Let's see here, this race has come and gone. This was my first tri of 2013. It was on May 16th, so I'm not quite a month late with this report, but here it is!
Like most triathlon, your day starts early. I was up around 4:45 am and proceed to start with a little breakfast of a cliff bar and a banana. I washed it down with a gatorade on my down to Hot Springs Village. The drive was about an hour, so this allowed us to arrive around 6 am for the 7 am start! This would be the second year I've raced here. The course is a 500 yard swim, 13.5 mile bike, and 3.5 mile run. The event takes place in the largest gated community/city in the US. The roads are well maintained and traffic is at a minimum for this event. The only difference in the course this year was the run was taken off the golf course and would run through a neighborhood that runs along aside it.
I prepped my transition area like usual trying to keep things to a minimum since this was a sprint tri. I had one small bottle of water in my bottle holder which had a Nuun tablet in it. Other than that, no other nutrition would be needed. I set out my sunglasses, shoes, socks, helmet and I was ready to go! The weather for the day was starting off a little cool with temps in the mid 60s and cloudy. Once the race meeting was over, it was time to get a feel for the water. I knew the race would be wetsuit legal, but since it was only a 500 yard swim I decided I would do a warmup without the wetsuit and see from there. The water was around 72F and after a warmup swim I decided no wetsuit would be needed.
Swim
As with any triathlon swim start, this is the time I am most anxious. Also, this would be my first triathlon of t the year. There were about a 50 people lined up for the knee deep swim start. 5,4,3,2,1 Go, I'm off and swimming. Of course, no more than 75 yards into the swim, I start to feel uncomfortable and have to tell myself to relax and swim. I don't know what was in my head that day, but I never got comfortable with the swim. Well, I finally finish the swim in 11:24, and now it's off to the bike where I know I'm ready to ride! My swim was actually only 30 seconds slower than last year, even though I felt the swim took forever!
2013 - 11:24 45/71 Males
2012 - 10:56 63/122 Overall
Bike
Now, it's my time to shine. I'm off on the ride. The course is a combination of numerous rollers with a couple of smaller climbs. The key to the course is to ride hard and fast. You need to have momentum to carry you over the rollers. This is a faster course than it appears. My only concern going into the bike this year was that I had not been doing many intervals so far. I've done a lot of zone 2 long rides. Moving through the bike, I could feel that my legs didn't like the pace I was pushing, but I was going to push on and ride hard. The ride went very smoothly. I came in feeling pretty good and ready for the run. My ride actually turned out 10 secs faster than last year. I was happy with that especially with very little interval/tempo work.
2013 - 40:26 Avg 20.0 mph 9/71 males
2012 - 40:36 Avg 20.0 mph 21/122 overall
Run
Last year, everyone came in talking about how hard the bike course may be, but left talking about the run course. The run course in 2012 was on the golf course, and a couple of climbs with some nasty little rollers that were some what steep. For 2013, the course was moved to the neighborhood along the course, so it would be interesting to see the change. I started out the run well. The first mile is overall down hill, but after hearing, some talk before the race, the next 1.5 miles would be the tough part. The course proceeds to go up hill followed by a flat and then uphill again, short flat, before finishing out heading back downhill. Throughout the run, I tried to keep my heart rate in check, fat chance, but continue to push. The last mile would end with an uphill towards the finish. I was able to push hard to finish and finished strongly. I was happy with run. The pace this year was much faster than last years.
2013 - 27:06 - 7:45 min/mile - 11/71 males
2012 - 28:30 - 8:09 min/mile - 20/122 overall
Final Times
2013 - 1:21:07 - 3rd AG 30-34 - 12/71 males
2012 - 1:22:07 - 3rd AG 30-24 - 21/122 overall
Overall this was a good race to start the year with. I will have improvement on my swim and with more bike intervals, should be able to push the pace more on the shorter races. I was happy with my run. I'm happy with the PR for the race, and will be back again next year.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
4th Dan Testing
Here is the video of my 4th Dan Testing last Saturday. This was one more step on my journey with Grand Master Han's Marital arts. It has been a great 7 years, so far and hope that there are many more great years to come!
4th Dan Testing from RJ Maguire on Vimeo.
4th Dan Testing from RJ Maguire on Vimeo.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
The Ouachita Challenge Tour
Last weekend, I rode in the Ouachita Challenge Tour. This ride is part of The Ouachita Challenge weekend. On Saturday, they have a 60 mile tour and Sunday is the 60 mile race. The route uses parts of the Womble Trail, Ouachita Trail, some gravel roads, and pavement.
I woke up around 3:30 on Saturday for the 2 hour drive out to start point at Oden, AR. The drive out there started out adventurous. When driving in the middle of nowhere at night, you have to keep your eyes out for deer in the middle of the road. I saw more deer on the road down there then cars!
I got to Oden around 7:00. I went and picked up my packet and found a couple of people that I knew. The race does offer a breakfast for free, but I ate along the way. The one thing that a lot of people do is that they sleep in the High School gym. I was told that it was part of the experience, hmm maybe next year.
After breakfast, I got everything ready and waited for the start!
Right at 8 it was go time! We rolled out along some asphalt roads and then hit the gravel about a two miles into the ride. The first 9 miles are asphalt and gravel. You start the climb into Big Brushy along the gravel roads and at 9 mile mark you hit the single track. The first part of Big Brushy is uphill and not that technical. The second half however, is a combination of some small climbs, rocks, roots, and just about anything the ride can throw at you. I'm not a very technical rider, so I ran into many spots where I had to get off the bike. However, it was because people were already off in front me. This helped take some of the pressure of because I didn't have to worry about being in someone's way.
Even though this a tour, you still have to make certain time cuts or you will be removed from the course. The time cuts work to where if you just barely make one, you probably won't make the next one. The first time cut was at Big Brushy aid station 15 miles. You had to be there by 11:00 am. I arrived to aid station filling pretty good about 9:50 am. The race has a cut off of 10:30. The aid stations were stocked with HEED, pickle juice, pickles, pb&j, and many other goodies. The one concern of mine was cramping, so I decided to hit the shots of pickle juice and headed on my way.
From Big Brushy, you get back on some single track for about 2 miles which most of it is climbing. You finally pop back out at the intersection of a gravel road or head towards Blowout Mountain. Because I was riding the tour, we skipped Blowout and would go around on gravel roads before the next section.
The next section is Chleybate Mountain. The only thing I knew about this section is that it goes uphill and when you think it's done it really gets steep. The description was correct. I was sure enough pushing my bike uphill for about 1/3 of this section. Overall this section wasn't to difficult, but the climbing was tough! Once you finish this section it's back on the road for about 10 miles heading towards the Womble Section.
At this point, I was just over 30 miles into in the ride in about 3.5 hours! I was feeling good and ready for the next section.
The Womble starts off with some great flowing single track. The trail is clear and flat in this section. You can sit back and enjoy the ride. I knew following this section was Mauldin Mountain. I had not gotten much description of Mauldin but I was ready to tackle it.
This section is constant climbing! You go up and when you think you can't go up anymore, you still go up! The climbs were not that steep, but they were relentless. You could get a short downhill, before finally going up again. You finally get a longer downhill before hitting another aid station. I was still feeling good here, but realized that it was still uphill! This is the Gaston Mountain section. I was feeling good for the first mile, but by the second mile frustration started to set in. In the uphills, were getting to me and by the time I got to the downhills I was clearly ready to be off the trail! We finally get to the last section where you ride on gravel roads for about a mile, get back on the Norfork Lake section of the trail and finally back to the last aid station.
The Norfork section was not very technical. It was smooth and flowy. Once you back on the gravel, it is time to head to the finish, but before you get there you are treated to one last climb! I was ready for this climb. I started slow and rode my way to the top.
I tried to smile for the camera at the top, but it appears that it didn't work out so well. I could call that a combination of pain face with an attempt at a smile! It was all smiles from the top. It was downhill for a bit and then back on the roads and back to the school.
There is a short climb for the finish which is a nice touch to end the day!
