Juddmansee.com

Brian:
Week 8 tri training update. Recovery week. 1150m swim, 32.3 mi bike, 13.7 mi run. Highlight: A nice 7 mile trail run in the hills. Lowlight: My quads the day after the trail run in the hills. This week I get to do my first bike power test in a while. Hopefully I’ll see some progress.

Susan:
I ran Monday, Wednesday and Thursday with co-workers and did a solo 5K on Friday to work off some grump after the snow cleared out. Timing my day off on Tuesday for the rain was a good idea, ending my 6-day running streak. The weekend was awesome! Beej and I hit the trails at Pawtuckaway State Park for about seven miles up the main hill to the fire tower and back to the parking lot. Plenty of mud, had to pick our way over rocks, and practiced a steep ascent as well as fueling on the go. Sunday’s long solo run was a fuel and sock fail – got a big blister at mile 9 in the center of Byfield so I took off my sock for the last 6 miles. And even though I drank Perpetuem and ate a Hammer Gel my legs felt tired the last 4 miles. Lessons: Eat more! and retire the Thorlos – I’m now sticking with my Smartwools. The right kind of socks dug out of the dirty laundry are better than clean socks that don’t fit well.
Total miles: 41 miles over 6 days.

PS I pulled the trigger and registered

A highlight of March was completing a major milestone on my program at work. Less than a year ago, I took on our site’s largest program, which was about half-way complete and $1M over budget. Some might have said then that signing up to manage that program was a risk. I certainly saw it as a challenge – the team was large and fairly clearly divided into factions, the model of work was successive firedrills, and the customer’s most significant priority was not being adequately addressed – but it didn’t feel like much of a risk. Why? First, the ability to affect change was squarely in my control. I had management support, key team leadership support, and moreover the alignment of responsibility and authority to make changes. Second, managing programs is in my “sweet spot.” I still have a long way to go in learning various aspects of capturing new business, but when it comes to executing on the business we have, I’ve got a good track record and I know what it takes to meet schedules and milestones and budgets. Third, the program was already in trouble. If I came in and things didn’t turn around, frankly it would be easy to say the train had left the tracks long ago and nothing that I or anyone else could do was enough to bring it back. There was the opportunity for success, but low risk of blame on me if things went poorly. I don’t like this last argument as well, because I believe it’s my responsibility regardless of the starting point, but it is certainly part of the risk assessment. Thus the option before me last April to step up to leading the troubled project involved lots of hard work, but low risk. And now, as we’ve gotten the nod to proceed into the next phase and have the first increment of funding in place, it appears that my assessment was reasonable.

Now let’s extend the logic from the workplace to physical challenges or risks. An Ultramarathon is squarely in my sights for this year. Some people think a marathon is verging on insanity, so running 50km (30 miles) or longer, let alone adding in hills/mountains, rocks, roots and mud, is definitely on the wrong side of normal logic. But let’s look at the real challenge in extending from 13 miles to 30 miles – eating and pacing. I showed last weekend that I can run 2.25 hours with no food or water on a reasonably cool day, but clearly I couldn’t go much further without replacing the calories, electrolytes and water my body was consuming. At this point I’ve trained my body to efficiently use the stored energy, so to go farther I need to teach it to digest and run at the same time. I also need to learn a different pacing – it may be a “race” but it’s not about racing to finish first, it’s about finishing, period. It only takes a quick look at ultra race results or reading Born to Run to see that people don’t try to keep an 8 minute pace on these events; 12-25 minute pace is common. The key is keeping a sustainable balance between what’s ingested and what’s expended. The training I’m doing at this point is getting comfortable listening to my body’s needs and limits – knowing when to start eating, conserving energy by walking up a steep hill, slowing down to make sure I finish my gel or water at the aid stop, treading lightly downhill so I don’t kill my quads or find myself sitting on a rock unexpectedly (a.k.a. falling down).

