20 mi #2

This weekend I completed my second 20 mile run. I finally took the opportunity to satisfy my nostalgia for NC State and drove over to complete my run. Many have heard me say this before: having 20 miles to run, instead of trying to choose only one of my old runs to do, I can combine several together for one great trip. I parked in the Varsity lot across from where I use to live (and start my runs). My journey took me through frat court towards my St. Mary's/Cameron Village loop, whizzing over to Dixie Trail for a stint down Wade and Oberlin. After a waltz down Hillsborough, I tackled Kaplan and a little Avent Ferry. A short climb in Centennial and Western to Boylan, back to Hillsborough to finish off on Morrill/Avent Ferry. In felt fast, but it must have just been the familiarity.

For some actual news, earlier this week I crashed on my bike. Out riding in the rain Wednesday afternoon, I swerved to avoid a collision with a truck that was turning left where I was turning right. My wheels slide out from under me and I took a fall. My hip ached pretty bad for the evening and next day (still does even now). I was terribly worried about how my running would be affected. However, everything seems to be ok. My two runs since (9 miles on Friday, and the 20 on Saturday) started out uneasy but both finished strong. I think at the moment, there is just some bruising and transient stiffness from swelling.

For a while I joked about being a bad omen on my exercise excursions. Now, I am becoming seriously concerned. Four times (five if you include my own crash), I have seen/learned about accidents close to where I've been running/biking. After my first 20 miles with a bit along Tryon, the news later reports of a hit-and-run along Tryon. The next week, a jog on Jenks Carpenter was followed by a motorcycle accident report. Also, last week a water main broke along Maynard (though this apparently happened before I passed by). Earlier in my ride last Wednesday (preceding my own crash), I witnessed a stopped car blatantly cross a red light at James Jackson, getting T-boned. Then I passed a car wreck on Hillsborough street in the later miles on this week's 20.

Last comments: For some reason I noticed the range of brands I sport. Sometimes I try to stick with product loyalty: my running shoes have been Brooks for many years. However, on my bike ride, I couldn't help but feel like a hodgepodge of labels. My bib and jersey were Hincapie. My socks were Craft. Leggings were Under Armor. Arm warmers were Pearl Izumi. Wind-vest was Nike. And gloves were Reebok.

I'll have a brief "recovery" week followed by a final 22 miles. Then it's time to taper.

Final Build up

It's been a little bit longer since my last update. There are always things I do/see that I think "I'd like to comment about that on my blog." But of course I ultimately forget. Hopefully writing will get the brain working and I'll remember things as I go.

Having completed the Nation's Triathlon, I am now building up for the City of Oaks Marathon here in Raleigh. My training schedule hasn't really changed all that much. I am still biking and swimming as before with the reasoning that looking ahead to 2011 when I plan to step up to the half-Ironman, the more base I have the better. I also am finally getting to a point where cycling can be enjoyable versus it being a necessary evil in triathlon.

After Nation's I have also begun some mild strength training. My initial plan was to incorporate a daily core (abdominal and lower back) exercise routine. However, with a modest assortment of lifting equipment (some barbell and weights with a bench), I got the impulse to throw in some short lifts. My entire routine only takes about 20-25 minutes, at least 10 of which are the core exercises, and nothing at all heavy. However, I figure something is better than nothing. Also, a nagging knee problem has dissipated tremendously since starting this program so I think there is some therapeutic value.

Two weeks ago I also began my Nursing Assistant class. As with starting back my job at the YMCA, it is a humbling experience to go from working towards a Ph.D. to taking a class you don't even need a high school diploma to take. But the subject matter is interesting and I think I'm realizing and reaffirming how much I prefer jobs that may not pay great, but may be more laborious. The class is very short (only 6 1/2 weeks) but goes three days a week for 8 hours. Once I'm done I hope to be able to work at one of the local hospitals and be in a position to discover a future career goal.

