Singing... I mean... Running in the Rain

30 minute EZ run on the schedule today. Went after work again. Last day of the month AND the quarter. Always makes for a very busy day. We had our second best quarter EVER. And best quarter ever was LAST quarter. So... work has been good.

I started running at 7:35 pm... and it was raining pretty hard. But, it was also warm and humid. Wore a singlet, shorts, hat and shoes. Went out into the dark... without blinking lights all around me.

I did a short loop that I do around the neighborhood... usually as my brick run.

3.5 miles
31:07
8:53 minute miles
130 avg HR
149 max HR

Tomorrow... 30 minute EZ swim.

A Break in the Clouds

I woke up late today... so I didn't get the ride in at Hains Point this morning. Planned on getting it in after work... but knew I had a 5 pm settlement appointment at "home". And, the weather pattern has been a rainy one with the forecast calling for more rain.

The settlement appointment was for my house... I bought my wife out of our home. She will be moving out this weekend and I am moving back in. I've been in "exile" since July 1... living in a "in-law" suite at a house up Route 29. Linda and I have reached a settlement and this is part of the deal. I buy her out of house. She moves out. Our daughter stays with me. I pay Linda alimony for a period of time. And we end up being legally divorced about this time next year. A lot of stress... and change. Today was a very symbolic day as I now own the house by myself. Sadness.... fear... anger... I have a lot of emotions. But, I know that this too shall pass.

The settlement only took 45 minutes. And the rain had let up. I considered going to the gym and getting on a stationary bike but upon looking outside, decided that the rain would hold off long enough for me to knock out an hour ride. The only problems would be that it was rush hour and I'm not really in a place that is good for riding bikes when there is traffic.

So, I set out on a route that would give me four good hills in an hour ride. But, there would also be traffic on part of it... and traffic lights and stop signs.

6:02 pm clip-in
122 avg HR
158 max HR
15.7 miles
avg cadence 85
53:36 ride time
17.6 mph

Not bad as these four hills are nice climbs... though short.


TJ, Jessica Rose and Linda

Trust the Taper

Half Full Triathlon... Sunday, October 3. It's been a mad rush to get prepared since August 6. Training this summer was interrupted by the bike accident... but I think I've done the things I need to do in order to get ready.

So, taper this week... here is what is on the schedule...

Mon off

Tues 3 x 500 swim all hard allow 2 mins between each / hard 3 mile run

Wed 60 mins bike 20 plus miles

Thurs easy 30 min run

Fri easy 30 min swim

Sat off

Sun BUST IT!!!

General rule for the taper, maintain intensity / reduce volume. Eat a bit more carbs, but don't use it as an excuse to stuff yourself (this will be hard for me). Normal eating and reduced training will tap off the stores.

UPDATE... 9:47 pm...

Just did the swim and run.

I got in the pool at LA Fitness at 8:20 pm. Swim was 3 x 500m with a minute rest in between. Here are the splits.

10:11
HR 122

9:11
HR 127

9:25
HR 128

Looking at the avg HR... I probably could have swum harder.

Run route was from the LA Fitness. Dark outside so I had some blinking lights on me and reflectors, too. Started running at 8:56 pm.

28:58 run time
3.42 miles
8:28 minute miles
AVG HR 145
MAX HR 158

I was dying all day to find a spot in the schedule to get the workout in. I'm glad that I got it done.

TJ & the KCs (Kona Chicks)

I rode the Half Full bike course yesterday with two women who are doing Kona in two weeks. Roseann Dougherty, who placed 2nd in her age group at Ironman Arizona and Joanna Younts, who placed 8th in her age group at Ironman Lake Placid... her first Ironman. Some guy who had pulled into the parking lot at roughly the same time joined us... but for the second week in a row (rogue guy in parking lot looking to ride), by the time we got to the second circle, he had fallen off the back... never to be seen again.

Stats for the day... a warm, sunny day...

