My Journey to Vineman

Sunday 05/16/10

2010-05-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

A pretty good week for training.

Monday was to be a day off, but I went to a 2 hour spin class. These workouts really seem to be helping my endurance. I felt strong on Monday and I was soaking wet when the class was all said and done.

Tuesday AM was a swim and a long swim at that. 4250 total yds between the warm up, work out, and cool down. Now my event is 2.4 miles which is only 4224 yds. Yes, that is correct, I swam 26 yds more than my event distance. It made for a long morning but the swim went well.
Tuesday PM, I met Mentor Michelle over at the base of Mount Diablo for an evening climb. Took just under an hour to get from the soccer field on Blackhawk Drive to the junction. But then the fun begins and I get to go downhill for a long time. I love descending.

Wed was to be a run only. I decided to do Thursday's brick workout instead. I started with an hour spin class and then went for a quick 2 mile run. Both went well. My plan was to make up today's run on Friday and do Friday's swim on Thursday, but more on that soon.

Thursday was another swim. Not as long as Tuesday's, but still pretty lengthy. 3800 yds later, it felt long enough.

Friday, I was to make up the run. Well, work happened on Thursday (nice excuse) and surprise, the run did not happen. What a shocker!!!!

Saturday, we were back in Sonoma County for an 80 mile Bike around the Vineman course. My bike fit felt better on Tuesday, but still not right. On this day, it was about the same. I did not have any pains, back, butt, or foot. Coach Dave led us out and kept us at a reasonable pace for the first 15 miles. After that, it was hammer time, I mean, race speed time. I felt strong all day. I had, what I would call, my best day on a bike so far. I felt strong throughout. I kept up with my Carbo-Pro/gatorade mixture and drank 1 bottle per hour (336+ cal./bottle) I could have used a fifth bottle, but unfortunately, I only packed 4 total. Note to self, pack 1 more than you think you will need. I will probably need 7 on event day.
I felt great was the ride was done and again, I did a quick brick, and went for a 2 mile run. This was not on the schedule but I thought the extra running would help me. Also, if I run on Saturday, I can rationalize Sunday.

Sunday was an Open water swim and run, but the American Motorcycle Association was racing at Infineon Speedway and I wanted to go see the races. Not a bad way to spend the day. I got up early, dusted off my motorcycle, rode up to the races, and watched men (and women)do crazy things at very fast speeds.
Those racers make training for an Ironman seem sane.....

Sunday 05/09/10 Mother's Day

2010-05-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there!!

This week was pretty good for me. I actually got a couple of runs in, which is a step in the right direction.
Monday was to be a day off, but I went for a double spin class. Up at 4:30 AM and to the gym by 4:45 AM for the first class at 5:00 and the second at 6:00. This is a pretty good workout and I am drenched in sweat by the end.

Tuesday was a swim workout in the AM. A ladder workout of 2450 yds. Went well. I am feeling comfortable in the water finally. Tuesday PM was a bike and run, but I didn't have my new bike shoes yet, so I blew off the workout.

Wednesday was a spin workout at 5:00 AM. I only did the one session as I had to get to work.

Thursday was a run workout but I went for Friday's swim workout instead. 3850 yds, a little over 2 miles. Went well, but I was tired when I was finished. My event is 2.4 miles, which is 4224 yds. My yardage is catching up on that number very quickly.

Friday was the swim workout and I should make up the run I missed on Thursday, but I decide to go for a 2 hour spin class again. Again, it went well and I was drenched in sweat when it was over, but I cannot continue to blow off this many runs. Meenu starts to call me Aquaboy, since I have been missing so many runs. She is busting my chops that I am only going to be able to do the AquaBike. I cannot continue to miss the runs. I am getting too close to the event to miss more runs.

Saturday we go up to Napa and ride the Silverado Trail. 56 miles, out and back, and for some reason it is in to a head wind both ways. I don't know how that works but it does. I ride with Haakon, Tony, BK, Jim and Les to start off with. I had my new shoes on and had switched my seat the night before to a narrower seat. I thought I had put the new seat on in the same position, but after a few miles, it was apparent that I did not have the set up correct. I felt like I was reaching for the handlebars and for the pedals. My lower back was killing me at the half way point. I made a slight adjustment to the seat at the water stop and that improved the pain, but something was still off. I will continue to work on that to get it right. I finished the ride in about 2 hours 45 minutes. I was happy with the time since the pain I was in. We had a very short 2 mile run after the ride. BK and I ran that together. Brian is a much better runner than I, so I struggled to keep up, but I managed to finish the run with him (I think he slowed down for me).

Sunday was a 12 mile long slow distance run. I met some teammates over at the Iron Horse Trail. I take off with Haakon and Nic. MISTAKE!! They are both too fast for me to keep up with through 12 miles. I keep up for the first 3 miles, but then my day starts to go downhill. The rest of the run goes, but I have to change from running a 9 min run:1 min walk to a 5:1.
Not the way I want my runs to go.

I have 11 weeks or so until my event. Which gives me about 8 weeks to get ready for the marathon portion. Time to start running......

Tuesday 05/04/10

2010-05-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

A fairly uneventful week for training.
My butt has finally healed. I went and bought new shoes but they are not yet in. So, I have not been back on my bike. I miss her.
Monday was our usual day off, which I gladly took.
Tuesday was a swim in the AM. The swim was not real long, only 3250 yds, but it seemed a lot longer. I was supposed to bike in the evening but that didn't happen.
Wednesday was supposed to be a run, but I made up my bike workout instead. 5 AM spin class, what fun!!!
Thursday was a Brick (bike and run), I swam. I do not seem to be getting this schedule thing.
Just not cutting it for me. There was a swim on Friday's schedule, so I could just say I did it early. Yeah, that's the ticket!!!
Friday AM comes along and I am a Brick workout and a run workout down for the week.
I could make up one if the two but not both. And the choice is...............................................
Neither, I went with option C - No workout!!
Meenu and I drove up to Grass Valley to visit with my brother, Brock, and his wife, Cathie.
We stayed over night on Friday to continue our visit on Saturday, but I brought my running clothes. Saturday AM was supposed to be a 30 mile bike, but I am going to run or...................
Choice D - Stay in bed
I am beginning to see a trend here.
Sunday is a 10 mile run. Somehow, I am surprised when the run doesn't go well. What a shocker!! I make it through the 10 miles, but it takes me almost 2 hours and I am really tired through the run.
Perhaps, I should read the warning signs here.
What do you think..........

Sunday 04/25/10

2010-04-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

This week was known as a recovery week. We go through three tough weeks followed by one easier week. I was looking forward to an easier week. Monday was the usual day off.

Tuesday was a swim marker. I did the usual warm up of 1000 yds and then did my 2000 yd marker. I finished in 37 minutes 16 seconds. That would work out to a 79 minute 2.4 mile Ironman. I would not be disappointed with that time. I think I can improve on that time over the next few months but we will see.

Wednesday was a spin workout. The usual, no excitement.

Thursday was another swim. This morning did not go as well as I would have liked. I just did not feel great. I did the usual warm-up and then started to do the marker again. I just wasn't feeling it. I eventually decided that I was going to run at night instead. That evening I went for a 6 mile run. I felt OK during the run.

Friday was an Athlete's Choice day and I choose to do Nuttin'. A day of relaxation.

Saturday was an open water swim in the bay. Yep, the San Francisco Bay. I met my teammates at the Aquatic Park and we were in the water by 8:30 AM. When I first got in the water, the cold freaked me out a bit. I was having a hard time relaxing with the water in my face being so cold. I finally got my face in and kept it in the water long enough to numb up, so I could relax. We were to swim for 60 minutes, as far as we could. I did 3 laps around Aquatic Park. Exact distance cannot be determined, but it was about 2 miles. After the initial shock, I felt pretty comfortable and relaxed. My swimming has improved dramatically over the last 5 months. We finished our day with 30 minutes of core and stretching on the beach. Not a bad way to start a Saturday.

