When a Triathlete says...

"I am an outdoors type of person."
Really means: I train in any type of weather. If it's raining, snowing, 90 degrees w/100 percent humidity, or winds gusting at 30 mph. I don't want to hear any complaints because I will still train in it and you're just a big wuss for complaining about it.

"I enjoy riding my bike."
Really means: with or w/o aero bars, alone or in a peleton, I don't care. If you can't do a spur of the moment 30 miler then you're not my type. I will let you draft, but if you can't hang and I drop you - I will see you later. I am a capable mechanic, but don't expect me to change your flats or tune your bike. You need to learn that on your own.

"I enjoy jogging."
Really means: Let's run hills until we puke. I have just as many shoes as you only mine are better because they are functional and all look the same.

"I enjoy dining out."
Really means: I enjoy eating out, in or anywhere else I can find food. Don't be shy because with the amount of food I eat, you can have that main entree instead of a salad and you will still look as though you eat like a rabbit in comparison. Don't get your limbs too close though as I may take a bite out of you. Most importantly don't expect any taste off my plate unless you can bring omething to the party like more food. Eventually though if your not burning 4,000 calories a day your going to plump up and have a terrible complex due to watching me eat deserts and not gain any weight. Friends and family will eventually decide not to dine with us anymore due to my horrid table manners. Oh, and don't ask me any questions during breakfast, Mid Morning Lunch, Lunch, Afternoon lunch, dinner or Recovery Dinner as it does not lend to efficient food intake.

"I enjoy quiet walks on the beach."
Really means: Walks on the beach warming up into an 8 mile run and then plunging myself in the ocean for a 2 miler. If you get in my way you're going to find out what mass start is and let me assure you that you don't want to find out.

"I find fulfillment in charitable work."
Really means: If I am not racing, I am volunteering and I expect you to be there along side me as I stand out in 90 degree weather for 8 hours handing out sports drink to cyclists going 20 mph. Just stick the ol' arm out there and hope it doesn't get taken off.

"I enjoy sharing quiet moments together."
Really means: It's taper time. Just back off because I am strategizing and in a pissy mood because I am worried about my "A" race and can't workout.

"I am an active person."
Really means: Aside from my 40 hour job, and the 8 mandatory hours of sleep a night. 10 hours a week are devoted to me during the off- season and 20 during race season leaving us 4 hours. 2 of which are spent inhaling food and you not talking to me, so let's make the best of the 2 hours we will spend together on average each day. If you are a licensed message therapist or doctor this would make the most optimal use of our time together. Nutritionist is also acceptable, but I probably already know just as much as you.

"I enjoy road trips and leisurely drives."
Really means: You have your choice of Wisconsin, Idaho, New York, Kentucky, Florida, California, Arizona, and Canada, but don't expect to do much site seeing. If I get enough support from you we might be able to include Hawaii in there.

"I enjoy site seeing."
Really means: Lets grab a mountain bike and get our HR's up to 90%. There's plenty of time to look around on the descent as trees and bushes whiz by you at 40 mph.

"I like stimulating conversation."
Really means: while we are running, we can talk about food. Then we can talk about how we decided what to wear on this run based on the temperature at start time versus the temperature at the time we expect to finish, how horribly out of shape we are, how many miles we did last week, and how many we will do this week and next week. Then we can talk about food.

"I enjoy relaxing soaks in the tub."
Really Means: I'm going to stop on the way home and buy two bags of ice, throw them in the tub with some water, and sit in this torture chamber for 30 minutes.

"I'm interested in photography"
Really Means: My camera is permanently perched a tripod in front of my trainer. I obsess over taking photos of my bike position and analyzing them to get the perfect setup.

"I'm into in technology"
Really Means: My HRM and bike computer are my best friends. Until you can give me some hard data that can improve my training, don't bother trying to buddy up to me. You could one day break into the top three if I find you as entertaining on long runs and rides as my mp3 player.

A little talk w/ COACH

On Thurs night I had to have a serious phonecon w/ my Coach. A few issues had been "on my mind" and I needed to have a mano-y-mano talk. Here's a bulletized list of my issues and their solutions (from the phonecon w/ Coach).

