Last week was probably the best week of training I have ever had. It was definitely biggest week from a volume standpoint but I had some real breakthroughs. For one I am starting to get my nutrition dialed, both on the bike and pre-workout. My body is also responding and recovering like never before. I know it's partly due to the fact that I have pretty much eliminated alcohol from my diet, cut WAY back on the caffeine, and continue to eat healthy. I have dropped 5 pounds in the last month without even trying. I am not worried about my weight at all as long as I keep getting faster and stronger.
Total Training Time: 17:05
swim: 13,850 yards (2 Masters, 1 Work pool, 1 open water)
Bike: 128 Miles (1 ss mtb/trainer, 1 road, 1 TT)
Run: 38.2 Miles (5 runs, 2 off the bike)
Strength: 2 Sessions (1 upperbody/1 lowerbody)
Core: 3 sessions (2 w/ strength session, 1 solo after swim)
I really feel like everything is starting to come together and it has me really motivated to get out and keep doing what I am doing. The weekend was huge. I had a 4 hour ride followed up by a 40 min run. The ride consisted of a 1 hour warm-up, 2 hours @ tempo/race pace (continuous effort), and then an hour of cool down. I felt really strong over the tempo portion. I rode an out an back course on Camp Pendleton which is the first half of the 70.3 course. Over the 2 hours I was able to avg just under 23 mph which was unexpected. I didn't know if I could hold that pace. I was definitely faster going out due to the fact I had solid head wind coming back. The run off the bike was solid as well.
I was kind of nervous to wake up Sunday morning because of how hard I worked on Saturday. Surprisingly my legs felt great. I ran with a group of really fast guys and will continue to run with them on Sundays. I ran 15 miles in 1:45 with some fartleks at the end. I followed that up with an open water swim in La Jolla and it was COLD! The first 5 minutes were horrible but I definitely felt better as I warmed. My open water swims have nothing to do with fitness. I have Masters for that. It's about being acclimated to the cold.
I am going to post again in a couple days about my nutrition because it's something I want to document. I know it was the key to my solid weekend of training.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Time is flying...
I have a little countdown timer on my desktop (on both home and work computers) that is counting down the days unitl Ironman California 70.3. Right now it's reading 63 days, 22 hours, and 45 minutes. It's seems like just yesterday it was at 90 days. Needless to say all this hard training and being busy at work is really making time fly. I have a couple more blocks (2 weeks build, 1 week recover) and then it will time to taper.
I am really looking forward to the 70.3, but I am also pretty amped about my the two races I will be doing leading up to the race. The San Dieguito half marathon on 2/11 will be a good gauge of where my running is at. I am not sure what I will be doing the day before so who knows how fresh I will be but I defintely want to run sub 1:20.
The Desert Classic Duathlon will be two weeks later in Phoenix and will be the first "real" Duathlon that I have ever entered. I have done a couple with the Triathlon club of San Diego but have never paid to do one. Again, I don't know how rested I will be but it should be a good time. Both of the runs are trail runs and the ride is on the road. I really don't know how fast I am right now. I don't feel like I have the turnover that I did towards the end of last season, but I feel much stronger. I think there would be a problem if I was feeling "fast" right now. I don't really want to hit my first peak unitl the Xterra West Championships and then hopefully carry it into the race in Richmond.
The 70.3 is just going to be a learning experience. I only have two goals for the race. Swim sub 30min, run sub 1:25. The bike, as always, is the wildcard for me. Hopefully with all the miles I have been putting in, time spent in the weight room, and just having a full year of cycling under my belt will make a difference this year and I won't always be playing catch up on the run.
Big Weekend ahead!
I am really looking forward to the 70.3, but I am also pretty amped about my the two races I will be doing leading up to the race. The San Dieguito half marathon on 2/11 will be a good gauge of where my running is at. I am not sure what I will be doing the day before so who knows how fresh I will be but I defintely want to run sub 1:20.
The Desert Classic Duathlon will be two weeks later in Phoenix and will be the first "real" Duathlon that I have ever entered. I have done a couple with the Triathlon club of San Diego but have never paid to do one. Again, I don't know how rested I will be but it should be a good time. Both of the runs are trail runs and the ride is on the road. I really don't know how fast I am right now. I don't feel like I have the turnover that I did towards the end of last season, but I feel much stronger. I think there would be a problem if I was feeling "fast" right now. I don't really want to hit my first peak unitl the Xterra West Championships and then hopefully carry it into the race in Richmond.
The 70.3 is just going to be a learning experience. I only have two goals for the race. Swim sub 30min, run sub 1:25. The bike, as always, is the wildcard for me. Hopefully with all the miles I have been putting in, time spent in the weight room, and just having a full year of cycling under my belt will make a difference this year and I won't always be playing catch up on the run.
Big Weekend ahead!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Weekly Recap (Recover - 1.15.2007 - 1.21.2007)
Last week was a recovery week and I defintely took advantage of it. In past I would have tried to tack on some extra mileage and add a swim, but not this time. I have some BIG workouts coming up in the coming weeks so I definitely need to pace myself and make sure I recover so I can absorb the training. I also got a 90 min massage on Friday. It was torture on the legs(i'm a wimp), but it defintely helps. I can feel myself getting stronger, and that is giving me a lot of confidence. The numbers:
Total Training Time: 13:05
Swim: 12,100 yards - 3 swims(3 Masters)
Bike: 77 miles - 2 rides(1 road/SS MTB, 1 road bike)
Run: 22.5 miles - 3 runs
Strength: 2 Session (1 upperbody/1 lowerbody)
Core: 2 sesssion (2 w/ strength workout)
I hit masters 3 times this week and felt good in all the sessions. My pace is improving on the longer interval sets. I am not as fast as some of the people I swim with, but I can usually out last them. When we do 300+ yard intervals I can usually keep up with them and then drop them as the swims get longer. My favorite workout of the week had a main set of 4 x 800.
I defintely cut back on the riding this week. Just two rides. My long ride on Saturday was a mellow 3 hours/52 miles. It felt good to just have a 3 hour ride on Saturday. I slept in and didn't get out on the roads until 10am and then came home and took a solid nap.
Nothing hard running this past week either. I got in a solid 1:28/12 mile run yesterday and the pace was very easy.
That's it. I have big week this week. It should be a good one.
Oh yead and I am buying this. I am going to start doing some crazy core work.
http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/index.php
Total Training Time: 13:05
Swim: 12,100 yards - 3 swims(3 Masters)
Bike: 77 miles - 2 rides(1 road/SS MTB, 1 road bike)
Run: 22.5 miles - 3 runs
Strength: 2 Session (1 upperbody/1 lowerbody)
Core: 2 sesssion (2 w/ strength workout)
I hit masters 3 times this week and felt good in all the sessions. My pace is improving on the longer interval sets. I am not as fast as some of the people I swim with, but I can usually out last them. When we do 300+ yard intervals I can usually keep up with them and then drop them as the swims get longer. My favorite workout of the week had a main set of 4 x 800.
I defintely cut back on the riding this week. Just two rides. My long ride on Saturday was a mellow 3 hours/52 miles. It felt good to just have a 3 hour ride on Saturday. I slept in and didn't get out on the roads until 10am and then came home and took a solid nap.
Nothing hard running this past week either. I got in a solid 1:28/12 mile run yesterday and the pace was very easy.
That's it. I have big week this week. It should be a good one.
Oh yead and I am buying this. I am going to start doing some crazy core work.
http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/index.php
Friday, January 19, 2007
a new weapon...
