Please feel free to affectionately refer to Danny as "88.6" Hopefully it will motivate his a$$ to actually prepare for this super challenging 100 miler...
Editors Note: Dean Karnazes attempted the Leadville 100 and dropped out 2 times, thus earning him the nick name o-fer...."O for one, O for two..."
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
LEADVILLE 100
The beauty of the mind is that it remembers in vivid detail every accomplishment and success (oftentimes exaggerating them to such a degree that they no longer represent any actual memory) while quickly erasing pain. Such is the case with me and the Vermont 100. After a solid 18 miles of singing such classics as "I hate 100's" and "Never Again" and suffering my first DNF ever, I vowed that I would never do another 100 mile race. Fast-forward to Christmas Eve: Bolstered by the holiday spirit and strong Egg-Nog, I just signed up for the Leadville 100.
The Leadville 100?! Isn't that at 10,000 feet? Doesn't it have more vertical feet than VT? Are you crazy? Where'd the Egg-nog go?
Yes, runners do climb and descend 15,600 feet, with elevations ranging between 9,200-12,620 feet. Yes, that's twice the elevation of the highest peak in the Northeast. Yes, it is common for less than half the starters to complete the race ahead of its 30 hour time limit.
Still, if nothing else, VT100 was an eye-opening experience for me in that it glaringly pointed out my weaknesses. Not so much my mileage, but my lack of hiking. I could keep up with anyone on the flats and descents or any incline that I could run. As soon as I had to resort to walking, I would fall dreadfully off pace. To remedy this, I plan on significantly upping my hiking mileage in the coming months hopefully culminating with the 75 mile loop of the Kearsarge-Ragged-Sunapee Greenway.
There's no way of knowing what I will encounter on August 22nd, 2010 but I can tell you now that I will not DNF due to lack of preparation. LEADVILLE HERE I COME!
The Leadville 100?! Isn't that at 10,000 feet? Doesn't it have more vertical feet than VT? Are you crazy? Where'd the Egg-nog go?
Yes, runners do climb and descend 15,600 feet, with elevations ranging between 9,200-12,620 feet. Yes, that's twice the elevation of the highest peak in the Northeast. Yes, it is common for less than half the starters to complete the race ahead of its 30 hour time limit.
Still, if nothing else, VT100 was an eye-opening experience for me in that it glaringly pointed out my weaknesses. Not so much my mileage, but my lack of hiking. I could keep up with anyone on the flats and descents or any incline that I could run. As soon as I had to resort to walking, I would fall dreadfully off pace. To remedy this, I plan on significantly upping my hiking mileage in the coming months hopefully culminating with the 75 mile loop of the Kearsarge-Ragged-Sunapee Greenway.
There's no way of knowing what I will encounter on August 22nd, 2010 but I can tell you now that I will not DNF due to lack of preparation. LEADVILLE HERE I COME!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Best Year Ever?(Part 1)
Danny's Perspective: As this year winds to an end, I'd like to take a look back at the training log of 2009. All told, I raced in 50 races-a nice even number ranging in distances from 1 mile to 88. miles. In that group of races included:
-5 snowshoe races(ranging from 5k to marathon distances)
-8 Trail Races(ranging from 5.5k to Ultramarathon distances)
-3 marathons(four including the snowshoe race)
-2 ultra-marathons(1 if you exclude the DNF at VT100)
-9 Triathlons
-13 5k's
-1 Winter Triathlon
-And a smattering of various distances in between.
I also established PR's in the mile(5:09), 5k(17:39), 5 miles(30:10), 1/2 marathon(1:25:47), 20 miler(2:18:25), marathon(3:01:47) and 50 miler(8:22).
Beyond racing, Amber and I hiked 11 4,000 footers this year, I was able to run the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway, we biked the Kanc, and went to Disney for Am's Birthday. All of these activities warrant a pretty decent year in and of themselves, but we also got married-which with our powers combined....
This will only be the start of many best years ever together!
-5 snowshoe races(ranging from 5k to marathon distances)
-8 Trail Races(ranging from 5.5k to Ultramarathon distances)
-3 marathons(four including the snowshoe race)
-2 ultra-marathons(1 if you exclude the DNF at VT100)
-9 Triathlons
-13 5k's
-1 Winter Triathlon
-And a smattering of various distances in between.
I also established PR's in the mile(5:09), 5k(17:39), 5 miles(30:10), 1/2 marathon(1:25:47), 20 miler(2:18:25), marathon(3:01:47) and 50 miler(8:22).
Beyond racing, Amber and I hiked 11 4,000 footers this year, I was able to run the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway, we biked the Kanc, and went to Disney for Am's Birthday. All of these activities warrant a pretty decent year in and of themselves, but we also got married-which with our powers combined....
This will only be the start of many best years ever together!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Stalemate
It all started with a friendly bet which ended up getting a few laughs and has ended in a stalemate.
The bet: Who ever crossed the line first at the Manchester Marathon would get to keep their last name. And to make it even more exciting we were fresh off racing the Baystate Marathon 2 weeks prior. The Baystate Marathon is a story in itself as it was a tortuously cold day. Danny started out conservatively and ended up catching me at mile 16 and we ran, hobbled, crawled the rest of the way in. Fun times. However, there was much more at stake at Manchester. It was time to put on my game face and keep the Cullen name alive!
Before the gun went off we sized each other up at the starting line. Game On. Grrr.
Well, Manchester ended up being a mirror opposite of baystate as I caught Dan at mile 18 and we ran together until we could here the announcer, Andy Schachat, say: Here comes Amber CULLEN and her husband : Dan CULLEN! Oops.
