tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592370066574046872024-03-13T18:10:11.648-07:00The Chubby CheetahI am a month away from the "Big Horn Trial Run 50 miler. I am under trained, overweight, at least for running an Ultra Marathon. I am grinding out super hard Saturdays trying to put myself in a position to finish this year, after two previous failed attempts.Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-50733995854129971122019-03-24T09:35:00.002-07:002019-03-24T09:35:16.891-07:00Lavaman 2019 in Kona HawaiiOne week to race day for Lavaman 2019, the olympic distance Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii that is so popular at the end of every March that is sells out the July before. I am still fairly chubby, but I am strong in my lungs and my legs. This Friday I crushed 40 miles of the Hong course from Hapuna Beach <a href="https://www.hawaii.com/big-island/beaches/hapuna/">https://www.hawaii.com/big-island/beaches/hapuna/</a>, all the way up to Hawi and Back. A hard 40 mile ride with 2,000 + feet of elevation gain, and not a cramp or whisper from my legs. In fact, I was ready to go run when my wife called and asked when I was coming home because I obviously had forgotten about being back in time for a sleep over her and my daughter were doing at a friends house.<span id="goog_968732558"></span><br />
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On this training ride, I took a friend Easten, who has a crazy incredible life transformation story, which I won't tell, because he video blogs and all that stuff, but I will tell you my part. After Easten's life and death experience, while lying limply in a hospital bed for days, his brother told him he had to start setting goals or he would never get out of the bed. One of his goals was to do a triathlon, a Ironman. I bumped into him at the Big Island International Marathon, where he was running the first annual 10k and I just happened to be leading it on my mountain bike. He told me He wanted to do "Honu" the Ironman 70.3 June 2nd that I am training to do, and He was going to do it on his hybrid bike. The Bike course is crazy hard, and that would make it so much harder. I had met him years ago at a group open ocean swim at Richardsons Beach Park <a href="https://www.lovebigisland.com/big-island-beaches/richardsons/">https://www.lovebigisland.com/big-island-beaches/richardsons/</a> . After hearing he didn't have a race bike, without knowing him, I loaned him my road bike and shoes, that is what I have been taught is the kind of Aloha you should Malama other with living on the Big Island, and it is definitely the kind of hospitality I would have given you growing up in Wyoming. So, when Easten said he wanted to do Honu, and he was goin to try to raise money, I decided to be his first helper. I took him to Kona, and while getting new headset bearings put into my race bike at Bike Works in Kona <a href="http://www.bikeworkskona.com/">http://www.bikeworkskona.com</a>, I bought new, on sale, tri shoes for me, so he could use my old ones with my road bike, got him a water bottle, co2 cartridge, spare tire, the rest of the kit to be dug out of my closet, and we got the bike tuned up in the park lot while waiting for my bike. And, then he joined me on the punishing ride. It is almost as exciting to see and help someone do Honu for the first time, as it is to prepare to kill it myself. I am adding in this part of my story so if someone actually reads my blog, maybe they will look up Easten, hear his story, and give him a little sponsorship! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQvyglQowFg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQvyglQowFg</a>Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-30655863614005163052019-03-12T10:08:00.000-07:002019-03-12T10:11:53.777-07:00Lavaman Triathlon March 31st, 2019<a href="http://www.moltenminds.com/">http://www.moltenminds.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.moltenminds.com/"></a>As Lavaman approaches I am pushing to get into better shape, and trying to trim up. My weight loss has plateaued since I need to eat to recover and have enough energy to continue to train. I was shooting for a sub two hour olympic triathlon at Lavaman, but it must be a really hard course as last years winner finished just under two hours, and my fas friends were from 2:21 to 2:31. I am going to push hard this week with a Kalapana ride/2 mile run today march 12th swim later, wed. 8-1/2 mile run swim later, thur. cross training ride with Aaron/speed work brick swim later, light fast 5 mile bike and easy 10k run. Saturday??? This pic is me out slaying it on a ride to Kalapana at the lava tube that fed the Leilani flow of 2018.<br />
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Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-6023443774342454092019-02-28T07:44:00.000-08:002019-02-28T07:45:20.522-08:00So far, so good!!!Feeling decent about training so far this year. My only set back so far was after completing the swim, and bike during the Iron Mango 70.3 during that gnarly wind storm, and the next day I ran an 8.42 mile run. I believe it was the combo of the harsh weather and long works that plagued me with a sinus infection and chest cold that lingered for two weeks. But, I am back to training now, I caught my 33.33 mile out and back to Kalapana on Tuesday. My first ride on my new saddle. It is one of the Urologist recommended saddles, I choose the ISN PN 2.0. It was was a little awkward, but way more comfortable, especially in areo. No more numbness! Why didn't I do this years ago?<br />
