Weather Gods Shine Down on Thee

Thank you, thank you, thank you. The clouds parted. The rain held off. Runners and cyclists filled the streets. No, I am not talking about a random, bizarre dream. Instead, this past weekend offered that first glimmer of spring time. And it did NOT disappoint.

With the sun high in the sky, I vowed to make sure spending time outdoors was at the top of my list. Saturday morning, Jess and I went to hear a orthopedic talk to a local tri club on running injuries. Afterwards, I caught up with a group of triathletes on a group ride. This group ride was MUCH better than my last one. I could tell there were a few good riders but none of them had been on the bike during the offseason. So this created a few more stops and regroupings than I would like but that was the least of my worries on a day that is sunny and 65. After the ride, the group hung out at the bike shop over some suds and grilled chicken.

Sunday was much of the same. I headed out on my long run a bit overdressed given the sun's radiant heat. I plodded through 10 miles with the sheer enjoyment of being outside on a beautiful day. I did find it ironic on the warmest day of the year, Jess and I happen to have hockey tickets. So we spent part of the day in a cold arena.

Monday was even better. There was no stopping me from maximizing my time outdoors. We headed to the park for a brief workout and ended up spending most of our time just sitting in the sun. We had lunch on the patio when we felt like lizards basking. When we returned, I immediately hopped back on the bike for a spin..in shorts and short sleeves!!! Ahh, it is the little things that excite me so much. My legs were dead from the weekend workouts but I was determined to ride for about an hour. Upon my return, I sat outside finishing a work project until the sun's heat became unbearable and I fell asleep...on the front porch.

Alas, I am very thankful for the beautiful weather this weekend!!! I am more than happy to deal with it again anytime!! Hopefully everyone else was able to get outside and maximize their use of the early Spring day!

Turn Up the Volume

It appears to be that time of year. I am moving from period I (base) to period II (build) in the training plan. And goodness the body felt every bit of it this week. Fortunately, I was able to combat the amassed fatigue by visiting my crazy, head-splitting open massage therapist Eileen yesterday.

It is kinda sad to admit, but this week was my largest volume since June of last year. heh. The focus on intensity is still there but my mileage on the run stepped up a bit more, I assume in preparation for one last surge before the ING half mary. I ended up putting in nearly 26 miles of running which eclipses any non race weekly total in quite some time. And I cut off a few miles on the week due to time constraints.

Most notably, as my last blog indicated, was the entrance of masters swimming into the workout schedule. I think my body is still in shock from the time adjustment. And I felt every bit of it this week when training. I found myself quite lethargic in the afternoon, not looking forward to riding or running. My energy levels were sapped due to the 5 am wake up call. Given that, I am even more please with my ability to focus and push through the workouts this week. We will see what happens this week as I expect a bit more of the same.

For the month of February, I feel really good with where I am right now. I (crossing fingers) hope that I worked through a potential injury in January and it didn't appear to be a limiter in February. I returned to the pool. Sigh. And I feel good about the bike. I am very pleased to log 200 miles given that 100% of it was intensity, interval based. That being said, I am ready for some volume. I am ready for warmer temps and longer rides. Hopefully March will bring those wishes to me.

February's totals:
Bike:	10h 37m 30s - 207.2 Mi
Run:	9h 58m 25s - 77.42 Mi
Swim:	5h 42m 54s - 16050 Yd

2010 totals
Bike:	20h 30m 38s - 391.5 Mi
Run:	17h 23m 45s - 134.22 Mi
Swim:	9h 42m 54s - 28050 Yd

Finding Nemo

My transition back to the pool this week took a different turn. After years of talking the talk, I finally walked the walk. I attending my first masters class. This has been a goal for years. No longer can I rely on physical strength to power my way the water. I need a strong focus on becoming more efficient and faster. It is time to train my weakness.

Masters carries with it a very intimidating vibe--the notion that dozens of great swimmers will engulf you or workouts that are so convoluted that you are the one asking dumb questions. It kinda felt like the first day in a new school. Fortunately I had visited the center before so at least I didn't go looking for the pool on the roof.

Alas, I set my alarm for 5 am. It came early. Hmpf. I rolled out of bed and got moving. I am was the early bird, arriving at the facilities 20 minutes before class. In fact, only three cars lined the parking lot. I decided to stay in the warm car until closer to time.

I nervously made my way into the pool area and introduced myself to the coach and explained my situation. She seemed eager to tackle a new project. I then made my way to the pool deck looking all the people who clearly knew what they were doing and had all kinds of fancy toys. I waited patiently to be told what to do. Fortunately, I found another swimmer that was relatively new so we jumped into the lane together.

It was really nice to work with a coach and begin to understand how to improve my stroke. It was even better to be in a nice, cool pool as opposed to the sauna of a pool at the gym. In the end, the workout lasted about an hour and only covered 2500 yards.

It was much more difficult to get out of bed this morning. I think my body is in shock from the sudden schedule shift. The swim went great. I am definitely working hard in the pool and training much different than before. Hopefully a few months of this will really pay off.

Special thanks to Dynamo and all3sports for their partnership.

Tundra Results

What a difference a week makes. First, the time trial is canceled when the metro area is hit with 3 inches of snow that naturally turned to ice. The next weekend was sunny and made it up into the 60s. The race was on. Despite not always racing it, I really like Tundra. Middle of Feburary and going all out. Something a bit barbaric about it.

This year they changed the course location to a different section on the Comet and generously added nearly two miles to the distance. My strategy in the past seemed to serve me well...register late, race early and get out of there. There is no worse feeling than being late for a race and not adequately warming up...especially a time trial.

I made it to bfe west georgia around 7:30, picked up my number and set up the trainer. Props to Alex and Ben who already had the all3sports tent and a heater up and running. I had about an hour to kill so I was in no hurry to hope on the trainer. Instead, I just prepared my gear and chatted with the other races.

About 45 minutes out I moved toward getting ready. I noticed that my powertap computer didn't turn on properly. I assumed it was too cold so I took it out of the carriage and warmed it up. A few minutes later it turned on. I hopped on the trainer and went through a serious of easy spinning exercises with a few power surges to get the body nice and loose.

I didn't really have any expectations for this race. Since it was on a different part of the trail and slightly longer I wasn't sure how realistic my goal of 24 mph was. I was more interested in holding my power and hopefully getting a new FTP. Otherwise, my goal is to always hold off my 30 second man. Did I mention I was sandwiched between CAT II riders?

About 5 minutes before my start I roll up to the line and clear my cpu. And it doesn't turn back on. The screen is completely blank. Nothing. Nada. I keep fidgeting with it but nothing is working. Oh well, time to switch over to RPE. I head out of the gate at a good clip and keep trying to get the computer to turn on. For the first two miles I feel good. I am concerned that I am going too hard but I am focusing on maintaining constant effort through the slight inclines and declines of the course.