Sunday was another short workout. We met at Heather Farms for the Brenda Donato 5 K Race. I met my teammates early for a 5K warm-up. I ran out with Jim, BK, Coach Dave, Phil, Sara and Nic. This was just supposed to be a warm-up. Maybe for those guys, but not so much for me. We ran the 5K in 28 min. 30 Secs. Not flying, but not slow and easy. After about 20 minutes, the actual race was to begin. Off we went, I felt pretty good for most of it, but felt I had gone out too hard between the warm-up and the first 2 miles. I faded in the end but completed the marker in 26 min. 18 secs. I will forward that time to Coach Simon to see where I am, but I have a pretty good idea. I need to run more often!!!

We got together this afternoon over at Coach Dave's house for our honoree potluck. Lots of food, drink and conversation. It was a good way to end the week of recovery workouts.

After a day off tomorrow, we are back at it full tilt....

Sunday 04/18/10 A Long Week

2010-04-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

OK,
Been too long since I have written. I will try to get better. Lots of information to write. First and foremost, I bought a new bike!!!

Isn't she pretty!!
Beats the hell out of the $100 bike I've been riding for the last 2 1/2 years.

I missed all the training two weeks ago. I was sick as a dog and could not manage to get it done. Unfortunately, it was a boot camp weekend and I missed a lot. My team mates did a swim, bike, run, swim, bike, run, swim bike, run, etc.etc. Sprint Triathlons back to back, as many as you could do in 5 hours. Ouch!!
Fortunately, it was Masters weekend and I could watch Phil Mickelson take it home! It was beautiful.
This week was a bike focus week. I took Monday off to give me another day of recovery. Not that I really needed it, but why take a chance.
Tuesday I was at the pool. See the proof. Belinda scared the crap out of me by being at the end of the pool when I was finishing up my warm up. I pop up at the end and BOOM, there she is with her camera in hand
I swam 3300 yds on Tuesday. Tuesday night, I go to the spin workout which is no longer spin, but let's go climb Mt Diablo. We start at 6:30, so we will not be able to summit before it gets dark, but we do ride uphill for a solid 45 minutes.
Wednesday, I take a spin class in the AM. No excitement
Thursday, I am back at the pool for another 3600 yd swim. This swim just seems long today, but then again, it IS. That's almost 2 miles.
Friday AM, another spin class, and again, NO excitement.
Saturday AM, I drive down to Gilroy, the Garlic Capital of the world, for the Tierra Bella Century. My plan is to get in the 200K, (120 miles) because I missed last weekend. I have Lara (my new bike) with me. This is her inaugural ride. We roll later than we wanted to. We were shooting for 7:00 AM, but left about 7:30.
Lara gets on to the road and off she goes blazing down the road at a speed I have never felt before. I feel really good going out. She handles well going uphill and downhill. And there was plenty of those on this particular day. On the second climb of the day, Henry Coe State Park, there is a spot 3 miles from the top, that has a cattle guard across the road so you have to slow down to cross and then immediately after, there is a short 15% grade. OUCH!!!!
Here I am still smiling after that brutal climb. A glutton for punishment.
Things start to go downhill from here, both literally and figuratively. With my new bike, I also bought new shoes. I ordered extra wides (EE). Not wide enough. My toe box starts to cramp. That does not make me a happy camper!!
Also with my new bike came a new seat, not the cushy type that was on my old bike but a light weight (NO padding) racing seat (Double OUCH!!)
I end up not doing the 120 miles but settle for the 100 miles and 6400 feet of climbing. I have a sore butt and sore feet, but in the end, I am still smiling. I finish the day riding with Tony and Coach Dave, both people I would consider stronger riders than myself. I complete the 100 miles in 7 hours and 9 minutes of ride time. Lara is thrilled to be let loose. I am ecstatic with my new bike!!
Sunday is an active recovery ride. 60 miles with some hills. We roll at 9:00 AM. I have the same set up as yesterday, so I know I will have some pain. The first 1/4 mile is bad. My butt is screaming right from the get-go. I go sock-less, so my shoes are a little less tight.
But, but, but,... I still have pains in my Butt.
Most of the ride is rolling hills with one climb at mile 50. The ride goes well until I am coming down the back side of the one significant climb. Somewhere along there I lose my directions.
I get to the first T in the road and I have no idea which way to go. I sit there for about 10 minutes waiting for someone to come up. No one does. I decide to go one way. I follow the road until it intersects and then I decide to double back to the first T. I wait an additional 10 minutes to see if someone comes up behind me and finally, Meenu and Lisa drive up in the SAG vehicle. They lead me back to our starting point.
Not a good way to end my rise, but overall a pretty good day. My feet feel better than yesterday, but still not good. My butt just plain hurts..

I am looking forward to a day off from training tomorrow. Going to the bike store and buying shoes and a seat....

Sunday 03/21/10 I coulda had a V8, NOT!!!

2010-03-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

Friday morning was a sick day from work. I used the time to drive on down to Lake San Antonio. Rocky, Claudia, Phil, Meenu and I drove down south of Monterey for the Wildflower Half Ironman Triathlon. The actual yearly event is going on in May, but we are going to simulate the event this weekend and do the same course. This will be 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and a13.1 mile run. This course is considered the 2nd toughest in CA or the country (I am not sure which), but either way this day will not be easy.
We set up camp, which meant putting a table cloth on the picnic bench and hooking up the RV.
We are really roughing it!!! We relax most of the day and stay off our feet. I take my bike out for a 10 spin but nothing hard. We have a meeting with our coaches who are preparing us for what to expect and then eat some dinner. BK and Jim join us for dinner. It is time for some sleep, but we all know that sleep will not come easy.

5:00 AM comes way too early. Coach Dave is walking around all the campsites with his boom box playing bagpipe music. I am not sure I was ready for that. Our RV was freezing. We figured out that we had a nice cross breeze by leaving windows open on both sides. Smart? NOT!!!
Rocky, Phil and I have our pre-race breakfast. Each of ours is slightly different. I am sticking with what works for me, and that is 2 whole wheat bagels with peanut butter and a banana.

At 6:00 AM we head to the transition area. Meenu and Claudia take all of our bags and the 5 of us ride our bikes down to the start. It is an exhilarating ride because it pitch black, all down hill and freezing cold.

We all make it safe to the lake and start to set up our transition areas. The bike is lay down(no stands) and I get my area set. Meenu made most of my drinks yesterday, so I just had to lay them out accordingly. Put my Bike bottles with my bike. Get the fuel belt bottles next to my running shoes, etc.

Next I put on the wetsuit. I put on lots of body glide on my neck so I do not have chaffing like I did a few weeks ago. We get down to the water for our 7:00 AM start. We actually have to wait for Emergency Services to get on site before we can start. The ambulance pulls up and we get in. The water is not as cold as the air and actually feels surprisingly warm but then again last week we swam in SF Bay (brrrrr!)

Soon Dave starts the countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7, .....go. This is my first mass start (not that mass, since there 75 of us) and I swim about 100 yds and start to panic. I think my day is going to end before it even starts. I float on my back for a bit and then I do the breast stroke. I calm my breathing down and then get started. I have some trouble spotting and feel like I am all opver the place. But before you know it, I am at the halfway point and turning around. 38 minutes later I am being pulled out of the water, not because I was drowning but because I had finished. As I run to the end of the dock, I see Brian and Jim. They had been pulled out right before me. We walked together up to the transition. What a great swim I just had. It didn't start out that way, but it ended well.

Transition was smooth. I had a warm electrolyte waiting for me. Warm up the inside as well as the outside. I heard BK ask Jim if he had drank his V8(not a joke). I use V8, but not during a race, only as a recovery (more on that later). I get out of the transition and off I go.

