Not really sure how I should act. Finished the last race of the season last weekend and have been free of a regimented training schedule. Went back to the Thursday night workout and feel like getting back into it.
On the other hand, I'm kinda liking not being so beat down by training that my thighs burn on a single set of stairs. Read an article about this that described as "whackdaptation". Your body becomes adapted to being in a constant state of overtraining such that it feels weird to not hurt yourself, to not being whacked out. I haven't been in a dehydrated and glycogen depleted state for several days... Actually, doesn't feel too bad. I've been making up for the missed calories in beer.
Tonight's run was good. Jamie linked me with Carla, an Atlanta transplant who is getting into the tri scene in Austin to meet people and get back to active. She ran track in college and I think she swam in college. She showed up for the first time to a swim-run workout and laid the smack down pretty well. She's been sick for a couple weeks, and since I'm throttling back for a couple weeks, Jamie paired us up. We ran together for about half an hour on the Town Lake Trail and chatted. She's a nice girl and she'll fit in with Texas Iron nicely. I was telling her about the club and how it's a great environment, if you don't mind falling in with bad influences and doing an Ironman every so often...
Everyone else is wrapping up the tri season in the next couple weeks, many going to Florida soon, and some going to the 70.3 World Championships. Then again, others are ramping up for marathon season... This is a sick bunch of people I hang out with.
Tony and Janelle gave birth today to a baby boy and we're waiting to see pics and read the recap. In spite of all the stuff they must have going on, we still got an anniversary card from these guys, if you can believe that!
Looking forward to a half day tomorrow. I have to stick around the house and work and hope FedEx makes it hear with Darlene's anniv present before noon. We might even leave earlier to test a SmartCar, which DD has some unreal need to test drive for some reason. Then off to Brenham for a Blue Bell factory tour and a B&B weekend in Washington-on-the-Brazos. Should be fun.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Last Race of the Season
I'm not sure what the hell I'm going to do with myself now that the season is over, but I now have a couple weeks of not training before I start the base phase for my Ironman preparation. I wanted to get one last race in to set the tone. Longhorn two weeks ago was so tough and I felt so bad that I wanted to get in a good race to set the tone.
This was definitely that race. I swam a 21:00, although I didn't feel like I was setting the surface afire. The guy who won the whole thing swam an 18:00 and it was quickly apparent I wasn't going to hold on to his feet, so I swam my own and was third out of the water.
The bike course was actually closer to 27 miles rather than the 24.8 for a true Olympic. I knew the bike course had a tough climb at mile 7, then another at mile 10, followed by a fast roller section. I hit those hard enough not to lose too much time, but I didn't press on the rollers. I knew the last 11 miles to be predominantly uphill, and theorized that I could gain a lot of time if I really drilled that section. I figured a lot of people would pour it on for the hills then not have much left. I hit 50 on the downhill and then hammered the last 11 and I think I picked up some good time. I came off the bike in second place.
I also had to control my pace on the run because I have a tendency to go out too hard, then really pay the price in the last couple miles. I was also trying to take very small strides and up the turnover as my coaches have been trying to get me to do for months. I went out at 6:30 for the first mile, so knew I had to back off a little. The second mile has the big hill on it, so I slowed to 8:00 for mile two, then hit 7:00 for mile three through Start / Finish and on to lap two. That was the pace I was trying to maintain. My quads were starting to cramp a little from the hills and the short strides, but I felt a lot fresher than I did. Mile four was a 7:40 so I tried to up the tempo a little and did 7:45 for the hilly mile again, then took it home with another 7:00 to finish strong.
Good enough to win my age group by a decent margin and get fifth overall. Felt like it was a good final effort although the run could have been faster. I'm happy I was able to control the pace, although I'd like to minimize the big swings. I start training full time with Jamie Cleveland next month, so I'm hoping he can make a runner out of me en route to a solid Ironman. Until next month though, lots of unstructured training.
Age group and overall results: http://www.seidelproductions.com/Events/TXTri/10_20_2007_individual.htm
This was definitely that race. I swam a 21:00, although I didn't feel like I was setting the surface afire. The guy who won the whole thing swam an 18:00 and it was quickly apparent I wasn't going to hold on to his feet, so I swam my own and was third out of the water.
The bike course was actually closer to 27 miles rather than the 24.8 for a true Olympic. I knew the bike course had a tough climb at mile 7, then another at mile 10, followed by a fast roller section. I hit those hard enough not to lose too much time, but I didn't press on the rollers. I knew the last 11 miles to be predominantly uphill, and theorized that I could gain a lot of time if I really drilled that section. I figured a lot of people would pour it on for the hills then not have much left. I hit 50 on the downhill and then hammered the last 11 and I think I picked up some good time. I came off the bike in second place.