Issue- Long term Training Sked- I need a general plan for how much (time, distance and intensity) I'll be working over the next year. I travel alot and have many things coming up (Skiing on weekends throughout the winter) that I'd like to be able to fit into my sked w/ the training.
Solution- He's gonna accompany me on my long ride Nov 11th (after I return from vacation) and we'll hammer it out for a couple hours while getting a good workout. Also, he gets to observe my cycling form and give me some pointers...

Issue- Coach had been getting my training sked to me late, or last minute on a few occasions, making it hard to plan in advance for non-training social events. Solution- He'd admitted to being late on a few occasions and promised not to let it happen agian. He also noticed that I happened to be slightly Type A (no kidding), and that making out my sked farther in advance would be better for him anyway. We reached an understanding that although each of his athletes had different needs, I NEEDED my training schedule a month in advance.

Issue- I bailed on a Duathlon race I'd told him I'd be racing on Sunday. He'd made my week's training sked accordingly, so by not doing it, there were some training adaptions that needed to be made. Part of this scheduling gliche came from the fact that the sked was late from him anyway.
Solution- We adjusted my sked to add a longer run on Friday, longer bike on Saturday and a day of rest on Sunday.

Issue- My GF and I will be on vacation Nov 2-8. I wanted to make sure I had no workouts sked during our trip, as I'll have no bike, no pool and the GF would surely kill me if I went out on a run while we could be sightseeing.
Solution- Vacation time works as a natural 'recovery' week, and he'd have my training plan waiting for me when I got back.

Issue- I'd been working out on his sked for about 4 weeks w/ no real recovery or break. Usually, periodized training skeds have an "active recovery" week planned into the sked every 3rd or 4th week.
Solution- see the last solution. Also, since my training load (hours) and intensity is relatively low (around 7-8hrs/wk) and I'm in a transition phase, he was just trying to establish some consistency in my new sked.

Issue- I signed up for another CX race Sat, 18NOV in Plymouth, MA- Beginner category. This will be my last race before the Country Music Marathon at the end of April (unless Coach thought I need a warm up road race before then).
Solution- Coach said OK, then said after that race it'd probably be getting cold enough that riding outside would probably diminish. Therefore, he'd planned on adding another run to my sked around that time. He also recommended a 1/2 marathon around the middle of March for a pre-race tune-up/test.

Issue- Supplements...I asked Coach what he could tell me about the following supplements- Amino Acid, Glucosamine (Sulfate or Chondroitin), Flaxseed Oil, or Fish Oil?
Solution- He said not all supplements are created equal and that none are regulated. He said the Glucosamine (either) was good for joints (very good, since I'm already taking it). He said Amino Acids (most animal proteins) and Fish Oil (salmon and walnuts) are in a good balanced diet, and it's best to get them in the foods they come in vice a pill. He said pills can get expensive quick (especially if you only buy from GNC...where they supposedly know what they're pushing), and that there really was no regulating source...and no regulations that required supplement companies to put the actual amount of the given element per pill that they're actually advertising. Besides, he said until I was training more intensely, he didn't recommend taking the Amino Acids.

Well, overall, it was a productive and informative conversation...

Race w/ a 12 year old!

Cyclocross Debut- Southington, CT...22OCT

Today's race was very difficult. CX is an ASS-Kicker! My HR was maxed out the whole time. Overall, my effort was more intense than Fri's 5K. I have a lot to learn about CX and esp. the training needed to be competitive. These races are an all out sprint!!!!

I did a 30 min race with the beginner class (about 30 competitors in this class). However, most were CX veterans, not beginners (but maybe, I'm just really slow). I made it around 3 laps before they called the race (ie- I was lapped by the leaders at the end of my third lap). I guess the race ends when the leaders are near the start/finish and around 30mins (sometimes shorter, sometimes longer) have elapsed.

The course was excellent, but very challenging. Lots of >90 degree turns, and many obstacles I had to carry my bike up/over. There was 1 very steep hill, 3 'smaller' hills, 3 "sand pits", one set of 40 stairs, and one ravine that was un-pedal-able. I avg'd 8mph speed wise, max- 18mph. My AvHR was 174, MaxHR- 184.

I finished at the back of the pack (maybe 28th out of 30). Many small children, 2 girls on MT bikes, and a 60yr old dude whizzed by me...which was a bit demoralizing. However, it was just my first CX race... Overall the course was fun and challenging, the race was well run, and I had a good time. I think I'll try this a couple more times (Nov??) before the cold of winter sets in.

