tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108371832528653182024-03-13T15:40:16.028-04:00 "Tri-Life"My life as a husband, father, teacher, coach, and triathlete.Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-67209781576789755192014-11-09T23:06:00.000-05:002014-11-10T06:13:50.701-05:00Kona Project Update: Final Edition - "The Journey"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZH3bz3XqQw/VF2D1GtZ7MI/AAAAAAAAA8k/YhELYzsW-GY/s1600/IMG_3593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZH3bz3XqQw/VF2D1GtZ7MI/AAAAAAAAA8k/YhELYzsW-GY/s1600/IMG_3593.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road less traveled: this picture of the Queen K is symbolic<br />
of my journey to the 2014 Ironman World Championships.</td></tr>
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It's been four weeks since Kona. I've settled into a much less rigorous exercise routine. I am spending most of my time tending to and enjoying family and work responsibilities. Laura and the boys and I had a fantastic Halloween. Lucas dressed up as Ironman but made sure to tell me, "not Ironman like you dad, like the one that flies." How funny is that! Matty dressed as Elmo and was as cute as could be.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfCm2uGL4vQ/VFmCjbSNDmI/AAAAAAAAA8E/8ByrITYpnQY/s1600/IMG_3641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfCm2uGL4vQ/VFmCjbSNDmI/AAAAAAAAA8E/8ByrITYpnQY/s1600/IMG_3641.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween party at school.</td></tr>
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My dad, Uncle Rob, Father-in-Law, Bob, and I went to the Duke vs Pitt football game last week here in Pittsburgh. It was the first time since 1976 that Duke played at Pitt. Duke won a very exciting game in double overtime 51-48. I spoke briefly with former teammate and now Offensive Coordinator for the Blue Devils, Scottie Montgomery and Head Trainer, Hap Zarzour. Laura and the boys and I also had a fantastic lunch with former teammate and former Pittsburgh Steeler, Chris Combs and his wife, Angela, and daughter, Betty Ann, the day after the game. It was great to reconnect with old friends. I continue to be a proud member of the Duke Football Family.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5zLtqiICWHY/VFmDIwkH7TI/AAAAAAAAA8M/CIp_U5-WCcU/s1600/IMG_3644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5zLtqiICWHY/VFmDIwkH7TI/AAAAAAAAA8M/CIp_U5-WCcU/s1600/IMG_3644.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad on the left and my Uncle Rob on the right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5w1G90DCZg/VFmDNHupzZI/AAAAAAAAA8U/Zrw8GCntrLk/s1600/IMG_3647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5w1G90DCZg/VFmDNHupzZI/AAAAAAAAA8U/Zrw8GCntrLk/s1600/IMG_3647.JPG" height="297" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob, Ben, and Bob no matter how you want to look at it.</td></tr>
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Amid the doings of day-to-day life, I have patiently reflected on my "Kona Project." The past twelve months were an incredible experience that I'm confident will be memorable for the rest of my life. As I turn 36 years-old tomorrow, I'm already gaining perspective on the experience and understanding the valuable lessons learned.<br />
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<b>The Goal</b><br />
<b><br /></b>The spoken goal was, "to qualify for Kona." But, the goal was actually much larger than that. I was choosing to enter the unknown. No, this isn't Star Trek. I wasn't young Captain Kirk commanding the crew of the Enterprise through deep space. But, personally, I was embarking on a journey that I knew would test me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually like never before. I wanted to leave my comfort zone, break through my perceived limits, and try to achieve something "great." Each of us has greatness inside. I wanted to tap into mine.<br />
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From the beginning, the goal of qualifying for Kona was . . . lofty. Before this summer, I had only completed two full-distance triathlons (2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike, 26.2 mi run). My performances were solid, but definitely not Kona quality. On top of that, I was only giving myself two chances to qualify. The first was Eagleman 70.3 in early June, which Coach Chad and I knew was a long-shot due to my slow swim times. The second was Ironman Louisville at the end of the summer. Realistically, all my eggs were in that basket. <br />
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There were so many unknowns. I had never worked with a coach before. I had never put in the immense and intense training that would be required. I had never produced performances close to a top ten finish in my age group in an Ironman or Ironman 70.3 race. If Vegas put odds out, they would not have been in my favor. But, I was ok with that. I was alright with the possibility of failing. In fact, that's what made the goal so appealing. It wasn't easy. It was a long shot. I was trying to achieve something that many triathletes spend years trying to accomplish. Furthermore, the pursuit would be grueling. My dad said to me at one point, "Why do you want to do the Hawaii Ironman? It's one of the most grueling physical endeavors on the planet." I responded, "That's exactly why I want to do it." And so it began...<br />
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<b>The Journey</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
In early October of 2013, I texted Chad Holderbaum, "I want to go to Kona." We talked a few days later about the prospect of him coaching me. It quickly became clear that his knowledge and guidance would help me tremendously. On October 14, 2013 I completed my first <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Coach Chad</a> workout. Sitting here thirteen months later having qualified for Kona with a 4th place finish in my age group and a PR of 9:35:43 at Ironman Louisville and earning the title of Kona Finisher with a time of 10:02:08, it is clear to me that I would not have been able to accomplish that without Coach Chad.<br />
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Every workout over the past twelve months I did with Coach Chad. Not literally of course, but, I knew Coach Chad was on the other end of every workout checking my performance. And, because of who he is as a person and what he's accomplished as a triathlete, I was always trying to impress and make him proud.<br />
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In the beginning, Coach Chad took the time to learn how my body absorbed and responded to the initial training load. He managed me through a strained hamstring, a strained calf, some pretty severe back pain, and a possible case of pneumonia. Furthermore, he understood and was considerate to my responsibilities as a teacher, husband, and father because he knows firsthand how difficult it is to squeeze something out of every minute of every day as he juggles his own responsibilities with work, family, coaching, and training. So, all that being said, I want to extend a huge Thank You to Coach Chad. His knowledge, guidance, support, and motivation made the journey and the achievement possible.<br />
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Each of the 362 days that made up the journey to Kona had meaning and purpose. Whether it was swimming, biking, running, resting, or racing, the goal of qualifying for Kona gave me direction. Over the past month since Kona, I've missed that. While its been nice to relax and step away from the training, there's been an emotional letdown without that goal to work towards. Of course, I'm fortunate to have a full life with a family and career so there are plenty of other goals. I absolutely want to be the best husband, father, and teacher I can be, but since I'll be working towards achieving those goals over and over again for most of the rest of my life, I see them as much as responsibilities as goals. Kona, on the other hand, had a definitive beginning and end, and with it came a well defined purpose. <br />
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My journey not only provided purpose and direction, it also offered ample time for thought and reflection. The 4-6 hour training rides and 2-3 hour training runs offered plenty of time for deep thought and reflection. There have been so many occasions where I have come up with an idea while training. It may have been a teaching or coaching strategy to use with a particular student or athlete. Sometimes I thought about politics or religion or some of the deeper unanswered questions of life. Other times, I replayed conversations in my head and thought of insightful, clever, or even funny things I should have said. Often times though, I found myself reflecting on my own place in the world. Who am I? Who do I want to be? What is the best way to be that person? And, Who are the people I'm thankful for? I hope this isn't too deep for you. :)<br />
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It's amazing how a 6 hour training ride or a 10 hour race can be condensed in your mind to feel like just a couple of hours. The depth of thought to which you can escape is fascinating! Sure, a lot of the time I'm focused on pacing, mileage, wattage, or nutrition, but when you're running in the dark at 4:30 in the morning or riding your bike alone in rural Pennsylvania, the opportunities for entertainment are scarce. I welcomed and cherished that time as a chance to "center down" and reflect. I even had several experiences in the middle of workouts or races where I was moved to tears by the thoughts of special people or experiences in my life. Most noticeably, after crossing the finish line at Ironman Louisville. Knowing that I had produced my best performance and qualified for Kona, the thoughts of gratitude towards everyone throughout my life including family, friends, teachers, and coaches that had helped me get to that point brought me to uncontrollable tears. Another moment and the most recent was on Ali'i Drive about 5 or 6 miles into the marathon. The thoughts of my Grandma who had passed away recently had my eyes filled with tears behind my sunglasses. It wasn't her death that made me cry. It was her life. She was a strong woman. She was a traditional house-wife until 1968 when her husband passed away. She continued to raise her six children alone. She worked at Tomanetti's Pizza Shop in Oakmont to provide for her family as best she could. It was always a treat to go there and see Gram in her red Tomanetti's Pizza shirt. My Grandma taught me strength, work ethic, and love. She taught me to finish the milk in my cereal bowl. I remember eating cereal for breakfast at her house one time when the grandkids had a sleep over. She didn't let any of us get up from the table until the cereal and milk was gone. The meaning of that moment will stick with me for the rest of my life. Don't be wasteful. Don't take things for granted. Appreciate what you have. Finally, I have to mention her Thanksgiving stuffing. I have the recipe and have made it many times. I dedicated my effort at Kona to my Grandma and was so proud to visit her with my family when we returned home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dnmqk56yHQY/VGA27YIK7_I/AAAAAAAAA9E/yvf14Zgxct8/s1600/IMG_2544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dnmqk56yHQY/VGA27YIK7_I/AAAAAAAAA9E/yvf14Zgxct8/s1600/IMG_2544.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first visit after Kona.</td></tr>
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This is the unspoken part of my journey to Kona. Most conversations with people don't get much past the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile ride, and the 26.2 mile run. I understand that. I still remember when those numbers blew my mind. But, for me, the journey to Kona was so much more than swimming, biking, and running.<br />
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I crossed the finish line. My arms outstretched above my head. Spectators cheering along Ali'i Drive while friends and family watched online back at home. I did it! I finished the Ironman World Championships! I conquered Kona on a day the water was rough, the wind was strong, and the sun was hot!<br />
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There is no doubt, the journey to Kona was difficult. There were times I considered throwing in the towel, but I was fortunate to have the will, the resources, and the support to endure those difficult moments. Looking back, my journey was truly awesome! I was challenged physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The journey forced me out of my comfort zone, tore down my perceived limits and allowed me to experience greatness in some eyes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cpHw2vfaNPw/VGAxjaUV_rI/AAAAAAAAA80/GMpczQvriGs/s1600/IMG_3610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cpHw2vfaNPw/VGAxjaUV_rI/AAAAAAAAA80/GMpczQvriGs/s1600/IMG_3610.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He asked me in the car, "Dad, why did you win this medal for me?" <br />
That's when I knew it was all worth it.</td></tr>
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<br />Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-83873743867620320192014-10-20T22:18:00.001-04:002014-10-20T22:37:02.764-04:00Kona Race Report: Part 2 "Race Day"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Do4qqaH72FI/VEP8FHkH16I/AAAAAAAAA1E/eEVAl67bpkM/s1600/IMG_3581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Do4qqaH72FI/VEP8FHkH16I/AAAAAAAAA1E/eEVAl67bpkM/s1600/IMG_3581.jpg" height="400" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The World Championships branded the sidewalks of Kona.</td></tr>
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I don't know why I even set my alarm for race morning. It was set to go off at 3:45, but I found sleeping after 1:30 to be difficult. I had that nervous energy you get when you've prepared so much for something, and its almost time to put all that work on display. I was so excited to experience everything I had read and heard about Kona!<br />
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After the body marking and weigh-in, I made my way to transition. There were TV cameras, volunteers, and athletes all over the place. Even at 4:45 in the morning, the buzz of race morning was in full swing. I entered transition and started walking passed the sectioned off area for the pro triathletes. Of course, all the big names were there preparing their bikes and gear just like the rest of us. I spotted <a href="http://thetrialofmilesmilesoftrials.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beth Shutt</a>, my good friend and mentor, who is now a pro. I yelled, "let's go Beth." Her attention turned away from her bike, and she came over and gave me a hug. We wished each other good luck and parted ways to finish our preparations. This was a brief but special moment. Beth introduced me to triathlon six years ago. I used to ask her all the awkward questions about the sport. Things like, "what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom on the bike or the run and there's no port-a-john around?" Over the years, I went from getting dropped by Beth on training rides to becoming one of the strongest cyclists in the field. Beth has seen me grow from a first-timer to an Ironman at Kona. It was fitting for us to be competing on the same day at the World Championships.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transition on race morning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Beth!</td></tr>
