By now I will have started my race. I'll be racing in the 2011 Ironman Arizona. My race strategy is to swim & bike moderately then crush the marathon! Through the day I’ll need to remind myself that anyone can go out hard on the swim and bike, but what toll would it take farther down the line? Endurance athletics requires a certain discretion and reserve. It would be easy to let my ego get the better of me early on and bike beyond my means. It would be a mistake that would haunt me as the hours and miles added up. One of the biggest challenges on the bike will be to have the discipline to ride easy, even as other triathletes pass me. And I hate being passed. Today I’ll rely on my heart rate monitor like never before. I’ll use my HR monitor to make sure my pace is sensible.
I'll let you know how my strategy works as soon as I can get to a computer post race! Thanks for tuning in and wish me luck!
For today's race I found a great quote from Theodore Roosevelt:
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there in no effort without error and short coming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and at the worst, if he fails at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Showing posts with label IMAZ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IMAZ. Show all posts
November 20, 2011
November 18, 2011
expected Ironman Arizona finishing times
My expected Ironman Arizona finishing times are:
The 2.4 mile swim: I have no clue!
Expected: Perhaps 1:40 minutes.
Hoping for: 1:35.
I was swimming for a couple months with the Santa Fe HITS masters swim club. My endurance improved, I could swim longer without getting tired, but I never felt like my speed improved. I need to get some swim lessons.
The 112 mile bike:
Expected: 8 hours.
Hoping for: 7:20.
On my tank of a bike I suspect I’ll only maintain a 14 mph pace, 15 mph at best.
The 26.2 mile run:
Expected: 4 hours 20 minutes.
Hoping for: sub 4 hours.
My long distance running is at an all time best. Even if my legs are trashed from pushing around my incredibly heavy road bike for 112 miles I should still be able to maintain a 10 minute per mile pace.
Finish time:
Expected: 13 hours 50 minutes which would give me a PR by 47 minutes!
Hoping for sub 13 hours!
The 2.4 mile swim: I have no clue!
Expected: Perhaps 1:40 minutes.
Hoping for: 1:35.
I was swimming for a couple months with the Santa Fe HITS masters swim club. My endurance improved, I could swim longer without getting tired, but I never felt like my speed improved. I need to get some swim lessons.
The 112 mile bike:
Expected: 8 hours.
Hoping for: 7:20.
On my tank of a bike I suspect I’ll only maintain a 14 mph pace, 15 mph at best.
The 26.2 mile run:
Expected: 4 hours 20 minutes.
Hoping for: sub 4 hours.
My long distance running is at an all time best. Even if my legs are trashed from pushing around my incredibly heavy road bike for 112 miles I should still be able to maintain a 10 minute per mile pace.
Finish time:
Expected: 13 hours 50 minutes which would give me a PR by 47 minutes!
Hoping for sub 13 hours!
November 12, 2011
Ironman Arizona 2011 bib number
I just received an email that gave me my bib #. My bib # for Ironman Arizona will be #1445. You can track my progress on www.Ironmanlive.com by entering my bib # or name. IMAZ race day is Nov 20th!
The email also stated that the Ironman corporation will disqualify any athlete who runs across the finish line with their kids. Athletes not being allowed to hold their kids hands as they run across the finish line, and IM refusing to have a Clydesdale or Athena division is the main reason I haven't done any official Ironman races since 2007. I feel the Ironman corporation is getting too big for their britches. Much to high and mighty. Very uppity. I'd think $750 for a entry fee would be enough money to allow me to run across the finish holding my child's hand. I'd rather race a grass roots Iron distance race for half the cost and get less control freak behavior & more support and compassion from the RD's. That's my rant for the year.
The email also stated that the Ironman corporation will disqualify any athlete who runs across the finish line with their kids. Athletes not being allowed to hold their kids hands as they run across the finish line, and IM refusing to have a Clydesdale or Athena division is the main reason I haven't done any official Ironman races since 2007. I feel the Ironman corporation is getting too big for their britches. Much to high and mighty. Very uppity. I'd think $750 for a entry fee would be enough money to allow me to run across the finish holding my child's hand. I'd rather race a grass roots Iron distance race for half the cost and get less control freak behavior & more support and compassion from the RD's. That's my rant for the year.
October 31, 2011
Ironman Arizona Taper time
On Friday I completed my last long run at my favorite run course, Ranch Viejo sub division. Rancho Viejo is located just south of the Santa Fe community college. I ran 3 times around the outer trail surrounding the subdivision, each lap is a 6.3 mile challenging loop with lots of hills and glorious views. After the run I felt great. I was amazed at how great I felt! This year my long distance running has been at an all time best! I can run longer and faster than ever before. I ran 19.3 miles with less fatigue I'd normally experience running for only two hours!
Then on Saturday I completed my longest brick of the year. I rode my bike from the Santa Fe Rail Runner 550 station into Albuquerque via Highway 14, then to the Sandia Casino, then back up to Paseo Del Norte & Wyoming. 77 miles total. From there I threw on my run shoes and took my 6 year old daughter with me on her bike for a run. She and I went 6.1 miles keeping a 10 minute per mile pace. My baby girl is a cycling animal! I can’t wait until she’s old enough to compete in some junior cycling races. She'll kill it!
On the bike portion of my brick I averaged just shy of 14 MPH. The reason for me riding so slow is my triathlon bike was destroyed in September, I’m now riding on an old, slow, off brand road bike. It’s 2-3 mph slower than my triathlon bike. Don’t get me wrong, I love my road bike regardless of how slow it is. I’m grateful to have this bike to use as a spare. A slow bike is better than no bike!
Then on Saturday I completed my longest brick of the year. I rode my bike from the Santa Fe Rail Runner 550 station into Albuquerque via Highway 14, then to the Sandia Casino, then back up to Paseo Del Norte & Wyoming. 77 miles total. From there I threw on my run shoes and took my 6 year old daughter with me on her bike for a run. She and I went 6.1 miles keeping a 10 minute per mile pace. My baby girl is a cycling animal! I can’t wait until she’s old enough to compete in some junior cycling races. She'll kill it!
On the bike portion of my brick I averaged just shy of 14 MPH. The reason for me riding so slow is my triathlon bike was destroyed in September, I’m now riding on an old, slow, off brand road bike. It’s 2-3 mph slower than my triathlon bike. Don’t get me wrong, I love my road bike regardless of how slow it is. I’m grateful to have this bike to use as a spare. A slow bike is better than no bike!
August 13, 2011
unexpected running
My running this year has been excellent. I'm not sure why. I'm running the same amount as last year, but my pace & endurance is better. I weigh 1.5 pounds less than I did last year. Other than my small weight loss I see no reason at all that I should be making gains like this.
Today was my 2nd day back from 3 weeks of vacation & annual training for work. I'm fatigued because I'm having to get used to working nights again. This morning I got mandatory to a 16 hour shift. I woke up after only 4 hours sleep to go run. It was 94 degrees out, I was exhausted, & sleep deprived. Usually that combination would make for a horrible run. I ended up having an amazing run! I ran for 65 minutes & at the 45 minute mark I ran at a moderate pace (zone 4 for hard core triathletes who know what the zones represent) and averaged a 7:40 per mile pace! Normally a 7:40 pace wouldn't have been very impressive, but a zone 4 pace is fairly easy pace and my body was hot & fatigued! I'm feeling good about the swim & run portions of my upcoming IMAZ! Now f I could just find a way to get in more cycling miles.
