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

Mistletoe by the numbers

Not too surprising the numbers on paper don't look much better. The interesting thing to note is that had I pushed hard through the run and finished in a more respectable time then it would have only improved my age group standings by about one. Instead, I ended up about where I typically am in these races.

	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Overall
Overall (349)	69	41	24	124	114	49
Age Group (21)	6	5	3	12	11	7
Fastest	0:09:48	0:00:28	0:28:52	0:00:23	0:18:47	1:00:55
Top 10	0:10:40	0:00:49	0:30:55	0:00:35	0:21:03	1:04:02
Andrew	0:12:56	0:00:52	0:32:26	0:00:53	0:26:01	1:13:01

Where has Ironman gone?

I am left wondering if the novelty of doing an Ironman has run its course in the triathlon community. Has it become such a bucket list item that only those who are competing, their family and closest friends actually care?

Sure that is an elitist attitude but hear me out. Over the past few years there has been a significant decline in following participants from the online communities. This year IMCDA and IMLP passed without much fanfare.

Where has the love gone? In the past it seemed that there were dozens of people signed up for these races. The online community rallied around its participants. People spent all day watching the races and commenting on people's performance. There were comments flying left and right. The support for the well known participants was equally rivaled by all the first timers.

It just seems to me that the love has slipped. Maybe it is because I am out of the loop. Maybe I am just disconnected this year. Or maybe, it has become a bucket list thing that everyone is doing so it isn't receiving any fanfare from the masses. What do you think?

(this isn't to discourage all the people training for their first, second, third, etc. Clearly I love the IM distance and have traveled many miles to watch them. If you want me to follow you, drop me a line. I promise to show you support.)

Mistletoe Sprint

My third race in the Tri the Parks Series came and went this past weekend without much fanfare. It was definitely a less than stellar performance for that distance. It began with a logistical screw up. I never really knew where the race was held. I thought it was a bit closer than it actually was. To my surprise it was nearly in Augusta...2 hours away.

So Jess and I were up and out the door extra early Saturday morning for a 75 minute race. I arrived with just enough time to get checked in and racked. I didn't have the opportunity to get in a solid warmup and the two hour drive sucked the energy right out of the body. I was trying to be optimistic and just have a solid race.

I made it down to the water and had about five minutes to loosen up. I knew the swim would be troublesome that day. I really haven't swim this month. I had a shoulder/neck issue that lingered for about two weeks so I have been uber-conservative in the pool. Or I just haven't gone. I still wanted to go hard.

Swim: 12:56

I lined up right behind the big boys and right on the buoy line. I hit the water hard and immediately got sandwiched between two bigger guys. The race to the first buoy was solid but I was loosing my positioning. I moved over one of the guys and rounded the buoy on this feet. This lasted until about the half way mark where we swam up on the wave before us. I have focused really hard on keeping my head in the water this year and reducing the amount of sighting. This backfired.

I didn't quite see the group split around the slower swimmers. Instead, I just latched onto the next group of feet. This lasted about a minute before I realized we were going way too slow. I popped out of the water and saw my pack of swimmers about 20 meters ahead. I knew I couldn't catch up. I just focused on long, smooth strokes. With about 100m left the leaders from the next wave came around so I grabbed feet and glided in. I came out of the water at about 11:50. Once again there was a long run up a hill to transition that seemed to take forever.

T1 0:51

My rack was the first one when you entered transition so I jumped into my shoes and was off running to the other end of transition in decent time

Bike 32:26

I was a fumbling idiot when I reached the mount line. For some reason I couldn't clip in. I missed it three times. Oh well, finally I was off. My plan was to ride hard and pick up the pace on the way back into the return. As I exited the park, I could tell my HR was still a bit jacked up. I tried to hammer each downhill and make up time there.

I could see the pack of swimmers that dropped me. They were about a half mile ahead at that point. At each of the turnarounds I could tell I was making progress, just not enough to catch them on such a short course.

