Cold Weather Riding

There are moments nearly every season where you realize that you are making mistakes of the past. One of these days, I promise to learn my lesson. NO big races early in the season. At the time, April sounded warm. I mean, Atlanta doesn't have cold winters (comparatively). That should provide me ample time to get in a few long rides without a problem. (Just shakes my head).

No more early season races. As much as I hate the trainer, I starred at it Saturday morning wondering if I could honestly endure 2.5 hours on it. It sounded reasonable. Well, compared to braving the 30 degree temperature that awaited me outside the house. For I had allowed that asshole Marc Street (damn Canuck) to drag me out for a 9:00 am start. I knew it was the right call but the thought of riding at 1:00 when it was 55 and sunny sounded SO much more enticing. Alas, I bundled up and dared Jack Frost to come get me.

I have a simple theory when it comes to cold weather and working out. Inherently, I believe that there is no such thing as poor weather; just poor gear selection. This is why I can run in 15 degree weather. I have the right gear. Cycling....not so much. I am too cheap to invest into warm clothes for those 3-4 rides a year. The cost-benefit analysis doesn't workout in my head when I look to buy a $150 pair of winter tights. So, instead, I just bitch about it.

During my first year of cycling, I adopted the rule that I would not ride if it was under 45 degrees. It was simple, there was no need. I wasn't trying to be a serious triathlete. When I started training for IM CDA, fear was a solid motivator. I lowered the bar to 40 degrees and invested in some tights. But I never made that next leap to wind resistant, warm gear. Hence, the debacle that unfolding on Saturday.

I rolled up to the comet bundled up like Ralphie's brother in A Christmas Story. I had cycling socks on, with knee high soccer socks over them and toe warmers on the shoes. I had on my cycling pants, with another pair of tights on them. I wore a under armor long sleeve shirt, long sleeve jersey and a cycling jacket. Then I put on my gloves and I always wear my aero helmet to keep my ears warm.

I survived the ride but I wasn't happy. As planned, I overheated my upper body a bit. This works for me because it warms my hands as the blood rushes that direction. So for the first time, my hands weren't frozen. But my legs and feet were numb. Honestly, my legs felt like bricks. I had no perceived effort out there. If I thought my cadence was at 75 it was at 95. If I thought I was doing 200 watts I was at 120. I had no clue what I was doing out there. 2.5 hours later I just laid in the parking lot waiting for my feet to warm.

Maybe I should invest in some warm tights....but I won't get around to it until March...when the weather gets warmer. Hence the cycle continues

My Newest Passion

I am back on a smoothie kick. I was already known around the office for carrying my big blue cup into the various, mundane meetings that I am forced to attend. Now I have an army of them on my desk. I am adopting the motto that a smoothie a day keeps the aches and pains away. Let's hope I am still saying that in October.

I have always been a fan of smoothies dating back to my time in college were I had an estranged relationship with the manager of the local smoothie king. I could just roll up nearly any night and she would make me whatever smoothie I wanted. The best part about smoothie stores is that they only real inventory they can take is on the number of cups. You can't account for more bananas or a scoop of powder missing. So I exploited this loophole and gravitated toward a liquid diet...err....snack.

I would occasionally travel this route in training. I used smoothies as a reward. Maybe I had a 15 mile run in the morning and needed some extra hydration. Why not add some fruit, protein and carbs. I would treat myself to the 32 oz drink that sometimes resembled the nectar of the gods. In Atlanta, they closed the Planet Smoothie closest to my apartment a couple of years ago. This forced me back to Smoothie King (long story). It wasn't quite as convenient so it became a bit of a luxary. Maybe 2-3 times a month.

When I visit Nashville, Jess is a big proponent of the liquid diet especially after a good workout. And rightfully so. I have written about this before but recovery is key. And what better way to rebuild my fatigued muscles than with fruits. It sure beats grabbing the bag of chips or cookies.

So the one real thing I wanted for Christmas was a nice blender. Moving into the house provided the opportunity needed to revisit my smoothie passion. So each morning, after getting dressed I prepare myself about 20 oz of smoothie. I keep it relatively simple:

1 banana
1 cup of strawberries
1/2 cup of other fruit if needed
1/2 cup of skim milk
1 scoop of whey protein (26g)
2 tablespoons of peanut butter (sometimes)
2 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup of fresh spinach (really)

Then blend. It is that simple.

The funny part is that I think I can tell how much my body is benefiting from a smoothie a day. I can also tell how much it is hurting my wallet. Keeping fruit, fresh or frozen, in the house isn't easy. My goal each day is to consume the smoothie around 9:30. This tends to hold me until lunch. However, there is a huge distinction on the days that I include peanut butter. It always holds me until lunch. On the other days, I find myself rummaging through my snack drawer around 11.

As expected, the smoothies give me a bit of a kick too. I am finding myself with a bit more energy. I also feel like it is helping me recovery from workouts a bit more. I have long suspected that I fall well short of the proper amount of protein needed in my daily diet. The addition of 26g is probably helping a great deal. Is it enough? Not sure. I will report back when I reach a different conclusion.

Tundra Time Trial

Saturday marked my second Time Trial. I really like the time trial format and hope to add a few more to the schedule this season. It is so much simpler than racing. I showed up around 8:30, hopped on my trainer to warm up, chatted with a few friends and then spent the next 25 minutes pushing as hard as I can.

The Tundra Time Trial is held on the Silver Comet Trail over in Powder Springs. The format is simple...riders go off every 30 seconds. You go for about 4.7 miles, turn around and come back. It is that simple.

I didn't really have any expectations for the day. I never sat down and tried to calculate a time. I knew I would likely be around 25 minutes if I pushed it.

We were a little late arriving and after a tube mishap, I was on the trainer trying to warm up. The weather was sprinkling and a bit on the chilly side. I rode for about 15 minutes to just loosen up the muscles that were tight from the 2 threshold workouts I had this week.

About 20 minutes before my start, I wondered over to the All 3 / EC tent and caught up with everyone out there. I made a few minor changes to the bike and prepared for my start.

I guess my goal was to have a consistent ride and really push it. I think that was accomplished. What makes a TT hard is that you don't really know how hard to start. Go out too hard and you are cooked for the return. Ideally you want to start building for the first few minutes, push then attack. Well I pushed and seemed to hold it there. I was watching my watts and heartrate as both seemed a bit high yet my body was feeling good.

I made it down to the turn around feeling fresh. In fact, I knew I wasn't killing myself out there. I was kinda having fun. On the return I began to push a little more. But I was far from optimizing my ability. When I saw the overpass I kicked and kicked hard. Too bad it was the wrong over pass. Oops. That will kill your time trial. I was out of gas with another mile left. I did what I could but as the data shows, I wasn't able to get back up to that level.

I crossed the finish like in 24:37 (23.2 mph). I finished 30th out of 105 in the Cat V division. Again, I didn't really have any expectations. I know I left time out on the course. Maybe a few more of these and I will have a better feel for my max.

Overall, I am very pleased with my output. I like to think that I actually outperformed what was expected. And that is a good place to be at this point in the season.

