Sunday, October 23, 2011
10/23/11
Today was AWESOME!!! Slept in till 8:15 or so. (our dogs are crazy) Jenni made pancakes and eggs and coffee for breakfast, which was fabulous! I then worked on our shed to organize our club materials from our personal stuff, so our house is more organized and clean. Then we went for a 34 mile bike ride (Jenni went 50) and then more shed work. Then we went wine tasting with our good friends the Messersmiths, and then we came home and did more shed work and had a wonderful dinner with Martin and Karen. Now Jenni and I are watching Hoosiers, which is Jenni's favorite movie. Bed will be soon, and Masters practice is 5:30am. Have a great week everyone!!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
October 22, 2011
So, Wednesday, I rode the spin bike at the pool for 1 hour while I coached my Senior Group. I was planning on 8 miles Thursday morning, but Jenni's sister and brother in law came to visit, so we ended up visiting with them till around 11pm on Wednesday night. I slept in, so I could be my best at school on Thursday, but I brought my running clothes with me. I ran 3 miles with my swimmers before swim practice at 6:46 pace on a gravel levy. I have done that run many, many times, and that was my fastest by almost a minute, so I was very happy with it.\
No workout Friday.
Today, I ran 4 miles while my swimmers ran 3. I ran a comfortable out and back that was 15:04/15:04 for a 7:32 pace. I was planniing on another 6 after the kids left, but when I started, my calf felt really tight, and with 7+ months till the race, I felt it wiser to not risk hurting myself.
So, I'm definitely getting more consistent with my training, and my running is getting better despite not getting high mileage in yet.
One of my masters swimmers said, she thought I made this blog sound like I don't enjoy my training. That is not what I'm trying to get across. I LOVE WORKING OUT! And I really love being as fit or more so at 37 than when I was in high school.
What I do want to emphasize is that it is my goal to be MY BEST at EVERYTHING I do, and not neglect things because of something else. I hope this makes sense.
Tomorrow's plan is a 50 mile bike ride, then some wine tasting with friends. Should be an AWESOME DAY!!
No workout Friday.
Today, I ran 4 miles while my swimmers ran 3. I ran a comfortable out and back that was 15:04/15:04 for a 7:32 pace. I was planniing on another 6 after the kids left, but when I started, my calf felt really tight, and with 7+ months till the race, I felt it wiser to not risk hurting myself.
So, I'm definitely getting more consistent with my training, and my running is getting better despite not getting high mileage in yet.
One of my masters swimmers said, she thought I made this blog sound like I don't enjoy my training. That is not what I'm trying to get across. I LOVE WORKING OUT! And I really love being as fit or more so at 37 than when I was in high school.
What I do want to emphasize is that it is my goal to be MY BEST at EVERYTHING I do, and not neglect things because of something else. I hope this makes sense.
Tomorrow's plan is a 50 mile bike ride, then some wine tasting with friends. Should be an AWESOME DAY!!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Training Begins
So, I have begun my training towards Ironman Texas. Recently I have been running on Saturdays with my swimmers (when we don't have meets) which amounts to 3-4 miles. This was about the extent of it until I signed up for Ironman Texas.
Last week, I got up at 6:00am on Tuesday and ran 4 miles at 7:15 pace. I then was to school by 7:45am, taught until 3:05 then to the pool to run swim practice from 4-7:45, then home by 8:10 or so.
Thursday, I was very tired from the 15 hour day on Wednesday, so I slept in then went straight to school. When I got home from swim practice at 8:10, I immediately changed into my running gear, and Jenni and I went for a 3.3 mile run, which she said "I don't want to go easy, but not 6:30 pace either." Well, we didn't go 6:30 pace, it was 6:36 pace. Not a bad workout after a long day.
My next workout was Saturday. I had a swim meet until 2:30ish, but it was just in Lodi (6-7 miles from home), so when I got home, I changed and ran 8.27 miles at 7:39 pace. Not too bad since all I had consumed until that point was a coffee, 1/4 of a muffin, a hot dog, chips, and a cookie, plus some water. Needless to say, the run hurt!
Sunday was the meet again, so when I got home around 2:30, I went for a 29 mile bike ride with Jenni (which totalled 104 miles for her as she is racing Ironman Arizona in Nov.)
My next workout was today. I got up at 5:50 and was out the door around 6am for a 6.05 mile run. I felt pretty good, and ended up running 7:09 /mile pace, which may be my best for that distance.
Tomorrow is another long day starting with 5:30am practice and ending at 7:45pm. I am planning on spinning at the pool though. I'll let you know how that goes.
