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.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
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!
Friday, December 07, 2007
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!
Monday, November 12, 2007
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.
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
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
Friday, November 02, 2007
"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! "
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! "
Friday, October 26, 2007
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.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
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.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
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.
Monday, October 15, 2007
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!
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!
Friday, October 12, 2007
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?
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?
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
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 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.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
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.
Monday, September 10, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
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.
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.
Monday, August 27, 2007
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
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.
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.
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