around this time
* Louis Molina wins age group
* George wins age group
* Spencer wins age group (5th oa)
* Julia is 3rd overall
* Runner's Depot men's team sweep all titles (top 1-3, M) & top ag categories
* Anyone I missed, like Louis Best (2 ag), congrats!
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Labor weekend
Labor day lands on Monday but since its tied to the weekend, I dub it as such. Ironically, most people don't labor on that day, except maybe if a baby is due for the pregnant.
Saturday agenda-5k
Today was the unofficial start of the running season! On top of that, football is back! Once basketball starts as well, this will be the closest I get to heaven on earth. I saw 3 races, with the possibility of doing 2 on the same day. I picked the closest race for the morning and passed on the evening race. Regarding the latter, it is typically run entirely on sand but even if not, the generic medal is not worth the expenses I would occur. Most importantly, I want to be well rested for the next day, as the distances are longer than usual; I will definitely be competing out in the sun over an hour.
For the last few years I have missed the fall fling 5k due to conflicts with the Publix du/tri but since they moved it to Sunday, it's now on my schedule. Less hot, still humid, I was hoping it wouldn't rain during the event. The event was divided into to categories: master (over the hill) and sub master (young & the restless). The former started first. At last, we 'old' people get an advantage. The best of the latter can't catch our best, even if Olympic caliber! By the grace of God, I edged out a tough field in my age group, including the brother of the won who won the master race & the won who beat me in a prior race (Allan W). On top of that, it was the 1st time I broke 19 (even if only by a second) in 2 months! I passed on the following to win this:
1. John clay 5k (teammate JW placed here)
2. Venice tri (far plus no swimmer)
Sunday agenda-race!
Last year, I did the inaugural king of the hill 5k & enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the move of the family fitness du/tri prevented me from doing this one. Many things happened here. First of all, I got surprised when George showed up to race here, meaning he forfeited his king of the hill entry. This was due to an unforeseen circumstance that could've prevented him from racing at all. A cameo appearance from Linda was the cause (she brought him) and competed as well. As for me, let's do it Clint Eastwood style:
The good: I won my age group & placed 8th overall, edging out the overall female Lisa B.
The bad: I lost positions during the bike portion when forced to stop, costing me a master slot & better overall position. The 2nd run barely broke 7 minutes.
The ugly: the bad was due to a mechanical issue with the bike (the multisport Gods are more relentless than the running one, causing the rear brake lock), first time in history. To add insult to injury, I got a parking ticket!
I was impressed with this event as all finishers came home with hardware (a quality medal) & all those who placed got a clear plaque. The post race was nice & for the 1st time I could remember, the du awards were given out first (caught George off guard).
Monday agenda-train
Happy labor day! I opted out of a long travel for a race (Tampa area) and a fun run (palm beach) for cross training. Having done enough in my primary discipline (run) and primary cross training discipline (bike), I picked the secondary cross training discipline- inline skating. I rolled for 12 mile in an hour flat (lost time due to various traffic delays). Congrats to all who competed this weekend.
Honorable mention
* George wins both at 5k & du
* Shannon makes the podium
* Linda picks a new category & wins an award!
* Louis M places at king of hill 5k
* Spencer wins at king of hill 5k
Saturday agenda-5k
Today was the unofficial start of the running season! On top of that, football is back! Once basketball starts as well, this will be the closest I get to heaven on earth. I saw 3 races, with the possibility of doing 2 on the same day. I picked the closest race for the morning and passed on the evening race. Regarding the latter, it is typically run entirely on sand but even if not, the generic medal is not worth the expenses I would occur. Most importantly, I want to be well rested for the next day, as the distances are longer than usual; I will definitely be competing out in the sun over an hour.
