Today's Ride

I am feeling well enough now, and got back to training with a 5 mi run yesterday that was uncomfortable, but doable. I backed that up with a long ride today that I'll never forget.

The schedule called for 3 hrs, but I wasn't sure if that was in the cards. The weather still stinks around here. As is typical for a North Texas Spring day, it was windy as hell. We're talking steady winds in the 20 mph range, coming from the North, so it was an arm warmer day. I found myself off the aero bars most of the ride for safety as the gusts just caused too much wobble to feel good about my balance.

As I was heading out north, I rode past some Texas Longhorns and decided to stop for a photo opportunity.


I decided to deviate from my normal route and add a small climb into my ride by hitting Country Club Road to Hilltop Rd. to head up and over the little climb.

Right after I got over the climb, I'm riding along hugging the shoulder and WHAM! I feel like someone has taken a paddle to my left calf. I got hit from behind by a white Buick.

It was a glancing blow, and by some miracle, it didn't knock me down, or even run me into the ditch. I don't know what part of the car I was hit with, but it was either the front wheel or the side paneling, or some of both maybe.

The driver clearly as freaked out as I was sort of slowed before turning into a driveway maybe 50 yards up the road. The driver got out and walked up the driveway. It was a very old lady, probably in her late 70s or 80s. She had the big block sunglasses that have the 90 degree angle wrap around to the side. Behind them I could see her regular glasses were on.

She apologized profusely saying she couldn't see me. I was pretty calm, really because I was in a bit of shock.

After collecting my wits, surveying my leg and bike, I decided I could keep riding. After the adrenaline subsided, some soreness in my calf started to set in. It felt like someone had punched me right in my calf. I have a little bruise, but really, it is just some muscle soreness.

I guess this is what I get for having such big calves that stick out into the middle of the road.

In all seriousness, I was riding safely, it was clear as day, it was a quiet rarely traveled rural residential road, and it still happened. I'm lucky, and so was she.

Be careful.

This brings me to a safety question that in my mind is largely ignored in society. Shouldn't there be more scrutiny on the abilities and faculties of elderly drivers? My grandfather who just passed away was still driving all the way up to his last days in his 90s, and I'll tell you what. I wouldn't have wanted to be within 10 miles of him if he was out there. I hated driving with him when he was in his late 60s, and I can't imagine he got any better over time.

How many times have you seen someone driving erratic, too slow, or unsafe only to recognize as you drove past that it was an elderly driver?

It seems like it is sort of the pink elephant in the room. No one wants to come down or say anything about it out of sympathy, respect, or whatever. Myself included. But it isn't safe, and the number of elderly drivers is going to sky rocket in the coming years as the front end of the boomers start to hit that sweet spot where driving skills begin to erode.

Just a rant, but this lady had no reason not to see me. Turns out that driveway she pulled into was hers, so this all happened less than 100 yards from her house, so you can't say she wasn't familiar with the contour of the road, etc.

I'm just saying people... Be careful...

How Haile Does It

I've been under the weather with a pretty bad cough and head cold this week. Probably my own fault for cranking up the volume and intensity after my Galveston race a bit too much. I'm on antibiotics, but am pretty sure it is viral, and I'll just have to wait it out.

Anyhow, here is some motivation from Haile Gebrselassie

Good Weekend

We just got back from Austin this afternoon after spending a few days with my parents.

It was a good trip on several fronts. On the training front, I was able to get a long ride and a hard run in on Friday, and a long run in on Sat.

The weather was wet and on the chilly side this morning, and I didn't bring any warm cycling clothes so I decided to do a ride when I got home today.

Though the weather was no better when we got home, it cleared up right at the end of the day and I was able to go out for a couple of hours. I chased the storms as I headed out NW and got some pretty cool pics.

2009 Lonestar Qtr Iron Triathlon - Gavleston, TX

Let me try to bang out a quick race report.

Overall, a pretty good day for me. The effort level was there, fitness was in check, and the speed wasn't bad. I was a little rusty with the race stuff. Transitions were a little loose, had some goggle problems, and a blunder or two, but I'll learn from them.

