Marathon Preparation

Good gosh almighty it’s getting close to Christmas time. Lauren has the house all decked out and ready for Santa to come and deliver my new Zipp Wheels and Zoot Wetsuit. Yeah, probably won’t see either of those underneath the tree this year. In fact, I think the only thing Tri related that I put on my list was a Nike + attachment for my ipod. Where are my priorities? Either that, or I’ve spent way too much money on acquiring Tri junk that I couldn’t possibly fit anymore in my closet. Never! There’s always room for more Tri junk!
You know, with more and more Christmas parties moving toward the Dirty Santa gift idea, it’d be kinda cool to do something like that with all this extra Tri junk that I’ve accumulated. Water bottles, bottle cages, half empty (or half full for the optimists out there) canisters of Perpetuem powder, Jerseys, E-Z laces, tire pumps, etc… Wow, they seemed so needed at the time. Now, not so much.
It’s been another good week of running in preparation for the Mercedes Marathon in February. This past weekend’s 21 miler left me hurting for a few days, but I was back at it this week. Per Paul’s (err Recovering Runner) request, here’s what my typical week looks like.

Sunday – recover (off to a good start eh?)
Monday – cross train – core exercises, light weights
Tuesday – track work – ½ mile sprints at 2:50 pace
Wednesday – Easy 6-7 miler – nice and slow on a treadmill to force a slow pace
Thursday – Tempo Run – 7-8 miler – try to keep a 7:00 pace
Friday – rest and recovery
Saturday – Long run – this week is only 16 woo hoo! Race pace is the goal – 7:17

My schedule has my long runs looking like this in the coming weeks: 16, 18, 22, 16, 18, 22, 14, 10, Race!

That’s all for now. Peace on Earth. Good Will and all that stuff.

Tell Me You've Seen This! OMG

This is featured in your blogger login page. Coolest thing I've seen since learning to gleak. It's long but worth it. Wait till the guitar solo!

What have I been doing with myself?

Yeah well, I stepped away from blogger for a bit. Believe me, it's not due to any love lost for you fine folks, but rather for the lack of anything worth posting going on. How do you write about the monotony of pounding out mile after mile in training for a marathon? God bless all who have the ability to eek out a few post worthy words from daily running. There are some that do it quite well and we're all thankful.

As it typical for any and all this time of year, life has gotten a little busier. Lauren and I are both being careful not to schedule too much of our week so that we're feeling too stressed or pulled in too many directions. Throughout the holiday season, it has gotten a little harder to find time to get my runs in. I'm mixing up my runs between morning runs and after work runs. It usually depends on my mood or the temp in the morning. Morning temps have been in and around the 30's as of late, but this weekend was in the high 40's with highs in the afternoon around 70. Weird. I did experience a really cool run the other night after work. As you can see below, I put on my reflective wear and headlamp and went for a run through the Tiny Kingdom.

Probably one of the coolest runs I've had to date. Running in the pitch black made the 8 mile run go by so quickly. It was a total blast, but a little tougher on the body due to the unexpected dips and changes in the road. Taking unexpected jars worked me a little harder than I would have liked but it was totally worth it.

Saturday I scheduled my longest run to date, a 21 miler. The goal today was to not set any records but to just get the distance in. I felt great for the first 17 or so, then I could feel my shoulders start to slump a little and my body started to wear down. After a while it felt like someone was pushing down on me the whole time. But the good news is that I finished and finished strong at that. 6.2 miles to go to the goal. Thankfully, next week's long run is a few miles shorter. Will work on speed then.

That's all for now. Hope everyone is enjoying their Holiday season. As cliche' as it's become, don't forget the Reason for the season and remember those serving our country who won't be able to see their families this Christmas. Take care and thanks for reading.

Christmas vacation

Probably my favorite moment from this tireless classic. Definitely top 5 movie rants of all time. Merry Christmas to all!

In Keeping with the Movie Theme - Rocky

Mickey: Why do you have to wear that stinkin' sweat suit?

Rocky Balboa: It brings me luck, you know?

Mickey: Brings you luck. I'll tell you what it brings - it brings FLIES! Now here's what I want you to do - I want you to chase this little chicken.

Rocky Balboa: Hey yo, Mick, what do I got to chase a chicken for?

Mickey: First, because I said so. And second, is because chicken-chasing is how we used to train back in the old days. If you can catch this thing, you can catch greased lighting.

Rocky Balboa: Well, I'll do it if you say so, but it ain't very mature.

Mickey: Yeah, well NEITHER ARE YOU, very mature!

You can never get enough of Rocky, admit it. Despite the over dramatic scenes and seemingly predictable endings (What? You mean Rocky pulled it out again in the end?), the Rocky series provides tons, I mean tons, of good motivational quotes. Not to mention the funny ones aimed to point out that The Rock may have taken a few too many to the head.

Gazo: How's about investing in condominiums? It's safe.

Rocky Balboa: Condominiums?

Gazo: Yeah, condominiums.

Rocky Balboa: I never use 'em.

But what we see in the first quote is Mick attempting to get Rocky in shape for his fight. Both have their own unconventional beliefs about what works. Rocky has his lucky sweat suit while Mick has his old fashioned chicken chasing workout. Both believe strongly in them because they are reliable, a little off but reliable.

I’ve gone down both roads. I’ve worn clothes and shoes out until there are holes in both, and now I noticed that in all of my tri pics I have the same hat on. Go ahead and look up at my header. All the same hat. It's blue and fits the noggin perfectly. I’ve got to give it it’s due. It’s been a good hat. It’s made by Sweatvac and does a pretty good job at living up to it’s name, but it’s time for a change. I recently picked up a new Zoot Sports visor that I’ll sport as long as the weather is nice. It’s going to take some breaking in, but I’m sure it’ll do nicely. It may even smell a little better. You never know.

As for the second part of the quote, I’ve run the same route through the neighborhood so many times that I think that I could do it blindly. There are a couple of established routes throughout town that are hot spots for runners throughout the week, and I’ve used them both way too much. It’s gotten a little old chasing the same chicken. It’s time for a change. It's time for a new chicken. With as much running as I’ve been doing it’s merely a matter of keeping my sanity and fighting off the monotony. So with this, I sign off and head over to mapmyrun.com to look for a few more routes. Thanks for reading!

Marathon Training Update for the week of Nov 5 - 11
Mon – Core and strength
Tues – Track work – 3 miles total
Wed – 5 easy (40 min)
Thurs – 7 tempo (7:10)
Fri – Core and strength
Sat – Rest
Sun – 14.5 miles – 1:46:20 (7:20 pace)
Total miles – 29.5

"Run Forrest! Run!"

"That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going." Forrest Gump

And that’s how it feels sometimes. I’m in my 2nd full week of training for the Mercedes Marathon and things are going quite well. It’s seems a little easy to be truthful. It’s certainly less time consuming than trying to work on three disciplines. My body has responded well to doing less work even though the work that I am doing is a little more stressful on the knees and joints. There are no aches or pains to speak of so far which I can only attribute to keeping the weekly miles in check. I can’t say enough about my shoes either. My Brooks Racer ST’s are fantastic. They are light weight flats with plenty of support and comfort for the long runs.

Mentally, things are good. I worried coming into this that I’d get too bored to finish 26.2 miles. At least with Tri’s, I get to feed my ADD tendencies by changing sports twice during the race. I do though break the rules of “A True Runner” by staying plugged in on my ipod. There are some diehards that are against it, but for me it gives me an option of either getting lost in Johnny Cash or my own thoughts by turning it off. There is of course something to be said about listening to your own footfalls and breathing on a chilly morning.

This weekend, Lauren and I are headed down to the beach for a quick weekend trip. This is the first time in a while that I haven’t taken my bike with me. Sadly, it’s had to take a back seat for a while. NOT FOR LONG THOUGH! It still calls me daily. Take care and thanks for reading.

"Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere, I was running! "

What Do You See Here?

I'm a little concerned about this logo. It's for a group in the UK that strives to ensure that disabled individuals are able to have access to fitness equipment. It's a noble cause through and through. No one's doubting that. I do take issue though with their logo. I took me a minute to figure out what it was actually supposed to be rather than what it appears to be. So my suggestion to the logo designer: add legs (plural). Proper form dictates that the individual have his or her feet shoulder width apart. That is unless the individual only has one leg, which in this cause is very possible.

