We just came back from a very nice weekend trip to Vancouver, BC. Donovan had a race on Saturday- his first ever run race! He prepared well and it showed, as he decidedly took on a large field of kids, ages 3-14. He started off hard, only stopped once, to take a closer look at a plastic flamingo, and he finished strong despite the strong sun, high temperatures, and having a cold with a runny nose!
This was highlight # 1 for me during the weekend.
On Sunday, I thought I'd race as well, since we were there already and what not. I have to admit I like the feel of smaller races- They just make me feel more connected with the sport. The field that showed up was deep with talent. My race can be summed as a good test of fitness, showing me I'm headed in the right direction.
I got kicked twice REALLY hard in the swim. One kick to the abdomen left me nauseous for a while, the other one was directly to my goggles, giving me a couple cuts around my left eye. Ugh. Lost about 6minutes to the guys/girls. The bike was a bit of a struggle at times- I was holding my watts, but wasn't really moving. I still negative split the ride. The run was tough. Even-split 10k's but it was hot and tough out there, with no ice or cola (Are you kidding me?). Finished 9th, and was subsequently poked fun at by some of the other guys for getting beat by a girl. That's how it goes. Jordan Rapp brought out his paddle on the bike and spanked us all.
All in all I'm happy with the results- I look at it this way: Training hasn't been the best lately, with all the family happenings, etc. My taper for this race consisted of driving to the race and being out in the blazing sun on Saturday, running around with Donovan, instead of being holed up somewhere and resting for the race. I got trashed in the water. I ran a few minutes slower than I would have liked, but I managed to hold off IM-Champ Jason Shortis, who was really charging hard behind me. All in all, a good day.
Weekend highlight # 2 was when Donovan took off and ran down the finish chute after me.
Here's Jason and I shaking hands at the line, and Donovan going to run across the finish line again.
Thanks to my beautiful wife Theresa for playing pit crew all by herself. Donovan and I couldn't do it without her support. She also drove back as we slept....
We had an awesome weekend. Thanks for reading.
July 7, 2009
Congratulations to my sis- and bro-in-law Liz and Neal for the birth of their son! Welcome Matthaeus Xavier! Donovan can hardly wait to play with his first cousin.
In a Lion-King sort of way (you know, the whole Circle-of-Life thing), the rest of my wife's family was gathered in Portland that same morning, where we were bidding farewell to Greatgrandma Florence.
June 15, 2009
Ah! Indeed, the summer temperatures are welcome these days.
May 30, 2009
Summertime is officially here! Donovan and I spent one whole hour yesterday morning splashing around at one of the local outdoor pools, during what has got to be one of the first REALLY nice weekends. We had a lot of fun in the sun! The day before I went out for a good 5hr ride, and at the 4hr mark I took off my leg warmers for the first time this season, my SRM confirming my perception that, yes, it was hot, 72F, plenty warm to be wearing them.
May 15, 2009
Mother's day was a good day and Theresa got a chance to enjoy some time away from her wonderful boys (D and me). Another May 10 rolls by and I can't help but remember Mona and how much I keep missing her, and her being around to see her nieto grow. The fragility of life in all its splendor.
In other news, NUUN has officially introduced BananaNuun as their newest flavor, and I had the chance to sample it before it was "officially released." I thought it was a bit crazy flavor choice, mostly because I think of bananas in a thick post-workout smoothie, but I gotta say it works WELL and will likely become a very popular flavor. I would like to take this opportunity to thank NUUN for their continued support.
April 26, 2009
Had an interesting long ride day yesterday- I sandwiched a local small 5k run race about a quarter of the way into the ride. I had contemplated doing the race sometime ago, but I hadn't really committed to doing it. Anyhow, I left my house fashionably late, and time-trialed pretty hard on the bike for 45minutes to get to the race site. Got there, legs burning, and proceeded to do my best impersonation of Taz, as I tore clothes off, registered, pinned-on a number, swapped bike shoes for run shoes, threw bike and helmet at Teddy, my bro-in-law, and ran to the start line, all in a whirlwind lasting a minute or so. It was kinda like a crazy T2. Some stalling at the start by the RD gave me a chance to catch my breath, and then we were off. The race was a blast! Â The eventual winner and I took off hard and gapped the rest of the field. We exchanged a few friendly words the first mile or so. I stayed on his shoulder, letting him do all the work into the wind, so he deserved the win. His family was really jazzed about his result. It was a good high-intensity workout for me and my legs were wondering what the heck was going on. After cheering on a few people, I got back on the bike and then rode for another 3hr. Riding hills got a little more challenging in the aftermath.... Ah, good times.
Props to Katie, my sis-in-law, for her 2nd place female at the race. Nice work, KT!
March 31, 2009
We went to Mexico City a few weeks ago, and watched my father re-marry and head in a new direction away from the lonely place he was in. We had a great time overall, and I enjoyed being able to show Theresa and Donovan the place where I was born. I love that Theresa is so interested in learning and seeing as much as possible about my homeland. We had some terrific eats, at upscale places, street joints, and everything in between. Donovan and I enjoyed the warm hotel pool at least twice a day.
In other news, yesterday was Donovan's official birthday. Our boy is THREE, and life is just zooming by. It is unreal at times. We had an excellent birthday Saturday, with little kids and adults running around the house. Donovan's food choices were HOT DOGS and SUSHI, so that's what we served, in addition to a cool-looking and awesome-tasting rocket cake.
