I raced Bridge to Bridge Run 12km distance once before, in 2005. I think the sponsor changed since then and the results from that year seem to have disappeared. [I did stumble across Athlinks.com while I searched for the records. It seems to be a (community driven) Big Brother meets MySpace for athletes.] My goal for 2008 was to finish under 50 minutes - an average of about 6:40 minutes/mile. This was probably a little ambitious given my complete lack of training since Sentinel and my inexperience with pure run-races...
After some light rain on Friday and Saturday, race day dawned with beautiful blue skies. Some of our group found a comfortable spot near the start line among the 6-7 mins/mile runners and within sight of the Elites. A glance at my Garmin Forerunner 405 about a half mile in indicated our pace was below 6 mins/mile - rather ambitious with about 7 race miles remaining...I mentioned this to one of my buddies but headphones, focus, Roctane and the sight of the leaders not far ahead kept him charging so I tried to follow. :-)
The course separated 7km runners from the 12km field just before mile 4. My speedy friend decided (due a grueling prior race schedule and nagging injuries) that discretion was the better part of valor - he chose the 7km route and finished third in his age group! I gritted my teeth and stuck with the 12km. As the course meandered closer to the shoreline and the (admittedly light) headwind become more apparent, my pace declined steadily - from an average below 6:20 mins/mile to 6:46 mins/mile by the finish...i.e. way above 7 mins/mile for much of the latter half of the race...As we progressed along the bay and the sun continued its ascent so did temperatures - I was glad for my hat.
My official finish time was 50:28. Maybe I'll break 50 minutes in 2009 and I can dream of an 70%+ Age Graded finish. :P
Results. Photos. My bib number was 107.
Future thoughts: While the Garmin was useful for monitoring my pace, the heart rate monitor was not...this time...
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sentinel Triathlon - September 21st 2008
Santa Cruz Sentinel Triathlon follows a similar course to Big Kahuna but has the appeal of being Olympic distance (~32 miles total) rather than 70.3 miles.
A bunch of TNT alumni signed up. Most of us stayed in the Lanai Lodge which has a great location and very friendly staff but may be too cheap for the faint of heart. :P
Swim: The ocean water was calm and clouds in the east kept early morning glare to a minimum. I started on the left side of the field and fought my way to the front. Unfortunately that struggle resulted in a leak in my right goggle. I sighted with one eye until, with about two thirds done, I relented and paused to fix it. My reticence turned out to be well founded - as suspected at least two guys were drafting me and barreled up on my left when I flipped over and slowed. I battled side-by-side with them to the beach. (Full disclosure: the guys I was trying to draft dropped my squinty a$$ before the halfway point!) Unfortunately my new water buddies hadn't examined the swim exit beforehand and continued to try to push us right toward the pier while I tried to steer us left. This meant elbow-to-elbow negotiations in open water for about 0.25 miles. Fun times. :-)
T1: Most of our group had joined me in line for the transition area opening at 6am. I agonized over picking a transition spot for nearly 30 minutes...I eventually chose one that was quiet, had more room and was closer to swim-run in than it was to bike out/in. It paid off - my T1 rank was higher than any other part of my race!
Bike: The day before the race I realized I hadn't cleaned my bike since the previous weekend and didn't have equipment with me or time to do so by that point. When I started cranking on race day, I remembered that my gears had been acting up a little since my rear flat the same weekend...I was lucky that none of this affected things on the day but damnit I should know better than that 12 triathlons in...To make up the full 40 km (24.8 miles) bike distance, a few miles before the finish, officials sent us down a lane constructed entirely of potholes. They assured us before the swim start that "next year it will be newly paved" but for the duration, I thought I was racing on Treasure Island.
T2: Unfortunately suntan lotion re-application is always going to hold me back but this transition still ranked better than my bike or run!
Run: A friend very kindly shared some GU Roctane the night before the race. I ditched the "nothing new on race day" rule of thumb and scarfed it halfway through the run. Cue Head Music by Eric Prydz (vs. Pink Floyd - Proper Education (Club Mix)) and Junkie XL (You Make Me Feel So Good) and I had a wonderful time all the way to the finish line and end of my last triathlon of 2008.
Next: Bridge to Bridge Run.
Results. Official Photos. My bib number was 545.
I think I'm in the top right corner of the first photo in the official slideshow and I run past 6 - 8 seconds into the video.
Future thoughts: Roctane might be worth investing in for race season 2009. I need to be more thorough about every aspect of my bike/biking and attitude toward it.
A bunch of TNT alumni signed up. Most of us stayed in the Lanai Lodge which has a great location and very friendly staff but may be too cheap for the faint of heart. :P
Swim: The ocean water was calm and clouds in the east kept early morning glare to a minimum. I started on the left side of the field and fought my way to the front. Unfortunately that struggle resulted in a leak in my right goggle. I sighted with one eye until, with about two thirds done, I relented and paused to fix it. My reticence turned out to be well founded - as suspected at least two guys were drafting me and barreled up on my left when I flipped over and slowed. I battled side-by-side with them to the beach. (Full disclosure: the guys I was trying to draft dropped my squinty a$$ before the halfway point!) Unfortunately my new water buddies hadn't examined the swim exit beforehand and continued to try to push us right toward the pier while I tried to steer us left. This meant elbow-to-elbow negotiations in open water for about 0.25 miles. Fun times. :-)
T1: Most of our group had joined me in line for the transition area opening at 6am. I agonized over picking a transition spot for nearly 30 minutes...I eventually chose one that was quiet, had more room and was closer to swim-run in than it was to bike out/in. It paid off - my T1 rank was higher than any other part of my race!
Bike: The day before the race I realized I hadn't cleaned my bike since the previous weekend and didn't have equipment with me or time to do so by that point. When I started cranking on race day, I remembered that my gears had been acting up a little since my rear flat the same weekend...I was lucky that none of this affected things on the day but damnit I should know better than that 12 triathlons in...To make up the full 40 km (24.8 miles) bike distance, a few miles before the finish, officials sent us down a lane constructed entirely of potholes. They assured us before the swim start that "next year it will be newly paved" but for the duration, I thought I was racing on Treasure Island.
T2: Unfortunately suntan lotion re-application is always going to hold me back but this transition still ranked better than my bike or run!
