It's Been a While

Well, it's been a while, maybe 6 weeks since I've posted anything.  I guess this blog ebbs and flows like the training.  Been in a training lull the last couple weeks so the blog posts have been as well. 

Since my last post, I've done a 5 mile Thanksgiving Day run, my only official event.  Beyond that, I've been trying to swim 2-3 times a week and have been helping my buddy Ken get ready for the Disney World Marathon. Haven't really been on the bike but I'll admit to not being much of a cold weather rider.  The indoor trainer also doesn't interest me much. 

This week starts my official Kentucky Derby Marathon training program.  I'm using this.  I've read Hal's latest book and he's renowned as a running coach so I'm in good hands. 

A Look Ahead to 2012

I've been asked by several friends, "what's next?"  I've got a few things planned for next year but thought it would be a good idea to post my 2012 plan.

Before we end the year, I will be doing one event: 2011 Thanksgiving Day Run.  This is a 5 mile run to the top of Iroquois Park and back down.  Quite a climb in that park so should be fun.

Now we can talk about 2012.

Even though the weather can be brutal, I plan on doing the 2012 version of this.  The January and February events can be held in wicked weather.  But knowing they're coming will at least keep me in shape over the winter.

After that series starts my proper season.  The first is the Derby Festival Marathon on April 28th, my first stand alone (outside of Ironman) marathon. 

Nothing official for May, but I'll be starting my 20 week Iron distance training plan. 

June is the Motor City olympic distance tri in Detroit.  One of my favorite events.  Flat, super fast, great place to try to PR.

Ironman Muncie is July 7.  This is my main prep race for Rev 3 in September.  Supposed to be a very nice event.

August 28th, I'll be a super volunteer at IMKY.  The volunteers there were just awesome there last year so I must repay them this year by volunteering as much as I can.

My big event this year:  Rev3 CP.  Doing this with several friends.

I'm sure I'll round out the year with a couple half marathons or other smaller events.

Quick Update

Got sick in the middle of the week so didn't get as much work in as I wanted.  However, I did finally get back to it with a nice long 8.5 mile yesterday. 

I also entered my first full stand alone marathon.

 

 

Ain't That a Kick in the Teeth?

My wife recently picked up one of those at home blood pressure monitors.  Since I hadn't checked mine in a while, I did a reading.  150ish/110. Hmm.  Must be something wrong.  Were my legs crossed? Cuff too tight?  So I did it again.  Similar result.  Getting a little worried.  But not much I could do on a Sunday evening.

Monday morning, I had to run to the store for a couple things so used the pharmacy's blood pressure machine.  168/112(!!).  I immediately called my doctor and had an appointment a few hours later.  140/100 with a nurse taking it.  Not as killer as when I first started this journey but still disappointing.  He was pleased with the weight loss, finishing the Ironman and all that and told me that sometimes you can't fight genetics. 

So back on the lowest dose of Norvasc.  Upset but what can I do except keep working hard? 

Some Thoughts on the Last 2 Years and 9 Months

I went shopping today for some cold weather running gear and as I was trying on some size large pants (I used to think about XL v. XXL) and nearly fitting in a medium, it really hit me how far I've come.  Since January 2009, when I got the shock of my life with massively high blood pressure...

Lost about 60-65 pounds.
Off blood pressure medication completely.
Completed several sprint triathlons.
Ridden over 5,000 miles with the Louisville Bicycle Club and several hundred more on my own or with training partners.
Completed an Olympic distance triathlon.
Swam over 100 miles.
Ran over 1100 miles.
Completed 2 half-marathons.
Completed a half-Ironman.
Completed several other smaller running events.
Completed an Ironman.
Signed up for my second Ironman.
Fit in a jeans size I used to wear in high school.
Contemplating a stand alone full marathon.
Made some great friends or strengthened the relationship with friends I already had.
Inspired others and got inspiration from them.

Now I need another event on my calendar.  Trail running?  I've never tried it but that didn't stop me from trying all that crazy stuff I listed above, right?

Maybe?

Louisville Half-Marathon

First of all, I'm on a one-man crusade to stop calling these "minis."  There is nothing mini about 13.1 miles.  A mini implies a 5K or something similar.  Call them what they are:  HALF-Marathons.

My achievable goal heading into today was to best my previous PR (2:20).  This would be a 10:41/mile pace.  My stretch goal was to go sub-2 hours or a 9:10 pace.  I decided to use music for the first time in a long time as I wasn't running with any of my normal running partners.  I did see several familiar faces, however, including Jeff and Pete from V02, Carlos, Bill, Shay, David and others from the Landsharks, etc.

Temp at event time was a perfect 55ish degrees with a decent breeze.  The route would take us from the River Rd/Mockinbird Valley area down to the Belle of Louisville and on to the bike path.  Course was a straightforward out and back and nearly all flat with a couple small hills.  A good course for my goals. 

My plan was to use a run/walk strategy from the very beginning.  Run 9 minutes, walk 1, repeat.  I was a bit disappointed with the aid stations, but then again, it was to be expected with the company putting it on.  When will I learn?

My mile splits:

1 8:42
2 8:48
3 9:22
4 9:28
5 9:46
6 9:06
7 9:44
8 9:34
9 9:38
10 9:34
11 10:14
12 10:38
13 10:36

The grand total was a 2:05:58.  You can see I probably started out a bit too quick.  I blame Metallica as my playlist was Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning and part of And Justice for All.  Lack of nutrition finally caught up to me about mile 11.  Yeah, yeah, I should know better by now!  My hamstrings were also very tight.  This is why my sports massage therapist has basically ordered me into a yoga class, which I'm doing tomorrow evening for the 2nd time.

Overall, a good day, a new PR and more lessons learned.

One More Time!

I promised a full Bourbon Chase report.  I'll keep it short.  I got a finisher's medal and worked my ass off including my fastest run ever at an 8:17/mile pace.  That's about all I want to say and if I do it again it will be with some different peeps.  (If you're on my FB friends list, you know I'm not talking about you.)

I've also signed up for my 2nd Iron distance event.  It's being put on by a different company, Rev3.  Friends have told great stories about their events and competition with more events is only good for the sport.

I'm doing their event on September 9, 2012 at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. 

So I guess this makes it the Ironman Journey, Part II?

The Bourbon Chase

Today is the start of the Bourbon Chase.  If you don't remember, that's a 200 mile/12 person overnight relay that stops at several distilleries along the way.  Couldn't ask for better weather:  mid-80s during the day, mid-50s at night. 

My 3 legs:

Leg 1
Leg 2
Leg 3

Full event report on Sunday!

Week in Review

Still training in all 3 disciplines and have 2 official events on the schedule, The Bourbon Chase and a half-marathon.  I will be posting a full report on the Chase next Sunday.

The highlight of the week was a 10.3 mile run.  It was one of those days (see the next paragraph) but I survived.  

Since part of the reason for this blog is accountability and honesty, I had a big wake-up call over the weekend.  I was running around on Friday, doing errands, etc. when I decided to grab something quick for lunch, McDonald's.  I hadn't eaten it in quite a long time and paid for it.  After 3 days, my stomach is finally back to normal.  Unrelated?  Causal?  Bad luck?  Not entirely certain, but I've stayed away from that stuff for months and it just reinforced my resolve to keep doing so.

Finally, a friend asked me to post a link to his cancer fundraising page.  My pal and training partner, Ken, is raising money for prostate cancer research.  You can find information and a link here.  He'll take any donation, no matter how small.

Just What I needed

My pal Ken sent me a link to an inspirational Ironman book:





http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0670023027/

I love to read so picked it up. I'm about 90 pages in and it's just the thing I needed to get back into it. The people in this book are just like me. Most dove headfirst into Ironman without a plan and figured it out as they went.

Partially inspired by this book, I have made a decision for 2012: I want to involve a charity element. My pal Kevin has been associated with The Blazeman Foundation for ALS research and since my Great Aunt was also taken by this horrible disease, I can think of no better charity.

Where to start? I'm not entirely certain but that sounds eerily familiar doesn't it? It rather reminds me of August 31, 2010 when I signed up for IMKY and figured it out as I went.

I have run, swam and biked some since my last update and I intend to stick with a regular regime, just in less volume for now.

25 hilly bike miles scheduled for tomorrow and then may try my hand at some real yoga on Monday.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

"Double" the Fun and a Bike Crash

The Downtown Doubler, a 15km/9.3 mile event (there was also the doubler version, a 30 km run) was awesome.  The weather was perfect:  cool with some sprinkles.  Also got to run with some great friends.  Ended up doing it in 1:32 or just under 10 minutes/mile, my best long run ever. 

I also took Jessica on her first real ride on her road bike.  We ended up going a bit over 11 miles on a super flat course.  Near the end was a big left hand turn.  Well, my rookie bike rider wife strayed left out of her lane, clipped my front tire and sent me down!  Just a few bruises, mostly my ego, and no bike damage except for some torn bar tape.

