Tuesday Jul 31 |
 | Orienteering 1:19:23 [2] | |
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| TNT at Minnehaha with Kari....ran a bit, hiked alot....trying to keep ankle from getting worse....navigated so so, had to stop and look at map here and there and figure things out before proceeding...but doing these courses makes training fun and I was amazed that we had been going for 1:19...it was fun running around the gorge.... |
| Orienteering 10:00 [1] | |
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| hiking to get some tapes.... |
Monday Jul 30 |
| Mt Bike 40:02 [3] | |
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| 1 lap or the North and south loop at Wirth...20:40 on the North loop time....still recovering from Sunday... |
Sunday Jul 29 |
| Swimming race 9:17 [4] | |
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| Chisago Lakes Triathlon Sprint....I was looking to have a solid race...with 900 participants in the Sprint I figure placeing top three in my age group would be very unlikely....just to many people to finish in front of....
Started swim in wave 18 and did very good weaving through the colored caps bobbing their way through the swim....I focus on getting out front and staying clear and then weaving efficiently....the swim felt good and I am out in 8:59 feeling like I got a smooth start if not a screaming fast one...made my way up the beach and tripped the chip timer in 9:17.. |
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| C • Congratulations on 2nd place! 1 |
| transitions race 1:51 [4] | |
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| slipped out of wet suit without a hitch and managed a flying cyclocross bike mount with shoes already clipped in the pedals....nice... |
| Triathlon Bike race 54:30 [4] | |
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| ...as soon as I got on the bike I was feeling good and passing people and before I knew it I was on a MAJOR roll passing people by the handfuls...with by disk wheel humming and Hed 3 on the front I knew I was having a good bike but it turned out to be one of the best bike legs of my career.........the fairly flat, no wind course was very fast....for some reason my bike computer ,that had not worked all year, was working and after it was all said and done I had covered 20.55 miles in 54:30 averaging 22.4 mph....my BEST average in over 220 triathlons has been 22.8 mph and that was 7 years ago....I was very happy as I pulled in T2.... |
| transitions race 52 [4] | |
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| running stop and quick shoe change and off.... |
| Run race 25:11 [4] | |
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| ....solid run after a great bike....just trying to kep a strong pace as I searched out shade....managed just over 8 minute miles and crossed the line in 25:11 for 5K for a 1:31:42....
based on my bike I had a outstanding race and thought maybe I would have a chance for top 3 in my age group....
when I checked results I found out I was 2nd in my Age Group out of 42 (and only :17 out of first).....53rd overall out of 887....very saitisfying result...
also saw Leif Nordren at the race but did not get to say hi....he did a 1:26:20 and also finished 2nd in his AG....I out swam him by :50 but he managed to outsplit me on the bike by 1:30 and took 4 minutes out of me on the run..... |
Saturday Jul 28 |
| Mt Bike (road) 1:08:41 [1] | |
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| biked up and ate at Cuppa Java...then looped around Cedar and Lake of the Isles....saving for tomorrow triathlon..... |
Friday Jul 27 |
| Run 28:18 [3] | |
| ahr:136 |
| Run around Lake Harriet with Kari on Friday morning..... |
Thursday Jul 26 |
| Hike 40:44 [1] | |
| ahr:104 weight:170.2lbs |
| fast walk around Harriet after run...HR average was 104... |
Wednesday Jul 25 |
| Run 27:05 [3] | |
| ahr:136 |
| early morning run around Harriet with Kari...humid but still a nice morning to be out..... |
Tuesday Jul 24 |
| Mt Bike 1:00:01 [2] | |
| weight:172.2lbs |
| with Kari on a humid night....decided to stay and bike the home course...did loops of 20:15 and 18:10......a little rusty...my HR stayed fairly low..I think my bike fitness is doing pretty good.....we will see this Sunday at the Chisago Lakes tri....but I worry about my 5K speed....do I still have some? |
Monday Jul 23 |
| Triathlon Bike 55:02 [3] | |
| ahr:136 |
| Hopkins loop in 37:51.....85% time trial effort....new record... |
Sunday Jul 22 |
| Note | |
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| planned to paddle the Brule in a Canoe with Kari but rain and thunder moved it.....bummer.......next time... |
Saturday Jul 21 |
| Swimming 32:21 [3] | |
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| early morning open water swim at Cedar...no wetsuit, did not want to hassle with it but dont tell Kari....swam beach to beach....I am guessing its about a mile.....I need to measure it with my topo program....this was a great way to see the eary morning sunlight and the glassy lake surface....I need to do this every now and then..... |
Friday Jul 20 |
| Note | |
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| some random thoughts on the Adventure O and Adventure Racing...
