All is Quiet

The past two weeks have been really quiet on my front. John Tanner came and went. Rev3 is about 10 days out. I guess I will start thinking about it at some point.

Training has been fair of late. I went through this nasty stint running that hopefully has subsided. For about 3 weeks after ING my legs were complete toast. All my runs were killing me. I would wake up the next morning feeling as if I just finished a race. My legs would be on fire.

I still don't know exactly what caused the problem. My best WebMD, armchair quarterback, self-diagnosis led me down two different paths. The first was masters swimming. I never developed a strong kick and certainly never used fins in the pool. Our heavy reliance on fins might leave my legs slightly more fatigued than normal.

I can certainly admit to feeling tired legs when swimming. My concern was that I didn't just start masters. I would assume than any adaptations had taken place. And if this was the leading cause then why did it go away?

Just as bizarre, is my second theory. I wonder if I have a peanut or nut allergy. I kept digging through my 3000/d diet looking for new foods. I didn't find much. Except nuts. To assist me in the challenge, I bought a pound of almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts. Each day I ate about 300 calories worth.

It does strike me odd that a nut allergy would suddenly appear after 30 years. Not to mention my love of peanut butter wasn't affected. However, if the allergy was to exist it probably lay dormant due to the infrequency in which I consumed the foods. A PBJ on the weekend wouldn't trigger it. However, eating 3 pounds of nuts over 2.5 weeks might do the job.

I also suspected the nuts were giving me some slight digestive issues. So 3 weeks into the challenge, I eradicated them from the diet. Oddly enough, a few days later, I had a good run. Since that time, I have began running well again. I body doesn't feel as run down. And I have 3 small packs of uneaten nuts sitting on my desk.

I certainly don't draw any conclusions from this experience. It could just as easily been the recovery session at the doctor's office. Or maybe my body was fighting a sickness. But for now, I am staying away from the nuts. And remaining thankful for my body responding.

As mentioned, Rev3 is about 10 days out. I really haven't given it too much thought. It's going to be a tough race so my expectations aren't too high. I just hope to have a solid race. Once it is complete, I can focus on some bigger things. And hopefully make a few exciting announcements.

John Tanner Results

First race of the season is under the belt and it did not disappoint. There were thrills, chills and some downright ugly weather. Despite the beautiful weather of the week, Mother Nature brought her scorn upon Georgia Friday night and Saturday morning. Many of us questioned still participating in the race.

John Tanner State Park is located an hour west of Atlanta in Carrolton. We departed around 5:30 to make the drive and thankfully we left in time. It poured and poured and poured on the way there. In fact we encountered three different wrecks...two involving flipped cars. I again questioned my sanity for the day.

I arrived in plenty of time and took the opportunity to spend a few extra minutes in the car relaxing. I headed to transition only to find myself one of the first people there. The rain had slowed to an annoying sprinkle, just enough to get the gear wet. I found my way to body marking, the bathroom and back to the car.

I didn't see much use in warming up that morning. It was cold, I was wet and I just hoped for the best. I slipped into my wetsuit and made my way to the water for a brief warmup. The race combined the M30-34 & 35-39 into one wave. I was feeling pretty confident in my swimming so I seeded myself in the second line of people.

Swim (600m):

Hands down this was the most physical swim I ever encountered. The first 200m were a melee of punches, pulls and kicks. I can only recall one other race where I seriously grew concerned about being trampled. I was concerned. The fight was intense as we made our way to the first turn buoy. It finally spread out a bit. I was exhausted. I felt spent after fighting through the mess. I focused in on long smooth strokes and finding feet. Unfortunately, the idiot in front of me couldn't swim a straight line to save his life. I tried to get around him a number of times and if I didn't know any better he was trying to block me at every turn. I finally went over the top of him as I felt it was my only opportunity.

I came out of the water in worse shape than I wanted. My watch read 9:40. I was thrilled with the time and it was a solid minute faster than normal. I did however feel like I drank half the lake. I carefully made my way up the hill toward transition.

Total time: 10:42

T1:

I wasn't feeling so hot making my way to my bike. I took my time getting out of the wetsuit and few extra breaths before grabbing the bike. I wasn't trying to make up any time right here.

Total Time: N/A Est: 1:45

Bike (11.4 miles):

I set out to hammer this course. My plan was to make up all my time in the straights but take every turn extremely slow. The roads were soaked and the rain was still slowly falling. Immediately, I got up to speed but was still feeling the effects of the physical swim. I tried to push but the body was pushing back a bit.

The course was rolling fast with only one sustainable climb and maybe two shorter ones. I knew I was being aggressive in my pace but my watts were much lower than where I anticipated. Plus I got passed by 4 people which I didn't expect.

