Less than two weeks to Ironman Lake Placid

Hard to believe but Ironman Lake Placid is just 10 days away and the taper is well under way. Like many long distance racers I find the taper period harder in many ways than the long training. My legs feel like hell even as I have barely done anything this week!!!! In a rational way this makes no sense, yet this is how it always is. Next week I expect to get hit with a case of the "marathon flu"* for at least a day or two.

This will be my 6th time at the distance, 3rd try at this particular course. Lots of thoughts about making it to the line as well as what I have to do on July 24th. Just getting to start an Ironman-distance race is incredible. To be healthy enough at 46 years of age to swim 2.4 miles, ride 112 miles in the Adirondack Mountains, then run a marathon is just incredible. I am truly grateful I have the ability to do this. No matter what happens on race day, just getting to the beach for the start is a win.

Like past efforts this one has been a long journey. Last July I was in Lake Placid as a race day
volunteer with Cassie and The Mayor, signing up for this year's race the following day. While it hasn't consumed my life, I have thought about race day a lot since the moment I handed over my credit card to pay for the race.

Ironman training is a discipline. The past few years I have been self-coached which takes a different kind of discipline. The only person I'm responsible to is myself. When I was coached in the past it was a great experience, but one that began to not suit me. Just as you need to be disciplined enough to get the work done, you also need to know when the workload is too much. I am wired to work my ass off, which worked for a good long time. As I moved from my 30s into my 40s I found what had been my strength (the ability to get the work done) had started to become a weakness. Drilling yourself into the ground is great, but not if you can't function correctly for three days, or it leads to injury.

I think back to last December and a run I was doing with a few of my training partners. Both of my mates had never trained with me when I was really focused on getting into top shape for an event of this distance. Yes, they were with me for my Ironman Florida training, but that was done after April knee surgery. I trained hard, but training had to be limited. I pretty sure they didn't believe me when I said I had a way I would be training, which is different than what they had previously experienced. Going into this year I had a plan.

This might not be exactly what tapering is, but after weeks of
long training days it's sure what it feels like.

There were some notable departures from years past. My overall mileage was much less than I did for any of my other Ironman events, with the exception of run training for IMFL (just 6 months post-knee surgery). Intensity was higher than ever via intervals. But more easy as well. Hard is hard and easy is easy. That grey area many of us have a propensity to train in? Not me.

If my body wasn't ready to go I would bag a workout. If I felt a little niggle in my calf I would stop running for three days then reevaluate the situation. Still an issue? Two more days with no run. These two simple, rational things kept me able to train on a consistent basis with no injuries.

So now that the training is over it is about getting race ready. These two weeks are about getting rid of fatigue and getting my head ready to race. This is not my first rodeo. Tapering is something I don't necessarily like but I am pretty good at getting the body ready to race. Mentally I need to be prepared to suffer. Specifically, here is I think I need to do come race day:

Pacing - This isn't just me, this is really what we all have to do. OK, the pros are a different story, but for the rest of us a successful Ironman is all about proper pacing. On the swim I have no worries. Every time I have raced a 70.3 or longer my swim has either been paced where it could be or, more so than not, slower than I am capable of. I am not a swimmer and am mostly self taught. I am good, but in a non-swimmer kind of way. My expectations are very reasonable. On the opposite end of the race is my run. Even at IMFL I had trouble on the back end holding it together. Go out at my slow and maintain it. Which leads to ...

Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2008

Control myself on the bike - I love, love, love to ride my bike. I have expectations on the bike. I can climb. Give me a series of rollers and my smile can get in the way. And that, my friends, has been my biggest problem at this distance. Ironman is a controlled effort that I am not programmed for. As much as I dislike the deep suffering one can have on the run, I really enjoy it on the bike. This is completely backwards!!! For 112 miles I need to make sure I ride within myself so bad things don't happen later on. That means I can ball down the descent to Jay, but "just ride along" for the long climb from the base of Whiteface Mountain back into town ... TWICE. Must. Have. Control.

Nutrition and Hydration - One of the problems I have always faced at this distance is the desire to keep shoving liquids and calories into my pie hole. What makes this worse is I am a heavy, salty sweater so "forgetting" to hydrate for 45 minutes can be devastating. Ten years ago at my first Ironman in Lake Placid I screwed it up so bad that my upper body was cramping, I thought I had a little green man walking the last few miles with me, and the last half-marathon took 3 1/2 hours to complete. I think I figured it out in Florida two years ago, but that was a cool weather race.

This is what bad bike pacing looks like at
mile 15 of the run.

