I hadn't had a good running race in a year and felt the need to redeem myself after White Rock 2011, but I chose to make Rock n Roll a "B" event. Can't optimize every race.
_training
Runner World's Smart Coach 9-week.
Target: 1:34:49
The sessions felt easy. I feared Sunday 13-mile long runs less than 20-mile trainings for marathon.
I did minimum cross training this time of the year.
7:19 pace was my PR for 10k. 7:14 for half seemed unrealistic, but I felt that way about every race goal. Half the time I get away with unexpected performance. Looking back, I have fond memories of my meltdowns.
_plan
Hold 7:14 GPS pace for 7 miles.
Go fast within aerobic the final 10k, which hopefully is no slower than 7:14.
Go nuts after mile 12.
305 loses approx 1 meter per mile per experience=> electronic pacer would finish just over 95 minutes.
_race day
Woke up slightly under 141 lb; first reaction was to buy a more precise scale. I was such a geek. Maintaining 141 had been easy, as opposed the constant hunger associated with race weight of 137. Running at sub 7:30 pace was harder with the extra 4 lb.
Rock n Roll continues to be one of the best operations, contrasting the chaos at White Rock marathons. I found a quiet parking lot to warm up. The only other racer there was a little guy wearing bib #1.
I had a good start. I could see the pacing truck and couple hundred runners in front. Air was at high 50's and rising. No official pacer for sub 100-minute this year. My goal was to run 10k at super-PR pace, back to back. I could use a human pacer.
A Vibram runner passed me around mile 1 at 7:10 pace. He did not sound efficient.
I ran according to plan for 6 miles and was itchy to go faster. I felt great other than a hint of side stitch. After relay station, a small runner materialized, Kenyan-like. We were travelling at the same speed with same cadence; one of us seemed labored. I decided to run at his pace, which approached 7:00. We dropped runners going up the final 2 hills. I imagined he'd accelerate to 6:30 pace and became the fastest thing in sight. I fantasized leading bunch east African runners in a race, Ryan Hall-like.
I came to realize achieving Kenyan efficiency requires my losing a lot of weight.
My pacer refueled at mile-9 water station. I followed suit. Bad idea. Side stitch set in. I barely hung on to 7:30 pace for next 5k. I regained 7:14 pace at mile 12 and was 250' behind the virtual pacer. I went anaerobic the final 1000 meters and caught the electronic pacer.
_#'s
5k 22:28
10k 45:03
7 mi 51:20
10mi 1:12:23
Pace 7:15
Time 01:35:00
Overall: 241 out of 11312
Division: 39 out of 752
Gender: 211 out of 4258
_post race
Sammy Kiplagat and Samuel Kosgei got the top 2 spots. They both turned U. S. residents.
I thought I heard Ann Wessling but never located the announcer.
I saw Bob Babbitt but didn't get a chance to say hi.
_obsession
I still think about Boston qualifying time.
Half-equivalents of 3:15:59 marathon are
1:34:53 (vdot)
1:32:56 (McMillan)
Jack told me to forget Boston to let foot injury heal.
Others told me the foot will never heal completely; make the best of remaining years.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Frost Yer Fanny Du. 2/19/2012
2.1 mile run + 15 mile bike + 2.1 mile run
Biff mentioned this race on Facebook. My reaction was to skip it—I disliked what the name implied. I was also nagged by the not-ready feeling. In last 15 months I had fewer bike than run miles.
I thought about the 2004 pre surgery promise—I wouldn’t waste the chance to enjoy physical activities. It could be a fun experience. It would be an informative data point for my fitness.
_Preparation
I took the bike out twice for combined 15 miles within 20 days of racing. I sucked. I thought about skating the bike portion.
I lubed the chain.
I ran a few times in the lace-less shoes.
I unboxed the aero helmet that I was too lazy to sell on ebay.
_Goal for a “D” event
1. No injury
2. < 30 min run => sub 7:30 pace
3. 20+ mph bike, assuming dry road and mild wind
4. No preparation mistakes (e.g., forgetting shoes or helmet).
5. Transitions within 1 minute of fastest racer. 10+ min transition was no longer funny after Ironman.
6. No digging—I’m training for a half marathon.
_Gear
QR Lucero with Xentis front and Zipp ZedTech 8 rear. Tubular tires.
Single strap tri bike shoes.
Zoot Ultra Speed laceless shoes.
No socks.
Tri top.
Nike combat pro shorts + knee-length running shorts.
Zoot calf sleeves.
Garmin 305. No HR.
_Race
The day started out cold and miserable. The course was mostly wet from Saturday rain. Forecast said 0% chance of rain.
I paced by perceived effort and was surprised when first 400 meters was done in 6:30 pace. I was worthless without external pacers. I was no longer cold. I finished the 2 laps on motor race track and felt great—either the course was short or I was in better shape than I thought.
Having decent run and T1 implied I get passed left and right by real triathletes. I had fond recollection of complete the swim with 70-year-olds and seeing mostly empty T1.
I biked scared on the wet pavement. I had problem putting my feet into the shoes. Simple task like consuming gel felt out of control. Water bottle cage wasn’t where I expected. I changed the bike goal—stay upright.
I didn’t get in rhythm ‘til final lap. I held back so I wouldn’t spend first mile out of T2 walking.
I willed legs to run out of T2. It worked!
I used a bright green shirt girl as pacer and passed multiple disc-wheel guys.
I was in great mood celebrating surviving the bike ride. Looking back at my 3 triathlons, I focused on surviving the swim and didn’t respect the bike. Maybe I deserved to have 67% crash rate.
The left Zipp calf sleeves slipped. I stopped to fix. This pissed me to no end.
I took little effort to accelerate toward the finish to stop the clock before 80 minutes. What’s with this whole-number obsession!?
Biff didn’t have the ideal preparation but managed a good result of 1:22:30. Our transitions didn’t suck!
Seth continued to impress with 1:07:46. He finished 24th overall and got to bring hardware home.
_Mistakes piled up
I didn’t learn about the wave start; I had to ask the announcer at last minutes => I started at the line. Having the same gun and chip time didn’t hurt me, but several fast guys and 1 girl had to run around me. Sorry.
I didn’t practice fitting bike into the car. It no longer went into the trunk the same way after Biff shortened the front derailleur cable last July. Fortunately I found an angle to wiggle it in. I could overkill this problem by buying a new car with bigger hole between trunk and back seat.
