I asked about the similarities between
turns out that is what I will be at Ironman USA in Lake Placid. I received an e-mail from the captain of the wetsuit stripping team and I will be helping the athletes strip down. Nothing like helping hawt triathletes take off clothing.
Then Aimee and I will be on course cheering for all of our Cleveland and blogger connections.
I have managed to get several rides in on the Flash-Point 60s, including the Buzzard Duathlon. Of course as soon as I mentioned the wheels people are wanting pictures. There are several in this post to satisfy the need for bike porn. You will have to excuse the quality because the digital camera is on the fritz and the pics were taken with my Treo.
That's 60mm's of rim BABY! I soooo had to go with totally black tires. Completes the package. Remember that tires should match the rim, kindof like matching your belt and shoes.
What I first notice is their weight. Granted it's hard to tell what is happening on the bike since there are so many factors that go into riding. Things like fitness and weather can skew the results of how you perceive new equipment. I am entering the season very fit so I don't know if my bike rides feel great because of the wheels or my general riding fitness.
I do know I feel lighter with these wheels. The effort to spin the wheels is less than what I am used to, especially uphill. At the duathlon, I never felt "heavy" going up the hills....again....wheels or fitness?
Something else that other people have been writing about on the FP Blog, is the feel of the wheels on the road. The road dampening affect the carbon fiber as it eliminates the bumps on the road. That I haven't felt yet. I have a carbon fork already. I live in Cleveland where NO road is without imperfections. I tried to feel the road last night but the sealed cracks in the road were too much for all the carbon fiber. So the jury is still out on that, maybe I just don't have to true sensitivity of a metro-sexual triathlete to express my feelings.
Last nights ride on the FPs was awesome. Did some hills and I know the light weight of the wheels is helping. I was cruising uphill with a new 11-23 cassette on the back, never missing the 25. I slapped on the 11-23 because the Half IM race I am doing in June will be pancake flat.
Here is the elevation from last nights ride. Elevation (ft.)  |
Posted from bimactive.com |
Can anyone tell me what
Have in common? Answer on Saturday.
And I think I found the reason Cleveland Ironman athletes love Mitchell's Ice Cream
Game is deliciously On.
Do you remember this scene from Star Wars?
Gold Two: [the Y-wings are running the gauntlet toward the Death Star reactor-port] The guns - they've stopped!
Gold Five: [realizes why] Stabilize your rear deflectors... Watch for enemy fighters.
Gold Leader: They're coming in! Three marks and 2-10! [Gold Two is slain by Darth Vader and his wingmen; Gold Leader starts to panic]
Gold Leader: It's no good down here, I can't maneuver!
Gold Five: Stay on target.
Gold Leader: *We're too close!*
Gold Five: Stay on target!
Gold Leader: [shouts] Loosen up! [he too is picked off by Vader and Company; Gold Five tries to escape but is fatally winged]
Gold Five: Gold Five to Red leader, I Lost Tiree, Lost Dutch. They came from... behind!
Gold Five: [crashes]
Exciting stuff right. "Stay on Target" was one of the phrases I used during Ironman training and the race. Gold Leader had a hard time keeping focused on the goal of the reactor-port with Darth Vader breathing down his neck.
In Ironman training it is also hard to ignore the outside forces that can compromise your training.
Bombing down a hill is dangerous enough that you don't need to be distracted away from the road and risk a crash.
Getting the phone call from friends to join you at the bar the night before a long training day instead of getting the needed rest your body deserves.
Focusing on how the person running in front of you is unreachable instead of worrying about maintaining your own pace.
Being drawn to the dark side of Ben and Jerry's, or Mitchell's, ice cream when trying to follow a good diet.
Getting caught up in the excitement when exiting transition and starting off too fast.
I think you get the picture. The mental aspect of triathlon training/racing is often overlooked and not practiced. Training the mind to "stay on target" will pay dividend in all aspects of your life. Remind yourself when the mind starts to drift. Say it out loud to yourself.Welcome back TfT. I think I'm getting back into the groove of blogging. Inspiration has been hitting me at the oddest times for items to post.
Similarities
This year I will be running my "first" marathon. I say first because last year it was an Ironman marathon. Training for this season is going well and I should have a good run on September 30th. I have been playing around with the idea of qualifying for Boston. My time to qualify is 3:20. I never thought I would want to run Boston....I never thought I would do an Ironman either. Aimee has been boosting my confidence, one of our friends just ran Boston and her race experience is exciting and my sister-in-law is moving to Boston.
Last night I was reading the latest issue of Running Times. One Letter to the Editor was about an article "Boston or Bust". The final paragraph of the letter spoke volumes to me. The author of the letter, Beth Deloria, suffers from permanent paralysis of the foot
Your photo, taken from behind (at Chicago Marathon), does not capture the tears of joy as I "won" the biggest race in my life (her qualifier for Boston). As Hennick states, the runners who qualify are "somewhere between Superman and everyman" and I believe myself to be the "everyman". To anyone, anywhere, who has ever dreamt of Boston I say this: Go for it -- your dreams just may come true. And in the mere quest of this challenge your life will change fantastically.
