2014 Race Season Not Over Yet (But Already Thinking Of 2015)

 

"Swim until you can't see land
  Are you a man? Are you a bag of sand?"

Swim Until You Can't See Land - Frightened Rabbit

High volume training block is over just in time for race week!

In six days, the plan is to race the Quakerman Olympic Plus Triathlon. It is a race in which I claimed my first ever overall victory in a triathlon. Winning the race again would be nice but the ultimate goal is to improve my time from last year which was 2:49:50. The distances of this race are not your typical distance with a swim of 1K, a bike of 39+ miles and run of 10K. The bike and the run are challenging as the bike included 2100+ feet of climbing and the run is rolling to hilly.

Today, I topped off my 12 week high volume training block with a relaxing 50 mile bike ride along the Susquehanna River (yes I said relaxing!). Using a heart rate monitor I recently purchased, mainly for the upcoming Ironman training, I was able to gauge my fitness level and I was extremely happy that I was able to maintain a very easy 21.4 mph  at an average of 136 beats per minute, approximately 75% of heart rate max.  Now the plan is to taper for this race to take advantage of the fitness gains over the past 12 weeks. It will be different to race on fresh legs after racing 3 sprint triathlons during these high volume weeks!

12 Week High Volume Training Block Totals

Bike - 52 rides/ 1936 miles/ 93.81 hours/ 20.63 mph/ 51,977ft of climbing

Run - 41 runs/ 288.5 miles/ 35.94 hours/ 7:28 per mile

Swim - 34 swims/ 30 miles/ 15.19 hours

Total - 127 workouts/ 2254.5 miles/ 144.94 hours

Per Week - 10.58 workouts/ 187.88 miles/ 12.07 hours

The plan for September, other than at least one race or possible a second, is to lower the volume and let the body recover for 3-4 weeks before beginning Ironman training. To some it may seem early, but I have already started laying out plans for my training. One new thing for my training is a suspension training session at least twice week. I completed two training sessions this week and instantly believed that it was the most intense workouts in the weight room I have performed in years. I truly believe, that at my age, I will need the added strength to perform at the level that will get me qualified for Kona. I am also going to use a heart rate monitor and go back to training methods I used when I qualified for the Kona in the past. In the past, I had great success following Phil Maffetone's (Mark Allen's coach) heart rate methods and figure if it worked in the past it can still work now. And using the monitor will just make my training all that smarter (hopefully)!

Possible  Ironman Races

May 16 - Ironman Texas- most ideal as it gives me 4 months to get ready for Kona

June 28 - Ironman Coeur d'Alene

August 2 - Ironman Boulder- 2nd favorite choice

Of course where would I be without the help of Wattie Ink and my teammates who me motivated with their performances and encouragement! Also, thanks to a great list of sponsors Wattie Ink was able to secure for the team - Power Bar, Speedfil, ISM Saddles, Herbalife, Blue Seventy, Rudy Project, ! Your support goes a long way in helping me achieve my results!

Rock the W! 

Way Out In The Water

  

"Way out in the water
  See it swimmin' "

Where Is My Mind - Trampled By Turtles (Originally the Pixies)

After a crazy week and the high volume of training the past 11 weeks, I decided that a 53 mile flat spin was better for my body than racing today. Even though I decided to not race this weekend, I still plan to race at least one more time & possibly twice before the end of the season. I can't believe that the race season is nearly over here in the northeast. Unfortunately for me, with my coaching schedule (weekend meets) & living in Central PA, my choices are going to be few and far between,. With no potential races for this coming weekend, I will continue the high volume training for one more week before a slightly easier month of September as I look to end the season with fresh legs for the last race(s). 

