Saturday, April 29, 2006
Busted Weekend
Rain, Rain go away!!!!!
Those of you that are wondering about Trans Iowa the race is going to end in Algona this year. The rain has caused the roads to be almost impossible to travel by bicycle. Buchanondale has reported that one rider had mud squishing out from his booties, yikes!!! So, that mean no Decorah for Jeff and Clay, damn! I love Decorah, they have my favorite ice cream shop, the Whippy Dip. I'll have to go up there later this year. As for how the 5k went this morning....
How to win a 5k 101 -
Step #1 - pick a race early in the season
Step #2 - make sure the race is at least 45 miles from any larger cities
Step #3 - do a rain dance and make sure it works
Step $4 - have construction at the race shorten the distance
As for the race report, my sister Andrea and I headed for Pine Lake State about 6:15 this morning. It was raining lightly and per the radar it was not going to clear up any time today. We located the race start and hung out unti the 8:00 start time. The rain kept several people away as only about a dozen people where there. They said go and I took off in the lead. about 7 minutes in the fun started, I passed the worker that was going to mark the turn around. I reached a bridge and yelled back to her asking if this was the turn around, she yelled no and waved me to keep going. I kept running and guess what, that was the turn around. So I ran just a little over an extra mile, not a big deal. I drove 50 miles to run so a little extra running was no problem. I eventually caught up with my sister and finished the race with her. Andrea got 3rd overall and the guy that finished ahead of her was gracious enough to let me have 1st as I would have won if I had turned around at the proper point. So, I basically got in a run in the rain with some food and fun mixed in.
Pine lake is an interesting park with camping and a golf course right next to the park. I could see what looked like some killer off road trails in the park and after speaking with some of locals they confirmed that. I'll have to get back up there some time and explore.
That's all for now, Ed out!
Those of you that are wondering about Trans Iowa the race is going to end in Algona this year. The rain has caused the roads to be almost impossible to travel by bicycle. Buchanondale has reported that one rider had mud squishing out from his booties, yikes!!! So, that mean no Decorah for Jeff and Clay, damn! I love Decorah, they have my favorite ice cream shop, the Whippy Dip. I'll have to go up there later this year. As for how the 5k went this morning....
How to win a 5k 101 -
Step #1 - pick a race early in the season
Step #2 - make sure the race is at least 45 miles from any larger cities
Step #3 - do a rain dance and make sure it works
Step $4 - have construction at the race shorten the distance
As for the race report, my sister Andrea and I headed for Pine Lake State about 6:15 this morning. It was raining lightly and per the radar it was not going to clear up any time today. We located the race start and hung out unti the 8:00 start time. The rain kept several people away as only about a dozen people where there. They said go and I took off in the lead. about 7 minutes in the fun started, I passed the worker that was going to mark the turn around. I reached a bridge and yelled back to her asking if this was the turn around, she yelled no and waved me to keep going. I kept running and guess what, that was the turn around. So I ran just a little over an extra mile, not a big deal. I drove 50 miles to run so a little extra running was no problem. I eventually caught up with my sister and finished the race with her. Andrea got 3rd overall and the guy that finished ahead of her was gracious enough to let me have 1st as I would have won if I had turned around at the proper point. So, I basically got in a run in the rain with some food and fun mixed in.
Pine lake is an interesting park with camping and a golf course right next to the park. I could see what looked like some killer off road trails in the park and after speaking with some of locals they confirmed that. I'll have to get back up there some time and explore.
That's all for now, Ed out!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Where to start
It's been while since my last blog. Tons of awesome stuff has gone on, I'll try to remember as much of it as possible.
Last Thursday - Last day working for the man!!!!!! Now I'm the man, kind of. I'm done and Bossard and now a business partner with my dad, wow!!!! Never thought this would happen when I was in college. Right now they plan is to grow the business (it's a machine shop) and hopefully once things are more settled start to proto-type some of my cycling gadgets. I'm already feeling the effects of 10 hours a day on my feet, I'M SORE!!
Sunday 2:00am - BARN FIRE!!! Yep, that was a fun 3-1/2 hours in the rain fighting a fire... why do fires start in the rain?? This one was due to the crazy lighting that came with the rain and wind. No worries though, we saved the barn.
Monday - DHL is my new favorite delivery service, why you ask?? Cause the brought my new KHS Solo-One!! Assembled it Monday night and rode it to the shop on Tuesday. I like very very much. Only kicker is the trails are all flooded around the cedar valley so only pavment riding at this time.