Check out the videos my GF took w/ her digital camera. They're viewable on YouTube.com...here are the links-

1. Sand and Stairs run...
2. Racing a 12 year old through a sand pit...
3. Charging a Ravine...

2006 IRONMAN World Champions- Kona Hawaii

Male Race Winner- Norman Stadler of Mahheim, Germany. Total time 08:11:56, Swim- 54:05, Bike- 4:18:23 (new course record for bike), Run- 2:55:03

Female Race Winner- Michellie Jones of Carlsbad, CA. Total time 09:18:31, Swim- 54:29, Bike- 5:06:09, Run- 3:13:08

---------------------------------------------
If you are a triathlete, there is no bigger day in this sport than the Ford Ironman World Championship. It is the race that defined our sport as it came of age, and continues to be the defining race in our sport for any avid triathlete.

To get to the starting line in Kona, you must either be very lucky and get yourself a spot through the lottery, or very talented, and win yourself a qualifying spot at one of the qualifying events held around the world.

Tens-of-thousands of triathletes try to get one of those coveted Ironman spots every year. Only 1,700 succeeded.

That means 1,700 "lucky" people get to test themselves on one of the biggest challenges the sports world has to offer ... 2.4-miles of swimming, 112-miles of biking, and a 26.2-mile marathon run through tough ocean waves, and challenging lava-covered terrain.

While there are thousands of triathlons around the world, it is this one that truly defines the sport. It was this race, first run in 1978 as a dare by a bunch of Navy Seals that put triathlon on the world's sporting map. It is triathlon's Super Bowl, Wimbledon, World Series, World Cup, and Tour de France all rolled into one. What makes this event so unique is that "average" people get to compete alongside the best in the world.

** Text of this post is from 'ironman.com'

5K running race- Newport, RI...20OCT

I ran the Surface Navy Association 5K By the Bay on base in Newport, RI on Friday. Conditions were perfect for a good run. It was about 50 degrees and had rained most of the day, but the rain let up just in time for the race start at 5pm. Since I raced by myself, I decided to see how much I could push it over the 3.2mile course.

My usual running pace is somewhere between a 10-11min/mile (below my Anaerobic Threshold). However, I wanted to see if I could maintain around an 8:20 min/mile pace (25min finish goal) for the 5K.

Inevitably, my HR hovered around 140 prior to start (pre-race jitters) and I started off with a much faster pace than I should have (7:30 miles, I think). I settled into my pace about halfway in and was able to stay at around an 8min/mile till about mile 2.5...then a stabbing pain hit me in my shoulder like a bolt of lightning, and I slowed to about a 10:30min/mile pace to let the pain subside. I think this was because I was pushing my body a little too hard the first couple miles.

Overall, my legs felt great, stomach a little touchy, and I finished in 25mins 7secs.
Almost right on track with my 8:20 overall pace. AvHR was 174 throughout.

Coaching/Training update- 20OCT

Here's a little update on my all around training progress, along with my coach's reply email.
---------------------------
Coach,

Had a couple days that my Garmin was on the fritz (on my TEMPO day of all days! ) so data is not as good as it could be. But, I did have a small problem this weekend. I've been having allergy/sinus problems since the beginning of fall that affected my wkd workouts. On Sat, this weekend, something had me all fucked up. I couldn't breath out of my nose, had a sinus headache, itchy watery eyes and a running nose. Needless to say it sidelined me Sat-Mon. I took some drugstore allergy meds on Sun to try to get my long ride in, but to no avail and had to cut it short. I went to the Dr. Tues morn and got some prescription strenght CLARITIN, so hopefully that'll keep me healthy. I felt better Tues (and had my best long run ever on Tues) and Wed.

I adjusted the sked a little this week, hopefully it's not too much of a mess. I ended up taking Sat and Monday off completely, so I missed over half my long ride, and the Tues ride too. On Tues, I did my 10M run since I thought the run is what I have the most probs w/. I know it might have screwed up your Swim TT data, but I'd rather spend a day working on running since it's my Nemesis. Tell me what you think.

I put all the data in the worksheet for eveything so far this week too (10M on Tues and Swim TT today). The running is feeling better already, I think the "running tall" tecnique, strides and tempo runs are already helping. The run has gone from my nemesis to a fun challenge already. I feel like I can keep my HR lower at a higher min/mile pace now too. Maybe around 10:30 min/miles keep my HR around 155 instead of the 11min/mile pace you saw at the track. Is it just in my mind or could this be improving my running already? Just wondering.

