My apologies for the long lag between posts. I'm not sure why its taken so long, except that I assume its been an issue of laziness. Well, with that said, let me begin.
Fresh off my first 70.3, I decided to sign up for another early season 1/2 Iron distance race and so on the first weekend in may, I drove up to southern New Jersey to race in "Devilman". It was billed as a fast, flat course, and the weather looked semi-promising (initially showers and storms were promised but it turned out to be picture perfect, if not a little cold in the morning). This was overall a good race, although the swim was a bit less than ideal because of the muddiness of the lake. It was virtually black with one's head down. I persevered and made it out of the swim in 32 minutes or so. Not fast, but 10 minutes faster than lake anna.
The ride was very nice - flat, well managed without too much traffic. I felt like I got off to a good start and was able to again get my nutrition dialed in (cliff bars at miles 10 and 40, GUs at miles 20, 30, 50). I averaged a bit below 21 miles per hour, a speed I'm relatively happy with. Here's the track. The run was also pleasant and rather flat - and interestingly in the shape of a big Y. I tried to go fast and finished the run in 1:48, which felt fast anyhow. Here's the track. I finished up in 5:04, which would be smokin', except that I think the bike was two miles short, so let's call it 5:10, which is still, I think, semi-smokin. My goal from now own is to be shooting for sun-five hour 70.3s.
This weekend, I traveled to New Hampshire for a 1/2 Marathon. Another very pleasant race. Beautiful, if chilly, weather, and it was well supported. Best of all, I went much faster than I thought I could - 1:37! Here's the track. It was a really great time and has gotten me to think that maybe I could qualify for Boston with enough hard work. That would be amazing.
Finally, I raced a practice duathlon this morning. This was quite a bit of fun and I think I did rather well, getting a lot of my run down under the 7:30 mark, including I think a good chunk under 7:00. Here's the track. I really pushed hard throughout the whole thing and as I've said a few times now, I really think I can be fast.
No more competition until 1 June or so, which stinks. A lot of time for hard miles between now and then though. Speaking of long miles, here are some totals thus far -
2008 running through 11 May - 218 miles (plus a bit more that wasn't accounted for with GPS) .
2008 cycling through 11 May - 1231.23 miles (plus a bit more that wasn't accounted for with GPS).
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Half Iron. Half man.
First 70.3 down. Many more to go.
This was an amazing day and race. Perfect weather, a well run event, and I put in a solid performance. I had some trouble finding the location in the morning but I got there in time and it worked out.
The swim -
In principle, it was cold, but it turned out to be not so bad. The first few minutes were tough and I wondered why I had decided to do such a long race. I got into a groove though, draft for a while and felt fast. I foolishly abandoned the draft to move up to the next group. I swim with a nose plug, because, well, just because I do. I will try not to from now on, because I ran into someone from behind and knocked it off and then I had to swim without a convenience that I'm used to. Lesson, either wear a nose clip with a cord, or learn to do without. Nonetheless, I muddled through and it was ok. Out of the water in maybe 45-50 minutes, I'm not sure. I think without the nose plug, probably 35? Anyhow, Next time will be better.
The bike -
Earlier I've mentioned not feeling great about my tri bike, but it is fast. Really fast. I consistently was able to pass a lot of people just gliding downhill, and I actually passed a lot of people on the bike while rarely being passed. Awesome feeling. Aero helmet was comfy, and had the bonus of shading the back of my neck from the sun. As an aside, I used SPF 45, and it generally worked. I forgot to put on my hrm strap so I didn't know how hard I was working, but apparently a lot of pros don't use an hrm while racing because it psychs them out. So I went on perceived effort and pushed harder than I thought I should perhaps push. It was a gamble, but it worked. I was thrilled with the effort, it was a great ride with some good hills and was well supported.
The run -
I was unsure how my legs would work after the bike, having thought that I maybe pushed to hard. The course began with a hill and I took it in stride. I think initially I was around the eight minute mile mark, sometimes under eight, which built some confidence. I slowed down as time went on, but I again kept passing people and felt great. No knee pain, no hamstring pain or tightness, just good running, and good running for I think. Training has really paid off. I finished in a bit under two hours for the run, which is about at my marathon pace, so I'm not unhappy, but I think I could go faster. I sprinted to the finish, but accidentally didn't take the exit ramp to the finish chute, so I ran past, heard the announcer say I missed the finish, sprinted back, and then sprinted down the chute.
Nutrition -
I nailed my nutrition I think. It was probably the best part of my race actually. I wore a camelback on the bike, which I think I may not do again, but it worked because I could drink a lot of water early on while staying aero. I don't really like the aero drink bottles, so this was a better option for me I think. I had a gel before the bike and then a few sips from a gel flask soon after starting the bike. I waited until about 30 minutes in to eat the first of two cliff bars, the second came after about 40 miles/two hours. The big leg was well supported with bottles of HEED- a drink I'd never had but it was pretty good. After finishing the bike, I had another gel before the run and then every half hour until the last 40 minutes or so, when I went to every 20 minutes. Lots of water and HEED on the course as well, some of which I dumped on my head when it felt a bit hot. All in all, I was well hydrated and fed through the entire race.
This was a great experience and I can't wait to do another - possibly in only two weeks in New Jersey.
This was an amazing day and race. Perfect weather, a well run event, and I put in a solid performance. I had some trouble finding the location in the morning but I got there in time and it worked out.
The swim -
In principle, it was cold, but it turned out to be not so bad. The first few minutes were tough and I wondered why I had decided to do such a long race. I got into a groove though, draft for a while and felt fast. I foolishly abandoned the draft to move up to the next group. I swim with a nose plug, because, well, just because I do. I will try not to from now on, because I ran into someone from behind and knocked it off and then I had to swim without a convenience that I'm used to. Lesson, either wear a nose clip with a cord, or learn to do without. Nonetheless, I muddled through and it was ok. Out of the water in maybe 45-50 minutes, I'm not sure. I think without the nose plug, probably 35? Anyhow, Next time will be better.
The bike -
Earlier I've mentioned not feeling great about my tri bike, but it is fast. Really fast. I consistently was able to pass a lot of people just gliding downhill, and I actually passed a lot of people on the bike while rarely being passed. Awesome feeling. Aero helmet was comfy, and had the bonus of shading the back of my neck from the sun. As an aside, I used SPF 45, and it generally worked. I forgot to put on my hrm strap so I didn't know how hard I was working, but apparently a lot of pros don't use an hrm while racing because it psychs them out. So I went on perceived effort and pushed harder than I thought I should perhaps push. It was a gamble, but it worked. I was thrilled with the effort, it was a great ride with some good hills and was well supported.
The run -
I was unsure how my legs would work after the bike, having thought that I maybe pushed to hard. The course began with a hill and I took it in stride. I think initially I was around the eight minute mile mark, sometimes under eight, which built some confidence. I slowed down as time went on, but I again kept passing people and felt great. No knee pain, no hamstring pain or tightness, just good running, and good running for I think. Training has really paid off. I finished in a bit under two hours for the run, which is about at my marathon pace, so I'm not unhappy, but I think I could go faster. I sprinted to the finish, but accidentally didn't take the exit ramp to the finish chute, so I ran past, heard the announcer say I missed the finish, sprinted back, and then sprinted down the chute.