I was glad to have crossed the line 7 hrs and 30 minutes. I didn't get hurt, felt good throughout the race and had no major issues. I really enjoyed this race! The volunteers, the aid stations, and the feeling of the race was great. It is no wonder that this race sells out in 12 minutes.
During the ride, I was thinking I wouldn't do this again next year, but now a week later I kind of want to do the race next year. I would have to tackle Blowout Mountain and have stricter time cuts, but I feel I could be up for the challenge!
Below are some videos from Saturday and Sunday that give a feel for the race/tour!
Enjoy!
I woke up around 3:30 on Saturday for the 2 hour drive out to start point at Oden, AR. The drive out there started out adventurous. When driving in the middle of nowhere at night, you have to keep your eyes out for deer in the middle of the road. I saw more deer on the road down there then cars!
I got to Oden around 7:00. I went and picked up my packet and found a couple of people that I knew. The race does offer a breakfast for free, but I ate along the way. The one thing that a lot of people do is that they sleep in the High School gym. I was told that it was part of the experience, hmm maybe next year.
After breakfast, I got everything ready and waited for the start!
Even though this a tour, you still have to make certain time cuts or you will be removed from the course. The time cuts work to where if you just barely make one, you probably won't make the next one. The first time cut was at Big Brushy aid station 15 miles. You had to be there by 11:00 am. I arrived to aid station filling pretty good about 9:50 am. The race has a cut off of 10:30. The aid stations were stocked with HEED, pickle juice, pickles, pb&j, and many other goodies. The one concern of mine was cramping, so I decided to hit the shots of pickle juice and headed on my way.
From Big Brushy, you get back on some single track for about 2 miles which most of it is climbing. You finally pop back out at the intersection of a gravel road or head towards Blowout Mountain. Because I was riding the tour, we skipped Blowout and would go around on gravel roads before the next section.
The next section is Chleybate Mountain. The only thing I knew about this section is that it goes uphill and when you think it's done it really gets steep. The description was correct. I was sure enough pushing my bike uphill for about 1/3 of this section. Overall this section wasn't to difficult, but the climbing was tough! Once you finish this section it's back on the road for about 10 miles heading towards the Womble Section.
At this point, I was just over 30 miles into in the ride in about 3.5 hours! I was feeling good and ready for the next section.
The Womble starts off with some great flowing single track. The trail is clear and flat in this section. You can sit back and enjoy the ride. I knew following this section was Mauldin Mountain. I had not gotten much description of Mauldin but I was ready to tackle it.
This section is constant climbing! You go up and when you think you can't go up anymore, you still go up! The climbs were not that steep, but they were relentless. You could get a short downhill, before finally going up again. You finally get a longer downhill before hitting another aid station. I was still feeling good here, but realized that it was still uphill! This is the Gaston Mountain section. I was feeling good for the first mile, but by the second mile frustration started to set in. In the uphills, were getting to me and by the time I got to the downhills I was clearly ready to be off the trail! We finally get to the last section where you ride on gravel roads for about a mile, get back on the Norfork Lake section of the trail and finally back to the last aid station.
The Norfork section was not very technical. It was smooth and flowy. Once you back on the gravel, it is time to head to the finish, but before you get there you are treated to one last climb! I was ready for this climb. I started slow and rode my way to the top.
There is a short climb for the finish which is a nice touch to end the day!
During the ride, I was thinking I wouldn't do this again next year, but now a week later I kind of want to do the race next year. I would have to tackle Blowout Mountain and have stricter time cuts, but I feel I could be up for the challenge!
Below are some videos from Saturday and Sunday that give a feel for the race/tour!
Enjoy!
Friday, April 5, 2013
Ouachita Challenge On Deck For Tomorrow
60 miles of mountain biking along the Ouachita Trail, Womble Trail, gravel roads, and roads. Should be an epic day!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Looking at Dream Trips - Cycling Tibet to Nepal
I always enjoy looking at various destinations on the internet/books/magazines and find ideas for trips. Well this one trip that I would have never considered.
I have a couple of group travel sites that I like to explore time to time and see what trips are available and for the first time I saw the trip on Gap Adventuresfrom Lhasa to Kathmandu. Sounds simple right! Well this trip involves cycling from the start to the finish!
The trip is 23 days long and you get the chance to cycle over passes close to 16,000 ft on your way to Katmandu. You spend a day in Kathmandu before flying to Lhasa to spend 3 days getting used to altitude. Starting on Day 7, you begin your trip back to Kathmandu. Imagine spending your time cycling through some of the most remote regions of the world and seeing the highest peak in the world! This would be an amazing trip!
Looking at this trip cost here is a quick estimate.
Flight Little Rock to Kathmandu - $1892 - Not bad in my opinion
Trip Cost from Gap - $3699, includes most lodging and meals.
Bike - They recommend bring your own bike. No prices listed for rental. To fly with a bike overseas is probably another $400 RT.
Incidental Costs - $1000?
Here is the itinerary from the web Gap Adventure web page.
You can get the trip overview by clicking here
Day 1 Kathmandu
You may arrive at the joining-point hotel at any time
on Day 1 as no group activities are planned for today except for a
group meeting in the early evening followed by an optional dinner. It is
important that you arrive in time for this meeting as we will cover
important aspects of the trek. Please check the entrance of the hotel
for a notice from your CEO detailing the location of the meeting.
Day 2 Kathmandu
Today we have some time in Kathmandu as we need to
process our Chinese visas to get into Tibet. This means there is plenty
of time to wander around Kathmandu, where there is plenty to discover.
Lord Pashupatinath Temple dating back to 400 AD is the Nepal's holiest Hindu shrine. With its astonishing architectural beauty, it stands as a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to pay homage to this temple that is also known as 'The Temple of Living Beings'. The richly ornamented pagoda houses the sacred linga or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. You can mingle with the holy men or sadhus on the banks of Bagmati River, and see the daily chores of Nepalese people paying their homage to Lord Shiva. Often you can see the traditional cremation ceremony on the riverbank, which occurs all through the day at the shrine.
On the other hand, Boudhanath, is one of the world's largest stupas (Buddhist shrine). Boudhanath (also called Bouddhanath, Bodhnath or Baudhanath or the Khasa Chaitya) is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner, passes by Bodhnath Stupa to the ancient and smaller stupa of Ca-bahi (often called 'Little Bodhnath'). Join the pilgrims who gather to circumnavigate the enormous dome, beneath the watchful eye of the Buddha which gazes out from the gilded central tower. Join the pilgrims in lighting butter lamps or candles on the shrines of the stupa, and send the prayer wheels spinning their prayers up into the heavens.
Lord Pashupatinath Temple dating back to 400 AD is the Nepal's holiest Hindu shrine. With its astonishing architectural beauty, it stands as a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to pay homage to this temple that is also known as 'The Temple of Living Beings'. The richly ornamented pagoda houses the sacred linga or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. You can mingle with the holy men or sadhus on the banks of Bagmati River, and see the daily chores of Nepalese people paying their homage to Lord Shiva. Often you can see the traditional cremation ceremony on the riverbank, which occurs all through the day at the shrine.
On the other hand, Boudhanath, is one of the world's largest stupas (Buddhist shrine). Boudhanath (also called Bouddhanath, Bodhnath or Baudhanath or the Khasa Chaitya) is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner, passes by Bodhnath Stupa to the ancient and smaller stupa of Ca-bahi (often called 'Little Bodhnath'). Join the pilgrims who gather to circumnavigate the enormous dome, beneath the watchful eye of the Buddha which gazes out from the gilded central tower. Join the pilgrims in lighting butter lamps or candles on the shrines of the stupa, and send the prayer wheels spinning their prayers up into the heavens.
Days 3-6 Lhasa
This historic city is situated in a small valley,
3700m above sea level. Lhasa rose to take an important role in the
administration of the country over 1300 years ago. At this time, the
grand temples of Ramoche and Jokhang were built to house the Buddha
images and religious artifacts brought into Tibet as dowries from China
and Nepal.