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<br />Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-86184999882547593392019-01-08T08:57:00.002-08:002019-01-08T08:57:18.286-08:00Workout: 01-01-019, Hilo to Volcano Relay.Three person team of awesomeness and lucky enough to have a driver, "Tres Pollo Locos". It is a 50K, sea level to 4000',each person runs 5 segments, I had good strong paces ranging from 9-10:30's. Sunny, warm, with some thin clouds.Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-11379392968720670822019-01-08T08:52:00.003-08:002019-01-08T08:52:59.623-08:00Blog to be a workout log also.Since most of the posts here are only mildly entertaining, for those individuals who are in between more quality entertainment, which happens to be no one, since my blogs, I have one on wix.com too (Mumbles and Rambles), and no one is viewing them, and I am not seeking anyone to view them, but I do want to use them as a form of journal, and the Chubby Cheetah also as a workout log leading up to Honu 70.3 the ironman at the beginning of June. my workouts will be listed as workout/date/description. My other blog, "Mumbles and Rambles", isn't to gain viewership either. It is about consistency for an entire year. It is more of a rambling if the thoughts of who I aspire to be, and in the cover of anonymity use the internet avatar to create real changes to myself, my habits, and enhance my own life.Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-90687605306073728132019-01-07T13:36:00.001-08:002019-01-07T13:36:44.554-08:00Hilo to Volcano Ultra Relay 2019I just looked back and noticed my first post it was in 2011. What the F*&^, time goes by that quickly! Eight years later and my goals are to change the same patterns. From the outside looking in it probably appears the same, but I feel that this go is much different. I am super chubby, less than in the fall, but in Tennessee at Christmas I weighed in at 207. I am fairly strong, if I can keep my training from hitting all the normal potholes I could have a totally different race season. My push to build a base seemed to work. On the team "Tres Pollo Loco's", we ran the 50k in 4:46. A good time for a team thrown together at the end of December. It's 3 people, running five legs each, at around 2 miles a leg. It goes from sea level to 4000' elevation. I ran mostly close to 9 minute miles, with the last segment just over 10 minute miles. I was at 8's for about half of the leg running step for step with a high school track girl. This bouncing little track didn't even look like she was breaking a sweat, and I looked like a drunk Russian coming out of a car wash. One of the solo ultra support vehicles pulled off the road, and the support person, who is obviously not a runner, opened his door jumped out, and stood there with the door open, forcing me to drop behind the bouncing pony tail, to avoid push her towards the white line and traffic. And, step by step the pony tail bobbed a little further in front of me. My conditioning was enough to keep me shuffling up the hill, but no kick left to catch the pony tail. I am referring to the pony tail, because there were three teams, of three girls, all small runner girls, and everyone of them had a mid shoulder pony tail. Since I am at least a 100 pounds their senior and in mediocre shape, I watched pony tails bounce away from me all day. My team was awesome, fun, and pushed themselves conquering the never ending hills in our climb to Volcano village. I am considering that race my first official work out towards the training for the Lavaman Triathlon that is at the end of March. My training on Sunday was trying to learn how to sail in a small dingy called a Sunfish. Until you try sailing one of those little boats, you don't realize that it is a full body workout, and your first few sessions are comedy gold. Jaime captained one yesterday for the first time, and we capsized twice in Hilo Bay. The first time our dagger board fell out, the sail went under water, I had to get the dagger board back in place, swim around, and climb my fat butt all the way up to standing on the dagger board to right the boat. Then Jaime went back to shore. I went on a solo sail to get reacquainted with the sailing process, as it was my fourth time. Then I took Otis for a cruise, and then I took Betty for a cruise. Today I may catch a light work out in the afternoon. Most of the day will be spent getting ready for the kids to start back to school tomorrow.Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-89573432838198988262019-01-04T08:53:00.003-08:002019-01-04T08:53:36.186-08:00Hilo to Volcano 50k Relay TomorrowAloha,<br />
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I am heavier than I have probably ever been. Weighing 207 pounds. I am feeling strong in spite of my weight. After tomorrows race I am going to start to control my portions, but I am going to let most of the weight come off naturally during the season. It is such a difficult balance between staying strong and losing fat. Weight is not really the way I should phrase it, because I don't want to lose any muscle. My belly already doesn't slide over when I lay on my side, so I am already trimming up a bunch.<br />
