My middle age...

Monday, September 8, 2014

Have fun...and try to survive!

We had a new student come to class the other day. As I saw them come in, I walked over and introduced myself (it is the nice thing to do). As we were warming up and I was making small talk trying to make them feel included, they asked me if I had any advice. It was my first day back, so I said, "Good news, I am in the same boat. I would suggest you try to survive...and oh yeah, have fun!"

Have I mentioned motivational speeches have never really been my thing? I am pretty good at honesty though. If I had to sum up my first 4-6 months of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in one word, it would be "survival." I am not a big guy and nor am I a natural stud. Needless to say, most of my time was spent mounted or with someone on my back. It was a struggle and I would go home sore and tired.

My mindset during those first few months was to "just get better and it will get better." All I could think about was just getting to the point where I was not being absolutely mauled. Eventually, I got to a place where new guys came in and I was holding my own. Once that happened, things started to get really fun. There were nights during my first 6 months where I came home and said, "what am I doing with my life?" The fun of being successful made the first 6 months worth it. That being said, if I have one regret from my first 6 months it is that I really didn't enjoy it much.

After taking 9 months off, I am really getting to "just survive" again. Knowing where I have gotten from where I came, I can happily state "just surviving is fun." If I could make a statement to myself on day one, I would say, "You have such an advantage over everyone else! You are are freaking sponge and you are getting thrown into the ocean! Soak it all in, you will never be able to accumulate knowledge this quickly!" I would say, "Have fun and enjoy trying to survive."

Oh yeah, if you can train with Jeff Curran and Marcelo Garcia...that makes life pretty sweet as well!

That being said, it is fun to freak out new people...I will probably emphasize the "survive more than the have fun part..."

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

It's a long race, but it is catered...

Well, I am done. I will give you a moment to let that sink in. While you are doing that, here is a picture of Karl wearing my medal and hat.

Alright, moment is over.

It was a great experience and I am glad I did it. The swim was crazy fast (the Ohio River was raging) and the bike was hilly but fun. The heat index was somewhere between 102 and 105, so the run was a major challenge.

This is a picture of me struggling through the run.

As advertised, the finish was amazing. It is on a semi-covered street with thousands of people yelling. After the finish I was dizzy and received medical attention. No one told my wife this and she spent the next two hours frantically looking for me. That was the only black mark on the weekend.

Below I have answers to frequently asked questions. Or, answers to questions I had about the race before I did it.

Do people in L'ville really hate bikers?
No, one year somebody threw tacks on the road. But, everyone was really supportive.

Is the Ohio river really as dirty as everyone says?
It is far less dirty than any lake or pond in Iowa. I loved the swim and would recommend anyone doing their first IM, that is scared of the swim do IM Lou. The river is so fast moving for 2 miles of the course you will easily finish in time.

Is the bike course crazy hilly?
No, it has rollers and some hills. But, it was incredibly scenic without being overly challenging.

Was it really hot?
I had always wondered what it was like to run a marathon in the pits of hell...I can now cross that off my bucket list. It was humid and hot. Not much else to say about that.

Did you get bad chaffing?
Oh yes! It is in non "PG" areas, so I will refrain from the pictures.

When did you know you were an Ironman?
I listened to a book on tape while I was training called "Thinking Fast and Slow." The guy in the book talked about people who are successful and how they choose to be successful, not wish it. It is tempting to say I was an Ironman when I finished, but I think it is more accurate that you become an Ironman some horrible weekend in July when your train for 8 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday with no company. You finish it on race day, but the hard part is the solitude of training.

How many calories did you consume during the race?
It was close to 6,000. As awesome as that sounds, it was all in GU, Bonk Breakers, and Ironman Perform. I would have been more excited to eat 6,000 calories at a buffet (just not Pizza Ranch).

Will you do another one?
Not next summer and probably not the summer after that. I might someday, but it will be in a cooler climate and I would want to do the training with a group.

What now?
I am going to take care of the chaffing. Then, I am not sure. I am enjoying having 20 hours a week of free time back my life. I think I will just take it one day at a time.

Thanks for reading that past 9 months. I appreciate the support and kind words from my friends and family along the way. This blog will go back to focusing on being middle aged and participating in bjj.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Going long....

