2 Weeks!

/

Two weeks from tonight, I'll be collapsed in my hotel room, hopefully elated with the performance I worked for and (I believe) earned. Yet it still doesn't feel totally real. For instance, despite a year of training, I felt a pang of anxiety when I realized tonight that the next Ironman on the official schedule is...mine.  There's nothing else to look forward to.  No other friends to cheer on.  No other teammates to send off.

It's just me and a date that approaches more quickly every day.

If today's workout is any indication, I'm definitely close to being ready.  Bob, my fellow Fortius and IMAZ teammate, joined me this morning for a full tri-workout.  We swam at Zuma in clear, crisp 62-degree water for 45 minutes.  I experimented with compression shorts in the water instead of a swimsuit, as well as compression calf sleeves. I liked it overall.  The calf sleeves rolled up on my leg a bit but I think that was after I took off the wetsuit, not while wearing it.  I think I'll go with that strategy at Ironman.  Any edge I think I can get.  Following a fairly leisurely transition (what a gorgeous day out!), I did my very best to hold onto Bob's wheel as we hammered out to Big Rock and back.  I succeeded for the first half of the ride as we belted out several 21-plus mph miles, but the second half of the ride, Bob stopped toying with me and simply took off.  He very well may break five hours for his bike split at IMAZ if he wanted to.  Finally, we embarked on a 90-minute run while trying to stay in heart-rate zones 2-3.  We were successful, completing just around 9.6 miles in that span on a flat course.  I needed that run following last Sunday's blow-up in Calabasas.  I know I can hold my heart-rate steady for several miles but I'll need the weather and wind to cooperate, as well as my own ability to stick to my race plan.  Today, the wind was moderate and the temperature was around 70 when Bob and I started running at noon.

Now, it's getting late (for an old guy like me).  I'm typing, reflecting about the past week.  With the exception of a couple monster swims, this past week truly felt like what I expected a taper should be.  Relaxed.  Moderate.  Fun.

With the occasional balls-out bike sprint thrown in for good measure.

14 days and counting.

At the Peak

/

I'm not sure what I should be thinking tonight. On one hand, I got through another long weekend of training.  My final long weekend of training before the Big Race.  I had a 4.5 hour brick yesterday and a 4.5 hour swim/bike/run workout today.

On the other hand, I don't feel how I would have liked to coming off the last heroic push.  I bonked on the run today around the eighth mile.  I've been analyzing it and it could have been from a variety of factors.  It was surprisingly warm, for example (around 75 degrees with no clouds).  I ran in the heat of the day, too.  I had a massage from David at LA Body Mechanics the day prior.  I bike 55 miles (with 3,700-plus feet of climbing based on the Training Peaks info) and ran another 6.5 miles the day prior.  I swam two miles this morning, and biked another 25 with around 2,500 feet of climbing according to the Training Peaks data (though my watch suggested much less).

So,uh, yeah.  I guess there are some pretty good reasons for why I ran out of gas.  Still, I'm not used to that feeling after a year of training.  Essentially it's happened twice and I remember them both vividly.  And I would have preferred not running out of steam on my last "big" workout.  It's not so great for the psyche going into the taper period.  I wanted to raise my arms triumphantly at the end of my final push with the feeling like I had more in the tank.  I limped to the finish today, almost literally.

But, in the spirit of improvement, Stephanie did a fantastic job calming me down and helping me learn some lessons I can apply during Ironman.  Here are a few of them:

-- First and foremost, I need to ingest more than one Endurolyte per mile run.  I simply require more sodium per hour than the approximately 240mg I'd receive from what will likely be around six pills per hour.  I'm going to triple the pill count, especially in heat.

-- I need to keep in mind that there's only so much nutrition I can carry with me on the training runs, whereas on the Ironman marathon there will be food and drink every mile. I didn't hydrate enough today on the run.  Though I did during my swim and bike, I think.

-- I can't "chance it" when my heart rate starts to rise out of my desired running zones.  I steadily climbed from heart-rate zone 2 (where I was supposed to be for the entire two hours) by the first hour and had a hard time staying in the low-mid 150 bpm's for the remainder of the time. I finally compromised with myself that I'd walk if my heart rate rose to 160 bpm-plus.  But my speed dropped by almost a full minute per mile by the end of the run.  During the race, I'm going to need to monitor this more closely and either start more slowly or walk more often if need-be.  I'm not sure if I'll have the self-control to do that though. It's a race!  It's everything I worked for.  I really hope it doesn't come to that.

-- I need to avoid getting a massage without a full day to recover.  My legs feel rubbery and I lose what feels like the piston-like sensation of pedaling with power.  The muscular smoothness gained isn't worth the physical losses during the workout.  This week I'll be getting a massage the night going into my training off-day.  That should help.

