Today was a two sport day. Immediately after work, I did a 6.5k run, had some food and rested up for spin/weight session. I'm starting to notice an increase in food intake, which is nice, because I do love to eat. The spin session was 1 hour, followed by 30 minutes of weights. It was a good Tuesday.
Here is my monthly mileage report:
Run: 136.5km
Spin: 11hrs 4omin
Swim: 2.3km
Overall, it was good first month. No workouts were missed and I'm feeling good. Hopefully February will be as nice January. Hey, a guy can wish.. right?
Oh yea, almost forgot, today is the last day to register for Mississauga marathon at the reduced rate. In case you are wondering, I'm in for the half. It will be nice to start the racing season with a PB. :)
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Monday weigh in
Mileage for week 4:
Run: 30k
Spin: 4 hrs
Swim: 2.3k
Dryland: 2hr 15min
Weight: 165
The main purpose of week 4 was to rest my running legs. Spinning hours went up by 1.5hrs from the week before and I got my first swim of the season in. My weight is holding steady.
The next 4 week cycle will again focus on running. Scheduled for this week is 4 running days, 3 spin sessions and 1 swim work out. Eight scheduled work-outs in 6 days, that means I get to double-up twice this week. woo hoo!
Today is my scheduled rest day. I was thinking of cheating and was going to go out for a short run, but I think I'll stick my plan and rest. So the only thing on tap for today is a good stretch routine and some light core work.
Run: 30k
Spin: 4 hrs
Swim: 2.3k
Dryland: 2hr 15min
Weight: 165
The main purpose of week 4 was to rest my running legs. Spinning hours went up by 1.5hrs from the week before and I got my first swim of the season in. My weight is holding steady.
The next 4 week cycle will again focus on running. Scheduled for this week is 4 running days, 3 spin sessions and 1 swim work out. Eight scheduled work-outs in 6 days, that means I get to double-up twice this week. woo hoo!
Today is my scheduled rest day. I was thinking of cheating and was going to go out for a short run, but I think I'll stick my plan and rest. So the only thing on tap for today is a good stretch routine and some light core work.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Weekend Synopsis
Sally and I took Joe-the-wonder-dog for a walk in the 'back 40' on Saturday morning. We saw a couple of deer, which was nice because they seem to be scarce lately. Afterwards, I got my 14k run in, which was pretty sweet.
Today, the weather was craptacular. We had massive amounts of rain and the temperature sat at +2. I'm so grateful for those 2 degrees, if it wasn't for them, it would have easily been a 30+cm dump of snow. I did my 1.5hr spin session, while watching the movie Glory - a reasonable flick, I'd give it a 6/10.
My first 4 week 'cycle' comes to a close and all went according to plan. Each cycle consists of 3 weeks of building, followed by 1 week of 'resting'. The basic outline for the next cycle is to maintain weekly spinning hours, while increasing my run frequency and mileage. Swimming will still only be once a week. I still have the luxury have taking 1 day a week completely 'off '. Cheers. Darren
Today, the weather was craptacular. We had massive amounts of rain and the temperature sat at +2. I'm so grateful for those 2 degrees, if it wasn't for them, it would have easily been a 30+cm dump of snow. I did my 1.5hr spin session, while watching the movie Glory - a reasonable flick, I'd give it a 6/10.
My first 4 week 'cycle' comes to a close and all went according to plan. Each cycle consists of 3 weeks of building, followed by 1 week of 'resting'. The basic outline for the next cycle is to maintain weekly spinning hours, while increasing my run frequency and mileage. Swimming will still only be once a week. I still have the luxury have taking 1 day a week completely 'off '. Cheers. Darren
Friday, January 27, 2006
T.G.I.F.
Easily the best January.. ever! When the weather is this nice, it's difficult not to start over training. Got to keep reminding myself to reign it in, going too hard now could have disasterous consequences. Must give the body time to adapt to the world of hurt I'll be applying to it in a few short months. :)
Yesterday, was a spin/weights day. I did 1hr 15min on the trainer followed by a weight/stretch session. After reading an article by Ken Mierke, I've adapted a different philosophy for weight training. Basically it boils down to doing one intense set of high weight of 5 or 6 s-l-o-w repetitions. If you want to read a much more detailed explanation, his post is here.
Today was sunny and +4, I ask you, how could you NOT run on a day like this? I did a 9ker followed by a good stretch and threw in a couple of sets of push ups and situps for good measure.
On tap for the weekend, spin 1.5 hrs on Sat and Sunday will be a 14k-ish long run. Have a GREAT weekend!
Yesterday, was a spin/weights day. I did 1hr 15min on the trainer followed by a weight/stretch session. After reading an article by Ken Mierke, I've adapted a different philosophy for weight training. Basically it boils down to doing one intense set of high weight of 5 or 6 s-l-o-w repetitions. If you want to read a much more detailed explanation, his post is here.
Today was sunny and +4, I ask you, how could you NOT run on a day like this? I did a 9ker followed by a good stretch and threw in a couple of sets of push ups and situps for good measure.
On tap for the weekend, spin 1.5 hrs on Sat and Sunday will be a 14k-ish long run. Have a GREAT weekend!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
First Swim
Somtimes starting your workout is the hardest part. Ninety percent of the battle occurs just getting your ass out the door. Once you start, you are home free - there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Today was a 2 sport day. Something I've not done in awhile. So I got home from work, peeled of my work clothes, put on my running gear and was back out the door in 10 min. Ended up getting a chilly a 7k in. Came home, had some food and rested up for my first swim of the season.
My first swim in 6 months actually went well. Got 2300 meters in, which is just fine. My main set was a 5X200m on 3:30. Each one came in at 3:03, which is slow for me, but with a 6 month layoff I won't complain one bit.
Today was a 2 sport day. Something I've not done in awhile. So I got home from work, peeled of my work clothes, put on my running gear and was back out the door in 10 min. Ended up getting a chilly a 7k in. Came home, had some food and rested up for my first swim of the season.
