A wing and a prayer

So aptly named because in order to get a replacement on short notice for the swimmer, I had to rely on a wing (of an angel) and a prayer (to God). Continuing from the last event blog entry, I was facing a forfeiture, and much, like the Miami Heat, a new personal worse. You see, up to now, that has never happened, except technically once (ironically, this same venue) , but that was deferred, so I consider that one as basically not occurring. I got in contact with my previous swimmer, Stef, & she agreed to fill in; she was always reliable. However, I left Friday morning with enormous stress on my mind, because I knew I was going up solo with no partner.

Saturday agenda-meek & mighty reverse triathlon

This was the only event I was certain I could do, since it is for individuals only. However, I still needed a wing & a prayer since ya'll know I am not a swimmer. This event was designed for kids, but they had a 15+ division for rookies, or for people like me, who are aquatically challenged. The weather was nice, starting rather cool but warmed quickly. The super sprint triathlon began with a 2 loop, 1 mile course. After the run, I was 2nd overall, but lost some positions in transition. The bike course was 3 loops and at the conclusion, I fell to about 1oth place. The race closes out with 8 laps in an Olympic sized pool that was about 10 feet deep! That translates to: I need a wing & a prayer to get through the swim. Once I crossed the finish line, I realized one of my prayers was answered. Although I slipped to 45th, with 4 of those in my age group, I managed to keep the last contending position. If I were 10 seconds faster, I'd have been 3rd. On the flip side, 20 seconds slower meant no place on the podium. I got another crystal plaque. Yeah!

At this point, my weekend may be over; I still have no team. I went to the expo to meet up with Stef. It came to pass but not as I wished. I met her boyfriend (that's ok) but he forbid her from participating because she had been sick since Easter & just got over it a couple of days back. I told them, that she, as I do, could exercise safely just as long as the intensity is cut down somewhat. At this point, I was not worried about speed but rather that the team could compete. Therefore, after much work, we got the packet & we just had to switch the name at the solution table. At this point, she confessed that she had signed up as an individual but wasn't going to compete because of the illness. If she put her name down, her effort to defer to next year would be shot. With all these circumstance, I realized I was still in need of a swimmer. Remember that I DU TRI HARDER and I drawn to an athlete (Nicky), whom I did not know, at the expo by the wing of an angel, & asked her 2 questions: #1 are you competing tomorrow (Sunday as an individual)? after she replied no, then #2 would you be willing to swim in a relay? My other prayer was answered when she said yes! Because I had nothing but her nickname, complications arose & the one in charge at the solution table gave me a hard time, but eventually, God worked it out & she returned with what I needed to check in the bike (overnight stay required) & prepare for what was in store.

Sunday agenda-St Anthony's triathlon

Although the previous event is put on by the same people, today (Sunday) was the main event-the Olympic triathlon. Between both events, over four thousand showed up. As you know, the relay almost didn't go off, but all things are possible with Jesus. She showed up so that I could see what she was wearing & be aware that she is ready to represent. This event was so big, they had nearly 30 waves, with the relay (98 teams finished)beginning near the end. The pro elites began 7 am but ours didn't start till about 8:55. Despite being about 25th out of the water (12th out of the 38 in our category (mixed relay)), she swam well. Once I took the chip, it was my time to shine. I hammered the bike & encountered some incidents with novices & non-responsive competitors who were committing violations, the worse was blocking. One lady that kept riding on the left side (blocking) ignored me, even after yelling several times, until her actions caused me to execute a drift upon a 180 degree turn around in front of a few athletes. That got her attention & she responded with some snide remark. I had my best bike time ever but at a price. I was so worn out from that, plus the high heat & humidity, that I was my worst 10k in years, & upon finishing, was assisted to the medical tent to 'cool off'. Luckily, the medical staff recognized how bad I was suffering (on the brink of heat stroke) & the many others I saw on the side while I was running. Despite all that, the run was the 3rd best in this division, while my cycling was 10th, a surprise for a non-avid cyclist. Our combined efforts earned us the 4th place (5th online). Amazing, since we had just met briefly the day prior & had no time to strategize. The third time was a charm. Finally, I was on a team that took a title at this prestigious event. The award was a framed watercolor by some artist. It was pretty; a silhouette cyclist upon the background of the pier.

Whomever does not believe in prayer, I shall pray for them. This was proof positive that prayer works!

Blogaversery

Today marks one year since I started on blogspot. Introduced to it by good friend, Jonathan, I've been hooked ever since. Also, today is my dad's birthday. My first entry was inspired by that & how the history of my athletic 'career' began. This blog is my online diary, and although sometimes riddled with subjective entries (as is in any diary), any reader can gain some objective information & possible inspirational reading. If you have enjoyed thus far, the saga continues at the close of this weekend.