Also, thanks for the IRONMAN info, I think I'm set on ChessyMan (29SEP07). The others just don't work with my sked. But thanks for the options. Can't register till Feb07 though (just got that info from the race director yesterday).

Also, I'm on new diet plan. I paid for a year at LA Weight Loss...I know it's a gimmicky thing (although my Mom lost 100lbs w/ them), but I need someone to hound me about my food choices and portion control, or I'll continue to be a gluton. So far so good. I go in 3X's a week and have to get on a scale and show them my food diary. It's annoying, but it seems to be working. I started OCT 3rd and am already down 8lbs. They've got me on a 2200-2500 calorie/day diet. I'm still taking gels/endurance drinks during my longer runs and bikes...don't want to run out of fuel then.

My plan has me eating the following portions per day. 2.5 proteins (ex- 8 oz raw chicken), 4 starches (1/2 whole wheat english muffin), 4 vegetables (1 cup salad), 4 fruits (1/2 bananna), 2 dairies (8 oz skim milk), and 1 fat ( 1 oz olive oil). Seems pretty balanced, and so far I haven't been starving (except for the first week). It's probably good I'm doing this in the off season. As training hours go up and I hit my desired weight, I'll have to adjust the caloric intake to match my intensity levels. But it's a good start, and I'm trying to get to 195lbs by the end of January.

Well, sorry for the long email...let me know what you think. I'll send updates when I'm done racing this weekend.
Hope all is well w/ you...
----------------------------------
Coach's Reply-

Hey great news on both the run and nutrition! You could easily make the jump from 11 to 10:30 pace at the same HR. A little technique focus/improvement could make that difference!

I am happy to hear about the commitment to wt. loss and nutrition. After reviewing your food log it was obvious to me that unless you made some changes, you would be limited in your progress. I switched my eating completely around in my mid-20's when I started training seriously and it made a big difference with my training.

The wt. loss / improved running relationship is easy to see, but you should also see increased energy and better recovery from workouts as your nutrition improves. I can only give you the information, but with the program you will now be held accountable on a regular basis. Good move! Focus on making permanent eating changes and the wt. will not continue to hold you back!

Lastly, don't get stressed if you end up missing workouts due to illness or feeling like you are getting run down. It happens and will not have a big impact in the overall picture. You are usually better off to cut something short or skip it, than to try and push through only to lengthen the sickness.

All things considered, I think ChessyMan is the way to go!

Good Luck This Weekend!
Coach

Fast as a WALRUS

Today I had a "time trial" swim workout. I'm assuming my coach is trying to gauge how slow I really am at swimming. The workout consisted of some warm up laps, two time trials (560yds and 140yds), then some drills and a cool down. Here's the workout.

Swim Field Test-
W/U: 140y long and relaxed
3x70 build (get faster throughout interval), 0:30 rest
140 easy
2:00 rest
Test 1: 560y time trial (swim as fast as you can for 8 laps - aim for an even pace - don't go out too fast, but give it all you have! Record time!)
2:00 rest
140 easy
1:00 rest
Test2: 140y time trial (sprint 140y as fast as you can, record time)
Main Set: 2x70 catch-up, 0:30 rest
140 focus on long strokes, 1:00 rest
2x70, (35 fist, 35 swim), 0:30 rest
140 long strokes (try to see how few strokes you can take per length)

Conclusion- 8mins 30secs on the 560yd Time Trial and 2min 14secs on the 140yd TT. The second was considerably slower, since I was already fatigued from the longer TT. We'll see what the coach says, but here's what the Navy would've graded me with those times.

Navy Physical Fitness Test (PFT). In the 20-29 age group, I would've gotten a High Excellent (Only Outstanding Hi, Med, Lo are higher). That's if, and only if...I'd have also done 94 situps and 77 pushups.

Beverly Hills Ninja

So, since I'm on the topic of new bikes, I figured I'd share a quick story about my current tri bike.

