You call them hills, they are mountains to me, after all they call it Mt. Arab, not Hill Arab and there must be a reason for that! Maybe it has to do with the four inclines averaging 4-7% and up to a mile long before reaching the mountain road? It could be the mile climb on the road leading to Mt. Arab road? Or the turn onto the one lane road that climbs another 6-8% to the turnaround?
The Tupper Lake 1/2 IM and sprint races were held on Saturday, June 28 on a beautiful, though ultimately hot, calm day. Three of us participated in the sprint, with MW being the ultimate victor. I won the swim (lessons paid off), Eileen crushed us on the bike, MW crushed me on the run. Results are here.
Truth is I did get scared coming down Mt. Arab, which is when Eileen passed me like an out of control 14 year old who was fearless. I was continually braking, scared of bumps, stones, cracks in the road or anything else that might make me fall. That is not a good strategy to have when trying to bike fast.
MW caught me just past mile 3 on the run when the temperature out on shade-free highway 3 seemed to rise uncontrollably. He was very encouraging though, saying "we still have a long way to go!". Exactly what one wants to hear when he is melting on the course. Bastard. How about, "hey Mike, don't worry, it's only three miles to go, no problem, you are looking good, keep it up?" Nah, bury a knife in my mental thinking and run on. Bastard.
The volunteers were great on the course, the water was calm, we had assigned spots by age group in transition, fluids at water stops were cold, we had a motel steps from the start/finish, the post-race beer and barbeque were tasty.
The Erie Canal, Running Paradise
Monday, June 30, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tupper Lake Triathlon
The weather looks delightful for Saturday's sprint triathlon at Tupper Lake, NY, located deep in the Adirondack Mountains. Jan will be spectating due to a large boot holding her Achilles tendon secure, but Mike, Eileen and myself are competing in the race.
The sprint is actually more of an afterthought on this day, as the 1/2 IM distance is the star of the day. Typically 100 people do the sprint distance, .6m swim (or .5 depending on what you read), 18.6m bike (including a few rolling hills and climb up Mt. Arab) and a 6.6m run (or 6.2, depending on what you read again). Usually 400+ competitors are in the 1/2 IM.
The sprint is a mass start (though 100 isn't much of a mass nowadays), beginning at 8am. It will be nice to see where my main competition is throughout the race (Eileen and Mike).
I think these sprint distances favor a runner assuming you can come off the bike feeling peppy. Typically a sprint triathlon with an 800-1000 yard swim would be more likely to have 3.1 to 4 mile run.
Ten reasons to like competing in the Adirondacks;
1. Our motel is right next to the transition area. I mean hop a small fence and my bike is maybe 50 yards from my room!
2. Obviously this means no waiting for a port-a-john, I can use my own motel room!
3. The Adirondacks are beautiful anytime of the year.
4. I beat Mike a couple of years ago in the Tupper Lake 1/2IM. Oh, so he had a flat tire and drank hot Gatorade from a water stop and felt queasy. It's not my fault he has a sensitive stomach. A win is a win. Maybe I can make this a two-peat. I certainly can't beat him in a running only event anymore.
5. The Tinman events are relatively small. I almost finished the Disney 1/2 IM a few years ago, there were 2,000 people in the race. We were crunched in so tight in transition it was ridiculous. I don't need or want the big crowd.
6. Tinman will be a spectator friendly event for Jan.
7. An Irish pub opened recently in the village of Tupper Lake. I think that sounds like an after-race possibility for dinner?
8. It's always nice to ride a bike on roads when we are the main attraction instead of automobiles.
9. There are only two hills on the run course. Sure, they are more like mountains and one feels like a mile long, but still there's only two.
10. Did I mention this is the weekend someone close to me turns 55?
The sprint is actually more of an afterthought on this day, as the 1/2 IM distance is the star of the day. Typically 100 people do the sprint distance, .6m swim (or .5 depending on what you read), 18.6m bike (including a few rolling hills and climb up Mt. Arab) and a 6.6m run (or 6.2, depending on what you read again). Usually 400+ competitors are in the 1/2 IM.
