Summer is "over", but the fun continues. I am back in training as far as swimming goes.
The English Channel Swim Challenge has begun! This means I have a goal of getting twenty one miles done in the pool before the end of the month. I wasn't able to start until this past Tuesday, when I swam a very broken mile.
By that I mean I swam 1650 yards in 50 and 100 yard groups, with some breathing and relaxing in between. I haven't been in the pool to lap swim in months, so it was a slow start. It took just shy of 50 minutes to do.
Thursday I decided to up my game a bit and swam 2 x 250 yards followed by an easy 50, then swam 2 x 500's with a 100 yard cool down at the end. That took a little over 40 minutes. Still pretty slow.
But this morning I felt pretty good, so I swam 3 x 500's in just over a half an hour, with easy 50's after each one. That brings me to 3 miles this week. I'm going to try and get up early before church tomorrow and do a solid two mile swim. We'll see how that goes.
I do love being in the pool. I always have. So one of my other goals this month is to get the kiddos in the pool and swimming like fishes as often as I can.
Know of any interesting distance swims in your area? Let me know in the comments and I'll see if I can do them next season.
More Later
My Dog Shoba
Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
It's All Downhill From Here
I recently celebrated my 41st birthday. Not long after that I visited my doc to check on my hip, which has been bugging me a lot lately.
And by bugging, I mean being so painful after a training run that I couldn't run again for weeks. My triathlon season was non-existent because of it, so consequently I have not done much training in the other disciplines.
So finally I went to my doc to see what was up. I was expecting a torn tendon or something, but x-rays showed something else.
Arthritis.
What? I said to her. I'm only 41!?! How do I have arthritis? And only in one hip? What?
Yeah, so I'm now that "old" man with the arthritic hip. She gave me a script for some souped up NSAID's, and if that doesn't help, we'll move on to steroid shots. If all else fails we just replace the thing. Sounds easy peasy, huh.
Well, the meds are doing ok. I can walk pretty well again, and the constant grinding ache that was there has been tamed a bit. But I have a feeling my triathlon days are numbered. Or at least the solo tri's.
Turns out I can still swim like a fish, so I'm looking into doing some distance swims. 5K. 10K. Maybe the Alcatraz swim or a swim around the Statue of Liberty someday. Heck, maybe I'll swim the Mississippi some day. Or the English Channel!
Speaking of which, this month I am entered in an English Channel swim at the Dan (gym). I'll log each swim and try to get the total mileage by the end of the month. More on that later.
As for the arthritis diagnosis. Well. I'm not that old, and no arthritis pain is going to stop me, so I'll do what I need to for the treatment and prevention of it getting any worse. Until then, anybody wanna do the "run" part of some triathlons next season?
More Later
And by bugging, I mean being so painful after a training run that I couldn't run again for weeks. My triathlon season was non-existent because of it, so consequently I have not done much training in the other disciplines.
So finally I went to my doc to see what was up. I was expecting a torn tendon or something, but x-rays showed something else.
Arthritis.
What? I said to her. I'm only 41!?! How do I have arthritis? And only in one hip? What?
Yeah, so I'm now that "old" man with the arthritic hip. She gave me a script for some souped up NSAID's, and if that doesn't help, we'll move on to steroid shots. If all else fails we just replace the thing. Sounds easy peasy, huh.
Well, the meds are doing ok. I can walk pretty well again, and the constant grinding ache that was there has been tamed a bit. But I have a feeling my triathlon days are numbered. Or at least the solo tri's.
Turns out I can still swim like a fish, so I'm looking into doing some distance swims. 5K. 10K. Maybe the Alcatraz swim or a swim around the Statue of Liberty someday. Heck, maybe I'll swim the Mississippi some day. Or the English Channel!
Speaking of which, this month I am entered in an English Channel swim at the Dan (gym). I'll log each swim and try to get the total mileage by the end of the month. More on that later.
As for the arthritis diagnosis. Well. I'm not that old, and no arthritis pain is going to stop me, so I'll do what I need to for the treatment and prevention of it getting any worse. Until then, anybody wanna do the "run" part of some triathlons next season?
More Later
Monday, November 14, 2011
Time to Go Oly
I'm kicking around the idea of doing an olympic length triathlon at the end of next season. That's the next step up from the sprint tri. Just to refresh your memory, a sprint tri has a swim of around 500 yards, a bike of around 15 miles, and a 5K run - 3.1 miles. Olympic distance is a 1.5K swim, which is around a mile, a 40K bike - around 25 miles, and a 10K run - 6.2 miles. It's double the run, which will be the toughest part for me, and three times the swim, which may just work in my favor! I know I can do a 25 mile bike, as I've done a few in training for the sprints.
Tonight I went for a swim. When I arrived at the pool, both were completely empty and as I had my choice of the two, I decided to warm up in the warmer pool. I swam the first hundred, adjusted the goggles, and started out again. 300 yards later I was feeling quite warm and decided that after another hundred (completing a 500) I'd shift over to the other pool and do a couple more 500's.
I hopped into the cooler pool, took note of the time clock and started at the top of the nearest minute. About 400 yards in I felt pretty good, and decided I'd shoot for a full mile and see what my time would be. I kept waiting for the weary to set in, but I kept a solid, comfortable pace and felt good through the entire swim! As I finished the 1650, I did a time check. 28:50. Not speedy, but not too bad. The best part was I felt that I could keep on swimming. But since this was my third time in the water since August, I decided to leave it at a mile and work up from here.
28:50 is about 1:45 per 100 yards. Not too shabby. Not too shabby. My race pace for the sprint tri's is around 1:30, so I have some room for improvement. But I now have a baseline time to work with and the confidence that I can swim pretty much indefinitely should the need arise. And I am a solid third of the way to doing an olympic length tri. Now if I can bike 40K and run 10K, and do all three together... everything will be peachy! So, yeah. I think I can be ready for an "Oly" sometime next season.
More Later
Tonight I went for a swim. When I arrived at the pool, both were completely empty and as I had my choice of the two, I decided to warm up in the warmer pool. I swam the first hundred, adjusted the goggles, and started out again. 300 yards later I was feeling quite warm and decided that after another hundred (completing a 500) I'd shift over to the other pool and do a couple more 500's.
I hopped into the cooler pool, took note of the time clock and started at the top of the nearest minute. About 400 yards in I felt pretty good, and decided I'd shoot for a full mile and see what my time would be. I kept waiting for the weary to set in, but I kept a solid, comfortable pace and felt good through the entire swim! As I finished the 1650, I did a time check. 28:50. Not speedy, but not too bad. The best part was I felt that I could keep on swimming. But since this was my third time in the water since August, I decided to leave it at a mile and work up from here.
28:50 is about 1:45 per 100 yards. Not too shabby. Not too shabby. My race pace for the sprint tri's is around 1:30, so I have some room for improvement. But I now have a baseline time to work with and the confidence that I can swim pretty much indefinitely should the need arise. And I am a solid third of the way to doing an olympic length tri. Now if I can bike 40K and run 10K, and do all three together... everything will be peachy! So, yeah. I think I can be ready for an "Oly" sometime next season.
More Later
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Spoiled Training
So I joined a gym. Actually it's the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center at Mayo. All the cool kids just call it "The Dan". The Wife is a member and I thought I'd check it out, since they have a pool and all.
Honestly, I was fully ready to get a winter membership to the rec center, since I am familiar with their pool and policies and such, but after tonight I may never go back to the rec center!
I started my first workout heading for the 2012 Triathlon Season with a fifteen minute session on something called a 'hydro-bed'. Basically a water bed with jets inside that run up and down your body giving a water massage. After some fiddling with pressure, speed and which areas to jet water onto, I was settled in and had my back and neck muscles pleasantly pummeled with hot water... all while staying perfectly dry! It was delightful.
Then I staggered sleepily into the pool area for my swim, a 600 yard jaunt, just to get the old body reacquainted with the freestyle stroke. That felt good. They have two pools there, a four lane lap pool and a four-ish lane exercise pool. Both saltwater/chlorine, so a little different than I'm used to. But the topper of the evening was a 10 minute soak in the whirlpool after the swim.
That's right. From the pool the the hot tub. Incredibly relaxing!
I am now a spoiled athlete! The Mayo health facility is really spectacular, and pretty reasonably priced. And if I go 15 times in the next three months they lower the price. 30 times and it's almost half off! They are open way too early and stay open well past my bedtime, and the lap pool is always a lap pool! So any free time I can get there to swim, I can swim! They also have an indoor running track, and a bunch of stationary bikes, and a spin class that I'll have to look into doing. So eventually I can do entire triathlons indoors!
