Tour Over, 10 Mile Road Race, Blood Clots and Blood Clotting Disorders

Well, the Tour is over and I have to say that despite all the drama I think that it turned out very well. How cool was that Time Trial on Saturday? Levi almost took the whole enchilada, Evans rode "a magical" last 5Km to stay ahead, and Mr. Alberto Contador rode a perfect time trial to stay on top. I have to confess that while riding on my trainer at home I watched the entire last 2 hours of coverage while "ticking over" the pedals. I set a new record of trainer riding that day. I could not believe it when I was done...


I have not been able to find anything about the sponsor that will take over for Discovery Channel. Who would it be? How about the new American Cycling powerhouse team Splistream? Will Chipotle continue to sponsor them? Man, a Chipotle burrito sounds good right now...

Sunday, I had the chance to race in a 10Mile road race that is part of the training series for the Columbus Marathon in October. Although a marathon is not in the horizon for me I decided to take on this 10Mile course to test the legs ahead of the Greater Cleveland Triathlon - Half Iron distance race coming up in a couple of weeks. To my surprise the race went well. I was able to keep a nice pace of 7:10 per mile which I did not think I could do at this distace. I tried hard but I am still paying for the effort today. The legs are very sore but this is a pain that I don't mind at all. I was able to place second in my age group, that was a nice icying on the cake. Liz also ran on Sunday and on the 10K she came in as the fourth lady overall and of course dominated her age group. She always keeps me honest with her results.

Don't forget that all of my efforts doing these triathlons is to get NATT's name out there and hopefully peak your interest about the dangers about blood clots and blood clotting disorders and possibly inspire you to help this worthy organization with a donation that could match the number of miles I am racing this summer (300 Miles all together and I am only two races away from completing my goal). Here is a breakdown for your if you are interested on how you could match a donation...

$0.05 per Mile x 300 Miles = $15.00
$0.10 per Mile x 300 Miles = $30.00
$0.25 per Mile x 300 Miles = $75.00

Please contact me if you are interested in making a donation.

For the last few rides I've been testing out this new ISM Seat from Blackwell Resarch and I have to tell you that there is a big difference when compared to regular saddles. I am still testing in out but so far the numbness that I used to experience is gone. Although my sit bones are not used to their new line of work on the bike I think that this a switch that I am gladly coming around to do. Does anyone have some experience with this saddle? What did you like or dislike about it?

Time to catch some Z's. Track workout tomorrow AM and ride in the PM. Following up my effort from Tuesday with the same double.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

What do you think about the Tour this year?

I need to ask the question because I don't know what to think. It is very dissapointing to see a big name like Vino's tarnished because of doping. What drives these guys to put everything on the line? Does that momentary success of winning a stage of the tour really matters that much over ALL of your career? Of course, we don't know about his B sample but he will never be the same. We will always question his ability from here on out. I wish that it did not have to be that way but unfortunately it is. Maybe he will come back but if he get's the two year I don't believe he will be able to do it. Part of me wishes that his B sample comes back negative but will only prolongue the agony as they will try to figure out why the A sample was positive. All together not a good situation at all.


In regards to Rasmussen, I can't make any heads or tails about this. Could his team punish him after the race? He has never tested positive in this tour so on that respect he can't be judged. However, breaking the rules is breaking the rules but if I was his team and he is leading the Tour fair and square then I would try to figure out some sort of punishment after the event. Of course I don't know the amount of pressure the team was under with the information they had so they get the benefit of the doubt from my end on that respect. But, could there be any other way to go about this? Would he return to professional cycling? Do you think that he would have won the race after the Time Trial? Should I go ahead and watch the two mountain to finishes that I have DVR'd? Right now I am hesitant. What should I do?


Well, this training week is going well. Good swim sessions so far where I felt really strong and smooth in the water. I had the chance to ride a couple of times this week as well and on Sunday I am will be runnig a 10 Mile race so after a week off running we will see how that is going to go.


Pretty exciting that my vegetable garden is producing some goods already. We started our pretty late in the spring but I am thrilled with my first batch of Hungarian Peppers.

These guys may look small but they sure pack a punch...

Be careful eating them alone... but they are great in salads!

So, let's see how this 10 Miller turns out on Sunday.

By the way, if you are coming to the Greater Cleveland Triathlon on August 11th and 12th be sure to stop by the Clot Buster's Tent and check out the INCREDIBLE stuff we will have available for raffle to benefitting NATT. Stopping by the polka-dot tent is almost as important as picking up your packet. Don't miss this chance of potentially scoring some great products.