For the last few years I have missed the fall fling 5k due to conflicts with the Publix du/tri but since they moved it to Sunday, it's now on my schedule. Less hot, still humid, I was hoping it wouldn't rain during the event. The event was divided into to categories: master (over the hill) and sub master (young & the restless). The former started first. At last, we 'old' people get an advantage. The best of the latter can't catch our best, even if Olympic caliber! By the grace of God, I edged out a tough field in my age group, including the brother of the won who won the master race & the won who beat me in a prior race (Allan W). On top of that, it was the 1st time I broke 19 (even if only by a second) in 2 months! I passed on the following to win this:
1. John clay 5k (teammate JW placed here)
2. Venice tri (far plus no swimmer)
Sunday agenda-race!
Last year, I did the inaugural king of the hill 5k & enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the move of the family fitness du/tri prevented me from doing this one. Many things happened here. First of all, I got surprised when George showed up to race here, meaning he forfeited his king of the hill entry. This was due to an unforeseen circumstance that could've prevented him from racing at all. A cameo appearance from Linda was the cause (she brought him) and competed as well. As for me, let's do it Clint Eastwood style:
The good: I won my age group & placed 8th overall, edging out the overall female Lisa B.
The bad: I lost positions during the bike portion when forced to stop, costing me a master slot & better overall position. The 2nd run barely broke 7 minutes.
The ugly: the bad was due to a mechanical issue with the bike (the multisport Gods are more relentless than the running one, causing the rear brake lock), first time in history. To add insult to injury, I got a parking ticket!
I was impressed with this event as all finishers came home with hardware (a quality medal) & all those who placed got a clear plaque. The post race was nice & for the 1st time I could remember, the du awards were given out first (caught George off guard).
Monday agenda-train
Happy labor day! I opted out of a long travel for a race (Tampa area) and a fun run (palm beach) for cross training. Having done enough in my primary discipline (run) and primary cross training discipline (bike), I picked the secondary cross training discipline- inline skating. I rolled for 12 mile in an hour flat (lost time due to various traffic delays). Congrats to all who competed this weekend.
Honorable mention
* George wins both at 5k & du
* Shannon makes the podium
* Linda picks a new category & wins an award!
* Louis M places at king of hill 5k
* Spencer wins at king of hill 5k
Friday, August 27, 2010
A.K.A.
A.K.A.=Andrew, Katrina Anniversary. This is the 5th of this millennium's worst thus far. Also, this past Tuesday marked an anniversary of hurricane Andrew, Florida's most devastating of the last century.
Saturday agenda-elite 5k trilogy finale
I initially found out about this series trying to fill in the gaps of the summer (lack of races). Ya'll know I am a sucker for inaugurals & series events; this satisfied both. Today marked the series finale, and with the race for the top slot tight, I knew I needed to bring my A game. To my dismay, a greater quantity of faster runners showed up. By the grace of God, except for Perry, all of them were submasters. During the course, there was a damp, slippery bridge section. I was during this area that I intentionally slowed my pace so as not to slip (did this error in the past) but lost 2 positions in the process, one, a master (friend Mike K). I regained one position once back on normal turf but did not press the kid (I was more than twice his age). I won the master title for the day (Perry was 2nd overall & given grandmaster title), which I call winning the battle. Perry won 2 battles as the 2nd best twice but ultimately I won the war (the entire series) because I was consistent (top ten finishes) in all 3 races. In fact, today was my worst finish at 7th overall; previous 2 were 4th. Praise the Lord! I actually won 2 titles: the overall title and the 40-44 age group title. I call it double dipping but based on the scoring system utilized, it wasn't. The overall title was based on points accumulated in regards to your overall position within the total number of runners in your sex category. The age group title gave a max of 20 points down to zero based on your position in your age group. This means that if more than 20 are in your age group, & you don't place within, you get 0 points, whereas, even if dead last, the overall scoring will yield at least a point. Post race was nice, perhaps 4 star. All awards were (drinking) glasses.
