Devil Dog Duathlon - Camp Pendleton Races

An amazing day at the 5K/30K/5K Devil Dog Duathlon on the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in sunny north county San Diego.  It was a tough month leading into this race as a workout incident in the gym left me with a cracked tailbone a few weeks ago just after I had committed and signed up and paid for the event.

Once again I simply gave this one to God, asked for tons of prayer, and allowed him to work it out as to whether I would be able to complete or not.  Just Monday this past week while traveling on business I went out for a tough 8+ mile hilly run and it hurt quite a bit which gave me some doubt as to what would happen today when I lined up.  For the first time I actually think I wished there was a swim involved in this thing.

What it did was it made me stop, pray, and realize that no matter what my body would do I would be able to see a huge number of fit and interesting people of all ages coming together to test the limits of the abilities God has given them.  And of course represent the COLORS of MultiSport Ministries as a witness as to why I race and what really matters.  It was great to be sporting the new race kit and being so bold it had the effect; even before the race during the setup I had multiple people asking me questions about it and allowing me to point them to the website and offer my contact info - praise God as he always shows up.

So with the conversations and distractions I had forgotten completely about my sore backside and just got final preparations for the start completed.  The airhorns went off and we were on our way.  The race itself is inspiring for all the Marine Corp volunteers and also the work by MARSOC, the Marine Corp Special Operations Command, who support the race and make sure everything goes off without incident.  My body outperformed my small-minded human limitations and carried me through a great race.  I finished 1st in the Clydesdale division in 1hr 35min including a 23.4 mph average speed on the rolling bike course.  It was most certainly way above my expectations; shame on me for limiting God.

But even better than that was connecting with Scott, a MARSOC recruit screener, recently arrived from Michigan and looking to connect with local athletes and a Christian community - Praise God as I connected him with http://www.multisportministries.com.  Also connected back with Pat Thomas from the Challenged Athletes Million Dollar Challenge ride from 2009.

All is well when God has the reigns!  

Calico Ghost Town Trail 30K/50K

What a gorgeous Sunday for a trail race in the Southern CA desert.  As Psalm 118:24 says "This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it!".  After weeks of unusually wet and cold weather here in Southern CA, the past week has been utterly amazing.  We had temperatures of 75 at the beaches this week and even up to 80 inland.  It was welcomed as we needed the trails to dry up because they become mini-rivers when it rains. The historic Calico Ghost Town is just a bit outside of Barstow and near Fort Irwin, CA. It sits in the high desert at about 2500 ft elevation. It's a very interesting place, having been dedicated to be preserved by Walter Knott, creator of Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA. The race itself is put on by Discovery Trails and is done to support the ongoing efforts to maintain and preserve the town and the surrounding trails and natural landscapes in the area. In fact, 100% of the effort to put on the race is by volunteer to maximize the amount given back to the town.

The race kicked off bright and early at 7am for me and about 240 of my closest friends.  Its a split race in that there are two simultaneous races going on at the same time, both 30K and 50K distances.
Trying to recover from a nasty head cold I opted for the 30K and it was a blast.  For those who don't have a calculator that's roughly 19 miles; per my Garmin it came out at 19.2 miles.  I went in with no expectations and just planned to enjoy the day, meet some new people, and find out whether I could finish with a stuffed up head and occasional cough.  I met some great people along the way - shout out to Eric, John (Nice 2nd place division finish), Dave, and Moshe who I hung out with after the finish waiting for the results to be posted and talking about why we do these crazy things.

Turns out I had an OK day with a 15th place overall finish and 5th in the 40-49 age group division.  Amazing thing about Trail Ultras, the fastest guys are in the 40-49 age group and in this race that included the overall winner.  My time was 3 hrs 8 min per the Garmin or a 9:48 per mile pace, which wasn't too bad considering the trail included over 2900 ft of vertical climbing and a great deal of it soft sand which makes for tough going.


In the end it's always about the great people you meet and the common connections you find and if your fortunate, you get the opportunity to help someone out or offer a prayer in time of need.

Keep Training and God Bless!!!

Bulldog 25K Trail Race - Hills, Heat, and Humility

I participated in the RRCA State Championship  Bulldog 25/50K this morning held up in the Santa Monica Mountains at Malibu Creek State Park.  I didn't win ... but then again I didn't know before entering that is was a RRCA State Championship Event.  What I did do was have a blast, meet some great people, including a board member of FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.... more on that later.

