Invisible Shield & Suunto T3c

First of all, I am not getting any kickback from reviewing this thing... I am talking about the protective skin I put on my Suunto T3c Heart Rate Monitor. But seriously, if I had known these things existed a few years ago, I wouldn't have 3 HRM's with scratches and gouges all over the glass/screens. If you have a cell phone, iPhone, Blackberry, iPod, GameBoy or other handheld gadget, you gotta check these out. Anyway, see below and you'll know what I am talking about.

So...I got the new heart rate monitor (HRM) a about a week ago. You know the cheap little film that comes over the face of a watch or a phone...? Well, that peeled off after a couple of hours of playing around with the functions. Since I have scratches on the other HRMs and watches and cellphone, etc, I decided not to wear the HRM until I did something to protect it. The down side of the the T3c is that the face glass is not subset at all so if you were to drop it, its most likely going to get scratched. I read a review on some site that warned of this problem with this particular model, but they recommended getting an Zagg Invisible Shield. I found an online company called Invisible Skinz and ordered a skin for the HRM. The shield or skin sounds simple--I thought it was just a piece of clear flexible plastic that you stick on the glass surface, right? That's what I thought, but it turns out to be more than that (its actually a military level protective shield--check out their site). I ordered it Saturday, got a reply right away (same day) then on Monday they shipped it out. I was expecting it to just come in an envelop since the face of my HRM is about as big as a 50 cent piece, but it came in some pretty top-shelf packaging... Check it out: The tri-fold box on the right was folded up and inside the sleeve (left). In it were the following (below):

The little pack with the bar code had the skin in it, the tube (top) is a spray of some kind and the little black thing is a squeegie. A squeegie. A squeegie. One more time, squeegie. Cool word. Anyway, I cleaned the face of the watch, carefully peeled the skin from the backing, careful not to touch the adhesive side too much (I pinched the edge with my fingernail tips), gave each side a light misting of the top-secret spray as directed, then applied the skin to the watch. I then squeegied it until there were no bubbles. Here's some before and after pix:

Can't tell the diff--neither can I.

How much was the Invisible Skin for the Suunto? $9.95. Plus, I had a discount code of the net which gave me a $1.99 discount (which offset the shipping). Total was $9.93. You could think that is a lot, but if you have a $300 Garmin or even a $50-100 Polar or Suunto HRM, or a crazy expensive handheld, what is a scratch worth to you? Their stuff ranges in price, but they have skins cut specifically for 100's if not thousands of gadgets. You can even get large skins for lap top screens. ALSO, I got a 20% off discount code included so next we are going to order one for Jace's Nintendo DS. Here's their site again: https://www.invisibleskinz.com/

Ok, I gotta get to bed--instructing cycling at 5:30am!

Happy Halloween!

2010 Duathlon World Championships

I just received the October edition of the Team USA newsletter from USAT. USAT puts together teams, thru qualifying events, to race at world championship races all over the world. They have teams for long and short course tri's, du's and a few other events. A couple years ago there were qualifying events in various regions around the country for the AG Duathlon World Championship (short course)--in addition to the U.S. Nat'l Du Championship which strangely takes place in April every year. The Midwest qualifier for the World Du was the Apple Duathlon. From the regionals, the top 2 or 3 (depending on the venue) in each age-group qualified for and were offered a position on TeamUSA. For 2009 they tried to dump all the regional qualifiers and only use the Nationals for the World Qualifier. There was a bit of a revolt so USAT decided to use Nationals and two other races as qualifiers: the Apple Du and a race in AZ (the Desert Classic???).

Well, this year they've officially done it. The only qualifier for the 2010 AG Duathlon World Championship (short course), which is in September 2010, is Nationals in April. Yep...you have to go to Nat'ls in April if you want to qualify and race 5 months later in the World championship. (note: they are using the same format for the short course triathlon world championship.) Is it just me, or is that odd. I thought it was a joke when I heard last year that this was the plan. To make things worse, they don't take the top 2 or 3 in each AG, not the top 5 or even the top 10. I know, you're thinking they only take the AG winners, right? WRONG. They take the top 18 in each AG with roll down to 25th. So, are they are saying that the top 18 at Nationals in EVERY Age-group should be racing in the World Championship, thus representing TeamUSA--rather than the top finishers in regional events. WTF?!?!?! (that's "Why The Face" if you want to keep it clean :)

Check out the qualifying criteria here: QUALIFY FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

DZ Nuts Is Where It's At !

