RVA Fun

There are often a lot of fun things to do in Richmond. We like living in the City and try to enjoy all the benefits of living close to interesting restaurants, museums, lots of events, and good recreation opportunities. I decided to document once such weekend just for fun. 

On Friday, April 29th, my wife and I went to packet pick up for a local 5K and registered for the race. We decided at the last minute to register. The ASK 5K takes place every year at the Diamond in Richmond's Northside. And since we happen to live 1 mile from the Diamond, we thought it might be fun to roll on over there and race. 

On Saturday, the start of race day was pretty nice. We did not have to get up too early since the race was so close by. Melissa and I ran from our house down to the 5k. We warmed up a little more and then jumped into the start coral. The gun went off, and so did we.

The race was fun. I will spare you all the 'race report' details. Nice course, good support throughout with plenty of police officers helping keep everyone safe from goofball drivers. And it is pretty flat which makes pacing easier. 

The race ends inside the Diamond. I have never been inside the Diamond in all the years I have lived in RVA. That was definitely an interesting way to end the race. It was really fun! After crossing the finish line, I went to get some water and whatnot and realized that the Jangling Reinharts were playing at the venue.  They sounded really great in the stadium. They played their unique blend of life, the universe, and everything. At one point, while Melissa was playing with the free Yo Yo that the ASK 5k gave out to participants, I mentioned to her that it sounded like the guitar solo the guitarist was playing did not fit the song. Melissa said, "Isn't that the Stairway solo?" While I had noticed the solo seemed out of place, I had not placed it yet. But Melissa has a keen ear and a quick mind and he put it together as soon as I mentioned it.

We had a good time at the post race celebration. But also, there was some solemn moments. The postrace presentation by the ASK volunteers was quite moving. We had a very long moment of silence for those friends and family who have passed on. The ASK organization sounds like an organization grounded in love. 

After the race, we walked out of the stadium straight into an arts and craft market that is held every Saturday at the Diamond in one of the parking lots. We saw some very interesting hand made arts and crafts. We talked to one particular vendor for a few minutes. He had these really interesting functional sculptures that seemed to be made out of found things. They were all lamps essentially. But they were much more than that. I don't think I could do the artist justice by trying to explain how cool they were. I plan to go back and see him again sometime and see what new things he might have. 

It turns out, seeing those arts and crafts were really a precursor of more to come. Once we got back to the house, we quickly got cleaned up, refueled and were ready to head back out. Next on the agenda was to drive the short distance down to Arts in the Park. Arts in the Park is a very large gathering of vendors selling hand made art and crafts. And it is in the park! There are so many talented artists showcasing their work and their methods. We walked around for 2 hours looking at beautiful artwork created in all kinds of mediums as well as amazing handmade crafts including jewelry, glass, pottery, and other materials. Melissa even found a specific vendor she had been looking for all day. It is so easy to miss things because the show is so big. 

It was a busy and fun day. Getting out of the house to see all the great things RVA has to offer and spending time with Melissa was a great start to the weekend. And that was only Saturday. I recommend the "ASK 5K - Arts in the Park" weekend extravaganza to everyone. If you are from out of town, these events are worth traveling for in my mind. Thankfully, I live close by to all these great events and activities. I hope to chronicle more RVA events in the future as I work on getting out more and interacting with people and places. 

  

Goodbye 2018 - Hello 2019

Post Race Blues 😞

After completing Ironman Arizona in November of 2019, I have to admit, I was slightly bummed about the way things went. I have yet to crack the Ironman code and have a perfect race. Chattanooga was probably my best performance overall but I still think I can do better. After the race, I started thinking about what I wanted to do in 2019. Did I want to try another Ironman? Did I want to give a full Ironman a break? Did I want to try doing an ultra trail running race? Did I want to take a break from structured training?  One idea I toyed with was doing a self-supported Ironman on my own. Basically a Will Turner style race. I had already committed to Ironman 70.3 Virginia in early May but other than that, I was not sure what I would be interested in doing. 