Not much to report prior to the gun going off. We were a bit rushed this morning despite leaving the house at 5:15am this morning. We had to get gas, and the drive was almost an hour. but I hit the pier with a couple of minutes to spare ready to go.

My age group was in the first wave with the Pros and Elites. I didn't see any pros with all of the races going on throughout the world this weekend, but there were several collegiate tri team including the Naval Academy team who I believe is the defending NCAA National Champions.

So the gun went off, and the kids all took off with me in tow. I tried to hang with some, but couldn't find a pair of feet to sit on that didn't require me to hammer it, so I ws on my own most of the way. My right goggle was leaking like crazy and I must have swam with it full more that I didn't, and probably cleared it 5 times over the 13 minute swim.

The water was colder that I ever remember it being, and it was dark and overcast at the start. Really wasn't all that pleasant, but it was over quick.

It turned out that all of the guys who dropped me in the swim were elites, and not guys in my AG so I ended up with the top swim time.

Swim (0.6mi): 13:52 - AG place 1st out of 69

T1 was okay. I was pretty beat coming out of the water and took my time trying to get my bearings

As I rolled out of T1 and began to slip into my shoes already clipped into my pedals, I realized I'd put the right shoe in the left pedal, and the left in the right. I had to stop, dismount, unclip them, slip into them, remount, clip in, and go. I probably burned 45-60 seconds futzing with it, and saw several people ride by me while I straightened them out. I'll never make that mistake again.

The ride is a grind. It is pancake flat, and you just have to stay aero and push a big gear hard. There are no breaks to descend, or turns you can sit up through once you get out on the seawall.

There was a slight headwind on the 14 mile stretch towards the SW end of the island, but it wasn't bad.

My back grew a bit tired which tells me I need to spend some time on my core over the next few weeks. You can have the strongest legs in the world, but if your core is weak, they have nothing to push off of on the top end. You can't fire a canon from a canoe!

Bike (28mi): 1:19.42 (21.1 mph) - AG place 11th out of 69

T2 was pretty uneventful. Just a little messing around with my Garmin, but not really any time lost.

The run was a two loop course through Moody Gardens. I got out pretty quick, had a good turnover and was clicking off some decent miles. I fatigued a bit as the run went on and don't think I negative split it, but hung tough, dealt with the demons and the heat that was mounting and did fine.

Run (6.55mi): 54:57 (8:27/mi) - AG place 34 out of 69

Overall: 2:32.07 - 13th in my AG, 79th out of all guys, 117th overall

This is the 4th time I've done this race, and the third time it has been a quarter iron distance race. I PR'd by 11 minutes, and took time out of each discipline, so it was a balanced attack.

My buddies Tim and Darren also did the quarter with me and did real well. They finished within a couple of minutes of each other, didn't get hurt, and still have the fire to get after the next one so it was a success all around for us.

I just got back into town after the drive back up from Galveston, and am sitting back watching the opening night of the MLB season, so life is good. I've had my compression socks on since I got out of the shower, and my legs feel pretty good. My back is sore and I'm tired from the long day, but hope to get a spin in tomorrow.

I have 3 big weeks of training ahead of me as I prepare for Florida 70.3 on May 17th. This three day weekend coming up will help with this week's volume. I can chill out for a few days and use the extra day to get a couple of big rides in. I'll be in Austin so I'm looking forward to a few rides in hill country, and a big Saturday morning run at Town Lake with my wife Ingrid. We haven't run together in years it seems. I can't wait.

Bruno

Time to lighten things up here a bit. One of my favorite comedic actors, Sacha Baren Cohen presents Bruno, this July!

Family History Revealed

I've just returned from Los Angeles where I attended the memorial services, and spreading of ashes for my Grandfather.

It was an emotional few days, filled with laughs, tears, and revelations about the past of this unique character that I had never fully appreciated.

I came away from the trip with several stories about my Grandfather told by my Dad, Aunts and Uncles, but one that stood out to me was the story of his time served in the 7th Army, 3rd Infantry Division under Gen. George Patton. You can read a bit about the Division known as the "Blue and White Devils" in that hyper link.