Anyone who has ventured out on a >60 mile+ bike ride before could tell you, one becomes quite attached (literally and physically) to the bike that gets them out and back (if it fits correctly). Such was the case this year as I bought, broke in (I'm talking about my ABC, otherwise known as the AXX-Ball-Connection), and bonded w/ my new-ish '05 TREK Equinox 7 triathlon bike. So far, she's gotten me through 2 Sprints, 1 Olympic, 1 Half Ironman and numerous training rides, totally 680 miles so far. The following is a story of how she got her name.

On an unusually brisk morning ride one morning in June, I started my ride outfitted in my new Tri-Suit w/ a Black long sleeve Under Armour shirt and my all black TREK bike. I looked down and noticed I was wearing all black...but not like the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. More like a overweight ninja, a la Chris Farley in Beverly Hills Ninja. The name was minted after I learned a week later that my bike weighed almost 27lbs when loaded w/ three full bottles. So my 230lbs of fat-ass, wearing all black spandex, black helmut, black cleats, all riding on the a black bike EQUALS "BEVERLY HILLS NINJA".

So I'm declaring 2007 the year of the NINJA. Were BHN and I sneak up on the innocent and helpless competition to destroy them while they sleep...

Good TRI Karma

I said good bye to a good friend today...BLUE has been passed on to a TRI-virgin, never to be ridden again by me or my girlfriend (BLUE's last rider). I received the bike two summers ago from a buddy in town who had raced it 15 yrs prior. He had since moved on to MT bike racing, leaving old BLUE (as she came to be named) lonely and dusty in his Aunt's garage. Old BLUE was my first ever road bike was a Mid 90's-ish Schwinn Paramount "PDG 3 OS" Road bike.

BLUE was decked out in Miami Vice colors. The frame was Bright Blue and had lettering in neon Pink and Yellow (and also Neon Yellow grip tape and bottle cage). It was ugly as hell, but I was happy as a fat triathlete on a new bike. My buddy sold it to me for just $100. It was a hell of a deal considering my other option was a MT bike with road slick tires (maybe half as fast as the 'new' bike), or to shell out $1K+ for a new tri bike (which I eventually did anyways).

So I raced three Sprints on her my first year then BLUE went back into retirement for the '06 season until AUG, when my GF competed in her first sprint on her. So as my bike collection grew in size (to SEVEN total this summer) and I ran out of room, I decided that I'd pass old BLUE on to a budding triathlete so that they may get the same boost from her fast ride that I did just two summers ago.

So, I just got done writing the specs and cautionary advice to my buddy who's busting w/ joy with regards to his "new" hookup. The only thing I asked in return wasthe cost of shipping ($50) and a promise that he'll pass her on to a 'needy' roadie or triathlete when he gets a new ride himself. Here's a the paraphrased email in short...
___________________________________________________________________________________

!!!CAUTION!!! Please read the following safety tip so your wife doesn't kill me for getting you hurt on your first bike ride. Riding a road bike vs. a mountain or BMX type bike is a huge change. At first the position will feel weird and bike a litle wobbly, learning a new center of gravity and balance will take some time. Also, the seat will hurt your ABC (Ass-Ball-Connection, or Taint) for a good 10-15 rides...have faith, the pain will dissapear as your undercarraige adjusts.
Take it easy on the bike till you get a good feel for it. Don't ride near cars or traffic until you're used to the brakes, shifting and taking your feet in and out of the cage-pedals...IE- no screaming down any steep hills the first day. BLUE is set up very moderately right now (ie - handlebars raised and seat lowered), but as you get a better feel, you can readjust it for a better racing position. I nearly killed myself the first few times I rode it, so be careful!! And always take at least one foot out of the cages on the pedals before coming to a stop...I never fell on that bike, but the clip-in pedals I have are a little more tricky. But alas, you must learn to crawl before you learn to walk, young grasshopper.
---------------------
Buddy,

I dropped your bike off at the shop today...they'll disassemble it and ship via UPS tomorrow. So, you should get it delivered to your house on Tues/Wed next week. I sent a helmet (it's a little old and you might look like a SPED kid for a while, I figure that'd save you some money at first) and some mags and a swimming book called "Total Immersion" (This will help unlearn your habit of 'beating up' or 'muscling' the water too much) in the bike box too. Enjoy.

