Sorry about that readers ... this week has been pretty busy and I just haven't gotten back to the blog and unfortunately this one will be a little short because I've got to get caught up on my sleep.
All is well. As expected on Monday, I hit one of my major milestones when I blew through the 100 pounds lost mark. Since I started this journey, it's now down 105, but I've blogged about that already. I've had some pretty decent bike workouts this week on both the trainer, and then more importantly outside.
I got out there with Krista, one of my new friends, from my coach's group on Wednesday night and we went out and biked Mercer Island. This is the first time I've probably done any kind of real ride on a bike in close to 15 years (probably when I did my triathlon many years ago). It was hard, but in a good way - I felt tired at the end, but I also felt giddy in a way. I may not have been past, but I went up the hills, even if I had to drop down into the granny gear. I didn't stop and I just kept going. Thanks Krista for giving me that push into the wild blue to get it done. Of course, it wasn't really blue skies as the rain came early and we got soaked! But it was fun anyway.
So where do I stand mentally and how am I feeling. I'm feeling quite good actually. The A.R.T. therapy on my ankle seems to be paying benefits. The ankle is getting more flexible and it hurts less. I'm riding and it felt better (except for one night on the trainer). My running is still progressing. I've got a 5k race this weekend. I've got an 8K race next weekend. I feel like I'm on track to get to Miami and get it done. I know I've definitely got work to do in front of me, but that's expected. What I feel is hope and pride that I've made it this far.
As I've been training and working at my weight loss, I've had good days and I've had bad days and I expect that. The think I'm really working on is to make sure that the bad days are not self inflicted. I think many people have that struggle where the self-doubt kicks in and the voices in your head tell you, you can't do it, you're not worth it, you're a failure, and so on. It's hard sometimes to quiet that voice and make yourself believe that you can. We all have challenges that require us to overcome them and life can throw you curveballs - but what we don't need is making ourselves even more challenged by throwing roadblocks in the way that are of our own creation.
Do I have a magic pill for it or some sage advice, sadly, no. But I found a quote from Laird Hamilton that I have written down and I keep it with me. "Make sure your own worst enemy doesn't live between your own two ears".
T-3 days to the Hot Chocolate 5K
T-10 days to the 408K!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
The eagle has landed
Sort of.
It's official now. I've gone to the 100+ lbs lost mark. It's 100 by the official program, but if I go back to the records and look at where I was when I started training for my triathlons, it was another 5.2 pounds higher than that, so I'm calling it 105. It's amazing progress to think that I've cut over 25% of my body weight off. It's actually about 27% and change. I'm now well over half way to my goal racing weight, or at least what I think will be my racing weight.
Let's call this the eagle has executed a touch and go since we're not done yet.
I will have to keep this short because I have an unholy flight at o-dark-early in the AM and I'm already not going to get much sleep.
On the bike for just over 30 minutes tonight. I wanted to go 45, but I'm still having saddle comfort issues. The good news is that I was doing a much better job of keeping my pacing up around 90.
I'm working on a post about self-image as I've had multiple requests from multiple corners now to post a before and current picture to show the change in how I look. There are struggles I am going to have with doing that, but I will do it - now I just need to actually find such pictures.
I leave you with this thought tonight, it's a bit of a Yoda-ism...
Strength, you have. Heart you have. Fear, you must lose. It's is fear that holds us back from accomplishing great heights.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Crunching the hill numbers
Interesting run today in Discovery Park. Went just under six miles doing two laps of the loop trail in the park. It's a bit of a rolling trail course. Beautiful park though - it's also extremely popular, there was no shortage of other runners, but not in a way that makes you feel crowded or anything.
Please bear with me, reader, while I walk through the numbers to get to the point of what I learned today.
So when I came off the trail and looked at just the raw mile times for the second loop (when I was trying to put out the highest effort), I was a little disappointed because they were not as fast as some of the mile times I had been racking in on the six mile long runs up to this point. However, I've spent the last little bit really teasing apart the data from my 910XT to get a better understanding of what "went wrong". And the answer surprised me a bit.
My best actual time mile was the last almost mile when I was running a 13:19 mile pace. However, that is also mostly downhill (dropped 161 feet and climbed 21). Training peaks calculates a factor they call NGP which is basically taking the elevation gain or loss combined with your actual speed to generate what your pace would be if the terrain were flat. The NGP for that leg was 14:54, not great - but understandable. The next best full mile was a 14:24 actual time, with an NGP of 12:38. It was a rolling mile (+144, -125). Here's the interesting thing about that, it's my best NGP mile yet and I ran almost the whole mile. It also beat my previous best NGP of 13:30 when I did the Cowen park run a couple of weeks ago.
So, what did I learn from crunching all of the numbers. I am getting faster and I am running further. I have to be careful about the wall clock. While in a race, wall clock is all that matters, when I'm training and looking for improvements comparing a flat mile near Green Lake to a rolling mile at Discovery Park is comparing apples to pineapples. Both fruit, but nothing alike. I am definitely getting better and I need to cut myself some slack. Easier said than done, but the numbers do not lie.
I may be sore and tired tonight, but I also am showing improvement.
Back to the run - I run with great people who are very supportive and I hope I show them as much support as they show me on the run.
Tonight is RICE (everything is RICE with me right now!) and recovery. The ankle did OK but I was having trouble on the up hill on the second lap because it's still weak and it was just getting tired on the run and I couldn't toe off hard to go up the hills.
Worked on fueling practice too. Took a Roctane before starting out, took a GU after the first lap, and then another GU when I finished. I felt like I still had the energy and it was really my heart rate and my ankle that kept me from pushing even harder. This is good though as the strength and cardiovascular endurance will get better and if I keep the muscles properly fueled they won't just completely die on me. As an aside, GU peppermint rocks! I just wish it wasn't just a seasonal flavor! Roctane Cherry Lime is a 6/10. GU Mandarin Orange is a 5/10 (not bad, not great). I'm cycling through some different flavors and types of fueling on the longer bike training and the runs to get more practice in! See, I did learn from my triathlon!
Moral of the story tonight ... be very careful pinning your hopes, measure of success, and self worth on one number. Look at the big picture.
Please bear with me, reader, while I walk through the numbers to get to the point of what I learned today.
So when I came off the trail and looked at just the raw mile times for the second loop (when I was trying to put out the highest effort), I was a little disappointed because they were not as fast as some of the mile times I had been racking in on the six mile long runs up to this point. However, I've spent the last little bit really teasing apart the data from my 910XT to get a better understanding of what "went wrong". And the answer surprised me a bit.
My best actual time mile was the last almost mile when I was running a 13:19 mile pace. However, that is also mostly downhill (dropped 161 feet and climbed 21). Training peaks calculates a factor they call NGP which is basically taking the elevation gain or loss combined with your actual speed to generate what your pace would be if the terrain were flat. The NGP for that leg was 14:54, not great - but understandable. The next best full mile was a 14:24 actual time, with an NGP of 12:38. It was a rolling mile (+144, -125). Here's the interesting thing about that, it's my best NGP mile yet and I ran almost the whole mile. It also beat my previous best NGP of 13:30 when I did the Cowen park run a couple of weeks ago.
So, what did I learn from crunching all of the numbers. I am getting faster and I am running further. I have to be careful about the wall clock. While in a race, wall clock is all that matters, when I'm training and looking for improvements comparing a flat mile near Green Lake to a rolling mile at Discovery Park is comparing apples to pineapples. Both fruit, but nothing alike. I am definitely getting better and I need to cut myself some slack. Easier said than done, but the numbers do not lie.
I may be sore and tired tonight, but I also am showing improvement.
Back to the run - I run with great people who are very supportive and I hope I show them as much support as they show me on the run.
Tonight is RICE (everything is RICE with me right now!) and recovery. The ankle did OK but I was having trouble on the up hill on the second lap because it's still weak and it was just getting tired on the run and I couldn't toe off hard to go up the hills.