I forgot to stop GPS timer entering T1 => I had no electronic pacer for run 2.
I forgot to turn on iBike exiting T1 => no accurate knowledge of distance and speed. Maybe I should forget about power meter and just get a simple computer.
I forgot to un-strap bike shoes in transition area. I chose not to stop while fixing the issue. A few racers let me know how they felt about by my wobbling form on the narrow course. In retrospect, that was really stupid not to stop given this was “D” race.
I didn’t preview the road entering T2 => moving too conservatively + prematurely taking feet out of shoes.
I misjudged the tank and ran too conservatively without electronic pacer out of T2.
_time’s
Total: 1:19:58
Run 1: 13:49 (6:55/M)
T1: 0:50
Bike: 49:57 (19.2 mph)
T2: 1:00
Run 2: 14:20 (7:10/M)
• 269 Men - 01:23:00 average time
• 116 Women - 01:33:00 average time
• 385 Total
_ranking
Run 1: 151
Bike: 166
Run 2: 127
Total: 149 / 385
Biff mentioned this race on Facebook. My reaction was to skip it—I disliked what the name implied. I was also nagged by the not-ready feeling. In last 15 months I had fewer bike than run miles.
I thought about the 2004 pre surgery promise—I wouldn’t waste the chance to enjoy physical activities. It could be a fun experience. It would be an informative data point for my fitness.
_Preparation
I took the bike out twice for combined 15 miles within 20 days of racing. I sucked. I thought about skating the bike portion.
I lubed the chain.
I ran a few times in the lace-less shoes.
I unboxed the aero helmet that I was too lazy to sell on ebay.
_Goal for a “D” event
1. No injury
2. < 30 min run => sub 7:30 pace
3. 20+ mph bike, assuming dry road and mild wind
4. No preparation mistakes (e.g., forgetting shoes or helmet).
5. Transitions within 1 minute of fastest racer. 10+ min transition was no longer funny after Ironman.
6. No digging—I’m training for a half marathon.
_Gear
QR Lucero with Xentis front and Zipp ZedTech 8 rear. Tubular tires.
Single strap tri bike shoes.
Zoot Ultra Speed laceless shoes.
No socks.
Tri top.
Nike combat pro shorts + knee-length running shorts.
Zoot calf sleeves.
Garmin 305. No HR.
_Race
The day started out cold and miserable. The course was mostly wet from Saturday rain. Forecast said 0% chance of rain.
I paced by perceived effort and was surprised when first 400 meters was done in 6:30 pace. I was worthless without external pacers. I was no longer cold. I finished the 2 laps on motor race track and felt great—either the course was short or I was in better shape than I thought.
Having decent run and T1 implied I get passed left and right by real triathletes. I had fond recollection of complete the swim with 70-year-olds and seeing mostly empty T1.
I biked scared on the wet pavement. I had problem putting my feet into the shoes. Simple task like consuming gel felt out of control. Water bottle cage wasn’t where I expected. I changed the bike goal—stay upright.
I didn’t get in rhythm ‘til final lap. I held back so I wouldn’t spend first mile out of T2 walking.
I willed legs to run out of T2. It worked!
I used a bright green shirt girl as pacer and passed multiple disc-wheel guys.
I was in great mood celebrating surviving the bike ride. Looking back at my 3 triathlons, I focused on surviving the swim and didn’t respect the bike. Maybe I deserved to have 67% crash rate.
The left Zipp calf sleeves slipped. I stopped to fix. This pissed me to no end.
I took little effort to accelerate toward the finish to stop the clock before 80 minutes. What’s with this whole-number obsession!?
Biff didn’t have the ideal preparation but managed a good result of 1:22:30. Our transitions didn’t suck!
Seth continued to impress with 1:07:46. He finished 24th overall and got to bring hardware home.
_Mistakes piled up
I didn’t learn about the wave start; I had to ask the announcer at last minutes => I started at the line. Having the same gun and chip time didn’t hurt me, but several fast guys and 1 girl had to run around me. Sorry.
I didn’t practice fitting bike into the car. It no longer went into the trunk the same way after Biff shortened the front derailleur cable last July. Fortunately I found an angle to wiggle it in. I could overkill this problem by buying a new car with bigger hole between trunk and back seat.
I forgot to stop GPS timer entering T1 => I had no electronic pacer for run 2.
I forgot to turn on iBike exiting T1 => no accurate knowledge of distance and speed. Maybe I should forget about power meter and just get a simple computer.
I forgot to un-strap bike shoes in transition area. I chose not to stop while fixing the issue. A few racers let me know how they felt about by my wobbling form on the narrow course. In retrospect, that was really stupid not to stop given this was “D” race.
I didn’t preview the road entering T2 => moving too conservatively + prematurely taking feet out of shoes.
I misjudged the tank and ran too conservatively without electronic pacer out of T2.
_time’s
Total: 1:19:58
Run 1: 13:49 (6:55/M)
T1: 0:50
Bike: 49:57 (19.2 mph)
T2: 1:00
Run 2: 14:20 (7:10/M)
• 269 Men - 01:23:00 average time
• 116 Women - 01:33:00 average time
• 385 Total
_ranking
Run 1: 151
Bike: 166
Run 2: 127
Total: 149 / 385
Sunday, December 4, 2011
White Rock Marathon 12-4-2011 -- meltdown
_Standards
PR (3:28:17) December 2010
Apolo Ohno's NYC time (3:25:12) November 2011
Qualify for Boston (3:20:59)
GPS pacer (3:16:30 if GPS agrees with mile markers)
Runner's World Smart Coach plan (3:16:17)
Practiced Yasso 800 (x 10) (3:15:00)
_Script—aka hopeful thinking
Healthy, fresh, nervous, and 138-lb at the start.
7:30 virtual partner (Garmin Forerunner 305)
1 gel every 4 miles for 20 miles.
Bleed 2 min between mile 20 an 22.
Sub 7-min final mile. 3:20 finish.
_Cloth
Tri top
Nike combat shorts
Zoot Compression shorts
Compression calf sleeves
Perl Izumi bike socks
Brooks Green Silence
Disposable:
old jeans
T shirt
cut socks arm warmers
garden gloves with tips removed
fragile no-name sunglasses
_Race report
The perfect weather failed to materialize. I decided to stick with the pace. For weeks I wished I was more aggressive at A2A. I chose not to risk the same regret.
