The Good Week

Last week was the first week back to a routine, at least what resembled a routine.  I managed to get out and do something every single day with Thursday being a very easy day into thanks to my daughters choir practice, a late dinner and the girls getting to bed late.  I made it a point to get in exercise no matter what and I am eating healthier.  As a result I feel a heck of a lot better for it; I'm not as sore and achy as I have been the past few months, I have shed a few pounds, and I generally feel good.  Here is a breakdown of last weeks activity:

• Monday - 4 mile run
• Tuesday - 1 hour ride on trainer
• Wednesday - Soccer Game (40 minutes)
• Thursday - 30 minutes on trainer (sore from Wed night soccer
• Friday - 5.2 mile run
• Saturday - 21 mile bike ride (outside very hilly ride)
• Sunday - 4.75 mile run

In the past I have preached to my father how all he needs to do is stick with an exercise program for a minimum of two weeks (three or four is ideal).  If he could do that then it would become routine and would become easier.  I wish that I had only listened to my own advice a little more carefully.  That has been my main limiter, the fact that I haven't been in a groove, I haven't been consistent with any workouts.  I have one week under my belt and I will continue it tonight when I get home.  Granted it is going to be consistently tricky because of the baby and the other two girls, but I will find a way to make it work.

One item of note is that my wife and I (or possibly just me) are on the cusp of joining our local YMCA which would mean I would finally have a pool to swim at and would also mean that I would have a reason to get up at 5:00AM every morning to swim and/or lift weights, do a spin class, etc.  I am pretty excited and am really looking forward to joining.  The bonus to joining now is that there is no sign up fee, which is around $150.  Let's make it happen!!!

Ciao!

Bad Bad Blogger

I have been horrible at writing on here lately for the simple reason that I have little time to do anything other than work, spend time with family and then when I can eke out a few minutes, actually try to exercise.  Oh how the mighty (me) have fallen.  A little recap of the past month or so:

• I ran probably eight times
• I rode my trainer probably eight times
• I have played four Wednesday night soccer games
• I have woken up sore beyond belief on four Thursday mornings
• Swimming....is that what you do in a pool, lake or ocean?  Yeah, I haven't done that since September
• I have eaten far more than my body can burn off in a day and now am closing in on a number (lbs) far to high for me

Yup, that is what I have been doing.  I am not proud of it, not at all.  I am not a New Year's Resolution-type of guy, but I might have to use that as some motivation.  I am off from work from now until January 3rd, so I am going to try to be active every day and carry that into the new year.  Strike that...I AM going to be active every day from today into the new year!!!

Other than that, everything else is going really well, the baby is eating a ton and getting big (she is not nine weeks old), my other two daughters are tremendous helpers (or they try to be), and my wife is rebounding really well from her third and final pregnancy.  We are all ready to kick off the year with a happy and healthy mind set.

Happy Holidays to everyone and here's to a tremendous 2012!

Slowly Getting Back to It

This week was a good one for training, rather it was an OK one.  I finally managed to get my bike back on the trainer in my basement since I haven't been able to get out and ride on the weekends (I am lazy).  I managed to put in to sessions this weekend of an hour each.  Also during the week I ran one day and rode another.  Wow, four whole days of exercise in a week, that's crazy!!! 

I have been asking myself recently what the heck happened to me?  I was so determined to maintain my Ironman fitness and build on it.  What happened, why wasn't I able to continue.  There are a few factors that have played into this, some of which I don't feel comfortable getting into, others which are injury related and the remaining are just bad excuses.  I think part of my whole problem is that I am making excuses for not working out rather than trying to find reasons to work out.  Here are my reasons for not training:

• Lack of time - e.g. I leave the house at 6:15AM for work and don't get home until 5:30PM (if I am not traveling for work).  I need to get up super early or stay up and run/ride after the kids go to sleep.  This does not apply to weekends....flat out lazy on my end!
• Health issues - I don't know if it is allergies or I have some illness, but my breathing has been horrible for the past nine months.  Also, every time I run my heart rate goes through the roof.  I should go to the doctor, but I just haven't.
• Motivation - I don't have any races (triathlons, running, biking, etc.) or any other activity to train for.
• Pregnant Wife - Probably not the best excuse, but I have had to step in and try to help out a lot more since my wife got pregnant, which has meant less free time for me (I am not complaining about this).
• No pool/gym membership - I miss swimming...actually I hate swimming, but it helps keep me in shape.
• New-ish job - I have been at my current job for nine months now, but I still haven't gotten into a groove yet.  I need to figure out a schedule and then schedule my days accordingly

Injury/Health Stuff

• Left Quadriceps - feels almost back to normal, but still not 100%.  When I first hurt it in December 2010 I read that it can take six months to a year to heal completely, but I thought it would be much quicker.  I was wrong.
• Lower Back - I am in pain just about ever morning.  I can barely touch my toes anymore without a hot shower and/or a run to loosen it.  I am told that a cortisone shot will help it, but the thought of a needle going near my spine scares the crap out of me.
• Breathing/Heart Rate - it just hasn't been right.  I don't even know where to start, who to talk with.
• Various dings - two big-toe toenails about ready to fall off, elbow pain, wrist hurting, sore shoulder, achy left knee, etc.  These aren't always there, they come and go, but still just bother the heck out of me when they happen.

I think that the past two days of riding in my basement have helped a lot.  I road hard and felt good.  I am going to take a second run at P90X starting tonight and couple that with running and biking over the next few weeks.  This is now my off-season training....I know it is a little early, but I need something.  In the upcoming weeks I am going to try and put together a 2012 race schedule so that I can get a training plan put together as well.

Lastly, I am going to mention that I am officially the heaviest that I have weighed since around 2006/7.  I have maintained my normal diet despite not training at all.  Obviously this is not a good mix.  Also, the last time my wife was pregnant I was up around 220 - 225 lbs.  I guess when my wife gets pregnant, I start putting on pounds along with her.  Ugh, not good!!!

So there it is, wish me luck everyone....it started this past week and I need to keep it going.  Ciao!

Busy, Busy, Busy....but No Training

Wow, it has been eleven days since I wrote here.  That is a long time for me.  Unfortunately I don't have a whole lot of good stuff to write about here.  I have been pretty busy with work and family stuff, but not much in the way of training.  I have pretty much accepted that this was my year off following my BIG race last year.  I don't think I am going to do anymore triathlons this season, I just don't have the time or the money to do it.  Add to that the lack of training I have done over the past eight months and I just wouldn't be happy with the performance of any race I would do.  I am going to start focusing back on my running over the next couple months and try to get back to a sub-20 minute 5K and try to run a solid half marathon in the winter/spring.  Hopefully I will be able to join a pool this winter so that I can get my swim back to where it was this time last year..

Here is a little taste of what has been going on over the past week and a half:

Saturday August 13th - I rode from my house in Pennsylvania down to my 'rents in Lavallette, a nice 75 mile ride through the nicest parts of NJ.  I averaged around 19.3 MPH for the ride which I am very happy with considering my time on my bike has been few and far between (last year I did the same ride at 20.3 MPH).