Listen to My Body - I have always had a habit of getting a bit too robotic when I race long. When I considered myself to be a runner I would have a marathon pace and stick to it until it didn't work. Over the last few years I have changed my approach and started to listen to the signals the body was giving me at any given time. Racing the Philadelphia R&R 1/2 Marathon last year I beat my goal time by not running a pace but by letting how was was feeling dictate weather I pushed the pace or held back for a few minutes. Given my history this is probably most important for me on the bike.

Discipline - Everything up to this point comes down to discipline. I have always told my coaching clients who are racing the Ironman distance for the first time that they should think of it as the longest training day of their lives. That takes the ability to stay within yourself and just continue to move forward while staying present enough to do what needs to be done to continue on. The first four items on my list come down to maintaining my discipline all day long.

Keep the Demons Away on the Run - That little voice inside your head can be the best thing, and the worst thing, when racing. At this distance I have never found that voice to be very helpful. This year that has to change. I have a mantra. I will count my steps. I will focus on my form. I had this for almost 17 miles in Florida before my legs just gave out on me. With the almost nonexistent run miles I had for that race I was happy to make it that far. This year I have another 9 miles to quash the negative self-talk. Bottom line is I just need to harden the F&$k up and shut down the negative self talk.

As always, thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

*The "Marathon Flu" is what I have always referred to as that feeling during race week that you are getting sick. That little scratch in your throat that you normally ignore, or the achy body that is a result of actual muscular healing? That's the marathon flu. Can really screw with your mind.

Ironman Florida Training Review

So ... the original plan had me writing up a blog post each week with a training summary over the last 12 weeks of my Ironman Florida prep, detailing the process, both good and bad. In reality there was not enough time to work, train, sleep, spend time with The Queen, eat, and eat, and eat, and write a new blog on training every week. Yeah, I did get a post out most week,but there were other things I wanted to write about. I had every intention of getting a training post out ... but it just. never. happened. Instead of a week-by-week analysis, what we have is an overview of what I have been doing since early August.

But first, I have a fun announcement to make ... Later this week or early next week The Complex Triathlete will have a special guest blogger. Special, because it will be the first guest to our little piece of the internet. Special, because the guest blogger will be The Queen herself!!!! She has been treating the exact topic of her post as if it were a state secret, but I am sure it will have to do with Ironman. I can guarantee you will be entertained as she is smart, witty, and a much better writer than me. If there is a post worth reading, it is her's for sure.

With that said, back to our post.

This is my 5th go at the Ironman distance and the first time around as a self-coached athlete. Over the last 8 years I have learned a lot about how to train and, just as important, how I need to train. This cycle looks different than the previous four in a number of important ways.

Lower overall volume. I have done well in the past with lots and lots of base miles. My body responds well to volume and I enjoy it, so it always made sense. This time around there was still an awful lot of volume, just not as much. I'm older now and, quite frankly, I need more rest than I have in the past. It's a reality I have come to accept. Fortunately I have a large aerobic base from years of doing this so I do not see this as a problem.

Lower run volume. Heading into 2014 I wanted to put in a solid 10 week run focus early in the year. Knee problems, then surgery in April, put the kibosh on that idea. By July I was back to running on a regular basis again, but much more limited than before. Twenty five mile weeks became the new 50 mile weeks; Thirteen mile long runs replaced 20 milers. Going into Ironman Lake Placid in 2011 I had multiple 20 mile runs under my belt. My longest run this time around was a 17 miler.

Bike centered training focus. I enjoy riding my bike. Coming into 2014 I decided that once the winter weather broke, the bike should be the central focus of my training. When you become a stronger cyclist you not only improve the bike leg, but there should be more in the tank during the run.

More intensity. With less volume I was able to crank up the interval training during the week in all three disciplines.

The Big Training Day. This comes directly from Joe Friel. The Ironman Big Training Day is a great opportunity to test out race day pacing as well as race day nutrition. I got some good knowledge from this workout and have adjusted accordingly.

More Transition Runs. With the limited amount of running I have been able to do, it became important to make the miles I could run count. Most weeks I ran multiple times off the bike. Most short, but long enough to get comfortable with running off the bike.

Racing early in the cycle. I like to race, but this time around I used it for two purposes - building fitness and relearning run pacing. After coming back from the knee surgery I have had some problem regaining the feel of how fast (or slow) I am running. For Ironman this is important, especially the first few miles out of T2. I ended up racing Steelman and TriRock Asbury Park in August. Rev3 Pocono Mountain in September was more of a fitness test.

Overall this cycle was a good one. Not perfect, as it never is, but good. My body, while tired and ready to taper after Sunday's last long ride, has held up well. Fatigue is reasonable. For the first time in a long time I completed my specific race prep with no injury issues.

