It was cold and dark start on October 18th. We waited for a while at the hotel since it was only 2 blocks away from the start of the marathon.
When I got to the start it was a bit chaotic, seemed like lots of people crammed into one small space at the start. It was so packed I couldn’t get to the 4:00 pace group and ended up starting way behind 5:30 pace group.
Then as everyone started to slowly move towards the start, right in the middle there were about 5 guys/girls standing like an immovable island in the middle of a river waiting for something and made everyone walk around them, that was not cool.
After that the run went well. The first several miles you could see every ones breath in the cold crispy air, and it looked like the whole current of runners was steaming.
Columbus course is pretty flat with a few very low grade ups but mostly downs, which makes is a very nice fast race.
Volunteers and supporters were great, water and Gatorade stations were about every mile or so. The race is well organized and well run. I would definitely recommend it.
I didn’t have too many problems during the run, but at around mile 12 my right big toe starting hurting and I could feel every uneven ground with it and the pain was pretty bad. The first few miles after that I tried to brush the pain aside and tried stepping on all the flat spots on the road, and it worked for a while but in a few miles the pain came back. Then I decided to concentrate on the pain, on all the pain I was feeling everywhere and enjoy it. I told myself, if I’m feeling pain, I’m going as fast as I can. And I enjoyed it all the way to the finish. I caught up with the 4:00 hr pace group at about mile 20 and thought about running with them but felt like they were going too slow for me, so I passed them. I even picked up the pace in the 2nd half and really picked up the pace on the last mile.
I wanted to finish in less than 4 hours, and I did, with a final time of 3:52:58
Congratulations to everyone who participated in 5k, half, and full marathons on October 18 in Columbus Ohio.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Office workout tips
Sitting all day at the computer does things to you... We all know and read multiple studies on how it affects us. Admit it, human body was not designed to sit all day. So here are some tips to keep your body moving during the day at work, which might help you release some stress and also help keeping your mind sharp and keep you awake during your work day. Many of you have a gym membership and can easily go do your workout during lunch time which is great! But not everyone can afford it, so if you can’t justify spending that much on health club, read on…
1. Get a big body ball to sit on. They usually come in different colors depending on the size and the size of the ball depends on your height. It’s good for your back and therefore your posture. Also you can take 5-10 minutes and do 100 crunches on the ball right at your desk, in the morning, as soon at you get to work, at lunch and right before going home. You will not get sweaty but you will get a nice abs workout. You can also look online for other ball exercises that you can do. They usually don’t take much room and are not too hard to fit in the office space. But keep your chair close, in case you get tired of sitting on the ball at the end of the day.
Oh and they are not expensive at all: http://www.amazon.com/Valeo-Body-Ball-55-cm/dp/B0007IS6XS
2. I’m sure not every meeting room in your building is occupied all day. Find the time in outlook calendar when a meeting room is available. Go there for 5-10 minutes and do 100 push-ups or 100 squats. It doesn’t take a lot of time but it is a nice short workout and it wakes up your body and keeps you fresh all day long.
3. Stretch every hour or 2. You should get up from your chair every hour or so and just stretch for 5 minutes. You don’t need to put your legs up on anyone’s shoulders or on a file cabinet, though you could if you had one. All you need to do is bend forward and touch your toes a couple times. Spread your legs apart and bend down to one leg and then another. Stretch your neck, arms, shoulders anything you can think of. There are lots of different stretches you can do and you can find them online.
I’m sure you can look around your office and create your own exercises, so go ahead and be creative.
1. Get a big body ball to sit on. They usually come in different colors depending on the size and the size of the ball depends on your height. It’s good for your back and therefore your posture. Also you can take 5-10 minutes and do 100 crunches on the ball right at your desk, in the morning, as soon at you get to work, at lunch and right before going home. You will not get sweaty but you will get a nice abs workout. You can also look online for other ball exercises that you can do. They usually don’t take much room and are not too hard to fit in the office space. But keep your chair close, in case you get tired of sitting on the ball at the end of the day.
