2012 Lavaman Keauhou Olympic Triathlon

Fear kept me from attacking any hills during training, after my nasty bike crash nearly 3 months ago.  Didn't run much hills either during training. No excuse there. It was scheduled once a week alongside the speed work and long training runs for Honolulu Marathon. Just felt like I needed to rest my legs more for the long runs. All that and the pressure of training for two different types of races a few weeks apart. More focus was on the Honolulu Marathon, but I still wanted to do well at Keauhou.

Joe Wedemman lent me his wetsuit for the swim, which made me feel like I was floating. The Outrigger closed down, so our new host was the Sheraton. The transition was a bit long, but it gave my legs a good warmup and bonus time to take off the wetsuit on the way. Had a little trouble with the legs, so I sat down to take them off. 1500m swim in 0:30:44 for 88th/320 and a 1:42 transition

This was the 2nd time I rode my TT since the crash. Had 28s on the back, but only 39 up front. Could've used a 34 for this climb. That first hill out of transition was killer. HR spiked at 180, then I eased off back down to 160s. Kam3 was a nightmare. I didn't have the gears or legs to get my cadence above the low 60s. My HR was steady 160, and my speed was a sad 7mph avg up the hill. On the way down, my cadence dropped to practically 0, because I was still afraid of going fast downhill, which was proof in my still elevated HR lol, I topped out at 35mph on this first section. I had no choice now but to go. It was a race! By the 2nd downhill section, I felt more comfortable. I think it was then when I hit 44.2mph, my fastest to date. I thought coming down Kaiwi St was going to be sketchy, but it actually wasn't as steep as Kaleiopapa St. I wasn't prepared for that one, and the transition turnoff felt like it was still on that slope! 26.7mile bike in 1:26:13 (18.72mph) for 107th/320 and a 1:45 transition. Avg HR 158bpm, 1,095' of climbing about 81 cadence.

The run was brutal. Started with a hill and the rest was through the golf course. Tried to chase down Kawika Singson and Adam Busek, but they kept getting away. The last mile flattened out and I finally gained some ground. Kawika is the best sport! He kept cheering me to catch him, which also kept pushing him to run harder. Finally caught him with less than a quarter mile to go. Missed Adam by a few seconds. The 100m home stretch was too narrow and windy to catch him.  6.2mile run in 0:47:39 (7:41 pace) for 42nd/320.

Overall 02:48:03 for 69th/320 overall and 5th/22 (30-34M)

Official results http://www.jtltiming.com/results/lavak.html
Garmin tracker http://connect.garmin.com/activity/244795922

TeamMangoRaces - Sprint Triathlon - Feb 28, 2010

Left warm, dry Hilo at 5am. Kona was warm, dry and sunny by 7am. The water was flat and clear.


swim - 1/3 mile (to last bouy) - 0:09.46.90

bike - 14 mile (to the pit) - 0:50.31

run - 2 mile (to kahakai rd) - 0:13.46

Had a great swim, but didn't have anything on the bike. Felt really good on the run.

Jeremy and I were anxious on eating at Sushi Enfuego since Thursday's run. Tim Robinson broke the bad news that they had moved to Waimea. We got shut down by 3 other sushi bars on the way to Bike Works, Sports Authority, and Big Island Running Co. I guess th

ey don't get much biz on Sundays. We gave up on sushi and decided to get some burgers. Got shut d by Outback also, so went to Oceans for sashimi, hot wings, Lavaman, buffalo ranch chicken sandwich (pictured) for me and a Philly cheese steak for Jeremy (pictured)

Overstuffed his Landcruiser with food from Costco, tripped out on some Waimea rainbows, then eagerly

returned home... to cold, windy rain.

2010 Triathlon Training: Month 1

Completed my first full month of triathlon training.

View the original post if you can't see the table
http://mike-brown.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-triathlon-training-month-1.html

	Swim	Bike	Run	Swim	Bike	Run
	Hours			Miles
Week 1	0:45	1:20	2:20	1.31	17.30	15.70
Week 2	2:09	2:30	3:29	4.00	43.50	21.16
Week 3	2:46	0:00	2:52	4.83	0.00	18.70
Week 4	1:14	0.00	0:31	2.31	0.00	3.10
Week 5	3:19	0:00	1:38	6.04	0.00	10.20
Month 1	10:46	3:50	11:25	19.48	60.80	72.86

Need to find more time for the bike. Always think about setting up the trainer and a movie on the laptop but never actually do it. It should at least match the swim and run times.

With Fire Fighter Recruit training coming up, I'll be spending a ton of time running and swimming (I hope so), so it works out that I've been concentrating on those 2. Was thinking about packing on a weighted vest for my runs to help simulate FF gear. Maybe I'll borrow Eric's for a run or two.

View my Google Spreadsheet Training log http://tr.im/sbr247

2010 Triathlon Training: Week 2

2010's first full triathlon training week has ended.

I got in 4.5 hours last week, and the week prior was all rest. The gym has been getting a lot of my attention in the past 3 months. While strength training has given me added power for those nasty hills and pulling the last few hundred feet to shore, I don't feel AWESOME like I do after a swim, bike, and/or run. After strength training, I feel miserable and sore.

So I've scratched my itch and now I can't stop scratching. I love multisport.

Week 2 miles/hours:
Swim 4.23 miles, 2:16 hours
Bike 43.50 miles, 2:30 hours
Run 21.16 miles, 3:29 hours
Gym/Yoga 3:45 (including rest)
12 hours total

http://tr.im/sbr247

I won't attempt to qualify for Ironman this year, but I'll do as much sprint and Oly triathlons as I can squeeze in between Fire Fighter Recruit training class

Big Island Mountain Biking Association’s 12th annual Poker-Run Fun-Ride

Adam invited me to join he and Joe to the 2009 "Kulani Experience". I don't have a mountain bike so he was kind enough to lend me his. I haven't been on a bike since my last race, so this would be fun. Oh yeah, and I haven't gone off-roading since childhood. Being somewhat out of shape and on an outdated, unfamiliar MTB, I opted for the beginner's 7-mile course along the mac-nut farm.

