Category Archives: All

Cardiac Crusher Brewery 4 Miler

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What’s so cool about being a part of the New York Rogue Runners? You get to design races!

The Cardiac Crusher Brewery 4 Mile Prediction Race (conceptualized by Joe) is a race in which you guess when you will finish. Runners cannot have any timing devices on them and the winner is whom ever comes in closest to their predicted time. It’s brilliant in design because it really doesn’t matter if you are a fast runner, what matters is understanding and listening to your own body.

We all arrived at the 72nd Street Transverse and put on our bibs. There were 6 racers (New York Rogue Runners is a relatively new group so I expect it to pick up as the season progresses.) Joe showed us the prize of Cardiac Crusher Brewery Citron Hefeweizen and then did his best Peter Chacha (CHA CHA!) impression, going over the course. Then, each of us gave our predicted times, mine being 24:30 which meant I was really going to set it off if I wanted to win. Since Sonja rarely lets me train anaerobically, I was looking forward to letting loose.

Joe set us off and I immediately just started running at I guess what I would call my 5K pace. Not having any timing device is strange and yest at the same time, very freeing.

I took it easy going up Cat Hill and then opened up a bit, feeling a little heavy. Perhaps it was the 20 degree weather holding me back?! I hate running in the cold. The 102 Transverse was a blessing. In my head I knew I was at the halfway point.

The ‘West Side Rollers’ proved a bit difficult because that’s when the wind picked up. I did, however start to feel really good at this point. What’s funny about these Rogue Races is that the other 90% of the runners out there have no idea there is a ‘race in progress.’ You get very puzzling looks from people when they see the homemade bibs. I also find it slightly upsetting as I am passing other runners and then realize, “Oh wait, these folks are just out for their run, they aren’t racing you dummy.”

Cruising up to the Finish, they called my time out at 25:14, 44 seconds off my prediction! Not terrible I suppose.

Shortly after the rest of the gang came through… Claire, Robin, Elyssa, Amy and Maura. The big winner was Robin, who was only 13 seconds off her predicted time! I came in 2nd Place (Amy in 3rd), earning me 2 of Joe’s coveted Citron Hefeweizen! Sweet, a Beer prize! (review of his brew to come later)

Thanks to Joe for his excellent design of the Prediction Race!

Don’t forget runners, on February 4th is E’s Run to City Bakery followed by the New York Hot Dog Challenge on February 11th.

 

Swim Karma

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Most of you know, it’s real hard getting me in the pool. It’s been a life-long struggle.

As I was walking to the pool today I thought about how crowded it always is, being in the most populated city on the east. Smiling, I thought about how much money I would be willing to pay to have my own private pool, even just my own personal lane.

Arriving at the pool it was indeed jumping. From Masters Classes, to Kids Classes to the regular solo swimmers (me) it was a frenzy. I choose the lane along the wall, the ‘slow lane’. There were 2 women doing some drills and seeing as how that was part of my workout we quickly meshed into a rhythm. SIDENOTE: Why is there no ‘E’ in rhythm? Seriously, say it aloud and be mystified.

A few minutes into my session the gals left, leaving me to my buoys and paddles. I could see people really flooding in from the entrance across the way and knew it was a matter of time before my lane would be overrun.

Then, as I was wrapping up a set, the lifeguard flagged me. Next to him was a blind man waiting to swim. “Excuse me, he normally swims along the walk. Do you mind splitting the lane with him? I will close the lane to just you two.”

For the next hour I had my own personal lane in Manhattan’s only Olympic Pool! I couldn’t help but think of how weird it was that I was wishing it on the way to the pool. Was this blind swimmer some sort of guardian angel? Maybe he is the ‘swim genie?’ One thing was for sure, the guy was a fantastic swimmer and was lapping me left and right. I even slowed up to study his form as he cruised by. I thought about making friends with him so we could takeover entire lanes for the rest of our lives…

Exhausted, I departed for home very satisfied and extremely inspired.

 

 

Steamboat Springs snowboarding adventures

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I was quite excited (and honored) this year when I was invited to the annual ‘Dave Lewis Ski and Snowboarding Conference.’ It’s not really called that… yet.

Abbe’s father Dave has been organizing family ski trips (minus Mama Lew as she isn’t much of a skier, but was missed) since they were teenagers. The three of them, Dave, Abbe and her older brother Rob are quite a force to be reckoned with on the slopes.

—

Abbe and I left NYC at 4AM (correct 4AM and it wasn’t even an Ironman) to catch our first of two flights. You know it’s early in New York City when you’re leaving to travel and the bars are just letting out.

We arrived in Atlanta and rendezvoused with Dave and Rob. After another flight, we arrived in Steamboat Springs just after lunchtime. I was blown away by the majestic beauty of Colorado! Oh, that’s right, I have never been to Colorado so was super excited to see what it’s all about!

We checked into our hotel and headed over to Rex’s (attached to our hotel) for lunch. We spent a lot of time at Rex’s as the food is amazing and well, they serve booze a mere 100 yards from our rooms. We then went over to Steamboat and dropped off our boards for some waxing and sharpening followed by a Buffalo Wing Fest Dinner had by Dave, Rob and I. Abbe opted for a less spicy option. I also bought a helmet. This was a most intelligent decision based on future events.

