Time To Get Racing......Planning For 2014

8 days and it will be race season, so to speak! If things workout I will be racing 3 times over the next 29 days. All three races will be of the sprint variety but at least I will be racing.

Everything will kick off next Saturday at the Brigantine Island Sprint Triathlon. Over the past week, I have come to the conclusion that I am going to have to drastically adjust my goals and start somewhat planning for 2014. Yes, I am already thinking about my 2014 race season.

As much as I was set on getting to Kona and/or Vegas, sometimes things don't work out the way we want (ie. 3 broken spokes at a qualifier) or schedules don't quite pan out to get to a qualifying race. The hardest part of making these adjustments is that it is not because of my current fitness level or perceived race shape. Currently feel that I am at my highest fitness level in years. At the same time, if I can continue to build upon my current fitness level, the 2014 race season could be amazing.But now, I will sit back, enjoy a nice cold brew and contemplate what Ironman races for 2014 to qualify.........

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 173 miles/ 8.22 hours/ 21.1 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 26.25 miles/ 3.20 hours/ 7:19 per mile5716.5
Swim - 3 swims/ 3.25 miles/ 1.64 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 202.5 miles/ 13.06 hours

2013
Bike - 153 rides/ 4984 miles/ 231.14 hours/ 21.6 mph
Run - 101 runs/ 642.25 miles/ 78.86 hours/ 7:22 per mile
Swim - 92 swims/ 90.25 miles/ 44.29 hours
Total - 346 workouts/ 5716.5 miles/ 354.29 hours

Today also polished off a 4 week stretch of high volume training (823 combined miles/ 51 hours) and now my focus will turn to more intensity training versus volume. My plan for the week is to get on the track for a run workout once this week and one sprint workout in the pool.

Goals This Week (including race)
Bike - 5 rides/ 130-150 miles
Run - 3 runs/ 20-25 miles with 1 track workout
Swim - 3 swims/ 2-3 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/Vegas 2014!

I Am Training To Race - Promise!

 

Third blog in a week but as long as no professional athlete does anything stupid (ie. get caught doping), you won't be subjected to another one of my mundane post until next Saturday!

Starting Monday, life will be returning slowly to normal. Tomorrow marks the last day of vacation where the first 5 days were spent in the Poconos. The 5 days in the Poconos could not have come out at a better time as it was the hottest and most humid stretch thus far this summer on the Grove.While I was not able to swim, I could have not asked for a better 5 workouts (3 bikes/ 2 runs)! Being in the Poconos, any run or bike would mean some hills and it showed in my climbing total. In three rides I totaled 149 miles/ 7800+ feet of climbing and still averaged 19.5 mph. In the two runs I totaled 20.75 miles/ 977 ft of climbing and averaged 7:39 per mile. Coming back to the Grove and taking my new time trial bike out for a ride on Friday showed that I may be at my highest fitness level in years. I went out and covered 38 miles at 23.7 mph including a 30 mile stretch at 24.4 mph. This week it is time to get back in the pool and race two times within the next 3 weekends. It is time to put this high fitness level to work and stop talking about it. I am sure by now you are tired of hearing me say it is time to race........

July 27/28 - Sunset Triathlon
AND/OR
August 3rd - Brigantine Triathlon
And/OR
 August 10/11 - Lumberjack Tri
                          Steelman Sprint

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 210 miles/ 10.28 hours/ 20.4 mph/ 7945ft of climbing
Run - 3 runs/ 24.5 miles/ 3.07 miles/ 7:30 per mile/ 1016ft of climbing
Swim - NA
Total - 8 workouts/ 234.5 miles/ 13.35 hours/ 8961ft of climbing

2013
Bike - 148 bikes/ 4811 miles/ 222.97 hours/ 21.6 mph
Run - 97 runs/ 616 miles/ 75.66 hours/ 7:22 per mile
Swim - 89 swims/ 87 miles/ 42.66 hours
Total - 334 workouts/ 5514 miles/ 341.29 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 4-5 rides/ 155-175 miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 23-28 miles
Swim - 3 swims/ 3 miles

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

What am I am on? 

Where Are Our Heroes?

Jamaican cheats
American cheat
MLB cheats
NFL drug issues
Triathlon cheat
Cycling cheat

Did I leave anyone out? What a sad state sports in this era of sports in which we live?

Today, I returned from a long bike ride and the first text I receive is from my assistant track & field coach, asking me if I heard about Tyson Gay? I text back that I just got back from a ride and did not hear.  He then texts that he tested positive. I text back....WTF? We go back and forth for a few texts questioning the ethics of the top athletes in a sport we are both passionate. Then within an hour of reading about Tyson Gay online, I read about 5 Jamaicans who also tested positive including Asafa Powell.  What are these athletes thinking?

I also was texting with one of my former athletes as we are both fans of cycling and the Tour and he was texting to see if I saw the finish up Mont Ventoux. Knowing the history of the Tour and watching his attacks today, we instantly started to put Chris Froome, the wearer of the maillot jaune, up with the above cheats even though he has yet to test positive. 

How sad is it that I have to put the word yet in that statement? 