Bike details-
1990's (Don't know exact year) Schwinn Paramount PDG 3 - Road Racing Bike
- Here's a similar one for sale on EBAY...
http://cgi.ebay.com/1992-Schwinn-Paramount-OS-Series-2-Road-Racer-Bicycle_W0QQitemZ300038949434QQihZ020QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Your's is one model up (a PDG 3, not PDG 2) from this one and might be a couple years newer...but you can see he added aero bars for triathlon (you could do this too for under $100)
- I think your bike size is 54CM (from head stem to seat stay- a standard measurement on bike size). I think it's about 30" standover height. I'm not sure how great the components (although it shifts very well and never skips a gear) are since they don't make those parts anymore (but you could buy new ones that fit the bike if anything breaks).
- I just had new handlebar tape put on, new brake and shifter cables installed and a good tune-up around mid-summer. Tires and tubes are about a year old, but don't have a lot of miles on them. You should be able to get another 500-700 miles out of them (barring a crash, flat or broken glass). Also, you've got a SIGMA bike computer that works pretty well. It picks up speed from a magnet attached to the spoke. To reset it, hold the primary button (there's only one) for about 3 secs...that'll reset the trip odometer (but not the total odometer) and time. It shows Spd and Av Spd, Dist (trip and total), and Time (sorry no cadence). The computer was about $25, so if you want to upgrade that's cool.

Call or email if you have any questions...

IRONMAN options

The following is a list of IRONMAN events that take place in my window of opportunity next year (the month between finishing SWOS DH school and reporting to ELROD)...give or take a few weeks.

All events take place from 8/15 – 10/31, 2007.

8/26/07, Ironman Louisville- Louisville, KY; 2100 entrants. Info: It's an “Ironman” event (sponsored by FORD)! 1st class race. River swim, rolling hills. Downside: Early race affects other races. Register by: 10/21.

9/15/07, Esprit Triathlon- Montreal, Canada; 60 entrants. Fast/interesting/boring course! Swim in ’76 olympic rowing basin, bike on F-1 track (41 laps), run 9-laps around basin.

9/15/07, The Grand Columbian- Grand Coulee Dam, WA; 100 entrants. Small and far away!

9/22/07, Redman Triathlon- Oklahoma City, OK; 150 entrants. Hot! Rolling bike, flat run.

9/29/07, The ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon- Cambridge, MD; 200 entrants. Pancake flat and possibly windy. Excellent Organization!

10/20/07, Great Floridian Triathlon Festival- Clermont, FL; 750 entrants. Short swim usually, hilly bike, fairly flat run. Well organized.

So, those are my options if I want to race in the one month window (Sept 19-Oct19) between when I finish DH school (18SEP07) and when I report to my next command (approx. 19OCT07). Why during that month?? Well, leave opportunities will be few and far between while I'm in DH school. Pretty much the only time I'll have off is weekends and federal holidays. Besides, I'm pretty sure I'll need some R & R the days following the race. So, as you can see, traveling to an IRONMAN out of state is problematic, unless it falls on a holiday, and even then, it's probably not enough time for a mini vacation. Plus, I need a good year to get ready for this event. So, that said, ChesapeakeMan on 29SEP is pretty much my main choice...plus it's moving in the right direction (on the way to Norfolk, where my next ship is).

Let me know if anyone has any advice otherwise...

Training update

Well, I have almost 2 weeks of my new training under my belt and I figured I'd write an update on how things are going. So here's the just of my training...w/ comments.

Oct 2-8.
BIKE- Had three bike rides (M-1:30, Th- :45, Su- 2:30), the first one had me doing some off road work in prep for my upcoming CX race next weekend, the second ride was a brick workout (followed immediately by a run), and the last one was my endurance day. I covered 67 miles and am trying to keep HR low and Cadence high (at least above 80RPM ave for ride).
RUN- Had 3 runs as well (T- 8M, Th- 4M, F- 3M), the first was a long endurance run, second was a "tempo" workout, and third was an easy 5K. My coach has me working on cadence (count foot strikes on one leg for 15secs & X4 = Run cadence), mine is low and he wants me to slowly work it up to 90RPMs. Also, I'm working on form...ie "running tall". This has me tuck my hips under my pelvis and keep chest up. It's very different running style, but it gets you up on the ball of your feet and is more efficient overall. Also, in my tempo run, I did 4 "stride" drills. Here's Coach's definition of the drill - Stride: From a walk or slow jog, gradually increase pace for about 0:30. By the end you should be running fast, but not straining. The idea is to loosen up by increasing your speed without exerting great effort! Don't reach a full sprint. Focus on good form: Running tall, hips forward, butt in/under, chest up and out. Supposedly, this teaches my fast twitch muscles to work more efficiently, or something like that ;) Overall, I covered 15 miles and ran for 2hrs 45mins.
SWIM- Wed was my only swim day. I had a lot of fun with this workout since it was the first real swim workout I've ever had. By that, I mean, I've never had a swim coach who wrote drills into my workout...well, it's probably easier just to tell you what the workout consisted of...
(1890yds total, 56 mins),
Warm up: 140y long & relaxed;
Drill Set: 2x70 (1st length fist drill, 2nd swim) w/ 0:45 rest
2x70 catch-up, 0:45 rest
Main Set: 3x (210, 1:30 rest; 140, 1:00 rest; 70, 0:30 rest)
Sprints: 4x35 fast, 0:30 rest
Cool Down: 70 easy

