February 27, 2012

my New Mexico State corrections retirement date is set!

I started working at the New Mexico state Penitentiary when I was 19 years old, way back in 1995. Last week I recived a retirement date from New Mexico PERA. They said I'm eligible for retirement in July of 2015 and I will max out my retirement with %80 Dec 2016!

I've received a lot of great news and had a lot of wonderful things happen to me this month. Even though a lot of it isn't related to God or triathlon I believe I'll still post those good things here onto my blog; people can never hear to much good news.

Joe Blow bike pump

When a triathlete uses a deep dish carbon wheel most bike pumps wont fit inside the hole where the presta valve is located. We have to use a disk wheel adapter (see picture below).
I used to CONSTANTLY forget my Disc Wheel Adapter when packing for races. Then at the race I would have to scramble to find another athlete who had one. I FINALLY purchased a bike pump that fits into a deep deep wheel! It's called the Joe Blow bike pump. It fits into a deep dish wheel, so I no longer need a Disc Wheel Adapter or the stress of finding one on race mornings!!


Deep dish wheel (picture above)

Disc Wheel Adapter for pumps (picture above)







My Joe Blow bike pump fitting into my deep dish HED 3's!

February 25, 2012

liver tests finally back and my time trial bike update

After 6 weeks and multiple unreturned phone calls I finally got the results to my liver tests. This was the third test I'd taken. If they couldn't get a normal result this time the Dr was going to take a biopsy of my liver. Drum roll please.... my liver results came back normal this time! No biopsy needed!!!!

Thank you for all your prayers!

If all things continue to go well I should be getting my destroyed time trial bike replaced by State Farm soon. The claims adjuster is being very friendly, I'm grateful thus far.

February 23, 2012

My new commuter bike head light






I purchased a new head light for my comuter bike, my old one stopped working. It couldn't have happened at a worse time. We're hurting in the old pocket book right now, but my bike is how I get to and from work and I need to be seen by cars or risk being ran over again. I chose to buy a Nite Rider MiNewt Mini, which is a rechargeable 300 lumen LED light. Recharging is easy, I can plug it into the wall or my computer's USB port. I love it! That bad boy is brighter than a cars head light on high beam! No one can possibly miss seeing me on my ride home from work in the dark anymore!!!

February 16, 2012

review of training plan in Ironfit by Don Fink

I registered for the Redman full triathlon earlier this week. I'll be using the training plan from the book Ironfit by Don Fink. I've done a total of 4 seasons of training for Ironman using 2 different coach's, and two plans found in books. Out of all the plans Don Finks Ironfit was by far and away the best traininng plan I'd tried. I was able to push myself without getting over training, and I was able to get my weight to an all time low using his training plan. I did feel that I was a little under trained on the bike, but I can fix that with extending a couple of the mid week bike days a little during the seasons training plan.

Don Finks plan has me start the training plan 7.5 months before the Iron. My plan is scheduled to start February 27th. I'll be racing at the Grady Williams triathlon in June at Farmington NM and the Cochiti lake triathlon in July for my tune up races.

February 15, 2012

The city of Santa Fe triathlon 2012

The date of the 2012 Santa Fe triathlon has been announced! This is a great local race that pulls in some great competitors. They always have awesome swag, door prizes, cash for the top finishers, and free post race massages! A must do event!

CITY OF SANTA FE TRIATHLON
JULY 21, Saturday
5K Run / 12 Mile Bike / 400 Meter Swim
Rachel Wexler
Santa Fe Recreation Division (505) 955-4010
lsuzanne@santafenm.gov
www.chavezcenter.com
3221 Rodeo Road
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Registration: On-line registration starts April 1 at
www.newmexicosportsonline.com
Deadline: July 16 FIRM
NOTE: 6:30 AM Start
USAT SANCTIONED

February 14, 2012

weight maintenance

A couple weeks ago I posted that I've been unable to lose any more weight no matter what I tried, that I was constantly hungry, not sleeping well, and not recovering like I should. I decided to try to stop my weight loss and maintain my current weight by eating at my metabolic rate and eating any calories I burn from training. Since raising my daily calories I feel great and I actually dropped two tenths of a pound, I'm down to 176.8. It appears that the extra calories were exactly what I was needing.

February 13, 2012

Lance Armstrong takes 2nd place at Ironman Panama 70.3

I found this amazing recap of Lance Armstrong's 2nd place at the Ironman Panama 70.3 by on the examiner.com


It was a big day for the triathlon community and Lance Armstrong in the inaugural running of Ironman Panama 70.3.


