One Man Peleton

There is a difference

2011-04-21T16:55:00.002-05:00

I was asked how it feels to run a marathon after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 versus just running a marathon. This pretty much sums it all up.

IM Marathon:
Mile 1-2: OMG I'm so happy to be off the bike
Mile 2-4: OMG my legs are not going to make it
Mile 4-13: I can't wait to get the redbull in my special needs bag
Mile 13-15: That was the best redbull ever. I feel awesome
Mile 15-23: UGH. This sucks. Never again
Mile 23-25: Must keep going. Cannot start walking now. Well, maybe for one aid station. I'm almost done. Must keep going. Marathons suck.
Mile 26-End: Holy crap, I'm almost done. I feel freaking awesome. I can't wait to do another one.
Finish line: Pizza

Stand Alone Marathon:
Mile 1-end: This sucks. I'm never doing another one.
Finish line: stale bagels and bananas that aren't ripe

Running tonight

2011-02-03T15:24:00.001-06:00

I feel like Superman right now. Gonna try to pace 7:10 for 9 miles tonight... to beat JShoe in sport....

Did I say 10 days? Better make it 8

2011-02-02T07:46:00.003-06:00

On Sunday I embarked on a 10-day detoxification. Without going into a lot of boring details about the physiology of it, it's meant to purify the liver of toxins/free-radicals/harmful molecules that build up when you eat processed foods, artificial sweetners and colors, and just ingest harmful chemicals in the air and foods. The detox consists of drinking two shakes per day that contain a specific amount of vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids. Between those shakes, that's where the fun is. Nothing but raw vegetables. That's it.

Obviously I'm still training this week and it's difficult to perform at a higher level only consuming ~800 calories a day. I am "cheating" a little. I eat half an apple or pear before I work out. Gotta get a little sugar into the bloodstream to keep me from passing out. But I feel it's justified because it's natural. The worst part is that I'm dreaming about food! Donuts, CAKE, italian fries with cheese from Wausau Mine Company, and quesadillas from El Mezcal. Mmmmm.

The detox is supposed to be a 10-day thing, but with the Super Bowl on Sunday, I might have to cut that short by 2 days. I love taco dip too much. If the Packers weren't in it, it would be different. And the theory of a detox is to (hopefully) keep bad foods out of your system. But my diet is usually pretty good anyway. I'm not a smoker, caffeine consumer, or sugar-aholic. Eating nothing but vegetables is getting pretty old, though.

Breakfast of champions

Rest week

2011-01-19T08:36:00.002-06:00

Just taking a little time off this week. Still working like a madman, but still trying to enjoy life. Next Monday starts a new training week. I'm excited to kick things into high gear.

Til then, take care internetland.

Nice little training run

2011-01-13T14:26:00.002-06:00

Last night I did a little training run. I'm about a month away from doing any speedwork, but I'm running fast now. So I did a quick 9 miles last night and averaged 7:37 min/mile. It was faster than I normally try to pace but I was feeling good and had a lot of extra energy from work to burn off. I felt good and it gives me confidence going into the 2011 race season.

After that I did a little pool work. February starts the month of hard training. I'm looking forward to it.

2011 updates

2011-01-11T11:19:00.002-06:00

Well well well, readers. Do I have readers? Plural? Maybe. If so, this is an exciting read for you.

My Ironman training seems to be going well. As well as can be with single digit temps and snow/ice. Could I finish an Ironman right now in the shape that I'm in? I am thinking yes, but I might need most of the allotted 17 hours they give. I'm swimming well and I'm swimming fast. I think if I had to do the swim right now, I'd get my PR. If I had to do 112 miles on the bike right now, I'm thinking no. I haven't put in enough saddle time to endure that right now. But if I had to I could, but I wouldn't want to try. Running 26.2 is always awful, but I think I could finish it.

I was thinking about this last night; if I was ready or not. Truth be told, I don't know if I was ever "ready" in my last 3 races. That's the first thing people ask you before a race like that: "Are you ready?" My reply was always "Doesn't really matter now." Which is true. Ready or not, that cannon is going off with or without you. Then you spend the entire race trying to convince yourself that what you're doing is fun. Crossing the finish line makes it all worth it.

