XTERRA Pipestem Creek

Let me start acknowledging how Steven Aesoph and his crew put another great event together! Thanks Steve for all the hard work that resulted in a phenomenal race!

Coming into the race I had not been training as much as I had last year this time. After my knee surgery I had taken off a long time off. The only thing I am more confident about this year is my swim that I was able to maintain or perhaps even get better. I had maybe ridden my bike on trails two times before Jamestown. Running? Perhaps two times a week and hardly over 20km in total..
So with these numbers in mind it's not a surprise how a fared against my competitors..

The swim was actually pretty good. I came out of the water just seconds behind later race winner and professional XTERRA races Will Kelsay. On the bike, however, I was falling behind not only to Will but also to other age group athletes, too. It's even more unfortunate that I had no chance riding the course as we arrived the morning of the race. I remembered most of the turns from last year but definitely not all of them. On top of that I had a 4,5 minute stop due to technical issues. Climbing up on a steep slope my chain got stuck in my rear derailleur.. I stopped and looked at it but couldn't figure out what was happening. After that long delay and clicking everything I could I was able to put the chain back on the rings and off I went.. I have to add that something was still wrong as the chain kept skipping no matter what cogs it was running on.. I was sort of unable to maintain a good pace because of this. COming off the bike I felt from 2nd place overall to 7th. It was time to use my running skills  and make up some ground on my fellow competitors. I was able to pass two of them and I saw Max Boeckel in sight but by the then the finish was only half a mile away and I couldn't catch him. I finished in 5th place but still in for the money that at least covered my expenses related to this race. I had the second fastest run to Will who had to run for his money as uber-biker Luke Nelson from Minnesota caught him on the bike.

Now onto some more training and racing as the summer has just started..

Update: After taking in my bike to Epic Sports for a tune up it turned out that the chain was a good 2 links longer AND it was not running where it had to over the rear derailleur's cogs. HA! I better get some bike repair knowledge in before I try to fix my own bike..

Results to the race: XTERRA Pipestem Creek 2012

Bismarck Triathlon

Not a whole lot of training that I had done before this race.. For once we were on the road for a good two weeks.. Oregon and California.. A good 5000 miles is what we drove across the country.. We did stop here and there at local ymca's to get in a swim or bike workout and we did run here and there but it definitely wasn't the perfect training.. On the other hand we had a great time and when I ran it was under 300 ft trees, on the beach or in beautiful rain forests bordered by 200ft cliffs down in the ocean..

The race itself attracted a little more competitors than last year.. The added number however didn't add more competition for me though.. There was no Sean Cooley this year who left everyone in the dust on the bike instead we had a pro taking the prime.. The water was a lot warmer than last year so for some  unexplainable reason I decided to swim without my wet suit.. Only while swimming I noticed that a group of 4-5 people separated themselves from me.. Yes, they may have been a bit naturally faster than me but now let's just say that they had the advantage swimming in neoprene.. I just struggled to maintain my form as the water got choppy on the way back.. On the bike already it took a lot longer for Marlina Walth to catch me but it did happen.. Once she passed though I tried to hang on. A good 100 yards stabilized between us that I even brought back to about 30 before T2. I try to look at this as it's never a shame to get beat by someone who is stronger.. But I know I could have done better if I wanted to.. But back to T2.. I was in such a hurry that I made mistake #2 for the day.. I didn't put socks on.. AND used my Sole arch support in both shoes.. I wear those supports in all my shoes.. I swap them whenever I change shoes.. But I have never worn them without socks..  I ran in my Saucony shoes that I hadn't used for a good year.. The run was 2 loops of 5k's and even during my first one I had to stop to take my Soles out of my right foot as it was rubbing my arch.. Right at around 6k the other foot was rubbing and I knew that I wasn't going to catch 1st and 3rd was way back. Shortly after I passed a competitor I stopped, took both my shoes off and ran barefoot for the rest of the way. I figured that running on the grass will be OK so I tried to stay on it.. It all worked out as I didn't step in any shrapnel, glass or sharp rocks.. I came in a good 6 minutes after the first and 7 minutes ahead of the third (Marlina) with around 2:06.. After taking second for two years in a row I think it's time to win it next year pros here and uber fast bikers there!
I have to thank you though for Epic Sports for letting me in the race in the last minute.. I happened to miss the registration deadline by three days.. Epic Sports again put out a wonderful event! Thanks for all the volunteers and helpers who took part in it one way or another!

