Update on BIKE ACCIDENT

This is a fun picture of the the new frame and fork. I was able to salvage the wheels, PowerTap computer hub with the wireless wattage meter and other bits and pieces.

As I mentioned in my prior post about having no ill-will or hard feelings about the person who hit me, she and her family have turned out to be very fine, caring people with the utmost in character and integrity.

The girl’s father called me the next day and was clearly concerned about my physical condition. He took the time to care, and I appreciated his kind gesture.

It was important to me that he knew that I thought that I was OK and that he should not have any concern about any sort of trumped-up fake injuries, attorneys, neck problems or anything of the sort. Accidents happen, this was clearly an accident and I was not about to play any games or further traumatize this girl or her family.

Sure I am sore and bruised up; so be it. I am delighted and excited to be alive and doing fine. This is great news!! There is no need to get litigious or settle a score. I will not be part of the problem; I want to be part of the solution by demonstrating that we can forgive and forget, that we can be neighborly and all get along, even when there is an accident.

The family very quickly understood that my dreams of Ironman glory were at risk and that I had to get my bike repaired immediately because the race is only three weeks away!

I am so happy to report that they graciously paid to have the bike repaired and that I should be back on the road again by the weekend. The damages were substantial, but much of the bike could still be salvaged. I am happy (and relieved) to report that the Zipp 606 wheel set and the Wireless PowerTap 2.4 Power Meter will be OK (that could have been another $3,500 on top of everything else!).

It was very important to me that the driver not be punished or severely reprimanded or scolded. I really did feel very badly for her. She is a very nice, sweet young lady and I really would hate for this to damage her record or cause her any trouble.

I am just so grateful and happy that there were no severe injuries, that I will be back on my training schedule within a couple of days and that if I had to get hit, at least I was lucky enough to deal with a family that understood the importance of my dream and that I needed them to resolve this issue quickly so that I could get back on the road as quickly as possible.

So to the young lady I say:

“Please do not feel badly at all. I forgive you completely and am not mad, upset or angry with you in any way.”

To her father and family I say:

“Thank you for getting me back on the road quickly and for understanding the importance for me to complete this Ironman journey with the least amount of interruption.”

To all cyclists out there I say:

“Even when you are totally alert, accidents can and will happen. ALWAYS wear a helmet and ALWAYS carry ROAD ID (www.RoadID.com)”

HIT BY A CAR!!

Well my luck recently ran out....I was hit by a car while on my bike.

I was traveling about 16 mph and was broadsided or "T-Boned" by a very young lady making a left hand turn into a side street. She tried to merge between oncoming traffic and was so focused on the traffic that she did not see me coming in the bike lane.

It was a complete accident and I am not upset with her nor harbor any ill-feelings toward her. Accidents happen and I am just thankful and elated to be alive. Period.

I was just minding my own business and clearly in the bike lane. But there was nothing I could do; there was not even time to try and brake. The moment I saw the car was the exact same moment I saw my bike get pulled under her bumper. There was zero time to react.

I hit the hood of the PT Cruiser, rolled off and according to witnesses, rolled side over side 15 - 20 times, shoulder to shoulder, somehow settling face-down on my stomach on the sidewalk. Remarkably, my Oakley Radar sunglasses were still attached! The one thing I remember was this uncontrollable rolling and rolling.

I just lay on my stomach for a long time trying to process what had happened. I did not want to move anything and instead, did sort of a mental checklist on every part of my body before I decided to try and move. I did not feel any pain at that moment and that really worried me.

Had I severed my spinal column? Was I paralyzed? I was too scared at the moment to try and move. I didn’t want to know.

So many people were gathered around and asking me so many questions at the same time that it was hard to process anything.

People kept scouring the street bringing me pieces of my bike and piling them up next to me; I do remember that part. I also remember people asking me, "Who is David? Who is David?"

Apparently, I kept saying that David will see the workout data and I have to finish the workout, this is the most important workout of the year and my last major brick workout prior to the full Ironman. David, of course, is none other than the world-famous David Warden, my triathlon coach who took me on as a charity case about a year ago. (Check him out at www.tri-talk.com, listen to his Podcasts on iTunes and look for his upcoming book. He is quite literally, the world's leading expert.)

I was at about mile 90 of my ride when I was struck at about 3:35 pm. The day called for 112 miles or 6.5 hours on the bike, whichever came first, then an additional run for 1.5 hours.

The scene was surreal. About 50 spectators, an ambulance, police cars, a fire truck, paramedics and the Harbor Patrol. That’s a lot of tax payer dollars at work!

The great news, in fact, the miraculous news, is that I barely have a scratch. There are hardly any external signs on my body that I was hit by a car at that speed.

It was a cold, foggy morning in Carpinteria and as I set out from our beach house, I decided to wear three, yes THREE, long sleeve shirts, a full set of fingered gloves and also my bike gloves. All these extra layers were 100% responsible for saving my arms, hands, back and elbows from certain road rash. The outer bike jersey was really ripped up, but it took the brunt of the asphalt abrasions. The other layers prevented any abrasion at all to my skin. It really was miraculous. And lucky. Sort of like wearing two pairs of socks for long runs in order to avoid blisters; those extra layers really make all the difference.

Fortunately, my feet sprang out of the toe clips pretty fast, as the car smashed the bike right out from under me and I was immediately released; the toe clips did their job and I have no twisted ankles or broken bones in the lower legs, ankles or feet. In fact, I barely have a scratch on the lower legs despite being thrown, hitting the hood and rolling about 20 - 30 feet. Just amazing!