Now I will give credit (even if it doesn't always seem to work) to cycling, track & field and the sport of triathlon. Those sports will at least suspend an athlete who test positive for a period of one to two years and that is on the first offense. The NFL and MLB have unions that are still fighting HGH testing. Why afraid of HGH testing? Well the NFL is afraid because the majority of league is on it whether they want to believe it or not! (read above link to editorial) The MLB is another sad story of hiding behind its popularity and money making. They are so bad a player gets his suspension reversed not fighting that he tested positive but he fought the collection process. Their suspensions are a joke compared to the suspension of the other sports I mentioned as they are only for a small portion of a season........That's really cracking the whip on them!!!!

The funny thing about the NFL and MLB issues is how fans continue to believe their sports are clean...... Um yeah they are as clean as professional wrestling is real! Oops, I 'm sorry! I hope I did not ruin professional wrestling for you. But yet these fans will blast the sports of track & field and cycling and think that all the top athletes are cheats. At least cycling and track & field will openly admit there is an issue and seriously attempt to do something about it.  Obviously it is not stopping all the doping but at least they are truly attempting.

Look at how many people were up in arms over the Lance Armstrong situation. As I stated when it first happened, must of that outrage was caused because they were duped all that time, yet if they were a realist, knowing the history of the sport, you should have had some inclination that this may happen. The media was even more enraged about it because they are supposed to be the smart and informed and Lance made them look stupid! They did not like that so they attacked back. Where is all their hate for the NFL & MLB players who test positive? They had to attack him because they put him on a pedestal to high! As a warning to fans, be careful how high you put your heroes as their fall is not nearly as great as yours!

Track & field, after the news of today, is one major superstar from being as embarrassed as cycling was following Lance. Trust me cycling was already tainted but Lance getting caught ruined it for the casual fan. I am sure most people who started reading about the Jamaicans instantly started wondering if it was Usain Bolt. Now, as a track & field coach/fan, it is easy to understand why people feel that way as the Jamaicans are very secretive about their drug testing and several members of his training group have tested positive in the past.  

Then I saw others say at least it was not Bolt. To those, I warn, watch how high of a pedestal you keep him! His similarities to Lance are kind of eerie. He is beating dopers as easily as Lance beat the dopers in cycling! Hmmmmmm.......sound familiar?!?!?!?! And then others believe because he is so popular and well liked he has to be clean! Also, just because he has tested positive yet doesn't mean he or any other athlete is not doping...........Don't use that argument as someone else never truly tested positive!

So, if you happen to be friends with Bolt and you know he is not doping, please tell him how important it is he doesn't start. If you are friends with him and you know he is doping, please tell him to stop for the sake of track & field!!

If caught, his fall will ruin track & field for the casual fan as Lance's fall ruined cycling for the casual fan. 

Where are our heroes that we can truly believe in?!?!?!?!?

Is there anyone out there that our younger athletes can look up to?!??!

Dopers Suck! 







  

Start Of My Triathlon Camp 2013

OK...maybe it is not a triathlon training camp as most would think as much as it is family vacation.

Like the past two years, my family has rented a house in the Poconos. This year the stay is in a large house on a lake in the Big Bass Lake Community. It is very cool to be on the lake because if allowed I may have to swim across and back for my swim workouts this week. We do have access to the community pool but I have yet to find out if there are schedule lane swimming times (Here's hoping!!!!) Obviously being in the Poconos, finding some hills will not be an issue for the bike or the run. As a matter of fact, tomorrow's ride I mapped could be 50-60 miles and pushing 3000 feet of climbing. As much as I would like to kill myself and train like a maniac, I am still going to keep my normal training schedule as it is also a family vacation. Staying in places like this also make me wonder how cool it would be to have a week like this for training with a bunch of triathletes.

Maybe that is something I will have to arrange for next summer as part of my coaching business! I know I mentioned it a few blogs ago but I am looking to broaden my coaching more into the private sector. I have coached post-collegiate runners but I am hoping to expand that and also eventually get certified as a triathlon coach and broaden my business into triathlon coaching. If I can get that certification, I am hoping to run a adult triathlon camp at the university where I coach the cross-country and track & field teams. Here is a link to my Facebook page for my coaching business Tri It Coaching Services.

If you check out the page, I ask you to please let me know what you think...........

Training Totals
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 172 miles/ 7.87 hours/ 21.90 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 24.5 miles/ 3.00 hours/ 7:21 per mile
Swim - 3 swims/ 2.5 miles/ 1.26 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 199 miles/ 12.13 hours

2013
Bike - 143 rides/ 4601 miles/ 212.63 hours/ 21.60 mph
Run - 94 runs/ 591.5 miles/ 72.58 hours/ 7:22 per mile
Swim - 89 swims/ 87 miles/ 42.66 hours
Total - 326 workouts/ 5279.5 miles/ 327.87 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 4 rides/ 150-175 miles/ 5000+ feet of climbing
Run - 3-4 runs/ 25-30 miles
Swim - ???
Race - Sprint Tri possible on Saturday

 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!

Training Base Camp

Post Race Beer & Report

Tonight's post is brought to you by Saranac Red IPA 
( I know a shameless plug but who cares every does it on Twitter all the time!!!)