It was cold, wet and foggy. The race started around 11am and I don't even know how long I took. I just know that a few miles in, I started to have some FUN! I felt like a kid again. Just letting go and enjoying the ride.

http://hilobikehub.blogspot.com/2010/01/uh-at-hilos-mountain-bike-scene-and-fun.html

Since it was a poker run, we collected cards throughout the journey. I had 2 pairs, which was the highest hand. I had first crack at the table of prizes from the Hilo Bike Hub. I went straight for the road bike helmet. Thanks Chris!

I also got to catch up with my buddy Joe while waiting for Adam to finish the advanced course (17.5 miles!). Those are Adam's legs. One was from eating dirt. The other was from his pedal. Ow. Joe's currently fighting fires on the South side right now so I pray that he stays safe out there.

On the road again!

After Mango, I took a month off cardio to focus on strength training and relax a bit, on the advice of friends Adam and Joe.

Exactly a month later, Kona buddy Bree calls for a scenic ride through Kilauea Volcano Park. I'm down for that!

Riding the Volcano...

Bree's version of the story is a lot more pretty.

What a ride! The sun was out in full force... and WOW that's a tough climb. Not the ideal ride to start the year with, but no regrets! No way! I didn't tell Bree and Pablo this was my first ride in a month. Yeah... I got to ride with them! :P

24 miles down a 4500ft descent... then back up!

Muscle cramps. I've never seen my legs flex and twitch like that before! lol

Pablo and Bree had to come back to find me laying on a cool bed of grass in the shade, about 10 miles and 1000ft of elevation left to travel. And they basically pushed and pulled me the rest of the way. Riding in a car was not an option. I couldn't have done it without such great friends.

I wanna do it again! (after I get more training in, of course)

Post-Lavaman Keauhou Party, Peaman Biathlon, Pre-IM Tri Course Preview

Joe hosted a Post-Lavaman Keauhou Celebration where I helped Bill lose in a game of pool volleyball against Mark and Joe. They were snipers against us... well me, particularly.

Food was awesome! Jeremy and Kelly made stuffed pasta shells. Bill and Lorraine brought Chinese Chicken Salad. The guys hibachi'd the chicken I picked up on sale from KTA, while we played vball. Joe and Veronica made fruit salad, hot dogs, burgas (with all kinds of toppins), and best of all... deserts and drinks!

I was about to drive over to Tanner's to stay the night and drive over together to Kona in the morning, when I realized I was missing my charger and my cell was almost dead. So I slept at home. Only, I got about 3 hrs sleep. Meh.

Got to the race an hour ahead of schedule. Oops... Sorry guys!

We were definitely relaxed before the race, with tons of time to prep. We setup a towel to put all 3 of our transition items atop and wipe our feet on.

Peaman gave the race instructions and we were off at the pop/fizz of a 2 liter soda bottle reacted with Mentos. Conditions were a little rough. The currents made me zigzag a bunch. I have never sited soo much in a swim before. At least it wasn't choppy, or tooo choppy. 1200m in 26:30 for a 2:21/100m pace. But I felt like I worked a lot harder than the 1500m last week. My shoulders and chest feel worked. Got bumped a lot more, even though there were 1/4 the participants at most. Got my goggles elbowed, but they hung on tough! Tanner's leaked, though. He should look at a different style.

Transition was kinda fun. Wasted 5-10s getting my running shorts over my speeedo briefs (and untying/loosening them as well). Rinsed my feet, wiped em on the towel, put on socks, shoes in about a minute. Grabbed my water bottle. Up and at em in about 1:15.

I realized after about a mile that... I have never ran immediately after a swim! LOL this is new. I couldn't find my stride, my right calf gave symptoms of an upcoming cramp. Better take it easy. Kept pace with a friendly local Monica for a half mile, then felt okay to move up. While chatting with her, Bree zips past us at an unreal pace, still smiling! Joe crossed me a hundred yards or so from the turnaround. He looked strong though. I told Monica I wouldn't be able to catch him, but I'd try. Before the turnaround, a guy in a black ponytail zooms past me. I barely see him throughout the race. Joe is long gone.

Finished the run with a stick labeled 65. My overall time was 58:00 even. Estimated run was 30:25 for a pace of 7:34. Not too shabby. Tanner came in shortly after. He looked strong at the finish. I still wanna know how Adam trains with 9min/mile runs off the bike, and races at low 7's.

Joe and I later talked stories with the other athletes. The ponytail guy was Fredo. There was another guy around same pace, name Rob (I think... me and names... yeesh), who wore a lauhala hat on the run!

I also bumped into Kris after the race. He didn't race. I offered for him to join us on the pre-course ride, but he was headed out for a long ride on QueenK. He's prepping for Ironman 70.3 Championship! Good luck bro! Good luck to his wife as well, Kim (I think), who is training for Ironman Championship!

Finally got a pic with my Super-Friend Bree! She's gonna rock Ironman 2009 Championship. Representing Hawaii, F.B.I.!

I had called Bree about a description of the TeamMangoRaces Pre-IM Tri course but... me and directions, and times... yeesh. Each bike loop is just under 5 miles, for a total of 3 nasty loops. 1.2mile swim at Kailua Pier (should take me about 42 mins), then ride along Ali'i to Hualalai and up onto Kuakini. Uphill took me about 7 mins (with about 15s of heavy hammering at the end). The remaining ride was about 10 mins. Then, after 3 of those (about 51mins), we get to run it once! 6 mile run which I'll shoot for 7:40 pace (about 45mins). Total time 138mins plus 3 mins transition = 2:21.

