Thursday, November 5, 2009

Lazy Blogger

I just realized I haven't posted anything in a week. That doesn't mean I haven't been training. On the contrary, I've been working hard.

Sunday I had a good 55-minute run, followed by a good 45-minute run on Monday. My pace on these has been fairly quick.

Last night was the Tri-Delaware meeting. We held it at Elite Physical Therapy, so we had some PT's work with us on some stretching. I really stretched out my IT band and my hamstrings - big time. I was feeling great last night.

Today, my hamstrings weren't the greatest, but they felt ok. So mid-day, when I went to do an 18-mile run, I felt pretty good. My pace was quick and I PR'd my half-marathon with a time of 1:38:53 - about a 7:33/mile pace. Around mile 15 or so my hamstrings started talking to me, and I had slowed miles 16 and 17 down to 7:48 each. I was able to pick it up a bit in mile 18 to finish in 2 hours 16 minutes - a 7:35 average.

After the run, my hamstring were screaming at me. Sitting is ok, but standing is horrible. So lots of Advil, stretching, and Ben Gay for me tonight.

My goal for the marathon is to finish under 3 hours, 30 minutes at a 7:55 average. I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but I'm beginning to think that breaking 3:20 - and qualifying for Boston - is a possibility. I'd really have to push it for the last 8 miles to keep my pace, but if I'm having a great day, it could be there.

We'll see.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Whee!

I've been a little - no, a lot - sore since the run on Sunday. My calves have been extremely tight, but I really needed to get in a good 45-minute run today. So I took a little extra time at lunch to hit the trail.

And much to my surprise my calves were ok and I nailed a great 10k in 44:50. That's a PR for me! Average pace of 7:21 per mile.

Feeling good with just 23 days left until the RB Marathon!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Two Weeks Later....

I hadn't done any training since the Cape Du because of a crazy work schedule and an illness, but yesterday I was able to get out and do a great long run.

I wasn't quite sure how well it would go after two weeks of nothing. But the sun was shining on what was probably our last nice day of the year and I was ready.

The plan was to do a two-hour run. I figured I'd head out on the trail and go towards the State Park, turn around at the hour mark and head home. My first seven miles were relatively fast, ranging from 7:45 to 7:57, and finishing at 1:57. This was good, since my goal for the marathon is 7:55. I could feel a blister starting to form on my right foot (I realized too late that I'd forgotten to tape it) but I kept going. What was the alternative?

My last eight miles were even better. My pace ranged from 7:30 to 7:47. I ended up doing about 15.25 miles in the two hours, averaging 7:45. Could I have kept that up for another 11 miles? Probably not, but it made the thought of 7:55 much more doable.

Another good thing form the run was that I PR'd my half-marathon time. I did 13.1 miles in 1:41:27.

All is good.

Today is a day off from training, which is good. I need to let this blister heal.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Cape Henlopen Duathlon

Today was my first race since Ironman - the Cape Henlopen Duathlon.

The day started out cold, with me catching the alarm 2 minutes before it was to go off: 5:45am. Meyer went with me and we got to the site around 6:45 which meant I had plenty of time to rack my bike and warm up. There wasn't really any transition to set up since all I needed to do was throw off my running shoes and put my helmet on for T1 and just do the reverse for T2.

By the time the race started - 7:45 - the sun was starting to shine and it began to warm up. My pace on the first run was slower than I'd expected. I held back a bit, not wanting to burn up too early, but in retrospect I could have gone a little faster. First run leg: 1.5 miles, 11:16, 7:31 average pace.

T1 went well. I got through in 37 seconds, which was the second fastest individual T1. 2 relay teams were faster by a couple seconds, but since that's just a hand-off of the timing chip, I don't count it.

The bike started out bad. Before I even mounted, I had problems with one of my water bottle cages and dropped a bottle - twice! I finally took off, and settled into a good but challenging pace. At about mile 4 there were 3 speed bumps. Speed bumps?!?!? Well, I took the first one too fast and lost my water bottle, so no more water for the rest of the bike leg. The rest of the bike went well. Thank you to the state trooper who yelled at a car to get it to go (don't know what the driver was thinking) so I could miss hitting it by a couple feet instead of a couple inches. Bike leg: 14 miles, 41:26, 20.3 mph.

T2 went well too. I had a great dismount and only lost a second or two by a guy taking his time getting past my bike rack spot. I got the shoes on quickly and was off in 42 seconds - again, one of the fastest T2 times of the day.

The second run leg was tough at first. I didn't have the jelly legs that so many people get after the bike. I simply had tired legs. I was able to keep a decent pace, however, and actually pick it up for the last mile. I was definitely feeling the effects of not having that water on the bike. Second run leg: 3.1 miles, 22:12, 7:10 average pace.

My overall time was 1:16:11 which was good enough for 5th in my age group and 25th overall.

And as I always do, I came home after the race and took a nap.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Recovery Run

Today was a simple recovery run, after yesterday's brick workout. I was supposed to do 10 minutes in heart rate zone 1 and 20 minutes in zone 2. I didn't wear my heart rate monitor and just settled into an easy to moderate comfortable pace.

I ended up doing 4 miles at a 7:47 average mile. The good thing is that it felt very comfortable, which means my goal of averaging 7:55 per mile for the marathon next month is certainly doable.

Weather: 69 degrees, sunny
4 miles
7:47 average per mile

6 days 'til the Cape Henlopen Duathlon
47 days 'til the Rehoboth Beach Marathon

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Good End to an Easy Week

This week was much easier than I intended it to be. Because of some work obligations, I wasn't able to do all of my training sessions, and I substituted some Spinning classes (teaching them) for a couple workouts.

Today I did a brick workout. I did 26 miles on the bike at a 17.8 mph pace. Around the 3rd mile I passed a couple riding together. When I stopped at the next traffic light, they caught up. One asked, "Are you doing Florida next month?" I said no, that I'd just done Wisconsin. The other came up and simply said, "My hat's off to you, Ironman." (That tattoo must be more visible than I thought.) It lifted me up and my pace quickened for the next few miles, even thought there was a nasty headwind.

I had my shoes set up for the run so I could get a practice transition in. I got off the bike, had my helmet off and my shoes on in no time and was off for a quick 20-minute run. I caught up with a friend and ran with him for a half mile before turning around and heading home. On the way back I saw Meyer, who was out for a 7-miler. I ended up running 2.8 miles at a 7:05 pace. I want to get that down to under 7:00 for next Sunday's duathlon.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Monday Run

Another pretty decent run this morning. Started before the sun came up, which was great because I got to run along the shore just as the sun was coming up. Beautiful!

I need to do more stretching throughout the day to make sure my calves stay loose. They were tight for a while during yesterday's run and again at the beginning of today's. Once they felt ok today, I was able to pick up some speed - enough to negative split.

5.2 miles
7:41 pace
Weather: 64 degrees, slight breeze

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Sunday Run

Meyer and I were signed up to do the Dogfish Dash 5k. We even picked up our race packets, t-shirts, etc. yesterday. And when we got up this morning it was pouring rain. We decided to skip the race in favor of a longer run later in the day. (Of course, it stopped raining right before the race began.)

But I just finished a great 75-minute run - exactly what my coach had set in my training plan.

9.64 miles
7:46 average pace
74 degrees, overcast, slight breeze

Total running distance for the week: 22.24 miles

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Morning Run

Wasn't sure I was going to run this morning after running last night, but I woke up earlier than planned and decided to get 'er done. Glad I did.

Weather: mid 70's, humid (86%), very light breeze, dark (pre-dawn)
7 miles
7:43 average pace

Felt good, though I need to watch my feet. I think I'm blistering again.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Now What?

I've done the Ironman, which was the whole reason for keeping this blog. I'd thought about shutting it down after the race, but I think I'm going to keep it up for a while. After getting a couple comments that people found inspiration in it, I'd like to think that perhaps someone who, like me, once question their ability to train for and complete and Ironman will read it and pursue the Ironman as their goal.

I'm going to keep training and racing, so this may simply turn into a training log for me.

And that's where I am tonight. I just went for my first solid run since the Ironman. It was a 5.6-mile run and it felt pretty good - 8:27 pace on the first half and 8:03 on the second half, for a total average pace of 8:15.

My next real race is the Cape Henlopen Duathlon in three and a half weeks. It's a 1.5-mile run, 14-mile bike, and a 5k run. I definitely need to kick in the training again. A week and a half off was way too much.

I'm back at it!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Ironman Race Report

The alarm was set for 4:00am. But like most days lately, I got up about 15 minutes before the alarm. Actually, I hadn't slept much anyway. The combination of the Badger football win, drunk college kids, and the close proximity of our hotel room window to the street created a less-than-ideal atmosphere for sleep.

With special needs bags, wetsuit, and tire pump in hand, Meyer and I made our way up State Street to the transition area. How quiet the city seemed. The proverbial calm before the storm?

I got all of my pre-race stuff done (gear bags dropped, bottles/nutrition set on bike, tires pumped, body marked, porta-john visited) and hung out with the other athletes in the convention center for a while. Then it was time for a few encouraging words from Meyer and the walk down the helix to the swim start. The helix is actually the circular ramp that goes up the four stories of the parking structure for the convention center. It's a big focus of the Ironman Wisconsin transition.

I got into the water about 15 minutes before the start and just hung out in the water as the pros took off (10 minutes before we age groupers). And for those "in the know," yes, for a moment I was smiling. I watched the clock tick closer to 7:00 and got myself into position. Since I'm not a strong swimmer - and also very slow - I put myself towards the back of the pack right in the middle. This was perfect positioning because when the gun went off at 7:00 on the dot, I avoided the chaos towards the front as 2,406 of us began the swim.

