Odds Got A Little Better But Not Taking The Bet Yet

"When I stand, my back to the sea
 A big white cloud, looking right down on me
 Sound of sun, missing my eyes
 Everything's clear, everything's bright"

Big White Cloud - John Cale 

1000:1 as I mentioned last week turned into 500:1 in terms of possibly getting one more race in 2014. This past week I found this race in Cape Henlopen, DE on October 12th. It is a sprint triathlon with a .25 mile swim/ 11 mile bike/ 3.1 mile run. Yeah, there is potential for cold water but it is a short swim. How bad could it really be? (Dare I ask?) The question will probably end up being is it worth the money (entry fee, travel and hotel) for one last sprint triathlon. Here is a link to the race:

Cape Henlopen Triathlon

In the meantime, I am continuing my transition from the heavy volume of training and racing of this summer to Ironman training for 2015, potentially starting November 3rd. I have reduced my volume of training by 20% over the past three weeks lowered all my intensity of training to my MAF (Maximum Aerobic Functioning). As I mentioned a few post ago, I am going to train for my Ironman using MAF, a method I have used successfully in the past. The most essential premise of this system is training exclusively at my MAF during base building (3-4 months). MAF is determined by subtracting my age (45) from 180 and then using scale developmed by Phil Maffetone, one either adds, subtracts or makes no adjustments to that number. Based on his adjustments, I would add 5 to this number since I have been training injury free and with results for 2 years giving me a MAF of 140. 

Over the past three weeks, I have been trying to get used to training at this heart rate as it means slowing down A LOT! Sometimes going slower hurts more....Ha ha!!  I think the hardest part of getting used to this pace is making adjustments to pacing on hills.....And we have plenty of them around here. In addition to the reduction in volume of training, training at this heart rate has definitely aided in letting my body recover and refresh from an intense summer of training and racing. Here are my most recent training totals:

Last 16 Weeks

Bike - 70 rides/ 2487 miles/ 121.16 hours/ 20.5 mph

Run - 55 runs/ 378.5 miles/ 47.93 hours/ 7:36 per mile

Swim - 43 swims/ 37.5 miles/ 18.71 hours

Totals - 168 workouts/ 2903 miles/ 187.8 hours

Per Week - 10.5 workouts/ 181.43 miles/ 11.73 hours

3 Weeks Of Getting Used To MAF

Bike - 13 rides/ 391 miles/ 19.76 hours/ 19.8 mph

Run - 11 runs/ 68 miles/ 9.13 hours/ 8:03 per mile

Swim - 6 swims/ 5 miles/ 2.45 hours

Total - 30 workouts/ 464 miles/ 31.34 hours

In addition to transition back to MAF, I have also making a more concerted effort to eat better. But before anyone freaks out, I am will not go to any extremes and the staples of coffee, beer and ice cream will still be there. I have also added suspension (most know as TRX) training into my schedule. In the first 4 weeks of suspension training, I have noticed a world of difference. 

Ironman Races I Am Considering

May 16 - Ironman Texas- most ideal as it gives me 4 months to get ready for Kona (Just need to make sure it will fit into my track & field coaching schedule)

August 2 - Ironman Boulder- 2nd favorite choice

As I move forward and possibly realize my 2014 season may be over (maybe), I have to thank Wattie Ink and my teammates who have me motivated with their performances and encouragement throughout this racing season! 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 has gone a long way in helping me achieve my results! 

 

Rock The W! 

And So It Begins!

"Out here in the fields
  I fight for my meals
  I get my back into my living"

Baba O'Reilly - The Who 

Well, I have basically accepted (but not totally) that my 2014 race season is over. Living in Central PA and in the middle of my team's XC season, finding a race is pretty much a 1000:1 long shot. But never know.....right???? (Not Holding my breathe)

In the meantime, the planning for 2015 has begun and some changes have already been implemented in my training. Over the past 3-4 four weeks, I have added"suspension training" into my regimen. I found it amazing how quickly I started feeling the benefits, especially in the pool. In my last couple of pool sessions, I have felt incredibly stronger and faster (by my standards) at an easier effort!!! 