Through both my running and my working, I’ve been reflecting more broadly on actual risk vs. perceived risk. Often risk seems greater because of how we frame the problem. Too many times it feels like people (self included) are prone to looking at what could go wrong, instead of balancing that with what can go right. Risks are not in a vacuum – there is often an upside as well as a downside.
– In competitions there’s the risk of dehydration and injury, but the key risk seems to be not finishing, which is not so bad in the scheme of things. Sure it’s a disappointment after months of training to not meet a race goal, but its important to remember that the upside is already been gained in better fitness, enjoying the training along the way, the camaraderie of training buddies, and hopefully in learning something from failed attempts.
– In the case of my project last year, the real risk wasn’t whether I could succeed on the project, it was the opportunity cost of focusing on running the project vs. other ways I could learn those critical marketing and business capture skills that I need for the next step in my career.
– Nearly all of us have some savings in the stock market even though we know there is a risk of loss, and even though pretty much all of us have actually lost money recently. The reason we invest is because over a long period of time we believe that the investment will grow, even if on a day-to-day basis it’s volatile.

Risk definitely involves difficult decisions. In the moment, do you want to eat this cookie or lose weight? Do I want to nap on a Sunday afternoon or go out for a run? Is something I do for myself worth missing time with my family and friends?

What seems risky and why does it seem that way to you? Is it focusing on what could go wrong without properly weighting the upside? Is it framing a problem too restrictively, so that the larger considerations aren’t sufficiently clear? As you consider taking risks, who will you listen to who will help you see the true picture?

Brian:
Week 6 tri update: 4500m swim, 28.2mi bike, 11.6 mi run. Highlight: I did speed work running and swimming and felt strong. Lowlight: Used 10 inches of rain and hoops as an excuse to skip 3 workouts.

Week 7 tri training summary. Swim: 3950m. Bike: 69.4 mi. Run: 19.1 mi. Highlights: 38 mile ride in 70 degree sun and 9.5 mile hill run with Su. Lowlight: Continuing shoulder soreness from swimming. Still can’t get to sleep regularly before 1am.

Susan:
3/8 – 14: The upside of delayed flight testing in Florida was the chance to run in warm weather most afternoons. I even did intervals one day to make the most of my 45-minute time window and got 2 solid hours on the 11th around the bayou. Four days, 30.8 miles. The warm weather felt terrific. I opted to get outside instead of lifting, but I did pushups and crunches in my hotel room.

3/15 – 21: Two coworkers and I have gotten into a pretty good routine, so we ran two days at lunchtime this week. I cut out “early” on Thursday to run a long loop with Beej. I logged 18 miles yesterday, first to Parker River and back – couldn’t resist hitting the beach for some barefoot running and getting my toes in the ocean a little – then the last 3 with Beej as an easy cool down. My ankle stabilizers are sore but yoga this morning loosened things up. FIVE days (in a row!), 40 miles. Happy spring – it was so nice to hear the birds and get to enjoy the reservoirs, ocean and marshes!

My favorite anecdote of the week: a mom, daughter and hyper son are leaving the beach the same time I am. Son takes off running as mom yells after him “NO RUNNING on the boardwalk!” several times. He’s listening but not really wanting to obey, and it’s clear he’ll take off running again at the slightest excuse – for example, someone like me to takes off running… on the boardwalk. Not to undermine the mom’s discipline, I ask her if it’s ok for me to run on the boardwalk, and tell her son that I got mom’s permission. She laughed and thanked me. Most of the parents we encountered yesterday were teaching their kids good trail manners, staying to the right and announcing their passes, and they need all the encouragement and support they can get!

Ever since approximately 1995 my friend Mike and I have been entering an NCAA bracket based on what would happen if the mascots were forced to battle each other. The discussion is always fairly comical and it gives us something interesting to root for in the first round since our own serious picks go in the tank early. If you’re looking for a new way to be interested in round 1 of the tourney, feel free to use our choices in your pool. We guarantee you won’t win any money with these!

As always, let me know if you want to argue our choices. There’s no theory too crazy for the mascot battle. In the meantime, enjoy our picks!

MIDWEST

• Lehigh Mountain Hawks kill Kansas Jayhawks

Hawk vs. Hawk appears to be a tough choice, but reading the jayhawk wiki clinches it “The Jayhawk is a mythical cross between two birds — the noisy blue jay and the quiet sparrow hawk.” Sorry Kansas, you’re the first upset.