In these situations, when there is uncertainty or perhaps some moodiness, it is probably best not to make any decisions at all. So, I talked to my coach and talked about some options. After talking with him, I decided I would just try to enjoy a little time off and not worry about 2019 for a while. 

I took one entire week off where I did not do any workouts. I mostly went to work and ate a lot. It seemed like I was hungry every couple of hours for 2 to 3 weeks after Ironman Arizona. Melissa and I relived our trip and looked at finisher videos and photos and let her amazing accomplishment sink in. For the next two weeks I did not do much. I did a few very short runs and swims for a total about 2 hours of training per week for the next two weeks. But then, after my three week hiatus, I was ready to get back to it. On the 4th week after Ironman Arizona, I managed to put together a solid 10 hours of swim, bike, run training. After that, I was ready to start ramping things up. I was back to 10-12 hours of training. My shoulder still was not 100 percent but it felt good to be back in the groove. 

New Years 

For New Years, we traveled up to my hometown of Vienna, VA to visit with my family. I took my bike and running gear of course. On the the day before New Year's Eve, I went on a ride with some Vienna friends.  The temperature would have kept me inside in Richmond but I was determined to try to ride outside more in the winter and committed to meet some cyclist friends on the bike trail for a 2 hour ride. Boy, did it not disappoint. Riding with these two guys was so much fun. No expectations, no rigidity. Just an organic ride with a few short attacks on the hills and some easy segments where we conversed about everything from cycling to soccer to everything in between. We ended up with 40+ miles and it felt so good. That was my longest ride since IMAZ and really made me feel like my fitness was returning. 

While out on the ride, I noticed a sign on the trail advertising a New Year's Eve 5K which would be taking place the next day at 4 PM. Well, I could not pass that up. So I registered for the race. The next day, I ran to the start from my Mom's house which was about 2 miles down the bike trail. I did not know what the course would be like other than the fact that part of it would be on the bike trail. I was looking forward to a nice flat course. But when the gun went off, we turned onto a road that went up a nice little hill. I heard someone say, "This is not the steep hill." Great. "I was not aware there would be any hills" went through my mind which is sort of a little joke I say sometimes when running up a hill in a race just to be silly. I did not say it out loud on this particular day. But after a few more hills, the course did flatten out and we were running down the bike trail. From here, it was a simple out and back. As I approached the turnaround, I started counting the front runners so I could see what place I was in overall.  

I was in 25th place when I went around the turnaround cone. I could see a few people ahead of me and it looked like I was gaining on them slightly. From the turnaround back to the finish there was a false flat. I had run and biked this part of the trail very often and knew that the subtle up hill could feel like nothing on a good day. But with some fatigue and a headwind, it could slow you down a bit. But I kept trudging along. I picked off a few younger runners who had perhaps not paced themselves well. And then I had a little boost as my brother Erik and his wife Melissa were standing on the trail outside the local brewery and gave me a nice cheer. That was all I needed to help me claw myself into 19th place. And then, there was one more person in front of me who I managed to pipe at the line for 18th overall. 

After the race, I checked my results and saw that I had won my age group (M50-59). Wow! That was unexpected. The prize was a one hour massage. Not too shabby for a last minute entry. After collecting my gift card, I ran back to my Mom's house in the dark on the bike trail. Luckily, the moonlight was strong enough that I could see plenty well. It was a little creepy but there were still a few bikers and runners out there here and there. 

After I got home, I had a quick bite and we went to Erik's house for his annual New Year's Eve party where I had lots of fun talking to folks I had not seen in years. It was probably the most fun I had had a party in quite a while. 

First Race in 2019

On January 12th, I competed in another 5K, the first race of 2019.  Melissa and I both did the Run4Meg charity 5K.  It was a chilly January morning but after warming up for the race, I decided to run in shorts. It had been about 2 weeks since the last 5K and I had put together another couple weeks of solid training leading up to the event. When the gun went off, I found myself in about 5th place after the fist few minutes. I was going at pretty good pace, slightly faster than my New Year's Eve 5K pace. The first 3 runners were pulling away from me but I still had 4th place in my sights. Sightly past the half way point, I saw Melissa who was racing. She was going in the opposite direction as I had already reached the turnaround. She gave me a nice cheer which gave me a boost and I was able to pass the guy in 4th place. Now I just had to hold him off. I pressed down on the gas pedal ever so slightly and took a look over my shoulder. He was not able to react. So I held that pace for another half mile or so before turning up the heat for the last quarter of a mile. I ended up 4th overall and 1st Masters Male which entitled me to a $50 gift card at a local running store. Melissa has since used this prize to get some new shoes. After all, what's mine is hers. 

2019 Plans

So far, these are the events I have planned for 2019. There are a few I still have to register for but this is pretty much what I have in mind so far. 

• April 13th - Monument Ave 10k
• May 5th - Ironman 70.3 VA
• May 6th through the 10th - Beach Vacation
• May 11th - Cap to Cap Century with some extra miles
• May 17th through 19th - Riverrock Trail Trio - 5K Friday, 10K Saturday, 13.1 on Sunday
• June 2 - Independence Olympic Triathlon
• July 13th - Allen Stone Braveheart Run/Swim/Run 
• September 13th, 14th, 15th - Savage Man - Big Savage (Friday Prologue Swim/Run/Swim/Run/Swim/Run, Saturday Olympic Triathlon, Sunday Half Iron distance Triathlon.

Jeff A. Reed Memorial 1st Annual 5K and 1 Mile Walk

This past weekend we participated in a 5K. It was the first annual Jeff A. Reed Memorial 5K and 1 Mile walk. Jeff was a cousin of a friend of mine who was killed fighting in Iraq (friend's family pictured above). The event was a fund raiser for his memorial fund. Here is a snippet from the jeffreedmemorial.org web site:

"The Jeffrey A. Reed Memorial Fund, which was founded in 2010, serves as a memorial to Sgt. Jeffrey Reed, of Chesterfield, Virginia, who died of combat wounds in Iraq in March of 2009.

Founded in order to carry on Jeff's spirit of service and helping others, the fund works to raise awareness about the needs of veterans, specifically those from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, the fund provides financial support to existing organizations that serve this population, both on a local and national level."

Since this was the first annual race, there were not a whole lot of people racing. In the picture below you can see all the runners at the starting line getting the last minute instructions from the race director. You can see that the field is pretty small compared to more established races but this was their first one. Hopefully it will grow each year.

I decided that I would try to run this race pretty hard. Looking around at the other runners, I thought there was a good chance I could be in the top of the field if I had a decent race. Many were there just to have fun or get their daily jog in for a good cause. But I like to give it my all pretty much all the time so I was determined to run fast.

Below are a few pictures of the beginning of the race.


The course started out with one loop around the track before heading down the road and into the woods for a nice loop around some very pleasant trails. Below is a picture that shows me in the lead after two thirds of the one loop around the track. As you can see, there is one person behind me who I was slowly pulling away from.


Here is a picture of Melissa coming around in her first lap. Or another way to describe this picture is this way. Here is a picture of a guy getting chicked by Melissa.


After rounding the track and heading out to the road, I could see that I had a small lead over the second place runner. But I have a habit of going out too fast and slowing down in the middle of a race so I knew I would have to focus on maintaining my pace in order to guarantee that no one would catch me. It was fun because for the first time, I was running directly behind the pace bicycle. There were a few little rolling dips on the trail. I took advantage of the slight downhills to pick up speed and put more distance between me and the rest of the field.

As I made my way back to the track for my last loop to the finish, I noticed that there was no one behind me and I knew I had the race wrapped up. I could have slowed down at that point but when I hit the track I could see the walkers doing their 1 mile (4 laps on the track). When the teenage children of my friends saw me enter the track, they started running. They did not want me to run 3 miles in less time than it took them to walk 1 mile. The younger boy did not last long. The older child who is a high school senior was getting close to the finish line. But I put the hammer down and ran by her, shouting out her name as I whizzed by. Afterwards, I would look at my race data and notice that my best pace was 4:24 minute mile and that my max heart rate for the race was 197 beats per minute. I really did put the hammer down. Wow.