Although little of the 7th-Century Lhasa survives, the 1600s saw a second stage of renovation and development, which included the building of the Potala Palace (included in our tour). Perched on Red Hill overlooking the town, this massive structure dominates the landscape with grace and dignity - a true architectural wonder. The Jokhang Temple is the spiritual heart of Tibet and also the most active. Prostrating pilgrims circle the temple endlessly, day and night, some of them traversing the extremes of the Tibetan landscape by foot to celebrate and express their faith. Nearby are the huge monastic universities of Drepung and Sera are still active institutions.
We will begin our time here with a tour of the Jokhang and make a kora (circumambulation) of the Barkhor, the holiest devotional circuit, which surrounds the Jokhang and houses a market bazaar where people bargain for Buddha images, yak skulls with ruby eyes, woodcarvings, carpets, prayer wheels and the odd goat's head.
Although little of the 7th-Century Lhasa survives, the 1600s saw a second stage of renovation and development, which included the building of the Potala Palace (included in our tour). Perched on Red Hill overlooking the town, this massive structure dominates the landscape with grace and dignity - a true architectural wonder. The Jokhang Temple is the spiritual heart of Tibet and also the most active. Prostrating pilgrims circle the temple endlessly, day and night, some of them traversing the extremes of the Tibetan landscape by foot to celebrate and express their faith. Nearby are the huge monastic universities of Drepung and Sera are still active institutions.
We will begin our time here with a tour of the Jokhang and make a kora (circumambulation) of the Barkhor, the holiest devotional circuit, which surrounds the Jokhang and houses a market bazaar where people bargain for Buddha images, yak skulls with ruby eyes, woodcarvings, carpets, prayer wheels and the odd goat's head.
Days 7-9 Yamdrok to Gyantse
The first day out of Lhasa is the first test of our
cycling skills, as we gradually begin our climb high up into the
Himalaya. Today is also our first camp – a good night’s sleep before
beginning the tough ascent of the Khamba La (4750m) – rewarded at the
top by spectacular views of Yamdrok Lake against a backdrop of
snow-topped Himalayan Peaks. Then it’s a winding descent to camp by the
lake (4420m).
From here it is a stunning ride below the towering glaciers of Mt Nojin Gangzang (7191m); alongside glacial streams, small villages and across the Karo La (5045m).
Day 7 - Maximum Altitude: 3617m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 3600 m
Distance Cycling: 80 Kms
Day 8 - Maximum Altitude: 4807m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4300 m
Distance Cycling: 75 Kms
Day 9 - Maximum Altitude: 5032m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4500 m
Distance Cycling: 50 Kms
From here it is a stunning ride below the towering glaciers of Mt Nojin Gangzang (7191m); alongside glacial streams, small villages and across the Karo La (5045m).
Day 7 - Maximum Altitude: 3617m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 3600 m
Distance Cycling: 80 Kms
Day 8 - Maximum Altitude: 4807m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4300 m
Distance Cycling: 75 Kms
Day 9 - Maximum Altitude: 5032m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4500 m
Distance Cycling: 50 Kms
Day 10 Gyantse
Cross the Simi La (4330m), then it’s a relatively
gentle descent into Gyantse – in some seasons they valley floor is a
blaze of brilliant yellow rape flowers. In Gyantse and Shigatse we take a
break from camping to indulge in hot showers, beds and the local
restaurants.
Once of major importance as a wool trading centre on the routes between India, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet and China, Gyantse retain the feel of old Tibet. The imposing hill fortress, Gyantse Dzong, dominates views of the town and is a great place for sunset views over the town. In the morning of Day 10 we will visit Pelkor Chode Monastery, founded in 1418, and the unique Gyantse Kumbum (meaning 100,000 images) which forms a 3-dimensional mandala containing a seemingly endless series of tiny chapels full of Buddhist images – Buddhas, demons, protectors and saints.
Maximum Altitude: 4516m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4048 m
Distance Cycling: 59 Kms
Once of major importance as a wool trading centre on the routes between India, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet and China, Gyantse retain the feel of old Tibet. The imposing hill fortress, Gyantse Dzong, dominates views of the town and is a great place for sunset views over the town. In the morning of Day 10 we will visit Pelkor Chode Monastery, founded in 1418, and the unique Gyantse Kumbum (meaning 100,000 images) which forms a 3-dimensional mandala containing a seemingly endless series of tiny chapels full of Buddhist images – Buddhas, demons, protectors and saints.
Maximum Altitude: 4516m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4048 m
Distance Cycling: 59 Kms
Days 11-12 Shigatse & Tashilunpo
It is a relatively easy ride to Shigatse, Tibet's
second-largest town, and the seat of the Panchen Lama who ranks second
in importance to the Dalai Lama.
The huge complex of Tashilunpo is visited daily by hundreds of devotees, armed with yak butter to feed the lamps, who prostrate themselves around the stupas or walk up to the chapel that houses the 26m-high, gold-plated statue of the future Buddha. We will tour the monastery in the afternoon. Then perhaps join the pilgrims on their evening kora (circumambulation) around the perimeter of the monastery.
Shigatse bazaar also buzzes with life. Stalls, selling everything from slabs of yak butter to yak wool, prayer wheels and rosaries, line the streets and Tibetans vie with each other to win a sale. Be tempted by the antiques, jewelry and fur hats with elaborate gold brocade designs or perhaps visit the carpet factory where hand-woven carpets are made to traditional designs.
Day 11 - Maximum Altitude: 4048m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 3852 m
Distance Cycling: 90 Kms
Day 12 - Maximum Altitude: Around 4200m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4200 m
Distance Cycling: 95 Kms
The huge complex of Tashilunpo is visited daily by hundreds of devotees, armed with yak butter to feed the lamps, who prostrate themselves around the stupas or walk up to the chapel that houses the 26m-high, gold-plated statue of the future Buddha. We will tour the monastery in the afternoon. Then perhaps join the pilgrims on their evening kora (circumambulation) around the perimeter of the monastery.
Shigatse bazaar also buzzes with life. Stalls, selling everything from slabs of yak butter to yak wool, prayer wheels and rosaries, line the streets and Tibetans vie with each other to win a sale. Be tempted by the antiques, jewelry and fur hats with elaborate gold brocade designs or perhaps visit the carpet factory where hand-woven carpets are made to traditional designs.
Day 11 - Maximum Altitude: 4048m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 3852 m
Distance Cycling: 90 Kms
Day 12 - Maximum Altitude: Around 4200m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4200 m
Distance Cycling: 95 Kms
Days 13-14 Lhatse & Shegar
Back on the road, the route leads across the Yulung La (4950m) and the Gyatso La (5220m), the highest point of the ride.
Day 13 - Maximum Altitude: 4533m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4100 m
Distance Cycling: 90 Kms
Day 14 - Maximum Altitude: 5253m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4408 m
Distance Cycling: 65 Kms
Day 13 - Maximum Altitude: 4533m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4100 m
Distance Cycling: 90 Kms
Day 14 - Maximum Altitude: 5253m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4408 m
Distance Cycling: 65 Kms
Days 15-17 Rombuk & Everest Base Camp
Turn off the Friendship Highway for a stunning ride
through Qomolangma Nature Preserve to the top of the 5200m Pang-La
(pass) for a superb panoramic view from Manaklu to Shishapangma. Then
its a downhill stretch to Tashidzom. As you climb barley fields give way
to barren valleys of glacial debris. Finally reach the tiny Rombuk
Gompa at 5000m. The view from here is utterly spectacular! It is then 7
kilometers to Base Camp at 5200m.
Day 15 - Maximum Altitude: 5205m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4213 m
Distance Cycling: 65 Kms
Day 16 - Maximum Altitude: 5009m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 5000 m
Distance Cycling: 35 Kms
Day 15 - Maximum Altitude: 5205m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4213 m
Distance Cycling: 65 Kms
Day 16 - Maximum Altitude: 5009m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 5000 m
Distance Cycling: 35 Kms
Day 18 Lao Tingri
The route down from Rombuk is a rough, but scenic one. There are a couple of short, but steep descents.
