Post St. Anthony's Review

What can I say, the weekend was awesome!  Made some great new friends, raced for a cause, and spent some time with awesome friends who came to visit from DC and Orlando.  Thank you all for making my weekend a special weekend.

A little constructive self-criticism.  I want to take some time to deconstruct the race, and talk about how I did.  I'm happy that I finished the race, you'll see why later.  I am a bit bummed, however, about my run.  The stats:

Placed 1295 overall out of 3193 triathletes
Placed 24th out of 69 TNT Men
Placed 1008th out of 2088 Men

1000m Swim - 18:05 - Rate of 1:40/m
T1 - 2:40
40k Bike - 1:13:24 - Rate of 20.3mph
T2 - 1:54
10k Run - 1:13:23 - Rate of 11:51/mile
Overall time - 2:49:25

Swim
Unfortunately, half way through the swim waves, the ocean became too rough to safely swim in, so the race organizers changes the course to be 1000 meters.  I must say, swimming in a pool doesn't compare to swimming open water in the ocean AT ALL!  The TNT coaches tried there best to prepare us for the ocean, and for that I am thankful.  The challenging parts for me, that I tried to work on the two days before the race was pace and sighting.  I didn't practice enough how to fit sighting into my swim rhythm.  For me, sighting expended too much energy, which ended up making me very tired.  I think I finally got the hang of it come race day.  Overall, I'm content with how I performed.  Things I need to work on is sighting and efficient swim strokes in open water.

T1
Not bad, but not great.  Once I got out of the water, I started to jog back to my bike, but the bike was so far away, and I was still trying to get my footing, so I ended up walking some.  Earlier that morning, I prepped my transition area with my bike shoes, rolled up socks in my shoes, race belt, and my sun glasses in my helmet on my bike.  First thing I did was put my race belt on and flip it around backwards.  Put my socks on, then my shoes, which I didn't even bother buckling the entire ride.  I then put my helmet on, clipped the helmet, and started running my bike out.  Once I got on the road, I put my sunglasses on.  Things I need to work on is being able to run from the swim to the bike rather than walk.  Also, have my cleats already clipped in, and not have to put socks on.

Bike
The bike ride was tough.  Head winds for most of the course made for a challenging ride, but the entire course was flat which was nice.  I cruised at an average speed of 20.3 mph, which is on the upper end of my performance.  I think I did 20.8 at my last mini tri, so to maintain a 20.3 for a 26 mile bike ride I was happy about.  Towards the end of the ride, I was cruising at 26 mph, if I can only maintain that speed like the pros, I would be set :).  I came in a bit too hot to the dismount line.  I got my feet out of my shoes before getting to the line, when I got off the bike and put my feet down to the brick ground, I started sliding because the brick had no traction, and I was going too fast.  I ended up crashing into two bikers dismounting at the line.  Luckily, the crash was minor.  No one was hurt, no one went down, they stopped me before I crossed the line, and I didn't get penalized.  Overall, I think I performed well on the bike.  I need to work on building strength into my legs, and consider a TT/Tri bike purchase with the proper fit.  My back was beginning to bother me towards the end of the ride.

T2
A good T2 time.  When I set up my transition area the day before, the bike was mounted by its seat with the front wheel down to the ground.  When I entered T2 to mount my bike in transition, the quickest thing for me to do was mount the bike my its brakes with the backwheel down.  This saved some time.  My bike shoes were already off and still clipped to my bike.  All I had to do was get my helmet off, put my visor on, and my running shoes, and off I was.

Run
The run was tough.  Not sure if I over did it on the bike, or if I wasn't hydrated, but my legs were just gone.  I jogged the first 2-3 miles, but at the U-turn, my right quad cramped in two places.  I tried to stretch the quad out, but then my hamstring cramped.  When I tried to stretch my hamstring out, my quad cramped again.  I seriously thought it was over then, but I managed to walk it off, and had to run/walk for about 2 miles, then ran the last mile, and sprinted in for the finish.  I know I need help in this area for sure.  I want to record my run, and see how to fix it.

The Bike is my strength.  The swim and run need work, just need to figure out how to get there.

Thank you everyone! For your words of encouragement, for your generosity, and support. 

Go Team!

ps. keep following the blog, I'm training for a September half ironman.

The Countdown Begins - 10 Days till St. Anthony's

So, the countdown begins.  We are now in taper mode.  We peaked last week.  This week, the amount of time we are running, biking, and swimming will drastically decrease in order to conserve our energy and heal our bodies for race weekend.  My special goal this week is to focus on diet and sleep.  That means no beer or alcohol, at least not a lot, no pizza, and no junk food.  That also means, trying to get about 8 hrs of sleep each night, and prepping my body to wake up at 4am in the morning.  So far so good.

