Top of the Key » Triathlon

Archive for the ‘Triathlon’ Category

Monday: 2100 yd swim, 22 mi bike

Written by admin on January 5, 2009 – 12:22 pm -

So far, Day 1 of Week 1 is pretty good. Walked up to the pool in the freezing cold, i had about 5 layers on, it was 6am! Still dark, and icy. Swam well, surprisingly well for me. I haven’t been in the water much as of late, maybe once a week. but that’s about to change.

Biked 22 miles on the trainer, with some climbing sets. Did this on my road bike, without the Powercranks. I can definitely feel a difference, it’s not as difficult with the normal cranks of a bike. The PowerCranks are definitely tougher, that’s one thing I took away from this morning’s ride. I’m hoping still to get a cheap bike that I can throw these on.

It’s nice to know that I haven’t lost every bit of fitness since I last trained. Feel about normal for where I’m at. Still planning to run and lift tonight, but that’s up in the air.

Posted in Triathlon | No Comments »

Sunday: Last Day before Week 1 of Training

Written by admin on January 4, 2009 – 10:58 am -

Savoring my last day before I start up training again. Living life with no set plan has been fun, but I feel a little ‘lost’ at times. Makes me realize that I need the plan to understand where I’m going and how I’m going to get there. It’s exciting for me to open my email and see the week ahead layed out for me. The next few months will by no means be as long or hard as training for an Ironman, which means more time to get to the gym and work on different things. A whole year planned around speed and strength, not so much super long bikes or runs. Not sure if I’ll like it or not. Only time will tell.

Oh, and if anyone knows of a used road bike, roughly $100 or so, I’m looking for one to throw my PowerCranks on. I had to transform my road bike so i can ride outdoors with the Echelon Spokes and Slopes Cycling Team, which i joined for 2009.

Posted in Triathlon | Comments Off

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Written by admin on January 1, 2009 – 11:40 am -

Where to begin? 2008 was a great year for me overall. I achieved more than I have ever imagined, and have pushed myself harder than I have in the past. I had days that I would be so focused on running that the distance and time just weren’t relevant, I was just going, and going and going. A few days there, especially on Saturday nights, that I would be finishing up a 10 mile run after swimming hard, biking long, and pushing through the grind to stay strong the entire run. And then flopping on the floor at home in tears…for no reason at all. Only to wipe it away 5 min. later, and wake up the next day and train again. Always with the support of Jess behind me, I have stepped up a level in my self-confidence. A few hightlights from 2008…

Highs:
1. Overall winner of a triathlon - Extremely large mental victory for me, totally shocked myself, after a bit of advice I heard one day at a talk that Tim DeBoom gave to the BTC. I remember I was there all by myself, Jess was running the colfax marathon, and as I came into T2, I saw no bikes..that was a first. And support said I was the first person in…I was so shocked…and then off the run where I didn’t look back until .5 miles to go…noone there.

2. Finishing an Ironman in 10:20 - Knocking off 45 min from previous PR, and 1 hour, 18 min. faster on the same course from a year ago. All my training (52 weeks) paid off big, didn’t get a Kona slot, but would I have raced this well if I hadn’t trained so hard? Who knows. But now I have a sense of how much harder I need to go. 2 Ironman’s in 1 year, that was a mental test!

3. My wife finishing her first Ironman - after she stated she would never do a triathlon, and never an Ironman a few years ago. She’s impressed me the whole way. From injury, to diving into the unknown, building a massage practice and taking care of the family…don’t know how she stays so strong and joyful. Always a smile on her face, especially crossing the finish line in Coeur D’Alene…never saw anyone finish like that.

Looking ahead to 2009, I see lots of time spent with my dogs, more racing and lots more laughs. No Ironman for either Jess or me, so that puts life back on track a little. We’ll probably race alot more together in 09…and that makes for a guarenteed good time!

Living in Boulder, working for ourselves, and staying healthy and happy continues to be what I strive for, daily. I consider myself to be very, very lucky and fortunate to be here today. I hope everyone else out there has a Happy New Year, and a successful 09. It is what you make of it!

Posted in Triathlon | 1 Comment »

Monday Morning

Written by admin on December 29, 2008 – 10:39 am -

Not the normal weekend I’m used to, but was relaxing and a nice change from the usual weekends. Saturday I did no exercise whatsoever. Now when does a Saturday roll around and you don’t get out of bed till 7 or 8, then lounge around for a few hours, drink lots of coffee, and play with the dogs? I know this downtime is coming to an end, and I think I need to get back to training. For one thing, my eating habits have not been the best. But i’m sure in a few weeks I’ll be back on track. I have run maybe twice in the past week, biked zero times, and swam once. Yoga once, weights a bunch of times, and sleep.

Jess and I went to the gym on Sunday for an hour, took the dogs for a long walk, then rode our bikes downtown in the blustery wind. Nothing too exciting, but just going with the flow and taking each day as it comes has been our story lately. I plan to start up training next Monday, January 5. That gives me 7 more days of doing stuff. Jess plans to run her first mile on Jan. 1, after taking several weeks off from a recovering stress fracture in her foot. She’s completely recovered, and as always, took the necessary steps to get it back to health. It’s remarkable really how well she recovers, all the hours I see her giving self-massage, going through the pain at times, all helping in the recovery process. How many of us really take care of ourselves that well? I’m not one, but trying more and more.