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Tomorrow's relay is two mile segments, and I am hoping to keep my slow paces around 9 minute miles, and if I am falling apart no slower than 10 minute miles, and during some point of the race hit 7 minute miles. The trick is staying strong all day, keeping lightly fed and hydrated. Starting at sea level the race is over 4000 feet of elevation gain, so it is all up hill, except the out an d back down Wright Rd. which is, the hardest part, large rolling hills at around 4,200 feet elevation. It's a small race, maybe 100-150 entries with relay teams, and a fun post race hang out and awards.<br />
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After, a nice hard push for running being fully started after this race it is time to fold the other disciplines into the schedule. I will start my swim training, switch from small occasional mountain bike rides into hilly tri-bike rides, lots of short hard pool swamis while the kids are at swim practice, surfing, I will definitely push work outs to go surfing, keeping sailing on the first and third Saturdays with the Hilo Sailing Club, and by somewhere opening the connection to unlimited spiritual energy rise above my own deprecating self image, plug in, reset the whole fucking computer even if it risks everything. I will not carry my race season as a ball and chain through the mud and rocks letting my other responsibilities and desires fall to the way side as my home chores pill like it''s a career choice. I will not use, "I will not, cannot, won't" with me, instead rising with positive language and thoughts. "I allow myself, Not I stopped eating this, but I started eating this. Things we pretend piss us off or frustrated, I am going to do like I tell me children, "stop, try again, try a new tactic." I am not going let the mind say no beer, spit out the tobacco, put down the whiskey, pick up the broccoli, unless my my body tells me. Over the years of trying these races I have learned that you body will tell you what it wants and when. If you listen every thing goes well. It will be interesting to see how my new perspective, coming off recent failures, and keeping life fun will play out this season. Especially with all of my workout friends in far superior shape due to their consistency conditioning themselves over the years. I have fallen in and out due projects, life, accepting the excuses I provided myself. This is going to be a year at living in the joy and grace and laughter of life, and for that reason I will succeed in all my endeavors!Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-34350922357693713652019-01-04T08:12:00.002-08:002019-01-04T08:12:21.884-08:00Note to 201901-04-2019<br />
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This is hopefully my last season as the Chubby Cheetah, and then I will retire this project maybe after I crush at the Big Horn 50, but I really have my sites set the World Championships of Triathlon Ironman in Kona, Hawaii. If I don't gain entry, maybe I can look at doing a 100 mile foot race, but if I can find a way to be super dedicated to every thing in my life, and super successful at my physical endeavors then I would like to bring this project to close. Even if no one every sees it except my little family. I need to finish this project. 2019 is a year of closure for all old projects and ways of being. Shed your skin, and leave behind anger, self judgement, regrets. Let's set ourselves up to win for the rest of our lives. Letting go of any anger or resentment, which only hobbles the owner from their own bliss. Letting every molecule expand, becoming lighter, making it impossible for the dark bitter seeds to cling onto all the slights in your life, and through that slight expansion, all your bitterness floats away, leaving you a nonjudgemental lighter beaming with life you who glides through life in the front seat of the roller coaster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-17238164829338979302019-01-02T20:06:00.001-08:002019-01-02T20:06:11.566-08:00"2019" Happy New Years!!!!!!!Aloha,<br />
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I failed to read through the whole last post, and I failed miserably at the races in 2018. Last year, what a F#$%^&* Year. I was electrocuted for days by shingles, went to Positano, Italy with my dear friends for Karlos's 60th birthday drank ate and smoked too much and got deathly ill in Italy. Missed trains, buses, had cars break, a volcano erupted 7 or 8 miles from my house, went out and help friends out next to the volcano while it was erupting, the kids had a crazy fun summer, in the fall they did every extra activity I believe they offer on the Island. I double booked Italy with the Lavaman Triathlon and missed it. Was sick so often that I couldn't do the Honu, tried to get a refund with proof of doctors visit and was denied. I signed up for the 2019 Lavaman thinking for once I would be smart and get a base before starting to train for a race, found out we were having our first annual Exterra Race on the Kona side, with a month and a half to train. I got sick. Injured my hip the week before the race. I did everything possible to heal the hip. Heavier than