Training & Life Update

The new house is coming along nicely, which has meant training and nutrition have been easier.  The majority of the painting is complete, and the bedroom and kitchen are totally finished.  I've been on a plumbing streak lately - fixed the dishwasher, disposal, and washer.  I did ruin the bathroom sink.  3 out of 4 ain't bad.  I've been enjoying having a "home" and I just bought a beater bike for commuting to the store and sometimes to work.  We are 1 mile door to door from the local Trader Joe's and bike lanes the whole way makes going car free even easier.

I've always been jealous of the posts that talk about sweet trails "out my backdoor".  Bloggers in California and Colorado are particularly notorious for this.  Well, I'm considering 6 miles "out my back door" and now have an early morning ride that is my perfect zen experience.  Living 6 miles from South Mountain (the largest municipal park in the US) is sweet.  The perfect morning: light breakfast, bike 6 miles with bike lanes to South Mtn., beautiful desert single track, ride back home, jump in the pool, grab some coffee and a breakfast burrito, back in the pool.  I did this twice last week.  Perfection.

I've got my eyes set on Tahoe  in early October, but fall league for Ultimate Frisbee in Phoenix starts next week, so I'll have to work that into my schedule.  I'm also considering the Phoenix Rock'n'Roll 1/2 marathon in January - so much for a relaxing off-season.  Here's the latest training update.

Friday: 3 mile AM run

Saturday: 18 mile bike (6 on the road, 6 on the trail, 6 on the road home)**

Sunday: Painting

Monday: 5 mile road ride (between painting/plumbing work)

Tuesday: AM swim 1,800m

Wednesday: 18 mile bike (6 on the road, 6 on the trail, 6 on the road home)**

Thursday: AM swim 1,600m

Friday: 3 mile AM run (the dog was looking extra cute this morning so she came with)

**Best morning routine ever

Gear Review 2008

Change is always difficult, but a necessary part of life. I just wish that my changes in gear and equipment this summer had been as a result of choice rather than the result of theft. Regardless, here is my Summer 2008 Gear Review.

Helmet – My criteria for a good helmet is that I don’t notice it at all. A helmet that I notice has good airflow, but that I also notice the chin strap is a wash as far as I’m concerned. My old helmet, which needed to be replaced anyway, was a simple TREK brand helmet, but I never thought about it anytime I wore it. Perfection! The new one is much lighter with excellent airflow, but I don’t like the adjustable web in the back as much as the single support that was on my TREK. I’m still trying to get the helmet dialed in to my liking, but overall I am pleased with the airflow, a big fan of the white color in the desert (my old one was black), and feel more confident that it will keep me safe – which is really the most important feature.
Gloves – I had an old worn pair of REI gloves that were a gift from Amanda several years ago (5 years?). They were mesh topped and short finger gloves that had been all over the country. They had a Velcro strap at the base that secured them compared to my new Fox gloves which have elastic at the bottom. For racing, the Fox gloves are harder to get on and take off while riding. They also have gel pads which have taken some getting used to. I feel like I have to change my hand position because of the gel pads and I lose a certain amount of “touch” or “feel” with the bike. Of course on longer rides I’m sure this translates into less hand or arm fatigue, but I’ve been lucky enough to not have hand or wrist issues before so changing anything makes me nervous. Overall, I’m getting used to the new gloves and the added palm protection has been nice in the two crashes I’ve had so far out here in the desert.
Swim paddles – I opted for larger training paddles as my form is pretty well dialed in after years of competitive swimming. I was interested in trying one of the curved orb like paddles in the most recent Outside Magazine gear of the year issue, but couldn’t pass up the price and familiarity with a classic rectangle. The rubber straps are comfortable and hold their position well, even during long demanding sets. I’m glad to have paddles again for building arm/shoulder strength so important in triathlon where I try to use less leg.

Pull buoy – This is my first experience with a single piece molded buoy vs. the two piece design with adjustable straps. I have to say I prefer the adjustable design better to the molded design of this one. The one piece works OK and is easier to transport, but comfort and adjustability are the two drawbacks of a one piece design and these are important factors.
Suit – I’ve been racing in a pair of Tyr swim jammers. No tri suit, no padding, just jammers. I have to say for only swimming in them 10 times including races they have not held up very well. Now, I know they probably weren’t made with endurance biking/running in mind, but I would have hoped for some greater durability. I do all of my swim training in an old pair of board shorts. The resistance they provide has been fierce, but I love the change to jammers for racing as I feel almost Phelps like…that’s too much of an exaggeration even for me.