My swim did not start very well. While I avoided the kicking and hitting that (mostly) is unintentional for a mass start, I had some of my usual problem of maintaining a steady breathing rhythm. Once I got to the first turn buoy, around the 1/3-mile point, I started thinking "just get 10 good strokes in." When I did that I thought "ok, now get 12 good ones." Then it was 15. This continued for the remainder of the first lap. I looked at my watch as I started the second lap and realized that I could finish the swim in the time I'd wanted if I kept the same pace. And now that there weren't that many other swimmers around me, I felt more comfortable. The 15 good strokes at a time turned into 30, then 40, then 50. Then I got sick of counting. And that's when I realized I was passing other swimmers. Wow! I'd never done that before.

The announcer's voice got louder. There was the last turn. I kept my pace and headed for the shore. My body was telling me that I was doing well, feeling good. But once I got to the shore, the sudden change of movement (standing upright) surprised me. Luckily there were volunteers there who were grabbing everyone and helping them out of the water.

Official swim time: 1 hour, 54 minutes, 20 seconds. Placing: 2,351 (only 53 people behind me)

I immediately got my wetsuit down to my hips, ran over to the waiting group of volunteers and threw myself on the ground. Two volunteers grabbed the wetsuit and pulled it off my legs in one fluid motion. Back on my feet, the volunteers handed my wetsuit back to me and yelled, "Now go!" I caught sight of Meyer as I headed up (yes, up!) the helix to the transition area. I can imagine the race directors as they were designing the course thinking, "Let's make these people swim 2.4 miles then run UP a giant ramp, four stories before they get to their bikes."

I got to the top, ran into the convention center towards the room with my T1 gear bag. A volunteer in the hallway asked for my race number. I told her, "1227." Then I heard "1227!" being shouted down the hallway several times. When I got to the bag room, a volunteer was right there with my gear bag in hand. And - my first "unexpected goose bump moment" - about 30 volunteers who weren't holding bags for other racers were applauding and cheering. It was incredible.

The volunteer, David, with my bag led me into the changing room, where he dumped the contents of my bag and helped me get ready for the bike leg. It was a good thing he was there because I started having bad stomach cramps and had difficulty bending to fasten the velcro on my shoes. David got me ready, fetched a cup of water for me and sent me on my way. After a quick stop outside of the convention center to have more volunteers slather my arms and neck with sunscreen I ran to the bikes. The "1227" shouts happened again and by the time I got to my bike rack, a volunteer was waiting with my bike, all set to go.

As I headed to the end of the bike lot, a volunteer behind me called my name and told me to look up. There were Mary Beth and Kathy - part of "Team Meloy" - shouting and cheering.

I was still cramping pretty badly when I got on the bike and rode down the helix on the other side of the parking ramp. Within the first mile I started passing other riders. Getting beyond the swim was my big mental hurdle. I knew I could do well on the bike. The cramps continued for the first five miles or so, and they weren't helped by the poor condition of the roads. My first high point of the bike leg was seeing my parents around mile 6.5. My uncle's house is right on the route, so Mom and Dad were there with him and his wife. I think I saw them first. I waved. They cheered. It was the first time I'd seen Mom and Dad on the course. What a thrill.

I got to Mile 14, which is the end of the "stick" that goes into the "lollipop" part of the bike course - the loop that we do twice before heading back to Madison on the stick. This was also where I started my ride on Friday. With increased confidence, I rode well and passed more riders. I was now passing several per mile, which concerned me that I was going to fast, but a look at my bike computer told me that I was going just fine - fast enough but not too fast to worry about conserving energy.

I was now able to start eating since the cramps had partly subsided. I downed a PowerBar Nut Naturals bar, a staple of my diet for the past few months. I also decided to rely on liquid nutrition for a while too. I had two bottles of Accelerade and would be able to get Gatorade at each aid station.

When I did the Eagleman 70.3 back in June I mentioned to a friend something about the high-priced disc wheels that many of the participants had. His reply was, "Doesn't it feel good to pass people who have them?" I couldn't say "yes" because I hadn't passed any of them. Until today. But I soon saw several pass by me.

At about Mile 25 (Mile 67 on the second loop) I saw a motorcycle fly by. I knew what that meant. And soon after I heard the familiar "whoomp, whoomp, whoomp" of a disc wheel as the first-place professional passed by. A few minutes later came the second, then the third, and fourth. They were flying!

Eventually, I got to Old Sauk Road and the hill. The hill that everyone talks about. This is a tough one. It isn't ridiculously steep but it is long. I'd been told to expect a Tour de France-like atmosphere and those reports didn't disappoint. There were names and numbers all over the road in chalk and a bunch of spectators lining each side of the road. Some ran along with our bikes while others had cowbells and noisemakers. One guy was wearing a woman's cheerleader outfit, but he was outdone by the woman next to him wearing a banana costume. I could hear one man cheering for the woman in front of me, and as I passed him he said, "now go get her!"

I wasn't liking the hills too much, having trained on nothing but flat roads in Delaware, but I found that I did most of my passing of other participants on the hills. The spectators helped tremendously, and what surprised me was which cheers really got me going. Heading up another particularly challenging hill, one spectator yelled, "Great cadence, 1227!" followed by another who yelled, "Nice arms, 1227!" (The latter gave me the bigger charge.)

We headed into Verona, which was the most spectator-heavy portion of the bike leg. There was Mom and Dad with Meyer, taking photos and cheering. It was so good to see them. I wondered where the rest of the Team was. I didn't have to wonder very long. A few blocks later I saw the red shirts and hand-lettered signs. I I'd have to have been deaf to not hear their shouts of the Team motto: "No speed limit!!!"

Just before the turn onto the second loop (Mile 56) the first age grouper passed by heading back to Madison. I was envious because he was at Mile 98, but a sense of pride swelled in me because I had not gotten lapped by any of the pro women. (Sexist, I know, but it was still a small victory for me.)

The second loop was a little tougher than the first. I'd now been on my bike for several hours and keeping the mind focused was just as difficult as keeping the body going. I was going up hills slower - still passing some people - but slower than I'd done on the first loop. My nutrition was getting a bit better but was still not where I wanted it to be. (I was trying to take in at least 275 calories per hour.)

I hit Old Sauk Road and the hill again. There weren't as many spectators this time, but now two guys at the base of the hill were shouting, "Welcome back! We missed you!" I smiled back but secretly thought, "thanks, but seeing you once was enough today." The male/female cheerleader was still there, and so was the banana woman.

Suddenly being hungry for a banana, I stopped at the 83-mile aid station for a quick trip to the port-a-john, a water bottle exchange, and a banana. It felt good to be off the saddle a for a couple minutes.

Heading out of the aid station, I did a body check. I was still doing alright. Stomach cramps? Totally gone. Legs? OK. Arms and shoulders? A little fatigued, but still ok. Mind? Hangin' in there. Only a few miles to Verona. That'll give me a boost.

I heard another spectator yell, "Nice muscles!" I looked around to see who she was directing that comment, thinking "maybe I'll just follow those nice muscles for a few miles." But there wasn't anyone else around me. I smiled and passed three more people on the next hill.

Verona, part 2. Mom and Dad weren't where they were before. They'd joined the others and their shouts were even louder. I was feeling great. Only 16 miles to go before on the bike.

The ride back toward Madison was pretty uneventful. Most everyone had settled in by this time so passing or being passed wasn't happening much at all. It seemed like such a short ride back to John Nolan Drive with the convention center drawing near. I could hear more crowds cheering as I headed up the helix (yes, up!) to the transition. I brought my bike to a stop as a volunteer grabbed it, held it steady while I dismounted, and took it away to be racked and I ran into the convention center to change shoes for the run.

Official bike time: 6 hours, 59 minutes, 36 seconds. Bike Place: 1,709

The run started out great! Actually too great. I couldn't slow down to the pace I wanted to start out with. My legs were going a bit too fast. As I ran around the capital square and turned onto State Street, I got my second big unexpected goose bump moment of the day. I knew there'd be crowds on State Street but I was completely unprepared for the thousands of spectators and the deafening volume of their cheers. It was astounding!

The first couple miles felt good. I was looking forward to Mile 3. My pace quickened a bit as I saw it. Right in front of me was Camp Randall. I turned to the right and headed into the stadium where my beloved Badgers play. But wait! Where is everyone?!? The stadium was empty. Running around the field was kind of cool, but now seemed anti-climatic.

As I headed towards the Lakeshore Path I was still feeling great. I walked through the aid stations, which had water, Gatorade, cola, pretzels, Power Bars, gels, you name it! But right after Mile 5 cam the hill on Observatory Drive. Wow! I decided it would be best to conserve my energy and walk up it. I looked around and most people were walking. I looked at calves, where everyone had their age written. Good! There's a 23-year-old walking. This 40-year-old will keep up with him!

We headed around past the Helen White Library - a good social spot during college days - and onto Park Street. Library Mall and State Street is just up ahead. The crowds on this end of State Street were just as big and perhaps even louder than at the other end. And there was the team. Mom, Meyer and Julie were all leaning out to get photos. The others were going nuts!

I hit the first turn-around (Mile 6.5) on a high.

Heading out Lakeshore Path in the other direction, I came up on a woman in a blue shirt. It had "American Cancer Society" printed on it, and she had pinned several ribbons on it, obviously representing loved ones in whose honor or memory she was competing. The best part was that she had also written on it in big letters, "Suck it, cancer." It was the best shirt of the day.