We ended up crossing the line together again at Manchester. But we all heard Andy Loud and Clear. :)
The bet: Who ever crossed the line first at the Manchester Marathon would get to keep their last name. And to make it even more exciting we were fresh off racing the Baystate Marathon 2 weeks prior. The Baystate Marathon is a story in itself as it was a tortuously cold day. Danny started out conservatively and ended up catching me at mile 16 and we ran, hobbled, crawled the rest of the way in. Fun times. However, there was much more at stake at Manchester. It was time to put on my game face and keep the Cullen name alive!
Before the gun went off we sized each other up at the starting line. Game On. Grrr.
Well, Manchester ended up being a mirror opposite of baystate as I caught Dan at mile 18 and we ran together until we could here the announcer, Andy Schachat, say: Here comes Amber CULLEN and her husband : Dan CULLEN! Oops.
We ended up crossing the line together again at Manchester. But we all heard Andy Loud and Clear. :)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
13.1 Miles
Today was Jen Norton's 40 year old birthday and what better way for a triathlete to celebrate a big birthday than to run a half marathon? Jen's family and friends all gathered this morning in downtown Concord to run a 13.1 mile celebratory race. Amber after being laid out all week with the flu and not having walked more than a few feet without feeling light-headed decided it would be a good idea to run. I decided that if a flu-ridden person would be able to make it I could as well.
Sean Snow, Brian Lavoie and I took to the front of the pack early and stayed out for the entire race. After a brief smooch by Brian to an apparent stranger and a wrong turn that added about a 3/4 mile to our run, we were on our way. Sean and Brian decided that it would be a good idea to continue on the scorching hot pace over some of the hilliest part of Concord. Stopping to thank all the volunteers(Jen's friends around town) for water stops, and waiting frequently for me to catch back up and we were still on a 6:20 pace. Come on this was supposed to be a fun run!!! Clearly not as at mile 10 1/2 they decided to kick into high gear and leave me behind.
Amber took it a bit easier but still only finished about ten minutes behind me. She ran steady but joined a larger group of fellow triathletes including the recent Ironman, Lisa Ransom.
The only thing more fun than the brutal race was the post race and Jen's. Great fun and friends, is there a better way to spend a Saturday?
Sean Snow, Brian Lavoie and I took to the front of the pack early and stayed out for the entire race. After a brief smooch by Brian to an apparent stranger and a wrong turn that added about a 3/4 mile to our run, we were on our way. Sean and Brian decided that it would be a good idea to continue on the scorching hot pace over some of the hilliest part of Concord. Stopping to thank all the volunteers(Jen's friends around town) for water stops, and waiting frequently for me to catch back up and we were still on a 6:20 pace. Come on this was supposed to be a fun run!!! Clearly not as at mile 10 1/2 they decided to kick into high gear and leave me behind.
Amber took it a bit easier but still only finished about ten minutes behind me. She ran steady but joined a larger group of fellow triathletes including the recent Ironman, Lisa Ransom.
The only thing more fun than the brutal race was the post race and Jen's. Great fun and friends, is there a better way to spend a Saturday?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway
The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway is a hiking trail that links Mount Monadnock with Mount Sunapee over a fairly undulating 50 mile greenway that traverses public as well as private land. It was created in the 1970's as a way to link two of the major southern New Hampshire mountains together. Most people that hike it stick to the most popular trails surrounding the two peaks. According to the MSG website, for those interested in hiking the entire 49 miles in one shot, there are 5 campsites along the way and those attempting it should plan on the trip taking 3-4 days.
Soooooooooo.... It seemed like a good idea to try it in one. I convinced one of my friends, Josh to come along as well. Misery does apparently love company. Knowing that the going would be slow in the dark and with all the water that we had in the past few weeks, we started out at 3am at the base of Monadnock. Quickly skirting up to the summit in only 45 minutes, I thought that this trip would be a breeze. Afterall, I have run 50 miles in 8 hours, hiking it in a day would be a piece of cake. No sooner had this crossed my mind, did we get lost. Anyone who's been to the summit of Monadnock knows that it looks pretty similar from all sides as it rises up from the surrounding landscape. Great for views, not so much for finding the correct trailhead at 3:45am. After a good twenty minutes of scrambling from rock to rock we finally found it and were on our way. Oh, did I mention that the 49 miles is from summit to summit? Getting up and down can add anywhere from 4-9 miles to the total hike. Yikes!
Our goal for the entire hike was simply, start in the dark so we wouldn't have to end up in the dark. We figured if we could keep going at about 4 1/2 mph we'd be able to get to Sunapee as the sun was setting. What we hadn't counted on was: a)Danny falling ~50 times between the hours of 4am and 7am, b) insufficient bridges making streams a continual fording event, c)the weather- we had brought winter weather gear and ended up keeping them in our packs and although it is better to be well-prepared we ended up having more weight than we'd expected, and d) Hunters!!! Granted it was hunting season, and I was wearing an aptly colored brown and white hat, but still. At one point we had to slow to a near stand-still as an anger-spewing Orange-garbed rifle toting predator was wildly swinging his loaded gun while talking on his cell-phone.
Despite the slow going, this trail is not one to miss. I have lived in this area for most of my life and hadn't heard of most of this hills we climbed and had not laid foot on a single step of it. What a shame as there were some amazingly beautiful sections, nearly untouched by the people who live nearby. It has opened my eyes to the opportunities that lay all around us in this beautiful state.
All told: Summit to Summit 13:33 hours, 3.7 mph; Base to base 14:47 hours. Danny's food intake: 5 peanut butter sandwiches, 160 ounces of water, 12 ounces of Hammer Gel, 4 snicker's mini-bars, a V8, a sour pickle and a large bag of trail mix.
Up Next: Taking it easy for the next couple months, small day hikes, 5K's and then ramping back up for the Snowshoe series that starts up the beginning of January. Hope to see you there!
