I was so sore that I couldn't sleep last night. My arms are not functioning. Boot camp has caught up with me - I couldn't turn over in bed without grimacing. Can't wait 'til next Tuesday morning to do it again.
I ran 14 miles last night. It was hot. I was drenched, running with paralyzed arms, with bugs flying into me and sticking, and choking and sputtering on cottonwood tree 'cotton' . It was great. A guy could choke to death running down wind of a cottonwood tree. Ran the whole thing at Foster to be close to a water source.
Today is going to be a rest day. I got in four workouts over the last two days. Tomorrow AM swim, then Memorial day weekend. I'm going to try for a century ride. I'm thinking of picking up a new pair of shoes pretty soon. I think I've run my current pair down to nothing.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Boot Camp
I hooked up with some guys that do a boot camp workout. All kinds of crazy army type stuff...push-ups, leg raises, 8-count body-builders, some move they called 'burpies' I think? We did it in the outfield of my kids baseball diamond at the park. 6:00am, laying down in wet grass doing sit-ups, jumping around, and doing wind-sprints. We raced 'bear crawl' across the field, then did the 'crab-walk' backwards. I'm sore from head-to-toe. I'm going to try to show-up every Tuesday morning - it's good cross training.
Rode 20 miles home last night, rode in this morning 18. Tonight: big run - 16.5 miles. Oh boy. I had to get a babysitter so that I can run tonight. My wife has to work. So, not only will this run hurt me, it will cost me. Sticking with my training plan over the next several weeks will be difficult.
Rode 20 miles home last night, rode in this morning 18. Tonight: big run - 16.5 miles. Oh boy. I had to get a babysitter so that I can run tonight. My wife has to work. So, not only will this run hurt me, it will cost me. Sticking with my training plan over the next several weeks will be difficult.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Geist Half Marathon
Friday: rode 18.5 miles around the park, multiple laps as fast as I could, major storm ended that ride.
Saturday: ran the Geist half marathon...1:36. Hilly course, nice solid run. Then I helped move my sister's house all day long. I felt like I completed an Ironman at the end of that day.
Sunday: rode 43 miles, ran 2.2. My legs are conditioned. I would normally not be able to ride/run the day following a 1/2 marathon, but I felt pretty good.
On to another week. I'm going to try to put in some more consistancy this week. I only have about 3 months left to train. Time is moving fast.
Saturday: ran the Geist half marathon...1:36. Hilly course, nice solid run. Then I helped move my sister's house all day long. I felt like I completed an Ironman at the end of that day.
Sunday: rode 43 miles, ran 2.2. My legs are conditioned. I would normally not be able to ride/run the day following a 1/2 marathon, but I felt pretty good.
On to another week. I'm going to try to put in some more consistancy this week. I only have about 3 months left to train. Time is moving fast.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
hands
Wednesday. 5:30AM. Cycling indoors. I couldn't stand it. I rode hard, briefly, then dropped to the floor and did sit-ups, bench, shoulders, and some other weight lifting moves. Weight lifting places a greater stress on the body as compared to my other most frequent activity: typing.
Office hands can type like mad. But they suffer a bit on the cold iron in my basement.
Later on Wednesday I ran 5.5 miles. One lap with the dog and one lap in peace.
Thursday I did a quick swim on my lunch. 1,700 yards. Usual warm-up then 3x 50, 3 x 75, 3 x 100 descending. Then 300, 200, 100. A nice workout. All freestyle. Not a soul was in the pool - kind of creepy - but good for technique. I could watch the bubbles created by my hands as they entered the pool, unobstructed from other swimmers. I have my own theories related to hydrodynamics...the less air you catch when entering the water the more power you can generate on the pull phase of the stroke. It has to be true. Your hands play a huge role in swimming...try swimming with a fist sometime. You go no where. Simply opening up your hand is like turning on a propeller. I've never really been taught how to swim, I never swam age group, never read Swimmers World, never sat around at those horrible meets playing euchre with other kids waiting two hours to swim for 35 seconds. I started out in high school and had to learn quick. The expectation was that you already knew how to swim.
I ran last night - one quick lap. 2.2 miles.