There was plenty of speculation about how the 41-year-old would do in his first race as a pro, but at least two things were certain as the starting gun sounded to begin the point-to-point swim in the warm waters of the Pacific.
It was pretty certain that Lance would be close to the top after the swim as he has a strong swimming background and there was no doubt he would make quite an impact out on the 56-mile bike course.


However nobody was quite sure how he would hold up with all the much younger speedsters out on the run course.

THE SWIM
Lance came out with a large pack and was 34 seconds behind the leader Matty Reed. As the pro men left the bike transiton, Lance was sitting in 11th spot.
His past history as a competitive swimmer kept him in close contact with all the major players in the race.

THE BIKE
As expected Lance made a move on the bike course and at the 15k mark had moved from 11th to 5th place.
At the half-way point he made his move toward the leader and soon he was riding at the front of the main chase pack along with Chris Lieto, but it was still Billard Betrand of France leading the way as the cyclists headed into Panama City and the bike/run transition.
Very near transition Chris Lieto takes the lead with Lance right behind him waiting to pounce as Betrand slips to third.
At this point it was certainly shaping up to be an interesting run.

THE RUN
As the first pros reached the run transition area the top four were Chris Lieto, Lance Armstrong 6 seconds back, Bertrand Billard 9 seconds back, and Oscar Galindez 1:29 off the pace.
At 2k into the run Chris Lieto looks very strong in the lead and Lance Armstrong is 10 seconds back with Billard close to Lance in 3rd spot.
At the four mile mark Lance is just 5 seconds off the front and Chris Lieto, but Oscar Galindez and Bevan Docherty are making a charge and are just 1:39 and 2:46 behind.
Lance! Didn't know you could run so fast! In the blink of an eye Lance is leading Ironman Panama 70.3 by 26 seconds.
There is a very good possibility that Lance used up far less of his energy reserves on the bike course as opposed to the other cyclists.
If that's the case, it might just be next to impossible to catch him at this point.
It really appears that Lance will be either 1st or 2nd in Ironman Panama 70.3 and it all hinges on how much Bevan Docherty has left in the tank as he closes to within 1:15 of Lance Armstrong.
All the other main contenders have fallen off the pace. Either way it will be a sensational result for Lance.
What a finish it's going to be as Lance holds a 55 second lead over Docherty with just 4 miles to go. Apparenty it's a media frenzy at the finish line that rivals Kona.
Small wonder. This is one of the greatest moments in the history of the sport.
In order to catch Lance, Bevan will have to run about 15 seconds per mile faster and that's asking a lot of even this great runner.
45 seconds now.
Lance hanging tough and Bevan only made up 10 seconds and that most likely will not be enough but in the last few miles Docherty picks to be really picking up the pace.
A race for the ages. This will be very close.
Bevan Docherty wins Ironman Panama 70.3 2012!
Lance Armstrong finishes second in an incredible race.Continue reading on Examiner.com Lance Armstrong Second Ironman Panama 70.3 - Canada Endurance Sports Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/endurance-sports-in-canada/lance-armstrong-races-well-ironman-panama-70-3#ixzz1mCgwZJTw

February 12, 2012

Lance Armstrong going to race in Ironman in 2012

Looks like Lance Armstrong will be competing in Ironman this year and attempting to get into Kona. I got this article off of Ironman.com

Today, the Lance Armstrong Foundation announces a new partnership with Ironman to help raise more than $1 million for people affected by cancer. Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor, champion cyclist and the Foundation's founder and chairman, will compete as a professional athlete in several Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races including Ironman 70.3 Panama, Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas, Ironman 70.3 Florida, Ironman 70.3 Hawaii and Ironman France. Armstrong is racing with the goal of qualifying for the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i, on Oct. 13, 2012, and will be competing as a member of Team LIVESTRONG, which is adding these Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races to its endurance events series designed to raise funds for people affected by cancer.

“I am grateful to Ironman for partnering with LIVESTRONG to raise funds and awareness for people affected by cancer,” said Armstrong. “In my career as an athlete and as a cancer advocate, I’ve learned that progress demands partnership, but it’s not without a struggle. And that’s what Team LIVESTRONG is about – it’s about purpose; it’s about challenge and it’s about empowering survivors to fight like hell. There’s progress to be made with cancer and we invite anyone up for the challenge to join Team LIVESTRONG.

“At 13 years old, Lance got his start in triathlon by racing in the IronKids Series,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of World Triathlon Corporation. “At 16 years old, he went pro and was considered a star in our sport. At only 18, he was racing against the best triathletes in the world: Mark Allen, Dave Scott and Scott Molina. We are happy to have him return to our sport. Lance is a fierce competitor and his involvement with Ironman and Ironman 70.3 is good for triathlon.”