Today was my 2nd day back from 3 weeks of vacation & annual training for work. I'm fatigued because I'm having to get used to working nights again. This morning I got mandatory to a 16 hour shift. I woke up after only 4 hours sleep to go run. It was 94 degrees out, I was exhausted, & sleep deprived. Usually that combination would make for a horrible run. I ended up having an amazing run! I ran for 65 minutes & at the 45 minute mark I ran at a moderate pace (zone 4 for hard core triathletes who know what the zones represent) and averaged a 7:40 per mile pace! Normally a 7:40 pace wouldn't have been very impressive, but a zone 4 pace is fairly easy pace and my body was hot & fatigued! I'm feeling good about the swim & run portions of my upcoming IMAZ! Now f I could just find a way to get in more cycling miles.
July 03, 2011
Body weight fluctuations
A low body weight is imperative to being a fast Iron distance triathlete. The last two times I trained for an Ironman I kept dieting until I was miserable with hunger, then promptly fell off the diet wagon & gained all my weight back. I've decided to start a maintenance diet from here until Ironman Arizona.
I've started the build phase of my training plan, so I need my energy to recover, build fitness & speed. Being at a caloric deficit would hurt my Iron dreams. My current weight on my home scale is 186.8 pounds. Thanks to the great advise of a few of my Face Book buddies like my wife & James Webster I'm hoping my weight on race day will be 186 pounds.
I know I've posted things similar to this before. But it's different this time. Before my goal had always been to maintain for a short while so that I could start losing weight again as soon as I felt physically able. This time is different because my goal is to maintain. I'm staying at this weight for the next 5 months!
Thanks to the wise advise of my beautiful wife & James Webster, this is the one of the few intelligent decisions I've made in regards to my weight. Thanks guys.
June 13, 2011
The never ending trip!
My family & I left for vacation to Lubbock TX on Sunday June 5th. I got a call mid week from my best friend that he got a transfer to Dallas TX. He couldn't find anyone to help him pack or move, so Sunday morning June 12th, I drove from Lubbock TX to our home in Santa Fe, dropped off the wife & kids, drove to Albuquerque & helped my buddy pack up his house & load it into his U-haul. I got to his place a little after 7 PM. It felt like it took forever just him & I loading up his house! We left his house at 1 AM on Monday morning & drove straight through to Dallas.
We were both exhausted but continued driving. Just outside of Wichita Falls Texas our low gas warning light cane on. By the time we pulled into the nearest gas station our u-haul was sputtering! I blame not refueling on exhaustion.
We got to his new apartment at 1:15 PM. It took almost an hour for him to sign the paper work & get his keys.
From 3:30 until 6:04 PM we unloaded the van. It's hot & humid here! I'm tired. Haven't slept. I'm dehydrated. But I'm still going on my 1 hour long run. IMAZ is coming & sub 13 hours waits on no man.
May 03, 2011
The 2011 Atomic Man duathlon race report
Sunday was supposed to be my day off of training, but I raced in the Atomic Man duathlon instead. As a matter of a fact the last three Sunday were supposed to be recovery days, but I raced instead!
The 2011 Atomic Man duathlon was my 71st multisport race & my 17th duathlon..
Like I posted before, this is my favorite race of all time! The RD's go all out to make sure everyone has a fantastic time. They had a ton of stuff in the race packet bags from performance t-shirts, chap stick, gels, bars, water bottles, coupons, honey, wet suit bags, & those re-usable shopping bags! They have the most comfortable timing chip straps I've ever seen at a race! They also had more swag than I've ever seen in a non-Iron distance race! Ruby helmets, Ruby sunglasses, gift certificates to tri sports, gift certificates to a local bike shop. they had free coffee, organic meat, organic veggies, organic bread, fruit, many other things. The only thing they didn't have this year was photographers taking pictures that they had given out on the net for free on previous years.
I had a hard time racing today. I was low on motivation. I just wanted to sleep. Thank goodness this race decided to have a late 9:30 AM start time. I really needed the extra sleep on race morning! If it was a traditional 8 AM start time I doubt I'd of shown up. I've been trying my best to function on 4 hours sleep 5 days a week since my wife started up this semester in school. I'm SO TIRED! I feel like I could lay down & sleep for a year only waking to eat, which I haven't done much of for the last 4 months either! My legs felt dead on race morning. Part of the reason was lack of sleep, part is having been on a calories restricted diet since January 1st, I've lost 42 pounds since then, part was from not having a day off from training since April 24th, & partly because I'm putting my body through a new workout routine that it's ENTIRELY unaccustomed to. I have done nothing but high intensity short course training since late 2008, & I just started a training plan for Ironman Arizona that has a ton of long grueling workouts. My body is in complete shock from all this long distance training! My legs have been sore for 3 weeks straight. The thing I missed most about training for Irons is the amazing sleep! I fall asleep immediately & get the deepest sleep I've ever had when I train for Ironman- or perhaps it's because I'm not sleeping much & my body is overly tired.
Anyway, back to the race report. The Atomic Man duathlon is a seriously hilly course!!! I posted the terrain in with the pictures above.
I ran the 1st 4K in 19 minutes 15 seconds, which averaged out to a 7 minute 28 second pace. Not bad for someone who is chronically fatigued & racing on exhausted legs.
I felt great on the bike & I ended up much faster on the bike than I thought I'd be. I finished the 15K bike in 28 minutes 20 seconds keeping a 19.7 MPH average! For that course I felt I'd had a fantastic performance!
I thought for sure I'd fall apart on the 2nd run. I was hurting & my legs had began to feel flat. I couldn't hit that 5th gear to save my life! Turns out a kid all of 4' tall passed me about half way through the run, after the race I found out he was 13 years old! I wasn't going to let a young child spank me, so my competitive juices got all fired up & I dug deep & ran extremely hard the last half! I was shocked to find out I ran the 2nd 4K in 20 minutes 20 seconds keeping a 7 minutes 45 second pace!! BTW, the 13 year old kid still beat me by 20 seconds! That kid could race!!!!
My finishing time was 1 hour 8 minutes 48 seconds. Not to shabby on a sleep deprived, calories restricted, & overtrained body, but still 2 minutes 20 seconds behind my PR I set last year racing with the stomach flue.
I finished 2nd place in the 35-39 AG behind Marty Moriarty.
I race this Sunday May 8th at the Jay Benson triathlon. By the Jay Benson triathlon I will have trained hard everyday for 28 consecutive days, so I'm not expecting much out of my body. I'll be happy with just finishing!! Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!
January 13, 2011
indecisive
A couple months ago I tried to get myself out of a serious state of cycling & swimming burnout by registering for The Memorial Hermann 70.3 & Ironman Arizona. Yet my burn burnout continued.
A few weeks ago I realized I was still enjoying running, it was just all the bike & swim miles I was dreading, so I decided to start training for my 1st 50 mile ultra endurance trail run. As a starting point & to start building up my mileage for my eventual 50 miler I signed up for the Albuquerque half marathon. So far training has been good. For the last 2 weeks I've done nothing but running & am enjoying myself thoroughly! Everyday I'm excited to put my run shoes on.