Worked on fueling practice too. Took a Roctane before starting out, took a GU after the first lap, and then another GU when I finished. I felt like I still had the energy and it was really my heart rate and my ankle that kept me from pushing even harder. This is good though as the strength and cardiovascular endurance will get better and if I keep the muscles properly fueled they won't just completely die on me. As an aside, GU peppermint rocks! I just wish it wasn't just a seasonal flavor! Roctane Cherry Lime is a 6/10. GU Mandarin Orange is a 5/10 (not bad, not great). I'm cycling through some different flavors and types of fueling on the longer bike training and the runs to get more practice in! See, I did learn from my triathlon!
Moral of the story tonight ... be very careful pinning your hopes, measure of success, and self worth on one number. Look at the big picture.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Returning to base course
Not a long entry tonight as I'm pretty tired.
Good core and strength workout tonight with the group. Working out with the group always helps. I actually did better than I had done recently, so that was a nice feeling. My performance in the strength training / core sessions has been getting better. So, that's a good feeling. I know that these strength and core workouts will definitely pay off into the season. And for that matter that they will continue to help drive up my metabolism to shed this weight that I'm still carrying around.
It was really nice getting an spontaneous comment when I was doing a side plank from one of the other athletes on how cool it was that I was all the way up on my side with just my feet on the ground for the whole time. It's really nice what those small comments can do.
My self-confidence is still low, but I've probably bottomed out there and I'm beginning to rebuild it. I hope it's like muscle strength and endurance that you have to break it down and when it comes back it comes back stronger. It also really helps that I have friends all around from my athletic, non-athletic friends, and work that keep providing me little bits of encouragement and strength when I have a week like this.
It's a rest day for me tomorrow which is good. I think that's what I might need to start building back the physical side of me.
Onward and upward. The 408k is just around the corner, the hot chocolate 5k is just before that, and we're picking up steam into the meat of my training and racing season.
Good core and strength workout tonight with the group. Working out with the group always helps. I actually did better than I had done recently, so that was a nice feeling. My performance in the strength training / core sessions has been getting better. So, that's a good feeling. I know that these strength and core workouts will definitely pay off into the season. And for that matter that they will continue to help drive up my metabolism to shed this weight that I'm still carrying around.
It was really nice getting an spontaneous comment when I was doing a side plank from one of the other athletes on how cool it was that I was all the way up on my side with just my feet on the ground for the whole time. It's really nice what those small comments can do.
My self-confidence is still low, but I've probably bottomed out there and I'm beginning to rebuild it. I hope it's like muscle strength and endurance that you have to break it down and when it comes back it comes back stronger. It also really helps that I have friends all around from my athletic, non-athletic friends, and work that keep providing me little bits of encouragement and strength when I have a week like this.
It's a rest day for me tomorrow which is good. I think that's what I might need to start building back the physical side of me.
Onward and upward. The 408k is just around the corner, the hot chocolate 5k is just before that, and we're picking up steam into the meat of my training and racing season.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Huh... this is unexpected
I'm getting killed by the bike. I was never a super-strong cyclist, but I'm getting destroyed by the bike. I don't get it. My run is improving, yet now my bike is just absolutely awful and I didn't think I was going to have to worry about this - I knew I'd have to train, but now I just don't what's up.
Sorry folks, this is not going to be an uplifting post, I'm not seeing the silver lining tonight.
I can't keep my cadence above 80. When I'm supposed to go maximum effort, I'm nowhere near in my hardest gear. My legs burn out quickly. If I got for a speed cadence drill, I can barely break 100 on the cadence.
I have to average almost 20 mph on the bike for Miami if I'm going to leave myself with enough time on the run and not be a DNF. On the training tonight I can hardly hold 16 mph for any length of time and I'm going to have to do that for three hours.
I got thirty minutes of my one hour bike ride in and I just didn't have it in me.
I'm just going to stop now with this entry as it's just not a happy place tonight.
I suppose this was going to happen, but my spirit is wounded.
Sorry folks, this is not going to be an uplifting post, I'm not seeing the silver lining tonight.
I can't keep my cadence above 80. When I'm supposed to go maximum effort, I'm nowhere near in my hardest gear. My legs burn out quickly. If I got for a speed cadence drill, I can barely break 100 on the cadence.
I have to average almost 20 mph on the bike for Miami if I'm going to leave myself with enough time on the run and not be a DNF. On the training tonight I can hardly hold 16 mph for any length of time and I'm going to have to do that for three hours.
I got thirty minutes of my one hour bike ride in and I just didn't have it in me.
I'm just going to stop now with this entry as it's just not a happy place tonight.
I suppose this was going to happen, but my spirit is wounded.
The mental struggle
I had no doubt ever that the mental struggle of endurance athletics during competition would be something that I had to learn to cope with. However, that doesn't make it any easier when it crops up during training. Although I suppose that is what training is all about.
Today is rough. I'm just feeling like someone needed to get the license plate of the tank that ran me over. I'm exhausted, my body just aches, and I'm feeling really down. I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm sure it has to do with stress going on all around me. As well, I just feel like I didn't have the run I wanted last night. It's weird, since last night I was feeling OK about it, but now I'm not. I can't tell which is the chicken and which is the egg. Part of me thinks it could be I'm being too self-critical because I'm having a rough day - but it could equally be the other way around.
Argh!
I'm going to get on the bike tonight on the trainer and get my workout in and see if this helps. We'll just go forward and see how it goes. I have to push through - the days are dwindling until Miami and I'm not ready. I will be, but I'm not there yet.
Taking a day off just isn't an option.
Today is rough. I'm just feeling like someone needed to get the license plate of the tank that ran me over. I'm exhausted, my body just aches, and I'm feeling really down. I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm sure it has to do with stress going on all around me. As well, I just feel like I didn't have the run I wanted last night. It's weird, since last night I was feeling OK about it, but now I'm not. I can't tell which is the chicken and which is the egg. Part of me thinks it could be I'm being too self-critical because I'm having a rough day - but it could equally be the other way around.
Argh!
I'm going to get on the bike tonight on the trainer and get my workout in and see if this helps. We'll just go forward and see how it goes. I have to push through - the days are dwindling until Miami and I'm not ready. I will be, but I'm not there yet.
Taking a day off just isn't an option.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
First hill workout
Whew! That was different, difficult, but I did it.
We did an about two mile run around part of Green Lake and then did hill repeat drills. I've never done that before, that was a new and interesting challenge. As an aside, that's kind of the fun thing about doing this triathlon training with my coach is that I get to try lots of new things, learn lots of new stuff, and all while getting in shape and improving my life. What a wonderful experience, but I digress. (I digress a lot - whoops, I just did it again)
R.I.C.E for the ankle tonight.
It was a little sore coming back to the start after finishing the hills, nothing to worry about I believe. Just letting me know it was feeling it. Probably the combination of A.R.T. on the ankle and the run was just enough for it.
I also ran with two of my (now) friends from the coaching group - they did an awesome job (as always!) keeping me pushing myself! They both also have the best attitudes and are so much fun to hang out with, so it makes these workouts something to look forward to and to have fun with instead of just being a workout.
Popped on the scale again today and more weight has come off.
T-19 days to the 408K which will up the longest road race I've done ever (even before I gained weight and had all of the orthopedic issues). Plus I get to run with friends from California that I don't see nearly enough!
Active release therapy
I have completely become a believer in this therapy. In just two sessions I have regained a couple of degrees of range of motion already! I'm headed out for a group run tonight and I can't wait to see how it goes.
Don't get me wrong, it hurts and the ROM work I am doing is difficult, but results are already coming...
So if you've got scar tissue or mobility issues, I highly recommend giving this a try. It's working wonders for me.
Don't get me wrong, it hurts and the ROM work I am doing is difficult, but results are already coming...
So if you've got scar tissue or mobility issues, I highly recommend giving this a try. It's working wonders for me.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Rainman Issaquah 2013 Race Report
Coming to you, well, not live!
The race results are in and things went about as I expected. I'm battling some disappointment with myself about the bike segment and a little about the run. But let's start at the top ...
My wife has been encouraging me to add some pictures to this blog... So we'll give it a try. However, I'm not sure I'm ready to post pictures of me after the event yet ... that's the subject of a different post on another day.