Near Fall

Rested Friday after P90x, and Saturday (minus some house chores). Met up with Ferd Babas, Joe Wedemman, Brandon Parea, and Jeremy Buttz at Adam Busek's house for our weekly brick at 1pm on Sunday. We ventured up from the middle of Kaloli (200' elev.) onto and along the Keaau Bypass Road (400-600') for 10 miles. We turned down onto Kapoho Rd then Pohoiki Rd (where Big Bill Hubbard joined up with us) for 4.5 miles to reach sea level.

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This was a great warmup. Mostly downhill, but windy. The roads were wet and we were going at a relatively unsafe speed. I can't even begin to imagine how fast Bill was going, cause he took off like a madman, and I didn't see him until we got to the water faucet.

Kalapana Road (sea level, 11.5 miles) was a bit hilly. This was the most scenic portion of the ride. About 5 miles onto it, I realized I wasn't gaining momentum before the uphills. That's why I was getting beat up and building a gap (they were just within sight). I also blame the scenery for losing speed. I caught up with about a mile left till Ahia Rd and got into 2nd position. I almost missed the turn! Glancing right on Ahia, I saw Bill's white shirt and made a quick U-ey.

We stopped for about 5 mins to refill water. Insane Joe ventured up Opihikau (sp?), grew unpatient at the top, then came back down to meet us.

It was a 7 mile climb from sea level to 1k ft elevation. Just over 17 miles total back from sea level to Adam's house.

Joe punished the hills and I tried to keep up with the monster. On a downhill section of Kalapana Rd, we were going at least 30, maybe close to 40 (I didn't have my speedometer onboard). I tried to avoid something nasty on the road, and ended up slipping on either the white line or a reflector. I wobbled for a split second or more. I kept low and tried to keep control. There was a 75% chance I was gonna hit pavement hard. Luckily, I made it through. I took a deep breath or two, and used the adrenaline rush to gun it. I overtook Adam and Joe and went about 90% all the way back. I glanced over every few minutes and didn't see anyone behind. I wanted a good lead on the bike this time instead of playing catchup on the run. Overall ride was 44.5 miles in 2:35:21 including the water break.

1:52 in transition; refilling my gel and Endurolytes. Leaving the driveway, I was surprised to see Ferd and Brandon coming in. I cheered them on and took off. 30 seconds later, I realized I was speeding. I loosened my stride, easing up my breathing and HR. I committed to 6 miles. Passed Brandon again about 1.5 miles in and told him where to turn around. He looked winded but was trying to maintain composure. Almost 2 miles in, I passed Bill who was hunched in agony. He had bad cramps in both hamstrings. I gave him some endurolytes and my water.

I turned into the driveway (16:07 minutes into the run) to refill on water and endurolytes (an extra 3:49 to get back to main road). I felt pretty damned good. But it was getting sunnier and I was headed uphill. I kept my long-sleeve dri-fit on to help take a beating in the sun. I'm wondering now if it actually did the opposite by helping me keep shaded and cool. 3.5 miles in, I poured some water on my hat, back and chest to help lighten the load I was carrying in my hand. Oops, that made my shirt heavy.

Another 15:18 into the run, I hit the turnaround. Cool. I opened up and turned the 15 into 13:20, following Brandon's 4 miler. Turns out I only went 5.25 miles on the run. But I ran into the driveway twice, so I may have topped 5.5. Overall training time was 3:25:20.

Bill told me the Endurolytes and H2O fixed his cramps in about 5 minutes. That made me feel great, and was good to know. I have a feeling Bill's gonna take the podium for his age group.

Turns out Brandon's only 18! He's gonna make a name for himself in the next few years. He might make the podium also for his age group.

I want it. I feel great. I actually trained for an event. My age group (M30-34) is stacked. Last year's Lavaman Waikoloa featured Chris "Macca" McCormack, Tim Marr and John Flanagan, placing 1, 3 and 4 overall, respectively. All 3 pros with sub-2hr times. The age-groupers were only about 10 minutes behind. For now, I just want to break 3hrs.

We're also planning on hitting up the www.TeamMangoRaces.com Pre-Ironman Triathlon on Sunday, September 27th at Kailua Pier. 1.2 mile swim, 15 mile hilly bike, 6 mile hilly run. All fun, and free!

I couldn't convince Ferd to get into triathlon yet. I think he's in once he gets his first marathon over with (he's also doing the www.HonoluluMarathon.com in December). Jeremy might do it also.

Insani-P90x 1.8, Swim, Yoga, Run

Wednesday 9/3, 7:00

Insani-P90x 1.8 - Power Cardio

I need to start rating the amount of abuse each body part gets per workout so I can schedule Insanity, P90x and Endurance training together. Scoring is 5 extreme, 0 untouched

Body Part	Duration	Severity
Glutes	4	4
Hams	3	4
Calves	4	3
Abs	4	2
Tri's	2	3
Shoulders	2	2
Chest	1	2

Had enough time to recover from P90x Chest and Back on Monday to do well on the push-ups. The tri rises at the end were a bit tough after Wednesday's P90x Shoulders and Arms. The V-Ups didn't seem to be a problem though. Do the smaller muscles heal quicker?

Wednesday 9/3, 12:30

Got soaked while pulling my bike from the car in the rain! Pedaled to the pool for a quick 1km swim. I watched another swimmer during my interval rest. He's quick. I mimicked how he kept his feet near the surface. Seemed to be more efficient. It's also much easier to swim after Insanity days than P90x days.

Wednesday 9/3, 16:30

Yoga. I did a headstand!

Wednesday 9/3, 17:45

Run. 8 miles with Jeremy. Easy 38min run from Coconut Island to Richardson's and 40min back.

Insanity 1.6, Double-Brick, P90x 3.1, Yoga, Insanity 1.7

Insanity 1.6 was... skipped. Saturday is my rest/recovery day. I'm not sure if I should push everything back or just lose a day. Sunday was double-brick day and I didn't have enough in me to do Power Cardio also.

