1 week after the Tri, I am figuring out what next goal to go after, and cranking through some really fun projects with ClarkeDesign. I just came across a link, called: “The Story of Stuff“. Give it a look if you a little time for a lesson on where our stuff comes from and the impact we make.
Tomorrow is my 2 year anniversary with the lovely wife. Lets hope I don’t forget in the next 17 hours!!!
-Clarke
update: 10/7 11:13pm:The splits are posted now at Mission Bay Triathlon page.
NAME: CLARKE GRAVES - AGE: 31 - CITY: SAN DIEGO - WAVE: 5
CATEGORY: MALE 30-34 - AGE GROUP PLACE: 47/151
OVERALL RANK: 283/1458
SWIM RANK: 441 - SWIM: 0:09:36
Transition 1: 0:03:50
BIKE RANK: 550 - BIKE: 0:32:51
Transition 2: 0:01:15
RUN RANK: 69 - RUN: 0:20:30
FINISH: 1:08:02
Congrats to Sean Cody, Relay Team “Let’s Beat Sean”, Phil Starkovich who also participated and kicked uber butt!
Pictures from the bike were not taken since it was out of range from spectators and well, I was just too darn fast! I might be getting some more in the next week so I will post them too.
1. Walking the bridge to the race area…contemplating my options… 2. Sunrise on our start. 3. Piranhas in the water!!! 4. Nice hair Clarke! You better have a good excuse.
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5. Clarke on the run with a pack on his tail. 6. Kick!!! 7. Finish. 8. This is Phil. He got me doing this whole thing..Thanks?
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9. And there will be blood. 10. Clarke with da mamma. She never missed a race of mine in high school, and was not going to miss this one! 11. Bike holding Clarke up as he heads back to the car. 12. Recovering Clarke on the couch with phone and remotes to preempt having to get up for the rest of the day.
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Final results are to be posted here, but the individual event splits are not there yet…I will be eagerly awaiting those.
I will have more splits, and lots of pictures that Stefanie took of the race, but while weary, I am too excited to share with everyone that I finished my first Triathlon this morning! I had a little issue getting on the bike on the mounting area and got a little scrape on the shin (will require prolly a bazillion STITCHES, ok maybe just a washcloth) and a nice inner groin bruise which I won’t be showing off 
but the whole thing went really really well. No major hiccups at all. The swim definately kicked my but the most. I went out way too hard, and all the tips Lisa had shared with me to help my form sunk to the bottom of the bay as I was just struggling to get enough air and finish the first leg. Man the sand couldn’t come soon enough. After that, I transitioned into the bike phase (I really took a ton of time in the transition stage but oh well).
Once on the bike, I was cruisin along. ~15 minutes in, right when I got to the most desolate area…the most lonely and windy stretch, I noticed some chalk markings on the ground. “Clarke Graves is a Rock Star”, “Fight the wind!” “Love Jen and Jess”, my two rockin friends (Jen is the one who loaned me the bike, and walked me through all the do’s and don’ts of a tri. Last night in the rain and in the dark, they went out to Fiesta Island and chalked up the course for me. There was some more chalkings that they did, “1 mile to your pineapple princess” on the run portion, but I missed those…too delerious. 
So yea, after reading the chalk on the bike, I had the biggest burst of energy imaginable. Powerbar and Gu got nuthin on chalk!
I made it back on the bike, and started the run. Now every time I trained for the run portion I was humbled. Gone are the days of my past career where I was throwing down 20 milers and screaming times. I would do runs thinking I was at good paces only to find I was slower than ever. Not to mention I was in pain the whole time. Well the run today went great. I felt strong. I felt fast. I passed people but never got passed. I had the best cheering section rooting for me the whole time too! Stefanie, my mom, Stef’s mom Kay, her dad and step-mom (Steve and Karen), Jen and Jess. Other runners would be lucky to be near me when I went by my support group because the applause and cheering were so loud. So I cruised pretty good on that portion. First mile went through at 6:30 and final time of 20:35 (6:37 pace) for the 5kilometer/3.1 mile course. Even had a little kick at the end to blow by some unfortunate young kid. I don’t know my other event times yet since I didnt time those, but I will post them once I get em from the race website. I think the total time was 1:08:30 or something.
ok, im taxed. time to watch some football and seperate myself from this spandex for a shower Thanks for all the support. I will write a more coherent follow-up tonight or tomorrow with pictures, times and full props for all the friends I know who did the race too!