You can replace the word Boston with Ironman and the sentence still holds great truth. Find the similarities and be inspired.
When to Play
When you are done lurking or commenting on today's post make sure you go......here.
GAME ON
The 7th annual Buzzard Duathlon was scheduled for April 15, 2007 but postponed due to bad weather. The new date of April 29, 2007 was a blessing as the day turned out to have the best weather conditions for the event. The extra two weeks allowed me to recover from the Athens Half Marathon and a busy work week prior to the race forced me to taper for the event. Map  Elevation (ft.)
Splits went like this: 19:00 for first 3 miles, including transition 40:00 for 15 mile bike. 22.4 MPH average speed. 19:49 for second 3 miles. Very happy with this split. This was the best Duathlon I have ever raced. I executed my plan perfectly and fought hard to the finish. I’ve finally crossed the line to where I have laid it all on the line during the race. I didn’t hold back and left everything on the course. The reward this day was huge. |
Here is my latest topic thread. My Flash-Point Friday will share space with Family & Friends Friday as I try to post more often on Fridays.
So why Flash-Point Friday? Obviously because of the F factor, but most importantly because I will be reviewing the set of FP60’s that I am fortunate to have in my possession courtesy of TriSaraTops. At the beginning of the year Sara was contacted by Flash-Point to write blog posts about training/racing on Flash-Point wheels. Even though she was completely up front about being pregnant and possibly not riding her bike the Flash-Point rep still mailed her the wheels. I was so jealous when she told me about it.
We must be on the same brain frequency because while talking on the phone she said I could use the wheels for the 2007 racing season. I was thinking how I could so rip it up on those wheels. I promised that I would write some posts that she could post on the Flash-Point site. She can write the “my journey to mommy land” posts and I would write the “these wheels are so awesome” posts. She would be the prophetic writer and I would be the technical writer. She’s a little bit country…..I’m a little bit rock ‘n roll. I guess if you teased her hair a little Sara could look like Marie Osmond.
I met Sara for lunch during her schools spring break and the hand-off was made. I gingerly took the wheels from her trunk and placed them delicately in my car. I couldn’t wait to get them on my bike. Unfortunately I had to get some supplies for these new wheels and this is where my first Flash-Point Friday begins.
Out of the package these wheels are a thing of beauty. The matt black carbon fiber is feather light. The deep 60mm rims just beg to slice through the air. The rear hub signs with the unmistakable click of a high quality hub. Included in the package were the skewers and valve extensions.
The valve extensions had the best set of instructions for use. I like the FP valve extenders with their 3mm hex head for tightening the valves in place. The instructions also had the all important recommendation of using white plumbers tape between the tube valve and the extension. This helps eliminate any leaks between the valve and extender. Amazing how much information a little piece of paper can hold.
I checked on the Flash-Point web site to get information on the hubs used for these wheels. While the “name” of the hubs was not provided some specifications were available. Most importantly there was information about the bearings used in the hubs, ABEC-5. Bearings are ranked on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the highest. During my rollerblading days I was buying ABEC-5 bearings for my skate wheels so I knew the quality inside these hubs was top notch, and they do spin like greased lightening.
So to use these new wheels I needed some supplies, primarily tires and tubes. My stock of tubes was low and quality tires are needed for these quality wheels. But then I noticed that I would also need rim tape. I was a little surprised that there was no rim tape already on the wheels. Rim tape is such a basic necessity that I felt it was a bad oversight. If you are not familiar with the concept or application of rim tape be careful. The rim tape covers the openings for the spokes. Usually the holes are deep and have sharp edges. These two factors, when rim tape is not used, will lead to numerous flats. The rim tape is the only item missing from a perfect set of wheels.
Once I bought tires, tubes and rim tape I was ready to assemble the wheels. There is nothing like the kid in a candy store feeling when I came home and wanted to work on the wheels right away. Unfortunately I had other things to attend to so the wheels would need to wait until another day. I finished the wheel set by taking the cassette from my tri bike wheels and installing it on the FP60’s.
These wheels were looking hot. Each time I picked them up I was amazed at how light they were. I should get used to it. I did race IM USA with some Zipp 404’s. This season I will be able to take advantage of the FP60’s all summer. I’ll even put them on my road bike and test them in some road races.
Overall my impression of the FP60’s is great. The wheels are light, strong and great looking. I’ll let you know in the next FP Friday how they handle on the road……and will probably have a race to report as well.
Game On.
You Are a Pinky |
 You are fiercely independent, and possibly downright weird. A great communicator, you can get along with almost anyone. You are kind and sympathetic. You support all your friends - and love them for who they are. You get along well with: The Ring Finger Stay away from: The Thumb |
My relocated Canadian tri-brother in Boulder is DOWN. Go send Bolder in Boulder some lovin'.
Sometimes we all need to step back and look at the big picture. As I got dressed this morning and grabbed my awesomely cool Throughth3wall sweatshirt I was reminded how NOT to take triathlon too seriously.
Thanks to IronWil for:
The Top 10 Reasons Why I Tri
10 I love the smell of neoprene in the morning.
9 The golf, tennis, and Bass fishing combo didn't work out.
8 To honor those before me, inspire those behind me, and challenge those beside me.
7 Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26.2 miles; brag for the rest of your life.