Planning to road ride today for the first time in years. It’s a perfect day!

Posted in Triathlon | Comments Off

Skiing, xmas and tears

Written by admin on December 26, 2008 – 2:01 pm -

Jess and I headed up to Eldora on Christmas Eve to cross country ski. I’ve never been, Jess had been a few times. We did the classical type, don’t need to start ripping apart my legs just yet. But it turned out to be awesome. It’s cheaper than skiing or boarding the mountain…and you get a better workout too…which for me, is high on the priority list when taking up a new activity. xmas eve night both Jess and I were sore, Jess was having trouble picking up her legs. Still feeling the effects today (Friday).

Christmas has come and gone. Suzy, Jess and I spent the day hanging out at home with the dogs. We escaped to see the matinee showing of Marley & Me. Oh man, I didn’t know what I was in for. I have yet to read the book, everyone says it’s awesome. The movie is so funny, and the first 90% is all about the humorous aspect of owning a dog…then the last 15-20 min. hit you like a brick. I won’t go any further into detail…but let’s say that I am so thankful to have Harrison and Lhasa in my life. And Jess too or course. But I didn’t have dogs growing up, Harrison is my first ever. So starting today, he comes everywhere with me. Our lives are good, really good, but even better with the canines by our sides. Needless to say, I was one of many who cried hard at the end of the flick. Couldn’t wait to rush home and see our kids.

Posted in Triathlon | Comments Off

Core Power Yoga & Massage

Written by admin on December 24, 2008 – 8:39 am -

One activity can showcase your faults in your flexibility…Core Power Yoga. Doesn’t matter how many miles you run, bike or swim, get into this class, and your back at the bottom. Not sure I can make this a new year’s resolution, but will definitely try to add more yoga to my routine.

Massage with Jess, which has been huge all year for my health and ability to train day after day. For the last few weeks, it’s been about an all body massage, no specific areas of pain or distress. I have slacked off the acitivity though, only doing one thing a day, if that. But my fingers are getting stronger from all the typing/designing.

Posted in Triathlon | Comments Off

Tuesday

Written by admin on December 23, 2008 – 10:28 am -

One day closer to my first cross country experience. Jess and I are planning to hit Eldorado tomorrow and strap on the skis. I haven’t been on skis for years, and never on cross country ones. Looking forward to it, although, I have this feeling that I might like it alot.

Hit the gym last night with Jess, ran for a mile, then weights and core. I am feeling the itch again to get a more structured schedule going. But still trying to hold out as long as I can.

Posted in Triathlon | No Comments »

Where did the Weekend Go?

Written by admin on December 22, 2008 – 11:07 am -

Between the last post, and today, where do i begin? I was reading Tim’s post about the off-season, and realized that I wasn’t really taking an off-season. So i dove into it with reckless abandon…specifically the eating. I won’t bore you with the list, but let’s just say it’s not the norm. And now I’m over it, got all the stuff in and out of my system for another year or so. Not eating well really changes how you feel. I’m more tired, lazy, grumpy, unmotivated, etc…

I therefore worked out hard on Saturday. But first had to bust through a few layers of grit and grime and sweat on my road bike that’s been on my trainer for, oh, i’d say 3 years. It also has my PowerCranks on it. I have to part with them for now as I just joined a cycling team for 09, Echelon Spokes & Slopes. I don’t technically have a road bike ready to ride outdoors, so this is the next best option. I probably will look for a cheap bike to through the cranks on later this winter, something around the $100-$200 range. I’ve seen some out there. But dressing up the Giant, it actually looks pretty good. We’ll see how it rides this week when i get it back from the shop.

Hit the gym on Saturday for some weights and core stuff. That makes it 3 times last week i was in the gym. Same thing is planned for this week. Freedom, that’s what weights are to me. A chance to do something different, get sore in places I don’t usually, and build some strength. Last night I ran on the treadmill for 30 min. that’s it. Pretty basic stuff.

On Saturday, Jess and I hit a movie…at the MALL!!! Yeah, the mall. I haven’t been to the mall in over a year. Right away I was struck by the number of people in the food court. My system was already about to shut down, but I stayed strong. Jess and I wanted to see what was really going on out there in the world, what the holiday scene was like. We walked around the mall for one loop, and somethings never change. The little booths in the middle of the mall that sell cell phones, or the latest product that’s going to shed 30 lbs off your waist in 2 days! Crazy, crazy stuff. But it makes us realize how lucky we are, and fortunate to be living our lives the way we want to live them. Doing something like this is good every now and then as a reminder.

Sunday we drove up to our condo in Winter Park to winterize the windows, probably the same windows that have been there from the start. Just a quick up and back trip.

Now’s it’s Monday, and 2 days from xmas eve. It’ll be low key this year, just Jess and her sister Suzy….3 dogs, and a cat.