4 am. Wide awake
I took my time tailoring trash bags: 1 outside of T shirt, one outside of sweatshirt. I had no experience running wet in cold air and wasn’t sure how much to put on.
The drizzle wasn’t bad at start. I threw away outer trash bag and sweat shirt.
I gambled at mile 4--threw away inner trash bag and T-shirt that made me sweat.
Rain started a few miles later. Core temperature dropped. Legs felt good and were able to waste energy by jumping over water.
Mile 8
Half and full courses split. I wanted to say thanks to the 1:40 half pacer but didn’t want to waste energy talking. The only words I used that morning were to encourage the 1-leg runner.
I had problem seeing things through sunglasses in the rain. Todd Hunter shouted my name. I tossed him the cheap glasses in hope he’d bring it in to work Monday.
Mile 9: Numb fingers dropped a gel.
Mile 13.1: Just over 99 minutes. Felt happy and wished the teeth chattering would stop.
Mile 17: Legs stiffened. Decided on 8:30 pace 'til mile 22--I could still beat Apolo.
"HTFU!" Biff urged me to keep it together.
Mile 22: had problem with 11:00 pace.
Mile 23
I had problem with 20:00 pace. The deeper I dug, colder I felt. A pre-cut trash bag tossed by another runner helped a great deal.
For the first time I was unable to feed off the crowd’s energy. Some spectators actually avoided eye contact. That was new.
I was passed by 1700 marathoners + countless half marathon walkers.
A medic tried to pull me off the course:
"Are you ok? You don't look so good. Do you want to sit down?"
"I'm cold. Do you have a car?"
"No, but I can call for help?"
"Can you get me to finish faster than walking? I don't want to pay for an ambulance."
He had to think a bit, "no"
Do you have coffee?
No.
Do you have any hot drink?
No.
Do you have a dry T shirt?
No.
OK, thanks.
I kept walking. I probably made him feel a bit useless.
I crossed the line under 4.5 hrs. It felt longer.
_aftermath
The medical tent was filled with shivering runners. The guy next to my bed had thicker under-skin layer than a seal. He whined about upset stomach and didn't even look cold. I wanted to slap him.
I headed home as soon as fingers gained enough dexterity to untie the double knotted laces
Several strangers congratulated me on beating Oprah.
Bodily functions mostly recovered during the 40-minute drive home. I felt well after the hour soak in hot tub.
Days after the race, I didn't conjure up negative feeling. Taking off the trash bag was a calculated risk. Somehow failures are easier to swallow when one errs on the side of aggression.
The hypothermia is an experience I'd cherish. It might come in handy in the mountains one day.
I'm not convinced my fitness was enough for 3:20 finish and am unclear whether I over- or under-trained. Not finding out the answer is probably the most disappointing aspect of this race.
In contrast, the decision of not chasing Bruce Belden at A2A still haunts me. Little surprises life throws at us....
PR (3:28:17) December 2010
Apolo Ohno's NYC time (3:25:12) November 2011
Qualify for Boston (3:20:59)
GPS pacer (3:16:30 if GPS agrees with mile markers)
Runner's World Smart Coach plan (3:16:17)
Practiced Yasso 800 (x 10) (3:15:00)
_Script—aka hopeful thinking
Healthy, fresh, nervous, and 138-lb at the start.
7:30 virtual partner (Garmin Forerunner 305)
1 gel every 4 miles for 20 miles.
Bleed 2 min between mile 20 an 22.
Sub 7-min final mile. 3:20 finish.
_Cloth
Tri top
Nike combat shorts
Zoot Compression shorts
Compression calf sleeves
Perl Izumi bike socks
Brooks Green Silence
Disposable:
old jeans
T shirt
cut socks arm warmers
garden gloves with tips removed
fragile no-name sunglasses
_Race report
The perfect weather failed to materialize. I decided to stick with the pace. For weeks I wished I was more aggressive at A2A. I chose not to risk the same regret.
4 am. Wide awake
I took my time tailoring trash bags: 1 outside of T shirt, one outside of sweatshirt. I had no experience running wet in cold air and wasn’t sure how much to put on.
The drizzle wasn’t bad at start. I threw away outer trash bag and sweat shirt.
I gambled at mile 4--threw away inner trash bag and T-shirt that made me sweat.
Rain started a few miles later. Core temperature dropped. Legs felt good and were able to waste energy by jumping over water.
Mile 8
Half and full courses split. I wanted to say thanks to the 1:40 half pacer but didn’t want to waste energy talking. The only words I used that morning were to encourage the 1-leg runner.
I had problem seeing things through sunglasses in the rain. Todd Hunter shouted my name. I tossed him the cheap glasses in hope he’d bring it in to work Monday.
Mile 9: Numb fingers dropped a gel.
Mile 13.1: Just over 99 minutes. Felt happy and wished the teeth chattering would stop.
Mile 17: Legs stiffened. Decided on 8:30 pace 'til mile 22--I could still beat Apolo.
"HTFU!" Biff urged me to keep it together.
Mile 22: had problem with 11:00 pace.
Mile 23
I had problem with 20:00 pace. The deeper I dug, colder I felt. A pre-cut trash bag tossed by another runner helped a great deal.
For the first time I was unable to feed off the crowd’s energy. Some spectators actually avoided eye contact. That was new.
I was passed by 1700 marathoners + countless half marathon walkers.
A medic tried to pull me off the course:
"Are you ok? You don't look so good. Do you want to sit down?"
"I'm cold. Do you have a car?"
"No, but I can call for help?"
"Can you get me to finish faster than walking? I don't want to pay for an ambulance."
He had to think a bit, "no"
Do you have coffee?
No.
Do you have any hot drink?
No.
Do you have a dry T shirt?
No.
OK, thanks.
I kept walking. I probably made him feel a bit useless.
I crossed the line under 4.5 hrs. It felt longer.
_aftermath
The medical tent was filled with shivering runners. The guy next to my bed had thicker under-skin layer than a seal. He whined about upset stomach and didn't even look cold. I wanted to slap him.
I headed home as soon as fingers gained enough dexterity to untie the double knotted laces
Several strangers congratulated me on beating Oprah.
Bodily functions mostly recovered during the 40-minute drive home. I felt well after the hour soak in hot tub.
Days after the race, I didn't conjure up negative feeling. Taking off the trash bag was a calculated risk. Somehow failures are easier to swallow when one errs on the side of aggression.