Nutrition -
I nailed my nutrition I think. It was probably the best part of my race actually. I wore a camelback on the bike, which I think I may not do again, but it worked because I could drink a lot of water early on while staying aero. I don't really like the aero drink bottles, so this was a better option for me I think. I had a gel before the bike and then a few sips from a gel flask soon after starting the bike. I waited until about 30 minutes in to eat the first of two cliff bars, the second came after about 40 miles/two hours. The big leg was well supported with bottles of HEED- a drink I'd never had but it was pretty good. After finishing the bike, I had another gel before the run and then every half hour until the last 40 minutes or so, when I went to every 20 minutes. Lots of water and HEED on the course as well, some of which I dumped on my head when it felt a bit hot. All in all, I was well hydrated and fed through the entire race.
This was a great experience and I can't wait to do another - possibly in only two weeks in New Jersey.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Long. Slow. Cold. Grey. These things buy speed.
After yesterday's amazing weather, it was cold and grey here today. Not ideal. Nonetheless, I hadn't run in nearly a week and it was time. So I went - here's the track. Much slower than I had hoped to do and a bit of an IT band recurrence and that was less than pleasant. It still hurts, so I plan to A) use the foam roller all week and B) really just swim and done maybe one light run. Today's 13.1 took nearly two hours (1:59 something). The goal for Saturday's race is to do that in 1:45. That, plus a solid ride and a good swim will equal a five hour 70.3 distance race. That would be a solid start to the season. But its going to hurt. I wondered to myself where the line is between pain that indicates something is wrong and pain that means one is expending every effort. I've built up a tolerance for pain and now I want to use it to buy speed. I have put in the time when it's cold, windy, raining, evening hailing. I have stayed out long when it hurt. I have done the work that my competitors perhaps have not yet done.
I'll end with a quote from Steve Prefontaine -
"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."
Come Saturday, I look forward to seeing what I possess in my gut.
I'll end with a quote from Steve Prefontaine -
"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."
Come Saturday, I look forward to seeing what I possess in my gut.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
A Century of Fakers
A glorious day here today and so I took the opportunity to go long. Because, well, why not. Here's the track. As you can see, 102 miles over slightly more than six hours. Not speedy, but a fair effor that didn't feel particularly tiring. At times, when I wanted to accelerate, I was able to pull away from everyone riding around me. I feel like I'm beginning to be able to generate decent speed, although of course I cannot maintain such bursts as long as I'd like.
In part, having thought about speed, I realize that I'm much weaker than I would have thought. If I could go back in time, I'd devote much more time to strength training and proper protein-laden nutrition in the winter to develop more power.
I believe I will try to go for an early ride on flat ground with tri bike tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll be well recovered and I can go even faster. If not, I will have racked up a century-ride distance today with nothing but fake progress.
In part, having thought about speed, I realize that I'm much weaker than I would have thought. If I could go back in time, I'd devote much more time to strength training and proper protein-laden nutrition in the winter to develop more power.
I believe I will try to go for an early ride on flat ground with tri bike tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll be well recovered and I can go even faster. If not, I will have racked up a century-ride distance today with nothing but fake progress.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Speed kills.
In this case, speed kills my trepidation that I am not properly dialed into my bike. Pheww.
Today was a beautiful day here, so after work I decided I'd go for a ride on my tri bike. I have yet to ride it regularly and when I have put some miles on it, it has felt really slow. Possibly this is because the rear wheel was rubbing against the seat tube - so after moving the back axle just a little rearward, seems like it's much faster.
Here's the track. It's not so impressive because it was very slow getting to and from the loop where I tried to ride fast. However, if you look at the normal distribution of the speed, you'll see that I put quite a few miles down at a pace somewhat higher than my average. So, I'm feeling dialed in.
The real test will come of course at the upcoming 70.3 race a week from this Saturday. I'll put the marker down now, if I can get a good bike leg in, I'll shoot for a 5 hour race.
Today was a beautiful day here, so after work I decided I'd go for a ride on my tri bike. I have yet to ride it regularly and when I have put some miles on it, it has felt really slow. Possibly this is because the rear wheel was rubbing against the seat tube - so after moving the back axle just a little rearward, seems like it's much faster.
Here's the track. It's not so impressive because it was very slow getting to and from the loop where I tried to ride fast. However, if you look at the normal distribution of the speed, you'll see that I put quite a few miles down at a pace somewhat higher than my average. So, I'm feeling dialed in.
The real test will come of course at the upcoming 70.3 race a week from this Saturday. I'll put the marker down now, if I can get a good bike leg in, I'll shoot for a 5 hour race.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Rain does a blossom good
A cold, grey, rainy day dawned over this morning's Cherry Blossom 10 mile race. The sort of weather that's good for either sleeping, or running 10 miles with 12,000 other people. Randomly, while waiting for a cab-a wait that might have been interminable-my roommate and I, standing outside wearing trash bags, were offered a ride to the start in a green Honda Element. Good start to the day.
The race, which is huge with 12K entrants, started slowly. A lot of congestion for the first four miles at least, but it began to thin out. I didn't expect to do go particularly hard at any point after yesterday's significant volume, but I was feeling relatively good midway through so I started to move my way up. By mile six I knew I was in good shape and at mile seven I made a determined effort to finish hard. A Gu before mile eight and I was off to the races. At the final 800 meters I picked it up and sprinted at least the last two hundred to the finish. I think there's a school of thought that says if you can sprint to the finish you went to easy throughout the race. I suppose that could be true, but I would like to think that I ran a thoughtful race. Besides, I love passing hundreds of people in the last few hundred yards. It totally livens up the crowd.
Here's the track for the race.
Next up, Kinetic 70.3 in two weeks.
The race, which is huge with 12K entrants, started slowly. A lot of congestion for the first four miles at least, but it began to thin out. I didn't expect to do go particularly hard at any point after yesterday's significant volume, but I was feeling relatively good midway through so I started to move my way up. By mile six I knew I was in good shape and at mile seven I made a determined effort to finish hard. A Gu before mile eight and I was off to the races. At the final 800 meters I picked it up and sprinted at least the last two hundred to the finish. I think there's a school of thought that says if you can sprint to the finish you went to easy throughout the race. I suppose that could be true, but I would like to think that I ran a thoughtful race. Besides, I love passing hundreds of people in the last few hundred yards. It totally livens up the crowd.
Here's the track for the race.
Next up, Kinetic 70.3 in two weeks.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Just another day at the office
Well, not exactly. However, I did put in a solid eight hours with a massive bike/run brick Saturday. Here's the ride - 114 miles over seven hours and the run - a modest, hour long 10K. The ride was, well, long. Longest ever actually. It was a nice day, not too hot or cold, and I felt like I could just keep going. I went through three GUs, two cliff bars, and five water bottles of sports drink. That's something like 1900 calories. I believe for the day I probably burned somewhere around 5K calories, so all in all, a pretty monster day.
The problem is I can't get to sleep and I have a 10 mile race for which I need to be up in 4.5 hours. Now time like the present then for some blogging. After last week's marathon, I took a day off, but then went at it pretty hard all week. If I recall correctly, a short swim and then a spin and yoga on Monday. A hard 5 mile run on Tuesday, then a hard spin and yoga. A 1600 meter swim on Wednesday, and on Friday, 2K in the pool, a spin and a medium long run of 8.5 miles. So some pretty high volume efforts for the week following the marathon.
