Well... February is over and I have enjoyed the training ramp up for my Ironman race. We have had a bad winter, by Cincinnati standards, so most of my training has been indoor on the treadmill and bike trainer. I've been aiming for 6-8 hours of training each week this month. I have been following the Fleet Feet intermediate Flying Pig full marathon training schedule very closely, and supplementing it with bike rides and pool swims. To hit my weekly hour goal, I have been doing 2-a-days about 4 or 5 days a week.
Here is my weekly volume for February so far:
Week 1 - 1/27 to 2/2 - 5:58:50 with 33.05 miles run
Week 2 - 2/3 to 2/9 - 7:09:14 with 26.34 miles run
Week 3 - 2/10 to 2/16 - 7:55:05 with 27.68 miles run
Week 4 - 2/17 to 2/23 - 7:51:31 with 33.40 miles run
Week 5 - 2/24 to 3/2 - 4:37:03 with 19.00 miles run (as of 2/27)
So, the volume is steady. As it warms up, I will be able to cover more ground outside. The indoor training gets pretty boring after a while. It's 100x more enjoyable to run and bike outside.
My average run paces are in the mid 9's, which is great progress from last year. I was in the 10's then. I ran 119.4 miles this month, and 92.5 miles in January. So the training for the Pig is going well. I did pull my left calf during the Fleet Feet Tuesday night run on the 25th. Running 6.9 miles on the 26th wasn't too bad, but my calf hurt on all hills. So, I'll be taking a few days off as March starts.
Some of the triathlon guys I know through Facebook (some I've trained with) are organizing a 50 mile loop bike ride around Caesar Creek in April. There will be people doing 1-4 loops, and my wife and I are going to shoot for 50 to 100 miles. That should be a great time.
I've been swimming 2-3x per week over my lunch hour. This frequency has seemed to helped improve my technique, as my 100yd time is 1:30 doing 2 strokes per breath. This is awesome for me, but to put it in perspective the Olympic guys swim this in 46-50 seconds and good high school swimmers do it in 55-60 seconds. But for a guy with only one year of swimming under his belt, I'm pretty happy with it.
My last trip to the pool, I worked on doing 3 strokes per breath. This will definitely take a while to get used to, but my first 100yd time was 1:28. So, this is promising. Maybe a year from now I'll be in the 1:15 to 1:20 range.
Not really much else going on. Just trying to ramp up the training. Once the Pig is over, I'll be biking a lot and running maybe 1-2x per week just to keep a feel for it. I will need to get the swim up, but I can do the 2.4 mile swim now in probably 1:30:00. I swam 1.2 miles in 45 minutes at my "all day" pace, so 90 minutes should be fine there.
Hopefully something interesting happens in March so I have something other to write besides, "I have been running more. Yay."
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Go Long
It is January 28th. I've been doing the Fleet Feet training program for the Flying Pig marathon for a few weeks now, and things are going great. We're building a base now until March, when we will start doing hill repeats, intervals, threshold runs, etc. I'm really enjoying the pace group I'm in: 9:00 to 10:00mm. It feels too easy on short runs, but moderate on longer runs. I'll stay here and enjoy the process as the mileage builds.
The main point of this blog entry is to touch base with everyone on my new 2014 goal. I was planning to focus on the Pig race, then focus on the bike over the summer and enter two half Ironman races (70.3 miles). That distance was fun in September, and I think I could cut at least an hour off my current best 70.3 time. I entered that half Iron race on a road bike that wasn't properly fit to me AND my run was weak. Now I have a properly fitted triathlon specific bike and my run is MUCH better. It's funny to me that finishing a half Ironman gave me confidence that I can do a half Ironman. My 7:21 time is pretty slow, and I think I could hit 6:00 now - or close to it.
So, I was going through the Pig training plan and thinking how this will be great and enjoyable (vs. miserably hard) and that if I can run a 4:00 marathon then I could probably go for the full Ironman. I had this thought half joking with myself. My main full Ironman concern was always the run - running a full 26.2 mile marathon AFTER swimming 2.4 miles AND biking 112 miles BACK to BACK. Like, non-stop. A triathlete reading this would think, "Yeah, yeah. We all know the Iron distance." But to the non-triathlete, the full Ironman is no joke. It has been called the hardest single day endurance race on Earth.
I think I mentioned my half-serious idea to my wife about 10 days ago. "Honey, this running is going very well. So well in fact, I might be able to do a full Ironman this fall." Her being the most supportive spouse alive, told me she agreed. Her agreement and confidence that I could do it seemed to escalate and by the end of dinner we were planning it out.
How do you go about training for a full Ironman? Well, success leaves a paper trail. I could ask people that have done it. I could read up about it. Just be a sponge, plan to train my butt off, and go at it. We live in amazing times. The internet has facilitated efforts like mine in ways previous generations could have only dreamed. Facebook specifically makes connecting with people with similar interests so easy I think we take it for granted. Since making my decision, I've connected with nearly a dozen other local triathletes thinking/planning of doing their first Ironman this year. Also, I'm part of 5 or 6 Facebook groups dedicated to triathlons. Got a question? I just post it online and usually I get a few responses. Between the internet and the local triathlon clubs, there is more than enough information out there to get me ready.