Adjusting the diet is the easier part, believe it or not.  Sleep is the tough part.  My only suggestion to people on this front is, take it slow.  Changing sleep patterns in one day doesn't work.  My normal schedule before was sleep late (midnight - 1am) for 5 to 6 hrs.  My goal - sleep early (9-10pm) for 7 to 8 hrs.  This takes a lot of discipline and pushing yourself to get out of bed in the morning.  Your goal, should be to get out of bed earlier and earlier each morning by 15 to 30 minutes, baby steps.  Additionally, sleep and wake up at around the same time each day, don't eat too late, and avoid caffeine a few hrs before sleeping.

T-minus 13 days: 45min Interval Run

T-minus 12 days: Timed 1 Mile Swim

T-minus 11 days: 60min Interval Bike, Chiro/Stretch courtesy of Dr. Morris at Vitality Chiropractic

T-minus 10 days: 60min Swim, 60min Long Run

Race is quickly approaching!

Manassas Tri It Now Tune Up Tri

Sunday morning, I competed in a small mini triathlon in Manassas hosted by Tri it Now.  I had to be up at around 5am, then make my way to Manassas to get checked in, marked up, and my transition area set up.  The morning was cold, upper 30s low 40's and cloudy.  The race started off with a 1.4 mile run, then transition to a 4 mile bike ride, then to an indoor 250 yard swim.  The order makes for an interesting and challenging transition.

The race started late that morning, at around 7:50am.  About 252 participants of all levels came out that morning and raced.  The entire race took place in and around the Freedom Aquatic Center at George Mason University.  Three waves of about 100 athletes took off on the run.  I was in wave number two, I try to get up to the front with all the other runners who tend to be faster.  I knew I wasn't the fastest out there, but better to be up front and not have to dodge the slower runners.  The whistle blew, and we were off.  I probably started off way too fast, but the idea was to get some distance so I wasn't clustered with runners, then settle into a rhythm, but 1.4 miles is too short of a distance to do that, I almost felt like I was trying to run hard the entire way.  The route was windy, running on the main street, around a building, through a mulch trail, and back around for a total of 1.4 miles.

Next was the transition to the bike.  My transition area consisted of a towel, swim cap, goggles, cycling cleats and helmet.  Once I got to the transition area, I kicked off my shoes, and tried to quickly get my cleats on.  Ideally, you want to have the cleats already clipped into the bike, grab the bike, and start running to the mount point.  Unfortunately for me, my cleats are not that easy to slip on because of the buckle, vice velcro.  After getting my cleats on, I buckled my helmet on, then started clanking down the asphalt with my bike.  At the mount point, I clipped into the bike and took off.  The bike is my most comfortable event.  A few days before, I was refitted, which means a bike fitter measured my angles and legs to get the ideal bike position.  As a result, my seat angle was adjusted, moved forward, and raised slightly to give me a more aggressive and forward leaning position when in aero position.  During the race, the position felt great.  The only downside to being more forward is my head needs to lift slightly higher to look up, causing additional strain in the neck.  I'm wondering if my position would be more comfortable on a TT/Tri specific bike.  The bike course had 4 or 5 u-turns, which is a bit annoying since there was left over sand from the winter, and it causes bikers to slow down.  I ended up passing people on the bike around the u-turns because I would attack the curves fast, then slow down a lot and take the inside position on the turn, and push out hard.  I came in quick to the dismount point, so quick that the marshal asking people to dismount jumped out and started yelling at me to stop stop stop, which I was planning on doing, just at the last minute :)

I clanked my way back to the transition area, hung up my bike, took off my helmet and glasses.  I pulled my shoes and socks off, then my sleeves, then my bike top, then grabbed my goggles and swim cap and started running to the pool.  On route to the pool, I put my swim cap on, then my goggles so that I could just slip into the pool quickly and start going.  The pool swim was crazy, cause you just started swimming once you got there, so you could potentially start swimming with 3, 4 or even 5 people at the same time.  Definitely an experience, the closest to open water swimming with other athletes I've had to date.  People pushing, touching, elbowing - fun and scary.  After finishing the swim, rather than waiting for people to climb out using the ladder, I just pulled myself out and walked quickly to the finish.

Results
I finished 10th overall, 4/21 in my age group but got 2nd in my age group since the 1st and 2nd place overall winners were also in my age group.
Run - Ranked 25 with a time of 8:43 (6:13 per mile)
T1 - 1:13
Bike - Ranked 7 with a time of 11:30 (20.87 mph)
T2 - 1:30
Swim - Ranked 39 with a time of 4:51 (1:56 per 100yrds)
Finish 27:46

Lessons Learned
Run - Not sure I would change anything here.
T1 - Start off with my cleats clipped in, and slip my feet in while on the move (may need new cleats for this)
Bike - Happy overall with my bike performance
T2 - Should have unbuckled my cleats, and slipped my feet out while approaching the dismount point. I also should have worn an underarmour longsleeve, vice wearing single arm sleeves, for quicker shirt removal
Swim - I should have been a little more aggressive with my swim to try and pass people, there were slight bottlenecks at the walls though because of the number of people

Overall, the race was fun, and an added bonus was Christine was there to cheer me on, and other friends competed as well.

