Warning: These pre-Kona posts are going to be longer than normal. Please "pack a lunch".
Even if your listening to music, podcasts or audio books, you still slip into thought. It's a great way to solve problems and spark creativity.
Training can also be very Zen, especially after a night of debauchery.
What makes hangovers Zen is you are in the moment, it's hard to think of the past or the future when you're head hurts. It's the same way if you're "still" feeling the effects from the night before.
For the past couple of days, my training thoughts are about Kona most of the time. My enthusiasm to train is also up. With only 7 days and 20 hours until the start, I want to finish my training strong and show up with no regrets. If possible, I want to race and finish on my terms, I don't want the course and conditions to own me, like it did last time.
I had three individual training sessions today, totalling just under 6 hours, and started with the swim. Welcome to my taper. I wanted to get the swim over with first, if I leave it to the final session, it becomes more "bail-able".
After my pathetic swim at Ironman Syracuse 70.3, I really want to get my speed back and made some progress. I was doing 100 meter intervals, two on 10 second rest and the third on 45 second and repeat. I was originally supposed to only do 15 x 100 and continued doing more until I couldn't continue to swim under 1:40 per set anymore.
It took me 2100 meters before I hit the 1:40 mark. All of my previous 100's were between 1:36 and 1:39, which is fast for me, especially considering at Syracuse I averaged only 1:55 per 100 meters. Later in the swim I did another 5 x 100 for a total of 2600 meters of intervals. None slower than 1:41 per 100.
I was really happy with today's pool session. The problem is I don't know if it will carry into the next session. Swimming is like that. One day you "got it" and the next day "you don't".
My next session was on the bike. I was really curious to see how it was going to go, my last couple rides have been "great". Since riding Syracuse as a "super bike" speed work session, my legs have responded positively and feel stronger.
The goal of today's session was to ride under 140 bpm, not go too hard and enjoy. Fifty meters into the ride I knew it was going to be a good one. I hadn't felt this effortlessly strong on the bike since February's Ironman China training camp in Palm Springs.
It was one of the best bike rides I can remember in a long time and I even did it bundled up, I was sweating a lot. Other guys were riding by sleeveless and I was dressed for winter. All my other workouts, except in the pool, have been the same. Bundled and hot. Even on the track.
I've also been taking "hot baths" at night and each one is getting easier to stay in longer. I've been doing so many things differently lately I'm not sure which is the "key one" that's working.
Is it the "hot baths" helping my legs recover? Is it the protein smoothies? Is it eating food that keep my blood sugar levels stable? Is it staying away from "junk food"? Is it from not drinking beer? Is it from taking vitamins? Is it getting at least 7.5 to 8 hours of restful sleep? Is it the bundling up in the house? Is it the compression tights? Is it taking the rest days and changing them as I think I need to? Is it the stretching?
Now that I write that list, it seems like I'm doing a lot of things right. Although, I ran at around 8 pm in the dark tonight and it was a "push yourself out the door" run. I almost didn't do it in order to give my left buttocks / hamstring a break. It's still a level 5 on 10 soreness. I went anyways.
During all my training sessions lately, the same thought kept popping up, "Your going to Kona, that's BIG TIME" and I started trying to put it all in perspective. At first I thought Ironman Kona is to Triathlon what the "Superbowl" is to football, or the "Stanley Cup" is to hockey and then I thought, no, it's bigger.
Those two sports are more Country specific, Ironman Kona is International. It's more like what the "World Cup" is to Soccer, or the "Olympics" is to so many sports. It's that big and it dawned on me to "Qualify" to get there is an amazing feat.
To get there, each athlete needs to compete in one of only 25 other Ironman sanctioned races held around the world. Each race has up to 3000 participants and usually only 50 to 72 people qualify at each event based on finishing position in their age group.
I was going through the competitor list and there is a total 1962 athletes from 55 different Countries. From Canada there is 108 competitors and in my 45-49 age group, I'm one of 10 Canadian athletes.
It is so hard to believe that I did well enough to qualify for Kona. I competed 22 years ago through the lottery and saw all the "Uber Athletes". These people are the "creme de la creme" of the triathlon world and most are athletic "freaks of nature". They have talent and take this sport, diet and training as seriously as a "heart attack".
I can't believe this "beer drinking Canadian party boy" somehow made it in through the "front door". In my mind, going to Kona gives you "forever bragging rights".
