Tri-Tips #1

For those just starting out in the world of triathlon it can be pretty intimidating.  Looking through magazines and seeing pros wearing pointy helmets, riding sweet bikes that weigh less than our morning coffee, and us just not really having a good idea of what's needed and what's not... it can make the whole introduction to the sport just a bit overwhelming.  Well hopefully I can help to ease your frustration by sharing my experience about some common questions that I've run into as I've progressed through the sport.

First of all, let me tell you about my first multisport race.  It was a duathlon.  I was just a guy who loved to ride and run. I hadn't yet even considered triathlon.  I was riding an old Puch, which had to have weighed close to 30 pounds (no joke).  I didn't know any better!  I ran and rode in soccer shorts and a cutoff T-shirt whenever I worked out, it just seemed like the thing to do?

So, I saw an ad for a duathlon (run, bike, run) and thought "that sounds like fun! I like to do both of those things!"  I signed up and was super excited until I showed up on race day.  Everyone (almost everyone) had sleek spandex suits, awesome bikes, nice helmets (some pointy), and they looked intimidating.  I almost drove off.  I parked though and figured screw it, I'll see what happens.  I lowered my behemoth of a bike to the ground, I was already wearing my race attire (tennis shoes, soccer shorts, and a cut off T) so I just hopped on the bike and went to the start line.  Oh yeah, and I had a mountain bike helmet, because I thought the other ones looked silly, I guess the visor seemed to make more sense to me at the time for road biking :(  lol!  Ok, so the race starts and ends.  I went just as hard as I possibly could.  I was passing people, being passed, but doing more passing than the latter.  I crossed the finish line and started to pack up and leave since I didn't have anyone at the race that I knew.  I figured I wasn't going to be making any friends in my current condition.

As I was getting into my truck a guy came over and said, "let me see that bike of yours, because I can't believe you were riding what I think you were riding."  So I got out and showed him, he chuckled when he saw it and said "I thought so.  Come on, I think I have a bike for you."  We walked back up to the tents.  On the way he told me he was the race director and informed me I finished 11th out of the 75 men in the race.  I was really surprised.  Then he showed me a nice Cannondale road bike he was selling for $650, I bought it on the spot and was so excited to have a nice bike!  I still have that frame today!  It's too sentimental for me to let it go.  I let my sister use it for a while, then she got a better bike and now I've got it back :)

Oh right, useful information huh?  Well that was to say that you can even have a bad first race experience like mine and survive to tell the story.  Everyone that I met at the race was really nice.  Nobody made fun of me (to my face) for my clothes or the antique that I was riding.  All I received was encouragement.  Which is what I love about all the races I've been to.

Every race I've been to has been a positive experience. Most people are there competing, but we all know the struggles of training and we all want to encourage anyone who is interested in it.  So don't be afraid to show up not knowing anything!  From what I've seen, other athletes are more than willing to help in any way that they can.  I actually met a long time training buddy at a race.  Anything can happen, just be open to it and have a good time!

If you're nervous about riding in a group of other cyclists then in a triathlon you're in luck.  Drafting is illegal in the majority of triathlons, which means you need to maintain about 2 bike lengths between you and the person in front.  So, the only time you'll be in fear of a group of bikes is close to the transition area when people are getting on and off.  If you want to get more comfortable at riding in groups, then look up some group rides in your area and go join them.  They're a lot of fun!  Note: if you have aero-bars installed on your bike please don't use them in the group setting full of cyclists.  The only time it's remotely ok is if you're leading out the front of the pack.  Other than that it's huge hazard and makes everyone around you nervous.  Just start in the back of the back and get comfortable riding close to the rider in front of you.  Then start working to riding up into the pack.  Pretty soon you'll find it to be comfortable and maybe even fun!

Speaking of Aero-Bars... they're not a required piece of gear to do a triathlon, especially a sprint.  I can say that they're awesome though.  They allow you to get REALLY aerodynamic and rest your upper body after the swim.  Since it's a non-draft sport then you need cut through the air as good as possible to not waste a lot of energy trying to overcome all of that unnecessary wind resistance you'd create hanging out in the drops or on the horns.  So, do you need them? No.  Do you probably want them? Probably, definitely, yes... especially in anything longer than a sprint distance. :)

Hopefully that was of some help!

Have a good weekend!

6.29.12 Strength Training

The Workout: 45 minutes of awesomeness with Rope in a Bag suspension straps!

Usually whenever I do strength training I just work everything during that workout.  I've never liked working one group and then another group of muscles.  I always leave feeling like I should/could have done more.  So, as I'm doing strength training I just work what I feel needs work.

If you've heard of TRX Suspension Straps, then these are really similar.  Similar and strong enough to justify their extremely reduced price tag of $30!  You can find them on Amazon here.

I can't even begin to describe how many workouts you can do with these things... ok let's try this.  Think a muscle group you'd like to work with it. Yep you can work that one.  Try thinking of another one... yyyyyyyyep! You can work that too!  See it's amazing!