Last week, I got up at 6:00am on Tuesday and ran 4 miles at 7:15 pace. I then was to school by 7:45am, taught until 3:05 then to the pool to run swim practice from 4-7:45, then home by 8:10 or so.
Thursday, I was very tired from the 15 hour day on Wednesday, so I slept in then went straight to school. When I got home from swim practice at 8:10, I immediately changed into my running gear, and Jenni and I went for a 3.3 mile run, which she said "I don't want to go easy, but not 6:30 pace either." Well, we didn't go 6:30 pace, it was 6:36 pace. Not a bad workout after a long day.
My next workout was Saturday. I had a swim meet until 2:30ish, but it was just in Lodi (6-7 miles from home), so when I got home, I changed and ran 8.27 miles at 7:39 pace. Not too bad since all I had consumed until that point was a coffee, 1/4 of a muffin, a hot dog, chips, and a cookie, plus some water. Needless to say, the run hurt!
Sunday was the meet again, so when I got home around 2:30, I went for a 29 mile bike ride with Jenni (which totalled 104 miles for her as she is racing Ironman Arizona in Nov.)
My next workout was today. I got up at 5:50 and was out the door around 6am for a 6.05 mile run. I felt pretty good, and ended up running 7:09 /mile pace, which may be my best for that distance.
Tomorrow is another long day starting with 5:30am practice and ending at 7:45pm. I am planning on spinning at the pool though. I'll let you know how that goes.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
My First Ironman
So, Jenni and I sat at our computers the Monday after Ironman Arizona 2008 and anxiously awaited the entries to open to the public. Once it did, we began manically hitting refresh as we tried to get entered in the event that had quickly filled up in previous years. We luckily got our chance and we both were registered before it filled up within the hour. Then the training began.
Jenni was working as a Post Doc at Shriners Hospital in Sacramento, and I was doing a long term sub for high school math from Jan-May 2009 as well as coaching swimming. The summer was free except for coaching swimming however, and I was able to get some pretty good rides and runs in with my awesome wife.
We got at least one 20 mile run in and some 70+ mile bikes in, including a 3 looop 113 mile bike that would sort of simulate the course at Tempe.
The day was incredible. Then THE START...
2500 people all starting at once. I'm a good swimmer, so I figured I'd start at the front, man was that a mistake. I got run over IMEDIATELY!!! I finally got free and in a groove and ended up 175th out of 2500, not too bad for swimming once per week.
Then the bike. Well, this is undoubtedly my worst of the 3. And combine that with the fact that I definitely didn't train the bike well enough, or often enough, and that makes for a rough 112 miles.
Just getting out of my shoes was a chore as both hamstrings cramped up worse than I could ever imagine. Despite that, I was 25 minutes faster than I had planned to go my goal time of breaking 12 hours. After sitting and getting help into my running shoes. (The volunteers at Ironman Arizona were so totally INCREDIBLE!!! You can't even imagine!), I was off to the run.
The run at IMAZ is 3 loops. I made it through loop 1 no problem. I kept calculating in my head my pace necessary to break 12 hours, and I was GOOD TO GO!!! I started tearing up thinking about my swimmers and how I was going to be able to tell them about how I set a goal, and was able to achieve it through hard work, dedication and determination. Then mile 10 struck... I was carrying my own water bottle, which I was getting filled up when necessary. After stopping at the mile 10 aid station to get more water, my first step afterward was a bad one... My knee felt all twisted and hurt like never before. I shuffled for another 2 miles, then made the decision to walk. That was the longest walk I could ever imagine. 10 miles worth. One thing that kept me going, was I WILL FINISH!!! I finally got to mile 22, and looking at my watch said "I can still break 13 hours, but I have to run" So, I grit my teeth and ran. Ran fast actually, around 7:30 pace for the last 2.4 miles. I ended up going 12:54, and my knee was killing me all night and the next day.
I decided my knee problem was mainly a cramp, and had I trained properly, it wouldn't have happened.
So, here I am now. I've begun my quest toward Ironman #2 (Ironman Texas), and I have decided to make the most of it.
My goal is 11:30.
It is also my goal to go wine tasting, play golf, see movies, go out to eat with my wife, and walk to dogs more.
These are my goals, and I plan on making them happen.
"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan." -Tom Landry
Jenni was working as a Post Doc at Shriners Hospital in Sacramento, and I was doing a long term sub for high school math from Jan-May 2009 as well as coaching swimming. The summer was free except for coaching swimming however, and I was able to get some pretty good rides and runs in with my awesome wife.
We got at least one 20 mile run in and some 70+ mile bikes in, including a 3 looop 113 mile bike that would sort of simulate the course at Tempe.