-- I need to really think about what to put food-wise in my special needs bags.  It could be the difference between finishing strong and hobbling through a horrid run.

So, maybe I had to go through a tough workout weekend -- one that caught me by surprise since I think I expected the toughest training to be behind me -- to gain something more important for race day.  Something called experience.  Experience gained through fall-ure, as it were, and spending time in the proverbial hurt locker.

I suppose now, hours later, after an ice bath Steph prepared for me, a hot shower, some stretching and a nice Halloween candy-watching walk, I can say it was all worth it.  So, five hours later, I can raise those arms triumphantly.

I made it.

Let the taper begin.

21 days and counting.

Feeling the Strain

/

On my bike trainer this morning, I watched a re-broadcast of the Paris-Tours race from this year.  A rider from the Radio Shack team (Geoffroy LeQuatre)took off from the lead group with about 18k to the finish and tried to make a gallant surprise run for the upset victory.  The Frenchman opened up a lead of about 30 seconds on some hill climbs and kept it until around the final kilometer, where he was swept up by the peloton and eventual winner, Oscar Freire. In those final few kilometers, the commentators (Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin) were talking about how the Radio Shack rider was "deep in the pain cave" based on his panting, teeth-gritting, exhausting presentation.  Clearly LaQuatre was spent and doing everything he could to coax himself to the finish despite being well beyond his red zone.

That's sort of how I'm feeling about getting ready for Ironman Arizona.

But not from the physical aspect.  Physically, other than some minor fatigue, I feel great!  Surprisingly so, to be honest.  I expected to be in the pain cave by this point myself.

It's more the anticipation of the race itself that I'm talking about here.  WHY CAN'T NOVEMBER 21 JUST BE HERE ALREADY????  Don't get me wrong.  I'm fired up for IMAZ like no other.  And I think those around me feel the same way. However, it's gotta be a slog to hear me constantly talk about this stuff, or be asked about it by my curious friends.  Whether I'm talking about it or someone else is, Ironman becomes the giant elephant in the room.  The unofficial third roommate.  The anchor holding down the social calendar.  The wet blanket covering up the sweets and chili cheese hot dogs.  I can only imagine that my family, friends and even Steph just want to see the finish line for this race just as much as I do.  Yet that November 21 finish line is just out of reach and we're all struggling, willing ourselves to the big day. Panting.  Teeth-gritting.  Grinding it out.  One. More. Day. Of. Training.  Three. More. Weeks.

Just a bit more until this race is here and gone.

Unlike the fallen Radio Shack rider, I'm hoping I can keep it together in the coming weeks and finish this journey as strong as I started..  And keep my support system intact as well.  We're almost there!

24 days and counting.

My Own Pace

/

I didn't feel like working out tonight.  Period.  Even though it was only yoga. Especially because it was "only" yoga.  I just felt like chillin' out tonight, ya know?  Just one night off the itinerary.  A full night to do whatever I want.  Get off from work. Come home.  Watch TV.  Screw around.  Go to bed.  Sounds so nice, after scheduling practically every day around a workout.

Still, I remembered that this was essentially the last week where some sort of gains could be made for Ironman Arizona.  So I dragged myself into my bedroom and did my own yoga practice for around 45 minutes, 10 minutes of which were foam rolling.  The schedule called for one hour, but I just didn't have it in me tonight.  I'm not even sure why.  I'm not physically exhausted.  Nor am I mentally burnt out. I really think I hit my mental low point last month.

However, I actually did learn something valuable tonight during my yoga practice.  At first, I had a hard time getting into the flow of things, pardon the pun.  I wasn't sure where to start.  Instead of fighting this feeling, instead of thinking that I was in a studio where there had to be a certain "way", I just made it up as I went along.  I let my mind take over for my body and did whatever I felt like.  Even if it didn't make natural sense.  If I felt like some Warrior 1 poses, then by golly, that's what I did.  If some Downward Dog led into Cobra, well, great! If I felt like Shavasana halfway through my practice, sweet!

That got me through the first 30 minutes just fine.  And after a while, I found myself relaxed and focused on my yoga, not the lazy feelings I had previously.

Sometimes, if you just let yourself go and relax, you might be surprised at how your body and mind reward you.

Yes, Coach, I'll try that in the pool tomorrow morning.

Good night now.

25 days and counting (Yes, I'm back tracking.  My math was off yet again!)

Head Games

/

Before I get started, a couple quick updates: 1) Yes, I fixed the chain.  I was in the wrong gearing setting to have enough room off the chain guard to fix the issue.  Silly me!