Tomorrow I'm running another 1/2 marathon. One thing I haven't written much about this week is cycling. I've slipped a little. Alot actually. I'm starting to worry that I'm not getting in the workouts I need. Not enough time: work commitments, kids Little League, vacation planning, a minor cold, the yard, the dog, laundry for goodness sake. Trivial little things are interferring: I'm not even happy with my cell phone. It's a good life. I need to push it all away and just ride my bike more.
Office hands can type like mad. But they suffer a bit on the cold iron in my basement.
Later on Wednesday I ran 5.5 miles. One lap with the dog and one lap in peace.
Thursday I did a quick swim on my lunch. 1,700 yards. Usual warm-up then 3x 50, 3 x 75, 3 x 100 descending. Then 300, 200, 100. A nice workout. All freestyle. Not a soul was in the pool - kind of creepy - but good for technique. I could watch the bubbles created by my hands as they entered the pool, unobstructed from other swimmers. I have my own theories related to hydrodynamics...the less air you catch when entering the water the more power you can generate on the pull phase of the stroke. It has to be true. Your hands play a huge role in swimming...try swimming with a fist sometime. You go no where. Simply opening up your hand is like turning on a propeller. I've never really been taught how to swim, I never swam age group, never read Swimmers World, never sat around at those horrible meets playing euchre with other kids waiting two hours to swim for 35 seconds. I started out in high school and had to learn quick. The expectation was that you already knew how to swim.
I ran last night - one quick lap. 2.2 miles.
Tomorrow I'm running another 1/2 marathon. One thing I haven't written much about this week is cycling. I've slipped a little. Alot actually. I'm starting to worry that I'm not getting in the workouts I need. Not enough time: work commitments, kids Little League, vacation planning, a minor cold, the yard, the dog, laundry for goodness sake. Trivial little things are interferring: I'm not even happy with my cell phone. It's a good life. I need to push it all away and just ride my bike more.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Weekend Cycling
Sat: 40km (24miles) Time Trial.
Sun: 72 miles
Saturday was interesting - another time trial. Maximum sustained effort. The point of the matter was pretty easy: ride 12 miles into Ohio, turn around, ride back. Time Trials are not 'fun'. I didn't pace it right, could have gone out a bit faster, because once we turned into the wind for the return trip it hurt, and the pace slowed. Anyway - I got 5th. Some of those guys can really push it. I suppose for my first GO I did alright.
Sunday I rode a mostly solo ride - there was a large annual group ride in Roanoke that I rode to and hooked up with a group of guys I know. From there we rode to Huntington. They were doing the 56 mile loop, and I had already put in about 40 miles - so I split off and headed for home. There I was, solo, in Huntington, IN, about 30 miles from home, faced again with a significant headwind. I was tired and hungry. It was a long hard trip home. I lost my spirit for cycling on that ride.
Monday: quick AM run with the dog. Uneventful. 1 lap at the park.
Tuesday: AM swim. 2,700 yards. 800 SKDS (200 Swim, Kick Drill Swim). Then a descending ladder set - 500, 400, 300, 200, 100 free with 100 kick between each.
My son turned 9 years old today. A beautiful boy. I sat at the table cluttered with birthday cake remains and listened to him talk, telling a simple story. I took close note of his 9 year old features. I can clearly remember his 1st birthday. We sat at the same table then. Children are a gift.
Sun: 72 miles
Saturday was interesting - another time trial. Maximum sustained effort. The point of the matter was pretty easy: ride 12 miles into Ohio, turn around, ride back. Time Trials are not 'fun'. I didn't pace it right, could have gone out a bit faster, because once we turned into the wind for the return trip it hurt, and the pace slowed. Anyway - I got 5th. Some of those guys can really push it. I suppose for my first GO I did alright.
Sunday I rode a mostly solo ride - there was a large annual group ride in Roanoke that I rode to and hooked up with a group of guys I know. From there we rode to Huntington. They were doing the 56 mile loop, and I had already put in about 40 miles - so I split off and headed for home. There I was, solo, in Huntington, IN, about 30 miles from home, faced again with a significant headwind. I was tired and hungry. It was a long hard trip home. I lost my spirit for cycling on that ride.
Monday: quick AM run with the dog. Uneventful. 1 lap at the park.
Tuesday: AM swim. 2,700 yards. 800 SKDS (200 Swim, Kick Drill Swim). Then a descending ladder set - 500, 400, 300, 200, 100 free with 100 kick between each.