So, it's been 9 or 10 days since I decided to "go long" (some call the Ironman the long race or long course, either way it's a long day/race). My first day of Ironman training (last Monday), I ran 4 or 5 miles on the treadmill before work, went to the YMCA at lunch to swim 50 laps in about 25 minutes, and then my wife and I rode bike trainers while watching the Bachelor for 2 hours. We bought a second trainer so we can both ride together. The next day, I rode the bike for about 30 minutes after work before running on the treadmill 4 or 5 miles. It's been so cold out, I've been on the treadmill a lot lately.
I pretty much did 2-a-days since then. I learned from 2 sources that 3-a-days are overkill and could lead to injury, burn out, or 3 soft workouts instead of 2 better quality workouts. Then, someone on Facebook summed training for an Ironman up in beautiful simplicity: train 1-2 hours Mon-Fri, 4-7 hours Sat, rest Sun. Simple! So, 9 to 17 hours per week of training. For me, this makes it easy to plan. For example, I ran on the treadmill 5 miles or about 50 minutes before work. I will hop on the bike after the kids go to sleep and finish the day with a spin.
I will focus on the Flying Pig training, as that is my next main race, just supplementing the Fleet Feet plan with other stuff. I'm scheduled to run 4 miles Wed & Thu. If the weather lifts I'll run outside 5 or 6, but the treadmill is so boring it's hard to get just 4 in. I'm planning to swim with the BAM Racing team Wed & Fri morning for 1:15:00 each. So, tomorrow will be the swim and run after work to get my 1-2 hours in. Breaking it up makes it much more manageable. Saturdays will be tough now that the weather sucks, but in the spring/summer it'll be easy to get in 4-7 hours of training. I'm completely in love with my bike, so I can see long Saturday rides being a staple this year. Head to the lake for a swim, 45-60 minutes, then a 40-60 mile bike ride. Or hit the bike trail for 75 miles and then go for a run. Whatever to get my hours in. With 5-6 triathlon groups around town, someone is always doing something.
I'm reading Joe Friel's book "The Triathlon Training Bible" and he emphasizes heart rate training. I'm going to run the Pig in the 9:00 to 10:00mm range, but after that I'll focus on the HR training for the Ironman. I talked to a guy that did his first Ironman last year and he followed the HR approach. It is very uneventful, but it works for longer races like the Ironman. He did his swim, then kept his HR in zone 2 for the bike and run. This equates to about a 14-15 mph bike ride and a 13:00mm pace on the run. But following this "boring and easy" plan, he felt great after 12 hours of the Ironman. This enabled him to hammer the last 10k of the run to finish in around 13 hours flat. This is a great time. Pros finish in 8-9 hours and they kick you off the course after 17 hours. I just want to finish, but think 14-15 would be a nice time. Maybe I can go for 13 as well. Whatever the training dictates. My zone 2 might be a 12 hour time or a 16 hour time. I have to trust the process and stick to the plan.
Another thing I need to learn a lot about is nutrition. Fueling yourself to cover 140.6 miles in 14-15 hours takes a nutrition plan too. I learned the carbohydrate per hour formula of (Your Body Weight in lbs. / 2.2) x 0.7. For me, I'm roughly 220 pounds now, so 220/2.2 = 100. 100 x 0.7 is 70 carbs per hour. This is roughly twice the amount I was taking in at races. I used to do about one GU every hour, now I'll double that. Also, I never took electrolytes and wondered why I cramped after a few hours. I've been experimenting with Hammer electrolyte pills and NUUN electrolyte drink tablets. I took a GU and some NUUN during the last Fleet Feet group run and felt awesome after an 8 mile run.
Another tip I picked up was to lay off the running AFTER the Pig race. My original plan was to just keep my run fitness "high", doing 12-15 miles each weekend until the Ironman. I learned that running beats you up with the constant pounding, and it's good to lay off it while I get my bike and swim fitness levels up. Then, as the Ironman approaches, build the run back up. Most of the race is biking anyway, so it needs the majority of my summer training.
I wondered, "What does 9 to 17 hours of training look like?" I received a copy of a multi-Kona Ironman's training log to review. For non-triathletes, Kona is in Hawaii and it's where the Ironman World Championship is each year. To race it, you have to qualify with a fast Ironman race time at one of the other races around the world. It's like qualifying to run the Boston marathon. If someone says they've run Boston or raced Kona, they are saying that they are a complete stud. If I run a 4 hour Flying Pig, which to me would be very good, I would be nearly an hour too SLOW to race Boston. If I finish a full Ironman in 13 hours I think I would be a couple hours too SLOW to race Kona. Anyway, looking over the guy's training log I saw that he was basically doing what I was doing. He was doing multiple workouts a day. He was running and swimming, or lifting weights and cycling or whatever. Just like me, only he was doing WAY more volume. He swims about 30 miles a month, runs 110+ miles a month, and bikes a ton. He's just an animal. So, if I want to get to the Ironman finish line, it's time to put down my purse and man up.