My total time was 21.39 which is not bad for a guy my age. And while that is not really a fast time for most races, it was enough to win this small local 5K. The race was quite fun and since it was the first one, I guess that means I get the course record too. It was also great to see my friends and catch up with them. And Barb always takes such great pictures. Maybe I can get her to come out to some of our other events.

Thanks for reading.

Thanksgiving Recap

I am a little behind the times but wanted to bring everyone up to date. This past Thanksgiving we continued with tradition and traveled North to PA to visit with Melissa's family. The whole gang was there with a total of 24 people for Thanksgiving dinner. Diane and Scott are such amazing hosts and really know how to make everyone feel comfortable and well fed. My thanks goes out to the whole family for their hospitality.

Besides the tradition of having Thanksgiving with Melissa's whole family, we also have another tradition that we followed again this year. On Thanksgiving morning we all go to the Gobble Wobble 5K run and 2 mile walk at a nearby YMCA. Last year, I was a spectator due to my knee issues. In fact, I remember being in great pain during the whole stay last year. But this year, I had planned to run the 5k. I was hoping to run it barefoot but did not get enough barefoot training in to make that happen. In fact, after the Shenandoah Mountain 100 at the beginning of September, I want on 1 long run and then only 2 or 3 very short runs. In the weeks leading up to the 5K, I did not run at all. BUT and this is a big But, I have been doing P90X and swimming so I knew I was in great shape.

As it turns out, I got a PR at the 5K. I ran the hilly course in 23.08 which is about a 7.27 pace. Considering I had not been running hardly at all and taking into consideration the hilly course, I thought that was a good accomplishment for me. Melissa also PR'd and ran the whole course with out stopping at all. She really burned up the course and I really proud of her accomplishments. The fact that both of us did so well is a testament to the benefits of doing P90X and swimming.

Since we got back from Thanksgiving, all I have been able to think about is training and racing. I have been pretty jazzed about my run time at the 5K and am looking forward to doing some triathlons this spring as well as the Shenandoah Mountain 100 at the end of the summer.

For the past several New Years, Melissa and I have sat down and put together goals and plans for the coming year. This year we will be planning our training and race schedule. We also are looking forward to a system reboot starting in the new year. After watching the movie "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" we have decided to try a juice fast.

The system reboot is really not a fast. It is a 15 day program of eating certain foods to help the body detoxify, give the colon a break, and reset the pallet so healthier foods are more desirable. During the middle 5 days, only fresh juices are consumed. Not the kind you buy in the store, but the kind you make at home with a juicer. I will post an example of the 15 day plan at the end of this blog.

Well that about wraps it up for now. We are continuing with our swimming and P90X for now. In future blogs, I plan to summarize the "results" of our 90 days of P90X, as well as lay out my training and race plans. Of course, I have lots of shopping to do too.

Here is an example "Reboot" plan from the jointhereboot.com website.

Day 1

Breakfast

Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

Lunch

Arugula, Fennel, Avocado Salad

Afternoon Snack

Carrot Ginger Soup

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Portobello Mushroom Caps (2) with Fresh Salsa and Guacamole

Steamed Kale with Garlic

Herbal Tea

---

Day 2

Breakfast

Grapefruit

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

Lunch

Shredded Carrot, Fennel, Radish, Cabbage, Celery Salad with Fresh Dill, Lemon

Afternoon Snack

Steamed Cauliflower with Fresh Lemon, Sea Salt and Pepper, and/or Carrot Ginger Soup

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Stuffed Squash with Mushroom, Leek, Red Pepper

Green Vegetable Soup

Herbal Tea

---

Day 3

Breakfast

Strawberries and Ripe Bananas (up to 2)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Vegetable Juice – Cucumber, Celery, Apple

Lunch

Green Salad with Radish, Fennel, Red Pepper and Fresh Dill

Afternoon Snack

Green Veggie Soup

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Roasted Beets and Sweet Potato