Clip in at 7:55 am
Avg HR 140
Max HR 164
56 miles
Avg Cadence 87
2:57:55
18.89 mph

Two points... I didn't have much sleep the night before and honestly, I'm pretty gassed from the training cycle. Here's hoping I get to take it easy this week leading up to race day on Sunday. Second, as we were coming up the last hill, I caught up to two younger women climbing the hill. I smiled and said hello and the girl in the lead, when she looked over, swerved to the right, off the road and went down. I felt bad. Roseann said my overpowering male charm caused her to wreck. Whatever.

:-)

UPDATE... 8:08 pm...

Scheduled to do a 10 mile run today. Had a great night sleep but had a commitment this morning. Finally got out to run at 3:19 pm. Thank God for the DVR (recorded Ravens second half and Redskins entire game). I took this route which was a variation of an 11 mile run I did earlier this month.

Specs...

9.27 miles
1:21:42
8:49 minute miles
AVG HR 143

If I could hold that kind of pace next week, I'd be in pretty good shape... assuming I knock out the ride in under 3 hours.

Getting the Work Done

I rode yesterday morning. Was supposed to do 60 miles but only had time for 25 before work.

126 avg hr
164 max hr
25 miles
82 cadence
1:12:16 ride time

That's 20.8 mph!

Last night, I swam with the Team Fight group at Howard County Community College. We did 3000m... I was in the pool for 58 minutes. Good times.

Going to get in the 6 mile run after work today... have to do it at a faster pace than this past Tuesday's run.

UPDATE... 7:40 pm

Warm and humid today. Started the run at 6:24 pm.

51:01
6.33 miles
That's 8:03 minute miles.
Avg HR 156... Max 168.
Ran the first half of the run in 26:02. So... it was a negative split. Slightly uphill on the way out, however.

Riding the Half Full Bike Course again tomorrow. Going to ride with two women who are doing Kona next month.

On Schedule

Well, I've managed to stick to my workout schedule as dictated to me by Paul. I did the 30 minute swim on Monday night at the Olney Swim Center. Feeling good in the pool. Then, I did the workout yesterday... man that was tough. Started at 5:15 and did the sets in 22 minutes. Average HR was 138... and I can't do the clapping pushups yet. I can get a handful of them... but not 5 sets of 10. Also, the pull-ups are still assisted, mostly... but I'm getting better at it.

I ran 6.5 miles on this route. Started at 5:42 pm and ran it in 1:01:11. That is 9:18 minute miles. Average HR was 137.

Looks like today is going to be the off day and will get a bike in tomorrow morning and swim in the evening... stay tuned, sports fans.

Training on Tap - Week of 9/20

Mon 30 min swim

Tues Strength session 65 lb squat press x 10 / pull-up x 10 / clapping push-up x 10 / 35# kb clean and press x 10 in each hand / 5 rounds as fast as possible / Run 6 miles endurance pace

Wed Ride 60 miles under 3 hours

Thurs Swim 500 warm-up / 10 x 100 on 2:15 / 10 x 50 on 1:15 / 500 swim / Run 6 miles faster than Tues

Friday off

Sat Ride 80 miles endurance pace

Sun Run 10 miles endurance pace (Like big sat rides, followed by longer runs on Sunday. Teaches your body to run on tired legs, but not as stressful as long bricks.

Half Full Run Course Recon

For the record... temp was 82 degrees

I ran a half marathon on January 30. Then I ran a marathon March 20. The longest run I've had since then came today. I did a little recon on the Half Full Triathlon run course today and completed the full run. I didn't WANT to do it. I had a gig last night and didn't get to bed until 3 am. I woke at 9 am and was thinking of ways to get out of doing the run. But, here is the key to training with others... I texted Roseann and we talked ourselves into meeting out on the run course at 11:15. Ro is training for Kona but has had a recent bout with PF and hasn't run much lately. Today, she wound up running one loop of the course. I completed both loops and here is the detail

13.1 miles
2:03:20
9:25 mile pace
AVG HR 137


High Cloud 1/2 Marathon 1.30.10 - Yes, it snowed... 1:57:40

Life... turned up to 11

There was a time this week where I was starting to feel overwhelmed. It lasted about 45 seconds... then I thought of other people I know who have been through tremendous adversity. God doesn't give us more than we can handle.