Now after only a couple weeks of pure running I'm starting to miss being on my bike. Just a little. By no means am I missing multiple hour bike rides! An hour a couple times a week would hit the spot. The fact that I'm already starting to get a small itch for my bike got me to thinking; perhaps I could continue running predominantly, cycling only a couple times a week on my recovery days. And if I continue to gain my motivation to bike, perhaps after I run in the Albuquerque half marathon in April I could be motivated to start Iron training for IMAZ. From April to November would give me 6.5 months to prepare, which is exactly how long most coaches suggest to train for an Iron. I think that would work well. After all, I did just drop $600 on an Ironman registration. To not race it would be absurd. To start training for IMAZ I'd have to give up my 50 mile trail run goal for awhile, which I'm fine with.... At least for now. Not sure if you've noticed, but when it comes to my athletic goals & aspirations I've been a bit indecisive.
December 04, 2010
The beginning of mission one-nine-zero: day 1-3
I'm really wanting to break my 70.3 PR or 5 hours 30 minutes in April at The Memorial Hermann 70.3. To break the 5.5 hour mark I need to train hard- never a problem with me- & get my weight down below 200- all too often this is a big problem for me! So I am now starting mission one-nine-zero! My goal is to be 190 pounds by April 10th 2011. 3.5 weeks ago I was 235 pounds, I am currently 222 pounds To get to 190 by April 10th I need to drop another 32 pounds in 18 weeks. That's an average of 1.77 pounds a week. Very attainable- in theory at least.....
I've realized through trial & error my body is NOT happy being at or below 190. Anytime I get at or below 190 I then end up packing on a whole bunch of weight. It's as if my body has a self defense mechanism that kicks in anytime I drop that low. So after the Memorial Hermann 70.3 I'll allow myself to get back up 200 pounds, & then I'll drop back down to 190 just before Ironman Arizona in Novermber.
From here on out I'll be posting my current weight, Pounds needed to lose & the # of weeks to do it in, calories burned, & calories eaten here on my blog:
Week 1 of 18
At the beggining of week 18 I need to lose 39.4 more pounds.
Day 1
Weight: 229.4
Weight lost: 0 pounds
weight loss to goal: 39.4
Calories eaten: 2,488
Calories burned: 1,148
Net calories: 1,340
Day 2
Weight: 224
Weight lost: 4.6 pounds
weight loss to goal: 34 pounds
Calories eaten: 2,869
Calories burned: 888
Net calories: 1981
Day 3: Dec 3rd
Weight 222
Weight lost 7.4 pounds
weight loss to goal: 32 pounds
Ate- 3,291
Burned- 1,711 (30.7 mile zone 2 bike followed by a 31 minute zone 2 run with six 20 minute sprints with 40 seconds rest intervals)
Net calories- 1,580
While reading the bible last week I found this:
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free."
Psalm 119:32
I have found a lot of encouragement in it. My life is so much better & rewarding when I turn to Christ in all things. Anytime I start getting caught up in life & forget to turn to Him for strength & encouragement things get much more difficult. My finances tend to get out of control, I lose my patience much quicker, & I find myself struggling with my triathlon training & racing. I find peace & strength in Him, when I turn to Christ it makes my heart feel free & light.
November 25, 2010
Ironman just for the fun of it!
Just like most triathletes, the minute I finished my 1st triathlon in 2004 I began dreaming of completing an Iron. At the time a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike & 26.2 mile run seemed unattainable to me. In persuit of the big Iron dream I started biking & running longer & longer every weekend until I was riding my bike from Santa Fe to Albuquerque & then back on most weekends.
In 2005 I was scheduled to attempt my 1st Iron, but got in a bike wreck a few weeks before the race & was unable to race.
In 2006 I was training heavily for another Iron, but ended up qualifying for a slot to the 70.3 world championships & raced that instead.
In 2007 I was finally able to show up & attempt my 1st Iron distance triathlon. I didn't make the final bike cut off & got pulled from the course at mile 96 of the bike.
By 2008 I'd been training exclusively for Iron distance triathlons for 5 straight years! I was completely burned out with having to do 5-6 hour bike rides followed by a 45 minutes runs on my 1st day off of work, then upwards to 3 hour runs on the next. But because I still hadn't completed my dream of becoming an Ironman I signed up for Ironman Arizona 2008. To be honest the entire year of 2008 I was miserable having to do the training necessary to finish an Ironman, but my dream of crossing the finish line kept me focused & able to force myself to complete the long grueling training days. In 2008 I averaged 19.5 hours of training a week. As I look back it was amazing I was able to finish the 2008 Ironman Arizona at all. Since I was so burned out with training the long distances, I wanted to make ABSOLUTELY sure I finished the race by the cut off time, so I pushed myself WAY to hard, & didn't allow myself nearly enough rest & recovery. I ended up so overtrained & stressed out because of the miles & miles of training I was forcing myself to do without enjoyment I ended up looking to food for comfort. I ended up on race day weighing 237 pounds! Only through the grace of God was I able to finish in 14 hours.
Now after 2 years of not having trained for any races longer than a sprint I finally have gotten over my loathing of really long training days. Now, I actually miss the long days of cycling & running. There's nothing better for stress relief than a long peaceful bike or run! Just me & the road. It's an amazing feeling of freedom.
This time training for an Ironman in 2011 will be different than the last time. I'll actually be able to enjoy the training, I won't have the burn out I had before, & I also have learned from my mistakes of overtraining. This time I know I need to put more emphasis on sleep & recovery. Less is more. I'm really looking forward to this next year of training & am absolutely pumped about being able to race an Iron for no other reason than the enjoyment of it!
November 22, 2010
IMAZ 2011!
My mother in law had to go to the emergency room today so I didn't think I'd be able to register for the 2011 Ironman Arizona. & from what I hear IMAZ sold out withing hours of opening for registration. Thankfully I had a buddy of mine register me. Thanks to my amazing friend Justin , I am now registered for the 2011 Ironman Arizona! I'm so excited!!!
Thanks Justin!!!
November 20, 2010
weight, triathlon, and things
Up until July of this year I had kept below 200 pounds for a year & a half by using Dietpower.com In early July I got down to 184 & had a screaming 6 pack!
In July I got burned out with cycling, running, & logging all my food, so I took some time off of training & logging. Bam! Back up to 220 in 5 months! I'm now motivated to train again, like I said in my last post, I'll be registering for Ironman Arizona on Monday, if I'm unable to get into that race I'll be doing the Redman Iron distance tri. My goal is to break my Ironman PR of 14 hrs. I finished in 14 hrs while weighing 235, so I should be able to get below 13 hrs if I can get back to my best racing weight of 195. So after a 5 month lay off, I'm back into working out!
I'm still burned out with logging my food. I just can't seem to make myself do it. So I'm going to try & eat a palm sized portion of protein, & a palm sized portion of carbs every 3 hrs. If I get hungry I'll allow myself raw veggies between meals. & for breakfast & post workout I'll eat the palm sized protein & a double portion of carbs. I can't remember where I saw this diet, the Dr OZ show or something along those lines. I'm 2 days into the new diet and enjoying it so far. The great things about this diet is there's no logging. I always have the palm of my hand with me so I never have to worry about not having the proper measuring cups or food scales with me! Almost feels like effortless dieting compared to logging! Things are looking up again!