I knew I was riding hard but I definitely didn't have any extra oomph in my legs. I tried to pick it up a few times but there was nothing there. I just maintained a steady pace and cruised back to transition.

T2: 0:53

I had a very nice dismount and then ran well back to transition (30s run). Then I made a rookie mistake. I made it to the end of transition and couldn't find my rack. I have never done that in 4 years of racing. Evidently, I came down the wrong row so I moved over and threw down the bike and was off.

Run: 26:01

Blah. I knew I wouldn't have run legs if I felt that dead on the bike. And I really didn't care either way at that point. The first part of the run was on a trail that had once of the steepest hills I have ever encountered. I actually walked half of it and wasn't losing ground to the guy in front of me. The it popped out on the road for about a mile before diving back into the woods.

The funniest part was when Chuck caught me about 1.75 miles into the run. We were running downhill chatting, not paying attention. Next thing we know we stopped dead in our tracks because the trail ended with a wooden lookout point. We scratched our heads before we saw the cones indicating which direction to go. Oops.

So I just cruised along without much care in the world until I hit the finish line.

Overall: 1:13:09

I took a few minutes to cool down and then hit the road. I knew it wasn't a good race and just wanted to get back to town.

Xterra Lock 4 Blast

Yes...I am alive. I just took a hiatus to get some stuff in order. I wanted to blog but just didn't have the motivation and energy. Alas, I am back.

Two weekends ago, Jessica and I went to volunteer at the Xterra Lock 4 Blast. Her friend helps put it on and they were well short on the volunteers. I thought it would be a great opportunity to give back to the sport. I had an 80 minute run on the calendar so the plan was to help with body marking and the swim then I would head out on my run. No worries.

We arrived well ahead of the race start. We did our volunteer thing for a while and were enjoying our nice morning. The race director came over the loud speaker and announced that a relay team was short a runner. I looked at Jess and shrugged my shoulders. I gave it some time in case others wanted to take the slot before I stepped up. About 20 minutes later, the team was less than thrilled with their prospects. I introduced myself, told them that I was in shape and could run 4.5 miles. They accepted me.

I didn't really know what to expect. I ran on those trails the other day so I knew what the terrain would be like. But that was an easy training run. This was a race. My teammate was a 15 year old female as the swimmer and an 18 year old cyclist. I felt confident that I wouldn't let them down. Then I learned they were racing a relay again friends. I met the other runner. I despise 18 year old cross country kids who are fast as lightening. I thought I might be in trouble if I had to duel it out with him.

The race started and I was taking transition splits. Our swimmer came out of the water about a third of the way back. Once the swim was over I began loosening up. The bike and run were two loops. Our cyclists comes through....in FOURTH place. Gulp. I thought...he went out too hard. I nervously wait in transiition for the exchange. A short time later he comes flying back...in THIRD place. No pressure.

So here I am am in my first off road race and I am starting the run in THIRD place overall. F-me!. To make matters worse, I have NO clue where the course even goes. My plan was to just follow the people in front of me. The leaders were minutes ahead...there was NO one around.

I just take off sprinting...there is podium on the line. I hit my first mile around 7:30 and wonder if I am going to just die. The single track course is pretty technical in nature. There are two steep drops and climbs and one section that you have to stop completely to jump down. At one point I am running so hard that I lose track of what is going on. I wasn't paying attention and wondered if I was even on the right path anymore.

I popped out of the woods and headed back to transition for the the second lap. The worst part was running on the grass. The put the course on the side of a hill so the cambered surface was brutal. I start the second lap still in third place but I can see another runner about 30s down.

As I re-enter the woods I can hear his footsteps in the not so far distance. I know I am toast. I am beginning to hurt at this point. Suddenly he is on my shoulder. I notify him that the trail is his when he wants to pass. He just sticks to my shoulder. I am pushing and pushing but the body is hurting. He makes his move and I try to go with him. I look behind me as we dart out of the woods toward the finish line. I have no one pursuing me so I back off the throttle a bit.

