I usually read Cranky Runner's page daily and Yesterday's post ended with his coach giving him a cocky remark as he attempts a distance athlete's dream, training for the Boston Marathon ....His coach scoffed the idea of running Boston saying "you're no longer a runner you're a triathlete." Now realistically this got me thinking what exactly is a triathlete. Now in cases like Cranky and the Angry Runner's it is a runner who gets in an insane amount of cross training...hey I can think back to track when my coach encouraged cross training....I remember doing Y swim practices a couple hours after track let out, but then again at that time I was focused on becoming a pure swimmer, It was sophmore in high school that I realized my odds of going to the Olympics were about the same as a blizzard in Death Valley in July. It was also about this time I picked up a copy of Runner's World, ( to try to improve my form and look at the absurd times the Kenyans were pulling) the issue I picked up had an article on this 75 year old dude training for an Ironman, well it got into this whole spiel that Triathlon training is good for runners, and long story short I had the swim back round and the run back round so I hopped on the bike and voila instant triathlete....but enough about that....how does one define a triathlete, is it a multisport machine such as Jodi , Speedy Claire,or myself is it a runner who cross trains al a Cranky and Angry, is it a swimmer who just hops on the bike and throws on running shoes occasionally....the point is it doesn't matter ...so Cranky go and Bitch stomp Boston, and if you're training for the half I think you're training for you'll have plenty of time to recover in between I know I did the Nashville Marathon in late April and an Early July Half IM it actually helpped my running)..Boston's a big deal and don't let anyone talk you out of it....just think of you're swimming and cycling as cross training, just avoid breaststroke at all costs....not good for the knees...also a sprint or olympic tri before the Half IM will help...especially with the bike to run transition. Ok enough with this post I'm starting to get preachy....
The Guru
R.D.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
$2000, for a plane ticket....only if I'm flying first class
A quick scouring of the online ticket systems and I discovered I maybe up shit's creek without a paddle.
I constantly check Air New Zealand online just to see if I can get a better deal than what my agent is offering. Well here's the sad thing....I'm not sure if my agent has booked on the earlier return flight from NZ ( one that will arrive at 10:25 am and allow me to make my connection back to NYC) or like me can only get seats on the later flight which arrives 1 hour after my flight back to the east coast has left the tarmac. Now I am currently left with 5 options
1. Hope and pray my student loan check comes in in the next 2 weeks so I can book with EST.
2. Call American and switch to a later LAX to JFK flight
3.Cancel my American Flight and see if I can get back my frequent flier miles and book with Air New Zealand round trip from JFK to Frisco to Auckland for about $300 bucks more than my current plan.
4. Book with Quantas Via American pay $400 extra and have to travel back via Sydney to LAX.
5. Put my bike and luggage on a raft, don the wetsuit and make a swim for it.
Well option 5 is out , option 4 forget it , so its either option 1,2, or 3 if the loan check doesn't come in the mail before Feb. 1, I'll book via Air NZ and try to get my hard earn AA advantage miles back, hopefully for an October Flight to the Big Island.
Well that's been my dose of travel drama for the day.
The Globetrotter
R.D.
I constantly check Air New Zealand online just to see if I can get a better deal than what my agent is offering. Well here's the sad thing....I'm not sure if my agent has booked on the earlier return flight from NZ ( one that will arrive at 10:25 am and allow me to make my connection back to NYC) or like me can only get seats on the later flight which arrives 1 hour after my flight back to the east coast has left the tarmac. Now I am currently left with 5 options
1. Hope and pray my student loan check comes in in the next 2 weeks so I can book with EST.
2. Call American and switch to a later LAX to JFK flight
3.Cancel my American Flight and see if I can get back my frequent flier miles and book with Air New Zealand round trip from JFK to Frisco to Auckland for about $300 bucks more than my current plan.
4. Book with Quantas Via American pay $400 extra and have to travel back via Sydney to LAX.
5. Put my bike and luggage on a raft, don the wetsuit and make a swim for it.
Well option 5 is out , option 4 forget it , so its either option 1,2, or 3 if the loan check doesn't come in the mail before Feb. 1, I'll book via Air NZ and try to get my hard earn AA advantage miles back, hopefully for an October Flight to the Big Island.
Well that's been my dose of travel drama for the day.
The Globetrotter
R.D.
Crusin' the blogosphere
Well as everyone knows expenses are coming to a head as I am 4 weeks out from flying to "the Land Down Under" ( wait Australia is the land down under does that mean NZ is the next to the land down under?) Rather than sit here and blabber on for a post on how I'm camped out next to my mail box waiting for an envelope with the CCSU logo on it and a check for $1900 green backs camping out within it, I decided to take a cruse down the blog roll and checkout a couple of mutually recommended blogs to lighten my "recessed" spirits a lot of other crap has been hitting the fan and I really don't want to discuss it, so as stated I took a stroll through the blogosphere and got a little lift from the following:
Cranky Runner, describing how's he's trying to become the Cranky Swimmer...don't worry dude you'll be cruising out laps in no time.
