Ironman Training Review: Week of August 25 - 31 and September 1 - 7,2014

Without a doubt I am an East Coast guy. The year round temperate weather of Southern California sounds compelling, as does the altitude training available in the Rocky Mountains. Sometimes very compelling. you know those days where it is 90 degrees with 75% humidity? Or how about those days where it is 70 but the humidity is 100% and not raining (people in SoCal surely don't think this is even possible)? Then the winter comes with the darkness, snow, sleet and cold, making biking a near impossibility, with running on a treadmill at times a necessity.

Milford, NJ

Yet here I am in Eastern PA, likely to be here for just about forever. And not unhappy about it either. We have some great roads to ride on, a great trail system to run on, and weather. Lots and lots of weather. In the past two weeks I have trained in the rain, under the sun, in heat, with humidity, and in the dark. It has been as hot as 90 degrees and as cool as 52 degrees. Crazy. But good.

Coming off of TriRock Asbury Park the early part of the first week was a little lite on volume, even as I would be increasing the overall training volume. The goal was to get a block of higher volume training with a focus on the bike and swim. My personal reality is truly large run volume won't be happening now or ever. Is what it is.

And from a volume perspective the last two weeks have been a success. Both weeks included 17+ hours of training. In the pool I have increased my overall yardage, maintaining my "speed" and increasing the duration of my endurance swim sessions. On the bike I have continued to log 200+ mile weeks with 1 -2 interval workouts of varying intensity. My running volume has increased as well, with my first long run of 10 miles since surgery, while intensity has stayed high. With my limit on overall run volume I have been including hill repeats as well as road intervals. I have stayed away from the track because ... well I hate going to the track. I do it, but only when I feel it is necessary. Right now, not necessary.

My default is to overcook myself as opposed to not doing enough. It comes as no surprise, then, that my legs are a bit more fatigued than I would like. This week is a recovery week, but I have Rev3 Pocono 70.3 on tap this Sunday. This week is a real recovery week, hoping to shed the fatigue before Sunday morning.

Workout of the Week - The Long Ride: To be properly prepared physically for an Ironman one needs to develop a deep level of fitness, developed over the course of not weeks but months of dedicated training. Consistency (Rule #2) is important. During the build period leading into the even there are a number of "key" workouts that most everyone completes. One of the most important is the long ride. While it can be done in a variety of ways, one of the key objectives of this ride is to spend a substantial amount of time with your butt in the saddle. Some are long and some are really long. On Sunday August 31 I completed the first of the really long rides in this cycle.

Solo Long Ride = happy like Elmo

Some people like to do these longer rides with a group, be it small or large. Personally, this is a session I prefer to do alone for a number of reasons. I do not want to be a burden on anyone, nor do I want someone to become a burden to me. Pacing is something that varies so much from person to person, not just in general, but inside of a ride. When the distance is stretched, that variability can become great. If/when I'm going through a crappy period I don't want to hold someone back. In the same respect, I do not want to be held back because someone overestimated their abilities and blow themselves up. Nor do I want to have lunch at the top of Blue Mountain waiting for you to catch up.

Attached to this is the fact that when I am going this long, I rarely plan out a route beyond the direction I start riding and a type of terrain I want to ride (flattish, hilly, rolling). Sometimes I take a road I've been past but never rode, while other times I may ride big loops. It is really annoying to have someone ask me where we are going when I am not really sure.

The objective I had for this ride was to simply ride 100 miles in a reasonable amount of time, with only short stops when I needed to refuel, while working on my fueling strategy. I decided to do some climbing at the start, hit some flat sections to work on riding in the aero position for an extended period of time, then do some hillier/rolling terrain on the back end to see how the legs hold up. 

Overall I held up well for my first century ride of the year ... but there is still work to do. After a very quick stop at Genesis to fill up my water bottles, I climbed up Northampton Street in Easton. This was around mile 71. After getting through traffic and into Palmer Township my legs were a bit heavy for the first time all day. Next time I expect it to go better.

