Sunday is my scheduled long run day. Today was no different. There was a brief few moments this morning at 6:30am when I contemplated pushing my run to the afternoon, but I was quickly reminded of the sweltering heat and stifling humidity, as well as the daily possibility of afternoon thunderstorms. So I decided to get my butt out of bed and hit the road. Even though it was ridiculously humid this morning, it was pleasantly cool.
The run went really well this morning which was good because I was concerned that my knee would be sore from yesterday's brick workout. It felt really good and I was able to cover 11 miles in 2 hours. I think that I will try one more different interval of 6 minutes running to 4 minutes walking just to see what kind of pace that gives me, and how it feels. That might actually put me in a better position at the aid stations on the course as well, but we will have to see.
Tomorrow I will be starting a slight taper to my workouts. On Mondays I will only swim in the mornings, and on the other days I will start to gradually decrease the duration and intensity of my workouts to allow my body to recover in time for the event.
Also tomorrow, I will take my bike in to the Trek store one more time to have them check it over and make sure everything is in good working order. I can usually do most work myself, and I can handle cleaning the chain and cassette, but I want them to lube the cables and make some last minute derailleur adjustments. The best thing is that they will do this for free because I had them install a new chain and cassette last year, and up until the last few months I hadn't really been riding that much because of my injury. It also helps that a friend of mine works at the Trek store (well at least she did until today which was her last day there before she goes on to work at BodyPlex).
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
June 29th - Yup, it's summer in GA
Say hello to the heat and humidity. Today was a scheduled brick workout and when I got started at 7:45 this morning it was already in the mid 70's and the humidity from last night was still hanging around.
I did a 2.5 hour ride which ended up being right at 40 miles today because of the terrain. I have been trying to choose routes that have a good number of hills and I have been riding those hills in the biggest gear that I can sustain whenever possible. It was a good ride today at a pretty good pace. I also think I have a pretty good handle on how I will deal with my nutrition for the event. I have been having good luck with drinking Gatorade whenever I am thirsty, but making sure that I am taking in some fluids at every 15 minute mark, and eating either a gel, some energy blocks or some other food every 30 minutes.
After the ride I immediately followed up with a 1.5 hour run. By this time it was pretty hot out and the humidity hardly subsided at all. The run turned out to be 8.5 miles and because of the heat and humidity it was a bit of a struggle. Running the 5min/3min intervals helps quite a bit. I will also have to start thinking about my nutrition on the run. Aid stations are placed at every mile so I will have ample opportunity to get the nutrition I need. All I had today was a small hand-held water bottle that I had to try to make last for the duration of the run. I will most likely keep it as simple as possible and use fruit and energy chews on the run because my stomach doesn't tolerate gels when I am running. I will also make use of the sports drink, water and possibly flat Coke if needed.
Tomorrow is another long run of 2 hours so I will try to cover about 10 miles.
I did a 2.5 hour ride which ended up being right at 40 miles today because of the terrain. I have been trying to choose routes that have a good number of hills and I have been riding those hills in the biggest gear that I can sustain whenever possible. It was a good ride today at a pretty good pace. I also think I have a pretty good handle on how I will deal with my nutrition for the event. I have been having good luck with drinking Gatorade whenever I am thirsty, but making sure that I am taking in some fluids at every 15 minute mark, and eating either a gel, some energy blocks or some other food every 30 minutes.
After the ride I immediately followed up with a 1.5 hour run. By this time it was pretty hot out and the humidity hardly subsided at all. The run turned out to be 8.5 miles and because of the heat and humidity it was a bit of a struggle. Running the 5min/3min intervals helps quite a bit. I will also have to start thinking about my nutrition on the run. Aid stations are placed at every mile so I will have ample opportunity to get the nutrition I need. All I had today was a small hand-held water bottle that I had to try to make last for the duration of the run. I will most likely keep it as simple as possible and use fruit and energy chews on the run because my stomach doesn't tolerate gels when I am running. I will also make use of the sports drink, water and possibly flat Coke if needed.
Tomorrow is another long run of 2 hours so I will try to cover about 10 miles.
Friday, June 28, 2013
June 28th - More rest
Today is another complete rest day, as I get ready for a brick workout on Saturday and a long run on Sunday.
All I will do today is one or two sessions of my at home PT work.
All I will do today is one or two sessions of my at home PT work.
June 27th - It's getting real
Today I received the 2013 Ironman Lake Placid Athlete Guide in my email. It's really starting to feel real and like this is actually going to happen. I have to say I'm getting a little nervous, but I know that my training is going well and I feel good.
Because of my training load yesterday, which was a pretty tough ride and a hot run, I decided to cut out one of my workouts today because my knee was bothering me. I had a better than usual swim this morning. I decided to start swimming in my tri shorts, rather than the usual swimming trunks I was wearing. This should be a closer representation of the the wetsuit that I will be wearing during the event. I also decided to do part of my swim with a pull buoy. This also mimics what it will be like to wear my suit because the suit offers a good level of extra buoyancy in the water. With those changes I saw my swim times per 100 yards decrease a bit and built my confidence for a decent swim time.
Since my knee was bothering me I decided to cut out my scheduled run. It's important that I listen to what my knee is telling me rather than complete workouts just to complete them. As I put together the rest of my plan I will rethink how often I schedule my run workouts and will also add a 2nd rest day.
Tomorrow is a complete rest day so that will allow my knee to rest for an extra day before a tough weekend of workouts.
Because of my training load yesterday, which was a pretty tough ride and a hot run, I decided to cut out one of my workouts today because my knee was bothering me. I had a better than usual swim this morning. I decided to start swimming in my tri shorts, rather than the usual swimming trunks I was wearing. This should be a closer representation of the the wetsuit that I will be wearing during the event. I also decided to do part of my swim with a pull buoy. This also mimics what it will be like to wear my suit because the suit offers a good level of extra buoyancy in the water. With those changes I saw my swim times per 100 yards decrease a bit and built my confidence for a decent swim time.
Since my knee was bothering me I decided to cut out my scheduled run. It's important that I listen to what my knee is telling me rather than complete workouts just to complete them. As I put together the rest of my plan I will rethink how often I schedule my run workouts and will also add a 2nd rest day.
Tomorrow is a complete rest day so that will allow my knee to rest for an extra day before a tough weekend of workouts.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
June 26th - With a little help from my friends
I'm not completely alone in the Ironman journey. After Lake Placid will be Ironman Florida, which I signed up for with 2 friends, Shaun and Eddie. They are just starting to ramp up their training and get a good base level of fitness while I am working on rehab and training simultaneously. Today I got together with Eddie on the other side of the county to ride with him for a couple of hours. There are a couple of benefits to riding out there: I don't have to ride alone and I can get some really good hill work in that will prepare me for the kind of terrain Lake Placid will have. Eddie and I rode for 2 and half hours and even with the hills we covered 40 miles. The last 10 miles included 11 climbs. It was great to have someone else there suffering alongside me and it was great motivation for us both.