Not that I am going to go crazy with this, as we need some vices to keep us sane, but I am going to try and eat better and maybe slightly healthier. Now before you panic, I will continue to have my ice cream but maybe just some smaller portions. I will also continue to have my beers! To quote Benjamin Franklin..."Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!" (Not that I am a religious person or need an excuse to have a beer!) 

As I started a couple weeks ago, I am still getting used to training with the heart rate monitor and using MAF. It can be tough getting used to this method but one of the benefits I notice initially was that my body has felt recovered as I get ready to transition into Ironman training. The combination of a reduction in volume and using MAF over the past 2 weeks has me refreshed and excited for Ironman training. I will continue this pattern for 3-4 more weeks.

15 Week Total

Bike - 66 rides/ 2362 miles/ 114.76 hours/ 20.6mph

Run - 51 runs/ 355.5 miles/ 44.80 hours/ 7:34 per mile

Swim - 41 swims/ 35.75 miles/ 17.91 hours

Total - 158 workouts/ 2753.25 miles/ 177.47 hours

Per Week - 10.53 workouts/ 183.55 miles/ 11.83 hours

Past 2 Weeks Of Reduced Volume (All at MAF - 140BPM)

Bike - 9 rides/ 266 miles/ 13.36 hours/ 19.91mph 

Run - 7 runs/ 45 miles/ 6.0 hours/ 8:00 per mile

Swim - 4 swims/ 3.25 miles/ 1.65 hours

Total - 20 workouts/ 314.25 miles/ 21.01 hours

Per week - 10 Workouts/ 15713 miles/ 10.50 hours

As I move forward, the most important thing will be to pick that Ironman race to qualify for Kona. Based on my coaching schedule, I have narrowed it down to 2 races. It is just a matter of pulling the trigger and choosing the race.Decisions, decisions, decisions........

Possible  Ironman Races

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

August 2 - Ironman Boulder- 2nd favorite choice

As I move forward and possibly realize my 2014 season may be over , I have to thank Wattie Ink and my teammates who have 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 has gone a long way in helping me achieve my results!

ROCK THE W!!!!

The finish of my 4th place overall finish at the Denville Sprint Triathlon

My Experiment Begins (Somewhat)

I am still holding out hope to race again this year but it is not looking good for finding a race that falls on an off weekend for my teams. 

In the meantime, I have begun a bit of a transition into Ironman training for 2015 (yes, I said it 2015!). My original plan is still intact and I am cutting volume for the month of September & adding a few speed workouts to maintain sharpness if I should find a race. I figure there is plenty of hay in the barn that the reduced volume and occasional workout will keep me race ready! In all reality, my window for finding a race might only be 3-4 weeks max. 

Training Totals - Last 14 Weeks

Bike - 61 rides/ 2221 miles/ 107.73 hours/ 20.6 mph

Run - 48 runs/ 332.5 miles/  41.74 hours/ 7:32 per mile

Swim - 39 swims/ 34 miles/ 17.11 hours

Totals - 148 workouts/ 2587.5 miles/ 166.58 hours

Per Week - 10.57 workouts/ 184.8 miles/ 11.90 hours

1st Week Of Lower Volume (Practicing MAF)

Bike - 4 bikes/ 125 miles/ 6.33 hours/ 19.8 mph

Run - 4 runs/ 22 miles/ 2.94 hours/ 8:00 per mile

Swim - 2 swims/ 1.75 miles/ .85 hours

Total - 10 workouts/ 147.75 miles/ 10.12 hours

(reduction of about 20% compared to previous 13 weeks)

As I move forward for 2015, I have already decided that I will train for the race season using the MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) Training. I have used this method which was made famous by previous triathlon greats, Mark Allen and Mike Pigg, under the tutelage of Phil Maffetone.  I used this method loosely when I qualified for Hawaii back '97. I feel after recent research, my own training experiences and my coaching experiences, I have a better grasp of the concept and can use it to my advantage in 2015. Over the past two weeks, I have been getting used to training at MAF, which can be tough when tackling hills. In addition, I have also added 2 sessions of suspension training into my schedule to build my strength. In just 3 weeks of suspension training, I have already notice a change in my strength and core stability.