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Everything was set in transition. I had over an hour until the race start. I met up with Laura, and we met up with Matt, Jason, and the crew on Ali'i Drive. The streets were quickly filling with spectators as they were positioning themselves to see the swim start. Spectators climbed onto the walls of Kailua Bay and lined Ali'i Drive. The coffee shops, restaurants, and even the bars were open for business and filling fast. Shortly after 6 am, the National Anthem was sung, two sky-divers parachuted into Kailua Bay, and two helicopters with big cameras on the front were circling overhead. It was AWESOME!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-el5wyFN3wwo/VEQPDYtT8xI/AAAAAAAAA2E/5FstlimNULY/s1600/IMG_0055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-el5wyFN3wwo/VEQPDYtT8xI/AAAAAAAAA2E/5FstlimNULY/s1600/IMG_0055.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a morning!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tlgQjbBoGY/VEQPMQJAAiI/AAAAAAAAA2M/IsZOhp4d-FM/s1600/IMG_0056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tlgQjbBoGY/VEQPMQJAAiI/AAAAAAAAA2M/IsZOhp4d-FM/s1600/IMG_0056.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best view of the race was from above.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They lined the bay.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rqde6xety50/VEQPasm2bLI/AAAAAAAAA2c/AOD4HpFsA94/s1600/IMG_0052_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rqde6xety50/VEQPasm2bLI/AAAAAAAAA2c/AOD4HpFsA94/s1600/IMG_0052_2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My number one fan.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQp7K0OhP4k/VEXBwbTStNI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/VXnYmNhGM7Y/s1600/IMG_0048_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQp7K0OhP4k/VEXBwbTStNI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/VXnYmNhGM7Y/s1600/IMG_0048_2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left: Laura, Kristen, and my Laura</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--FgxVsn2Cjw/VEQPfsAeH6I/AAAAAAAAA2k/l7jj1JesQek/s1600/IMG_0050_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--FgxVsn2Cjw/VEQPfsAeH6I/AAAAAAAAA2k/l7jj1JesQek/s1600/IMG_0050_2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys are ready to race.</td></tr>
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<b>The Swim</b><br />
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The pro men went off. Next, the pro women began their day. Finally, it was our turn to enter the water. It took about 10 minutes to get all the age-group men into the water (about 1500 of us). Finally, after a Hawaiian blessing from the announcer, the canon blasted and the race was underway. I eased my way into the swim trying to keep a steady, strong, but comfortable pace. I was being much more conservative than usual. Being that this was my first ocean swim, I didn't want to put myself into a bad spot. Looking back at it now, I was probably a little too conservative, but that's ok. As the swim continued, I could feel my body rise and fall with each swell of the Pacific. The taste of salt-water would become the worst part of the swim. With each unexpected sip along with the occasional gulp of salt-water, my mouth and throat became more and more dry. It was terrible. I would much rather drink the "dirty" Allegheny River water any day. By the time I hit the turn around buoy, I felt like I had been in the water for a long time. But, I stayed calm and kept swimming. For the entire 2.4 mile swim, I was bumping bodies with other competitors. In fact, I got kicked in the face shortly after the turn around buoy. The bumping usually only happens in the first several hundred yards of a race, but, I guess swimming with 2000 other competitors at the World Championships is a little different. It didn't bother me though. After an hour and twenty minutes of swimming I climbed the stairs out of Kailua Bay excited to have completed the swim that I've see on TV so many times. There were hanging hoses as you entered transition for athletes to rinse their bodies. I, like many others, took a swig of that fresh water to try and get rid of the salty taste in my mouth. Then, I headed to my bike.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bN_0kGOmADM/VERgYPLUDEI/AAAAAAAAA28/hGI8mk0butY/s1600/0813_001407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bN_0kGOmADM/VERgYPLUDEI/AAAAAAAAA28/hGI8mk0butY/s1600/0813_001407.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1 down, 2 to go!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, some of the ladies caught up with me in the water.</td></tr>
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<b>The Bike</b><br />
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I quickly made my way through transition and headed out on the bike. I caught a glimpse of Laura as I rode up the small hill out of transition before turning right onto Kuakini Highway for the quick out and back loop through Kona. This first loop was crowded as cyclists maneuvered in both directions at speeds exceeding 20 mph. A mistake by one cyclist could have caused a dangerous pile-up. I was fast, but safe and quickly found myself climbing Palani hill and out onto the Queen K Highway.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed out of transition making a quick chinstrap adjustment.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught a glimpse of Laura with this quick head turn.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying down Kuakini Hwy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing Palani hill.</td></tr>
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The first 30 miles of the bike were fast! I found myself riding amongst many riders. I was passing a lot of riders, but there was no doubt the level of cyclist was much higher. A group of 5 or 6 of us seemed to be trading places back and forth for the first twenty miles, until finally, I pulled away. At mile 30, I looked at my watch and thought to myself, "I am going to crush this bike course if there isn't any wind." I couldn't believe how easy the first 30 miles were. Then, it was like somebody switched on a fan. A big, huge fan. A headwind hit us that almost stopped us in our tracks. It felt like you were riding up a hill even though it was a perfectly flat road at times. I kept thinking about that Mark Allen (6 time Ironman Champion) quote that goes something like. "A tailwind is always welcome. A headwind can be endured. But, crosswinds are treacherous." I stayed tucked low in the aero position to stay out of the wind as much as possible and tried to keep a consistently strong cadence without trying to muscle through the wind exerting unnecessary energy.<br />
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From time-to-time, I made sure to take notice of the spectacular views along the Queen K. There was very little in terms of people or houses or resorts. However, the views of the lava fields and the Pacific ocean were beautiful. I continued to battle headwinds and crosswinds often, staying as low as possible during a headwind and leaning right or left into the crosswinds. I could see other cyclists doing the same. The profiles of cyclists ahead of me were no longer perpendicular to the ground, but rather slanted into the wind.<br />
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As I climbed the final hill before the turnaround at Hawi, the winds were treacherous. But what was a headwind became a tailwind minutes later. This was when I realized how dangerous things had gotten. Of course you want to go fast, but riding down a hill with a tailwind is scary. My thoughts were, "it's better to be safe at this point then to be fast." Although, you couldn't help but be fast. There were several instances where I gripped the wide handlebars instead of staying in aero to ensure I had as much control of my bike as possible. I had to pick my moments to pass competitors carefully because I didn't want to crash.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stretching the legs a little.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding strong.</td></tr>
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As I passed a road sign that said, "Kona 30," I realized I was on pace to break 5 hours on the bike despite the treacherous winds. Of course, I wanted to do this. I decided to make it somewhat of a 30 mile time trial. The field of cyclists had thinned somewhat, and I used each small group of cyclists ahead of me as motivation. I wanted to catch every group I could. As I passed Waikoloa about 20 miles from Kona, I hit a flat stretch of road with a nice tailwind. I was flying!!! There were spectators at this point because there was a nearby resort. As I passed them I must have been going over 40 mph. I pounded my pedals effortlessly and took full advantage of every second of that tailwind. I stood up out of the aero position on every little hill and was completely focused on breaking the 5 hour mark.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A focused effort up a small hill.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing another competitor.</td></tr>
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As I turned off the Queen K Hwy and down Palani hill, I knew I was close. I cruised into transition and dismounted my bike with a final bike time of 4:59:48. Just made it! I moved up 89 places in my age group alone from 180th to 91st. Not bad for a first timer on the Queen K. :)<br />
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<b>The Run</b><br />
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Somewhat surprisingly to me, I felt good leaving T2 as I headed out onto Ali'i Drive for the 10 mile out and back. The streets were filled with spectators cheering us on, and the local landscaping provided some coverage from what was still a stinging sun. I was being very aware of my pace; trying to stay around 7:40/mi even though I was feeling so good. After hitting the turnaround down the street from St. Peter's by the Sea, my thoughts turned to my late grandmother. She passed just a couple days before I left for Kona, and I had dedicated my effort at the World Championships to her. As I was running along Ali'i Drive, my eyes filled with tears for a moment. Her memory filled my body with a strength I didn't expect to have at this point in the race. I felt as though I had skipped the swim and the bike.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Peter's By The Sea Catholic Church</td></tr>
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As I finished the first 10 miles along Ali'i Drive, I passed Laura. It was great to see her! Shortly after, I made the turn once again up Palani hill to head out onto the Queen K. I allowed myself to take Palani very slowly and even walked through the aid station on the hill to ensure I took in some good nutrition. I knew I was headed out to the famous Energy Lab and the suffering would take place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed out on Ali'i Dr.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming back on Ali'i Dr.</td></tr>
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The stretch from Palani to the Energy Lab was just over a 7 mile stretch. As I hit the Queen K, I was feeling strong, but by mile 16 I started to struggle mentally. At one point, I said out loud, "this road is one constant incline." Shortly after turning down Natural Energy Rd, I saw Beth headed back the other way. I was still feeling pretty good, but after hitting the turnaround and climbing the small hill back to the Queen K about mile 19, I was really starting to hurt. I managed a couple more solid miles around 8:00/mi and even 7:45/mi as I was running with other competitors on pace to break 10 hrs overall. But, by mile 22 I was tired. I was physically and mentally tired. I thought back to Ironman Louisville just 6 weeks earlier, where I needed to dig as deep as possible to earn my qualifying slot for Kona. But on this day in the "Super Bowl of Triathlon," that motivation didn't exist. I wasn't racing to qualify, and my thoughts were, "I can put my head down and hurt myself to break 10 hrs, or I can ease up a little, look around, and enjoy the last 4 miles of racing at the Ironman World Championships." I chose to enjoy those final miles. I thanked some of the volunteers at the aid stations as they handed me water, sports drink, and even chicken broth. Yes, chicken broth. After eating energy gels all day, that chicken broth tasted so good.<br />
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I exited the Queen K, turned down Palani, then, made a left on Kuakini Hwy. A half-mile later, I turned onto Ali'i Dr. as I entered the finishing chute. I had seen so many athletes on TV run down this chute. From Ironman World Champions like Craig Alexander to the most inspirational age-groupers like <a href="http://www.teamhoyt.com/" target="_blank">Dick Hoyt</a> pushing his son Rick in a specially made wheelchair. Now, it was my turn. My stride quickened. I passed Laura and thought about all the training hours she endured for me. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was coming, and I approached the finish line.<br />
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I wish I could say I had some unique finish. Some people dance. Some people jump. Some people click their heels. But, truthfully, that just wouldn't have been my style. I strode right through that finish line with arms in the air for a brief moment and a quick double fist pump to put a small exclamation point on a yearlong mission completed. I finished the marathon with a time of 3:34:23. Just four seconds slower than I ran at Louisville six weeks earlier. Overall, I missed the 10 hour mark by 2 minutes and 8 seconds. But, you know what, it just means I have something to shoot for if I ever go back. :)<br />
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<br />Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-2479732694799406082014-10-18T16:06:00.001-04:002014-10-19T14:08:24.379-04:00Kona Race Report: Part 1 - "The Anticipation"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof.</td></tr>
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After qualifying at Ironman Louisville back in August, I began preparing for Kona immediately. Although the preparation was filled with excitement, the excitement was a small part of the emotional roller-coaster leading up to Kona. First, the stress of booking lodging and flights after qualifying at the final race of the season (IM Louisville), which meant availability was low and cost was high. Next, the stress of preparing lesson plans for a substitute teacher for three different classes for an entire week. Then, the stress of leaving our boys, Lucas and Matthew, to go halfway around the world. And, finally, the sadness of the death of my Grandma just a few days before we left. Oh, and I put in a solid 4-week training block before tapering to stay physically ready. Well, all of this caught-up with me, and just a few days before we were to leave, I cracked. I was emotionally spent, and considered not going. However, with tremendous support from my entire family, friends, and co-workers, Laura and I left our house at 5:30 in the morning on Wednesday, October 8th feeling positive and excited about our trip to the Ironman World Championships!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flowered M-dot in the lobby of the King Kamehameha host hotel.</td></tr>
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We arrived in Kona Wednesday afternoon as our plane pulled right up to the outdoor airport just like parking your car in your driveway. It was so very different than the hustle and bustle of the Pittsburgh International Airport. We retrieved our luggage, which included my 64 pound bike case. We picked-up our rental minivan, which I think every other triathlete rented as it seemed to be the only car on the roads that week. And, we made the 14 mile drive down the coast along the Queen K highway to our hotel passing through downtown Kona on our way.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First view of the Big Island from our plane.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for the ride US Airways.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's the tram to baggage claim?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel lobby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AIzZf9qG2Dk/VEK2ta6kuqI/AAAAAAAAAzI/LEJp-tEiuP0/s1600/IMG_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AIzZf9qG2Dk/VEK2ta6kuqI/AAAAAAAAAzI/LEJp-tEiuP0/s1600/IMG_0003.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the lobby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m41M2fZISrk/VEK3A0l2D8I/AAAAAAAAAzc/n5YDYgPpdwo/s1600/IMG_0014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m41M2fZISrk/VEK3A0l2D8I/AAAAAAAAAzc/n5YDYgPpdwo/s1600/IMG_0014.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for a dip! The slide in the background was so much fun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4qFvxqYw4dw/VEK3EHpzbMI/AAAAAAAAAzk/6b3M5mn87fY/s1600/IMG_0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4qFvxqYw4dw/VEK3EHpzbMI/AAAAAAAAAzk/6b3M5mn87fY/s1600/IMG_0016.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The better view from the pool.</td></tr>
