"Rain, Rain, Go Away'

Today is the anticipated 10 mile race along the Chicago lakefront..I've done it the past 2 years and knowing that it is a flat and therefore fast course I was hoping for a "PR".

Eventhough I decided during the week this would be my tempo run workout on my training schedule,I was itching to see how my times, if any, have improved from doing a little speed work and running less miles because of my IRONMAN training schedule..

But I think somebody forget to tell the weatherman to halt the rain and wind from showing up to the race..

Last night it had been raining, nothing to duck under the covers type of rain, but that annoying constant rain...

Sunday, I wake up hoping that the weatherman would be wrong..I guess I was the one wrong...

Off I go in my car, running gear in tow, even in the constant rain I know all to well that I would not be the only crazy runner out there willing to run in terrible weather for a race T-shirt...

Got to the race..Not too bad, cold, wind, and rain, I think we just needed to have it hail for a couple of minutes to make it complete...

I did my 10 to 15 minute warmup going south on the path, not bad, drizzling rain, manageable I said, then I turn around to go North, now this really sucked, wind and cold rain, not sure this will be a "PR" day..Thoughts of just hoping to at least match last years times...

Okay, the game plan, not look at my GPS pace watch and just concentrate on my Heart rate and run that way..

The race starts, tough running, I thought, counting down the miles and hoping for some relief with the change of course direction..

Mile 2, headwind and drizzling rain constant, keep with the plan, fluid every 15 minutes and gel pack at mile 6...Stay in my target heart zone, 160 to 165...

Awwhhh, finally the last 2 miles, with the wind to our backs and the rain feeling like a light drizzle, better then that annoying rain I felt on top of my head during the race...

Last 1/2 mile, crap, headwind, I was just feeling good about the whole thing...

Ohhh, finally done, with a time of 1:17:41, 7:50 pace, close to the time I wanted to do, which was 1:15, but still a little disappointed that I didn't reach my goal of running a 7:30 10 miler..But "PR" none the less...2 1/2 minutes off my previous time...

But the best thing I realized is that this Heart rate racing and training might actually work for me, stayed in control, at least most of the race and hey I didn't "BONK"...

Race over, now it is cold, need someplace warm..

Now looking forward to a recovery training week..

16 weeks until the big "A" race..crap...

"From Chaos comes Focus"

As I continue my IronMan training, it is sometimes a good or maybe bad thing to reflect on the weeks ahead.

Am I training enough!!!
Long enough!!!
Do I need more training sessions!!!
Longer Hours!!!
How the hell am I going to fit those long bike rides in!!!
Crap, I need to ride the IM Wisconsin course!!!

Why does it seem everybody in BLOGland is training harder than me for this race??

Will I be ready or will I fail?

Craptastic, I say....

This last thing but not least, does this training plan I got out of a book going to actually work or should I have gotten a coach?

With these thoughts in my head, I came across a Triathlon magazine, actually a 2005 article I just got around to reading...An Article by Andrea Fisher, a Pro Triathlete competing in her first Half IM..

It read:

"I have come to realize something very important about that race in Florida. As athletes we perform our best when we don't pressure ourselves, we reach our potential when we enjoy the journey"

"All too often we get caught up in what is happening behind us instead of focusing forward and taking care of what we can control....When I am able to stay focused on myself and enjoy the experience I have always posted my best race performances."

"If we remind ourselves to enjoy the journey, remove the pressure and focus forward our end result will speak for itself. I won't be able to go back and do my first half Ironman again, but I let them, the lessons that race taught me will stay with me a lifetime."

For me I know I have several goals, finishing, time goals, etc...Hopefully completing my first and not the last Ironman, but for now I will keep this goals to myself...

But as I'm nearing completion of my "build" or is it "adaptation" phase in my training, these words in this article hit the spot and help me re-focus and work on my mental attitude and understand that I must also learn to enjoy the journey,

enjoying biking and running with friends, old and new..

and seeing my daughter ride her brand new tot bike for the first time..

Knowing that the results will come..and not stress about the days ahead...

TOE THE LINE, and hit my marks..and I really need to stop hitting that snooze button over and over again and wake my ass up for my 5:00 am wake up calls..

Training totals for today...
&0 minute endurance swim, I really need to learn how to breathe!!!
60 minute Big gear bike ride workout
15 minute brick run off the bike...

