Really - I haven't blogged in 3 months - must have been training

It is true..I have not blogged in three months..it is... but I promise to make up for it in a flurry of new posts.  What have I been doing?  I have either been training, thinking about training or thinking there is no way I should be doing this. Some bad things have happened since my last post and some good.

THE BAD that has happened.  I became really frustrated with my fitness level and the progress I was making.  I really do not think that this triathlon stuff is made for larger guys..ok...even normal size guys. It is very frustrating training next to guys that weigh 80 lbs lighter than me.  Should I get some sort of headstart?  I have also found that training for the longer distances is very time consuming (DUH!) With work and family life I find that the training is really cutting into my T.V. time.  The other really frustrating thing is that everyone I meet seems to be in better shape than me..WTF?  Am I just starting to hang out with more athletic people or maybe its being in Colorado.  I think I should be training in Kentucky..that way I would definitely feel better about myself.  Another "bad"..my knee issues are resurfacing due to the running.  The pain had pretty much disappeared when I changed my running style..now it is back.

THE GOOD -  I am finally losing weight. I am down about 30 lbs since January. I am still at 215 and would love to be below 200 just because of the improvement I am seeing as the weight comes off.  My running is improving..not good but improving.  My swimming has just recently improved. I was swimming at 2:35 per 100 yards and have gotten it down to close to 2:00 per 100 yards.  I will write more about that later.  I think I am actually becoming a triathlete. I have started to eat things like cliff shot blocks, Endurox R4 and Accelerade as opposed to chips and fried cheese.  I am also starting to look like a triathlete. (Ok not really..I am far from being anorexic)  When I go out running I have to have a garmin, fuel belt, ipod and hat and sunglasses..and biking wise I can actually fit into some of my cycling jerseys.  And I almost forgot - I took 3rd place in the fat guy category in a duathlon I did in May.  Not real impressive but it was an ego boost.  I have my first big test with my Half Ironman in Racine in a little over three weeks.  If the knee holds up then I should be good to go for the biggie in Madison in September.  I just have to remember 16:59:59 is fine.


I will be back soon with updates on my TI class, my new wetsuit with pics!!, tips on what to do when you get the runner's trots and an extended essay comparing Accelerade to Gatorade and whether GU really is as disgusting as you think.  By the way for anyone who is thinking about getting a Garmin 405 - don't - stick with the tried and true 305..it is a lot less money and I find it to be much more useful and user friendly.

Six Months To Go

The winter months have flown by and the training is getting more consistent.  This week I am doing fitness tests in all three disciplines to see where I am at.  Today it was swimming.  Let's just say I need a lot more pool time and more work on form.  The running is coming along slowly but it is coming along.  Running a slow pace in December my heart rate was at about 156.  Today I can run a faster slow pace and my heart rate is about 140.  The bike is also coming along quite nicely.  I did a 32 mile ride yesterday and averaged about 16 mph for the ride which included a pretty good headwind.  I was pretty happy.

 I have also spent a little bit of money on gear. I got a new pair of running shoes the Brooks Ghost 3 which I love.  I still have not had any knee pain since changing running styles about 6 months ago.  I also had a bike fit at Giant Cycling World in Lttleton,  They spent a lot of time with me and adjusted my cleats and handlebars and put a shorter stem on the bike. Plus they were extremely reasonable. 

The only thing I am not happy with progress wise is my weight.  I am down 12 lbs from the beginning of the year but need to lose quite a bit more.  It is all portion control. By April 1 I would like to be down another 10 lbs.  This is a pretty hefty goal but one I think I can make if I stick to the diet.

Work and family health issues have definitely taken the focus off of training the last two months.  However, I have found the training to be a good stress reliever and one that I need to fit into my schedule.  I find that I am looking forward to running.  I didn't ever think I would say that.  Also, the more I am outside the more I appreciate the state that I am living in and want to be outdoors.  We went on a family hike on Sunday and I was reminded of all of the great places to run, hike and bike just minutes from my house.

There is no excuse for not enjoying the outdoors.  Well this week should be fun.  I have 5k field test tomorrow and bike field test on Thursday to look forward to. I also plan on solidifying a race schedule this week as well as booking my hotel room in Madison. 

January - a turning point.