My son turned 9 years old today. A beautiful boy. I sat at the table cluttered with birthday cake remains and listened to him talk, telling a simple story. I took close note of his 9 year old features. I can clearly remember his 1st birthday. We sat at the same table then. Children are a gift.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Set-Back: Caught a cold
I woke up Wednesday with a cold. The one that has been plaguing my office co-workers. I've been down - this is day three with no exercise, although I plan to run tonight hopefully. I've been drifting through life sedated by Vicks DayQuil. "Non-drowsy" is says right on the box. It should say something like "you'll stare out the window listlessly for hours if you take this stuff". I now have a cough. When I get a cough it last for a month. I can feel my muscles growing weaker by the minute. With every stuffed-up breath my VO2Max is dropping.
Tomorrow morning I've signed up for a 40km time trial - bike race. I'm not really feeling in the mood - but I'm going for it. My body on a few LiquiCaps of DayQuil can hammer through anything.
Tomorrow morning I've signed up for a 40km time trial - bike race. I'm not really feeling in the mood - but I'm going for it. My body on a few LiquiCaps of DayQuil can hammer through anything.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
5:00 am, dark, pouring rain. Cold
"My rest day is over". I kept saying this to myself laying in bed this morning, hitting snooze, listening to the rain, guessing the outside temperature, vacillating between more sleep or exercise.
"My rest day is over". Apparently you need to repeat that statement for a full thirty minutes. I rolled out at 5:30, dressed, put on my Gore-Tex jacket and trudged outside to the car. Swimming day. At least I wasn't preparing to run.
I swam a nice IM workout. My butterfly felt fairly strong this morning. Main set was 100 swim /kick/drill of each stroke. Finished with 25's all out, no breath. 2,500 yards total
Back home again before anyone was even out of bed. Got Spongebob on the tube, let the dog out in the rain, got the clothes ready for school, then raced off to work.
"My rest day is over". Apparently you need to repeat that statement for a full thirty minutes. I rolled out at 5:30, dressed, put on my Gore-Tex jacket and trudged outside to the car. Swimming day. At least I wasn't preparing to run.
I swam a nice IM workout. My butterfly felt fairly strong this morning. Main set was 100 swim /kick/drill of each stroke. Finished with 25's all out, no breath. 2,500 yards total
Back home again before anyone was even out of bed. Got Spongebob on the tube, let the dog out in the rain, got the clothes ready for school, then raced off to work.
Monday, May 10, 2010
56 Miles of Headwind
I rode to Angola on Sunday, the day after running the Mini.
It was 56 miles of headwind and pain. After running the race Saturday I felt pretty good. Not so on Sunday morning rolling out of bed to kick off the Mother's Day merriment. I don't know what it is - but after running hard I can't seem to walk down stairs.
Anyway - I got on several layers and started out to Angola where I would meet up with family. The winds were coming out of the North/West. My route was a straight line from Fort Wayne to Auburn, then through the small town of Waterloo, then on to Angola. The world was picture perfect for the ride.
There were a few remarkable spots along the way of just field and sky with only distance green tree lines separating the two.
Today is my rest day. My legs need it.
It was 56 miles of headwind and pain. After running the race Saturday I felt pretty good. Not so on Sunday morning rolling out of bed to kick off the Mother's Day merriment. I don't know what it is - but after running hard I can't seem to walk down stairs.
Anyway - I got on several layers and started out to Angola where I would meet up with family. The winds were coming out of the North/West. My route was a straight line from Fort Wayne to Auburn, then through the small town of Waterloo, then on to Angola. The world was picture perfect for the ride.
There were a few remarkable spots along the way of just field and sky with only distance green tree lines separating the two.
Today is my rest day. My legs need it.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Indianapolis Mini-Marathon
Ran 13.1 today in 1:35
The Mini is a nice run. It's a community event - the largest half-marathon in the country. I feel it to be more of a patriotic duty to run this race than anything else. There are helicopters hovering above, they sing the National anthem, sign the State song -something about on the banks of the Wabash?, etc. I'm always happy to just be there for another year in the midst of 30,000 runners. Thankful that my body can still go through the motions. This year it was cold, with a strong western wind. I was freezing at the start. FREEZING. I couldn't break free of the crowd for the longest time it seemed - but once I found my stride I felt pretty strong today. Normally I finish and have double vision, so unbalanced I step on my opposing calf when walking through the family reunion area , and have no use of my legs for hours....if not days. Today I was so cold I jogged to my car. I just finished mowing the yard. I'm feeling half-way deceit. Amazing what training can do.