Sunday agenda-triathlon
This day would have been Michael Jackson's 52nd birthday if he were still alive. Speaking of travesties, the Miami nice tri was on for the 2nd time this year & my 3rd attempt to bring home hardware. Even though every team I was involved in placed, I have yet to bring home an award. This was due to a seemingly racist female who was put in charge of running this event. In the inaugural last year, only 1 trophy was given to a team of 3 people (I was the team captain). The cyclist, who now rarely wins an award, took it to show his boss & I haven't seen it since; I fault the organizers for that error. This year, in June, I joined onto a team, hoping for better luck. At least she listened to me & offered 1 award per teammate (3 to distribute among the winning teams) but sadly, only gave them to her friends. She unjustifiably withheld my award claiming the team captain (not me) improperly &/or incorrectly formed the team. In essence, I got punished for his alleged mistake. If I were not who I am, she would have rectified this in the background, if not on the spot. Therefore, I got ripped off Miami twice! So, in this race, I am the team captain & formed the team myself to ensure it is correct. Would you believe that 'perra' hassled me again? Yep, prior to even starting, she decided to alienate me while I was chatting with a teammate, trying to embarrass me & insinuate that I was not a registered athlete, meanwhile there were so many obviously unregistered people scattered about. I responded in kind & later converted this negative energy to achieve a positive result.
The team was aptly named TRI-MEN D'US (dats us). It was exciting for all. Josh was scheduled to do his longest swim ever racing. For Spencer, it was his first triathlon relay. We were to do the sprint. This was my third attempt to come home with an award after placing. I have been unjustifiably denied my awards so much that even God disapproved of the organizers. After the 2nd wave went off, the skies opened up, lightning struck near while the winds gusted through and all the swimmers were called back due to the tumultuous weather. Once convinced the message was delivered, all subsided except the wind, which merely stopped gusting but still steady blowing high. With the ground wet, care had to be taken. The course was altered due to the inclement weather, making it easier for the Olympic athletes but a bit harder for the sprint. The swim was shortened for them but lengthened for us sprinters 900 yds instead of the normal quarter mile. Imagine signing for a 5k but doing 5 miles instead (it happened to me early this year). It will slow you down somewhat because you weren't prepared for that. Despite that, he was the 5th fastest of all relays. I did 1 loop and so did the Olympic athletes, who were supposed to do 2. Even though the conditions were not in my favor, God granted me the fastest bike time of all relays, dirty dozen overall! The run remained in intact. Although I took of a fraction of our deficit, Spencer not only eliminated that but reversed it into a substantial lead, despite his fast paced long run (18 miles under a 7 min average) the previous day. Post race was very good. Ultimately, the third time was the charm!
Saturday agenda-elite 5k trilogy finale
I initially found out about this series trying to fill in the gaps of the summer (lack of races). Ya'll know I am a sucker for inaugurals & series events; this satisfied both. Today marked the series finale, and with the race for the top slot tight, I knew I needed to bring my A game. To my dismay, a greater quantity of faster runners showed up. By the grace of God, except for Perry, all of them were submasters. During the course, there was a damp, slippery bridge section. I was during this area that I intentionally slowed my pace so as not to slip (did this error in the past) but lost 2 positions in the process, one, a master (friend Mike K). I regained one position once back on normal turf but did not press the kid (I was more than twice his age). I won the master title for the day (Perry was 2nd overall & given grandmaster title), which I call winning the battle. Perry won 2 battles as the 2nd best twice but ultimately I won the war (the entire series) because I was consistent (top ten finishes) in all 3 races. In fact, today was my worst finish at 7th overall; previous 2 were 4th. Praise the Lord! I actually won 2 titles: the overall title and the 40-44 age group title. I call it double dipping but based on the scoring system utilized, it wasn't. The overall title was based on points accumulated in regards to your overall position within the total number of runners in your sex category. The age group title gave a max of 20 points down to zero based on your position in your age group. This means that if more than 20 are in your age group, & you don't place within, you get 0 points, whereas, even if dead last, the overall scoring will yield at least a point. Post race was nice, perhaps 4 star. All awards were (drinking) glasses.