First triathlon of the season is less than two weeks away. It will be A) cold, and B) a bigger effort than I had hoped. Half iron distance is something I perhaps have not respected as much as I should. Oh well, only one way to learn.
The problem is I can't get to sleep and I have a 10 mile race for which I need to be up in 4.5 hours. Now time like the present then for some blogging. After last week's marathon, I took a day off, but then went at it pretty hard all week. If I recall correctly, a short swim and then a spin and yoga on Monday. A hard 5 mile run on Tuesday, then a hard spin and yoga. A 1600 meter swim on Wednesday, and on Friday, 2K in the pool, a spin and a medium long run of 8.5 miles. So some pretty high volume efforts for the week following the marathon.
First triathlon of the season is less than two weeks away. It will be A) cold, and B) a bigger effort than I had hoped. Half iron distance is something I perhaps have not respected as much as I should. Oh well, only one way to learn.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Marathon
My apologies for not writing this up sooner. In any event, last Saturday was my first marathon. Here's the data. It was an amazing time. The morning started out rather cool - the race began at 7AM - and I dressed warmly. I thought I would get overheated quickly, but I felt fine the entire day. I went out at a slow pace and stayed with the crowd. I achieved my first goal of not dropping out before getting to the points where I knew people would be cheering for me. I felt increasingly better as the day went on, especially after the 13.1 mark when I A) got to go to the bathroom and B) the water stops started giving out GU. Mmmm, GU. Vanilla, chocolate - even unflavored was great. After I took on a decent amount of fuel, I felt like I could really push it the last 7 miles or so, and I did, passing what must have been a hundred runners. I even kicked as hard as I could at the finish.
All in all, it was an amazing time. I didn't think I would enjoy the actual marathon so much as look back upon it fondly, but it was great. My need for competition will be met again this coming Sunday in a 10 mile race. Until then....
All in all, it was an amazing time. I didn't think I would enjoy the actual marathon so much as look back upon it fondly, but it was great. My need for competition will be met again this coming Sunday in a 10 mile race. Until then....
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Hamstrung by a Hamstring
So last week was the big 21 mile run. It was great, a confidence builder, etc. Except that I did something to my right hamstring and I haven't been able to run since. Not so good. I've tried to rest it, but I haven't been as disciplined as I should be, so it's lagging. Its good to take a light week, after all the base period is supposed to include increasingly higher volume weeks followed by a recovery week. I just hope it gets better soon. I tried to participate in a club duathlon Saturday morning, but I had to pull out after just 1/2 a mile because it hurt.
On the other hand, I've been swimming more. At least oneK during the week and yesterday for a monster fourK session (i.e. 2.5 miles). It took about 90 minutes. At first, I got tired and my heart rate was high, but I think I calmed down and finished feeling rather strong. My set included 2400 continuous meters, which is a long swim. I'm pretty happy.
Finally, I did a VO2 max session last Tuesday, and that was rather cool. My VO2 is 62.5 - a fairly respectable number, given elite athletes are often between 70-80. It makes me think that if I keep training, shed the last few pounds, get strong and stay healthy, I could be a competitive age grouper at some point. Of course, who knows.
On the other hand, I've been swimming more. At least oneK during the week and yesterday for a monster fourK session (i.e. 2.5 miles). It took about 90 minutes. At first, I got tired and my heart rate was high, but I think I calmed down and finished feeling rather strong. My set included 2400 continuous meters, which is a long swim. I'm pretty happy.
Finally, I did a VO2 max session last Tuesday, and that was rather cool. My VO2 is 62.5 - a fairly respectable number, given elite athletes are often between 70-80. It makes me think that if I keep training, shed the last few pounds, get strong and stay healthy, I could be a competitive age grouper at some point. Of course, who knows.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Sparse posting and some long miles
It's been two weeks since my last post. I'd like to think that this is a result of my fairly intense schedule leaving little time for posting. That's not true, but it has been a high volume two week period.
I've had several break through work outs in the last few weeks. The session I'm most proud of was a 3K swim last Thursday. I also did 1.6K the Tuesday before that and 1K on friday. So 5.6K for the week, which destroys any previous volume. The key here was getting my stroke in order and really moving much more efficiently. This came after I really started to get my back and lats into moving me forward. As soon as I could do that, heart rate, VO2 and perceived effort all came down to manageable levels. Having assumed that swimming would be a big limiter, I now feel much more optimistic.
Biking sessions were more mundane. Last Saturday, I did 69 miles at an easy 124 BPM. Yesterday, I did 80 miles at an even easier 122 BPM. Last week it was freezing. Yesterday, it was alternatively warm, cool, cold, rainy, and it even hailed. These weren't the most taxing sessions, but I think they did much for establishing some mental toughness benchmarks. Today I did a short 15 mile ride, again at 122 BPM, while it was very cold and very windy. Again, not a hard session, but one to remember when it gets warmer in the summer and it's time to dig deep to get that extra speed. I did the ride on the new tri bike and I wasn't terribly happy with the speed that I felt I was getting through an aero position. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I'm confident I can get it dialed in before too long.
Running was the other area where I felt I had some break through sessions. I don't have data for what was probably the best run so far this year, my hrm ran out of batteries. Last Tuesday, 4 March, I hammered 13.1 miles in 145 or so. The weekend before, I did a semi-slow 8.8 miles (after the 69 mile ride remember). Today, I put it on the line and went out and did 21 miles in prep for the marathon that's coming along in less than three weeks. It was a slow day, 9:38 a mile, but it was a high volume weekend, so, I'm not too worried about picking up the pace for the marathon. That pace works out to a 4:10 Marathon or so - and I'm shooting for 3:45. (As an aside, I'm planning to go out for the 1/2 marathon at around 9:00 pace and then bring it up to around 8:30 for the second half. If I can do that, I'll show up right at 3:45.
I think that's most of the news from the last few weeks. I'm doing a VO2 ma test this coming week to figure out lactate threshold and hr zones, etc. Hopefully I'll be able to dial it in a bit better afterwards. In any event, minus the tri bike speed, I'm pretty happy with progress to date. Even better, I get two days off in advance of VO2 and can probably start to taper a little bit with an eye to the marathon. I believe I'll try to do a club duathlon next saturday, which I hope should be fun. I'll post results....
I've had several break through work outs in the last few weeks. The session I'm most proud of was a 3K swim last Thursday. I also did 1.6K the Tuesday before that and 1K on friday. So 5.6K for the week, which destroys any previous volume. The key here was getting my stroke in order and really moving much more efficiently. This came after I really started to get my back and lats into moving me forward. As soon as I could do that, heart rate, VO2 and perceived effort all came down to manageable levels. Having assumed that swimming would be a big limiter, I now feel much more optimistic.