As for training, yes training! I've been pounding the pavement this week in efforts to ramp up my mileage and speed. This weekend I'm doing 14 miles just a bit slower than race pace. We'll see how it goes.

After that Lauren and I are headed up to Lake Guntersville to go camping with my folks. Should be fun as the temps are getting into the 50's. Take care and thanks for reading.

And Let it Begin....Again

Well, the off season was fun. Now it's time to get back to work. I've targeted the Mercedes Marathon here in Birmingham on Feb. 10th to be my first attempt at the distance. It's hard to believe because February seems so far away, but it's only 16 weeks out. I've got my work cut out for me as I'm going to need to work on speed a bit. I know, I know it's a marathon, but I've got a goal. The pace I trained at for the 1/2 IM is a bit slower than what I want to push for the mary. So needless to say, it's back to the track for a little speed work.

Here's some good news to go along with that. I have a new "running" partner. I say "running" because I'm the only one running while she is riding this:

Last week, we bought Lauren a bike to cruise around the neighborhood on. It's a Trek 7100 and it's perfect. So far, we've only logged 11 miles together, but it's a great way to spend time with the wife while getting some exercise in. She looks totally cute wearing the bike helmet too, so that's a plus.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.

Caesar's Big Day

This is Caesar Augustus. He's 8 years old, but believes he's still 2. After yesterday, I'm going to bet that he's feeling his age today. Caesar had quite the adventurous day. Yesterday for lunch, I decided to give the fat boy a little exercise. Typically, Caesar's exercise consists of walks after work, but today I decided to take him on a run instead. As is typical, upon hearing the jingling of the leash Caesar began his springing up and down routine in excitement. Oh, if he only knew. Once I wrestled with him enough to get the leash attached, we took off. Caesar was doing his best greyhound chasing the rabbit impersonation, while I pulled back on the reins like I was Wyatt Earp driving a stage coach. This lasted for the first mile which we did in about 7 minutes. Then old man hit a wall. He was cooked. Fat tongue and all, Caesar slowed to a walking pace. I tried to encourage him to keep going, but the run was looking more like a drag now. I tried to encourage him on, but he just kept shooting me side glances that said it all. We made it back to the house completing the two mile loop in 18 minutes. I patted him on the head, gave him some fresh water, and told him that we'd have to improve upon that preformance so rest up. He thankfully watched me put the leash up and head out to finish the run on my own.

That night, I came home to not one but two dogs in my back yard. A neighbor's 6 month old dog, Scout, had dug a hole under our fence and made his way over for a visit. Caesar, seemingly totally recovered from his 2 mile run, chased Scout around the yard, throwing the pine straw from my flower beds everywhere, and humping poor Scout when advantage could be won. It's a show of dominance, nothing more. If you'll recall this post, you'll know why.

Later than night Caesar received visit from another friend's dog. This dog was a bit bigger and not so easily won over. After a couple of hours together, I thought for sure Caesar was done for the night. Not so.

I woke up this morning to find my back gate open and no dog. It was 6:15 in the morning, and I was headed to the gym. This would have to wait. After a few whistles and no dog, I drove around the neighborhood. No luck. This is never a good feeling. I could see Caesar being hauled away by the dog catcher which only results in me having to bail him out for $50. This has happened before. To my surprise, after a few calls, Caesar came lumbering down the street. A big smile on his face like he'd been living it up. I'm sure he had. No doubt cats had been chased, dogs behind fences had been taunted, and yards had been violated. I did a quick search to see if any of my neighbors' trash had been Caesarized, but we were good. I escorted the escapee back behind the fence and double checked the gate. He looked thoroughly pleased with himself after a very eventful 24 hours. Maybe now he'll get some sleep.

Growing Hair

That's about all I'm doing right now; in more ways than one. I promised Lauren that as soon as the season was over that I'd let the hair on my legs grow back out. Fine by me! I hated shaving them anyway. I'm not on the bike as much so no need to keep the legs nice and slick. Problem is, I'm two weeks in and you can barely tell a difference. I'm just not a hairy guy.

Which brings me to my second situation. Now this can only occur in an office of young guys who are just immature enough to want to do this. We've been talking about it for a month now. It is now just possible for us to pull it off. We're done for a while meeting with clients, and there are no speaking engagements on the horizon. So we have this window of opportunity. We're having a mustache growing competition. Now, go back up to the first paragraph and read, "I'm just not a hairy guy." Can you guess how my stache is progressing after four days? There are freshman in high school with more of a mustache than me right now. We have just over 2 weeks to grow the most ridiculous Magnum P.I. that we can come up with. Judging will be based on style, presentation, and showmanship. Thankfully, it's not on thickness. I'll be sure to post a pick once the competition is over. I have no doubt that I'll bring sexy back to the mustache!

Off Season Update

Hello all, I writing to you today from my home town of Birmingham, AL for the first time in a month. I'm also heavily entrenched in the post-season and loving it. I've been out of town twice since my 1/2 on Sept 30th so I'm looking forward to enjoying a bit of normalcy to my schedule and life. The good news about traveling so much, I've had killed a number of hours in the hotel room, at the airport, and on an airplane reading to my heart's content.

I've managed just a couple of runs in the last two weeks due to traveling, but during each run I've had to turn it down a notch due to some pain in my calf. Don't know what that's all about, but it must be some lingering effects from the half. I'm looking forward to getting into a consistent work out routine during the fall and winter though. No doubt my workouts will be less focused and intense, but they won't be without cause. Hopefully, if all goes well I'll complete my first Marathon sometime in January or February. I'm excited about the prospect and will be making an attempt to qualify for Boston if not in this race then later in the year. We'll see how long I can keep that dream alive before I realize it's futility. You can dream right? I'm going to give it a go though.

On another note, it was 49 degrees this morning! Wow, is it time for the arm warmers yet?

SC Half Ironman - The Long Version

Lauren and I left for Greenwood, SC on Saturday which was the day before the race. Greenwood, so I've learned is becoming quite a hotbed for Triathlons. It hosts no fewer than 5 events a year. That night we happened upon what I believe to be the only Italian joint in town, because as soon as I walked in, there were more shaved legs than you'd find at a Miss America pageant. Every table in the joint was dotted with racers wearing their favorite race tees and talking about gear and the Ironman. I'd come to the right place.

Race morning started at 4:15. I had oatmeal and a PB & J sandwich. It's been my breakfast of choice before my long bricks so I wasn't going to waver now. I stepped outside the hotel to find that the temp had dropped to 54 degrees during the night. What the heck? They expected me to swim in this? Lauren just about revolted at that point. Before we left, we picked up a stranded racer at the hotel for a helping of good race kharma. With that under my belt, I knew it'd be a good day.

During my transition area set-up, I had a weird calm about me. Usually before a race, I have this nervous anticipation. This time there was no sense of urgency, no fears of what if this happens. There was just calm. It did bother me a bit because I knew I would need adrenalin at some point to keep me going. But, I took it as a good sign that I would be able to pace myself and make good decisions.

The Swim: Luckily the water turned out to be warmer than the outside air. It was 76 degrees which meant wetsuits would be legal which meant nothing to me. I didn't have one. Everyone else seemingly had come prepared and took full advantage. I swore that if I ever do one of these again, I want one. It's a huge advantage, and I need all the help I can get. Why is that? Oh yeah, it's because I absolutely suck in open water swims. It's not that I get tired or off course. It's more that I get distracted and keep looking to see how far I have to go. Time after time, I put up decent times in the pool, only to come out and put up a 42 minute swim. And that's how I started. It didn't bother me though, because that was the hard part. All I had to do now was ride and run.

T1: Nothing fancy, but a long run from the beach and trouble with my bike shirt put me getting out of T1 in just over 2 minutes. Not great.