Tuesday - Spoke with the one and only Dirty Dirtram. Ironed out our plan for the holding down the fort at the Trans-Iowa finish line on April 30th. If you don't know about TI you should, see it here www.transiowa.blogspot.com the Jackal and I made it just 50 miles last year before deciding not to blow ourselves up. Dirty also said he was coming down to rock the Cedar Valley 12 hour race, on a SS of course! And we are going to partner up for an adventure race in late August, I'm super pumped for that!
Wednesday - Project back yard is back in full swing, two more loads of fill dirt/sand are to be delivered tomorrow. I can't wait till this is done, it's killing my training time. Due to this, I will not be doing the Pig Man Sprint Tri this year.... Not a big deal, I'm going to hit a couple of new tri's later in the season (sorry melissa!)
Thursday - Probably the best Thursday ever. Team Twin Six (www.twinsix.com) launched the new website today and I just happen to be one of the lucky team members. Huge thanks to Brent and Ryan for launching the team giving little guys like myself a chance to rock some killer threads. Oh yea, some guy named Kerkove is in there too.
So with all this going on I'm sore and tired, but still biking one day, running the next. Soon I'll be commuting everyday and that will really help the cycling. Speaking of running, I'm out of here while the sun is still up!
ED OUT!
Last Thursday - Last day working for the man!!!!!! Now I'm the man, kind of. I'm done and Bossard and now a business partner with my dad, wow!!!! Never thought this would happen when I was in college. Right now they plan is to grow the business (it's a machine shop) and hopefully once things are more settled start to proto-type some of my cycling gadgets. I'm already feeling the effects of 10 hours a day on my feet, I'M SORE!!
Sunday 2:00am - BARN FIRE!!! Yep, that was a fun 3-1/2 hours in the rain fighting a fire... why do fires start in the rain?? This one was due to the crazy lighting that came with the rain and wind. No worries though, we saved the barn.
Monday - DHL is my new favorite delivery service, why you ask?? Cause the brought my new KHS Solo-One!! Assembled it Monday night and rode it to the shop on Tuesday. I like very very much. Only kicker is the trails are all flooded around the cedar valley so only pavment riding at this time.
Tuesday - Spoke with the one and only Dirty Dirtram. Ironed out our plan for the holding down the fort at the Trans-Iowa finish line on April 30th. If you don't know about TI you should, see it here www.transiowa.blogspot.com the Jackal and I made it just 50 miles last year before deciding not to blow ourselves up. Dirty also said he was coming down to rock the Cedar Valley 12 hour race, on a SS of course! And we are going to partner up for an adventure race in late August, I'm super pumped for that!
Wednesday - Project back yard is back in full swing, two more loads of fill dirt/sand are to be delivered tomorrow. I can't wait till this is done, it's killing my training time. Due to this, I will not be doing the Pig Man Sprint Tri this year.... Not a big deal, I'm going to hit a couple of new tri's later in the season (sorry melissa!)
Thursday - Probably the best Thursday ever. Team Twin Six (www.twinsix.com) launched the new website today and I just happen to be one of the lucky team members. Huge thanks to Brent and Ryan for launching the team giving little guys like myself a chance to rock some killer threads. Oh yea, some guy named Kerkove is in there too.
So with all this going on I'm sore and tired, but still biking one day, running the next. Soon I'll be commuting everyday and that will really help the cycling. Speaking of running, I'm out of here while the sun is still up!
ED OUT!
Monday, April 10, 2006
Holy heat wave Batman
It's hot out, no really.... it hit 78 degrees today!! Crazy Iowa spring weather. I would like to say the weekend was full of running and riding but not the case. I enjoyed the weather outside with the family doing yard work. Digging up old plants, trimming trees, and raking leaves out of places I didn't know leaves could get into. It was all things that needed to be done, so it was a good weekend.
Tonight I hit my local 2 mile off road 4 wheeler trail for some running. It was great to get into the woods and give the trail shoes there first real world test. The trails were in pretty good shape, a few sticks and small branches at eye level here and there, I came out with only one mark on the shins. Since this trail was made with 4 wheelers there is a lot of twisting and turning on the legs. I'm already feeling it.... hopefully the recover-easy speeds up the recovery process. I'd like to get a couple of people with trail building backgrounds into this area as I think we could make a nice 4 to 5 mile loop. That's all for now.... T minus 7 weeks till Pigman!
Ed out!