I am not clear on the course direction and after getting turned around a bit, I am on my way. Follow the yellow arrows and that is what I do. Unfortunately I follow a wrong yellow arrow, climb a short but steep hill and end up on a dead end street. I double back and bump into Jim, who apparently also took a wrong turn. We find our way and off we go. We soon start to see some of our fellow riders, so I know we are on course. I feel great on the ride. The Carbo pro mix I am now using feels great. The ride to Nasty Grade goes well, I feel strong. Nasty Grade really doesn't seem that nasty after the Death Ride. But the descent sure is fun. 40+mph. Big long sweeping turns that you can see all the way through, a speeders delight.

I roll into transition after 56 miles and I feel awesome. Time to strip the bike shoes and work on putting on the running shoes. What a great bike I just had. It didn't start out that way, but it ended well.

I clip on the fuel belt that holds my water and electrolyte/carbo pro mixture and then I make my fateful error. Oh lookie there, there is my V8, Brian drank his after the swim, I should be OK after the bike. So I slug down my V8, not the 6 oz size but the 12 oz. Not a smart move. I get out of transition and get about a half mile in and my stomach starts to turn. OUCH!!

This run is extremely challenging on its own. Very hilly. The run does not become easier when dealing with an upset stomach. I end up walking most of the hills and running the flats and the downhills. Mile 9 and 10 are mostly downhill to the "pit" where you must turn around and run back up that same hill. The last mile is mostly downhill to the start/finish line. I am relieved to get to this point. My stomach finally feels better. My legs feel strong as I make my way down that final hill. As I cross the finish line, I am very excited to have it all said and done. I cannot say that was a great run, but I did have a run.

It was great to have Meenu there at the end and at various places through out the day. She is a truly amazing woman and I am a much better man for having her in my life. I can never thank her enough for supporting me through this adventure.

I cheer on my fellow triathletes to the finish line and swap stories about our various days and how the event went and what we learned about ourselves.

I can say a few things about my day and my first half Ironman.
"Just say NO to V8 at transition"
"What a great event I just had. It didn't start out that way, but it ended well."
and my time was 7 hours and 28 minutes and
" No matter what the clock says, it was a great time......"

Sunday 03/07/10

2010-03-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

What a week! I made it to most of my trainings and feel pretty good right now. Tuesday was my first swim at the level 3 workouts. Last weekend, I did the level 3 Marker. 2500 yards with out stopping. 46 minutes 7 seconds That would equate to a 78 minute 2.4 mile swim. I would be totally psyched with that. So I moved up to a level 3. I am not as fast as most of these swimmers, but I want to do the longer workouts. So Tuesday was a 3100 yd workout. For the most part that went pretty well. Wed AM was a spin and core workout. Again went pretty well. Thursday AM was another swim. This time it was 3500 yds. That's 20 yards short of 2 miles. Well screw that! I am doing the extra yardage. So I did 2 more laps to bring my total to 3550 yds. I swam just OVER 2 miles that morning and I felt great. The swim was not continuous, but just the same, it was over 2 miles. Friday was again a spin and core workout.
So I swam twice during the week and did spin twice with a core workout. Hmmmm! What seems to be missing in my TRIathlon training..

Oh yeah, that other sport, running. Yes, I missed two runs this week. Oops!.

Saturday we were back at Lake Del Valle for some open water swimming and more. The water was colder than my first open water swim from a few weeks ago. The water was at a brisk 52 degrees. This was my second swim in cold water and with a wet suit. I was not as freaked out as I was the first time, but still pretty freaked out. The cold takes some getting used to and not being able to see the bottom is a bit unnerving. But plug away is all you can do. My first lap took about 25 minutes. That was about a half mile in that time. NFG!!! The second lap went better and I felt more comfortable. I saw Coach Sedonia on the return leg of my 2nd lap and she asked me how it was going. I told her better than the first time and better than the first lap. She had her usual words of encouragement. She is just the bomb of a coach. I am so thankful to her and Mike for the help they have given me with my swimming. I can honestly say that in the start of this adventure, swimming was my weakest point and I was not sure if I could make it through the swim. Now, I am confident in the swim and know I can make it. I actual belive that the run is now my weakest point.
After we were done in the water, we hoped on our trainers. 40 minutes of spinning. We got off our bikes and on to the trails for 20 minutes of running. Back from the run and we hopped on our bikes for 40 minutes of hill repeats. Finished up the hill repeats and then off for 20 more minutes of running. End of workout!!!
We ended the day with a chat about our next triathlon. We are doing a Half Ironman in 2 weeks. This is the same course that holds the Wildflower Triathlon every year. We are just doing the course a month earlier. I am excited about the event. It should be lots of fun and a good challenge. I will be interested to see how it goes with my present fitness level.
Sunday was our long run day. I saw on FaceBook that BK, Jim , and Rocky had already completed their run. I commented that I was still sitting on the couch drinking coffee, living the life of luxury.
I finally got motivated and got my butt moving. I borrowed Meenu's Fuel Belt as I cannot find my old one. I have decided that I hate using a fuel belt less than I hate using a hand held water bottle. I ran an out and back course covering 12.13 miles in 2 hours. That is a little slower than I would like, but then again, I haven't put a lot of time in my running so far. I will take it. I ran 12 miles. I haven't run any where near that far since the Rock N Roll half marathon in San Jose in 2007.
So overall, a good week. I got some good fundraising in this week and a lot of training. I feel good.

Tomorrow is Monday, a day off from training. I am going downstairs to watch the Oscars and to have a beer......

Wake up, you fell asleep at the keyboard....

2010-03-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

No, I haven't been asleep all this time, but I have been busy.
Life happened. Something had to give.
I kept on training, I have a goal...
I kept on working, I have to earn a living..
I kept on being a husband, She's the best thing that's happened to me...

So the blog and the time it took to write, got cut.
I will try to fill in the holes through the coming weeks and have plenty of stories to share.

The saga will continue....

Sunday 01/17/10

2010-01-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

I woke up late from the party last night. I guess I won't be making up the workout from yesterday. I will go to the gym tomorrow to get the swim in. I think I will watch football today.
That's a good way to spend a day.....

Saturday 01/16/10

2010-01-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

Today is Lohri, the bonfire festival, a traditional Indian holiday. Wikipedia defines it as:
Lohri (Punjabi: ਲੋਹੜੀ (Gurmukhi), लोहड़ी (Devanagari), لوہڑی (Shahmukhi)) (sometimes spelled Lodi) is an extremely popular winter festival in India, especially North India. Lohri is usually celebrated in the outdoors by friends and family who get together and have a bonfire in the evening. Lohri signifies onset of intense winter in Punjab and surrounding areas. Cold weather is good for wheat hence farmers celebrate Lohri so that their crops lead to a good harvest.

During the day, children go from door to door singing folk songs in praise of Dulha Bhatti, a thief in folklore who helps the poor and fights for their rights. These children are given sweets and savories, and occasionally, money. These collections are known as Lohri, and they are distributed at night during the festival. Some may be offered to the sacred fire. Peanuts, popcorn and other food items are also thrown into the fire as an offering to the God of Fire, Agni.

We had a Lohri celebration at the house so I blew off workout (bike) today. Got to get ready for the party!!

I can make it up on Sunday and Monday.....

Friday 01/15/10

2010-01-17T13:39:00.000-08:00

Friday AM brings what is supposed to be just a core workout. I need to get the bike workout from yesterday in, so I get to the gym before 5:00 to take the early spin class. The teacher's microphone doesn't work but she says she can work it without the help. She has a booming voice, it will not be a problem hearing her.
Spin goes off with out an issue. The guy next to me is training for the Vineman Half Ironman which happens a few weeks before my event. I still don't care for the teachers at the San Ramon gym, but maybe I just need to get used to them.
I finish up with 40 minutes of core which I complete in 20 minutes this time. I do a little bit more of the workout then I did earlier in the week.
Overall, this week has been good. I have felt stronger in both my swimming and my running. We are still building base and I feel that I have a good base to build on.
More to follow....

