S: 28,400 yds
B: 6h 57min
R: 6h 2min
Total: 20h 27min
Its nice to be running again, but after an attempted tempo run on Thursday, I certainly still have a way to go to get back to being competitive. So it looks like the triathlon season will pretty much be done for me, as it doesnt make much sense to go to Miami or Cancun if I'm not in shape. (EDIT: It makes plenty of sense to go to Miami or Cancun when not in shape, it just doesnt make sense to go there for a race...) Meantime, I'll jump in a few local running races in hopes of making myself run faster. Should be fun and painful.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Sept12-18
S: 28,100yds
B: 9h 45min
R: 5h 16min
Total: 22h 25min
Last week was a little larger than previous weeks due to my lack of employment coupled with the century on Saturday. The century was the Spring City Cycling Club's All You Can Eat (SCCC's AYCE) Century. It was a beautiful day for a ride, and the scenery didnt disappoint. The pace was pretty chill for the first hour or so with me, Timo, and a couple other taking pulls. In the second hour, things slowly started to heat up until over 2h into the ride, we hit a 3 mile long, 1000ft high climb which totally broke things up. I made it up first, and stopped at the rest stop close to the top.
There was a bit of a regrouping at the top, and about 8 of us set out for the trip home. We stayed together down the hill, but around mile 55 we turned onto a bumpy, hilly road. At this point I was wishing I had been on a mountain bike, as I'm not sure if the race directors couldve picked a worse paved road for us to ride. Pretty soon, we were down to three as we all just wanted to get off that road. The rest of ride was pretty steady, with Timo, me, and a guy from Nashville in an old school MaiPei kit just pushing to the finish. Considering I couldnt remember the last time I had ridden longer than 3h, I was definitely hurting. I was fine on the flats and gradual hills, even taking pulls, but the spikes in power required for the steep hills were killing me; I just didnt have an extra gear. We finally rolled back into the parking lot at Madison County High School 101 miles and ~4h42min of riding.
Then it was straight to the couch!
B: 9h 45min
R: 5h 16min
Total: 22h 25min
Last week was a little larger than previous weeks due to my lack of employment coupled with the century on Saturday. The century was the Spring City Cycling Club's All You Can Eat (SCCC's AYCE) Century. It was a beautiful day for a ride, and the scenery didnt disappoint. The pace was pretty chill for the first hour or so with me, Timo, and a couple other taking pulls. In the second hour, things slowly started to heat up until over 2h into the ride, we hit a 3 mile long, 1000ft high climb which totally broke things up. I made it up first, and stopped at the rest stop close to the top.
There was a bit of a regrouping at the top, and about 8 of us set out for the trip home. We stayed together down the hill, but around mile 55 we turned onto a bumpy, hilly road. At this point I was wishing I had been on a mountain bike, as I'm not sure if the race directors couldve picked a worse paved road for us to ride. Pretty soon, we were down to three as we all just wanted to get off that road. The rest of ride was pretty steady, with Timo, me, and a guy from Nashville in an old school MaiPei kit just pushing to the finish. Considering I couldnt remember the last time I had ridden longer than 3h, I was definitely hurting. I was fine on the flats and gradual hills, even taking pulls, but the spikes in power required for the steep hills were killing me; I just didnt have an extra gear. We finally rolled back into the parking lot at Madison County High School 101 miles and ~4h42min of riding.
Then it was straight to the couch!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sept5-11
S: 26,900 yds
B: 10h 23min
R: 3h 52min (~33miles)
Total: 21h 20min
In my last post, my "long" run for the week before last was 40min, whereas this past week I went a solid 57min. Additionally, I ended up with around 33 miles for the week, which although not spectacular is not trivial, either. So while I'm pleased with how things are progressing, I realize there is still quite a bit of work to do before I'll be able to race. I haven't even started thinking about pace yet, and I'll first need a couple more weeks of "just running" before I can (hopefully) start incorporating some faster stuff. But, after watching all the great racing last weekend, especially the 70.3 World Championships, I'm definitely chomping at bit to get back to competing.
In other news, I start a new job this week! Beginning Friday, I'll be a MP&P Engineer at The Boeing Company. I'll be developing materials and processes for the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA's next heavy lift rocket. I'm excited to get started, but hopefully it won't get in the way of training too much...