6 Because I can.
5 For the t-shirts, Baby!!!
4 Because you never know until you Tri.
3 You don't get a butt like this playing checkers
2 If I didn't, I'd have a tough time explaining the rubber suit and cooking spray in my trunk.
1 The Grim Reaper catches us all, but when he catches me he's going to be hunched over, wheeing, and clutching his chest.
Now get that Game On.
Aimee, Dale and I drove down to Athens, OH for the 17th running of the Athens Half Marathon. This was also the 40th anniversary of the marathon. Dale and I had done this race before in 2004. This was Aimee’s third after successful races in 2004 and 2006. Both Dale and Aimee graduated from Ohio University so it is always a nice time to visit Athens. April in Athens is usually warm and sunny. The 2006 race was a beautiful day. For the 2007 race the weather report called for showers and thunderstorms but temperatures starting in the mid-50s and increasing for the day.
Once we arrived in Athens we checked into our hotel then drove to campus to pick up Andrew and his friend Becky. They were going to join us for dinner at the Italian restaurant where packet pick-up was being held. We had a very nice meal to get us ready for race day. As always it’s nice to visit with Andrew and his friends. However, this time there would be no late night drinking.
There are definite pluses and minuses with this race. On the plus side the race doesn’t start until 9:00AM. On the minus side, this is a Sunday race in a college town. Oh how we wish this was a Saturday race so we could enjoy campus Saturday night. But alas we have to be good and not drink any beer pre-race.
Sunday morning Aimee and I woke up with plenty of time to make final preparations. Rain had come in overnight but it currently wasn’t raining. I drank the first of two Boost for breakfast then took a shower to remind my body that it was time to wake up. After my shower, Aimee and I went to the hotel breakfast room and had more to eat. I ate an orange and bowl of oatmeal then topped it off with a glass of orange juice. I stepped outside to check the weather and noticed the rain coming down. The temperature was already above 50 and it was a light rain.
Back in our hotel room we gathered our race bags, watched some ESPN and I had my second Boost for the morning. After several more stops in the bathroom we were finally ready to head to the race finish. We parked the car at the university track where we would finish with 1.5 laps to the finish line. We had also made a trip to Wal-Mart the night before to buy some lawn trash bags to wear to the start line in the center of town. The intensity of the rain was changing every 10-15 minutes. One moment it would be a light drizzle then a heavy shower. It looked like the rain during the race would be doing the same thing.
The start of the race is at the corner of College Green and Court Street. Court Street in Athens is where all of the bars are located at. Most students at OU spend quite a bit of time walking through the Green to enjoy themselves on Court Street. The Army and Air Force ROTC programs are big supporters of the full and half marathon. At the start the Army ROTC used a small cannon to start the race. That is definitely one way to wake up the sleepy, hung over students of OU.
The race plan provided by Coach Angela went like this. Start easy for the first three miles in my upper Zone 2/lower Zone 3 (150 – 155 heart rate). The middle miles (4 – 11) find a comfortable pace that would have my HR at 160. The final miles would be around 165 effort. My lactate threshold is 166 so the 165 sounded good.
The first mile out of town is immediately downhill. I seeded myself mid-pack so I wouldn’t be tempted to start too fast. I had to dodge around a lot of other people but the first mile was 7:13. My heart rate was already higher than I wanted it to be, but my pace was lower than I wanted it to be. Due to the high humidity and persistent rain I abandoned my heart rate race plan and went with perceived effort and it seemed to pay off. I kept myself steady and consistent at each mile marker. I missed the markers for miles 2, 3, and 4 but managed splits for the remainder of the race.
Having started near the middle of the pack I had some good company for the first half of the out and back course. The runners in front of me provided me with small targets to reach and pass. Granted some of them were some very good female runners but a small milestone is still a mental boost for any race. At mile 6 there was an aid station. I would be returning to this aid station soon so at the turn around point I started to take in my first Hammer Gel. I wanted to have enough water in my stomach to absorb the gel. I was very good about taking in water or Gatorade at each aid station. We had a total of four aid stations and we would be able to visit each twice. I wasn’t going to succumb to any dehydration and suffer muscle cramps.
After the turn and mile seven I was in the company of the top runners. A lady riding her bike against our direction was letting us know what position we were in. She called off nineteen as she passed me. As much as I appreciated her information I didn’t want to get involved with any head games. I didn’t want to worry about placing or anything like that. I wanted to maintain a steady pace that I could hopefully increase during the last few miles. I had to keep my head in the game and prevent the “wheels” from coming off.
This is the mental aspect of racing that I enjoy. How do I keep myself together despite the signals that are coming in from the legs that they are getting tired? Several times I had to remind myself to keep my running form solid. My head was tipping back. My arms were bunching up. I was taking longer strides. I would pull my form back together and feeling stronger.
I was also telling myself “No!! You don’t only have 3 miles to go, this is when the race really begins.” I was starting to pick off more runners. A group of four young guns finally broke apart and I passed two of them with confidence. I could tell they were struggling and I showed them I meant business. At the eleven mile mark I had three runners in my sights. All of them were not within striking distance but I could see them. One runner I had seen walk before so I figured I could snag him. He did succumb to muscle cramps and I breezed by him.