I now have no reason not to improve on next year's races. No reason not to go exercise. No reason not to get in better shape.
I envision much hard work and sweat and yes, even some pain in the future... but the hydro-bed and whirlpool are a nice treat! (They also have massage therapists on staff, $25 for a half hour. I'm already planning on how to justify that expense occasionally!)
More Later
Honestly, I was fully ready to get a winter membership to the rec center, since I am familiar with their pool and policies and such, but after tonight I may never go back to the rec center!
I started my first workout heading for the 2012 Triathlon Season with a fifteen minute session on something called a 'hydro-bed'. Basically a water bed with jets inside that run up and down your body giving a water massage. After some fiddling with pressure, speed and which areas to jet water onto, I was settled in and had my back and neck muscles pleasantly pummeled with hot water... all while staying perfectly dry! It was delightful.
Then I staggered sleepily into the pool area for my swim, a 600 yard jaunt, just to get the old body reacquainted with the freestyle stroke. That felt good. They have two pools there, a four lane lap pool and a four-ish lane exercise pool. Both saltwater/chlorine, so a little different than I'm used to. But the topper of the evening was a 10 minute soak in the whirlpool after the swim.
That's right. From the pool the the hot tub. Incredibly relaxing!
I am now a spoiled athlete! The Mayo health facility is really spectacular, and pretty reasonably priced. And if I go 15 times in the next three months they lower the price. 30 times and it's almost half off! They are open way too early and stay open well past my bedtime, and the lap pool is always a lap pool! So any free time I can get there to swim, I can swim! They also have an indoor running track, and a bunch of stationary bikes, and a spin class that I'll have to look into doing. So eventually I can do entire triathlons indoors!
I now have no reason not to improve on next year's races. No reason not to go exercise. No reason not to get in better shape.
I envision much hard work and sweat and yes, even some pain in the future... but the hydro-bed and whirlpool are a nice treat! (They also have massage therapists on staff, $25 for a half hour. I'm already planning on how to justify that expense occasionally!)
More Later
Saturday, October 1, 2011
October Goals, and Bye Bye Dragonfly
Dragonfly Season is coming to a close. We had a frosty morning today, and I doubt I'll see many more this year. It kinda bums me out, but I am really looking forward to getting out next season.
Speaking of next season. I was terribly lazy in the month of September pertaining to triathlon training. I went for a couple of runs, did a couple swims, and did some good test driving of the new bike. But nothing too serious.
Last year I didn't start training again until January, and all heck broke loose shortly after. So I'm setting some new goals for the year, and I'm going to do them month by month.
October is now my starting point for doing some events next season. That gives me a good nine months until the Pigman tri, seven or eight until Ode Hunting Season starts up. My goal for this month is to bike 100 miles total and run 30 miles total for the month. This may not seem like much, but it is a good starting point for goals and a good baseline for training. Besides, this is probably the last month for being on the bike for awhile. Then I'll switch to hitting some heavy swimming goals and figure out an indoor training program.
By Spring I hope to be a bit more svelte, faster in the water, on the bike and on my feet, and ready for some fun in the warmer weather.
There are also a few other changes coming down the pike. Not sure where I'm being led, or what exactly I'm supposed to do with it all, but the potential is exciting and a little overwhelming. I'll keep you posted.
More Later
Speaking of next season. I was terribly lazy in the month of September pertaining to triathlon training. I went for a couple of runs, did a couple swims, and did some good test driving of the new bike. But nothing too serious.
Last year I didn't start training again until January, and all heck broke loose shortly after. So I'm setting some new goals for the year, and I'm going to do them month by month.
October is now my starting point for doing some events next season. That gives me a good nine months until the Pigman tri, seven or eight until Ode Hunting Season starts up. My goal for this month is to bike 100 miles total and run 30 miles total for the month. This may not seem like much, but it is a good starting point for goals and a good baseline for training. Besides, this is probably the last month for being on the bike for awhile. Then I'll switch to hitting some heavy swimming goals and figure out an indoor training program.
By Spring I hope to be a bit more svelte, faster in the water, on the bike and on my feet, and ready for some fun in the warmer weather.
There are also a few other changes coming down the pike. Not sure where I'm being led, or what exactly I'm supposed to do with it all, but the potential is exciting and a little overwhelming. I'll keep you posted.
More Later
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
My New Ride
Upgrades, baby. Sometimes they come at the weirdest times. I missed summer this year. Between Dad's adventures in Cardiology and exploring the afterlife, and Mom's adventures in Brain Injuries and regaining her life, and what seemed like hours at the various hospitals that were actually days and weeks... well, the summer flew by.
Today, after about a year of learning all about bikes and doing some serious comparison shopping for months, a brand new Motobecane Nemisis showed up on my doorstep with my name on it!
(NM)
More Later.
Today, after about a year of learning all about bikes and doing some serious comparison shopping for months, a brand new Motobecane Nemisis showed up on my doorstep with my name on it!
(NM)
It is a tri-specific bike, and rather than bore you with the myriad of details, I will say this... It is ten or twelve pounds lighter than my Big Yellow Beast, with rail thin tires about two thirds the width of the BYB tires. All of this to say it should be a rocket! I'm pretty pumped up to take it for a spin. Maybe tomorrow when the Wife returns from work.
I am a little giddy at how light it is. Giddy, I tell you. I'll let you know how it all turns out.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tri Through the Sick
The Rochesterfest Tri is coming up in a few days. I have done little to train for it in the two weeks that separate it from the Pigman. I went on a short run, 1.5 miles a couple of days ago.
During and after the Pigman, my allergies decided to activate. Leaving me in a constant state of wheezing for air and watery, itchy eyes, nose and throat. Allergies are a joy I tell you. Last week I also started coughing and according to the Wife, I looked more like I was experiencing a sinus infection rather than just battling allergies. So after a few more days of trying to convince myself that I was just recovering from the Pigman and fighting allergy symptoms, I gave in an went to see the doc. Sure enough, the Wife was correct again, and I had not only a sinus infection, but an ear infection and "something funky going on" in my throat. Nothing a high dose of antibiotics wouldn't clear up in ten days or so, said the doc.
Then I mentioned that I had a triathlon to do in nine days.
"Well," she said. "See how you feel."
It's three and a wake up to the tri. I am still hacking globs of yellow goo from my lungs. I have not been in the water or on my bike since the Pigman. Time to concede defeat and drop out of this next one?
I don't think so. Now before you get all judgey and tsk-tskey, hear me out.
The swim and bike portions are short. A 440 yard swim and a 10 mile bike. I should be able to do those no problem. The run is another 5K or 3.1 miles. I have no illusions that I will miraculously RUN the whole thing. But I can self ambulate for a 5K. Besides, I am feeling a little better, and hopefully the next few days will see even more improvement. I'm not expecting to win anyway, so avoiding the DNF moniker is my main goal. (That's Did Not Finish, in case you are interested.)
So. I will compete in the Rochesterfest Tri this weekend, because I like doing them, and because I don't want something like a sinus infection to keep me from it. I'll do tri's in sickness or in health! Hopefully more in health... Besides, I've already paid for it!
More Later
During and after the Pigman, my allergies decided to activate. Leaving me in a constant state of wheezing for air and watery, itchy eyes, nose and throat. Allergies are a joy I tell you. Last week I also started coughing and according to the Wife, I looked more like I was experiencing a sinus infection rather than just battling allergies. So after a few more days of trying to convince myself that I was just recovering from the Pigman and fighting allergy symptoms, I gave in an went to see the doc. Sure enough, the Wife was correct again, and I had not only a sinus infection, but an ear infection and "something funky going on" in my throat. Nothing a high dose of antibiotics wouldn't clear up in ten days or so, said the doc.
Then I mentioned that I had a triathlon to do in nine days.
"Well," she said. "See how you feel."
It's three and a wake up to the tri. I am still hacking globs of yellow goo from my lungs. I have not been in the water or on my bike since the Pigman. Time to concede defeat and drop out of this next one?
I don't think so. Now before you get all judgey and tsk-tskey, hear me out.
The swim and bike portions are short. A 440 yard swim and a 10 mile bike. I should be able to do those no problem. The run is another 5K or 3.1 miles. I have no illusions that I will miraculously RUN the whole thing. But I can self ambulate for a 5K. Besides, I am feeling a little better, and hopefully the next few days will see even more improvement. I'm not expecting to win anyway, so avoiding the DNF moniker is my main goal. (That's Did Not Finish, in case you are interested.)