Long Ride Data File

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Ironman Training Review: Week of August 11 - 17, 2014

Here it is, the dog days of summer. It is hot, humid, and simply brutal here on the East Coast. Training in August is about not just getting the work it, but getting enough fluids and electrolytes back in the body so as not to tip over that nasty edge of dehydration ... oh, wait, not this year.

Unlike every other year maybe ever, we have been having just unbelievably nice training weather. So nice, in fact, that early morning bike rides have made me think about what to wear other than tights and a jersey. On Friday I wore arm warmers, gloves and a vest. It was 56 degrees!!!! This is sooooo nice but has me a bit worried. Training for an Ironman crazy things go through your head like, what if it snows in September and I can't get a long ride in?

Anyway ...

After racing Steelman last week (see here), this week was the first week of focused Ironman specific training. After a few days of easier training I was back at the intervals on the bike as well as on the run. Well, really three days of easier workouts. The original plan was to ride hill repeats on Wednesday after work with Cassie. I called an audible when my legs were still not feeling happy at the end of my work day. Apparently Steelman took something out of my legs ... or I'm just getting older. Either way, it took three days for recovery.

I did get some interval sets in this week. On the run I did some hill repeats on Thursday. On Friday I did  4 x (5 min @ OLY pace + 5 min recovery), throwing in a short t-run to boot.

The weekend is normally dedicated to longer workouts and this week was no different. Friday I got a mind-numbing swim set in after work, Saturday morning I managed my longest run post-surgery, then on Sunday I capped it off with a three hour ride. In between the longer sessions I managed some shorter run and bike workouts.



Workout of the Week - Pre-Race Swim Set: This is the set I did the Friday before racing Steelman on August 10. I have a few go-to workouts that I do in the days before a race. For years I have been doing the same basic set. Last week I decided that change can be good and modified things a bit. After reading an article from Triathlete Magazine featuring swim-stud Sara McLarty's recommendations I modified what I was doing. Previously I was doing a quick warm-up followed by a bunch of 50s as 25 hard / 25 easy. Pacing in everything and the 200s made me feel like I had a better feel for where I wanted to be on race morning. Here's the set:

Warmup:
1 x 200 on 3:20 easy
1 x 200 on 3:30 pull
1 x 100 on 1:40

Main Set:
6 x 50 on 0:55 (25 hard/25 easy)
2 x 200 on 3:00 @mid-race effort
6 x 50 on 0:55 (25 hard / 25 easy)

Cooldown:
200 easy

You can find the article and it's three variations here.

Last, I heard the song "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds the other day and just can't get it out of my mind. Good tune, but I hate when that happens.

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Week Review: October 20, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training, a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs. Spent about a month racing more that training so there wasn't much to review. Now that I'm into marathon training (Running Philly on 11/17) racing has again taken a back seat to training.



Training Update:

Now that the focus has moved from triathlon to marathon, the bike and swim have taken a back seat to running mileage. As much as I enjoy the bike, it is good to take some time away from riding with focus to instead get some nice, casual rides in when I desire. Same goes for hitting the pool. I'm swimming when it feels right and without much of a plan when I get there. There are things to focus on ... just not right now.

The decrease in bike miles has my running legs starting to feel pretty good. I was just shy of a 50 mile week, including a run in St. Louis, where I spent a few days on business. It's a nice town, but with limited areas to run early morning, at least in the downtown area. There was little traffic pre-dawn so cars were not much of an issue. There is a nice hill down by the Mississippi River that allowed me to do some hill sprints. Not my favorite, but practical and useful.

On Saturday I ran my first 20 miler of the year with Phil. The weather was as close to ideal as you get, with temperatures in the high 40s and a good amount of sunshine. We paced it out steady with most every mile around a 7:30 pace through mile seventeen. I held a 7:23, 7:22, 7:08 for the final three miles, ending with more in my legs. Not a bad day for Jon!!!