B: 10h 23min
R: 3h 52min (~33miles)
Total: 21h 20min
In my last post, my "long" run for the week before last was 40min, whereas this past week I went a solid 57min. Additionally, I ended up with around 33 miles for the week, which although not spectacular is not trivial, either. So while I'm pleased with how things are progressing, I realize there is still quite a bit of work to do before I'll be able to race. I haven't even started thinking about pace yet, and I'll first need a couple more weeks of "just running" before I can (hopefully) start incorporating some faster stuff. But, after watching all the great racing last weekend, especially the 70.3 World Championships, I'm definitely chomping at bit to get back to competing.
In other news, I start a new job this week! Beginning Friday, I'll be a MP&P Engineer at The Boeing Company. I'll be developing materials and processes for the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA's next heavy lift rocket. I'm excited to get started, but hopefully it won't get in the way of training too much...
Monday, September 5, 2011
Aug29-Sept4
S: 24,700 yds
B: 9h 18min
R: 2h 36min
Total: 18h 26min
Happy Labor Day! Updates may start to sound a bit Groundhog Day-ish, but in this case that is a good thing. The slow build in running miles continues unabated, and I'm now able to handle a whopping 40min at a time. This is nothing to write home about, but at least it constitutes an actual run.
Similarly, the new position hasnt gave me any issues thusfar. I havent had any problems adjusting to the 165mm cranks, and in fact I think the shorter crank length was just what I needed to relieve some of the pressure on my lower back/upper leg area which led to the injury.
B: 9h 18min
R: 2h 36min
Total: 18h 26min
I'm in Orlando, so here is a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Mouse.
Happy Labor Day! Updates may start to sound a bit Groundhog Day-ish, but in this case that is a good thing. The slow build in running miles continues unabated, and I'm now able to handle a whopping 40min at a time. This is nothing to write home about, but at least it constitutes an actual run.
Similarly, the new position hasnt gave me any issues thusfar. I havent had any problems adjusting to the 165mm cranks, and in fact I think the shorter crank length was just what I needed to relieve some of the pressure on my lower back/upper leg area which led to the injury.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Aug22-28
S: 19,000 yds
B: 7h 58min
R: 3h 52min
Total: 16h 50min
Plenty of good news to report from last week. Most importantly, the running is coming along nicely. I'm up to 30min at a time without any pain, so I'm hoping I'm in the clear on the injury.
Also, Saturday I drove up to Nashville for a bike fit from my coach, Dr. Paulo Sousa. In the hope of opening up my hip angle a bit, I switched to 165mm cranks, which naturally required the fit on my bike to be adjusted. Paulo used his unique state of the art tools and I was really pleased with the end result. That afternoon I went for a ride with the new position and was very happy with how it felt. So after having been off the TT bike for the last six weeks, I'm really looking forward to getting back into some training.
So, hopefully I can put all the injury nonsense behind me and get back to training and (eventually) racing!
B: 7h 58min
R: 3h 52min
Total: 16h 50min
Plenty of good news to report from last week. Most importantly, the running is coming along nicely. I'm up to 30min at a time without any pain, so I'm hoping I'm in the clear on the injury.
Also, Saturday I drove up to Nashville for a bike fit from my coach, Dr. Paulo Sousa. In the hope of opening up my hip angle a bit, I switched to 165mm cranks, which naturally required the fit on my bike to be adjusted. Paulo used his unique state of the art tools and I was really pleased with the end result. That afternoon I went for a ride with the new position and was very happy with how it felt. So after having been off the TT bike for the last six weeks, I'm really looking forward to getting back into some training.
So, hopefully I can put all the injury nonsense behind me and get back to training and (eventually) racing!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Aug15-21
S: 29,000 yds
B: 7h 29min
R: 3h 21min
Total: 18h 28min
On the road to recovery! I ran four times last week and thus far havent had any issues, which I'm pretty excited about. With that having been said, though, I'm still taking things slowly, as I certainly want to avoid a regression. I'm also trying not to think about a return to racing, yet, because that would clearly jinx matters...
This weekend is the Rocketman Triathlon, an Olympic distance race over on Redstone Arsenal, where I work and do most of my bike training. I'm not racing because of the injury, but one of friends, Eric C, wanted to do a relay so I pulled my occasional cycling buddy, Dave Z, out of retirement to do the bike leg and I offered to swim. Yes, relays are lame, but it should be fun.