Yikes! Longest week of the whole training plan.

Competitive Season
Week 9
Swim 3:00 - Bike 10:00 - Run 6:00 -- Total: 19:00

Monday

Enjoy your day off doing something you don't normally do with the extra time, something totally unrelated to triathlon.

Tuesday
If you have a choice, do the workout of the sport in which you need the most help first. If you're a strong swimmer, do the bike workout first, or visa versa. Keep this in mind every day of the week.

Work on your weaknesses when you are most fresh and they will more quickly become your strengths!

SWIM 0:45: WARM UP; 300 Swim - 200 Kick - 300 Pull; MAIN SET; 30 x 50 w/10 sec rest, as follows:; #1-10: gradually descend from 75% to 85% by #10; #11-18: 25 Kick - 25 sprint; #19-30: race pace -- each one @90+%; COOL DOWN; 400 Pull @60-70%
BIKE 1:30: 20:00 getting your HR up to 70% -- straight into; 5 x 20 sec fast spinning (100+ rpm cadence) w/40 sec recovery spin @90 rpm; then spin easy for several minutes; MAIN SET; Today's set is a simple variation of last week's. Greg LeMond used the 3 x 5:00 set often to increase his power output on the bike; I'm altering it for you to add spice to the routine.; One time through the following set. All the hard repeats are done @ 92+% with an equal amount of recovery time @ 50-60%; 5:00 fast/5:00 easy; 4:00 fast/4:00 easy; 3:00 fast/3:00 easy; 2:00 fast/2:00 easy; 1:00 fast/1:00 easy; You'll have to put more effort into each repeat to get your HR above 92%, so be aggressive while staying relaxed.; COOL DOWN; After the 1:00 easy, hold your HR at 70-75% for 25:00 before gradually slowing down to 60% with 10:00 left, and finally below 50% by the end.

DAILY TOTAL: 2:15

Wednesday

RUN 1:25: 15:00 warm up jog, allowing your body to slowly get up to 65-70% by the end.; Your legs may be a little heavy from yesterday, so allow yourself time to loosen up. Try to stay light on your feet.; After warming up, do 11 cycles of the following:; 4:00 @ 75%/1:00 relaxed @ 65%; Then cooldown below 65% for the remainder
BIKE 2:15: WARM UP; 20:00 spinning @90-95rpm; - get your HR up to 60% in the first 10:00 and closer to 70% by 20:00; DRILLS; These drills may get tedious, but they are essential for improving your pedaling efficiency. A little work goes a long way!; 6 x 3:00 Isolated Leg Training w/30 sec recovery after each; MAIN SET; All repeats done at 70-75%:; 20:00; 16:00; 12:00; 8:00; 4:00; Spin easy for 4:00 @ 65% after each repeat.; Hold 90-95rpm cadence throughout, and switch gears every several minutes to change the emphasis on your legs.; COOL DOWN; Slightly extended cooldown today. Spin easy in your small chain ring @95+rpm,

DAILY TOTAL: 3:40

WEEK-TO-DATE: 5:55

Thursday

SWIM 1:00: WARM UP; 400 Swim - 300 Pull - 200 IM - 100 Kick; MAIN SET; 2 sets of the following:; 350 @75%; 300 @80%; 250 @85+%; Swim the first set, Pull (Paddles ok) the second set; COOL DOWN; 6 x 50 easy w/10 sec rest
RUN 1:05: Today's is another ladder set. As the repeats get shorter, increase your effort so you're running at a faster pace.; 15:00 easy jog, gradually raising your HR to 70%; - finish with 1-2 laps of accelerated running down the straightaways to get you ready for the main set:; One time through the following set (@ 88-95%):; 2000m; 1600m; 1200m; 800m; 400m; jog easy for 3:00 after each hard repeat; Avoid starting out too fast on the 2000 -- you want to feel a definite increase in your effort and pace during the first three repeats. The 800 and 400 should be pretty challenging and harder to increase your speed on.; Jog easy @60% or below to the end -- walk backwards to stretch out yout calves and hamstrings the last 2-3:00 to complete your cool down.