I followed up the ride with a PT appointment that focused on more TRX and strength work. The 40 mile bike ride didn't make it any easier. Dr. Karyn did some more ART on my knee which is helping a little bit still, but I am still concerned about the pain at full flexion and extension. She's not that worried and neither is the surgeon so that is a small comfort. We have dropped my appointments to every other week until the race so that I can save up the visits I have left for Florida as well.
My final workout of the day was a run. I was supposed to go out for 100 minutes, but because of the monster thunderstorm that popped up and the fact that we were bringing dinner to some friends, I cut to 80 minutes. In that time I covered my 8 mile loop and felt pretty good.
Tomorrow is another swim. I may cancel my afternoon workout depending on how my knee is feeling. At this point it is a little bit sore from all the work today, but I am icing it now and will see how it responds.
I followed up the ride with a PT appointment that focused on more TRX and strength work. The 40 mile bike ride didn't make it any easier. Dr. Karyn did some more ART on my knee which is helping a little bit still, but I am still concerned about the pain at full flexion and extension. She's not that worried and neither is the surgeon so that is a small comfort. We have dropped my appointments to every other week until the race so that I can save up the visits I have left for Florida as well.
My final workout of the day was a run. I was supposed to go out for 100 minutes, but because of the monster thunderstorm that popped up and the fact that we were bringing dinner to some friends, I cut to 80 minutes. In that time I covered my 8 mile loop and felt pretty good.
Tomorrow is another swim. I may cancel my afternoon workout depending on how my knee is feeling. At this point it is a little bit sore from all the work today, but I am icing it now and will see how it responds.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
June 25th - Back in the gym
Today was another swim day, with the focus being on working on improving my speed. I swam 2800 yards and instead of continuosly completing laps I worked on keeping my speed up and took a few breaks. I swam an 800 warm up with 200 of that as a kicking set. I then did a fast 1000 followed by a fast 2x500. I was definitely winded after that so I am hoping that a few more workouts like that will help to sufficiently increase my speed to a point where I am comfortable with my Ironman swim time possibility.
After my swim I headed up stairs at the Y to do a quick leg workout. It's been about a week or so since I have done one so I really need to make sure I am keeping all the muscles that support the knee as strong as possible.
I also did a core workout, which I have also been neglecting in the last couple of weeks. Another important routine that I will start to include as the weeks to IMLP wind down is my stretching routine. My knee feels good enough at this point that I can get back into my Friday stretching workout.
Today was specifically a slightly easier day on my legs and knee because tomorrow will be a more rigorous day. I will be riding two and a half hours in the morning with a buddy and then doing an hour and a half run in the afternoon.
Here are the rest of today's workouts:
Legs
Extensions - 3x15 (10lbs)
Curls - 3x15 (5lbs)
Squats - 3x15
Lunges - 3x15 each leg
Calf raises - 3x15 each leg
Core
14x25
After my swim I headed up stairs at the Y to do a quick leg workout. It's been about a week or so since I have done one so I really need to make sure I am keeping all the muscles that support the knee as strong as possible.
I also did a core workout, which I have also been neglecting in the last couple of weeks. Another important routine that I will start to include as the weeks to IMLP wind down is my stretching routine. My knee feels good enough at this point that I can get back into my Friday stretching workout.
Today was specifically a slightly easier day on my legs and knee because tomorrow will be a more rigorous day. I will be riding two and a half hours in the morning with a buddy and then doing an hour and a half run in the afternoon.
Here are the rest of today's workouts:
Legs
Extensions - 3x15 (10lbs)
Curls - 3x15 (5lbs)
Squats - 3x15
Lunges - 3x15 each leg
Calf raises - 3x15 each leg
Core
14x25
Monday, June 24, 2013
June 24th - Final touches on the bike fit
I had a decent swim this morning, but I do need to work more on my speed and distance per stroke. Those two aspects will be especially important in Florida because of the Gulf swim. They will also help to put me in a good position coming out of the water in Lake Placid. To break up the monotony of swimming laps I decided to do a pyramid workout in to pool. It consisted of a 200 warmup followed by a 200, 400, 600, 600, 400, 200 and 200 cool down kicking set all on 45 seconds to 1 minute rest. It took me a bit longer than I had hoped but tomorrow I will focus my workout on some faster intervals to work on speed.
The new stem I ordered for my bike showed up over the weekend. I was able to get to the Trek store to have their bike fit specialist install it for me. He hooked me up and didn't charge me for the work. Even though the Trek store is pretty expensive because of their markup, their service is pretty good and they have a good staff.
After getting the bike worked on I went out for a 2 and half hour ride. Kel was going to come with me but she ended up having a front derailleur problem that is above my pay grade so we will have to take her bike in for some work tomorrow. She really could use a full tune up anyway. My ride went pretty well and the newly tweaked setup seems to be pretty good. I'm convinced that when you spend hours and hours on a bike there is going to be some discomfort so I am OK with that. The new setup has taken most of the pressure off my back and neck which will make for much more comfortable rides as my mileage and time increases.
Tomorrow will be a bit of an easier day that will give my body a slight break after the hard rides and runs I have done of the last few days. I'll just swim in the morning and do some leg work at the Y, followed by some core work at home.
The new stem I ordered for my bike showed up over the weekend. I was able to get to the Trek store to have their bike fit specialist install it for me. He hooked me up and didn't charge me for the work. Even though the Trek store is pretty expensive because of their markup, their service is pretty good and they have a good staff.
After getting the bike worked on I went out for a 2 and half hour ride. Kel was going to come with me but she ended up having a front derailleur problem that is above my pay grade so we will have to take her bike in for some work tomorrow. She really could use a full tune up anyway. My ride went pretty well and the newly tweaked setup seems to be pretty good. I'm convinced that when you spend hours and hours on a bike there is going to be some discomfort so I am OK with that. The new setup has taken most of the pressure off my back and neck which will make for much more comfortable rides as my mileage and time increases.
Tomorrow will be a bit of an easier day that will give my body a slight break after the hard rides and runs I have done of the last few days. I'll just swim in the morning and do some leg work at the Y, followed by some core work at home.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
June 23rd - Racking up the miles
Today was a scheduled 2 hour long run. I didn't get my butt out of bed as early as I wanted but I still headed out for my run before church. It's getting to the point where the mornings are still cool but extremely humid. I'm sure the insane heat is just around the corner.