So. I will compete in the Rochesterfest Tri this weekend, because I like doing them, and because I don't want something like a sinus infection to keep me from it. I'll do tri's in sickness or in health! Hopefully more in health... Besides, I've already paid for it!
More Later
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Adventures in Shoe Shopping
I needed new shoes. That wasn't in question. My old shoes were purchased to train for my first triathlon last year, and while they were not top of the line, they served me quite well. After all, when I started I ran from one telephone pole to the next and nearly passed out. So footwear built for mileage was not all that important.
Fast forward to this year. I'm running farther and faster than I have in over a decade, and my old "go fasters" as they called them in boot camp, are just not cutting the mustard. They are stretched out a bit, which has led to some growing concerns about foot and shin problems. And worst of all, they stink to high heaven! There are at least three full locker rooms of smell in each shoe, which makes peeling them off my feet at the end of a run rather noxious. So yes, they must be retired.
I've done lots of reading on buying running shoes, talked to some runners for suggestions, and today went out to take the plunge. I stopped at a couple of places to try on shoes by myself, but after a dozen different shoes in two stores, I was befuddled about what to get.
I decided to bite the bullet and go to our local running/walking store. I knew they would analyze my stride and be able to tell me what shoes I should get, but I was gun shy about the prices they would no doubt charge. From the moment I walked in I saw the guy watching my feet. Sure enough he instructed me to take my shoes of and walk across the floor a few times. After he gave me the diagnosis, he took the time to explain it to me, and he asked a dozen questions about my running, stretching, any pain in my legs or back. He really did an amazing job of getting to know me before he even went to the back for a pair of shoes!
He brought out a half dozen pairs of shoes for me to try, and we compared one to another until we had it narrowed down to just the right pair. Perfectly comfortable, and built not only for mileage, but for my foot problems (they are a little flat). Then I asked about the price and was more than pleasantly surprised to find they were really not that much more than the other places I had been looking! And for the service I received, it was well worth the extra $20!
I also asked him what could be done for the pain in my shins, which I am sure are the beginnings of shin splints. He ran me through a few stretches and recommended a foam roller for my calves. I am anxious to try it all out so that I can actually feel good while I run! I am certain that my old skids are the cause of my current leg problems. So I am hopeful, hopeful, hopeful that my experience in shoe shopping today will alleviate those problems and help me train.
Mostly I wanted to post about what a wonderful experience it was going to a locally owned store for my shoes. Their friendly attitude and professional knowledge made me feel very comfortable with my purchase, and I feel like they have earned my patronage in the future! I'd also recommend it to my friends.
For those of you out there toying with the idea of a triathlon (or some other sport) I'd encourage you to go to a locally owned store and get their expert help. It was well worth it for me!
More Later
Fast forward to this year. I'm running farther and faster than I have in over a decade, and my old "go fasters" as they called them in boot camp, are just not cutting the mustard. They are stretched out a bit, which has led to some growing concerns about foot and shin problems. And worst of all, they stink to high heaven! There are at least three full locker rooms of smell in each shoe, which makes peeling them off my feet at the end of a run rather noxious. So yes, they must be retired.
I've done lots of reading on buying running shoes, talked to some runners for suggestions, and today went out to take the plunge. I stopped at a couple of places to try on shoes by myself, but after a dozen different shoes in two stores, I was befuddled about what to get.
I decided to bite the bullet and go to our local running/walking store. I knew they would analyze my stride and be able to tell me what shoes I should get, but I was gun shy about the prices they would no doubt charge. From the moment I walked in I saw the guy watching my feet. Sure enough he instructed me to take my shoes of and walk across the floor a few times. After he gave me the diagnosis, he took the time to explain it to me, and he asked a dozen questions about my running, stretching, any pain in my legs or back. He really did an amazing job of getting to know me before he even went to the back for a pair of shoes!
He brought out a half dozen pairs of shoes for me to try, and we compared one to another until we had it narrowed down to just the right pair. Perfectly comfortable, and built not only for mileage, but for my foot problems (they are a little flat). Then I asked about the price and was more than pleasantly surprised to find they were really not that much more than the other places I had been looking! And for the service I received, it was well worth the extra $20!
I also asked him what could be done for the pain in my shins, which I am sure are the beginnings of shin splints. He ran me through a few stretches and recommended a foam roller for my calves. I am anxious to try it all out so that I can actually feel good while I run! I am certain that my old skids are the cause of my current leg problems. So I am hopeful, hopeful, hopeful that my experience in shoe shopping today will alleviate those problems and help me train.
Mostly I wanted to post about what a wonderful experience it was going to a locally owned store for my shoes. Their friendly attitude and professional knowledge made me feel very comfortable with my purchase, and I feel like they have earned my patronage in the future! I'd also recommend it to my friends.
For those of you out there toying with the idea of a triathlon (or some other sport) I'd encourage you to go to a locally owned store and get their expert help. It was well worth it for me!
More Later
Monday, April 25, 2011
Swim Boy, Swim
Triathlons aren't cheap. At least, if you really wanna get the cool gear, you'll have to spend some coin. For example, a good pair of running shoes can set you back $60 - $80. But then you'll need the running togs as well... a couple of shirts, shorts, and sweats if you plan on running in the cold - like here in Minnesota. So maybe $150 - $200 for running stuff. I wanted to do my first tri using as little dinero as possible, so I got an OK pair of running shoes for $30 and used the shorts and shirts I had. I did splurge close to race day and bought myself a couple of $16 "exercise shirts".
Biking is where the real money goes. After the padded diper like bike shorts to protect the "boys" and the running tights that I use for biking and a helmet, I can upgrade to clipless pedals and add accessories that will increase the value of the bike to that of a two door car. That's without even purchasing the bike itself! Google triathlon bikes and you'll find a dizzying array of techno-bikes for the triathlete. Most are between $700 and $2000. Though I did find one once for a mere $12,000. Again I did not feel like dropping a few months worth of food budget on a bike, so I headed to Wal Mart and got a road bike for $99. It is heavy and a little slow, but so am I, so I didn't mind too much. It was rated as a 21 speed and is geared for it, though really it is good for around 16 or 18 and that was plenty for me. The only upgrade it can accomodate is a different water bottle, so options are limited. Now that I am a little better and faster, I have given some thought to upgrading this season to a Tri-specific bike that I found for $500. That would be a lighter and therefore faster bike for triathlons and have aero bars and such. But... well... read on.
Swimming shouldn't be too bad, right? Just a suit and some goggles and a towel. My racing suit cost me $30. Goggles were $20. And I have towels galore. So $50 all together. The trouble is, I wear glasses. Right now I have a pair of Speedo Vanquisher goggles that I love. But they are not, nor can they be, prescription. So after about twenty minutes of wearing them I get a good headache going and develop quite a bit of nausea. Now I like feeling pukey in the pool as much as the next guy. But I would really like to be able to swim for an hour or so without losing my lunch. Not to mention that there is a great deal of standing around before the start of a triathlon and after the transition area closes. I could leave my glasses in the transition area, but spending a half hour to 45 minutes without glasses would ensure nausea and headache before I even enter the water. Not a great way to do triathlons. I was fortunate to be able to leave my glasses next to the water exit during my first tri, but even then I spent a good fifteen minutes without them, and had the headache and nausea when the horn blared. I may not be so lucky at all of the triathlons.
So I looked into prescription goggles. There are some called step diopters, but those are for people with really weak prescriptions. Unfortunately my astigmatism is such that step diopters are not an option. So custom prescriptions it would have to be. The closest thing to racing goggles are made by Barracuda, and will cost me $290. Now, for me to spend almost $300 on goggles and another $500 on a bike... well. I just can't bring myself to drop that much in one season, especially after I've already racked up a few hundred bucks in race fees.
It was while I was adjusting the nose piece of these goggles that I had an idea.
Well, after a little grinding and fitting and grinding and fitting and just a dab of glue... Behold -
Prescription Vanquishers! I actually bought a brand new pair to mount the lenses in, and will use my old goggles as a back up. Total cost - $20! And you know what that means... I won't feel nearly as bad while I consider investing $500 on a new bike!
I'm off to the pool on Wednesday to test them out and see if they will work. If they do, the new bike just might become a reality!