My first swim in 6 months actually went well. Got 2300 meters in, which is just fine. My main set was a 5X200m on 3:30. Each one came in at 3:03, which is slow for me, but with a 6 month layoff I won't complain one bit.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Happy Anniversary
Yesterday, was an anniversary of sorts, Jan 23, 2005, was when I started to 'seriously' train for Ironman Lake Placid last year. Notice that I started training 3 weeks earlier AND Ironman Canada is 5 weeks later this year. That means an extra 8 weeks of training for this race. Woo hoo!
Today, I spun for 1:15 and did 30 minutes of weights. I watched the movie U-571, so the time flew by. I have feeling the dvd player I bought on the weekend is going to see alot of action during my spin sessions.
Today, I spun for 1:15 and did 30 minutes of weights. I watched the movie U-571, so the time flew by. I have feeling the dvd player I bought on the weekend is going to see alot of action during my spin sessions.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Monday weigh in
Mileage report for week 3, ending January 22:
Run: 47.5k
Spin: 2.5 hrs
Core work, stretching and weights: 2.5hrs
Weight: 165
Met all my goals for week 3 - so no complaints. Dropped another pound, which is a bonus. Week 4 is a running 'rest week', not more than 30k is planned. Going to tack another hour on spinning and also get in my first pool session. Yowzah, it's been awhile since I've been swimming.
T0day is a scheduled rest day - woo hoo! Well, that's not 100% true, I do plan on walking Joe-the-wonder-dog and after that a solid 45 minute stretch session is on tap.
If you haven't already, GO VOTE! If you don't vote, you can't complain. Just do it.
Run: 47.5k
Spin: 2.5 hrs
Core work, stretching and weights: 2.5hrs
Weight: 165
Met all my goals for week 3 - so no complaints. Dropped another pound, which is a bonus. Week 4 is a running 'rest week', not more than 30k is planned. Going to tack another hour on spinning and also get in my first pool session. Yowzah, it's been awhile since I've been swimming.
T0day is a scheduled rest day - woo hoo! Well, that's not 100% true, I do plan on walking Joe-the-wonder-dog and after that a solid 45 minute stretch session is on tap.
If you haven't already, GO VOTE! If you don't vote, you can't complain. Just do it.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Another hurdle down
Coming to the decision to do another ironman was difficult, but once the decision is made, you have a million things to do before race day. For example: what to do with our dogs? get a dog-sitter? kenel them? research and find a place to stay, book time off work, Sally must get the same time too, how to pack bike? rent or buy a wetsuit? A couple more questions got answered today, my sister-in-law is coming up to dog-sit (who also had to confirm time off work) and we got our accomodations squared away - a nice B&B in Naramata. (about a 15 min drive to the race site) I guess the main point is that in order to do something like an Ironman, you really need a strong support crew - something that I'm lucky to have.
I capped off the end of week 3 with a 14k run this morning. It was a good ending to a good week of training. The first 3 weeks of training, I basically concentrated on running. My goal for the 4 th week is to 'rest' my running legs, add some spinning and maybe get to the pool once. I'm thinking 2 or 3 runs, 3.5hrs of spinning 2k swim and 2X30 minutes of weights.
I capped off the end of week 3 with a 14k run this morning. It was a good ending to a good week of training. The first 3 weeks of training, I basically concentrated on running. My goal for the 4 th week is to 'rest' my running legs, add some spinning and maybe get to the pool once. I'm thinking 2 or 3 runs, 3.5hrs of spinning 2k swim and 2X30 minutes of weights.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Ruff ruff!
For the 2nd time in the last 3 days, a German Sheppard and his buddy (a mid size breed mix), decided to take a run at me during MY run. I have to say I really hate being put into the position of deciding how best to defend myself against an aggresive animal that "won't bite." If people are too stupid to realize that EVERY dog *may* bite, then perhaps they shouldn't be owning the animals in the first place. *End Rant*
As for training, this week is progressing well. I did a 7.5k run yesterday and a 9k run today. I'm on track for my mileage goals for the week, but there is a significant snow storm coming in that may play havoc with my Sunday run. On tap for tomorrow: 1.5 hrs of spinning. I hope I can find something good on TV. cheers.
As for training, this week is progressing well. I did a 7.5k run yesterday and a 9k run today. I'm on track for my mileage goals for the week, but there is a significant snow storm coming in that may play havoc with my Sunday run. On tap for tomorrow: 1.5 hrs of spinning. I hope I can find something good on TV. cheers.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The best things in life are free..
Yesterday I mentioned incorporating weights into my routine. This Friday I was planning on going to the local sports store to pick up a bench, as I need it to do my legs exercises. Well lo and behold while I was on the 'beat' (that's letter carrier lingo for our routes), I noticed a customer who had a weight bench sitting on their front porch. So I figure what the heck, I'll ask if they still want it. It can't hurt to ask, right? It turns out they didn't want it and were more than happy for me to cart it away. It just seems odd that I here I was yesterday talking about starting to incorporate weights in my routine, then the very thing I needed lands in my lap the next day. Must be karma. :)
Today, I ran 8k in what could be called 'blizzard conditions'. Ok it wasn't exactly a blizzard, but that snow was blowing pretty good and running into a 50km/h headwind really is fun. At least I kept telling myself that. Cheers.
Today, I ran 8k in what could be called 'blizzard conditions'. Ok it wasn't exactly a blizzard, but that snow was blowing pretty good and running into a 50km/h headwind really is fun. At least I kept telling myself that. Cheers.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Ice Ice Baby..
Someone drew a line about 10k south of where I live. Everything north of that line gets freezing rain, everything south just gets regular rain. Needless to say, due to the treacherous conditions, today was a spin day. I logged an hour, did my core work out as usual and have started to add weights to the routine. Nothing crazy, just enough poundage so that I can do 15 to 20 reps.
Interesting site of the day:
The Canadian Death Race
Interesting site of the day:
The Canadian Death Race
Monday, January 16, 2006
Monday weigh in
Mileage for week 2:
30k run
2 hrs of spinning
2.5 hrs of core work. Stretching, ab work and push-ups.
Weight: 166
Overall, a good week. No soreness to report and muscles feel good. The weight is the same as last week, but I'm not concerned about that. The plan for week 3 is to bring the running mileage up to ~45k and tack on another .5hr of spinning.