Soooooooooo.... It seemed like a good idea to try it in one. I convinced one of my friends, Josh to come along as well. Misery does apparently love company. Knowing that the going would be slow in the dark and with all the water that we had in the past few weeks, we started out at 3am at the base of Monadnock. Quickly skirting up to the summit in only 45 minutes, I thought that this trip would be a breeze. Afterall, I have run 50 miles in 8 hours, hiking it in a day would be a piece of cake. No sooner had this crossed my mind, did we get lost. Anyone who's been to the summit of Monadnock knows that it looks pretty similar from all sides as it rises up from the surrounding landscape. Great for views, not so much for finding the correct trailhead at 3:45am. After a good twenty minutes of scrambling from rock to rock we finally found it and were on our way. Oh, did I mention that the 49 miles is from summit to summit? Getting up and down can add anywhere from 4-9 miles to the total hike. Yikes!
Our goal for the entire hike was simply, start in the dark so we wouldn't have to end up in the dark. We figured if we could keep going at about 4 1/2 mph we'd be able to get to Sunapee as the sun was setting. What we hadn't counted on was: a)Danny falling ~50 times between the hours of 4am and 7am, b) insufficient bridges making streams a continual fording event, c)the weather- we had brought winter weather gear and ended up keeping them in our packs and although it is better to be well-prepared we ended up having more weight than we'd expected, and d) Hunters!!! Granted it was hunting season, and I was wearing an aptly colored brown and white hat, but still. At one point we had to slow to a near stand-still as an anger-spewing Orange-garbed rifle toting predator was wildly swinging his loaded gun while talking on his cell-phone.
Despite the slow going, this trail is not one to miss. I have lived in this area for most of my life and hadn't heard of most of this hills we climbed and had not laid foot on a single step of it. What a shame as there were some amazingly beautiful sections, nearly untouched by the people who live nearby. It has opened my eyes to the opportunities that lay all around us in this beautiful state.
All told: Summit to Summit 13:33 hours, 3.7 mph; Base to base 14:47 hours. Danny's food intake: 5 peanut butter sandwiches, 160 ounces of water, 12 ounces of Hammer Gel, 4 snicker's mini-bars, a V8, a sour pickle and a large bag of trail mix.
Up Next: Taking it easy for the next couple months, small day hikes, 5K's and then ramping back up for the Snowshoe series that starts up the beginning of January. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Danny Training?
Sick of yet another sub-par performance at the Manchester Marathon, I have taken up the call: to finally get mybutt in shape and train. In a form fitting a more "coachable" athlete, I have taken the first few steps to enacting my new training program. I've gotten a membership to the YMCA, and have already swam on three separate occasions. Additionally, I'm currently on Day 3 of the 90 day regime set up in P90x a program dedicated to "muscle confusion" by switching the order of exercises, and incorporating new exercises during each phase. So far I'm very sore, which I can say hasn't happened since high school football practice.
My typical strategy of 2-3 runs a week and doing whatever is going on on the weekend(in addition, of course, to holding my breath and contracting my abs), is out the window.
My new plan: daily P90x routines(varying from upper and lower extremity exercises to yoga and plyometrics), at least 2 days of lap swimming/week, 2 days of spinning on the trainer(another recent addition to the Ferreira household) and the typical 2-3 runs that I can fit in during my lunch breaks.
If all goes well and the new me can continue to wake up earlier and(more importantly) stay motivated, this program should culminate at the New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon on Feb 28th where I'm expecting significantly better results than in previous events. Then the program recycles itself where my next goal will be the Pineland Farms 50 miler where I hope to break the 8 hour mark(I ran 8:22 last year on 20 mile weeks).
I'm hoping by posting this now, for all to read, will keep me motivated as well as honest. Well, here's to hoping!
My typical strategy of 2-3 runs a week and doing whatever is going on on the weekend(in addition, of course, to holding my breath and contracting my abs), is out the window.
My new plan: daily P90x routines(varying from upper and lower extremity exercises to yoga and plyometrics), at least 2 days of lap swimming/week, 2 days of spinning on the trainer(another recent addition to the Ferreira household) and the typical 2-3 runs that I can fit in during my lunch breaks.
If all goes well and the new me can continue to wake up earlier and(more importantly) stay motivated, this program should culminate at the New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon on Feb 28th where I'm expecting significantly better results than in previous events. Then the program recycles itself where my next goal will be the Pineland Farms 50 miler where I hope to break the 8 hour mark(I ran 8:22 last year on 20 mile weeks).
I'm hoping by posting this now, for all to read, will keep me motivated as well as honest. Well, here's to hoping!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Up Next Manchester Marathon!
This Sunday, November 1st, Danny and Amber will be embarking on a 26.2 mile journey along the mill city of Manchester NH.
A rather hilly first half with steady, if not steep, climbs that will them by the famed Derryfield Park's X-C course before taking Hanover St back down to Elm. There they will split paths with the half-marathoners who will turn to the left and finish. The marathoners will continue on crossing over to the West side of Manchester and running by Saint Anselm's before crossing a foot bridge and finishing up.
This may be the second running of the marathon for the two runners, both hoping to improve upon their last year's times. The reason for the may is that Amber and Danny are still recovering from a 18+ mile hike in the Whites this past weekend- having to ford 5 rivers, climb down a waterfall and running the last four miles back to the car before it got dark. That considering that weekend was to have been the recovery week from Baystate Marathon the weekend before. Suffice it to say, they are both sore. Danny's commited to running it no matter what, but Amber, taking the far more reasonable approach, will wait until the morning of to see how she's feeling.
Danny's Goals: Qualify for Boston, Run sub-3, Qualify for automatic entry into NYC marathon with 2:55:00
Amber's Goals: Determine whether to run the full or half; If running the full- Redeem self from last year's run.
A rather hilly first half with steady, if not steep, climbs that will them by the famed Derryfield Park's X-C course before taking Hanover St back down to Elm. There they will split paths with the half-marathoners who will turn to the left and finish. The marathoners will continue on crossing over to the West side of Manchester and running by Saint Anselm's before crossing a foot bridge and finishing up.