I averaged 140 Average Heart Rate for 7:23. I think we paced this appropriately....
looking at splits my assumptions that CP9 and CP17 (and CP3) were the pivitol CP's in the race...looking as splits you can see some teams lost alot of time navigation to them....some good midpack teams really took a hit on these CP's....at the Adv O navigation is key...
Even though the area did not have as much interesting terrain as other areas we have raced in IMHO the course design was excellent. Obvious that Mike and Ian used the design to emphasise the need to navigate to do well....the tough CP's (CP3,9,17) were sprinkled through the race giving the effect breaking up the field at different points in the race..you had a semi series of "gimmes" and then you ran into the tough ones.....the seems to be Ian's/Mike design stye...I wold tell Kari "the next CP's is going to be a tough one..it will make or break us, we need to be careful."....
My route from CP 16 to 17 included back tracking to the trail and road and attacking from the curve the in the trail we rode to the TA on....it was longer that the straight line bushwhack to 17...I figured it was a longer but safer route because is minimized the green bushwhack and had a closer attack point...the vegetation was brutal going from the curve....looking at the splits it actually turned out to be just as fast as the straight bearing route while being safer and we had a very good split to 17...tis suprised me......the green leaving 17 to get back to the TA was incredibly thick and was physically and mentally very tough....
thoughts on a discussion Jerritt and I had....I consider following and helping teams in AR like drafting in Bike racing....part of the game but you need to know when to do it to gain an advantage and when not to....from my point of view "following" is part of the strategy of the race....like in a bicycle race if you know the person that takes a flyer off the front is a top cyclist you better go with them if you want to try and win the race...if its a soso cyclist that you know is not strong enoug to sustain a break you let them go....In AR if you know the players you know who know how to navigate and who is a safe bet to follow and who isnt.....at the start of the race I keep and eye out for the good teams off the start line and follow while locating us on the map, knowing we eventually will not be able to keep pace....back behind the top teams I know people like "off the map" and Stephen R should be pretty solid so I pay attention to what they are doing when I am around them...but you also have to know when it times to go your own way because you are confident you are on the map and navigating well......
I was toast after 7.5 hours...Kari was stronger at the end but she was feeling it also....I did my typical "I am good for 7 hours" thing....I dont have the desire to want to do this for 24 hours...I dont think I could keep it together and I dont think it would be fun.....my stomach just get nauseated at the 6.5 to 7 hour mark and only gets worse....If I did a 12 hour we would have to do the course at a very easy pace and do it with the idea of to just finish the race...
MAP comments:
I loved having 2 sets....allowed me to be a little less careful because I knew I had back ups...this was a very good thing...one ended up in the river...
does anyone else find it maddening trying to handle the map on the kayak while trying not to get it wet....? or just trying to handle maps period...just trying to put a slightly moist map into a map case is frustrating...any tips to make this smoother?...improve the ease of map handling in sprint races?.....
I found it very tough to see the trail marking on the map..I could have benefited from a more distinct marking on the map...
some roads were "colored" in on the maps and some were just outlines....I would prefer that they all get colored in...i think this was a big contributer to many teams (including ours) taking the first road south thinking it lead to TA5...also I somtimes wonder if the 1K grid is better left off the map because it can be confused for a road or a trail.....
or maybe I need to use a magnifier somehow....just one more thing to have to hassle with....
...there were some major unmarked trails on the mt Bike...of course I prefer all trails to be on the map but if not I think its fair to announce "Some bike trails you may encounter on the bike are not mapped"
thats it for now....comments welcome... : )
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| C • AR maps 10 |
| Run 21:00 [4] | |
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| ran pick ups on long run....tri race pace.... |
| Run 55:03 [3] | |
| ahr:147 |
| easier running part of long run....funny how I now categories a 8 mile run as a long run but that is the way its working these days.....suprised I got my heart rate up as much as I did.....ran around Cedar Lake on a great day after cutting our of work early....very nice day... |
Thursday Jul 19 |
| Triathlon Bike 55:32 [4] | |
| ahr:142 |
| Hopkins loop in 38:31.....pushed at 90% effort......... |
Wednesday Jul 18 |
| Swimming 30:41 [4] | |
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| 150's and 100's....... |
Tuesday Jul 17 |
| Orienteering 1:13:50 [2] | |
| ahr:113 |
| Kari and I searched for the one eyed hooker and managed one hooker point.....my legs were dead and the game required sprinting on my sore ankle so we took it real easy...Kari took over and navigated to the controls and did a good job....we hiked most with a few running sections.......I am still feeling it big time from Saturday.... |
Monday Jul 16 |
| Triathlon Bike 56:23 [3] | |
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| Hopkins loop in 38:47,,,,,,, |
Saturday Jul 14 |
| Note | |
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| first of all, we wanted to thank all who designed, planned, directed the course and all the course volunteers....all the effort is appreciated...I know the work that must go into this and the race organization was excellent... |
| Orienteering race 1:09:02 [3] | |
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| Started the MNOC Adventure O with an O section that included a generous portion of trail running.....we started at a firm pace but not frantic..I decided to just follow the crowd to CP1 and 2 while checking our position on the map...after 2 we took the 1 K bush whack to the east to CP3 with a line of racers....quick bush whack aided by the fields elephant tracks demonstrating for teams like ours its best to lay back a little at the start...Im not checking our bearing all the carefully but ziggyr has lined up the sun to aid the bearing bushwhack and as we hit the trail that leads near the Control we have to decide to go right or left...we decided to go right where half the teams go left....we were right about right...they were wrong...we try to locate the dip that indicates the shallow reentrant and run into Stephen R looking with his pair...Ziggyr of Off the Map spots the elephant tracks to the right of the trail to the CP and we are off down the trail after CP3...we shot a bearing from the first paved road and ended up right on the river to cross over to CP4....although we were a bit hesitant we probably beat alot of people to the Kayaks by getting CP3 reasonably.. |
| transitions race 7:43 [3] | |
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| transition to Kayaks....put together the paddles...laid them on the ground and some other team took them.......so I put two more together....did a bit better this time strapping in the seats... |
| Paddling race 1:03:45 [3] | |
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| paddled the St Croix and got into a good rythme after throwing the map into the water and getting it soaked...(nice to have another set)...