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Thursday, I took care of some business with a 45 minute bike ride and a 2000 yard swim at the Kona Aquatic Center. I just so happened to swim in the lane next to 2012 Female Ironman World Champion Leanda Cave. Needless to say, she was a little faster than I was. :) </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JVlbqah9_JA/VELIBJrvY9I/AAAAAAAAA00/XL2xaxcYBRA/s1600/IMG_3507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JVlbqah9_JA/VELIBJrvY9I/AAAAAAAAA00/XL2xaxcYBRA/s1600/IMG_3507.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick stop for a scenic view.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who is that guy?</td></tr>
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Thursday evening we met up with fellow racers and Pittsburghers, Matt and Kristen Mauclair and Jason Jacobs and his fiancé Laura, for the Ironman Welcome Dinner. While the food preparation was less than ok, the festivities included Hawaiian entertainment and lots of talk about the budding tradition of Ironman and the accomplishment of being at the World Championships.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the Welcome Dinner.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawaiian Entertainment.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left: Me, Matt, & Jason.</td></tr>
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Friday morning I awoke early to get to the bay for a swim. I needed to experience the water before race morning. It was like swimming in an aquarium. I could see the bottom of the ocean for as far as I swam out that morning (20-40 ft deep). I had heard stories of people swimming with dolphins. I didn't see any, but saw a lot of other fish minding their own business on the sea floor. It was really cool! Later that afternoon after some final equipment preparations and some relaxing at the pool, Laura and I went down to transition for the bike and gear check-in. That is where I got my first glimpse of Craig Alexander, 3-time Ironman World Champion. As he walked out of transition, there was a lot of mumbling amongst the crowd probably saying the same thing I was, "there's Craig Alexander." This was even cooler than swimming with the fishes. :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning swim with some other athletes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bike and Gear Check-in.</td></tr>
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Friday evening we enjoyed a very relaxing dinner with Matt, Kristen, Jason, Laura and Jason's family at the house they rented. It was great to spend the evening with friends relaxing to take your mind off the race. Then it was back to the hotel for an early bedtime. Tomorrow was the Ironman World Championships!</div>
Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-88668833858675427132014-09-12T17:28:00.000-04:002014-09-12T17:28:12.068-04:00Kona Project Update: "Racing Under a Ballou Sky"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_VN5f_bYxPs/VBNlBMz_SqI/AAAAAAAAAxk/U7qmUAVJPKk/s1600/BallouSkies%2BHOPE..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_VN5f_bYxPs/VBNlBMz_SqI/AAAAAAAAAxk/U7qmUAVJPKk/s1600/BallouSkies%2BHOPE..jpg" height="123" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ballou Skies Tri Team in 2012</td></tr>
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I've played sports competitively my entire life and have been fortunate to have done it at some pretty high levels. Triathlon tests my mind, spirit, and body more than any other sport I've done. If you've ever experienced a triathlon as a competitor, you know what I'm talking about. If you've ever experienced a triathlon as a spectator, especially an Ironman, you have seen the triathletes that embody the belief, "anything is possible." It can be very inspiring!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Midnight finish at Ironman Lake Placid</td></tr>
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For me, triathlon has always been more than training and racing, and after 3 years on the Ballou Skies triathlon team, I am still excited about being a part of their mission. <a href="http://www.ballouskies.com/" target="_blank">Ballou Skies</a> is a nonprofit that raises awareness and funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) research. DMD is a degenerative muscle disorder that affects all muscles in the body, including the heart. This debilitating disease affects young boys and leaves them confined to a mechanical wheelchair with a life expectancy in the early 20's. <br />
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Ryan Ballou is a fellow Pittsburgher and has lived his life with DMD. He was diagnosed at age 5, but at the age of 27 has reached "Rock Star" status because of his independence, courage, and leadership. Years ago, Ryan's father, Ty Ballou, started Ballou Skies and partnered with the heart clinic at Ohio State University. Together, Ryan, Ty, and the team of doctors at the Ohio State clinic have made tremendous, almost miraculous, strides towards a treatment for DMD. To view the amazing progress and great passion for finding a cure, go to <a href="http://www.ballouskies.com/" target="_blank">www.ballouskies.com</a> and view the short 8 minute youtube video. It is very inspiring!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kZyNXCYZE4M/VBNjN8xAp8I/AAAAAAAAAxY/2zZzjAUglSY/s1600/IMG_2248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kZyNXCYZE4M/VBNjN8xAp8I/AAAAAAAAAxY/2zZzjAUglSY/s1600/IMG_2248.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Left: Dr. Jill Rafael-Fortney, Ty Ballou, <br />Ryan Ballou (seated), Dr. Subha Raman, me, and Luke (age 1)</td></tr>
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As a member of the Ballou Skies Team and a Kona qualifier, I am starting a campaign to encourage donations to Ballou Skies and the work being done at the Ohio State clinic. You may choose to make a flat donation at <a href="http://www.ballouskies.com/">www.ballouskies.com</a> prior to my race in Kona, or you may choose to donate a specific dollar amount for each person I finish ahead of on October 11th. There will be about 2000 competitors, and I hope to have a good race breaking the 10 hour mark, but understand the unique challenges the Big Island presents making this a formidable goal. I will wear my Ballou Skies uniform with great pride knowing my efforts are helping boys with DMD.<br />
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If you find it possible to make a donation at <a href="http://www.ballouskies.com/" target="_blank">www.ballouskies.com</a>, please put "Go Ben!" as a message to the seller when you finalize your donation. I've made my own $10 donation to kick-off the campaign.<br />
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Until there's a cure...Ballou Skies!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-85916538282616064302014-09-10T11:37:00.001-04:002014-09-10T11:37:44.359-04:00Kona Project Update: "Do Your Best"It was another early autumn Sunday morning. My dad woke me to go for a bike ride. My teacher, Mrs. Dolan (6th grade), had asked me a couple days earlier about the bike rides I went on that summer with my dad. I don't know how she knew about them, but she seemed impressed that a 12 year old would do such a thing. I just thought it was fun!<br />
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I don't remember exactly where we rode on this particular Sunday. It may have been down Allegheny River Boulevard, through the Strip District, and into the city. Or, maybe we rode out to Hampton High School, where my dad was Principal. Or, maybe up to Tarentum, through New Kensington, and back to Oakmont via Coxcomb Hill. It didn't much matter to me. We'd hop on our Schwinn 12 speeds and spend the morning out on the road. I just hoped we'd stop at the Oakmont Bakery for a donut and chocolate milk! I still love plain cake donuts to this day. :)<br />
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As many of our rides did, we finished with a climb up California Avenue to our house. At the top, where the hill was steepest, my dad was encouraging me saying, "GO FOR THE GOLD!" There was no pressure, he just wanted me to do my best. Reaching the top was always a good feeling!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w57Qw8yowNU/VA8Gc5LtUBI/AAAAAAAAAv4/yUuQTmf6z_E/s1600/bikes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w57Qw8yowNU/VA8Gc5LtUBI/AAAAAAAAAv4/yUuQTmf6z_E/s1600/bikes.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our old Schwinn's. They're actually hanging in the garage, but <br />
I flipped the pic so you could imagine how fast we were on them.</td></tr>
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My mom used to make me and my sisters sit at the dining room table until our homework was perfect. Not just complete, but also correct. She would correct our math problems and make us redo the ones that were incorrect. I remember doing a book report on "A Wrinkle In Time" in gradeschool. I had a lot of trouble understanding the book so my mom read it in one evening so we could discuss it together, and I could write my report for the next day. She wanted me to do my best.<br />
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Last fall, when I invested in the goal of qualifying for Kona, I knew on the day I qualified, I would need a performance significantly better than ever before. Prior to Louisville, I had competed in two full-distance triathlons. My first was the Full-Rev at Cedar Point in 2012, where I finished in 9:52:30. Then, last year my first Ironman, at Lake Placid, where I finished in 10:36:32. Respectable finishes for sure, but nothing that would get me to Kona. <br />
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Going into Louisville, I believed that if I could swim 1:10:00, which I did at Lake Placid (1:09:40); bike around 5 hrs, which I did at Cedar Point (4:55:32); and run a 3:30:00 marathon, which I had never done in a triathlon (3:39:27 at Cedar Pt and 3:58:16 at LP), I could qualify for Kona. Add those up and include 5 minutes for transitions, I'm at 9 hrs and 40 min. Considering 4th and 5th places were slower than 9:55:00 in 2013 at Louisville, I thought a performance close to this would get me to Kona.<br />
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Two questions remained. Did I have the courage to physically push myself to produce my best performance? And, would my best performance be good enough? When I woke-up on race day, more than anything, I wanted to do my best. I had put so much time and effort into achieving this goal, and I had so many people make sacrifices for me, most especially, Laura. I owed them my best effort. If my best performance wasn't good enough for a Kona slot, I would still be satisfied.<br />
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When I jumped in the Ohio River that morning, I overcame my fears and focused on getting the most out of each stroke. I wanted to do my best. When I hit mile 80 riding through the Kentucky horse country, I knew "going for it" on the bike was a risk. I wanted to do my best. When I turned the corner in downtown Louisville to see the finish line, only to know I had a second lap of 13.1 miles in the marathon, I kept a strong stride. I wanted to do my best. When I started walking through the aid stations because my legs hurt so bad, I found the will to run again. I wanted to do my best. When I ran the final 2 miles of the marathon as fast as the first 2 miles, I didn't know in what place I was. I just wanted to do my best. Finally, when I crossed the finish line, the tears filled my eyes. I knew I had done my best. <br />
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And you know what...I'm going to do my best in Kona too!!!<br />
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There were four Kona slots in my age group at Louisville. I finished 4th with a time of 9:35:43 to earn my Kona slot. Each of the top four finishers in my age group, including myself, took our Kona slot. I unknowingly held off the 5th place finisher by just less than 3 minutes and beat my own estimated finish time, which would not have been good enough. When the race got hard, I simply wanted to do my best. And you know what, it paid off!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HmActlwNgyw/VBBuWygmW-I/AAAAAAAAAwY/sxpWq3coI08/s1600/photos.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HmActlwNgyw/VBBuWygmW-I/AAAAAAAAAwY/sxpWq3coI08/s1600/photos.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4th Place!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ahlvtOBrjOY/VBBuT7ANjyI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/HFIF8-xI4nM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ahlvtOBrjOY/VBBuT7ANjyI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/HFIF8-xI4nM/s1600/photo.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Accepting my slot to Kona!</td></tr>
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So many people throughout my life have motivated and encouraged me to do my best. My parents instilled that attitude in me at a young age. Coaches and teachers at every level nurtured that attitude. Friends and teammates shared that attitude. Family supported that attitude. I have so many people that are constant motivation for me on training days as well as race day. It's almost like an army is cheering me on when I'm racing. Thank you to everyone that has helped me achieve this goal!!!<br />
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I cannot end my post without singling out my wife, Laura. She has been extremely supportive over the last year, and has sacrificed daily for my goal. We live a busy life, as a lot of people do, but fitting in two workouts a day on top of everything else makes things that much more challenging. I hope a trip to Hawaii is a small payback. Thank you and I love you!<br />
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Finally, a message to my boys, Lucas and Matthew (and any possible future sons or daughters). <strong>DO YOUR BEST!</strong> I love you!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke sees me coming.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's cheering me on!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy finished! Matty doesn't care much.</td></tr>
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Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-79446558957136943072014-09-01T19:29:00.003-04:002014-09-01T20:42:41.320-04:00Ironam Louisville Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I went into Ironman Louisville feeling very confident. I had put in the training and felt well prepared. I owe much of this to <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Coach Chad</a> and his training plan. Since last October, we've been working for this race.<br />
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The variety of emotions I had leading up to the race were quite interesting. Two weeks prior to the race, I was extremely confident. I seriously thought I "had it in the bag." Barring any unforeseen incident like a flat tire or a bike crash, I felt like the race was a mere formality (an Ironman just a formality, ha!). Then came race week and my emotions changed. As the reality of racing 140.6 miles drew near, self-doubt and anxiety crept into my mind. How would the swim go? Is my bike in good condition? Will I bonk on the run? All of these questions ran through my mind continuously. Then came the weather report that temperatures would be in the 90's with a heat index possibly over 100 degrees. I had been doing some heat acclimation like riding my bike on the trainer with a long sleeve jersey and no fan, but seriously, a Pittsburgher cannot prepare for temperatures that hot. Furthermore, consider the fact that the two weeks prior to the race were in the 70's here in Pittsburgh. Despite the self-doubt, I stayed focused. Coach Chad and others gave me good advice about nutrition, pacing, and mindset.<br />
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<b>ARRIVAL & PREPARATIONS</b><br />
