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In a little under two weeks I will race what is arguably the hardest olympic distance triathlon around. (At least that is what the race's website says) It's called Bandits Challenge, and it should be pretty hard. Both the bike and the run will have their moments, and I'll get through them. Racing sure is fun and it can be quite challenging at times to manage training and other commitments. It can be hard to keep the hammer down and swim, bike, and run when you really do not want too. I am willing to bet though that no matter how hard racing "is" it is never as hard as cancer really "is". Running is probably never as hard as hearing a doctor tell you you have cancer, and I would be willing to bet that pedaling a bike feels pretty nice compared to the feelings cancer might bring on.
With that in mind I'd like to take a second to remind folks why P-11 is important and means something more than a tee shirt or another race number to hang on the wall.
Project 11 is dedicated to raising funds and increasing awareness for the fight against cancer. The effort honors my father Thomas John Smith, a long time cyclist and endurance athlete. Dad battled Metastatic Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer for 11 years and inspired many first time riders, and more experienced riders to pedal a little harder. Please take a moment to read the Our Story section of the web page to learn more about Dad's fight.
Thanks Dad. Fight on.
-E
Click Here for Full Post
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Marathon Training
As we get closer to the fall I have started to add a marathon training program into the routine. This is the first week and so far so good. My marathon goal is to get as close to run well. I have a time in mind, but I am not sure how confident I feel in it just yet. Last night my training plan called for 6 miles of hills, but due to a slight miscalculation on my part I ended up running 8 miles of hills in 58:08. Not bad considering I left the house in an ankle deep driving rain, and got lost in downtown.
Adam - when is your next marathon?
-E Click Here for Full Post
Adam - when is your next marathon?
-E Click Here for Full Post
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Road ID
Morning folks,
The Saturday before we completed the triangle tri a local cyclist was killed in Apex NC. He was riding home from a group ride when he crossed in front of another vehicle. It really got me thinking about cycling safety and I finally broke down and did something I should have done a long time ago, I purchased a ROAD ID.
I always take my phone with me on ride, but a lot of good it will do me in situations when I can not speak. I purchased the wrist id, had it engraved with some important emergency contacts and a little motivational slogan. Even got in official p11 colors.
Most of the efforts I put in are solo so it will be nice to have a little bit more safety on board. The id was only 21 bucks and that includes shipping! The best part is ROAD ID donates a portion of your order to a charity, and the Lance Armstrong Foundation is an option. So not only was I purchasing something for the safety of my family and myself, but donating to the cause at the same time! I would totally encourage y'all to consider purchasing a ROAD ID. It's a great investment and can help benefit a great cause.
http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx Click Here for Full Post
The Saturday before we completed the triangle tri a local cyclist was killed in Apex NC. He was riding home from a group ride when he crossed in front of another vehicle. It really got me thinking about cycling safety and I finally broke down and did something I should have done a long time ago, I purchased a ROAD ID.
I always take my phone with me on ride, but a lot of good it will do me in situations when I can not speak. I purchased the wrist id, had it engraved with some important emergency contacts and a little motivational slogan. Even got in official p11 colors.
Most of the efforts I put in are solo so it will be nice to have a little bit more safety on board. The id was only 21 bucks and that includes shipping! The best part is ROAD ID donates a portion of your order to a charity, and the Lance Armstrong Foundation is an option. So not only was I purchasing something for the safety of my family and myself, but donating to the cause at the same time! I would totally encourage y'all to consider purchasing a ROAD ID. It's a great investment and can help benefit a great cause.
http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx Click Here for Full Post
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Adam's Race Report from Mass
Guest report from Adam "Mountain Goat" Trexler:
some pics to come, hopefully.
Report from Mattapoisett Triathlon: Great first triathlon! The Mattapoisett Triathlon is a small race in coastal Massachusetts. 400 meter swim in an ocean harbor, 10 mile bike and 3.4 mile run all along the coast (super flat!). I survived the swimming, though I need some serious work on sighting and swimming in a straight line. One of these fancy wetsuits will probably come in handy for Savageman as well. I felt great on the bike despite some headwinds and wet roads. The transition and early stages of the run felt much harder than I expected; I really didn’t feel like I had any legs until about ten minutes had passed. Running better after race intensity cycling and a fast transition is definitely a focus area now for training. I’m not a great 5K runner, more of a long distance guy. So I’m actually looking forward to the longer distances in the Savageman where hopefully the transition won’t hurt my time as much and sprint speed isn’t as useful. Then again, on Savageman I’ll have much larger problems to worry about as well.
Well, I enjoyed my last century ride so much I’m going to do another this weekend! Hopefully the organizers found some good hills to climb. Click Here for Full Post
some pics to come, hopefully.
Report from Mattapoisett Triathlon: Great first triathlon! The Mattapoisett Triathlon is a small race in coastal Massachusetts. 400 meter swim in an ocean harbor, 10 mile bike and 3.4 mile run all along the coast (super flat!). I survived the swimming, though I need some serious work on sighting and swimming in a straight line. One of these fancy wetsuits will probably come in handy for Savageman as well. I felt great on the bike despite some headwinds and wet roads. The transition and early stages of the run felt much harder than I expected; I really didn’t feel like I had any legs until about ten minutes had passed. Running better after race intensity cycling and a fast transition is definitely a focus area now for training. I’m not a great 5K runner, more of a long distance guy. So I’m actually looking forward to the longer distances in the Savageman where hopefully the transition won’t hurt my time as much and sprint speed isn’t as useful. Then again, on Savageman I’ll have much larger problems to worry about as well.
Well, I enjoyed my last century ride so much I’m going to do another this weekend! Hopefully the organizers found some good hills to climb. Click Here for Full Post
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Would You Ever be Caught Running in These?
Over the last few months I have seen more and more articles about research that is proving that our fancy running shoes are not only overkill, but they may actually be forcing us to run in ways that our bodies were not designed to move.
The latest of these articles, in Wired magazine (admittedly not a "Runner's" resource), explores the logic behind these findings and offers up one alternative for running "Barefoot". Enter theVibram FiveFingers....
Now, look at these things. Would you wear these in public? They look like cartoon versions of toe-socks. It's like you just want someone to come over and play "this little pig" with your nasty little foot digits.
Style and looks aside though, I see why they would be perfect for people trying to ditch their expensive and overly engineered sneakers. Just check out the video below to see how much more flex your feet have. It is certainly a more natural motion.
So let's hear your thoughts. There are many of you who spend hours and hours running in sneakers. Would you even take the time to try these puppies out?
The full article at Wired is here. (Found via Lifehacker)
Click Here for Full Post
The latest of these articles, in Wired magazine (admittedly not a "Runner's" resource), explores the logic behind these findings and offers up one alternative for running "Barefoot". Enter the
Now, look at these things. Would you wear these in public? They look like cartoon versions of toe-socks. It's like you just want someone to come over and play "this little pig" with your nasty little foot digits.
Style and looks aside though, I see why they would be perfect for people trying to ditch their expensive and overly engineered sneakers. Just check out the video below to see how much more flex your feet have. It is certainly a more natural motion.
So let's hear your thoughts. There are many of you who spend hours and hours running in sneakers. Would you even take the time to try these puppies out?
The full article at Wired is here. (Found via Lifehacker)
Click Here for Full Post
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Triangle Triathlon
Guest Poster: Rachel "The Razor" Wilt (Pictures to Follow)
Hi, this is Rachel, Eric's 12 year old cousin. He asked me to write this post since I did my first real adult triathlon this weekend. One of Eric’s goals for P-11 was to get his family and friends involved in sports and fitness events. Based on this weekend’s turnout, I’d say he’s well on his way to achieving that goal. This weekend, the Project-11 team had 6 athletes participating in events, as well as many fans, including 1 official cheerleader. Five competed in the Triangle Triathlon in Cary NC, while Adam did his first tri in Mattapoisett Massachusetts. It was also a first tri for Dani and her boyfriend, Tim Laupert.
Adam’s distances were a 400 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and 3 mile run. He did really well at the swim, surprising us all since he said he couldn’t swim. He’s an experienced marathon runner, and we got a chance to preview his amazing biking ability last weekend. I predict he will be ready for Savage Man in September, smoking my Dad for sure, and maybe even his cousin Eric.
The Triangle Triathlon distances were a 750 meter swim, 17.5 mile bike, and 3 mile run. Dani and Tim did the relay version of the triathlon… Tim swam, Dani biked, and Tim ran.
My Dad was my coach.He dipped his toe in the water and then waited for me to come out of the swim. He then went along side me and we did the ride and run together.
The highlight for me, next to finishing, was beating my Ironman cousin in the swim! After the swim, Eric kicked it in and posted good times on the bike and run. Especially the bike where he was 6th fastest.
Thanks to all the fans who traveled from Maryland, South Carolina, and Tennessee
My 7 year-old sister Abby got the spirit award for best cheerleading attire (Beat Navy!).
And also thanks to Eric and Gina for hosting the team and fans.
Eric will let us know what is coming up next for P-11, and remember to donate to Lance Armstrong Foundation thru the Project 11 site, so we can reach our goal of $11,000 for cancer research to honor Uncle Tim’s 11 year battle with melanoma. Click Here for Full Post
Hi, this is Rachel, Eric's 12 year old cousin. He asked me to write this post since I did my first real adult triathlon this weekend. One of Eric’s goals for P-11 was to get his family and friends involved in sports and fitness events. Based on this weekend’s turnout, I’d say he’s well on his way to achieving that goal. This weekend, the Project-11 team had 6 athletes participating in events, as well as many fans, including 1 official cheerleader. Five competed in the Triangle Triathlon in Cary NC, while Adam did his first tri in Mattapoisett Massachusetts. It was also a first tri for Dani and her boyfriend, Tim Laupert.
Adam’s distances were a 400 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and 3 mile run. He did really well at the swim, surprising us all since he said he couldn’t swim. He’s an experienced marathon runner, and we got a chance to preview his amazing biking ability last weekend. I predict he will be ready for Savage Man in September, smoking my Dad for sure, and maybe even his cousin Eric.
The Triangle Triathlon distances were a 750 meter swim, 17.5 mile bike, and 3 mile run. Dani and Tim did the relay version of the triathlon… Tim swam, Dani biked, and Tim ran.
My Dad was my coach.He dipped his toe in the water and then waited for me to come out of the swim. He then went along side me and we did the ride and run together.
The highlight for me, next to finishing, was beating my Ironman cousin in the swim! After the swim, Eric kicked it in and posted good times on the bike and run. Especially the bike where he was 6th fastest.
Thanks to all the fans who traveled from Maryland, South Carolina, and Tennessee
My 7 year-old sister Abby got the spirit award for best cheerleading attire (Beat Navy!).
And also thanks to Eric and Gina for hosting the team and fans.
Eric will let us know what is coming up next for P-11, and remember to donate to Lance Armstrong Foundation thru the Project 11 site, so we can reach our goal of $11,000 for cancer research to honor Uncle Tim’s 11 year battle with melanoma. Click Here for Full Post
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Race This Weekend
Hello everyone.
It's been a busy couple of weeks with travels for the holiday and Gina's and My anniversary. Last weekend we previewed the savageman course, and it is as advertised: completely savage! I made it up the westernport wall three times though, and Adam is a beast on the bike!
We will be racing in the triangle this weekend. Rachel, Bobby, Dani, The Timmer, and I will all be out on the course of the Triangle Tri., a sprint distance race a few miles from the house. Look for pictures soon, and please donate we are a long way from our goal and really need your support.
Carry on,
-E Click Here for Full Post
It's been a busy couple of weeks with travels for the holiday and Gina's and My anniversary. Last weekend we previewed the savageman course, and it is as advertised: completely savage! I made it up the westernport wall three times though, and Adam is a beast on the bike!
We will be racing in the triangle this weekend. Rachel, Bobby, Dani, The Timmer, and I will all be out on the course of the Triangle Tri., a sprint distance race a few miles from the house. Look for pictures soon, and please donate we are a long way from our goal and really need your support.
Carry on,
-E Click Here for Full Post
Sale on Bikes - Performance Bike
Long time no see...I know. I've been swamped and have totally neglected the Project lately. I'm sorry...I'll be back up to speed soon. Expect a new playlist in the next week or so too.
Anyway...I just saw that Performance Bike is running a 15% off sale on everything, including bikes. Just go to http://www.performancebike.com and use the coupon code "589".
If you use the codes, you can supposedly get bikes for as low as $179 (don't expect much at that price though).
Enjoy....Keep riding....and good luck with your training goals.
JB Click Here for Full Post
Anyway...I just saw that Performance Bike is running a 15% off sale on everything, including bikes. Just go to http://www.performancebike.com and use the coupon code "589".
If you use the codes, you can supposedly get bikes for as low as $179 (don't expect much at that price though).
Enjoy....Keep riding....and good luck with your training goals.
JB Click Here for Full Post
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Good Luck!
P-11 wants to say hammer down, have fun, and good luck to Adam, Rachel, and Abby who are all racing this weekend. Adam in his first ever century, and the ladies in their second tri! Go get 'em y'all!
-E
Picture of Abby cruising in her official P-11 swim suit. Click Here for Full Post
Monday, June 22, 2009
Weekend Recap
Blues Traveler has a good song about Mtns, and it goes a little something like this, "the mountains win again..." they beat me that is. I failed miserably on the mtn bike this weekend.
A quick recap, I puked twice, lost count of how many times I fell, hit my head full on, saw stars, hiked a lot, pushed the bike, bonked, really wanted to take a nap in the woods, and eventually was removed from the course. To make matters all the worse I didn't handle it very well either. It was a sad display. I dont have any excuses other than that I am not a good mtn biker and bit off more than I could handle.
Lessons learned.
In brighter news Bobby rode on and did quite well, this only after fulfilling his responsibilities and leading me safely out of the woods.
The road ride went well. We both made it to the top with no problems and in good time. Although when we arrived at the top the temp was 53 degrees, we were in the clouds and it was blowing 15mph. The decent was freezing cold and windy. My teeth were chattering, legs shaking, but once we got to 4000 feet it was good and warm again.
On to the Triangle Tri.
-E Click Here for Full Post
A quick recap, I puked twice, lost count of how many times I fell, hit my head full on, saw stars, hiked a lot, pushed the bike, bonked, really wanted to take a nap in the woods, and eventually was removed from the course. To make matters all the worse I didn't handle it very well either. It was a sad display. I dont have any excuses other than that I am not a good mtn biker and bit off more than I could handle.
Lessons learned.
In brighter news Bobby rode on and did quite well, this only after fulfilling his responsibilities and leading me safely out of the woods.
The road ride went well. We both made it to the top with no problems and in good time. Although when we arrived at the top the temp was 53 degrees, we were in the clouds and it was blowing 15mph. The decent was freezing cold and windy. My teeth were chattering, legs shaking, but once we got to 4000 feet it was good and warm again.
On to the Triangle Tri.
-E Click Here for Full Post
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