The hypothermia is an experience I'd cherish. It might come in handy in the mountains one day.
I'm not convinced my fitness was enough for 3:20 finish and am unclear whether I over- or under-trained. Not finding out the answer is probably the most disappointing aspect of this race.
In contrast, the decision of not chasing Bruce Belden at A2A still haunts me. Little surprises life throws at us....
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Boston Qualifying standard 11-13-2011
3 weeks before the Boston qualifier.
My confidence hit bottom after the final long run. I ate the last big meal that night and reminded myself that the body always rose to the occasion.
After A2A, I had no distractions in the form of other physical activities. My daily life was anchored by training sessions. Mom had to endure watching her son attempting to remove mass from the under-inflated body.
_endurance sport is 90% mental; the other 10% is also mental
Web was a great source of contradictory information. Runnersworld.com ran an amusing piece "6 Signs You May Have Post-Marathon Syndrome"
• Comparison shopping and minimizing your marathon accomplishment
• Lacking interest in setting a new goal
• Feelings of sadness, pessimism, and worthlessness
• Feeling lost without your training
• Not able to see the light through the fog
• Rounding your marathon time down–"I ran around 5 hours for a 5:55 finish"
Yeah, I had PMS 20 days before the gun. "A" race preparation started 3 months ago. I just need to push through obstacles.
Bathroom scale registered lowest # post-1998. I did not react with the satisfaction of hitting weight goal—“Did I lose muscle?” At that moment I related to a fashion model.
_accelerated training
Feet and calves didn’t feel good after Euro Roll. I shortened the training sessions. I considered backing out of this “A” event. Conventional wisdom said I need to change my goal. But Boston qualifying time was not negotiable.
My volume and intensity caught up to the program 6 weeks later. Somehow I felt less confident than ever. _Run Less Run Faster_ said I needed to do more. I intensified the sessions—knowing full well the risk of insufficient recovery.
_hill challenged
I didn't practice Dolly Parton and its neighboring hills prior to 2011. I assumed I could even-split the 2 miles because I was lazy, cheap, and delusional. After 4 White Rocks in 5 years, I faced up to my inability to recover after climbs. My last 5 long runs included hill repeats.
_crashes
All but 1 indicator said I was on target for a 3:20 marathon finish.
The first crash happened during the recovery between intervals. The left ankle didn’t clear the curb. I assumed I misjudged the distance while mocking with GPS. That added another facial scar to the collections—of all the eyewear I own, I had to use the $5 Home Depot eye protector that night.
Days later, I missed a block in a stream. This was during the warm up. I couldn’t blame fatigue.
Then I tripped over a shallow pothole at end of easy run during taper weeks.
I was disgusted by my weak ankle and the bandage bill. It was kinda cool to see red blood on the other side of Tegaderm. I stared at the overtraining evidence in the eye and went into denial mode—“I am in shape for a 3:20 marathon as long as weather is perfect. I will be aggressive with my pace. I will not back down. This race ain’t about fastest time; it’s about being good enough.”
I stopped riding Ninja to minimize injury risk.
Weight control was on target. I was proud of yet disliked my sunken cheeks. I visualized the big celebratory dinner.”
My confidence hit bottom after the final long run. I ate the last big meal that night and reminded myself that the body always rose to the occasion.
After A2A, I had no distractions in the form of other physical activities. My daily life was anchored by training sessions. Mom had to endure watching her son attempting to remove mass from the under-inflated body.
_endurance sport is 90% mental; the other 10% is also mental
Web was a great source of contradictory information. Runnersworld.com ran an amusing piece "6 Signs You May Have Post-Marathon Syndrome"
• Comparison shopping and minimizing your marathon accomplishment
• Lacking interest in setting a new goal
• Feelings of sadness, pessimism, and worthlessness
• Feeling lost without your training
• Not able to see the light through the fog
• Rounding your marathon time down–"I ran around 5 hours for a 5:55 finish"
Yeah, I had PMS 20 days before the gun. "A" race preparation started 3 months ago. I just need to push through obstacles.
Bathroom scale registered lowest # post-1998. I did not react with the satisfaction of hitting weight goal—“Did I lose muscle?” At that moment I related to a fashion model.
_accelerated training
Feet and calves didn’t feel good after Euro Roll. I shortened the training sessions. I considered backing out of this “A” event. Conventional wisdom said I need to change my goal. But Boston qualifying time was not negotiable.
My volume and intensity caught up to the program 6 weeks later. Somehow I felt less confident than ever. _Run Less Run Faster_ said I needed to do more. I intensified the sessions—knowing full well the risk of insufficient recovery.
_hill challenged
I didn't practice Dolly Parton and its neighboring hills prior to 2011. I assumed I could even-split the 2 miles because I was lazy, cheap, and delusional. After 4 White Rocks in 5 years, I faced up to my inability to recover after climbs. My last 5 long runs included hill repeats.
_crashes
All but 1 indicator said I was on target for a 3:20 marathon finish.
The first crash happened during the recovery between intervals. The left ankle didn’t clear the curb. I assumed I misjudged the distance while mocking with GPS. That added another facial scar to the collections—of all the eyewear I own, I had to use the $5 Home Depot eye protector that night.
Days later, I missed a block in a stream. This was during the warm up. I couldn’t blame fatigue.
Then I tripped over a shallow pothole at end of easy run during taper weeks.
I was disgusted by my weak ankle and the bandage bill. It was kinda cool to see red blood on the other side of Tegaderm. I stared at the overtraining evidence in the eye and went into denial mode—“I am in shape for a 3:20 marathon as long as weather is perfect. I will be aggressive with my pace. I will not back down. This race ain’t about fastest time; it’s about being good enough.”
I stopped riding Ninja to minimize injury risk.
Weight control was on target. I was proud of yet disliked my sunken cheeks. I visualized the big celebratory dinner.”
Houston Inline Marathon 11-13-2011
4 weeks before my “A” race, I set practical goals for this "D" Race:
1. Injury free.
2. Finish.
3. Save enough for the 16-mile run 2 hours after race.
The drive down south was mostly smooth sailing not requiring the Beltronics. I stopped by a Nike outlet and scored running outfits. It was depressing my legs were now too short for the XS warm up pants.
_Reunion
We stayed at Duane’s; it’s simple, big, and clean. I was envious of the backyard’s function-maintenance ratio.