every, loaded full of massive doses of Ibuprofen, extremely under trained, I had my first every D.Q. at a triathlon. I was heat stroking and almost passing out on the super gnarly bike course, and chose life over going out and continuing on the run. Since the race I have had several mountain bike rides and several runs up to 8.8 miles on the runs. I am going to, and I really really mean it, try to make this the last year of the Chubby Cheetah Documentary. Even if it has to be turned into a short documentary. I am going to be on a relay team of medium speed on January 5th in the Hilo to Volcano Run, maybe the swim and bike at the Team Mango Mini Monster 70.3, The Lavaman Triathlon at the end of March, and Honu 70.3 at the beginning of June in Kona. I wasn't going to try Honu this year, but five of my friends who I train with, who never have done the race while I was doing it, are doing the race this year. Before I knew it, I was checking the box to be in the competition to earn a slot into the World Championships Big Island slots during Honu 2019. Even if I can chase my friends there are tons of guys in their live of conditioning training, and if I do win a slot do I want it? What the F$%^? A 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run in the Kona heat and Kohala winds, I am not sure if that is something I want to do. Even if it is something I want to do, find a way to qualify, how will I find the time for works that last 6 plus hours on the regular. If I have learned one thing on the Big Island it is, "to go with the flow". I am going to push as hard as I can without giving up all my fun, and without turning into a total dick because I have worn my fat ass out. The best thing that has come out of this project so far is when I opened this blog page. After searching just to find it. Dusted it off, and saw the picture of my sweet children together when they were little. They are only nine and 6 now, but I miss those cute little people.<br />
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My 2019 New Years resolution is to write faithfully on my second blog which I just started. At some point I will add links to it on this page, even though neither has any followers, and that is not the point any longer. My goal is to not let that one die off like this one did, and allow that persistence bleed over into all things I do or need to finish. Happy New Years! I am wishing anyone who stumbles upon this love, light, and peace!<br />
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Mark L. LewisLewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-78567640960644645792017-09-30T12:41:00.001-07:002017-09-30T12:41:29.821-07:00I'm Back...Aloha,<br />
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I thought, you thought, we all thought that this project has died. After, completing principle photography on a feature film, "The Girl Who Plays In The Purple Sand", this summer, 2017, I have decided to resurrect the documentary of the Chubby Cheetah. Liz Tichenor, who was my right hand during the photography phase of Purple Sand, has agreed to edit the project, and I am compiling little clips as my fat hinney tries to do an Olympic distance triathlon in the spring of 2018, a Ironman 70.3 in Kona at the beginning of summer, and using that race to get into the World Champion Ship of Triathlon's Ironman 140.6 distance through qualifying for a Big Island resident slot at the 70.3 in Kona. And, maybe, maybe throw the Big Horn 50 miler into the mix this summer. It's good to be back!!!<br />
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Aloha!Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-28675485625138503132013-05-17T10:29:00.002-07:002013-05-17T10:34:46.649-07:00Personal Update & Pre Mauna Loa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have posted a couple of times this about "Team Mango Races" that I have done, but so much has happened that has changed my life. I now have two kids. I have my own little video business. I am in better overall shape from boxing, which I haven't been able to make it to in two months, and training for and competing in Triathalons. I can't seem to trim up, I can't get myself in front of the camera to interview myself, and I have had this abnormal craving for fast food. I think it may be a pre-depression, because I am afraid I am in the same spot I have been the two previous years. NOT QUITE READY! So frustrating, I can go out and finsh a tough Triathalon, but this race is so tough, and most of the people running it are 50 lbs. lighter than me, in fact before the race this year eat a couple of these little runners to give me the extra boost to finish.<br />
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I am going to summit Mauna Loa this weekend from the longest route for training. There are three different trail systems leading to the top. I would like to do it in a day, but it is super slow to ascend, the elevation goes from 6000' to just below 14,000', it should end up being over 32 miles round trip, the cairns (rock piles) marking the trail are the same color as the surrounding rock and the trail winds in crazy directions, often you have to stand next to a cairn scan around for about 300 degrees to locate the next cairn before you can move forward. Most people turn this hike into at least a three day hike due to rugged terrain and adjusting to altitude and temperature. There are two cabins along the way, one at around 10,000' and one about a 1000' below the summit. I can't really run it, because I have to have a backpack with camping gear in case I start heading towards hypothermia because of minimal layers of clothes I wear hiking, or if I get altitude sickness. I usually am not that prone to either, but anyone is suseptable to either. And, with two kids, you want to return home at the end if the hike.<br />
