A Life With Purpose

2011 Furnace Creek 508 Race Summary

2011-10-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

My Crew
What should I make of the fact that two of my past crew members (of three) did not want to crew for me again? Not much really since my sisters, Machiko and Naoko, swore that they would never, never ever crew again. Apparently it left them traumatized and needing too many weeks to recover. Regardless, 508 Hall of Fame and RAAM finisher Gary "Bear" Baierl was back again along with our friends Pete "Just hand me my 4 Monster Drinks and I'll take the entire night shift while everyone else can sleep" Petersen and Michele "I will never ever crew again" Neri making for a completely veteran 508 race crew. I think Michele has said that after every race. My crew were all rockstars and I couldn't have done it without them.

Early morning the first day. Pete (left), Gary (right), and Michele (in front)

Training
I was prepared. In my first attempt, I thought I knew what I was in for having crewed for Gary several times. However, piloting the car behind your race is not the same thing as racing. I was a rookie and I made many mistakes. i learned from my past mistakes and was anticipating a finish in record time. If you know me, I'm not much for training especially if it's cold and/or windy...I just love to race. I had trained...this time around. I went on multiple 100 and +150 mile bike rides. I rode in unbearably hot weather, rode against powerful headwinds, climbed mountains and then some, and dodged/cussed out too many cars to count (at least two for each training ride). A month leading up to the race, I signed up last minute for a 12 hour race in Oregon called the Ring of Fire put on by the same race organizers that put on RAAM (Race Across AMerica) and the Race Across Oregon. I did remarkably well considering that I was the only unsupported rider in 103 to 105 weather...and somehow finished first. My friend and another 508 Hall of Famer and RAAM finisher, Jim "Pancake Tortoise" Ryan, finished 3rd overall in the 24 hour race division. And even with all that training, racing, and prep work, I was reminded very early on that a good fast race is never certain.
Pre-race
With a veteran crew by my side, it was hard not to be impressed at how quickly we finished all the necessary pre-race preparations from bike and vehicle setup with all the necessary signage and lighting to the much needed trip to the grocery store for ice, beverages, and food. Some items bought for myself were Ensure, Startbucks Frappaccinos, Bananas, Snickers, Fig Newtons, Water, Ice, and a first for me - 5 hour energy. As usual my crew had carte blanche but ended up with the usual list of "crew" food to last them the next two days: Monster drinks, beef jerky, cashews, potato chips, coke, etc. After the pre-race meeting, my team along with Jim Ryan and his crew of Paul Kingsbury, Wanda Tocci, and Lehrin Morey met up at Chili's where we ate our last "real" meal and let our hair down before game time the next morning. I was ready for the 509.6 miles and over 35,000 feet of climbing by the time I went to bed.

Furnace Creek 508 Race
It's funny how things can go wrong so quickly and then spiral down from there. I can't remember who said it at the finish line at 4:04:44AM, but "I definitely got my money's worth from the event"..yup I did.

My view of the desert was unobstructed and beautiful. Unfortunately, this was my crew's view for most of the race

I felt really good at the start of the race and had planned a fast finish time of 36 hours by easing off and pacing myself. Unlike my 2008 race, the winds were non-existent throughout much of the first section. After Towne's Pass, the winds were relatively calm with sections of a slight headwind, but nothing more. I was in the front of the pack riding at my own pace and feeling super strong with tons in reserve. However within the first 30 miles of riding, my right lower back quickly seized up on me with intense pain. Jim and I were playing leapfrog up until that point when noticed something that I didn't want to admit. He had his crew give me some Advil which I took without question. And shortly thereafter at the next stop and junction without knowing what was happening, I was forced off my bike by both Jim's and my crew. All I knew was that several riders were passing me and I still had no idea what was going on...I was a bit frustrated, angry, and confused. At the same time Michele was putting a PBJ sandwich to my mouth, Pete's hands were on my back area rubbing it with some creamy substance. i was taken completely off guard but I was never so happy as to the moment I took in the cool smell of menthol followed shortly by that warm/cool sensation on my back. While I was being worked on, Jim's crew lowered my seat a bit to giving me a little relief from the new riding position (in cycling a few millimeters makes a big difference). It helped a bit, but in a race like this one, it was only time until the pain came back or showed up as something else.