I also had to control my pace on the run because I have a tendency to go out too hard, then really pay the price in the last couple miles. I was also trying to take very small strides and up the turnover as my coaches have been trying to get me to do for months. I went out at 6:30 for the first mile, so knew I had to back off a little. The second mile has the big hill on it, so I slowed to 8:00 for mile two, then hit 7:00 for mile three through Start / Finish and on to lap two. That was the pace I was trying to maintain. My quads were starting to cramp a little from the hills and the short strides, but I felt a lot fresher than I did. Mile four was a 7:40 so I tried to up the tempo a little and did 7:45 for the hilly mile again, then took it home with another 7:00 to finish strong.
Good enough to win my age group by a decent margin and get fifth overall. Felt like it was a good final effort although the run could have been faster. I'm happy I was able to control the pace, although I'd like to minimize the big swings. I start training full time with Jamie Cleveland next month, so I'm hoping he can make a runner out of me en route to a solid Ironman. Until next month though, lots of unstructured training.
Age group and overall results: http://www.seidelproductions.com/Events/TXTri/10_20_2007_individual.htm
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Longhorn Triathlon Race Photos
Lots of pics! Many with the typical zombie "I'm in pain" expression I'm famous for, but there are a few good ones in here. Just go to http://www.kreutzphotography.com/ and enter "north" or "62" and you'll see the thumbnails.
Overall results at: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/181030_215073_2007.html
Age Group results at: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/181030_215074_2007.html
Overall results at: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/181030_215073_2007.html
Age Group results at: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/181030_215074_2007.html
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Entry for July 01, 2007
It was a really disorganized affair, but I won the Belterra Sprint Triathlon yesterday by three minutes. Not a really sterling performance, but good enough to get it done and get some fast training in.
Overall: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/99285_204478_2007.html
Age Group: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/99285_204495_2007.html
Overall: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/99285_204478_2007.html
Age Group: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/99285_204495_2007.html
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Entry for July 16, 2007
Results from the Couples Triathlon this weekend. I "raced" the individual, but did horribly: http://www.doitsports.com/results/page.tcl?id=176428. My calves were really cramped and are still bothering me today. My run was awful.
Apparently taking the week for the fourth of July off and then taking a week off from running last week because of the calf problems was not the best race preparation...
Apparently taking the week for the fourth of July off and then taking a week off from running last week because of the calf problems was not the best race preparation...
Friday, June 08, 2007
Entry for June 08, 2007
Another great race weekend. Won my age group and the overall at the first in the Heart of Texas series. Beat my arch-nemesis in the process. It was a great race all the way around. I led from wire to wire. First out the water, a blistering-fast T1, then put two minutes on everyone on the bike, and managed to hold on for the run. Was a great feeling hitting the top of the final hill with the next competitor way back.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Season On Track
Good results so far this season. Two triathlon wins, and two second places. Still coddling a shoulder injury, so my swim isn't where it should be yet. I feel like my back has been lagging a little as well as I focus on the run. Last night, I confirmed that my bike is coming around.Last night was confirmation that I've brought the bike around. Texas Iron had the spring club time trial. 8 miles out and back, gently rolling. Conditions were good for fast times, very light breeze and not too hot. Things got off to a bad start when I forgot to pack the trainer, so I had to warm up on the road, but I rode the course twice and put in a few hard efforts to make sure I was running hot at the start.I pushed hard, but was in control the entire race. In the end I ended up winning by more than a minute, and going 10 seconds faster than my best time last year! Looks like coming to a boil slowly this season is timing out well. A sprint next weekend to rev the engine, and the A event of the season on Memorial Day. BRING IT!!!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Mark Your Calendars - Ironman AZ 2008!
I pulled the trigger today on registration for Ironman AZ 2008 (http://www.ironmanarizona.com/). Some say the definition of insanity is to do the same thing, expecting a different outcome. With that in mind, I think I have learned some things and have a few more miles in my legs so as to help me arrive healthy and go faster this time around.
Last time through, I had terrible IT band tendonitis that had me getting anti-inflammatory injections in the week prior and forced me to walk / shuffle the last two-thirds of the marathon.
I'm hopeful that I've gotten used to long-distance running, know how to stretch and roll the IT bands, and will be able to train to keep the run mileage to just enough to be ready. I have some very good coaches who have prepared many athletes to excel at this distance (http://www.texasiron.net/default.htm). I have the opportunity to put all the "shoulda's" behind me.
