Monday, November 12, 2012

Blog? What Blog?

Hello Blogosphere,

It has been quite some time since we have had a chance to converse.

How have you been? Same ole, same ole? Good to hear.

Well, things have been busy in my world. Yep, that is why you have been so thoroughly neglected.

Sorry, shit happens.

Okay, since most of you are three or more glasses of wine deep lets get caught up bullet-point style:


  • Ironman Mont-Tremblant was a freaking blast. My race sort of sucked but had a great time with all my buddies. Kevin and Jon crushed the course and my friend Dave became an Ironman. Mandy had us all laughing the entire time. AND Annie, Jenn (Dave's wife), Beth and Jennie all had wonderful vacations. The Mont-Tremblant Village is incredible. I've travel all over this Continent and cannot think of a better place to host an Ironman. Lodging, dining, entertainment, and the race all with in walking distance or a short Gondola Ride. I have a gazillion pictures that are going to be my next post (We call that a "teaser" in the blogger biz - yep, still got it).
  • IMMT - The Race
    • Swim - 1:15:16 - Beautiful lake with excellent visibility. The start was much less violent when compared to Ironman Texas. At least the men were less violent, you women are freaking hardcore at an IM swim start. Every time I got smashed and saw the offender of violent swats it was a SHE. Anyway, other then a few bitch slaps (see what I did there) the swim was rather uneventful.
    • T1 - 7:50 - This was one long run from the lake to the changing tent. Like 600m long. 
    • Bike - 6:10:49 - Not my best ride. I woke up that morning and my stomach was not good. It wasn't nerves either, something was just not right and I visited the bathroom a few times to many before the race started. This carried over to the bike course. Stop #1 was about 30mi in and it was a very quick stop, no damage done (to me, the porto was wrecked). Stop #2 was around the 60mi mark and this one was not so good. I lost over 10mins in the porto - not good times.  After this stop I was behind on nutrition and it was a battle to get it back so I had to slow down. On the bright side this was probably the best bike course I have ever had the privilege to ride upon. Lots of climbing (between 6500-7000ft) but the road conditions were pristine and fast - well done Canada, well done indeed!
    • T2 - 4:19 - A little quicker here as the bike transition area was right next to the tent. Legs felt pretty good and my stomach had settle down. It was warm so I changed into a singlet and took off. Hindsight being 20/20 the singlet was a bad decision.
    • Run - 4:22:39 - The first mile started off very well. I saw Annie and Jenn and tossed some high fives. This was at the top of a pretty good climb and when I started down my stomach started grumbling. Luckily a porto was at the bottom of the hill and this is where I spent the next 7 minutes. the good news is that when I was done I was my last porto visit and the stomach felt better. The bad news was that sitting for 7 minutes had allowed my legs to cramp up pretty good. The next three miles really sucked as I tried to work out the tightness in my quads and hamstrings by alternating between a slow jog and an even slower shuffle. By about mile six the legs started to felt better and I settled in to a decent pace. However, with all the fluids "lost" I knew it was going to be a longer than expected run and by about mile 18 I felt the effects and had to really slow down. And to make matters worse it started to pour down rain and got really cold and I had wished I kept on the long sleeve Brooks shirt (stupid singlet). The final 10k was tough fighting the cold, rain, and bonk but I just kept moving forward. It was awesome seeing Kevin, Jon and Dave numerous times on the run course. Not having the chance to run much of the course it was a lot harder than expected. More hill training was needed. After crossing the finish line and hearing Mike Reilly tell me I was an Ironman I vowed that this would be the last time.
    • Final Time - 12:00:53
    • Despite a difficult race I would highly recommend Ironman Mont-Tremblant. It is an absolutely beautiful venue on an absolutely beautiful course. 
  • Sorry for the abbreviated race report but I really just wanted to get it done. It has been the proverbial noose around my blogging neck. Promise to make up for it with the pictures.
  • Now the real reason I have been away from the internets for so long: I WAS SICK. Really, Really sick.
  • A few days after returning from Quebec I had a low grade fever (99-100*) and really thought nothing of it. By the following weekend that fever was holding steady at 103* and I was in bad shape. After a 4hr visit to the Emergency Room, a couple of bags of saline, and a few blood vials drawn it was determined I had something called the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Mononucleosis. Long story short: It was miserable. My spleen was enlarged and my immune system was under a vicious attack. The doctors told me the EBV could linger for months. It was amazing that I was fit enough to do an Ironman and a mere 10 days later I could not even walk up stairs unassisted. These symptoms lasted for about 3.5 weeks.
  • We are now close to 2 months since I have been sick and am happy to report a clean bill of health. I received the final blood test results last Friday and the Doctor told me I was, "Disgustingly Healthy". 
  • I have been running around 15mi and riding 50-60mi per week. It is hard to hold a 9min pace on the run but for some reason I feel great riding. My overall fitness sucks but I have been down before and will build it back up again.
  • Over much deliberation I have decided to not run the Boston Marathon in April. The reasons are many but the main one is that I am not physically ready to train for a marathon right now. I could always go and just run slow and treat it as a victory lap but I am just not a victory lap type of guy. Seems to me the Boston Marathon is not going anywhere so I can qualify again.
  • According to Internet Rumors, I have become rather plump in my absence. I am here to let you all know that these rumors are completely false and unfounded. Sort of. My race weight is around 155lbs. After I got over being sick I shot up to the mid-160s. However, this was rather short lived as Annie and I have since begun to see a nutritionist and have been following his plan. My weight as of this morning was 149.6lbs and I have lost 4% BodyFat in just 21 days. I am going to be a lean, mean, racing machine.
  • He has us eating TONS of veggies. My wheat consumption is almost non-existent. If you want to know why read "Wheat Belly".  Even more amazing is that my energy level is through the roof since we have changed our dining habits.
  • Cooking is kind of enjoyable.
  • A big Thank You to all of my internet buddies who checked in to see why I was not writing - it is nice to be missed!
  • Good Luck to Jason who is racing IMAZ this weekend - go out and crush it dude!
  • You know how above you read something about me "vowing" to never race an Ironman again? Yeah that didn't last very long - Ironman Florida is a mere 352 days away!
Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

