So I put the “miles to go before I sleep” motto to the test this past Saturday.
Saturday was a long run day, but started a little earlier than most Saturday runs. I was scheduled to run 18 miles and needed to get it done before 9:00 am, because (to my surprise) I had been signed up to be an assistant coach on Morgan’s soccer team this year, and the first coaches meeting was that morning.
Why not run after the meeting, you say? Well, we had also agreed to host a PTA beer tasting at our house and I needed to get some food and house prep done.
So I was on the road at 5:50 and it turned out to be the best run of the year. I felt fast and injury free. Plus, as I ran west, I watched a huge full moon set and by the time I turned to come back east, I was able to watch the sunrise over the lake.
I made the coaches meeting at 9:00, was cooking by 11:00, cooked steadily from 11:00 to 3:30, changed out our vestibule light fixture, and was ready for the tasting by 7:00.
Had a blast at the beer tasting and way over-indulged for my age.
The last guests left about 12:30am and I got my third wind, whereby I cleaned the house, so we had nothing to do in the morning. Still energized, I of course did some late night Facebook posting before bed and annoyed my brother in Denver.
Passed out…literally…sometime after 2:00 am. A 22 hour day is probably over doing it, but well worth it. (Thanks to all that helped and enjoyed.)
I was able to get in two outdoor rides this past week, including a good ride on Sunday to knock off the Saturday night cobwebs. Loving the new bike and being outside.
Otherwise, training is moving along. We are about 50 days until the marathon and 4 weeks until the first tri.
So many miles to go before I sleep…
Editor’s note: We have a vestibule and foyer. Scott refuses to use either word and insists on calling them both the front hallway, when they are clearly different. I’m not sure if the word “vestibule” offends his manly sensibilities, but I changed it anyway. So there!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Random Recap
Suffering from writers’ block this week, so I’m just going to do a quick recap of last week.
I stayed true to course and cut back my long run to 12 miles after a minor freak out during the week about my training plan for the marathon.
Tends to happen every year… I suddenly get this feeling that I am not getting enough miles done before a race. Then I over analyze my schedule and come to terms with the whole thing. It oddly becomes the thing I like about racing and training, because it is that moment where you begin to make peace with… whatever it is you’re about to do.
The course for the marathon was released this week which included some big changes with the Medical-Mart construction. Sounds like an exciting finish line for the smaller races which will get to finish on Browns Field.
Otherwise, the organizers really flipped the course around and it could make for a very windy last 10k into the west for the finish, but the fun part of the run through Lakewood, Ohio City and Tremont still looks good.
Other than the minor fact that I am fighting a decent amount of muscle fatigue and one nagging injury in my hip abdomen, things are starting to shape up for the season.
I just confirmed my entry for the Miami University Triathlon, which is a good season opener and fun to race back on campus.
This week has been a long week from both distance and time perspectives. Tomorrow is a 16 mile run. Based on the weather, I better pull out my snow shoes. Spring cannot come soon enough.
I stayed true to course and cut back my long run to 12 miles after a minor freak out during the week about my training plan for the marathon.
Tends to happen every year… I suddenly get this feeling that I am not getting enough miles done before a race. Then I over analyze my schedule and come to terms with the whole thing. It oddly becomes the thing I like about racing and training, because it is that moment where you begin to make peace with… whatever it is you’re about to do.
The course for the marathon was released this week which included some big changes with the Medical-Mart construction. Sounds like an exciting finish line for the smaller races which will get to finish on Browns Field.
Otherwise, the organizers really flipped the course around and it could make for a very windy last 10k into the west for the finish, but the fun part of the run through Lakewood, Ohio City and Tremont still looks good.
Other than the minor fact that I am fighting a decent amount of muscle fatigue and one nagging injury in my hip abdomen, things are starting to shape up for the season.
I just confirmed my entry for the Miami University Triathlon, which is a good season opener and fun to race back on campus.
This week has been a long week from both distance and time perspectives. Tomorrow is a 16 mile run. Based on the weather, I better pull out my snow shoes. Spring cannot come soon enough.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Fantasy Racing
So a lot of guys my age look forward to their fantasy football drafts. Or right about now its fantasy baseball draft time. Well, Saturday night I had my own version.
A training friend and I were supposed to go out for a couple of beers, but instead we decided to go over the 2011 race season and have those beers in the comfort of our home.
Like fantasy football, we had our own sort of big board. But instead of players, we had races. We had our 6 month calendar laid out before us and just started plugging things in. Totally dorky moment…but a blast, and we have races planned through November.