DAY 1

We were up early and my body was treating it (as it would treat all 3 days) like a race day. Meaning, after breakfast I was drinking water and peeing A LOT! I guess it’s some psychological tic I have now developed.

We were at the slopes by 9AM and the gang let us start on some smaller runs first so I could get warmed up. I hadnt boarded in 2 years, let alone on the west coast!

I immediately started wiping out left and right. Most of you that know me understand that I am extremely competitive, especially with myself.At the bottom of run 1 we then hit the gondola to get to some of the more serious runs. It’s funny writing about runs.

For any of you who have yet to experience west coast skiing, aside from being beautiful, it’s scary. A 10,000 ft. peak isn’t something to underestimate. Standing on the summit, wind ripping across you as you stare at the endless horizon of Rocky Mountains you wonder how you are going to get down from this high place. Then, you look down and see your fate.

Before following the crew down this time (Abbe sensing my frustration) I got some pointers from Abbe. These helped out a lot.

Abbe also told me not to wear my race sunglasses, but I did. I took two serious diggers that day, the first of which shattered the sunglasses and had Abbe, arms folded, saying, “I guess you should have listened to me…”

We boarded that day until 2PM when Abbe and I dipped down to the outdoor bar at the base of the mountain. Dave and Rob have a lot more stamina for skiing/snowboarding so they kept at it for a few more hours.

Chillin’ out at the base, Longhammer IPA in hand, I realized just how much better west coast skiing is compared to east coast. The mountain of course is  6-10 times the size. The people are so cool. It’s not crowded. The design of everything is so much better, meaning all the bars and hang out areas were set up properly with fire pits and plenty of space. The east coast is just crowded, dirty and obnoxious. Rant over…

That night we had an awesome dinner at, yes you guessed it, Rex’s!

DAY 2

As I was walking down my hotel hallway I was jumped by a gang. They beat me up pretty bad. My legs were trashed, my arms hurt and my neck was even jacked up. Then, I woke up and realized, “No Baker, you were just snowboarding yesterday.”

Now, what I learned from DAY 1 was that I need to chill out and focus on my own personal fun. I was trying to keep up with the Lewis Crew all day (even though they had no problem waiting for me) and therefore I stressed myself out. Today, I was going to bust some moves on the slopes my own way and have fun doing so!

That’s exactly what happened. From run 1 my boarding skills had dramatically improved since the day before. I was more confident and carving down the slopes with a smile on my face. I even yelled a few times.

Another thing about the west is that the runs are so freaking wide! You don’t have to worry about running into anyone! (okay, a little bit you do.) I was having a blast and I only fell maybe one time. After that fall, Rob gave me a piece of advice on my posture that was a game changer for me. No more bad falls. Pure carving.

Once again Abbe and I dipped out after lunch to chill slope side. It was absolutely beautiful out.

We headed back early as the Giants were playing 2:30PM our time and Abbe is a very serious fan. When her and Claire join forces and it’s very serious. We chilled at Rex’s watching the game before heading to sleep. Snowboarding makes you crazy tired!

DAY 3

Snow day! As we arrived at the base of the mountain and began our assent to the peak we could see the storm moving across the valley towards us. Jumping down the slope onto the first run the storm had reached us. It was pretty incredible. My snowboarding skills were at their peak, seeing as how this was the 3rd day, and I was having a blast carving down the mountain. Visibility was limited, but it made it kind of exciting.

Towards lunch, as I cruised down, I saw Abbe in front of me ‘man down.’ Dave and I scooted up to her to survey the damage and luckily she just banged up her knee. After her and I took one last run I escorted her off the slopes for some lunch.

Those of you who know me from years past know that I’m a big time ‘hot tubber’. I love ’em! Back at the hotel it was really snowing and I said to Abbe, “Lets hit the outdoor hot tub!” With no time to lose, we ran outside in our bathing suits and jumped in. It was amazing sitting out there as snow dumped on us while we relaxed in the comfort of the hot tub.

For dinner that night we hit a spot downtown called The Laundry. Excellent food. Bad service.

DAY 4

With our snowboarding adventures over we now had a full day of traveling to get back to Mighty Manhattan. I was not looking forward to it at all. Reality checks can be such buzz kills.

Big thanks to Dave for being our guide all weekend! Shout outs also go to Rob and Abbe for helping me out with tips and form advice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruce’s Memorial donations exceed $150,000

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As many of you know, last May my father died after a 5 day battle with an infection caused by his Lymphoma. During his 2 year treatment, he always talked of how he never wanted another family to go through what we were going through. His dying wish was to raise money to find a cure for Lymphoma.

I am happy to announce that we have raised over $152,000.00 in his name to fight Lymphoma! I would just like to personally thank everyone who has donated to the cause and shown support over the last 6 months. It not only means a lot to me and my family, but to all the other families dealing with Lymphoma. Thank you.

This is the link to my father’s donation page. Our goal is to raise $1 Million Dollars over the next couple of years, so pass it along!

http://www.lymphoma.org/teammates/beyonddefeat

 

 

 

Previously, on Beyond Defeat

Posted on by Posted in All, Fitness, Training: Cycling, Training: Running, Training: Swimming 2 Comments

The year 2011 was one hell of a year for me in many ways. Some were triumphant, others heartbreaking.