Manassas Tune-up Tri in 3 days!

The weather will be a cold 38 degrees, cloudy, with a chance of rain on race morning this upcoming Sunday.  I'm looking forward to the race, it'll give me a chance to practice with other participants in a competition setting.

I talked about buying some new apparel in a previous post, well, I ended up settling on the Sugoi Velocity Tri shorts - partly because the two stores I visited didn't have any of the others.  I did try on the Sugoi Velocity and 2XU Competition Tri.

My thoughts when trying them on:

Sugoi Velocity Try Shorts

The material of these shorts are very different than most tri shorts.  A blend of Nylon and Lycra make the shorts fit snug and comfortably.  I want to say these shorts have a 9" inseam, and is so thin that water will not stay long.  The pad inside is thin, like you'd expect in tri shorts and is comfortable.

2XU Competition Tri w/ Pockets

I've had 2XU shorts before, I like them because they fit nicely.  Though the inseam was a little shorter than I liked.  2XU continues to make quality products.  The strange thing about these shorts when I tried them is, the pad for biking doesn't really look or feel like a pad.  It looks like a soft piece of cloth sewn into the crotch area.  The shorts felt comfortable, just didn't think the padding would be enough to be comfortable on the bike.

In the end, I decided to go with the Sugoi, because the material was much lighter weight, I thought the shorts would wick away water and sweat more easily, and the padding was more substantial and didn't look like it would absorb water.

Almost time for Recovery week

This week was really challenging to get all the workouts in.  Swimming was probably the only event that I practiced for consistently this week.  I swam about 1000 yards in 20 minutes, even longer on Thursday when we swam for about 25 minutes.  Do not, I repeat, DO NOT eat mexican late the night before an early morning practice.  I did just that, Wednesday night, and did not feel good in the water the next morning.

I'm hoping to make my weekend a productive workout.  The plan is a 110' bike and a 20' transition run on day, and a 60' interval run another day.

I still have yet to buy myself some new triathlon apparel for next weekend's sprint tune-up tri.  Will keep you all posted when I get myself some gear, and the results of my weekend workout.

What a week!

THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for your support.  The wine dinner at Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, VA was a success.  I am just so grateful for everyone who came out for the 4 course paired dinner.  A special thank you to Tim and Joey who hosted the event at their restaurant.  Tim and his kitchen were simply amazing, and Joey sure knows how to run everything!  I also want to thank Annie Schull from Raptor Ridge Winery who began her northeast wine tour sharing about Raptor Ridge wines by making Maple Ave Restaurant her first stop, as well as Al and Gray from Nice Legs Wines who worked closely with Tim and Joey to make the evening special with wine and the winemaker.  The wine was great, the food was delicious, and the company was awesome - thank you all for supporting me and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and for making the evening a night to remember.

Need some new Tri apparel!

So, I had one pair of Tri shorts, which I used two years ago for a sprint triathlon race.  Fast forward to 2010, I've worn my shorts outside, ran in them, and even trained in the pool with them and well, they aren't quite the fit they used to be.  I had a pair of 2XU Comp Tri shorts.  Great pair of shorts, for the 1.5 years I had them, but they don't fit well anymore.  They are all stretched out, and there seems to be some parts of the shorts that look like they are thinning out.  Perhaps my shorts are falling apart because of the pool, that is lesson learned #1: don't wear tri shorts in the pool on a regular basis, they will disintegrate.

Well, I have a sprint tune-up try coming up in 2 weeks, and I need a pair of tri shorts.  I've been looking at Sugoi Velocity Tri shorts, 2XU Endurance Aero Tri shorts, Orca, TYR and Zoot.  I plan to reserve these shorts for race days.  What I'm finding among most of the tri shorts is that the higher priced shorts use different technology, for example the Sugoi Velocity Tri shorts use a very thin,  stretchy, woven material, very different than their other products.  I'm kind of split, I don't know whether to try out a new vendor, or stick with 2XU.

I am also looking for a tri top.  During my first sprint tri, I had planned to put on a compression under armour t-shirt on, after swimming.  BAD IDEA, which brings me to lesson learned #2: don't try to put a compression top on when wet, you'll end up looking like a fool, which is exactly what happened to me.  I tried to put my top on, ended up ripping my bib, and looking like a fool trying to get the tiny shirt on.  Don't know what the criteria should be here other than I know I want a top I could swim in, but if I chose not to swim in it, a top that I could put on easily.  I don't want a full zip.

If anyone has any thoughts on this, or knows of any other vendor's that make some good tri shorts, let me know.  My criteria: comfortable, padding should be comfortable and the stitching not itch or scratch.  Shorts would preferably have pockets for some nutrition, and the inseam should be longer than 7".