So we ended up 4th overall and naturally the 1st relay team by a large margin. Needless to day, I didn't plan a 4.5 mile LT test through the woods. But all is good. It was a fun race. I am glad I was able to step up for a couple teenagers and the team. Volunteering, racing and hardware. Not a bad day.

Trail Running

Traveling always throws a small wrinkle into my training plans but sometimes it affords me the opportunity to return to the basics and find pure enjoyment in the sport.

I abandoned my run workouts for the week and instead headed to the trails for some training. I previously ran the trails at Brasstown during my last visit. This time I tried to do better but the unmarked trails sent me the wrong way. Fortunately between the hiking trails, equestrian trail and golf cart path I was able to wind through the woods and log some mileage.

On Sunday, Jess and I went to a state park that has a few mountain biking trails. My plan was to do about 75 minutes but trail running just beats you down. 5 miles later I was whipped.

I admit that I miss trail running a lot. It reminds me of my youth...spending hours running cross country. Our home course was a beautiful and challenging run through the woods. 10 years later, I am starting to remember exactly how hard it was. And why I don't recall any of my times.

In trail running, you really never get into a rhythm. Up, down, hop, jump. Repeat. The course yesterday was awesome. It had rocks, roots and jumps throughout it. You literally had to stop a few times to maneuver. You also have to let go of time goals when you trail run. I am lucky to hold a 10:00 mile pace. That felt like pushing it.

Most importantly, I know I need to do more of this. It is great cross training. My joints were jolted in a number of directions. I was using muscle groups that I didn't know existed. One of my off-season goals was to focus on non-vertical axis moves. Since swimming, cycling and running generally occur on the same vertical axis, it seems that most of the injuries we receive are due to failure in muscles that support our movement laterally. Trail running combines a number of these elements. Hopefully, I am able to get out more in the offseason and attack this weakness

Dancing along at 47 rpm

Time to resume training and some of the focus is to have fun. This week marked our annual meeting in north Georgia at Brasstown Valley Resort. Last year I was injured when I came to stay so I wanted to capitalize on the great riding opportunity this time. I left work early on Wednesday and prepared to ride the back three gaps--Jacks, Unicoi and Hogpen.

I was like a little kid on the ride up here. I was giddy. I haven't ridden up here in over a year and I missed it. The gaps are hands down one of the best places to ride in the entire nation. 40 miles will work you over like no other. The reward for climbing to the top is the fast and swift descent down the other side of the mountain.

I parked at the intersection of 19 & 180 and I started east toward Brasstown Bald. In the past, I have always ridden my road bike up here because of the easier gears. I was too stubborn to bring it this time so I opted for the tri bike...and non climbing gears. All I had was a 53/39 and a 12-25. Hmm...guess it will have to work for me.

Jacks is just a long warm up. It was 5-6 miles out to Brasstown Bald. The climb is steady and rises about 5-600 feet over the course of the trip. There is only one brief spot where it spikes. As I am getting warmed up, I am finding myself out of the saddle and in my 39-25 a bit more that I want to be. This could make Hogpen challenging. Brasstown comes and goes and I tuck into aero position for the nice long descent for about 4 miles.

Unicoi provides a slightly different challenge. It is more short and steep as you climb through a number of switch backs. The climb is about 6-700 feet over the course of 3 miles. None of the climbs are too challenging...just enough to make you burn and hurt as you power your way through them. The best part of Unicoi is the LONG descent....over 1500' spread among 7 miles.

The downside to take the tri bike up there is that I couldn't fully enjoy the descents. The bike just doesn't handle like a road bike in the turns. Of course, all I can think about is all the crashes from the previous days Tour where pro riders lost control of their TT bikes. The bikes just are responsive like that. So I ride the brakes most of the time trying to keep the speed around 35.