Donovan has been slightly under the weather and it has caught me as well. Ugh... I seem to be getting sick much more easily these days... Up until today, training has been going well, with the most noticeable improvements in the water. My heels still hurt, but I am able to run and ride, so it's all good... Nothing like chocolate cake and milk to recover after running/riding. Well, ok, Hot Cakes are still the best, but cake + milk is a close second....
February 26, 2009
I finally started running again after my slight run in (pun intended) with the pool wall, and well, what do you know? I am getting slightly faster in the water, and it messes with my perception of where to flip turn, and WHAMO! once again. Oh man, this time my heels are purple and it really hurts to walk or even stand for periods of time. Damn. I went riding the other day, and I could feel the larger road imperfections painfully resonating in my heels. Oh, it's gonna take some time for this one to go away. Lesson learned- when you are not good at flip turning, don't risk it, leave enough space between you and the walls.
I don't really have all that much else to report at this time. In a couple of weeks, we will be heading down to my birthplace, Mexico City. My father is getting remarried. I'm happy for him. I'm also a little sad, but that is my own internal conflict- I suppose I am not ready to let go of Mona. I'm excited about the trip, and having a good time with my family. I have not been back to Mexico City, el D.F. as we call it, in about 15yrs or so. It will be good.
February 10, 2009
Still having things done to the house. By now, the basement is done, carpeted and ready for Donovan to roam around and make it his big play room. Cool. The furnace is right next door to it, so when it goes on, it heats up the basement to a toasty warm. The lights in the ceiling plus the heat vent make one particular spot of the basement ideal for heat training. Seriously. I have done some trainer sessions and have had to ask Theresa to close the heat vent and dim the lights because I'm sweating buckets. This will come in handy in the future months. My swimming is coming along well, I'm actually really happy about that. Unfortunately, I've managed to bang my heels on the wall of the pool, bruising myself silly, which has put running on hold for a while.
January 21, 2009
Here we go, birthday number 35 for me. My father has been visiting us for the last few days, and it is great to have him here. Donovan loves having him around, they play from sun up to sun down. I really wish we lived a little closer so that visits could be more frequent. He has been patiently and diligently giving me a hand painting some cabinets and helping out around the house, which we appreciate a lot.
My father's birthday is the 28th, and we seldomly have been together since I left Mexico to celebrate both our birthdays together. Well, he won't be staying up here until his birthday, so we decided to go out and celebrate them both on the 20th, my actual b-day. We went and had us an awesome time at Oceanaire Restaurant. If you are ever in Seattle, want to eat superbly, and like a swanky atmosphere, this is the place. Heck, they even put my name on the menu of the day and wished me a happy one! We had some great dishes and drinks, and everyone was on their best behavior.
My father really liked the seafood and how well the night went. Donovan thoroughly enjoyed the experience, trying all kinds of food, and lasted the whole evening in a super pleasant mood, which allowed Theresa, who looked as beautiful as ever, to have a great time trying out all the great flavors. At least that's what it looked like to me, but I did have a couple of gin-n-tonics. Really, I have to say, it was memorable evening. I am sure Mona was smiling at us and enjoying it as well.
Oh yeah, sport. Well, it's been going so-so, more than anything b/c I'm consciously dedicating effort and time to the house to get it in shape, so I'm not being as consistent as I'd like, but hey, it's about prioritizing. Anyways, I can report the time in the water is going well, and I'm still fitting in rides and runs as much as possible.
Mid thirties, here I am.
December 27, 2008
Oh boy, it's Christmas time! And, well, what better present than a new HOME!? Who would have known that all the stars would line up exactly to enable us to do this??? Anyways, we sold our house, closed in on the new one, and we moved all our belongings on December 26. The snow on the ground was threatening to make the move very challenging, but it melted enough over the morning of the move day to allow us to pack/unpack the big truck safely. Note to self- you are getting too old to be moving yourself. So we got the garage full of boxes, and now the arranging/unpacking fun begins. Donovan seems to be really enjoying the new house, it’s got a lot more open space, which means more room to run. He asks about the old house here and there, but I think he finds it exciting to be in this new place. His room has a BIG window, which I think he really likes.
So, that is about really it these days. Just been enjoying the holidays with my family and I think that's what this time of the year really is all about.
Best wishes for a good 2009.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Being sick sucks. Probably a little less than being injured, but it still has a high suck factor....
November 11, 2008
The word of the day is: HOTCAKES! You may know them as pancakes, but I say hotcakes. Yesterday Theresa was not feeling inspired to cook dinner, so I suggested hotcakes. And Donovan quickly seconded my suggestion. YES! Getting them for weekend breakfast is one thing, but getting hotcakes for DINNER, is simply awesome! No, I am not five and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a grown up loving hotcakes. You don't like them? I'm not gonna judge you, just you leave me in peace and pass me the syrup.
Truth is, Theresa's hotcakes are as good as they get- she makes them from scratch and adds her own touches to make them healthier for us. Donovan and I (usually) have to wait until the weekend to get her to make us hotcakes. It's like a ritual- Saturday's here, it's hotcake time! Nothing like waking up to watch some cartoons with Donovan, and heading over to the table for a big stack of hotcakes and a Nescafe Clasico. Heck, I love going out to workout long, only to come back home, hungry, and get myself a healthy second dose of hotcake action-jackson left over from the morning. Trouble with that brick run? All I gotta do is imagine the sweetness of it all once I get back home. You remember Dumbo, when he gets intoxicated and has all the trippy dreams, with elephants dancing and stuff? Yeah, man- replace the purple elephants on unicycles for syrup-y hotcakes and welcome to my world....