The Bike: As usual, here's where I make up my time. I spent the first two miles making myself hoarse from yelling "on your left!" All of the racers who could swim faster than me struggled to find their land legs and peddle their bikes. Don't know how many I passed, but it just rang home the truth about how slow I swim.
I had decided early on that I wasn't going to kill it on the bike this time. During my last 1/2, I burned way too many matches on the bike. This time, I planned on keeping a 20.5 mph average. I had some early alarms go off during miles 5-12 when I was barely keeping my pace above 19 mph. It was then that I remembered looking at an elevation chart of the course and knew that this was a tough stretch. I also recalled that the road flattens out a bit and that better roads lay ahead. By mile 15 I'd pushed my speed up to where I wanted it. Also at mile fifteen, I'd decided I would take in a energy bar. I'd chosen a Hammer Bar because the package was easy to tear open. Note to self, taste the bar before using it in a race. The taste wasn't so bad, it was the consistency that made me want to hurl. I felt like I was 7 years old again and my mom was feeding me corn beef hash. I managed to get one bite down, but that was all I could do. I couldn't take another bite. I knew this would put me in calorie deficiency so I relied on the powergels I had with me.
Throughout the rest of the ride, I continued to pass a lot and get passed by a few. My legs felt nice and strong until about mile 45 when all I wanted was to get off the bike. Because it was at that point that we made one last turn that put us riding into a stiff wind all the way up to the park's entrance. I felt like I was going backwards. It totally zapped whatever momentum I was feeling as I ended my bike. Final time was 2:45.

T2: Left my shoes on the bike. Helmet off, visor and running shoes on and I'm gone. 1:09.

The Run: I looked at my watch. It read a total time of 3:31. My goal was to finish in 5:30 so I knew all I had to do was to put up a two hour half. I was going to try and get under that if at all possible. I felt like I had the energy to do it too. The run consisted of a two loop course. It made it difficult to tell who was in which portion of the race. I decided not to worry about it and just run my race. The first few miles were perfect. I averaged an 8:30 pace up until mile four. I made sure to take in plenty of fluids and a gel when I could. I could feel the legs were starting to tire. I made my first lap at 4:27. I had 6.6 miles to go and I had an hour to do it. My first urge to walk hit just after mile 7. I gave in for a second, but found that a slow jog felt just as good and was twice as fast. At mile 8 I decided to see what I could do, but I found that it wasn't much. I put up a 9 minute mile and realized that I was going down hill quickly. The body was wearing down the legs were exhausted.
I made it to mile 12 and knew I was close (1. to finishing and 2. to collapsing). After what seemed like an eternity, a volunteer said, "good job! only .6 left to go!" I just about quit. I'd run the entire last mile and after 7 minutes she was telling me .6 miles still lay ahead of me??? There were people of ahead of me on either side of the course so I kept going out of pride. I followed the markers another 300 feet or so when I looked to my left and up this steep incline was the finish line, 30 feet away. .6 miles my ass!!! What was she thinking? I stumbled my way up the hill and crossed the line feeling like I'd cheated the course. I felt like at any moment someone was going to tell me I had another loop to do. But alas, I was done and I finished under 5:30 by 30 seconds. Whew!

Three days later, I still a little sore. Sunday night and Monday were rough, but already I feeling the desire to strap on the running shoes and head out for a while. The season is over, and it's been a good one. I've come a long way since last October when I decided to start actually training for Triathlons. Through the help of Transitions Multi Sport, I had a great season and set a PR at every distance for each race I entered. I've met some incredible people in person and on-line. My wife said it best this weekend, when she said commented that the people at races are so nice. She said we all have this common bond we enjoy and want to share this happiness with each other.

I'm not done with training for the year, though you will find me spending more Saturday mornings with my wife and eating chocolate cake and ice cream a little more often. Thanks for reading.

South Carolina Half Ironman

Just a short version of the race report for now. I'll try to get a full one up a bit later.

I will point out that being well feed prior to and during the race today made the difference between this race the my prior 1/2 back in June. The result was being able to finish the run this time without walking the majority of the race. Today's result was a 5:29:30 finish which I'm pretty happy with. Back in June I posted a 5:49 due to a total meltdown on the run. This year I was a little smarter, and a lot more relaxed. I'm hurting a lot worse right now, but it was well worth it.

Lauren and I drove over to Charleston, SC for a few days to celebrate our TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY (which is Oct 1st). So, if time permits, I'll get a full report up later. Take care and thanks for reading.

Traveling Man

Tuesday 4:44 pm. (The phone rings and interrupts Matt from tweaking his fantasy team)
Matt: Hello
Client: Can you go to Sacramento?
Matt: (in head -SHEEEEEEEET!) Sure, what's going on?
Client: We need you to put on the superman cape. Do you still have it?
Matt: I think I have it, but it's a little loose. You see, I've been training for this Half IM this weekend and I've lost a little weight.
Client: So, can you be there tonight?
Matt: (SHEEEEEEEET!)
Client: Hello? Matt?
Matt: Yes, I'll get there as soon as possible.

Yeah, after being going to Chicago all of last week, I find myself flying the friendly skies again. Sacramento, CA on the eve of my final race for the year. Loving it. At least, Sacramento is a cool town. I had a little time this afternoon to check out the downtown area and found it quite attractive. I stumbled upon two bike shops which I give both two thumbs DOWN for not carrying 1 Tri bike. Not 1! Granted this is mainly a fat tire town so I can understand a little, but not 1? Come on.

Taper week has been good. Dedicated as always and fastidious in my nutrition plan for the week. Protein day sounds really cool, but it blows mad donkey chunks. I struggle with protein day, but I believe in the science and believe in the plan. The body has felt good all week. I was a little sore after Sunday's brick, but body feels loose and ready.

4 more days till the victory lap.

1 Week To Go

I've been just about as absent from blogger for the past few weeks as Auburn's offense has been during the first few games of this young college football season. The only excuse I can offer for myself is that I've been fairly busy. This past week I visited the great city of Chicago for a work convention. I'd never spent much time in the city, especially not in the downtown area, and I can honestly say I was quite impressed. I heard several friends comment on just how clean everything looked. I had to agree. I went out for a run early one morning and found a sweet bike and running trail along the shore of the Great Lake. There were tons of runners and cyclists out getting their exercise in. For the most part, the bikes were beaters and only used as commuters, but I did see a few equipped with aero bars and racing wheels. I had to laugh at a few coming by with arm warmers on. It was no where near chilly enough for that. Maybe they were just a little over anxious for the coming fall weather?
I was lucky enough to stay in the beautiful Chicago Hilton. Other than being close to a the running trail, the Hilton's most impressive feature was their 3 lane swimming pool. Thank you! It's so rare to find one in a hotel so I took full advantage when I had time.
Now, I'm back in Birmingham with my feet propped up watching football. I have 1 week to go until the season ending Half Iron in SC. Tomorrow is my last long day on the bike and on the run. I'll go 3 hrs on the bike followed by a ten mile run. After that, it should be an easy week of staying loose and eating right.
Check back for the game plan.

I Still Remember 9/11

God bless the families who lost loved ones 6 years ago today. God bless those who have lost friends and family members serving our country. May God bless our continued efforts to find a resolution to the war in Iraq. May God grant us the courage to endure the labor pains of freedom. May we look to God for direction in making decisions and trust in His soveriegnty. Thank you God for my freedom and those who have fought and died for this right.

3 WEEKS TO GO

This weekend marked 3 weeks to go until my Half IM at the end of the month. If this past weekend's weather is any indication of how it'll be for the race, I'd be ecstatic. For the first time in many months, we had a cool, well let's back up a bit, a non-hot breeze blow through Birmingham. A buddy of mine and I headed out around 6 am on Saturday for a 50 mile ride feeling fairly energized by the crispness in the air. All good things must come to an end though. The 75 degree pleasure soon gave way to 95 degrees of pain.

Given that our ride was 50 miles we had a chance to hit all the usually hot spots for cycling; Old Leeds, Powerman Course, Rex Lake, Ruffner etc. There were tons of cyclists out which is always nice to see. After the ride, we hit the road again for a 13 mile run. We did it in a two loops with a stop by a service station in the middle so we could stay hydrated. Again, tons of runners out. The parking lot we chose to start from was absolutely packed at 5:50 am of runners and cyclists heading out. It was crazy.

Both the bike and the run went really well. I had written out a nutrition plan for both and stuck to it. 13 miles is a lot easier when you have the necessary calories in the tank. I'm getting better at managing to steer and eat an endurance bar while on the bike. It's not pretty, but I'm getting it down. Overall, I was very encouraged by this weekend's results. Now I'm on for a taper. Going to enjoy the ride. Best wishes to all.