Remember my motto: have fun 1st, all else 2nd! & keep up the training.

D day

Capital D for disaster. Yesterday for the injury I sustained while negotiating a 180 turn around. Today for the traffic delay on the turnpike, caused by a fatal car crash (flip),which in turn, caused the swimmer of the triathlon relay to arrive as the last wave was to go out! The worst news was the fallout between the cyclist of the st anthony relay team, & yours truly, over that event & loss of money due to that. She picked a swimmer that quit, & because of that, she gave up and that leaves me out, both financially & by event since I am unable to compete in a relay team when the 1st two legs aren't there. I took off to prepare for the upcoming weekend & now that's shot by this disaster, maybe. By the next blog, you'll know because I DU TRI HARDER! That's not only the relay's name but my effort to scramble up replacements.

Lower case d for delightful, as despite all that happened, I got hardware.

Saturday agenda-stampede in the park 5k

This one had a dual purpose-race entry & club membership. I am now a member of the Coral Springs Parkland Road Runners. Woo hoo! Unfortunately for me, this was the day of the masters. Of the top ten finishers, 6 were at least 40 years old; I was proud to be one of them. I had to settle for the top of my group because the top 3 master slots were filled; d for delightful. One was pulled out because he was 2nd overall & the other was in a different group. Upon the sharp 180 turn around on the course, I sustained an injury to my right calf; D for disaster. Trophies for the top slots were good but the medals for all else were disappointing.

Sunday agenda-spring training triathlon

Although this was their 2nd of the year, this was my 1st of the series. The du cyclist passed on this one, so I acquired Louis, my swimmer of an aquathon series we won years back. Jenny G was the designated swim starter. She was stuck in traffic due to that crash, so I asked Louis to swim & bike. I was informed by staff that he didn't have his chip, so I had to scramble to try to figure out where he might have put it. He forgot that he left it on his bike, but I finally found it and rushed toward the swim start. On the way, Jenny showed up & asked when is it going to start. I replied, "right about now". She asked where was Louis but I didn't know. She hurried to the start without the swim cap, stripped to her swimsuit & entered the water dead last. I went back to transition to wait for her when I saw Louis run in wet from swimming & I let him know that she's the official swimmer & is still swimming. Well, he took off & she, later came in to give me the chip. I held on to it until it was my time to shine. Despite the calf injury, I ran decently for the benefit of the team; I refuse to forfeit! All that which happened qualified for the D. In spite of all that, we still placed. We were second only to a professional team, which consisted of a swim coach who is also the top master swimmer in the Florida/nation and Florida's fastest female cyclist. They had a runner that matched my speed. This deserved the d.

Honorable mention

ioMike N placed in the top ten overall at the tri.

Taxing times

The title may be obvious but actually refers to a series of events. First & foremost, my condolences to all the victims of that lunatic murderer at Virginia tech. The obvious is that the deadline is prior to midnight to file your taxes. Gas & insurance count as taxing on our wallets. The weather was taxing on all those who participated in the Boston marathon yesterday and slightly on those who ran tonight, right here in the Grove. No, I wasn't Boston bound this year but my schedule was the inverse of most of those athletes. How? Between Saturday and today, the marathoners only raced on Monday, while that day was the only day I didn't; in essence, I truly took off Patriot's day. I instead rode my bike as crosstraining.

Tuesday agenda-1040k CPA run

This race is always held on the deadline day to file your taxes to the IRS & also is conducted to race money (net proceeds) for the South Florida African American accounting students. This year, the PR racing crew took over. After what occurred last year & this past Saturday, I kept my word & did not switch categories;finally, a sound decision. The cheating got worse in the walk division, to the point that even the offender (at the Gables) was ripped off! This event feature that & the run as a 5k & a 10k run. I chose the 5k, which started 5 minutes after the 10k. Jon Williams was devising a scheme with his step-son, Jeffrey Tait, for the kid to beat me and it was darn near effective. They both took off & ran together for half a mile, way in front of me, sending a defiant message. Had it not been for that fact that I started my running career 16 years ago, I may have fallen into that trap; experience rules! I decided to keep my pace & run my race, not theirs. Lo & behold, pop had to go his normal pace in order not to forfeit his time & position. As soon as that happened, the kid fell back & I passed him with no extra effort. Besides, other than ego, he would have no effect on my age group placement. By mile 2, I finally challenged, one was a 15 year old kid & the other my same age;I was most concerned with the latter. I fortunate to surpass the one that mattered but youth prevailed when it came down to the final stretch. Other than overall position, I was not affected & would have captured the master title if it were offered;I hate that about Miami races! Top in my class will do & so will the mid 18 time. I was disappointed with the cheesy, generic medal they gave out but I earned it by mere seconds. I made the top ten, which included the likes of Boris Fernandez, Jonathan & Jon. Jeffrey booked with 18:44, a time that could've beaten me, but I also was having a great night. I was surprised regarding the amenities. Usually poor at Miami events, this one was good, including the drink selection (I favor Accelerade).