I do like waffles as well, though, and I will agree that whoever invented the waffle maker should be given the nobel prize. And depending on the day, the word can change from hotcakes to waffles, and Donovan and I are just as happy campers with waffles as we are with hotcakes. There is something about meticulously putting a blueberry in each little square and then flooding it with maple syrup, but this and other finer waffle points will have to wait for another day.
Friday, October 31, 2008
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
October 22, 2008
A month has gone by, and, quite honestly, not a whole lot has happened in that time. We continue trying to sell our home with no success- In general, we are seeing that the real estate market has slowed down some due to the economy. I am not sure I really understand how things work, but the bottomline is we haven't sold. We are living in a very clean and very minimalist home, something I have to admit I have been liking a lot.
I keep enjoying unstructured training, spending lots more time playing with my family. I did start swimming a lot, and things were progressing along nicely, only to be halted by some shoulder pain on the recovery part of freestyle. Ah, c' est la vie, I suppose. Not too too bummed out about it.
Happy Halloween!
September 22, 2008
I've been enjoying a really good break from structured training since Canada. I've been enjoying the weekends, waking up late, eating hot cakes with Donovan, and hardly working out. A swim here, a couple runs there, I've only been on the bike 2 times... down time for sure. Oh yeah, few beers here and there as well...
It's time to start thinking about next season, but before I get too far ahead of myself, I would like to thank Clint and Peter for their guidance and wisdom, iNewMed for their help to work out health issue, as well as Oomph!, NUUN, Sports Quest Direct, and Brooks for their continued support.
Time for donuts...
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
VIVA MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
V I V A ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Monday, September 1, 2008
Ironman Canada '08- After a lousy nite of sleep (this one was really bad), race day started off pretty well, with plenty of time before the gun to pump the tires up, pump myself up, kiss Theresa and Donovan, and wish friends lots of speed. The swim did not go well- I lost contact with the main bunch soon, and wasn't able to hang on to the last pack that came by me after a few minutes. Ratas! So I swam on my own all the remainder. I don't know what it is that happens to me in the water... T1 seemed like it took forever... Ran out as quickly as my frozen feet allowed. Grabbed bike, and was told to dismount- I guess I jumped on it too soon. As I did, frozen left foot slipped off shoe, and down I went, bike and all. "OH!" the crowd exclaimed... Got up, fly-mounted on again, and was off. No damage to the bike, 2 huge welts on my body. HR kinda low (not again...) but watts ok, so I pushed on, drank and ate as planned. Around Osoyoos, a tight train of drafting AG guys passed me. I dislike getting involved in this kind of stuff, so I put in an effort and passed them, and then Richter allowed me to distance myself for good for the remainder of the ride. I did well on the rollers, but suffered a lot on the out & backs, saw my HR and watts drop considerably. Up Yellow Lake was a real struggle. I saw my buddy Pedro cheering up there, and he later told me how dissapointed I looked. Anyhow, continued my solo ride to T2.
Got a big knot in my throat when I saw my pit crew out on the run. They were all so happy. I stopped for a second to steal a kiss from Theresa, Donovan looked excited. I knew how much we needed some sort of positive result, so I just pushed on, feeling terrible the first 4miles, with the same low HR issues on the run as in Cd'A. Run yourself back into it, c'mon man... I started hitting coke + water from 4mi on out, and pushed as hard as I could, backing off the pace everytime I began feeling light headed. So I ran as best as I could but significantly slower than I was planning.
At the end of the day, I ran myself back to 28th MPro in the largest field I've ever raced in (and super deep with talent), and sobbed with my family at the finish line (what can I say? I get really emotional). A good effort for an ok result but not where my fitness is. Congrats to my buddy Michael Gordon for a solid show.
We'll try again next time.... until then, ch(b)eers
Tuesday, August 28, 2008
Ironman Canada was an ok result and one step closer to getting it figured out. A great vacation, for sure. I sincerely tip my hat to all the people that endured the rain and cold that began as the sun went down.
Thanks to my pit crew- Lizzy, Stink, Jeff, Audra and of course, Theresa and Donovan, to the loud cheering provided by Jaime, Fred, Pedro and Akemi, to everyone else who sent an email, phone call, thought or prayer my way and to our homestay hosts, Mike, Su and Anja- you guys were amazing.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Geez, well, a whole 2 months seems to have gone by and I just have not had the time to update this. So here's a recap of what has happened since the end of June- Donovan has been enjoying being "out of school" (whatever that means- he's only 2!) and we've had a fair share of playing out in the sun and in his inflatable pool. Little by little he seems to be liking the tricycle more and more. When he gets on it, he makes a disc-wheel WOOSH-WOOSH sound with his mouth, because he's learned that's what papa's bike sounds like. Awesome. He is also into running around with his arms up while saying "Donovan wins the race!". There's so many people around us who do sports that I am positive he believes swimming, biking, running AND racing is something ALL grown ups do.