The day was gorgeous although it got very HOT early hitting the upper 80s by 10am and (I was told) 94 degrees at the finish.  It was also very HILLY with, per my Garmin, 3,587 of vertical climb.  Included in that climbing was the namesake ascent up Bull Dog Trail which climbs from sea level up to 2,487 feet in just under 4 miles.  Let's just say that was a tough section and not for the faint of heart.  In fact, I hit my exploding the chest HR max of 195 bpm at one point before I had to back off and moderate my pace a bit.

Now for the HUMILITY... Time in trail races is the ultimate measure of 'relativity'.  After all, in a 25K race (15.85mi per the Garmin for this one) you would expect a winning time like in the 1:20 range right?   Hardly.... in fact the winning time was just short of 2:00 which equates to slightly sub 8 min per mile pace.  It gives you a great idea of how tough the course was for sure.  For me, I had a really solid race maintaining a steady push through all the uphills and moderating some of the very technical descents to finish in 2:29:19, good enough for 32nd overall our of 336 finishers.  I am always amazed at the way some of these skinny folks simply fly downhill.

I mentioned I met a board member of FCA who called me out since I was wearing the "colors" with my FCA Endurance tech race tee.  We chatted while running together for a few miles and I found out she is on her way to the Ironman World Championships in 6 weeks with 4 other FCA Teammates.  If you happen to be participating this year look for the FCA Booth at the expo and say hello!  GO Sierra and stay safe in Kona.

Napa Valley 1/2 Ironman Triathlon

It was a great day in Napa for the 300 or so triathletes ready to brave the 60 degree waters of Lake Berryessa this past Saturday.  It was nice to be at a smaller race, very comfortable and just right for meeting new people and great conversations.... at least pre-race.  It reminded of me of the reason why I got into the sport now more than 23 years (am I THAT old!) ago.   It was always about the people and the conversations and relationships that are formed around this mutual love for pushing our bodies to see what God made us capable of doing.

The race itself went like a dream day for me as it set up perfectly for my skills (and lack-thereof).  The 1.2 mi swim was calm and with a staggered start had minimal body carnage involvement; the 56 mi bike was incredibly hard with virtually no flat road, continuous up and down with some steep pitches and about 2750 vertical feet; and finally the 13.1 mi run was also up and down with no flat roads and a double loop.  The hard bike really helps me and drove the results.

I came out of the water in 77th place, had the 3rd fastest bike split of the race to exit T2 in 8th place overall, and ended up finishing in 9th place overall managing 1st place in both the 40-44 age group and Clydesdale categories.  As said earlier, it was a great day full of blessings for me for sure.

Keep smiling and keep rolling!

Romans 12:1 "Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God." CEV

Mullholland KOM Challenge

A fantastic day participating in the Mullholland King of the Mountains Challenge event in Agoura Hills.  What is that you ask - According to my Garmin it was 7 hours 42 minutes in the saddle with 14,286 ft of ascent over a 116.2 mile course going back and forth across the Malibu Creek State Park, Mullholland Hwy, Stunt Rd, and many other crazy steep winding and somewhat maintained roads.

What made the day best is meeting new people as always, sharing stories and having a blast.   I met a number of great people and got lots of comments on my FCA Endurance cycling kit and struck up conversations about MDC 2010 and the Challenged Athletes Foundation - hopefully recruiting a couple potential riders.  Had great conversations with new friends Rob, Andy, and Scott about why we do these things!

Had to lend support briefly for one fallen cyclist but all in all it was a safe and wonderfully supported event.  Planet Ultra really does these things well.

Another good training day leading up to the Napa Valley Vintage 1/2 Ironman on May 1st.

God Bless! Keep riding and keep smiling!

Back from Time Off the Blog

It's been a while since MDC 2009 for the Challenged Athletes Foundation and while I haven't posted I've continued being active.
Just a couple weeks after completing the 620 mile ride from SF to SD I competed in the toughest trail Marathon in CA in the Saddleback mountains on November 7th. I enjoyed about 6500ft of vertical climbing over the course and came through without injury which was a blessing for sure.

After conquering that feat I proceeded to continue training doing a small trail half marathon in mid-December, recover and rehab my shoulder a bit more, and enjoy the holidays with family.

One of the nice things during training was seeing my fellow 2009 MDC compadres out cycing up and down the coast over the winter. Each time I saw someone out there it was like a warm greeting from friends and a good time to recall the ride down the coast. Since MDC 2009 my wife, sister, and her family have gotten into cycling a bit and we all had fun in the rain with so many others in the Gran Fondo San Diego in Little Italy. I managed to find a way to swim on the bike completing the century in the torrential rain in ... yes ... 'normally sunny' San Diego.