Throughout the day, I'd been looking for the "Janus signs." Janus, the investment company, had set up the Janus Inspiration Tent for several days before the race. They provided supplies for anyone to make a sign for any competitor and the Janus folks would place it on the route. I was already past Mile 8 on the run and hadn't seen any. Then, just up ahead, I saw one, and another one right next to it, and a third and fourth. For two solid miles, these incredible signs lined the course. It brought tears to my eyes (and as I write this, I find myself feeling the same emotions all over again.)

Right in the middle of all of these signs, we crossed what looked like a timing pad, but instead it was connected to a huge electronic sign. I looked up and saw on the sign, "D. Meloy #1227 Go Schmoopie" (Don't ask. It's an old Seinfeld thing.) Near to the Janus Inspiration Tent was another tent with kiosks for people to enter their good wishes - or lines from old TV shows - to provide an extra jolt of energy. It worked. Thanks, Meyer!

Now I'm headed back the way I came and still feeling pretty good although I've slowed down a bit. I round the corner on Henry Street and hear the crowds again on State. It is still an amazing sight. As I head around the capital square again, the guy running next to me speeds up and heads toward the right side chute. That's the finish line chute. I head to the left - the one where you turn around and do those 13.1 miles all over again.

The second loop is more of the same, only slower. At mile 15 my body starts to rebel. My feet are starting to burn. My calves, knees, quads, hamstrings, glutes, low back, neck and shoulders are all starting to hurt. My stomach is giving me problems. the only real food I've had is a banana. Everything else has been energy bars, energy drinks, and energy gels - all of which aren't helping much with my energy now.

This is when I start to walk. It's the only way to get through the hurt. I tried to keep my speed up by walking to the next cone, then jogging for two cones, walking for one, jogging for two.

The hill again. This time everyone is walking. The sun is starting to set, but there's State Street again. And there's the Team again. This time they hold out their hands for a high five. It really lifts my spirits. As I hit Dad's hand he says, "One more hour 'til you're an Ironman!" For the second time on the run my eyes teared up.

Six miles to go. I'm walking in the dark and my walk one, jog two (lampposts now) has turned into walk 2, jog one. There's the electronic message board again, and even though I know it's coming, I still smile (and blush a little).

Now I just want the race to be done. I make it past Camp Randall for the last time, past the last few aid stations, and around the corner of Henry Street. Nearing State Street I start to get chills - not because of my body shutting down, but rather from the excitement. The crowds are still there just as animated as ever. There's a guy walking next to me. He's done several Ironmans and tells me to enjoy every minute. Even though my entire body hurts, I am enjoying it. Every minute.

I can hear the crowds at the finish line. It's like nothing I've ever heard before.

I turn a corner and hear, "You're almost there!"

I turn another corner and get a burst of energy. The crowds have induced an adrenaline rush like I've never felt. I'm no longer walking, no longer jogging. I'm in a full-out run. The pain is completely gone. And I know I'm grinning ear to ear.

The cheers are thunderous and I can't understand a thing. I turn the final corner and see the finish. I'm savoring every moment. I run to the right side of the chute and high five half a dozen spectators. Then to the left for half a dozen more. Then back to the right. I'm told later that over the speakers was heard, "Daniel Meloy, you are an IRONMAN!" I never heard it, but I didn't need to. I'd crossed the finish line.

Official run time: 5 hours, 22 minutes, 17 seconds. Run place: 1,300.

A volunteer named Rebecca put her arm around me and guided me, making sure I was ok. OK? I'm flying high! I got my finisher medal as a volunteer smiled and said, "congratulations." I got my finisher hat as another volunteer smiled and said, "congratulations." I got my finisher t-shirt. That's right, another smile and another congrats. Finally, Rebecca walked me to get my official finisher photo. Before she left me to go help another finisher she said, "You're awesome. You're an Ironman." They were the sweetest words I heard all day.

I turned around and saw the Team - Mom, Dad, Meyer, Julie and Lisa were able to stick it out until the end. I was so happy to share this moment with them. Wow! What a day they'd had too.

Meyer had picked up my bike and gear bags while I was out on the run so all we had to do was go back to the hotel (thankfully a short walk) where Meyer, Julie, Lisa and I shared some celebratory champagne. A shower and a quick trip across the street to the Brathaus for a much-anticipated beer preceded bedtime.

My official time was 14 hours, 34 minutes and 41 seconds. My place was 1,667 (which means I passed 684 people on the bike and run.)

It is hard to put into words the emotions I felt throughout the day. Perhaps it is because it was a day filled with nearly every emotion known. While someday I may replicate the feat of completing an Ironman race, I won't ever be able to replicate the feeling of crossing that finish line for the first time. It is a moment I will never forget.

My support team - Mom, Dad, Meyer, Julie, Lisa, Mary Beth and Kathy - was simply amazing. I couldn't ask for better family and friends.

What's next? I'm enjoying some much-needed rest, but will continue training for a marathon in November. After that, I'll re-evaluate my plans for next year but I know 2010 will have a few good racing challenges.

I'm looking forward to them!

Monday, September 14, 2009

I am...

I am...



Race report to come soon.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

A Few Thoughts

It is now 8:15pm the night before the race. In less than 11 hours, I'll be in the water and on my way.

My mind is a jumble of thoughts and emotions. I just had dinner with 4 of the members of Team Meloy - Meyer and some friends from college. Throughout this process of preparing for this race, I've been consistently reminded of the caring support I've got from so many special people in my life. My "team" will have just as long a day tomorrow as I do, yet they will selflessly not receive any of the glory of crossing the finish line. I'm humbled by their love and support.

I can do this. I know I can. I've done the training. I've worked on the nutrition. I've worked on the visualization and the mental toughness I will need to get through the hardest parts of the day.

Right now I cannot think of any goal that has been as important to me as this is. I'm not sure why that is. Perhaps it is because all my life things have come fairly easy to me. I've always worked hard, but I've never had to truly struggle to reach a goal. Training for tomorrow has taught me that there are some things for which I must struggle.

No one knows for sure what tomorrow has in store for me. I know, however, that I now have the strength and peace of mind to handle whatever comes my way.

In advance of tomorrow, I thank many people:
- My team of friends and family who will be out on the course to provide me with the external motivation to keep me going. They've come from as far away as California to be here, and I am so thankful for their presence, not just here at the race, but also in my life.
- My coach, Kevin. He has helped get my body and mind ready for this in a way no one else could.
- My massage therapist, Konrad. The weekly massages during the last part of my hard training not only relaxed my body, they put my mind much more at ease and kept me sane.
- My colleagues and friends who have shown interest in my training and racing for the past year. They've held me accountable which, in turn, made me a faster and better competitor.
- Meyer. He's been my rock for the past 11 years, and has had to take a back seat to my training and racing for the past year, without complaint. I'll never be able to thank him enough for everything he's done for me.

And now.....it's bedtime.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Thursday Recap

I seem to be updating in the morning, so I figure I'll just recap the previous day.

Woke up with a horrible stiffness in my neck. The beds and pillows at the hotel leave a lot to be desired. We got ready for the day, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed up State Street towards the capitol. We did a little tour of the capitol building since Meyer is a major political buff.

By the time we were done with the capitol, it was time to head to Monona Terrace (the center of all things Ironman) and check-in. The check-in process was incredible. I'm somewhat of an "event logistics geek" and I marvel at any event where every detail is thought through and well-planned. Ironman takes the cake.

Even though the check-in went smoothly, it still took about an hour, including a shopping trip to the Ironman store. Oh yes, I loaded up.

After a quick bite to eat for lunch, we retrieved my bike from the transport company. I was one of the first in line, so it went very quickly. We took Baby Blue back to the hotel, changed clothes and went for a little run. It was great to have Meyer run with me. We did a little of the run course, including one of the big hills that I'll have to do twice on Sunday. It wasn't as bad a people have made it out to be.

A relaxing rest of the afternoon (shopping for Badger t-shirts for Meyer) and dinner at the Brathaus (right next to our hotel) led to being in bed by 8:30.

A good day.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

We're There

Yesterday was the travel day. We flew out of Salisbury (which, in my opinion, is the greatest airport to fly out of. We arrived 40 minutes before our flight, parked about 75 feet from the terminal entrance, took about 3 minutes to check in, and spent about 10 minutes waiting to go through security. Normally, it would take only a minute to go through security, but a flight before us had been delayed so they had to go through first.)

After a layover in Philadelphia (terrible airport for food), we landed in Milwaukee late in the afternoon. We picked up the rental car and were on our way. A relatively quick stop at Mom and Dad's was made to drop off their Team Meloy t-shirts and to pick up some things I'd ordered and had shipped to them. And finally, we made it to Madison.

Driving into the city and reaching the campus created a certain giddiness in me. It felt like going home.

Our hotel is nothing special and actually leaves a lot to be desired, but the location is perfect. We're about 1/2 mile from the race site, and our second-floor room overlooks State Street, a pedestrian thoroughfare that is the main drag between the capitol building and the center of campus.

We made a quiet night of it, just taking a short stroll around some of the campus, since Meyer has never been to Madison. Of course, we hit Langdon Street (fraternity/sorority row), the Union (and the unusually quiet Union Terrace) and Bascom Hill (the site of many scenes in the Rodney Dangerfield movie "Back to School.")

Lots of good things planned for today!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Exactly 1 Week

Exactly one week from right now, the starting gun will go off. The current temperature in Madison is 46. Brrrrrr. The forecast also calls for scattered thunderstorms Wednesday through Saturday and a 40% chance of rain on Sunday.

C'mon Mother Nature. Throw us a bone.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

#100

This is my 100th post. I can't believe that I started this blog nearly a year ago, and I also can't believe that Ironman is only 8 days away.

