Shut down by the man!

Well the company finally took notice that I was blogging between customers so my writing on company time is over...sigh...oh well I can see it their way...after all what would get accomplished if everyone was blogging on company band with... so if my posts are a little more infrequent...this is why..granted it does let me think them out some more so maybe I won't seem as "off the handle" as I have for the past year.

Training has been going well I got in a 72 mile ride on Saturday and am hitting the weight room twice a week. Yesterday was a 4-5 mile run and go out with the little bro to celebrate his birthday. Seriously it's frightening when I look at him it's like looking in a mirror 10 years in the past. Today I hit the weights mostly working on the back and arms, with some wood chops and TGU's thrown in for good measure. I followed that up with a 3000 yard maintenance swim. Park City is coming up in 2 weeks and I want to end 09 with a win damn it. There is debate to if I will do anything else this year but right now it's pretty low on the priority scale. Just got back from dinner and coffee with a rather intriguing woman and this weekend I join Bjoern on the Island for some rest and relaxation.

I've got a few job applications out and I'm hoping that I get some positive news from at least one of them. But life is moving on. Tomorrow is a short day at the office so hopefully a morning run and an evening bike or swim. I do have photos from most of the races I did this summer so I will post a summer photo album soon. I just want to wait until after Park City and my weekend away from it all.

Fight the man!
RD

Operation School Bjoern. Part 1 Overview and Winter training

That's right the Gauntlet has been thrown down for 2009. Bjoern and I have committed to an Ironwar in Arizona next November. While we are friends and training partners it still doesn't mean we like losing to one another any better. So I have come up with my plan for the 2009 racing season Introducing OPERATION SCHOOL BJOERN

Objectives:
1. Improve Bike Split
2. Sub 5-hour Half Ironman
3. Sub 1:45 Half IM run split
4. Sub 6 Hour IM Bike
5. Sub 53 min. IM Swim
6. Sub 3:45 IM Marathon.
7. Beat Bjoern!



Going into our Ironman I have come up with a comparative analysis or strengths and weaknesses:

Experience: Me.
Bjoern has been doing tris since his soccer career ended in 2006. I've been racing tris on and off since 2002 and as my main focus since 2006. I've done 2 marathons and have an Ironman under mybelt. I'm no expert on all the little things, but going into a race knowing what to expect definitely takes a bite out of pre race nerves.

Swim: Me
Let's face it I was freaking born in the water. I spent 7 years as a Competitive swimmer, and usually rank in the top tier of the field getting out of the drink. Bjoern's strong and his swim skills are greatly improving..but I'm still confident that I can beat him out of the water.

Bike: Bjoern... by a lot.....
Normann Stadler and Thomas Hellgiel ( I'll just call him Hell on Wheels, because I can't spell his last name to save my life.) proved that you can essentially win an Ironman on the bike. In 2000 Hell on Wheels had 12 min. over Cam Brown at Ironman New Zealand and managed to beat the fast running Kiwi by 4 min. Normann Stadler..well we all remember how Kona 2006 played out against Macca, man if he only had one more mile....
Bjoern beat my bike split by 3 min. over 56 miles at the Nutmeg State Half Iron in 07. If things had kept stagnant...I could assume that it would be a 6 min. advantage going into the Marathon. Things have not been stagnant..Bjoern has made himself even more of an animal on two wheels, and while I've improved, he lives on two wheels, so his lead off he bike could be anywhere from 3-10 min. If I want a crack at him I need to work the bike leg and work it hard.

Run: It's a crap shoot.
While some people would tip the run leg in my favor, Bjoern and I have about equal splits. The x-factor for him is his knee, if he stays injury free, we may be re-enacting the famous photo of Ken Glah and Pauli Kiru making a mad dash for the line. All those years of soccer definitely pay off for him.

X-Factors:

Mental Attitude: Bjoern
If you've been a long time reader, you know life crap tends to get me down..especially when it comes to family crap. Bjoern just takes thing in stride, definitely the best attitude to have in 140.6 mile /226km sufferfest, in the middle of the desert, surrounded by nothing but Cacti and sand....

Injury: Me
Except for a case of "wrong shoe type" shin splints, and a strained shoulder from incorrect swimming technique back in my NCAA D-1 days, I've been pretty healthy. Bjoern has that blasted knee issue that keeps popping up but with sensible training and the proper preventatives he should be ok.

Sexy Equipment:Toss up.
I'm a gear whore...I admit it. Bjoern's bike has better wheels and components and I'm jealous....but I've got sexier running shoes...

Alright now that I've outlined the our strengths, I will now outline my plan on getting in shape.

