Let it Snow

This is the kind of weather that would have been amazing to wake up to on Christmas morning. A light fluffy snowfall. 10 inches of light fluffy snow! I shoveled twice today and aside from those forays outdoors, we didn't go anywhere. I should have turned the news on at some point, but didn't. From what the evening news reported, most of the counties in the area were asking people to stay off the roads unless they absolutely had to. We didn't have to go anywhere so I was happy to stay home. I was able to get a 30 mile ride on the bike trainer in around lunch time. Had to stop half way to climb the stairs in my cleats and grab some cookies because I got a little hungry. (Don't worry Hunny, these cleats are indoor friendly as they have rubber pads to walk on. Not like the previous pair that would have permanently gouged the wood floor!) The bike ride, coupled with the shoveling has left me exhausted tonight. I crashed on the couch for a bit before making dinner. But as I sit here writing and drinking my last bottle of Great Lakes Imperial Dortmunder, I'm still a little groggy. I'm either going to bed early or will hit my second wind and have a hard time falling asleep. 

1/9/09

One new thing I would like to start doing with my blog is begin to incorporate some of my photography from time to time. Today is a photo of Penny our 11 year old Golden Retriever. It's from August of 2008. She likes to lay at the end of the sofa and on this particular afternoon I caught her basking in the afternoon sun.

As for today, I got my run in this afternoon. Nearly 5 miles in 40 minutes. Not bad for a steady snowfall and a wind out of the south. I ran around Lake Medina which is just behind where I work. It was a really nice day for a run, although no one believes me when I tell them that. Yes, it was a little cold, but not unbearable. The snow was awesome to run in. I would have stayed out longer but I had to come in and warm up. Warm up certain parts that is (no names please!) I've had this problem one other time and I need to find a way to solve it. I like my Mizuno running pants but if I can't get some insulation in certain areas, I'm just going to have to stick with my tights.

We're supposed to get up to a foot of snow overnight and into tomorrow and the Mrs. doesn't get back till Sunday, so I'm not planning any additional runs for the weekend. I'm hoping to get some miles on the bike both Saturday and Sunday. Then later on Sunday I'll see what else I can get in. I think my 18 week marathon training is supposed to start this weekend.

This week I was light at work so I was able to spend a lot of time on the logo for the running club. I don't think I've mentioned that here yet. I'm involved with designing a logo for the Medina County Road Runners. Whether something I design gets used or not, I don't know. But I'm enjoying coming up with loads of variations and different ideas. At least we'll be able to go to a printer or whoever with some artwork. And it's fun!

One other thing of note for any wine drinkers that may be reading this. Tonight I'm enjoying a 2005 Zinfandel by Seacliff Winery in Santa Rosa, CA. I think we picked it up at either Trader Joe's or World Market and it didn't cost very much. It's really good! I wholeheartedly recommend it and will put it on my list to buy again. And there's a red blend from Australia I picked up at Buehler's that had dust all over the bottle and everything. It was magnificent! I need to get back up there and buy whatever they have left.

1/8/09

Nothing to report for Thursday. The Mrs. is out of town so I decided to take a day off. It's a little overwhelming for me to get a workout in as well as take care of all the things that need to get done at night. I'm hoping to get a run in after work today as weather is supposed to move in tonight followed by some bitter temperatures early next week. Might be my last quality run for a little while. Good thing I cross train!

1/7/09, or Tri-Dreams

I don't make a habit of writing about my dreams. Not "hopes and dreams" dreams. I mean the sleepy dreams. But I had a particularly vivid one last night. I'm not a dream analyst or anything, but if I had to play one for the duration of this blog, I'd say I'm suffering from some subconscious fears about the swim portion of the triathlon. And after making this diagnosis, I would say, "You're right!"

Here's a brief telling of the dream I had: I arrived for a triathlon the day before so I could sign in and pick up my race packet. The family wasn't with me for this race. But that's not unusual as I've raced a few duathlons in the past without any support crew. As I'm trying to find my way to the check in area I find that I'm walking down a narrow path beside a narrow waterway. I wouldn't call it a creek even, though it looked deep. I couldn't see any current in it at all. The path and the water enter into a series of tunnels or very long underpasses of sorts. I begin to notice how many fish are in the water. They're everywhere. And then I notice larger things in the water. At first I thought they were baby hippos but eventually decide they are manatees. And they're everywhere too! The water, which of course is very muddy and hard to see through, is literally filled with fish and manatees. And then I see exactly what I'm now worried about. There are dudes swimming towards me from further in the tunnel. This is where the swim is going to be in the morning. I can remember hoping that I brought my wetsuit with me to give me some kind of protection from the wildlife. I did eventually make it to the check in table, but left it without being reassured of having a safe swim leg. Gulp!