I kept up my pace and waited patiently for the twelve mile marker. At mile marker 12 it was time to push for the final 1.1 miles. I continued to keep my form as I wound my way through several turns and onto the track surface for 1.5 laps. As I came out of the first turn and in front of the bleachers I heard Andrews friend Becky yell, “Way to go Papa Gibb!” I looked quickly along the railing and saw Andrew standing there watching me finish. Except for Ironman this was the only time he has seen my finish a race. It was a great mental boost to have someone there cheering for me. It’s not often someone is there for me at the finish.
I kept powering around the track towards the finish line. I crossed the line at 1:27:49. As my tag was torn from my race number, a race official asked my age. I told him 40 and he informed me that I was the third masters runner and that I would be getting money for my finish. I didn’t realize that this was a money race. I don’t know how much I won so I have to wait for the check in the mail. I guess getting older and racing as a “master” actually pays off. I chatted with some of the runners that finished near me, cooled down a little, changed into dry clothes then stood with Andrew and Becky while we waited for Aimee and Dale to finish.
Statistically this is how I finished.
13th overall of 421 runners / 230 males
3rd Masters Runner
1st in age group if you take me out of the Masters category. The first place master was 46 and the second place was 50.
Finish time: 1:27:49
Average Pace 6:42/mile
Average Heart Rate: 164
Game On.
This past week we saw a nice warming trend into the mid 60s. With that we all want to spend some much needed time outdoors. Snickers and Ruby, our Brittany's, have enjoyed the warm sunshine and the chance to chase the birds and critters around the yard. Here is a picture of
Snickers staring out the door at Peter Cottontail sitting in our garden.
Snickers gets funny when he sees a rabbit. He locks on with an intense focus. He shakes and shivers imperceptably, yet I can see his ears and fur move. He ignores whatever is around him. He may look away for just a moment but will return to his "prey" so he doesn't loose sight of his "goal".
Brittany's are natural flushers. They are supposed to be awesome bird hunters. Flushing birds from the underbrush for hunters to shoot from the air. Birds do hold an amazing fascination for both dogs. It is a true example of basic instinct. We have never hunted with the dogs. This is something that they are born with.
Watching Snickers made me think about my own focus and drive. Specifically in the area of competing in triathlons. Hey....what did you expect....this is a triathlon blog.
Lately, I've been trying to figure out my drive to compete in triathlons. Why do I train so hard? Why do I spend so much time in the pool, on the bike, pounding the pavement. Why am I swimming laps in a 20 yard pool, running circles on a high school track, spinning my legs for hours in my basement.
I absolutely enjoy the training I do. My coach was watching me swim and called me a swimmer. Swimming was my weakest part of the three but has become one of my favorites. I like the level of fitness I have acheived. I am in better shape than high school, maybe not as fast as high school but fitter. I like the balance training and racing brings to my life. That saying of work hard, play harder......I admit I do that. I train and race hard to see what I am capable of. What are my limits? For some unknown, internal, deep seeded reason I need to find out what they are.
I feel similar to how Snickers wants that rabbit so bad......I don't know what he would do with it if he caught the little critter......but he gets so excited.
I get excited with my workouts and seeing how I'm improving. I'm testing myself and learning new things about myself, others, life, fitness, etc........I hope I never stop learning or reach that unknown goal. Once I reach it what would I do next. Enough rambling.
Wouldn't you know it TriSaraTops has found a piece of the puzzle with her most recent post.
Where does it come from? Deep inside. Game On.
Yes the weather is starting to improve here on the north coast of Ohio. Looks like we will be in the 50's all week. I'm hoping to do some training outside, especially on the bike. But first I have to get things ready for the road. but then I started to think about what else needs to be prepared for spring training and the races that follow.
Check your equipment against the list below and see what may need to be replaced.
Swimming:
Goggles - Maybe it's time to replace that old pair with new ones. Are they scratched, band is old, leaking. Maybe you just deserve a new pair.
Swimsuit - Is your suit suffering from Lycra disease? Is it wearing thin and the lycra is breaking from being in the chlorine pool all winter? A new suit will spare you the embarrassment of showing too much when group gets together for an open water swim.
Cycling:
Tires - This is the most important aspect of transitioning from indoor to outdoor riding. Replace the rubber that has been worn thin by the indoor trainer. The roads are covered with salt, rocks and other debris that will put a hole in the tube before you know it. Your tires may also have a lot of mile on them from last year.
Cables - Over time the cables will stretch. The extra slack in the cable will cause problems when shifting gears. The cables may need to be tightened or replaced completely. If the ends are unraveling, replace the entire cable. The cable could come apart and cause the brake or derailleur to slip.
Bar tape - Think of all the miles you rode last year and all the sweat, dirt, snot, drool, gatorade and other nasties that have been on the handlebars. On a tri bike the bar tape may not be as bad but if you have a road bike the cushioning may not be as good. Maybe pick a fun color to spice up your ride.