B: 7h 29min
R: 3h 21min
Total: 18h 28min
On the road to recovery! I ran four times last week and thus far havent had any issues, which I'm pretty excited about. With that having been said, though, I'm still taking things slowly, as I certainly want to avoid a regression. I'm also trying not to think about a return to racing, yet, because that would clearly jinx matters...
This weekend is the Rocketman Triathlon, an Olympic distance race over on Redstone Arsenal, where I work and do most of my bike training. I'm not racing because of the injury, but one of friends, Eric C, wanted to do a relay so I pulled my occasional cycling buddy, Dave Z, out of retirement to do the bike leg and I offered to swim. Yes, relays are lame, but it should be fun.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Aug8-14
S: 30,600 yds
B: 5h 51min
R: 3h 13min => all in the pool
Total: 17h 7min
I got back to some kind of training, which is something, but if nothing else the week was informative. I only rode once on the TT bike, for about 30min, and quickly discovered it was the source of the problems. So, before getting back into any serious cycling training I'm going to need to change my position.
As usual, running will be the last activity to be phased back into the mix, a process which will begin this week with a bit of treadmill time. Fun times, indeed!
B: 5h 51min
R: 3h 13min => all in the pool
Total: 17h 7min
I got back to some kind of training, which is something, but if nothing else the week was informative. I only rode once on the TT bike, for about 30min, and quickly discovered it was the source of the problems. So, before getting back into any serious cycling training I'm going to need to change my position.
As usual, running will be the last activity to be phased back into the mix, a process which will begin this week with a bit of treadmill time. Fun times, indeed!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Aug1-7
On the mend! Well, the leg is finally, finally getting better. With Dr. Houssain back in town, he was able to view my MRI and see that the hamstring was looking good. This led to the recommendation of a couple of glut stretches/exercises as well as a foam wedge to sit on at work. I realize this sounds a bit bizarre, but hey, it works! And if sitting on a piece of foam is what it takes to keep my butt from hurting, then so be it!
So, looking forward, this week will start the reincorporation of some legs workouts, mainly water running and road biking. I'd say I'm looking further ahead, but considering how long this injury has lingered, I'm not ready to make any assumptions about it being totally gone. With that having been said, though, I dont think it is totally out of the question to rule out racing again this year.
So, looking forward, this week will start the reincorporation of some legs workouts, mainly water running and road biking. I'd say I'm looking further ahead, but considering how long this injury has lingered, I'm not ready to make any assumptions about it being totally gone. With that having been said, though, I dont think it is totally out of the question to rule out racing again this year.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Jul25-31
S: 38,100 yds
More swimming, similar hamstring pain, and still no training. Things were trending better, but have now frustratingly seemed to stall. In response, I talked to a PT in the area who used to work on the training staff at USC (South Carolina, not Southern Cal). He recommended a light warm up then light stretching then icing. I am also trying Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) therapy, per a recommendation from a reader, Alan. So although things are a bit stagnant at the moment, I'm cautiously optimistic that this time next week I'll have some better news!
More swimming, similar hamstring pain, and still no training. Things were trending better, but have now frustratingly seemed to stall. In response, I talked to a PT in the area who used to work on the training staff at USC (South Carolina, not Southern Cal). He recommended a light warm up then light stretching then icing. I am also trying Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) therapy, per a recommendation from a reader, Alan. So although things are a bit stagnant at the moment, I'm cautiously optimistic that this time next week I'll have some better news!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
QOTD
"I wanted to do something that everyone thought was impossible. Since they banned those suits, everyone thought a world record would never get touched again. I just wanted to show everyone that can happen. That's why we have records -- they're meant to get broken." -Ryan Lochte after breaking the world record in the 200IM, the first world record to be set since polyurethane suits were banned.
I realize this is not only the second swimming post in a row, but also the second Lochte post in a row, but I really cant control these things. Today's QOTD is just another example of the power of positive thinking. If you dont believe you can do something great, you probably wont.
I realize this is not only the second swimming post in a row, but also the second Lochte post in a row, but I really cant control these things. Today's QOTD is just another example of the power of positive thinking. If you dont believe you can do something great, you probably wont.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
QOTD
"We use science, every bit that we can, on top of old-school training. We are going to train as hard as anybody else, and then we're going to train more by adding things that don't get us injured. And we're going to train smarter than anybody else." -Alberto Salazar
So its been a while since we've had a QOTD, but we like to go for quality over quantity here at the WWA and this is no exception.