To be clear, as I was told the story by the eyewitnesses, I more “rolled” than was actually thrown. Rolled off the hood, rolled down the street, etc.

My bike helmet stayed on and my head was not hurt, but my neck is really sore and very stiff today and my shoulders ache from taking the brunt of all the rolling. It has now been about two days since the accident.

The first-responders were the witnesses and they were fantastic, they included a male nurse and a middle-aged man who saw the whole thing happen right in front of him as he and his friends were in the car waiting to make a right hand turn. He was shocked that I was alive and breathing and he took great care of me. I wish I had his name to thank him personally. He kept me calm and was upbeat.

I’m not too proud to readily admit that I was a bit scared. I really did not want to know how bad the injuries were. I just wanted to lay there for a few minutes and process this all mentally before I took any physical action to check for injuries.

The bike was really trashed. Bits and pieces of carbon and my PowerTap power meter, broke off. The brake/shifter combo is thrashed and my Zipp 606 high profile carbon rims may be cracked. My Look Carbon-Titanium pedals were ground down from the bike sliding and bouncing on the asphalt and my rear derailleur was severely bent. Most disappointing, however, was the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL2 Carbon frame, which took a direct hit, broadside and got smashed by the car.

I did not want to accept any medical attention for fear of the costs. I know it sounds stupid at this point, and I do have medical insurance, but about 18 months ago my wife needed to use emergency treatment when she contracted West Nile from an infected mosquito and hardly anything was covered. Despite all of our insurance coverage, I was paying for all kinds of additional "non-covered" tests, procedures, drugs, etc. for months and months! It even got to the point that they threatened to ding my credit over a dispute over the ambulance charges which were obviously and so clearly over-inflated. All these additional bills kept showing up out of nowhere. Doctors I never heard of, never met, never knew were involved were sending us bills. It seems that all the extra tests that the hospital ordered were not covered and I had to pay for all of those as well. The ambulance ride, everything. So I was not going to go through that again!! I tried to stand up (it took two attempts, as I was still a bit wobbly) and I was able to answer the basic questions that the paramedics ask to see if one might have a concussion. They let me go ahead and refuse the ambulance and I thanked them for that!

That does say something about our insurance system, doesn't it?! Guy takes a direct hit by a car but does not want to be checked out, even though he has insurance, all due to a bad experience with constant bills from a recent event where hardly anything is covered at all. But that's another issue and my good friends at The Regence Group, a BlueCross and BlueShield health care company with excellent leadership, is working hard to change. Regence is committed to change our national health care system to give us all more choice and power in directing our health care. They are the real deal and I have every confidence in their ability to change the way we all access health care. Look them up online at www.Regence.com.

Back to the story...

A fellow triathlete who had witnessed the accident begun re-assembling what was left of my bike and putting things back in order so we could see what was going on. He was very concerned that I should not ride the bike, as he was certain that the carbon frame was cracked from the direct hit of the car and going under the bumper. But nonetheless, he did a great job reassembling things and I am very grateful. I was very worried about the bike. (All told, I think there is $10 - $12K tied up in that machine!) The wheel set was crunched and bent, but by releasing the brake calipers, he was able to get the rims to spin just enough to miss the brake pads and to get the bike back on the road.

While I was struggling to figure out what exactly had happened and was still face down on the ground, someone saw the chain on the back of my neck and reached into my shirt to grab my “Road ID” dog tags and called my business partner, who then called my wife. She tried to call, but I never knew it because my cell phone was crunched and fell apart in the accident! But some guys put it back together for me while they were gathering up all my stuff from the street, and the first call was from my wife.

I will never forget her first words.....

"I'm coming to pick you up. It's OVER!!!"

I didn’t know exactly what “It’s OVER!” meant. Today’s ride? My training? This whole Ironman dream? Biking on the streets? Whatever it meant, I could tell that she was pretty damn serious and more than just a little upset.

I said, "I am fine, and even though my bike is ruined, I have to try and finish the workout! Don't come! I will see you in about 45 minutes, but I have to try and finish the workout. This is the most important workout of the year."

I had a funny feeling that my wife was coming up and that she'd track me down, so I had to plan a quick exit.

I thanked everyone profusely because I was so genuinely happy to be alive; crazy as it seems, I was smiling broadly, just so genuinely happy that I was not seriously injured, or worse.

I tried to act manly and tough for some reason, sort of like I had an obligation to live up to the Ironman name and reputation of pushing through the pain; ignoring pain. I had a standard to keep and was representing all Ironmen worldwide. I can’t explain it, but I would think that other Ironmen might understand.

I grabbed three Tylenol from a stranger, downed them quickly with my energy drink and took off VERY slowly in the opposite direction of home; the wheels were wobbly and the gears could not shift due to the broken derailleur and the jammed/bent brake/shifter lever, but I was going to try and finish my workout. This could happen in the Ironman event, I could get banged up in a bike accident during the event and I would still have to find a way to finish, so this would just be another test!

Time must have been going in very slow motion (plus I couldn’t shift gears!), but before I knew it, my wife and son had driven all the way up to Santa Barbara from Carpinteria and found me limping down the road.

She drove her new Range Rover right next to me and told me to put the bike in the back of car; I wouldn't do it, but I did stop to talk to her and thank her for caring. I told her the story of what had happened and that I was not injured, but she thought I might have internal injuries or a head injury.

She couldn’t understand why I was so excited and happy, but just to be alive and be OK from that accident made me very grateful and energetic! I smiled broadly for a photo that she could send to my business partner to tell him that I was OK.