Sunday, August 14th - My daughter did her first multisport race ever!!!  It was supposed to be a triathlon but there was heavy rain and decided to eliminate the bike portion.  It ended up being a 50yd swim and 1.5 mile run.  My daughter did AWESOME!!!  She will be faster than me one day.

 Here she is finishing up the run.

Proud Mom with little sister holding the trophy and big sis eating a well deserved Italian ice.

August 16th - 19th - I was down in Lavallette with my girls for a few days.  It was my most time off from work in a while.  We had a great time together.  Wednesday we spent the whole day on the beach and finished the night off with some miniature golf (my little one had three Hole-in-Ones).  Thursday was a bit overcast so we did some crabbing, which the girls absolutely love, and managed to get about an hour up at the beach later in the day.  Friday was a full on beach day, a lot of playing in the sand and swimming in the ocean.  We headed home that night through a torrential thunderstorm.  Below are some pictures from Lavallette.

Saturday - My wife celebrated her birthday, the second time she has celebrated a B-day while majorly pregnant.  We went out to a Hibachi restaurant for dinner...it was a blast and the girls were mesmerized.

That about sums up what has been going on.  I have gotten out for a few run here and there, but nothing of consequence.  I definitely need to start running again, if nothing else but to keep my weight in check.  God knows that once the summer is over I am going to balloon up if I am not active.  Cheer!

Finally....A Good Training Day!

It was a long time coming, and it finally happened. 

Was it on Saturday during my 7.1 mile run down along the boardwalks of Lavallette, Ortley Beach and Seaside Heights?  No, Saturday's run was not the day, although it was a better run than I have had on previous weekends.  I hit the boards at 6:45AM and was feeling OK at the start.  I stopped to check out the ocean, possibly surfing would be on docket for later on in the day (fingers were crossed).  Then it was go time and south I went, starting off around 8:20/mile pace.  I stayed around that pace for the first three miles or so, but then I started to get a tired and my breathing was really labored.  I have to figure out what the heck is going on with me.  I am taking Singulair every day and using Ventolin (inhaler) before every run.  Maybe it is just the heat and humidity, or maybe it is something more than that.

At 3.55 miles, just passed Midway Cheese Steaks I turned around and headed back home, definitely feeling it a bit but determined to negative split the second half of my run.  I did look around for Snooki, The Situation and the rest of the Jersey Shore crew but I couldn't find them.  I was visually bummed (see picture to the right).  The next half mile was rough, but soldiered through it and finally started to up my pace by mile 5.  The last stretch along the Lavallette boardwalk I was able to push it and finish strong with a 7:45 last mile!  I wasn't happy about the run overall, but I was encouraged by the last mile.

After my run it was time to head up to the beach with the family and we actually brought our ocean kayak up with us. My thinking was that my father could paddle along side me while I swam (it didn't happen though).  Instead I took my oldest daughter out for a ride in the ocean, her first time out in the kayak.  We had a really good time and she was so psyched to be out there with me.

So since my good training day wasn't on Saturday....was it on Sunday during my 28+ mile bike and 3 mile run (BRICK)?  YES, yes it was.  I was up early, around 5:30AM, and out the door around 6:15AM for my hour and a half ride.  I decided to go south since the wind was blowing from the WSW, meaning my ride back north might have a touch of a tail wind.  The ride in itself was pretty uneventful, I rode south into Island Beach State Park, a very flat, straight and pretty ride.  I maintained a solid 90 - 95 RPMs for my cadence, averaging around 18.5 MPH for the first 14 miles.  At the end of the park (see picture on the right), I swore I would pick up the pace and finish above 20 MPH average for the ride.  The ride back I was hauling, mile 15 was around 21 MPH, then each mile afterwards was a bit faster, 21.5, 22.6, 22.8, 23.0....with my last mile coming in at 24.6MPH.  I stopped my Garmin at my 'rents and it read:  28.32 miles, 1:24.31, 20.1MPH average.  Whew, thank God, I managed to do it.  I probably should have put in another 1.68 miles to make it an even 30 miles and hour and 30 minutes, but I really wanted to get my workout done and spend the day with my family. 

So immediately after my ride, I switched into my running shoes and headed out for a 3 mile run on the Lavallette boardwalk.  I felt a bit sluggish on the 1/4 mile up to the boards, but then managed to settle into a nice pace with the first mile done in 8:08.  Wow, that was a surprise, I didn't feel like I was really running all that fast.  The second mile went a bit faster - 7:55 - , again I didn't feel like I was struggling to keep a quick pace.  The last mile I definitely picked up the pace because I wanted my average below 8:00/mile pace.  I finished mile 3 in 7:45.  Total run stats:  3 miles, 23:48, 7:56/mile pace.

So there you have it, my first GOOD training day in a long while, where my pace is closer to where I would like it to be and more importantly my feeling good and not like I was on the very of an asthma attack.

The rest of the day was more kayaking (this time with both of my daughters), playing in the ocean with my oldest and trying to cram a little rest in there as well.  I did try to swim a bit but my arms were killing me from kayaking.  I really did want to get in a good open water swim, but it just wasn't in the cards.

Time to get some work done.  Cheers!

Early Friday

Quick update....I wasn't able to get in my planned swim last night, but I did head to the pool with my family when I got home from work.  I had the privilege of playing with my two daughters in the pool and having them show me everything that they are learning in their daily swim lessons.  My youngest who we had to bribe just to go under water last summer is now a full on fish, swimming underwater with a vengeance.  My oldest already knows more strokes than I do (she is learning butterfly now....I can not do butterfly) and is learning a flip turn.  I too am trying to learn how to do a flip turn...I am sure she will learn how quicker than I can.  It is really awesome to see my girls learning how to swim at such a young age.  I am hoping that next year my 8 yr old (and maybe 6 yr old) will join the swim team, something I wish I had done as a youngster.

The rest of night, at least after eating dinner, was spent kicking the soccer ball around our back yard.  It is something that my Dad and I used to do when I was young and it really helped me to become a good player.  I hope that I can help my girls out the same way that he helped me.  I was trying to show my oldest some skill moves which she started to pick up pretty quickly.  It is so cool to be able to do things with my kids that my parents used to do with me.

So, I didn't get my planned ride in last night, there was just too much to do after the girls fell asleep (at 10PM....my wife and I are bad parents).  I had to do laundry and then pack for the beach weekend.  I wasn't going to be getting on my bike to ride at 10:30/11:00PM, that's just too late.  Instead I got up at 5:10AM this morning and put in 45 minutes on the trainer before anyone was awake in my house (even my dog).  I do kind of miss getting my training done before most everyone I know is awake.  It was great to have a solid ride under my belt and be out of the house on my way to work by 6:40AM.