As for choosing a race, I'm kind of limited on choices. There are a few companies that put on the "Iron distance race" of 140.6 miles. The largest two are Ironman brand and Rev3 (short for Revolution 3). Ironman branded races usually sell out in a couple days, are the more commercial/popular choice, and also the most expensive. Since I just decided to do a race, Ironman Louisville is still available. It's also close to Cincinnati. The price is $625 just to register, not to mention the hundreds of hours to train and the thousands of dollars I have invested over the years in gear like my bike, shoes, etc. Louisville doesn't sell out like the other Ironman races because the race is pretty hot and the swim start is kind of different. Instead of a mass group swim start, in Louisville (IMKY) they have a single file line to jump in the Ohio River. Some people are disgusted by the idea of swimming in the Ohio River. The race is also in the summer so it's hot and not wetsuit legal. If it's too hot, races won't let you wear wetsuits. Wetsuits keep you warm but also make you more "slippery" in the water (picture a dolphin's skin vs. yours) and the wetsuit neoprene provides some buoyancy to help you float a little in the water. The race finishes with a double loop marathon in the very hot and humid Kentucky country side. So, the swim and run suck. But it's not sold out, it is close to Cincinnati, and the date (August 24th, a Sunday) works for me.
I already have plans for a lot of the year. We are taking the kids to Disney World in October. I'm going gator hunting the week after IMKY with my family. August 24th just works perfectly for me. So, IMKY it is. I'll register in a few weeks after another pay day. $625 is kind of steep. My half Ironman was organized by the company HFP and cost about $125. Also, I registered for the Laurel Lakes 70.3 race already on July 12th.
So, I have about 30 weeks to get Ironman ready. The good news for me is that I never really stopped training after September's half Ironman. My runs are the best they've been, my swim is about the same now, and I have a badass bike to ride once it warms up. I also have about 95% confidence in myself. It would take some heavy lawyering to convince me I'm not crazy enough to train 9-17 hours per week for 30 weeks. It's like studying for a test. When I studied, I got 99-100% on tests. I entered the classroom full of confidence on test day. I chuckled to myself when I was done, thinking, "Is that all you've got?" I'll try to stick to the training plan and the HR zone 2 race plan and I should be able to finish. It'll be a long day and the hardest thing I'll ever do, but it's possible.
My wife is doing most of the same races I'm doing this year, and she'll be there to cheer me on at IMKY. We are playing with the idea of a destination Ironman race next year for the two of us. Cozumel has a race that might be a great vacation spot. I imagine sitting on a beach or pool side for a couple days after the race, sipping drinks.
Speaking of drinks, I've had pop twice and beer one time, and junk food about 4 times. I'm watching calories with MyFitnessPal.com again, and I'm down about 2-3 pounds over the last 4 weeks. I'll try to stick to these three New Years goals and pile on the training. I got in 8.5 hours of training last week, and I'm hoping for 9 this week. Cheers!
The main point of this blog entry is to touch base with everyone on my new 2014 goal. I was planning to focus on the Pig race, then focus on the bike over the summer and enter two half Ironman races (70.3 miles). That distance was fun in September, and I think I could cut at least an hour off my current best 70.3 time. I entered that half Iron race on a road bike that wasn't properly fit to me AND my run was weak. Now I have a properly fitted triathlon specific bike and my run is MUCH better. It's funny to me that finishing a half Ironman gave me confidence that I can do a half Ironman. My 7:21 time is pretty slow, and I think I could hit 6:00 now - or close to it.
So, I was going through the Pig training plan and thinking how this will be great and enjoyable (vs. miserably hard) and that if I can run a 4:00 marathon then I could probably go for the full Ironman. I had this thought half joking with myself. My main full Ironman concern was always the run - running a full 26.2 mile marathon AFTER swimming 2.4 miles AND biking 112 miles BACK to BACK. Like, non-stop. A triathlete reading this would think, "Yeah, yeah. We all know the Iron distance." But to the non-triathlete, the full Ironman is no joke. It has been called the hardest single day endurance race on Earth.
I think I mentioned my half-serious idea to my wife about 10 days ago. "Honey, this running is going very well. So well in fact, I might be able to do a full Ironman this fall." Her being the most supportive spouse alive, told me she agreed. Her agreement and confidence that I could do it seemed to escalate and by the end of dinner we were planning it out.
How do you go about training for a full Ironman? Well, success leaves a paper trail. I could ask people that have done it. I could read up about it. Just be a sponge, plan to train my butt off, and go at it. We live in amazing times. The internet has facilitated efforts like mine in ways previous generations could have only dreamed. Facebook specifically makes connecting with people with similar interests so easy I think we take it for granted. Since making my decision, I've connected with nearly a dozen other local triathletes thinking/planning of doing their first Ironman this year. Also, I'm part of 5 or 6 Facebook groups dedicated to triathlons. Got a question? I just post it online and usually I get a few responses. Between the internet and the local triathlon clubs, there is more than enough information out there to get me ready.