The last two weeks before an Ironman are the "all you can do is f$&k this up" zone. There is no more fitness to be built this cycle. "Testing" fitness can only screw things up. Negative thinking can do as much or more harm that stupid training. Worrying about things that are out of my control - like the weather - can only screw me up. Recovery and mental race prep are in focus now.

Right now - 10 days out - I am fully in taper mode, trying to do things right. My legs do not feel good ... but the will soon. Substantially less training volume plus small doses of intensity, if done correctly, should equal fresh legs on November 1.


Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Ironman Training Review: July, 2014

So far 2014 has been more about training and recovering from surgery, not racing. Yes, I did go out and "race" Jerseyman Triathlon in the aquavelo division a few weeks after surgery. And yes, I also went to Eagleman 70.3 and did the swim and bike before handing in my chip (still couldn't run). But that wasn't racing. Those events were more about just getting out there and proving to myself I could still toe the line. Nothing more, nothing less.

That has changed. On July 4th I raced the Firecraker 4 miler in Palmer Township and I did the Steelman Open Water Swim (OWS) on July 14th in Quakertown. I didn't do a specific write up on either event because ... well, I really don't know. I just didn't. Both events went well.

For the 4 mile run my plan was to just go out and see what I was capable of doing 11 weeks post-surgery. With minimal running miles - none fast - I entered the race with no expectations other than getting a baseline. Run hard, see what happens.

Photo Credit: LVLive.com Firecracker 4-Miler 

What happened was an official time of 26:01 on a slightly short course. According to my Garmin the course was 3.89 miles and my avg. pace was 6:38/mile. No one was more surprised than me. If I had held a 7:20 pace I would have been ecstatic. Something to be said about having base fitness.

Best part of training is going to places you
would normally not in the company of friends

Next up was Steelman OWS on July 13. This is an event I added into the schedule when I made the decision to forego racing Ironman Couer d'Alene. After entering the 5k swim a few years ago I have since stayed with the more sane, 1.5 mile race. My total time was 43:44, just a few seconds slower than my PR, good enough for 4th in AG40-49. Clearly, nobody showed up in my AG, and the time was satisfactory. The water was a bit choppy and I didn't feel like I swam particularly straight all day.


Here's the breakdown for July (and the first 3 days of August):

Swim: Admittedly I had trouble getting to the pool this month. When I got there, motivation was waning. After 10+ years of training in the pool I finally hit a stretch where I just wasn't as motivated as I should be this time of year. I attribute the situation to a number of factors - no need to put huge volume in with my A race so far away; not having an outside pool to swim at as I have had for the past 5 Summers; a bit of swimming burnout.

This past week I emerged from my funk and had three quality swims.

Bike: Unlike the swim there is no lack of motivation to ride. In a little more than a month I logged 883 miles in the saddle, finishing off the month with my longest ride of the year (81 miles). Not just logging miles, I have completed the specific workouts I had scheduled, including my favorite - hill repeats on Applebutter Road. The only real "lost" bike ride this month was the result of a horrendous thunderstorm that left the Wednesday Night Ride stranded in the park for 40+ minutes waiting for it to pass.

One of my favorite roads in the Lehigh Valley

On July 27th I did my last ride with the Sunday Morning Cycle Fitters group that rides from the Jersey side of the free bridge in P'burg for the next few months. This is a great group of riders, led by Charr, with a desire to find the biggest hills on the Jersey side of the boarder and climb them. While I will miss the group, I need to have long rides that are more focused on the steady-state riding necessary for Ironman Florida.

No worries, I'll still be riding hills and will be back charging up those hills with the group once I've recovered from IMFL.

Run: Things are going well. I have managed 4 runs per week for the past four weeks without any knee issues. Volume is nowhere near where it has been in the past, nor will it be as I prepare for IMFL. Reality for me is the next three months will be an experiment of n=1. In the past I have responded very well to volume ... which just can't happen now or likely ever again. Uncharted territory to say the least.

I did, however, do my research and have a plan of what I want to do. Theory is nice so now we have to see how it plays out in the real world. The next test will be at the two Olympic distance triathlons I have scheduled for this month (Steelman and TriRock Asbury Park) and then at Pocono 70.3 on September 14. If I can run reasonably well I continue on the path I am charting. If not, we reassess the situation.

Overall: I'm starting to feel pretty good again and, more importantly, my body feels ready to take the pounding of Ironman training. Good thing as $hit gets real now. Starting now (August 4) I need to stay focused on the big picture and Ironman Florida.