Today I ran 10k and I have to say I'm not a big fan of running in cold weather. However, on my way into work I saw a couple of runners at 6am.. hey, if they can do it, I can do it. In the end, I did an easy 10k and was happy for it. Cheers.
30k run
2 hrs of spinning
2.5 hrs of core work. Stretching, ab work and push-ups.
Weight: 166
Overall, a good week. No soreness to report and muscles feel good. The weight is the same as last week, but I'm not concerned about that. The plan for week 3 is to bring the running mileage up to ~45k and tack on another .5hr of spinning.
Today I ran 10k and I have to say I'm not a big fan of running in cold weather. However, on my way into work I saw a couple of runners at 6am.. hey, if they can do it, I can do it. In the end, I did an easy 10k and was happy for it. Cheers.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
New baby on the way!
Grabbed a couple of buds and went to Enduro Sports down in the big smoke today. I was so impressed with the service, staff and selection, I put a deposit on a brand new Cervelo Dual. (!) This bike offers so much bang for the buck, that I could not bring myself to justify springing the extra cash for the P2 SL. Check the pic:
Sexah!
The bike is due to arrive in February. The hard part will be just looking at it until the salt gets off the roads.
Weekend training went OK. I spun for 1:15 on Saturday. Fairly easily cadence work. Just maintain a steady 95 to 100 RPM's, while keeping heart rate fairly low. (around 125). Today ended up being an off day... albeit an expensive one.
Sexah!
The bike is due to arrive in February. The hard part will be just looking at it until the salt gets off the roads.
Weekend training went OK. I spun for 1:15 on Saturday. Fairly easily cadence work. Just maintain a steady 95 to 100 RPM's, while keeping heart rate fairly low. (around 125). Today ended up being an off day... albeit an expensive one.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Happy Friday!
Banged off a pretty sweet 10k today. It was a nice jaunt along a country road. I got into one of those zones where you just want to run.. and run. But wisdom prevailed, so I settled for a 10k. I'm a little suprised I'm finding my 'running legs' so soon, but I sure won't complain about it.
It turns out the booking a hotel/motel for IMC, maybe a little tricky. Who would have thought that most everything is already booked; and here I thought I was being all prudent by booking 8 months in advance. Defineately got to get that squared away by next week.
They are calling for -15 wind chills tomorrow, so Saturday is looking like a spin day and Sunday will be my long run. The weather dictates my workouts. :)
It turns out the booking a hotel/motel for IMC, maybe a little tricky. Who would have thought that most everything is already booked; and here I thought I was being all prudent by booking 8 months in advance. Defineately got to get that squared away by next week.
They are calling for -15 wind chills tomorrow, so Saturday is looking like a spin day and Sunday will be my long run. The weather dictates my workouts. :)
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Spring Fever!
I'd just like to thank the weather gods for the last couple of weeks. When starting any training program, there is psychological, mental as well as physical shift that take place. It's amazing how much weather can affect an individual. Going for a run in mid January when it's sunny and +5 out is sweet! I know winter is not over by a long shot, but this reprieve is much appreciated.
On tap for today, a 7 to 8k easy, slow run. Controled enthusiasm are the words for the day.
If you have some time, read Nigel Gray's race report of IronMan Canada, 2005. I love reading reports from the pro's, yet another source of inspiration. Cheers, D.
On tap for today, a 7 to 8k easy, slow run. Controled enthusiasm are the words for the day.
If you have some time, read Nigel Gray's race report of IronMan Canada, 2005. I love reading reports from the pro's, yet another source of inspiration. Cheers, D.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Danger! Danger!
On the way home from work, I stopped by the LBS, that's Local Bike Store, for you non-tri folks. Get this... I actually walked out of there without spending a dime! Gasp! I did stop and gaze at the new Opus line of road bikes, some very sweet rides indeed. If you are ever near Inglewood, stop by and check Caledon Hills Cycling. They are geared (get it? geared!), towards roadies and mountain bikers.
Continuing on the biking theme, a solid 45 min is on the spinning agenda today, plus the usual core workout. Actually I should stop writing and get on with the workout. Later!
Continuing on the biking theme, a solid 45 min is on the spinning agenda today, plus the usual core workout. Actually I should stop writing and get on with the workout. Later!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Another hurdle down..
Asked and received vacation for the end of August/ beginning of September. Hmm.. let me check the date of IronMan Canada... Well what do you know? IMC is Aug 27! A mere 210 days away..
It's plus 2 degrees and sunny, ya I'm going for a run. I should probably spin today, but it's SO sweet out that I'm going running. I have to take advantage of this beautiful weather while it lasts. There will be plenty of time to spin when the weather turns sour. Planning on the same run/ routine as yesterday; a 6k'er followed by a stretching/core workout.
It's plus 2 degrees and sunny, ya I'm going for a run. I should probably spin today, but it's SO sweet out that I'm going running. I have to take advantage of this beautiful weather while it lasts. There will be plenty of time to spin when the weather turns sour. Planning on the same run/ routine as yesterday; a 6k'er followed by a stretching/core workout.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Monday weigh in
Good news! Over the last week I dropped 2 pounds. Excess pounds always come off fast during the first few weeks of training. I would like a race day weight of 158 and I'm currently at 166, a mere 8 pounds to go!
Yesterday, was an off day. Here is my log for my first week of training:
Mon 5k run
Tues 30 min spin
Wed 5k run
Thur 5k run
Fri 40 min spin
Sat 8k run
Sun Off
Total for the week: 23k run and 1hr 10min of spinning. Plus lots of stretching and 'core' work outs. ( push-ups and situps .. yay!)
The weather is good and the roads are clear, so in about an hour I'm going for a run. I'm thinking an easy 6k followed by my regular core workout.
Yesterday, was an off day. Here is my log for my first week of training:
Mon 5k run
Tues 30 min spin
Wed 5k run
Thur 5k run
Fri 40 min spin
Sat 8k run
Sun Off
Total for the week: 23k run and 1hr 10min of spinning. Plus lots of stretching and 'core' work outs. ( push-ups and situps .. yay!)
The weather is good and the roads are clear, so in about an hour I'm going for a run. I'm thinking an easy 6k followed by my regular core workout.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
First long run of the year.