I took each turn at a snails pace. I didn't see any need to wipe out at the first race of the season. I ended up pulling 3 guys for the final 10 minutes which didn't make me happy at all. I did see a fair amount of drafting in the race.

Overall, it was an ok bike for me. I felt really flat. I took 3 sips of my nutrition and spit it back out. It took a solid 20 minutes for my HR and stomach to stabilize. I knew I had made up some time but it wouldn't be enough.

Total Time: 30:30 ish

T2

Good dismount and it took an extra second to find my bike rack. I hopped in my shoes and came running out in no time.

Total Time: N/A est :45

Run: (3.1 miles)

As usual, I knew I was in trouble here. My run has not been there since ING. In fact, this past week was the first week in a month where I was actually able to hit my running targets for the week. I knew I was in a good position and didn't have the opportunity to slow.

The first mile was a painful 7:06 but I was pleased. The next mile of rollers knocked me back down to 7:30s and I was getting passed left and right. This continues to be a humbling feeling each and every race. I managed to hold on for the last mile at a rate of 7:15. I had the course just short which pleased me.

Total Time: 22:02

Overall Time: 1:05:35

In retrospect, I am pleased with the race. It wasn't good but it was far from bad. I came out of the water slightly ahead of schedule. I wished I had more oomph on the bike. My run, while still dismal, is able a minute faster than last year. So there is a line of good news somewhere in there.

Results:

	Swim	T1/Bike/T2	Run	Finish
Andrew	10:42	0:32:50	22:02	1:05:35
Top 10	9:06	0:31:20	18:48	0:59:15
Fastest	7:46	0:30:28	16:47	0:56:37
AG Rank (40)	11	5	15	6
OA Rank (492)	56	26	116	43

Race Season Begins

Less than 48 hours away from donning the lyrca and unleashing pure sexiness...erm....hell on the course. I am kinda excited. Not jumping up and down excited. But I am looking forward to putting things into practice.

This year I opted to race a sprint tri prior to my early season "A" race. I have actually never done this before. I typically used Powerman Alabama as an early season tuneup but my duathlon career might just be over.

One of the things I have learned the past few years is that without racing prior to my A race, I often feel lost. My body isn't tuned into pushing it that hard. I forget about the pre-race jitters. I haven't dialed in my focus.

John Tanner promises to be only about 65 minutes of pain. But if forces me to mentally focus starting the day before. I will begin to mentally dial in the race plan and execution. I will mentally walk through everything.

Hopefully this strategy bodes well for me this year. I think it will suit me better and take away some of the shock that comes with the first race. More importantly, I just hope to have a good race. I haven't had one of those in quiet some time. I would like to start this season off right.

21,000 Calorie Challenge

Today marks the end of the 21,000 calorie a week challenge. Four weeks. Trying to average 3000 calories a day. It was tough. I more or less made my target for 3 of the 4 weeks. My caloric intake went 21,200, 19,470, 20,850 and 21,810.

As mentioned in previous posts, it was much harder than I anticipated. Over the past three weeks, I only ate out once. So that meant a lot of cooking and planning ahead. I feel like there were three areas where I struggled the most.

• Eating calorie rich dinners. I enjoy chicken and seafood. The problem is that a 6 oz piece of tuna doesn't have many calories. It is a great source of protein and fats. Shrimp is the same way. I can eat 2 dozen shrimp but not stock up on calories.
  
• I need to eat larger portions for dinner. The problem is that I feel like I eat enough. I may have a piece of grilled chicken, potatoes, spinach and bread. I feel full. It met my immediate needs. But my dinner needs to be more than 800 calories for me to achieve 3000.
  
• Snacks. More to come on this later. I focused on cheese, nuts, milk and occasionally ice cream. The nuts didn't workout and left me with a 2-300 calorie void.
  

There were a number of positive benefits that came from the challenge as well.

• Protein intake went WAY up. I average approximately 145 grams per day which is where I should be for my body weight.
  
• Smoothies and whey protein helped in a big way.
  
• I know I ate much better than normal. Oddly, I cut out a bunch of crap from the diet. I snacked less around the office.
  
• No eating out. That was amazing. I hope I can continue this trend though it is extremely difficult on the weekend after training.
• Afternoon energy was up a bit more.
  

This was a very enjoyable challenge. I do feel like my diet still needs some more changes as it is not exactly where I want it to be. However, I hope to continue on with a number of these changes.

The most interesting aspect was watching my weight and body fat. The weight slowly came down (163), popped back up (167), bottomed out again (162) and then settled into about where it was before (165). Last week, I had three consecutive days around 162. I do anticipate that after a weekend of traveling, the weight will settle back down to 163. This seems to be the case when I go out of town for an extended period.