Steamed Kale

Herbal Tea

---

Day 4

Breakfast

Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

Lunch

Seaweed Salad with Avocado

Afternoon Snack

Carrot, Celery, and Cucumber sticks with Guacamole

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Steamed Kale with Ginger-Honey-Soy dressing

Herbal Tea

---

Day 5

Breakfast

Strawberries and Ripe Bananas (up to 2)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Vegetable Juice – Cucumber, Celery, Apple

Lunch

Cabbage Salad with Carrot, Cucumber and Fennel

Afternoon Snack

Veggie Broth

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Roasted Sweet Potato

Steamed Kale with Garlic

Herbal Tea

*See recipes under HOW TO MAKE tab for a variety of choices.

---

Just Juice.

Day 6 – Day 10

• There are three main types of juices: Fruit juices, Vegetable juices and Green juices. Examples from each category are below. On a typical day of juicing, we suggest having 3-4 juices, at least 16 oz. each. Ideally, 2 of these juices will be Green. Take a look below for some combos and feel free to experiment!

• JUICING Tips *Have a cup of hot water and lemon first thing every morning, along with at least 16 oz. of filtered (if possible) water. *Remember to drink water throughout the day, in between juices. Juices do not replace water intake. *Apple/Pear is optional in all juices. Feel free to omit. It is permissible to use 1-2 Apples or Pears per juice. *Lemon, Lime and Ginger Root can be added to any juice. *Each juice should be at least 16 oz. *Have Celery juice or Coconut water after a workout or sauna, to replace electrolytes and re-hydrate the system. *Do not drink too much liquid before bedtime. *Keep fruit juices to a minimum until you know how your body reacts (fruit is the most cleansing of all, in other words, it passes through the body most quickly.)

  
  

  TYPICAL DAY OF JUICING

  First thing

  Hot Water with Lemon (gentle cleanser) plus a separate glass of Water, at least 16 oz. (for hydration)

  Morning

  Fresh Fruit Juice

  Mid-Morning

  Fresh Vegetable Juice

  Early Afternoon

  Fresh Green Juice

  Mid-Afternoon

  Herbal Tea or Coconut Water, fresh if possible

  Evening

  Fresh Green Juice

  Night

  Herbal Tea or Coconut Water, fresh if possible

  
  

  JUICE EXAMPLES

  Fruit Juices

  *Green Apple

  *Apple, Pear, Ginger

  
  

  Vegetable Juices

  *Carrot, Apple, Beet, Ginger

  *Cucumber, Fennel, Celery, Spinach

  
  

  Green Juices

  *Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Green Apple, Lemon

  *Romaine Hearts, Kale, Spinach, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Ginger

  *See recipes under HOW TO MAKE tab for a variety of choices.

  ---

  Day 11

  Breakfast

  Bowl of Fresh Pineapple

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Arugula and Avocado Salad

  Afternoon Snack

  Vegetable Soup

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Baked Zucchini with Tomatoes and Herbs

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 12

  Breakfast

  Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Cucumber Salad with Baked Sweet Potato

  Afternoon Snack

  Vegetable Soup

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Roasted Brussels sprouts

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 13

  Breakfast

  Grapefruit Wedges with Raisins (up to 4 oz. of dried fruit)

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Arugula and Fennel Salad

  Afternoon Snack

  Raw Carrot Ginger Soup with Lime

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Steamed Broccoli and Spinach with Roasted Garlic Cloves

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 14

  Breakfast

  Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Seaweed Salad with Watermelon Radish

  Afternoon Snack

  Sweet Potato/Yams and Carrot "Fries"

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 15

  Breakfast

  Bowl of Fresh Pineapple

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Raw Mixed Greens with Cauliflower Mash

  Afternoon Snack

  Coconut Water, fresh if possible

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Garam Masala Collard Greens

  Herbal Tea

  *See recipes under HOW TO MAKE tab for a variety of choices.

  **********

  CONGRATULATIONS!