The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

So this past week of workouts was a story of the good, the bad and the ugly.  Weather continues to be a bit of hit and miss but I can't really use that as an excuse.  On the Good side, went out with Heidi and Rick and did a strong ride on a good part of the Great White North course.  When we started the temp was relatively low and there was a reasonable breeze.  This was further compounded by a lot of smoke floating in from the wildfires in northern Alberta.  So there was a lot of "discussion" amongst the three of us about how seriously we wanted to undertake the ride but eventually no one had the guts to call off the ride.  At the end of the ride we were all good with the decision to go.

When we first started Rick scared me with the strength of the start.  It made me worried that I was completely behind the 8-ball with my Ironman prep.  Heidi was even more worried having even had less opportunity to train than I have.  As my legs warmed up, however, things got better and I had a really strong ride out to the Genesee power plant.  The only problems that I really had was with my Timex watch which continuously kicked back into regular time mode versus workout mode.  So I'll have to see what I can do to that.  I probably biked in a mostly Zone 3 level, hoping at lower Zone 3. 

On the way back in we really hit up against the headwind, especially when we turned south.  However, I still managed to make about 80 km in 2 hours, 45 minutes.  Heidi did very well for her first outdoor ride in many a year with probably a 60 km ride.

The rest of the weekend and the start of the new week was a bit more challenging with family in town and variety of other excuses. So didn't get in my weekend run as was part of the plan. 

And as for the ugly, not sure if it was my strong outdoor ride in adverse conditions (e.g., cold, smoky) that did it, but later Sunday and into this week I have now developed a head and chest cold that is impacting my aerobic capacity and my ability to sleep!  And, of course, work is a gong show this week with meetings set it seems from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on too many days.  And then again we have a U2 concert on June 1 as well!!

So now only about 8-10 weeks of workouts left before the big day at the end of August!!  Next big test is Great White North at beginning of July!

First Race of the 2011!

Well started to test my mettle in a formal sense yesterday with my first race of the year - the Edmonton Police Service Half Marathon - and did OK.  Heidi and I both raced yesterday in one of the windiest days we have seen in Edmonton in a while. 

At least I can say that it was warmer for this year's half-marathon than last year!  I still wore my winter running pants but quite frankly found myself more than comfortable (and not overheated) and certainly more comfortable than starting with shorts in the cooler start to the day.  I have to say that I felt stronger in the start of this year's race than last year's which I hope is a function of a full year of competition and training.  Heidi and I were able to start out together for the first bit of the run but we did eventually part company and I had to try to find some new pace bunnies in the pack.  I did manage to do that with various people and found it helpful to "tag on" to others to try to push myself along.  Still found the hills of Keillor Road and Laurier Heights to be a challenge.  Note to self - more hill repeats in the next few months are in order!

At about the 17 or 18 km point I did experience some dizzy spells but was able to push through.  Again felt I had good pace for most of the race and was hoping for a good outcome.  Even had one of the docs at the Misericordia who was also entered give me a bit of an inspirational speech at about 18 or 19 km saying that if we pushed it we could end up finishing in under 2 hours.  Unfortunately that didn't happen.  Was able to knock a couple of minutes off last year's time but didn't make my goal of being under 2 hours.  Regretably, neither did the doc who made the speech. 

However, it was good to get a little improvement on last year.  I say that because I don't feel that my training has been as intense or as frequent as I would have liked it to have been so far this year.  In addition, in the week leading up to this race I was in Denver at a conference with Jon Popowich - eating too much and probably exercising too little!  This was probably only the 3rd attempt at this distance so far this year, so good to know that I can actually do it under race conditions.  I also came off the race in good shape - one blister and some sore muscles but otherwise no injuries of note.

Next up is the Great White North Half Ironman slated for July 3rd.  Reasonably confident at this point about a 6 hour time there.  Would like to get in under 6 hours which means perhaps a little better than 43 minutes in the swim, hopefully just under 3 hours on the bike, and try to get in a 2:15 or less run.  Keep training and get the nutrition in on race day!

Run, Homer, Run...

Another relatively good week of workouts.  Got in the first outdoor runs of the year with a hill repeat set on Good Friday and a long 20 k run on Easter Sunday.  The weather finally cooperated and getting out in short sleeves and shorts seems a far cry from just a week ago when any type of outdoor exercise still seemed a distant memory.  Legs feel it a bit today and the Monday morning swim lacked a little intensity but looking forward to getting outside on a consistent basis from this point forward. 

The team had it's first outdoor bike this past Saturday as well, but couldn't get out due to family\home obligations so did another indoor spin.  That was fine and the legs certainly felt a lot better than the previous week.  Problem for me is that I hadn't been in for any IMS or massage on my legs that I had become quite tight through the calves, quads, and hamstrings.  Needless to say my first IMS in a while ended up being quite a "jumpy" experience.  Did some massage late last week and back in for IMS this week so hopefully get myself a bit looser. Certainly felt the tightness as a challenge on the bike - could never seem to warm up into the routine which led to some frustrating experiences.

On-call for my work this week starting on Tuesday so that limits outdoor experience yet again.  Not like I want to be an hour out from home, getting a page, and trying to solve a problem by the side of a road with a distinct lack of options to do so!  So another week of indoor work - I'll make it work! 

Then only about another week before I head off to Denver for a conference/presentation so that my final week before my first race is going to be a challenge as well.  Will try to get outdoors for runs but expect that there may be a reasonable amount of hotel workouts going on.  Good thing that the first race is only a half-marathon.  Nevertheless I hope to do better than last by at least 10 minutes.  Hope springs eternal!

A good week!

It was a good week of workouts this past week.  In total, about 12.5 hours of total workouts including a 21 km easy pace run to conclude the week.  The only things I came up short on was one swim and one set of weights due to work obligations - damn work.

As I think I have said before, I feel that I am in a stronger position this time of the year than I was at the same time last year.  I think that can be said with some confidence as it relates to my swim and my run.  On the swim, I'm already pacing at levels that I would be comfortable entering the water for my half-ironman in July.  I think it can get better.  On the run, at this time last year I would not have even done this distance for another month.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that this may be only the 4th time I've run 21 km at one time other than at Ironman, Great White North and the EPS half-marathon.  Hope that truly bodes well and isn't delusional.  My endurance on swim feels good and my endurance and heart rate on the run also look good.

Just my bike that continues to challenge my confidence - and that stretch of road between Richter's Pass and Yellow Lake! 

Hope Springs Eternal

Well warmer weather has finally showed up here in Edmonton, although that's relatively speaking having just gotten back from Mexico.  I still don't feel enthused enough about the change in the weather to get outdoor runs in but I've always been a fair weather athelete. 

Had a pretty strong week back from Mexico getting back into the swing of the workouts.  That was somewhat surprising as was the fact that my slothful days of suntanning and beer drinking didn't put my weight over the top.  On the first full weekend back got in a 2 hour ride and a 2 hour plus run and this week has been more of the same.  Everything feels good so far!  Strong swims with a recent 2350 metre swim and continuing on with good runs and bikes.  What I find interesting is that I don't remember the workouts being as vigorous for the same time last year as what I think there are now.  It's seem more intense at this time (mid-March) than it should be.  Hopefully that bodes well for summer training and Ironman itself. 

I've been starting to pick other people's brains now too to try to get myself over the hump on the bike portion of the Ironman particularly the Richter's Pass to Yellow Lake section.  That killed me last year.  Doing all kinds of mental math in my head - certainly enough to drive me crazy and to drive my wife crazy too!  It just seem all so simple on paper - 1.5 hours at most on the swim, no more than 7 on the bike and 4.5 hours on the run and I should have a finish in the 13 to 14 hour range. 

Oh well, keep slogging through the workouts now, try to extend them where it seems appropriate, build up endurance and start practicing the nutrition plan/experiments now and God willing I do way better than last year!

17 Hours to Glory (but 7 months more to prep!)

It's been a rough January 2011 to be sure.  Tons of snow and ice which has not exactly warmed my heart to vigorous workouts.  However, I'm guessing my core has been helped by the seemingly endless shovelling I've been doing!

To end January and begin February I seem to be plagued by a whole host of physical issues.  Some of this has clearly been related to long standing sports injuries from years past.  Right leg strain (evidently my sartorious muscle??), right shoulder problem (likely from my glorious years in the outfield), and now experiencing a problem for which antibiotics are in order.  So feeling a bit challenged to keep up the workouts. 

However, in some respects, this all seems pretty trivial stuff when compared to the stories I've been reading lately in a new book called 17 Hours to Glory.  The stories in here, so far, are truly astounding.

As you read this and recount just even the injuries sustained during training (broken collarbones, broken scapula, stress fractures, etc.) its a wonder that there are literally thousands that line up every year to take this sport/event on.  And some of the pros put in extraordinary hours on training - 50 hours a week on the bike alone!  And then you hear some stories about how athletes get through a particular tough race - licking the salt off their own bodies to get through to the next aide station or to the finish line.

So my current physical challenges are mild by comparison.  Time to toughen up mentally is probably the biggest challenge when you read these stories. 

Or might be easier to watch the videos of the World Championship in Kona with a bag of chips and a bottle of coke at my side...

2011 Begins!

Well it's been a good start to the New Year.  As of today 234 days until Ironman Canada!  Had a very slack month of December with trip out to DisneyWorld, then Christams parties and prep and then time out in Regina with family.  So when I say slack month I mean no exercise and excessive food consumption.  Not very athletic at all.

However, January (and I know it is only the 5th) has been good to start.  Have been getting in my workouts (up to 10 hours a week at this point).  I'm going to try to particularly focus on core/strength workouts until the end of February.  Not that bike and run will suffer in that regard.  I'll get that stuff in too.  However, at this point I have some alterior motives in trying to buff up. 

My focus on the run for the next little while is going to be to try to ramp up my speed.  I've already noted a difference in that regard in pushing myself harder than at the same time last year.  Hoping that pays off.  First real test is going to be the Edmonton Police Service Half Marathon (May 15, 2011) which I just registered for. 

My focus on the bike between now and the outdoor rides is somewhat similar to the run training in that I want to ramp up the intensity of my workouts.  In particular, I need to work on getting better at hill repeats and endurance.  I found the stretch between Richters and Yellow Lake my biggest challenge (as I'm sure all do) and it therefore bears working on! 

Swimming is a bit on hold for now.  The pool I work out at is under regular maintenance until January 17th.  I'm ok with that.  I'm currently comfortable with my swim.  When I do get back at it I'll have to slowly work myself back up into shape and then again work on my speed.  On the swim, however, I'm only expecting to shave a few minutes off my current times, e.g., if I can swim 2000 metres in less than 40 minutes, or the Ironman swim in less than 1 hour 20 minutes that will be sufficient progress for me.

In all of this I hope my weight will come down.  I'm not as fixated on this as I was last year.  I want to ensure that I'm as strong as possible for my races (both nutrition wise and rest wise) this year and I think a focus on weight loss would be a distraction.  If I lose weight then it will be a bonus!  It would be nice to be in the 170s.  I should have asked Santa for that as my Christmas gift.

Onwards and Upwards!