My 2 big races of 2011 is the Memorial Hermman 70.3 in April. I'm hoping to break my 70.3 PR of 5 hrs 30 minutes, dare I dream of 5:20? & a late season Iron. Hopefully IMAZ, but if not than it'll be Redman. I'm hoping to go 13 hrs or below for the Iron. My Iron PR is 14 hrs.
In July I got burned out with cycling, running, & logging all my food, so I took some time off of training & logging. Bam! Back up to 220 in 5 months! I'm now motivated to train again, like I said in my last post, I'll be registering for Ironman Arizona on Monday, if I'm unable to get into that race I'll be doing the Redman Iron distance tri. My goal is to break my Ironman PR of 14 hrs. I finished in 14 hrs while weighing 235, so I should be able to get below 13 hrs if I can get back to my best racing weight of 195. So after a 5 month lay off, I'm back into working out!
I'm still burned out with logging my food. I just can't seem to make myself do it. So I'm going to try & eat a palm sized portion of protein, & a palm sized portion of carbs every 3 hrs. If I get hungry I'll allow myself raw veggies between meals. & for breakfast & post workout I'll eat the palm sized protein & a double portion of carbs. I can't remember where I saw this diet, the Dr OZ show or something along those lines. I'm 2 days into the new diet and enjoying it so far. The great things about this diet is there's no logging. I always have the palm of my hand with me so I never have to worry about not having the proper measuring cups or food scales with me! Almost feels like effortless dieting compared to logging! Things are looking up again!
My 2 big races of 2011 is the Memorial Hermman 70.3 in April. I'm hoping to break my 70.3 PR of 5 hrs 30 minutes, dare I dream of 5:20? & a late season Iron. Hopefully IMAZ, but if not than it'll be Redman. I'm hoping to go 13 hrs or below for the Iron. My Iron PR is 14 hrs.
May 02, 2009
The Redman Half Iron!
My training hasn't been going well this year. By far the least motivated & the least amount of training I've done since starting training for triathlons in 2005. Surprisingly my weight has stayed consistent, higher than I'd like, but consistent. Mid-high 220's.
I started training for sprint distance triathlons (400 meter swim, 12.5 mile bike, 3.2 mile run) last year after Ironman Arizona. I chose to do that because sprints are my favorite distance to race at. I have been shocked to find out that although sprints are my favorite distance to race at half irons are by far my favorite distance to train for. Iron training was in my opinion a bit to much time spent training to really be enjoyable. At my peak training last year I was training 19 hours a week. On Sundays I'd do a 6 hour bike with a 45 min run, then Monday morning I'd do a run from 3-3.5 hrs long. So full Ironman training was to long and monotonous, yet training for anything shorter than the half iron distance leaves me feeling unsatisfied, which was why a couple days ago I was surfing some half iron web sites.
Last year I found a series called the Halfmax & ultramax. They are the same distances as Ironman & 70.3 (half iron), but this new series has Clydesdale & Athena divisions which Ironman & 70.3 no longer has. The minute I found that series on the web I decided that the Halfmax national championships was one of my eventual goals. A person would have to qualify for the Halfmax national championships. At the time I'd found the max series on the web I was weighing less than 200 pounds & I needed to qualify as an AG 30-34. Time needed to qualify- 5hrs 05 minutes! That is VERY fast indeed. An entire half an hour faster than my PR.
Well a couple days ago I saw that the Clydesdale qualifying time is 5:35. I am a Clydesdale now! I had finished the 5430 half Iron in 5:35 late last year as a tune up race for IMAZ. So that means I DID qualify for the Halfmax national championships!!! I was so excited I emailed the all my friends & the RD to let everyone know I'd be racing at the championships which will be held in Sept in Oklahoma city! The race that the event will be held at is called the Redman Half Iron.
I was nervous about emailing my coach & asking him to rebuild my plan for the 2nd time in 4 months. Coaches don't like their athletes to change A races. I did this in February when I decided to not race at the trisport.com dessert classic duathlon, & here I am doing it again 6 weeks before my current A race of the Milkman triathlon in Dexter NM.
My coaches response was amazing. He was supportive & as pumped up as I was about me qualifying & competing in this years Halfmax national championships.
So once again I'm back to training long, & I've changed my A race once again. I believe that going back to training for the longer distances will help control my weight too. That's important because in endurance athletics skinny isn't a body type, it's a tactical necessity!
Last September at the 5430 I was weighing 210 when I busted out with a 5hr 35 minute time. I believe I need to be at LEAST that light to match my 5:35 time. Hopefully I'll be lighter.
Current weight is 227 with four and a half months until the Redman Halfmax national championships!!!!
Wish me luck Peeps! & thanks for tuning in!
I started training for sprint distance triathlons (400 meter swim, 12.5 mile bike, 3.2 mile run) last year after Ironman Arizona. I chose to do that because sprints are my favorite distance to race at. I have been shocked to find out that although sprints are my favorite distance to race at half irons are by far my favorite distance to train for. Iron training was in my opinion a bit to much time spent training to really be enjoyable. At my peak training last year I was training 19 hours a week. On Sundays I'd do a 6 hour bike with a 45 min run, then Monday morning I'd do a run from 3-3.5 hrs long. So full Ironman training was to long and monotonous, yet training for anything shorter than the half iron distance leaves me feeling unsatisfied, which was why a couple days ago I was surfing some half iron web sites.
Last year I found a series called the Halfmax & ultramax. They are the same distances as Ironman & 70.3 (half iron), but this new series has Clydesdale & Athena divisions which Ironman & 70.3 no longer has. The minute I found that series on the web I decided that the Halfmax national championships was one of my eventual goals. A person would have to qualify for the Halfmax national championships. At the time I'd found the max series on the web I was weighing less than 200 pounds & I needed to qualify as an AG 30-34. Time needed to qualify- 5hrs 05 minutes! That is VERY fast indeed. An entire half an hour faster than my PR.
Well a couple days ago I saw that the Clydesdale qualifying time is 5:35. I am a Clydesdale now! I had finished the 5430 half Iron in 5:35 late last year as a tune up race for IMAZ. So that means I DID qualify for the Halfmax national championships!!! I was so excited I emailed the all my friends & the RD to let everyone know I'd be racing at the championships which will be held in Sept in Oklahoma city! The race that the event will be held at is called the Redman Half Iron.
I was nervous about emailing my coach & asking him to rebuild my plan for the 2nd time in 4 months. Coaches don't like their athletes to change A races. I did this in February when I decided to not race at the trisport.com dessert classic duathlon, & here I am doing it again 6 weeks before my current A race of the Milkman triathlon in Dexter NM.
My coaches response was amazing. He was supportive & as pumped up as I was about me qualifying & competing in this years Halfmax national championships.
So once again I'm back to training long, & I've changed my A race once again. I believe that going back to training for the longer distances will help control my weight too. That's important because in endurance athletics skinny isn't a body type, it's a tactical necessity!