Kari was telling me that the area ahead looks like it would be where CP 5 was and I told her it was to soon...we floated right on by it until ziggyr yelled at me and pointed out CP5....we had gone past it about 50 meters!...as I backed up the kayak, Kari got out and waded upstream to collect the CP...Ziggyr had saved our race from a missed CP and proclaimed it a wedding present...the nicest one we had recieved...
the rest of the way we paddled well and used the others in front of us to confirm Contrl locations while I confirmed with the map...
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| transitions race 48 [3] | |
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| tranistion back from Kayak to Orienteeeing... |
| Orienteering race 44:51 [3] | |
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| ...back on foot with "Off the map" with us...we made short work of CP7 and 8 with a splashing good time using the creek as a navigation line feature....Kari and I both agreed later that this was our favorite part of the race....we took off on a bearing to get CP9 and quickly realized its green, leafy, and a tough bushwhack with not much to go on....with some back and forth discussion with "Off the map" and using a bit of everyones thoughts we managed to find the hill and then the South end opening in the canopy that led us to the control...another situation where we were aided by working with another team....Kari said ziggyr was on fire and we bushwhacked SW the road and saw Michael MCays 4 for attacking CP9 from the road as we were coming out....CP9 will also likely to prove the turning point for many teams in the race... |
| Paddling race 1:14:00 [3] | |
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| Picked up CP 10 and 11 on the 2nd river paddle....Kari spied 11 which could have been easy to go by....a team in front of us did just that and had to back track....we paddled really well as we kept pace with Stephen R 2 person team coming off the river with them....we had plenty of low areas where we had to get out and drag the boat but this was a good section for us....this time includes the tranisition to the kayak of 2:56 |
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| C • canoe control placements 2 |
| transitions race 14:02 [3] | |
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| transition from Kayak to Mt Bike....I really like the mandatory 10 minute Kayak cleaning rule...it keeps people from being sloppy on the cleaning and rewarded with a fast transition....also gives you time to hydrate and eat a bit when you might not so its adds to safety.....liked the whiteboard system...very good rule.. |
| Mt Bike 1:16:16 [3] | |
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| we picked up CP 12,13,14, and 15 on the mt bike with a methodical hesitant effort.....we were not sure if the CP's would be in view from the trail (they were) but we did not want to blow by them...I also could not read the faint trails lines on the map while riding even on my bike map board, this added to my caution....I figured we might were doing pretty good and I was afraid I might make a mistake and blow it....we could have ridden faster but in hind sight it was the appropriate effort given our situation...We were with Stephen R at CP12 but after Kari jammed a chain we did not see them again as they went on to finish 3rd in 2 person open.
