Looking Forward to the New Year

My stupid gym was closed today so I wasn't able to do my planned workouts.  I was supposed to swim this morning and lift, bike, run in the evening.  Instead, I ran on the treadmill at work for 45 min. and kept my HR to an average of 144.  I also spent the last 5 min of this run at a 7 min mile pace and felt really good.  While at that pace, my HR hit around 180 and then my HR monitor seemed to freak out.  My HR monitor says my HR hit 195, but I don't believe it.  I felt strong at this pace and enjoyed the speed while wearing a new pair of shoes, trying out the Newtons.  So far I really like them.  Hopefully they will not result in any aches or pains.  

Received a very inspirational email from Max this afternoon about how important it is to take things one day at a time when looking at this year's training plan.  I guess a few of his athletes are anxious when they look at their annual training plans and see all the hard work they have ahead of them.  I don't know why, but I am looking forward to the new year and the hard work.  Last year, I completed my first triathlon season with little to no guidance and just after a few months working with Max, I can tell It is worth it.  I am excited about the new year because my plan outlines more volume and greater intensity.  I am looking forward to varying my routine a little bit and continuing to learn how to train.  I am going to try a lot harder to soak in the knowledge, work on consistency in training, and work on better nutrition in 2009!  I can not believe my off season training  of the past two months is over and I am ready to start my 6 month climb to Ironman CDA.  It seems like only yesterday I was speaking to Max about doing some off season maintenance work and building toward my goal.  I think the two months have resulted in a good foundation and I am eager to get to some harder work.  Can't wait till my first Marathon in March and my second 1/2 Ironman in May.  I find it hard to believe that these items are simply milestones on my journey to Ironman CDA!  I am psyched and looking forward to the training and continued learning.  Look out 2009...Here I come!!!!!

Brick

Today I got a brick in after work.  Work was dead, so I was out the door at 5:00 and hit the trainer as soon as I got home.  Spent 30 min. on the bike and kept the HR just below 140.  I then headed out (in shorts) for a run.  Ran 3 miles in 30 minutes and kept my HR just below 145.  I am anxious about the fact that I am running only 10 min miles, but sticking to my directions to keep my HR in certain zones.  

Sunday Ride

Sunday was an awesome day!  70 degrees and sunny was perfect for an outdoor ride.  I was supposed to go out for 45 min, but spent an hour in Rock Creek Park.  The place was a bit crowded, but I was able to cruise for about 15 miles and get some hill work in.  Riding outdoors is so much better that riding on the trainer.  It felt really good to be out there.  Kept my HR around 140, but peaked near 160 on the hilly sections.  Rode from my house to Rock Creek Park and did the Beach Drive, Ross Drive, Ridge Road loop twice.  

Blogging is hard work!

Dear anonymous commenter,

I have not fallen off the wagon and I am doing quite well with sticking to the plan!  However, this blogging thing is hard work!  For the past week, things have been quite busy with the holidays and all the last minute shopping, traveling and celebrating.  I think the only wagon I have completely fallen off of is the nutrition wagon.  I must admit, I enjoyed a few more cocktails than normal and I certainly ate like a pig, however, I continued to work out every day except Tuesdays and even while home in Western Mass, I was able to do some light lifting (squats, box jumps, step ups and lunges) in my parents basement.  I did not get a swim in last week, but I am eager for this Wednesday to get back in the pool.

Brick

Yesterday I got home from work and was happy to get on the bike for 1/2 hour and run for a 1/2 hour.  The weather outside was awesome (near 60 degrees) and I covered about 3.5 miles in 30 min.  Felt really good to be outside, but I know it was only a tease because it is December and the weather is soon going to be frightful.  I am sure glad I don't live up North any more, but it will still be frightful.  I am looking forward to January to get out for some cold early morning bike rides in the cool weather, but lately I have been a bit of a chicken staying indoors on the trainer.  I have to say thought, now that I am up to 1 hour on the bike, I am going to have to get outside as the rides get a little longer.  However, I am really looking forward to the cold morning rides!  It's all just part of the path to the big day and I guess it is only one way I can toughen up!

lift-bike-run-swim

Yesterday I had a busy day scheduled so I went to the gym at 11:30 and did everything I needed to do in one trip.  I added a little more weight to the lifting portion, now at 80 lbs total for step ups and I continue to see spots today.  I took a nice easy spin on the trainer and ran strong for 15 min.  My max HR on the lift was 187, my average HR on the bike was 118 and my average HR on the run was 139.  I ran at a 6.0 pace and I was surprised that my HR was lower than last time I did this workout.  Maybe the rest day put me in a stronger place.  

I hit the pool immediately after the run and swam for 1/2 hour.  It was really hard to kick off the wall, but I focused on technique and stroke count.  I was able to swim several lengths in only 10 strokes and it felt really good and streamlined.  I think I covered about 1,000 yds in the 1/2 hour, but I didn't really pay much attention to the distance.  

After the pool, I was quite tired, but had to head out to a holiday party and then dinner plans.  I ate some really good spanish tapas and enjoyed every bite. 

Swim

Well, tonight I got back in the swing of things.  I hit the pool and had a great 45 min. workout.  Here is what I did:  

300 yd warm up

3 x 100 on 1:30

300 at medium pace

3 x 100 on 1:30

300 at medium pace

300 at slow pace

50 yd cool down

Felt very good during the workout and my HR was pretty high on the fast 100s.  I even completed 2 of the 100s on 1:20.  HR hit about 170 on the 1:20s.  I would say my average HR was in the 155 range.

Missed a workout

Last night I missed another workout.  I was supposed to bike, but got tied up at work, had dinner plans at 7:00 and I couldn't squeeze it in.  I must say it sucks to be away from the office for several days and then return to the chaos!  One thing I have to make note of was the ridiculous dinner I had instead of the bike ride.  We ate at Fogo de Chao (Brazilian Steakhouse) and it was freakin CRAZY!  Some friends of mine are moving away and this was our last dinner out in DC. My friends and I sat down, headed to the salad bar, turned our food indicator to green and the meat started coming.  Before I knew it I had a plate full of Pork Sausage, Chicken legs, Garlic Sirloin, Filet Mignon, Rib Eye, Parmesan Pork and other amazing meats.  I couldn't help but think that this meal was NOT a well balanced (in the ZONE) meal.  I don't think I had a carbohydrate or vegetable once the food started coming.  It was delicious, but I suffered!  It did not digest so easy!

Lift-Bike-Run

Came back from Chicago today, so I couldn't get a swim in this morning.  I did get to the gym for a serious leg workout.  I upped the weight on the lunges to 30 lbs on each side and I have to say my legs were hurting.  My max HR hit 186 and my average was 141 during the 40 min. workout.  I biked for 15 min. and kept my average HR to 120.  I then ran for 15 min at a 6.0 pace and kept the average HR to 143.  

Brick

Last Monday, I completed an indoor brick at the Westin Chicago River North fitness facility.  I ran for 30 minutes and biked for 30.  Kept the average HR to around 135 on the bike and kept the cadence to about 90 RPM.  Ran at 6.0 pace for 30 min and kept my HR around 145.  Didn't have the HR monitor so I do not have my exact HR averages.

Bike

Headed to Chicago last Sunday for a conference.  Arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon and headed to the gym for my 1 hour bike workout.  Kept my HR to an average of 138 and kept my cadence at around 90 RPM.  Felt really good to get on the bike after sitting on the plane.  The gym was in a cool spot as well.  As I rode the bike, I could see the House of Blues and BIN 39 out the window.  What a cool City!