YouTube some TRX Suspension videos to get to know these things a little bit if you're not familiar.

6.28.12 Swimming

The Workout: Swim 35 minutes @ MI

I know I've mentioned Total Immersion by Terry Laughlin to be a really good book and one that I really like and have used to make my crawl stroke more efficient.  In saying that, I don't mean to say that it is the ONLY or the BEST thing out there.  I've found it to work well with the way that I think and understand swimming.  I don't need to be the fastest swimmer in the water, I just need to have a very efficient stroke that gets me from start to finish in decent time, with as little expenditure of energy as possible.  That's what TI has done for me.  I had no formal swimming background before I read this book.

I just wanted to be clear and say that this is just one way and it may not work for everyone ;)

That being said.  The mechanics I learned years ago continue to come back to me and I'm making more gains in efficiency in the water, it feels really good.

6.27.12 Running

The Workout: Run 30 minutes @ MI

Ugh... what a run.  99F and humid.  Coming from up in the mountains last week at about 76F and not humid it was a shock to my system I think to get out in this terrible weather. The first mile wasn't bad, I was surprised when the Endo lady spoke into my headphones and said "one mile in 7 minutes 7 seconds."  I felt like I was running a lot slower. Mile 2 the heat started to get to me, and I helped a guy on the road who's motorcycle was broken down, so that little exertion didn't help much.  He was trying to push himself along with his feet and was making it nowhere fast.  So I turned around and gave him a push to his parking lot.  That's the little turn back you can see on Endo right at the beginning of mile 2.  2.5 miles came around and I wanted so desperately to walk, to stop, to be drenched by ice cold water, I didn't really care as long as I could collapse comfortably in a cool place.  It was terrible.

Working out doesn't have to be fun all the time.  You don't always have to have a good time.  It's what you do when you don't want to go on anymore that determines your resolve.  It reminds me of a quote I've heard "You can press forward long after you can't.  It's just a matter of wanting it bad enough."

I don't know who said it, but it's certainly true.  What kept me going was the determination to make a difference for the members of our armed forces.  I was thinking that it must be way hotter than this in the desert and I'm not even wearing a uniform, carrying 80lbs of gear, actively in danger of losing my life, and I know my nice air conditioned house is less that 3 miles away!  Plus they don't even have the luxury to contemplate quitting!  So, how could I NOT keep going?  (Perhaps to some that may sound super-cheesy, but it helps me to think like that.  Whatever keeps you going keeps you going! Share your inspiration if you like!)

I finished it up, the last mile was abismal, but I did it.  I set out to run 30 minutes, came home and collapsed comfortably in my nice cold living room.

My Favorite Things

In the years I've been training and racing, I've come across some things that I've found to be invaluable.  Maybe you know of or use them as well and you can totally agree with their inclusion in the list -or- maybe you've never heard of them and you'll be stoked to find something knew.  So, I'll be adding stuff on a weekly basis and I hope you find something useful.

Total Immersion (Terry Laughlin): I've never visited the website until just before this post in order to add a link to it, but I have read the book and it's been incredibly helpful in forming my most efficient crawl stroke.  Here's a link to the site.  Which I'll be exploring later as well!

Before the book I just hammered through the water and figured that faster arm rotation and more ferocious kicking was the ticket to getting through the water quicker.  Thankfully, before too long, I stumbled across this book and it opened my eyes to the proper mechanics of swimming.  He talks about it in a way that makes complete and relatable sense.  I can't say enough good things about it. 

Here a link to where you can buy it on Amazon.

Endomondo: This is a fitness app for Android and iPhone.  While cycling I used to use the Polar workout tracking software, it was nice to have all that information, but the interface was clunky and well... ugly.  Along comes Endomondo and it's a great all around fitness tracker that's simple to use and provides some excellent information.  

It will track almost every workout imaginable and stores them online in a calendar so you can see your history and track your progress in each particular sport.  You can also have friends on Endo and you can see how each other is doing and help encourage one another even during the workouts through "Peptalks." One thing I want to do is figure out how to make (or buy) a floating smartphone case so that I can track my swim workouts accurately using the GPS on the phone.  Oh yeah, best of all it's FREE!  There is a PRO version, but it doesn't have much more than the free.  I bought it just because I was so impressed with the free that I figured they deserved my money :)

You can send me a friend request on Endo (search Nate Borozinski)

Links for Endomondo:

Endomondo for iPhone

Endomondo for Android 

Endurox R4:  Endurox is a recovery drink with a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio.  This ratio of carbs to protein has been proven to;

-Increase Glycogen replenishment by 200%

-Decrease muscle damage by 50% and increase protein synthesis by 400%

-Extend endurance in subsequent workouts by 55%

That was straight from the website.  What it does is make you feel better and recover faster after workouts lasting longer than 45 minutes.  It's like magic, really.  