Here are a few races that may work:

September 6 - Quakerman Olympic Plus - .6 miles/ 38.7 miles/ 6.2miles (race I won last year)

September 20 - Pine Barrens Olympic - 1.5K/ 40K/ 10K

September 21 - Sunset Challenge Sprint - .25 mile/ 13 miles/ 3.1 miles

11 Weeks of High Volume Training Totals

Bike - 48 rides/ 1784 miles/ 86.53 hours/ 20.6 mph/ 49,402ft of climbing

Run - 38 runs/ 262.5 miles/ 32.69 hours/ 7:28 per mile

Swim - 32 swims/ 28 miles/ 14.18 hours

Total - 118 workouts/ 2074.5 miles/ 133.4 hours

Per Week - 10.73 workouts/ 188.59 miles/ 12.13 hours

Once the slightly easier month of September is over, it will be time to prepare my body and mind for the arduous miles and hours of Ironman training. Of course, I still need to pick a qualifying race but at least I know it will be a full Ironman distance race. It may seem early to be preparing or even talking about 2015 but I am going to go about this task in the right way and all out! I have already jotted notes about things to add to my training and ways to change my training. I will need to take my training to a new level to achieve my lofty goals. This journey to Kona will make for some interesting to some, but boring to most blogging! Either way, I am ready for this long journey to begin! For now:

Potential Ironman Races  (as I write this post)

May 16 - Ironman Texas

June 28 - Ironman Coeur d'Alene
August 2 - Ironman Boulder

Of course I have to thank Wattie Ink for supplying coolest racing kit and teammates that keep me motivated with their performances and encouragement!

Also, thanks to a great list of sponsors of the team - Power Bar, Speedfil, ISM Saddles, Herbalife, Blue Seventy, Rudy Project, ! Your support goes a long way in helping me achieve my results!

Rock the W!

Loading Up On The Miles, A Little Racing & Something New

Week 10 of high volume training and racing is complete! 

This past weekend I race in a very low key local triathlon. The Lewisburg Triathlon consisted of a 300yd pool swim, 15 mile bike and 3.25 mile run. As the previous three sprint triathlons during this stretch, there was not a taper for this race. 

Race morning was quite a shock as it had dipped to 48 degrees overnight and it was still about that temperature when the race started. The racking of bikes was first come first serve, which is something I have never liked. Even if low key I still think there needs to be some organization to the transition area but for now, so be it!(more to come on this) The swim was conducted in time-trial fashion with swimmers going every 20 seconds and it was self-seeded. There was about a 50-60 yard to the transition area and the timing mat. Race time!

Swim - 4:31 (Hitting watch for split once I climbed ladder to the deck -31 second run to timing mat)

I felt good throughout the swim and actually was catching the person who started 20 seconds in front me and was on my last 50 as several higher seeded swimmers were finishing up their last 25. I actually had the 3rd fastest swim split. I will savor that is that truly does not happen too often! Counting the run to timing mat of transition my swim was  listed 5:02. I still have a lot work to do in the swim but things are going in the right direction!

Transition 1 - 1:28 

Yes, you read that correctly! My slowest transition ever but for a very good reason & beyond my control. In all my years of triathlons I have never had this happen but as I ran towards my bike I notice that the competitor next to me, who started the swim before me, had left and in their haste knocked all my bike stuff to the ground and it was left strewn over a couple transition areas. I scrambled to pick up my helmet. singlet and sunglasses and get them on as quickly as possible. I figured given my normal transition times and similar set-ups, T1 should have taken 35-45 seconds at the longest! I was so pissed but had more racing to be done.

My look as I realize my stuff was no longer on my bike!

Bike - 42:49/21.2 mph - 9th fastest

The bike course was a rolling course, 712 feet of climbing. Bike times were slower than normal for all competitors as in typical Central PA fashion, some of the roads were oil and chipped. I have never seen this before but it is the worst thing in the world for biking! There was also another section that you had to cover on the way out and way back, that was pothole filled and a disaster. Being unfamiliar with course and having had a pretty bad crash in the past, I think I rode a little too cautious and would not let myself attack the course the way I wanted. Still rolled into T2 feeling strong going and ready to run. 

Transition 2 - 39 seconds (more normal and my run stuff was where it was supposed to be!)