So, it's been 9 or 10 days since I decided to "go long" (some call the Ironman the long race or long course, either way it's a long day/race). My first day of Ironman training (last Monday), I ran 4 or 5 miles on the treadmill before work, went to the YMCA at lunch to swim 50 laps in about 25 minutes, and then my wife and I rode bike trainers while watching the Bachelor for 2 hours. We bought a second trainer so we can both ride together. The next day, I rode the bike for about 30 minutes after work before running on the treadmill 4 or 5 miles. It's been so cold out, I've been on the treadmill a lot lately.
I pretty much did 2-a-days since then. I learned from 2 sources that 3-a-days are overkill and could lead to injury, burn out, or 3 soft workouts instead of 2 better quality workouts. Then, someone on Facebook summed training for an Ironman up in beautiful simplicity: train 1-2 hours Mon-Fri, 4-7 hours Sat, rest Sun. Simple! So, 9 to 17 hours per week of training. For me, this makes it easy to plan. For example, I ran on the treadmill 5 miles or about 50 minutes before work. I will hop on the bike after the kids go to sleep and finish the day with a spin.
I will focus on the Flying Pig training, as that is my next main race, just supplementing the Fleet Feet plan with other stuff. I'm scheduled to run 4 miles Wed & Thu. If the weather lifts I'll run outside 5 or 6, but the treadmill is so boring it's hard to get just 4 in. I'm planning to swim with the BAM Racing team Wed & Fri morning for 1:15:00 each. So, tomorrow will be the swim and run after work to get my 1-2 hours in. Breaking it up makes it much more manageable. Saturdays will be tough now that the weather sucks, but in the spring/summer it'll be easy to get in 4-7 hours of training. I'm completely in love with my bike, so I can see long Saturday rides being a staple this year. Head to the lake for a swim, 45-60 minutes, then a 40-60 mile bike ride. Or hit the bike trail for 75 miles and then go for a run. Whatever to get my hours in. With 5-6 triathlon groups around town, someone is always doing something.
I'm reading Joe Friel's book "The Triathlon Training Bible" and he emphasizes heart rate training. I'm going to run the Pig in the 9:00 to 10:00mm range, but after that I'll focus on the HR training for the Ironman. I talked to a guy that did his first Ironman last year and he followed the HR approach. It is very uneventful, but it works for longer races like the Ironman. He did his swim, then kept his HR in zone 2 for the bike and run. This equates to about a 14-15 mph bike ride and a 13:00mm pace on the run. But following this "boring and easy" plan, he felt great after 12 hours of the Ironman. This enabled him to hammer the last 10k of the run to finish in around 13 hours flat. This is a great time. Pros finish in 8-9 hours and they kick you off the course after 17 hours. I just want to finish, but think 14-15 would be a nice time. Maybe I can go for 13 as well. Whatever the training dictates. My zone 2 might be a 12 hour time or a 16 hour time. I have to trust the process and stick to the plan.
Another thing I need to learn a lot about is nutrition. Fueling yourself to cover 140.6 miles in 14-15 hours takes a nutrition plan too. I learned the carbohydrate per hour formula of (Your Body Weight in lbs. / 2.2) x 0.7. For me, I'm roughly 220 pounds now, so 220/2.2 = 100. 100 x 0.7 is 70 carbs per hour. This is roughly twice the amount I was taking in at races. I used to do about one GU every hour, now I'll double that. Also, I never took electrolytes and wondered why I cramped after a few hours. I've been experimenting with Hammer electrolyte pills and NUUN electrolyte drink tablets. I took a GU and some NUUN during the last Fleet Feet group run and felt awesome after an 8 mile run.
Another tip I picked up was to lay off the running AFTER the Pig race. My original plan was to just keep my run fitness "high", doing 12-15 miles each weekend until the Ironman. I learned that running beats you up with the constant pounding, and it's good to lay off it while I get my bike and swim fitness levels up. Then, as the Ironman approaches, build the run back up. Most of the race is biking anyway, so it needs the majority of my summer training.
I wondered, "What does 9 to 17 hours of training look like?" I received a copy of a multi-Kona Ironman's training log to review. For non-triathletes, Kona is in Hawaii and it's where the Ironman World Championship is each year. To race it, you have to qualify with a fast Ironman race time at one of the other races around the world. It's like qualifying to run the Boston marathon. If someone says they've run Boston or raced Kona, they are saying that they are a complete stud. If I run a 4 hour Flying Pig, which to me would be very good, I would be nearly an hour too SLOW to race Boston. If I finish a full Ironman in 13 hours I think I would be a couple hours too SLOW to race Kona. Anyway, looking over the guy's training log I saw that he was basically doing what I was doing. He was doing multiple workouts a day. He was running and swimming, or lifting weights and cycling or whatever. Just like me, only he was doing WAY more volume. He swims about 30 miles a month, runs 110+ miles a month, and bikes a ton. He's just an animal. So, if I want to get to the Ironman finish line, it's time to put down my purse and man up.