Tonight I am hoping, after arriving at my 'rents place down in Lavallette, to get in the ocean and swim a bit.  I haven't done an open water swim since November and I have my first triathlon coming up in a week.  I think it is a good idea for me to get at least one open water swim in, right? 

That's it for now.  Have a great weekend everyone!  I am going to try and take some picture during my rides/runs this weekend and post here.  I haven't been so good with pictures lately.  Cheer!

I Love/Hate Summer

I love Summer because:

• It is warm and the weather is usually good for training outside
• It is so much fun riding my bike down at the Jersey Shore
• I get to spend the occasional weekend with my family at my 'rents in Lavallette
• Can go to our local pool with my kids, who are growing up very fast
• I get to do my swim workouts outside
• It is race season for those of us on the East Coast
• I love to surf (even if I am atrocious)
• My birthday is in August (I love ice cream cake)

I hate Summer because:

• It can get really friggin' hot
• II can not run when it is over 85F, my performance goes to crap
• My exercise-induced asthma is at is peak and I can't breathe properly
• I just don't want to go to work
• My birthday is in August (I am moving up an a higher Age Group)

Training this week:

• Monday - Rest day; I should have gone for a bike ride after work, but my daughter had basketball and I just didn't have time to do it.
• Tuesday - I wanted to for a ride outside but it just didn't happen, so I did it in the basement and watch "Falling Skies" (which I DVR'd).  It was one of my better rides on the trainer, I was really happy with myself.
• Wednesday - After work I hustled off to the pool to get in as many laps as possible before my daughters soccer practice.  I think I got in around 1,600 yds (I was hoping for 2,000+), and they were very rough yards.  On a positive note, I did my first 100yds in 1:33 (YEA!!!).  After my swim I had to pick up my daughter and take her to soccer; while there I did a very slow 30 minute run around the soccer complex (4 laps).  I just couldn't get my breathing right and my legs were really sore.  I am going to chalk it up to the head/humidity (thank you Theia).
• Tonight - I am planning on heading to the pool to swim again if my wife lets me and then riding my bike when the kids are asleep.  We'll see what happens.
• This weekend - Heading to the shore!!!

4th of July - Good Stuff

Well, it is Tuesday and the long 4th of July weekend has come and gone.  It was a fun weekend if not an exhausting weekend.  It all started on Friday for me as I had off from work; however, that didn't mean that I wasn't busy.  It was actually an action packed day as I tried to cram as much into the day as possible before heading to the beach for the long weekend.  Here is what I had:

• 8:15AM Doctors appointment with my wife (didn't get in until 8:45AM)
• Grab breakfast and then drop her off at her office (10:15AM)
• Swing by Brooks Brother to try and buy some dress pants (unsuccessful)
• Put my daughters rooms back together (painted them last week)
• One hour bike - solid ride, around 19 miles
• One hour swim - ended up being 25 minutes
• Pack for the shore
• Pick up my wife by 4:00PM (arrived at 4:02PM)

We finally got to my parents house around 6:00PM, thanks to a ton of traffic on the way down (just getting over the Mantaloking Bridge).  Once there we ate dinner and then had to head out to see my old college roommate from my Freshman year at Rutgers.  I hadn't seen him since we graduated way back in 1993, but he still looked the same.  We had a great time catching up and also meeting each others respective families.  I do hope that we manage to keep in touch a bit more.

Saturday was a beautiful day that started out with my going for an hour run on the various Jersey Shore boardwalks (Lavallette, Ortley Beach, & Seaside Heights).  It was a my standard seven mile run from my 'rents house down to Midway Cheese Steak and back.  I forgot to look for Snookie and The Situation while I was down there, but I doubt they would have been up at 8:00AM.  As usual, my pace was slow, but I didn't manage to run a solid last mile at 8:00 pace.  After the run it was all about going up to the beach and hanging out with my daughters who I hadn't seen all week.  I was kept very busy by my oldest daughter who wanted to go into the ocean constantly.  I really had a great time with her....and also my youngest daughter (see picture to the right) who helped decorate a pyramid that I build for the girls.  I don't think we left to head back to the house until around 4:00PM.

Sunday started early for me as I had to get in a 2.5 hour bike ride.  I was out of bed by 5:10AM and on the road by 5:35AM.  I was around 20 miles out (around Belmar) when the rain hit and stayed with me for the remainder of the ride.  It really sucks riding in the rain, but then again you never know when you will have to race in weather like that.  I headed north all the way up to Deal before turning around and heading for home.  All in all it was a good ride, aside from the headwind I had to deal with on the way home, and I logged around 46 miles.  I was happy to get in such a good workout.  What about the rest of my day?  It consisted of eating four glazed donuts, two naps on the couch and then a walk up to the beach with my wife, mother and daughters (we just had to get out of the house).  It was a lazy rain day at the shore.

We made sure we were up at the beach early on Monday since we were going to be heading home by 1:30PM.  I think we were at the beach by 9:00AM and it included a lot of going in the water with my oldest.  We were definitely busy for the three hours or so that we were there, knowing that we were going to be leaving soon.

So there you have it, my busy weekend down the shore....although having read it again, it doesn't seem all that busy.  I guess when I was living it it seemed to be awfully chaotic.  Anyway, I am looking forward to a good week of training coming up.  I have an short run on tap for tonight that I am going to try and run hard as well as a swim session that I have to fit in.  The rest of the week is pretty much the same...SWIM, BIKE, RUN.  Cheers!

Good Weekend

The past few days have been really great, Sunday especially.  As I was lying in bed last night I couldn't help but think about how lucky I am to have the family that I do.  I don't just mean my wife and daughters, I also mean my parents and in-laws.  Let me explain.

This past week my two daughters were at my wife's parents, spending time with their grandparents.  This helps my wife and I an in that we don't have to put the girls in summer camp (lot of $$$) and they get to spend a lot of time with their Nanna and Pop-Pop.  Also, it gives my wife and I a chance to recharge our batteries, get some things done around the house, and for me specifically, focus a bit more on training with out feeling guilty about neglecting my kids.  Yeah, my wife and I miss the girls after a few days and from what I understand, the girls miss us, but all in all they have a great time doing things that they wouldn't normally do if they were home with us (e.g. going to the Liberty Science Center, etc.).

So what did that mean for me?  Well, it started on Friday night when I was home alone (my wife had dinner plans and was then going to go stay at her parents for the night).  I got home and went for a stellar bike ride.  It was a little over an hour and I was able to ride on some roads that I had never been on before.  I just felt so good riding outside not feeling like I had to hurry home to take care of something.  After my ride I decided to head over to the pool and get in a swim workout....I almost bailed on it because of the threat of a thunderstorm.  I felt better swimming than I have in a long time and managed to get in 1,700yds....granted they were slow yards, but I did manage to finish them with out any near-drowning episodes.  I guess I still have a little residual swim fitness remaining from IMAZ.