This morning I was up at 5:00 to get a six-mile run in before going to see Meyer do a 5k race. I spent part of my run on the boardwalk and going along the beach. With the sun peeking over the horizon, the waves gently rolling in, and a slight breeze off the ocean, it couldn't have been a better morning to run.

At the 5k, for which Meyer shaved over 2 minutes off his previous race time, were a couple people who've done an Ironman and were giving me all sorts of wonderful encouragement. I love the running/tri community here.

I'm still in that nervous-scared-excited triangle, which I figure I'll be in right up until the starting gun, but it isn't affecting my training sessions so I'm going to just keep plugging along for the next week.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Separation Anxiety

Baby Blue is gone.

My bike, my friend, my companion for many solo rides over the past 9 months is now at a bike shop in Philadelphia awaiting transport to Madison.

I dropped her off this morning at the shop and was literally shaking when I handed her over to the bike tech there. Suddenly, the Ironman became very real. It's almost here.

Driving back home, I realized that the race has now become all-consuming. I can hardly think of anything else.

I already miss Baby Blue. I hope she has a good trip. Would it be too much for me to sleep with her pedals under my pillow?

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Last Long Ride

The alarm was about to go off yesterday morning, but I nabbed it with 2 minutes to spare so Meyer wouldn't wake up. It was, after all, 4:00am.

I was out the door and on the road (driving) to Newark in the dark. With my last long ride, I needed to get a few hills in, so I'd mapped out a 34-mile loop that included some rolling hills, long steady inclines, and some flats.

I was on the bike by 6:40. What an awesome ride! While it rained lightly during the first part of the first time I did the loop, it was cool and calm. I was lucky in that the park where I'd parked the car has a porta-john, so after 34 miles I was able to have a pit stop. I reloaded my bars, gels, and bottles and headed out again. And when I finished the second loop, I did it all again.

Upon finishing the third loop - and 102 miles - I loaded up my bike...and put on my running shoes and took off for a 30-minute run. The legs were a little wobbly at first but I soon hit my stride...and the the University of Delaware campus. I had no idea it was move-in day. Cars, families, and freshman students were everywhere. What a zoo! Luckily my run was pretty short and I was able to get out of there quickly.

I'm feeling really good about this last big one. I kept a pretty constant pace - averaged 17.2 mph on all three loops and also averaged an intake of about 270 calories per hour on the bike. I still feel like I'm starting a bit too fast on the run, but that's something I'll just have to watch at the race.

And now I can say I am officially tapering!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Rockin' It

I'm in the final push week of training, and this one's a doozy!

But the past couple days I'm feeling like I'm really rockin'. Yesterday, I didn't have time for an open-water swim, but I snuck 40 minutes in the pool mid-day. And it felt good! Then last night after work I pounded out a good 50 miles. My average speed was 17.8 mph but it would've been higher (at least 18) if I hadn't been riding the last hour in the dark! My headlight seems to function more for others to see me rather than for me to see what's in front of me. So I relied on the headlights from cars on Route 9 and Plantations Road and finished fine.

Tonight after work I hit the trail for my last long run before the race. (Wow, what an eye opener to know this is the last big one.) I nailed 15 miles in just over 2 hours. I was supposed to go for 130 minutes, but I had to cut it short by 7 minutes because once again the sun went down and I couldn't see where I was going.

Note to self: Do your workouts earlier!

Towards the beginning of tonight's run, I passed by my coach and a friend who were doing the regular Wednesday night speed workout. I told him that I was feeling great and that everything is really starting to come together. He seemed pleased.

I am too!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

What's Best for the Body

The alarm went off at 4:20 this morning. Oh my, is that early!

I made the quick decision, however, that since my head cold was still lingering a bit, my body would benefit more from a couple extra hours of sleep than from two hours on the bike and 30 minutes running. At this point, being healthy is my number-one concern.

And those two extra hours were glorious!

I also had my weekly massage today. Yay! Konrad knows exactly what to work on, and today it was my quads. I pounded out 13.5 miles on the trail Tuesday night and today's massage took care of the soreness that I was still feeling.

I've got a swim session this afternoon, a day off tomorrow, and then a pretty tough weekend.

And I'm honestly looking forward to it!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Back in the Saddle Again

literally!

Saturday I found that the best way to beat a cold is to get on your bike and ride. Which I did...for just over five hours. I loaded up the bike with my Power Bars and Clif Bars, my Gu's, and three water bottles and set out to Route 9, where I headed south to Laurel, DE. I went a little further and decided it would be a good time to turn around and head back home. I made it home just in time for a quick bathroom break, a reload of Power Bars and water bottles, and headed out again down Route 1 to the Indian River Marina and back. A total of 88 miles and 1,200 calories ingested brought me back home.

And then I put on my running shoes and went out for a 20-minute run. My legs actually felt pretty good on the run. I only got a couple miles done, but that's really all I needed to do.

I'm back!

And today I rode a 60-minute recovery ride - quick and easy. I'm looking forward to tonight's long swim and the rest of the week.

Just 27 more days!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Oh, Crap!

A lot of my focus lately has been getting in my training while keeping my body healthy for quick recovery. Well, this week I got slammed with a pretty bad head cold, which is now moving to my chest. I've already missed 6 training sessions this week - at a time when I really can't afford to be missing any!

Ironman is only 30 days away. The next 48 hours for me is going to be nothing but making sure my body is better and able to handle the stress of the next couple weeks.

It's so close, I can taste it!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Awesome Weekend

My coach has been working with me on visualization - most importantly, picturing a fantastic workout in my mind when conditions get bad. Keeping things positive when it would be easy to let them get negative. I've had a few workouts to keep in mind, but this weekend took the cake!

Friday evening I cranked out a good 60 miles on the bike. I rode to Ocean City and back, and then to the Indian River bridge and back. Headwinds were at a minimum and my cadence was good. I hit my nutrition (about 900 calories in 3.5 hours) and I got off the bike feeling great.

Saturday morning, I decided to alter the morning workout(which was to be a 55-minute aerobic run) and did the Dam Mill 5k race instead. Of course, I added mileage before and after the race to get in my time. The good thing is I won my age group in 19:47 (5 seconds off my PR) and held my place in the top 5 for the Seashore Strider summer series. Some friends also did very well - Doris won her age group, Mary Beth and Mary Ann took 2nd and 3rd respectively in their age group, and Erik hit sub-20 for the first time this year.

Saturday afternoon was an ocean swim session with my coach and another guy he is training. It was one of my better ocean swims, although I know I still have a way to go before I'm ready.

Sunday morning, I got up early to beat the heat. I had a good 50-mile ride, with some hard headwinds on the first 25, which made for a great 21-22 mph pace on the second 25. I nailed my nutrition again with about 825 calories in 3 hours. Immediately after getting off the bike, I did a 4-mile trail run and paced sub 7:30s.

By mid-afternoon I was napping, and missed my Sunday afternoon ocean swim, but I obviously needed the rest, so all is good.

Even after all of that, I'm still feeling really good today. After work I'm getting out for a 100-min. run, which will probably be about 12 or 13 miles. This week really begins the hard push - 2 sessions each day until my next day off, which is Sunday.

Only 34 days left!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Yagaddawannit

If you don't get the title, you need to say it out loud, really fast.

I'm in the beginnings of the final push. And I'm starting to realize just how much I want this. I also realized that I simply had a bad July. The physical issues, the mental issues....that's all behind me. I've got just over 5 weeks left, and I'm ready to give it my all.

My run this morning was good. It was a short one - just a 4-mile recovery run - but I still had no trouble getting up before the sun to do it. While I was running and thinking about the drive one needs to complete an Ironman, I though of this video. It's a little disturbing, but every time I watch it, it reminds me of what people will put themselves through to reach a goal. This is certainly NOT how I want to finish (especially for my mother's sake) but I'm going to finish this Ironman, even if I have to crawl across the finish line.

Monday, August 3, 2009

One of Those Days

While I was hoping to hit 19:30 at the Run for JJ 5k yesterday, I couldn't shake the sluggishness I felt throughout my body. I finished in 20:12 - my worst time of the summer, but still faster than anything I'd done prior to this year. Everyone else must have been feeling sluggish too, since 20:12 was still good enough for 2nd place in my age group.

Guess it was just one of those days.

My coach surprised me with a day off today, followed by two more recovery days (although some people wouldn't call 3 workouts in 2 days no matter how easy they were "recovery.") I think he understood that my body just needs a little extra rest before we really ramp it up over the next few weeks.

And, somewhat surprising to me, I'm looking forward to the next few weeks!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Mental Blecchhies

This week I had a case of the mental blecchhies (see a few posts ago for the physical blecchhies). My body is working fine, but getting myself motivated, especially on the days with two training sessions, was a bitch. Knowing that I've only got about 6 weeks left and can't derail myself now, I asked a three friends who have about 8 Ironman finishes between them if they ever felt this way and what they did.

Thank goodness for friends! All three of them experienced the same thing, and all three got through it by telling themselves that it is ok to miss a workout every now and then. It is ok to substitute a chicken breast and Endurox with chocolate chip cookies and a mojito for a recovery meal.

So one night this week, after a pretty decent swim I walked to the nearest convenience store and went home with a pint of Ben & Jerry's. I don't even remember the flavor, but it was sooooo good. I, of course, ate the entire thing that night - all 1,000 calories of it.