TYR Resistance band – This thing sucks. Maybe I don’t know how to use it yet (I haven’t watched the DVD), but tethering yourself to the side of the pool with an awkward waist strap and a 6ft elastic cord does not even sound like it could be a good idea. My problem is that there are only what feel to be two settings. I’m either just starting to swim where I have no resistance and am just trying to pull hard enough to get my body floating on top of the water or I reach the end of the resistance and it yanks me back in a violent way where I have no momentum and am at stage 1 where I sink. I’ve only given it one try, because they opened more hours at the work pool, but I’m not so sure this thing is going to work. As geriatric as it sounds I may try using it for some pool based plyometrics in future this off-season.

A Quick Update

Last week became a rest week after I couldn't manage anything in addition to work, unpacking, or working on the new house.  So I let it go, didn't worry about it, and was rewarded at the end of the week with the news that I qualified for the XTERRA US Nationals in Tahoe.  I was hoping to get out for a ride or a run this past weekend, but more long hours at the house with horrible nutrition (we have no kitchen) left me spent.  I woke up early Monday to head out for a run before work, but then realized we didn't have a functioning shower (ahh DIY remodeling).  So here is my training update since I've gotten back on track and fixed the shower.  My goal is just to have a solid race in Tahoe, nothing special, just be fit enough to enjoy the experience and learn from all the studs who will be there racing for keeps.  This week I'm trying to get back into the swing of training.  The next two weeks will be BIG training weeks with lots of mileage and then I will rest up before the big race.

Tuesday - 200m warm up, 400m pull w/paddles, 400m pull, 400m race pace, 400m cool down = 1800m.  I added three sets of pool plyos to the end of the workout because Ultimate league is starting here in Arizona in a few weeks and nothing makes me feel like I'm stronger than plyos.

Wednesday - 3 mile AM run

Thursday - 200m warm up, 10 x 100 on 1:45, 200 cool down = 1400m total.  Three sets of pool plyos again - feeling the leg fatigue today.

It's Official!

This email just made my weekend.  Enjoy yours!

Dear XTERRA Competitor:

Congratulations!  It's my pleasure to invite you to compete in the 8th annual XTERRA USA National Championship race in Lake Tahoe on October 5, 2008.

As a leading regional points scorer, you have earned a slot at this prestigious event, where the title of National Champion in your age group will be up for grabs.  The field is limited to those racers, like yourself, who have qualified in the eight XTERRA regions throughout the country.

Not only will every multisport and tri magazine be there to cover the event, but a full one hour television show will be taped as well.

Combine a real chance for a National Championship with an epic course on the Tahoe Rim and Flume trails plus television coverage and a couple of wonderful parties and dinners, and you have a weekend you can't miss.

What day is it? Where am I?

A brief recap of the past several days that have left me more exhausted than any race or training day ever could.

 

Thursday: Leave PHX for Nashville after work on a delayed flight.  Arrive at 1:30 AM on Friday.

 

Friday: Picked up by my trooper of a sister at 1:30 AM and spend time with the folks until 3:30 AM at the house.  Up at 8:00 AM to start packing the moving truck.  Still packing…more packing…eat dinner with my parents, uncle, and sister.  After dinner I work on my parents' AV system until 10:00 PM

 

Saturday: Up at 5:00 AM.  Hit the road in a 16ft Penske loaded to the gills.  Just because it can fit doesn't mean it should.  20 minutes and the truck is bouncing all over the road…in the rain…driving…stops raining….more driving. 18 hours on the road today – my back, shoulders, and forearms are f'd.

 

Sunday: 1:30AM, check into a motel outside of Dallas.  6:00AM check out of motel outside Dallas….driving…more rain…more driving.  11:00 PM we arrive in PHX.  18 hours on the road today.  36 hours of driving a moving truck with horrible suspension across the country at a top speed of 65, because above that was certain death….We crash…hard.

 

Monday: Up at 7:00 AM, leisurely breakfast, introduce our dog, Elsie, to A's parents' dogs Chuck and Eddie.  Fighting ensues.  10:00 unload the truck at OUR house…still unloading.  First, of many massive trips to home depot.  Finally pack it in at 10:00 pm.