I've been going to see these guys to try and figure out if there was something wrong with me. They can't look in their crystal ball and rewind the tape to Cd'A to figure out what may have gone wrong, but they have helped me address some of the vitamin and mineral defficiencies in my blood. I seem to be ok otherwise.Sports-wise, I drowned my sorrows in a few (maybe 6-8?) beers during the 1-2 weeks after Cd'A, signed up for Canada, and began building up solidly. The build blocks for this one have gone well, and am now feeling good during the 10days of taper. I was able to get some good long runs and rides in and I've been working hard in the water while trying to keep up with fellow local pro Michael *Flash* Gordon. Look for him to show why they gave him bib # 11. And so we will have the vanagon packed up with all of my toys, Donovan's toys (Theresa doesn't bring any toys) and other stuff and ready to take off tomorrow morning. We are hoping to leave as early as we can, and keeping our fingers crossed for a speedy border crossing.
We are all hungry for a positive result.
Ironman Coeur d Alene Recap. June 22, 2008
So, the week we spent over in Cd'A was absolutely fantastic, thanks to the AMAZING hospitality of the Ward family. They made us feel like a part of their family and really spoiled us rotten.
The race, well, here goes: Starting with a horrible HORRIBLE swim (Honestly, I am a much better swimmer, you have to believe me), I just don't even know how to explain such a bad swim. I took out the first loop of the bike SUPER easy, to assess the situation. I did not push hard at any point, not the hills, not the flats, and my SRM told me I was just a hair over 2.5hr for the first 56mi. I was excited about this, b/c I felt totally fresh and ready to pour on the gas and get me a sub 5hr split. For those of you who recall the coyote and the road runner cartoons, you know how Wiley puts together rocket-powered ACME contraptions and then he pushes the big red button or lights the fuse, and often NOTHING happens??? Exactly. My heart rate started gradually decaying on the 2nd loop of the bike, and that was how my day became unglued. I got off the bike and ran as best as possible but began walking/stumbling a lot after mile 6. Theresa said I could barely stand or speak at mile 15. I pushed on to mile 16, where medical personnel pulled me from the race shortly after collapsing. It just wasn't meant to be on Sunday.
Theresa, Donovan and I were fortunate to have the great support of an amazing pit crew for this race. Liz, Katie, Teddy, Nick, Kelly, Mike, Leighanna, Rachel, Michele, and Taylor- thank you guys for all your support at the race and in the months leading up to it. I feel bad to not have been able to generate a positive result to share with all of you.
Gotta do some homework to figure things out in terms of racing, but we left Cd'A grateful to have made such great new friends and having had a great vacation.
It is just another race, with lessons to be learned. Done deal. Time to look forward and plan the rest of the season. And get some better fuses.
JC
Tuesday. June 10, 2008
Today I swam at Lake WA, in very similar temperatures to Lake Couer dAlene. It hurt, but it wasn't as bad as Sunday. I did swim less time today, taking it in small incrememts day by day. The conditions were otherwise perfect- overcast, flat as can be, no boats, no one, no nothing. Just me in freezing water. Zen in a wierd way...
Sunday. June 8, 2008
Today I went for a lake swim. I typically don't like swimming in this particular body of water, well, b/c in my mind, it will always be dirtier than Lake Washington. I choose it b/c it is close to my house, and slightly warmer than both Lake WA and Lake Coeur dAlene. Anyhow- without getting too much into water quality issues, I will admit it was foolish to paddle around in water with 'moderate' concentrations of E. Coli and Fecal coliform, but the bottomline is I NEED to get the time in open water. Never took my googles off and was very careful to not hydrate while swimming. I didn't enjoy this outing much. I was cold. VERY cold. I got 12days and change to dunk my body into frigid water as much as possible and figure out how to stay warm while in it. Last year at Lake Coeur dAlene, it was conditions like these that made for my worst racing day. This time around, I have some time to prepare and figure out a plan. Saturday. June 7, 2008The bike's here! The buildup took time, sweat and tears. My homeboy Brian 'B-Boy' Burton provided his valuable time and wrench expertise. I feel super lucky to have someone like him in my corner- We are great friends, both enginerds, and enjoy most things technical. But when it comes to bike dialing-in, well, I'm just the guy with the apron that sweeps the floor. I did help as much as I could, but it was really all his doing. We tweaked this, cursed that, and the end product is awesome. I took it out for 4hr ride, to loosen and stretch all the stuff that loosens and stretches initially. Brought a couple 3,4 and 5mm wrenches with me, tweaked some minor things on the fly, but pretty much am super happy with the setup. I was a bit nervous about the new 1-piece Easton TT Attack carbon front end, but it works out great for me. The bike is fast, stable, and oh-so comfy. My only nit-picky comment so far has to do with the elevation of the pursuits- they are low, and if you ride with your hands on them for extended periods of time, not very comfortable- but that is neither here nor there, b/c, really, if you are using these bars, you are likely not thinking of riding leisurely- No siree, this setup is about getting down to business and going for speed. So here's to Brian- thanks brother!! I've officially been pimped.
Sunday. June 1, 2008
My dad said I looked beat up when he saw me over the webcam tonite. I can believe it. I am tired. I am sore. And I also got this great feeling inside- I have trained as HARD as I could, responded well to the load and really took it to the limit this past weekend to end a great build. I have done the work, reached the apex and now the regeneration starts.
IM Cd'A minus 20 days. I am not the only one ready for the day to be here...