Run: A friend very kindly shared some GU Roctane the night before the race. I ditched the "nothing new on race day" rule of thumb and scarfed it halfway through the run. Cue Head Music by Eric Prydz (vs. Pink Floyd - Proper Education (Club Mix)) and Junkie XL (You Make Me Feel So Good) and I had a wonderful time all the way to the finish line and end of my last triathlon of 2008.
Next: Bridge to Bridge Run.
Results. Official Photos. My bib number was 545.
I think I'm in the top right corner of the first photo in the official slideshow and I run past 6 - 8 seconds into the video.
Future thoughts: Roctane might be worth investing in for race season 2009. I need to be more thorough about every aspect of my bike/biking and attitude toward it.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Folsom Triathlon - September 7th 2008
This year, in a departure from the schedule of the previous five years, the Folsom International Triathlon took place the first weekend in September. The date change meant a direct conflict with the Big Kahuna Triathlon in Santa Cruz. (Some have said that this was intentional, due to a fallout between race organizers. Folsom's J&A Productions recently re-branded to USA Productions and expanded their reach beyond California. Maybe Firstwave Events weren't interested?) Competitor numbers for Folsom 2008 were down more than a third from 2007. Big Kahuna entry rates were marginally higher...
At packet pick-up, I was informed Folsom tri was no longer USAT affiliated. An interesting decision for an ambitious, growing organization...This also means I won't be USAT ranked in 2008.
I stayed at the Sacramento Marriott Rancho Cordova. There's a Comfort Inn even closer to the race venue but at only $128.68 per night, the Marriott was tough to beat! I checked out soon after 4am - I wanted my choice of transition spot when the area opened at 5am. The early start was worth the effort - I claimed a rack right beside bike/run out and both my transition times were better than in 2007.
In spite of the new race date, conditions were similar to last year - glaring sunlight on the outward swim leg, light head/side-winds on the outward bike leg, heat during the run. Fortunately highs of about 102 °F (38.9 °C) arrived long after racing finished.
Swim: The Elite athletes decided (again) to start with our wave (male 20-29 at 7:06am). Race officials and announcers were apparently unaware of this and there was a little confusion...On reaching transition, I was shocked to see my unexpectedly speedy split time - that surprise may have been what caused me to stop my watch instead of simply splitting it! I realized my mistake several minutes later...
Bike: Having been in the saddle only 4-5 times since my Wildflower race three months ago, I was happy with my performance (even though it was my slowest leg, relatively speaking). About ten athletes overtook me, including some from the male 30-39 wave. I was also lucky enough to avoid a puncture at this attempt (maybe the flat I got while training in Tahoe the previous weekend helped my tire karma!). However I found it a little difficult to get my head "in gear" and this was worsened when I speculated that my fast swim was due to missing some buoys at the turnaround (even though I was with a group of competitors)...[Post-race I was assured by a race official/volunteer who claimed he was aboard the main boat - no-one he saw skipped any part of the swim course, even though sub 12 minute split times for some athletes are unbelievable].
Run: Leaving the transition area, a runner just ahead of me was told he was around 15th. About 1.5 miles in, a spectator informed me I was was 22nd. Several more runners passed me before the finish. My shins bothered me a little - I ran on the dirt at the side of the paved path where I could.
My finish time of 2:13:34 is by far my fastest Olympic distance triathlon to date. Next on my calendar is Sentinel in Santa Cruz.
Results. Official Photos. T2; run in, racking bike. My bib number was 245.
Future thoughts: More biking (and bricks). New bike helmet.
At packet pick-up, I was informed Folsom tri was no longer USAT affiliated. An interesting decision for an ambitious, growing organization...This also means I won't be USAT ranked in 2008.
I stayed at the Sacramento Marriott Rancho Cordova. There's a Comfort Inn even closer to the race venue but at only $128.68 per night, the Marriott was tough to beat! I checked out soon after 4am - I wanted my choice of transition spot when the area opened at 5am. The early start was worth the effort - I claimed a rack right beside bike/run out and both my transition times were better than in 2007.
In spite of the new race date, conditions were similar to last year - glaring sunlight on the outward swim leg, light head/side-winds on the outward bike leg, heat during the run. Fortunately highs of about 102 °F (38.9 °C) arrived long after racing finished.
Swim: The Elite athletes decided (again) to start with our wave (male 20-29 at 7:06am). Race officials and announcers were apparently unaware of this and there was a little confusion...On reaching transition, I was shocked to see my unexpectedly speedy split time - that surprise may have been what caused me to stop my watch instead of simply splitting it! I realized my mistake several minutes later...
Bike: Having been in the saddle only 4-5 times since my Wildflower race three months ago, I was happy with my performance (even though it was my slowest leg, relatively speaking). About ten athletes overtook me, including some from the male 30-39 wave. I was also lucky enough to avoid a puncture at this attempt (maybe the flat I got while training in Tahoe the previous weekend helped my tire karma!). However I found it a little difficult to get my head "in gear" and this was worsened when I speculated that my fast swim was due to missing some buoys at the turnaround (even though I was with a group of competitors)...[Post-race I was assured by a race official/volunteer who claimed he was aboard the main boat - no-one he saw skipped any part of the swim course, even though sub 12 minute split times for some athletes are unbelievable].
Run: Leaving the transition area, a runner just ahead of me was told he was around 15th. About 1.5 miles in, a spectator informed me I was was 22nd. Several more runners passed me before the finish. My shins bothered me a little - I ran on the dirt at the side of the paved path where I could.
My finish time of 2:13:34 is by far my fastest Olympic distance triathlon to date. Next on my calendar is Sentinel in Santa Cruz.
Results. Official Photos. T2; run in, racking bike. My bib number was 245.
Future thoughts: More biking (and bricks). New bike helmet.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Alcatraz Challenge - August 23rd 2008
I raced Alcatraz Challenge for the first time in 2007. In spite of a tough swim, I enjoyed the event and determined to do it again in 2008. Unfortunately this forced me to forgo Outside Lands and Escape From The Rock. It seems others had the same dilemma - the overall and male aquathlon entry numbers were down about 20% and the male 25-29 age group field was over 40% smaller. [Aside: Due to scheduling snafus and organizational fallout (some of it between First Wave Events and J&A Productions), the Northern California multi-sport race calendar for 2008 is fubar. On four weekends there are established, major races scheduled for the same, or consecutive days.]