Of the three sports, I am least confident in my swimming. But sometimes, when I'm in the water, I think that maybe, my greatest potential lies in the swim.

9:44 PM: Just got back from the pool where I squeezed in a mile and a quarter before they closed it. First half of the swim was rough. My head was too high in the water and I kept getting water leaking up my nose. Not enough to choke me. Just enough to start trickling down the back of my throat, triggering my swallow reflex. I figured it out eventually and had a strong second half. Guess I need to keep working on my form.

1/6/09

I logged another 10 miles on the bike trainer this morning, but speed work was cancelled tonight due to freezing rain. I almost didn't even go because it was already starting to freeze when I left work. Conditions deteriorated rapidly after I got to the track. Marsha and Lisa were there as well, but decided to reschedule. I managed 2 miles and that was all. From the time I started to the time I stopped, the track went from wet to very slick. Speed work was out of the question due to no traction and any additional miles were out due to wanting to get home before the roads got too bad. Unfortunately the roads WERE bad. I slid quite a ways heading towards one intersection, only to stop just before reaching it, but had no serious mishaps. I hope everyone made it home safely.

1/5/09

Nothing very interesting to report as today was more or less a recovery day. I'm just trying to keep on top of that resolution of mine to report daily if possible. I did some cross-training after work: 30 minutes of strength training and 15 minutes on the elliptical. My legs still retained some of their "jelly-ness" from yesterday's triple session.  Best to let them rest a bit as tomorrow night is time for more speed work.

Today I also found the marathon training plan I intend to use for both the spring and fall events. I'm going with the Advanced Plan from Hal Higdon, with some minor modifications. Like I don't plan to run 6 out of 7 days. And I don't plan on doing two nights of speed work a week. And I need to fit in time to swim and bike. So I'm starting with his plan but I'm going to do some customizing. But man, there's still going to be a lot of running going on. I'm interested in what my results will be if I can stick to it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Happy New Year!

A little late, as it's currently January 4, 2009. HA! That was the first time I had to write 2009 and I didn't goof it up! I've been a bad boy. I haven't been keeping up on my blogging over the Holidays as I would have hoped. Nothing too new with training. It's still technically the off-season so I'm just plugging along with the three sports. I've been consistent in getting to the pool and putting in my time and distance. I'm actually starting to see some improvement and noticing where my form is good and not so good. Running is what it is. (I really deplore that phrase!) I've done what I could with the weather we've had. On the nice days, I've tried to go a little further than planned. The bike is a bear, but I'm putting in my mileage there too. It's not fun, but it's getting done.

I took a few days off, like 4, as we went up north to visit my grandmother over New Years. I went to the speed workout Tuesday night before we left and got in over 9 miles. That was on top of 23 miles on the bike earlier that day. That was supposed to carry me through the trip, but alas, I still managed to pack on some pounds.

Today I was exorcising the demons of my partying by doing triple sessions. It wasn't a brick workout because I took some rest time between each workout, but I did cover the three disciplines. First I did a mile and a quarter in the pool. My overall time was 1:10 but my mile split was in 55 minutes, which is about the quickest I've done it yet. Next up was the bike where I logged another 20 miles in 1:21. Nothing too hard as I knew I was going to run afterward. As for the run, I did 3.5 miles around the house in 28 and a half minutes. That's just over an 8 minute per mile pace. The weather was moist. Not raining but foggy and humid. And much warmer than I anticipated. It would have been nice to go further.

One of my many resolutions for 2009 (got it again!) is to post updates more often. I would like to post daily regarding workouts, even if it's just a few sentences. We'll just have to wait and see how that works out.

That's all for now. I have a lot of other work to do like creating my spring marathon training plan, that will morph into my summer triathlon training plan, which will morph into my half Ironman training plan, which will morph back into my fall marathon training plan. When you look at it that way, it looks like I'm going to have a lot to do this year.

Progress? Really?