It was fun visiting Duane’s new life after Dallas. 9-month-old Ace made friend with everyone. I stayed in the room with the track spikes that broke the 24-hour relay record in his running days. It made me think about next 10 years.
_Race
All eyes were on Alex and Rob.
I was relaxed at the start. I went through warm up half heartedly. I was happy Tom was back to racing and hoped to stay with him.
The best way to avoid crash was not skating behind a crashed skater. I started with the pros and got the 2nd spot. No one was fighting for positions. I kept the pace civil and let the lead guy accelerate way. Leading the peloton in a marathon race was a highlight of my life; it felt glorious an absurd.
I let the lead pack go after a few miles; I’d stay with Tom and Duane. The peloton kept slowing down; I stayed in contact. No one wanted to pull, but the young legs were getting antsy. Team Simmons was unconcerned. I thought about a breakaway just for the hell of it—the steep underpass suited my legs.
The pros finally accelerated. Casey had the legs but chose stay with Timo, Tom, Duane, and me. Casey still seemed frustrated from missing A2A after all the Sunday morning Windhaven repeats.
photo by someone good. thanks for the good shot
The lead pack was quickly down to Alex, Rob, and Lawrence. Lawrence was out teammated and got 3rd.
_Brick
2.5 hours after skate, 16-mile run started on hilly pavements of Huntsville State Park.
I went through bad patches and paused at mile 11. Uphill speed bled as expected. Accelerating down the hills was unexpectedly challenging. GPS said I accelerated at mile 15, which didn't agree with my memory.
I worried I trained too hard. I worried I didn’t go hard enough.
Groupon provided big meal at a laughable teppanyaki at Geisha. Thanks to P. F. Chang and Pei Wei, we now understand authenticity is an unnecessary ingredient in ethnic food.
1. Injury free.
2. Finish.
3. Save enough for the 16-mile run 2 hours after race.
The drive down south was mostly smooth sailing not requiring the Beltronics. I stopped by a Nike outlet and scored running outfits. It was depressing my legs were now too short for the XS warm up pants.
_Reunion
We stayed at Duane’s; it’s simple, big, and clean. I was envious of the backyard’s function-maintenance ratio.
It was fun visiting Duane’s new life after Dallas. 9-month-old Ace made friend with everyone. I stayed in the room with the track spikes that broke the 24-hour relay record in his running days. It made me think about next 10 years.
_Race
All eyes were on Alex and Rob.
I was relaxed at the start. I went through warm up half heartedly. I was happy Tom was back to racing and hoped to stay with him.
The best way to avoid crash was not skating behind a crashed skater. I started with the pros and got the 2nd spot. No one was fighting for positions. I kept the pace civil and let the lead guy accelerate way. Leading the peloton in a marathon race was a highlight of my life; it felt glorious an absurd.
I let the lead pack go after a few miles; I’d stay with Tom and Duane. The peloton kept slowing down; I stayed in contact. No one wanted to pull, but the young legs were getting antsy. Team Simmons was unconcerned. I thought about a breakaway just for the hell of it—the steep underpass suited my legs.
The pros finally accelerated. Casey had the legs but chose stay with Timo, Tom, Duane, and me. Casey still seemed frustrated from missing A2A after all the Sunday morning Windhaven repeats.
photo by someone good. thanks for the good shot
The lead pack was quickly down to Alex, Rob, and Lawrence. Lawrence was out teammated and got 3rd.
_Brick
2.5 hours after skate, 16-mile run started on hilly pavements of Huntsville State Park.
I went through bad patches and paused at mile 11. Uphill speed bled as expected. Accelerating down the hills was unexpectedly challenging. GPS said I accelerated at mile 15, which didn't agree with my memory.
I worried I trained too hard. I worried I didn’t go hard enough.
Groupon provided big meal at a laughable teppanyaki at Geisha. Thanks to P. F. Chang and Pei Wei, we now understand authenticity is an unnecessary ingredient in ethnic food.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
A2A 38-mile 10/09/2011
_goal
I seemed to arrive at A2A less prepared each year. 100k's at Hotter n Hell and NYC were the only long skates after Road Rash in April. Ironman Craig Alexander's theory: the older you are, the less volume you need.
Plan A: Stay with Eddy as long as I could. With luck I would build enough lead over the chase pack before reaching Dacula. This strategy failed me twice already, but lead pack speed was unpredictable. Lenny and Marcy was likely to dictate the chase pack speed.
My all-time fantasies included
1. Beat Herb Gale at a race.
2. Order an uncut pizza delivered to check point #5 then eat it like a giant burrito while skating toward Atlanta.
3. Average 18 mph for an A2A distance.
Candy decided to go after Debbie Rice's 17.96 mph record--a realistic target given the weather forecast. Herb signed up to race 38. 2011 was my big chance.
New plan:
1. Bonk no earlier than Herb.
2. Experiment with solid food for 49 miles.
3. Finishing 18 seconds in front of a record breaking Candy.
_logistics
Travel arranges involved changes this year:
Atlanta’s Midtown Hotel computer got confused.
AAA Express Shuttle went out of business.
Casey canceled last minute due to infection.
Race route changed.
_start
The rush out of Athens was always a zoo.
I had an easy start by following a lone Peter Doucet skating with GoPro. I thought of pulling him just to get in the shot but didn't want to mess up his race.
Eddy started late after getting out of costume. I watched him dragging Luke passing us. I was too uncomfortable at that speed to jump pack for Peter’s video. Mile 3~5’s splits were 24 / 21 / 23 mph. I struggled with each acceleration; I wished I was on bigger wheels.
Weather was good but far from perfect: humid, warm, mostly tailwind.
Team Asphalt Beach formed the core of the chase pack with Lenny, Marcy, Jessica, Candy, and Brian. Herb popped out of lead pack and joined us.
photo by Lenny Willcox
I did one long pull before settling in the back. Jessica described a bodily function that made me laugh. Lenny was in control. Marcy seemed to be holding back. Several strong skaters did their shares. The back of the pack turned into accordion when Herb showed off his Herculean strides. I resorted to high cadence and skated like a midget Usain Bolt. Thanks a lot, Herb!
Most of my pull involved being pushed.
video by Lenny
Mile 25. Debbie's record seemed out of reach, but Candy and company weren't letting up. For the first time I appreciated how steady Lenny was.
Mile 35. Everyone kept up. Candy had wattage surplus. I watched her broke away up a long ascend. We had no reason to chase; majority of the pack had 50 miles to go. It took Candy a while to realize the unintentional attack before returning to the group. A few climbs later she said something about not recovering and became less jumpy.