Biking sessions were more mundane. Last Saturday, I did 69 miles at an easy 124 BPM. Yesterday, I did 80 miles at an even easier 122 BPM. Last week it was freezing. Yesterday, it was alternatively warm, cool, cold, rainy, and it even hailed. These weren't the most taxing sessions, but I think they did much for establishing some mental toughness benchmarks. Today I did a short 15 mile ride, again at 122 BPM, while it was very cold and very windy. Again, not a hard session, but one to remember when it gets warmer in the summer and it's time to dig deep to get that extra speed. I did the ride on the new tri bike and I wasn't terribly happy with the speed that I felt I was getting through an aero position. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I'm confident I can get it dialed in before too long.
Running was the other area where I felt I had some break through sessions. I don't have data for what was probably the best run so far this year, my hrm ran out of batteries. Last Tuesday, 4 March, I hammered 13.1 miles in 145 or so. The weekend before, I did a semi-slow 8.8 miles (after the 69 mile ride remember). Today, I put it on the line and went out and did 21 miles in prep for the marathon that's coming along in less than three weeks. It was a slow day, 9:38 a mile, but it was a high volume weekend, so, I'm not too worried about picking up the pace for the marathon. That pace works out to a 4:10 Marathon or so - and I'm shooting for 3:45. (As an aside, I'm planning to go out for the 1/2 marathon at around 9:00 pace and then bring it up to around 8:30 for the second half. If I can do that, I'll show up right at 3:45.
I think that's most of the news from the last few weeks. I'm doing a VO2 ma test this coming week to figure out lactate threshold and hr zones, etc. Hopefully I'll be able to dial it in a bit better afterwards. In any event, minus the tri bike speed, I'm pretty happy with progress to date. Even better, I get two days off in advance of VO2 and can probably start to taper a little bit with an eye to the marathon. I believe I'll try to do a club duathlon next saturday, which I hope should be fun. I'll post results....
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A brand new knee
Well, that's what it feels like anyhow. After getting a few pointers from the PT last week, I leaned a bit farther forward, kept my hips up, and focused on striding through with my right leg, and it worked! No pain, no soreness the next day, just good hard running. Here's the track. I can't think of every having a better long run. As a comparison, I did a similar run (although albeit with a bigger hill) in january at a 8:17 mile pace for 8.34 miles but a heart rate of 168 BPM. This run, 10.68 miles at 8:23 pace at a heart rate of 160. So, presumably that's some solid fitness improvement.
On the subject of the physical therapist, I went back today and had my shoulder worked on. I hyper extended my shoulder when I was 14 and haven't had it looked at for... 16 years. In maybe 7 minutes of massage, she fixed it. Amazing.
Now that my shoulder and knee are much improved, it's time to start going hard.
On the subject of the physical therapist, I went back today and had my shoulder worked on. I hyper extended my shoulder when I was 14 and haven't had it looked at for... 16 years. In maybe 7 minutes of massage, she fixed it. Amazing.
Now that my shoulder and knee are much improved, it's time to start going hard.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The band tightens
Another busy week and very little posting. Perhaps of note, I ran three times this week, which is a lot for me. Unfortunately, it's also a lot for my IT band on my right leg, and that's been a sore spot. I've been doing some work with a foam roller and along with rest I think I'm healing. I also went to see a physical therapist who told me a few things about my posture and gait that I had not noticed on my own. One big thing that I did notice on my own though is that I instinctively run with a very narrow posture with my feet crowded under my hips rather than directly under them. So I've widened it a bit and I try to bring my hips up to engage the glutes and that seems to help.
Basically, the problem is that I'm fit enough to run myself into the ground.
My last run was relatively fast - I maintained a 7:58 pace over 9 mile distance. Not bad, huh?
In other news, I got a new bike. As a result, I think I may cancel plans for the Ironman Talk training camp because the airfare is just ridiculous.
Basically, the problem is that I'm fit enough to run myself into the ground.
My last run was relatively fast - I maintained a 7:58 pace over 9 mile distance. Not bad, huh?
In other news, I got a new bike. As a result, I think I may cancel plans for the Ironman Talk training camp because the airfare is just ridiculous.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Lots of Distance, Lots of News
So, a busy week and very little posting. A couple of neat things. First off:
Wow, so I did some long rides. Saturday - a group ride w/local tri club of about 55 miles give or take (GPS failed during beginning and end of ride). It was pretty fast - for that reason I tend to be wary of riding in groups. I wasn't entirely paying attention and didn't realize that half the ride turned back, so I was stuck with a few guys who are a bit more advanced than I, but I held my own, I think validating the early base prep.
Sunday, I did 102 miles. This was my longest ride ever. I did it in a slow 6:30, which kept me in the right heart rate zone at around 127 BPM. I'm happy with the effort. I downed some Endurox when I got home and so hopefully tomorrow I'll feel recovered enough to do maybe 70 or so. While I was out, I listened to an abridged version of The Best and the Brightest - one of my faves.
In other news, I've mortgaged my future a bit. First off, I'm registered for the Black Bear 1/2 Iron now, as well as the NJ State Champs, in June and July respectively. In order to prep for the second half of the season, and for a little fun, I've signed up for a training camp in the Pyrenees in late June. I'm very excited because it is going to be run by the guys from Ironman Talk, which is a podcast that gets me through a lot of long rides. I've never been to France, so it should be good times.
Secondly, I've put a deposit down on a bike. It's a bit expensive, but it's a solid bike and they're quite in demand. I rationalize it by thinking that I'm so much healthier now than I was a year ago, and if I keep competing, I'll only get into better shape. It's not just aerobic capacity either, its also that I'm sleeping better hours, and eating much healthier as well. I definitely have a lot more respect for my body.
Speaking of which, time for bed. Hopefully up early tomorrow for a swim - possibly in a new wetsuit?
Wow, so I did some long rides. Saturday - a group ride w/local tri club of about 55 miles give or take (GPS failed during beginning and end of ride). It was pretty fast - for that reason I tend to be wary of riding in groups. I wasn't entirely paying attention and didn't realize that half the ride turned back, so I was stuck with a few guys who are a bit more advanced than I, but I held my own, I think validating the early base prep.
Sunday, I did 102 miles. This was my longest ride ever. I did it in a slow 6:30, which kept me in the right heart rate zone at around 127 BPM. I'm happy with the effort. I downed some Endurox when I got home and so hopefully tomorrow I'll feel recovered enough to do maybe 70 or so. While I was out, I listened to an abridged version of The Best and the Brightest - one of my faves.
In other news, I've mortgaged my future a bit. First off, I'm registered for the Black Bear 1/2 Iron now, as well as the NJ State Champs, in June and July respectively. In order to prep for the second half of the season, and for a little fun, I've signed up for a training camp in the Pyrenees in late June. I'm very excited because it is going to be run by the guys from Ironman Talk, which is a podcast that gets me through a lot of long rides. I've never been to France, so it should be good times.
Secondly, I've put a deposit down on a bike. It's a bit expensive, but it's a solid bike and they're quite in demand. I rationalize it by thinking that I'm so much healthier now than I was a year ago, and if I keep competing, I'll only get into better shape. It's not just aerobic capacity either, its also that I'm sleeping better hours, and eating much healthier as well. I definitely have a lot more respect for my body.
Speaking of which, time for bed. Hopefully up early tomorrow for a swim - possibly in a new wetsuit?