General Update

So this week I was really blah and uninspired. I had the time to blog but I didn't have creative thoughts springing from my head. Alas, I will just provide a general update on a few things.

Training resumed this week. I think last week I was really run down from Hawaii and traveling. This week I felt fresh and energetic. I am excited about racing and ready to hit training hard.

My running is coming along. It is hard to isolate the cause but something is working for me. I recently changed shoes. After three years with the Kayano's I kicked them to the curb just before Hawaii. I probably have 50 miles in my new shoes and only irregular irritation in the knee. I don't want to get ahead of myself but the outlook looks better with each run.

I have developed a basic core routine that I am doing 3x a week. I am to sit down this weekend and put it down on paper. Right now it is a lot of pushups, isometric stretching and squats. I hope this will tighten up my trunk. Hopefully, I can get back to some yoga.

There might be a few more big announcements coming in the next few weeks. One might have something to do with this blog. I have some big ideas. I just need to flush them out and get moving.

My diet has been good sans the nachos, wings and beer during the UNC-Duke game. I am having a smoothie each morning which ups my fruit intake (generally 1 banana, 4-6 strawberries and blue/blackberries). I need to make a conscious effort to keep this up. I recently bought whey protein as I feel that I never have enough during the day.

Also stay tuned for my race calendar. I have not finalized it. I am racing New Orleans 70.3 on April 5th and that is about all I know. I am giving Triple T a really careful consideration and every thing hinges on that. If I pull out, then I need to create a whole other schedule.

Finally, I am racing the Tundra Time Trial this weekend. 9 miles of snot flying fun. I am looking forward to it. I don't have the power I need right now so this should be a good kick in the butt.

January Training

Overall I am very pleased with how the month turned out. Obviously the crux of the training was done in Hawaii. Most importantly, I am thrilled about running 50 miles this month. It is well shy of the 100 I was doing this time last year but it gives a solid foundation for the year...especially with all the injuries I incurred last season.

The key will be keeping the momentum over the next few weeks....

January's totals:
Bike: 20h 39m 37s - 338.6 Mi
Run: 7h 51m 57s - 50.5 Mi
Swim: 6h 54m 57s - 17300 Yd
Strength: 1h 40m
Yoga: 1h 00m

PWND!!!

Pwn (/ˈpoʊn/, /ˈpuːn/, /pəˈʔoʊn/, /ˈpɔːn/, /piˈoʊn/, /pwəˈʔn̩/, /ˈoʊn/) is a leetspeak slang term, derived from the word "own",[1][2] that implies domination or humiliation of a rival, used primarily in the Internet gaming culture to taunt an opponent who has just been soundly defeated (e.g. "You just got pwned!"). The past tense may also be spelled pwnd, pwn3d, pwnt or powned.

While the orgin of the term is founding the computer gaming nomenclature, pop culture has caught on to the epidemic too. Most often it is seen when someone attempts something that turns out drastically wrong. Or it is an attempt to ridicule someone's follies. Case in point below:




I had a moment yesterday. Thankfully there were no cameras; otherwise, my moment might end up on the internet. Jessica had the brilliant idea to introduce me to the crossfit circuit class that she is joining. Hesitant at first, I thought the class would be good for me as well as teach me a few strength exercise to incorporate into my routine.

The class followed a simple format. There were 12 station, 12 different exercises. You did each one for a minute in length followed by a 15 second transfer/rest period. There were 8 of us in the class ranging from endurance athletes to an overweight guy to a kid. Sounds simple...and I know I can't be broken...let's go.

Up first...I am jumping in a box pattern. Sounds simple. Well after a minute of it, I am bit more winded than expected. Next, high arm rows with the TRX ropes. Ok...more of my thing. Again...a minute is pushing where I am capable of performing. I am accustom to just doing reps. 12 reps probably takes 30 seconds. Next is front squats on a stability board while holding a 25lb kettle bell. My legs are just wobbling under me. Then to the ropes. You have to create waves with the ropes and keep them going. A minute now feels like ten. Onto more TRX exercises. Pikes, dips and lunges. I am sweating like a mule. Then jumping jacks while lifting a 6lb medicine ball above your head. Next is the dying cockroach followed by push-ups on the ropes. Finally, abs and oblique twist with the stability ball.

I noticed that my heartrate was through the roof and we were just finishing the first circuit. I still had another one to go. Back to the jumping boxes. I am slowing down big time. I am focused on trying to control my breathing. High rows...my arms are on fire. Squats...I am ok...just slower. Then the ropes. This is where is began going down hill for me. My heartrate shot back up. Then going into pike position made me a little light headed. I survived for 30 seconds on the dips and was feeling really bad. I looked at the lunges and said no way. I excused myself from the class.

Outside the air temp was a solid 20 degrees cooler, my heartrate was equalizing but my stomach was churning. Heave...1. Heave...2. Uh-oh. I walk to the side of the building and revisited breakfast. Hmmm....can't remember the last time that happened.

I reluctantly rejoined the class and kept it to a minimum. I was so pissed that I let the class own me today. It wasn't anything that I couldn't do. Instead, I think I went out WAY too hard and with TOO much intensity. I had nothing left during the second circuit. I let my HR spike and lost focus of my breathing.

This is what I call an ultimate FAIL!!!

Over reaching and Under recovering

If there was one concept that stuck with me most this past week it was the notion of over reaching and under recovering. This isn’t a philosophy that is new to me; instead, I think it just finally culminated with hearing the simplistic phrase.

The Ironman calling is strong. It is difficult to enter this sport and within a year NOT begin setting your sights on the goal. It is the pinnacle of our sport. It is like playing professional baseball but never carrying to play in the world series. But triathlon is not a team sport; it is individual. And that there lies the problem.

Over reaching. We all do it. We get a crazy notion to sign up for an Ironman after we have completed 2 sprints and bonked during an oly. Brilliant. In recent years, I have become an advocate of the philosophy that Ironman will always be there and that you should wait until your body is ready. In theory, the average age grouper needs a solid 3-5 of consistent training to build the body to the point that it can sustain the damage Ironman races inflict upon it.

Alas we don’t wait. We want to do it now…and at the first available moment. I fell victim to that desire….that dream. Athletes lose focus of the big picture and that is triathlon should have long term goals. You shouldn’t look at it from season to season. You need a 3-5 year plan and everything works to that goal. Of course, that is easy to say. And I am living proof that the latter is hard to execute. It is called over reaching.

The law of inertia states that an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. Enter injury and injury prevention. With overreaching comes the increased likelihood of injury. And that will certainly slow you down. I know this problem too well. I had great Ironman races. I had poor recovery. Both times resulted in injury when I began training again.

Telling a Type A athlete to take a break is difficult. We don’t respond well to bad news. We deny ourselves the truth and avoid medical attention because we don’t want to hear the truth. We give ourselves a couple of days and are ready to get back to training. We are still fueled by the race high and eagerly anticipate tackling the next goal. Under recovering. It is a major problem. Most of us don’t slow down enough to truly recover from what we put our body through. Recovery may be a few days, few weeks or even months. But without proper recovery, we are negating the gains we achieve through training and racing. For it is during the recovery phase that our muscles rebuild and come back stronger and faster.