"BREATHE"

Just got back from my TI (total immersion) master's swim class. Swimming is coming along. I'm still content to be in the far slow lane trying to figure out how to get my stroke count to 13 strokes per 25 yards..That is what the coach measured me out as my optimum stroke count for my height and etc and etc...Got down to 15 strokes per 25 yards somehow, not just once but actually on a consistent basis..

How the hell did I get to that point! Thinking back, as my count was above 25 strokes per 25 yards..I guess small miracles do happen, for me, this is a miracle...

Will I actually have a descent Ironman swim I thought to myself..But time will tell since I know all to well swimming in a pool is alot different than open water swimming..But then again lately our pool water has been like swimming in open water, cloudy and hard to navigate, with only a wall to stop us from continuing...

Still have to figure this one minor factor in my swimming, is that thing called "breathing", this lack of discipline is driving me crazy. Besides from causing me mental distress, I feel like a blow fish after some swim practices.. Then the recovery I surely will not get into.

Core workout in the morning and simulated track workout on the TREADmill..warmup, 2x1600 at around a 7:30 pace, adjusted to 1% and +7 time difference. Then cool down... Okay, not a fancy speed workout by any IM standard, but for now, it is all about getting my legs to think it can run like a gazelle but walk like a duck...Quack..

Medical Report

Okay, a week or two ago I had gotten a physical from my doctor, why it's takes 6 weeks to make an appointment in something that is hurting me now I will never know..I could be cured by then or the pain could disappear..

The doc asked why I was here, besides from the foot pain I'm experiencing, I mention that I was planning to do an "Ironman". Asked is she new what that it was? Yes, she replied, stating I have seen it on TV. Cool I said, off I go to different places, blood test, EKG, and etc and so on..

Got the results back, okay cholesterol a little higher than before, good stuff lower, bad stuff higher..Not good, but tolerable..The kicker was after the nurse gave me the lab results, she mentioned that the weather is getting warmer and I should "EXERCISE"..Not sure if I should have started laughing or sobbing at that point...Maybe a little of both..

But as she told me her "Exercise" suggestion" I thought to myself, "So what have I been doing??" As I screamed inside..Crap back to drawing board..

okay refocus, hmmmmmmmmmmmm...Thinking of my better days when I was able to throw a perfect Judo throw on a black belt that thought I was just a newbie..

awww, that feels better.....

Rode with my TRI club today,... Big group, and some fast riders, but I knew I had to stay in my training zone...I must admit that I did for most of the time, but did try to pace with them, more patience I must learn, as a young IM Jedi in training..The dark force is sooo tough to resist sometimes. Along with ego I must admit..

not a bad day thou, 3hrs on the bike, 30 minute brick run with a fellow IM newbie in training..Not bad for a Sunday anyway..

Four weeks down and 20 more to go..

"BIG BERTHA"

Wow, what a nice sunny day for my Slow long run for the week, the first day we can actually wear shorts training outside, summer must be around the corner.

Left work early today to go to my dental appointment, this time in better condition in trying to tackle "BIG BERTHA" then two weeks prior. Last time, right side of my mouth was all num and still remembering while I ran that big needle he used to pierce my bone to make my mouth num so he could do his job Not sure which hurt most,

ahh I remember, that big needle did...Trying to run with your mouth half num was quite the experience thou...

"BIG BERTHA" as I first met her last year in my 10 mile trail foot race on mile 5. This gradual hill offered money and "king of the hill" status if you conquered her first..
Yeah, that didn't even cross my mind to attempt that..BUt was close to my 10 mile PR that day.

As I run through the woods, I think to myself what would I do if I were attacked by some animal, whose goal is to bite me in the head and drag me in the woods to be eaten later..Thank god there are no black bears or mountain lions in the midwest, just coyotes and maybe deranged deer...

Hmm, thought to myself, what would I do as a trained martial artist, I guess run like hell and kick the animal in the nuts... sounds like a plan to me...

See what I think about when I run without my IPOD..and listening to the news way too much...but 10 miles later I'm back in the comfort of my car and back in the rat race of life, on the highway and driving in that crazy thing called "rush hour"...

It has been a good training week so far, feeling really good after my recovery week.. I think this 2 week on and 1 week recovery might actually work.. We shall see in my quest for IRONMAN glory...