I tried out a new running ratio today. I moved up to a 5 minute run, 3 minute walk interval which worked very well. I was a little sore after yesterday's long ride but most of that worked itself out pretty quickly. The plan was to run for 2 hours this morning, but since I got a late start I cut it to one hour and 45 minutes. In that time I covered 10 miles at a very good pace of about 10:15 - 10:30 per mile. I will have to do a long brick day in the next couple of weeks to see if that is a feasible pace to run off the bike on race day. I may have to dial it back just a little to make sure I don't completely blow up on the run. I want to try to stick with my ratio for the entire run and not have to take extra walks breaks because of exhaustion. Of course if my knee starts to complain that's an entirely different story.
Tomorrow is another swim and ride day. I will step up to 2800 yards in the pool and I will have to come up with something to break it up a little bit. I'll probably throw in some faster intervals to help with my swim speed which is severely lacking. After that I will follow up with a bike ride, most likely in the afternoon or early evening.
I tried out a new running ratio today. I moved up to a 5 minute run, 3 minute walk interval which worked very well. I was a little sore after yesterday's long ride but most of that worked itself out pretty quickly. The plan was to run for 2 hours this morning, but since I got a late start I cut it to one hour and 45 minutes. In that time I covered 10 miles at a very good pace of about 10:15 - 10:30 per mile. I will have to do a long brick day in the next couple of weeks to see if that is a feasible pace to run off the bike on race day. I may have to dial it back just a little to make sure I don't completely blow up on the run. I want to try to stick with my ratio for the entire run and not have to take extra walks breaks because of exhaustion. Of course if my knee starts to complain that's an entirely different story.
Tomorrow is another swim and ride day. I will step up to 2800 yards in the pool and I will have to come up with something to break it up a little bit. I'll probably throw in some faster intervals to help with my swim speed which is severely lacking. After that I will follow up with a bike ride, most likely in the afternoon or early evening.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
June 22nd - Time in the saddle
I just got back from my 4 hour ride. This is actually the longest ride that I have ever done. When I was training for Ironman 70.3 Augusta two years ago the longest I rode was 60 miles. That race and the half-iron I did in Columbus were both 56 miles that I covered in just over 3 hours. My ride today took me 67 miles in about 4 hours and 10 minutes. My pace was a little slower than I would've liked but the main thing is that I got through it comfortably and that my knee felt really good during the ride. I'm pretty confident it will hold up for another 2+ hours of riding.
I hadn't planned on doing a run after today's ride, but I decided to go out and to a very short 15 minute run. The point was just to see how I felt after that much time on the bike, the stretch out a bit and to see how long it will take my legs to feel normal on the run. I was pretty pleased and I will make sure to do some more longer brick workouts over the next couple of weeks before I start my taper.
I hadn't planned on doing a run after today's ride, but I decided to go out and to a very short 15 minute run. The point was just to see how I felt after that much time on the bike, the stretch out a bit and to see how long it will take my legs to feel normal on the run. I was pretty pleased and I will make sure to do some more longer brick workouts over the next couple of weeks before I start my taper.
Friday, June 21, 2013
June 21st - Rest days are awesome
Today was a rest day and I took advantage to the fullest. Although I did do my PT work, Kel and I spent the afternoon at the pool. Tomorrow is a 4 hour bike ride so we will see how that goes.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
June 20th - The run is getting better
Today was another good training day. I am swimming pretty well, but I still feel a little bit slow. I will increase my distance next week and hopefully try to get out in the open water to build a little confidence. I did another 2400 yards today in a little under an hour. I would like to get that time down a few more minutes if possible to make sure that I give myself a good cushion for the swim and the rest of the day.
I had my weekly PT appointment today as well. We are starting to work on lateral movements and building strength for side to side motion. My knee has been feeling really good lately so that is very encouraging.
The run workout I did on the treadmill this week felt really good and I tried out the new run/walk ratio of 4 minutes to 3 minutes there. Today I tried that ratio out on the road. I was hoping that I could use a second watch to help me time the intervals but that didn't work so well so I spent a lot of time looking at my watch and doing some math on the run. At least that will keep me distracted during the marathon. Today's run went very well and in 90 minutes I covered 8.5 miles. That worked out to a pace of about 10:30 per mile and if I can keep that pace during the race I will be impressed. After 112 miles on the bike I would expect it to be a bit slower, especially toward the end.
Tomorrow is a complete rest day that we will be spending by the pool. I have to say, I am really liking having summers off!
I had my weekly PT appointment today as well. We are starting to work on lateral movements and building strength for side to side motion. My knee has been feeling really good lately so that is very encouraging.
The run workout I did on the treadmill this week felt really good and I tried out the new run/walk ratio of 4 minutes to 3 minutes there. Today I tried that ratio out on the road. I was hoping that I could use a second watch to help me time the intervals but that didn't work so well so I spent a lot of time looking at my watch and doing some math on the run. At least that will keep me distracted during the marathon. Today's run went very well and in 90 minutes I covered 8.5 miles. That worked out to a pace of about 10:30 per mile and if I can keep that pace during the race I will be impressed. After 112 miles on the bike I would expect it to be a bit slower, especially toward the end.
Tomorrow is a complete rest day that we will be spending by the pool. I have to say, I am really liking having summers off!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
June 19th - Pool Day...and NOT to swim laps!
This morning was a great morning for a ride. I went out for 2.5 hours and ended up riding 40 miles. The bike is a great way to go out exploring and find new areas and roads. I was getting tired of my normal routes so I went out today to find some new stuff and I was rewarded. I found some great farmland and back roads that had some great views. I felt really good on the bike and my knee held up really well.
I had a run scheduled for today but I skipped that because Kelly and I went to hang out at the pool with some friends. It was a much needed relaxing day poolside in the sun. I needed to even out my "tri-top tan" anyway. I will end up changing my plan for tomorrow and doing a run instead of my scheduled ride. I have a 4 hour ride coming up on Saturday and I need my butt to recover before I spend all that time in the saddle.
I did make up for not running today by cutting our front grass as well as the neighbors.
I had a run scheduled for today but I skipped that because Kelly and I went to hang out at the pool with some friends. It was a much needed relaxing day poolside in the sun. I needed to even out my "tri-top tan" anyway. I will end up changing my plan for tomorrow and doing a run instead of my scheduled ride. I have a 4 hour ride coming up on Saturday and I need my butt to recover before I spend all that time in the saddle.