Oh and they are not expensive at all: http://www.amazon.com/Valeo-Body-Ball-55-cm/dp/B0007IS6XS
2. I’m sure not every meeting room in your building is occupied all day. Find the time in outlook calendar when a meeting room is available. Go there for 5-10 minutes and do 100 push-ups or 100 squats. It doesn’t take a lot of time but it is a nice short workout and it wakes up your body and keeps you fresh all day long.
3. Stretch every hour or 2. You should get up from your chair every hour or so and just stretch for 5 minutes. You don’t need to put your legs up on anyone’s shoulders or on a file cabinet, though you could if you had one. All you need to do is bend forward and touch your toes a couple times. Spread your legs apart and bend down to one leg and then another. Stretch your neck, arms, shoulders anything you can think of. There are lots of different stretches you can do and you can find them online.
I’m sure you can look around your office and create your own exercises, so go ahead and be creative.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
MS150 bike ride for cure
Our friends mom has MS, and we have been doing this ride for about 4 years now to show our support and raise money for cure for MS. It's a great cause and hopefully we will continue doing this annually.
The support, volunteers and riders at this event are great, everyone very helpful and friendly.
For this ride we wanted to have our own jerseys and we got them just on time. It was great to see 6 people wearing same jerseys and what made them even more special is that they were ours. By the way if you are interested in supporting us and getting one, you can check them out here: http://www.tribug.com/tri-bug-bike-jersey-by-craft-p-149.html
Saturday we got to NIU, got our packets and ended up waiting in the pavilion for 3 hours due to the pouring rain. Also the long option of 100 miles was canceled and we only rode 60 miles 1st day. First 40 miles or so, the rain kept pouring on and off, it was cold and my fingers were frozen so much that i could not even point at the pot holes on the way. Also we did not want to stop at the rest stops for too long to let the muscles cool down. Finally towards the end of the ride the weather warmed up and we even saw some sunshine.
After we were done with the ride on Saturday, we had some good pasta, and some beer. Went to our room at the dorms of NIU and fall asleep. I guess the bad weather took the toll on us even though it was only 60 miles.
Unfortunately Saturday night 2 of our friends had to leave because of some family emergency. So Sunday ride was promising to be less exciting.
Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day, sun shinning, birds singing, had some very good breakfast and took off for another 80 miles. Weather couldn't be better that day. We rode in a column of 3 people rotating every few minutes to pull. Some people tagged along during the ride and drafted a little of us. Some guy was riding with his daughter 2 seat bicycle, he was doing great and when he asked if he could draft of us we gladly offered him the ride. He was doing a very good job going at this speed with some extra weight.
We averaged about 18 mph for the 80 mile course. I think it's not bad for some windy open planes.
Finally we go to the finish line, had some post ride food, which i thought this time was not very good.
And took off.
It was a great weekend, we had a great group of people riding with us and looking forward to next year!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
American Triple-T at Ohio, May 2009
Memorial day weekend started out about the same way as for many others. We packed our car with some food, tent, clothes, bikes and so on. But the rest of the weekend was far from being ordinary fun in the sun at while camping.
On Friday May 22 we got to Shawnee state park camp ground and setup our tent. Seemed like a nice place with not too many people around at that point and our camp ground was in a nice shaded secluded area. As we found out later, it wasn't as secluded as we thought.
We decided to camp out because we though that we would be close enough to the race start location but it wasn't the case and next time we do it we are getting a hotel room, or a lodge.
Creed was playing the whole weekend, so after i got home i found my old Creed CD.
We got in the car and headed down to the start of the first race - prologue 250 meter swim, 5 mile bike, 1 mile run.
Got the jerseys, but they turned out to be way too tight and almost every i knew was trying to change for the larger size. It's a sleeveless jersey with a very patriotic design with American flag, it's not too bad. But i don't think i would wear that jersey again any time soon, maybe on 4th of July parade.