Huge Thanks to Mickey Rzymek for his help. Also, BIG THANKS to 2nd Sole of Rocky River for their support on this raffle. Your local age-group super star Deirdre Callahan and her family have been a great help and I can't them enough.

Please come by on the weekend of August 11th and 12th.

We look forward to see you.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

The Weekend It Was

Dear readers,

What a blast I had this weekend. I have no idea about where should I begin. Very exciting to have the chance to be able to go to Cleveland and hang out with my good friend Deirdre and her famliy so that she could take me to the practice run of the Greater Clevelant Triathlon. How cool is that you get to prepare for a race on the course that the organizer sets up for you just like it would during the race. Swimming in lake Erie was an experience that morning. There were some serious waves that morning. It was intimidating at first but when I saw Deirdre and her husband jump in the water without any care in the world I had to put my fears away and jump right in. We got tossed around pretty good but it was fun. I got the chance to preview the bike course as well. It should be a fun time on the bike while we make our way through the 56 Miles around Mentor, OH. There is a little bit of everything out there so I need to get my bike in time for sure.

Even cooler was to see the Kids Race practice run. I was blown away by the interest of the 6 to 12 years old so eager to do the swim, bike, and run. I got to meet to girls (no more than 10 years of age) who were so into the sport that each had their own trek bike with clipless pedals! I could not believe my eyes. I was told by them that later on their father will let them graduate to aero-bars. But all together, I really enjoyed the kids running around and listening to the race organizer/director Mickey Rzymek tell them all of the instructions so that they can be race ready. I can't wait to Saturday August 11th to watch the race in full force.

It was a great pleasure to meet all the folks from the Cleveland Triathlon Club (CTC) who came out for the practice day. I look forward to race against you guys on Sunday August 12th. I also look forward to meet a number of you during the expo on Saturday before when you will have the chance to participate in the CLOT BUSTER RAFFLE @ THE GREATER CLEVELAND TRIATHLON.

So, that was Saturday, on Sunday I lined up to participate in the Columbus International Triathlon which is part of the Clot Buster's races series this summer. Surprisingly enough I did not feel tired at all from Saturday's fun. I went out there and the swim went well. I was able to get the two lap swim course done in about 25 minutes which is not a bad time considering the traffic we had in the water once the sprint distance people got in the water. The bike course at this race is one my favorites ever. Getting the chance to ride on a major highway within the city is REALLY COOL and VERY FAST. I am always amazed at the speeds I can go during this bike leg. I was able to average a speedy 22.8 MPH for 25.5 Miles which is one of my fastest bike splits ever. Very pleased about that I have to confess.

Look closely and you can see me with my fancy helmet heading out from T1. Should I get some polka-dots painted on that helmet? What do you think?

Here you go working on my 22.8 MPH...

From there we went to the run. Believe it or not I have the Olympic distance run of a 10K pretty much down these days. I know that 45 minutes for a 10K is far from world class but for the Clot Buster this is very good and very motivating because I know that I have what it takes to bring it down some more. I know of some speed workouts I need to do to get this time to come down some more. It is getting better and that is all I can ask for.

BIG CONGRATULATIONS to my wife's cousin Brian Jones who came out on Sunday to try his hand at his first duathlon. He even placed SECOND in his age group, how about that!!! BRIAN CONGRATULATIONS! Now give me my bike back!

Brian and his father Tim... CONGRATULATIONS Brian! Well done!

So, after all this I had only one more thing to do this weekend. Get showered and rested so that I could head to downtown Columbus and take part in the Jazz and Ribs festival. This is one of my favorite festivals in the city. The music is great but the ribs are even better. Oh! I can't even begin to explain how good they were. Although, I had difficulty walking I enjoyed the chance to go and enjoy some of the food.

So, I've been writing this post for several days now. During this time, so much has happened I can't believe it. Will there be any people left at the Tour before it gets to Paris? You have to be kidding me about the doping going on here... I am blown away. But I can write about on a later post.

For now, HUGE NEWS for the CLOT BUSTER RAFFLE @ THE GREATER CLEVELAND TRIATHLON. I am so excited about these news that I need to wait a little while before I let you know about just so that I can peak your interest. But I can sure that it is good, VERY GOOD!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Greater Cleveland Triathlon - Practice Run & Pre-Race Auction still ON!!!

I hope that Cleveland is ready for the arrival of The Clot Buster on Saturday. I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to train on the actual race course at which I will be racing on in a few weeks time. GCT, I hope, will be bringing a new PR for the Clot Buster at the half-iron distance race.