The way the RainMan triathlon works is that it's an indoor triathlon for two of the three legs. The swim is a 15 minute timed swim, followed by a 30 minute timed bike on a calibrated trainer, and then followed by an approximately three mile run. The calibrate the indoor trainer with you and your bikes weight such that everyone evens out on the resistance (it takes more watts to move my bison frame than a lightweight athlete). The distances covered for the swim and bike are then adjusted to what your sprint distance triathlon would be, and viola you have your finishing time.
I'll say this, it was a well run event. The volunteers were all friendly and they definitely were inclusive of all competitors (something I still admire about the sport of triathlon) regardless of the super-fit guys who I got dizzy watching their wheels spin on the bike, or people like me. They cheered me on when I was the last one on the run course coming in. I would recommend this event for anyone that wants to have fun or use it as a learning experience. I'm really glad my coach pointed this race out to me and got me to do it.
I'll say this, it was a well run event. The volunteers were all friendly and they definitely were inclusive of all competitors (something I still admire about the sport of triathlon) regardless of the super-fit guys who I got dizzy watching their wheels spin on the bike, or people like me. They cheered me on when I was the last one on the run course coming in. I would recommend this event for anyone that wants to have fun or use it as a learning experience. I'm really glad my coach pointed this race out to me and got me to do it.
This event was held at the Sammamish Club in Issaquah, WA. I got there reasonably early to watch some of the competitors race and get my gear setup. The pool was on the first floor, you run through the locker room up stairs, and then you arrive and your bike, do T-1 and pedal like h-e-double-hockey-sticks. Afterwards, you finish the bike do T-2 and run downstairs and outside for the run.
Way better triathletes than I on the bike... :-) (I'll get there someday)
Way better triathletes than I on the bike... :-) (I'll get there someday)
Here's my steed racked and ready to be put on the trainer (they move the bike to the trainer while you're on the swim). Sorry for the quality, it was a quick snap with the cell phone.
You can see my way over sized transition bag below the wheel. :)
No pictures from the swim with me in it ... I was busy racing.
The swim was pretty straight forward. I wanted to cover around 750 yards to 800 yards during the swim. I got 750 in. So I was on my target. I know I want to be faster in the future, but I'm ok with that result. My swim placing was T21/45. So that put me in the middle of the pack, not a bad place to be.
Unfortunately, it sort of all went downhill from there. My bike was pretty atrocious. I wanted to be up around 17 - 20 mph. I was averaging 13. My legs just were not cooperating. Although I had a really nice T-1 partly because I was prepped well for it and also, I went out and bought a pair of tri-bike shoes that allowed me to get in, no drying off, and just go go go.
Here's a picture from the event with me on the bike ... I'm holding back any comments about how I think I look. (I had a really hard time posting this picture, but as I said that's the subject for another day). To be fair I swiped this picture from the event's website of pictures they took (RainMan Issaquah TriFreaks Photos).
I like to think that look is determination ... you know, sort of like when the bison is about to trample the car on its way to the other side of the road. :)
The bike ended up being 40/45. Anyone else sense a trend?
T-2 and into the run was bad too. As soon as I tried to dismount from the bike, calf cramp! I suffered from cramps for most of the run.
Here's where the run course was, it was a 3 lap course near the club. My running time stank for a race.
The run ended up being, yep, dead last. 45/45.
My final position was 44/45, so I didn't finish dead last overall! We take the small victories where we can.
So in the spirit of intellectual honesty, what went wrong?
The number one problem was fueling. I had a whopping total food intake all day, before a race at 7:40pm, of yogurt and an orange. As well, I just need way more endurance on the bike. I think my run suffered primarily because of fueling, although the triathlon did live up to it's name and the weather poured buckets while I was on the run. Not an excuse, but it will impact time.
Now, I don't want you to walk away from this entry think that I've gone off the deep end and am thoroughly discouraged. I am not. There were many small victories in the race. First of all, I completed one. That's an accomplishment in and of itself. Second, my swim was right on where I thought I was and what I could do. That's good, it's also good that I was able to keep up with the middle of the pack. Third, I've come a long way. In July of last year, this was still a dream and hope. Now it's real. Now I know I can do a triathlon and while I'm targeting longer distances and more challenging events, I know I have the mental capability of doing this and pushing through disappointment. And last, I learned from this. I learned lessons that would have been crushing to learn in one of my "A" races.
Hey, and I'm starting my hardware collection ... Now I just need a spot to start hanging them on the wall in my office.
No pictures from the swim with me in it ... I was busy racing.
The swim was pretty straight forward. I wanted to cover around 750 yards to 800 yards during the swim. I got 750 in. So I was on my target. I know I want to be faster in the future, but I'm ok with that result. My swim placing was T21/45. So that put me in the middle of the pack, not a bad place to be.
Unfortunately, it sort of all went downhill from there. My bike was pretty atrocious. I wanted to be up around 17 - 20 mph. I was averaging 13. My legs just were not cooperating. Although I had a really nice T-1 partly because I was prepped well for it and also, I went out and bought a pair of tri-bike shoes that allowed me to get in, no drying off, and just go go go.
Here's a picture from the event with me on the bike ... I'm holding back any comments about how I think I look. (I had a really hard time posting this picture, but as I said that's the subject for another day). To be fair I swiped this picture from the event's website of pictures they took (RainMan Issaquah TriFreaks Photos).
I like to think that look is determination ... you know, sort of like when the bison is about to trample the car on its way to the other side of the road. :)
The bike ended up being 40/45. Anyone else sense a trend?
T-2 and into the run was bad too. As soon as I tried to dismount from the bike, calf cramp! I suffered from cramps for most of the run.
Here's where the run course was, it was a 3 lap course near the club. My running time stank for a race.
The run ended up being, yep, dead last. 45/45.
My final position was 44/45, so I didn't finish dead last overall! We take the small victories where we can.
So in the spirit of intellectual honesty, what went wrong?
The number one problem was fueling. I had a whopping total food intake all day, before a race at 7:40pm, of yogurt and an orange. As well, I just need way more endurance on the bike. I think my run suffered primarily because of fueling, although the triathlon did live up to it's name and the weather poured buckets while I was on the run. Not an excuse, but it will impact time.
Now, I don't want you to walk away from this entry think that I've gone off the deep end and am thoroughly discouraged. I am not. There were many small victories in the race. First of all, I completed one. That's an accomplishment in and of itself. Second, my swim was right on where I thought I was and what I could do. That's good, it's also good that I was able to keep up with the middle of the pack. Third, I've come a long way. In July of last year, this was still a dream and hope. Now it's real. Now I know I can do a triathlon and while I'm targeting longer distances and more challenging events, I know I have the mental capability of doing this and pushing through disappointment. And last, I learned from this. I learned lessons that would have been crushing to learn in one of my "A" races.
Hey, and I'm starting my hardware collection ... Now I just need a spot to start hanging them on the wall in my office.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Nerves...
Ya, ya - I know it's just a sprint race for fun indoors. However, I'm so excited, nervous, and such all at once that I'm still up. It's a good thing this is an evening event ... maybe I can catch a nap before the race!
My wave kicks off at 7:40 pm Pacific Time for those of you out there that want to cheer me on from a distance. I'm going to try to talk Juanita into twittering from my phone during the race. I know, I'm a geek. If she agrees, I'll drop a link onto the blog and my Facebook page letting you know what to follow. If you want to follow me on twitter anyway it's MarkOverby20.
Ok, really ... I'm off to try and get some sleep. If anything I need to learn how to maintain calm before a race!
Thanks everyone who has passed me along words of support through e-mail, Facebook g+, or other mechanisms. Knowing that people read this blog and find the ramblings I output useful or interesting is great - and the support for my races and goals is also fantastic!
Thundering buffalo out...
My wave kicks off at 7:40 pm Pacific Time for those of you out there that want to cheer me on from a distance. I'm going to try to talk Juanita into twittering from my phone during the race. I know, I'm a geek. If she agrees, I'll drop a link onto the blog and my Facebook page letting you know what to follow. If you want to follow me on twitter anyway it's MarkOverby20.
Ok, really ... I'm off to try and get some sleep. If anything I need to learn how to maintain calm before a race!
Thanks everyone who has passed me along words of support through e-mail, Facebook g+, or other mechanisms. Knowing that people read this blog and find the ramblings I output useful or interesting is great - and the support for my races and goals is also fantastic!