Yesterday was my return to cyclo-cross racing. Ok, its not like I left it as some champion and am coming out retirement. I raced three CX races in 2006 and had big plans for continuing on, but its in the fall so you wait all summer to race. In 2007 we had a baby, Sofia, and I only had time to do a few races--which were duathlons. Then I got into tri's and haven't been interested in road or cx. However, thanks to Joe (Moyer) for buying a cx bike, it rekindled my interest.

The race yesterday was pretty intense! Joe & Ann Moyer, Jeremy Ekman and I all carpooled. Ann and Jeremy spectated and took pix while Joe and I suffered! I will post some pix up in the next few days. Skinny Ski has a ton of photos already--here are just a few (top: Mario, Joe below):

The plan was that Joe and I race the C race (30+ minutes) then we register and race the B race (45+ minutes). However, this race was more of a mountain bike race than a CX race--there was a pretty challenging section of single track too. Joe and I preroad and decided 'not' on the B race. Joe has very little off-road riding experience and no mtb racing experience. We road at Eastwood park (former home of the MN CX Championship--years ago) last weekend then he raced in Hudson on Oct 18 so thats the extent of his CX resume. If Green Acres was an open plains with trails type of CX course he could have done the B race and done well, but this course was a bit too technical. It was a bit technical for me, but the mtb skills came back after a couple warm up laps and I had a pretty decent race. I am pretty suprised that Joe didn't go down at all, but if it involves a bike, he seems to adapt pretty fast. As far as my effort goes, I was pegged at 184 at some point and averaged 172 (which is my threshold).

For the CX impaired, they set up races by time: C= 30 minutes, B= 45 minutes, A= 60 minutes. Then they put categories in each race. I don't have an annual license anymore so I can only race with a one-day license and that puts me in the C race, or the A race in the 'open age 35+' ). They have an age 45+ in the B race, but no 35+. NO WAY am I racing the A race for 60 minutes with pro's Cat 1's and 2's. So, after the C race we cleaned up, when and got something to eat, then came back and watch the A race as we waited for the post-race awards and drawings. They gave away a ton of little stuff, plus a Fuji Cross bike (ultegra equipt), set of $1000+ HED road/cross wheels, and an $800 set of HED carbon aero bars. Joe won a LG skull cap, but I didn't win anything. Results from the C race are HERE. Other results are here.

Here are some random pix--poor guys: (Mmm...The sweet taste of mud in the morning!)

(How did he get that far from his bike...?)

Oh, about DZ Nuts (pronounced 'deez'). DZ Nuts is a chamois cream created by David Zabriskie (if you don't know who David is, you should, so google him). Their slogan is:
"DZ Nuts - Protect your junk." Anyway, I have been so used to little to no padding in my tri shorts or suit that when it came time for racing in an off road/road uniform, it was like I had a diaper on. But not a good diaper. It was getting uncomfortable and I asked Joe if he had the same problem. He didn't, but it was because he used DZ Nuts. I told him I have mainly used Chamois Butt'r or Aquaphor, but didn't use anything yesterday. After he explained how 'awesome' DZ Nuts are (I mean is), he said "DZ nuts is where its at!" Taken out of context, its a pretty funny (or disturbing) thing to hear. You gotta go the DZ website and watch the video footage of David, Lance, and Levi, talking about DZ products. Pretty dang funny!

My Hips Hurt

Sunday night while running, my right hip started to ache... Not sure why. When I ran harder, the pain decreased. The slower I went it got worse (the closer to walking and walking itself hurt worse than running hard). At first I thought it was because the last few times I ran, I started out a little faster than normal--pressed for time. Then, pressed for time, I didn't stretch as much as usual afterwards. Dumb and dumber. The pain runs high, up near the hip bone and under, but its doesn't feel deep. Almost feels like a bruise just beneath the skin--like pain you would feel if you fell right on your side/hip.

I thought about what else I did that could have caused it. Hmmm... Oh, yah, it couldn't have anything to do with taking out the CX bike for the first time in over a year and riding up steep hills. Then dismounting to run up steep hills? No.. couldn't have anything to do with that. Hmm. When did I do that. SATURDAY!

So, I think the problem is a combination of all the above.

Not sure why I wrote about this. Lack of posts I guess. If there is anything to be learned, its ease into new activities, warm-up first, and stretch after. Basically, don't let common sense elude you, or let your experience tell you that you can skip the basics.

With that said, the hip is feeling a lot better. Just feels tight now. Maybe ready for a beginner level CX race this weekend.
http://mcf.net/misc/cross/2009/flyers/2009GreenAcresFlyer.pdf

Obama Wins Heisman Trophy!

by Mark Katz

The Nobel is not the only award the president does not deserve. Mark Katz imagines the prizes yet to come.

