I enjoyed the Swing Into Spring Duathlon last Sunday...it was well done and provided a great workout. About 100 people competed, with many of them being very good local multi-sport athletes. It was a small event relative to others that I've done, but a very high percentage of the folks that participated were strong. The event was technically a 3k run, 17 k bike, and a final 3k run. As a point of reference, a 3k run is just under 2 miles...about 1.9...and the 17k bike is around 11 miles. My hip did not hurt before, during or after the event...but it was very tight the whole time. It felt like my hip extension was really, really tight and it seemed like I couldn't get a very good push off with my left leg. In any case, I managed to complete the first run in 14:09 and had a 59 second transition to the bike. The bike course was fairly flat, with just a few rollers in one 2-3 mile section. We fought a pretty strong cross wind...and had the wind against us or with us for only a small portion of the ride. I completed the bike portion in 28:51, with an average speed of 22.9 mph. This was my fastest bike split to date. My transition from bike to second run was solid...1 minute exactly...but as soon as I started running I knew I had over-cooked the bike. I really felt gassed for the final leg of the event and only managed a run time of 15:37...nearly a 1:30 slower than the first run. I will chalk some of my "slowness" up to the fact that my left shoe came untied right at the half way point of the run...lol. The shoe was slipping off my heel the last mile and was more irritating than anything else. At one point I thought about stopping and taking 15 seconds or so to tie it back up...but I have a personal rule...don't ever stop! I did have a proud moment on the second run though. A guy passed me right before the turn around and I picked up my pace to try to stay with him. He pulled away by about 20-30 yards and then I held his pace. With about half a mile to go I picked the pace up just a little bit and noticed that I was closing back in on him. My adrenaline starting kicking in since I thought he might be in my age group. I kicked as hard as I could and passed him with about 20 yards to go to the finish! I ended up beating him by 3 seconds. It turned out that he was in a younger age group than me...but nonetheless...I proved to myself I could dig down and find a little more at the end. My friend Jeff Paul smoked the entire field...winning with more than 3 minutes to spare! He is doing so well in his endeavor to become a professional trathlete. I'm glad he is healthy again and ready for a great season. As a point of reference...Jeff did the first run in well under 11 minutes, and completed the bike leg with an average speed above 28 mph!
Training this week was a little on the light side. I did a track work-out and strength training on Monday, a hard 12 mile bike ride on Tuesday, an easy 5 mile recovery-type run on Wednesday, a moderate effort 23 mile bike ride and strength training on Thursday, and 1900 yards swim training and a hard 5k run on Friday. Not great totals but solid training overall. I was particularly happy with my swim workout yesterday...I started with a 100 yard warm-up and timed it just as a point a reference. I normally would come in around 1:40ish for a moderate effort 100 yard swim. However, I came in at 1:32 and felt great doing it. I did 6 100 yard repeats on 2 minutes, with each completed under 1:42. I completed my work-out with a 1200 yard continuous swim to further test my endurance.
Just 3 weeks to go before the QC Triathlon! I'll be working the next 2 weeks on speed work with some hard tempo runs and track workouts. I also want to get in a few longer bike rides...somewhere in the 30-35 mile range once or twice a week (in addition to my regular stuff). I'll keep adding yardage in the pool...and see if I can get a least one or two open water swims in before the event.
Things are getting better in many ways....and...I'm just getting started. My attitude is positive and I know I am progressing in a good direction. I've spent my entire life doing for others and now it's time to focus on what is right for me.
Change is good!
TJ
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
It's Been a Good Month....
It's been awhile...I know....
Training has been very good for me this month. I can say confidently that I am happy with what I have been able to do in terms of intensity and volume....across all three disciplines. With today being May 22nd, I've completed 19 days of training of the 22 available...with only 3 days off. This includes 10 swim training sessions, 12 bike sessions, and 9 run training sessions. It also includes 9 strength training sessions and 8 core/abs workouts. Totals are as follows: 15,300 yards swimming, 204 miles biking, and 42 miles running. I know these aren't outstanding totals per discipline but they represent a significant increase for me over the norm. The best news is...I've stayed healthy...injury free (and I'm knocking on wood as I write this).
I am most proud of my accomplishments in the pool. I'm swimming 5oo yard sets...usually 3 sets per workout...all in the range of 8:45 to 9:00 mins. This is a significant improvement for me. My 100 yard repeats are coming in at the 1:38 to 1:40 mark...and that's with doing 6-8 repeats on 2 minutes. Good progress and I really attribute it to the 2 weeks I spent really doing nothing but drills.
Two new things to write about...first off, I made the investment to upgrade my wheels. I purchased a Zipp 1080 for the front of the bike and ordered disc wheel covers for the rear. Everything is installed and I had the opportunity to test it today. No doubt, I gained some speed. I'm looking forward to hopefully transferring this over to event performance as a means to better my bike split. Nothing will make me faster, however, than improving the engine...and that's what I'm training to do! Secondly, I signed up kind of last minute for the Swing Into Spring Duathlon to take place this Sunday. It's a short event...a 2 mile run, to a 12 mile bike, to another 2 mile run. I'll use it as a good workout and a tune-up for upcoming events. I'm not changing my planned training schedule because of the event...Sunday was going to be an intense day of training anyway! This should be fun!
That's all for now...I look forward to providing an update after the duathlon this Sunday...wish me luck!