After Wildflower my training came to a halt for nearly three months. In an effort to regain fitness in August I did too much too quickly and developed "severe shin splints" in my left leg. Dr. Rabbetz and Chiro Medical Group helped again but I was told that if I raced "it's going to hurt". (Ice baths are whole new world...)
On the day prior to the event, entrants received a test-swim email update from organizer Gary Emich - the news was not good; "swim times were longer than normal. I'm basically a 29 minute miler & I've previously swum Crissy Field in as short as 40 minutes...Today, I was 54:38. In part this was due to water with "texture" (1-2 foot chop during the middle)"...However race day weather at Crissy Field was good - wind was light and it was overcast but not foggy.
Swim: In 2007, I was one of the last off. This year I made a conscious effort to get out as early as possible but the guide-boat was still long gone by the time my turn came. Conditions were great. Little or no chop made sighting easy. It was actually a little strange to be able to see other competitors in The Bay for the duration of the swim! I didn't notice anyone passing me but I was yelled at by volunteer kayakers, at least twice, to course-correct near the end. Without their help, I would have missed the beach...Currents were strong but favorable.
Transition: Last year I vaulted the partially collapsed transition area fence. This time I ran around. When I arrived at my spot, my limbs simply were not working (not unusual after open water swim). I struggled to don my left shoe while several people passed me. As I left the transition area the announcer made some quip about not knowing who I was even though my name should have shown up on his screen when I crossed the time mat...A glance at my own watch read about 44:30. In my haste I didn't even bother to split it!
Run: (I think) I caught and passed all but one of the folks who got the jump on me during transition. I chased Thrive for the whole run and got close enough to provide course directions at the Warming Hut before he bounded up the stairs while I walked and ate. My shin held up fine or at least a blister on my left foot distracted me from any other discomfort! Thrive extended his lead on me during the return leg but we were both still passing other runners a few hundred yards from finish. Some spectators dubbed me the 13th finisher but since start times are based on when each competitor jumps off the boat, this is of relative import.
On my return I was paged to report to race authorities to confirm I was still alive. A swimmer died during this race last year - they were keener than ever not to lose someone else...My chip registered me leaving the boat (hence the organizers' concern) but all the other splits were missed. The official results don't list any times for me...My watch's (conservative) estimate of 1:31:49, would have placed me 9th overall, about 14 minutes faster than 2007, and at the top of my age group by about 6 minutes.
Results. 216 was my number. My split guesstimates are: 42:00.0 swim, 2:30.0 t1, 47:00.0 run.
Photos: Swim start, finish. Run.
PS In an interesting coincidence I was grabbed by by a roving bone marrow drive on my way home, fulfilling my wish from Wildflower.
After Wildflower my training came to a halt for nearly three months. In an effort to regain fitness in August I did too much too quickly and developed "severe shin splints" in my left leg. Dr. Rabbetz and Chiro Medical Group helped again but I was told that if I raced "it's going to hurt". (Ice baths are whole new world...)
On the day prior to the event, entrants received a test-swim email update from organizer Gary Emich - the news was not good; "swim times were longer than normal. I'm basically a 29 minute miler & I've previously swum Crissy Field in as short as 40 minutes...Today, I was 54:38. In part this was due to water with "texture" (1-2 foot chop during the middle)"...However race day weather at Crissy Field was good - wind was light and it was overcast but not foggy.
Swim: In 2007, I was one of the last off. This year I made a conscious effort to get out as early as possible but the guide-boat was still long gone by the time my turn came. Conditions were great. Little or no chop made sighting easy. It was actually a little strange to be able to see other competitors in The Bay for the duration of the swim! I didn't notice anyone passing me but I was yelled at by volunteer kayakers, at least twice, to course-correct near the end. Without their help, I would have missed the beach...Currents were strong but favorable.
Transition: Last year I vaulted the partially collapsed transition area fence. This time I ran around. When I arrived at my spot, my limbs simply were not working (not unusual after open water swim). I struggled to don my left shoe while several people passed me. As I left the transition area the announcer made some quip about not knowing who I was even though my name should have shown up on his screen when I crossed the time mat...A glance at my own watch read about 44:30. In my haste I didn't even bother to split it!
Run: (I think) I caught and passed all but one of the folks who got the jump on me during transition. I chased Thrive for the whole run and got close enough to provide course directions at the Warming Hut before he bounded up the stairs while I walked and ate. My shin held up fine or at least a blister on my left foot distracted me from any other discomfort! Thrive extended his lead on me during the return leg but we were both still passing other runners a few hundred yards from finish. Some spectators dubbed me the 13th finisher but since start times are based on when each competitor jumps off the boat, this is of relative import.
On my return I was paged to report to race authorities to confirm I was still alive. A swimmer died during this race last year - they were keener than ever not to lose someone else...My chip registered me leaving the boat (hence the organizers' concern) but all the other splits were missed. The official results don't list any times for me...My watch's (conservative) estimate of 1:31:49, would have placed me 9th overall, about 14 minutes faster than 2007, and at the top of my age group by about 6 minutes.
Results. 216 was my number. My split guesstimates are: 42:00.0 swim, 2:30.0 t1, 47:00.0 run.
Photos: Swim start, finish. Run.
PS In an interesting coincidence I was grabbed by by a roving bone marrow drive on my way home, fulfilling my wish from Wildflower.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Music links...
This is an attempt to amalgamate scattered notes for music-related links, streams, mp3s, videos, recommendations etc....mostly stuff not currently available on Rhapsody (or its Facebook app). It includes links to YouTube, The Hype Machine and KCRW's Archive.
- Adam Freeland Fear (Rez Edit).
- Rez HD official site (popup plays music).
- Rez: Gamer's Guide to [IMPORT].
- Adam Freeland We Want Your Soul.
- BBG Sn/appiness(Evolution).
- DJ Rap Good To Be Alive.
- N.E.R.D. RockStar (Jason Nevins Remix Edit).
- Eric Prydz Pjanoo (first heard on Jason Bentley's Metropolis).
- Bacardi Mojito ad.
- BioShock score.
- R. Kelly Trapped in the Closet.
- Kaskade & Deadmau5 Move for me (Extended).
- José González (of Zero 7 vocal fame) Killing for love (Beatfanatic remix).
- Evil Nine They Live.
- Black Ghosts Repetition Kills You.
- Various Artists/Stuart Cary Hunter Fragments of Time (PURE "Rise Above" TV Spot) (gets less cheesey after about 35 seconds...).
- Sub Sub Space Face.