Friday. May 23, 2008
Big weekend coming up. Big weekend 1 of 2, for that matter. Bring it!
I am very much looking forward to getting the P3C frame + fork so I can put all the other parts on it and get rolling.
Monday. May 12, 2008
After a rest week, I am ready to enter the last and challenging build block. In the meantime, I have pulled the trigger on a P3C. It's a great bike, and I'm looking fwd to getting it built up and dialed in. Imagine the watts I'll save... heh.
Here's a tip on equipment.
It involves keeping your bottles in your behind-the-seat hydration systems. First off, I'm not sponsored by any of the following brands, but this is what I've found works well for me. OK, so, I use a Fizik Arione Tri saddle, and on it I have an Xlab Flatwing with 2 Profile Design Kages. The system is a little heavy, but it puts the bottles angled-under and right-up-to the back of the saddle, which is how I want them not only to keep them as much out of the airflow, but also to be able to get to them while riding. The PD Kages are used by a huge number of folks and are a tried-n-true behind-the-seat cage... until the little rubber band snaps! Ah, but here is the JC solution to keep jettisoned bottles to a minimum. You know those old goggles you got somewhere? All scratched up, or with leaky gaskets? Don't throw them away just yet- grab the strap first. This works best with the flat straps that are commonly used by TYR, Speedo and others. Measure around the cage, cut your strap, tie it kinda tight, and voila! Not only will these last way longer, but they have very little give compared to rubber bands, and fit tight into the groove of the PD cages, so your bottles are held tighter regardless of how much liquid is in them. If you do have your bottles behind the seat, do yourself a favor and sporadically check during your ride to make sure your bottles are where they need to be, specially after you go over a significant bump.
Hope this helps someone. :o)
Monday. May 5, 2008
Training is going well. Just finished a good build week. One of my achille's tendons was bugging me the last few weeks, but I think I am back in the run business. Awesome.
Coach Clint went and raced Wildflower this past weekend and I hope he had a good execution. I know it meant a lot to him.
I will leave you with some words from EminemSometimes you just feel tired,Feel weak,And when you feel weak,You feel like, you wanna just give up,You gotta search within youYou gotta find that inner strengthTo just pull that sh*t out of youAnd get that motivation to not give up,And not be a quitter,No matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your faceAnd collapse.
Thursday, April 30, 2008
El 30 de Abril, en Mexico, es el dia del ni~o. Even though we are not in my homeland, we celebrate it here for Donovan. It is one of those things I want him to grow up with. At any rate, at 2yrs of age, he didn't quite get what 'dia del ni~o' was, but was still thrilled to get a little gift.
Yeah, so it's been a while since I last updated my here blog for the 1-2 of you that read what I write. I just have not had the peace of mind to put some words down.
In my previous entry you can see the last picture of its kind. Loving, selfless, tough-as-nails, always optimistic and with a contagious fighting and happy spirit, Mona, my mother and one of my best friends, departed this Earth some 6weeks ago. I know she will continue to watch over us, and we will forever keep her memory alive.
It specially saddens me to know Donovan will grow up without her. Still, I am thankful for the times during his first 2yrs he got to enjoy her. He prays for her every night.
Over the last weeks, I have received many nice messages with regards to my mother. My family and I would like to thank all of you for your kind words and support. It really means a lot.
It's been my experience that while racing at the IM distance in triathlon, when one starts to push HARD, most of us find we go through some *really* rough patches. They are not happy places- The air is thick with pain, confussion and anger, self-doubt abounds, resolve can easily die here. I've heard people call them 'special' or 'dark' places. Mona went through a much darker place than most of us will ever willingly go. And she fought with all she had. The next time I open the door to one of these places, I will be inspired by her courage and will push much harder than ever before. I hope to find myself in that position in 50-some days, at IM Coeur d'Alene.
Thanks for reading.
jc
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Life is very fragile, live every moment with all you got. That's what they've taught me.
Peace
Monday, March 3, 2008
Just got back from spending ten days in my homeland by my parents' side. I am not gonna even try to pretend- writing this entry sucks. For all those of you who have been in one way or another touched by cancer at its late stages, you know where Iwe are now. There is no such thing as calling 'race support' here.
My mother is now at home after some horrible days at the hospital. I plan to return to my homeland very soon.
Oh yeah, for those 2-3 people that read what I write, IMAZ is gone now.. My fitness has gone down the drain and I have zero regrets about that. My universe is far more vast than multisport.
January 28, 2008
Today is my dad's birthday. Not the happiest of birthdays for him. So I'm back to training. A lot of times I find myself just going thru the motions and trying my best to focus on the goal of the workout, and, often times, it is tough. The knee thing turned out to be nothing and it's gone away on its own. I am thinking of going up to Victoria B.C. this coming weekend to hang out with Coach Clint, to train a little and go over our plans. The change in scenery might do me good.
I hear Arizona is 11 weeks away, or something like that....
Friday, January 25, 2008
We just came back from visiting my folks down in Guadalajara for 6 days. Last time we saw them was in late October, when they came up to visit us. In the time in between, my mother's health has continued to go downhill, and she is now visibly more affected by pain, general discomfort and lack of energy. For those of you who don't know, my mother has been battling for years Type 4 colon cancer, metastisized to her liver. She seems to be doing a little better these days managing her pain by using morphine. I get upset very easily to talk much about this, so I'm not gonna write much here.