So there it is…over reaching and under recovering. I would make the case that these are the two biggest issues facing our sport. And the two biggest issues where athletes fail. Wondering why your season isn’t going well? Ask yourself if you are over reaching and under recovering. I am willing to bet you find the truth resting between the two concepts.

My Road to Recovery

Recovery. After four years of racing this seems to be a great mystery to me. And it might be my biggest failure in the sport. Every injury I have sustained has two things in common….they are associated with overuse and need more recovery time than I am willing to devote.

When I started this blog, I sought a title that I thought reflected what I put myself through for 9 months of the year. Creating a machine. While it has multiple interpretations, the notion was on my mind constantly while I was in Hawaii. My machine seems to be under repair much more often then I would like. Unfortunately, I don’t have a warranty card and my service plan includes costly medical bills.

What I learned this week is that my body adapts. It adapts to stress VERY well. Probably too well. By that, I mean it takes a pounding. And so long as the pounding continues, it responds. But the minute the pounding is over…all the masked problems rear their ugly head.

I have always attributed this to the additional testosterone and adrenaline that comes with training for something as large as the Ironman. My body knows what is expected of it, so it responds. And it responds well. It does what I ask of it. But in return, when the event is over, my body asks things of me. And I don’t listen. That isn’t a fair relationship. I may not listen but the boy has the last laugh because when I trying to get moving again, it shuts me down.

Being injured this year provided me ample opportunity to learn more about recovery. I was constantly monitoring my fatigue level, my resting heart rate and my general demeanor. As a triathlete, I expect to be tired all the time. If not, then my coach isn’t doing his job or I am not doing mine. But when the general tiredness becomes fatigue, then I have a problem.

Over the course of the training camp, I kept a sharp eye on my fatigue level. It was easy most days because my power numbers or pace were down. So the question remains, how much recovery time is needed? How about the two days I spent laying by the pool and sleeping late? Is that enough? Goodness knows that I am going to come back more energized and motivated to train again.

Given my past, I am going to experiment a bit with recovery. Two weeks. I certainly hope that is enough time. The true test will be how I perform at the Tundra Time Trial. My focus for the next two weeks will be on three primary things—sleep, eating and stretching. I will aim for 8 hours of sleep EVERY night. No exceptions. I will eat more fruit, vegetables and protein than I am accustomed to. I will overload the system at times in hope that my muscles are rebuilt properly. Finally, I will stretch a lot. I don’t anticipate any intensity in my workouts. Instead, I will treat the next 10 days like a recovery week. I will swim a little, bike a little and run….well maybe some. Instead, I will work on keeping the core intact, strengthening my lower body and participate in ample yoga sessions to keep the body fresh. Then I will see if I can get the 10-20% gains that should come with training 25 hours in a week.

Back Home

Well I am back home. And as expected it is rainy and cold here in Atlanta. I departed from Kona airport last night at 9:30. Yesterday was a lazy day. I had ideas of kayaking or scuba diving. In the end, I just wanted to lay bay the pool and ocean for an entire day. Add in the fact that the resort had a tiki bar that was showing the game, I was set.

All in all, it was a good week. I have a bunch more to say. But for now I need to focus on recovery and curing the foreseen jet lag. The 8:00 am meeting at the Capitol will not help.

Total Training for the week:
Swim: 13,700y
Bike: 279.7 miles
Run: 22.2 miles
Total time: 26h 22m

Day 6...the finale

Well the last day finally arrived. We were all a bit stiff but eager to get the final swim and run completed. By this point we more or less knew the routine...drills, drills and drills. In the water...beat up each other then repeat. We kept practicing positioning and drafting.

Swimming was one of the areas where I definitely saw improvement over the week. I went into the process with little swim volume and started in the back of the pack. By today, I was following the feet of the leaders...albeit winded a bit. I only wish drafting and sighting in a race was this easy.

We finally had an extended break between workouts where we could return and just chill. This provided ample opportunity to just veg out in the middle of the floor in preparation for our afternoon run. Starting at 11 am meant one thing...HOT. The heat was rising quickly.

I wasn't sure what I would have in my legs so I just started at a comfortable pace. Surprisingly, I had a bit of pop in my legs so I just went with it. My goal was to run in z1/z2 for about an hour. And I made it. It was blazing hot so there was an added hydration factor. I kept cool and managed to squeeze out one final good run.

Overall I am thrilled with my run this week. I thought this would be more of a limiter. I would have loved to run with the faster crowd and I would have significantly benefitted from it. However, at 19.7 miles for the week (and maybe more), that is the largest training volume I have completed since April. And to do that on all the additional training is quite impressive. I just hope the body holds up in return.

Daily Total:
Swim: 2200y
Run: 6.5 miles
Time: 2h 15m

Camp Total:
Swim: 13,700y
Bike: 250 miles
Run: 19.7 miles
Time: 24h 11m

Day 5 of pain

It officially hurts. And it hurts everywhere. We knew we were in for trouble when all three of us were extremely quiet this morning. No one want to admit, but we were all hurting.

7:00 hit the water again. We were given the option of drills or a long swim. Long swim it is. Since the workout didn't have any structure my goal was to go out hard and try to stay with the lead group of swimmers. My second goal was to swim the 1200y without looking up at all. For the most part I accomplished that. I definitely swam outside my comfort zone but I was doing a really good job staying on the feet in front of me.

At the buoy we decided to head out looking for dolphins. No go today. On the way back I knew I wouldn't hang with the lead group so I just wanted to cruise at a comfortable pace. I was a bit winded but managed to ride back with the second group.

Then the pain began. Quick change and to the bike shop for our ride out to Hawi. This was going to hurt...bad. As we left the bike shop there is a slight incline before turning onto the Queen K. We all felt the pain and the words "ouch" were heard throughout the group. My plan was to take it easy out to Hawi and attack a bit on the return. No such luck.

From the start, there was NO pop in the legs. I was hoping that I just needed a long mental and physical warmup to get the gears pumping. Nope. At 90 minutes, I took my 5 hour energy drink and it provided a bit more fuel for me. But I was still lacking any strength and definitely any speed. I was also stuggling a bit to stay cool in the heat.

The climb to Hawi was awesome and probably one of, if not the MOST, scenic ride I have ever had. The road is probably a quarter mile off the ocean and what I can only assume is a terrain littered with cliffs and large hills. The best part is that there is very little development. You pass an occassional ranch. Other wise it is open pastures. At times, you can actually see schools of whales flop around. I finally roll into the Hawi have nearly 3.5 hours of riding. Major suckage.

We had lunch there and then it was back to the grind. The downhill coming out of Hawi was awesome. Well minus the huge gusts of wind that scared you senseless. I was feeling good and hoping my legs were back underneath me. Nope. I still had nothing. I made it to the bottom of the hill and began entertaining the thought of having the SAG wagon take me in. I was so pissed. I know I am a better rider than what I was demonstrating. I vowed to not break but I told the crew to keep an eye on me.

