Oh Carolina...

I'm feeling guilty.

Two days without real training.

Two days of decadent holiday cooking, complete with multiple pieces of homemade pumpkin pie and homemade ice cream. (How can anyone say no to that?!)

Yesterday was my off day, which was hard to maintain considering I was flying today to Raleigh-Durham, NC for a few days of meetings. So I got some push-ups and ab work in but that was about it. Today, I unintentionally got some exercise in because I literally was the last guy on the plane from Burbank to Phoenix this morning on the 6:50 a.m. flight. This is the second time I've cut my flight so close in two weeks...I need to give myself more time to arrive at the airport! Anyway, I sprinted the length of Terminal A with my transition bag doubling as a duffle bag and my laptop and toiletries case under my arm like a football. Thank goodness I'm in good shape...as the doors were closing just as I arrived to the ticket counter. With a little sweet talking and swallowing of pride (admitting I was late for no good reason), I made it onto my regularly scheduled flights.

Speaking of Phoenix, I went to college in Tucson at the University of Arizona. Normally, I love visiting Arizona but this time it was different, even for a 20-minute layover. As the plane descended into Sky Harbor Airport, I realized the next time I may see the Tempe/Phoenix skyline would be a year from now for Ironman Arizona. That thought really humbled me...I was flying into the mouth of the dragon, so to speak. And I felt just a little intimidated even though I have been to the city many times over the years. But not like this, not with this goal in front of me. Will I be ready in a year for this massive trial? The clock is ticking...and I'm not training today and I didn't really train yesterday either.

After a fantastic meal at The Landing in Chapel Hill (ordered the chicken in special xo sauce with pork and shrimp rice), I'm now at the Doubletree Hotel in Durham, NC (pictured), where it's 48 degrees and raining. I miss SoCal already, though the warm chocolate chip cookie waiting for me upon check-in temporarily made it all better (I'm a sucker for chocolate chip cookies, great for training). Fortunately, there's a small pool here and a treadmill, so tomorrow morning I'm waking up early to get a workout in before meetings begin at 9. I can't wait. Every day I don't train feels like added minutes to my final Ironman time...or like I'm chipping away the percentages for even finishing the race.

Am I the only one who gets this neurotic about training?

According to Gerrardo's training calendar schedule, I'm supposed to run for 45 minutes tomorrow at Zone 1 HR. I'm not even sure where Zone 1 ends and Zone 2 starts! Well, I guess I'll figure it out. I'm going to guess I should keep my HR below 120.

Going to bed now.

357 days and counting.

PS: If you're going to be at the NC-Michigan State game tomorrow night, let me now via @theironmadman. I scored two tickets thanks to my amazing work colleagues!

Day Off?

I'm happy to report that I woke up feeling refreshed and not too sore after yesterday's long run. And I was so tired, I fell asleep during the third quarter of the USC-UCLA game, stumbled to bed and didn't wake up until 8:15 this morning.

It's deceptive, this heart-rate training. One one hand, I feel great and like I could work out again today with not too much trouble. On the other, my body was obviously spent and got a great workout.

Initial lessons learned from first trail run:
-- I need trail-running shoes. Apparently, there's a big difference between the two. All I know is that my plantar fasciaitis is acting up on the balls of both feet.

-- Trail running affects muscles that street running doesn't. My hips and glutes, along with my hamstrings, are tight this morning.

-- Stop and look up every once in a while -- even though it's a dangerous proposition because of the uneven terrain. It's important to capture those fleeting moments of awe where you can truly stop and enjoy the journey of the Ironman and temporarily forget about the destination.

-- Stretch! If I hadn't taken time to stretch with fellow ValleyCoach athletes Rosa and her sister Dina, this morning might have been a lot worse. Those extra 10 minutes can make all the difference.

Today, not much on the docket. I'm going on a business trip for the next few days though, which will make training difficult. So I may sneak in a light run this afternoon or evening. Possibly even a yoga class, which would be a very good call methinks. Until then, it's football, food and possibly some holiday shopping (get it checked off the list quick!).

358 days and counting.

Freshman, Triathlon Tech University

Waking up this morning sucked. And it wasn't even before 7!

Quick note: I've got the Upstairs Neighbors from Hell. You'll be hearing about the inconsiderate mother and her 3-year-old son from time-to-time, like now, for instance. I'll call the mom "Trudy" and the son "Bam-Bam." Imagine hearing an earthquake directly above your head any time between 5:30-7:30 a.m. and it continuing intermittently throughout the day until 9:30 p.m. 24/7/365. Yep, that's my life. Which is a blessing and a curse since A) it gets me out of bed early to train but B) I'm constantly suffering from a lack of quality rest, evidenced typically by puffy raccoon eyes.

This morning was no different, although I tried a new tactic where I slept on the couch in my living room to avoid the usual bedroom barrage. That bought me until 6:30...when Bam-Bam ran full-steam into the living room and sailed across the floor in his tricycle. "FML," as they say.

Needless to say, I wasn't my usual energetic self when I put my car in auto-pilot and headed to Old Agoura and the Cheseboro Park trails off, well, Cheseboro. I met up with my coach, Gerrardo (pictured), and my fellow teammates -- most of whom I was meeting for the first time. It felt like the first day of school, except for once I was starring as the strange new kid.