What I'm thinking - any other ideas?
2XU Endurance Aero Tri
Sugoi Velocity Tri
Orca 226

Wine Dinner Fundraiser at Maple Ave Restaurant

Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, VA and I are partnering for a special wine dinner event to raise money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society by supporting me in my upcoming Triathlon in St. Petersburg, FL.  The dinner will feature Annie Schull from Raptor Ridge Winery in Oregan.

What: 4 course paired wine dinner
Who: Prepared by Chef and Owner Tim Ma, featuring Annie Schull and wine from Raptor Ridge Winery in Oregon
Where: Maple Ave Restaurant, 147 Maple Ave W, Vienna, VA
When: Tuesday, March 16th at either 6:30pm or 8:30pm, by reservation only
Why: Raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through me and Team in Training!

How: Call Maple Ave Restaurant and make a reservation - 703.319.2177

If you can't make it to dinner and want to donate, you can donate online at my Team in Training page - http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/anttry10/sjungp

Week #12 in Review

February Week #12 Training

22. Bike 40'

23. Swim 60'

24. Run 50'

25. Swim 60'

26. Rest

27. Bike 60'

28. Run 40'

A great week of training, the second full week back.  The swim on Thursday had to be the hardest practice all week.  We did a 10 minute straight swim and a 5 minute straight swim at the end of practice.  The shoulders were super tired, and my breathing got really hard towards the end of the 10 minutes.  I think I swam about a total of 600-700 yards in 10 minutes, only about a third of the way of the total swim.

The bike ride on Saturday was great, I really like cycling, and I think I tend to push myself hard on the bike, and not really realize it until later.  Which is good for training, bad for the race, cause I still have 6 miles to run afterwards.  This coming week will be a true brick workout - 80 minute bike ride, 30 min run.  Last brick workout, my legs were going to quite on me, and my lungs were going to burst.  Stay tuned.

Gear
So, I got myself a new pair of glasses.  Before I get into my new pair, I want to just warn everyone not to consider Alterna Eyewear.  They say free sunglasses, just pay for shipping and handling, but its all crap.  I ordered a pair of glasses, paid $15 in S&H, and the only reason why I ordered a pair from here because I got a flyer in my triathlon race packet.  For some reason, I thought that flyers in the packet would be legit, but Alterna Eyewear, while a legitimate company, has crappy products.  The glasses broke on me just putting them on, I was pissed because it was just before a bike ride in 30 degree weather!  That's enough about them, they are crooks, and their products are plastic crap not worth the packaging they are delivered in.

Fed up with those glasses, I coughed up money for a pair of Oakley Flak Jackets.  These glasses are great, I got a pair of white frames with red ear socks, fire iridium polarized lenses for sunny days, and clear lenses for cloudy days.  I would have gotten the high intensity yellow lenses instead of the clear, but they didn't have any because law enforcement and the military buy them up, according to the store manager.  The high intensity yellow flak jacket XLJ lenses have been backordered for the last 6 months.

 

Pros

• Interchangeable lenses
• Frame is flexible and sturdy
• Lightweight
• Large, flatter ear wrap (the part of the glasses that wrap around the head) feels more secure on my head, when biking and running
• XLJ lenses give my eyes good coverage and protection
• Look great
• Comes with a case to protect your glasses and extra lenses

Cons

• Replacing the lenses can be challenging, takes practice.  People who want glasses whose lenses are easier to replace may consider Oakley's new Jawbone glasses, these glasses offer a frame that makes replacing lenses very simple
• The fire iridium lenses scratch easily

Bottom-line
I really like these glasses, I like how they look, and I like how they fit.  I had to get the larger nose pads, since my bridge isn't very large.  I still need some practice swapping out lenses.  All in all, the glasses fit comfortably on my head, stays still when I'm running, and offers good visibility when on the bike.

A note for people looking to buy custom Oakley glasses, buy them in the store vice online.  As long as you don't care about a custom Oakley colored icon on the side, and etched lenses, the stores will have everything you need to create a custom set of glasses.  They will set you up with your custom pair while you wait.  Not only will you have your glasses right away, but, they allow returns as long as its within 30 days and they are returned in the condition in which you purchased them.  If you order custom glasses online, Oakley will NOT accept returns.

Week #11 in Review

February Week #11 Training

15. Bike 40' & Strength or Stretch

16. Swim 60'

17. Bike Hill Workout 50'

18. Swim 60' & Run 70' 60'

19. Rest

20. Bike 110' 90' T Run 20' 10'

21. Run 40' 30' O Swim 30'

As you can see by the week 11 schedule, I made some adjustments to my training schedule, mainly due to the snow storms we encountered the previous 2 weeks.  I must say though, I'm quite pleased that I didn't deviate too far from the original schedule.  Between the 15th and the 19th, the trails were still covered by snow, so, the majority of my training was indoors.  Biked in my basement on the trainer.  On the 17th, I put two blocks down to make it seem like a hill, and did interval training for about 50 minutes.  The swim's were tough, not because of the weather, but because of the workouts.  On both swim days, I did 10 minute swims, and then 5 minute swims right afterwards.  We are getting to the point where our swim practices are beginning to incorporate long distance straight swims.