Thundering buffalo out...
Friday, February 15, 2013
T-24 hours to race!
At the tone, the time will be ... T-24 hours to my wave!
I'm giddy and excited to have my first race since I started on this path. This is a learning race and to stick a stake in the ground to improve on from.
We're going to work on just powering through, identifying what I need to change in the transitions, and then just have fun! And I get to collect a T-shirt!
I'm feeling bubbly and excited.
Wish me luck! This bison is ready to come thundering out of the chute.
I'm #2! I'm #2!
I'm giddy and excited to have my first race since I started on this path. This is a learning race and to stick a stake in the ground to improve on from.
We're going to work on just powering through, identifying what I need to change in the transitions, and then just have fun! And I get to collect a T-shirt!
I'm feeling bubbly and excited.
Wish me luck! This bison is ready to come thundering out of the chute.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Trying for past 90
Workout was a little different tonight. I ended up doing some dedicated stretching and PT work for my ankle and elbow.
Not much for the blog tonight, sorry folks! Long day at work sapped me.
The good news is that the active release therapy made be doing some lasting benefit even after one session on my ankle and piriformis. Walking around without my shoes on was much easier today and I was limping less! I'm still probably, by my eyeballs, only at 90 degrees of flexion, but it felt smoother. The piriformis is still sore from where she worked on it! Ouch!
What I've noticed, as did the therapist, is that my ankle tracks out to the right when I flex my foot straight up. When I really pay attention I can get it to go in a straight line, but if I just let it flow, it doesn't track right. Too much scar tissue that's inflexible. Left side tracks as expected.
Stuff to work on.
It's been a good week so far. Scale looked good for my mid-week check-in, so weight is continuing to fall off! Yay!
New triathlon saddle arrives Saturday! I'm not going to try and break it in for my race Saturday night, but it'll go on soon after that. Speaking of which ... less than 72 hours now until my first triathlon of the season! Excited! I was asking for tips from my coach most of yesterday. :)
Rest day tomorrow!
Not much for the blog tonight, sorry folks! Long day at work sapped me.
The good news is that the active release therapy made be doing some lasting benefit even after one session on my ankle and piriformis. Walking around without my shoes on was much easier today and I was limping less! I'm still probably, by my eyeballs, only at 90 degrees of flexion, but it felt smoother. The piriformis is still sore from where she worked on it! Ouch!
What I've noticed, as did the therapist, is that my ankle tracks out to the right when I flex my foot straight up. When I really pay attention I can get it to go in a straight line, but if I just let it flow, it doesn't track right. Too much scar tissue that's inflexible. Left side tracks as expected.
Stuff to work on.
It's been a good week so far. Scale looked good for my mid-week check-in, so weight is continuing to fall off! Yay!
New triathlon saddle arrives Saturday! I'm not going to try and break it in for my race Saturday night, but it'll go on soon after that. Speaking of which ... less than 72 hours now until my first triathlon of the season! Excited! I was asking for tips from my coach most of yesterday. :)
Rest day tomorrow!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Working out the rice crispies
Let's start with a quick summary of yesterday's run...
Not my fastest run, but I was running with two of my running buddies / friends (Krista and Dawn) and they did a phenomenal job of pacing. I may have run slower (and not by a lot) than I had been before, but I was running farther without a doubt. At my best - I went over half a mile non-stop. I know that isn't all that impressive to most people, but it's huge progress. And the vast, vast majority of my running was done running, not just walking fast. A light bulb went off over my head, perhaps I'm running too hard when I run! Well, duh. I have to admit the look on Coach's face when the light bulb went off was priceless.
I'm not sure I felt that good after running approximately 4.25 miles yet. I've been telling people today that the irony is that the part that I was the most worried about, the run, is showing the most improvement. Go figure! Each workout that goes by is giving me more and more confidence in myself and that leads to better workouts because I don't fear failure (as much - I'm still working on this).
Training for a long-distance endurance event is proving to be quite the learning experience. Both about myself and about the events themselves. I'm learning more and more about what I can do and what it will take. All of that feeds my voracious brain that is constantly wanting to learn.
I know I can do this! My old body and doubts are fading fast into the rear view mirror. Hard to believe except when I pull up my records that 7 months ago I was where I was at.
On to the other reason for this post. I think I'm a believer in Active Release Therapy. I've been doing research around on things that will help my ankle get more range of motion and generally hold up under the training load I have taken on for myself. I saw my provider this afternoon for the first session. Let me be clear, it hurts when they're in there bashing down the scar tissue. The scar tissue in there felt and even sounded like rice crispies. Ugh. But I knew that scar tissue and mobility are my issues, so if this is what it takes, then this is what is takes!
She watched me walk before and after, and I was walking so much better! Even I felt a difference. She worked on the ankle as well as the piriformis (I'm learning to really hate that muscle). I'm going to be sore tonight, but it made such a difference.
Let's hope that improvement continues!
My thought of the day ... never be afraid to seek out more information and try new ideas.
T-3 days to my first triathlon.
T-3 weeks and 3 days to the 408K
"Exxxxxxxcelllllent, Smithers"
Not my fastest run, but I was running with two of my running buddies / friends (Krista and Dawn) and they did a phenomenal job of pacing. I may have run slower (and not by a lot) than I had been before, but I was running farther without a doubt. At my best - I went over half a mile non-stop. I know that isn't all that impressive to most people, but it's huge progress. And the vast, vast majority of my running was done running, not just walking fast. A light bulb went off over my head, perhaps I'm running too hard when I run! Well, duh. I have to admit the look on Coach's face when the light bulb went off was priceless.
I'm not sure I felt that good after running approximately 4.25 miles yet. I've been telling people today that the irony is that the part that I was the most worried about, the run, is showing the most improvement. Go figure! Each workout that goes by is giving me more and more confidence in myself and that leads to better workouts because I don't fear failure (as much - I'm still working on this).
Training for a long-distance endurance event is proving to be quite the learning experience. Both about myself and about the events themselves. I'm learning more and more about what I can do and what it will take. All of that feeds my voracious brain that is constantly wanting to learn.
I know I can do this! My old body and doubts are fading fast into the rear view mirror. Hard to believe except when I pull up my records that 7 months ago I was where I was at.
On to the other reason for this post. I think I'm a believer in Active Release Therapy. I've been doing research around on things that will help my ankle get more range of motion and generally hold up under the training load I have taken on for myself. I saw my provider this afternoon for the first session. Let me be clear, it hurts when they're in there bashing down the scar tissue. The scar tissue in there felt and even sounded like rice crispies. Ugh. But I knew that scar tissue and mobility are my issues, so if this is what it takes, then this is what is takes!
She watched me walk before and after, and I was walking so much better! Even I felt a difference. She worked on the ankle as well as the piriformis (I'm learning to really hate that muscle). I'm going to be sore tonight, but it made such a difference.
Let's hope that improvement continues!
My thought of the day ... never be afraid to seek out more information and try new ideas.
T-3 days to my first triathlon.
T-3 weeks and 3 days to the 408K
Monday, February 11, 2013
Buffalo can swim?
One last short note for the day ...
I just knocked about 5-7 seconds / 100 yards off my best time so far during my swim tonight.
You've got to feel good about that!
To borrow a phrase from 1980's TV: "I love it when a plan comes together"
I just knocked about 5-7 seconds / 100 yards off my best time so far during my swim tonight.
You've got to feel good about that!
To borrow a phrase from 1980's TV: "I love it when a plan comes together"
What is an athlete?
Websters defines the noun athlete thus:
"a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina"
I do not disagree with that definition, but I view the definition more broadly.
To me an athlete is anyone who has the courage to stand at the starting line of an event, anyone who dares to try to compete - be it against the clock, against another person, or against another team, anyone who dares to challenge their body to do more than it ever has before even without competition.
There can be a tendency these days I believe, in many different aspects of our physical lives, to look at the professional, the elite, the cream of the crop and say "that is an athlete". Without doubt, those are athletes and they are elite athletes whose skill, determination, and talent must be respected. But at the same time, do we not respect those that may not have the raw genetic ability to be in the top echelon of their sport? I don't know that we do, but I'm also not convinced that we do not. There are times in which I have seen people not respect the effort that an amateur puts into trying in any particular physical endeavor. This is certainly not universal behavior. But even if you look at the way we look at professional athletes, there can be a tendency to respect only the elite. Ever heard a joke or derisive comment come from the stands or from spectators about someone riding the bench?
I wonder if this doesn't discourage people from trying in their own lives because they fear the ridicule, rejection, or humiliation of failure. I must confess that I struggle sometimes when I go out for a run. I see in my mind that people are doing the laugh and point routine as I struggle up a hill, or as a I struggle through a mile, or as I can only run for a minute or two before I take a walk break. I see that in my mind, and I set a bar that means that I can't be an athlete. I am lucky to be surrounded by the most supportive people that I have ever met and I'm in a sport that seems to bring out the best in people. I've noticed that my coach always talks about her athletes, no matter the skill, ability, or where they place. She even called me an athlete when I could barely run at all. So it made me think. Is that small gesture something that helps me get through each workout, to dare to sign up for a race knowing that I'll be at the back of the pack? I think it does certainly have something to do with it. I no longer feel fear when I come to a group event.
Even beyond my coach, everyone that I have done group work with has been incredibly supportive even though I'm usually the last one in on the run, or the slowest on the bike. I hear positive words from them as they pass me by. I remember one race, my first, in which several of the people who finished before me actually ran back along the course to run with me on the way back in. That meant so much to me on that race because I was on the edge of becoming discouraged. Something I have returned the favor on now in a later race.
Does this have anything to do with being called an athlete? Maybe or maybe not. But what I think it shows is that there is an immense amount of respect in endurance athletics for each and every athlete of any skill level. Watch the replays of triathlon when it's on TV. The crowds cheer on the last athlete just as much sometimes as the first athlete that crosses the line. I've been told, and I've seen on TV, the professionals who win or place highly at the Ironman World Championships coming back to the finish line to cheer on the age groupers that are struggling to come in and finish. In what other sport do you see that level of sportsmanship? I believe it's because in these sports, we have a different definition of athlete and we respect each and every one of them.
I'm surrounded by athletes who have immense amount of skill, talent, and raw ability. People who can win age groups at high level triathlons, qualify for Kona, win events, run like the wind, swim like a dolphin, or bike like a supersonic missile. Each of every one of them deserves the title of athlete (or elite athlete) and deserves an immense amount of respect for what they can do and for the hard work and training that they do to get there. Let no one or nothing take away from their accomplishments, talent, or ability. The thing is, every one of them I've encountered, has offered me, who certainly doesn't have that level of talent or ability, a level of respect as well far beyond what I feel that I have deserved.
So, I leave you with this final thought. An athlete is not just the elite athletes who stand on the podium, it is anyone who dares to try, who dares to improve themselves, or who just offers up their best effort in an athletic endeavor. If you're out there and struggling with self-image, self-doubt, or fear as you don't know if you're really supposed to be doing this. Remember, you are an athlete. Carry the title proudly. Go enter a race, go toe the starting line, go push yourself. You can do it, and you deserve the respect for trying that any athlete gets in this sport.
If this bison can be called an athlete, so can you!
"Watching proud and accomplished athletes battle in the fact of odds that are virtually hopeless is one of the more stirring sights in all of sports." - "What Kind of Day Has It Been?", Sports Night
"a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina"
I do not disagree with that definition, but I view the definition more broadly.
To me an athlete is anyone who has the courage to stand at the starting line of an event, anyone who dares to try to compete - be it against the clock, against another person, or against another team, anyone who dares to challenge their body to do more than it ever has before even without competition.
There can be a tendency these days I believe, in many different aspects of our physical lives, to look at the professional, the elite, the cream of the crop and say "that is an athlete". Without doubt, those are athletes and they are elite athletes whose skill, determination, and talent must be respected. But at the same time, do we not respect those that may not have the raw genetic ability to be in the top echelon of their sport? I don't know that we do, but I'm also not convinced that we do not. There are times in which I have seen people not respect the effort that an amateur puts into trying in any particular physical endeavor. This is certainly not universal behavior. But even if you look at the way we look at professional athletes, there can be a tendency to respect only the elite. Ever heard a joke or derisive comment come from the stands or from spectators about someone riding the bench?
I wonder if this doesn't discourage people from trying in their own lives because they fear the ridicule, rejection, or humiliation of failure. I must confess that I struggle sometimes when I go out for a run. I see in my mind that people are doing the laugh and point routine as I struggle up a hill, or as a I struggle through a mile, or as I can only run for a minute or two before I take a walk break. I see that in my mind, and I set a bar that means that I can't be an athlete. I am lucky to be surrounded by the most supportive people that I have ever met and I'm in a sport that seems to bring out the best in people. I've noticed that my coach always talks about her athletes, no matter the skill, ability, or where they place. She even called me an athlete when I could barely run at all. So it made me think. Is that small gesture something that helps me get through each workout, to dare to sign up for a race knowing that I'll be at the back of the pack? I think it does certainly have something to do with it. I no longer feel fear when I come to a group event.
Even beyond my coach, everyone that I have done group work with has been incredibly supportive even though I'm usually the last one in on the run, or the slowest on the bike. I hear positive words from them as they pass me by. I remember one race, my first, in which several of the people who finished before me actually ran back along the course to run with me on the way back in. That meant so much to me on that race because I was on the edge of becoming discouraged. Something I have returned the favor on now in a later race.
Does this have anything to do with being called an athlete? Maybe or maybe not. But what I think it shows is that there is an immense amount of respect in endurance athletics for each and every athlete of any skill level. Watch the replays of triathlon when it's on TV. The crowds cheer on the last athlete just as much sometimes as the first athlete that crosses the line. I've been told, and I've seen on TV, the professionals who win or place highly at the Ironman World Championships coming back to the finish line to cheer on the age groupers that are struggling to come in and finish. In what other sport do you see that level of sportsmanship? I believe it's because in these sports, we have a different definition of athlete and we respect each and every one of them.
I'm surrounded by athletes who have immense amount of skill, talent, and raw ability. People who can win age groups at high level triathlons, qualify for Kona, win events, run like the wind, swim like a dolphin, or bike like a supersonic missile. Each of every one of them deserves the title of athlete (or elite athlete) and deserves an immense amount of respect for what they can do and for the hard work and training that they do to get there. Let no one or nothing take away from their accomplishments, talent, or ability. The thing is, every one of them I've encountered, has offered me, who certainly doesn't have that level of talent or ability, a level of respect as well far beyond what I feel that I have deserved.
So, I leave you with this final thought. An athlete is not just the elite athletes who stand on the podium, it is anyone who dares to try, who dares to improve themselves, or who just offers up their best effort in an athletic endeavor. If you're out there and struggling with self-image, self-doubt, or fear as you don't know if you're really supposed to be doing this. Remember, you are an athlete. Carry the title proudly. Go enter a race, go toe the starting line, go push yourself. You can do it, and you deserve the respect for trying that any athlete gets in this sport.
If this bison can be called an athlete, so can you!
"Watching proud and accomplished athletes battle in the fact of odds that are virtually hopeless is one of the more stirring sights in all of sports." - "What Kind of Day Has It Been?", Sports Night
My race schedule
As promised, here is my race schedule that I'm planning for this year:
The plan is that there will be other 5K and 10K races and maybe a sprint triathlon or two that we fit into the blanks in my schedule to keep me going and training, but these are the big ones for now!
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2/15/2013 | Rainman Issaquah | Indoor sprint distance triathlon |
| 3/10/2013 | The 408k | 8K Running Race |
| 5/5/2013 | Bloomsday | 12K Running Race |
| 7/21/2013 | ChelanMan | Olympic distance triathlon |
| 10/27/2013 | Ironman 70.3 Miami | 1/2 Ironman triathlon The A Race! |
The plan is that there will be other 5K and 10K races and maybe a sprint triathlon or two that we fit into the blanks in my schedule to keep me going and training, but these are the big ones for now!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
On the uproll
Today was the Saturday group run with my coach and her athletes. I was a little nervous because of the roll to my ankle on Tuesday, but it was a good day.
I had my best average pace recorded by my Garmin, by about 30 seconds per mile better than any other run I've done up to this point and I maintained it over the entire six miles. Even my normalized graded pace, as reported by Training Peaks, was better by close to 30 seconds per mile. I had my best mile ever since I started training at 13:43, and that was on the flats, not the downhill portion of the course. As well, I think my gait was much better. I ran the whole way with the heel lifts in. I was pleasantly surprised when I hit the three mile mark and I was about 2:45 ahead of my target pace and time.
The only downside I had today was that with the heel lift in my foot was sliding forward a bit in my shoe and was starting to potentially give me a blister. However, my coach suggested a new lacing technique for my shoe to lock my foot a little better into place. I'm going to give that a try on the next run on Tuesday. I'm also going to try running in the Brooks Dyad since I did run better with the heel lifts in the Brooks Addictions that I was running in today. Keeping all of my options open.
After the run today, I also went for a massage to help knock down any swelling that was present after the run. I will say that my ankle actually looked pretty good compared to the normal amount of swelling I see. As well, my massage therapist is great about working on scar tissue so she spent a good chunk of time working on the scar tissue in the front part of my ankle. Afterwards, unscientifically, it felt like I could get more forward range of motion. She said that she could feel some good lumps of scar tissue under the two ports where the surgeons went in each time. I'm hoping that if we break that down, I will get some more range of motion. And well, while it does hurt working on it, it can't hurt to have more flexible or elastic scar tissue.
Tonight, more RICE.
I have more to do on the ankle, I'm not ready to accept that it's not going to get any better. Maybe it won't, but until I have exhausted all possibilities, no surrender!
I feel good and I feel hopeful.
Tomorrow I'm off to computrainer land with my coach and a group. Should be fun!
We're now less than four weeks from the 408k! And less than a week from my indoor triathlon.
I had my best average pace recorded by my Garmin, by about 30 seconds per mile better than any other run I've done up to this point and I maintained it over the entire six miles. Even my normalized graded pace, as reported by Training Peaks, was better by close to 30 seconds per mile. I had my best mile ever since I started training at 13:43, and that was on the flats, not the downhill portion of the course. As well, I think my gait was much better. I ran the whole way with the heel lifts in. I was pleasantly surprised when I hit the three mile mark and I was about 2:45 ahead of my target pace and time.
The only downside I had today was that with the heel lift in my foot was sliding forward a bit in my shoe and was starting to potentially give me a blister. However, my coach suggested a new lacing technique for my shoe to lock my foot a little better into place. I'm going to give that a try on the next run on Tuesday. I'm also going to try running in the Brooks Dyad since I did run better with the heel lifts in the Brooks Addictions that I was running in today. Keeping all of my options open.
After the run today, I also went for a massage to help knock down any swelling that was present after the run. I will say that my ankle actually looked pretty good compared to the normal amount of swelling I see. As well, my massage therapist is great about working on scar tissue so she spent a good chunk of time working on the scar tissue in the front part of my ankle. Afterwards, unscientifically, it felt like I could get more forward range of motion. She said that she could feel some good lumps of scar tissue under the two ports where the surgeons went in each time. I'm hoping that if we break that down, I will get some more range of motion. And well, while it does hurt working on it, it can't hurt to have more flexible or elastic scar tissue.
Tonight, more RICE.
I have more to do on the ankle, I'm not ready to accept that it's not going to get any better. Maybe it won't, but until I have exhausted all possibilities, no surrender!
I feel good and I feel hopeful.
Tomorrow I'm off to computrainer land with my coach and a group. Should be fun!
We're now less than four weeks from the 408k! And less than a week from my indoor triathlon.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Thoughts on the human body
Today was scheduled to be a rest day anyway, so I'm feeling much less guilty about taking today off from training as compared to the last couple of days. I know it was the right thing to do, making sure that the ankle was healing or healed before I resume my training.
And in case I haven't mentioned it, I have the best coach in the world.
Today I also saw a foot and ankle specialist to evaluate my ankle. News wasn't exactly what I was hoping for or wanted to hear, but we're going to try some lifts on my heels to see if it helps with my running. My gait was definitely off, I knew that - but the comments when the doctor and my coach were watching was fairly enlightening. My coach was with me, as they say, every step of the way. On the bright side, the way my ankle works, I got told it's highly unlikely I'll ever roll it in a way to damage the ligaments. Everything will work out.
All that being said, I'm going to be pursuing lots of options to keep working on the range of motion and flexibility in my ankle. I know it'll never be as good as I want, but I think I can still make it better. Maybe I'm just holding out too much hope on that, but there is no reason that any of these things will hurt. I have recommendations for a PT from my coach and I'm going to give that a whirl - it can't make anything worse. I also am going to have my massage therapist spend some time beating on that scar tissue I think. Again, unlikely to make things worse.
Got new recommendations for shoes, the Brooks Dyad. I picked up a pair. I'm not going to break them in this weekend since I'm trying out the heel lifts in my running shoes. Let's keep the number of variables in play to a minimum. If they work out, next run I'll switch over and try the Dyad. I've been running in the Brooks Addiction and that was also recommended. I like them, but I'm also going to try the recommendations.
It would be easy to get discouraged after a day, or week, like this, but I am not going to surrender so easily. Yes, it would be easy to pitch it away and say that I shouldn't even try. I look at it a little differently. It's not like anyone has told me that doing this adventure, or set of adventures is going to make things worse or cause me to fall apart. In fact, I think the opposite. My goals and this fitness that am I working towards is making things better. Without these goals I'm not sure I would have dropped 90 pounds so far. I'm not sure I'd be able to get to the weight that I want to get to. Dropping all of this weight has to make the ankle better, force is a simple mathematical equation and mass is a variable in that equation. I can't change much, but I can change the amount of mass being applied to that area.
I also look at the human body and believe that it is too easy to underestimate what the human body can compensate for and overcome. My wife and I talked tonight and she made a point that I expanded on. Western medicine is great about preserving life, but not necessarily working towards living. There's a subtlety in there that is an important distinction. I think modern medicine often underestimates what the human body can recover from, deal with, or overcome.
Tonight I watched the replay of last years Ironman World Championships in Kona. There are so many athletes there who have overcome far worse than what I'm facing and dealing with. There are people who have raced and completed the Kona course without legs, or battling ALS, or battling cancer, and other amazing stories. Why? Because the human will can drive the human body to great heights. Do I have any illusion that this will be easy? No. Do I believe that I'll ever be in the top tier of my age group? Highly unlikely. But that doesn't mean I stop, that doesn't mean I give up. I have rambled on enough, but in a future post I'm going to talk about what I believe it means to be called an athlete.
If you've ever seen the musical Man of La Mancha, there is a song with lyrics that I think sums up what I'm trying to say:
"And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach ... the unreachable star ..."
And in case I haven't mentioned it, I have the best coach in the world.
Today I also saw a foot and ankle specialist to evaluate my ankle. News wasn't exactly what I was hoping for or wanted to hear, but we're going to try some lifts on my heels to see if it helps with my running. My gait was definitely off, I knew that - but the comments when the doctor and my coach were watching was fairly enlightening. My coach was with me, as they say, every step of the way. On the bright side, the way my ankle works, I got told it's highly unlikely I'll ever roll it in a way to damage the ligaments. Everything will work out.
All that being said, I'm going to be pursuing lots of options to keep working on the range of motion and flexibility in my ankle. I know it'll never be as good as I want, but I think I can still make it better. Maybe I'm just holding out too much hope on that, but there is no reason that any of these things will hurt. I have recommendations for a PT from my coach and I'm going to give that a whirl - it can't make anything worse. I also am going to have my massage therapist spend some time beating on that scar tissue I think. Again, unlikely to make things worse.
Got new recommendations for shoes, the Brooks Dyad. I picked up a pair. I'm not going to break them in this weekend since I'm trying out the heel lifts in my running shoes. Let's keep the number of variables in play to a minimum. If they work out, next run I'll switch over and try the Dyad. I've been running in the Brooks Addiction and that was also recommended. I like them, but I'm also going to try the recommendations.
It would be easy to get discouraged after a day, or week, like this, but I am not going to surrender so easily. Yes, it would be easy to pitch it away and say that I shouldn't even try. I look at it a little differently. It's not like anyone has told me that doing this adventure, or set of adventures is going to make things worse or cause me to fall apart. In fact, I think the opposite. My goals and this fitness that am I working towards is making things better. Without these goals I'm not sure I would have dropped 90 pounds so far. I'm not sure I'd be able to get to the weight that I want to get to. Dropping all of this weight has to make the ankle better, force is a simple mathematical equation and mass is a variable in that equation. I can't change much, but I can change the amount of mass being applied to that area.
I also look at the human body and believe that it is too easy to underestimate what the human body can compensate for and overcome. My wife and I talked tonight and she made a point that I expanded on. Western medicine is great about preserving life, but not necessarily working towards living. There's a subtlety in there that is an important distinction. I think modern medicine often underestimates what the human body can recover from, deal with, or overcome.
Tonight I watched the replay of last years Ironman World Championships in Kona. There are so many athletes there who have overcome far worse than what I'm facing and dealing with. There are people who have raced and completed the Kona course without legs, or battling ALS, or battling cancer, and other amazing stories. Why? Because the human will can drive the human body to great heights. Do I have any illusion that this will be easy? No. Do I believe that I'll ever be in the top tier of my age group? Highly unlikely. But that doesn't mean I stop, that doesn't mean I give up. I have rambled on enough, but in a future post I'm going to talk about what I believe it means to be called an athlete.
If you've ever seen the musical Man of La Mancha, there is a song with lyrics that I think sums up what I'm trying to say:
"And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach ... the unreachable star ..."
Thursday, February 7, 2013
First triathlon of the season...
Is now booked for, wait for it, on February 17th and it's local.
I'm sure I can hear some peoples wheels turning and wondering where in the heck I could be doing a triathlon in February. It's an indoor triathlon in Issaquah.
My coach suggested this one to me as a good way to get my feet wet (pun only partly intended).
It's a really interesting concept. You swim for 15 minutes, then bike for 30 minutes on a computerized trainer (with your own bike calibrated), and then run a 3 mile course. So, it's sort of a simulation of a sprint distance race. It's pretty cool, and it'll get me sort of used to doing all of these things back to back. I've done a triathlon before, many years ago - like 12 years ago or so, but I need to know how to do this right - my first triathlon was done on a mountain bike with knobby tires. Anyway, what I can do is figure out clothing, transition issues, and other such stuff. It'll also give me a chance to go full out and just see what I can do.
This sounds like a blast and I'm glad I got pointed to it... If you're interested, here's the link:
http://trifreaks.com/rainman-indoor-triathlon-issaquah/
That charging sound you hear is a sprinting buffalo. :)
As part of my ongoing goal to put my goals out there for people to see (keeps me motivated and accountable), I'll be posting my race schedule (big races) soon.
Thanks again to my readers and I hope that these are interesting, motivational, entertaining, or just not boring things to read! If you have suggestions on things you'd like to hear from me or not - feel free to post a comment or drop me a line.
I'm sure I can hear some peoples wheels turning and wondering where in the heck I could be doing a triathlon in February. It's an indoor triathlon in Issaquah.
My coach suggested this one to me as a good way to get my feet wet (pun only partly intended).
It's a really interesting concept. You swim for 15 minutes, then bike for 30 minutes on a computerized trainer (with your own bike calibrated), and then run a 3 mile course. So, it's sort of a simulation of a sprint distance race. It's pretty cool, and it'll get me sort of used to doing all of these things back to back. I've done a triathlon before, many years ago - like 12 years ago or so, but I need to know how to do this right - my first triathlon was done on a mountain bike with knobby tires. Anyway, what I can do is figure out clothing, transition issues, and other such stuff. It'll also give me a chance to go full out and just see what I can do.
This sounds like a blast and I'm glad I got pointed to it... If you're interested, here's the link:
http://trifreaks.com/rainman-indoor-triathlon-issaquah/
That charging sound you hear is a sprinting buffalo. :)
As part of my ongoing goal to put my goals out there for people to see (keeps me motivated and accountable), I'll be posting my race schedule (big races) soon.
Thanks again to my readers and I hope that these are interesting, motivational, entertaining, or just not boring things to read! If you have suggestions on things you'd like to hear from me or not - feel free to post a comment or drop me a line.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
I like RICE
Well, yes, I do like rice, the food, but I'm talking about the good old rest, ice, compression, elevation.
I ended up having to go to Portland for business (although I truncated the trip as much as possible) and I'm doing that right now in the hotel and it does feel better.
I also made sure to break up the trip into segments and hit each rest area along the way to give it a break and make sure I stretched and kept it compressed nicely.
I think we're going to be OK, but I had a pre-planned doctor visit for Friday anyway, so we'll end up getting the "official" look as well.
Sorry for the lack of interesting reports, but I'll be back training in a few days (Saturday, I hope!) and I'll give you more interesting tales from the bison saga.
I ended up having to go to Portland for business (although I truncated the trip as much as possible) and I'm doing that right now in the hotel and it does feel better.
I also made sure to break up the trip into segments and hit each rest area along the way to give it a break and make sure I stretched and kept it compressed nicely.
I think we're going to be OK, but I had a pre-planned doctor visit for Friday anyway, so we'll end up getting the "official" look as well.
Sorry for the lack of interesting reports, but I'll be back training in a few days (Saturday, I hope!) and I'll give you more interesting tales from the bison saga.
The Wounded Buffalo update
I think I mostly dodged that bullet, or to quote the black knight, "merely a flesh wound!"
Swelling is way down from last night, no big bruising or discoloration, the pain is mostly around the scar tissue on the side opposite the roll, so I suspect I gave a good yank on things and that's the worst of it.
I'm under orders from many different angles including the coach, the wife, and other friends that my workout calendar says rest for a couple of days.
Thanks again to everyone who helped last night and for my wife who gave me the twice over this morning.
A little image (borrowed from Timex's Facebook page) that sums it up today:
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Wounded buffalo
Uh, oh.
This will be short. I went down in the last 1/4 mile on a tree root and twisted my ankle on the way down.
The important part ... I finished the run.
It wasn't a great run up to that point anyway ... I just didn't have a lot of energy in the tank tonight, but I finished.
I don't think we have any lasting damage, but we will see in the morning. It's under ice, compression, and elevation right now. Yeah, I got the full R.I.C.E. thing going.
All I can say is profuse thanks to Lesley, Jen, Krista, and Tara who took great care of me even when I was losing it for a few minutes because I felt my dreams and hopes slipping away. (Now that I'm out of the moment, I don't think they have). I feel and felt incredibly lucky to have people like these as part of my endeavor as fellow athletes, coaches, or ... I cannot find the words to express the gratitude that I am feeling to each of them.
"It's not how hard you fall that matters; it's how well you rise from the occasion" (Unknown)
This will be short. I went down in the last 1/4 mile on a tree root and twisted my ankle on the way down.
The important part ... I finished the run.
It wasn't a great run up to that point anyway ... I just didn't have a lot of energy in the tank tonight, but I finished.
I don't think we have any lasting damage, but we will see in the morning. It's under ice, compression, and elevation right now. Yeah, I got the full R.I.C.E. thing going.
All I can say is profuse thanks to Lesley, Jen, Krista, and Tara who took great care of me even when I was losing it for a few minutes because I felt my dreams and hopes slipping away. (Now that I'm out of the moment, I don't think they have). I feel and felt incredibly lucky to have people like these as part of my endeavor as fellow athletes, coaches, or ... I cannot find the words to express the gratitude that I am feeling to each of them.
"It's not how hard you fall that matters; it's how well you rise from the occasion" (Unknown)
Crunching the numbers
Perhaps it's just because I'm a computer architect, but I can't help myself by crunching numbers. This time, I took the start time of the wave I would have been in at Miami in 2012 and calculated my current times (or forecast) for the leg of the triathlon. I fudged in some long transition times just so that I had room for error. The good news is that it looks good that already my times would keep me within the cutoff times with a fair amount of margin. It also shows that I've got a long way to improve when I compare against the results from my age group. The biggest section, no surprise, that I need to get faster at is the run. The bike can go faster, but doesn't need a ton of improvement. The swim needs some improvement, but it's also not hideously far from where I need to be.