Honorable mention

* Jonathan topped his age bracket
* Chris completed the 10k
* Gary & Adrienne Silver, Inga, Josh, Caroline, Alan all completed Boston. The first two, owners of Premier running, soccer & tri, also founded the racing team to which I belong & both re-qualified for Boston.

My protege, Mike, pulled off a stunt only I'm known for- getting into a race at the last minute. However, his was more extreme. He called about 15-20 minutes prior to the start from his home just to chat, not realizing that the race was not at 7:30. Luckily, for him, he is like NASCAR's Tony Steward & has a racing team, which includes yours truly. He contacted many peeps, while hustling through traffic, had someone to sign him up & that number was relayed to me to give to him at the starting line. I saw him running toward the start, I passed it on & while he tried to put it on, the announcer said the race was going to start in 30 seconds! Despite all that, he still placed and pulled off yet another Jasper- he placed in all three events that both he & I competed in. I am proud of my 'student'.

Birthday blast

Meaning I had a blast leading up to & through the weekend. On Friday, the 13th, at work, my co-workers recognized my birthday & gave me a cake that said 'marathon man'. I then visited family & had to go quickly in order to train & prepare for the race weekend. Fortunately, it was not a day of bad luck.

Saturday agenda-tour of the Gables 5k

On this day, I officially advanced to sophomore in my age group because, as Luther Campbell said in one of his raunchy songs, "it's your (my) birthday". I was registered to run this event but changed to the walk division at last moment due to the following reasons: 1. did not feel up to par in regards to running, 2. wanted to conserve power/energy for next day's race, 3. felt I had the chance to out right win the event. This day felt like Friday the 13th. Why? 1. I would have placed 1st in my age group for the first time ever this millennium in this particular race, 2. My walk time was below par, similar to the fear I had regarding the run, 3. I got ripped off of the overall title by a jogger registered as a walker & had to settle for age group. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, I ended up with the same award I would have gotten by running- a gold medal;I consoled myself with that & promised not to switch on the upcoming race. I made the decision partly because no master title was offered.

Sunday agenda-FAU wellness triathlon

I kept wanted to do this but it seemed something always came up. I almost missed it again due to trouble finding a swimmer but someone stepped up. I knew her from volunteering with the GFLRRC organization & she gave me a time range regarding her ability. Like a blind date, you don't know what to expect so as a precaution, I had to get a great cyclist; Mike performed admirably. This day was overcast & quite windy plus the ocean was unforgiving. If you did not have experience, this would be a disaster. My decision to 'rest' the previous day was wise. Cici, the grandmaster swimmer, made the arrangements & did her best to fight the arduous conditions, so much so she was disoriented upon reaching transition. I admire her tenacity because, although was the last swimmer of the mixed teams to come in, she gave her all to the point she fell while trying to get to our cyclist. I am happy to report that she's ok. Mike really wanted to swim & bike but I promised her previously and she was instrumental in getting the team signed up;we paid her after the fact. Our team was behind about 5 minutes & Mike feared we would lose. I tried to console him with the facts of my previous experience with relays & assured him not to worry;the race isn't over until the final member crosses the finish line. He hammered those 10 miles, despite windy conditions and put the team in an usual spot- first! Now, it's my job to ensure we remain that way. Of course, I really don't know what our position is in the middle of the event, so I always assume the worst. I ran like the dickens as if were still behind. Even though I had to deal with a head wind nearly 2 miles plus rolling hills, I pushed hard & fast, accomplishing the rare feat of breaking 19 in a relay. When the dust cleared, our team won by about 6 minutes! Kudos to my teammates. Oh by the way, we discovered this was an all or nothing relay race;only overall in a category got awards. There were 15 total teams & we beat them all, including 2 confirmed all male teams; 5 were in our category. This was a flash event. Great amenities but short with energy/replenishment drinks.They had so much, they starting giving away boxes of stuff. Now, I don't have a shortage of sweets this week. The awards were disappointing (frame with a picture of swimmers from last year's event) & no finisher medals plus only overall for relays. Also, it took long to start the ceremony & no splits were posted on-site. We felt somewhat sorry for the guys behind us, who had the top swimmer in our category, 2nd of all relays. To their credit, splits were online the same day, a stark contrast from how they have handled some previous events.