As for choosing a race, I'm kind of limited on choices. There are a few companies that put on the "Iron distance race" of 140.6 miles. The largest two are Ironman brand and Rev3 (short for Revolution 3). Ironman branded races usually sell out in a couple days, are the more commercial/popular choice, and also the most expensive. Since I just decided to do a race, Ironman Louisville is still available. It's also close to Cincinnati. The price is $625 just to register, not to mention the hundreds of hours to train and the thousands of dollars I have invested over the years in gear like my bike, shoes, etc. Louisville doesn't sell out like the other Ironman races because the race is pretty hot and the swim start is kind of different. Instead of a mass group swim start, in Louisville (IMKY) they have a single file line to jump in the Ohio River. Some people are disgusted by the idea of swimming in the Ohio River. The race is also in the summer so it's hot and not wetsuit legal. If it's too hot, races won't let you wear wetsuits. Wetsuits keep you warm but also make you more "slippery" in the water (picture a dolphin's skin vs. yours) and the wetsuit neoprene provides some buoyancy to help you float a little in the water. The race finishes with a double loop marathon in the very hot and humid Kentucky country side. So, the swim and run suck. But it's not sold out, it is close to Cincinnati, and the date (August 24th, a Sunday) works for me.
I already have plans for a lot of the year. We are taking the kids to Disney World in October. I'm going gator hunting the week after IMKY with my family. August 24th just works perfectly for me. So, IMKY it is. I'll register in a few weeks after another pay day. $625 is kind of steep. My half Ironman was organized by the company HFP and cost about $125. Also, I registered for the Laurel Lakes 70.3 race already on July 12th.
So, I have about 30 weeks to get Ironman ready. The good news for me is that I never really stopped training after September's half Ironman. My runs are the best they've been, my swim is about the same now, and I have a badass bike to ride once it warms up. I also have about 95% confidence in myself. It would take some heavy lawyering to convince me I'm not crazy enough to train 9-17 hours per week for 30 weeks. It's like studying for a test. When I studied, I got 99-100% on tests. I entered the classroom full of confidence on test day. I chuckled to myself when I was done, thinking, "Is that all you've got?" I'll try to stick to the training plan and the HR zone 2 race plan and I should be able to finish. It'll be a long day and the hardest thing I'll ever do, but it's possible.
My wife is doing most of the same races I'm doing this year, and she'll be there to cheer me on at IMKY. We are playing with the idea of a destination Ironman race next year for the two of us. Cozumel has a race that might be a great vacation spot. I imagine sitting on a beach or pool side for a couple days after the race, sipping drinks.
Speaking of drinks, I've had pop twice and beer one time, and junk food about 4 times. I'm watching calories with MyFitnessPal.com again, and I'm down about 2-3 pounds over the last 4 weeks. I'll try to stick to these three New Years goals and pile on the training. I got in 8.5 hours of training last week, and I'm hoping for 9 this week. Cheers!
Friday, January 3, 2014
Start of 2014 Season
Friday 1/3/14
(Tonight's blog was written while listening to music. Notably, Nine Inch Nails' cover of 'Dead Souls'. I think it's a cover of an 80's song by the Smiths or Bauhaus or someone. Skinny Puppy? Too lazy to Google it. 98% sure it's a cover.)
Hello again. I haven't posted anything for a while. Not much has changed here. Since my last blog posting I sold my road bike and used the money to get a Retul bike fitting on my tri bike at BioWheels in Madeira, Ohio. Worth every penny! I can't wait to hit the streets again.
I also fell on/off the wagon - whichever one is the bad one. Since Thanksgiving, I've gained about 8 or 9 pounds and only worked out a dozen times or so. :(
At my parent's for Christmas, I was talking to my brothers about triathlons and my one brother suggested I take the Air Force PT test to gauge my fitness. He's been in the AF for a while and knocked the test out of the park recently. The test is pretty simple. How many push-ups and sit-ups can you do in one minute? How long does it take you to run 1.5 miles? What is your waist circumference? Following the rules for the test, I decided to give it a try at lunch today.
Before I tell you how I did, let me throw out my first excuse. Last night, I was lifting weights - bicep curls and tricep skull crushers. I also stretched and did a few yoga poses while cooking chicken breasts for lunch (cook in a lot of Italian dressing - delicious!). I set my watch alarm to what I thought was one minute and started doing push-ups. I found a Nerf ball about the size of my fist to use as my guide to make sure I went low enough with my chest. After 10 push-ups I realized my alarm was on an hour, so I stopped and set up for the sit-ups next. I think you can have your toes held down, so I put our yoga mat next to the couch and got to work. After about 20 I was really struggling. Pathetic! This minute seemed like 10. I ended up doing 27. This is below the minimum the Air Force allows for someone my age, so I automatically failed the entire test. Not a good start.
After a couple minute wait, listening to some music to try to pump myself up, I went for the push-ups again. I'll skip the suspense... I only got 17 push-ups in one minute. Very embarrassing. This is also below the minimum, so another failure. I thought, "Maybe this will be a re-building - 3 years?"