The first of week of training went well. The trick is to go slow and repeat the mantra 'take it easy.' Today marked my first long run - a shade under 8km. I know it hardly qualifies as a long run, as in a few short months my long runs will be 30k+.. but it's a start. The body feels good and I'm not sore. All positive signs.
Here is my tentative racing schedule for 2006:
June 18. Muskoka. (2k swim, 55k bike and a 15k run) This will be my first race of the season and I'm also hoping to qualify for IronMan Canada.
June 25 Guelph (1.5k swim, 38k bike and a 10k run)
July 9 Peterborough (2k swim, 90k bike and 21k run) This race provides a second opportunity to qualify for IMC. If I qualify in Muskoka, I'll probably pass on this one.
Aug 6 Belwood (1k swim, 33k bike 7k run)
Aug 27 IronMan Canada in Penticton BC. (3.8k swim 180k bike and a 42k run)
Some things still have to fall in place in order for me to do IMC. However, I have spousal approval and as anyone who has done an IM knows - this is a huge. So hats off to Mrs. IronMan errr.. IronWoman, my wife, Sally.
Here is my tentative racing schedule for 2006:
June 18. Muskoka. (2k swim, 55k bike and a 15k run) This will be my first race of the season and I'm also hoping to qualify for IronMan Canada.
June 25 Guelph (1.5k swim, 38k bike and a 10k run)
July 9 Peterborough (2k swim, 90k bike and 21k run) This race provides a second opportunity to qualify for IMC. If I qualify in Muskoka, I'll probably pass on this one.
Aug 6 Belwood (1k swim, 33k bike 7k run)
Aug 27 IronMan Canada in Penticton BC. (3.8k swim 180k bike and a 42k run)
Some things still have to fall in place in order for me to do IMC. However, I have spousal approval and as anyone who has done an IM knows - this is a huge. So hats off to Mrs. IronMan errr.. IronWoman, my wife, Sally.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Happy Friday!
First, let's get the triathlon related news out of the way. The guys at work are always telling me: ' you should apply for employee sponsorship.' No doubt, most of them think I'm insane and I have to admit when training for an IronMan, there are times when you question your own sanity. However, I have decided to take the plunge and request sponsorship. So today, I've spent most of the day putting togethor a proposal for the powers that be. Who knows, maybe a Cervelo P2SL is in my future. grin. I'll keep you posted.
I've also come up with a tenative schedule for the 2006 season, I will share with you on my weekend update.
Last and certainly not least, my hearfelt congratulations to one of my bestest buds, Ian, and his wife to be, Lena. August 17 is the big day. Here is a picture of the happy couple after a half marathon we ran last year.
Cheers guys!
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Training for 2006 has begun!
First a brief comment about the two previous posts. I realize they are old news but I decided to put up my last two race reports from '05 for two reasons: 1) I needed some filler :) and 2) I've been told they are a good read. No matter, they will soon be in the archives.
On to the matter at hand, I've begun training for the 2006 season. Over the last 3 months of downtime, I've managed to gain a respectable 8+ pounds, so the time has come to start setting goals for the new season. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been mentally gearing up and as of Jan 2 training is officially under way. This is actually a good thing, as it is a full 3 weeks earlier than last year. I'm psyched and excited!
So, what is the goal for 2006 you ask? That is a good question. Being as it is early in the season, let's just say goals are still being established. I'm *hoping* to see Penticton this year. Enough said.
On to the matter at hand, I've begun training for the 2006 season. Over the last 3 months of downtime, I've managed to gain a respectable 8+ pounds, so the time has come to start setting goals for the new season. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been mentally gearing up and as of Jan 2 training is officially under way. This is actually a good thing, as it is a full 3 weeks earlier than last year. I'm psyched and excited!
So, what is the goal for 2006 you ask? That is a good question. Being as it is early in the season, let's just say goals are still being established. I'm *hoping* to see Penticton this year. Enough said.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Ironman Lake Placid Race Report
I'm not going to get too much into how I got here or even why I'm doing this. I'm not even sure as to the why. One day I decided to go on a journey, just to see where it would take me..
Pre Pre Race
I can honestly look myself in the mirror and say I followed my training regime perfectly. I did not miss one training session in the last 6 months - it went perfect. Total swimming kms:185.2. Total biking kms: 3250k. Spinning hours: 57.5. Running kms: 1370.5. I did interval work, hill training, stretching, situps & pushups. I totally nailed my training and was very pleased.
Goals
This is rather tough to talk about because I'm doing this post race. But it's still interesting in a morbid sort of way. :) By nature, I can be intense. I set realistic difficult goals for myself - and set out to attain them. "Know yourself" is one of my personal mantras and it's a great gift to look at yourself with objective eyes. To look at the good, to fix the not-so-good, it's all about self discovery; and it can be kinda cool.
Enough of the philosophy, here is the meat and potatoes. My goals for my first IM were initially quite fluid, but as the months went by I started to zone in on the following:A++ goal - this would have to be a personal perfect race. Sub 10hrs. I knew this was not a realistic goal and I perhaps had a 5% chance of attaining it.
'A' goal - sub 10:30. This was the target. I know myself and this was going to be my 'realistic difficult' goal.
'A -' goal. sub 11:00. If external issues were going to be a factor, I still wanted to finish sub 11.
'B' goal. Finish.Pre Race
I had a text book taper, things were shaping up great! I was able to stay relaxed and focused. My wife and I stayed in a town just outside Lake Placid. I defineately wanted to stay away from the crowds and excitement. We arrived on Friday afternoon, quickly checked into our little cabin in Saranac Lake, went to Lake Placid, registered, did a quick tour of the expo and wasback in our cabin in no time flat. I did a nice short run, ate dinner and was in bed by 9 On Saturday, I was up at 4am. I conditioned myself to wake up nice and early for the entire week before the race. Just trying to cover every angle. I went for a totally mint morning ride - just to stay loose and focused. A beautiful morning jaunt in the Adirondacks, morning sun, a slight mist coming off the lakes, no traffic - in a word, awesome. I stopped at one point, thanked nature for the show and did nice and easy spin back to the cabin. Oh man, what a great way to start the day. I was ridin high and lovin it! The rest of the day consisted of getting setup for Sunday, athletes meeting, snackin and hydrating.