I set off the year with the Goofy Challenge. Saturday’s Half-Marathon portion was ran with my mother who chose to celebrate being 20 years cancer free. I had been coaching her for the 3 months prior to the race and we finished together in 3:01:25! My mother had seized the day. As for Sunday’s Marathon, well, I wanted to seize that day. I ran with all of my heart and finally broke 3 hours, finishing in 2:58:16. It was and is to date the only marathon I have actually screamed with joy as I crossed the finish.

In February I met (through the Runner Army) my girlfriend Abbe and we have been connected at the hip ever since!

I made a very big athletic decision in March. My training schedule has always been unorthodox and random, and I wanted to get my butt in gear for Ironman Arizona. I needed guidance. That’s when Sonja agreed to coach me for the season! (she is still my coach for 2012) Hiring her to essentially kick my ass every day was one of the best decisions, evidenced by my performance in Arizona.

The New York City Half Marathon was a bit of a wash for me this year. I ran it with food poisoning (I barfed my brains out an hour before the race) so I guess my race nutrition was sub-par. I ran a 1:27 and was so happy when it was over.

In April my Mom and Step-father visited and so since my Mom was now a runner, I had the Bridges Crew set up a Bridges Run for us! My Mom was thrilled to meet all of my Runner Army pals and could finally put a name to a face since she sees everyone comment on the blog.

May set off with the NJ Half Marathon, (1:23) and the Healthy Kidney 10K (37:02). This month was also going to be the Reach the Beach Relay and I was on a team with 10-20 of my friends (the Runner Army). The morning I was to leave for the race I got a distressed call from my Step-mom. She told me my Dad (who was diagnosed with Lymphoma 2 years prior) had gotten sick and I needed to get home as soon as I could. Based on the tone of her voice I knew this would be the last time I would see my father alive. I watched him go from pretty bad, to really bad to being on life support in 4 of the most traumatic and heart wrenching days I have ever lived through. The whole story is here for those interested.  

Back in New York City, I had the Great Hudson River Challenge to finish off May. The Runner Army (you know who you are) decided that they would all surprise me at the end of the race to help support me. It was quite amazing of them. Thanks guys.

My training had been escalating dramatically up until my father’s death. I pretty much dropped it almost completely in June. We did, however, organize the first ever Run for Bruce, a 5 mile run down to PJ Clarke’s. The turnout was amazing and even though it wasn’t a race per se, my youngest brother Jeff won.

I also got talked into the Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim from my buddy Todd. A 1.6 Mile swim from Alcatraz to the mainland, sure why not. Looking back on the mayhem, it was very awesome. It was also very challenging because there were no sighting buoys.

In July I started picking up with training again and getting out of my funk. I ran a couple 4 Milers in the Park and a 10K.

August was the annual Fire Island 5K. I came in 2nd Place overall again this year with a 17:52.

In September I finally was able to apply AND get into the Boston Marathon! One of my big dreams (before I heard about Kona that is).

Rev 3 South Carolina was in October. Jim, Ed and I road tripped down there for the race and had one hell of a time. I raced the Half Iron distance in 5:12 and felt ready for Ironman Arizona.

But first…

I had a lil race called the New York City Marathon to conquer! This was my 3rd time, and far from my last, racing it. Home turf, all my running pals, and the epic crowds of NYC cheering you on… it’s a day one never forgets. I had a course PR of 3:00:48 (because I stopped to pee again) and didn’t break 3,  but was still very excited to make that time. As usual we celebrated hard after, but not too hard as Ironman was in 2 weeks.

My whole year was a build up to Ironman Arizona. It was also a mystery. I had never raced this distance, what would happen? I’ll tell you what happened, I made some memories that have yet to fade. I finished in 11:13 and was completely satisfied.

That pretty much capped off my year, except for one last item. I signed my first ever sponsorship contract with Kompetitve Edge! I don’t think I have ever had more of a smile on my face than when I left work after hearing the news.

So yeah, 2011 had it’s roller coaster moments, but it ended on quite a high note. I always like to use the phrase ‘There are only possibilities.’ In 2008 I ran the NYC Marathon pretty much on a dare. Whenever I am reflecting, I always wonder what I would be doing with myself had I not started running?

 

 

 

 

RACE REPORT: 070 Ted Corbitt 15K – 59:26

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How do you prepare for a 15K? Do you ever have those races where you know your plans the night before will be consequential to your performance? Me too. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Friday night before the Ted Corbitt 15K was a blast. I left work to meet up with Abbe and her best friends Drew and Danielle at Tortilla Flats down in the West Village. SIDENOTE: Danielle and Drew were visiting from out of town, so racing took a back seat while eating and drinking the front.

Arriving at Tortilla Flats for guactails I was presented a celebratory shot of tequila. I had just heard about the Kompetitive Edge sponsorship and was beyond excited. From there (after a handful of margaritas) we went to Empillon, a fantastic new mexican restaurant. I proceeded to drink margaritas, but this time washed them down with spicy fish tacos. Very logical before a 15K, I know but… celebrate we must!

RACE DAY

I was up at 6:30AM (start was at 8AM) and fueling up with some Cafe Bustelo. My stomach was totally wonky and I had no desire to eat breakfast, other than being a bit ‘cloudy’ I felt okay to race.

On the way to Central Park I thought it wise to stop and grab a banana from a bodega even if I didn’t feel hungry. Looking back, I’m very glad I opted to eat something.