- New Order Confusion (Pump Panel Reconstruction Mix).
- Cabin Crew Can't Stop it (Club Mix).
Monday, May 19, 2008
Bay to Breakers - May 18th 2008
Bay to Breakers is one of many cool things about San Francisco and represents many of the city's qualities. It's a medley of athleticism, creativity, music, teamwork and nudity...
Waiting in line to get into the start area and then for a porta-potty took about 45 minutes...This meant I missed the actual start and ended up the in middle of Zone 2/Yellow bibs i.e. late entrants, walkers, unwieldy costumes etc. The big bonus was that some friends (who were in the first category) caught up - we ran together as far as Fell Street and regrouped after the finish. The downside was having to dodge past hundreds of people for 7+ miles...
My finish time was about 7 minutes slower than 2007 but after returning to join the crew of the S.S Crab Lady, I think had at least 8 times more fun. :P
Results. My bib number was 6276. My time was 58:03.
Official Photos of me, Bill, Tatiana.
Crab Lady snaps: 1, 2, 3...
PS The number of total finishers seems to be in decline:
2005: 31,112.
2006: 24,562.
2007: 23,710.
2008: 22,439.
but whether that is a function of fewer paying participants or of more people being too drunk/tired to finish is a question I don't know the answer to...(the Chronicle claims about 33,000 registered).
Waiting in line to get into the start area and then for a porta-potty took about 45 minutes...This meant I missed the actual start and ended up the in middle of Zone 2/Yellow bibs i.e. late entrants, walkers, unwieldy costumes etc. The big bonus was that some friends (who were in the first category) caught up - we ran together as far as Fell Street and regrouped after the finish. The downside was having to dodge past hundreds of people for 7+ miles...
My finish time was about 7 minutes slower than 2007 but after returning to join the crew of the S.S Crab Lady, I think had at least 8 times more fun. :P
Results. My bib number was 6276. My time was 58:03.
Official Photos of me, Bill, Tatiana.
Crab Lady snaps: 1, 2, 3...
PS The number of total finishers seems to be in decline:
2005: 31,112.
2006: 24,562.
2007: 23,710.
2008: 22,439.
but whether that is a function of fewer paying participants or of more people being too drunk/tired to finish is a question I don't know the answer to...(the Chronicle claims about 33,000 registered).
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Wildflower - 3rd May 2008 - Long Course
"If I didn't want to live then why did I fight so hard?!" - Team In Training Honoree message, Friday 2nd May 2008.
I recently began to suspect that my fixation on this year's Wildflower was bordering on unhealthy obsession. That might seem a dramatic statement so it demands a little explanation - I think part of the reason I enjoy triathlons is because they amount to a (relatively) short time period with clear goals and well-defined rules. The final decision to make the attempt, ultimate responsibility for the endeavour, and power to complete it, lie in the hands of a single person. It's a clarity and simplicity of purpose that daily life rarely affords.
In 2006 I missed the event after a metatarsal stress fracture on April 2nd. In 2007 I was half-way through the bike-leg and feeling great when a broken spoke effectively ended my race (even though I eventually finished). I arguably spent the better part of two years preparing for the 2008 race...Perhaps my focus was understandable or maybe I'm crazy. Either way I was looking forward to a problem-free race and crossing the finish line...
After training weekend I took care of all to-do items except for a new saddle purchase, including having my bike's rear gear cassette, gear cables and tires replaced. Some work travel to Korea and Japan disrupted my schedule a little but the hotels had small pools to help keep my swimming in order (and to be honest laziness/motivation were my biggest issues after training weekend, even when I was home...).
My trip to Coachella didn't completely break my body and the folks at Chiro Medical Group helped me back into shape on April 29th. I didn't mention my Junkie XL-inspired stomach-muscle strain but it held up okay during short attempts to swim, bike and run on April 30th. Catching up on sleep was made difficult by the release of GTA IV on April 29th...
During the preceding week weather forecasts for race-day varied wildly...Temperatures were predicted to be anywhere from about 65-79°F and wind speed estimates varied from about 2-16 mph...not very helpful but more promising than past records of 100+°F. All was finally revealed on race day - highs just short of 80°F and winds around 10mph.
Swim: I positioned myself near the front on left/outside (again) for the clockwise swim. I had to jostle a little at the start and around the halfway point but managed to avoid any major mishaps. Lake San Antonio was calm and nearly 30 minutes later (four minutes faster than in windy, choppy 2007) I exited.
T1: I struggled a little to get my wetsuit off - I thought the velcro neck-strap was open...it was not...My split was respectable but not great.
Bike: I was very pleased to see that the road that serves the opening miles of both the bike and run courses had been resurfaced. My plan for the bike was to try to get as close as possible to three hours. I chased a group of riders that included Kyle Visin (his 420 bib number made him a celebrity to Cal Poly student volunteers :P ) until about 18 miles in - probably at too fast a pace. I managed to stay ahead of one of my old teammates, Kit Colbert, until he passed me with a yell and a grin at the top of Lynch Hill (about a mile from the finish). After the race I discovered my rear tire was flat and the wheel was a little out of true. I don't know if this was a slow leak or if it blew under pressure in the afternoon heat while I was running...I do know I'm lucky it didn't affect my descent of Lynch!
T2: In spite of re-applying factor 50 sunscreen, my left shoulder burned to blistering.
Run: Long before I got off my bike I calculated that I had room to spare to beat my six hour target. However during the opening miles of the run two things occurred to me; #1 I wasn't enjoying myself, #2 I didn't want to do this [race distance] again. Thoughts like this are not uncommon during any endurance event, and amazing support from TNT teammates helped alleviate the first, but the second hit me pretty hard and still persists...Having said that, coming down the Wildflower finish chute and seeing your target time beaten are both special experiences - together they're unforgettable.
Heartfelt thanks to all who helped with this one - you know who you are!! ;-)
My bib number was 388.
Results.
Photos:
Event official.
swim: take it off!
run: inspiration * 2 + support == grin + smile.
This brings my tally to 10 triathlons:
2 Big Kahuna Half Ironman +
2 Escape from The Rock +
2 Treasure Island Olympic +
2 Wildflower Long Course +
1 Escape From Alcatraz +
1 Folsom.
It also finishes my fifth TNT season.
If I return to Lake San Antonio, I think I might try the Olympic distance...
