I am not one who believes in numerology. On any given day the numbers 34 and 43 would not hold any significant meaning for me. But today isn't any given today. Today is October 18, the day of my birth 43 years ago and 34 days from today is Ironman Arizona 2009.
Today ended a very solid week of training for me. In short it was a week dedicated to running and cycling. I ran 39 miles and biked 75 miles. I only spent one morning this week in the pool but I can live with that. I intended to swim a couple of more times but mechanical issues forced the closure of the pool for the last 3 days. I'll make it up this week.
I have 3 more heavy volume weeks of training ahead of me before I start to taper for the last 2 weeks. If the weather co-operates a little more this week than last, I am hoping to get some more long rides in outside. If I am restricted to the trainer in the garage again the mileage might not be that significant. The rain has returned to the Pacific Northwest!
Yesterday I ran 20 miles on course that could best be described as the Billy Goat Grind. Nothing but hills up and hills down. Hills up and hills down. The course gained and lost 2000 feet in elevation. It was definitely taxing on me but a good course to build endurance and confidence. I left the house in the darkness of the morning to beat the forecasted buckets of rain. The sunrise was sensational. Very vibrant hues of pink and orange breaking over the Cascade Range. While I was running I really started to visualize myself completing the Ironman. I envisioned myself approaching the finishers chute and hearing my name called out. It kept me motivated on the long run. I finished my run with a 1.5 mile cool down walk home after hitting the 20 mile mark just in time to beat the buckets of rain that started dumping from the dark and ominus rain clouds. Beautiful morning.
I need to make a stop into the local bike shop tomorrow to replace my rear rim on my road bike so I can then take my triathlon bike in to have the clicking noise investigated. It's probably nothing but I need that bike in pristine shape come Arizona. I would hate to have trained for this event like I have only to have a mechanical failure on the bike. I know nothing is guaranteed but I can be pro-active in my bike preparation.
I had a great day with my family again today. Flynn woke me up at 5:30 telling me to open my birthday card. It was a musical card with Blue Oyster Cult singing "Don't fear the reaper". How appropriate I thought with a chuckle. After a quick hour on the trainer we all went to Olive Garden for a brithday lunch followed by cake at home. It was a very pleasant afternoon.
I am very excited about starting my new numerical year with a major undertaking in the Ironman. I have been training hard for that challenge over the last 12 months and in 34 days it will present itself in all it's wonderful glory. How it will change me as a person is the great unknown. It's just about time to find out.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
A mixed bag of training.
Six weeks from this moment in time I should be finished or nearly finished with the Ironman. At least that is my plan anyway. As we all know however things don't always evolve as planned. Such was the case this week with my training. It was a week of intentions that never came to fruition.
I managed to run 20.2 miles this week which is much needed as my run it the weakest point of all in triathlon and my main concern in the Ironman. I had several really good runs during the week and my long run on Saturday was 10 miles out in the country in beautiful Fall weather. So the running aspect of training this week ended on a good note.
I hadn't spent any time in the water last week so I made it a point to get some more pool time in this week. I visited the pool three times for lap swim and managed to swim 3 miles in total. Swimming is an area I can direct less attention to as it is the shortest part of the Ironman and I am a fairly strong swimmer, Again a postive aspect of this weeks training.
The longest part of the Ironman is the 112 mile bike portion. Cycling demands a high level of focus during training and this is where I fell short this week. I usually ride on Wednesday's and Friday's before the long ride on the weekend. Wednesday of this week I was wiped out so I took a day off. Friday I managed to squeeze a ride in after work and just before the sun set. I felt good going into the weekend knowing that I had plans to ride on Sunday with 2 fellow Ironman Arizona participants. Saturday night rolled around and I got word that both Greg and Brett wouldn't be able to make the ride on Sunday. No big deal it would be a solo excursion of around 100 miles.
I head out on Sunday morning in the 45degree temperature. Took me a little while to get settled into a relaxed pace and the cold morning. Around 13 miles into the ride, I was descending a very steep hill approaching speeds of 30mph. WHAM!! Thump! Bang!! Oh crap, fishtailing rear end. Hold on to the drops, relax and get the bike to stop. Exhale, slowing, stopped. Take a look at the rear wheel and tire. Tire is toast as is the rim. What the hell happened there? On the descent I was in the shade and I must have hit a major pot hole in the road. Enough so to abruptly end my ride and force me to call Tina to come pick me up. Like I said sometimes things just don't go as planned.