38-mile A2A was a unique race in that competitors and utility vehicles were often indistinguishable. I knew I was racing against Herb and Brian but didn't know how many 38-milers were in the lead pack.
The last climb into Dacula was nontrivial. I wished I was on smaller wheels. Bruce Belden attacked. His acceleration was modest for potentially the 38-mile title. A real man would’ve covered that breakaway. I wanted to save it for the 2 final turns. There were 3 races I could beat pros, and I didn't think Herb would race Tour de Donut.
I gambled the pack would swallow Bruce. I wished my quads weren't cramping. I wished Casey were in the mix.
I heard Candy behind me; Herb and Brian became invisible; Bruce escaped. The last right turn came faster than expected. My short legs barely stayed on pavement. I made it to the empty finish chute 16 seconds behind Bruce.
_38-mile result
Candy won 38 after missing the scary right turn.
Bruce got 2nd. Mike Pantelakis was in the lead group with 7-minute margin.
I checked "beating Mighty Herb" off the list.
Herb and Brian blew up on the last rolling hill.
_#'s
total distance: 38 miles
total time: 2:10:40
average speed: 17.5 mph
mile splits > 20 mph: 10
max speed: 42.5 mph @ mile 11
on-course energy intake: 300 calories (gels and blocks)
wheels used: 100 mm. 4x Matter yellow, 4x MPC Street Fight
photo by Peter Doucet
_49 mile skate to Atlanta
Randy, Herb, and I hopped on Luke and Greg's group to skate to Atlanta. I substituted gels with bananas and trail mix bars.
I was on a nice route with friends, but for 30 miles I obsessed over last 2 miles of the race second-guessing my decisions. I couldn't decide whether I raced smart or simply lacked courage. “Live in the present,” I reminded myself. I focused on how blessed I was.
Silver Hill was the lowlight of the day. We barely broke 40 mph with a black Mercedes in the way.
I hit my usual wall after Silver Hill. I felt more wobbly and sick than usual. I sat down at checkpoint 5 hoping to hitch a ride.
Colleen's sandwich and chocolate did wonders for my recovery.
I got back on the road to skate with Malia (London) and Alex (Austria) group with John in it. I skated with John on this same crappy road surface when agreeing to tie for 52-mile race last year.
_#'s (including 38-mile race)
total distance: 87 miles
total time: 5:48:50
average speed: 15.0 mph
mile splits > 20 mph: 10 + 4
Silver Hill max speed: 40.1 mph
on-course energy intake: 300 calories (gels and blocks) + 800 calories (banana, sandwich, bars, chocolate)
stopping time: approx 15 minutes
_87-mile result
Marcy took women's title. Lenny finished with same time at 12th place.
Jessica came in 9 minutes later at 16th overall ahead of Luke's 5:34.
Eddy was out-skated by Thomas Detwiler.
Francisco got 3rd.
Asphalt Beach's 16-year-old wonder Joel 2-lastNames finished 5th.
Peter Doucet was 6th ahead of Dennis Humphrey.
photo by Peter Doucet
Herb and Marcy
photo by Peter Doucet
The nutrition experiment result was discouraging. Maybe I should've used hotdogs.
_2.5 miles city skate
The new finish location was 2.5 miles from hotel. Skating slowly is a lot faster than 3-mph walk. I felt great going downhill at 15 mph forgetting to verify luggage's wheels were designed for it. Luckily nothing broke on the uneven pavement.
At a non-wealthy neighborhood, 3 tough looking dudes approached me on empty streets,
"What's in the bag?"
I couldn't tell if they were serious but developed a bad feeling. They could easily take me down unless I gave up the luggage.
"3 million dollars, cash." I replied and skated away holding steady pace.
They laughed and didn't pursue.
A few blocks later the streets were closed. I continued on the roadway; the sidewalks were packed with people.
I was surprised the cops didn't pull me off the road. Spectators showered me with positive and colorful encouragements. I was uncomfortable with that level of attention. Served me right wearing spandex ahead of the Pride Parade.
Thanks for buying the cops, Candy.
I seemed to arrive at A2A less prepared each year. 100k's at Hotter n Hell and NYC were the only long skates after Road Rash in April. Ironman Craig Alexander's theory: the older you are, the less volume you need.
Plan A: Stay with Eddy as long as I could. With luck I would build enough lead over the chase pack before reaching Dacula. This strategy failed me twice already, but lead pack speed was unpredictable. Lenny and Marcy was likely to dictate the chase pack speed.
My all-time fantasies included
1. Beat Herb Gale at a race.
2. Order an uncut pizza delivered to check point #5 then eat it like a giant burrito while skating toward Atlanta.
3. Average 18 mph for an A2A distance.
Candy decided to go after Debbie Rice's 17.96 mph record--a realistic target given the weather forecast. Herb signed up to race 38. 2011 was my big chance.
New plan:
1. Bonk no earlier than Herb.
2. Experiment with solid food for 49 miles.
3. Finishing 18 seconds in front of a record breaking Candy.
_logistics
Travel arranges involved changes this year:
Atlanta’s Midtown Hotel computer got confused.
AAA Express Shuttle went out of business.
Casey canceled last minute due to infection.
Race route changed.
_start
The rush out of Athens was always a zoo.
I had an easy start by following a lone Peter Doucet skating with GoPro. I thought of pulling him just to get in the shot but didn't want to mess up his race.
Eddy started late after getting out of costume. I watched him dragging Luke passing us. I was too uncomfortable at that speed to jump pack for Peter’s video. Mile 3~5’s splits were 24 / 21 / 23 mph. I struggled with each acceleration; I wished I was on bigger wheels.
Weather was good but far from perfect: humid, warm, mostly tailwind.
Team Asphalt Beach formed the core of the chase pack with Lenny, Marcy, Jessica, Candy, and Brian. Herb popped out of lead pack and joined us.
photo by Lenny Willcox
I did one long pull before settling in the back. Jessica described a bodily function that made me laugh. Lenny was in control. Marcy seemed to be holding back. Several strong skaters did their shares. The back of the pack turned into accordion when Herb showed off his Herculean strides. I resorted to high cadence and skated like a midget Usain Bolt. Thanks a lot, Herb!
Most of my pull involved being pushed.
video by Lenny
Mile 25. Debbie's record seemed out of reach, but Candy and company weren't letting up. For the first time I appreciated how steady Lenny was.
Mile 35. Everyone kept up. Candy had wattage surplus. I watched her broke away up a long ascend. We had no reason to chase; majority of the pack had 50 miles to go. It took Candy a while to realize the unintentional attack before returning to the group. A few climbs later she said something about not recovering and became less jumpy.
38-mile A2A was a unique race in that competitors and utility vehicles were often indistinguishable. I knew I was racing against Herb and Brian but didn't know how many 38-milers were in the lead pack.
The last climb into Dacula was nontrivial. I wished I was on smaller wheels. Bruce Belden attacked. His acceleration was modest for potentially the 38-mile title. A real man would’ve covered that breakaway. I wanted to save it for the 2 final turns. There were 3 races I could beat pros, and I didn't think Herb would race Tour de Donut.
I gambled the pack would swallow Bruce. I wished my quads weren't cramping. I wished Casey were in the mix.
I heard Candy behind me; Herb and Brian became invisible; Bruce escaped. The last right turn came faster than expected. My short legs barely stayed on pavement. I made it to the empty finish chute 16 seconds behind Bruce.
_38-mile result
Candy won 38 after missing the scary right turn.
Bruce got 2nd. Mike Pantelakis was in the lead group with 7-minute margin.
I checked "beating Mighty Herb" off the list.
Herb and Brian blew up on the last rolling hill.
_#'s
total distance: 38 miles
total time: 2:10:40
average speed: 17.5 mph
mile splits > 20 mph: 10
max speed: 42.5 mph @ mile 11
on-course energy intake: 300 calories (gels and blocks)
wheels used: 100 mm. 4x Matter yellow, 4x MPC Street Fight
photo by Peter Doucet
_49 mile skate to Atlanta
Randy, Herb, and I hopped on Luke and Greg's group to skate to Atlanta. I substituted gels with bananas and trail mix bars.
I was on a nice route with friends, but for 30 miles I obsessed over last 2 miles of the race second-guessing my decisions. I couldn't decide whether I raced smart or simply lacked courage. “Live in the present,” I reminded myself. I focused on how blessed I was.
Silver Hill was the lowlight of the day. We barely broke 40 mph with a black Mercedes in the way.
I hit my usual wall after Silver Hill. I felt more wobbly and sick than usual. I sat down at checkpoint 5 hoping to hitch a ride.
Colleen's sandwich and chocolate did wonders for my recovery.
I got back on the road to skate with Malia (London) and Alex (Austria) group with John in it. I skated with John on this same crappy road surface when agreeing to tie for 52-mile race last year.
_#'s (including 38-mile race)
total distance: 87 miles
total time: 5:48:50
average speed: 15.0 mph
mile splits > 20 mph: 10 + 4
Silver Hill max speed: 40.1 mph
on-course energy intake: 300 calories (gels and blocks) + 800 calories (banana, sandwich, bars, chocolate)
stopping time: approx 15 minutes
_87-mile result
Marcy took women's title. Lenny finished with same time at 12th place.
Jessica came in 9 minutes later at 16th overall ahead of Luke's 5:34.
Eddy was out-skated by Thomas Detwiler.
Francisco got 3rd.
Asphalt Beach's 16-year-old wonder Joel 2-lastNames finished 5th.
Peter Doucet was 6th ahead of Dennis Humphrey.
photo by Peter Doucet
Herb and Marcy
photo by Peter Doucet
The nutrition experiment result was discouraging. Maybe I should've used hotdogs.
_2.5 miles city skate
The new finish location was 2.5 miles from hotel. Skating slowly is a lot faster than 3-mph walk. I felt great going downhill at 15 mph forgetting to verify luggage's wheels were designed for it. Luckily nothing broke on the uneven pavement.
At a non-wealthy neighborhood, 3 tough looking dudes approached me on empty streets,
"What's in the bag?"
I couldn't tell if they were serious but developed a bad feeling. They could easily take me down unless I gave up the luggage.
"3 million dollars, cash." I replied and skated away holding steady pace.
They laughed and didn't pursue.
A few blocks later the streets were closed. I continued on the roadway; the sidewalks were packed with people.
I was surprised the cops didn't pull me off the road. Spectators showered me with positive and colorful encouragements. I was uncomfortable with that level of attention. Served me right wearing spandex ahead of the Pride Parade.
Thanks for buying the cops, Candy.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
NYC 100k Prospect Park, Brooklyn 09/24/2011
I considered racing the 100k every year since 2005. The resources always went to other events: Burning Man, ironman, Montreal 24-hour, A2A, TTTT, White Rock Marathon. "I'll do it next year," I told myself.
Inline events got to the point that I couldn't effort to be picky. And I owned up to the fact I'd never be more ready. I decided on 100k when Nancy invited me in Budapest. It'd be fun to re-visit NYC.
_NYC travel
Using the public transportation was an interesting experience. New Yorkers were helpful when approached with questions, but I didn't anticipate the difficulty of spotting natives at airport and train stations. It didn't help the Q train I counted on wasn't in operation.
Plan B was to use taxies or to skate. The rain made it difficult.
_Race day condition
Mid 70's. 100% humidity. Wet pavement.
Lots of black Storm Surges showed up. I used 100mm gold Street Fights and carbon frames.
_Faster start than needed
If the goal were to optimize average speed, I'd start slow, shop for a pro pack that lap us, shoot for 3.5-hr finish. I chose to ignore finish time <= Texas Flyers had realistic chance at 2 non-pro podium spots.
I stayed in front after the gun, making sure no 100k racer got away. Casey joined me. We matched the speed of 23-year-old Michael Pereira. He was relentless. We let the kid go after short discussion during 2nd lap.
Lap #5. Luke, Renee, and John joined. Casey and I went off the script and pulled the pack. I didn't like the marathoners' erratic accelerations.
John kept lifting the pace; I almost let him go.
photo by Ron Morella
At one point, I asked everyone to slow to wait for Renee; she never caught up. John also got dropped.
A 42k racer in skin suit started to skate slightly faster than the pack off the front. I advised her to be cooperative, “you’re just wasting energy.” She ignored me and was repeatedly swallowed by the pack going down hills. It took me a while to realize she didn't understand a word I said.
The lead vehicles were 2 pretty Ducaties. The peloton looked happy during first half the race. It didn't take them long before lapping us. The pros slowed enough at one point we actually latched on. What are the chances I'd skate in the peloton during in a big race?