Setting up in transition, have to say there is enough room for everyone and you are in the same spot the whole weekend, so you know no one is going to move your bike or your stuff, or take your spot in transition, everyone is very nice and helpfull.
It started out in time trial way, 2 people would run into the water every 2-3 seconds. It was very short, very few people wore wetsuits on the swim. The water was very nice and warm. It was a short loop and last 50-75 meters of the swim were going through some very muddy and murky water. And by the time about 350 gone before me all the water weed was up. Actually that was at every swim since my number was in late 300s and there were total of about 400+ people. And on top of that i'm a slow swimmer.
Bike was just a warm up before the whole weekend, out and back up the hill and down the hill. Turned out a little less then 5 miles.
Run, out and back, again just a taste of whats ahead, only starting on the trail that we will get to know love and hate during the next 2 days.
1500 meter swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.55 mile run
Saturday wake up at 5:00am, race starts at 7:30.
We get to the transition area, everyone is excited and ready to start racing. Very few people decided still not to wear the wetsuits. But i really like mine De Soto First Wave and i wanted to use it. Makes me swim a little better too.
Time trial start with 2 people running into the water at a time every 2-3seconds. I'm among the last 300s numbers. So i come out of the water among the last swimmers. It takes me less then a minute to take the suit off, it was very easy to take it off by the way. And i'm off to the bike.
The roads are nice and i'm enjoying it for now, then out of nowhere, sharp left turn and up the hill right away at about 17% grade. Some people had to stop to change the gears and some had to roll back down to start from the bottom. Working the hill all the way to the top, and then a nice descent but that also had a sharp left turn so you really had to slow down to a crawling speed not to fly out into the tree coming from 35mph.
Back into T2 and out to the run for the first time running the whole 6.55 mile trail. It's hot, hilly, with some loose gravel. Good support on the run from volunteers.
Done with race number 1.
Packed the bikes back into the car and back to our tent for some food and rest. We only have about 2 hours. Potatoes, peanut butter and vitamin water, an hour of just laying around trying to fall asleep, and again putting on wet jersey and shorts.
24.8 mile bike, 1500 meter swim, 6.55 mile run
We get to the second Olympic about 1 hr before start, people are not at excited as before the first one.
Bike is first and it's a time trial start again, with 2 people leaving every 2-3 seconds. This time the bike route is different and it has one long hill that we first go down and then climb back up. The descent was great right up until the bottom of the hill when we had to slam on the breaks to slow down because of an ambulance going to help some guy that had an accident on the bike.
Another few miles out and back up that hill, don't remember how long the climb is but it took about 15 minutes or so going up at about 5mph, you do the math ;)
Back in T1, all sweaty and hot after the ride, putting on the wetsuit for 1500 meter swim. Because i just got the De Soto First Wave suit, i decided that the water is pretty warm and i only wore the Bibjohn from the suit. It worked out great. Didn't cramp, took it easy on the swim again, but did try to go faster and cut the swim down by 1 minute this time. Not much but still.
Finally in T2, my T2 are always pretty fast, and even this time when i had to take off the wetsuit, it was pretty fast. Out to the run. Same trail, out and back but this time it feels a bit easier, maybe because it's not as sunny.
Finish... we are half way done.
Back to the tent, shower, going to get some normal food, because i didn't eat anything the whole day besides gel, energy bars, gatorade, bananas and potatoes.
By the end of saturday i'm tired, just want to lay down and fall asleep. So after dinner we go back to camp ground and lie down trying to fall asleep.... Not happening. Either i'm too tired or too excited or too nervous before Sundays HIM or maybe it's that kid in a tent probably 100 feet away, but felt like he was siting in our tent and screaming the whole night just to make our weekend harder. He would quiet down for a little and i seem to start falling asleep again, then he starts screaming again, and all i can hear is MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY... i was ready to go and kick those parents asses. the whole night before the Half Iron Man race we didn't get to sleep.