Okie dokey.. moving right along..Race PlanPretty basic really. I knew the battle was going to be primarily mental. So to prepare myself, I was to keep in the mind frame of: "this is just a long training day". Key words were "relax, take it easy and stay focused." Swim plan: sub 1hr. Bike plan: take first loop SLOW. Try to even split the 2nd loop. Bike goal: sub 5:30. Run: nice and steady. sub 4hrs. Total: < 10:30.
Race Day
Some of the following may not be suitable for all audiences. Parental discretion is advised.3:30am. Awake and feeling good. Can't believe it's finally here. I can honestly say, I have thought about this race every single day from the moment I signed up 364 days earlier. This is it. Let's get er done.Went through my pre race routine. Stretched a bit, I was loose and relaxed. Felt great. Sally and I arrived in Lake Placid at 5:30am, I got body marked, checked my bike, double checked my transition bags and then dropped off my special needs bags. We were at the swim start just after 6am. Lots of time to get ready and watch the women pro start. IMLP was showcasing the pro women and it was really cool these incredible athletes in the spotlight.My personal war, yes I did say war, begins at 7am. I didn't know I was in for a war, but in hindsight the word 'war' is about the best synonym I could come up with. A total of 5 battles took place. The first battle was the swim...
The swim.
Whoa. Just under 2000 wetsuits. I said to myself "Jeez I'm glad I'm confident in the water because if I wasn't, this would freak me the hell out." I placed myself very close to the front and everyone kinda tread water while waiting for the start. 7am. BOOM. The cannon went off and we were officially underway. Yup, it was just like being thrown into a washing machine. Luckily, I can swim well and within the first 500m I tucked in behind the lead crew and followed a nice pair feet for the rest of the swim. It felt great. I have a nice slow turnover and did not feel winded at all. My time for the swim was 52:51. Perhaps a little fast, but I attributed the extra speed to the course and the drafting behind the lead crew.I didn't even know it, but I had won the first battle of the war. Darren 1 IMLP 0
T1 (Transition 1)
Take it easy. If you have to take an extra minute or two it's no biggie.. it's gonna be a long day and 2 minutes is not going to make a difference. And so I did. I talked to a race official.. just wanted to make sure my rental wetsuit was going to end up in the right place! I went for a pee. Then jogged to the bike rack area. This part was cool. They had people yelling your race number, then a volunteer would unrack your bike andbring it the end of the row. Your bike is all ready for you and you just run by grab your bike and get on your way. Very professional. T1 time was 5:23.
The bike.
180km is a ridiculas amount of cycling in my opinion. :) The course consists of two 90k loops. So I mentally broke this down as an easy 90k ride, followed by a hard 90k ride. I repeated my mantras of relax and take it easy and by josh it was working! I was easy spinning. I wasn't even breathing hard. I took some time, enjoyed the awesome scenery, it felt great! Bike split was about 2:40. Right on target. If my plan works out, I'll be slighty ahead of my 5:30 goal. I was in the zone and lovin it! Once again, I had won a battle I didn't even know I fought. Darren 2 IMLP 0.
2nd loop.
Things start to get a little wonky shortly after the 90k mark. My body is telling me stuff and I'm just not understanding. I have headache and my stomach is grumbling. I immediately back off the intensity - even though I didn't think I was going that hard to begin with. I go to drinking pure water, thinking that it will dilute the calories in my gut and make them more easily absorbed. I think to myself - ok this nothing major, just a minor hiccup, I'll get my stomach settled and we can move on.I descend into Keane without taking one peddle stroke. For those that don't know, the Keane descent is a legendary part of the course where you can easily hit 75k/hr. I'm about 1 hr into the 2nd loop and not really fairing any better, actually having some minor dizziness, which is a littledisoncerting when your biking. Headache goes from throbbing to a dull pain. I'm in a constant state of nausea. I start to think' just finish the bike.' From this point on my memory gets a little fuzzy. I remember things like: "dude, you are already operating at a caloric/ hydration defecit, there is NO way you'll be able to do the marathon." I remember feeling quite dizzy and telling myself it's time to quit. I think if I saw a race official I would have withdrawn from the race. I remember the mind games, things like: well, you are missing all your time goals, why bother going on? I really, really, REALLY wanted to quit. I did have the presence of mind to keep drinking water, in the hopes that maybe half of what I was drinking would get absorbed. I don'treally recall the last 30k. 2nd loop was about 3:10. I remember being angry at this - just because it was well below my capability. But I also remember thinking 3:10? I would have sworn it was 4:30! My sense of time was messed up.Yup, I was in a war now and it was going to be a doozy. Darren 2 IMLP 1
T2 (transition 2)
I make it to the tent and sit down. Lot's of action and excitement all around me, but I don't care. I gotta take stock of the situation and regroup. A volunteer comes over and asks how I'm doing, to which I reply, "not so good."He says, "here have some pretzels." I find this quite funny. So, I'm sitting there trying to eat a pretzel - ever try to eat a pretzel when your mouth is already pasty? Anyway, I know I'm low on fluids and salt, because I was unable to injest a damn thing for the entire 2nd loop of the bike. I have to get the contents in my stomach moving. Hmm... walking stimulates the digestion, let's go for walk. T2 time was around 6min.
