Martial artist, Triathlete, IronMan, UltraRunner, Mostly Just Plain Craziness

Follow me on my quest to figure out if "Impossible is Nothing"

lifeisshort

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

The Taper Dance

Okay, this dance is really making me insane. Don't know the steps and feel like I'm stumbling over my feet right now. So many things to do and don't know where to begin.

Hard to concentrate on anything except Ironman right now, even at work I stare at the computer screen checking the weather forecast for Madison every couple of minutes.

Lets get this big dance going I say.

So with that, I heard this song on the radio awhile ago and made it my Ironman song. I know I might loose my ManCard on this one, but hey It should be more respectable then possibly peeing in my wetsuit and on the bike during IMWI,

Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten Lyrics
Album: Unwritten

Lyrics:

"I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined

I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance

So close you can almost taste it

Release your innovations

Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you

Only you can let it in

No one else, no one else

Can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken

Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten

Oh, oh, oh

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines

We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance

So close you can almost taste it

Release your inner visions

Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you

Only you can let it in

No one else, no one else

Can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken

Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten..."

posted by RunBubbaRun at 5:05 AM 3 comments

Sunday, August 27, 2006

The Long Century

Today after my long bike ride, I finally start to taper and I need to, I will try to stick to my schedule and get my race plan together and get some sleep.

It was a pretty good training week, for me anyway. Eventhough I got kind of lazy and so dreaded doing my bike trainer intervals on a stationary trainer followed by a brick run. I just blew it off to have more energy for my longer key workouts. That is what I told myself and I'm sticking with it.

Thursday, was my long trail run at one of my favorite spots. After going to the dentist, with my mouth half num, kinda of crazy I know, but 3 hours later and 19 miles later, and the medication worn off, task completed.

Saturday, Open water swim at TRI beach, I'm sure alot of people was resting for the Chicago TRI, so not a big crowd, 2 miles and I'm done.

Sunday, Psychos century ride, started the ride at 6:30 am. It started out pretty well, solo ride, with people on the route already. Then it happened, 3 Triathletes passed me up, 2 with power meters, so a long day ahead, so what else do I do than pretend it is a race. Oh, bad idea on my part, through me way off on my training plan, but after awhile I came to my senses and went back to my slow solo ride.

Soo, 5 hours 50 minutes 9 seconds, 118.8 miles, 17.4 avg mph. Ride completed.. Check.

Getting lost for 12 miles of the 118.8, because I cannot read a stupid route map. And a guy in a pickup truck asking me if I'm lost and laughing at me when he tells me I should be going the other way.

PRICELESS

Now bring on the fun, 2 weeks and counting, and let the freaking out begin.

posted by RunBubbaRun at 4:13 PM 1 comments

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

"Tapering"

The definition of a taper by one author is:

"a progressive nonlinear reduction of the training load during a variable period of time, in an attempt to reduce the physiological and psychological stress of daily training and optimize sports performance".

So the question to myself is am I Tapering this week?

Uh NO. The "TAPER" Dance.. Uh ..not just yet..

With some of the IMoo crew tapering I feel like I need one or more workouts to build up my confidence a little more. Will I ever feel totally ready, probably not, especially with the last 2 weeks fast approaching. More of a mental game now, thinking about what the day will bring.

One day, One race, One year to prepare, now I feel like I need more time..

Ohh crap..

So on Sunday I was able to put in a 80 mile ride in with a 40 minute brick run, felt really good about the whole training session.

So the rest of the week I have another 6-7 hour ride (aka: Bike Psycho's Century), along with a 2-3 mile open water swim, and 2.5 to 3 hour run. Then I can do the "TAPER DANCE" with a smile on my face and a sign of relief I know I did my best.

So the biggest Triathlon in the world is happening this weekend in my area. The Chicago Triathlon, 7000+ athletes. Pure craziness. Ohh, TRI Expo time..cool..

As I reflect back on what got me motivated to start doing TRiathlons. It was always on the back of my mind even though at that time I could not even swim 25 yrds. But something clicked in me 2 1/2 years ago while watching the Chicago triathlon driving in my car.

I saw this big guy (more than a clydesdale) riding his bike on the course, fully decked out in his "Tour De France" outfit and just cruising along on his high end road bike. At that point I said to myself I can do this if he can. That is all I needed to get me motivated.

So the following year I finished the CHICAGO TRI. So to the that guy who "made me get off my ass" I thank you. To my friend who called me up and said we should do a TRIathlon, I said "sure, why not", I thank her.

With the next 2 weeks full of reflection, doubt, anxiety, and excitement. I heard another quote on the Podcast about "Life of Passion" which made a profound impact on the way I think about life these days and "getting off my ass".


"LIFE IS SHORT, BUT IT SHOULD BE LONG ENOUGH"

posted by RunBubbaRun at 8:31 PM 3 comments

Thursday, August 17, 2006

"Out of the Darkness"

Okay, I know I'm a little late. But here is my last weekend's recap of events.

On Saturday, my scheduled 6-7 hour ride became a 4.5 (70 mile ride) instead because I had so much trouble rolling out of bed. I started soo way late and started at 7:00 am instead of 5:00 am. But the ride was uneventful and solo of course. I actually did a route I had done previously during the Sudden Century organized ride.

So how much things have changed.

The 1st time it would be my longest bike ride ever and I felt like I was going collapse at the pace the group was going. The hills seemed bigger back then. Now I know they were just bumps in the road.

After my uneventful ride, with the cars driving past me to keep me company. I did a 38 minute brick run which I totally "bonked" on. All my fault. I had the great idea of not bringing any type of nutrition on the run with me. Lessoned learned.