After receiving additional medical opinions for my shoulder I started swimming again in early 2010 and went ahead and 'dove in' for the Ironman CA 70.3 race in Oceanside on March 27th. I'm glad to report that it went off without a hitch and I managed an "over 40" PR for this course and distance at 5:00:15.

It was a great day with Candi, my wife, and friends volunteering at the event and cheering me on in transition as they were working. All in all a nice beginning to the racing season for me and a nice lead in to the CAF MDC 2010 coming soon.

Next up will be the Mullholland KOM Challenge cycling event on Saturday 4/11 with 12,600 ft of climbing over 116 miles. I look forward to making it through that and posting some great pics and follow-up here.

Thanks for checking out the post and many blessings to you and yours.

QMDC Final Day 7 Wrap

Wow, where to start. This was a day of many mixed emotions and a feeling of 'last' experiences. The last breakfast, last morning greeting from the mechanics at On-Support, last drop of the day bags and luggage to the "Luggage Angels", and last rollout of the hotel to the final stop of the ride and finish in La Jolla Shores. We were all excited to be reunited with family and friends awaiting us as well as seeing Luvo, who was hopefully going to be walking on his own new legs for the first time since they were violently sheered off by a train 17 years ago.

I lingered at the rollout until near the very end and Brian Brillo, Adam Beck, and I decided to ride out together on this last day and cruise down through Laguna Beach together and just enjoy this final day. We had a fun and laughter filled time as we talked about the various fun times during the week, like shuffleboard - "Do you know who I am?", and furniture stacking in rooms, clown noses, and various encounters with strangers talking about why we were doing this ride for Challenged Athletes. Candi and friends caught up with Brian, Adam, and I in Oceanside as we rolled through and were about to really get a first class escort.

It all really came together as we hooked up with Garmin including Christian, Matt, and Pete, and had a police escort rolling through Carlsbad all the way through to the University Park where we pulled up to gather for the formal roll-in to La Jolla Shores. We even got to have one last hard push up Torrey Pines, which was for me a view from behind as the Garmin boys just put a little power to the pedal and left the rest of us behind a bit. I had a personal best time up the climb @ 6:15 per my Garmin and regrouped with the big boys at the top which was pretty awesome for me. We got to have some fun in the park taking some fun photos and hanging with Cody, Rachel, and all the riders who we started this adventure with some 22 weeks ago while we waited for everyone to come together.

We rolled all together into the finish to an awesome crowd of family and friends. It was really special and a great finish to an amazing event. It is going to take some time for it all to sink in I'm sure and I will pray long and hard as to whether I will be coming back again next year. Either way, it has created, for me, a number of new friendships and a tremendous appreciation for the perseverance of those who are less fortunate than I.

As always, keep riding and keep smiling!!!!!

QMDC Day 6 Summary

Shortest day on the road today with just about 55 miles to cover rolling from Marina Del Rey down to Newport Beach. While this wasn't a long day in the saddle it was a welcome morning with a late breakfast and a very relaxed rollout of the hotel. It was nice to soak up the morning and even more exciting for me as my Candi's Sister, Pam, and our Brother-in-law, Dominic, were going to meet us in Newport for a nice lunch post ride. It turned out to be an absolutely great day in so many ways. We also got to go back through Palos Verdes where we stayed during training on the double-century weekend ride which reminded me how much we've all been through together.

First, the roads are very familiar to me as I lived in Huntington Beach for several years and rode with the Seal Beach Bike Club back 20+ years ago so the memories rolling through Seal and Huntington are always special for me personally. I also decided not to stop at the graciously provided hosted lunch in Long Beach at Schooner & Later just because I had family at the finish so I headed off from the SAG stop with Sepp, who I hadn't ridden with much to date. We had great conversation and fun riding all the way through Huntington Beach together until we caught up with Mike Jennings crew with our furthest traveling handcyclist, Rachel, from Miami. She is just phenomenal and I got to support Mike, Sarah, and Radio Joe helping bring Rachel all the way into the Newport Beach Hyatt off Jamboree.

This is truly what this ride is all about. Riding with the pros and friends that we have come to know well over the past 20 weeks has been awesome, but connecting with Challenged Athletes like Rachel and making new friends like Sepp along the way is just so meaningful. I can't say enough how privileged I feel to be a part of this ride and to have had the opportunity thanks to XX1090, and of course Billy Ray Smith and Scott Kaplan of the Scott & BR Show making it all happen.