She followed behind me, which of course ANY man will tell you is all at once: embarrassing (ever had your Mother follow you home on your bike as a kid!!), exciting (to try and beat her home with only one gear and half a brake), and endearing (to know that someone actually cares).

As soon as I arrived home, I started making my plans for the 1.5 hour run. I changed my clothes and got into the running gear, fueled up, grabbed my water bottles and was off.

The run was quite difficult as I now had a new fear of cars that I have never had before. Soon it got dark and I was very worried about cars. I am sure that the fear will pass at some point.

I was tired from the 106 mile bike ride and ended up walking and jogging. I was also very hungry. I stopped by a liquor store and bought a bag of chips, some peanut crackers, a bag of salted peanuts, a 5-hour energy shot and a PowerAde. I ate all this while I was running down the road, pulling items one by one from the plastic grocery bag.

I completed the run in total darkness by following the white line on the side of the road.

It was a long day. A lucky day to be sure. I am very grateful that I was not seriously injured and I am happy that I completed the entire workout despite the hurdles and challenges of the day.

If I can finish this workout despite the events of the day, I know that I can complete the full Tempe Ironman Triathlon on November 23, 2008!

Hip Update and Peaking for Ironman

Well the hip issue has never been fully resolved.

We've changed the training load in terms of intensity and speed, and now I am completely off of the Cervelo P3C Time Trial bike altogether. All my rides will remain on the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL with my Zipp 606 wheelset. A great ride to be sure, but certainly lacking in the aerodynamic advantages I would gain on the TT bike!

So the intensity of the hip pain has resided, but I am left with a daily, low grade ache that is more or less constant. Funny thing is that it does not seem to hurt too badly on the runs, but certainly flares up on the long bike rides.

We have now resorted to the Cortisone steroid shots that go deep into the hip socket; that is about the longest needle that can be used to make an injection into the human body according to my pain management doctor. I have not been brave enough to watch him make the injection or to even look at the needle...apparently it is shocking, but I don't want to know for sure!

I have not experienced tremendous relief so far from the Cortisone shot. That's pretty disappointing. But I am on a daily regimen of Celebrex and and long lasting pain killer called Ultram. The two, in combination are providing some relief, although I do believe I was responding a bit more favorably to the Mobic.

The only way to stop this pain altogether is to stop working out, which is not a viable option at this point. I have trained for nearly a year and I do not intend to stop just one-month prior to the start of the full Tempe Ironman!

This weekend I have what my coach calls, "The most important workout of the year." I will ride my bike from our beach house in Carpinteria, down the California coast to our full time residence in Long Beach, about 115 miles by bike. Then the moment I arrive, I am to immediately change into my running gear and go out for about 1.5 - 2 hours at the run pace I intend to use during the full Ironman.

This will take me almost all the daylight hours to complete this one workout. But after this workout, I will have nearly peaked and will then start on my formal taper which should bring me to the full Ironman in top form.

Stop to encourage the Newbies

From a distance, I saw him struggling in the center median.

He’d run about 20 seconds, then walk for a minute or longer.

I slowed down so I could observe him. I noticed he was an exceptionally-large man and he was really having a tough time. I on the other hand, was feeling great and effortlessly keeping about an 8:30 pace.

I turned off my iPod and ran up beside him to encourage him. “Good morning! How ya doing?”

He could barely respond because he was so out of breath. I slowed to a jog and said, “I’ve been there man. I give you all the credit in the world. I know it seems tough right now, but soon, you’ll be running the entire time and you’ll drop a lot of weight. I’ve already lost close to 50 pounds.”

I explained that the Galloway running method suggests that for Newbies, a run-walk protocol is just fine and if done properly, can provide nearly the same aerobic benefit as running the entire time, but with a much reduced chance of injury. (see: www.JeffGalloway.com)

His reaction was fantastic. He was just so appreciative that someone would stop to encourage him. He had been pretty embarrassed to get out there and often had been the victim of rude and hurtful comments by passersby. But he kept at it.

He was extremely grateful that an “athlete” would stop to encourage him. While I still do not consider myself an athlete, I started to think about this a bit more on the balance of my 14 mile run that morning.

To this brave guy, I looked slim. To him, I was running at break-neck speed. To him, completing a couple of half Ironman events and a 50K Ultra marathon would be inconceivable and unobtainable dreams.

They were for me, and at my heaviest, I was still maybe 75 pounds lighter than he was that morning.

If he sticks with it, he can achieve these milestones as well. Plus, his self-confidence and feelings of self-worth will skyrocket!

I’ve since made it a point to encourage anyone who is struggling or obviously new to sport and fitness. The heavier, the bigger, the older…the better.

I really have to hand it to some of these people. They are absolutely huge, yet they are out there doing something. They are trying. They are working hard. Sometimes I see guys well over 300 pounds on beach cruiser bikes struggling on the riverbed trail. An hour or two later, on my return trip, I will see them again, still at it. Still pushing hard.

These guys really deserve the encouragement and they get both that, and my ultimate respect. Frankly, I think I have a really soft place in my heart for these guys, because I WAS one of those guys. I can totally relate.

I cannot relate as well to the finely-tuned, 8% body fat athlete who has always been active and fit. I certainly respect their discipline and all the inevitable pain to maintain that level of fitness. But these finely-tuned athletes have absolutely no idea about being fat.

They don’t understand the humiliation, the ribs and barbs and hurtful comments, the embarrassment when your belly bounces around as you jog, the way your pectorals actually bounce around like female breasts, the huge “spare tire” that encircles your entire waist line.