Last September at the 5430 I was weighing 210 when I busted out with a 5hr 35 minute time. I believe I need to be at LEAST that light to match my 5:35 time. Hopefully I'll be lighter.
Current weight is 227 with four and a half months until the Redman Halfmax national championships!!!!
Wish me luck Peeps! & thanks for tuning in!
December 02, 2008
stupid M-dot tattoo & my weekly weight
On to other not so good news. I got an Ironman tattoo on the back of my calf the day after IMAZ. A few days later it had scabbed up well, & I went on a swim. I was in the water long enough that the scab became very soft from being water logged. After I got out of the water I squatted down to pick up my swim gear from the pool deck. Apparently a water logged scab from a tattoo is very fragile. When I squatted down my swim suit rubbed the scab & a good portion of the skin below off. It didn't hurt at all & I keep my tattoo's hygienic, so it's not like there was pain or a serious risk of infection Now that a few days has passed I see somehow ripping off the scab had taken most of the color from my tat. So instead of a red M-dot, it's now a pink one. I called my tattoo guy & he said I couldn't get it recolored until it was fully healed. That would be approximately 5 weeks. Most winters that wouldn't be a problem because I would not be wearing shorts. But on Dec 13th I have the Polar Bear which I'll be wearing a one piece tri suit & my new pink Ironman tattoo will be clearly visible to all 300 fellow competitors & their families, race support crews etc. Uugg. I can't believe this. Make bad to worse people will assume bad things because I live in Santa Fe. Oh man. The things that happen to me. I'd laugh if I wasn't horrified.
I weighed in at 221 this morning. 26 pounds until my goal weight. No problem. Last year I had 61 pounds to lose to get to that same weight. I learned much about my body last year. It should be pretty easy to get to 195 by my next A race, The Trisport.com dessert classic duathlon in Phoenix Az on Feb 22nd 2009.
An Ironman is a major accomplishment for any athlete. But I saw something at Ironman Arizona that straight blew my mind. There was a guy there who did the entire bike leg on a BMX single speed! He was #417. He finished the bike leg in 8:28 minutes & the entire race in 16:27 minutes. I felt that guy needed props.
November 28, 2008
Ironman arizona post race report
Front row: Brandy, me, my wife, my daughter, my triathlon Coach Pete who flew all the way from Co. to watch my first Iron. In the back there is one of the greatest people I've ever met: Couch Potatoe to Ironman.
My new Ironman tatooNov 23rd 2008 I attempted Ironman Arizona in Tempe AZ. Ironman is not an easy
race to complete even in the most gifted & talented of triathletes. I do not have the genes for ultra endurance events. I trained for 5.5 years. & on November 23rd I finally accomplished one of my biggest all time goals. I am now an Ironman!
The 2.4 mile swim was in the Tempe town lake. The water was a little chilly @ 58 degrees. The lake was smooth with no waves or turbulence. I couldn't feel much of a current. I did well on the swim leg. I was expecting to finish between 1hr 30 min to 1 hr 40 minutes. I did it in 1hr 27 minutes. What I was surprised about was how good I felt getting out of the water. Virtually no fatigue at all. Shortly after I started my bike leg I saw my wife, Brandy, & my 2 children holding
signs they'd made, waving, & screaming my name. Most of the triathletes who saw thier family waved & continued peddling on their way. I couldn't help it. I got off my bike & gave hugs & kisses to all those who had come all that way to show their support & love for me in this big day. My daughter was holding a sign that said "#447 we love you stinky!" Stinky is the nick name my daughter & I have been calling eachother since she was an infant.
As I was peddling away & waving my 3 year old daughter yelled "Daddy you are my hero!" I must confess, when she said that I lost it. I cried for the first ten minutes of my 112 mile bike ride. The first of the 3 laps I was having a hard time controlling my heart rate. After that things went perfectly. I ended the bike in 6hrs 58 minutes. I was guestimating a bike time of 7-75 hrs. A little faster than planned again.
On the 26.2 mile run I started off feeling great! I was averaging 9.5 minute miles which is the pace I had found I could keep for that distance. At mile 4 I tried to eat a gel, but when I tried to swallow it I had issues doing just that. For the next mile or so I was fighting off the urge to puke. Apparently I should not have tried to force that last one down because from that point on I had
excruciating abdominal pain & cramping. I was reduced to a very slow jog or fast walk the remaining 21 miles & unable to keep any Gatorade gels or bars down. The marathon took me 5hrs 56 minutes. Couch potatoe to Ironman was there at the finish to scream & yell with me like a couple crazy guys. Perfect ending to a great race! By the way, next year it's your turn Couch potatoe to Ironman. You can bet I'll be there to sopport you just like you did for me this year.
I finished in a total time of 14 hrs & 39 minutes which was one hr earlier than what I guessed I'd accomplish, & half an hour better than what I had hoped for. All in all I'm very excited about the day. Finally after all this time, I am an Ironman. After the race I asked my wife why she tolerated & supported me training so much & spending so much money on training & equipment. She said "because your dreams are my dreams". That was the 2nd time that day I cried. I have the best wife any man could ever dream of.
race to complete even in the most gifted & talented of triathletes. I do not have the genes for ultra endurance events. I trained for 5.5 years. & on November 23rd I finally accomplished one of my biggest all time goals. I am now an Ironman!
The 2.4 mile swim was in the Tempe town lake. The water was a little chilly @ 58 degrees. The lake was smooth with no waves or turbulence. I couldn't feel much of a current. I did well on the swim leg. I was expecting to finish between 1hr 30 min to 1 hr 40 minutes. I did it in 1hr 27 minutes. What I was surprised about was how good I felt getting out of the water. Virtually no fatigue at all. Shortly after I started my bike leg I saw my wife, Brandy, & my 2 children holding
signs they'd made, waving, & screaming my name. Most of the triathletes who saw thier family waved & continued peddling on their way. I couldn't help it. I got off my bike & gave hugs & kisses to all those who had come all that way to show their support & love for me in this big day. My daughter was holding a sign that said "#447 we love you stinky!" Stinky is the nick name my daughter & I have been calling eachother since she was an infant.
As I was peddling away & waving my 3 year old daughter yelled "Daddy you are my hero!" I must confess, when she said that I lost it. I cried for the first ten minutes of my 112 mile bike ride. The first of the 3 laps I was having a hard time controlling my heart rate. After that things went perfectly. I ended the bike in 6hrs 58 minutes. I was guestimating a bike time of 7-75 hrs. A little faster than planned again.
On the 26.2 mile run I started off feeling great! I was averaging 9.5 minute miles which is the pace I had found I could keep for that distance. At mile 4 I tried to eat a gel, but when I tried to swallow it I had issues doing just that. For the next mile or so I was fighting off the urge to puke. Apparently I should not have tried to force that last one down because from that point on I had
excruciating abdominal pain & cramping. I was reduced to a very slow jog or fast walk the remaining 21 miles & unable to keep any Gatorade gels or bars down. The marathon took me 5hrs 56 minutes. Couch potatoe to Ironman was there at the finish to scream & yell with me like a couple crazy guys. Perfect ending to a great race! By the way, next year it's your turn Couch potatoe to Ironman. You can bet I'll be there to sopport you just like you did for me this year.
