I've got 4 days before IM training officially starts. JT and I started a bike ride at 5am this morning got a few miles down the road and it started raining so we bagged the ride. It wasn't raining hard but I just didn't feel like it was necessary to be hardcore yet. Plus I had to leave the house at 10am to catch a flight and I wanted to spend a bit more time with the family, so it worked out. But after May1st that workout has to get done...
I was a little under the weather at the beginning of the week. I haven't been eating/resting as well as I should and that's something I've got to get under control. I've been sick too much over the last 2-3 weeks. My "sickness" delayed my HR test but I finally got them done towards the tail end of the week. The tests are actually pretty tough workouts. The results were interesting. As I expected my run & bike Lactate Threshold is pretty high so consequently my HR zones are very high as compared to most. I'm glad that I finally got this "professionally" done and it confirmed what my "raw" test had indicated in the past. When I first got a heart rate monitor I would do the 220- your age thing and try to establish the zones. I could barely jog before I was in zone 3. Anyway, I feel the zones will help me train smarter this year and hopefully produce better results.
I'm in San Jose this week for work so I'll mainly run and do P90x. I'm hoping to get out tomorrow and scope the area for good run routes and maybe find a pool...
Not to much on tap this week workout wise, just enjoying my last few days of triathlon vacation...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The calm before the storm...
I officially start Ironman Training on May 1st. I've hired Gerald Jackson of www.negativesplitracing.com to be my coach. I'm excited about getting the training started but I'm also enjoying the "in between" time of not feeling the pressure to get out and ride my bike for 5-6 hours at a time. I stated in a previous entry that my first Ironman was just about finishing and my training plan was structured that way. Essentially, I lived on the bike and 97% of the bike rides were LSD types of rides. Just grinding miles out, trying to build an engine that could travel 140.6 miles (yes, it was a slow engine) This go around has a time goal associated with it, thus the training will be taken up a notch or two. My main focus right now, is getting my mind & body prepared for the training and getting back in the mode of organizing/streamlining the other aspects of my life. Organization is key for me, in order to put in the required training. I'm excited about the journey but not quite ready to flip the switch to IM training mode. I've got 11 days to get ready!!!
This past week, I went back to the track and did a tempo workout with the Negative Split group. Got my butt handed to me. I told Gerald that I'm not in Negative Split Shape yet. I also got in the pool 3 times, but only rode once (45 miles). I've been hitting the weights pretty hard the past 2 weeks trying to rebuild some strength/muscle that I had lost. Once I start IM training I'll probably only lift 1-2 per week and it will be very specific lifts.
This week, I've got HR test planned for both the bike and the run. This will be my first official test. I've done the LTHR method and traditionally my HR zones are VERY high so I'm curious to see how this plays out. I'll also pick up the biking and running a bit. I'm going to try and get 110-120 miles on the bike, 20-25 miles on the run and then 6-7K of swimming. Should be a fun week...
This past week, I went back to the track and did a tempo workout with the Negative Split group. Got my butt handed to me. I told Gerald that I'm not in Negative Split Shape yet. I also got in the pool 3 times, but only rode once (45 miles). I've been hitting the weights pretty hard the past 2 weeks trying to rebuild some strength/muscle that I had lost. Once I start IM training I'll probably only lift 1-2 per week and it will be very specific lifts.
This week, I've got HR test planned for both the bike and the run. This will be my first official test. I've done the LTHR method and traditionally my HR zones are VERY high so I'm curious to see how this plays out. I'll also pick up the biking and running a bit. I'm going to try and get 110-120 miles on the bike, 20-25 miles on the run and then 6-7K of swimming. Should be a fun week...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Ironman Florida -
I had a nice recovery week. Didn't do to much. I swam once, biked once and ran once and they were all low key efforts. I mainly focused on recovery and recharging the batteries. As a result I'm feeling pretty good right now and ready to start planning/training for my next A priority race (Ironman Florida).
After much negotiation, my wife has signed off on me hiring a coach. I was initially going to fly solo but I think my best opportunity for success at this stage in my triathlon career involves a coach. I should have that complete later this week. My official training for Florida will probably start around May 1st. In the meantime, I'm going to do some group workouts with the negative split racing group for the next few weeks and ride with Tidwell on the weekends.
This next dance with the Ironman is going to be a bit different. Ironman Arizona was all about finishing. Florida is of course about finishing but it will also have a time goal attached to it. It should be a lot of fun. I'll have a lot of family there and we can hopefully turn it into a mini-vacation after the race.
So, I think I'm ready. I've got 2 weeks to find the Eye of the Tiger....
Pics from New Orleans....
After much negotiation, my wife has signed off on me hiring a coach. I was initially going to fly solo but I think my best opportunity for success at this stage in my triathlon career involves a coach. I should have that complete later this week. My official training for Florida will probably start around May 1st. In the meantime, I'm going to do some group workouts with the negative split racing group for the next few weeks and ride with Tidwell on the weekends.
This next dance with the Ironman is going to be a bit different. Ironman Arizona was all about finishing. Florida is of course about finishing but it will also have a time goal attached to it. It should be a lot of fun. I'll have a lot of family there and we can hopefully turn it into a mini-vacation after the race.
So, I think I'm ready. I've got 2 weeks to find the Eye of the Tiger....
Pics from New Orleans....
Monday, April 6, 2009
IM New Orleans 70.3 - Race Report
I have had 7 hours in the car with 3 kids to think about this so here goes...