Let's Talk About the NY Jets:

Who would have ever guessed that the Jets would be 4-3 after the first seven games of the season? Going into the regular season I figured that the defense would keep the Jets in most games, but I didn't expect the offense to be as dynamic as it has been. Yes, Marty Marnhinweg has a scheme that can move the ball and put up some points. What was unsure to me was if he had the personnel to get the job done. Two months ago it looked not-so-good. Today, not so bad. Here's how it has panned out so far:

Quarterback - The position was in flux with either a rookie (Geno Smith) at the helm or Mark Sanchez.

Source: www.thejetsblog.com

There was even talk of Chris Simms after the 4th preseason game. Now, Geno looks good in most situations, but still makes rookie mistakes. On the plus side, he has shown the ability to forget about a bad play or a pick 6.

Running Back - Bilal Powell was slotted as the starter, Chris Ivory had some leg issues, and Goodson was suspended. Now they are all available and effective. Also, Tommy Bohanan has been solid at fullback.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends - Came into the season with an injured Santonio Holmes, a young group of receivers behind him, one tight end with 12 NFL catches (Cumberland), and a reclamation project in Kellen Winslow. As it has turned out, Holmes has been mostly injured, the young receivers have developed what appears to be good chemistry with Geno, while both tight ends are working out. The only negative is Winslow's current 4 game suspension.

Offensive Line - These guys are solid as I expected. This is an experienced group of veterans and it shows.

So right here right now there is every reason to be happy with the season so far. The defense has been very good while the offense progresses. Right now they look like an 8-8 team, or about 5 games more than most people expected. This may sound crazy because, you know, this is the Jets, but if the offense can start putting up points against some of the better defenses ... I don't think it will take much - continued solid defensive play, Geno limiting the turnovers, and a balanced offensive approach. They are close to this right now. Close, but not quite there.



Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

Curious why Rinny can bust out a 2:50 marathon at Hawaii Ironman but you can't? Well, besides the fact that if you are like me you can't run a 2:50 marathon without a swim/bike warm-up. Here's some insight (Sami Inkinen)

Speaking of running, if your form is in need of a makeover, here's a good place to start (Strength Running)

Serious Recovery for Serious Athletes (Endurance Corner)

The food industry is lying to you. Here is the most horrible of the lies (Cracked)


Music Video of the Week:  The Wire by Haim is a catchy little tune with a familiar sound.

 Video of the Week: Ron Burgundy is back!!! Or at least he will be soon.

Week Review: September 8, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs. This week started with a Labor Day 10k and ended with some long work on the weekend, and a week #1 victory by the Jets.


Training Update:

Sometimes a race is more of a training run than a race. A few months ago The Queen and I signed up for the Saucon Rail Trail 10k, a race that takes place on Labor Day. As I am training for a 1/2 Ironman in early October, training was a priority, so I ran the race on tired legs after a long weekend of training. The weather was less than ideal (90% humidity), but whatever. All things considered I did ok, running an official 43:26 and placing 27th overall and 3rd AG40-44. I held it together on tired legs, something that should help come 10/6. Just as important, the race was well organized, had good swag, a nice food spread, and a good looking cotton t-shirt. This race is quickly becoming one of the gems of the local scene.

The rest of the week was typical - masters swim, interval work on the bike and run - followed by my longest training run of the year on Saturday. That run, happily, went as well as could be expected. The pace was steady through 16 miles, at which point I was able to drop the pace to a few seconds per mile slower than my desired marathon race pace. I held that pace without struggle, plenty of energy left in the tank when we stopped. A nice confidence boost.


Let's Talk About the NY Jets:

If you didn't know, I'm a season ticket holder for one of the most frustrating NFL teams. I have been for 5 years now and probably will be for life. It isn't as bad as you may think. See, unlike a Cowboys fan, or a Steelers fan I don't feel entitled to 12+ wins and a home playoff game. And unlike a Raiders fan, I'm not living in some delusional past thinking my team is going to have long-term greatness again.

No, as a Jets fan I'm realistic. I hope to not use the phrase "same old Jets" and see 7 or 8 wins this year. If Geno Smith develops as we all hope he will  maybe ... let's cross that road when we get there. I said the same thing a few years back about Sanchez and you see where that got us!!!

I think it's time for all of us to get a jersey with
a current player's number on it.