Wake up at 4:45am
1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
We get to the start about 40-30 minutes before the race. People are really not in a hurry to start racing on sunday, and everyone is taking their time to get there. We put on the wetsuits and head down to the lake, it's a 2 loop swim and few people go into the water to test it out. I figure, what's the point, i have 1.2 miles ahead of me to test it out and no matter if it cold or warm i'm going in, and it couldn't have gotten cold in 2 days anyway.
The final count down before the start of the last race of the weekend and again time trial start with 2 people going, i should say waking into the water every 2-3 seconds.
Fast people are all out of the water by the time i'm out. I get to my bike, quickly get out of my First Wave suit, eat an energy bar, drink gatorade and of to the 2nd leg.
It's a 2 loop bike course, great roads, nice scenery, saw a snake in the middle of the road, and had to go around it. The loop has a few climbs, one of them is a switchback climb, seemed like it kept going on forever and ever. Going downhill was somewhat scary, but on the second loop going down on some hills i barely touched the breaks, because i was ready to be done with it by that time. By the end of second loop on the climbs, i felt my legs giving out and thought of stopping and taking a break and asking myself why i'm doing this, but then thought to myself, YES I CAN, YES I CAN... and that pushed out every other thought, and kept climbing.
For me the last hill was the hardest, by then it was the 3rd time i was on that hill and it felt like it just went straight up. Kept trying to switch the gears on my bike to the easier one, and kept forgetting i was riding the easier one already...
Even though i have a good saddle by ISM Adamo that i really like and it's fitted to me. But by the end of the 56 mile ride i felt every little bump and crack in the road with my butt, and couldn't wait to get off the bike.
Got to T2, have a gel, drink some water, take 1 salt pill, just in case, and of to the run. Same old trail 2 times. 3rd time around the hills on the run didn't seem so steep, but on the 2nd loop it seemed like they just grew from a little rain. And they kept growing higher and higher, but YES I CAN! YES I CAN! my lest shoe full of water, luckily no cramping, nice "easy" run and nice easy walk up the hills... of course there was nothing easy about it.
And..... oh yes i can hear the music, finally!!!
I get to the finish and get my finishers medal and a shirt.
This was the hardest race i have done so far but loved every minute of it. Weekend flew by really fast unfortunately but it was great.
Hopefully i will get to do this again next year and this time i will know what to expect.
www.TriBug.com
On Friday May 22 we got to Shawnee state park camp ground and setup our tent. Seemed like a nice place with not too many people around at that point and our camp ground was in a nice shaded secluded area. As we found out later, it wasn't as secluded as we thought.
We decided to camp out because we though that we would be close enough to the race start location but it wasn't the case and next time we do it we are getting a hotel room, or a lodge.
Creed was playing the whole weekend, so after i got home i found my old Creed CD.
We got in the car and headed down to the start of the first race - prologue 250 meter swim, 5 mile bike, 1 mile run.
Got the jerseys, but they turned out to be way too tight and almost every i knew was trying to change for the larger size. It's a sleeveless jersey with a very patriotic design with American flag, it's not too bad. But i don't think i would wear that jersey again any time soon, maybe on 4th of July parade.
Setting up in transition, have to say there is enough room for everyone and you are in the same spot the whole weekend, so you know no one is going to move your bike or your stuff, or take your spot in transition, everyone is very nice and helpfull.
It started out in time trial way, 2 people would run into the water every 2-3 seconds. It was very short, very few people wore wetsuits on the swim. The water was very nice and warm. It was a short loop and last 50-75 meters of the swim were going through some very muddy and murky water. And by the time about 350 gone before me all the water weed was up. Actually that was at every swim since my number was in late 300s and there were total of about 400+ people. And on top of that i'm a slow swimmer.
Bike was just a warm up before the whole weekend, out and back up the hill and down the hill. Turned out a little less then 5 miles.