Angry Runner vs. the Angry Bird: Gives a whole new meaning to the Waterbury Bird Gang...
also you can raise a band of little tyrants, I'm perfectly content to let my blood line die out with me.
Pants, its a small world afterall.
Ken, please update your blog dude!
Speed, I was going to leave a comment on the Starbucks washroom thing then I got a line of customers and timed out, but the run sounded eventful.
Jodi...goes Goth?
Well in lighter news Yesterday was a productive "blow off steam" day of workouts. I managed to get in a 15 mile run and 4000 yards in the pool ( granted Stef put in a lot of kicking so my legs were nice and stiff this morning.) but I felt fast holding 1:15 on two sets of 4x100 yards on 1:25, and 2:35 on 3x200 yards on 2:50. Today I'll most likely hit the pool again, or sit my arse on the trainer, follow it up with some nice streching and collaspe.
Well that's it for me today.
Will train for Cash
R.D.
Cranky Runner, describing how's he's trying to become the Cranky Swimmer...don't worry dude you'll be cruising out laps in no time.
Angry Runner vs. the Angry Bird: Gives a whole new meaning to the Waterbury Bird Gang...
also you can raise a band of little tyrants, I'm perfectly content to let my blood line die out with me.
Pants, its a small world afterall.
Ken, please update your blog dude!
Speed, I was going to leave a comment on the Starbucks washroom thing then I got a line of customers and timed out, but the run sounded eventful.
Jodi...goes Goth?
Well in lighter news Yesterday was a productive "blow off steam" day of workouts. I managed to get in a 15 mile run and 4000 yards in the pool ( granted Stef put in a lot of kicking so my legs were nice and stiff this morning.) but I felt fast holding 1:15 on two sets of 4x100 yards on 1:25, and 2:35 on 3x200 yards on 2:50. Today I'll most likely hit the pool again, or sit my arse on the trainer, follow it up with some nice streching and collaspe.
Well that's it for me today.
Will train for Cash
R.D.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
To Team GU or Not Gu That is the $200 question.
Well back in November I acted on impulse ( as I often do and damn it it pisses me off.) and Applied for Team Zoot/GU a joint venture by the Zoot triathlon clothing Company and Gu nutrition. Now as I sent the application, I pretty much thought I had a snowball's chance in Hell of being accepted for sort of sponsorship....after all my last name is not Allen, Scott, Mc Cormack, or even Stadler, but hey some free swag might be nice.....well needless to say the triathlon Gods have smiled upon me and the financial Gods are playing a sick and twisted joke. ... I was accepted for Team Zoot Gu and in order to secure my spot I have to send them an acceptance letter, and $200 for the team top and shorts ,a dozen Water bottles,Headsweat and pretty much enough Gu and Gu2O to feed a small tri club, by Monday. Why the financial gods are smacking me? I barely have enough for gas money this week , and I don't get paid until Thursday. Which leaves me with this week's poll.
Do I join Team Zoot/Gu or not?
Yes, Do it because a chance like this comes once in a lifetime.
No, there will always be other sponsorship opportunities.
poll closes on Friday at noon.
Do I join Team Zoot/Gu or not?
Yes, Do it because a chance like this comes once in a lifetime.
No, there will always be other sponsorship opportunities.
poll closes on Friday at noon.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Back to the Grind......
Well starting next Tuesday, I'm officially Chained to my computer desk once again...that's right this aspiring triathlete/corporate minion is going back to school. also I should start life guarding again although I'm considering leaving that gig. For me the extra money is great, but I don't know if its worth the lost training time, the aggravation of driving home at midnight, the minuscule pay, and the fact that these guys want me to put my "real job " on hold to attend their training sessions, sadly I don't have the lifestyle of the average college student so I might leave to open the position for someone who has the time and needs the money a little more than I do. (prehaps I can write that off as a charitable contribution.) ..ok work rant over....
Last night Stef, kicked my ass with the swim workout of doom. The warm up was easy but the main set was ..well....the main set. Here's the torture:
3x200
1 hard on 2:50
2 Easy on 3:00
3 Sprint on 2:45
2X400 on 6:00
1 Easy
2 Sprint
1x600 Build on 9:00
4x100 1&4easy on 1:30 2&3 Hard on 1:25
200 Hard to Easy on 2:45
100 Sprint
As stated earlier if I'm not in the top 100 on the swim I am going to be really freaking ticked off. ( unless of course 99 guys and gals (hopefully more gals) from the Austrialian , US and NZ National Swim teams show up.)