DAILY TOTAL: 2:05

WEEK-TO-DATE: 8:00

Friday

SWIM 0:45: WARM UP; 400 Swim - 200 Kick - 2 x 100 IM -- continuous; DRILLS; 12 x (50 Side Kick - 25 Swim) w/10 sec rest after each; - remember to take three strokes when you switch from one side to the other; COOL DOWN; 600 Swim; - keep your HR under 70%, lowering the intensity to 60% by the end

DAILY TOTAL: 0:45

WEEK-TO-DATE: 8:45

Weekend Note:

There's a lot of meat on this weekend, so go into it smart and mentally prepared for the tasks at hand.

Conquering long weekends like this one will do wonders for your confidence and your fitness going into your Ironman race.

Saturday

BIKE 5:15: Try to keep your stops to a minimum and definitely keep the amount of time you spend at your stops to a bare minimum. Try to simulate your race experience as much as possible. Finish the ride with some energy to spare -- you'll need it tomorrow!
RUN 0:45: Quick transition from your bike to the run, then get your HR above 80% quickly. The bulk of this run -- at least 25:00 -- should be between 80-88%; Finish your run with 10:00 of light jogging, bringing your HR under 60% by the end. Walk 2-3:00 to complete the cool down process.
SWIM 0:30: This can be put in either first thing in the day -- to simulate the order in a triathlon -- or last in the day, to enable a more complete recovery.; 800 warmup swim, gradually getting your HR from 60-70%; If you're doing this workout first, then reverse the intensities; (65-70-75-80%) and have a quick transition to your bike:; 400 @80% - 300 @75% - 200 @70% - 100 @65%

DAILY TOTAL: 6:30

WEEK-TO-DATE: 15:15

Sunday

RUN 1:45: Steady endurance effort, keeping your HR between 70-75% throughout the bulk of the run. Hold your effort and pace to the very end.
BIKE 1:00
RUN 0:45: Bolt out the door at 75% and establish a comfortable stride as soon as you can. At 10:00, pick up the pace to 80-84% for 20 minutes. The cooldown below 65% for the final 15:00. Walk it in the final couple minutes.

DAILY TOTAL: 3:45

WEEK-TO-DATE: 19:00

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Competitive Week 8

Ultra Distance Group

Competitive Season
Week 8
Swim 3:00 - Bike 8:45 - Run 5:15 -- Total: 17:00

Monday

Total recovery day -- relax, recover, stretch out, and enjoy...

Tuesday

SWIM 0:45: WARM UP; 300 Swim - 200 IM - 100 Kick; MAIN SET; 10 x 150 @ 85% with :15 rest; work on keeping your pace and HR even, so try to avoid starting out too fast. Also, keep your stroke count even during the entire set.; COOL DOWN; 8 x 25 Choice, below 60%
BIKE 1:25: 15:00 getting your HR up to 70% straight into; 5 x 20 sec fast spinning (100+ rpm cadence) w/40 sec recovery spin @90 rpm; then spin easy for several minutes; MAIN SET; We're adding higher intensity speed work to the mix this cycle. A great Ironman performance come s from the proper balance between endurance and speed work.; 12:00 @ 84-92%/9:00 @ 88-92%/6:00 @ 90-95%/3:00 @ 92+% with 3:00 easy spinning after each repeat.; Try to stay relaxed while giving each repeat your full effort. Don't strangle your bike or grind your teeth to dust! The more relaxed you are the faster you will go.; COOL DOWN; After the last 3:00 easy, hold your HR at 70-75% for 10:00 before gradually slowing down to 60% with 10:00 left, and finally below 50% by the end.

DAILY TOTAL: 2:10

Wednesday
Keep the effort under control today -- you had a hard day yesterday and will have another hard session tomorrow.