The more interesting aspect was my body fat. It started plummeting. And quickly. After four weeks of this challenge, I am down nearly 1.5%. This morning, I weighed in at 7.2%. That was a weight increase but body fat decrease from last week. I suspect this will climb back into the mid to upper 7s by the end of the week.

What do I think of all this? Not really sure just yet. The reason I set out on this was because I thought my body was literally eating itself. I believed it had become inefficient. When I trained, I theorized that my body looked to muscle instead of fat/glycogen storages because of the calorie deficiency. I still maintain that theory. I would go one step further in that I think that is why my body fat is dropping....my body is learning to attack the fat instead of the muscle.

Recovery like a Professional Athlete

Training hasn't gone well for the past couple of weeks since ING. It seems that my body is slipping back into non-recovery mode. My runs are in the crapper. I skipped 2-3 runs one week because my legs felt completely trashed. I had to literally stop in my two long runs and walk home. I couldn't complete them. Then my power started to slip on the bike. I grew more concerned.

That led me to reconsider how I can recovery differently to jump start the process. I feel like my diet is good. Certainly eating more good calories should aid in the recovery. I do feel like I am sleeping good. The other weekend, I slept for something crazy like 19 hours over two nights. I was wearing my recovery tights nearly everyday and night. I took two ice baths. I went for a massage that only worked the upper parts of my legs. I feel like I was doing everything right. But nothing was working.

So I called my chiropractor and told him I want to do recovery right. After my typical adjustment, I slipped on a pair of NormaTec leg sleeves for 30 minutes. This the same equipment that the riders of the TdF slip on after each stage. Basically, it feels like the sleeves are taking my blood pressure...only in the leg. Each sleeve is divided into about 10 segments. Starting at my ankles, compression was added for 30 seconds then released. For 30 minutes my legs received a flushing up and down.

I found the process quite humorous. It didn't really hurt. Like I said, it was like getting your blood pressure taken. You knew you were being squeeze and it was slightly uncomfortable. Instead, I laughed because my legs looked like the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man. They were huge. And all I could do was lie there with them in the air. I certainly couldn't bend at the joints or walk. I kept waiting for them to burst. Alas, they didn't

The idea behind the sleeves is to provide compression to your muscles to flush out lactic acid and increase blood flow, thus, improving the recovery of those muscles. When I stepped out of the sleeves, I could literally feel the rush of blood down my legs.

The recovery didn't stop there. The second piece had me crawl into a coffin like structure called a hyberbaric chamber. I felt like I was being buried alive as he zipped me into this contraption that only had few windows letting light inside. I was told to take a nap to feel like a new man. Well, I didn't really want to feel like a new man. I just want to have fresh legs. So I didn't nap much. The drumming sound of the chamber's motor above my head didn't help.

The chamber works similar to the cabin of a plane. First it was pressurized. Then took me to 8,000 feet above sea level. My ears even popped. For an hour, I just hung out in this cave falling in an out of sleep and playing games on my phone.

I typically don't suffer from acute injuries like sprains or tears. But as an endurance athlete, my body is continually undergoing tissue and muscle repair. I break down the muscle fibers during exercise and rebuild them during recovery. But this isn't occurring properly. Either the body is fighting multiple battles...illness, allergies or other inflammation or something else is going on. As a result the cells and tissues surrounding the inflammation become starved for oxygen, which impedes healing.

When I crawl into the chamber, the body is receiving a rush of 100 percent oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure. We typically only breath about 20-25% oxygen. The rest is nitrogen. My muscles then are rushed with fresh, untainted, oxygen to help rebuild and repair the damage. The change in pressure also helps promote additional growth in blood vessels. The lactic acid, swelling and inflammation is stripped from my body and replaced by oxygen circulating blood.

I will say that is was positive experience for me. I didn't run that afternoon as I wanted to reap 24 hours of its effects. But I did notice that I wasn't as sore. When I ran upstairs, my quads weren't screaming. I woke up the next morning feeling fresher than I had in nearly a month.

Now, I just need to find the resources in my wallet to support this type of therapy more often. That is unless anyone wants to donate about $20k so that I can purchase these bad boys on my own. Oh...to be so lucky.

21,000 Calorie FAIL

The past seven days were a colossal failure in my 21,000 calorie challenge. The week, however, does epitomize the struggle I have with my diet. I found myself on the go a bit more than usual. This included traveling to and from Nashville. The failure was further complicated by the fact that Jessica and I have a no eating out contest going on right now. Typically each of my trips would include a stop somewhere to eat. I am sure that would have put me closer to 21,000.