Clarke
p.s. Thank you to Bruddah Brook who showed up yesterday to cheer for me (wrong day doh), and then came out again today to try and say hi but didn’t realize the crazy parking, crowds, etc, and got turned around before he could get to the course!
My body (calf and knee) are healed up. The training has been a little lacking but solid. And today I did my first dry-run (ok, wet) run of the three events in succession to see how it would feel and not be surprised by the results. Went ok. Definitely tricky to hop into a new movement after spending time on another. But I did the event distances and am confident Sunday will be a success.
I was also very fortunate to have my triathlon pro friend Jen Keating assist me last night in a walk through of the race, all the transitions, the courses, and her checklist of what I will need for the day of festivities. Oh man there’s alot to think about. I am used to road races. Show up, run. go home. pass out. simple. This will require multiple towels, water bottles, numbers, markers, bibs, rules of transition areas, and much more I am certain. But I can’t wait!
My heat will be at 7am. They do the age groups at different times so the water is not 1100 people all at once starting. Instead it will be 100. 
For anyone hoping to cruise out and join in the cheering section, way cool. I suggest parking across Ingrahm bridge over by The Dana and walking over to the ski beach area since there will be so much closed off. Unless you are coming from the north..then park at Crown Point and walk over ‘that’ bridge I will clarify with maps and better directions to anyone interested in them.
I promise to post again before the big race…thanks for all the support in my training (Mark Juliano over on the east coast being a big inspiration with his own training).
On an unrelated note, I was in East County today for a dr. appt. I was near a convalescent home that the band and ladies will often times perform at so with a half hour free, I went in, and asked if I could play some music on my uke and sing for some of the residents. After sharing a few songs, I was saying good bye to each resident who came to hear me, and I began speaking with one lady who asked my name. She heard my last name, Graves, and asked “you aren’t by chance related to Jim Graves are you?” I replied “He is my father.” A friend of Jim’s from the St. Alban’s church, she was pleased to have met me and myself very touched to meet her. Nothing is as special as a legacy, and when she learned who I was, she was suddenly so excited to be talking to me.
My dad has a legacy in the East county. Folks know him, be it from the churches he attended, or the El Cajon Historical Society or countless other groups he was apart of. And it is so special, on a day like today, to see someone break into a teary smile, when they find out who I am. As do I.
I am convinced that music is as great a gift to the performer as it is to those who get to hear it.
Well, I would like to take credit for single handedly taking care of my wife during the last week, but the truth is, we had more folks helping out then imaginable. From coming to visit her so I could get a few moments out doors without leaving her, alone to some amazing home cooking from many of you out there. Not to mention Stef is one tough cookie and is healing really well. Yay!
This last weekend we went to the Paddle around the Pier for clean water, a surfrider sponsored event we do each year. Celso, Phil, Alison and myself charged the water with several hundred other surfers and went round the long structure…waving up at folks on the peir taking picts of us. I will see about getting some posted asap.
This week, I have been getting back into home alone and working mode with Stef back at work. I have been using my lunch breaks for workouts as I only have 3 weeks left before the Tri. The knee is doing better. The left calf is my newest ailment. Being old sucks.
Each week, I will try and pimp out some of my recent design work, and this week, I proudly announce the redesign of www.PhatFabric.com. Let me know what ya think. Hopefully it appeals.
Aloha, Clarke
Well, my care for Stefanie has not led to any malnutrition lawsuits just yet so that is good. My sister Sally came by today with some yummy stuff though to offset my pasta, soup, jello and eggo waffle provisions that Stef has endured.
