1ST OF MANY RULES FOR TRIATHLETES

As I have been promising for a few months, this post will start my countdown of my unofficial rules for triathletes. These rules are a collection of my observations over the last 20+ years of competing as an endurance athlete. While these are geared at triathletes, I believe they can also be applied to cyclist and runners or any endurance athlete.

Since, I am officially done my race season for 2013 and I am in my boring phase of training, I figured I would make an attempt to entertain you to keep you reading my blog. You may find that these rules are silly and others make take offense but it is my blog....so who cares! 

There is no particular order to these rules at this point as I am not sure how many I will have but eventually it will culminate with the ultimate rule for triathletes. So for now I will just post rules and in the end rank them order of importance and publish the full list.

So without further delay.....here is one of my rules for triathletes and a good one to start with ......

Rule # ? 
A Beer Will Not Ruin Your Training

Have we forgotten about the days when Bud Light and Coors Light sponsored a race series? Back in those days beer and triathlons went hand-in-hand. Where did things go wrong?

Too often now,  I read on Facebook, Twitter or Blog Post, statements like, it is race season so no more alcohol......Are you kidding me?!?!?! 

I can recall back, in 1993, receiving  a beer bucket with 3 beers as my prize for an age group win. I thought it was the greatest prize ever.....of course until I won money at a few races. 

Now I am not saying go out and get drunk, but there is no research out there that shows that one should give up a drink to perform better. Hell, some recent studies have shown it may be just as effective as water in hydrating after a race! And you have to admit, it does taste and feel good going down after a hard effort in a race or workout. Also, don't mess around with crappy beers and drink real beers. If it is not brewed with malted barley or you need to put a lime or orange slice in it, then you are drinking the wrong beer!

I hope you have enjoyed my first rule and feel free to send suggestions. 

Now for the reason of the blog.....training totals

Week 
Bike - 4 rides/ 135 miles/ 6.55 hours/ 20.6 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 27.75 miles/ 3.43 hours/ 7:24 per mile
Swim - 2 swims/ 1.5 miles/ .71 hours
Total - 9 workouts/ 164.25 miles/ 10.69 hours

2013
Bike - 194 rides/ 6304 miles/ 292.91 hours/ 21.5 mph
Run - 135 runs/ 881 miles/ 108.16 hours/ 7:22 per mile
Swim - 114 swims/ 107.75 miles/ 53.12 hours
Total - 443 workouts/ 7292.75 miles/ 454.19 hours

Goals This Week (last week of transition)
Bike - 4 rides/ 135-55 miles
Run - 3 runs/ 24-28 miles
Swim - 2-3 swims/ 1.5 2 miles

People will often ask what am I on to complete my training?
What am I will I be on?

I will be on my bike 7-10 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-3 hours a week and on the roads running 2-3 hours a week in 2014......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery! 

Kona 2014!

Beer & Blog - Excitng Evening In The Grove

Sometimes during these transition phases of training I wonder if I should continue to bore you every week as training during this stretch is quite boring. All my training at this point is pretty much just a maintenance of what I have built up since January and speed workouts are basically non-existent at this point. Looking at the meet schedule for my cross-country teams, I have decided to take this transition phases to October 6th. At that point, I will start a 2-3 month base building phase with the idea of qualifying for Kona in 2014.

Today, I finished my second week of transition. I kept volume to about 10 hours of training and 9 workouts not counting my functional core routine that I have added to my training schedule twice a week. Since August, I have been very consistent about performing this specific routine and I have felt its benefits in my last few races. I have introduced my cross-country teams to this routine and they are swearing up and down about it and it is showing in their results. As I moe up age groups and get old (45-49 in 2014), I will need to maintain some strength.

I have also decided that I will continue to blog each week but to add some life to it I will start a countdown of my unofficial rules for all triathletes. These rules are based on my observations over the last 20+ years of competing as an endurance athlete. These rules may nit be for the thin skinned!

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 4 rides/ 135 miles/ 6.51 hours/ 20.7 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 25.75 miles/ 3.12 hours/ 7;16 per mile
Swim - 2 swims/ 1.6 miles/ .68 hours
Total - 9 workouts/ 162.25 miles/ 10.31 hours

2013
Bike - 190 rides/ 6169 miles/ 286.36 hours/ 21.5 mph
Run - 132 runs/ 853.25 miles/ 104.72 hours/ 7:21 per mile
Swim - 112 swims/ 106.25 miles/ 52.41 hours
Total - 434 workouts/ 7128.5 miles/ 443.49 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 4 rides/ 135-55 miles
Run - 3 runs/ 24-28 miles
Swim - 2-3 swims/ 1.5-2 miles

People will often ask what am I on to complete my training?

What am I will I be on?

I will be on my bike 7-10 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-3 hours a week and on the roads running 2-3 hours a week in 2014......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery! 

Kona 2014!

The countdown begins next week!

Kona 1997

Between Seasons - Time To Work On My Official Triathlete Rules (Rule #1 Don't Be A Douche!)

It feels somewhat weird to know that the 2013 race seasons in the books. Minus the bike malfunction at Eagleman, it was a very good year as I had 4 top 10 finishes in the four triathlons I competed after Eagleman. I also ended the season with my first ever triathlon victory to build some motivation as I start to prepare for the 2014 season.

This past week started a two to three week transition period until I start building a base for the 2014 season. I am looking to start my base training a tad earlier than last year as I may (hopefully not) actually have to do a full Ironman to qualify for Kona.  If that is the case, I may need a few more miles under belt....just a few! Hopefully all goes well at Eagleman in 2014 I won't need to kill myself 4-6 weeks later at an Ironman event!!!