The weekend was really nice weather wise.  Saturday the 20th was a group ride in Chevy Chase, MD on Rock Creek Parkway.  Since most of the team wasn't able to get long distance bike rides in, they adjusted the training plan.  I was so relieved to get out of the basement, off the bike trainer and outdoors on the road, even though the roads were really messy.  Wet, sandy, and debris everywhere.  I probably feel the most comfortable cycling, and so I always want to do it.  I know that my swim and run can improve a lot more, but it's so hard to get out there and train for those.  Well, I brought myself to do it Sunday, the 21st.  Out for a swim with Christine for about 30 minutes, and the afterwards a 30 minute run through the neighborhood.  The run was challenging, but something I needed.  The run had a little bit of everything, including  some high-stepping through a foot of snow through one stretch.

The weather is clearing up, for the most party.  Temperatures are warmer, snow is melting, so I'm looking forward to the last two months of training.  The weather calls for rain today, so, I'll be indoors again on the bike trainer.

Fundraising Progress
I wish I could be more positive on this front.  I'm still $2,000 short of my minimum goal of $4,200.  I have two months left to go, and a lot more fundraising to go.  Right now, I have only one fundraising event coming up.  Our friends at Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, VA are so awesome to host a fundraising wine dinner on Tuesday, March 16th.  A representative from Willamette Valley Vineyards will come to share some wine's.  We're still working on details, and I'll be sure to share with everyone once those are finalized.  All proceeds from the evening will go towards the triathlon.  Thank you all for your support.

Snowmageddon/Snowpocalypse a detriment to training!

Hi everyone, I know, I have slacked in keeping the blog up to date.  The last week of training has truly been a challenge.  The 2+ feet of snow and 2 snow storms have been a wall in my training.  I didn't an opportunity to swim or run much due to weather - pool closed, roads were, well, WHAT ROADS?  Hit the bike, indoors of course, and some weight lifting.  In the grand scheme of things though, the bike and weights were only a few days in over a week.  I will say though, my shoulders and back got a good workout shoveling endless amounts of snow.  When I get a chance, hopefully today or tomorrow, I'll get some photos up showing the setup we have at home.

Today, the plan is to hit the pool for an hour, maybe run for 10 or so minutes, then head home.  Tomorrow, hopefully, practice will be on, and I'll have a chance to get a workout in - 100 minute bike ride, transition to a 15 minute run.

6 weeks left until the Manassas Tune-up Tri
10 weeks left until the main event, St. Anthony's Tri in St. Petersburg

Thanks for all your support, through your encouragements and your donations.  Soon, I hope to have an update for you all regarding our good friend and honored teammate, Winnie.

UPDATE: It's official, group ride practice is canceled tomorrow! >:(  Damn the snow!!!

Recovery Week in Review

Overall, the week was relaxed.  I didn't get to ride the bike this, but I did swim and run.  I felt a little sluggish in the pool this week, but got through the workouts.  The weather was a bit cold, which made getting out for a run a bit challenging, but I got out there.

February will get tougher.  The previous two months were base building, this month is the first month I'll focus on strengthening, speed training, and technique.  Hopefully I'll see some significant improvement in all three events.

Two months left until the March 28 tune-up triathlon in Manassas!  Three months left until the main event, St. Anthony's in Florida!

Saturday Bike, Sunday Swim & Run

Saturday was a great day to bike, on the chilly side, but the day warmed up nicely.  I was afraid that we wouldn't be able to bike because it rained the day before, and it was freezing cold Saturday morning.  The group was much smaller than the previous week, but still a great turnout.  We went on a 90min bike ride in Rock Creek Park, in Washington, D.C.  We made it to the end too quickly, so, the leader made us climb an enormous hill to the Mormon temple.  Eventually we made it back after a total of about 90 mins.  Average speed was just under 18mph, average cadence was 79rpm for about 25.22 miles.  The funny thin was, one of the coaches after the ride basically told me I was going to fast for the workout, that we were supposed to be in Zone 2 which meant an easy ride at about average speed of 16mph.  He encouraged me to just take it easy, and that soon, we'll be starting interval training, which is where we'll build up speed.  What can I say, I like to go fast :)

Sunday I made it out for a 30min swim at Spring Hill RECenter.  I didn't get through the entire workout, but got through most of it, and then I drove to the trail and ran for about 29min for about 3 miles.  The weekend was tiring, I was beat after both workouts Saturday and Sunday.

I can't wait to start the interval workouts.  I will probably be more tired, but I can't wait to start building up speed.

Swimming Thursdays!

Christine came out with me early Thursday morning, 5:10am to be exact, to workout while I joined my team for a swim workout.  A great workout, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sustain the workout because of my shoulder, but my shoulder held up, and actually felt ok.  We did about 1800+ yrds, but our sets were definitely longer distance.  Instead of doing sets of 50 or 75 yrd swims, we were doing 100s and 200s.  I think back to how far I could barely swim (winded after 25 or 50 yrds) to today (swimming 100's at a time), and am thrilled to see how far I can go in the future.

