Epic Saturday

While I have many long training days leading into an ironman race, there's typically that ONE day that stands out.  For me, that day was yesterday.  It consisted of an early swim, a 6 hour ride, and an hour run w/tempo.  This workout was originally scheduled for last weekend, but w/Jenn in China, I didn't want to leave my dog by herself all day (and this w/out would take ALL DAY).  So, I spoke to my coach and we bumped it out by a week.  My day started at 5:45, as I started to get some food in me.  I got the wetsuit on and headed to Mystic Lake for my swim.  Originally, I was supposed to go for an hour, but since I swam the day before, I reduced it to 35 minutes.  It was a good swim.  I'm feeling very good in the open water right now.  However, since most of the pools in the area shut down for a couple of weeks this time of year, I haven't been in a pool since the end of August.  I need to get in some speed and stroke work over the next few weeks, as my pool opens back up tomorrow.  After my swim, I quickly got home and got ready to ride.  I was meeting Tim Tapply in Concord Center (about a 30 minute ride)...so I was on a schedule.  As soon as I got on my bike, I knew that this was going to be a long day.  My quads hurt immediately....and I also was having difficulty getting "dialed" into my bike.  I have these stretches, where I just don't feel comfortable.  Hopefully that will go away in the next couple of weeks...as I have no intention of screwing around w/my bike fit right now.  Anyway, after manuevering through the parade that was happening in Concord, Tim and I finally caught up w/each other at Walden Pond.  We proceeded to do a long loop that I sometimes ride (ultimately, I did the loop 3 times).  Fortunately for me, Tim also wasn't feeling great....so we could suffer together.  It was a decent ride from an effort standpoint....although my power was lacking a bit.  I did have one incident where my Gel Flask basically exploded on me.  It was my fault...the cap wasn't screwed on flush.  There's nothing like gel covering your hands...it might as well be crazy glue.  The only good thing was that it happened about 10 minutes before we had planned to stop at a store...where I could wash it off.  Tim peeled off from me at about 4.5 hours in....so I did the last loop solo.  I was definitely starting to suffer.  For some reason my right knee was really bothering me on the ride....and was hindering my ability to ride.  I did my best to keep working....but was really starting to get worried about the run...something that I was trying not to think about.  The last thing you want to do during one of these days is think about how much the next part is going to hurt (just like an IM).  I managed to pull in my driveway at 6:04....my longest ride this year...heck...probably since 2008.  I was hurting as I walked in my house.  I ate a banana and got dressed to run.  Out the door....knees were hurting a little...but not quite as bad as I thought they'd be.  After a 7:16 first mile, I started to get dialed in and realized that I was going to be okay.  The run was supposed to be 40 minutes of IM tempo (I did 45 minutes...because I forgot what I was supposed to do).  So, as I locked into a HR and pace....I clipped off mid 6 minute miles....and kept my HR right where it was supposed to be.  Where the hell did this come from....I actually felt good.  All in all, I averaged 6:50 pace w/cooldown.  Very nice way to finish things off.

Thankfully this one is over.  Today is a split run...w/the longest portion being only 1:15.  Managable.  Next week is another long ride...but only 5 hours.  The Sunday run, however, is a bit more daunting.  It's another split run:  1:45 (w/tempo) in the AM; 1 hour in the PM.  After that, I suspect that things will start to taper down.  After 7 straight years of this type of training, I will say that I won't miss it.  I'll still incorporate some long rides and runs into the season....but starting your day at 5:45am and finishing your workout at 4:30pm kind of sucks!  Not to mention, your body is so fatigued after a day like that, that it's difficult to sleep (much like after an IM).  Last night I woke up at 2am...and was up for good at 4:50am.  Again...thankfully Epic Saturday is over.  Okay, time to get a couple of runs done...and watch some football!

-P

Hey Legs....nice to see you again!

Well, the legs are finally coming back...and it's taken longer than expected (well, for me...not my coach).  Anyway, I've now gotten two good runs the past two weekend.  Last weekend was a 2 hour progression run... 40 minutes @ z1, 40 @ z2, 40 @ z3.  I intentionally started the w/o later to run in the heat.  It was a solid workout.  However, I miscalculated the last 40 minutes w/respect to hydration...and was suffering at the end.  All in all, around 6:53 pace for 17+ miles.  Today was a shorter run...90 minutes @ z1/2.  Again, I waited until around 9:30 to run.  But, it really didn't warm up much.  So, I wore my underarmour heat shirt during the run.  The first couple of miles were torture, as my knees were really hurting (nothing like running in pain!).  But, after the first couple of miles, the pain subsided and I started cranking along.  I kept my pace consistent and my stride tight...and clipped off an average of approx. 6:30 miles for the middle 8-9 miles.  I even hit a 6:15 mile in there.  My overall average was 6:50 even.  Anyway, the legs are finally coming back....just in time. 