So this past Sunday was opening day and our annual get together with some college friends. Mike has tickets below me on the 100 level (I'm in section 203B) and we always plan one game where we bring the brides, do a little tailgating, and catch the game. Fortunately, this year brought an almost picture perfect day.

As for the game, we left happy with a victory, relieved to see Geno play well in his pro debut, and encouraged by the play of the defense.

Geno was poised when he needed to be. My favorite play was one in which he threw the ball away  ... 6 rows into the stands. Much different than Sanchez who, in the same situation, would either hold the ball too long, force something, or take a sack.

Defensively we were able to get pressure on the quarterback, stop a very good running back, and hold Tampa to 17 points. Good to see the aggressive Rex back calling the defensive plays, with the personnel upfront to get it done (even as Wilkerson didn't have a great day). Ironically, the corners were the problem, giving up a number of big plays.

And, of course, there was some sideline entertainment from the Flight Crew and the new drumline called the Aviators.

(Source: NYJets.com)

Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

In case you missed it, I'm really pissed off at Competitor Group for cutting off elite athlete funding in order to boost bottom line profits. (The Complex Triathlete)

A nice story on my friend Cassie over at Runners World

A discussion on race day nutrition and how to get it right (Training Peaks)

Running great and coach of the Oregon Project, Alberto Salazar, on his training philosophy (Kinetic Revolution)


Music Video of the Week:  Trinity by Paper Tongues is a few years old but a great tune that just popped up again on my iPod.

Video of the Week: Apparently stress will only kill you if you believe it will.

Week Review: September 1, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs. This week is about some recovery and a bit of a blowup ...


Training Update:

After falling apart last week this week was a much needed recovery week. Pulling back on both the intensity and the volume did the body good. By Friday afternoon the legs were feeling normal - or as normal as they can at this time of the year - ready to get some mileage in over the weekend. The Saturday long run was a nice run on the Saucon Rail Trail and Sunday was dedicated to a longer run off the bike. Both were completed in some crazy humidity. Fortunately or unfortunately the last few weeks have been rather pleasant here in Easter PA so this was something not dealt with in some time.Survival was the key ... and survive I did.

The long run ended up at a 7:50ish overall pace. Would have/could have been a bit faster but the friend I was running with was having some issues and I stuck with her. Not that I minded slowing the pace.

Sunday's 2 hour ride + 1 hour t-run could have gone better. The session was a fueling dry run for an upcoming 1/2 Ironman. With the humidity high, the goal was to get as much in on the bike as possible, then steadily ingest liquids on the run. Ended up with 2 1/2 bottles on the bike and 16 oz. (all I had on me) on the run. The ride was fine and the run was slow ... real slow ... too slow. Got some work ahead of me.


Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

A primer from Genesis, one of our local bike shops, on how to keep your expensive bike lubed and functional. (Genesis Bicycles)

The Competitor Group (producers of the Rock & Roll Events) has decided to drop it's support for elite athletes because they apparently don't think the professional athletes are as important as making a few extra $$. (RunBlogRun)

Ever wonder why you can climb better than time trial or vice versa? Here's why. (Cycling Tips)

A former Jenny Craig consultant publicly apologizes for putting people on a really stupid diet regimen. (The Guardian)


Music Video of the Week: Franz Ferdinand's Right Action

Video of the Week: Diana Nyad completes the 110 mile swim from Cuba to Florida

Week Review: August 25, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs. This week is about how I crashed and burned ...


Training Update:

So this was the week I finally dug myself into a bit of a training hole. The legs quit on me this past Sunday on my long ride ... which ended up as a not so long 51 mile trek. Not a good feeling. Needless to say this week's training will be much different as I attempt to dig myself out and start feeling good again as soon as possible.

I have a few things going on with my training that need to be balanced out. First, I have been focusing on increased run mileage and stress. With the Philly Marathon on tap in November, I have to balance out preparing for that as well as a few Fall triathlons. As my default position is to do too much, multiple race goals can cause "problems" for me. And by problems, I mean digging my own hole and jumping right into it.