The exercise could have been demoralizing or uplifting. It could have gone badly if I looked at it and said to myself, "you're going to be one of the last to finish in your age group". Instead I looked at it and said to myself, "you can finish".
Good swim last night. My stroke feels like it's getting stronger and I think I'm finding the catch in the water on my stroke better and not crossing over the center line on the pull. I was able to complete the distances with no issues and I could keep a fairly constant pace for each distance. So the endurance is coming. The stroke will get better - I definitely am going to have to work on it. At the end of the night, I totaled up 2250 yards. I took very little rest in between the sets so it's good to see the distance go by.
Two days into the week and things are looking good, well except for the weather for the run tonight!
Flexibility is also another key and I'm not just talking muscular flexibility (but I need that too)! Unfortunately the swim clinic I was going to attend got cancelled, but on the bright side, I'm doing a group run for six miles (wait, yay?). But it didn't even phase me when the things got juggled around. After doing six plus miles this weekend, I know I can do it and I'm even looking forward to it. Wow, when did it happen that I look forward to a long run? That's a change. I used to fear running. I still do, but much less than I used to.
Someone forwarded me a picture off of the internet with a great quote that I really liked today:
Never throw in the towel. Use it to wipe off the sweat and keep on going.
(Although tonight I think I'll need it to wipe off the rain! :) )
The exercise could have been demoralizing or uplifting. It could have gone badly if I looked at it and said to myself, "you're going to be one of the last to finish in your age group". Instead I looked at it and said to myself, "you can finish".
Good swim last night. My stroke feels like it's getting stronger and I think I'm finding the catch in the water on my stroke better and not crossing over the center line on the pull. I was able to complete the distances with no issues and I could keep a fairly constant pace for each distance. So the endurance is coming. The stroke will get better - I definitely am going to have to work on it. At the end of the night, I totaled up 2250 yards. I took very little rest in between the sets so it's good to see the distance go by.
Two days into the week and things are looking good, well except for the weather for the run tonight!
Flexibility is also another key and I'm not just talking muscular flexibility (but I need that too)! Unfortunately the swim clinic I was going to attend got cancelled, but on the bright side, I'm doing a group run for six miles (wait, yay?). But it didn't even phase me when the things got juggled around. After doing six plus miles this weekend, I know I can do it and I'm even looking forward to it. Wow, when did it happen that I look forward to a long run? That's a change. I used to fear running. I still do, but much less than I used to.
Someone forwarded me a picture off of the internet with a great quote that I really liked today:
Never throw in the towel. Use it to wipe off the sweat and keep on going.
(Although tonight I think I'll need it to wipe off the rain! :) )
Monday, February 4, 2013
Milestone in the rear view mirror!
It's now official, I hit the milestone I was hoping to hit (and actually blew past it!).
I dropped 5.2 lbs over the last week and have now dipped below 300 and I'm screaming up on the 100 pound lost mark.
Let's just say it's been a good few days.
Longest run ever (10K). Check.
Beat my goal time for long run. Check.
Got in a good solid hour of hills on the bike. Check
Dropped below 300. Check.
Lost more than my weekly average. Check.
Every week builds more confidence in the fact that, not only can I lose the weight, but I can also hit my athletic goals and I will complete the half-ironman and I will move to a full ironman triathlon.
My swimming is coming along pretty well. My coach thinks my swimming is not nearly as bad as I thought it was. I do have form and endurance to work on, but that's to be expected.
The running is coming along - still not at the speeds and distances that I'm needing, but I will get there.
Things are looking good!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Lake Youngs Group Run at Garmin Connect - Details
Lake Youngs Group Run by markov98 at Garmin Connect - Details
For those that might like to see what I did.
For those that might like to see what I did.
Act II
Everyone gets a chance at a second act in life. I think we're past the opening stanza of the second act of my athletic, and maybe my entire, life. While nothing is every perfect, there are peaks and valleys, I find that today's run sums up where I'm at almost to a perfect T.
Today was a planned 6-ish mile run around the Lake Youngs reservoir down near Renton. The course is a set of rolling ups and downs with a bit of a mud slog here or there. So, why does this resemble the second act of my life? There are little ups, there are little downs. I've had both this week. There are slips and slides through slick portions where you have to adjust, change your stride, and carry on. I've had that this week too. But you carry on. You keep putting one foot in front of the other and you move onward, and before you know it, you've gone faster and further and better than you ever have before.
My life was very different 6-7 months ago when I started healing from what the last, emphasis mine, orthopedic surgery. But I look at where I am today. I'm rapidly approaching 100 pounds lighter, I'm training for a significant endurance event, I'm healthier, I'm happier (most of the time!), and I feel like we're starting to turn this corner to the point where I will never look back or see it again.
Why am I feeling so positive today? Well, I covered a longer distance than I have ever covered before. I went 6.25 miles and I did it with an average mile pace of under 15:00. For those that have been doing endurance athletics, I recognize that this is not exactly a fast pace and some people can walk that fast, but at the end of the day, I'm proud of that. I know I can do better, and I will, but I will not and cannot allow myself to fall into the trap of doubt because I'm not where I want to be. I have goals, yes. I have aspirations, yes. But I must temper those with the reality of how far I have come and in how, relatively little, time I have done it in.
In addition, my Garmin now tells me I have a PR for 10K time. Of course, the first time you run 10K, that sets up a benchmark now for me to beat. But, I didn't even think about it, but I just ran my first 10K - that's a huge milestone! As well, I just set a new PR for the longest run I've ever done. I know I won't be setting new PR's forever, but hey - I like this part!
(Note to the reader, yes when I say run, I still walk/run - but that's still running in my book. :) )
On a second note, I never cease to be amazed and the great group of people that I have gotten associated with in my quest to become a triathlete. First, I've found an awesome coach and her staff. Second, her atheletes that I train with sometimes, like today, are some of the best and most supportive bunch around. Even though I was, by far, the slowest one out there today, I got encouragement, positive talk, and just generally warm feelings as they would go by. As well, when we meet up at the milestone end for those of us going the six mile distance, everyone is always so supportive and friendly. This has made all of the difference in training. Knowing that people are there to support you, or just give you a kind word when you're struggling up a hill, makes the difference between success and failure.
Thanks for hanging with me on what has turned into a long-winded and somewhat rambling post. What did I hope to do besides listen to myself talk with this post? I hope those of you that are reading this that might be having an off day, or struggling to get to your goals, or even struggling to get started will find that this is just one step in a second act of life that is well worth the effort. Don't give up, even if I don't know you or have never met you, I'm cheering you on, just like others cheer me on to get to my goals.
This bison is moving onward and forward ... hope you enjoy reading about the ride.
Friday, February 1, 2013
An important milestone!
The rest of the week seems to have come back into shape for me. I had a bit of a rough couple of days at the beginning of the week in terms of being able to get my training in and keeping to the plan.
Stay on target ... stay on target ...
Let's tick off the big milestones coming up in the next few days ...
Going for the longest walk/run I have done yet (6 miles). That seems like a long ways considering where I was just 6 months ago. Yet, it's only half of the distance I have to cover in my 1/2 IM race. But it's progress! I'm also picking up the pace on how much on run versus how much I walk.
We're about to change the most significant digit in my weight. Yay! Now, I still have a ways to go on this too, but just seeing that number drop by one is a huge thing to me. I got on the scale this morning, and I've crossed that threshold, but my "official" weigh-in day is on Monday, so we'll see where I'm at on that day - but unless I go on a binge over the weekend, so I'm confident.
I'm also coming up on having dropped 100 pounds all together. I'm still a few weeks away, probably less than a month, based on my average weight loss. That is a monster milestone!
I'm still working on what to do about the loss of my race in June. I'm still doing ChelanMan in July, but now I'm trying to figure out what (if anything) to do about the loss of that race.
I do wish I lived in a more southern climate right now where there could be a sprint distance race I could do soon just to get a little bit under my belt again.
All in all, not a bad week so far!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)