Jenn's been gone for a week now.  She's traveling in China.  She gets back next Friday, and I'll be happy to have my training partner back.  She makes this task a whole lot easier.  She may not actually swim, ride and run with me.  But, she encourages me and helps me through my workouts....and even drives out to meet me on my run to hand off fluids and nutrition.  The best training partner there is.  And, I'll need her as I have a 3 sport day next Saturday.  Swim, 6 hour ride, hour run.  I cringe just thinking about that one!

-Pat

Random thoughts before Earl...

Well, I thought I'd post some random thoughts today, just in case Hurricane Earl takes a quick left and wipes out Eastern Massachusetts.  Random Thought #1:  We have three ipod shuffles....and none of them seem to work. Or, if they do, it's for like 30 minutes.  There is nothing more challenging than starting a run with tunes....and then losing said tunes. Random Thought #2: Quite often I run on the Minuteman Bike Path  in Arlington.  Now, mind you, it's called a "bike path", but if you're a serious cyclist you shouldn't be on it....or you shouldn't be on it riding 25mph...or in your aerobars...especially when it's a nice day and very crowded.  Nothing pisses me off more than having some fly by on a bike veering in and out of people.  It's a recipe for disaster.  Hit the roads like a real cyclist (rant over).  Random Thought #3:  I've been running in pain for the better part of 3 months now with patellar tendonits in the knees.  It's not fun.  I'll be happy to give my knees some rest after IM.  Be kind Earl!

555 and Timberman

I know....I know...I've let another 2 weeks slip by without posting.  Well, it's been a busy 2 weeks.  I've been travelling the past two weekends.  Two weeks ago, I travelled down to Cape May, New Jersey, my home town to visit my family and participate in the 5-5-5.  The 5-5-5 is an informal, grassroots event put on by my friends Chad and Terry to raise money and awareness for cancer research....and it consists of a 5 mile ocean swim, 5 mile beach cruiser bike and a 5 mile run.  It's a total blast....having done it last year (inaugural).  For me, it's a reunion of sorts...as I get to see a lot of old friends.   Although the event is not a race, and is for fun, I decided that I really wanted to focus on the swim since it would help in my Kona prep....not to mention that it kicked by butt last year.  With the strong currents, the swim isn't really 5 miles....it's probably closer to 3-3.25.  But that's still a long swim!  I swam the entire course without stopping...which was one of my goals...and finished around 6th.  It was much improved from last year.  I mounted my beach cruiser and headed out trying to catch the people in front of me.  I think I must have been spinning at around 120 rpms!  I averaged around 18+ mph for 5 miles....not too bad for a beach cruiser.  Then onto the run....typically my strongest event.  As much as this is a fun event....as many of you know, I do have an ego...so I wanted to catch the people in front.  Well, I knew this was not going to be easy based on how my legs felt....like trash.  I could barely muster low 6 minute miles....which is typically ez for me.  This is where I realized just how much the ironman hurt me....3 weeks earlier.  Unlike last year, where I finished 4th....I was able to catch everyone in front and finish tied for 1st.  Again, it was a blast.  I even ran into an old, old friend (Joe)....who I learned was doing the Timberman 70.3 the following weekend....which I was planning to attend as a spectator.

After a bunch of text messages, Joe graciously allowed me to crash in his hotel room with him at Timberman.  I was supposed to camp...which I haven't done since I was 15....and thankful that remains the last time I camped!  Although I was going up to spectate the race, I had a training agenda to keep as well.  Saturday was a 4 and a half hour ride...with a 20 minute transition run and Sunday was a long run.  These were my first long workouts since the ironman (save for the long swim the previous week).  Both went well.  I rode with Matt Pokress and we rode strong.  I could definitely feel it in my legs...but happy to get it in.  The long run went as well as expected given how my legs felt.  I've now done 7 ironman races....but this past one did the most damage (fatigue) to me.  I'm just hoping to recover while still putting in the big weeks before Kona.