This week they are forecasting temps in the "hunt Mastadon" Range but then again these guys hardly ever predict anything right. But this week will be devoted to run focus, Tomorrow I get out early so I will try to get a nice 15 miler in , followed by an 8 miler on Friday, and hopefully a long brick on Saturday if there is no snow, either that or I will brave the brick on Sunday if the temperatures are warmer than the apocolyptic seceond ice age predictions that are floating around ( 10 degrees as a high with a low of -5) afterall watching the Giants pull the "miracle on frozen turf" will be much sweeter after a hard day in the saddle. Also another added factor will be trying to avoid the "plauge" or "cholera like bug"which is running through my house, I've been trying to stay well rested, taking naps coming home from the office, eating my fruits, boiling my water, in general trying to keep my immunity up.
The Medical Machine
R.D.
Last night Stef, kicked my ass with the swim workout of doom. The warm up was easy but the main set was ..well....the main set. Here's the torture:
3x200
1 hard on 2:50
2 Easy on 3:00
3 Sprint on 2:45
2X400 on 6:00
1 Easy
2 Sprint
1x600 Build on 9:00
4x100 1&4easy on 1:30 2&3 Hard on 1:25
200 Hard to Easy on 2:45
100 Sprint
As stated earlier if I'm not in the top 100 on the swim I am going to be really freaking ticked off. ( unless of course 99 guys and gals (hopefully more gals) from the Austrialian , US and NZ National Swim teams show up.)
This week they are forecasting temps in the "hunt Mastadon" Range but then again these guys hardly ever predict anything right. But this week will be devoted to run focus, Tomorrow I get out early so I will try to get a nice 15 miler in , followed by an 8 miler on Friday, and hopefully a long brick on Saturday if there is no snow, either that or I will brave the brick on Sunday if the temperatures are warmer than the apocolyptic seceond ice age predictions that are floating around ( 10 degrees as a high with a low of -5) afterall watching the Giants pull the "miracle on frozen turf" will be much sweeter after a hard day in the saddle. Also another added factor will be trying to avoid the "plauge" or "cholera like bug"which is running through my house, I've been trying to stay well rested, taking naps coming home from the office, eating my fruits, boiling my water, in general trying to keep my immunity up.
The Medical Machine
R.D.
Monday, January 14, 2008
108 miles in a weekend and Angry's marathon
Ok so I didn't get a full century ride in...but I came close..72 miles before darkness forced me to get of the bike last night.
Saturday:
I managed to eek out a nice 30 mile "hill" workout descending into Southington and earning the ire of local motorists. Now its not my fault there's no shoulder on route 322 and I have to ride hugging the white line and I have to swerve for sand piles and storm drains , but the teen bopper in their impreza can storm troop over all that crap without spilling a drop of their mocha latte. But except for the one pissed off dude in the subaru laying on the horn at me most people gave me room, and it was a fairly good ride. Sadly I did not take TBS up Southington Mountain, the thing has a 12,23 rear cassette and from expereince those extra two teeth on the big rear ring make a lot of difference, no I will save that excursion for the spring when I am a little more comfortable with my climbing progress, ie I can descend without fear that the infamous sandpile of doom is waiting at the bottom of the hill. But the golf course climb was no cake walk either, granted it was more of short steep rollers with some false flat but it'll still burn the quads.
Sunday:
I went to mass and then it was off to the Lake to ride with a couple of guys from the Y. As I stopped in Thomaston for gas and a quick cup of Joe. I got a text from Angry:
"Bob-o I'm leaving this distance shit to you."
I called him up to try to get a race report. Some things I was able to decipher from our brief conversation:
1. If the race started @ 7:00AM he beat P Diddy because I received his Text @ 11:16
2. He beat runner girl making the two people who voted for him very proud. ( He was receiving texts from the Canadian Super Studlet and she was at about mile 20 or 21 when we talked. But it also depends on which corral she was in I'll check official results for details on this.)
3.It was humid as hell, I don't mean Connecticut in July Humid I mean Nashville marathon Humid, The Great Chicago Deathmarch...I mean the 07 Chicago marathon humid, Kona lava fields humid: His exact words "I was pulling what you did in Nashville and downed a couple of salt packets."
4. He is pretty certain he's sticking to half marathons and less.
After leaving Dunkin Donuts in Thomaston it was up to the lake, for a 9-12 lap love fest.
