Well the first week of training for the Half Ironman is in the books. I have only missed one workout, of course it was the Long Run for today. I think I am just going to rest and do the 90 minute run tomorrow morning before work. This week I ran 5.86 Miles in 50:08, did 64.88 miles in 3:47:06 on the trainer, and swam 3.73 miles in 2:48:37. Technically today is the start of a new week, so today or tomorrow will count as next week, but it was a good week none the less. I had some difficult issues at work and ended up working 72 hours, so I was pleased that I was able to get all of my workouts in.
Mon 8 Mar 2010
The Journey Begins
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Tomorrow is actually the first scheduled workout in my training plan for the Racing for Recovery Half Ironman Triathlon. I am intending to work on this using a training plan from Gale Bernardt’s book “Training Plans for Multisport Athletes”. I will be using a plan called 13-weeks to an Ironman on 13 hours per week. You might ask why I am doing an Ironman training plan when I am only intending to do a Half Ironman Race? The reason is because the training plan is based on time, and I am slow enough that I don’t feel I would have sufficient mileage volume on a Half-Ironman plan.
So my baseline is this. My weight today is 230 pounds. I had been executing a training plan for a Half-Marathon since January, so I had my long run up to 11 miles and was running 5-6 miles on my weekday runs. I was also swimming 1600-2000m per session. I have slacked off on the bike, but I expect that to come back quickly. My long run for next sunday is scheduled for 90 minutes, which should be around 9 miles.
I have 2 training races planned prior to the 6/6 Triathlon. On April 18, I will be running in the Martian Half Marathon and on May 29, I will be competing in the Island Lake Sprint Triathlon. The Sprint triathlon will be a rehearsal for the Half Ironman a week later.
Mon 1 Mar 2010
February 2010 In Review
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March first is here and I have to say I had a very successful February. For the first time in my life I ran 100 miles in a single month. I had to do 11.49 on the last day of the month, but I managed to pull it off. I also had a very successful Indoor Triathlon. I had a first overall on the bike. I improved my run pace by 15 seconds per mile and went 25m farther in the swim.
Looking forward, my next event is the Martian Half-Marathon on April 10. I’m looking forward to this one, even though it is really just a training run for me. It is 8 weeks out from my Half-Ironman and I figure a good showing here will set me up well for the HIM. My objective for the Half Marathon is 2:10, or 10 minute per mile pace. My stretch objective is to break 2 hours. That would set me up really well for a sub 7 hour HIM.
Hopefully March will bring a warm up that will let me get the bike outside. I have spent so much time on my running that I am a little behind the curve on the bike. My rear can only take about an hour on the trainer. I have to fix that quickly. The good news is that my run fitness seems to carry over well on the bike.
Sun 21 Feb 2010
Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon 2010 Race Report
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I just got home from the Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon. This was a race based on time, 10 minutes of swimming, 30 minutes on the spin bike and 20 minutes on the treadmill. I went off in the first wave at 7:00 am. While we were waiting around, I started sizing up the competition. I really couldn’t tell how I compared. That was until the Club Manager came up and started talking to the woman next to me. As I eavesdropped on the conversation, I discovered she had finished Ironman Wisconsin and in planning on doing Ironman Arizona this year. This immediately put my self doubt in high gear. Sooner than I can remember, we were in the pool.
Ironwoman was in the lane next to me and I was sharing a lane with a guy with a full beard that looked like it would create as much drag as my spare tire. We started. Ironwoman quickly disappeared and Bearded guy disappeared as well. I was quickly on my own and settled into what I would call a comfortably hard pace. Just focused on breathing and efficient strokes. Ten minutes later it was over. I hit the wall just as they blew the finish whistle. 18 lengths was a new PR for me. I looked at the sheet later and Ironwoman had done 24.5 lengths.
Next it was up to the spin bikes. After an uneventful T1 transition, I made got to the bike with 3 minutes to spare. Enough time to get the bike setup the way I wanted. The only problem I had was that my left cleat would not engage on the pedal very well. I was connected enough to make due, but there was a little struggle with that. I maintained 33-35 mph on the computer they were using to measure distance. I also kept my heart rate in Zone 3 to save something for the run. 30 minutes later the bike was done. I had done 17.4 miles. Just by looking at other peoples cadence, I could tell I was near the top of my wave. I looking at the sheets later, I saw that Ironwoman had done 15 something, so I was very pleased with my ride.