Basically, I rode through the pain and the remaining 479.6 miles knowing I invested so much into the race. My back issues created other problems which made an already painful race that much more painful and slow. First came the pain and tightness in my shoulder and neck. Then I quickly developed sharp pains on the inside part of my left knee (where i had previously torn my MCL) and then the same type of pain in my right knee. It was my body straining from compensating with each new injury. For example, a person with an injured leg would support it by shifting most of their weight on their other leg (the good leg). But in doing so, one always risks injury as the good leg not accustomed to the added stress, pressure, and weight. And because I was on my bike for a good 9 hours longer than I was planning for, I also developed really intense saddle sores. Oh I almost forgot to mention that I I developed a mild case of heat stroke on the second day as I headed out of Baker (about 400 miles into the race). It took me to the side of the road in a sitting position with my head between my knees looking for any respite from the mid-day desert heat knowing that there was none. The pain slowed me down incredibly.

After a little heat stroke took me out of the race for 30 mins

I pushed through all this pain, but also noticed something that I never quite addressed before. I couldn't help but be reminded of why I love this race. I can always rely on my crew's amazing support and their support of other riders, but there's a camaraderie amongst all the riders and crew with an unspoken understanding that this is not just a race. And throughout it all, I heard and received everyone's words of encouragement and support regardless of whether they knew who I was or not. Chris Ragsdale, a past winner of the 508 and pretty cool guy, crewed for Bob Brudvik this year instead of riding. His words of encouragement had a lasting impression especially for the fact that I blew up even before the race began...although he may not have known it at the time. He was a friend from that point and for the many miles leading into the first night as Bob was somewhat close by.

I really struggled with the night shift during my first race. And right on cue at 3AM, I began to feel really drowsy. Upon Chris' and Bob's suggestion, Coke and 5 hour energy worked great...it really does taste like Cherry Coke. I don't consume caffeine so I started off with just half the bottle of 5 hour energy. I joked to Pete about the effects lasting only 2.5 hours since I only took half, but all joking aside, it was dead on give or take 30 mins with the added help of the Coke. It's amazing how much energy you find in yourself and how awake you become once the sun begins to rise in the distance.
The pain took a lot out of me. I was so exhausted and found it would take everything I had to get me up the last several mountain climbs. I would literally focus on one pedal revolution at a time. I was heeding the advice I gave to my dad just the other day, "Looking at the big picture can become overwhelming and daunting. Breakdown your race/journey/treatment into smaller, more manageable steps." Most times it was one pedal revolution every three to four seconds; the next pedal revolution happening just as my momentum started shifting in the opposite direction...PEDAL-rest-rest-rest-PEDAL-rest-rest-rest-PEDAL-rest-rest-rest.... What got me through a lot of the tough times was looking at my yellow LIVESTRONG bracelet and finding inside me the resolve of most cancer patients. I thought about many of my friends who have battled cancer (some who are no longer with us and the many others who have survived) and about my Dad and the journey he is enduring. With a little less than 15 miles to the finish line and needing to rest just a second, I slowed to a stop by the side of the road. But instead of standing and straddling the top tube as most cyclists do when at a light, I was in the same position but while lying half-dead on the road. I was now that "man down!" Although sleep deprived my crew quickly came to my aid and got me back on my bike. I think they were done at that point too. I continued to push through a gradual incline into a strong, unrelenting headwind until I reached the finish line.

The road conditions didn't make the race any easier

We arrived at the finish at 4AM for a total of 45 hours 4 minutes and 44 seconds of racing. Jim and his crew were fed, showered, rested and waiting for me at the finish line. Everyone saw my race as inspirational, but I'm not sure if I saw it as such. It was a race that allowed me to defy my own expectations and I was never so happy to be done. Despite all my challenges and intense pain, it's funny to think that quitting never came to mind. It never did...I guess because it's a road that I don't ever want to go down (a slippery slope). I know I gave it everything I had. I am so impressed and forever grateful for my crew's patience, energy, and amazing support. Thank you guys and btw did you know that I am now qualified for a solo attempt at RAAM for the next two years? :-)

Left to right: Paul, Gary, Me, Michele, Lehrin, Wanda, Pete, and Jim

Post-race
The celebration didn't last long as we were dead asleep by 5AM and slept until 8:30AM. I got up a bit earlier and started breaking down the vehicle readying ourselves for breakfast with Jim's team and for the road back home. I have always been pretty fortunate not to feel much soreness after a race, but not wanting to take chances, I kept my body and legs moving as it helps my body recover. For the past 60 or so hours from the start of the race I had a little over 3 hours of sleep...needless to say, I was dead to the world when I fell asleep that evening.