Rolled in and had a great lunch at the Cheesecake Factory - food always tastes better after a great ride with friends!!! Only got better as we came to our last dinner together and had a great table with the Radio Team as we reminisced about the ride and witnessed all the awards for the incredible performances throughout the week. Had a great Toast of Milk with Scott Kaplan, Mike Henderson, and Adam Beck to close out the week. This event has truly been top notch and I know that next year's effort with Adam Beck, following Mike Henderson as last year's radio contest winner, will be just as phenomenal.

Can't stop smiling after this day.

QMDC Day 5 Summary

Another beautiful start out of Santa Barbara with a promise of continued good weather and great ride down the coast to Marina Del Rey covering 90 miles. Started out with a relaxed morning and photos with Dave Zabriski of Garmin as we all went out at our various times based on how easy or hard we were prepared to take it heading down the coast.

A special surprise treat for all of us with the lunch stop being the mobile In-N-Out Burger truck meeting us down in Point Mugu right on the beach. Was a stop-start moment as the In-N-Out truck got lost trying to find us and I was about to head out with the big group including the Garmin team just as the truck pulled in. Decided that it would just be a waste to miss the opportunity so stayed back for the longest break of the trip and enjoyed a nice cheeseburger with Scott Kaplan and the rest of the radio team taking photos and sharing experiences of the week so far. It was an excellent time and felt great to spend additional time with some of the best people I know.

Became a slow start out of lunch with a full belly and a group of folks that wanted to pull thru and get through the hills coming by Pepperdine and into Malibu. Came by several groups including Sean on his handcycle cranking along through Malibu and just smiling away. Couldn't have been a more enjoyable ride. I ended up rolling with a group that narrowed to be just Brian Brillo, Lisa Jennings and I as we rolled into the SAG stop across from Pepperdine. We cruised through and into Santa Monica with another radio rider, Mark Vandierendonck, with a real treat as Brian and I were stopped by a videographer amongst the big top tents on the beach. Brian and I were asked if we would ride by slow so they could add us to the promo video they were shooting and we said, "SURE, Why Not!" They then handed Brian and I huge red clown noses and we rolled by with serious looks and these huge ridiculous clown noses on while they shot the video, which happened to be for the touring Cirque de Soleil and supposedly will be on the web in a week - we'll see - but all good fun.

Rolled through Venice and into Marina Del Rey with Brian after an enjoyable cruise along the bike path. Just another great day with surprising experiences and simple good fun!

QMDC Day 4 Summary

Day 4 began with a look at a map that said 120 miles and a climb up to 1500 feet in the middle of the day. After 3 days and near 300 miles I think everyone was feeling a bit of their legs and if not that, at least sore 'behinds'. Lots of early departures as everyone wanted to get thru the day comfortably and roll into Santa Barbara before dark. I rolled out again today with Group 2 'much fun' and we had a great ride out Pismo and inland across beautiful vineyards.

We ran into a bit of wind as always in this area but were able to power thru the headwinds and crosswinds and make our way through the valleys and ultimately to the long climb heading toward lunch at Fess Parker Winery. We passed many folks enjoying the scenery as we headed toward lunch and our group was about the 1st to arrive at Fess Parker. This was a special lunch as most of the entire group of riders seemed to regroup at the winery and enjoy the beautiful sights and smells around the vineyards.

Just a bit after lunch I connected with the Group including the pros and we started with about 25 folks as we headed up the 1st of the last two reasonably tough climbs of the day and ultimately it created a selection of only 5 of us at the end including both Joe Weickengant and I from the Radio Team along with JJ, Mari, & Matt from Garmin. It was a fast last 45 miles and we rolled into the Santa Barbara resort hotel early. Had a great post-ride massage and spent the free time with Candi and my nephew Broc as we hung out and watched a movie.

It was another truly amazing day on the bike. Every day has provided unique and awesome times to reflect and appreciate what this ride is all about; doing something for the sake of others.

QMDC Day 3 Summary

Amazing day 3 rolling out of Big Sur with 114 miles in front of us and over a mile of climbing. We began the day with perfect weather and virtually no fog impeding the gorgeous views rolling out 101. Everyone was a bit nervous heading out for what could be a very long day in the saddle but there was just a buzz of excitement in the air as the Garmin boyz were here and riding with the group the whole day.

I headed out with Lisa Jennings' Group 2 "MUCH FUN" as we renamed ourselves and cruised up the climbs with Gilberto Alavez again. He is just an amazing guy and a true gentleman ... oh and a monster cyclist. The views out of Big Sur just made me appreciate the fact that the creation of this planet was no accident and we are just playing a part in a bigger plan.