Up in my corral I quietly waited for the gun. Somehow I was toeing the start mat, which I didn’t plan on as there are loads of faster guys that will be passing me by. It was brisk out, maybe 35 degrees and sunny.

As the gun went off we all set off at a pretty manageable pace, a 15K pace I suppose you might say. I was not wearing a watch. My legs felt good, but not as good as when I did my speed workout 2 days earlier. Smooth move Baker.

The course was 2 loops of the Park, the 4 Mile followed by the 5 Mile extension. I hit Miles 1 and 2 at a 6:10 pace and knew I couldn’t hold it. This was my last race in the 9+1 series so I really just had to get it done so my stress levels were low. Coming up the East Side of the course at Mile 3 I saw my friend Alex (who was volunteering as Course Marshall). Other than Alex, I saw no other Runner Army personal which I found strange. The Park seemed lonely for the first time in a long while.

The second loop was less than stellar because I started burping up acid from the spicy food and margaritas. My chest was burning something fierce and I thought about quitting. Actually, I’m pretty sure I think about quitting during every race. I have never quit a race, and I wasn’t about to start. I thought about all the races I have completed where conditions were much worse or simply a greater challenge like a marathon and tried to dumb down this race mentally. Then, I started up with one of my mantras, ‘There is no pain, only glory’ which is kinda funny in a Braveheart meets 300 kinda way but it works.

I was pushing 6:30s the last few miles and fading pretty fast. My 15K PR was 59:23, but really I would be happy to finish under an hour. Making some calculations off the course clocks things looked good. As I was coming up to the finish (a straightaway followed by a left turn and another 20 meters) I saw the clock hit 59:00. I had 23 seconds to PR!

Moments like these are wild, because time actually seems to slow down, yet that clock keeps on ticking away.

Sex/
Age		 Bib Overall Place Age
Place		 Finish
Time		 Pace/
Mile		 AG %
M33 128 73 17 59:26 6:24 69.6%

I missed the PR by 3 seconds, but had finished under an hour. I was happy.

I’m a Sponsored Athlete!

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In 2008 when I decided to take up running and attempt a marathon, I had no idea it would take me this far. Running and Triathlon are an everyday piece of my vocabulary now and my world revolves around races. Is it even possible to immerse myself even more into the sport?

Yes.

It’s with great excitement that I would like to announce that I will be a sponsored athlete on the Kompetitive Edge team for 2012!

Kompetitive Edge will be my support throughout the race season, providing me with the best of the best gear to fulfill my race goals. If that wasn’t reason enough to be excited, I get to be a part of a very serious and talented team of athletes! Lookout 2012!

Baker’s Funtastic Four Miler

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Abbe and I were chatting last night about her possible Jingle Bell Jog 3.7 mile race the next morning. She was excited to test her speed at a shorter distance race, but unexcited to travel to Brooklyn early in the morning to do so. I suggested that I time her as she run the 4 mile loop of Central Park.

Then was born… Baker’s Funtastic Four Miler. It’s part of New York Rogue Runners, a secret group of runners who create their own races. Unlike New York Road Runner races, these races have prizes! My race had a lovely bottle of cabernet sauvignon up for grabs.

RACE DAY

Abbe and I set out to the start (72nd Street and East Drive) to arrive by 10AM. It was a beautiful and brisk day.

Slowly our competitors showed up. This was kind of last minute so I didnt expect many. Abbe, Susan, Bojana, Elyssa, and Stephan donned their hand made bibs and prepared to start. I gave them race instructions in my best Peter Chacha impersonation.

Using my iPhone stop watch synced with my trusty Rolex I sent the runners off!

It’s weird not racing. I just kinda hung out and drank my coffee, watching other runners go by. Waiting…

First in was Susan!(soon after our friend Ali came to cheer. She was a little late but assured us she would race next time!)

A few minutes later Bojana!

Then, Abbe and Elyssa cruised in.

Finally, Stephan arrived!

Everyone had a good race aside from them all missing my secret aid station at Mile 2.We had a small awards ceremony where Susan won her bottle of wine and a hug.

Congrats to all the racers! Times posted below!
1: Susan 28:56
2: Bojana 31:57
3: Abbe 32:56
4: Elyssa 32:58
5: Stephan 39:50

 

 

 

RACE REPORT: 069 The Voices 5M – 30:21

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After 2 weeks off (and I mean off) from Ironman, this weekend was a swift introducing back to the world of running.

Saturday, Claire threw her 3rd annual Beer Run. It’s an event not to be missed, kind of like a runner holiday party. Here’s the skinny… run to a bar, drink… then run to another bar… drink; rinse and repeat. Sound like fun? It is.

There were 40 of us this time and by the 3rd bar we were all ‘loosey goosey’ making the running between bars that much more interesting. I got to see all of my runner friend’s from the Runner Army minus one or two who couldn’t make it due to religious obligations. As always it was a blast, thank you Claire for organizing!

This made for a good warm up for Sunday’s NYRR sanctioned race.

RACE DAY

I left my apartment with plenty of time to spare and walked over to the Park. There, I ran into Annalise and Lisa (who were also racing). New York really is a small town.

I jumped in my corral and hung around, thinking about what I was going to do. ‘Should I race this thing, or just run it?’ My legs didn’t feel quite lucid yesterday during Beer Run so I was worried that my speed was lacking.

