Dangremond's April 2009 Mentor TEAM - CLOSED (WE'RE BUSY WORKIN' IT!) (Page 20)

Scott- Sorry about the leg. Wow. None of us doubt for a moment that you'll be back and kickin' a$$ in no time  

I'll definitely check out the Lance link...I'm reading his book Every Second Counts right now each night before I turn out the lights.  What an amazing guy. Truly.

Thank you all for your support and reality checks.  I will definitely acknowledge my "fans"...they will have to be there by 8AM on a Sunday, after all!!

Scott, wow, I hope you get to feeling better quickly.  Remember, the races will still be here when you get healthy!!  and so will we either way!!

Scott, good to see you are on the road to recovery.  Get the needed rest and you will be back in no time. 

This is day 9 of this crap.  Came on as an intense fever a week ago Tuesday.  Wednesday at home wondering what the hell was going on, then the redness appeared Thursday.  Trip to ER, where doc made bad call to insuse antibiotics and send me home.  Back next day, Friday, with more spread and a fall in the shower hurting the back more.  5 days of IVs, released on Tuesday.  This is day 2 of at-home care.  Going well.  More improvement everyday.  Less infection, swelling.  Nearly the same temp as other leg.  Staying the course.  See doc tomorrow.  Menwhile, eating properly, sleeping 8 every night.  At work.  Walking the stiffness out when I can.  

This will pass, this will pass, this will pass...

Cponcern after learning one of the meds - the powerful one - apparently is linked to tendonitis.  I have to check with the doctor about that.   

Enough sickness.  Thinking positive.

I take it you have read It's Not About The Bike...  If not, a MUST read.  And there is Lance Armstrong's War.  The last one talks about the battles with other athletes and how they see him and how he sees them, as well as biking, life and the LAF.  All are great ispirational reads.  For me, his first book is an annual read!

Keep the faith, stay positive, LIVEStrong, and our thoughts and prayers are with ya!  And yes, it too will pass!  Stay the course & get well soon!

Doc seen.  Happy with progress.  Sidelined until next week.  Missing the bikes, running and swimming.  Coach says not to worry...won't lose much if at all.  Pain still bad, but things are getting better.   I figure this will be behind me a week from today.

ice. 

Keep up the faith Scott.

BTW I bought the Glucosumine chonditron(sp) and started taking it today.....

Good stuff.  It's a long term thing.  Give it a week to two weeks before you start to feel a difference in the ol' joints.

Just checking in with everyone and how they're doing...how specifically was your July?  I'll go first:

1.  Swimming - Completely sidelined myself this month.  Side injury in June is pretty much healed, now its just a matter of getting back in the pool.

2.  Biking - Volume dialed back as my wife's pregnancy and tough 1st trimester is making my workout scheduling difficult.  More important for me to be supportive around the house than to keep riding whenever O can.

3.  Running - Good month in running.  Started the FIRST running program and I'm really enjoying the challenge of the 3 runs per week.   Feel like I'm improving speed wise, stamina and recovery time.  I'm working on setting up a business networking cycling group in my area..I figure I might as well work while I work out or vice versa.

4.  Overall - See biking comments for the overall theme - never dealt with the impact of a pregnancy on training and feeling my way forward with baby steps.  My wifes sleep schedule is a bit screwy lately and I've been staying up later to hang out with her thus making it more difficult to get up in the morning for workouts.  I am focusing on an end of season half marathon and need to start getting in at least two other workouts besides my three runs each week.  My real goal is to get to 2 swims, 2 bikes, and 3 runs per week.  My wrist injury is pretty much healed which has allowed me to start doing push ups again.

In closing - I think I've learned a lot about myself this year and continue to learn as the year progresses.  In the end, its about having fun...I can be very competitive and at a point its counter productive.  After my Sprint in June I was really down on myself - and I shouldn't have been.  I trained the best I could and raced hard.  Given the fact I had 2 hours of vertigo that morning I probably should have been ecstatic with my results...but we get our personal expectation fixated in our brain and its hard to see past them.  So, I'm enjoying less pressure on myself (as far as training goes) and enjoying what I perceive to be real progress in my running.

So, while its not supposed to easy it should still be fun (slight revision from my mantra earlier this summer).

July Assessment: (short and kinda sweet)

July was not a complete loss... I still have a lot of HTFU'ing to do.  I am happy that I have found more time on the bike, but the run time lately has really fallen off.  I am up & down/hot & cold with my plan.  Follow the general idea of it for a few days, fall off, get back on...etc.  Still working on that.  Physically and mentally.  My time swimming has been pretty consistent, although the 'feel' of the swim has been a little off since BSLT.  The early mornings after long work days and the heat are the two biggest hurdles I HAVE to conquer in the coming weeks.  Survive August and really get this engine running for September & 3/4 of October.

I see myself holding steady lately... no REAL gains in fitness, but no major losses either.  I will train hard, train smart, and get my milage & intensities that I need, IN!  PERIOD!  I am running short on time, and no room for excuses!  Focus ~ I have to really FOCUS!

July Totals
Swim:7hrs. 50min. 15sec.
Bike:32hrs. 47min.
Run:52hrs. 59min. 48sec.
Strength:12 hrs. 25min.

Running and swim times are very similar to June, but the bike time went up from 18 to 32 hours.  That was my goal for the bike in July.  My goal for running was to integrate track workouts to increase VO2 max.  I also did this which I discovered was tough and took a lot out of me (I only do this once a week) but did help improve my speed some.  My swim goal was to work on endurance which has increased steadily.  In August, my swim goal is to become even more comfortable in open water.  So I am doing some ows in the Atlantic Ocean next week while my husband kayaks with me and I am going to a USAT open water clinic next weekend. I want to keep biking which is my favorite activity of the 3.  I will miss it when late fall comes! And for running, I have finally set my sights on my first marathon, 26.2.  I am in week 6 of 16 in my marathon plan to run the Underarmour Baltimore Marathon on Oct. 10.  Today I ran 15 miles for the first time and it was tough but I did it.  Each week my long run will increase a little or stay the same depending on the plan.
I am having a lot of fun doing the triathons.  I really enjoy the preparation too.  I have done 2 (first was an ows and I was 7 out of 28 in my AG) and my goal is to be in the top quarter of my AG.  Getting 1st in my AG at my first pool swim tri last weekend was really cool.
My strength is in endurance.  I want to compete in longer distances, I think I can be more competetive there.  I will often seek advice from the rest of our group about training for longer triathlons.  All of you are very inspiring to me.  I don't know how Justin can keep hammering these grueling races so well.  And Scott is a machine on his bike.  Grace, Jeff, Dewey, Mitch, JG, Jon, you are all great role models for your family.  It is so hard to find a healthy balance but we do.  We have all improved a lot!!  Thank you all!

July has been up and down for me...the down was the knee thing which caused me to lose a lot of training time...the up first ever tri and I think I did OK for a first timer.  I would have liked to do better on the run and swim but the bike was a personal best.  The down again is I haven't been feeling well and with the stress of the new position at work I haven't trained enough...I know I know..those are excuses.  Well my 2nd tri is tomorrow and I feel like crap tonight so I hope it goes away.  I have to get up at 415 to be there for the 630 checkin/packet pick up(hour and a half drive)...I am looking to beat my totals from 2 weeks ago but I don't know...I need to get soeme good sleep!!!

You all are a great group and I hope to some day meet more of you if we do a race at the same time.  I have no other races planned until May but start my "hardcore training plan" in 2 weeks....so I consider the next 2 weeks play time

You guys/gals ROCK and keep up the faith!!!

Edited by dewcubs 2009-07-31 7:39 PM

Well I am waiting for them to print the results online because they didn't give us anything at the race.  Overall I am OK my results.  My swim was MUCH better.  around 10:45 for 500 yards and that includes a nice little jog to the transition area.  T1 time was still long and I really don't know why.  I didn't do much but still was over 2 minutes.  My bike....another PR 18.4 MPH so very happy there.  It started raining on the second half of the bike but it actually felt good.  T2 time was better than last time but not good..I think just shy of 2 minutes.  Here is where the trouble began.  I hit the run course and both calves started cramping.  I tried to run through it but it became impossible.  I mean I was walking and it was bad.  Someone ran by me and said take it easy it aint worth it.  After about 1/8 of a mile I started to feel better and was able to run.  Well, the funny thing is my run ended up being 9:15s which were 30 seconds faster than 2 weeks ago.  weird.  Anyway I'll do the race report when the post things I just wanted to throw this out there.  I finished unofficially 111 out of 160 or so.  Worse finish than 2 weeks ago but better times so I am happy.

Take it easy.

Just a quick note that my race report is up...I would have gotten 2nd if I registered as Athena! Second time I would have gotten hardware if I registered Athena. Now that I've read the history/reasoning behind Cly/Athena I think I'll register appropriately.  OK race. Swim was canceled! This is normally where I excel, so my moral was definitely down.

Awesome!  Grace, you are the bomb!  Dewie, terrific result.  Way to hang in there.  Was that at Canton?

My leg = less swelling, redness, soreness.  Not right, but closer than yesterday.  Maybe bike by the weekend. 



Edited by IceManScott 2009-08-03 12:29 PM

Race report is out for me as well.  Issues with cramps but overall I was happy!!

Great job Grace!!!   You rock!!!

Yeah Scott, it was Canton. 

By the way, Armstrong has a new book coming out.  Comeback 2.0.  They are rushing the final chapter after the TdF, I'm told.  Can order advance at Amazon.  I plan to. 

Outstanding... I was needing a new read!  BTW, speaking of inspirational reads... have you read, Lone Survivor?  The story of Marcus Luttrell and the heros of SEAL Team 10.  Talk about erasing any excuses of not H'ing TFU!  Those guys are amazing!  A great read... even for the ladies  

Haven't read that no.  I've actually read more in the past month that for a long time before that.  Reading one now called First Triathlons about how people got started.  A friend got it for me while I was in the hospital.  

Looking forward to Armstrong's Comeback 2.0  Also, after a comment here, I think I'll pull out the others.  I love It's Not About the Bike. 

Doc at 10.  Achy but I think it's just aftermath.  I think the infection is gone or really nearly so.  

 

Edited by IceManScott 2009-08-05 7:16 AM

Doc says I can start riding again even though I've on drugs another 8 days. Coachs says no intensity for a while, then we ramp up slowly. 

No running yet, but I can swim starting next week.

Progress.
Scott