Just finishing a face-lift for my blog, to begin my training log for the 2013 edition of Team iN Training-MA/NH/ME, for the Lake Tahoe century ride (America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride). I hope to include only interesting information here, including some more vivid descriptions of the action. Stay tuned for the planning details and the as-run results.

The route of the Rome Marathon March 20, 2011

Visualizza Maratona di Roma: racecourse 2010 in una mappa di dimensioni maggiori

Start + Finish
	KM 5
	KM 10
	KM 15
	KM 20
	Half Marathon - 21,097km
	KM 25
	KM 30
	Percorso Maratona
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	KM 7,5 + Spugnaggio / Sponging
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	KM 12,5 + Spugnaggio / Sponging
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	KM 17,5 + Spugnaggio / Sponging
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	KM 22,5 + Spugnaggio / Sponging
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	KM 27,5 + Spugnaggio / Sponging
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	KM 32,5 + Spugnaggio / Sponging
	KM 35
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	KM 37,5 + Spugnaggio / Sponging
	KM 40
	Rifornimento / Refreshment
	Ultimo Chilometro - Last Kilometre

Man vs Mooseman - Bike Training in Chicago

It may sound a bit strange to suggest that a naturalized New Englander should travel to Chicago to do cycle training a week before a Triathlon, but that is what I have done. I hadn't been to the City in more than 20 years, other than to connect flights going elsewhere, when a friend of mine (art historian and teacher Luc Travers) invited me to attend his informal lecture/presentation at the Art Institute. Well, I'll admit I had perhaps only been to the Art Institute once in my life before that, and it had been such a busy trip that I had no memories of it. I may not even have any photos from that visit, and if I had, they are tucked away waiting to be filed in old attic boxes.

Still, I jumped at the chance to go to Chicago, and when I replied that I'd be attending the lecture on Facebook, another Objectivist friend (Cloud) invited me to ride with him the day before near Crystal Lake. Upon further investigation, I found a nice place downtown to rent a road bike, and Cloud was happy to send information to me about getting to Crystal Lake by train.

While this was quite a trip involving the EL, airport shuttles, CTA buses, and a Metra Train, I managed to get out to meet Cloud, for what became a 50-mile flat ride through some nice farming areas, not to mention the Crystal Lake itself. It was bright sunshine all afternoon, and blisteringly hot standing still, but the breeze and the head-wind made the cycling perfect. While I've found I am in no kind of shape to do long breezy rides (in excess of 45 miles) these days, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Cloud was very patient with me, allowing me to draft him most of the way back from our foray out westward, heading back into a steady eastern breeze.

Well, I was too slow to make my train back to town at 6PM. Cloud's wife Bonnie even tried to help me make the train at 6PM by picking me up on the way back in their cargo van, but just as well, we weren't able to make the earlier train. I was rewarded (!) with a nice dinner and apple crisp, along with good company  and hopefully friendships that can endure. There was an 8PM coming later on. I was back to my Midway Airport area hotel by 10:30PM, a little worn out, but none the worse for wear.

Cloud also set me up with another rider for Sunday afternoon, along the shore of Lake Michigan. A 2006 Chicago bike map shows a reasonable number of recommended Chicago streets for bikers, as well as a sexy looking lake-shore bike route that was bound to be worth at least a brief run. Jason took me south along the lake shore path for at least 10 miles, this time into the breeze first, so we could sail back north easily in time to return my rental bike. I was much too street-soiled to expect to eat downtown after the ride, so I returned to the airport area, where I treated myself to a stuffed pizza-and-beer supper. We train so we can eat.

I'd have loved to have my wife or my sons join me on the trip, but they wouldn't have liked the bike rides as much as I did. I'm sure they'd have been able to amuse themselves adequately while I cycled, especially at the lake shore. BTW, the art lecture was excellent and very enjoyable; quite a contrast from the brisk pace of the cycle runs. I wonder what art works can elicit the visceral sensations of a 50-miler? Maybe I'd better just have two scrap books for this trip after all.