I did make up for not running today by cutting our front grass as well as the neighbors.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
June 18th - Back on track
After yesterday's washout I was pretty eager to get a good training day under my belt. The weather was iffy again this morning but I went to the Y prepared to swim but with a backup plan to run on the treadmill (ugh) if swimming wasn't possible.
The weather this morning held up and I was able to get a good 2400 yard swim in before the pool started to fill up with kids and old ladies. I'm swimming pretty well, although not as fast as I was hoping. That shouldn't be a problem in Lake Placid because I will have 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete the swim and I am hoping to take advantage of drafting as much as possible.
After the swim the weather wasn't looking all that great so I decided that since I had my running stuff with me I would just head upstairs and do my run on the treadmill. The treadmill is not my favorite piece of equipment but I do have to say that my knee felt really good while I was running. I'm sure that it was because of the reduced impact. I did 90 minutes on the mill and changed my run/walk ratio to 4 minutes running and 3 minutes walking. This seemed to work really well and I covered over 8 miles in that 90 minutes. Now I will have to figure out the best way to time my ratio while I am running so that I don't have to keep looking at my watch while I am running.
Tomorrow will most likely be just a bike ride in the morning for about 2.5 hours. I have another run scheduled, but since we will be spending the afternoon poolside I doubt that I will be in any mood to go out for a run afterward.
I also did an upper body workout today:
Push ups - 4x25
Pull ups- 4x20
The weather this morning held up and I was able to get a good 2400 yard swim in before the pool started to fill up with kids and old ladies. I'm swimming pretty well, although not as fast as I was hoping. That shouldn't be a problem in Lake Placid because I will have 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete the swim and I am hoping to take advantage of drafting as much as possible.
After the swim the weather wasn't looking all that great so I decided that since I had my running stuff with me I would just head upstairs and do my run on the treadmill. The treadmill is not my favorite piece of equipment but I do have to say that my knee felt really good while I was running. I'm sure that it was because of the reduced impact. I did 90 minutes on the mill and changed my run/walk ratio to 4 minutes running and 3 minutes walking. This seemed to work really well and I covered over 8 miles in that 90 minutes. Now I will have to figure out the best way to time my ratio while I am running so that I don't have to keep looking at my watch while I am running.
Tomorrow will most likely be just a bike ride in the morning for about 2.5 hours. I have another run scheduled, but since we will be spending the afternoon poolside I doubt that I will be in any mood to go out for a run afterward.
I also did an upper body workout today:
Push ups - 4x25
Pull ups- 4x20
Monday, June 17, 2013
June 17th - Washed out again
Today did not turn out the way I had planned. I was supposed to increase my pool yardage to 2400 yards this week, but I woke up to thunder and lightning this morning. I called the YMCA and of course the pool was closed until the lightning had subsided for at least 30 minutes. By that time I knew that the pool would start to fill up with little kids and old ladies and getting a lane to myself would be an exercise in futility. I scratched that workout for the day because the pool doesn't get less crowded as the day goes on.
I continued work on my second set of cornhole boards. This set is for me. I made a few mistakes on the first set so these should be even nicer. Sorry Pete! I also decided to finally use up my all3sports gift card. I sent back the shirt that I ordered last week because I didn't like the way it fit. I knew that they had another brand that I do like so I made the trek up to Dunwoody. I was tempted to buy the exact same red shirt that I already have but I opted for the black one instead.
When I got back I attempted to go out for a 2.5 hour bike ride. The weather was great when I started, but things went south about 20 minutes into it. I thought I could ride through it, but I was quickly soaked and pissed off. I made my way home dripping wet with water in my shoes after only 13 miles and 45 minutes. Oh well. All my training days can't be perfect. Eventually I may have to get used to riding in the rain because the weather in Lake Placid in July is hit or miss. Today's storms were pretty nasty and the thunder and lightning got pretty intense so calling it quits was the right call.
I continued work on my second set of cornhole boards. This set is for me. I made a few mistakes on the first set so these should be even nicer. Sorry Pete! I also decided to finally use up my all3sports gift card. I sent back the shirt that I ordered last week because I didn't like the way it fit. I knew that they had another brand that I do like so I made the trek up to Dunwoody. I was tempted to buy the exact same red shirt that I already have but I opted for the black one instead.
When I got back I attempted to go out for a 2.5 hour bike ride. The weather was great when I started, but things went south about 20 minutes into it. I thought I could ride through it, but I was quickly soaked and pissed off. I made my way home dripping wet with water in my shoes after only 13 miles and 45 minutes. Oh well. All my training days can't be perfect. Eventually I may have to get used to riding in the rain because the weather in Lake Placid in July is hit or miss. Today's storms were pretty nasty and the thunder and lightning got pretty intense so calling it quits was the right call.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
June 16th - Slacking again
So I guess I have been slacking on my posts the last couple of days. My workouts have been getting longer and I have been squeezing them in between the projects I am working on and others things that we are doing to enjoy the summer.
Friday was an off day so I got quite a bit done on the cornhole boards I was making for a friend of mine. Saturday was a brick workout day, and I started with a 2 hour ride. Kelly came with me and we went about 33 miles. The ride felt very good and we made sure to work in as many hills on the route as possible. After that I went out on a 70 minute run. I am still doing a ratio of 3 minutes running to 3 minutes walking as that is working pretty well. I will increase that next week, probably after I talk to Dr. Karyn again.
Today was a scheduled long run, so I went out for an hour and a half. Since I ran yesterday at a pretty decent pace (between 8 and 9 minutes per mile for the running portion) I made sure to run a bit slower today. I ended up running about 7.5 miles. Everything felt pretty good during the run with just a little soreness afterward.
I still have some pain at full flexion and full extension. I realize that I has only been 3 months and that I still need to be patient but I am ready for this all to be behind me. Especially I am watching the Italy vs. Mexico Confederation's Cup game right now. Go Azzuri!
Friday was an off day so I got quite a bit done on the cornhole boards I was making for a friend of mine. Saturday was a brick workout day, and I started with a 2 hour ride. Kelly came with me and we went about 33 miles. The ride felt very good and we made sure to work in as many hills on the route as possible. After that I went out on a 70 minute run. I am still doing a ratio of 3 minutes running to 3 minutes walking as that is working pretty well. I will increase that next week, probably after I talk to Dr. Karyn again.
Today was a scheduled long run, so I went out for an hour and a half. Since I ran yesterday at a pretty decent pace (between 8 and 9 minutes per mile for the running portion) I made sure to run a bit slower today. I ended up running about 7.5 miles. Everything felt pretty good during the run with just a little soreness afterward.
