Building a lean & fit me - one bite at a time

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Granville,OH 
Today
Patchy rain nearby High 81FLow 58F
  • Temp: 65F
  • Hum: 90%
  • W: 0mph N
SUNDAY
Light rain shower
High 76F
Low 61F
MONDAY
Sunny
High 77F
Low 66F
TUESDAY
Patchy rain nearby
High 78F
Low 65F
WEDNESDAY
Patchy light rain in area with thunder
High 77F
Low 66F

July 18

Run
  • 46m 30s
  • 3.10 miles
  • -----

Run for Christine

Wanna know my coach's response when I asked him if IMKY next year was a stupid idea? "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stick to your plan it’s a good one. It’s a wonderful journey. Don’t rush it."  You all saw that coming, didn't you? ;)

So I've returned to my senses this morning and I've got the ironman thing out of my head for next year.  I COULD do an ironman next year, but it will be much more enjoyable for me in 2010.  Next season will be lots of fun with the Half Ironman and the Marathon - and it will be a great confidence (and skill) boosting year for me.  Every year that I accomplish something new is a fantastic way for me to look back at just how far I've come.  I'll have another year to make the legs stronger and to conquer those hills.  I'm taking my bike with me to Kentucky next month.  I suspect that when I get out on the course, I'll be happy to wait another year. :)

Doing an open water swim later this morning and the 5K tonight.  I have a very pretty isolated place that I run where I'll do my 5K for Christine. 

Just entered a challenge with a friend.  I'll be giving up processed sweets (cookies, candy, cakes, pies) for the rest of July and August.  Pretty sad that my brain has to have a challenge in place to make this work, but if that's what it takes.....

Stage 13 - 182 Kms - 114 Miles



July 17

Bike
  • 1h 24m 01s
  • 21.77 miles
  • 15.55 Mi/hr

Rating = 8

Run
  • 35m
  • 2.50 miles
  • 14m /Mi

Brick
M1 14:24
M2 14:13

  • 5 12.38 pace

    • Rating = 8

    Strength
    • 05m

    • EXERCISE

      Sets
      Min
      reps
      Max
      reps
      Min
      wt.(lb)
      Max
      wt.(lb)
    • ABS - Crunches, Bicycle
      2
      25
      25
      0
      0
    • ABS - Crunches, Knee Up
      2
      25
      25
      0
      0
    • ABS - Sit-Ups, Flat
      2
      25
      25
      0
      0

    Quickie - but better than nothin'

    So, this is the email I sent my coach this afternoon: "So I'm out on the bike portion of my weekly brick when a thought popped into my little pea-brain.....  I'm volunteering at IMKY next month & I'll be there IF I decided I wanted to register for next year.  This is a stupid idea.  I have a plan.  Next year, Half ironman, marathon, 2010 IMKY.  I've barely ever swam more than a mile.  Never done a century ride or a marathon. But you see, now its in my head......  Thought I would send you an email so you can tell me what a STUPID idea this is.  It is a stupid idea, isn't it? ;) "
    Okay guys, will you please tell me what a dumb idea this is.  I'm not ready for an ironman...... But it seems to be firmly entrenched in my brain right now.

    Brick this morning felt damed good!  Legs were stiff for the first 1/2 mile off the bike, but I think I just need to start accepting that's how it is and that the legs will loosen up.  Pushed just a little harder today.  Wanted to keep my heartrate reasonable, but still have negative splits.  Fun workout. :)

    Okay, so rest day was fun, but I'm definitely ready to get back to my regularly scheduled training.  Today's fun includes a bike/run brick.  I'm thinking that I'll shorten the run portion from 3.5 to 2 miles since I'm running the 5K tomorrow night.  I will also make up my missed strength session from  yesterday.  No more blowing off strength sessions for me.  I've only got it on the schedule twice a week and its supposed to be there three times, so time to buckle down and get it done.  I've been playing around on the Infinit website and I'm going to order some today.  Also going to go back and do some nutrtion reading.  I really need to start doing better on my race and day-to-day nutrition.  That's the plan for the day. :)


    Stage 12 - 168.5 Kms - 105 Miles

    July 16

    Ditching the training today and spending the day with my mom.  Might get some strength in tonight, but if I don't, I'm just not going to worry about it.  Sometimes you need a little perspective to remember that life is too short and there is more to it than training.  In case anyone didn't see this yesterday, BT lost a shining member.  The BT community is participating in a virtual 5k in Lucy's (Christine's) memory.  What a very special family we have here.  :)

    Well, it's back to the mountains in the Tour today.  Funny how that one mountain makes the rest of the day look positively flat! ;)
    Stage 11 - 167.5 Kms - 104.7 miles

