Nick Brown

Just before memorial day this year I got notice that I would be taking a two week trip through Iraq, departing a mere ten days after I was notified.  The pictures in the blog entry below of my memorial day run through a Pennsylvania forest are from just before I left.

The two week trip in Iraq ended up lasting five.  Of course I was unable to ride and swim in Iraq, so I ran at every opportunity, trying to salvage all of the training I had done this winter and spring for Ironman Louisville on August 30th.  “Every opportunity” was at about 10 PM every night when the temperature cooled to around 100 and again at 0500 in the morning, when the sun was up but the temperatures hovering in the 90s.

Running in Iraq was even harder then I had imagined.  I don’t know if I should attribute it to the awkward training hours, the dry heat, the hassles of life in a “contingency area” (Iraq is no longer a “war zone”), but my perceived effort of the slowest and easiest runs was always way to intense. My efforts to get a decent amount of training “hours” solely by running was probably to much to soon.  What felt like tendinitis in my left Achilles developed and I abandoned running about halfway through my trip. (In hindsight, I probably could have ran through what was more of an irritation then injury, but I was afraid, tired and overworked.  Taking a break just seemed like the right thing to do.)

I returned after two and a half weeks of training goose eggs and five weeks of no cycling or swimming with  eight weeks to prepare for Louisville.  I was busy at work, turning my job over with my relief and preparing for my departure from San Diego to Corvallis Oregon.  Regardless, I put my head down and worked through the initial frustration that came from the illusion of “lost fitness” that came with my first weeks of resumed training.

My last week in San Diego (last week) was one of the biggest training weeks I have ever attempted.  It contained two century rides and a 22 mile run.  I was gambling, overreaching to try to make the best of my limited window to prepare.  The gamble paid off because I felt great all week.  For the first time ever, I successfully hung on to the famous “Swami’s” ride all the way to the church and then continued on to complete a 108 mile ride. On Sunday I had an epic run AROUND Mission Bay and La Jolla.  I stopped four miles away from completing a full marathon and was on pace to run sub 3:25!  The numbers posted and feats accomplished have raised my self confidence to an all time high.

By the time I was leaving San Diego on Tuesday I was ready for a few well deserved easy days of driving.

Which brings me to the present.  The Navy has sent me from San Diego to Oregon State University to pursue a graduate degree in Ocean Engineering.  School starts on the 28th of September and I’ll be here for 18 months.  Until classes start, I’ll be settling in, getting used to the area and continuing to prep for Louisville.  I’m looking forward to racing (its been awhile).  I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t vying for a Kona slot, but I really just want to see that my fitness has increased since my Ironman Debut in AZ last November.

You can probably expect more blog posts over the next few weeks.  This town is just like my old home town, dead quiet until students return in the fall.  What a great opportunity to focus.

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