“Lance's involvement at perhaps the toughest one-day event in all of sport sheds light on what surviving cancer can mean to millions around the world,” said Scott Tinley, two-time Ironman World Champion and Ironman Hall of Fame Inductee. “I remember Lance as a determined kid who channeled that competitive spirit into an amazing career as a cyclist, survivor and advocate for survivors of a horrible disease. A partnership between LIVESTRONG and Ironman will further improve the lives of people affected by cancer. People need to realize that Lance’s foundation represents the use of sport to improve our world. There are only positive things that can come from having Lance join the Ironman family.”

"It is exciting to see Lance Armstrong, one of the greatest-ever endurance athletes, coming back to race triathlons in 2012," said Craig Alexander, three-time Ironman World Champion and two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion.

“Lance is an exceptional athlete; he’s the type of person who wants to excel and be the best at whatever he puts his mind to,” said Chris Lieto, multiple Ironman and Ironman 70.3 champion. “I’m excited to see how his participation in our sport will draw attention to what it takes to be a triathlete and how challenging it can be. It will definitely bring triathlon more into the mainstream and I know pro athletes, including myself, will look forward to racing with him at future events.”

Team LIVESTRONG adds Ironman races to its endurance events series designed to raise funds for people affected by cancer

Team LIVESTRONG has a limited number of entries for these events and people interested in joining Armstrong should visit http://www.teamlivestrong.org/ for more information. Athletes who are already registered for one of these Ironman or Ironman 70.3 events can still race as part of Team LIVESTRONG. General entry is also still available for each of these events and can be accessed at http://www.ironman.com/.

Through this partnership, Ironman will serve as a gold-level sponsor for the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Series. As a sponsor, Ironman will donate four Ironman World Championship slots in 2012 and 2013 to be auctioned with proceeds going directly to LIVESTRONG.

LIVESTRONG is the brand of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, created in 1997 by the cancer survivor and champion cyclist to serve people living with cancer and empower communities to take action. The Foundation specializes in patient navigation services that help cancer survivors and their families overcome the insurance, financial, emotional and practical challenges that accompany a cancer diagnosis. As a member of Team LIVESTRONG, people walk, run, ride or tri in the fight against cancer in the LIVESTRONG Challenge Series or in other major athletic events around the world. By participating and fundraising for Team LIVESTRONG, participants join a group of committed individuals dedicated to inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer. To date, Team LIVESTRONG participants have raised $82 million for Foundation programs and services. For more information, visit TeamLIVESTRONG.org.

About World Triathlon Corporation
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a Tampa-based company recognized for athletic excellence, distinguished events and quality products. The WTC portfolio includes Ironman, Ironman 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series, Iron Girl and IronKids, which have a combined total of more than 180 events worldwide each year. Supported by partners including Timex, PowerBar, K-Swiss and TYR, Ironman is the No.1 user-based sports brand in the world and has been a respected name in triathlon since its inception in 1978. For more information, visit http://www.ironman.com/.

About LIVESTRONG/Lance Armstrong Foundation
LIVESTRONG serves people affected by cancer and empowers them to take action against the world's leading cause of death. Created as the Lance Armstrong Foundation in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, the organization is now known publicly by its powerful brand -- LIVESTRONG -- and is a leader in the global movement on behalf of 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. Originating with the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG has become a symbol of hope and inspiration to people affected by cancer around the world. Since its inception, the organization has raised $450 million for the fight against cancer. For more information, visit LIVESTRONG.org. Originally from: http://ironman.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/the-lance-armstrong-foundation-announces-new-partnership-with-ironman-to-raise-1-million-for-people-affec#ixzz1m5PHy3hZ

February 08, 2012

registered for the full Redman

This morning I registered for the 2012 full Redman triathlon. It's a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. One of my dreams is to go sub 13 hours at an Iron distance triathlon. I've done 3 Irons and haven't got anywhere near 13 hours. Every Iron attempt I've had something went very wrong. At the Silverman in 2006 I showed up grossly over weight. At Ironman Arizona 2007 I messed up my pacing on the bike and ruined my run. At IMAZ 2011 I got hypothermia on the swim and again on the run.

Hopefully the Redman full will be the Iron that I can finally go sub 13 hours! I chose this race because it's cheap, only $325, it's close to home, and it fits my strong points perfectly- it has a screaming fast run! I just hope the insurance gets me another time trial bike before Sept.

Pray for me, I'm going to need it!

US Gravity Mountain Bike Nationals awarded to New Mexico in 2013

Angel Fire Bike Park in Angel Fire, New Mexico, will host the USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships in 2013 and 2014. Exact dates will be announced later.

