So I'm watching the live video of Ironman New Zealand and I figure it's a good time to do a quick update. The live internet coverage is particularly good, lots of helicoptor shots, good tunes and a number of different camera shots. It's getting me pumped. The one thing I find odd is watching the folks in T1 walking their tricked out P3C's to the bike mount line. All the money spent on a tricked out bike and it's being walked.. /boggle.
Fortuitous timing... I just saw the oldest woman in the race RUN her bike through T1. Awesome!
Had a bad ass swim today. Honestly, I don't deserve it, as I'm a swim-slacker, but my stroke hasn't felt this good in a looong time. It would seem the swim gods are smiling on me.
Some Feb stats: (last year in brackets)
Swim: 22.9k (19k)
Bike: 24 hrs (25.5)
Run: 200k (104)
This week has been very light. Just one workout a day, with the longest being a mere 1:15. The previous 3 weeks were pretty good, so it was defineately time for a slacker week. I also like to time my 'easy' weeks with a race, so it sort of turns into a mini taper.
I'm racing on Sunday, that's the good news. The bad news... some plantar faciitis issues on my right foot reared it's head yesterday. I'm pretty sure the culprit is the ice cleats I wear at work. So now the question is do I increase the chance of falling and take off the cleats? For now, the cleats are off, I just can't go around trashing my PF. With March all but here, hopefully this will all be moot in short order. February, you sucked.
The plan for Sunday. Hold 4min/k for as long as possible and eek out a PB. Pretty simple. Have a great weekend!
Cheers
Friday, February 29, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
You can't handle the truth!
Hehe.. a great line. Being a rather self analytical kinda guy, it's clear I'm just not running enough. I put off the big treadmill purchase for a year and in hindsight it was probably a mistake. It's been a real struggle for the last couple of months just to log in 200-230k a month and one thing is for certain, I won't become a runner logging those paltry K's. I thought I was doing OK, considering the retardly crappy winter we've been having, but the log doesn't lie. It will be even more challenging to try increase the running while simutaneously trying to balance the other 2 sports. Such is triathlon.
Le log from last week:
Swim: 5k
Bike: 7hrs
Run: 55k
Notes: My current favorite swim set is 5(400fr, 100bk). It's a pretty easy 2500m, still just concentrating on form and getting into the swim of things.
Bike is coming along awesome. Did the ErgVideo loop of Lake Placid on Saturday and averaged 231 watts - mostly a high Z1 /low Z2 effort with some spikes into Z3.
Did a 5k Z4 effort on Thursdays run. Held my typical 4k/min, but perceived effort was rather high. Should be interesting this Sunday as I'm actually running a race... Yup, the Chilly Half Marathon is this Sunday and it's my last race as a 39 year old. I'd love to PB it, but I think that's asking alot considering I've done zero speedwork and I'm bitchin about my lack of running, but we'll see how it goes.
This sort of drives me nuts. When well intentioned people say they are going to do something, but really it's just talk. Anyone can talk a good game, but the key here is be true to yourself and if you say you're going to do something, then damn well do it!
Be true to your word. Really, it's all you have. (got to give props to my Mom for that.. cheers, Mom :)
Le log from last week:
Swim: 5k
Bike: 7hrs
Run: 55k
Notes: My current favorite swim set is 5(400fr, 100bk). It's a pretty easy 2500m, still just concentrating on form and getting into the swim of things.
Bike is coming along awesome. Did the ErgVideo loop of Lake Placid on Saturday and averaged 231 watts - mostly a high Z1 /low Z2 effort with some spikes into Z3.
Did a 5k Z4 effort on Thursdays run. Held my typical 4k/min, but perceived effort was rather high. Should be interesting this Sunday as I'm actually running a race... Yup, the Chilly Half Marathon is this Sunday and it's my last race as a 39 year old. I'd love to PB it, but I think that's asking alot considering I've done zero speedwork and I'm bitchin about my lack of running, but we'll see how it goes.
This sort of drives me nuts. When well intentioned people say they are going to do something, but really it's just talk. Anyone can talk a good game, but the key here is be true to yourself and if you say you're going to do something, then damn well do it!
Be true to your word. Really, it's all you have. (got to give props to my Mom for that.. cheers, Mom :)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
El Cheapo, ITB - not!
Desoto tri short at LBS: 69.99 + tax.
Desoto tri short on Ebay: 28.50 no tax and delivered.
Saucony running shoes, full retail: 130.00 (yea, like I'm going to pay that)
Saucony running shoes on "sale": 99.99 (still too much)
Last years Saucony's: 79.99 (ok, I'll bite, bought 4 pair)
Best price I've paid: ~40.00 delivered and no tax on Ebay - tough to find though.