Saturday I was able to sleep in to the gaudy hour of 7:15AM....how sad is it that 7:15AM is "sleeping late"?  After putzing around for a hour (fedthe dog, ate Po-Tarts, etc.), I headed out for my scheduled one hour run.  THE RUN SUCKED!!!  I don't know what is up with me, but my running lately is horrible.  I was struggling to stay under a 9:00/mile pace.  I was just wiped out; I don't think my bike/swim workout from 12 hours earlier didn't help much either.  I plugged forward and ended up running around 70 minutes (7.8 miles).  After that I had to do some yard work (cut the lawn, finish mulching,etc.), but not before I went into town to get a "real" breakfast, a pork roll, egg & cheese on a plain bagel....HEAVEN!!!

I spend the rest of the morning waiting from my wife and kids to arrive at home.  It was around Noon that my wife called and told me they hadn't left yet and would be a while.  With that news I went to the pool to chill out and sneak in a few casual laps.  It was the first time in about a year that I have been able to solo go to the pool on sunny afternoon and be able to just relax.  I loved it.  I think I headed for home around 4:00PM in hopes of seeing my family.  Unfortunately my wife and kids didn't get home until around dinner time Saturday night.  At least I got to see them for a little bit before bed time.

Sunday was a great day!  I was up and out of the house for a my bike ride by 6:30AM.  I decided to ride down through New Hope/Lambertville and up in to NJ towards Princeton (I didn't quite make it there though).  I didn't ride spectacularly well, but overall the ride was really enjoyable.  I love getting on my bike and riding, even if I am pounding up steep hills with my quads screaming.  I put in around 44 miles in little over 2.5 hours (yeah, I was slow....but I had to walk my bike over the PA/NJ bridge).  Following the run I wanted to try and play soccer, but my lower back was sore and I didn't think it would be wise to run around in the condition I was in.  Plus, I really wanted to spend the time with my girls.

The majority of the day was spent at the pool.  I primarily followed my my oldest daughter around, doing what she wanted me to do with her.  There was a lot of time on the diving board and trying to be the "cool" Dad (I think I succeeded).  Simply sad, we had a great time!  After the pool we headed home for dinner and then some "outside time".  I played with girls for about and hour or so, just throwing a mini-soccer ball as high as I could and watching them try and catch it.  The three of us were laughing the entire time.  It really was just a perfect way to end the day.

So ended the weekend.  This morning I am back at work and the girls are at my parents for the week.  I miss them already, but I know that they will be spending a lot of time at the beach (Jersey shore) and doing things that they don't normally do with my wife and I.  I will get in another good week of training with out guilt, get some more things done around the house (painting the bedrooms), and spend time with my wonderful wife. 

Cheers!

Father's Day Weekend +

It is Wednesday morning and I am still a bit sore, actually my lower back is killing me.  The past few days have left me feeling not so great, but such is life for a nearly 40-year old man who is holding on tightly to his youth.  Sometimes I fail to realize that I am not longer a 20-something guy who can just go and go and go.  My body has taken a beating over the past 40 years, thanks to soccer, lacrosse, running, biking, tennis, golf, etc.  Every morning that I wake up I am paying the price for it, or so it seems.

Enough of the complaining.  I should be happy to be alive and happy to have had a great Father's Day weekend.  Here is what I did:

• Saturday - I was up and out of the house at 7:00AM for a mountain bike ride with my friend Trevor.  Our daughters were in the same 2nd Grade class and play on the same soccer team.  I hadn't been "mountain biking" in a long time, primarily because my front shocks are shot (not suspension at all).  Regardless, we headed out and did a ride around Doylestown, trying to find any trail we could to ride on.  It was a lot of fun, cruising around and talking.  It was good to be riding with someone rather than solo as I normally do.  We probably put in about an hour and half of riding before we had to call it quits.  After the ride, I ate some breakfast and then it was out to mulch the yard (it was hot and it sucked). 
  
  Around 11:30AM I got cleaned up and headed out to a semi-annual coaches soccer game, which was a ton of fun; that is if you don't count the potential Grade 1 concussion I received, thanks to a mis-timed and unsuccessful bicycle kick.  I was definitely seeing stars afterward. 
  
  After soccer it was back to mulching....again, sucked!  I finished up the day by heading to the pool with my family where I pretty much just say in a chair and watched my girls play in the water.  I was wiped out, just so tired.  Plus, my head still wasn't quite right from the soccer game.
• Sunday (Father's Day) - I was up early again, this time for a 6:00AM ride with another friend of mine (J.P.).  I know him from our pool and some mutual friends.  I headed out for my first group ride (four of us) and we put in 2.5 hours, heading down to the rived and then up Federal Twist and through NJ.  It was a bitch of a ride, but it was great to be out riding with other guys.
  
  I had to peel off a bit early from the group because I wanted to play soccer at 9:30AM with some fellow Father's.  I was definitely feeling a bit sore from the ride, but I soldiered on and played for about an hour and a half.  Oh, for the first time ever, I had both of my groin muscles cramp up on me after the game.  It was a bitch trying to get my cleats, socks and shin guards off.  So much fun playing though.
  
  After the game I headed home for a shower and some time with the family.  My girls gave me my presents (two bathing suits, a pair of plaid shorts and a t-shirt....thank you Laura for helping them pick out the presents for me) and then I took a nap on the couch with my oldest lying on top of me.
  
  Around 2PM we headed to the pool and I had fun with my girls.  My youngest is finally going underwater again (and swimming), and my oldest is kicking butt on the diving board.  It is so great to see them swimming around in the water, like little fishes they are. 
  
  We finished up the night with a trip to Dilly's for dinner (met my in-laws there), a nice hamburger & french fries, followed by my youngest left over ice cream.  It was a great Father's Day!
• Monday - I was invited to play golf as part of a work function out in York, PA.  I was really sore from the weekend; so much so that I had to wear an Icy/Hot pad on my lower back for the entire round.  The first two holes were rough, but then I settled in and ended up shooting a 90 (not bad for my first round of the year).  Golf was followed by a great dinner, where I had calamari for the first time ever in my life (I probably won't have it again).
• Tuesday - Back to work and then to the pool afterwards for a my longest swim workout in six months.  I put in a very respectable 1,400yds.  I wanted to swim for longer but I needed to get home to my wife who was waiting for me.  No worries, I was just happy to feel good swimming again.

So it is Wednesday and I had planned to run this morning but my lower back was just too tight and I couldn't imagine running with it feeling like that.  Instead I opted to head into the office early and get a jump on the day (I was in Philly by 7:15AM).  I am going to probably head out of the office around 3:30PM to get home and get a run or bike in before my evening swim.  It is a good day!

Running Faster, but Not Swimming

It has been a good week.  From a training perspective I have been fitting in as much as I can.  From a "life" perspective the kids are done with school and my wife is feeling good.  From a work perspective I am close to writing a few sizable accounts which should mean some cha-ching for me.  So if all of those things are good then as a whole I must be doing well also, right?  Right!