The event, which was held independently from the cross country national championships for the first time in 2011, features dual slalom and downhill races. The 2013 and 2014 contests will use part of the downhill course ridden during the 2011 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships in late October.

"We're very excited to bring the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Gravity National Championships to Angel Fire in 2013 and 2014," USA Cycling National Events Director Kelli Lusk said. "Angel Fire has a long, illustrious history of hosting gravity events, so we're looking forward to having the gravity national championships there."

"Angel Fire Bike Park is extremely honored to host the most prestigious gravity event in the United States for 2013 and 2014," Angel Fire Resort Bike Park Director Hogan Koesis said. "We look forward to showcasing the most exciting and challenging courses in the Rocky Mountains. Let the racing begin!"

I got this article off of cycling news.com.

February 06, 2012

Running in Cold Weather

One of the great things about running is that it's a sport you can indulge in all year round. Whether the temperature is chilly or hot and humid, with some reasonable precautions you can still get out there and enjoy your daily runs.

Running in cold weather does require a certain amount of planning to ensure that you don't end up freezing on the side of the road somewhere. There's nothing more unpleasant than being miles from home in the shivering cold with no way to get back other than on foot. Here are some preventative measures to ensure this doesn't happen to you:

4 Tips to Dress Properly for Running in Cold Weather
How you dress for the elements can a make or break your winter runs. This doesn't mean you should pile on all the clothes you can possibly manage to stay warm. It is possible to dress too warmly, and the result can leave you sweaty and uncomfortable.



The rules for dressing properly are:

1. Dress in layers.

Wearing several thin layers of clothing helps trap warm air between each layer keeping you considerably warmer than if you were to wear one heavy layer. This includes socks; wearing two pairs of polypropylene socks keeps your feet warmer and drier than one heavy pair.

2. Wear the right fabrics.

One area where modern runners have a huge advantage on those who started out in the running boom of the late 1970s and 80s is in the types of fabric available for running gear. Materials such as polypropylene, capilene, and some wool/synthetic blends wick moisture away from your body and keep you as warm and dry as possible.

Avoid wearing cotton because it doesn't wick moisture and also has very little insulating ability, which will leave you wet, cold and uncomfortable.

3. Wear a protective shell.

It's critical that you wear some sort of waterproof windbreaker or shell to protect you from the wind and precipitation. Gore-Tex is the best material to wear as it does a great job of releasing moisture from the body while also keeping out moisture from the outside elements. Nylon also does a reasonable job for a lesser price.

4. Cover exposed skin as much as possible.

A hat and gloves are absolutely necessary once the temperature dips below freezing. Your body will lose that majority of its heat through any exposed skin, so cover up as much as possible. If it's really cold, you can cover exposed areas such as your face with Vaseline to reduce the potential of frostbite.

5 Safety Tips for Running in Cold Weather
Running in cold weather presents some unique safety concerns. Extreme temperatures can even pose life-threatening risks if you don't take some basic precautions.

1. Always tell someone where you're going and when you expect to arrive home.
Make sure that at least one competent person is aware of your plans. If you don't arrive as expected, they'll recognize that you're missing and know where to look for you.

2. Always wear reflective gear when running after dark.
Due to the decrease in daylight hours, it's more likely that you'll be running in the dark during the winter. Make sure you wear light-colored, reflective clothing so that you can easily be seen by oncoming vehicles.

3. Run short loops.
When it's cold outside, consider running multiple laps of a short course, rather than one longer loop. This ensures that you'll never be far from home in the event of an emergency. Running a short course also ensures that you won't be heading into bad weather for an extended period of time, which, aside from being extremely unpleasant, can significantly lower your body temperature.

4. Be careful rounding corners.
At least once a year I manage to fall flat on my face after stepping on an icy surface. The biggest risk occurs when you try to change direction with ice underfoot. Make sure you go very slowly when turning corners and be very careful on icy surfaces. Don't worry about losing fitness by running a bit slower; the main goal is to get through the run without pulling a muscle or injuring yourself in a fall.

5. Carry your cell phone, identification and some cash with you for an emergency.
If you run into a major problem, make sure you have your cell phone handy and enough cash to get you home if necessary. This is good advice for any run -- year-round. Sometimes unavoidable circumstances can leave you stranded and you definitely do not want to find yourself out in the cold, unable to run, and several miles from home without help.

The main message is this: Running in cold weather requires some planning and some sensible precautions. Once these are taken care of, your runs will be safer, more comfortable and enjoyable.

I got this article off of active.com

February 03, 2012

Exercise improves survival in cancer patients

yet another reason to exercise people!