I like running shoes, but I hate the ridiculas marketing that goes with them. THIS years model is exactly the same as LAST years model, but has new improved shoe laces, or a different colour, maybe they changed a grommet, now because the shoe is sooooo much better, we better charge you extra for it! Yet, Joe Average thinks a $200 shoe is better than last years shoe that can be had for $80. Hey, if Joe Average is dumb enough to buy 200 dollar runners you can sure as hell bet that someone will sell it to him. (even though the labour is farmed out to 3rd world countries and that said company probably doesn't pay more that 6 bucks for them.)
Just like the tri shorts. I support the LBS as much as possible and have thrown a good chunk of change at them over the years, but I will not pay 70 dollars for a hunk of lycra with a pad on the butt - yet I have no problem dropping $$$ on race wheels... go figure. But since, I'm cheap when it comes to some stuff ... I can actually afford race wheels!
I would be the first the champion local business, but if I feel I'm getting ripped off, they won't be getting my money. I say, unite! If you feel you are paying too much - then you are! Do something about it.
A quick word about running shoes. Look for: actual 'running shoes' and buy the cheapest ones on sale in last years model. Trust me, I've run in them all and they all last the same amout of time. Buy, them in pairs of 2 and alternate your runs with your shoes. By doing this, I average ~600k per pair. This is tip number 1 of the week.
Last week's mileage recap:
Swim: 6.3k
Bike: 3.75 hr
Run: 73.5k
Notes: missed a long ride - had company on Sat night and Sunday was a .. umm... 'recovery day'. Good running K's for the week. I mentioned hill repeats last week for the bike - you are doing them - right??? Good. Now add the odd LT workout. Bring your HR to 5-10 beats below LT and hold for 10 min, rest 5 and repeat. Once you are 'comfortable' with that, bring the set to 15 min and finally 20 min. Do the 20 minute sessions closer to peak season. With the added strength from the hill workouts and regular 'LT training' - you'll defineately be zippy. Tip number 2!
So, last week, I had some IT issues. Nothing too bad, but enough to make me worry. Time for immediate and decisive action. The remedy: stretch - alot. I do 3 different IT stretches and was doing them 2 and 3 times a day. Massage - yea, messaging your IT is a painful experience, but it's got to be done. Lastly, bought new shoes. (hence the shoe rant above) Which leads to tip 3. If you have an issue, don't hope it's going to go away, do something about - NOW. I was lucky, addressed the issue and was able to clock some running K's and the IT feels 100%.
Cheers!
Desoto tri short on Ebay: 28.50 no tax and delivered.
Saucony running shoes, full retail: 130.00 (yea, like I'm going to pay that)
Saucony running shoes on "sale": 99.99 (still too much)
Last years Saucony's: 79.99 (ok, I'll bite, bought 4 pair)
Best price I've paid: ~40.00 delivered and no tax on Ebay - tough to find though.
I like running shoes, but I hate the ridiculas marketing that goes with them. THIS years model is exactly the same as LAST years model, but has new improved shoe laces, or a different colour, maybe they changed a grommet, now because the shoe is sooooo much better, we better charge you extra for it! Yet, Joe Average thinks a $200 shoe is better than last years shoe that can be had for $80. Hey, if Joe Average is dumb enough to buy 200 dollar runners you can sure as hell bet that someone will sell it to him. (even though the labour is farmed out to 3rd world countries and that said company probably doesn't pay more that 6 bucks for them.)
Just like the tri shorts. I support the LBS as much as possible and have thrown a good chunk of change at them over the years, but I will not pay 70 dollars for a hunk of lycra with a pad on the butt - yet I have no problem dropping $$$ on race wheels... go figure. But since, I'm cheap when it comes to some stuff ... I can actually afford race wheels!
I would be the first the champion local business, but if I feel I'm getting ripped off, they won't be getting my money. I say, unite! If you feel you are paying too much - then you are! Do something about it.
A quick word about running shoes. Look for: actual 'running shoes' and buy the cheapest ones on sale in last years model. Trust me, I've run in them all and they all last the same amout of time. Buy, them in pairs of 2 and alternate your runs with your shoes. By doing this, I average ~600k per pair. This is tip number 1 of the week.
Last week's mileage recap:
Swim: 6.3k
Bike: 3.75 hr
Run: 73.5k
Notes: missed a long ride - had company on Sat night and Sunday was a .. umm... 'recovery day'. Good running K's for the week. I mentioned hill repeats last week for the bike - you are doing them - right??? Good. Now add the odd LT workout. Bring your HR to 5-10 beats below LT and hold for 10 min, rest 5 and repeat. Once you are 'comfortable' with that, bring the set to 15 min and finally 20 min. Do the 20 minute sessions closer to peak season. With the added strength from the hill workouts and regular 'LT training' - you'll defineately be zippy. Tip number 2!