Now one of the guys I was riding with had been giving me the whole " You really don't think you'll finish in 6 hours, because that's averaging close to 20mph, and you haven't done a full century yet." After two loops of the lake he changed his tune ...I had dropped him at mile 6 and he stuck back to ride with the other guy in our group so I was in no man's land once again, for a couple of loops when I reconnected with Century rider, a we rode for a bit until his chain popped. I managed to get nine loops of the 7.75 mile lake for about 72 miles so all in all it was a good day in the saddle. I averaged about 17.5 mph, in the 4:02 ride, including three stops one to put on gloves, one to use the bathroom( no "letting it fly" during the winter.) and one to turn on my flasher and put on a headlamp. I also decided to get in a loop of the lake on foot. Now it's weird running with a headlamp but its definitely better than when I tried to run in the pitch black street lamp to street lamp. I managed to get the most dangerous section of my loop ( the run along CT 45) out before the sun set I stopped at the State Park to relieve my bladder ( once again no using the super absorbent chamois in winter.) I managed to get the run in including restroom stop in about 1:12. My legs were a little tight when I got up this morning but other than that I fine from my bike focus weekend. This week will be devoted to running ( since mother nature just had to remind us it's winter and dump a couple inches of the white stuff.) and as alway swimming. The weekend will hopefully yield another long brick , with the added chance for a ride ( weather permitting) on Monday. Well that's all I can write for now.
The basher of the Brick.
R.D.
Saturday:
I managed to eek out a nice 30 mile "hill" workout descending into Southington and earning the ire of local motorists. Now its not my fault there's no shoulder on route 322 and I have to ride hugging the white line and I have to swerve for sand piles and storm drains , but the teen bopper in their impreza can storm troop over all that crap without spilling a drop of their mocha latte. But except for the one pissed off dude in the subaru laying on the horn at me most people gave me room, and it was a fairly good ride. Sadly I did not take TBS up Southington Mountain, the thing has a 12,23 rear cassette and from expereince those extra two teeth on the big rear ring make a lot of difference, no I will save that excursion for the spring when I am a little more comfortable with my climbing progress, ie I can descend without fear that the infamous sandpile of doom is waiting at the bottom of the hill. But the golf course climb was no cake walk either, granted it was more of short steep rollers with some false flat but it'll still burn the quads.
Sunday:
I went to mass and then it was off to the Lake to ride with a couple of guys from the Y. As I stopped in Thomaston for gas and a quick cup of Joe. I got a text from Angry:
"Bob-o I'm leaving this distance shit to you."
I called him up to try to get a race report. Some things I was able to decipher from our brief conversation:
1. If the race started @ 7:00AM he beat P Diddy because I received his Text @ 11:16
2. He beat runner girl making the two people who voted for him very proud. ( He was receiving texts from the Canadian Super Studlet and she was at about mile 20 or 21 when we talked. But it also depends on which corral she was in I'll check official results for details on this.)
3.It was humid as hell, I don't mean Connecticut in July Humid I mean Nashville marathon Humid, The Great Chicago Deathmarch...I mean the 07 Chicago marathon humid, Kona lava fields humid: His exact words "I was pulling what you did in Nashville and downed a couple of salt packets."
4. He is pretty certain he's sticking to half marathons and less.
After leaving Dunkin Donuts in Thomaston it was up to the lake, for a 9-12 lap love fest.
Now one of the guys I was riding with had been giving me the whole " You really don't think you'll finish in 6 hours, because that's averaging close to 20mph, and you haven't done a full century yet." After two loops of the lake he changed his tune ...I had dropped him at mile 6 and he stuck back to ride with the other guy in our group so I was in no man's land once again, for a couple of loops when I reconnected with Century rider, a we rode for a bit until his chain popped. I managed to get nine loops of the 7.75 mile lake for about 72 miles so all in all it was a good day in the saddle. I averaged about 17.5 mph, in the 4:02 ride, including three stops one to put on gloves, one to use the bathroom( no "letting it fly" during the winter.) and one to turn on my flasher and put on a headlamp. I also decided to get in a loop of the lake on foot. Now it's weird running with a headlamp but its definitely better than when I tried to run in the pitch black street lamp to street lamp. I managed to get the most dangerous section of my loop ( the run along CT 45) out before the sun set I stopped at the State Park to relieve my bladder ( once again no using the super absorbent chamois in winter.) I managed to get the run in including restroom stop in about 1:12. My legs were a little tight when I got up this morning but other than that I fine from my bike focus weekend. This week will be devoted to running ( since mother nature just had to remind us it's winter and dump a couple inches of the white stuff.) and as alway swimming. The weekend will hopefully yield another long brick , with the added chance for a ride ( weather permitting) on Monday. Well that's all I can write for now.
The basher of the Brick.
R.D.
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