At the end of practice, we did a 200yrd timed swim and a 5min open swim.  The results?  The 200yrd swim was ok, I swam it in about 3:30min, but I think I could have gone faster (closer to 3 min) if I was out front in my lane.  As for the 5 min swim, I swam about 300 yrds - just about 1:40 min per 100 yrds - slightly faster than the 200yrd swim time.

This weekend will be a 90 min bike ride with the team.  Unfortunately, my mentor and pack lead won't be there this weekend, hopefully there will be someone there who will push it hard so that I can push to keep up.

Run and Core

29:33 min run today around the neighborhood for about 3.1 miles.  Still running a mile in just under 10 minutes.  I ran a 5k cold (no training) in 30 minutes, which is why I'm a bit frustrated with this performance.  After the run, I did a P90X core workout.  Starting next workout cycle, I'm going to try and work in some set running and sprint exercises, build up some speed, strength and endurance.

Funky workout week

The last few days have been a bit different.  My left shoulder has been bugging me a little, so, I wanted to avoid swimming.  Work has been kind of crazy, so I couldn't make it out on the bike yesterday.  So, what did my schedule look like?

Sunday, worked out with Kelly and Nick in the pool.  It wasn't my typical 30' swim workout for Sundays, instead, I just did some exercises with some friends in the pool.

Monday, couldn't make it out on the bike.

Tuesday, made it out on the bike for a 54:31 minute bike ride, about 14.88 miles, average speed about 16.4mph, average cadence about 82rpm.  It is much easier to ride out there when there are others riding with you and you're not constantly dodging people on the trail or stopping for cars.  It is what it is.

The rest of the week is going to be slightly different, today I may go out for a run, or do some core workout, or both.  Thursday will be my typical 60' swim.  Friday will be a rest day.  Saturday and Sunday, will be different too, not sure yet what that looks like, we'll see when the weekend gets closer.

Saturday Group Bike Ride

Today was an awesome day to go out riding.  Here in DC, we've been hammered with freezing cold temperatures and snow.  Today turned out to be a great Saturday for any outdoor activity, for me, that activity was a group ride with my TNT teammates.  We started off in Rock Creek Park, Pierce Mill Parking Lot, Washington, D.C.  It was a relief to get on the road with some people for a mostly continuous ride.  The route was mostly uphill in the beginning, a very slight 1-2 degree incline with one or two steeper hills, the trip back was more down hill, with a steep hill or two.

Last time I road, I was a bit disappointed with my performance.  Today was much better, and I attribute that to having company on the road.  Today was supposed to be an 80 minute ride, but we flew on the way back that it ended up being only about 75 minutes.  Stats: about 22.6 miles, average speed of about 17.9mph and average cadence of about 81rpm.  I felt great after the ride too, I felt so good that I thought I could run too afterwards.  Overall, the ride was great, looking back, I thought I could push myself more in some parts.  I just tried to keep up with someone who knew where they were going.  For now, I think my goal would be to hit an average speed of 20mph and also up my average cadence, longer term is to do 25 miles in an hour.

Tomorrow will be a 30 min swim and a 30 min run.

Starting two a days...

Tuesday I did my first two a day - ran for about 17 minutes, then swam for about 60 minutes.  Definitely a challenge, and definitely want to take it slow.  The swim was hard, as to be expected after a run.

Wednesday, I got out of work late and ran out of daylight.  I missed my bike workout to help some friends pickup some tables from a store.  Don't forget to take some time and socialize, it'll keep you sane :)  Great food and great company at Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, VA. 

Today is another two a day, I joined the team this morning for a 60 minute swim practice  for about 2000+ yards.  It's always good to practice with friends, a little competition always keeps people honest.  I also just returned from what was supposed to be a 60 minute run, but was only 57 minutes for about 6 miles.  I'm so impatient, I want my run times to improve like yesterday!

Friday is supposed to be my rest day, and I think I will respect that, especially if I plan on going on a long 80-90 minute bike ride with the team on Saturday.  Gotta rest those muscles.

Afternoon Ride

Today's ride was decent.  I bundled up like I did Saturday, except this time, I was sporting the Castelli Narcisista Shoecover I wrote about yesterday.  I was out on the bike for about 43 minutes, average speed of about 15.4mph, average cadence of 83rpm for about 11.23 miles and an average heart rate of about 142.  The stats should serve as a good baseline, I can only improve from here.  I'd like to get some more power in my pedaling, increase my speed and bike endurance, but that will all come with practice.  I may also think about replacing my stock saddle with a new one, and see if the folks at Conte's think I should get refitted since I have clip on aero bars.  Not sure if it was the cold or my position, but I felt a little tense in the shoulder and neck area while down in aero position.  I'm thinking it might be the cold, since I've been down in aero position before without many issues, during the summer.