So, last week, I had some IT issues. Nothing too bad, but enough to make me worry. Time for immediate and decisive action. The remedy: stretch - alot. I do 3 different IT stretches and was doing them 2 and 3 times a day. Massage - yea, messaging your IT is a painful experience, but it's got to be done. Lastly, bought new shoes. (hence the shoe rant above) Which leads to tip 3. If you have an issue, don't hope it's going to go away, do something about - NOW. I was lucky, addressed the issue and was able to clock some running K's and the IT feels 100%.
Cheers!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
"Ya, but you are obviously gifted"..
HAHA! I almost choked on my own tongue. Let me rewind a bit. Over the last 2 weeks I've been spending some time at the local pool, which has an A.M. swim. So far, I've met 'Bob' a 67 year old triathlete and cross country skier, one of the local 'Iron-Docs' (2 local area doctors that started doing Ironmans a couple of years ago) AND 'Billy' - a '72 Olympian for diving. (Indonesia). Yea, the Mark Spitz Olympics, Billy was not only there he was actually a fellow pool competitor. I consider myself lucky to meet 3 interesting people a year, and here I've met 3 very neat and unique individuals in 1 week!
So I'm talking to Billy after yesterday's workout, picking his brain about the Olympics and acting like a googly eyed teeny bopper, when he says, I see you have done some swimming, you obviously have a gift. I'm sure he was just being nice as I really had no interest in talking about me, I wanted to hear his Olympic stories! But later that day, it got me thinking (ya that happens occasionally).
In VERY rare instances you'll see people who are truely gifted in what they do. However, for the rest of us mere mortals, things aren't that easy. It's takes hour upon hour, week after week, month after month and year after year to realize success. So where does that strength come from? Well, obviously, the mind. I truely believe, that the majority of the population can achieve WAY beyond what they THINK they can achieve. Unfortuneately, their minds have already limited what they can and can not do. So what mental attributes set the people apart who want to achieve their potential? The catch all characteristic is desire. Really, it all comes back to how bad to you want it and what are you willing to do get it? Think about it.
Now here is a guy who obviously has a gift and is skewing the whole bell curve: 5th grader basketball phenom
In other news..
The second week of my training camp is coming along just swell.
Monday: am swim 2k. pm spin 1 hour
Tue: am run 17k. pm spin 1 hour (held 250w @142 hr - 30+ beats below LT - nice)
Wed: am swim 1.6k. lunch run 7.5k. pm spin 45 min.
Thur: am run 17k. pm: 1:15 hill work on the bike. (to do..)
Guys, I'm telling you, do your hill repeats on the bike - it will make you strong like Conan. In very short order, I've noticed a substantial increase in power in the bike - just do it. Once a week. Hold 70 to 80 rpms in a lower gear, climb for 5 min maintaining mid Zone 2 heartrate. Rest 2.5 min. Repeat. Increase the reps over an 8 week period - trust me, you won't regret it.
Enough for today. Happy heart day to everyone!
Cheers,
Darren
So I'm talking to Billy after yesterday's workout, picking his brain about the Olympics and acting like a googly eyed teeny bopper, when he says, I see you have done some swimming, you obviously have a gift. I'm sure he was just being nice as I really had no interest in talking about me, I wanted to hear his Olympic stories! But later that day, it got me thinking (ya that happens occasionally).
In VERY rare instances you'll see people who are truely gifted in what they do. However, for the rest of us mere mortals, things aren't that easy. It's takes hour upon hour, week after week, month after month and year after year to realize success. So where does that strength come from? Well, obviously, the mind. I truely believe, that the majority of the population can achieve WAY beyond what they THINK they can achieve. Unfortuneately, their minds have already limited what they can and can not do. So what mental attributes set the people apart who want to achieve their potential? The catch all characteristic is desire. Really, it all comes back to how bad to you want it and what are you willing to do get it? Think about it.
Now here is a guy who obviously has a gift and is skewing the whole bell curve: 5th grader basketball phenom
In other news..
The second week of my training camp is coming along just swell.
Monday: am swim 2k. pm spin 1 hour
Tue: am run 17k. pm spin 1 hour (held 250w @142 hr - 30+ beats below LT - nice)
Wed: am swim 1.6k. lunch run 7.5k. pm spin 45 min.
Thur: am run 17k. pm: 1:15 hill work on the bike. (to do..)
Guys, I'm telling you, do your hill repeats on the bike - it will make you strong like Conan. In very short order, I've noticed a substantial increase in power in the bike - just do it. Once a week. Hold 70 to 80 rpms in a lower gear, climb for 5 min maintaining mid Zone 2 heartrate. Rest 2.5 min. Repeat. Increase the reps over an 8 week period - trust me, you won't regret it.
Enough for today. Happy heart day to everyone!
Cheers,
Darren
Monday, February 11, 2008
Would ya?