So far this week, the sched has been almost the same...Monday's Bike had more time in the dirt/grass (45 mins total). I really enjoy that part of the ride, but since it comes last, it's a pain in the AXX and usually maxes out my HR. Tue's run was a mile longer (9M total, I ran this w/ my buddy Steve). Wed's swim was 110 longer, but virtually the same workout. Today's run was 1 mile longer (5Ms). Coach is also trying to learn my HR zones so he can write plans more specific to the intensity he wants me to train to. This is a very personal thing to figure out, as a 10min mile pace for me, is probably a very different intensity than what you might run it at. Thus, the HR zone experiments. Tomorrow I'll ride an easy 45 mins in the morning and run an easy 3Ms in the aft/eve. Then it's a long endurance ride on Sat for 2hrs30mins, I'll probably do this one with my buddy Tom.

So...that's my first two week's in a nutshell.

B & E at the HS track

On Friday last week, I met my new Tri Coach at the N. Kingstown H.S. track for the first run workout. We met around 5:30pm, which was about 1 min after the track coach locks the gates to the Track and Field. I ran up to the Coach right as he was locking the gate and begged him to let me in. He non-chalantly pointed to a whole in the fence and told me we could wiggle through it...greeeaattt!! So after Coach and I shimmied through the fence, he explained the workout. I ran a mile to warm up at a low HR...but I was so excited and nervous that I couldn't keep it below 165 BPM. So after the mile warmup, he explained that I'd run another 8 laps at a 155 (+-5 beats) HR...he'd record each lap's time and I was in charge of keeping my HR at the predetermined zone. That proved to be harder than expected as I had to run 11 min. miles to keep it around 158. So after 3 miles ran and a few laps recorded on his camcorder he gave me the prognosis. I didn't bounce much (which is good), but I leaned forward too much. He also told me my run cadence was a little too slow. He said I needed to maintain a 90 RPM cadence cause it was more efficient and so it'd match a 90 RPM cadence coming off a bike ride (like in Triathlon).

The biggest nuget of advice he gave me was this...he told me to 'tuck my hips forward' and 'raise my chest' or as he called it, learning to 'run tall'. So I tried it on my next run (Tues for 8 miles). It helped open my gate, opened my lungs, and made me less tired...but it made my hips ache (I think I was using new muscles). I'll keep at it and hopefully become a better runner over the next year.

SO HUNGRY!!!

So for the past two days I've cut carbs completely out of my diet as part of the 2 day "fast forward" phase of the LA WEIGHT LOSS diet. I've learned that my diet consisted mostly of CARBS and FAT before...so cutting them out for the last two days has been torture. I've been hungry as hell and had a dull headache for two days straight. Needless to say, I'm pretty grouchy too. However, I'll survive, and soon, I'll look and feel like the new J.R. I keep telling myself that, and so far it's working.

But seriously, I am craving my old carb buddies like it's my job right now...pizza, chips, cookies, etc. I would kill for them all right now...

But alas, I will be strong!!!!!!!!!!

No more FATMAN!!

Soooo...as I outlined in the second post I made, healthy living/eating is a huge part of my journey to IRONMAN. As a matter of fact, I want to lose about 40 lbs to be a more efficient runner so I can go from "back of the pack" to "middle of the pack". Imagine running with FOUR POTATO SACKS strapped to your body...that's what it's like when I run :) Also, I'm quite a few lbs over the Navy standard for my height...so, it's diet time for the FATMAN.