Out of nowhere Sebastian, Robert, Antonio and Helen showed up! Oh, I also got to finally meet Joe G in person! Nice to finally meet you! We all chatted about… you know… running. Gotta say, making running friends the last few years has been really special. The fact that all of us were just hanging out on a Sunday at the Start talking shop is so cool. You not only feel like part of the running community, but of the community in general.

The gun goes off and we set it off, like getting shot out of a canon. It was pretty crowded the first mile as everyone eased into their paces. I hit Mile 1 right around 6 minutes and said to myself “F-it I guess I’m racing this thing.”

Around Mile 2 Robert and Antonio passed me. They were on a sub 30 minute mission and were killing it.

I wasn’t wearing a watch so at Mile 3 I tried some quick math and figured I was running 6:30s or so. Why are numbers so puzzling!

I felt pretty good as far as my legs were concerned. I mean, I was exhausted from running hard, but overall I felt healed from Ironman and was happy. I had been leapfrogging with a gal from Warren Street (Robert, Seb and Antonios team) and at Mile 4 she saw I was fading. She ran along side of me and said “Come on!” This helped tremendously (thank you) and I just focused on keeping my pace steady.

I came in at 30:21 and actually wasn’t concerned with the time at all. Abbe even asked me, moments later, “Was that a PR?” “Naw.” I responded, as I chowed down on a raisin bagel. Sonja actually emailed me later and told me it was. Oops.

Sex/
Age		 Bib Overall Place Age
Place		 Finish
Time		 Pace/
Mile		 AG %
M33 131 136 29 30:21 6:05 71.14%

There were kids races after and Joe had brought his family to race! Too cute man. Oh, and Robert and Antonio broke 30, congrats guys! Yeah and Seb came in 6th overall with a 26:01. That’s a 5:13 pace, killer!

It was a fantastic weekend for racing. It was so great to see all my running friends! I was also very happy that I had my legs back after the Ironman.

 

 

 

RACE REPORT: 068 Ironman Arizona – 11:13:56

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My hunger for endurance sports started in 2008 when I ran my first race, the NYC Marathon. Since then it has literally changed my life, inspiring me to chase goals that at one point may have seemed impossible. One of these goals was to race an Ironman.

Earlier this year I began my training for Ironman Arizona, which always takes place in late November. After a few runs and a bike here and there I started to think that maybe my lofty ‘train when I feel like it’ plan might not cut it on race day. That’s when I recruited the help of Sonja, a 6-time Ironwoman, to coach me. her and I have similar outlooks on racing and life in general so I thought she would be perfect. I was correct. She whooped me into Ironman shape and although it was far from easy, it made all the difference on race day.

—

I arrived in Arizona on Thursday night before the race. It was late and I needed to rent a car and get to our hotel. Did I mention that the last time I drove an automobile was over a year ago? One of the pros and cons to living in mighty Manhattan, you don’t need a car! Exhausted, and quite excited to see some desert terrain the next morning, I went to bed.

Waking up to a dessert sunrise is amazing. I had some coffee and watched the news before setting out for the athlete check-in. SIDENOTE: Ironman isn’t as important to the people of Arizona as one might think. The news cast went something like this… “Tomorrow looks to be an exciting day here in Tempe as ASU gears up to play! Sunday is the Ironman race so watch out for traffic delays.”

Check-in was relatively painless and within 15 minutes I was all set. The Expo was bumpin’ and very full of energy. It’s very different from a Marathon Expo, I don’t know why. Actually, I’m lying—I do know why. I have a breakdown for endurance sports, but it might offend some people, but that’s life. Remember, I do all 3 of the sports I am about to bust on.

Level of laid back, most sportsman like in order:
Bikers = Total assholes
Runners = for the most part, very cool, with 50% being anti-social jerks
Swimmers = laid back hippies, always friendly and willing to chat before a race
Triathletes = 99% laid back friendly with a 1% asshole ratio because there are bikers involved

Next I went to ride the bike course! From my hotel it was a straight shot out onto the Beeline Highway, where 80 percent of the ride takes place. I was in awe of the scenery! There were lots of other riders looking very serious, but here I was with a huge smile looking this way and that, trying to find the perfect cactus (I’m such a city slicker). One thing I did notice was the heat. I could tell that even though I wasn’t sweating, I needed to keep hydrated.

 

Back toward the hotel I was feeling a bit hungry so I went in search of food. What did I find? A deli that made a hero-style sandwich that was very close to New York City standards! I gave it 8 out of 10. After which, I chilled out at my hotel before picking Abbe up from la aeroporta.

On Saturday, we both went for a leisurely run (me having a leisurely bike ride before of course) before heading out to pick up one of my best friends from college, Alex. We then dropped off my bike and transition bags before hitting a local venue for some tacos!

After lunch I just had to drive them out onto the bike course, it was THAT cool! We went out to the Red Mountain (the turn around on the course) and explored a bit.

The rest of the day was spent by the pool before we headed out to Old Scottsdale for some pasta!

In bed and asleep by 9PM! (I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that there were a few beers thrown in to help me sleep!)

RACE DAY!

I awoke without my alarm at 4AM and set about making coffee, oatmeal and preparing my Special Needs Bags for the bike and run. We were out the door by 5:15 and I was in Transition by 5:30.

