"Pemi"

Cait (caitsnow.com) did a VERY good job summarizing the day and I don’t want to be repetitive so I’ll only add a few things of my own:

The Pemigewasset (Pemi) Loop is ranked as the second hardest day hike in the US with a book time just over 20 hrs. We (Jesse, Cait, Tim and I) did it in 14:42:50.

My Garmin has a max speed of 9.9 MPH as we chased Tim in the closing miles of our little 31.2 mile hike through the woods. That speed could’ve been as I was flying through the air after kicking a rock, because I was looking at my trusty Timex trying to see if we could beat last years time (note to self after 14:30 hrs and in the dark, just run). I hit the ground like a ton of bricks, rolled over my backpack,popped back up and was in a full on sprint trying to catch Jesse and Cait. As soon as I caught back up, they stopped for a pee brake and to put head lamps on. While we were stopped, Cait went through every emotion imaginable and I was pretty sure, when we caught Tim, I would lose a friend.

Once out of the woods, we downed some R4 (Remember, we had to be on the bikes in 10 hrs), changed, and drove back to civilization for some food.

We will get under 14 hrs….but it will have to wait till next June.

Lowell

Two weeks after LP Jesse and I had decided to have me jump into a local sprint race, the Lowell Wild Cat Triathlon. I did it last year and Jesse beat me as he has stated a few times (I think he says it 5-6 times, but who counting) in the blog post (http://kropelnicki.com/?p=70). A big thank you goes out to Jesse for helping me set up the post IM training.

Courtney and I rolled out around 7 am for a 9am start, because the Olympic race started at 8. One of my guys, George, was racing the Olympic and I wanted to be there early so that we could chat a bit before the start of his race. George had a great day and got his first podium, he is looking good for IM KY!

Around 8:40 I was in the water for a little warm-up in the lovely Merrimack River!

Once the race was on I was swimming as hard as I possibly could, I mean a 25 yard all out effort! I hit the first turn buoy with one other guy; once we got around the buoy I was solo, a pretty weird spot for me, leading the swim. It was a very quick and short ¼ mile swim I was out in 3:42

My plan was to continue with the all out effort so I rode the first 18 mins with an average wattage of 309. Two weeks after IM, this is not such a good plan, but I wanted numbers for my prep into Kona. And so I just kept pushing and waiting for the other guys in the race to catch me. Luckily no one showed up. I hauled into Transition, again still looking back for the other guys, most notably Paul Miller as he can ride very strong.

Once onto the run I went with the same plan, all out. It was supposed to be 2.5 miles... well, when I got to where the turn around was last year there was NOTHING, but I could see an aid station about 2 minutes down the road, no big deal. Made it to the turn around and was able to get the first time check on the guys behind me. I had three guys back, starting around 25 seconds. Nothing left to do but try and run harder. Finally made it to the finish and found out I had won! The run was just shy of a 5k!

All QT2ers at the race placed in their AG’s, and as a coach it was very cool to see everyone do so well. The hard work is paying off, just like I said it would…

Next up Timberman Sprint and the Pemi Loop.

LP 2009

It seems like I update this thing once a year with an LP race report; so here it goes.

The short. I worked my butt off 7 days a week 24 hours a day for 41 weeks with only one goal in mind. To get across the LP finish line AFAP. Just like last year, some days were so hard and painful I asked myself “why” other days were so easy it was a joke to even put on bike shorts. Once the gun went off I was on autopilot, In the end, I hit every number and finished exactly where we had planned 41 weeks before.

The long.

Courtney and I rolled (literally rolled, she has a Prius) into town Tuesday afternoon and immediately I was fired up and ready to race.

It was a pretty normal race week from there forward, laying low and finishing the IM taper with the last 3 easy workouts. The only thing not so normal were my nerves, for some reason they were missing. Don’t get me wrong I was nervous, but not like last year, I was ready and I knew it.

Saturday came and we ATE and ATE. I spent 23 minutes on my legs that day (yes I track that too, last year was 31 minutes). I hit the sack around 8:30 and was out cold around 9. Finally 3:30 am rolled around (I had already gone over the race about 15 times before the alarm went off) and it was up to eat the most important breakfast of the year.

I was able to get all the morning stuff out of the way very quickly and hung with Courtney for the last 30 mins before it was time to don the wetsuit. I kissed her goodbye, hugged the family and I was off.

57:25 later I was grabbing my bike stuff and on my way. After all the bike time this year I knew I was really to roll out for 112 mile and once I got going I never looked back. I just rode my power number, not an easy thing to do as what feels like the entire race fly's by.