The day was incredible. Then THE START...
2500 people all starting at once. I'm a good swimmer, so I figured I'd start at the front, man was that a mistake. I got run over IMEDIATELY!!! I finally got free and in a groove and ended up 175th out of 2500, not too bad for swimming once per week.
Then the bike. Well, this is undoubtedly my worst of the 3. And combine that with the fact that I definitely didn't train the bike well enough, or often enough, and that makes for a rough 112 miles.
Just getting out of my shoes was a chore as both hamstrings cramped up worse than I could ever imagine. Despite that, I was 25 minutes faster than I had planned to go my goal time of breaking 12 hours. After sitting and getting help into my running shoes. (The volunteers at Ironman Arizona were so totally INCREDIBLE!!! You can't even imagine!), I was off to the run.
The run at IMAZ is 3 loops. I made it through loop 1 no problem. I kept calculating in my head my pace necessary to break 12 hours, and I was GOOD TO GO!!! I started tearing up thinking about my swimmers and how I was going to be able to tell them about how I set a goal, and was able to achieve it through hard work, dedication and determination. Then mile 10 struck... I was carrying my own water bottle, which I was getting filled up when necessary. After stopping at the mile 10 aid station to get more water, my first step afterward was a bad one... My knee felt all twisted and hurt like never before. I shuffled for another 2 miles, then made the decision to walk. That was the longest walk I could ever imagine. 10 miles worth. One thing that kept me going, was I WILL FINISH!!! I finally got to mile 22, and looking at my watch said "I can still break 13 hours, but I have to run" So, I grit my teeth and ran. Ran fast actually, around 7:30 pace for the last 2.4 miles. I ended up going 12:54, and my knee was killing me all night and the next day.
I decided my knee problem was mainly a cramp, and had I trained properly, it wouldn't have happened.
So, here I am now. I've begun my quest toward Ironman #2 (Ironman Texas), and I have decided to make the most of it.
My goal is 11:30.
It is also my goal to go wine tasting, play golf, see movies, go out to eat with my wife, and walk to dogs more.
These are my goals, and I plan on making them happen.
"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan." -Tom Landry
The Second Journey Begins
So, I've never done a blog before, as I've never seen a reason for anyone to listen to me rant. However, I think I now have something I feel I can share.
I did my first Ironman in 2009 in Tempe, AZ. It was such an awesome experience! The whole environment was amazing, but being a competitive person, it was also very eye opening to what it takes to do your best. I have now signed up for Ironman Texas for May 19, 2012. I am very excited about the race and the months to come.
One of the things that "excites" me most is the obstacles that lie in my path. I am a Math teacher as well as a swim coach. Mondays/Wednesday and Friday's my day starts with 5:30-6:30am Masters Swim practice. I then go straight to school. I leave school around 3:30pm and go straight to the pool where I run age-group practice from 4-7:45pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays I don't have morning practice, so I get to school by 7:30am and everything else is the same. Fridays, I'm done by 6:45pm. Weekends we have swim meets.
So you can see that I have very limited amounts of time with which to train. I have however decided to make this a dedicated enterprise, with which I choose not to let it run my life and to make sure I still do fun, non-triathlon things.
It is my goal that through reading this, others my become inspired as to how they can make similar goals without giving up "fun" and more importantly family.
My next blog will be about my first Ironman performance and what my goal for Ironman Texas is.
I hope you enjoy my ramblings, and I do hope to hear from you.
I did my first Ironman in 2009 in Tempe, AZ. It was such an awesome experience! The whole environment was amazing, but being a competitive person, it was also very eye opening to what it takes to do your best. I have now signed up for Ironman Texas for May 19, 2012. I am very excited about the race and the months to come.
One of the things that "excites" me most is the obstacles that lie in my path. I am a Math teacher as well as a swim coach. Mondays/Wednesday and Friday's my day starts with 5:30-6:30am Masters Swim practice. I then go straight to school. I leave school around 3:30pm and go straight to the pool where I run age-group practice from 4-7:45pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays I don't have morning practice, so I get to school by 7:30am and everything else is the same. Fridays, I'm done by 6:45pm. Weekends we have swim meets.
So you can see that I have very limited amounts of time with which to train. I have however decided to make this a dedicated enterprise, with which I choose not to let it run my life and to make sure I still do fun, non-triathlon things.
It is my goal that through reading this, others my become inspired as to how they can make similar goals without giving up "fun" and more importantly family.
My next blog will be about my first Ironman performance and what my goal for Ironman Texas is.
I hope you enjoy my ramblings, and I do hope to hear from you.
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