So in my second week of trying, I only hit 19,470 calories. That is a solid 1500 short of where I need to be. Looking at my food log is is very easy to see what went wrong. First, I fell behind in the beginning of the week. Life was busy and I found myself incapable of preparing a solid meal for dinner. Second, traveling really killed me. I all but skipped dinner on Thursday night and ate very little of Friday. Third, when I did eat it wasn't calorie dense food. We cooked ceviche on Saturday night. While great on the protein end, raw fish just doesn't have the calories needed.

The worst part is that my diet was complete crap last week. Too much snacking. With Easter, I think a half of my calories came in the form of ice cream, jelly beans and other candy. That might explain why the weight was slightly up Tuesday morning.

I did much better on the protein front and averaged 138g per day. That is pretty close. And given the limitations of last week, I consider it a moderate success. Overall, I am not noticing any changes. I do find myself a bit hungrier than normal so I take that as a sign that my body is not starving itself for calories any more. I am growing fond of mixed nuts and cheese.

I am determined this week to hit the 21,000 calories. I forced myself to spend $150 at the grocery store the past two days. Last night, in honor of my challenge, I bought some red meat and went to town on some burgers. Protein and calories UP. I also bought some ice cream which should help top me off each night. I will be even more interested to see what happens to my weight over the next week!

Pre-Season Top 10

No not that list, though I am eagerly waiting for spring practice to end so that we can all engage in mindless banter about which college football team will be crowned the national champion. Instead, I am talking about the top 10 things triathlon to-do items before the season begins. With all the beautiful weather this weekend, I hope everyone found their way outside. I also hope you began thinking about what all you need to do to get ready for upcoming season.

Over the past few weeks I began spending a bit more wrench time on my bike. I began thinking about ordering some new shoes. And I have visited the bike shop on a few occasions for various purchases. All of this in the name of tuning up. Here are the top 10 things you should be doing to prepare yourself for the upcoming season

1. Bike Tune Up. Many of us spent more money than we would like to admit on our sleek bikes. With springs arrival, opt to give your bike a wash and wax job in the form of a tune-up. Take it to your local shop and ask them to clean and lube it. The reality is that most of us put the bike away after the last race so it is caked in gatorade, gel, etc. The rest of us who rode through the winter have bikes full of sand and grime. Brake calipers, rear deraileurs, shifts and bottom brackets collect junk faster than that the attic in your house.

2. Replace your Chain and Tires. Along with the first point, it is probably time to replace your worn chain. Bike guides say once a year or every 5000 miles. I personally find that I crush a chain every 4 months from intervals and heavy climbing. A new chain will improve shifting. Also examine your tires. Look for large cuts or gashes. Feel the tread and see how worn it is. I particularly like to put new tires on my bike to start the season. My old tires, in theory, become my trainer tires during the offseason.

3. Wetsuit. If you wait until race day to put on your wetsuit, you will wonder if you gained 10 pounds over the winter. Go ahead and get your suit out and soak it a few times in your tub. A wetsuit is like a sponge and when it sits all winter it shrinks. Allowing water to enter the 'pores' will allow it to expand a bit. You will be thankful when you put it on for the first time.

4. Replace the Batteries. This is a hard lesson to learn but one that always catches me. Go ahead and replace your Garmin or Powertap batteries to start the season. They WILL die on race day if you don't.

5. New Running Shoes. Check your running shoes and consider new ones. If you took the winter off, head down to your local running store and have them size you up. For those that did ING, it is likely that you put around 200-300 miles on your shoes. It might be time for new ones.

6. Throw out your old clothes. Sorry. I hate to be the one to tell you but you swim trunks are a little see through. Your tri shorts aren't baggy because you have lost weight. It is because they are stretched out. Please replace them before I have to ride behind you in a pace line. Thank you.

7. Nutrition. Time to remember how to fuel your body correctly. Those short winter rides were easy because you could just grab a bottle of gatorade. That won't cut it for a 3 hour ride. You don't need to bonk for a told you so moment. Go ahead and order some Infinit and buy a box of gels. Better to have them than need them.

8. Don't ramp up too quickly. Yes, the weather is beautiful. Yes, you will want to ride forever. Be smart about it. Stick with your training plan or make modest adjustments to your schedule. Don't take on a century when you aren't in shape yet. It is too early for an injury.

9. Plan your season and goals. You need to have an idea of what you want to accomplish this season. You need to lay it out on a 4-6 month calendar and see how it fits in with your other obligations. I don't think your spouse will take to the idea of racing a HIM when the in-laws are visiting. Consult your family, loved ones, friends and even co-workers. Make sure your goals aren't in direct conflict with your other commitments.