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Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-30626258951801248222013-05-16T11:29:00.000-07:002013-05-16T11:29:08.602-07:00Many post to come this month!Aloha! I have been absent from posting, but thorugh the end of this month I am going to play catch up on the blog, not only for you my two readers, LOL, but for me to put into perspective where I am at. I am way behind, but maybe ahead of previous years. Confidence at zero, but I of course am going to give the "Old Lewis Try". More post of the recent past and present to come.Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-70123202793521850072013-02-09T10:09:00.001-08:002013-02-09T10:09:46.465-08:00Leaving for KonaHere goes nothing! We are leaving for Kona, and the Mini Monster (1/2 Ironman). First to Waimea so Betty can watch the kids rodeo at Parker Ranch, check into Uncle Billys Hotel, and then tomorrow try not to die!Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-9206976578038819162013-02-08T11:51:00.000-08:002013-02-08T11:51:11.156-08:00Glass in my foot!I have the half ironman this weekend, and I go and get a piece of glass stuck in my foot. It is a crazy small shard that I can't see. Yesterday I cut it open with scissors, dug around in there, squeezed it over and over, and dug around some more. I pulled out cunks of flesh with the tweezers hoping to get the glass with it, and no luck. I cut it a little extra, and went for a bike and run hoping my body would push it out, and no luck again. I went to boxing last night, and ran home hoping it would work itself out, and son of a bitch, it is still stuck in my foot. I am hoping I can walk into the doctor today, and get it out before this weekend. I will still race if I don't get it out, but that would suck!Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-30177775752874993722013-02-06T10:36:00.000-08:002013-02-06T10:36:56.595-08:0019th in the Spring Time TriThe first and second Triathalon through Team Mango I finished 19th place. I just saw some results, I finished 2:04 and some change. If I wouldn't have pooched my transitions, I think I would have been under two hours. I am excited, but nervous to see how I do in the Mini Monster this weekend. It is a 1.2 mile swim, around 60 mile bike, and a 13 mile run. Should be intense! Although I can't find a freaking room on the Kona side, their hotels are killing it this year, and we may end up camping. That is cool, except maybe for leg cramps in the middle of the night.Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-4706713870054985642013-02-04T13:27:00.000-08:002013-02-04T13:27:05.545-08:00Second Triathalon on SuperBowl SundayAlways set an alarm. No alarm no sleep. I was up every hour to peek at the clock. Starting the race with such a simple mistake opened the door for a bunch little mistakes that make you look like a Jackhole. Inspite of my fumblings the race did shine at moments.<div>
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Up, pull prepackage indivual cereal off old hotel room shelf, take a load of different vitamins so my subconscious believes that even though I am under trained they will carry me to the finished, get Betty eating sugary cereal, yes it was bribe for good behavoir and it worked, triple check gear, and slide out the door.</div>
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The first Tri i forgot my swim goggles. Not this time! I lay out all my gear under the bar where you hang your bike by the seat. There are a lot of sweet bikes as I scan the room, and some of them have their bikes shoes preclipped into the petals to speed up their transition times from the swim to the bike. I saw a youtube video the previous week where the pro's did that. I said to myself, " don't be stupid, if you haven't tried it, don't do it on a raceway." I said that to myself, as I was clipping my shoes onto my bike.</div>
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Team Mango being a club for the love and promotion of fun compitition hosts a variety of events that involve swimming, running, and biking events. So they allow you to use swim fins. Eighty percent of the athletes don't wear fins, but the more relaxed competitors, people coming off injuries, or people like me who don't trust their ocean swimming skills and want to be safe in the ocean. The fins allow me to have an advantage in the swim, because I don't have small and soft fins, I use a pair of long black dive fins.</div>
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On to the race...</div>
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The race director gives us the course. Swim two laps around the buoy, and you must touch the sea wall bettween laps one and two. We are riding the same loop as the super sprint, and looping around the hill clib three times. My ears wish him to take it back. He does not. Then he lets us know that the route will the hill loop will be our 5.7 or so run.</div>