The training over the next few weeks will be more of the maintenance variety. I am not looking to put in high mileage or extreme workouts. I have some very easy goals for these weeks but definitely want to maintain all the cardiovascular benefits I have built over the past two year of training. I also plan to to put together a race and training schedule over the next few weeks. Lastly, I will also have my unofficial triathlete rules complete over the next few weeks. If I have not pissed all triathletes off now, I will by time I publish them!!

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 4 rides/ 136 miles/ 6.64 hours/ 20.5 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 24 miles/ 2.95 hours/ 7:22 per mile
Swim - 2 swims/ 1.5 miles/ .67 hours
Total - 9 workouts/ 161.5 miles/ 10.26 hours

2013
Bike - 186 rides/ 6034 miles/ 279.85 hours/ 21.6 mph
Run - 129 runs/ 827.5 miles/ 101.60 hours/ 7:21 per mile
Swim - 110 swims/ 104.75 miles/ 51.73 hours
Total - 425 workouts/ 6966.25 miles/ 433.18 hours


Goals This Week
Bike - 4 rides/ 135-155 miles
Run - 3 runs/ 23-27 miles
Swim - 3 swims/ 1.5 -2.0 miles

People will often ask what am I on to complete my training?

What am I will I be on?

I will be on my bike 7-10 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-3 hours a week and on the roads running 2-3 hours a week in 2014......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery! 

 

That's what I will be on in 2014!

Kona 2014! (The work begins soon)

Faster As A Master - Hell Yeah!!!

"Poor man wanna be rich
  Rich man wanna be king
  And a king ain't satisfied
  Till he rules everything"

Badlands by The Boss

It took 21 years but it finally happened......My first overall victory in a triathlon!

Now I have won races before but only running races or duathlons. I guess it goes to say that if you stick with something long enough something good has to happen. I just find it funny that it finally happened at age 44 in my last race of the season before I bumped up to 45-49 age group next year. Damn I am getting old!!!

Today I competed at the Quakerman Olympic Plus Triathlon. The distances in the race were .6 mile swim/ 39.6 mile bike and 6.2 mile run. They are kind of odd distance given the short swim but it made for a fun race. The weather was ideal in that it was cooler and sunny but at times on the bike there was a good wind in the open farms.

Swim - .6 mile in 17:05
Water temperature was announced at 71 degrees so like everyone else I decided to go with a wetsuit. I will admit it probably was not needed as the water felt warmer than the 71 degrees that was announced. I figured with the longer bike and run compared to the swim I would go with the wetsuit. I would have plenty of time to catch the fish out of water even if I wrestled a little with the wetsuit in transition. The swim was uneventful and a little slower than I wanted but overall I was pleased with it. For me it is always just survive the swim with a decent time.

T1 - 1:32 - not bad even with wetsuit!

Bike - 39.6 Miles - 2119 ft of climbing - 1:49:23 (21.8mph) - Fastest bike split of day
Bike course
I knew the bike was going to be challenging looking at previous results. Looking at a profile on line I knew there would a good amount of up and down throughout the ride. Going in I figured I would get out on the first loop and see how long I could stay in the big chain ring. I was pleasantly surprised that given the climbs and some wind I was out of my big ring for maybe 2 miles of the entire bike. As I got ready to enter back in to the park for transition, I was not sure how much I had moved up but I knew it was a good ride. I entered into transition with another competitor and they announced that the first two competitors of the Olympic Plus Race just entered transition. Initially I thought... "Where did everyone go?"

T2 - :31 - getting the hang of it again

Run - 6.2 Miles - 40:54 - 6:36 per mile - Fastest run split of day
I left transition about 5-6 seconds behind the other guy I entered the transition area after the bike. I would say with the first 200-300 meters I ran by him and he said this is all yours. I have to say it was a weird feeling for me to be in the front and know it in a triathlon. I had know idea if any one had entered transition yet. I just focused on running a steady pace over the hilly course. As the day warmed up, it was nice that there was a good amount of shade on the run course. I pretty much stayed between 6:30-40 per mile for the entire run and finished as strong as I felt in the first mile.

It was a great feeling to cross the finish line first but in mind today all it did was set the tone for what will be a huge 2014. That is the reason for the music choice this week. The highlighted lyrics say it. As satisfying as it was to win, I will be most happy and satisfied when I get back Kona in 2014! Trust me though I have been enjoying the victory with my Samuel Adams Octoberfest!

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 160 miles/ 7.55 hours/ 21.2 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 28.5 miles/ 3.27 hours/ 6:53 per mile
Swim - 3 swims/ 2.25 miles/ 1.07 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 190.75 miles/ 11.89 hours

2013
Bike - 182 rides/ 5898 miles/ 273.21 hours/ 21.6 mph
Run - 126 runs/ 803.5 miles/ 98.65 hours/ 7:22 per mile
Swim - 108 swims/ 103.25 miles/ 51.06 hours
Total - 416 workouts/ 6804.75 miles/ 422.82 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 4-5 rides/ 150-170 miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 25-30 miles
Swim - 3 swims/ 2.5-3 miles

People will often ask what am I on to complete my training?

What am I am on?

I am on my bike 7-8 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-2 hours a week and on the roads running 2-3 hours a week......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery!

That's what I am on!

Kona 2014! (The work begins)