Finally, I make the turn onto 75. I am nearing the base of Hogpen. And I know what goes down...has to go back up. The Hogpen climb is legendary...not just locally but nationally. It is part of the Tour de Georgia course and has been known to break the best of riders. People come from all around the nation to give it their best...if they can. The total climb is 2000' over about 10 miles. The main section is 7 miles of climbing of about 1500'. Relentless.

This was only the fourth time I have ever attempted it. I typically stick to the front three gaps...just enough climbing to make you really work without destroying you. I still recall the first time I tried it. I remember pull off on the side of the road twice because I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I remember wondering if I could catch a ride to the top. Last year I had a much better climb. I was a stronger cyclist and determined not to let it break me. I still remember getting to the top and pulling over for a few minutes to catch my breath.

I started at the base determined. The first few miles were enough to make me question my sanity. You climb a few hundred feet and then go back down. Then you climb about 600' and go back down. It just teases you like this. Each time you return to the base of the hill. And then it begins.

I started my clock to time how long it would take me to reach Hogpen's peak. 7.3 miles in about 48 minutes. That translates to about 9 mph...which actually shocks me. I am finding a rythem of standing and climbing for 15 seconds and then back into the saddle for about 5 seconds. My cadence is hovering about 60 rpm. About every 10 minutes it will flatten out for about 100 feet. When my cadence hit 70 it felt like I was taking off. I used every opportunity to catch my breath.

The hardest part of ride occurs on a two mile stretch near the top. The two miles takes me 19 minutes. My cadence is in the low 40s. Let me just say that when you reach a point where you can only hold 40 rpm...it feels like you are about to roll backwards.

The worst part of Hogpen is how it teases your near the top. There are 3-4 places where you can pull off and look into the valley created by the mountains. This typically signifies the peak. Not on Hogpen. You reach a turnoff only to see the road continue to climb until you see the sign for the Appalachian Trail. Finally. It is over.

The descent is breathtaking. A few years back, I hit 54 mph going down the other side. Today, I only peaked at 42. That was fast enough with carbon fiber shaking under me. It was fun to tuck into aero on the long stretch and get some real speed.

I made it back to my car covering 39.9 miles in 2h 37m averaging 15.2 mph. I was more than pleased with that ride. I got off the bike and my legs were complete jello. Now I just need to hope I didn't trash the body along the way.

Peachtree 10k

Nothing like running 6.2...err...6.3 miles with 55,000 of your favorite Atlanta friends. The Peachtree is an Atlanta tradition just like the Varsity, Clairmont Lounge or traffic standing still at the oddest of times. In recent years, the Peachtree has earned the distinction as the world's largest 10k. And it lives up to the billing as 55,000 people gather and run, jog, skip, walk, stroll down the city's main artery all in the name of receiving the coveted t-shirt. Alas, I fell victim to joining the masses again.

Luckily, they offer runners the opportunity to get sub-seeded. That is...ahead of everyone else. By submitting previous accomplishments they gladly place you ahead of the 45,000 people who are first timers or walkers. I learned my lesson the first time. ALWAYS submitted a time and get sub-seeded. I makes your race and day much better.

This Fourth of July was a pleasant surprise as Atlanta was greeted with cooler weather throughout the week. The mornings were quite comfortable. The cooler temps provided a great atmosphere for the race.

Living close to the start of the race, it made sense for me to just jog to the start. For some reason, I changed my mind. I didn't really want to jog the mile home from marta. So I planned on driving to marta, parking and jogging to the start line and then benefit from having my car for post race. As I parked, I realized I forgot my HRM strap so it was back to the house. At this point I was officially running behind.

I decided to park a few blocks away from marta to cut down on my warmup jog to the start line. I stepped out of the car at 7:10. Race began at 7:30. I was a mile away and had to navigate through 55,000+ people to locate my corral. So my warmup was a little more than that. I wasn't afforded a nice easy jog as my 8:30 pace got me there in time for the National Anthem. I quickly made my way through the crowd and entered my corral with about 3 minutes to spare. A few quick stretches and I was ready to go.