More Later
Biking is where the real money goes. After the padded diper like bike shorts to protect the "boys" and the running tights that I use for biking and a helmet, I can upgrade to clipless pedals and add accessories that will increase the value of the bike to that of a two door car. That's without even purchasing the bike itself! Google triathlon bikes and you'll find a dizzying array of techno-bikes for the triathlete. Most are between $700 and $2000. Though I did find one once for a mere $12,000. Again I did not feel like dropping a few months worth of food budget on a bike, so I headed to Wal Mart and got a road bike for $99. It is heavy and a little slow, but so am I, so I didn't mind too much. It was rated as a 21 speed and is geared for it, though really it is good for around 16 or 18 and that was plenty for me. The only upgrade it can accomodate is a different water bottle, so options are limited. Now that I am a little better and faster, I have given some thought to upgrading this season to a Tri-specific bike that I found for $500. That would be a lighter and therefore faster bike for triathlons and have aero bars and such. But... well... read on.
Swimming shouldn't be too bad, right? Just a suit and some goggles and a towel. My racing suit cost me $30. Goggles were $20. And I have towels galore. So $50 all together. The trouble is, I wear glasses. Right now I have a pair of Speedo Vanquisher goggles that I love. But they are not, nor can they be, prescription. So after about twenty minutes of wearing them I get a good headache going and develop quite a bit of nausea. Now I like feeling pukey in the pool as much as the next guy. But I would really like to be able to swim for an hour or so without losing my lunch. Not to mention that there is a great deal of standing around before the start of a triathlon and after the transition area closes. I could leave my glasses in the transition area, but spending a half hour to 45 minutes without glasses would ensure nausea and headache before I even enter the water. Not a great way to do triathlons. I was fortunate to be able to leave my glasses next to the water exit during my first tri, but even then I spent a good fifteen minutes without them, and had the headache and nausea when the horn blared. I may not be so lucky at all of the triathlons.
So I looked into prescription goggles. There are some called step diopters, but those are for people with really weak prescriptions. Unfortunately my astigmatism is such that step diopters are not an option. So custom prescriptions it would have to be. The closest thing to racing goggles are made by Barracuda, and will cost me $290. Now, for me to spend almost $300 on goggles and another $500 on a bike... well. I just can't bring myself to drop that much in one season, especially after I've already racked up a few hundred bucks in race fees.
I ordered the prescription goggles without a prescription in them to see if I liked them or not. They came today and it turns out that I don't. They have foam around the eyes, which is comfortable, but I've never had luck keeping the foam attached to the goggle. Not only that, the goggles and the foam are so big that it looks like I have neon white glasses from the 80's on while I swim. It would be a sure thing for my fans to see me in the water from the shore if I wear them. I'm just not sure I want to go all Elton John while I'm swimming.
Even Elton is shocked ...SHOCKED by the whiteness.
It was while I was adjusting the nose piece of these goggles that I had an idea.
A couple of years ago when I got my glasses, I got an extra pair for the shop made of safety plastic. I have worn them three times since then, and they were gathering dust in the shop waiting for my next trip to the optometrist to donate them. I decided that I had nothing to lose by popping the lenses out and grinding them to fit my well loved Vanquishers.
Well, after a little grinding and fitting and grinding and fitting and just a dab of glue... Behold -
Prescription Vanquishers! I actually bought a brand new pair to mount the lenses in, and will use my old goggles as a back up. Total cost - $20! And you know what that means... I won't feel nearly as bad while I consider investing $500 on a new bike!
I'm off to the pool on Wednesday to test them out and see if they will work. If they do, the new bike just might become a reality!
More Later
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Run Boy, Run
My Nana was quite a card. Sometimes as we watched movies and as a chase scene ensued, she would root for the pursued by saying "Run boy! Run!"
Tomorrow my little brother is running a long, long way. He's doing a half marathon down in St. Louis. That's right. 13.1 miles. Uff Da. I can hear Nana saying Run boy! Run! although with any luck, he will not be pursued by any bad guys.
I will more than likely NEVER run that far all at once, unless there is a zombie apocalypse and that's how far the nearest car dealership or gun store is. I am toying with the idea of doing an Olympic distance triathlon next summer. That would be a 6.2 mile run. After a mile swim and a 25 mile bike. That seems possible somehow. Perhaps I'm delusional, but if I can do all four sprint triathlons this season without injury or burning out, then I think an Oly is in the cards for next year. Maybe bracketed by a couple of sprints.
What has me all hyped about this? Well, as you may know, last year I did a sprint tri. All through training and even the event itself I wasn't able to run solid for the three miles. I trained for 9 weeks and the longest stretch I did was one mile before I stopped to walk and catch my breath.
A few nights ago I went for a swim and had planned to do some 200 yard swims to train. On my first 200 I felt pretty good on the last 25 and decided to ignore that little voice in my head that was saying to just do a bunch of short swims and keep going. I kept going until I did an entire 500. I followed it up with another 1000 of 100's and 50's. A couple nights later I did the same thing. The 500's felt pretty good. Tonight I went for a run. Instead of doing the usual X minutes running and X minutes walking, I decided to just suck it up and run as far as I could. After my warm up walk I started. I ran out to just shy of the 0.7 mark when the thunderstorm that had been threatening gave me a final warning with an amazing lightning show and subsequent rolling thunder wave. I took this as a warning that I should head back home before it started in earnest and ran all the way back to where I started. That almost 1.4 mile run is no biggie to my brother, who warms up with that. But for me it was huge. If the lightning had not turned me around, I may have run to the 1 mile mark. Or maybe the 1.5 mile mark. Any way I slice it though, I think I'll be running all of the runs in my triathlons this season.
That whole Just Do It thing really does hold true. No excuses. No whining. I just did it. And it was a good start. I could almost hear Nana saying Run boy! Run!
More Later
Tomorrow my little brother is running a long, long way. He's doing a half marathon down in St. Louis. That's right. 13.1 miles. Uff Da. I can hear Nana saying Run boy! Run! although with any luck, he will not be pursued by any bad guys.
I will more than likely NEVER run that far all at once, unless there is a zombie apocalypse and that's how far the nearest car dealership or gun store is. I am toying with the idea of doing an Olympic distance triathlon next summer. That would be a 6.2 mile run. After a mile swim and a 25 mile bike. That seems possible somehow. Perhaps I'm delusional, but if I can do all four sprint triathlons this season without injury or burning out, then I think an Oly is in the cards for next year. Maybe bracketed by a couple of sprints.
What has me all hyped about this? Well, as you may know, last year I did a sprint tri. All through training and even the event itself I wasn't able to run solid for the three miles. I trained for 9 weeks and the longest stretch I did was one mile before I stopped to walk and catch my breath.
A few nights ago I went for a swim and had planned to do some 200 yard swims to train. On my first 200 I felt pretty good on the last 25 and decided to ignore that little voice in my head that was saying to just do a bunch of short swims and keep going. I kept going until I did an entire 500. I followed it up with another 1000 of 100's and 50's. A couple nights later I did the same thing. The 500's felt pretty good. Tonight I went for a run. Instead of doing the usual X minutes running and X minutes walking, I decided to just suck it up and run as far as I could. After my warm up walk I started. I ran out to just shy of the 0.7 mark when the thunderstorm that had been threatening gave me a final warning with an amazing lightning show and subsequent rolling thunder wave. I took this as a warning that I should head back home before it started in earnest and ran all the way back to where I started. That almost 1.4 mile run is no biggie to my brother, who warms up with that. But for me it was huge. If the lightning had not turned me around, I may have run to the 1 mile mark. Or maybe the 1.5 mile mark. Any way I slice it though, I think I'll be running all of the runs in my triathlons this season.
That whole Just Do It thing really does hold true. No excuses. No whining. I just did it. And it was a good start. I could almost hear Nana saying Run boy! Run!
More Later
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Training Days
Yesterday I went for a run outside. First outside run this year! Temp was almost 50 degrees and there was a little breeze blowing. In all a very pleasant run! It rained later in the day, so I was thankful to get the run in at all. Otherwise it would have meant the treadmill.
And as I ran, I thought about the treadmill. I don't like to run on the treadmill. I think it is because my running pace is not that perfectly constant that I can just set a speed and go. I end up running too fast or too slow for the spinning belt, and spend a great deal of time futzing with the speed controls to try and avoid running into the control bar, or worse yet, sliding right off the end like those idiots you see on YouTube all the time.
But outside I can run as randomly as I want without worry. And I tend to go farther and faster than I do on the treadmill. Perhaps because I like being outside so much. With 81 days until my first triathlon of the year (or roughly 1900 hours) I've still got a lot of training to do. But I feel like I'm much farther along than I was training for my first tri last year. And I have extra weeks this year to train!
I found a place to swim indoors that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, which is good, because swimming with only one arm and one leg would be much more challenging. It is our local Rec center, with an Olympic sized pool broken down into two 25 yard/8 lane pools. Plenty of space, and open late for family guys like me! It felt good to be in the water again. I think for this next year I'm not going to stop training between seasons. It is so draining to "get back into it". So I have a place to swim over the winter months. I'll have to come up with some ideas for the running and biking in the cold though... Hmmm....