I have added weapon to my arsenal. i scored an incredible deal on this off of craigslist.
It's a 2005 Aluminum Redline Monocog in immaculate condition. I have been looking for one of these over the past couple of months, but didn't want to spend a lot of dough. This one popped up on craigslist and I was able to deal with the guy and got for half off the original price and $100 less than he had it listed for.
I took it out for 30 minute spin on my neighborhood trails Wednesday after my scheduled 60 min road ride. It was a blast and climbing was tough but I am sure it will help my strength. My legs were defintely feeling it the next day and I was only on it for 30 minutes and didn't do too much climbing.
I am gonig to upgrade a couple of things but it doesn't need much. I am going to get a Thomson seatpost and stem and also put on the Easton Carbon Monkey lite riser bars that I already have. Once I upgrade the cranks on my Stumpjumper I will also put the Truvativ from it on the SS.
As far as training goes, it's a recovery week... and I needed it. I still have got in some solid efforts but the volume is down. I have another ride and run to get in over the weekend. I will be running with new group on Sunday. There will be some solid guys out there. Hopefully I won't get dropped!
Recap on Sunday or Monday.
another photo.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Weekly Recap (Build - 1.8.2007 - 1.14.2007)
It's a dark day in San Diego. The Chargers blew it yesterday in the playoffs. Everybody is bummed.
There's no way to say it other than "training kicked my ass this week." This was the biggest week I have ever put in and I was feeling it. Saturday after my big brick I was in bed by 930pm and last night I passed out on the couch at 6pm (partially aided by the beers I threw back during the game), slept til midnight, and went up to my room for another 6 hours. 12 hours of sleep. It's been years since I have slept that long in one stretch.
Total Training Time: 16:20
Swim: 13,800 yards - 4 swims(2 Masters, 2 work pool)
Bike: 114 miles - 3 rides(1 trainer, 1 MTB, 1 TT bike)
Run: 34 miles - 5 runs (2 off the bike)
Strength: 1 Session (1 upperbody)
Core: 2 sesssion (1 solo, 1 w/ strength workout)
The biggest sessions of the week were a 4.5 hour/78 mile, 30 min/4 mile brick on Saturday and then a 1:45/14.5 mile run on Sunday. These workouts were tough both mentally and physically. The ride on Saturday was cold and windy, but I felt good running off the bike. The long run on Sunday started out rough. I negative split it (55 min out,50 min back) and felt way better the second half. It really took a lot to get me going. I think I was still down from a calorie/hydration standpoint from the day before.
The length of the these workouts are new to me and I am not used to actually struggling a bit. Last season my long rides typically topped out at 3 hours and long runs at 90 min. So training for a longer race is defintely taking it's toll. I usually can just grit my teeth and get through a hard running interval or tough climb on the bike, but staying in the saddle for 4.5 hours and running for 1:45 is quite a bit different.
As much as I am looking forward to the 70.3 I can't stop thinking about how much stronger this training is going to make me for Xterra. I am going to be in way better shape for my early season races as compared to last year. I am really anxious to see how much I can take off my times from last year in repeat races.
There's no way to say it other than "training kicked my ass this week." This was the biggest week I have ever put in and I was feeling it. Saturday after my big brick I was in bed by 930pm and last night I passed out on the couch at 6pm (partially aided by the beers I threw back during the game), slept til midnight, and went up to my room for another 6 hours. 12 hours of sleep. It's been years since I have slept that long in one stretch.
Total Training Time: 16:20
Swim: 13,800 yards - 4 swims(2 Masters, 2 work pool)
Bike: 114 miles - 3 rides(1 trainer, 1 MTB, 1 TT bike)
Run: 34 miles - 5 runs (2 off the bike)
Strength: 1 Session (1 upperbody)
Core: 2 sesssion (1 solo, 1 w/ strength workout)
The biggest sessions of the week were a 4.5 hour/78 mile, 30 min/4 mile brick on Saturday and then a 1:45/14.5 mile run on Sunday. These workouts were tough both mentally and physically. The ride on Saturday was cold and windy, but I felt good running off the bike. The long run on Sunday started out rough. I negative split it (55 min out,50 min back) and felt way better the second half. It really took a lot to get me going. I think I was still down from a calorie/hydration standpoint from the day before.
The length of the these workouts are new to me and I am not used to actually struggling a bit. Last season my long rides typically topped out at 3 hours and long runs at 90 min. So training for a longer race is defintely taking it's toll. I usually can just grit my teeth and get through a hard running interval or tough climb on the bike, but staying in the saddle for 4.5 hours and running for 1:45 is quite a bit different.
As much as I am looking forward to the 70.3 I can't stop thinking about how much stronger this training is going to make me for Xterra. I am going to be in way better shape for my early season races as compared to last year. I am really anxious to see how much I can take off my times from last year in repeat races.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Big Weekend and a couple of races...
This weekend is going to be a big one and I am not just refering to my workouts. The Chargers play the Patriots @ 130pm on Sunday and I will be glued to my couch with snacks and a beer.
Training this week has been solid. I had to work late last night and didn't get home until 11pm. I got to bed around 1130pm and still made my 6am Masters workout this morning and actually had a good swim. I feel like I am starting to get some speed back in the pool. I kind of felt a little slow last week but felt a lot better this week. I am really not focusing on speed right now. That will come as I race day approaches.
This weekend should be pretty interesting. I will be doing a huge brick on Saturday and then Sunday I am going to have to get on it early. I need to get in a 1:45 run, 30 min Swim, and a strength session(lowerbody/core) all before 1pm.
I have also decided to do a couple of races prior to the 70.3. I will be doing the San Dieguito Half Marathon (2/11) and the Desert Classic Duathlon (2/25). I ran the San Dieguito half last year and it will be my first "repeat race". Last year I ran it in 1:21:47 without even really knowing what I was doing, and I rode 35 miles the day before. I will defintely be training through this race and will probably have a big bike the day before, but I still think I am very capable of running much faster than last year.
The Desert Classic Du should be a good time. Again I will be training right through this race but I am still going to just go for it. Jim won this race last year and it usually brings out a solid pro/elite field. I will just be racing AG but it's always cool to see how my times stack up.
Off to the trails for an easy easy 30 min run... Go Chargers!
Training this week has been solid. I had to work late last night and didn't get home until 11pm. I got to bed around 1130pm and still made my 6am Masters workout this morning and actually had a good swim. I feel like I am starting to get some speed back in the pool. I kind of felt a little slow last week but felt a lot better this week. I am really not focusing on speed right now. That will come as I race day approaches.
This weekend should be pretty interesting. I will be doing a huge brick on Saturday and then Sunday I am going to have to get on it early. I need to get in a 1:45 run, 30 min Swim, and a strength session(lowerbody/core) all before 1pm.
I have also decided to do a couple of races prior to the 70.3. I will be doing the San Dieguito Half Marathon (2/11) and the Desert Classic Duathlon (2/25). I ran the San Dieguito half last year and it will be my first "repeat race". Last year I ran it in 1:21:47 without even really knowing what I was doing, and I rode 35 miles the day before. I will defintely be training through this race and will probably have a big bike the day before, but I still think I am very capable of running much faster than last year.
The Desert Classic Du should be a good time. Again I will be training right through this race but I am still going to just go for it. Jim won this race last year and it usually brings out a solid pro/elite field. I will just be racing AG but it's always cool to see how my times stack up.