This may be the second running of the marathon for the two runners, both hoping to improve upon their last year's times. The reason for the may is that Amber and Danny are still recovering from a 18+ mile hike in the Whites this past weekend- having to ford 5 rivers, climb down a waterfall and running the last four miles back to the car before it got dark. That considering that weekend was to have been the recovery week from Baystate Marathon the weekend before. Suffice it to say, they are both sore. Danny's commited to running it no matter what, but Amber, taking the far more reasonable approach, will wait until the morning of to see how she's feeling.
Danny's Goals: Qualify for Boston, Run sub-3, Qualify for automatic entry into NYC marathon with 2:55:00
Amber's Goals: Determine whether to run the full or half; If running the full- Redeem self from last year's run.
Monday, October 19, 2009
A cold and blustery Baystate!
For a day that end with blizzard like conditions as the Patriots trounced the Titans, the Baystate Marathon started out innocently enough with a cool and overcast morning. Those unfamilar with New England would consider that perfect marathoning weather, but, as predicted in the unpredicted New England, the temperature soon dropped and the clouds opened up on the record number of runners seeking Boston-berths. What a day to qualify for Boston? The results were mixed for the Dream Team and Greg Cullen.
Greg's goal: Run under 3:30 and re-qualify for Boston. Reality- 3:32 and did qualify again despite horizontal rains and post-race lower extremity cramps.
Amber's goal: Break her PR of 3:16 and re-qualify for Boston. Reality- 3:21 and did qualify for Boston despite three separate instances where she had to stop and stretch out her IT band and curse at Danny(she'll be using the run as a long run for Manchester Marathon).
Dan Frisch's goal: Qualify for Boston with the scorching time of 3:10 or better. Reality- Ran a 3:13! Great first marathon, solid performance and had it not been for a 10+ mile hike the weekend before in the White Mountains, Dan probably would have had enough in the tank for that 3:10. Better luck next time Danny Boy!
Deidre's goal: Qualify for Boston with 3:40 or better. Reality- After nearly a month of hamstring issues, Deidre expected them to miraculously subside which of course they did not. There is no doubt with a dedicated month of rest and stretching, Deidre will be back and ready to take on the marathon again.
Danny's goal: Run a PR. Reality- 2 weeks of training apparently is NOT enough time to prepare yourself for a marathon. On pace for 3:06(not a PR), but when he passed Amber he decided he'd pretend to be chivalrous and run with her. In reality, he was using the much needed decrease in pace to be able to stop the tears that were forming acutely at the edges of his eyes.
All in all, despite Dan's tears and several near-hypothermic runners, Baystate was as exciting as predicted with Dan and Deidre's first marathons ever, Greg showing that he is a man of consistency, Amber muscling through a tough IT band issue and Danny managing to consume more calories than he burnt during the race(thanks to several GU stations!).
Danny and Amber will see you at the Manchester Marathon on the 1st!
Greg's goal: Run under 3:30 and re-qualify for Boston. Reality- 3:32 and did qualify again despite horizontal rains and post-race lower extremity cramps.
Amber's goal: Break her PR of 3:16 and re-qualify for Boston. Reality- 3:21 and did qualify for Boston despite three separate instances where she had to stop and stretch out her IT band and curse at Danny(she'll be using the run as a long run for Manchester Marathon).
Dan Frisch's goal: Qualify for Boston with the scorching time of 3:10 or better. Reality- Ran a 3:13! Great first marathon, solid performance and had it not been for a 10+ mile hike the weekend before in the White Mountains, Dan probably would have had enough in the tank for that 3:10. Better luck next time Danny Boy!
Deidre's goal: Qualify for Boston with 3:40 or better. Reality- After nearly a month of hamstring issues, Deidre expected them to miraculously subside which of course they did not. There is no doubt with a dedicated month of rest and stretching, Deidre will be back and ready to take on the marathon again.
Danny's goal: Run a PR. Reality- 2 weeks of training apparently is NOT enough time to prepare yourself for a marathon. On pace for 3:06(not a PR), but when he passed Amber he decided he'd pretend to be chivalrous and run with her. In reality, he was using the much needed decrease in pace to be able to stop the tears that were forming acutely at the edges of his eyes.
All in all, despite Dan's tears and several near-hypothermic runners, Baystate was as exciting as predicted with Dan and Deidre's first marathons ever, Greg showing that he is a man of consistency, Amber muscling through a tough IT band issue and Danny managing to consume more calories than he burnt during the race(thanks to several GU stations!).
Danny and Amber will see you at the Manchester Marathon on the 1st!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
How to train for a marathon in 2 weeks
By the end of this blog the title will make perfect sense to you. Let me begin by saying that my husband has a great deal of raw talent and this fact, and only this fact, allowes him to conquer such feats as running 88 miles in a row and completing his 3rd marathon in 30 days in a blistering time of 3:01. I say this with love and admiration...and a little bit of jealosy. Let me explain....
For months before a marathon I am rising at the crack of dawn, logging 50 miles per week, analyzing my training log, comparing race stats with fellow runners, analyzing my log again, googling "how to run your best marathon", and then repeating. Meanwhile, my husband is in full taper mode. He sleeps in, endulges in tasty treats and thinks outloud how my training (50 miles per week) is far inferior to his training which includes:
1. periodic breath holding (to increase his cardiovascular endurance) and
2. contracting his abdominals (to work on his six pack...obviously!)
Hhumph!
However, as marathon day approaches the tables begin to turn. As I enter my much needed taper mode my husband starts to panic. I can hear it in his voice as he states, "the marathon is only 2 weeks away. I need to start training." And so the madness begins. He attempts to squeeze 4 months of running into 2 weeks. Here come the track workouts and the hill repeats and the long runs. While the rest of the running world is sitting back with their feet up my husband is on full tilt. He crammed 4 months into 2 weeks!