We took our first swim today as well.  I can sense an issue Jessica is going to have.  She can't get the enormity of Ironman out of her head.  The pool is set to 25 meter lanes for the fall/winter.  The Ironman swim is 3862 meters so she does the math and freaks out a bit.  So I tried to get her to think about it in terms of a sprint (400 meters), etc.  We took it easy on our first swim.  She did 300-400 meters and I probably did 600-650.

Finally, I've added another event to my fall schedule:  The Bourbon Chase.  It's a 12 person, 200 mile (322 km) relay event.  I'll be running a total of 11.5 miles in 3 of the 36 legs.   Should be a blast!

What's Next?

I'm now 2.5 weeks post-Ironman.  I know myself well enough to know that if I don't have a goal, I might backslide into the old me.  There is no way I'm going to let that happen.  So, what's on the schedule?  In addition to riding with the LBC and running with Ken (I can't swim yet while my IM tat is still healing), here's the plan:

1.  September 18th, The Downtown Doubler.  This is a 15K (9.3 mile) event.  Nice and flat in downtown Louisville.
2.  October 16th, CF Louisville Half Marathon. Similar course.
3.  Another Ironman length event.  Not registered for anything yet but I will be doing one in 2012 along with another half Ironman, at least.

There is also potentially another Ironperson in my house.  Jessica has expressed some interest but while I'll charge headfirst into something, she normally starts small.  I will say she's already ahead of me in one way, she's already completed a marathon.  But I expect her to try an Olympic in 2012, a half in 2013 and maybe an Ironman in 2014.

Because she doesn't have a bike, I surprised her with this.  We're taking our first ride this Saturday, a nice flat 17 miler that's great for beginners.

Not sure on my posting schedule but I'm going to try to post something once a week.

Ironman Weekend (plus Thursday) Final Thoughts

Now that I've done it, I can simply say it was the coolest thing I've EVER done!  I can also safely say that unless you have an underlying heart or other medical condition, ANYONE can finish an IM if you put in the training.

I wouldn't have been able to pull it off without my training partners:  Ken, John and Kevin.  Ken ran ALL my long runs (up to 16 miles) with me.  John ran most of them and Kevin and I did a ton of riding.  The training weekends put on by iamtri were also crucial.  I got to experience race like conditions first hand, including aid stations, what to put in special needs bags, hill practice, etc.  My wife and daughter also understood when I was gone for hours and hours for about 20 Saturdays in a row.

Now the question everyone asks...what's next?  I honestly can't wait to do another Ironman!  But which one?  Wisconsin?  Good weather but hilly as hell.  Florida? Flat as a pancake but possibly humid.  I've been looking over course maps and information to figure it out.  I know for sure that I'm NOT going back to the old me.  I'm looking for a half-marathon to do before the end of 2011 and then figure out my 2012 plans.

I hope you found this blog interesting.  Visit again, I'll be updating every so often even without an event on my plate. 

Ironman Weekend (plus Thursday) Part V

Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV.

Into the run changing area I went and once again the volunteers were awesome!  I was lucky to be helped by a fellow Landshark, Carlos.  Before I could blink, I had Perform, Coke and water next to me.  A fellow athlete also shared a gel with me (another great tri dude) so I immediately felt ready to go.

I changed into running gear from head to toe, including dry socks.  This was a huge deal to me: comfort!  I also had a hand held Nathan water bottle that I could fill up with ice water during the marathon.  My plan was to run to the base of the 2nd St. bridge, walk up to the top and then get on a regular run/walk plan.  I saw a couple friends as I started the run portion and got to see Jessica and Sarah twice at the bridge.

Even though I had my run/walk plan in mind, I ended up pairing up with a guy on the bridge who was keeping a similar pace and we went with a slightly different plan.  We agreed to get to an aid station, run from it for a while, maybe 1/3 to 1/2 mile, walk to an aid station, repeat.

At the first 5-6 aid stations, I took water, Perform and whatever looked good that I could stomach at the moment:  pretzels, cookies, fruit, gel, etc.  I also began using cold sponges on my shoulders and neck to stay cool.  This was amazingly helpful!  At the first turnaround, they began offering warm chicken broth, which was the best thing I've ever tasted!  It provided calories, sodium and felt good in the stomach at the same time.

I repeated this walk/run/nutrition pattern until I got to run special needs at about mile 13.  In my bag, I had a Honey Stinger waffle and a Red Bull.  I had a volunteer fill my water bottle with ice and enjoyed a nice cold drink!  We approached the end of the first loop and it turns out you get within about 200 meters of the finish  line.  Seeing that, hearing people being crowned Ironmen and drinking that Red Bull had me absolutely flying high!

About this time, I found that my running partner was having trouble keeping up with me so I went ahead without him.  I luckily ran into another iamtri member, Beth, and we ran for a couple miles.  She began to suffer a bit so we decided to part ways and I moved ahead.  I paired up with one other person for another 3-4 miles, then she moved on at about mile 23 and I was on my own but feeling great!

At mile 24 or so, I came upon the LAHPA aid station and one of my hockey pals hugged me and told me how proud he was.  Since he's a little older than me, it was like having a parent there.  I was stoked for the finish.  The last friendly face I saw before the finish was Andy Murphy, President of the LBC.  He was on his bike and next to me for a couple minutes and took a nice picture.

I ran the last 1-1.5 miles and quickly became a basket case as I neared the finish chute.  Running down it was the most exciting thing I've ever done.  Except for getting married and the birth of Sarah, it was also the most emotional thing I've ever experienced.  As I got closer, I looked for Jessica and Sarah but it was so loud!  So loud that I didn't even hear my name being called.  Little did I know that the ladies were just beyond the finish line, screaming.

As I crossed the line, I saw my 2 running partners, Ken and John.  John put the medal around my neck and both led me through the finish line process including a picture with my medal, a hat and a t-shirt.

The final totals:

Swim 1:40:49
T-1 15:01
Bike 7:32:24
T-2 15:41
Run 6:12:03
TOTAL 15:55:58

On the way through I also got to see Jessica and Sarah who were right at the line, for a couple kisses and hugs.  We met up at the end of the finish area and we walked to Sully's where several of the Landsharks were hanging out.  I got a beer but I really had no interest in it so drank only about half.  Since Sarah had to be up early for school, we said our goodbyes and I headed back to the hotel.

Once in the room, I was shocked that I was freezing but also feeling great.  I think I could have gone another 10 miles, which tells me next time (yeah I want to do another) that I can push harder on the bike and run.  I took a nice long hot shower but was still freezing and still not hungry.  Kevin arrived shortly after and at about 3 am, we were still wired but now starving so we ended up at White Castle, stuffing our faces!

Tried to sleep but Kevin was snoring like a chainsaw :)  I slept off and on but finally gave in about 6:30 and heading for the expo to check out the finisher gear.  The line was 100/200 deep at 6:40!  I ended up with 2 t-shirts, some stickers, a track jacket, a heavier jacket, a key chain and a water bottle.  Not cheap but well worth it.

Later that morning, we headed to the awards brunch, where we heard from the pros and got to see the race and volunteer videos.  I made the race video on the bike ride.  In the evening, I joined Ken at the volunteer banquet and he gave me a personalized Louisville Slugger bat.  What a great guy!

The last piece of the puzzle was yesterday, the IMKY tat on my right calf.  Yeah, trite, but I had to do it!

Last part coming tomorrow: photos, videos, thank and some general thoughts about the experience.

Ironman Weekend (plus Thursday) Part IV

Here's Part I, Part II, and Part III.

I was surprised how long the swim to T-1 path was but took my time and decided not to run it.  Entered the transition area to get my bike bag and the volunteer asked if the sunglasses on the top of my bag were mine.  They looked it, so I grabbed my bag and headed into the changing tent.

The tent (and all) volunteers rocked!  Ended up sharing my towel with a fellow athlete and he also discovered that he thought he put his sunglasses in his run bag.  He left and I got dressed.  Turns out the shades I thought were mine were his but there was no way to find him.

T-1 time was about 15 minutes and headed out to my bike after completely changing for comfort.  As I clipped in and got going, I saw both Ken and Jessica.

I took my time down River Rd as I knew from prior experience that being an idiot on that part of the course leads to big problems later.  Got to the first aid station and grabbed a water and a Perform.  I had already filled my aero bottle with water and brought 1 bottle each of Perform and Perpetuem.  So I now had plenty of fuel on board.

I also began eating a Pro Bar as I approached the corner of 42/River where I saw Tommy and Dave from the Louisville Bicycle Club directing traffic.  So begins the first "climb" of the course on 42.  Not sure how it came to be called a climb but no biggie.

Now begins the first real test of the IMKY bike course:  the 1694 out and back.  You go screaming down over the creek, knowing the whole time you will have to climb back out.  I hit 40 mph+ on the descents and probably 8 mph on the climbs back out.  But once it's complete, you know it's done for the day.  We were also seeing a wind issue and my race wheels were feeling unstable, especially in  a crosswind.

On to the 2 loop part of the course but I also know I'll get to see Jessica and Sarah soon.  The section of 146 through downtown La Grange has to be one of the coolest things I've ever done.  I felt like a rock star.  There were thousands of people cheering and I got a high five from Sarah as I rode through.

This is when my nutrition began to go sideways.  I had trouble stomaching more Pro Bars.  Not that I was having cramping or stomach upset issues, but just couldn't bear to eat another.  So I started to take on more bananas at the aid stations, ate some Clif Shot Blocks and upped my consumption of Perpetuem.

Finished the first loop and know again that I'll be seeing the ladies soon.  This time I stopped for a moment to get a couple hugs and kisses.  It was worth the few seconds.  My last bike hurdle came at about mile 80 (of 112).  I went zero for three picking up bottles from volunteers so ended up riding about 25 miles without anything but 1/2 bottle of water.

I made it to an aid station at about mile 107 and was able to get a decent amount of fuel in my system before reaching transition.  One of the nice benefits of doing a well supported event is that I just had to hand off my bike to a volunteer instead of re-racking it.  Heading off the bike I saw Doug Brent from the LBC and into the changing tent for another full change.

To be continued...

Ironman Weekend (plus Thursday) Part III

Click for Part I and Part II.

Wake up call came at 4 am.  Since I showered the night before (and I was going in a pretty grimy river), I put in my contact lenses, brushed my teeth and got dressed.  We headed down to a little bakery in the hotel to grab a quite bite.  I ended up with a cinnamon muffin and started sipping on a bottle of sports drink.

Walked over to the transition area/body marking.  Got my bike set up including tire inflation, filling up my aero bottle and putting a bottle of sports drink and nutrition on it.  Headed over to body marking to get 2112 written on my arm and 43 written on my calf. 

The swim start line (Louisville is not a mass start like most IM events) was huge when we got over there.  Was worried that it might take 25-30 minutes to get in the water.  That time counts against the 17 hour limit.  About 30 minutes before 7 am they started moving family and friends out of the line and opened up some space toward the front and we moved a huge distance toward the water. 

National anthem played, the cannon went off and I saw my wife just before we got to the front of the line.  It was a welcome sight and I'm certain she put in almost as hard a workout as I did making her way all around the course.  Nerves built up a lot but I felt confident in my training.  I ended up hitting the water at about 7:12.  It was also nice to see two local tri club members I knew, who were getting the athletes into the water.

After about 5-10 minutes of swimming, I saw a volunteer on a paddle board come screaming across the course.  I thought it looked quite dangerous but I saw a guy in distress about 20 feet away.  Little did I know that this athlete had ended up drowning.  It was the 15th death in the history of Ironman events. 

Took the swim nice and easy, keeping my heart rate low.  Didn't notice any meaningful current in either direction but on the way back I did find myself heading toward shore a bit too much as the swim exit buoys started a fair distance out in the water.  I ended up having to snake back to get in between those buoys but I made it into the chute.

To be continued...

Ironman Weekend (plus Thursday) Part II

Here's part I.

Saturday is a bit odd because it's the first Saturday in 20 weeks where I haven't had to set an alarm since I wasn't getting up early to bike.  Woke up about 8 after a good night's sleep.  Since you won't sleep much the night before a big event, I'm told the "night before the night before" is the key.  I totally agree. I slept like a log for a solid 9 hours.

My wife and I headed downtown to do the Underpants Run to benefit the Blazeman Foundation for ALS research.  My friend Kevin puts it on so I had to be there to support him.  This run is an IM tradition and is only 1.5 miles so great to stretch the legs.  Had a blast and saw so many friends.

Bike check-in started at noon so Jessica, me and two friends headed to the expo to check out the store and such.  I did give in, sort of, and bought a $5 clearance t-shirt but it wasn't a specific Louisville shirt.

Bike check-in was very easy.  Made sure to deflate my tires a bit to avoid a blown tire when I show up on race morning.  The volunteers made sure to show you how everything worked, how to get your gear, etc.  I then headed back home to pack up for my hotel stay.  I decided to stay downtown for 2 nights so that I could be close to everything and face a lot less stress.

Got settled at the Galt House and when my pal Kevin arrived we decided to take advantage of the IM buffet which got us salad, 3 kinds of pasta, 3-4 kinds of meat, 3-4 kinds of sauce, veggies and dessert for $13.  What a deal!

Went back up to the room and watched about a half of the Lions/Patriots game and then shutdown for the night about 10.  4 am wake up call would be coming...

Part III tomorrow.

Ironman Weekend (plus Thursday) Part I

Thursday, August 25th.

Today is packet pick up and of course, I'm bursting with energy.  I meet a fellow Ironman competitor for breakfast and we head over to the expo.  I get my wristband, which must be worn all weekend for every event and my timing chip.  The first 100 people also got a free pair of Tyr goggles, a nice bonus.

We then visited the official store but I resisted buying anything with an IM logo on it for fear of upsetting karma.  I think you can buy just about anything with a logo on it.  But I resisted!  Off then for a short swim and very short (15 minute) run.  During the swim, I wore the Tyr goggles and loved them so decided to use them on the big day. 

Headed off to work, then off until Tuesday so I could focus completely on IM day.

Friday, August 26th.

The day begins about 7:30 am with a little breakfast then meet up with the iamtri group for a short/easy/flat 20 miler on the first 10 miles of the bike course.  I did it mostly to test my rented race wheels.  No issues so felt ready for Sunday.

After the ride, I drove 3 iamtri members for one lap around the bike course as they weren't local and had never seen the course.  What we call hills, one of them thought were mountains.  I guess it's all about perspective.  That took about 2 hours but it was worth it and nice to help some fellow tri peeps out.  That's one thing I love about this sport:  the spirit of camaraderie. 

Rushed home, grabbed a shower and a quick bite then headed back downtown for the big iamtri meet up on 4th Street Live (the site of the finish line).  Probably a couple hundred of us showed up, helped to calm each others nerves, etc.  The person that ran the group, also arranged for loads of door prizes.  From aero helmets to local business gift cards to shoes.  Great stuff!  I ended up winning a pair of Asics shoes (my choice) from a local running shop and my wife a gift card to Bearno's. 

The rest of Friday were official IM events and the first was the official kick-off banquet.  The emcee was Mike Reilly (You ARE an IRONMAN!) who made the event fun.  The best moment for me was when Mike asked people to stand up if they had lost 30 pounds, then 40, etc.  When he got to 60, there were about 8-10 of us standing.  What a feeling!  The top loser had lost over 160, though!

My wife didn't stay for the last event, the athlete briefing.  There wasn't anything earth shattering, but I'm glad I went to listen to the meeting anyway.

Part II tomorrow.

1 Week To Go!

Well, today ended the majority of the training.  Just some very short sessions scheduled for the next 6 days and then IRONMAN LOUISVILLE on Sunday.  I can't believe it's already here.

The biggest stresser for me the last week or so has been the weather forecast.  Here are some of the high temps I've seen forecast for event day:  79, 86, 88, 84, 83, 98(!!), and so on.  As of today, it looks like it will be in the mid-80s and probably some clouds.  I couldn't ask for much more in August in Louisville.

So here's the plan for the week...

Monday is a short ride and then dinner with my running partners.  I cannot thank my main training partners, John and Ken enough.  They've encouraged, run up to 16 miles, laughed, etc. with me.  Without them, I wouldn't be feeling confident about next Sunday.  They are also working the finish line so they will be there when I finish.

Tuesday is a short swim and a light jog as well as a massage to clear out my muscles for one last time.

Wednesday is a short ride and I get my race wheels installed.  I'm told I will see a real difference in my bike performance.

Thursday is a short swim and event check-in.  I get my packet and all that.

Friday is a short bike on the race wheels.  That afternoon/evening, I get to go to 2 neat events.  The first is a meet-up with some people who have been a big part of my training all summer.  IAmTri.  They held several group training days.  If you happen to be around the course on event day, look for people with "I AM" on their calves.  Those are the people in that group.

The second event on Friday is the IMKY banquet and pre-race meeting.

Saturday is the Underpants Run.  Yes, it's just what it sounds like.  It's a 1.5 mile charity run to raise money for ALS research.

Sunday is THE BIG DAY.

There are going to be several ways to keep up with me.  Ironman Live is the official way to keep with athletes.  My bib number is 2112.  I have tried to follow friends in other races without much luck so I've also rented a unit from here.  You should be able to click track in the upper left and find me by name.  My wife should also be updating this blog and my FB page on a regular basis throughout the day.

Finally, you can watch the race live online here but I assume it will focus mostly on the pros.

2 Weeks to Go

Still training but slowing down as I continue my taper.  Did about a 60 mile ride and a brick run yesterday as well as a 9.2 mile run today. 

Also did a 3000 meter swim on Thursday.  That swim was scheduled to use a pull buoy and paddle.  But I decided to do it with no gear to get a real feel for my swim progress.  Did 3000 (IM is 3862) in 1 hour 18 minutes.  Since I find that open water if faster (I'm not a flip turner so those push off slow me down), that puts me right on target for a 90-95 minute IM swim.  My goal is to be on my bike saddle at the two hour mark so I'm pleased.

Accuweather has its first forecast for IM day at 86 degrees and dry.  If that's the real result, I won't be complaining.  I know it's still 2 weeks away and things might change but the trend of more reasonable temps continues.

Finally, many cool IM related events coming up so really looking forward to it.   We have the Underpants Run, the IAmTri gathering, the opening dinner, etc.  I can't wait.

Starting to Taper

This weekend was the peak of the training:  112 miles on the bike course and a 16 mile run.  Now the workload starts to decrease as I head toward the event.  Not that it suddenly drops to zero but things scale back.

My confidence level is very high after the big weekend.  I'm not going to set any speed records, but I'm confident I will finish.  Part of the confidence comes from getting a handle on hydration/nutrition after some rough going on occasion.  However, I can see that somewhere in the middle, I'm going to need something savory after so many sweet gels, etc.  

Again, I won't bore you with the daily schedule but it looks like a normal week, just shorter workouts. 

21 days!

I'm Really Ready for Event (Race if you must) Day!

This week was a sort of 1/2 normal, 1/2 recovery week.  I'm really ready for Ironman to be here.  I think my fitness is about as good as it's going to get and the fear of injury is really starting to get to me.

After my Wednesday bike and brick run, my left hamstring was really sore.  I fought through my swim on Thursday but it was still very sore.  So as I've heard over and over again, I let my body talk to me and took Friday off.  What a huge help!  Felt great by the time Friday night came around.

Saturday was a scheduled recovery day, so "just" (I know that sounds weird to most people) a 3 hour ride and a brick run.  So Kenny and I decided to get his first 50 mile ride in.  We rode for longer than 3 hours but took it nice and easy and got 50 done exactly.  I tried to implement some of the nutrition/hydration strategies suggested to me and they also seemed to help.  It also helped that the heat mostly stayed away until we were just about finished.  The brick run was nice and easy too.  Overall, a very good day. 

Today was the big day.  Was going to try for a 12-15 mile run.  So Ken and I took off in the humidity and did just about 14 miles.  Much water, sports drink and electrolytes were consumed and some walking was done but we did it!

Back at it this week, with the big goal of doing the full 112 miles on the IM bike course on Saturday.  I won't bore you with the details but a big week planned.  After that, the taper isn't far away, then race day finally!

Weekly Update

Didn't do a mid-week update so sorry for everyone who was sitting on the edge of their seats! haha

Did 80 miles of the IM course yesterday in some pretty extreme temperatures.  Followed that up with a 12 mile run/walk today, another hot one.  I've come to the realization that I'm going to be walking a lot but I've got my fast walk down to a science:  13ish minutes per mile.  If I can average that during IMKY, I'd be pretty happy.

I'm learning more and more than I simply must take it easy on the first part of the bike course.  As one IMKY guide said, "For the first 90 minutes/2 hours, JRA."  JRA you ask? Just ride along.  I'm also still having hydration/nutrition issues.  I felt like I was drinking as much as I could yesterday and still felt like crap at the end of the ride.  Even vomited like crazy when I stopped at a gas station for a Gatorade.  So I did a little consulting with a tri coach last night at a local tri event.  He suggested water water water and take it easy on the sports drinks.  Add to that tons of electrolytes and I should be set.  Not to avoid sports drinks altogether but it can't be the focus.  Finally, for nutrition, he suggested going solid so going to try that on my next long ride as well.

Totals for the week:  100 miles on the bike; 20 miles running; and 7600 meters swimming.

For the upcoming week...

Monday:  off.
Tuesday:  2650 meter swim; 40 minute run.
Wednesday:  60 minute TT ride; 30 minute brick run.
Thursday:  3000 meter swim; 50 minute interval run.
Friday:  2200 meter swim.
Saturday:  3 hour ride; 30 minute brick run.
Sunday:  12-15 mile run, depending on temps and all that.

It's Getting Close

So today ended week 14 and tomorrow begins weeks 15 - 18, "The Final Prep."  Holy cow, it's almost here!

Had a really great weekend of training after spending the first part of the week on recovery from the half.  Did a 70 mile ride and a 3 mile brick run yesterday and a 10 mile hot humid hilly run today.  It was so humid, when I got done, it looked like I had been swimming!

I also started using Ironman Perform as my training drink as it will be used on the course.  Seems to be a good product. 

Now, some inspiration (courtesy of my pal Ken):

The reason I'm doing IMKY is because of the woman at 8:42.  I "caught" her at the finish, gave her the medal and all that.  She was a recent chemotherapy patient! If that doesn't inspire you, nothing will.

For this week's training...

Monday:  off.
Tuesday:  2800 meter swim; 40 minute run.
Wednesday:  50 minute ride; 20 minute run off the bike.
Thursday:  3000 meter swim; 50 minute run.
Friday:  2200 meter swim.
Saturday:  80 or 112 mile ride on the course; brick run.
Sunday:  2 hour 10 minute run.

See you Wednesday!

What a Difference a Few Days (and a massage) Make

So, after a few days to reflect on my rather brutal experience at the Half Ironman on Saturday, I've had a chance to think about a few things.  After a nice massage yesterday and a couple quarts of Pedialyte, I'm finally back to myself.

Number one, it didn't kill me.  Yeah, it was hard, yeah it was hot, yeah it was rough, but I finished it.  It can only help in my IMKY prep, right?  I also started to break down my split times.  Recall, it was 1:02; 3:44; and 3:28.  The swim course was long, I'm not entirely certain how much longer than the promised 1.2 miles but my best guess going in was a 45-50 minute swim.  So slice off 12 minutes.  The bike course was also long by 2 miles or so. So slice off, at 15.5 mph, about 8 minutes.  The run course was 1 mile long, so slice off 15 minutes there.   That leaves me at a grand total of 7:48.  Add to that, that the run course was brutal and IMKY is flat and now you have a total nearing 7:30.  Using the general rule of x2 + 40 minutes to get your IM time and I'm looking at 15:40 for IMKY.  Entirely doable.

Since the director didn't even give out medals, I had to buy my own:

A 70.3 sticker.

Finally, I got back to my regular training today, a 3000 meter swim and a 40 minute interval run.  See you later for a weekly update on Sunday!

1/2 Ironman Event Report

First, a disclaimer.  I know it's my responsibility to know the course, it's my responsibility to research the race director, etc.

With that out of the way, I will never do a race with this specific director again.  I knew going in that the swim would be in the river, the bike would generally be on the IMKY course and the run would be hilly (IMKY is nearly flat).

But I do expect the course to be measured correctly, aid stations to stay open until all racers are off the course, etc.  None of that happened.  And to top it off, the director seemed to do anything he could to make the course as hard as possible.

On to the race report.  Swim was a two loop course.  Unlike Ironman where the upstream part of the swim is protected with very little current, this one was tough.  I've done 1500 meters in as little as 32 minutes in other open water races and yesterday the clock read 1 hour 4 minutes for 1931 meters.  I can't confirm but I've also heard varying reports that the course was longer than the promised 1.2 miles.  I can confirm that both the bike and run courses were long by my GPS watch.

My goal was to do a 3.5 hour bike split (16 mph) but averaged 15.5 over 3:44 on the couple mile longer than promised 56 mile bike.  This including a couple very difficult sections not on the IMKY course.

Run was terrible.  I didn't run much and had to take a bathroom break in there.  With the wicked hills and aid stations closing early, my 1/2 marathon (plus an extra mile or more) was 3:28.  Pitiful but I persevered.

Grand total:  8:23 on a just brutal course.  As I heard many of my fellow competitors comment.  If you can handle this brutal course, you can certainly do IMKY.  I hope so.

End of Recovery, Time to Race!

Today finished up my recovery week.  My next prep event is on Saturday, a 1/2 Ironman on much of the same course as IMKY.  So should be a perfect way to prepare.

So the question then is how much to train this week as I get ready for Saturday?  I'm going to do my normal Tuesday/Wednesday (Monday is my off day) and then maybe just do something to stretch my legs on Thursday and Friday.

For the week:

Swimming:  4100 meters.
Biking:  52 miles.
Running:  15.7 miles.

Upcoming Schedule:

Monday: off.
Tuesday:  2600 meter swim; 40 minute run.
Wednesday:  1 hour 20 minute ride with 20 minute time trial effort in the middle.
Thursday:  Something easy to stretch the legs.
Friday:  Something easy to stretch the legs.
Saturday:  1/2 Ironman.
Sunday:  off.

Next update after the race!

Short and Sweet

Enjoying the recovery week so far.  Nice 2600 meter swim and 4 mile swim yesterday.  Nice easy 60 minute ride today.  Just like a few weeks ago, I actually just rode my bike.  Such a beautiful day so just explored the roads near my house.

For the rest of the week:  1 swim, 3 runs and a long easy bike.

Recovery Week Coming (and I need it!)

Today, I finished up week 11 (of 20).  IMKY draws ever closer.  If you recall, I had to move last week's long bike day to Monday to adjust for weather problems last weekend.  Had a really good day yesterday, rode a little over 80 miles and did a brick run.   I find it hard to believe that just 2.5 years ago when I started this whole endeavor that I could barely ride 12 miles and couldn't run a half a mile.
Weekly totals:
Swim:  6000 meters
Bike:  180 miles
Run:  17 miles run.

The swim total is a little low as I took Thursday off to go to Holiday World with my daughter.

Recovery week schedule:

Monday:  Off.
Tuesday:  2600 meter swim; 40 minute run.
Wednesday:  60 minute easy ride.
Thursday:  1500 meter swim; 26 minute interval run.
Friday:  Off.
Saturday:  3 hour easy ride.
Sunday:  60 minute easy run.

Next update on Wednesday!

Finally Got My Long Ride In

A mid-week update...

Finally got that long ride in that was rained out all last weekend.  Rode about 65 on Monday, which is normally a day off.  Felt good.  But still odd to think that I'm still 47 miles away from IM distance. 

Did my normal Tuesday swim, which has changed slightly, incorporating more intervals.  Today was a 90 minute ride, including a hard 30 minute time trial effort.

Here I am, after the ride.

My friend Jaco says I need to smile more so that's a better effort on my part.

Going to actually take the day off tomorrow, to take my daughter to Holiday World.  I'm sure I'll be racking up plenty of walking miles.  At the water park, I'll be sure to work on my cycler's tan.

I don't think mine is quite that bad but you get the idea.  Basically, my torso is pearly white and if I try to swim in the river on IMKY day like that, I'll be burned to a crisp before I get on my bike.  Hopefully, after tomorrow, I won't be so white.

The week finishes up with a swim, long ride/brick run and long run.

See you Sunday.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

The weekend plan was for a big ride on Saturday and long run on Sunday.  However, it stormed both days so had to make adjustments to the plan.  The rain finally stopped on Saturday around 11 so my friend Ken and I went out for a 6.6 mile run.  Then I figured I would swap the days and do my long ride/brick run on Sunday.

Well, you can guess what happened.  A massive storm rolled through and my ride was washed out again.  I can handle some rain but not 60 mph wind in the middle of an electrical storm.  Luckily, I have Monday off from training and I'm on vacation this week so I'm going to try again.  4.5 hour ride/brick run.

As a result of all this, my weekly bike total is crap but I will make up for it next week.

Running:  13 miles.
Biking:  25 miles.
Swimming:  6600 meters.

For this week, as noted above, with a change to Monday.

Monday:  4.5 hour ride/brick run.
Tuesday:  2600 meter swim; 40 minute run.
Wednesday:  90 minute ride (with a TT interval in the middle).
Thursday:  3000 meter swim.  Might run or take the family to Holiday World, which will give me plenty of exercise.
Friday:  2800 meter swim.
Saturday:  5 hour bike/brick run.
Sunday:  1 hour 20 minute run.

A Quick Update

Got back into the swing of things yesterday, training-wise, but also snuck in a ride on Monday, my usual day off.   I decided to ride the Monday recovery ride with the LBC and took it "embarrassingly slow."  Just wanted to stretch my legs a bit.

Yesterday was a swim, short run and then my post-race deep tissue massage.  Still experiencing a bit of left hamstring soreness but still felt great running.  I guess being sore after a race comes with the territory?

Today was a 1 hour 20 minute ride with a hard time trial effort in the middle.  Rode that as hard as I could.  Interval training is really helping my run speed so it can only help on the bike as well.

2 swims, 3 runs and a bike ride left for the week.

See you Sunday!

Motoring Toward the Ironman

Week 9 ended today with my first Olympic distance tri, the Motor City Triathlon on Belle Isle in Detroit.  Well, I should say, about an Olympic.  The run portion was 6.6 miles so it was technically .4 miles longer than the standard distance.

Finished in 3:01:09.  If you take into account the extra .4 miles, I break 3 hours easily. I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Swim:  1500 meter open water in 32:25.  My first experience in a wetsuit.  The water temp was 65 and similar to last year's Motor City, took me a while to get acclimated.  I've now learned the hard way to use Body Glide on my neck where the suit can rub.  The constricted feeling was also weird but I got over it.   Not super fast by any means but if I extrapolate that to IM distance, I'm fine with the number.

T1:  5:26. I'm not terribly concerned that this was slow as everything is a dress rehearsal for IMKY where a slightly slower transition makes a lot less difference.

Bike:  1:14:17 or 18.6 average.  I think I could have pushed here much harder and averaged 20+ but I didn't want to be empty when it came to run time.  Spent a lot of time in the aero bars as I get more and more used to using them.

T2:  1:20.  See T1 :)

Run:  1:07:43 or 10:16/mile.  I've never been a fast runner and used my IM strategy of running a mile, walking a minute throughout.  A good run.

Overall impressions:  a few adjustments to make but feeling really good.

Back to the IM training plan on Tuesday.  This week starts the 3rd phase, "Learning to Endure."  The idea here is to use all the tools you've learned so far and go longer and longer.

Monday:  off.
Tuesday:  2600 meter swim; 35 minute run; deep tissue massage.
Wednesday:  80 minute ride.
Thursday:  2000 meter swim; 35 minute interval run.
Friday:  2000 meter swim.
Saturday:  4.5 hour ride; 30 minute run off the bike.
Sunday:  1 hour 15 minute run.

Building Some Heat Acclimation

We've had a string of 90+ F days locally so running/biking in the heat has been the usual.  But that's ok because IMKY will almost certainly be hot.  Luckily I have some friends who are willing to train out there in this heat with me which makes it so much easier.  Not that it's suddenly easy to run/bike in the heat but I am starting to get used to it.

This week was partially recovery so the totals won't be so big.  Grand totals:  7300 meters swimming; 15 miles running; and 82 miles on the bike.

This week will be a little different as I have my first race of the season on Sunday, the Motor City Tri (1.5k swim, 23 mile bike, 6.6 mile run).  I'm also really excited to see my daughter try the kids version on Saturday, her second triathlon.

Monday:  off.
Tuesday:  2400 meter swim; 35 minute run.
Wednesday:  1 hour 20 minute ride with a 30 minute TT interval in the middle.
Thursday:  3000 meter swim; 45 minute interval run.
Friday:  off (tapering for Sunday).
Saturday:  Volunteering at kids triathlon, will try to test my new wetsuit at the Motor City Tri.
Sunday:  Race day!

Enjoying a Recovery Week

Right in the middle of a recovery week.  Did something today that I haven't done in a very long time....

I rode my bike.

I know it sounds strange but it seems lately that every bike ride has a purpose, a time limit, a destination.  But today, it was a 40 minute easy recovery ride so I just rode around my local area.  Listening to the birds, smiling at some the people out and about, exploring new streets, etc. 

On another bike related note, I reserved my race wheels from my local tri shop.  I'm not willing to spend upwards of $2000 to own a set but for $150, VO2 will do all the work including changing out the cassette and all that to set me up for IMKY.  The wheels I'll be getting are these:

Pretty nice for $150 for the week, eh?

For the rest of the week:  2 runs, 2 swims and a ride/run brick.  See you Sunday!

It Was the Worst of Times, It Was the Best of Times...

Yeah, I know it's backwards but it fits perfectly with how the weekend went compared to a week ago.

Last Saturday, if you've been reading, was a rough one.  Dehydration, poor bike fit from what I could tell, etc.  On Friday, I had my bike fit adjusted by Bob at Bluegrass Bicycle in Crestwood.  After looking at just about everything, we lowered the seat by about 1 cm and and changed the stem from a 6 degree lift to 24.  It's like riding a brand new bicycle!

So with my "new" ride, I attempted another 60 miles on the IMKY course.  I did several things differently.

     1.  Really concentrated on hydration and electrolyte fueling.
     2.  Took it easy to start.  I didn't realize how fast I started out last week.  Going down the opening
          flat part of the course last week, I was probably going 20+, way too fast. Yesterday was 16-17
          and it really paid off.
     3.  Tried to stay in the aero position as much as possible.  (Not me but you get the idea.)

I'll have to admit that bombing down a hill in that position at 40 mph is about my limit.  Any faster and I think I'd piss myself.  Off the bike was a 3 mile transition run which also felt pretty good.  Probably my best training day so far.

Finally, some amazing news.  Yesterday, I went clothes/shoe shopping.  When this all started, I was in an XXL t-shirt and had moved into an XL lately.  So yesterday, I picked up 3 nice blank t-shirts.  Told my wife to pick out a L for a bit of incentive.  Got home and the large fit.  I can't believe how all this training is paying off!

The totals for the week:  6900 meters swimming; 82 miles biking; 14 miles run.

This week, which is a recovery week:

Monday:  Supposed to be off but it's Memorial Day in the U.S. and there is a family friendly ride downtown that my wife and daughter are going to ride with me.
Tuesday:  2400 meter swim.
Wednesday:  40 min ride.
Thursday:  1500 meter swim.
Friday:  3400 meter swim.
Saturday:  4 hour bike/30 min run brick.
Sunday:  50 minute run.

Hydration and Bike Fit Update

If you've read my last post from Sunday, you know I had a rough time on a ride on the IMKY course.  Dehydration and massive shoulder pain nearly had me in tears.  So in addition to my regularly scheduled training, I called the shop that fit my bit back in September and spoke with Hammer Nutrition and read a ton on hydration and nutrition.

I have a re-fit (updated fit?) scheduled for Friday but on my training ride today, I took more notice of my positioning.  I'm almost 100% certain that I'm simply too far forward on the handle bars.  This causes my elbows to lock, putting a lot of stress on my upper body and shoulders.  So hopefully just a change to that position will get it cured. 

On the hydration front, I think I was on the right track, I just didn't do enough.  I'm going to have to consciously think about water and electrolyte intake and not just assume I'm doing enough to get through. 

For the rest of the week:  2 swims, 2 runs and a long ride/brick run. 

I Guess They Call It Training For a Reason?

So yesterday was my first chance to actually ride some of the IMKY course.  I had ridden bits and pieces of it but never going X number of miles on the course itself.  The plan was to ride the 60 mile option (the entire course is 112) and do a brick run after.

Well, I've never experienced anything quite like it.  I think I know what went wrong but by about mile 40 (I rode 46 total) and 3 hours in, I was toast.  Shoulders were killing me, light headed, etc.  I weighed myself when I got home and I had lost about 6 pounds total during the ride.

Several things came out of the experience.

1.  Time to pay a visit to the guy who fit my bike.  I wonder if my positioning is impacting my shoulders.  He said a follow up would probably be necessary and he was right.
2.  I really underestimated the amount of hydration necessary.  I wasn't sweating too much on my forearms so didn't think I was sweating that much overall.  Well the six pounds tell a different story.  So must focus on 30 ounces or so an hour at hotter temperatures.  I think the dehydration also impacted the shoulders, at least to some extent. 
3.  Electrolytes.  If you've been reading this blog, you know I've been using Hammer Endurolytes, in addition to water, for electrolyte needs.  This was my own fault.  I didn't take any pre-ride and underestimated the temperatures.  Will be taking a full dose every hour on the next ride, along with the additional water, to see how I feel.

As the title states, I guess they call it training for a reason?  I was quite discouraged yesterday but had a good run this morning in some very humid conditions.  Toward the end of our 55 minute run, I was starting to experience some shoulder pain.  That gives me some confidence that it was partially dehydration as I normally don't worry much about hydration, etc. during a 1 hour run. 

For the week:  8300 meters swimming; 80 minutes on the bike trainer; 60 miles ridden; 12.4 miles run.

Upcoming...

Monday:  off.
Tuesday:  2400 meter swim; 30 minute run.
Wednesday:  70 minute bike ride including a big time trial effort.
Thursday:  3000 meter swim; 45 minute interval run.
Friday:  3400 meter swim.
Saturday:  4 hour ride; 30 minute brick run.
Sunday:  50 minute run; active recovery.

Time for a Quick Adjustment to the Plan

If you've been keeping up with this blog for very long, you know I've been using a 20 week IM training plan from TriFuel.  I had a bit of an epiphany on Sunday after writing my end of week post...

I had essentially trained every day for 35 days in a row and for lack of a better term, I was getting a bit frazzled.  I'm not sure why, but the training plan I selected for being a bit heavier on swimming, which I needed, didn't really build any pure days off and I'm not quite sure what the theory is behind no days off.

So I consulted a book I bought back in September when I signed up for IMKY.

I noticed that he always gave Mondays off, regardless of the plan's level, tri distance, etc.  So I cross-referenced my plan with the corresponding week in that book for the same plan level and even with taking Mondays off, the training load was the same.  That settled it and from now on, I'm taking Mondays off.

For the rest of the week, I have 2 bike rides, 2 swims and 3 runs left.  On Saturday, we try again to ride part of the actual IMKY course with several other entrants.  Hopefully the weather holds.  That's a big advantage, being able to ride the actual course all summer.

See you at the end of the week.

Laying the First "Brick" in the Foundation.

Week 5 done!

Hard to believe it's already been 5 weeks of training.  "Only" 15 to go until event day. 

The end of the week included my first brick run.  Rode 45 miles on the bike followed by a 30 minute easy run.  Not that I'm anywhere near IM distance but felt like I could have run all day after the ride. 

Also seeing more of the benefits of all the training.  I've got to learn not to buy the "loose" fat guy cut in clothes.  I haven't lost too many inches in my waist but chest, thighs, etc. are really a lot smaller.  This means those loose fit pants and shirts aren't looking so good on me.

For the week:

13.6 miles run; 7000 meters swimming; 60 miles ridden on the road; 2 hours on the indoor bike trainer.

Week 6 starts tomorrow:

Monday:  1 hour bike with some hard intervals.
Tuesday:  2000 meter swim; 35 minute run.
Wednesday:  80 minute bike with some time trial intervals.
Thursday:  2500 meter swim; 45 minute interval run.
Friday:  3400 meter swim;
Saturday:  3.5 hour bike; 30 minute run off the bike.
Sunday:  50 minute run; active recovery.

See you mid-week!

Week 5, Wednesday

Started off the week with an indoor interval bike session on Monday.  Same Monday workout I've had the last few weeks.  Tuesday was a 1600 meter swim and a 35 minute run.  I felt rather sluggish and slow during the swim but I guess everyone has those days.

Not that I'm running marathons in 35 minutes but I do notice that my speed has picked up some.  I find myself cruising along at 9:30-10/mile instead of my usual 11ish. 

Today was a one hour bike ride with 2 10 minute time trial efforts in the middle.  I found a drawback of the weight I've lost during the ride.  One of my favorite bike jerseys is this one:

However, since I've lost a fair bit of weight, it's become quite loose and that means chafe city.  Not sure if body glide will help or if it has to leave the jersey rotation?

The rest of the week is 2 more swims, 3 runs and a bike, including my first run off the bike.  Should be interesting.

See you Sunday!

Week 5: "Toughening Your Constitution"

Today ends the first phase of IMKY training, "Building a Routine."  This week the totals were:

Running:  10 miles including some wicked fast intervals.
Biking:  2 hours on the trainer with some hard intervals and 67 miles outdoor including today's easy recovery spin.
Swimming:  6900 meters.

These totals are still amazing to me.  Not that I'm some super athlete but that I can do all that when last year at this time, I was just cycling, and not very hard at that.

So, as the title says, I'm into the next 5 week segment.  This section is about toughening my body and mind.  From what I've read about people who've finished Ironman length events, the mind may be the toughest part of it all.

So here we go...

Monday:  60 minutes on the bike trainer with some hard intervals.
Tuesday:  1600 meter swim; 35 minute run.
Wednesday:  60 minutes on the bike with 2 time trial segments.
Thursday:  2000 meter swim; 45 minute interval run.
Friday:  3400 meter swim.
Saturday:  3 hour bike ride and 30 minute run off the bike.
Sunday:  60 minute run and active recovery.

I'll try to do a mid-week update.  See you next time!

A "Half" An Update

So ends week 3 of 20. 

The week began with a ride on the trainer with some intense intervals and ended with my first ever half-marathon and in-between was a 3400 meter swim, which is nearly the IMKY distance.

On Saturday, I completed the Kentucky Derby Festival Half-Marathon in 2:20 or an average of 10:41 per mile.  Since I usually go 11-11:30 per mile on long runs, I was very happy with the result.  But it did come at a price.  I was supposed to have a 3 hour bike ride today but needed a recovery from the 13.1 miles yesterday.  Ended up taking the day off.  Recovery will be helped tomorrow with a deep tissue massage. 

I also made a decision about the running part of my plan. Since I was so far ahead of the plan mileage running, I wasn't sure if I wanted to let the plan catch up to me or scale back the running to the plan mileage.  Well, after the required recovery for today, I think running 10-12 miles a weekend at this point would just hurt me so I've decided to move back to the plan distances.

For the week:   7300 meters swimming; 16 miles run; and 2 hours 10 minutes cycling.

The week ahead...

Monday:  70 minutes on the bike trainer with some hard intervals.
Tuesday:  2000 meter swim; 30 minute run.
Wednesday:  70 minutes on bike with some time trial intervals.
Thursday:  1500 meter swim; 35 minute run.
Friday:  3400 meter swim.
Saturday:  3 hours cycling.
Sunday:  40 minute run.

Here Comes the Sun!

So after what seemed like a month of rain/storms/floods/tornadoes we finally have a break in the weather.  Been stuck indoors on my bike, didn't get the ride the IMKY course on Saturday and so on.

The swim volume is really picking but so is my endurance.  Since I've been cycling for a few years and also running regularly, I'm feeling good about the event in August.

Monday was an interval based bike ride indoors meant to simulate hills and Tuesday was a 2000 meter swim.  Yesterday, I think was the hardest I've ever worked in a bike.  On the trainer were several big gear go as hard as you can intervals meant to simulate time trial conditions. 

Today was my longest swim ever I think:  2500 meters.  Felt really good. After some recovery time, I followed that with an interval run on the treadmill.  I don't have the dexterity to hop off and on the treadmill with it going 8-9 mph so I had to modify it slightly. 