Getting to lunch today past mile 60 was a relief for most as the majority of the climbing was behind us and the remainder of the day was just cruising along the coast and rolling toward Pismo Beach. It was another great opportunity for me to ride with and along side another one of our phenomenal handcyclists in the event. It was another day of great appreciation for being allowed to be part of this experience.

CAN THIS GET ANY BETTER ???.

QMDC Day 2 Summary

Day 2 started with a great breakfast and a buzz in the air with the groups ready to roll. It was especially exciting for me because not only was Candi rolling down the coast the whole ride in the car but my sister, Christine and family, were rolling down for a second day as the roving cheering section for all the groups.

Took a little more time today stopping and taking over 50 pictures out on the road. What a truly amazing and fantastic day. Too hard to decide what to post here but a couple memorable shots were going through the fields of Artichokes and Strawberries around Watsonville with the sun trying to break through and then, a phenomenal lunch on the beach in Carmel, and finally, the famous Bixby Bridge with a great group including Dean, John, Stephen, Lisa, Rocco, and Gilberto Alavez, an incredibly accomplished paralympic challenged athlete and amputee. Beginning to really appreciate how special this event is, not only for the benefits to Challenged Athletes due to the $1,000,000 raised by the group, but for the incredible support for those of us able-bodied folks just trying to schlep out bodies across these miles.

Time to sign off for the night. A big day tomorrow with 114 miles in front of us with 3 big climbs in the first half of the ride. Again, thanks for all the support in helping me get here and for supporting CAF with your resources.

Much appreciated ... Keep Smiling!!!

QMDC Day 1 Summary

A great ride out of SF with a police escort and a foggy ride out of Fisherman's Wharf out to the Presidio and through Golden Gate Park out by the Cliff House and to the Great Highway. Even through the fog you could see the Towers of the Golden Gate as we headed out for the first of the 620 miles to come.

We rolled on down the coast at a pretty good clip with lots of energy and excitement. Took a few great pictures on the road and ultimately just had a great time. Rolled into the Hotel pretty early without the bike racks set up or anything quite ready but thank goodness the massage tables had just gotten prepped as I was ready for that.

Ended the 1st of 7 days with a great dinner and a reminder of what we are all here for which is to support these amazing Challenged Athletes. We heard specifically from the guys from Operation Rebound riding with us this year and just to hear how much CAF and the QMDC has impacted their lives was truly inspiring.

Keep Smiling and Keep Riding!!!

Arrive, Prepped, and Ready to Ride

Arrived up in the SF Bay Area yesterday, did some business with clients, and then settled in for a nice family dinner before heading into the City by the Bay today. Had a wonderful sendoff dinner with my Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother-in-law, niece, nephew, and a cousin from Italy that is in town.

Woke up this morning and went out for a nice reflective 33 mile loop out here east of San Fran on part of the Tour of California course. The photos here are from this morning's spin - what a great way to get some nervous energy out prior to meeting up with all my fellow compatriots at the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf for the evening's program.

Keep smiling and keep riding!!!

Almost there ... last minute craziness

Well, just a few days from the start of the QMDC Ride down the coast and most of the preparations have been made. The official vehicles and bikes get loaded up and head out tomorrow. The journey has been amazing just to reach the start considering the crash down Palomar Mountain, broken collar-bone and subsequent surgery now just over 9 weeks ago, but I'm here and ready to roll.

It's actually been a bit frantic last minute for me as I have been traveling out of town and just getting back home in time to prepare to head up the coast. Since I'm driving and Candi will be trailing and following the ride down in our car, I'll be rolling up with my bike and gear so I don't have to have it ready to drop off tomorrow. Good thing as during a final check and cleanup I found my bottom bracket cable guide was cracked - uh oh - not a typical item you have laying around.

No choice, I had to get a replacement. A HUGE thanks to RIVET CYCLESPORT in Oceanside and it's owner and chief wrench, Matt Simpson, for hooking me up and calming me down. He had a couple spare parts to choose from and I was able to make it all work and even get in a 20 mi test spin out of the rig late this afternoon just to be sure. Its always the little things that can get to you if you let them.

More reflections tomorrow as we pack up to head up for the long drive up to SF from San Diego. I can't wait to meet up with Rachel, Fred, David Lee, and the other Challenged Athletes pre-ride since after all, this is all about getting out there and doing something for the sake of others!!!

Keep Smiling!!!