Sunday agenda-triathlon
This day would have been Michael Jackson's 52nd birthday if he were still alive. Speaking of travesties, the Miami nice tri was on for the 2nd time this year & my 3rd attempt to bring home hardware. Even though every team I was involved in placed, I have yet to bring home an award. This was due to a seemingly racist female who was put in charge of running this event. In the inaugural last year, only 1 trophy was given to a team of 3 people (I was the team captain). The cyclist, who now rarely wins an award, took it to show his boss & I haven't seen it since; I fault the organizers for that error. This year, in June, I joined onto a team, hoping for better luck. At least she listened to me & offered 1 award per teammate (3 to distribute among the winning teams) but sadly, only gave them to her friends. She unjustifiably withheld my award claiming the team captain (not me) improperly &/or incorrectly formed the team. In essence, I got punished for his alleged mistake. If I were not who I am, she would have rectified this in the background, if not on the spot. Therefore, I got ripped off Miami twice! So, in this race, I am the team captain & formed the team myself to ensure it is correct. Would you believe that 'perra' hassled me again? Yep, prior to even starting, she decided to alienate me while I was chatting with a teammate, trying to embarrass me & insinuate that I was not a registered athlete, meanwhile there were so many obviously unregistered people scattered about. I responded in kind & later converted this negative energy to achieve a positive result.
The team was aptly named TRI-MEN D'US (dats us). It was exciting for all. Josh was scheduled to do his longest swim ever racing. For Spencer, it was his first triathlon relay. We were to do the sprint. This was my third attempt to come home with an award after placing. I have been unjustifiably denied my awards so much that even God disapproved of the organizers. After the 2nd wave went off, the skies opened up, lightning struck near while the winds gusted through and all the swimmers were called back due to the tumultuous weather. Once convinced the message was delivered, all subsided except the wind, which merely stopped gusting but still steady blowing high. With the ground wet, care had to be taken. The course was altered due to the inclement weather, making it easier for the Olympic athletes but a bit harder for the sprint. The swim was shortened for them but lengthened for us sprinters 900 yds instead of the normal quarter mile. Imagine signing for a 5k but doing 5 miles instead (it happened to me early this year). It will slow you down somewhat because you weren't prepared for that. Despite that, he was the 5th fastest of all relays. I did 1 loop and so did the Olympic athletes, who were supposed to do 2. Even though the conditions were not in my favor, God granted me the fastest bike time of all relays, dirty dozen overall! The run remained in intact. Although I took of a fraction of our deficit, Spencer not only eliminated that but reversed it into a substantial lead, despite his fast paced long run (18 miles under a 7 min average) the previous day. Post race was very good. Ultimately, the third time was the charm!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
In the rain
Some people were singing in the rain but not me. I was just getting wet. Well, most of the time I had to deal with driving in the rain. Since I picked an event that was not local, I had to travel after work (couldn't get off or leave early). That's when I got hit with the weather conditions, in addition to traffic & lane closures. By the time I made it, it was almost midnight.
Saturday agenda-race!
I've had too many weekends with 'no' races (not local) so this time I decided to revisit an event I did nearly a half decade ago rather than go to key west (conch pride 5k), among others scattered in the far regions of Florida. There are so many forts here in Florida that I forgot how far this was. The ones I have heard of & been to have been Ft Lauderdale, Ft Pierce, Ft Myers & Ft DeSoto; the latter was were the venue was held. Therefore, it took me about 5 hours, with only 1 pit stop, to get there. Once there, I saw so many athletes I knew, it was like a familiar scene. Although my first run was under 6 minutes, that was barely enough to make the top 20. I felt slow on the bike but the time was better than expected. After the course snafu (not all signs were properly placed), I was given 2nd in age group; I felt I won since the guy in front ran mostly concrete going the wrong way. The time was disappointing but I have to take into consideration that half of the 5k was on loose sand, my worst surface to run on. By the grace of God, besides a podium finish, I made the top 10% of the entire du field & broke an hour in the process. The post race was great (4 star) but lacking the veggie burgers of the past. Thanks (hospitality) & congrats to Shannon, who also found the podium. Lisa B dominated once again, taking the overall female title, made the top ten (not percent) & had a bike time faster than me for a change; her run always did in this sport.