Off to the trails for an easy easy 30 min run... Go Chargers!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Weekly Recap (Build - 1.1.2007 - 1.7.2007)
The first week of my build up to the California Ironman 70.3 is in the books. It was a big week that included my first brick in months. I hadn't run off the bike since Xterra Worlds back on 10.30.2006. Jim has me working in 3 week blocks (2 build, 1 recover). Here's how the week brokedown:
Total Training Time: 16:17
Swim: 13k yards - 4 swims (2 Masters, 1 work pool, 1 open water)
Bike: 102.35 miles - 3 rides (1 trainer, 1 road bike, 1 TT bike)
Run: 24.5 miles - 4 runs (1 off the bike)
Strength: 2 sessions (1 upperbody, 1 lowerbody)
Core: 3 sessions (2 mixed w/ strength sessions, 1 solo)
The biggest workout of the week was my brick on Saturday. I rode for 3 hours/53 miles and then ran 20 minutes/3 miles off the bike. It was my first outdoor ride on my TT bike since early Novemver and I felt really good. I ended up riding an extremely hilly route and feeling it at the 2.5 hour mark. I was looking forward to the run off the bike and was curious as to how my body would handle it, and to my suprise I felt really good. After the first 100 meters (and when my knees stopped knocking together) and I just got into my stride. I don't feel fast right now but I am confident that will come.
First thing on Sunday morning I got in my long run of 1.5 hours covering about 12 miles (just a guess). My legs were heavy from the big workout the day before but I felt how I though I would. After that I headed down to the Cove and got in a 30 minute swim with Tom and Colin. The water felt pretty good.
For the next couple of weeks Mondays are rest days so I am taking full advantage and letting my body recover. I'll be back at it tomorrow.
Total Training Time: 16:17
Swim: 13k yards - 4 swims (2 Masters, 1 work pool, 1 open water)
Bike: 102.35 miles - 3 rides (1 trainer, 1 road bike, 1 TT bike)
Run: 24.5 miles - 4 runs (1 off the bike)
Strength: 2 sessions (1 upperbody, 1 lowerbody)
Core: 3 sessions (2 mixed w/ strength sessions, 1 solo)
The biggest workout of the week was my brick on Saturday. I rode for 3 hours/53 miles and then ran 20 minutes/3 miles off the bike. It was my first outdoor ride on my TT bike since early Novemver and I felt really good. I ended up riding an extremely hilly route and feeling it at the 2.5 hour mark. I was looking forward to the run off the bike and was curious as to how my body would handle it, and to my suprise I felt really good. After the first 100 meters (and when my knees stopped knocking together) and I just got into my stride. I don't feel fast right now but I am confident that will come.
First thing on Sunday morning I got in my long run of 1.5 hours covering about 12 miles (just a guess). My legs were heavy from the big workout the day before but I felt how I though I would. After that I headed down to the Cove and got in a 30 minute swim with Tom and Colin. The water felt pretty good.
For the next couple of weeks Mondays are rest days so I am taking full advantage and letting my body recover. I'll be back at it tomorrow.
Friday, January 05, 2007
It does make a difference...
Well I know it's only been a couple of days since I cut back on the caffeine but I can defintely tell the difference. I have been limiting myself to 1 cup before my morning workouts and then another around 9am at work. I have not had a single diet coke all week either. In the afternoon at work I start dragging and there is always a fresh pot but I have been able to abstain. Instead I have been drinking a 20oz bike bottle of Crystal Light lemonade and it seems to kill the coffee craving. The best part of it is the sleep I have been getting. I have been in bed no later than 930pm all week and have been just passing out and sleeping super soundly all night long. I am defintely going to keep this up.
Training has been good. I just finished up my third swim of the week and will be heading into a solid weekend of workouts. I don't want to go to much detail about my training right now because I plan on doing weekly recaps leading up to the 70.3. I will probably post these on the following Mondays(rest day).
I was looking at my training log and here's are some totals from last year. My training log only goes back to the end of May so there are 5 months missing from this. To me, considering it was my first year, these are some pretty solid numbers. I will be using the same training log for the whole season this year so I should be able to get an accurate count for 2007.
2006 Totals (end of may - dec):
total time: 417:35
swim: 309,450 yards
bike: 2,430 miles
run: 707.29 miles
The total time includes weight/core sessions as well but I don't have an exact number for that. I would like to hit 5k miles on the bike and the 600k yards in the water this year. I really don't have a goal for running, but I am sure I will probably be near or over 1000 miles.
Training has been good. I just finished up my third swim of the week and will be heading into a solid weekend of workouts. I don't want to go to much detail about my training right now because I plan on doing weekly recaps leading up to the 70.3. I will probably post these on the following Mondays(rest day).
I was looking at my training log and here's are some totals from last year. My training log only goes back to the end of May so there are 5 months missing from this. To me, considering it was my first year, these are some pretty solid numbers. I will be using the same training log for the whole season this year so I should be able to get an accurate count for 2007.
2006 Totals (end of may - dec):
total time: 417:35
swim: 309,450 yards
bike: 2,430 miles
run: 707.29 miles
The total time includes weight/core sessions as well but I don't have an exact number for that. I would like to hit 5k miles on the bike and the 600k yards in the water this year. I really don't have a goal for running, but I am sure I will probably be near or over 1000 miles.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
It's on...
So this is officially the start of my second season of triathlon. I am definitely happy with how my first season shaped up considering I had no expectations for myself and really had no idea what I could accomplish. This year will be quite a bit different as I have set the bar pretty high and am planning on working harder/smarter than I ever have.
This past week training has been hit or miss for me. I tried to get in most of my workouts but moving took up a lot of time and energy. Yesterday I kicked off the new year with a 2.5 hour mountain bike around my new place. There are some killer trails practically right out my back door. There is one climb that is very similar to black mountain and will be perfect when I am training for Xterra.
Today is the first day of my specific training for the 70.3 on 3/31. I have my plan for the next 5 weeks and I am really looking forward to it. It's definitely longer workouts than I have ever done before. I knocked out 4k yards this morning at Masters and felt pretty good and will be hitting the trainer tonight.
so everybody does it... New years resolutions. I don't know if the following things are resolutions but they are things I want to improve on/change in 2007 in hopes that it will make me heathier, faster, and stronger.
1. Cut way back on the caffeine.
I know I drink way too much coffee right now and it's not just for the caffeine fix. I love coffee and esspresso. I would say I average between 3-6 cups a day, and some days more. I usually have atleast one diet coke a day too. Since it's gotten cooler I often have a cup of coffee in the afternoon and another in the evening. It's no suprise I have had some trouble getting to sleep as of late. So the plan is to cut back on the coffee to 2 cups a day (one before morning workout and then another once I get to work), completely elminate any kind of soda, and no caffeine after noon. I even bought some Decaf and have been getting Decaf when I go out and get coffee.
2. Cut back on the drinking.
Anybody that knows me knows that I enjoy drinking beer and the occasionl whiskey. It's easy to justify knocking back a couple of beers on weekends after a hard workout but I am curious to see what happens if I really reduce my intake. I am not planning on totally eliminating alcohol because there has to be some balance. But in weeks leading up races and time of really intense training there will be no drinking. Leading up to the 70.3 the plan is to not have any alochol after 2/4 (superbowl) and 3/31 (race day). With the Chargers in the playoffs many of my friends will be having parties that I will definitely be attending, but still keeping things in moderation. There will be no drinking during the week from here on out. This is more of an experiment than anything. I want to see if I feel a noticable difference in how I feel and how I recover.
3. Really focus on recovery
I have a tendency to want to do too much and by doing this I probably don't let my body adequately recover. I have already scheduled massages/adjustments every 2 weeks from this Friday through March. Regular massage and chiropractic work has done wonders for me. The neck problems I used to have a year and half ago are pretty much non existant. I also want to get more sleep. I am going to try and sleep in on weekends prior to my big workouts. I have a problem sleeping in. Even when I have nothing to do I am usually up by 630 am. I would love to sleep until about 8 or 9 and then head out the door for my weekend workouts around 10. I also want to try and take 45-60 minute naps on the weekends post workout.
I think that's it. I am really looking forward to 2007.
This past week training has been hit or miss for me. I tried to get in most of my workouts but moving took up a lot of time and energy. Yesterday I kicked off the new year with a 2.5 hour mountain bike around my new place. There are some killer trails practically right out my back door. There is one climb that is very similar to black mountain and will be perfect when I am training for Xterra.
Today is the first day of my specific training for the 70.3 on 3/31. I have my plan for the next 5 weeks and I am really looking forward to it. It's definitely longer workouts than I have ever done before. I knocked out 4k yards this morning at Masters and felt pretty good and will be hitting the trainer tonight.
so everybody does it... New years resolutions. I don't know if the following things are resolutions but they are things I want to improve on/change in 2007 in hopes that it will make me heathier, faster, and stronger.
1. Cut way back on the caffeine.
I know I drink way too much coffee right now and it's not just for the caffeine fix. I love coffee and esspresso. I would say I average between 3-6 cups a day, and some days more. I usually have atleast one diet coke a day too. Since it's gotten cooler I often have a cup of coffee in the afternoon and another in the evening. It's no suprise I have had some trouble getting to sleep as of late. So the plan is to cut back on the coffee to 2 cups a day (one before morning workout and then another once I get to work), completely elminate any kind of soda, and no caffeine after noon. I even bought some Decaf and have been getting Decaf when I go out and get coffee.
2. Cut back on the drinking.
Anybody that knows me knows that I enjoy drinking beer and the occasionl whiskey. It's easy to justify knocking back a couple of beers on weekends after a hard workout but I am curious to see what happens if I really reduce my intake. I am not planning on totally eliminating alcohol because there has to be some balance. But in weeks leading up races and time of really intense training there will be no drinking. Leading up to the 70.3 the plan is to not have any alochol after 2/4 (superbowl) and 3/31 (race day). With the Chargers in the playoffs many of my friends will be having parties that I will definitely be attending, but still keeping things in moderation. There will be no drinking during the week from here on out. This is more of an experiment than anything. I want to see if I feel a noticable difference in how I feel and how I recover.
3. Really focus on recovery
I have a tendency to want to do too much and by doing this I probably don't let my body adequately recover. I have already scheduled massages/adjustments every 2 weeks from this Friday through March. Regular massage and chiropractic work has done wonders for me. The neck problems I used to have a year and half ago are pretty much non existant. I also want to get more sleep. I am going to try and sleep in on weekends prior to my big workouts. I have a problem sleeping in. Even when I have nothing to do I am usually up by 630 am. I would love to sleep until about 8 or 9 and then head out the door for my weekend workouts around 10. I also want to try and take 45-60 minute naps on the weekends post workout.
I think that's it. I am really looking forward to 2007.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Will it ever end?
I am ready for the holiday season to be over with. I am sick of drinking and eating like crap. It's hard to abstain from the alcohol and junk food when it's everywhere you turn.
I had a great time with my family over Xmas and even got in all my workouts. Now I am back at work but it seems like I am the only one. I will be moving over the next weekend and then with the start of the new year also comes my focused training for the California 70.3.
Yesterday I got I my longest run in a while, 1:18 with 20 minutes at tempo. I forgot how much I like running long. It felt great.
Time to start packing... I hate moving!
I had a great time with my family over Xmas and even got in all my workouts. Now I am back at work but it seems like I am the only one. I will be moving over the next weekend and then with the start of the new year also comes my focused training for the California 70.3.
Yesterday I got I my longest run in a while, 1:18 with 20 minutes at tempo. I forgot how much I like running long. It felt great.
Time to start packing... I hate moving!
Friday, December 22, 2006
It's Official...
Yesterday I finally registered for the California 70.3. I missed a couple of races last year because I procrastinated when it came to signing up. So I dropped the $215 and there's no turning back. I am pretty stoked about doing a 70.3 and what's even better is that my parents are coming out to visit and watch me race. The only race they've witnessed in person was the Xterra East champs in Richmond last summer. They really enjoyed watching me race and are extremely supportive of my racing.
My workouts this week have been solid and I am still feeling really good in the pool. I think my swimming is just about at the level it was prior to Xterra worlds. This mornings swim was a tough one though. One of the reasons is because I went out with some friends last night, had too many jack and cokes, and didn't get to bed until 1130pm. When my alarm went off at 5am this morning I almost shut it off and went back to sleep. I was super tired but I made myself get up. Once I got in the pool I felt good. I ended up having a really solid swim and after the session the coach even mentioned how much stronger/faster I am getting. Maybe I need to go out and have a couple of drinks everynight before I swim.
After my ride tomorrow I will be heading out to Palm Springs to celebrate Xmas with my family and then coming back Sunday morning. Since me and none of friends are going back east/home for the holidays we are going to have a Xmas party/bbq on Monday (it will probably start Xmas eve). Nothing like celebrating on Xmas day with grilled meat, beers, whiskey, friends, and football.
Eventhough Xmas day is a rest day for me I may go for a mellow MTB ride before the festivities. I just got some new shifters put on and I want to give them a go.
Cheers.
My workouts this week have been solid and I am still feeling really good in the pool. I think my swimming is just about at the level it was prior to Xterra worlds. This mornings swim was a tough one though. One of the reasons is because I went out with some friends last night, had too many jack and cokes, and didn't get to bed until 1130pm. When my alarm went off at 5am this morning I almost shut it off and went back to sleep. I was super tired but I made myself get up. Once I got in the pool I felt good. I ended up having a really solid swim and after the session the coach even mentioned how much stronger/faster I am getting. Maybe I need to go out and have a couple of drinks everynight before I swim.
After my ride tomorrow I will be heading out to Palm Springs to celebrate Xmas with my family and then coming back Sunday morning. Since me and none of friends are going back east/home for the holidays we are going to have a Xmas party/bbq on Monday (it will probably start Xmas eve). Nothing like celebrating on Xmas day with grilled meat, beers, whiskey, friends, and football.
Eventhough Xmas day is a rest day for me I may go for a mellow MTB ride before the festivities. I just got some new shifters put on and I want to give them a go.
Cheers.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Cold.
Getting out of bed and heading down the street to swim at 6am is getting harder. Not because I don't want to swim, but's it's been cold. My morning rides have been pretty cold too, but I have all the right gear so I stay relatively warm. I would rather be a cold little than suffer away on the trainer for two hours.
Last week was solid and things are slowly starting to pick up. It's hard to believe the California 70.3 is only 14 weeks away. I'm really looking forward to training for a longer distance race. It will be new for me. I may actually have to consider pacing myself, but I really just want to try and hammer the whole thing.
Saturday Jim held a swim clinic for all the athletes he coaches and it was cold. I froze my ass off and immediately changed, cranked up the heater in my truck, and headed to the nearest Starbucks.
Today I had my second meeting with Kim Muller, a local Sports Nutritionist. I really want to nail my pre-race and race nutrition. I thought I did an alright job on my own last season, but after talking with her it seems like I was making some major mistakes. By the time my first key race of the year comes around I plan on having a solid nutional plan.
I will be heading of town for the weekend to celebrate an early Christmas with my relatives in Palm Springs and then moving the following weekend. Between that, work, and training these next couple of weeks should be super busy.
Last week was solid and things are slowly starting to pick up. It's hard to believe the California 70.3 is only 14 weeks away. I'm really looking forward to training for a longer distance race. It will be new for me. I may actually have to consider pacing myself, but I really just want to try and hammer the whole thing.
Saturday Jim held a swim clinic for all the athletes he coaches and it was cold. I froze my ass off and immediately changed, cranked up the heater in my truck, and headed to the nearest Starbucks.
Today I had my second meeting with Kim Muller, a local Sports Nutritionist. I really want to nail my pre-race and race nutrition. I thought I did an alright job on my own last season, but after talking with her it seems like I was making some major mistakes. By the time my first key race of the year comes around I plan on having a solid nutional plan.
I will be heading of town for the weekend to celebrate an early Christmas with my relatives in Palm Springs and then moving the following weekend. Between that, work, and training these next couple of weeks should be super busy.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
back at it.
Monday was a much needed rest day. After a week full of work outs and drinking too much beer watching the Chargers clinch that AFC west on Sunday I needed to just relax. My legs were also pretty sore after hitting the gym on Sunday. Lifting with my legs always crushes me and it usually takes me atlest 3 full days to recover.
Yesterday I had a ride in the morning and then got in a 30 minute yoga session in the evening. The ride was a good one, but went a little longer than I had planned. I headed out from my apartment at 6am to an empty parking lot a couple miles and worked on cornering and accelerating in and out of turns. After a solid 30 minutes of that I rode to where the new condo I am moving into the on the 29th is to check out the roads around there. I made a couple of wrong turns and what was only going to be an hour ride turned into 1:45. No worries though it was a good time.
Back when I was just surfing and running all the time I used to do yoga quite a bit and really like it. Since I have a little extra time in my training schedule this time of year I am going to try to get in a couple of yoga sessions a week. I am sure it will help in the long run. I am also getting in the weight room twice a week and try and add some muscle, especially to the lower half of my body.
This moring I was in the pool with Masters and knocked out 4000 yards.
Last week I finally started eating healthy again and could immediately feel the difference with how much energy I had. I forgot how good my morning protein shakes are... here's the recipe:
Post workout shake:
1 Banana
1 Scoop of super green (wheat grass, spinach, etc,... good stuff)
1.5 scoops of chocolate proten powder
1 cup of light vanilla soy milk
5g glutamine
1/2 tbsp flax oil
ice
totals: 415 calories, 11g fat, 50g carbs, 35g protein
Yesterday I had a ride in the morning and then got in a 30 minute yoga session in the evening. The ride was a good one, but went a little longer than I had planned. I headed out from my apartment at 6am to an empty parking lot a couple miles and worked on cornering and accelerating in and out of turns. After a solid 30 minutes of that I rode to where the new condo I am moving into the on the 29th is to check out the roads around there. I made a couple of wrong turns and what was only going to be an hour ride turned into 1:45. No worries though it was a good time.
Back when I was just surfing and running all the time I used to do yoga quite a bit and really like it. Since I have a little extra time in my training schedule this time of year I am going to try to get in a couple of yoga sessions a week. I am sure it will help in the long run. I am also getting in the weight room twice a week and try and add some muscle, especially to the lower half of my body.
This moring I was in the pool with Masters and knocked out 4000 yards.
Last week I finally started eating healthy again and could immediately feel the difference with how much energy I had. I forgot how good my morning protein shakes are... here's the recipe:
Post workout shake:
1 Banana
1 Scoop of super green (wheat grass, spinach, etc,... good stuff)
1.5 scoops of chocolate proten powder
1 cup of light vanilla soy milk
5g glutamine
1/2 tbsp flax oil
ice
totals: 415 calories, 11g fat, 50g carbs, 35g protein
Friday, December 08, 2006
Swimming...
This week has been solid. Eventhough my schedule was relatively light getting back to regular training took a lot out of me. I think I crashed every night at 9pm, and even 830pm last night.
I swam a Masters workout on Monday and it was solid, and then swam by myself on Wednesday in the pool at work. The Wednesday swim was first time I have done a solo workout on a long time, but it gave me a chance to slow things down and really concentrate on drills and form, which is what I need to be concentrating on right now. My plan typically has 3 swims per week and I think I am going to hit Masters twice and then also make sure I spend one day swimming solo. I know I still have a lot of room for improvement in my stroke.
For no apparent reason I woke up anxious this morning to get in the pool. Friday is typically a speed workout with the squad that I swim with so I was kind of interested to see what my current speed was like after not really doing anything hard for about 6 weeks. After 2000 yards came the fast set.
4 x 25 hard - add time of each 25 to get 100 time (1:03)
100 easy
100 hard - trying to hit 4x25 time.. yeah right.
100 easy
We did this set twice and somehow I swam my fastet 100's ever. Just prior to leaving for the Maui and the Xterra Worlds I swam a 1:14 which was my PR for a 100 then. This morning:
1. 1:12
2. 1:11
So there's my benchmark.
I was kind of in shock, but am stoked. How much faster can I go once I am back in shape? I really think a winter of swimming and all next year that my swim can continue to improve and it will continue to be a focus in my training.
Maui really did alot for my confidence swimming. My mindset prior to the race was just to "get through" the swim and start going for it on the bike. Worlds was the first time I felt like I was racing in the swim and had the best swim of my life. I can't wait for my first race next year and actually committing to racing in the swim.
I have to do a run later on today and then that's it. I am stoked it's Friday.
I swam a Masters workout on Monday and it was solid, and then swam by myself on Wednesday in the pool at work. The Wednesday swim was first time I have done a solo workout on a long time, but it gave me a chance to slow things down and really concentrate on drills and form, which is what I need to be concentrating on right now. My plan typically has 3 swims per week and I think I am going to hit Masters twice and then also make sure I spend one day swimming solo. I know I still have a lot of room for improvement in my stroke.
For no apparent reason I woke up anxious this morning to get in the pool. Friday is typically a speed workout with the squad that I swim with so I was kind of interested to see what my current speed was like after not really doing anything hard for about 6 weeks. After 2000 yards came the fast set.
4 x 25 hard - add time of each 25 to get 100 time (1:03)
100 easy
100 hard - trying to hit 4x25 time.. yeah right.
100 easy
We did this set twice and somehow I swam my fastet 100's ever. Just prior to leaving for the Maui and the Xterra Worlds I swam a 1:14 which was my PR for a 100 then. This morning:
1. 1:12
2. 1:11
So there's my benchmark.
I was kind of in shock, but am stoked. How much faster can I go once I am back in shape? I really think a winter of swimming and all next year that my swim can continue to improve and it will continue to be a focus in my training.
Maui really did alot for my confidence swimming. My mindset prior to the race was just to "get through" the swim and start going for it on the bike. Worlds was the first time I felt like I was racing in the swim and had the best swim of my life. I can't wait for my first race next year and actually committing to racing in the swim.
I have to do a run later on today and then that's it. I am stoked it's Friday.
Monday, December 04, 2006
day one.
It all started today at 5:15am. My training for the 2007 season is on. After a weekend of partying in Vegas and not getting much sleep getting up was hell. I almost hit the snooze button one more time but was able to drag myself out of bed.
Last year at this time I had just gotten my first road/TT bike and could not break 1:50 per 100 yards in the pool. I was running a lot but with no focus. I had no plan. This year things are going to be way differnt. First of all, I have a successful season under my belt and have dramatically improved at all the 3 sports.
Jim gave me my training plan last week for the next month and I immediately thought it was kind of light. This is where it pays off to have a good coach in your corner. If I was going about this on my own, and being the kind of person I am, I would probably nuke myself early on in the year and pay for it at some point. I defintely need someone to talk some sense into me and keep me from overtraining. This month is all about skill/technique with volume slowly increasing as we move towards the first of the year. At first I was kind of disappointed with the lack of volume early on but I know it makes the most sense.
I swam a 3600 yard Masters workout this morning and it kicked my ass. I got through it and didn't push too hard. I was definitely feeling all drinking/lack of sleep from the weekend. I have a couple more swims this week and some relatively easy rides and runs. On the weekend I have couple of riding and running skills workouts. It should be a good time. I am stoked to be back "officially" training. A month of not really doing any structrued workouts was tough. I was in the best shape of my life prior to Xterra Worlds and then just to shut it down was harder than I thought it would.
That's all...
Last year at this time I had just gotten my first road/TT bike and could not break 1:50 per 100 yards in the pool. I was running a lot but with no focus. I had no plan. This year things are going to be way differnt. First of all, I have a successful season under my belt and have dramatically improved at all the 3 sports.
Jim gave me my training plan last week for the next month and I immediately thought it was kind of light. This is where it pays off to have a good coach in your corner. If I was going about this on my own, and being the kind of person I am, I would probably nuke myself early on in the year and pay for it at some point. I defintely need someone to talk some sense into me and keep me from overtraining. This month is all about skill/technique with volume slowly increasing as we move towards the first of the year. At first I was kind of disappointed with the lack of volume early on but I know it makes the most sense.
I swam a 3600 yard Masters workout this morning and it kicked my ass. I got through it and didn't push too hard. I was definitely feeling all drinking/lack of sleep from the weekend. I have a couple more swims this week and some relatively easy rides and runs. On the weekend I have couple of riding and running skills workouts. It should be a good time. I am stoked to be back "officially" training. A month of not really doing any structrued workouts was tough. I was in the best shape of my life prior to Xterra Worlds and then just to shut it down was harder than I thought it would.
That's all...
Thursday, November 30, 2006
back at it... sort of.
Well it all starts tomorrow... kind of. For first time in about a month I have something in my training plan, but then it's off to Vegas for a weekend of partying. So I am really going to consider Monday, 12/4 as the start of my training for 2007.
For the past month I have just been doing whatever I've felt like. For the most part I have just been riding my bikes. I got a new road bike and I am super stoked on it. I also did quite a bit of mountain biking. Just fun stuff. I ran and swam a handful of times each, but nothing hard.
My nutrition has been less than ideal but I think I really needed that. I am normally really healthy but have been just eating and drinking whatever I want. That all changes Monday. I am ready to start eating healthy and cutting way, way back on the drinking.
That's all for now.
For the past month I have just been doing whatever I've felt like. For the most part I have just been riding my bikes. I got a new road bike and I am super stoked on it. I also did quite a bit of mountain biking. Just fun stuff. I ran and swam a handful of times each, but nothing hard.
My nutrition has been less than ideal but I think I really needed that. I am normally really healthy but have been just eating and drinking whatever I want. That all changes Monday. I am ready to start eating healthy and cutting way, way back on the drinking.
That's all for now.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Done.
My season is now officially over eventhough I have already been taking it really easy since I got back from Maui a couple of weeks ago. My body has been feeling really good and all the day to day aches and pains are pretty much gone.
The XC championship went pretty well. I talked with Jim before the race and based on his recomendation I went quite a bit more conservatively than I have done in past races. This worked pretty well and I finished strong. I probably should have made my final move about a 1/4 mile sooner as there was one guy that was fading fast and I just ran out of room to catch him.
USATF Championship 4 Mile - Morley Field November 11, 2006
22:03 14th Overall
I have not been doing any focused training but I have been riding my bike a lot. I have just been going and riding for as long as I want and some good neighborhood loops. It's been just for fun and when I am over it I head home. I don't plan on doing any running until sometime next and then it will some easy 30 min runs until I hit December. I also got in the pool for and easy 2500 yards yesterday morning and will probably swim again sometime this week and just keep it mellow.
The XC championship went pretty well. I talked with Jim before the race and based on his recomendation I went quite a bit more conservatively than I have done in past races. This worked pretty well and I finished strong. I probably should have made my final move about a 1/4 mile sooner as there was one guy that was fading fast and I just ran out of room to catch him.
USATF Championship 4 Mile - Morley Field November 11, 2006
22:03 14th Overall
I have not been doing any focused training but I have been riding my bike a lot. I have just been going and riding for as long as I want and some good neighborhood loops. It's been just for fun and when I am over it I head home. I don't plan on doing any running until sometime next and then it will some easy 30 min runs until I hit December. I also got in the pool for and easy 2500 yards yesterday morning and will probably swim again sometime this week and just keep it mellow.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Long week/Last Race
This week is finally ending and it's been a long one. Weeks are a lot more fun when they are filled with hard training rather than long hours of work.
I have my last "real" race of the season tomorrow. It's the San Diego USATF Open Championships. It's supposedly a big deal and there should be guys flying in just for this race. My motivation is kind of lacking for this one but I am going to try to just go all out. Our team moved up into second place in the standings and we are within striking distance. I would be pretty cool to pull out a first place in my season running for Mizuno.
I rode once this week, swam twice and ran 3 times. I am just taking it easy. I have also havent been eating to great and can defintely feel the difference, but whatever. I am not worried about things right now. I figure I will just keep up a similar schedule over the next couple of weeks until after Thanksgiving. I'll probably end up riding more with very little running. I think my legs need a break. Everything at a very easy pace. I will also start doing yoga twice a week starting next week. I hope to be able to keep that up all winter.
Monday:
Swim - masters 2550 yards
30 min easy run
Tuesday:
2 hour easy bike - 32 miles
Wednesday:
45 min run with 3 x 3 min hard, descending
Thursday:
Swim - masters 2400 yards
Friday:
30 min run with numerous strides
I have my last "real" race of the season tomorrow. It's the San Diego USATF Open Championships. It's supposedly a big deal and there should be guys flying in just for this race. My motivation is kind of lacking for this one but I am going to try to just go all out. Our team moved up into second place in the standings and we are within striking distance. I would be pretty cool to pull out a first place in my season running for Mizuno.
I rode once this week, swam twice and ran 3 times. I am just taking it easy. I have also havent been eating to great and can defintely feel the difference, but whatever. I am not worried about things right now. I figure I will just keep up a similar schedule over the next couple of weeks until after Thanksgiving. I'll probably end up riding more with very little running. I think my legs need a break. Everything at a very easy pace. I will also start doing yoga twice a week starting next week. I hope to be able to keep that up all winter.
Monday:
Swim - masters 2550 yards
30 min easy run
Tuesday:
2 hour easy bike - 32 miles
Wednesday:
45 min run with 3 x 3 min hard, descending
Thursday:
Swim - masters 2400 yards
Friday:
30 min run with numerous strides
Sunday, November 05, 2006
starting the offseason... kind of.
The Xterra Worlds was my last triathlon of the season and I am defintely ready for a break. I am not necessarily ready to stop working out altogether, but just doing some unstructured stuff and whatever I feel like will be nice. I do have a race next weekend. It's the Xc Championship race and it's a pretty big race. My team has moved into second place and we are in striking distance. So I want to run a strong race, but I have to admit that mentally I am done. My plan is just to totally blow it out for the 4 miles and see what happens.
Today I volunteered at the B&L Aid station for the San Diego Triathlon Challenge that is put on by CAF (Challanged Athletes Foundation). I had a blast handing out Gatorade bottles. There was some pretty amazing stuff going. It's pretty rad to see some of the people race and the attitudes they have.
On another note, my coach killed it at IMFL. He finished 3rd overall in 8:37 in his first ever IM. Pretty damn impressive. I am definitely very stoked for him. He had a lot of bad luck this year and to end his season like this is very well deserved.
I did get in some training/workouts this past week.
Monday: off - Travel back to LA
Tuesday: 40 min easy run, shake off the jet lag
Wednesday: 60 min easy ride/core workout
Thursday: easy strength/stretching session
Friday: 30 minute run
Saturday: 1:45 MTB - easy and fun at Daley Ranch
Sunday: 60 min run/50min mtb on neighborhood trails
I am just basically doing what I feel like and staying active. No intensity. I am have been eating and drinking a lot. I went out and partied with my friends on friday night and drank way too much and topped it off with late night mexican food right before passing out. I felt like crap in the morning but it was to get out and not have to worry about getting early for a workout.
I have to travel for work this week. Taking the red eye Tuesday night to New Jersey... not fun. I am going to hit the pool in the morning and just cruise.
Today I volunteered at the B&L Aid station for the San Diego Triathlon Challenge that is put on by CAF (Challanged Athletes Foundation). I had a blast handing out Gatorade bottles. There was some pretty amazing stuff going. It's pretty rad to see some of the people race and the attitudes they have.
On another note, my coach killed it at IMFL. He finished 3rd overall in 8:37 in his first ever IM. Pretty damn impressive. I am definitely very stoked for him. He had a lot of bad luck this year and to end his season like this is very well deserved.
I did get in some training/workouts this past week.
Monday: off - Travel back to LA
Tuesday: 40 min easy run, shake off the jet lag
Wednesday: 60 min easy ride/core workout
Thursday: easy strength/stretching session
Friday: 30 minute run
Saturday: 1:45 MTB - easy and fun at Daley Ranch
Sunday: 60 min run/50min mtb on neighborhood trails
I am just basically doing what I feel like and staying active. No intensity. I am have been eating and drinking a lot. I went out and partied with my friends on friday night and drank way too much and topped it off with late night mexican food right before passing out. I felt like crap in the morning but it was to get out and not have to worry about getting early for a workout.
I have to travel for work this week. Taking the red eye Tuesday night to New Jersey... not fun. I am going to hit the pool in the morning and just cruise.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Xterra World Championships 10.29.2006 - Maui, HI
I am back home in San Diego after what has seemed like a really long week. Traveling to Maui and getting the chance to race in a world championship was incredible.
Just to get an idea of hard this race is here are some quotes from the winners:
Hamish Carter:
"It was really tough, a lot tougher than I thought," said the 35-year-old from Auckland, winner of the 2004 Olympic triathlon. "At one point during the run I didn't even know if I could finish."
Melanie Mcquaid (3 X world):
"Never has this race ever been longer or harder than this year and I am absolutely stunned to have had the race I did on Sunday."
Thursday:
Our (my sister and nephew went on the trip with me) flight at 7am from LAX. After what seemed like and endless flight we touched down in Maui at 9am local time. We picked up out rental car (jeep commander) and headed for out condo in Kihei. We checked in and then head down the coast for some snorkeling and exploring. Later on I went for an easy 40 minute run and was feeling great.
Friday:
First thing in the morning we head down to the Maui Prince (host hotel and race site) so I could check in, pre-ride the practice bike course, and then go for a swim. You are not allowed to pre-ride the actual bike course which adds significantly to the difficulty of the course. The practice course was pretty short. It only took me 30 minutes to do the loop but it was blazing hot out there. After the ride I went for a swim. The swim was great and I felt really good in the water. When I got about 400 meters offshore I came across a reef and a bunch of sea turtles. It was killer. After the swim we grabbed some lunch and then drove to the top of the volcano.
Saturday:
We headed back to the race site and my sister and nephew went snorkeling and I got in a 20 minute run and an easy 750 meter swim. I was feeling really good, completely relaxed, and ready to go. That night we went to the pre race dinner and I really began to realize how big of a deal this race was. I already new that there was a big international presence (out of the 33 guys in my AG only 10 were american) but seeing all the countries represented at the dinner and all the videos from the races was mind blowing. I really felt fortunate to be there and knew that I had really accomplished something... and the food was awesome.
Sunday: The race.
i was up a 5:15 am without an alarm and got a really good night sleep. I had a cup of coffee and then a Snicker's Marathon bar and a bottle with 2 scoops of carbo pro and a NUUN tab. This was different from my normal pre-race meal. I usually have a whole wheat bagel with natural peanut butter, honey, and a banana. I have had some stomach problems in my last few races so I changed it up.
I got to the race site, set up transition, and got body marked. The race was supposed to start at 9 but got pushed back to 9:15. I sipped on water mixed with NUUN, and took a gel about 8:30. I got in the water and swam about 500 meters to warm up and was really feeling good in the water. After I warmed up I talked with my sister and the got blessed by the Hawaiian priest. I was feeling completely relaxed, not stress. It was kind weird how calm I was, even my sister noticed.
The swim: 2 x 750 meter laps w/ a 50 yard between laps
I lined myself up right behind a group of pros and when the canon went off I charged it. I quickly found a good draft and really didn't caught too much with anybody. I hit the first buoy feeling really good and got around it in a big crowd. I stayed calm and just kept on pushing and staying on peoples feet and knees. At the end of the first lap I knew I was having a good swim. I looked around on the run between laps and I had pro men and women all around me. The second lap went really well too. I felt relaxed the whole time. The swim felt easy and I was stoked running up to transition... and I was even more stoked to see most of the bikes still in trasition.
swim split(2 x 750m, 50 yard run, 75 yard run to T1, T1): 24:46
Bike: 19.8 miles
This by far hardest course I have ever ridden but I was feeling really confident after a really good swim. I immediately started passing people on the climbs. The course was treacherous. All the descents were filled with lava rocks big and small. I just opened it up as much as I could and flowed. I saw a lot of people crashing and people stopped fixing flats. I have never seen so many people go down (including a number of pros), and these weren't minor crashes. Some of them were nasty leaving people waiting for assistance off the volcano. I got passed and also did my fair share of passing. After the last downhill I hit the paved road that led back to trainistion. I was so stoked to have made the whole ride without going down or having any mechanical problems. It thanked the Hawaiian preist for this at dinner.
Bike split: 2:02:41
Run: 6.9 miles
I felt pretty good leaving T2 and knew I had some work to do. I think I was in 11th or 12th place in my AG heading out on the run and knew there were a couple guys within reach. The first 3/4 of a mile are on a golf course and paved road with rolling hills. I started passing people right away. At the 1 mile marker it turns uphill for 3 miles of relentless, hot climbing. This is where I made my moved. I was dropping a lot of guys on the climb, including guys in my AG. I had moved up into 6th place once I reached the top and I was with a pro male as I hit the aid station and started the rocky descent. At this point I was caught by a guy in my AG and he dropped me on the downhill. I was in shock. For the first time I couldn't respond to his surge. This had never happened to me before. This kind of broke me mentally. After the descent I hit Makena beach. This is where I fell apart. The beach is a mile of super soft sand and there was a 20mph headwind. It took everything I had to keep moving forward and not breaking down and walking. Then we headed into the "spooky forrest" and I was concentrating on turnover, but I was bonking big time. Then it was back onto a black sand beach, again with super soft sand and wind. I was crushed, but I kept moving. Soon enough I was running over the rocks and corral, back onto the golf course, and then onto finish. This was the hardest run of my life. I hit the wall but luckily only got passed by one guy.
run: 53:07
Overall: 3:20:34 - 7th in AG (of 33), 62nd overall (of 575)
As soon as I crossed the finish line the heat hit me like a ton of bricks and I was out of it. I was walked directly to the Med tent and draped with cold towels and given fluids. They were about to give me an IV but I started coming around. Nothing has ever felt that good. I finally left it all on the course, but wish I had more to give. I think I really blew it by not eating enough before the race. I was bonking hardcore over the last 2 miles. If the race would have been another mile I would have had to walk.
Overall I am very happy with my race (and first season). I had a breakthrough swim for me, and my bike was solid. For once my run wasn't there which I know will not be a regular thing. I still have tons of room to improve and I hope I can qualify and get back there next year. I want a podium finish in 2007.
Just to get an idea of hard this race is here are some quotes from the winners:
Hamish Carter:
"It was really tough, a lot tougher than I thought," said the 35-year-old from Auckland, winner of the 2004 Olympic triathlon. "At one point during the run I didn't even know if I could finish."
Melanie Mcquaid (3 X world):
"Never has this race ever been longer or harder than this year and I am absolutely stunned to have had the race I did on Sunday."
Thursday:
Our (my sister and nephew went on the trip with me) flight at 7am from LAX. After what seemed like and endless flight we touched down in Maui at 9am local time. We picked up out rental car (jeep commander) and headed for out condo in Kihei. We checked in and then head down the coast for some snorkeling and exploring. Later on I went for an easy 40 minute run and was feeling great.
Friday:
First thing in the morning we head down to the Maui Prince (host hotel and race site) so I could check in, pre-ride the practice bike course, and then go for a swim. You are not allowed to pre-ride the actual bike course which adds significantly to the difficulty of the course. The practice course was pretty short. It only took me 30 minutes to do the loop but it was blazing hot out there. After the ride I went for a swim. The swim was great and I felt really good in the water. When I got about 400 meters offshore I came across a reef and a bunch of sea turtles. It was killer. After the swim we grabbed some lunch and then drove to the top of the volcano.
Saturday:
We headed back to the race site and my sister and nephew went snorkeling and I got in a 20 minute run and an easy 750 meter swim. I was feeling really good, completely relaxed, and ready to go. That night we went to the pre race dinner and I really began to realize how big of a deal this race was. I already new that there was a big international presence (out of the 33 guys in my AG only 10 were american) but seeing all the countries represented at the dinner and all the videos from the races was mind blowing. I really felt fortunate to be there and knew that I had really accomplished something... and the food was awesome.
Sunday: The race.
i was up a 5:15 am without an alarm and got a really good night sleep. I had a cup of coffee and then a Snicker's Marathon bar and a bottle with 2 scoops of carbo pro and a NUUN tab. This was different from my normal pre-race meal. I usually have a whole wheat bagel with natural peanut butter, honey, and a banana. I have had some stomach problems in my last few races so I changed it up.
I got to the race site, set up transition, and got body marked. The race was supposed to start at 9 but got pushed back to 9:15. I sipped on water mixed with NUUN, and took a gel about 8:30. I got in the water and swam about 500 meters to warm up and was really feeling good in the water. After I warmed up I talked with my sister and the got blessed by the Hawaiian priest. I was feeling completely relaxed, not stress. It was kind weird how calm I was, even my sister noticed.
The swim: 2 x 750 meter laps w/ a 50 yard between laps
I lined myself up right behind a group of pros and when the canon went off I charged it. I quickly found a good draft and really didn't caught too much with anybody. I hit the first buoy feeling really good and got around it in a big crowd. I stayed calm and just kept on pushing and staying on peoples feet and knees. At the end of the first lap I knew I was having a good swim. I looked around on the run between laps and I had pro men and women all around me. The second lap went really well too. I felt relaxed the whole time. The swim felt easy and I was stoked running up to transition... and I was even more stoked to see most of the bikes still in trasition.
swim split(2 x 750m, 50 yard run, 75 yard run to T1, T1): 24:46
Bike: 19.8 miles
This by far hardest course I have ever ridden but I was feeling really confident after a really good swim. I immediately started passing people on the climbs. The course was treacherous. All the descents were filled with lava rocks big and small. I just opened it up as much as I could and flowed. I saw a lot of people crashing and people stopped fixing flats. I have never seen so many people go down (including a number of pros), and these weren't minor crashes. Some of them were nasty leaving people waiting for assistance off the volcano. I got passed and also did my fair share of passing. After the last downhill I hit the paved road that led back to trainistion. I was so stoked to have made the whole ride without going down or having any mechanical problems. It thanked the Hawaiian preist for this at dinner.
Bike split: 2:02:41
Run: 6.9 miles
I felt pretty good leaving T2 and knew I had some work to do. I think I was in 11th or 12th place in my AG heading out on the run and knew there were a couple guys within reach. The first 3/4 of a mile are on a golf course and paved road with rolling hills. I started passing people right away. At the 1 mile marker it turns uphill for 3 miles of relentless, hot climbing. This is where I made my moved. I was dropping a lot of guys on the climb, including guys in my AG. I had moved up into 6th place once I reached the top and I was with a pro male as I hit the aid station and started the rocky descent. At this point I was caught by a guy in my AG and he dropped me on the downhill. I was in shock. For the first time I couldn't respond to his surge. This had never happened to me before. This kind of broke me mentally. After the descent I hit Makena beach. This is where I fell apart. The beach is a mile of super soft sand and there was a 20mph headwind. It took everything I had to keep moving forward and not breaking down and walking. Then we headed into the "spooky forrest" and I was concentrating on turnover, but I was bonking big time. Then it was back onto a black sand beach, again with super soft sand and wind. I was crushed, but I kept moving. Soon enough I was running over the rocks and corral, back onto the golf course, and then onto finish. This was the hardest run of my life. I hit the wall but luckily only got passed by one guy.
run: 53:07
Overall: 3:20:34 - 7th in AG (of 33), 62nd overall (of 575)
As soon as I crossed the finish line the heat hit me like a ton of bricks and I was out of it. I was walked directly to the Med tent and draped with cold towels and given fluids. They were about to give me an IV but I started coming around. Nothing has ever felt that good. I finally left it all on the course, but wish I had more to give. I think I really blew it by not eating enough before the race. I was bonking hardcore over the last 2 miles. If the race would have been another mile I would have had to walk.
Overall I am very happy with my race (and first season). I had a breakthrough swim for me, and my bike was solid. For once my run wasn't there which I know will not be a regular thing. I still have tons of room to improve and I hope I can qualify and get back there next year. I want a podium finish in 2007.
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