Next up was the run. I set my treadmill to 7:00mm and got to it. Holding this for 1.5 miles would give me a 10:30 time, which I'd be happy with. After 0.35 miles though, I was struggling and slowed to an 8:00mm for a bit to get my pace under control. I've been running in the 9:00 to 9:30mm range lately. After a bit I was able to speed up and finish in 10:56, which is a 7:17mm avg pace. Not bad.
Now, for the most embarrassing part - the waist! I am 6'2" roughly, maybe 6'2.5", and now 223 pounds. I have a large frame, more suited to football than triathlon. Sadly. I graduated high school wearing 36 inch waist jeans when I was a bean pole, and I'm now back to 36's. But the Air Force test measures at the top of your hip bone - right where the love handles live. I measured myself at 40.5 inches, which is also failure in the AF. They want 39" or less, no matter how tall you are or how many push-ups you can do.
So, I failed 3 of the 4 parts of the test. After work I had my wife check my waist measurement and she got 41.5. Dammit!!! I have a lot of work to do. I am less concerned with my results here and more worried about my triathlon races, but I can use this test as a benchmark for my "well rounded-ness". I know that most runners have chicken wing arms, and most bikers have giant legs and small arms. But everyone needs a strong core (sit-ups), and it wouldn't hurt to have more upper body strength (push-ups). I'll use the 1.5 mile run(s) as a speed work day. And who doesn't want to get rid of their love handles?
With that giant failure on my brain, I ate my chicken breasts (two) and some brown rice with low sodium Mrs. Dash seasoning for lunch. My breakfast was two organic oatmeal packs, no blueberries today like normal. I need to hit the grocery store. My 10:30 and 2:30 snacks were green seedless grapes, about a bowl full. Very delicious snack. For dinner, my wife made ravioli, which the kids love. I had a big glass of skim milk with it.
My 2014 New Year Resolutions are the following:
1. No alcohol for 6 months
2. No pop for 6 months
3. No junk food for 6 months
4. Stop biting my finger cuticles
I am not a big drinker, but LOVE Bud Light. I could drink 8 cans a night without breaking a sweat - which I'm told makes me an alcoholic. But I don't like most other light beers, can't stand regular "full" beer, and don't touch hard liquor. It's just Bud Light that I like. So, no drinking for 6 months. Why six months? I have a half marathon in March, a full marathon in May, and my first 2014 triathlon (Tri for Joe) May 24th. Also, my cousin is getting married the night of May 24, so that will be a nice goal that's not too far away to have me fail, and I could use the calorie drop to shed a few pounds for the season.
What I lack in non-Bud Light beer appreciation I more than make up for with my love (yes, love) of pop. Diet pop, specifically, rocks. I love all of them. I bet I drink 8-10 diet pops (mostly Diet Mt. Dew, Diet Pepsi, or Pepsi Max) per day, plus 2 cups of coffee at work. I usually have one in the shower and one while I drive to work to get me going. So, by 8am I've already shot-gunned two. I know that pop is bad, sugar water. I know that it might lead to cancer. I know this and that about it. Trust me, I've spent the last 2.5 years looking for research that says it's okay to keep on my path. But, it's bad. So again, let's see if I can do 6 months without it.
Junk food is easy to add to the list, like I'm sure most people at New Years. Who needs Busken smiley cookies? I love them more than anything though. Especially the large Christmas tree ones, as they seem to be more moist/raw than the others. UDF Golden Vanilla ice cream? Yes please! I usually eat half a gallon per sitting. It's about as bad as the cookies. This stuff is obviously gone for a while. But the tricky part is what about chips and salsa? Pretzels and hummus? French fries? Loaded baked potato? To play it safe, I'm going to pretty much try to avoid all of it AND eat cleanly. I'm going to more or less eat what bodybuilders eat - lean meats with veggies. I'll add fruits and more carbs, but they have almost no body fat for a reason.
Lastly, I have a nasty habit of biting and picking at my cuticles. I've always been embarrassed of it, but never tried to seriously quit. So, I'll add it to the list.
I'd love to get to May 24th and only drink on special occasions, not want pop anymore (drinking just water and coffee, skim milk, juice, etc.), only have junk food sparingly, and never bite my fingers again. We'll see. So far, though it's only 3 days, I've done well. I'm surprised at the backlash I've received by telling people I'm giving up alcohol. It's almost like I've committed some crime. It reminds me of a funny Jim Gaffigan skit about not drinking..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-X2zPMB5dk
But anyway, I'm excited for the year. I start the Fleet Feet marathon training program January 7th. That should help my running a lot. Here is my race schedule as of now:
You might notice "Alligator Hunting" on the schedule. My dad and brothers have started a bi-annual tradition of doing something wild together. In 2012, we all went sport fishing at the Outerbanks and caught lots of dolphin fish (mahi mahi, not Flipper) and one white marlin. Mind you, none of us even own a normal fishing pole and we definitely never "fish". Totally out of our realm. For 2014 we decided to go gator hunting in Louisiana, hitting New Orleans after. We're thinking of wild boar hunting in 2016. I suggested we climb a mountain, but so far I've been out voted. None of us hunt, fish, etc. Not sure what started this, but we seem to wonder, "What is bad ass, dangerous, AND something we're completely unqualified to do?" Our attitude is that we're Bistors and pretty much the baddest dudes in the world. Hah ha
PS. I wound up Googling Dead Souls. It's a Joy Division song. Got to love the internet!