I still have some pain at full flexion and full extension. I realize that I has only been 3 months and that I still need to be patient but I am ready for this all to be behind me. Especially I am watching the Italy vs. Mexico Confederation's Cup game right now. Go Azzuri!
Friday, June 14, 2013
June 13th - Kelly's Birthday!
Today was Kelly's birthday so we celebrated by her going to work and me sticking to my training plan and working on my cornhole board project. Exciting stuff, I know.
I had a pretty good swim this morning and I stayed at 2200 yards. I will increase the distance next week. I am going to have to get into the open water soon because it is getting pretty boring staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool for hours. I try to break the swim up with different speeds and techniques but it's still pretty monotonous.
This afternoon I did another 90 minute run/walk at 3 minute intervals. Other than the ridiculous heat it went pretty well. The knee was a bit sore but it got better as I continued. I iced afterwards and it felt great.
In between those 2 workouts I did a core session. I am trying to mix it up and do some different moves so hopefully I will see some more results soon.
Today's workout:
Core 14x25
Tomorrow is a much needed rest day.
I had a pretty good swim this morning and I stayed at 2200 yards. I will increase the distance next week. I am going to have to get into the open water soon because it is getting pretty boring staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool for hours. I try to break the swim up with different speeds and techniques but it's still pretty monotonous.
This afternoon I did another 90 minute run/walk at 3 minute intervals. Other than the ridiculous heat it went pretty well. The knee was a bit sore but it got better as I continued. I iced afterwards and it felt great.
In between those 2 workouts I did a core session. I am trying to mix it up and do some different moves so hopefully I will see some more results soon.
Today's workout:
Core 14x25
Tomorrow is a much needed rest day.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
June 12th - Yup...It's hot out
It may not officially be summer yet, but it is hot as crap here already and the humidity is ridiculous, as usual. It's getting to the point where you walk outside and are instantly sweating just taking a breath.
I changed up my training plan a bit and decided to put off the open water swims in Lake Peachtree until it clears up a little bit and I don't hear about any more leach attacks. I decided to do 2200 yards in the pool and although I got through it, it was kind of a struggle. I guess I wasn't feeling it this morning. Could be because I was up late and subsequently woke up late and when I got to the pool it was crowded and I just didn't really want to be there.
I also went back and forth about doing a 2 hour ride today. Like I said, it was ridiculously hot and humid and I had a pretty nasty headache all day. I finally got it to go away with a combination of lots of water, ibuprofen and food so around 5pm I headed out. I covered about 32 miles in exactly 2 hours over some pretty hilly terrain. I will need to continue to search out hills to get ready for Lake Placid.
Tomorrow is another pool swim and a run that I will probably put off until late in the day because of the heat.
I changed up my training plan a bit and decided to put off the open water swims in Lake Peachtree until it clears up a little bit and I don't hear about any more leach attacks. I decided to do 2200 yards in the pool and although I got through it, it was kind of a struggle. I guess I wasn't feeling it this morning. Could be because I was up late and subsequently woke up late and when I got to the pool it was crowded and I just didn't really want to be there.
I also went back and forth about doing a 2 hour ride today. Like I said, it was ridiculously hot and humid and I had a pretty nasty headache all day. I finally got it to go away with a combination of lots of water, ibuprofen and food so around 5pm I headed out. I covered about 32 miles in exactly 2 hours over some pretty hilly terrain. I will need to continue to search out hills to get ready for Lake Placid.
Tomorrow is another pool swim and a run that I will probably put off until late in the day because of the heat.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
June 11th - Another good run
Today was another good run day. I increased my running interval to 3 minutes and stuck with the 3 minute walking interval. This seems to be a good ratio for the time being. I may increase it a little more next week but I will need to see how it feels. I was out for 90 minutes this morning and covered just over 7 miles. That is a good indicator for Lake Placid that I should be able to finish the run in a reasonable amount of time even if I have to do more walking than I am anticipating.
I had a PT session today that was much needed. I am now only going once a week and by the time my appointment rolls around I an in need of some ART and soft tissue work. Dr. Karyn has suggested that I do some of my running on grass or on the track to take some of the strain off my knee. She also thinks that if I work up to 15 miles that will be enough to prepare me for IMLP.
I will be changing up my training schedule a little bit. I had planned to do some open water swims in Lake Peachtree, but a buddy of mine got in the water last weekend and said that it was really dirty, full of debris from all the rain, and he came out with 5 leaches stuck to him. I am pretty confident in my open water abilities after my swim in Lake Wedowee that I think I will forgo the blood suckers and stay in the pool for a few more weeks.
Today I also did some core work and upper body work:
Core 14x25
Upper Body
Pull ups - 4x20
Push ups - 4x25
I had a PT session today that was much needed. I am now only going once a week and by the time my appointment rolls around I an in need of some ART and soft tissue work. Dr. Karyn has suggested that I do some of my running on grass or on the track to take some of the strain off my knee. She also thinks that if I work up to 15 miles that will be enough to prepare me for IMLP.
I will be changing up my training schedule a little bit. I had planned to do some open water swims in Lake Peachtree, but a buddy of mine got in the water last weekend and said that it was really dirty, full of debris from all the rain, and he came out with 5 leaches stuck to him. I am pretty confident in my open water abilities after my swim in Lake Wedowee that I think I will forgo the blood suckers and stay in the pool for a few more weeks.
Today I also did some core work and upper body work:
Core 14x25
Upper Body
Pull ups - 4x20
Push ups - 4x25
June 10th - Stuck on the trainer
Cindy and Lori left for home so I should be able to get back to a more normal schedule and better eating habits. It seems like as soon as I try to eat right some other special occasion comes up and I end up eating pretty terribly.
I had another good pool swim, and upped my yardage to 2200. My swim schedule will be changing a bit because I will start swimming in Lake Peachtree on Wednesday nights with the tri club. Now I will only be swimming at the Y on Mondays and Thursdays unless the forecast is crappy for Wednesdays. After my swim I went up the weight room at the Y and did a leg workout. It's pretty funny to just people watch and see how many people are doing things other than working out and to watch people leisurely strolling on the treadmill while they text or talk on the phone. Why bother?
I had a 2 hour bike scheduled as well and of course the weather was hit and miss. It poured for most of the day so I tried to put it off as long as I could and hoped for a break in the weather. I ended up on the trainer and sure enough, 30 minutes in to my ride the sun was out. Of course if I went outside to ride I would've been 15 miles from home and bottom would've fallen out so I guess staying on the trainer was a good idea. I probably didn't need to spend that much time on the trainer because I was constantly working rather than using the downhills outside as mini rest periods, but it was good practice for my legs.