Coaches instructions were simple. Warmup for the first mile, push the next 4, gut it out if you can but feel free to cool down after that point. He just wanted a solid 30 minute effort. Sounded good to me. Personally, I have never wanted to 'race' the Peachtree. Too many people fighting for space. You would really think 6 lanes on a road would be enough but it never is.

The gun went off and so did my corral of 5,000 people...all pushing and shoving trying make room. I settled into a nice, comfortable pace. I figured I would run the first mile in about 8:00 and then push it down to sub 7:30 and go into cool down.

About half a mile into the race, the crowd thinned out and you could move. I was able to push the comfortable pace a bit more. First mile, 7:47. Feeling good. The next 1.5+ miles are downhill and so I opened up a bit more. It still amazes me how many people never take the time to learn to run downhill properly. Mile 2: 7:15. Much of the same for the next mile until you hit the base of Peachtree Battle and start working Heartbreak Hill. Mile 3: 7:04

At mile 3 the race really begins....nearly 2 miles of nice hills. Per instructions, I attacked the hills. Despite the lack of hill training I wasn't going to let them break me. Mile 4: 7:45. The next mile flattens out a bit more and it ends up being false flats with gentle inclines. Mile 5: 7:45.

I am feeling pretty good at this point. I can tell that I just pushed it up the hills but I am far from exasperated. I tell myself to just hang tough for the next half mile and then I will re-evaluate. At this point, I realize that I am pretty close to setting a PR. That certainly wasn't the plan for the day. I also recall the final half mile is more or less down hill so I decide to keep holding my pace. I debate picking it up but as always I refuse to go into that hurting zone when I know my pace is solid. Mile 6: 7:04. On 10th street, I just cruised. I enjoyed picking up the pace on the down hill and seeing the finish line in front of me.

Chip time: 46:23 (7:22 pace)
10k time: 45:52

Boh are PRs at this distance which caught me by surprise. I grabbed my t-shirt, something to drink and headed to marta. My IT band was killing me after the race so I just wanted to get home.

Another Peachtree in the bank. That makes it 4 in a row for me. And despite complaining about it, I know I will be back next year. Now I just need to figure out how to run and learn to hurt

Indian Springs by the numbers...

Well the data confirms what I already knew. Within my age group, I came back into T2 in 3rd place then I got run down. It really is defeating to look at how out of line my OA ranks are. Guess it is time to attack that weakness and change that.

	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Overall
Fastest	8:39	0:30	0:35:45	0:20	0:16:55	1:06:22
Benchmark	10:33	0:45	0:37:34	0:41	0:19:40	1:09:11
Andrew	11:59	0:59	0:39:53	0:55	0:24:18	1:18:06
AG Rank (32)	7	5	4	6	13	6
OA Rank (424)	63	52	28	79	90	38

June Training Totals

June was a big month for training. It should have been bigger but I had a few minor set backs.

June's totals:
Bike: 21h 50m 06s - 420.4 Mi
Run: 7h 31m 54s - 52.5 Mi
Swim: 6h 54m 01s - 22512 Yd
Strength: 35m
Yoga: 1h 40m

The focus this month was clearly the bike. I found myself on it more often than I do laundry...which creates a problem when you need clean shorts. The volume really only represents three solid weeks of training. Last week was little to nothing. I also raced two sprints in June that prevent a bit more training.

For the year, it looks like this:

Bike: 89h 46m 08s - 1681.94 Mi 56% of goal
Run: 57h 18m 09s - 397.35 Mi 53% of goal
Swim: 33h 12m 20s - 101978 Yd 51% of goal

It looks like I am on par with where I thought I would be for the year. Of course, the goals were a bit random. I actually think I will be hard pressed to reach the bike and definitely the swim. I think the run goal will be achieve easily.