About 5 miles into the race, my cpu powers up. I look down and see that my cadence is good, my HR is good and well, my power is about 30 watts higher than where it should be. GULP. I immediately back off the pace and settle into my FTP. I realize that holding this power feels relatively easy. Crap. I knew I went out too hard. I hit the turn around and tried to refocus. Half way back I was taxed and knew it. I will still attacking the pace but my watts were beginning to slip. I was trying my best to hold onto the final match for the half mile mark and I hit it as hard as I could. I was ready to vomit.

Despite computer malfunctions it ended up being an alright race for me. I am really disappointed that the data is no good because I really wanted to see how well my FTP held up this off-season. I have a feeling that I might have a date with columns real soon.

Results:
31:05
12 miles
23.1 mph
12/72 CAT V Men

Weight and Body Fat Tracking

I have no problem admitting that I am a data junkie, a number geek of sorts. Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with numbers and telling a story with them. It really is no wonder that I naturally found a career and a hobby that is data heavy. Aside from all the training gadgets, I like to track numerous other things...mileage in shoes, mileage on a set of tires, how many times I eat at a particular place...the list goes on and on.

One of the areas that I am most consistent is with my weight. I have blogged about this a few times before. I don't think I am really obsessed with my weight and I don't think I have a very unhealthy relationship with food. Instead, I like to simply monitor it over the course of time so develop a longitudinal graph. I have been doing this for nearly 2 years with no real goal in mind.

I rarely step on the scale and feel that I need to make changes to my diet...though I should. Instead, it is just an FYI moment. So each Tuesday morning, I follow the same morning routine of getting out of bed and onto the scale to record my weight and body fat. I personally don't believe in weighing myself each day because there are too many factors involved. So I like the idea of a once a week snapshot. Also, I don't really think my scale is 100% accurate but since I use that scale each time, then I find changes comparable.

This year my goal is to get better about it. In the past, I just wrote it down on a piece of paper and looked at it over the course of the year. This year, I am logging each each Tuesday in BT. My goal is to post a new chart at the end of each month so that I can monitor it a bit more. Again, the goal isn't necessarily to 'lose' weight, though, I honestly feel like my ideal weight is probably 157-161.

Instead, I want to hold myself a bit more accountable this year and track changes. I am going to try a few different experiments to determine their impact on my weight. For instance, last year, I did an ice cream challenge. Each and every night, I ate ice cream (4-600 calories) because I felt like I was under fueling my body. Surprisingly, my weight dropped a few pounds. I am definitely up for that challenge again. I am currently starting another challenge by changing my dietary supplements. I am intrigued to see if it makes a difference. Finally, I want to see if their is an correlation between the hours I train and weight loss. Each and everyone of us is different, this is MY experiment.

2010 Race Schedule

Here it is February and I haven't even updated my race calendar (sigh). Here is the plan for the season.

2.13 Tundra Time Trial (r)
3.21 ING Half Atlanta
4.24 John Tanner
5.09 Rev3 Knoxville
6.5 Blalock Lake
6.26 Indian Springs (r)
7.11 Chattanooga
7.25 Music City Oly
9.25 AG Nationals Oly
9.26 AG Nationals Sprint
10.8 Triple T NC (?)

I plan on opening up with Rev3 up in Knoxville. Sadly, it conflicts with Gulf Coast this year so I can't schedule a trip to the beach that weekend. From there, I plan on focusing on the short stuff during the hot months. I really don't want to overdo it this year. Right now, I am aiming for AG Nationals as my "A" races of the year. I *think* my goal for the year will be to qualify again for worlds. That should keep me motivated and inspired for the year.

Right now, I am strongly considering wrapping up with the Triple T North Carolina. I really miss the long training. I miss hours on the bike. Right now, I am not (yet) ready to commit to doing another Ironman (soon). The Triple T is challenging enough without dominating the entire year. Plus the North Carolina race is held in White Lake which is pancake flat. That might work to my favor as a final race of the season.

So the goal is clear: get faster and qualify. Not sure if it will happen. I hope at the least that I will stay healthy this season. If I can achieve that, then I will be setting the stage for a great season this year and next.


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In other news, I am strongly considering overhauling this blog and giving it a much needed face lift. It is hard to imagine that I have kept this thing going for over two years. I think it is finally time to buy my own domain and build an actual site. Plus, that will provide me a several opportunities to branch out into a few different areas. I apologize in advance if it goes down for a few days.

Also, I hope that the next few months will bring some additional exciting news to my life. Training and racing wise there is a lot going on. I am dedicated to exploring a few different things this year. I am tired of my traditional, conservative approach to things so I hope to shake them up a bit.

Testing, testing

It is almost that time again. This weekend marks the annual Tundra Time Trial. 10 miles of snot spitting fun. Hopefully the weather will hold off because I am really excited.

Right now, I am feeling REALLY good about my cycling. My goal was to not experience a measurable decrease in my FTP. In all honesty, I did anticipate a bit of a drop. Nothing more than a 3-5% decrease. But it seems that things are going in the opposite direction.

My offseason has had a slight focus on the bike. My workouts are definitely bike heavy right now. When I tested back in December, I was moderately pleased with the FTP results. However, I was less than thrilled with the V02 results. Enter more intervals.

For the past few weeks, most of my trainer rides were short on volume and duration while HIGH on intensity. Does of 30 second intervals at 15-20% above FTP. Several 5-10 minute sets at 90-95% of FTP.

What I am most thrilled about is that I have been hitting my workouts with a high degree of precision. On Sunday, I completed what I feel was like one of the harder workouts I have ever done. 6 x 4 minutes @ FTP with only 60 seconds of rest. Vomit. I took the bike off the trainer and went to Columns to ensure that the trainer work was translating to the road. I was dead on. I finished with workout with a 24 minute average of 101% of FTP. Better yet, I felt like I was holding back a bit.

On Saturday, I get to put it to the test. 10 miles of crushing my FTP. Hopefully, the results will show yet another uptick. Now, if warm weather would show up and let me begin testing this power over longer distances, I would be thrilled.

Chattahoochee Challenge 10k

First race of the season, YIPPEE!!! Oh how I have missed 5 am wake up calls, driving to random venues and standing around in the cold. :)

My recent run training has left me a bit confused. It seems that my pace zones are off. I am not having any trouble hitting the more difficult workouts. Better yet, I am doing so at an extremely low heartrate. Of course this is a great problem to have. I like increasing the pace while maintaining a steady heartrate. However, it might suggest that my zones are off and it is time to increase them. Test time.

Dan and I headed up to Roswell early Saturday morning for the local 10k. We arrived around 7 and had to make the one mile trek to the packet pick up (read: annoyance). About 15 minutes before the race, I stepped back into the cold and loosened up. The body was feeling normal, no major issues going on, just looking forward to the run as much as I could.