This will be the last weekly report as I will move to weekly updates up through Ironman Florida.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon


Related Posts:

Ironman Training Review: June,2014

Ironman Training Review: April & May, 2014

Ironman training Review: March, 2014

Ironman Training Review: February, 2014

Ironman Training Review: January, 2014

2014 - The Year for Ironman Racing

Ironman Training Review: June, 2014

Normalcy. It's what I have been wanting to have in my training all year. Normalcy, in my world, is swim-bike-run-eat-sleep repeat week in and week out. When the winter weather breaks, with a few exceptions, training is done outdoors, and my basic week looks the same. Week, after week, after week. Not that I don't like change ... but I really don't like change when it comes to my routine.

I love my routine!!!

And the routine I oh so love, well, it has evolved into what it is over the past 15 years or so. Really, since I started training for my first Ironman in 2006 things have/had been steady, consistent. I take Rule #2 very serious.

After dealing with the crappiest winter we have seen in Pennsylvania in a long time, then injury, the first five months of this year were less than consistent to say the least. June, however, changed all that, hopefully for good. I've been back at it on a regular basis, even raced a bit.

Here's how June worked out:

Swim: Three to four times each week I was at LA Fitness, in the pool. With Ironman CDA off the table I backed off my weekly volume, opting for shorter, harder sessions. I didn't test this month so I kept my CSS pace at 1:21/100. It has been there for a while now, which I'm totally OK with. Normally when bike and run volume pick up I struggle in the pool. Tired legs and all. This year it feels a bit different. I don't know if it is the lower run volume coming off the layoff, but my swim pacing hasn't deteriorated. In fact, I PRed a few of my standard workouts this month. Whatever it is, I'll take it and call it a win in the pool.

Eagleman 70.3

Bike: My riding has been pretty darn good. I pre-planned my DNF at Eagleman 70.3 on June 8, riding within myself at a PR time of 2:22:xx. I didn't/couldn't run, but felt great coming into T2. If I could have physically run I feel like I had a good run in me. Could it be the limited run mileage? Maybe. Could it be delusion? Maybe, but I don't think so.

This season I have done two things with bike training a bit different than in years past. First, I have taken interval training seriously. I really enjoy riding my bike and, in years past, would get a lot of miles in. Those miles tended to be more exercising than training, if you know what I mean. Last season I decided I needed to train more and exercise less, so intervals became more of a regular presence. At the Great Six Flags Triathlon I broke a long standing PR at the Olympic distance (40k) on a technical course that featured 1000 feet of vertical that I attribute to the interval work (race report). It seemed to work so I kept on doing it.

The second thing I have done is more climbing, even though it's not my favorite thing. In the past I have shied away from a lot of climbing when I am on my own. If I have a choice between doing some nice steady-state riding or up and down all day, put me in the aerobars and let me go. Not that I'm a bad climber ... it's just not my preference.

On most Wednesdays and Sundays I have been out on group rides that force me to hit the hills. Even better, one ride meets in Easton, riding mainly in Western NJ, while the other group rides in Lehigh County, PA. The Lehigh Valley and the surrounding area has some great roads for riding with climbs of all sorts. These two rides have really been a big help. As an added bonus: I get to suffer while making others suffer with me!!!

Overall mileage and intensity has been good, consistent from week to week. Let's call this a win.

Eagleman Pre-Race

Run: Coming off knee surgery I have been slowly reintroducing the run back into my routine. In June I ran 2-3 times each week, separating runs with 1-3 days. As the month progressed I was able to lengthen the distance from 1-2 miles up to 4 miles each run. Reality is I don't want to have any setbacks so I have not been aggressive. My fear has been that after four months with little to no time on my feet there is a real risk of problems other than my knee. I would rather slowly gear it back up than suffer a calf strain or hamstring issue that keeps me from running for a few weeks.

Overall mileage is low and runs are of the just gettin' it the miles variety. Not what I would like, but better than it could be at this point in time. Not there yet so I call this a draw.

Overall: Fitness is coming back. When I raced Eagleman I really raced on base fitness. By the end of June I feel like I am starting to get into better shape and will be prepared to start my Ironman specific prep for Ironman Florida on time. July will be a continuation of June, building strength and rebuilding fitness.

I have two races planned for July - Firecracker 4-Miler (run) and Steelman OWS (swim) - and then two Olympic distance triathlons in August (Steelman and TriRock Asbury Park) to test my fitness and durability.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon


Related Posts:

Ironman Training Review: April & May, 2014

Ironman training Review: March, 2014

Ironman Training Review: February, 2014

Ironman Training Review: January, 2014

2014 - The Year for Ironman Racing

Ironman Training Review: April & May, 2014

It has been two months since I last posted a monthly training review and a whole lot has happened during that time. Of all the things that have happened, almost none of them were on listed on my season training plan. If all had gone according to schedule I would be just about ready to start tapering for Ironman Coeur D'Alene on June 29th. Instead of being Ironman race ready, I'm just starting to build fitness. Here's what's been going on:

First, Ironman Coeur d'Alene isn't going to happen this year. The Queen basically told me that there was no reason to travel across the country to go have a bad experience. With training not being what it should have been for a variety of reasons (see below for more details), she made too much sense for me to disagree. There are always other races, including Ironman Florida, which I'm signed up to do this November.

