67 Days and Counting...

UGH.

First cold of the year, and it's stuck in my head... Pressure in my eyeballs and sinuses, which is a new one for me. I normally just get snuffly for a few days each winter.

So, no training for the last few days, just sucking down cranberry juice and fruit leather, trying to get better. Off to sleep here in a few, and have a couple travel days on the agenda. At least going to Los Angeles, so hopefully the warm weather will help out.

The picture above has no real purpose, just one from our honeymoon on Maui. We're at the top of Haleakala volcano... Just missing 80 degrees and sunny, I guess!

Talk to you all soon!

69 Days and Counting...

-Breakfast: Cinnamon Raisin bagel with peanut butter, 2 cups of coffee.

-Lunch: 2 cheese quesadillas with salsa, and a bowl of granola with 2% milk.

-Dinner: Haven't eaten yet, but Corned Beef and potatoes are on the agenda!

-Snacks: Some jelly beans from the Easter Bunny, and a glass of cran-raspberry juice.

-Training:

2 hour run, unfortunately on the treadmill (40 and pouring rain today, imagine that in Seattle). Also unfortunate, it was supposed to be a 2.5 hour run, but... the Easter Bunny who covers the Pacific Northwest is, shall we say, a bit clumsy? He slipped down the stairs in the house trying to sneak an Easter Basket into the kitchen early in the morning. Ruined the surprise, but also twisted his knee a bit. Probably more scared than anything, but when it started to feel weird at the 2 hour mark, I decided to err on the safe side and throw in the towel.

Prior to the early end to the run, I was lucky enough to catch the last 30 minutes of an NBC special on the Silverman Iron Distance Race in Lake, Mead, NV. Those specials are the BEST motivation for a treadmill run! Whoever produces them, from the Ironman World Championships on down, really understands the "everyman" aspect of the sport. They don't really waste a lot of time showing the viewer the leaders of the race. In true triathlon fashion, they go for the human interest stories with GUSTO. This means they typically focus the coverage on those of us who come ina little closer to the 17 hour cut-off! It may sound cheesy, but I honestly cannot watch an Ironman finish chute without getting a little choked up... People are so expressive about what it means to finish, and all the blood/sweat/tears comes out in those last 30 feet of the 104.6 miles. Pretty awesome to watch!

It got me thinking though, as the Silverman race is one that has the reputation of being a CRAZY HARD bike course. After my experience in Lake Placid this past year (also a tough bike course, and one that ate me alive) I am intrigued by the "tough" Ironman courses. I have gotten ever more curious after I signed up for the IM St. George in Utah, 2010. I signed up before the course profiles were uploaded to the website, and after they were posted...

Well, below is the profile for St. George...

And, below is the bike profile for Silverman...

And, one more, below is the profile for Lake Place...

Hmmm... I am not a trained statistician, but I am noticing some glaring similarities here.

70 Days and Counting...

Not feeling the love around the food journal post today, so we're going freestyle...

This weekend was supposed to be a couple of LONG sessions, with a 3 hour brick, and a 2.5 hour run. I missed a swim and a run on Friday (no rest days this week, but I could tell I needed one), so I modified the weekend slightly.

Today was a 50 minute swim, continous, at RPE 7. I did 2 miles in 50 minutes, which is as fast as I've swam that distance in a while. I could definitely maintain the effort, but felt like I'd worked my butt off at the end. I am REALLY hoping to go sub 65 minutes in the swim in June, but this is a pretty loft goal. My 50 minute swim was in a pool, with no disruptions, but still a good confidence booster.

I went straight home, and instead of getting a nice 2 hour ride in outside (Ian, what the heck? You had to take the good weather back to Utah?!), I got in 2 hours in on the trainer.

Legs felt great, arms felt great, and rewarding myself tonight with some pizza, and watching the Boston University Terriers play in the NCAA ice hocky championship game.

Did I got to Boston University? Nope... But my smoking hot wife did. GO TERRIERS!!!

72 Days and Counting...

-Breakfast: 2 peanut butter granola bars, 2 cups of coffee.

-Lunch: Cup of ramen, package of turkey jerky.

-Dinner: Cheese quesadilla, wheat thins and cheese.

-Snacks: 2 packages of fruit snacks, handful of almonds, handful of goldfish crackers.

-Training:

75 minute run at 6.5 mph.

Couple of clarifying pieces of information, from recent questions:

-Yes, "handful" is a real measurement. It is from the metric system. Or maybe from Canada?

-No, I am not a 4 year old because I eat so many goldfish crackers.

-Still not wearing a speedo.

-Yes, I actually had an 8 hour 23 minute bike time last year in Lake Placid. That means I rode my bike for an entire workday.

-Yes, I am having a hard time waiting for baby to get here. I swear, it's like Christmas when you're 10 years old.

-Yes, I love peanut butter and bagels.

-Yes, I also love fruit snacks.

-Yes, my bagels and fruit snacks and goldfish and wheat thins and cheese keep Costco in business.

-Why do I do this? See above... :-)

73 Days and Counting...

WOW! I went and got off the radar again... This is starting to slip a little bit, and I am embarassed and how I've let it get so easy to to not blog! I know you're all SO disappointed, but we'll do a bit of catch up today. I am happy to say I've been on track this week, and feeling good in a run-focused week.

-Tuesday Training:

90 minutes bike, all RPE 5, consistent effort.

-Wednesday Training:

30 minute swim at RPE 6, and a 30 minute run at RPE 4.

75 Days and Counting...

-Breakfat: 2 Peanut butter granola bars, 2 cups of coffee.

-Lunch: Package of beef jerkey, handful of goldfish crackers, package of fruit snacks.

-Dinner: 2 cheese quesadillas, 2 sticks of cheddar, and a handful of wheat thins.

-Snacks: Package of fruit snacks, Fiber One Bar, 2 bottles of propel.

-Training: 80 minute run, OUTSIDE for once! Did 9 miles in 80 minutes, and legs felt good.

Why can't Seattle have more days like today? 70 degrees and sunny... Perfect weather for a weekend, not a MONDAY! Can't complain though as we did have a good weeekend. No training though, as we had a houseguest!

My buddy came up from Salt Lake, and we got to get out to Pike Place, a feast at the Crab Pot, showed him Jimi Hendrix grave (yes, he is buried in Renton, WA), and 7 awesome hours sitting in the driveway at the house nursing a sweet fire in the firebowl.

We also found out that my baby sister had her baby yesterday morning! 6 pounds, 10 ounces, 19 inches, and mom and baby are doing well. If I get permission from her parents, we'll get a cute picture of her up here.... Good times, all around!

78 Days and Counting...

Whoops, I did it again... :-)

Went a couple of days without posting here, but keeping fairly focused on the training. I was supposed to get in a ton of swimming this week, but in the last couple days managed to get two swims in, and a 60 minute run. I definitely slacked off a bit, but haven't dropped the ball entirely. Still driving hard at the J-O-B, and focused on baby.

So, bit of a shift from the ordinary today, I wanted to share an interesting tidbit from an article in Triathlete Magazine. It's from Scott Tinley, an Ironman pioneer, talking abour the economy.

"Recessions can reduce our choices. In America they're rarely eliminated. History has shown us that during times of economic challenge, people will turn towards things that matter. For some, it's essentials- food and shelter. For others, it's furthering education, health and fitness, or family and friends. With conspicuous consumption thwarted, we turn to the foundational matters of living: the spirit, the body, those people we are close to. And if we can sneak in a lunch hour with buddies, well, all the better."

I only share that, as I was able to get lunch, and some wings/beer with good friends this week, which despite everything else going on the world, it's just nice to hang out with good people, and do a little Talk-Story. I can't buy a boat, or a mansion, or a toilet made of gold, but I can still go out for food and conversation with my wife and friends. That's probably more fun than the gold toilet anyway. :-)