We had a good time, specially Donovan, who played with his Abuelo, well, since he got up in the morning and until he went to bed. We got to eat some very yummy food and it reminded me how much I miss certain things. More than anything, we got to spend some pretty good time with my mother during her 'good times' of the day. We had a great comida at one of our favorite restaurants for my brithday on Sunday, 01/20, and everyone seemed to really enjoy it.
While down in Guadalajara, I simply had no desire to train. Still, the long-distance junkie that I am, I did go out for a base run at one point when everyone was taking a nap. I managed to hurt a knee, and it was most likely a sign to just lay off training and concentrate on family time. A lot of memories got refreshed as I was out running, as well as finding it surprising how much things have changed (Streets, etc). The stick I carried in my hand while running came in handy as I fended off 3 dogs at different times, of which, the smallest was the most aggresive, following me for about a half-block while trying to snap at my ankles. It was also interesting to have been called what translates roughly into 'freaking little homo' and 'little male-whore' from drive-by cars. Heck, I was just wearing shorts and a t-shirt.... This would happen occasionally while out running during my High School days, so it didn't phase me much this time either. It just reminded me how different my life is and made me wonder what my life would have been like if I had stayed there. I didn't even try going to the nearby chicken-soup pool (yeah, it's *that* disgusting).
See the street up there? Every Sunday there's this huge street market that goes on for blocks and blocks. My dad got me my first pair of 'real' running shoes there one day, a pair of Nike Pegasus.
Friday - January 4, 2008
2008- The new year is here! Time to really start IRONing (pun intended) out all the details for the season... well, sort of, anways... Today I had an excellent chat with coach Clint. Oh yeah, we discussed sport at one point, but we spent good time talking about life in general. The last 2 weeks have been good, with lower training volume as can be expected, and full of play time with Donovan as well as some relaxing with family and friends. I've eaten and drank all I've wanted but I've also remained active. Santa was good with me this year and I got all 124 (!) episodes of the Pink Panther cartoons. They were a big part of growing up for me, and it was great to once again roll on the floor with laughter while watching a few of my favorite ones.2008 will be a good year for sport, 2008 will be a fast year, I just have this feeling.
Monday - December 16, 2007
I haven't been very good at keeping up with updates. I've been fairly busy, trying to do the juggling act of dad/husband/sport freak/full-time worker bee. It's tough often times to find time (or energy) for much else. We did manage to get a tree and Donovan helped us decorate it. On the sport side... let's see-- Since I last reported, I've been putting in some consistent base weeks, doing what I can to focus on developing better technique across the disciplines. I've also been hitting the gym regularly. Only time will tell how I will benefit from the inclusion of weights into the routine. I have a feeling this season will be good...
With the holiday season upon us, I would like to wish everyone much happiness now and in the upcoming year. To my pit crew and family, thank you for putting up with me for yet another year- I couldn't do it without you guys!
Here's to a great 2008! Salud!
Monday - November 5, 2007
Since the last blog entry I enjoyed a little time off from training, then started back into it slowly. Since then, I've been getting some good weeks in, mostly focusing on getting better in the water, and putting in some base miles on the bike and on the run. New this year for me is the inclusion of weights, and that has been going well. I think 2008 will be a good season, and the direction I am getting from the coach is solid. I know he really wants to see me do well.
Friday - September 28, 2007
2007 Season End
My first season racing as a pro ended with Canada in August. I was tempted to go down to Florida and try to come up with a good result there, but we all needed a break and I chose to end my season, rather than try to mend it. Things didn't go quite as planned this year, but all in all I learned valuable lessons and increased my fitness level. I am confident I will put it together in the coming years and hope to surprise everyone, including myself.
At this point I am not 100% certain which events I will do in 2008, but I do plan to race more and in doing so, race better when it really counts. Arizona is looking really good, and I definitely will be back to Penticton someday to settle things.
Thanks for reading & for all your support- it means a lot to me.
-- JC
September 18, 2007
I have been working my ass off in the water over the last few weeks. I've been swimming more than ever before, and I feel it is starting to make a difference. I am not swimming crazy amounts per session, but what I am doing is swimming back to back days, and paying very close attention to the technique and drilling like there is no tomorrow. I think it is working out. I am going to try to see if I can get out to see the swim guy b4 October, though it is hard with him being in the Eastside. My shoulders feel a little loaded, but propulsion in the water feels better. I guess we'll see, but if I'm able to develop these new skills into the full distance, I will be in good shape.
I decided to nix IMFL and end the season. The lead up to IMC was tough on everyone. Everyone on the "Team" needed a break and I think it is for the best to not have tried to force IMFL. If I were to have gone down to FL, and things not gone "well", I think the hole I would have gotten myself into would have been rather deep, in all aspects…. It would have also made for an extremely short off season, and I know we all needed the time "off". I am currently enjoying being able to spend more time at home with Theresa and Donovan than I did during the long weekends before Canada.
September 06, 2007
Today is Thursday, September 06, 2007, eleven days after Canada.
So I've been dealing with the post IM depression. I think for me it is more of the underperformance-type depression on top of not working out much. The fire in my tummy is far from out, but before I let it burn again and dive head-first back into training, I need to answer a few questions I have in my head. I am trying not to dwell on what happened, on what could have been, and as evidenced by meeting up with a swim guy, I want to get working and move on. Still, it is not easy. I have contemplated doing Florida. If I were to do this, I would essentially have only November for an offseason, as I am planning on doing Arizona in early April next year.