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Volume and recovery
A busy week with no posting. In part, I think that's because I was at the gym until late in the evening Monday and Tuesday, and somewhat sick Thursday through, well, I guess I'm still sick. However, I still made it to the gym Friday, and got in long sessions over the weekend.
Saturday was a very long day indeed. Despite being a bit chilly, and waking up with a sore throat, I managed to get out an 80 mile ride. I took two sportdrinks with me, rather than water, and I suspect that made the difference. I think I could have gone on another 32 miles for the full Iron distance ride. A very good sign for February I think. I came home and dutifully did a quick 5K. Nothing too special. Upon getting home, I immediately downed a serving of Endurox, which worked wonders. I recovered well, had no soreness, and felt really good. In fact, I was a bit energetic all evening. I also listened to several episodes of my favorite podcast, Ironmantalk. They have a camp in the Pyrenees for 4 days in late June that looks tempting. I've inquired about space.
Sunday, it was unbelievably windy. Holy cow. I went for a medium-short ride and a medium-slow run. I tried to stay within a zone 2 HR for the run, and it pushed me to a 10 minute mile pace. Lame. I clearly stink as a runner. Only 47 more days until first marathon. Crikey. Alas, only one way to improve.
Aside from that, there's an outside chance I'll get to race in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler which is held the week after the marathon. Too much perhaps?
Saturday was a very long day indeed. Despite being a bit chilly, and waking up with a sore throat, I managed to get out an 80 mile ride. I took two sportdrinks with me, rather than water, and I suspect that made the difference. I think I could have gone on another 32 miles for the full Iron distance ride. A very good sign for February I think. I came home and dutifully did a quick 5K. Nothing too special. Upon getting home, I immediately downed a serving of Endurox, which worked wonders. I recovered well, had no soreness, and felt really good. In fact, I was a bit energetic all evening. I also listened to several episodes of my favorite podcast, Ironmantalk. They have a camp in the Pyrenees for 4 days in late June that looks tempting. I've inquired about space.
Sunday, it was unbelievably windy. Holy cow. I went for a medium-short ride and a medium-slow run. I tried to stay within a zone 2 HR for the run, and it pushed me to a 10 minute mile pace. Lame. I clearly stink as a runner. Only 47 more days until first marathon. Crikey. Alas, only one way to improve.
Aside from that, there's an outside chance I'll get to race in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler which is held the week after the marathon. Too much perhaps?
Monday, February 4, 2008
Exhaustion
Sunday I took a 37 mile ride or so - a bit over two hours - and when I came home I wanted to go for a run, but I couldn't. I was dead tired and I took a nap instead. My sense after reading as much as I have about endurance conditioning is that when your body says sleep, you sleep.
Earlier in the day, I got up to go to a swim clinic at 7AM. After a few adjustments, including learning to keep my head higher up and not to pull across my body, I felt like I was swimming much better. I spent some time in the pool today after an hour spin and some leg strength work, and it felt pretty good. Consistency as a swimmer would do much to boost my confidence.
Hoping to revive two-a-day-Tuesdays with an early swim and bike tomorrow. Who knows though. If so, then a run after work, followed by cardio, spin, and yoga. Whew. Will be sure to bring a cliff bar or two.
Finally, I started back on oatmeal at breakfast today. I think it may take some discipline. The idea is that it's a low glycemic carbohydrate, meaning that it takes one's body a considerable amount of time to steal energy from the oats, so it last quite a while as a source of energy. Only time will tell if it works.
Earlier in the day, I got up to go to a swim clinic at 7AM. After a few adjustments, including learning to keep my head higher up and not to pull across my body, I felt like I was swimming much better. I spent some time in the pool today after an hour spin and some leg strength work, and it felt pretty good. Consistency as a swimmer would do much to boost my confidence.
Hoping to revive two-a-day-Tuesdays with an early swim and bike tomorrow. Who knows though. If so, then a run after work, followed by cardio, spin, and yoga. Whew. Will be sure to bring a cliff bar or two.
Finally, I started back on oatmeal at breakfast today. I think it may take some discipline. The idea is that it's a low glycemic carbohydrate, meaning that it takes one's body a considerable amount of time to steal energy from the oats, so it last quite a while as a source of energy. Only time will tell if it works.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
A warm Saturday
Today it got warm. Sort of. Up early and on the road by 9:30, it felt cold through much of today's ride, but it was pleasant and warm by the time I got home and went for a run - 1PM or so. The ride was long-58 miles over 3 hours 40minutes. The run was short, 4 miles over about 34 minutes. Both were really slow. During the ride, I stayed in zone 2 for 74 percent of the ride, zone 1 for 14 percent and zone 3 for 10 percent. You can actually see a bar graph of this on the website linked above, and it looks exactly like a normal distribution. I think this is ideal. The run was much higher in its zone - 66 percent in zone 4! I clearly need to work on running more efficiently it would seem.
In other news, I'm going to a swim clinic tomorrow. It requires a very early morning, but at least Ill be able to get home and hope on the bike early too. And then a long, easy run perhaps.
In other news, I'm going to a swim clinic tomorrow. It requires a very early morning, but at least Ill be able to get home and hope on the bike early too. And then a long, easy run perhaps.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
A 50 Mile Day
Cold again today, but weather is but an excuse I suppose, so despite not being able to wake up early enough to go on an organized long ride, I still made it onto the road. I traveled, as the title suggests, a bit more than 50 miles under my own power. That's not a big deal really, a lot of my longer rides are at least 50 miles, but today I rode only about 37 miles. That means I ran 13+ miles! I'm a bit surprised at myself. In retrospect, I think it was somewhat foolish, as there was a good chance that was too long a distance, and the risk of injury was probably unnecessarily high, but alas. I must say it did hurt a bit, but I never felt tired or dehydrated. I finished fairly strong as well.
Passing the 13.1 half marathon distance in a run is definitely a confidence builder. I feel like I'll be well prepared for the full marathon at the end of March, so long as I keep from overtraining and getting injured.
Tomorrow its the second of two sessions with a trainer, and then a recovery spin (hard to do with a room full of people looking for bicycle sadomasochism as doled out by the instructor). Hopefully I'm not going to be waking up too sore tomorrow.
Passing the 13.1 half marathon distance in a run is definitely a confidence builder. I feel like I'll be well prepared for the full marathon at the end of March, so long as I keep from overtraining and getting injured.
Tomorrow its the second of two sessions with a trainer, and then a recovery spin (hard to do with a room full of people looking for bicycle sadomasochism as doled out by the instructor). Hopefully I'm not going to be waking up too sore tomorrow.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
On a cold winter's day
I had high hopes for today's ride. I planned for 60-75 miles, but it was very cold and I had on gloves that were much lighter than were really required, so I returned home after only 25 miles. Nonetheless, it wasn't a complete waste of time and I recorded some good data. Thanks to my newly acquired GPS heart rate monitor, I can tell that although I averaged only .2 MPH slower than last week's ride, my heart rate stayed 12 BPM lower on average than last weeks ride. In principle, this should mean I'm a bit more fit than last week.
Another observation - I downloaded a copy of The Imperial Life in the Emerald City and listened to the first few chapters while on the road. I've been wanting to investigate whether its practical to ride while digesting information, and it seemed to work. Of course, buying audiobooks regularly would be pretty costly, so I think in the future I'll tend towards more public domain classics, or podcasts, but nonetheless, it seems like a promising concept.
