"Birth Of 'The Klaw'!"

Cycling around Lake Tahoe definitely led to Ironman Texas

So how is this "Halloween Horror Story" going to start???

Running Is The "Gateway Drug" To Cycling (?)

During my first few seasons of Saturday Sessions with many fellow marathon runners as part of TEAM In Training, there were several times when our Run team would be starting from the same location as the Cycle team. While at first I thought of these cyclists as rather odd and crazy (after all, who really wants to ride 100 miles in a day?), they were very friendly and I picked up some info from them about what they were training for - "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride" (aka a 100 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe). Since I had spent many a pleasant childhood summer vacation on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, I became a little more interested in the idea of joining them (especially since I knew from my Run team experience that the Cycle team coaches would teach me everything I'd need to know to be successful).

Julie (L) & Lisa (R) with "Coach Elvis" (me) at Rock & Roll Marathon San Diego

The Offer Of A "Detour" To Boston (Marathon)

After making the decision to join the Cycle team, a former (honored) TEAMmate with connections to the (then viable) charitable organization Livestrong approached my Bride & I with an offer of entries into the Boston Marathon (in exchange for some fundraising, of course). Since the Boston Marathon has strict qualifying timing standards for non-charitable entries, and I would assess my running speed as "glacial" (ie there was absolutely no way that I would ever qualify for Boston without a charitable entry), we decided that we would take Julie up on her kind offer to raise money for Livestrong in exchange for entry into the Boston Marathon for both of us.

This was my introduction to multi-sport training as the Boston Marathon was in April, and the bike ride around Lake Tahoe would be in early June...(the swimming portion of Ironman triathlon training would be added later)...

This image doesn't do justice to how long and steep the climb up the hill in the distance is (although this image does clearly show how beautiful the approach to the hill is)

Removing The Training Wheels

Since I hadn't done any real cycling since the day of my horrid "bicycle vs. car accident" , I was more than a little bit apprehensive when I arrived for the first Cycle TEAM training ride. I had purchased a bike second-hand from a fellow marathoner and, upon my showing it to the coaches, they had a good giggle at my expense - the bike was ill-suited for the ride we were training for (especially when coupled with my lack of experience). After the giggles subsided, one of the coaches offered to purchase the bike from me. He also told me what kind of bike / equipment I should purchase for our intended lap of Lake Tahoe. I agreed to sell it to him, but not before I failed to get up the Torrey Pines hill (pictured above) and ended up walking myself and the ill-suited bike over a mile up the hill.

At the top of the Torrey Pines hill with the always encouraging Coach Rick

In spite of this initial hiccup, training proceeded nicely over the coming weeks (and I did get up the Torrey Pines hill successfully on my next attempt with the new bike).

The "Bicycle vs. Bicycle" Accident

Training with the Cycle team always occurred with riders of similar riding ability conveniently stacked together in a paceline. This, I believe, is for safety & camaraderie. I do admit that it was great to ride all of our training rides with other people. Riding so closely together also meant that we needed to call out, or signal, to those in our paceline what obstacles were coming up (or that we were braking).

During this particular Saturday ride, a guest rider from another TEAM In Training Chapter who was riding in our paceline failed to call out that she was braking, and I ran my front wheel into her rear wheel. The result was that my bike flipped over and I crashed into the middle of the street.

I was in great pain, and the TEAM coaches, captains, and mentors all took good care of me. One of the coaches drove me and my bike back to my car. Although I couldn't use my left arm at all, I drove myself to Urgent Care to get checked out. I didn't think at the time that I was in too much trouble - I hurt, but I thought that all I had done was some "soft tissue damage".

I told the X-Ray tech what I thought of what my injuries entailed, but when he took my picture (above) he let out a soft chuckle as he informed me that I had shattered my left elbow (you can only see the largest fragment in the image).

I would be operated on a couple of days later.

My dream of running the Boston Marathon, and then riding around Lake Tahoe a couple months later was over...(at least for now)...

Boston Marathon Training (For Others) Continues

While it is true that I was "out", the other people that Julie had invited to run the Boston Marathon were still training for the event. Me and my banged-up arm would attend their group training sessions to do support for them.

When I got the cast off my arm, just a week prior to the Boston Marathon, my doctor told me that it was okay for me to exercise. I was still dejected, but I was also going to accompany everyone to Boston (since we already had air & hotel reservations).

My Bride and I went to breakfast afterward at the (now non-existent) Centre City Cafe. During our munching, I mentioned that running the Boston Marathon could be considered "exercise". After some laughter and further discussion, I decided that I was going to try to run the Boston Marathon the following week (in spite of missing most all of the major training for it).

Our little group prior to the start of the Boston Marathon

The Grand Tour On The Way To Boston

The Boston Marathon is run point-to-point - starting in Hopkinton, through many small towns (Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Newton), as well as Wellesley & Boston Colleges on the way to Boston. Due to this, in my opinion, the atmosphere for those of us lucky enough to participate in the Boston Marathon is unlike any other endurance event in the world.

It seemed like all of the citizens of the cities & towns came out to watch us run by them. There were boom boxes playing the Boston Red Sox game (with some houses displaying a white board with the current score on it for those of us running past who might want to know). Many of these people actually said "thank you" to all of us running through their towns...I have never experienced anything like this at any other marathon (before or since). Their smiles and support spurred me toward Heartbreak Hill (and Boston beyond it).

Just outside Fenway Park...(first time I knew for sure that I'd finish)

I made it over Heartbreak Hill, past Fenway Park, and onto Boylston St. Due to my "speed", by the time I finally got there, most all of the spectators were gone. Didn't matter to me - in the distance I could see the Finish Line, and I was going to get there!

Best part of the journey

After reaching the Finish Line, I started yelling "Where's my medal?!?" to anyone who would listen. That is, until I actually received my medal...I met up with the rest of our group, and headed back to our hotel.

My paceline near the top of Scripps Poway Parkway hill (a classic climb)

Unfinished Business

Since I had deferred my fundraising for the Lake Tahoe ride until the following year, I had no choice but to return and give it another try! 2nd time was a charm - no accidents, and a wonderful season of training with the TEAM!

Our entire TEAM came in to the finish at Tahoe together

"So Why Did You Call This Entry 'Birth Of 'The Klaw'! '?"

Well, I thought it had a nice "Halloween Horror Story" feel to it...but seriously...

In spite of all of the physical therapy and follow-ups with my surgeon after shattering my left elbow, I never regained full use of the fingers on my left hand. I can grip with the hand (weakly), but that's about it - hence, I dubbed it 'The Klaw'! While I have been able to do many more things than I ever imagined with it, I still miss having the full use of my left hand...

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