For the rest of the week is another swim workout tomorrow, 3400 meters total, which is nearly the IM distance.  Saturday is the big day:  my first mini(half) marathon.  Weather is supposed to be nice so should be a fun day.  Because of that, had to move my long bike to Sunday.

Next update on Sunday! 

End of Week 2

Today ended the second week, of 20, of my IMKY training program.  The big event this week was my longest run ever today at 11.5 miles (18.5 km).  Not that I was super strong at the end but I am feeling very good about the mini marathon on Saturday.  I'm certain I could have gone another 1.5 miles.  The only issue was feeling like I could have used another dose of electrolytes toward the end.  Will make the adjustment on Saturday.

The bad news of the week was yesterday's IMKY training ride.  We've had so much rain that's it just dangerous to ride the course as a lot of it is near the river.  That means I got to spend 2 hours indoors on the bike trainer, which I just hate.

For the week:  15 miles run; nearly 4 hours cycling; and 5300 meters swimming.

Week 3 starts tomorrow with a slight deviation for the mini-marathon on Saturday, my normal long biking day.  After this week, I plan on following the plan as closely as possible until event day.

Monday:  70 minutes on bike trainer with some intervals.
Tuesday:  2000 meter swim; 30 minute run.
Wednesday:  70 minutes cycling.
Thursday:  2500 meter swim; 30 minute run.
Friday:  3400 meter swim.
Saturday:  Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon.
Sunday:  3 hours cycling.

See you Wednesday!

A Short Update

Today was day 10/140.  Did an indoor ride on Monday with some low cadence intervals built in, a swim yesterday and a 75 minute ride around the parks today.  The riding distances are starting to pick up, which makes sense as the bike portion is the longest part of the day. 

I'm riding part of the Ironman course as my long bike on Saturday with several other potential Iron folks.  For a $10 donation, you get nutrition, support, etc.  Very good deal for all that you get.  I have no crazy ideas of trying to go the full 112 miles (180 km) this early in the season but I hope to make the 60 mile route that's offered, which I assume will be one loop of the two loop IMKY course.  This is going to be one huge benefit of living in the city you're doing: I can train on the actual course.  It's also going to be time to start testing my race day nutrition.

To finish up the week, I have 2 runs and 2 swims to go with the long bike. 

See you on Sunday!

End of Week 1

Finished with the first week, part of the "Building a Routine" section over weeks 1 - 4.  Didn't run as much as I'm used to but did get to run on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track today as part of a charity 5k.

That's me kissing the bricks at the speedway.

For the week, 5 hours cycling, 6 miles run and 2900 meters swimming. 

For the upcoming week, week 2 out of 20:

Monday: 60 minutes cycling including some hard 1 minute intervals.
Tuesday: 1400 meter swim.
Wednesday: 75 minutes moderate cycling.
Thursday: 2000 meter swim; 30 minute easy run.
Friday: 1700 meter pyramid swim set.
Saturday:  2.5 hour cycling.  Going to be riding some of the IMKY course with fellow entrants.
Sunday:  Long run, last long one before the mini-marathon on April 30th.  Hoping to go 10-12 miles.

Next update on Wednesday!

Mid-Week Update

Finished up today with day 3 out of 140.  I knew it was going to feel "light" at first as I selected a beginner level plan and had been regularly doing the 3 disciplines over the winter.  However, I'm determined to stick with the plan.

Monday was a 60 minute easy bike ride.  I was hoping the weather would hold but ended up riding the trainer indoors as it rained and stormed for something like 15 consecutive hours in Louisville.  So cranked up Netflix on the PS3 and watched 3 episodes of The Office while I rode.  Still a bit boring but The Office certainly made it more bearable.

Tuesday was a 1400 meter swim with some 25 meter sprints built in to get you used to the feeling of swimming fast.  As I said in my Sunday post, I planned on using cycling as an active recovery tool and still enjoy some cycling with my LBC buddies.  Tuesday evening's weather was sunny and about 63 (17 C for my international friends) so couldn't resist.  Chose the short route however and forced myself to ride nice and easy.

Today was another 60 minute easy bike ride and the weather was perfect outside in long sleeves.  So did a couple Seneca/Cherokee Park loops and again forced myself to take it easy.  As all the training programs say, "make the easy days easy and the hard days hard."

Finally, my running buddy Ken and I made a slight change to our Sunday long run this week.  We're going to head to Indianapolis and run with Dean Karnazes, the guy who is currently running across the USA over 75 days.  The event will raise money for charity and also have us running on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's track. Should I bring a quart of milk to drink at the finish and kiss the bricks?  I'll post some shots of our fun next week.

Swimming and running tomorrow, biking Saturday, update on Sunday.  Thanks for reading!

And so it begins...

Yes, it's time.  140 days until IMKY.  Even though I've been doing the 3 disciplines on a regular basis, the official TriFuel 20 week program begins tomorrow. 

But before I get started on that, I wanted to share my thoughts on something my running buddies and I talked about today during our (hot as hell) 9 miler.  I'm not sure "race" is a good name for these triathlons, marathons, etc.  Yes, there are some people racing, but for most of us, maybe we should call them "events" or "celebrations?"  IMKY might have 3000 or so people signed up? How many are actually racing? 100-200?  The rest of us are just trying to better ourselves, get a medal, finish, etc. 

Just my 2 cents.

On to the training at hand.  The title of weeks 1 - 4 is "Building a Routine."  The idea is to get you used to working out each week and teaching your body the days you work on a specific discipline.  So the numbers won't seem big but it is only week 1.  I am, however, going to adjust the running portion until I complete the Mini Marathon on April 30.  So the Sunday runs the next 2 weeks will be long relative to what the plan says.  I will also use cycling as active recovery so may add some fun rides to my schedule, just to get out a bit more with my cycling buddies.   The running also seems light at first but during the first few weeks, you are often doing 1 workout per day and will be adding second workouts on some days in later weeks.

Monday: 60 minutes easy cycling.
Tuesday: 1400 meter swim.
Wednesday: 60 minutes easy cycling.
Thursday: 1500 meter swim; 30 minute easy run.
Friday: Off.
Saturday: 2 hours easy cycling.
Sunday: Long run (something around 10 miles).

Next update on Wednesday.

It's Been a While...

Yes, it has been a while since my last update.  The reason is that I haven't really had much to say beyond just posting workout info.  Kind of boring if you ask me.  However, I thought I was due for an update after a couple interesting events and the official start of my IMKY training program in a few days.

The first event was completing the Papa John's 10 Miler in a personal best, 1:49:51.  Not fast, I know but that sort of distance usually takes me about 8 minutes longer.  The cool part was doing it with my pal Ken and doing it "naked."  That is, no iPods, no GPS watches, just goofing off and having fun, enjoying the day.  Since the course was pretty hilly in the mile 3-6 area, I was very happy with the result.  One other interesting fact was that there was water only on the entire course.  I had luckily packed some electrolyte tabs so that helped.  It was good that it was a nice cool day.

The other big event was a bike crash last night.

That's my knee.  I went down, thankfully at a relatively low speed so just a nice knot and scrape on my knee along with a few other scrapes and bruises.  My right hand is really sore but hopefully just a bruise or sprain.  Going to give it a couple days before I get too worried.  The bike, on the other hand, suffered.  The carbon base handle bar cracked up near the brake lever.  After the crash, I got up, inspected my bike, and except for the right brake lever being a bit askew, everything looked fine.  But on the next track crossing about 3 minutes later, I felt the bar crack.  Since it was right where the tape is, it was still sort of held together, so I didn't go down.  More good luck I guess. 

The bike is at my favorite local shop for repairs so will have it back in a few days.  Will have to get out my road bike for any rides this weekend but that's a relatively small bump in the road.

As far as training goes, still doing all three disciplines regularly but not going overboard until the real training program starts on Monday.  I will be posting updates on Sundays and Wednesdays as I get closer.

Expect a big post on Sunday.

A Nice Recovery Week

So after several pretty hard weeks, I did a fairly limited schedule this week.  Even though I still did 16-17 miles running and 2000 meter swimming, it was a nice break.  The best part was shaving about 3 minutes off my 2000 meter swim time.  Since my official Ironman training program begins on April 11 (4 weeks from now), I'm going to continue on a similar schedule but definitely add some biking as it's now staying lighter later and the weather is getting much better.

So for this week:
Monday: 30 minute run.
Tuesday: Swim session.
Wednesday: 55 minute interval run.
Thursday: 2 hour run.
Friday: 15 mile bike ride.
Saturday: 45 minute run.
Sunday: 25 mile bike ride.

Update mid-week.

With Friends Like These...

Yes, I've been a slacker this week with regards to my updates.  Ran today with my usual running partners and one of them asked us to run near his house in a hilly neighborhood.  Wow,  6.5 miles felt like 10-12.  Wasn't having  a great day to begin with but still survived.  I guess it's a good sign when a bad day on some nasty hills still means a 12-13 minute pace (I'm normally a 10 minute pace runner, at least so far).   Nice friend, eh? Haha

Also had my second deep tissue muscle massage this week.  I don't feel tightness or anything when I walk in there but amazing how much work (and pain) it takes to unlock those muscles.  I think I'll keep massages in my regimen and up the frequency as I get closer to race day.