10. Check your ego. It is too early in the season to try to smoke everyone on the initial group rides. Keep in mind that beginners are everywhere and that at some point, you too were just starting out. No need to be that guy in April.

Masters Swimming

This blog might be the most painful one I have ever written. It forces me to search deep inside and admit something that I don't want to admit. I really don't want to admit it. But I am....kinda...enjoying...swimming. (shudders)

I have attended masters now for a month. Not a day goes by that I don't hate the 5 am wake up call. But after every single workout, I am glad that I made the choice. Of course, I am a zombie the rest of the day but the feeling is starting to grow on me.

In the past weeks, I swam with the triathletes. The workouts were typically in the range of 2500-2700 and lasted about an hour. This week I decided to make the switch and join the real swimmers. Suddenly I was overwhelmed again. These people were crazy fast. And my first workout jumped to 4000m.

All in all it really is an enjoyable experience. I am moving to swimming 3x a week. I am slowly meeting and getting to know my lane mates. It is just nice to have company while I suffer. I feel like 90% of the time training is so isolated. With other people, it is much more motivational and helps the time go by quicker.

So I am one month into a three month experiment. I do feel that my swimming endurance has improved significantly. I know that my mindset about swimming has improved. I certainly hope that my speed is increasing. Guess we will know it about a month if the 5 am wake up calls are paying off.

21,000 Calories Later

Week one of the 3,000 calories a day challenge is in the books. Wow, that was much harder than I thought. I typically log my calories the next morning but in an effort to reach 3,000, I had to be a bit more proactive at night. For the week, I ate a total 21,200 calories or just over 3,000 per day. My weight was down exactly one pound with my body fat holding steady.

For the first week, I tried to not alter my diet too much. Obviously I was forced to add things to the list but overall I don't think I went out of my way to eat more. I tried to rely on items that would occur naturally in my diet. I ate out about as much as I normal would. I ate the typical portion sizes. Here is what I learned:

• This was harder than I thought it would be. Trying to be proactive on the calorie count, I was consistently hitting about 2600 calories for the day.
• Even harder was getting 150g of protein a day. I tried and I only hit 117 for the week.
  
• Milk, nuts and cheese are my friends. This means planning more snacks during the day. My afternoon snack is cube cheese, almonds, macadamia nuts and cashews. Voila, another solid 3-400 calories.
• Smoothies are a staple. I don't see a way around it. A smoothie for mid-morning snack gives me about 500 calories. Plus, it fills me up!
• Milk before bed. I drink whole milk and a large glass provides me an additional 200 calories before bed. Add chocolate syrup and make it 300 calories. :)
  
• My dinners are still on the light side. Chicken, fish and sushi might be a great source of protein but the calories don't add up. I need more options.
  

What I found most interesting is that I was content at night. This seemed to be about the right about of food...comfortable but not stuffed. Of course, I suppose the real lesson here is that I need to train my body to take in the extra calories. Adding a 500 calories a day to my diet certainly shouldn't leave me hungry but riding 3 hours should.

For the first week, I can't say that I felt any difference in working out. But then again, given that it was post ING and a big week, I probably can assume that the lack of calories would have left me even more sluggish. My body certainly needed all the food to aid in recovery. And I think my body is enjoying all the food.

Moving forward, I am going to make a few subtle adjustments. First, I need to eat bigger dinners. I need more dense food to accompany my meal. I probably need to eat more for breakfast, even if it is just a glass of juice. My focus this week will be not eating out. I would rather devote those expenses to my grocery bill. Finally,

Georgia Ride to the Capitol

In honor of my furlough day, I decided to take part in the annual Georgia Ride to the Capitol. This is one of my favorite events throughout the year. As in years past, the General Assembly was considering an important bill requiring drivers to yield to at least 3 feet when passing. Naturally, the bill is bogged down in committee and likely won't pass prior to crossover day. Nonetheless, the ride still occurred.

Each time I participate in the event, I start in Roswell. There is just something exciting about riding down Roswell and Piedmont roads where cyclist are lead by a barrage of blue lights clearing all the intersections. The trek is 21 miles one way and is conducted in a parade fashion, at least on the way down.

Tuesday morning was bitterly cold. The ride started in the low 40s which made the downhills that much more unbearable. The sun made an appearance around 10:45 as we made our way through midtown. We ascended up the Capitol around 1130. This years turnout was very impressive...easily over 1000 cyclist. The break was nice as the sun emerged and a few dignitaries took the stage for comments. It was also great to catch up with a number of friends, many who I only see at cycling events.