Currently Reading: The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell and The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen.
Currently Listening to: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter and Back to Black by Amy Winehouse.

Wanted: MOJO

So I've been a little awol from blogger for the better part of a week. Not a hiatus by any stretch of the imagination, but nonetheless, it's definitely been a break. Also missing have been my research on anything tri related, my constant planning for my next big brick, or my concerns for nutrition. It seems that I've lost of little bit of my drive, my excitement, or as super secret agent Austin Powers might say, Mojo.
I've got one race left to go, a half IM at the end of this month. The days are counting down quickly, although it still seems like forever away. My workouts have been fairly consistent but a little lackluster. It seems that everything that went right earlier this summer has suddenly decided to flip flop on me. Two flat tubes, 1 bent wheel, 1 cut tire, two blistered ankles, a cyclometer on the fritz, 1 infected ear (again!), and two tired legs. I know tired legs is common, but they just seem to be extra tired these days. In response, I've taken a few days off here and there to rest up. It seems to do the trick as my long training days after a rest day are always much stronger.
Along with these mechanical and physical issues, my desire just isn't what it used to be. It's coming down to the end of the season and to tell you the truth I'm ready for it. I'm ready to ride and run for the enjoyment of it. (Notice I didn't include swimming - although I sincerely doubt that I'll give it up over the off season).
BUT!, what I'm not ready to do is to put in a lackluster effort for my half IM. I'm still looking to score a PR so my training continues. I just need a little pick me up. A little Mojo. I'm on the hunt. Thanks for reading.

Update and Product Of the Month

For a while now, there’s been a definite every Monday that I could count on. It’s not the dread of having to face another work week although I’ve certainly felt that at times. It’s not knowledge that it’s yet another Monday night that I’m not going to be able to watch one of the best shows to air in a long time, HEROES! That time is coming to an end soon thankfully. No, what it is though, it’s the after effects of a long weekend of training. For me that comes in the way of tired and sore legs. It’s been a Monday morning norm for the better part of this year. It’s the kind of tired that you can feel just sitting in your chair. The kind that makes you walk just a little funny or take a little extra time in getting out of your car, and I’m feeling it today.

Overall I had a good training weekend. Due to some work constraints I had a couple of days off toward the middle of last week so I felt fairly good going into the weekend. Saturday, I was up at the crack of dawn for my scheduled 2000 yard swim out at Oak Mtn. After that I rushed over to meet a group leaving for a ride from one of the local bike shops. This is a “no one gets dropped” ride, but it typically turns out to be fairly fast paced and difficult. About 13 miles into the ride, I was leading the pack and started to slow down for a turn. The guy behind was turned around looking back and didn’t see me slow down. Our wheels met and a clash of spokes and skewer knobs ensued. We both stayed up right, but our ride was over. Both of our wheels were warped due to the bent spokes. We both laughed it off thankful that we were ok, but down deep inside, I was truly thankful that my ride was over and that I could go eat. A bacon egg and cheese sandwich was on my mind after that. After a pick up and quick visit to the bike shop, we were both good as new.

Sunday started with a 45 mile ride. A small storm rolled in plenty of clouds and humidity, but no real rain. The clouds made for nice cover from the normal blistering sun. Following the ride, I made a quick change and knocked out 10.5 miles. Legs felt great, endurance felt great. I can attribute Sunday’s success to two things, fresh legs and nutrition. One day it’ll hit home how important nutrition is and that I need to practice it every time I train. It makes such a difference.

With that, I give you my Product Of the Month – The Gatorade Energy Bar. They carry 260 calories and 46 grams of carbs. These stats are great, but the reason I picked this bar as my P.O.M. is the ease at which I can open the wrapper while on the bike and that the bar itself is easy to chew. I’ve struggled mightily with opening sun-warmed Powerbars only to find out that the biggest struggle would come in chewing it up enough to get it down my gullet. Nothing gets me out of breath quicker than trying to chew and swallow something while on the bike. The Gatorade Energy Bar’s consistency is like that of a rice crispy cake, but watch out, an errant piece of rice crispy can get stuck in your throat causing worse problems. Solution.... flush with your favorite beverage. That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.

New CD and Update City

Currently listening to Josh Ritter's new CD - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. His prior records are phenomenal, and I'm so stoked to have this new one to pour over. I'll attempt to get some sound bites up if possible.
Update, update: still focused on one more 1/2 Iron on Sept 30th. The workouts are a little more focused and a little more intense. I'm currently nursing some tired legs. I'm looking forward to a day off tomorrow. Tonight was the regular Tuesday night group ride and it was pretty obvious I was a little tired. I kept falling off the back and having to fight my way back up. It's embarrassing, but just the way it goes sometimes.
For the last year or so, drivers and cyclists have been in a small war here in The Ham. Cyclists are fighting for their rights to share the road while drivers are writing into the local papers to complain about cyclists taking over the road, blocking traffic, and failing to obey stop signs. Cyclists are writing in as well complaining about careless drivers endangering their lives. Tonight I was able to see examples of both. It's ugly and scary at the same time. Near misses and could've beens are too close for me. I'd love to see our city designate some funds for bike lanes along less traveled roads. Believe me, in Alabama, we have 'em.
With major apologies to my summer loving wife, I think I'm ready for some cooler weather. I do recognize that this undoubtedly means that I'll have to face the torture of my Lauren's cold toes in bed each night, but it'd be worth it to feel a bit of a chill in the air. Until this past Friday, The Ham had seen 10 consecutive days of 100+ degrees temps. I don't want to hear anyone chime in from AZ about their temps. You choose to live in the desert, and you get some mountains and the grand canyon. So no complaining. It's not supposed to be like that here. There's no reason for it to be hotter than what sweet tea can cure. It's the South. That's just the way that it is.
Until later, my best to you all. Thanks for reading.

TAGGED

Well, I've been putting it off, but since Molly and Paul both tagged me, I guess I'd better get to work. Here goes:

Job's I've Held: Cook at KFC, Nursing Assist in an ER, Runner for a law firm, YMCA, Dental Assistant, Insurance Agent (current)

Movies I can Watch Over & Over: Snatch, All Tom Hanks movies, Gladiator, Old School.

Guilty Pleasures: TCBY, beer, hotdogs, hot wings

Places I Have Lived: I've pretty much stayed in the Birmingam, AL metro area (that sounds so boring)

Shows I Enjoy: Lost, Heroes, Survivorman, Dirty Jobs, History Channel, The Office

Vacation Spots: Glacier National Park, Banff N.P., Perdido Key Beach, Appalachian Mtns.

Favorite Foods: Did I mention TCBY?, Chicken and Dumplings, Pork Chops, Real Mashed Potatoes, Coffee (it's a food item right?)

Websites I Visit Daily: SI.com, Tri-fuel, Raceathlete, all of the blogs on the right, Forbes.com

Body Parts I have Injured: Broken Arm, busted eardrum (current)

Awards I've Won: A few podium finishes this year, perfect attendance award in 8th Grade, that's about it.

Nicknames I've Been Called: D, Big D, Ronald Mc Denton, (My full name is Ronald Matthew Denton)

Look closely - I don't remember this guy

Today I received an email from Brightroom Photography that the pics from the Mountain Lakes Tri are up for viewing and purchase. (Sorry Brightroom, I just ripped off one of your photos). Well, I'm scanning the pics and as usual none of them are worth buying as I usually have an odd look on my face, but I did happen to notice something in this pic.

I don't remember this guy. Not the bumble bee behind me. The next guy. The weird naked guy behind him. I don't remember seeing him on the run. Maybe that's what all the cheering was about.