My hope was that the tri-gods would take mercy on me during the return. I wasn't asking for 40 mph tailwind. Hell, I would settle for calm winds. No such luck. I had two brief tailwinds but the rest was a head/cross wind. This went from sucking to REALLY sucking quick. At this point, I was spent. I was still determined to finish the damn ride and not be cursed by not finishing it. When I hit the water stop, I didn't even talk to the coach. I took what I needed. Did what was needed and hit the road again.

In the end, this easily goes down as one of the top 3 worst rides in my life. Nothing was working for me. The conditions were rough. Despite drinking more than I ever had, I was clearly growing more and more dehydrated. I finally made it back to the bike shop in one piece. I jumped back on the scale and determined I lost 4.5 pounds during the ride. Not good at all.

I finally made it back to the condo and wanted to throw my saddle off the balcony. I need to make that a priority this season. All in all, I survived the ride. It wasn't pretty. I am fairly certain that is the longest I have EVER been on my bike. And I don't EVER want to repeat that. It was a really bad ride. Nothing I can do about that other than know that I put in the time and that it will building endurance and strength in the coming months. For now, I just want rest...and another chocolate shake.

Daily Total:
Swim: 2700y
Bike: 106.2 miles
Time: 7h 40m

Camp Total:
Swim: 11,500y
Bike: 250 miles
Run: 13.2 miles
Time: 21h 56m

Prepare to Suffer--Day 4

We all knew it was coming. One of these days was going to be a bit more intense than the others. The key for today was survival. Make it through and it was downhill from here.

Swim was good this morning. I felt particularly strong and seemed to have a solid stroke. The focus continues to be drafting and sighting. The group has grown from two people to six then everyone. Repeatedly we hit the water together and worked on navigating the crowd. For the sickos in the group we literally beat the snot out of one another for about 5 minutes. Again. And again. And again.

On the way home, we stopped off at Lava Java where I had the most succulent papaya that was topped with vanilla yogurt and granola. Jess said it was heaven. I say...not too bad. Another quick change and wheels rolling.

Today's focus was climbing. Coach Z had a nearby hill that promised to break most of us. We were instructed to go up three times...if we could. Yeah. Twice was enough for me. It was a brutal 3.5 mile climb that topped out at 20% grade over the final 1/3 of a mile. I am not sure I have ever ridden a hill as steep as that final section. I made it to the top and had to get off the bike to gather myself. The sweat was pouring down my face and my heartrate was through the roof.

The decent was something else. The first mile was out of control and you came down the steepest sections. I hate decending on my tri bike. Give me a roadie any day of the week and I will zip down and mountain. The light, narrow carbon frame just spooks me too much. I had to gather myself again at the bottom.

I knew I had one more climb in me so I set out the conquer the monster yet again. Same story...maybe easier. The last 300 feet were every bit as tough as I remembered. This time the legs were full of lactic acid. I don't recall what was coming out of my mouth but it probably closely resembled the mating call of a wild boar.

For my decent, I enlisted the help of Coach Z to talk me through it. Wrong decision. No brakes, no brakes, no brakes he yelled. My legs were just quivering under the bike as my speed approached 50 mph. I honestly couldn't feel my feet anymore. I made it to the bottom and was done. No more for me. I was spooked enough.



We had a little extra time in the condo before the run began. The three of us crashed immediately. Fifteen minutes of just steady meditation and I was ready to go.

Running time. And the tri gods provided us with a steady downpour to begin. My goal was to keep it nice and easy. I didn't expect to find any energy or strength in my legs so I was surprised when I was able to crank out 6.2 miles at a slow pace. Perfect. The best part was that I did it pain free. That was a shocking surprise.

So another day in the books. I have reached the mid way point and it is easy from here out. The rest of the workouts are endurance based. For now...it is time to eat everything I can get my hands on.

Daily Total:
Swim: 3000y
Bike: 24.4 miles
Run: 6.2 miles
Time: 4h 15m

Camp Total:
Swim: 8800y
Bike: 143.8 miles
Run: 13.2 miles
Time: 14h 16m

More Camping-Day 3

Another day and more fun in store.

I managed to sleep until my alarm beeped this morning at 530. I was surprisingly limber as I moved about the condo. I could tell that I had work the previous day but felt that I was in good shape.

First up, more swimming. The workout was simple. Swim long and work on sticking to your partner. I went out with the lead group, trying to hold feet as long as I could. The pace was quick and very manageable. We regrouped at the 1.2 mile buoy before deciding to venture over to the buoy that usually attracts dolphins. Nope. So we began swimming back. Within 5 minutes a school of dolphins were below us. I would estimate about 12 were gathered...just as interested in us as we were them. On the return, I got dropped pretty quickly. My swim shape isn't quite there.

Another quick break found us running back to the condo for calories, hydration and a quick change. We typically have 1.5 hours between workouts. That sounds like plenty of time but it isn't. It provides just enough time for us to take care of everything and still sit down for a few minutes.

The big workout was similar to yesterday...ride long. I went out feeling dead. I keep suffering from the same problem. My first hour of riding is brutal. I hate it and spend most of it fighting off negative thoughts. Opposite of yesterday, the wind was not at our back going out. In fact, there wasn't a significant presence of it. My goal for the day was to have a good ride, focus on staying cool and make sure I get nutrition. I tried to ride up front but didn't have the strength. I kept the group in sight until the gas station. We cooled down and made began the return.

I was still determined to have a good ride. My goal was to ride with the main pack and NOT get dropped. Off and on I would surge then fall back...surge then fall back. I kept pushing and hung with the pack for the first half of the ride. Our focus on the second half was to attack the hills and not let anyone get away. I was feeling fresh and energetic at this point so I made my moves when needed. In the end, three of us rode away from the pack. I, however, was unsuccessful in my pursuit of the leaders. The last 45 of the ride was pretty kickass and provided all the challenge I needed for the day.

Back to the condo feeling like a zombie. Eat, eat, eat. A quick stop by Lava Java for a burger then off to class for a lesson in periodization and race strategy.

Daily Total:
Swim: 2600y
Bike: 70 miles
Time: 4h 46m

Camp Total:
Swim:58 00y
Bike: 119.4 miles
Run: 7 miles
Time: 10h 1m

Camp--Day 2

The sufferfest has begun. The routine is simple. Eat, train, sleep. Repeat.

I managed to sleep until about 4:30 when the obnoxious sound of my blackberry forced me from the couch. I rested a bit longer growing concerned about what that day entailed.

First up 7:00 am swim. The sun wasn't up yet but it slowly crept over the volcano. The workout focused on drafting and sighting (or lack there of). We formed groups of two and practiced following the bubbles in front of us. If you were in the second position, you were not allowed to look up and sight. After a couple of rounds, we formed groups of four and repeated. Then the whole group worked together. The goal was to find your person and stick to him or her. Each course was only about 5 minutes of swimming or about 350 yards. We would then regroup and discussed what worked or what didn;t.

The best part about the swim in the clarity of the water. The ocean floor is a reef and there is an abundance of wildlife below you in colors that you only see in crayon boxes. We saw one turtle before the start and just fish during the swim.