Thursday 01/14/10

2010-01-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

Thursday AM brings forth a swim and bike workout. The swim was the longest of the season so far. We started with the usual 300 yds of warmup and 450 yds of drills. The main set is 12 x 100 yds timed swims. The objective is to be consistent throughout. I end up with 12 numbers between 1:45 and 1:55. I am pretty happy with that for consistency. I will email those numbers to Sedonia to see if she agrees.
I see Coach Simon at the start and ask him about the Achilles pain I have. I tell him it feels like a bruise. He refers me to Coach Dave. I go about my swim. As I am finishing up, I notice that my legs are crossing over and I am kicking my own achilles with my shin. No SH!T, no wonder my achilles is hurting!! Light dawns on marbled head.....
I work with Coach Mike on how to not kick myself. It seems simple enough, STOP KICKING!!!!
I finish up my workout and this is by far the best I have felt in the water.
So exciting.....
I move the bike workout to Friday AM. More on that tomorrow....

Wednesday 01/13/10

2010-01-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Today will be a double workout of Spin/Core in the AM and Run in the evening. Ooops, make that a triple workout. I wake at 4:35 to get to the gym for the 5:00 spin class. I miss my spin teachers from Oakland 24 HR, I liked the way they taught. Maybe I will switch to doing the class over there. Something to think about.
Anyways, the class goes well and I move to a spin cycle outside of the class to spin for an additional half hour. I got my 90 minutes of spin in and moved to the 40 minutes of core which I finished in 10 minutes(OK so I blew the core workout off)
The run part was a 6 mile tempo run. Slow and steady. I feel a dull pain in the back of my heel where my achilles is(I guess everyone's achilles is there). Either way, the run goes well and I feel pretty good. Actually, the run felt as good as any run has ever felt.
Note to self about the heel. Need to keep an eye on that....

Tuesday 01/12/10

2010-01-16T15:34:00.000-08:00

Tuesday AM swim time. Today is supposed to be a double workout. Swim and Spin. We shall see.
I am at the gym to swim by 5:00 AM. The workout is shorter than normal, only 1900 yds for group 2, but I woke up last night and didn't sleep well because I was worried about this swim.

I started with a 300 yd warmup and another 450 yds of drills, than it was off to the main set. I was supposed to do 50 yds, breathing every 9 strokes, (Yikes)100 yds breathing every 7 (I ), 150 yds breathing every 5(am), 200 yds breathing every 3(starting), 250 yds breathing 3, 5, 7, 9(to ), 300yds normal breathing(panic!!!). I am a mess just thinking about it. I talk to Coach Mike and he gets me on another path. I will do the distances but not the breathing exercise. I will just switch breathing left for one lap and right for the other.
The rest of the workout goes well after I got over the silly breathing exercises. But, as I said before, this was a shorter workout.
Wednesday will be a different story.....
I forego the Spin workout and will do a double workout tomorrow.....

Monday 01/11/10

2010-01-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

Its another Monday....another day off....
Screw the Boomtown Rats....
I like Mondays....

Sunday 01/10/10

2010-01-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning, cold and foggy, another day in paradise. What is up with this CA weather?
I leave the house around 8:00 for a short run. Today was to be 6 miles of trail running. I am not traveling anywhere to run, so my run will be hills but no trails. I plan an out and back from the house. I take off and quickly realize that I hate to run with a water bottle in my hand. I need to work that out for the future.
The run goes OK and I realize I need to increase the amount of running that I am doing. Have I really missed that many training runs? I don't think so, but maybe I have. Something for me to keep an eye on.
Anyway, the run goes well and I am at home, showered and ready to watch football in plenty of time. Meenu makes me a great omelet for breakfast and football is on. I am excited about the playoffs and eager to watch the Patriots.
The Patriots all had beans for breakfast, because they stunk up the joint. Awful.....

Saturday 01/09/10

2010-01-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

Another cool and foggy morning greeted me this am. I was out of the house at 7:15 am to go to Pleasant Hill. I notice as I am in the car that I need to get gas. No problem, I will stop at the Shell Station on the way there. I am pumping the gas and I realize, I do not have my sunglasses. Crap!!! I know it is foggy now, but an hour from now the sun will be out and I will be blinded by the light.
Not a good feeling. Back to the house to grab my glasses.
I am leaving the house again at 7:30 and I am still OK. It will take about 25 minutes to get there and I already have my swim suit on, so I'll have plenty of time.
I pull into the parking lot at 7:55 and all I see is my fellow teammates getting on their bikes.
SH!T!!!
In a hurry, I get my bike ready to roll. I already had the tires pumped, my water bottles filled, but I had to get my nutrition on to the bike and my clothes changed.
I was ready in an instant and we were rolling. We were doing an out and back on Pig Farm Hill. It is not a lot of climbing (compared to the DeathRide) but it is some. The first ascent of Pig Farm Hill is longer and steady. I struggled a bit on the first climb but managed my way up without incident. I enjoyed the descent as I always do.
Phil, Rocky, and I made it out to the turn around together and started our way back. We were working against the wind on the return trip and tried our best to paceline. After a few hiccups, we got it together and moved along. The back side of Pig Farm is a much shorter, but substantially steeper ascent. We plugged away and got to the top and got to enjoy a very long gradual descent. I love this type of descent. The legs keep moving but you never have to pedal hard and you get to go really fast.
Part two of the day is a swim. We are in the water warming up our swim muscles by 10:30. I don't feel great at the start, but I know it will come. We do our warmup and then some drills and on to the main part of our swim. I finish up the first set and we have a choice of doing another set or going to learn flip turns. Do I want to swim hard or go goof off learning flip turns...
After a couple of internal debates about what I needed most, I stuck with the swimming and did the second set. By the end of the second set, I felt good. I am more confident in the pool than I ever have been. I still don't feel great, but I am no longer hating the pool.
I actual finished the set fast enough that I slid over to the flip turn lanes and received a quick lesson on a proper turn. I certainly didn't master it, but I know how it is supposed to work. This could come in handy in two weeks when I do my first practice triathlon.
The last part of the day was core training. I know this area needs work for me. I need to not blow off these workouts any more. It was so bad, that I asked if I can go back to the pool to swim.....

Friday 01/08/10

2010-01-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

Took the day off to celebrate Elvis' birthday....

Thursday 01/07/10

2010-01-07T20:55:00.000-08:00

Another foggy day this am. It has been a bit eerie lately in San Ramon at the butt crack of dawn.
I got to the gym at 5:00 to prepare for another 2350 yd swim. The warm-up (300 yds) and drills (450 yds) again were on the sluggish side.
The meat of the workout was a selection of 300 yds drills. 5 sets of different strokes.
The first set was DPS (distance per stroke). The goal is to take as few strokes as possible for a lap. It is relaxing in that you are not moving alot because you are trying to coast.
The second set was breathing every 3 strokes. NOT my comfort zone. The drill is done to improve breathing on both sides, just in case you have to. My issue is that I can't relax if I breath every 3 strokes, I tense up. So I spoke with Coach Mike and he said work on breathing on your left on the way down and on your right on the way back. Problem solved!!!!!
The third set was increasing speed every 100 yds from level 3 to level 5. Level 5 is race day speed (a speed I can maintain over 2.4 miles).
The fourth set was breathing every 3 again and I changed that up like I did before.
The fifth set was increasing speed every 100 yds from level 4 to level 6. This part was comical as I tried to swim at level 6 after swimming 2000+ yds. That did NOT happen!!I was back to being a tugboat.
I finished the 100 yd cool down and felt pretty good about the workout.
The distances are steadily increasing, but I am feeling OK with them so far....

Wednesday 01/06/10

2010-01-06T22:12:00.000-08:00

Today was a spin workout. I didn't get to the gym in time for the 5:00 AM class so I spun on my own. Doesn't seem to have the same intensity. I spun for an hour and then did some core workout. Overall, it was not an exceptional workout. Just kind of blase(spelling?).

Still not sleeping well, worried about my.....