A True Runner, so what makes us one? hearing the race results of some people I run with finishing the BOSTON marathon, I'm awed and inspired from their dedication of not just finishing but also qulifying for this race..Some day hopefully I will be there, but running a 3:20 marathon to qualify in my age group sounds dauting but manageable, I think so anyway.. dropping a 1:30 off my marathon pace time, ooo yuck, what was I thinking...Okay did a little speed work today so maybe I'll get to Boston some day...

Just got back from my Total Immersion masters swim class, hard session today, still in the spit lane or is it pee lane, but coach says I'm improving..So I'll take that anyday..About two weeks ago they said there was as alligator in the pool, okay I swim at a University and I don't think my coach was joking..okay the pool water did suck today thou, couldn't even see the other side of the wall, ..me, it felt like I was open water swimming, even had that funky taste in mouth afterwards..and I wasn't the only one...par for the course I say, if you ever swam in Lake Michigan, you know what I'm talking about.....

Compliance...Listened to a great Pocast from "Zinn and the Art of Triathlon", Q&A session with Coach Adam, the best part for me was the segment concerning compliance to training schedule..Being self-coached and using an IM training plan I got from a book..going crazy and stressed when I come short to my training times..Coach Adam mentions that being able to complete 70-85% of your training plan is realistic for a person or I say normal age grouper (like me) and if you meet 100% of your training program each time you should be sponsered..I found that comment a relief and even thou I will aim for that 100%, and yes it would be cool to be sponsered (who wouldn't turn that down), I can at least sleep better at night and forget the past and hit my mark in the future.."no such thing as make-up workouts"...On that note, descent training weekend, long 85 min. run, 50 min. tempo run, and casual swim session, while I finish my recovery week.. Time to Toe the line again...and hit my marks

Okay, today was bike day, went out for my ride, took out my bike and it started to rain, then it turned to hail, "what's this" I said, The clouds looked evil, like all things, this passed angerly but quickly...On my bike now...Only did 2:10 and 15 minute brick, scheduled 3 hr ride, but time was of the essence with my appointment with the bike doctor, aka pro "bike fit"..2 hours later, seat to low and blah blah, but overall not to painful since I put my rig together from the frame up myself..Pointed out thou what I need to do to be a better cyclist and told me I need to make some adjustment to make me more aero...Even shabby cable routing can hurt your aero advantage. But the bike fit is worth all the money if I can feel good before my jaunt running 26.2 miles in Ironman Wisconsin...We shall see...at least it's a start

Letting go....Hmmm, hold on while I break this wooden board with my hand...ouchh that hurt..okay, missed my key bike workout this weekend..Actually attended a Martial Arts seminar, so I did train for 4 & 5 hours each day over the weekend..So I guess I still trained but it is not the same as TRI training...Why it still bothers me missing my bike ride, I do not know, but I listened to Chris Lieto's interview on "get your geek on" podcast and just remembered about what he said about letting go if you miss a workout..hmm, trying to relax about and not go 110% overboard about my training schedule all the time..I think it helps..Recovery week for me, lower hours and trying to stick to the self-coached plan and not try to do to much so I can get ready for my regular workout next week...can't wait

HIii-yeaaaa, kick, punch, kick, okay back to triathlons. As I try to leave my formal life , studying martial arts for 15+ years. I come upon a blurb in a book I'm reading..Okay I'm studying Total Immersion swimming, since I really suck and need help in the water.. I read this about the origin of the FIST GLOVE. The guy who created it was an Akido teacher/master and used his insight on how he taught his students to feel the movements of Akido by being blindfolded..Wow...he applied this to swimming, he realized by constricting the hand in the water via a "Fist Glove", he could teach people how to propel themselves thru the water using body movement insight instead of relying on your hand to propel yourself thru the water using great force..Cool stuff...I thought..Now how to apply this Martial arts training to the rest of my IM TRI training...or at least learn how to block out pain in my long runs..

bike to T2

bike to T2
Originally uploaded by runbubbarun.

Another hot day, It would be the hottest day of the year in the Chicagoland area..During the half IM race, 115 heat index...out of 1500 signed up, 1000 showed up and made it the the finish line..mann, what a day...After I finished the race, I told my buddy, this is "just crazy", I smiled and signed up for the race for next year...now I think I'm crazy...