No way to catch #1 and #3 is far behind.. It was about finishing strong and staying uninjured..

Getting rid of the shoes about a mile to go..

Dakota River Runners Race for Parkinsons

It's been a while that I posted anything in here.. It may have been the winter and the fact that before and after the Turkey Trot I was unable to run for months.. In February, after a goof 7 months without running I had no other choice but to get my knee fixed.. MRI has revealed that I had degenerative torn meniscus that required surgery. The surgery went fine and in a few weeks I was already able to walk and jog at a moderate pace.. I held off running for a while though.. The first event I did was in April, only a week after Niki, my sister had arrived from Hungary. The River Runners Race for Parkinsons 10k. As I had no idea what my knee can handle I went out at a moderate pace running with John Watkins and Andi Nielsen.. After the first loop that was in 18:02 I took the lead but could never truly distance myself from John. He shadowed me from a few steps behind so that I could never feel that the win was in my pockets.. I threw out a bigger surge just about a mile to go and he was able to match that, too. At that point I knew I had no more in me but luckily enough John was running at the edge as well. I ran the second loop in 17:30 to finish in 35:32. The time is good knowing how many runs I had done prior to the race.. Off to a good season..
Niki finished in second place in the 5k in a time of 21 high..
The link to the results:
http://bismarckparkinsons.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/10k-race-times-2012.pdf

Niki and I shortly after finishing the River Runners Race for Parkinsons

CFA Turkey Trot

I wasn't going to do it. I signed up only because I was already there. I'm almost certain that I would have slept through the whole race if it wasn't for one of my runners whom I was able to convince to run the turkey trot 10k. And since I was in the middle of it I figured I might as well give it a try and test myself. I had not been running for almost three months by then. Not a single mile. I knew my knee wasn't ready and that it probably won't heal on it's own.
So I signed up. 10k. That distance had been a no-brainer in the past. But on turkey day it was a lot more difficult than in the recent years. Shortly after the start I found myself running along with Levi Sether. last year's runner-up. He had just finished his XC season so I figured it would be a pretty tight race. Up until the second marker it was a tie. Then, within seconds, I found myself seconds ahead of Levi. I figured that now or never and changed rhythm to add more time in him. At the turn-around I glanced at the watch and it seemed that I had already a good 40" lead on him. That sort of satisfied me but the race was just getting ugly. At the 5k turn-around I started wheezing pretty loud and the walkers didn't make my life much easier, either. The last mile of the race was the longest. I kept looking back to make sure that my first place was not in danger but couldn't really tell because of those hundreds finishing their 5k. At the finish line I had to kick with the shorter-distance racers and wasn't mentioned- as far as I remember.
My runner had his knee flared up and had to walk parts of the race. He looked strong at halfway though, as I ran past him.
Here is the link with the results..
http://www.mtecresults.com/race/show/584#

26.2 miles running in 2:49 by danmanmule at Garmin Connect - Details

26.2 miles running in 2:49 by danmanmule at Garmin Connect - Details

"Just run"

Found this article in runnersworld.com about running gait and how it changes while running fast and a bit slower among elite runners or amateurs.
It's true that there is a lot more controversial results that come from studies than proof that would settle this debate..
http://peakperformance.runnersworld.com/2011/11/the-latest-foot-strike-studies-more-data-but-not-a-lot-more-meaning.html

November update on XC, knee

The XC season has come and now it is gone. I really wish I have had more athletes to stay with the program. Unfortunately, this was it but now I'm fully focused on the upcoming track season. I should have a couple of guys competing- if everything goes all well. A few sprinters another jumper and kid who could be good in almost anything he wants to. As for now, its all about putting the possible meets together and starting the training with those whom I already talked to.
My knee hasn't been cooperating as I would've hoped for. I haven't run (besides a couple times in the past 2 weeks to see how it goes) for close to three months now. Swimming, on the other hand, is coming together. My times have been dropping. The fastest 10 laps (500yds) I swam was 6:55 and that was after 10 laps not-too-slow warm-up.
The weather really hasn't gotten too bad just yet. I really wish I could be running now because this is very unusual for this time of the year.