It’s interesting where we have come in a short time. When I first started, the big deal was scheduling around which Olympic distance races we were going to do. Now, in a weird way, the Olympic races have become standard. Our focus is around the obvious full “ironman” distance in September, but also where we are going to slip in a couple of half distance races.
Truly, this is an illness that I owe to the particular person that was sitting next to me.
On the training front, I had a good week, even considering it was “Blackout 2011” in our house which had our dog Potter and I huddled around the fire, sleeping in our 45 degree house. Not kidding… slept in running pants, wool socks, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, fleece pullover, sweatshirt, winter hat and I still used a two blankets.
Forgot to mention that our gas fireplace is in the draftiest room in the house.
The blackout was followed up by a blizzard on Friday, where on my way to swim I conveniently lodged my vehicle in a snow drift by my gym’s driveway and had to walk to the front desk for a shovel to dig my car out. Nice. Good stretching before my swim.
Saturday, I was able to increase my long run to 14 miles and I am still on schedule for the marathon. Tough run with snow and I had to take a lot of extra steps. Made for stiff legs on Sunday, but I was able to get on my trainer and swim before dinner.
The unmentioned workouts last week were fairly routine.
Although, one nice thing I have discovered – well behind the curve – is that I can watch Netflix on my phone while I ride my trainer. It looks odd, as I have my phone propped on the ironing board in front my trainer as I ride, but it was effective and a nice change of pace.
I watched the series Spartacus: Gods of Arena while riding. It is actually a decent series, but as I told Anna it’s like watching a mix of MMA fighting and soft-core porn.
This week I am going to taper a little bit in the run and push a little bit more swimming, otherwise it should be a normal week.
(Editor’s Note: He forgot to mention the three hours of shoveling he did in the backyard to make the 4 foot sledding hill/half-pipe for the girls to sled down. Every time I looked out the window he was shoveling more snow onto the thing.)
A training friend and I were supposed to go out for a couple of beers, but instead we decided to go over the 2011 race season and have those beers in the comfort of our home.
Like fantasy football, we had our own sort of big board. But instead of players, we had races. We had our 6 month calendar laid out before us and just started plugging things in. Totally dorky moment…but a blast, and we have races planned through November.
It’s interesting where we have come in a short time. When I first started, the big deal was scheduling around which Olympic distance races we were going to do. Now, in a weird way, the Olympic races have become standard. Our focus is around the obvious full “ironman” distance in September, but also where we are going to slip in a couple of half distance races.
Truly, this is an illness that I owe to the particular person that was sitting next to me.
On the training front, I had a good week, even considering it was “Blackout 2011” in our house which had our dog Potter and I huddled around the fire, sleeping in our 45 degree house. Not kidding… slept in running pants, wool socks, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, fleece pullover, sweatshirt, winter hat and I still used a two blankets.
Forgot to mention that our gas fireplace is in the draftiest room in the house.
The blackout was followed up by a blizzard on Friday, where on my way to swim I conveniently lodged my vehicle in a snow drift by my gym’s driveway and had to walk to the front desk for a shovel to dig my car out. Nice. Good stretching before my swim.
Saturday, I was able to increase my long run to 14 miles and I am still on schedule for the marathon. Tough run with snow and I had to take a lot of extra steps. Made for stiff legs on Sunday, but I was able to get on my trainer and swim before dinner.
The unmentioned workouts last week were fairly routine.
Although, one nice thing I have discovered – well behind the curve – is that I can watch Netflix on my phone while I ride my trainer. It looks odd, as I have my phone propped on the ironing board in front my trainer as I ride, but it was effective and a nice change of pace.
I watched the series Spartacus: Gods of Arena while riding. It is actually a decent series, but as I told Anna it’s like watching a mix of MMA fighting and soft-core porn.
This week I am going to taper a little bit in the run and push a little bit more swimming, otherwise it should be a normal week.
(Editor’s Note: He forgot to mention the three hours of shoveling he did in the backyard to make the 4 foot sledding hill/half-pipe for the girls to sled down. Every time I looked out the window he was shoveling more snow onto the thing.)
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Big Saturday
As I left it, this past week was to be a ramp up week and the mission was successful. With the weather breaking into the fifties, it was a great week to run outside and all the snow and ice was gone.
Although, as I am typing the blog, the sidewalks and roads are filling with new stuff.
This week I started making a change to my swim, when I started breathing on both sides of my stroke.
This came about because where I swim my kids also take swimming lessons and my kids’ teacher is also the pool manager. So this means that I see her three or four times a week and she see’s me swimming.