Only about a month until my real official training program begins. It's going to feel weird taking a step back from the intensity I'm used to, at least running wise, but I plan on following it as closely as I can since I know it has been used by many successful Ironmen.

For the week:  18.25 miles run, 3700 meters swimming and some yoga.  I think I'm in need of a recovery week so this week will be a little lighter than usual.  As always, will get the bike out if conditions permit.

Monday:  50 minute interval walk/run.
Tuesday:  2000 meter swim.
Wednesday:  45 minute run.
Thursday: off.
Friday:  30 minute run.
Saturday:  yoga.
Sunday:  1 hour 45 minute run.

Weekly Update

Another week gone.   Really getting into a rhythm and figuring out nutrition and things.  Didn't get a bike in this week as the weather is still iffy.  But did do my longest swim yet, 2500 meters, and still on target to finish the 2.4 miles in 90 minutes on race day. 

I also got the March issue of Triathlete magazine which had a very interesting article on a good recovery drink.  This drink has the right mix of carbohydrates and all that and very similar caloric contents to my normal recovery drink.  Any guesses? BEER!  Even though I gave up beer until after the race as of January 1, I won't feel guilty now if I give in and have one (not 6) after a hard training session. 

The second piece of dietary news is that March 1 marks the 2nd small dietary change I'm making as I approach the race:  no more non-diet soda.  I know soda of any kind has issues but I'm trying to make some small changes as I get closer to IMKY. 

Totals for the week:  some yoga with the focus on the pigeon pose (see last week); 4500 meters swimming; and 19 miles run.

For this week, and as usual, will bike if I can.

Monday: 57 minute interval run.
Tuesday: swim session.
Wednesday: 45 minute run.
Thursday: swim session; sports massage.
Friday: 30 minute run.
Saturday: 1 hour 40 minute run.
Sunday: yoga.

Weekly Update and a Discovery

I think I'm finally to the bottom of my lower back issue.  It appears to be a sore piriformis muscle.  This can get irritated when you really up your exercise, especially running.  Sounds familiar, right?  The cure is to do some deep yoga stretching, especially the pigeon pose, and deep tissue massage, which I get occasionally now and will be upping as I get closer to the race.

Had a really good week of training.  Did a little less swimming than previous weeks but because of the weather, was able to get on the bike for a nice ride.  Grand totals:  42 miles on the bike in some wicked wind; 2500 meters swimming; 16 miles running, include 3.1 miles right off the bike to get used to the transitions; and a yoga session.

As the weather is still iffy, not going to schedule any official bike rides but will ride if the weather is nice.  For the upcoming week...

Monday:  45 minute interval run.

Tuesday:  swim session.

Wednesday:  45 minute run.

Thursday:  swim session.

Friday:  30 minute run.

Saturday:  90 minute run.

Sunday:  yoga.

Another Productive Week

Amazing to think how far I've come since I signed up for IMKY in August.  Even though I was doing sprints all last summer, the longest runs were 5K/3.1 miles.  Now I'm up to running 8+. Amazing what regular training can do!

For the week, 18 miles run, 4200 meters swimming and a yoga session. 

For this week...
Monday:  52 minute fartlek run.
Tuesday:  swim session.
Wednesday:  40 minute run.
Thursday: swim sessions.
Friday:  30 minute run.
Saturday:  1 hour 25 minute run.
Sunday:  yoga.

Longest Swim Yet

Did my longest swim yet today.  Had originally scheduled a 2500 meter swim session but decided to abide by the "10% rule" and since my previous long was only 2000, only went 2200.  Felt nice and comfortable.  Looking at my times, I think my goal of 90-95 minutes in the water is entirely manageable. 

On an Ironman related note, I'd heard that St. George Utah is one of the hardest ones out there.  Check out this preview.  Well it must be tough because even though most IM events sell out relatively quickly (or even in a few hours at times), look at what the organizers are doing for St. George.  This comes from a Facebook posting:  COOL FREEBIE: Register for Ford Ironman St. George b/w now & Friday (11:59 p.m. ET) & receive a *free* training plan from Coach Troy Jacobson, one of Ironman's official coaches! A value of more than $200, you will receive a 12-wk comprehensive program (via Training Peaks) & 3 complimentary Spinervals DVDs. Visit ironmanstgeorge.com or coachtroy.com for more info.  That tells me it must be a killer and they are trying to encourage people to do it.

From what I've seen of the organizers, they don't do anything for free :)

For the rest of the week, I have a short run Friday, my long run Saturday and some yoga Sunday.  If it really gets into the 50s as promised, I'm going to pull out the bike for something on Sunday as well.

Sunday Update

No clever keen observations to add today but feel like I'm getting stronger and stronger.  I should hit the 40 pound weight loss mark this week so it's obviously paying off.

Total for this week:

1.  Yoga session:  keep getting farther and farther into the DVD I'm using and getting better at the poses.
2.  Swimming:  4000 meters.
3.  Running:  15 miles total with some wicked fartlek intervals in there.

For the upcoming week:
Monday  40 minute fartlek run
Tuesday  Swim session
Wednesday 40 minute run
Thursday Swim session
Friday 30 minute run
Saturday 1 hour 20 minute long run
Sunday Yoga

Some Observations and a Sunday Update

Before I get to the training part, I thought I'd share an interesting article: MAMILS.  Even though I knew some of the costs before getting into this Ironman endeavor, it really hit me this week when I realized one pair of the running shoes I rotate was almost in need of replacement and I ordered some nutrition and supplement supplies.  IRONMAN AIN'T CHEAP. 

I started to think about the costs most of us will face as we go through the training and race.

1.  Registration fees for races can be $50 up to $600.  Not to mention travel if you aren't lucky enough to live a few miles from an IM.
2.  Running shoes.  I've only been seriously running since September and I'm about to be on pair number 3.  I keep 2 pairs in rotation so they have time to dry between runs and such.  $75 to $100 usually for decent running shoes.
4.  A bike.  Not that you need a special bike to do an Ironman but most people get one as they nicer ones are lighter and more aerodynamic.  Here's the big price tag:  anywhere from $2000 to $10000.  Luckily, I went toward the lower end.
5.  Nutrition and supplements if you take them.  Gels, recovery drinks, vitamins, etc. all add up.
6.  Swimsuit, running shorts, non-cotton technical clothing, cold weather gear, and so on.
7.  Accessories also add up:  swim goggles, swim buoy, swim paddles...

I've probably forgotten several items but you can see it adds up very quickly.  That article will make a lot of sense once you think about the items on my list.

Finally, the training update.  I think it was my best week of training so far.  Swam 3400 meters, 2 hours 50 minutes of running and a stab at some yoga.  My back seems to be (almost) back to normal after being sore for the past few weeks. 

For this week:
If the weather is as nice next weekend as it was the past couple days, I will do something on my bike outdoors but nothing planned officially.  It also looks like I'm on a recovery week as far as running goes.  Recovery is always good and must be built in to any program.

Monday 40 minute run
Tuesday Swim session
Wednesday 50 minute interval run
Thursday Swim session
Friday off
Saturday 1 hour 10 minute run
Sunday Yoga

Supplements and a Plug for a Company I Love

Since most of you who read this also are friends with me on Facebook, you know I've been reading like a madman about supplements, training and race nutrition, etc.

I settled on Hammer Nutrition for training and race day nutrition and they also sell loads of (legal, not steroid) supplements.  After being a bit overwhelmed with their list of products, I called them to get some advice.  They've always been helpful (more on that later) and they don't mind questions from rookies like me. 

After giving them the details:  my race plans, weight, general health, etc., we came up with a list.  Supplements alone would have been near $200 a month.  Well, that was way beyond what I was willing to spend.  However, I was already buying several of their products for training nutrition and recovery so decided to keep doing that and add one of their recommendations.  The total for everything, including nutrition, is about $50 a month, which isn't much more than I'm spending already for just nutrition.

Now on to the plug for Hammer.  While I was on the phone with them, they talked about their autoship program.  Basically, you get what you need every 3 months, all at a discount and it comes with a complementary cycling or tri kit.  Since I already had a cycling kit on the way (it was part of my Christmas gift from Jessica but had to be special ordered for a certain size), I asked about alternatives.  They refunded the price of that kit and put it toward my first autoship order.  Very good customer service!  I think I'll be wearing a Hammer Kit during the Ironman.

Now for the training update.  Did a short run Monday, 1400 meter swim and was scheduled for a short run on Wednesday.  Got up yesterday and wasn't quite feeling it.  Had been thinking about adding some yoga into my regimen, so decided to give that a try.  Found some basic stuff on Netflix and was able to instantly stream it through our PS3 to the TV and do it that way.  Not very good at at yet, but it really stretched out my core area.  I think I'll do it about once a week and I know it can only help as the massage therapist said I had a couple tight areas that the yoga addressed.