Let me delve briefly into the training aspect of my life....here is a quick recap of the past week or so:

• Friday - 45 min trainer ride
• Saturday - One hour run, pretty easy and slow going, but there were some solid hills involved.
• Sunday - Two hour ride, averaged over 18MPH on a pretty hill route.
• Monday - REST DAY
• Tuesday - 4 mile run, 8:04/mile pace.  Finally getting a bit faster, not 7:45/mile fast, but getting there.
• Wednesday - One hour trainer ride, felt pretty good but really wanted to ride outside 
• Thursday - 4.2 mile run, 8:06/mile pace, the legs are coming back :)
• Today - TBD, but probably 45 - 60 minute trainer ride unless I can get outside and ride

You'll notice that there is no mention of SWIMMING in the above bullet points.  Alas, it has been difficult getting to the pool as a result of my job and wanting to spend a little bit of time with my family at night (the pool closes at 7PM).  That will change starting this weekend as I will have a little more free time and then next week the pool is open until 9PM.  My goal is to get in the pool every day over the next two weeks in an attempt to get stroke back and a bit of speed if possible.

Other than the above, things are going pretty well.  I think that I might be able to alright at the NJ State Triathlon that is about five weeks away.  I am not going to be anywhere near placing in my age group, but at least I should end up in the top 20% or so.....at least I hope I do.  I haven't signed up for any other races just yet because I am not sure what exactly I want to do.  If I am down at my 'rents in August for my birthday, I will do the Born to Tri in Asbury Park, NJ.  Other than those two races I have my eyes on a few others, but I don't know which ones I feel like doing (Riverstock Triathlon, TriRock Gettysburg, etc.). I am thinking about doing a HIM (Pocono Mountain 70.3 or Hunterdon Half) but I don't know if I want to dedicate the time to the training or put out the cash to do them.  Part of me does want to do another HIM, but I don't want it to be so friggin' hilly.  I would really like to do a nice flat HIM...maybe WTC should see about putting on a Jersey Shore 70.3.  I would be all over that.

Time to get some work done and make some money.  Cheers!

Am I Back?

I am going to be an optimist today and say that I am back, and by that I mean I am back on the training wagon.  Next stop:  Fast-ville!

I haven't written here in a while (over a week), but that is because I have been so busy with work and family (things are a changing...for the good!).  I have managed to fit in training a bit more frequently over the past week.  A few nights pedalling away on the trainer in the basement and two or three runs out on the roads of Doylestown, PA.

This past Saturday and Sunday were very solid from a training perspective; let me begin with Friday though.  I took the day off because my Kindergartner had her "Spring Sing" concert at school.  She was standing front and center and did absolutely amazing.  We couldn't have been prouder of the job that she did.  Following the concert, we picked up a couple hoagies for the ride to Lavallette, NJ.  We did have a quick stop on the way down....details will be forthcoming in the near future.....before finally arriving at my parents house around 3:00PM.  The rest of the day was spent chilling out and letting my daughters just have fun playing.

Saturday morning I was up and out of bed at 5:10AM and on my bike heading north at 5:30AM.  I rode up to the Manasquan Inlet (on the Point Pleasant side), took a picture of the sunrise and then turned around to face the increasing south wind.  I trekked south past my 'rents house and made my way into Island Beach State Park.  I rode around four miles into it and then turned around and headed back north with a steady wind at my back.  The ride ended up being around 39 miles and I finished it in just under two hours (~19.3 MPH average).  I was pretty happy with it, especially considering it was only my second outdoor ride so far this year.

The rest of Saturday was spent at the beach, freezing for a good portion of it, trying to keep up with my daughters who were having a blast running around in the very low tide.  We also caught up with our "summer" friends who we really missed a lot. 

I was able to sleep in a bit on Sunday, but I did manage to get in a nice seven mile run.  I ran from our house down to Seaside Heights, turning around right at Midway Cheese Steaks (they are so greasy and good/bad).  It was a slow slog as I still don't feel like I have a slightest of fitness.  I trudged and trudged.  Once I got back to the Lavallette boardwalk I kicked it into a higher gear and managed to run the final mile in 7:58.  WOW, finally a sub-8 minute mile. DANG!!!

The rest of the day...you guessed it, up at the beach with the family.  The weather was a bit better, slightly warmer, but still not the advertised 80F.  I still had fun with the girls, playing in the sandbar with them, playing catch and digging a giant hole for them. 

Monday was an early departure from the shore as we had a ton of stuff to take care of, specifically lots of food shopping.  We did manage to head over to our pool for about and hour and a half, thanks to the desperate pleas from my oldest daughter.  I couldn't get over how warm the water was, especially this early in the season.  It will make for easier swim training now that I will be doing it all there at the pool as opposed to my old gym.

Now for why I think I am back in business with regard to my training.  Two things:

1. I stayed up until 10:00PM last night putting together a training program.  I have printed it out and I will have it next to my bed at home for me to follow!
2. I dragged my butt out of bed this morning at 5:05AM and went for a run.  It was a slow and short run, but I did manage to get it done.  I got out of bed, got dressed and actually ran.  This was a huge step for me.  So, I am going to say here and now that I am back and ready to start training for the NJ State Triathlon on July 24th. 

Happy training to everyone!  Cheers!

TGIF....or Maybe Not

It is Friday and I am ready for the weekend to start.  However, now that I have said that, I suspect that this weekend will be busier than I am during the week.  Heck, I don't know what I want.  I feel as though I have absolutely no time anymore, at least no time for me.  I must admit though, when I was training last year I was getting up before 5:00AM every morning and getting a good chunk of my training done before most of the world was awake.  That was my "ME" time.  Now I am sleeping in until 5:45AM, and leaving for work by 6:30AM and hoping to fit in a workout before I go to bed, usually finishing up around 10:30AM.  I have to figure this all out and soon.

So this week has been a pretty good one with regards to training:

• Monday I took off from any exercise because I was pretty sore from the Broad Street Run. 
• Tuesday I put in a mellow 45 minute spin on my bike (trainer). 
• Wednesday I managed to get in a 3.5 mile run, which included a lot of hills. 
• Thursday I did a very solid hour on the bike (trainer). 
• Today I am going to do a 5 mile run when I get home from work before I mow the lawn.
• Saturday I am going to try and do a 8 mile run before my daughters soccer game at 9:00AM.
• Sunday, phew...not sure about Sunday since it is Mother's Day.  If anything I might be able to get a ride in later on in the day provided I am given the OK from my better half.