Finally, I'm considering adding a few more events for the summer. I'm not sure that's a good idea, but what the hell.
The events I'm considering are:
The Black Bear half Iron triathlon on 1 June in Pennsylvania
The Mountaineer Triathlon on 28 June in Morgantown WV
The NJ State Triathlon on 27 July in New Jersey
Stayed tuned for updates on the schedule
Another observation - I downloaded a copy of The Imperial Life in the Emerald City and listened to the first few chapters while on the road. I've been wanting to investigate whether its practical to ride while digesting information, and it seemed to work. Of course, buying audiobooks regularly would be pretty costly, so I think in the future I'll tend towards more public domain classics, or podcasts, but nonetheless, it seems like a promising concept.
Finally, I'm considering adding a few more events for the summer. I'm not sure that's a good idea, but what the hell.
The events I'm considering are:
The Black Bear half Iron triathlon on 1 June in Pennsylvania
The Mountaineer Triathlon on 28 June in Morgantown WV
The NJ State Triathlon on 27 July in New Jersey
Stayed tuned for updates on the schedule
Monday, January 21, 2008
the Judo of strength training
Good advice on building strength for endurance activities is a tough thing to find, especially on the internet. I spent an hour at the gym today with a trainer - an experience that I thought I would find miserable - but it turned out to be great. Here's why - weight training with machines can feel satisfying because its easy and easily quantified. Big weight times some number of reps = huge! Except that our muscles work in conjunction with other muscles and machines can isolate one muscle group from another. Bad knees, for example, can be caused by having huge quads and weak hamstrings and glutes. So, rather than using weight machines, the trainer, who was a former long distance swimmer (and thus knew much about building endurance), came up with a lot of simple things to stress an entire muscle group using just my own weight against it. I'd call this a plyometric exercise, but I think that relies a little more on explosive movements. This was just using my own weight against me, thus being essentially like judo.
The end result is that after only a short time, my legs were shredded. I tend to think my legs are relatively strong, so I was really impressed. Fortunately, I wrote down al the exercises immediately afterwards so I don't have to pay for another training session.
The end result is that after only a short time, my legs were shredded. I tend to think my legs are relatively strong, so I was really impressed. Fortunately, I wrote down al the exercises immediately afterwards so I don't have to pay for another training session.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The wonders of technology
Saturday = endurance. In fact, I spend 4 hours cycling or running today. I'm now rather tired. It's been pretty chilly here today, so I was surprised I'd make it out, but the prospect of a colder Sunday and the chance to test out a new toy - a Garmin GPS/heart rate monitor - pushed me to go long. The amazing thing is not just seeing heart rate over time, but being able to plot it and analyze each work out. For example, if you're curious, here's the ride and the run. I've never really used a heart rate monitor much before, so I'm not entirely sure what my max is, and where I should be training. Clearly, I have more bike fitness than run fitness, as my hr stayed almost 30 bpm lower.
I'll post more data over time, hopefully making it easy to plot improvement.
I'll post more data over time, hopefully making it easy to plot improvement.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Yoga and spring break
Today I made my first attempt at going to a power yoga class. Apparently the key is to do a little more abdominals work and keep one's heart rate. My opinion was mixed. It was not nearly as difficult as I expected, at least in the cardio sense. However, some of the positions were a little more extreme, and required more strength and balance than usual yoga. As an aside, you'd think swimming would be the sport that required the least balance of the three - after all, how is it that floating would require more balance than moving 25 M.P.H on two wheels a centimeter wide? And yet, swimming requires an amazing amount of balance.
So, secondly, I'm beginning to think I might try to go to a triathlon camp in Spain in early April. Downsides are 1)$$$, 2) it would be the week after I finished National Marathon and presumably I'd be recovering. Although, who knows. Perhaps it would perfectly timed to occur right at the beginning of the build period. There seem to be quite a few different companies offering bike tours, which, frankly, is all I really want. I'm tempted to go myself, but the potential for disaster when combining shipping a bike, the possibility for mechanical failures, and the prospect of getting lost somewhere in backwater Italy, well, it seems crazy.
Finally, I'm scheduled to meet with a nutritionist next week who will hopefully help me figure out a diet.
So, secondly, I'm beginning to think I might try to go to a triathlon camp in Spain in early April. Downsides are 1)$$$, 2) it would be the week after I finished National Marathon and presumably I'd be recovering. Although, who knows. Perhaps it would perfectly timed to occur right at the beginning of the build period. There seem to be quite a few different companies offering bike tours, which, frankly, is all I really want. I'm tempted to go myself, but the potential for disaster when combining shipping a bike, the possibility for mechanical failures, and the prospect of getting lost somewhere in backwater Italy, well, it seems crazy.
Finally, I'm scheduled to meet with a nutritionist next week who will hopefully help me figure out a diet.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Diet redux, Ironmen, and a Predawn Swim
A shopping trip today resulted in some good finds. First, raisins. Apparently very alkaline - good for retaining muscle mass. Second, avacados and salsa - this will hopefully become a mid-afternoon snack from now on. Some good fat and fiber. Almonds - delicious and good fat too. Finally, cliff bar energy bars and protein bars on the cheap. Lots of chocolate and peanut butter.
More importantly though, although I'm learning better how to work at my diet, it remains really challenging. For example, how much carbohydrates are appropriate after a short work out? Will a cliff bar be the right thing to eat after a long run that drains glycogen? Finally, I still need to drop about 20-25 lbs, so do I do that by skimping on pre-post carbs, forcing my body to pull energy from fat cells to replace glycogen? Does that even work?
I've been listening to a great podcast - Ironman Talk. Two New Zealanders with some good Ironman experience. Like nearly all type A early 30s men who come to triathlon, I'm of course fixated with competing in an Ironman distance race (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run - a total of 140.6). People spend years preparing for such things. I'm hoping to do one in late September or October. Crazy? Yes. Dangerous? Possibly.
Finally, today was the first schedule two-a-day work out. I've join the ranks of seriously OCD triathletes and high school football players (at least in august). It wasn't easy to get up, but, with some internal debate, I got myself up and to the gym. Here's to many more two-a-day tuesdays.
More importantly though, although I'm learning better how to work at my diet, it remains really challenging. For example, how much carbohydrates are appropriate after a short work out? Will a cliff bar be the right thing to eat after a long run that drains glycogen? Finally, I still need to drop about 20-25 lbs, so do I do that by skimping on pre-post carbs, forcing my body to pull energy from fat cells to replace glycogen? Does that even work?
I've been listening to a great podcast - Ironman Talk. Two New Zealanders with some good Ironman experience. Like nearly all type A early 30s men who come to triathlon, I'm of course fixated with competing in an Ironman distance race (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run - a total of 140.6). People spend years preparing for such things. I'm hoping to do one in late September or October. Crazy? Yes. Dangerous? Possibly.
Finally, today was the first schedule two-a-day work out. I've join the ranks of seriously OCD triathletes and high school football players (at least in august). It wasn't easy to get up, but, with some internal debate, I got myself up and to the gym. Here's to many more two-a-day tuesdays.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
What to listen to on a 6 hour bike ride?