PS After a chat to the folks at the Profile Design booth, it seems the Tri-Stryke Elite™ might be a good replacement for my current saddle (which is worn so badly, raw plastic is showing).
PPS I'm resolved to sign up to the Bone Marrow donor program after hearing Trevor Austin Kott's story related by his mother to the TNT dinner group on Saturday evening.
I recently began to suspect that my fixation on this year's Wildflower was bordering on unhealthy obsession. That might seem a dramatic statement so it demands a little explanation - I think part of the reason I enjoy triathlons is because they amount to a (relatively) short time period with clear goals and well-defined rules. The final decision to make the attempt, ultimate responsibility for the endeavour, and power to complete it, lie in the hands of a single person. It's a clarity and simplicity of purpose that daily life rarely affords.
In 2006 I missed the event after a metatarsal stress fracture on April 2nd. In 2007 I was half-way through the bike-leg and feeling great when a broken spoke effectively ended my race (even though I eventually finished). I arguably spent the better part of two years preparing for the 2008 race...Perhaps my focus was understandable or maybe I'm crazy. Either way I was looking forward to a problem-free race and crossing the finish line...
After training weekend I took care of all to-do items except for a new saddle purchase, including having my bike's rear gear cassette, gear cables and tires replaced. Some work travel to Korea and Japan disrupted my schedule a little but the hotels had small pools to help keep my swimming in order (and to be honest laziness/motivation were my biggest issues after training weekend, even when I was home...).
My trip to Coachella didn't completely break my body and the folks at Chiro Medical Group helped me back into shape on April 29th. I didn't mention my Junkie XL-inspired stomach-muscle strain but it held up okay during short attempts to swim, bike and run on April 30th. Catching up on sleep was made difficult by the release of GTA IV on April 29th...
During the preceding week weather forecasts for race-day varied wildly...Temperatures were predicted to be anywhere from about 65-79°F and wind speed estimates varied from about 2-16 mph...not very helpful but more promising than past records of 100+°F. All was finally revealed on race day - highs just short of 80°F and winds around 10mph.
Swim: I positioned myself near the front on left/outside (again) for the clockwise swim. I had to jostle a little at the start and around the halfway point but managed to avoid any major mishaps. Lake San Antonio was calm and nearly 30 minutes later (four minutes faster than in windy, choppy 2007) I exited.
T1: I struggled a little to get my wetsuit off - I thought the velcro neck-strap was open...it was not...My split was respectable but not great.
Bike: I was very pleased to see that the road that serves the opening miles of both the bike and run courses had been resurfaced. My plan for the bike was to try to get as close as possible to three hours. I chased a group of riders that included Kyle Visin (his 420 bib number made him a celebrity to Cal Poly student volunteers :P ) until about 18 miles in - probably at too fast a pace. I managed to stay ahead of one of my old teammates, Kit Colbert, until he passed me with a yell and a grin at the top of Lynch Hill (about a mile from the finish). After the race I discovered my rear tire was flat and the wheel was a little out of true. I don't know if this was a slow leak or if it blew under pressure in the afternoon heat while I was running...I do know I'm lucky it didn't affect my descent of Lynch!
T2: In spite of re-applying factor 50 sunscreen, my left shoulder burned to blistering.
Run: Long before I got off my bike I calculated that I had room to spare to beat my six hour target. However during the opening miles of the run two things occurred to me; #1 I wasn't enjoying myself, #2 I didn't want to do this [race distance] again. Thoughts like this are not uncommon during any endurance event, and amazing support from TNT teammates helped alleviate the first, but the second hit me pretty hard and still persists...Having said that, coming down the Wildflower finish chute and seeing your target time beaten are both special experiences - together they're unforgettable.
Heartfelt thanks to all who helped with this one - you know who you are!! ;-)
My bib number was 388.
Results.
Photos:
Event official.
swim: take it off!
run: inspiration * 2 + support == grin + smile.
This brings my tally to 10 triathlons:
2 Big Kahuna Half Ironman +
2 Escape from The Rock +
2 Treasure Island Olympic +
2 Wildflower Long Course +
1 Escape From Alcatraz +
1 Folsom.
It also finishes my fifth TNT season.
If I return to Lake San Antonio, I think I might try the Olympic distance...
PS After a chat to the folks at the Profile Design booth, it seems the Tri-Stryke Elite™ might be a good replacement for my current saddle (which is worn so badly, raw plastic is showing).
PPS I'm resolved to sign up to the Bone Marrow donor program after hearing Trevor Austin Kott's story related by his mother to the TNT dinner group on Saturday evening.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Coachella 2008 - April 25th to 27th
"The next big thing - just a band!!" - Fatboy Slim sample.
I think this was my fourth trip to Coachella. Year on year, I seem to spend more time in the tents/dancing. I also got a (practically) front row spot for a bunch of performances.
Loved:
Liked:
Wasn't really feeling:
Bitterly disappointed by:
All in all, well worth the $$$s. Next time, I think flights to PSP (instead of ONT) might be worth a closer look...here's hoping Wildflower and Coachella continue to pick different weekends...
PS I managed to pull muscles all along my lower stomach dancing to Junkie XL...fingers crossed this doesn't hold me back on Saturday...
I think this was my fourth trip to Coachella. Year on year, I seem to spend more time in the tents/dancing. I also got a (practically) front row spot for a bunch of performances.
Loved:
- Adam Freeland - mixed Justice, Datarock, Daft Punk (+ politics) and his own material to great effect. his posse brought silver "F" balloons that were still hanging out in the Sahara tent roof two days later.
- Pendulum - i was ruminating on how perfectly they fill the (live) void left by The Prodigy when they dropped a kick-a$$ cover. :-) this was also one of the rare US-concert performances where i've seen (multiple) mosh-pits. their singer performed live in spite of a "broken foot" because they "flew six thousand miles" and "don't give a sh*t/f*ck" (their MC's words, not mine). looking forward to their upcoming album "In Silico".
- Fatboy Slim - i've been disappointed by Norman before (Paddy's Day 2002 in Tramore, Ireland methinks) but he delivered in spades this time.
- Hot Chip - "We'd love to chat but we know you want to dance". Consummate Professionals.
- Junkie XL - great tunes. great showman.
- Sia - weird yet endearing. paraphrases included "I've got a front and back wedgie." while she struggled with her outfit and "This song is from the future!" before playing an unreleased track. however she's still a truly amazing vocalist - i almost lost it when she started "Breathe Me".
