Well kids, the NYC marathon was every bit as mind-blowing as it was billed. One week later, I’m looking back in awe of it knowing I’ll probably make it to the end of my days with that still sitting high on my list of transcendent experiences. I’ve been floating all week– spiritually anyway, my physical … More Big Run Done! 26.2 Miles Through the 5 Boroughs
Running gear is laid out. I’ve packed my Gu and Metro card, made my meet-up plan with David, thought through my transit plan for getting to the Staten Island ferry by 7am. Traded texts with other runners and well-wishing friends. I’m ready. I can feel myself on the verge of letting go of all this … More Eve of the Run
I was at the check out stand at Pharmaca about to swipe my card for a bottle of Tranquil Sleep melatonin supplement when I realized that the one other item on my shopping list for the day was coffee. With this clever nudge from the cosmos I was persuaded to take a closer look at … More My Revealing Shopping List
It was after dark and a little chilly, coming in past Bellingham’s Victorian storefronts and through the salt air to Boundary Bay Brewery. So happy to be done! 130 miles all told. A long ass way. And I do mean ass. They set the Chuckanut Century ride up in two big loops, each 62 miles. … More Part Two of the Broken Ironman: Ride Done!
Tomorrow morning around 7am, I launch on Part Two of the Broken Ironman, the double metric century bike ride. 200K equals 124 miles, a good 40 miles longer than the longest training ride I’ve done. It’s the Chuckanut Century out of Bellingham, Washington. It’s gorgeous up here and the weather is perfect. I’m feeling a … More Big Ride Eve
I swam like an eagle (i.e.; technique wasn’t pretty), but the elements and experience were epically gorgeous. Seattle did its meteorological thing on Wednesday morning and brought a sudden cool, cloudy and very windy couple of hours that coincided perfectly with our swim event–the Puget Sound Blood Center’s Swim For Life. My crossing (somewhere between … More Part One of the Broken Ironman: Swim Done!
The first event of my Broken Ironman happens tomorrow (Wednesday) morning! It’s the Puget Sound Blood Center’s Swim for Life–fundraiser for bone marrow testing and matching. I’ll be swimming from Medina Park to Madison Park 2.25 miles (Okay not quite the Ironman distance of 2.4, but we’re going call it good.) David DeBusk and Tony … More Tomorrow We Swim!
This was a shot of joy. My friend Stokley’s daughter Lavinia (aka Lava) who is 13 and has been a pool swimmer for a few years told me she wanted to try lake swimming. I loaned her a wetsuit and off we went with Stokley paddling the orange kayak escort. Lava was born to it. … More An Open Water Swimmer is Born
I can get anxious before training runs. Add a strange location where I don’t know the route; add 90-degree heat, gusty wind and smoke from distant forest fires; add an altitude of 4000 feet and a schedule of events with lots of other people that require I get the run done at a specific time. … More A River Ran Through It – 11-Mile Montana Run
Back in February or so when I decided to commit to doing the three separate events of an Ironman this summer, I knew I was lobbing a freakout to my future self. There would come a time when the training runs, rides and swims would start to load up heavy and I would wonder what … More A Cupcake Run + A 60-Mile Ride