Statement of President Barack Obama on Winning the Oscar for Best Actor
You love me!! You really love me!!
[PAUSE FOR LOUD, KNOWING LAUGHTER FOLLOWED BY THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE]

"I would like to thank the Academy for this most unusual honor—which, if I understand it correctly, is being awarded to me for the outstanding performance that Denzel Washington will most certainly deliver in his next film, Brothers in Arms. I understand full well that this award is not for accomplishments I myself have achieved but for the hope I have been able to inspire. And so I accept this award on behalf of those transformative actors who have inspired the world by their portrayals of great men: Charlton Heston as Moses. Ben Kingsley as Gandhi. And Jim Carrey for his portrayal of God in Bruce Almighty.

"Of course, none of this would be possible with my agent, Ari Emanuel. It is with deep humility that I accept this prize for the acceptance speech that I delivered with deep humility. In truth, I am in fact humbled by the very power of humility and have real doubts about my own ability to express its very deepness in the face of humilities’ daunting greatness. "

Statement of President Barack Obama on Winning the Emmy for Best Televised Acceptance Speech of a Nobel Peace Prize. First of all, let's give it up for Neil Patrick Harris—the man who has successfully delivered real change and given new hope to the next generation of televised award-show audiences!

"It is with deep humility that I accept this prize for the acceptance speech that I delivered with deep humility. In truth, I am in fact humbled by the very power of humility and have real doubts about my own ability to express its very deepness in the face of humilities’ daunting greatness. But this award is not for me. It is for the power of stirring, goose-pimply rhetoric that makes those who are privileged to hear it swoon in rapture. And so I would like to take this opportunity to thank the person who first inspired me to talk the walk—and walk the talk. And to stare into a TV camera and wax poetic about truth, justice, hope, and all that. Won't you please stand up, Mr. Aaron Sorkin!!!"

Statement of President Barack Obama on Winning the Man of the Year Award from the American Committee for Job Creation, Fiscal Responsibility, and Backing Up Rhetoric with Concrete Action.

"Thank you. I would like to thank Chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele for the inspiration he provided to the creators of this political action committee, which to be honest is just a letterhead generated by The Center for American Progress.

Very clever, Podesta—you guys are good! However, in all seriousness, I believe there is truly a need for a prize such as this and I hope to win it again next year. In the meantime, I have decided to set up a trust to perpetuate this institution going forward and have decided to fund it with the money I was recently awarded with a MacArthur "genius" grant. In your face, Steele."

Statement of President Barack Obama Upon Being Awarded The First Annual Golden Obama.

"It is indeed a double honor you have given me: First, naming this prize, which honors the public figure who exhibits the most prize-winning qualities after me. And then awarding to it me as its first recipient. I mean, I don't think Alfred Nobel won a Nobel Prize, nor did Joseph Pulitzer win a Pulitzer nor did Tony Randall ever win a Tony. I could go on and on. I hope I will continue to live up to the high prize-winning standards that are embodied in its namesake, President Barack Obama. Thank you and good night."

Football

Here's a clip from Jace's game from Saturday, Oct 10. It was freakin' cold, but I managed to video a few plays and got this one of Jace scoring from about 4-5 yards out. Kids are kids and don't quit until everyones on the ground. He gets about 5 yards into the endzone, but they still piled on..

Jace is the right halfback, number 23.

Training Summary

I keep a log every year of how much training I put in running, biking, swimming, and really never look back at it except to see how I did in the previous years races. From January 5, 2009 thru yesterday, October 4, 2009, I put in 293.5 hours of training. This includes EVERYTHING: riding in, outside, cycling classes (participating and instructing), etc; all running in and outside, jogging with the the baby jogger, jogging the dog, race time (warm-up, race, cool down, etc); all swimming, all weight training, etc..... Any time I spent working out is accounted for. Well, except running to catch the bus after work. That's 39 weeks making for an average of 7.5 hours per week. Of course, no one (well, I hope no one), trains evenly thru the year. Just as the intensity has to vary from day to day & week to week, so too do the hours that you train--they need to roll and flow up and down. Ideally, your lowest volume weeks should be R&R weeks as well as weeks that you have an "A" race (most important races). But life happens and sometimes you can't train for various reasons.

It was interesting looking back at the season and thought I'd share some things I found. I will expand this post later, but here are a few bits of info:

Highest Training volume week: 10.75 hours (Week of March 30 - April 5)
Longest Race: Rochesterfest Olympic Tri= 2:19:05 on June 28 (first Oly race)
Lowest Training volume week: 4.5 hours (Week of June 29 - July 5 which include a 5 mile race)
Longest Ride: 39.2 miles (1:58:18) on August 1st
Longest Run: 10.7 miles (September 7th)

More later....