 

Tuesday: Up at 5:30 AM for swim workout.  200m warmup, 1600m at race pace, 200m cool down.  8 hours at the office (the week before classes start = CRAZY).  After work, 4 hours of painting at OUR house.  Mark wiring for electrician.  Crash. 

 

Wednesday: Up at 5:30 for AM run.  Just can't do it.  Try really hard, but can't get my eyes to open…even after a shower.  8 hours at the office.  More painting after work.

Michael Phelps is killing me

Personal experience with a sport makes you a bigger fan.  I'm sure a competitive basketball player has more respect for the skills of Lebron or Kobe than they average Joe, because he or she can appreciate the details not just the result.  I am definitely not a competitive triathlete yet, because I'm not following the Olympic triathlon and if I was I wouldn't really know what to look for, but swimming I know.

 

Watching Phelps swim makes me want to swim.  And while I'm sure it makes lots of people excited and think about swimming, watching Phelps has been the biggest boost to my swim training all year.  When I watch him I can't help but think, "Oh you think your so fast huh?" and then the next morning when I'm trying to keep my lungs from exploding and can't believe the interval is here all ready, "Don't you want to be like him?  He wouldn't be whining about how much this hurts right now."

 

My swim training for triathlon has been pretty vanilla as far as workouts go.  Some warm up, some drills, paddles, pull and sets of 200s, 400s or some longer distance swims for time. Every once in a while I mix it up with some 100 intervals, but rarely.  This is particularly hard for me because I was a sprinter.  I like to go fast, I like excruciating pain for short periods of time, and I like to go fast!  Distance swimming = blah. 

 

Ever since watching Phelps on TV my workouts have been "old school".  That means back to the days of tears in the goggles and pushing harder than I thought I could.  The two workouts from Tuesday and Thursday of this week are below, and I owe Michael Phelps a big thank you for the vomit in the gutter, trembling arms, and the smile on my face.

 

Tuesday:

400 warm up / 10 x 100 on 1:45 / 200 pull w/paddles / 200 pull / 400 - butterfly down, free coming back / 200 cool down.  Total = 2,800m

 

Wednesday: Every intention of a long ride….but work and just preparing for the BIG move from Tennessee to Arizona this weekend is exhausting.

 

Thursday:

500 warm up / 10 x 100 IM w/30s rest /10 x 50 on :45 / 200 pull w/paddles / 200 pull / 200 cool down. Total = 2,600m

The Olympics

I don’t think you can be an athlete and not be in awe of the Olympics. As a kid I worked the swimming Olympic trials before the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta and had a chance to meet many of the superstars of that era. At that point I was just starting to leave swimming for Ultimate Frisbee, but I was still swimming between 15-20 hours a week. The energy of the Centennial Sportsplex was amazing, and I has been training the past 4 years for my own shot at the Olympic trials, but found a greater love in Ultimate Frisbee.

Two years later in 1998 I found myself playing for the United States Junior National Ultimate Frisbee team in the World Flying Disc Federation World Championships. I was one of 20 other junior athletes selected from across the US to represent the US at the World Championships in Minneapolis, MN. Two years before it was in Sweden and two years later it would be in Germany.

My attitude toward the Olympics is totally different as a result of this experience. Wearing red, white, and blue jerseys and representing “Team USA” was different from any other sporting event I had ever entered. It was bigger than your HS, State, or even nationals - this was WORLD competition and the energy was totally different. The effort of every athlete was bigger and better than anything I had ever experienced. We went undefeated over a week and a half of play and earned gold medals for our efforts. Receiving a gold medal for the USA in the medal ceremony was something I will never forget.

Watching Michael Phelps the past two nights on TV has been a powerful experience. It brings back memories of endless mornings and afternoons in the pool with the Olympic trials and Olympics as the carrot. I also think about what it meant to represent the USA on a national stage and compete against athletes from around the world. As much as Phelps’s genetic and physical gifts contribute to his success it is clear that his attitude and work ethic are just as much if not a bigger part of his achievements. I woke up earlier than usual this morning for my AM swim workout. It was awful to wake up early after very little rest the night before, but how can you not be inspired by the Olympics?