A-A-Achoo!

May 3, 2009 -

Bless you. Yes folks, it's officially that time of year and nothing brings it out like the heat....allergy season...bah! Usually, my seasonal allergies don't hit until July/August, but this heat wave we've been on has really brought out the allergy A-Team.

It's a love/hate thing when training with allergies. If I'm good before I head out, then I'm good until the training is over. But....then....after it's over....it's an allergy party for my face. The eyes instantly start getting ridiculously itchy and red, throat is itchy, and the sneezing....geesh, the sneezing.

There is just something about sneezing that prevents anyone from looking cool, but even worse is the red-eyed, constantly sneezing and blowing his nose guy....ya that guy....me.....so hot right now.

After about an hour of this annoyance, it gets better and I continue with the day. Not sure why the allergy party holds until I'm done working out, but I'll take that any day over having allergies during the training.

Day 154 Training Log - Only a couple hours of training today with a 90 minute run and a 1550 yard swim. Again with the heat today, so I hit the run at an easy pace as not to die out there, and save my leggers a little for tomorrow's big ride. I hit the trail for the run, where I'm certain the blacktop path sucks in the heat and then spits it back out onto you as you go. It was 87 degrees during my run, I headed out with a gatorade in hand and took a couple thermolytes at the 45 min mark. The run ended up just under 11 miles for an 8:25 pace.....so hot and schwetty. From there I headed to the pool for 1550 yards, which was a 600 warm-up (200 swim, 200 kick, 200 pull). The main swim was 16 x 50 where the odds were a medium pace and the evens were all out....tiring?.....yes. Finished with a 150 cool down and called it a day. Supposed to be another cooker tomorrow for my long ride....so that should be rad.....(sarcasm).

Hot Like A Hot Tub

June 2, 2009 -

Wow, we are on a two week or better sunshine streak here in Seattle. At my house in Kirkland today and tomorrow, we should see 90 degrees! It's hot, hot like a hot tub...gonna make ya sweata...gonna make ya weta.

I had a bike/swim today and the swim was in the pool so weather didn't really matter, but the bike was a real cooker. It was a mix of fast flats and four big hills. On those climbs I was just dripping sweat and I could feel the heat pockets as I was zipping along. In places it felt like someone was blowing a hair dryer on me.

It's definitely an adjustment at first to go from your cold winter to cool spring to hot summer temps, but I have adjusted....I think. This is great practice training in the afternoon heat as IMCDA should be 75 degrees or so in the peak of the afternoon. Right about when you are getting off the bike and starting your marathon...it should be just reaching the hottest part of the day....great.

Day 153 Training Log - A cool three hours of training today with a 3000 yard swim and a two-hour bike. I headed out early this morning to knock the swim out, which was a toughy. I think I was still a little tired from last night's hour open water swim. It must have been a little harder than I thought to fight all that chop. Whatever, I knocked it out regardless. It was a 2 x 250 wam-up, a 3 x 750 main swim, and a 2 x 125 cool down. As tired as I felt, it was over just as fast....I'm guessing similar to how Ironman will be. From there, I headed out on a two hour bike this afternoon in 85 degrees that included four killer hills and some real fast flats. Hills...as usual, were slow. The flats however, we were hitting between 23 and 25 miles an hour....just cranking....sweet.

CRIKEY! - Start Week 3

June 1, 2009 -

June first, June, the month of June....Ironman is in June....crap crap crap. How is it June already? With four weeks of conditioning waaaay back in January, then the official start of the 20 week training plan starting February first, I can't believe it is Ironmonth and only three weeks out from....the day.....bah!

So many questions like....am I ready? Did I do enough? Will the last remaining big workouts be enough as I gradually taper down to race day?

Oh well, nothing you can do now, but finish out the training strong and go do what you trained to do.

June....crap crap crap.

Day 152 Training Log - Two hours of working out today with an hour run and an hour open water swim. I headed out with a buddy around noon for the run. It was sunny and 82 degrees and I hit 7.38 miles for an 8:06 pace. I was hot hot hot...and parched. Good run though. Later in the afternoon I headed to the lake to swim however forgot my goggles and so I just headed back to work. I ended up going swimming in Lake Washington at Waverly Beach Park in Kirkland later the evening. Not sure what the water temp was but it was perfectly comfotable with my wetsuit...plus is was 86 degrees out. I swam back and forth between two docks that were about 300 yards apart. The first 20 minutes was a little slow and winded while I warmed up and got used to swimming in the chop. After that, the last 40 minutes was solid. Good swim.

Confidence

May 31, 2009 -

Today I had a two hour bike ride and it was about half-way through when I realized I had some great confidence. No, not confidence in my Ironman race....I'm still moderately frightened for that one....this was confidence specific to my bike.

When I got my bike back in December, I was still pretty novice and that bike leg of any of my tri's was always my weakest leg. It was the leg where I would get beat my the biggest margin by others in my age group.