Second, Knee Surgery. On April 16 The Queen drove me over to the Westfield Hospital to get surgery on my right meniscus. The actual procedure took only 30 minutes, but the process took up most of the day. We headed home and, for most of the next 5 days, I sat on our couch with a few books, my iPad, and Netflix. The long version of the story can be found here.

That post was written one week after the surgery. A few days later I was cleared to ride bike inside on my trainer for no more than 30 minutes ... which, of course, I heard to mean "ride for 30 minutes." Over the course of a week I gradually pushed a little bit harder each day. Not hard, mind you, just a bit more work than the day before. Then, after spending a weekend in Washington DC cheering on The Queen at the Nike Woman's Half Marathon, I received the OK to start riding outside again.

Third, the reality that my pre-surgery training hadn't been all that great. Looking back, even discounting for three months of not running, my swim and bike were both affected by the tear in my meniscus. I was in denial at the time, but soon after getting back on the bike it became obvious just how much I had been struggling. With my knee constantly swollen and painful, riding outside became a different experience. For all but one ride I stayed close to home and on flatish roads.Why? Well, it hurt to pedal in a standing position so hills were out of the question. And with some pain and swelling, I thought it was prudent to stay close to home as I preferred to not have to make the call for the pussy pickup (and by pussy pickup I mean when you have to call to get a ride home because something happened, not this).

With playgrounds that look like this, who
wouldn't want to ride their bike 

Fourth, the combination of crappy weather, too much indoor training, and my achy knee resulted in a lack of motivation to train. Nothing more to say here, but hard to preform at the Ironman distance if you aren't willing to do the work.

Fifth, said lost motivation has been found once again.

So here's how it all has gone down. April started off with no running but some good swims and (finally) some riding outside. Swimming was fairly normal but the bike, not so much. While I was happy to be outside again on a somewhat regular basis, I was counting down the days to get my knee fixed.

After the April 16 surgery I basically spent 5 days on the couch, followed by a week of limited riding bike on the trainer. for no more than 30 minutes ... which, of course, I heard to mean "ride for 30 minutes." Over the course of a week I gradually pushed a little bit harder each day. Not hard, mind you, just a bit more work than the day before.

That weekend we traveled to Washington DC where The Queen was running  the Nike Woman's Half Marathon. She pulled off a big 5 minute PR. Probably not the ideal situation, my knee was able to withstand some 5+ miles of walking and too many hours in the car.

April 28th I was cleared to start riding outside which I did immediately after work that day. Not fast. Not hard. But I was back outside on two wheels. Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!

After three months in the closet, had a little
dusting off to do.

Using the same structure as I did for the indoor riding, I started with a few short, easy rides, gradually adding a little more intensity to each ride. By the weekend I felt comfortable with adding in some vertical, which went off without a speck of pain or swelling.

May 1st I was cleared to start swimming again. Never been so happy to be back in the pool.

May 17th I raced the AquaVelo division (aka "The Injuryed Guy Division") at the Jerseyman Triathlon in Clinton, NJ. I had signed up early in the year for what was to be a shake off the cobwebs race. You can find the race report here.

From there it has been a matter of continuing to rehab the knee, which won't be 100% for some time, working on rebuilding my fitness and building a plan for November's IMFL with the least amount of running necessary to be successful.

Which speaking of running, I did some of that last week!!! Three short and slow runs, but it was actual running.

Anyway, I fell really, really lucky. The recovery has been on the fast side of average and I am back doing what I enjoy. In fact, last week was the first week of 2014 I was able to get a full week of training completed without any issues. Which leave me looking forward once again to a great 2014 race season.

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Ironman Training Review: March, 2014

As far as training goes, to say that March was not the month I expected it to be would be an understatement. After two months of horrid weather and relatively low volume (but high intensity), March was designed to be a transition month into race specific prep for Ironman Couer d'Alane. Total volume would increase while intensity would continue, but with more emphasis on long interval sets.

What actually happened is my right meniscus has a small but painful tear which requires surgery. As a result, any planned racing for the first half of the year is not going to happen (including IMCDA). While I had a great plan coming into 2014, shit happens and things change. I have a general idea of what I want to do in the back half of the year to get ready for IM Florida, but need to see how surgery goes and how fast I'm able to start training again. My plan is to be very conservative and err on the side of doing less. You can read more about it here.