Swim-Lift-Bike-Run

Saturday was a super productive day.  I hit the pool in the morning and spent 1/2 an hour on drills.  I really wanted to do some of the total immersion drills and work on my stroke.  I felt it was really worth it, because after 20 min. of drills, I was swimming 100s and averaging 10 strokes per 25 yds.  I really liked the feeling of slipping through the water and counting strokes helped me to focus on technique rather than speed.  Remarkably, when I did 1 of the 100s and checked my time, I finished at 1:30.  I didn't really feel I was working that hard, so I was happy with the drill work.  I think I am going to keep doing that on Saturday mornings.  Hit the gym again in the afternoon (after some serious house projects) and did my leg workout.  I am now lifting 65s on each end of the smith machine, doing my step-ups with 35s, and doing my lunges with 25s on a bar.  I felt good in this workout and had no problem on the bike and run.  I even felt good enough after to go out for some Christmas shopping that evening.  

Swim

Last Friday, I hit the pool and was happy that my wife came along.  She is going to start swimming and wanted to give it a shot.  I hit my lane and did about 1400 in 1/2 hour.  

Bike

Got outside on the 4th of December for a nice ride in the warm weather.  The temp was in the 50s when I got out of a professional development class early, so I decided to hit rock creek park for a ride.  I almost went out in shorts, but thankfully did not.  I headed out for an hour and kept my HR to an average of 137.  I rode to Rock Creek and hit the hilly loop to get me started.  I then followed the bike trail back toward downtown and decided I would not do that again, given the poor condition of the trail.  There were tons of frost heaves and my arms took a lot of shock.  I covered about 15 miles in the time I was out and it felt great to ride outside.

Swim-Lift-Bike-Run

Last Wednesday I hit the pool in the morning and felt a bit tired.  I think I covered about 1200 yds in 30 minutes and was happy to get through the workout.  Later that day I made it to the gym for my lift-bike-run sequence.  I started wearing my HR monitor while lifting and found that my max HR hit 189 during the lifting.  My average HR was 146 for that workout and it took me 40 min. to complete the lifting.  I then hit the bike and treadmill for 15 minutes each.  My average HR on the bike was around 115 and I was able to really pick up the cadence a bit.  I was surprised that my legs loosened up quick and I could keep a low HR with a higher cadence than usual.  I recall my cadence being around 75 RPM.  On the treadmill, I was able to keep my HR in range (average HR 145) while running at a faster pace (6.0).  Overall, I felt really good in this workout and think I am seeing changes in my fitness already!

Brick

On Monday December 1st, I spent 30 min on the bike and kept the average HR to 138.  I then headed out into the cold for a 30 min. run.  Kept the HR to 147.  Did my loop around the reservoir and wore my GPS unit.  My average pace was 10:48 and I covered 2.8 miles.  Felt really good to close out the 1st month of off season training, and I am looking forward to bumping the volume up a bit in December.

Bike

I am trying to catch up on the blog, so I am going to make this quick.  On Sunday after the thanksgiving weekend, I got a 45 min ride in on the trainer.  Kept the average HR to 135.

Lift-Bike-Run

Today I was supposed to go for a run, but since I missed my lifting on Wednesday, I decided to hit the gym for some lifting.  Had a really lousy nights sleep and I am feeling a bit under the weather.  I think I am allergic to the dog!  The throat is a bit scratchy and I was quite tired when I got to the gym.  Fortunately, I had enough in me to get through the lift-bike-run.  I spent the first 40 mins. lifting and continued on with my heavier weight regiment.  My average HR was 148 and I hit a max of 188 during the lifting.  I then did an easy bike and had an average HR of 119.  Ran for 15 min. with an average HR of 146.  Felt good after the workout, but once I returned home, the nose started running and the throat got scratchy again.  I hope that baby comes today because my friend has been in labor since Thursday night...and I think the dog is really getting to me.

Gym Closed Again

On Friday, I got out of work and went to the gym for my swim.  Unfortunately, the pool was closed so I missed a workout day.  Found out that a friend was finally in labor, so the wife and I went over to pick up the dog for the weekend.  I figured it wouldn't be so bad to miss a swim this week given that it is supposed to be a rest week.

Gym Closed Early

Man was I bummed out when I went to the gym at 4:00 to find out that the Gym closed early for Thanksgiving.  I was planning to do my lift-bike-run, but had to go home instead.  I rode the bike for 1/2 hour and tried to keep the resistance high.  I cranked up the resistance on the trainer and put it in the big chain ring for 15 min.  My legs really felt it and I got my HR up to the 170s.  After 15 min. I had to crank it down a bit and spent some time in the 140 HR area.  I hope this was an adequate substitution because I am not going to be able to get back in the weight room until Saturday.

Swim

Went to the pool at 6:00 AM on Wednesday.  Changed up the workout a bit to make good use of the 1/2 hour.  I tried to keep the intensity low so I only covered about 1100 yds.  I warmed up with a 300.  Did 3 x 200s.  Then did 2 slow 100s to cool down.  Checked my HR after hitting the wall and each time it was around 130-140.  It felt really good to get back to this after the day off.

Brick

Completed a brick on Monday.  Spent 1/2 hour on the bike and 1/2 hour on a run.  My average HR during the workout was 139.  I kept it between 130-140 on the bike and between 135-145 on the run.  It was pretty cold on the run and the legs were a bit tired because of the weight workout the day before.  I was happy to get through the workout.  Also tried to keep the intensity down a bit because this is supposed to be my rest week.

Swim-Lift-Bike-Run

I hit the gym on Sunday morning for a 1/2 hour swim.  Swam 1200 yds and kept the HR at around 150.  Felt pretty tired after the party on the night before.  However, by the afternoon, I was ready to go back to the gym to lift-bike-run.  I bumped up the weight on the squats and felt a bit more pain throughout the workout.  Used 150 lbs on the squats, 35s on the step ups and 25s on the lunges.  The entire lifting sequence took about 35 min. and I hit a max HR of 188 during the lifting.  My average HR was 146.  I then did a 15 min. bike with an average HR of 119, and a 15 min. run with an average HR of 140.  Felt really good in this workout.  Also felt the stress in the legs and it took me about 1 and 1/2 day to recover.

Bike

Last Saturday, I had a Thanksgiving party at the house.  Needed to do a lot of prep work, cook the turkey and clean up around the house.  Therefore, I switched my Sunday and Saturday workouts.  I got 45 min in on the bike and kept my average HR to 137.

Swim

Spent 45 min. in the pool this evening.  Had a long day at work, so I got to the gym around 6:45.  I put in a really good effort and it felt great.  When I got to the pool I was the only one there and it is very relaxing to stand at the end of a lane, wet the goggles and peer into the perfectly calm water.  I picked the middle lane, so I would have a good view of the clock, and jumped in for a 300 yd warm up.  I then did 10 x 100 with the HR at around 150-170.  I actually did 3 of the 100s on 1:25 which was a shock for me.  I would say I did several others in the 1:30-1:35 range.  I then moved on to a moderate effort 500.  I added 200 at an easy effort and cooled down with a super slow 150.  I am very happy to be swimming this much at this time of year.  2150 is so much more than I was doing last year.  

Bike and Advice

Completed a solid 45 min. ride yesterday.  Kept my HR average to 145 and really felt like I worked a little harder than the last ride.  The weather is still very cold, so I did this workout indoors.  I was pretty motivated after asking Max for some advice about my previous day's weight training workout.  After lifting, I realized that I am getting used to the routine and my legs are not as beat up after the workout.  When I asked what he thought, he shared his advice and one particular thought stuck in my mind.  He said that I should be working hard enough to put me over the edge (by my last set of lunges) and I may have to ask myself where the gym keep the gun I want to use to shoot myself!  I think I need to lift more weight!

