Ironman New Zealand Update:When you can't run :swim.and Scouting Report.

Well yesterday the achilles flared up after 4 miles on the treadmill. so I took the advice of the Angry Runner and decided to try to do the trigger point thing. after getting some very hi-tech apparatus (ie a giant foam cylinder) and hi tech instructions ( you roll it slowly until you feel the knot and put pressure on it until it releases.) I was off to the mat after finding some interesting looking yet effective rolling motions I was unable to unlock part of my left gastroc, hip and hamstring...my right leg surprisingly fine but my left leg had at least 3 knots built up in it..no wonder my tendon was screaming. After rolling my legs I did some core work 6 pull ups followed by 75crunches, 15 push ups 75 crunches and then made my way to the pool. Stef had a power set awaiting me.
Main set was basic endurance building followed by a 6X 100 build set here's the LD
Main
1x300 build
1x200 kick
1x400 build to strong
1x200 kick
1x500 build to fast
1x200 kick
1x600 build to mommy stop the pain!
6x100 build to sprint 1-3, 4-6.
It was a good ass whooping. 4700 yards total after warm up and warm down
Today I took advantage of the Y's winter hours and managed to add another swim session to the mix. I figure since the achilles is still a little inflamed it was best to not do any leg work so I did 4100 yards in the pool. Main set 8x 200 on 2:50 I was making them roughly 2:45 not blazing fast but with all the crap going on in the last few months I had been in maintain fitness instead of stomp bitches mode. That will change as next semester my German training partner, Bjoern will return and once again I will have someone to pace me in our night runs through the hood and on whatever rides we can arrange. Hopefully be Taupo will be scene of mass carnage and for the right reasons ( me winning my age group not puking my guts out at km 2 on the run.) This week I begin scouting the competition so far some of the main contenders in my AG haven't sprung up but I've just tossed in a few names so over the next week I'll sit down with pen and paper and see just how realistic my odds of a Kona slot are.Also I shouldn't count out any of the guys that finished behind me either, some better equipment, better training plans,coaching, 2009 is a whole new year. Hopefully my leg and the weather will get themseleves in gear and I'll be able to start it off right.

Lord of the lane lines
R.D.

4 Hours on the trainer...

Well last night I got 4 hours in on the trainer ( I am the Ben Gordon of indoor cycling!) or the equivalent to a 60-70 mile ride. The sad thing was I did break in the middle for 15 min. for dinner and a couple of restroom breaks. But I managed to grind through all 114 minutes of Rudy ( I know ain't nothing in the world like watching a 5 foot nothing guy get the crap beat out of him for 2 hours, and get a sack in the only game of his career...non football fans just smile and nod here.) and 127 minutes of Coach Troy's aero base builder. Funny thing is aero base builder seemed alot less difficult this year, no real problems other than getting numb on the saddle. No urges to kill Troy in the middle of it just a few hours in the saddle. My Achilles is feeling a little better granted I'll be talking to Alex to run me through some Weight work to strengthen it. I didn't get to hit the pool yesterday but I think four hours of listening to my rear wheel generating power, counts for something. The thing is I'm really hoping this wacky weather pattern of one cold week, one ungodly warm week continues because I need to get out and ride...the trainer helps but I get bored as hell. I think I need to get some Tour de France DVD's or record the women's ITU world championships....hey some of those girls are fine eye candy...I mean motivation.... Anyway alot's on tap this week end so I'm not going to be able to squeeze in my Sunday ride...If the roads are good on Saturday I might haul out to Middlebury but that's a big if. Hopefully there is no pending nor'easter in the cards for next week and I'll be able to get in a *gasp* outdoor century. The clock is ticking the mileage is building and I need more motrin....and to invest in one of those trigger point rollers, and compression tights...wait Bob that's how you got yourself in debt remember....one day I'll have a job that will support this habit, or sponsors...

On the Sponsor front Zoot Gu is officially dead as of midnight...it was a nice experience but I really wish I had gotten it in 07 instead of 08 becasue of the economic Krakatoa that went down in my house I didn't really have enough coin to take advantagde of some of the deals they offered...irregardless I have enough gel to get me through the next two seasons, and this season since I figure it's going to be limited it's probably better I don't drag a sponsor into the already heaping pile on my plate...granted I am tempted to apply to Trakkers....

Well that's all from my neck of the woods...since it is bitterly cold out there ( like -10 F with the wind chill) I'm probably going to just hit the trainer for a few hours. Saturday I'll most likely run or brick up.

Happy New Year!
R.D.

Goodbye Blogosphere....

Well after years of consideration and months of discernment I have decided to enter a Benedictine Monastery. So I'm selling off all my earthly possessions, shaving my head, taking vows of poverty, Chastity and obedience, and locking myself away in a the Abbey of St. Michael the Archangel in Pine Ridge, WA. I-pods and CD players are not allowed so my heavy metal play list will be replaced by Latin chant...and heavy meditation and theological studies. The Abbey is also under a strict "No Girls Allowed" Policy...as Fr. Rod put it. Essentially Novices are only allowed to communicate with female relatives during their first two years. Emails are strictly monitored and any glance, or communication at a non-related woman that is considered suspect by the Father Superior in punishable by 10 lashes and 10 decades of the rosary for an increase in vocations. These guys do not mess around. I have decided to take the name Father Ignatius Joseph and will hopefully be ordained in the next decade. So that is it for me...it has been a wonderful run. If any of you would like to join me on my spritual journey or would like to free your soul from this overly material world you can contact Fr. Rod Limpus at his email limp-rod@stmikes.org .
Good Luck and God Bless
I.J. ...formerly R.D.


April Fools!!!!! Also nothing against the Benedictines or anyone considering the priesthood or religious life...indeed more power to you.