With that said, here's how the month of March worked out:

Strength Training: March is a transition month. I still strength train 2x per week, but less volume and less emphasis on continuously adding weight to basic exercises. With knee issues I moved away from basic squats and into single leg movements. I'm still deadlifting. Core work increased slightly over February.

Swim: Weekly yardage was up, with the exception of a swim recovery week in week three. Well, more like I was a bit bummed about my knee and used that as an excuse. That small transgression aside, I was able to hold my CSS pace at 1:21/100. On the surface this doesn't sound all that great. But ... and this is a big but ... unlike years past I haven't slowed down with the increase in bike miles (see below). Also, I have been doing some serious pull sets this year, which have been getting slowly but consistently faster. I'll call that a win in the pool.

Bike: March is a month I generally get approx. half my riding done outside and half inside due to weather and sunlight issues (gotta hate when work gets in the way). With the early daylight savings clock switch, riding before work doesn't really work until April, and in the evening I can't get onto the bike much before 6 pm on a good day. So what happens is I usually manage 1-2 days during the week outside and then both Saturday and Sunday. The other days are on the trainer. As it worked out the weekend long ride has been progressively longer, overall time in saddle has been where I expected, and HIIT sessions on the trainer have been effective. With the knee issue I haven't been as aggressive as I'd normally be, but I'm pretty much where I expected to be entering April.

Run: The month started out with two weeks of 3 runs per week with OK mileage and ended with an appointment with a surgeon. On March 9 I went out for a short recovery run and around 3.75 miles I felt a pain in my right knee. After consulting with my doctor it was concluded that either I reinjured the knee or the cyst that was in the knee area burst. A few weeks of rest would tell us what actually happened. On March 27 I did a short test run and the results weren't good. Needless to say I haven't run since.

Overall: If I were a pessimist I would certainly call March a disaster. When the highlights are sub-par training volume and being able to run, there's a problem. After facing reality and backing out of IMCDA due to the knee surgery I scheduled,  I should be really, really bummed right now. But I'm not. I have chosen to take this setback in stride. After many years of training and racing without major injury it was my time. Please don't misunderstand, I am not happy about having my plans drastically changed. Believe me, I would like nothing more than to be outside running 30, 40, or 50 mile per week and preparing to race Ironman in June.

Source

I prefer to concentrate on the positive. My fitness is up, my swim is in good shape, and my bike legs are coming back. After recovering from surgery the plan is to slowly increase run mileage. The big goal for the year continues to be Ironman Florida and the time away from running, something that hasn't happened since I started seriously running in the mid-1990s, cannot be a bad thing. November 2 is a long time away.

Between now and then I will do what needs to be done to make sure I am fully prepared when I step into the Gulf of Mexico. Racing this year will be different that originally planned. Some planned races aren't going to happen while others will be on the schedule. Training will be different as well. I have a number of ideas for both ... just need to get through surgery and back out running before I can make any hard decisions.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon


Related Posts:

Ironman Training Review: February, 2014

Ironman Training Review: January, 2014

2014 - The Year for Ironman Racing

Do you remember that time you had the perfect plan and it all went to ...

"Race when you are healthy and able because you never know when that may change." - Lo-Jack

After the final race of the year and a few weeks of R&R, I started to plan out the 2014 race season. Already having two "A" races on the schedule - Ironman Coeur d'Alene and Ironman Florida - it was simply a matter of filling in a few tuneup races, filling in the training blocks, and tracing out the important workouts. For once in my life I had it all sketched out on paper BEFORE the season started. Once January hit it would be a simple matter of filling in the weekly details.

Come January 1 all was good. I started my base period, focusing on strength on the bike and speed in the pool. Coming off a calf strain, running was mostly base miles. Simple, straightforward training.

Then it happened ...

On morning after a run I felt some tightening in my right knee while stretching. This pain was not an unknown to me. Presenting like a tendinitis issue I have dealt with in the past, I went with my standard protocol for this problem. A few week later, things were no better, and I was not running.

Something was different.

For what is probably the first time ever I made the decision to call a doctor. A few days later I was in the office of a sports medicine doctor at OAA Orthopedic Associates getting an x-ray and MRI. A few days after that my fears were confirmed - a meniscus tear. Fortunately, the tear was minor, probably with me for some time, and not necessarily bad enough for surgery. Long story short, after working through the problem, thinking we were in the clear, then dealing with the problem again, the decision was made to get a surgeon involved. Yesterday (April 3) I sat down with a surgeon and will be having surgery in a few weeks.

How things have changed ...