My parents and I arrived in Louisville on Friday before the race. We checked into the hotel and the race. Then, scoped out downtown Louisville. With our hotel in a perfect location, it was easy to walk everywhere. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Louisville</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steam Boat on the Mighty Ohio</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisville puts pictures of famous natives on their buildings.</td></tr>
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Saturday morning, I participated in the practice swim. The swim took place in the Ohio River. I tried to take comfort knowing the Ohio originates in Pittsburgh. I thought of it as common waters. However, the Ohio River in Louisville is about 10 times as wide as the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. It was pretty intimidating. My assignment for Saturday included a 15 minute swim. I entered the water right at 8 am when the practice swim began. There were a lot of other racers taking advantage of this opportunity as well. We entered the water at what would be the swim finish on race day, and we swam up stream before turning around and coming back downstream. Well, I settled into the water at a nice easy pace while imagining race morning's emotions. After 10-12 minutes I assessed my progress. "You have got to be kidding me." Swimming up stream was turning out to be quite the task. Not wanting to strain myself trying to conquer the practice swim, I humbly turned around. I put my head in the water and after about 10 strokes, found myself back where I started. A huge sigh of relief!!! The current was crazy fast going downstream. I spoke to another swimmer in the water. We were both very relieved that most of the swim on race day would be going downstream. Furthermore, the first part of the swim that goes upstream would have us shielded somewhat from the current by an island in the Ohio River. All this made me feel confident about being able to post a solid swim time. I finished my Saturday preparations with a 30 minute bike ride on the first 10 miles of the bike course and a short 10 minute run from our hotel down to the finish line and back. I felt good and was ready for tomorrow's challenge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Good Old P3!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and me at the practice swim</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loosen the legs on the bike</td></tr>
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<b>RACE DAY</b><br />
I arrived at transition about 4:30 am, double-checked my equipment and headed over to the swim start where we had an hour-and-a-half wait. Louisville is a time trial start where swimmers enter the water one at a time jumping off a boat dock. In order to get a good place in line with 2300 other competitors, you need to get in line early. Luckily, fellow Pittsburgh Tri Club member and first time Ironman competitor, Nicole Stockey, allowed me to jump in line with her because when I arrived the line already seemed so long.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swim Start</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Uncle Mark ready with his camera</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Anthem</td></tr>
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<b>The Swim</b><br />
After relaxing and getting to know a few other competitors from across the country and Toronto, it was 7:00 am and time to race. I got to sport my white "All World Athlete" swim cap, which was a cool little confidence builder. Most other competitors had the routine green caps. After the singing of the National Anthem and the playing of "My Old Kentucky Home," it was my turn to take the plunge. I was able to get comfortable within a minute of entering the water and felt like I had a good strong stroke going. Since we were swimming between the island and the boat docks, there wasn't a lot of water for the competitors to spread out. Numerous times my stroke was interrupted by bumping into other swimmers. I kept thinking about the line from "Days of the Thunder," "Rubbing is racing." So true!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In we go!</td></tr>
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As I cleared the island and worked my way upstream to the turnaround, I knew I was swimming against a strong current. I focused on staying strong and really pushing the water at the end of my stroke. I reached the turnaround and headed downstream. The water was more rough, but I also knew the current was helping all of us. Each time I passed a buoy, I couldn't believe how fast I was going. It was like passing a road sign in your car on the highway! What a great feeling! I exited the water with a final swim time of 1:05:35 (overall rank of 496 out of over 2300). My fastest swim split ever! I knew the current had helped, but I was still pleased because in the back of my mind I was okay with 1:10:00. So I felt like I banked a couple minutes for later if needed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out I come!</td></tr>
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<b>The Bike</b><br />
Having a solid swim under my belt, I mounted my Cervelo P3 and went to work. Coach Chad had given me a target wattage range of 240-260. I tried to settle into a comfortable rhythm with that range as the goal. The first 10.5 miles of the bike ride were along River Road. A scenic flat road with the banks of the mighty Ohio close by. I started passing competitors immediately one after the other. My legs felt great and the skies were overcast keeping the morning cooler than anticipated. At mile 11, the bike course climbed a significant hill that would lead us to a day of rolling hills through Kentucky horse country. This type of course suits my strengths as a cyclist and that confidence showed. I was exceeding my power numbers after 40 miles with a normalized power in the 280's. I cautioned myself out loud at times to stay in the moment, keep riding strong, but stay relaxed and keeping taking in the nutrition. It will be needed later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In hot pursuit</td></tr>
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By mile 50, I had worked my way to the front of the race and was riding by myself a lot. For the next 20 miles, as I finished the first of two loops, I began to struggle mentally with staying comfortable and riding alone. However, two competitors came from behind me on the bike and gave me some company until we reunited with the mass of age-groupers starting their first loop as we started our second. This was a mental boost. To again be riding amongst so many people and passing them one after the other was a confidence builder.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's get 'er done.</td></tr>
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At mile 80, I knew I was having a good day. I felt strong, and I knew there was about 10-15 miles until the descent back to River Road and T2. However, the clouds were gone and the day was quickly getting hot. At this point, I made up my mind to go ahead and make this a special bike split. I didn't want to break 5 hours by going 4:55. I wanted to go 4:45. I decided I was going to go for this in the most efficient manner possible, but nonetheless go for it! I rode strong and attacked the descent back to River Road. I was now passing a few professional female athletes so I again knew I was at the front of the race. Once I hit River Road, I didn't let up. I focused on being consistent and taking in a lot of nutrition because it was really starting to heat up. As I pulled into T2, I saw Matty Mo (Mauclair), an accomplished triathlete and Kona qualifier. I knew he would be proud of my effort on the bike, and his encouragement gave me a mental boost. My final bike split of 4:48:06 was good enough for the second fastest amateur bike split and moved me up from 496th place to 20th overall (including the pros).<br />
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<b>The Run</b><br />
I grabbed my gear bag and entered the changing tent. There was no doubt I was fatigued and even a little lightheaded. One volunteer yelled encouragement to me as I entered the tent. I remember him saying, "you're right in the mix." A few other volunteers helped gather my stuff, rub suntan lotion on my neck, and dump two cups of water on my back. Thank you!!! Then, I gave myself about 5-10 extra seconds. Actually, it may have been like 2 or 3, but it felt like forever. During those few seconds, I allowed myself to quickly appreciate my effort to this point, calm my mind, and refocus on the challenge of running the marathon. I thanked the volunteers and was gone!<br />
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"I'll run the first mile and assess my condition." This was my thinking. Ease into this. Coach Chad had advised me to start out conservatively. The first mile felt good. I saw my Uncle Mark taking pictures and shouting encouragements. I saw my mom a few moments later, and then finally my dad. Their strategy to spread out was very helpful to me. They also informed me that I was in third place. Whew!!! Now run the marathon.<br />
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I began ticking off the miles. One...Two...Three... I was taking my gels every three miles and getting gulps of Powerbar Perform at the aid stations. I was dumping two or three cups of water on me through each aid station to keep my engine as cool as possible. As Coach Chad put it, if that overheats the only way to cool it down is to stop. The run was hard from the get go. At about mile 5 or 6, I saw the pro men working their way back in the final miles of their first loop. They looked terrible! This gave me confidence and also told me that others would be struggling today as well. I figured that if someone flew by me on the run so be it. They have something I don't. But, if it came down to being smart, consistent, and guts, I could endure.<br />
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I continued ticking off the miles. Nine...Ten...Eleven... As I came around the corner to finish mile thirteen, I saw the finish line. But of course, I had to do that all over again on this two loop run course. There was a small bit of comfort in the thought that I was half done, but it paled in comparison to the reality that there were 13 more miles to go and it was HOT! I found out after the race that the temperature reached the low 90's and the heat index was as high as 104.<br />
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I kept ticking off the miles. Fourteen...Fifteen...Sixteen... By mile 18 I was walking through each aid station to get as much drink and food down as possible. My legs were screaming in pain, but they managed to start-up again each time. At this point, I was running with so many people. Most were on their first lap, but this made it impossible to know what place I was in. Did someone pass me. Did I pass someone. I had only my self-determination to get me to the finish line as quickly as possible.<br />
<br />
I kept ticking off the miles. Nineteen...Twenty...Twenty-one... At mile 24 I knew I had enough to finish with a consistent two miles. I didn't stop at the final aid station, and as I came around the city corner and saw the finishing chute, I was so happy. I entered the finishing chute and the fans cheered loudly. I gave a few spectators some "high-fives" and proudly raised my hands as I crossed the finish line with a marathon time of 3:34:19.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gH8I7QqU1NY/VAT_6BjD0NI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/LfMqoqc4gUU/s1600/imagejpeg_2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gH8I7QqU1NY/VAT_6BjD0NI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/LfMqoqc4gUU/s1600/imagejpeg_2-2.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud and Humble</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The announcer said my name and, "a time of 9 hrs 35 min and change." I couldn't believe it!!! I did it!!! A volunteer took my arm and put it around him to help me. I bent over. My legs were shaking in pain. He asked if I was ok. I said, "yes, I just need a minute." The tears filled my eyes. The emotion of a year of hard work and countless people encouraging and supporting me came out. When I finally made it to the end of the finishing chute, my Uncle Mark greeted me with tears in his eyes and a big hug. Awesome!!! My time was good enough for 20th place overall, and 4th in my age group. There was only one question remaining. Was it good enough for a slot to Kona?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lspTRKNCiso/VAT__qQzP9I/AAAAAAAAAvY/eEOeeciX-ZE/s1600/imagejpeg_1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lspTRKNCiso/VAT__qQzP9I/AAAAAAAAAvY/eEOeeciX-ZE/s1600/imagejpeg_1-2.jpg" height="640" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was 9:35:42, or something.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-41432137896344335242014-08-23T19:58:00.001-04:002014-08-23T19:58:16.079-04:00"Louisville Ready!"This will be the shortest post ever on my blog as I relax in my hotel room the night before Ironman Louisville. I have good company with me as I'm sharing a room with my Uncle Mark and my parents are just a couple floors down in their own room. I'm grateful to them for making the trip! I also know my "fan club" of supporters consists of many more family and friends. Laura, Luke, and Matty top the list. They are my world and I love them with all my heart! I'm also thankful for all the other family and friends that have encouraged, motivated, and guided me to this point. A special thanks to Coach Chad Holderbaum for his knowledge, guidance, and time.<br />
<br />
I've put the training in, now it's time to have fun, execute the race plan, and achieve the goal!<br />
<br />
Let's do this!!!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-39683644878569382432014-08-05T22:27:00.000-04:002014-08-05T22:27:38.792-04:00Pittsburgh 2014 Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jEtbFzSK9Fw/U-F_2Eef8JI/AAAAAAAAArc/BR2JwRyaYBw/s1600/Pitt+Tri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jEtbFzSK9Fw/U-F_2Eef8JI/AAAAAAAAArc/BR2JwRyaYBw/s1600/Pitt+Tri.jpg" height="303" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The first time I did the Pittsburgh Triathlon was way back in 2008. At the time, it was like playing in the Super Bowl. It was my first Olympic distance tri, and my first experience swimming in open water during a race. I remember driving across the Veterans Bridge on my way to work everyday and looking down at the Allegheny River where we would be swimming thinking about staying relaxed in the water. I also recall talking trash to the river as if it could hear me. :) I did a lot of mental preparation. Ever since, I've always enjoyed racing the Pittsburgh Triathlon. <br />
<br />
This year was the first time I've raced Pittsburgh since 2011, and this year's race had very different goals than the one back in 2008. As you know, I've been training to qualify for Kona this year. My 2nd and final attempt will come later this month at <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/louisville.aspx#axzz39ZPoVs28" target="_blank">Ironman Louisville</a>. So, the Pittsburgh Triathlon was a training race for me. A few weeks ago, <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Coach Chad</a> and I decided that racing Pittsburgh was a good idea. Having missed Columbia earlier this spring due to possible pneumonia meant that I've only raced once at Eagleman in June. Getting another race under my belt this year was definitely the right move. Most summers I do 4-5 races, but this year with a focus on training for Louisville there's been a little less racing.<br />
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The best part about this year's Pittsburgh Tri was that our friends and neighbors, Randy and Marissa Vulakovich, did their first ever triathlons on Saturday at the Sprint Distance. It has been so much fun having them get into the sport! The questions they ask me remind me of the questions I asked when I first started. :) Randy got his first taste of open water swimming before having very solid bike and run splits, while Marissa turned out to be a ringer as she took 4th in her age group.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Randy & Marissa pre-race</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFWjrXlWrv8/U-GMjjWYnvI/AAAAAAAAAsI/8kNQPlQ75nw/s1600/IMG_8803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFWjrXlWrv8/U-GMjjWYnvI/AAAAAAAAAsI/8kNQPlQ75nw/s1600/IMG_8803.jpg" height="400" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ringer walking on air. Some say her feet didn't touch the ground the entire race.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In fact, it seems that quite a few residents of Heritage Drive are catching the triathlon bug! Talking triathlon has become very common as we gather with our kids in the evenings. It's very exciting! All our neighbors have also been very encouraging of my preparation for Louisville and the goal to qualify for Kona. Thank you!!!<br />