If tonight's plan unfolds as planned, we'll find out tonight. (That's almost a tongue twister, or a very simple yet profound quote from someone ancient and/or famous.) Anyway, I believe I began to finally make some progress in the pool Sunday. It was my third visit back to the water and as I was wrapping up my mile I fell into a slow but comfortable pace that I was able to maintain for quite a few laps. I was still pausing for a few seconds to de-fog my goggles, but I didn't need to switch to the breaststroke to catch my breath. The funny thing was that being out of breath wasn't the problem. I was breathing TOO MUCH. I guess I was hyperventilating trying to take too much air in on each breath. What I ended up doing was concentrating on expelling the air I already had and just taking little "puffs" of breath every two strokes. I know I should be working at breathing every three strokes, but I'm just going to go with whatever works. I've done 2.75 miles on three visits and would like to get another mile in tonight.

Speed work last night was fun. Kind of. Frank and I were running with Patrick and one of his friends from school. Both good runners. Both fast runners. Both young runners. After a nice long warm-up we did 4 X 200 meter relays. It was all I could do not to get left in the dust. I'm just not a sprinter anymore. Give me some 800s any day over 200s. Yuck! And it was just too cold to be pushing that hard. I was having trouble breathing and my hamstring was bothering me afterward. Just too cold. We did eventually move onto some 800s. I held back a bit from what I did last week. Frank and I averaged around 3:24 or so for 3. It was mildly unpleasant weather to run in. We had tiny little snowflakes or pellets that stung when they hit you in the eyes. There was a wind that made the 28 degrees feel a little bit chillier. With a nice cool-down I had 6.75 miles in for the evening.

I've been trying to get on the bike as much as possible lately. I managed to get in 10 miles this morning in 40 minutes. Is there a secret to riding a bike on a stationary trainer? It's so boring. And it hurts. The lactic acid builds up so quickly for me. I'm just glad that when I get out on the road it's so much easier to ride than it is indoors. Give me hills. Give me a headwind. Just let me outside!

But inside is what I've got for the next few months. And it's what I'm using to burn off all the additional Holiday calories I've been consuming lately. The cookies. The fudge. The truffles. Not to mention sampling Christmas/Winter/Holiday beers from an assortment of brewers. Great Lakes Christmas Ale is by far the best. Sam Adams Winter Lager isn't doing much for me this year. Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is good, but be sure to pour it into a glass. It's bottle conditioned, leaving a layer of yeast on the bottom. I still have some Sam Adams Cranberry Lambics to get into as well as an Old Fezziwig. (I don't want to "get into" old Fezziwig. I don't swing that way. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's another Sam Adams brew named after the character from A Christmas Carol.)

All for now. Be on the lookout for a 2008 season re-cap, my take on this year's Ironman Triathlon World Championships, as well as the usual training updates.

Peaking in December?

Usually, December is not the month of choice for peaking. Not in the Northern Hemisphere at least. But that's what I began suspecting at last night's track workout. We had a foursome show up on a rainy 48 degree December evening. After a two mile warm-up we decided on running 800s. How many? That wasn't determined at the start.

My first 800 came in at 2:54. 2:54? I've only had a couple sub 3 minute splits for 800s this year. And those came during the height of my speed training. Surely, it must have been a lucky first attempt.

My second 800 clocked in at 2:56. "Crap!", I remember saying as I checked my time. I wasn't upset. I just didn't know where this was coming from.

My third 800 was in 2:57. OK, what's going on here? How am I doing this in December when I couldn't do it in September or October? Granted, it was a nice night for running. But there was a nasty headwind coming down the final straight.

My fourth and final 800 was back at 2:54. I knew I wanted to make sure I got under 3:00. And I did. I don't know what happened last night. Maybe I'm climbing up to another level. Maybe I just had a good night. Hopefully it will continue next year. Another 2.25 miles for a cool-down and I was done.

In other news: Sunday I hit the pool for the first time in over a year. I just wanted to get in the water and do some laps. I had no goal for time or distance. Once I reached half a mile, Mrs. P suggested I do an entire mile. So I did. 64 laps = 1 mile. That's a lot of swimming. Especially for someone who has horrible form and horribly uncoordinated breathing. Lots of work to do this winter.

This morning I jumped on the bike for 10 miles. Oh, how I dislike the trainer. But, like swimming, I need to put in the time in the hope of having success next season. At least with the bike, if I stop pedaling, I won't sink!