Then we had a brief break that involved hurrying back to the condo, eating and changing into bike clothes. We met at the bike shop at 10:30 for the group briefing. It was a 50 mile out and back on the Queen K. We were to ride what we could or wanted but to go no further than Waikolia. Going out was great. We had a tremendous tailwind. But we paid for it on the return. I had a minor mishap at turnaround but a quick tube change later and I was on my way. The wind and sun were unforgiving. I am not used to 80 degrees and need to focus on staying cool this week (an issue all last season). I continued to push, catching back up with a few but mainly riding in solitude again.

Then back to the condo...jump in the pool, eat and get off my feet again.

The run was scheduled at 4:00. Ouch. There was nothing fun about that. I felt dead from the get go but I was maintaining a decent pace. Going into the camp, I decided to take ALL the runs VERY conservative. My biggest fear is that I will get injured again. The first 3 miles felt good and then I began to slow down. It was just like in IM. And I nearly slowed to that pace. The final two miles were brutal. I was coming undone at every joint. But I made it back to the condo and then found something to snack on.

Daily Total:
Swim: 3200y
Bike: 49.4 miles
Run: 7 miles
Time: 5h 15m

Camp Total:
Swim: 3200y
Bike: 49.4 miles
Run: 7 miles
Time: 5h 15m

(I will try to do better tomorrow to get photos of the area. I just didn't want to get off the bike to take one).

Day 1 of Camp

Well camp officially began Sunday night. That provided me ample opportunity to get things done and chill most of Sunday. The time zone difference is brutal. I initially woke at 1:30 (6:30 est). I forced myself to stay in bed until 4:15 before stirring around the condo. We were the first to hit the grocery store on the Sunday morning and by 9:00 am we were wondering what in the world we were going to do all day.

In the early afternoon we took the freshly assembled bikes to find some asphalt. We headed out on Alii to the Queen K and did a brief out and back to the energy lab. It was really cool to finally see the things you always here about. The pace was casual and the 4 of us just chatted.

In the evening, classes began. With a focus on nutrition, most the information was common sense but bears to be repeated...as we all KNOW but fail to execute most of the discussed topics. I spent most of my time thinking about two of my biggest gaps...diet and sleep. The coaches isolated both of those topics for a while which allowed my brain to go into sensory overload trying to figure out HOW to apply the rules to my life. I still don't know how one works, trains, eats and still manages to get 9 hours of sleep each night. Oh well...something to strive toward.

So day 1 is in the books. I wish they were all that easy. But then again, it wouldn't be a training camp ....

The view from my balcony

Up at 5:00 am, Hawaii time. It was really nice to just sit outside and listen to the birds, waves and well...garbage truck. Nothing on the agenda until tonight. For the mean time, I will just enjoy the view from the balcony.

Training Camp (prologue)

I will admit that I am very uneasy right now. Maybe it is the 10 hours of flying or the fact that I haven’t seen land in several hours. More than likely it is what awaits me on the big island. I am both grateful and wildly lucky that this opportunity fell to me. I am sitting on the plane traveling to the Mecca of the triathlon world. I get to run on the road where Dave Scott and Mark Allen had their famous duel. I will ride on the Queen K when Norman destroyed the world record (and threw down his bike). I am going to Top Gun to train.

One of the greatest attributes of this sport is the normalcy brought forth by the professional athletes. They are held in high regard among our community but virtually unknowns to the rest of the world. Instead, they are often normal people. And the best part is that when you compete…you get to compete against them. That is an opportunity afforded by only a few sports. You can’t expect to roll up to the neighborhood court and expect to play against the likes of Iverson or LeBron. You don’t play winter baseball and have Alex Rodriquez stop in to sharpen his skills.

In the triathlon world, you do. It isn’t uncommon to run into the pros at the events. Or even to see them training or joining a local group ride. Furthermore, in cases like this, triathletes are able to go and train on Centre Court or at the Superbowl. It is a really cool feeling.
But it comes with a bit of pressure. This week is going to be challenging. I am not where I want to be training wise. Nagging injury and bitter coldness won. Mentally, I am really far from where I want to be. Both of these issues will be front and center over the next few days. It will be a test of my mental and physical fortitude. Will I be able to push myself in the workouts. Will I bitch the entire time and not enjoy it.

All this is running through my head as we fly westward toward the big island. Most importantly, I want to have a good time. I want to train, train hard and enjoy myself while taking in the culture and ambiance of Kona. My focus will remain on keeping the big picture in perspective and how the training camp fits into everything. This should enable me to push through the difficult times while enjoying everything that surrounds me.

2008 Closing Thoughts

2008 proved to be a bit more of a roller coaster than I initially expected. Overall, I am very pleased with the end result. However, I would be remised if I wasn’t a bit disappointed by it too. There were two main themes for the year—personal bests and injury...a ying and yang of sorts

The beginning of the season demonstrated tremendous success for me. I focused on running during the off season and it proved one of the best (and possibly the worst) decisions I made. I mastered two half marathons in the winter and dropped my PR between the two by nearly 10 minutes. I also experienced a PR of several minutes in a 10k. I loved this feeling and more so, I loved running 100 miles a month.

The season also saw a number of multisport PRs. I took over 10 minutes off my time at Powerman only to come up seconds short of my goal. I crushed my previous time at Buster Britton sprint and managed some hardware along the way. At AmeliaMan, I dropped 30 minutes off my previous Olympic time and had a tremendous race. And of course, Ironman Florida saw a 90 minute improvement over IM CDA from the year before. All in all, it was a great season in the results column.

It is really hard to not ask, what if? What if I never got injured. Would those results be even better. How fast could I have gone at IMFL? I try not to think about it yet the question lingers in my mind. Injury. It was easily the most dominant story of my season.

I don’t know who was more fearful me or Coach Dan. He took me on as a client only to have a hidden injury rear its ugly head. This was a huge challenge for both of us all season. What I hoped would just a small nagging injury turned into a huge one. Instead of just backing off training, I shut training down all together. When that didn’t work, two rounds of cortisone shots provided some assistance.

There were times where I thought my whole season was in jeopardy. And I guess it was. I didn’t know if IMFL or Duathlon Worlds were even possible. I went to Belgium pumped full of cortisone and uncertain if this would be just one expensive trip. Fortunately it held together; unfortunately I had my ass handed to me. Something miraculous happened on that trip. I think I began to turn the curve with the injury. Conventional wisdom said the opposite would be true. But the race did me good. My running started slowly coming back around. IMFL became a real possibility.

The injury was never really resolved. I am not 100% sure what is going on. I worked hard to take November and December for recovery. But I think the body needs more.

What worked:

• A kick ass ride from Jacksonville to Valdosta. This really prepared me for IM FL. It was a good call by Dan and a strong testament to my will to not give up…even when the bridge said NO bikes
• Infinite nutrition. I highly recommend it. This was my primary source of nutrition for the final months of training. It worked wonders for me.
• Lots of swim training. It gags me to say that. But swimming hard helped maintain my fitness.
• Running base in the winter. I am convinced that this is the reason I was able to run in Belgium and Florida. The recent training wasn’t available but the base was there.
• Training with intensity. Doing multiple laps at columns was what built the speed
• Recover-ease. It needs to be a staple in my diet.