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As for my race, it was a good day. All my goals of getting in a solid training race were met. I was able to have a "good" swim despite having some very tired shoulders from the get-go. My bike split was just under an hour and my run was 40:02. Solid. I ended up 3rd in my age group and 10th overall. Not bad for a training day! Next up, IM Louisville where all the cards will be on the table. I can't wait!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3cGIiK7seOE/U-GQ3YRcoRI/AAAAAAAAAsY/QbsutLdbVB8/s1600/IMG_1921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3cGIiK7seOE/U-GQ3YRcoRI/AAAAAAAAAsY/QbsutLdbVB8/s1600/IMG_1921.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed to T1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Zo3zPGxlmY/U-GQ2tPRo4I/AAAAAAAAAsU/QnpZq4xO_Ao/s1600/IMG_1917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Zo3zPGxlmY/U-GQ2tPRo4I/AAAAAAAAAsU/QnpZq4xO_Ao/s1600/IMG_1917.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke & Tyler Vulakovich hanging out</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18rfpEp9H8o/U-GRPcT-XeI/AAAAAAAAAsk/HLvXQwpTa34/s1600/IMG_1916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18rfpEp9H8o/U-GRPcT-XeI/AAAAAAAAAsk/HLvXQwpTa34/s1600/IMG_1916.jpg" height="400" width="340" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thumbs Up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i9lbSI1fqI/U-GRX7FgyWI/AAAAAAAAAss/sma0LLvXXe8/s1600/IMG_1918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i9lbSI1fqI/U-GRX7FgyWI/AAAAAAAAAss/sma0LLvXXe8/s1600/IMG_1918.jpg" height="400" width="332" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down the home-stretch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rN44HOHwgfA/U-GRfPcr7LI/AAAAAAAAAs0/IeSt4izXokE/s1600/IMG_3339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rN44HOHwgfA/U-GRfPcr7LI/AAAAAAAAAs0/IeSt4izXokE/s1600/IMG_3339.jpg" height="400" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished!</td></tr>
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<br />Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-37616059398815379812014-06-11T09:02:00.000-04:002014-06-11T09:04:46.732-04:00Eagleman 2014 Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t6TZUDK8708/U5c54lQd5QI/AAAAAAAAAoM/07DOkFlrAnA/s1600/8e93da0adde2da051797e0a373bb83ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t6TZUDK8708/U5c54lQd5QI/AAAAAAAAAoM/07DOkFlrAnA/s1600/8e93da0adde2da051797e0a373bb83ad.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
This year marked the 5th time I've competed in Ironman 70.3 Eagleman. Back in 2010, Eagleman was my very first half-ironman distance triathlon. It was a major challenge! I vividly remember the shock I was in following the race. With temperatures in the 90's that day, it was the most difficult physical endeavor I had ever completed. <br />
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To help put this year's race results in perspective, I went back and looked up my results from each of the previous four races. It's very clear that my fitness has greatly improved since 2010, and most impressively, I ran almost 18 minutes faster than last year while also biking over a minute faster. That's unbelievable!!! The swim continues to be my achilles heel.<br />
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<strong>2010 - 5:26:09</strong><br />
Swim: 48:52 (Gender Rank: 986)<br />
T1: 2:22<br />
Bike: 2:32:08 (Gender Rank: 412)<br />
T2: 2:17<br />
Run: 2:00:30 (Gender Rank: 353)<br />
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<strong>2011 - 5:02:15</strong><br />
Swim: 42:39 (Gender Rank: 765)<br />
T1: 2:20<br />
Bike: 2:26:35 (Gender Rank: 249)<br />
T2: 2:32<br />
Run: 1:48:09 (Gender Rank: 241)<br />
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<strong>2012 - 4:41:09</strong><br />
Swim: 32:40 (Division Rank: 47, Gender Rank: 317)<br />
T1: 2:18<br />
Bike: 2:23:12 (Division Rank: 23, Gender Rank: 125)<br />
T2: 2:18<br />
Run: 1:40:41 (Division Rank: 21, Gender Rank: 108)<br />
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<strong>2013 - 4:48:27</strong><br />
Swim: 36:50 (Division Rank: 50, Gender Rank: 313)<br />
T1: 1:48<br />
Bike: 2:19:58 (Division Rank: 25, Gender Rank: 126)<br />
T2: 1:37<br />
Run: 1:48:14 (Division Rank: 38, Gender Rank: 173)<br />
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<strong>2014 - 4:32:39</strong><br />
Swim: 40:42 (Division Rank: 100, Gender Rank: 527)<br />
T1: 1:36<br />
Bike: 2:18:21 (Division Rank: 22, Gender Rank: 141)<br />
T2: 1:20<br />
Run: 1:30:40 (Division Rank: 16, Gender Rank: 101)<br />
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<strong>The Swim</strong><br />
There is no doubt that this year's swim was a failure (and it's ok to call it that). I knew going into the race that in order to compete for one of the top places in my age group, I would have to minimize my losses with a swim time as close to 30 minutes as possible.<br />
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This year was a nonwetsuit swim. The official water temperature was 76.5 degrees, which I was told is .4 above the wetsuit cutoff. This didn't bother me though. I was excited to try my blueseventy swim skin for the first time. It fit like a glove. :)<br />
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I got in the water about 25 minutes before my swim wave to warm-up and get comfortable. The water was chilly. A fellow racer and I joked that maybe race officials just didn't measure the water temp in the right spot. My warm-up was good. After a minute of getting used to the cool water, my breathing was relaxed and my body felt good. I put in a couple short sprints to be sure I was ready for the frantic start of the race and then headed to shore.<br />
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As I stood with my family (it was awesome to have a few minutes with them before the race), I was shivering. It was a little bit of nerves combined with being wet in the cool morning air. I didn't think anything of it, but would later realize this was a symptom of poor race preparation.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAWqBrQwNCo/U5ewc74AAPI/AAAAAAAAAos/qprL90OuiLM/s1600/IMG_2372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAWqBrQwNCo/U5ewc74AAPI/AAAAAAAAAos/qprL90OuiLM/s1600/IMG_2372.JPG" height="320" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love having them at races!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-5UuRFtG84/U5ewljjgDZI/AAAAAAAAAo0/E_U2nQS1DQ4/s1600/IMG_2373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-5UuRFtG84/U5ewljjgDZI/AAAAAAAAAo0/E_U2nQS1DQ4/s1600/IMG_2373.JPG" height="320" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pGNlZQWIIWo/U5ewwN8yb8I/AAAAAAAAAo8/xh-FREe5_OE/s1600/IMG_2377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pGNlZQWIIWo/U5ewwN8yb8I/AAAAAAAAAo8/xh-FREe5_OE/s1600/IMG_2377.JPG" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting some last minute coaching tips from Luke.</td></tr>
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<br />
As my wave entered the water, I kept thinking about what <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Coach Chad</a> had told me, "stay in the moment." He cautioned me not to "drift" at any point during the race. If your mind wonders for just a few moments, you could be loosing precious time to your competition. This would be a consistent thought throughout the day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NkJ0Vv6-2pc/U5ew7MaqG6I/AAAAAAAAApE/-nwkE3l7p3Y/s1600/IMG_2381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NkJ0Vv6-2pc/U5ew7MaqG6I/AAAAAAAAApE/-nwkE3l7p3Y/s1600/IMG_2381.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Into the water.</td></tr>
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<br />
The in-water start was very shallow. With the water only about 4 ft deep, we stood for several minutes half in the water and half out of the water. I became so cold my teeth were chattering. I was doing my best to move around in the water to try and warm-up, but it wasn't helping. I still felt ready and postitioned myself behind the front line of swimmers figuring I wasn't the fastest out of the blocks. Unfortunately, this proved to be a mistake. As the horn sounded and we all set out, I could not find any rhythm. I couldn't find any space amogst my competitors. The water remained shallow for the first several hundred yards. This made things even more chaotic as I and other swimmers stood and walked at times. Overall, I'm guessing that it took me about ten minutes to finally start a normal rhythmic freestyle stroke. I knew the consequences of the poor start, but focused on staying in the moment and controlling what I could control from that point forward.<br />
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After I went around the final turn buoy to swim the final half-mile or so, it felt as though making progress became significantly more difficult. I wondered if the shallow water meant the tide was going out, the Choptank River is a brakish river that experiences high and low tides, and thus we were swimming against the current back to shore. Finally, with about a hundred yards to go, the water became very shallow again, and I stood and did my best to get to shore as quickly as possible. As I stood-up out of the water, I looked at my watch to assess the damage and saw 39:30. Again, I knew what this meant for the overall goal of competing for a Kona slot, but quickly disciplined myself to "stay in the moment" and control what I could control.<br />
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<strong>The Bike</strong><br />
<br />
While disheartened by the poor swim, I wasn't going to give up on the goal. I knew it was unlikely I would be in contention at the end of the day, but I wasn't going to let 8 months of hard work go to waste. I was going to execute the plan Coach Chad and I had talked about along with my own new goal of getting stronger and stronger and stronger as the bike leg went on (I was a little angry).<br />
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The first ten miles ticked by quickly. I focused on taking in my nutrition and once again, "staying in the moment." With a bunch of age groups having started ahead of me, I was continuously passing other riders keeping my wattage in the 260-280 range.<br />
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As I passed the 30 mile mark, I said outloud to myself, "Come on, Ben. You can do this." I wanted to increase my overall avg watts without blowing myself up for the run. Coming into T2 still feeling strong, I was proud of my effort on the bike finishing with a personal best and an overall average speed of 24.3 mph while moving up from 100th place in my age group to 22nd.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Q5gWjd5XU/U5exEfLArYI/AAAAAAAAApM/GzpmoFy2l_Y/s1600/IMG_2396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Q5gWjd5XU/U5exEfLArYI/AAAAAAAAApM/GzpmoFy2l_Y/s1600/IMG_2396.JPG" height="274" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming into T2.</td></tr>
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<strong>The Run</strong><br />
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The plan was to run a 1:30 half. I accomplished this last year at the HalfRev at Cedar Point, but that was after a full summer of training. Previously, my best run at Eagleman was 1:40:41 in 2012 and 1:48:14 in 2013. These were the thoughts running through my mind as I exited T2.<br />
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As I headed out on the run along what would be the finishing shoot, my family was lined along the fence cheering for me. I shouted Luke name and told him I would be back in a little while. My greatest hope in all of this is that I am setting a good example for my boys. Maybe one day they'll read this blog and see the pictures and know that I didn't just talk about hard work paying off.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AR8jLqQ0A28/U5hJ8ymxSuI/AAAAAAAAApc/Ol5S0b42-TE/s1600/run+start.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AR8jLqQ0A28/U5hJ8ymxSuI/AAAAAAAAApc/Ol5S0b42-TE/s1600/run+start.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed out on the run.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I ticked off the first three miles at 6:38, 6:48, and 6:38. I was pleased to see this, but knew that keeping it up was unlikely. The next three miles were at 6:56, 6:59, and 6:49, and I told myself it was a 7 mile race. After mile 7 was at 7:12 pace, I was starting to tire and knew I had to do something differently. I started putting in 1 minute intervals of increased effort. For 1 minute I would run harder, then give myself a 30 second "break." The next four miles were at 6:51, 7:04, 6:57, and 6:57, and I was putting distance between a few competitors that were close behind me and passing one or two in front of me. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dBzlsTOOLtU/U5hLKRHX1zI/AAAAAAAAApk/g7IGTGved2Q/s1600/waiting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dBzlsTOOLtU/U5hLKRHX1zI/AAAAAAAAApk/g7IGTGved2Q/s1600/waiting.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting patiently.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vd60zfJkxH0/U5hLRJHMAjI/AAAAAAAAAps/rfhuJgBWR6E/s1600/wheres+dad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vd60zfJkxH0/U5hLRJHMAjI/AAAAAAAAAps/rfhuJgBWR6E/s1600/wheres+dad.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This is taking longer than I thought."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1319575199"></span><span id="goog_1319575200"></span><br /></div>
With a 7:12 12th mile, I knew I had to hurt myself, which sounds extreme, but is the truth. I had two competitors within striking distance in front of me and one breathing down my neck looking to make a pass. I couldn't tell if they were in my age group, but knew it didn't matter. It was a personal challenge. I would either conquer the fear and hurt or settle for "good enough." I ran the 13th mile in 6:47, my third fastest mile of the day, and raced a final competitor through the finish line to end with a run split of 1:30:40 moving up from 22nd to 16th place in my age group.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uaiQN28sfDM/U5hMCJs7iOI/AAAAAAAAAp0/ltQE1_IwqIc/s1600/Luke's+hand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uaiQN28sfDM/U5hMCJs7iOI/AAAAAAAAAp0/ltQE1_IwqIc/s1600/Luke's+hand.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke's helping hand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9jMH9sq3uIQ/U5hMLJZTlFI/AAAAAAAAAp8/zBeyol7Dobw/s1600/sprint+finish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9jMH9sq3uIQ/U5hMLJZTlFI/AAAAAAAAAp8/zBeyol7Dobw/s1600/sprint+finish.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empty the tank!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Overall, I'm extremely proud of my preparation and effort at Eagleman 2014. It was another fantastic race experience and to have my parents, Laura, and my boys, Luke and Matty there is the best. My parents were awesome this weekend! Congratulations to them on their 40th wedding anniversary! I always owe an extra special thank you to my wife, Laura, for her support. She is an awesome mother and my best friend! Finally, to Lucas and Matthew, you make the finish line extra special. I love you all! Thank you!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEO96sg7ZMY/U5hQjsxUcGI/AAAAAAAAAqI/ZiGLAXhbdIU/s1600/ironbaby.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEO96sg7ZMY/U5hQjsxUcGI/AAAAAAAAAqI/ZiGLAXhbdIU/s1600/ironbaby.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironbaby!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsji1_IsbPU/U5hQphKGxcI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/gZHdsgSJuro/s1600/muscles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsji1_IsbPU/U5hQphKGxcI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/gZHdsgSJuro/s1600/muscles.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muscles!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KWn-L9LreM0/U5hQumWVWmI/AAAAAAAAAqY/hb8rQ3VYR7o/s1600/postrace+picnic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KWn-L9LreM0/U5hQumWVWmI/AAAAAAAAAqY/hb8rQ3VYR7o/s1600/postrace+picnic.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-race Picnic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-56391536638473069022014-06-05T13:15:00.003-04:002014-06-05T13:15:25.423-04:00Kona Project: "The Hay is in the Barn"The preparation is complete and it's time to race!<br />