The Run 1st loop
Oh my god. I'm walking and actually feeling better! YAY! The crowds are going mental - what a tremendous psychological boost. This actually isn't so bad. Maybe, just maybe I can run.... and so I run. I immediately settle into my comfortable runpace. I walk the aid stations, consume water along with the gels I'm carrying. I'm still having stomach problems, but it's not nearly as bad as it was before. I'm walking the hills, walking the aid the stations and running in between. Jeez, I just may be able to salvage my sub 11 hr goal!! The miles start going by, I start slowing down noticeably around mile 9/10. My stomach was the primary reason. Finally reach the halfway mark of the marathon. I'm in bad shape, but not ridiculasly so. My split was just under 2 hrs - which I was moderately happy with considering I felt like shit. Ok, I won that round. Darren 3, IMLP 1
2nd loop of the run
Ok. Now I'm playing "just gotta make it to the next aid station game". Stomach and headache issues are coming back with a vengenence. I'm in a constant state of mild dizziness. Absolutely nothing I injest at the aid the stations is helping. I think maybe I should go make myself be sick, but I'm reluctant to do this - just because then I'll have absolutely nothing in my gut to get absorbed. I figured as long as liquid is my stomach maybe some portion of it is getting absorbed. I soldier on. Mile 17/18. BAM. Ok, this is bad. Very dizzy now. I really wanna close my eyes and go sit down. But I don't. I'm walking and thinking left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot and being thankful that there is a white line on the road that I can follow.I'm swerving a bit, but really concentrating on just walking straight - so I don't think the swerving is too bad. I do recall thinking, "if I see a race official now, I'm quitting." Darren 3, IMLP 2
Mile 22. Just walked the last 4/5 miles and that's it; my tummy finally blew it's load. Only had two thoughts at this point: 1) Jesus Christ, I remember that orange piece from the first aid station! and 2) I'm so glad this didn't happen in town!
I'm in rough shape, mainly due to the lack of fluids/calories, but I'm only 4 miles from the finish line. Quitting was not option.Getting sick makes me feel better, but now I'm know I'm dangerously low on water and salt. So I'm drinking, water and chicken broth at the remaining aid stations and starting to feel a little bit better! I end up running the last couple of miles, mostly because I did not want to be on the course any longer and running is faster than walking. :) Split for the 2nd loop was something like 2:50.
The Finish
The crowd. The announcer. Excitement was in the air. It was like someone stuck a needle of adrenalin in my arm. I flew to the finish line. I don't how/why or where that surge came from - but I won't forget it. I won the war.
Total time: 11:45
Post RaceI will say one thing.. this is probably the most unhealthiest way to lose almost 20 pounds! Even in hindsight, I'm not sure I would have done anything different. Even the best laid plans can be fubar'd by circumstances beyond your control. I'd like to do an Iron distance race without stomach issues, so currently, I'm thinking about giving IM Penticton a shot. Will I do IMLP again? Perhaps. That course owes me and I want payback. I still have much to learn.The journey continues..
Pre Pre Race
I can honestly look myself in the mirror and say I followed my training regime perfectly. I did not miss one training session in the last 6 months - it went perfect. Total swimming kms:185.2. Total biking kms: 3250k. Spinning hours: 57.5. Running kms: 1370.5. I did interval work, hill training, stretching, situps & pushups. I totally nailed my training and was very pleased.
Goals
This is rather tough to talk about because I'm doing this post race. But it's still interesting in a morbid sort of way. :) By nature, I can be intense. I set realistic difficult goals for myself - and set out to attain them. "Know yourself" is one of my personal mantras and it's a great gift to look at yourself with objective eyes. To look at the good, to fix the not-so-good, it's all about self discovery; and it can be kinda cool.
Enough of the philosophy, here is the meat and potatoes. My goals for my first IM were initially quite fluid, but as the months went by I started to zone in on the following:A++ goal - this would have to be a personal perfect race. Sub 10hrs. I knew this was not a realistic goal and I perhaps had a 5% chance of attaining it.
'A' goal - sub 10:30. This was the target. I know myself and this was going to be my 'realistic difficult' goal.
'A -' goal. sub 11:00. If external issues were going to be a factor, I still wanted to finish sub 11.
'B' goal. Finish.Pre Race
I had a text book taper, things were shaping up great! I was able to stay relaxed and focused. My wife and I stayed in a town just outside Lake Placid. I defineately wanted to stay away from the crowds and excitement. We arrived on Friday afternoon, quickly checked into our little cabin in Saranac Lake, went to Lake Placid, registered, did a quick tour of the expo and wasback in our cabin in no time flat. I did a nice short run, ate dinner and was in bed by 9 On Saturday, I was up at 4am. I conditioned myself to wake up nice and early for the entire week before the race. Just trying to cover every angle. I went for a totally mint morning ride - just to stay loose and focused. A beautiful morning jaunt in the Adirondacks, morning sun, a slight mist coming off the lakes, no traffic - in a word, awesome. I stopped at one point, thanked nature for the show and did nice and easy spin back to the cabin. Oh man, what a great way to start the day. I was ridin high and lovin it! The rest of the day consisted of getting setup for Sunday, athletes meeting, snackin and hydrating.
Okie dokey.. moving right along..Race PlanPretty basic really. I knew the battle was going to be primarily mental. So to prepare myself, I was to keep in the mind frame of: "this is just a long training day". Key words were "relax, take it easy and stay focused." Swim plan: sub 1hr. Bike plan: take first loop SLOW. Try to even split the 2nd loop. Bike goal: sub 5:30. Run: nice and steady. sub 4hrs. Total: < 10:30.
Race Day
Some of the following may not be suitable for all audiences. Parental discretion is advised.3:30am. Awake and feeling good. Can't believe it's finally here. I can honestly say, I have thought about this race every single day from the moment I signed up 364 days earlier. This is it. Let's get er done.Went through my pre race routine. Stretched a bit, I was loose and relaxed. Felt great. Sally and I arrived in Lake Placid at 5:30am, I got body marked, checked my bike, double checked my transition bags and then dropped off my special needs bags. We were at the swim start just after 6am. Lots of time to get ready and watch the women pro start. IMLP was showcasing the pro women and it was really cool these incredible athletes in the spotlight.My personal war, yes I did say war, begins at 7am. I didn't know I was in for a war, but in hindsight the word 'war' is about the best synonym I could come up with. A total of 5 battles took place. The first battle was the swim...
The swim.
Whoa. Just under 2000 wetsuits. I said to myself "Jeez I'm glad I'm confident in the water because if I wasn't, this would freak me the hell out." I placed myself very close to the front and everyone kinda tread water while waiting for the start. 7am. BOOM. The cannon went off and we were officially underway. Yup, it was just like being thrown into a washing machine. Luckily, I can swim well and within the first 500m I tucked in behind the lead crew and followed a nice pair feet for the rest of the swim. It felt great. I have a nice slow turnover and did not feel winded at all. My time for the swim was 52:51. Perhaps a little fast, but I attributed the extra speed to the course and the drafting behind the lead crew.I didn't even know it, but I had won the first battle of the war. Darren 1 IMLP 0
T1 (Transition 1)
Take it easy. If you have to take an extra minute or two it's no biggie.. it's gonna be a long day and 2 minutes is not going to make a difference. And so I did. I talked to a race official.. just wanted to make sure my rental wetsuit was going to end up in the right place! I went for a pee. Then jogged to the bike rack area. This part was cool. They had people yelling your race number, then a volunteer would unrack your bike andbring it the end of the row. Your bike is all ready for you and you just run by grab your bike and get on your way. Very professional. T1 time was 5:23.