Run - 21:05/ 6:29 per mile - 9th fastest

I felt really strong on the run! I was able to pick up the pace throughout the race and negative split the course (went through mile 1 at 6:35). Even though I was done I still had to wait to see how I would finish with the time-trial start. I will say it was weird to complete the course basically alone which at times made it tough to gauge where I was and just hammered away.

 

Overall - 1:11:05/7th OA/2nd AG 

This was a very competitive race as places 3-7 were separated by 26 seconds. Knowing that it was that close, even if not an "A" race, it still pisses me off that something out of my control (an ignorant competitor who knocked my stuff off my bike) cost me a top 3 finish. Some people might think how much could that have messed anyone up, but I think we all know we have our set routines and something like this can wreak a lot of havoc! And the competitor who racked next to me was not an inexperience triathlete (higher seed in the swim and a tricked out Cervelo!), they were just a rude competitor. OK, bitch session done as bigger and better races ahead but I implore all.......be considerate of your fellow competitors, even in the heat of competition! We are all in this together! And congratulations to all the competitors who made this such a close race!

Here are the totals for the past 10 weeks:

Bike - 44 rides/ 1627 miles/ 79.42 hours/ 20.5 mph/ 47411ft of climbing
Run - 35 runs/ 235.75 miles/ 29.29 hours/ 7:27 per mile
Swim - 29 swims/ 25 miles/ 12.66 hours
Total - 108 workouts/ 1887.75 miles/ 121.37 hours
Per Week - 10.8 workouts/ 188.78 miles/ 12.14 hours

I am undecided on racing this weekend but should have a definitive answer in a few days or at least know after Tuesday! But I am hoping to get at least two more races before the end of the season. With each week, my confidence for Ironman training grows! Plans are already in the works for training and taking this to the next level!

List of Ironman Races That Fit Into T&F Coaching Schedule (as of writing this blog)

May 16 - Ironman Texas

June 28 - Ironman Coeur d'Alene
August 2 - Ironman Boulder

Thanks to Wattie Ink for the coolest racing kit and teammates that keep me motivated with their performances! Also, thanks to a great list of sponsors of the team - Power Bar, Speedfil, ISM Saddles, Herbalife, Blue Seventy, Rudy Project, ! Your support goes a long way in helping me achieve my results!

Rock the W! 

 

 

Maybe The Others Were Right All Along.....I must Be Crazy!

There are still several races left on the 2014 calendar but watching the Ironman World Championship broadcast on NBC this afternoon has me pumped for full Ironman training in  2015! I know.....it may seem too soon, but I figure with the daunting task of completing two full Ironman distance races in one year it is never too early to start planning. Maybe, by January 1, 2015, I will believe it is possible!!!

With the announcement, that the 70.3 races are losing their Kona qualifying spots, this heavy volume block of training will be a great start into 2015 and training for a full Ironman distance race to qualify. What qualifier, you ask???? That is a question still unanswered but there are only a few that actually fit into my track & field coaching schedule that are not sold out yet! Whichever race I chose, it will require some travel, so I better start saving my money!!!

List of Ironman Races That Fit Into T&F Coaching Schedule 

May 16 - Ironman Texas

June 28 - Ironman Coeur d'Alene

August 2 - Ironman Boulder 

Today, I finished my 2nd consecutive week of 215+ miles of training among the three disciplines. Currently, I have 2 more weeks of this high volume training block before a few week taper before a long race (still yet to be decided).  I also have consecutive weeks of racing a sprint triathlon starting this upcoming Saturday. This Saturday's race is a local sprint triathlon, Lewisburg Sprint Triathlon, consisting of a 300 yard swim, 15 mile bike and 3.25 mile run. The following weekend I will race the Keystone Sprint Triathlon which will be slightly longer and consist of a 1/2 mile swim, 18.2 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run. Last year, I finished 2nd overall at this race. Now I am not planning 215+ miles of training each week but I will be shooting for 180-190 miles of training over the next two weeks even with the racing! 