30 comments:

  1. Wheat nowadays is evil. Good for you for getting off it. Amazing how much better one can feel when rid of that scourge.

    So glad you are ALIVE! I have been wondering about you but too preoccupied with the crud in my own life to reach out...sorry about that :( It isn't that I don't care...

    Take care of yourself. Those AI things are so scary. This I know personally.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, it was about a month of pure hell. Brought on by my ability to completely destroy myself through training and racing. aaaggghhh.

      Delete
  2. Wow, sorry to hear about your illness. Wishing you good health!!
    Lean for sure!! GO JEFF

    ReplyDelete
  3. Holy shit. The Mayans must be right - the world IS coming to an end!!!!!

    IMMT?? Hmmmm, I sort of remember that. It has been so long....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hahaha!

      My favorite quote was from you when I was sick:

      Jeff: "I have mono"
      Kevin: "Ohhhh, it had to be from the wetsuit strippers!"

      Awesome

      Delete
  4. Hey Jeff! Glad you're back, and I'm REALLY glad you're feeing better! I'm glad the diet thing is working for you guys. I love me some veggies. :) IMFL, huh? Good for you. Maybe this time you won't have any stomach issues.

    ReplyDelete
  5. HA HA HA!!!! Kevin is always awesome with his comments.

    Lean and mean.....battle of the tiny Texans in 2013 in getting smaller and smaller. I am doing IMTX next year and then it is all 70.3s to round out 2013 which means it is time to get really lean.....I mean like those chicks on TMZ lean.

    I am all over wheat belly starting on 11/25 which is the first Sunday after IMAZ.......thanks for the shout-out.