There isn't much more I can think about for this post. I guess a few briefs:

1) If biking while raining, wear protective eyewear NO MATTER WHAT. This morning I made this mistake since it was still dark out and sunglasses would be inappropriate. My eyes have been hurting most of the day and I'm sure there's some [temporary] damage.
2) When starting my weekend long run a deer jumped across the road RIGHT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. And we don't live out in the boonies, this is a fairly long-established suburban neighborhood.
3) On the previous week's long run I 'got lost;' which is really to say I just didn't go the way I had originally planned. No biggie. However, I did discover the most blatant "themed" street names: the main road was 'Carousel' with side streets of 'Ferris Wheel,' 'Brass Rings,' and 'Candy Apple.'

Twenty miles coming up. Get excited.

Nations Triathlon

Another wonderful race day/weekend. I love this post-race athlete's high. I'll try and provide a good recap. It's always hard to do so; I want to be thorough but without overwhelming with details, some of which I may think are interesting, but wouldn't make since unless you were there.

The Nation's Triathlon was an Olympic distance, i.e. 1500m swim, 40 K (approximately 25 mile) bike, and then a 10 K (6.2 mile) run. Over 7000 people registered with 5300 picking up their packets which gave us, [the event] the WORLD RECORD FOR LARGEST INTERNATIONAL DISTANCE TRIATHLON (previously held by the 2006 Chicago Triathlon). So far this is the longest distance I have done, but the second one. In May I had done the Columbia Triathlon in Maryland as a member of Team in Training.

There are many interesting details surrounding the race: staying with my cousins (thanks Jenny!), the packet pickup and expo, the weather this morning, etc. It may be best to just stick to the race.

Like most, if not all, triathlons, the race begins in wave starts. First elite/open triathletes go off, and then racers go off based on their gender/age group. Sometimes they'll send the younger (and likely faster) ages first, but usually the older age groups go first since the younger people catch up and therefore minimize road closures. For me this meant being one of the last waves (30th out of 33 waves). This made the wait HORRIBLE. My wave started TWO HOURS after the official start of the race. Being soaked through from the rainy morning, it got very chilly. Swimming in the Potomac turned out to be a lot better than I expected. It was fairly calm, and for the most part I couldn't notice a significant current.

Both the bike and the run were unfairly flat. On the bike, my makeshift strategy was to push a decent pace, but let up later on to restore my legs a little bit for the run. But with such this course there was no need to. Unfortunately, I hate to stop twice to take care of nature (this is the second race this has happened, despite minimal/no pre-race hydration (???)), but I'm pretty sure my split was still faster than my Columbia split.

The run was awesome as well, while my need ached some, I set a reasonably quick pace and set a PR.

A big motivator was due to the nature of the wave starts and having most of the field start ahead of me. Of course a couple of my age group past me on the bike. However, the WHOLE time I was passing people. Sure they were the older age groups, as well as women racers. However, overtaking - and a lot of cases just BLOWING by - other competitors always helps you keep up a grueling pace. Twice on the run people asked (light-heartedly) for me to slow down. I think in both I then overheard them realize "oh, he's 23" (triathlons have you marked with your age on your calf).

Again, overall a phenomenal race. Here are some time summaries:
Swim: 25:23 >1500m > Slightly slower than my Columbia time, but being in a river and sure to have SOME current, it's understandable.
Bike: 1:15:16 > 40k, 19.8 mph > Almost 10 min faster than Columbia. It was a flatter course, but I also had an extra pit stop (both had slick, post-rain roads)
Run: 40:52 > 10 k, 6:36 min/mile. Just over a minute faster, which can be pretty significant for a 10 k. I give credit to the flatter course. I'm really happy about this because it was below 42 minutes, which was a secondary goal, just below breaking 7:00 min miles.
Overall: 2:28:52
18/108 in my age group (top 18%)
412/2835 males (top 15%)
452/4392 finishers (top 11%)

Most surprising - for me - was my rank on the run. My bike and swim places didn't really stick out to me, but I was 156 on the run, which if it is out of 4392 finishers, puts me in the top 5 %! That % statistic isn't official, so don't hold me to it...

Now it's back to the grindstone. City of Oaks is Nov 7, just 8 weeks away.