Now it's the weekend and I'm feeling pretty good. The only thing on my training schedule was a recovery run, which I did with Meyer this morning. Tomorrow is another 5k race, and I'll be shooting for 19:30. Back in May my coach said he thought I'd be at 19:30 by the end of the summer. I laughed. Now that possibility isn't that far off. We'll see tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Even When I Don't Want To

When the alarm went off at 5:00 this morning, I wanted to turn it off and sleep for another hour or two. When I hit the trail for my warm-up, I wanted to turn around and run home. After the first and second and third mile repeat, with the air much heavier than it has been lately, I wanted to stop and cut the workout short.

But I realized that that would do me no good. I need to be 100% committed to preparing my body - and mind - to respectably finish this race.

It would be easy for me to go home after work tonight and relax, but the training plan calls for an "optional open water swim." For me now, it is no longer an option.

I have to continue reminding myself that I will do this. And this is probably a good time to once again (for the 3rd time) post this video.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Ready?

Today someone asked me if I was ready for the Ironman.

My answer was "no."

And I feel that at this point - eight weeks out - it should be no. If I was ready now, I'm not sure what I would do for the next eight weeks. How difficult it would be to maintain a race-ready peak for that long. I don't want to be able to answer "yes" to that question until the morning of September 13.

Now, if I'd been asked if I feel like I'm where I should be, I'd have to also answer "no." My cycling is there - exactly where it should be. My running is coming along and should be at the right place in the next couple of weeks. But my swimming is still lagging behind. I'm in the pool at least 2 days (hopefully 3) and in open water 2 days this week. I'm hoping that I'll inch closer and closer to where I need to be so that by September 13 I'll be there.

And because of the swimming issue, my mind isn't quite where it should be. I think July has just been a tough month mentally. I've been in kind of a holding pattern with the training in my pre-push phase. It is kind of like my base-building phase from last January/February, but not as exciting because, unlike last January when everything was new and exciting, it been kind of the same ol' thing. I'm hoping with the final push phase and the increase in training volume and intensity, my mind will be able to focus more.

I'm hoping.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Case of the Blecchhies

This weekend I got a case of the blecchhies. Yeah, it's pronounced like it looks. It isn't good.

I went to my coach's open water swim camp yesterday morning. We started out at the Glade pool - a surprisingly nice "community" pool, with lap lanes and all. We went through a lot of drills that Kevin and I had already gone through. We got our swim stroke videtaped. And mine showed that my body position still sucks.

After the first session, we all planned to meet at the Beach Patrol Station on the beach at 2:00 for the second part of the camp.

That gave me time to go join Meyer at Seaside Jewish Community Center, where we were sponsoring the Kiddush. I'm not sure if I had a reaction to the food or what, but around 1:00 I felt like crap - upset stomach, tired, achy...the works.

So no second part of camp for me. Kevin and I agreed to meet this morning at 7:30 for a little one-on-one session before the next group session. But I woke up feeling just as bad as I did yesterday.

Ugh!

I NEED to get time in the water, especially the open water. I'm frustrated as hell and I'm starting to really worry about the swim. 2.4 miles is so long for me.

I just have to keep plugging away at it.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Things I Thought (or Yelled) During Yesterday's Workout

During longer training sessions (like yesterday's 3 hours on the bike followed by 30 minutes running), one's mind can easily wander. I know it shouldn't and I should stay focused, but mine ocassionally does. Here's a sampling of things I thought (or yelled) during yesterday's workout.

That woman with the baby carrier on the back of her bike just called me "biker pro." How cool is that?

Uh oh. The way I'm going is going to give me a lot more head wind. I should've gone the other way.

Route 1 between Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach isn't all that long. It's just a straight shot with nothing to look at. So it seems eternal.

What do you call a head wind that is also a side wind?

I've got to get different cycling shorts.

Why is this Gu flavor called Orange Burst? Gu doesn't burst. It only Goozes.

Frickin' wind.

What the f---? What was that that just hit me? A soda bottle? That asshole in the car speeding away just hurled a bottle at me. If I could catch up with you I'd beat the crap out of you! Moron!

I hate head winds.

Just keep your cadence up. You'll persevere against the wind.

Stupid moron.

Do I smell pickles?

Frickin' wind.

Hello, town of Millsboro. You smell like chicken poop.

If I eat one more chocolate mint Clif bar I'm going to puke.

Average trip speed at the Route 1 to Route 26 point = 17.5 mph
Average trip speed at the Route 26/Iron Branch Rd to Route 24 point = 17.2 mph
Average trip speed at the Route 24 to Plantation Rd point = 17.9 mph
Conclusion? Route 26 sucks

OK, I'm off the bike. Now go, legs, go!

What? I'm pacing at 7:24 per mile? After riding nearly 50 miles? Ridiculous!

Awesome, awesome (except for the dickhead with the soda bottle) workout.

I'm spent.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Back on Track

Great bike session tonight. I went to work early so I could leave work a little early (with a clear conscience) so I could be on the bike by 4:00. I'd mapped out a 2-loop route so I could make a halfway-there pit stop, loaded up my bars, bottles, and Gu's, and hit the road.

I really felt good on this one. I had some longer periods of headwinds, but I kept my cadence up in the 87-92 rpm range. I did a total of 4 hours, although about 20 minutes was spent stopped at traffic lights and in making a quick - and much needed - pit stop at home. Total distance: 65 miles; average speed: 17.7 mph.

Tomorrow is an off day, although I'm thinking that if I feel good, I might get in the pool for a while to loosen up the muscles. Thursday should be another long one.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Lows and Highs

Wow, I just realized how long it has been since I last updated the blog. Then I realized how many ups and downs I've experienced since my last post.

Shortly the July 4th holiday I began hitting a mental wall. My training was ok - not great, but ok - but my mind just wasn't in it. I think I was questioning all of the time and effort and if it will really be worth it. At this point, if I'm not working or sleeping, I'm training, and I've had to put just about everything else on the back burner. I'd signed up for the Dave Reynold's Biathlon, picked up my race packet the day before, and then just couldn't do it. I was in bed when the starting gun went off.

In not doing the biathlon, I was able to have two days off of training in a row - something I hadn't had in a while. I guess it was good for me, because the training for me since then has been better. Last Wednesday I got in a good speed workout - hitting 2:50's for six half-mile repeats. And last Friday I had a pretty good speed workout on the bike with my coach. We did nine 1.2-mile repeats and really pushed it.

The speed work must have helped me in last Saturday's Seashore Strider 5k race. I took second in my age group and had a PR of 19:48. I felt good enough to run the route again as a cool down, and then add another mile by running home.

Yesterday I got in a good 3-hour ride. Only in southern Delaware have I been able to do an out-and-back ride and experience headwinds both ways. I was wiped out, though, for the remainder of the day and napped most of the afternoon.

I already got my 60-minute run in today and will be swimming this afternoon. This is going to be a tough week of training but it will get me ready for my "push" phase over the next month.

Only 62 days to go!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

I Won! (sorta...kinda)

This morning was the annual Jungle Jim's 5k Splash at Jungle Jim's Waterpark. It's a popular race because the water park opens for the runners after the race, so there's a lot of water sliding and lazy rivering.

I started out way too fast and had a 6:06 first mile, so I slowed it down a bit, knowing that I wouldn't be able to maintain that kind of pace. I gave it my all and ended up with a 19:55 finish - just 3 seconds off my PR from last Sunday.

When they posted the results, I found that I was 13th overall, and even though I had the second fastest time in my age group, the guy who was first received the Masters champion award which bumped me up to first. So I won....kinda.....sorta.

After lots of stretching I felt pretty good. And after a shower, an omelette, hash browns, bacon, and toast, I'm feeling much better!

I'm going to nap and prepare for a big training day tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Damn Kids

Tonight was the regular Wednesday Night Intervals. The workout? 10-14 400's with 2 minutes passive recovery between each.

I was joined by regulars Liz and Doris...and three newcomers - all Rehoboth Beach lifeguards with an average age of about 20.

I started out ok, and stayed within 2 seconds of the youngin's, but during the 7th 400 I had difficulty breathing and got very light-headed when we stopped. I was out. It felt awful to see the others finishing the workout, while I stretched and cooled down, but my health is more important than finishing a workout at this point.

But then my coach told me that I ran those seven 400's about 10-12 seconds faster than the last time. Guess the kids helped push me faster.

Still....damn kids!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Morning Run

I woke up before the alarm this morning - a clear and not-yet-sunny 5:15am.

It was a perfect morning to run, and by the time I hit the boardwalk the sun was coming up. As I made my way toward North Shores, my right knee started hurting again - just like it did during Eagleman. I decided to be safe and walk/jogged it and eventually decided to cut the run down to 45 minutes instead my intended 90.

But the walking part gave me time to enjoy the scenery and I noticed small bungalows and gardens on the north side of town that I hadn't seen before. And it confirmed my notion that moving to Rehoboth Beach was the best idea Meyer and I have ever had.

So this morning's training didn't go so well. I move past it, and know that tonight's swim will be better.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

12 Weeks

Lately it seems like I've only been posting after races, and I guess today is no different.

Last week I felt pretty good after Eagleman. My training was a little sluggish, though, until Saturday when I went running with Meyer. Yes, Meyer. After seeing Eagleman, Meyer decided to start running, so Friday night we went to the Rehoboth Beach Running Company to get him shoes and Saturday morning we went for a run. I was supposed to do a 10 minute warm-up, 5-mile test set, and 10-minute cool-down. My Garmin's batteries were low, so I wasn't going to be able to do the test set and record my mile splits or heart rate, so I decided to do the warm-up with Meyer (who did very well and went 2 miles) and the stepped it up for the next 5 (in the rain) and then the cool down (also in the rain.)

Today I ran the Father's Day 5k. I was feeling a little tight (not enough stretching after yesterday's run) but surprised myself. I held a great pace and ended up with a Personal Record, going under 20 minutes for the first time. 19:53 was good enough for 3rd place in my age group (the trophy is on my desk) and 18th overall (out of I'm guessing about 270).

