Thanks!

Thanks everyone for the support during my completion of Greater Cleveland Triathlon Half Ironman (70.3). Special thanks to my 2 legs. Sorry, I put you through this, but it was so worth it! Full race report soon.

Xtreme Summer Fun

Europe Adventures
Berlin, Prague and Krakow

Summer's flying by! Faster than the Porsche's passing us on Germany's Autobahn. And even quicker than swimmers lapping me at the Columbus Triathlon. Well you get the picture. Within the week after racing in Monroe Falls Triathlon I was off to Berlin, Germany. My cousin Scott from Seattle met me at the Berlin Tegal Airport. Scott graduated Washington State University (Cougars) a year ago and saved up to travel 4 months in Europe. We traveled for 2 weeks via Euro rail system to Berlin, Prague and Krakow. Good times! I studied at Pratt Institute almost every art history - exciting to see the real deal in person first hand. During the trip Scott and I visited historical sites in daylight and night time partied it up. While I was in Berlin the Ironman Germany was going on in Frankfort. I found this out by a racer in front of me at the Columbus Triathlon who just completed that 3 weeks earlier. It's amazing the conversions us triathletes have waiting to jump in the water. A highlight in Germany was driving on the Autobahn. Scott and I rented for 24 hours a BMW 325D with 6 speed and navigation. We maxed out the BMW. It was a rush traveling 142 mph on the autobahn! Glad I had the Scion driving instruction week earlier at Mid Ohio Race Track. We drove from Berlin to Nurnberg. Stayed the night at my friends house in Nurnberg. Raced back to Berlin in morning for rental car to be returned on time. During sightseeing in Prague I saw a British guy with a Xterra World Championship (Hawaii) backpack. Talked to him and found out he's a top age grouper competing next day in the nearby mountain range. When racers were waking up at 4am to compete in Xterra Czech Championship I was exercising late night on the dance floor of a 5 story club in Prague. Training was definitely on the back burner during trip, but I did have memorable run on a Nike trail in Krakow, Poland. Checkout my Flickr site on the left for Europe snapshots.


Columbus Triathlon - Antrim Park
Columbus, Ohio

Paying the price for lack of training during Europe trip! Anyhow I decided to race the Columbus Triathlon - International distance. I needed to stay on racing schedule for Greater Cleveland Triathlon - Half Ultra distance. At least I competed in triathlon first time with the Orca wetsuit. Quarry filled lake was amazingly clear. Swimmers could see the bottom of lake. Swim course was triangle with 2 loops. Second loop it was becoming crystal-clear I really lacked endurance for this distance swim. Good news is the 1.5 K distance jump-started my swim training for GCT. Orca wetsuit really saved the day, but my energy was drained from the swim. Longest distance from swim exit to transition area I've ever seen. Bodyglide really works for getting wetsuits off quickly. Took my time putting the bike gear on. Right away happy to be cycling. Bike course was pretty fast. Enjoyed the smooth roads. Fun to view all technical cycling gear in action. Water and Cliff Bar blueberry flavor boasted my cycling energy. Transition from bike to run was decent. Run was scenic because course is on nature trail and around the lake. 02:55:11 was my race time. Lots of fun to hangout with Cleveland Triathlon Club members before and after the race. CTC racing support is awesome! My first Fat Rabbit Racing event. I discovered they put on a first rate event.

Munroe Falls Triathlon - Race Report

Munroe Falls Triathlon - Munroe Falls Metro Park
Munroe Falls, Ohio

The need for speed. Last years time at inaugural sprint race: 01:18:21. This years time even faster: 01:13:11. I knocked off 5 minutes. That's about 7 percent reduction in time. Happy about that fun fact. Focused the past 18 months on sports nutrition for endurance athletes. I attribute nutrition and New Vision indoor cycle training on fluid trainer throughout winter with the improvements. This years race conditions identical to last years: air temperature was 60 degrees, water temperature was 75 degrees and sky was sunny with light fog on surface of lake. Wetsuit was left at home for short 500 yard swim course. Wetsuit would have saved energy for the bike and run, but transition eats up any time savings. I felt decent on the swim - glad this years swim goggles have the gray lenses. Sun always blasts the eyes for early morning swims at this beautiful lake. Lake is infused with underwater springs, so there's warm and cold spots throughout. Transition went smoothly from swim to bike. 11 mile bike course is diverse - flats, hills, straight a ways and hairpin turns inside and outside the park. Recent hill training helped plenty during miles 3-6 of the bike course. Transition quick from bike to run. I felt tired from cycling for first half mile of 3 mile run. After that slight uphill for first half of lap 1 - the run course tapers downhill. My running groove was in gear. I really like the 250 downhill yards to finish line. Just like last year I flew by guys in my age group during this final stretch to finish line.