Race Site: http://www.ymcaofcentrecounty.org/ymca-race-series/hartman-group-happy-valley-triathlon
Results: http://www.parunners.com/2013%20RESULTS/HVST%20IND.%20OVERALL.htm

It may have been a low key local race but it was fun to get the competitive juices going again. Technically speaking, it is the 2nd race of my season but the 1st race I finished (broken spokes @ Eagleman). Today, I competed at the Happy Valley Sprint Triathlon which included a 750 meter (pool) swim, 12.25 mile bike and 5KM run. The heat and humidity that has pretty much embraced the Mid-Atlantic states for the past 7-8 days was very evident this morning. In regard to weather, I am very happy it was a sprint triathlon. The unfortunate part was my wave in the pool did not start until 8:45AM so we were not beating a lot of the heat and that includes the pool.

Swim Time - 12:51 (13:16 counting run out of pool facility to timing mat leading into T1)
I have done pool swims as triathlons before but this was a first as they had 4 swimmers per lane swimming circles. My guess is this could work well if the organizers group everyone by time and most importantly, triathletes needed to seed themselves properly. Well I had seeded myself at 13:00 which I know was underestimating my abilities but when the guy at the end of the pool with me says he is hoping to go 15:00, I instantly thought.....Oh boy! I also started to think, I hope the guys at the other end are not as bad also. Well I quickly found out.....they were. Let's just say that after 2 laps I had to eliminate the flip turn as it became just chaos in the lane. In 750 meters, I lapped the guy who started on my end of the pool twice and lapped the guys from the other end once and was starting to get close to lapping them again. Twice during the swim I was almost forced to a complete stop so I could let a swimmer go by on the other side of lane so I could pass a swimmer....FUN! And let's just say....82 degree water on a hot humid day is not refreshing.

T1 - Slow

Bike - 12.25 miles/ 32:37/ 22.6 mph/ 500 feet of climbing
After my slow transition, it felt so good to get the new time trial bike out on the course. Withing a couple miles, I quickly came to the realization that this course was hillier than the profile provided online. Either way, it is the same for everyone so I was pleased with my ride. I rode the big ring for the first part of the out and back course and hand a slight tail wind. Knowing that we would have a head wind for a good portion of the return and some hills, I geared down to the small chain ring and felt very strong and smooth on the return. Also knowing that it was very hot and humid, I figured I better save some strength for the legs as the run course was rolling also. Overall I was pleased with the 7th fastest bike split.

T2 - Slow but better

Run - 3.1 miles/ 20:48/ 6:43 per mile
After a decent transition and knowing the weather, my focus was on running  a steady run and staying smooth throughout. I did not look or even the any of the mile splits. I might have been able to push it harder on the run but with the weather like it was, it doesn't take much to put you in a world of hurt if you overdo it. It may have been the first triathlon that I saw people reduced to walking because of the weather. It may not have been my fastest 5K off the bike but it was one of my smartest.

Total - 1:08:30/ 10th overall/ 3rd Age Group

Hoping to find a race for this Saturday before some training in the Poconos for a few days! Back to work tomorrow and training hard!!  But till then........

Sprint Triathlon = B*##s To The Wall

"If you think it's your time, then step to the line, and bring on your wrecking ball"
Wrecking Ball by Bruce Springsteen

After 4 weeks of great training since the broken spoke fiasco at Eagleman, it is time to step to the line and race. If schedules work out, it will be the first of two races in a seven day period. Tomorrow morning, at 8:55AM, my swim wave will go off to start a 750 Meter swim/ 12.25 Mile Bike/ 5K Run Sprint Triathlon. A sprint triathlon can only mean one thing......

Balls to wall, go as hard as you can for 65-70 minutes.

What better way to test your fitness and at the same time break in the new time trial bike!!!!! And regardless of how much a sprint triathlon may hurt, they are a lot of fun and don't take up half of a day. Always nice to get done a race and still have most of the day to do other things like grocery shop (the important stuff). This will be my first race since adding a Time Trial bike to my arsenal. It is not a long bike leg so maximum benefits probably won't be felt as if it I was riding it over a 56 mile course during a 70.3 race. Maybe I won't get all the aerodynamic benefits but at least I will look fast!!! (That has to count for something)

As you can tell, a training week like I just had will also help add to the hurt. No taper here! Training through! A "C" Race! All the shit triathletes say........

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 4 rides/ 167 miles/ 7.84 hours/ 21.3 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 25.25 miles/ 3.20 hours/ 7:36 per mile
Swim - 3 swims/ 3 miles/ 1.51 hours
Total - 10 workouts/ 195.25 miles/ 12.55 hours

2013
Bike - 138 rides/ 4429 miles/ 204.76 hours/ 21.6 mph
Run - 90 runs/ 567 miles/ 69.57 hours/ 7:22 per mile
Swim - 86 swims/ 84.5 miles/ 41.39 hours
Total - 314 workouts/ 5080.5 miles/ 315.72 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 25 miles
Swim - 4 swim/ 3 miles
2 Races - Sunday/Saturday (Bring on the hurt!)

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!