I finished in a total time of 14 hrs & 39 minutes which was one hr earlier than what I guessed I'd accomplish, & half an hour better than what I had hoped for. All in all I'm very excited about the day. Finally after all this time, I am an Ironman. After the race I asked my wife why she tolerated & supported me training so much & spending so much money on training & equipment. She said "because your dreams are my dreams". That was the 2nd time that day I cried. I have the best wife any man could ever dream of.
November 17, 2008
6 days until Ironman Arizona & cold weather training
Well, 6 days until Ironman Arizona. By Sunday night I will be an Ironman. I feel strong & confident. My training regiment has been spectacular. I'm weighing at 220 right now. Not as low as I'd like, but more than low enough to race well. My family & I will be leaving for Tempe AZ on Thursday morning. Friday I'll get my race packet. Saturday is equipment drop off & the mandatory pre-race meeting. Sunday morning is the day I've been training for 5.5 years. God willing I will conquer this distance.
Race stats 7am Az time Sunday morning. If you'd like to track my progress get onto http://www.ironmanlive.com/ & type in my name, Cody Hanson. That sight will keep you updated on where I am on the course. It will give you my splits, time, average pace, etc.
Last week a small cold front had come through northern New Mexico. I'm weighing 35 pounds less than what I was last winter. Weighing less sure makes a person cold easier! It was about 51 degrees out. Last year I'd of been fine going on a bike ride in my usual attire of sweat pants & cotton T-shirt- yes I train in sweat pants & cotton T-shirts. Sweat pants only cost $7 at Wal-Mart & I get a cotton T-shirt @ every race I do (I usually average 12-16 races a year, that's a lot of free shirts). Cycling pants are around $60. Cycling shirts are $50. I'm much to cheap to train in a $150 outfit when for $7 I can ride/run in sweats & a free shirt. Every year I train all year long. Even on the coldest of days I still swim, bike, & run. Running in the cold is no problem. I just wear multiple layers & as I run & warm up I take layers off. I took a 45 minute run last winter in -9 degree with the wind chill. Not comfortable, but doable non-the-less.
Now, cycling in extreme weather is a little more difficult. As long as there is no snow or ice on the road I'll still go out & complete my scheduled rides. Up until this year I'd wear a Baklava, 1 or 2 pairs of gloves, multiple pairs of sweat pants and sweat shirts, & a conglomeration of stuff on my feet. For my feet I'd start off putting on a pair of cycling socks, then I'd put a plastic Wal-Mart bag over the socks, then I'd put on a pair of white cotton socks, then my cycling shoes, then if needed another Wal-Mart bag on top of the shoes, & lastly I'd put on a pair of cycling booties. This worked great in temps as low as 30 degrees. But anything colder than that & my feet would still get cold. Very cold. If my ride was long, by the time I got back my feet would often times be so cold they were completely & totally numb. When I got back from my bike ride & started my run I'd frequently stumble. It's not easy running when you can't feel your feet. I even fell a few times. Funny looking back, but sure wasn't funny at the time.
This year I've decided to spoil myself. I bought myself a pair of Lake CXZ302 Winter Road Shoe's, $250. Expensive, but these bad boys are good in temps as low as 10 degrees! I'm also going to buy a pair a clod weather gloves. I'm still unsure what pair to buy. I'd hate to spend the $ on a pair of cold weather cycling gloves only to find out the pair I bought doesn't work well. I was thinking of buying a pair of GORE-Tex BIKE WEAR Cross Gloves. Any suggestions on gloves that work well in freezing weather please share the info.
On a side note here, I took my 2 children in to get their hair cut on Monday at Jungle Cuts in Albuquerque. As my daughter was getting her hair cut I asked her jokingly if she wanted a hair cut like mine? She responded in her sweet little 3 year old voice "no Daddy, you have no hair on your head. It's all on your back." The 2 girls who worked in the shop laughed so hard they were crying. I was SO embarrassed. It's true, kids say the darndest things;)
Race stats 7am Az time Sunday morning. If you'd like to track my progress get onto http://www.ironmanlive.com/ & type in my name, Cody Hanson. That sight will keep you updated on where I am on the course. It will give you my splits, time, average pace, etc.
Last week a small cold front had come through northern New Mexico. I'm weighing 35 pounds less than what I was last winter. Weighing less sure makes a person cold easier! It was about 51 degrees out. Last year I'd of been fine going on a bike ride in my usual attire of sweat pants & cotton T-shirt- yes I train in sweat pants & cotton T-shirts. Sweat pants only cost $7 at Wal-Mart & I get a cotton T-shirt @ every race I do (I usually average 12-16 races a year, that's a lot of free shirts). Cycling pants are around $60. Cycling shirts are $50. I'm much to cheap to train in a $150 outfit when for $7 I can ride/run in sweats & a free shirt. Every year I train all year long. Even on the coldest of days I still swim, bike, & run. Running in the cold is no problem. I just wear multiple layers & as I run & warm up I take layers off. I took a 45 minute run last winter in -9 degree with the wind chill. Not comfortable, but doable non-the-less.
Now, cycling in extreme weather is a little more difficult. As long as there is no snow or ice on the road I'll still go out & complete my scheduled rides. Up until this year I'd wear a Baklava, 1 or 2 pairs of gloves, multiple pairs of sweat pants and sweat shirts, & a conglomeration of stuff on my feet. For my feet I'd start off putting on a pair of cycling socks, then I'd put a plastic Wal-Mart bag over the socks, then I'd put on a pair of white cotton socks, then my cycling shoes, then if needed another Wal-Mart bag on top of the shoes, & lastly I'd put on a pair of cycling booties. This worked great in temps as low as 30 degrees. But anything colder than that & my feet would still get cold. Very cold. If my ride was long, by the time I got back my feet would often times be so cold they were completely & totally numb. When I got back from my bike ride & started my run I'd frequently stumble. It's not easy running when you can't feel your feet. I even fell a few times. Funny looking back, but sure wasn't funny at the time.
This year I've decided to spoil myself. I bought myself a pair of Lake CXZ302 Winter Road Shoe's, $250. Expensive, but these bad boys are good in temps as low as 10 degrees! I'm also going to buy a pair a clod weather gloves. I'm still unsure what pair to buy. I'd hate to spend the $ on a pair of cold weather cycling gloves only to find out the pair I bought doesn't work well. I was thinking of buying a pair of GORE-Tex BIKE WEAR Cross Gloves. Any suggestions on gloves that work well in freezing weather please share the info.
On a side note here, I took my 2 children in to get their hair cut on Monday at Jungle Cuts in Albuquerque. As my daughter was getting her hair cut I asked her jokingly if she wanted a hair cut like mine? She responded in her sweet little 3 year old voice "no Daddy, you have no hair on your head. It's all on your back." The 2 girls who worked in the shop laughed so hard they were crying. I was SO embarrassed. It's true, kids say the darndest things;)
November 11, 2008
Tapering for IMAZ & a little advise
First thing, thank you to any veteran out there. My family & I are very grateful for the service you provided or are providing America. Boots Wiggins, a blog I follow regularly just got deployed to Bahrain with the Navy. He had to leave his wife & 2 small children here in the states. Since it's Veteran's day today, & if you have the time, hop on his blog & thank him for his service. I know it would mean the world to him. Again, thank you Veterans.