The bike.
180km is a ridiculas amount of cycling in my opinion. :) The course consists of two 90k loops. So I mentally broke this down as an easy 90k ride, followed by a hard 90k ride. I repeated my mantras of relax and take it easy and by josh it was working! I was easy spinning. I wasn't even breathing hard. I took some time, enjoyed the awesome scenery, it felt great! Bike split was about 2:40. Right on target. If my plan works out, I'll be slighty ahead of my 5:30 goal. I was in the zone and lovin it! Once again, I had won a battle I didn't even know I fought. Darren 2 IMLP 0.
2nd loop.
Things start to get a little wonky shortly after the 90k mark. My body is telling me stuff and I'm just not understanding. I have headache and my stomach is grumbling. I immediately back off the intensity - even though I didn't think I was going that hard to begin with. I go to drinking pure water, thinking that it will dilute the calories in my gut and make them more easily absorbed. I think to myself - ok this nothing major, just a minor hiccup, I'll get my stomach settled and we can move on.I descend into Keane without taking one peddle stroke. For those that don't know, the Keane descent is a legendary part of the course where you can easily hit 75k/hr. I'm about 1 hr into the 2nd loop and not really fairing any better, actually having some minor dizziness, which is a littledisoncerting when your biking. Headache goes from throbbing to a dull pain. I'm in a constant state of nausea. I start to think' just finish the bike.' From this point on my memory gets a little fuzzy. I remember things like: "dude, you are already operating at a caloric/ hydration defecit, there is NO way you'll be able to do the marathon." I remember feeling quite dizzy and telling myself it's time to quit. I think if I saw a race official I would have withdrawn from the race. I remember the mind games, things like: well, you are missing all your time goals, why bother going on? I really, really, REALLY wanted to quit. I did have the presence of mind to keep drinking water, in the hopes that maybe half of what I was drinking would get absorbed. I don'treally recall the last 30k. 2nd loop was about 3:10. I remember being angry at this - just because it was well below my capability. But I also remember thinking 3:10? I would have sworn it was 4:30! My sense of time was messed up.Yup, I was in a war now and it was going to be a doozy. Darren 2 IMLP 1
T2 (transition 2)
I make it to the tent and sit down. Lot's of action and excitement all around me, but I don't care. I gotta take stock of the situation and regroup. A volunteer comes over and asks how I'm doing, to which I reply, "not so good."He says, "here have some pretzels." I find this quite funny. So, I'm sitting there trying to eat a pretzel - ever try to eat a pretzel when your mouth is already pasty? Anyway, I know I'm low on fluids and salt, because I was unable to injest a damn thing for the entire 2nd loop of the bike. I have to get the contents in my stomach moving. Hmm... walking stimulates the digestion, let's go for walk. T2 time was around 6min.
The Run 1st loop
Oh my god. I'm walking and actually feeling better! YAY! The crowds are going mental - what a tremendous psychological boost. This actually isn't so bad. Maybe, just maybe I can run.... and so I run. I immediately settle into my comfortable runpace. I walk the aid stations, consume water along with the gels I'm carrying. I'm still having stomach problems, but it's not nearly as bad as it was before. I'm walking the hills, walking the aid the stations and running in between. Jeez, I just may be able to salvage my sub 11 hr goal!! The miles start going by, I start slowing down noticeably around mile 9/10. My stomach was the primary reason. Finally reach the halfway mark of the marathon. I'm in bad shape, but not ridiculasly so. My split was just under 2 hrs - which I was moderately happy with considering I felt like shit. Ok, I won that round. Darren 3, IMLP 1
2nd loop of the run
Ok. Now I'm playing "just gotta make it to the next aid station game". Stomach and headache issues are coming back with a vengenence. I'm in a constant state of mild dizziness. Absolutely nothing I injest at the aid the stations is helping. I think maybe I should go make myself be sick, but I'm reluctant to do this - just because then I'll have absolutely nothing in my gut to get absorbed. I figured as long as liquid is my stomach maybe some portion of it is getting absorbed. I soldier on. Mile 17/18. BAM. Ok, this is bad. Very dizzy now. I really wanna close my eyes and go sit down. But I don't. I'm walking and thinking left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot and being thankful that there is a white line on the road that I can follow.I'm swerving a bit, but really concentrating on just walking straight - so I don't think the swerving is too bad. I do recall thinking, "if I see a race official now, I'm quitting." Darren 3, IMLP 2
Mile 22. Just walked the last 4/5 miles and that's it; my tummy finally blew it's load. Only had two thoughts at this point: 1) Jesus Christ, I remember that orange piece from the first aid station! and 2) I'm so glad this didn't happen in town!
I'm in rough shape, mainly due to the lack of fluids/calories, but I'm only 4 miles from the finish line. Quitting was not option.Getting sick makes me feel better, but now I'm know I'm dangerously low on water and salt. So I'm drinking, water and chicken broth at the remaining aid stations and starting to feel a little bit better! I end up running the last couple of miles, mostly because I did not want to be on the course any longer and running is faster than walking. :) Split for the 2nd loop was something like 2:50.
The Finish
The crowd. The announcer. Excitement was in the air. It was like someone stuck a needle of adrenalin in my arm. I flew to the finish line. I don't how/why or where that surge came from - but I won't forget it. I won the war.
Total time: 11:45
Post RaceI will say one thing.. this is probably the most unhealthiest way to lose almost 20 pounds! Even in hindsight, I'm not sure I would have done anything different. Even the best laid plans can be fubar'd by circumstances beyond your control. I'd like to do an Iron distance race without stomach issues, so currently, I'm thinking about giving IM Penticton a shot. Will I do IMLP again? Perhaps. That course owes me and I want payback. I still have much to learn.The journey continues..