A few weeks ago The Queen informed me that Ironman Coeur d'Alene wasn't going to be happening - I wasn't able to train as needed and nothing good could come from attempting 140.6 miles in an unprepared state of fitness. More than likely I wouldn't be ramping up the run fast enough to give me a chance at a successful marathon off the bike. We talked about it (I had already looked into a number of options), and both agreed it wasn't going to happen. Even if I could have evaded surgery, The Queen was correct.

I have been keeping in shape on the bike and in the pool. I do miss running, but have hit new PR times in the pool and am starting to feel good on the bike. Between now and surgery I will continue to build fitness knowing I will be out of commission for a period of time. I've been told that getting back into the pool and on the bike will happen relatively fast, with running dependent on how much repair needs to be done. Big picture, Ironman Florida and my Fall racing season are still on tap.

Mentally I'm OK with this and will be writing more about it. I did my first of 30 marathons back in 1999 and my first of four Ironman distance events in 2006. All this time I have been relatively injury free, dealing with minor muscle strains and the occasional lower back pain. Don't get me wrong, it's not all "happy happy joy joy" around here, but I do understand the miles I have in my legs. I would much rather be thinking about 20 mile runs, 100 mile rides, and a crazy long transition workouts than surgery, rehab and planning out a comeback.

And that's how your perfect plan goes from awesome to crap.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Ironman Training Review: February, 2014

Last month I ended my review of my January Ironamn training by noting that I can't wait for the weather to break. Well, here in Eastern PA we are still waiting for something that resembles nice weather. Turns out,  as bad a weather month as January turned out to be, February was worse. We had snow, and more snow, and then a bit of ice in the middle of more snow. The Queen had half the month off from teaching!!! It hasn't been the worst winter season, but it is darn close. Fortunately the temperature has been cold enough to keep the snow around ...

Last I looked, nobody ever moved a race date because of crappy training weather in the months leading up to the race. Thus, we carry on ... albeit with more inside training than I would like. Not always the most fun, but sometimes you do the workout because you have to, not because you really want to. I would much rather suck it up inside in February than suffer in June because I let the weather be an excuse to blow off workouts.

We've had more than our fair share of snow this year.

February training was designed to be a continuation of what I was doing in January with slightly more volume. On the bike, build strength; in the pool, speed and technique. The run, due to my knee issues, the plan was to simply run and not do damage.

Strength Training: February was a continuation of January with 2x/week of hitting the weights. Still doing basic exercises my overall strength is good as we enter March. On my to major lifts - squats and deadlifts - I ended the month stronger than I entered it. There was much core work done as well as specific training to address some imbalances that are contributing to the knee problems. The focus starting in March will change with less overall emphasis on basic strength training and more on core as well as swim/bike/run.

Swim: Weekly yardage was up a bit to an average of approx. 9,000 over three swims per week. I tested early in month (400Y/200Y) swimming both timed intervals faster than January and surprisingly faster than expected. Since the beginning of the year I have been working on my threshold using the protocol from Swim Sense. You can find the deets here. I have worked my way down to where my CSS pace is 1:21/100Y. For my main set each week I have mainly stuck with 8-10x200 on 20 sec rest. Sounds easy enough, right? Don't bet on it.

First time in 3 years I've had to bust
out the really cold weather gear.

Bike: The weather in February was more of the same. And by more, I mean more snow, more rutty roads, more brutally cold days, and more time spent on a trainer than I would like. The HIIT sessions during the week are getting me strong, but workouts are relatively short in duration. Fortunately the weather on weekends was just good enough so I could get outside and ride on 3 of the 4 weekends. All things considered, I'll take it. I enter March feeling good about my strength but knowing I need to start getting in some longer, endurance rides soon.

Run: January run training was a bit of a disaster due to injury. Still not where I would like to be, I have been able to start running again, working to slowly build mileage in a sane way. I was scheduled to race the Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon on February 16, but 18 inches of snow cancelled the trip. It was a bummer, but totally out of my control. Instead, I spent some quality time with my snow blower (one way to get outside) and treadmill ... something I have used more this year than ever before. Between the snow and the poor road conditions, I was much better off inside than I would have been on sketchy roads.

The good news is I have been able to run. Overall run mileage is still down, but I have been able to run, even getting in two short transition runs. Long runs have been around 12 miles.The bad news is there is still some pain and all my runs are just running - no intervals or hill repeats, or tempo runs. I am choosing to be positive about the situation, believing it will get resolved and the lower run volume early in the year will benefit me come race day.

Overall: Total training volume was up a little from January. I feel great in the water, strong on the bike, and happy to be able to run. Fitness is up, but bike endurance is a bit behind where I would like it to be.