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The gun goes up, there is actually no gun, one in my head, but no real gun. And the race director, says go! In the very back of the pack. Rememer big ass fins. Knees high flop, flop, flop. Look over, see wife not filming, but bouncing baby. Flop, Flop, Flop. Heavy slash down in about eigth inches of water. I am trying to not get too excited, I am able to rein myself in a bit, but I am getting little splashing water kicks to the face and shoulders as I zoom past folks with my big fins. That's right I got big fins! One girl, probably a real triathlete blocks my fin wearing ass, so I break to the side, and actually use them, till now I was just giving a kick, kick, kick on the glide (Thanks for the tip KC), but now I layed into them, and I think my chest was causing a wake behind me. I burn into the shallows, realize I have to get out and run to the seawall, I filp over onto my ass, try to rise, fall, trip girl I passed, and come to the conclusion we probably won't be friends. Walk backwards till I'm out of the surf, turn around run like a deformed penguin touch the seawall, turn around, wife still not filming, damn, this is funny, but baby's fussing. Plod my way back into the water, and finished the swim strong.</div>
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Transition. This time I half rolled my sock over itself, so it is easy to pull over a wet foot. Some competitors go bare foot to save time. I love me some socks, especially during the run. I look at the preclipped in shoes, jog over to where you can mount your bike, foot onto of shoe I begin petaling, other shoe is upside down dragging the pavement. I try for shear prides sake to keep going forward, get the shoe flipped over, start to ride, lift foot, struggle to lift velcroe straps, putting foot in wobble almosting head butting a parked van. At this point I just stop, unclip the bike shoes, sit down in the street, and assemble myself. After I am up and off, things begin going well. I was strong going up the hill the fisrt loop. The second loop I struggled, but at the steepest part at the top of the hill, I stood and pumped my way up the hill. This bycylcing is a tough, and I am now truly in awe of a race like the Tour De France. On top of the hill a rolling hill, and when I am up there would slow, let my heart rate drop, and consume as much water as I could. There was a water stationjust before you turn to run down hill, so I had decide to carry no water for the run, use that one water station, and consume as much water as I could on the easy part of the bike ride. The on the down hill I would make up some time, and spin my legs out (get rid of the lactic acid from the hill climb), (thanks for that one too KC), this was one of the things I did right during this race. The third climb was super hard, toward the top I was stand trying to lean all my weight over the handle bars and simulate running, and pumped my way to the top. Across, down the hill, I am flying down the hill, as I go to cross an intersection (stop sign on my right coming down a hill, twenty feet down a stop sign on my left), a bike on the ground pull to the side and a person over a person on the ground, as I am flying, I judge in an instant that they have control of the situation, on the lefet a cars rolls out with a smooth fast merge, the gold car behind them makes a bumping stop, I am lightly braking as I am trying to read the situation, the gold car darts out in front of me, I barely avoid getting smash with out endangering the bikes that are down, I yell in harmony with the bikers who are sticking up for me, the car panics jams on the brakes, and almost makes me hit it a second time, I go to throw a hate look at the people in the car, and they are so stoned they didn't even know what happened. so I just continue down the hill. I get pinched in bettween cars twice as we pull over for an Ambulance and a couple of Fire Trucks. Last lap, I come to the bottom of the hill, get in the left hand turn lane, the light goes red, in this club you have to obey all traffic laws, I stutter my braking hope to roll up to the light as it turns green. The light take way longer than expected, and I reach the white stop here line. I try to that cool balance by pedaling back and forth, sorta Kevin Bacon in "American Flyers". Instanty it is not working, three women from Team Mango are on my left cheering and keeping participants on the right course, I look at them unclip my right foot, as I plant my foot to keep me from falling I realize it is jelly, and I collapse slamming into the pavement skinning my right hand and knee. Quick and pridefully I surge to my feet, trying to unclip my left foot, which comes unclipped and I plant my weight on it, and jelly. I slam into the pavement again skinning my left knee and hand. I spring up, the wemon ask if I am ok, and I assure them as I ride through the green light. </div>
