Bad Idea # 6347

Need a Jump Start

2009-06-02T07:51:00.004-05:00

I know I said this blog wasn't going to be solely about running and training, but I also said that I would write what's on my mind. Since my triathlon, I haven't had a good run. They have all been miserable, and I know it is all in my head.

Last night I went for a run and it was way harder than it should have been. I ran about 5 miles and just wanted to stop. I felt good physically, my heart rate was down, my legs felt fresh, and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to stop.

In the months leading to my triathlon I was excited and anxious to run, and most of my runs were enjoyable. In the weeks since my triathlon, I have been reluctant and had to force myself out the door, and each of my runs have been miserable. See any pattern?

I guess this is an example of the tremendous impact a person's attitude and expectations can have on not only results, but abilities. It is crazy that you can put the same physical effort into something, but have it turn out differently just because of your mindset.

A month ago, I could have powered through an uncomfortable run on my attitude alone. I was completing workouts that were actually above my ability due to my enthusiasm about what I was doing. Now, I am having trouble completing runs that I am clearly physically capable of, and it is extremely frustrating.

I'm not really sure how I'm going to get over this slump, but I have to do something quickly. I'm going to start with getting my diet in check and upping my water intake. I let my diet fall completely apart after the triathlon, and have stopped paying attention to dehydration.

Of course, it also doesn't help that it is grillin' and drinkin' season. Hopefully I'll get it figured out quickly.

..

New Non-Idea

2009-05-27T08:38:00.003-05:00

Okay, I'm back, and I have less to say than ever. I have decided to keep this blog going, but not write nearly as much about the running, biking, swimming, or general endurance training that I plan to continue doing. That stuff is not even exciting for me to read, I can't imagine continuing to force it onto others.

I will keep this space to just put some general thoughts. Most of these thoughts will probably either be stolen quotes or stories that I find interesting. Maybe someone could find something I write helpful, or at least marginally coherant. I won't try to update daily, but will only make posts when I feel like I have something to say (hopefully this will happen a couple times a week). I guess we will just take it easy and see what happens. No expectations.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.” ~ Helen Keller

Later.

Patience

2009-05-26T07:40:00.002-05:00

I know I'm supposed to be back to my blog this week, but I didn't get any work done over the holiday weekend and I have a super busy day, which starts in about 3 minutes. Maybe I'll have a few minutes tomorrow (or perhaps late this afternoon). I guess now is as good a time as any to practice patience and understanding.

Later.

They Call it A Come Back.

2009-05-21T08:06:00.004-05:00

I went for my first run this morning since my HIM. I had been dreading it and putting it off since all I can remember about running at the moment is how badly I felt during the 2.5+ hours of that 13+ miles on May 9. Turns out, the run today wasn't that bad and I actually feel a little better for doing it. Funny how things tend to never be as bad as you expect. Good reason to limit your expectations.

Anyway, I've been almost completely sedentary for the past week and a half. In which time my energy level has dropped, the quality of my diet has plummeted, and my general usefulness has declined. Now I am back at it, but am planning on doing most of my training before work to not miss out on so much family time. Since I already get up to swim before 5 three days a week, it only makes sense to get up at a consistent time every morning. I'm doing a marathon on September 6. I may as well get it out of the way before my 30th birthday, which from what I hear, is the day you officially start the process of dying.

Anyway, I have swimming and running covered, but am a little paranoid about letting my bike fitness slide. I'll have to make some time to keep it up as well.

I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with this blog, but had some thoughts during my run this morning (apparently that is the only time I have productive thoughts). I'll make an official decision after the upcoming holiday weekend.

Hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day weekend. Later.

Danny.

Free Time

2009-05-14T07:31:00.002-05:00

It is amazing how much free time you have when you aren't working out 8-10 hours a week. I just finished my fourth day in a row of no exercise and am getting a little stir crazy. I actually had time to go to a bookstore last night and just look around for a while. It was strange.

Whatever will I do with myself? Well, it seems that the to-do list around the house has gotten pretyt substantial during the past 25 weeks. I have a small fence to build, a playground to put together, some furniture to move, and some painting to do in the coming weeks. As far as exercise goes, I am planning to get back in the pool in the morning and continue maintenance training through the summer. I am looking to possibly do a couple shorter distance triathlons, a 100 mile bike ride, and I I'll probably run the St. Jude marathon in December.

A really cool event that I have found is the Ragnar Relay. There is one in Florida in November. It is a 24 hour, 191 mile running race from the west side of Florida's peninsula to the east side (from Clearwater to Daytona Beach). It would probably take a 8-11 man team (depending on how far people would run). I may put out a couple feelers, but I really doubt I will have the time or energy level to make this materialize. There is just too much training and planning involved, and it is probably a little too soon after baby #2's planned arrival. I believe there is a Ragnar Relay in Texas in the spring. Maybe I will put more effort into that.

What will I do with this blog? I still don't know. I have actually enjoyed adding a post each morning, so I hate to let that go. Even if I have nothing worthwhile to say (which seems to be most days, like today), it is nice to have the opportunity to get some thoughts out. But it is strange to have no idea who, or how many people are reading what I write. I ran into an old friend the other day (she isn't old, but I've known her for a long time) who said she read about my race on my blog, which was really neat. That is exactly why I started this thing -- to be a little more open and honest with other people and with myself. I would love to know who (if anyone) reads this. If I'm all alone here I could just scribble on a post-it note every morning with the same effect. Even an anonymous "Hey, I read it," would be taken into consideration. I'm open to any and all suggestions.

If you would rather not leave a comment, feel free to shoot me an e-mail at d prestage at mitchell mcnutt dot com (just take out the spaces and make it look like an e-mail address).

Later.

The Race (Sorry for the rambling, and probably for the typos as well)

2009-05-12T07:27:00.003-05:00

Okay. So here is how the race went.

Jessi Bryce and I headed on down to Florida on Thursday afternoon. Friday morning I got up and went for a short bike ride and we spent the rest of the morning hanging out at the pool and the beach. Jessi and I headed to PCB mid-afternoon to get me signed in and my bike checked-in. After signing in and stocking up on some essentials at the expo, I headed to the beach for a test swim. I had never swam in a wetsuit before and wanted to at least try it out before doing 1.2 in it. My practice swim went fine and it was probably the only time I could have blended in with the crowd on Panama City Beach while wearing a Speedo and a wetsuit.

We skipped the pre race meal and meeting and headed back to Destin for dinner. After which, I packed, re-packed, and double-checked all my supplies for the next morning. I'm slightly anal about that type of thing.

My dad was making fun of me about being so careful with my packing. He told me that he "allegedly" found me flipping through a notebook the night before I started second grade and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was checking to make sure all my pages were okay. Sometimes it is good to be prepared.

My mom and Jessi's sister went to the race with us, and we left the house on race day at 4:00 a.m. for the hour drive to the race. Body marking started at 4:30 and the first waves started shortly after 6:00.

I got my transition area set up (mainly by copying whatever everyone else was doing and trying not to stand out), and wandered around listening to music and drinking water until the race started.

Once the first wave started, I walked out to the beach with Jessi, Bryce, Laura, and my mom, and stood around waiting. Some people were running around and warming up, but I figured I would have plenty of time to warm up during the race started. Bryce was having a big time and we went down to the water for a little bit. Unfortunately, while we were hanging out, Bryce was riding on my shoulders while my neck was covered in Body Glide. It was discovered after I started my race that Bryce is very allergic to Body Glide and his face turned red and began to swell. He's much better now though, so don't worry. He's a trooper.

So there I was, feeling completely unprepared and standing in the starting corral with the most competitive age group in the race. Less than two minutes before the start, one of the guys standing front and center was jumping around and swinging his arms to get loosened up. Then he began screaming curse words and dropped to the ground. He had dislocated his shoulder while waiting for the start. Medics swarmed in, one guy pushed his knee into the down guy's chest while another was pulling his arm trying to reset it. It really looked like (and sounded like) it hurt. And then the starting gun went off, so we all ran around the injured guy and headed into the water.

The swim was, go out a little over a half mile, turn left for a couple hundred yards, and then swim back. The water was fairly rough, but not too bad. There was a pretty strong rip tide or something that made it much easier to swim out than to get back to shore though. I thought I was doing okay, but was by myself for most of the swim. The water was also cloudy so I couldn't see much. About .7 or .8 miles in, however, a guy in a yellow swim cap (meaning he started after me) passed me doing the backstroke. It didn't know if he was a really fast backstroker, or if I was going really slow. I just stuck it out and finished the swim feeling strong and in a respectible time. My swim goal was 40-45 minutes. I completed it in 42.05. Very happy with that.

I saw the family and then took off on my bike. I had a pretty specific nutrition plan I was hoping to keep up with (taking in 400-450 calories per hour), which I think helped keep my mind off the time and the distance. I had to eat every 15 minutes, so all I was concerned with was 15 minute segments. I never had to go 56 miles, I only had to go 15 minutes at a time. The bike was flat and windy. A good portion of the road was pretty rough too. This is actually the same bike course as Ironman Florida (you just do it twice there). My bike was going perfectly until mile 40 when I couldn't eat anymore. I still felt fine, but felt sick when I would try and eat anything. This really concerned me and I figured that if I was going into a caloric deficit, that I would sure as hell stay hydrated, so I kept drinking all the water and Gatorade I could. I also had the terrible idea that if I was going to feel bad, that I should hurry up and get the bike portion over with, so I pushed just a little harder for the last 15 miles. I felt strong and fine, but just couldn't eat and was really concerned with what that would do to my run.

My bike goal was 3:05-3:15, and I did 3:04:51. With the wind and the road conditions, I couldn't have gone any faster. I actually think that all my trainer workouts really helped me with this bike leg because it was flat constant spinning. There was one bridge we went over twice, other than that there were no hills at all. Almost the entire bike leg consisted of just getting comfortable and grinding it out, which is just my style on the bike. I did get to see a lot of nice bikes pass me though.

I was a little surprised after the bike that they expected me to immediately go out and run a half marathon. I hadn't eaten in an hour, and my belly was sloshing from all the water and gatorade I put away towards the end of the bike. This wasn't looking good. But my legs felt fine and I thought I would just run the first mile and then make a plan from there. Unfortunately, my legs were accustomed to moving fast on the bike and I ran the first mile in about 8:30. Combined with my lack of food, sloshing belly, and other physical things I had going on at the time, this was a terrible mistake. I immediately started walking and loaded up with all the different food I could carry at the first aid station. I tried to eat a gel and it didn't work. I tried to eat a Clif bar and couldn't. I then found what would be my only food that would work, oranges and bananas.

I felt absolutely terrible, and had no idea how I would do another 10-11 miles. I developed a little shuffle step which couldn't have looked good, and probably wasn't any faster than my walk, but felt okay. It doesn't make much sense, but as windy as it had been on the bike leg, there was absolutely no breeze on the run, mid-high 80s temp, and almost 90% humidity. It was going to be a long day.