2008 Tour de Ashland Half Marathon...

Or as I have come to call it, The Run From Hell! (If and when Hell freezes over, that is.)

I was going to go nice on this race, until this morning. This morning, when I checked to see if the results had been posted yet, I found that my name was missing. It is missing from the age group results. It is missing from the overall results. The race was chip timed and they pulled tags from the bibs. That means they should have two records of me actually finishing the event, but no mention. It's like I drove for an hour and paid $35 for a glorified training run in weather conditions that I wouldn't run around the block in. There was minimal course support with cars zipping by on all the main streets. The weather sucked. It was around 20 degrees at the start with winds gusting to who-knows-what. It was colder than the 12 degree race before Thanksgiving! And then there were the hills. It was all uphill. I'm convinced of it. I don't care what the elevation chart shows. A downhill with a stiff headwind is no longer a downhill. At best it's flat.

So let's summarize: I drove for an hour, during which my service engine soon light came on, paid $35 to run uphill for an hour and forty-one minutes in the cold. Yeah, that's exactly my idea of fun. There's a reason I have NEVER run a race in December and unless it's a race somewhere far to the south and/or west of Cleveland, I never will again. Rant over.

Aside from all that, I had a not-to-bad run. I knew the course would be hilly, although having never been to Ashland, I didn't know how hilly it would be. If they could get a secure handle on the traffic issue, this would be a SWEET fall half to do. On a sunny morning with temps in the 40s to 50s, no wind, and the trees full of color, this has the potential to be one of the more scenic runs around. I like the challenge of the course, just not under December conditions.

I did have a funny moment yesterday after arriving home. I thought I had lost my two gel packs because I had forgotten to zip the pocket in my windbreaker vest I had put them in. As it turns out, I had zipped them into a pocket i didn't even knew was on there. It was all the way around on the back. I kept hearing something bouncing and just thought it was my car keys. (They were in a back pocket of another shirt I was wearing.) When I went to put my clothes in the washing machine, I felt something in my vest, but I couldn't find the pocket! Eventually I was able to locate and extract the gels. Man I could have used them during the run! Those hills and that wind really took a toll on me.

Today we're heading to the Rec. Center. I'm going to be hitting the pool for the first time in well over a year. I'm also going to be calling the race director to find out where I am. 

My Big Three

I was a little bored after lunch today, so I went ahead and made it official regarding my other two "A" races for 2009. I'm pleased to announce that the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon and the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon will be joining my half Ironman triathlon attempt at Steelhead to form my Big Three races next year. Who needs an off-season? I've got some work to do!

A Hill Workout?

I haven't done one of those in a while. But that's exactly what we ended up doing last night. The conditions on the track were not that great. Three quarters was crunchy snow and the home straight was ice. I was planning to do 300 meter repeats with 100 meter recovery down the icy stretch when I heard crunchy footsteps that weren't coming from me. I was surprised to see that Dan and Patrick were making their way onto the track for some speed work. I honestly didn't expect to see anyone else last night. It was about 28 degrees with a bit of a breeze which was chilly, but it wasn't snowing or anything. A not too unpleasant night to run.

After doing about a mile and a half of warm-up laps it was decided that we head over to Reagan Park to do some hill training. After a short drive, an icy parking lot crossing, and an equally icy trail descent, we arrived at the main road which was miraculously clear and dry. Dan and I decided to head one direction looking for Patrick, who had run over from the track. Up one hill without seeing him yet we head back the other direction and up the other hill. As we were heading back the other direction yet again, we see him.

He suggests 10 times the hill we had just done. Now these hills aren't the largest around, but they're decent for sprinting up. And that's exactly what we did. I've done hill work this year, but not all out sprinting. It was fun, until a point. On about the third repetition, my legs were noticeably more Jello-like. And that transition continued through the rest of the sprints. I'd be OK up to a certain point on the hill and then it would just hit me. My breathing would become very labored, my legs would get very heavy, my feet became impossibly to move quickly. So I would just push as hard as I could to the top.

And before I knew it, we were done. Not a long workout, but a hard one. I plan on returning there in the next couple months to prepare for the stair climb in February. After a short cool-down, I was off for home and a hot shower.