SIDENOTE: I look like crap. An Ironman? Really?

The energy was beyond amazing. It was pitch black out and everyone was going about their business setting up T1 and dropping off Special Needs Bags. I was done with those tasks by 6 and had an hour to chill, so I busted out my oatmeal and people watched. One thing I noticed was how disorganized some people were, cutting it really close with all the drop-offs! I mean, c’mon people, it’s an Ironman, punctuality should be the least of your problems!

Thirty minutes before the start I went into Transition and started changing into my trusty wetsuit. The water was 61 degrees, but from swimming in the Hudson in early May every year I was ready. We all huddled together (very March of the Penguins-esque) and slowly moved to the swim entrance.

The Pros went off at 6:45 and we had 15 minutes to get in the water and swim the 200 meters to the Start Buoys. Some people were questioning whether we would set off on time. Personally, I wasn’t too concerned, knowing that the water was icy cold, the less time before the start gun the better even if I was in the back. I was actually extremely calm and relaxed.

I jumped off the dock into the lake and was hit with a cold water shock. Knowing that I simply needed to generate some heat I started calmly swimming up under the bridge. I was to the right, midway back, right where I was supposed to be. I floated on my back to conserve energy and because I was really happy. In my head I thought, “This is really happening, I am at the start of the Ironman…”

Without warning the cannon (yes, a cannon) fired and the piranha attack began. I put my head down and started easing into the masses. I was almost immediately kicked square in the eye socket and had to fix my goggles. Arms and legs were everywhere, a giant swimming ‘Rush Hour’ if you will, where the only place to go is forward. I have been beaten up pretty bad in a swim before, but never like this. I was also in no way scared, which is night and day from my childhood swimming experiences. For the whole swim I was elbowing or being elbowed, shaking off hands from my feet (thank God I’m not ticklish). Within 300-500 meters, I found a groove and stuck to it. I knew that my swim time would be the worst, but I also knew it’s part of the protocol and had to get done, so that’s what I did.

We were swimming into the sunrise and it was a very beautiful thing. The light was almost like a blinding guide to the turnaround point, which actually came quick.

This (I think, anyway) is where my swim turned to garbage. As I made the giant turn to come back home I felt some slight fatigue set in. It also didn’t help that people were swimming over top of me. In fact I was so annoyed at one point that I literally pushed someone on my right with my foot and sent them 5 feet to the right, Ninja style, punk. You can’t train for that move, can you?

The bridges at the Start just weren’t coming fast enough. I felt slow and sloppy. I had been swimming for 1:30 now and the cold had now set in and was affecting my performance. “Get it done, Chris,” I told myself. I even thought about quitting for a hot second, before flashing back to what happened to my Dad. He sure as hell didn’t quit his fight with cancer. This was just a silly race—a race I chose. So I swam.

Popping up onto the stairs, I went right to the wetsuit strippers. My guy yelled at me, “Lay down man!” and in one swoop had me stripped of my wetsuit. Wow, if only I had that at every triathlon! Thanks guys!

Running along I suddenly realized  that I was shaking from the cold. Run, just run and get the legs warmed up. Arriving in the T1 tent I was happy to see it was heated. I slowly pulled my arm warmers on as a volunteer checked on me. “Hey man, how we doing you okay?” “Y-y-yes. J-j-just freezing.”

TIME: 1:44:01   PLACE: 2293 out of 2500 (yikes)

Riding out of T1 I saw Abbe and Alex (who snapped this amazingly timed picture!). A gal next to me looked over as we were getting moving and said, “So. Cold. So very very cold.” I, also freezing, yelled at her, “Hang on, we are almost in the sun!” Hours later we would all be wishing for that cold back as the dessert is no moderate place to race.

The bike course is a 3 loop out and back, and when I say out I mean it! You ride 19 miles out into the dessert to the Red Mountain! SO sinister sounding right? The beauty of the course is that it is relatively flat.

The mighty Red Mountain!

My body was hurting for the first trek out to the mountain. I even said to myself, “Wow. That swim kicked my ass.” I couldn’t get comfortable and my lower back hurt right from the start. I just followed our plan and kept my heart rate up and steady, drinking my EFS every so often. I was told not to focus on passing people, but I was passing everybody.

Arriving at the Red Mountain is something out of Mad Max. Here you are riding along this desolate (very desolate) dessert highway and then, ‘Blam!’ you round a corner and it’s like an aid station party in the middle of nowhere! People cheering and handing out everything possible. As I turned around I dropped it down to a low low gear and blasted back toward Tempe. The return is more of a downhill, so you can really crush it. I think I was pushing 35 MPH.

Somewhere along here I ran into my friend Michelle who races with Tri2Be. We had a quick chat before I kept going. I saw many Tri2Be racers out there and cheered them on every time I saw them, yelling “Tri2Be NYC Go!” I even yelled to their coach, Ramon, and said hello, confusing him. (I looked into joining their team a year ago so I had emailed with him a few times.)