A week or so ago she asked me why I don’t breathe on both sides of my stroke. My response was that I was not taught that way in swim lessons and I have never changed based on comfort even though I know it would make me faster.
Well… that was all the kick in the butt that I needed, so this week I started drilling for at least 20 laps a session, breathing to my opposite side. By Friday it was becoming much more comfortable, but I will tell you from the outside of the pool it probably looks like I am a drowning victim at times.
That “old dog new tricks” cliché rang true. I’ll keep at it though. If it shaves some time and keeps me straighter in open water, it’s worth a shot.
Also, my first lesson of this blog I learned on Friday evening. Do not attempt to swim 2 miles on two hours of sleep and an empty stomach after a days worth of work. It was ugly, long and painful.
Saturday turned out to be the biggest day of training this week. It was a scheduled long run day and I was adding miles for the marathon, so I ended up running 13.5 miles.
The second lesson of the blog…do not attempt this right after finishing the remaining portion of your kids chocolate covered donut. It made for a very unsettled stomach for about six miles, especially when I had gel at mile 8.
The wind sucked on this run. 20-25mph in my face for seven miles, but least it was behind me for good while when I made the turn. My pace was okay, but I was redlining during the run more than I should have been. I guess I was just off from a crazy week and a lot of training.
On Saturday afternoon, I got to take the new bike (BMC Racemaster) out for a spin and it was great. Now of course, when it was fifty out I didn’t get a chance. I went out when it was in the thirties. But even through the frostbite, I was able to get in 25 miles and to start to break the new ride in. The frame was great. It was stiff, responsive, and fast. It will be a great training and racing bike and plus it looks cool.
Overall, Saturday was a killer day and my body was pretty beat. No worries though, I rallied Saturday night for a rousing PTA wine tasting and dance lesson with my wife and some good friends and was no worse for wear.
Today I dedicated as a recovery day since it has been almost a month of training from the last one and my body is thanking me, although my legs came out of yesterday pretty fit.
(Editor’s Note: Wife, on the other hand, came out of the PTA event exhausted and a little too hung over for the yoga she attempted this morning.)
Although, as I am typing the blog, the sidewalks and roads are filling with new stuff.
This week I started making a change to my swim, when I started breathing on both sides of my stroke.
This came about because where I swim my kids also take swimming lessons and my kids’ teacher is also the pool manager. So this means that I see her three or four times a week and she see’s me swimming.
A week or so ago she asked me why I don’t breathe on both sides of my stroke. My response was that I was not taught that way in swim lessons and I have never changed based on comfort even though I know it would make me faster.
Well… that was all the kick in the butt that I needed, so this week I started drilling for at least 20 laps a session, breathing to my opposite side. By Friday it was becoming much more comfortable, but I will tell you from the outside of the pool it probably looks like I am a drowning victim at times.
That “old dog new tricks” cliché rang true. I’ll keep at it though. If it shaves some time and keeps me straighter in open water, it’s worth a shot.
Also, my first lesson of this blog I learned on Friday evening. Do not attempt to swim 2 miles on two hours of sleep and an empty stomach after a days worth of work. It was ugly, long and painful.
Saturday turned out to be the biggest day of training this week. It was a scheduled long run day and I was adding miles for the marathon, so I ended up running 13.5 miles.
The second lesson of the blog…do not attempt this right after finishing the remaining portion of your kids chocolate covered donut. It made for a very unsettled stomach for about six miles, especially when I had gel at mile 8.
The wind sucked on this run. 20-25mph in my face for seven miles, but least it was behind me for good while when I made the turn. My pace was okay, but I was redlining during the run more than I should have been. I guess I was just off from a crazy week and a lot of training.
On Saturday afternoon, I got to take the new bike (BMC Racemaster) out for a spin and it was great. Now of course, when it was fifty out I didn’t get a chance. I went out when it was in the thirties. But even through the frostbite, I was able to get in 25 miles and to start to break the new ride in. The frame was great. It was stiff, responsive, and fast. It will be a great training and racing bike and plus it looks cool.
Overall, Saturday was a killer day and my body was pretty beat. No worries though, I rallied Saturday night for a rousing PTA wine tasting and dance lesson with my wife and some good friends and was no worse for wear.
Today I dedicated as a recovery day since it has been almost a month of training from the last one and my body is thanking me, although my legs came out of yesterday pretty fit.