Tuesday 01/05/10

2010-01-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

It is a swim morning. What does that mean? I am off to the gym at 4:50 AM to get my swim in. It is another foggy day in San Ramon. There is an eerie fog settled on the town. I cannot hit the snooze button anymore or else I will not be able to complete the workout as they are getting longer. Today's plan is for 2350 yds.

The pool is cool(unlike the sauna we swam in on Sunday). I didn't sleep well last night and I feel it as I am getting into the swim. The warm up does not go well. I feel sluggish. I plug away and get through it and then on to the meat of the workout. The rest of it goes well. I complete it with time to spare. Coach Mike has been a huge help in my swimming.

Remind me to buy that man a beer......

Monday 01/04/10

2010-01-06T22:01:00.000-08:00

A much deserved day off......

Sunday 01/03/10

2010-01-03T19:45:00.000-08:00

Today was a three sport challenge. I was up at just after 7:00 am, thankful that I could sleep in a bit since I didn't have to travel far for the training. The training was 5 minutes away at the Dougherty Valley High School. I like that kind of commute.

As I am getting ready and pulling my stuff together, I am thinking to myself about the progression I have made as an endurance athlete(I use the term loosely). Not about the progress I have made, but the amount of crap that I now must carry. When I started running 6 years ago, it was grab your running shoes and go. Then 2 years ago, I decided to try biking. I dropped my running shoes but added bike, bike shoes, helmet, and a variety of clothes all depending on the weather. Now I am still holding all my bike supplies, picked up my running shoes and lets throw in the swimming cap, googles, and soon enough, a wet suit. Triathletes have to be in great shape, just to carry all their crap.

I get to the pool by 7:45 am and we are swimming by 8:00. I feel pretty good today. Working out with the group 2s. We start with drills which go fine. We do a ladder progressing in length and increasing in speed. All goes well. We then do 2 100s working on something specific the coaches give each of us. My focus is breathing every 3 strokes. CRAP!!!! This is what was giving me the drowning sensation before, I couldn't relax. Double CRAP!!!! I make it through it, but I felt exhausted after 200 yds. I felt better after doing the 1050 yds ladder. Overall the swim goes well and I am excited by the improvement that has occurred here.

Off to the bike for a quick 20 miler. We are doing Collier Canyon, a ride that I am very familiar with. I ride off with the lead group and away we go. I get about 5 miles in and I realize that I am breathing too hard and I need to back off a bit. I do just that and let the speed demons race onward ahead. I struggle up the first part of the canyon mostly because it is straight into a head wind. I get to the top of the first part and now I seem to get into a groove. I take an extra loop around Collier's Canyon which adds on an extra 3.5 miles. I know the extra distance won't hurt. I ride well through the second loop and back home.

Now its time to run. We don't run a long distance, but it sure seemed like it. 2.5 miles never felt so long. My feet felt like bricks. Heavy to pick up and stiff and inflexible when they came down. I made it through but it wasn't pretty.

We ended the day with a core workout. OUCH!!!!

Overall, I felt great afterward.
Tired? Yes
Sore? I am sure I will be tomorrow
Excited? Absolutely

Today was our first recommittment.
I guess I am going to do the damn thing.....

Saturday 01/02/10

2010-01-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

A fairly(relatively) easy workout today. A 20 mile bike marker. The marker is actually 5 miles in the middle of the ride that is timed. I rode my bike to the meeting place about 5 miles away. I arrived around 8:45 am and noticed that I had forgotten my water bottles. (Nice move, mental midget). I call Meenu and she is, as usual, a trooper and brings my bottles down to me.

We get the ride started around 9:00 and off we go. There is a steady mist, but not a rain, covering my glasses. The only thing this effects is visibility. The mist is more bothersome than a problem, so we venture on.

I faded a little at the end of the marker, went out too hard again. I am kind of sick of writing the same crap. Maybe I will work on pacing myself better. Anyways, I finished the marker in 20 min 37 secs. I passed on doing the last marker, so I have nothing to compare it to. We shall see in about 3 weeks if I improve any.

The rest of the ride went without incident and I was home by 11:00 am so I could spend some quality time with a special woman....

Friday 01/01/10

2010-01-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

Today was a 40 minute Run Marker.
To continue on my streak of not listening to coaches, I did a 9+mile hill run at Lake Chabot. This week was supposed to be a recovery week, easier mileage, slower paces. I took the start of the week off (not what I was supposed to do) and ran too far and too much hills today.
Lake Chabot is beautiful, but the trails are hilly. I was out there with a bunch of present and former TNTers. There were 7 other Ironteamers out there, so I was not the only one breaking the rules.
Coach Mama Lisa announced that she is has been diagnosed with cancer and will find out the prognosis this next week. My thoughts and prayers will be with her and Coach Al.
Both the run and the announcement kicked my ass....

Thursday 12/31/09

2010-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a rough stretch this has been. Sunday was to be a 8 mile run, I went to the bar, drank beer and watched the Patriots( GO Pats!!!!) Monday was a day off that I gladly took. Tuesday was a bike workout but again I took the day off. Wednesday was a swim marker and I.....
took the day off.....
Note to self.. remember the words of wisdom from Coach Al "you can't fake conditioning". I need to remember those pearly words.
Thursday was a Strength/Core workout and I finally got my ass up and did the swim marker. A 1000 yds. without stopping. I got about 8 laps in and started to think I will not be able to make it. Dory(my often referenced buddy) came to mind "just keep swimming, just keep swimming.."The next thing I knew I was at the half way mark. I kept plugging away and before I knew it, I was finished.
20 minutes 40 seconds
I am pretty excited by that time. A few weeks ago I did an 800 marker in 22 minutes. Longer distance in shorter time. Nice!!!
Tonight is New Year's Eve. I know this year was difficult on a lot of people, but this was a great year for me. The most amazing woman said "Yes" to marrying me, and she went through with it.
I am so blessed.....

Saturday 12/26/09

2010-01-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

Today was a 45 mile bike ride. We met early in the AM and it was a little chilly. The ride went well. Phil and I finished the ride in just under 3 hours which translates to 7.5 hours for the Ironman. I would like to get that down to sub 6 hours. I am not sure how realistic that goal is, but I will be keeping that number in mind.

Friday 12/25/09

2009-12-25T11:21:00.000-08:00

Not a good workout week for me. Sunday was to be a 30 mile bike ride, I went to brunch with Meenu and friends for her Birthday. The Duck Club at The Lafayette Hotel, very yummy!!!
Monday was a day off and I took it off.
Tuesday was a swim (2350 yds)and Bike. I actually got the swim done in the AM. Went pretty well. Feeling more comfortable. I came home at night and got about half the ride in before dinner was served. Nothing comes between me and food, especially not a workout.
Wednesday was to be a run, I swam (2150 yds).
Thursday was to be a swim and bike. I slept through the swim in the AM and shopped through the bike in the afternoon. I had to get the last minute shopping done or else Meenu would have "slim pickens" for XMas.
Today is Christmas Day and a Strength/Core workout. I think I will skip the workout and spend quality time with friends and family.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night......

Saturday 12/19

2009-12-19T17:20:00.000-08:00

Today was our first brick workout. The day started at 8:00 Am in San Anselmo. We started with a warm-up run and then some drills. The actual run today was not very far, only 2 miles, but was a marker, so it was at a faster pace. Basically an all out pace. I ran the first mile in 7:55 and the second in 8:15 for a total of 16:10. Not bad, fairly consistent. Those times will come down as I continue on in the season. Overall, I was pretty happy with the run(but that changed later). I improved over 2 minutes from the first marker we did a few weeks ago, but I did sandbag that first run a little.

Next was a core workout. Coach Doug always seems to kick our ass. So there we are doing our crunches of some sort and Coach Mike is walking around and is wearing his "Ironman Underoos"(I will attach a picture if I can figure that out). Do you know how hard it is to be doing a core workout when you are laughing really hard.. I am going to be having nightmares for a while.