Kona is the long course "Olympics" and it can be argued, even bigger. It's is the "big boy and big girls" race, the elite of our sport. The short course triathlon racers are amazing in there own right, but few are competitive at the Ironman distance. The Ironman "separates the big dogs from the little dogs". Kona is also the origin and legacy of our sport.
Very few triathletes can tell you who won the Olympics in triathlon in Beijing, I can't. But we all know who won the Ironman last year and everyone knows the names of the legends "Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Paula Newby-Fraser and soon to be, Chrissie Wellington".
On the race preparation front, my Triathlon Toons Tri-Jersey arrived today and it looks great. I love everything about it, except the sides. Most of my Tri-Jersey's have black at the sides, which is very forgiving and hides "some waist fat". This jersey is "all truth", nothing to hide behind. I only have one option, to keep "Tri-Top thin", which is definitely motivational.
Today's video came to my attention from one of my new blog readers, Scott Goodfellow. Scott has a really cool story and it was documented on the video and was part of the NBC coverage. It's a BIG DEAL, having your journey being viewed by and touching millions of people.
Scott is now an F.G. (Fat Guy) and is working on become part of the P.F.G (Previous Fat Guy) Triathlon Club. He's up to about 240 lbs now and wants to get down to 175 lbs. His story sounds very familiar to mine and many of the P.F.G's. He's started a blog called 52comeback.com.
It just shows, "training is a zero sum game. If you don't use it, you lose it. Your body doesn't care what you did in the past and carry it forward. Every one of us P.F.G's know that we are only weeks of "over-eating and not-training" away from starting to become a F.G. again.
I hope me telling Scotts story and giving his blog address will give him some added pressure, er, I mean, "motivation". Who knows, if he loses that weight and gets back to Kona, it may be "worthy" of another NBC follow up story. Good luck my brother. Although, I'm sure he'd be happy just to get back to 175 lbs.
On the stats front, I finished September strong with 1340.26 kms of total training. It was my third biggest training month of all time. The previous two were January 2010 (1451 km) and February 2010 (1555 km) as part of my Ironman China training.
Septembers totals have the number 13 in them, which is my favorite number and has always been a good omen. My beer consumption is also down this month, I must be serious about showing up to Kona with no regrets.
Finally, props out to Doru ( 3rd donation) and "Doug and Cam" for their donations to the TPPF. Cam is a "young" kid that wants to one day be an Ironman. He had a very cool video of himself talking about Ironman on YouTube but it's gone when I looked today, I wanted to post it. Cam, put it back up and I'll post it for others to look at and be inspired by such a young person. Doug is "his pops" and a multi-Ironman finisher.
I checked with the "bank" regarding the TPPF, there is still plenty of room in the vault for more donations. So don't be shy, buy a beer for "Uncle Bry".
Swim - 1:37:05 / 4500 meters
Bike - 3:20:23 / 108.20 kms / 32.4 avg km pace / 129 avg hr.
Run - 43:09 / 7.66 kms / 5:38 avg km pace / 137 avg hr
September Training Totals
Swim - 21.35 kms / 13.24 miles
Bike - 1114.04 kms / 690.70 miles
Run - 204.88 kms / 127.03 miles
Total - 1340.26 kms / 830.96 miles
Gym - 5 sessions
Calories - 60,211
Weights - 5 sessions
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14 comments:
Nice jersey you got there! Way so Cool!
Yes Buddy, IT IS A BIG DEAL, A REAL BIG DEAL and you earned it.
Just a thought about your heat training, why not swim at the pool in your wetsuit. A freind of mine used to - just a thought. If you do then just don't do the tradition wetsuit warming ritual when you first get in the water - if you know what I mean.
"These post are going to be longer then normal"
LOL Welcome to the taper!!
I am jealous over the jersey though, I like it
nice one dude, good luck, im looking forward to it.
nice mileage by the way.
So, I didn't know that you liked merry go rounds and wore red pants. Nice distance on the dismount HAHA!
Alright, really the only part I remember from this post (since I got two pretty good naps in while reading this snooz fest) was the zen like euphoria you get from training.
To be honest, I don't feel that I had a good workout unless I enter this state. I have also found that unless I take a good 2 week break from running after a marathon, I have to run more miles to hit that bar. I guess this would be comparable to the high you get from drugs (never done drugs so I don't know). But in all honesty, that is one of the reasons I like running so much. That and I get a lot of my life sorted out while running.
Hang in there, you must be bored as hell sitting around the house in your jersey all day. Poor Alice.
On another note, it is pretty hard to drink your share of beers. I am trying to keep your beer maker in business while you are laying off the beers. I think their stock took a 10 point hit when you stopped drinking!