And what about race nutrition? His fastest marathon happened after 12 beers , a steak sub and instead of the standard GU during the race....he chose breath mints.
Raw talent.
For months before a marathon I am rising at the crack of dawn, logging 50 miles per week, analyzing my training log, comparing race stats with fellow runners, analyzing my log again, googling "how to run your best marathon", and then repeating. Meanwhile, my husband is in full taper mode. He sleeps in, endulges in tasty treats and thinks outloud how my training (50 miles per week) is far inferior to his training which includes:
1. periodic breath holding (to increase his cardiovascular endurance) and
2. contracting his abdominals (to work on his six pack...obviously!)
Hhumph!
However, as marathon day approaches the tables begin to turn. As I enter my much needed taper mode my husband starts to panic. I can hear it in his voice as he states, "the marathon is only 2 weeks away. I need to start training." And so the madness begins. He attempts to squeeze 4 months of running into 2 weeks. Here come the track workouts and the hill repeats and the long runs. While the rest of the running world is sitting back with their feet up my husband is on full tilt. He crammed 4 months into 2 weeks!
And what about race nutrition? His fastest marathon happened after 12 beers , a steak sub and instead of the standard GU during the race....he chose breath mints.
Raw talent.
Baystate Here We Come!
This race holds special significance to Danny and Amber. Not only will this race be the third anniversary of Amber's first marathon, running to a fourth place finish with a 3:16, but it will also mark the first race that Amber will be competing as Amber Ferreira! Additionally, this race will be Amber's younger sister, Deidre's, first marathon hoping to qualify for Boston as well as Greg Cullen, Amber's dad, returning for his second time running. And to round out the Dream Team, Dan Frische a cornerstone of this year's triathlon season, will also be running his first. It sure makes for a very exciting race day!
We'll both be racing for GCS-Triad tomorrow as part of the New England Grand Prix season finale so the competition is expected to be stiff. But as we both know, a marathon is not so much a race against others so much as it is one against yourself and any self-doubt.
Amber and Danny will both be running with the 3:10 pace group so hopefully we see a bunch of familiar faces in the record crowds expected tomorrow in Lowell.
Good luck to everyone using Baystate to qualify for Boston! We wish you our best!
We'll both be racing for GCS-Triad tomorrow as part of the New England Grand Prix season finale so the competition is expected to be stiff. But as we both know, a marathon is not so much a race against others so much as it is one against yourself and any self-doubt.
Amber and Danny will both be running with the 3:10 pace group so hopefully we see a bunch of familiar faces in the record crowds expected tomorrow in Lowell.
Good luck to everyone using Baystate to qualify for Boston! We wish you our best!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
MY IRONMAN JOURNEY
September 13, 2009 Madison, Wisconsin
The night before the biggest race of my life I set my alarm for 3:45am. I wanted plenty of time to fill my water bottles, gather my gear and mentally prepare. However, a good night’s sleep was not in my future. That night was similar to just about every Christmas eve where you have so much adrenaline and excitement bouncing around in your body there is no chance for shut eye. So, I tossed and turned until my alarm went off and then I nearly catapulted out of bed like a wild banshee! Who cares if I didn’t sleep a wink it was GAME TIME!!
Sleepy eyed Dan just watched as a zipped around the hotel room, gels in one hand Gatorade in the other, smiling ear to ear like a crazy girl between bites of oatmeal!
After I zipped up my lycra and squeezed into my bike shorts we headed to the race start. First things first, and that was to drop off my “special needs” bags. The Ironman lets you fill 2 bags with anything you desire and these are picked up at mile 56 of the bike and mile 13.1 of the run. I filled my “special needs” bike with sour pickles (my secret weapon and I will discuss this later), and my favorite gels. My run “special needs” bag was filled with more of my secret weapon. Now off to the bikes! What a site this is: 2500 triathlon bikes (some worth more than my car…way more) all racked neatly and numbered. My number: 2130. I checked and double checked my tire pressure. Filled my water bottles, kissed my bike...the Quintana Roo…kissed it once more for good luck….and headed off to body marking. The nice volunteer lady marked both my arms with my number 2130 and the back of my left calf with my age. Now I was ready to squeeze into the wetsuit and head down to the water…the start of the race. Some Anxious athletes were zoning out…some were dancing to the song blaring over the loud speakers and some were listening intently to the race directly count down the minutes until go time. I looked around me…this is it…this is the moment I had been training for...for 360 days 20 hours and 3 minutes...but who’s couting? The sun was just rising, the water was calm, the energy was high…everything was perfect…and then I burst into tears...I was so nervous. Dan gave me a hug and told me that he was proud of me no matter what happened. And that he knew I would finish and that is what IRONMAN is all about. IRONMAN is the determined spirit that we all have deep inside. IRONMAN is about enduring. And he believed in me and he knew I would cross that finish line. So I wiped the tears form my eyes, zipped up my wetsuit, left my cry baby self on the beach and plunged into the cool water. The time was 6:30am. We were required to get into the water 30 minutes before the gun went off. So, I floated on my back and watched the sun rise…not a bad way to pass the time….
The announcers voice was heard loud over the speaker: Ladies and gentleman you have 11 seconds, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….and the cannon goes off! If you want to see what an Ironman swim start looks like google “Lake Placid Ironman swim start.” The best I can explain is it is a chaotic blender of wetsuits, white water, arms flailing, feet kicking, people gasping, and high energy –sounds fun, doesn’t it?! Just make sure you swim fast enough or athletes will swim over you....
Fast forward to 300 yards before I exit the water. I look down at my watch underwater...Holy crap! I am going to swim under an hour! Go Amber Go Amber! Man, oh man, my hands are tingling. Ignore it! Kick those legs! As I exit the water, a bit dizzy and disoriented I look again at my watch – 59 minutes! Perfect!