I still haven't put together a training plan which is pretty sad.  It looks like I am going to have to put off joining a gym with a pool until after the summer, which means I will be doing all of my swim training at our local outdoor swim club (Fanny Chapman Pool).  That means there will be a lot of very cold water swims to start the season.  BRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

I mentioned a busy weekend, in fact it is really Saturday that is what is going to be busy.  9:00AM I have my daughters soccer game.  9:30AM my wife will be taking my youngest to her dance class.  We will all get home from these activities around 10:40AM.  We will then have a little bit of down time before we hop into the family car and head down to Abington, PA for a lacrosse festival for my oldest daughter (I am coaching her team).  We need to be there by 12:15PM, which means we need to be in the car driving by 11:45AM.  The lacrosse fest will go until around 4:45PM at which time I imagine we are going to have to stop on the way home to get something for dinner.  I figure we will probably be home around 6:30PM or thereabouts.  It is going to be a long day, but hopefully a fun one.

Quick Update

I don't have a lot of time this morning so I am going to make this short and sweet....then again I always say that and end up writing way more than I planned.

I like to think  I am back in the swing of training, but I say that having only done two days of training in a row.  The real test will be if I am able to run or bike after my daughters lacrosse practice tonight (which I coach as well).  I probably won't get home until around 8:00PM and after getting her cleaned up and the other two in bed it will probably be close to 8:45PM.  That means I am going to have to utilize all of my will power to get me either out the door for a nice 4 - 5 mile run or in to my basement for an hour ride on the trainer.  No doubt it will be difficult, but I am sure that I can do it.  Hell, I was able to do it for eleven straight months in 2010, no reason I can't do it now.

As for the week in training thus far, Tuesday I was all ready to head out for a run, but then life got in the way.  Before I knew it, it was already 9:15PM and I had no desire to go out into the wet weather for a 5 mile run.  Instead of packing it in an doing nothing, I put on my cycling gear and did a 45 minute ride in the basement while watching IM New Zealand.  For me, there is nothing better for motivation than to watch replays of past Ironman's to make me work hard.  I know I am not going to be a professional triathlete, but being a solid age group contender going forward is what I want. 

Yesterday was a gorgeous day and I was able to get out and do a 4.75 mile run right before dinner.  I felt like crap for the whole run, but I think that was largely due to what I ate prior.  It started with a breakfast meeting at Shula's where I consumed a healthy portion of French Toast and sausage.  I then followed that up with a lunch meeting at the White Dog where I had the "Green Meadow Farm Cheddar Burger - Smoked Bacon Mayo, Grilled Red Onion, Brioche Bun" with fries.  I was so full and I think it stayed with me all through my run which was a solid four hours afterwards.  It was warm out (75F) and I was slow, but I got it done.

I had been pretty good about watching what I eat, but then it all fell apart yesterday.  I tried to remedy that this morning by starting my day with a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast.  For lunch today I think it is going to be a Salad Works day and for dinner maybe just some eggs on a bagel (after my training session of course).

That is it for now....the Broad Street Run is only eleven days away.  Sayonara!

Yoga is HARD!

Oh how I used to think yoga was something that only stay-at-home moms did after they got their kids on the bus and headed over to the gym to "work out".  I imagined them joining up with their friends at the local YMCA, having their morning coffee and then sauntering into the yoga studio to do some stretching and meditating, maybe throwing in some breathing exercises as well for good measure.  Of course they would finished it all up by walking gracefully from the studio feeling refreshed and proceed to head off to sit in the steam room before showering up and getting home before the kids got off the school bus.

Well, last night was my first foray into the world of yoga, courtesy of Tony Horton and P90X.  I should start out by saying that before I did the yoga work out, I put in a solid 45 minutes on my trainer.  I wasn't about to go out and run in the torrential down pour.  So, after my ride, I threw in disc #5 of P90X and got down with yoga, assuming that it would be a nice recovery from my ride.  I was wrong.

Yeah the first five minutes or so were very mellow and I was considering just packing it in because there was no challenge.  Slowly the moves started to increase in difficulty and quickly I began to feel the strain that it was putting on my muscles.  Truth be told, I only made it through about a half hour of poses before I called a night.  I couldn't do anymore, I was dripping with sweat, my arms were shaking (thre remnants of Tuesday's Chest & Back work out and the yoga), and my legs were screaming (Wednesday soccer + 45 min ride + yoga = PAIN). The poses all sounded nice, but there were a bitch: Plank, upward facing dog, downward dog, Warrior (then Warrior II and Reverse Warrior), triangle, chair, all caused me to strain every muscle in my body.  I was wrong, everything I though about yoga was wrong. 

I sit here typing knowing that I have a long way to go before I get into superiour shape.  Last night was very humbling and I like that this whole P90X thing is difficult.  I can see why so many people get discourage by how difficult it is and pack it in.  Honestly, by just looking at the website, seeing the infomercials, and watching Tony Horton do the exercises, you would have to assume that it can't be all that hard.  Well, let me tell you that I have done a total of one and a third DVDs and it is a killer.  I am going to stick it out and finish this damn program.  I am also going to do my best to stick to my half marathon training schedule as well.  I am in for a long three months, but in the end it should all be worth it.

So in sumation:

• Yoga is very HARD
• P90X is very HARD
• If I finish the program, I will be in amazing shape

Peace out!

Back At It...Sort Of

It seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  The past week and a half has been a very good one, but with that said it hasn't been without its not so great parts.

On Monday, February 7th I started my new job with Chartis (AKA AIG) down in Philadelphia.  It is a sales job, a position that I have never done before.  After the issues I had with my prior employer/manager, I am extremely excited to be starting fresh and looking forward to "competing" against my former employer for business.  My first day in the office was akin to starting at a new school half way through the year.  I had been with Chubb Insurance for over 10 years and had grown very comfortable there, almost to a fault.  To move to a new company has been a very unique and mildly stressful experience.  All of the little things that I had grown accustomed to were now different, such as:

• Working in a city as opposed to a very rural setting in western NJ
• Commuting an hour and 20 minutes (or more) on I-95 as opposed to 50 minutes on country roads.
• Employing systems/programs that are a bit more archaic (e.g. IE 6.0)
• Using a new laptop that is a step down from my old one
• Having to buy lunch everyday instead of bringing it in (I am trying to eat breakfast before leaving the house

Yest things are different, and it may seem like they are worse from the list above, but trust me I am much, much happier than I was a month or two ago.  Once I get used to things here and start spending more time out on the road and less in the office, things will improve greatly.

Now for the training portion of the is post.  Ugh, I can not seem to get healthy!  My back is finally back to normal, or at least I think it is.  That is a good thing.  Last Wednesday I started playing indoor soccer with some friends; I was really looking forward to it.  I could tell within the first five minutes that my hip flexors were not 100%, so I decided to take it somewhat easy for fear that I might reinjure them.  Things were going well, I had scored two goals and we were winning pretty handily.  With about 10 minutes left in the game I landed a bit awkwardly on my right foot and my heel really started to hurt.  I kept running around, trying not to let it bother me. 

Well, flash forward to today, a full week later and I am still feeling some pain in the heel.  I have not idea what the heck I did to it.  I have dealt with Plantar Faciitis before and I don't think that is it (the pain isn't on the inside near my arch).  The pain is on the bottom/outside of the heel, I think I may have bruised it or the padding.  I am going to try tapping it before playing tonight, hopefully that is all I need. 