Scientists have identified 184 genes in men that may explain how vigorous exercise improves survival chances in low-grade prostate cancer.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) teased out a molecular profile of these genes whose expression in the prostate gland is tied to vigorous exercise.

"Vigorous physical activity may provide clinical benefits for men diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer," said study author June Chan, professor at the UCSF.

The finding is based on two studies conducted earlier by the UCSF and the Harvard School of Public Health that compared the activity of 20,000 genes in healthy prostate tissue biopsied from dozens of patients, according to a statement from the UCSF.

They showed that brisk walking or vigorous exercise such as jogging for three or more hours a week was linked to a lowered risk of prostate cancer progression and death after diagnosis, but offered no explanation as to why.

Understanding how the activity of these genes was impacted by vigorous exercise and how this might translate to a lowered risk of prostate cancer progression may help reveal new ways to manage the disease, said Chan.

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the US. More than 217,000 men are diagnosed with the disease, and some 32,000 men die from prostate cancer, each year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

I found this article in the times of India.

February 01, 2012

2011 south west challenge series Award Winners

Below are the 2011 South West Challenge Series age group winners.

I listed some amazing performances for the 2011 South West Challenge series below:

The Age Group that had that had the highest combined points total was the Athena 40+ with 224.75 points between the top three finishers. They finished 35 races between the top three!!! This was also the age group with the closest finish between the top 3 finishers, the top 3 were separated by only 9.75 points! Way to race hard ladies!!

Jon Gardea competed in the most SW series races with an amazing 16 races in 2011! He also finished with the most total SW series points in 2011 with 81. He's finished 36 South West challenge series races in the last 3 years, and he's placed 1st or 2nd in his AG each of those 3 seasons. Talking about determination and some serious fortitude!!!!!

Jon Gardea & Sarah Crewe had the highest points for the 2012 South West Challenge series with 81.


Flip Lyle of the 65-69 AG had the most age group victories with 9 races finished in 1st place in his AG in 2011!

In 2011 Sarah Crewe of the 50-54 female AG had the largest margin of victory with 25 points over 2nd place and 35.25 points over 3rd place.




Name/ points

Clydesdales under 40
Andrwe Ducar- 47
Karl Thomas- 38

Clydesdales over 40
Jon Gardea- 81
Rob Lovett- 80.25
Adolf Sanchez- 33

Athena under 40
no qualifiers

Athena over 40
Tammy Atkinson-Dayley- 79.75
Sara Hall- 75
Patricia Miller- 70

male Under 20
Ben Campbell- 79.25
Josh Gordon- 64
Liam Browning- 42

Female under 20
no qualifiers

Male 20-24
Mathew Gonzales- 64
Rance Irvin- 60
Xavier Nolen- 54

Female 20-24
no qualifiers

male 25-29
Randy Arriola- 70
Chris Werth- 69
Michael Casteneda- 38

Female 25-29
Stephanie Gates- 50
Lauren Thompson- 50

Male 30-34
Greg Gonzoles- 70.75
Jeremy Harwood- 50
Justin Newcomer- 46

Female 30-34
Terry Moore- 57
Kristin Moriarty- 56
Sarah Lough- 46

Male 35-39
Robert Vandivort- 76.25
Marty Moriarty- 71.25
Cody Hanson- 56.5

Female 35-39
Trisha Stavinoha- 50
Amy Lee- 38
Sanna Sevanta- 38

male 40-44
Robert Browning- 79.25
James Kehrle- 70
Clay Moseley- 59

female 40-44
Miki Matsuo- 39
Erin Levick- 28
Valerie Starracino- 18

male 45-49
Gregory Garcia- 74
Pat Brug- 69
Stuart Crane- 48

female 45-49
Gretchen McElroy- 65.25
Michele Sanchez- 52
Grace Duffy- 50.75

Male 50-54
Bobby Dominguez- 65
Bobby Gonzales- 60
Greg Southard- 53.25

female 50-54
Sarah Crewe- 81
Treca Boney- 56
Noelle Sharp- 47

male 55-59
George Marck- 77
Scott Darling- 76
Gilbert Gil- 67

female 55-59
Linda Summers- 43

male 64-60
Ted Freedman- 59
Rodney Wigs- 52
Mike Strun- 43

female 64-60
Christina Glidden- 75
Carol Akright- 67
Kathy Foucar- 60

male 65-69
Flip Lyle- 80

female 65-69
no qualifiers

male 70-74
Kennith O'Connor- 78.25
Richard Park- 67

female 70-74
no qualifiers

male 75+
no qualifiers

female 75+
no qualifiers