Some other recent training highlights include getting my 30 miles in on the bike trainer on Friday. Which I think is WAY too long to ride indoors. I think I'll end up doing shorter but more intense rides from now on. On Sunday I was able to get in nearly 15 miles running, doing two laps of my 7.4 mile loop around the house. The weather was right around freezing with occasional raindrops, icy patches on the ground, and a stiff breeze that continued to grow the longer I was out. I was cold at times and hot at times. It all depended upon which direction I was running.

That's all for today. We're all either sick or fighting off becoming sick, so I'm not sure what Saturday is going to hold. We're either going to Lakewood to run a 5K together or I'm going to Ashland to run one last half marathon for 2008. I think it will be a Friday decision.

2008 Flying Feather Four Miler

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I'm happy to say that I've gotten up early and raced once again on Thanksgiving morning. And Mrs. P joined me this year too! We did the Flying Feather Four Miler in Dublin, OH for the second year in a row. This is a very well done race. The course is great with some uphill at the start before flattening out. But what goes up, must come down, leaving a nice downhill near the finish. Of course there is a slight uphill finish, but it's so small it doesn't factor in. We had beautiful weather this year with around 22 degrees, no wind, and no clouds. Did I mention all runners receive a bottle of wine? Yeah, that's why we do this race...

I was fortunate to run once again with my friend John who lives in the Columbus area. I found out he's venturing beyond the marathon into ultras and having great success! He stayed back with me for the first three miles before punching out the last mile in sub 6 minute fashion. I'm grateful to have been able to pace off of him again, as I would have slowed down to catch my breath after the first mile. We did that first mile in 6:19. My lungs were burning from not being used to going that hard in the cold yet. If I were at the track, 6:19 would be a good mile split, followed by a 400m jog to catch my breath. No such luck in a race. Mile 2 passed in 6:34. A little more manageable pace. Mile 3 was right on at 6:33. But I was gasping to breathe. The cold had congealed something in my lungs and I could feel it when I inhaled. I told John he could take off if he wanted, and boy did he move out! The last mile was the slowest in 7:04. I knew I was going to PR the course, so I just ran as hard as I could, trying not to worry about catching anyone ahead of me, or preventing anyone from passing me. My finish time? 26:26 at a 6:37/mile pace average. That's 3 minutes and 26 seconds faster than last year! I don't know how I'm going to match the level of new PRs next year, or if I should even try. I was 7th of 110 in my AG and 29th overall of about 2400 runners. John was 5th in our AG, but would probably have won it (not to mention being competitive in the overall) if he hadn't decided to stay with me for 3 quarters of the race.

I had a great race and followed it by eating a TON of food for dinner. But I did something a little different this year. I ate mostly main course food, two helpings, and only one slice of chocolate peanut butter pie for dessert. And I only drank water while eating. This morning I weighed a half pound LESS than yesterday morning. Coincidence? I think not!

Today I'm going to climb on the bike and try to do about 30 miles or so. I'm also planning a longer run for Sunday before the snow machine starts up again. We only have ONE more race planned for the year, a week from tomorrow, and then it's just training miles until next spring. Good luck to everyone finishing out they're season.

2008 Fall Classic Half Marathon

12. The car was showing 12 degrees as I pulled into the parking lot in Strongsville for the Fall Classic yesterday. Good thing we weren't running in Brunswick. I got a 10 driving through there on 71. I made a last minute addition to my wardrobe before heading out the door: tights under my running pants. Good decision too. Although the added weight and restriction of movement slowed me down a bit, my legs did indeed stay warm. As did the rest of me that I layered up. Two pairs of gloves. Two long sleeve shirts. A jacket and a vest. The only area I was having issues was my feet. They were numb by the start and made for some awkward early miles. This was, without a doubt, the coldest race I've done yet. And it's right up there with the coldest runs I've ever done.

But cold or not, slower than usual or not, I must have done something right because I placed third in my age group. I ran a 1:40:02 (by my watch). That's not my best, but certainly not my worst. Here are my mile splits: 6:50 (short mile) / 8:02 (long mile) / 7:33 / 7:34 / 7:23 / 7:24 / 7:57 (hit slower congested traffic on the bike path section) / 7:57 / 7:37 / 7:45 / 7:47 / 7:39 / 7:41 / 45:10. While it may not have been a PR outing, it was a course PR for me by five or six minutes. I felt pretty good for the most part. Definitely started feeling the extra clothing by the second loop. I didn't feel like ditching anything, so I just kept everything on and kept pounding. And pounding is an accurate description too, as I still had not fully recovered from the 20 miles I put in on the bike Friday afternoon. My legs were still tired.