The ride back is the *cough* real reason you participate. It is a hammer fest. The police try to shut down a few intersections and allow us to speed our way back to Roswell. This year we kept hitting traffic jams that slowed the progress. Trying to do this 48 hours after ING wasn't one of my more intelligent plans. Of course, I told myself that I wouldn't hammer. I would just ride....get this....moderately hard. Sure. I hit every hill hard and finished with the lead pack. It end up being a beautiful day. I just couldn't resist the urge to get out of ride.


Updated: Naturally, HB988 didn't make it out of committee prior to crossover day. So it looks like we are back to the drawing board for next session.

Weight, Body Fat and New Challenge

Too much to blog about and not enough time. I meant to post this blog last week as I ended the magnesium challenge but time once again alluded me. I am still tracking my weight and body fat each and every week. I was reminded to blog about this when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw my weight down significantly (though it is not reflected in the weekly totals).

Yesterday marks the beginning of a new challenge. The timing couldn't be any better for this one as I moved from the base to the build and eventually the peak periods of my training. Training is going up therefore my caloric need is going up. As I mentioned in the past, I frequently track my calories. I am on a good roll right now with nearly 2 months worth of data.

Aside: Tracking your calories is really not that difficult. Most people shy away from it for two reasons. First, they think it is time consuming. The reality is that most of us eat the same foods over and over again. That makes logging it very easy. It takes me approximately 5 minutes each morning to log the previous days food. Second, it forces people to face the reality that their diet is crap. Very true.

One thing that I frequently ponder is if I am fueling my body properly. I never really question if my diet is 'good.' I think I have a moderately healthy diet and don't splurge on snacks. Junk food is very sparse. You won't find it in my home, minus a few remaining girl scout cookies. If anything, my diet isn't diverse enough.

More importantly, I often wonder if I eat enough. Given that I have a very consistent diet, my caloric intake is relatively stable. I wonder if it is too LOW. So this month, I am revisiting the challenge from last summer...to eat more. My goal is to consume close to 3000 calories a day. Gulp. That should put me nearly 21,000 calories for the week. In the past seven weeks, I have only achieved 21,000 calories a week....once. And that was a week of major eating out. That means I need to eat about 2000 calories MORE a week than I typically do.

My hypothesis is that by keeping my caloric intake low, 2000-2300 cal/day, I am starving my body. This prevents it from recovering after a long workout. It also prevents it from preparing for the next workout. If my glycogen stores are not topped off, then my body goes through the fat and carbs as fuel sources too quickly. It then turns to the muscle for fuel...not good. My hope is that by not 'starving' my body, I will actually lose a bit more weight because the body isn't trying to hoard the calories. Counter intuitive? Maybe, but I don't suspect that will be the case.

I actually think this will be a real challenge for me because I like to eat healthy. Most dinners consist of chicken or fish...both great sources of protein but low calorie options. I also don't want the calories to be empty. They need to be natural foods that I would select in ideal situations. That means not splurging on wings and beer. I suspect there will be five staples in this challenge: nuts, cheese, milk, ice cream and peanut butter. I also don't want to cheat by eating out more often.

As a subset of this goal will be my attempt to ingest 140 grams of protein a day. I seriously slack off in this area and often only get about 110 g/day. The adjustments to the diet should aid the protein goal. They will also raise my fat intake which should help will the weight loss challenge.

The timing, as mentioned, is perfect. I will try this for four weeks and see how I feel. That puts me right into my taper for Rev3...an ideal time to cut back the diet. So can someone pass me a smoothie and protein bar?

ING Half Marathon

Finally. ING is over. For some reason this race was looming over me like a dark cloud. I guess in part the race signifies the end of the offseason and ushers in the beginning of tri season. 13.1 miles is a bit too much to overlook so it required a certain amount of mental focus. I was never able to look past it far enough.

Sunday was a perfect day for racing. The temperature hovered around 50 degrees with a light sprinkle in the air. I got moving around 5 am and made it downtown shortly after six. I had a solid 45 minutes prior to the race so we entered the Omni hotel and just found somewhere to hang out. It was warm and moderately quiet, despite the buzz of nervous athletes. I was feeling good that morning. My legs felt recovered and ready to race. I wasn't as giddy as normal but I didn't feel sluggish at all. I entered the corral with about 15 minutes to go and naturally ran into everyone and their mother.

As previously mentioned, my goal for the race was 1:35. I seeded myself between the 1:30 and 1:35 pace group. The first two miles were downhill and my times clearly reflect that as I went out fast, but comfortably. Just before the mile 2 marker, the 1:35 pace group swallowed me up. At this point, it threw me for a major mental loop. I had my first two miles WELL under the 7:15 pace. I spent most of mile three settling into my correct pace, adjusting to the hills and trying to refocus on running MY race only.