Training Totals of Last 9 Weeks

Bike - 39 rides/ 1463 miles/ 71.76 hours/ 20.4 mph/ 45,318ft of climbing

Run - 31 runs/ 214.5 miles/ 26.59 hours/ 7:26 per mile

Swim - 25 swims/ 22 miles/ 11.18 hours

Total - 95 workouts/ 1699.5 miles/ 109.53 hours

Per Week - 10.56 workouts/ 188.83 miles/ 12.17 hours

Thanks to Wattie Ink for the coolest racing kit and teammates that keep me motivated with their performances! Also, thanks to a great list of sponsors of the team - Power Bar, Speedfil, ISM Saddles, Herbalife, Blue Seventy, Rudy Project, ! Your support goes a long way in helping me achieve my results!

Rock the W! 

 

 

Even The Rain Can't Stop Me! (Plugging Away)

 

 "Sometimes I'm fast and sometimes I'm slow,
  other times I don't even want to go.

  Sometimes I'm hot and sometimes I'm cold,
  other times I feel like I'm getting old."

Sometimes I Do - Social Distortion

"There is no way I am riding indoors!"

Sunday (when not racing) is typically my long bike ride day. For the first time in a long time, I woke up to a steady rain and soaked roads. Damn, I hate wet roads! I was hoping that the forecast for rain and t-storms for today would hold off till later in the morning or afternoon, after my ride. All I knew is that I was not going to ride inside. It is summer time and there is never a need to go inside! While having my coffee and english muffin, I did see that I would get a dry window for a couple hours ( Hell yes!!!) but would need to start in the rain. WTF!!! Let's do it...hell, nobody ever melted in the rain.

In some weird way, the rain may have also been something good to help my legs and body recover a little during this stretch of high volume training and racing. At the beginning of the week, my legs felt a little heavy and yesterday I had completed a brick workout of 35 miles @ 23.4mph followed by  3.75 mile run @ 6:55 per mile. The wet roads forced me to change from a schedule hilly ride (2800ft of climbing) to a spin along the Susquehanna River on 11/15 as I am not a fan of big descents on wet roads.  It felt good to just get out a spin and I will admit, going 21mph never felt easier.

Today's 50 mile ride topped off the biggest week of the past 8 weeks of high volume training. Totally all three disciplines, this week's tally was just over 220 miles and 13+ hours of training. The plan is to still continue this high volume phase for another 2-3 weeks while racing a few sprint triathlons and polish off the year with a small taper and long race. Here are the totals for the past 8 weeks:

Bike - 34 rides/ 1276 miles/ 62.47 hours/ 20.4 mph/ 40725ft of climbing

Run - 27 runs/ 186 miles/ 23.04 hours/ 7:26 per mile

Swim - 22 swims/ 19 miles/ 9.69 miles

Total - 83 workouts/ 1481 miles/ 95.20 hours

Per week - 10.38 workouts/ 185.13 miles/ 11.90 hours

Possible Sprint Triathlons The Next 3 Weeks (All 3 would be pushing it but at least 2)

August 10 - Tuckahoe Sprint Triathlon - .25 mile/ 10 mile/ 3.1 mile

August 16 - Lewisburg SprintTriathlon - 300yd / 15 mile/ 3.25 mile

August 24 - Keystone Sprint Triathlon - .5 mile/ 18.2 mile/ 3.1 mile (definite)

 

I am still undecided on what race to finish off the 2014 race season. I am hoping to have a decision in the next week or two but obviously, the decision will be determined by my team's cross-country meet schedule. Ultimately, this high volume training and end of season long race will be a springboard into the 2015 (yes I said it!!!) race season. Based on recent announcements, it looks like I will be completing two Ironman distance races in one season if my intentions are to qualify for Kona. I guess I have my work cut out for me!

List of Ironman Races That Fit Into T&F Coaching Schedule (as of writing this blog)

May 16 - Ironman Texas

June 28 - Ironman Coeur d'Alene

Thanks to Wattie Ink for the coolest racing kit and teammates that keep me motivated with their performances! Also, thanks to a great list of sponsors of the team - Power Bar, Speedfil, ISM Saddles, Herbalife, Blue Seventy, Rudy Project, ! Your support goes a long way in helping me achieve my results!

Rock the W!