Come Heidelberg, will Travel

I've got my ride a late 80's BMW K75 will a tank full of gas, new tires, and saddle bags full of gear. Heidelberg was nice but I got to hit the road. Its off to Assen and the GP, or maybe down to france, I'll see what the weather is like.

Cheers all

Ironman Switzerland

I was really nervous and anxious the night before the race so I didn't actually fall asleep until about 1:30 am. This would not have been a problem except we had to be up at 4:45 to make sure we got to the race course on time. However I had been laying in bed resting my body and legs since 10:00 pm and had been taking it easy all day, so I still felt good. J, Adrian (the British army officer we met at the hostel), Ola, and I arrived at the race course at 6:00 and began to get ready. Our bikes were set up in the transition racks the night before so race morning was pretty stress free except for having to wait 25 minutes in line just to take a crap.

A little less than 1850 people started the race, and after the 50 pros left separately, the remaining 1800 or so competitors all entered the water at the same time. This led to a bit of a free for all at the beginning. People were climbing on your back, hitting you in the side, kicking you in face face. My biggest worry was not being clobbered by some other racer, but having my timing chip ripped from ankle, not receiving any times, and having to pay the resulting $60 fine. During the first lap I checked my ankle probably 3-4 times in order to make sure that the chip was still there. At about 2/3 distance on the first lap things began to settle in and I could swim at a relatively smooth pace. My plan was to daft off people when i could, but more so, simply keep both swimmers on my right and left which meant it was likely I was headed the right way. I have a hard time swimming in a straight line without clear reference points so I looked up frequently to check my position to the big orange buoys. The second lap was relatively easy as the field has largely spread out, and I was able to settle in comfortably. I was surprised at how fast I had swum it, as I came in at 1:14.30, well ahead of my goal of 1:30. My transition went well, only 2:33 in and out. Coming out of the water I was in the middle of the pack, 900 something, but then came the bike.

I got on my bike, ate my banana that I had taped to my aero bars, drank a few sips from my bottle, and settled into my aero position. I was cruising at a good clip of about 18-19 mph sometimes getting into the 20s. I was keeping my heart rate down in 135 range which was where I had wanted it to be. However, within the first 10km of the bike probably 200 races just blew past me. I took some solace in the fact that all but a couple of the bikes were at least three times what my bike was worth. None the less I was getting smoked. I didn't bother much because a) I could do nothing about it and, b) I needed to just be steady if I hoped to finish. after about 20km of flat rode the bike course switched up into two brutal hills sections. I could only go 5-7 mph and keep my heart rate down in the 150-155 range. There were two positives to these beastly hilly bits though. First it allowed me to enjoy the gorgeous scenery and provided excellent views of the lake and the little villages on the outskirts of Zurich. It had rained all week but Sunday race day was perfectly sunny. There were cows with bells chewing grass in peoples back yards which backed up right to edge of the race course. All along the course at different points, dozens of fans would cheer you on, couples, families, little kids, were all out in force. A few local bands played music through the whole race.

On the third loop of the bike course, I was saved by a couple of young girls. I had run out of water in between aid stations, and these little girls had collected a few discarded water bottles, filled them at their house, and then would hand them to bikers coming up the hill. The second great part of this climbing were the descents. It was frustrating getting passed by all these people on the bike going up hill as I had to conserve my energy. However, downhill I could go balls out and not have my heart rate spike. There was one hill where I reached over 49 mph, but the bike staring vibrating a bit so I didn't want to try and go any faster. My first two loops were pretty steady at 2:17 and 2:25. my third loop was a bit slower and harder as it took me about 2:36. My third lap was aided however by me stopping at the beginning of it and finally taking the piss I had been holding in for more than 2 hours. I tried and tried to just piss myself so I wouldn't have to get off the bike, but I just couldn't´t (i guess my bladder is in pretty good shape). At least now for the third lap I would not have a full bladder adding to the pain of a horrendously sore ass and numb feet.

I completed the 3 loop (37.3 mile per loop) bike course in 7:18.35 for a total time of 8:35. However I knew the run was going to be really hard. My transition was a little long at almost 6 minutes, but I wanted to take my time, collect myself, put on sunscreen and take another piss. I began the run really well (for me), holding sub 11 min miles for the first 12. My heart rate was right at 145 and i thought I could maybe hold this for the entire race. however nearing the end of the second run loop, after about 2:10 I began to feel like I would pass out, and after seeing a couple of other races laid out asleep in the bushes, and knowing that if I did pass out I would not be allowed to finish, I ratcheted it down and started walking in order to collect myself. The next 10-12 miles were spent switching off between walking and light shuffle running. I knew that I could no longer hold the pace that would allow me to break 14 hours, but if i combined light jogging with walking, and could do that combo for the next 4 hours I could likely finish under 15 hours. This task was made easier since I partnered up with a German man who was right about at the same pace as me. Andres was 6'4", 220 lb, in his mid 40s, who did the whole race in a speedo and a skeleton biking jersey. My ass burned like never before on the bike with a padded crotch shammi, so I can´t imagine doing it in a speedo.

However with one loop to go (6.6 miles), Andres had to take a huge crap, so I was left alone to trudge on. with about 5 miles to go I reconciled myself to the fact that I would walk/shuffle myself across the finish line and could still make it under 15 hours. However with about 2.5 miles left I was overtaken by the meteorologist from one the San Francisco network affiliates (I don't remember which one), and she encouraged me to just run with her. Staying at her shoulder, I legitimately ran the next mile. Seeing that I had a chance to break 14:30 if i picked up the pace, I with Roberta's encouragement, turned it up over the last 1.5 miles, which I was able to do in 13 mins. It made me really happy that I was able to finish the the race strong. I passed about 10 people over that last mile and a half and finished at 14:26.30 which was good for 1404 overall, out of 1482 total male finishers.

This experience was great and I am very proud of myself for doing it, however it was also an extremely humbling experience. 3 men between the ages of 65 and 68 beat me by 50 min - 1:30 hours. 4 women aged 50 to 54 beat me by 35min - 3:45 hours. And the kicker for me was a swiss man, probably in his late 40s or early 50s, who rode the bike course for a loop; on a mountain bike; with a backpack on; with only one leg. His left leg was just a stump! I rode next to him for a while and we chatted for a bit and I though that If I clipped out one of my feet and tried to pedal with just one leg, I would fall over within 30 seconds. That dude was hard core.

Other notable times
Hirschey 11:01.42 516 m
J. 11:34.26 715 m
Mr. Hirschey 14:28.34 1410 m
Rachel (Hirschey's fiance) 14:39.07 148 f
Shane DNF (His foot was injured a week before and re-injured it on the bike and just couldn't keep going on the run)
Kara DNF (we came in together on the bike and she just looked drained)

Arrived in Zurich

So friends I have arrived in Zurich. but alas my bicycle and luggage are in the vast netherworld of the American Airlines baggage network. Hopefully I will get it in time for Sunday's race, however it was an interesting experience running in the humidity, around lake Zurich, shirtless (i only have one), trying to keep my junk from popping out the pee hole of my boxer shorts (not always succeeding I might add) .

Like I said it is really humid here and J. hopes that it will actually rain on sunady because that will make the whole event more bearable. The race course looks cool and fun, but what the hell do I know about Iroman triathlon courses. I think I should be able to finish, and that is all that really matters to me, that and winning the bet with Ola.

As many of you know I tend not to make plans, but my tentative plan for the next couple of weeks (assumeing I get my luggage) is to head to Heidelberg germany on tuesday. A man who runs a motorcycle rental company there has offered to help get a motorcycle. From there I am off to Assen Holland to watch the MotoGP there. After Assen, role into Belgium and bastogne. I want to try and steal a night in the Ardens where the 101st was held up during the battle of the bulge. After that, ride down the normandy coast down to Bordeux where I can hopefully use my wine knowledge to my own personal benefit. At least i will able to drink well. From there I will do some rding through the Piranes and, if the running of the bulls has not become a tourist nightmare, see if I can keep my butt from being scwered by a ranpaging vaca. After that I think I will just find as many twsity rodes and passes I can up in the alps and camp for a few days. But who knows, this could all change in a week.

cheers all

Moto GP goes network, Commentators go in the toilet!!!

So, first off let me give full marks to CBS for broadcasting the GP of Catalunya. Finally GP motorcycle racing may start to get the attention and more cross-over fans from F1 (kind of like most of you guys). Let me also say to those of you who plan to watch the race later on speed I am not going to reveal the results. I am just going to comment of the single biggest drawback of the telecast, the absolutely awful announcing. Kevin Schwantz and that other random, ignorant goofball were horrible. First of all it was almost like the two guys were calling the race from their living room, watching on the TV the same way we all were. There was absolutely no emotion, no sense of drama or urgency. Please, please CBS, just feed us through to that British guy that "Speed" watchers always get to listen to. What was even worse than the totally blandness of the commentators were the idiotic things they both were saying. Before the race even started the random dude, (who i am convinced is on CBS's (C) or (D) baseball announcing team and must of drawn the short straw, because he was just worthless). He pronounced Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli (Gui-n'-toe-lee) name as (Gene-toe-lee'). The guy sure doesn't look like an Italian french immigrant to me. The guy also called the riders, "drivers"; implied that nobody is later braking than Rossi (how about Barros); said that Stoner has been the headliner all year (Rossi could have a broken leg and be rolling around in a wheelchair and still be the headliner at any race he goes to). However as bad as this other dude, was Schwantz was even worse. "Carbon fiber" brakes? Try to imagine what would happen if going into turn one, the bikes were fitted with weaved carbon fiber brakes! "Bikes with 250 hp", most of the 990's didn't even make 250. Yamaha's own press information states "around 200", Ducati says "more than 200", even the most optimistic team, Suzuki, says "220-plus". Finally after about half distance Hopkins, in fourth, is more than four seconds off the lead group and Schwantz says "Hopkins is just drifting off the lead group". Based on lap times and track length that puts him about 320 ft of track behind the third place rider, that is more than a football field behind. Now this stuff would be more excusable if the Schwantz's dufus partner had said them, but Schwantz is a former 500cc World Champion! He should know better, and is the the booth presumably because he does know better. This was just sad. I would have rather of had the audio from one of the soccer games done by that Tele-mundo announcer dubbed over the broadcast. Who cares if every so often you get a random screaming of "Gooooooaaaallllllll, Gooooooaaaaaalllllllll", at least there would be some emotion, some passion.

I am a bit consoled by the fact that for CBS's next broadcast, the Assen GP, I will actually be at the race in person and won't have to listen to these guys again!!!