What didn’t work

• Triple T. It was probably the catalyst for the injury. Yet I am going back
• Bike fit. I ultimately feel this IS the source of the problem. It was adjusted a few times but I am not dialed it properly.
• Training through injury. That didn’t really work
• My diet. Ultimate fail.

Trainer Party

Bring your bike, bring your trainer, plan to sweat and bitch a lot. No helmets needed. Well..maybe for a few....

Bottomline--cycling in the cold is no fun. I have a breaking point that usually rests between 40-45 degrees. At that point, cycling no longer appeals to me. On the other hand, I don't enjoy riding my trainer either. So winters often become a bust for me. I am trying; though I struggle most of the time.

Saturday morning Coach Dan hosted a trainer party. 9 people invaded his living room. Thankfully Nancy was out of town but certainly returned to the stench of a locker room.

Workout:
10' z2
5' On/Off z4/z2
5' z2
5 x 3' z3 (2' reco)
3 x 2' z4 (3' reco)
10' z2
3' z3
2' z4
5' z2

The setting was much like a spin class with the ambiance of hardwood floors, a fireplace and LCD tv. There were no black lights and head pounding music (next time). Instead, Dan would yell out the workout and then we would chat in between.

Thoughts on the Upcoming Season

Ah....finally slowed down a bit. This year I am changing my focus a bit. There will be NO Ironman. This year needs to be about steady, consistent training. I feel like my body has taken a beating the last two years. It hasn't responded like I wanted it to. I keep finding myself injured but no source of the problem. My hope is that by dialing it back, my body will play catch up.

My focus this year is getting faster. I am booting the long, slow, steady training and look forward to shorter, more intense training. Here are a few of my goals for the season.

Swimming:
My swim came a long way last year. Something was clicking in the water for me. I know there is TON of room for improvement so I need to keep pushing it. This means that I need to actually attend a clinic or masters. Not just talk about it. I pushed myself a lot last year and I do still think I can improve on my own; however, I feel like I am budding up against a technique flaw to achieve my next big breakthrough.

I am keeping my goals modest for now. I plan on swimming 200,000 yards for the year. And I want to get my T-pace below 1:30.

Biking:
I had several great breakthroughs last year. I actually learned to train with intensity and it paid off in a big way. I feel like I am just realizing some of my potential on the bike.

This year, I need to focus on getting dialed into my bike. I certainly hope I can achieve this without having to purchase another bike. My wallet can't sustain that right now. Also, I am switching to training with power. I toyed with it last year, learning a lot about it. This year will be 100% power. I tested at 250w back in Sept. I want that to be 290w for the year.

Running:
This was the nagging issue all season. I spent the first 6 months having GREAT success and shattering previous times. Then I spent 6 months hobbling along. The issue is not resolved. I can only hope that it is controlled.

I am not ramping up my goals in this area. I am actually backing off from early season racing. I want to take things slow. Like cycling the key will be to focus on intensity. I want to race EVERY race at a sub-8 pace. I think that is achievable and I am typically not too far off. I want to see sub-7 some too. That of course means MORE intensity.

Health:
I still have an ongoing battle with my diet. I am working on it. I hope the new house will create an environment conducive for me to make those changes. But eating enough will still be the problem.

I didn't hit my weight goal for IMFL but I am ok with that. I would still like to see myself around 155 for a race weight. So at some point I will begin to monitor that ago.

I need to listen to my body better. I need to be able to say no when I feel truly fatigued. I need to say HTFU if I am just feeling lazy.

Core work. I can NOT neglect this. My goal is to design my second room into a small personal gym. This gives me NO excuse to not workout. Twice a week. I need it to prevent injury.

Those are just a few on the initial goals for the season. Again, the key is dialing it back and building a better foundation for the next few seasons.

All Purpose Update

Wow. It has been nearly a month since I have sat down to blog. That is extremely disappointing. At least I have a few excuses.

1. I bought a house. That has been the number one consumption of my time. I closed on the 31st so the few days leading up to the closing we packed full of faxing documents, phone calls and general stress. And then I moved in immediately. Thanks to my parents and Jess, I was able to pick up the keys on Wednesday, paint and move in ALL my stuff by Sunday morning. Now of course, I am still not settled and try to devote 2 hours every night to general maintenance.

2. The holidays. Enough said. I went home on the 23rd. To Nashville on the 26th. Back to Atlanta on the 30th. My plan was to blog during these periods. It just didn't happen.

3. Work. I got a big promotion. BIG. I now actually have defined responsibility and a staff of 3 to look after. The downside is that less blogging from work. Unless I get really efficient on blogging from the iphone. I cringe at the thought.

4. Limited Internet access. I still don't have cable/internet in my home. I am bumming a weak signal from a neighbor. The range is restricted to my bedroom so I am not in front of the computer very much. I also traveled for work to the only hotel in the world that doesn't provided in room wifi. WTF? my goal for that trip was to catch up on blogging. Alas it didn't happen.

So that is a brief update on everything in my life right now. Training definitely has suffered as a result. I think for the first time in nearly 2 years I took a week off where I did NOTHING. No swim, bike, run. No core. No yoga. Of course, I was moving, so I could technically logged that as cross training.

Anywho, 2009 is upon on us. I have goals. They are on a sticky-note. I have a race calendar. It is buried in my inbox. I have thoughts. They are just trapped in my head. Stay tuned. They will spring from my brain in the next few days.....

Getting Back in the Saddle

Yep. It is that time again. Time to move from recovery to base phase. Sometimes in the winter the South is really blessed with unseasonable weather. This past week was in the 60s. It was wet but for the most part I couldn't complain.

So I skirted out of work early and headed to the Silver Comet Trail for a slow long ride. This was my 3rd ride since IMFL. I wanted to take some serious time off from the bike and allow my body to reset.

The end result was a two hour, 35 mile ride that provided a few challenges along the way. I realized that I hadn't been on the bike in quite some time. While you never forget HOW to ride a bike, how to cycle takes some time to remember. Aero position wasn't as comfortable as the 112 mile ride I recall. I had no mental stamina out there. My ride went from 40 miles to 35 - 30 -25 -20 -30 -35. It wasn't as much fun as I remembered.

But most importantly, my bike and I need to have a real heart to heart. I just don't like my position. It was very noticeable yesterday. And I think it is a contributing factor to my ITBS problem. So at the beginning of the new year, I am going to seek a new position and hope this is the answer. Otherwise, more drastic measures might be taken...which saddens me.

Off Season - Things to Repair

(HT: Ironmantriathlontips for inspiring me to blog about this)

I don't claim to be a doctor but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. One thing I have struggled with over the past few seasons has been the deterioration of my hip flexors and supporting muscles. Specifically, as I have trained for Iron distance races, my muscle imbalances have been a limiter. They have resulted in injury for the last two seasons.