Well, 6 hours is still a few months away probably, but it's a likelihood that I'll become rather bored with the hyper-literate indie pop that I tend to take on the road. Now for those concerned for my safety, or more likely, the safety of others, let me assure you that I only use one earphone while cycling, so I stay generally aware of my surroundings.
What I'm curious about is audiobooks (preferably titles in the public domain that should, I'd hope, be free). Alternatively, I could stick with podcasts. I like the idea of audiobooks though because A) I'm pedantic and like to cite books I've recently read in thoroughly unneeded ways in cocktail party conversation and B) because I would think the content is a bit more predictable.
What I'm curious about is audiobooks (preferably titles in the public domain that should, I'd hope, be free). Alternatively, I could stick with podcasts. I like the idea of audiobooks though because A) I'm pedantic and like to cite books I've recently read in thoroughly unneeded ways in cocktail party conversation and B) because I would think the content is a bit more predictable.
Things I don't entirely understand
I have some residual ignorances that I hope to rectify over the coming months. Do you have answers?
Nutrition on the bike - bars versus gels, cytomax versus gatorade versus water? I assume there's a time and place for each, but I wish I knew how to plan out bike nutrition a little better.
Just how many bikes - is it enough to just have aero bars? I like my roadbike. Should I get a tri bike though? I'd say aero bars would hack it but A) I like toys and B) I am planning for some long races, so where's the line? Secondly, if I had a tri bike, would I never ride my road bike again? Ideally, I'd like to think that I'd do Saturday's long rides on a a tri bike, and get back on road bike for Sunday group rides, plus afterwork rides as the days lengthen and I can get out of the gym, but who knows.
Pedals - currently I have SPDs. Good entry level pedals, but I fear probably a little heavy for a long day of pedaling. Look is a sentimental favorite for me given their sponsorship of Alberto Tomba some years back, but Speedplay claims to be healthier on the knees.
Nutrition on the bike - bars versus gels, cytomax versus gatorade versus water? I assume there's a time and place for each, but I wish I knew how to plan out bike nutrition a little better.
Just how many bikes - is it enough to just have aero bars? I like my roadbike. Should I get a tri bike though? I'd say aero bars would hack it but A) I like toys and B) I am planning for some long races, so where's the line? Secondly, if I had a tri bike, would I never ride my road bike again? Ideally, I'd like to think that I'd do Saturday's long rides on a a tri bike, and get back on road bike for Sunday group rides, plus afterwork rides as the days lengthen and I can get out of the gym, but who knows.
Pedals - currently I have SPDs. Good entry level pedals, but I fear probably a little heavy for a long day of pedaling. Look is a sentimental favorite for me given their sponsorship of Alberto Tomba some years back, but Speedplay claims to be healthier on the knees.
The Loneliness of the Middle Distance Runner
Running is hard. For some of us, the whispy, the waifish, the spindly, it can be pleasant. I ran cross country and track in high school and I generally enjoyed it. In the post-college era, I put together a few stretches of months in which I ran regularly. Lately, I've been having fun on my runs, and I have the NY Times to thank. It turns out that if you focus on an object intently, and repeat an internal mantra, it becomes easier to put to use the endless existential angst that comes with running longer distances. With a little practice, one can stay almost entranced, and those thoughts of failed careers and relationships, of frustrated aspirations, and other nagging questions sort of fade into the background. This is almost academic if you run with other people, or can zone out with your iPod, but remember that races tend to ban iPods these days, so best to learn to run for several hours without musical distraction.
More importantly almost, the internal mantra focuses one on regulating strides to create an optimal cadence of 85-95 (oddly enough, this is also just about the optimal bike cadence).
Finally, it still helps to have good music. In fact, there's a science, apparently, to choosing music. I'll give a brief glimpse into my running playlist -
Let's Get it Started
Moby's James Bond theme remix
Yer Country
Stronger
Lose Yourself
Firestarter
Jump Around
Galvanize
One might think it's like having a dance party on the road, which is I suppose accurate, but the bigger idea is to have music that keeps the cadence, but not necessarily the intensity up. After all, remember that intensity makes establishing the all-important fitness base more difficult when improperly applied.
Ironically, despite really liking Belle and Sebastian's song the Loneliness of the Middle Distance Runner, I don't listen to it while running.
More importantly almost, the internal mantra focuses one on regulating strides to create an optimal cadence of 85-95 (oddly enough, this is also just about the optimal bike cadence).
Finally, it still helps to have good music. In fact, there's a science, apparently, to choosing music. I'll give a brief glimpse into my running playlist -
Let's Get it Started
Moby's James Bond theme remix
Yer Country
Stronger
Lose Yourself
Firestarter
Jump Around
Galvanize
One might think it's like having a dance party on the road, which is I suppose accurate, but the bigger idea is to have music that keeps the cadence, but not necessarily the intensity up. After all, remember that intensity makes establishing the all-important fitness base more difficult when improperly applied.
Ironically, despite really liking Belle and Sebastian's song the Loneliness of the Middle Distance Runner, I don't listen to it while running.
Endurance diet
As I mentioned in a previous post, there is apparently much to be said for having a purpose for each training session. In the same vein, I'm hoping to give much more thought to what I eat. My diet usually consists of a lot of carbohydrates, a lot of dairy, gallons of diet coke, and lean and not so lean protein. I occasionally eat vegetables, and more rarely, fruit.
This is not going to work, of course.
Nutritionists seem to think that an endurance athlete's diet should consist primarily of lean protein, vegetables and fruit, with some good fats like avocados, low-fat yogurt, olive oil, etc. Carbohydrates are part of the diet during endurance sessions and immediately afterwards, to replenish the glycogen.
This will be a struggle for me, but there's no point to building a better engine without more properly fueling it.
This is not going to work, of course.
Nutritionists seem to think that an endurance athlete's diet should consist primarily of lean protein, vegetables and fruit, with some good fats like avocados, low-fat yogurt, olive oil, etc. Carbohydrates are part of the diet during endurance sessions and immediately afterwards, to replenish the glycogen.
This will be a struggle for me, but there's no point to building a better engine without more properly fueling it.
Current training schedule
People more dedicated than I say each training session should have a purpose. This is perhaps where the proverbial rubber meets the road in that the average aspiring triathlete may not have the time or energy to plan things out ahead of time. I'm going to start off easy and just plan a purposeful schedule and hope that over time, I'll know enough about my progress during the base phase to give each workout more purpose.
A few observations and frustrations thus far. First of all, although it has been warm lately, I'm not sure we can count on the entire winter being bypassed by global warming just yet. So, that means a lot of indoor time. I've been fortunate to get rides and runs outside the last two weekends, but that's by no means guaranteed. Indoors is ok, but challenging. I've begun spinning, which in someways is really good for my cycling ability - the chance to work on pedal stroke is key because there are no distractions. Also, I really (perhaps more than I expected) like obnoxiously loud techno remixes of obscure songs. However, the class is designed for people who need 45 minutes of enforced discipline to get a cardio workout. It's not designed for people working to purposefully build the mitochondria and capillaries necessary for effective endurance performances. I.E, you can't rush this phase because it involves growing things. So the spinning instructors sort of yell and everyone sprints and stands and climbs and sprints, and I sit and try to plod along at a steady pace for the entire class. I fear they secretly loathe me.
