Eureka!

Today I used Perpetuem on a long bike to good effect and without gastric distress. I made it into a thick liquid and put it in the Hammer flasks. (I found the easiest way to make it and get it in the flasks was to shake/mix it in a small bike bottle and squeeze the contents into the flasks.) No problems, and I felt good throughout the bike. I have to find a better way to carry it though. Fumbling in my bike jersey pockets slowed me down. The same goes for the tic tac box I'm using to carry Endurolytes caplets.

bike = 60 miles
swim = 2,250 yards
weight = 156.3

HRM

After having a lactate threshhold test, I used my heart rate monitor during this morning's run, and ran faster, which means I haven't been running hard enough. I'm being taught to depend on rate of perceived exertion, but I believe I need to use the heart rate monitor for a while at least to get my subjective perception of how hard I'm working in line with reality. That should make this weekend interesting!

run = 7 miles
weight = 156

Nutrition Experiment

This weekend I'm going to try Hammer's Perpetuem made into a paste and placed in gel flasks. We'll see how that works.

run = 5x1 min. hill repeats
swim = 1300 yards
weight training
weight = 156.8

More about my guts

I've now learned that dehydration is a common cause of the crampiness I've been experiencing on longer bike rides, so I will focus on that rather than on the product I'm using. I'm still going to try Perpetuem this weekend anyway.

bike = 7x5 min. hill repeats
swim = 1,700 yards
weight = 154.5

Mysteries of the Universe...

I tried Sustained Energy again, but with a weaker solution in both bike bottles. I didn't have a bottle of plain water. I still had mild GI issues, which I reluctantly describe as light intestinal crampiness, after about an hour and a half, but it was better than before. I'm still going to try something else, i.e. Perpetuem, also made by Hammer Nutrition, during my next long bike. I'm getting interested in race nutrition, and I guess I'd better be. I learned in the Gulf Coast half iron race that nutrition is vitally important during longer races. I just have to find the right fuel for me and my guts.

bike = 40 miles
run = 6.2 miles
weight = 155.4

Psyched!

I just registered for next year's Ironman Coeur d'Alene race. I am psyched!

swim = 1,800 yards
weight training
weight = 153.3

Another Week

Quick notes, because I'm worn out: (1) still had light GI distress on the bike today, so I need to rethink my nutrition approach; (2) watched some of Ironman Coeur d'Alene online -- and tomorrow I'm going to register for the 2008 race; (3) had a weekend of great workouts.

bike/run brick = 2 hour bike, 10 mile run
weight = 154.8

Saturday in the Park

Today I did the swim/bike brick workout with the group again. I had a great workout but experienced some GI distress on the bike. I started the day with HEED electrolyte drink by Hammer Nutrition, used Enervitene by Enervit between the swim and bike, and used Hammer Nutrition's Sustained Energy on the bike. I hadn't used the Enervit product before, so my guess is that was the culprit. What I've learned thus far about training/racing nutrition is (a) everyone is different, and (b) trying different things and experiencing the result is the necessary procedure to find what I need. I'll try something slightly different tomorrow.

swim/bike brick = swim 1,950 yards, bike = 40 miles
weight training
weight = 157.1

Patience

Endurance training requires patience. So does weight loss. I've lost about two pounds over the last two weeks, but I can do better. Trainingpeaks.com analyzes my diet and is providing useful information. Based on the information provided, I can see that my overall caloric intake is fine, but I'm consuming much more protein than I need. In addition, my fat consumption is excessive and much of it comes from my afternoon and evening snacks. I can remedy both of these issues easily and will start at the best possible time: today.

run = 5 miles
weight = 158.6

Thursday again

run = 5x1 min. hill repeats
swim = 1,300 yards (100s and 50s)
weight = 158.1

The Return of Mike Mulligan

Last night I went on another group ride, which is one I won't be able to do often because of the time of day for the ride. Group rides are definitely a great training aid, as they apply the Mike Mulligan principle I described in an earlier post. This ride was fun, too, because there were about 30 or so riders, many of whom were really fast, and I enjoyed being a part of it. I'll definitely do this ride again when I have the chance.

bike = 7 x 5 min. hill repeats
swim = 1,700 yards (100s and 50s)
weight = 157.9

Another day...

I'm planning two iron distance races for next season. The World Triathlon Corp. "M-Dot" events fill so quickly that I have to register a year in advance. In trying to plan this, I had to consider that there is no way to know what will happen in a year ... Then I realized that the brute fact of uncertainty is one reason to do this. I will come up with a better way to express this as I work on it, but I suppose one reason for my current undertaking, to the extent it qualifies as an unarticulated "reason," is the same "reason" people climb mountains: do it now, because I can.

run = 6.2 miles
bike = 28 miles
weight = 157.7

Optimism

Optimism is posting a daily report of one's body weight on the internet.

swim = 1,800 yards (400s and 50s)
weight training
weight = 157.7

Sunday Morning

Sunday morning, praise the dawning ... It's just a restless feeling by my side ... Early dawning, Sunday morning ... It's just the wasted years so close behind ...