(Tonight's blog was written while listening to music. Notably, Nine Inch Nails' cover of 'Dead Souls'. I think it's a cover of an 80's song by the Smiths or Bauhaus or someone. Skinny Puppy? Too lazy to Google it. 98% sure it's a cover.)
Hello again. I haven't posted anything for a while. Not much has changed here. Since my last blog posting I sold my road bike and used the money to get a Retul bike fitting on my tri bike at BioWheels in Madeira, Ohio. Worth every penny! I can't wait to hit the streets again.
I also fell on/off the wagon - whichever one is the bad one. Since Thanksgiving, I've gained about 8 or 9 pounds and only worked out a dozen times or so. :(
At my parent's for Christmas, I was talking to my brothers about triathlons and my one brother suggested I take the Air Force PT test to gauge my fitness. He's been in the AF for a while and knocked the test out of the park recently. The test is pretty simple. How many push-ups and sit-ups can you do in one minute? How long does it take you to run 1.5 miles? What is your waist circumference? Following the rules for the test, I decided to give it a try at lunch today.
Before I tell you how I did, let me throw out my first excuse. Last night, I was lifting weights - bicep curls and tricep skull crushers. I also stretched and did a few yoga poses while cooking chicken breasts for lunch (cook in a lot of Italian dressing - delicious!). I set my watch alarm to what I thought was one minute and started doing push-ups. I found a Nerf ball about the size of my fist to use as my guide to make sure I went low enough with my chest. After 10 push-ups I realized my alarm was on an hour, so I stopped and set up for the sit-ups next. I think you can have your toes held down, so I put our yoga mat next to the couch and got to work. After about 20 I was really struggling. Pathetic! This minute seemed like 10. I ended up doing 27. This is below the minimum the Air Force allows for someone my age, so I automatically failed the entire test. Not a good start.
After a couple minute wait, listening to some music to try to pump myself up, I went for the push-ups again. I'll skip the suspense... I only got 17 push-ups in one minute. Very embarrassing. This is also below the minimum, so another failure. I thought, "Maybe this will be a re-building - 3 years?"
Next up was the run. I set my treadmill to 7:00mm and got to it. Holding this for 1.5 miles would give me a 10:30 time, which I'd be happy with. After 0.35 miles though, I was struggling and slowed to an 8:00mm for a bit to get my pace under control. I've been running in the 9:00 to 9:30mm range lately. After a bit I was able to speed up and finish in 10:56, which is a 7:17mm avg pace. Not bad.
Now, for the most embarrassing part - the waist! I am 6'2" roughly, maybe 6'2.5", and now 223 pounds. I have a large frame, more suited to football than triathlon. Sadly. I graduated high school wearing 36 inch waist jeans when I was a bean pole, and I'm now back to 36's. But the Air Force test measures at the top of your hip bone - right where the love handles live. I measured myself at 40.5 inches, which is also failure in the AF. They want 39" or less, no matter how tall you are or how many push-ups you can do.
So, I failed 3 of the 4 parts of the test. After work I had my wife check my waist measurement and she got 41.5. Dammit!!! I have a lot of work to do. I am less concerned with my results here and more worried about my triathlon races, but I can use this test as a benchmark for my "well rounded-ness". I know that most runners have chicken wing arms, and most bikers have giant legs and small arms. But everyone needs a strong core (sit-ups), and it wouldn't hurt to have more upper body strength (push-ups). I'll use the 1.5 mile run(s) as a speed work day. And who doesn't want to get rid of their love handles?
With that giant failure on my brain, I ate my chicken breasts (two) and some brown rice with low sodium Mrs. Dash seasoning for lunch. My breakfast was two organic oatmeal packs, no blueberries today like normal. I need to hit the grocery store. My 10:30 and 2:30 snacks were green seedless grapes, about a bowl full. Very delicious snack. For dinner, my wife made ravioli, which the kids love. I had a big glass of skim milk with it.
My 2014 New Year Resolutions are the following:
1. No alcohol for 6 months
2. No pop for 6 months
3. No junk food for 6 months
4. Stop biting my finger cuticles
I am not a big drinker, but LOVE Bud Light. I could drink 8 cans a night without breaking a sweat - which I'm told makes me an alcoholic. But I don't like most other light beers, can't stand regular "full" beer, and don't touch hard liquor. It's just Bud Light that I like. So, no drinking for 6 months. Why six months? I have a half marathon in March, a full marathon in May, and my first 2014 triathlon (Tri for Joe) May 24th. Also, my cousin is getting married the night of May 24, so that will be a nice goal that's not too far away to have me fail, and I could use the calorie drop to shed a few pounds for the season.