Wednesday - August 29, 2007
Ironman Canada 2007 Race Report
Chase the chopper, Papa!
Well, here we are. It is Wednesday August 29, 2007, 3 days after IMC. I thought I should get some of my thoughts written up so I can come back and revisit them when I'm feeling a bit better. IMC is such a beautiful and powerful event. The support of the residents of the towns/remote areas the bike course goes thru is incredible. I had read it was unreal but the actual experience is something else. Truly great. We had a really good time overall. My day- The swim started as all swims, with plenty of contact. I was determined to stay in one of the chase packs to get a good swim time, knowing that, usually, every mpro and fpro can swim well. As the swim group splintered, I caught on to one of the last chase packs, made up of all fpros and stayed there. My effort was easy, and I felt great. We were hitting every buoy spot on. Things were going great until I saw the lead kayaker for the AG'ers go by with ~ 200m to go. I started cursing in my head b/c I knew we were swimming WAAAAY slow. Out of the water, my buddy, excellent swimmer and former IMC Champ Tom Price was stripping his wetsuit ahead of me, which meant I had swam about 12-15minutes too slow. I was sooooo mad. I think this set the tone for the day. I saw Theresa and Donovan cheering me out on the bike, and tried to put the swim behind me, and thought about having a steady/strong ride and then letting it rip on the run. I rode easy/steady all the way to McClean road, to get my HR settled. After that, my entire ride was totally flat. HR and power numbers were down, and I simply couldn't go. Lots of AG'ers started coming by, I must have been a great target for them. I was eating and drinking, staying aero, trying to stay smooth, but I just wasn't moving. I tried switching cadences- no go. After Richter Pass, the stiff winds beat me up pretty badly on the rollers, and I just kept getting dropped by so many AG'er guys. On Yellow Lake I caught up to Kjell (Schioberg), one of the other Mpros who was having a miserable day as well. We talked for about a minute as we climbed. My legs felt destroyed as we headed back into town. I had made the decision to finish regardless of time. I was not hurt or behind in my nutrition like in Cd'A, just underperforming big time. I got off the bike, and got to running. I saw Theresa and Donovan, and, man, it tied a knot in my throat. They were waving Donovan's little Mexican flag and he was so excited to see me. I stopped to kiss them both. Theresa had a sad expression, and asked if I was pulling out. I said no, no way, not this time. I got to the first turn around, and couldn't wait to see them again. I wanted to tell them I was going to try to run a good marathon for them, that every single step would be theirs, and that I couldn't wait to hold them at the finish line. All I could mutter when I passed by them was that I loved them so much. And with that I was off. I took out the first 4miles easy, to see what kind of shape my legs were in after the pathetic bike ride. My running legs were fine, and at mile 4, it was go-time. All the prep work would come to this-Put the rest behind, focus on the task at hand. I settled into my race pace, and was breathing easy, my HR was where it needed to be, and I thought I could at least have the run I had planned and that Theresa and Donovan would be proud of that. I felt my run was fluid, and was taking care of myself by taking in water at aid stations, sipping out of my gel flask for carbs and sodium, and for the first time in 6.5hrs, I was feeling like I wanted to feel all day long. I think all the AG'ers I was flying by were relieved to see I was not in the AG competition. I saw the lead guys come by. I was expecting to see Kenyan-style gaits. It broke my heart to see that, aside from Jonathan Caron, all these other guys on their way back were NOT running that fast. I don't care what people say or think, I saw them- I KNOW now that I can run with any of them. I now need to work on getting there to be able to run with them. One of the fpros I passed got a time check on Lisa (Bentley) of 18minutes. I knew 18min in 14-15mi was almost impossible to make up, b/c Lisa can run steadily, but it gave me a good carrot. Whether that happened or not, I looked at my watch at the halfway point and saw that I was right on schedule for a sub 3hr run. I would be happy with that, and it would make me feel like I had 'saved at least part of the day. And then it happened, very quickly too, it was kinda scary now that I think of it. I hit the wall, HARD, somewhere around mile 15, in the space of 200ft, I realized I couldn't run straight anymore, so I slowed down to a walk. I was aware I was having a hard time walking in a straight line as well. I must have been REALLY wobbly, as spectators were rushing to my side, asking if I wanted race support to come get me. I must have started walking better at some point b/c they left me alone. Then Kjell passed me, and encouraged me to go with him, but I was so out of it, I couldn't even say anything. The eventual 4th place fpro passed me and I tried to go with her, but I had to stop again. I got to the next aid station, and took in coke, lots of coke, and water. Eventually the simple sugar got to my system, and I was able to resume my jog, though at this point, all I wanted was to get the day over with, see my family, whom I knew would be happy to see me finish regardless of time. Kept drinking coke and water until the end, burping for what seemed like miles on end. I passed 2 other MPros on the way in, both of them looking like they were having as horrible a day as me. I finished and went over to Theresa and Donovan. I sobbed quietly on their shoulders for a few moments and then headed to the recovery area. I was mentally broken, but physically fine. I got asked repeatedly at the massage tent if I had even raced at all, so I must have looked as fresh as I felt at the end. I am happy I finished this one. The hug at the end from my family is the sweetest reward. The finishers hats rock as well. :o)
thanks for reading
-- JC
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2007 Race Report
17 DNF RAMIREZ JUAN CARLOS MPRO 21/21 1:13:21 2:56 5:27:06 1:15
Last Sunday I went through one of the lowest moments in my few years in triathlon. It was a scenario I had never contemplated and one I hope to never have to go through again.