Hopefully I'll be crossing that finish line sooner than later. That last sentence has a few different meanings. Let's see if you can figure it out.

Destination Training?

2010-12-29T07:54:00.002-06:00

It's inevitable. It has to happen. Late February/early March a trek to Mississippi or Alabama.

I figure I'll take a long weekend, 3-4 days, drive down there and pound out some good training miles that I wouldn't be able to get in this horrible winter climate. If that goes well, doing that every month until I can get outside full time to train.

I don't know about you, but I think it's a fantastic idea. Where exactly will I be riding? Not sure right now, but I figure I'll start planning that in mid-January. It's gonna have to involve beach. It has to.

Nothing but truth

2010-12-08T07:40:00.001-06:00

Strong language, not intended for younger viewers.

I'd say this is pretty accurate

2010-12-02T08:37:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving week

2010-11-22T09:20:00.003-06:00

Just had kind of a lazy weekend as far as training goes. Got a lot accomplished work-wise and person-wise... if that's what you call it.

This is going to be a busy, cold week. Sorry Shoe, I'm not going to get one of those handlebar mits. I thought that's what they make gloves for.

Gotta finish strong this week in the pool and on the pavement. Will be spending some time on the trainer... not much, though. Slowly easing into it.

Mid November open water swim?

2010-11-16T21:25:00.001-06:00

Why not? The water temp is ~39 degrees when I checked it this morning. I'll probably jump in tomorrow after work. Get some!

JShoe/Decisions, decisions

2010-11-15T17:58:00.003-06:00

JShoe had a good blog post recently. Jesse and I have known each other for 4 years now. Wow... 4 years. We chased each other back and forth during the citizen year of WORS. He approached me at the Franklin race (mind you, it was 100+ degrees that day) and said "hey, you're the guy in 1st place" to which I replied "Yeah." Since then it really wasn't about competition to us. I mean, I can only speak for myself but I liked seeing him race well and place high. That season he finished 2nd overall and I was 3rd. He continued to race WORS and I transitioned more into triathlon. He's one of the best people I have met while being back in Wisconsin. Whether he knows it or not, I am constantly inspired by his endeavors and I always wish him well. I love you, my friend.

Having said that, I am considering something I never thought I would do or even attempt. Shoe's last post of failing to prepare is preparing to fail kind of pushes me toward the decision I was thinking of making. Until I make that decision I will say no more, but I will let you all know soon. But when that time comes, please know that I will be preparing in the meantime.

Interesting and Informative

2010-11-05T12:43:00.002-05:00

I found this to be very informative and helpful:

http://www.trifitmultisport.com/pdf/time_trial_racing_equipment-best_bang.pdf

Here are some specific time savings over a 40 kilometer time trial course based on measured data:
1· 6 seconds saved for optimized aero position on the bike
2· 5 seconds saved for racing with a water bottle as opposed to not taking it along
3· 4 seconds saved for an aero helmet over a standard cycling helmet
4· 3 seconds saved for an aero bicycle frame
5· 2 seconds saved for using aero wheels
6· 1 second saved for cleanup details (cabling, brakes, etc)

There's a lot more in the article. Check it out.

So long, Facebook. It's been real.

2010-11-03T13:49:00.002-05:00

My era with Facebook ended today. Too much drama. Too many people getting upset by what was or was not there. You know what? It's Facebook, people. Relax. Will it ever come back? Meh, perhaps. But if so, not for a loooong time. It's amazing that people are citing Facebook as the reason for divorce in 1 in 4 marriages. I can only imagine what it does to relationships. Either way, you can find me here. Email, call, or text. That's where I'll be.

2 posts in 2 days?!?! Inconceivable!

2010-11-02T13:19:00.002-05:00

I forgot to mention, I got my new scale last week for my clinic. It reads weight, bone mass, muscle mass, body fat, metabolic age, and a few other things. My body fat percentage needs a little work at 11.3%. My metabolic age, however, is the lowest I've witnessed yet at 12. Yes, I have the metabolism of a 12 year old. I suppose I can be proud when my metabolic age is less than half of my real age.