Back in sunny Tempe, Arizona I was roughly 2 hours into the bike, 1:50 to be exact. The crowds were thick (as thieves) but I was soon out of their sight as I looped around and headed back towards the sands. I really had to pee so, remembering what a few Ironman friends had told me, I started peeing. I would have lost 10 minutes easy by pulling over to pee. That’s right, I peed my pants on the bike. The funny part is (not to anyone around me) is that I was moving at 20MPH. That’s right, lets put the facts together. Peeing your paper thin Tri Shorts while moving 20MPH… it sprays EVERYWHERE behind you! The funny thing is I didn’t realize it was leaving a wake until I looked back and was like, “Oh my god!” I chuckled and thought, “It’s the Ironman, could be worse.”

Back on the Beeline Highway heading North by Northwest I felt 100 times better than I did the first lap. I was drinking my EFS, water and munching on Clif Bars, maintaining my pace. Every now and then a group of the Pros would blast by at like 25MPH. Totally bad ass.

As I rounded the turn about, this time I pulled over, grabbed a water bottle and jammed it into my aero bottle. Also in my peripheral was this box of mini-Powerbars. I grabbed one. I emptied it in and sped off with speed, much like a Formula 1 racer might do at pit stop. I was quietly proud of myself.

As I prepared to enter Mach 3 on the downhill portion of the bike, a new factor presented itself… the Mighty South Wind! It was easily gusting at 20-30MPH and slowed me down to 17 MPH from 29. It angered me. In fact, the wind always angers me when it rears its head because it’s this invisible thing. Where does it come from? How does it start? Is the jet stream this constant roller coaster of air? I don’t know because I went to art school, but I sure can decorate a house.

Bike Special Needs is your opportunity to refill on any goodies you might have used up on the previous 3 hours of the bike. You pull over by your number and they bring you your bag, which you hopefully filled with something appropriate. Mine had 2 fresh water bottles and a Clif Bar. I swapped out the old stuff with the new and took off, excited to drink more EFS! It’s so good, especially the 3rd and 4th bottle of it! That was an example of sarcasm.

Back in sunny Tempe, I (once again) turned around and headed back toward the dreaded (once mighty) Red Mountain. I needed to destroy the One Ring in the fires of the Red Mountain, wait, wait, different race. I did however have to pee again and—no joke—peed right on the same stretch as before. I’m like a cat.

Out on the Beeline for the last time I changed my strategy. Instead of taking it steady up the highway, I blazed a path, knowing the wind was at my back. It worked and I made up a lot of lost time as evident in my quicker split.

Looping around for the last time I had never been happier to be returning to sunny Tempe. My ass hurt and the wind was really pushing me back. I wanted to run. I had drank all of my EFS, loads of water, eaten a Clif Bar, Powerbar and a Honeystinger Waffle. I felt great as far as nutrition was concerned.

Pulling into T2 a nice volunteer grabbed my bike and said, “I got it, go!” Before I could tell him to be careful, she is a delicate (and yet ferocious) bike, I was off barreling towards the changing tent. My volunteer laughed when he saw I had 2 different colored New Balance running socks, but before I had a chance to tell him about my Laundromat’s Sock Vortex, I was gone.

TIME: 5:43:57   PLACE: 1139 (catching up!)

The sunscreen girls would not let me leave before smearing me with zinc oxide saying, “You Sir, are a prime candidate for the sun screeners!”

Passing the 1st aid station, I grabbed loads of water and a sponge in which I attempted to clean my messy self up with. My legs felt a bit worn out, but I knew it wouldn’t be until mile 5 before they would kick in. I was running my 7:30 pace as Sonja and I had planned, taking it easy compared to a normal marathon pace. This was also a 3 loop course and I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with the monotony. I was consistently passing people now and would never get passed (unless looped by a Pro). In my head I thought about my poor swim and my semi-decent bike, wondering where I could improve for next time. Then I almost said aloud, “Lookout people, we’re running now, you’re on my turf!” But I didn’t. That’s unsportsmanlike, after all.

At aid stations 4 and 5 I thought it wise to get some salt in me, so I slammed down some Ruffles with Ridges (seriously). They were delicious and my body immediately felt better. SIDENOTE: The aid stations in Ironman are like giant buffets. Each mile marker has one and they are identical. Sponges-Water-Gatorade-Powerade-Poweraid Gels-Potato Chips-Pretzels-Cookies-Bananas-Apples-Powerbar Gels-Poweraid-Gatorade-Water-Sponges. It’s an all you can eat aid station buffet around every corner! (Sometimes with a DJ, sometimes with hot girls dressed as cops)

At Mile 4 and 8 Abbe and Alex were cheering me on! Abbe asked how I was and I told her I was doing well. They had a great spot by one of the bridges where they could see runners on the out and back.

As I finished up the first loop I started to feel good. Not great as if I woke up from a nap on the beach, but I was feeling peppy. My hat was bothering me as I never run with a hat, but seeing as how I’m really pasty and have a crew cut I though it wise. Oh yes, and it’s the desert!

Miles 10-12 were uneventful aside from the fact that I was longing for the 13th mile so I could be halfway done. My nutrition was on par and all I was taking in at this point was water and Gatorade. Right around this point I saw Hillary Biscay cheering and I yelled to her, “Hillary, I love reading your blog!” like a good dork blogger should to which she replied, “Thank you! Good luck!”

When I saw Abbe and Alex on the second loop I gave them my heart rate monitor which had been annoying me. I also told them I wanted an In-N-Out Burger when I was done! I also yelled, “It’s about to get REAL.”