(Editor’s Note: Wife, on the other hand, came out of the PTA event exhausted and a little too hung over for the yoga she attempted this morning.)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
My Valentines and More…
This one goes out to my three Valentines that make it all possible. I may be the endurance athlete of the family, but Anna, Morgan and Zoe are the one’s that endure. The workouts, the races, the waiting and my endless drivel about each, but they are always there clapping and cheering at the end. So this is my first of many thanks of the new season, because their clapping and smiles at the end of races make the races that much more fun.
A big thanks to the guys at Spin Bike Shop for the fitting of the new road bike on Thursday and that I am psyched to pick up on Wednesday. Also, thanks for a cool event on Friday.
On the training front, I had a good Saturday run of 10.5 miles. I was able to run outside for the first time this week and temps were good. I have been fighting a cold that is stuck in my throat somewhere, so breathing has been a little tough and I have a little pain in feet.
Looks like the weather for the week may allow me to get the new ride on the road for a spin this week. It’s about time I start logging real road miles instead of trainer miles.
Swimming was good this week. However, probably not great for anyone that followed me in the pool, as I think I have been leaving a mucus trail in my lane all week. Let’s be glad there is strong chlorine concentration in my pool.
Although, chlorine didn’t stop the large clump of women’s hair that got stuck to my face this morning while swimming. As Anna just posted a list of things that are gross on her blog, this is at the top of the list for me.
This past week was supposed to be a recovery week, so this upcoming week I will be adding a little mileage running-wise. I will stretch out my run to 13-14 miles Saturday and hopefully get one of the bikes on the road for a ride, if the weather cooperates.
Editor’s Note: Awww…I thought he was going to ask his bikes to be his Valentines as he’s been counting the days until he gets them back home from Spin. This was a nice surprise.
A big thanks to the guys at Spin Bike Shop for the fitting of the new road bike on Thursday and that I am psyched to pick up on Wednesday. Also, thanks for a cool event on Friday.
On the training front, I had a good Saturday run of 10.5 miles. I was able to run outside for the first time this week and temps were good. I have been fighting a cold that is stuck in my throat somewhere, so breathing has been a little tough and I have a little pain in feet.
Looks like the weather for the week may allow me to get the new ride on the road for a spin this week. It’s about time I start logging real road miles instead of trainer miles.
Swimming was good this week. However, probably not great for anyone that followed me in the pool, as I think I have been leaving a mucus trail in my lane all week. Let’s be glad there is strong chlorine concentration in my pool.
Although, chlorine didn’t stop the large clump of women’s hair that got stuck to my face this morning while swimming. As Anna just posted a list of things that are gross on her blog, this is at the top of the list for me.
This past week was supposed to be a recovery week, so this upcoming week I will be adding a little mileage running-wise. I will stretch out my run to 13-14 miles Saturday and hopefully get one of the bikes on the road for a ride, if the weather cooperates.
Editor’s Note: Awww…I thought he was going to ask his bikes to be his Valentines as he’s been counting the days until he gets them back home from Spin. This was a nice surprise.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Back in the Saddle
Well it’s been a long winter’s nap…well…not exactly…just a long absence from posting.
Anna came home tonight and told me about a reader of my pathetic attempt of a blog that shamed me into action. I have been saying since January 1st that I was going to post and have come up with plenty of excuses not to.
I am officially back in the saddle (shout out to Sid and Leo) and ready to blog for the season.
Where to begin? Ironman training has officially begun and I have increased my training sessions to either 10 or 11 sessions a week. I will increase that again in the spring and summer.
Also, I have spent a long time building my road bike for training that I posted a picture of back in the fall, and it is almost done. I have my fitting on Thursday. Psyched to get off the trainer, on the road, and take my new toy for a spin.
Don’t worry; I have made space in the bedroom for the new addition.
Cleveland Marathon training has also begun. I am excited to be back training for this. I love the process of adding miles each week and the long Saturday runs. It’s a sign that spring is around the corner and each running week that goes by the weather gets better and better.
I am satisfied with my pacing right now and I have had a great last week of running, biking and swimming.
I swam at the Oberlin Splash Zone over the weekend, while my daughters visited with their cousins before the Super Bowl. I have had the opportunity to swim there before and it’s quite a nice facility for that community.
What was even better was that I was essentially alone in a 10 lane pool (not counting the life guards), since it was about an hour before it closed, and I had a good swim. Sometimes the change of location makes all the difference.
Editor’s Note: Before the bikes come home, I have to line the floor with satin cushions and install an electro-magnetic force field to keep sticky fingers and clumps of dog hair away.