Time for cake. Mmmm.

I will rise again in 2011

2010-11-01T14:45:00.003-05:00

That headline would have sounded better if it were 2010.

As you all know, I took this year (2010) off from racing. I did need a break. 4 straight years of mountain bike racing transitioning to triathlons and more endurance type of stuff just got to be too much. I missed having my summers... days to just enjoy the sun and not have to worry about catching up on saddle time because of rain. Or turning every bike ride into a training session. Even though I still did a fair amount of biking, it was "leisurely biking" for the most part. I did do a local sprint triathlon with little to no training, and I did okay.

Now looking to now and beyond, I'm ready to race again. I'm gaining new focus and perspective. I know what works and what doesn't. Most importantly I know what it takes. I'm registered for IM Wisconsin in September. There's no doubt in my mind that I'll finish, it's just a matter of how much time. I'm aiming for sometime in the 12th hour. My goal, as of now, is finishing the bike course in less than 6 hours. I think my IM Canada time was 6:32, so I think it's very possible.

Will there be any other races on the horizon? Oh I'm sure. But relax. That's for me to worry about.

Dream

2010-07-07T22:06:00.004-05:00

Last night I had a dream. It was visualization during my REM cycle, if you will.

JVog and I were doing a road race. We were in mid-peleton on the left side and probably put in 15-20 miles at a boring pace. JVog looked at me like "this is ours". He took off and I followed suit. At this point in the dream it became an action movie. My dream had an overhead camera angle to show us pulling out and pulling ahead. We broke away swapping leads and drafts. We kept pulling farther and farther ahead before I gave JVog one last push to win the race. He was giving the crowd fist pumps and confetti rained down.

The soundtrack to the breakaway was "Indestructible" by Disturbed. Effing loved it.

Nice finish, JVog.

Week 3 of the month

2010-02-20T18:55:00.002-06:00

I keep having odd little happenings during the week that I should blog about, but I've been neglecting it. Since I got rid of my facebook account I haven't been doing much computer work at all.

So far this month I've put on almost 4 lbs which I can only assume to be muscle. Not much cake or sweets. I put up 280 lbs on the bench press. Realistically bench pressing means jack smack, but it's a mark I've never hit before. I honestly don't plan to go higher than that because once the warmer weather hits I'll be on my bike more and I'll lose weight again like always.

Not much more to update on. Just keep on keepin' on.

One week down

2010-02-09T22:37:00.002-06:00

Distractions have been kept to a minimum... ones that are under my control anyway. Said goodbye to Facebook for a while. Don't miss it one bit.

I'm getting stronger as the months progress. I was doing reps of 270 lbs on the bench press tonight. Not bad for a little guy like me weighing only 170. Once the snow starts to recede and the temps get above 30 I'll be outside hitting the pavement. But for now I'm enjoying the "rest" period.

Diet is near perfect. Sleeping patterns are good. Mental health is improving.

Rest week-ish

2010-01-28T21:49:00.001-06:00

Just laying around, getting fat this week. February 1 starts a whole new life. Stay tuned.

Hellooooo 2010

2010-01-25T10:59:00.002-06:00

Good morning to all 2 of my readers. I figured since it was a solid 6 months since my last post I would write a little something.

Today I went to my first spinning class (or cycling, whatever you want to call it). I was the only male, the only first-timer, and was the youngest by at least 15 years. I guess that's what I get for going at 9:00AM on a Monday. I've used those stationary bikes before when warming up for my lifting workouts many many times so I knew the setup and all that. Going into it I figured you get out of it what you want-- so I went hard. Since there are mirrors all over the place you can kinda see how you compare to everyone else. People were getting up and getting water, turning the fan on, or just slacking. The instructor lady was very nice and energetic. She had us go up "hills" which made me chuckle to myself. The last long ride I did was 112 in Canada, so I thought "lady you don't know what hills are." All in all it was fun. You get out of it what you want.