12 days until my Ironman. Ironman Arizona. I feel fast, by far the fastest I've ever felt tapering for an Iron, this being my 3rd time. My endurance is great. I have a new fast bike, a Cannondale Carbon Slice. I have a super fast set of HED 3 tubular wheels. This month I slowed WAY down on working overtime at work so I'll be rested going into race day. I'm 42 pounds lighter than last years DNF at the Silverman. All things seem to be pointing to a successful race, & I'm excited. Very excited.
The only thing I'm not so excited about right now is this dang taper. I don't do well with tapers. Before a big race an endurance athlete should never cut calories. Add that with the decreased training & that is rough on my waist line. But then I add the fact that I'm dealing with an eating disorder, then a taper turns into a nightmare. When I get overly emotional about things I turn to food for comfort. I'm REALLY excited about the race, & a little apprehensive, as any triathlete would be about an upcoming Ironman. I'm a little stressed about possibly making Sergeant at work. I'm also an all or nothing kind of a guy. I'm either hard core about my diet, or I'm off the wagon & eating out of control. Not usually any in between there. I'm amazed I'm only weighing 215 because I've been eating like a pregnant rhino (I assume they eat a lot when with child-er- rhino baby- whatever). But I'm also very optimistic. November 24th, the day after my Iron I'm going to be able to start dieting again. After eating so much for the last month I'm ready for some disciplined eating. & hey, I'm only at 215. Even now that I'm a little out of control with the eating I'm still lighter than any other year of adulthood;)
In July this year I got down to the lowest I'd ever weighed as an adult. 188 pounds. I promptly shot back up to 215 in about a month. This year I have to choose whether to race as a Clydesdale (200 pound or above) or as an age grouper (my age group this next year, if I am able to stay under 200 pounds will be 30-34). This year I raced the whole year as an AG 30-34 (won that age group in the South West too!), but was actually only under 200 pounds for about 1 month. I have no idea if I could stay below 200 pounds for the entire 2009 year, but I have to decide which division to race in by December 13th. Dec 13th is the Polar Bear Triathlon, which is the first race I'll be competing in for the 2009 season. To make a long story short, the reason I have to decide right away which division to race in is because I compete in the South West Challenge Series. Its a Multisport series that has 24 plus races in which a triathlete gets points for every race he/she completes in a year. The better a person does in a race the more points a person gets. If I do part of my races as an AG, & part as a Clydesdale then there's no way at all I could be competitive in either division. If I decide to race as a Clyde then realize part way into the season that I could get below 200, but don't so I can keep my Clydesdale status I'd be limiting my speed potential. Simply put, in biking & running, light is fast. If I race as an AG 30-34, but am unable to get below 200 pounds than I'd be racing in a highly competitive division at a severe disadvantage. Any advise or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
12 days until my Ironman. Ironman Arizona. I feel fast, by far the fastest I've ever felt tapering for an Iron, this being my 3rd time. My endurance is great. I have a new fast bike, a Cannondale Carbon Slice. I have a super fast set of HED 3 tubular wheels. This month I slowed WAY down on working overtime at work so I'll be rested going into race day. I'm 42 pounds lighter than last years DNF at the Silverman. All things seem to be pointing to a successful race, & I'm excited. Very excited.
The only thing I'm not so excited about right now is this dang taper. I don't do well with tapers. Before a big race an endurance athlete should never cut calories. Add that with the decreased training & that is rough on my waist line. But then I add the fact that I'm dealing with an eating disorder, then a taper turns into a nightmare. When I get overly emotional about things I turn to food for comfort. I'm REALLY excited about the race, & a little apprehensive, as any triathlete would be about an upcoming Ironman. I'm a little stressed about possibly making Sergeant at work. I'm also an all or nothing kind of a guy. I'm either hard core about my diet, or I'm off the wagon & eating out of control. Not usually any in between there. I'm amazed I'm only weighing 215 because I've been eating like a pregnant rhino (I assume they eat a lot when with child-er- rhino baby- whatever). But I'm also very optimistic. November 24th, the day after my Iron I'm going to be able to start dieting again. After eating so much for the last month I'm ready for some disciplined eating. & hey, I'm only at 215. Even now that I'm a little out of control with the eating I'm still lighter than any other year of adulthood;)
In July this year I got down to the lowest I'd ever weighed as an adult. 188 pounds. I promptly shot back up to 215 in about a month. This year I have to choose whether to race as a Clydesdale (200 pound or above) or as an age grouper (my age group this next year, if I am able to stay under 200 pounds will be 30-34). This year I raced the whole year as an AG 30-34 (won that age group in the South West too!), but was actually only under 200 pounds for about 1 month. I have no idea if I could stay below 200 pounds for the entire 2009 year, but I have to decide which division to race in by December 13th. Dec 13th is the Polar Bear Triathlon, which is the first race I'll be competing in for the 2009 season. To make a long story short, the reason I have to decide right away which division to race in is because I compete in the South West Challenge Series. Its a Multisport series that has 24 plus races in which a triathlete gets points for every race he/she completes in a year. The better a person does in a race the more points a person gets. If I do part of my races as an AG, & part as a Clydesdale then there's no way at all I could be competitive in either division. If I decide to race as a Clyde then realize part way into the season that I could get below 200, but don't so I can keep my Clydesdale status I'd be limiting my speed potential. Simply put, in biking & running, light is fast. If I race as an AG 30-34, but am unable to get below 200 pounds than I'd be racing in a highly competitive division at a severe disadvantage. Any advise or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
October 27, 2008
starting my taper
I had an amazing 3 days of training the end of this last week. On Thur I did a 7.7 mile run with 6X4 minutes in Z-3 W/ 2 min R/I.
On Friday I did a 6 hr bike (87 miles) followed by a 4 mile run. Felt GREAT the entire days training. Never felt tired. On the run after the 87 mile bike my legs felt light & fast.
On Sat morning I finished my 3 day stint of training with a 2hr 10 min run. Legs were a little fatigued, but much less than I would of thought they would. That was my last big push for Ironman. From here on out I'm doing a gradual taper.
The praying I've been doing has helped my training & mind set immensely! I feel great both physically & mentally. I feel strong, fast, & confident. Last year I trained just as hard for my Iron as this year. But I did not ask God for help. I went into that race overweight, & feeling bad all the way around. This year I decided to request Gods help. That has made all the difference in the world. Its my nature to try & take on triathlon on my own. Wanting to be the Captain of my ownship. But God wants to be a part of my life, even in my selfish endeavors. He has helped me along when I asked for help this year in training for Ironman Arizona. The times I struggled with my training & diet this year was when I stopped asking Him for help. No coincidence there.
I really believe I will succeed this year in my Ironman goal. I'm so excited. Looks like November 23rd, after 5.5 years of training, dreaming, & not giving up even after an amazing string of injuries, sickness, weight gain, DNF's, bad luck, & other colossal Iron failures that would of made others quit, I will finally be an Ironman. Here's to not giving up, continually striving for a a goal that at times seemed impossible, & strength in God!