---

Met some cool endurance athletes at the Sunday HPP double-brick. Adam Busek (veteran Triathlete, kickboxing instructor, Human Anatomy Biologist Bicycle Salesperson who I regularly seek for nutrition and training advice) kindly hosted John (Adam's young nephew from SF), Brandon (young fresh Triathlete from Hilo, HS wrestler), Bill Hubbard (older, fresh Clydesdale Triathlete from Kapoho area), Joe Wedemman (Clydesdale veteran of many things. I look up to him in more ways than one), Jeremy Buttz (young fresh Triathlete from Hilo, fast fast fast), and another young guy but can't remember the name.

First 20k bicycle loop was done as a pack in just under 40 mins. Adam has an excellent judgement of pace and maintained that throughout. I slowly crawled my way from the back of the pack to the middle. When a large gap appeared behind Adam (leader), I rode up to 2nd and encouraged the other 2 to follow and close it. The last 3 miles are downhill with a strong headwind. Jeremy and Brandon sped up to take the lead. Adam kept his pace and eventually caught up. I focused on pulling up with my core to save my legs for an efficient stride on the run.

Transition was lightning quick for each of us (15-30 seconds).

I'm not sure when/where but I broke loose on the run and maintained the lead for the majority of the 2 miles. I loosened up near the turnaround only to find Adam a few steps behind. Aww shit, "pick it up... pick it up!" (Tony-ism #27). And the 2nd half is uphill. Yay...! All I can say is... thank you P90x/Insanity. Adam finished right behind me in about 15 minutes. Big Bill commended me on my posture and stride. I was more impressed that he was right behind, at his age and size.

We rested for 10-15 mins. Reloaded our fuel. Reapplied sunblock (don't forget it!). This time around, I loaded up on NO-Xplode.

2nd bicycle loop, Jeremy took OFF! Brandon and Joe held steadily behind until halfway though. Joe caught up to Jeremy, and Brandon faded to just within my sight. Big Bill laughed when I later told them my highway mantra "I'm gonna get you f'rs... I'm gonna get you f'rs..." It helped me focus on breathing and pulling up with my core again. I barely saved anything for the run. As I pulled into the driveway, Joe and Jeremy were already running out. As I parked my bike, Brandon was heading out. I finished in 39:46 including transition.

I took off like a maniac this time. I passed Brandon by the time I got to the road. There's no way they're beating me here. Jeremy/Joe were a few roads ahead (1/3 mile or so). I was landing harder on my heels and pushing long strides off my toes. I overemphasized my arm-swing to "pull" myself closer.

1/3 way through, some random guy on a mountain bike whispered "they're about a quarter-mile ahead" as he passed. I laughed back "Thanks! I got em... I got em"

I joked with Joe a bit at the turnaround "Pleasant day for a run, isn't it? How do you do?"

We all encouraged each other as we passed (it really does help... even a sun-burnt, sweat-ridden smile helps keep you going).

I slowly closed the gap to 1 road. But they were too fast. My watch read 14:39 as I entered the driveway. I didn't have enough energy to stop it.

Then when I tried to stop it, it wouldn't. No matter how much I cursed at it.

We all shared advice and laughs as time flew by while we recovered. What a fun training group.

We planned to meet at Richardson's to float and stretch. I couldn't find anyone when I got there so I jumped in and took an easy swim and left.

---

Back to P90x with Chest and Back.

Exercise	Set 1	Set 2
Std Push-Ups	30	25
Wide-Front Pull-Ups	15	9+3
Military Push-Ups	25	20
Reverse-Grip Chin-Ups	15	10+5
Wide-Fly Push-Ups	25	20
Close-Grip Overhand Pull-Ups	10	10
Decline Push-Ups	15	17
Heavy Pants	30#x20	30#x25
Diamond Push-Ups	20	17
Lawnmowers	30#x15	30#x20
Dive-bomber Push-Ups	8	9
Back Flys	30#x20	30#x25

I went heavy/hard on the first set. I forgot what I was(n't) capable of. Now I have a new list for next time. I'll start with the 2nd set #'s. But this won't happen for 2 weeks because of Lavaman Keauhou.

---

Yoga Class. We did a bunch of core work. I don't remember much of the class because I felt soo relaxed afterwards. I kinda zoned out on the way to Richardson's. Did a quick 300m. Joe, Shaun and Harry were hanging out and called me over.

---

Insanity 1.7 Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs. LOL at Shaun-T-ism "Damn! That SH*T was baNAAnas, YO!" I substituted the push-ups (from the suicide push-up drills) with extended plank run (healing from yesterday's P90x chest workout). I also subbed the much missed (seriously) push-up jacks with jumping jacks and running in place. It's not the same without either workout. But I didn't do too bad in scheduling (only missing out on 2 parts of the drills).

I FORGOT MY FINS! I hope my legs aren't too burnt out for a 1km swim. The stretching should help my chest and back though. LET'S DO IT!

Wait, I need to rest my legs for this afternoon's 8 mile run with speedy Jeremy. Oh boy. Balance. I'll use my core. Wait, I just did a 15 minute ab workout this morning. I'll just drown...

Toe Be-Gone, Yoga, Insanity 1.5

Warm-up ride to the pool and an easy 600m swim. My left side baby toe kicked the wall at the end of the 200m warmup. 75% chance it's broken, but on the bright-side: my right side big toe has healed since I finally kept off it by not running for a while (P90x and Insanity don't count :P ). That little bugger's almost a useless toe anyway. But I can hardly run correctly without the big toe. I need to incorporate fins in my next swim so I can re-learn to force my feet flat. Breathing's getting easier again. I think I can handle 1000m non-stop. 1 week to bring it back up to 1600m. Just a little concerned. I think I could do it under pressure, but my form would get all whack.