This was a good gauge of my fitness level. Usually the problems arise with either a muscle cramp or some kind of cardio pain - lung, side-stitch. I felt great the whole time. I think I hit some 6:30 miles on the way back from the Indy 500 track. My mantra worked yet again: "All systems go".
The Mini is a nice run. It's a community event - the largest half-marathon in the country. I feel it to be more of a patriotic duty to run this race than anything else. There are helicopters hovering above, they sing the National anthem, sign the State song -something about on the banks of the Wabash?, etc. I'm always happy to just be there for another year in the midst of 30,000 runners. Thankful that my body can still go through the motions. This year it was cold, with a strong western wind. I was freezing at the start. FREEZING. I couldn't break free of the crowd for the longest time it seemed - but once I found my stride I felt pretty strong today. Normally I finish and have double vision, so unbalanced I step on my opposing calf when walking through the family reunion area , and have no use of my legs for hours....if not days. Today I was so cold I jogged to my car. I just finished mowing the yard. I'm feeling half-way deceit. Amazing what training can do.
This was a good gauge of my fitness level. Usually the problems arise with either a muscle cramp or some kind of cardio pain - lung, side-stitch. I felt great the whole time. I think I hit some 6:30 miles on the way back from the Indy 500 track. My mantra worked yet again: "All systems go".
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Bike History
I can remember every bike ever had, likely every bike I've ever ridden.
My first bike wasn't a bicycle - it was a very genuine tricycle...of the quality they don't make these days. Next I was the proud owner of a big wheel. I ruined that plastic beauty by "burning out" the front wheel. A six year old memory stored away til now. I was even lucky enough to own a 'green machine', kind of a hybrid big wheel, but far cooler. It had four wheels, was green of course, and had levers that could stop the rear wheels. Ah, the joy of showing off at age 7.
My parents tied a string to my first real bike that led from the Christmas tree all over the house to my prized orange painted beauty. It had some plastic embellishment on the top tube which I quickly learned could be flipped upside down to transport various seeds and berries from the neighborhood trees. I would ride with one hand and throw crab apples at my friends with the other.
Next came a more sophisticated BMX bike. Flashy. Strong. I always believed I could make that bike move fast. It was later given to a neighborhood kid. I remember seeing it years later - broken down and used up.
Then came a very cheap and common Free Spirit 10 speed bike. It was a horrible mass produced bike - the kind that should never be made, sold, or bought. It got me to the pool on a daily basis - until the day my Incredible Hulk towel got caught in the chain and I wrecked miserably.
Up until this time I just rode bikes like most kids. They got me around. When I met my sisters boyfriends brother it all changed. I clearly remember talking with him immediately following a ride - he owned a Cinelli. An Italian racing bike. He told me of his many adventures in and out of traffic on our city streets. I was interested. I started to beg and plead with my mother the next day I'm sure. I stepped up to a Raliegh Wyoming touring bike that we bought at the Schwinn shop. This was a great shop, or so I thought at age 14. It's now a fairly swanky pizza place on the North side of Broad Ripple near the canal. I rode several thousand miles on that Raleigh I'm sure. One Spring Break week in high school I rode 600 miles. I was a complete dork ( past tense there).
I moved on to an Oschner...I think an English bike. This bike was short lived. Blue. I was riding with a pro-level triathlete in Bloomington, IN (he was later to be first out of the water at Ironman Kona) when I heard an odd sound. I glanced down and noticed that the seat tube of the frame was swinging - detached from the bottom bracket. That's a scary sight when cycling hills near B-town. So -had to buy a new frame.
This progression led me to a Basso. My first Italian bike. All white. All steel. Perfect fit. I loved this bike. It cornered like a Cadillac. My cycling skills flourished on this bike. My Basso has to go down as one of biggest regrets: I sold the thing in college for money to buy a Fender Jazz Bass. Huh? I didn't even know how to play bass. I still don't.