About a month after Ironman Coeur d'Alene, I was ready to get moving again. I had the desire to finish the season with another HIM. I remember how tight my body was on those first few runs. I remember a sharp pain in the front of my pelvis, near my hip. And then I will always remember the day it stopped me dead in my tracks. I was on a 12 mile looped run. I was 5 miles out and couldn't run anymore. Of course I didn't have a phone. Instead, I had to walk the long five miles back to the house.

This year it was ITBS. As I am still recovering from Ironman Florida I feel the same nagging pain in the front of my hip. This time, I am not pushing the long runs...yet. But the source of the pain is the same....weak hip flexors. And the physical therapy routine is the same--strengthen the core to keep my hips from shifting/tilting.

The offseason is the best time to tackle these issues. I am currently forcing myself to conduct 20 minutes of core training after each swim. This works well in that it forces me to the pool 2-3x a week and keeps me actively strengthening this area. But I need to ensure that this continues well into the season.

The issue for most triathletes is that we operate on the same linear plane. If you think about it, swimming, biking and running all occur on the same axis. There is no cross movement that other sports experience (e.g. football, baseball). So we build up solid muscle in our calves, quads and hamstrings. Where we often fail is developing strong secondary muscles...those that support the larger muscles and help keep us in place. This is where potential for injury occurs.

So what are the solutions:

1. I am an advocate for more stretching.
2. Focus on core exercises
3. Invest in a theraband
4. Cross train. And by cross train that means move on the lateral axis from time to time
5. Focus on core exercises :)

Here are a few of my favorite reads on the subject.

1. Learn about the hip flexor
2. Beginners Guide to hip flexors
3. Plyometric Exercises
4. Runner's World-Core Exercises
5. Bosu ball exercises
6. Theraband exercises (pdf)
7. Runner's Guide to ITBS

More thoughts

I think I am back. Of course, I say this while still in denial about my toe and the potential impact it may having on training. I hopped on the trainer tonight (ugh) and lasted for 45 minutes. If you know me, then you know my hatred of the trainer. I simply don't have the mental focus or stamina to complete more than a 75 minute workout. But I did it...and I pushed through the times when I wanted to quit.

This week looks good for training too. The heatwave is making ideal conditions for training, sans the rain. I am optimistic that Thursday will dry out and allow me to ride. My plan is to jump on the Silver Comet Trail in the early afternoon and log 40-50 miles. I need to jumpstart training so that I don't get embarrassed next month.

The weekend is also looking pretty good. Hopefully the calls for rain are minor and scattered. If that is the case, then I hope to log another couple of hours. Lets keep hoping for good weather.

I am headed back to the chiropractor on Friday. My back has been feeling really good. I am trying to blast my core for about 20 minutes at least three times a week. This is crucial and I need to keep focused on this endeavor throughout the season. I have learned that my body responds positively to core training and my hips begin to stabilize. My plan is to use my second bedroom for this reason. Then I have NO excuse.

Few More Updates

Blogging continues to be a thorn in my side. I have thoughts, I have things I want to share but everytime I sit down to right, I am not inspired. Hence, the lack of blogging.

I am in the process of buying a house so that is comprising most of my time. As with anything, I am obsessed with it (much like tri) so I am moving full steam ahead. I close in 2 weeks and have nearly every decision already made.

I do anticipate having my second room serve as a multi-functional gym/office. Hopefully I can leave my road bike on the trainer and be set for more workouts. This should give me a bit more of an incentive for core work during the season. If anyone has a great place to buy used workout equipment, please let me know.

Training is happening! Really, I am working out. Last week I logged nearly 5 hours! I know it is funny but I am still dealing with some aches. The forecast looks good this week so I hope to ride some.

Speaking of aches--I think my big toe is broken. I have been ignoring it since IMFL. I have no clue how I did it. I don't know if it was before or during the race. Or if it is just a stress fracture. But it is starting to ache a bit more after my runs so I think I am going to finally have it checked out. Grrrrr.....

I am still working on my 2009 race calendar. I have signed up for 2 big races already so I am waiting for a few more races to come online and I will post my plans.

Oh...and I have a little 'vacation' planned next month. It involves taking my bike. :)

Ironman in Perspective, part II

In the previous blog, I outlined what I thought were important criteria to consider when selecting an Ironman. Here I will attempt to capture many of the intangibles.

Best Swim Start:
I am impartial to IMFL on this one. I like 2200 on a beach running into the waves. IMCDA is a close second because it is a beach start into a lake. IMLP, IMWI, IMAZ are all wading starts.

Worst Swim Start:
IM KY. It is a time trial. I tend to think an Ironman swim start is one of the coolest events in all sports. A time trial takes the fun out of it.

Most Toxic Swim:
IM AZ. Tempe Town Lake looks like a sewer. Second, IM KY for similar reasons. It is the Ohio River after all.

Most Pristine Swim:
CDA or Lake Placid. I just prefer lake swims.

Best Swim Start to Watch:
IM WI from the Minona Terrace. You are 4 stories up and can see the whole swim unfold in front of you. Second, IM AZ from Mill Avenue bridge for similar reasons.

Best Transitions:
IM WI. You have to climb the terrace spiral ramp and ride back down it. IM AZ is second only because of the ariel view you can get. It looks really cool.

Best Flat Course:
I would probably pick Florida over Arizona only because it is one giant loop versus three loops in the desert.

Best Rolling Course:
I am impartial to CDA. I suspect WI and KY run a very close second as they are all similar. For me, I thought going out to Higgins Point and then north near Hayden Lake was awesome. Plus, the colors in the northwest are spectacular. (Note, this analysis is missing IMLP and I have ever reason to believe it might trump all of these for the same reasons).

Best Run Course:
IM WI or IM KY. Both are in very vibrant communities. Wisconsin may get the nod because you run into the football stadium and along side the campus. Kentucky is cool for similar reasons.

Worst Run Course:
Florida. There is nothing scenic about it. And when it gets dark, St. Andrew's park becomes a lonely place.

Best Finish Line:
Kentucky, hands down. I thought finishing in 4th Street Live was an awesome atmosphere. Wisconsin is second because of State Street and the Capitol behind you.

Worst Finish Line:
Florida and Arizona. They are in the middle of a cold, dark street. Boring.

Best Destination Location:
Coeur d'Alene or Lake Placid for their remoteness.

Best Community Support:
All of them for the amount of time and effort the communities pour into the race.

Best Time of Year to Race:
I choose CDA. The end of June is ideal because it typically isn't too hot. It is early season and you don't have to train through the extreme cold or heat.

Cheapest: IM FL. It is off season for the beach so houses/condos are dirty cheap. Plus, you can drive.

Most Expensive: Lake Placid. There isn't a major airport close by (like Florida) and I have heard that the community price gouges like crazy because of the limited places to stay.

Most Convenient to get around: Florida is easy to navigate due to low traffic. Coeur d'Alene for the same reasons.

Most Difficult to navigate: Arizona, Louisville, Wisconsin are all set in downtown venues which means you park and stay on foot all day.

If there are other intangibles you want to add, let me know and I can amend it.

Off-Season Blues

We are all feeling it right about now. We put in months of training and raced our tails off. Now the days are shorter and we haven't seen our cycling shorts in weeks. It is officially the off-season...or base building season...or marathon season...or holiday season. Whatever you want to call it. Regardless, the common theme tends to be a break from training and a lack of motivation.