Thoughts During Training

After this past Saturday's sprint finale, my workouts will now be decidedly longer and more focused on the 1/2 at the end of September. This plan started early on Sunday with a 10 mile run and has continued each day with extended sessions in the pool and on the bike. It's during these longer sessions that I have the chance to actually think and chew on things that I haven't been able to do during more speed oriented sessions.
When my training has been more focused on sprint distance races, my mind is usually focused on the burning in my legs or my lungs. I'm focused on making it to the next light pole on a sprint or staying under a certain time in the pool. My mind goes numb to conserve energy that my legs might need you might say. It kind of shuts down, and that's good to some extent. But now, since distance is more of the focus rather than speed, my mind has woken up and has started stretching it's "legs" again.
Lance Armstrong, who one might say was one of the fiercest competitors in cycling, was asked what he thought about during those long training rides. He replied, "Well, I think about the bike and my ride." That's not me.
Given the right road conditions, the bike is the last thing that's on my mind. Now I do have my days where I just relax and listen to the easy hum of my cadence or my foot falls, but mostly I'm hashing out conflicts, thoughts, or unresolved issues. I've come up with few blog topics along the way as well. Some have been published, and some were better kept to myself.
After sinking myself deeply into training for the last year, I have learned that I'm able to be a better husband after my workouts. Be it for feeling like I've accomplished something for the day, or because I've been able to clear up my head. It seems to take the edge off a bit. Whatever the reason, training has become a psychiatrist's couch for me. Thoughts, feelings, heartache, the good and the bad all find their way to the table. Training has been good for the heart (and gut) as well as the soul.
Now, I have been lucky in that there are very few "issues" that have come my way. For the most part, my life and my marriage have been fairly charmed. I praise God for that. That's His doing not mine. So as of late, my thoughts have generally fairly light hearted.
So, I'm really interested to hear what the general consensus says about where their mind is during training. Are you solely thinking about the task at hand or are you pondering the latest twist on last season's Lost? Are you focused on pace and cadence or are you bouncing around ideas on relationships or matters of faith? Give me a few words if you feel comfortable or just answer the poll on the right. As always, thanks for reading.

Right Now, This Doesn't Sound Like Fun At All

Here's a typical training schedule for Justin Daerr, an age-group triathlete. In the 2004 Hawaii Ironman he was the first American amateur in only his third Ironman-distance race. See if you could hang with his program.

Throughout the triathlon season my training schedule is continually changing. During the early part of the year my coach, Joe Friel, and I focus more on strength training and skills. I still spend a fair amount of time on the road, on the trails and in the pool, but the overall intensity of the sessions is low. After a solid strength foundation has been established I begin to ramp up the volume of my training along with the intensity. During this Base period of training I am swimming, biking and running nearly twice as much as in the previous Prep period. Strength training is no longer the primary focus, but is instead put into a maintenance mode. Aerobic volume has now become the number one priority. The Base period of my training ended this year before I headed off to Boulder, Colo. on Memorial Day weekend. Throughout this summer I have been incorporating more challenging sessions that revolve around race-specific intensity. No week looks identical to the last, but the following weekly schedule is fairly close to what you might see me doing during the 2005 summer in Boulder.
Monday: Today is a longer aerobic day, but the intensity doesn't generally leave me feeling wiped. I start with a 4-5K session in the 50-meter pool followed by a 45-60 minute aerobic run. After eating and possibly napping I head out for a 3-4 hour ride in the Boulder flats.
Tuesday: This day's main goal is some faster running on the track. I do some sessions that involve much faster running than I would ever see in an Ironman, but it helps my overall run economy. I also swim 4-5K afterwards, but it usually involves some easier sets. I end this day with strength training.
Wednesday: My favorite day: 5K in the pool with some harder efforts, followed by a 5-6 hour ride in the mountains. Lots of climbing and plenty of beautiful scenery.
Thursday: Lighter day. Normal swimming, easy two-hour ride and an easy 45-60 minute run. Friday: I tend to do my longest swim and run of the week today: 5-6K in the pool with harder efforts and a two-hour run in the hills in the afternoon.
Saturday: Very, very little. The main purpose of today is to recover.
Sunday: A two-hour ride with 90 minutes of higher intensity riding followed by a 30 minute tempo run off the bike. In the afternoon I may do an easy swim before doing it all over again on Monday.

Amateur? When does he work?

Mountain Lakes Sprint - Race Report

Saturday was the Mountain Lakes Triathlon in Guntersville, AL. It's the AL State Sprint Championship so all of the big boys show up to see how they compare. This is the second year I've competed in this race. Earlier this year, I reconned this course in the Marshall County Du held in the same location so I felt pretty comfortable with the layout of the race.

The morning began at 4:00 am. Lauren and I stay with my parents 30 minutes north of the race site in a camper on Lake Guntersville. Nothing says comfort like a pull out sleeper sofa in a camper. I made it over to the race site a little early to ease some of the stress. There were 896 participants signed up for this race so I wanted to get there early to get a good parking spot and get set up. I had plenty of friends in this race so it was cool to be able to see them before the start without feeling rushed. I didn't feel the nervous anticipation with this race that I usually feel. For some reason, it was hard to really get excited about doing it, but this is the only race my parents will get to see me compete in so it's easy decision to compete.

The Swim - 600yds - I was # 204 so with a 5 second interval start for each competitor, I was a good 17 minutes behind the 1st guy in the water. The swim was fairly easy overall. I sighted well and only tired in the final 150 yards. I kept looking for some bubbly toes to stick on, but they were never there. I did however have some guy drafting on me the whole way. Overall, I'm not a great swimmer, and my time showed it. 10:36. (2006 - 11:10)

T1 - There's a 100 yard run up to T1 from the beach. The wet grass served well in getting the sand and debris off of my feet. I went with only a helmet, shades, and shoes on the bike. No time for a shirt. I was set up in the front of T1 so after a long run out the back I was out of T1 in 1:38. (2006 -2:22)

The Bike: As always, this is where I'm the most comfortable and where I make up the time I lost on the swim. The course is fairly flat or rolling. My plan was to stick to a certain speed and keep it there. There was no reason to be a hero. Save some for the run I kept telling myself. I made a point to encourage those that I passed on the bike that appeared to be struggling. They all smiled kept fighting just reinforcing my belief that triathletes are some of the nicest and least prideful people you'll meet.

My plan on the bike worked perfectly. I felt great coming into T2 and still put up a new PR for avg mph in a race. Just over 23 mph - 42:08. (2006 - 43:56)

T2 - Flying dismount with the shoes and a sprint to my spot. Helmet off. Shoes on and I'm gone. - 49 seconds. (2006 -1:44)

The Run - 3 easy miles. I could tell for the first time that the sun was having some effect. I started my race at 8:00 which is incredibly late. Out of T2 I grabbed a cup of water and threw in on my chest. The chill of the water let me know just how hot I'd gotten. Legs felt ok, but I was sucking wind. Don't know why to tell you the truth. 1st mile was 6:52, 2nd was 7:15. I was slowing down, and I don't think I really cared. Over the last mile, I toyed with the idea of turning it on for a strong finish. I felt like I could have, but just couldn't muster up the will. I was sucking wind and didn't want any more. I finished the last mile in 7:12 for an over time of 21:24. (2006 - 24:55)

Final time - 1:16:38. (2006 - 1:24:10) Not great, but about where I thought I'd be. My swim was slower than expected and I should have been a little faster on the run. Not a bad performance at all, but not one to tell the kids about. I was 11th in my AG and 69th overall. (2006 - 36th/359th)

Despite not being really excited about this race, I had a great time. Like I said, I had lots of friends there to see and chew the fat with. I even met the one and only Trisonq (Patrick). He's a very likeable guy and a great athlete. Zbuck was there and threw down on the race as well. He bested last year's time by 11 minutes. Congrats buddy!

So where to now? I'm looking forward to not racing for a little while. I'm going to enjoy being in town for a while and dedicating some weekends to training for the So Carolina Half at the end of Sept, but I'm also going to get some much needed things done around my house. Being out of town 3 out of 4 weekends will leaves quite a few honeydoes left undone around the casa. So, thanks for reading, I've got work to do.

BIKE PORN!!!!!!

Go ahead, indulge yourselves you sickos.