    ReplyDelete
  6. From "vowed to never to an Ironman ever again" to "You are gonna be my bitch IMFL!"

    Welcome back :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just realized you are going to have off like only 3 weeks before IMTX training begins. Wow. You are a machine!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kevin gave us a bit of the info at Cedar Point about you... SO GLAD that you are healthy and over that shit. Who else would figure out how to blow the staircase during the zombie apocalypse?

    Smart move on backing out of Boston, ease back into the training (do as I say, not as I do lol).

    Wheat is evil. I still get sick if I eat too much of it or drink too much craft brews :(

    ReplyDelete
  9. Glad to hear you are on the better side of things. I found your blog just as you posted your last post. Search brought you up when looking up ironman tx. Looking forward to reading your new adventures.

    Your fellow wheat free follower!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thx K, let me know if you have any questions about IMTX - it is in my backyard.

      Delete
  10. Glad you are better now and can start you build up again. I've been battling a Coxsackie virus and know the frustration of being without energy. Luckily I didn't miss any important races. Take care and happy training!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stay strong dude. The key for me to heal up so quick was to refocus on diet, vitamins, and rest. Since these viruses are immune to medicine this is all we can do . Good luck and do not burn your self out.

      Delete
  11. Welcome back! Bummer about the illnesses, but Bob kept us updated, as you saw. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Welcome Back! Are you guys still coming to Memphis for the St Jude Marathon? We have to meet up if possible!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yep, we are still good for Memphis. Annie has been training like a machine.

      I'll send you an email when it gets a little closer.

      Delete
  13. welcome back. Hope you feel better soon.

    Ironman seems to be is disease too. That one is incurable.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the update. I'm glad that you are disgustingly healthy... I know how much that really put you out. And I can't wait to *hopefully* be in Florida next year cheering you on!

    What is it with all you freaky people giving up wheat and all that is good. Damn you for being healthy...

    ReplyDelete
  15. good to hear from you again...

    and I might as well break it to you now... the IMFL course ... will not hold quite the same level of beauty as IMMT

    Wheat belly... sounds like a good read

    ReplyDelete
  16. A post, the same week we get out Brooks ID renewal..... just saying.... might have been a motive to post something (wink)

    Interesting how you explained your own jokes

    Why not IM Switzerland????

    Teaser post huh??? I am betting the NHL lockout will be over before that your next post? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am so glad you are feeling better!
    Nice recap! Glad I made you guys laugh a little! Ha. I have more Caratunk humor for you, I'll send you a note.
    Oh. read that book! I quit eating wheat...well I quit eating grains and sugar. Lost 15 lbs! Another good one that is a little dry but opened my eyes was Why We Are Fat And What To Do About It...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Crap. I preposted. Dang. Anyway. Glad you are better and we need to catch up!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great news you are feeling better so soon! scary sick but good now...should be fun working back toward fitness level...wheat belly I should read that

    and great Ironman! battled through it all to fantastic finish

    and...

    IM! best news of all

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am glad you are doing better
    I had mono a few years back and it was pure hell...sorry you had to go through that crap...
    congrats on your race in Quebec!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Finally catching up on some blogs! Glad to hear you're back to feeling better again! I said IMTX was my last then I did Cedar Point.. my last (really)... mmmhhmm... I'm 99% sure I'll be in for Redman 140.6 in 2013! Just can't quit the distance! The 'last time' bit only lasts about 48 hours after you cross the finish line... Love it too much! :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. I'm a little behind on reading so I apologize for the delay. I mainly wanted to give you a congrats again on becoming an Ironman AGAIN. I love your humor in all your posts. Cracks me up. Super happy you are back to healthy and out kicking ass again. Good call on Boston. You are right...it isn't going anywhere so you will qualify again. Keep it up!

    PS. DAAAAAMN on the diet, weight loss and body fat improvements. WHOOP!

    ReplyDelete