Race Report: Capitol View Triathlon 2013

Posted on June 13, 2013 by dano

The 2013 tri season is well underway. It opened for me last Sunday at the Capitol View Triathlon.

Cap View is a Madison favorite, offering sprint- and olympic-distance courses to a wide range of participants. One year I saw a woman whose bike had a basket. That’s the kind of field I like to see at the races: come one, come all.

This year I took a break from my trusty purple and green to give credit to an important friend and key sponsor of the race – Endurance House. I’m a member of their “Redefining Your Possible” team, which focuses on triathlon training. I’ve done plenty of triathlons before, but took this opportunity to make some new friends, add some new group workouts to my calendar, and learn. There’s always more to learn.

DSC06536There were a lot of Endurance House uniforms at the Cap View Tri. It’s fun to arrive in the early morning and greet fellow athletes by name as they roll into transition. One of them was Jess, from my TNT San Diego team back in 2011, who not only continued running, but took up triathlon, too. Cap View was her first race! She jumped right in and did the Olympic distance – way to go, Jess!

(Jess’ stuff is covered in the photo because the weather threatened rain all morning, but gave way to beautiful sun and warmth just as the race started).

The breeze made the swim a bit challenging for me: I usually breathe to one side then the other – every three strokes – but the waves hit my left side across the back of the triangular course. I adjusted and breathed to the right, but two strokes felt too few and four too many. By the time I settled into a rhythm, it was time to turn. That’s the way swimming goes sometimes.

DSC06545The little waves didn’t bother Dione: she had a breakthrough day. She was due in her season for an awesome swim, and she got it. What makes a swim a breakthrough? It’s different for everyone, but it often comes as a swim that feels calm and fun. She came out of that water ready to rock her new racing bike, and did exactly that.

The bike course is what I might call standard Wisconsin fare. Mostly small country roads with good pavement conditions. Traffic is ordinarily low, but on race day the course is completely closed to cars. What’s nice about Cap View is that the bike course has a few good long flats, but also includes gentle rollers and a few significant climbs. The Olympic and sprint courses share an out-and-back, which serves as the stick of the olympic lollipop when the sprinters turn around. The Olympic course’s extra loop, meanwhile, features a large hill: first down (maximum speed 47 mph!), then back up (minimum speed, 7 mph!)

Back at Governor Nelson State Park, spectators line the road as returning riders pass the finish line on their way back into transition. From there, it’s a different kind of run than usual – the course is entirely unpaved, soft underfoot with a mix of grass trails and woodland paths, again with a mix of flats and hills.

The run was my breakthrough. I typically do well in the sprint distance because I run hard through the 5k. Here with a 10k for the olympic distance, I didn’t want to go too hard – but at the same time wanted to run my best. Honestly, when you get right down to it, and when you train with long sessions and have experienced the marathon, what’s really all that different between 3.1 and 6.2 miles? (I know, I know; you might think this is crazy talk.) This is how the run unfolded for me mentally – as long as I wasn’t running completely wide open, I gave myself permission to go fast as long as I felt reasonably relaxed.

And wouldn’t you know it, the miles ticked away as I traversed the winding course, minding my footing, greeting other runners, observing nature in its summertime greatness, and quietly contemplating the sacred effigy mounds quietly preserved in the forest at the trail’s edge.

It’s real summertime, and life is good. I hope you’re finding your own opportunities to enjoy the season – whether it’s a special project, something active, a way to make friends, or a way to relax. For me, triathlon is all of the above, and it feels like home.

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Race Report: Cellcom Green Bay Marathon

Posted on May 28, 2013 by dano

I can only have my own “first marathon” once, but with coaching, I can experience it again and again.

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My first run in Green Bay, back in 2008, was my second-ever half-marathon. The next year, Green Bay was my first-ever DNS. In 2011, it was my first race coaching with Team In Training – and I’ve been back ever since.

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The course starts right outside Lambeau Field – with plenty of room in the atrium to stay warm before the start. The first half is residential, with shady trees, broad streets, supportive neighbors, and easy blocks for spectators to traverse. The course is flat, the traffic is well-controlled, and the finish includes a lap around Lambeau Field … this race has it all.

It was a sentimental journey for one teammate, who grew up in this town and spent the painful late-miles joyfully reuniting with the buildings and features that she knew so well. Team In Training people usually have a certain reverence that comes with charity-running. It’s a perspective that I try to hold paramount in all my training and racing. It’s an attention to and appreciation for life that I try to share.

A couple teammates went into the race with time goals, and although they did achieve new PR’s, neither made it all the way to those time goals. It had been a cold spring, and a warm and humid race day – and that’s it. No disappointment or frustration, just smiles and successes for what they were. Some runners think that only the clock defines success; others count it in funds raised and the celebration of life itself, surrounded by humanity. Perspective.

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Two teammates came to Green Bay with the goal of finishing their first full marathons. They were nervous, but they were trained – and I was confident. Hours passed, and they kept putting one foot in front of the other. It got hot, so they walked a little extra and drank a little extra. One began the race with long pants – just as she had trained all season – but when I saw her near mile 21 was wearing shorts: she had borrowed scissors from a medical tent and created the cool relief she needed. That’s how you do a marathon: you do what it takes. You adapt. You make it happen.

I ran to the finish line with her and helped her celebrate. Beyond the line was the Team In Training tent, with other teammates re-hydrating, sharing race stories, and waiting to welcome their friends. It’s good to be part of a group committed to leaving no one behind. It’s good to be the coach who stays on the course to be absolutely sure that’s the case.

More than a week has already passed since the race – I haven’t been sure where to start. Coming to race day is cresting a mountaintop after a long effort. Even though I’ve done it many times before, it still consumes me. It’s still beautiful.

IMG_2415Coming down from the mountaintop is a delicate process. Digesting a season is one thing – digesting a season of a dozen individuals training and discovering each other and themselves in new ways is quite another. I’m proud of my team. It was my privilege to be there with them.

And I know that not only have I felt that “first marathon” sensation again, I’m also feeling the “new normal” that comes with the finish line’s empowerment. Life will never be quite the same.

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Spring Cleaning Part II – NEW BIKES

Posted on April 25, 2013 by dano

Last weekend we had a successful yard sale: we re-homed lots of stuff that was no longer serving us, and we raised a lot of money for Team In Training.

Making space. Removing clutter. They’re often synonymous with seeking a happy life. Why? Because clearing away things that we don’t need opens up space for the things that make us happiest. Time that doesn’t feel rushed. Relationships that feel truly nurtured. Awareness of little moments that are fuller than we might realize.

IMG_2302And more bikes.

Wait – isn’t this about having *less* stuff? Sort of. After one bout of spring cleaning is done - after the excess has been removed - there’s space. Maybe a cupboard becomes neat after its contents are pared then re-organized. Not necessarily empty. Maybe a schedule change reveals a trip with less traffic, resulting in more time for you at home. It could be the chance you had yearned for - to sit still, read, knit, cook… or whatever makes you happy. Space. If you’re intentional, you can fill it with what you choose.

Biking makes me happy. So, when conditions are favorable, I ride my bike. Sometimes for fun, and sometimes for business; often the two merge. Mobility is about getting from here to there; when you get right down to it, being human does not mandate a car. I’ve replaced some car trips with bike trips – and this is part of my own spring cleaning. I’ve reduced my costs, increased my time out in the air, reduced my environmental impact, and found more time for exercise. How do you find time to train for Ironman? By going to work and the grocery store, I guess.

So when I saw a sign at work for a bike for sale, I jumped at the opportunity. Just the kind of bike I was looking for, for those “urban” trips I’m trying to increase.

What gives you energy? What makes you feel truly good? Look for space for it. Consider making your investments there. (Heck, maybe it’s driving – I won’t disparage that).

How do you nurture the relationships that matter most to you? Spring cleaning is freshening them up – dropping useless baggage through forgiveness, and finding richness through gratitude. Opening up a little more space to be nice.

My fiancee likes to bike, too. How do we have time to train for Ironman? By taking trips to the countryside, hanging out at the lake, having meals together, spending time with our friends. By loving each other, I guess.

Proposal

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Spring Cleaning

Posted on April 23, 2013 by dano

Some areas of the basement had become completely inaccessible. Piles of stuff had been re-organized, then packaged to allow stacking to the ceiling.

Whenever I really looked at any given area of my house, there was something that could be edited. Something that wasn’t necessary but was taking up space. So on to the pile it went. At least the pile was out of sight. I got used to it.

IMG_2294Last weekend the flood gates opened. Thank goodness the sun came out Saturday, because I was ready to part with a winter’s worth of excess. Even better for business: the yard-salers had a palpable pent-up urge to get out and find their treasures. This winter has everyone antsy for spring. I advertised a 7:00 am start time, and I put out my signs at 6:30 – but the first guests arrived by 6:15. A steady stream of cars and vans cruised in until I took the signs down at 3:00 in the afternoon, while the pile of stuff dwindled away.

The sale was a fundraiser for Team In Training – we didn’t list prices but asked guests to make donations. Some who came for rock-bottom yard sale pricing got what they needed. Others upped their price a bit in the spirit of the fundraiser. Still others left empty-handed, but donated anyway. We ended the day with nearly $600. The event benefited everyone.

Our neighbor contributed some items for us to sell on her behalf, in exchange for hot coffee and oatmeal. Halfway through the day I went inside and put on sunscreen for the first time this year (apart from Disney World). Yes, the summer will be here soon.

Spring’s a time for growth and rebirth. If you’re going to plant seeds, you’d better prepare a space for them to grow. If you’re going to have a party, you’ve got to clean off the countertops and tables to fill ‘em with goodies.

I’m a proponent of simplifying. Habitually, I try to buy less; take in less to net less stuff. Periodically, though, it’s refreshing to open the windows, put on grungy clothes, and dig in. Ruthless editing. Wouldn’t you know it, after the yard sale I went down the basement only to discover new places; I could walk around! I had become accustomed to the pile and hadn’t realized just how much it was taking.

Needless to say, the same holds true for all your habits. What you eat, how you spend your time, where you get your energy and how you spend it. But the loppers are yours to wield, and you might just find that you’re able to grow – and give more to others too – if you  do some serious spring cleaning. Good luck.

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The American Dream

Posted on April 15, 2013 by dano

Run Inspired 04-14-13Yesterday I traveled to Beaver Dam to give a talk to a group called Run Inspired. Indeed, I was inspired - by the individuals who came out on a Sunday afternoon to kick off a season of preparation for their first-ever 5k’s or half-marathons or anything in between. They had already left the starting line by showing up. I shared some of my stories with them, and offered additional perspectives in paperback.

After four years in the making, Tri Therapy is in circulation. I can hold it in my hands, and I can hold out my hand to share it with others. Feedback is coming back that calls it motivating, touching, inspirational … and a fast read to boot.

Wouldn’t you know it, books don’t just show up on shelves and then fly off of them. Rather, I think about which shelves they’d complement, and see about putting them there. I think about which hands might enjoy holding them, and offer.

And as I devote hours of my weekends traveling, talking, meeting people, and signing books, I consider how it’s unfolding. How much of my “spare time” do I want to spend on this effort? How far will it go? That’s up to me. It’s entirely related to the amount of effort I want to put in. Isn’t that the American Dream?

People don’t just suddenly become runners, shed pounds, get handed new jobs. When I encourage my teammates at Team In Training to keep working toward their fundraising goals, I know that many people are willing to donate - but they have to be asked. (Could you contribute today?) Some of these things are very hard, and some are relatively simple. But none of them just happen on their own.

No, we get out what we put in. We have to give ourselves a going-over and ask what our priorities are, and where we want to spend our time; then go after our goals.

Fortunately, by the same token I’m also able to define “success” on my own terms. Much like the endurance races that I’ve come to love, where throngs of participants move in the same direction, some faster than others, each seeking a different prize than the next. Each comes to the starting line full of their training, ambitions, and goals, and arrives at the finish line with their own personal result.

Would I like to sell a million copies? Sure I would. For some writers, this would be the ultimate goal, worth pursuing with all their time and heart. For me, writing about a life in balance, writing itself must also fit into the balance. For me, success is each person who’s able to reach something they might have thought impossible if not for the words I offer them. Of course I’d like to reach a million, but the project isn’t a failure if I don’t.

I’m not in Boston this morning – I have not yet qualified for that sacred marathon. Some day, perhaps I’ll have the right foundation and be ready to put in the training to get to Boston. But not right now. Do I consider my running career a failure? Absolutely not. This year I’ll go after this year’s goals, and we’ll see what comes next.

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First Outdoor Ride – 2013 edition!

Posted on March 30, 2013 by dano

Just in time – on the afternoon of Good Friday, just as March was about to end and winter about to drive us nuts – the sun came out and the temperature brushed 50 degrees. You betcha, we got the bikes out.

First spring ride 2013The fist outdoor ride of the year! A funny feeling to actually move as you make the pedals go around. Dione exclaimed “I’m coasting!” The bike feels so light and nimble – and even a little bit wobbly – detached from its solid metal trainer.

Sure, some people bundled up and went out earlier in March, but with gritty roads and icy spots, we didn’t see the value in getting outside just to get outside. Waiting until it got up to 50 allowed us to put on some winter gear without feeling like an Everest expedition. (I know, you southern-readers may be smirking – but after a long winter, I definitely rocked a T-shirt working outside yesterday).

We chose Madison’s great Capitol City Loop to kick things off. It’s a 21-mile loop through and around the city, beginning (if you go clockwise) with the University of Wisconsin, then traversing acres of farms and nature preserve. Much of the way was clear – but we encountered a few piles of snow and sheets of thick ice. Dione got a chance to try her Cyclocross skills – watch out Kristin!

Dione Cross

Then Dione was unable to clip back in, because snow was packed into her cleats. Fortunately, we were prepared for the ride and I used a screwdriver to chip it out. And even more fortunately, the short delay caused us to be in the right place at the right time: around the next bend, a herd of a dozen deer bounded across a ridge line, running and kicking with elation. A loud call announced the arrival of Sandhill Cranes overhead. Geese pecking at the field below began a chorus of honking. We dismounted and watched the spectacle.

There’s nothing so important about a Friday afternoon ride that requires us to rush away.

Why do we ride, after all? Sure, to get in shape and “train.” But Ironman will be just one beautiful day in the fall – all the other days on the way there will have their beauty too. We ride to be outside, which puts us up-close with these kinds of scenes – the quiet kinds that aren’t available at the side of a freeway. We ride to be together, and although we can look at our stats and laugh while we eat to replenish the calories, it’s the bounding deer that will stay in our minds as we later recall this first spring ride.

Easter for me is inseparable from the arrival of spring. Whether you look at it as a metaphor, a symbol, or an entirely literal representation of hope and rebirth, it works. A ride like this one is a journey into the great outdoor sanctuary, joining other plants and creatures as they rise up out of the snow to rejoice.

Risen indeed – Hallelujah!

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Race Report: Shamrock Shuffle 2013

Posted on March 17, 2013 by dano

Race names give you a sense for what to expect. Titles including terms like “dare”, “hell”, or “kill” are likely to draw tough competitors; “stroll” or “shuffle” are probably more walker- and family-friendly.

I’ve done a good job of refraining from entering anything with “kids” in the title, in spite of the temptation to go for a “W.”

So maybe it’s a little funny how seriously I’ve come to take the Madison Shamrock Shuffle over the years. But being a “short” race and situated in Mid-March, as we begin to train in earnest and scrub off the winter’s rust, this is a great chance to see what I’ve got.

As the great Jackie Arendt once advised me on a short spring race: “go out hard, and see if you can hang on.” This would cause crashing and burning on the long-course, but my 5k’s have never been the same.

I’m glad my multi-year PR streak has faded into the past as my running and triathlon career have developed a more sustainable, even keel. With the pressure of PR’ing dissipated, races became more fun again – and wouldn’t you know, I do still chalk up new bests from time to time. I suspect that with pressure and intensity come nerves, sleeplessness, altered eating or digestion, and other factors that make racing tougher than it already is. Racing for fun is showing up feeling healthy and ready – which also makes racing for fun racing at your best.

Nevertheless, each of the last 4 years I’ve brought home new 5k PR’s at the Shuffle along with solid standings even as the field grows, now lining up near the front of the pack of 2,300 and giving it all I’ve got. It features a 100-foot climb over Observatory Hill, followed by a long out-and-back opportunity to see all the runners.

After reaching nearly 80 degrees last year, today’s temperature flirted with 20. Some parts of the course seemed strangely quiet, maybe because the runners were a little grumpy with the cold. I had a hard time selecting race-clothes, since I expected to be warm with intensity, but only to a certain degree.

I went out hard and focused on the paradox between trying to feel “easy” while moving fast. Stand up straight, hold good form, breathe. I climbed with all my might, recalling the discomfort of my hill workouts – and knowing that on this day I only had to do it once, rather than six times in succession. I never felt that I would crack or fail, but I did run to the place where my body told me it simply was not fit to go any faster. And that’s where I stayed.

Much as I do it all for fun, I do tend to get pretty competitive – but today I got a break. By the turnaround, the guy in front of me had gone way in front, and the guy behind me – along with the first girl – were a ways back and falling a little further with each turn. If a duel had ensued, I may well have found an even best-er best, but I’m sort of relieved that it didn’t.

After the race, I made my way back up the course to the water station near mile 4, where Dione and Team In Training friends were helping make the race happen. Along the way, I shouted encouragement to the runners coming by, and jumped in to run alongside a few TNT teammates. Everyone had a great day, including a couple who did their longest runs ever. I notice I’ve just called the race “short.” I guess a race like this – and running overall – has something for everyone. Come as you are.

In spite of the cold, the sun came out and we gave it our best. If nothing else, we earned some corned beef and cabbage … Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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It’s great to have a team

Posted on March 10, 2013 by dano

In spite of some rain, Saturday’s temperature pushed up toward 40. The full-marathoners’ mileage pushed up into the double-digits. The half-marathoners crested past 5 miles: an hour of running, or more than 26,000 feet.

Maybe I’d have gone running on my own, but maybe not. And if I did, what would I have learned about anyone else, or what great issues of the world would I have discussed? The fondness of this weekend’s run comes from sharing it with my teammates.

Team In Training MadisonBefore we hit the path, we had a nutrition clinic. Alum, fellow coach, and R.N. Mike talked to us IMG_2149about various nutrients and their roles in our day-to-day and running-lives. It’s not rocket science, but it’s not information that a person would likely figure out on their own. And if you’re planning to stick with a training program, you’ll be a lot better off if you know how to have the energy (and digestive comfort) to support it. Sure, nutrition advice is plastered all over the internet, but sorting through it – and having a useful forum for questions – makes the team setting particularly appealing.

It’s not always easy to head out on your own. Especially when it’s snowy, or cold, or raining, or dark. Saturday morning it was all of these – but we all knew the Team was waiting. We push ourselves a little harder, and we stand up a little tougher to life’s persistent excuses, when we’re in it together.

We are driven by other layers, too. There are people who get out of bed every morning to face much bigger challenges, which they did not choose, but which we choose to support. By showing up for our Teammates, and sticking with each other as the miles go by, we also stand in solidarity with the ones who receive the money we raise. When donors support us in our training-quest for an endurance challenge, we take on another layer of commitment: are we going to update our fundraising websites to say “well, it was sleeting, so I chickened out” – ?

TNT at OlbrichRunning, at its heart, is a simple endeavor. But coaches, mentors, and teammates foster the dialogue that reveals the abundant tips and tricks to make it feel simpler and more enjoyable. Then they encourage each other to come out for a run, and then spend the morning together. It’s good exercise, good company – and truly good work when backed by an important mission. Yes, it sure is good to be a part of a team.

Join us! Visit teamintraining.org/wi

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Dano dreams of syrup

Posted on February 27, 2013 by dano

I love winter and snow and cold. I love seasons, because their ebb and flow effectively quadruples life: each year becomes four.

On the pages I write, I constantly look for the positive. The days are getting much longer, fast. It’s getting easier to get up early again, and soon my observance of “Dano savings time” will end. The 6-month-till-Ironman mark is right around the corner. I swam in the afternoon and ran in the evening. My bikes are tuned up and hooked to the trainer, ready to be unleashed.

And dammit, I’m ready for spring.

P1010719Snow drops have peeked their green tops through the brown leaves where snow melts away from the south side of the house. The 10-day forecast calls for several days above freezing. So I put the first tap in one of my maple trees.

So far, the sap has only dripped out slowly. But it’s dripping. Soon I’ll be boiling it into syrup. Come on, spring!

That’s what I wrote after work Tuesday, over a cup of chai before Tuesday night run. No sooner had I closed the computer than the day’s 30-mph winds were joined by snowfall, and the run became hard-core. Under some of the snow was ice, the kind that’s super-slick from melting and re-freezing, and a few of us hit the ground. The icy snow pelted us in the eyes.

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When I’m at home, trying to warm up, I’m pretty much done with winter. That’s what I was going to write about.

But I’ll tell you what – when it’s time to get out and train, I don’t mind it a bit. Why train but to intentionally add some discomfort for the sake of overcoming it? What better than to take an “ordinary” run and add some flavor and intensity from time to time? If it had been sunny, the run would have been nice, but inconsequential. But in the company of friends, we rolled with the blowing snow, made footprints, and conquered.

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All he needed was a fire

Posted on February 12, 2013 by dano

Virgil and the CheeseVirgil is a very big cat. At his heart, Virgil is a lover. But something inside his brain, along the lines of autism, keeps him from getting close to most people. He wants to be friendly, but then suddenly attacks. If he gains access to cheese or butter, count on him to fiercely defend it.

As my relationship with Dione developed, I wanted to become close to this trusted friend of hers. I wanted to break through to a relationship like only she had with him.

It’s been about 13 years since Dione met Virgil as a kitten, and a few months since he moved into my house with his companion, Lucy. They immediately embraced the new environment, with plenty of new places to explore. I, meanwhile, reacted with some quick adjustments of my own.

Virgil and Lucy

 

I think Virgil knew this was my house. Shortly after we began seeing each other every day, and I poured food into his bowl every day, he started to let me get much closer to him. I started to see the softer, kinder side of Virgil. And then one day, Virgil realized what he had been missing his whole life.

Virgil at the fireplaceVirgil, ever the stoic and sometimes downright inconsolable, stretches three feet long, with his belly exposed and his head rubbing against the carpet. His growling and hissing is replaced with what looks much more like a smile; I’ve never seen him so happy and relaxed.

All he needed was a fire.

Here’s today’s thesis: first, when I said to Dione “what should I write about?” she replied “the kitties.” Second, things will come along from time to time that are total game-changers. Things that you’ve never experienced and don’t expect, that are absolutely heavenly. My first yoga class and first triathlon come to mind as an example; other examples seem to originate with vacations or other things I went out on a limb to try. What comes to your mind?

I guess it’s wise to never stop exploring. It’s wise to never give up on someone even if they  perceive the world differently than you. And it’s wise to take a break in front of the fire.

Lucy with a box of "Tri Therapy"Lucy recommends enhancing your experience by the fire with a good book.

 

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