People in Cleveland I am bringing the polka-dots so please don't be surprised when you see the red dots running around your race course on Sarturday.

This week I've been resting my tired legs and just taking it easy. I am not sure how I will feel on Saturday and later on Sunday for the Columbus International Triathlon to be raced around Antrim Lake in one of my favorite courses ever. If you want to participate in a fast Olympic distance race this one is a good one... But really this weekend will be shocking my body for sure. Stay tuned and see my report as soon as I can give it. One thing is for sure the ribs at the Jazz and Ribs Festival on Sunday will be tasting really good.

For your information the Auction continues to be on. So, if you are interested in the goods below please place a bid. Not only you are getting some nice products but also helping a great organization while you are it. Would be interested in knowing how many athletes who have suffered from blood clots I have met through my Clot Buster fundraising? Stay tuned for a report on that very soon... there are far more than what you can think! Please consider helping out if you have the chance! Below you can find the products in question:

SPIUK - ORION VEST (Available Size = Large) Starting Bid = $65.00 (Retail value $119.99)

HUTCHINSON - TOP SPEED Road Racing Tires (2 Tires) Starting Bid = $45.00 for both tires (Estimated retail value $32.99 per tire)

SPIUK - Exclusive Tri Tops (Available in sizes = Medium & Large and Colors = Orange and Yellow) Starting Bid = $45.00 (Retail value = $79.99)

VERGE SPORTS - NATT Jersey (Available size = Large) Starting Bid = $50.00 (Estimated Retail value = $75.00 + you will look EXTREMELY good displaying those polka-dots colors! I may even throw in a stylish "Clot Buster" head band if you ask nicely!)

Take a good look at the previously listed items and PLACE A BID! NATT's mission of educating people about blood clots and blood clotting disorders sure can use your support through this auction.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. All of these products I use for my regular training and racing so I can tell you all about them.

If you know of anyone interested in these goods from the Pre-Race Auction please let them know!

Thanks for Reading,

The Clot Buster

Muncie Endurathon

"To Finish or Not To Finish" that is one of the thoughts that came through my mind while attempting to run miles 8, 9, and even 10 of the half marathon this past Saturday. Although, I never stopped moving the thought came across my mind. Once more the run portion of the half-iron distance triathlon really broke me down. Even after conserving some energy during the ride the legs did not have enough power to finish up the run in good fashion. Well, maybe next time I will be able to put together a good run. The next time this season will be the Greater Cleveland Triathlon at which I need to improve this bloody running because it is my next half-iron distance race.

All right, in order for that to happen I am going to need some wisdom/knowledge from those of you who read this blog. Please let me know any suggestion or tip you have in your bag of tricks that you are willing to share so that the Clot Buster can string together the run of his life in his upcoming half-iron distance race in Cleveland on August 12th. I am already looking forward to the race and your suggestions on how I can break through this issue I have with the run.

I am convinced that my mind is letting me down during the run and because I am feeling the fatigue from the effort the thought of walking and take it easy for a while always wins over my desire to keep going. There's got to be some sort of formula out there I can implement. If you know of something I can use let me know and I'll make sure to try it.

I do have to say that the course and the organization for this race were GREAT. If you are looking for a fast triathlon this one you need to do. Although the last 7 miles on the bike are a little rough the rest of it is a lot of fun. There was some wind out there but it was not a problem for me as I was trying to save some energy for the run... go figure. But all things considered I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this race to anyone looking for a fast half-iron distance race. Hopefully, some day I will be back to Muncie and I will show them how is done for sure!

So, after the race on Saturday I continued to rest and allow my body to recover a little. Big weekend ahead as I plan on heading to Cleveland on Friday night and spend Saturday morning training on the course of the Greater Cleveland Triathlon. Pretty cool that the organizers of the race are setting up this practice runs so that you get a good feel for what is to come during race day. Then after that practice run I will be heading back home and resting for the Columbus International Triathlon that will take place on Sunday. I have no idea how my body will react to this weekend's activities but one thing is for sure, after the race I am heading to the Jazz and Ribs Festival and I will enjoy some of the award winning ribs that come to Columbus once year just so that I can have a little taste...

By the way, the Pre-Race Auction from the Muncie Endurathon STILL OPEN as I am combining it with the Pre-Race Auction that would take place for the Columbus International Triathlon. So, go on, keep reading and PLACE A BID!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

BIG RACE this coming Saturday...

