Cycling for a Cure

It's year #5 with Team In Training! Hard to believe I've been involved with this great program since 2006! Last year I ran a marathon, this year I'm going to participate in the Moab Century Tour. Yep, I'm going to ride 100 miles....in one day (September 18, 2010)...in Moab, Utah.

But in order to do this I need your help! I've committed to raising $2500 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Your 100% tax-deductible contribution will help patients of blood cancers and their families with support groups, monetary assistance with treatment related costs (e.g. gas money to travel for treatment), as well as fund research in labs that are searching for cures to blood cancers. More information can be found at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society website.

A donation of just $100 can significantly impact a family dealing with this disease. Please visit this secure website to make a tax-deductuble contribution of any amount you can afford: http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/moabtour10/ndrummer

And what is fundraising without any incentives? If you contribute $50 or more, I will put your name or a name of your choice on my bike jersey. If you contribute $100 or more, the name goes on my bike. $250 or more will get something I haven't thought of yet (feel free to send me ideas!).

St. Pat's 5k Race Report

The day started with a TNT workout at Monument Valley Park. I always choose this location for the St. Pat's 5k race day so I can get the Team on a nice endurance run and not be too far from the race start! They did about an hour, I did about 25 minutes to warm up and then walked over to Acacia Park, but not without admiring the view of the Peak. Not to mention the clear skies- perfect race day weather!

Then I got to the park...it was a happening place!

The blue globe is actually a fountain - Uncle Wilber to be specific. Lots of green shirts hanging around!

After finding the port-o-potty I mosied over to the start line. Even though I'm not the fastest, I still like to get close to the front, expecially in a race with no start mat (gun time only, though it was chip timed).

10am sharp the gun went off. The start is a gradual downhill so everyone goes too fast. I can't say that I don't somewhat follow the crowd. But I checked my GPS to try to maintain a sensible pace. After a half-mile or so, the course turns north and that means uphill, even if ever so gradual. The legs know. They know. My legs felt pretty good considering I'm at the tail end of a 3 week build phase (cycling focus).

But my lungs hurt. Oh did they hurt. My average heart rate for the race was 178. It was 185 at the finish. It's always these fast races when I question why I do this. I mean, I can run 3 miles no problem. But why try to run it as fast as I can?  I suppose I like to see if I can go a little faster and I always feel good after crossing a finish line (sometimes it's "phew - glad that's over!" and other times it's a little more celebratory.) Today was celebratory.

On tired legs I got my 5k PR of 23:32.7. My goal was to beat last year's time of 23:53 and I did. And I ever so slightly beat the 23:34 PR I set a couple years ago on a flat course at sea level (or slightly below) in New Orleans. So a very successful morning!

At the finish line I ran into my friend Shannon and since I got a pic of us together from the last race I ran, I needed another.

Got a post race massage and then started thinking about refueling as I had a 3+hr bike ride to do in the afternoon!

Bananas and Chocolate

I haven't posted anything relating to bananas in a while (though I still have one almost every day.) A banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter is my recent pre-workout staple.  It's also the valentine's day leftovers heading into easter candy season, which means a lot of chocolate lying around. So in the spirit of bananas and chocolate, enjoy some chocolate banana cream pie!