So on Sunday was the Lasalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic 1/2 marathon. I had the idea of doing a easy hour run before the race and then run the 13.1 mile race. I figured if I can get around a 18-20 LSD mile run in that would be great. I figured where else can you get aid stations on a LSD run and get a nice shiny medal to boot. So after running a little over 5 miles before the race, then gun went off and I was off on my race, wanted to stay in IM marathon pace with keeping my heart rate around 150 bpm. Actually felt really good during the entire race and reached my goal of running under a 9:00 minute half marathon, (actually time 8:55 minute pace), so felt really good of completing that, since I did not meet my goal from the day before.

But the most memorable thing that stayed with me that day was when I went on my pre-run before the race, I noticed a bunch of walkers, and little bags with lights showing the way.

Their T-shirts said "take a stand, one step at a time". Then I started to read the lighted bags. There were all in honor of people that have been lost thru Suicide. It was the "Out of the Darkness Walk". That totally stopped me in my tracks and made me appreciate this morning and being alive and able to watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan.

What a sight.

When people ask me " WHY I DO THIS STUFF", my simple answer is that "I CAN", but what I guess I really mean is that thru all this swimming, cycling, and biking I found a greater "PASSION" for life and the time we are here. A "PASSION" for the world around me, even thou it seems so F@#@#ked up lately.

If you get a chance listen to "Phedippidations 51: A Life of Passion" podcast.

"Passion is defined as an intense enthusiasm for something. In this episode I talk about the importance of passion and how runners are fortunate to enjoy this feeling every day. We need to encourage those who face life with sadness and emptiness to fill their lives with a passion for something, anything, and everything. One way to help them might be to inspire them to run."

As my daughter turns 4 this weekend, I hope she finds her own "PASSION" in life and that the world is a more passionate world when she grows up.

So another long training weekend ahead. A little over than 3 weeks to "GO TIME"

posted by RunBubbaRun at 8:25 PM 6 comments

Friday, August 11, 2006

"The Light at the end of the Tunnel"

4.5 weeks of training left on the schedule, actually 10 more days of hard training then the 3 week taper begins. It has been a long year. Full of doubts, sweat, some blood, and some days of outright boredom BIKE riding 5+ hours solo. But if I can just make it these last two week I can relax a little bit and try to recover from the lack of sleep from the last 26 weeks.

So after a short mini vacation visiting my folks in Florida I was so ready to finish my recovery week and start out in my 16 to 20 hour week training adventure again.

On Monday, I arrived back into Chicago, and went out for a casual 2.5 hour ride, and yes solo again.Went out on my regular route trying to do a little bit of hill training, feeling that I have loss my entire bike fitness after only 4 days of no cycling. Am I crazy or what..

But what do I see on my route?


"BRIDGE OUT", how can that be, do they know that this is cutting in to my hill workout. WTF. But then I realizes all the roadblocks that have come my way during my IM journey. The greatest one was getting at the time devasting news in MAY, that I have injured myself, via a HERNIA.
After consulting several doctors I got the "yellow" light to continue.

But from that point on, my IM journey goals had changed. I told myself, all I wanted was a chance to start IMWI. So I guess in less than 5 weeks I will get that chance. So if I finish the Ironman race in 12 or in 17 hours, I will be a happy man, because like this "ROAD BLOCK", I did not get discouraged and just found a different path to complete my bike ride for this day. As in Life, I found, we always have to find ways to not get discouraged and to push on.

As another 6 to 7 hour solo bike ride planned this weekend and a 1/2 marathon race I will turn into a 20 mile run on Sunday, hopefully anyway. I always look back on this day and reflect back on how far I have come and all the people that told me it could not be done:

(actually a Advertisement ad that I carried with me during my 1st Chicago marathon)

"IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING"

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary"

"IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING"

posted by RunBubbaRun at 12:25 AM 5 comments

About Me

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Name: RunBubbaRun
Location: Chicagoland, Illinois, United States

I'm a 40+yr old married IronMan Triathlete preparing for just some crazy Adventures. I'm a parent with a crazy kid. Loving and understanding wife who deals with my craziness. Studied martial arts for 15 yrs+ before doing triathlons.

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RACES

  • TenTative 2009 Race Schedule
  • Ice Age 50 miler???
  • RockMan Half IM Triathlon???
  • Spirit of Racine Half IM Triathlon
  • Bangs Lake Olympic Triathlon
  • Rock Cut HOBO 50k
  • Farmdale 33 mile Ultra
  • Chicago Lakefront 50 Miler

TRI Links & Blogs

  • Through Th3 Wall
  • Simply Stu Triathlon Podcast
  • Zen and the Art of Triathlon
  • Phedippidations
  • Studies in Clydeology
  • TriAl v2006
  • TriSaraTops IM Adventure
  • Run with Elizabeth
  • MJ The Ironman
  • Running Banter
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  • Marcy
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  • Nettie
  • Brian
  • Previous Posts

    • It's Time?Well I have been MIA for a long while in...
    • Life is really too Short sometimes!!In 2006, Miche...
    • So how do I start?I left the house after 3:00am fo...
    • Howdy Folks, I figure I would blog about myself si...
    • ONE Month Ago!It has been exactly one month ago wh...
    • HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"tiny hands, tiny feet i've waite...
    • Time is NEAR!Yes the time is near for the new rugr...
    • Countdown!!I went to the kiddo's old room the oth...
    • Minus?What does that all mean. Well these days I'm...
    • 2009!!I have had a little bit of hiatus from blogg...

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