The guest house in Lao Tingri is basic, but hot showers are available.
Day 18 - Maximum Altitude: 5101m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4350 m
Distance Cycling: 60 Kms
The guest house in Lao Tingri is basic, but hot showers are available.
Day 18 - Maximum Altitude: 5101m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4350 m
Distance Cycling: 60 Kms
Days 19-20 Yarle Shung La & Nyalam
Back to the Friendship Highway where another two high
passes give a last, spectacular view of the Himalaya before leaving the
Tibetan Plateau - Lalung La (5124m) and the Yarle Shung La (5100m).
Our last night in Tibet is at Nyalum – right on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
Day 19 - Maximum Altitude: 4563m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4500 m
Distance Cycling: 75 Kms
Day 20 - Maximum Altitude: 5149m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 3775 m
Distance Cycling: 50 Kms
Our last night in Tibet is at Nyalum – right on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
Day 19 - Maximum Altitude: 4563m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 4500 m
Distance Cycling: 75 Kms
Day 20 - Maximum Altitude: 5149m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 3775 m
Distance Cycling: 50 Kms
Day 21 Last Resort
From Nyalum the road descends sharply towards the
Nepal border, some 40kms and 2000 meters below. Moisture returns to the
air, the colors change, trees appear, lush green vegetation and the Bote
Khose river thunders below.
After completing border formalities, transferring luggage to the Nepalese vehicle and saying goodbye to our Tibetan drivers and guides, it is a short ride down to the Last Resort, a luxury tented camp and relax in the beautiful gardens, herbal steam bath or plunge pool.
Day 21 - Maximum Altitude: 3776m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 1065 m
Distance Cycling: 80 Kms
After completing border formalities, transferring luggage to the Nepalese vehicle and saying goodbye to our Tibetan drivers and guides, it is a short ride down to the Last Resort, a luxury tented camp and relax in the beautiful gardens, herbal steam bath or plunge pool.
Day 21 - Maximum Altitude: 3776m
Sleeping Altitude: Around 1065 m
Distance Cycling: 80 Kms
Days 22-23 Kathmandu
The road continues its winding descent, hopefully
unhindered by landslides, towards Kathmandu. Rich in cultural and
artistic heritage blending the traditional and the modern, Kathmandu is a
vibrant, chaotic, colorful city - one not to be missed.
You may depart at any time on Day 23
You may depart at any time on Day 23
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Spa City 6hr - Around and Around
This year I decided to enter the Ouachita Challenge, so when looking at great training opportunities this race was a great fit.
The Spa City 6 hr takes place at Cedar Glades Park in Hot Springs. Cedar Glades Park has just over 10 miles in MTB trails, along with other activities for the family, playgrounds, climbing wall, disc golf course, and RV plane runway.
The weekend before the race I went down to pre-ride the course just to get an idea on what was ahead. I did two laps that weekend which gave me a great idea and what I could do for the race. The course is a mixture of ups and downs with some great flowing trail towards the end of the course. Pre-riding the course also allowed me to see where I could have issues since my technical skills are still at a beginner level.
On race morning, I awoke around 4am. I had a good breakfast of cereal, OJ, banana, and some coffee. I loaded up the bike and make the 1hr 40 minute down to Hot Springs. I arrived right around 7. At this time, there was still a slight chill in the air with temperatures in the mid 50's. The forecast was calling for the temps to raise quickly into the mid 70's to just about 80. The cool thing I noticed was all the tents and coolers set up in feed zone. There was a great atmosphere in this area for the race. I prepared my things and then went to go rack my bike. Yes, I just said rack my bike. No this isn't a duathlon or a triathlon, but in order to hopefully spread out the field. We racked our bikes at the bottom of big grassy hill. The start line was at the bottom of the hill and we were to run up the hill, grab out bikes and ride on.
The rules of the race are to complete as many laps as you can in 5 - 6.5 hrs. You can not stop riding before 5 hrs to be an official finisher. My goal for this race was to at least get 4 laps by 5-5.5 hrs and maybe 5 as a long goal.
By 8am, the sunny was shinning brightly, and everyone was lined up. It's go time! I run/jog up the hill to my bike. I wasn't in a real hurry to get to my bike because my goal for the first lap was to relax and take it easy. The course starts off going across a field and onto a road, before heading back into the Park and hitting the trails. Even with the running start, there were still a couple of bottle necks the first couple of miles of the course. Once we got going, though I could tell my addrenline was flowing. As we went through some quick turns, I ran off the course almost hitting a tree. I hope this wasn't the sign of the day. A few more small ups and downs, and a bridge crossing and is towards the part of the climbing part of the course. By the time, we started the climb, the field had spread out. At this point, I was feeling great and relaxed and worked through this section of the course. I was having a great time! After this section comes the blue section, which has small hills, followed some great trails that flow really well. At this point, my chain had dropped off the front a couple of times, but nothing to worry about. I finish the first lap in around 1hr 20 minutes. I was happy with that.
The adventure begins on the second lap! I worked through the first section of the course really well again now that the field had spread out. I made the climb up the hill and was heading down the switch backs along a straight section when I experienced a first. As I was heading downhill, either I hit my breaks a little too hard or I hit a bump, but the next thing I know I'm going over the front of my bike. I land on my back and looking bike uphill and see my bike flipping over right towards me. The bike lands on me and I'm down on my back. A couple of other riders were behind me and quickly helped me out. I checked myself, no blood, no bones, sticking out, and the bike appeared to be in good order! I jumped back on the bike and rode on. I can say after though, I was a little tentative.
By this time, I could tell the weather was starting to warm, and I was pretty thirsty, not good. Towards the end of the second lap, my chain popped off again and this time wedged itself in. I pull off to the side and spent about 5 minutes working on it. For a second, I was worried that I wouldn't get it out, but was able to work it out. It was back on the bike to finish lap two. I refilled my water/HEED supplies and I'm off the third lap. The goal for the third lap was to stay in control and have a great finish for the fourth lap. Also, at this point, I knew I was going to be able to reach 5 laps, but I would be happy with a four lap finish. The third lap was tougher than I thought. My right leg was already starting to cramp just over half way through this lap. By the time, I finished the third lap, I was whopped. The fourth was going to be survival mode.
Sure enough, I was just surviving on the fourth lap. I worked my through the course trying to stay hydrated and in control. By the time, I got to the blue section I was ready to finish. I slowly worked though this section and finally cross the finish line in exactly 6 hrs with four laps complete!
Wow, this race was learning experience. Here are some of my takeaways:
1. It was my first MTB race, so I got the chance to see how tough these races can be.
2. I learned that I still have a lot of work to do on technical skills. In the future Cedar Glades can be a great place to go. I find it more technical than Burns or Iron Mountain.
3. Hydrate, fuel, rinse, and repeat. I feel behind on my fueling and paid for it quickly since it was warm and dry during the race.
4. HTFU, I did this and was able to get through. I felt my fitness was still pretty good because even the next day I didn't feel that bad. Of course, that could also mean that i didn't push hard enough.
Overall, the experience and race was great! Even with my little spill, I hope to come back next year.
Below is a video put together by Arkansas Outside with a short perspective of the race. Enjoy!
The Spa City 6 hr takes place at Cedar Glades Park in Hot Springs. Cedar Glades Park has just over 10 miles in MTB trails, along with other activities for the family, playgrounds, climbing wall, disc golf course, and RV plane runway.
The weekend before the race I went down to pre-ride the course just to get an idea on what was ahead. I did two laps that weekend which gave me a great idea and what I could do for the race. The course is a mixture of ups and downs with some great flowing trail towards the end of the course. Pre-riding the course also allowed me to see where I could have issues since my technical skills are still at a beginner level.