I went swimming several times the next week and went on my first run (6 miles) just the other day. Swimming was good, running for 6 miles was not. I am now completely recovered and looking forward to my next race. June, my fiancé is completely convinced that this race shortens my life, but I'm not saying much in response. But when asked by others if I'll do the race again, all I can say is that the Japanese Macaque will live to ride again...someday. And when I come to writing a blog again the next time around, I only wonder who, if any, of my 2011 race crew wil be back to support me?

* * *
Here's a link of Jim's 508 race summary: http://pancake508.blogspot.com/

Earth Hour - Sat, 3/27 @ 8:30PM (Local Time)

2010-03-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

Can one person doing something so insignificant as switching off their lights really make a difference? Yes, especially if you summed up the efforts of millions doing the same thing.

This Saturday, March 27th at 8:30PM local time, switch off your lights for one hour. Make a difference. Make a statement that says you care.

"On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations." - myearthhour.org

Weekly Advice from Alegup Strategies, Inc.

2010-03-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Alegup Strategies, Inc has started posting weekly advice ranging from personal finances to etiquette to social and environmental responsibility. In an ongoing effort to help those transition into the real world or provide helpful hints to those already in the know, Alegup will continue to post something new and useful every Monday.

Please check out Alegup's Blog. Thank you for your ongoing support.

http://alegupstrategies.blogspot.com/

All My Best,

Jun

Injury - Grade II MCL Tear

2009-04-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

My sister, Naoko, and I got up for a morning surf session and headed down to Pacifica from SF last Saturday. We parked the car and looked out into the Pacific. The water looked cold, but the sets were rollin' in slow with the occasional big set coming through every so often. And since some time had passed since I last went out for a session, I suited up and braved the very cold waters while paddling out pass the breaks.

I caught my first ride early with a big left bottom turn and a short ride before pulling out not wanting to get closed in. I saw my next ride shortly thereafter; the next big set was coming in quick with not much setup time partly cause I was just getting lost in the moment of being out there. It was going to be big and knew that I could make it being a strong paddler. However, my mind and body weren't in sync and I still took off on the wave. I wish I had used more common sense and passed the wave up for what happened next.

Taking off late, I thought I could ride the wave down from the crest (at the top), but then and rather unexpectedly, the bottom dropped out. Everything from that point on seemed to be moving in slow motion. I looked down to find myself standing up midair with my board falling downward already two feet below where my feet should have been planted. Then just as quickly, the board hit the bottom of the wave as my right leg planted onto it hard. Right then, I really thought I could still ride it out. Then that I found my body continuing to follow gravity's pull into the water pushing the super buoyant board into the water with me. Right then something gave out as my board couldn't be pushed into the water any further; my board torpedoed to the right with my right foot still planted to the board while my body continued to fall down and finding my knee bending in a way that it shouldn't.

It didn't feel good...didn't feel good at all; people refer to experiencing good pain and bad pain; this was the bad sort of pain. I kept my right leg and, more so, my right knee completely immobile for the next two minutes while I paddled out of the surf impact zone. It didn't feel very good at all. Doing a quick self assessment, I found that I could move my knees back and forth, but any side action such as an eggbeater made my head feel really light and dizzy. Funny, but all I could think about was what it meant for running. It wasn't but 10 years ago that I despised running distances longer than 3 miles as I'm more of a fast twitch runner. Now, I find sanctuary in being able to run hours on end thinking about everything and, oftentimes, nothing at all. I thought I could tough it out and ride a couple more sets, but that idea didn't last very long as I headed back to shore.

At home, I immediately followed RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate - while taking a fair amount of ibuprofen. The pain I felt while walking was bearable so I didn't think it was bad. I did an self assessment and found myself optimistically wishing that it was just a grade I (strain) MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury while knowing more realistically that it was a grade II tear of my MCL. But after following up with Dr Stephan van Pelt at the St. Francis Depart of Sports Medicine, his prognosis confirmed the worst; I suffered a grade II tear of my MCL (75% to 80%). 15 years ago, they would have operated on my knee, but they have found the tendon to heal faster on it's own without the evasiveness of surgery. Nowadays surgery is a last option and is only considered when it's a complete (100%) tear.

A MCL tear is not much fun and being sedentary really blows. I found myself continually struggling to be patient while being able to muster only 10 mins on the stationary bike (part of my PT routine). Funny, but it was only several months ago that I was riding in a race for 41 hours straight. Oh well...you live and then you learn. Looking at the brighter side of things, I'll use the next two to three months allowing my body to recover from the last several year of trauma I've pushed my body through and making time to get reacquainted with my TV remote again.