The lovely wife is doing well. We went outsite for a couple of short walks today. She has had dizzy spells a lot today but figure its to be expected. She has been sleeping downstairs on the futon, propped up watching dvds, listening to Harry Potter Audio books, and sipping water from a straw. Last night we took off the gauze and ‘dressing’ (sounds like a fancy french salad). Looks good. Today she said its starting to get itchy…that means the healing is starting, annoying as it may feel.
I left the house today with Stefanie’s encouragement and blessing for a short 4.25mile run. Unfortunately, when I got back my knee was hurting really badly. Hopefully its just a hiccup and not a resurgence of my knee injury that ended the UC Davis running career. I’ll stick to pool or bike next workout, but I really needed to get out today and run…was a little stir crazy.
I promise to keep you all updated on the Stef recovery. In the meantime, I’d like to throw some support out to my family and friends in Louisiana who are dealing with Hurricane Ghustav out there. No power for a week, no running water, downed trees crashing into their homes, and fire ants attacking the second you step outside…the media has played this storm as something of a dissapointment compared to the damage of Katrina, but there has been a lot of devastation.
Clarke
p.s. If you feel like doing something good with that roll of quarters you have on your dresser, please consider visiting www.standup2cancer.org
Talk about putting my whimpering ass to shame. Lovely wife is simply amazing.
Stefanie is now home and sleeping. Good medication, and one tough girl, and a great surgery. Doctors said everything has gone very very well. The removed growth was benign but we won’t know what it was for a week or so after they run tests. The doctor confirmed it was extremely large growth and was glad we took it out.
I am off to go pamper my special lady friend some more. Rest assured, she is doing well as could be expected after having your next cut open and major stuff taken out. She will be pretty sore for a few days and isn’t too talkative but doing well.
Love to you all, more updates will be sent soon.
CLarke
Tommorrow, the lovely wife goes under the lovely knife to have half her thyroid taken out. While her attitude is wonderful and I know everything will be fine, the next few days could be tricky for her. If you get a chance to think some positive thoughts for her, we’ll both be sure to receive them and deposit them into her positive attitude account.
I promise to update you all when she is back home and on some good drugs.
Love ya’ll
Clarke
A few folks have inquired about the race info etc. So if you are one of those peeps, you can see I have pasted it here! Almost down to the one month to go marker!
Race website: http://www.kozenterprises.com/Triathlons/missiondf84.htm
Sunday October 5, 2008
5:00 am: Parking Lot Opens
5:30 am: Transition area opens / Late Check-In Starts / Body Marking Begins
6:35 am: Final Instructions at Swim Start -Transition Area Closed
6:45 am: Swim Starts
10:00 am: Awards presentations (approximate times)
11:00 am: Transition area closes.
Course Maps:
http://www.kozenterprises.com/Triathlons/mission_mapdf84.htm
Directions: Directions to Race Site: Ski Beach, Mission Bay (located off Ingraham St. across from the Paradise Point resort on Vacation Isle. Take I-5 to the Sea World Dr. exit. Go west on Sea World Dr. to the Ingraham St.
Ugh my legs are hurtin. But thanks to my buddy James, who is a road biker, I were able chalk up a 28 miler today from my house, to his, to UCSD campus then back home along rose canyon. man oh man, in one day I exceed all of last weeks milage for running / biking /swimming / surf paddling together. I can’t wait to see how I feel tomorrow!
I have been going to my old High School the last two weeks to run with the team there. Good to see the program getting some attention, and I enjoy running with the kids. They haven’t really warmed up to me all that much but that’s to be expected after just two appearances. If I can make a few more, things might be kinda cool. The coaches are good, so I am not trying to supplant them, just add another guy who cares about how they do to the picture.
I have 5 weeks to go before the triathlon. Hopefully I make a good showing and enjoy it enough to prompt my interest for future ones.
Celso has dropped off the plate for a training buddy, due to injury and too busy, but thats ok. I am finding alot of people to get my butt in motion, and I am grateful. If a marathon is ever in my future though, he will be critical, so he better read this and get his ice pack on!
Ok all, nothing too crazy and profound today. I figure after the last couple of posts, I should throw in a free and easy one to keep the mood light n fun.
Aloha all!
Clarke
