2010 Triathlon Training

Here's a picture of me working out on my bike trainer during my Preparation period of my triathlon training. I will be starting my Base 1 training this Monday.

I'm still working on my swimming and hopefully I'll be ready for the June King Pine Tri.

2009's Garlic Harvest

I have been growing garlic for many years.

Last September I planted 90 cloves and I harvest 89 heads this year.

After I planted the cloves last year, I slowly covered the bed with leaves, to insulate them during the winter. After all the leaves are in the bed, I cover the bed with bird netting, so the leaves will not blow away and to keep cats out of it.

In the spring, as it warms up, I slowly take the leaves out of the bed. All the garlic shoots are yellow and quickly turn green.

After all the leave are off, I feed the bed with blood meal, then I put a layer of compost over the whole bed. Then I put shredded leaves in the bed as a mulch.

When there are only 4 green leaves left, I harvest the garlic.

Since we had a wet season, I'm letting the garlic dry for three weeks.

After the garlic is dry, I save 90 cloves for next years crop, which I'll plant the second week of September.

http://community.webshots.com/album/574148042nrwyyz

The York Day 5K

7/26/09

This morning I did my first race. It was the York Day 5K. We left the house at 6:30am to get to York High School early.

When we got there, we went inside the school to register. My number was 536. I got my number and timing chip.

Around 7:30am I did a 15 minute warm-up run. It felt good.

I saw Jenifer and the kids when I got back. Then I had to rush over to the start line.

There were a lot of people at the start line. It took me a while but I made it to the back.

While I was waiting to start, it started to rain.

Soon the gun went off and we started the race.

I was nervous since it was my first race. I was surprised how easy it was running in a group.

I kept a consistent pace. I tried to drink water at the 1 mile marker but I spilled 1/2 of it and had a sip and some went up my nose.

I picked up some speed at the last right hand turn towards the finish line. 1/2 way to the finish, I sprinted. While sprinting to the line, someone said "Farmer Bob!". I lifted up my arms then crossed the finish line.

After crossing the finish line, the commentator said "Here are the people who finished under 29 minutes.

I grabbed a piece of watermelon and found Jenifer, Ryan and Krista.

They posted the preliminary times and if I read it right, I was 71/97 and ran it at 27:13.

This was an excellent race and I can't wait for the next one.

Time Trial Training

For the last several months, I've been training for an Individual Time Trial on August 30th in Cumberland Maine.

I start the ride at Spinelli Cinema's parking lot in Barrington, NH. I head south on Rt. 125 to Lee Traffic Circle. I go around the circle then head north back to Spinelli. It's 8.3 miles.

While I was heading south, I heard "on the left" and a bike rider pulled up. He asked me how far I was going and I told him. He said something and took off.

I thought about keeping up with him but I kept to my own pace.

Traffic in the circle was a bit tricky but I made it.

Heading back to Spinelli, I was making good time but my body told me that one run was enough

I've been wanting to do two laps but I will start in August.

It's a good ride and hopefully it will help my chances for the Peak Performance Maine Time Trial Series #12 of 13 in August.

My Tri Training.

On weekends when I get a chance, I will do My Tri.

My Tri consists of first practicing breathing techniques in our pool for 10 minutes, with wetsuit, cap and goggles on. Then from the pool I go to T1, strip off my wetsuit and do a flying mount onto my bike. Then I ride 16 miles. When I get back to my house, I do a flying dismount to T2. Then I put my shoes on and run 3 miles.

This is a great practice and I can't wait to swim better so I can compete in an actual Triathlon.

2009 Aggieman Triathlon

This was the second Tri that I volunteered for this year. It was another excellent experience.

I got to the start line at 5am. Soon I joined Jeff and Orville to set up the transition racks in T1. When that was done, I hung out and watched people setting up their transition areas.

After the swim, I helped Jennifer with calling out the athlet's number so she could mark it down plus the time. When the Kayaker's were done, I had to call out the time. That was fun.

I waited for the last bike rider to leave T1, then I had to drive the bike route and tell the Road Marshalls that the race was over and I had to pick up the caution flags and vests.

I didn't pass the last bike riders until I was on Rt.236. When I took a right onto Rt. 9, I pulled over and waited. When the last bike rider passed, I followed her slowly.

When the bike riders were on Mountain Rd., I passed them and stopped at T2.

I saw Tim, Stu and Chris there (fellow Riptide members) and we waited for the last riders to show up.

After they showed up, I head up the mountain.

I got to the top and hung out. I ate some food and listened to the results.

Hopefully I'll be ready next year to do Aggieman.

My Tri

6/12/09:
This morning I did my own Triathlon.
For the swim, I spent 10 minutes practicing breathing and kicking in my kids 12’x3’ pool, with the help of a kick board. Then I ran from the pool to T1.
Before I put on my wetsuit, I lubed up with sun screen. I wanted to see if that would help me take my wetsuit off faster. When I took the upper half of the wetsuit off, it got stuck on my left wrist. My watch was on the outside of the wetsuit. So I had to pull it back up to take the watch off. When I took off the lower half, it came off easily. Maybe next time I’ll try Pam on my wrists.
Then I put on my Tri top (still scraping cash together for a Riptide top), jersey, sunglasses and helmet. My sunglasses fogged up so I couldn’t use them. Then I did a flying mount onto my bike and I was off.
For the bike ride, I rode 16.4 miles through Berwick and N. Berwick on very hilly terrain. It took a while getting use to riding without sunglasses.
When I got close to T2, I undid my shoes and did a flying dismount. I took off my helmet and jersey, and then put my shoes on. This took a long time, since I haven’t gotten Yankz yet.
My legs were very stiff on the beginning of the 3 mile run. I kept a consistent pace and I sprinted up my driveway to the finish line.
My Tri took me 1.36.
It was an excellent workout and it is now part of my Triathlon Training.