Almost Time To Start On The Base

   

It finally to a force of nature to get me on the indoor trainer. This fall has been very seasonable and dry till this point and I have been able to ride outside everyday. Yeah, there were some chilly mornings but the saving grace this fall has been what I consider a lack of high winds. There have been some breezy mornings but nothing what I would consider truly windy. But for the next few days here we will be dealing with "Frankenstorm" or Hurricane Sandy. With all the social media out there now, I find it funny that somebody even created a twitter account for so called storm. Thankfully I will only need to be indoors for 3 days as one of the days is a track workout and swim day. Now, the big question is.....will I be able to avod the "dreadmill"???

Training continues to go well and I am getting excited to get started on my 70.3 training. My swim workouts have been going well and the only thing left is to start building some volume in my running. I am hoping that I can consistently be around 30-35 miles per week by the end of November then prepare to build to the 40-45 range.

New training totals:

Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 153 miles/ 7.13 hours/ 21.4 mph
Runs - 4 runs/ 23.5 miles/ 2.85 hours/ 7:16 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 4 miles/ 2.01 hours
Total - 13 workouts/ 180.5 miles/ 11.99 hours

2012
Bike - 230 rides/ 7301 miles/ 340.95 hours/ 21.4 mph
Run - 151 runs/ 938.25 miles/ 112.53 hours/ 7:12 per mile
Swim - 106 workouts/ 93.25 miles/ 45.88 hours
Total - 487 workouts/ 8332.5 miles/ 499.36 hours

Goals for Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150-160 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 25-28 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 3-4 miles

With track & field starting this week, I will be quickly working on a new training schedule. The academic year gets crazier now; but I would not have it any other way!

Kona in 2013!

Racing Clean - Only Way I Know

 



Will we ever believe again that any amazing performance or world record performance is clean? While we all wanted Lance to be clean, probably more for his cause, but then finding George Hincapie was right there with him is the icing on the cake. At least in cycling, who can you trust???? Then Runners World runs an article about a guy who dopes so he can win some money at low key races where he knows no testing will be done. And yesterday I read about a 51 year old age grouper in triathlons was caught for doping. Are we serious? What pisses me off more is the naive people who bash Lance through all of this like their respective sport is clean?? Get with it people, there is doping in every thing, it just sucks that we as fan cannot trust anyone any more......

One thing you can trust (I hope) is that I am doing this clean!  While I know I can be a very good age grouper but I do not see myself needing to dope as no major endorsements will be coming my way. I just have a few simple dreams left to achieve and I am pretty sure I can achieve them with sheer talent and genetics alone. Hopefully, as I work hard to achieve my dreams, along the way some new, proven clean athlete comes along and gives us something to believe in!

Here are my new clean training totals

Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 182 miles/ 8.27 hours/ 22.0 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 20.25 miles/ 2.39 hours/ 7:05 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 4 miles/ 1.98 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 206.25 miles/ 12.64 hours

2012
Bike - 225 rides/ 7148 miles/ 333.82 hours/ 21.4 mph
Run - 147 runs/ 914.75 miles/ 109.68 hours/ 7:11 per mile
Swim - 102 swims/ 89.25 miles/ 43.87 hours
Total - 474 workouts/ 8152 miles/ 487.37 hours

Goals for Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 145-165 miles
Run - 4 runs 24-28 miles
Swim - 4 swims/ 3-4 miles

Say what you will, but as someone who had cancer I will continue to wear my Livestrong Bracelet! Maybe under wrong pretenses his success fueled the groups success but it is still something that needs to live on!The only difference now is I may gain more motivation from my "Lipstrong" bracelet since I know that guy (me) is doing it right.

If you need them I have more "Lipstrong" bracelets available and they are green. I joking made them in reference to my skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) in my lip the resulted in having 3/4 of my bottom lip removed.

Ready for 2013 race season! Kona or bust!

2013 Starting To Shape Up

   

7 month 3 week 4 days till EnduraFit Ironman 70.3 Eagleman......but who i counting?

After watching the streaming of the Ironman World Championships, I am counting and the time will not be able to go by fast enough. It will be a little time before I get into a very specific training schedule but current continues to go well. Currently, my focus is remaining very close to the volume I'll built up to while racing as I know I have some work to do to make up for 14 years away from triathlons. Now, while I was competing as a runner and cyclist during that stretch, I know my training was not triathlon specific.

My reasoning to register for Eagleman pretty much came down to it had slots for Ironman 70.3 World Championship and Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. My goal is to qualify for Kona over Vegas. While the physical training may not begin yet, the mental preparations are already underway.

In the meantime, training continues to go well. I am back into a swing of solid swim workout and a track workout every week. My swimming has improved a bit over the past few weeks and last Sunday I was able to swim 2000 yards in 30:00. My track workouts have helped me drop my average per mile pace for a run from 7:12-15 to 7:00-7:05. The bike continue to be my bet discipline right now as I have been averaging 22mph per ride September 1st. Even today with wind and 1200+ feet of climbing, I was able to average 21.3mph.

New Training Total
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150 miles/ 6.90 hours/ 21.7 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 25.5 miles/ 2.98 hours/ 7:01 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 4 miles/ 1.96 hour
Total - 13 workouts/ 179.5 miles/ 11.84 hours

2012
Bike - 220 rides/ 6966 miles/ 325.55 hours/ 21.4 mph
Run - 144 runs/ 894.25 miles/ 107.29 hours/ 7:12 per mile
Swim - 98 swims/ 85.25 miles/ 41.88 hours
Total - 462 workouts/ 7945.5 miles/ 474.67 hours

This Week's Goals
Bike - 5 rides/ 145-165 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 24-28 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/  3-4 miles

Link to Eagleman 70.3:
http://www.tricolumbia.org/events/?eid=2

Let the fun begin soon!

2013 Race Season - Dreams Will Not Be Thwarted!

 

It kind of goes without saying that this week's music choice would be "The Boss"! Yesterday, iI borke down and decided that I had to purchase tickets for his show at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, PA. The concert is November 1st and I am so pumped to see him with the E Street Band. I have seen him before but it was when he was touring with the studio band for Human Touch and Lucky Town. I know it won't be the  original band without the Big Man and Danny but how many more times will I have to see a legend such as Bruce in central Pa?

With my plans for the 2013 racing season this is also a very appropriate song and one of my favorite Bruce songs. I believe it is a song that so many can relate too! October 9th will be the beginning of my dream for the 2013 race season. On October 9th registration for the Ironman 70.3 Eagleman  opens up. I have that race in my sights as it will have qualifying slots for Kona and the 70.3 World Championships! Time to get to work!

It was another solid week of training and my motivation continues to rise. New training totals:

Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 178 miles/ 8.09 hours / 22.0 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 20.25 miles/ 2.38 hours/ 7:03 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 4 miles/ 2.02 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 202.25 miles/ 12.49 hours

2012
Bike - 215 rides/ 6816 miles/ 318.64 miles/ 21.4 mph
Run - 140 runs/ 868.75 miles/ 104.32 hours/ 7:12 per mile
Swim - 94 swims/ 81.25 miles/ 39.96 hours
Total - 449 workouts/ 7766 miles/ 462.92 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150-175 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 23-28 miles
Swim - 4 swims/ 3-4 miles

With my big aspirations for 2013, I know my training will need to be taken to the next level. Things have already started in that direction but still a long way to go. It seems like an eternity since I last toed the line in Kona, but I  am now certain it is time to return and correct my last race there!

"I said this train...
Dreams will not be thwarted
This train...
Faith will be rewarded"
Bruce Springsteen - Land of Hope and Dreams