Rode up to Yoga class. Forgot my loose clothes and mat so I had boardshorts, an undershirt, and had to bike to Pono's for my workout mat. Trout made a make-shift carrying strap and off I went. Still made it just about on time. Sat down and was already dripping profusely with sweat. This class focused on back extension and it's natural curve. Years of slouching especially disagreed with the wide-legged sit.

Rachelle really got my butt off the ground doing bridge. I could barely get the top of my head off the ground until she pulled my hips up. I forced my pose to lessen the resistance on her hands. I think that's what she wanted me to do. Don't think I got anywhere near the stance in the pic, but it sure as hell felt like it! It's really difficult to push the elbows toward each other while keeping your hands below your shoulders.

Had trouble sleeping with the throbbing toe pain, but I was too exhausted to not sleep.

Insanity 1.5 - Pure Cardio. When Shaun-T says he's nervous about today's workout, embrace it. 15 minutes of non-stop Pure Cardio, after that brutal 3-stage warmup. You know you're doing a badass workout when these fitness freak demonstrators take breaks in between. At one moment it appeared that only a third of them were on-stage. If they were only acting winded, I was sold on it. It helped me feel powerful. Being able to keep pace while they were taking breaks. 5 days in and I'm already feeling massive improvements in the depth and explosiveness of my squats (frog jumps, power squats, power jacks, etc). I just wonder how the hell am I supposed to do Cardio Abs after this mofo.

But I'm grinning. You know why? Next week is HELL WEEK. Check out my Google Calendar if you're curious. I haven't added the noon workouts yet, but they're gonna be 1 hour of either swim, bike and/or run.

5 O'Clock Shadow, Insanity 1.4

Rode my bike home to Pepeekeo yesterday (roughly 10 miles from work, slightly uphill) in 40 min. Waited a little at 2 stoplights. Other than that, it was just me producing a slow 16.6mph. Along the way, I noticed a shadowy character keeping me company. He had no voice, but managed to help me correct my posture.

Insanity 1.4 - Cardio Max Recovery

. This video was easier and tougher at the same time. It's like a mind-f**k. There's no intense cardio warmup. It feels like you're gonna be doing easy stretches and deep breathing for 45 mins. About 10-15mins(?) in, we get into some good deep, burning stretches, then another 15 mins we get into an awesome slow-twitch workout. I do feel relaxed, and believe my HR was around 130-160. I'm really interested in my HR, and should've been monitoring from 1.1. Next week, I suppose. Cousin Mark still has my Polar HRM, so I'll use my secondary strap and download an iPhone app to monitor it.

Brick on N.O., Insanity Day 1

Sunday Brick with Adam, Jeremy and Brian (bike only) - Warmed up, stretched out with a 400m open water swim at Richardson's then headed to HPP for the 2pm brick. Sun was in/out of the clouds, ~80F, Humidity in the mid 70's. 1.5 scoops NO-X, 30 min pre 40k ride, and 1.5 scoops NO-X at transition to 10k run. Stomach wasn't bothered much on the run. This might just work. I've been going no/low carb up until Sunday morning with 2 pre-race organic pop-tarts.

Quads cramped a bit at 9k, downhill portion of the run. Walked for a few seconds and decided to push through. Loosened and lengthened my stride. The P90x back and core workouts helped me improve and maintain my posture throughout the run. It was easier to focus on gently pulling my shoulders down and back. The second half of the run was finished strong. I waited too long to take my gel on the ride, and my stomach gave me noise about it.

Had trouble sleeping. Propped my feet up and wore my compression socks to sleep and into Insanity.

Insanity Day 1 - Fitness Test (what I now will call Confidence Test :)

Exercise	Mike	Eric
Switchkicks	110	110
Squat Jump?	55	55
Power Knees R	75	86
Power Jumps	50	41
Globe Jumps	14	5
Suicide Jumps	23	16
Push-Up Jacks	45	31
Low-Plank Obliques	60	32
Power Knees L	70	N/A

I noticed the vid skipped the opposite side Power Knees, so I RW to finish up. Was a bit tougher to do the other side at the end of the test.

Quite a workout for 30 min. Gotta loooove the quick warmup! Shaun-T gets right into it. Eric's a beast at strength, but cardio is my game. We're planning on pairing Insanity and P90x on the short Insanity days. I have to credit P90x for our ability to keep pace with the demonstrators' results. It's gonna be tough to improve upon our scores. We'll see if Insanity can deliver as expected.

Looking through the discs was hilarious. Cardio this, cardio that, cardio cardio. This is gonna kick our asses. We hope.


Got a fresh pair of compression socks at work, and trying to give my legs a rest (AFTER standing around with a 130min tech support call in the garage). They're not bothering me as much as last night, but they deserve a break.

Gonna shoot for 600m in the pool within the next 30min, then Yoga class after work.

Back to no/low carbs until Sunday for a double-brick (Jeremy's crazed idea).

Mauna Loa Hike & Sea-to-Stars Mauna Kea Bike Climb

Haven't posted anything in a while. Doesn't mean I haven't been up to much, just tired of writing.

2 adventures happened since last post. Both were up mountains.


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I've never been up Mauna Loa, so I signed up for a backpack trip with the Sierra Club July 25-26. We hiked from 6,000ft elevation for 6mi to 10,000ft where we stayed at the Red Hill Cabin. It took us over half a day to get up there with breaks every hour. I pounded my PB&J sammiches every hour, which gave me tons of energy. I felt lightheaded around 9k ft, but no headaches. The sun was intense, and I burned easily. When we got to the cabin, my legs were good, but I felt dizzy. We ate dinner and I lay down on one of the top bunks to relieve some neck and upper-back strain. 15 minutes later I felt nauseous. I sat up for a while until it had to come out... twice. So I decided to sleep outside. Sherryl and Cheryl were nice enough to lend me an extra sleeping bag and jacket to keep warm. The fresh air was a huge help though. Took an aspirin and slept good after that. Turns out, as Diane pointed out, elevation decreases the body's ability to digest food. So I shouldn't have ate enough for 3. Next morning, I felt like a champ! After at least 8 hours of rest, I was ready to go. I signed out early and ran down. I made it until 8,500ft where the path was only navigable at a slow pace. Plus I owed Sherryl a sammich. So I lay down and waited for the group. That was a good 1 hour nap :) We all joined up at Lava Cafe for burgers and monster taco salads. Made great friends on this trip (Cheryl & Dave, Alina, Sherryl, Rodney, John and Diane) and hope to see them again on the next hike.