Training has been very good for me this month. I can say confidently that I am happy with what I have been able to do in terms of intensity and volume....across all three disciplines. With today being May 22nd, I've completed 19 days of training of the 22 available...with only 3 days off. This includes 10 swim training sessions, 12 bike sessions, and 9 run training sessions. It also includes 9 strength training sessions and 8 core/abs workouts. Totals are as follows: 15,300 yards swimming, 204 miles biking, and 42 miles running. I know these aren't outstanding totals per discipline but they represent a significant increase for me over the norm. The best news is...I've stayed healthy...injury free (and I'm knocking on wood as I write this).
I am most proud of my accomplishments in the pool. I'm swimming 5oo yard sets...usually 3 sets per workout...all in the range of 8:45 to 9:00 mins. This is a significant improvement for me. My 100 yard repeats are coming in at the 1:38 to 1:40 mark...and that's with doing 6-8 repeats on 2 minutes. Good progress and I really attribute it to the 2 weeks I spent really doing nothing but drills.
Two new things to write about...first off, I made the investment to upgrade my wheels. I purchased a Zipp 1080 for the front of the bike and ordered disc wheel covers for the rear. Everything is installed and I had the opportunity to test it today. No doubt, I gained some speed. I'm looking forward to hopefully transferring this over to event performance as a means to better my bike split. Nothing will make me faster, however, than improving the engine...and that's what I'm training to do! Secondly, I signed up kind of last minute for the Swing Into Spring Duathlon to take place this Sunday. It's a short event...a 2 mile run, to a 12 mile bike, to another 2 mile run. I'll use it as a good workout and a tune-up for upcoming events. I'm not changing my planned training schedule because of the event...Sunday was going to be an intense day of training anyway! This should be fun!
That's all for now...I look forward to providing an update after the duathlon this Sunday...wish me luck!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
It's Really Not Over Just Yet....
With the hard competition effort on Sunday, April 26th, I took this week to recover a bit. I also wanted to let my hip rest a bit to ensure that I have good control of any residual inflammation. I took Monday completely off and then did a 16.5 mile bike ride at a moderate to hard effort on Tuesday. Wednesday was a travel day for work so it made sense to take the day off as well. As Thursday rolled around I felt refreshed and ready to train hard the next several days. I completed a swim session of 1,000 yards and a 15 mile hard effort bike ride that day. Yesterday, I swam 1,200 yards and did a 4 mile tempo run at an 8:12 min/mile pace. Both Thursday and Friday training efforts felt very good.
I'm looking forward to a hard 20 mile bike ride today, a 3 mile easy run, and strength training. I'll take a day off from swim training. Sunday will be additional bike work...with a training session consisting of several hill repeats. I'll also do a swim workout that will focus mainly on drills. I've been working very hard on my swim technique the last few sessions...and have been focused on "the catch" phase of my freestyle stroke. I'm doing drills to work on developing a habit of keeping my elbows high during the catch and getting my forearm and hand vertical as quickly as possible. This will provide better mechanics for an efficient "catch." By the end of the day tomorrow, I will have completed 4 straight days of 2 or more workouts each day. I'm hopeful that my hip will tolerate the intensity and volume, and that I will wake up Monday morning feeling good!
I've been pausing a lot this past week...pausing to think about a few things....thinking about how lucky I am to have the opportunity and ability to train and compete. I'm fortunate....don't you think? Many people in our world can't do what I do. I'm blessed with this opportunity to enjoy something that is really important to me.
With my hip pain the past couple of weeks, I had thoughts several times about quitting. I began to think that I could never really overcome this....that I was creating a lot of pain needlessly with all of this training. I think I made it through a difficult time period...and I know there will be more to come. I have news for you....I'm not quitting. I won't quit. I have more to do and more to accomplish. I'm not quitting.
I'll decide when I'm done....not my hip. My mind is stronger than that hip anyway. The two of them battle it out all the time....and every time...I mean EVERY TIME...my mind eventually wins.
So...now you know why I title my blog...."It's not over until I say it's over." And I'm telling you today....it's not over just yet.
TJ
I'm looking forward to a hard 20 mile bike ride today, a 3 mile easy run, and strength training. I'll take a day off from swim training. Sunday will be additional bike work...with a training session consisting of several hill repeats. I'll also do a swim workout that will focus mainly on drills. I've been working very hard on my swim technique the last few sessions...and have been focused on "the catch" phase of my freestyle stroke. I'm doing drills to work on developing a habit of keeping my elbows high during the catch and getting my forearm and hand vertical as quickly as possible. This will provide better mechanics for an efficient "catch." By the end of the day tomorrow, I will have completed 4 straight days of 2 or more workouts each day. I'm hopeful that my hip will tolerate the intensity and volume, and that I will wake up Monday morning feeling good!
I've been pausing a lot this past week...pausing to think about a few things....thinking about how lucky I am to have the opportunity and ability to train and compete. I'm fortunate....don't you think? Many people in our world can't do what I do. I'm blessed with this opportunity to enjoy something that is really important to me.
With my hip pain the past couple of weeks, I had thoughts several times about quitting. I began to think that I could never really overcome this....that I was creating a lot of pain needlessly with all of this training. I think I made it through a difficult time period...and I know there will be more to come. I have news for you....I'm not quitting. I won't quit. I have more to do and more to accomplish. I'm not quitting.
I'll decide when I'm done....not my hip. My mind is stronger than that hip anyway. The two of them battle it out all the time....and every time...I mean EVERY TIME...my mind eventually wins.
So...now you know why I title my blog...."It's not over until I say it's over." And I'm telling you today....it's not over just yet.
TJ
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