Nathan Veldhoen

The running shoe rack.

I have been going  solid on the training  since Christmas and feeling pretty good.  Legs are feeling tired almost on a daily basis with all the biking,  but going to have to trade a few of the biking days into runs for the up coming marathon in less then 2 months.  Overall feeling strong and wanting to get into a race soon.

As the weeks move on (I think I am on the 15th week) so has the dollar amount.  I missed running the Fort Half, but  just signed up for the Oliver Half Iron on June the 6th and planning on doing another half later on in the season.    I will be racing the BMO Vancouver marathon on the second of May and maybe another trip down to Vegas for the Rock and Roll race.  I am almost @ a thousand dollars this year alone on race fees!

Along with racing goes more equipment, I bought a new set of race day running shoes, and  looking at getting my wetsuit for the lake.  The Bike has been able to hold up so far, and so has the trainer.

One of the major purchases that I was wanting to get before the spring was a camper.   I recently just bought one on Wednesday and will have some pictures of the house on wheels here soon.

Day off tomorrow and then back at it Saturday.  I will be getting on the fundraising train here in the next few weeks, so for those who would like to donate check this page out!

Solid week into my training for the 2010 year and getting pumped for some upcoming events.  As mentioned in a previous post the main focus of this year is the Ironman in Penticton, BC.  I’ll post most of my training and day to day shit on twitter, with more scenic training days and races via the blog.

Another fairly large goal I have for this year is to raise 5, 000 dollars for the Heart and Stroke Fountain in coordinates with the Ironman.  It took me a little while to figure out which charity to help out especially since  have dealt with others  with the Art Project.  I thought this one was a good fit and hope others can help along the way.

I have set up a third party page on the Heart and Stroke Fountain site for quick and easy donations.  You can print you tax form right from the site.  If you don’t feel comfortable donating online you can print and mail a form, or  you contact me directly.  I have also created a special section on this blog that will remain “sticky” for anytime donations or a quick link to check out the status of how things are going.

I am planning on designing a t-shirt to help spread the word,   I hope to have those ready for the Half Marathon in Feburary.  Let me know if anyone is interested in recieving one.

From Last Years Ironman

Looking forward to a busy year, with a few things on the list to get ready for,  half-marathon in February, Full marathon in May, and  one maybe two half Ironmans in June and July with the Ironman in August.  The two major focuses are, another try at a Boston qualifier in Vancouver on May 2nd and a solid finish to the Ironman in Penticton on August 29th.  I’m looking at a top 100 finish for the Ironman but wouldn’t really know where I stand until I finish a half Ironman.  A 10 hour 15 minute race gets close to that list but might be a bit quick…I guess time will tell.

I’ll be using the Heart and Stroke Foundation to raise some money, and will be hopefully getting some shirts made up in the near future with a section for donation off this site.  Should be a fun and eventful year with some excitement mixed in.

Things didn’t go quiet according to plan, but the whole event was pretty amazing.  I think i’ll try and get back out to the desert for next year.  Simple, flat, and wide course with  some cool temperatures.   I felt pretty good but didn’t have the speed to get me even close to my goal.  Ran a 3:23, thinking maybe too much travel in the last few weeks could have slowed me down, but all in all it was an enjoyable run.

The race started with some flying Elvis’ coming out of the sky with tigers and showgirls to set you off.  The largest marathon I have been apart of with a lot of water stations, time clocks, and markers along the route.  I ran without music so I could take in all the bands and wasn’t super impressed with the amount of music,  with the 6:15 start it would make it pretty hard to round them up.

I think this is near the end...

Today I’m heading off to Vegas to try and get me a spot for the Boston Marathon in April.  I’m needing a 3:10.99 or less to get my butt there.  Feeling a lot better then I did since I got back from Cuba and hope once I get to the desert things will come together.

Apparently on a site called competitor wireless you can track races in real time  here https://www.competitorwireless.com/ via your cell phone, pretty freakin crazy.  Its obviously not free but 5 bucks lets me add five peoples phone numbers plus one free.   I’ll test how the service works and see, if your interested in tracking, all you need is a last name and find the Vegas marathon and you will be able to get updates via text message.

You can also track via the net for free @  http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/ click on Las Vegas and then click on the LiveResults bug on the home page during the race and you will never be out of touch with 4 or 5 updates at different timing stops.    I love how creative technology gets.

a little screen grab....