I wrote a couple emails tonight to start assembling my moral support team for Ironman which is only - holy s#%@ - 12 weeks away!

Time to get crackin'!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Eagleman 70.3

PRE-RACE
All of the usual pre-race “administrative” stuff – packet pick-up, bike racking, scouting the course and transition entrances/exits, etc. was taken care of Saturday which made things much easier for Sunday morning. Meyer and I got to the race site around 5:30, and I got my transition area set up. I went for a short jog to wake up, warm-up, and clear my head. The clearing the head part didn’t work because it was then that my jitters started getting the best of me. My stomach was telling me it didn’t want to race.

SWIM
We had an in-water start, which I much prefer to a beach start. The pros went off at 6:40, followed by the 55+ men, 50+ women, and paratriathletes at 6:45. My wave was next at 7:00. My friend Russ was in the same wave, and just before we went into the water, I saw another old friend whom I hadn’t seen in about 5 years. There were about 200 or so men in my wave and I positioned myself so that I wouldn’t get caught up in the flailing arms and legs chaos that always goes on. But within the first 100 feet my stomach started screaming at me and I almost tossed it right in the water. Instead, I got psyched out and nearly hyperventilated. The only way to catch my breath was to roll over onto my back and backstroke. I never regained my composure in the water and spent nearly the entire 1.2 miles of the swim on my back. I slogged through it and finally reached T1.

BIKE
The bike started out completely opposite the swim. The sky was overcast and there was almost no wind, which made for a very good pace. Meyer and I had driven the course the day before so I knew what to expect. My only problem was that my stomach was still acting up and could only tolerate one bar and two gels during the entire 56 miles of cycling. I started passing a few of those people who’d passed me in the water, so I felt pretty good about that. I also started to learn to hate the “whooomp, whooomp, whooomp” sound of disc wheels coming from behind and passing me. (When I mentioned this to my friend Rick after the race, he said, “Yeah, but isn’t it great when you pass them?” Ummmmm yeah, Rick. Like that really happened to me.) About halfway through the bike, the wind decided to pick up and my speed dropped, but luckily so did everyone else’s. Right around mile 40 both of my knees and my right ankle began to hurt. With only 16 miles left, I figured I would just have to “get through it.” Which I did, finishing the bike in a respectable 3 hours (give or take a few minutes.)

RUN
The skies had cleared up and the sun was shining, so it was going to be a hot run. I started out fine, but the right knee pain flared up again – right away. So most of the run was done as a jog/walk – jog until the knees hurts too much, then walk until it doesn’t. It made for a much longer run time than I had planned on, but it was the best way to finish without causing serious damage. The run course was an out-and-back, so I was able to catch Rick, Patrick, and Russ on the way out and Jesse, Amy and Mary Beth on the way back. Somehow I missed Liz, Erik, and Tara. The highlight of the run was the front yard party (obviously the 20 or so spectators there had been partying since the race began) at mile 2 and 11. They had a big slip-n-slide that they were trying to get racer to do. And a few did, much to the drunken delight of the partiers. I passed on it, fearing that once I did it, I wouldn’t want to get back up. I kept up my jog/walk to the final turn and could hear the cheers of Meyer and all the other Tri-Delaware folks who’d finished before me. Crossing the finish line was a great feeling, even though I hadn’t finished in the time I’d wanted.

POST-RACE
My stomach slowly returned back to normal, and I was able to down some food. Surprisingly, the part of me that hurt the most was my sunburned skin (since my sunscreen was all either in the Choptank River or on the inside of my wetsuit and I didn’t take the time to reapply). After cheering in the remaining Tri-Delaware members, I collected my things from the transition area and we made the long drive home, which actually seemed pretty short for me since I slept most of the way.

This morning I woke up expecting to be sore and barely able to move. Much to my surprise, I wasn’t nearly as sore as I thought I’d be. Granted, I do feel a bit beat up, but not as much as I did the day after last November’s marathon. This time I can actually go down stairs facing forward!

Next up……Ironman!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Getting Ready

I just finished packing my stuff for Eagleman. I'm ready.

This week has been a little weird. After a couple great training sessions last weekend, I must not have stretched enough. I woke up Monday morning a little stiff in the neck and shoulders (4 hours in the aero position on the bike will do that to you.) And at work that morning, I turned my head to sneeze and felt a sudden sharp pain in my left trapezius. For three days I worked on it - ibuprofin, massage, sports cream, heating pad - and after having the tightness move up the neck, I finally was back to normal on Thursday. 30 minutes in the pool made me feel more comfortable.

Now I'm all set. Meyer and I leave for Cambridge tomorrow morning for all of the pre-race things: packet pick-up, pre-race meeting, bike racking, driving the course, hotel check-in, and dinner with the Rehoboth triathlon gang.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Two-Week Recap

I haven't posted in two weeks so here's the down and dirty:

After the Masser 5-Miler I had a rather sluggish week. I'm not sure if it was lack of sleep or what, but I woke up feeling "not right" and that continued through the day...for several days.

Then Meyer and I headed to Miami for the World Spinning and Sports Conference - three days of sessions and rides with Spinning Master Instructors and other instructors from around the world. I was able to get a few good rides in, but there was no lap pool available and running didn't happen either.

This past week has been better. I've been doing my swimming and this weekend I had a great ride - to Seaford and back totaling 70 miles in 4 hours - and a great run this morning: 13 miles with Bruce, a fellow runner, at about an 8:20 pace. I had a little bit of knee trouble towards the end, but quickly walked it off and I feel fine now.

Now there's one week left until Eagleman. The weather forecast for race day has changed from 70s and scattered thunderstorms to partly cloudy and low 80s so who knows what it is going to be like next Sunday.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Masser 5-Miler

Another Sunday in Rehoboth = another race.

Yesterday was the annual Masser 5-Miler, one of the more popular races in the Seashore Striders series because in order to complete the series, you have to run one of the two 5-mile races (in addition to running a number of their 5k's). Since the other 5-miler is always the last weekend in July - one of the hottest of the year - a lot of people do the Masser.

I felt ok before the race, although it seemed like the air was a little heavy. When everyone lined up to start I placed myself in the middle of the pack which was a mistake. When the gun went off I spent the first 1/8 of a mile or so trying to get around runners in front of me. I finally got free and settled into a pace, which was - as usual - too fast. My first mile was 6:35. I would have loved to keep that pace for the entire race, but my legs just wouldn't go. I kept it steady and finished in 34 minutes, 30 seconds - good enough for 33rd place overall (our of 224 runners) and 10th in my age group. And for the second week in a row, I achieved a personal best - beating my 5-miler time from last year by nearly 3 minutes.

Now the training push continues for Eagleman on June 14. No races between now and then, so all of my energy will be focused on that.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sometimes Stupidity Pays Off

Today was the running of the Delaware Half-Marathon, and I was all set to compete in it until last Thursday. That's when I realized that I hadn't registered for it. I looked online and saw that the race was full and registration was closed. Ugh!

I figured I could just go out and run 13 miles at race pace, but after talking with my coach, I decided to run a 5k race, with a 1-mile warm up and 3-mile cool down as my Sunday workout.

So this morning, in a steady drizzle, I joined about 100 other runners and walkers in the first Diamondback Dash to help raise money and awareness to help protect the Diamondback Terrapin, which lives in the area and around this time of year tries to cross the very busy Route 1 to lay eggs.

I positioned myself right at the front for the start and after about the first quarter mile, I was surprised to find myself in 3rd place. I went out a little too fast on the first mile (6 minutes, 19 seconds) and as I slowed down a bit, a couple other runners caught me. I held my place through the rest of the race, covering each of the 2nd and 3rd miles in 6 minutes, 40 seconds. I poured it on at the end and finished with a time of 20:12 - 6th place overall and 3rd in my age group.

This is the first time I've placed in the top 3 in my age group and is a personal best time for me for a 5k (at least since high school, but who remembers back that far?).

My coach noted in my training program that the next 12 days are going to be very tough and I need to get all the sleep I can get. I think I'll start now with a well-earned nap.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Pool Time

I got in the pool twice so far this week...which is more than any week of the past month or so.

My coach had been wanting to do another session with me in the pool, so we scheduled it for this afternoon. I got in for 30 minutes or so yesterday just to make sure I wouldn't completely embarrass myself today.

Much to my surprise, my form has improved since our last session two months ago. How'd that happen? Honestly, I don't think I've been in the water enough to make any improvements, but it felt better and Kevin said it looked better too.

He gave me more drills to do and stressed the importance of hitting the pool as often as possible, stetching, and reducing tension in my shoulders and my neck. Guess it's time to start getting regular massages again. Yipee!

So I'll be in the pool again tomorrow, along with doing a 90-minute bike ride and teaching a cardio/core circuit class at the Y. Looks like it'll be another full day!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Chugging Along

Once again, I've let a couple weeks go by without a post.

Last week I was in Orlando for a YMCA conference. The conference was great, but the lap pool at the hotel was always crowded and the temperatures were in the mid 90's so it was difficult to get any kind of training in.

Sunday I went for a 3 1/2-hour bike ride (60 miles) followed by a 40-minute run (only got in about 4 miles). I did a simple out-and-back for the ride. I had a headwind on the first 30 miles so I only averaged about 15.4 mph. On the way back, I averaged over 20 mph. It felt really good, although I had to take a nap afterwards.

Tonight, being Wednesday, was another speed work night. The workout was 8 half-mile repeats, with 2 minutes recovery between each. The idea is do the first one at a moderate pace and decrease the time on each one, with the last one being the fastest. I did well, and my 6th was actually my fastest - 2 minutes, 54 seconds.