Tonight I hit my local 2 mile off road 4 wheeler trail for some running. It was great to get into the woods and give the trail shoes there first real world test. The trails were in pretty good shape, a few sticks and small branches at eye level here and there, I came out with only one mark on the shins. Since this trail was made with 4 wheelers there is a lot of twisting and turning on the legs. I'm already feeling it.... hopefully the recover-easy speeds up the recovery process. I'd like to get a couple of people with trail building backgrounds into this area as I think we could make a nice 4 to 5 mile loop. That's all for now.... T minus 7 weeks till Pigman!
Ed out!
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
When she gets older....
She's gonna kill me for posting pics like this. Until then, it's some funny shyt. First the bib came off, next thing I knew her shirt was over her head.What a great day in the Cedar Valley, good temps and a warm wind. I took the night off from the shop and the family went to the Hudson city park. Ainsley loves the swings and slides. After Ainsley was in bed I hit the trainer for a light 30 minute spin. I've been so busy since the first of the year I'm starting over from scratch on training. If I can get a consistant 10 weeks in before Pigman Sprint I'll be in good shape. Speaking of the Pigman I have made up my schedule for 2006. It has a lot of different events so there will be several first's this year.
April - 5k in Eldora around Pine Lake state park. I hear the trails are beautiful.
June - Pigman Sprint and Sturgis Falls half marathon.
July - Cornman Tri and Cedar Valley 12 hour MTB
August - Adventure Race in Kellog, IA Clay, I need a teamate!!!!!
I'm sure I'll also mix in some 5k's and trail runs along with the road and mtb time trials during the week. I really hope to have a fun summer rolling with the Twin Six Team. The 12 mtb race and the adventure race will be first's for me. The 1/2 marathon will be my first in 3 years. September and October have been left open in case I still host an inexpensive adventure trail run. The family also has some obligations those months, so we'll see.
Ed
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Another late night Workout
Workouts seem to be going better at night than eary am lately. Just got back from a 25 min run on the new shoes, still loving them! Great temps for April in Iowa, 10:30 at night and still 40 degrees. Spoke with the one and only Monkeytron tonight. Sounds like he is coming back to Iowa this weekend to run a 5k in Cedar Falls. It's the UNI spring fling or something like that. I don't think I'll be running but I may ride the slingshot in and show some support for the monkey. Triathlete Mag and Mtb Mag hit my door this week, sweet bathroom reading!
I've giving a lot of thought to what events I will be doing this season. Trying to look at unique events, events I have never done, style of racing I have never done, get the most bang for my buck, and schedule around other events in my life. I know what a pain, I get tired just thinking about it. Right now I'm leaning towards marking (or choosing) "A" events and throw some other stuff around them to break up training. What does everybody else think?
I've giving a lot of thought to what events I will be doing this season. Trying to look at unique events, events I have never done, style of racing I have never done, get the most bang for my buck, and schedule around other events in my life. I know what a pain, I get tired just thinking about it. Right now I'm leaning towards marking (or choosing) "A" events and throw some other stuff around them to break up training. What does everybody else think?
Monday, April 03, 2006
Weekend recap
Hello All, I had a great weekend away. Katie and I headed to the Iowa City area to shop and relax. Got to drool on all the bling bling at the IC Scheels, They had a Scott full carbon dream machine there. I reached up to touch it and had a salesmen on me like white on rice. Also went to the outlet mall in Williamsburg and scored some killer new trail shoes at the Nike outlet. I'm not usually a Nike shoe fan but I love these shoes. Did 3 miles in them last night and lifted, the shoes feel like I've been running in them for the past 100 miles. I also finished my workout with some Recover-Ease and I feel great today, the stuff really works. Speaking of gearing up I'm leaning towards doing a 5k in Eldora on 4/29/06 before heading up to Decorah for Trans Iowa. If anyone wants to go along let me know. I would like to bike to the race. Maybe drive to Dike or Grundy and then ride to the race. Let me know if you are interested. Gotta go back to work.
Ed out!
Ed out!
Saturday, April 01, 2006
I'm out
Out of town that is. KT and I are headed to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City area today. Meeting up with my bestest friends Neal and Katy for some shopping, eating, drinking, and overall good times. We are leaving all our little ones at home so this is just a parents weekend, wahoo! Hopefully I get to check out some good bike shops or running stores. Speaking of running two 5k events going down today. One at Island Park the other is a super fun mud run at Heritage Farms just west of Hudson.
Have a great day,
ED
Have a great day,
ED