As I came back around to the start to begin my 3rd loop something strange happened. I kept telling myself that when I hit my wall at mile 17 or 18 (when it happened like clockwork 2 weeks prior in the NYC Marathon) I would walk to ease the pain. Guess what? I never hit that wall. In fact this would be the only marathon I have ever run where I didn’t walk! Instead I had this crazy sense of urgency to finish. I was rocking an 8 minute pace, far from my typical running times, but this was Ironman and I’ll take it. The pain in my legs seemed to dissipate as I cruised forward passing groups of people. I had heard about the ‘Ironman Carnage’ and now I was seeing it. 90% of the marathoners were walking. I am by no means criticizing, because it’s every man’s individual race, it was just wild to see the end of a long day and what it did to all of us.

Sonja had warned me of people trying to draft me once I was cooking and it happened at mile 18. This big 6 foot fall dude I passed sped up and was shadowing me. I don’t like to be shadowed, I live in New York City for god’s sake. Maybe this fella was gonna try and pinch my wallet. I punched it and was kicking some 7:30s again and before I knew it he was an after thought.

I had also heard the phrase, “Once you start on Coke, you can’t stop.” I am referring to an endurance race and not a night club. Seeing as how I had 6 miles to go I figured why the hell not, and so I had a shot of Coke. It made me feel amazing, maybe because I never drink soda! I had a shot the next 2 aid stations and then started thinking… “They shouldn’t ever give this to kids! Holy cow.”

The last 4 miles were easy. I’m serious and I’m not trying to sound like a jerk, they just were. My legs were on autopilot and mentally I was somewhere else. I would be lying if I didn’t say I was emotional. I was thinking to myself, “This is really happening, I’m going to complete an Ironman.” I was also thinking of my Dad and how six months to the day I was telling him as he lay dying that every race I do from here on would be for him.

Running the last mile I encountered lots of crowds. The sun was down now and the course looked just as it did when we started the swim 11 hours earlier. I cruised into the finish chute and held my hands up high. As always with me, the finish itself isn’t as momentus as actual key points in the race. Abbe and Alex were there in the stands and I yelled and waved to them!

TIME: 3:33:42   PLACE: 458

I finished in 11:13:56. I was very happy with my time. In fact I really could have cared less about my time as it was my first Ironman and finishing was my goal. A woman threw on my space cape and asked me how I was. “I’m good! Wow, what a day right?” She walked me over to where you get your pictures taken and once she deducted that I wasn’t going to pass out if she left me. I saw Alex in the crowds and told him to meet me by the bikes.

I cruised through a very quiet transition and made my way out to Alex and Abbe. I got a huge sweaty hug from Abbe (I was sweaty, not her). We made our way to the car and over to the hotel where I wolfed down my In-n-Out burger, chased with a beer! My throat was dry and sore from the dry desert weather and it was tripping me out. After some conferencing with Abbe and Alex we decided to go across the street to Duke’s to have dinner and some beers. I wore my medal and seriously, nobody batted an eye. The bartender did buy me a shot of Jameson once Abbe and Alex force fed her the Ironman news.

In-N-Out Burger after the race. So good.

Back at the hotel we were all asleep by 9PM. I wanted to go to the midnight finish but just didn’t have it in me, nor did I want me cheer squad to endure any more Ironman torture!

—

It’s been a really hard year for me. I always considered my family (who I am really tight with) immortal. Two great-grandmas who lived past 100 and my current grandmas and their brothers are still kicking it at 90. My grandma has a boyfriend for god’s sake (yeah, she’s awesome)! But my father lost a two year battle with cancer in the span of 1 week. One week from hell that I will not soon forget, as it haunts me constantly.

I was in the middle of training for Ironman when he suddenly died. I had taken on a coach for the first time and my volume was increasing in a way I had never experienced. His death set me back physically and mentally. Sonja, said coach we are discussing, told me to chill and let me know when I was ready to hit it again.

As my Dad lay in an altered state, breathing tube in his mouth, IV in his jugular, heart rate irregular, with no hope in sight (and believe me it goes against all I stand for to say hope is lost) I told him  that every race from here on was for him.

This race, this Ironman distance triathlon, was for him. At every point in which I thought I couldn’t stand the pain, I thought of what my Dad endured just to try and live another 10 years with us. He suffered day and night at Johns Hopkins, looking for a cure, a cure that doesn’t exist. Still, he fought, and I thought to myself, “If Dad suffered through days and nights of pointless chemo, then I will endure this race and the pain I feel as I am alive and must be thankful for this.”

I held tears back during the race as these thoughts flooded my brain on the swim, bike and run, then my tough guy alter ego kicked in and I forged ahead. My Dad never got to see me race, but I’m pretty sure he was there cheering for the first time at my first (and not last) Ironman.

Big ups:
Coach Sonja: for setting me straight. I now see what all of your tricks were for! Couldn’t have done it without your supreme coaching.
Coach Sean: for my swim moves, even though they need some work.
Alex: for kicking it mafia style in Arizona with Abbe and I. Your presence was needed.
Abbe: for being the best girlfriend and Ironman Support Crew a guy could ask for.
Dad Posse: for being my die-hard triathlon teammates
Runner Army: for being awesome and killing it with PRs at the same time I was in Arizona!

The Ironman. If you’re looking for something to believe in, why not believe in yourself?