On race morning, I awoke around 4am. I had a good breakfast of cereal, OJ, banana, and some coffee. I loaded up the bike and make the 1hr 40 minute down to Hot Springs. I arrived right around 7. At this time, there was still a slight chill in the air with temperatures in the mid 50's. The forecast was calling for the temps to raise quickly into the mid 70's to just about 80. The cool thing I noticed was all the tents and coolers set up in feed zone. There was a great atmosphere in this area for the race. I prepared my things and then went to go rack my bike. Yes, I just said rack my bike. No this isn't a duathlon or a triathlon, but in order to hopefully spread out the field. We racked our bikes at the bottom of big grassy hill. The start line was at the bottom of the hill and we were to run up the hill, grab out bikes and ride on.
The rules of the race are to complete as many laps as you can in 5 - 6.5 hrs. You can not stop riding before 5 hrs to be an official finisher. My goal for this race was to at least get 4 laps by 5-5.5 hrs and maybe 5 as a long goal.
By 8am, the sunny was shinning brightly, and everyone was lined up. It's go time! I run/jog up the hill to my bike. I wasn't in a real hurry to get to my bike because my goal for the first lap was to relax and take it easy. The course starts off going across a field and onto a road, before heading back into the Park and hitting the trails. Even with the running start, there were still a couple of bottle necks the first couple of miles of the course. Once we got going, though I could tell my addrenline was flowing. As we went through some quick turns, I ran off the course almost hitting a tree. I hope this wasn't the sign of the day. A few more small ups and downs, and a bridge crossing and is towards the part of the climbing part of the course. By the time, we started the climb, the field had spread out. At this point, I was feeling great and relaxed and worked through this section of the course. I was having a great time! After this section comes the blue section, which has small hills, followed some great trails that flow really well. At this point, my chain had dropped off the front a couple of times, but nothing to worry about. I finish the first lap in around 1hr 20 minutes. I was happy with that.
The adventure begins on the second lap! I worked through the first section of the course really well again now that the field had spread out. I made the climb up the hill and was heading down the switch backs along a straight section when I experienced a first. As I was heading downhill, either I hit my breaks a little too hard or I hit a bump, but the next thing I know I'm going over the front of my bike. I land on my back and looking bike uphill and see my bike flipping over right towards me. The bike lands on me and I'm down on my back. A couple of other riders were behind me and quickly helped me out. I checked myself, no blood, no bones, sticking out, and the bike appeared to be in good order! I jumped back on the bike and rode on. I can say after though, I was a little tentative.
By this time, I could tell the weather was starting to warm, and I was pretty thirsty, not good. Towards the end of the second lap, my chain popped off again and this time wedged itself in. I pull off to the side and spent about 5 minutes working on it. For a second, I was worried that I wouldn't get it out, but was able to work it out. It was back on the bike to finish lap two. I refilled my water/HEED supplies and I'm off the third lap. The goal for the third lap was to stay in control and have a great finish for the fourth lap. Also, at this point, I knew I was going to be able to reach 5 laps, but I would be happy with a four lap finish. The third lap was tougher than I thought. My right leg was already starting to cramp just over half way through this lap. By the time, I finished the third lap, I was whopped. The fourth was going to be survival mode.
Sure enough, I was just surviving on the fourth lap. I worked my through the course trying to stay hydrated and in control. By the time, I got to the blue section I was ready to finish. I slowly worked though this section and finally cross the finish line in exactly 6 hrs with four laps complete!
Wow, this race was learning experience. Here are some of my takeaways:
1. It was my first MTB race, so I got the chance to see how tough these races can be.
2. I learned that I still have a lot of work to do on technical skills. In the future Cedar Glades can be a great place to go. I find it more technical than Burns or Iron Mountain.
3. Hydrate, fuel, rinse, and repeat. I feel behind on my fueling and paid for it quickly since it was warm and dry during the race.
4. HTFU, I did this and was able to get through. I felt my fitness was still pretty good because even the next day I didn't feel that bad. Of course, that could also mean that i didn't push hard enough.
Overall, the experience and race was great! Even with my little spill, I hope to come back next year.
Below is a video put together by Arkansas Outside with a short perspective of the race. Enjoy!
Friday, March 8, 2013
Little Rock Half Marathon 2013
Well after 4 months of training the day had arrived for the 2013 Little Rock Half Marathon. I had decided to run the half in November of last year. I wanted to train for an event that would get me through the winter. I chose the half because I was looking for a fast time. I set my goal for under 1:40:00 with 1:35:00 being my ambitious goal.
I knew that I would have to up my running in order to reach this goal. Throughout the summer, I had steadily been increasing my distance per week and number of times I ran per week. I wanted to grow my base before I really started to focus on speed. My "speed" workouts would be small races that were ran across the area. The training number throughout Nov, Dec, and Jan were really good. I was feeling great and running well. I accomplished more effective training for this half than I did for any of my previous marathons. In Feb, I would decrease the miles while shifting the focus to more pace related work. This worked out well as I was able to run a minute and half PR in the 15k. As the date approached, I knew I was ready to run!
During the week of the half, I took it easy with a short run and a massage just to make sure to keep the body loose and ready. The only concern for the race was that it was going to be cold. The forecast for the week were calling for lows in the mid 20s on the morning of the race. I decided to go with a cheap jacket that I could pitch right before race start, gloves, skull cap, long sleeve tech shirt, and shorts. I woke around 4:30am to get ready for the race. For breakfast that morning, I had peanut butter sandwich, banana, coffee, and some orange juice. I left my house around 6:00am and got downtown around 6:45. I found a parking spot in one of the parking garages and decided to chill out in my truck for awhile. Eventually, I had to use the restroom, so it was time to go out and brave the cold. After using the restroom, I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses, so I used the chance to warm up and run back to the truck. I still had plenty of time before race start, so I wasn't rushing too much. I went back to the start area, dropped off some clothes for after the race, and then went and warmed up for about 10 minutes. Eventually I made way to my area with about 10 minutes to go and waited for the start!
I was in the corral B, so we were the second the group that would go off. The clocked reached 8 and the first group went. We all moved closer to the start line and just a minute and half later our group was off to the races. I knew that to reach my goal of 1:35:00 I would have to put in around 7:15 min/mile. I wanted the first mile to be easy and use it as a warm up. I was feeling good and trying not to let the excitement get to me. I hit the first mile at around 7:20. As I was getting into the second mile I was beginning to fell a slight side twitch come on. I focused on my breathing and relaxed myself. I was still running well and feeling good. The second mile came in about 7:06 with part of it downhill into North Little Rock. Running through North Little Rock, this part of the course is flat, but I was start to feel that I was going to be able to hold my 7:15 pace.
Thinking to myself, it's alright, still 10 miles left. I was able to average about 7:20 through mile 4. From Mile 4 to Mile 5, you head pack to Little Rock, and go up the Broadway Bridge. As I was running up the bridge trying to control my pace, my time really dropped. I was hoping to pace myself a little up the bridge, but this was to slow. I hit mile with a 7:41 pace, uggh.
When I got to the 10k mark, I was around 45:00 minutes and my legs were feeling heavy. I was just trying to hang on already and still had half a race left. Miles 6-10 were pretty tough. At times, I would try and pick up the pace to only find that I was going now where fast! My breathing felt good, but legs were lead. I was already getting sore throughout my quads and could almost feel them cramping up. I continued to run as hard as could to reach the under 1:40:00 goal. I can usually finish a race strong, but at this point I was looking to hang on. Miles 10-13.1 were paced around 7:40! I finally reach the final chute down Hwy 10 and run as hard as I can pushing towards the finish. I reach the finish and cross in 1:39:01. A new PR and a hard fought one at that!
After crossing and slowing down to a walk, I made sure not to allow my legs to cramp and fall to the ground. It was a slow walk to receive my heavy medal. While not as gigantic as the marathon, it was still a heavy and nice piece of hardware. I picked up some snacks and then onto picking up my clothes. A great race finished.
Over the course of this week, I tried to think what happened and why this race didn't go as well as I had planned. Talking to a friend, they mentioned that sometimes now matter how hard you think about, some days aren't meant to be. This was probably that day. While my legs were hurting when I crossed the finish, I still felt like I could have run all day. I didn't feel tired. I still reached my goal of under 1:40:00, set a PR, and had a good day. Another plus on this journey, I was able to train consistently and did not get injured. Hopefully this early season training will allow for more good results throughout the year!