Today's leg workout:
Extensions - 3x15 (10lbs)
Curls - 3x15 (15lbs)
Calf raises - 3x15
Squats - 3x15
Lunges - 3x15
I had another good pool swim, and upped my yardage to 2200. My swim schedule will be changing a bit because I will start swimming in Lake Peachtree on Wednesday nights with the tri club. Now I will only be swimming at the Y on Mondays and Thursdays unless the forecast is crappy for Wednesdays. After my swim I went up the weight room at the Y and did a leg workout. It's pretty funny to just people watch and see how many people are doing things other than working out and to watch people leisurely strolling on the treadmill while they text or talk on the phone. Why bother?
I had a 2 hour bike scheduled as well and of course the weather was hit and miss. It poured for most of the day so I tried to put it off as long as I could and hoped for a break in the weather. I ended up on the trainer and sure enough, 30 minutes in to my ride the sun was out. Of course if I went outside to ride I would've been 15 miles from home and bottom would've fallen out so I guess staying on the trainer was a good idea. I probably didn't need to spend that much time on the trainer because I was constantly working rather than using the downhills outside as mini rest periods, but it was good practice for my legs.
Today's leg workout:
Extensions - 3x15 (10lbs)
Curls - 3x15 (15lbs)
Calf raises - 3x15
Squats - 3x15
Lunges - 3x15
Sunday, June 9, 2013
June 9th - Long "run" day
Today was a long run day. And by run I mean run/walk. I decided to stick with the 2 minute run to 3 minute walk for another day because that seemed to work well and I didn't want to push it because this was my second run day in a row. It was a little bit sore but all in all I think it went well. I will increase my run time a little bit in the coming week.
Tomorrow will be another 2 workout day with a swim in the morning and a ride in the afternoon. I will also try to get in a leg workout after I swim at the Y.
Hopefully I can get back to some better eating habits as well. Kelly's sisters were here so we ate pretty well this weekend but I am planning on getting back to healthier eating starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be another 2 workout day with a swim in the morning and a ride in the afternoon. I will also try to get in a leg workout after I swim at the Y.
Hopefully I can get back to some better eating habits as well. Kelly's sisters were here so we ate pretty well this weekend but I am planning on getting back to healthier eating starting tomorrow.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
June 8th - This is why she is the PT, not me
Today was a scheduled brick workout day. I had a 2 hour ride and a 1 hour run/walk on the calendar. It went very well. The new bike set up is really working out and my back and neck were much more comfortable. I covered about 36 miles in just over 2 hours today. I noticed that my legs were a bit tired at times on the ride but I was able to ride through it and they held up pretty well. There was a little bit of discomfort in my knee at the beginning of the ride but that faded pretty quickly.
Today's run would be the first time I tried out Dr. Karyn's suggestion that I use the Couch to 5k podcasts to govern my run intervals. It had me at a ratio of 2 minutes running to 3 minutes walking. This actually turned out to be a very comfortable ratio and one that I may end up sticking close to for the IMLP. I'd like to run more than I walk but we will have to wait and see if that will be possible. The C25k workouts are only an hour, so I just continued the 3/2 until I reached an hour. At the end I felt really good with only a small amount of soreness in my knee. I guess she really does know what she is talking about.
Tomorrow is a long run/walk day so I will continue with the same ratio for a little while before increasing it a bit.
I haven't weighed in for a few weeks, and I have to say that my eating habits haven't been that great. On the other hand I have noticed with my increased workouts that I am hungry more often, and that I have put on a bit of muscle mass from the strength workouts. When I stepped on the scale this morning it definitely went in the wrong direction, but I should be able to fix that over the next few weeks.
Weigh-in
Weight: 160 lbs
Body fat: 16.7%
Today's run would be the first time I tried out Dr. Karyn's suggestion that I use the Couch to 5k podcasts to govern my run intervals. It had me at a ratio of 2 minutes running to 3 minutes walking. This actually turned out to be a very comfortable ratio and one that I may end up sticking close to for the IMLP. I'd like to run more than I walk but we will have to wait and see if that will be possible. The C25k workouts are only an hour, so I just continued the 3/2 until I reached an hour. At the end I felt really good with only a small amount of soreness in my knee. I guess she really does know what she is talking about.
Tomorrow is a long run/walk day so I will continue with the same ratio for a little while before increasing it a bit.
I haven't weighed in for a few weeks, and I have to say that my eating habits haven't been that great. On the other hand I have noticed with my increased workouts that I am hungry more often, and that I have put on a bit of muscle mass from the strength workouts. When I stepped on the scale this morning it definitely went in the wrong direction, but I should be able to fix that over the next few weeks.
Weigh-in
Weight: 160 lbs
Body fat: 16.7%
Friday, June 7, 2013
June 7th - PT and ART how I have missed you
Dr. Karyn has returned from her cruise and I am glad to have her back. My sessions with Tina we great, but it has been almost a week and a half since I have been to PT and since I can't follow directions and take it easy my knee was needing some work.
Today is a scheduled rest day so I did my best to take it easy, besides my PT session and at home PT work. Since I spent about 2.5 hours in the hammock and read an entire magazine I would say I was pretty successful.
PT was very good today and we decided to drop my sessions to once a week. This will allow me to keep seeing Dr. Karyn almost until Ironman Florida. She worked her ART magic on the back of my knee again it feels pretty good again. I was getting a little discouraged because it has been hurting a little more than usual, due to my hard-headedness I'm sure. The surgeon lifted my spirits a bit on Tuesday when he told me not to worry too much about the pain at the back of my knee and that it should start to diminish as I get more active.
Dr. Karyn is pretty excited about getting to go-ahead to run, but she does want me to start much more slowly than I did this week. Although my 1/2 mile to 1/2 mile ratio worked pretty well she wants me to dial it back a little more and focus more on time rather than distance. Her instructions were to follow the Couch to 5k podcasts for the next several runs and fill the rest of my scheduled walk/run time with walking since that is how I am going to have to tackle Lake Placid. It's a pretty big hit to my ego to follow a training program that is essentially less mileage and time than my normal warmups, but it's all about the ultimate goal and getting to the IMLP finish line without extra injury.
I did get a new exercise to add to my at home routine. I now have to spend 2 minutes hopping from one foot to the other to mimic the running motion while focusing on making sure my knee doesn't collapse inward. I look pretty ridiculous pretending to run in front of a full length mirror, but I'm sure Kelly will get a kick out of it.
Today is a scheduled rest day so I did my best to take it easy, besides my PT session and at home PT work. Since I spent about 2.5 hours in the hammock and read an entire magazine I would say I was pretty successful.