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| C • CP12 , 14 and 15 were designed... 9 |
| transitions race 1:00 [3] | |
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| transition to foot for the last O section... |
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| C • 1 |
| Orienteering race 39:38 [3] | |
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| we get off the bike and Kari is running down the trail to get close to CP16..I and trying to run but I am feeling it....we over ran CP16 slightly because its tough to know when to go in to the woods...its on a spur and I then decide to back track back to the trail and take a longer trail route to get close to CP17....we could have taken shorter a bearing bushwhack route through green but I deem it to risky at this point in the game....(especially after my hail mary failure in the last race) our route is incredibly thick attacking from a curve in the trail but we end up at a swamp and like many teams have to decide if this swamp in front of us is in front of, or behind the control...we run into Mark from another 2 person open team and we decide it must be the smaller swamp on the map and we cross it to find the control feature hill...on the bushwhack out we drift a bit off our bearing but make it back to the trail and we are run/hike back to the TA......CP17 was another make or break control and we had managed it without a major error or time loss..... |
| transitions race 3:22 [3] | |
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| transition back to bikes... |
| Mt Bike race 20:18 [3] | |
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| bike to special test.. |
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| C • forgot to mention that we too... 1 |
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| C • 1 |
| special test race (trek/lake dip) 3:40 [3] | |
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| to the beach and in the water........ |
| Mt Bike race 22:38 [3] | |
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| get CP18 on the way to the finish....again being cautious so we dont blow it....I figured we had a decent race going and I did not want to blow it in the last minute....finished in 7:23:51 |
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| C • Wow. 7hrs of navigation. 6 |
Thursday Jul 12 |
| Note | |
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| ...unlogged 50 minute walk at Medicine Lake with Kari...wanting to be fresh for the 6-7 hours of fun on Saturday.... |
Wednesday Jul 11 |
| Swimming 32:53 [3] | |
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| included 3x200 in 3:07, 3:06, 3:02....cruise 200 inbetween them....also did hard/easy 50's...hard ones ciming in around :42....just doing enough to maintain some swim speed.... |
Tuesday Jul 10 |
| Orienteering 1:27:49 [2] | |
| ahr:130 |
| TNT with Kari....went very easy to try and save my right ankle/foot for Saturday...(130 HR avg) navigated well with a few bobbles here and there...Kari wanted to go faster to get a good workout but I held her back..I had to slow her down quite a few times...as soon as we started my foot was sore after feeling pretty good the last two days....I will have to work around it and suck it up on the Adv-O...it willl not be a problem on the bike or paddle but I may be using my best fast limp off trail and trail running.......got 14 of 18 controls....really enjoyed the course and the map....TNT has had some really good events.... |
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| C • Few words 3 |
Monday Jul 9 |
| Triathlon Bike 47:47 [3] | |
| ahr:130 |
| loops on local roads....didnt push real hard....I need to be careful to save myself for what Mike,Ian, and Jerritt have cooked up for this weekend....
please no pesky bugs........ |
Sunday Jul 8 |
| Mt Bike 1:18:13 [3] | |
| ahr:141 |
| 2 laps of Lebanon Hills plus a beginner loop with Kari....very sweaty ride but tons of fun....I think this is my favorite trails in the Twin Cities...it swoops and dives........ |
Saturday Jul 7 |
| weight machine 22:54 [3] | |
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| hoping to average 1.5 weight sessions a week to build some muscle.....use it or lose it.... |
| Hike 1:54:22 [1] | |
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| Kari and I were planning to run the trails at Wild River State Park but the heat and hills quicly tuned it into a hike...the park was ok but not one of my favorites....... |
| Hike 1:07:32 [2] | |
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| nice rocky hiking trail at Interstate State Park....including some rock scrambling....ankles were sore by the end of the hike... |
| Hike 20:00 [2] | |
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| hiking the big stair and uphill side streets in Stillwater.......ice cream also....... |
Friday Jul 6 |
| Triathlon Bike 54:11 [3] | |
| ahr:135 |
| got out n the triathlon bike and pushed the accelerator here and there....did a compact course using cedar lake and Glenwood.......... |
| Mt Bike (road) 1:35:31 [2] | |
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| ...Kari and I started out just looking to go for a social ride but we decided to go longer...Bryn Marr, Greenway, W River, Warehouse district, Glenwood home..... |
Thursday Jul 5 |
| Note | |
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| ...great, simple marriage ceremony with Kari at Peace Gardens followed by grueling photo shoot at Rose Garden, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isle, Sculpture Garden, and Guthrie...also including a few bride carrying activities....
who said modeling isnt tough.... |
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| C • Congratulations and 3 |
Tuesday Jul 3 |
| Mt Bike 1:05:49 [4] | |
| ahr:153 |
| Kari and I jumped on the mt bikes this morning and before we knew it we were team time trialing at about 85% effort...bike trails from our apt. to around Harriet and back.....I was feeling good so I pulled 80% of the time but Kari came around and took a few pulls.....when all was said and done we had averaged 16.1 mph on our mt bikes and we got some good drafting practice in...... |
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| C • Time Trial 2 |
Sunday Jul 1 |
| Mt Bike 1:45:33 [2] | |
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| biked with Kari on the Greenway trail over to Dinkytown across Stone Arch, upt to boom Island, Downton and Glenwood home.....still sore from yesterday.... limping on my right ankle in the morning till it get warmed up....I twisted it in the Spring Sprint AR and it stiffens up after racing on it... |