This is a good race. It's become an annual event for me, unpredictably uncomfortable weather and all. They put on a spring race on the same course which I've never done. The only thing that depresses me about this race is that it means Thanksgiving is near which in turn means that the end of the season is upon us. I'm going to try to get outside more this winter than I have in the past. Hopefully that will help with the winter blues.

Next race: The Flying Feather Four Miler, Thanksgiving morning.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I did it. All this snow has finally gotten to me. I went and busted out the Christmas music tonight. And the first CD I chose to listen to? Twisted Sister's Twisted Christmas! WOW! You haven't heard Christmas carols till they've been twisted by Dee Snider and the boys!

On to other things, I climbed onto the bike tonight in the basement and rode 20 miles in an hour and twenty minutes. That's a 14.9 mph average. Which doesn't sound like much compared to what can be had on the road, but the trainer is an entirely different animal than the road. It's much more difficult to ride inside than it is outside. So I'll gladly take it as base mileage.

I'm looking at some cross training tomorrow and then I'm ready for the Fall Classic Half Marathon on Sunday. The snow is supposed to stop overnight and Sunday is looking sunny with low 30's in the morning. Nice running weather. No expectations for this race. Just doing it for the fun of it.

Running in the Snow

An inch of snow evenly covers the track, with just the occasional snowflake randomly falling. Two floodlights above the stands splash the entire track in light thanks to the reflective layer of snow. The light reaching even to the furthest corners, dim but noticeable. No one else has been here yet. A pristine blanket of snow awaits my tracks, my autograph on this night. Maybe tomorrow someone will venture out here and find my surely frozen footprints in lane one. The wind, gusting out of the northwest, chills my hands as I make my way down the back straight and around the far curve. But numb fingers alone aren't going to stop me. Heavier gloves next time. Lap after lap I make my way back to the line on the track I uncovered with my shoe. I notice with detached amusement how my footprints often fall in the same spots. Could I have done that if I had tried? As the snow transforms into slush with each pass, I need to edge my way to the outside of my now established path. There is better running in the fresh snow. How many more laps to go? How long do I want to run? How much would we do on a night like this if more people were here? I don't want to short change this opportunity. It's really not so bad, so I think I'll stick with the plan.

A warm-up mile in 7:32. Hey, that's not bad. Am I sure I ran four laps? I count the footprints to make sure. A recovery lap before another mile, this time in 6:59. Not the fastest mile I've ever run, but for the conditions, pretty good. Why is it that when it's dark you feel like you're running much faster than you actually are? Another recovery lap and it's time for 1200 meters. Only three laps. I illuminate my watch as I cross the line. 5:00 flat? Wow, I guess I'm moving a bit tonight. Another recovery lap and then 800 meters. 3:15! That's a split right out of the summer! Another recovery lap and a final 400 meters. 1:33! Those times are great for not doing any serious speed work since before Columbus. Time for a cool down mile. As the sweat evaporates it starts to get a little chilly. Do I want to do an extra mile? Not tonight, I'm good.

70.3

1.2 mile swim.


56 mile bike.


13.1 mile run.


That is a 70.3 triathlon, also known as a Half Ironman. A little daunting when grouped together, true, but taken as individual parts, a challenge I not only think I can meet, but excel at. Or so I hope.

Two things that have been weighing on my mind the past few months have been moving from duathlon to triathlon and going longer. This move satisfies both quite nicely. With the economy headed into the crapper, I've been waffling on whether to make the attempt next year. I decided last night to just go ahead and make the commitment. It's done. Now I have to get myself ready.

Steelhead will by my "A" race of "A" races next year. The other two being the Rite Aid Marathon in May and most likely the Columbus Marathon again next October. I love to challenge myself and I think two marathons and a half Ironman triathlon should challenge me quite nicely. I wouldn't have dreamed of doing this had I not had as good a year as I had in 2008. The addition of track work did wonders for my running at all distances. I think that with a steadfast dedication to training on the bike, I can not only get faster but go longer in a race than I ever have before. The swimming side will be the wild card in the whole house of cards. If that fails, the whole thing's going to come down. I enjoy being in the water, it's just the fact that I can't stand up in the water that starts to mess with my head and always has. Last night I decided to tackle that last little fear that's been holding me back.