I ended my week with only 54 miles of training in over about 6 hours. Definitely not the week of training I envisioned. Oh well! Nothing I can do at this point but take the highlights from it and put the rest behind me.
Tomorrow starts another week and I'll motor on.
I managed to run 20.2 miles this week which is much needed as my run it the weakest point of all in triathlon and my main concern in the Ironman. I had several really good runs during the week and my long run on Saturday was 10 miles out in the country in beautiful Fall weather. So the running aspect of training this week ended on a good note.
I hadn't spent any time in the water last week so I made it a point to get some more pool time in this week. I visited the pool three times for lap swim and managed to swim 3 miles in total. Swimming is an area I can direct less attention to as it is the shortest part of the Ironman and I am a fairly strong swimmer, Again a postive aspect of this weeks training.
The longest part of the Ironman is the 112 mile bike portion. Cycling demands a high level of focus during training and this is where I fell short this week. I usually ride on Wednesday's and Friday's before the long ride on the weekend. Wednesday of this week I was wiped out so I took a day off. Friday I managed to squeeze a ride in after work and just before the sun set. I felt good going into the weekend knowing that I had plans to ride on Sunday with 2 fellow Ironman Arizona participants. Saturday night rolled around and I got word that both Greg and Brett wouldn't be able to make the ride on Sunday. No big deal it would be a solo excursion of around 100 miles.
I head out on Sunday morning in the 45degree temperature. Took me a little while to get settled into a relaxed pace and the cold morning. Around 13 miles into the ride, I was descending a very steep hill approaching speeds of 30mph. WHAM!! Thump! Bang!! Oh crap, fishtailing rear end. Hold on to the drops, relax and get the bike to stop. Exhale, slowing, stopped. Take a look at the rear wheel and tire. Tire is toast as is the rim. What the hell happened there? On the descent I was in the shade and I must have hit a major pot hole in the road. Enough so to abruptly end my ride and force me to call Tina to come pick me up. Like I said sometimes things just don't go as planned.
I ended my week with only 54 miles of training in over about 6 hours. Definitely not the week of training I envisioned. Oh well! Nothing I can do at this point but take the highlights from it and put the rest behind me.
Tomorrow starts another week and I'll motor on.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
A mere matter of weeks.
The day of reckoning will be here in a mere 7 weeks! The biggest physical challenge of my life is just around the corner. I am confident that the preparation I have put in thus far for Ironman will be sufficient to carry me through the course and the day.
I have started to make sure I have my logistical bases covered now before the big day. I have the airline tickets, car rental and hotel secured. I have all the equipment I should need although I may look at an alternative hydration system for my bike. Speaking of the bike, today I registered to have my triathlon bike shipped to Arizona and back once the race is over. I guess I have to go now!
It was a big week of training this week and I am glad it's behind me. I am looking forward to the day when I don't have to train and can take a break for a while. I know my family will enjoy seeing me more often as I will them. Once Ironman is over, we will be getting into the start of kayaing season in the Pacific Northwest. It will be nice to have the option of kayaking again and getting back onto the river.
Hopefully the weather will hold for a while longer as I have a scheduled 100+ mile ride coming up next weekend. I don't know if I can ride for 5 hours on the trainer in the garage. Running in the rain is one thing I can handle, but the monotnony of riding a stationary trainer for prolonged period of time just doesn't do it for me.
Today's training ride was wet and cold. Forty five degrees and raining as I rode into the canyon. Lots of climbing today. I used the ride to relax after my 15 mile run yesterday and try out my nutrition. Tina bought me some crustables which are essentially pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches without the crust. I ate them along the ride today and they worked out well. I am going to have these in my special needs bag during Ironman.
Back into the pool this week starting tomorrow. Swim, bike, run. Swim, bike, run.
I have started to make sure I have my logistical bases covered now before the big day. I have the airline tickets, car rental and hotel secured. I have all the equipment I should need although I may look at an alternative hydration system for my bike. Speaking of the bike, today I registered to have my triathlon bike shipped to Arizona and back once the race is over. I guess I have to go now!
It was a big week of training this week and I am glad it's behind me. I am looking forward to the day when I don't have to train and can take a break for a while. I know my family will enjoy seeing me more often as I will them. Once Ironman is over, we will be getting into the start of kayaing season in the Pacific Northwest. It will be nice to have the option of kayaking again and getting back onto the river.
Hopefully the weather will hold for a while longer as I have a scheduled 100+ mile ride coming up next weekend. I don't know if I can ride for 5 hours on the trainer in the garage. Running in the rain is one thing I can handle, but the monotnony of riding a stationary trainer for prolonged period of time just doesn't do it for me.