I sit my butt on the ground and 2 awesome volunteers rip my wetsuit off me like the peel of a banana! I sprint up the spiral helix to where bike is located. The Ironman is so well organized that as I am running up the helix volunteers in transition have already located my gear bag and bike and are waiting for me. Another awesome volunteer sits me down in a chair, puts my bike shoes on me (!), wishes me luck and like a tornado I have mounted my little Quintana Roo and off I go....on a 112 mile biking extravaganza!
Goal: Have fun, stay relaxed and don’t start “racing” until mile 80 of the bike course. I am thinking... Keep the cadence up. Remember to drink. Let the others athletes go. It’s a long, hilly ride - be patient! Ironman Wisconsin bike course is one of the hardest on the Ironman circuit because you have to consciously make decisions all day. You can’t power up the hills the first 80 miles and think you won’t bonk – because you will! The course throws hills and technical descents at you all day – descents that have you going 40 mph in the aero position with cross winds ready to hit your race wheels and take you out! The bike course is fierce!!
And I was smiling all day long and even mooing at the cows! I came through the first loop of the bike course in 3rd place in my age group and 17 overall. However, I was feeling low on energy and knew it was time for secret weapon numero uno: my peanut butter sandwich! I had stored part of one in my bike jersey pocket. However, the temperature was already in the mid 80’s, the winds were high and looking at the sandwich was as far as I got to eating it. That is the tricky thing about weather – high temps can ruin your nutrition plan. My gut did not want any part of that sandwich. What about the pickle? I reached back into my pocket. ARGH! A hot mushy pickle! Here goes....one big bite...chomp, chomp, chomp...yummy...delicious! And we are back in the game! I was only able to drink and eat parts of gels for the remainder of the bike because of the heat. And last 15 miles of the bike was a struggle. I was going back and forth with some girl in my age division. At this point I had been riding for over 5 hours and was starting to feel shaky and light headed. The wind and sun were taking their toll. The girl I had been battling with flew by me yelling “get ready to run your butt off!” Here we gooooooooooo....I came off of the bike in 4th place in my division.
Dan yells at me from the sidelines “You are in 4th in your division and the 3rd place girl is walking!” I look down. Ugh. I feel like I have been run over by a mack truck. However, I think about what my coach told me before the race. “Amber, you are going to see a lot of people walking. Don’t walk – whatever you do – don’t give in!”
So I asked myself, “why do I want to walk?” Well, lets see....my vision is blurry, my quads are about to explode and I have lost all eccentric control so I can’t run downhill very well, my feet feel numb, my hands are tingling, I have sticky gel all over my forearms, my shoulder are sunburned, my gut is cramping, I have a killer side stitch...but disregarding the latter...I’m feeling pretty good! So lets go Amber – move your those legs! Go get third place! Here we go! Oh, wow! The crowd was so loud! I love these Wisconsin cheese heads! I feel great now! Check the pace. Oh, (expletive)! 6:50?! Slow it down woman! I hit the first mile just under 7:00. Well I will be paying the marathon Gods for that later! Come on, now! Settle down! I am thinking ‘I love the Ironman!’ Dan yells: 3 minutes to 2rd!” Nice and steady… Dan yells “2:30 to 3rd!” Good job, Amber! Ignore the pain. You can handle this! No excuses! Let’s go! I see the 3rd place girl up ahead. Its mile 22 of the marathon and mile 136.6 for the day! I look at her. She’s fading! Push! Just a few more miles! How badly do you want this? Are you willing to fail? Oh wow, I can’t see straight…Go pass her Amber and don’t look back! You’re in third! YIPPY!!
And there is the finish line! Finally! And the announcer yells: Amber Cullen...from Concord NH...YOU...ARE... AN...IRONMAN!!!!
The night before the biggest race of my life I set my alarm for 3:45am. I wanted plenty of time to fill my water bottles, gather my gear and mentally prepare. However, a good night’s sleep was not in my future. That night was similar to just about every Christmas eve where you have so much adrenaline and excitement bouncing around in your body there is no chance for shut eye. So, I tossed and turned until my alarm went off and then I nearly catapulted out of bed like a wild banshee! Who cares if I didn’t sleep a wink it was GAME TIME!!
Sleepy eyed Dan just watched as a zipped around the hotel room, gels in one hand Gatorade in the other, smiling ear to ear like a crazy girl between bites of oatmeal!
After I zipped up my lycra and squeezed into my bike shorts we headed to the race start. First things first, and that was to drop off my “special needs” bags. The Ironman lets you fill 2 bags with anything you desire and these are picked up at mile 56 of the bike and mile 13.1 of the run. I filled my “special needs” bike with sour pickles (my secret weapon and I will discuss this later), and my favorite gels. My run “special needs” bag was filled with more of my secret weapon. Now off to the bikes! What a site this is: 2500 triathlon bikes (some worth more than my car…way more) all racked neatly and numbered. My number: 2130. I checked and double checked my tire pressure. Filled my water bottles, kissed my bike...the Quintana Roo…kissed it once more for good luck….and headed off to body marking. The nice volunteer lady marked both my arms with my number 2130 and the back of my left calf with my age. Now I was ready to squeeze into the wetsuit and head down to the water…the start of the race. Some Anxious athletes were zoning out…some were dancing to the song blaring over the loud speakers and some were listening intently to the race directly count down the minutes until go time. I looked around me…this is it…this is the moment I had been training for...for 360 days 20 hours and 3 minutes...but who’s couting? The sun was just rising, the water was calm, the energy was high…everything was perfect…and then I burst into tears...I was so nervous. Dan gave me a hug and told me that he was proud of me no matter what happened. And that he knew I would finish and that is what IRONMAN is all about. IRONMAN is the determined spirit that we all have deep inside. IRONMAN is about enduring. And he believed in me and he knew I would cross that finish line. So I wiped the tears form my eyes, zipped up my wetsuit, left my cry baby self on the beach and plunged into the cool water. The time was 6:30am. We were required to get into the water 30 minutes before the gun went off. So, I floated on my back and watched the sun rise…not a bad way to pass the time….