The venue itself was great. It was exciting to be in New Orleans and the course covered interesting parts of the city. You could definitely see the effects of Katrina throughout the city. Abandoned homes, boats in trees, jacked up streets but at the same time you saw progress. I talked to several native New Orleanians and the tri community in that area was very excited to have a 70.3 race in their backyard. In fact this was the first race that was held on UNO side of the lake since Katrina. The locals indicated that people were coming out of the woodwork for this race which explains why this was one of the largest 70.3's ever. So I'm glad I was part of the inaugural race and I made a nice financial contribution to the city over the past weekend :)
As far as my race goes, I would sum it up as plenty of effort but poor execution of loose race plan.
The swim was interesting. I was anxious before the start of the swim because quite frankly I haven't swam a lot in the past 3 months and the swim was in Lake Pontchartrain which is not exactly the cleanest lake to swim in. (I should probably be on antibiotics right now) The swim was okay but I was a bit tired towards the end and I swallowed a lot of the water and all I could think of the whole time is I'm going to get sick, I'm going to get sick... but I didn't and I came out of the water around 34 minutes.
When I started the bike my HR was sky high... I should have backed off and let it get back to normal but I just kept going and it took a good 30-35 minutes before my HR got to where I wanted it to be. The bike was pancake flat except a few overpasses but it was windy. Not unbearable windy but around the 15-17 mph mark so it was a factor. The route went around the lake and then it crossed over into some marshland. I made 2 significant mistakes on the bike. First I never really followed my nutrition/hydration plan and I made a tactical error around mile 35. I knew there would be a strong head wind from mile 35-45 but I thought there would be a nice tailwind from 45 on so I decided that I would push from 35-45 and then rest from 45 on so I would be nice and refreshed for the run. Well mile 45-47 did have a tailwind but 47-56 had a nice headwind and I continued to push because I wanted a decent bike split. This 47-56 section of the bike sealed my fate on the run. I ended up with a 2:41 bike split.
The run sucked from the very beginning. I was hurting from the start and I never really got my running legs. I was on about a 9:00 pace up until mile 10 and then I really started to hurt and had to slow down significantly. Despite the fact that I was in pain, the run course was my favorite part. It went through some great parts of New Orleans and it was very scenic and quite shady except for the first 6 miles on the lake. The actual running part sucked and I ended with a 2:04 run split.
Before the race I predicted a 5:20-5:30 time and I ended up with a 5:27. I think I could have hit 5:15-5:17 if I had executed correctly. Could of, should of, would of...
This was my first significant race in a year and it was a good measuring stick to determine my current fitness levels and it was a painful reminder of why nutrition and pacing are so important but I had a great time and this is really a great race. I'll definitely be back for 2010 race.
Let me take this opportunity to thank my in-laws (Ron & Martha) and sister-in-law (Julie) for coming out to the race and helping Jennifer with the kids and cheering me on. It was great having you there and I appreciate your hospitality and patience over the past 3 days... Looking forward to Gulf Shores :)
The venue itself was great. It was exciting to be in New Orleans and the course covered interesting parts of the city. You could definitely see the effects of Katrina throughout the city. Abandoned homes, boats in trees, jacked up streets but at the same time you saw progress. I talked to several native New Orleanians and the tri community in that area was very excited to have a 70.3 race in their backyard. In fact this was the first race that was held on UNO side of the lake since Katrina. The locals indicated that people were coming out of the woodwork for this race which explains why this was one of the largest 70.3's ever. So I'm glad I was part of the inaugural race and I made a nice financial contribution to the city over the past weekend :)
As far as my race goes, I would sum it up as plenty of effort but poor execution of loose race plan.
The swim was interesting. I was anxious before the start of the swim because quite frankly I haven't swam a lot in the past 3 months and the swim was in Lake Pontchartrain which is not exactly the cleanest lake to swim in. (I should probably be on antibiotics right now) The swim was okay but I was a bit tired towards the end and I swallowed a lot of the water and all I could think of the whole time is I'm going to get sick, I'm going to get sick... but I didn't and I came out of the water around 34 minutes.
When I started the bike my HR was sky high... I should have backed off and let it get back to normal but I just kept going and it took a good 30-35 minutes before my HR got to where I wanted it to be. The bike was pancake flat except a few overpasses but it was windy. Not unbearable windy but around the 15-17 mph mark so it was a factor. The route went around the lake and then it crossed over into some marshland. I made 2 significant mistakes on the bike. First I never really followed my nutrition/hydration plan and I made a tactical error around mile 35. I knew there would be a strong head wind from mile 35-45 but I thought there would be a nice tailwind from 45 on so I decided that I would push from 35-45 and then rest from 45 on so I would be nice and refreshed for the run. Well mile 45-47 did have a tailwind but 47-56 had a nice headwind and I continued to push because I wanted a decent bike split. This 47-56 section of the bike sealed my fate on the run. I ended up with a 2:41 bike split.
The run sucked from the very beginning. I was hurting from the start and I never really got my running legs. I was on about a 9:00 pace up until mile 10 and then I really started to hurt and had to slow down significantly. Despite the fact that I was in pain, the run course was my favorite part. It went through some great parts of New Orleans and it was very scenic and quite shady except for the first 6 miles on the lake. The actual running part sucked and I ended with a 2:04 run split.
Before the race I predicted a 5:20-5:30 time and I ended up with a 5:27. I think I could have hit 5:15-5:17 if I had executed correctly. Could of, should of, would of...
This was my first significant race in a year and it was a good measuring stick to determine my current fitness levels and it was a painful reminder of why nutrition and pacing are so important but I had a great time and this is really a great race. I'll definitely be back for 2010 race.
Let me take this opportunity to thank my in-laws (Ron & Martha) and sister-in-law (Julie) for coming out to the race and helping Jennifer with the kids and cheering me on. It was great having you there and I appreciate your hospitality and patience over the past 3 days... Looking forward to Gulf Shores :)
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