North Face Endurance Challenge

2008-12-15T13:14:00.002-08:00

The plan by the end of the 2009 season was to race five long distance races with the last two being ultras. But things don’t always necessarily go according to plan.

Nonetheless, my race season was a successful one. I was able to compete in all the races I set forth for myself this year and more importantly, I was able to raise a lot of money for the ITP Foundation (please click link for info). To be able to do so much with so little feels amazing…who knew that I had so many friends wanting to help me help out a cause that’s personal to me through my athletic endeavors? A big THANK YOU to those that have supported my endeavors throughout the years!

DONE AND DONE
Arizona Marathon (26.2 mile run)
The Relay (199 mile relay race from Calistoga to Santa Cruz)
Ironman Coeur d’Alene (2.4m swim, 112m bike, 26.2m swim)
Furnace Creek 508 (508 mile bike race w/35,000 ft of climbing)
North Face Endurance Challenge ** (10k run)

** The original plan was to compete in the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 mile trail run, but ended up with a strained Achille’s which prevented me from running over 20 miles on my training runs. I ended up switching races at the last minute and competed in the 10k race they were offering. The race went well. I didn't get any speed training in prior to race and was cautious of my injury throughout the run, but placed 3rd in my age group regardless (30 to 39). Got a lot of cool North Face schwag because of it. If I had known, I probably would have started in the front rather than the middle of the pack and saved me the trouble of having to work my way to the front after the race started. Merry Christmas to those of you that find North Face gear in your stockings this year...Ho Ho Ho!

Furnace Creek 508 Ultra Cycling Race Summary

2008-10-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

Training:

For reasons of not wanting my crew to worry about my training and/or fitness, I fibbed about my longest ride being 150 miles. According to my crew captain, Gary Baierl (Furnace Creek 508 Hall of Famer), I should have done at least two 200 mile rides in addition to numerous +100 milers. However, my longest rides were a 100 mile ride (just over 6 hrs) two weeks before the race and a 80 mile ride up in Tahoe two months earlier along with 35 mile rides four to five days a week...and in hindsight, I’d agree with him that my training wasn’t nearly enough to be competitive. It also didn't help that I crashed, a month prior to the race, while on a training ride that tweaked my wrist and my back leaving me off the bike for several days. Nonetheless, I was able to get my head together just before the start, as that's what I've been able to consistently rely on to get me through in all the racing I’ve done prior to this one.

Race:

It was the hardest 41hrs and 35mins of racing and by all accounts was a complete success; my first goal was to finish and secondary goal was to finish sub 44hrs, as I had no idea what I had gotten myself into despite the fact that I had crewed for Team Bear the past two years. The race started at 7am Saturday morning with 82 other solo riders (made up of mostly veterans) and ended the race just after midnight on Monday morning. Thoughts of quitting bounced around my head early on and through the race, but it hasn't gotten the best of me thus far. This race was a test and a way to understand what I’m made of; a test of my mind, against the pain in my body, and against the elements with very little distraction to take away from the reality of the situation. I loved it!!!

I encountered so many different elements making this such a difficult race; cold drizzly fog of race morning, blinding and pin-pricking sandstorms, strong crosswinds, constant headwinds for last half of the race, lighting powerful enough to light up the entire night's sky, rains heavy enough to elicit thoughts of dangerous flash floods conditions, the cold temps of the desert night and the exposed heat during the day, miles and miles of the worst road conditions EVER (partially paved roads with exposed sizeable rocks), and what seemed like a never ending climb for the entire 508 miles with over 35,000 ft of climbing. To put some perspective on things it's like riding a bike from San Francisco to the Mexican border as the crow flies while you climb from sea level to just over 6,000 ft higher than Mt Everest's summit.

Finish:

After having ridden over 490 miles, it was a gradual 2 to 3% grade climb against a strong direct headwind to the finish; like a mirage of the desert, the town lights of Twenty-Nine Palms weren't getting any closer as I rode on. Similar to the watching the clock tick with only 10 minutes before you were excused from class, my progression to the finish seemed to slow down each and every time I asked my crew how much further I had until the turn heading into town, as I was without a bike computer for most of the race. Even more agonizing was passing the fire station on the right with a fair number of miles to go from town you catch a glimpse of the American flag blowing in the direction opposite of where you’re headed. Needless to say, I was spent when I crossed the finish line.