After the core workout, we had a quick break to get some fuel and it was off to the pool. The swim workout went well today, but my arms felt like jello after the core workout. We worked on form, specifically the arms. I felt comfortable in the pool today.I am breathing every stroke and that has relaxed me some. I tried to switch to every 3 strokes and started to panic, so I switched back to every stroke. I was cramping early, but got a couple of endurolytes to solve that issue. After the drills, we did a ladder, 50,75,100,150,100,75,50. Again went well. I swam with Brian and it felt good. Then we did some speed work. 25 yds at level 3(slow), 25 yds at level 4, etc.etc.etc. up to level 7 (fast). We were mostly learning what those levels feel like for each of us. The only way to increase your speed is to swim faster during the training.

After the swim was finished, we had another break to fuel and it was off to the bike. We brought our stationary trainers and met in the high school cafeteria. We started with a 10 minute warmup and then did some one legged drills. This is when the brick really started. We got off the bike, changed our shoes, and off for a run. Not a long run, only 8 minutes, but it felt longer. I was amazed that my legs felt like rubber. Back on the bike for hill climbing. 5 minutes hard gear and two minutes on an easier gear. After climbing a few hills on our stationary bikes, we all had simultaneous flat tires. Tire changing clinic. I changed my tire in record time for me(about 3 minutes). Back on the bike for some more drills. We finished up our day with a stretch.

My first brick workout completed. My first 3 sport day completed. I'm tired......

Friday 12/18

2009-12-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

Today is supposed to be bike/spin. Sunday is Meenu's birthday. If I want to remain married(and I do), I need to make sure it is a special day. I am going shopping. No workout.

Thursday 12/17/09

2009-12-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

Today was a swim workout. The workout I did yesterday. I am taking today off. The extra 2 hours of sleep did me wonders. I felt great all day.

I took my wife out to dinner tonight. We celebrated our first date anniversary. Three years ago today, she agreed to meet me for drinks and dinner. We went back to the same restaurant tonight.

I am the luckiest man in the world.....

Wednesday 12/16/09

2009-12-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

Today was supposed to be run and core. I decided to swim again. Up at the usual time, 4:40 AM and off to the gym I went. I wanted to talk to Mike about my "a-ha" moment. I started with my warm-up and didn't feel that great. I was tired. I finished the warm up and started my drills. Mike brought his flippers for me, so I did some side drills with breathing focus. These are exhausting and so NOT relaxing. After about 100 yds of that, I threw off the flippers and went back to the swimming.

I lost interest in the drills and started on the main swim. 2x 100's followed by 1x 300. Do that 3 times and a 100 yd cool down and I am done. Sounds easy, but that is 1600 yds, plus the warm-up and drills, I was to swim 2350 yds. That is more than I have ever swam before. Yikes!!!!

It actually went OK. I felt fairly relaxed, but more importantly, I felt tired from the workout without feeling winded from the lack of oxygen and my poor breathing. I finished the swim and my cool down. I felt good. I was exhausted and sore, but not winded. Maybe that was my "A-HA" moment the other day. I know I still have some form issues and Michael Phelps has nothing to worry about, but I think I may have gotten it. What a nice treat that would be.

I am feeling stronger and more confident with each day. I know I will suffer setbacks, but that is just part of training and part of life.

We shall soon see what tomorrow will bring....

Tuesday 12/15/09

2009-12-15T22:15:00.000-08:00

Tuesday Am, 04:(its early)40
Off to the pool I go. I arrive and I am surprised I have the pool to myself. OK, its really me and the pool guy, but he's not swimming.
I start with my warm-up laps and then my drills. Both of these went fairly well. I repeated yesterday's workout as that was actually supposed to be today's. So after the warm up, I start my 10 100's.
My main focus is relaxation. I need to maintain my breathing so I can relax. I try something Sedonia said to me on Sunday and that was to try and breath every stroke. It seems a waste of energy, but if I cannot relax my breathing, I will never complete this race.
So breath every stroke I did. I had an "a-ha" moment. Not The "A-HA!!" moment, but an "a-ha" moment. I was much more relaxed. I was consistent in my 100's. Each took me about 1 min 45 sec.
Not too bad.
Mike will be at the pool tomorrow and I will discuss with him, but I feel I am on the right path.

We shall see......

Monday 12/14/09

2009-12-14T21:13:00.000-08:00

Today was a day off from training, so I was at the pool at 5:10 AM doing laps.
I need to work on my swimming and need to work on what Sedonia told me yesterday.

This entry will be short as I am tired from lack of sleep last night. Meenu and Lisa went to see Lady Gaga and I was their chauffeur. As long as I didn't have to go in to the show, I was going to be OK. I dropped them off at 7:15, went to Rubal's to watch football and drink beer. The funniest thing happened when I went to pick them up at 11:00 pm. I got outside the Civic Center and got behind a line of cars in front of the theater. Next thing I know, a cop is knocking on my window and he is saying this line is for taxi's only. He asks if I am opicking someone up from the show and I say yes. He says "we are asking parents to wait on the other side of the road for their children"
I'm thinking to myself " But, but, but I am here to pick up my wife" Never mind, not worth it!!!

So I was tired for the swim but it went OK. I tried to remain as relaxed as possible. I will continue to work on that tomorrow.

Off to bed.....

Sunday 12/13/09

2009-12-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

Today was a swim session. Up at 6:30 am for an 8:00 start in Navoto.
We got broken into 6 groups as we were doing stations this am. One of the stations was a video tape and one was an analysis of that video. These were actually my last stations so more on that later.
We started off in the swim session, where most people would be practicing what they had just learned in the video analysis session. I had been previously videoed and I knew what I need to work on. RELAXING and BREATHING!!!!!!
The swim went OK. I swam a lot with Tiffany. She helped me slow down and relax a little. She's a good steady swimmer.
The next area was swimming in groups. Race like, all bunched together. We heard stories of being punched, swam over, pulled, pushed, kicked, etc... There goes any relaxation I had out the door.
Then we learned how to base line in the pool. Basically, get in someone's stream and swim right behind them. Seemed to make the swimming easier, but I was a little freaked out looking forward and seeing bubbles and feet right by my head.
Then next session was learning to swim with your head out of the water to spot your direction. It took a few tries to figure it out, but I think I got it to wear I can fake it pretty well.
The last session was basically staying warm. We sculled water for 100 yds and then treaded water for a couple minutes, awaiting our turn to be video taped.
My turn came and I did my 50 yards. I am having Meenu come show me how to put it on to the blog. She is the tech savvy one!!!

Here's the video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTB9zmNGjdY

It took a little longer than I thought it would, but there the video is!!
I am feeling a little better in the water than I did on Friday, but still have lots to work on.

After the video, the analysis is

"Your stroke looks pretty good.

Your hand is a little high on the left side.

Your leg kick is too wide.

Use a downward 2 beat leg kick with downward leg in sync with hip rotating.

Arms cross over slightly."

We finished with a core workout and our honoree potluck. Heard some inspirational speeches from 3 of our honorees and a letter from Tyler's (another honoree)Mom. After hearing their stories, I know I can do this event and I know, someday, we will cure cancer....

Until tomorrow...

Friday 12/11/09

2009-12-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

Friday AM, 4:40 am, jeepers, that's early.

Off to the pool for another swim. A little rain this am, but that beats the snow or freezing rain from earlier this week. I am doing group 2 workouts now, which means the distances are longer. We started with a 300 warm-up and then drills. The core of the swim was a ladder, 100, 200, 400, 200, 100. Then we had a 100 cool down. It went fairly well, but I am starting to have doubts on whether I can make the distance.

My form is improving, but I cannot find the relaxation I need. I am so tense and my breathing is so shallow in the water, I am exhausted after just a couple hundred yards. I will talk to the coaches about this, and may need to rethink how I swim. Maybe the crawl is not the answer, maybe I need to do the breast stroke or back stroke.

I think I as supposed to do a run today as well. That didn't happen.

We have a bike tomorrow, maybe I'll do both a ride and a run

Gotta run (and swim, and bike)......