Tough Day

Wednesday was really a rough day!  I almost slept in and missed my morning workout, but got myself to the pool at 6 AM.  Had a solid swim workout and felt pretty good.  Did a 300 yd warm up, moved to 7 - 100s on around 1:30-1:40, did a 200 at medium pace and cooled down with 100 really easy.  I think my HR was around 160 on the 7 - 100s.  

The workday was rough.  I went in with expectations and wasn't able to accomplish anything because each of my employees needed a lot of attention today.  I am constantly amazed at how being a manager can easily consume so much of your time and energy.  By the end of the day I was exhausted.  Left work at 6:15 and headed, reluctantly, to the gym for the lift-bike-run.  I switched up my lunges set by using a bar across my back with 25s on each end.  It definitely was better than doing the lunges with the dumbbells.  Felt like I got a really good workout in and I was proud to get each workout in despite the mood I was in.

Brick

Nothing beats starting off a Monday with a Brick.  I got on the bike after work and spent 30 min. at a steady clip.  The weather was cold outside, but since I recently turned on the heat in the house, the basement was freaking hot!  I kept my HR between 130 and 140, but spent some time in the 145 range.  I was extremely thirsty and killed about 3/4 bottle of gatorade.  I think I also sweated it all out! I then headed out into the weather for a light run.  Thankfully the first evening of snow only lasted about 1/2 hour and the roads were just a bit wet.  I bundled up and did my 30 min. run around the reservoir.  Kept the HR between 140-145 on the run, but it did creep up to 150ish.  It always seems to spike once I get going, but settles down after about 5 min.  Feeling good, but looking forward to tomorrow's day of rest!

Indoor Bike

On Sunday I got a 45 min. ride in on the trainer.  Felt good considering it was the day after the swim-lift-bike-run.  Kept my average HR to 143 and tried to focus on a steady cadence.  

2nd Week of Training

I am about to finish my second week of training and I am happy to say I have not missed a workout.  Last Sunday I got a 45 min bike in on the trainer.  Then followed up with a 30 min bike and 30 min run on Monday.  Took my day of rest last Tuesday.  Swim-lift-bike-run on Wednesday.  45 min bike on Thursday.  45 min swim on Friday and another swim-lift-bike-run this morning.

My swim workouts were awesome this week.  I am really striving to swim 100s on 1:30 and coming close most of the time.  When I do hit 1:30 my HR is a little too high (around 160 bpm), but the hard work feels good.  Today I actually swam about 1400 yds in only 1/2 hour.  Started with a 300 yd warm up.  Followed that with 6 100's on 30 seconds rest.  Did a 300 yd swim at a decent pace and then cooled down with 200.  Later in the day I went back to the gym for the lift-bike-run portion of the day.  I was really tired before I got started, but I was psyched that I really had no problem finishing.  I think I am getting used to the weight training.  The only problem I have is that the dumb bells are a little hard to hold onto when doing my lunges.  My arms are really pretty weak and tire quickly when doing lunges.  It is a shame, because I think I could handle a little more weight with the legs, but the arms don't like it.

Swim-Lift-Bike-Run

Today was a tough day.  I hit the pool this morning for 1/2 hour and worked hard.  Warmed up with a 200 and then did about 7x100s on 1:35-1:40.  The HR was around 150, but I am pretty sure I hit the 160s at one point.  I was tired going into this workout and dreaded the afternoon lift-bike-run segment.  

Hit the gym for round 2 at about 2:00 and was happy to survive and finish the entire workout. The legs were sore going into it and they were tired while lifting.  I had to drop down to 25 lbs dumbells for the lunges set, but I did get through it.  After the lifting I spent 15 min. on the bike (Average HR was 119) and spent 15 min. on the treadmill (Average HR was 147).

I am feeling really tired, but excited about working on this plan that Max put together.  As I was running today, I kept thinking about how far I have come from last year.  Last year at this time, I was just getting into this stuff and my workouts were much less focused and less challenging.  It feels good to go to the gym with a plan and I am feeling very focused on my goal.   Looking forward to week 2!

Swim

Spent 45 min in the pool and followed the plan.  10 min warm up and then did a number of 100s on apx. 1:40 and checked the HR each time I hit the wall.  Kept the HR in the 140-150 range and really felt like I was working hard.  I was trying to do 100s in 1:30, but wasn't able to get that time until the very end.  Cooled down with a slow and easy 200.  Felt really tired and the legs are still very sore from the lift-bike-run on Wednesday.  Not looking forward to the repeat of that workout tomorrow.

Bike Indoors

Yesterday I did a 45 min bike workout on the trainer.  The legs were very sore, but I was able to fight through it.  Fighting a bit of a cold too, but I have to say the workouts help to loosen up the chest cold.  Kept the HR to an average of 136.  

Swim-lift-bike-run

Got in the pool in the early AM and had a 30 min workout.  Warmed up with 200 yds and then did 6 X 100 with 30 seconds rest.  While doing the 100s I checked my HR after each one and kept my HR in the 145 range.  Felt good Finished with an easy 200.

Later that evening I went back to the gym for a killer workout.  Spent 45 min lifting and working on the core and then biked for 15 min and ran for 15 min.  This was, perhaps the hardest workout I have ever completed.  I did squats with 90 lbs on the smith machine, followed by platform jumps and step-ups with 35 lbs dumbells.  Then I had to do lunges with 35s and crunches.  I biked to loosen up the legs and kept the HR in the 115 range.  Then I ran with an average HR of 145.  This was a very tough workout and two days later I am sore as hell!

Brick

I got my training plan from Max today and started with enthusiasm.  It felt good to be back on a plan and I am looking forward to the training!  Seeing my buddy Griff cross the finish line at Ironman Florida got me a bit motivated.  

Got out for a 1/2 hour bike and a 1/2 hour run today.  The weather was nice, but I did my bike ride on the trainer.  

Workout # 1:  Bike

Weather: Indoors

Route:  N/A

Distance:  N/A

Time:  30 min

Max HR:  150

Avg HR:  137

Calories:  341

Workout # 2:  Run

Weather:  Nice and Warm

Route:  Up N. Capital, around Reservoir with 1 loop around N. Cap & 1st Street

Distance:  

Time:  30:47

Max HR: 158 

Avg HR: 147

Calories: 391

A Car Hit Me!

Last weekend my wife and I were hanging out around DC and we heard a commercial on the car radio that she did not want to hear.  It was one of those typical "call the law offices of..." commercials and despite how annoying those are in general, she did not want to hear it for other reasons.  You see I bike to work pretty much every day and this causes a bit of stress because of the dangers of biking in a busy city.  However, I wear my helmet and I always promise her I am careful on the bike.  I guess this is why when this commercial started off with "Every day 10 individuals are killed by motor vehicles while riding a bike", my wife just quickly turned the station and commented that she wasn't up to listening to that.  I laughed at her and told her not to worry because I would never get hit by a car while riding my bike.  To date, I was correct!

However, this week I got hit by a car walking home from the pool!

Last Wednesday I went to the pool after work and had a nice short workout.  I started walking home and as I turned onto N. Capital Street I started thinking about all kinds of nonsense.  I was about halfway home when I watched a car turn in front of me and then began to cross the street.  Within a split second I was seeing black and realized that I was lying head first on the hood of a car.  The car rapidly came to a stop and I slid off the car, thought to myself "HOLY SHIT" and stood in front of the car as George (the man inside) looked at me like a dear in headlights!  He got out of the car and was in complete shock as he stood there looking at me.  I had a cut on my lip and a small bruise under my eye (first black eye of all time) and a bump on my chin!  George came over and apologized and I did all I could not to yell at him.  I knew it was an accident and quickly forgave him!  It was freaking scary thought!  I am always amazed at how time happens so quickly!  I calmed down and realized I had no major damage and told George to go home and not worry about it.  I then proceeded home to check out my bumps and bruises.

I feel we were both blessed!  Our lives could have changed for the worst in that moment, but someone was watching after both of us.  I hope that never happens to me again, I thank God I can walk, and continue to look forward to starting my training on November 1st!   

Army Ten Miler

The last race of the season was a success.  I ran pretty well, considering the lack of training after Timberman and finished at about the same time that I had in my last 10 miler.  Earlier this year I ran in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and I finished that race with a personal best.  I was expecting to beat that time at the Army, but it wasn't meant to be.  I was happy with a 1:17 time, but I know I can do better next year.  I guess it is true that once you stop training you loose your mojo within a short timeframe.  I bet if I ran this race closer to Timberman I would have killed my time.  However, I was happy with my race and even more happy because this was the first team run I organized.  

Last February I started working in a new organization and I decided early on, as I met several runners within the group, that we needed to put a team together to run in Army.  I pulled together a number of experienced runners, but also enticed a few newbies!  It was so great to see three of our team mates finish their first 10 miler.  The smiles on there faces reminded me of my first race and it was so cool to see them excited to have met their goal.  It reminded me of how I felt when I finished my first 10 miler, sprint, olympic, and half.  I am so excited to get to Ironman and I know next year is going to be quite a journey.  Not only am I excited for my own work, I look forward to getting some other newbies to race in next year's Army.  I think seeing others succeed is just as cool as meeting your own goals.  

Recovery

The week after Timberman was a little rough.  My legs were shot and I felt sore all week. However, I started biking to work yesterday and the 15 min rides to and from was good enough to let me know that I am nursing back to health.  I am really looking forward to getting back out there for some runs.  The Army 10 Miler is coming up soon and I am planning to destroy my personal best.  I am going to get out and do some running tomorrow and I can't wait for the cool morning air.  

Timberman 70.3

I have to say it is pretty amazing to be finished with the goal that kicked off this journey.  I have learned a ton over the past 10 months, but little did I know how much I would learn right up to the last minutes of the race.  Completing the half was a phenomenal experience and I can't wait for the next endeavor!

So here is my race report:

Swim:   43:13

Prior to the swim I felt relaxed and ready.  The weather was outstanding, sunny and cool.  The water was crystal clear and a bit choppy due to a slight wind that cut across the rectangle course.  Transition closed at about 6:30 and we all walked over to the beach for the start.  The pros went off at 7:10ish and I had to wait until about 8:00 to get going with the rest of wave # 11.  It seemed like the swim would never start!  Thankfully, I had a nice warm up in the water, kept calm and enjoyed watching all the other age groupers go ahead of our group.  I got started to the left side of the course and didn't rush the start.  It was very bumpy with about 160 others in my wave.  I stayed calm and kept a nice easy pace.  I was able to keep my line by sighting the sun while breathing on my right side.  This worked out well, because the water was choppy with the wind at my left.  I made turn # 1 feeling very good.  I kept a good line until turn # 2, but at turn # 3, I had some trouble sight breathing.  it took me a bit to find my line, but made it to the finish feeling very good!  I finished 1059 overall out of about 1500 people.  I think I need to push the swim and I have to work on my swim training a bit harder.  I might have taken it too easy!

 

T1:  2:49

Transition 1 went smooth.  The people pulled off my wetsuit in no time and I felt that I did a good job getting out of the HUGE transition area and onto the bike.  

Bike:  3:00:49

I jumped on the bike and got off to a good start.  I really worked hard on the bike during the past 2 months of preparation so I had big expectations.  I was secretly hoping to finish in the 2:50 range and after the first 30 miles, I thought I might be able to do that.  I pushed hard on the first 30 miles and I was feeling OK despite a little stomach problem after eating a few pretzels.  Unfortunately, I don't think I did well with my nutrition and I failed to handle the headwind on the last 26 miles!  I also now realize that I need to start doing some weight training.  My legs were shot and cramping up by mile 45 and I slowed down and took it easier on the last 10ish miles.  I was happy to come in at 3 hours but I think I could have done a little better.  My average pace was 18 mph and I finished 744 in the pack.

T2:  4:45

Transition 2 was very slow.  I had to get rid of some liquid so I stopped at the portajohn and urinated for a good 1-2 mins.  I also had to run back to my bike (after the pit stop) to get my GU packs.  

Run:  2:07:41

The run was one of the toughest endeavors of my life.  I got out of the transition area and felt OK.  I ran out onto the course at a good clip and for a moment I thought the leg cramps would go away after getting off the bike.  I was wrong about that.  After I saw my lovely wife cheering me on, I made a turn into the course and immediately started to feel severe cramping in my legs.  I was seriously wondering if I could complete the race.  I remembered hearing that a lack of sodium caused muscle cramping, so I very slowly jogged to the first aid station and grabbed a bag of salt and vinegar chips.  They tasted so GOOD after all the crappy GU gels.  I kept slogging along and hit mile 1 at around an 11-12 min. pace.  I was so worried at this point, but I just kept going at a very slow pace.  After mile 3, the legs started to feel better and I was able to stretch the stride a bit.  I started to eat more at the aid stations, but I should have continued with the chips, because I got cramps again at mile 7ish.  I know I didn't eat right on the bike and I was really disappointed with my run.  I averaged a 9:45 min. mile and did so in a good deal of pain for probably 5 of the 13 miles.   I really had to go slow or else I think I wouldn't have made it to the finish.  

Thankfully, I made it to the finish in just under 6 hours.  I completed the race at 5:59:15 and it was one of the greatest accomplishments I have every felt.  I was so happy and had a really hard time keeping it together emotionally.  I feel that this was such a great journey and I am happy to have completed it.  However, I know I have more to come and I look greatly forward to those.  I also look forward to working on some of the lessons I learned in this experience.  I really need to learn how to eat out there and my training needs to improve a bit for next year's challenge (mainly strength training).  I am excited to learn a bit more about proper nutrition (because it failed me) and I need to work on my swim technique.  Hopefully next year I will see some improvements in these areas.  

Saturday Brick

I took some advice this weekend and did not do a 50 mile bike/8 mile run like I was thinking.   Griff told me it would be stupid and I would hurt myself so I took that advice and did a 1 hour bike and a 1 hour run.  This was a great workout and I wish I had been doing more of these.  I headed out early and did a ride in Rock Creek Park with 2 hill repeats and then headed home to jump out on the legs.  I felt really good after the ride, sucked down a vanilla bean GU and headed out with a bottle of Gatorade.  I ran 7.5 in approximately 1 hour and the legs felt like rocket ships!  I was a little stupid, however, because I ran with no socks (thought I would test it out before Timberman) and I killed my feet.  I have several sore spots today and one mammoth blister on the instep of my right foot.  I think I will take a few seconds at the Timberman bike to run transition to put on some socks. 

The strange thing about this is I think I could have run faster considering I had to run on the outside of my foot from about mile 4.  Also, I realized after this brick that I am going to need a coach this next season.  Especially because of Ironman CDA.  There is no way I can figure out an adequate training schedule with the schedule I am trying to keep.  Just last week, I once again lost track of what I should be doing because work went ballistic (Massive Reorganization) and I spent several evenings in meetings preparing to transition 4 new employees to my division.  I missed a couple of workouts, but chalked it up to fate (I think I am going to take advantage of a longer taper).

One Month Left

It's hard to believe that Timberman is only one month away.  It seems like only yesterday I was signing up for what I thought would be the craziest goal of my life.  Now that the race is within sight, I am feeling good and ready.  Not to mention I set a bigger (more crazy) goal of doing Ironman CDA next June.

I headed out this Saturday for a solid training day.  I spent 3 hours on the bike and covered 51 Miles.  The ride started with a 10 min. warm up into Rock Creek Park and then I did 6 hill repeats up a 6% grade hill (1/2 mile climb).   I then rode out through the park to the end of the route and back.  

Once I got back home, I did a 2 mile run around the reservoir.  My legs were pretty tired, but I think the heat and sun were the real problem.  I didn't have a drop of shade on the run and the temp was around 100 degrees that day.  I felt very worn out and I am having nightmares about the 13 miler at Timberman.  Hopefully the weather will be cool!   Forgot my HR monitor, but put in a total of 3.5 hours.  I drank 2.5 bottles of water and had 2 GU packs.  Prior to the workout, I ate a balance bar.

Overall the week of the 14th was a solid training week.  I put in some really good time on the legs (running and biking) and I did so in very hot conditions.  Unfortunately, I skipped a few swim workouts, but overall I treated the week like a rest week.  The week of the 7th was a hard week and I put in about 9.5 hours of training time.  Hopefully the hard work will pay off on August 17th.

First Olympic

Several weeks ago I competed in my first Olympic Tri and I must say I am hooked.  

The 2008 Pat Griskus event was a trip to remember.  My wife and I headed out from Washington DC on a 7 hour car ride to Bloomfield CT on the Friday before the event.  You see my pal Griff got me a bit inspired with his triathloning, so I figured I should do a race in his neck of the woods so I could either thank him or yell at him for getting me into the sport.  The car ride was smooth (little to no traffic) and we arrived in CT in the early PM.  Griff suggested we go for a short ride to loosen the legs up, so off we went into the rolling hills of Bloomfield for a one hour ride and 30 min. run.  I thought he was crazy, but I think it actually helped.  We dined out at a great Italian place and I had a solid penne with scallops dish.  I am finding that pasta and fish is a good recipe for me on the night before races.

We got to the race early in the AM and the weather was great (slightly cool and sunny).  It was nice to set up for the second time and the experience of the first sprint really helped me out.  I felt confident, calm and collected.  I was a bit nervous about the swim (after the little pepper sprint scare) but I calmed down after getting into the water for a 200 yd warm up.  I knew if I focused on some of the total immersion concepts and paced myself I would be OK.  The gun went off and a wave of about 80 people were off.  Remarkably, I didn't really get kicked that much and my stroke felt really smooth from the get go.  I felt great in the water and made it to the first turn without a struggle.  The second turn point was way off in the distance, so I picked a house and swam toward it.  Once I got there I picked a dock out in the distance and kept on rolling.  I realized that I could navigate by focusing on the sun's position while breathing and I relied on sight breathing very little in the third and fourth lengths.  I was able to pick up my pace on the second half of the swim and I climbed out of the water with a 39.24 time (rank 187).

I made a quick transition (1:15 rank 46) and headed out on the bike.

The bike was a challenge.  I felt really good and I think the ride the night before prepared me a bit for the mental challenge of the hills.  The course was so hilly.  At one point a girl I had been riding closely too passed me and rightfully stated:  "This course sucks".  Seriously, it felt like 80% of it was up hill!  Nevertheless, I kept on going and finished the bike at 1:20:27 (Rank 77).  

My transition was quick.  I took my feet out of my shoes while riding the last stretch and was able to run off the bike at the dismount area.  Griff convinced me to run without socks so I slipped the shoes on quickly and got out of the transition area.  Unfortunately, the results did not capture the transition time for some reason, but I know it was much faster than my sprint time.  

Moving from the bike to the run was seamless.  My legs felt great and I felt strong and fast.  I took it a bit easy on the start, caught up to a guy and chatted for a few minutes, but hit a downhill stretch and opened it up a bit.  The course was an out and back (downhill/uphill) and we had to double back and do it again.  I knew after the first trip that I could go a bit faster, so I really ran the downhill portion fast.  However, I got a bit worn on the 2nd uphill.  I crossed the finish line with a 46:56 run (Rank 98) and my total time was 2:48:01 (Rank 94).  The only downside was that I crossed the finish line with a nice blister on my foot.

Overall, I was very pleased with this first race.  I didn't know what to expect on the 1 mile swim, but my fear turned out to be unnecessary!  I was very comfortable in the water and I think my training worked out well for me.  I know the next race (Timberman) is going to be a bigger stress, but I am confident I can get through that swim and I am finally hitting some really good long rides on the weekends.  Looking forward to the next battle!

First Sprint

Finished my first sprint tri yesterday and I am really excited about it. Completed the Little Pepper race in 1:36:08. The weather was nice and the atmosphere was exciting. I got up at 4:00 AM, left the house at 4:30 and made my way to Culpepper for my first event. I had a bit of nerves, but settled down before the start. I got there with plenty of time to pick up my race packet, get marked and set up. Thanks to griff for the wetsuit because the water was COLD!

The swim was very challenging. Having never completed an open water swim, I jumped in the water with my age group and decided to start in the back of the pack. about 30 seconds before the gun went off, I did a quick head count and was surprised that only 30 people were in the water with me. When the gun fired, I was off and I think I went out a little harder than I should have. I swam well for about 3 minutes and then I looked up and noticed that I was well in the front of my pack. I put my head back down and then swam a bit off track (Thanks Kayak Man for straightening me out) and then panic set in. I was still quite a way from the first turn point and I was sucking for wind. Bad thoughts set in. I did the side and breast stroke for a while and when I got around turn one, I calmed down and got into a good rhythm. I think I did really well for the long stretch, but once I rounded turn 2 I started bumping into people from the previous age group and I got nervous again. I kept telling myself I could finish because I knew I could swim the distance thanks to my pool workouts. However, the lake is much different from the pool. Needless to say I survived the swim and got out at 15:16 (My Rank was 22nd).

I made a slow transition (2:37, rank 23rd) and then hit the bike for a nice ride with rolling hills and nice country side views. I felt really good on the bike and didn't have that many people pass me. I did have one error on the bike when I shifted down to the little chain ring and the chain slipped off. When I tried to shift back up, I locked into the gear and really cramped up my left calf muscle. I was able to stretch it out (thanks to a downhill coast) and finish, but for a second I thought I really hurt myself. Finished the bike at 52:17 (My rank was 15th).

I made another transition (1:48, rank 26th) and headed out to the run. I really started off slow, but loosened up and ran the 5 K in 24:12 (My rank was 17th).

Overall, It was an excellent first experience and I am glad I did it. I am more motivated now for the Griskus and Timberman and I learned a valuable lesson! I have a $hit load of work to do! Planning to hit the pool hard and I am going to get out on some hills with the bike. I think I need to really work mentally on the swim and do some visualization on transitioning. I am glad I didn't make any major mistakes transitioning, like forget my helmet, but I know I can do much better if mentally prepared. I also know I could have done a bit better on the bike (my average speed was 17 mph). This was the first ride where I had to do a lot of Gear shifting and I need to say goodbye to the flats of Haynes point and learn how to move up a hill at a good clip in the correct gear. Finally, I need to start working on my nutrition. I am way to sloppy in my eating habits and I have no clue how to eat while working out. I NEED to train my body to handle it before the bigger races! Lot's to work on!!!! Here is a summary of my stats:

Age group result 19th.
Swim Rank: 22 Time: 15:16
T1 Rank: 23 Time: 2:37
Bike Rank: 15 Time: 52:17
T2 Rank: 26 Time: 1:48
Run Rank: 17 Time: 24:12
Overall Time: 1:36:08

Little Pepper Triathlon

Signed up for the Little Pepper Triathlon today and I am really looking forward to it. I hope it will be a good preparation run for the Griskus. I have spent a lot of time on the bike over the past several weeks and got a good long run in yesterday. I have been off the feet for the week because of a sore foot. I think lacing up the shoes a litte tighter has helped. I got to thinking this morning that Griskus is NOT very far away and Timberman is only 4 months. I hope I am ready.