Run, out and back, again just a taste of whats ahead, only starting on the trail that we will get to know love and hate during the next 2 days.
1500 meter swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.55 mile run
Saturday wake up at 5:00am, race starts at 7:30.
We get to the transition area, everyone is excited and ready to start racing. Very few people decided still not to wear the wetsuits. But i really like mine De Soto First Wave and i wanted to use it. Makes me swim a little better too.
Time trial start with 2 people running into the water at a time every 2-3seconds. I'm among the last 300s numbers. So i come out of the water among the last swimmers. It takes me less then a minute to take the suit off, it was very easy to take it off by the way. And i'm off to the bike.
The roads are nice and i'm enjoying it for now, then out of nowhere, sharp left turn and up the hill right away at about 17% grade. Some people had to stop to change the gears and some had to roll back down to start from the bottom. Working the hill all the way to the top, and then a nice descent but that also had a sharp left turn so you really had to slow down to a crawling speed not to fly out into the tree coming from 35mph.
Back into T2 and out to the run for the first time running the whole 6.55 mile trail. It's hot, hilly, with some loose gravel. Good support on the run from volunteers.
Done with race number 1.
Packed the bikes back into the car and back to our tent for some food and rest. We only have about 2 hours. Potatoes, peanut butter and vitamin water, an hour of just laying around trying to fall asleep, and again putting on wet jersey and shorts.
24.8 mile bike, 1500 meter swim, 6.55 mile run
We get to the second Olympic about 1 hr before start, people are not at excited as before the first one.
Bike is first and it's a time trial start again, with 2 people leaving every 2-3 seconds. This time the bike route is different and it has one long hill that we first go down and then climb back up. The descent was great right up until the bottom of the hill when we had to slam on the breaks to slow down because of an ambulance going to help some guy that had an accident on the bike.
Another few miles out and back up that hill, don't remember how long the climb is but it took about 15 minutes or so going up at about 5mph, you do the math ;)
Back in T1, all sweaty and hot after the ride, putting on the wetsuit for 1500 meter swim. Because i just got the De Soto First Wave suit, i decided that the water is pretty warm and i only wore the Bibjohn from the suit. It worked out great. Didn't cramp, took it easy on the swim again, but did try to go faster and cut the swim down by 1 minute this time. Not much but still.
Finally in T2, my T2 are always pretty fast, and even this time when i had to take off the wetsuit, it was pretty fast. Out to the run. Same trail, out and back but this time it feels a bit easier, maybe because it's not as sunny.
Finish... we are half way done.
Back to the tent, shower, going to get some normal food, because i didn't eat anything the whole day besides gel, energy bars, gatorade, bananas and potatoes.
By the end of saturday i'm tired, just want to lay down and fall asleep. So after dinner we go back to camp ground and lie down trying to fall asleep.... Not happening. Either i'm too tired or too excited or too nervous before Sundays HIM or maybe it's that kid in a tent probably 100 feet away, but felt like he was siting in our tent and screaming the whole night just to make our weekend harder. He would quiet down for a little and i seem to start falling asleep again, then he starts screaming again, and all i can hear is MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY... i was ready to go and kick those parents asses. the whole night before the Half Iron Man race we didn't get to sleep.
Wake up at 4:45am
1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
We get to the start about 40-30 minutes before the race. People are really not in a hurry to start racing on sunday, and everyone is taking their time to get there. We put on the wetsuits and head down to the lake, it's a 2 loop swim and few people go into the water to test it out. I figure, what's the point, i have 1.2 miles ahead of me to test it out and no matter if it cold or warm i'm going in, and it couldn't have gotten cold in 2 days anyway.
The final count down before the start of the last race of the weekend and again time trial start with 2 people going, i should say waking into the water every 2-3 seconds.
Fast people are all out of the water by the time i'm out. I get to my bike, quickly get out of my First Wave suit, eat an energy bar, drink gatorade and of to the 2nd leg.