Two Tough Days

Wow, could it get any hotter here? The last two days have been oppressively hot. Hot as in full on humidity and 98 degrees hot. I was out last night installing my new bike rack and the temp on my truck said 99. I'm not sure if that's accurate as it was about 8:30 at night, but you get the picture.
Monday, I do believe I was possessed by someone else for my swim. I made it over to the gym at lunch and knocked out 2000 consecutive yards at race pace. Don't know how or why I did it, but it felt great. As I mentioned to some of you in the past, I've been at war with swimming this year. I've hated it like the Middle East hates peace. Now I love it like a fat kid loves cake. Going back after it today for some intervals.
Tuesday started out with an easy hour run and ended with the Tuesday night group ride from Homewood. There was nothing easy about this ride. Somehow I missed the group and ended up riding with another Age Grouper who's preparing for IMKY. The dude was a beast. He was easily 42 or so and kicking my tail on the bike. It was impressive to watch. After the long run and hard ride, my legs were toast and ready to rest. Powerbar's recovery drink and an ice bath did wonders to aid my recovery.
Despite all of that, my highlight of the day was meeting up with ZBuck for lunch. We met over at DREAMLAND for some 'healthy' ribs and sweet tea. It's always good to hang with that guy.
This weekend is Alabama's USAT Sprint Championship in Guntersville. The race sells out each year with about 890 participants and all the big boys show up. Should be a fun event, but it's going to be freaking hot! This is my last sprint of the year so looking forward to going out hard.
Thanks for reading.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

As previously posted, Lauren and I spent the weekend down at the beach. I say "beach" meaning that I'm actually there at the beach, but truth be told I haven't touched the sand of the beach in any of my trips down this year. The Condo sits on the riverside of the tiny strip of land splitting the gulf and Old River. The beach is just a couple of hundred yards away, but I'd rather sit by the pool and watch the oversized boats sail by on the river. Some people's egos are more prominently displayed than others. The size of these boats scream, "look at me!, but I'm just fine with my borrowed raft.

For the most part, I treat the mornings down at the beach like a mini training camp. I'm usually up and out the door fairly early so as to beat the day's heat. Lots of swimming, biking, and running filled the menu until 9:00 am or so, then it was strickly relaxation time. I cued Lauren in on my formula for recovering, "Why run when you can walk? Why walk when you can sit? Why sit when you can lay down? Since you're laying down, you might as well sleep." And that's what we did.

Lauren completed her goal of finishing the final book in the Harry Potter series while soaking up the sun as well. I would have completed Soul Survivor by Phillip Yancey, but Jack Welch's "Winning" got in the way. Well that and those darned naps.

Overall a good weekend. We both feel refreshed, but are desparately hungry for another trip down. Now, it's back to work and back to life. (This is the point where Molly would break out in that "Back to Life, Back to Reality" song)

HEADED TO THE BEACH!

Lauren and I are headed to the beach tonight for a little R&R. Of course I'll be taking my swimmies, bike, and running shoes. Gotta work on that odd cyclist's tan you know? But I'll also be taking along a couple of books and a strict napping schedule. Tonight I'll be dining on the Gulf Coast's finest (grilled of course). Much love to all who are racing, recovering, or training.

Questions Questions

If we're the evolved ones, why are monkeys so much stronger than we are?

Would you rather be exceptionally smart or exceptionally athletic?

Do you prefer a long gradual hill or a short "oh my gosh" steep hill? (Going up of course)

Why does my dry fit/wicking shirt always get drenched with sweat and weigh 10 pounds after each run?

Why are cyclists typically stuck up and triathletes the nicest people you'll find?

When will professional cycling clean up their act for good?

Why does something called "Chamois Butt'r" not go on my butt?

A New Race on the Horizon

Earlier in the year, I completed my first Half Ironman. Despite my best efforts, I didn’t have the kind of performance that I was hoping for. I can attribute it to several things. All were within control and my own fault. After searching around for a while and discussing it with the wife, I’ve found another Half that will give me a chance to redeem myself. It’s the South Carolina Half Ironman on September 30th in Greenwood, SC.
This excites me to no end. While the time to hang up the aero bars for the season is just around the corner, I’ll be going out in style. I have two full months to prepare with only one little speed bump (a sprint) in the middle. These next two months will be focused on one distance and one distance only. It’s going to be beautiful.
I'm a little off on my training this week due to the race this past week, but I'm looking forward to getting back on track. I've only managed 1 swim, 1 run, and 2 rides. I have two long bricks this weekend. The plan for these is endurance and form, not speed. Hope all is well. Thanks for reading.

The Neshoba County Fair

As mentioned in prior posts, this weekend’s race was in connection to the Neshoba County Fair in Philadephia, Miss. This Fair has occurred annually at the same spot since 1889. The grounds themselves are like something I’d never witness before. Surrounding the grand stands and horse track sits a neighborhood of 200 or so rustic 2 and sometimes 3 story cabins. The cabins, which hardly ever come up for sale, consist of a front porch, a kitchen and common area, with one big room upstairs for bunk beds. All have electricity and running water, and most have A/C. Many of these cabins have been updated or rebuilt throughout the years and have become quite a show piece. Families from both sides of the tracks converge and become neighbors in the week and a half long event. Archie Manning and his two sons (Peyton and Eli) were at the fair this year as usual. Their cabin is right behind the one where we were visiting. Local politicians walk from porch to porch handing out fans and vying for support (this is an election year you know!). Kids run wild during the day. Parents simply “tag” their kids by writing their cabin number on their leg in magic marker in case they get in trouble.
The attractions include local’s preserve competitions, an art show, mule pulls, horse races, nightly concerts, the usual fair rides, cake walks, and pretty much anything you could want fried and on a stick. Although, Neshoba County is a dry county you wouldn’t know it by the large coolers and glassy eyed Fair goers. The days are somewhat tame, but the night time is when the partying starts. So I hear.
There is an unspoiled feeling you get at the fair though. You see life the way it was 50 years ago before Google, blackberrys, and the café mocha latte. Life is simpler and a little slower. Without the distraction of TVs, people actually sit around,talk, laugh ,and enjoy each other. A beautiful life in its most simplest form. Enjoy the pics.

And the best part?? Spending the weekend with my wonderful wife!

Heart O' Dixie Triathlon

This weekend was the 28th Annual Heart O' Dixie Triathlon in Philadelphia, Miss. It's one of the oldest Tri's in America and may be the oldest race without any changes to the course. It's unique in that it's a point to point race starting in Louisville, Miss and ending at the Neshoba County Fairgrounds in Philadelphia, Miss. It's an Intermediate distance race set at .5 mile swim, 27.5 mile ride, and a 7 mile run.

This was the first triathlon that I competed in, but it's also the first race that I ever came really close to quitting. This is the fourth year that I've competed in this race so as I mentioned before, this has a bit of a homecoming feeling for me.


Race preparation started with proper nutrition as early as Monday of this past week. I wanted to be fueled properly and well hydrated. It's never a fun week, but it's worth it.

At 3:30 am on Saturday, I was up and eating my pre-race meal. On this morning it was oatmeal and a powerbar. I worked on a gatorade on the drive up to Louisville and cleared my head. We arrived just after 5. It'd rained the night before and lingering clouds kept the morning dark until just before 6. I scored a great rack spot for my bike and began my pre-race warm-up. Our bike to run transition bag was boxed up and shipped down the road 27.5 miles in Philly to await our arrival. I minimized my transition area down to bike, shoes, and a helmet. I didn't want any distractions.


The swim - at 6:30 the gun went off. I was #38 in line for the 5 second interval start. This type of start makes it so much easier to get into a rhythm without having to fight for position too much. From the start, I focused on not doing all the things I'd done wrong in my last open water swim. The biggest key to this swim for me was taking three strokes before I took a breath. When I get tired I tend to breathe on one side every other stroke. I end up going off course and wearing myself out. Prior to the race I went through a series of breathing drills to help expand my lungs. I'm a believer in this warm up routine, and it seems to help. As for this swim, everything went really well. I spotted well and stayed calm. Both are struggles for me. I made it out of the water in 14:37.


T1 - As I mentioned. I had a great bike rack, and I kept it simple. Fastest T time ever - 36 seconds.


The bike - here's what I'd been waiting on. The course consisted of rolling hills with a net loss of about 50 feet over the course. The hills on the course are loaded on the front half of the course when you are your strongest. I never pushed myself too hard, but kept my speed up just enough to hurt. I made sure to power down the hills, but I also forced myself to make up distance on whoever was in front of me on the climbs. It worked beautifully. I caught more than came near me throughout the ride. In the end, I surprised myself with a 23 mph average and a time of just under 1 hour and 12 minutes.