So, I knew it would be hard to keep up with workout volume this week... but I managed to get some good work done.

Wednesday:
I stretched out my mid-week bike route. Clipped in after work at 5:36 pm.
27.9 miles
1:21:40 ride time
20.5 mph
avg HR 135
Max HR 155
Avg. Cadence 87

Thursday:
Off. I was going CRAZY all day... trying to get a workout in... but it just didn't happen. Late rehearsal on Wednesday evening... tough day at work... Back to School Night. Didn't eat dinner until 9:30 pm.

Friday:
I swam at the Olney Aquatic Center. Got in the pool at 8 pm. Did the 4 x 500m thing. Here were the times on each 500... with 60 seconds rest in between.

10:16
9:27
9:28
9:20

Looks like I may have gone a little too fast in heat #2. :-)

Saturday
Did a brick out at the Half Full Course. Rode the whole bike course with Roseann and Kevin D'Amanda. Both have qualified for Boston Marathon before. Roseann is doing Kona in three weeks. Kevin did a 11:20 at IMLP this summer.

Clipped in at 8:12 am. BEAUTIFUL day. Bit nippy early... wore arm warmers on the first loop.

56 miles
Ride time 2:57:05
18.97 MPH
Avg HR 143
Max HR 161
Avg Cadence 87

Transitioned to a 2.5 mile run around the lake. 22 minutes of run time. Avg HR 141. I was getting some pinches in my calves and quads.

Tomorrow... looking to get the long run in that I missed this week.

What Would Yoda Do?

Inspiration for Ironman Lake Placid courtesy of Paul Timmons

Well, he wouldn't eat chips, pizza and drink soda like I've been doing the past week. Yes, I'm telling on myself. I've been doing good but it started on Wednesday night. I had some chips with dinner and next thing you know, I had pizza twice on Friday, chips on Sunday during football and soda both Saturday and Sunday. My achilles heel... food. I know... I know... Do or do not... there is no try. I have got to DO better with food.

Rest day yesterday because of work commitments and trying to wrap up some personal issues... which I'm sure I'll write about as we go along here. Feelings are too raw right now.

Did the gym workout... that felt good. Then I did the tempo run... fastest time yet on this route... 46 minutes... which is a 8:27 pace. Not too bad for Mr. Snackman.

Special shout out to Chad and KDOG... my training partners for Ironman Florida 2006... my first Ironman. We'll always have the special bond from that year of training. They had a baby girl last night. Mikayla Ann Lewis. With her genes... I'm sure she'll be a tri-freak.

Great Things about Triathlon

Ever have the mind wander during training runs? On today's run I thought about something... over the past month, I've run along the Boardwalk on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, run along the National Mall and around the shore of Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland. It was one of the really great things about triathlon. Doing activities in different places... some of them very scenic and beautiful. If I let it, sometimes I feel at one with nature. Out in the elements... no cell phone... no one asking for any of my time... just me, the conditions and the activity. All in concert.

I ventured out on the Half Full run course today. Conditions were wet and it rained for the whole run. I didn't have my heart rate monitor with me and the course was deserted, save for some stray runners around the lake. Definitely a hilly course. And no matter how you slice it... 13.1 miles is a long way. I wound up doing a 10k... 6.2 miles... 58:30. Pace was slow because... well... I'm slow... but it was wet, the course is hilly and I didn't know the course once I got out of Centenniel Park. So, there was a lot of road mark searching and slowing down at turns to make sure I was going the right way.

Yesterday, I rode with Roseann who qualified for Kona at IMAZ last year. We rode the Half Full bike course and I was aiming to do a sub 3 hour time. We wound up doing it in 2:54:33. That's 19.25 mph on a VERY hilly course. Great success.

