Dave Starts Training Again!

After a long layoff, I've started training for my next Olympic distance triathlon - The Spudman!!

Okay, I'm serious. There really is an event called The Spudman and it's held in Burley, Idaho on July 28, 2007.

I've been running now for a few months to try to get myself back in shape. I recently ran the Barber to Boise 10k. I recently relocated from the SF Bay Area to the Boise area. That explains all of these Idaho events, doesn't it? My 10k times are still really slow, but I ran it in 57 minutes which was what I was shooting for - under an hour.

I've been running 5 - 7 miles three times a week interspersed with time on the bike 2 - 3 times a week. It's been down to 16 degrees this week so I'll be switching to the trainer very soon. I'll be training this year with a new coach - Jim Crouch at Next Step Cycling.

I'll be posting my workouts, progress, events, and my experiments with new technology right here. I recently started using a RS200 Polar HRM and a Nike+ Plus iPod Sport Kit and have been really happy with both. I'll be posting reviews on both in the next week or so.

Until then...

Here's the DVD I'll be viewing soon...

I need to break out the DVD player and start stretching!

Amazon.com: DVD: Yoga For Inflexible People (2002)

Look for a review soon on Health Fact or Fiction.

So what am I up to now?

So what's my current plan? Am I training for anything?

Well, I'm being lazy, that's for sure. I've run once since I got back from Austin and haven't been on the bike at all.

How about swimming? Well, I know this won't seem too bad to you east coast or northern people, but it's been below freezing here in NoCal and I'm not about to jump in an outdoor pool right now.

My real goal for this winter has been opening up the Pilates and Yoga for Dummies videos I bought a month or so ago. It hasn't happened yet.

I have signed up for the Napa Valley Triathlon for May 2005, so I have a new goal. Now I just need to get off my keister.

Haven't updated for a while...

My apologies to all those who actually read my blog. Let me catch you up a bit...

I finished the Bethel Island Triathlon in 2 hours 53 minutes - my first olympic distance triathlon. Here's a nice photo of me going across the finish line:



After finishing the race, I was treated to a "lovely" full body massage (man that woman found every knotted muscle I have - it hurt worse than the triathlon!) and an excellent porterhouse steak for my 40th birthday. The day was wonderful.

Joni and I then travelled to Austin and I rode in the Lance Armstrong Foundation Ride for the Roses. I did the 100 mile ride and it was hot, humid, and windy. Which I guess is better than the cold, rainy, and windy weather they had last year.

Here's a shot of me crossing the finish line and posing at the end:




If you notice, I have just my sock on one foot. I wore my triathlon shoes and was moving my feet in and out of my shoes near the end of the ride in order to avoid hot spots (I have really high arches). At the finish line my legs were pretty tired and I couldn't quite get my one foot back in to my shoe.

MON - Did another "mini" personal triathlon to work on my transition skills. 1000 yd swim | 6 miles bike | 1.5 mile run - time 52 minutes - transitions averaged about 1 min 15.

TUE - simple stretching and strengthening exercises.

WED - Jog/walk 5 miles. Felt decent, but my leg started to give out a bit around mile 4 and I walked the last mile. I'm concerned that my IT Band isn't really better and my running is going to suffer.

THU - 1650 yd swim (=.93 miles, my race distance) in my best time yet - right around 35 minutes. With more swim drills, open water, some drafting, and a wetsuit, maybe I will make my 30 minute race goal.

FRI - rest

SAT - 31 mile ride. Rode with some friends down to Sunol and over Calaveras to Milpitas. It took a while, though, because the temperature was 100 - 105 degrees and one of the guys went out too hard (and ate a Dove bar in the middle of the ride - wierd) and had some major heat exhaustion problems. We didn't think he was going to make it and I poured a lot of cold water from my hydration pack over his head. After some long breaks in the shade he managed to drag himself over the last few small hills and make it back.

Here's last week's training:

MON - 15 mile "time trial" ride. Just trying to go full out for 45 minutes or so.

TUE - 1200 yard swim. Can't remember my time.

WED - Ran 3 miles. Took around 30 minutes and felt okay. I just don't have the stamina yet for a faster or longer run.

THU - After work ride up Mt Diablo, the 2nd tallest peak in bay area. I went alone and this was my first time up. I was about a mile from the peak, but it started to get dark. Here's a description of the ride from the Chain Reaction site.

FRI - rest

SAT - Did a personal sprint distance triathlon to see how I'm feeling and to work on my transitions. Total time was 1:25:21.
- 1000 yd swim (20:25)
- T1 (3:12) I had to put on a jersey and had some problems with bike computer
- 10 mile ride (28:10 approx - bike computer issues)
- T2 (2:37) Ran inside to get my hat and a Cliff bar
- 5k run (30:54)

Felt good the whole time and no residual soreness in my leg.

Had great ride this Saturday to the top of Mount Hamilton - the tallest peak in the bay area. I hadn't done this ride for a few years and I wanted to see how my conditioning this year compared to my first time.

Well... it felt a lot better this year. I started out the day not feeling 100% but decided to just keep going as the climbing began and turn around when I felt like I was done for the day. By the end of the ride I still felt great and made it to the top easily.

Here's a picture from the top from a few years ago:



Total mileage was right around 60 miles with 4500 ft of total climbing. Nice. Here's a description of the ride from Chain Reaction bicycle shop.

So what has my training been like? Here's what a typical week looks like (I'll start listing my weekly training starting this week):

MON - 1500 yards swimming (.85 miles) I swim this is around 30 minutes. I'm still swimming most of the distance using breast and side stroke (left and right side). My crawl is so bad still that I get winded just swimming 100 yards straight. It is getting better however (less leg kick and more efficient grab with my arms) that I'm hopeful that my times will speed up and I'll use more crawl in my race.

TUE - 20 mile "time trial" bike ride. I've been averaging right around 20 mph on these rides (you do the math for the distance). I've use the streets around the neighborhood as a time trial course. This will be similar to the course in my race because it's pretty flat and there are a lot of turns and u-turns.

WED - 3 mile run. (10 minute miles/2 min run 1 min walk) I still am working up to a full run after going through the therapy on my IT band. Run is definitely my weakest area now and I'm concerned about going too hard and hurting my leg.

THU - another swim day or shorter ride.

FRI - Depending how my leg feels, I'll run again.

SAT - Long bike ride. I've been doing 30 - 60 mile rides, just depending on how I feel and what my bike partners are up to. These are slower rides to just build up base endurance and comfort in the saddle for 2 - 4 hours.

That's a typical week!

I've been going to physical therapy all summer (about 16 sessions) where they've been working on my Iliotibial Band (ITBand). This is connective tissue that runs from your hip across the outside of the knee.



For me, I have pain or weakness in the middle of my thigh and right under my hipbone.

I got to choose which physical therapist to see and I picked Bodymax because they did physical therapy and sports conditioning and training - I knew I needed help with my running form.

For treatment, they use deep tissue massage to release any scar tissue which can cause tightness as it attaches to the underlying bones and muscles. This "massage" can hurt - a lot. They then use ultrasound on the sore spots which brings blood and oxygen to the inflammation.

After the treatment, they would bring me downstairs and put me on the treadmill to work on my running form.



I worked up to running about 10 miles an hour at a 8% grade (but I only had to run that for 30 seconds or so). The therapists and trainers there were excellent and my form and leg are much improved.

On with the training!

So what has been happening since May?

Well...

I've selected my next major race

I'm going to race in the Bethel Island Triathlon on my 4oth
birthday (SEP 25). This is an olympic distance triathlon so it will be
a little longer than my last one.

SWIM BIKE RUN
Napa Valley .5 mile (.8k) 17 mile (27k) 4 mile (6.4k)

Bethel Island .9 mile (1.5k) 24 mile (40k) 6.2 mile (10k)

The pros will run a race like this in 1:45 to 2:00 hours. My extremely hopeful goal is to finish close to
2 hours 40 minutes. I'm hoping for a breakdown like this:

SWIM BIKE RUN
35 minutes 1 hour 10 minutes 59 minutes

Okay, so this doesn't account for any transition time, but I think you know what I'm trying to say.

More information about the race is available on OnYourMark Events.