Chain - Like the cables a chain will stretch over time. When the stretching occurs the links will not sit properly on the chain rings or cassette. There could be problems with shifting or the chain could stick to the teeth. And clean that chain. Sure you rode inside but it still gets dirty. Clean it an Lube it.
Cleats - You never see them but they are what connects you to your bike. The cleats under your feet have been scrapped and scuffed against the pavement and clipping in and out of the pedals. New cleats will make sure you have a solid connection with the pedals and allow for smooth clipping in/out. If you think the cleats are okay, make sure the bolts are tight.
Brake pads - If you don't care about stopping then don't worry about this point...but you will go screaming into T2 a little out of control. Brake pads have wear indicators that help you determine if the pads should be replaced. There could also be a bunch of gunk on the pads. Stone chips, metal shavings and other"crap" can get imbeded into the pad and could cause the wheel rims to wear quicker than you want. Brake pads are so much cheaper than a new wheel set. An ounce of prevention is worth about $10.
Running:
Shoes - How many miles have you put on your shoes over the winter. It may be time for a fresh pair before you start racing. My trail shoes have been idle lately while I get used to my new road shoes for my first half marathon in April. Remember that 300-350 miles is usually when shoes should be replaced.
Socks - I am a total fan of DeFeet socks....and they are fun. Get some new socks to complement those new shoes. I saw a new pair of Swim/Bike/Run socks that I will buy.
Clothing:
You have been training hard all winter. Bundled up in several layers when venturing outside and sweating buckets when inside. Treat yourself to a new racing/training outfit. The padding in those shorts from last year having lost some of their "cush" for the tush.
Give the bike a good check, lace up those shoes, get outside and train safe.
Game On.
I read this article on Active.com and felt it appropriate for everyone to review as we head into the racing season.
Triathlon Etiquette
Game On.
I've finally figured out how to create and upload a header for my blog. Let me know what you think.....constructive criticism appreciated. Being in the IT industry I really suck at this web stuff.
I got awesome tips from here: Peter Chen
and here: Paul Stamatiou
I guess I need to be serious about this race strategy thing. My fast, faster, really FAST strategy was a spoof on a Saturday Night Live skit. I can't remember details but a track coach was telling his team in order to win they would have to run fast, then run faster, and finally run really fast.
Aimee and I throw that back and forth at each other to break any pre-race tension, stress and anxiety we may have. A quick kiss also helps.
Pre-race strategy for me involves the following:
Having confidence in my training. Believing I have prepared myself physically as best I could for this particular day.
Proper Planning. I have laid out my transition area, brought the right fuel, selected the correct equipment for the conditions of the day and course.
Mental Preparation. Staying calm and relaxed. The above two items helps me find the calmness before the storm.
Smile. No matter what the day brings try to have fun. Remember how fortunate we are to be able to participate in triathlons, running, cycling, etc. Thank the volunteers, police and event staff. Cheer for other competitors. Finish the race knowing you have learned something more about yourself and others.
Just something to think about as you taper and prepare to toe the line for any event.
Sometimes the smallest things will help get your Game On.
As we enter into the racing season everyone should be tuning up their mental preparation and confidance. Mental training is just as important as swimming, biking and running. Without the proper mental balance you are just going through the motions.
Aimee and I help each other prepare for races. We remind each other about the appropriate race plan. It works for us, maybe it will work for you.
First you start the race going fast.
Part way through you should begin to go faster.
For the final part of the race you should be going really FAST.
No......don't thank me now. I'm here to help......it's what I do.
I think Bolder would approve.
Game On.
Extreme conditions call for extreme measures. Not to be confused with extreme weather conditions, this weekends extreme conditions involves work. I'm posting from the Motor City, Detroit. Actually just north of Detroit but that point is moot.
I'm performing a computer migration for a customer. I drove up (2.5 hours) to my customer so I could prep for the weekends activities. I'm up here all weekend. Saturday is the main event which will be at least a 15 hour day. I'm hoping to be out and driving back home no later than noon on Sunday.
So I'm coming of a workout high with my Thursday double. I wanted to carry the momentum into my weekend workouts. But I'm up in Detroit for the weekend. The best thing about being able to drive to my customers......I can pack all the shit I want.
So I put my bike, trainer, workout bag, gatorade, two water bottles, weekend bag, laptop backpack, bike shoes, running shoes, and casual shoes all into the Pilot for the weekend. I was determined to get in my workouts. Here are the workouts for reference:
3:10 BRICK WORKOUT
Ride 2:30/Zone 2
Warm Up 20 min- Zone 1
Do 4 x 10 min Pup to Zone 3
Big Chain Ring- Pushing Big Gear 12-15/ 85+ rpms
Take 10 min off easy spin Zone 1
Do 8 x 1 min High Cadence spin- small chain
Go for 100+- spin the legs out- Zone 3
Take 2 min off moderate- Zone 2
Finish steady aero position for 26 minutes
Run 40 min- 1st 10 min
Zone 3- then back to Zone 2
1:45 Long Run
Long Run 1:45 min/ Zone 2
From :50 min - 1:10 Pup up the effort- to 10K pace-
right at Lactate Threhold for 20 min- then do 10 min easy jog
Finish run Zone 2 - 25 minutes
Okay........you now see the picture that has been painted. First thought was to do the brick Saturday night and the long run Sunday when I got home. After meeting with the customer and laying out the time-line of events there would be NO brick on Saturday. So I had to re-arrange my plans. I'm mean......I'm in Detroit, what else was I going to do on a Friday night before a work weekend. I wasn't going to the casino's to gamble (don't gamble anyways) or visit Winsdor (remember I don't gamble, what else would I do there....wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more)
So I check into my hotel and get set up for my 2.5 hour ride. Oh.My.God. Two and a half hours riding my trainer in a hotel room? I checked out the movies I could order and Casino Royale was available and it's a 2:24 movie. Brilliant! So I'm good to go. Check out these picks of my setup.