Nutrition:

My diet consisted mostly of liquids (Gatorade, water, Ensure, Perpetuem and YooHoos), but I also benefitted from eating a couple PB&J sandwiches, PowerBars and Cliffbars, and bananas. About 18 hrs into the race, I had trouble with my stomach causing me to purge the two yogurts, YooHoo, water, Tylenols, partial PB&J sandwich and an Ensure that I took at a rest stop 30 minutes prior. That was it for stomach issues, but I felt nauseous for the next 6 hours even after having taken a break for an hour. All in all I took in about 4,000 calories and probably burned a lot more. In most of my other races, I’ve never really needed to take in that many calories, as I can only handle about 240 calories an hour. If conventional caloric tables were used, I would have burned up over 35,000 calories for the 41 hrs of riding time. However, after the 14th hour of riding, my natural racing heart rate of 140 to 163 bpm (beats per min) settled down to a low 95 to 110 bpm. I was out of the seat climbing and my heart rate never exceeded 120bpm. Because of this I'm not exactly sure what my actual caloric expenditure was.

Rest/Sleep:

I took a total of about 4 hrs of breaks; the longest break being an hour of sleep just after the purging to settle my stomach followed by multiple 15 to 30 min breaks to rest my legs and shoulders/hands, change in and out of my cold weather gear, use the restroom, outfit my bike for riding in the night (setup of lights), etc. Could I have done without the breaks? Absolutely, but I probably wouldn't feel as good as I do now after the race with so little training, but I would have had a much faster finish time.

Injury:

The winds were so strong that it knocked my 160 lb frame over causing me to fly over my bike onto the "soft shoulder" of the road. I hyper-extended my right knee leaving the tendon on the back of my knee tender during this process. The awful road conditions and the fact that my hands were supporting the weight of my upper body against my carbon drop handlebars for most of the 41 hrs had left my hand in excruciation pain for more than half the race. I am only starting to regain feeling in my right hand with an intense pricking feeling hinting that the numbness isn't permanent. My neck and shoulders are hurting but fine. There's an intense pain in my left toe which tells me from prior experience that I'll probably lose that toenail again. The last 200 miles, I found my right Achilles tendon hurting which apparently isn't an uncommon problem. The swelling is going down now, but not enough to allow me to start my ultramarathon training immediately. Somewhere around the 200 mile marker, I started experiencing pain where my body meets my seat. It was indeed painful, but there wasn't anything I could do about it but to grit it out. I can usually focus my mind enough to ignore the pain, but this wasn't the case so I just dealt with it the best I could. I thought I was going to have some serious saddle sores after the race, but that wasn't the case at all. Without going into much further detail about this and to my relief, I'm okay down there. Please note that I take solice in knowing that all these injuries mentioned are quite common and are not permanent, according to other race veterans.

What I’d Do Differently:

The competitive athlete in me thinks if I were to do this race again, I could have easily taken +4 hrs off my finish time with a little more training and by not taking as many breaks as I had. I was riding strong, as I had made it to the top of Towne’s Pass with plenty of daylight, but within a few hours after the summit, I started thinking about my caloric intake and needing to “catch up” in refueling my body. That mistake caused me to purge all the stuff I put into my. The problem that I have is that I start thinking rather than listening to what my body is telling me. Lastly, I would install aerobars onto my bike as my carbon handlebar drops limited my positioning on the bike and left my hands in excruciating pain throughout much of the race.

Thank you:
I had a great crew looking after my wellbeing and couldn't have done it without them. They didn't sleep a lot and were a constant source of encouragement and support along the way. A big thank you goes out to Gary Baierl, and to my two sisters, Machiko and Naoko Watanabe for their support for the Japanese Macaque.

Race Results:

What's next:

With my 50 mile ultramarathon trail race looming in less than two month’s time, I'll have to start my training as soon as possible. However, much of that will depend on when the tenderness of my Achilles will allow me to get a run in. My plan is to start slowly for short distances knowing full well that I’ll have to ramp it up quickly. The race is set for December 6th. Check it out:

North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Ultra Marathon

Many of you are still trying to figure out why I do the things I do. The answer is simple: I do it to make a difference and to make the statement that anything is possible if you stay strong and positive. Please help the ITP Foundation and myself find a cure for children with ITP, a rare bleeding disorder. Thank you.