Yeah, I don't feel very descriptive today.


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This past weekend, I went up the other mountain. This time on 2 wheels. We started from the singing bridge in downtown Hilo and rode up 9,000ft for 34mi to Hale Pohaku on Mauna Kea. It was 5 hours and 45 minutes of hell. My legs were burning for the first and last 2k ft. They managed to go numb in between. My taint is still sore. I took 5min breaks every hour to gain back feeling in my crotch, so Jr should still be good to go. I gave my bike a break and walked her up a mile or so on the Mauna Kea Access Road, which isn't hilly... there's no level areas. I'm just glad I finished. Not bad for managing to stay off my bike since Honu (2.5 months ago). I'm breaking 4hrs next year. Bree Wee congratulated me on my finish and took a pic with me too! She's got such a great personality and am glad I met her.

Ironman 70.3 Hawaii

Half Ironman - Done.

Overall
Pos 626/1101
Time 06:26:21
Plc/Total 67/88
Cat M30-34
# 1047
Swim
Cat 66
Ovr 689
Time 41:10
/100m 2:04
Tr1 6:21
Bike
Cat 61
Ovr 560
Time 3:02:38
Mile/hr 18.4
Tr2 5:36
Run
Cat 65
Ovr 691
Time 2:30:38
/Mile 11:30

As you can see from my Cat & Ovr Places, I was fairly average.

The open water swim was more congested than I had expected. The first turn was only about 30 degrees, but there were 1300 of us squeezing through in about 5-10 minutes. I got elbowed a few dozen times. My feet were touched about 60% of the time. Someone actually pulled down on my ankle at one point. The water was warm, calm and glassy. The deepest spots were about 75 ft. I opened up on the second half where I steared away from the pack and was able to stretch out and keep my own pace. Not much time goes into the swim. I feel if my cardio enhances, so will my swim. My technique could always use help but I'm fairly satisfied so far.

I felt best on the bike. Which is funny cause it's the sport which has received the least amount of my attention. I passed people uphill and downhill. I mashed near and through the peaks and attained max speed through to the flats where I coasted/rested a few seconds, then repeated. There were soooo many rule-breakers out there. There was a guy who drafted basically the entire ride. Another rode inside of the white line the entire ride. Only one rider out of everyone that I passed eased up as I called 'your left!'. Joe said he's never seen it like this before. As I passed mile marker 11 on the way to Hawi, Craig Alexander blew past. He was fkn flying it! I realized why after the turnaround. That 900ft climb paid off. There isn't much I hope to improve upon, besides cardio (aerobic work). But I'm always expecting/inviting new methods. Jess' training advice has helped a TON for the bike. I have changed my mind about getting a tri bike so soon.

I had originally thought I had failed big time on the Run, but it wasn't that bad. I walked about half of it. Felt I had ate/drank too much on the bike/run. Plus I had my racing flats in the repair shop so I had my training shoes, which got super heavy when filled with water after dousing myself every few miles. Jess had me focus on running off the bike, but I haven't put enough effort on the runs.

I am glad I was able to finish. Now that I know I can finish, I'll need to get faster. I need to put a LOT more effort into my training. I hope to knock off 1hr by next year.

5 mins off the swim
4 mins off Tr1
15 mins of Bike
4 mins off Tr2
35 mins off Run

My weight got cut down to 160lbs this week. It's an ideal race weight, but I'd still need to replace some fat with muscle. P90X with Eric M-T-Th-F. Master's Swimming on Wednesday. Bike/Run M-F. Tri on Saturday. Rest/Stretch Sunday.

Next up is Joe Wedemann's bike-around-the-island (about 230 miles) on June 20th (I'll do the second half with him), Kona Marathon on June 29th, P-Mango Sprint Triathlon July 12th. I'm looking forward to more races, especially triathlons.

New Aero Bars | Flat Tire | Swim Class

Got my new aero bars installed during lunch yesterday, so I took it for a spin after work. Love the way the bars make my body feel in the wind. Also feel that I can put more force down and back in the spin.

Went for a beach cruise at 6pm and almost made it to 4miles Beach when I got a flat in the rear tube. First tire change! Argh! Was a pain figuring out how to remove the tire. Took a good 20-30 mins. Stopped keeping track around 15 mins. Tried patching the tube. I don't know if this is even possible. Inflated and still heard a leak, so swapped with the spare tube. Was fun getting the tire back on. Began pumping away when the valve stem snapped in my pump. FML. Luckily I had my phone. Right after calling Mai, Sharon stopped by and offered help. I thanked her and began walking back until Mai stopped. Haven't really talked to her in a while so we had dinner at Miyo's.

This morning:
Swam 1300 of the instructed 1500m in about 27mins, while everyone else waited. 2 of the kids did it in 20mins. Unreal. 4x50m kicking with flat kickboard, then 2x50m with some kind of triangle device. 6x50m every minute. Sadly, my rest got shorter and short each lap.

I remembered to keep my hands shoulder width apart, stroke down the center, rotate hips, elbows high and above my hands, keep my fingers close to the top of the water, and keep a steady flutter kick.

800m in, Jon advised me to stretch out more with my hands, front and back. This kinda wore me out though.

1100m in, Jon stopped me and said I was dragging my legs. It didn't feel like it. He also said to keep my fingers close together. He said I was putting my hands flat onto the water and pushing down just to keep my upper body afloat.