What the room looked like with the bike on the trainer:
I used the desk chair for my goodies and TV Remote:
Those are some damn good snacks. I brought the Clif bars from home and the others are from the hotel welcome bag.....(I only ate the crackers)
And the view of the TV from the bike.
The workout went well. I hit each segment in the zones I needed and time went by fairly quickly. The movie was okay with several spots that dragged on too much. I skipped the 40 minute run post ride because I didn't want to run on the hotel treadmill, low quality garbage.
So I ordered dinner instead, pizza, and called it a night.
Saturday was Go Day for migrating my customer to a new computer system. We were only changing to new hardware but we had to save and restore the information. It was going to be a long day with quite a bit of down-time. I packed my bag in case I could get in a run. The building is next to a high school track.
Here is a picture of the battlefield.
So at 3:30 that afternoon I changed and started my workout. Go back to the top to review the run workout again......that's okay....I'll wait......read it........done? Good, let's continue.
Yes that said a 1 hour 45 minute run. Yes I said I was heading to a running track. 400 meters oval. East/West on the straights with the wind, about 10MPH, coming directly from the west. Time to get down to business.
How much can I tell you about running around a track? The two kids playing on the concession stand roof. The people that came and went while I was there. The traffic, sun, water, WIND. Well, the sun was nice. Mid to high 40's during my run. I was in shorts and a short sleeve shirt. The snow was melting around the track and that left puddles at different spots which left the back of my legs rather dirty. And the wind each time I came off the curve and ran west was intimidating.
I was hitting my splits every 1600 meters and would change direction every 4800 meters. Too much going in the same direction I feel is bad for the knees. My first 50 minutes was 7:15 average. I was expecting 8's but was liking what I saw.
My 20 minutes at 10k pace had me at 6:40's. Two years ago my 10k pace was 6:24 but I was also on tired legs for this workout. I finished the run around 7:48 pace.....staying in my appropriate zone.
I summarized my run like this since I kept track of how many meters I did:
22,300 meters = 22.3km = 13.8 miles = 55.75 laps
Oh.My.God. Did I do almost 56 laps on a high school track. I never thought I would ever do that.
But extreme circumstances call for extreme workouts.
Time to rest. Even on a rest day...the Game is still On.If you have told me 5 years ago I would look forward to my swimming workouts more than running or biking I would have looked at you like you were high on drugs.
Yet that is what has happened to me recently. While my running has been significant and my cycling rather stale, my swimming has been improving. Getting up at 5:00AM to hit the Y pool hasn't been hard at all. I don't know if people have been going to a new Y that opened up or what but there have been times that I am the only person in the pool. I swam for 40 minutes one morning before another person came in.
Thursday was by far one of my best swim workouts in the past several months. Here is what the workout looked like:
Warm Up 600 choice
Swim 10 x 60 yards- drill/swim/drill
Swim 4 x 500 yards
1-Negative split
2-easy/hard by 100
3 &4- race effort
Cool down easy 200
3400 total yards in this workout. After Ironman, I've been finding that anything under 3000 yards isn't worth getting in the pool. Every once in a while I will have a straight 2500 yard swim, but usually it's around 3500 which makes for a good 1 hour workout. I've also found that I have to get in that 600 warmup in order to attack the main sets with good form and attitude.
So I wasn't sure how the swim would be. My legs were still recovering from a 15k on Sunday (I still have to finish the race report). So I set out looking to make the best of the workout. Everything was feeling great.....until the last two sets of 500. Take a look at these splits per hundred yards and total time for 500:
500 race - 1:27 / 1:32 / 1:29 / 1:30 / 1:28 - 7:26
500 race - 1:24 / 1:28 / 1:28 / 1:30 / 1:28 - 7:18
Oh, I'm sorry. Did you think I was going to say my workout went to hell in a hand basket? That I went from a great workout to shit? Au contraire mon frere (that's for you Bold).
IT WENT FROM GREAT TO F'IN FANTASTIC!!!!!
I've always strived for the 1:30 hundred. Break 3 minutes for 200, achieve 6 minutes for 400, and so on.
My Game was Soooooooooo ON. I reached, I glided, I pulled back to my hip, I rotated. I was a shark. When I reviewed the splits on my watch I couldn't believe it. I was totally jacked up about this. Nice to know something is feeling good in my workouts.
I tried to ride the high from the swim workout into my trainer ride that evening. An hour on the bike with 8 two minute pushes in the big ring/small cassette/hard resistance (MASHING) into my Zone 3.