Back to the Castelli Narcisista Shoecovers.  I definitely noticed a difference wearing the shoecovers while riding.  I was out for 10-15 minutes longer than I was out on Saturday, and my toes felt much warmer.  They were protected from the wind, and the shoecover was insulated, keeping the feet warm.  The Castelli's not only work well, but they look great too.  My only issue with it is, the reflector piece on the heel already started to rip, because you have to stretch the shoecover to get it on and over the shoe.  It is a tiny rip, and I probably won't try to get it exchanged, since I feel like it is inevitable.  But for the price you pay for the shoecovers, I would expect them to be more resilient from damage.  The Castelli shoecovers will set you back anywhere from $50 to $70.  The range for shoecovers can fall anywhere between $20 to $100, take your pick.  You can find cheaper ones, but you can definitely tell the difference in design, craftsmanship, and material.  The more expensive ones I saw, had what felt like a soft leathery material on the outside.  Another alternative to shoecovers are toe covers, instead of covering the entire foot, the insulated toe covers would keep the toes warm and protect them from the wind.  Happy riding!

Saturday Biking Fun!

Saturday, TNT hosted their first group bike ride.  Unfortunately, it snowed Thursday night/Friday morning.  The trails were still icy and snowy.  Rather than turn the 9am ride into a run, the coaches decided to keep the ride on, by riding the local roads of Vienna.  The morning was clear, 27 degrees with  12.7 mph north westerly wind.  It was COLD!  Unfortunately, due to the challenges of riding on local streets and traffic, my ride was cut short, so instead of riding 50 minutes, I only road about 35 minutes for about 9 miles, which was fine with me because my toes were about to fall off.  So, what can you do to keep warm on some of your coldest riding days?  These are my suggestions.

Cover your head! A beanie is great, but when riding outdoors on a cold and windy day, the face can get really cold.  I have a beanie I wrote about in a previous post that I wear for running, and wear on cooler rides, but for a windy cold day like Saturday, I chose to wear the Under Armour (UA) Hood or balaclava, that covers the head and face.

(Courtesy of Sports Authority)

By the end of this post, you'll think I'm some Under Armour spokesman :P  The hood keeps the head and face warm, while allowing you to wear your helmet.  To keep my arms and torso warm, I wear UA Cold Gear longsleeve mock, a regular short sleeve bike jersey, and the Cannondale.

UA Cold Gear Longsleeve Mock

 

Cannondale Enduromax LE Jacket

I can't say enough great things about this jacket.  The guys at Conte's Bike Store in Bethesda, MD suggested this jacket, and as I was paying for it, people in line kept commenting on the jacket saying - "ooo, you're getting a good jacket" or "ooo, you'll be warm."  The jacket is not cheap, it will set you back anywhere from $180 to $210, but it will keep you dry and warm.  I have worn a sweat suit top before to block the wind, but the problem with that is, it doesn't break, and its too thin.  The UA longsleeve and this jacket is enough to keep my body amazingly warm without a ton of layers.  The jacket sports two zipped pockets and two zip vents in the front, an open pouch in the back and a zipper pocket in the back.  I'll be honest, I was a bit hesitant about my purchase, but after being out on the bike with the jacket, I am now a believer.

I wrote about the Pearl Izumi Barrier Lobster Gloves that Christine got me for Christmas.  Saturday was my first day out in the cold with these gloves on.  They were super warm, kept my fingers close together.  The material and thickness keep the wind off my fingers, and the fleece interior kept my hands and fingers warm.

All I wore below my waste was a pair of Sugoi bike pants and UA compression long pants, with wool socks and bike shoes.  It is was the lack of proper gear below my waste that made the 35 minute bike ride not as comfortable as it could have been in the 27 degree cold.  The wind would pierce through my UA pants because the pants were not wind proof.  The legs though were bearable, because they were getting worked.  It was the feet that started to make the ride tough.  I would suggest getting a pair of insulated booties like

Castelli Narcisista Shoecover

 

or a pair of insulated toe covers like

Castelli Dolomite Toe Warmer

Just for the record, I haven't tried either ones.  Just make sure, if you're getting it for the winter to get insulated ones.

That's all for now! Next group ride will be about an 80 minute ride, I'm hoping the weather is better, meaning, no snow or rain!

Group Swim Practice

Today is Friday, glorious REST day.  My muscles need the rest, I may try breaking out the P90X stretch video, and do some stretching today.  After all, flexibility is important for improving athletic performance.