Finally on to the treadmill. I changed my shoes and headed over to the treadmill. As soon as they said go, I started running, The first 5 minutes at 7.5 mph, then 7.7 mph for another 5 and finished at 8.0 mph for a total distance of 2.57 miles. An improvement over last year of 0.07, small, but definitely an improvement. I check and Ironwoman only did 2.25, so I felt pretty good about my distance. I think I saw someone in my wave with 2.62, but I think I managed to get 2nd in the wave.
Overall, I feel pretty good about my fitness and I think am in good shape in preparing for the Half Ironman in June. The only negative about today was that I wore running shorts for bike and now am suffering a rash for it.
Fri 19 Feb 2010
First Race of 2010
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Sunday is my first scheduled race of 2010. I am entered in the Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon at the Canton, MI facility. I am probably the best prepared for one of these that I ever have been. This is a training race for me, so I am treating it like just another workout. In fact I am planning on doing my long run (11 miles) the day before. My goals are pretty simple. A swim of 18 lengths (450m) would be 1 better than last year. I really don’t know what to expect on the spin bike. I have only been on any bike twice since November and this year we get to adjust the tension. For the Run, I hope to better last year’s 2.5 miles in 20 minutes. This should be a really fun weekend as my daughter has a swim meet Sunday afternoon. I will try to report Monday how things go.
Mon 15 Feb 2010
Blogging from the Blackberry
Posted by steve under Family, General
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I just downloaded an application that will allow me to manage my blog from my phone. I am not sure if this is a good or bad thing yet. We will see as time goes on. I am sitting here at my daughter’s swim practice thinking how pathetic I am that I can’t keep up with the 8 year old girls. Well enough feeling sorry for myself, practice is almost over.
Tue 9 Feb 2010
February So Far
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February has been a good month. Work hasn’t forced me to miss a workout yet, and I feel like I have been smart with my workouts. I have had an odd injury, last Friday I could barely walk after a swim. By the time I left work, I was limping out to the car and could barely sit for the 45 minute drive home. I spend much of the night icing down my back which did little to help. Then I did what I have found to be the best thing to do when my back acts up. I went for a run. I ran 9 miles on Saturday, although it took me a while for my back to loosen up enough to really run, the slow jog worked wonders. Another 6 miles before church on Sunday and I was feeling much better.
That really got me thinking how truly blessed I am. Not only do I have a great family, but at almost 44 years old, my body feels better after 6 miles of running. I can even exercise my way out of back pain. That is just crazy.
My first race is coming up on 2/21 — The Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon at the Canton, MI Lifetime. This should be a good test. My goals are pretty simple, I hope to make some improvement in the swim (better than 17 lengths in 10 minutes), and stay the same on the run (2.5 miles in 20 minutes). The bike is the big unknown. Last year, I had an advantage because the resistance was set a the same level for everyone, and since I would normally have to push my body weight on a bike, that resistance was pretty easy for me. This year, everyone can set the resistance to wherever they want (meaning 0). That will make the bike a contest of who can hold the highest cadence the longest. I am pretty comfortable between 90 and 100, but I am sure there are freaks who will be pushing 150-160. Last year, I made the top 10 overall and was 3rd in the masters division. I am hoping for similar results this year. If I can move up in the swim, I will make much bigger moves in the overall.
Mon 1 Feb 2010
January Summary
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I finished the month of January with 90.54 running miles. This is the most running miles I have completed in a single month since I started running in October of 2008 except for the month I ran the Free Press Marathon. I also swam 8.2 miles which is the most in a month I have ever done. Volume-wise, I think I am on track for the Half Ironman in June. I have 2 tests before that. One is the Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon February 21 and the other is the Martian Half Marathon April 10. Hopefully the weather will break in late February or early March and I can start hitting the road both for running and on the Bike.
Fri 29 Jan 2010
Politics and Why I Don’t Want To Play
Posted by steve under Fitness, News, Politics, Sports
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I received the email below and because of it, I am stepping away from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. I am not doing this lightly and I am not doing it out “political spite”. There are two very troubling messages in this email that have driven me to this decision.
First, “the reality is that we are in serious danger of losing a once-in-a-generation chance to achieve real health care reform” is not a true statement, unless you define “real health care reform” as “single-payer health care”. There are many ways to reform health care without moving to single-payer. Just because I don’t think the Government is capable of fixing the problems in health care does not mean that I am making the issue political.
