My Life - The Triathlon Way
Good workout tonight
Tuesday's usually my typical track workout, but my legs didn't feel up to it this evening. So I waited for Jen to get home from work and we went over to the gym with plans of spinning. When we got to the gym the class was full so I did a couple situps, and we turned around and went home for some Coach Troy punishment. I felt really good on the bike tonight as we biked 50 minutes. I head to NYC tomorrow and hopefully I'll get in a decent run while I'm there!
Christmas comes early
Well I got a package in the mail yesterday from Amazon. I had ordered two new Triathlon books and began reading them last night. I think there are two things that I need to really focus on for next season.
1.) Get structure - I'm going to be working with a coach for this one, but also got a copy of the "
Triathlon Training Bible", to give me a little more understanding behind the science and art of training.
2.) Improve my Nutrition - I've never really been a big fan of fruits and vegitables, but I'm trying. I also got a book entitled "
Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes". It might be a little more than I need, but hopefully it'll help me understand how different foods fuel the body in addition to understanding what to eat and when to eat them.
As for training, it's still somewhat on the back burner. Jen and I went to Blazers (our gym) last night, and she hit the treadmill as I hit the weights and worked on my abs. I'm really feeling my abs this morning, and it's hard to lift my arms above my head - but that's a good thing right?
I'm going to head over to the track tonight as long as the rain holds off, and maybe even go to spinning class afterwards. We'll see how the day unfolds!
Little Chilly Run
Jen and I were up pretty early this morning, and met our friend Sandy at the Irwin Playground at 7:30 AM. It was around 30 degrees, and I realized that I'm not ready for winter. We're all recovering from marathons so we ran an easy 10K at around 8:20 pace if I were to guess. My legs were pretty tired but I enjoyed getting back out there.
Jen and I spent a couple hours last night cleaning up the garage. We still had boxes to unpack from the move. We were able to throw a lot of things out that we'll never use, and moved things to the "garage sale" pile. I'll be happy when the spring comes and we finally get some of the junk out of there.
Three of the boxes sitting in the garage were old trophies that we've won over the years. I was very close to throwing them out, but just couldn't do it. Instead they went on a empty shelf out in the garage and will probably sit there collecting dust over the many years to come.
After we cleaned the garage, I worked a little bit on the Felt. I'd like to get a more aero position for next year and figure now's the time to mess with it.
All work and some play
Since Hawaii, I've been working like crazy, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself after my work is finished. Here are some pictures of some recent work trips I went on.
The first trip was out to Phoenix where my co-worker Mike and we performed an audit right outside of Scottsdale where I got to see my cousin Buddy. He moved out to Arizona over a year ago, so it was good to see him. After we finished up with our work, we drove to the Grand Canyon, and also to Sedona.
Here I am at the Grand Canyon. Some day I would love to do some hiking here.
After the Grand Canyon, we ate lunch in Sedona. The sights here were simply amazing. The red rocks were as if we were on another planet.
Two weeks ago I traveled to Albuquerque New Mexico for a day. I didn't have much time there outside of work, but I managed to ride the Sandia Tramway. A trip on the world’s longest aerial tramway transports you above deep canyons and breathtaking terrain a distance of 2.7 miles. See some of nature’s more dramatic beauty unfold before you. At sunset the desert skies produce a spectacular array of color, and your vantage point from the observation deck atop 10,378 foot Sandia Peak in the Cibola National Forest affords an 11,000 square-mile panoramic view of the Rio Grande Valley and the Land of Enchantment. (http://www.sandiapeak.com/)
Here's a picture of the tram going up. Good thing I'm not afraid of heights.
Although traveling can get to you every know and then, I've gotten to see so many cool things the past 3 years that I normally wouldn't have seen.
Blogger Overhaul
Well today I decided to give my blog site a new look. It took me a little while to really figure out the HTML blogger code, but once I figured it out, updating stuff was pretty easy. Enjoy
Turkey Trot / Ready for the weekend
Well yesterday was the Greensburg Turkey Trot. Believe it or not, this was the first time I have ever ran this race. It was an enormous turn out with close to 2000 runners. I really wasn't sure how I was going to run the race, but figured I'd go out hard and see how I felt. I went out quick with a 5:19 first mile, but backed off after that and just wasn't feeling it. Miles 2 and 3 are somewhat hilly, and I just didn't feel like pushing it on the hills. I finished the 5K in just over 19 minutes, my slowest 5K since early 2004. But that's okay because I ran a 17:52 three weeks ago.... :)
As for today, I wanted to get in a solid bike ride, and that's exactly what I did. Jim at the shop (
www.trizilla.com) recently got in eight computrainer machines where you can bike against 7 other people all at once. Even though it was only Doug and I that did a ride this morning it was still fun. I could tell early that we both have a pretty competitive spirit and neither one of us would let the other get in front. I think my heart rate hovered around 180 for the entire 20 miles we rode....in other words WAY TOO HIGH!!!
I was spent after 60 minutes and threw in the towel All in all the new computrainer was pretty cool.
Now all I need to do is get in the pool. Which is a whole different topic in itself. See up until today I've only logged in 28 miles this year of swimming. I really need to find a coach or something to teach me more efficient ways of swimming. I really want to get on the bike fresh this year at Eagleman and at Placid. I'm debating on joining the YMCA in Greensburg because the pool is longer than the pool I currently swim in, but regardless I just need to put in more time under water.
Anyways, after I got done at Trizilla I stopped over Jen's brother and sister-in-laws house to see their newborn Martin Dominique Gordon. Martin was born on Monday and was simply adorable. I know everyone likes baby pictures, so here's some for you.