This weeks post ties in nicely with last week's post about sacrifice. You see, I had last week and I have this week off work. When people know you are going on vacation, invariably the question asked is 'where are you going?' This time my answer was 'umm, no where, just gonna hang out and train.' Oh sure, like that doesn't get the odd look or two.
In reality, I'm very content being a homebody, farting around the house, hanging with my pooches and structuring a week around training. OCD, endorphin addicted - whatever. I just plain ol enjoy it. So I guess most would think I'm sacrificing two weeks vacation to train. Personally, I don't think it's a sacrifice at all, you do what you enjoy and I enjoy training. So here's last week log:
Mon: run 8k am, spin 1hr pm.
Tue: swim 2k am, run 10k lunch, spin 1 hr pm
Tue: swim 2k am, run 10k lunch, spin 1 hr pm
Wed: run 11k am, sp 1 hr pm
Thur: sp 1.25 hr am (hills, hard workout), run 10 pm
Fri: swim 2.1 am, run 8k lunch, spin .75 hr pm
Sat: spin 2.5 hr (Ergvideo Lake Placid loop)
Sun: ditch long run and spin 2.5 hr (Lake Placid loop -again)
Total:
Swim 4.1k
Bike 10+hrs
Run 47k
Not a super epic week by any means.. but a very solid effort that won't leave me so trashed that I can't do something similiar this week. Some notes: swam 2 times! Stroke feels good, probably need about 8 weeks to really get back in the groove. Tues and Fri were three sport days, if I didn't have to work, I'd do these much more often. Sat: averaged 221 watts for the LP bike route. Felt great for 2 hours, but anyone who has done the route, knows it's the last 30 minutes that's tough. Sat in zone 1 for 2 hours, moved to mid Z2 for last 30 min. Sun: crappy weather, so bailed on the run and did Sat's ride - again. Did the exact same ride and felt even better. Going to bump up the wattage next time I do that ride.
In closing..
Must be a triathlete-only church:
Monday, February 04, 2008
Sacrifice
Establish a framework of priorities. I'll share mine:
1) Sally
2) Family and friends
3) Day to day realities. ie work, household stuff, chores etc..
4) Training
Now the trick is squeezing as much of number 4 without sacrificing too much of 1,2 and 3. The very first thing you have to do when 'getting serious' is discuss it with your significant other, family and friends. You WILL need their support. This is super important as it will make or break your future goals. Not having their support means will require a re-thinking of your priorities and goals.
Having their support means they will help you along your journey and on occasion help you with your other responsibilities so that can pursue your goal. Bascially you are clearing blocks of time. Don't worry, you can payback during the off-season.
Now that a framework is established. You have to work on the methodology of attaining what it is you want. I think the keywords here is consistency and have a willingness to learn and adapt. Keep the goals attainable and realisitic. You want to run a sub 3 hour marathon, but if your PB is 4 hours, you will NOT be running a 3 hour marry anytime soon. Get a plan, be consistent and come back in 5 years.
If it's your career, your sport whatever it is your pursue with passion in life. You will have to make sacrifices. Just make sure it's the ones you are willing to make and try not to let your passion cloud your vision and reality too much.
January numbers: (last years in paranthesis)
Swim 4k (15.5k)
Bike 29 hours (31.5)
Run: 258k (255)
Last week was an easy week/recovery week. Which was nice because I managed to catch a cold, so I took a 72 hour layoff of all training and concentrated on getting well. Still not 100%, so slowly easing back into it.
February is 'aerobic' month...
1) Sally
2) Family and friends
3) Day to day realities. ie work, household stuff, chores etc..
4) Training
Now the trick is squeezing as much of number 4 without sacrificing too much of 1,2 and 3. The very first thing you have to do when 'getting serious' is discuss it with your significant other, family and friends. You WILL need their support. This is super important as it will make or break your future goals. Not having their support means will require a re-thinking of your priorities and goals.
Having their support means they will help you along your journey and on occasion help you with your other responsibilities so that can pursue your goal. Bascially you are clearing blocks of time. Don't worry, you can payback during the off-season.
Now that a framework is established. You have to work on the methodology of attaining what it is you want. I think the keywords here is consistency and have a willingness to learn and adapt. Keep the goals attainable and realisitic. You want to run a sub 3 hour marathon, but if your PB is 4 hours, you will NOT be running a 3 hour marry anytime soon. Get a plan, be consistent and come back in 5 years.
If it's your career, your sport whatever it is your pursue with passion in life. You will have to make sacrifices. Just make sure it's the ones you are willing to make and try not to let your passion cloud your vision and reality too much.
January numbers: (last years in paranthesis)
Swim 4k (15.5k)
Bike 29 hours (31.5)
Run: 258k (255)
Last week was an easy week/recovery week. Which was nice because I managed to catch a cold, so I took a 72 hour layoff of all training and concentrated on getting well. Still not 100%, so slowly easing back into it.
February is 'aerobic' month...
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