My left calf has been a little tight, even with lots of stretching, but we'll just see how that goes.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Picture from Nationals


I know it's a huge racket, since the photographers charge a ridiculous amount for each photo, but I bought it anyway.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Wednesday Night Intervals

It's Wednesday, and that means it's time for running intervals.

Tonight's workout was 1/4-mile repeats with 90 seconds recovery in between each. We did a total of 10. Tonight it was just the women (4 of them) and I. My best time was on the 8th one - 1 minute, 20 seconds. I wanted to beat it on the 9th and/or 10th, but my heart rate skyrocketed and I couldn't get my breathing down, so I ended with a 1:27 and a 1:24.

Overall, it was a good session. And I followed it up with a long soak in the tub. Amen!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Morning Ride

What a beautiful morning!

I was up and on the bike by 5:30 this morning. It was a comfortable 64 degrees, although by the time I finished going to Ocean City and back (40 miles) it was already 73!

I rode at a steady pace and kept my cadence around 85-90. 250 calories from a Clif Bar and two water bottles later, I arrived home with my legs feeling good and my glutes feeling not as good.

All in all, a good ride on a beautiful morning.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Duathlon Times

The times got posted:

My 10k run was 46:04, or 7:25 per mile
My first transition was :45
My 38k bike was 1:20:31, or 17.6 mph
My second transition was :52
My 5k run was (and see below for an explanation of why this number is so bad) 29:49, or 9:36 per mile.
Total time: 2:38:01

Sunday, April 26, 2009

USAT Dualthon National Championships Race Report

Race Report:

(Race results and times haven't been posted yet. I have a rough idea of my times, but I'm not going to put them here until I see the official times.)

FRIDAY
The plan was to drive into DC Friday night and stay at my friend Tracy's house so the drive down to Richmond wouldn't be too long on Saturday. I failed to plan, however, for all the last-minute things I needed to do (including installing the new computer, practicing transitions, etc.) so time got away Friday night and I decided to get up early Saturday morning and drive the entire distance.

SATURDAY
The alarm went off at 4:30 Saturday morning and I was in the car and on my way by 5:00. An uneventful and relatively quick drive got me to Richmond around 9:30. I got an early check-in to my hotel and unpacked my stuff. When I took my bike off my car I realized that somewhere between Rehoboth Beach and Richmond was an aero-bar pad (those pads where you rest your forearms when in the aero position). The glue holding the velcro attachment had come completely unglued.

So I found the nearest bike shop, bought a couple new pads (even better than the ones I had been using) and spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon scoping out the transition area and parts of the route close to the transition area. I also got to see part of the Off-Road Championship race. Then I hopped in the car to drive the bike route. I'd heard it was hilly, but when driving it, it didn't seem nearly as bad as the Brandywine Valley Duathlon.

Saturday afternoon and evening were spent doing absolutely nothing in my hotel room. The temperature outside was in the 90s, so staying out of the heat and sun was the best thing to do. Plus I had to do my pre-race evening ritual of trimming the hair on my legs. (The real reason cyclists shave their legs is not for speed but for safety. If you were to crash, the hair on your legs would catch the pavement and rip your skin open much worse than with smooth legs. The risk of infection is also greater with hairy legs.) So I ordered room service, watched "Legally Blonde," and clipped my leg hair. And it occured to me that this was probably one of the gayer moments of my life.

SUNDAY
I was up before the 6:00 alarm to get ready for my wave start time. (The first wave of 60+ year-old men went at 7:30). Everything pre-race went according to plan and I was ready for my 9:30 gun.

10k
I went out way too fast on the first mile - a 6:31 - and slowed it down over the next couple miles. It was already getting hot and nearly the entire 10k was without shade. I was amazed at the caliber of runners. I picked one guy with an Ironman tattoo on his leg (meaning he's completed at least one Ironman race) and paced with him. But then I got a little burst of energy and left him behind. (felt good about that!) A lot of the men in my age group were ahead of me, but I noticed that a good number were behind me as well, and I had to remind myself to not worry about anyone else and just run my own race. I ran into the transition area feeling pretty good.

T1
My transition practice really helped (Thank you, Kevin!). I already had my gloves on and my hat off before I entered transition. I threw the hat down, threw my helmet on, whipped off my shoes, and ran through the transition area with my bike - my cycling shoes already being clipped onto the pedals. I mounted fine, and got my feet on top of my shoes right away, just like I practiced. But when I turned the corner and went to put my feet in the shoes, one of them came off (the shoes, not my feet.) So I had to stop, put the shoe on, remount, and regain my momentum.

38k Bike
Once I got past the shoe debacle I was alright. The bike course was 3 loops of about 7-8 miles each. Like I'd discovered in the car on Saturday, the hills really weren't that bad. There was one part of "rolling" hills but that was it. (Going down and up rolling hills makes your mind go, "This is awesome.....oh, shit.....this is awesome.....oh, shit....") We got to pass the main group of cheering spectators 6 times on the bike so that encouragement helped a lot. I was also much more conscious of my nutrition on the bike than I was the last race. I was able to down a Gu (although I should have done 2) and I finished nearly 2 bottles - one with water and one with Accelerade. My new bike computer has 2 features that I haven't had before. The first, cadence, definitely helped. I tried to keep my cadence up around 85-90. That didn't always happen, but I was there most of the time. Second, the computer also has a thermometer. When I started the bike leg, it was 86 degrees. By the time I finished, it was 93. Yikes!

T2
I was determined to not let a wardrobe malfuction hurt my second transition. I loosened the shoe straps early enough, coasted to the dismount line as I swung my leg over, and dismounted flawlessly (just like Mary Lou Retton) as I broke into a run with the bike toward the transition area. What made me feel really good was that I blew past a guy who'd reached the dismount line about 5 seconds before me, and I had my running shoes on and was headed toward the run exit by the time he was entering the transition area.

5k
I started out with those jelly legs most everyone gets after riding a bike, and after about a quarter mile my quadracep cramped - big time. I had to stop and walk, and then stop completely and stretch and rub it out. I walked about another quarter mile and decided I needed to start running again. But I couldn't. I simply couldn't make my legs go. I could do a little "jogging shuffle" but that was about it. The leg was still cramping a bit so the rest of the run was a walk/jog for me. It sucked. No, it really sucked. Making matters worse was the wave of 18-29 year-olds that had just started their 10k blowing by me as our routes shared part of the same streets. Damn kids. I finally got about a quarter mile away from the finish and decided I just needed to kick it in - and leave it all on the course. I reached the finish chute and that's when my leg decided to cramp up even worse than before. The rest of the way to the finish line was pretty agonizing, but I made it across and to the medical tent, where a very nice lady taped an ice-pack around my leg and told me I was awesome. She made my day.

Aftermath
I stuck around for a while, talked with some other racers, drank more Gatorade - now up to well over 100 ounces of fluids for the day - then finally grabbed my bike and things for the long drive home. It wasn't until I was about halfway home and thinking about my performance today - I was reasonably satisfied up until the 5k, but realized that shit happens - that I thought about how I did compared to other racers. Complete results haven't been posted yet, but I know I didn't do very well. But then it occured to me that I had just competed against some of the top duathletes in the country. This was the National Championships!

I'm definitely going back next year. I want to conquer that 5k, and I so need a re-do with that cycling shoe.

Now showered and sipping an ice-cold beer, I'm one happy, satisfied duathlete.

Yeah, I'm a duathlete.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

MIA?

Lately I've been missing in action. Or more like, missing from action.

A couple weeks ago I had my awesome running interval workout with the group, followed by an tough bike interval one-on-one with my coach. We also worked on my transitions which will save me some time during races.

But for the past week I've been battling a cold - seems to happen every time there are major changes in the weather. I haven't been running, biking or swimming at all, and it's making me very nervous about this weekend's race. While this isn't one of my A priority races, it is still a big one, with competitors from all over the country - 134 men in my age group alone!

I think I'm finally getting over the cold and may attempt to do the group intervals tonight, but I don't want to overtax my body just as I'm on the mend. I want to be 100% by the weekend.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Intervals

Awesome interval workout tonight.

My coach sets up a workout every Wednesday night and anyone can participate. Tonight's session was 4 x 1 mile repeats with 3 minutes recovery. The idea is to increase the speed on each mile.

For the first mile I had Heather, who just came off a great Cherry Blossom 10 Miler race on Sunday, to pace with and we did a 6:49. I ran with Heather for the first half of the second mile but increased the speed to finish with a 6:27. The third mile I focused on keeping Jesse, a tough runner, in my sights. It helped me turn in a 6:23. For the fourth mile I decided to really kick it in and ended up with a 6:07.

My coach is confident I'll hit the teens for 5k's this summer. I hope he's right.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Video Time!

Time for a re-post to keep my mind in the game. I chose the name of this blog specifically because of this video.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Brandywine Valley Duathlon


The alarm was supposed to go off at 5:30 this morning, but I was up and wide awake before that. Pre-race preparations went well. I had no trouble finding Hibernia County Park in the middle of nowhere, PA and had about 45 minutes to get my transition area set up and get warmed up.

I was in the second of three waves, mine being "men 40 and over." I started out a little faster than I wanted to but quickly settled into a good pace. The run was in the park, which meant plenty of tress to block wind. It also meant half of the run was gravelly and I really had to watch my footing. I also found out what it's like to run hills. It's so flat in Rehoboth Beach and I'd forgotten that hills can kick you butt.

I finished the run, averaging 7:15 per mile - definitely not my best 5k, but decent for my first duathlon, for which I wasn't sure how fast to go for the first 5k.