Well - It is January and I noticed that I have not posted in more than a month.  So what have I been doing?  December was spotty with the training since we headed back to Wisconsin for the holidays.  However, since January 1 I have found a new resolve (odd how that coincides with the New Year).  My Mother also started Chemo Therapy for her Breast Cancer the beginning of the year.  I figure that if she is tough enough to go through what she is going through..that her son can be disciplined enough to sweat a little bit everyday.  Since this new resolve the training has become much more consistent.  Running is becoming easier and the biking is going well. Although the indoor training rides are boring and are tough on certain parts of the anatomy.  In the last two weeks I have dropped about 12 lbs from my holiday high.  A large reason for this is that my wife has been strictly counting calories for us and thus I am not overeating.

 My coach still has me in the base building stage and I imagine she will keep me there for a while. She will also probably kill me if I do not get my butt in the pool.  For some reason that is workout that I am most likely to blow off.  By the way - if anyone is looking for a good coach in Pittsburgh or for plans through email you should check out Steel City Endurance . I cannot say enough good things about Suzanne. (Unfortunately she is a Steeler's fan).  My workouts are six days a week but are very manageable at this point.

I have officially signed up for my first race of the season.  It is the Chilly Cheeks Duathlon the end of February.  It will be interesting to see what the weather will be like.  My wife will also be doing the race with me so it should be a lot of fun.  I am getting excited about the training since I am beginning to see improvement every time I workout.  As Coach Suzanne says..consistency is the key.

I do have a number of things to work on the next month or so.  One is hydration.  I simply do not drink enough water..this hinders me in my training, weight loss and even the soreness in my joints.  I will keep working on the weight issue and am happy with the progress I am making. However I still have about 40 lbs to go.  I also need to try and do workouts in the morning. I much rather do a workout at 9 or 10 at night then 7 or 8 a.m.  or God Forbid 5:30 a.m. like some of my friends do.  However, since there really are not any races that begin at 6 p.m. I need to get my internal clock adjusted.

 Lastly - I know I have turned the corner on the training. As I posted on my Facebook page I had to find my Livestrong jersey to match my Livestrong bibs in order to ride my bike..on my trainer..at home..with no one there but me.  I am turning into a true tri-dork.  (I also made sure to use my color coordinated water bottle).

December already?

It is December and as I promised in my last post I have packed on a few more pounds.(238 when I got back to Colorado)  I went to the Badger/Northwestern game with my dad and brother and sister in law and celebrated the victory with a huge bowl of mac'n'cheese from the Great Dane. Being that I am in training I did forgo the bacon. The next day we celebrated my daughter's birthday with the families and then headed back to Colorado.

I was able to get a couple of runs in while back in Wisconsin but more importantly I was able to buy Wisconsin sweat pants and sweatshirt to run in while in Colorado..its all about image.  Since getting back to Colorado we participated in the annual Christmas walk in town..with a few of my friends dressing up..

We also finished our volleyball season by winning the City league and Tournament.  My Coach will be glad that the season is over since my knees tend to take a beating hampering my running.  Not to mention the extra calories I eat after the games.

But like I said - the training has now begun in earnest. The goal for December is to do as many of my workouts as possible. The Coach is still keeping the workouts at manageable levels so that I don't run into anymore sciatica issues.  I am training six days a week with a long run of 40 minutes and two shorter runs.  The bikes top out at an hour and thirty for a long ride.  I am not looking forward to the cold weather and the trainer. I hate the trainer..it is boring and worse yet causes my boys an enormous amount of grief.  I recently changed the seat and it helped a little. I am going to have to keep playing around with the angle of the seat until it is bearable.  I did win one small victory - my wife has allowed me to use the trainer and treadmill in the bedroom..it is much more comfortable then where I had it and the T.V. is easier to see.  If you are bored out of your mind you can see my workouts here training log  The link is also on the side of the blog.

The swimming is coming along slowly and I will need to start working on drills.  The running is slow but so far no back issues. The biking I enjoy so that is not a problem..except for the above mentioned trainer issues.  I am going to sign up for a race in December or January so that I can gauge my fitness and give myself a goal.  I also need to find a hotel in Madison for September..apparently they are booked well in advance. Weight today was 236.2.  Ugh.  running and biking on the agenda for tomorrow.  Take care everyone.