In college I bought a Bridgestone MB-2 mountain bike to get around. I still feel horrible for the guy I hit in traffic once....he was in his car, and I blasted the passenger side rear-view mirror off the vehicle racing to class. It was a clear hit and run case. Me and my bike damaged a car in traffic. Thought it was pretty cool at the time. Loved the bike. And I still miss it....stolen when my roommates had a party when I was away. Bad karma I suppose. That is such a college mistake - leaving my most valuable possession in the care of my roommates.
I replaced that one with another Bridgestone MB-2. Bad color - purple. But oh could it move. Amazingly, also stolen, from my garage, two days before the birth of my first son. I still keep an eye out for this bike, nearly 9 years later.
Next came eBay: I picked up a Bridgestone MB-Zero. The bike that gave Bridgestones a cult like following. It still sits safely in my basement. I fell off the deep end, and had a job, so I bought another MB-2 off eBay...just like the one my roommates lost.
I forgot my steel Lemond. I picked up an entry level Lemond (from the former Tour great Greg Lemond - a childhood idol) in my mid 20's. I even did a few triathlons back then, but never really dedicated myself to the training. This bike is tucked away in the basement also...soon to be eBay'd.
I had a long absence from cycling. A college friend called up out of the blue one day and asked me if I wanted to do Ironman Wisconsin. That was 2007. I've been hooked since then.
Current road bike: Cervelo Soloist - Aluminum - 2007.
Current time trial bike: Felt B12 - Carbon fiber - 2009.
I'm embarrassed to write that I personally own five bikes.
The Basso was the best.
My first bike wasn't a bicycle - it was a very genuine tricycle...of the quality they don't make these days. Next I was the proud owner of a big wheel. I ruined that plastic beauty by "burning out" the front wheel. A six year old memory stored away til now. I was even lucky enough to own a 'green machine', kind of a hybrid big wheel, but far cooler. It had four wheels, was green of course, and had levers that could stop the rear wheels. Ah, the joy of showing off at age 7.
My parents tied a string to my first real bike that led from the Christmas tree all over the house to my prized orange painted beauty. It had some plastic embellishment on the top tube which I quickly learned could be flipped upside down to transport various seeds and berries from the neighborhood trees. I would ride with one hand and throw crab apples at my friends with the other.
Next came a more sophisticated BMX bike. Flashy. Strong. I always believed I could make that bike move fast. It was later given to a neighborhood kid. I remember seeing it years later - broken down and used up.
Then came a very cheap and common Free Spirit 10 speed bike. It was a horrible mass produced bike - the kind that should never be made, sold, or bought. It got me to the pool on a daily basis - until the day my Incredible Hulk towel got caught in the chain and I wrecked miserably.
Up until this time I just rode bikes like most kids. They got me around. When I met my sisters boyfriends brother it all changed. I clearly remember talking with him immediately following a ride - he owned a Cinelli. An Italian racing bike. He told me of his many adventures in and out of traffic on our city streets. I was interested. I started to beg and plead with my mother the next day I'm sure. I stepped up to a Raliegh Wyoming touring bike that we bought at the Schwinn shop. This was a great shop, or so I thought at age 14. It's now a fairly swanky pizza place on the North side of Broad Ripple near the canal. I rode several thousand miles on that Raleigh I'm sure. One Spring Break week in high school I rode 600 miles. I was a complete dork ( past tense there).
I moved on to an Oschner...I think an English bike. This bike was short lived. Blue. I was riding with a pro-level triathlete in Bloomington, IN (he was later to be first out of the water at Ironman Kona) when I heard an odd sound. I glanced down and noticed that the seat tube of the frame was swinging - detached from the bottom bracket. That's a scary sight when cycling hills near B-town. So -had to buy a new frame.
This progression led me to a Basso. My first Italian bike. All white. All steel. Perfect fit. I loved this bike. It cornered like a Cadillac. My cycling skills flourished on this bike. My Basso has to go down as one of biggest regrets: I sold the thing in college for money to buy a Fender Jazz Bass. Huh? I didn't even know how to play bass. I still don't.
In college I bought a Bridgestone MB-2 mountain bike to get around. I still feel horrible for the guy I hit in traffic once....he was in his car, and I blasted the passenger side rear-view mirror off the vehicle racing to class. It was a clear hit and run case. Me and my bike damaged a car in traffic. Thought it was pretty cool at the time. Loved the bike. And I still miss it....stolen when my roommates had a party when I was away. Bad karma I suppose. That is such a college mistake - leaving my most valuable possession in the care of my roommates.