PT was very good today and we decided to drop my sessions to once a week. This will allow me to keep seeing Dr. Karyn almost until Ironman Florida. She worked her ART magic on the back of my knee again it feels pretty good again. I was getting a little discouraged because it has been hurting a little more than usual, due to my hard-headedness I'm sure. The surgeon lifted my spirits a bit on Tuesday when he told me not to worry too much about the pain at the back of my knee and that it should start to diminish as I get more active.
Dr. Karyn is pretty excited about getting to go-ahead to run, but she does want me to start much more slowly than I did this week. Although my 1/2 mile to 1/2 mile ratio worked pretty well she wants me to dial it back a little more and focus more on time rather than distance. Her instructions were to follow the Couch to 5k podcasts for the next several runs and fill the rest of my scheduled walk/run time with walking since that is how I am going to have to tackle Lake Placid. It's a pretty big hit to my ego to follow a training program that is essentially less mileage and time than my normal warmups, but it's all about the ultimate goal and getting to the IMLP finish line without extra injury.
I did get a new exercise to add to my at home routine. I now have to spend 2 minutes hopping from one foot to the other to mimic the running motion while focusing on making sure my knee doesn't collapse inward. I look pretty ridiculous pretending to run in front of a full length mirror, but I'm sure Kelly will get a kick out of it.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
June 6th - Time for a rest
After my first 2 days of running (and overdoing it the first day) I decided that it would be a good idea to give my knee an extra day of rest. It's still feeling pretty sore so I decided to cut out the 2 hour bike ride I had scheduled for today. I'll make sure to talk to Dr. Karyn about it tomorrow at PT. I haven't been to PT at all this week because she has been on vacation, but I am looking forward to going tomorrow. I am going to ask her to do that ART technique that worked so well last time.
I had a good 2000 yard swim this morning. It seems that 7 or 7:30am is the best time to go. It's not ridiculously early and it's not crowded at all. And I can get out of there before the mean old water aerobics ladies get there.
The Smith & Davis Tent Sale started today so I braved that madness since Kelly was at work. What a nightmare. People everywhere looking for good deals on shoes and clothes. Unfortunately they didn't have any of the shoes that Kelly or I wear for running, so I left empty handed. My tri shirt and shorts that I ordered last week showed up as well. The shirt turned out to be too small since I'm not really a fan of compression shirts. I like tri shirts that fit a little more loosely. Since I had to go to the airport to pick up Kelly's sisters I drove to all3sports and exchanged the shirt for a larger size, but when I got home I decided that I still didn't like the fit. I'm sending it out UPS tomorrow and I'll see if there is another shirt that fits me better.
Tomorrow is a complete rest day, and since it is supposed to rain I think I will be forced to actually rest.
Today's other workout:
Core - 14x25
I had a good 2000 yard swim this morning. It seems that 7 or 7:30am is the best time to go. It's not ridiculously early and it's not crowded at all. And I can get out of there before the mean old water aerobics ladies get there.
The Smith & Davis Tent Sale started today so I braved that madness since Kelly was at work. What a nightmare. People everywhere looking for good deals on shoes and clothes. Unfortunately they didn't have any of the shoes that Kelly or I wear for running, so I left empty handed. My tri shirt and shorts that I ordered last week showed up as well. The shirt turned out to be too small since I'm not really a fan of compression shirts. I like tri shirts that fit a little more loosely. Since I had to go to the airport to pick up Kelly's sisters I drove to all3sports and exchanged the shirt for a larger size, but when I got home I decided that I still didn't like the fit. I'm sending it out UPS tomorrow and I'll see if there is another shirt that fits me better.
Tomorrow is a complete rest day, and since it is supposed to rain I think I will be forced to actually rest.
Today's other workout:
Core - 14x25
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
June 5th - National Running Day
Apparently today is National Running Day. Well at least according to FaceBook it is. I'm pretty happy to say that I was able to get out there and run today to celebrate.
I definitely overdid it yesterday on my maiden voyage. The 1/2 mile walk to 1 mile run ratio was way too ambitious and it left me really sore. Thankfully, a 30 mile bike ride this morning on my newly adjusted steed loosened my knee up a bit. It is going to take a little while to get my legs used to running again because although I felt much more comfortable on the bike, my legs felt pretty tired. Overall, I like the new bike setup and my back and neck are much more relaxed while I ride.
I gave myself a little rest during the day (and by that I mean I went out and cut the grass in the back yard, the front yard and the neighbor's front yard). Once it cooled down a bit I went out for my run/walk and stuck to a more manageable 1/2 mile walk to 1/2 mile run ratio. It felt much better on my knee during the run and I'm not nearly as sore afterward as I was yesterday. It still requires some icing, but I think that will be a normal part of my post-run routine for the foreseeable future.
I think I am going to give my knee a little break tomorrow and only do a morning swim. I had a 2 hour ride scheduled but I think some rest for the knee would be beneficial after the last 2 days. Also, the Smith & Davis Tent Sale is tomorrow so I will need to be there early to try to get some good deals on running shoes for Kel and me, and Kelly's sisters will be arriving for a visit.
Today was also an upper body workout day:
Push-ups - 4x25
Pull-ups - 4x18
I definitely overdid it yesterday on my maiden voyage. The 1/2 mile walk to 1 mile run ratio was way too ambitious and it left me really sore. Thankfully, a 30 mile bike ride this morning on my newly adjusted steed loosened my knee up a bit. It is going to take a little while to get my legs used to running again because although I felt much more comfortable on the bike, my legs felt pretty tired. Overall, I like the new bike setup and my back and neck are much more relaxed while I ride.
I gave myself a little rest during the day (and by that I mean I went out and cut the grass in the back yard, the front yard and the neighbor's front yard). Once it cooled down a bit I went out for my run/walk and stuck to a more manageable 1/2 mile walk to 1/2 mile run ratio. It felt much better on my knee during the run and I'm not nearly as sore afterward as I was yesterday. It still requires some icing, but I think that will be a normal part of my post-run routine for the foreseeable future.
I think I am going to give my knee a little break tomorrow and only do a morning swim. I had a 2 hour ride scheduled but I think some rest for the knee would be beneficial after the last 2 days. Also, the Smith & Davis Tent Sale is tomorrow so I will need to be there early to try to get some good deals on running shoes for Kel and me, and Kelly's sisters will be arriving for a visit.
Today was also an upper body workout day:
Push-ups - 4x25
Pull-ups - 4x18
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
June 4th - I'm a RUNNER again!
Today was my 3 month follow up appointment with the surgeon. I'll get to that in a minute.