<br />
Sunday morning at 7:40 am, the horn will sound to start Ironman Eagleman 70.3 and my 35-39 age group. As I think about it, I get butterflies in my stomach. All the hard work over the past 8 months will be on display.<br />
<br />
I am confident I will have a good day; a personal best in fact. But, will it be good enough to compete for a Kona slot? There is one slot allocated for each age group. Any slots not taken will then be reallocated to the age group within that gender that has the most participants. Since the 35-39 age group is one of the largest, there is a chance there will be two qualifying slots.<br />
<br />
It pretty much breaks down like this. I need to have a time of 4:15 or better. 30 min swim, 2:15 bike split, and 1:30 run split. Throw in transition times and this becomes a worthy challenge for sure!<br />
<br />
Laura and the boys will be there with my parents cheering me on. It's awesome to have them making the trip with me. It definitely provides a little extra motivation.<br />
<br />
I can't wait!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-89281114525396565542014-05-16T09:15:00.004-04:002014-05-16T09:15:40.253-04:00Kona Project Update: "Another Two Steps Back"Unbelievably, one day after I publish a post about feeling good and looking forward to racing Columbia, I wake-up feeling not so good. I awoke at 4:10 am feeling fatigue and a little achy. I persevered and made my way to the gym for my morning 3500 yd swim. Although, everything about me was moving more slowly. I kept second guessing whether I should've have even gotten out of bed. I did my 800 yd warm-up followed by 4x50 yd intervals. My stroke felt good, and I thought about continuing. But, I could feel my body telling me that if I did, I would pay for it later. So, after 1000 yds, I got out of the pool and went home.<br />
<br />
Laura asked why I was back so soon. I told her I wasn't feeling well. At this point, it was about 5:50 am and between then and 6:30 I had gotten considerably worse and called off work. I scheduled a doctor's appointment and went back to sleep.<br />
<br />
At the doctor's office, the nurse took my temperature, 101.2. I expected that based on how I'd been feeling. The doctor examined me and concluded I probably have pneumonia. Yep, freakin' pneumonia. How about that for two steps back!<br />
<br />
So, no Columbia this weekend. I'm already feeling significantly better today. The fever is gone, but I have to get this taken care of if I want any shot at being my best at Eagleman on June 8. I'm doing my best to stay positive. My body has told me once again, that I need more rest. I will make sure I get it this weekend and then go from there. Stay tuned!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-90353935487844081422014-05-14T15:38:00.001-04:002014-05-14T15:38:15.502-04:00Kona Project Update: "Two Steps forward; One Step Back"I'm learning the hard way that preparing to qualify for Kona is a "two steps forward; one step back" process. After a solid beginning to my training last fall, I was forced to pull-back during late December and early January due to some back pain that was most likely a result of increased training and lack of maintenance work such as stretching and strength training. Again, following several months of solid training and improvement from February through early April, I was forced to pull-back again. Scheduled recovery from a hard block of training as well as unscheduled recovery from sciatic pain in my right glute/leg, increased fatigue from being sick, and increased asthmatic symptoms forced me to post-pone the final hard training block that leads up to <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/eagleman.aspx#axzz31ihG64ug" target="_blank">Eagleman</a>.<br />
<br />
On Saturday, April 19th, I completed 101.72 miles on the bike with an average normalized power of 252 watts followed by a 3-mile run, on which my legs felt surprisingly good. Following that workout, I told Laura that I was feeling strong. Despite having some mild sciatic pain in my right glute and some normal asthmatic coughing while exercising, I could feel the improvement and benefit of all the training. It was very exciting! In the days that followed I had some severe fatigue and wondered if I had come down with mono. My normal asthmatic coughing increased greatly and left me almost unable to take a deep breath without coughing. You can imagine trying to train under such symptoms. Finally, the sciatic pain in my glute prevented me from bending over and touching my toes. I knew I had to pull-back and get my body right.<br />
<br />
Afer talking with Coach Chad about pulling back a little on the training, I scheduled appointments with my asthma doctor and <a href="http://www.denovopittsburgh.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Brad</a> at DeNovo Pittsburgh Chiropractic. The increased rest along with a change in asthma medication and Dr. Brad's miraculous Active Release Therapy have me back in full swing and ready for this weekend's <a href="http://ulmanfund.org/?s=columbia+triathlon" target="_blank">Columbia Triathlon</a>, which is now organized and run by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. This weekend's race will be a small but important step in my final preparations for Eagleman on June 8. Look forward to my race report next week to see how I did.Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-82550823729040755802014-04-02T14:36:00.001-04:002014-04-02T14:36:30.801-04:00Kona Project Update: "Spring Fever"Is it here, or isn't it? I'm talking about Spring. This past Sunday it snowed, and I did my 4 hr ride on the trainer in my basement. Yesterday, Tuesday, it was 75 degrees outside. It's the time of year where Mother-Nature can't decide what she wants. However, there are undeniable signs that spring has sprung. <br />
<ol>
<li>75 and sunny! </li>
<li>Baseball is back! The Buccos won their Home-Opener in walk-off fashion as Neil Walker hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the 10th to beat the Cubs.</li>
<li>And, racing season is here!!!</li>
</ol>
While my first race of the season is still six weeks away, May 18th in Columbia, MD, some of my friends have already had the races of their lives. <br />
<br />
Two weeks ago, <a href="http://www.fuelyourpassion.net/" target="_blank">Kim Schwabenbauer</a> and Bruce Jenkins posted career days at the Asia-Pacific Championships in Melbourne, Australia. Kim finished on the podium as the third female pro with a time of 9:10:06 and Bruce set an Ironman PR with a time of 9:46:29. If that wasn't impressive enough, last week at Ironman Los Cabos, <a href="http://www.fuelyourpassion.net/" target="_blank">Beth Shutt</a> finished as the 4th female pro with a time of 9:32:28. Wow!!! Congratulations to each of them. They are dedicated athletes that put in the time and energy, and they are seeing it pay off.<br />
<br />
These inspiring performances, along with the warmer weather, has provided added motivation and energy for me. My training has been going well, but there is plenty of work still to be done. Working with <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Coach Chad,</a> I continue to train smarter and harder than ever. I've dealt with a few bumps along the way adjusting physically to the increased workload and intensity, but seem to be getting stronger in all three phases, as I prepare to compete with the best in my age group at <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/eagleman.aspx#axzz2xksvpjFa" target="_blank">Eagleman 70.3</a> on June 8th.Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-26878291750116595712014-03-03T13:21:00.003-05:002014-03-03T13:21:13.667-05:00Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 7"<strong>Friday 2/28/14</strong><br />
<br />
4:10 am: Wake-Up<br />
<br />
4:55 am: Swim<br />
3000 yds (1000 WU, 5x50, 3x400, 5x50, 300 CD) working on some faster effort/intervals.<br />
<br />
5:55 am: Shower & Dress<br />
<br />
6:05 am: Head home<br />
<br />
6:20 am: Arrive home<br />
Help get the boys ready for school.<br />
<br />
6:46 am: Out the door<br />
<br />
7:15 am: Arrive at Daycare<br />
Laura and I drop the boys off.<br />
<br />
7:35 am - 3:03 pm: School/Work Day<br />
It's Friday!!!<br />
<br />
3:35 pm: Pick-up the boys at Daycare<br />
Always the best part of the day!<br />
<br />
4:15 pm: Arrive home<br />
<br />
4:45 pm: Tempo Interval Run<br />
9.24 mi outside w/ 2x3 mi intervals (Avg Pace/mi - 6:33, 6:43, 6:28 & 6:48, 6:49, 6:29)<br />
<br />
6:15 pm: Shower & Dress<br />
<br />
6:40 pm: Dinner at Outback Steakhouse<br />
Thanks to my Secret Santa for the giftcard!<br />
<br />
8:00 pm: Bath, Books, Bedtime<br />
<br />
9:00 pm: Lights-out for me too!<br />
And it will all start over tomorrow morning...Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-74549689603699158052014-02-28T14:44:00.001-05:002014-02-28T14:44:25.078-05:00Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 6"If you've read my previous posts this week, you know there is a lot of routine in my day when it comes to family responsibilities. I'll try to be brief on those topics, but if you have kids, whether you're a triathlete spending a lot of time training or not, you know that family has to be the number one priority. In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way!<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Thursday 2/27/14</strong><br />
<br />
5:30 am: Wake-up<br />
My alarm was set for 5:50, but Luke woke-up. I convinced him it wasn't time to wake-up and he went back to bed until 6:00. When I went in to wake him, he sprung out of bed!<br />
<br />
6:30 am: Out the door<br />
Laura got Matty ready while I got Luke ready. No surprises to report. We're way ahead of schedule today. Laura and I drove separately because she was picking the boys up early to take Matty to his helmet appointment. He wears a helmet to correct a flat spot on the back of his head. I think it makes him even more adorable. He looks like a football or hockey player.<br />
<br />
7:20 am - 3:03 pm: School/Work day<br />
I used some comp time to leave school at the end of the school day so I could get a jump on my workout.<br />
<br />
4:30 pm: Bike ride on trainer<br />
2 hour ride with 7x5 min with 2.5 minutes between intervals. The first 3 intervals 260-280 watts and the last 2 290-310 watts. My average watts for the 7 intervals were: 276, 282, 281, 308, 311, 311, and 309. I am very happy with this workout!<br />
<br />
Laura took care of the boys with some assistance from her mom for part of the time. Laura also made dinner. Thank you!<br />
<br />
6:45 - 7:15 pm: Dinner and Clean-up<br />
<br />
7:15 pm: Bath, Books, and Bedtime<br />
Luke wanted to read a book about Thanksgiving, then Easter, then Halloween. I put the nix on Halloween. He said we would read it when we got Trick-or-Treating again. I agreed.<br />
<br />
8:00 - 8:45 pm: Relax<br />
I watched a little of "Step Brothers" with Will Farrell. Stupic funny is exactly what I needed.<br />
<br />
8:45 pm: Lights out!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-21769179342836943812014-02-28T09:56:00.003-05:002014-02-28T09:56:52.160-05:00Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 5"<strong>Wednesday 2/26/14</strong><br />
<br />
5:50 am: Wake-Up<br />
I got myself dressed and ready for work.<br />
<br />
6:00 am: Luke awakes<br />
I got the little man up, dressed, and brushed his teeth. A month and a half ago this was quite the chore, but ,thankfully, Luke is much more cooperative now. He actually wants to get dressed. It probably helps that we let him pick out his clothes for the most part. This means we rotate between spide-man and Lightning McQueen t-shirts. :)<br />
<br />
6:20 am: Matty awakes<br />
Matty's pretty easy to get ready. Wake him up, change his diaper, dress him, and put him in the carseat. Laura feeds him every morning at 5:00 am so we don't have to worry about that.<br />
<br />
6:30 am: Out the door<br />
We had to leave early this morning because Laura has a class council meeting at 7:30. So I drove, dropped her off at the High School, and took the boys to daycare.<br />
<br />
7:15 am: Drop boys off at Daycare<br />
<br />
7:25 am: Chik-Fila<br />
A quick run through the Chik-Fila drive thru for a couple chicken biscuits. When I went to Duke in college, I was exposed to chicken for breakfast. At first, I thought it was peculiar, but now I don't think twice about downing a chicken biscuit. :)<br />
<br />
7:40 am - 4:00 pm: School/Work Day<br />
We had a few minutes left in one of my College Prep Math classes so I struck-up a conversation with my students about their other interests...besides wanting to be the next great mathematician. It's amazing how we can get caught-up in the routine of life and forget to take the time to get to know and understand the people around us. Each of my students has something they enjoy and are even passionate about. It may not be math, but developing a respectful and appropriate teacher-student relationship can make the time we spend together in math class more valuable and more enjoyable.<br />
<br />
4:15 pm: Pick-up the boys from daycare<br />
<br />
4:50 pm: Arrive home<br />
The original plan was to do my seven mile recovery run when we got home. However, Laura's mom invited her to go to dinner along with Laura's grandma, G-Mamma. So, I had to be flexible. Here's how the evening played out...<br />
<br />
When we got home, Laura fed Matty and I went outside to pick-up the dog waste that had piled up over the past month with all the snow. Laura headed out to dinner about 5:15. I fed Porter and decided I was going to sit on the floor with Matty and watch some TV with the boys. Well, Matty pooped. So I took him upstairs and decided to give him a bath. After that, we came downstairs and I fed him some baby food. During breaks from feeding Matty I started to prep dinner for Luke and me. I made salmon burgers on the stove and microwaved a steamfresh bag of peas.<br />
<br />
6:00 pm: Dinner time<br />
Of course, Luke didn't want to eat the salmon burger. He wanted chicken. I tried to tell him it was chicken and in fact, it was the chicken that "Sid the Science Kid" eats. He took one bite and asked for chicken nuggets. So I microwaved some chicken nuggets for him. I had my open-faced salmon burgers (2) with guacamole and cole-slaw on top. Luke had his nuggets, and Matty had some baby puffs.<br />
<br />
6:30 pm: Clean-up<br />
While I cleaned-up from dinner, Luke played and Matty sat patiently in his high-chair.<br />
<br />
6:45 pm: Bottle<br />
Matty was looking tired so I figured I'd give him a bottle and put him to bed early. I changed him into his PJ's, sat down on the couch with Luke, and fed him the bottle. It was a seven ounce bottle, and after four ounces, I held Matty up for the usual mid-bottle burp. He burped and then threw-up all four ounces. It went all over me, the couch pillow, and his PJ's. I froze in shock for 10 seconds thinking to myself, "you have to be kidding me."<br />
<br />
Luke asked why I was taking my clothes off in the living room, as if the answer wasn't obvious I thought. I changed myself and Matty and put everything in the laundry room.<br />
<br />
7:15 pm: Matty goes to sleep<br />
After the throw-up incident, Matty had to be rocked to sleep. With Luke on the foot stool playing with my legs, I rocked Matty to sleep in his room and put him to bed. One down, one to go.<br />
<br />
7:30 pm: Bath, books, and bedtime for Luke<br />
This went to plan. Luke was cooperative, and we had fun. One of the books we read was Luke's favorite, "Bedtime for Bear."<br />
<br />
8:20 pm: 7 mile run<br />