My Grandfather fought as a Captain in an Artillery Unit, but later rose to the rank of a Major, a significant achievement in its own right.

From a letter he wrote to my Grandmother that we uncovered at his house earlier this week, I know that he spent time waiting and training in Ireland and Scotland, before being deployed to the front in Northern Africa. He fought in Algiers and Tunisia before crossing the Mediterranean to fight in Sicily and finally Italy.

My Grandfather was wounded in Italy during the Battle of Cassino, one of the fiercest battles with the Germans in the Italian theatre.

It was in the mountain approaches to Cassino that the division met its toughest opposition and displayed its greatest offensive prowess. Heavily reinforced, the Germans sat on Monte Rotundo, Monte Lungo and Monte la Difensa, ringing Mignano on the north, determined to hold at all costs.

Every foot of the way was heavily mined. Jeeps were replaced by pack mules. Men died who might have lived if they could have been transported over the long and tortuous trails to aid stations. Co. K, 7th, once had 23 casualties from AP mines while climbing a hill to relieve another company. Mules were forever straying off the paths, exploding mines and wounding badly needed men.

My Dad and Uncle shared with me that he was placed as a forward observer when shrapnel from an artillery shell that landed near his position lodged into the back of his leg severing a major nerve running the length of his leg.

As my Dad tells it, his post was so far in advance of the Allied line, and the battle was so back and forth, that he remained out at his post for three days before he could be evacuated by Allied Medics.

During that three day period, he was visited and treated by both US and German medics on foot who would administer morphine, and make note of their treatment on a "scorecard" that would stay on my Grandfather's person.

The wounds themselves were not life threatening, but over three days of waiting to be pulled from the battle field, and only receiving minor treatment on the wound, and more help with dealing with the pain, he lost a significant amount of blood, to the point of unconsciousness.

As my Uncle read during the memorial service, when Allied forces were finally able to secure the area my grandfather lay wounded, he was presumed dead, and was strapped to the back of a mule train that was headed to a graveyard where the fallen US soldiers would be buried.

If not for a slight twitch by my Grandfather that was witnessed by a soldier, he may have been denied proper treatment for too long to make it, or worse yet, buried alive.

He was able to receive medical treatment and make a near full recovery, over time regaining feeling in his foot as the nerve regrew, and was only left with a slight limp.

During the days that he remained wounded on the battle field as the line of advancement ebbed and flowed, he was classified as MIA and was presumed KIA.

A letter was written to my Great Grandmother informing her of the news of his missing status, but luckily, my Grandfather was able to phone my Great Grandmother in advance of her receiving the letter while in a hospital to save her from the grief that letter would place upon her.

For his wounds received in the Battle of Cassino, he was awarded a Purple Heart. This Purple Heart was something I asked my Grandfather a few years ago if he minded me inheriting some day. Though I have not seen the Purple Heart, my dad has it in his possession, and it will be making its way to me in a couple of weeks along with other pins, patches, and medals we were able to retrieve over the last week.

At the memorial service, an Army Honor Guard was there to honor my Grandfather with a three gun salute, the playing of taps by a bugler, and the folding and presenting of the American Flag.

This flag was presented at the ceremony to my Aunt, his oldest child, but was given to me to be displayed in my home.




As my Uncle read during the memorial service, my Grandfather never spoke of the fighting he saw, always instead telling stories of humorous encounters or of ironic happenstance.

One I recall was the time he got back from a march in the hills of N. Africa where he walked through some old Roman ruins during a heavy rain. Back at his camp, as he took his boot off, he realized that embedded in the mud in the arch of his boot was an old Roman coin which he gave to a friend who had been collecting rare coins as they moved throughout Europe and N. Africa.

Hearing these stories and the contents of letters uncovered gave me a glimpse into my Grandfather's past. It is a past filled with amazing stories. Definitely worthy of a novel. This part of his military past is but one of many I enjoyed rehashing with family over the weekend.