So what happened? In the past, the big weekend is something I have used successfully. I ended the week with a few big days, back-to-back-to-back, much like I have done in previous training cycles. Transition workout and a swim on Friday, a long run and recovery ride on Saturday, then a long ride on Sunday. That is quite a bit of work, but I don't think that is the root of the problem. I think it has to do with what came before this weekend.

The stress put on the body comes from both total volume (mileage) as well as intensity (speed work, hill work, etc.). Looking back, I have increased mileage while adding in more hilly runs and rides. The combination was just a bit much for me at this time. Looking back at what I have done for the past few weeks it is obvious ... now.

Live and learn, right?


Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

I loves me some Greek yogurt. Here is a good look at the different brands and how they compare. (Eating Well With Gina)

Mark Sisson on what he does to recover from his workouts. Nothing too over-the-top, but a good breakdown of recovery techniques. (Mark's Daily Apple)

Running a marathon is quite the experience. Even if you are in top shape it is easy to make mistakes and not perform to your potential. Here is a nice piece by Running Times to help you solve your own marathon puzzle. (Running Times)


Music Video of the Week: A little Grouplove and their video for Ways to Go

Video of the Week: Is there any other video that could be here this week? Miley "don't call me Hannah Montana" Cyrus at the VMAs.

Week Review - August 18, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs.

Training Update:

After a lower volume week heading into Steelman Triathlon, it was back to a full week of training. Monday and Tuesday were low intensity to allow the legs to recover from the race, and the real work began on Wednesday with an early morning, hilly mid-distance run. The week ended with a long run on Saturday and a long bike on Sunday. In between there was some interval work, the Wednesday Night Group Ride, and a main set of 12x100 at Thursday Masters that did some damage (in a good way).

The long ride on Sunday was a challenge on a number of levels. To start, the legs were tired and sore, while the weather was not what I wold call ideal. While it didn't rain all afternoon, I knew I would be in and out of rain all afternoon. And the plan was to do some climbing, tired legs be damned. Really just wanted to sit on the couch.

After a few easy miles as a warm up, I made my way up Applebutter Road and then Flint Hill Road very early in the ride. Able to do the work but not feeling good about it is never fun ... especially in the rain. Instead of packing it in I just kept riding and eating. Finally, after about two hours, the ride didn't totally suck. Ended up with 60+ miles when I rolled back into the driveway.

On tap for this week is more run volume, lots of hills, and intervals at expected 70.3 pace for both the run and the bike.

On a More Personal Note ...

Went to The Meadowlands on Saturday evening for the Jets-Jaguars preseason game with Jim. After a little tailgating we headed in for the 7:30 pm start. The final score was a 37-13 Jets win which is good. A number of concerns remain.

To start, the first team defense was terrible. After spending the week talking about how they needed to have a fast start and NOT give up big plays, the first play on defense was a 30+ yard pass. Using a very basic,
high school-like offense, JAX scored on their first two possessions with little resistance from the Jets D. At this point it is easy to discount some of what occurred, but the missed tackles are concerning. Tackling is Football 101. Frustrating, but the backups did a great job and showed that there is some decent depth at many positions.

More important than the poor performance, Quinton Couples is expected to be sidelined for 3-4 weeks with a hairline fracture in his ankle.

On the offensive side of the ball, after two nice drives and 10 quick points to start the game, Sanchez, once again, became Sanchez, tossing an INT in the end zone. And Hill, as has become standard as well, dropped a number of passes that never should have hit the ground. There was a fair amount of good, however, including the running game, Braylon Edwards, and the special teams unit, which looked to be in mid-season form.


Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

So in my real life, I have been trying to embed video into our website. Here is our August Market Overview and Economic Summary. Please take a look and give me some feedback. (Magellan Financial)

Ever wonder how to figure out to set a realistic marathon goal time? Here's how you do it. (Runners Connect)

Former world champion and one of the greatest triathletes of all-time, Chrissie Wellington, with her top 50 race tips. (Chrissie Wellington)

Music Video of the Week: The Mowgli's are a relatively new band with a fun sound. Here is the official video for The Great Divide.