• Northern Iowa Panthers eat UNLV Rebels

Normally armed humans beat animals but in this case the UNLV mascot Hey Reb! was the deciding factor.  “Hey Reb! made his first debut in 1983 as a long mustached, musket carrying cartoon rebel. Hey Reb! was given a make over in 1997 becoming more muscular and taking away his musket.”

Apparently in 1997 Hey Reb! had the same thoughts as McGwire, Sosa, Bonds et al. Unfortunately Hey Reb! doesn’t hit dingers, Hey Reb! has to fight a panther. Shoulda kept the gun.

• NMSU Aggies vs. Michigan State Spartans

NMSU’s mascot is named Pistol Pete and armed. Sorry Spartans you lose based on gunpowder.

• Houston Cougars eat Maryland Terps
• Tennessee Volunteers shoot SDSU Aztecs

Loose-knit militia wins based on gunpowder.

• Ohio Bobcats defeat Georgetown Hoyas

What is a hoya exactly? The mascot is a bulldog. Consulting the wiki: “The University admits that the precise origin of the term “Hoya” is unknown.[1] At some point before 1893, students well-versed in classical languages combined the Greek hoia or hoya, meaning “what” or “such”, and the Latin saxa to form Hoya Saxa!, or “What Rocks!”[2] This cheer may either refer to the stalwart defense of the football team, or to the baseball team, which was nicknamed the “Stonewalls”, or to the actual stone wall that surrounds the campus.[3]”

So you essentially have a bobcat versus a latin stone wall or a bulldog.  Bobcat wins.

• OSU Cowboys vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

This matchup turns out to have huge implications as Yellow Jackets are in the all armed human or animal bracket. In the end we decided that the cowboy would be smart enough to stomp a single yellow jacket and if there were a hive would likely burn it safely after dark. There is also historical precedent. It’s not like Oklahoma is ruled by Wasp overlords. (insert white anglo-saxon protestant joke here)

• UCSB Gauchos eat OSU Buckeyes

ROUND OF 32

• Panthers kill Mountain Hawks
• Aggies shoot Cougars
• Volunteers shoot Bobcats
• Cowboys kill Gauchos with blatant North American bias.

North American Cowboys versus South American Cowboys!

Sweet 16

• Aggies shoot Panthers
• Volunteers shoot Cowboys

Elite 8

• Volunteers shoot Aggies

WEST

• Vermont Catamounts defeat Syracuse Orange
• FSU Seminoles kill Gonzaga Bulldogs
• UTEP Miners pickaxe Butler Bulldogs
• Vandy Commodores broadside Murray St. Racers

One of the more amusing matchups of the tourney. Naval commanders vs. race horses. Who would stage such a battle? In any case the nod goes to the navy.

• Xavier Musketeers shoot Minnesota Golden Gophers

Normally having a color in your animal names denotes special powers, but in this case the animal is still a gopher. Sure the musketeer might have to shoot the gopher twice to kill it but musketeer still gets the pelt.

• Oakland Golden Grizzlies kill Pitt Panthers

Finally, a fierce animal with a color prefix. You don’t get much meaner than a Golden Grizzly. Check out the juiced mascot, too. http://theshiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/oakland.gif

• Florida Gators eat BYU Cougars

Unfortunately for BYU we’re talking animal brand of Cougars. (insert desperate housewife joke here. i.e. nothing defeats a cougar if she’s determined)

• KSU Wildcats defeat North Texas Mean Green

We had to consult the wiki again about what a mean green is. “UNT’s mascot is the eagle and was adopted in 1922 in a student election over the dragon, the lion and the cottontail rabbit.[8]”

Sorry, if Mean Green were a giant green tornado, you’d have something. A green eagle doesn’t inspire much fear, even if it is near St. Patrick’s Day.

Round of 32

• Seminoles kill Catamounts
• Commodores blockade Miners?
• Golden Grizzlies maul Musketeers
• Gators eat Wildcats

Sweet 16

• Commodores forcibly relocate Seminoles
• Golden Grizzlies maul gators

Elite 8

Vandy’s luck runs out. While a naval commander could probably figure out how to defeat a horse, some miners, and some indians I think the sight of a juiced, angry, Golden Grizzly would be too much for the Commodore.