I've thought an awful lot about my eating habits and have read a bunch of books about healthy eating, but I just can't get past the cravings (for carbs, snacks, ice cream, twinkies ;) I'm even worse at actually sitting down and planning my meals. So I decided I needed a whole new perspective on eating healthy.

So Monday I signed up with LA WEIGHT LOSS to lose the the monkey off my back. I know it sounds totally gay, but my Mom had great success with it and she lost weight the right way...through healthy food choices and portion control.

So, I paid for a year's worth of services from LA WEIGHT LOSS. It's actually not that bad of a deal...works out to be around $7/WK (after initial set up fees). This is what I get in return- a support network of counselors, weekly diet menus, an online cookbook w/ 300+ recipes, 3Xs/week weigh-ins, an online food intake diary, and access to a dietician by email. Probably the most useful, are the weekly weigh-in's...the scale just doesn't lie. So far I've found that the ladies that work there are overly enthusiastic and pretty freakin annoying, but their enthusiasm will probably help when I need it, so I'll let them slide for now :)

Why a Triathlon Coach?

As getting to IRONMAN is gonna be a challenge in and of itself, I decided I better set up as many support structures (ie, obstacles to quitting) as I possible could. This blog is one of them and so was the decision to hire a Coach.

I listen to numerous Triathlon Podcasts like - Get Your Geek On, Zen and the Art of Triathlon, and Simply Stu - these podcasts are truly informative and I got the idea to hire a coach off a couple of these shows. But why do I need a coach? Am I going to be on the podium at my next race? Am I gonna be competitive in my age group? Am I gonna get a sponsor too? Well, the answer to all these questions is "HELL NO!", but I am getting ready to embark on a year long journey that is gonna take up a significant amount of time and effort. So...the money is worth it to me.

I met my coach at a Fitness Expo the day before I ran the Narragansett FIRMMAN. He was there with Amy Rice, an athlete that he coaches (who was the 2nd overall woman finisher at FIRMMAN). I'd been researching online coaching options for a few weeks and had so far come up empty handed. I was still unsure whether I wanted to pay someone to do something I was to lazy to do myself. After all, I've read at least a dozen books on triathlon already and have seen numerous full Ironman plans that I could adopt for my training. That makes me an expert right? WRONG! After talking with my 'soon-to-be-coach' at the Expo, then on the phone a week later, I decided to take the plunge. He lives a couple towns over from me and having a local coach, vice an online, cookie-cutter one really appealed to me. Here's a link to the info page on my coach's website...it lists what he has to offer. He charges $150/month (plus a $50 setup fee) and I had to pay 3 months in advance. So on Friday, I paid the initial $500 (OAHWW!) for the first three months service. That price may seem steep upon initial glance, but considering all he'll help me with (and compared to other tri coaches that only offer online consulting), it's not that bad. After all, he's gonna help me become an IRONMAN.

FAREWELL TO MY BELOVED VICES…

Today is a happy day…today is a sad day. Today is the last day of my old Pre-Ironman life. From this day forward, I will do as best as I can to maintain a healthy diet, and to ward off all alcoholic beverages (except on Sat. nights, where I will impose a strict 2 drink maximum). By tomorrow morning, the days of unhealthy eating and drinking alcohol are gone. If I’m gonna make it to my goals, I just gotta do it. The following is the obituary I have written to signify my observance of alcohol and twinky’s death.

OBITUARY:

DIED October 1, 2006- Mr. Alvin (AL) C. Ohol and his close friend Mr. G. Reasy Foods, formerly of Newport, RI. Mr. Ohol and Foods were fatally injured when a bus of Triathletes crashed into them. Both were wonderful and loving individuals when consumed separately and in moderation. Although, together they often caused numerous problems: drunkenness, usually followed by impulsive consumption of unhealthy food products (Mr. P. Izza, and Ms. Buffy Lo Chixwing). The next day the dynamic duo would normally cause more trouble, inciting gastrointestinal distress, dehydration, and exponentially increasing pants sizes. Mr. Ohol and Foods are survived by a large family of fat building and artery clogging relatives, to include P. Eetsa, Buffy Lo Wingz, Moo V. Popkorn, and Hostess C. Upcake. Former couch potatoes everywhere mourn the violent death of these individuals.