_After 42
Things settled down after the marathoners sprinted off. My group was down to 3 with Luke and Casey. It was a relaxing ride. We even slowed to observe a commercial photo shoot. We positive split and made no effort to stop bleeding. I started to think about the end games and looked for attack spots.
Lap 14.
4 pros lapped us for the 2nd time. Casey jumped. I followed. Luke dropped.
_Free ride
The pros were 2 laps ahead and didn't ask us to pull. One guy decided on a baby surge with 2 laps to go. My quads cramped half way up the previously harmless hill. I got popped off the back at lap 16. I focused on keeping recovery pace; I needed to be ready by the time Luke skated by. Luke pass never happened; I gained too much ground behind the pros.
Marcy and Kara Peterson lapped me. Marcy was a machine in skin suit. Her precision strides were the most beautiful thing on the course. I had insufficient incentive to skate that hard; I let her go.
[podium photo]
Casey went on to win the advanced division.
I finished 2nd in 4 hours--3 minutes in front of Luke.
Michael Pereira blew up during lap 5 and abandoned the race after many lonely miles.
_race #'s
64.07 miles in 4:00:30
avg/max: 16/33 mph
gels: 6
elevation gain/loss per Garmin 310XT: 1915/1933 feet
_Post race
Sandy skipped the wet surface race but joined the podium celebration at a West African restaurant. Luke and Casey talked Skate Farm Thailand.
Casey and I rode a free shuttle between rail stations. We chatted with the bus driver. The guy was so cool a girl pursued him between stops. When I grow up, I want to operate large public vehicles.
It took me a long time to recognize the racers at official dinner at Iguana Bar. The Empire Speed Club had the highest density of particle physicists. It was great to catch up with Dustin on musician and other things.
Nancy took us on a foot tour; she was the only non-tourist human at Time Square. Grand Central was indeed grand.
_Sunday morning skate
I briefly considered the scheduled 7-mile run before replacing it with coffee and buttered bagel.
Philly skaters hired a bus to skate Manhattan that morning. It was great to see Euro Roll friends.
At leisure pace, we still went faster than buses and taxies in city traffic.
USS Intrepid looked newer than 12 years ago. Casey and I rolled the final portion of NYC skate while eating gyro and Thai before the pre flight shower.
Inline events got to the point that I couldn't effort to be picky. And I owned up to the fact I'd never be more ready. I decided on 100k when Nancy invited me in Budapest. It'd be fun to re-visit NYC.
_NYC travel
Using the public transportation was an interesting experience. New Yorkers were helpful when approached with questions, but I didn't anticipate the difficulty of spotting natives at airport and train stations. It didn't help the Q train I counted on wasn't in operation.
Plan B was to use taxies or to skate. The rain made it difficult.
_Race day condition
Mid 70's. 100% humidity. Wet pavement.
Lots of black Storm Surges showed up. I used 100mm gold Street Fights and carbon frames.
_Faster start than needed
If the goal were to optimize average speed, I'd start slow, shop for a pro pack that lap us, shoot for 3.5-hr finish. I chose to ignore finish time <= Texas Flyers had realistic chance at 2 non-pro podium spots.
I stayed in front after the gun, making sure no 100k racer got away. Casey joined me. We matched the speed of 23-year-old Michael Pereira. He was relentless. We let the kid go after short discussion during 2nd lap.
Lap #5. Luke, Renee, and John joined. Casey and I went off the script and pulled the pack. I didn't like the marathoners' erratic accelerations.
John kept lifting the pace; I almost let him go.
photo by Ron Morella
At one point, I asked everyone to slow to wait for Renee; she never caught up. John also got dropped.
A 42k racer in skin suit started to skate slightly faster than the pack off the front. I advised her to be cooperative, “you’re just wasting energy.” She ignored me and was repeatedly swallowed by the pack going down hills. It took me a while to realize she didn't understand a word I said.
The lead vehicles were 2 pretty Ducaties. The peloton looked happy during first half the race. It didn't take them long before lapping us. The pros slowed enough at one point we actually latched on. What are the chances I'd skate in the peloton during in a big race?
_After 42
Things settled down after the marathoners sprinted off. My group was down to 3 with Luke and Casey. It was a relaxing ride. We even slowed to observe a commercial photo shoot. We positive split and made no effort to stop bleeding. I started to think about the end games and looked for attack spots.
Lap 14.
4 pros lapped us for the 2nd time. Casey jumped. I followed. Luke dropped.
_Free ride
The pros were 2 laps ahead and didn't ask us to pull. One guy decided on a baby surge with 2 laps to go. My quads cramped half way up the previously harmless hill. I got popped off the back at lap 16. I focused on keeping recovery pace; I needed to be ready by the time Luke skated by. Luke pass never happened; I gained too much ground behind the pros.
Marcy and Kara Peterson lapped me. Marcy was a machine in skin suit. Her precision strides were the most beautiful thing on the course. I had insufficient incentive to skate that hard; I let her go.
[podium photo]
Casey went on to win the advanced division.
I finished 2nd in 4 hours--3 minutes in front of Luke.
Michael Pereira blew up during lap 5 and abandoned the race after many lonely miles.
_race #'s
64.07 miles in 4:00:30
avg/max: 16/33 mph
gels: 6
elevation gain/loss per Garmin 310XT: 1915/1933 feet
_Post race
Sandy skipped the wet surface race but joined the podium celebration at a West African restaurant. Luke and Casey talked Skate Farm Thailand.
Casey and I rode a free shuttle between rail stations. We chatted with the bus driver. The guy was so cool a girl pursued him between stops. When I grow up, I want to operate large public vehicles.
It took me a long time to recognize the racers at official dinner at Iguana Bar. The Empire Speed Club had the highest density of particle physicists. It was great to catch up with Dustin on musician and other things.
Nancy took us on a foot tour; she was the only non-tourist human at Time Square. Grand Central was indeed grand.
_Sunday morning skate
I briefly considered the scheduled 7-mile run before replacing it with coffee and buttered bagel.
Philly skaters hired a bus to skate Manhattan that morning. It was great to see Euro Roll friends.
At leisure pace, we still went faster than buses and taxies in city traffic.
USS Intrepid looked newer than 12 years ago. Casey and I rolled the final portion of NYC skate while eating gyro and Thai before the pre flight shower.
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