- Justice - closed the weekend and were absolutely worth the wait. the fourth time i've seen them in twelve months and they continue to improve. Gaspard, Xavier - please make a second album and prove you're not a fad...
Liked:
- Dan Deacon - spun from the tent floor and created a "whirlpool" of running dancers in the audience. it looked like fun but i bailed to see Adam Freeland.
- Mum - i don't think i caught their entire performance (and since it was on Friday i cannot even remember why...) but they impressed and their quirky Icelandic humor was a pleasant bonus.
- Goldfrapp - Alison was frustrated by poor sound quality and was vocal in expressing her feelings (she dropped f-bombs diva-style so i don't have to) but when her bassist paused and she opened her pipes...WOW.
- Kate Nash - caught a few songs at the end of her set.
- Portishead - one of their new tracks ("Silence" i think) blew my mind. "Third" was just released and is on my playlist.
- Prince - folks seem to like to bring up the fact that Prince is short in stature but he filled the Coachella Stage with ease. his polished performance shone even brighter than his bedazzled jacket and he's a great guitarist (who knew?). unfortunately my weariness from standing at the front two shows in a row and my ambivalence about actual 80s music (rather than stuff inspired by it) got the better of me and i relinquished my spot. however i was within earshot some time later to hear him cover "Creep". :P
Wasn't really feeling:
- Cut Copy - they're not (necessarily) bad but acts like Midnight Juggernauts (whom I missed this time unfortunately) do the 80s-style-plus-dance-beats much better.
- Aphex Twin - true to form, some of his stuff was good, but much of it was just too fast/too weird.
- Datarock - great entrance but performance was too punk-shouty for me. i made my exit after a few songs and switched to Pendulum.
- MIA - neon and noisy. after a few numbers i left to eat and get a good spot for Portishead and Prince.
- Chromeo - entertaining filler. their "Intro" was my favorite part of their act and (to be fair) i was antsy for Justice (see above) and still stinging after SMD (see below...).
Bitterly disappointed by:
- Simian Mobile Disco - here's the plan: let's take our (fantastic) tunes, remove all the music until only the beats remain, fill the void with noise that everyone will struggle to dance to, and bring that sh*te to Coachella. they got the finger. this was all the more frustrating as the main reason Justice got their break is because they re-mixed "We are your Friends" which is a frickin' Simian tune...i had more fun dancing in the kitchen with our group before we drove to the show.
All in all, well worth the $$$s. Next time, I think flights to PSP (instead of ONT) might be worth a closer look...here's hoping Wildflower and Coachella continue to pick different weekends...
PS I managed to pull muscles all along my lower stomach dancing to Junkie XL...fingers crossed this doesn't hold me back on Saturday...
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Profile Design - great customer service
After bonking during my Wildflower Long Course training ride in spring 2007, I bought a Profile Design Aqua Rack. It doubled the number of water bottles my bike can carry.
The 'Rack served me well until the evening of Wednesday April 2nd 2008. I was pedaling through traffic on Marina Boulevard when a bump sent one of my bottles flying. The bottle survived several near misses before being crushed by a car tire in a lemony, limey, Gatorade-filled explosion. I wasn't too concerned until I discovered the reason - the rubber band that held the bottle in place had snapped and its partner was badly frayed. The opening mile and a half of the bike leg at Wildflower's Long Course is rough riding - there was little chance that rack-mounted water bottles would stay put unless securely fastened...
The following day I called Profile Design. Fred was very helpful and offered to ship replacement bands free of charge. On Wednesday April 9th they arrived from Profile Design's Long Beach office. The USPS cost was $6.25. That's very impressive support for a product that retails for $30! Thank you Profile Design!
The 'Rack served me well until the evening of Wednesday April 2nd 2008. I was pedaling through traffic on Marina Boulevard when a bump sent one of my bottles flying. The bottle survived several near misses before being crushed by a car tire in a lemony, limey, Gatorade-filled explosion. I wasn't too concerned until I discovered the reason - the rubber band that held the bottle in place had snapped and its partner was badly frayed. The opening mile and a half of the bike leg at Wildflower's Long Course is rough riding - there was little chance that rack-mounted water bottles would stay put unless securely fastened...
The following day I called Profile Design. Fred was very helpful and offered to ship replacement bands free of charge. On Wednesday April 9th they arrived from Profile Design's Long Beach office. The USPS cost was $6.25. That's very impressive support for a product that retails for $30! Thank you Profile Design!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
TNT Spring 2008 - Wildflower Training Weekend
2008 is a big year for me in multisport. USAT rules mean it's my last race season in the Male 25-29 age group. I'm back for my fifth stint with Team In Training this spring. (In part due to work travel commitments) I'm a TNT participant again, which allows me to concentrate a little more on training. Head Coach Chris Holland's program has been keeping me busy!
This post is mostly a record to remind me what to focus on until Wildflower. It's also a comparison between my experience this weekend and previous visits to Lake San Antonio.
Notorious hills aside, the most significant factor at Wildflower is the weather. Race day temperatures range from the 70s (2007, 2006) to above 100°F. Wind can be a factor too - last year, gusts of up to 20mph hindered athletes' efforts. This training weekend the high was a cool 67°F with light winds - 10mph maximum - imperfect for race condition simulation but a great opportunity to push for fast times.
Swim: race conditions on the lake in 2007 were choppy. This past weekend, the lake was calm and the sky overcast. I clocked in around 31 minutes compared to 33:35 on race day in 2007. (The training swim route goes northwest from the parking lot start point. On race day the course is to the southeast - an area normally used for boating).
Bike: during my first attempt at Wildflower's bike course, I bonked badly (and in part intentionally to discover my race day nutrition requirements). In my 2007 race I broke a spoke... Third time proved lucky - I was very happy with about 2 hours 59 minutes (thanks to Mike Spence for planting the "break three hours" seed! :P ). It felt so much better than my 3 hours 37 minutes crawl. I still need to invest in a more comfortable saddle but the tactical use of caffeinated gels (dropped one before Nasty Grade) seems to be working well and the 20 minute jog following the ride felt okay.
Run: in 2007, for my first jaunt around the run course I tagged along with Craig Dalton and Chris Gage. They are both awesome athletes, great motivators and tour guides, and cancer survivors! It was a highlight of that weekend, especially in comparison with the bike-bonk. My race-run that year was overshadowed by my bike mishap... This year at practice, I chased Tyler Dillavou and Ollie Ralph. They dragged me round the course in about 1 hour 36 minutes.