2) Check out the new Fortius Racing kits!  This is what I'll be wearing come race day at Ironman Arizona.

Now, I return you to today's regularly scheduled blog.

When it comes to my Ironman training, there are two questions I get asked the most:

1) Why do you do this to yourself?

2) What the hell do you think about for 2.4 miles in the water, 112 miles on the bike and 26.2 miles on the road?

Those of you who have followed me from the beginning know why I am doing this to myself.

As for what I'm thinking about for hours at a time sans iPod or training partners, it varies.  I suspect I think about many of the same things you do.  Work.  Love.  All the football games I'm missing while training.

This past Saturday, as I fought 56 miles of headwinds on the 126 Highway in Santa Clarita, I didn't think about much.  Instead, I had an internal soundtrack playing in my head.  Which for me, happens fairly often.  It's as if I'm a mental video editor.  A song comes to me, images accompany the music, and I'm inspired and entertained while being mentally transported somewhere else.  My eyes are on the road and while they see the ground in front of me, they're locked onto something else.  Something bigger.

This weekend, that meant more Muse.  Ever since seeing the band a couple weeks ago, I can't get them out of my head. I'm literally playing my favorite songs over and over and over again in the car or if I have a spare moment to chill out.

Up in the mental jukebox this time was Map of the Problematique:

Video and Lyrics

My "video" kept me engaged for hours.  The narrator: Of course, the voice of the Ironman DVD specials.  The scenery: Kona.  The competitors: Elite pros.  The drama:  Weather, heat, pain, suffering, elation.

What's funny to me is that I'm nowhere to be found in this story.  It doesn't matter.  Whatever it takes to get through these workouts.  Where I'm at in my training, 115 miles on the bike and a 30 minute run Saturday followed by 16.6 miles trail running (in heavy, wet fog leaving me soaked to the bone) and 2,300 yards in the pool today... I'll take my motivation, inspiration and entertainment any way I can get it.  Even if I have to make it up myself.

Incidentally, I was further entertained on Saturday by finding the spot in Fillmore where my company's live-action trailer for Resistance 3 was filmed.  Here are a couple photos of the train yard where the old train cars from the trailer are housed in a special museum.  I also rode past the bridge where in the trailer you can spot a Widowmaker and a couple Grims.  Fortunately, I didn't see any of the above.

Forgive me, I was envisioning something else anyways.

33 days and counting.

I'm Audi Here!

/

I have little energy to write a full post today.  Once again, I'm totally wiped out and it's not even 10 p.m.  It's not like my brick workout at Griffith Park was even that tough today.  We did just shy of an hour with some moderate climbing and around 40 minutes of light zone 3 running.  Of course, the operative word here is "we" as I got to enjoy my first group workout in what seems like weeks.  I'm starting to go a little batty spending all this training time by myself. Breaking it up with light conversation is extremely helpful this late in the season.  Anything to break up the tedium.

The real highlight of my day was getting the keys to a new 2011 Audi A8 sedan as part of a work-related make-good for something I did earlier in the year.  This Audi is like the auto equivalent of my Garmin watch.  Buttons everywhere.  More features than I know what to do with.  Seriously.  It's overwhelming.  But, if I could strut in a car, that's what I looked like traveling to and from the brick workout.  Damn, I feel like a badass in this thing!  And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Tomorrow I've got a 1,500 swimming time trial.  That's 60 laps in the pool.  Boy, I can't wait for that!

Sorry this post sucks.  I'm just too tired to care right now.  I'll be better tomorrow.

58 days and counting.

Rally Time!

/

It's 6:45 p.m.  I'm still at work.  I've got a swim at 7:30 p.m. and then I need to drive to Simi Valley to switch cars once again for a smog check.  I won't be home until 10-10:30 p.m. tonight. I'm tired!

I've slept plenty the past few nights, but I'm a little wiped out right now to be honest.  Last night, I could have fallen asleep at 9:30.  And the past two nights, my alarm woke me up out of a deep sleep, which never used to happen.

Welcome to Ironman peak training.

Fortunately, I'm getting great notes of encouragement from fellow triathletes and friends such as Derek, Liana, Anton and Caleb.  I'll take every bit of energy and support I can get right now as the training hours continue to mount, along with my fatigue. Luckily, through these notes I'm reinforcing that everything I'm going through is normal.  It's OK to feel tired.  It's OK not to want to work out.

But I must continue.  Like I did this morning, when it was cloudy and chilly at Griffith Park.  There, alone, I found myself lapping back and forth on the bike path once again for another 45-minute time zone 3 mash fest.  Though I was on my road bike this time as I discovered my tri bike has a front flat. Ruh-roh.

Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow morning before work.  I'm so slow at changing tires it will probably take me around a half hour!

I was pleased with my riding this morning.  There was a fairly brisk head wind and still my pedaling remained strong and consistent.

But the real highlight came at 8:30 tonight.  All that bitching in the above few paragraphs came to a halt in the water.  For whatever reason, all that fatigue drained right out of me once I jumped in.  Once Coach Gerardo reminded me to relax and hold my stroke longer, everything clicked into place.  My timed sets were smooth and relaxed.

And my timed 100 at the end of the night gave me a new PR - 1:22.

I teased Gerardo that he told me not to expect to get any faster.  That's all he needed to tell me apparently!

I'm not sure where my energy surge came from.  The cookies I ate today?  Or the birthday cake?  It didn't come from a desire to get back in the water, that's for sure.

But I did know it was time to rally.  That one thing my Ironman training has taught me is that all this is in my head.  If I write that I am tired, then I will act tired. If I ignore the fatigue and power through, then that's what will happen.

That's going to be my mantra the next several weeks.

Rally time.

59 days and counting.

Enter the Grind

/

Somewhere this afternoon while at work, I wondered why my legs were so damned sore. Then, it occurred to me.  Yesterday I rode about 30 miles (roughly 20 of them being at a time-trial pace) and ran nearly 12 on trails before that.  Throw in a swim and that's about what I completed at the Santa Barbara Triathlon last month.

Oh yeah, and then there was this morning's 3,000-yard swim at 6, which featured the following awesomness:

-- 400 yards in 7:15 with 4 x 25 all-out as a reward (completed successfully at 1:42/100 pace)

-- 300 yards in 5:15 with 4 x 25 all-out as a reward (completed successfully at 1:45/100 pace)

-- 200 yards in 3:15 with 4 x 25 all-out as a reward (unsuccessfully completed at 1:40/100 pace)

-- 100 yards for time (1:30)

These times mesh with my Nautica Malibu Triathlon swim pace of 1:44/100 (28:40 on 1,500 meters).

The pace also meshes with an impromptu "pep talk" Coach Gerardo gave me unexpectedly this morning.  As I climbed out of the pool after expressing uncertainty over how I should feel about a 1:30 time-trial after a hard workout, Gerardo said, "You're not going to get any faster from here until Ironman."  He added that it's now time to sustain a solid T-pace for longer, as that's where we're at in Ironman training.

Gerardo also told me I needed to change my perspective about training for the next few months.  The distances are about to be doubled, Gerardo said, and that the victories won't come from gains in speed but rather simply doing the distance and time allotted.

In other words, the next couple months are going to be a grind.  Embrace it.

I'm ready for it.  No complaints.  No excuses.

7:15 a.m. run tomorrow.  Lookin' forward to it.

64 days and counting.

Too Good to Be True?

/

When I read Mark Cavendish's "Boy Racer" autobiography, he described that euphoric feeling of peaking in his training.  He wrote he felt invincible, that his legs were almost floating on the bike and he had tons of wattage to burn through without any fear of depleted power stores. Then, he wrote about getting sick.  Very sick.

Unfortunately, I may be about to experience the same thing.

Frank and I rode a leisurely 65 miles today, meandering through the Conejo Valley once again and racking up around 4,600 feet of climbing along the way.  Not once did I feel remotely fatigued.  My heart-rate idled consistently between zones 1 and 2, as prescribed in my training.  While it wasn't my fastest workout, it was among my best.  It seemed I could have ridden for hours more.  I didn't need to eat much on the bike, I drank plenty, and consistently found enough power to get through any climb or false flat.

I also think I found my Ironman pace, if need-be.  It appears I can maintain a consistent 18.4 mph pace without tiring.  It doesn't challenge my heart-rate, and my legs felt great off the bike.  Even though I didn't run today, I could have.  Maybe I should expect a 6:20 Ironman bike?  I'm not sure how to pace myself for the Big Event.  Do I pick up the pace to that magical 20 mph plateau and maintain there with some occasional trouble?  Or do I play it safe?

All these questions were swirling around in my head as I sauntered into my restorative yoga class at 5 p.m.

They went away half way through the class when I started sneezing and my throat tingled.  Right now, it's a full-on sore.  I've been taking echinacea and Emergen-C supplements, along with Stephanie, who is suffering from the same malady.

I've been sick once this year already.  That's usually my marker, though I pick up at least one cold annually as well.  I'd rather get it out of the way right now than face it in November.  But I suppose the real lesson is that if my bike rides the day after a triathlon race seem a little too good to be true, that just might be the case.

Here's to a quick recovery.  I'm shutting down early for the night.

68 days and counting.