Ironman New Zealand Update: 4-6 Hour Trainer session of Death

Last year this was my training ground. Looks like it's going to look like this again this year too.

Well upon looking at the forecast and the smiles of glee as the meteorologists predict inches of the white stuff sub-zero wind chills and the possibility of a second ice age ( take that you global warming wack jobs!* ) it looks like my plans for a New Year's day long ride are thwarted and with the clock ticking down to just about 3 months until I need to get my rear in gear. So New Year's Day I plan on spinning, I plan on spinning until I can spin no more and then hopefully, Achilles Tendon willing tack on a 8-12 mile run. I need the miles. I agree with the Angry Runner that my lack of lifting heavy things maybe causing the Achilles pain, so I'm enlisting the assistance of my friend Alex ( whom is the new owner of my road bike) to assist me with my dead lift technique so I can build lower body strength. Although I think the fact that my run training is not as on par as last years' might also be affecting that, irregardless, I need to start stocking up on my gatorade, powerade and granola bars now because New Year's Day is going to be a long day of movies and and Spinnervals.

Here's my list:

Rudy :Warm up while spinning moderate cadence in the Big ring 15-11. ( about 2 hours)

Coach Troy's Aero Base Builder 5 to make me suffer for 2 hours.

Rocky IV to get me ready to play in the snow.Figure Warming down in the big ring 15. (1.5 hours)

Esentially this equals a 100 mile ride granted it's done indoors and will leave me coated in a slimy sweat, but it will at least build my legs up...and to quote from another of my trainer favorties: "The legs feed the wolf."

Tomorrow I plan on beating the snow by getting up @ 5:00am and heading to the Y to swim if it isn't snowing. If it is then I'll just spin easy for an hour in the AM and a harder session in the PM. Running I'm going to see how my Achilles feels before I do anything granted it doesn't hurt when I run it's only afterward I feel the pain. Alright I've got my game plan set up time to execute.

I only wonder if my Gramps and I can get cash from the electric company if I hook my trainer up to a turbine.....

R.D.

*note I don't believe that driving gas guzzling SUV's is doing anything to help the planet but I don't believe warming and cooling patterns are as affected by CO and CO2 emissions as heavily as guys like Al " I invented the internet" Gore and others believe. I blame this on El Nino and La Nina!

My Achilles Heel!

Well ok it's my Achilles Tendon and it's looking less like the above picture and more like this:

Well after my 15 mile run on Saturday my Achilles Tendon has been acting up and it's not letting me ignore it. Today I decided to go for a 9 miler and well it flare up again. Once I got going it didn't really hurt but as soon as I hit some uneven pavement it would chime up, I'm assuming that the uneven paths on the back half of my 15 miler are to blame, after all loose stone isn't the best surface to run on especially after 8+ miles of pounding pavement. I'm figuring some anti-imflamatories should get it under control and my training will be back on track.

This morning I got to the Y early and managed to get in 3000 maintenance yards. Today's afternoon nine miler was pretty uneventful except I nearly got taken out by a minivan trying to cross Center St. In Wolcott, luckily the driver and I both had good reflexes and I didn't become road pizza. Other than that it wasn't too risky I managed to get back home before it got too dark. My usual loop has some moderate hills in it so I should be in shape for Taupo as long as I train my runs sensibly and the weather allows me to get the bike out over the next couple of weekends. Tonight I plan on icing my aliling Achilles and hopefully it will be back up and around for a New Year's Eve or New Year's Day run. as for riding on New Year's Day it's iffy...temps are only supposed to top out in the 20'sF (<= -4 C)..hopefully it will be a relatively warm not so snowy day out of the office. Well that's all for me. I've got to go RICE my left leg.

The Winter Warrior

RD.

Let the sufferfests begin....

Well this weekend was Bob-o's patented kick your ass back in to shape in a hurry weekend. Friday night my masters coach had the night off so I decided to up the yardage.

I got in 5000...main set 6x 500 on 7:00 I made all of them.

Saturday I went for a 15 mile run got it done in under 2 hours granted my Achilles was a little tight afterward. But it felt good to run on the road in shorts no less. The fog was a pain at times but it was overall a good run.

Then today...I had hoped to get 60+ miles on the bike, but 2 flat tires and having to drive home for spares went my spare went flat killed that proposal.

First I get out to Middlebury and notice my front wheel went flat.I changed it and started riding hoping that I could get at least 50 miles in. About 3 miles in I was forced to ride through a pothole my front tire once again went flat. After getting a ride back to my car I went home to pick up some more tubes and then got up to Lake Waramaug and managed to fit 35 miles in before sunset. My ride this week was a lot better than 2 weeks ago when I suffered tossing hills in the mix, but this week I stuck to the lake and sprinted. I averaged almost 19mph. A better ride but I really wanted to get more miles in granted with the weather we're having I might have another opportunity in two weeks.

Looking at the weather for the next week it looks like I might be relying on my trainer for my long ride. Next Saturday they're talking snow...and next Sunday I have to reprise my role as a Pope bearer for a church fund raiser...sadly they did not have the Popemobile in the middle ages, luckily the guy playing the Pope is light otherwise mass quantities of bench press and dead lift reps would be required. I plan on going for another 10-12 mile run tomorrow if my Achilles cooperates also I want to get a swim in in the AM as well as a swim on Tuesday as snow is in the forecast on Wednesday. Thursday is supposed to be frigid but I should be able to run if the roads are good maybe break out the bike but I have a rule about riding when the temperature is below 30 degrees: You just don't do it. Essentially I'm a little behind but on about the same pace as I was training for Ironman New Zealand as I was last year,granted I'm trying to work in some more time on the trainer. So that's all from me, hopefully the weather will get it's act together and I'll be able to get a few more warm days to break out the bike.

Thinking warm thoughts

R.D.