I got on the bike and my bike legs were ready to work. I hit the trainer ride on the money as well. It was great to have two good workouts on Thursday. The mojo took a break on me and I think he's returning from vacation or something.
With the warmer weather starting to creep back into Northern Ohio I'm thinking the mojo will be stronger and the workouts will get better.
I'm a swimmer.....I'm a cyclist.......I'm a runner......Most of all.....I'm a triathlete.
Game On.
On-line at Ticketmaster - 2 minutes
Two concert tickets - $218.50
Look of excitement on Aimee's face after purchase of tickets to The Police concert at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland ---------
Abso-f'in-lutely PRICELESS!!
A group of guys from Northeast Ohio are chasing after the 24 hour treadmill record. The records involves a team of 12 running for 24 hours to see how many miles they can get. You can read all about the details and status at the link below. Aimee and I were at the store from 10PM 'till Midnight to serve as witnesses. It was just amazing watching these guys running between 11-12 MPH. Also managed to see some friends we haven't talked to in a long time.
So far they are on record setting pace and are ahead by 7 miles. Events ends at 5:00PM Eastern. There is also some YouTube video.
Great Lakes HSA Treadmill Challenge
Every once in a while I wonder what my racing/training future holds. There are so many events around the world to check out. Here is a collection of my possible races. Let me know what you think.
Off-road Ironman
Tough Guy ---- here is an ESPN story for the Tough Guy and there are plenty of videos on YouTube
Extreme Ironman
My sista-in-law is the best. Check out this birthday message she sent me.
Click Here
I've been wanting to do something like this for quite some time. Here is my first installment.
1. I played clarinet in elementary and junior high school.
2. I only have one kidney.
3. I broke my wrist during a freshman track meet….running the hurdles.
4. I ran the 800 and record setting 1600 relay the same meet.
5. My grandfather and I share the same birthday.
6. My dad, brother and I were all cub scouts.
7. My dad and I were Scout leaders as adults.
8. I’ve worked in the IT industry for 20 years.
9. I didn’t work until after I graduated from high school.
10. Spiders give me the heebie jeebies. I’ve gotten better.
11. My dad, brother and I have birthdays in February.
12. I got my first dog at age 30. Snickers is awesome.
13. I played on the very first soccer team at our high school.
14. I like to sing karaoke…..and my brother says I’m not bad.
15. I lived in Ohio my entire life, so far.
16. I’ve been shaving my legs for the past ten years.
17. I earned my blue belt in karate when I was studying.
18. I don’t care much for baseball, football and basketball.
19. I like the changing seasons in Ohio.
20. I spent freshman year of college at Bowling Green State University
21. I spent the following 10 years at Cleveland State University to get my Bachelors Degree.
22. My brother is seven years older than me.
23. My brother is gay…….and I don’t mind at all.
24. I enjoy camping, but rarely get a chance to go.
25. My nickname used to be two-beer……actually it’s still true.
26. My favorite nickname is Pumpkinhead.
27. My dream job would be an active vacation tour guide.
28. I don’t like playing poker…..but will play Euchre anytime.
29. I never thought I would do a marathon, much less and Ironman.
30. I enjoy cooking. Especially on the grill.
31. I work-out today at the same YMCA where I learned to swim, shoot a bow and arrow, build
models, jump on the trampoline and play basketball.
32. Growing up I like to build models. Cars, planes, space shuttle.
33. I have never suffered a deep personal tragedy. I pray I never have to.
34. I was captain of the varsity soccer team my senior year of high school.
35. Growing up I wanted to be an architect. Turns out Aimee had the same idea. She
currently works for an architecture firm, accounting.
36. I still have the G.I Joes I used to play with as a kid. These are the original 12 inch Joes.
37. I’ve never tried drugs like marijuana, cocaine, uppers/downers, etc. Never needed them.
38. I didn’t eat salads until after high school.
39. I wrote articles for my high school newspaper.
40. I’ll cry like a baby if the situation calls for it.
For some reason that seems like enough for today.
Game On.
It's an age old question. When are you considered a man? Is it based on age? 18, 21, 25, 40. Is it based on experience? Personal tragedy, insight, self enlightenment, achievement, responsibility.
The journey through life is such a strange and wonderous thing. So many things to think about, worry about, experience. So many people to meet, love, hate, ignore, tolerate. So many changes that must occur as you grow physically and emotionally.
I've often wondered about my own maturity. Each year as I get older, I'll be 40 this month, I try to think back to things that I have done. Sometimes I'm amazed at how my memory is triggered at the weirdest times and I think of an event from years ago. Often that event is a defining moment that shapes who you are. I guess that's why it's permanantly stamped into your brain.
I look back at those "events" and think, "What a stupid dumbass I was". Why would I do something like that? Probably because I didn't know any better, I guess it's part of the learning process.
As I watch myself grow, I also have a son and daughter to watch grow as well. Sometimes it's painful to watch them learn about life but they have to learn somehow.
With my son at college I keep touch with him via instant messaging. He is real good at updating his away message/comments, too good sometimes. So I check his messages on occasion and obtain some interesting insight of his college life, such as:
Tuesdays suck. He has class all day then works 4 hours after dinner.