-Lou Reed/Velvet Underground

O.K., enough poetry. Today I got smart and paid more attention to nutrition during training. I used Hammer Nutrition's Sustained Energy on the bike and felt fresh throughout. I also used Endurolytes tabs during the bike and run. Two things I'll do differently on my next long brick: (1) consume some liquid calories before the workout; (2) use gels on the run.

Yesterday I had a solid food breakfast before the swim/bike brick and belched throughout the bike -- much like the last race. If I'm going to consume solid food before a race or hard workout, it needs to be 3 hours before, not an hour before.

bike/run brick = bike 2 hours, run 9 miles
weight = 159.0

Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne

Today I went for a group swim and ride. I enjoyed the company and rode harder than I probably would have otherwise. I was reminded of my son's book about Mike Mulligan and his steamshovel, Mary Anne. They dug a little faster and a little better when someone was watching. Me too.

On the shoe front, I got the Saucony Grid Stabil 6, a motion control trainer, which is appropriate for me, as I overpronate and have low arches. I'm using an over-the-counter orthotic (Powerstep), which I've had good results with.

swim/bike brick = swim 1,950 yards, bike 30 miles

Daddy Needs a New Pair of Shoes

Today I go to the local run shop to get a new pair of shoes. I shall post more as the adventure proceeds.

run = 5 miles

Sweet Thursday

I took yesterday off from training. Today I feel good. Did hill repeats on a new hill close to home. Nice course.

I still have some blubber left around my gut, and it's time for that to go. I'm using the meal log on trainingpeaks.com to discipline myself and be accountable for what I consume. I firmly believe that if I do that for 30 days -- the date for my next race -- the remaining lard will be gone.

bike = 7x5 min. hill repeats
swim 1,700 yards speedwork (100s and 50s)
weight training

I would gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!

run = 6 miles

Ah, Monday

swim = 1,600 yds speedwork

Sunday morning

brick = 15 mi. bike, 5 mi. run
weight training

Buster Britton race

Overall, I was pleased with this race. I always mean to write notes about what I've learned from a race, so this time I'll actually do it:

(1) Show up early. I arrived on time but would have been better prepared to race if I had been early. Also, someone mis-racked their bike on our section of the rack, which wasted time. I would have been more relaxed and had time to warm up properly had I been early.

(2) I consumed my last prerace calories too close to race time (about 30 min. and 10 min. before start) and belched throughout the bike portion of the race. The latter calories were probably ok, but the former should have been an hour before race time rather than 30 min.

(3) Check air in tires at car, before taking bike to rack. I didn't have a problem with my tires but didn't get to check the air before the race start.

(4) PRACTICE TRANSITIONS!!! My transitions were smooth but slow. I could easily have shaved 2 min. off my overall time with better transitions. On the plus side, I took all extraneous stuff away from transition area before race and had the bare essentials only.

Another day

run = 5 miles
swim = 1,300 yards speedwork

Hill Repeats

Great way to wake up. I really notice a difference between days when I work out in the morning, which is usual, and days when I don't work out until later in the day.

bike = 1:30 overall plus 5 min. hill repeats
run = 3 miles

Another Today

Sleep is good. I like sleep.

swim 2,000 yards (1200 & 8x100)
weight training

Today

Work forced me to miss yesterday's swim workout, so I doubled up today. None the worse for wear, as far as I can tell.

bike 2 hrs
run 3 miles
swim 2,000 yards (1200 & 8x100)

Running Our Own Race

This morning I was riding and came up behind a road biker riding slowly. I thought I'd blow by him and it would be fun. When I got up behind him, I saw he had a prosthesis in place of one leg. I have to admire the guy. Each of us is running his own race.

bike/run brick, 15 mile bike, 5 mile run

Morning Training

I do most of my training in the morning, especially run and bike training. Reasons: (1) scheduling - it's easier to get it done in the morning before the day starts going and I get involved in other things; (2) family time - morning workouts mean less interference with family time; (3) energy - it took getting used to, but now it feels better to get up and work out rather than training later in the day when I'm tired from other activities. This is especially true during the work week. This habit has made me into a morning person, which I never imagined I'd be.

swim/bike brick, 1,650 yard swim & 20 mile bike

New Program II

I started the new training program today. I like it.

run = 5 miles
swim = 2,125 yards (technique drills & speed sets)