Winter 2008-09 Training plan:

I plan on training like I did last winter, hopefully the weather will co-operate a little more and I'll actually do some hill work along with trainer sessions, and base rides. The cycling must improve!!!

Swimming a lot at harder, faster, stronger intervals. Stef said she was coaching masters so I will have my dominatrix of the lane lines.

Running, well same as always, maybe some speed work if the track's not covered in ice.

Lifting, I need to lift heavy things to increase strength, power, and overall manliness. Does this mean I'll be doing curls ..No that is a deadly sin...although I might be committing other deadly sins...such as bench pressing and pec-flys with free weights, but for the most part extreme core work, medicine ball crap and squats will be the standard of my routines.

So that is the winter training plan. The race plan /spring plan is a little more intricate and will fill a post on its own.

Methodiacally planing
R.D.

News on Nutmegman, Vienna, and more

Well I bit the bullet last night and sent out my app, hopefully it won't hit until Thursday, I haven't previewed the course yet but I've heard of a few trouble spots hopefully no monster climbs or descents but there are some sections that will make it interesting.



Bjoern did well in Vienna making me deathly afraid of throwing down against him in an Olympic tri. ( His swim split is only 4 min. slower than mine now and his bike is a good 6-10 min. faster, the run I guess it depends on his IT band. Dude two words:Trigger Point.) I'm still confident I'll take him next November at Ironman Arizona, after all a 2.4 mile swim and a marathon are long races in their own right .

I re-read, my Bob-o's going back to Taupo post and as I sat there and read it it almost seems like it was written by a different person. Have things changed that much? When I wrote the post Things looked pretty settled, Catherine and her roomate were going to take me in for about two weeks, then came news of cutbacks at the Times, she was fired and they offered her her job back within hours, ( not sure if she took it.)and I haven't heard from her since. She said she was still going to try to organize a homestay for me if she moved back to New Plymouth. Part of me is greatful for the effort yet the other is leery. Do I really want to take advantage of a stranger's hospitality? Cat and I are friends so that's cool, but Simon's moved to OZ, I'm not sure if Jude or the ladies in reception survived the layoffs, I met Jo the grand total of once, what if they hate me? what if I tick them off with my cocky attitude and my Damn Rock and/or Roll I just don't want to leave a bad impression on anybody, so that's had me looking at Tui Oaks for 7 days, maybe head to New Plymouth or Auckland for a week while I'm there ( or just get on the bird and come straight back), but a hotel almost doubles my anticipated costs. That's what's had me thinking this whole mess might not be meant to be. Irregardless I know Bjoern and I are doing Ironman Arizona that November, part of me really wants to go back to NZ but for the first time in a while I'm actually agreeing with my rational side and thinking staying home in March might be the wiser plan..but I don't know we'll see I'll wait until I hear from Cat...and run the number cruncher 4000 again.
Regardless, I worry about that later, right now I've got a race in 5 days to taper for.
R.D.

The Finances of Ironman....

When I first began this sport I never understood why people who were more inclined to do Ironman Tris opted out of a lot of local races. I used to think these guys were being "M-Dot Snobs." Upon doing my first Ironman and several races out of state I now have a new understanding for why alot of athletes would skip the East Bum Kill Sprint Tri and hug-a-thon. For some yes it interfers with the Holy Gospel training plan that if you don't ride X miles on X day you will die a most painful and horrible death. Madam Pele will open a fisure on the Queen K turning you and your P3C into a cinder, all becuase you didn't ride X miles on X day. For others it is the fiscal situation. We only have X amount of dollars Y amount of bills and Z set aside for race entry, travel and other entertainment, so for some of us if it comes down to a Kona qualifier Kona itself or the local races we all love and adore some times and heart breakingly we have to choose what's more important. For some of us it's that qualifier it's that magical shot to get to the Big Island and see ourselevs on NBC in December and for others the reward of seeing friends, family and the homies from the tri club at the local tri are what moves them. Some of us have all the luck and we have a really large Z amount tucked aside and we can race whenever our heart's content others of us have small Z amounts and have to focus it what is best for us. The 2008 racing season has been a painful lesson in this reality, that sometimes one's racing season comes down to the finance game not the training.





In my case I need to start planning for 2009 now....








October and November will determine the fate of my 2009 tri season and which races will be set in stone, which races were pipe dreams and what I can reallistically expect, I figure if I set my race fund aside then I will be better prepared and won't be forced to scrap at the last second, also I can focus on saving for summer courses and tucking a little extra ( tax refund) aside in case I get lucky and good and find myself on the Big Island, other wise my budget for the late season as well as future life goals or unexpected expenses will be prepared. Bjoern has arranged a homestay for Arizona, so my odds of doing a double have drastically increased.






Recently my training has been stepped up, I've actually gotten some weight sessions in, and yes Angry I have worked "the Chain", granted my hip abduction workout got some stares, and my squats are dreadfully weak.





My running game has entered the track workout phase, still try to get one long run a week , a track workout ( usually a threshold workout, speed work will come at the beginning of September.) and a moderate run between 4 and 8 miles usually hill work.





With the cycling I'm looking to increase from 2 sessions a week to 3 -4 sessions a week to improve my stamina, speed and handling skills.





Swimming is down to 3 sessions a week, my distance has sort of stagnated at 3000-3500 yds. per workout, that yardage will go up in the winter, but for right now it's good where it is.





The main focus of the next two weeks is to work my running and cycling so I can hopefully top 10 at Nutmegman, a lofty goal with the pro field, but my age group might be slim pickins this year with Bjoern in Europe and several of the Young guns frightended off by the horrors of last year, regardless I'm going as an AG athlete because the Real Deal pros are coming to this one, that and all the men start in the same wave...so any advantage of racing elite is pretty much eliminated, that and I really want to win the AG, and end the season right.

Oh yes I opted out of doing the financial advisor position, I might be kicking myself in 5 years but with everything going on right now knowing my pay is guaranteed makes life a little easier, plus the training schedule would be a conflict with my college schedule and I need that bachelor's degree to do anything profitable with my life. Speaking of which Central is determined to keep me for an extra semester and its pissing me off.

Well that's all that's happening in my neck of the woods.

R.D.

For those about to rock.....

Today is D-day or I guess I should say V-day for Claire Badass MoFo as she tackles her first Iron-distance at Vineman. Actually as I write this she's probably in the midst of a 2.4 mile (3.8k) swim and making war on some Nemesis that reared their ugly head in the pre race. In either case she should be flying on the bike so I expect to hear it on how her bike split schooled mine from New Zealand....now if only Vineman had a live tracker.......

In two weeks my HEAT team mate Tony and New England Pro John Hirsch take on Louisville..and there will be a trail of much death and destruction left in their wake. I fully expect Tony to do pull ups on the finish line tower after the leap of faith in RI.

Vin, and a Small HEAT contingent are going to go at it in Niantic tomorrow, sadly it sold out but I need to save my pennies anyway. Park City is off the calendar as Entry is F**king Ridiculous...I knew I should have registered inMarch....uggg.

Angry....I don't know what Sir Angry has on his agenda... but I know it will involve speed, strength and the ever increasing the power of his chain.

Pants and Runner Gal, well I know Runner Gal is running a marathon in my part of the Motherland ( Yes I am of French Canadian desent Vive Quebec!) and Pants hasn't really posted what's next on her agenda, but it should be something exciting out in the tri capital of the world.

Bjoern is going to launch and all out assault on Vienna in September.

Jodi is doing Steelhead today, then Hopefully Clearwater in Novemeber.

Ken who has suddenly gone from zero to 3 races in a week might be creeping around winding trails on Tuesday, keep you eyes peeled for a tall guy in a HEAT or Cookie Monster Jersey.

Bree Wee looks to take the party to the Motherland ( Canada eh....) and after reading about her repeats of the Energy Lab, it looks as if a first pro win and a duel in October with Crissie Wellington might be right around the corner....

I'm not sure if Ironmatron is doing Timberman although I have some friends racing up there.

Cranky seems to have dropped off the face of the Planet, I hope he hasn't been mowed down by some group of Rabid Central Park Cyclists.

Mindy Contiunes to heal and make her way back.

Gretchen continues on the path to her 100 mile adventure.

Well that's all that seems to be happening in the racing world in August.

R.D.

Bjoern " Sex on Wheels" Boyer

Alright Ironman live screwed up his bike split although I'd be taking an hour and a half in T-2 if I averaged 42 mph on the bike. In any case Bjoern had a great day out there throwing down an impressive 5:07. a 32min swim followed by a sub 3 hour bike and a 1:48 half marathon, it seemed like it was a good day for him, so hopefully in Maryland Next week I will be able to join the sub 5 hr. club. If he does the Nutmeg State Half this year I might have my work cut out for me trying to get that age group win. But enough about me it was Bjoern's day in the sun today. He should have a race report posted soon and I can't wait to read about it. I seriously think if he can drop 6-8 min in his swim split he'll be in seroius business. He has one of the best bike legs I've seen and he seroiusly he lives on two wheels, it a shame that his work schedule doesn't allow him to race more because I think he'd be in serious contension for some age group honors in the USAT rankings. On that note the weather is good so I'm going to get another ride up to the lake this afternoon. Tomorrow I'm out of work early so I'm thinking a ride around town might be in the cards just to try to get a few more miles in. But it was a hell of a day in Zurich.