Video of the Week: So I love me some pop culture every now and then, especially if it has to do with a train wreck of a celebrity. So here we have Oprah interviewing Lindsay Lohan on her addiction problem. Why is it the celebrities are always the last to know they have a problem?

Week Review: August 11, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs.

Training Update:

This week was a recovery for a number of reasons. After a few weeks of higher volume, the legs were starting to feel a bit too heavy. In the past I have found that bad things happen if I don't listen to this signal from my body. Push through, the body rebels. I decided this was not a good option. And with the Steelman Triathlon on tap on Sunday, lighter volume with short bouts of intensity was the theme for the week. Overall I logged approximately half the volume I did each of the prior two weeks.

Source: A. Fiorini

Steelman is a race I have done often and know the course well. It is not the fastest track, but a good race to use as a fitness test. I went into the race with simple goals - swim solid, bike as I can, run at my limit ... and win my age group, hit a top 5 bike split and finish in the top 10 overall. I don't have high expectations, right?

The good news is all my goals were technically met. I was 9th overall, had the 5th fastest bike split, ran a solid race, and won the Male 40-44 age group.  In actuality I was 3rd AG as two of the top four finishers were my age. It is what it is and you can't control who shows up. My official time was 2:14:08. I'll post up a race report in the next few days.

On a More Personal Note ...

Saturday night The Queen was down at Musikfest and Ke$ha on the main stage, giving me some time to kill. Being in my pre-race prep at this point, I spent some quality time sitting on the couch watching some preseason football. Specifically, the rebroadcast of Friday night's Lions-Jets game (games wasn't on live here in PA). It's a new season and new expectations ... although as a Jets fan, you know, it ain't exactly like being a Giants, Steelers or Cowboys fan. High expectations is something along the line of 10-6 with a playoff game. After last season's disaster, that seems like a big stretch.

Overall I was encouraged by the play of the first team on both sides of the ball. Marty Mornhinweg is the new offensive coordinator and it is a big step in the right direction. The Jets were able to move the ball, even with their top two running backs sidelined with injuries. The schemes were getting guys open. The offense looks more to the skill set of Mark Sanchez ... but he has to figure out how to NOT turn over the ball. Dude is killing me!!! Rookie QB Geno Smith looks like he could be the real deal.

The defense looked as I expected - nice play from the front seven with a new look in the secondary. Unlike the last few years the front seven were able to get pressure on the QB. With the trade of Revis to Tampa Bay, the days of shutting down one side of the field are over, making the play up front more important. There were some miscommunication in the secondary, but nothing unexpected this early in the preseason.


An encouraging start.


Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

I've been contemplating a power meter for my bike(s) for quite some time and, specifically, I have been waiting for the Garmin Vector pedal-based system to hit the market. Finally, it will be coming to market and here is the most in depth review review you will find until Ray does his truly in depth review. (DC Rainmaker)

Jeff Bezos wants Amazon.com to dominate the world. Very interesting interview and look at the disruption Amazon is causing and could cause in the future. (Fast Company)

Music Video of the Week: I first heard The Limosines a few years ago with their debut song, Very Busy People, which was stuck in my head for weeks on end. The have a new album out and a new song, Love is a Dog From Hell

 YouTube Video of the Week: Ever try doing a 1-leg squat. Not the easiest thing to do. Every try it with 315 on the bar?

Week Review: August 4, 2013

"Sometimes the truth isn't good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people need to have their faith rewarded." - Batman


The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs.

Training Update:
Another solid week of training in the books this week, without the drama from last week. In case you missed it, you can read about it here. For the first time in more than three months I had a week with more than 40 miles of running, including a number of good runs. Started the week right with 8+ miles with G-boy, who was passing through town and ended it with a 15-mile long run on Saturday morning. In between I got some good "junk" miles in and a fast-paced transition run mid-week.

Well ... maybe not climbing like this, but a lot of climbing for sure!!!