I had another good 2000 yard swim this morning. For some reason the swim in the lake this weekend was a real confidence booster and other than being bored in the pool, I am swimming pretty strongly. After the swim I did a pretty intense core workout.
Then it was on to Columbus for my follow up. I was actually a little nervous because I have been having more discomfort than usual but I think that is from all the stairs and jet skiing this weekend. The appointment went really well and the first thing the doctor said after he checked my knee over was that it was time to start running again. He didn't really put any restrictions on it either, except that I was to limit my running to light jogging in a straight line.
When I got home it was time to give it a try. I have never been so nervous to go for a run in my life but today I had no idea what to expect. I started with a 1/2 mile walk for a warm up. I was going to run in 1/2 mile increments depending on how I was feeling, but after the first one it felt so good that I stretched it to a full mile. The only time I felt any discomfort was during the first few steps of each run interval, and when I ran down an incline. I kept up a ratio of .5 mile walk to 1 mile run for a total of 6.5 miles. Yes I may have over done it a bit, but I was really excited to be out there and it felt great. My pace was of course slow, but it was comfortable and now I have an idea about what to expect in Lake Placid.
I will be icing tonight and we will have to see how everything feels tomorrow.
Today's other workout:
Core - 14x25
I had another good 2000 yard swim this morning. For some reason the swim in the lake this weekend was a real confidence booster and other than being bored in the pool, I am swimming pretty strongly. After the swim I did a pretty intense core workout.
Then it was on to Columbus for my follow up. I was actually a little nervous because I have been having more discomfort than usual but I think that is from all the stairs and jet skiing this weekend. The appointment went really well and the first thing the doctor said after he checked my knee over was that it was time to start running again. He didn't really put any restrictions on it either, except that I was to limit my running to light jogging in a straight line.
When I got home it was time to give it a try. I have never been so nervous to go for a run in my life but today I had no idea what to expect. I started with a 1/2 mile walk for a warm up. I was going to run in 1/2 mile increments depending on how I was feeling, but after the first one it felt so good that I stretched it to a full mile. The only time I felt any discomfort was during the first few steps of each run interval, and when I ran down an incline. I kept up a ratio of .5 mile walk to 1 mile run for a total of 6.5 miles. Yes I may have over done it a bit, but I was really excited to be out there and it felt great. My pace was of course slow, but it was comfortable and now I have an idea about what to expect in Lake Placid.
I will be icing tonight and we will have to see how everything feels tomorrow.
Today's other workout:
Core - 14x25
June 3rd - Finally a proper bike fit
So I am a day late with my post for yesterday. I had a really good swim yesterday morning. I did 2000 yards. I made the mistake of going to the pool later than usual and it was pretty crowded...especially when the mean old, fat ladies showed up for water aerobics. I had to rush the last little bit of my swim but that was actually a good thing as it made me work on my speed.
After that I did a 32 mile bike ride in about 2 hours. I felt pretty strong on the bike and I am starting to work on my nutrition while I am riding. After my ride, I went to my bike fitting at Atlanta Trek in PTC. I bought my bike used about 2 years ago from a guy who had almost the exact same build as me. Other than adjusting the seat height and fiddling with the aerobars a bit I haven't done any major adjustments. I used what was left of my birthday cash to get a proper fit that will make me more comfortable and efficient for Ironman distance races. The first change the tech made was to swap out my fixed cleats for some that will allow for a little bit of float. This should reduce some of the stresses on my knees. The other major change was to get my back to be less rounded when in the aero position. I couldn't afford to spend the extra $60 on the stem he recommended so we got it as close as possible with my current stem. It's not perfect but it is a major change that I could feel in only a few minutes on the trainer in the store. On Wednesday I will test it out on a ride of substantial distance.
After that I did a 32 mile bike ride in about 2 hours. I felt pretty strong on the bike and I am starting to work on my nutrition while I am riding. After my ride, I went to my bike fitting at Atlanta Trek in PTC. I bought my bike used about 2 years ago from a guy who had almost the exact same build as me. Other than adjusting the seat height and fiddling with the aerobars a bit I haven't done any major adjustments. I used what was left of my birthday cash to get a proper fit that will make me more comfortable and efficient for Ironman distance races. The first change the tech made was to swap out my fixed cleats for some that will allow for a little bit of float. This should reduce some of the stresses on my knees. The other major change was to get my back to be less rounded when in the aero position. I couldn't afford to spend the extra $60 on the stem he recommended so we got it as close as possible with my current stem. It's not perfect but it is a major change that I could feel in only a few minutes on the trainer in the store. On Wednesday I will test it out on a ride of substantial distance.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
June 2nd - Back to reality
We just returned from our weekend at Lake Wedowee with some friends from school. I thought that I wouldn't get much done training-wise on the trip, and I knew that I would be eating pretty poorly and had already resigned myself to breaking my alcohol ban for the weekend. However I ended up not over stuffing myself, didn't drink a ridiculous amount of beer, and I got in a decent walk and a great lake swim.
On Saturday morning, Brea, one of the PE teachers and I went for a 45 minute walk. The terrain at the lake house was extremely hilly so it was a slower walk but at the same time it was a great workout. After that Eddie and I went for a swim in the lake that turned out to be about 1.2 miles, which is a half-Ironman distance swim. It didn't start out great because my head was pretty stuffed up, I had to borrow some goggles that kept filling with water and those 2 things made me really uncomfortable in the water and unable to find a rhythm. I swam a little ways with my head up and finally got comfortable. From that point on my rhythm was great and we had an awesome swim.
Throughout the weekend we all got a leg workout because we had to take a 94 step staircase between the house and dock where we spent most of our time. Tomorrow is back to reality and I will do a 1800 yard swim and a 30 mile ride. I also have my bike fitting at Trek so I am interested to see how that affects my upcoming rides.
On Saturday morning, Brea, one of the PE teachers and I went for a 45 minute walk. The terrain at the lake house was extremely hilly so it was a slower walk but at the same time it was a great workout. After that Eddie and I went for a swim in the lake that turned out to be about 1.2 miles, which is a half-Ironman distance swim. It didn't start out great because my head was pretty stuffed up, I had to borrow some goggles that kept filling with water and those 2 things made me really uncomfortable in the water and unable to find a rhythm. I swam a little ways with my head up and finally got comfortable. From that point on my rhythm was great and we had an awesome swim.
Throughout the weekend we all got a leg workout because we had to take a 94 step staircase between the house and dock where we spent most of our time. Tomorrow is back to reality and I will do a 1800 yard swim and a 30 mile ride. I also have my bike fitting at Trek so I am interested to see how that affects my upcoming rides.
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