BIG PRE-RACE AUCTION with all of the profits going to help NATT!


For the fourth time this season here we are once more to get another Clot Buster Pre-Race Auction underway. Because I am racing a half-iron distance race this weekend and because it is my fourth race of this summer on my quest of 300 racing miles, this pre-race auction will have 4 items available to you so that you can pick and choose which ever suits you best.


Please take some time and browse on. If you see something that catches your eye go ahead and make a bid. You can either place a bid through the comments section of this blog or just shoot me an email at polka40@hotmail.com. If you end up as the winner or the item we will make arrangements and have to goods shipped to you in no time at all.


So, here are the goods up for auction in the week before my attempt to conquer the Muncie Endurathon...


SPIUK - ORION VEST (Available Size = Large) Starting Bid = $65.00 (Retail value $119.99)

HUTCHINSON - TOP SPEED Road Racing Tires (2 Tires) Starting Bid = $45.00 for both tires (Estimated retail value $32.99 per tire)

SPIUK - Exclusive Tri Tops (Available in sizes = Medium & Large and Colors = Orange and Yellow) Starting Bid = $45.00 (Retail value = $79.99)

VERGE SPORTS - NATT Jersey (Available size = Large) Starting Bid = $50.00 (Estimated Retail value = $75.00 + you will look EXTREMELY good displaying those polka-dots colors! I may even throw in a stylish "Clot Buster" head band if you ask nicely!)

So, take a good look at the previously listed items and PLACE A BID! NATT's mission of educating people about blood clots and blood clotting disorders sure can use your support through this auction.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. All of these products I use for my regular training and racing so I can tell you all about them. They sure will come in handy while I am racing a half-iron distance race this weekend! Wish me luck, I am going to need all that you can provide. Let's see if I am able to put together a nice run after the 56 Miles of the bike. That is the Big question for this race in Muncie.

If you know of anyone interested in these goods from the Pre-Race Auction please let them know!

Thanks for Reading,

The Clot Buster

Finally a little time to write...

Things are going well around here. It seems that I am way busier than I what I want to be because I don't have time during the day to sit down and write. Before I realize it the clocks around the house indicate to me that it is time to pack it up and hit the sack for the day. I am very much focused on my long distance training and many other things around the house along with some special events that this is first time in many days that I am actually sitting at the computer at home updating my blog.

The Muncie Endurathon is coming up next weekend and I wish nothing more than to put together a good race finishing it up with a solid run. In all of my half-iron distance races the run has been my weakest point just because I can't string together a nice and smooth half-marathon. This time around I hope to come out and run the whole distance regardless of the pace. It will be nice to finish under 5:15 but I will not worry about unless I am putting together a nice run. Luckily my plantar fascia is improving a lot and although I feel some soreness after a longer run I am able to stay with it. I mean, if you were to see my time from my last 10K at my last race you would think that I got a new plantar fascia that is making me run faster...

The season is going much better than anticipated. So far in 4 races all together, I've been able to place in the top 6 of my age-group in all of them and well inside the top 25 finishers overall. I just hope that as the season continues the donations for NATT continue to arrive and provide the hard working NATT volunteers the much needed funds to continue their effort of educating about blood clots and blood clotting disorders. Speaking of blood clots and blood clotting disorders, PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME to read the article that was published in the Kansas City Star about this young soccer player named Matt Groenwald who plays professionally for the Kansas City Wizards and his encounter/experience with a very massive clot that could have taken his life. Yet another example of how blood clots and blood clotting disorders can affect anyone regardless of age and physical condition. It is great to hear that he is safely recovering and in the path to return to the field. Maybe I get the chance to meet him and he can help me with some of my soccer moves or just maybe I can teach him some of my South American flavor soccer moves...

All right, just to make this post that much longer checkout some more pictures from my last race and the debut of the Clot Buster's "New Lid" kindly provided by my good friends at DPMsports.

And there you have it... the best picture I could find with the New Lid.

Another look, I know not the best but it will have to do for now.

In the final stretch of the race just about to reach my PR in Olympic Distance racing!

SUCCESS!!!

As my parents would say... "Tu eres LOCO" (do you need me to translate that...?!?!)

And finally, after 40 some years since sitting in a kayak my dad gave it a try...although he tipped over once I think he had a superior time. No amount of money could ever equal to see him just going at it with that spark in his eyes. At 66 years of age he really had a blast! I can only hope that I can be as active as he is at that age... Man, I sure miss them when they are not around.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster