Ironman Augusta 70.3

Finished Ironman Augusta 70.3 with a PR of 5:49.  The swim made it faster but I was relaxed on the ride (which was fun).  The run went great.  Felt like a million bucks for the first 6 miles.  Then I started have GI issues.  Stomach cramps and I could not drink or eat anything.  I deserved it.  I broke the cardinal rule of racing "DO NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT ON RACE DAY".  Well I ate some oatmeal in the morning and I think it prevented my system for working naturally and gave me cramps.  I have never had this happen before in practice or other races.

The race went as expected. The weather was great.  Overcast most of the day and no rain, at least while we were racing.  The rain eventually came down but not until later. The swim was slower than expected but I spent more time on form than speed. The CL was keeping an eye on my run pace.  I did  good.  The run was 2:22 the fastest I have ever done in a half Ironman and this race, as the CL pointed out, was not my A race.  Also for the record my best half marathon time is 2:04.

The knee was fine. It did not bother me at all and was fine after the race.

Monday I was very tired.  Much better today.

Two hilarious things happened at the race.  First, after the race I had a bag of ice for my knee.  I had it on there then took it off.  I was walking down the sidewalk and went to put the bag on my knee inside a compression sleeve I had on and the bag popped.  Water came gushing out. A guy walking towards me stopped and took a step back. I know what he was thinking. He thought I pissed my pants.  I assured him it was ice water.

Then I saw a woman with the best shirt slogan on it.  It said, "If I collapse, please pause my Garmin." :)

Today I ran 4 miles per the CL.  The first 2 were hell, then I settled in and started to feel better.

46 days to go.  A lot of training left to do.

Train Hard, Train Smart,

XXX

Waiting for the CL

57 Days to the Ironman. We're doing a open water swim this morning.  It's going to be 4000 m. Half of it's going to be in a wetsuit. It's going to be hot. I'm riding over to swim with the CL and I'm out on my front porch right now waiting for her. This training is really wear me down. So are the mosquitoes starting to bite me.  I'm not sure I'm going to  last very long out here. Yea she got here.

So the swim went really well. 4 crossings at Lucky's.

On Sunday I did a 60 mile bike ride.  It weny well.  With 15 miles to go I separated from Preston, Traci , and Ken. I was just riding mt pace but then I got stopped at every light. Then they would catch me and just laugh. Then we would do it again and again.  I finally got in front of them and finished maybe 4 minutes in front. Oh well!

Looking forward to Augusta.  Just 6 more days.

Train Hard, Train Smart,
XXX

Augusta 70.3

Next race coming up is Augusta 70.3.  The CL tells me to swim bike and run hard. More specifically swim as fast as I can. Bike 20mph. The run is the ? .  It's hard to predict how my knee will feel.  I may end up walking.  We shall see. I thinking of doing a modified IM walk run. Like 5/1s.  What pace? HR zone pace or a set min/mile? I have time to think about this.

Training last week was hard. Very sore. All better now.

Had to order a new wetsuit. Lost my other full sleeve wetsuit. ?? I do not know where it is. I can't find it.

Train Hard, Train Smart,
XXX

Depressed

Why? Is the real question.  For all the training I am doing I am not losing any weight. Things would be better on my knee if  I could drop 10 to 15 pounds.  Took my body fat this am and I am a ridiculous 23%.  This was done by calipers. So I have ordered every fad diet on the Internet and will start them this weekend. This should get the weight off.

And if you believe that I have some dry land in the Everglades to sell you.


Still I am not happy. Don't know what to do. The CL will roll her eyes and get another gray hair   She needs this like another role in her head.

I started an advocare cleanse this am. I need to rest my body chemistry.

Bright spot for the day was beating Andres in the team swimming relay.

Swimming another reason for depression.  I should rule in swimming but in races I do not.  I need to work on this.  For IMAZ I want to be in the top 25% of swimmers coming out of the water. To do thi am going to have to be warmed up and be prepared for the Cold water on my face and body's reaction to that.  Looks like some face down ice baths coming up.

This is temporary. I will overcome.

Train Hard, Train Smart,
XXX

First weekend of September

Saturday started at the UCF campus 15 of us started the ride. Some were going 37 miles 60 miles and the rest 90 miles.  Scot G led the A group and myself  and 4 others.  We were moving out at 21 mph we rode around Ft Christmas a few times met up with the others at the fort. On the way back to UCF I let us miss a turn. Oops. We ended up at the back of this neighborhood seeing UCF just over a creek.   Well we found a walking bridge and got across to the campus.  Our shortcut reduced our extra mileage by a couple of miles.  Oh well.

We got back to UCF and Scott G has to go. We headed out again and ended up at Ft Christmas.   At the fort it was the CL, Hairy, and Preston. We headed out and decided we needed water and other supplies. So I found a circle k about a mile down sr 50. We went down there went and found ourselves in another world. Yes we were no longer in the city. We were in the country and we were the odd people.  Well we stocked up and left.

The CL had to stop for a rest at the fort. We then headed home to UCF. On the way back I was leading but the CL was having problems. Hairy and Preston stayed with her and I went on.  I finished strong.

I then ran 3 miles. No knee pain. Yea

Sunday was a rest day for me.  Yea.

Train Hard, Train Smart,
XXX

Last week - First day running and some riding

August 25 

This was an 85 mile ride.  Great ride. Scott G is the bomb.  He is very very strong cyclist. He was leading the A group and we came up on what looked like a stick but it was a SNAKE. It was huge. About 6 to 8 feet long and it started moving after Scott G went past it. I still do not know how autopsy got by without being eaten.

August 28
Went running for 3 miles. Felt great. No knee pain. The knee did swell but ice does wonders.  

Ended the week with some recovery time at the US Open tennis tournament.

Train Hard, Train Smart,
XXX

I can't Count

Today was swimming. The team shows up to the pool and the CL tells to start warming up with an 800 yd easy swim.  Nothing like a15 min swim to warmup with.  Is there?

Then she tells us to do the following:
100 mod
800 projected race pace

100 mod

800 projected race pace

100 mod

800 projected race pace

100 hard

200 cool down back

So I get to the race pace and ask the CL what I should do. She says 15mn per 800.  Then my brain goes on hold and any cognitive thought resembling mathematics leaves my brain. Because I then determine that 2mn per100 for 800 is 18 mn. Not really, but thats what I was thinking.  Because I want to swim a 1:45 per 100 I then subtracted 2 min to get 16mn, but The CL told me 15mn? Well I decide to do the 15 min and swim each 800 hard.  However I was tracking my laps by time thus because of my math error and counting lap, I was doing 1:40 per 100. Well this equates to 900 yes not 800.  Instead of swimming 3800 today I swam 4100.  

Oh joy!  I will have to come up with a better way to count laps.  

Train Smart, Train Hard,

XXX

90 Days to Go!!

Well it is 90 days to go.  A lot has happened over the last 60 days. My left knee ( the one with 3 surgeries on it ) started hurting in early June.  It has since pained me in a variety of ways.  At first I could still run, but could not go up stairs.  Then it was I cannot run and now I can go up stairs.  I have been reduced to all my runs on the elliptical.  The CL has told me I may be doing all my runs on the elliptical up to IMAZ.  I am thrilled :(.

Finally I figured out that just 2 or 3 weeks prior to the pain I put some shoe shims in my left bike shoe to help me keep my left knee in while cycling. I have since removed them and the knee is feeling better.  Note: there was hardly any pain while pedaling.

I have kept up cycling and swimming.  I am extending distance and speed.  I will be ready for these two events.

With all this I have become comfortable, but not happy, with the likelihood that I will swim 2.4 miles hard, bike 112 miles hard, and walk a marathon.

Ps I did a sprint aquabike this am. Did ok in the swim. I need more warm up. I need to figure that out. The bike was great.  No problems with the knee til later in the day.  It just started to ache and it is still aching.  :(

Train hard, train smart
XXX

Week ending June 1

This week has been a rough week.  Bike trainer workouts on Tuesday and Thursday were tough and followed by some core workouts from hell.  Thanks CL and Elaine.

The most interesting workout was the swim on Wed.  Warm up was 200 yd pull and 200 yd kick. The main set was 10 - 200s alternating hard and easy.  Then 4- 25s hard and 200 back for cool down.  I could not understand why we had to go hard and easy.  Well I was tracking my time and on the hard sets I was swimming 1:30 per 100 and on the easy sets I was swimming 1:45 per 100.  I had to get out of the pool and think about it but then I realized that at a 1:45 pace I would complete the Ironman swim in 1hr 12min. which would be great.  I talked to the CL about this and she said "Duhhhhhhhh!"  She wants me to swim easy so I come out of the water feeling good in AZ.  It may work.  She is sooooo smart.

Today I ran the stretching class.  It was fun but leading the class is hard.  I don't know how the CL does it all the time.

My biggest problem is that my left knee has been bothering me.  It is swollen so I am icing it all the time.  I got a sprint race coming up on Sunday.  I hope it stays stable.  The icing and the electroshock therapy is working.  We will see.  I looking forward to having a good race on Sunday. I will report on Sunday night.

Got small warm up brick tomorrow am then off to the race.

Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX

Missing in Action.......

That's exactly where I have been.  It's time to get back to business.  Understand I have been training, just not blogging.  I could bore you with the usual, like " I have been working" or "It has been busy around the house" or "I really needed more rest than blogging".  Oops, I guess I just did.

I have been training and even participated in a relay at the Ironman Florida 70.3.  I watched Lance win it.  He is something else.  I ran the half marathon leg.  It was hot.  I hope Arizona is not this hot.  As a team we did it in about 7 hours.  We all did our weakest sport.  For example, I did the run my weakest event.  Steph swam and improved her time and Thing 2 did the bike.  Those hills were murderous to her.

Ran 8 miles this morning.  Almost tripped and fell.  I saved myself, but it wasn't pretty.  I walked a bit after that, then started running again.  It was a good run.  Summer is here.

Train Hard, Train Smart.
XXX

Another tough week of training

After my last post I ran 8 miles on that Sunday.  It was a zone 2 run with Ken and a few others.  We did it running and walking as we are planning to do during the ironman.  The run went well.

The following day we swam 3,000 yards.  Then later on that Monday I was on a plane for London.  After 8 hours a plane and about 5 hours of sleep I walked around the Battersea park, Hyde park, and Kesington Gardens. I spent the next 4 days working, but more importantly I was able to get in two 6 miles runs.  I only almost got hit by a car once and it wasn't because I was looking the wrong way.  This car was across the street and decided to turn down the side road I was crossing.  Fortunately I was not hit.

One thing of notice was the number of people that ran or biked to work in London.  There is a lot.  They are all crazy, too.  Riding a bike on those narrow streets is  ridiculous.

I got home on Saturday and was out running again on Sunday for 8 miles doing the run/walk thing.  The week went really well. Here is a summary of this week's workouts.

Monday - 2900 yards in the pool with a 30 minute recovery which I did at a zone 3 pace.  I also used the Compex machine on my shoulders.  They were hurting after the swim.

Tuesday - Bike trainer workout for 1:15 followed by a core / TRX workout.

Wednesday - 2700 yards in the pool in the morning.  In the afternoon lifted weights and rean 4 miles in zone 3. That was hard.

Thursday - Bike trainer workout for 1:15 followed by a core / TRX workout.

Friday - today we stretched and did core work.  Core had a test for 3 minutes, which I passed with flying colors.

I felt good all week and lost another 2 pounds.

Tomorrow we are doing a 65 mile ride.  Looking forward to it.

Next week I am going to Bermuda.  Oh joy.

Train Hard. Train Smart
XXX

It's been a while.........

Sorry for delay in not blogging for a while. Life has been happening at full speed.  We have been working out hard and doing a few new things.  The CL decided that we more strength  training and engaged Elaine aka Drill Sargent or the DS.  The DS uses the TRX system, medicine balls, and all forms of floor exercises.  These exercises strengthen our core and all the secondary muscles related to triathlon.

Today we did a 50 mile ride and a 6 mile run in zone 2 or a brick.  We started off having to go back by my house so I could get my cell phone.  My loving wife brought it to me.  We then started off on the ride.  All went well no incident we stayed together and rode in zone 2.

The most notable tidbit of the day was the naming of Snacky's new bike.  This part is going to be quite suggestive.  This is no longer PG rated. Snacky was riding with Gator Bait and MiniMe.  MiniMe suggested that it be "Richard" or its associated nickname.  It was noted that Snacky was not riding "Richard" today and it was probably lonely.  It was questioned when Snacky would next be riding "Richard" and for how long.  Also how would "Richard" feel with Snacky cheating on it.  Then there was the circumstance how Snacky would feel if someone else rode "Richard".  If Snacky uses "Richard" for the ironman, then she will be riding "Richard"for 112 miles.  As you can tell we had a little bit of fun with this.  Snacky is a great sport.

We did our 6 mile run in zone it was great.  We all did good.  Even Crampy did not cramp.  Good for him.  We had a our post race snack.  It was great. Thanks Snacky.

The day ended with us having a happy hour at the Tap Room. Woo Hoo!!

That is it for today.

Train Hard, Train Smart.
XXX

Swimming with Snacky, Wings, and Paddles

Monday we show up to the pool pull the covers off and get started swimming.  I ask CL which lane I am in.  She puts me with Snacky and Wings.  Both are phenomenal swimmers.  I look like I am standing still when I am swimming with them.  So that is how I did my 2600 yds in 55min.  Basically being lapped by two fish.