As I made my way into the Old Fourth Ward, I was burning up. I wore a sleeveless UA top under a short sleeve wicking shirt. I immediately shed the top shirt. My pre-race strategy was to bank time during miles 4-9, as those are the flattest sections of the course. I tried to make a move but my body was not budging. I started to suspect that things were going to fall apart for me around mile 10.

I was able to push the pace around mile 7 and get back under 7 minute miles. At the half way point, I was nearly dead on for a 1:35 finish. I did begin to notice that my garmin and the mile markers were off quite a bit. I made the decision to push again once I entered Piedmont Park. I found some extra motivation there and began surging for the next mile. By mile 10 I was pretty wiped. And the worst was yet to come.

The final 2 miles roll through Georgia Tech and are all uphill. The terrain has two small hills that you pop up quickly, 2 long gradual ones and 1 really long slight incline. Hands down, it is the hardest part of the course. I knew I was going to lose some time here and didn't have an accurate gauge on how much time I banked. I pushed and pushed. I was hurting at this point. I made it to the top of GT and into the final turn. My watch said I was on pace, race clock said I needed to push it even more.

I know I was pushing that final mile but the speed was just not there. It was a matter of trying to hang on for dear life. I had a decent cadence and form so I stuck with it. I hit the split on my watch when I crossed the 13.1 threshold as I had the course 13.35. The best part was finishing within 5 minutes of numerous friends. It allowed me to just hangout at the finish line congratulating several others.

Official chip time (13.35 miles) 1:36:04
Unofficial 13.1 split: 1:34.10
Pace: 7:11
Overall 283/10481
Men: 248/4618

I see it as a success. My goal was 1:35 and I feel like I made it. As always, I am the hardest on myself. I am pleased with the time but don't feel that I raced it well. I know I went out too hard. I really need to work on that. From there I never had that extra gear to push it. I was too afraid to go into the hurt zone too early in the race. Maybe I was right, maybe I wasn't. I just feel like I crossed the finish line and still had more to give. I need to work on that. For now, I am happy it is over. It gives me some added confidence for Rev3 and I can turn my attention there.

ING Pre-race thoughts

Looks like the first real race of the season is finally here...ING half marathon. This will be my second time racing it with the other being in 2008. It should be a very interesting story to tell when it is all done. If I look back at my training log comparing then and now, I had two totally different approaches to training.

In 2008, most of my training was volume based. The intensity was low and came in the form of mile repeats. I also had the added benefit of an extra half marathon on my schedule prior to ING. In the four months leading up to ING, I put in over 385 miles of running, including a 130 mile month, my biggest ever. (I had to double check my logs to see how I did that).

Fast forward two years and I find myself in a totally different place. My volume certainly isn't there but I am running better than I ever have before. In part (knock on wood) is that I continue to be injury free. The extended volume has been replaced by weekly tempo or track sessions to increase the intensity of the runs. My four month volume is only 265 miles. Both my time and distance are nearly a third less than previously.

So what does all this mean? Well it definitely offers two contrasting training perspectives. In 2008, my offseason goal was to work solely on my running. I was doing very little other than running. And this approach panned out well for me in that all the base building came back into play after injury left me down for Ironman Florida.

This year the goals are different. I wanted to maintain my FTP on the bike throughout the offseason while steadily bringing my run along. Also given that I continue (crosses fingers) to be injury free means I really don't want to mess with my training much more. I would love to be running more but I have a good thing going. No need to mess with it. My speed is coming along. I just hope my endurance is there too.

Two years ago, 9-14 mile runs were prescribed left and right. This year not so much...which has me slightly concerned. In fact, I only hit 12 miles once in training. Gulp. This is where I just have to rely on the cumulative effect of training. I was still able to do 12 miles after running 10-12 during the week. So ideally, Sunday my legs should be a bit fresher and guide me to the finish line.

In 2008, I pulled off a 1.41 and was very proud of my effort. Well it is time to surpass that as most of my training runs are in the 1.39-1.41 range. If I visit VDOT or McMillan Running both tell me I should be capable of running a 1.35. Ouch...sounds painful. That really is my goal. I have wanted to get my half time down into the low 1.30s for some time now. But I am a bit weary of doing that this weekend. I just have a feeling that I will come in 1.36-1.37.