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Guelph Lake report.
The day started with me waking up a good 3 hrs before the race start. Had my standard race morning meal - 1 piece of light rye toast with honey, a couple of figs and a half cup of coffee. Did some light stretching and started to get in the 'zone'. We arrived with lots of time to spare - by 'we' I mean myself and my cheering section aka Sally, my wife. :) All pre race stuff went off with out a hitch. I was nice and relaxed.
Sally and I headed to the beach and on the way we passed the podium, she says ' hop up there and I'll take your picture'. So I figure what the heck, it's the only way I'll see a podium finish. :) I do some funky poses and we both had a chuckle.
We hit the beach and I get suited and warmed up. Official start is still 15 min away so I go for an easy swim and feel loose and limber.
Race start is approaching and now there are 350 of us crowding on the beach, the atmosphere is good. Wave 1 promptly start at 8:30. I'm in the second wave, starting at 8:32. Bam! We're off. I have a swimming background, so I might as well take advantage of it. Myself and and another guy take lead, I look over and say to myself ' hmm nice technique, maybe I can settle in and draft behind him..' Well that wasn't going to happend because before you know it we had caught up with the back of the first wave. So for the next 500m I was swimming around people. For the last 500m, the crowd thinned and I settled into a nice rhythm. Finish up the swim, exit the water and head off to T1.
Swim time was 21:35 or 1:27/100. I actually thought I'd be around the 1:23/100 mark - but I won't bitch.
T1 went fairly smooth. Had to sit and rassle my wet suit off, but other than that - no problems. T1 time was 1:13.
Onto the bike. Since I'm training for Iron Man I wasn't really sure what to do on the bike portion. I mean 38k is relatively short compared to some of the crazy training rides I have to do. So the plan was to 'giver', but not too crazy. Think of it like a speed work out. I passed perhaps 5 or 6 people on the bike course and I thought.. ' damn, maybe I'm going out to hard?' Shrug, I'll guess I'll find out. At around the 33k mark I passed the lead elite woman - what a sight, 110 lbs of muscle. Gave me a little boost and before ya know it, the bike portion is toast. Bike time 1:01:55. 36.8km/h. Would have been nice to be in the 37 range, but again, I won't bitch.
Ug. Run time. My worst part. I've been working on the run, let's see if there are any dividends. The, cough, " plan" had me in the 45min range. The legs were a little heavy at the start, but not crazy bad. The heat was starting to kick in, but at this point it was only about 10am so again, that wasn't so bad either. By km 1, I could already here clump, clump behind me, damn already passed by some of the people I passed late on the bike portion. By km 3 the elite woman I mention in the bike, flew past me. Wow! What a turnover! She was smokin. At km 6, I passed an elite male who was barfing his guts out - yikes I felt for him, didn't look like he was having fun. At this point I kinda lost track of far I had to go - but I could tell the end was near... but alas, no it was not. I totally forgot they make you run past the finish area, for another short out and back loop. Bonus! :) Ahh well suck it up and finish it. And so I did. Run time 41:59 or 4:12 km. While certainly not nearly as fast as some of the speed demons, I was happy with the run split. Still needs work though. :)
Total time 2:07:29. Met my goal and placed second in my category! What a great mental boost for my upcoming IronMan.
Cheers,
Darren
Sally and I headed to the beach and on the way we passed the podium, she says ' hop up there and I'll take your picture'. So I figure what the heck, it's the only way I'll see a podium finish. :) I do some funky poses and we both had a chuckle.
We hit the beach and I get suited and warmed up. Official start is still 15 min away so I go for an easy swim and feel loose and limber.
Race start is approaching and now there are 350 of us crowding on the beach, the atmosphere is good. Wave 1 promptly start at 8:30. I'm in the second wave, starting at 8:32. Bam! We're off. I have a swimming background, so I might as well take advantage of it. Myself and and another guy take lead, I look over and say to myself ' hmm nice technique, maybe I can settle in and draft behind him..' Well that wasn't going to happend because before you know it we had caught up with the back of the first wave. So for the next 500m I was swimming around people. For the last 500m, the crowd thinned and I settled into a nice rhythm. Finish up the swim, exit the water and head off to T1.
Swim time was 21:35 or 1:27/100. I actually thought I'd be around the 1:23/100 mark - but I won't bitch.
T1 went fairly smooth. Had to sit and rassle my wet suit off, but other than that - no problems. T1 time was 1:13.
Onto the bike. Since I'm training for Iron Man I wasn't really sure what to do on the bike portion. I mean 38k is relatively short compared to some of the crazy training rides I have to do. So the plan was to 'giver', but not too crazy. Think of it like a speed work out. I passed perhaps 5 or 6 people on the bike course and I thought.. ' damn, maybe I'm going out to hard?' Shrug, I'll guess I'll find out. At around the 33k mark I passed the lead elite woman - what a sight, 110 lbs of muscle. Gave me a little boost and before ya know it, the bike portion is toast. Bike time 1:01:55. 36.8km/h. Would have been nice to be in the 37 range, but again, I won't bitch.
Ug. Run time. My worst part. I've been working on the run, let's see if there are any dividends. The, cough, " plan" had me in the 45min range. The legs were a little heavy at the start, but not crazy bad. The heat was starting to kick in, but at this point it was only about 10am so again, that wasn't so bad either. By km 1, I could already here clump, clump behind me, damn already passed by some of the people I passed late on the bike portion. By km 3 the elite woman I mention in the bike, flew past me. Wow! What a turnover! She was smokin. At km 6, I passed an elite male who was barfing his guts out - yikes I felt for him, didn't look like he was having fun. At this point I kinda lost track of far I had to go - but I could tell the end was near... but alas, no it was not. I totally forgot they make you run past the finish area, for another short out and back loop. Bonus! :) Ahh well suck it up and finish it. And so I did. Run time 41:59 or 4:12 km. While certainly not nearly as fast as some of the speed demons, I was happy with the run split. Still needs work though. :)
Total time 2:07:29. Met my goal and placed second in my category! What a great mental boost for my upcoming IronMan.
Cheers,
Darren
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