Tuesday, October 28, 2008

New Guru Frame!!

Every season my tri team (the Cyclonauts) compete in a team series put on by FIRM (Fiske Independant Race Management). The series has a number of Grand Prixs that you are able to earn points at. They also have non point races that occur just about every weekend from May til October.

This year they had a raffle put on by one of their sponsors Quad Multisport in Arlington, MA. The winner would recieve a choice of a brand new 2008 Guru Chrono TT frame or a 2008 Guru Geneo road frame (each worth about $4500). You were entered into the raffle by placing top 5 in your age group at any FIRM race.

From what I have read, Guru makes an awesome bike. Measurements are taken prior to ordering the frame in order to have the perfectly fit bike. I found out yesterday that I won the raffle!! I have never won anything of this magnitude and am completely stunned. I plan on heading out to Quad Multisport at the end of the week or beginning of next to get fitted!


Guru Chrono TT






Guru Geneo

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Lesson Learned

I went down to Hartford to support some teammates that were running the half and full marathon on Saturday and left there with a little more than I had planned on. Since I had not registered in time I planned on meeting up with Jim and Rich C and running the first few miles of the half with them. I figured I would wish them luck, get a good 3-5 mile run in, then peel off and head home to Brookfield for the weekend.

I met up with Jim, but never found Rich. With that, Jim and I started the race and were able to run steady 7:00 minute pace for a while. After about 3 or 4 miles, I realized I had no idea where I was and I had better just stay on course until I know where I am, at which time I will look for my car.

My original plan of 3-5 miles had some obvious flaws that became obvious when I found myself at the 10K mark having to use the bathroom. I hadn't really hydrated properly that morning, nor did I eat well. The race was pretty much completed on a sausage egg and cheese, a large french vanilla coffee, and a mini gatorade. Regardless, I kept running.

Jim and I went through the 10K in just over 43 minutes (a PR for me) and that is when I told Jim I was gonna stop at the bathroom and I would catch up with him, boy was I wrong! With Jim holding his 7 min pace, I had to run faster to catch up. When I tried this my body simply didn't respond. In all honesty it wasn't a smart move on my part as I hadn't run more than 3 miles in total since my half iron almost a month ago. I was able to keep Jim in my sights about 200 yards ahead of me until mile 9 when I really started to have trouble.

Up until mile 9 I had averaged somewhere around 7:15 per mile. Mile 10 dropped to 8:08, then to 8:53 at mile 11 (when Rich C passed me in persuit of Jim), then good ole Mike Roberts entered the picture. Mike was running the half for a good run workout in prep for Ironman Florida in 3 weeks, and had already run 5 miles before the half even started! Mike has had an awesome season incluing a 10:06 Ironman in Lake Placid, and a 4:22 half in Rhode Island (which he won overall). With about 2 miles to go Mike wouldn't let me continue my bonking experience and proceeded to push me (literally at times) back down to 7:30 pace. He offered some very helpful run tips and put me back on track to a sub 1:40 half. The two of us cut out just before the finish line in order to start our warm down without getting caught up in the finishers shoot.

It was a great day for our club as numerous Cyclonauts ran to PRs as well as Boston Qualifying times. I learned a valuable lesson in adequate race preparation, as I am still in quite a bit of pain 3 days following the race. More importantly I realized that I have quite a bit of work to do on my run if I am going to get the results that I desire in upcoming races. Welcome to the off season, which for me will mean weight training, and lots of running. I am not sure what my next big race will be, but whatever it is I had better start training for it.

till next time, cheers
Paul

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Video Footage of the Speedo Challenge - Check it Out!

A very nice couple that is starting a videography company called Tri-2-Excel had some extra footage from the Chicopee Sprint and were nice enough to put it together for me. Check it out here: www.tri2excel.com!