T2 - Probably the worst thing I did all day. I decided coming into transition that I would wear socks for the run. I just didn't know how my feet for the 7 mile run without them. I do it all the time, so I don't know why it was important to me at that moment to have them. This cost me 30 seconds. As I was making my move to leave, I knocked over my bike, twice. This cost me another 30 seconds. Luckily, a volunteer helped secure my bike for me, and I was off. A poor 1:27 transition time.


The Run - This run has always been a death march for me. I've notoriously lost it on this run. Walking has become a habit. It's hot and it's hilly. Last year I cramped up pretty bad and nearly pulled out, but went on to post a 1:13:04 time which is a 10:30 pace. This year I felt incredible. So I went with it. I started mowing the miles down. I couldn't believe they were going by so quickly. Could they be mismarked? I watched my splits and was shocked at the pace. At the end of the 7 miles, I had a big grin on my face and posted a 47:51 time. A 6:51 pace.

The last half mile of the run consists of a lap around the horse track at the Fairgrounds. After the rain the night before, the Southern red clay had become Southern red mud which caked my shoes until they felt like bricks. As I viewed the finish line, I could have been pulling the mule cart for all that I cared. I was ecstatic. I clapped my hands and fist pumped the air a few times in the final yards. Mission complete.

My total time was 2:16:30. A PR for this course by nearly 25 minutes. I finished 30th overall and 3rd in my A/G. A rare podium finish.
David Gottlieb, who rocked the course in his first time in the H.O.D., asked me the other night what my favorite race had been so far this year. I told him I didn't really have one. I can look back at a few races and see that I did well in some areas, but overall hadn't put a good race together until this one. Months of training and planning all came together at the Heart O' Dixie. I can honestly say that I enjoyed the entire race from start to finish. The race is run like a well oiled machine, and you can't beat the atmosphere the Neshoba County Fair brings. If you're in the area, put this one on your calendar for 08.


Also, a big congrats to those who made the trip from Birmingham. The top two males, the first and third female winners were all from Birmingham. At the end of the awards ceremony, thirteen athletes from Birmingham would finish on the podium. Look out Boulder, CO!

Great Brick and a New Helmet

Let's start off with the stats. With the Heart of Dixie one week away today was my last big workout to test my endurance for the race. I planned two race simulations this weekend. I did the swim and bike portion yesterday out at Oak Mtn. My plan for that was to just feel out the distance on the swim and just stretch the legs on the bike. The swim came out just as planned. 900 yards in 15 minutes.

Today was the bike and run portion. I found a road close by that I could do 27.5 miles on without interruption of stop lights and intersections. I also wanted to be able to come off the bike and start running as quickly as possible. For those in Birmingham, I chose Rex Lake Rd and started at the Chevron in Leeds. The goal was to push the speed just like I would in a race. I started off the morning with my race day nutrition and downed a few acid zappers. The morning had been over cast so I waited until around 11 am so I'd be able to feel the heat of the day.

Both the bike and the run went really well. I finished both within my planned time frame. The 27.5 mile bike averaged out at 22 mph and the 7 mile run averaged out at 7:35 per mile. I was shocked there. As I mentioned in the past, the last three times I've done this race I've had to walk a good portion. Sad but true. Thanks Transitions! We've made some improvements.

Good news #2. I took a step out of dorkville this weekend and bought a new helmet. I've been riding with an 03 Giro Eclipse which basically looks like a mushroom on top of my head. See here (obviously not a fast transition time):

So, I stepped it up and bought a LAS Squalo. It's super tight and very comfortable. Believe it or not, I could tell a big difference today in the heat. The vents worked really well to keep my noggin cool. The best part is that I don't resemble a mushroom any more.

Also, as you can see, it's really aggressive and fast!

The Jogging Bike Mount Revisited

Yesterday afternoon was spent tracking up and down Smyer Road, my personal but much smaller version of Alp D'Huez, for the weekly hill repeats. Afterwards, while sitting in the parking lot, I decided to make good use of the large flat surface to work on my mount and dismount for transitions. Note: a vacant parking lot is a much more preferred location over the road in front of my house for the simple fact that my neighbors aren't around to poke fun and ask questions. I do my best not to be THAT guy that does weird stuff in front of his house. I'm already THAT guy that wears spandex and sweats a lot.
The parking lot was great. Long flat surface provided plenty of room to practice. I've got the dismount down. Velco straps off. Feet on top. Right leg over the bike. Dismount on the run. Easy. Now getting on the bike. A different story.
I should mention that I don't have "Tri" specific shoes. This means that I have 3 individual straps and no loop on the back of the shoe. So for a while I practiced starting off with my feet on top of my shoes then getting in to the shoes and getting them strapped. Easy. Now how do I get to this point?
I got off the bike, left my shoes in the clips, and jogged with it for a bit waiting for the best chance to jump on. I felt like a kid that's standing on top of the highest diving board at the city pool yet he can't find the nerve to jump. That was me. I kept looking at the seat and thinking, "I can't get up there! I'm only wearing a thin layer of padded spandex on the boys. They could get crushed!" I can't do this now while no one is watching how am I going to do this when I'm wet and in a race? So, I tried. I misjudged the jump and landed a bit awkwardly on my stomach. Don't ask. It wasn't pretty. It was anything but athletic or cool. I pretty much lost my nerve after that. But after writing this, I realized that I was being a big ole sissy and that I'm going to have to go try again tonight. Stay tuned.

Black and Blue signing off....

Thinking and Preparing

The days are winding down to my next event, an Intermediate distance tri in Philadelphia, MS. It's called the Heart of Dixie Triathlon, but I wouldn't be much of an Alabamian if I didn't take offense to this state to the west of us borrowing our nickname. But I'll let it pass as I'm pretty fond of this event, and I believe that it truly encompasses the Southern experience. The race kicks off the famed Neshoba County Fair, a week long gathering of folks to watch mule pulls, preserve competitions, and eat most everything that you can think of fried. More on that later, but not today. I've got the race on my mind.

With just under 2 weeks to go I've started to evaluate my condition. My swims have been horrid. I feel like this David Gray song I'm listening to this very moment. Fittingly it's called "Dead in the Water." Wow, thanks Dave for the words to describe my futile attempts in the pool. The swim is just .5 mile. An easy distance as far as "Olys" go, but one that I'm not going to set any records on. My goal is to push for a 14-15 minute finish time. I don't want to over do it as the real struggle comes in the next two stages, the 27.5 mile bike and the 7 mile run. This race is definitely weighted on these two legs, but that's fine. This is where I can make up time.

I've put in several bricks over the last few weeks. Long rides followed by a long run. Leg strength has been good throughout the run and the endurance is there as well. The race is in my head a bit though. This will be the fourth year that I've competed in this race, but only the first time I've been properly trained. This race is somewhat of a Homecoming for me as this was the first triathlon I ever competed in. It's sort of bitter sweet as well as its also the only race I've really ever felt like quitting. Last year, I came in way under trained and under nourished. Leg cramps wreaked havoc on me in the 95+ degree heat. Mississippi can be harsh in July. It was an embarrassing finish, my slowest of my two prior finishes. So this year, I've put in a little extra work in preparing for this race. In a race that I've historically had to walk as much as I ran during the 7 mile leg, I'm determined to run my heart out and nail this run. Lately, I've been delaying workouts until the middle of the day to practice race day hydration and electrolyte balance. It hasn't been fun, but it's helped.

So, the body feels good. I'm weighing in just above my race weight right now, so over the next week or so I'll drop it down a few pounds. Cutting out my TCBY consumption and Zucchini bread snacks will be key. (Sorry Lauren, no TCBY until after the race!) So here we are. It's game on for the next couple of weeks. It's time to really focus and work toward exercising some demons that have haunted me for the last year. For all of the Friends watchers out there, it's time to go "Red Ross!" Thanks for reading.