Laura got back from dinner about 8:15. I was already dressed for my run. Since it was a recovery run and Porter was standing at the door, I took him with me. It was cold (about 20 degrees) and dark and the last thing I wanted to be doing at this time. But, there is a goal, and I want to achieve that goal.<br />
<br />
9:30 pm: Recovery<br />
Porter and I finished our run. I showered and sat down for a recovery snack before bed. A glass of chocolate milk, a banana with peanut-butter, and a chocolate chip cookie. Hmmm. I watched a few minute of TV while I snacked and then headed to bed.<br />
<br />
9:45 pm: Bedtime<br />
I spent 15 minutes reading the Jordan Rapp article in the most recent issue of Lava magazine and then turned off the lights.<br />
Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-29387357309573897602014-02-27T09:44:00.002-05:002014-02-27T09:44:21.395-05:00Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 4"<strong>Tuesday 2/25/14</strong><br />
<br />
4:10 am: Wake-up<br />
Not everyday can be a day off.<br />
<br />
4:50 am: In the pool<br />
3000 yds (300 WU, 600 build, 2x300, 3x200, 6x100, 300 CD)<br />
Good swim!<br />
<br />
5:50 am: Out of the pool<br />
Shower and dress for work at the gym.<br />
<br />
6:05 am: Leave the gym<br />
Eat a Cliff Bar and drink the rest of my Gatorade to hold me over till breakfast in the car on the way to work.<br />
<br />
6:20 am: Arrive back home<br />
Get Matty and Luke dressed.<br />
Feed Porter and let him out.<br />
Pack-up the car full of kids, bottles, school bag and lunch.<br />
Grab breakfast to eat in the car.<br />
<br />
6:55 am: Off we go!<br />
We're running a little late today. I hope we hit green lights.<br />
<br />
7:25 am: Arrive at KinderCare<br />
I drop-off Matty today and Laura walks Luke to his classroom. Laura takes too long to drop Matty off. It's a mother thing I guess. We don't have time to wast today.<br />
<br />
7:40 am: Arrive at school<br />
Whew! We must have hit every green light.<br />
<br />
7:45 am -3:45 pm: School day/Work day<br />
Honors Geometry class is working on a Ractrack Geometry problem where they have to calculate the "headstart" the runners in lanes 2-4 of a four lane track for an 800 m race where the runners stay in their lanes.<br />
College Prep Math class is reviewing/relearning Area and Circumference.<br />
<br />
4:15 pm: Pick-up boys at Daycare<br />
I get Luke and Laura gets Matty. Off we go!<br />
<br />
4:50 pm: Arrive home<br />
Feed Porter and let him out.<br />
<br />
5:10 pm: On the bike<br />
1.5 hour endurance ride on the trainer.<br />
Laura bathed both boys and fed Matty while I was on the bike. Awesome!<br />
<br />
6:45 pm: Dinner<br />
Left-overs. Remember that Sir Pizza from Sunday evening. Oh yeh. And the ChimiChangas. Quick and easy!<br />
<br />
7:15 pm: Clean-up<br />
<br />
7:40 pm: Books and Bedtime<br />
Luke and I read a Counting Numbers book and an Animal Sounds book.<br />
<br />
8:15 pm: The Bachelor<br />
Since tomorrow's schedule is a 7 mile recovery run, I don't have to wake-up early. So Laura and I got to enjoy another one of our shows. Well, more hers than mine, but I like watching it with her. Juan Pablo has been an interesting choice for the Bachelor this season. He took some heat from Andy this week, and there is more on the horizon next week when, "The Women Tell All" episode airs. Oooh!<br />
<br />
9:30 pm: BedtimeBen Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-25354524881754173392014-02-26T09:39:00.001-05:002014-02-26T09:39:25.331-05:00Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 3"<strong>Monday 2/24/14</strong><br />
<br />
It's a day off! No workouts for today. To put it simply, I get to be a normal person for a day. I'll touch on the highlights.<br />
<br />
6:00 am: Wake-Up<br />
Boy did it feel good to sleep-in.<br />
<br />
6:00-6:50 am: Get ready for work<br />
It doesn't take me long to get myself ready in the morning. I could probably be out the door in 20 minutes. Most of the time is used getting the boys ready for school. After Laura feeds Matthew at 5:00 am, she gets herself ready. I got Luke and Matty ready. For Luke, this includes going to the potty, getting dressed, brushing the teeth, combing the hair, getting him milk and two Eggo waffles to eat in the car on the way to "school." For Matty, this includes a diaper change, getting dressed, and putting him in the car seat. Oh, I feed Porter (our dog) and let him out to go to the bathroom too. All of us eat our breakfast in the car. It's about a 30 minute drive to Kindercare so eating the car saves us some time at home. Laura and I try to drive together as much as possible, but some days I'll take the boys in the morning and she'll pick-up in the afternoon so I can get home and start a workout.<br />
<br />
7:45 am-3:45 pm: I do have a job<br />
A routine day at Mount Lebanon High School trying to teach teenagers math. I teach Honors Geometry to freshman and a course named College Prep Math to juniors and seniors. Word is getting around to my track sprinters that I won't be coaching this year. When they ask, I explain that the spring will be an important time to train for my qualifying races for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships. One student said, "is that the thing that ends with the marathon."<br />
<br />
4:10 pm: Pick up the boys from daycare<br />
Best part of the day! Matty still a little too young, but Luke gives a huge smile and runs over when you show-up in his room. It's awesome!<br />
<br />
5:00 pm: Arrive home<br />
After a car ride full of questions from Luke and requests to hear certain songs on the radio, we unload the gang at home. I feed Porter and let him out, and immediately start on making dinner while Laura feeds Matty. ChimiChangas with ground Turkey for tonight with a side of broccoli.<br />
<br />
6:00 pm: Eat dinner<br />
We've started playing "Happy and Sad" with Luke at dinner. We each tell what made us happy and sad today. Luke comes up with some pretty funny things most of which didn't happen.<br />
<br />
6:45 pm: Homework<br />
We've been doing the <a href="http://pittsburghplan.com/" target="_blank">The Pittsburgh Plan</a> with Luke for about a year. It's an educational program created by Dick McCoy that teaches young kids to incorporate homework and learning into their lives in a no stress, no expectation environment. We don't do the 15 minute homeworks as often as we should according to the plan, but there is no doubt it has helped Luke learn letters, numbers, shapes, counting, and the beginnings of reading. We've even started addition.<br />
<br />
7:00-7:45 pm: Bath, Books, & Bedtime<br />
If you've read the other posts, you know this routine. If you haven't read the other posts, it is just what it sounds like.<br />
<br />
8:00-8:30 pm: Haircut & Shower<br />
I cut my own hair. This was a quick and short haircut. A number 3 clip all around and a 2 to clean up the edges.<br />
<br />
9:00 pm: Bedtime<br />
I have an early morning tomorrow.Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-59375288364873480642014-02-25T15:24:00.001-05:002014-02-25T15:24:21.948-05:00Kona Project Update: "A Week in the Life Of... Day 2"<strong>Sunday 2/23/14</strong><br />
<br />
Sunday starts with a brief conversation late Saturday night with Laura about what my workout on Sunday and what time I'm getting up. I told her I have a 15 mile run, which will take about 2 hrs. I also wanted to go to the Trek of Pittsburgh Warehouse Sale that started at 8 am. Then, I give her two options. First option is that I wake up early, like 5 am, and do my run before going to the warehouse sale. This means Laura would have to wake up with Luke, who never sleeps past 6:30 and might awake at 6:00. However, it also means that Laura doesn't have to endure a full 2 hrs of taking care of both boys by herself. The second option is I wake up with Luke, he and I go to the warehouse sale, and I do my run after when we get back. This means Laura gets to sleep-in, but she has to endure the 2 hr run taking care of both boys on her own. Here's what happen...<br />
<br />
6:26 am: Luke gets up<br />
Laura chose option 2 to sleep-in. A good choice! I got up with Luke. We went downstairs for some cartoons and breakfast. Cartoons range from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" to "Sid the Science Kid." We are selective in the shows he watches. We want them to be entertaining, but have some educational value. Breakfast for Luke consisted of an Eggo Multigrain waffle (no butter or syrup), blueberries, and milk. He likes his waffles plain, and he eats them with his hands like a cookie. I cleaned up a little from the previous night's family festivities by unloading and reloading the dishwasher, sweeping the floor, and wiping down the counters. For breakfast, I had three Eggo Multigrain waffles with butter, syrup and blueberries on top, a bowl of Low Fat Cottage Cheese with sliced peaches in it, and a glass of apple juice. Hey, I'm preparing for a 15 mile run!<br />
<br />
7:46 am: Trek of Pittsburgh Warehouse Sale<br />
I got Luke dressed and ready, and we headed to the sale. Luke was very excited. He loves going to the "bike shop." Usually, we are going to "Top Gear" in Wexford, but I explained to him this was a different bike shop. When we got there, he walked around like he owned the place. An older woman even commented to me about how good of a helper he was. He carried the tires I bought and loved pumping the new air pump. After checking-out, we had to hit up a coffee shop so Luke could pee, and then we headed home.<br />
<br />
10:00 am: 15 mile run<br />
It was time for me to tackle the day's challenge. A 15 mile run with the last 2-3 miles between 6:50-7:00/mile pace. Last Sunday, I had the same workout and had no speed at the end of the run. Today, it was 15 degrees warmer (32) and I was better prepared mentally. I got dressed, went to the bathroom a couple times, got my nutrition ready, and was out the door.<br />
<br />
It was a great morning for a run. It was brisk, but the sun was out and there was some warmth to it at times. I knocked out the first 7 mile loop around my house with no problem. I knew the second 8 mile loop would present the tougher challenge, especially that fast finish. Unfortunately, we live in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, which means there aren't many stretches of flat roads to run on. Oh well, you do what you gotta do. My overall pacing for the entire 15 mile run was 7:33/mile, and my last four miles were 7:09, 7:26, 7:15, and 6:53. Hey, I'll take it! On flatter terrain, I think I can hit the 6:50-7:00 goal.<br />
<br />
I had a coughing asthma attack immediately following the run, but a couple puffs on the albuterol inhaler did the trick. It's been a while since I've had an attack, but it subsided quickly.<br />
<br />
12:00 pm: Lunch Time<br />
Left-over pulled pork on multigrain bread with cole-slaw and a side of baked-beans.<br />
<br />
12:30 pm: The Earth shook<br />
Not really...but Luke and Matty actually napped at the same time. I got to lay down for 40 minutes, then Matty woke-up.<br />
<br />
1:30-4:00 pm: Playing with Matty<br />
While Luke napped, Laura went to the mall, and I hung out with Matthew. He did some serious playing sitting with me on the coach, then on the floor, then some tummy-time. It was a lot of fun. He was laughing and smiling the entire time. He finished his play session by feasting on some Turkey & Rice baby food. Hmmm.<br />
<br />
4:00 pm: Dribbling with Luke<br />
Luke has had a sudden interest in dribbling a basketball. Our basement is unfinished with a concrete floor perfect for dribbling. A lot of Luke's toys are down there including several basketballs. Luke's cousin, Tyler, is 7 and plays basketball in the Riverview Athletic Association League. On Saturday, when all the cousins were together, Tyler was teaching Luke and Rylen to dribble. So on Sunday, we had to practice. Luke and I dribbled in the basement for about 15 minutes before it turned into Luke playing with other toys and me cleaning up.<br />
<br />
5:00 pm: Dinner time<br />
Laura and I quickly agreed on "Sir Pizza" for dinner. Quick, easy, and great pizza. Two larges: one pepperoni and one mushroom so we can have left-overs.<br />
<br />
7:00 pm: Bath and Bedtime for the boys<br />
2-on-2, Laura takes Matty and I take Luke. Bath, read books, and to bed by 7:48. Good team work!<br />
<br />
8:30 pm: Relaxing with Laura<br />
After making my lunch and helping Laura get bottles ready for Monday, we sat down and watched the Olympic coverage about the look back at the Nancy Kerrigan/Tanya Harding saga. Nancy Kerrigan awesome. Tonya Harding not.<br />
<br />
At 9:00, we watched the "Walking Dead." I usually am going to bed at this time, but it just so happens that Monday is a day off from workouts. So we stayed up and watched one of our favorite shows. I won't spoil anything in case you DVR'd it.<br />
<br />
10:00 pm: Bedtime<br />
<br />
Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-8288575486171296282014-02-24T14:59:00.000-05:002014-02-24T14:59:10.440-05:00Kona Project Update: "A week in the Life of - Day 1"As I document my journey to qualify for Kona, I thought it would be interesting to record my daily activity for one week. Here we go...<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Saturday 2/22/14:</strong><br />
<br />
5:00 am: Wake-Up<br />
<br />
5:30 am: Workout 1 - 2.5 hr endurance ride on the trainer (Avg Power: 197 watts)<br />
<br />
I watched "Gangster Squad" starring Ryan Gosling on my ipad. Good movie. I usually wake up early on Saturday's to get a significant part of my long ride in before Laura and the boys awake. <br />
<br />
10:30 am: Luke's swim lesson<br />
<br />
Saturday is usually a pretty busy day with Luke's swim lesson at 10:30 at the gym and then a combination of weekly errands that include trips to Costco and the grocery store. At this week's swim lesson, Luke went under water four times and jumped in from the edge of the pool. He's really doing well.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L4v4ksMRkJE/UwujPOE_QgI/AAAAAAAAAl8/mp0hQsfAh54/s1600/Luke.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L4v4ksMRkJE/UwujPOE_QgI/AAAAAAAAAl8/mp0hQsfAh54/s1600/Luke.JPG" height="320" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke and Ms. Debbie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Workout 2: 30 min circuit workout<br />
While Luke's at his swim lesson, I get a quick workout focused on core strength. I probably get 3 sets of 4 or 5 different core exercises along with some body weight squats, leg extensions, and leg curls.<br />
<br />
11:30 am: Errands<br />
After a trip to Costco, back to the gym because we dropped Matty's hoodie in the parking lot, through the express shopping at Giant Eagle (a GE employee completes your online shopping order and brings your groceries out to your car at your scheduled pickup time), and by the bank, we returned home. I unloaded the groceries, fed Luke and Matty, and got Luke down for a nap while Laura ran out to Target.<br />
<br />
2:15 pm: Car Wash<br />
When Laura got back from Target, I spent an hour outside washing the new Grand Cherokee. It was a sunny day with temps around 50 degrees so I had to take advantage.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQvnbW2a40c/Uwuj2MVf3GI/AAAAAAAAAmE/-FctESPgya4/s1600/car.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQvnbW2a40c/Uwuj2MVf3GI/AAAAAAAAAmE/-FctESPgya4/s1600/car.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So clean you could eat off it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
3:30 pm: Family visit<br />
As I finished up the car wash, my extended family was arriving for a visit. My sister Katie and her family were in town from Columbus, OH. The Erdeljac clan had an enjoyable afternoon and evening hanging out. All the cousins got to blow off some steam playing around the house. It was a little loud and hectic, but fun.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MmqTYAAL504/UwukRs8W9NI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/_BlARhYJ-AE/s1600/kids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MmqTYAAL504/UwukRs8W9NI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/_BlARhYJ-AE/s1600/kids.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a picture from last fall of the cousins with Pap-Pap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
8:00 pm: Luke's Bath and Bedtime<br />