Today's training ride was wet and cold. Forty five degrees and raining as I rode into the canyon. Lots of climbing today. I used the ride to relax after my 15 mile run yesterday and try out my nutrition. Tina bought me some crustables which are essentially pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches without the crust. I ate them along the ride today and they worked out well. I am going to have these in my special needs bag during Ironman.
Back into the pool this week starting tomorrow. Swim, bike, run. Swim, bike, run.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
A much needed trail run..
As a kid growing up in the high desert of the American Southwest, I always loved trail running and hiking in the foothills and the mountains. Albuquerque has a spectacular backdrop in the Sandia Mountains. The foothills of the Sandia's provides vast opportunities for trail running and exploring. I spent much of my childhood and early adulthood seeking solace in that mountain range. One thing that always brought me joy and invigorated my soul was running free in those mountains. Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest the only thing that has changed about trail running is the topography and the moisture content! I still love being out there in mountains seeking solace through trail running.
This last couple of weeks of Ironman training and racing a half ironman triathlon last Saturday have taken a toll on me. Couple that with realization that Ironman is 7 weeks from Sunday and my body has started to revolt. I truely believe the stress of the Ironman and the training thus far has manifested into the form of my lower back pain. I decided one way to truely put that notion to the test would be to mix up the training and throw in a trail run. Afterall I would be out in the woods again running free just as I did as a kid in New Mexico.
After work, I laced up the trail shoes and headed out the door. I ignored the minor pain I was feeling in the back and made my way down to riverfront park. I ran on the leaf ladden dirt trails, up and over roots, across river strewn rocks and through thickets of ferns. Suddenly my pain vanished. I experienced nothing but fun for the next 7.10 miles. It was exactly what I needed. My back pain subsided.
I was trail running tonight for 1:06 and had time to reflect again on a lot of things. I have to relenquish the stress of Ironman. I am going out to there to do this for me. Yes I want to have a respectable time and yes it would be fun to beat Kelly's Ironman time, but when all is said and done this is for nobody but me. I have to approach this as the challenge of my lifetime thus far while not overlooking the fun aspect of it. As I remind myself the reason why I am doing Ironman my stress will stay at bay.
On Sunday evening there was a cougar sighting in the very same location I was running. I thought about that as I was running along the forested trails. My eyes kept darting back and forth, left and right, looking through the trees and making myself as cognizant as I could of my surrounding. That was quite the experience as I never knew what I would encounter around the next corner of my solo trail run at dusk. When I was done running I was invigorated as running in the woods where a cougar had recently been sighted was a new life experience for me. A new life experience in much the same manner as the Ironman will be.
What's not to enjoy about that!?
This last couple of weeks of Ironman training and racing a half ironman triathlon last Saturday have taken a toll on me. Couple that with realization that Ironman is 7 weeks from Sunday and my body has started to revolt. I truely believe the stress of the Ironman and the training thus far has manifested into the form of my lower back pain. I decided one way to truely put that notion to the test would be to mix up the training and throw in a trail run. Afterall I would be out in the woods again running free just as I did as a kid in New Mexico.
After work, I laced up the trail shoes and headed out the door. I ignored the minor pain I was feeling in the back and made my way down to riverfront park. I ran on the leaf ladden dirt trails, up and over roots, across river strewn rocks and through thickets of ferns. Suddenly my pain vanished. I experienced nothing but fun for the next 7.10 miles. It was exactly what I needed. My back pain subsided.
I was trail running tonight for 1:06 and had time to reflect again on a lot of things. I have to relenquish the stress of Ironman. I am going out to there to do this for me. Yes I want to have a respectable time and yes it would be fun to beat Kelly's Ironman time, but when all is said and done this is for nobody but me. I have to approach this as the challenge of my lifetime thus far while not overlooking the fun aspect of it. As I remind myself the reason why I am doing Ironman my stress will stay at bay.
On Sunday evening there was a cougar sighting in the very same location I was running. I thought about that as I was running along the forested trails. My eyes kept darting back and forth, left and right, looking through the trees and making myself as cognizant as I could of my surrounding. That was quite the experience as I never knew what I would encounter around the next corner of my solo trail run at dusk. When I was done running I was invigorated as running in the woods where a cougar had recently been sighted was a new life experience for me. A new life experience in much the same manner as the Ironman will be.
What's not to enjoy about that!?
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