Second,
Just the other day I heard a story about a man named Ruben, who has been fighting cancer off and on for 11 years. This year, he lost his job. His cancer, which had been stable, became active again and he has had to go back on treatment. His doctor prescribed two new chemotherapy drugs to combat the cancer. But last week, Ruben had to tell his pharmacist, “No, don’t fill that prescription. I can’t afford it.”
was a troubling story for me. However, my expectation would be that the end of the story would be “thanks to the generous contributions of individuals and corporations, LAF was able to help Ruben.” This is why I give to charities, because the charities are far more effective at helping people than the Government could ever be.
I am sure that many people will write me off as a right wing nut and while it is true my political views are on the opposite side of the aisle from where the “Health Care Reform Bill” is being pushed. It is not true that my motivation for being opposed is to simply defeat the President and his party. I believe if the health care reform bill is passed, it will result in a much shorter life expectancy for Cancer patients. When government bureaucrats are applying cost/benefit analysis to treatments, how may Cancer patients will be asked to “just take the pain pills.”? Not to mention the overly burdensome taxes that will end up leaving me with less money available to donate to worthy charities.
Dear Steve,
Last night, President Obama stood before the nation and delivered his State of the Union address. We were delighted to see him deliver a clear message to Congress saying, “I will not walk away from these Americans and neither should the people in this chamber…Let’s get it done.”
Despite those strong words, the reality is that we are in serious danger of losing a once-in-a-generation chance to achieve real health care reform. The situation couldn’t be more urgent, and we need your help to send a strong message to Congress: Do not give up on health care reform. Will you join us and send your elected officials a clear message to keep up the fight?
http://www.livestrong.org/takeaction2010
You could not write fiction more dramatic than what we have seen over the last week. On January 18, one state elected a Senator and we are being told that may reset the entire healthcare reform effort. We must be clear in saying to our elected officials: You must not give up. We are counting on you.
Just the other day I heard a story about a man named Ruben, who has been fighting cancer off and on for 11 years. This year, he lost his job. His cancer, which had been stable, became active again and he has had to go back on treatment. His doctor prescribed two new chemotherapy drugs to combat the cancer. But last week, Ruben had to tell his pharmacist, “No, don’t fill that prescription. I can’t afford it.”
Unfortunately, Ruben is not alone. We all hear these stories far too often or have our own version to share. That is why it is more important than ever that we send a strong message to Washington: Forget politics and remember Ruben.
http://www.livestrong.org/takeaction2010
It only takes a moment to share this message with your elected officials, to tell them, as the President said last night: “Don’t walk away. Not now. Finish the job for the American people.”
As someone who has been touched by cancer, you know firsthand how critical it is to have dependable, quality health care. It can be the difference between life and death. Let’s not let this once-in-a-generation opportunity pass us by.
http://www.livestrong.org/takeaction2010
LIVESTRONG,
Doug Ulman and the LIVESTRONG Action Team
P.S. Please forward this message on to your friends and family
Sat 23 Jan 2010
How Triathlon Training Could Be So Much Easier
Posted by steve under Fitness, Sports
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I don’t like to talk about my job too much but I am going to make an exception today because it is relevant to training for a weekend warrior like me. I am an first-line manager in Information Technology in the Health Care Industry, which basically means that I am on call 24×7. For the last 6 months or so, it hasn’t been an issue. Until last Wednesday, that is. We had a major issue arise and I ended up working from 6:30 am Wednesday to 8:00 am Thursday. I went home and got to sleep for 5 hours, then I woke up and worked from 2:00 pm until shortly after midnight Thursday Night/Friday Morning. Friday I started my day working at 7:00 am and wrapped up about 6:00 pm. Today (Saturday) I worked from 9:00 to noon, and then from 6:00 pm until about 9:00 pm. My only workout since Wednesday morning was today when I snuck in an 800m swim and a 6 mile run at Lifetime Fitness.
It is that kind of schedule that makes training for anything, let alone a triathlon difficult. Don’t get me wrong, I actually love what I do even when the schedule goes crazy like it did this week. I really only missed one scheduled workout, but my work could easily cause me to miss many more. I think I could make training easier by getting someone to pay me to train. If anyone has found a way to do that, please let me know. Especially if you are overweight and slow.