Farmers Market indulgence

When I make dinner, I alternate on a weekly basis between making a salad and heating some frozen vegetables. This coming week was suppose to be frozen veggies, so when I went to the farmers market I was only planning on purchasing some peaches and some squash for lunch. However, there were too many good pickings to pass up, so it looks like it'll be another week of salads. Giving into temptations can't always be good. But hey, if that temptations is VEGETABLES, I suppose there are worst things.

Last week was brutal on my legs. I'm pretty sure after my 20 miles and subsequent miles that weekend, I edged into overtraining. And it hasn't helped that my right knee has been aching. My treatment isn't that great: ignoring it. However, I've slowly felt better later in the week and I think two days without running (these are cycling days) will show some improvement. The mileage is going to be backing down. For one, it's part of the normal build, build, recover cycle, and secondly, I'm beginning to taper for the Nation's Triathlon, which takes place September 12th in DC.

Some random comments, mostly about running:
Marathon elite, Deena Kastor just became pregnant with her first child. A congratulations. So much attention has been given towards Kate Goucher, a much longer runner, and I don't think anyone has really wondered about Kastor's family life. However, news reports that she is happy and excited.

Molly Huddle broke the US 5000m record on Thursday! I love seeing records broken.

Runner's World weekly dedicates a blog to brief news stories that hint at running. It also includes a countdown for various races, from 5ks to ultramarathons. I'd like to think it was my own request that got the City of Oaks Marathon added to this weeks countdown. Let's hope it stays! I slowly see my influence at Runner's World increasing, where previously I had posed a question to the Race Director of the utmost importance.

Today was my second bike ride where I saw a turtle in the street. Today it was way out in Chatham county. The encounter earlier this week was within a half mile of home, tempting me to pick up a new pet.

Brief peak

This weekend I have to go to Annapolis to drill. If I was still in Baltimore, I would've just woken up at the crack of dawn, pounded out the miles, and made the short drive. However, being back in Raleigh, a morning of departure would already require a 1:00am leaving, meaning a run would be started around 10:00 the night before! Some may say I'm hardcore... but not that much... not YET.

So I put in the 20 miles this morning, and will hopefully get the 8 miles in Sunday in Annapolis. It was overall a fun run. It was only about 2 years ago that I did my first run from my apartment in Raleigh to my parents house in Cary - at the time a brutal 10 miles. And now? You guessed it - now it was a round trip! Mercifully I didn't have to do it out and back, my least favorite type of route. I made my way along Tryon to Avent Ferry Rd, followed Varsity to Western, which as it mutated into Hillsborough and Chatham, took Maynard [with a short extension loop] to Kildaire and back home. Those unfamiliar with the particular roads, I essentially ran the periphery of Crossroads, the southern edge of NC State and southeast circumference of Cary.

I definitely got a confidence boost running along Avent Ferry. This road present some nasty hills (for their length). Maybe because I was at my long run pace, but I felt I took them well in stride and with ease. In the coming weeks I will definitely make my long runs mixtures of the shorter runs I use to do at State.

Saw two girls I used to row with. Shout out to Ida and Kellee!

I'm still frustrated with my hydration belt. Bottles popped out no less than 4 times in the first 2 miles!

17 miles

Ran 17(.41) miles this morning. Went from the house to Cary Parkway. Took Cary Pkwy to the end at Harrison, and meandered back home via Reedy Creek, Maynard, Chatham. Essentially a big loop about halfway around Cary and cutting across through downtown.

Nothing too eventful. I'm a little frustrated with my hydration belt (Nathan Sports Trail[something]). Bottles aren't really staying in place; they've been falling out, noticeable on down hills, usually at the beginning of the run when they're full, it's a bouncing issue. Just annoying to be running along and have to do some sidestepping to turn around and pick up the bottle. Once happened while crossing an intersection! (Luckily at 6:00am on Saturday there isn't any traffic). Right now I've just been taking water, but with 20 miles next week, I need to start thinking about fuel rather than just hydration.

Hills are different here than in Baltimore. I wouldn't say they're any harder or easier. However, it seemed like in Baltimore I'd get them either at the beginning or at the end of the run. Here they're pretty distributed along my routes.