EAST

• ETSU Bucs kill Kentucky Wildcats
• Wake Forest Demon Deacons defeat Texas Longhorns

Every year we have the, “what is a demon deacon?” debate. Their mascot looks like a possessed Jay Leno (on a motorcycle?) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DemonDeaconACB.jpg

We’re attributing the strange look to the possession and demonic superpowers so unless a Demon Deacon meets a Friar they’re pretty solid.

• Cornell Big Red defeats Temple Owls

Cornell is saved by the fact Big Red refers to a big red bear. Plus, owls are kinda chumpy unless you’re a field mouse or rabbit.

• Wisconsin Badgers eviscerate Wofford Boston Terriers
• Marquette Golden Eagles defeat Washington Huskies

Note a golden eagle is an actual species of eagle and not one with superpowers. In any case we figure the huskie would be disinterested in this battle and allow the eagle to snatch a victory.

• Montana Grizzlies defeat New Mexico Lobos

BEARS VERSUS WOLVES! TONIGHT ON SPIKE TV!

• Missouri Tigers defeat Clemson Tigers

We had to go deep into tie breakers to settle this one. Both are tigers, both of their mascots look kinda chumpy. A guy in a tiger suit really doesn’t inspire much fear. This battle was settled by logos. An M with an angry tiger beats an orange paw print.

• West Virginia Moutaineers shoot Morgan State Bears

We were confused about how this would come out. Muskets aren’t a great weapon when fighting a bear, but we were ultimately swayed by the lyrics from the Ballad of Davy Crockett:

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee,

Greenest state in the land of the free.

Raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree,

Killed him a bear when he was only three.

Davy, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.

I feel like we’ve been given explicit instructions that a mountaineer can and will defeat a bear, even at the tender age of three. Also, Tennessee and West Virginia aren’t the same state but they’re close enough. WVU wins.

Round of 32

• Demon Deacons possess Bucs
• Big Red (bear) defeats Badgers
• Grizzlies maul Golden Eagles
• Tigers eat Mountaineers

Sorry Davy, you needed another verse about going to India and taking out a bengal tiger.

Sweet 16

• Demon Deacons possess Big Red
• Grizzlies maul Tigers

Elite 8

• Demon Deacons possess Grizzlies

SOUTH

• Duke Blue Devils defeat Arkansas Pine-Bluff Golden Lions

A tough matchup for a brilliant mascot. Their logo is a flaming lion head which would destroy all other animals and armed humans. Unfortunately they drew a colored, demonic supernatural beast. The selection committee is cruel.

• Cal Golden Bears eat Louisville Cardinals
• Utah St. Aggies out draw Texas A&M Aggies

Aggie battle! The mascot for Utah State is Big Blue who is an angry looking ox. Texas A&M? Reveille, a collie. Ox > collie.

While researching this we found this gem. I mean who can make stuff like this up?

“For a few years, USU used an actual white bull, painted blue, which was brought to sporting events and corralled on the sidelines. However, when the Smith Spectrum was built, there were concerns with the bull ruining the floor. For a short time, the bull was outfitted with rubber boots, which idea didn’t pan out.”

• Purdue Boilermakers defeat Siena Saints

Again, a mascot battle. You have a dude with a sledge hammer (or alternatively a train) versus a Saint Bernard. Nothing to imply this Saint Bernard is like cujo, either. Purdue wins.

• Old Dominion Monarchs defeat Notre Dame Irish

The monarchs mascot is a lion and the irish are probably still hungover from St. Patricks Day. Plus we hate Notre Dame.

• Baylor Bears maul Sam Houston St. Bearkats

Another classic quandry. What is a bearkat?

Early references to “Bearkats” spelled the name either “Bearcats,” “Bear Cats,” or “Bearkats.” A bearcat is said by some to be a kinkajou, a small, golden, carnivorous mammal that resides in the jungles of South America. It is doubtful those who coined the “Bearkat” nickname had either a kinkajou or a binturong in mind. However, more likely, the name came from a popular local saying of the time, “Tough as a Bearkat!” Since the animal in the saying was thought more mythical than real, the spelling settled upon was “Bearkat.”

In the end it’s clear to us that a bear defeats a made up animal created by a semi-literate southerner.