National Half Marathon

This weekend I completed a major milestone by finishing my first 1/2 marathon. The weather was cold and breezy at 6:00 AM, about 2,640 others were there and I finished at 786th overall. I was very pleased with 1:50:57 and an 8:27 average pace. I ran with my pal Griff who kicked the fastest mayor in the United States' A$$ by finishing the marathon at 3:37:28! I was surprised I was able to stay with him because over the past several months, I have been running a route that, by google earth standards, is 5.7 miles; and every time I run the damn thing I finish at around 60 minutes. Because of this, I thought I was only going to be able to run a 9 minute mile at best. I guess I need to trust the training. I also learned one other valuable lesson from the griffman...I NEED to swing past every water station and consume some fluids. Normally, in the 10 milers, I never stop for a drink. The gatorade helped tremendously! Anyhow...I am very very happy with this accomplishment and I am more excited for the triathlon than ever...

DC Half Marathon

Signed up for the 1/2 today and I am really looking forward to it! Can't wait to get out there for a long run prior to the 10 Miler. I was really planning to have the Cherry Blossom as my first big race, but I think moving it up one week to this will be a great challenge. I have yet to run this far and I bet it will provide a little confidence when I finish. I hope it is a warm morning!

Discipline

So I have been riding on weekends with a friend who is supercrazyintense about weight loss. The boy talks about eating rice cakes and fruit all day long. I got a call last week to hear him bragging about how he finally droped below 170 and if you heard the voicemail message you would have thought Christ had come back because he was so excited. Despite his elation, and the purchase of a brand new bike, his discipline declined on Saturday when he called me 1 hour before our meeting time to tell me he wasn't going for a ride because of the ACC game between North Carolina and Virginia Tech. It was good he didn't come because I needed some solitude!

I headed out on the bike for a long ride. I planned to get about 30 miles in and was satisfied to do just that. I made a good decision to go to the park where I could do 3 mile laps without stop signs, cars, or stupid people. It turned out to be a great ride, because I really worked hard and stayed in the Aero position for about 20 of those 30 miles. I kept my heart rate up pretty high and really focused on keeping a high cadence. The wind was blowing quite a bit so despite the flat terrain, I felt like I was up hill on many occasions. I even made it back for the final 10 min. of the game and got to see the player of the year win it for the Tarheels with .8 second left on the clock.

1st Masters Swim

Joined the local masters swim program and did my first workout with them this morning at 6 AM. I'm really excited to have a coach watch my technique and monitor my workouts for me. I have really spent a lot of time figuring out what I need to do in each workout and now I can just get up...go to the pool...and follow someone else's plan. The group is pretty small (just 3 of us) and the workout is solid. Worked on a few new drills and strokes and really like the variety. I am at the point where I can swim 1700 yds without stopping, but I know I need to work on my technique to get more efficient. Hopefully the group workouts will help. Planning to workout with the Masters on Tuesday and Friday mornings...

My New Project

Weekends are great when you get new toys. This weekend I was out at a friends birthday party when all of a sudden a friend arrived a bit late with a puzzled look on his face. I asked: "what's up" and he went on to tell me that he found an old bike on a Washington DC side street in a pile of rubbish and wanted to take it home desperately. Unfortunately, he knew that his wife would kick his A$$ if he collected another bike because he already has 3 bikes stored in their one and only spare bedroom. His wife was at the party too and fortunately she knew nothing of the fact that my boy had picked up that broken down bike, took it home, and stared at it in his living room for a good 15 minutes; envisioning himself stripping the bad boy down and putting it back together with fancy new components.

He knew it would be just the project to get him through the rest of the winter weeks.

Intelligently, he put the bike back in the pile where he found it so he could go on living as a happy married man!

So here he was standing at this party appearing that he had missed out on a great opportunity. He had that look of defeat written all over his face. Seeing an opportunity I said: "I could use a bike like that...and you and I could work on fixing it up in my basement!" After lots of begging, he and I really needed to do some convincing, his wife allowed him to pick that sucker up at close to 1:00 AM (after the party) and store it in his house for up to 24 hours. I went to pick it up at his house the next morning!

Now I am super psyched because it is just what I need to get around the city. I am thinking about turning it into a fixed gear bike, but we'll just have to wait and see how the project materializes. But one thing is for sure. It is really nice to have friends who can spot an opportunity. So here's a toast to my boy Sir Lancelot!

Missing But Active

To my one loyal visitor, I owe a major apology. The past several weeks have been very challenging on the Blog front and a little challenging on the training front. Several weeks ago, I decided to stop posting training log entries on the blog and started to keep the journal on an excel spreadsheet. That way I can tally info up a little easier. Unfortunately, with my lack of posting came a decline in training. I am still active, but base period 2 did not look anything like base period 1. There shouldn't be excuses, but I did have several factors that slowed me down a bit. One good factor was the New Job that started last week. After several interviews and a bit of anxiety I got the job! Hopefully after the last week of exercise down time and work ramp up, I can kick into high gear tomorrow in the AM. I am planning to hit the road on the bike and do a solid workout. If you want to view my plan for this week, it is posted as a googledoc on the "My Training Plan and Diary" link. Once you open the file, check out the "DTP" worksheet and scroll down to week 9. If you want to check out my workout log, you can click on the "Diary" worksheet. Enjoy and please comment!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Workout # 1: Run

Weather: Cool and Clear

Route: Home to Haynes Point and around tidal basin

Distance: 9 miles

Time: 1 hr 29 min

Max HR: 160

Avg HR: 146

Calories: 1071- 45% fat

Ran down to Haynes Point to meet up with Christian. Busted A$$ to get down to the point because I got a late start and needed to meet him at 8 AM. I didn't realize it is 4 miles from home to Potomac Park. Kept the heart rate at around 150-155 running down there. Once at the point, I slowed down the pace and ran a great loop around the point and the tidal basin. The weather was nice and running with company is very good! Hopefully my pal will stick with it. After the run, we rewarded ourselves with a Chocolate Milk!!! What a recovery drink that is! Felt great all day after the long run. I can't believe I can run 9 on weekends and not feel like death! I guess the hard work is paying off...

Friday, January 25, 2008

Workout # 1: Swim
Weather: Wet
Route: N/ADistance: 1900
Time: 50 min
Max HR: 167
Avg HR: 123
Calories: 444 - 55% fat

Tried to do a very easy swim workout prior to SUSHI NIGHT! Here it is:
1 x 300 yd warm up
2 x 100 yd one arm drill (alternating every 25 yds) in between each did 100 yd freestyle
2 x 100 yd pull with 100 yd freestyle in between each set
4 x 50 yd fast freestyle
4 x 100 yd slow
200 yd cool down

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Workout # 1: Run

Weather: Didn't matter on the treadmill

Route: Pace of 5.5 - 6.5

Distance: 4 miles

Time: 45 min

Max HR: 151

Avg HR: 140

Calories: 507 - 45% fat

Running on the treadmill sucks! What also sucks is watching all the weirdo's in the Gym. One guy came in with jeans and a Guiness Rugby shirt on. He was one of those guys who carries his stuff into the workout area (because he is afraid of locker rooms) and throws it on the floor. What was funny was how he tossed his coat down pretty much in the trash can! He then proceeded to do something that resembled stretching for about 3 min. Walked around for about 4...tried to do chin-ups (UNSUCCESSFULL) then jumped on the eliptical machine and did a whopping 10 min. workout; all the while he was checking his pulse with his thumb! Freakin weirdo!!!! Doesn't he know you can't check your pulse with your THUMB!!!! What is it with people who go to the gym and don't even work out! They need a plan and some fire under their arses! Poor folks are destined for an early exit from life. I bet this guy was a smoker too! Good thing he knows what Beer to Drink (GUINESS IS GOOD!!!!!).