The first time I used it was after a 15 mile run I did with a running group that I had recently joined.  It was only the second run of that distance in my life and I had no idea what I was really doing.  I was training at only about 6 miles at the time.  So, we went out and ran 15 at a 7:30 pace.  I didn't bring any water or gels.  I didn't know any better.  I completed the run ate breakfast with the group and felt ok.  After I got home and showered, I laid down for a second and I was out.  I woke up a few hours later, tried to pry myself from the couch but just couldn't do it.  I fell asleep for another few hours and woke up upset that I was missing my weekend.  I didn't know what was going on.  I was really new to the world of endurance training.  I called my friend from the run and asked him for advice.  He said to go pick up some Endurox from the local cycling store.  Long story short, I got it drank it and began to feel better in about an hour. (It's best used within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.  I've learned to mix it in advance and have it ready and waiting for me when I get home from an intense workout.  Who wants to stand up and worry about mixing a drink when all you want to do is collapse?) I've not gone without it while training endurance since. I'll even mix it half strength and take it on rides instead of Gatorade or water sometimes.

Oh, I've tried all the flavors and Orange is my favorite!

You can get it on Amazon here.

6.26.12 Swimming

The Workout: Swim @ MI for 33 minutes.

I know I said I was going to post this weeks workouts today, but this week getting back from vacation has been so messed up that I'm just going to do what I feel like for this week and then start back into it on Monday.

Today's swim was really good though.  I feel like I've got a very efficient crawl stroke, but I've just got to build up to be able to maintain it for longer.  When doing it right I can just glide through the water, but as soon as I tire it starts to get and feel pretty sloppy.

The first few laps at the lake I maintained the crawl pretty well. Then I fell out of it. I've been taking short breaks usually when that happens to recompose, rest, and get back at it. However, this time I wanted to swim until I tired.  So I kept at it and switched to the breast stroke (which in my opinion is ok).  The only catch is that in a group/race you might accidentally "reach out and touch someone" with a kick or an arm... so the crawl is more pack friendly, but if you must switch strokes that's fine too.  I'm working up to be able to maintain crawl throughout the duration of the race, but if I need to I will switch to the old standby, even the sidestroke if I feel like.  My thought is that the crawl is obviously the stroke of choice, but as long as you're efficient and can make it through the water in a timely fashion, do as you please.  Nobody is going to fault you for it.

This leads me to my next post.  I'm going to introduce you to a few of my favorite things :)

6.26.12 Spinning

The Workout: Spin 60 minutes @ MI

Today's "ride" felt really good.  I felt really smooth and comfortable.  I was also getting out of the saddle every once in a while to give the legs and lungs a little surprise.

Much of my time was spent looking forward to my swim.

6.25.12 Spinning

The Workout: Spin 60 minutes at MI

It's been a few days since I've worked out.  Thursday and Friday we were travelling almost all day.  My nutrition was all screwed up and I was having a terrible time recovering from my run on the 20th.  I had wanted to run Friday after we got home, but really screwed that up by forgetting to eat as I was driving home.  I had only about 300 calories until around 2 in the afternoon.  I tried to catch up from the deficit, but the day was just lost, I had no energy.

Saturday we photographed a wedding and then Sunday we finally had time to begin to organize all of the stuff we just dumped into our living room from the trip.  It was a busy 4 days and I'm not happy I didn't work out, but I'm not really worried either.

I had a great spin today.  I was working on maintaining a high cadence in order to find any flaws in my form and work them out.  I'm still pretty smooth, but I have a little weakness issue in my left leg that's causing it to be off every once in a while.  I don't think I ever fully recovered my left leg from the meniscus tear (I didn't do physical therapy).  I've slowly been strengthening it and it's not noticeable if you look at it, but I still inadvertently favor it at times and I think that's what is leading to the small problem in my smooth spinning at higher RPM's. (-2 run on sentence)

I'll post this weeks workouts either later today or tomorrow morning.

And I won't be posting the spin info from Endo... it doesn't have any more info than what I've already stated above.

6.20.2012 Running (up a Mountain)

The Workout: Run my ass off.

Prior to the trip up to Winter Park, I was really looking forward to putting in some good efforts up here.  Little did I know that altitude would have such a negative effect.  I knew it would be difficult, but not like this.

Today was our last full day up here and my last chance to really put in an effort that I was proud of. I was headed out to the normal trail we had ran (Fraser River Trail) because I knew it and I was just going to give it all I had and try to put in 4 or 5 miles at a respectable pace.

Well... on my way out there I took a different route to warm up.  I walked through the little village area of Winter Park Resort to scout out some shops that I'd be visiting later in the day.  I came around one of the buildings and it just opened up to a spectacular view up the mountain.  I was immediately inspired to run it.  


I asked the guy operating the lift if there was a trail close that I could run on.  He pointed to a little path of dirt not more than about 13 inches wide and said it zig-zags all the way up to the top of the Zephyr Lift.

Sweet!

After starting Endo, sending a Glympse, and turning Pandora to my Skillet station, I was off.