• St. Mary’s Gaels crush Richmond Spiders with a rolled up newspaper

I love St. Mary’s. The Gaels mascot is a 10 foot tall armored highlander named Gael Force One. It doesn’t get much tougher than that. Plus the St. Mary’s mascot is available for parties.  “All ages love the 10-foot tall Gael Force One, it’s sure to be a hit at your event. If you want to make your event memorable, send an invitation to Gael Force One!”

How do you put a price on such things? I wonder if he’ll come to Boston?

• Villanova Wildcats defeat Robert Morris Colonials

The Colonial mascot does not appear to be armed and is instead sporting a dapper tri-corner hat. Also apparently RMU has a world class bowling team. I think the Wildcats eat the bowling colonists.

Round of 32

• Blue Devils destroy Golden Bears
• Boilermakers defeat Aggies (Big blue ox)

A friend points out that trains have cowcatchers specifically for this purpose.

• Bears defeat Monarchs
• Gaels defeat Wildcats

Sweet 16

• Blue Devils destroy Boilermakers
• Gaels defeat Bears

Elite 8

• Blue Devils destroy Gaels

Even a 10 foot tall armed Scotsman is no match for a blue devil.

FINAL FOUR

• Blue Devils over Demon Deacons in a supernatural demon battle.
• Golden Grizzlies over Volunteers

National Champ

• Duke Blue Devils

See you next year!

Beej’s update:
Week 5 of tri training. Out of base period and into build period. Swim: 5150m. Bike: 55mi. Run: 13mi. Highlight: 31 mile outdoor ride today w/ Brian Hone. Gorgeous day. Lowlight: My left shoulder continues to hurt and I still don’t have a great sleep pattern yet.

Susan’s update:
week ending 2/28: holding steady. Ran the work loop with a co-worker on Tuesday then got in a medium Saturday run with Beej and long Sunday run myself. Weather was kind of icky but making up rhymes made the Saturday run go quickly despite the wet. Mileage was 24.7 miles. Good recovery week.

week ending 3/7: very social. Connected over email with a running mentor from my high school days, which was inspiring. Ran at work on Monday and then got a group of 4 of us out for 6.5 miles on Wednesday. Then it was beautiful Saturday so Beej and I ran the trails at Maudslay State Park for an hour.

I waffled between being inspired to try the May ultra, thinking about volunteering at the May event and training for the June race, and feeling like I should just enjoy spring running and explore trails without the pressure of a big race. I’m out for a business trip the next 5 days so I’m focusing on getting enough sleep and not getting sick, but it sure would be nice to get in some miles in the 60-degree temps while I’m there if my schedule allows.

Susan’s update:
2/15 (week 3): Ran 13.5 at 8:28 pace on the President’s Day holiday, so I felt ready for my race the next week. I did 6 miles with Brian at an easy 9min pace to loosen up my legs before the Half Marathon on Sunday. No yoga or strength training, and I didn’t get out on a workday at all. Best total mileage to date, though, at 32.6mi for the week.

2/22 (week 4): Ran Tuesday with a colleague despite having a crazy week at work. Got out in the drizzle yesterday for five and a half miles with Brian, then lifted afterwards. I put in 14.5 miles today. I didn’t notice blisters from the race last week but I definitely have two now, likely it’s the spike in mileage (20 miles over 2 days). Weekly mileage was 24.6.

Total mileage for February: 92.5 miles

I’m almost ready to lock down my race schedule for the remainder of the year. I missed hiking and biking last summer, so I’d like a plan that leaves the main part of the summer open without the pressure of specific training. So, I’m considering a spring race and then Reach the Beach in September and the Marine Corps Marathon in October . The big question is whether I can ramp up to 30 miles and be ready to handle elevation and trails in May or June to do an ultra.

When I signed up for this race, I had a sneaky feeling the weather would be better than my October marathon and my Disney half. While yesterday’s weather was *spectacular* for February, today was not shabby either. The clouds were blown away by mid-morning and we had sun from 11am on for the Half at the Hamptons race (after a few flurries in the morning).