Staying @ the Wyndham Resort just off the strip, fingers cross that the hot tubs with be working…Leave tonight and get back Monday night, hopefully with a happy hangover.

fall classic medal...pretty

Decided to head down to UBC for the Fall Classic for the second year in a row.  Was a pretty cool and crappy morning but still had a pretty good runner turn out.  Same route as last year but it seemed a little skinny on water stations.  Did the walk up sign up for 80 bucks for the 8:30 start.  Finished up with a 1:29.04 chipped time.  Kinda happy with it, since there was a decent wind in some sections.  One more run, and then I’ll be finished for the 2009 running season.

Had a weekend that didn’t have me booked up so I decided to kick myself into gear.  I needed to get a long run in (for Vegas) and also wanted to get a solid start on riding the old bike.  I picked a hell of a Saturday to do it, with hail and some good down pour sessions.  Some people might have heard me dropping f-bombs in the early afternoon after riding into a few hail storms.  All in all was a nice long day of training and felt pretty good.

I have been getting pretty board of the usual training routes and sessions, so I thought I would get a little more creative.  I headed to the pool  out in Walnut Grove for an 8:30 start , did a 40 minute swim.  Drove out to 232nd and the number 1 hwy and left my truck there.  Suited up for a 31km run back to my house.  Once I got to my house I hucked some food and water in me and headed out on a 32 k bike ride.  The whole thing took almost 5 hours but was a nice little saturday.  Oh and the sun came out right when I hoped off my bike.  Awesome….

On the way home just after jumping into the truck. Never found the gold.

The Finish to the day. Sun rolling in.

Clouds moving out

A few days after finishing in a disappointing fashion at Victoria, I started looking for  another run.   Seattle happens on the 28th of November, and then Las Vegas on the 6th of December.  I’ll be away in Cuba on the 28th, so Vegas is the next best thing.

Did some quick research on the run and this is the First Year the Rock’ n ‘ Roll style of Marathons has taken over for Vegas.  I know a few people who have ran this one before, and they didn’t have much good things say about it.  Hopefully with the switch over it will be better.  Its also is a Boston Qualifier.

One tip , entry fee is 120 dollars but look around the net for a coupon code to get some money off.  I used VEGASROCKS and got 10 bucks off…

Headed over to the Ferry @ about 11:30 to find a giant mess of cars and about a 4 sailing wait.  Lucky they had a very helpful dude there that told us to jump on the ferry to Naniamo and then drive down (112 kms to Victoria from Naniamo).  We ended up being one of the last cars on the 12:45 ferry and made it to Victoria at 5, with an hour left to pick up my race package.

Race day had amazing weather with 8:30 start.  I drove over at about 7:30 and then got ready and walked to the start line at 8:00.  Had a great start to my race going out at 1:30 and felt great, but ended up cramping like crazy on the last third and didn’t quiet get the time I was going for.  Finished up with a 3:14 with my tail between my legs, but it was a good learning experience.  Not a bad time but already looking for another one to beat it down to a 3:10.

Just getting on the ferry

Great weather

Afternoon Beer on the ferry

Down in the Deck

Race Morning

As of yesterday I officially finished sign up for Ironman in Penticton.   (already paid in August but now have all my info)  I almost forgot to do it, September went by so quick, just remember during a long training run on the weekend…oops.

I did also manage to find myself a bike, indoor trainer and pedals,to get myself started.  I also picked up, the apparently super important, bike shorts,  can’t wait to find out how sore my ass will get. Getting pretty  pumped to get a few good rides before the ugly weather comes.

Did the old craigslist hunt and grabbed, everything for 800 bucks.  (bike, shoes,pedals and trainer)   I wasn’t too pumped about getting a super expensive bike without even riding before, so hopefully this one will get me started.  We will see if I will need to get a new bike by spring.

Kona Haole-- had a compter with it too.

Fairly new trainer for indoor riding.

Da Shoes

Got the results back from the Innovative Fitness Half Marathon in White Rock.  Pretty solid run, but I would have to say it was one of the tougher half routes I’ve done.  A lot of turns and gradual hills that gives you some pretty heavy legs.  Small run with just over a hundred entries but  it is a well organized and marked.   I think the finish had to be my favorite, finishing up on a track, the 9 am start isn’t so bad either.

chucked a 1:29.14 placed 8th.  Gearing up for the full marathon now…

Some quick shots just before the run.