I replaced that one with another Bridgestone MB-2. Bad color - purple. But oh could it move. Amazingly, also stolen, from my garage, two days before the birth of my first son. I still keep an eye out for this bike, nearly 9 years later.
Next came eBay: I picked up a Bridgestone MB-Zero. The bike that gave Bridgestones a cult like following. It still sits safely in my basement. I fell off the deep end, and had a job, so I bought another MB-2 off eBay...just like the one my roommates lost.
I forgot my steel Lemond. I picked up an entry level Lemond (from the former Tour great Greg Lemond - a childhood idol) in my mid 20's. I even did a few triathlons back then, but never really dedicated myself to the training. This bike is tucked away in the basement also...soon to be eBay'd.
I had a long absence from cycling. A college friend called up out of the blue one day and asked me if I wanted to do Ironman Wisconsin. That was 2007. I've been hooked since then.
Current road bike: Cervelo Soloist - Aluminum - 2007.
Current time trial bike: Felt B12 - Carbon fiber - 2009.
I'm embarrassed to write that I personally own five bikes.
The Basso was the best.
Race Ride
Tuesday morning I rode to work - and then later was able to catch the Tuesday Night Race Ride with the Dentist.
AM = 18 Miles
PM = 41 Miles.
The race was thrilling yet again - I broke solo from the pack trying to chase the Dentist and his key players down. No one came with me, again, so I was dying when finally two guys bridged up from the Dentists' team and said, thankfully: "get on the wheel". So now the chase group was three. We worked well together for about 10 miles but never did catch the lead break. At the end, in sight of the road side sign marking the finish line, I got out of the saddle and went for the kill. They responded quickly all gears and cranks and wheels humming with complete force. I love that moment -we hit 36 mph on a flat sprint - my bike reached the sign first.
I felt like I was 16 years old again racing cars down 86th street in Indianapolis. Glory.
Yesterday I got up and ran one sad and sorry lap at Foster. My legs were dead. This AM I got up with the birds and ran 4.8 miles. I'm going to swim tomorrow AM, and then run the Indy Mini-Marathon on Saturday.
AM = 18 Miles
PM = 41 Miles.
The race was thrilling yet again - I broke solo from the pack trying to chase the Dentist and his key players down. No one came with me, again, so I was dying when finally two guys bridged up from the Dentists' team and said, thankfully: "get on the wheel". So now the chase group was three. We worked well together for about 10 miles but never did catch the lead break. At the end, in sight of the road side sign marking the finish line, I got out of the saddle and went for the kill. They responded quickly all gears and cranks and wheels humming with complete force. I love that moment -we hit 36 mph on a flat sprint - my bike reached the sign first.
I felt like I was 16 years old again racing cars down 86th street in Indianapolis. Glory.
Yesterday I got up and ran one sad and sorry lap at Foster. My legs were dead. This AM I got up with the birds and ran 4.8 miles. I'm going to swim tomorrow AM, and then run the Indy Mini-Marathon on Saturday.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Racing a storm.
I sat glued to my computer all day. Excel land. Working through a problem, deeply involved. I packed my bike this AM, as it was a beautiful day for a ride home. At least that's what I thought until I looked out the window and saw the approaching storm. It was 4:45pm and from the West approached a big Indiana thunderstorm. I had to transition quickly from sedentary mode to athlete.
I changed my clothes in my office and raced to my car - yanked my bike from the hatch and was on my way. The sky to my West was black and ominous and rolling. Rain drops were starting to hit me before I got on my bike. In my haste I didn't notice my slightly opened car windows. Unfortunately, I'll deal with that in the morning.
The ride was great. To my back was the Valley of Death as the huge storm chased me. To my front were blue beautiful skies. I put my head down and peddled for the blue, and my life, right on the cusp of the rain, thunder, and lightning. Looking back once I saw a pretty big lighting bolt shoot through the sky. The storm was blowing hard to my back. It was intense. I sustained 28 mph for a fair stretch. Memorable. I'm glad I did it. I arrived safely at home about 50 minutes later, perhaps my best time yet on my 18 miler.