Then to add to it the CL has us use paddles which tears up your shoulders.  Those things hurt.  This better be worth it.

Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX

Being Sick Sucks

So I finished HITS on Saturday, the 24th.  On Sunday I rested and a short recovery walk.  Monday went to swim.  Felt ok but was not at 100%.  Monday night the sh_t hit the fan.  I started a fever and a wicked post nasal drip.  Tuesday I went to the doctor got some antibiotics and went home to be in misery for the next two days.  Tuesday through Thursday I was out of commission.  It sucked.  BTW.  Do not ever get an antibiotic shot in the arm it hurts for a long time.  I would have rather had in the a__. You know I was sick because I missed a spring training game my sons and I were supposed to go to.

Friday I went to stretching.  It was hard but low cardio and impact.  It was the perfect thing to get back into the  swing of things.

Saturday I went to Clermont and rode 22 miles on the hills.  That was incredibly hard.  I did everything I could not to get worn out on those hills.  I helped Snackie and MiniMe(new nickname for Bulky.  She showed up on Friday dressed just like the CL and then started espousing fitness stuff like the CL.  Also, count that she is less than 5 feet tall and she became MiniMe.)  We finished at Elaine's house and then went for a swim for 800 meters.  I was pretty much swimming with Snackie. She is such a good swimmer, so the fact that I was even close to her was great.  I think that was because we were having a tough time siting. With all the zigs and zags I was able to stay close.  At one time she bumped my thigh, I thought I would have some fun with her and tell she hit my a__.  Needless to say we bumped into each other a few more times.

I rode with the CL, Snackie, and Rainbow out there.  We determined that the CL is looking for a guy that looks like Adam Levine or Blake Shelton.  Snackie said something like that would work for her too.  I will have to see what I can do.  I wondering if I get a dude with an Adam Levine mask, if that will work.

Sunday I was not supposed do anything but I did anyway.  I jog in zone 2 for 2 miles.  Just trying to find my groove again.

Fortunately, I was only sick for 3 days so I think I have recovered pretty well.  I tell you how that goes in my next post.


Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX

HITS Triathlon - Olympic

Did the Olympic triathlon at HITS in Ocala this morning.  It was a well run race.  More on that later.  First I have to be chronological.

Friday afternoon I come home early from work and started putting my tri stuff together.  It was the first race of the season and I was totally discombobulated or a CF. My oldest son was doing it too.  So I was making sure he did not forget anything. We finally got loaded up, out the door, on the road, and arrived there at 5:20.

Bulky and Rainbow were there.  We walked around and checked out the venue.  It was nice. We found out that the run was a trail run.  This was going to be challenging.  The CL laid out a plan for me for the race.  Overall time did not count.  I was supposed to swim HARD, bike easy, and run HARD.

So the four of us are looking at the dinner the race was providing and opted out.  I just do not trust food prepared in mass like that.  There was chicken and pasta, etc.  A lot of good stuff but just did not want to take a chance.  Then we went to Cracker Barrel.  Never again.  Food was ok but not what we needed.  Then I spent the next hour driving around the area completing my nutrition fill for the race, because I forgot a bunch of stuff in Orlando.  Bulky and Rainbow gave some gels and drink mix. Thanks girls.

The morning getting ready was uneventful.  We got to the race without incident parked and got ready.  Transition was really nice.  They had wood boxes that held your bikes and stools.  Yes I said stools.  Here is a picture of one.

One more thing about this race.  On Thursday or Wednesday a young girl drowned in the lake we swam in.  Very sad story.  I knew this but did not tell any one because it would do no good.

Finally, its race time.  #1 son takes off in the sprint and I get to see him come out of the water.  Very proud of him!  Now its the Olympics start.  It is a mass start of about 100 people.  The horn sounds and we take off.  I am swimming hard and then realize I cannot breathe and I begin to panic.  Not good.  On one of my gasps I notice there is a guy running in the water.  REALLY?  its that shallow.  So I put my feet down and hit bottom.  So I adjust my wetsuit and relax while I am walking along and then start swimming again.  Much better.  I know what happened I did not warmup properly, so when I started out hard, I screwed my body up.  NOTE:  you need to warm-up.  Need to talk to the CL about this.

The rest of the swim was uneventful.  Tried to catch a few people but couldn't.  Came out of the water in 31 minutes.  Slower than expected but I do not think that the course was measured right.  I was 21 out of the 100 so I was exactly where I was supposed to be.????

I get to my bike and start my easy ride.  It was not as easy as I wanted because there were some hills to deal with especially right out of transition. There was one long downhill I got up to 31 mph with a HR of 125.  That was way cool.