    July 15

    Swim
    • 45m
    • -----
    • -----

    150 W/U
    10x50 Alternating 25 Catch up/Pull/Right Arm/Left Arm/Switch Kick
    & 25 Freestyle
    5x50 Form
    100 CD

    Rating: 8

    Run
    • 50m 43s
    • 3.59 miles
    • 14m 07s /Mi

    M1 14:44
    M2 14:14
    M3 13:51

  • 59 13:36 pace

    • Rating: 6

    Very sad loss in the BT world today.  Will run the virtual 5K in Christine's (Lucy) memory on Friday.  Funny what a sense of loss I feel for someone I didn't know and never spoke to.  But it's a very strong feeling none-the-less.  Life is precious. 

    Interesting swim this morning.  Incorporated some balance drills in to the warm up, which seemed to help with the entire swim.  I put a band round my ankles - used an extra pair of goggles.  I didn't make it halfway down the pool before I had to stop right in front of the lifeguard.  I was struggling and my feet sank almost to the bottom of the pool. I told her to pay me no attention, she smiled and said okay, and I went back to the wall to try again.  As soon as I quit fighting the band around my legs and started kicking up and down instead of side to side, there was an immediate difference in how my body moved through the water.  This could be a big deal for me.  :)  Think I'll use the band and the balance drills in warmups for the foreseeable future. 

    Run was uneventful - didn't feel great, but not awful.  Took a mile or so to get into it.  Had negative splits - always a good thing. 

    Run and swim on the agenda this morning.  Not going to spend a lot of time in the pool, but want to do a few drills and work on the form.  Seriously considering doing my hilly bike this afternoon to free up tomorrow so I can spend the day shopping with my mom. 

    Yesterday was a really good day for me.  I got all my training in, ate well, and managed to get some office work done. I watched Louisville while I did my strength work last night, so I'm fired up about that.  After my weekend ride, I was rethinking the flat IMFL option, but Louisville is such a beautiful course, I'd rather spend the time becoming more comfortable on the hills than figure out how to swim in the ocean.  Can't wait to go spend the time at the race site next month.  Spending some time out on the bike course will let me know exactly what I need to work on the next couple of years.  I feel like I'm making good progress. Slow, but good. 

    Tour de France guys get a rest today.  They've certainly earned it.   Guys have ridden 1738 Kms or 1086 miles in 10 days without a break.  Amazing......

    July 14

    Swim
    • 35m
    • -----
    • -----

    Catchup/FS/Pull/Kick
    Timed 500 15:20

    Strength
    • 30m

    • EXERCISE

      Sets
      Min
      reps
      Max
      reps
      Min
      wt.(lb)
      Max
      wt.(lb)
    • ABS - Crunches
      2
      25
      25
      0
      0
    • ABS - Crunches, Bicycle
      2
      25
      25
      0
      0
    • ABS - Crunches, Knee Up
      2
      50
      50
      0
      0
    • ABS - Sit-Ups, Flat
      1
      30
      30
      0
      0
    • BACK - Bent-over DB row
      2
      10
      10
      7
      7
    • BACK - Pullovers
      2
      10
      10
      10
      10
    • CHEST - Flat Bench Press
      2
      10
      10
      7
      7
    • CHEST - Pushups
      1
      5
      5
      0
      0
    • CORE - Prone Planks
      1
      1
      1
      75
      75
    • SHOULDERS - Front DB raise
      2
      10
      10
      3
      3
    • SHOULDERS - Side DB raise
      2
      10
      10
      3
      3
    • TRICEPS - Dumbell Kickbacks
      2
      10
      10
      3
      3
    Gosh, I even enjoyed the strength workout tonight.  How is that possible? ;)  Have been wanting to do some situps, but didn't have anything to hook my feet under.  Watched a show today where they hooked their toes under some heavy dumbbells.  Why didn't I ever think of that?  Works like a charm.  Did some real on-toe pushups.  Only 5, but its a start.  Couldn't even get halfway down, but I still think they do more good than on knees.  I am so loving training right now.  Makes such a difference when workouts are fun! :)  Thanks everyone for the swim tips and thoughts.  I'm excited to put some focused pool time in tomorrow and see if I can't get a little balance going in the water.

    I'm having bike withdrawal.  I REALLY want to go outside in this GORGEOUS weather and just ride, ride, ride.  Hills, flats, fast, slow.  I don't care.  But sigh,  It is a leg rest day.  Guess I'll be forced to do my strength training like my plan calls for.  :(

    Almost bagged the swim this morning.  Tree fell on electric lines by the outdoor pool and it was closed.  Wanted to turn around and come home, but decided since I was already there, I may as well get it done indoors.  Had a little glimmer of some form during my timed 500.  Keeping my core tight seemed to lengthen my body.  Still have this wild kick thing going.  Really need to get that under control.  Glad I swam - water felt good on the muscles. :)

    Leg rest day.  Quads were really sore last night, but they're actually feeling pretty good today.   Heading over to the pool a little later, and with the exception of my hill work on Wednesday, everything this week is going to be fairly easy effort.

    Good luck to those taking  on the 135 miles at the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley which starts today.  Pretty amazing stuff.....

    Speaking of pretty amazing, how difficult must it have been for Cadel Evans to ride 105Kms into the mountains after his crash yesterday?  
    Stage 10 today - 156 Kms - 97.5 miles 
    Dear lord, look at that finish.



    July 13

    Run
    • 1h 01m 34s
    • 4.01 miles
    • 15m 21s /Mi

    M1 15:00
    M2 15:14
    M3 16:18
    M4 14:49

    Rating: 7

    Not my fastest run this morning, but I was being overly cautious not to push too hard.  Run felt good.  No twinges or problems, but boy did I feel those muscles when I stretched. Got rained on.  Felt wonderful!

    Still laughing at my favorite Paul Sherwen line from the TdF coverage today.  "He needs a man with a rolled up newspaper to  smack him upside the head."  Said about Riccardo Ricco, when he was expending too much effort for no real reason at the end of the today's stage.  Maybe someone needs to smack me upside the head with a rolled up newspaper when I do something stupid. :)

    Four mile run on tap today.  I was concerned last night that I'd be too tired/sore to get it in, but I think its a go.  I hope the past couple of days taught me a lesson.  #1 Rest days are in place for a reason.  The body needs rest to repair and restore and even though I kept the effort low, 2 hours of riding does not constitute rest. (Yes Laura, I should have listened to you rather than being a smart-a$$) ;) #2 It is not the best use of my time to deviate from a training plan and go ride all day just because I decide I want to.  Had I just ridden half the distance, my body would be in much better condition to run today.  Coach keeps telling me to worry about the HIM next year and focus on the Olympic distance this year.  But I keep thinking that if I'm comfortable at least with riding long distances, I'll be better prepared.  I still feel that way to a certain extent, but think I'll keep the really long rides to organized events who do a better job at mapping out routes than I do.  Other than the fact I can say I got my 70 miles in, I don't feel like yesterday was beneficial for me.  I had to stop alot and riding conditions weren't  even close to anything I'll be riding in a race.


    Stage 9 - 224 Kms - 140 miles into the Pyrenees - How do they do it?

    July 12

    Bike
    • 5h 51m 52s
    • 72.07 miles
    • 12.29 Mi/hr

    Rating: 3

    I gotta say, with the exception of the last 20 miles, that ride wasn't much fun.  Started in one of the hilliest part of the county.  It wasn't that the hills were so big, but they were so steep, it was like hitting a wall.  All speed came to a halt when I hit them.  There were 4-6 of them and I walked them all.  Even the downhills were too steep to be fun.  The roads were rough and I really needed to pay attention that I didn't hit a hole. Then I went on a (hilly)road that was dirt and large gravel.  I didn't hit more than 7 mph for a several mile stretch.  On uphills, my back tire would fishtail, and downhills, I kept sliding in the gravel.  I finally abandoned my backroad route and got on a state route with a decent shoulder.  That was some pretty nice riding which took me to the bike path.  Also some decent riding, but windy. Rode over to a beautiful gorge and rode the trail which had tree roots growing up through the concrete and yet again some tricky riding.  Back on the bikepath heading towards home, the wind picked up pretty good, but thankfullly, I never did feel a full headwind.  When I hit the 50 mile mark, I was only a mile or two from the car and it started raining and blowing pretty good.  I just about called it a day, but I really wanted to get my metric century in, so I kept going.  Rain stopped, wind died down a little, and the last 20 miles were pretty enjoyable.  I was so tired by this point, I couldn't full out enjoy it, but it was far better than the rest of the day.  Was going to mow and swim this afternoon, but I'm doing nothing but stretching my body and watching the tour. 

    Getting ready to head out for my long ride.  Deviating from the original plan.  Fred is going out to scout camp for the weekend, so I'll load the bike up and ride out by camp to have breakfast with him then I'll take off from the northern part of the county.  Roads I've never ridden on, but some really pretty country, should be lots of fun!

    Good luck Yoganerd, Amymengel, Bikergerb, Sparco, and everyone else racing today!


    Stage 8  - 172.5 Kms - 107.8 Miles

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    tnickerson's Training Log


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