Keeping momentum on the kick was tough. I'm getting stronger and more economical at it though.

Captain Cook Tri Challenge

SWIM: 1 mile Kealakekua Bay Napoopoo Beach across Kealakekua Bay towards Captain Cook Monument exiting the SWIM at the Monument
and T1

TRAIL RUN: 2.5 miles STARTING at Cook Monument with a 1,500 ft. elevation gain ending at the TOP of Coffee Mill Rd.

BIKE: 28 miles - 1 & 1/2 x Laps on a hilly circut course. Start at T2 - TOP of COFEE MILL Rd. heading up the road to the STOP sign- Turn Right climb up towards and past Captain Cook Village heading SOUTH till intersection at the Honaunau Post Office- Turn RIGHT down towards Puuhonua o Honaunau, Pass the Natl. Park heading towards Kealakekua Bay on Old Government Rd. back at the Bay turn up COFFEE MILL Rd. for another Lap ending the Bike back at Kealakekau Bay and T3

2nd RUN: Starts T3 (Kealakekua Bay) Heading SOUTH through Napoopoo Village then out on Old GovernmentRd. till the TURN-AROUND at 2 miles out, returning back to Kealakekua Bay, and the FINISH LINE of the Captain Cook Tri Challenge

From the Team Mango website http://teammangoraces.com/Captain_Cook_Course_Map.html

Times

• Segment - Distance - Split Time - Total Time
• Swim - 1 mile - 34:45.93 - 34:45.93
• T1 - 5:59.57 - 40:45
• Trail Run - 37:56.71 - 1:18.42
• T2 - 6:59.13 - 1:25.41
• Bike Lap1 - 1:31.04 - 2:56.45
• Bike Lap1.5 - 48:23.79 - 3:45.09
• T3 - 1:06.30 - 3:46.15
• Run - 59:42.33 - 4:45.57

Honestly, I was not prepared for this. I've been slacking on the tri training, and this was a great example to show it.

SWIM - 1 mile - 34:45.93. The swim started around 8:15am. The sun was at our backs, just coming over the mountains. There's something about Kona water that I just love, and yesterday was evidence of that. High tide was at 4am, low tide at 10am, so the water was fairly calm. I could see reef for a few seconds, then it was all blue till the finish. It was a dark eerie blue. With the sun at our backs, it's rays penetrated the water in front of us, leading the way to the monument. I haven't swam a mile in a year, so past halfway was 'survival mode'. Sink or swim. I tried to draft the swimmers with fins. This helped me maintain course as well. My eyes played tricks on me about 2/3 way through. You think you see something in the water, but glance longer on the next rotation and there's nothing there. The monument would NOT get larger. It seemed to tease me. It only got larger when I reached the opposite reef, which was only about 20ft to the concrete platform. It was fun getting up. The reef got about 2ft shallow for the last 5ft. There was only 1 rock to get up on. I took a few seconds ensuring my legs were capable of carrying my weight again.

T1 (swim to trail) - 5:59.57 - 40:45. I took my time here and recovered. Items I should've added to my T1: salt tabs, sunblock, cytomax, energy gels, water, sunglasses, visor. Items I had in my bag: bike shorts, towel, iPhone, trail shoes/socks, short sleeve shirt, tank top. Items I didn't need: iPhone didn't catch GPS, bike shorts. I wore racing briefs on the swim, so I slipped the touring bike shorts over them. The sand/gravel dried on my feet so I rinsed them off in the water then toweled them off before getting my shoes on. I need to put the quick laces on all my shoes.

Trail - 2.5 miles, 1,500ft elevation ascent - 37:56.71 - 1:18.42. I hiked majority of it, keeping my heart rate down. I reminded myself to enjoy the race. This calmed me and gave me more energy to increase the pace at less effort.

T2 (trail to bike) - 6:59.13 - 1:25.41. Sat down and gathered myself. The cytomax was delish. I stayed a few minutes to await course directions. Items in my T2 bag: bike shoes/socks, 2 bottles cytomax, 2 gels, towel, Helmet, gloves, sunglasses. Items I need to add to my bag: sunblock, more gels, salt tab dispenser (in the handlebars, thanks for the advice Kris!).

Bike Lap1 - 17.5 miles - 1:31.04 - 2:56.45. I followed my new friend Dard, a local to Napoopoo, and veteran course challenger, whom I met on the trail. About 10 minutes in, before the downhill section began, I checked my brakes, and noticed the rear was loose. I forgot to enable the brake switch. Contemplating losing site of Dard for safety. Unaware of the course slope, I decide not to chance it. I got off, adjusted my tire and set off. Dard was nowhere in site. 15 minutes of riding later, I passed a mtb'r and asked if he was doing the challenge. Amazingly, he acknowledged and I laughed "whew, I'm going the right way then!" I made another stop 5 minutes later and asked him if an older guy in purple (Dard) had passed him. "He was going fast!". Good, still on the right track. Finally, the post office! Sped down the awesomely paved decline, past Puuhonua o Honaunau. The old Gov't Road was less maintained, not as smooth and quite hilly. Where did the wind go? Oh yeah, I THOUGHT there was no wind... until I got to the Coffee Mill Road uphill battle. NOW the wind was GONE. Moving at a verrry slow pace, I lost my own wind. The 11-12 miles uphill took about 45 mins (diff between the 2 splits). I thought it would never end. By the time I got back to T2, they took our bags to the finish. Oh noes! My extra cytomax and gels!

Bike Lap1.5 - ~13.5 mile, 1,500ft elevation descent - 48:23.79 - 3:45.09. Thought I could upshift when I got on the main highway. "Hah!", the road scoffs at me. It was a 1,000ft ascent, and I had to stay in the lowest gears for the first 10 mins! Knowing the course a little now, I picked up the pace. Rarely used the brakes this round. I showed less fear of the narrow shoulders. If I get hit, I get hit. Best bet is to make an attempt to keep up with traffic. Town traffic was the toughest, always on the lookout for someone reversing onto the highway.

