UltraCross

This past weekend I was working on a fall race schedule. Still trying to finalize one based on my current fitness level, recovery rate and motivation level (it is hard to get motivated when your form sucks :-(). I came across an interesting series call the American Ultracross Championship Series. Basically a long distance mix of cyclocross, gravel grinding and mountain biking. I have always wanted to do the Iron Cross. Maybe this is the year.

I have an idea for a unique event that would fit in line with this Ultracross series. Who knows, maybe we can get a round of the series here in KC.

Kansas City Warrior Dash

This past weekend I participated in the latest phenomenon to swept the country - an Extreme Running race called the Warrior Dash. Essentially it was a hilly ass 5K run with a few obstacles thrown in to good measure. Some of the obstacles that we had to navigate were barricades, stacks of hay, rope ladders, tire fields, small creek crossings, slightly muddy trial, logs of fire and a mud pit. Some of the advertised obstacles were not included which is a shame. Maybe it would have changed my view of the event.

The event starts by corralling 500 wave starters together like cattle. You stand there for 30 minutes in xtreme heat listening to bad loud music. Finally we enter the course and escape the music only to find it is just a long stretch of endless sun baked hills. After about a mile you come upon the first obstacle. A few jumps and crawls later and you past the barricades. More endless hills but now finally we get to some double track. A short balancing beam section and a field of tires follow. It is really hot and the shallow water crossing, while not hard were very welcomed. I almost just sat down in them to take a break, but I proceed to one of three rope ladders. For some reason they put in multiple sets instead of some of the advertised mud slides. Plenty of hills and some muddy trail sections followed. We ended with a jump over some fire and a short crawl through the mud pit. Then it was off to wait in line for an hour to try and get rinsed off.

After participating in this event I am really asking myself why the sudden interest in these races. Are runners that bored of a normal 5k run? Do they like standing for hour just to get stinking mud hosed off them? Have they ever tried one of the local Trail Nerds events? Because the Warrior Dash was just a pimped up trail run. It was diffidently not "The Craziest Frickin' Day Of Your Life" like they advertised. Maybe the other events like the Tough Mudder, which is more extreme, would make them more fun and more of a challenge. Maybe the "average Joe" coming off the couch would consider this an extreme event, but a good muddy off-road triathlon/duathlon or cyclocross race is way more extreme and fun than this event.

Some pictures (more coming...)

Remembering John.....

Brother

If There Are Roses In Heaven
Will You Send One Just For Me
So I Can Hold It Close To My Heart
Where You Will Always Be
I Will Lay It On My Pillow Each Night
As The Angels Tuck Me In
I Will Know That You Are Near Me
And Feel Your Presence Once Again
I Am Thankful For All The Years
You Were There To Help Me Through
I Will Always Remember “My Little Brother”
Whose Love Was Honest And True!

In Loving Memory Of John J. Locke

Life has never been the same since you got injured. Part of me died that summers night so many years ago. I can still remember all the fun times we had - like they were yesterday. Vivid memories that can be a blessing and yet a curse at the same time.
3 years ago you left us going to hopefully a peaceful place. One day I will join you and be at peace with myself.

A few pictures from the past....

Tri-ing to Get Back into Shape

First a little update. This has been a very trying year for me. It started with recovering from a nasty MTB crash were I injured my leg and my shoulder. Leg healed slowly, but shoulder never did so I finally went in to see a specialist which lead to my shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff

Just as I was healing from my shoulder surgery, I came down with some "gut" issues. Still waiting on the biopsy results from my recent colonoscopy. In the meantime the Doctor put me on meds for an infection.

I have written off this summer and possibly the year for any serious training. I have been training a couple hours a week - mostly rehab on my shoulder in addition to some swimming, biking and running. I decided to go ahead an participate in the 5th Annual Crossroads Triathlon this past Saturday as a training event. This event has grown to over 200 racers and has a nice small hometown feel to it. And besides, I always seem to run into old friends like Allyn Smith at these events.





My new main sport....I have been spending most of my training time in the pool. I enjoy swimming especially this time of year with triple digit temps. I think the meds I have been taking caused me to be even more sensitive to the heat. Anyway, all this time in the water has really improved my swim. Carolynn always makes fun of me saying I look like I am not really trying and that I have a very slow turn-over compared to the other swimmers. Well my "lethargic swimming style" earned me the 3rd fastest swim split of the day! The two others that beat me are members of the swim team, so I must be doing something right. Perhaps swimming is my new calling?


I can still spin the pedals in anger sometimes.... After a rather slow T1 (lack of focus on my part) it was time for the bike leg. Only an 8 mile course for today's event. Heat, rolling hills, rough roads , wind and 200 others to beat. I had not been on my Orbea TT bike since the Frisco Triathlon over a month ago. Position and legs felt good for the trip out to the turn around. I put in a very hard effort passing up to 3rd place (I started 18th) on the road which meant I made up about 3 min. I could see the two lead riders cresting the last hill of the day and decided I should back off some and save it for the run. My legs were feeling it and in hind site I should have just kept it pegged. As they say "once you got it up, keep it up". Once I backed down the heat and effort just over took me. I spun some of the lactic acid out of my legs and and cruised into T2 with the 2nd fastest bike split of the day. My good friend Allyn Smith took that top honor.



Medication and heat do not mix well.... A good T2 and off running. Well, jogging. Pace was very lethargic, especially from mile .5 to 2. No focus and I just kept asking myself why I was even out here if I could not put out a solid effort over the entire event. The heat hit me quickly and hard. It is funny how quickly an event can turn around. It got worse when a few runners passed me - the ones I usually beat in a triathlon. Luckily this was a sprint triathlon and the event was over and I was enjoying a nice ice cold water over my head. In the end I still finished 2nd in my age-group and 8th overall out of close to 200 racers.

Summer Vacation

Here are some pictures from our recent trip back home to Florida. This time we headed to the Panhandle and spend a week on the beach, fishing, riding and wrestling goats....

4th of July Trip to Florida