We were to run 10-12 miles, which I hadn't done since the Agoura Half-Marathon in March 2008. The most I had run since then was nine miles, and that was just last week in Central Park (Reservoir loop 4tw!). But here was the catch, we were going to run at a 10:00 pace and keep our heart rates below 150bpm. And, we were trail running, which I hadn't really done before to this degree. Nevertheless, it seemed easy enough, I figured, as I have been used to training the old-fashioned way: Progressively killing myself a bit more with each workout until my body demanded a rest day. Apparently, that's not the best way to train. Wish I had gotten that memo sooner.

I started off fine for the first few miles. Heart rate was low and I was keeping up with this seasoned group of triathletes that included prior Ironman finishers and a pair of speedy sprinting sisters. I even had the audacity to remark that this was the easiest run I had ever been on.

Whoops.

Gradually, Gerrardo and gang pulled away. It seems that their speed at 150bpm is slightly greater than mine. By a wide margin. But I kept at it, meandering alone (about a minute behind) through the cold, dusty hills that still manage to showcase their beauty despite being the highest brush fire hazard imaginable.

My tardiness turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I entered a creekbed to find a deer and her little Bambi grazing quietly about 20 yards away. Mama deer and I locked eyes and had a brief staring contest before Mama realized I wasn't worth paying further attention to. She went on with her meal and I continued my steady-as-she-goes jaunt.

While this was the high point of my morning, a moment of Zen amidst about two-and-a-half hours of peaceful contemplation, the low point occurred 80% through the run when I failed my first test administered by Professor Gerrardo. After 9.5 miles, we came to a literal fork in the road, at which point I was given the option of heading back to the car with a respectable 10 miles under my belt, or sucking it up for 2.5 more miles to make it an even 12.

I may have been sore, but my heart rate was holding between 149-152 and I had more in the tank. I wanted to show these folks they weren't dealing with a softie. I wasn't a total noob.

Wrong answer.

The final stretch was almost entirely uphill, to the point where I had to walk most of it to keep my HR in Zone 2. When we reached the top of the first crest, I called out to Gerrardo and playfully chided him for not telling me about the ascents. To which he responded, "that's because you failed your first test of triathlon training: peer pressure."

And so, on my first official run with the ValleyCoach.com crew, I was taken to school.

I'm now a true freshman at Triathlon Tech University, and a victim of some light-hearted hazing.

But I ran two more miles than expected, and although the back of my left knee is sore and I've got a blister or two on my toes, I'm in good spirits.

Hazing never felt better.

359 days and counting.

It Begins

It is Friday night. It's 10:11 p.m. I'm in my bed, blogging. Most people are getting ready to go out for a night on the town. I'm 35 and not yet married, living 20 minutes from Hollywood. I should probably be doing the same.

Instead, I'm on the verge of sleep so I can get up early tomorrow to run 10-12 miles. After cycling 50 today from Agoura to Malibu by way of Westlake, Newbury Park, and PCH (where the image above was taken by fellow triathlete and all-around fantastic human being, Anat). After cycling 20 yesterday, on Thanksgiving, and cross training with my personal trainer and friend, Shannon, the day before that.

It's all with a bigger goal in mind. One in particular. What business author Tom Peters calls a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal, or B.H.A.G.

Ironman.

Just typing those words makes my stomach churn just a bit. I was one of the lucky (crazy?) folks able to register for Ironman Arizona 2010 before it sold out in 25 minutes. And since this past Monday at 11 a.m. Pacific time, I've been wondering if I made the right decision.

I thought I was in good shape, until Wednesday night. That's when I met Gerrardo, my new triathlon coach. I've competed in seven triathlons so far, including three Olympic distance events. I typically finish as high as top 10% to 50% of the field. I train six days a week, up to 10-12 hours per week. But Gerrardo indicated that my training will need to increase substantially over the next year, as in closer to 20 hours a week by this summer. And, I'll need a new triathlon bike as well...this after I bought a 2008 Colnago Extreme Power earlier this year thinking it would be the last bike I'd ever have to buy. Fail.

(Nobody told me in advance that this sport is such a money pit!)

Yet I can't get enough. I'm compelled to rise out of bed early each morning to push myself harder than the day before, just by a little bit. But I often do it by myself, running lonely streets, swimming solitary laps and going on long bike rides with a handful of training partners.

That's where I hope you come in. Am I doing this alone? Am I the lone Iron(mad)man out there? Am I the only one wondering every morning "Why the hell am I getting out of a perfectly warm bed to beat myself up before (and sometimes after) work?"

I'm looking forward to chronicling this journey towards Ironman 2010. I want to capture those lonely training sessions, the quiet milestones checked off the list, the tune-up events, the lapses and maybe even a podium finish (or two?). I want to have something tangible at the end of the finish line on November 21, 2010 besides the obvious finishers medal, jersey, photos, etc.

I want to relive the memories one day. I want to show my kids (when I have them!) what can be accomplished if you put your mind, body and spirit into something that seems impossible. A B.H.A.G. I hope I inspire others to accomplish their own big-ass goals. And I want to share the experience with anyone who might be mad enough to come along for the ride.

I'm Ryan Schneider. I'm the Iron(mad)man...in training.

360 days and counting.

PS: I'm waiting for a more official website to be built, so this will be my temporary home until then. I'll keep y'all posted with details. I also have a nifty logo that I'll be sharing shortly, thanks to my buddy and amazing web developer/user experience guru, Ward.