So, as it stands now, here's the schedule.
Monday - strength workout of crunches, tricep dips, leg lifts, pull ups, side and back bends, chest pull and seated row, plus quad and hamstring work. Then, 45 minutes of spinning followed by no more than 30 minutes running.
Tuesday - eventually, Tuesday will be a two-a-day day, with an early morning long swim of an hour. I'll try that this week, though I'm attending a tri swimming clinic in February, and until then, I may stay out of the pool some. Also, before work? Two-a-day? WTF! But yes, I'll go back to the gym afterwork for another 45 minute spin (taught by a very good instructor I think), and then an hour of vinyasa yoga.
Wednesday, for the most part I'll take Wednesday off. Hooray!
Thursday - mid-day long run. Triathlon training literature suggests no more than one long run a week. This will be it for me. Post work, back to the gym for a medium swim, plus Monday's strenth workout.
Friday - 45 minute spin. Friday's spinning instructor is crazy. She sings along to the songs, but she's a very knowledgeable endurance athlete I think, so I'll cut her some slack.
Saturday - a long ride. There are some variables though, including A) weather, B) the degree to which I'm hungover, C) well, mostly just B again. I kid. Sort of. I usually use this route. It's repetitive, and often there are a lot of people on one stretch of road, but much of it is blocked to vehicle traffic, and since I usually ride by myself on long days, I don't want to go too far from home. After the ride, which should be 3 or 4 hours now, and 6 by June, I'll do at most 30 minutes of running.
Sunday - another ride, but less long at 40 miles, and with a group organized by a local bike shop. A very chill crowd. I'd like to ride with people from the local triathlon club in D.C., but they usually go on Saturdays, and until I'm more comfortable with riding in a group, I think I'll stick to myself.
You may notice that I've for the most part avoided listing workouts in terms of miles. This is because, as I understand it, the key in base phase is going for long periods of time so that the body is trained to keep working after the initial glycogen stores are used up after 2:30 hours or so. I'll keep a mileage log though, just in case you're curious.
A few observations and frustrations thus far. First of all, although it has been warm lately, I'm not sure we can count on the entire winter being bypassed by global warming just yet. So, that means a lot of indoor time. I've been fortunate to get rides and runs outside the last two weekends, but that's by no means guaranteed. Indoors is ok, but challenging. I've begun spinning, which in someways is really good for my cycling ability - the chance to work on pedal stroke is key because there are no distractions. Also, I really (perhaps more than I expected) like obnoxiously loud techno remixes of obscure songs. However, the class is designed for people who need 45 minutes of enforced discipline to get a cardio workout. It's not designed for people working to purposefully build the mitochondria and capillaries necessary for effective endurance performances. I.E, you can't rush this phase because it involves growing things. So the spinning instructors sort of yell and everyone sprints and stands and climbs and sprints, and I sit and try to plod along at a steady pace for the entire class. I fear they secretly loathe me.
So, as it stands now, here's the schedule.
Monday - strength workout of crunches, tricep dips, leg lifts, pull ups, side and back bends, chest pull and seated row, plus quad and hamstring work. Then, 45 minutes of spinning followed by no more than 30 minutes running.
Tuesday - eventually, Tuesday will be a two-a-day day, with an early morning long swim of an hour. I'll try that this week, though I'm attending a tri swimming clinic in February, and until then, I may stay out of the pool some. Also, before work? Two-a-day? WTF! But yes, I'll go back to the gym afterwork for another 45 minute spin (taught by a very good instructor I think), and then an hour of vinyasa yoga.
Wednesday, for the most part I'll take Wednesday off. Hooray!
Thursday - mid-day long run. Triathlon training literature suggests no more than one long run a week. This will be it for me. Post work, back to the gym for a medium swim, plus Monday's strenth workout.
Friday - 45 minute spin. Friday's spinning instructor is crazy. She sings along to the songs, but she's a very knowledgeable endurance athlete I think, so I'll cut her some slack.
Saturday - a long ride. There are some variables though, including A) weather, B) the degree to which I'm hungover, C) well, mostly just B again. I kid. Sort of. I usually use this route. It's repetitive, and often there are a lot of people on one stretch of road, but much of it is blocked to vehicle traffic, and since I usually ride by myself on long days, I don't want to go too far from home. After the ride, which should be 3 or 4 hours now, and 6 by June, I'll do at most 30 minutes of running.
Sunday - another ride, but less long at 40 miles, and with a group organized by a local bike shop. A very chill crowd. I'd like to ride with people from the local triathlon club in D.C., but they usually go on Saturdays, and until I'm more comfortable with riding in a group, I think I'll stick to myself.
You may notice that I've for the most part avoided listing workouts in terms of miles. This is because, as I understand it, the key in base phase is going for long periods of time so that the body is trained to keep working after the initial glycogen stores are used up after 2:30 hours or so. I'll keep a mileage log though, just in case you're curious.
How it all began
I live my life in compulsive phases. Currently that phase is premised on training for, and competing in, triathlons. Thus far, my only race was the Nation's Triathlon. I finished at around 2:40. Not great, but not bad either I think, considering my fitness level left much to be desired. I've cycled for three summers now, but never with purpose and I smoked and drank away my fitness in the winter. However, after passing a relatively major milestone of years, I'm hoping to put all the effort I can into this for this summer. I have an ambitious race plan.
In March, I'm doing the National Marathon
In April, the Richmond 10K
In May, the Big Lake Half Marathon in Alton, NH.
Nothing in June as of yet, maybe just some hard training. I should be pretty solidly at the end of the build phase
July is busy, with the first tri of the year, a 1/2 Ironman in Rhode Island on 13 July New York City Triathlon on 20 July. (Yeah, NYC will not be my hardest effort, but I couldn't resist the chance to swim in the Hudson)
In August, it's back to NH for the Timberman 1/2 Iron in Guilford. It may also possibly include the Philadelphia Tri on 3 August.
September has both the Nation's Triathlon again on 14 September, and if I'm feeling it, Chesapeake Man (140.6) on the eastern shore of the bay on 27 September.
October, pending the degree to which my knees are still functional, the Marine Corps Marathon on 26 October.
I expect I'll add at least one or two century rides in June and mid-August and maybe mid October.
This is the plan thus far. Check back to see how it goes.
In March, I'm doing the National Marathon
In April, the Richmond 10K
In May, the Big Lake Half Marathon in Alton, NH.
Nothing in June as of yet, maybe just some hard training. I should be pretty solidly at the end of the build phase
July is busy, with the first tri of the year, a 1/2 Ironman in Rhode Island on 13 July New York City Triathlon on 20 July. (Yeah, NYC will not be my hardest effort, but I couldn't resist the chance to swim in the Hudson)
In August, it's back to NH for the Timberman 1/2 Iron in Guilford. It may also possibly include the Philadelphia Tri on 3 August.
September has both the Nation's Triathlon again on 14 September, and if I'm feeling it, Chesapeake Man (140.6) on the eastern shore of the bay on 27 September.
October, pending the degree to which my knees are still functional, the Marine Corps Marathon on 26 October.
I expect I'll add at least one or two century rides in June and mid-August and maybe mid October.
This is the plan thus far. Check back to see how it goes.
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