I knew it was going to be a pr day for me. My 10k pr was during a subpar Peachtree last year where I ran a 45:52 (7:25s). In fact, on New Years Day I ran my own unofficial 10k and put together a 44:15 (7:08). However, I was really hoping to burst through the ceiling and have a solid race around 42:00. Dan predicted me to go sub 42. I can't say that I thought this would happen.

The plan was simply. I always seed myself to the front, jump out hard for the first quarter mile and then settle into my pace. I wanted to push a 6:45-7:00 pace until the three mile mark and then take the pace down to 6:40-6:50 for the next two miles and then blow it out on the final mile.

Well I got the jump I wanted and found space to run. I settled into a comfortable pace around 6:45 and started cruising. The course was relatively flat with a few minor annoying rollers and false flats. During mile two, my pace slipped a little but I was very comfortable. At mile three, the pace slipped a bit more. I was still on target as I hit the mile 3 marker under 21 minutes. So I begin to push a bit harder. And a bit harder. Well the body didn't like it. I tried to pick up the pace and it wasn't happening. My body was VERY comfortable with a 6:50-7:00 pace. So I decided to hold it until the last 1.5 miles.

When I hit mile 4.7 I pushed again. There was simply no pop in the legs. I kept trying to surge but I wasn't getting any faster. I was passing plenty of people but my pace wasn't increase. I held back for one last surge and pushed but it wasn't happening. I kept it at a tempo level and crossed the finish line with a chip time of 43:40. I had my unofficial time at 42:53 (6:55s).

Overall, it was a 3 minute pr for me. I know I should take great joy in this but I didn't have the race I wanted. I wasn't able to push when needed. My HR stayed really low. I only did 10 minutes of racing in z4 and NONE in z5. Either my body is telling me something or I didn't push it enough. However, I am finally happen to break through the sub-7 celing. I have been trying to do that for quite some time so I am thrilled about that result. Now, I need to work on getting the time under 42.....then 40.

Splits

Lap	Time	Distance	Pace/Speed	AHR	MHR
1	06m 48s	1.00 miles	06m 48s /mile	159	167
2	07m 00s	1.00 miles	07m /mile	167	169
3	06m 58s	1.00 miles	06m 58s /mile	168	171
4	06m 55s	1.00 miles	06m 55s /mile	169	172
5	06m 55s	1.00 miles	06m 55s /mile	168	170
6	07m 01s	1.00 miles	07m 01s /mile	167	171
7	02m 05s	0.32 miles	06m 34s /mile	169	171

Results:
Overall: 68/903
Mens: 61/472
Age Group: 9/71

Company Shout-Out #1 and #2

One of my goals for quite some time is to begin archiving my opinion on different companies and gear in the sport. The goal is to design a gear review section that will be helpful as people wager which products are the best for them. I will admit that I am a bit of a gear whore. I love toys and often keep myself from buying new gadgets and gear. Right now, I am debating another purchase for no real reason other than I think it would be fun to have more options on race day (or to settle a beat in my head). I can certainly admit it would not be the best use of my money but I like the bling factor.

Nonetheless, since I don't seem to have the time to devote to developing my gear review section (yet), I do want to take a few moments and try to show support to a few companies that I believe go above and beyond in this sport. I hope to periodically give props to other companies as I have other positive interactions.

Shout-out #1 Infinit Nutrition

I first met the guys from Infinit at the 2007 Ironman Wisconsin expo. I spent a few minutes talking with the rep (Michael) about their product and my nutritional plan. I was very weary of the product and didn't quite believe their claims. I gave them my contact information and took a few free samples. I tried it out and still didn't have an opinion on it. As I began training for 08 Ironman Florida, I revisited the product. I called Michael and talked to him about what I thought my needs were and ultimately purchased a container. My formula wasn't quite right so I called back, explained my concerns and tweaked it again. I have been a user of the product ever since.

More recently, Infinit ran a huge sale that ended up being a clusterf*ck for them. For an hour they offered 50% off their product. Well they were flooded with requests, servers went down and people became outraged. While I will never understand the anger of many anal rententive triathletes who spend $5k on bikes but complain about not saving $15 on nutrition, Infinit accepted responsibility and made accomodations for those who couldn't get through. Kudos. Better yet, I was MORE impressed by their turn around time. The debacle occurred on Wednesday. My order was on my door step by Tuesday.

In the past two years, my experiences with Infinit have been nothing but positive. I continue to be impressed by the product and the company. They always have a discounted offer, so if you need a discount, email me and I will send you a code for 10% off.

Shout-out #2 Saris Cycling Group

The makers of powertap, trainers and other random novelties has a stong history in amateur and professional racing. I have heard many times before that their customer service was outstanding. Well, after my second go round, I am a believer too.

This time last year my powertap cpu stopped working. I changed batteries and went troubleshooting without any solid results. I finally called Saris and they said ship it back and they would give me a new one. Just like that, a brand new headunit was on my doorstep. More recently, I decided to upgrade an older model, wired powertap. They have an outstanding customer replacement policy wherby they will sell you the newest version at a deeply discounted price. Sure enough, I cut the old hub out of the wheel and shipped it back. No questions asked.

I have long felt that many companies have shifted away from the focus on customer service. In fact, many companies have downsized in this area in the past couple of years. It almost seems that getting good customer service comes as a shock. Therefore, I want to reward those companies that meet and exceed my expectations in this department.

What companies do feel exceed your expectations in customer service?

Best way to beat the winter?

I recently mentioned how the winter seems to sap the motivation out of me. I find myself wanting to train more but getting out the door when it is cold becomes more and more difficult. In fact, this weekend, I was stuck in Nashville where 4 inches of snow turned to ice and trapped me in the house with no way to leave nearly all weekend. There was no long run available given the conditions of the road. And after a bout with the trainer on Friday, we tried again on Saturday only to stop mid workout. I hate intervals on the trainer. So weekend training was a bust. Another no go. Another hope next weekend is better.

So what is the way to stay motivated throughout the cold? Simple, go somewhere warm. And today, I made that leap again. I will have to wait 365 days but I am going back to Kona this time next year. Ahhhh.....warm sun, lava fields, suntan in January, 25 hours of training, a suntan in Januaryand of course lava java. Sounds good to me. Is it 2011 yet?

Entering T-zero

Ok, the title might be cheesy, it was the best I developed late one night as I was sitting on the couch thinking about the upcoming season. What is T-zero? It is that transition before the triathlon season begins. It is those few weeks in your training plan where you shift from working out to training. It is the time your race schedule begins to seem a little real.