This morning I swam 2,000 yards. My legs felt yesterday's 15 miles. My times were slower than normal throughout the whole workout, which was kind of depressing. Main set: 200 /100/100/ 4 x 50 Free. Then again Backstroke. 100's were 1:10's (pitiful) 50's were :30's.
I changed my clothes in my office and raced to my car - yanked my bike from the hatch and was on my way. The sky to my West was black and ominous and rolling. Rain drops were starting to hit me before I got on my bike. In my haste I didn't notice my slightly opened car windows. Unfortunately, I'll deal with that in the morning.
The ride was great. To my back was the Valley of Death as the huge storm chased me. To my front were blue beautiful skies. I put my head down and peddled for the blue, and my life, right on the cusp of the rain, thunder, and lightning. Looking back once I saw a pretty big lighting bolt shoot through the sky. The storm was blowing hard to my back. It was intense. I sustained 28 mph for a fair stretch. Memorable. I'm glad I did it. I arrived safely at home about 50 minutes later, perhaps my best time yet on my 18 miler.
This morning I swam 2,000 yards. My legs felt yesterday's 15 miles. My times were slower than normal throughout the whole workout, which was kind of depressing. Main set: 200 /100/100/ 4 x 50 Free. Then again Backstroke. 100's were 1:10's (pitiful) 50's were :30's.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
May
Ran 8.5 miles yesterday. Rode 10 today, and then ran 15 miles.
Yesterday's run was challenging - the boys followed along on the River Greenway. Finn crashed twice. We had to stop a few times. They packed money and we picked up Snickers and Gatorade at a bike shop along the way. It was a nice run. The boys got to see some of the street life that resides under the bridges of this small town. I suppose that's a good life lesson...that people sleep under bridges because they have no where else to go. Even in a city the size of Fort Wayne, IN. Maybe this lesson is a little early for them, but I didn't make it out to be a big deal. It does make me feel good though when I can tuck my kids into their nice, safe, clean, warm childhood bedroom at night. It would be a reach - but I could be under a bridge somewhere I guess.......but, no, probably not.
Moving past my social commentary: Today I rode 10 miles on my trainer, in the garage. It looked like rain. I bored quickly of riding indoors, so I decided to run long today in preparation of next weekend's 1/2 marathon in Indianapolis. I felt horrible today. Stopped and walked briefly at mile 13. I just wasn't into working out like I need to be. My motivation has been wanning lately. Hit my usual water stops at the skate park, and then the Johnny Appleseed park. In summer I sneak around and find a hose if I'm desperate just to catch a drink in the West Central neighborhood. Employing the same approach as the gentlemen living under the bridges I suppose. Running 7.5 miles away from home is a forced distance run. I was tired, wet (slight rain), and unmotivated, but when you're 7 miles from home on foot you might as well keep running.
The world is so plush and green right now. Little baby leaves are on everything. Go outside.
Yesterday's run was challenging - the boys followed along on the River Greenway. Finn crashed twice. We had to stop a few times. They packed money and we picked up Snickers and Gatorade at a bike shop along the way. It was a nice run. The boys got to see some of the street life that resides under the bridges of this small town. I suppose that's a good life lesson...that people sleep under bridges because they have no where else to go. Even in a city the size of Fort Wayne, IN. Maybe this lesson is a little early for them, but I didn't make it out to be a big deal. It does make me feel good though when I can tuck my kids into their nice, safe, clean, warm childhood bedroom at night. It would be a reach - but I could be under a bridge somewhere I guess.......but, no, probably not.
Moving past my social commentary: Today I rode 10 miles on my trainer, in the garage. It looked like rain. I bored quickly of riding indoors, so I decided to run long today in preparation of next weekend's 1/2 marathon in Indianapolis. I felt horrible today. Stopped and walked briefly at mile 13. I just wasn't into working out like I need to be. My motivation has been wanning lately. Hit my usual water stops at the skate park, and then the Johnny Appleseed park. In summer I sneak around and find a hose if I'm desperate just to catch a drink in the West Central neighborhood. Employing the same approach as the gentlemen living under the bridges I suppose. Running 7.5 miles away from home is a forced distance run. I was tired, wet (slight rain), and unmotivated, but when you're 7 miles from home on foot you might as well keep running.
The world is so plush and green right now. Little baby leaves are on everything. Go outside.
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