Editor’s Note 2: Not sure if electro-magnetic is a possible type of force field, but it sounds good.
Anna came home tonight and told me about a reader of my pathetic attempt of a blog that shamed me into action. I have been saying since January 1st that I was going to post and have come up with plenty of excuses not to.
I am officially back in the saddle (shout out to Sid and Leo) and ready to blog for the season.
Where to begin? Ironman training has officially begun and I have increased my training sessions to either 10 or 11 sessions a week. I will increase that again in the spring and summer.
Also, I have spent a long time building my road bike for training that I posted a picture of back in the fall, and it is almost done. I have my fitting on Thursday. Psyched to get off the trainer, on the road, and take my new toy for a spin.
Don’t worry; I have made space in the bedroom for the new addition.
Cleveland Marathon training has also begun. I am excited to be back training for this. I love the process of adding miles each week and the long Saturday runs. It’s a sign that spring is around the corner and each running week that goes by the weather gets better and better.
I am satisfied with my pacing right now and I have had a great last week of running, biking and swimming.
I swam at the Oberlin Splash Zone over the weekend, while my daughters visited with their cousins before the Super Bowl. I have had the opportunity to swim there before and it’s quite a nice facility for that community.
What was even better was that I was essentially alone in a 10 lane pool (not counting the life guards), since it was about an hour before it closed, and I had a good swim. Sometimes the change of location makes all the difference.
Editor’s Note: Before the bikes come home, I have to line the floor with satin cushions and install an electro-magnetic force field to keep sticky fingers and clumps of dog hair away.
Editor’s Note 2: Not sure if electro-magnetic is a possible type of force field, but it sounds good.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Its Beginning To Look Alot Like A Living Room
Yes… I know all of you have been waiting with baited breathe wondering when my next blog would be. No worries I am still here and still training, just didn’t think I was going to become TV Installer and contractor under a tight deadline.
After the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, the Editor and I partook in a little Black Friday madness and purchased a TV with the grand scheme of mounting it over the fireplace. Simple enough… but since our house was built in 1923, every project is an adventure.
So upon our return from the family trip to Kalihari last Sunday, I began the project with Anna’s deadline that it had to be done by this past Saturday, because her family was coming over for a Christmas Party that day.
My goal was to hide all the wires in the wall, which called for major demolition, construction, and routing of about 12 cables and new electric line through the walls. It was a 6-night affair of going to bed at roughly 2:00 am, but in the end it turned out well.
The neurosis of having to train during this period probably didn’t help things. It is the constant voice in the back of my head that I need to train and what workout session I need to get done that day or what will I miss if I decide to skip. I guess it’s good it keeps me motivated.
By Friday night when I finished the job I was pretty much a walking zombie. I even got the Editor’s stamp of approval with out any revisions. On top of this, I was able to get a 10 mile run in this weekend on a treadmill (treadmill…ugh), because the weather has been ugly around here as it has in a lot of places. I was also able to sneak in a brick workout of a bike and swim on Sunday.
Otherwise, heading into the holidays I am starting to focus on January 1, 2011 and the official beginning IM Training.
Editor’s Note: In this time period, he has also developed a Christmas list which consists of 75-80% athletic gear and clothing. He is a sick, sick man.
After the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, the Editor and I partook in a little Black Friday madness and purchased a TV with the grand scheme of mounting it over the fireplace. Simple enough… but since our house was built in 1923, every project is an adventure.
So upon our return from the family trip to Kalihari last Sunday, I began the project with Anna’s deadline that it had to be done by this past Saturday, because her family was coming over for a Christmas Party that day.
My goal was to hide all the wires in the wall, which called for major demolition, construction, and routing of about 12 cables and new electric line through the walls. It was a 6-night affair of going to bed at roughly 2:00 am, but in the end it turned out well.
The neurosis of having to train during this period probably didn’t help things. It is the constant voice in the back of my head that I need to train and what workout session I need to get done that day or what will I miss if I decide to skip. I guess it’s good it keeps me motivated.
By Friday night when I finished the job I was pretty much a walking zombie. I even got the Editor’s stamp of approval with out any revisions. On top of this, I was able to get a 10 mile run in this weekend on a treadmill (treadmill…ugh), because the weather has been ugly around here as it has in a lot of places. I was also able to sneak in a brick workout of a bike and swim on Sunday.
Otherwise, heading into the holidays I am starting to focus on January 1, 2011 and the official beginning IM Training.
Editor’s Note: In this time period, he has also developed a Christmas list which consists of 75-80% athletic gear and clothing. He is a sick, sick man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)