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike
Weather: Cool and Clear
Route: Home to Haynes Point (1 loop) and back
Distance: 12 miles
Time: 55 min
Max HR: 156
Avg HR: 137
Calories: 605- 45% fat

Tried to do a 45 min. ride, but it took much longer than I thought. I kept the chain on the small gear and worked on cadence. Felt good, but I think this ride was a little too high for a recovery week.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Workout # 1: Run
Weather: Cold
Route: Home to Catholic and back (short loop)
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 43 min
Max HR: 160
Avg HR: 143
Calories: 511 - 45% fat

Workout # 2: Yoga
Time: 50 min

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Workout # 1: Swim
Weather: Nice warm pool
Route:
300 yd warm up
1000 yd freestyle
100 yd kick/100 yd freestyle
100 yd paddle/100 yd swim
100 yd pull/100 yd swim
300 yd cool down
Distance: 2200 yds
Time: 1 hr
Max HR: 161
Avg HR: 131
Calories: 597 - 50% fat

This was a big swim workout for me. I have never gone 1000 yds without stopping and I got to the pool with a lot of motivation and felt like going for a long swim. It felt great! I was able to keep a nice steady pace and I focused on swimming calmly and fluidly. I think it took about 20 min to do 1,000 yds. I was very pleased to see that after several months of swimming, I am getting pretty fit in the pool.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Workout # 1: Run
Weather: Cool and Clear
Route: Home to Capitol, Lincoln, 23rd St. U Street
Distance: 9.25 miles
Time: 1 hr 30 min
Max HR: 171
Avg HR: 144
Calories: 1064 - 45% fat

Great long run on a cool sunny day. Felt good despite the sore legs. Felt good to sleep in later and rest on my favorite day of the week (THE FRIDAY OFF FROM WORK)...Love that flexible work schedule!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike
Weather: Cool and Clear
Route: Home to Haynes Point (1 loop) and back
Distance: 12 miles
Time: 54 min
Max HR: 155
Avg HR: 135
Calories: 575 - 50% fat

This was a very nice bike ride and thank god the wind was not as strong as the day before. Felt pretty tired today, but energized after the bike. Tried to go at an easy cadence and kept it on the big ring for most of the time. Learned later from Grif that this is a bad idea and I did take several days to recover from sore legs from two days of riding with too much time in the big gear.

Workout # 2: Yoga
Time: 55 min.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike
Weather: Cool and very windy
Route: Home to Haynes Point (3 loops) and back
Distance: 18 miles
Time: 1 hr 21 min
Max HR: 157
Avg HR: 140
Calories: 913 - 45% fat

Nice morning ride on haynes point, but very very windy. I was shocked at how the wind could slow you down. On the flat with the wind, I average around 19 miles per hour, but once I made the turn into the wind it knocked me down to around 12 miles per hour. It was very draining getting to the turn on the 2nd and 3rd times...

Workout # 2: Run
Weather: Cool and Clear
Route: Work to Capitol Building, to Lincoln Memorial, up 23rd street and across on U Street.
Distance: 7.5 miles
Time: 1 hr 16 min
Max HR: 176
Avg HR: 147
Calories: 939 - 40% fat

This was a very solid run home. Extended my distance to make the 1.25 hr run and really felt good the whole time. Really enjoying the long distance slow pace runs. However, it was pretty cool outside.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Workout # 1: Run
Weather: Didn't matter inside
Route: Flat treadmill run
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 35 min
Max HR: 166
Avg HR: 131
Calories: 336 - 55% fat

Ran on the treadmill, but had to stop because I didn't feel very good in the stomach. Also had to get home and prepare for an interview that morning.

Workout # 2: Yoga
Time: 55 min

Monday, January 14, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike
Weather: Cool and Clear
Route: Home to Haynes Point (3 loops) and back
Distance: 18 miles
Time: 1 hr 23 min
Max HR: 157
Avg HR: 137
Calories: 899 - 50% fat

Got up at 4:45 and out the door around 5:10. The ride was good and the weather was cool. Felt very good and filled with energy. I think the new bike is still great motivation to get up and go.

Workout # 2: Swim
Weather: Didn't matter inside
Route: N/A
Distance: 2500 yds
Time: 1 hr 15 min
Max HR: 170
Avg HR: 137
Calories: 818 - 45% fat

The long ride this morning caught up with me in the pool. Got to the pool around 6:30 and I think the New Years Resolutioners are out in full force. The pool was freakin full today. Lucky I got there early enough to get a lane. The workout was tough at first, but after the 6 x 50s I felt stronger and did the 400 - 300 - 200 - 100 work. Here are the details:
300 yd warm up
2 x 100 yd kick on 30 second rest
2 x 100 yd freestyle on 3 second rest
1 x 200 yd fast free
6 x 50 yd fast free
1 x 400 rest 45 seconds
1 x 300 rest 45 seconds
1 x 200 rest 45 seconds
1 x 100 rest 1 min
1 x 200 slow
1 x 100 slow

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike and Run
Weather: Warm and Clear
Route: Home to Haynes Point (5 loops and 1 loop run)
Distance: 18 mile bike 4 mile run
Time: 2 hours
Max HR: 150
Avg HR: 136
Calories: 1218 - 50% fat

I know it is early for a brick workout, but I just NEEDED to ride my new bike. Picked the bike up on Friday and took it out first thing Saturday morning. The QR Seduza is top notch. I thought the bike was very comfortable and MUCH MUCH faster than the Mt. Bike. On my MT. Bike it was taking me 16 min. to get around the point. On my QR it is only 11 min. Getting into the Aero position is very new to me and I know it is going to take some time getting used to. I think I need to work on my hamstring flexibility though... Anyhow, the reason I worked in a run, after the bike, was my pal Christian. He is starting to prepare for the Cherry Blossom and wanted to do a run. He met me at 8AM and we did about 4 miles. It was nice to run with someone for a change. Remarkably, It wasn't that hard transitioning from the bike to the run. Kept the pace very slow and steady. Hopefully, he will stick with it so I don't have to run alone all the time.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Workout # 1: Yoga
Weather: Didn't matter inside
Route: NA
Time: 50 min

I think this is the hardest workout I have done. Doing yoga first thing in the morning (5:15 AM) is very challenging. The muscles are all asleep and very tight. I think this is harder than waking up and running or biking! I do have to keep doing this to get more flexible though.

Workout # 2: Run
Weather: Warm and Rainy
Route: USDA to Supreme Court and Washington Monument
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 45 min
Max HR: 175
Avg HR: 144
Calories: 532 - 45% fat

Rainy running in January is a little scarry! Could water turn to ice at any moment? Thankfully not in Washington DC. This was a very light run and I felt great running. I think I can pick up the pace a little bit, but overall this week has been quite tough (getting used to the workout schedule is tiring).

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Workout # 1: Run
Weather: Nice and Warm
Route: Home to Catholic and around golf course
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 57 min
Max HR: 176
Avg HR: 134
Calories: 606 - 50% fat

Nice warm morning for a run but I had a really tough time waking up. Fortunately, as my mother tells me: "once you get your feet on the floor you are on your way"... She is right on. Waking up in the early AM is not easy, but the committment to making it happen has rewards. One reward is deep sleep the following evening. I have been sleeping like a champ! I crash at around 10:00, sleep in one position all night, and wake up just like the moment I laid down! It is amazing how your body disolves into the matress at night. Unfortunately, it is not so easy to morph back into a human being the next morning at 5 AM. Today I focused on a very very light run. I kept a snails pace and did my normal loop in 57 min. Last run I was at the house a bit quicker and had to add on distance to get to 1 hour. The recovery run felt really good. It is pretty cool to be able to run and build endurance while resting. Several months ago a 55 min run was out of the question. Never mind running 55 min and thinking of recovery!