I didn't really know how all the parts of the bike worked, how to efficiently and quickly change my flats, make adjustments or clean my chain. I had only a slight clue on how to shift effectively for a strong ride. I was weak on uphills and timid on downhills.

Today I was out and started realizing how far I have come since then. I have really adopted all these strategies and techniques without even realizing. Hills I used to sit-up and brake all the way down; now I lay on my aero bars and fly down. I shift so much up and down hills that my legs never really get fatigued.

The two-hour loop I set out on today only took me an hour forty-five. Yes, yes the bike has come along quite nicely. I hope after a couple more long training rides that I can come in strong on the bike in CDA because the run...I'm pretty sure....will be a toss-up.

Day 151 Training Log - So two-hour bike today. I headed out from my house and down Market Street, up through Juanita, down Holmes Point and then back up that 600ft incline. From there back down through Kenmore, up the Burke-Gillman trail through Woodinville and Redmond and then up the 520 hill. Back down through Kirkland, along Lakeshore Drive and back up Market street home. It was a great, strong, fast ride. The weather was sunny and 70 degrees and I had that whole confidence thing working for me as I was cookin along.

The Suburban Battle

May 30, 2009 -

In the battle of man vs. house today I waged another round of assaults against all the insurgents trying to turn our house into the trailer park it wants to be. But neigh...we mow and weed, clean the garage, do laundry, clean the kitchen, throw a round of junk away. We even find time to bbq and enjoy the sunshine and our sliver view of the lake, where to others it looks like we have an adorable little brick house.

To us, we do have an adorable little brick house......that requires a constant war of housework. I win today and live to fight again next weekend.

Day 150 Training Log - Today was my day off, which I did enjoy despite working around the house most of the day. It was just nice to be around the house, enjoy the sunshine and get some work done. My legs were a bit sore in places from that 22 mile run on Friday and behind my shoulders are all knotted up? I'm wondering if I was running a little tense or awkward from wearing that camelpak?

The Long Run

May 29, 2009 -

22 mile run at an 8:13 pace today! Damn was it hard. The first two hours went pretty well rocking at a sub 8 pace, but that third hour became this gradual decline with every step. By 2:45 I was so spent, just counting down the steps until I would be done.

To add to it, I broke one of the cardinal rules of long distance running...I clipped my toenails last night....bah. I'm not really sure what the difference is between neatly trimmed toenails and tree climbers, but the the long run does not respect the freshly cut toenail.

A couple things I did different today was running in my actual race clothes, and I switched to a CamelPak. My fuel belt was scraping my waist-line and the three 8oz bottles on it usually only lasted about 16 miles. I liked using the CamelPak although it was a little awkward at first, as it got lighter it was much easier to run with and I was secretly rejoicing in the fact that I had fluid through mile 21.

I found this dirt trail recently that goes all along Lake Sammamish, which is where I ran today. The weather was 62 when I went out and 75 by the time I got back. The trail was nice as it offered shade, great views of the lake, Mt. Rainier and some pretty incredible lake homes.

For nutrition I had a power gel at hour one and two and had power tabs at each half hour and every fifteen minutes of the third hour. I also had two Thermolytes before I left, two at 1:15 and two more at 2:15.

Day 149 Training Log - So three hour run that actually ended up being 3:01:56 for a 8:13 pace for 22 miles. The first half hour was a little rough getting warmed up and used to running with that CamelPak. From there, I was pretty much in a zone and cookin through the two-hour mark. After that I was running in fifteen minute increments and then taking a drink and a couple power tabs. By two and a half hours my legs were so cooked and me feet were shot. I did wear my 2XU compression socks and really liked having them. I'm thinking I may race with them in CDA. After I got back I enjoyed my newest favorite thing after a long workout.....and ice-cold real Coke....delicious. I stretched and recovered pretty well, but my knees are a little sore. Prolly have to ice up tonight.

You Better Work

May 28, 2009 -

Today was one of those days where I knew what I had to do, and I set out to kill it. I just wanted to work hard and crank hard. Ever since I was out sick a few days last week, I have been mentally battling to get my head back in the game and I wanted to do that today.

I did.

I had a bike/run brick and I worked it dude. The bike was swift and fast. I did the Lake Sammamish loop and had a bit of a time getting going. Although I wasn't feeling that way, my legs definitely told me they were still a little chewed up from that century ride on Monday....really.....still legs?

I cranked through it though and pushed hard when they were screaming and pushed harder when they weren't. Also, a buddy went with me who I used to always kick his butt and today he was kicking mine. So a couple times I really had to crank and let him know "who's the boss."

After the bike I went straight to a short run that I only wanted to beat an 8 minute pace...which I did...athank-you. The run was a little annoying as I was pushing harder than I usually do for a brick...but as I mentioned before...I wanted to work today.

Day 148 Training Log - So today was an hour and fifteen minute bike and a forty-five minute run brick. I cranked out on the bike for a 21mph average (could have been faster except for those darn stoplights). Then, for the run I cranked out 5.75 miles for a 7:50 pace. Great workouts today....athank-you.