He's working out (weight lifting) on a regular basis and is getting stronger.
He stated recently, "(I) never realized how much college changes ppl i guess..."
He comment above is what prompted my own introspection about changes. College, he will find, is not the only time in his life that other people (ppl) or himself will change. Hopefully those changes will be for the better.
So as I get older I try to hold on to the youthfulness in my life. Don't ask me what I want to be when I grow up since I don't plan on "growing" up. I'll be mature and professional when I need to, but I'll also be playful and fun to balance things out.
Mid-life crisis?!?!?! Yeah right.
The Game is so On for the next twenty+ years.
“I seek strength, Father — not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. Make me ever ready to come to you with clean hands and a straight eye, so that when life fades like a fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.”
CHIPPEWA PRAYER
Work had me out of town the last half of the week. I was "forced" to run indoors on a treadmill two days, 40 minutes each time. So my long run this morning I wanted to do outside. Of course the weather showed the thermometer at around 8 degrees and Weather Channel was saying wind chill at -3. I was not going to run 10 miles on a treadmill!!! So I bundled up and headed out, around 6:30AM. All of the stats are below. I was actually overdressed for the run but the extra layers helped when I turned into the wind. The out and back run allowed me to know my mileage based upon the BimActive program on my cell phone beeping each mile. On the way back I was great with a most spectacular sunrise. One where a bright red flame of fire shoots up from the horizon as the sun starts to rise. It's looks so cool. I'm glad I had my phone because I could take this picture. The picture doesn't do justice of what I was truly seeing but you get the idea. This made me glad I decided to brave the cold temps and run outside. Have a great weekend and find some way to get your Game On.
 Splits
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That is what my muscles are saying each time I get out of a chair, be it a desk chair or the car. I started lifting again. I keep telling myself to keep at it so I don't have to deal with muscle soreness when I restart a lifting program. Damn it hurts. I guess you can say it's a good hurt though. Reminds me that I am alive. It will go away soon. I did some abdominal work last night also, so I just can't wait for those muscles to start hurting.
Am I the only one who falls off the weight training schedule when good weather hits. I just can't stand being inside lifting weights when I could be outside riding the bike or running or swimming in the lake.
Must remind myself, a strong core leads to a more complete and stronger body.
Game, ouch, On.
I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier but I guess it's because I've never been obsessed about the numbers. I do my time, get it done and keep moving forward. But I think a look back at the numbers is in order since 2006 was the year of Ironman. Let's see how things stacked up.
I am pulling my numbers from Training Peaks. My coach had her athletes using it for 2006. I don't like how the reports turn out numbers, I don't know what is being combined, double counted or broken out.... a little confusing.
So here goes.....
447 Hours of training......equals 56 eight hour days
260,587 yards swimming......divided by 1760 equals 148 miles....DAMN, that's more than IM
1,635 miles on the bike....this was on my mountain, road and tri bike.....that's far.
743 miles running........and I had a couple of times when I was injured and not running.
1,482 miles of bricks.....this is the category that has me pissed with TP. There is not breakout of miles riden versus run. I think this is new "improvement" that I think is stupid. I have a question about it to them.
So those are my numbers for 2006. All of it was worth it to become Iron.
2007 game is on. Will be interesting to see what the numbers hold for me this year.
Game On.
Mmmmmmmm......cookies. Who doesn't like those yummy, soft, chocolate chip cookies? I can't get enough of 'em when they are made fresh. I try to eat them quickly so they get the hell out of the house. I don't need that temptation while I am trying to keep close to fighting weight during the winter.
Oh..My..God. My very first game of tag. Believe it or not this is my first official invitation to play tag. It's kind of nice when you don't have to think of anything "original" to post. My good IronSista, TriSaraTops smacked me with this tag. Here goes............
1. Describe a memory from your first triathlon ever
2001 edition of the Huntington Beach sprint tri in Bay Village, OH. Aimee and I both did this tri. We tried to train for the swim and that is how I discovered I really sucked for the swim. However this swim was only 400 yards.
Memory 1
This picture shows me with two other people exiting the swim at the back of our wave.....the very back of the wave.......I'm sure some people in our wave may have been in T1 already.
Memory 2
Aimee's wave started late enough that I was done before she finished her bike.....with an almost flat front tire. While she was in T1 she was very frustrated and asked me to run the 5k with her. Here I am chasing her down out of T2......So I ran another 5k to be with Aimee. It was worth it.
2. Describe a memory from your most recent triathlon
That would be Ironman USA. So many to choose from. How much I saw Aimee. I caught a glimpse of her while running to T1.....on the bike course........on the run course (alot)......and another glimpse of her running down the finishing chute. Just like in training she was there with me the entire time.
3. What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you in a tri?
I caught a fist during the first 200 yards of an olympic distance tri in '04. Split my lip and was bleeding the entire two loop swim. As I approached T1 I asked where medical was. The race announcer said, over the PA system, "Eric the ambulance is back there". Of course Aimee heard this as she was approaching T1. Everything was fine and I completed the race. This picture shows the gauze I got from the EMTs. I had it in my mouth for 10 miles to stop the bleeding.
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