Next up is the Spa City 6-hour MTB race on March 16th and then Ouachita Challenge on April 6th. Also, on April 27th, I'll hopefully be testing for my 4th degree black belt. I have a lot of training to do over the next two months, but I'll fun out there.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
96 Hours in San Francisco
Back in January, I talked to one of my friends that lives in San Francisco about visiting the weekend of Presidents day. This is what I did with 96 hrs in San Francisco, or just north of it actually!
When planning the trip, I wanted to maximize as much time there as I could without missing a lot of work. The great thing about traveling west from Arkansas, is that I was able to work all day Wednesday and take a 6:00pm flight out of Little Rock to Dallas and onto San Francisco. The flight was scheduled to land around 10:20pm. The worst part about going out west, is that if you want to leave on a morning flight out, you basically travel all day before arriving back home. For example, I a 7:00 am flight out of San Francisco doesn't get me home until around 3:00 pm. So, I decided that I would take a long commute to work on Monday and take a red-eye. The plan was to leave Sunday/Monday morning from SFO at 12:35am and arrive Monday morning back in Little Rock at 8:35am just in time to go to work! I also wanted to see what it was like to take a red-eye to gauge any future trips out west.
The flight out there was pretty easy. I arrived on time and my friend picked me up at the airport. The first hours are pretty boring. A drive from the airport to his house in Fairfax which is located in the North Bay area. Tomorrow is where the adventure starts.
Thursday started early. My friend was having to go into work in the area around Petaluma, CA, so I rode up there with him and then took his car for the day. My adventure for the day was paying a visit out to Pt. Reyes. I had explored a website www.trailstompers.com while looking for trail runs in the area. I wanted to do a run and found the run Bear Valley to Arch Rock. This run would take me from the Visitors Center down to the coast. The run was about 8.2 miles, so I figured this would make for a great run. It turned out to be very beautiful run. Here are some pictures from the run.
After the hike/run, I drove around a couple of spots around Point Reyes and eventually ended up on the beach for a little stroll.
By the end of the stroll, I was getting hungry since it was around 12:00. I decided to head into Point Reyes Station for some food. I ended up at the Station House Cafe. One item on menus that I love try especially when I'm near the ocean is fish and chips. It was a tough choice between that and the burger. I decided to go with the fish and chips which was a good choice. After lunch it was back to exploring, I headed back north on Highway 1 for drive. The scenery is amazing on this part, but I know there is even more amazing scenery that I didn't get a chance to see. I couldn't imagine cycling length of Hwy 1 with all the ups and downs on it, but it would be worth the challenge. I eventually ended up in Boga Bay before heading back to pick up my friend.
From there, it was back to the Fairfax area and choose dinner. I do like to sample local brews in an area when I get chance, so for dinner we ended up at the Marin Brewery. I tried a couple of their IPAs and thought they were good, but not anything to brag about. For dinner, we all ordered a pizza which turned out good, but nothing to write about. Overall, I would call the place a good place to check out if you happen to run into it. After dinner, it was off to a local bar for a little bit before a big ride that was planned for the next day.
The first part of the morning on Friday we figured out what we were going to do for the weekend. We decided to rent house up in the Russian River area. Once we got that figured out it was off for a ride in the Marin Headlands area. I knew the ride was going to be mostly climbing, but I didn't know it would start so soon. We had about a five to ten minute "warm-up"/me figuring out to shift on a bike I was borrowing before it was time to start climbing. During the first climb up to the Alpine Lake area, it was nice to be able to enjoy the scenery and the views. The only issue I was having is that my lunch was sitting to well, so I backed off a little and just enjoyed the ride. We eventually decsended to Alpine Lake before starting the climb to Mt. Tempalis. It was amazing to be able to ride through the redwoods just along the rode and enjoy the cool shade and temperatures. The scenery changed quickly as we got higher in the Marin Headlands and it finally opened up to fields and views of the Bay area and the Pacific ocean. The day was a bright sunny and clear day and you could see for miles. As we were getting to the top, my friend and issues with his bike, so got to the top and decided to head back. The ride back was a nice decent followed by riding through town. Overall, this was an amazing ride and I wish this ride that I had in backyard.
After the Ride, we packed up and headed up to the Russian River where we were going to rent a house for 3 days. I would be there only two however. The ride up was uneventful, but we did make a quick stop at the Russian River Brewery where I got the chance to enjoy a Piney the Elder IPA which was excellent. We drove the remaining 15 minutes and ended up at our house. It was an amazing 3 bedroom home. The two bedrooms where upstairs and then a lower guest bedroom downstairs and outside. The house even included a hot tube!
The next day started out with a ride from the house down west to the ocean. After the ride the previous day, it was nice to have a flat ride.
Following the ride, we ate at a place called the Garden Grill. I had a hamburger which was excellent, but the best part of the meal were the garlic fries which were awesome. That evening we cooked out some steaks at the house and went and explored the Gurneville. During the winter, it was kinda of quiet, but we still enjoyed the evening.
The last day of my trip was a full day. We went out to Louis Armstrong park where I went on a trail run that had around 1200 ft of elevation change and everyone else went out on a hike. The run was great. It was fun to run through the redwoods on the cool morning. After the run, we out for brunch at the The Diner and then back to the house. We decided to go ahead and do a wine tour. Now we are west of Napa and Sonoma, but still there were hundreds of vineyards in the area. The first one was around 3 miles from the house. We were able to stop at 4 different places from about 12-5. The wine was excellent in that area. I can't even imagine how long it would take to first and taste them all! The four we visited were VML, HKL, Porter Creek, and Moshin. I thought the best wines were between Porter Creek and Moshin, both of which had excellent Pinot Noir.
Once we were finished with winery visits we headed back to the house to cook up some dinner and around 8 my friend brought me to a bus stop in Larkspur which would take me direct to the airport. This would finish up a great trip to San Francisco. My flight left around 12:45 am and I was back in Little Rock on Monday morning around 9:00am. What trip and hopefully I'll get the chance to go back out there again!
When planning the trip, I wanted to maximize as much time there as I could without missing a lot of work. The great thing about traveling west from Arkansas, is that I was able to work all day Wednesday and take a 6:00pm flight out of Little Rock to Dallas and onto San Francisco. The flight was scheduled to land around 10:20pm. The worst part about going out west, is that if you want to leave on a morning flight out, you basically travel all day before arriving back home. For example, I a 7:00 am flight out of San Francisco doesn't get me home until around 3:00 pm. So, I decided that I would take a long commute to work on Monday and take a red-eye. The plan was to leave Sunday/Monday morning from SFO at 12:35am and arrive Monday morning back in Little Rock at 8:35am just in time to go to work! I also wanted to see what it was like to take a red-eye to gauge any future trips out west.
The flight out there was pretty easy. I arrived on time and my friend picked me up at the airport. The first hours are pretty boring. A drive from the airport to his house in Fairfax which is located in the North Bay area. Tomorrow is where the adventure starts.
Thursday started early. My friend was having to go into work in the area around Petaluma, CA, so I rode up there with him and then took his car for the day. My adventure for the day was paying a visit out to Pt. Reyes. I had explored a website www.trailstompers.com while looking for trail runs in the area. I wanted to do a run and found the run Bear Valley to Arch Rock. This run would take me from the Visitors Center down to the coast. The run was about 8.2 miles, so I figured this would make for a great run. It turned out to be very beautiful run. Here are some pictures from the run.
By the end of the stroll, I was getting hungry since it was around 12:00. I decided to head into Point Reyes Station for some food. I ended up at the Station House Cafe. One item on menus that I love try especially when I'm near the ocean is fish and chips. It was a tough choice between that and the burger. I decided to go with the fish and chips which was a good choice. After lunch it was back to exploring, I headed back north on Highway 1 for drive. The scenery is amazing on this part, but I know there is even more amazing scenery that I didn't get a chance to see. I couldn't imagine cycling length of Hwy 1 with all the ups and downs on it, but it would be worth the challenge. I eventually ended up in Boga Bay before heading back to pick up my friend.