Sunday agenda-train
Well, I had my share of travelling & racing this weekend, so I opted for more training. Another muddy buddy (MN) came & went. I passed on the oleta la roootaaa mt biking series & pulled out a road bike to finally join a group that rides the Miami man half iron course. Except for 1 guy, I was like in a dream riding with 4 beautiful women but don't let that deceive you; they can ride. I wound up doing a tad over 60 miles, lasting about 4 hours including the pre & post meet up and 1 pit stop at the fruit & spice (their choice, not mine). I left with the feeling that I am ready! Oh, after some rest, before I could cut the grass, it started raining!
Saturday agenda-race!
I've had too many weekends with 'no' races (not local) so this time I decided to revisit an event I did nearly a half decade ago rather than go to key west (conch pride 5k), among others scattered in the far regions of Florida. There are so many forts here in Florida that I forgot how far this was. The ones I have heard of & been to have been Ft Lauderdale, Ft Pierce, Ft Myers & Ft DeSoto; the latter was were the venue was held. Therefore, it took me about 5 hours, with only 1 pit stop, to get there. Once there, I saw so many athletes I knew, it was like a familiar scene. Although my first run was under 6 minutes, that was barely enough to make the top 20. I felt slow on the bike but the time was better than expected. After the course snafu (not all signs were properly placed), I was given 2nd in age group; I felt I won since the guy in front ran mostly concrete going the wrong way. The time was disappointing but I have to take into consideration that half of the 5k was on loose sand, my worst surface to run on. By the grace of God, besides a podium finish, I made the top 10% of the entire du field & broke an hour in the process. The post race was great (4 star) but lacking the veggie burgers of the past. Thanks (hospitality) & congrats to Shannon, who also found the podium. Lisa B dominated once again, taking the overall female title, made the top ten (not percent) & had a bike time faster than me for a change; her run always did in this sport.
Sunday agenda-train
Well, I had my share of travelling & racing this weekend, so I opted for more training. Another muddy buddy (MN) came & went. I passed on the oleta la roootaaa mt biking series & pulled out a road bike to finally join a group that rides the Miami man half iron course. Except for 1 guy, I was like in a dream riding with 4 beautiful women but don't let that deceive you; they can ride. I wound up doing a tad over 60 miles, lasting about 4 hours including the pre & post meet up and 1 pit stop at the fruit & spice (their choice, not mine). I left with the feeling that I am ready! Oh, after some rest, before I could cut the grass, it started raining!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Mid month crisis (Aug)
It that time again. Yesterday was not just a Friday, but the 13th! My bad luck included having to do a brake job on my car, in addition to the fact that I have not broken 19 since independence day!
Saturday agenda-race?
Well, at least there was 1 local event-the ING kick off 5k. Sadly, it was basically a fun run, with no individual awards or categories. Fortunately, the top 30 males & females got a prize. Last year, it was a medal. This year, a starbucks gift card on an ING lanyard, thus far the 2nd lamest as far as a finishers medal but however, practical. This was my debut 'race' wearing the Vibrim 5 finger shoes. I ran the 1st mile an easy 6:15 & basically ran with Allan W. lost ten seconds in the 2nd. The last mile I intentionally slowed down to adjust with Allan. At the final stretch, I pulled back, jogged near the finish, stopped & turned around to walk in backwards for the finish. Hey, I was having fun! Also, I needed to reserve my strength for the main event tomorrow. Unfortunately, I didn't escape without injury; I re-aggravated a callous on my right foot. My mission was accomplished for today-be in the top 30 & do it in under 20; yep, I made it even with the showboating. Remember, this was a FUN RUN. They had a nice post race with a raffle (rigged) offered. Oh, I forgot. There was a special category I missed because of that. George won the male swimsuit division. There were other winners, male & female, but I didn't know any of them.
Sunday agenda-race!