I have had many discussions recently regarding MAF and how people were thinking of using it and others who said they had not had success with it. In my recent readings on MAF, I can see why it may confusing but I also see why it can be successful when done properly. As I move through this experiment I will keep you informed in pretty good detail of my successes and failures. I am also open to any questions you may have about my training, MAF or how to better implement MAF. Tentatively, official training for 2015 will begin November 3rd. 

Possible  Ironman Races

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

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!

Maybe One More (I Hope!)

"I Suffer the dreams of a world gone mad
  I like it like that and I know it"
REM - Leave

A few days later than usual but a quick recap of the race this past weekend!

On Saturday, I competed in the Quakerman Olympic Plus Triathlon in Quakertown, PA. The race venue starts and finishes in Nockamixon State Park. It is one of the most scenic race venues I have seen in my years of racing. The distances of the race were a 1K swim, 39.7 mile bike and 10K run. The distances are not what made this race so challenging, this year it was the weather. 

Driving through Quakertown that morning, the bank display was reading 78 degrees and it was still 2.5 hours till my race was to start...Oh boy! My first thought was to hope that the cloudy skies would stay for most of the morning. Well, that positive thought was crushed about 20 minutes before the start of the race as the sun started to break through the morning fog. It has been such a warm and humid week that the temperature of the lake crept up to 77 degrees (pretty warm for this time of year). 

Going into the race, I felt properly hydrated and ready to tackle the conditions of the day. Despite technically wetsuit legal, I decided to go without the wetsuit and afterwards felt good about the decision as I listened to many guys who finished in the top 10 saying how they felt overheated during the swim. I had a decent swim by my standards and was the 12th out of the water.

Take away the weather, this 2 loop bike course is a challenging course. To leave the park to get to the main loop, you have a one mile climb out of the park and then there are several climbs along the route. In all, there is 2100+ feet of climbing throughout the 39 miles. With the slight taper this week and after the 12 weeks of high volume of training, this was the best my legs felt on the bike. I manage to cover the course at 21.8mph and have the 3rd fastest bike split. 

The run was a different story for all competitors. I exited the T2 in 3rd place and early on felt good. Given the conditions, I was not worried about pace and just ran on a feel and keeping it comfortable. Checking the condition on my phone post-race, it is likely that we started the 10K run with a heat index between 95 & 98. Somewhere close to mile 3 the wheels started to fall off but it was not a sensation of being dehydrated. I started the run knowing I took enough in during the bike, but I could not just cool the body off on the run. As I went through aid stations, I was sure to take water in and dump water on me but it did not help. The last 2 to 2.5 miles slowed drastically but I knew I had to slow or risk not finishing the race. As bad as I felt about my run, I was quickly reminded how bad the conditions were for all competitors as when I checked run splits after the race and noticed that the fastest run split of the top 10 finishers was 47:23 (that is not a typo). I somehow managed the 8th fastest run split and had the same description of that run as everyone else...Death March! 

Overall, I finished 3rd overall with a time of 3:02:28. (Surprisingly, as slow as I felt I was moving on the run, nobody passed me!)

Continuing in keeping track of training since Eagleman here are the training totals of the past 13 weeks:

Bike - 57 rides/ 2096 miles/ 101.4 hours/ 20.7mph/ 55990ft of climbing

Run - 44 runs/ 310.5 miles/ 38.8 hours/ 7:29 per mile

Swim - 37 swims/ 32 miles/ 16.26 hours

Total - 138 workouts/ 2438.5 miles/ 156.46 hours

Per Week - 10.6 workouts/ 187.6 miles/ 12.04 miles

Now it is quite possible, that Quakerman may have been my last race of the season as it is tough to find a race close enough over the next 3-4 weeks, when my teams are not competing. The plan for the remainder of the month is to keep things on the lighter side in volume and intensity. Given the training and racing of the past 13 weeks, I feel I still have another strong race in me (if I can find one) even with the lower volume and intensity. Given my plan to use the training method that was effective in my two trips to Kona, I am also using this time to get my body used to training by heart rate as I prepare to embark on Ironman training for 2015. Even if just 3 weeks, the addition of suspension training has already made a huge difference in my strength and I can see how it will be very beneficial in my quest to Kona.

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!