From there, it was back to the Fairfax area and choose dinner. I do like to sample local brews in an area when I get chance, so for dinner we ended up at the Marin Brewery. I tried a couple of their IPAs and thought they were good, but not anything to brag about. For dinner, we all ordered a pizza which turned out good, but nothing to write about. Overall, I would call the place a good place to check out if you happen to run into it. After dinner, it was off to a local bar for a little bit before a big ride that was planned for the next day.
The first part of the morning on Friday we figured out what we were going to do for the weekend. We decided to rent house up in the Russian River area. Once we got that figured out it was off for a ride in the Marin Headlands area. I knew the ride was going to be mostly climbing, but I didn't know it would start so soon. We had about a five to ten minute "warm-up"/me figuring out to shift on a bike I was borrowing before it was time to start climbing. During the first climb up to the Alpine Lake area, it was nice to be able to enjoy the scenery and the views. The only issue I was having is that my lunch was sitting to well, so I backed off a little and just enjoyed the ride. We eventually decsended to Alpine Lake before starting the climb to Mt. Tempalis. It was amazing to be able to ride through the redwoods just along the rode and enjoy the cool shade and temperatures. The scenery changed quickly as we got higher in the Marin Headlands and it finally opened up to fields and views of the Bay area and the Pacific ocean. The day was a bright sunny and clear day and you could see for miles. As we were getting to the top, my friend and issues with his bike, so got to the top and decided to head back. The ride back was a nice decent followed by riding through town. Overall, this was an amazing ride and I wish this ride that I had in backyard.
The last day of my trip was a full day. We went out to Louis Armstrong park where I went on a trail run that had around 1200 ft of elevation change and everyone else went out on a hike. The run was great. It was fun to run through the redwoods on the cool morning. After the run, we out for brunch at the The Diner and then back to the house. We decided to go ahead and do a wine tour. Now we are west of Napa and Sonoma, but still there were hundreds of vineyards in the area. The first one was around 3 miles from the house. We were able to stop at 4 different places from about 12-5. The wine was excellent in that area. I can't even imagine how long it would take to first and taste them all! The four we visited were VML, HKL, Porter Creek, and Moshin. I thought the best wines were between Porter Creek and Moshin, both of which had excellent Pinot Noir.
Once we were finished with winery visits we headed back to the house to cook up some dinner and around 8 my friend brought me to a bus stop in Larkspur which would take me direct to the airport. This would finish up a great trip to San Francisco. My flight left around 12:45 am and I was back in Little Rock on Monday morning around 9:00am. What trip and hopefully I'll get the chance to go back out there again!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Batch #2
Monday, February 25, 2013
Cadron Trail Run 2013
Well I was back for a third year for the Cadron Trail run at Cadron Settlement Park just outside Conway. The race is a 4.2 mile or so trail run using an outer loop within the Cadron Trail run. Each loop is 2.1 or so. I say or so, because it's a trail run and the distances don't always seem to correlate. However, the previous two years the distance was around 4.1 miles.
As with every race, I am hoping for a PR! The week leading up to the race was a normal training with no tapering before the race. With the 15k the last weekend and now the trail run, my legs were sure to be screaming by the end. My times from 2010 and 2011 were 34:31 and 31:57 respectively.
The morning started off cooler than expected. The race didn't start till 10am, but the clouds stayed around and it was in the mid 30s. It makes for great running weather, you just have to stay warm before the start. Since, I've run this course numerous times, I knew the key was to stay in control the first lap and increase the pace on the second. We all line up for the start at the entrance to the park and the gun goes off and 33 people are out running! Video is below.
The key I've found to trail running is that even if you want to start off slower. It can be good to get out front that way you are behind people that could be slower than you. Most of the Cadron Trail run is on single track which can make it hard to pass.
After getting off the pavement, its time to go up hill for the first mile. I was able to establish a good position and held my pace pretty well. After the first mile, you head back downhill quickly into sections that go from flat, to uphill slightly, before finally heading into a section of fast rollers. This final section before you start the second lap is hard on the legs. You quickly go uphill followed by a quick downhill which we do 4 times before starting your second lap.
By this time, I had two people in front on me and was going to make the pass before the second lap began.
I made the pass just before the uphill started, but by then my legs were really screaming. I knew I was in for a tough second lap. I was able to put some distance between the last two people I passed, but still could not see anyone in front of me. The second lap was pretty lonely. I was running as hard as I could, but still not able to see anyone. My pace was also slowing as I headed towards the finish. Finally, I was able to see someone, but I knew it was too late to catch them. I ran quickly towards the finish and crossed line about 17 seconds behind.
I was able to finish the race in 31:44 which ended up being a PR for this race. I was a nice surprise! I finished 7/33 OA and 2nd in my age group. It was again a great run put on by DLT Events and will hopefully be back next year.
As with every race, I am hoping for a PR! The week leading up to the race was a normal training with no tapering before the race. With the 15k the last weekend and now the trail run, my legs were sure to be screaming by the end. My times from 2010 and 2011 were 34:31 and 31:57 respectively.
The morning started off cooler than expected. The race didn't start till 10am, but the clouds stayed around and it was in the mid 30s. It makes for great running weather, you just have to stay warm before the start. Since, I've run this course numerous times, I knew the key was to stay in control the first lap and increase the pace on the second. We all line up for the start at the entrance to the park and the gun goes off and 33 people are out running! Video is below.
The key I've found to trail running is that even if you want to start off slower. It can be good to get out front that way you are behind people that could be slower than you. Most of the Cadron Trail run is on single track which can make it hard to pass.
 |
| Just starting out |
By this time, I had two people in front on me and was going to make the pass before the second lap began.
 |
| Starting second lap/Two people to pass |
I was able to finish the race in 31:44 which ended up being a PR for this race. I was a nice surprise! I finished 7/33 OA and 2nd in my age group. It was again a great run put on by DLT Events and will hopefully be back next year.
Monday, February 11, 2013
River Trail 15k 2013
Here’s the recap of race #2 in a series of three weekend
races, The River Trail 15k!
The River Trail 15k took place on Feb. 2nd. This was my 5th year to
participate in this race. I would call
this one of my go to races for the year.
I like the distance since it can be completed in just over an hour and
allows to pretty much go all out with maybe a little pacing strategy in
mind. This is also one of the first
races of the year, so it gives you a good chance to measure your current
fitness through the winter. The race
also lines up well with the Little Rock marathon and half which takes place the
first weekend of March.
The River Trail 15k takes place at the Burns Park Soccer
complex in North Little Rock. The race
is a fairly flat race that uses the river trail and a small sections of roads
in Burns Park. The weather for the race
was looking excellent as the day started.
The forecast was calling for temps in the mid-40s and clear sunny
skies! As I arrived at the race site,
there were some scattered clouds, but it was clearing quickly. My goal for the race was to average 7:15-7:20
per mile pace. I was hoping to beat my
PR from last year of 1:09:21. Below are
my previous results:
2009 – 1:17:40, 2010 – 1:10:14,
2011 – 1:11:38, 2012 – 1:09:21.
The race starts on the road next
to the soccer complex parking lot. I
lined up just a couple rows behind the front.
My first thought for the beginning of the race was to control my pace
early, so that I could push the pace towards the end of the race. The first two miles of the race run along the
road, before hitting the river trail. I
was able to hit mile one at a pace of 7:07 a little faster than I would have
liked, but I was feeling good.
 |
| Heading out - thanks Arkansas Outside for Pics |
 |
| Along the trail - thanks Arkansas outside for the pics |
Mile two
is still flat and by then I’ve settled into a pace I was looking for at 7:16
for that mile. Miles 2-6 were as follows
7:16, 7:16, 7:13, 7:17, and 7:16. My
strategy was that once I hit the 6 mile mark, I would feel where I’m at and
hopefully push the pace over the last 3.3 miles. I was feeling good and the short uphill and
back towards the finish. This part of
the course is overall downhill, so it gave me the chance to increase my pace
which able to hit the 7:12 for mile 7.
