I had to spend a little extra time out on the bike today. I just rebuilt my Specialized Tarmac road bike and I'm rediscovering how much I love it. After a summer riding nothing but my tri bike and the occasional mountainbike outing, sitting on my road bike is like sitting on the couch eating a bag of chips. I forgot how comfy this damn thing is! I can't wait to put in some 6 hour rides this winter on it! Kinda like meeting up with an old friend.
The bike included some impromptu sprints-generally when I had to get out of the way of the idiotic drivers here on Long Island. The never cease to amaze me.
The 20 mins I spent running was actually 25, done with one of my favorite clients. We did some slow running, but I pushed the pace with him a bit at times and ended the run with an all out half mile.
I probably did a bit more today than my coach wanted me to, but I couldn't help it. I love this triathlon stuff. I've been training at this point for almost an entire year and mentally I still get excited every day for training. It's time to take a break and I know my body needs it. It'll be nice to finsish with a strong race this Sunday, kick back for a couple weeks, and then start again.
This is our new blog detailing our daily adventures, mountain bike racing, endurance sports, and maybe even some cooking (that's Anne's domain!). We will share our experiences with life, training, and most importantly, being a team-both in marriage and in our sport.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
I hate this tapering stuff...
I really hate this tapering stuff. Maybe it's because I'm locked in emotional torment now and need an outlet for my feelings, but I hate just sitting around. On a day like today, when I don't have a lot of work, it's excrutiating. I've tried reading, playing with the dog, watching tv, even writing out bills! and nothing seems to work.
I have a dinky litte 45 min spin to do on the bike and I'm gonna go for a 20 min jog after that just to keep my legs loose. I'm beginning to wonder if tapering for me is even a good thing at all. I feel sluggish and my mind is all hazed over. When I'm training 20-30 hours a week I feel sharp as a tack. Tired but sharp. I guess Sunday will be the test.
I have a dinky litte 45 min spin to do on the bike and I'm gonna go for a 20 min jog after that just to keep my legs loose. I'm beginning to wonder if tapering for me is even a good thing at all. I feel sluggish and my mind is all hazed over. When I'm training 20-30 hours a week I feel sharp as a tack. Tired but sharp. I guess Sunday will be the test.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
1/2 hour swim
Easy swim today. I don't wanna say that I felt awesome in the water, but I certainly didn't feel bad. At this point of the season, I'm seriously thinking hard already about what I want to accomplish this off-season as well as next year.
Basically, I want to kick ass. To do that, I need to keep improving in ALL facets of this sport. Luckily, there's not one thing about it that I DON'T like. I love swimming, I love biking, and I love running. Any questions? From what I can see, I need to get faster in everything, but in particular swimming. I'm a great athlete, and I think my mind is in a good place. I know I suck ass in the water, so I'm willing to seek help. I'm happy that I've grown out of the part of my ego that thinks that I'm the best at everything and no one can teach me anything. That's burned me in other sports and it won't happen with this one.
Swimming will be great this winter and I expect nothing but the best of myself. My motivation is still at a super high level (even after a long season). There's just so much to learn, both about the sport and about myself, that I'm so excited with each day I get out there and train. With discipline and hard work I can definately succeed.
Tomorrow is an easy spin on the bike and I think I might add an easy run in the afternoon as well. I don't wanna do too much, but I just feel like running.
Basically, I want to kick ass. To do that, I need to keep improving in ALL facets of this sport. Luckily, there's not one thing about it that I DON'T like. I love swimming, I love biking, and I love running. Any questions? From what I can see, I need to get faster in everything, but in particular swimming. I'm a great athlete, and I think my mind is in a good place. I know I suck ass in the water, so I'm willing to seek help. I'm happy that I've grown out of the part of my ego that thinks that I'm the best at everything and no one can teach me anything. That's burned me in other sports and it won't happen with this one.
Swimming will be great this winter and I expect nothing but the best of myself. My motivation is still at a super high level (even after a long season). There's just so much to learn, both about the sport and about myself, that I'm so excited with each day I get out there and train. With discipline and hard work I can definately succeed.
Tomorrow is an easy spin on the bike and I think I might add an easy run in the afternoon as well. I don't wanna do too much, but I just feel like running.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Rest Day
After a good week (and block) of training, it's time to take a day off. In looking at my numbers from last week, I realized I hit about 60 miles running. This was highest milage I've hit for the season for any given week of running. I've run more hours, but I don't quite think the distance has been there. I'm excited to see how this will effect my race performance this coming Sunday.
Today it will be all about recovery. Nutrition is gonna be a focus, as well as wearing my Skins most of the day, and getting in some foam rolling and TP massage kit work. My hip has been feeling a bit tender so I'll focus a lot on that.
Otherwise, I think I'll just try to chill today. Maybe catch up on some reading or go see a movie(as long as it's a matinee 'cuz I'm cheap!). Looking forward to feeling my body recooperate this week!
Today it will be all about recovery. Nutrition is gonna be a focus, as well as wearing my Skins most of the day, and getting in some foam rolling and TP massage kit work. My hip has been feeling a bit tender so I'll focus a lot on that.
Otherwise, I think I'll just try to chill today. Maybe catch up on some reading or go see a movie(as long as it's a matinee 'cuz I'm cheap!). Looking forward to feeling my body recooperate this week!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
16 mile run
Ok, it was suppossed to be 16, but I did 15 instead. I was to warm up with 2 miles, run 6 hard, 6 harder, and cool down for 2. I get antsy when I get out there, so after only a mile warm up I was ready to go.
When I did this same run Monday, I decided to do it on a flat loop, wanting to keep my rythm together the whole time. Today, though, I threw that loop out the window and did it on some of the really hilly roads in my town. Port Jefferson is probably the hilliest area on Long island, so it's great to get in some solid strong running training. I think this is why I'm a stronger runner rather than a faster runner.