It's a 2 loop bike course, great roads, nice scenery, saw a snake in the middle of the road, and had to go around it. The loop has a few climbs, one of them is a switchback climb, seemed like it kept going on forever and ever. Going downhill was somewhat scary, but on the second loop going down on some hills i barely touched the breaks, because i was ready to be done with it by that time. By the end of second loop on the climbs, i felt my legs giving out and thought of stopping and taking a break and asking myself why i'm doing this, but then thought to myself, YES I CAN, YES I CAN... and that pushed out every other thought, and kept climbing.
For me the last hill was the hardest, by then it was the 3rd time i was on that hill and it felt like it just went straight up. Kept trying to switch the gears on my bike to the easier one, and kept forgetting i was riding the easier one already...
Even though i have a good saddle by ISM Adamo that i really like and it's fitted to me. But by the end of the 56 mile ride i felt every little bump and crack in the road with my butt, and couldn't wait to get off the bike.
Got to T2, have a gel, drink some water, take 1 salt pill, just in case, and of to the run. Same old trail 2 times. 3rd time around the hills on the run didn't seem so steep, but on the 2nd loop it seemed like they just grew from a little rain. And they kept growing higher and higher, but YES I CAN! YES I CAN! my lest shoe full of water, luckily no cramping, nice "easy" run and nice easy walk up the hills... of course there was nothing easy about it.
And..... oh yes i can hear the music, finally!!!
I get to the finish and get my finishers medal and a shirt.
This was the hardest race i have done so far but loved every minute of it. Weekend flew by really fast unfortunately but it was great.
Hopefully i will get to do this again next year and this time i will know what to expect.
www.TriBug.com
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Indy 500 Mini Marathon
Weather was perfect, mood was great, organization, expo, people, water, gatorade, post race food, location, course, everything was great.
Finally first long race of the season. And i was able to set a new personal record. Which is awesome. Since i haven't been doing too much interval work. Don't know about all you other fast people out there but for me 1:45 for a half marathon is pretty good without much training.
Race started out with about 35k people standing at the start line and playing with a bunch of beach balls, which was kind of fun and made the time before the buzz go by quickly.
Then the final countdown and off we go...
Through out the course many local bands playing which was very nice, some spectators here and there. 2nd mile in or so saw some guy with a bruised knee and bloody nose on the side, probably tripped on something, and he was already getting help. Then we get to the Indy 500 race track, and i start making car noises as i pass some people on it :) it was pretty cool to run it and i'm glad it was not too hot otherwise i bet the shoes would be melting. Never thought the track was so long hahahaha
Right as we get off the track i felt a little cramping coming on, as i was trying to keep 8 min pace or under i told myself, just keep pushing harder and faster and the cramping will go away, and it did! about mile 7-8 i heard someone say "it's all downhill from here" and i thought to myself, is he only making someone feel good or does he really know the course. I figured i will just keep running constant pace and it worked out great. It was all down hill, and it was a great course, i would recommend it to anyone.
I have never been to Indianapolis before but i liked it, nice small town, good restaurants, great race and support on the course.
If you haven't done it, do it next time.
Congratulations to everyone who finished from www.TriBug.com
Friday, August 15, 2008
Zenergize Tabs
Found this website this morning Right here that talks about Zenergize Tabs.
Thought it was kind of interesting how our tastes compare to other peoples tastes. We like Zenergize because of it's nutrition and vitamins, and we think it does taste good. And compared to other thing out there like Nuun and Zym it has more vitamins, caffeine, B and C vitamins in particular than any of them.
Tri Bug
Thought it was kind of interesting how our tastes compare to other peoples tastes. We like Zenergize because of it's nutrition and vitamins, and we think it does taste good. And compared to other thing out there like Nuun and Zym it has more vitamins, caffeine, B and C vitamins in particular than any of them.
Tri Bug
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Catch the Tri Bug at the 2008 Olympics!
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