Friends, these are humiliating issues that big people deal with everytime they step out of the house and try to do something about it. I don’t care if they are walking, riding a beach cruiser, or at the gym doing yoga, spin or weights. It is still embarrassing and humiliating.

For them to receive a positive comment and encouragement from someone who embodies everything they are hoping to achieve can mean the world to them. To get encouragement from a honed and finely-tuned athlete can keep them on a high for days.

I say that no workout is so important that I cannot slow down for just 30 seconds, ask them how they are doing, tell them how much I respect what they are doing and to offer encouragement because I’ve been there, I personally know how tough this part of the process can be and that I know that they will be successful if they are patient and disciplined.

If you are an athlete, take the time to encourage those who are working hard and struggling to get in shape and improve their fitness. I think this just makes the world a little bit better place for all of us.

Knotted Muscles / Trigger Points

Muscle soreness while training is common and by itself, is really not a big issue. Usually, sore muscles are caused by microscopic tears in muscle fibers. The soreness typically goes away within three days.

But when muscles remain sore for weeks or even months, and the pain is centered in a particular spot, or a "knot" you very well may have a Trigger Point problem. Trigger points are typically found in muscles, tendons and ligaments. Technically, the doctors call this "myofascial pain syndrome."

These are very sore, long lasting aches and sometimes produce sharp electrical-type pains that are often caused by trauma, repetitive strain or pushing beyond any reasonable norm.

I have had a consistent problem in my upper back, in the Trapezoid area. My Trigger Point always flares-up when I do long bike rides, and 100% of the time when I am in the aero position on the Time Trial bike.

Essentially, it is an acutely knotted mass of muscle strands in a very specific spot. The muscle is in a constant and palpable contraction (shortening of the muscle) that will not release and thus results in a taut band and a hard fibrous nodule, lump, or knot. No amount or rubbing or massaging or pressure or anything else will relieve the pain.

Aggressive, deep tissue massage will tend to break up the knot a bit, but typically, there is also a lot of bruising that goes along with the deep tissue massage. Plus, the relief is at best, only temporary and never complete.

I have tried literally every recognized cure for this problem, including:

• sports massage
• deep tissue massage
• heat packs
• electrical stimulation
• chiropractors
• anti-inflammatories
• prescription pain killers
• physical therapy
• electro-magnetic therapy
• weight training
• Lidocaine patches
• Cortisone injections
• Lidocaine injections
• and finally, rest.

Of all these, only one thing worked...rest.

However, since rest is not an option while training for an Ironman, I have been working with a pain management specialist. No oral pain killers or anti-inflammatories have helped whatsoever. So now we are to the point of "wet needling."

The goal is to deactivate the contracted muscle. One option is to paralyze the muscle with Botox, and this would normally be a viable option. However, since my Trigger Point is located in the upper back and shoulder region, I could lose the ability to fully control my shoulder due to the temporary paralysis of the muscle. Odds are low that this would happen, but due to the risk, they don't want to go that route. Instead, we are now trying a wet needling procedure.

Wet needling involves the injection of a mixture of Steroids, Lidocaine and Cortisone directly into the muscle knot. A significant amount of care is taken to precisely identify the muscle strand, and once so identified, a shot of the mixture is injected right into that fiber. Then they move up the fiber ever so slightly and inject the fiber in another spot, and another, and so on.

What they are looking for is for the muscle to start twitching or firing. Once they physically observe the muscle twitching then they know that it is beginning to release from its contracted state.

Today, I went in for this wet needling process. As the four or five injections were made, I could feel the muscle "release" and the doctor was pretty excited when he saw the muscle firing and twitching which was the visual cue he needed to confirm that this process was working.

Three hours later, the spot is still sore, not from the shots, but probably from the excessively-hard rubbing and pressure that I have been constantly applying to this spot over the past few days trying to relieve this knot.

Hopefully in a few days, we will know for sure if this has worked.

Being Tough or Just Stubborn?

It has been said that over 90% of all those training for an Ironman incur at least one injury that requires over a week of recovery. But the whole idea of completing an Ironman is to test one's resolve.

There are very few opportunities in modern life where one can literally test the ultimate limit of one's physical and mental boundaries.

Look at any Ironman event and you'll see athletes who've pushed themselves to the point of collapse, exhaustion, dehydration and even passing out.

In the months leading up to the Ironman event, injuries first start as minor inconveniences. A subtle twitch, a funny feeling, a stiff muscle, an ache that wasn't there before. These are the first signs.

Rarely does one just run down the road and then all of the sudden...SNAP....something rips or tears or breaks. It's far more likely that we will experience an odd sensation, a soreness or a muscle fibre that just sort of seems out of place, is twitching strangely or is aching.

So what to do when this occurs?

The first thing we should do is to slow down. Check it out. Try to figure out what is going on. Massage it a little, walk a little, etc.

But there is a big difference between what we "should do" and what we often end up doing. It's the difference between being smart and being stubborn.

I know I should slow down and figure out what is going on when these things hit. But more often than not, I catch myself saying:

"You want to be an Ironman? Then start acting like an Ironman and pick up the pace. Tough it out. Be strong. Are you going to quit during your Ironman debut like you are quitting right now?"

Tough thoughts to be sure and this stubborness often gets me to ignore the first signs of trouble. To be smart, to ultimately go the full distance, we must pay attention to the very first signs of trouble.