Here is to hoping that the low volume and more intensity approach works better for me

Nutrition and Body Experiment 1

As the quote says at the top of my blog, I like to test, tweak and alter my body in different ways. I recently discussed tracking my body weight and fat. I have also in the past discussed the different 'diet' methods employed to achieve maximization. Of course, I facetiously use the word diet because my first few experiments included ice cream, peanut butter and chocolate syrup. At least I enjoyed it.

This year, I am letting my body be Jessica's guinea pig as she explores different nutritional theories that impact the body...particularly endurance athletes. The idea is that each month, I will try something new with my diet. I will monitor how I am feeling mentally and physically. Ideally, I will see improvements but they may come in the subtle form of minor body composition adjustments, reduction in inflammation and fatigue or sleeping better at night. I enter each new challenge with a bit of skepticism and fear about what the changes might mean for my body and training.

Experiment #1: Increase the level of magnesium in my body.

From a NYT Health article:

• Magnesium is readily available in foods that form the basis of a healthful diet -- whole grains, fruits, dark-green leafy vegetables and nuts. But the highly processed foods that most Americans live on are sorely lacking in the mineral. The latest national studies found that as many as three-fourths of Americans do not consume enough to avoid the adverse effects associated with chronic magnesium deficiency.
  

From NIH

• Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis

From Jessica

• Magnesium levels are related to levels of a hormone called adiponectin. As magnesium goes up, so adiponectin goes up. This is important because adiponectin has an INVERSE relationship to body fat: as adiponectin goes UP, body fat levels go DOWN. This is also why an optimal magnesium level in the body reduces the risk of Metabolic Disorder and Type 2 Diabetes. Magnesium is also helps with stress, relaxes muscles, helps with sleep and restless legs, reduces blood pressure, and is necessary to carry out the metabolic functions of cells.

I started this process four weeks ago. I began using a product called Natural Calm. It is a flavored powder that dissolves in hot water. I began with just 1/2 teaspoon a day and worked my way up to 1.5 teaspoons.

I can't say that I have seen any significant improvement. My biggest complaint is that it changed the way my body processes food and made me a bit irregular. I have not experienced a weight or body fat loss. Those figures are still holding steady. I can't say for certain that I am less sore as there are too many variables in that equation. I will say that I am a bit more focused than normal. I suspect that despite the adjustment to my schedule, I am slightly more energetic as a result. I am definitely sleeping well right now but that may be related to going to bed earlier and focusing on recovery.

In the end, I don't know that I experienced an significant benefits from taking the extra magnesium. With ING this week, I am discontinuing my dosage so that I don't suffer from any GI issues Sunday. At this point, I don't know if I will go back onto the Mg. Of course, that might all change if I start feeling the subtle signs of fatigue, etc.

I am more excited about my next challenge...I get to eat a lot!!!

More Random Musings

I must admit that I am extremely disappointed in myself right now. I spent the past week in Nashville and only had a few personal objectives I wanted to achieve. One, I wanted to write a few blogs. Second, I wanted to overhaul the blog template. Alas, I failed. Sigh. It is amazing how time flies.

Nonetheless, I had a GREAT week of training capped off with riding outdoors 4 times. I loved logging some decent mileage. Better yet, my trainer is still in my car. And it needs to stay there. Well, not really but you know what I mean. With day light savings upon us, it is time to jump on a few roadie rides and see what happens.

In addition, this weekend in the ING Half Marathon. I don't quite know how I feel about it. I know what my goal is but I just don't have the confidence that I am going to reach it. I don't think it is a stretch at all. However, I don't feel like my last few long runs have hit the mark. I just hope that fresh and slightly tapered legs will put my mind at ease.

Otherwise, spring is in the air and as I previously mentioned, I couldn't be happier. I rode in shorts several times (despite the cold yesterday). And I even took my shirt off during my intervals. I likely blinded the oncoming traffic. Maybe post ING, I should begin to work on my tan.

Weather Gods Shine Down on Thee

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

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

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

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

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

Turn Up the Volume

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finding Nemo

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

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

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

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

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

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

Special thanks to Dynamo and all3sports for their partnership.

Tundra Results

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weight and Body Fat Tracking

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

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

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

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

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

2010 Race Schedule

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

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

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

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

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


-------

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

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

Testing, testing

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chattahoochee Challenge 10k

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Splits

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

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

Company Shout-Out #1 and #2

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

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

Shout-out #1 Infinit Nutrition

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

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

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

Shout-out #2 Saris Cycling Group

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

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

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

What companies do feel exceed your expectations in customer service?

Best way to beat the winter?

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

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

Entering T-zero

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good Weekend Training

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

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

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

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

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

2009 Closing Thoughts

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

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

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

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

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

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

What worked:

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


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

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

Exciting News

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weekend Humor

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

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

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

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

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

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