Scion Exposed - Race Report

Scion Exposed - Mid Ohio Race Track
Lexington, Ohio

Time to get my mental endurance revved up and into fifth gear. Day before Munroe Falls Triathlon - my first multisport race this season. Didn't want to use my physical endurance 24 hours before a triathlon. Scion had a free promotion with racing, food and cool giveaways at Mid Ohio Race Track. It's called Scion Exposed. So I drove 90 minutes to Lexington in my Scion tC and had a blast - luckily no crash! When I got to race track Scion owners had a special entrance. VIP treatment already was a good sign for what to expect from behind the course concrete crash wall. Came through the underpass bridge. Scion had set up a unique village with music, camping, bonfires and awards for best tuner cars. Scion brand is a lifestyle experience that promotes progressive art, sleek automotive design and jamming music with a beat. Scion at the Detroit Auto Show always has the best music blasting from it's exhibit display. After viewing the performance tuner cars and lunch it was green light for the auto race to begin. Glad I purchased the stainless steel OBX racing pedals and Scion iPod radio. My iPod radio was cranked. Gorillaz - Demon Days tunes rocked throughout race. 2 lap auto race lasted about 15 minutes. I stayed and finished in my poll position. Racer in front of myself almost crashed on the famous hairpin turn, but recovered. I snapped memorable photo's with my dashboard mounted digital camera. This Friday I leave for summer vacation. Meeting my cousin Scott from Seattle and friends in Germany's capital city of Berlin. Stoked now more than ever to drive the autoban!

18 Holes of Golf

Rotary Golf Tournament - Fox Den Golf Course
Stow, Ohio

First time out on the golf course this year. It's been 6 months since I was swinging a golf club last. Time to dust off my golf clubs and hit the links. Golf is a game of mental endurance. It's not in the league of race car driving or chess, but it's challenging to hit a ball 3-5 times 150-500 yards into a hole. Went out with my dad and 100 other golfers for team best ball. My golf mojo, hook and slice appeared during the sunny hot 90 degree weather. Was a lot of fun with awesome cookout afterwards. Horace on my team hit the closest ball from a tee on drive. See above photo of Horace with his 1 foot from hole drive. Hole in one wins $1,000 and bragging rights for a lifetime. Other photo my dad is letting out the shaft with a monster drive.

Tagged for Random Things About Myself

Charlie has tagged me for random things about myself. Below is my top 10 list.


(10) I'm 29 years old.

(9) My age is how I feel.

(8) I was born in same hospital as 43rd President of the United States.

(7) My parents are both from NYC.

(6) I wear Under Armour black boxer briefs during training.

(5 ) I had turtle as a pet when in grade school.

(4) When I was 5 years old I had blond hair and a button nose.

(3) I never had a mullet haircut.

(2) I'm a fake news junkie - Daily Show and Colbert Report.

(1) My favorite weather is sunny and 75 degrees.


I will tag Bloggister, JenuineIMExperience and Papa Louie.

Your it.

Cleveland Half Marathon - Race Report

(Above Photo from Left to Right: Cathrine, Charlie, Jack, Rob)

I had a fun experience at race. My results for Cleveland Half Marathon: (01:48:17, 8:15 pace). First time I ever ran over 9 miles. For the past 3 weeks I jumped my training miles from 6 to 9 miles. That helped a lot on Sunday morning. Watching "Batman Begins" movie right before I went to bed on Saturday night put me in right mood for the big race.

Temperature and racing conditions were almost perfect for race: 55-60 degrees, light wind and overcast skies. I thought volunteers handing out water on Half Marathon course were great. Big thanks to those folks!!! Nice to run with speedy CTC members for part of the race, like Charlie and Jack. They kept my running pace at a good clip when I started to fade at mile 9. Last 2 miles and at the finish line I felt strong. Glad they had recovery food and friendly faces at finish.

Cleveland Marathon race courses are scenic. Devils in the details - the way-finding course graphics were not well thought out. For the high cost of race I'd expect better. Race course needs very large visible arrows on every turn. If the herd or pace car goes wrong way everyone does. Example: Sundays 10K distance. International airports are best examples of way-finding graphics, I suggest race directors study these and get inspired.

Cleveland Half Marathon was perfect training for my 2007 "A" race: Greater Cleveland Triathlon - Half Ultra.