Got back into transition and sat down on my stool to put on my running shoes.  That was very nice and started the run.  I got to the trail and stayed on the sides to avoid the soft sand.  The CL wanted me to run 6.2mile in under one hour.  I think she knew this was trail run.  I did good from the outset except when I almost stepped on a snake in the middle of the bleeping trail.  Walked the water stops and ran the rest.  Finished strong.

All in all 2:55 to do the whole thing.  HITS gives out 1st place awards for each age other than the awards for  the overall.  I won my age, but I was the only one in it.

It was a good day.

Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX

CLs Training Secrets Revealed!!

I found it!  This is what she uses to create our workouts.

Who would have thunk?  Boy are we dummmmm!

Thursday - Bike Trainer workout or not

Today we show up at 5:30am or o'dark thirty.  The CL was not feeling well and was not at practice.  She tried calling and texting me but I did not look at my phone this am.  I hate getting sucked into work stuff before I workout.

We got to run one mile then we did this really intense bike workout. After that we got to run 2 miles at a 10k pace.  Nice.

We all did good.  Bulky and I were jabbing back and forth. Snacky ran the bike workout.  We got a great group.  A lot of us are racing this weekend.  I am doing an Olympic distance on Saturday. 

CL gave me my race plan.  Swim hard, bike easy, and run hard.  I need to run the 10k in less than an hour. I am pretty sure I can it that goal.  Stay tuned to my blog on Saturday for the results.

Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX

A little lifting, stretching, and swimming

After the Tour de Cure I had a business trip which took me pretty much off the grid for 2 days.  I did lifting, stretching, and resting during this time period.  Wednesday I was back in the pool swimming 2,550 yds.  The CL took it easy on me today and put in a slower lane.  I was not having to compete with Snack Lady and the other speedsters.  Once I got my breathing down, it was a good day in the pool. 

The CL is making us bring running shoes on Thursdays bike training.  This does not bode well for us.

I will let you know tomorrow.

Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX 

Tour de Cure Ride

Today was Tour de Cure.  Our team rode a variety of rides 25 to 102 miles.  I went 77 miles.  We all hooked up at the start and started just before 8am.  As with most mass starts it was chaos in the beginning but it soon thinned out.  The roads got narrower as we road so we had a nice pace line. The CL was enforcing a doable pace of about 16 mph.  My heart rate did not get over 100 for a long time.  That was due to being in the pace line and the low speed. 

At one time I pulled into the wind for about 8 miles.  It allowed me to get into aero and just ride.  I kept the speed steady which is hard at the front of the pace line.  If you go too fast you lose the line, too slow and they pile up behind you.  The CL eventually told me to go to the back of the line.  I may have stayed out there all day long.

Well, we hit a rest stop and Stevbra wants ease the chafing in his pants so he puts on some chamios butter.  What he did not realize is that the kind he bought had menthol in it.  So it started a kind of tingling burning in places that are uncomfortable.  After a while he said it felt kind of nice.  He now had a pair of cool balls.  So his new nickname is Cool Balls or CB. 

If that was not enough CB, then comes up to a red stoplight and forgets to unclip and falls.  Not a good day for the CB.

We get to the last rest stop and have 9.5 miles to go.  I jokingly say to the CL that we should not go less than 20 all the way back. She is in front and throws down the hammer.  Bulky and I respond and hang on.  We are into a headwind and she is going about 20 to 22 mph.  We hit a light bad and loose the rest of the group.  The CL, Bulky, and I just keep powering on.  Finally, the CL lets up and I move up to the front and put the hammer down. She had pretty much wasted herself trying to drop me and Bulky.  My legs were just too fresh.  I still feel fine from the ride. 

CB, Snack Lady, and Hairy Scary catch up to us and we finish strong. 

It was a good day. 

The CL tells me later that she was purposely trying to drop me to test me to see if I had taken easy during the day.  I guess I passed. 

Later we had drinks and food at the Tap Room.  It was a good time.

That is all for now.

Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX

Week of 3/12

This week was filled with swimming and running.  A lot of leg work was done.

Monday - Swam 1800 yds and ran a mile.
Tuesday - Bike trainer workout
Wednesday - Swam 2700 yds and ran 2 miles at 10k pace.  Rolled my ankle too.
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Ran 60 minutes no HRM on the beach. It was fun. No ankle problems.
Saturday - Ran 6 miles - First mile in zone 2 then 4 miles at 10K pace and then last mile at zone 2.

Not a bad training week for being out of town for 2 days.

Train Hard, Train Smart
XXX