On Friday I did a 6 hr bike (87 miles) followed by a 4 mile run. Felt GREAT the entire days training. Never felt tired. On the run after the 87 mile bike my legs felt light & fast.
On Sat morning I finished my 3 day stint of training with a 2hr 10 min run. Legs were a little fatigued, but much less than I would of thought they would. That was my last big push for Ironman. From here on out I'm doing a gradual taper.
The praying I've been doing has helped my training & mind set immensely! I feel great both physically & mentally. I feel strong, fast, & confident. Last year I trained just as hard for my Iron as this year. But I did not ask God for help. I went into that race overweight, & feeling bad all the way around. This year I decided to request Gods help. That has made all the difference in the world. Its my nature to try & take on triathlon on my own. Wanting to be the Captain of my ownship. But God wants to be a part of my life, even in my selfish endeavors. He has helped me along when I asked for help this year in training for Ironman Arizona. The times I struggled with my training & diet this year was when I stopped asking Him for help. No coincidence there.
I really believe I will succeed this year in my Ironman goal. I'm so excited. Looks like November 23rd, after 5.5 years of training, dreaming, & not giving up even after an amazing string of injuries, sickness, weight gain, DNF's, bad luck, & other colossal Iron failures that would of made others quit, I will finally be an Ironman. Here's to not giving up, continually striving for a a goal that at times seemed impossible, & strength in God!
October 21, 2008
A good week
Yesterday was the last day of a recovery week, or rest & test week as we triathletes call it. I feel great for the first time since early Sept. I was thinking about what could have caused such a drastic downward spiral the past couple months. I had been training & responding better from last November until this August than I have in 5.5 years of training & racing in triathlon. I've come up with 2 reasons. During the recovery weeks I'd had in the last couple months I had been sick. So I think my body was trying to fight off a sickness, thus was unable to heal my body from the intense training. I believe I was in the trows of overtraining. This is the first week I've felt great in 2 months. I feel better both mentally & physically. A depression I'd been feeling since uly has finally started to lift. I am glad to say, I really do feel great.
I believe the other, & biggest reason for me feeling better is that I have recently been leaning on God very heavily. Everyday before work I have been reading 1-2 chapters from the bible. I'm currently in chapter 3 of Luke. I've been praying more than I had been in a very long time. & I believe that has led to the improvements in my well being. God rewards his followers faithfulness. I've been praying for God to help with my depression. & especially this week, He has helped me feel happy again.
One of the things I've been praying for in the overall scheme of life truly is unimportant. I've been praying for God to help me with my eating/weight issues. As most of the readers of my blog know, I have MAJOR food issues. Much like a drug addict will turn to their drug of choice when they are stressed, sad, or have any kind of emotional stress. I turn to food. Most people turn to food for comfort a little. But to the degree I do it, there's no doubt there's a serious addiction problem going on. Thank goodness my addiction is food, because if I turned to alcohol to the degree I turn to food there's no doubt I'd of died of alcohol poisoning long ago. This last couple of weeks I haven't binged once. That feels great to be able to write. I HAVEN'T BINGED ONCE IN OVER 2 WEEKS! First time since late June that I could say that. Since July I had gone from 188 pounds to 2 weeks ago being a thick & miserable 217. I'm not currently dieting at all. An athlete should never try & lose weight before a big "A" race (Ironman Arizona, the biggest race of my life is now only 1 month & 3 days away). But since I've
started praying more I've dropped 8 pounds. I'm currently at 209. God knows me, & He chooses to help me in my fight with the bulge even though that particular concern really is frivolous in the grand scheme of things.
In church on Sunday my pastor told us he is starting a blog. His blog is now listed in My "blogs I follow" list. It is called A Glory Hunter. I found another blog yesterday while online that I am very excited about reading. It's written by Mark W Jr. He's a guy I've looked up to for many years. He's been very devoted in his walk with Christ for as long as I've known him. He's been an inspiration in my life since I found God back in 1999. What's so amazing about this guy is he's only 20, yet for 9 years he's been one of the best examples to me of what kind of a person I'd like to be. Faithful & strong in his walk with God. Always setting an example by his actions. Works tirelessly in helping others walk with the Lord. His blog is called One Thirst. Mark is in the army, & is currently deployed in a war zone right now. In the last 3 weeks his unit has had direct hits twice by mortar attacks. Many of the soldiers in his unit have died in thew last 3 weeks. Any out there who may read this, please please pray for him, the troops of his unit, & their families.
Thank you for tuning in. & SWtri gal, Iron Outlaw, the Clyeologist, & Boots Wiggins, I just wanted to thank you again for your support & words of encouragement the last month. They helped more than you could know.
Peace!
I believe the other, & biggest reason for me feeling better is that I have recently been leaning on God very heavily. Everyday before work I have been reading 1-2 chapters from the bible. I'm currently in chapter 3 of Luke. I've been praying more than I had been in a very long time. & I believe that has led to the improvements in my well being. God rewards his followers faithfulness. I've been praying for God to help with my depression. & especially this week, He has helped me feel happy again.
One of the things I've been praying for in the overall scheme of life truly is unimportant. I've been praying for God to help me with my eating/weight issues. As most of the readers of my blog know, I have MAJOR food issues. Much like a drug addict will turn to their drug of choice when they are stressed, sad, or have any kind of emotional stress. I turn to food. Most people turn to food for comfort a little. But to the degree I do it, there's no doubt there's a serious addiction problem going on. Thank goodness my addiction is food, because if I turned to alcohol to the degree I turn to food there's no doubt I'd of died of alcohol poisoning long ago. This last couple of weeks I haven't binged once. That feels great to be able to write. I HAVEN'T BINGED ONCE IN OVER 2 WEEKS! First time since late June that I could say that. Since July I had gone from 188 pounds to 2 weeks ago being a thick & miserable 217. I'm not currently dieting at all. An athlete should never try & lose weight before a big "A" race (Ironman Arizona, the biggest race of my life is now only 1 month & 3 days away). But since I've
started praying more I've dropped 8 pounds. I'm currently at 209. God knows me, & He chooses to help me in my fight with the bulge even though that particular concern really is frivolous in the grand scheme of things.
In church on Sunday my pastor told us he is starting a blog. His blog is now listed in My "blogs I follow" list. It is called A Glory Hunter. I found another blog yesterday while online that I am very excited about reading. It's written by Mark W Jr. He's a guy I've looked up to for many years. He's been very devoted in his walk with Christ for as long as I've known him. He's been an inspiration in my life since I found God back in 1999. What's so amazing about this guy is he's only 20, yet for 9 years he's been one of the best examples to me of what kind of a person I'd like to be. Faithful & strong in his walk with God. Always setting an example by his actions. Works tirelessly in helping others walk with the Lord. His blog is called One Thirst. Mark is in the army, & is currently deployed in a war zone right now. In the last 3 weeks his unit has had direct hits twice by mortar attacks. Many of the soldiers in his unit have died in thew last 3 weeks. Any out there who may read this, please please pray for him, the troops of his unit, & their families.
Thank you for tuning in. & SWtri gal, Iron Outlaw, the Clyeologist, & Boots Wiggins, I just wanted to thank you again for your support & words of encouragement the last month. They helped more than you could know.
Peace!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)