Ideally my training would continue as-you-were but work travel (and Coachella) loom large on my pre-race horizon so I cannot afford to become complacent. My bike needs a tune-up, especially the rear gears. The saddle and water bottle carriage also need tightening. I also need to schedule some physical maintenance.
Now, I'm off to sleep before a swim tomorrow morning!
PS Weather data courtesy of Weather Underground.
PPS Samples of Saturday evening's campground entertainment from the awesome TNT staff. :-)
This post is mostly a record to remind me what to focus on until Wildflower. It's also a comparison between my experience this weekend and previous visits to Lake San Antonio.
Notorious hills aside, the most significant factor at Wildflower is the weather. Race day temperatures range from the 70s (2007, 2006) to above 100°F. Wind can be a factor too - last year, gusts of up to 20mph hindered athletes' efforts. This training weekend the high was a cool 67°F with light winds - 10mph maximum - imperfect for race condition simulation but a great opportunity to push for fast times.
Swim: race conditions on the lake in 2007 were choppy. This past weekend, the lake was calm and the sky overcast. I clocked in around 31 minutes compared to 33:35 on race day in 2007. (The training swim route goes northwest from the parking lot start point. On race day the course is to the southeast - an area normally used for boating).
Bike: during my first attempt at Wildflower's bike course, I bonked badly (and in part intentionally to discover my race day nutrition requirements). In my 2007 race I broke a spoke... Third time proved lucky - I was very happy with about 2 hours 59 minutes (thanks to Mike Spence for planting the "break three hours" seed! :P ). It felt so much better than my 3 hours 37 minutes crawl. I still need to invest in a more comfortable saddle but the tactical use of caffeinated gels (dropped one before Nasty Grade) seems to be working well and the 20 minute jog following the ride felt okay.
Run: in 2007, for my first jaunt around the run course I tagged along with Craig Dalton and Chris Gage. They are both awesome athletes, great motivators and tour guides, and cancer survivors! It was a highlight of that weekend, especially in comparison with the bike-bonk. My race-run that year was overshadowed by my bike mishap... This year at practice, I chased Tyler Dillavou and Ollie Ralph. They dragged me round the course in about 1 hour 36 minutes.
Ideally my training would continue as-you-were but work travel (and Coachella) loom large on my pre-race horizon so I cannot afford to become complacent. My bike needs a tune-up, especially the rear gears. The saddle and water bottle carriage also need tightening. I also need to schedule some physical maintenance.
Now, I'm off to sleep before a swim tomorrow morning!
PS Weather data courtesy of Weather Underground.
PPS Samples of Saturday evening's campground entertainment from the awesome TNT staff. :-)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Burnout Paradise, PGR4
I didn't like the Burnout Paradise demo. I despised the DJ and the open-world-style seemed overly cumbersome.
Criterion insisted - "You're Wrong! Play the full game!". Then a bunch of Xbox Live Friends picked up and recommended it (directly and indirectly).
Unable to find a copy at my local EBGames (no big surprise there - EA must be happy with sales) I ordered online. The day it arrived I played for four hours longer than I originally planned. EA/Criterion spit and polish forced me to eat crow and love it - after a short time I was revelling in the often questionable soundtrack while chasing down a f'ugly, garish SUV to add to my collection.
Yes, needing to drive back across the whole map/city to retry a particular event with a specific vehicle can become tiresome (you may not have this issue if you don't suck as bad as I do). Having said that, the large number of events (almost every intersection has one) soothes that irritant.
Navigating the race routes also takes some getting used to. There are at least four cues; three visual, one audible. However when dodging oncoming traffic at high speed with music pounding, they're easily missed.
Speaking of cues, while he remains an insufferable Douche, DJ Atomika does occasionally offer pertinent and useful tips.
Rubber-banding is extremely forgiving - it almost seems like a challenge to fail the opening events. After PGR4 it's also refreshing to compete with racers that frequently make mistakes without direct involvement from the player (in fact sometimes the mistakes are a little too frequent - try "shutting down" some vehicles and see what I mean...)
Being able to choose a vehicle that fits your preferred driving style adds a welcome twist - choose the tough but unwieldy muscle-truck to crush your opponents off the road or the nippy sports-car and hope you can outrun them? Customization is limited to paint job color - PGR4 probably allows a little more control in this respect but either way, the vehicles are gorgeous. It's a shame they get trashed within seconds of leaving the Junkyard. :-)
The camera is (intentionally?) positioned so that the road ahead is obscured, especially while cresting hills. Punch the boost, white knuckle onto the steering wheel and hope there isn't a bus coming the other way...
Online works well (at least with a good host). The open-world means that if you become bored with a certain task, you can simply explore while your fellow drivers continue to race, stunt, park, whatever!
I really enjoyed PGR4 but the Normal difficulty setting in Career was a fraction too demanding - it would have taken me weeks (more) to get to the top of the list. Also the requirement of participating in events like (Super) Cone Challenge is not something I relished. Unfortunately, resetting to Easy removed both the risk and the reward. The game became a dull time trial. I guess the failing here is mine, I just don't have enough time to devote to it at the tougher level.
On a more general trend - in-game advertising abounds for both game but is not too intrusive given the contemporary settings. CompUSA, Diesel and others are prominent in Burnout. PGR4 features ads for current movies.
Given the presence of motorcycles in PGR4 (and in MotorStorm) and their absence thus far from EA's recent offerings, my unanswered burning question is this: When will Criterion do Road Rash?! :-)
Criterion insisted - "You're Wrong! Play the full game!". Then a bunch of Xbox Live Friends picked up and recommended it (directly and indirectly).
Unable to find a copy at my local EBGames (no big surprise there - EA must be happy with sales) I ordered online. The day it arrived I played for four hours longer than I originally planned. EA/Criterion spit and polish forced me to eat crow and love it - after a short time I was revelling in the often questionable soundtrack while chasing down a f'ugly, garish SUV to add to my collection.
Yes, needing to drive back across the whole map/city to retry a particular event with a specific vehicle can become tiresome (you may not have this issue if you don't suck as bad as I do). Having said that, the large number of events (almost every intersection has one) soothes that irritant.
Navigating the race routes also takes some getting used to. There are at least four cues; three visual, one audible. However when dodging oncoming traffic at high speed with music pounding, they're easily missed.