Each year we all enter T-zero at different times. Some might be there for a while before realizing it. However, after thinking about my past few seasons, there seems to be a common theme for me this time of year. Thus, I present the steps to identifying T-zero

1. The training plan slowly begins to creep up as the coach begins to test you just a bit more. You instantly feel the extra hour on the body because you have fallen in love with the 5 hour training weeks.

2. The trainer and bike becomes a permanent fixture in your living room, bedroom, basement, etc. It doesn't make sense to break it down. Your training plan calls for 3 bikes a week now. Sigh.

3. Monitoring your weight. First you found it cute that you gained 5 pounds in the off season. You began worrying when that number hit 10. Now as it approaches the teens you know you need to dial it back. You want to make sure that tri suit still fits in late April

4. You start watching what you eat. You aren't ready to commit to a diet but you are a bit more selective what you eat. You ultimately fail but the thought was there.

5. Laundry picks up. You were so happy over the winter when you had a clean pair of shorts EVERY time you needed them. Now you are doing a load a week and finding shorts that you had long forgotten because everything is dirty. You wonder why you never threw out that pair of shorts that chaffe you to no end.

6. You wallet becomes lighter. You are testing yourself with the local 5k or 10k. You are registering for those early races. You recall how it feels to be broke during the season.

7. You make those early season purchases. We all need new shoes. And for a few days they smell good and look shiny. That is until the weekend long run through the cold and rain. But, hey, these shoes make me look good and feel F-A-S-T!!!

8. You set the alarm 30 minutes earlier because you need to start morning workouts. Of course, this only results in hitting snooze three times and becoming frustrated with yourself that you still haven't made the pool at 6 am.

9. What little time you have in your schedule is filled with things like yoga, pilates and core strengthening. You don't really know if it does you any good but Dave Scott and Mark Allen swear by it so it has to be good. Right? Or, the scenery is nice at the gym this time of year.

10. No weather is too miserable for your run. 5 degrees? Time to bundle up. I am a hardcore athlete.

Essentially t-zero is kinda like when pitchers and catchers report to spring training. It is the time prior to the pre-season where you begin slowly turning your attention to the next few months. The cold is in the air but you can smell sweat and tears just around the corner.

What are the signs that YOU are entering T-zero?

Good Weekend Training

Mother nature held off just long enough for me to get outside this weekend. I always find it extremely difficult to train through the colder months because there is no established routine. One weekend is nice and the next few are miserable. One day it will rain and the next will be nice. It is hard to force yourself out there in miserable conditions when your races are still 4 months off.

Despite knowing that a roadie ride would be best for me, I headed out the Comet on Saturday morning for some solo riding on the tri bike. I think I just wanted to be alone and relax for a couple of hours. The weather was a balmy 43 and that wet feeling was in the air. I couldn't decide what to wear and apparently put too much on as I was shedding layers 45 minutes into the ride. Overall, I went 40 miles and held a relatively good wattage the entire time. I am still convinced that when it is cold the Comet is uphill and into a headwind both ways. I was very pleased with this ride. I found myself joyous that I was able to log some distance in a workout.

Sunday proved to be a typical January weekend. The forecast called for nasty rain all day. Fortunately, it held off until about noon. I headed out on a steady 10 mile run. I have this route near my house that I find extremely challenging. It contains nothing more than hills, hills and more hills. Just a bunch of ups and downs. I recall running it a few times over the past year and wanted to see if my running was making any progress.

As expected, the route killed me. By mile 7.5 I was wiped. I backed off my pace and did everything I could mentally and physically to get back to the house. My first lesson was that my endurance isn't quite where I want it to be. I can handle 10 miles on gentle rollers. 10 miles on heavy hills, not quite so much. Second lesson is to be cognizant of pacing. I probably went out a bit too hard on the first few miles. I was running steady but probably needed to dial it back a notch. Finally, my run IS in fact improving. Last March I did that route as a negative split run when I was peaking for NOLA. Sunday's run was nearly 4 minutes faster and I don't feel like I was pushing the pace. I nearly even split the run.

Overall it was a good training weekend. It really lifts my spirits to occassionally have a good weekend like this. It reminds me how much I enjoy the sport. Hopefully, this feeling will last beyond the next weekend, where I am sure the weather will force me back inside.

2009 Closing Thoughts

I seem to always lag on getting this blog out at the appropriate time. At least this year, I am getting around to it in the first month. This year was a testing one. I had really high expectations. I was looking forward to recovering from injury with a vengeance. Alas, that didn't happen. Instead, most of the season I dealt with frustration.

There were two primary sources of frustration this year. First, my personal life was dealt with a few game changers that certainly caused me to shift my attention away from racing. Second, my body just didn't react like it normally does. It responded in a number of different ways.

The season started with a week of training in Kona. I would suggest the opportunity to anyone who calls themselves a triathlete. I returned focused and determined to punish the upcoming season. I set my sights on NOLA 70.3 and trained through the elements. In late March my body was peaking. I felt good and headed to the Big Easy with high hopes. And then I cracked. I somehow mentally defeated myself. I came off the bike with NO desire to run. I tried for about 10 minutes before making the walk of shame back to transition. I will never quite understand what happened.

So the season's priorities shifted. I registered for Gulf Coast the following month and looked to get back on track. My body had a different plan. It didn't respond to training at all. In fact, it kinda revolted. Personally, I think I was overtraining. Despite not running the 13.1 miles in NOLA, my body still peaked and competed for 3+ hours. I didn't physically feel taxed but the body needed rest. It showed at Gulf Coast. I had a lackluster race but mentally just needed to finish the 70.3 miles and prove to myself that I can do that.

As the summer heat arrived, my body revolted. My run became abysmal and I couldn't hold my FTP during workouts. I tried to push through it, getting my ass handed to me at local sprints. My hopes for the season were quickly going down the drain. My motivation was totally gone. I had to totally restructure my season to an ad hoc schedule. I finally showed up to Age Group Nationals and despite being under a great deal of stress, I feel I had a solid race (minus a hideous swim). At that point, I called it a season.

I decided to take about a month off and get away from it all. And then I found myself itching to get back on the bike. As I did, my body responded properly. It felt wholesome again. I started to run some more and found myself running better than I have in a few years. So I ended the year on an uptick that I hope to be able to carry into 2010.

What worked:

*To some extent, going to Kona and putting in some major volume. I liked that it broke up the monotony of training.
*Changing shoes. I went through several different shoes this year and the pain seemed to go away. I think my Kayano's were giving me TOO much stability. Now I run in shoes that provide me little to no stability and I feel stronger
*Training with power. I made the switch this year. It took some time to understand (still learning) but the focus on intensity made me a better rider.
*Taking time off to refocus
*Listening to my body


What didn't work:
*Training in Kona. I do think this volume contributed to catching up to me sometime later as fatigue.
*Quitting at NOLA 70.3. That really messed me up this season
*The same training schedule EVERY week (ahem, Dan). I need to have more fun
*Focusing too much on time and placement in an early season race. I went for it all in the first race of the season.
*Not listening to my body
*Additional non-tri related stress

I hope to take the lessons learned and apply them this year. I hope the added motivation of racing for all3sports will help push me through the dark times and bring out the best in me.