Before we ever get a blister, we always get a "hot spot." This is a hot sensation where the skin is rubbing. We can take a couple of minutes and deal with it right away, or if we are bull-headed, we ignore it, and then pay the price for the next 7 - 10 days as the raw, oozing blister just festers and is re-aggravated with each successive workout!

This is bull-headed and stubborn. Like my brilliant coach, David Warden, tells me, "Keep your eye on the prize."

But the prize is not finishing the workout in record time or toughing it out through an obvious early warning signal, just to "prove" that I have what it takes. The prize is finishing the full Ironman race.

What good does it do to finish the workout at record pace if you must spend the next 3 - 5 days limping around and recovering?

I need to adjust my perspective.

Being an Ironman is not just about being tough and stubborn. An Ironman must also be smart.
Smart about pacing, about nutrition, about rest, about balance.

And smart about paying attention and taking appropriate action at the early warning signs that an injury may be looming.

The Support Network

My wife started this magnetic support system in my Ironman kitchen (yep, our full prep kitchen has been converted and is now set up entirely for powders, potions, GU, gels, nutritional supplements, shake makers, Gatorade G2, etc. The kitchen also has a dishwasher customized to handle all the plastic bike bottles and hydration systems so that none of the caps slip through the grates and get melted in the drying cycle! Of course, the most important part of the kitchen is the Nespresso machine which I absolutely swear by, love and am the world's biggest proponent...they are brilliantly designed and absolutely trouble free for the perfect Espresso with no hassle whatsoever. http://www.nespresso.com/)

The magnetic sign was important because every day I walk by the back prep kitchen on the way to and from the garage, I would see those words of encouragement. My wife had found and arranged those letters to get that sign started and I could feel her support every day.

The importance of a support network cannot be overstated.

The pursuit of the Ironman dream can take an incredible toll not just on the athlete, but also on his or her family, friends and work associates.

I often think of this pursuit as a very selfish endeavor. The time commitment away from one's family is enormous.

Five to Eight-hour workouts on the weekends are now the norm. Plus the time to prepare the bike, nutrition, the actual plan of where I am going, then to upload all the power data, HR data, etc. can take an additional 1 - 2 hours.

Naturally, once the data is input, the research and analytical side kicks-in and I want to study how I did, if I am improving, etc.

My wife has fluctuated from being: amazed, amused, accepting, supportive and understanding. Connor has been terrific and it feels great to have a 15-year old son who is so proud that his Dad is accomplishing these endurance events. There have been many, many times when I have just been way too tired for various workouts, only to have my wife rib me, pressure me or use some kind of reverse-psychology to get me out the door.

Sometimes she'll say, "Yeah, don't work out. You don't need to. You know you are ready." Which of course is effective sarcasm that gets me out the door pronto! Other times she'll say, "Go on. Come on, just get out there and get going." Somehow, she can read me well enough to know which buttons to push.

Connor saved me the night before my first 70.3 in Hawaii. I will never forget it.

I was up at 3:00am pacing the hotel room. I was most worried about the swim. Connor just sensed that I was worried and he got up and came to me and gave me a huge hug (he's now taller than me!) and he said, "Don't worry Dad. You've got this. You've got it!"

Having my son support me like that was priceless.

Another support mechanism is my coach, David Warden. David is one of the world's leading experts on the science behind Triathlon and the world's most effective training methods. He only works with seven people, so I am extremely lucky and grateful to have him on my team! There is this subtle self-created pressure that I do not want to let David down, and I do not want to report that I did not complete all my workouts as scheduled. Knowing that David reviews every workout and all my power and HR data, is enough to get out the door on some days.

My business partner Kevin has been incredibly supportive. I am either arriving late or leaving early, especially during daylight savings time. The extra work often falls onto him, and he never complains. He is also the voice of reason when I tell him how close I was to coming to blows with a crazy driver or a wheel sucker.

When pursuing the Ironman dream, many people must pull together to support you, especially if you are married, have a family or are working full time. The time to get everything done has to come at the expense of something. It's as simple as that. Where do you find an extra 15 - 20 hours a week? You surely cannot cut back on your sleep, as when you are working out this much, you must have the sleep for your body to repair and rebuild.

The time for these workouts comes at the expense of relationships, work, keeping up the house, other hobbies, television or other past times, etc. In my case, the time has come from work, from the elimination of essentially all TV, and in keeping up on things in general.

The pursuit requires one to be exceptionally-well organized and to have systems in place to ensure that things don't start slipping through the cracks, because believe me, they will if you are not careful! That's where your support network can really come in and help.

This pursuit can stress work, family and outside friendships. If your critical relationships are not solid and in good standing prior to starting your Ironman training, I would suggest that you really shore-up those relationships and have a candid discussion about the toll your training will likely take on others.

The toll?