After the run, jumped into the truck and ran out to North Van and did the grid.  Here are some shots from on top of the mountain.

I’ve been stepping up my training in the last month for two runs that are coming up here in the next few weeks/month.  Going to go hit up the Innovative Fitness Half-Marathon on the 20th of this month in White Rock, BC.  Looking to go under 1:30,   I’ve been told the course is pretty up and down so we’ll see if that will do anything to my time.  Pretty pumped, I haven’t done a race in awhile.

Then in October I’ll be trying to better my time since Vancouver Full Marathon.   On the 11th of October the Royal Victoria Marathon will be going down.  I’m hoping if everything goes well to get  down around 3:10-3:12.  Boston qualifier for my age group is anything around 3:10 so that would be nice.  I have ran this race in the past when I first started running and found it to be a pretty fun run despite spilling beer on myself on the last few kms.  Scenic run with usually a pretty good turn out and a lot of people come out to watch.

Innovative Half in White Rock is 68 bucks race day  ::link::  September 20,th 2009 .  This run can also be done as a relay.

White Rock Route

Royal Victoria Marathon is 125 on race day  ::link:: Oct 11th 2009, 2009 .  This run is an official Boston Marathon qualifier as well.  The boost about having a very high number of qualifiers from their run.

Vic Running Route

Headed up to Penticton Once again this weekend, this time for the ironman.  Had a friend in it last year and watch him conquer that bitch.  He skipped this year but him and I and a few others went up to watch and sign up this year.  Great weather, good time, and pretty pumped up for next year.  Camped in the line up over night so we could make sure we would get our spot.

600 dollars for 3.8kms of swimmin, 180kms of bikin, and the old 42.2kms of runnin.  The worse 600 dollars I ever spent.  I plan on doing some fund raising with this stupid adventure and bloggin as much interesting info as possible.

Unfortunately this year one man die in the events 27 year history.  A 60 plus man died of a heart attack just after the swim.  I am seriously thinking about using the heart and lung foundation as my charity of choice, but I am  open to suggestions as well.

So while I was down in Oregon I was able to get a few training sessions in.  I always enjoy looking for new  places to run, but more importantly places to run with good scenery.  So on the Saturday afternoon I ended up running a good route that I scouted in the morning.  This run had everything, hills, beach, trail, and sketchy roads.

I strapped my backpack on with my camera and head out right from the camp site at Sandlake.  I headed East, back to the main road and then jumped on the 101 hwy.  This was a nice flat section which was about 2 miles.  Once I got to the 101 is was all up hill.  I’ve been doing a lot of hill training in the last two weeks but this was a lot more then what I wanted to do!.

The looped running route

So it was a straight up  hike to the top of Cape Lookout.  This area of the run was a welcome cool down.  Cape Lookout usually has a lot of cloud and moisture hanging around it,  Saturday was no different.  The camp site had hot sun while the top of cape lookout was cloudy and felt like it was raining.  I finally reached to top after about an hour and 40 mintues.  At the top of Cape Lookout there were three trails.  I want to explore them all but only one was able to make in a loop run and jet me back to the site.  South Point trail was a 1.8mile straight down hike back.  I think it took me about 20 minutes or so to get down.

about 3 qauters down

About Half way down, Cape Lookout to the right

Looking South...Sandlake is to the right

End of the trail. This sign was at the bottom of the trail.

Took my shoes off and ran the 3.11 miles  along the beach.  Great run.  More shots here.

Some surfering going down at the bottom of the trail

Half way down the beach.

Tide was out-lots of room to run.

3 hours round trip-with photo stops.

While I was in Calgary I was able to spend my last day getting in a good size run.  The weather was amazing so it made it pretty easy to get outdoors and enjoy the sun.  I was lucky enough to stay at a place that was a near the Glenmore Reservoir, so I made my way over.  I was told it was about a 20km tour which felt a little shorter but none the less, one of the better paved trails I’ve ran.  The scenery was amazing, with high up views  over looking the reservoir on the north side, to rolling hills out in the country and ended off with a  quick run thru of heritage park.

Heritage Park

Feeder into the Reservoir

Shot from Glenmore Trail