T3 (bike to run) - 1:06.30 - 3:46.15. My racing flats lost a heel a few days ago, so I wore my Saucony's from the Volcano run, next best thing. Items in my T3 bag: cytomax, running shoes/socks, visor. I left my bike gloves on cause they had terry cloth on the back hand area so I could wipe sweat from my eyes. I poured the cytomax into my squeeze bottle from the bike and ran off. I joked with the awesome race director (forgot his name.. Carl, Chris?) "gotta finish quick so I can join the party!". "That's the spirit we love to hear!" Tim shouted out "Go Mike Brown!" My mind was shot and I couldn't remember his name so I yelled something like "Yeah!"

Run - 4 miles - 59:42.33 - 4:45.57. Legs feel great. Posture is automatic. Light on my feet, tight core. Doing about a 9min mile pace. 1 mile in both of my quadriceps cramped. I could barely walk. Downed some cytomax hoping it goes quickly through my body. I was walking like a pregnant woman. It was around noon, and the sun was beaming down hard. The skies were absolutely clear. No clouds, no vog. Another mile till the checkpoint, and water. Dard advised to walk it out, staying still will make it worse. I at least knew not to stretch, as this would tear muscle tissue. Cold water! Ahh... From then on I ran until the cramping came back and walked until it subsided. I passed by Rosario, who was also a first timer. I gave her half of my water. Poor thing. Saw Ted and Mai cheering me on to the finish, so I ran the last 1/4 mile or so.

The volunteer staff was soo helpful, friendly and informative. I learned a lot from them about the race, nutrition, etc. at the finish. I thanked them for their motivation and spirit. We followed Tim to his house and I picked up the stationary bike trainer. We laughed and shared the same thoughts about the race. Maybe we can train with each other on the weekends.

I've got some reading to do on recovery. I'm taking the day off from P90X, but want to get in the water. I won't push myself, but just want to... you understand, right? My joints are all good, muscles good, just some minor discomfort on the backside of my left knee (probably from the bike). I have a stretchy brace on it for supplemental support.

Need to invest in a tri-suit (to be more aerodynamic on the bike), racing sunglasses (my contacts dried up on the bike), aero bars (not needed so much for this particular race), salt tab dispenser, and a bike computer.

I'm glad this race chose itself for my first tri. After only a few days of riding a road bike, inadequate multisport training, poor course nutrition, chaotic gear preparation, sleep deprivation (5hours?)... I made it through. This was a strenuous course that demanded strength in addition to endurance. I know where I'm lacking, and know how to prepare for the next race. I just need to practice them. Honu here I come!

Bike: Wainaku - Kawili - Banyan Drive - Downtown Hilo

http://www.trailguru.com/wiki/index.php/Track:3SQP

User: Hilomike
Category: Mountain Biking
Start: 2009/01/27 18:23
Finish: 2009/01/27 19:10
Duration: 00:47:24
Distance: 7.11 miles
Min Speed: 2.45 mph
Avg Speed: 9 mph
Max Speed: 23.45 mph
Avg Pace: 06:40 mins/mi.
Min Elevation: 62 ft
Max Elevation: 200 ft
Total Ascent: 610 ft
Total Descent: 545 ft
Calories: 336


Notes: Donald had to drag my ass out cause I was freakin lazy. My legs warmed up quickly and my knees felt stronger. I forgot to start the GPS again, so it's about a mile short. But I didn't edit the data. I thanked him by giving his resume some botox, and hooking him up with a professional email contact.

Caught up with Jason Sanborn Wed at Blazin Steaks for late lunch. He confirmed my thoughts on taking protein shakes 3x daily, and consuming a lot of food. So I helped him out with a computer problem.

Brandon is gonna test out the kayak this weekend. Hopefully it works and he'll buy it from me. Then I can finally get the bike I deserve.

Donald's got P90X! We're gonna start on Feb 1. I may actually meet my 2009 goal of gaining 25# of muscle in 3 months. That would be freakin insane.

Mike is back!

Kaumana Bike Ride

http://www.trailguru.com/wiki/index.php/Track:3O5K

User: Hilomike
Category: Mountain Biking
Start: 2009/01/21 18:07
Finish: 2009/01/21 19:36
Duration: 01:28:24
Distance: 13.71 miles
Min Speed: 2.05 mph
Avg Speed: 9.3 mph
Max Speed: 25.07 mph
Avg Pace: 06:27 mins/mi.
Min Elevation: 89 ft
Max Elevation: 1263 ft
Total Ascent: 1965 ft
Total Descent: 1844 ft
Calories: 648

Back on Track

Thursday 1845 - Track Run
Was planning on resting my upper back and my foot by just laying down at home but I saw Ron suited up for his evening walk and it got me motivated. So I went to the HHS track for a short run. It was cool and dry out. I think the news said it was low 70s.

Had a bit of side-pain between miles 1 and 2 but felt warmed up after mile 3. Didn't really pay attention to pace or HR. Just wanted to concentrate on form and balance. Ate a peanut butter & jelly sammich about an hour beforehand.

~5.5-6miles
50 minutes
HRM 196
HRA 179
1000 calories 20% fat

Drank a chocolate milk right after, then grilled a steak with onions, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic. I kept my portion at about 4oz beef and 3-4oz veggies.

Friday 1330 - Bike, Ocean Swim, Bike
Rode from Kamaaina Nissan to Richardson's at a moderate pace, then immediately jumped in. Swam to the rock and back twice with several breaks. My freshly shaven head had less resistance in the water. The sky was clear all day and it was fairly warm. There was a friendly breeze to keep my cool on the way back. My cardio/breathing is horrible in the water. I don't feel the drive anymore. Something's missing.

Ate leftovers from last night.

Contemplating another bike/swim before going to a bbq. I wonder if I can actually contain myself to 'just a couple'.