What I lack in non-Bud Light beer appreciation I more than make up for with my love (yes, love) of pop. Diet pop, specifically, rocks. I love all of them. I bet I drink 8-10 diet pops (mostly Diet Mt. Dew, Diet Pepsi, or Pepsi Max) per day, plus 2 cups of coffee at work. I usually have one in the shower and one while I drive to work to get me going. So, by 8am I've already shot-gunned two. I know that pop is bad, sugar water. I know that it might lead to cancer. I know this and that about it. Trust me, I've spent the last 2.5 years looking for research that says it's okay to keep on my path. But, it's bad. So again, let's see if I can do 6 months without it.
Junk food is easy to add to the list, like I'm sure most people at New Years. Who needs Busken smiley cookies? I love them more than anything though. Especially the large Christmas tree ones, as they seem to be more moist/raw than the others. UDF Golden Vanilla ice cream? Yes please! I usually eat half a gallon per sitting. It's about as bad as the cookies. This stuff is obviously gone for a while. But the tricky part is what about chips and salsa? Pretzels and hummus? French fries? Loaded baked potato? To play it safe, I'm going to pretty much try to avoid all of it AND eat cleanly. I'm going to more or less eat what bodybuilders eat - lean meats with veggies. I'll add fruits and more carbs, but they have almost no body fat for a reason.
Lastly, I have a nasty habit of biting and picking at my cuticles. I've always been embarrassed of it, but never tried to seriously quit. So, I'll add it to the list.
I'd love to get to May 24th and only drink on special occasions, not want pop anymore (drinking just water and coffee, skim milk, juice, etc.), only have junk food sparingly, and never bite my fingers again. We'll see. So far, though it's only 3 days, I've done well. I'm surprised at the backlash I've received by telling people I'm giving up alcohol. It's almost like I've committed some crime. It reminds me of a funny Jim Gaffigan skit about not drinking..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-X2zPMB5dk
But anyway, I'm excited for the year. I start the Fleet Feet marathon training program January 7th. That should help my running a lot. Here is my race schedule as of now:
| 2014 Rough Schedule | ||||||||||
| Date | Day | Event | Location | Type | Swim | Bike | Run | Cost | Registered? | |
| 1 | 3/16/2014 | Sunday | Mini Heart Half Marathon | Cincy | 13.1 | 13.1 Miles | $55 | No | ||
| 2 | 5/4/2014 | Sunday | Flying Pig Marathon | Cincy | 26.2 | 26.2 Miles | $90 | Yes | ||
| 3 | 5/24/2014 | Saturday | Tri for Joe/Coney Island | Cincy | Sprint | 700m | 12.4 Miles | 3.1 Miles | $55 | No |
| 4 | 6/1/2014 | Sunday | Little Miami Triathlon - Sprint | Cincy | Olympic | 6M kayak | 18 Miles | 5.5 Miles | $85 | No |
| 5 | 6/14/2014 | Saturday | Loveland's Amazing Race | Cincy | Fun Run | ~ 8 Miles | ~ 3 Miles | $180 | Yes | |
| 6 | 7/12/2014 | Saturday | Muncie Half Ironman | Muncie | 70.3 | 1.2 Mile | 56 Miles | 13.1 Miles | $250 | No |
| 6 | 7/12/2014 | Saturday | Laurel Lake Triathlon | South KY | 70.3 | 1.2 Mile | 56 Miles | 13.1 Miles | $135 | Yes |
| 7 | 8/9/2014 | Saturday | Warrior Dash Ohio 2 | Massillon | Mud Run | ~ 3 Miles | $70 | Yes | ||
| 8/28 - 8/31 | Weekend | Alligator Hunting | Louisiana | |||||||
| 8 | 9/7/2014 | Sunday | Rev3 Cedar Point Half | Sandusky | 70.3 | 1.2 Mile | 56 Miles | 13.1 Miles | $250 | No |
| 9 | 10/5/2014 | Sunday | Little Miami Triathlon - Fall | Cincy | Olympic | 6M kayak | 18 Miles | 5.5 Miles | $85 | No |
You might notice "Alligator Hunting" on the schedule. My dad and brothers have started a bi-annual tradition of doing something wild together. In 2012, we all went sport fishing at the Outerbanks and caught lots of dolphin fish (mahi mahi, not Flipper) and one white marlin. Mind you, none of us even own a normal fishing pole and we definitely never "fish". Totally out of our realm. For 2014 we decided to go gator hunting in Louisiana, hitting New Orleans after. We're thinking of wild boar hunting in 2016. I suggested we climb a mountain, but so far I've been out voted. None of us hunt, fish, etc. Not sure what started this, but we seem to wonder, "What is bad ass, dangerous, AND something we're completely unqualified to do?" Our attitude is that we're Bistors and pretty much the baddest dudes in the world. Hah ha
PS. I wound up Googling Dead Souls. It's a Joy Division song. Got to love the internet!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)