The run portion is where the soul-searching begins. It was incredible to see all the people out there doing this event. As bad as I was feeling, there were people feeling much worse, and they kept going. I saw so many people that I was sure were going to die, but apparently they didn't.

I stayed in my shuffle/walk for the first half of the run hoping to get my belly in order and get some nutrition in me. I decided to go as slow as I needed to get myself in order. After about 6 miles we entered a park for 2.5-3 miles, which was miserable. There was no shade, no people, no buildings, just sand dunes and road. I thought I would never make it out of there. After exiting the park, I had a couple cookies and began to feel better. I then had some pepsi, and began to feel even better. After the 9 mile mark I felt better than I had all day on the run, and decided I would pick up the pace a little. I was so happy to feel better and be able to pick up my pace, but as soon as I sped up my left calf locked up. I dialed my pace back down and drug my leg around until it loosened up a little. I sped back up and the same thing happened. From that point on, I maintained the best pace I could without the cramp setting in (which wasn't fast at all). I maintained my hobble/walk/no cramp pace almost until the end. There was a great aid station in the last mile with music and people cheering that really got me going. I figured the longer I was out there, the worse things would get. I turned it up, drug my leg with me, and ran strong through the finish. This was the longest 13.1 miles (and the longest 2 hours and 45 minutes) of my life.

I had wanted to finish the run portion in 2:30, but it took me 2:43:26 due to the stomach issues. I really don't think it was a lack of conditioning, but was more of a nutrition issue. I am already sitting around thinking about what I could do differently, and how much better I could do.

After the race, I found 1 square foot of shade under a bush and sat in it. I gathered my things, loaded up in the truck and stopped by the closest McDonald's for a large diet pepsi and cheeseburgers.

I finished the race in 6:40:23. My ultimate goal was 6:30, and my back-up goal was 6:45, so I am pleased with my time, but know I could go sub 6:30.

This race was much harder than I ever expected. The training was much more intense and time consuming than I ever expected. Jessi has helped me tremendously through the past 25 weeks while I have pretty much done nothing but work and work out. Hopefully I can pay her back a little now with all my free time.

This race was also much more incredible than I expected. The atmosphere, volunteers, and competitors were all awesome, and I am so glad I did it.

I'm still not quite sure what the moral of this entire thing is, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with "Life is as simple as you make it," "Life is what's happening right now," and "It is what it does." I don't think I'm a triathlete, but I was last Saturday. It's pretty easy, actually, to be whatever you want. You just have to do it, and there is no reason you can't start doing it right now. There were so many people out there that were on the first half of their run that absolutely looked like death, but they were going forward. There was no way that they could finish the run at the pace they were going, but I bet they did. And they were all triathletes that day.

Now the question -- What do I do with this blog? What do I do with myself? What will be Bad Idea # 6348?

I'm getting things narrowed down and I'm thinking about:
1) a long, multi-day hiking trip;
2) a long, multi-day cycling trip;
3) a marathon

I'll let you know of any decisions, but things seem pretty wide open at the moment.

See ya.

Danny.

It Wasn't Pretty, But It Got Did.

2009-05-11T07:45:00.004-05:00

This was absolutely the hardest thing that I have ever done, and I would recommend it for everyone. The race was very well run, the volunteers were great (there must have been 1000 of them), and actually seemed glad to be there.

I have a lot to say about this race, and I would like to get a play by play report down on paper before too much time passes (I'm hoping that the bad memories fade much quicker than the good ones). But since I'm an idiot and don't really think things through (which we have established), I have 2 meetings scheduled for this morning and a big court hearing set for this afternoon -- so I won't be able to do any type of lengthy post this morning.

I should have some time to get my thoughts together and post the whole story tonight, because I'm sure as hell not working out.

Here is the Cliff's Notes version of Saturday --

SWIM: 42:05 (Couldn't have gone much better)
SWIM TO BIKE TRANSITION: 5:24
BIKE: 3:04:51 (Very happy with this time, but didn't feel great towards the end)
BIKE TO RUN TRANSITION: 4:40
RUN: 2:43:26 (Absolute longest 2:43:26 of my life. I wouldn't wish this on anyone).
FINISH 6:40:23 (I really wanted to break 6:30, but 6:45 was my back-up goal. Mission Accomplished).

Later.

Danny.

Almost there.

2009-05-07T07:31:00.005-05:00

Well -- I am leaving for Florida today. The forecast for Saturday has gone from thunderstorms to sunny with 0% chance of precipitation. I have gone from confident to nervous to confident to scared to confident to terrified throughout the week. I just don't see how this is going to be a good thing. I also never completely got over my sickness from last week. It hasn't stopped me from working out and is more annoying, but I don't need anything zapping any energy in the next few days.

I had intended to write some about my nutrition plan and my race time predictions, but I have a crazy busy morning trying to get things wrapped up around here. I don't have time to post much, but just wanted to get something on paper this morning. If I could describe how I feel about this race and my past 6 months of training I would do it here:_______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
I'm drawing a blank right now - apparently a little overwhelmed - but I'm sure I'll have plenty to say after the race on Saturday (I'll have plenty of time to get my thoughts in order). Maybe I'll check in tomorrow, but I'm not sure.

*** Last night was a 45 minute high cadence spin session/3.5 mile run brick. I felt great, especially after the first couple miles.

Later.

Finally caught a break . . . almost.

2009-05-06T07:10:00.002-05:00

This morning was my final swim workout before the weekend. It stormed all night and I knew that my chances of swimming were somewhere between slim and none (much closer to none), but when my alarm went off at 4:45 it was not raining - it was not lightning - and I swear there were birds actually chirping outside my house (I went out to check). Desperate for a swim workout, I got up, got dressed, and headed to the pool even though I was all but certain I would be the only one there.

I arrived at the pool, and was surprised to see people there. There were only a few of us there to swim, but the coach said we could give it a shot as long as there was no lightning. I was amazed. I haven't had any good luck like this in training in a long time. I was really looking forward to one good last swim workout, since that is obviously the discipline that I am most undertrained in. Things were finally looking up. It was as if the storm had passed and the sky had unexpectedly opened up just for my benefit. I got down to my speedo, strapped on my goggles, stood at the end of my lane, did a couple quick stretches, and witnessed the most perfect, perhaps largest, bolt of lightning that has ever crossed the sky. Swimming was cancelled before I touched the water this morning. My next swim will be in Florida. Crap.

Last night I worked pretty late, but had a really good bike workout after getting home and putting Bryce to bed. Then I changed the tires on my bike. I was really due for a tire upgrade, plus my rear tire was pretty worn due to all the trainer riding I've been doing. I can change a tire and tube no problem, but I know next to nothing about actual bike maintenance and I think I knocked my rear derailuer (I'm not even sure how to say that word, much less spell it) off track a little. My bike doesn't seem to be shifting nearly as smooth in the rear, and is actually missing a couple shifts. But my tires look great. I'll mess with it a little more tonight and see if I may have really damaged something. I may have to make an emergency call to my buddy Jonny for an expert opinion.

*** Last night I had a trainer ride just under 1.5 hours. I also changed my tires which has to count for something.

Tonight, I have a 45 minute ride and 30 minute run. Busy day at work today trying to get everything wrapped up so I can get out of here Thursday afternoon (I just realized that is tomorrow. . . crap).

See ya.

Isolated Thunderstorms

2009-05-05T07:53:00.003-05:00

The PCB forecast for race day is high of 85 with isolated thunderstorms and 30% chance of precipitation. Fortunately, this seems to be the standard weather forecast for the florida panhandle because no one can predict the weather more than a day or two out. Weather systems move/form/break up quickly down there and a thunderstorm or rain shower can come and go quickly.

I also saw where the water temperature at PCB is 79, which would make wetsuits illegal during the swim. Wetsuits are not allowed if the water is warmer than 78 degrees (or if water temp is 78 degrees or warmer, not sure which). This could be either good and bad. My wetsuit felt comfortable when I tried it on, but I have never swam in it. They "allegedly" make you faster and provide pretty substantial flotation. I would probably be more comfortable swimming without a wetsuit, but 1.2 miles is a long way and I could use all the help I can get. Oh well, nothing I can do about it. I'll just wait and see.

Nothing substantive this morning, I have a hearing in another county in a bit.

*** Last night I went for an easy 30 minute jog. Felt good. Tonight I have an easy 1 hour bike ride. I'm really enjoying this taper thing.

Later.

Final Week

2009-05-04T07:23:00.002-05:00

Okay. 5 days to go. I had a full weekend and the rain didn't make it easier. Saturday, my scheduled 8 mile run was stopped after 6.5 miles. I felt great, and didn't shorten my run just because of rain, which I don't mind, but thunder, lightning, and tornado sirens tend to spook me a bit. I don't mess around with lightning, at all. I think my fear of lightning is pretty valid since I am usually the tallest person in the vacinity.

Anyway, my weekend workouts went fine. I'm feeling much better (physically) and I think skipping a couple workouts last week was exactly what I needed to do. I'm still not sure whether I have the ability to do this race, but I'm ready to give it a shot.

After my last 50 mile bike ride, Jessi asked me whether I felt like I could run a half-marathon. Obviously, I answered her with a "no." I have never "felt like" I could run 13 miles in my life (even when running 13 miles). The good thing is that you don't have to "feel" like you can do something in order to do it. When I do my 10-milers, I never "feel" like I could do it -- but I do.

I've never seen a star ward, but have heard Yoda quoted more than once this weekend. It may not be completely correct, but the quote I have heard goes something like -- "Do or do not, there is no try."

The only thing I will be focused on Saturday will be the next mile, or maybe the next 500 yards, or maybe to the next tree, or maybe the next step, or maybe the cold beer at the finish line. As long as I keep plugging away and keep my nutrition in check, the time and distance will pass and the rest will take care of itself.

I am actually considering a little bit of a run/walk during the event if necessary. It may be stupid to try something on race day that I have never practiced, but I fully expect to feel like hell by the time I get a few miles into the run and will probably be in need of a "Plan B" (or maybe "Plan G" by that point). It will slow me down a bit, but I am thinking of maybe falling back to a 5 minute run, 1 minute walk if things get too bad. As long as I could keep my run pace under (or around) 10:00 min/mile, I could still make pretty good time. Maybe I'll try it out a little this week and see how it feels. Maybe I should also see how long it takes me to crawl a mile just in case.

*** This weekend (last weekend before tri) I had a great 6.5 mile run in the rain on Saturday. I actually felt much stronger when I finished than when I started. On Sunday, I did a 2.5 hour hard trainer session and felt good. I am so glad to be done with my long trainer sessions -- that thing gets old.

I swam this morning. I guess the swim portion is the biggest unknown variable of the race. I'm sure it gets lonely with your head in the water a half mile from shore, even with other people kicking you in the face from time to time. I haven't done the straight distance that I will be doing in the race, but I have been routinely doing more yardage during my swim workouts. I know I can finish the swim (what other choice do I have), but am worried about feeling wiped out afterwards. That's what's crazy about this event. It's one thing to swim 1.2 miles, but it is a completely different thing to swim 1.2 miles and then be able to bike and run for another 5.5-6 hours.

Later this week I'll try and do some race calculations and post my time goals and prep lists. Oh crap.

Later.

Workouts Cancelled (But Not Because of Swine Flu)

2009-05-01T07:58:00.003-05:00

I cancelled my workouts last night and this morning. Last night I only had a short run planned, so I bagged it in favor of taking it easy and having a good dinner at a reasonable time. I also skipped swimming this morning because I didn't feel well when I got up. I'm feeling better now and am kicking myself for not swimming. I only have two more real swim workouts until I leave for Florida. But I think the rest was probably a good decision.

I'm just trying to put myself in a position to have strong workouts this weekend and get my head around what I'm about to do. My confidence level is a little low at the moment. I'm confident about each of the three distances, but am not sure about my nutrition plan. There is a big difference in a 3-4 hour workout (which I'm okay with) and a 6+ hour workout (which I have never done). A lot can happen to your body and your stomach during that extra 2+ hours. If I get off my nutrition plan during the bike, or if something goes wrong, the last 13.1 miles is going to suck.

I have a triathlon magazine that includes an article explaining that immediately after completing a full ironman your body ages 20 years. Of course you get back to normal 2-3 weeks afterward, but that is still a pretty serious thing to put yourself through. Of course, I'm just doing a half-iron distance and don't expect anything that severe, but I'm still pretty sure that my body will not appreciate what I'm making it do on May 9. I just have to get myself to the starting line healthy and then deal with the rest.

Jessi and I were talking about races and endurance sports on the way to Double Decker last weekend. I was telling her that one thing I really like about this type of stuff is that it is pretty much impossible to cheat. In most sports, you can claim to be better than you are and nobody will know. More times than not, you can even cheat if you are so inclined. That's not easy to do in endurance sports. When you step to the starting line in a race, there isn't much you can do but finish. You can't skip a mile, take a break, or anything else. You have to swim/bike/run the entire distance on your own. It's not always pretty or pleasant, but it doesn't always have to be -- there's not always an easy way out (plus almost all race results are posted online so you can't lie about your results).

***No workout last night or this morning. I plan on a light bike ride tonight ramping up for my weekend workouts.

See Ya.

Uh oh.

2009-04-30T07:41:00.003-05:00

I am now less than 10 days from my event. And it is possible that I am getting sick. I have not been sick during any of the 20-30 weeks of training, but am currently dealing with some congestion and sinus related issues. Like always, perfect timing. The good news is that the problem is mostly in my head (I don't mean mental problems, I'm speaking of physical, in-the-head, sinus related issues). My physical condition makes me sound terrible and feel rough at times, but I have managed to not miss any workouts. . . . yet.

The best course of action, allegedly, is to go ahead and work out if the sickness is in your neck and above, and rest if the sickness is below your neck -- drinking plenty of fluids in either case. Today I am not sure where my malady is located, but I believe it may be heading towards my chest. My plan for today is to drink a bunch of o.j. and chase it away. I only have a 40 minute run scheduled tonight, so I am considering skipping it if I don't feel well after work. It appears that I have a pretty busy weekend, so some rest would probably do me good. I better restock on NyQuil. I love that stuff.

I got my wetsuit in the mail yesterday. I obviously don't own one, and didn't want to buy one (they are pretty expensive), so I rented one from an online company. They ship it to you a couple weeks before your race and you send it back shortly thereafter (or you can keep it and buy it for a discounted rate, with an additional credit for your rental payment). It wasn't very expensive, and I fully expected to receive a crappy suit with holes in it. But I received a very high end, seemingly new. It seems to be a pretty good deal.

Also, I have had one major obstacle clear up for my race week. I hadn't mentioned it on here, but I have had a big trial scheduled to start Monday and go through Thursday. As with all trials, though, there was a real possibility that it would have gone through Friday. If that happened, my triathlon would have been shot because I would be unable to get to Panama City Beach in time to register on Friday. Anyway, I say all that to say this -- my case has settled, I don't have trial next week, and I am planning to leave town on Thursday afternoon. Not only does this make my final training week much less stressful, It really helps having a more locked-in plan about leaving town.

Woops, it appears that this post is long, boring, and contains absolutely nothing of substance. Oh well . . . . that can't really be a surprise to anyone.

** Last night I did a bike trainer workout that lasted a little less than an hour and a half.

LATER.

Out of pocket

2009-04-29T17:02:00.002-05:00

I was on the road and in meetings all day, so I didn't have a chance to post this morning. Nothing substantive to say. I'm about to go home.

*** Last night I ran 6.5 miles in 1 hour. This morning I swam for 1 hour.

See you tomorrow.

Because It it Important to Me.

2009-04-28T08:02:00.004-05:00

"Because it is important to me" should more often than not be the reason we do what we do. It couldn't be much more simple than that. Of course, at times you have to do things that you would prefer not to do, that's life. But you should always be working towards something you believe in - not just do things because they are expected. I decided rather than trying to reinvent the wheel and articulate this thought, it would be better to include the following quote from Steve Jobs' commencement speech to Stanford in 2005. These few sentences sum everything up better than I could in 10 pages of rambling text:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs

***Last night I did nothing (other than swimming in the morning). Not on ly did I have an off day from training, but I had an out of town hearing cancelled at the last minute. After work, I went home, had dinner, and went to bed early. I'll be back at it tonight.

Double Doozie

2009-04-27T07:21:00.002-05:00

Went to Double Decker this weekend and had a good time. Jessi, Bryce and I left the house Saturday morning about 6 and headed to Oxford. I was signed up for the 10k at 7:30 and a 50 mile bike ride at 9:00. Everything went well. I finished running and Jessi took me to the bike start where I got signed in, changed, had a snack, and was off.

This was the first organized bike ride I've ever done and it was actually a lot of fun. I rode the whole way with my buddy Jon (and a few straglers we picked up and dropped along the way). I felt great and hammered out the first 30 miles, and then came the hills. Of course, at this point Jon started laughing hysterically (mad scientist-like) and bounded nimbly up the mountains, while I did everything I could to keep up with him.

I guess if I had anything of value to share from this weekend it is how much nutrition matters while doing workouts of this length. Being hungry and underfueled not only makes your body tired, but it does strange things to your mind. At times during a long workout everything is great, but if your nutrition is insufficient your attitude goes bad. Everything seems terrible, you feel tired, and all you can think about is how much you want to stop.

Here's the simple answer -- If you begin to get overly tired or have negative thoughts (about anything) during a long workout, then you most likely need to eat something. You can pop a gel, or eat a few cookies and be back on top of the world in no time. The bad thoughts and feelings aren't real, but are manufactured by your brain in an effort to protect your body from what you are doing to it. You just have to learn how to interpret the signs your body is giving you.

After the physical portion of the day, we walked around the Square for a while and checked out the festivities. It was packed, but we had some lunch, spoke to a few friends, and went home.

*** Weekend Tally -- Saturday morning I ran 6.2 miles in 50:17 (8:07 pace), and rode just under 50 miles in approximately 2:35:00 (we probably averaged around 18 mph).

Sunday afternoon -- I ran 6 miles in 55 minutes (which was neither easy nor fun -- I don't believe I ever fully rehydrated after Saturday).

This Morning (Monday) -- I swam for 1:15. Lots of sprints and kicking drills.

I will be running pretty crazy for work this week and probably won't have time to post much, but I will try and keep up.

I Haven't Pontificated Lately. Here Goes . . .

2009-04-24T07:32:00.005-05:00

Fear of something bad happening in the future is one of the things that separates humans from animals. Animals feel fear when faced with an immediate danger or a belief/sense of immediate danger. But only people have the incredible ability to fear something 1) that isn't happening now, 2) that they believe could possibly happen sometime in the future, 3) even though it isn’t even likely to happen, 4) and that most likely will never happen.

Of course there is a purpose to fear. A healthy dose of fear will keep you out of some hairy situations (I'm hoping Bryce develops a little fear soon, our neighbor is running out of surgical glue). But more often than not, it seems as if fears are unnecessary, unfounded, and serve no purpose other than holding people back from achieving their potential.

Maybe there is a way to feel fear and acknowledge it, but then move forward without allowing it to control your actions. What do you think the odds of something happening should be before the fear of that thing changes your life?

If I jump off a building, I will get 100% hurt -- therefore, I have made a policy decision not to jump off of buildings.

If I jump off a rock formation on the side of a river, maybe there is a 10% chance of injury -- If it looks like a normal rock formation, I may or may not jump. If it is a super cool rock formation that provides a photo opportunity and a good story, I'll give that a shot any day.

I guess everyone has their own level of risk they are comfortable with. But I would hate to miss out on a good story or a photo opportunity just because there is a slim chance of something going wrong. Most things worth doing, actually, include a certain amount of risk. Life without risk, or fear, would be pretty boring.

*** Last night I did a 1:30 bike trainer workout -- 30 min. warm up, 6X4/2 intervals, and 25 minute cool down.

This morning I swam (mostly drills), and plan to do a short run tonight in preparation for my Double Decker festivities tomorrow.

Tired, grumpy, and smelly

2009-04-23T07:49:00.002-05:00

These are, unfortunately, the advectives that best describe me these days. I am at the peak of my training schedule and I'm pretty sure this is how I'm supposed to feel. If I can make it through this weekend, my training sessions for the two weeks leading up to my race are less intense in order to allow recovery before the triathlon. I just checked my log and I've worked out 33 hours in the first 22 days of April.

I really didn't want to go on my run last night. I was exhausted after work, went home and hung out for a few minutes, and had to leave for my run just as Jessi and Bryce were starting dinner. I almost didn't go, but Jessi convinced me that I would feel better once I got started. It is possible that she just didn't want me to sit around and complain all night.

I spent the first 35 minutes of my run trying to decide exactly what a stress fracture feels like. I had a pretty substantial pain in a the middle of my right foot that got worse for almost 4 miles and then went away (must have been nothing). Then I arrived at the track where I had a few half mile intervals to run. I felt fine physically, but my mind wasn't in it. I put in a half-assed effort at the track, but got the distance done. Afterwards I ran home, put Bryce to bed, ate a big salad, and went to bed at 9:00.

Hopefully last night's early bed time will help me out. But what I really need is to get some level of excitement back. So I have made a decision.

This weekend, with the help of the Double Decker Festival in Oxford, I have created a little duathlon for myself. There is a 10k (6.2 mile) run that starts at 7:30 on Saturday morning, and there is also an organized bike ride (choice of 24, 50, and 66 mile routes) that starts at 9:00. In my infinite wisdom, I have signed up for both the 10k run and the 50 mile bike ride (I'm still considering the 66 miler, but the 50 will let me finish by lunchtime and go to the festival with the family). I will be a bit rushed getting from the run finish to the bike start, but I am pretty excited about getting in some distance under actual race-type conditions (instead of running in circles by myself).

*** Yesterday morning I swam for 1:15 (doing heavy interval work). Last night I ran 6.8 miles in 58 minutes, just over 8:30 min/mile pace (there were some half mile track intervals in there, but I haven't downloaded the data).

Later.

Work, Work, Work

2009-04-22T08:31:00.002-05:00

I've got a lot going on today work-wise. Will try to check in tomorrow.

*** Last night - bike trainer for 1:20 - mostly cranking a hard gear.
This morning - swimming (1:15) - mostly interval work.

Running Aimlessly

2009-04-21T07:50:00.005-05:00

I got home from work last night, had a quick snack, and hit the road hoping to get in yesterday's planned long run in time to put Bryce to bed. Jessi asked where I was running when I left the house and I was confused and unable to answer. I knew how far and how long I was running, but had absolutely no idea where I would go. I generally just turn down whatever road seems appropriate. I also had to turn around twice because of black cats crossing in front of me. I hate cats, especially black ones. I'm not sure if there were two separate cats, or if I was being stalked. The GPS map of my evening looks like a Bryce drawing, but I got the time in (almost). I'm not sure whether my lack of direction is good, bad, or completely inconsequential. But it seems strange since I am so particular with other things I do. Maybe that is why I enjoy it -- When else do I get the opportunity to turn my head off and run aimlessly for an hour and a half.

I didn't feel great for the first few miles (I think it had something to do with my swim workout earlier in the day), but I really felt good after the first half hour. I was running a little late and wanted to see Bryce before his bed time so I bagged it after 9 miles.

*** Yesterday morning I had a 1:15 swim workout. Last night I ran 9 miles in 1:24:58 (avg. 9:44 min/mile).

Weekend Update

2009-04-20T07:34:00.005-05:00

Had an out of town trip this weekend, which always makes long workouts difficult to schedule. I do my best to get everything in, but sometimes even a key workout has to be culled due to family stuff.

We went to Nashville this weekend for Annie Wood's baptism (Wes and Susannah's little girl). Everything went well, but we fit a lot of stuff into a short time period. I got back home late Sunday afternoon with every intention of hitting the road for my 10 mile run, but after the drive (mostly in bad weather) I was tired and hungry. Since a bad long run could absolutely wreck my already shaky confidence at this point in time, I postponed it until tonight (Monday).

-- As a side note, I did learn a lesson this weekend. If you ever find yourself hanging out in the lobby of a Mexican restaurant while in town for an important church and family related gathering, it is best not to put a huge black and silver dragon tattoo on your little boy's forearm with the caption "Welcome to the Jungle." Even though the tattoo is totally awesome and the little boy will love it and show it to everyone, not everyone will be so appreciative and you will get several interesting looks and comments from others throughout the weekend. It is amazing that there are so many things I don't know about parenting (and responsibility in general). I learn something every day.

*** This weekend's workout (unfortunately, that is singular, not plural) -- I was able to get up early Saturday morning and ride on the bike trainer for three hours before leaving town. Sunday I did nothing as explained above. This morning (Monday) I swam for about 1:20.

Wet Behind the Ears

2009-04-17T07:23:00.006-05:00

I made it to swimming this morning. It is amazing what a few weeks out of the water will do to your swimming fitness. I felt like I was being waterboarded for a little over an hour. Apparently, during my swimming hiatus, I completely lost the ability to breathe cleanly. To make matters worse, my lungs have zero tolerance for water, making the entire morning a bit of a man vs. himself (or would this be man vs. nature? Could any literature types help with this?) struggle. At least the bubble (winter cover) is off the pool, so we were able to swim outside while the sun came up. I need to get back into form pretty quickly if I'm going to make the 1.2 mile swim in my triathlon -- if my lungs hate pool water this bad, I'm sure they would not tolerate Gulf Coast water for 40-something minutes.

By the way, I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I looked up the map for the swim portion of this race. The directions (simplified of course) are 1) swim towards Cuba 950 yards (little over a half mile); 2) turn right and swim 200 yards; 3) swim 950 yards back to Florida. Maybe I'm naive, but it seems like they could keep this entire swim a little closer to shore. Just a thought.

*** Last night I did nothing. I had a run scheduled, but Jessi had a cooking class so Bryce and I went to Dick's to get some supplies, had dinner, and did guy stuff. Swam this morning 1 hour 15 minutes, plan to do a short bike/run brick tonight (probably the only time I'll do all three things in one day during training).

Important Things

2009-04-16T07:44:00.002-05:00

No, I don't have anything important to write. Last night I was thinking about priorities (again), and focusing my limited attention on the things in life that are actually important. It seems as if most people believe that everything they do is important. I have a lot of thing to do each day, but in the grand scheme of life, not many would make the "important" list.

Yep, I've decided to make an "important" list. I started in about 5 seconds ago and it only has a few things on it. It is surprisingly short, but once I saw the legitimately important things on paper, all the other stuff paled in comparison. Maybe it wasn't important after all.

*** Last night I did 1.5 hours on the bike trainer with 5X4/2 intervals in the middle. Tonight I have a run and plan to SWIM in the morning (VERY IMPORTANT).

Later.

Lazy 1 --- Swimming 0

2009-04-14T20:36:00.006-05:00

There are few things in life that I hate worse than oversleeping. In fact, I can't think of anything at this moment that irritates me more. Can you guess why I didn't swim this morning? Yep, just didn't get up on time. There is a slightly more eventful back-story that would not interest anyone, and it is a little more exciting than a general "slept through my alarm" type thing, but the ultimate outcome is that I didn't get back in the water at my first opportunity because I'm a lazy dummy.

I'm going to do my best to chalk it up to "my body obviously needed rest more than another workout," and try not to be too hard on myself. I will be in the pool Friday morning. I will be in the pool Friday morning. I will be in the pool Friday morning.

*** Last night I ran 7.32 miles in 1:02:46 at an average pace of 8:34 min/mile. I did a little less than a 3.5 mile warm up, and then hit the track for 5X800/400, which went surprisingly well. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but I hit each interval faster than the one before.

I know I have been getting away from my nerdy Garmin numbers and specifics on this blog, so I have typed out some of the lap info from my workout last night. I have a lot more information about my workout (probably too much for me to benefit from), including a groovy heart rate chart showing all the great work I was doing, but unfortunately I don't have the technological skillz necessary to share it with anyone.

Lap #_____Distance (m)______Pace (min/m)
Lap 1_______1.00__________8:12 (warm up)
Lap 2_______1.00__________9:05 (warm up)
Lap 3_______1.00__________9:20 (warm up)
Lap 4________.44__________9:47 (warm up)
Lap 5________.51__________8:22 (interval 1)
Lap 6________.25__________9:14 (recovery)
Lap 7________.50__________7:33 (interval 2)
Lap 8________.25__________9:20 (recovery)
Lap 9________.50__________7:22 (interval 3)
Lap 10_______.25__________9:22 (recovery)
Lap 11_______.50__________7:18 (interval 4)
Lap 12_______.25__________9:35 (recovery)
Lap 13_______.50__________7:17 (interval 5)
Lap 14_______.36__________9:11 (cool down)

Bye.

45 degress and below. .

2009-04-14T09:04:00.002-05:00

I just can't catch a break with swimming. Today was supposed to be my first day back in the water in about a month. I got the e-mail yesterday saying that the bubble is off the pool and that we "will not swim if the outside temp is 45 degrees or lower" (this part is important).

I woke up this morning a little after 4:30, let the dogs outside, and called the official time and temp number to check out the weather since it seemed a bit chilly. It was 45 degrees, exactly. Automatically, my attorney brain began to panic because I didn't have immediate access to e-mail and couldn't remember the wording of my e-mail -- do we swim if it is at least 45? does it have to be above 45? Why couldn't the temp have been either 44 or 46 and avoided all this early morning drama. Okay, I agree that in the grand scheme of life this isn't very dramatic. But there is nothing more irritating than getting up, leaving the house at 4:45 a.m., driving to the pool, not being able to swim, and then driving home to wait until it is time for normal people to get up.

Well, since we haven't been in the water in a month, I erred on the side of working out and believed that we would be cut a one degree break. Nope. Drove to the pool, sat there with many other cars (apparently everyone was anxious) and no one showed up to let us in.

I guess I'll try again tomorrow. Unfortunately, the temp forecast for 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning is 40. Hopefully it will be wrong.

*** Last night I did a high cadence, easy gear spinning session for 1 hour 30 minutes. Jessi and I were able to watch a few UFC fights while I rode. It was very romantic.

Later.

Sorry, no time

2009-04-13T07:45:00.003-05:00

I have a lot going on this morning. Hopefully I will have time for an actual post later today. Otherwise, for workout log purposes. . . .

*** This weekend, I rode my bike trainer for an hour Friday night and 2 hours 45 minutes Saturday afternoon (I'm starting to get sick of this thing. I really need to get outside more). Sunday morning, I ran a little over 7.5 miles in 1:10 (it was supposed to be 9 miles, but I didn't have time to get it in before church).

Are you an Innie or an Outie

2009-04-10T07:51:00.002-05:00

Introverts and extroverts. Most people simply think that loud outgoing people are extroverts, while naturally shy people are introverts. While that is the case a large portion of the time, actually being introverted or extroverted depends on what you do to "charge your batteries." If you feel energized and refreshed after spending time with people, you are extroverted. An introvert, on the other hand, needs that ever so special alone time in order to re-energize.

Apparently, I'm a familyvert. Jessi and Bryce have been gone since Monday and I've been dragging a little more each day. I have been having trouble getting pumped up for key workouts (I've been doing them, but haven't been as excited about it as usual), and have been tired in the mornings despite being in bed early.

I wonder if there is another way to look at all of this (things can never be too simple). Maybe the charging has just as much to do with the other people, as the chargee. Some people are able to indiscriminately pick up energy from other, random people. Some people are only able to pick up energy after spending time with particular people (close friends and family). And some people require time alone because others tend to suck the energy out of them.

It sounds stupid now that I write this, but there has to be something to it. It is unbelievable how much better I feel heading out for an after work run if I have the opportunity to spend 20-30 minutes hanging and re-energizing with Jessi and Bryce. They better come home today -- I need a boost.

*** Last night I ran 6.65 miles in 1 hour, keeping each mile just under 9:00.

Maybe I'm not made for quiet

2009-04-09T07:49:00.003-05:00

I have been by myself all week. Jessi and Bryce have been in Florida since Monday staying with my parents (and trying to avoid the cold weather we had here). I always enjoy the first couple hours that I get to spend by myself, but then it gets a little too quiet. I'm looking forward to having them home to bug me a little.