Man vs Mooseman - Open Water Swim

It was bound to happen eventually! We've finally done some open-water swimming two weeks before the race. It happened on Sunday, May 22 at Upper Mystic Lake in Winchester, MA. Now there wouldn't have been anything so tough about getting to lake water in MA, except that we've had so much rain that most of the open water has been closed, to swimmers that is, until now. We must have done about 1000 yards in various intervals, mostly getting used to the feel of our wetsuits. It was chilly enough letting the unheated water inside the rubber panels, but I really didn't find it bad at all standing out there for the photos and the lessons. Moving through the water was surprisingly easy, even though the full-armed suit can be rather confining. Once I was confident enough that I could rock and roll out there far enough to get a clear breath on either side in my freestyle stroke, it started to be fun. I'm pretty confident now that I'll have no real trouble getting through the 1500 meter swim at Newfoundlake on June 5. But lemme tell  you something: about 90% of these folks can out-paddle me out there, and it's going to take some discipline just to stay in my own groove.

One of the little games I play with my would-be donors is to ask them which one of the team is actually me in the picture. So I'll set that up again here: where am I in the photo above? To find out the answer, check out my fund-raising web page at http://www.teamintraining.org/ma/moose10/dgraessle.

Man vs Mooseman - Fundraising

My fund-raising team and I have come a long way from my slow start in February, to the pre-race fund-raising deadline of 21 May 2010, last Friday. While I have raised the minimum required ($2700) earlier on, I have also sent out mailings, emails, made Facebook appeals, and talked this up with friends and colleagues. Many have responded. I have taken to calling all my donors and I my fund-raising team, to incorporate the Team concept we use with Team In Training. While each of us has our own web page and individual resources, we watch each others progress, and attend one another's fund-raisers, and share ideas to generate more dollars for our cause--to eliminate blood cancers in our lifetime.

Currently, my dollar total stands at $4600, just $400 short of my goal of $5000.  I know a number of people who have broken that figure in single events they've done over each of the previous three years I've worked with TNT. My team of donors and I want to make a habit of breaking that $5k barrier every year. I know that means a higher an higher percentage of what we raise goes to support research for new drugs and treatment systems, as well as support for families of (first-hand) cancer-fighters. So if you haven't joined my donors team yet, there is still time. Let's try to close this out by June 5, race day. I need 16 more of you to do it. See my Facebook profile page, or my Team web page at http://pages.teamintraining.org/ma/moose10/dgraessle. Thank you!

Man vs Mooseman: Training in Wisconsin

I just spent three days in Madison with my wife and son. Evan (Numba 2 Son) is considering attending at U-Wisconsin next year, so this was his orientation date. We got to sample some of Madison's almost infinite array of restaurants, look over the lakes and parks, and renew old acquaintances.

I also got to do 2 quick 20-mile bike rides for training since I was away from the Team for a while, and missed two more practice sessions. I should have had the camera along with me for the rides, and at least taken a photo of the very fine bike I rented from Budget Bicycle Shops in Madison. It was a Fuji Race Team 2010 model, all composite down to the cranks, and light as a feather. Even a little lighter than my own Felt F-55 aluminum, and I scarcely got out of breath on the thing, it was so easy to ride.

We kept up a pretty good pace through both rides, both of them through the UW-Madison Arboretum area, to the southwest of town, and onto a southern bike path heading east, then north up to the west side of Lake Monona to the Isthmus near the Capital building. Then back west to the InnTowner Motel. I took the bike for granted the whole way, never even worrying about chain jams or shift problems. It was new, and pretty darn tight in its operation.

Then I found out the thing sells for $4040.00! I had guessed only half that much. Oh well, at least I had it for 40 miles. Like the pretty thing you used to admire but never got to kiss. :-) My Felt will have to do for the foreseeable future. Think I'll just get her a new chain...

Man vs Mooseman - Fundraising

The Moose is on the loose!

(But this time, he's been able to keep his wallet put away. My donors are large and in charge!)

Our fund-raising efforts are bearing significant fruit now, as my donors and I have accumulated over $3800, which is 76% of the goal I set last month. I want to raise at least $5000 to fight blood-related cancers in this Triathlon campaign, by the deadline of 21 May 2010. That means we all still have more than one month to get there. Don't be discouraged even by the 66% my fund-raising page with TNT is showing--That doesn't include over $300 in checks that are still being processed by Paycor for the LLS. And more are on the way, I'm sure, in the snail mail. So I don't think Bullwinkle or his buddies will be shelling out late in the game this time to put us over the top.

I'd like to remind anyone still interested in contributing to my favorite cause here, that the fastest, safest way to join my proud team of donors is to use that little green "DONATE NOW" button on my TNT page, and also on my Facebook Profile page. You can use a credit card or cash card with limited personal information, and the donation is credited right away to my Paycor account. A check works, too, but takes Paycor two additional weeks to process. Checks must be made payable to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and mailed to my home address, or hand it to me next time you see me!