While the first two months of the year were designed to build strength, March is a month of transition from base-type training to race specific prep. At the start of the month I am just 16 weeks away from IMCDA. Total volume will start to increase in all three disciplines. In the pool this means my endurance sets will be longer as will overall volume. On the bike I will be outside as much as possible. Fortunately, the clocks change on 3/8 giving us light in the evenings. Hopefully this allows me to get outside a few days each week. On the weekends, I'll be outside getting in the miles if at all possible. If the weather doesn't cooperate, longer trainer rides will have to happen. And assuming my knee is ok (I go back to see Doc on Friday 3/7) mileage will slowly grow this month.



Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon


Related Posts:

Ironman Training Review: January, 2014

2014 - The Year for Ironman Racing

Ironman Training Review: January, 2014

As I noted here, I have not one but two full Ironman races on the schedule this year. Big racing takes some big training, but also a long-term perspective. Fitness is not built overnight, but over days/weeks/months of consistent training. Over the years I have learned that the real work is not very glamorous and, at times, can be quite boring. Yes, there are key workouts  along the way. As anyone who has gone through the prep process knows, those workouts are the exception, not the rule.

The basic periodization of an Ironman training plan is quite simple: Start by building base fitness, ramp up the mileage over time, build specific race fitness, taper into the race. Simple, but not easy.

January 1 was the official start date for my 2014 Ironman training. One of my projects during my downtime in December was to put together a broad plan for the year, using Ironman Coure D'alene on June 29 and Ironman Florida on November 1 as my two "A" races. Any other racing would be done as a compliment to these two races.

Winter running in the Lehigh Valley (Towpath at Sand Island)

For January the original plan was to put in some solid miles on the run, building up mileage over the month, build strength on the bike, and strength and stamina in the pool. The total volume would be relatively low. Strength training and core work was also included.

Strength Training: Every year I take a few months and spend some time in the gym with some basic strength exercises. The older we get the more important this becomes. Since I'm getting old, I take it serious. I also take it serious because, although I don't necessarily look like it, I have enjoyed lifting weights for as long as I can remember. The strength focused actually started shortly after the Philly Marathon. During the month of January I deadlifted and squatted more weight than I have in many, many years. I enter February feeling strong.

Swim: For most of the month I kept the weekly yardage in the 8500 yard area, spread out over three swims, with an endurance swim and a speed session each week. After three months of very little swimming, the beginning of the month was a bit of a challenge. My speed was down and longer intervals kinda sucked. By the end of the month all was good and I was back swimming my intervals right where I was at the end of last season. The last week of the month I was in the pool more than originally planned - five times for much higher mileage. More on that below.

Bike: Unlike the last few years, very little of my time in the saddle would be outside. It has been a harsh winter here in NE Pennsylvania. Weekday rides this time of year are always inside (they happen pre-dawn) and weekends have been less than ideal. The limited riding I have done outside has been on the mountain bike, which is a nice change of pace and quite a bit of fun. I'm an old man so I'm not off on crazy trails balling downhill semi-out of control or anything like that. I enter February feeling good about the work I have put in, hitting my volume goal, but with a good chunk of specific work.

Run: Originally, the first few months of 2014 were to be dedicated to higher volume, base run training. A calf strain in mid-December made the planned volume an impossibility. Instead, I build volume over the month, topping out in the mid-30s. This worked fine, but ... and this is a big but ... but there is a knee issue. Not really sure what happened or how it happened, but it did.

Over a few weeks, what appeared to be some normal tendonitis that pops up from time to time was a much different issue. By the end of the month I was hobbling around and not running at all. Something is definitely wrong. I have been to a doctor and will have more when I have a handle on what I am dealing with. Until then we can leave it at I am currently not running due to injury.

Overall: Other than having an injury, I'm pleased with January. My bike feels about right as the swim is exceeding my expectations. The run is a concern right now. Fitness is coming back to where it should be as I am getting stronger. Volume is low and intensity levels are up.

February should be more of the same - strength building on the bike, working on speed and technique in the pool - with a bit more volume. As for the run ... I should have a better idea of what's going on very soon. I am scheduled to run a half marathon in Myrtle Beach, SC in a few weeks which I am highly certain won't be happening. Even if I can run at that point, not sure I will be running enough to go 13.1 miles. It could still happen, but I'm not betting on it.

On another note I have upgraded my tri ride for 2014. I have been riding a Quintana Roo Seduza since 2007. It has been a great bike and I have enjoyed the bike immensely. With many thousands of miles on it I had a choice to make: a major overhaul or buy a new bike. After finding a great deal on a new bike, I purchased a new Quintana Roo Illicito.

Can't wait for the weather to break so I can take her out for a spin.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon