The Scale - 8/13/11

THE NUMBER = 247.0 (+5.2 from last week)

It's a yo-yo thing. The funny part is that I can't seem to get my weight down, but it feels like my body is moving in the right direction. 

Weekly Schedule 8/8/11-8/14/11

MONDAY
Bike - 2:00:00/35 miles - Zone 2 Ride

TUESDAY

Strength - 1:00:00 - General Strength Work
Swim - 1:00:00/2650m - Mixed Effort

WEDNESDAY

Brick - 1:20:00 - 60 min Bike/20 min Run

THURSDAY

Swim - 1:20:00/3100m - Short, Fast Pyramid
Run - 0:50:00/5 miles - Comfortable Pace

FRIDAY
Off Day

SATURDAY
Bike - 4:30:00/70 miles - Zone 2, High Cadence

SUNDAY
Run - 0:50:00/5 miles - Comfortable Pace
TOTAL TIME THIS WEEK
Projected - 12:50:00

PREVIOUS WEEK
Swim (Projected/Actual)
Time - 3:05:00/3:24:15     Distance - 8150/8200
Bike (Projected/Actual)
Time - 6:10:00/6:34:20     Distance - 55/109.39
Run (Projected/Actual)
Time - 3:00:00/3:49:45     Distance - 15/19.53
Strength (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:00:00/1:00:00
TOTAL (Projected/Actual)
Time - 13:15:00/14:18:20

The Scale - 8/6/11

THE NUMBER = 241.8 (-4.9 from last week)

What a weird couple of weeks this has been. I will reserve comment until I see what the number next week. Is this a yo-yo thing or is this real progress? 

Monthly Totals - July 2011

SWIM
Time - 7:39:18

Meters - 18,000

Avg Pace - 0:01.5 / meter

BIKE
Time - 16:48:28
Miles - 287.65
Avg Pace - 03:30 / mile

RUN
Time - 10:15:18
Miles - 56.70
Avg Pace - 10:51 / mile

STRENGTH
Time - 2:00:00

EVENTS
Las Vegas Tri Club (Sprint) 1:28:23

REVIEW
The MS Exam for the Court of Master Sommeliers slashed my volume in the second half of July. Still, volume managed to be up in the Swim and Bike Departments against last year. Run volume was down against both last month and last year. I missed two weeks of swimming and torched what was supposed to be a strong build phase in my training.

It had to be done. Looking forward to a very solid August.

Weekly Schedule 8/1/11-8/7/11

MONDAY
Swim - 1:15:00/3100m - 100s, 50s
Strength - 1:00:00 - General Strength Work

TUESDAY

Off Day

WEDNESDAY

Bike - 1:30:00 - Tempo w/Hills
Run - 0:30:00 - Easy Zone 2

THURSDAY

Swim - 1:10:00/3050m - 800s, 200s
Bike - 1:10:00 - 2x20 minutes Very Hard Intensity

FRIDAY
Run - 1:10:00/7 miles - 5x5 Intervals

SATURDAY
Bike - 3:45:00 - 20 minute Hard Effort at 25 miles

SUNDAY
Run - 1:20:00/8 miles - 5x5 Hard Effort
Swim - 0:40:00/2000m - Continuous Effort

TOTAL TIME THIS WEEK
Projected - 13:30:00

PREVIOUS WEEK
Swim (Projected/Actual)
Time - 0:40:00/0:00:00 Distance - 1950/0
Bike (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:55:00/2:26:46 Distance - 0/38.97
Run (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:50:00/2:32:00 Distance - 9.5/12.87
Strength (Projected/Actual)
Time - 0:00:00/0:00:00
TOTAL (Projected/Actual)
Time - 4:25:00/4:50:41

Dispatches From The Field - 7/31/11 - Elevation

There were two things today that I should have paid attention too...one I did and the other I didn't.
It started the day before yesterday, when my friend Jeffrey Bencus got on me about when we were going to get together and run. It had been too long and he wanted to go run the Lower Bristlecone Pine Trail at Lee Canyon. To cut to the chase on 40,000 text messages and a call to other friends to come join us, we ended up meeting Thomas Burke for that run this morning.

The thing I paid attention too was the opportunity to run with two great Sommeliers who I admire and enjoy. Both have an understated sense of humor that is not only funny for what they say, but is additionally funny for their delivery as well. Both are wicked smart and Thomas has an attention to detail that drives me crazy with envy. So of course I give him sh*t about it all the time. Great company today, gentle reader, and I was grateful for it.

Jeffrey on the left and Thomas on the right.

The thing I didn't pay attention too (and I should have) was Thomas asking me about my experience at altitude more than once...

Lee Canyon is the local ski resort to Las Vegas. In about an hour, you can be in the mountains at over 8,000' elevation. I'm amazed that we don't get more high-level triathletes and ultrarunners training here, because we truly have it all. Open water at Lake Mead, great pool facilities, long rides with hills, mountains to run and the moniker "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas". It must be the heat.

The road to Lee Canyon is worth an epic cycle ride for many on it's own and at some point will require it's own blog entry from me. Off Highway 95, the road pushes up with very few turns and thru to over 9,000' elevation. Heart attacks have been caused by less.

So we get to the parking lot for the Lower Bristlecone Pine Trail and I am excited. I have been in this area several times, but I have never been on this trail and have run up in this area once before.



We start up the trail together.

It turns out that Lower Bristlecone is a loop that works its way up and around the side of the mountain before dropping you into the parking lot for the Lee Canyon Ski Area. From there you come back down the road and end up in the parking lot where you started. Jeff says that the whole run is about 6 miles.

This should be easy. After all, I have run marathons and did the Double Dipsea trail race this year. I know that Thomas is an ultrarunner and Jeff practically lived up here last summer. So what if these two bantered in the car the whole way up about bagging this peak here or where that trail goes there for a nice little 32 mile round trip on a summer afternoon. People, it is only six miles! I have to be able to keep up. After all, I have been progressing in my overall performance and am definitely better than the last time I ran with either of these guys. Neither Jeff or Thomas consider this trail more than a scooby-snack. Today is the day that I keep up.

From the lower parking lot, the trail gains elevation immediately. The two of them start out at an easy pace, with Jeff saying that the first three miles are uphill. The trail is a fire road that is in very good shape. We could easily run three abreast, but I treat this like a race situation. While they run side-by-side talking to each other, I fall in behind, marking the two of them for the kill.

My plan is simple: Hang with them for the uphill portion of the run and then pass them for the downhill (my downhill has gotten better too). It will be fun and I can join in on the conversation on the way down. Just one of the boys and as the weakest of the three runners, I will earn my stripes.

Why am I not in on the conversation now? Because a mere mile into this run I sound like a steam train churning up this hill. The grade is only about 3-7% as we move through the lazy switchbacks up the mountain and the road is well groomed. These guys are looking like they are out on a Sunday stroll and I sound like I am about to pass out. The one solace for me is that while I am at a turtle pace, I feel good physically. I start thinking about Thomas and his concern about me at altitude.

Exertion at high altitude is more difficult than at sea level because of the reduced partial pressure of oxygen as elevation rises, impairing the oxygenation of blood flowing through the lungs and ultimately resulting in a diminished oxygen supply to working muscles. Studies by the Federation of Sport at Altitude have shown that the lack of oxygen above 10,000 feet translates to 25-40% less muscle power. To compensate, the heart works harder to maintain the same pace. Adam W. Chase - Running Times Magazine.

OK, so I'm only at about 9,100', but I can testify to the whole 25-40% less muscle power thing. I'm two miles in and Thomas and Jeff have just walked away from me. I decide that I need to pick up the pace before they decide the need to come back for me. How embarrassing would that be on a run that these two would consider a warm-up. I tell my legs to go and nothing happens. I continue to crawl up the hill. I command my legs to go again and again nothing happens. Not good...It's times like this that I try and look at the bright side of things: the view is stunning and the air temp is in the high 60's. It's got to be approaching 100 in Vegas by now.

Looking out to the south from the fire road.

Just over 2.5 miles in and my two jovial buddies come back for me. They are probably discussing the relative merits of Brettanomyces bruxellensis or lack thereof. These guys suck! Why am I the only one breathing hard? Did I pack my rattle and pacifier with my gels today?

Reunited, we head up toward the top of the climb and I am making a concerted effort to not fall behind. After all, I want to get invited back. I keep thinking about how this is not even steep.

Just as Jeff had promised, the climb hit the three mile mark. I look over there shoulders and see a small 20 yard slope where the pitch hits (later according to my Garmin) 52%. I put my head down and push forward, doing that slow motion run where you look like you are running, but actually are moving slower than if you just walked. I hit the top and they are gone again. I curse under my breath for falling behind again.

Because of less oxygen available to the working muscles, exercise performance is decreased at high altitude. For example, it is impossible to run a mile at high altitude as fast as at low altitude. And this applies to any aerobic event, which is any muscle activity lasting more than two minutes. In addition one cannot expect to perform with the same intensity as at low altitude, and one's pace has to be adjusted accordingly. This means running, cycling or walking a bit slower at high altitude, and taking more breaks and rest stops, to avoid exhaustion. For those who keep track of VO2 max, an overall measure of physical performance: VO2 max drops 3% per thousand feet of altitude gain, starting at around 5000 ft. - Institute for Altitude Medicine at Telluride

The trail shows a little more elevation and I top out at 9,442', but I am essentially moving along parallel to the mountain on some nice single track. I start to pick up the pace with gravity's help.

Simply beautiful. As you start to move into the single track, the trees come in closer to the trail and create a feeling of intimacy that is missing on the fire road. Shade, roots and rocks all moving with you as you work your way down the mountain. What a blast! The whole day is complete for me at 8:00 in the morning.

The Bristlecone Pines watching over the upper section of the trail.

I never see Thomas on the way down, but I do see Jeff from time to time through the trees. I have the sense that he waited for me (he's that kind of guy). I'm sure that he had been waiting until he could hear me crashing down the trail behind him and then he would start running again. I pick up the pace further as I try to catch him.

I come around a corner looking for Jeff and see a couple with a dog (small English Springer Spaniel?). I notice the dog is not on a leash and I move right to give him what space I can on the trail. Right as I get even with the dog he decides that I am a threat. I come to a dead stop waiting to see if the dog and I are going to have the UFC Championships right here on the trail. Leash laws people! (I later found out that Jeffrey had the same problem and told the people that I was behind him). Not cool!

Dog under control, I take off again, but Jeff is gone. As I come out of the downhill, I see Jeffrey again (which means he waited again). We hit the upper parking lot, where Thomas is waiting for both of us (he's that kind of guy too).

I finally get to run with them down the road as we do the last half mile back to the lower parking lot. Looking like a bad representation in a wet T-shirt contest, I feel at peace. What a great experience the morning has been. I have to come back soon.

Thanks to Jeffrey and Thomas for making sure I was good all the way. Next time, I'm going to get in on that Brettanomyces conversation...

1:14:23/6.19 miles

Dispatches From The Field - 7/26/11 - Chasing Dreams

No photographs today. Just me, my head and the trail.

I have two personal goals that I would consider gnawing my arm off for. You know about the one coming up in November in Arizona. I am trying to build myself into enough of an athlete to become an Ironman. Over the next three months, as I turn Coach Cyndee loose and she turns the heat up on my training, we are going to see if I can get there.

There is a second goal though that goes back much farther for me. It began somewhere in 1999 with my first distant touches with the Court of Master Sommeliers. At that time, there was no website and very few Master Sommeliers to speak with about the program. It took me two years to get into the first test and I had to go to Florida to start my journey.

I have a short tempo run today. I head back to the Late Night Trail in Cottonwood Valley to try and better my time in the tempo run there last week. Where last week it was 103F, today is in the high-90s and muggy. As I drive out toward Potosi, I can see the dark ribbons of rain gently brushing the valley floor as they pass across the valley. Thunderstorm weather.

The Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) is an organization that started in England. While the first diploma was given in 1969, the official structure of the court wasn't solidified until the mid-70s. I don't have the exact number, but I think that less than 200 diplomas have been given out between then and now. The point is that it is pretty rare company and I am trying to get there. The CMS offers the exam twice a year now by invitation. I have my tasting exam today.

I pull into the parking lot with some odd sprinkles on the windshield of the car. There are a couple of mountain bikers getting ready to explore, but the parking lot is quiet. Must be the weather. I throw on my heart monitor and take off.

It would be difficult to explain to someone exactly what passing this damned test means to me. I've explained to a couple people my current position is like being at Camp 4 and trying to make the final push professionally to the summit of Everest. The program is actually self-study, with four levels. If you passed everything first try (less than 15 people have passed the final MS exam on the first try in it's history) the fastest you could get through the entire program is five years. Pass rates are extraordinarily low and most people have to take one or more of the tests multiple times. I have seen grown men cry and walk away from the program in utter self-disgust. It is one of the two or three most coveted distinctions in my profession.

The trail I am using as a time trial is essentially a 4-mile loop around a small hill. The first part of the trail moves through loose sand and stones in a small flash flood drainage. I'm always careful here to keep my stride higher and light. If I'm going to have a chance of picking up time on my previous effort, it has to start in this section of the trail. I push a little, picking my way through the sage, cactus and occasional Joshua Tree.

The Master Examination is brilliant in it's composition. It has three stages (tasting, theory and practical) and runs in a format that has a real-time progression. Candidates are always on the clock in one way or another.

Pulling out of the wash, I hit firm, smooth single track. I look at my Garmin and see that I am on pace coming through the first uphill section.

The tasting is six wines that are done double blind. This means that the candidate is given no information about the wines and must, only through their senses, break down the wine's characteristics and present what the grape is, where it comes from and what vintage it was produced in. You have 25 minutes to work it all out.

Pushing along the trail it starts to move down the hill. Passing through a junction of trails, I come across 5 mountain bikers who are sitting around jawing at each other. I give them a wave as I pass- I'm on a schedule.

Practical is a service situation with several stations. Service varies with the exam, but several disciplines are challenged for the candidate and they are given complicated questions requiring a strong knowledge of wine theory while they perform service tasks. Each station has a time limit requiring that the candidate be efficient with their time management.

Moving down the trail I hear the mountain bikers coming up behind me. I push over into the cactus and sage and keep running. This apparently freaks the first rider out because he slows down instead of clearing the trail for me. I wave for him to get going as I dodge plants. The bikers all crawl by. We're moving downhill. You people are killing me!

The last part of the exam is theory. Not a problem, it only requires that you study the entire world of wine, including: law, geology, geography, mixology, enology,  plant pathology, history, viticulture and another half dozen things I'm not thinking of right now. The test is verbal and you cannot go back once you have moved on. Hopefully you have all the right answers today.

To pass the exam takes a person with a strong skill set and huge mental discipline. It's a rare club of talented people that I want to join. Today is tasting and my stomach is killing me. Oh the anxiety my friends. The next three days are just their own little special torture.

Pushing up the hill I try to shut my mind down. Both the running and the exam require mental discipline and the ability to push through. It is something I am working on. We are all students in this life . I just hope I can pick up the right lessons along the way.

42:46/4 miles (43:35 last week)

Sadly, I did not pass my exam for the CMS. I am however optimistic and already preparing for next year.