I backed off the bike a bit this week, but did get plenty of climbing in when I did ride. The Wednesday night Steelman bike course, and a hilly long ride on Sunday morning/afternoon. I also hit the pool three times.
group ride was a small group this week, but hitting the hills always fun. Saturday I rode with Cassie down on the

Sunday is the Steelman Triathlon down at Lake Nockamixon so this week will be light.  It  is a race I enjoy and always try and perform well, but it tends to be more of a check on my current fitness than an "A" race. I am am trying something a bit different for this race with a slight modification of my normal "B" race taper. Still, I have some goals for where I want/hope to be on Sunday morning.

Right now I am a little unsure about how I will perform. Earlier in the year the calf strain had me spending a lot of time on the bike. Like, a whole lot. And my bike felt great. Now, with a 70.3 and a marathon on the Fall schedule (more on that in another post), I have been dialing up the run mileage. My run is feeling better, but not yet there. At the same time, my bike feels like it is suffering a bit. Kinda a weird place I'm in right now. Gotta have faith that a few easy days at the end of the week helps bring it all together.

On a More Personal Note ...

Life is back to a nice, boring routine. No concerts at the stadium. No big nights out. No Musikfest.  Just some dinner with The Queen on Saturday night at our favorite sushi place, Hana Sushi.This trip up to Nazareth was not the usual, however.

We get up there and there are roads blocked off everywhere. Apparently, while Musikfest is happening down in Bethlehem Nazareth has its own little music festival happening as well. There were a number of stages set up as well as a guy singing some country music on he porch of the Prudential Home Services (I swear I'm not making this up). We had to walk a few blocks but had no problem getting a table. Because who wants sushi when you can eat a pork sandwich on Belvidere Street.

Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

Mark Sisson over at Mark's Daily Apple wrote an open letter to doctors that is worth a read. He calls for all the right things. (Mark's Daily Apple)

Modern agriculture techniques can lead to problems .. one of them is the rootworm. Screwing with nature has its consequences. (NPR)

Running shoe technology is always changing and trendy. The minimalist trend began with the Vibrum a few years back. Max cushioning looks like the newest thing, courtesy of the Hoka One One. The big boys are catching on with Brooks launching the new Transcend and Altra's Olympus. Runblogger does a nice job discussing the new shoes with a look at the new shoes. (Runblogger)



And our video of the week is Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford & Sons, featuring Ed Helms, Justin Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte as, well, Mumford & Sons. 

Week Review: July 29, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs.

Training Update:

 

Tour de France in Corsica, July 1, 2013 (source: mashable.com)

After almost three months of  little to no running, the past few weeks have been about increasing the run volume and getting back some run fitness. On Saturday I got my first actual long run in the books since the calf injury. As we do on most weekends, we hit the tow path from Sand Island. All was normal and, with just 2 miles left to run, I headed down the Bethlehem side for a short out-and-back. This was right around 9:15 am.

There was the yearly tree trimming being done and the path was blocked off. When I got to the temporary fencing there was a runner thinking about running through it. I talked him out of it and we headed back to Sand Island, and he onto the Allentown section. Really, really glad it played out that way. Long story short there was a fatal accident that occurred within the next 15 minutes, followed by the fire trucks, police cars, and the ambulance. You can find all the deets here.

The rest of my week went as planned, with the exception of my Sunday ride. Ever have one of those days where it just wasn't happening? Or how about one of those days where you get caught in a huge thunder storm? That was my day on the bike - I wasn't feeling all that great and the sky opened up on me. The only saving grace being I was close to Wegmans and this cookie:

Still managed to get in a bit more than 50 miles, powered by butter and chocolate chips.

On a More Personal Note ...

Away from training, I spent Saturday night at The Meadowlands with The Queen. On tap was her favorite band - Bon Jovi - with the J. Giles Band opening up. The only thing more Jersey would be if Springsteen were there. And what a great concert. The opening act was everything you would have expected - played their hits Centerfold and Love Stinks (but not Freeze Frame) and a whole lot of blues. The Queen was not impressed, but I enjoyed the show.