The announcers voice was heard loud over the speaker: Ladies and gentleman you have 11 seconds, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….and the cannon goes off! If you want to see what an Ironman swim start looks like google “Lake Placid Ironman swim start.” The best I can explain is it is a chaotic blender of wetsuits, white water, arms flailing, feet kicking, people gasping, and high energy –sounds fun, doesn’t it?! Just make sure you swim fast enough or athletes will swim over you....
Fast forward to 300 yards before I exit the water. I look down at my watch underwater...Holy crap! I am going to swim under an hour! Go Amber Go Amber! Man, oh man, my hands are tingling. Ignore it! Kick those legs! As I exit the water, a bit dizzy and disoriented I look again at my watch – 59 minutes! Perfect!
I sit my butt on the ground and 2 awesome volunteers rip my wetsuit off me like the peel of a banana! I sprint up the spiral helix to where bike is located. The Ironman is so well organized that as I am running up the helix volunteers in transition have already located my gear bag and bike and are waiting for me. Another awesome volunteer sits me down in a chair, puts my bike shoes on me (!), wishes me luck and like a tornado I have mounted my little Quintana Roo and off I go....on a 112 mile biking extravaganza!
Goal: Have fun, stay relaxed and don’t start “racing” until mile 80 of the bike course. I am thinking... Keep the cadence up. Remember to drink. Let the others athletes go. It’s a long, hilly ride - be patient! Ironman Wisconsin bike course is one of the hardest on the Ironman circuit because you have to consciously make decisions all day. You can’t power up the hills the first 80 miles and think you won’t bonk – because you will! The course throws hills and technical descents at you all day – descents that have you going 40 mph in the aero position with cross winds ready to hit your race wheels and take you out! The bike course is fierce!!
And I was smiling all day long and even mooing at the cows! I came through the first loop of the bike course in 3rd place in my age group and 17 overall. However, I was feeling low on energy and knew it was time for secret weapon numero uno: my peanut butter sandwich! I had stored part of one in my bike jersey pocket. However, the temperature was already in the mid 80’s, the winds were high and looking at the sandwich was as far as I got to eating it. That is the tricky thing about weather – high temps can ruin your nutrition plan. My gut did not want any part of that sandwich. What about the pickle? I reached back into my pocket. ARGH! A hot mushy pickle! Here goes....one big bite...chomp, chomp, chomp...yummy...delicious! And we are back in the game! I was only able to drink and eat parts of gels for the remainder of the bike because of the heat. And last 15 miles of the bike was a struggle. I was going back and forth with some girl in my age division. At this point I had been riding for over 5 hours and was starting to feel shaky and light headed. The wind and sun were taking their toll. The girl I had been battling with flew by me yelling “get ready to run your butt off!” Here we gooooooooooo....I came off of the bike in 4th place in my division.
Dan yells at me from the sidelines “You are in 4th in your division and the 3rd place girl is walking!” I look down. Ugh. I feel like I have been run over by a mack truck. However, I think about what my coach told me before the race. “Amber, you are going to see a lot of people walking. Don’t walk – whatever you do – don’t give in!”
So I asked myself, “why do I want to walk?” Well, lets see....my vision is blurry, my quads are about to explode and I have lost all eccentric control so I can’t run downhill very well, my feet feel numb, my hands are tingling, I have sticky gel all over my forearms, my shoulder are sunburned, my gut is cramping, I have a killer side stitch...but disregarding the latter...I’m feeling pretty good! So lets go Amber – move your those legs! Go get third place! Here we go! Oh, wow! The crowd was so loud! I love these Wisconsin cheese heads! I feel great now! Check the pace. Oh, (expletive)! 6:50?! Slow it down woman! I hit the first mile just under 7:00. Well I will be paying the marathon Gods for that later! Come on, now! Settle down! I am thinking ‘I love the Ironman!’ Dan yells: 3 minutes to 2rd!” Nice and steady… Dan yells “2:30 to 3rd!” Good job, Amber! Ignore the pain. You can handle this! No excuses! Let’s go! I see the 3rd place girl up ahead. Its mile 22 of the marathon and mile 136.6 for the day! I look at her. She’s fading! Push! Just a few more miles! How badly do you want this? Are you willing to fail? Oh wow, I can’t see straight…Go pass her Amber and don’t look back! You’re in third! YIPPY!!
And there is the finish line! Finally! And the announcer yells: Amber Cullen...from Concord NH...YOU...ARE... AN...IRONMAN!!!!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
10:55, 3rd Age Group, 18th Overall, and No Kona? Come on!
As the title implies Amber Cullen completed her first Ironman triathlon on Sunday in Madison WI in a blazing time of 10:55. She placed third after running down a girl nearly three minutes ahead of her going into the last 5 miles! More details to come but it should be noted that Amber had the fastest time not to qualify for Kona and the tenth fastest time of all-time in the 25-29th Age Group.
GREAT JOB AMBER!
GREAT JOB AMBER!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wisconsin here we come!
Leaving tonight to drive over 1,100 miles to Madison, WI for the Ironman WI this Sunday Sept 13th. Amber has been training for this event using events like the Peak Snowshoe Marathon, the Bull Moose Challenge, the Kingdom 10 mile swim and the Lord of the Flies as mere training routes for her ultimate goal: KONA! Her first Ironman is sure to have its ups and downs, but for anyone that knows Amber, she's expected to have more ups than downs. As a wise man once said: "It's easy to have ups but its what you do when you're in the downs that will determine what you can truly become."