I've changed my mind ZBuck

I'll have to admit, at first when I read this, I was disappointed, but supportive. My good friend Zbuck made a very heartfelt and tough decision this past week. I trust that he weighed his options completely and didn't make the decision lightly. If you knew Zbuck, you'd find that he is one of the most like able guys you'll ever meet. Easy going, but passionate. You might even be able to get past that he pulls for this team:

So, through the exchange of a few emails, I felt like I got a pretty good idea of where Buck was coming from when he decided to focus more on golf and less on triathlons. Buck promised me that he was still going to train hard so as to complete his goal of kicking ass at Mtn Lakes this year. I believe him too. Once he reaches his goal at Southeast Sprint Championship, he transitions for the last time into the pleated shorts wearing, golf cart riding, manners watching Joe Golfer. You know to tell you the truth, I'm fine with that.

But there is something I'm not ok with, and it just recently hit me. I'll explain. Thursday, I found myself at the golf course for the first time in I don't know how long. My in-laws are coming in town and my father in law and I are playing golf on Saturday. I haven't picked up the sticks in a while since my training has increased so I decided to go out and knock the dust off the old clubs. After finishing off a medium sized bucket and being fairly confident that I'd made the right decision to stick with Triathlons, I surveyed the greens and rows of golfers. I sized them up. All shapes, sizes, and physical abilities. Men and women of all ages. I didn't like what I saw, and then it hit me. Zbuck, what are you thinking? Now ladies, Zbuck is a single man. Single as they come. A genuine guy that's going somewhere. If I knew any single women in Northern Alabama, I'd do my best to point them in the right direction. But I don't, and now that he's made this decision about Triathlons he's shooting himself in the foot. You gotta think about meeting girls and what the each sport offers! We all know there are some beautiful girls inside and out in the triathlon scene, but I'm really worried about what he'll find at the 19th hole. So here's my call out. Buck! Come to your senses!

Are you willing to exchange this:

For this?!?!

The decision is yours my friend. Happy Friday.

Happy 4th

Happy 4th to all. First of all, God bless the U.S. of A. and our troops. Big thanks to those that are serving, who have served, and to those who have lost loved ones while fighting for our freedom. Thank you for your sacrifice.
It's been a great week so far. Work has been boring as hell, and the only thing I can think about is getting out and training. Now don't get me wrong, I've had plenty to do around the office (daddy's still got get paid you know?), but my heart hasn't been in it. Having 15 hours of day light calling your name all day doesn't help either. Am I alone here?
I switched up my training schedule a bit this week. Usually, I'll run for an hour on Tuesdays in the morning, then catch up with a group ride at night. The last few weeks that I've done this, my legs have been cashed out and I've gotten dropped like a hot potato. So I moved my run to Monday morning and swam at lunch. So I was interested to see how I'd do on Tuesday. Now the Tuesday night rides are not for the beginner cyclists. These guys are the real deal. The heavy hitters are cat 2 - cat 3 cyclists. Then there are guys like me who doesn't even like cats much less have a ranking. The pace is fast and competitive. Well, I went out with fresh legs on Tuesday night, and they answered the call. While I never saw the front of the peleton, I was never dropped and finished up strong with gas still in the tank. A proud moment for the Crew'd one if I say so myself.
I saw two guys take a spill during this ride. One was a fluke accident, the other was a guy being too aggressive by trying to pass on the right shoulder of the road. Cocky. Cocky.
Today, being the 4th, I had the day off. Even though I rode hard last night, I couldn't give up a free day and not put a brick together. So I headed out around 6 am on the bike. Man, the temp was perfect. Mid to low 70's. I put in 34 miles at a 19.5 clip. Saw some friends on the way, including Coach himself putting in some Ironman training. Coach, you're looking strong, but remember I'm on your tail. I'm still coming after you!
After the ride, I put in a quick 3 miles at a 7 minute pace. Legs felt great. Energy level was there along with leg strength. I'm really working on keeping fueled with enough calories during training. I need to nail down my nutrition before my next race. I believe I may have found something that works. More on that later. Take care and thanks for reading. I'm off for a beer and some grilling.

NECTAR? I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HER!

Afternoon to all. Let me give you a recap on the weekend that was and also give you some thoughts on this coming week.
Saturday started off early with a trip out to Oak Mtn to meet up with Mary Rebecca (who’s promised to start a blog soon) and my boy Daniel for a swim and a bike ride. Both are gifted athletes and couldn’t be any nicer. After Saturday’s swim, I had a bit of a revelation. During most swim portions of a race, I tend to freak out a bit and get off my rhythm. I never get comfortable. I don’t know how fast I’m going or how to gage my progress. Overall, I swam ok, but I spent too much time worrying about my pace than I did relaxing and finding my groove. If you’re not relaxed, then you’re just fighting and expending too much energy. I definitely need more practice time in the open water.

Saturday afternoon, Lauren and I met my parents up at a different lake for a little grillin and relaxing, which is not always possible with my 3 year old nephew but we had a good time. Every time we head up to this particular lake, we go through the little town of Nectar, Al. It’s almost as big as my left big toe so you have to be careful or you’ll miss it.

Sunday is always yellow jersey day. On my Sunday rides I sport my replica Discovery Malliot Jaune in honor of the Kid from Austin, TX with 7 Tour wins under his belt. I’ve been doing so for the last couple of weeks as I’m getting ready to watch the 2nd biggest sporting event of the year. I’m speaking of none other than the Tour De France which starts this Saturday. (note: College Football will always remain number 1).

I’m really stoked about this year’s Tour. There are just a few Americans with a chance of finding themselves on the podium after the 3 week event. They all ride for great teams with a lot of experience. There are a few contenders out of Spain and Kazakhstan that would love to put an end to America’s 8 consecutive win streak. They both have wait it takes to make that happen. Can’t wait!

So this week should be a good one. Lot’s of training on the table as I get ready for my next race toward the end of this month. I’m concentrating on finishing my runs hard and not blowing it all on my bike. Congrats to Paul in CA for his 11th OA and 5th AG finish in the San Diego International. Dude’s a stud.

Two Encouraging Things I've Noticed

It’s Wednesday and the skies are clear and blue. That could only mean one thing here in Alabama, it’s hot! There’s no cloud cover and no rain in sight. Due to the current drought, there’s no watering on Wednesdays in my area either. Sorry grass, sorry flowers, so green shrub that I’ve yet to identify. There’s no water for you until tomorrow.

Yeah, it’s hot here. We had a 10 minute shower if you can call it that last night that only served to make it very humid on my ride. I need to invest in some good riding gloves. My hands were so sweaty that they kept slipping on my handlebars. Not good while riding in a pack.

Last night during the ride I passed on some good will to a fellow rider who’d left without a tube. I gave him my tube and pump as I was in the same situation this past weekend before the race. My buddy Brent gave me his extra tube when I discovered I had a flat before the race started. Somehow, I left Birmingham without mine. So given the chance to return the favor to a fellow rider I jumped at the chance. Last thing I needed was having bad karma on my side. Bad thing is due to helping the guy out I got dropped by the group. No worries, I was able to go aero riding on my own and picked off several riders who’d gotten dropped for not being able to keep up. I always get evil stares from the true roadies as I pass them on my TT bike. For some reason triathletes aren’t quite accepted in certain cycling circles. These guys wouldn’t know what to do without a pace line to hide behind.

Back on topic. So, here’s what I noticed today. I made it over to the local Y for a swim during lunch. The pool was packed with youngsters and mamas. They only had 3 lanes open for laps so I spent the better part of my time sharing a lane. No worries. 12X100 in 1:30 or less with 30 second breaks in between then 10X50 in 36-40 seconds with 24-20 second breaks in between. Yeah, I know Coach you want to see me averaging 35, but dang I was spent! But here’s what I noticed – I didn’t hate the swim session today. I didn’t hate it on Monday either. What? Has my love-hate relationship with swimming taking a turn for the better? Maybe. For the last month or so I’ve struggled in the pool. I’ve struggled with motivation and drive. Maybe that’s back now. Who knows?

Here’s the second thing I noticed, and this didn’t strike me until later. While I was changing in the locker which I next to the pool, two little boys came in and used the restroom. They couldn’t have been more than 4. Four years old! And they took the time to get out of the pool to go to the restroom! Wow. That’s so encouraging. Most of the time I just accept the fact that I’m swimming in some kids pee while at the “Y”. Now, I have hope. Now if we can only get the adults to do the same!