Workout # 2: Bike
Weather: Didn't matter inside
Route: Flat ride on stationary with a pressure reading of 6
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 45 min
Max HR: 155
Avg HR: 131
Calories: 459 - 55% fat

The evening bike was good, but I was very tired all day long. After lunch (I treated myself to Popeyes fried chicken) I thought I needed a nap. It took all I could give to not crawl under my desk and pull a George Kastanza! I was proud to actually make it to the gym as well! I had to wait a bit for a bike because several students were using the stationaries. Need that trainer so I can do this in the comfort of my own home. Felt good in the ride. Kept the RPMs to around 80-85 durring the first 1/2 hour and decreased it to 75ish for the last 15 min.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike
Weather: Nice and Warm
Route: Home to Haynes Point (1 loop) and back
Distance: 10 miles?
Time: 1 Hr
Max HR: 158
Avg HR: 135
Calories: 643 - 50% fat


Had a great morning bike. Woke up at 5:10 and quickly got outside and on the road. Glad to be outside due to the VERY warm weather. I think it was around 60 degree and a bit misty. Riding on Haynes Point in the early AM is quite and very calming. There are only a few people out there with me (mostly running). Felt very energized the whole time out!


Workout # 2: Yoga
Time: 50 Min


Yoga is such a good workout. Felt pretty tight and muscles were tired and sore, but I made it through. I really need to continue working on my flexibility.

ROO-HOO

I am very very psyched today because I bought my wheels last night. Picked up a 2006 QR Seduza from Big Wheel Bikes in Arlington. Can't wait to ride it this Saturday! Hopefully I will not be passed by as many people this weekend!

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike
Weather: Chilli out but not too bad
Route: Home to Haynes Point (6 loops) and back
Distance: 20-22 miles?
Time: 2 Hrs
Max HR: 176
Avg HR: 137
Calories: 1338 - 50% fat



Excellent bike ride outside! The weather was cool, but the sky was clear and the wind was not too bad. Almost hit a car in the rear end making my way to the point. I was traveling on the city streets preparing to make a left turn into potomac park and several cars were travelling pretty slow in front of me. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a bus in the right lane decided to turn left and cut off the cars in front of me. Breaks were hit, me and my bike slid and I just barely stopped by hitting my front break and doing a 5 second front wheel stand in mid air (3-6 inches from the rear end of a van).... Thank god for decent balance because after spending a few seconds on one wheel, I fell back onto the bike and traffic started moving (as did I)...



I have to say the views on haynes point are great and I get to see all of them because I am really slow on that mountain bike...I dream of the day I have a tri bike and possibly pass a person or two!

Monday, January 7, 2008

Workout # 1: Run
Weather: Warm Morning
Route: Home to Catholic and around Golf Course
Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 60 min
Max HR: 172
Avg HR: 145
Calories: 725 - 40% fat


Great run this morning. Once again, I was wide awake at 4:00 AM ready to go. Slept a bit more and got out on the road at 5:20 AM. The weather was perfect, but I overdressed. I think it had to be 50 degrees this morning. Ran my normal loop, but needed to do some extra distance in the neighborhood to get one full hour in. Feeling good and looking forward to the evening swim.

Workout # 2: Swim
Weather: didn't matter inside
Route: N/A
Distance: 2,000 yds
Time: 56 Min
Max HR: 173
Avg HR: 134
Calories: 588 - 45% fat

Workout felt really good, but the pool was crowded today and the damn people didn't have any clean towels. I love air drying off! NOT!!!! Anyhow it was all worth it because I tried a new workout:
1 x 400 yd slow pace with 45 secods rest
1 x 300 yd slow pace with 45 secods rest
1 x 200 yd slow pace with 45 seconds rest
1 x 100 yd slow pace with 1 min rest
2 x 50 yd kick followed by 100 yd swim
2 x 100 yd pull with 100 yd swim
1 x 300 yd cool down

Friday, January 4, 2008

Workout # 1: Run
Weather: Didn't matter inside
Route: Treadmill 2.5 incline every 10 min. for 5 min.
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 60 min
Max HR: 177
Avg HR: 133
Calories: 630 - 50% fat

Great treadmill run today! I thought my knees felt better so I gave it a shot and tried to keep the pace down. My knees didn't hurt at all and I was able to get one full hour in. I really like the treadmill for controlling the incline. Every 8-10 min I would change the incline to 2.5 and keep in there for 5 min. I liked the steady pace and incline adjustment to simulate small hills. Still pretty shocked by how my heart rate seems to spike quickly when I start running. Today it was up high for the first 5 min but went down after I settled into it.

Workout # 2: Swim
Weather: Didn't matter inside
Distance: 1,800 yds
Time: 50 min
Max HR: 173
Avg HR: 133
Calories: 524 - 50% fat

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Workout # 1: Bike
Weather: Didn't matter (indoors)
Route: N/A
Time: 45 min
Max HR: 150
Avg HR: 136
Calories: 517 - 50% fat

Good Morning Stationary BIKE! Got up this morning at 5:30 AM and walked to the gym in the figid cold weather. This is what it must feel like to be Griff in good old New England! Seriously cold out there. Got to the gym and on the bike at around 6:15. Rode for 45 min and felt pretty damn good. I kinda like this early morning thing, however, I am going to have to get up a little earlier to get into the office on time.

Workout # 2: Yoga
Time: 50 Min

I really need to do this more often. My wife and I were able to do this together and I think I am going to try to substitute yoga for weight training. The Triathlete's Training Bible, my guide to this training, says weight training should be done, but I wonder if yoga is a good enough substitute. I really like the fact that you work on stretching, balance and strength all at once. Finally, with all of this training, any time I can spend working out with my wife is time well spent!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Workout # 1: Run
Weather: Clear, Cold, Breezy
Route: Home to Golf Course and Catholic
Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 55 min
Max HR: 178
Avg HR: 153
Calories: 723 - 35% fat

Slept really bad last night. I guess I was nervous about my first early morning run of the season. Woke up at like 2 AM thinking it was time to go. Ended up missing the 5 AM planned run, but did go later that morning. The weather was very cold and windy. I was surprised that my heart rate was so high given the pace I was travelling. However, much of this loop is gradually up hill and I might have pushed it a littel too much. I just felt very tired the whole time running. Towards the end my knees were very sore as well. I think the drinking from New Years Eve might still have it's grip on me. It was great wine though! Looking forward to the swim this evening.

Workout # 2: Swim
Distance: 1,900 yds
Time: 59 min
Max HR: 174
Avg HR: 139
Calories: 653 - 45% fat

Swim workout was very good. Did 500 yd warm up and stayed below 149 bpm. Then I did 2 x 100 yd kick drill, 2 x 100 yd freestyle, 2 x 100 yd paddle swim, 2 x 100 yd freestyle, 200 yd pull drill and a 400 yd cool down.

Monday, December 31st

Workout: Bike
Weather: Clear, Cold, Breezy
Rout: Home to Haynes Point
Distance: 15 miles
Time: 1:15
Max HR: 155
Avg HR: 138
Calories: 824 - 45% fat


First day of the training season started out poorly! Went to the gym for a morning swim and found that the pool was closed. Jumped on the bike and headed out for a ride. The weather was pretty good. Windy and a little cold, but it felt great to be out in the fresh air. Sure beats the indoor trainer. Spent 1:15 on the bike and covered two loops out on Haynes Point. Focused on a pace that kept my heart rate below 149 bpm and felt really good after the ride.