The sprint is a mass start (though 100 isn't much of a mass nowadays), beginning at 8am. It will be nice to see where my main competition is throughout the race (Eileen and Mike).
I think these sprint distances favor a runner assuming you can come off the bike feeling peppy. Typically a sprint triathlon with an 800-1000 yard swim would be more likely to have 3.1 to 4 mile run.
Ten reasons to like competing in the Adirondacks;
1. Our motel is right next to the transition area. I mean hop a small fence and my bike is maybe 50 yards from my room!
2. Obviously this means no waiting for a port-a-john, I can use my own motel room!
3. The Adirondacks are beautiful anytime of the year.
4. I beat Mike a couple of years ago in the Tupper Lake 1/2IM. Oh, so he had a flat tire and drank hot Gatorade from a water stop and felt queasy. It's not my fault he has a sensitive stomach. A win is a win. Maybe I can make this a two-peat. I certainly can't beat him in a running only event anymore.
5. The Tinman events are relatively small. I almost finished the Disney 1/2 IM a few years ago, there were 2,000 people in the race. We were crunched in so tight in transition it was ridiculous. I don't need or want the big crowd.
6. Tinman will be a spectator friendly event for Jan.
7. An Irish pub opened recently in the village of Tupper Lake. I think that sounds like an after-race possibility for dinner?
8. It's always nice to ride a bike on roads when we are the main attraction instead of automobiles.
9. There are only two hills on the run course. Sure, they are more like mountains and one feels like a mile long, but still there's only two.
10. Did I mention this is the weekend someone close to me turns 55?
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Father's Day Video
This might be a few days late for Father's Day, but it's a funny video worth sharing.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Medical Supplies
Jan and I are beginning a new business, loaning medical supplies. Look for our new web site soon. There will be a choice of rental agreements.
1. A base monthly fee, $9.99. Borrow up to two pieces of equipment for four weeks.
2. Pay per use fee. $5.99 per item, keep it for four weeks.
No medical insurance is necessary. Will deliver for free within a ten mile radius of Spencerport.
Right now we have a variety of "boots" from ankle high to just below the knee. These are useful for immobilizing the Achilles tendon, possibly helping with some foot injuries.
We also have an arm sling, useful for shoulder sprains, arm muscle injuries, maybe to keep your hand secure too.
We have many sizes of ACE bandages, a heating pad, massage stick, horse liniment (great for strains, aches & pains in humans too).
1. A base monthly fee, $9.99. Borrow up to two pieces of equipment for four weeks.
2. Pay per use fee. $5.99 per item, keep it for four weeks.
No medical insurance is necessary. Will deliver for free within a ten mile radius of Spencerport.
Right now we have a variety of "boots" from ankle high to just below the knee. These are useful for immobilizing the Achilles tendon, possibly helping with some foot injuries.
We also have an arm sling, useful for shoulder sprains, arm muscle injuries, maybe to keep your hand secure too.
We have many sizes of ACE bandages, a heating pad, massage stick, horse liniment (great for strains, aches & pains in humans too).
Monday, June 2, 2014
Cooperstown, NY
On May 25 Eileen competed in the Cooperstown Triathlon, adding another age group victory and trophy to her awards collection. Eileen and her baseball loving husband visited the Hall of Fame. Below are notes from the trip;
Eileen and I went to Cooperstown last weekend for her tri, the Baseball Hall of Fame and hanging out together in a pretty town. It was the Weinpress trifecta. I noticed some similarities between runners and baseball fans/players.
2. We’ll wait in awful long lines to see our heroes perform or to meet them and get an autograph.
3. We’ll wear our heroes gear around town except for the pants. We won’t wear baseball pants or the Nike shorts unless we are competing ourselves. Hats, shirts, jackets, etc. we’ll wear anywhere.
4. We all seem to like adult beverages after our competitions.
5. Our Halls of Fame are like holy shrines even though it is just a game.
6. Was anybody as good as “we used to be”?
7. The older athletes think the new ones “got it made”.” When I was a kid I ran in Converse All Stars and didn’t complain about my shins being fractured in 5 places.”
8. Our “stuff” is getting more and more expensive.
9. We waste a lot of money on “stuff” we don’t need.
10. We all love to run to home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)