Snowpocalypse Now!

"You smell that salty smell, that smell smells like wet salt, that's brine, I love that smell, it smells like , like victory."

Ok before I start writing a 2 hour epic based on plow drivers stuck in the Northeast, loosely based on Conrad's The Heart of Darkness, I'll explain the title. The weather guys in the Northeast have been calling our continual storms Snowmagedon and Snowpocalypse. This week blizzard/ winter storm number 7 or 8 in a row is scheduled to hit Tuesday, Wenesday and Thursday, really throwing a crimp in my workout plans. ( Looks like no run or swim for Bobby, breakout the bike trainer.) Seriously this weather is starting to get old...in fact it's more than old I'm getting tired or cleaning my car every week and hearing how much over our annual average snowfall we are. I'm tired of my drive way being covered in a thick layer of ice. I'm tired of not being able to run on the streets because the snow drifts have clogged the far right lanes and shoulders I normally run in. I'm tired of snowmounds that are nearly double my size. I'm done with weathermen smiling with glee at their doppler radars and doomsday forecasts. I'm tired of this cold icy mess sucking my soul into a cold icy pit of despair. (Ok I went a little overboard on the last part.) Ok meltdown over. Last week was productive on the run front as I was able to gut out a couple of 4 mile speed session and a 10 miler on the treadmill. I did two pool sessions and hit the trainer. It looks like this week is going to be spent on the trainer, with my dvd collection. Likewise my income tax refund comes rolling in so I'll be able to throw down for my Ironman if there are still spots. Things are looking ok but there has been some personal/ family drama and like the snow it's more than old. I don't know why but my natural defense mechanism is to withdrawl and isolate myself, maybe I feel shitty if I go over in the corner and feel shitty by myself, it'll pass faster or make less people feel shitty but regardless that's besides the point, right now I just want to get my ass entered in some races and possible have a mid winter thaw show up so I can run outdoors again.

R.D.

Blizzard Training

Well, we are dealing with our second major storm within a week in New England. We just got two feet of the white stuff. My siblings and co-workers have heard my why the hell am I still in New England and not in California, Hawaii or someplace warm rant for the 50th + time. The roads are closed and with 2 feet of snow on the road and counting so I can't really run but the bike trainer is set up I have plenty of Dvd's and waterbottles so it looks like I'll be getting some bike base in.
With my cassette and chain wear I am able to keep the bike in the big ring on the front so I'll be keeping it on the 15 cog on the back, and focus on building aerobic strength. I'm hoping to send out my entry fee for Ironman Kentucky next week ( hopefully there will still be general entry slots.) My training has been hodge podge for the last couple of weeks with the storms, the holidays and a head cold that will just not seem to kick loose. Tomorrow after switching with a co-worker I'll have a day off so if the roads are passable I'll try to get a swim and a lifting session in ( with maybe an outdoor run or treadmill session.) I feel like I'm always planning but only follow through on a portion of what I want to get done. Upon stepping on the scale and seeing my weight was 179lbs ( from an underabundance of training and an over abundance of Candy, cookies and other Christmas treats.) I need to get my rear back in gear so I can be in ironman shape for August , granted I have gotten myself race ready in shorter time than this. But my goal is I want to qualify for Kona, and while 11 hours is a good time, I want to see if I can break into the 10 hour bracket. So today I have an hour on the trainer scheduled and then some corework.

Happy Training
R.D.

I'm feeling better....now I need to get warm.

" I plan on cutting off your ears, gouging out your eyes, and tearing out your tounge so you must wander the underworld deaf, blind, and dumb and all shall know that you are Hector the fool who thought he killed Achilles."
- Achilles in the 2000's movie Troy.

My Achilles Lives HAHA!

Well after what seemed like an eternity of rest 5 days ...the ankle has gone from "I feel like I'm tearing it with every stride." To a little tight but not painful, so it looks like I'll be doing those Pistol squats this week and running and riding again next week, granted probably not at the volume I want. But at least I'll be putting miles in the legs. I also give credit to ICE, Trigger point (Shout out to the Angry one!) and an old school home remedy ( hot olive oil and wool wrap don't hate on it it works.) for easing the inflamation, now I just need to proceed with speed and caution..what an Oxy moron as I get ready to rumble.

Warning! Cold Weather Rant :

Today I was thinking about an easy ride up around Lake Waramaug..but seeing -2F staring at me when I started the car this morning made me re-think that....(sigh) another hour on the trainer...(sigh) is 35FTHAT much to ask for...I don't care if it's 60F I just want it to be above freezing and not snowing for a couple of weekends...(sigh) Any single girls in New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii or San Diego looking for a winter fling? I just have to survive 5 more months then I should have my degree I should graduate and then I can move to someplace warmer... think warm thoughts Bob-o, Think Warm thoughts, just make that your mantra this semester every high grade and bill payment is one step closer to a living wage and a condo in San Diego, Kona, or Taupo....
Cold weather rant over.