At first I was charging up with a fury, but all too soon the lack of oxygen caught up with me and I was forced to slow it down.  Way down.  I had to walk for a bit.  I kept up a brisk pace walking and ran when I could.  I was giving 100% so it was all I could do.  Just keep moving up the mountain.  I was loving it!  Every once in a while I'd look back and see how much smaller the village below me looked, it was really rewarding.  This was the kind of run I was hoping for in Colorado!  I ended up ascending right around 1,000 ft.

I had told Meagan I'd be out for about 30 minutes (we were going out soon after I got back so I couldn't take much longer).  I hit 22 minutes and figured I should turn back.  I had taken a few photos on the way up, I wanted to take a video, but it would have been pretty boring and slow.  So, now on my way down I got out my phone, hit record, and began my descent.  It was WAY more fun than the ascent! A little scary at times, but definitely more fun.  What took me 22 minutes to climb only took me 11 minutes to get down.  My thighs were burning and were on the verge of cramping by the time I got down to the bottom.  I wanted to go at least 3 miles so I kept running on a service road until I hit that.

Here's the Endo info and a video of the descent.  It might make you motion sick or it may be boring to watch, I'm not sure.  I apologize for the shots of my shorts, I was trying to get the trail as I was going over it.  Apparently I'm not such a great running videographer.  It starts in a bunch of trees, but I'm not in there for long.  It soon opens up to be able to see down the mountain.  The video is also quite shaky since I'm just holding the phone in my hand.  It may not be worth much but I figured I'd include it anyways.

6.19.12 Impromptu Rest Day

Today we drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park.  I was planning on running when we got back, but it wasn't until much later than we had intended.  Plus, I was just pooped!  I think the altitude was finally catching up to me.  I was just drained by the end of the day.

We hiked in a few spots (I wish I would have had the foresight to track it with Endomondo).  The highest point we visited was just over 12,000 ft.  I felt ok doing it at the time, but on the ride back to Winter Park I think it was all catching up with me and I started feeling better that I took the day off of running.

I'm looking forward to putting in a good effort in the morning.  Not sure what I'm going to do yet.

But, today I just enjoyed the day out with Meagan, Liam, and Oliver up in the Rockies.

Here's some pictures of Liam and I taken with my phone.  We had our other camera up there, I might upload some of those later.

6.18.12 Running

The Workout:  30 minute run @ LI.

I've been doing some reading about running/working out at higher altitudes.  One of the main points I'm taking to heart is to run for effort not for time.  So, today I just took it easy (for the most part) and ran most of the way trying to keep that in mind.  Meagan and I headed out and just sat back and enjoyed the scenery.

It was a pretty run along the Fraser River.  Paved and a lot like the running trails in Olathe, but a lot prettier.  I was hoping for a more adventurous trail though.  One that was dirt and winding through the woods and along a river would have been cool.  I'll have to ask around to see if there's anything like that for subsequent runs.

On this one, I got a little faster each mile and ended up having my fastest one on the last mile, which happened to be uphill all of the way.  It seems like it's a shock to my body when I start running at high altitude.  It's really difficult in the beginning of the run, but near the end I feel like I get a little more used to it and can begin to work with the oxygen I've got.  Still no where near my normal times at 1000 ft in Kansas, but definitely more comfortable.

6.17.12 Running

The Workout: 30 minute run @ LI.

As we're making our way out to Winter Park, CO we ended up stopping in Goodland, KS last night for a little break.  In the morning it was time for a 30 minute run.  I wasn't expecting any real effect on my performance since we were still in Kansas, but as it turned out we were at 3,681 ft.  Which is about 3 times what I'm used to in Olathe, KS (elevation 1,005 ft).  The first mile I ran at a normally comfortable pace of 7:40, which is about what I averaged a few weeks ago for 13 miles.  Today there was no way I could have kept it up even for 5.  It was rough.  

I ran with my wife Meagan for mile two and recovered.  On the third mile I wanted to give it more effort and just see what I could do given that the first one was so tough.  There goes the Light Intensity for today.  

I pulled out a 6:53 mile and I really couldn't have gone much faster.  This was over a minute slower than my fastest mile time so far of 5:49.  

If I was feeling that poor at only 3,681 ft, I'm kind of nervous what I'll be feeling like at 9,000 ft.

6.15.12 Spinning... and then Running

The Workout: 2 hours of MI spinning... and then an impromptu run at the end.

I hadn't planned on running today, and I know my workouts have strayed from the original plan as laid out last week, but I've had to modify the schedule a little bit.  Even so, I've had a great week of training.

We're leaving tomorrow for Colorado and we'll be traveling most of Saturday and Sunday.  Since Sunday was scheduled to be my long day and we'd be on the road, I figured it wasn't going to happen.  So, I decided to do it today.  I didn't have a set time in mind.  I just wanted to spin for a while.  Before I knew it 2 hours went by and I was still feeling great.  Good enough to feel motivated to head out for a run.  The weather was on the verge of stormy, so it was somewhat overcast and there were nice cool gusts of wind... who could resist?