Already scheduled on my calendar, it's time for round 3 of the trilogy series. I saved my strength for this one because I not only compete as an individual, but also as part of a team; I was more concerned about the latter. However, I also needed to redeem myself for my last outing. Praise the Lord, the callous was not a factor & with 90+ % recovery, I was basically in race form. With little or no wind, conditions were ideal for cycling. Unfortunately, even with cloud cover, it was still hot & humid. By the grace of God, I cracked 6 minutes on the mile sprint (8 oa) to reach the awaiting teammate who blew the field with the fastest split, despite an 18 mile training the day prior. The good Lord came through again as I had one of my better cycling days with a better than 21 average (14 oa); yea, I lost some positions, as expected. Once Spencer took off, he advanced the team by dropping 10 people and we won hands down! Meanwhile, by God's grace, I picked off the same number as our overall position. I actually could've been 1 better but lost the sprint to the finish to a kid nearly 2 decades younger; that was expected. I warned him that he had better stepped it up or this old man would've beat him. If you check out the stats, I defeated him on both run legs, which means he was a faster cyclist. Post race was nice, with hot pancakes & lots of fruit. Oh, Spencer had the fastest split on the anchor run as well; thank you, teammate. My second run was rated the same as the 1st in overall position. I was aware I lost time in transition but winning twice, both as an individual & team, was well worth it. Crisis over?
Honorable mention
* George took the male swimsuit division in the 5k & age group in the du despite complications.
Saturday agenda-race?
Well, at least there was 1 local event-the ING kick off 5k. Sadly, it was basically a fun run, with no individual awards or categories. Fortunately, the top 30 males & females got a prize. Last year, it was a medal. This year, a starbucks gift card on an ING lanyard, thus far the 2nd lamest as far as a finishers medal but however, practical. This was my debut 'race' wearing the Vibrim 5 finger shoes. I ran the 1st mile an easy 6:15 & basically ran with Allan W. lost ten seconds in the 2nd. The last mile I intentionally slowed down to adjust with Allan. At the final stretch, I pulled back, jogged near the finish, stopped & turned around to walk in backwards for the finish. Hey, I was having fun! Also, I needed to reserve my strength for the main event tomorrow. Unfortunately, I didn't escape without injury; I re-aggravated a callous on my right foot. My mission was accomplished for today-be in the top 30 & do it in under 20; yep, I made it even with the showboating. Remember, this was a FUN RUN. They had a nice post race with a raffle (rigged) offered. Oh, I forgot. There was a special category I missed because of that. George won the male swimsuit division. There were other winners, male & female, but I didn't know any of them.
Sunday agenda-race!
Already scheduled on my calendar, it's time for round 3 of the trilogy series. I saved my strength for this one because I not only compete as an individual, but also as part of a team; I was more concerned about the latter. However, I also needed to redeem myself for my last outing. Praise the Lord, the callous was not a factor & with 90+ % recovery, I was basically in race form. With little or no wind, conditions were ideal for cycling. Unfortunately, even with cloud cover, it was still hot & humid. By the grace of God, I cracked 6 minutes on the mile sprint (8 oa) to reach the awaiting teammate who blew the field with the fastest split, despite an 18 mile training the day prior. The good Lord came through again as I had one of my better cycling days with a better than 21 average (14 oa); yea, I lost some positions, as expected. Once Spencer took off, he advanced the team by dropping 10 people and we won hands down! Meanwhile, by God's grace, I picked off the same number as our overall position. I actually could've been 1 better but lost the sprint to the finish to a kid nearly 2 decades younger; that was expected. I warned him that he had better stepped it up or this old man would've beat him. If you check out the stats, I defeated him on both run legs, which means he was a faster cyclist. Post race was nice, with hot pancakes & lots of fruit. Oh, Spencer had the fastest split on the anchor run as well; thank you, teammate. My second run was rated the same as the 1st in overall position. I was aware I lost time in transition but winning twice, both as an individual & team, was well worth it. Crisis over?
Honorable mention
* George took the male swimsuit division in the 5k & age group in the du despite complications.
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