• You will be going to bed a lot earlier (I go to bed at 9:00pm; it used to be midnight).
• You will be cranky and possibly short-tempered, especially during your long weeks.
• If you have a short temper before you start this endeavor, it could be magnified by your training.
• You will be sore a lot of the time. You will likely complain about it. At first you will get sympathy, but that won't last long. Too much complaining can begin to grate on people.
• You will likely be going to see the doctor more frequently, and usually to some sort of specialist. I have been to see doctors more in the past 12-months than in the past 20 years combined. (Broken ankle, hip problems that required four visits to an orthopeadic surgeon for x-rays an MRI and evaluations totally over $7,000, knee problems that required thousands of dollars of additional x-rays and evaluations, hernia, IT band problems, knotted up trigger points called 'myofascial pain syndrome' in my upper trapezoid area from the crouched aero position on my TT bike, black toenails, toenails falling off, massively-huge and very deep blisters, a year-long plantar wart problem that required Podiatrist action, plantar fasciitis, hemorrhoids (from bike?), pre-cancerous growths from sun exposure, etc)
• You will be tired and may not be as fun to be around at times.
• You will be pre-occupied and not always "present" or able to give your full and complete attention to your spouse, children, work associates and friends.
• You will definitely be spending a lot of money on equipment, a coach, bikes, travel, race fees, nutritional supplements, bike repairs, race uniforms, books, power meters, HR monitors, body fat scale, GPS watch, an Endless Pool perhaps!, gym fees, association dues, equipment bags, wetsuit, aero helmet, road helmet, custom bike fitting (a must!), race day souvenirs and the list goes on and on. When you spend this much money, one can't really get on a spouse about their spending habits...even if they already have 137 pairs of shoes!
• The list goes on...

So I find that support is very important. Sure I could still finish the full IM without this support because I am just so determined to do so. But I know for an absolute fact that I will finish healthier, faster and happier, knowing that I have so many people who love me and who are pulling for me and have supported me throughout this incredible journey!

Endless Pool: One Year In-Service Review

I have always wanted a pool. Always.

My great friend and cousin in-law, Chris, had a lap pool growing up and for over 30 years I have been talking about that pool! But the problem with a backyard lap pool for a Triathlete is that it is very difficult to build one long enough (25 meters) to get a satisfactory workout.

Then along comes Endless Pools.

Imagine an adjustable flow of water coming straight at you, just like a salmon swimming upstream. The company calls them a "swimming machine" and another way to look at them is sort of like a treadmill, but for swimming. All this in a compact 10' x 7' footprint. Takes up little space, you determine the speed of the water flow, no lines at the local pools or gyms. What could be more perfect!

The only problem is that these pools are extremely expensive. There is no way that I could ever 'cost justify' the incredible extravagance. Sort of like Warren Buffet who calls his Gulfstream IV-SP jet "The Indefensible."

The cost of a basic Endless Pool is listed at about $20K - $25K, but let's talk real numbers, not the advertising hoopla.

In addition to the basic pool package which is assembled on site, either above or below ground, you'll certainly want to add some extras. The electric pool cover alone can be as much as $4,500. But it doesn't stop there. How about a swim mirror to check on your stroke? Got it. How about lights? Yep need those too for swimming late nights and pre-dawn. What about a swim meter to tell you how fast you are going and to record your workout distance? That's a must, and that's extra. Want a swim step so someone can get out of the pool? You'll need to order that as well. How about four hydro-massage jets for a Jacuzzi-like experience? You bet, especially after a long bike ride! I could go on and on regarding the extras.

In my case, I thought I was getting the deal of a lifetime because I was able to locate a pre-owned pool from a private party and verified all the data with Endless Pools. It came with a custom-made $5,000 cover and most of the parts. All this for about $12,000. I saved well over half and was elated.

But let's just look at the REAL numbers:

$12,000 The initial cost of the Pool
$9,000 Installation cost (I got ripped off here; big time!)
$2,000 Prep and pour a new concrete slab
$1,500 Upgraded electrical service to power the massive hydraulic pump
$5,000 New gas pool heater to save on energy costs (My first electric bill was $2,000!!)
$2,500 Build a deck around the pool for a platform and easier access.
$2,000 Cultured stones to face the outside of the pool structure
$1,500 Labor to install the stones
$2,250 Extra parts, new parts, service call on the cover, service call on the electrical
$300 Landscaping around the deck

The total cost is about $38,000 and I am certain that I have left out a lot of things.

Endless pools will never quote you how much it is going to cost for everything, but friends, these are the real numbers. Nothing extravagant or unusual here either.

OK, enough about the costs, what about the performance and value?

I love the pool. It has been a great tool and I am a much better swimmer because of this pool. It has operated flawlessly for about one year now. I have not had a single issue or problem and I am very happy and proud of that pool.

It does take a little adjustment to get used to the pool's current. As the current comes from the front of the unit in a smooth, waveless motion, it is also sucked back and down into a grate at the back of the pool; this is the return. So the water is returned to the front where there is a huge propeller safely housed in a solid stainless steel compartment. Totally, 100% safe to be sure. But the thing is that your feet are drawn down a bit by the power of the returning current. The faster the current, the stronger the draw and downward pulling motion on the lower legs. You'll get used to it, and one cool thing is that when you get back into the lake, ocean or community pool, you will not believe how much faster you are going without that pull on your legs; it's an amazing difference. You feel like you are just gliding right along the surface.

I am the first to recognize that it was a crazy and unjustifiable extravagance. Had I known that it would cost about $40,000, I never would have considered it. Never. For that price I could get a lifetime membership to the finest health clubs in the world. But it's done, and I don't regret it at this point.

I am very happy with the pool. I also like the hydro-jets which I can focus on parts of my back that get trashed from riding in the aero position on my Time Trial bike. But the really great thing about the pool is both the convenience as well as the ability to practice at exact pacing. If I want to complete my 2.4 mile Ironman swim leg in 1 hour and 20 minutes, then I know that I have to just set my pace meter to 1.80 mph and that will be the exact pace I will have to swim in the event. I can adjust the speed to whatever I like, although it gets to the point where it is just too fast!

The Endless Pool has also been used as a family hot tub from time to time. We upgraded the heater to an actual swimming pool heater (thus the $5,000 cost!). That allows me to superheat the water in about 2 hours from about 88-degrees where I typically swim, to 101-degrees for a hot tub experience.