As for the bike, if the weather is reasonable, I might go for a ride this Friday! Just a short six or seven miler to see how it feels. But I am looking forward to getting back into training mode, and even more so to making it a part of year round life instead of just being seasonal.
More Later
And as I ran, I thought about the treadmill. I don't like to run on the treadmill. I think it is because my running pace is not that perfectly constant that I can just set a speed and go. I end up running too fast or too slow for the spinning belt, and spend a great deal of time futzing with the speed controls to try and avoid running into the control bar, or worse yet, sliding right off the end like those idiots you see on YouTube all the time.
But outside I can run as randomly as I want without worry. And I tend to go farther and faster than I do on the treadmill. Perhaps because I like being outside so much. With 81 days until my first triathlon of the year (or roughly 1900 hours) I've still got a lot of training to do. But I feel like I'm much farther along than I was training for my first tri last year. And I have extra weeks this year to train!
I found a place to swim indoors that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, which is good, because swimming with only one arm and one leg would be much more challenging. It is our local Rec center, with an Olympic sized pool broken down into two 25 yard/8 lane pools. Plenty of space, and open late for family guys like me! It felt good to be in the water again. I think for this next year I'm not going to stop training between seasons. It is so draining to "get back into it". So I have a place to swim over the winter months. I'll have to come up with some ideas for the running and biking in the cold though... Hmmm....
As for the bike, if the weather is reasonable, I might go for a ride this Friday! Just a short six or seven miler to see how it feels. But I am looking forward to getting back into training mode, and even more so to making it a part of year round life instead of just being seasonal.
More Later
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Triathatraining
So I've signed up for three sprint triathlons for this summer. That's right... three. Pigman near Palo, Ia. Rochesterfest, here in my town. Hickory Grove, which was my very first one last year. I'll also be signing up to do the Tour de Kirkwood down where my brother lives. He is signing up too. And I think my Dad may be joining us for that one as well.
After the intestinal troubles I've been having, I am realizing just how lucky I am to be able to do these sprint tri's. And also how much work is involved in training for them! My gut set my training back by a couple of weeks, and now I'm playing catch up - trying to get my running miles up to where they should have been by now.
Of course, I'm also being cautious, because I don't want to push myself into injury. My gut is still a little twingy too, and that has cut a run or two short.
But I am still super motivated to do these tri's. Mostly because of how great I felt after the first one I ran. I knew I was not anywhere close to my USMC fitness levels. Back then I was running 7 minute miles for the 3 mile runs. But I felt much better than I had in months. Maybe years. And the training was a lot of fun!
This year my goal is weight loss and building up those old muscles again. Times are a close second. Most of all, I want to improve my running. So I will be doing more running than last year. Hopefully by the end of the season I will not only have met and exceeded my goals, but will still be alive to enjoy the rewards!
So if I can train for four triathlons this year... almost anyone can. What's your excuse for not doing something like this? :)
More Later
After the intestinal troubles I've been having, I am realizing just how lucky I am to be able to do these sprint tri's. And also how much work is involved in training for them! My gut set my training back by a couple of weeks, and now I'm playing catch up - trying to get my running miles up to where they should have been by now.
Of course, I'm also being cautious, because I don't want to push myself into injury. My gut is still a little twingy too, and that has cut a run or two short.
But I am still super motivated to do these tri's. Mostly because of how great I felt after the first one I ran. I knew I was not anywhere close to my USMC fitness levels. Back then I was running 7 minute miles for the 3 mile runs. But I felt much better than I had in months. Maybe years. And the training was a lot of fun!
This year my goal is weight loss and building up those old muscles again. Times are a close second. Most of all, I want to improve my running. So I will be doing more running than last year. Hopefully by the end of the season I will not only have met and exceeded my goals, but will still be alive to enjoy the rewards!
So if I can train for four triathlons this year... almost anyone can. What's your excuse for not doing something like this? :)
More Later
Friday, August 27, 2010
This Is It, Here We Go!
Today I had my last workout, and hopefully experienced all of the things that could go wrong, before my first triathlon.
The plan was simple. An easy swim, a short bike, a mile run. Practice the transitions most of all.
The swim went fine, I felt great. Then after I decided to try a running start into the water just to make sure my suit would stay in place. On my last step before I dove in, my right foot found a rock. That has developed into a nice light purple, quarter size bruise right in the middle of the bottom of my foot! It's a little puffy and VERY tender. Should be fun to bike and run on!
I didn't sweat it though. I just went up to practice my T1. Got the bike of it's spiffy new bike rack that hangs it on the back of our SUV, and noticed the rear tire was a bit low. Well, I just got a spiffy new tire pump WITH a gauge, too! So I hooked it up and sure enough, it was mighty low. I pumped it up to recommended levels and removed the pump... and was greeted by a great rushing of air and flattening of the rear tire! I fiddled with it for a few moments, but quickly realized that it was not going to hold air for me anymore, and I am not a bike mechanic. Fortunately the bike shop that tuned it up so well was only a few miles away, and I was sure they could have me back on the road in no time. So I opened up the back and tossed my stuff in, then closed it to put my bike back on the rack.
What I did not count on was the bike rack arm swinging down and leaving a three inch gash in my forehead! It started bleeding immediately, of course. Thankfully it wasn't deep, but will leave a visible reminder in all of the pictures from this weekend to pay attention to what I'm doing when I load up!
I went to the bike shop and the bleeding was stopped by the time the tire was finished. I bought a spare tube in case the front tire poops out on me on race day and headed out the door. I briefly considered going for my bike and swim, but the wife is working an overnight tonight and we are headed for the Triathlon tomorrow. So I wanted to get home and let her sleep some before her shift.
Tonight I decided to do something I have not done since my last race in high school. I shaved down. When I was a Warrior Swimmer, we shaved our bodies and heads to show just how committed we were to going our very fastest. It was Warrior Pride at its finest, as most other swimmers would wear swim caps. But we were state champs for all four of the years I was there, and national champs twice, so there may have been something to it.
I didn't shave my head or beard this time, as the Boyo was worried that he would not recognize me without those. But I did everything else not covered by my suit. I remember way back when that swimming after the shave always felt REALLY fast. I felt closest to a dolphin on those days. What I did not remember was how long it took. I also have a considerably larger amount of hair this time!
But, I will feel fast in the water again. And maybe even on the bike a bit. Which will help me feel good for the run. And I need all the help I can get on this one! I've trained hard for 9 1/2 weeks. Now it is time to go do it!
Wish me luck!
More Later
The plan was simple. An easy swim, a short bike, a mile run. Practice the transitions most of all.
The swim went fine, I felt great. Then after I decided to try a running start into the water just to make sure my suit would stay in place. On my last step before I dove in, my right foot found a rock. That has developed into a nice light purple, quarter size bruise right in the middle of the bottom of my foot! It's a little puffy and VERY tender. Should be fun to bike and run on!
I didn't sweat it though. I just went up to practice my T1. Got the bike of it's spiffy new bike rack that hangs it on the back of our SUV, and noticed the rear tire was a bit low. Well, I just got a spiffy new tire pump WITH a gauge, too! So I hooked it up and sure enough, it was mighty low. I pumped it up to recommended levels and removed the pump... and was greeted by a great rushing of air and flattening of the rear tire! I fiddled with it for a few moments, but quickly realized that it was not going to hold air for me anymore, and I am not a bike mechanic. Fortunately the bike shop that tuned it up so well was only a few miles away, and I was sure they could have me back on the road in no time. So I opened up the back and tossed my stuff in, then closed it to put my bike back on the rack.
What I did not count on was the bike rack arm swinging down and leaving a three inch gash in my forehead! It started bleeding immediately, of course. Thankfully it wasn't deep, but will leave a visible reminder in all of the pictures from this weekend to pay attention to what I'm doing when I load up!
I went to the bike shop and the bleeding was stopped by the time the tire was finished. I bought a spare tube in case the front tire poops out on me on race day and headed out the door. I briefly considered going for my bike and swim, but the wife is working an overnight tonight and we are headed for the Triathlon tomorrow. So I wanted to get home and let her sleep some before her shift.
Tonight I decided to do something I have not done since my last race in high school. I shaved down. When I was a Warrior Swimmer, we shaved our bodies and heads to show just how committed we were to going our very fastest. It was Warrior Pride at its finest, as most other swimmers would wear swim caps. But we were state champs for all four of the years I was there, and national champs twice, so there may have been something to it.
I didn't shave my head or beard this time, as the Boyo was worried that he would not recognize me without those. But I did everything else not covered by my suit. I remember way back when that swimming after the shave always felt REALLY fast. I felt closest to a dolphin on those days. What I did not remember was how long it took. I also have a considerably larger amount of hair this time!
But, I will feel fast in the water again. And maybe even on the bike a bit. Which will help me feel good for the run. And I need all the help I can get on this one! I've trained hard for 9 1/2 weeks. Now it is time to go do it!
Wish me luck!
More Later
Friday, August 20, 2010
Nine Days Left...
...and the butterflies are already stirring.
Today was pretty nice though. When I started this little adventure back in late June, I thought that I'd like to be at least doing the sprint tri distances by a week or two before the actual tri. I hit the 500 yard mark long ago, and my bike rides have been up over 15 miles for some time now. My runs (jogging and walking time) have gone over the three mile mark a grand total of twice before today.
But today was the first time I put it all together. I did a 600 yard swim and ran up to my vehicle, which contained my bike and other gear. That took a total of 12 minutes. Then I headed out on the bike and did 15.63 miles in 1:08:38. Stashed the bike back in my car and hit the road walking. It takes a good mile and a half of alternating between jogging and walking to get my legs under me, and even then I need to stop once or twice. But managed to go 3.1 miles in 43:29. Those are all sprint distances (or more for the swim) and I finished the whole thing!
The total time was around 2:05, give or take, because I didn't really time the transitions. But I was pleased with my performance, and know that I can and will improve!
My confidence is very high for finishing, and I'm looking forward to race day!
More Later
Today was pretty nice though. When I started this little adventure back in late June, I thought that I'd like to be at least doing the sprint tri distances by a week or two before the actual tri. I hit the 500 yard mark long ago, and my bike rides have been up over 15 miles for some time now. My runs (jogging and walking time) have gone over the three mile mark a grand total of twice before today.
But today was the first time I put it all together. I did a 600 yard swim and ran up to my vehicle, which contained my bike and other gear. That took a total of 12 minutes. Then I headed out on the bike and did 15.63 miles in 1:08:38. Stashed the bike back in my car and hit the road walking. It takes a good mile and a half of alternating between jogging and walking to get my legs under me, and even then I need to stop once or twice. But managed to go 3.1 miles in 43:29. Those are all sprint distances (or more for the swim) and I finished the whole thing!
The total time was around 2:05, give or take, because I didn't really time the transitions. But I was pleased with my performance, and know that I can and will improve!
My confidence is very high for finishing, and I'm looking forward to race day!
More Later
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Improvement
Twelve is the number of days left until the triathlon. Between my Saturday night and Sunday night shifts, I managed to pedal fifteen miles in less than an hour for the first time! The trails around my place of employment are pretty flat compared to my regular route at home. I ended up going 15.5 miles, the full length of the coming tri, in 1.01:14. Then I hopped off my bike (see: staggered) and started doing laps around the hospital. Turns out the road that runs full circle-ish around the facility is just a shade over a half mile. My goal was to go at least two miles.
I had to start out walking, as my legs were still a bit rubbery. For the first mile I ran for a minute or to, then walked about the same. For the second mile, I extended the running (jogging) distances, and shortened the walks. When I started on mile three, I decided to just see how far I could jog without stopping. I did about a loop and a half! So about 3/4 mile jogging! Then I walked a bit to listen to an older guy who was walking the laps tell me about his knee replacement and doctor orders and past health history, and wife's health history. I parted ways with him as gracefully as I could and finished the loop jogging! six times around is about 3.3 miles, so just over a 5K - which is the distance of the tri! It took me 44 minutes. Not great, but much better than any previous "runs", both in time and distance!
I spent monday recovering, and I'm hoping to get a swim and a run in yet today. Next week I'll do a little taper for the event. Then it will be time! Twelve is the number of days left until the triathlon.
More Later
I had to start out walking, as my legs were still a bit rubbery. For the first mile I ran for a minute or to, then walked about the same. For the second mile, I extended the running (jogging) distances, and shortened the walks. When I started on mile three, I decided to just see how far I could jog without stopping. I did about a loop and a half! So about 3/4 mile jogging! Then I walked a bit to listen to an older guy who was walking the laps tell me about his knee replacement and doctor orders and past health history, and wife's health history. I parted ways with him as gracefully as I could and finished the loop jogging! six times around is about 3.3 miles, so just over a 5K - which is the distance of the tri! It took me 44 minutes. Not great, but much better than any previous "runs", both in time and distance!
I spent monday recovering, and I'm hoping to get a swim and a run in yet today. Next week I'll do a little taper for the event. Then it will be time! Twelve is the number of days left until the triathlon.
More Later
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Turning Point
I seem to have reached one. Five weeks ago, before I accepted the challenge of training for a triathlon, I was incredibly out of shape. It hurt to get out of bed in the morning. I got winded climbing a flight of stairs. My home life was suffering as I watched my kids play instead of playing with them. Even the Boyo got in the habit. While we worked outside on any given project, he would ask me if it was time for a break, as I needed them often and for longer periods than I worked.
The Lakota believe that all of the universe, and life itself, is cyclical. The Sacred Hoop. The four seasons always circling around following one another. Birth, life, death, and beyond. I'm believing that more and more these days. Five weeks ago my Life Hoop went something like this...
I gain weight -> I'm too heavy (in my head) to exercise -> I get more out of shape -> I get depressed because I'm fat and out of shape -> I eat because I'm depressed and stressed -> I still don't exercise because I'm tired and sore -> I gain weight... repeat for ten years.
Five weeks ago I agreed to try a Tri. This week I've reached a turning point of sorts. On Sunday, I went for a fifteen mile bike ride and followed it up with a 2.2 mile run/walk. Monday I swam 1000 yards. Tuesday I ran/walked 3 miles. That's right! The first three mile exercise I've done since I left the USMC. It was pitifully slow by USMC standards. I'm following the C-5K plan a bit, so it was run 1:30 then walk 1:30. But I did that for the entire three miles and still feel pretty good! For a few of the rotations I was actually going just over 5 MPH! (I had to treadmill it since there was a thunderstorm outside) But my body is doing things this week that a mere month ago would have most likely killed me!
I'm rebuilding my Life Hoop. It is becoming something like this...
I am losing weight -> I feel lighter in my head, and push myself to exercise -> I get more in shape -> life seems a little better every day as the weight leaves and the energy and endurance increase -> I eat healthier because my body is actually craving more nutritious foods -> The increase in energy and endurance mixed with the lighter body means I exercise longer and at greater intensity -> I lose more weight...
it is a self feeding circle, and it feels great. I still ache a bit when I get out of bed, but mostly now it is from exercise. I can run around with the kiddos again, making all of us happier. I don't get winded climbing stairs. And life really does look a lot better as the weight melts off and I get back into shape. I've turned a corner in my life and found a good path. I'd like to stay in this cycle for awhile. It's fun!
What are you making of your Life Hoop these days?
More Later
The Lakota believe that all of the universe, and life itself, is cyclical. The Sacred Hoop. The four seasons always circling around following one another. Birth, life, death, and beyond. I'm believing that more and more these days. Five weeks ago my Life Hoop went something like this...
I gain weight -> I'm too heavy (in my head) to exercise -> I get more out of shape -> I get depressed because I'm fat and out of shape -> I eat because I'm depressed and stressed -> I still don't exercise because I'm tired and sore -> I gain weight... repeat for ten years.
Five weeks ago I agreed to try a Tri. This week I've reached a turning point of sorts. On Sunday, I went for a fifteen mile bike ride and followed it up with a 2.2 mile run/walk. Monday I swam 1000 yards. Tuesday I ran/walked 3 miles. That's right! The first three mile exercise I've done since I left the USMC. It was pitifully slow by USMC standards. I'm following the C-5K plan a bit, so it was run 1:30 then walk 1:30. But I did that for the entire three miles and still feel pretty good! For a few of the rotations I was actually going just over 5 MPH! (I had to treadmill it since there was a thunderstorm outside) But my body is doing things this week that a mere month ago would have most likely killed me!
I'm rebuilding my Life Hoop. It is becoming something like this...
I am losing weight -> I feel lighter in my head, and push myself to exercise -> I get more in shape -> life seems a little better every day as the weight leaves and the energy and endurance increase -> I eat healthier because my body is actually craving more nutritious foods -> The increase in energy and endurance mixed with the lighter body means I exercise longer and at greater intensity -> I lose more weight...
it is a self feeding circle, and it feels great. I still ache a bit when I get out of bed, but mostly now it is from exercise. I can run around with the kiddos again, making all of us happier. I don't get winded climbing stairs. And life really does look a lot better as the weight melts off and I get back into shape. I've turned a corner in my life and found a good path. I'd like to stay in this cycle for awhile. It's fun!
What are you making of your Life Hoop these days?
More Later
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Half Way There
Tomorrow night at midnight is the halfway point between the day I started training for a triathlon and the day of the triathlon itself. To say I am anxious about the tri would be an understatement. But my confidence is growing daily.
Last Thursday I went and did a mini-tri with the local triathlon club, mainly to get some experience swimming in open water with a group. The swim portion went quite well, I was third out of the water! My T1 was pretty fast, as I only had to put on my shoes and helmet and ride. I did get passed quite a bit on my bike. Those triathletes who are in shape went past me like rockets, especially on the hills. But I did 8 miles on the bike. My T2 time was fast as well, since I just had to lean my bike against the fence, take off my helmet and run. I only went a mile, and had to do a run/walk. But I ran for a minute and walked for a minute for the whole thing. I forgot to start my stopwatch, so I don't know how my time was. It didn't really matter to me anyway. I enjoyed the experience of tri-ing with others!
Today I was feeling good, so planned to do an 8 - 10 mile bike followed by a couple miles on my feet. I ended up doing 15.25 miles on my bike in 1:08:14 and actually going 2.2 miles in a run walk! I pushed myself a bit more by running for a minute and a half and walking the same. That time was 35 minutes. So my run is still slow, but I'm making progress! I looked back at that first day of training when I went a mile in 18 minutes, and that was all I could do! Today my run/walk time was about the same as that first day, but I preceded it with a 15 mile bike ride, so I'm OK with that!
I found the Couch to 5K website and have been following their method to get someone from being a total couch potato to running a 5K in 12 weeks. Of course, I don't have that much time left, so it's a bit modified. But I'm coming along! I'm coming along! And that is what counts the most.
I will finish this triathlon. I am confident today. Half way there and I'm feeling great!
More Later
Last Thursday I went and did a mini-tri with the local triathlon club, mainly to get some experience swimming in open water with a group. The swim portion went quite well, I was third out of the water! My T1 was pretty fast, as I only had to put on my shoes and helmet and ride. I did get passed quite a bit on my bike. Those triathletes who are in shape went past me like rockets, especially on the hills. But I did 8 miles on the bike. My T2 time was fast as well, since I just had to lean my bike against the fence, take off my helmet and run. I only went a mile, and had to do a run/walk. But I ran for a minute and walked for a minute for the whole thing. I forgot to start my stopwatch, so I don't know how my time was. It didn't really matter to me anyway. I enjoyed the experience of tri-ing with others!
Today I was feeling good, so planned to do an 8 - 10 mile bike followed by a couple miles on my feet. I ended up doing 15.25 miles on my bike in 1:08:14 and actually going 2.2 miles in a run walk! I pushed myself a bit more by running for a minute and a half and walking the same. That time was 35 minutes. So my run is still slow, but I'm making progress! I looked back at that first day of training when I went a mile in 18 minutes, and that was all I could do! Today my run/walk time was about the same as that first day, but I preceded it with a 15 mile bike ride, so I'm OK with that!
I found the Couch to 5K website and have been following their method to get someone from being a total couch potato to running a 5K in 12 weeks. Of course, I don't have that much time left, so it's a bit modified. But I'm coming along! I'm coming along! And that is what counts the most.
I will finish this triathlon. I am confident today. Half way there and I'm feeling great!
More Later
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday Bike Ride
Today I am feeling awesome! I had a long weekend at work, my 12 hour shifts became 16 hour shifts and so I did not get to run/walk like I had hoped. When today rolled around I decided I needed to exercise or feel a failure.
Fortunately the wife knew this and suggested I go take a bike ride. My goal was 10 miles. But I ended up going 15 1/2 miles instead.
The first couple miles felt crappy. But I pushed through and the rest of the ride felt really comfortable! I even pedaled my way to a whole nother town! (village...hamlet really. But it had a green sign with white lettering stating the name, so I'm counting it)
The entire ride out to the little town was hilly, and it seemed like every hill I climbed only dropped back down about half of what I had just climbed. This was reflected in my average speed too. When I turned around I had covered about 6 1/2 miles and been out for 45 minutes. But I got my revenge on the return trip, as the downhill stretches lasted longer than the ups. I was also feeling nice and warmed up, so I had many runs where I was in the top gear spinning comfortably down the slopes! My little computer said I was going around 20 - 25 MPH on these, but I felt much faster.
I took a couple of laps on the frontage road leading to our neighborhood to push my miles up over 15, and finished the ride in 1:13:15. Not too bad for my fourth time out on the bike! And today gives me a great baseline for the triathlon, as the bike portion is 15 miles.
Right now I am very confident that the swim and bike will go fine. Now I just have to get my endurance up for the run! I was most definitely not ready to run a 5K after climbing off the bike today. But I did feel good, and felt like I even had some energy left over. So. An excellent ride today! And a good thing too, there's only 40 days until the triathlon!
More Later
Fortunately the wife knew this and suggested I go take a bike ride. My goal was 10 miles. But I ended up going 15 1/2 miles instead.
The first couple miles felt crappy. But I pushed through and the rest of the ride felt really comfortable! I even pedaled my way to a whole nother town! (village...hamlet really. But it had a green sign with white lettering stating the name, so I'm counting it)
The entire ride out to the little town was hilly, and it seemed like every hill I climbed only dropped back down about half of what I had just climbed. This was reflected in my average speed too. When I turned around I had covered about 6 1/2 miles and been out for 45 minutes. But I got my revenge on the return trip, as the downhill stretches lasted longer than the ups. I was also feeling nice and warmed up, so I had many runs where I was in the top gear spinning comfortably down the slopes! My little computer said I was going around 20 - 25 MPH on these, but I felt much faster.
I took a couple of laps on the frontage road leading to our neighborhood to push my miles up over 15, and finished the ride in 1:13:15. Not too bad for my fourth time out on the bike! And today gives me a great baseline for the triathlon, as the bike portion is 15 miles.
Right now I am very confident that the swim and bike will go fine. Now I just have to get my endurance up for the run! I was most definitely not ready to run a 5K after climbing off the bike today. But I did feel good, and felt like I even had some energy left over. So. An excellent ride today! And a good thing too, there's only 40 days until the triathlon!
More Later
Friday, July 16, 2010
Putting it Together
Today I did my first "brick" workout. A brick is when you do at least two of the three sports back to back. I was very motivated and decided that my first brick should be a mini-tri.
So I loaded the bike up along with my shoes and swimwear and headed for the lake.
Today was not the ideal day for lap swimming! The beach was packed. The deep area was awash with people lounging on those floaty inflatable mat thingies, which made the swim into a dodge-em course. Officially I swam 300 yards, but with all of the weaving and detouring I probably added a good 50 yards to it. But the swim felt pretty good! More freestyle than anything, and breast stroke only to avoid other splashers. (there were no other people actually swimming) Then it was time for my first transition.
In a triathlon, there are two transitions. One between swimming and cycling, and another between cycling and running. (Or in my case jog-walking) They are creatively titled T1 and T2.
My T1 today was hampered by a number of things. My bike was locked in the back of the Highlander, and thus needed to be extracted to be ridden. I also had to change out of my baggy beach swimsuit (I'm hoping to get something a little more streamlined for race day) into my brand new pair of cycling shorts. If you have not worn cycling shorts before, imagine a nice pair of spandex shorts that come down to just above the knees. Now imagine a gel filled diaper in the crotch. I felt a little like I imagine the Sweet Pea does when her diaper is full, but it did make quite a difference on the ride! So my T1 time was about what my swim time was. My swim time was 8:30 and my T1 was 5:30.
I jogged my bike over to the entrance to the park and hit the road. Immediately noticeable were two things. One - I felt like I was sitting on a jelly sandwich. Two - I was TIRED! My course would take me a little over five miles. I initially thought about doing it twice, but thought better of it about three miles in. Again a headwind cursed me, but I did have a nice long straightaway with no wind to hamper me, and I made up a little time there. As I came in on the bike for T2, I noted my time was just under 26 minutes. I'm still only cruising around 12 MPH. Ah well.
T2 was much easier, as I rode in my running shoes. So all I had to do was load the bike back in my vehicle and head into the run. My T2 time was all of 2 minutes.
Immediately noticeable on the run was only one thing. My legs felt like JELLY! I hobbled out onto the sidewalk and headed down the road. I don't really know how far I went, as I set my watch to beep every minute. I ran (see hobble-jog) for a minute and then walked for a minute. I was only able to do this twice before I turned around and headed back to the car. All told my "run" was just over ten minutes, and I was panting like a black dog on a sunny day when I got back to the car.
I grabbed my towel again and headed for the water to cool down. The water was still packed, but I just was beyond caring. I stretched out a little then waded into the water, where steam rose in waves off my rapidly cooling body. I floated for a little bit, discouraged by the fact that such a short set of distances just kicked my posterior in such a major way. But as I floated, I realized something very important.
Three weeks ago I couldn't climb the stairs in my house without getting winded and feeling my pulse climb. I just did a mini-tri of 300yd swim, 5 mile bike and ten minute hobble, and while the whole thing took around an hour, it is the most continuous exercise I have done probably since boot camp back in 1992. And as I emerged from the water again, I noted with some pride that my heart rate was down nicely in the low 80's, and I could still breathe!
I don't care how long it takes me to finish this coming triathlon. The benefits from training have been well worth getting involved. Rather than get discouraged anymore, I'm going to see each workout for what it is - much more than I have done in a long time! The road back to being in shape is a long one, but I finally feel like I am well on my way!
More Later
So I loaded the bike up along with my shoes and swimwear and headed for the lake.
Today was not the ideal day for lap swimming! The beach was packed. The deep area was awash with people lounging on those floaty inflatable mat thingies, which made the swim into a dodge-em course. Officially I swam 300 yards, but with all of the weaving and detouring I probably added a good 50 yards to it. But the swim felt pretty good! More freestyle than anything, and breast stroke only to avoid other splashers. (there were no other people actually swimming) Then it was time for my first transition.
In a triathlon, there are two transitions. One between swimming and cycling, and another between cycling and running. (Or in my case jog-walking) They are creatively titled T1 and T2.
My T1 today was hampered by a number of things. My bike was locked in the back of the Highlander, and thus needed to be extracted to be ridden. I also had to change out of my baggy beach swimsuit (I'm hoping to get something a little more streamlined for race day) into my brand new pair of cycling shorts. If you have not worn cycling shorts before, imagine a nice pair of spandex shorts that come down to just above the knees. Now imagine a gel filled diaper in the crotch. I felt a little like I imagine the Sweet Pea does when her diaper is full, but it did make quite a difference on the ride! So my T1 time was about what my swim time was. My swim time was 8:30 and my T1 was 5:30.
I jogged my bike over to the entrance to the park and hit the road. Immediately noticeable were two things. One - I felt like I was sitting on a jelly sandwich. Two - I was TIRED! My course would take me a little over five miles. I initially thought about doing it twice, but thought better of it about three miles in. Again a headwind cursed me, but I did have a nice long straightaway with no wind to hamper me, and I made up a little time there. As I came in on the bike for T2, I noted my time was just under 26 minutes. I'm still only cruising around 12 MPH. Ah well.
T2 was much easier, as I rode in my running shoes. So all I had to do was load the bike back in my vehicle and head into the run. My T2 time was all of 2 minutes.
Immediately noticeable on the run was only one thing. My legs felt like JELLY! I hobbled out onto the sidewalk and headed down the road. I don't really know how far I went, as I set my watch to beep every minute. I ran (see hobble-jog) for a minute and then walked for a minute. I was only able to do this twice before I turned around and headed back to the car. All told my "run" was just over ten minutes, and I was panting like a black dog on a sunny day when I got back to the car.
I grabbed my towel again and headed for the water to cool down. The water was still packed, but I just was beyond caring. I stretched out a little then waded into the water, where steam rose in waves off my rapidly cooling body. I floated for a little bit, discouraged by the fact that such a short set of distances just kicked my posterior in such a major way. But as I floated, I realized something very important.
Three weeks ago I couldn't climb the stairs in my house without getting winded and feeling my pulse climb. I just did a mini-tri of 300yd swim, 5 mile bike and ten minute hobble, and while the whole thing took around an hour, it is the most continuous exercise I have done probably since boot camp back in 1992. And as I emerged from the water again, I noted with some pride that my heart rate was down nicely in the low 80's, and I could still breathe!
I don't care how long it takes me to finish this coming triathlon. The benefits from training have been well worth getting involved. Rather than get discouraged anymore, I'm going to see each workout for what it is - much more than I have done in a long time! The road back to being in shape is a long one, but I finally feel like I am well on my way!
More Later
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Training Continues
One huge difference was discovered between pedaling a stationary bike and riding the real thing. Let's see if you can guess based on my story.
I headed out from home yesterday for a ride. We live in a little valley at the top af a "little" hill.
At least the hill seems pretty mild when we drive it or walk it. I coasted down this little hill to start my ride, topping out at 31.8 MPH! I felt REALLY fast!
Pedalling out of the neighborhood was OK, my legs felt tight but they loosened up as I went. I biked over to a long, relatively flat stretch out behind a nearby mini-mall, big store area and made a new discovery. As I was pedalling, I noticed that no matter how hard I pushed, I couldn't seem to keep my speed above 10 MPH. I had some little bursts of speed, around 12 MPH. But I just felt slow! Of course, I had been awake since 8:30 am the day before, worked a 12 hour night shift, and stayed awake this morning while the Wife was with her folks. So perhaps after 28 hours of being awake, I was just tired.
Then came the turn around. I wearily made a 180 degree turn and headed back. Almost instantly my speed was up to 15 MPH, then 17 MPH. I didn't even feel like I was going hard! I pushed a little and got up to 21 MPH! I was cruising! I felt so good that I passed the turn off to my house and went an extra mile!
Then I turned around 180 degrees again to head home. Once more it was slow, tiring work. The reason?
Yesterday we had winds of 10 MPH gusting to 20 MPH. I discovered that I REALLY hate headwinds. I remembered the joy of paddling into them on the river trip with Dad. Now those memories came flooding back. By the time I reached my hill again, it was just too daunting to try and pedal. I got a third of the way up and had to walk the bike to the top. It is my goal to one day ride all the way to the top. But maybe I'll do that at the start of the ride!
Oh, and I only went 6 miles. I've got less than seven weeks to go, and my "supreme confidence" in finishing has turned to being guardedly optimistic. The last place finisher at Hickory Grove was under 2:10:00 last year. Unless my times improve, I'll be pushing 2:45! Maybe more!
I'm not going to quit though. I'm looking forward to this very much! It will be a great starting point for improvement and an excellent way to get ready for the adventure to China that happens less than two weeks after the Tri!
More Later
I headed out from home yesterday for a ride. We live in a little valley at the top af a "little" hill.
At least the hill seems pretty mild when we drive it or walk it. I coasted down this little hill to start my ride, topping out at 31.8 MPH! I felt REALLY fast!
Pedalling out of the neighborhood was OK, my legs felt tight but they loosened up as I went. I biked over to a long, relatively flat stretch out behind a nearby mini-mall, big store area and made a new discovery. As I was pedalling, I noticed that no matter how hard I pushed, I couldn't seem to keep my speed above 10 MPH. I had some little bursts of speed, around 12 MPH. But I just felt slow! Of course, I had been awake since 8:30 am the day before, worked a 12 hour night shift, and stayed awake this morning while the Wife was with her folks. So perhaps after 28 hours of being awake, I was just tired.
Then came the turn around. I wearily made a 180 degree turn and headed back. Almost instantly my speed was up to 15 MPH, then 17 MPH. I didn't even feel like I was going hard! I pushed a little and got up to 21 MPH! I was cruising! I felt so good that I passed the turn off to my house and went an extra mile!
Then I turned around 180 degrees again to head home. Once more it was slow, tiring work. The reason?
Yesterday we had winds of 10 MPH gusting to 20 MPH. I discovered that I REALLY hate headwinds. I remembered the joy of paddling into them on the river trip with Dad. Now those memories came flooding back. By the time I reached my hill again, it was just too daunting to try and pedal. I got a third of the way up and had to walk the bike to the top. It is my goal to one day ride all the way to the top. But maybe I'll do that at the start of the ride!
Oh, and I only went 6 miles. I've got less than seven weeks to go, and my "supreme confidence" in finishing has turned to being guardedly optimistic. The last place finisher at Hickory Grove was under 2:10:00 last year. Unless my times improve, I'll be pushing 2:45! Maybe more!
I'm not going to quit though. I'm looking forward to this very much! It will be a great starting point for improvement and an excellent way to get ready for the adventure to China that happens less than two weeks after the Tri!
More Later
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