Transition 1 went alright - 55 seconds - which helped me pick up a few seconds over a number of other participants.

The bike started out ok, but soon the hills were once again kicking my butt. The bike was outside of the park, which meant no break from the wind. The was one long stretch of slight incline and lots of headwind. I was so not ready for the hills. A GU at mile 10 gave me a bit of extra energy (I really need to work on my on-bike nutrition) and I made it back to the transition area averaging 15.5 mph. Somewhat disappointed with that, but again, I'm not used to the hills.

Another relatively good transition - 55 seconds again - had me back out on the run course. This run, while somewhat slower than the first, felt better. I started picking up several places. If I counted right, I moved up 8 places during the second 5k. I crossed the finish, averaging 7:54 per mile for the second 5k.

Final time: 1:39:58 - good enough for 88th place (out of 247) and 18th (out of 30) in my age group.

I've got a lot to work on before the next race, but overall I'm feeling alright about today's race.

Onward!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

C'mon, Mother Nature!

I'm ready for the Brandywine Valley Duathlon tomorrow. I had a really good week running and cycling and my head is in a good place, except...

The weather forecast is for 39 degrees and mild winds at 8:00am, when the race begins. I wouldn't be concerned if it was 29 degrees or 49 degrees. Those temps I can easily plan for. But 39? That's a "take leg warmers/extra jersey/jacket because you might need them, but maybe not" kind of weather.

I've packed a lot of extra things because of the uncertainty of what I'll actually need so I'm ready for anything, but geez, Mother Nature! Help a guy out on his first race of the season!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Physically Wiped But Mentally Charged

Awesome, awesome training session today. It has left me physically tired but mentally charged.

Workout:
- 15 minutes warm-up, heart rate zone 1-2
- 10 minutes stretching (I'm getting much better at actually doing the stretches!)
- 10 x 30-seconds at 90-95% of max effort; 60 seconds easy jog recovery after each
- 5 x 30-seconds at 90-95% of max effort; 30 seconds easy jog recovery after each
- 5 minutes cool down, heart rate zone 1-2
- more stretching

I'm really feeling good going into this weekend's duathlon. What a change from a week or so ago!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Feeling Good

It's been a good week so far. Monday's workout was a simple run - 20 minutes in HR Zone 1-2 and 20 minutes in HR Zone 3. I felt strong. Finally!

Yesterday's bike session was also good - 75 minutes out on the road. It was a little chilly, but with arm warmers I was fine. I spent more time in HR Zone 3 than I was supposed to but I found it hard to really control. I ended up being a little dehydrated afterwards so I know I need to work on my pre-ride and on-bike hydration.

Today is an off day but I think I'm going to get in the pool for some drills.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty good for Sunday's race.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Charging Forward


Saturday's interval run (4 x 1 mile repeats) was great - felt good before, during and after. During the run, while I was focused on HR and pace, I also did some thinking (more thinking during the recovery times) and came to the realization that given my schedule and abilities, I'm not going to be able to get in every training session. I'm not going to nail everything like I did when I was on vacation. And I can't beat myself up for that. I just need to keep charging forward.

My bike is at the shop, getting a new rear tire. I just bought a new pair of running shoes (same as my old ones) which I'll start breaking in after Sunday's race. And I'm feeling pretty good.

Sunday's weather is supposed to be partly cloudy and in the upper 50s. Mentally, I'm ready. This is going to be a good way to start the season.

Charge!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Back At It

The last week and a half have not been good for my training. I came back from vacation, and 12 hours after arriving home I was in the office. And I worked. And I worked. And I worked. And in the middle of this I felt a cold coming on and did everything I could (successfully!!!) to ward it off.

But the constant long hours of the week, plus working the entire weekend (8 hour days plus 3 hours of drive time both Saturday and Sunday) took its toll on my training...which, in effect, became nonexistent.

But this morning I did what I hate to do (get outside before the sun comes up) and got in a 40-minute run. This was, mind you, much shorter than what my coach had planned but given an early doctor appointment this morning, it was what I had time for. And not only did I start before the sun came up, I finished (seeing only one runner and one car the entire time) before the sun came up.

It feels good to be back at it.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Retirement? Permanent Vacation?

I took a week of vacation last week. While cruising around the Caribbean I thought to myself, “I could get used to doing this all of the time.”

And when I realized that I was nailing every training session my coach had planned for me last week I thought, “I need to be doing this all of the time.”

I wasn’t wild about the cruise ship’s outdoor track (dodging other passengers, hurdling deck chairs) so I did my running on the treadmill. My cycling was done on a LifeFitness RevMaster, which I’d never ridden before. While I like the StarTrac Spinner, the RevMaster was nice, with a bar that simulates aero bars and a computer that picked up my HR monitor and also displayed cadence.

Granted, my coach set this up as a recovery week, but I still had one session per day. He also knew that I wouldn’t have access to a lap pool, so it was all cycling and running.

And now that I’m back from vacation and back to work, I’m once again finding it difficult to hit those sessions with the same regularity and intensity as I did last week.

Guess I gotta keep on buying those lottery tickets.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Eureka! (again)

I haven't posted in about a week, mainly because I've felt a little derailed in my training.

I was talking about it this morning with my friend Heather, who is also a triathlete, and we got on the subject of the "Eureka!" workout. You know the kind. Everything falls into place and you just feel great about it. When training has been off-kilter for a while, the eureka workout can bring you right back to where you need to be.

Tonight I had a eureka workout. It was a 15-minute warm up, then 4 x 1 mile repeats in HR Zone 4 with 3 minutes recovery between each, then 20 minutes of cool down. Since the streets are still a mess from the recent snow, I did it all on a treadmill. My mile splits were right around 6:45. And my recovery was good. The only problem I had was going slow enough to get my HR back down for the cool down. I kept wanting to go faster.

So hallelujah! I feel like I'm back on track. I've got a short recovery run tomorrow morning and a swim session tomorrow night. And the coach is going to videotape me so we can begin to really work on whatever it is that's holding me back with the swimming. I have a feeling he's going to be surprised at what a disaster my form is, but at least he'll know exactly where I'm at with the swim. It isn't pretty, but at least it'll give us a jumping off point for improvement.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Eureka!

For the past few weeks I've been feeling like my training has been going nowhere. I'm still struggling with my swimming, my cycling and running has been alright but nothing to write home about. I've felt like I've been in a holding pattern.

Then it hit me.

My first race isn't for another six weeks, so on the surface it would appear that I'm just trudging along with nothing "exciting" going on. But I'm not keeping the big picture in mind. Everything I'm doing now is creating the foundation for future training. I'm working on swimming skills to make me more efficient for longer swims. I'm increasing my aerobic capacity on the bike and run to build endurance. I'm getting in the habit of using time on the bike to eat and refuel the body.

I just need to keep these things in mind as I train through the next month before the racing season actually begins.

Today is an "off" day to recharge the body. I'm using it to recharge the mind as well to keep the big picture in front of me.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Great Run, No Swim


Yesterday was a full day for me, but I got up early enough to get a great run in. It was only 50 minutes, but a good one nonetheless - first half in HR Zone 2 and second half in HR Zone 3. And once again it felt great to be running outside and not on a treadmill.

After running all over the place doing errands, I got back home with just enough time to get in a recovery swim before the Y closed. I packed my bag, headed over, checked in...and stopped. All lanes were full, which presented a problem. Either I get two people in one lane to allow me in and we swim circles or I wait. Knowing how much lap swimmers here love (he said dripping with sarcasm) to swim circles and knowing how much I really do hate it since I'm not a strong swimmer, I decided to wait. And wait. And wait. And I never got in the water.

There's always been a tug o' war between the lap swimmers and the classes/rec swimmers at the Y pool. Lap swimmers feel there aren't enough lanes and the pool is too hot. I don't care about the temperature, but now that I'm swimming more often I have to agree that there aren't enough lap lanes. Or I feel that the lifeguards should be able to add/subtract lanes when the situation presents itself.

Anyway, I beat myself up a bit because I didn't get the swim in and I really need to be working on my swimming. And looking at the week ahead, there are going to be more swimming/scheduling conflicts. But I guess I should be happy that I at least got the run in. Ugh! This is frustrating.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

No Highs, No Lows

This week is a recovery week. It's built into the training schedule every four weeks to give my body a break. Notice I didn't write "rest" week. I still have nine workouts planned, but they are lower in intensity and duration.

I'm feeling alright about my progression. Not great, but not bad either. I feel like I'm sort of in a holding pattern, waiting to have a breakthrough workout when I can say "that was amazing!" It hasn't happened lately.

I was talking with a running friend yesterday who feels the same way and mentioned many people feel it now. Maybe it's the pre-spring doldrums. We're all just waiting for a little warmer weather.

Today is an off day - no training sessions scheduled. So, of course, it turns out that an instructor at the Y needs a sub (and couldn't find one) for three classes tonight -- and I'm available.

Looks like my recovery week just got a little more active.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

My Friend Julie

My friend Julie (see last November's marathon postings) is awesome. For a number of years she's been running marathons and half-marathons through the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program to raise funds for people with blood cancers.

Now she's gotten herself a brand-spankin-new bike and is at it again. This June, she'll ride 100 miles around Lake Tahoe in "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride." And she's set a goal of raising $3,000 for LLS. If you'd like to help her reach her goal, go here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/ambbr09/reedrides

A long time ago I worked for the Leukemia Society (before the name change) and know just how amazing the organization is. Not only does it award grant money for cutting-edge research, it provides programs that help people navigate things like insurance, support groups, etc. It's a great organization.