Category Archives: Races

In Retrospect

Posted on October 12, 2009 by Al

Walking along Kuikini, dangling an untouched cup of cola from one hand, I crossed the timing mat at 10.3 miles into the marathon, and turned left up the hill on Palani. Continue reading →

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You Never Know Your Limits Until You Go past Them

Posted on October 10, 2009 by Al

OK, WTF happened? Continue reading →

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OK Folks, Fun’s Over; Back on the Bus

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Al

I am more ready for this race than any I’ve ever done. Continue reading →

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The Grand Columbian

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Al

TGC is the most isolated race I know. It’s centered around the Grand Coulee area. This is wheat farming country, a dry, sere plateau cut through by deep dry gorges (coulees) left over from various ice age floods of the Columbia River. At one particularly corrugated spot, we built the Grand Coulee Dam, which flooded the river and provides both power and water for the interior desert of Washington State. Continue reading →

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Whiskey Dick

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Al

East of the Cascade mountains, the land meanders downhill in fits and starts to the Columbia River. Continue reading →

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Kona Goals

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Al

’s time to get serious about some goals for Kona. I’ve been vague about those goals, not nearly as specific as what I had wanted for the Ironman races in Idaho and Arizona. Course record at Kona is not on my radar screen, not this year. Winning seems unlikely as well. And with the wind and temperature variables, time goals can get shot down very quickly about mile 76 of the bike, somewhere between Waikoloa and the “Donkey Crossing” sign on the Queen K.
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CDA 2009 – Epilogue

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Al

Let’s review those Ironman cliches, add a few more, and see if we can draw some conclusions.
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IM CDA II

Posted on June 28, 2009 by Al

I was convinced by the time I got off the bike that I would not be able to meet my 11:44.22 goal, and that my secondary hope of winning was also fading. By the time Rob Ladewig passed me at the start of the run, I assumed my goose had been cooked by “not trusting my training.” Continue reading →

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By The Hair of My Chin, By The Skin of My Teeth

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Al

Through the drizzle and gloom, it looked like 11:41. I hit the carpet signifying about 50 yards to go, and finally accepted that I had both goals in hand. I started sprinting harder, pumped my right fist skyward, and shouted “Yeah!!” over and over. Continue reading →

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CDA Pre-Race

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Al

OK, I haven’t posted (or written) anything here for over two weeks – ever since I got back from Snowmass. Who knows why? Maybe the ramping up in intensity as I approach Ironman Coeur d’Alene this weekend just took too … Continue reading →

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