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Transition to the run. I am bleeding, but ok. Transition smooth to run. The hill was a son of b$%^ to get up, but when I sound shade in a couple of corners I stole a couple of walks for about twenty yards, to cool and let the heart rate drop. A women asked me if I knew if that was a contestant in the race that was hurt by the side of the road. I told that I had no idea, and I didn't even realize that someone was hurt, because I was trying to hit them while evading a blazed out oldsmobile. My calves were hurting, but it was a pain I could endure, and I made it to the top of the hill. I eased my way across the top to the water station, got an ice cold water took, kept jogging, a sip, icey, poured some over my head, and it literally took my breath away, sip, pour, breath away again, catch breath finish bottle, toss into rubish pile, and I was off with a new vigor. I held back a bit at the top of the hill to make sure my quads were ready, and after about an eighth of a mile realized I could pick up the pace. To my surprise my legs were strong and I kept my pace all the way to the finish.</div>
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I found out that the girl on the ground by the side of the road had been hit by a car. Someone came flying down the hill, and couldn't stop in time at the stop sign on the right. I guess her arm had a compound fracture or the skin got ground off on the wreak, and you could see the bone. Then they saw me almost get smashed. I am sending out as much good mojo as I can, sorry for the bum luck, and I hope you heal fast!</div>
Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-73086916450204593072013-02-02T13:06:00.002-08:002013-02-02T13:06:35.923-08:00Triathalon with Team MangoFeb. 2nd, the Family is head to Kona tonight so tomorrow I may try my hand in my second ever triathlon. I am using triathlons and boxing as a way to cross-train and enchance my fitness, after two DNF's (did not finish) at the Big Horn Trial Run 50 mile trail race. I will give the more personal side of these stories later, but for now I am going to concentrate on not drowning!Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-35331918227372269152013-01-28T15:29:00.002-08:002013-01-28T15:29:41.478-08:00The Chubby Cheetah 2013. My first couple of post will be long post trying to catch up on the past couple of years, but they will become more concise after a bit.Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-35231748256881377002011-06-14T09:53:00.000-07:002011-06-14T09:53:34.214-07:00Big Horn Trail Run on SaturdayWell, here goes nothing! A little less than four months of training, and a fifty-mile race on Saturday. I am really hoping that we don't have a snow course. Some parts of the course have been impassable up to this week because of unusually heavy spring snows in the high mountains, and the first part of the race is at 9300'. My training fell off at the end because I had to get the house and my life in order to leave town for three weeks. I have been in the ocean frequently, and I have driven to the summit of Mauna Kea twice in the last week, and spent long periods of time at elevation with light exercise hoping it will help me metabolise oxygen at elevation during the run. The cold and snow will be major factors, and I will be sadly disappointed if they change to a snow course because I have spent so much time trying to wrap my head around the heavy downhill descents that run into a couple of nearly vertical climbs. I guess it is time to get out there and see what happens. I must send a huge Mahalo Nui Loa to the mountains of Hawaii Island for not eating me and keeping my corpse in some puka (hole in the lava) while I trained for this race!Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-37604039259059148292011-05-20T10:58:00.000-07:002011-05-20T10:58:04.509-07:00Beach Road from Paradise Park to Pohoiki Marathon<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/86838185">Untitled by lewvega at Garmin Connect - Details</a>Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-37069830559776740942011-05-20T10:52:00.000-07:002011-05-20T10:52:39.763-07:00Mauna Kea Visitor Center to Summit<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/85853313">Untitled by lewvega at Garmin Connect - Details</a>Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-50157347178699510392011-05-15T11:28:00.000-07:002011-05-15T11:28:21.406-07:00Mauna Kea Summit, 13,796' from Visitor Center<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/85853313">Untitled by lewvega at Garmin Connect - Details</a>Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-16638765383358738312011-05-11T10:15:00.000-07:002011-05-11T10:15:52.483-07:00Mauna Kea, decent run, lots of weather delays by lewvega at Garmin Connect - Details<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/84962620">Mauna Kea, decent run, lots of weather delays by lewvega at Garmin Connect - Details</a>Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-44852725888882036912011-05-11T10:11:00.000-07:002011-05-11T10:11:40.302-07:00Mauna Kea run cut short by lightning<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/84962625">Untitled by lewvega at Garmin Connect - Details</a>Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159237006657404687.post-6051130283833587482011-05-04T10:29:00.000-07:002011-05-04T10:29:04.192-07:00Mauna Loa Road # II<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/83449307">Untitled by lewvega at Garmin Connect - Details</a>Lewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578930461866742524noreply@blogger.com0