Thursday 12/10/09

2009-12-10T22:07:00.000-08:00

I said I would go swimming this am, but decided to sleep in. That extra 2 hours did me wonders.
I will swim tomorrow...
Dory is still saying "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming......."

TGIAF (Thank god it's almost Friday).........

Wednesday 12/09/09

2009-12-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

Wednesday AM, another swim workout on the schedule. Another frigid morning greeted me as I went to my car at 4:50 AM. The Mazda was again covered in frost, but I had my trusty new Ice scraper to solve that problem. It worked like a charm.

This was a little shorter than yesterday's yardage, which was fine by me. I was in the pool by 5:10 and doing my warm-ups. I felt tired in the arms from yesterday's workout, but my legs felt recovered from Saturday's workout. I had cramped badly in the pool on Saturday and felt it 3 days later.

I got through my drills without incident and started on the meat of the workout. Nothing major to report. I feel my form coming along. Mike had me work on "3 switches drill". I got the idea of where he wanted me to be with my form, but felt it to be exhausting. Basically, he wants me to start my rotation with my kick, then my hips and into my shoulders. I need to roll more on my side when I am not breathing.

The rest of the workout went well, like I said it was shorter than Tuesday's workout.

I tried a flip turn for the first time in 30+ years. I 'll need to continue working on the form for those. The flip turn was NOT pretty or graceful.

I was supposed to run tonight for 45 minutes. That didn't happen.
Thursday AM is supposed to be a bike, I think I'll continue swimming.

Dory from "Finding Nemo" comes to mind,

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming,...."

Tuesday 12/08/09

2009-12-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

Today marked another swim. When I woke this am, I had no idea what to expect outside. Snow yesterday and supposed to be as cold this am. I got to my car at 4:50 am and noticed a 1/4" of ice covering every window of my car.
Hmmmm... I wonder where my ice scraper is? I haven't used it in 13+ years that I have been living on the West coast. Check the trunk, no luck!!!
"Oh look it, an old Altoid box. that's a perfect ice scraper"..so 20 minutes later, my car is now clean enough to drive. Note to self, buy scrapers for Meenu, In-laws, and myself.

So I get to the gym a little later than I wanted to start my workout. This is my second day of doing group 2 workouts. I do the warm up and then the drills. No problems, no excitement.

Then comes the meat of the workout, 3x 2x100 L5 Huh???? Anyways, I will need to ask for clarification on this one. I swim what I think it is. 100 yards, six times...well it made sense in my mind.

I did it, but was pretty tired and I know my form got sloppy at the end. Tomorrow will be better, because I am supposed to meet Mike in the AM. He keeps me focused.
3rd swim this week. Yikes!!!!

I am listening to the radio on the way home from the gym, when there is a news report that planes are delayed in San Jose because the airport does not own a De-icing Machine. I am not going to lend the airport my new scrapers, but I will give them my used Altoid box.....

Until tomorrow....

Monday 12/07/09

2009-12-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

Mondays are our scheduled day off. I have been going to the pool each Monday for the past few weeks to workout with Coach Mike. Today was no exception.

My alarm went off at 4:40 am and I arose. I was a little sleepy this am as I walked down the stairs to pour my coffee. I slipped out the front door and was greeted by the brisk December air.

Oh, look, we had some precipitation. It was cold out and the streets were wet. I did not notice the extra cover on my car as I got in and turned it on. It wasn't until I turned on the windshield wipers, that I noticed through my morning blurry closed eyes, that there was snow on my windshield!!
Snow??
This is the Bay Area, we don't do snow!!!!
But yet last night, it snowed in the Bay Area. I know it is short lived, but for a few brief hours this morning, I could dream of a White Christmas again. Then I thought about the complete havoc that would be thrust upon the people of the Bay Area and I thought better of it.
OK, on to the workout.

I did my warm up before Mike arrived. He still wasn't there when I was finished with the warm up, so I started on my drills. I finished my drills and still, NO Mike!!!
I had spoken to Mike on Sunday and we discussed me doing the swim marker that I had missed last week, so swim marker it is.

An 800 yard marker (that's 32 laps) at a Level 5 rate. Nice and steady.

I felt pretty good through the swim. I started to tire and instead of stopping and resting, I switched to the breast stroke for one lap and the crawl for the return lap. That worked pretty well, as it kept me moving.
I finished in 22 minutes. I guess not bad. I am not sure if I made the 32 laps, may have been more, may have been less. I got confused with my counting. It is not as easy as it sounds!!!

Still no sign of Mike. I hope he is OK, as Californians can't drive in the rain, never the less the snow. I found out later that he lost his power due to the storm, another way to toss CA into a tailspin.

I was driving home and it started to snow slightly. I love that type of snow. It is sooooo peaceful.
I pulled Meenu outside when I got home to show her the snow falling. She didn't seem as thrilled as I was, but she's a CA girl.. But then she's My CA girl... I love my CA girl....

Later.....

Sunday 12/06/09 Workout

2009-12-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

Today is a bike workout.
Its windy and cold and only a 19 mile marker ride.
The Patriots are playing(Go Pats!!!!)
I am taking the day off.

Hasta....

12/05/09 Coached Workout

2009-12-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Saturday 8:00 AM
After a bad week of workouts, I went to the coached workout today feeling under prepared. We were to run, swim and have a core workout.
We started with the run. A mile warm-up followed by 800 repeats. We were teamed up in groups of three. One person ran a lap, who was joined by person two for the second lap, and then was joined by person 3 for the third lap while person 1 rested. We were to do this for 10 each 800s. So we were to run 5 miles. Unfortunately the coaches stopped us in the middle of our 6th 800, so we only ran 3 miles.
But off to Iron U for some Nutrition training. I have been through lots of these over the years and I always feel bad afterward because I don't follow their lead. I don't eat poorly (Meenu won't allow it), but I don't want to count my calories or my percentage of protein to fats. I just don't care to be that anal about my intake. I gave up smoking and I don't drink a lot anymore and I have never been a fan of fast food, so I am not going to ruin my love of food and love of eating by weighing my food and counting each and every fat gram and calorie. I don't eat a lot of red meat, but love an occasional steak. Lots of chicken and fish, only whole wheat breads, veggies and yogurt daily. OK, so maybe I will not be the best endurance athlete out there. Newsflash... I am not going to win the Ironman Triathlon. I am going to survive it and come out the other side a little stronger in mind and in body. Maybe that is the wrong attitude to have and I will check on that mindset further into the training but as I trained for the Death Ride twice, it was always a survival attitude. I wanted to do well, I wanted to get up the hill faster and easier than I did the last time, but I knew I was not going to win. The only competition was really within myself. Can I do it??
The answer is "Yes, I can!!!!!"

After Iron U, it was off to the pool.
I felt stronger today. My stroke is coming along. I was having some cramping issues in my calves. Weird, because I was drinking lots of water, had electrolytes and also had a couple of endurolytes. Very odd...I will need to keep an eye on that.

Coach Mike asked me to start doing the Group 2 drills instead of the group 1 drills. Moving me up, that's a good sign. I am feeling better in the water and know it will come with time. I have made lots of improvements and will continue to work on my swimming.

Coach Dave cancelled the core workout so we went out for pizza instead. The Nutrition expert said it was OK, so I will follow that lead.

Until the next time......

Week of 11/29-12/04/09

2009-12-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Not a good week for me for training...
Sunday I was supposed to swim and run... I watched football...
Monday was a day off, so I swam with Coach Mike for an hour. Swimming is improving.
Tuesday was a bike for an hour.... I took the day off.
Wednesday was a run.... I swam for an hour with Coach Mike. More improvements in my swimming.
Then my work week went to hell...
I was at work until 11:15 PM on Wednesday night and back there at 6:00 AM Thursday.
The presentation I was prepping for went well but there was no workouts happening.
Thursday was a swim marker... I took the day off..
Friday was strength/core workout.... I took another day off....
Not one of my better weeks.
Must improve on that.