*** Last night, I did a 90 minute interval session on the bike trainer - 30 warm up, 5X4/2, 30 cool down.

Easy is not trying, hard is irrelevant, and can't is possible

2009-04-08T08:00:00.004-05:00

Here's my thought for the day. It's not going to change the world as I had hoped, but maybe it will stir up a little thought. I believe the hardest thing about getting in shape or running distances is knowing what feeling "tired" means. It doesn't mean you have to stop. When people run, they get "tired." When distance runners feel that same feeling of "tired," they don't give it a second thought. They know what they are capable of, and feeling tiredness, discomfort, or agony, is just part of the process. Elite distance runners and endurance athletes regularly experience pain during their workouts that we probably couldn't imagine. It is impossible to discover your true capabilities without experiencing these feelings.

I have been out running numerous times (especially when I'm just starting to get back into shape for something) and convinced myself that I'm dying and need a rest or walk-break, but after stopping for just a second I feel fine. I didn't need a rest, I just thought I did. I just wasn't accustomed to the feeling of "tired." Tired doesn't mean you have to stop, it is just a way you feel sometimes. In reality, I just wasn't committed, wasn't aware of my true abilities, and didn't reach my goal. It makes me a little angry just thinking about this.

Maybe people spend too much time trying to avoid any kind of discomfort in life. Pain, discomfort, and suffering happens to everyone. They are parts of life just like everything else. We don't have to welcome and celebrate these bad feelings, but maybe we should appreciate them a little more instead of just trying to avoid them. More often than not, each "bad" feeling we experience holds a lesson that we have yet to learn. Both good things and bad things happen everyday -- but almost always, even the bad things turn out to be good things in the end.

I am hesitant to re-read this post because I'm sure it is a rambling mass of confusion. Sorry.

*** Last night I ran 6.8X miles in 1:00:XX, with three half mile fartleks in the middle. This morning I got up and rode my bike for 45 minutes before work. I have a hard cycle trainer workout on tap for tonight.

Out.

Nothing special

2009-04-07T08:10:00.004-05:00

Don't really have anything to write today. Last night I did a one hour spin session on my bike trainer trying to get the soreness out of my legs from the weekend. I ate dinner, did my bike workout, and went almost directly to bed. I would post about my thoughts and opinions, but I'm pretty sure I didn't have any last night. Apparently, I was a bit run down. 8 hours of sleep later, I feel recharged and will probably have an earth shattering thought to share in the morning.

*** Last night - 1 hour high cadence, easy gear spinning.

Later.

Humble Pie.

2009-04-06T08:06:00.003-05:00

My weekend workouts taught me an unwelcomed lesson in humility and complacency. On Saturday morning, Jessi, Bryce, my good buddy Jon, and I loaded up and traveled up the Trace to Alabama. A mile or two across the state line, Jessi and Bryce dropped Jon and me off with our bicycles and headed home. It was a great day for riding. The temperature was perfect, and the wind was into us the entire time -- a slight breeze most of the time, but a substantial headwind for the last 10-15 miles. I had a flat back tire around the halfway point and was able to fix it without any substantial delay or problems (something I've never done on the road before). We rolled into Tupelo a little after lunchtime, worked our way through crazy traffic, and arrived at my house feeling pretty good about ourselves.

Here is where the lesson kicks in. After my ride I felt great and actually developed a twinge of confidence about my upcoming race. I went through the rest of my day, attended a birthday party, played outside, went to dinner, and felt good about things. I felt so good about things that I never made an effort to properly rehydrate or prepare myself for my long run on Sunday. When I left for my run Sunday afternoon I felt fine. I took off (actually running entirely too fast) and realized after about 4 miles that something wasn't right. My legs were fine, but my body really didn't want to go anywhere. I was improperly fueled and dehydrated (worst feeling in the world). Let's just say the next 5 miles weren't pretty, and my twinge of confidence about my race in less than 5 weeks lasted less than a day.

The moral of the story -- Everyone knows not to dwell on bad things and tough times. The past is the past and does not define the future. That is a great lesson, but it is important to realize that it applies equally, with perhaps even more serious consequences, to successes and good outcomes. Just as failure in the past does not dictate failure in the future, success in the past does not guarantee success in the future.

There is no room for complacency in life or endurance sports. Everyone has the potential to do anything, good or bad. In one of my most recent posts I said that "tomorrow isn't promised to anyone." Well, that is true, but odds are that we will get to see tomorrow. Maybe it would be more beneficial to say that "tomorrow isn't promised to be as good (or as bad) as yesterday." You have to make it happen.

*** Saturday, I rode my bike just under 60 miles. The actual workout portion of the ride (before reaching serious Tupelo traffic) lasted around 3 hours and averaged 18.3 mph. On Sunday, I ran 9 miles in 1:25. I ran too fast, wasn't properly hydrated, and had zero fun.

This week, I am on my own for a few days. J & B are headed to Florida right now, so I will be focusing on normal exciting bachelor type stuff -- Working, working out, eating well, and getting as much sleep as possible.

Later.

Guys night

2009-04-03T07:52:00.002-05:00

I didn't get my scheduled run in last night, which was actually good because it stormed most of the time I would have been running. Jessi had an event to attend so Bryce and I played, ate dinner, played, and I rode my bike trainer after he went to bed (to play some more). We had a regular "guy" dinner of Clif Bars, corn, hummus, and bananas. Perhaps not exactly a traditional dinner, but we both seemed to enjoy it. We also practiced one of Bryce's newest skillz --tackling (actually he prefers to be tackled). I'm sure this will lead to a note home from school some day very soon.

*** Last night I rode my bike trainer for 1 hour. I have a make-up run scheduled for tonight, but I may actually skip it, do something lighter, and save my legs for my long ride tomorrow.

Later.

The Daily Grind?

2009-04-02T07:44:00.007-05:00

This term is extremely well known, but confuses me. I heard it mentioned yesterday and it stuck with me. When you think about it, life happens every day. I have heard life described as what happens while you are making other plans. Every day should be enjoyed and appreciated, not thought of as a "grind." Does the acceptance and commonality of the term mean that most people don't enjoy daily life? Are they just killing time and waiting on something else? Only living for the weekends? Planning to have some fun in 10 years? Maybe even waiting to enjoy retirement?

I'm not sure what to make of this, but it is something I'm thinking about. Tomorrow isn't promised, better make today a good one.

*** Last night I did an interval workout on my trainer for about an hour and a half -- 25 minute warm up, 6X4(hard)/2(easy), and 25 minute cool down.

See ya.

Staying on track

2009-04-01T07:58:00.003-05:00

I had a track workout planned for last night, but decided at the last minute to just do a good tempo run. After 4.5 miles (instead of the 1 mile warm-up my track workout called for) I started to feel guilty about not sticking to my schedule and then did my track work. The end result was a good workout, but I don't know how it will affect my training plan overall. I have to have faith in my training plan and preparation. If my plan calls for a short, hard run, that is what I should do, no matter how I feel.

I pretty much always have a lot of ideas running through my head. Most of the ones that pop up while I'm in the middle of something tend to be exciting, but not great in the long run. Sometimes it is better to stick to your game plan instead of constantly calling audibles.

*** Last night I ran a little over 7 miles in a little over an hour (I had no watch and no idea when I left the house). I ran a 4.5 mile warm-up, 3X800 hard w/400 cool downs, and a 1 mile wind down. I also got in a 1 hour spinning session on the bike trainer before work this morning.

Immediate Patience

2009-03-31T08:17:00.005-05:00

Running a little behind schedule at the moment. No time for any earthshattering revelations this morning, but I can tell you this. The other night during my run, I was listening to a podcast about "patience" and how necessary it is in order to really enjoy both life and endurance training. I actually turned my ipod off and spent a little time thinking about how to increase my level of patience as quickly as possible. It took me several minutes to realize the serious fallacy of my thought process. I had obviously missed the point -- I wanted the patience without being patient. I have a lot to learn.

*** Last night I did a hard spinning session on the bike trainer, 1 hour 20 minutes.

Hooray, it's Monday.

2009-03-30T07:44:00.002-05:00

I just got finished with a great weekend. Did some yard work, completed both of my long workouts, played outside with Bryce and Jessi, and even had time to go to a dinner party. My long run last night was probably the most miserable long run of all time. It wasn't physically hard, I felt great the entire time, I just really didn't want to be doing it. I just wanted to be home hanging out with the family and watching "ming ming tuck" (Wonderpets).

I spent almost the entire run thinking about how I'd rather be doing this, or that I wanted to do that, before finally realizing in the last few miles that I had to remain present, patient, and enjoy what was going on at the time. I wasn't out running for the fun of it, the run had a purpose and was scheduled several months ago. Even when I'm not doing exactly what I would like, my life is pretty good and I should always be aware of that.

*** Saturday afternoon I rode my bike trainer for 3 hours and 20 minutes. I rode moderately hard the entire time, going to harder gears and smashing during commercial breaks. It was incredibly boring, but when else can you watch this much t.v. and not feel lazy.

*** Sunday night I ran 10.4 miles in 1:41:XX. I ran another almost half mile without my Garmin turned on (My rate of equipment operator error is incredible) so I won't count it.

I am going to try and get in 2-3 two-a-day workouts this week and see if that helps either my energy level (which has been dragging a bit lately) or time management skillz. I am also in negotiations with Jessi to have her take me to Alabama this weekend, drop me off, and let me ride my bicycle back home (she seems to think of this as a strange request).

Later.
Danny.

Full Speed Ahead

2009-03-27T08:01:00.002-05:00

Okay, so here we go into another weekend of long workouts. Unfortunately, my other workouts are increasing to the point that my long workouts are not that much longer than my other stuff (and they are actually easier than some of the high intensity stuff). Today was my first Friday workout in a while. My training plan up to this point had included a rest day (and I haven't been swimming in several weeks). But from now on we are full speed ahead 7 days a week. My workouts are getting longer and harder, but at the same time I need to be careful because an injury at this point could really affect my plans.

I heard an interesting quote last night that seems to really relate to both life and my triathlon/endurance training. "Good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment." Take from that what you will . . . .

***Anyway, last night (Thurs.) I ran 6.5 miles in 1 hour. This morning (Fri.) I got up, did a hard 1 hour session on the bike trainer and then ran 2.25 miles in 19:XX. It wasn't very long, easy, or pretty, but it was completed. I guess it was more of a briquette than an actual brick (bike workout followed by run).

This morning was my first morning workout in a while. It feels really good to get a workout before work.

Later.

Necessary Skillz

2009-03-26T07:23:00.003-05:00

Apparently there is more to triathlon than being able to complete the distance with everything going smoothly. You also have to be able to complete the distance if everything goes wrong. As important as endurance training, is the basic skills needed to change tires and tubes, do simple bike maintenance, and I'm sure there is other stuff I just haven't needed yet.