Exciting News

I wanted to wait until this was finalized and the contract was signed. I was selected to join the all3sports 2010 age group team. I am extremely excited by this opportunity to train and race with some of Atlanta's top notch athletes while being represented by THE best triathlon store in the nation.

For several years, I have had a great relationship with the all3sports staff. I bought my first tri bike (Black Betty) from them and appreciated the attention and patience they had throughout the whole process. I have returned a number of times for gear, advice and bike fittings. While a majority of the store exists online, the physical store is a true asset to the Atlanta region. Triathlon is still just a niche sport and I am grateful to have this resource in my backyard.

As I have trained and raced the past few seasons, I have grown to know a number of the team members. And with time, it seemed that most of my group training was with that crowd. It then became only a matter of time before my interest in the team grew.

I am really honored by the opportunity. I hope that this will serve as an added motivator for me this season. I hope that the feel of putting on a uniform and representing a brand will kick me in the arse sometime during that last mile of the race. But most importantly, I look forward to establishing an even better partnership with a store that I know and trust.

I would like to send out a couple of thanks to all the people that helped me make the team. Specifically, I would like to thank Morgan Clark, Alex Poon, Bill Davis , Matt Cole and the rest of the all3sports staff for the opportunity.

If you have never shopped with all3sports, please check them out. First time shoppers should email me and I will see what I can do for you.

Weekend Humor

Part of my goal this season is to ride more regularly with roadies. I think this will help break of the monotony of interval training and force me to push a bit harder at times. Well, at least this is my thinking.

The forecast was vastly improved this weekend, so I was determined to ride outside. I searched the interwebs looking for a ride in the greater Nashville area. Fortunately, I found two. The first was 45 miles and started at 8 am. I knew this was probably the best bet for me but the start time didn't sound appetizing. The second was 27 miles starting at 10 am. That sounds more like it. And I thought to myself, SELF, if I have fresh legs then I will ride back to Jess' house to make it closer to 35 miles.

I arrived at the starting point about 15 minutes prior to departure. I gathered my gear and introduced myself to a few of the riders. Nice people. And they admitted that it was a bit more on the casual side. That is fine with me. I don't need to hammer for 90 minutes.

So we headed out on the ride. And they were true to their word. It was very casual. I was hoping that that group was just getting warmed up. They were all experienced cyclist, just the very casual, conversational type. I didn't know the route so I kinda had to assume their pace. All I could do was laugh and make the best of it. Once we were nearly finish, I began to pick up the pace and pull whoever want to go with me. Speeds went from 15 to 20 mph quickly and the group dissipated.

Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. So I joined the wrong group this morning. It was a subtle reminder that cycling is a hobby. I don't need to worry about my watts being 100 below where they should be (they were). Instead, I need to take enjoyment in the fact that I was out riding and meeting new people. I think we all get caught up in performance that we forget that this sport is supposed to be fun. I chatted the entire 1:45. I met new and interesting people. And most importantly, I enjoyed being on my bike. It didn't feel like work (it wasn't).

For the first time in a while, I stopped and smelled the roses.

Taking a Step Back

Despite the cold weather, I continue plugging along. Somewhere, some how I hope it pays off. The artic air that has invaded Atlanta hasn't made things easy for me. On Saturday, I set out for a 10 mile run when it was 16 degrees with a wind chill of 7. Brr....or so I thought. I actually found myself too warm in my minimal layers and had to cut the run short.

On the other end, I am still hitting the trainer with everything I have. But it is wearing on me. I have ridden outside exactly once in the past month. I am really itching to get in a ride. The new bike still has that new bike smell so I need to break it in some more.

This week, I am going to take a step back in training. I have a nagging pain in my hip area. Last night, I let Eileen attack my psoas in an attempt to reduce the inflammation. I think I need to get a chiro adjustment and then I might be good to go in about a week. Given that it is the second week of January, I don't see any point in pushing through the pain. Hopefully, an adjustment, some ART and advil will take care of it. In the meantime, I guess I will be in the pool. sigh.

Return of my Nemesis

The wait is over. I can't really justify fighting it much longer. Well, I guess I could but even I am beginning to get soft on the issue. Coach Dan tried. Her really did. In fact, he tried twice last week. However, I am not a lemming like many of his other athletes. I review, process and then decide what I want to do. This makes me his best athlete...by a long mile.

Alas, it is time to give in. When I get home tonight, I will search the igloo for the proper items. If found, I will dust off the cobwebs and make sure they still fit. I will once again put them in a bag as a precursor. And someday this week, I will make the lengthy trek to the gym. Sigh. It is time to return to the POOL.

End of Year Totals

2009 Totals

Bike:	151h 00m 44s - 2839.14 Mi
Run:	110h 49m 16s - 790 Mi
Swim:	39h 47m 50s - 122528 Yd

I was only 1 for 3 in hitting my goals for the year. My bike goal was 3000 miles. I hit 95% so I think that is close enough. I surpassed my running goal of 750. And well, swimming was about 50% of my goal. Not too bad given that I took 5 months off.

All in all it was an ok year. Given the overtraining debacle, I am surprised that I even came close to hitting any of my targets. I still think the goals I set were on par with what a solid year should look like at the distances I race. 2008 was higher because I spent more time on the volume. This year, I focused on the intensity.

In a factoid that only I find interesting:

Running 2008 pace: 8:46 2009 pace: 8:26
Cycling 2008 pace: 18.2 2009 pace: 18.8 mph

Necessary Upgrades

There is no doubt that triathlon is one of the costliest sports. Due to the socioeconomics of most triathletes, companies know how to raise the prices quickly. A few years ago, I recall purchasing a nice pair of tri shorts for about $75. At the time, I gawked at the price. The other day I noticed that the newest version sales for $115. I can't for the life of me believe that the fabric or ?technology? of shorts has developed to generate a 50% increase in the cost. Sigh.

I believe competing for triathlons on the cheap. While I certainly have used my financial resources to my advantage, I feel like I have never been the type that has to have all the newest gadgets or the latest and greatest items. I try to be frugal to a certain extent. And while this approach has served me well, it has also come with an added expense.

A few years ago, I bought my first trainer. I just needed something basic to get myself through those 45-60 minute mid-week rides while I was training for IM CDA. It served that purpose quite well. However, as I moved to intensity based workouts, I found myself struggling to increase my heart rate and my wattage. Over that past year, I have learned to HATE the trainer. It became the bane of my existence.