GOOD LUCK TO AMBER!
GOOD LUCK TO AMBER!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Kingdom Swim and Vermont 88.6
I will be happy to write about my fairly disasterous 10 mile swim race tomorrow but since my left arm is in a splint secondary to thumb tendonitis from swimming too far I will keep it short and sweet. I would like to give a BIG shout out to Danny for completing 88.6 miles of the grueling Vermont 100 trail race. Who suggested 100 miles anyway? 88.6 is enough of a sufferfest if I do say so myself. He claims he is done with the 100 mile challenge but I know he will be back for more...I mean who can resist trail running in the dark up and down these little piss ant hills which go on forever and ever and start to feel like mountains after you have lost eccentric control of your quads and are puking up Ramen noodles (more about that later) just to shuffle your hurting body along at a blazing 20 minute/mile pace?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Vermont 100 Crew
As this will be Danny's first 100 mile race, it will be tough enough to fathom no less motivate him in the late hours of Saturday night as he slogs through miles 70-100(hopefully). Therefore, he has decided to pick a select few elite athletes to help him along on this journey.
For Miles 70-77, Marilyn Ferreira :
Danny's Sister and "running can only be used as punishment" believer.
For Miles 77- 88, Joey Castelot
Danny's Cousin and recent running convert who recently joined GCS and now willing be running for NEC in the fall.
For miles 88-100, The Bullmoose of the Flies: Amber Cullen:
With this all-star team, how can he not finish?
Results to follow...
Monday, July 13, 2009
CULLEN IS THE LADY OF THE FLIES!
A month after winning the Bull Moose Competition, in a dramatic, come-from behind fashion, Amber Cullen won the inaugural Lady of the Flies competition as part of the Black Fly Triathlon series. The Black Fly Triathlon, the newest race series brought to you by the guys who put on Mooseman and Timberman, is set in picturesque Waterville Valley, NH.
The weekend started off on Friday night with a 4 mile time trial at which Amber placed 7th with a time of 12:19(19.5 mph) and 25 seconds off of the 1st place female. That Saturday was the International distance triathlon which due to the 53 degree temperature included a very abbreviated swim(1/4 mile), 20.5 mile bike, and a 5 mile run. Amber, disadvantaged by the short swim with which she normally builds a sizable lead, finished 2nd with a time of 1:41:38 now cutting the time for the Lady of the Flies to 11 seconds(while also beating Danny by over 4 minutes).
So Sunday arrived to herald in slightly warmer water temperatures as well as the final day of the series which was the Sprint. It consisted of another 1/4 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run. Speaking at the podium at the award ceremony, Amber stated that she knew she had to make up those 11 seconds and hammered it home on the bike hoping that her legs would stay strong for the run. She certainly did winning the race with a 35 second margin in a time of 1:15:17(again beating Danny by 4 1/2 minutes this time).
Full result listings can be found at: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/nh/Jul12_BlackF_set8.shtml
The weekend started off on Friday night with a 4 mile time trial at which Amber placed 7th with a time of 12:19(19.5 mph) and 25 seconds off of the 1st place female. That Saturday was the International distance triathlon which due to the 53 degree temperature included a very abbreviated swim(1/4 mile), 20.5 mile bike, and a 5 mile run. Amber, disadvantaged by the short swim with which she normally builds a sizable lead, finished 2nd with a time of 1:41:38 now cutting the time for the Lady of the Flies to 11 seconds(while also beating Danny by over 4 minutes).
So Sunday arrived to herald in slightly warmer water temperatures as well as the final day of the series which was the Sprint. It consisted of another 1/4 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run. Speaking at the podium at the award ceremony, Amber stated that she knew she had to make up those 11 seconds and hammered it home on the bike hoping that her legs would stay strong for the run. She certainly did winning the race with a 35 second margin in a time of 1:15:17(again beating Danny by 4 1/2 minutes this time).
Full result listings can be found at: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/nh/Jul12_BlackF_set8.shtml
Monday, July 6, 2009
Vermont 100 on 25 mile weeks?
Danny: So I had this great plan to do the VT100 and I would ramp up my mileage in the months preceeding it. I scheduled some late winter/early spring marathons and half marathons(New Bedford Half then Peak's Snowshoe Marathon and Great Bay Half and Cape May Marathon) to get in some solid mileage early in the season to ready myself for my first year doing ultras. That was great- It carried me through Pineland Farms 50 miler in 8:22 with minimal difficulty...
Yikes! Since that late May race I have not done a long run longer than 11 miles and have not had a single week of more than 25 miles. Let's just hope that this exceptionally long taper will see me well rested and ready to take on the 100 mile buffet.
Here's to hoping!
Yikes! Since that late May race I have not done a long run longer than 11 miles and have not had a single week of more than 25 miles. Let's just hope that this exceptionally long taper will see me well rested and ready to take on the 100 mile buffet.
Here's to hoping!
Our First Post
4 days until the Lord of the Flies Festival at Waterville Valley
11 days until Danny's first Vermont 100 bid
18 days until Amber's 10 mile Kingdom Swim
Goals for Danny's VT100:
1) Finish
2) Finish smiling
3) Finish under 24 hours
4) Finish under 24 hours smiling
Goals for Amber's Kingdom Swim:
1) Not get eaten by Memphre the local sea serpent
2) Swim 1:30 min/100 yards for 10 miles
3) Not get left by support boat(Danny)
11 days until Danny's first Vermont 100 bid
18 days until Amber's 10 mile Kingdom Swim
Goals for Danny's VT100:
1) Finish
2) Finish smiling
3) Finish under 24 hours
4) Finish under 24 hours smiling
Goals for Amber's Kingdom Swim:
1) Not get eaten by Memphre the local sea serpent
2) Swim 1:30 min/100 yards for 10 miles
3) Not get left by support boat(Danny)