So that's what I've been up to lately. The snow is flying outside and I'm making plans to race next August. I also got an 11.5 mile run in Friday after work while it was still spectacular outside. Yesterday afternoon I got the bike mounted to the trainer and did a short 11 miles. It was short, only 44 minutes, but seemed to take forever. I really don't like riding indoors. I have to play a mental game with the odometer. Quarter mile hard, quarter mile recovery, quarter mile hard, quarter mile recovery. Next mile, repeat. It's boring, but if it's going to help, I'm going to do it.

This won't be my only triathlon next year, and not even the first. I plan on some shorter races to build up. Sprint and Olympic distances. I just haven't decided which ones to do yet.

Off season is over. It's time to get back to training!

OH CRAP

What the hell did I just do?

3 minutes ago I just entered the 2009 Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon.

I hope somebody out there can help me with my swimming.

This Time of Year

I'm referring of course to the period of time from November to whenever it is that we get daylight before AND after work again. This time of year is really hard for me to keep up on my workouts. This time of year I start to lose my motivation. This time of year I start to indulge in food and drink a bit. This is the time of year for something called an "off season". While I don't intentionally let myself have an off season, I guess I end up having one after all.

I workout year round in the mornings. It usually consists of some aerobic activity and is inside. Sometimes I'll do some weight training in the morning, but I usually save that for the evenings. We have an elliptical, which on its highest setting, provides a great cardio workout. I'll get on that 3 to 4 days a week. We used to have a borrowed treadmill which came in very handy on cold winter days. We were on the lookout to locate a replacement. We have a bicycle training stand that will fit both our bikes. It is handy during the foul weather, but the most boring thing I've ever done. And I'm not kidding.

Due to some recent events at my employer, we've decided that buying a treadmill right now isn't the wisest investment. Getting a membership to the rec center is being put on hold as well. I was hoping to be in the pool all winter and spring and make the transfer from duathlons to triathlons next year. Unfortunately that's going to have to wait another year. The economy is constricting. The company I work for is unexpectedly constricting. My training and racing plans are going to constrict accordingly as well. The gray weather reflects my mood this time of year.

So this time of year I plan on running outside when possible. Long runs on the weekends and whatever I can do during the week, logging miles on the bike trainer instead of the treadmill, running my elliptical into the ground, and lifting. I need to work on my leg strength anyway. Hopefully this winter will go by as fast as the summer did.

Mr. P

November 4, 2008

I know this is two days late. I'm sorry. I'm not that reliable getting posts up here in a timely manner.

Tuesday was Election Day. How did I spend my day? I ran 5.2 miles with Marsha from the club. In the dark. And when I say "dark" I mean DARK! Damn clock changes. Could we just leave it on Standard or Daylight time year round? Or, the best solution I have heard: Let's move the clocks ahead 1/2 hour in the spring and leave it there permanently. We could call it Eastern Moderate Time. Which is also where our country's politics are going to need to go, but more on that later.

Marsha and I were the only ones who showed up for the track work this week. Lots of other people showed up for a soccer match and some more pee wee football games, so both stadiums were being used yet again. We headed out on the same course they ran last week. But this night, we could barely see where we were going. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to grab her head lamp, so we had a little swath of light illuminating any sticks, cracks, and small animals. I'm going to have to get one of those. (A light, not a small furry animal!) The run was otherwise uneventful as we toured Reagan Park by moonlight. Sections were straight out of a B horror movie. With everything appearing gloomy and grainy. Kind of a weird experience. I don't know what's going to happen to the weekly workouts. It's just too dark to do much.

As for the politics. I'm not by any means going to get into a rant or anything. I've been relatively quiet this year. If someone asked which way I was leaning, I answered truthfully. I had no desire to go around advertising my thoughts, and have no intention of doing so here.

I will just say this:

The result of Tuesday's election was historic. As a nation, we should be proud of what just happened. Something I didn't expect to see happen so soon. I am proud to be an American because with this election, we are regaining our leadership role in the world. Something we have lost in the last 8 years. But we need to keep working. The extremists on both the right and the left have taken control of the issues. In order to keep our country strong, we're going to have to come together in the middle and be Moderates. Otherwise it's like we're living in two different countries, and that's not good for anyone.

Mr. P