Recently, I started to use Jessica's trainer during my visits to Nashville. The watts went up and perceived effort went down. I dare say that I developed a crush on the bike trainer. I greeted it each time the workout called for a date. After we were done, I offered it a smoke.

The difference? An upgrade from a mag wheel to a fluid based trainer. I may never find the need to pay 50% more for the new tri shorts. However, now that I have seen the light, I regret only spending $125 on a trainer. An extra $100 might have saved me tons of frustration and provided more quality workouts.

Edited to add: Author reserves the right to change is mind concerning the trainer at any point.

Say Hello

Finally, the long agonizing wait is over. For the better part of the year, I have wanted to purchase a road bike for the offseason and group ride sessions. I agonized and agonized over this issue. I didn't want to spend too much money on a secondary bike that might only see 15-20% of my annual mileage. At the same time, my vanity was preventing me from making a less than flashy decision.

The hunt was further complicated by the fact that I had a few parts lying around the house. So I knew it made sense to just buy a frame but didn't want to go through the process of buying all the other parts. Buying a complete bike is just simpler. Plus, I had a budget in mind. I really didn't want to spend more than $2500. I was willing to spend more but I felt that was the right medium.

So that turned me onto the used market. I wasn't afraid of ebay or craigs list. In fact, I have had very positive experiences both buying and selling on them. So I watched and monitored for months looking for exactly what I wanted. Finally...it came available.

2008 Cervelo R3
Dura-ace 7800
Zero Gravity brakes
Adamo ISM saddle
DT Swiss wheels
Powertap SL

Not too bad and with the exception of a few last minute problems, it came in under budget. Major kudos to the guys at all3sports for their wrench work and killer turn around time. So far, I have only had time to get in one small ride. Let's just say, the adamo saddle will require some serious adaptation.

FTP Increases

One of the most significant improvements that I made in 2008 was increasing my speed on the bike. Naturally, this didn't occur overnight and without a lot of work. One my goals for the year was to train with more intensity. This meant interval work at Columns, tempo rides and breaking out of the z2 cycle. For 2009, I switched from RPE and HR to power and kept the same goal...train with more intensity. In this case, intensity and improvement is defined as my functional threshold power (FTP). Ah...the joy of a powermeter. It simplifies things.

I played around the with powermeter in 2008. I took the time to learn more about how it measures power and how training with power is substantially different than HR. As a result of minimal training with power, I only completed one FTP test. That test established the baseline for the rest of my training and gives me a comparison point for the next year.

As I established my goals for 2009, increasing my FTP was high on the list. Post IM Florida, I took some considerable time off from training and therefore expected my power to take a similar hit. And it did. So when I began building my power for 2009 I was slightly behind where I left off. Nonetheless, I was still determined to reach an arbitrary FTP figure. I can't say there was a lot of science behind my goal...just something to strive to achieve.

This year I did a total of 4 FTP tests, not counting two time trials that served as additional data points. I didn't quite reach my goal, however, I did have a significant increase over the year. I don't quite know if my goal was attainable but had I not experienced mid-season fatigue, I think I might have reached it.

For the point of analysis, I don't state my FTP number. In the world of cycling, so many people are caught up with comparing and contrasting numbers. In the case of FTP, it really doesn't mean anything. I know plenty of people with a higher FTP that are slower. I know people with a lower FTP that are faster. What really matters is the FTP to weight ratio, or power/kg.

My weight fluctuates throughout the year but it is consistently around 164 pounds. Next year, I probably need to do a better job in noting my weight the morning of the test. However, I think for arguments sake, I can assume 164 lbs for the year.

I am happy to end the year on a high note. Overall, my FTP increased 14.6%. My ratio grew from 3.2 to nearly 3.7. If I use the Coggan and Allen Training and Racing with a Power Meter cycling ratio chart, that places me at the top of the Cat 3 division (if that means anything).


One of my goals for the offseason will be to maintain and attempt to increase these figures. I don't want to experience a drop off as I did last year. Of course, that means becoming friends the with trainer (rolls eyes).

Happy Holidays

"Don't call it it a comeback, I have been hear for years." LL Cool J

It really is amazing how time flies. I can't believe that it has been nearly two months since I last posted. But with the new year, comes a revitalization of sorts. I think I have worked out a number of my physical and mental ailments in the sport. I stepped by for a long time and gained a new perspective.

Training has been going well so far. I still haven't been in the pool since mid-August. I couldn't be happier. I don't miss that initial shock of cold water...the dry skin...frequent showers (hygiene is overrated)...and the smell of chlorine. Alas, I know that the time is coming to a close.

Running is finally starting to click. Nearly a year after an injury sidelined me for months, I feel like my run is coming together. My legs are responding to training and my times are slowly creeping down to a competitive level. I am even beginning to consider racing a few more times this winter.

Cycling is in a steady holding pattern. My watts are back and hopefully today I get to do my final FTP test for the year. I do expect to see a marginal increase over the test 2 months ago. And then I will get around to doing a write up on FTP protocol. I am actually getting on my trainer with some regularity. I joked with Dan that I think I have been on my trainer more this winter than all of last season. However, I still hate it. On Saturday, I refused to do my 2x20' workout on it. I bundled up and braved the 33 degree weather at Columns.

All in all things are progressing well. I am feeling a bit more inspired. I am ready to step up training and see how I perform under a bit more pressure. I feel ready to return to the blogging world and share information. I am ready to start thinking of next season and what I want to accomplish.

Between now and Christmas, it is my goal to back post a few blogs about what I have been up to. And stay tuned for a few new announcements. I am picking up a new bike today so I will be introducing Clarice to the world.

Turkey Trot 5 miler

It shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone...I haven't race in quite some time. The motivation was severely lacking. I wasn't happy with where my run was in regards to time. So for Thanksgiving, I asked Jessica to see if there was a local 5k in the area so that I could set an offseason benchmark.

Well, she did me one better...found a 5 miler. Ouch...this is going to hurt.

It was a bitterly cold morning so I hung out in the cold car until about 15 minutes before the start. I was feeling a bit excited but nervous at the same time. I knew the distance wasn't the challenge. Instead, I was concerned about the intensity. My run was slowly coming along. My tempo runs were improving but I had no idea what how I would perform.

My goal was 3700-37:30. I thought I would likely hold 7:20s and that would be an aggressive enough pace to not gas me for the final few miles. When the gun when off, so did I...albeit at a slightly faster than expected pace. Aided by a slight downhill, I finished the first quarter mile at a 5:30 pace. Oops...time to find a pace. I backed of a bit and tried to settle in to a 7:30+ pace.

I didn't find that. I did find a comfortable, moderately aggressive 6:50 pace by mile 1. I felt solid and strong cruisng to a 7:00 pace for my second mile. By mile 3, I was down to a 7:10 pace and feeling the wheels might be coming off just a bit. I knew it was time to dig deep and continue pushing. Fortunately, I was running with a group of solid runners so I made a move to see who would come with me. Yep, I was on my own. I hit mile 4 at a 7:06 and knew my goal was in check.