RUN 1:15: 20:00 warm up jog, allowing your body to slowly get up to 60-65%; 1 x 40:00 steady tempo run @70-75%; - focus on holding proper running form; Bring your HR back down gradually, to 60% with 10:00 remaining down to 50% by the end.
BIKE 1:40: WARM UP; 10:00 spinning @90-95rpm; DRILLS; 4 x 3:00 Isolated Leg Training w/30 sec recovery after each; MAIN SET; We're putting more emphasis on longer efforts at the higher end aerobic zone to better prepare you for the long bike effort of an Ironman.; 2 x 30:00 @75% w/5:00 easy spinning between repeats- hold 90-95rpm cadence throughout; COOL DOWN; Spin easy (small chain ring) @95rpm,

DAILY TOTAL: 2:55

WEEK-TO-DATE: 5:05

Thursday

SWIM 1:00: WARM UP; 4 x 200 Choice, descend from 50-75% with :20 rest; MAIN SET; You'll be changing gears during this set, so concentrate on staying relaxed as the lactate builds up in your muscles.; 3 sets of: 300 @ 80%/200 @ 85%/100 @ 90%; :30 rest after each interval. No added rest between sets.; COOL DOWN; 10 x 50 nice and easy below 60%; your choice of strokes or drills.
RUN 1:10: Back on the track this week.; 15:00 easy jog, gradually raising your HR to 70%; - finish with 1-2 laps of accelerated running down the straightaways to get you ready for the main set:; Today's workout should be fun. It's a fancy fartlek workout that's really good for building speed and strength. Should be a hard but nice change of pace. No pun intended!; 2 sets of the following, with (200m / 60 sec) easy after each one:; (All at 88-92%):; - 1000 (2-1/2 laps of a standard track); - 600 (1-1/2 laps); - 800 (2 laps); - 200 (1/2 lap); -- take an extra 800m in between the sets; The fast running adds up to 2600m and should be done in the 88-95% range, so do it as fast as you can while making sure you don't burn out your engine prematurely. Each set should be the same or the second should get slightly faster. If your times get slower, then you started the set too fast. Jog the easy 200s and the 800 at a consistent pace below 65% -- don't allow these to slow down as you get more tired. Have fun!

DAILY TOTAL: 2:10

WEEK-TO-DATE: 7:15

Friday

SWIM 0:45: WARM UP; 6 x 100 alt Swim-Kick-Pull; second set of 3x100 faster than the first; MAIN SET; 8-10 x 100 IM @ 75-90% with :15 rest ; increase your effort as the set progresses.; COOL DOWN; 6 x 100 (25 Kick - 25 rt arm - 25 lft arm - 25 perfect technique) with :10 rest
BIKE 0:50: WARM UP; 10:00 spinning @95rpm gradually raising your HR up to 65-70%; DRILLS; 6 x 3:00 Isolated Leg Training w/30 sec recovery after each; Continue spinning @65-70% intensity & 90-95rpm cadence; Bring your HR down under 50% by the end.

DAILY TOTAL: 1:35

WEEK-TO-DATE: 8:50

Weekend Note:

We've had a lot of questions about what intensities these weekend workouts need to be at since we don't offer set parameters. The goal is to push yourself as hard as you can while staying aerobic -- below 84% for sure and under 75% as much as possible. The most important aspect is simply putting in the time so that your body feels the duration of an Ultra distance race is no big deal (though the effort you put in might be!).

Saturday,

BIKE 5:15

These rides are the perfect time to experiment with different fueling options, whether they be different products or different intervals between taking in your calories. Try to work out all the glitches and nail down what works best for you so you go into your race with the utmost confidence.

SWIM 0:30

WARM UP
10 x 75 (50 Swim - 25 Kick) w/:10 recovery
MAIN SET
20 x 25 alt (25 fast with 25 moderate) w/:10 rest
COOL DOWN
300 easy recovery Swim

DAILY TOTAL: 5:45

WEEK-TO-DATE: 14:50

Sunday,

RUN 1:45

After 15:00 of warming up, settle into a pace between 65-75%. Be consistent and be sure to leave some energy for the rest of the workout. At 1:25, bump up the intensity to 80% for the last 20 minutes.

BIKE 0:45

Immediately after the run @ 75%. Quick transitions at both ends of the ride.

RUN 1:00

Get into your pace right away at 70-75% and hold it there for the first 30 minutes, then bump it up to 80-85% for 15 minutes before warming down the final 15 minutes.
DAILY TOTAL: 3:30

WEEK-TO-DATE: 18:20