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0CZtmbRu3cMXXAAfter Jen and I got home, we went to the gym for some power yoga. It was a tough course, and I still can't even come close to doing half of the moves they have you do. I lifted some weights afterwards for the first time since spring, and did some ab work.
I supposed to take it easy for another 7 days, but I'm getting ency, can't you tell?
Feels good to be back
Well after 10 long days of doing nothing at all, the weather today told me it was time to get my butt outside. After debating back and forth about should I do a run or ride my bike, I decided to go out on the bike. I got in a solid, but easy 90 minute ride with Drew in this 70 degree abnormal temperature we have going. I felt a little tired at the end of the ride even though we didn't go very hard. Tomorrow is the Turkey Trot in
Greensburg, and I haven't decided if I'm going to go hard or just take it easy. I think it all depends on the weather and if my legs feel good after the first mile.
Blog from my blackberry
Well if this works there will be no stopping my blog. Now I can blog from my phone!
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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Device
Ready to train yet?
It's been exactly 7 days of
laziness since the Harrisburg marathon, and just over 5 weeks since
Kona. I still can't believe it was that long ago. It still seems like it was yesterday. I was reading Beth's post today
http://www.running-blogs.com/beth/ regarding her body trying to cope with lack of exercise. I think after pushing your body to its limits 11 months in a row with no break, it doesn't know how to act when you actually take one. You can count the total of all of my workouts since Hawaii on two hands. I thought that R&R would do the body good, but all it's doing is driving me insane. I refuse to get on the scale because I know that I've gained weight...go ahead call me a girl! My pants are tighter than usual, and I NEED go get myself on the treadmill, bike
trainer, or under a set of weights at the gym.
Well I have 12 more days of "off" time, and then my '08 season training prep begins. I'm going to be working with a coach for the first time since high school. I'm really excited and looking forward to structure and organization. I just hope my body can adapt to the increased workouts given my demanding work schedule and already hectic life. Work is only getting more crazy. I looked up my
USAIR account today and have flown 87,000 miles as of last week. Actually right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in Buffalo NY.....wonder what the gym here is like. :)
I've Been Tagged
I guess this is sort of like email forwards but via blog. Beth tagged me sometime on Friday and I've been putting off replying all weekend and figure I better get at it. So what I'm supposed to do is post 5 random facts about me, and then "tag" 5 more blog sites....but guess what I think Beth's blog is the only other blog I've ever read, so I think she's going to have to rely on the other four people to pass on the chain.
1.) I was forced to join the track team in 9th grade by my dad who wanted me to get in shape for hockey season. (many thanks by the way)
2.) I didn't even know what cross country was until late in 9th grade. I became a distance runner during Track in 9th grade. It was only then I was told about XC...
3.) I learned to ride a motorcycle before a bicycle. My dad was big into motocross while I was growing up and welded training wheels to my 50cc PeeWee motorcycle at the age of three.
4.) I was racing motocross by the time I was four.
5.) I met my wife Jennifer at the gym during spinning class.....well over multiple spinning classes! :)
Harrisburg Marathon Race Report
Well the marathon attempt was a bust for both Jen and I yesterday. Jen ran around a 3:53 and needed a 3:41 for a BQ. She said she felt fine till mile 17 and fell apart the last 9 miles. She still had a good run considering she wasn't specifically training for the marathon and only had a couple long runs under her belt.
As for me I made a rookie mistake. I felt good all day needing a 3:10:59 for a BQ time. I ran the first half in 1:34 and had over a minute in the bank. Over the next 6-7 miles I was running a negative split (7:05 miles) and still felt good. There was a hilly section around mile 18 and 19, and those miles were slightly slower, but I still had time in the bank. At mile 22 I did the math in my head and had 32+ minutes to get to the finish. I simply figured 32 divided by 4 = 8, so I could run 8 minute miles and make it with ease, so that's what I did. I backed off my pace and ran the next 3 miles around 8:00 minute pace. At mile 25, I looked my watch and forgot to factor in that last .2 mile. I basically sprinted the last mile, and came up just seconds short.
I literally watched the clock turn 3:11:00 just a couple hundred feet away. I just about walked the last 100 feet in disgust, and finished with around a 3:11:50. Overall I felt good and wish I could take back that last 5K….
Harrisburg Marathon - Pre Race
Well we're 70 minutes from start time, and still laying in bed. Actually we're all ready to run, and are only about 1/2 mile away from the start line. It's about 30 degrees out right now, and I wish I was in Clearwater for the 70.3 IM Championships. But instead Jen and I are in Harrisburg.
Both of us feel pretty good, with no major nagging injuries. Jen's foot is a little sore, and my hip still gives me a little trouble, but then again we're only running a marathon. I'm going to go out at a 7:15 pace, and see how I feel halfway through. Hopefully I feel pretty good, and can negative split (something I've never done before in a marathon). If I don't feel very good, then I'll just back off, and try to qualify for Boston at another race.
We met up with my friend Todd and Sean last night for dinner at the Fire House. It was this really cool restaurant that used to be a fire station. The menu wasn't really driven towards the carbo loading athlete, but we were able to find some starches that hopefully help today.
Anyways we better start heading over there soon.
PS: Congrats to our Irwin runners, Mike Fallon, Lisa Cimbala, and Alan Hill for their awesome marathon run in Richmond yesterday. Also congrats to Beth Shutt with her 12th place Age Group finish at the IM 70.3 Worlds in Clearwater! Awesome day to all of you and what a way to end your 2007 season!
After today I'm going to take another 3 weeks off in prep for the off season.