I felt awesome for having just spent 2 hours on the bike.  The momentum was lost right after mile 3 when I got stopped at a stoplight.  I tried to get the motor running again, but it just said no way.  I was content.  It was a great effort at the end of a long workout.

Run info is below...

6.14.12 Swimming

The Workout: 30 minutess of LI to MI swimming.

Another day at the lake.  It was pretty similar to Tuesday.  The unfamiliarity with the water, labored breathing as I struggle to regain my form of late, and frustration with each of those.  It'll just take time, but I know I'll get there.

There are extended moments when my form and breathing are spot on and I feel like I'm effortlessly gliding through the water.  Then I get fatigued as I mess up my breathing, begin to crave oxygen, start to gut flustered, and it all just goes downhill until I slow it down and recompose myself and try again.  It's a work in progress and I know swimming is the area I'll need to concentrate on the most to get into racing form.

6.13.2012 Spinning

The Workout: Spin @ medium intensity for 45 minutes.

Today I worked in some higher effort segments into my spinning.  Most of the time was spent in the saddle at an aerobic pace that was just a few clicks away from anaerobic.  After 30 minutes I started working in 60 second segments where I'd increase the resistance substantially and stand up out of the saddle.  After a minute, sit and spin easy for 60 seconds and repeat.  I did this for 10 minutes and then cooled down for the remaining 5.

I'm really looking forward to some hill workouts outside, but for now I can get in a better workout on the spin bike considering my time and availability.  As I was riding I was considering this.  Is spinning or riding the trainer a better representation of the actual outdoor conditions vs running on a treadmill and running outside.

Both indoor platforms rule out the effects of wind, weather, and road conditions so we'll just think about form while on each machine.  On both the spin bike and the trainer form will remain true to outdoors.  You may unknowingly find yourself sitting up more than usual since you're not actively trying to reduce the effects of the wind by getting in a more aerodynamic position, but overall the form from riding a bike outside to training indoors remains relatively unchanged.  Bike position while going up hill and downhill being an exception.

Running on a treadmill vs running outdoors however does require a very slight change with the treadmill to most accurately reflect running outdoors on a flat surface.  A study conducted in 1996 by the Journal of Sports Science found that setting the incline at 1% best reflects the body position and effort of running outdoors on a flat surface.   You can view the article abstract here or you can see what the people over at Livestrong.com had to say about it.

6.12.2012 Swimming

The Workout: 30 minutes of easy swimming.

It's been years since I've been in the water for exercise.  All of my time as of late spent in any body of water has been recreational.  So, I was very excited to get back in it this evening and workout.

It used to be one of my favorite times in the triathlon workout routine.  When I was in the Navy, I'd go to sleep really early (8pm) to wake up everyday at 5am to get my swim in.  Since that point in time though, I haven't really done much in the way of swimming.

One of our local parks has an open swim at the lake from 6:00-7:30pm on Tues and Thurs.  I had found out about it only a few weeks ago, and have now worked that time into my training schedule. It upsets the normal nightly routine a little bit, but we'll see if we can make it stick.  The whole family came and they all played on the beach while I was out getting reaquainted with my swim form.

It started off poor.  I went back to a simple breaststroke and then switched to a sidestroke once I was getting fatigued.  98% of the people in the water (most triathletes) were freestyling.  I felt like a schmuck with my breast and sidestroke...

So, after the first few laps around the bouys I swam in and rested a little bit and assessed what I was doing.  What I was doing was waisting this time, just dilly dallying in the water while not working on the stroke I'll be using come race time.  I got back in the water determined to finish the workout doing only the crawl.  As soon as I started I began to remember everything I'd learned years ago from the book "Total Immersion."  'Be a front quadrant swimmer.' 'Maintain neutral buoancy.'  'Stay long and narrow, like the keel of a speedboat.'  'Hands reenter the water as to not produce more drag, e.g. don't splash as you bring them back in.'  After a few minutes of this I was gliding comfortably through the water.  When I was doing it right it felt effortless, as soon I started to get fatigued, my form would fail and I could feel myself dragging through the water.  It was nice, but tough at the same time.

I finished as I had resolved to after my in workout assessment, by practicing my freestyle form for the remainder of my 30 minutes.  It was an excellent workout and I was beat.  My body just hasn't worked in that manner in a long time... time to wake those muscles back up and get to it!

Oh, you may notice I missed the 45 minutes of Strength Training this morning.  I had a Dr's Appt and had to work around it.  After the results of the appointment I'll need to shift my track workout tomorrow to later in the week and just do spinning and possibly some weights.  I'll be back up to speed before long.

6.11.2012 Running

The Workout: 30 mintes of running at medium intensity.