I first want to give a shout out to the race organizers. From packet pickup to race sponsors to volunteers to the course itself, the race was impeccably organized. If you’re looking for a well-run race, I would definitely recommend the Loco events. Plus they have the “Will Run for Beer” series, and I know a few friends who might embrace this motivation. They also seem to have a sense of humor: check out this video of the start (we’re being “Rick Rolled” for those of you who get the pop culture reference). I also had my first experience running seeing Team Hoyt – didn’t realize they had run the Disney half!

I admit, up front, that I had a great race. It’s taken me all day to concede this fact. I am in better racing shape than I’ve been in a long time. My primary goal was to lower my race pace from being comfortable in the 9min range to sub-8:30s, and today’s 8:16 pace was right on target to where I wanted to be. Check out the race results site and search for “Woodmansee” to find me. I was in the top 20% for my age group, woot! I also had a small victory in fueling: I managed to get water at mile 4, gatorade at mile 6, gel at mile 8 and water shortly thereafter, all without inhaling the fluids. This was particularly good for plastic cups, but again I give credit to the volunteers who were careful to hand the cups/gel instead of dangle it, and clearly announced the plan for each aid stop as the racers entered.

Now for the self-flagellation. I had butterflies that required two bathroom stops before the race, including the particularly inconvenient “I need to go NOW” 10 mins before the start. I went out too fast. I didn’t properly fuel my muscles on Saturday. I was too optimistic about my pace, thinking I could knock out 8:10s and still finish with sub-8s for the last 3 miles. I knew at mile 7 I had gone out too fast, but there was nothing to be done at that point. I thought about not ever racing again. I know I can run smarter. Ok, now that’s done.

Here’s the rundown of splits. I didn’t actually get the first mile, but I know I came through Mile 2 at 16:10.

I didn’t exactly charge down the coast from miles 9-12 as I’d planned, and the tailwind ended up being a cross-wind and even a headwind in a few places as we wound down 1A. But I pulled out a fast last mile, and ended up just under 1:48, not shabby for February!

I have not signed up for any other races at this point. My goal is to get through this week at work, then evaluate the plan in March.

We *finally* went luggage shopping today! Thanks to Christmas checks from our parents, we are ready for upcoming travels:

luggage sponsored by Su's Dad and Brian's Mom

We chose a 5-piece set that included a large wheeled bag for us to take on vacations (center) and a small wheeled carry-on bag (right) that were “must-haves” plus a bonus mid-sized wheeled bag (left), small carry-on (in the center bag) and toiletry bag (in the right bag), which will also be useful. I also really wanted a small roller bag to take to DC on day trips or overnight trips to replace my thin garment bag + backpack. The brown bag in front is *perfect* – professional, convenient and just the right size to fit my laptop, one outfit (including shoes!), notebook and personal items.

Thank you! We look forward to using our new luggage on lots of fun travels this year, and many more years to come!

Brian’s update:
Week 2 of training complete. Ran 15.6 miles. Biked 27.7 miles. Swam 5100m. Long ride pushed off until tomorrow so bike miles are low. Highlights: Excellent fast 100 sets in pool and a nice long run with Su. Lowlight: Skipped Tuesday workout so had to double up some days.

Susan’s update:
Week two was a typical struggle to make time to workout, especially mid-week. Monday I lost track of time in the lab, so only had time to do a 5K at noon with a coworker before our 1pm meetings. I was disappointed to not get snow on Wednesday (no snow shoeing), plus was behind at work so I didn’t manage to get out again until Friday’s 4.8 mile run before work. I doubled up Saturday, 7.2 miles with Beej followed by core/weights to make my goal for the week, with the added bonus of two “social” runs.

My plan is to front load next week so my legs are fresh for next week’s race; we drove the course today and I’m really looking forward to it. I’d also like to get in some speed work to keep improving my pace.

Susan’s update:
4.7 miles Monday. 6.1miles Thursday, 9.2 miles Saturday = 20 mi at an average pace of 8:24. I lifted today (upper body) to complete my goal for the week. I ran solo this week, mostly due to competing travel plans, but I’ll send my workout plan again next week to seek some recruits.

Brian’s update:
Week one training done. 4650m swim, 47.2 mi bike, 14.1 mi run. Highlights: No missed workouts and biked outside twice despite windchill in teens. Lowlight: Not eating or sleeping enough Thursday and melting down while roasting chicken for dinner.