And then there was Bon Jovi, who played for three hours. It was just the right combination of new material, older hits and a few cover tunes. Richie Sambora hasn't been with the band for a while, which had The Queen quite concerned. Didn't even miss him. The new guitarist was great, keeping the integrity of the music while adding his own style. My only complaint: JBJ is a Giants fan ... not a Jets fan.

Speaking of the Jets ... now that the 2013 Tour de France is in the books (I hate when that happens), NFL training camps are up and running. As a long-time Jets fan and a season ticket holder I have to have high hopes for this year ... just as I did last year ... and the year before ... and the year before ... man I hate the Pats. If the defense can do what I expect hope they can do, and the offensive line becomes respectable again, we have a real good chance this year.

Please don't burst that bubble for me. Seriously, please just let that be.

Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

"Winning" can be defined a number of different ways, depending on the person and the situation. Running Shoe Guru does a good job of laying out how to do that, whether your goal is to win a race, complete a distance, or something in between. (Running Shoe Guru)

Looking for a motivational speech before a big event. Own. This. Race. (Travelete)

Or if you are motivated and just looking for a little more speed on the bike and you already have the aero helmet, the aero wheels, the $6k bike ... look to your tires. (Slowtwitch)

And speaking of the bike ... 101 bike maintenance tips from Bicycling Magazine

We train for hills, we love hills. Steepest race in Europe:

And here's our song of the week - Pompeii by Bastille

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Week Review: July 22, 2013

The week in review is a look at what I have been up to in training as well as a (sometimes) look into the other side of my life as well as links to some of what I have found interesting on the interwebs.

Training Update:

The last two weeks have been a move back into a short base period with lower intensity but greater volume. As I write this I have tired legs and somehow not totally dehydrated. Thankfully the heat/humidity is forecast to be breaking and we will be back to just the normal July heat.

After 6 weeks without running due to injury, followed by the Philly Tri, my run training had been lacking. Starting to rectify this situation with two solid weeks of mileage. Not a lot of speed, but starting to rebuild the base. Bike volume is back to normal levels and I did a long transition workout yesterday (Sunday) for the first time in a long time. Nothing like heading out to run at mid-day in July!!! At least the humidity was "only" 46%.

In the pool I like to try some different swim sets from time to time, usually "borrowing" a set from a blog or other online source. On Thursday I had a meeting with the Bethlehem Food Co-op and couldn't make Masters at Westend. With the heat we have been having the water there has been in the high 80s, fine for lounging around, not the most pleasant for hard intervals. Fortunately, I am also a member at LA Fitness and I hit the pool in Allentown for a new swim set in 80 degree water. It was a nice change of pace. Anyway, I did the following main set:

100Y, 200Y, 300Y, 400Y
100Y, 200Y, 300Y
100Y, 200Y
100Y

RI: 100 on 10 sec, 200 on 20 sec, 300 on 30 sec, 400 on 40 sec

The original workout can be found here.

Swam the set consistently, or as consistent as possible, losing 1-2 sec. per 100 toward the end of the set. Honestly do not think I went out too fast, just missing a little bit of fitness right now. 

On a more personal note, spent the afternoon and evening back in my hometown at my cousin Helen's wedding. Held at Casa de Bud, this was a laid back, outdoor affair. Food was good as was the company. Best part of the evening was the band. Well, not so much a band as it was Billy's (the groom) buddies. See, the groom is a musician who plays the Ocean County, NJ scene, with some really talented friends. Ended up hearing some great tunes. My personal favorite was their version of Rosalita. Congrats to Helen and Billy!!!

Told you it was laid back wedding!!!

Interesting Stuff From the Interwebs:

In my real life I am a partner in Magellan Financial, a financial services business in Allentown, PA. Our third quarter market outlook can be found here.

Dave McGillivray, race director of the Boston Marathon, will be speaking at SteelStacks on Saturday, October 19 as part of the Runner's World Half Marathon and Festival. (LV Running Scene)

We spend all kinds of time worrying about training, but not so much about recovery. Maybe we should give  it some thought, because, you know, it might do us some good. (Running Shoe Guru)

And for your listening pleasure: The Boss at Wembley Stadium earlier this year playing Rosalita (YouTube)