ITP Foundation

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Summary

2008-06-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, thank you all those that helped me in my efforts to help the ITP Foundation. Your support helped me through this race and will help me through the next two. Thank you.

Sorry it's taken me so many days after my race (6/22) to send this email. It's been a crazy several weeks leading up to the race and you'll soon understand why (due in part to #2). The following is my 2008 Ironman Coeur d'Alene race summary and stories to go with it.

Trouble #1 - Injury

I injured my left knee three weeks before the race limiting me to just riding and swimming in preparation leading up to the race. Wanting to be 100% ready to go before the race, I resisted the temptation to run even after a couple rehab sessions.

Trouble #2 - Wedding Travel Disaster
June (girlfriend) and I went to Chicago the weekend before the race to celebrate my friends' amazing backyard wedding. At the beginning of the trip, my laptop was stolen. I back up my files twice a month, but the last time I backed up my files onto an external HD was four months ago. Several $1000's and a week later, I am sending this to you on a newly setup computer less memorable pics, groovin' tunes, most current address book, and MOST importantly, four months of work lost.

Trouble #3 - Not Feeling So Hot

An incessant cough started a week before the race only to get worse. The 16 hour drive drive from San Francisco, CA to Coeur d'Alene, ID didn't help me feel any better. Two days before the race and feeling at about 60%, I stayed at the lakeside cabin alone on Hayden Lake while my friends went about their enjoying pre-race routines in town and wasn't particularly surprised that they didn't object; I think they were pretty elated to get away so that I could rest up and feel better (or more like not catch my cold).

Feeling 75% at the start of the race, I dove into the chilly snow fed lake water with 2300 other athletes at precisely 7:00am. The swim was hectic, but I was able to get to the front rather quickly. Unfortunately, I got squeezed into the middle of a group and could do little to get out of the pack until the second loop of the swim. I came out of the 2.4 mile swim under an hour.

The transition from swim-to-bike went smoothly and I was quickly en route to finishing the 112 mile bike. However due to my condition, I quickly realized that I peaked out on my HR with little effort and had to maintain an easier cadence and effort for the next 6 hours. The bike course was hilly and tough and the prevailing headwinds didn't help it any. I was excited, and selfishly a little saddened, to see a few of my friends pass me along the way.

The run was no different; every time I tried to run, my HR took off. I basically did a shuffle and walk for the remainder of the 26.2 mile run to keep a lower HR while a few more of my friends passed me in stride looking to finish strong.

I finished the race in good spirits despite having been out on the race course for 12 hours and 5 mins. Having my 5th Ironman medal was placed around my neck at the finish line, I quickly proceeded to the finisher's area to have 5 slices of pizza; it was from Domino's but tasted like a million bucks after countless calories provided by a steady diet of GU and PowerBars throughout the day. Despite my finish time, I was happy for what I accomplished given my health.

The very next day, I was feeling so good and fresh that I was out wakeboarding and had chopped enough firewood for the cabin to last all day. Next time I get sick, an Ironman might just be what the doctor orders.

I'm done racing Ironman distance races for a while and will be concentrating on the shorter Olympic distance races in 2009. All my prior races had been raced alone, but I had the best time at this Ironman race for so many countless reasons: I had a bunch of great friends racing with me (three of which became first-time Ironman finishers). I had the hospitality of several amazing families over the entire race weekend. I had a bunch more close friends and super cool locals and their families cheering us on throughout the day and volunteering in the transition areas and at the finish line. My Ironman friends and I had the endless enthusiasm, energy, and support of my amazing sisters, Machiko and Naoko, throughout the entire day. And to top it all off, I had the support of my friends that helped me to help the ITP Foundation. This was a pretty special race and it was due in part to your efforts. Thank you again!!!

Congratulations to My Friends and Fellow Ironman Finishers:

Travis Family (Carol, Bill, Brian and Dennis), Amy Ryan, Dan Rose, Derek Dowsett, Devin Nipp, Martin Scates, Vicky Scates, MJ Jenkins, Sue Fegelman, and Nate Helming.

With a week off, I'm starting to gear up for the remainder of my two big races. Wish me luck!!!

The Furnace Creek 508 (25th Anniversary) - 10/4/08 to 10/6/08

Info: 508 Mile Ultra Distance Bike Race in Southern California (through Death Valley and Mojave Desert) with 35,000' of elevation gain

The North Face Endurance Challenge National Championships - 12/6/08

Info: 50 Mile Ultra Distance Marathon (Trails of North of San Francisco)