Wednesday I rode-along as an observer with the Cary Area EMS. I've begun looking into health service professions, and EMT being one of them. It was an enlightening experience. I'm pretty sure I don't want to do it as a career, but perhaps some short-term work for the experience (life experience as well as professional). During the shift our truck only had two calls, both at nursing centers and ended up in transport to EMS for not-really-critical patients. The most interesting thing was discovering Gatorade in a can. I'd like to go again.

I love going to the farmers market; it always fascinates me. I love knowing something is in season when you see TONS of it EVERYWHERE. And then I love seeing a pretty common/standard produce and then a plethora of varieties. Case in point for this week: tomatoes, summer squash, and peaches are all in season and are all over the place. There are of course other produce, but those are probably my favorites because I'm familiar with them. Still seeing blueberries, but not as much as tomatoes and peaches. I'd always shy away okra when I was younger and more picky, any suggestions? Eggplants are what I've seen such a variety of. Not sure what the mainstream variety is called. However, I've seen ones that look like brussel sprouts (in color and shape); smaller, white ones, and smaller, elongated varieties.

Grad School

Sorry about the infrequent updates. BIG decision made recently. Here is a copy-and-paste of an email to my family:

Hey guys. This is something I've told to Mom and Dad, and David.
Rather than go through the whole, complete explanation several more
times, I'm just settling for an email.

I've decided to take a leave of absence from graduate school. There
are several reasons surrounding and leading up to this decision.

Most importantly, I have never been sure about what career field I
want to pursue. Chemistry seemed right because it was an area in which
I've excelled and thought I could offer a substantial contribution. At
Hopkins I went further into biochemistry because I thought it was the
best way to sort of work at the periphery of biomedical sciences
(pharmaceuticals, gene therapies, etc.). However, I've been at a lost
at specifically where I fit. That problem, I think, was foreshadowed
somewhat by my initial troubles picking a research group. My
predicament is a little more general though; I'm not sure if chemistry
is the right field for me. Or if it is, I'm not sure if research is
right for me.

I can see myself doing any number of things. In chemistry, I could do
research; at a basic technician level or get an advanced degree and
perform in a supervisory role. I could work for the Patent Office,
which would expose me to several different disciplines of chemistry
and science as a whole. There are other government jobs for chemist in
forensics, homeland security, defense agencies (or their contractors).
I know I wish people where as excited about science as I am, so
teaching has also crossed my mind. There are career fields outside of
chemistry; remember when I thought I wanted to go to OCS for the Coast
Guard? I think that was a interest in emergency response/management.
So I could see myself working for emergency management institutions
like FEMA, Corps of Engineers, Homeland Security/ Coast Guard, the Red
Cross, etc..

But how does this come back to my decision. Well, while in the lab, I
am often in the lab by 9:00am and don't leave until usually 8:00pm.
That's weekdays and frequently I am in the lab for 5 or 6 hours
between Saturday and Sunday as well. I'm not meaning to complain about
the work hours or the work load. It's totally worth it if it means
getting a Ph.D. However, without knowing what I want to do, how do I
know that I need a Ph.D.? Sure it's a Ph.D.; a BIG accomplishment. But
is it really that valuable if it isn't really a qualification for
whatever my career will be? I questioned how rationale it was to spend
50-60+ hours/week pursuing a goal that wasn't really the best goal for
me.

Over the next couple of days I will be cleaning up my work space in
the lab. I still have a little over a month left on my lease. So, I
will be staying in Baltimore for a little while and begin searching
for employment (I've been touching base with the university career
center). I'd like to stay put but if money forces me back home, then
that may be my only option. A lot of the areas I'll be looking at I
mentioned above. With the oil spill, there is the prospect of some
temporary active duty opportunities with the Coast Guard. In the long
term, I'm not sure whether I want to try to stay in the Mid-Atlantic
region, go somewhere new, or even return to NC. I'm also not
completely closing the door on additional or advanced education; more
may be necessary to give me the best chance of success in whatever
career turns out to be for me.

Sorry for the lengthy email and sudden decision.

Duran