Laura went to the neighbor's house for a gathering with the other women in our neighborhood and my family left shortly after 8 pm. Laura had already fed and put Matty to sleep. I bathed Luke, read him some books, and put him to bed about 8:45. This reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's rant on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon about putting kids to bed. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's funny.<br />
<br />
9:00 pm: Bedtime<br />
I laid down to watch some of the Olympics and found myself dozing off. I threw in the towel and shut the lights off a little after 9:00. Good night!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-63815806462659730212014-02-11T09:38:00.000-05:002014-02-11T09:38:09.443-05:00Kona Project Update: "Weathering the Storm"Wow! It is cold outside! This has been the coldest winter in Pittsburgh that I can remember. I love the term "Polar Vortex," but when will it end? With temperatures constantly below freezing and often in the teens and even single digits and below, Pittsburghers have weathered the storm in anticipation of some warmer weather.<br />
<br />
I've been weathering my own storm as I pursue a qualifying slot for the 2014 Ironman World Championships in October. Over the past few weeks, it seemed like things couldn't get anymore hectic, until they did. Let's start with my lower back pain. It came back. It's ok because I've been feeling good for a couple weeks now, but that's only after a series of appointments with my orthopedic doctor and two different chiropractors along with the purchase of a Teeter Hang-Ups inversion table, styrofoam roller, and a tempurpedic bed. It's become clear that I have to do the maintenance stuff to keep my body prepared for the rigors of heavy training.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pnaPKwhaWE0/UvozDwnDLWI/AAAAAAAAAlU/dKnJ2ZuX9bY/s1600/me.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pnaPKwhaWE0/UvozDwnDLWI/AAAAAAAAAlU/dKnJ2ZuX9bY/s1600/me.png" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I ran almost as many miles as <br />
was the temperature (15 miles).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4RrmtfZ_PKs/Uvo0dvotK8I/AAAAAAAAAls/zlqbFkvXBBQ/s1600/riding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4RrmtfZ_PKs/Uvo0dvotK8I/AAAAAAAAAls/zlqbFkvXBBQ/s1600/riding.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know if I'll remember how to ride a <br />
bike without it being propped-up for me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After the heavy downpour of back pain, the storm brought on an unexpected gust from a broken down car. Laura and I came out of school on a bitter cold Tuesday, and when I turned the key to start the car, there was nothing but silence. "You have got to be kidding me!" Five hours later my car was towed to the dealership and the family was home thanks to Pappa Bob's escorting service. We spent a week with one car, and I dealt with the dealership telling me I needed things repaired that another mechanic told me I didn't need repaired. Ultimately, the car situation was resolved this past Saturday as we traded in the old four-wheel drive sleigh with over 145,000 miles for a new one with a few more bells and whistles. Oh yeh, and a new car payment.<br />
<br />
Those two things combined with the daily forecast of changing diapers, pediatrician appointments, feeding, bathing, dressing, undressing, and overall caring for two little boys while also training at a level I've never trained before has made "weathering the storm" a true challenge. I'm very lucky to have Laura's love and support on this journey, and it's all still fun in its own unique way. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzRzFYbfZIE/Uvoty7s-LzI/AAAAAAAAAk4/YHANzhUIZAw/s1600/laying+with+the+boys.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzRzFYbfZIE/Uvoty7s-LzI/AAAAAAAAAk4/YHANzhUIZAw/s1600/laying+with+the+boys.png" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laying with the boys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oFDlephvR_s/UvoyVi6FPcI/AAAAAAAAAlM/metV4Xo7K9I/s1600/reading.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oFDlephvR_s/UvoyVi6FPcI/AAAAAAAAAlM/metV4Xo7K9I/s1600/reading.png" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading "Little Quack"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-27994282529965801402013-12-19T14:29:00.001-05:002013-12-19T14:29:07.416-05:00"Kona Project Update - What a pain -- in the back!"I figured pursuing a Kona Slot for 2014 would consist of soreness, fatigue, and frustration from time-to-time, but last week I got hit with some unexpected back spasms that made me seriously doubt my pursuit. I got up early last Tuesday (a week and a half ago) to get in my morning swim. All went well, except for the fact that I'm slow. I came home to help get Matty ready for daycare, but was looking forward to spending the day at home with Luke because he had a fever and couldn't go to daycare. After Laura and Matty left the house, I was so happy to lay down for 30 minutes before Luke awoke. A 30 minute nap is hard to come by with two little kids and training. However, when I woke-up, my back was tight and sore. I knew something wasn't right, but hoped that it would loosen up. I managed a short trip to the grocery store with Luke to get a few things. I found myself bending over the handle of the shopping cart in pain during most of our trip, and it was all I could do to make it back home with my groceries and Luke. I sought refuge on the couch with my legs up, but there was none to be found, and by mid-afternoon I was crawling around the house on all fours because it was too painful to stand. It was terrible!<br />
<br />
I informed <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Chad</a> I wouldn't be completing the day's scheduled run workout and that things weren't looking good for the next day's workouts either. Even worse, I had to miss the <a href="http://ballouskies.com/" target="_blank">Ballou Skies</a> "Corks and Pucks" gala that a bunch of my family was going to attend. Chad and I came up with a game plan to take it easy and see how the back responded. Over the next two days, between seeing my family doctor, getting some x-rays, and talking with family, I was worried my Kona Project was a bad idea. I questioned whether I had it in me to do the training day-after-day while working and fulfilling my parenting responsibilities. I also questioned whether my body could endure it all. After all, Luke's terrible twos have me in wrestling matches some mornings trying to get him dressed for school, and Matty's not sleeping through the night because he can barely breathe from the congestion of one cold after another. In fact, it seems like every time we get in the car, I'm explaining to Luke that we're going to a doctor's appointment for one of us. The pot was boiling over and some final straw broke my back.<br />
<br />
After reflecting on these feelings for a few days, I came to some calming realizations. First, this is the hardest it will get. I wasn't thinking about the training workouts. Those will surely get harder, but this time of the year is hard because it's sooooo busy. I began to see that glass half-full. Matty won't always be sick, and when he starts sleeping through the night, I'll get to too. Luke won't be two forever and he will start to learn that just because he wants something and says, "please," doesn't mean he'll get it. And, throwing a tantrum won't help. The weather will get warmer. The days will get longer, and I won't be training in the dark all the time. Christmas vacation will be coming and all the shopping will be done. And, this back pain will go away. Insert a major deep breath here. Next, I also realized that I'm not going to qualify for Kona in one day. There will be ups and downs in my training and how my body feels. I just need to stay the course. It is a process. It is a project.<br />
<br />
I'm happy to report that my back is feeling better. I got a good report from an Orthopedic Doctor and I'm back to training. I am getting an MRI tonight, but the doctor isn't anticipating finding any major problems. I think he called it, "normal degeneration that I would expect to see in someone your age." "Keep doing what you're doing," he said.<br />
<br />
Sounds good to me Doc!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-39766800868432138472013-11-21T09:17:00.005-05:002013-11-21T09:29:09.838-05:00"Moonlighting"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OfecxCUlX0I/Uo4XLOQxr6I/AAAAAAAAAjw/ab7JcnqKe4E/s1600/moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OfecxCUlX0I/Uo4XLOQxr6I/AAAAAAAAAjw/ab7JcnqKe4E/s320/moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was something like this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I awoke to the sound of my alarm at 3:45 this morning feeling sleepy but ready for my 10 mile training run. It was the only time I could get it done today. I dressed, prepped and was out the door at 4:15. The air was cold with temperatures in the 20's. The clear sky permitted the full moon and stars to light the night sky. I eased into the 2 mile warm-up as I prepared my mind and body for the up-tempo 6 mile interval. With the rest of the world sleeping, I had the road to myself. The headlights of a rare drive-by gave itself away with plenty of time for me to move aside and share the road. The beeping of my watch told me the warm-up was at an end. It was time to go to work. I quickened my stride and focused my breath making sure no hill would prevent me from maintaining my pace. Fellow night-joggers on four legs bounded through side yards in groups of three and four. I cleared my throat to inform them of my presence. As I finished my turnaround loop and headed toward home, I caught the glare of a buck perched in a yard no more than 10 feet away. With his maturing antlers showing like a side-arm, he gave me the familiar look I get from my 9 year-old boxer, Porter, that says, "what's next?" I had no interest in playing his game and moved quickly but cautiously to the middle of the road.<br />
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With my adrenaline rushing, I prepared for the final mile of my main set. As I sprinted up a hill to keep my 6:20 pace, I recalled glory days on the grid-iron. I've worked hard to slow the hands of time. I whipped through the streets of Briarwood until another beep from my wrist told me my task was complete. I eased into 2 miles of recovery that brought me back home. It's time to wake up.Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-34648729571705313712013-11-18T09:56:00.001-05:002013-11-18T09:56:18.126-05:00Kona Project Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm in to week six with <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Project 942 Racing Team</a> and Coach Chad Holderbaum. The first few weeks started out "easy" with some lighter workouts and field testing in all three disciplines. These field tests consisted of a 2 mile time-trial run on the track, a 20 min time-trial ride on the trainer, and a 1500 yard time-trial swim in the pool. These tests were used to set a baseline of conditioning for which future workouts are built.<br />
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The past couple weeks have included workouts that are gradually increasing in length/distance and include intervals of higher intensity. This morning, I had a 3600 yd swim that included a 500 WU (warm-up) followed by 30x100 yd w/ 10 sec. rest and a 100 yd CD (cool down). I successfully completed the workout by 6 am and hustled home to help Laura get Luke and Matt ready for school (daycare). Luke was especially cranky this morning. He wanted his mommy, but I was taking them to school and Laura is picking-up this afternoon. After school, I'll drop-off Lilly & Sarah (Laura's parents' dogs) at the kennel and then hustle home for my 1.5 hr ride that includes 8x4 min intervals at 240-255w (watts). Whew! <br />
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Every day this week has two workouts. This means I'll be getting up early to get one workout in before work and then hustling home to get the second workout completed. It's a busy schedule, but worth doing for now. Laura has been very supportive and understanding as we plan out the week every Sunday taking into account work meetings, children's needs (most recently some doctors appointments), dinner plans, and my training along with all the other daily responsibilities. Thanks Babe!<br />
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A special congratulations to my new coach, <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Chad Holderbaum</a> for a very impressive performance at <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/florida/results.aspx#axzz2l0cSC5uT" target="_blank">Ironman Florida</a> finishing 20th overall with a time of 8:31:59. Also, congratulations to <a href="http://thetrialofmilesmilesoftrials.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beth Shutt</a> for her performance at <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/arizona/results.aspx?race=arizona&rd=20131117&sex=F&agegroup=Pro&loc=#axzz2l0cSC5uT" target="_blank">Ironman Arizona</a> finishing 9th in the Pro Women's field with a time of 9:15:38. You two are setting the bar very high for the rest of us. Keep it up!Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-410837183252865318.post-90238458219825154942013-10-15T09:56:00.000-04:002013-10-15T09:56:03.507-04:00Kona 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I figure I'll make it official with a blog post. After a lot of consideration and conversation with family, I am making qualifying for Kona a goal for 2014. It might seem odd that I'm blogging about something that so many triathletes strive for year after year, but for me it's a big decision. The time and financial commitment to working toward this goal are such that I will need the support from many people around me, most especially my wife, Laura. With two young boys, the responsibility of watching the boys falls to her when I'm out training. Thank you Laura!<br />
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I've already made some important investments that will help me tremendously. I've decided to get a coach for the first time in my tri "career." I will be working with <a href="http://www.project942.com/" target="_blank">Coach Chad Multisport, LLC</a> . I have known Chad for several years now and have raced with him on the <a href="http://ballouskies.com/Team.html" target="_blank">Ballou Skies Tri Team</a> for two years. I have great respect for the things Chad has accomplished in the sport of triathlon and am confident his expertise will help me improve.<br />
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In addition to a coach, I've invested in a couple pieces of equipment. The <a href="https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/running/forerunner-910xt/prod90671.html" target="_blank">Garmin 910 XT</a> multisport watch and a <a href="http://quarq.com/" target="_blank">Quarq Power Meter</a> for my bike. I'm excited to have these pieces of equipment as they will provide important data for training and racing. Thanks Gram and Mom & Dad! I've also applied for the <a href="http://www.powerbar.com/" target="_blank">PowerBar Team Elite</a> sponsorship in hopes of having PowerBar's support throughout my journey. As any athlete knows, nutrition is absolutely critical, and PowerBar provides so many great products for endurance athletes.<br />
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This week is the first week of training with Coach Chad. The first few weeks will include a series of field tests in each of the three sports so that we can collect data and analyze my current fitness. Coach Chad and I have also started discussing which races will be my "A" races and give me the chance to qualify for Kona. Presently, I am registered for <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/eagleman.aspx#axzz2hnQesRS4" target="_blank">Eagleman 70.3</a> on June 8th in Cambridge, MD. This is a race I've done many times and is the only 70.3 with Kona qualifying spots. Stay tuned for additional races added to my schedule.<br />
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I'm excited for the journey ahead and will be blogging more frequently through the ups and downs on my way to Kona 2014.Ben Erdeljachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13328727545390363002noreply@blogger.com0