Honorable mention

Nicky (future relay partner) won female overall at the tour.
Jonathan placed 2nd overall at the tour, but only overall was recognized.
Mike placed third at the tour & helped team win overall at FAU.
Louis N. completed the FAU tri.

Happy Easter!

Always remember that Jesus is the reason for the seasons. Easter is yet another one lost in translation due to greedy marketers. It's amazing how many don't even realize what Easter is really about. Many kids actually believe a bunny can lay colorful eggs & that this day is reserved for finding them. They expect sweets or money. I don't really know how all this occurred but I'll give you my two cents. I think of those who bury or hide the eggs as the symbol of those who hung up our savior to die on the cross (good Friday). The act of digging them up or finding them is much like Christ's resurrection. The colors & the sweets represent the joy of his return. The bunny is a mere distraction but can be equated to Judas, who betrayed our hero since it is false (lay eggs like a bird), much like his (Judas) allegiance. That's my take, what's yours?

Saturday agenda-run like a bunny 5k

This was the only race I could find in the tri-county area, and since it was in Broward, I expected it would be fast. My premonition was correct. After mile 1, I was overtaken by 2 grandmasters, a master & the child prodigy, Jeffrey Tait. When the kid past me I thought I was below pace until I heard the splits. He simply was having a great day. In the final mile, I had to rely on my vast experience. I made sure to keep them all in range & then at the right moment, use my special move- the master kick. For those who play video games, characters in the game streetfighter have special or super moves to deliver a devastating blow. This concept is also utilized in the World Wrestling Entertainment to finish a match. Unfortunately, the 2 grandmasters were too far out of range to catch but my super move was effective in passing the master, & the icing on the cake, the kid. Proving how fast this race was can be witnessed by the results. The two grandmasters (7th & 8th overall) beat me by a mere 2 seconds & I edged out the master (10th overall) by a measly 1! the 12 year old got his personal best with 18:32. I won the master title, or so I thought. I forgot about the weird scoring system of accuchip, which reminds me of the Easter bunny (deceptive perception). While timing may be somewhat accurate, the categorization is not. My title was given to the fastest grandmaster, despite having that category & senior available. As a result, I fell to age group. A bunny is to eggs as a grandmaster (50-59) is to the master (40-49) division, when such divisions are allotted. Nevertheless, I still got a bunny trophy & still on top. I liked it better at tradewinds but the new course was ok.

Happy Easter!

Transition

This weekend marked one of transition. Saturday concluded March, while Sunday embarked April.

I did the smart ride (165 miles) , imperial point 5k, run for the whisper 5k, Knoxville marathon & 5k, plus the Disney inline half marathon.

April Fool! All those in blue italics did occur, but without me. Granted, if I could've, I would've.

Saturday agenda-imperial point 5k

This was my final 5k for March. I was well aware it would be a fast race, especially since also it is the final race for the three for the road series that I was compelled to forfeit due to a prior commitment. It was very windy & for some reason, I wasn't feeling well. Maybe it was because I was hanging out with friends visiting from another state to near midnight for the past two nights, including celebrating my brother's birthday the night before. Any who, even though the master category was 3 deep, the slowest was faster than I have been running lately, so I fell to age group. Despite losing to a master I usually beat, I fortunately took my age group with an acceptable time. After I got my award, I was off to Orlando to pick up my packet & then make arrangements and preparations for the next event.

Sunday agenda-Walt Disney world inline (half) marathon

This event kicked off my favorite month, April. I was actually cooler than the previous day & I had to wear a sweater until about a half hour from the start. I warmed up with a short run first, even though my task was to skate; I later did a skate warm up. I chose the half for 2 reasons: cost & course. The former is self explanatory, the latter is that the marathon is simply the half course done twice; boring. The first mile was congested & held me to a slow pace with lots of weaving. As the event continued, I got more room to maneuver. The final 5k was the most fun, speedwise. Due to the wind, I had to utilize drafting behind 2 others to spare some energy;a mini skate line. I dawned my patent University of Miami gear & represented. Although I didn't place this year, my time was over 3 minutes better than last year's, & that's without gear improvement. Not including women, I was one of the top 50 finishers;I was on a roll!

Honorable mention

My brother became a master on Friday.

Jonathan placed in the top ten on Saturday night.