The pool holds about 2,500 gallons of water and it is very easy to maintain. Endless Pools sells a kit of some minerals that you install into the filter and replace every six months. This product alone takes care of everything you'll need to do, except for chlorine. I use bromine tablets in a floater for when I am out of town and this has worked perfect to maintain an excellent balance. Caring for the pool is nearly effortless, but whatever effort is required is actually quite fun.

The pool can be installed indoors, outdoors, above ground or below ground. Below ground installations are quite expensive. At the same time, if you just install this 4.5 foot tall "box" on top of an elevated slab, it can be unsightly.

What we did was to pour a solid concrete pad, then build a deck around the front and side of the pool. that allowed for easier access with two stair steps. Then in front of the elevated deck, we planted flowering bushes to soften the whole look. So you see the lawn, then the flowering bushes, then the deck, then just two feet of the stone facing of the pool. This method allowed us to really break-up the massive box and really soften the overall look. I just love the way it all turned out.

The pool is definitely an excellent training device. I won't go as far as to say that it is a must, but it sure is a very convenient, fun and practical piece of exercise equipment that could possibly last a lifetime. And if you move, you simply have an installer come out, unbolt the pool and reassemble it later. All you'll need to do is to buy a replacement liner, which by the way are very attractive.

If you are really interested, I would be happy to send you photos or talk to you about the process and just give you the straight scoop here.

Disaster Strikes!

Due to a series of conference calls, I had to reschedule my morning bike ride to the afternoon. But to save time, I loaded my best bike onto the roof racks of my new BMW 5-series and headed off to work.

The plan was to leave work a bit early and get 2 - 2.5 hours on the Riverbed and be home for dinner by 6:30pm.

All was well and I was feeling good, so after the ride I stopped by my local butcher shop that makes these incredible, citrus-marinated chicken breasts perfect for the BBQ. I was still in my cycling gear and we got talking a great story about fitness, etc. As a lifelong butcher, he enjoys his product to what appears to be an unhealthy level and was very interested in some ideas to improve his health.

As I was thinking about ideas for him on my way back home I was apparently distracted because I drove right into my garage with my most-prized bike still attached to the roof.

The damage was absolutely incredible!

The rack, which had been very firmly attached to the roof, was ripped right off. In the process, however, it gorged massive dents at three points where the rack was attached. As the rack scraped across the roof, metal on metal, the roof was scratched and deeply indented.

The garage door was knocked right off the tracks and was completely inoperable.

The 100% carbon fiber bicycle, thankfully, appears to be OK. The impact was at the handlebars and they took full blow as they were the only contact point on the concrete wall above the garage.

All I can say about those bars is that Zipp makes an incredibly strong handlebar and fantastic wheelsets! The bar is fine, and it appears the bike is fine. However, I do not intend to ride the bike again until it is fully checked out by the shop.

At downhill speeds of over 40 MPH one must be certain that the frame retains full integrity.

In the meantime, I will be getting back on my Cervelo P3C Time Trial bike for the balance of my riding prior to the Full Ironman in Tempe in November 2008. Only about sixty-days now remain until this event!

Now I need to go find a good body shop. It looks like it may be $5,000 - $7,500 worth of damage, but the first estimate was only $1,600. It was so low that I am extremely suspect and will get a few others when I have time.

And while this may be an over-reaction, I am actually considering buying a different kind of car that can accommodate my bicycles and gear in a truck or fold down hatchback type area. I was thinking of the Honda Element which appears to be designed for this kind of activity, although I am not thrilled with the low power or quirky shape.

Lesson learned: If you put a bike on the roof of your car, ALWAYS, 100% of the time, take your garage door opener and put it in your trunk! If you have a door opener integrated into your car's electronics, put a small Post-It over the button to remind yourself!

Carpinteria to Solvang

My mission for the day was to secure the prized Solvang Kringle the moment the bakery opened. The problem was that the bakery opened about 7:00am, and I was about 45 miles away on the other side of the mountain pass.

Well before sunrise, I mounted the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL and headed north to the tiny Hamlet of Solvang, CA. This would be a challenging ride of just over 90 miles, three hours of which would be in total darkness.

I started slow and easy in order tow warm up and to adjust my night vision. Even though I was wearing three layers of cycling shirts and two pairs of gloves, I was still cold as I climbed up over the coastal mountain pass and through the clouds.

Ever driven your car, at night, through very dense coastal fog? You know what it's like when your high beams hit that fog and you are blinded? Well that was the challenge I faced riding up and over the mountain pass. It was unsettling as I made my ascent, as there is no shoulder for cyclists in many of these steep stretches, and with the fog blinding motorists, I was a bit concerned.

I made it up through the clouds and it was a bright starry night at the top. But then I had to descend back through the clouds again as I moved from Santa Barbara toward Lake Cachuma and the Santa Ynez wine country.

Descending through those clouds, at night, in cold weather was extremely cold. The cold, wet air and the low temperature conspired with my accelerating downhill speed to give me ice cream headaches all the way down (about 4 - 5 miles).

The sun began to rise as I hit the lake and headed the 20 additional miles to Solvang. My mission for the day was to secure the prized Solvang Kringle the moment the bakery opened.

Kringle are hand-rolled from Danish pastry dough that has been rested overnight before preparing and baking. Many layers of the flaky dough are layered, then shaped roughly like a pretzel. Solvang is world famous for this particular pastry and I was going to bring one home as "proof" that I actually made to Solvang despite urgings from some not to attempt the trip due to the lack of a cycling shoulder on the mountain pass.