Yesterday was a TNT group swim practice at Spring Hill RECenter, a fairfax county park facility.  Nice pool, but too many people.  There appeared to be 1 level 1 lane, 2 level 2 lanes, and 1 level 3 lane.  I'm not yet comfortable swimming with the 3's, so I stuck with the 2's.  Even among the level 2 lanes, one was faster than the other, but there were already 5 people in it, so I swam in the other level 2 lane which only had 2 people, which was also considerably slower.  Not the best workout since I've started training, but I think the end of the workout was telling of how far I've come along since I started swim training.  We had to do 1x200yrds and 1x300yrds.  I felt good swimming both lengths, back to back.  I lost count in the 1x300, and I actually think I ended up swimming 350yrds.  At the end of practice I asked the coach what she thought I could improve on, and the one piece of advise she had for me was lengthen my stroke.  She thinks my stroke pace is about 20 something strokes per lap, she says that the goal should be in the teens, and the way to get there is lengthening the stroke.  I'll get into the technicalities in another post.

Many I've spoken to about doing triathlons, always talk about swimming being a handicap.  Some didn't know how to swim which is understandable, but for others, they didn't have the endurance to do even 50 yrds.  To those I say, it's like any other training - whether your lifting weights, running, or even biking.  The first few weeks are going to be hard and discouraging, but with a little patience, a proper workout program, and commitment, anyone can improve their athletic performance.  I've been there, I was there five/six weeks ago.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday - COLD!

After a blistering cold run with the team on Saturday, I did a simple 30 minute swim workout on Sunday.  Glad I was indoors, 'cause it was freezing.  Every Sunday workout serves as a baseline workout - to see if I've improved from the week before.  I don't do a swim workout every Sunday, since I can choose between a swim or a run.  I have done probably about 3 Sunday swim workouts since I began training, maybe more, but didn't really track my time.  All three times, I've seen improvement in my 100 yrd times.

1st Sunday Swim - roughly 2min 10sec
2nd Sunday Swim - roughly 1min 55sec
3rd Sunday Swim (the latest swim) - roughly 1min 43sec

I'm happy with that, and I hope I continue to see improvement over time.  Just to give you some point of comparison, the fastest time I found on a quick google search was a D1 swimmer from Auburn swam the 100rd freestyle in 40.92sec.  I have a long ways to go :)

Monday was freezing, again!  I didn't get out of work early enough to go out for a bike ride, so, I stayed in and worked on the trainer for about 35 mins.  We ended up purchasing a bike trainer, the CycleOps Fluid2 Trainer for the home.

Source: CycleOps.com

Great piece of hardware to have at home.  We bought the package that came with the mat, bike thong, and two climbing blocks.

Source: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419obv5ZEcL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

The trainer offers a great workout, and the bike thong does come in handy, because I guarantee in the first 5-10 minutes of your bike workout, you will begin to drip with sweat.

Finally, Tuesday - I got home just in time after work to get a good run in before the sun went down.  Went out for a 45 min loop around town.  I've been trying to work on my run technique, I must be doing something right because my arches and calves are sore.  But I also know I'm missing something, cause my heel is sore, meaning I'm putting more force on my heel than I should be.

I'm pooped, I hope I can get out of work early enough to get a bike ride in.

Running Technique

Happy New Year!

This week was a bad week for training - holiday parties, 'nuff said!  I managed to fit in workouts here and there - Tuesday Swim, Wednesday Bike, Saturday Run!

Today's post, I want to focus on the run.  Last post, I mentioned the POSE method briefly, which is a running technique.  From my perspective, the POSE method is just a label for proper running technique.  Today, I had a group practice with my TNT teammates.  Aside from the blistering 27 degree and windy weather, the run was good.  I felt comfortable, and finished strong.  Prior to our run workout, we had a run clinic led by former Amateur World Champion and 2008 US National Triathlon Team Member and owner of Potomac River Running on run technique.  Check out their website for run clinics, if you're wanting to become an efficient endurance runner, the clinic serves as a great introduction to running technique.

Most people don't realize how much technique affects endurance and efficiency.  Studies of elite runners yield much of the same results that the "POSE method" talks about.  Three things to keep in mind to become a more efficient runner:

1. Forward Lean - a slight forward lean allows gravity to help move the body forward
2. Leg Extension/Angle - extending the leg ahead of the body causes runners to plant the heel into the ground, which is essentially putting the breaks on, and forces the body to work hard to pull the body in order to move forward.  Instead, while maintaining a forward lean, shorten the stride, and keep a tighter knee angle so the foot lands underneath the hips and not in front
3. Foot Strike - another bi-product of no-forward lean and wide knee angle is where on the foot a runner strikes the ground. Extending the leg causes runners to land on the heel, but I've learned that runners are supposed to land on the mid-foot

Active.com also has a list of "Fundamentals of efficient running techniques" that is worth a peak.

When you put all those things together, hopefully, you and me can become better, more efficient runners.  I'm not an expert by any means, just a few things I've picked up.  I have never had my stride analyzed, I'd be very interested to see where I stand in terms of efficiency.  Margie made sure to make this point, adapting ones running technique is a SLOW process, and any runner who plans on working on his or her stride should approach the process with patience and determination.  Trying to adapt too fast could result in injuries (calves, foot, etc). The last few times I went out running and consciously adjusted my technique, my calves and arches got really sore, so, take it slowly.