B,
It’s a BIG DEAL. You did it…you earned it…and it’s a VERY BIG DEAL.
And you made an important point: Most of the folks who qualify for Kona are talented and very serious about these events. I liken this to the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners who dominate road races.
As far as I’m concerned you qualifying for Kona holds more value because of your story. Don’t get me wrong…hats-off to ANYONE who can qualify for Kona…but again…the challenges you overcame (in the way of your love handles and reckless drinking) mean that it’s worth way more in my book when YOU do. That’s how I see it. I know that everyone’s got a story…but let’s be real for a second…this is real life and some people start the same race with a head start. Others start with a longer way to go and when they get to the finish line at the same time…you cannot discount that difference.
Again: It’s a BIG deal. You earned it.
But for the record…you are also talented and have started this journey better off than someone else who’ll be toeing-the-line with you at Kona as well.
Sh*t - If Bryan Payne can get into Kona, then anyone can. It's great that you qualified, but unfortunately this is just evidence of the watered-down quality of atheletes out there trying to get in. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy about this, as it gives me hope that I will have no problem qualifying when I go to try. :)
On a more positive note, the application for Kona Lottery Slots opened up today! Now, I think the lottery is great as it gives the average Joe/Jane a chance to get to Kona. That was what the Ironman was founded on, so I'm grateful they continue this practice. I'd like to stick it to the elitest-snobs that whine about the lottery. Most of those that cry about it, are the ones that couldn't cut it at qualifying. For those of you, I have a message: Go suck your thumb.
Disclaimer: I'm just a cyclist, nothing to see here, move along!
>> oh and you said "Chrissie Wellington"! unf unf, thwack thwack, aarrrroooooga!!!! hawt babe!
I haven't read the post yet, but I noticed you put up the video with Scott Goodfellow.
Thought you'd like to know that Scott lives 15min from me and is a very good friend of mine. We often head out for rides together. Before I ever met him, I saw that video and that is what drew me to give this tri thing a shot. A few years later, he brings his daughter to my girl's 4th birthday party. The rest, as they say, is history.
Pop up to Ottawa sometime and we'll all head out for drinks and stories!
B, I got choked up so many times during this post but especially "I'm one of 10 Canadian athletes." I am so proud of you for getting to the start line and I know it wasn't easy. I hope you race this race like you did St. George, for the sheer joy. This chance doesn't come often (you'll do it again next year I'm sure) and I love that you are already getting into it.
Love the jersey!!
Grasshopper
what your bros address I will drop off your gift from calgary
great jersey, it looks amazing!
Really cool outfit B!!! It was worth the wait. Where did you order the jersey from?
Miha and I both like your idea and once we figure out what tri-toon we want, we'd like to print it on a jersey.
Z, thanks.
S, thanks. Not a bad idea, better yet, I should walk around the house and sleep in my wetsuit. haha. Oh, and who says I need a wetsuit to do my ritual pee. haha.
B, haha, yeah no kidding. Thanks about the jersey.
J, thanks man.
M, thanks, I finally get the recognition I deserve from someone. haha.
It's funny, unless I put a "smoking pole" comment every once in a while, you get distracted by "shiny objects". haha
I'm with you, I love the endorphin rush, but either I'm on it all the time and it doesn't seem like it, but the only time I notice it is if I go all out.
I know it may be insider trading, but I can give you the months when I will be drinking heavily and I'd suggest you buy as much stock as possible. haha.
Q, Thanks bro. Hey, hey, hey, I'm not a RECKLESS DRINKER!!!! Oh, wait a minute, now that I think about it, your right. haha. Thanks again. I love you too man. haha.
J, finally, we agree on one thing, "if I can make it to Kona anyone can". I needed to do 23,000 miles of training to get there, but others probably need less and you'd need much more. hahaha.
I also agree, the lottery is great for those that can't qualify and they get a chance to be part of the greatest triathlon on earth. I was fortunate to get chosen 22 years ago, although, I will say, qualifing gives great "bragging rights". haha.
And a third thing I agree with, Chrissie is awesome.
Damn, I agreed with you on 3 things. I'm sure the world will end soon. It's can only be a sign.
C, very cool. If I get out to Ottawa, or when I do, I'll definitely hook up with you.
A, Thanks and I hope your right and I have a great enjoyable race. Thanks about the jersey as well.
V, thank you sir.
D, I got it from ZBikeWear, but I had to order 6. haha. I'm working with them to see if we can come up with a one only jersey of a tri toon. It's looking positive.
B
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