5:34 and 9 bottles of Gatorade later I was off the bike and putting on my run shoes. I had been a little nervous about this run for the final 2 weeks because of the pace I was to go out at (6:40). It’s a funny thing, I killed myself all year to become fast (relative term) then on race day, I was scared to use the fitness I had earned. Either way it was set: 6:40. I went out and ran the first 9 miles @ 6:42’s and felt strong, then my stomach went a little south. I switched to water for a few miles (my one mistake of the race, I went 1 mile too long without Gatorade). Came through town feeling good, got all the way to mile 20 before the wheels started to fall off, 2 minutes later the wheels were off and rolling down the road!!! I was shelled; at that point (21 miles) I stopped looking at the Garmin. I had made my decision no matter the pace I was going to run as hard as I could. I wasn’t out there for me anymore; I was running for everyone who had gotten me to this point. I was running for Courtney and our two dogs who have given so much to help me get to this point. (I am writing like I won the damn race) But most off all I was running so I could stop running…….

3:10 later I was done. I was able to see all my friends who were either already done or finishing soon. Everyone had great days and hit all their numbers! We have a solid group of athletes.

Less then 10 weeks and I get to do this all over again. Its been a dream of mine since my first sprint race, while I was walking the run course less then a mile into a 4 mile run, to race in Kona. It took me two tries and more time in the pool, on the bike, and in the running shoes then I care to remember, but I made it. I made it with a relentless push towards a goal we set out for 41 weeks prior on a cold snowy day in November.

In the famous words spoken by Jimmy V “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up”

ALRIGHT!!!!

I keep being bugged for this little race report and since its oh so late....Here it is....
First the training. I did a lot and I mean a lot. Some VERY easy and some VERY hard. I started Monday December 10th. These numbers do not include IM
For the numbers people:
Swim: 120,000 yards
Bike: 6871 miles
Run : 1456 miles
Where did all this leave me, the fittest I have ever been, but sometimes that not good enough.
The swim: started out fast and I was lucky enough to be on the line about 50ft from the dock. I just swam as hard as I could until everyone settled down and then it was cruise control for the next 2.2 miles. 59:14 (I think) I should have swam faster and pushed the last .5 mile, next year.
The bike was nuts, period. I had a power number that I was to ride by like it was my job. In the first 10 miles, about 1 million people went FLYING by me. Old people, Fat people and people who I beat at half IMs by a few hours. Riddle me this batman, why are people in the big ring standing up hill in the first 45 mins of IM? Anyways, I rode the best I could watching the number. A little PSA for the to be IMers, dont be that guy killing it in the first 1hr of the race, if you do, get off your bike because your race is over. For the details, I ate 2 powerbars and a lot of gels, I also had a few water bottles of sports drink. 5:42 (slow)
The Run: As I ran out of T2 I saw Courtney and Chrissie on the side of the road, this is what I hear "Only a marathon to go" yea thanks.
Just like the bike, I had a pace I was to hold as long as humanly possible, for me not being a good runner, it was 7m/m. I just ran and ran, while eating of course. At some point around mile 21 my mind shut off and I just ran (while looking at my garmin, of course) This is the point I had waited for ALL year, cuz every thing you do is to get to this point good condition. I was feeling really really good, but I was surprised at how much the effort level had gone up, if someone had come up to me and asked my pace, I would have said 5:40 but I was running 7:21's.
I came up the hill at mile 24 and it started to hit, this damn thing was almost over. The run was really starting to get hard but I know I had to keep the effort high. Down the little out and back (which seemed longer the second time) and the long await right down to the oval, around and to the finish. Sounds gay but right into Snows arms for a big hug, then to pizza and cookies (the first in about 15 weeks) 3:12
total 10:02:48. 90 second from a plane ride to Kona. Which at first I was ok with, but watching two days ago on my computer, it really pissed me off. Next year, hopefully. So like I said, I was happy with it, but sometimes being happy with it is not good enough. 18days until next season training starts.................

Sorry

Sorry, I have not been updating this quote thing, but its slow around the shop. But the good news Wilson and I are in first place in the football pool. 427 teams and we are number one.
Tonight as I was mapping out a ride for tomorrow, I put in my address to see how many miles it was and I did "street view" and what do I see? Myself and Court packing her car for a race. Pretty crazy stuff. But Hey I made Google!!

Football

Well its Football season and for 23 years this has meant nothing to me, but now its a pretty big deal. I was entered into a little pool at work and I want to win. I have spent the past few days looking at stats and player info to learn the game in order to win this pool. So far we (Greg and I) are doing pretty well, only 15 more weeks to go.
Also I have been receiving some flack from an unnamed source (Kim) about not updating this thing a lot. So the other day I was thinking about things to update with until the training get fun again. I came up with, "Customer Quote of The Day" this might turn into "Quote of The Week" but I'll try. This came up because of the crazies that come into our store. Many think they are rock star athletes. I usually go along with this because you never know until...wait for it..."The Quote of The Day"
To the people I may quote, if you read this and are offended I am sorry, but know that you made my day and I am not laughing at you.

Pandora Radio.........1 of the greatest things ever??......I think so.