The final mile had a nice dip and then a final climb. I had some nice pace booty that was 50m in front of me so I focused on catching her. I also became very conscisous of the clock as I began to climb the final hill. I knew I would be close to 35:00. I really wanted to break 35 so I pushed, pushed and pushed finishing with a final mile of 6:39. Total time 34:59!!!!

Needless to say, I was very pleased with the race outcome. It felt good to be back on the road and in competition. I hope this will be the spring board for the next few months!!!

Mile 1: 6:50 (165)
Mile 2: 7:00 (176)
Mile 3: 7:10 (174)
Mile 4: 7:06 (178)
Mile 5: 6:39 (179)

Results: 6/22 AG; 33/305 OA

You get what you give, or do you?

I was reading a blog the other day about an athlete taking a different approach to training this year. He had the notion that in the past, performance/results didn't quite work out as planned. He theorized that he wasn't as focused in training leading up to the "A" race. He had the motto--Put the same thing in, get the same thing out. While pleased with past results, he wanted more this year.

This is so true in many different ways. Professionally, I preach this all the time. If you give me crap data and little information, I can only mold it into prettier crap. I can't develop an earth shaking policy initiative from nothing. Give me something to work with and I will make it shine.

Training is much of the same. If you half ass training, you will have half assed results. If you are shirking your bike, then your bike will likely suffer. If your training for a race is exactly how you train for every race then in theory, your results should be the same. It really isn't a difficult concept to grasp, despite the hundreds of athletes wondering why are they aren't getting better.

In the blog the athlete was taking a different approach to his "A" race. His race schedule was designed in a way to prevent injury and fatigue from racing long. He structured training to have a huge final build at the race venue to acclimate and know all the technicalities of the course. The end result? A worse race. Houston, we have a problem.

While there are a million of variables that go into executing a flawless race, one has to wonder if the training was wrong for him. Did he need to change his approach to achieve his goal of a podium finish? Those answers rest somewhere with the tri-gods.

After reading, I started thinking of my own season. I thought long and hard about how I approached this season. I trained harder and with more intensity. For the first part of the season, I was more focused than ever. I was training differently. But to what end? The obvious answer is to perform better. But that didn't happen.

I am left asking myself the same question as the blogger. In the previous three years of triathlon, I have gotten better with each passing year. This year, I undoubtedly got faster...but it seems that I didn't perform any better. I am still with that same pack of athletes.

Therefore, if my goal is to get better, how should I train? I do believe in eliminating the junk from training. Each session should have a purpose. And you should approach each session with the end result in mind. This year, I trained harder and more focused but maybe that backfired on me.

Maybe I didn't need to change my technique at all. Maybe like the blogger, I was over thinking it. I was trying to apply best practices to an athlete that doesn't respond in the same way as others. I don't know. But as I spend more time in the offseason reflecting and thinking about moving forward, this has to be near the top of my list.

Moving toward....something?

Things are beginning to look better in my world. So much in fact, that I some how managed to blog for the second time this month. In fact, I actually wanted to blog about a few other things lately. I take this as a good sign that I am turning the corner and beginning to re-engage in the sport.

I still don't have an offseason plan or any real goals. I still have't been to the pool in a few months. And quite honestly, I am loving it. I am still managing to train about 4 hours a week which sounds minuscule compared to the 12-15 that I am accustomed to. Instead, this is giving my body and mind some much needed rest.

One of the biggest changes that I experienced this season is that my body didn't recover properly. I used to bounce back pretty quickly. This year I found myself down for about a week after a sprint race. My half put me down for a couple of weeks. This didn't seem to jive with my previous experiences. So I want to take this build really slow. Right now, my back is extremely tight. Chiropractor and massage appointments haven't put a major dent into the issue.

On the other hand, the last few weeks have been good training wise. I retested my FTP and found significant gains. I retested my run LT and it bumped up. And this past weekend I did a four hour group ride with friends...my longest ride since Hawaii. I take all this grain of salt. I do, however, hope that it is a sign of positive movement.

Still Kicking It

Thanks for all the comments and emails, I really appreciate your support. I am trying hard to make a comeback on this blog. I really am. I have often said that if I can't commit to something 100% then it isn't worth my time and energy. I don't like to half-ass things. I do want to start blogging but mentally, I am not quite there yet....despite having tons of things to talk about.

The reality is that the last few months have been extremely difficult for me...probably the most challenging period of my life. I was forced to face some of life's biggest dilemmas and prepare to make life altering decisions. This coupled with having a sour season left me feeling down and not motivated to do much. I think I am turning the curve.

The offseason is here and despite not having a plan, I am still out there training. I competed in the Georgia Cup State Championship Time Trial. With the cooler weather, my running seems to be coming back. And just yesterday, I did another FTP test and saw positive returns. All of this is promising.

Most importantly, I needed a break from the sport...mentally and physically. I think I needed to get away from it all for a while and just enjoy the concept of running and cycling (NO swimming). This is providing my body and mind time to heal and recharge. I am still moving forward, make no doubts about it. There will be good news in the future....just not the immediate future. I don't need to put the pressure on myself right now.

Again, thanks for all the support and kind words. I plan to post a few more times over the next few weeks as I try to regain the blogging motivation.

Latest and Greatest...or lack thereof

It is no secret in the world of blogging that when one disappears from the bloggersphere that it usually isn't a positive thing. In the world of sports it is usually an injury or illness. I came back from Age Group Nationals a little more excited than normal. I wanted to take about a week off to let my fragile body repair itself before deciding what the rest of the season had in store. I was even pondering a longer race to end the season. Well my recovery didn't go so well.

I spent most of last week sprawled out on my couch wanting to die. At first, I thought it was just the flu as my temperature rose to 102.5. A trip to the clinic produced negative results. Three days later I was calling the doctor back. This time he found the source--strep throat. There goes a few more days.

It has now been 2.5 weeks since I have been on my bike. I have run a few times in between and other than a few flips and dives into the neighbors pool, I couldn't tell you where my swim trucks are located. And all this is fine with me. It isn't want I wanted for myself but it is the hand that I was dealt.

This season was a big bust. I still lack motivation and desire. I feel a bit burned out so I am closing the books on 2009. I need to reflect more on what went right and where I think it all went wrong. I am sure that I will continue to train, I just want to take some time away from it all.

While the weather is nice, I will continue to get on my bike when I can. I want to focus on my running and get my monthly mileage up. I want to get back to where I was at the beginning of the year. I doubt I will visit the pool anytime soon. Instead, I want to take 2-3 months off from swimming and then return in the form of masters with some coaching--an effort to correct my form instead of re-enforcing incorrect technique. I will still race.