Let's face it, we sometimes need a physical and mental break. Physically we pushed ourselves to the extremes and then some. We didn't listen to our body when it said enough. We wanted to squeeze out that one last big workout before our "A" race. We didn't stretch and ice when we knew we should. Our body likely responded and kicked into overdrive to help prevent further injury. It is time for break. Personally, I like to take about a month of to physically repair the body. In this time, I make certain to visit the chiropractor and massage therapist to get the body back on the right track. I keep my workouts light, just enough to get some condtioning on the body.

In addition the physical rest, we all need a mental break. Triathlon is a very isolated sport. We spend a lot of time with ourselves...and only ourselves. In an effort to achieve our own personal goals, it comes with sacrificing other parts of our lives...family, work, friends. Use this time wisely to reinvest into those areas. A supportive family plays a large role in a successful season. It is time to return the favor. One thing I like to do with my newly found down time is remind myself of other hobbies that I love. For me, that is strength training in the gym. Also, find a hobby that keeps you active. I highly recommend joining a City Sports or local sports team for flag football or ultimately frisbee.

With time off, many of us struggle with what can be classified as the post-season blues. We lack the motivation to swim, bike or run (as I do right now). The important thing to understand is how common that is among athletes. The first thing one should do is reflect back on the previous season to determine what worked, what didn't. The next step is to re-evaluate one's goals. Did you take on too much during the season (I did), what/where do you want to improve. Finally, begin planning the next race season. Don't focus only on a big "A" race. Keep in mind that nearly every weekend there is a 5-10k just down the street. Make sure your goals/race calendar include these. Then sign up and race. I assure you that once you remember the fun of racing, you will have more motivation to train. Unless you are me, and never want to see a pool again! :)

November Totals

As expected, November totals include competing in an Ironman and not a whole lot more. But that is what I needed. I successfully took the rest of the month off and as you can see, didn't do much more. The positive is that I am mentally recharged after the holiday and ready to get moving again. I just hope the body cooperates.

November's totals:
Bike: 6h 25m 01s - 129.1 Mi
Run: 7h 06m 18s - 44.8 Mi
Swim: 3h 30m 36s - 11624 Yd
Strength: 1h 40m
Yoga: 20m

2008 totals
Bike: 194h 46m 19s - 3538.99 Mi
Run: 96h 40m 29s - 660.04 Mi
Swim: 86h 45m 15s - 261040.3 Yd
Strength: 10h 00m
Football: 25m
Yoga: 8h 00m

It appears that I will be short on my run volume for the year, minus getting a wild hair to run a lot this month. 90 miles at this point would probably be pushing it. Otherwise I am more than happy with my 2008 totals.

Ironman in Perspective, part I

As previously mentioned, I have wanted for some time to write a blog about the different Ironmans I have visited. Minus Lake Placid, I have visited all the Ironman races in the continental US. I have participated in two...Ironman Coeur d'Alene (June 07) and Ironman Florida (November 08). But through friends, I have had a chance to spectate Ironman Florida twice (06 & 07), Ironman Wisconsin (Sept 07), Ironman Louisville (August 08) and Ironman Arizona (Nov 08).

Each race is different in many regards. Of course they are all 140.6 miles; however, there is no 'easy' Ironman. They are all challenging...from the winds in Tempe to the varying weather in Madison to the hills of Lake Placid, choosing an Ironman is not easy.

I have spent a lot of time in the past two years discussing the pros and cons of a number of Ironman races. I am an advocate for all of them. I do think they are all put on very well. So when selecting an Ironman, I encourage people to use four criteria. First, choose the Ironman that is closest to you to save money; second, choose the time of year you want to race and understand what the weather is like for the 5 months leading up to the race; third, choose where you want to travel...make it a destination race; fourth, select a race with terrain similar to where you train.

First. Convenience. You can't put a price tag on it. Well, actually you. For those of us in the southeast we are really blessed to have two Ironman races in close proximity and one could argue Wisconsin i totally drivable. All of us know are familiar with the absurd cost to our sport. An Ironman easily adds to that...and in a big way. Flights, 4 nights in hotel, shipping bike, rental car, finishers gear, food. Hands down, you have just added about $2000 for your trip. That on top of the $550 you paid just to register. For convenience sake, if you can drive to the race do it. It will save you on time and stress.

Second. Time of year matters. No one wants to race when it is super hot. But as Ironman races have repeatedly demonstrated, the tri-gods have their own plans for race day. What matters is when would you be doing your training. If you select an early year Ironman (CDA), then you will begin your training when it is cold out. Select a mid-year event (MOO or KY) and your biggest month will be in July during the hottest time of year. Select the end of season event and you have to wait all year for your race. Each has its pros and cons. It is important to understand your limitations and abilities to find the race that suits you best.

Third. Location. Some races are in more inviting locales than others. Panama City Beach is nice...just not in November. Coeur d'Alene and Lake Placid have course buried deep in the woods encompassed by beauty. At trip to Madison could include a few nights in Chicago. On my trip to CDA, I chose to go to Seattle for 3 nights and then up to Vancouver for 2 more. It was my first and only time to visit the great Northwest. The key is that if a destination race is important to you then go that route.

Fourth. Training. This is simple enough. If you live on the flats of Florida, Lake Placid might not be the best race for you. Live in the mountains and Florida will be more difficult than you imagine. You want to find a course that is similar to where you train. If you don't have access to hills, you might be taking on a greater challenge by taking on a hilly course

These are the four criteria which I find crucial to the decision of which Ironman to do. In my first, I employed the destination strategy. Atlanta is hilly enough to give me the base I needed to ride hills. For my second, I wanted the convenience of my own car and minimized the cost of the event.

Up next, I will try to break down each of the races from a number of different perspectives to demonstrate what one can expect from the experience.

Back from Ironman Arizona

Yes...I am an Ironman whore. Not only do I participate, I seem to spectate several throughout the year. I just returned from five days in the deserts watching Jess and others compete in Ironman Arizona. She had I totally kick ass race. I am so incredibly proud of her.

One thing I like about watching Ironman races is that I get to travel to places I would have otherwise never visited....Madison, WI; Louisville, KY; Coeur d'Alene, ID; Tempe, AZ. I would never have picked any of these destinations in a million years.

Another interesting aspect is seeing how a city transforms to accommodate the Ironman race. Finding 112 miles of safe road is a difficult feat anywhere. In some cases, the bike and run encompass the entire city. At other venues, the race officials are able to direct athletes to side streets and neighbor hoods.

This got me to thinking about the preposterous question of which Ironman is the best? So over the next few days I am going to think through that question. There are SOOO many variables but I am going to sort through them both from a racing and spectating perspective.

I have now visited all but Lake Placid and Canada (doesn't count). And Kona trumps all so that isn't a fair assessment. But CDA, AZ, FL, WI, KY are all unique in their own way. I will attempt to capture the pros and cons of each venue so that future athletes can make more informed decisions.

And I will try to upload a few photos from this weekend!