It's hard not to go all out when training all the time.  I think most of us feel like we need to push ourselves each and every workout to make gains, and it seems to make sense.  However, the saying in the design world "less is more" has some significance in the world of endurance training too.  The body adapts well to incremental increases in stress.  If you're trying to consistently change the way the body reacts to the stress of endurance running, swimming and biking then you need to make those changes over time and give the body time to adjust.  It's a good idea to work in high intensity training into your routine, but less than 1/4 of it should be all out balls to the wall intense.  All that will end up doing is causing injury, set you back in training, and make you feel (for a short while) that you really kicked ass that workout.

Which brings me to my run today.  I pushed Liam in the jogging stroller and was set to run 30 minutes at medium intensity.  It's tough to hold back and go slow, so I began to start thinking about things... like our vacation to Colorado that starts this Saturday.  I'm really excited about running up there, not super excited about the effects of altitude.  I'm curious how it will change the run and I look forward to the challenge, but I know it will probably end up being frustrating.  So today I thought, "how about if I just breathe through my nose for certain portions of this run and to see what it will feel like to be oxygen deprived."  I started doing that at 5 minutes and did it in 5 minute sets.  So 5-10 is nose breathing and alternating from there on out.  It was tough and I think my averages during those times reflect it.

6.11.2012 Spinning

The Workout: Spin at medium intensity for 45 minutes.


Day two of riding the spin bike in the living room... got to say I really like it.  Especially with our current situation.

My morning routine consists of getting up, getting Liam out of his room and both of us going downstairs.  Meagan and Oliver try to catch another hour or two of sleep if possible.  As we're coming downstairs Ruby (11 week old puppy) is barking her head off and can't wait to go outside.  So, I take her out bring her back in, feed her and then it's time for Liam and I to eat.  So we sit at the table and have some cereal or oatmeal and eggs.  Then after he's done he'll play with Ruby for about 20 minutes, at which time he either gets bored or accidentally bit by Ruby and he wants to go play with his own toys.  So I let Ruby back out to relieve herself and then she naps.  Finally... after about 45 minutes to an hour I have time to hop on the bike.  Ruby sleeps, Liam plays with his toys or watches a little TV and I get my morning workout in :)

Got my second workout of the day coming up next! Run time!

Next Week's Workouts (6/11-6/17)

Next Week's Workouts

Monday:

Spinning (45 minutes MI)
Running (30 minutes MI)

Tuesday:

Strength Training (45 minutes)
Swimming (30 minutes LI)

Wednesday:

Speedwork:
Track Ladders (Warmup 1600m. Then 400m -> 800m -> 1600m -> 800m -> 400m @ High Intensity with 400m recovery between each. Cool Down 1600m)

Thursday:

Spinning (45 minutes @ MI)
Swimming (30 minutes MI)

Friday:

Brick (Bike 45 minutes MHI -> Transition to Run 30 minutes MHI)

Saturday:

Rest Day

Sunday:

Long Run (1.5 hours aerobic running LI - MI)

6.10.2012 Spinning

The Workout:  Spin aerobically for 90 minutes, about 65-80% effort.

As the cycling portions of my training are just going to get longer and longer, I wanted to figure out how to maximize my time with the family.  So, today my wife and I figured it might workout best to just move the spin bike into our living room.  There's a little nook that we can store it while not in use and then just roll it on it's wheels out into the open when I need it.

We made a little room and made the move from the basement to the living room.  I was a little nervous that our 3 year old son's curiosity might get him into trouble with the bike.  However, unlike a bike on a trainer, there are a lot less places for fingers to get stuck in.  Plus, all of the moving parts are visible to me all the time, whereas with the trainer everything is in the back and it'd be tough to keep an eye on him.  He did really well with it though, for the hour and a half ride.  Only once did he try to touch the 40lb flywheel as it was moving.  I think I scared him with my scared reaction as I told him "NO!"

Then I figured it was only appropriate to try to show him the danger of the flywheel and even though it may not look dangerous it is.  So I got it spinning again and thought it might work to show him the speed of it by dropping one of his cars on top and watch it go flying off.  That only proved to make him laugh, not quite the safety fear I was hoping for!

6.9.2012 Rest Day

The Workout: None

I think that rest day is the hardest day of the week.  I know it sounds stupid and self-righteous maybe, but it's true.  I tend to get down on myself on rest day and feel really lazy.  It's a struggle to get through the day in a good mood.  My wife and I both struggle with this, so I assume it impacts a few more people than just us.  All I want to do is just go out for a run or do something active... I just want to train.

We were also talking about how it's a funny thing that we've both gone through periods in our life where working out wasn't a priority.  You know, we might go for a whole week without running!  Then why now, when it's one day off surrounded by 6 days on either side of training, do we feel so guilty for taking the time off?  I don't have the answer.

Maybe you've got some good tips to get through your rest day without beating yourself up.  Leave a comment, I'd like to hear them!

6.8.2012 (Brick) Boxing-Spinning-Running

THE WORKOUT: 30 minutes Boxing/Sparring -> transition quickly to 30 minutes of Spinning at medium-high intensity -> transition quickly to 30 minute run medium-high intensity.

In lieu of swimming, I'm substituting my heavy bag workout in the swim portion of this brick. Although it's not the same motion and muscles used, I'm using it to simulate fatigue experience during the swim and not necessarily as a swim workout... just so we're clear ;) I'll post the heavy bag workout I do in a later post. It's a really great whole body workout. I think I already said I'll post that workout, looks like I need to get on that!

I ate A LOT yesterday! I was still 300 calories shy of my recommended amount for the day of 3600, but it was better than any of the days in the past few weeks. I've got to say I feel so much better! Weird, I'm not starving myself and my body thanks me!

In turn, the whole workout was great today. I slowed just a little bit on the last mile of my run, but overall I felt really good.

Here's the run info.

6.7.2012 (Brick) Spinning-Running

THE WORKOUT: Spin 30 minutes -> transition quickly to a 30 minute Run.

First brick workout in years! Since triathlon is it's own sport it it's to be trained as such. Even though there are three distinct components, Swimming, Biking, and Running, they all need to be treated as one event to get your body used to riding after swimming and running after swimming AND riding.

Enter the brick. It's just a workout where any of the two components are done together. So, today is a riding and running brick.

I working on training in increments of time right now rather than in distance. The total workout today was 60 minutes, which each half being 30 minutes. The transition time between the two is not race speed. That will come later on.

It was another basic spin and then off on the run. I'm still working on getting my daily nutrition dialed in. I have such a hard time getting in the calories I need... I just don't like to eat, so that presents a little bit of a problem. Much of the time I am forcing myself to eat, because I really don't feel like it or I don't think of it and my wife has to remind me. I wish there was just a simple Jetson's style pill to take. Daily and in workout nutrition played a part in the run of this workout. I hadn't eaten enough the previous day. I had a caloric deficit of about 900 calories. In workout, I failed to take a gel at 45 minutes into the workout. The later part of the run suffered because of it. It's a work in progress.

Here's the Endo info:

I'll skip the Spin info on Endo, it's just a 30 minute spin.

Here's the run...

6.6.2012 Spinning

THE WORKOUT: Spin at medium-high intensity for 60 minutes.

It's been so nice outside that I've really been enjoying running outdoors and have put spinning off for a little while. I'm still getting my bike back in road condition. I need to get a new tire, then lube the chain, and most likely some fine adjustments to shifting. So, spinning is it for right now, which is fine because I really like my spinning bike and I don't necessarily need to be getting the real feel of the road again yet. I'm still getting my engine back into shape, soon we'll start working on the rest. Just a basic spin of about an hour.

6.5.2012 Running

THE WORKOUT: 30 minute Run with intervals -> 1 minute High-Intensity, 2 minutes Medium-Intensity for the duration of the run.

Just did some intervals over 4 miles. After warming up, I did high intensity for 1 minute and recovered for 2. My Nike running shorts with the phone pocket weren't clean, so I had to wear some old school running shorts I've had for about 9 years. So, I didn't bring my phone since I had no other recourse but to hold it... and I didn't feel like doing that.

There's no map on the info below. I'm trying to figure out how to add that post workout.

6.4.2012 Cross-Training

THE WORKOUT:  30 minutes custom heavy bag routine.  30 second rounds with 10 second rests for the duration of the exercise.  

A pretty routine heavy bag workout today followed up by some core work with my favorite free-weights, 40 lb salt bags. They're only $5 each and are great for lunges, back, abs, shoulders... almost anything! Even curls if you're strong enough, which I am not, nor plan to be. If it happens it happens, just saying it's not a goal. Anyways, standard heavy bag workout. Love it because I can get in a great whole body workout and have a great time doing it. Also a great way to let out some frustrations... if you ever have those. I've got videos of the workout I do, I'm working on putting it into a single video, then I'll post it. I don't think it's necessary to post the Endo info, it's just time. I went for 30 minutes.

6.3.2012 Running

THE WORKOUT: Long Run 1.5 hours

Yesterday was my long day. After taking Friday off and shooting a wedding on Saturday I just really wanted to get out and go. The hard part is that I've not yet figured out nutrition on wedding day to prepare for a long run the next day. We're lucky if we get 30 minutes to eat total from about 9am to 11pm. As I've said before, it's a pretty tiring ordeal even in good shape.

So, trying to make up for my poor nutrition on Saturday took up much of the day Sunday as I got in some fuel and hydrated for the run. That finally put me heading out just after 2pm.

The first three miles went fine, mile 4 I developed an intense side cramp that I was finally able to get to go away before mile 5. 5-7 were pretty uneventful, other than getting lost on the trail and having to take a different route, I was able to get back to my pre-staged water and gel I'd left earlier in the day. I had already eaten three Strawberry Shot Bloks and was making my way slowly through the other three as I went through miles 6-8. I experienced a few more side cramps, ran through them, and maintained my pace. My ITB's were both giving me some problems, the discomfort never developed into much swelling so I continued, but stretching those babies out is something I'll have to work on. In the first Half-Marathon I did back in the early 2000's I had a really bad problem with my right ITB. At mile 9 I had to stop and walk and stretch it out for quite some time. It had swollen up to about the size of a golf ball (no joke), there was just this swollen ball off the right side of my right knee and it rendered me almost immobile. I ended up finished in 1:38, but was out of training for a while afterwards. That injury and my torn meniscus have caused me to change from a heel strike runner to running on the balls of my feet and not hitting my heels at all, but that's a story for another post I suppose.

So, 8-10 were nice. I got into a nice groove and before I knew it the two miles were up. I was beginning to get weak and had that one gel left, but I didn't want to take it too early and bonk with a mile left. I knew it would be good for at least 3 miles, so I decided to take it at 10. 10-13 went by really fast, on mile 12 I thought I might have my fastest split. I was feeling really good and moving along at a decent clip, then there was a long slow grinder of a hill that took the wind out of my sails. It also upset my goal of finishing 13 with a faster split. Then all of the sudden it was over!

I had just finished the 4th run in my life of greater than 10 miles and I felt really good!

Fast forward 2 hours and the picture isn't so pretty. I started to get REALLY bad stomach cramps and was so weak that I could barely peel myself off the floor. I laid on the floor for a good 45 minutes trying to make it through the cramps. Finally took some Immodium (at the recommendation of my awesome saint of a wife) and they began to get better. I really needed to hydrate. I had lost 4 pounds in the course of the run and it was making me feel pretty dang bad.

As I write this morning I'm still recovering, and feeling better. Now I just need to figure out a game plan for in run hydration and pre and post-workout nutrition. I'll just be doing some cross-training later today with the heavy bag and give the legs a rest before tomorrow.

All in all it was a great run and I'm thoroughly happy with my average of 7:50/mi. I was expecting between 8:00-8:30. The run info is below.

6.2.2012 Progress Report

I just thought it'd be a good idea to go back and look at where I was when I began in January and see how it compares to now. In January, I had become tired of slowly gaining weight. I hadn't done much since I tore my meniscus in 2008 and we had our son Liam in 2009. I'd jog every once in a while and was always dreaming of getting back into shape. I just never took the action to make it there though.

There were a few things that pushed me to finally quit putting it off, get off my lazy butt, and start working! In no apparent order they are...

I was starting to feel really sluggish and lazy. Liam was growing up, getting bigger, and I was getting weaker. I would lift him up sometimes and hurt my back or feel really fatigued. I just didn't have a lot of energy. I felt like such a slug when I'd have to forego playing with him because I had just tweaked my back... I'm only 31! I shouldn't be having those concerns!

I was getting close to 200 lbs. I have vowed to never go over 200 lbs, for me it just seems like way too much considering where I've been and I just never want to get there. For other people with different goals, I understand 200 is fine. I'm not saying the number itself is bad... for me it is bad. I hit 193, which is about 15-20 lbs more than I was in the best shape of my life. Being only 7 lbs from hitting 200 I had to do something, if I didn't I know for sure I would make it there.

I wanted to be a good example for my son(s), #2 was on the way at the time. I've always pictured myself running, riding, and just being active with them and the way things were going for me, I would easily be left in the dust and not much of an inspiration. I want to be the kind of Dad that inspires his kids through actions and accomplishments, rather than just saying, here's a bike go ride... or here's a bat and glove go play. Then telling them stories of how good of shape I was in earlier in life. It's possible to be in good health throughout your life, so many people have proved it. Age is no excuse, especially not for me.

Finally, there was a movie... Warrior. I've never been into MMA, I respect it and the athletes, but I've never followed it or had the desire to do it. It's just a really great movie and story. The story in itself is really inspiring, a struggling guy with his family uses his natural talents to support his family and fulfill his desire to do what he's good at... at least that's what I got out of it! I see myself a lot in that guy and it inspired me to do better, much better. I know that I can be good great if I apply myself. I just have to commit and I think I'll surprise even me.

So for the progress up to this point.

I weighed around 193 lbs in January, right now I'm hovering between 184-186, I'll call it 186.

My resting HR was 63, it's now 52.

My fastest mile time has improved from 7:11 to 5:54.

My distance and the speed at which I cover it is constantly getting better too.

On April 21st I ran the Garmin 5K in 21:11. I know it's not great and it's not as good as I used to be, but it's heading in the right direction and I know I'll get better. My training 5K times are already better than that. We'll see what I do on July 4th in my next race. My goal is to finish between 18-19 minutes.

So, this is all from January to now. I don't have any bike or swim data yet. I'm going to start working those in soon. I've been doing work on the spin bike, but nothing to note any progress.

In short, I'm getting lighter, faster, and stronger!

Here's a graph from Endomondo of my running workouts from January to now. You'll have to click on it to see it bigger. But as you can see in green, I'm putting in progressively more miles (green), my average speed is getting faster (dark blue), my average mile times are in turn getting lower (light blue).