Mile 8 does have an uphill portion before the last part. I didn’t quite hit my pace for this finishing
this mile in about 7:22. Looking at my
watch with about 2 miles to go, I knew I could finish in around 1:08. Now’s the time to start to run! My legs are feeling tired, but I’ve got great
control of my breathing and HR, so I know I can finish strong. I’m able to finish mile 9 in about 7:03. As we approach the finish with about .25 mile
left, there is a man reading out the time. I reach him around 1:05:xx. I can make this under 1:08 maybe? Increase the pace goes through my head, push
to the finish. I can now see the finish.
The clock is ticking towards 1:08, I see 1:07:5x counting, run
faster! I reach the line at
1:08:02! A new PR, but so close to under
1:08!
What a great way to finish the
race and a great race overall. I was
able get 61st overall out of 465 racers. The most surprising part was that I finished
12th in my AG! There were a
lot of fast racers out there on this day that’s for sure. Last year, I was able to finish 6th
in my age group as a comparison.
Takeaways from the race were as
follows:
1. I
felt my pace throughout felt really good.
I didn’t do a full taper for this race.
I race 16 miles through 3 runs during the week with my Thursday run
being pretty fast.
2. My
training for the half is going pretty well based on the results for this
race. Over the next couple of weeks, I
need to focus on race pace execution. My goal is under 1:40 which I’m clearly
there now, and I’m right on the 1:35 goal that I have for the race. I felt that I could have held this pace for
another 4 miles if I had to.
3. Even
a after the race and the next day, my legs felt pretty good. The increased frequency of running for this
half marathon training has really helped with the recovery.
Well there’s my report from the
2013 River Trail 15k! Up next – Cadron
Trail Run Feb 9th!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Adventures in Brewing
Tried to post this from my phone last night, but the text didn't come through.
I started a new challenge today. I attempted to produce my own beer.
I've always wanted to try and today I took that
chance!
I came up with my own recipe after looking around online. It is amazing all the different ways to produce beer and the ingredients. There are online softwares that will help predict your beer in terms of alcohol content, bitterness, and color.
I started with 4lbs of Amber DME, 1lb of crystal/caramel 40l, 1 oz Columbus hops, and 1 oz Cascade hops. I added the 1oz of Columbus hops at the start of the boil and then add .33 oz of Cacade every 15 minutes until 0 minutes left out of 60.
I now have about 3 weeks to see how my finished product turns out!
I came up with my own recipe after looking around online. It is amazing all the different ways to produce beer and the ingredients. There are online softwares that will help predict your beer in terms of alcohol content, bitterness, and color.
I started with 4lbs of Amber DME, 1lb of crystal/caramel 40l, 1 oz Columbus hops, and 1 oz Cascade hops. I added the 1oz of Columbus hops at the start of the boil and then add .33 oz of Cacade every 15 minutes until 0 minutes left out of 60.
I now have about 3 weeks to see how my finished product turns out!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Scout Trail Run - Race Update #1
This is a first of a series of race updates that I've particpated in over the past couple of weekends. My first race of the year was at the Scout Trail Run on Jan. 26th. This was followed by River Trail 15k on Feb 2nd, and finally the Cadron Trail Run which will take place this weekend (Feb 9th).
The Scout Trail run took place on Jan 26th at Burns Park Park in North Little Rock. The distance for the race was 3.75 miles. The weather for the race was looking really good for a run. The temperatures were supposed to be in the low 50s to mid 40s at race time (10am)! It was nice to not worry about getting up early for a race. Going into this race, I've had more run training over the past couple of months than I've ever completed before. I wasn't sure how this race would turn out. I took it easy during the week because I felt a cold or some other sickness coming on, so the 4 days previous I had no workouts.
The race started off by the Log Cabin next to the BMX track. The first part of the run takes you on pavement for about 500 yards before entering the Scout Trail. I started off wanting to pace myself. I know the trail decently from mountain biking out there on a few occassions recently. I know the terrian is rolling with a shorter climb about 2 miles into the run. After getting on the trail, the crowd thinned out pretty quickly. I made a couple of passes, but my mile 2 I didn't have any behind really and just one other person in front of me. I was able to get right up to him and was following him for the next 3/4 of mile. The pace I was running was feeling pretty good and wanted to wait until about mile 3 before I made the pass and picked up the pace. However, what I would come to find out that the race was about to end a little sooner than expected. The race was supposed to come off the trail and onto pavement. I was thinking that we would get back onto the trail for final 3/4 of mile. As, we got on the pavement near the campgrounds, the guy in front of me starts to pick up the pace more. I was thinking still got 3/4 of mile left, so I'm good. As we get pack onto trail, I start to hear the annoucer and people cheering and I look at my watch and only see 2.88 miles, no way this coming to an end! Sure enough, just up ahead was the finish. I make my short final push to the finish and finish the race in 22:38 and a final distance of 2.98 miles.
The finish was good enough for 13 Overall out of 55 racers. I finished third in my age group. A couple of takeaways for this race would be since the race was only supposed to be 3.75 miles. I should have pushed the pace a little harder in the beginning. Also, you should always know the course. Had I realized that we were coming into the finish, I wouldn't have let the guy in front go. I talked to him after the race and he asked, "you didn't know that the finish was up ahead did you?" Nope!
DLT events still put on a great event here and I am looking forward to the Cadron Trail Run on Feb. 9th.
For the first race of the year, I was happy with the results especially since I didn't know how it would go after feeling under the weather the previoius few days. With the River Trail 15k coming up the next weekend, I was preparing for a PR if possible!
The Scout Trail run took place on Jan 26th at Burns Park Park in North Little Rock. The distance for the race was 3.75 miles. The weather for the race was looking really good for a run. The temperatures were supposed to be in the low 50s to mid 40s at race time (10am)! It was nice to not worry about getting up early for a race. Going into this race, I've had more run training over the past couple of months than I've ever completed before. I wasn't sure how this race would turn out. I took it easy during the week because I felt a cold or some other sickness coming on, so the 4 days previous I had no workouts.
The race started off by the Log Cabin next to the BMX track. The first part of the run takes you on pavement for about 500 yards before entering the Scout Trail. I started off wanting to pace myself. I know the trail decently from mountain biking out there on a few occassions recently. I know the terrian is rolling with a shorter climb about 2 miles into the run. After getting on the trail, the crowd thinned out pretty quickly. I made a couple of passes, but my mile 2 I didn't have any behind really and just one other person in front of me. I was able to get right up to him and was following him for the next 3/4 of mile. The pace I was running was feeling pretty good and wanted to wait until about mile 3 before I made the pass and picked up the pace. However, what I would come to find out that the race was about to end a little sooner than expected. The race was supposed to come off the trail and onto pavement. I was thinking that we would get back onto the trail for final 3/4 of mile. As, we got on the pavement near the campgrounds, the guy in front of me starts to pick up the pace more. I was thinking still got 3/4 of mile left, so I'm good. As we get pack onto trail, I start to hear the annoucer and people cheering and I look at my watch and only see 2.88 miles, no way this coming to an end! Sure enough, just up ahead was the finish. I make my short final push to the finish and finish the race in 22:38 and a final distance of 2.98 miles.
The finish was good enough for 13 Overall out of 55 racers. I finished third in my age group. A couple of takeaways for this race would be since the race was only supposed to be 3.75 miles. I should have pushed the pace a little harder in the beginning. Also, you should always know the course. Had I realized that we were coming into the finish, I wouldn't have let the guy in front go. I talked to him after the race and he asked, "you didn't know that the finish was up ahead did you?" Nope!
DLT events still put on a great event here and I am looking forward to the Cadron Trail Run on Feb. 9th.
For the first race of the year, I was happy with the results especially since I didn't know how it would go after feeling under the weather the previoius few days. With the River Trail 15k coming up the next weekend, I was preparing for a PR if possible!
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