Last night on my trainer ride, I got a flat tire (which seems like it really shouldn't happen). Anyway, I had no spare tubes so I got to play with my patch kit and actually made it work. I guess having a flat and not being able to fix it keeps you from finishing a race just as quickly as falling over on the side of the road from lack of conditioning. Got to prepare for everything.

*** Last night I rode the bike trainer for 1:45:00 with a flat tire interruption some where in the middle.

Later.

Time to get a little more serious

2009-03-25T08:07:00.003-05:00

I had a good workout last night, it was fairly short, but hard. In fact, my training schedule has more of this type work in it for the next 4-5 weeks. Up until now, I have primarily been building base mileage, but starting this week should be including much more speedwork and other hard effort drills. I have also decided that I need to be putting in more hours each week (Jessi wasn't necessarily thrilled with that, but was understanding. . . it's only 7 more weeks after all). I am planning to keep my evening workouts about the same as they have been, but add in some second morning workouts as well.

Today I have no pearl of wisdom, but do have an interesting observation from the track last night. Another man came out to do some walking, and instead of parking in the parking lot, he drove his car all the way up onto the sidewalk to the edge of the track. The only reason I can imagine for this method of parking is so he wouldn't have to walk the distance between the parking lot and the track. But he was going walking.

***Anyway, last night I did a 45 minute track workout and ran about 4.5-5 miles (of course I forgot to charge my Garmin and my battery died). I ran a 1 mile warm up, 3X800 hard with 400 easy in between, 1X400 hard, 400 easy, and a 1-1.5 mile cool down. Tonight I am scheduled for a bike ride with a short run afterwards (assuming the rain ever stops).

See ya.

I'm back, and ready. . .

2009-03-24T07:30:00.002-05:00

I took the weekend off of training and went on a camping/canoeing trip with a few of my good friends. We had a really good time, cooked on a fire, slept in tents, and canoed 20-some odd miles over the weekend. It is hard to imagine these days, but we spent almost an entire 48 hours without cell phone service.

Now I am back, and ready to begin my final training push. I have decided without a swimming pool available for the next couple weeks, I am just going to double up my regular workouts and hit the pool as much as possible for the final 3 weeks prior to the event. (I had made that decision in my head, but when I just wrote it out, it doesn't look very smart and I'll probably continue to think about it).

My life thought for the day pertains to the old discussion of wants versus needs. A lot of Zen, Walden, Simple Living type stuff revolves around this concept, but I had an experience with it this weekend. When loading my pack for my trip, I informed Jessi that since I was roughing it, I would only take the things that I absolutely needed and would definately use. Now, after spending two days on the river and returning home, my backpack sits in my living room with 95% of what I packed untouched. Overpacking seems to be a common theme for me whether I'm going on vacation, a camping trip, or doing something work related. It appears that I never need as much as I think, and even the stuff I want tends to do nothing but weigh me down.

*** Last night I ran 7 miles in 65:30. I ran 6 miles at a 9:30 pace, and ran my final mile in 8:30. Tonight I have a running track workout scheduled.

Later.

Another day at the park

2009-03-19T07:51:00.003-05:00

I'm really enjoying the longer days that come along with springtime. I got off work yesterday and went with Jessi, Bryce, and a couple kids next door to the park. Bryce had a big time and played on every piece of equipment down there. I also learned that he has a new skill. If you pick him up and let him get a good grip, he can hang from the monkey bars. I'm not sure if that is actually impressive or not, but I thought it was cool.

Anyway, after the park, I went for a 4 mile run. It took 37.XX minutes. During this time I listened to a podcast about conceit (I'm not sure what's up with all the self-help stuff I'm listening to these days, but be patient). Obviously, conceit exists when you think you are better than someone else. However, there is a completely different type of conceit that I have never realized -- when you think someone else is better than you. This type of anti-conceit is just as, if not more, burdensome than the traditional sense of the word.

In reality, the most fulfilling life, and the life most true to yourself, is when you can look at yourself without any type of benchmark set by others. I don't really think I'm too bad about this, but I am going to focus on it for the next week or so. When you really get down to it, comparing yourself to others is unhelpful, ultimately disappointing to someone, and results in wasted time and energy.

*** Last Night - 4.03 miles, 37.XX minutes.

Running in daylight

2009-03-18T07:38:00.003-05:00

I got off work yesterday and actually had an opportunity to run with the sun still up. I threw on my running clothes, left my Garmin behind, and went out to do my 5 mile loop. I was a little tight for the first 2 miles, but got loosened up and felt much better physically. However, I wasn't mentally "present." It was a beautiful spring afternoon, I was off of work early, and getting a run in before dinner - everything should have added up to a great run. But I was just bored and had to continually convince myself not to take a shortcut home.

I think I'm getting a little concerned about my event. I am inside "8 weeks until" and was finally starting to feel like I could cover the distance, and my swimming classes have been postponed until April 13. This is just a platform for additional doubts and bad thoughts. Oh well, I can't do anything about what takes place on May 9 right now. All I can do is acknowledge the obstacle and train as well as I can TODAY.

*** Last night I ran 5 miles in about 45-50 minutes (no Garmin or watch). Tonight I have a 40 minute run. I have reworked my schedule for this week to fit my longer workouts (usually Saturday and Sunday) into Thursday and Friday because of my camping/canoeing trip this weekend with the guys.

See ya,
Danny.

In case anyone cares.

2009-03-17T15:38:00.002-05:00

I just got word that the swimming pool is staying closed until April 13. This is a pretty substantial problem for me and is going to require some sort of "plan b". I'll let you know if or when, I come up with something. I'm going on a 20-something mile canoe trip this weekend. . . I guess I could swim most of that, but I would prefer something a bit warmer.

I'm back. . .

2009-03-17T08:23:00.002-05:00

Okay. Sorry I failed to update my blog as promised over the weekend, but I did get my workouts in, which I guess is more important. My family has been in town for my great aunt's 90th birthday party, which made it a little more difficult to get in large blocks of time, but at least Bryce was heavily entertained.

My weekend workouts consisted of a three hour ride on the bike trainer Saturday night and a 10 mile run Sunday morning. I felt pretty good on both. This was the first long workouts I have done in the bike-run order. Generally, I have been running on fresh legs when I do my long runs, but it actually felt pretty good to run a little soreness out for a change.

For most of my weekend workouts I had a philosophical argument with myself about whether I really appreciate life. I have so many great things going on (I actually couldn't dream up a better life), but have a tendency to get tied up and lose sight of how great things are "right now." I'm sure you all know someone that is always happy and never worried about what might come tomorrow. I'm sure you also know those that are so tied to their expectations for the future that they fail to see or experience what is happening right now. I have read somewhere that expectations are nothing but premeditated disappointments. It is okay to look forward to things and anticipate events in your life, but if your happiness is tied to any specific outcome, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Life tends to happen how it wants to, not how we want.

In order to enjoy and appreciate life, you have to enjoy and appreciate life at each point in time. I've often heard the saying that "Life is short, but if done properly it is long enough." It is my intention (and it being spring time makes it much easier) to focus more on the present and really appreciate each day. I can't do anything about next week or next year, but have control over what I am doing right now. . . . which is getting to work.

later.

*** oh, I did a 1 hour HARD bike trainer ride in a completely dark, quiet room last night. I couldn't even see a clock. It was awesome and I can tell that my legs are really getting stronger. Tonight is an hour run.

The week that won't end.

2009-03-13T09:05:00.002-05:00

I've almost made it to the end of the week. I promise that this weekend I will take a little time to catch up on the substance that is obviously missing from my last several posts. Until then. . . .

** Wednesday night I spent 2 hours on the bike trainer, and I was unable to do my planned 50 minute run last night. Tonight I am supposed to ride my bike for an hour, but I will probably blend last night's missed run with my scheduled bike ride to do my first small brick (biking followed by running) of this training period. Hopefully, things will go o.k.

Out.

Busy, busy, busy . .

2009-03-11T07:58:00.002-05:00

Don't really have time to comment, but wanted to update my log. I was unable to do the 1 hour bike ride I had planned for Monday night because I worked way too late and just went to bed. Last night I ran 5.5 miles in 52 minutes. Felt o.k., but wasn't very well hydrated and hadn't eaten any dinner. Just kinda drained (some of which may be from work lately).

I have two big deadlines at the end of this week, so hopefully I will be able to really get back on track training-wise after that. As for now, I'm just trying to hold on.

Later.

runnin' nekid.

2009-03-09T08:06:00.002-05:00

Here is my recap of my weekend workouts. First of all, allow me to explain the title of this post. I left to go on my long run Saturday morning planning to run 8 miles in 80 minutes. When I turned my trusty Garmin on, it beeped at my and said that it had a low battery. Of course, I ignored the warning and left for my run. After less than a half mile into the run, my Garmin was turned off and I was out there electronically naked.

At first, I am ashamed to say, I had a bit of panic run through me. How will I know my pace? How will I know how fast my heart is beating at each particular mile? How will I know the exact time and distance of my run? But then I realized that it didn't matter. I train by time for a reason, and I should just keep running and pay attention to what my body tells me. Although Garmin data is great, overreliance on such hard numbers can't be a good thing with endurance training. At some point you have to take your body into account.

I continued running my trusty 4.5 mile loop. Felt good and tried to take it slow (LSD run). I ran back by the house after finishing the loop to take some water and a gel. I was in the process of dropping off my dead Garmin as well, and decided to leave my ipod behind too. When I set out on my second loop, I was truly electronically naked and it was nice. It sounds stupid, but I actually felt lighter and less restricted. I took my time, enjoyed the warm weather we are finally getting, and finished my second 4.5 mile loop for a total of approximatly 9 miles and felt pretty good afterwards.

Sunday, I had tentative plans to go ride bikes with my buddy Jonny, but life and weather was making it a little difficult. I had some work to do Sunday afternoon, and wanted to play with Bryce since he and Jessi had been out of town for a couple days. These lame excuses, coupled with potential thundershowers and Jon's reluctance to get his hair wet, effectively cancelled my Oxford ride this weekend. Instead, I did a three hour ride on my bike trainer Sunday night. There is absolutely nothing exciting to write about that so I won't even bore you with any of those details.

Side note -- Bryce has learned to run! And he will tell you "Bice run" just so you don't miss it. We actually went to the track Sunday afternoon and he ran his first quarter mile. I'm not sure if that's legal, so please don't tell DHS, but I swear he did it. One full time around the track. This, together with about 180 trips down the slide, made for a pretty full afternoon and a serious need for a juice, bath and early bedtime.

***Anyway, officially -- Saturday, I ran about 9 miles in about 90 minutes. Sunday, I rode my bike trainer for three hours.

I also got an e-mail last night that swimming is cancelled for another week. I'm starting to get worried about this. Swimming fitness is really particular and it isn't easy to get stronger in the water without the opportunity to get in the water. I'm open to suggestions.

Later.

Last night, check.

2009-03-06T08:11:00.002-06:00

Last night's run was mostly completed. I was supposed to run 50 minutes. I ran a little over 40 and was having some knee pain. Since today is a rest day I thought it would be best to cut it a little short, rest it today, and be ready for my long run tomorrow.

*** I didn't download my Garmin info, so I'm not exactly sure what I ran last night, but it was around 42 minutes and 4.8 miles. I would like to do a substantial post and share some earthshattering insight with you this morning, but I am due in federal court shortly (and they really frown on tardiness).

Later.

Another busy day

2009-03-05T07:42:00.002-06:00

It seems like they come in waves. I have entirely too much to get done before lunchtime to write a post of any substance this morning. Jessi and Bryce are heading south this morning to see some of Jessi's family for the next couple days so I'll be struggling on my own until Saturday afternoon. Hopefully, I will make it.

***Anyway, last night I rode my bike trainer moderately hard for 1.5 hours. Tonight, I have a 50 minute run (hopefully will get in 5.5-6 miles).

My face is cold.

2009-03-04T08:18:00.002-06:00

I shaved my beard Saturday night, thinking I had finally made it to spring. Then I woke up on Sunday morning to 1-2 inches of show on the ground. I was, and still, am a little confused about that one. I guess you can never let your guard down.

I'm not joking about my face being cold thought. Last night it was around 40 degrees and I went for a 60 minute run. There really is a purpose for facial hair with regard to cold weather running.

Anyway, If you noticed that I have no entry from Monday it is because I completely blew off my workout. I was supposed to do 80 minutes on my bike trainer, but was just way too busy workwise. I came home from work, ate dinner, and the evening preparing for some lawyerly business I had on Tuesday. I had an appearance in Oxford Tuesday morning, and was due to be in court in Tupelo at 1:30 for most of the afternoon.

I guess it is unrealistic to think that I can get in every workout, especially with my schedule. I know I have been doing much better since starting this blog, so I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. I just completely skipped my Monday workout and went for my Tuesday run last night. It was the first really good feeling run I've had in a while. Maybe that little unplanned rest day did me some good.

*** Last night (3/3/09) I ran 6.43 miles in 58:** minutes -- a 9:10 mile/min avg pace. I felt good and ran my last three miles faster than my first three. I almost wanted to keep going. . . . but my face was cold and I had a little buddy at the house wanting to play "chase and squeal." I guess that counts as a partial workout as well.

I really need to get back in the pool, which is supposed to open back up Monday. Having swimming cancelled has been costing me 3-4 hours of workouts a week that I haven't been able to make up for. I need to increase my volume as I am closing inside 10 weeks from my triathlon.

Another week down

2009-03-02T08:41:00.002-06:00

Well -- I made it through another week. My weeks are running a little different than normal. They begin on Monday and end with Sunday. I think it works just as good as the traditional way. Anyway, I had a pretty uneventful weekend. Had a good run Saturday, and last night Jessi let me set up my bike and trainer in the middle of the living room to watch T.V. during my 2 hour trainer ride (I'm not quite sure how that fits in with my T.V. makes you stupid post, but that it what I did). I know the trainer sound gets annoying after a while, but she really didn't seem to mind.

I was reading Walden for about the 19 hundredth time last night and had a thought regarding "multitasking." Obviously, it is a good skill to have and is downright necessary in my line of employment, but there is a fine line between doing all you can, and taking on a little too much. Once you overload there is no going back. It is actually similar to endurance training, in that you have to take a real, honest, inventory of your abilities. There are some things you just can't fake.

I came across a quote the other day that I liked, so I wrote it down. Now, having lost the sheet of paper I wrote it down on, I'll try and reinact it to the best of my ability -- "When juggling, if you add one thing too many, you don't just drop that one thing, you drop them all."

Everyone has their limitations. There are only so many balls you can keep in the air at one time. It is important to have a realistic view of your abilities, as well as your limiters -- with an honest self-awareness, each of these can actually be used to your benefit. It is important to know your limits (I'm pretty sure I just stole that from a beer commercial, but I guess it could apply to more than one situation).

*** Last night I had 2 hours on the trainer, moderate effort with hard effort during commercial breaks. I also got an e-mail last night saying that the pool will be closed for another week. This really isn't a good time for me to take 2 weeks off swimming, but I guess you have to roll with the punches. Anyway, the swim is only 1.2 miles. What could happen? Tonight I have a 70-80 minute bike ride.

Later.
Danny.

I've been running 45 minutes late since Thursday

2009-02-28T13:24:00.002-06:00

I'm starting to figure out that triathlon training is approximately 80% mental, 50% physical, and 30% selective memory. Mental toughness is more important than physical ability when it comes to endurance sports. Everyone gets tired, but once you become absolutely certain that you will finish your workout, the rest is just going through the motions. The selective memory part is necessary so that you can hold on to the good workouts and feelings of success while automatically deleting any memory regarding muscle pain, cramps, and tiredness.

I've had an extremely busy week, and have really dreaded most of my workouts. I had a tightly scheduled work week, and once have been running behind ever since mid-week. If all things go as planned, I will be completely caught up by the end of this weekend. The pool has been closed all week for work on the drain. It is supposed to be open Monday, so that will be a help. I tend to be more productive throughout the day if I get up early and get a workout in. I just don't seem to have the ability to get up early and run or bike on my own.

*** Thursday night (planned 35 minute run) I ran 3.91 miles in 33:15 (8:30/min avg pace).

*** Friday was another off day. Hopefully the pool will be ready to open back up next week. I need to get back in the water.

*** Saturday (planned 70 minute long run) I ran 7.33 miles in 1:08:15 (9:18/min avg pace).

Small victories. . .

2009-02-26T07:48:00.003-06:00

Well, the purpose of this training blog paid off last night. I got home from work late, ate dinner, went to Petsmart to get dog food, hung out with Bryce a little, and completely convinced myself that missing a short bike trainer workout wouldn't be a big deal. But then I relized that I would have to document my failure to complete my training plan. Obviously, it didn't bother me at first, but when I sat down on the couch and started to turn on the T.V. I realized that "following through with things" is the purpose of this entire ordeal. Anyway, I don't really have anything to say today other than. . . I did what I said I would do even though I really didn't want to, and I feel pretty good about it.

*** Last night I did 1:10 on the bike trainer. 20 minute warm up, 20 minutes moderately hard, 10x2 min easy/hard, and a 10 minute cool down. Tomorrow night I have a 35 minute run.

Bye.

Looking for my Chi -- Have you seen it?

2009-02-25T07:43:00.004-06:00

Yep -- It is inevitable that I title one of my posts Chi Running. I've been trying it for the past couple months and talked about it with a few people. Everyone I have explained it to so far has told me that it is the dumbest thing they have ever heard, except for the people that have actually tried it (isn't that strange). The Chi Running method which was developed by a guy named Danny Dryer, and incorporates ancient Tai Chi principles into endurance running. The idea is to put your body in a position to run naturally using your Chi, which you keep in your core just below your belly button (I'm still learning). The book contrasts two types of running, Chi Running and Power Running.

Power runners use their muscles to run. They pump their legs up and down and swing their arms forward to help propel them. This works if you are Michael Johnson sprinting 100 meters, but is not very energy efficient and generally results in over-striding and more pounding than necessary. Using that type of energy and muscle power just isn't practical when running long distances (especially after swimming and biking when you just don't have that type of energy and power).

Chi Running, on the other hand, is based on the principle that proper body position and mental focus will basically allow your body to work the way it was intended. The Chi Running method was developed with the idea that the less "power" you use, the more ground you can cover with less energy use. You certainly won't win a 100 meter sprint, but this type of thing can really come in handy in long-distance runs and triathlons. The main idea, leaving out all the hokey Tai Chi stuff that most of you are probably not interested in, is that if you keep the proper posture and body alignment, lean forward at your ankles, and relax your body, you will rely less on muscles and "power" and more on the ligaments and infrastructure of your body to provide your forward motion. I know, it sounds a little out there, but the book provides a much more thorough explanation than my few poorly worded sentences.

Which brings me to another point. This blog is something that I am doing before work every day. I sit down at my desk, grab a cup of coffee, and write out a quick post before I start my day. Anyway, each of these posts are written quickly and informally. I don't reread what I have types and I certianly don't edit them. I don't figure there are near enough people that will ever see this to warrant that type of effort. So, enjoy the posts if you elect to read them, and I apologize, in advance, for the litany of typos, grammatical errors, and general incoherency running rampant throughout this blog. Welcome to my world. . . .

*** Last night I ran 5.39 miles in 49 minutes. I felt o.k., but my shins were really tight for the first couple miles. I started focuing on some of the main Chi Running checkpoints, really tried to loosen my legs up, and was able to get the tightness worked out within a mile. The rest of my run felt great. Maybe it's a bunch of bunk, maybe it's not, but if it works . . . I'll certainly give it a go.

Later.

T.V. makes you stupid.

2009-02-24T07:42:00.003-06:00

I had a busy day at work yesterday. I came straight home to a good dinner and played with Bryce until he went to bed around 8. Then I got my bike set up on my trainer (read: the trainer I borrowed from Jon and have no intention of returning) and rode for 1:10. I don't use any fancy equipment when I spend my time on the trainer, last night I didn't even have my heart rate monitor on. I just sat on my bike in a dark room, listened to a podcast, and spun away to get a good sweat going. It's strange, but I really can't think of anything more relaxing.

As a lot of people know, I really think that extreme amounts of television watching can substantially reduce your thought process. This doesn't mean I don't watch t.v. On the contrary, I have reached my conclusion through years of scientific study sitting in what some would consider a television induced coma. It makes me cringe everytime I see Bryce so fixated on the idiot box that he can't even hear you call his name. But he does pretty good -- he would rather play legos and choo-choo than watch t.v. most of the time, unless the Backyardigans or Spongebob are on (but who can blame him).

A few months (or maybe a year, time is speeding up) ago I went two full weeks without watching T.V. It was probably the most productive two weeks of my life. Say, for example, you generally watch T.V. from 8 to 10 every night (which is about normal for me), it ia absolutely amazing what else you can get accomplished during that time. Anyway, the craziness of my current schedule has necessitated a prioritization of my time and attention, which I think couldn't have come at a better time. I won't make a list of them here, but I can assure you that T.V. is way towards the bottom.

*** Last night I rode the trainer for 1:10. High cadence, low resistance. Tonight I have a 50 minute run.

See ya.

When does the fun part start?

2009-02-23T07:59:00.000-06:00

Well, I went to Oxford yesterday to ride with Jonny. He pretty much smoked me the entire day. It was very cold and very windy. 40 degrees isn't too terribly cold when running, but it is a bit chilly on the bike. Luckily, Jon had an extra pair of really manly tights that he let me borrow. I had a lot of trouble getting my legs going, which I think was partially to blame on my Saturday run. I felt comfortable and my heart rate was staying at an appropriate level, but I just didn't have a much power when I told my legs to GO. I make a lot of small guy jokes to my buddy Jonny. Unfortunately, it is hard to make fun of a guy's build when he is scampering up mountains because gravity has no effect on him. I can say that Jon looked extremely small most of the day, but that was because he was so far ahead of me I could barely see him.