As for actual "training", I have been limited to cycling on the trainer for the past two weeks or so.  I did go running a week and a half ago, but that was for all of 25 minutes (coming off of my back issues).  Swimming has been no existent for the better part of the past month since I don't presently belong to a gym, although I am hoping that my wife and I can agree to signing up for a family membership at the YMCA.  Sooner than later would be ideal!

I definitely need to get out running again soon as I have a few races coming up that I have to get ready for and the fact that I have not done a run over four or five miles over the past two months is a concern.  I am anxious to get back to serious training and losing some of the excess weight I have put on over the past two months.

That is all for now.  Peace out!

IMAZ - The Bike

1st Loop
I was so happy to be on my bike. I must have had the biggest smile on my face, just elated to pedaling away with 1/3rd of my Ironman done. About 300 yards into the bike, riding out of race central I got a surprise, there to my right side was my brother-in-law Jeff and my niece Georgia. Then I saw my wife and daughters, cheering madly for me, followed by the rest of my support crew: my parents, sister, other niece and nephew, and Aunt’s and Uncle’s. I got teary eyed, I was so overcome by emotion, finally seeing my family and hearing them screaming for me. I ended up riding that emotion for the first ten miles; it just flew by so quickly.

I did encounter one problem early on in the bike. While I was reaching for a sleeve of Shot Bloks I accidentally dropped a full sleeve from my rear pocket. Initially I thought it was the apple pie I had packed but found out later on that it was in fact necessary fuel. DAMN!!!

The first loop on the bike was pretty uneventful; I was going at a pretty good pace, and I felt really good. There was a cross wind for most of the ride out, coming from the southeast, which translated to a very mild push up the Beeline Highway. Before I knew anything I was up to Gilbert Rd. and I was passing people at a regular rate, while being passed by only a few. My father had mentioned that he was going to try and make it up there to see me on my way north, but no family members were there. It didn’t faze me, I just kept going. It was awesome to see the pros go flying by on the other side of the road; I did my best to scream for Jordan Rapp, Chris Lieto, and Chrissie Wellington, although my shouts weren’t all that boisterous.

The “hill” to the turnaround was inconsequential and I quickly looked to fly back down to Tempe. Well, unfortunately that wasn’t going to be since the wind which helped me up the Beeline was now going to restrict my progress back to town. I was able to maintain a solid 20 – 21 MPH on the downhill, into the wind, quite less than the much talked about 27 – 30MPH that was advertised. No worries, I just did my best to keep my heart rate low and my cadence up.

As I approached Gilbert Rd. again I looked to my left and saw a group of people crossing the street….it was my family! By some stroke of luck, they had just arrived at the intersection as I was passing by. I think I saw my Aunt Dot (Super Aunt Dot to my daughters) first and then my wife and daughters. I was so great to see them and it put a perma-grin on my face for the next 30 minutes.

Soon after I passed my family, I reached another iamtri.com friend, Alexis. I chatted with her for a minute or two as we rode and she told me that the wind would probably change on later on. She was really confused about the weather so far that day; it was definitely not typical of Arizona. It was time for me to move on, so I told her good luck and I rode on. The rest of that loop wasn’t too bad, although the wind was increasing a bit and was in my face for most of the last 8 – 10 miles. I concentrated on taking on fluids (Gatorade) and fuel (Clif Shot Bloks). I was constantly drinking and every 30 minutes I was eating three Bloks.

2nd Loop
The start of the second loop was insane, there were people everywhere screaming and cheering everyone on. It was a solid two or three miles of spirit-raising, ego-boosting, adrenaline-pumping, pure energy. I felt like a superstar, AWESOME!!!

Back to normal then a few miles later, still passing lots of people, not much in the way of crowds, but I was feeling great. At one turn I hear someone call out my name, it was my Uncle Michael who had driven in from California. I gave him a shout and a wave…man was I lucky. A few miles up the road I saw my family again, I remember my wife screaming, “You look great!” Again, I was so lucky.

It was around midway through my second lap that I started to feel the need to pee again. I heard about people peeing on their bikes and I thought, “Why not?” Well, easier said than done. I just couldn’t do it; I mean I physically couldn’t do it. I tried and tried but it just wasn’t happening…DANG! After the turn around at the top of the Beeline I was going to stop but didn’t. That meant I would have to wait for the halfway point of the race. It was at this point that the Gods decided to play a cruel joke on all of us racing that day. It started to rain…it rained during Ironman Arizona in the middle of the Sonora Desert. Are you kidding me? It lasted for about 15 minutes and it wasn’t a downpour, but it did add to the craziness of the race.

Finally, I reached Gilbert Rd and a bathroom. I had to wait for someone ahead of me (add 2 minutes which felt like 20), then I went (add 2 minutes which felt like 20), and finally got out of there. Oops, time to stop by “Special Needs” and refill all of my bottles. Another break that felt like forever but probably only took two or three minutes. Finally I was on my way and about halfway done.

I checked my watch and noticed that it said I was in “T2”…that wasn’t right. I must have hit the lap button my mistake while at Special Needs. Ugh, I had to reset the “Multisport” mode, which wasn’t necessarily a big problem because I was able to sync up my heart rate monitor. The one bad thing was that I had to figure out about how much farther I had left on the bike since my watch now read mile zero. I didn’t let it affect me, instead I just kept riding and if anything it gave me something to think about for the remaining 40 miles or so.

I think I saw my family again around this point which was a total shock. I thought they were going to go to some funplex place or something like that. It will probably sound redundant but after seeing them, well it was like getting a shot of adrenaline. I also think it started to rain again after seeing them which was not really comical anymore; it was getting annoying and making the roads a bit slick. The winds were still steady and strong making the end of loop number two tough. The crowds were undeterred though and kept screaming for all of us athletes.

3rd Loop
Alright 38 miles to go and then it would be time for the run. The wind was picking up and I was really flying heading out of Tempe. Things were going well, I was hydrated and my energy was high as I continued to pass people all the way up the Beeline Highway. At the far turnaround I could feel that wind had changed and this time it was coming right at us and it was howling. The last 15 miles or so were going to be tough so I went to an easier gear and raised my cadence. I just plugged along, continuing to drink Gatorade and down Clif Shot Bloks (which at this point were making my teeth hurt….all of the sugar I suppose). About ten miles from the end of the bike I saw my family for the final time and I recall looking right at my wife who was holding my youngest and saying, “What is up with the wind?” Just then I made a right turn, leaving everyone behind, and before me looked like a hurricane. The wind immediately picked up, tumble weeds were blowing across the road and visibility dropped considerably. Then it hit me, the rain, the sand….the wind; I went from ~18 MPH down to 10 MPH in an instant. I had to fight through this for the next three or four miles, just trying to get finished with this damn bike.

Just as I was about to go over Tempe Town Lake and ride the final two miles or so the wind shifted again, this time blowing from the west. This was not a good thing, I would have to ride the last few miles directly into the wind….what a way to wrap up a 112 mile bike ride. The crowds were still pumping and I was able to finish with a smile on my face, mainly because I was happy to get off of that damn bike.

I am certain that if the weather hadn’t been so crazy I could have ridden close to a 5:30:00 leg. I felt like I was just working so hard at the end of the ride and pretty much every time I was close to the lake. I hoped that it wouldn’t affect me on the run. Final Bike time: 5:55:15, 18.92MPH

Fab Friday

It is Friday morning and I am feeling pretty good.  I have been up since around 5:30AM, thanks to my need to pee every two hours due to my constant hydrating.  Also contributing to that is the fact that my family is here (YEA!!!) and of course my girls were up around 4:15AM this morning ready to go....or at least ready to watch some cartoons.

So a little update on my status.  I woke up yesterday morning with my right elbow feeling a bit sore/tender.  I didn't think much of it until I took a look at it in the bathroom and I noticed that there was definitely some swelling on the outside of my elbow.  I checked it out on-line to see if I could self diagnose (of course that is the right way to go about figuring out what is wrong when injured...who needs doctors).  I think what I have is elbow bursitis, which means I have fluid in my bursa sac on my elbow.  I don't have any impeded motion or pain when I move it, only when I press on it.  This is a good thing in the whole scheme of things.  I reached out to my sports doctor in Pennsylvania and he advised me to go to Ironman Village and find the ART docs and have them try to fix me up.  That is what I have to do sometime this morning.

Ironman Check-In & Bike Pick-up
Around 11:00AM yesterday my parents and I drove down to Tempe to complete my check-in.  After wandering around for a while I finally found the long row of tents that makes up the check-in process. 

• First they confirmed that I was who I am 
• Then I had to sign my life way and confirm my information
• On to picking up my race numbers (stickers for bags, bike, helmet and race belt) and timing chip....AND getting my All Access Wrist band
• After that I got my bag of goodies, which wasn't all that great.  Oh, it did have all of my gear bags, etc.
• Last stop was to check my timing chip and get the Velcro strap for it.

All in all it wasn't too bad of a process, I can't imagine what it is going to be like today when the mass crowd hits.  After that was done I found my 'rents making posters for me and I helped out a bit (nothing like making a support poster for myself). 

It was then time to grab some lunch prior to picking up my bike from Tri Bike Transport.  Lunch took forever, at least it felt that way since I was anxious to get my bike and head out for ride.  I did eat what I thought was a relatively healthy meal and around 1:30PM we were done and off to get my bike.  Ah there she was, scratch free and ready to go.  After getting her, I drove up to Scottsdale to pick up my race wheels from RaceDayWheels.com which was a pretty painless process.

By this time it was getting late in the day and me and my 'rents headed back to their house.  I opted to just do my planned hour ride from there house and make my way over to the Beeline Highway to ride a portion of the race course.  First I must say that the race wheels that I had on my bike (Zipp 404 front and Zipp 808 back) are awesome!  I can't believe how much lighter my bike is.  Also, I swear I was going 1 - 2 MPH faster when riding...this might have also been psychological as I was just excited to ride my bike after a week away from her.

All in all the ride was uneventful but fun.  The roads are so smooth and virtually no "hills", at least compared to what I am used to.  Here are some more pics of me along the way.

Ride stats:  28.5 miles, 1:18:00, Average speed: ~22 MPH

The Airport Pick-Up

Finally around 7:00PM last night we headed off to pick up my wife and daughters.  I was really excited to see them.  We were lucky, their plane landed early and I was able to see them just a bit earlier than expected.  We were all really excited to see each other...yes, I think I may have shed a tear.

Today

So that leaves me to today.  It is 7:41AM and we are trying to figure out what we should do today.  At some point I have to head down to Ironman Central to have my elbow looked at and also attend the Welcome Dinner where I, and my wife and kids, are going to meet a bunch of folks who I have "met" on iamtri.com.  In between all of this we have to pick up a rental car and find something fun to do with the kids, not always an easy task.

Two days away from IM Arizona.....I nearing peak freak out zone.  Peace out!

Seven Days

I am sitting here in my living room, about an hour and a half removed from finishing my last "long" run.  It is a cold Pennsylvania Fall morning and most of the frost has melted off of the front lawn.  I am can hear my two little girls playing with their princess dolls upstairs in my youngest bedroom.  My wife is out getting some Christmas shopping done (she is so efficient).  Today already feels different to me.  I know what it is, I know why today (and yesterday) feels so different than any other weekend day. 

Over the past nineteen weeks I have spent countless weekend hours biking and running; then trying to recover from these workouts.  Today my "long" run was 7.12 miles (one hour) and I feel like I haven't done anything.  My legs aren't aching, I was able go up the stairs with a hop in my step, I fell fresh.  I am enjoying the taper, I am enjoying the way I feel right now.

There is also something else that makes today a bit different from a "typical" weekend morning.  I am sitting here on Sunday morning with a belly full of pancakes at 9:20AM and I just realized that...IRONMAN ARIZONA IS ONLY SEVEN DAYS AWAY!!!  Holy cow, I can't believe that after months of feeling like the day would never come, it is only a week away.

Here is what has (or hasn't) been going on with my training over the past three days:

Friday - I did my swim in the AM and planned to do my run after work.  Well, my wife got home a bit late before I knew it, I just didn't have it in me to get out and do my 30 - 45 minute run.  I tried not to let it get to me, in fact I used the time that I would have spent running just eating dinner with my family and hanging out with them for a bit.

Saturday - I slept in until around 7:45AM....what?  7:45AM?  Yup, that's right, no need to get up and get in a two ride on my Cervelo because my bike is on it's way to Arizona.  Plus it was around 30F at 7:00AM and I wasn't going riding in that weather.  Instead I offered to take my youngest to dance class while my wife could go and do some errands with my oldest, in preparation for the trip to Arizona.  Around 3:00PM I finally got out for what was an abbreviated "two hour" bike ride.  It ended up only being around an hour on my mountain bike as I tried to find trails around my house to ride on.  I realized that I miss mountain biking a lot, I will definitely have to start doing that again after this race.  I ended up not doing my 30 minute run off of the bike because I had to head into town to get some last minute supplies from our local running shop.

Today - Well, as I said above, I was up at 6:00AM and out running by 6:30AM for a nice leisurely 7+ mile run.  I kept my heart rate in low Zone 2 and my pace right around 8:25/mile, nice and easy, just enjoying the beautiful morning.  I may try to get out on my mountain bike later on today if time permits, but I doubt it is going to happen.

That about sums up the past three days of training for me, not a lot going on, just trying to get my body feeling fresh, but still maintaining the fitness I have built up through out the past 19 weeks.  Anticipate some deep thinking over the next six days as I begin writing down a lot of thing that I am thankful for and some realizations I have come to over the past ten and a half month.  Ciao!