Ironman AZ 2005: 11 hours, 42 minutes
Ironman AZ 2008: <10>
Last time through, I had terrible IT band tendonitis that had me getting anti-inflammatory injections in the week prior and forced me to walk / shuffle the last two-thirds of the marathon.
I'm hopeful that I've gotten used to long-distance running, know how to stretch and roll the IT bands, and will be able to train to keep the run mileage to just enough to be ready. I have some very good coaches who have prepared many athletes to excel at this distance (http://www.texasiron.net/default.htm). I have the opportunity to put all the "shoulda's" behind me.
Ironman AZ 2005: 11 hours, 42 minutes
Ironman AZ 2008: <10>
Monday, April 02, 2007
Really Racing Now
This weekend was a really big rendevous in Galveston. The Lone Star Triathlon Festival took place Saturday and Sunday, with a sprint Saturday, and an Olympic and Half on Sunday. It was also a chance for me to really test my form to this point.
I put in a decent performance both days, but found my swim and bike to be a little lacking. Kinda funny when you take into account that those two disciplines are usually my strong suit. Good news is that there is room to improve and my run is coming along well.
I did the sprint Saturday and had the opportunity to race with my professional coach, as there was no pro wave that went off first. I got to see him out on the bike course, and run with him for a brief period (no way I can keep up for long). I was in the first wave, so it really felt good to have the course open. I was third out of the water and held position on the bike. I tried to keep my pacing under control on the run, and managed the first two miles at 6:30 pace, but then just didn't have the gas for the last mile. Two folks caught my in the last 2/10 of a mile, but fortunately they weren't in my age group. Felt like a good honest effort and a good foundation for the rest of the season, 19th out of 700 overall, and second in my age group:
Overall: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/160329_191112_2007.html
Age Group: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/160329_191115_2007.html
Sunday I did the Half Aquabike (swim-run). Came out of the water first with a four-minute lead, then really stomped on the bike. Ended up winning by 13 minutes. Troubling that I was really suffering and losing power toward the end. My HR dropped along with my power output. I tried to focus on cleaning up the pedal stroke, but was in so much pain from my back and neck, that I wasn't able to maintain. This was my longest race so far, and I hope that as the season wears on I'll get a little more comfortable and will generate the sustained power.
Aquabike results: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/160330_191449_2007.html
I put in a decent performance both days, but found my swim and bike to be a little lacking. Kinda funny when you take into account that those two disciplines are usually my strong suit. Good news is that there is room to improve and my run is coming along well.
I did the sprint Saturday and had the opportunity to race with my professional coach, as there was no pro wave that went off first. I got to see him out on the bike course, and run with him for a brief period (no way I can keep up for long). I was in the first wave, so it really felt good to have the course open. I was third out of the water and held position on the bike. I tried to keep my pacing under control on the run, and managed the first two miles at 6:30 pace, but then just didn't have the gas for the last mile. Two folks caught my in the last 2/10 of a mile, but fortunately they weren't in my age group. Felt like a good honest effort and a good foundation for the rest of the season, 19th out of 700 overall, and second in my age group:
Overall: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/160329_191112_2007.html
Age Group: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/160329_191115_2007.html
Sunday I did the Half Aquabike (swim-run). Came out of the water first with a four-minute lead, then really stomped on the bike. Ended up winning by 13 minutes. Troubling that I was really suffering and losing power toward the end. My HR dropped along with my power output. I tried to focus on cleaning up the pedal stroke, but was in so much pain from my back and neck, that I wasn't able to maintain. This was my longest race so far, and I hope that as the season wears on I'll get a little more comfortable and will generate the sustained power.
Aquabike results: http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/160330_191449_2007.html
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
First Race of the Season
Not exactly the level of competition I was hoping for when I registered, but a decent confidence builder before this weekend's double in Galveston. I was happy the shoulder didn't bother me on the swim. I came out of the water with a comfortable four-minute lead, and then extended another seven on the bike.
Things actually didn't feel all that good and I'm still not in great race shape. I'm still trying to turn the corner from all the winter base work, to learning to process lactic acid again. The intensity and duration are increasing in the workouts, so hopefully that gets better.
This weekend will be the true test: full gas in a sprint Saturday, and a half-Iron Aquabike Sunday.
http://www.seidelproductions.com/Events2/DU3/results_DU3_07.htm
Things actually didn't feel all that good and I'm still not in great race shape. I'm still trying to turn the corner from all the winter base work, to learning to process lactic acid again. The intensity and duration are increasing in the workouts, so hopefully that gets better.
This weekend will be the true test: full gas in a sprint Saturday, and a half-Iron Aquabike Sunday.
http://www.seidelproductions.com/Events2/DU3/results_DU3_07.htm
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