Well they packaged up that Kringle in 4 large plastic bags, sealed them all and I stuffed this pizza-sized pastry in the front of my jersey. To avoid crushing the delicate puff pastry, I suspended the packaged item with medical tape from the straps of my cycling straps on the long johns. It worked great.

The trip back was much faster because I had plenty of light so I was not so tentative. I was also pushed a bit by a few guys from one of the cycling teams. Solvang was the home city for the Discovery Cycling team for many years and the area is full of cycling lore about Lance Armstrong and his amazing exploits.

I would do this trip again, but next time will continue through the Central Coast wine country, and return via Buellton and the 101 freeway heading south back to Carpinteria.

My First 100+ Mile Bike Workout

This morning I got up very early and headed up the San Gabriel River Trail. I started at the beach and ended up at the snow line in the mountains above Glendora. At mile #52, I was high up in the mountains in the pines, oaks and a wild rushing river. It was fantastic.

The total ride took 6 hours and 45 minutes, including a couple of stops for more water. On the return trip it was so windy that I had to pedal hard even on the downhill sections of the mountain pass because I was riding straight into a ferocious headwind!

I fueled correctly, hydrated consistently and took plenty of Electolytes; I had no issues, no problems and in reality, this ride was not as tough as many others where I was not as fully prepared.

I have a bike race coming up in a few weeks (The 104-mile Tour de Poway in the San Diego area), so this ride today was a good primer.

This was my longest ride ever on a bike, and while I was only averaging about 15 miles per hour, I am happy with the results and still find it hard to imagine that I actually completed over 100 miles on my bike and still got home in time for lunch! That was cool!

50K ULTRA MARATHON REPORT

I completed the 50K (31 mile) Bulldog Ultra marathon run on 8/23/08. I crossed the finish line in 7:29.53. In no way did this seem or feel like 7.5 hours on the trail. The day went by very quickly and it only seemed like a 3-hour run.

This was the most extreme test of endurance and will power that I have ever experienced.

The Bulldog Ultra marathon course winds through the mountains between Malibu and Agoura, with a combination of hiking trails, dirt paths and fire roads. There are two stream crossings, but we were able to hop on rocks and avoid getting our shoes wet.

The two-loop course had extreme elevation gains (about 9,000 feet) in total and we were well above the clouds when we reached the summit of Bulldog mountain. That was pretty amazing to have such a huge elevation gain so quickly, running through and then above the clouds!

The hardest part of this event was not the distance at all- - -in fact, I could have gone much further if it were on level ground! The hardest parts of the day were the impossibly-steep descents.

One might think that running down the face of mountains would be a lot easier, some might say 'effortless' just letting gravity do its work. But the painful reality is that when the road gets too steep, every step is a painful, toe-jamming, knee grinding torture test... At least for me.

The extreme decent in elevation was very difficult. By far, maybe a measure of two to three times, this was much more difficult than the Ironman 70.3 events. It wasn't even close.

This was not a test of endurance, but rather a test of willpower and smart hydration, electrolyte intake and fueling. As the temperature was in the mid 90s, the heat had a major impact. But most challenging for me were the extreme descents.

The constant jamming and pounding of the downhill run was just too much on these old knees. It is also high risk for slipping on loose dirt/gravel as well as the dreaded "black toenail" from the toes repeatedly slamming the front of the shoes.

Despite my ample study and preparedness, I was not expecting so much pain from the downhills. I was well prepared and had every conceivable potentiality covered. As an Eagle Scout, I am always prepared, but in this case, perhaps too prepared. I was quickly spotted as a 'newbie' due to the size of my hydration pack which was bulging with my "eleven essentials," a 2-Liter hydration pack, a full medical kit, full nutrition kit, Electrolyte capsules, extra hat, poison oak remedy, sunscreen, toiletries, etc. I was fully prepared for everything. Everything except the steep downhills!

I will not do this race again due to the extreme physical toll the descents took on my knees, toes and especially my quads. The 31-mile distance was not the issue, it was the steep declines.

I am far more likely to do a 50-mile race than to repeat the Bulldog 50K. So now my goals are fixed solidly on finding a 50-mile race to complete sometime after the Tempe Full Ironman in November 2008.

I really enjoy these ultra marathons and "extreme" endurance events, but in the future I will be much more careful about selecting events that do not involve such steep downhills; I would much prefer uphill courses or rolling hills. Another lesson learned is that I must get the weight of my hydration pack down a bit. Perhaps carry more water on a waist belt system and only carry the bare essentials on my back. The constant jostling of about 10 - 12 pound on my back over 7.5 hours took a toll on my shoulders.

While I cannot compete with younger men and women in terms of speed, it seems that these ultra marathon and ultra endurance events are a great equalizer because speed does not play as vital a role as does endurance, hydration and on-the-trail nutrition.

As long as I can stay injury-free, I think that these ultra marathons and extreme endurance events are going to be my focus. I really do enjoy these crazy events that seem impossible to contemplate.

The more extreme, the more interesting and exciting they are to me. Also, I have noticed that the extreme events do not attract as many people as the Ironman 70.3. In the Bulldog 50K there were only about 150 or so participants. People were friendly and helpful. These events are not about extreme competition, but rather, a brotherhood of mutual respect and sincere appreciation for just finishing.

In these extreme endurance events, anyone who just manages to finish is a winner. I think I've found my niche.