So the run was good. Monday this run killed me, but today it wasn't that bad. I felt better as the run went on, and really started to kick by the end. My final six miles was much faster than the first six, and I was really able to put it all on the line by the end.
On another note, I'm excited that my diet must be right. During this run, I didn't need any extra fuel, and never came close to bonking. I know it's not a terribly long run, but I think the added fat in my diet has had a positive effect on my training and endurance. Just a thought.
So it's on to the last taper of the year. In my first "real" year of triathlon, I'm happy with the gains I've made. I've taken a lot of steps forward and I think I have a lot more to go. All in all I can only say that I've dedicated myself wholy to this sport for about 3 months. Life and other things stood in my way before. Now though, after some refinement and serious soul searching, I think I'm ready to take the next step forward in my journey. Probably the best thing that I've learned, and the best thing I like about this sport, is that you really have to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day. There is no lying to yourself. You can make excuses until your blue in the face about why you didn't do this, or you didn't do that, but in the end, if you're healthy and motivated with a little bit of talent, you will be able to see the fruits of your labor.
I truly love every last thing about this sport, from the sexy bike (and girls!) to the wacky people (myself included) that I've met so far. I'm so lucky to have stumbled upon this crazy sport.
When I did this same run Monday, I decided to do it on a flat loop, wanting to keep my rythm together the whole time. Today, though, I threw that loop out the window and did it on some of the really hilly roads in my town. Port Jefferson is probably the hilliest area on Long island, so it's great to get in some solid strong running training. I think this is why I'm a stronger runner rather than a faster runner.
So the run was good. Monday this run killed me, but today it wasn't that bad. I felt better as the run went on, and really started to kick by the end. My final six miles was much faster than the first six, and I was really able to put it all on the line by the end.
On another note, I'm excited that my diet must be right. During this run, I didn't need any extra fuel, and never came close to bonking. I know it's not a terribly long run, but I think the added fat in my diet has had a positive effect on my training and endurance. Just a thought.
So it's on to the last taper of the year. In my first "real" year of triathlon, I'm happy with the gains I've made. I've taken a lot of steps forward and I think I have a lot more to go. All in all I can only say that I've dedicated myself wholy to this sport for about 3 months. Life and other things stood in my way before. Now though, after some refinement and serious soul searching, I think I'm ready to take the next step forward in my journey. Probably the best thing that I've learned, and the best thing I like about this sport, is that you really have to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day. There is no lying to yourself. You can make excuses until your blue in the face about why you didn't do this, or you didn't do that, but in the end, if you're healthy and motivated with a little bit of talent, you will be able to see the fruits of your labor.
I truly love every last thing about this sport, from the sexy bike (and girls!) to the wacky people (myself included) that I've met so far. I'm so lucky to have stumbled upon this crazy sport.
The last training day
Today is the last real training (for racing) day of my season this year. I have a 16 mile run to do, in which 12 of those miles will be at some sort of a tempo pace. To say I'm unmotivated to run is an understatement. I'm tired and sluggish, and can make every excuse not to get out there today.
I've undertaken mundane tasks like rebuilding my road bike in anticipation of the winter, trying to get out of the run today. I knew this would happen, and even tried to rope a buddy of mine into running with me. When he bailed on me this morning it took even more of the wind out of my sails.
So here I sit, with only about 2 hours of training left to go, and I don't want to get off of my lazy ass. Even writing this is a form of procrastination.
Ok, I'm just gonna go and get up and do it.
I've undertaken mundane tasks like rebuilding my road bike in anticipation of the winter, trying to get out of the run today. I knew this would happen, and even tried to rope a buddy of mine into running with me. When he bailed on me this morning it took even more of the wind out of my sails.
So here I sit, with only about 2 hours of training left to go, and I don't want to get off of my lazy ass. Even writing this is a form of procrastination.
Ok, I'm just gonna go and get up and do it.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
5 hour bike, 1 hour run
Good day of solid training today. Had a 5 hour bike-which had to be broken into two parts, 2 hours with clients, 3 hour with my buddy Adam-and than a 1 hour run.
The bike was pretty uneventful, just a seriously EASY day. No worry about going too fast, or concern about distance, just straight saddle time. I was feeling a bit tired going into today, so I think I got in somewhere around 88 mile for the 5 hours-Told you it was meant to be an easy day!!!
The run was more of the same. Averaged somwhere in the neighborhood of 8 min miles-Just getting time on the feet.
By the way, if you're reading this and keeping up with each day, (as I imagine only my mom is-and probably only to figure out where I am all the time) you'll notice that I said yesterday that I was planning on doing my long tempo run today. Well, being that my good friends at the National Weather Service said that I should expect heavy rainshowers tomorrow, I decided to to my bike and run today, saving the tempo stuff for tomorrow. I love running in the rain, so tomorrow should be nice.
The bike was pretty uneventful, just a seriously EASY day. No worry about going too fast, or concern about distance, just straight saddle time. I was feeling a bit tired going into today, so I think I got in somewhere around 88 mile for the 5 hours-Told you it was meant to be an easy day!!!
The run was more of the same. Averaged somwhere in the neighborhood of 8 min miles-Just getting time on the feet.
By the way, if you're reading this and keeping up with each day, (as I imagine only my mom is-and probably only to figure out where I am all the time) you'll notice that I said yesterday that I was planning on doing my long tempo run today. Well, being that my good friends at the National Weather Service said that I should expect heavy rainshowers tomorrow, I decided to to my bike and run today, saving the tempo stuff for tomorrow. I love running in the rain, so tomorrow should be nice.
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