But for now, I am going to take myself away from structured training. I will develop my own weekly routines based on how my body feels. I hope this will create some more enjoyment in my life and remind me why I enjoy this sport. I am sure I will find a few 10ks and even a half mary or two.

Age Group Nationals

I was really uneasy going into this race. I didn't really have any desire to compete and knew I wasn't very well trained for it. Plus, it is always hard to go into a race where you know you ass will be handed to you. Nonetheless, I made the decision to travel to Tuscaloosa after what was probably the most stressful week of my life.

I arrived in town late Friday and grew increasingly frustrated with the 20,000 students crawling around on campus and the lack of USAT signs pointing us to registration. One day a race will get it right. You can't put registration and bike check-in on opposite sides of the world. I went for a quick spin to workout some frustration before finally retiring back in my hotel.

I woke up at 5 am Saturday morning and was ready to get it over with. I ate a banana, clif bar and consumed a bottle of gatorade en route to the race. Because bike check-in was the previous night, there wasn't much to do but put my stuff out and chat with friends. The race started in small waves so I didn't start until about an hour into the race.

Swim:

This was one of the hardest things I have ever done. You could tell there was a bit of a current so I watched the earlier waves. It was almost as if they weren't moving out there. The current was strong enough to slow them down that much. I tried to tell myself that I am just watching a pack of mediocre swimmers and my wave would be much better.

I got in the water about 10 minutes prior to my wave start. The current was evident as you struggled to hold onto the peir. My plan was simple--have a nice relaxed swim and draft as much as possible. Well I did that for the most part.

The first 150-200 was with the current before making your way across the river. I made my way around the first two turn buoys and prepared for the back stretch. I stuck to the feet of the guy in front of me. I could tell he was zig-zagging but I didn't want to lose my draft. After about 10 minutes on the backstretch, I popped out of the water to see where I was on the course. Wow....I had barely moved. I was using the dorms as a site when I breathed to my right and it wasn't getting any closer. I just put my head back in the water and focused on smooth strokes and following the bubbles in front of me.

Nearly 10 minutes later I could tell we weren't making any quick progress. I was hoping that the river was playing tricks on my mind so I did a fish roll to look at my watch. 30 minutes. Wow. I had been in the water for 30 minutes for the 1500m swim and I wasn't even at the final turn buoy. A few minutes later I was at the final buoy and struggled to get around it. All of us were getting sucked under the buoy because of the current. I stuck to the feet of my fish and made a bee-line for the swim exit only to miss it by about 20 feet.

I exited the water in 42 minutes. All I could do was laugh.

T1

I exited the water and made the trek up the stairs into transiton. I had the best rack ont the course. I the last person on the row of 200 bikes. There weren't many bikes in my area so it wasn't difficult to find my bike. I grabbed my stuff and got out of there asap

1:37

Bike

The plan was the to push the bike in a conservative/aggressive way. I didn't want to kill myself but I knew that this was my time to play catch up. I saw a number of friends and teammates on the first out and back. They were a few minutes ahead of me. I just put my head down and went.

The course was two loops with about 3 solid rises in it. I would try to back off during the climbs and make back up the ground on the descents. I finsihed the first loop feeling pretty good. I proably went out a bit too hard as my watts were high. My plan for the second loop was to just maintain the aggressiveness, catch who I can but try to keep my heartrate in check. Around mile 20, I felt my stomach get a bit bloated from my nutrition. Due to extenuating circumstances, I had to change my diet and race nutrition around for the weekend. DO NOT TRY ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY.

I backed off the pace for the final few miles and mentally prepared for the run.

1:05:33 (22.6 mph)

T2

I had a good dismount and run to the rack. I slipped on my Nike Free's, tried to motivate Kirk and took off running.

0:54

Run

I knew I would get smoked here, as usual. My instructions were to go out at 5k pace for the first mile and the back off. That hurt. I developed side stitches high in my ribs that aggravated me the rest of the run. I presume they are from my back being really tight. Normally I can work through them but I can't recall the last time I got one that high. I hit the first mile around 7:15 and backed off.

The course had three short but steep hills that just took it out of you. One the second hill the combination of the heat and extended time in the water began taking its toll and I began slowing. I was still determined to have a good race so I somehow found the energy to keep moving. I tried to pick it up around mile 4 and then again at mile 5. The side stitches just screamed at me so I focused on maintaing the current effort and that seemed to be enough.

48:32

Total time: 2:39:20

It was far from a PR day for anyone. Aside from the half I did on the final day of Triple T, this race was hands down the hardest I have every done. The odd thing is that none of the individual disciplines were all the difficult but the combination of all three made it a brutal day. The run was little to no shade and while it was cool for Alabama in August the sun was beating down hard.

Overall, I am pleased with my race. It went about as expected. I need to have a decent race after my last few showings. I feel like I executed well and pushed through some of the more difficult times. That is the least I could ask for given how my season turned out. As for the rankings, it was humbling. I just need to remember that I was racing against the best of the best. And I was clearly out of my league.

Rest of the Season

So I am behind on blogging again. I have so much to say but little energy and even less time. There are pressing concerns so I will address them immediately.

Training has been mediocre over the past few weeks. I was hoping to bounce back from my time off with more energy and motivation. That hasn't exactly happen. I seem to keep running into the same issues...not recovering well and not producing at high levels. This has caused me to reshape what I want from the rest of the season.

At the urging of Dan, I decided to race Age Group Nationals in Tuscaloosa in two weeks. This may be my last race of the season. I decided a few weeks back to dial it back even further. I would race this Olympic and if I race well, I will consider 1-2 more races. Otherwise, it is time to shut it down to mentally and physically focus on different things.

This all leaves me thinking through how I am going to approach Nationals race. I need/want to have a solid race. I am trying to put my all into training right now so that I will be ready. But more importantly, I am trying to mentally prepare for the race

The key for me is to have a solid race. I really want to feel like I gave the race 100%. I don't care where I rank. I do want to PR but that is contingent on too many variables right now. My focus will be to remain mentally engaged the entire race. I know I will be run down. But do I step it up a notch and force myself to push through the hard part or do I crumble and just tell myself that I am giving it my all...for the day.

July Totals

Where did July go? I think I remember it but it sure left in a hurry! July was a big down month. I was feeling run down to start the month and wanted to take a few months off to see if I could turn things around.

I had a shoulder issue at the beginning of the month that kept me out of the water for a couple of weeks. Nothing long this month. Longest run was at an hour. Longest ride was probably 40 miles. Hopefully I am recharged

July's totals:
Bike:	12h 23m 05s - 234.4 Mi
Run:	8h 40m 03s - 63.75 Mi
Swim:	2h 54m 11s - 9450 Yd
Walking:	58m 19s
Yoga:	40m