8:13 am clip in
144 avg. HR
162 max HR
56 miles
avg. cadence 87

This weeks' plan? Here it is:

Mon swim 4 x 500 meter repeats on 15 mins and build each one / ride 30 miles under an 90 mins
Tues 135 deadlift x 10 box jumps on the 24" x 25 3 round, 10 pullups, 10 pushups, 10 kb c&p's each hand 35# / 3 rounds then run 6 miles (threshold)
Wed off
Thur ride 60 miles (threshhold) sub 3hrs
Fri swim as many laps as possible in 30 mins / run 6 miles (endurance)
Sat ride 60 miles (endurance)
Sun run 13 miles

God Bless America

Never Forget

I love America. I am proud to be an American. And I am grateful for the men and women in uniform who served and are serving my country.

“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”
- John F. Kennedy

-- TJ

A Day of Rest

I am toast from this week's workouts. Need to take a day off. Good thing there is a rest day on the calendar for today!

Yesterday's 11 mile run was completed in 1:35:39. So, I'm getting faster. I actually felt good the last two miles and was ready for more. A good sign. HR monitor stopped reading around mile 9... so I don't know my TRUE average HR but the watch said 137. Then I swam with the Team Fight group swim last night.

Tried the 300 workout again on Wednesday and got the time down to 30:28. I guess it helped that I did it right. What an ass-kicker of a workout, however. That was after work on Wednesday... lunch that day... found me at the pool. Did the 2100 meter workout devised by Coach Paul in 41 minutes. So, yes... I have been in the pool two days in a row.

Tomorrow... Half Full Bike Course again. Riding with Roseann and looking to break 3 hour barrier.

Faster... Stronger... Better?

The schedule is kind of screwed up because of work. I was supposed to do a 6 mile run today and an hour ride. I didn't get going before work, so I turned it into a brick after work.

I rode the same mid-week route I've been doing lately... got it done a little faster today, which is good after the weekend I just had. Average HR was145, with average cadence of 89 and cycled the route in 52:20. Then, I transitioned to a run of 2.1 miles that took 18:17, avg. HR 155.

As an FYI... some detail from the ride yesterday morning... the SavageMan International Bike Course... ride was 23.7 miles completed in 1:30:55 and an average HR of 117. I was riding with Gary as I'm helping him prep for the race so the pace was a little below my max effort capability.

Tomorrow... trying out the 300 workout again. This time, I'm going to try and do it right.


TJ on McAndrews Hill on the Savageman Half Bike Course

Savageman Training Weekend

OK... back from training camp up at Deep Creek Lake. Windy ride of the full course on Saturday. 9.7 mile run around the lake yesterday (1:30:55... avg HR 140)... and then cycled again today. Rode the International course. Did a short run afterwards. The International course has a couple of tough climbs on it, too. But, it pales in comparison to the Half Iron course. That course is retarded.

This weeks training *plan* is as follows...

Mon 30 min swim / 60 min bike
Tues 6 mile run / 20 miles bike under an hour
Wed swim 500 easy, 10 x 100 on 2:15 / 500 hard / 100 cool down / Strength session (choice)
Thurs Ride 40 miles, goal time under 2 hours and 3 mile run (brick)
Friday off
Saturday Ride 80 miles (endurance)
Sunday Run 11 miles

I'll report tomorrow on how I did with last week's plan. Only missed one workout.

Half Full is 4 weeks from today.

Keep on Rolling

Two months ago today, I was struck by a car while cycling. Rolling at 20+ mph, I went up on the hood and over onto the pavement. I remember laying on my back when the paramedics arrived, looking up into the sky and really wondering if I'd be alright.

Today, I rode the Savageman bike course. It's a tough ride and today was REALLY windy. But, I had/have a great deal of gratitude. I love cycling, even on a day like today. It's a gift, it really is. I'm just so happy that I get to keep on rolling.


TJ cresting Killer Miller on a windy Saturday.

Progress... not Perfection

Happy to report that I'm improving on the run. I had a 6 miler on my schedule this morning and ran that route I've previously reported on. This morning... run time was 48:28 and avg. HR was 146. So, faster pace... lower heart rate.

Attempting the FULL 300 workout after work today. Rode Hains Point yesterday morning and then swam after work. In a pool. 3 * 500s... 11:17... 11:09... 11:26... total swim time... 33:53.

These workouts are relentless... but I love it. Heading up to Deep Creek Lake this weekend. Really looking forward to a mini-training camp.