I think part of my general fatigue stems from the amount of training I've been doing the past few weeks. This brings me to the good news -- today starts a RECOVERY week. My biking and running schedules are slightly reduced, and my swim classes (even though they are still on my training schedule) are cancelled due to pool construction. I will replace my swimming workouts with light bike trainer and running sessions, but really concentrate on eating well and catching up on some much needed rest this week.

I mentioned "fun" in the title of this post. My question is. . . is this process even supposed to be "fun?" is my idea of "fun" just different than most people's idea of "fun?" does the "fun" part wait and kick in all at once? should I be doing this at all if it isn't "fun?"

I think the answer is a little bit of each. Take into account my ride yesterday -- I almost froze my unmentionables off, was tired and fairly weak feeling the entire time, sat on a bike seat for over 40 miles, and by most people's standards really didn't have any "fun" at all. But the second we pulled back into the driveway, I felt great about myself and was completely glad I had done it. Maybe that feeling of accomplishment is the "fun." Maybe the fun comes before and after the workout, with just a few little periods of enjoyment during (if you are lucky). Maybe the fun is in just knowing you did it. Maybe the fun (at least for nerds like me) is in reading magazines, books, and catalogs in search of the newest fad that promises to make all of this easier.

All in all -- except for the exhaustion, hunger, crankiness, and soreness -- I really am having a lot of "fun" with this. At least there are only 11 weeks left.

*** Yesterday, I rode 40.8 miles in 2:37:15, a 15.6 MPH average speed (This data is from Jon and I can not verify its accuracy since I am too stupid to remember to turn my Garmin on for a substantial portion of the ride.) Tonight, I have a 1 hour session on the bike trainer.

Later.

Danny.

LSD has blown my mind!

2009-02-21T20:01:00.001-06:00

Sorry, but this post won't be as exciting as the title makes it appear. I'm not talking about Woodstock, or anything interesting for that matter, but the LSD in the title is a reference to a certain type of training run. My schedule includes 4 types of runs: tempo runs, fartleks (tee hee!), LSDs (long, slow distance), and recovery runs. Each run has a purpose, and the purpose of LSD is to spend time on your feet, keep your heart rate under control, and increase your endurance. During a LSD, you are supposed to run them much slower than anything else, which is what I have a lot of trouble actually doing. Today was a beautiful (but very windy) Saturday afternoon. I ran just before lunchtime and there was a good bit of traffic out. I couldn't just let all those people see me running slowly. They could have thought I was tired or weak or something.

Last week I got a Garmin Forerunner 305 and have really enjoyed it so far. For those of you that aren't familiar, it is essentially a GPS enabled watch with a built in heart rate monitor. If used properly, the information provided by a Garmin can be invaluable to the development of a training plan. Hopefully, I will learn how to use it someday. Before my Garmin I ran by feel like always, and scheduled my runs according to time and just guessed at distance later. I would run 30 minutes and call that 3 miles (which used to be pretty close to correct). However, my Garmin has shown me that I actually have been running a lot faster than I thought, especially on my shorter runs. Don't get me wrong, I'm still not fast and never will be, but maybe someday fast-ish could be a fair description.

This afternoon I left the house telling Jessi I wanted to run super slow (my goal was 10:30 min/mile). A few minutes later, I ran back home to get the Garmin I forgot to take with me. I left again with a goal to run slower than 10 minute miles, as was still my goal 25 minutes later when I realized I still hadn't turned my Garmin on.

I have been listening to some strange podcasts lately which are focused towards endurance training and nutrition. One in particular is centered around applying Zen ideas and philosophies to triathlon training. A lot of it is a little out there, but I believe that there is real merit in the simplicity of the Zen school of thought. Easy training days are meant to be easy, while hard days are meant to be hard. Training moderately hard every day will not provide the benefit that mixing up your effort levels will do. Everything has its own purpose, which is kind of the point.

I have two Zen quotes that have been bouncing around my head most of the day:

1. "Eat when Hungry, Sleep when tired." -- Our bodies, and life in general, is not nearly as complicated as we make them out to be. This is especially beneficial to a overplanner like myself and hopefully I will be able to incorporate it into my daily schedule a little more. I will only eat when I'm hungry (which is all the time lately), and if I ever actually get tired, I plan to go to sleep.

2. "When washing dishes, just wash dishes." -- O.k. the dishwashing subject of this one really makes it easy to overlook, but there is some real benefit to this statement if you can get past the dishwashing craziness. Focus on what you are doing when you are doing it. It will always result in your best work. That is all there is to it.

*** Today, I ran 85 min. 13 sec. and went 8.73 miles. Tomorrow, I am heading to Oxpatch and riding 40-45 miles with my good buddy Jonny. He drug me all over Abbeville a couple weeks ago, I can't wait to see what he has in store for tomorrow. He did tell me earlier tonight that "active rain cancels my appearance." He has always been a little bit of a diva. He also claims to have Lance Armstrong's time trial bike, so I'm looking forward to seeing that. Anyway, I don't expect rain tomorrow and I'll try and check in . . .

Later. Danny.

Winter makes me SAD and lazy.

2009-02-20T07:40:00.000-06:00

Jessi was speaking with a friend last night, and apparently the conversation turned to trying to figure out the motivation behind some of my more curious behaviors (the outcome of which is never really good, but that is what counselor types do). Apparently the subject last night was my endurance type events. When we found out Jessi was pregnant with Bryce, I was training for a half-marathon. When Bryce was born, I was training for a sprint triathlon. And now, when we found out about #2, I am in training for a half-iron distance triathlon. First of all, let me say that I am not nearly as complex or complicated as Jessi and her friends give me credit for being. But, in an effort to hopefully satisfy them, and maybe even clarify the purpose of this for myself, I thought I would write down a few of the reasons I am doing what I'm doing.

1. I really hate wintertime. Not necessarily because of the cold weather, which I can handle, but the short days really get to me. I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. My energy level drops and I am not very fun to be around. The two things that I have found to really help this are good diet and exercise. Unfortunately, I have never been able to keep up an exercise schedule just for the sake of exercise, and I have a well known tendency to overdo things. But the extra motivation that comes with being "registered" for something that I am currently unable to do really helps me stay focused (and/or slightly panicked) and helps get me through the winter. It makes the short days easier on both myself and everyone that has to be around me.

2. I think family does have something to do with it. I never really understood how it could happen, but something about knowing that you are about to become a father really makes you think differently about things. It made me think so differently that I signed up for a half marathon without being in shape at all. That may have been a bit of a knee-jerk reaction, but I think it is important to set a good example for the kiddos. I don't want laziness to creep in and infect them while they are young. My dad always ran when I was growing up, it didn't necessarily make me want to run then, but maybe it has something to do with the way I am now (hopefully not too much to do with it). I do want to stick around and take care of my peoples as long as possible, and maybe this exercise thing will be just enough to overcome some of the less beneficial habits that we all know I possess.

3. It gives me time to decompress. My job is a hard one to turn off after leaving the office. When I go home, I have a tendency to sit around and think either about what I did that day or what I have to do the next. Changing clothes and going running for an hour really helps me shift out of work mode and get a little better perspective on life.

4. It is just always fun to sign up for something I am obviously unable to do, and then figure out a way to make it happen. Actually, a perfect example of this is the time I registered for my first triathlon -- I didn't even own a bike. Everyone needs to push themselves every now and then. Sometimes you will really be surprised at what you can accomplish. All you have to do it tell your friends you are going to do something, and make sure they give you hell until you actually do it. If you have surrounded yourself with the right friends, there is absolutely no backing out.

*** Last night (2/19) -- I ran 5.1 miles in 44.01 minutes starting around 6:45. Today is an off day. My training schedule has all Fridays scheduled as "off days", but I never actually get to enjoy them because I have swimming on Fridays. Swimming has been cancelled this morning and all next week (pool maintenance), which is perfect because next week is a scheduled recovery week anyway (every fourth week in my plan includes a reduction in training to help prevent injury and exhaustion).

This weekend, I have a scheduled 80 minute run on Saturday morning and a 45 mile bike ride on Sunday. I'll try and check in after each of those.

Later.

Post # 1 -- Plan and Purpose

2009-02-19T07:53:00.000-06:00

As pretty much everyone knows, I am a bit of a dreamer. I have a tendency to come up with ideas and plans that seem exciting and adventurous, but usually turn out to be incredibly dangerous and just plain stupid (as I finally realized when I was climbing out of a frozen lake a few weeks ago). Generally, I have been able to convince some of my lower functioning friends to participate in my "plans" with me, but it looks like I'm on my own for this one.

Anyway -- For my next "project" I have decided to train for and compete a half-iron distance triathlon. When I first came up with the idea, I was able to calm myself by repeatedly thinking, "it's only a half" and "people do the full every day." Well unfortunately, I have now realized that a half is not a piece of cake, that people don't actually do the full every day, and that this race will take me a solid 6.5 hours to complete (assuming everythign goes well).

For those of you that don't know, a half iron distance event consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run. The event I am signed up for is the Gulf Coast Triathlon which takes place on May 9, 2009, in Panama City Beach, FL (I think that is the correct city, I better double check that). I have been following a training plan for the past 12-13 weeks, but have not been keeping a proper log or doing anything that would actually hold me accountable to my training schedule (or my friends). Hence, the purpose of this blog.

The plan is for me to get on here every day and post what I have done and how I'm feeling about things. I know that these topics will be of absolutely no interest to anyone but myself, and I am o.k. with that. But, if you would like to keep up with my newest "project," you are more than welcome to follow along.

**** Also, let me take this opportunity to thank Jessi, my wonderful wife, for allowing me the opportunity to do this. It doesn't really seem like alot, but when combined with my work schedule, finding 7-10 hours a week to train really takes a toll on some of our down time and what I'm able to do around the house (not that I was terribly helpful to begin with). So, thanks Jessi, and hopefully this will teach me to make future projects a little less involved. After all, it's only 11 weeks and 2 days away (that sent a little panic through me).

O.K. -- so here goes. . . .

Yesterday (2/18/09) -- I went to my masters swim class at 5:00 a.m. for about 1 hour and 20 minutes (appx. 2000 yards). Last night at 7:00 p.m. I ran for 58:01 minutes -- 6.32 miles.

Today (2/19/09) -- I went to swimming this morning, arriving at 5:00 a.m. to find out that I failed to check my e-mail last night and swimming was cancelled for the day. I am of the opinion that I still get credit for this workout because I really hate getting up that early. I have a 40 minute run on my schedule for tonight.

Later,
Danny.