Speaking of cues, while he remains an insufferable Douche, DJ Atomika does occasionally offer pertinent and useful tips.
Rubber-banding is extremely forgiving - it almost seems like a challenge to fail the opening events. After PGR4 it's also refreshing to compete with racers that frequently make mistakes without direct involvement from the player (in fact sometimes the mistakes are a little too frequent - try "shutting down" some vehicles and see what I mean...)
Being able to choose a vehicle that fits your preferred driving style adds a welcome twist - choose the tough but unwieldy muscle-truck to crush your opponents off the road or the nippy sports-car and hope you can outrun them? Customization is limited to paint job color - PGR4 probably allows a little more control in this respect but either way, the vehicles are gorgeous. It's a shame they get trashed within seconds of leaving the Junkyard. :-)
The camera is (intentionally?) positioned so that the road ahead is obscured, especially while cresting hills. Punch the boost, white knuckle onto the steering wheel and hope there isn't a bus coming the other way...
Online works well (at least with a good host). The open-world means that if you become bored with a certain task, you can simply explore while your fellow drivers continue to race, stunt, park, whatever!
I really enjoyed PGR4 but the Normal difficulty setting in Career was a fraction too demanding - it would have taken me weeks (more) to get to the top of the list. Also the requirement of participating in events like (Super) Cone Challenge is not something I relished. Unfortunately, resetting to Easy removed both the risk and the reward. The game became a dull time trial. I guess the failing here is mine, I just don't have enough time to devote to it at the tougher level.
On a more general trend - in-game advertising abounds for both game but is not too intrusive given the contemporary settings. CompUSA, Diesel and others are prominent in Burnout. PGR4 features ads for current movies.
Given the presence of motorcycles in PGR4 (and in MotorStorm) and their absence thus far from EA's recent offerings, my unanswered burning question is this: When will Criterion do Road Rash?! :-)
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
When I learned that Fox was putting together a TV series using The Terminator franchise, I was skeptical. After two great action movies and one enjoyable venture into action-parody, what would be next? Terminator: The Musical? I Love Terminator Too? Unwilling to commit to the real-time feed, I recorded the show, just in case...
On Friday January 18th 2008, the flu bug struck...hard. Housebound for the weekend, I decided to watch the pilot episode. It did not disappoint. The Terminator is still, to quote Elvis Mitchell of the New York Times, "A B-movie with flair". It's gratuitous, obvious, and awesome. I've decided to wait until the series is available to watch completely free of advertisement before watching the full season. Some of my skepticism remains - I don't think the Terminator "universe" has the breadth (yet anyway) to carry a story week after week. Also, temporal travel as a plot-device, is a dangerous lure for writers under pressure...Can Fox make this work for a whole season? I guess "Time vill tell!"
On Friday January 18th 2008, the flu bug struck...hard. Housebound for the weekend, I decided to watch the pilot episode. It did not disappoint. The Terminator is still, to quote Elvis Mitchell of the New York Times, "A B-movie with flair". It's gratuitous, obvious, and awesome. I've decided to wait until the series is available to watch completely free of advertisement before watching the full season. Some of my skepticism remains - I don't think the Terminator "universe" has the breadth (yet anyway) to carry a story week after week. Also, temporal travel as a plot-device, is a dangerous lure for writers under pressure...Can Fox make this work for a whole season? I guess "Time vill tell!"
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Mass Effect: Revelation
To paraphrase a friend (who was actually referencing elements of Mass Effect's game plot), Mass Effect: Revelation is a little goofy but ultimately charming.
It's an easy read - about 330 pages of (almost) pulp science fiction. I corral it in that pigeon hole in the most positive sense. Some of the dialog is genuinely funny - there are some great sound-bites. It seems even more like a Hollywood movie script than some of the material I normally peruse.
The book's main selling point was that it was touted as enriching the Mass Effect experience. It delivers in some respects. The novel further justifies humanity's portrayal as the petulant teenager and the Citadel Council's sometime Pontius-Pilate-School-of-Politics attitude. "Infinite" ammo (which never bothered me but was called out by some critics) is explained succinctly (come to think of it, it may also discussed in the game Codex). The batarian race features prominently - they are almost completely absent from the software title.
Where it failed to live up to (my) hopes is in its explanation of Saren's motives. Even after playing the game to completion and reading the book, I still find it difficult to reconcile his (original) goals and actions. Perhaps that's the intent anyway...?
Other issues the book highlights are some of the mild inconsistencies, probably due to technology/design limitations. There simply aren't enough people in the Citadel Wards - the book (and in-game background) describes them as packed. The Normandy is also far too roomy but this can be explained away by its unique nature.
Revelation also contains some spoiler-esque material for one of the chief game plot twists. However it's not that big a deal and the foreshadowing is probably just that much more obvious/enjoyable as a result.
Mass Effect: Ascension, the second book and "sequel" to the game, will allegedly be available in 2008. I think I'll be getting it. :-)
It's an easy read - about 330 pages of (almost) pulp science fiction. I corral it in that pigeon hole in the most positive sense. Some of the dialog is genuinely funny - there are some great sound-bites. It seems even more like a Hollywood movie script than some of the material I normally peruse.
The book's main selling point was that it was touted as enriching the Mass Effect experience. It delivers in some respects. The novel further justifies humanity's portrayal as the petulant teenager and the Citadel Council's sometime Pontius-Pilate-School-of-Politics attitude. "Infinite" ammo (which never bothered me but was called out by some critics) is explained succinctly (come to think of it, it may also discussed in the game Codex). The batarian race features prominently - they are almost completely absent from the software title.
Where it failed to live up to (my) hopes is in its explanation of Saren's motives. Even after playing the game to completion and reading the book, I still find it difficult to reconcile his (original) goals and actions. Perhaps that's the intent anyway...?
Other issues the book highlights are some of the mild inconsistencies, probably due to technology/design limitations. There simply aren't enough people in the Citadel Wards - the book (and in-game background) describes them as packed. The Normandy is also far too roomy but this can be explained away by its unique nature.
Revelation also contains some spoiler-esque material for one of the chief game plot twists. However it's not that big a deal and the foreshadowing is probably just that much more obvious/enjoyable as a result.
Mass Effect: Ascension, the second book and "sequel" to the game, will allegedly be available in 2008. I think I'll be getting it. :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)