Other than that things are okay. As all 2 of you probably already know, I'm not doing an Ironman this calendar year. Long story short: it takes a lot of physical and mental preparation and I don't think I can invest all that this year. I have a lot of other things I need to accomplish... things I can't have as a secondary priority. I'll still train a lot because that's just a part of my normal routine, and I'll do a few sprint tris or something here and there, but I just don't want the deadline of a race looming in the back of my mind.

I weigh 170.8 lbs today. I like this weight.

Pool session 7-21-09

2009-07-22T09:04:00.003-05:00

Had a good pool workout last night. I didn't get much sleep the previous night and got up early to do 40 minutes of core work at the Y. After work I didn't really feel like doing much but I went to the pool with a friend, who is an awesome swimmer. I push her on biking and running, so it was her turn to destroy me in the pool. Great. What I call my normal pool workout is her warm up. She critiqued my swim stroke and showed me a few drills. I ate a donut before going there so I tried keeping that down during the entire session. My calves are killing me today. It feels like I spent an hour doing calf presses in the gym. Feels good.

Tonight, weather pending, we might do a mini tri. My friend is training for the local sprint tri here so we need to go through transitions, nutrition, etc. If it's raining probably more core work at the gym. I hope to be ripped like Roland soon.

I need some more techno. Do any of you have any to send me?

Visualization

2009-07-20T20:38:00.002-05:00

It's not a secret that competitive athletes like to use visualization. What they visualize is up to them: fast start, strong finish, moving in and around certain terrain, etc. I don't do a lot of visualizing while I train... except when I see someone else on the same route. Let me explain.

I don't run or bike with other people, for a few reasons. The biggest reason is that there's no one to go with and that can go at the time of day that works for me. Second, and the least important in my opinion, some people are intimidated because they think I'll go for a 14 mile run or 76 mile bike ride. Well... yeah. Isn't that the point of running and biking? I honestly don't want to say this to be cocky, but running 2 miles or biking 8 isn't worth my time. Sure, if you want to do intervals or hills, then let's go. Otherwise I get nothing out of it and just wasted time I could be doing something else. But if you can keep up, it's on.

Back to visualizationing... when I'm on my road bike and I see someone on my route going in the same direction, I hunt them down and eliminate them. My competitions as a triathlete are solo rides and it's part of what I do to find someone in front of me and pass them. I visualize (and estimate) where along the route I will overtake them. And not just overtake them, but fly by them. Embarrass them. I try to make that moment on a hill- at the bottom, in the middle, or at the crest. If someone passes you and you're on a hill, chances are you're already giving it all you got and the one strong enough to drop you is nowhere within your reach.

Last Sunday I went out early and chose a 64 mile route... just an out and back on my new Cervelo P3. On longer rides like that my HR usually starts dropping to maintenance mode around mile 26-28 and I find a comfortable groove. I got in the bad habit of listening to my iPod while I bike to keep boredom from setting in. So I had my mix going of Breaking Benjamin, New Found Glory, Hit the Lights, Metallica, various techno and some other songs and all is well. On my way back I spotted a peleton of four riders ahead going in the same direction. I had no idea how fast they are going or where their energy levels are. I rode just long enough (at ~22 mph) to know that I was gaining some ground on them. I had two options: continue riding at my pace and slowly gain on them while they see me coming for a while, or drop them. The latter of the two is always the correct choice. I assumed I'd overtake them on a flat right before a large hill, so the main goal was to not die before or on the hill and allow the embarrassment of them passing me right back. I've trained enough to know I can sustain a HR of 202 bpm for 4 minutes without vomiting, so I looked for a 3:30 window to overtake them. As I started to gain speed I fiddled around with my iPod to summon the spirit of Jesse Shoemaker and put the hammer down. The peleton wasn't changing position so I continued increasing my speed, finally peaking at 32 mph. I passed them pretty much where I wanted and had enough time to drop my HR and make the climb ahead without vomiting. (EDITORS NOTE: I would puke at the end of almost every mountain bike race in 2006). That was the end of that peleton.

this one's for jvog

2009-07-16T13:02:00.000-05:00

Stay tuned for more updates...