I took a bunch of pictures during the Timberman 70.3:

http://picasaweb.google.com/105289519986022195493/Timberman20102?authkey=Gv1sRgCPr98OyXybKjQQ&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/105289519986022195493/Timberman20103?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/105289519986022195493/Timberman2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCLqi4cC7md7IVA&feat=directlink

Slow and steady.

I'm now approaching 3 weeks post IMLP....and the legs are still a bit lethargic.  I've gotten a couple of runs in.  All have gone well, time wise....but my legs have been sore after.  I did get a decent ride in last weekend.  It was only 1:45, but I had some intensity in there....and it felt decent.  Next week the volume starts back up.  I'm scheduled to head up to Gilford, NH to do some training and watch teammates and friends race the Timberman sprint and half iron races.  I'm camping...which should be interesting (if you don't know this about me yet, I'm pretty much a hotel snob...I like my accomodations!).  I'm also going to meet up w/my coach who's also racing the 70.3 race.  It should be fun.

The one thing I have been doing is getting some open water swimming in....w/out the wetsuit.  I've been meeting on Wednesday mornings to swim at Mystic Lake in Arlington....and I got a pretty good long swim there last Sunday (over 60 minutes solo).  This coming weekend I'll be getting a lot of swimming in.  I'm heading to my hometown of Cape May tomorrow to visit w/family and friends, and do the 555 charity event/race.  It's a grassroots event.  5 mile ocean swim (fast w/current); 5 mile beach cruiser bike; 5 mile run.....all to raise money for cancer research.  It's basically a bunch of locals, ex lifeguards, and some invited guests getting together for the event and some post race festivities.  I did it last year and it was a blast.  I will, however, be wearing a wetsuit!   It's way too long to be in the water w/out one.

-P

Square One....

Man, I feel like I'm back at square one...like I was in November/December.  I honestly don't know how some people are coming off of their races at LP and putting in big weeks already.  I ran for the first time on Wednesday.  Although my time/pace was good....I could tell that I was a mess.  My knees were killing me afterwards.  Then, the following morning, I felt like crap.  I didn't feel well for 2 days.  Fortunately, I'm feeling better this morning....which is good, because I need to get out there on the bike!  After consulting w/my coach, the goal for the next few weeks is not to kill myself...but rather get some good training in while recovering.  It makes no sense to bury myself now.  As they say, Ironman is hard...or everyone would do it!  It takes a while to recover.

One of the tough things about training for IM are the sacrifices made.  My wife makes them all the time for my training.  This was very clear on Thursday night.  We had tickets to go see Interpol at the House of Blues....one of my favorite bands.  I had been dying to see these guys.  But, feeling the way I did, I decided to skip it.  I just couldn't afford to put myself deeper into a hole.  If it was February...I would have gone.  But, with only a handful of weeks to train for Kona, I decided that I needed the rest more than the show.  It sucks...but it's the path I chose.   Minimal on the larger scale...I know.  But a sacrifice nonetheless!

How I enjoyed my one week of Summer....

So, it's been a week since IMLP....and I haven't done one thing physically....really.  We got home last Tuesday and it literally took me until the weekend to fully unpack.  One of the cons to having a good race is the endorphin crash that inevitably comes a few days later.  It's like a hangover....and it takes a few days to recover.  This past weekend, Jenn and I took our dog Billie out to Great Brook Farm in Carlisle for a walk/hike through the woods.  It was fun.  We spent about 2 hours out there.  Even on an ez hike, all of the aches and pains from IM started surfacing.  So, it was good that last week was all rest.  My coach prescribed exactly that.  This week we'll start to get into training again...but it will be a slow start.  For me, the bigger thing is nailing my nutrition for the next 2 months.  I was at my lightest in 8-9 years when I raced IMLP.  I'd actually like to be a bit under that for IMH in October.  Jenn and I are really going to focus on buying the right foods.  We always eat healthy...but for the next 2 months...we're going to eat like we're on a mission...which we are.  Yesterday we finalized our travel plans to Hawaii.  I'm pretty excited.  We're staying for a little over a week in Kona for the race, as we always do.  But, this year we're flying to Oahu for 4 nights and staying on the North Shore.  I've always wanted to see Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay, and Pipeline.  It will be a nice way to relax and unwind after a day of suffering in the lava fields.  Okay....resume training....Now!

-P