Captain's Workout 11/28/09 Bike Ride

2009-11-28T12:37:00.001-08:00

The plan today was a 35 mile rolling hills bike ride. Seems simple enough. I thought I would add on some extra miles by riding to and from the meeting point. The meeting point was 7+ miles away. I woke at 7:30 and planned to be on the road by just after 8:00. I looked out our bedroom window when I woke and saw the trees blowing hard.

I had a quick breakfast of whole wheat bagels and coffee. Ahhh, the Breakfast of Champions!!!!

On the road by shortly after 8:00 to meet everybody at the starting point by 8:45, roll by 9:00.

I was riding down Camino Tassajara, battling the wind, when I heard behind me, the crackling and falling of a rather large tree branch. I slowed to make sure no one was under it and after confirming all is well, I continued my ride thinking to myself, this is going to be interesting..

I got to the center of Danville, where I wanted to check my directions. I pulled them out of my back pocket and proceeded in dropping them. A quick stop and turn around to get the directions, otherwise I know I will get lost. As my friend Brian would say, " Chris can get lost in an out and back" No use in taking any chances, grab the directions!!

After checking the directions, I pushed off, clipped in, and slipped on some wet leaves...THUD!!!
On the pavement. No harm, No foul, just a bruised ego. As I got on my bike and pedaled away, I was praying not too many people saw that. Not my most graceful moment!

I arrived at the start at 8:40 without further incident. About 20 of my fellow riders were already there. We rolled at just after 9:00 and began our ride.

We were riding out Diablo to do a quick loop of Collier Canyon. Nate, Phil and I were out at a pretty good clip. Most of the start is protected from the wind. When we got on to Highland, the protection ended. The wind was blowing across and into us. Slow going and blowing us over does not make for a comfortable ride.

I made the rest of the ride with out incident and felt fairly strong. The biking was slow and I couldn't eat or drink much while riding because the wind was blowing us over, but I made it back.

I actually decided to cut it off early and just ride home as opposed to back to the start and home like I had planned. I still rode 35 miles of rolling hills in a stiff wind and came out of it with only a slightly bruised ego.

Not a bad way to start the day.....

Friday 11/27

2009-11-27T17:04:00.000-08:00

Today was a swim followed by a run. I got to the pool about 9:30 to do the workout. A quick warm-up followed by drills, drills and more drills. Again my swimming feels like it is improving, but oh so slowly. I can't seem to slow my stroke down enough to a speed that I can maintain over a period of time. I am exhausted after 50 yards. I can't seem to relax much. Still having problems with my breathing. Can't relax, can't breath, problem!
I finished up the swim and got ready to go for a run. I am not sure what the workout was supposed to be, but I ran for 60 minutes. 8 minutes running followed by 2 minutes walking. I was able to complete the run but I felt tired during it. I think I was slower than a 9 minute per mile pace. I didn't eat anything this morning. That didn't help my day and I was feeling a little sluggish. A few too many beers last night and too much turkey. No wait that is silly, Is it possible too have too much turkey or too much beer?
I don't think so........

Thanksgiving 11/26

2009-11-27T17:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Supposed to do Strength today, but I am taking the day off.
Enjoy the holiday.....

Workout 11/25

2009-11-27T16:51:00.000-08:00

Today was supposed to be a run workout, bur I was off to the pool again this AM. I had a 7:00 AM meeting at work, so I had to be in the pool extra early. Up at 4:40 AM and at the pool by 5:00. Coach Mike was coming at 5:15, so I wanted to get all warmed up before he arrived. The workout went well. Lots of drills again. body balance rolls, catch up and distance per stroke. I feel my swimming improving, but I am feeling apprehensive about whether I can make it. I have a long way to go, but a lot of time to train.
Until the next time......

Workout 11/24 Swim

2009-11-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

Today was another swim workout. I did not follow the coach's schedule, because I wanted to continue to work on my body balance drills. I got to the gym a little later than planned, but I was still in the water by 5:30 AM. I started with the warm-up and felt exhausted really quick. My new form is smoother and faster but it wears me out quickly. I know it is because I am not relaxed in the water. I was once a fish up at The Needham Pool and Racquet Club. Now, ummm... not so much!!!

I continued to work on my body balance drills. Today did not go as well. I felt sloppy through most of the drills. I didn't eat anything before the workout and I know that did not help. I was pretty tired pretty quick and felt a struggle through the workout. I was still in the pool for 45+ minutes.

I am meeting Coach Mike again tomorrow.

We shall see how it goes....I know it will be better....

Workout 11/23 Swim

2009-11-24T21:21:00.000-08:00

Today was supposed to be a rest day, but I met Mike (one of the coach's) at the San Ramon 24 hour and had a swim workout. He videotaped(if it is digital, is it still considered videotape?) me during my first couple of laps. I was taking 23 strokes to complete one lap. We did a lot of drills over the next hour to improve my form. Lots of body balancing, etc. I do not feel comfortable during the swim. I always have a drowning feeling. I cannot relax my body or my breathing. I feel like I have only one speed which wears me out quickly. But after an hour of drills, Mike videotaped me again and now I was taking only 20 strokes. Pretty good improvement.

Both Mike and Sedonia sent me emails today commenting on my improvement. I was reallly stoked by how it went. I still don't feel comfortable yet, but there is really nowhere to go but up!!!!

We shall see how tomorrow goes.....

Workout 11/16 Swim

2009-11-18T23:32:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to swim today......., but I didn't. lnstead I went shopping for swim gear at Sports Basement. I'll do a double tomorrow. Peace out...

Track workout 11/18

2009-11-18T23:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a track workout or should I say a running workout that we happen to do at the track. We met at 6:45 PM at Dublin High School. There was a group of about 8 doing the workout. Pretty simple today, 10 minute warm up, followed by 5 minutes running and 1 minute walking. Total to be 52 minutes.

We got through the warm up and the first couple of run sections when we got kicked off the well lit track because there was a soccer game in progress. So off we went to the baseball diamonds to run around the fields. The school must have 4 diamonds there with a dirt track around them. It doesn't go in an oval and seeing is a challenge at night but we made it work.

Either way, the run workout went pretty well. I was wearing my new shoes. They feel good so far.

Coached Workout 11/15/09

2009-11-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

Today was our first coached workout. Meenu got up at 7:00 with me to get me on my way. We were out a little later than I wanted to be last night but we had a great time. Went to a new Mexican restaurant in Blackhawk called Coa. I was pleasantly surprised by the good food and service. Then we went to see 2012. Worth seeing in the theatre for the visual effects alone. After the movie we went for nightcaps in downtown Danville. After striking out at Tower Grill (average age 22 yrs old), we ended up at Eliott's. We had one more drink and home we went.

I was nervous about the swim as I arrived at 8:00 AM. I saw my buddies Rocky, Phil, and Brian. We went through a quick question and answer period and then we split into groups. Last names that begin with A-L into the pool first. I headed off to the track for a run. We did a quick warm up and then we did a 2 mile marker. Run 2 miles at a faster pace for time. I went out tooo quick (sub 2 minutes for the first 1/4 mile) but then fell into a comfortable 9 minute mile pace thereafter. Much better for my present condition. Finished the 2 mile marker in 18:15. I'll take it for now. Then we did some strength training with David. More delays for my swim. More time to be nervous.

Finally we got to switch and I got into the pool. I moved myself down to the lowest group because it has been so long since I swam. We started out with a warmup swim. I was exhausted after that. Then we did a 200 yard marker. Again I was tired. I ended up doing the last 2 laps with the breast stroke because I was so tired.

My biggest issue in the pool seems to be that I cannot relax there. I feel like I am going to drown, which is weird because as a kid, I was like a fish all summer long up at the Needham Pool and Racquet. You couldn't get me out of the water.

Well I finished the marker(I don't know my time) and then we did some drills. Most of the drills made me feel like an uncoordinated clod. But I will continue to work on them.

So I survived my first coach's workout and my first week of Ironman training.

More to follow.....