This particular article is about Mo Farah, the British runner who's career had stagnated. Sure, he was the best runner in Europe, having won Championship races in both Indoor and Outdoor Athletics as well as Cross Country, but he couldnt make a splash on the international stage, as he failed to reach the final of the 5k in the 2008 Olympics. So, realizing he needed a change, Farah moved to Oregon to work with Salazar as part of Nike's Oregon Project. Since then, his career has taken off with recent wins over top fields at the 10k at the Prefontaine Classic and 5k in Monaco. In fact, after the 5k in Monaco, respected veteran and 2nd fastest 1500m runner in history, Bernard Lagat, said, "Today, Mo Farah laid out clearly that he is the favorite in the 5000m in Daegu." (Daegu is site of the World Championships this year.) Clearly then, he is now one of the top few 5k/10k runners in the world.
So while this is just a singular example, it exemplifies why Salazar is such a great coach. No doubt Farah was training hard before. But Salazar has taken his training to the next level, ensuring that every detail is covered. Many people like to talk about "old school" versus "new school" or high mileage versus high intensity but Salazar demonstrates that to reach your maximum potential, many of these decisions are not an "either/or" question, but rather what works?
So its been a while since we've had a QOTD, but we like to go for quality over quantity here at the WWA and this is no exception.
This particular article is about Mo Farah, the British runner who's career had stagnated. Sure, he was the best runner in Europe, having won Championship races in both Indoor and Outdoor Athletics as well as Cross Country, but he couldnt make a splash on the international stage, as he failed to reach the final of the 5k in the 2008 Olympics. So, realizing he needed a change, Farah moved to Oregon to work with Salazar as part of Nike's Oregon Project. Since then, his career has taken off with recent wins over top fields at the 10k at the Prefontaine Classic and 5k in Monaco. In fact, after the 5k in Monaco, respected veteran and 2nd fastest 1500m runner in history, Bernard Lagat, said, "Today, Mo Farah laid out clearly that he is the favorite in the 5000m in Daegu." (Daegu is site of the World Championships this year.) Clearly then, he is now one of the top few 5k/10k runners in the world.
So while this is just a singular example, it exemplifies why Salazar is such a great coach. No doubt Farah was training hard before. But Salazar has taken his training to the next level, ensuring that every detail is covered. Many people like to talk about "old school" versus "new school" or high mileage versus high intensity but Salazar demonstrates that to reach your maximum potential, many of these decisions are not an "either/or" question, but rather what works?
July18-24
S: 43,900 yds
Once again no biking or running. But, I did get an update on the leg. Friday I had an MRI and result was the typical good news/bad news. Good news? No tear. Bad news? The diagnosis is tendinitis caused by (what else) "overuse". So the prescription is to continue with the electostim and ice and start popping the advil like candy until it heals. After that, I'll apparently have to start stretching and strengthening and all that good stuff. Fun times, indeed.
But for more good news, and on a more qualitative note, the pain has subsided quite a bit in the last couple of days, so I should be able to start the strengthening pretty soon. It better, because I've had way too much water stuck in my ears lately.
Once again no biking or running. But, I did get an update on the leg. Friday I had an MRI and result was the typical good news/bad news. Good news? No tear. Bad news? The diagnosis is tendinitis caused by (what else) "overuse". So the prescription is to continue with the electostim and ice and start popping the advil like candy until it heals. After that, I'll apparently have to start stretching and strengthening and all that good stuff. Fun times, indeed.
But for more good news, and on a more qualitative note, the pain has subsided quite a bit in the last couple of days, so I should be able to start the strengthening pretty soon. It better, because I've had way too much water stuck in my ears lately.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
July11-17
S: 38,100yds
B: 0h
R: 42min (in the pool)
Total: 10h 44min
So yeah, not much happening here, as the hamstring is still effed. Everyone I talk to says something to the effect of, "Hamstrings are tricky..." which I translate to mean, "Dude, you're screwed." So needless to say racing is out of the picture for the foreseeable future, since, well, its kind of difficult to race when you're not even allowed to B or R in training.
On the bright side, at least the pool has been set up for long course.
B: 0h
R: 42min (in the pool)
Total: 10h 44min
So yeah, not much happening here, as the hamstring is still effed. Everyone I talk to says something to the effect of, "Hamstrings are tricky..." which I translate to mean, "Dude, you're screwed." So needless to say racing is out of the picture for the foreseeable future, since, well, its kind of difficult to race when you're not even allowed to B or R in training.
On the bright side, at least the pool has been set up for long course.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
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