Here's my "race" report-
After a bit of a stressful start to the day (forgot my nutrition bottles at home, DOH!), I was able to go warm up in the water for a few minutes. Then they proceeded to pull us out of the water b/c of the rough conditions. The time spent OUT of the water, wet, with the wind whipping hard, and waiting for NAS to decide whether to cancel the event, really got me cold- I was shivering by the time they let us back in the water, and now that I think of it, I didn't have any adrenaline pumping through my body any more.
I was just plain cold and uncomfortable. When we got back in the water, the temperature was cold (15-16°C) and it was wavy. I was looking around at the other pros and everyone else looked to be ok with the conditions we were about to face. I wasn't scared, but I was not feeling ready to race and knew the swim was going to be rough, specially going up and down in the waves. I tried to hang with the other guys when the gun went off, but those guys took off. It took the front AG guys about 1min to bridge the 30ft gap and I got the snot beaten out of me. I was never able to get into a rhythm, and swallowed lots of yummy Lake Cd'A water in the process. I simply didn't have the energy in me. At the end of the first loop, my left hamstring tightened up so much I was barely able to walk up the beach and over the timing mat. I couldn't feel my hands or feet for the remainder of the swim. I was pretty happy to be out of the water when I finally got done, and really disappointed with the worst IM swim I have ever had.
Trying to make up time, I sprinted out of T1 without arm warmers, or a vest. It really does a number on you when you reach the bike rack and your ride is the only one sitting there. I was pretty cold for most of the first 1 to 1.5hrs. I also started to pee very soon, and the nutrition I was taking in just seemed to stay in my stomach and make me bloated. This went on for the entire first loop of the bike. My pace/power and HR seemed to be where I wanted them to be, despite the GI and temperature issues. At the start of the 2nd loop, pace/power and HR came crashing down, most likely a sign of the calories sitting in my stomach and not yet in my system. Went through special needs, picked up my 2nd bottle of nutrition. And then… the cage holding it, well, it just snapped, somewhere, somehow. All I know is I reached back and the bottle was gone with half of the cage. To summarize, I went for about 45minutes without nutrition. I didn't want to keep drinking water because I was peeing so much I was a little nervous about the amount of sodium I was loosing. When I finally got to the next aid station, I stopped and improvised, though I knew neither Gatorade Endurance nor the gels offered agreed with my stomach. Still, I pounded a few gels, and grabbed another handful. I was never able to re-lift my pace/power and HR, but still rode as best as I could. At about mile 75 I noticed my rear break was rubbing my disc, so I reached down and opened up the brake. I have no idea how long this had been going on for. By the end of the ride, my hamstrings and lower back were really sore. I have no idea how many times I peed during the ride (it was THAT many). I also started coughing hard about ¾ of the way into the ride.
Got off the bike, and out of T2 quickly. I had to stop soon thereafter, yes, to pee once more. My running legs seemed ok, but my hamstrings were sore and my lower back was plain hurting with each step. I went by Theresa and Donovan. Donovan was waving his little Mexican flag and was all smiles when he saw me. I stopped for brief second to let them know things were not going well. After seeing them, I got a spark from within and forced myself to keep running. With a bloated stomach, a solid back pain and continuing to cough, I made my way to the mile 3 aid station. I wanted to see if things would get better, but they were only getting worse. I was coughing more and the back pain was making me run bent over. At this point, I stopped. Tom (Evans) came by the other way, 7mi ahead of me, with Viktor (Z-man) charging hard behind. This crushed me. Granted, I didn't think I'd be fighting for a top spot, but I didn't think I'd be O-N-E whole hour behind them at the beginning of the run. A race support vehicle took me back to the finish line. I turned in my chip, found my family and the rest of the crew. The emotions some of us experience on race day can go from one extreme to the other. I quickly went from confusion, to anger to disappointment. I cried my frustration out. I would have continued sobbing had it not been for our little baby boy, who was completely unaware of what was going on, and was just plain happy to see "papa" and ready to play.
Theresa, Donovan and I spent a couple more days relaxing in beautiful Coeur d'Alene. It is great to be reminded that there are more important things in life than one day gone bad in sport. The weather the next few days was, of course, great, unlike raceday. I tip my hat to all the guys/gals who stood up to the harsh race conditions of that day.
I want to thank my pit crew for coming out to Idaho and for their continuous support. Lizzy, Neal, Brian and Jaimie- you guys rock. The rest of you who followed the event on-line and called/emailed to send me positive vibes, I totally appreciate it.
IM Canada is looking really good right about now... 9weeks to go...
JC
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2007 minus 12hrs
Less than 24hrs. Happy to report I am healthy, fit and ready to race tomorrow. Theresa, Donovan and I got here a few days ago and settled in the rental house. We have the fortune of having Liz and Neal with us, and Jaimie and Brian arrived last night. We have enjoyed hanging out and having everyone around has made me worry very little about tomorrow. I know my parents will be glued to the computer all day long. I want to thank all the emails and several calls I've received from my friends, getting positive vibes sent my way... I hope to put on a good show tomorrow for all of you....
That's all.
It's time to race- See what we got...
JC