Well that's it from me, I figure an hour of spinning in the easy gears will be a good way to get me back into training.

R.D.

Burrrr!

Sanka, what you smoking mon?
I ain't smoking, I'm freezing... -Cool Runnings

Well I guess the bright side of my ankle issue this weekend is I'm not going to be running on the most frigid weekend of the year. This morning I went to warm up my car it was a balmy 1F
(-17C) I know I've got readers in Minnesota and Canada going poor baby at least you're in positive numbers...

Tomorrow is decision day on the doctor's visit, if the ankle is still a little tight I'll go just to make sure there is no major damage of the tendon which there isn't (points toes with no pain ...smiles.) Call my friend see if her mom still does massage therapy active release and get an estimate for 30 min. of work...otherwise I also have a friend/teammate who does this stuff too. Angry yes, I know pistol squats and lots of them...I just want to relax the IT band before I kick the shit out of it without mercy or remorse.

My Giants are out of the playoffs which means I no longer have a reason to watch football...except to see THAT TEAM FROM PHILLY THAT CASUES ALL MY FOOTBALL RELATED ANGUISH GET ROCKED! Sorry Eagles fans as much as Donovan might be the man Westbrook may kick ass, and Akers can kick a 50yd. FG in his sleep I still hate them... sorry Pent up rage from going to school in NYC and being assigned to a dorm full of Kids from Boston and Philly... Baseball season the Sox fans let me have it, Football season the Eagles fans let me have it...Hockey I won't even talk about the Rangers ..who I only cheer for becasue their farm team was the Whalers pitiful replacement.... granted haven't watched a game in so long Basketball is the only thing my grandfather and I agree on Go Celtics! Go Uconn! Sorry what was I talking about again... Oh yes I will be taking my rage against Mc Nabb and Co. out on the road this and next Sunday...weather and ankle permitting.

Next Saturday is looking to be well relatively warm in the high 30's low 40's Any one interested in doing a freeze your beans 60 miler? Depending on how next Sunday looks I can even put it off to then...but reagrdless next week looks seasonable and dry so maybe just maybe I can get some outdoor mileage in. (knocks on wood.) ...Wait they changed it again..surprise, surprise, more Snow and low 20's.

Well that's all from the tundra.

20F seems like heaven about now...
R.D.

Ironman New Zealand Update: Past the point of no return....

Well Today was my deadline to bail on Ironman New Zealand...I didn't so now in the words of Survivor "there's no easy way out." It's put up or shut up...go hard or stay home, man up or wuss out, evolve or die..etc..etc..

I have to pay for my flight ( which is getting cheaper every time I look at Air New Zealand .com now down to under $1300.) and pay off my hotel, which will actually be cheaper than last year, granted I'll be working without a net (ie Ken Glah's staff) in Taupo this year, if I make Kona I think booking with him will be a smart investment but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Right now I've got to trigger point my IT band with my wonderful tool ( ie former fishing pole holder made of PVC pipe.) and get my training in gear. Saturday and Monday are looking like my best days to ride but it is supposed to be bitter cold, and brutally windy...man 40F and raining sounds like an upgrade, the trainer is aggravating my IT Band and it's bad enough I went 6 days without running 6 days of no riding and running would be suicide but it might be a reality if I can't work this issue out...or maybe it would be the rest I need. After swim practice my coach aka Stef noticed how swollen my ankle looks I've decided to bite the bullet and let my doc look after it, if it's just a bruised tendon it will hurt but I can probably run on it if it's a tear well as the Aussies say "I'm in the shit mates." Regardless Taupo is definitely happening barring New Zealand somehow sinking beneath the Pacific Plate and becoming magma...even if that means I'm walking the damn marathon...mediocrity be damned.
Hopefully the prognosis from my doctor will be good, and I'll be able to get back on the road soon until then it looks like it's going to be a lot of pool and bike work if the leg allows.

Well that's all from my neck of the woods, my swimming is looking solid and hopefully my running and biking will be back on track.

Cheers,

R.D.

Edit: Achilles Mystery Solved..maybe...

As I sat at my desk this morning thinking about what I could have possibly done to hurt my ankle it dawned on me. Last year while Spinning at Newington Bike I noticed my ankle got a little tight after the workout. Didn't spin for a week, problem healed. Fast forward to this year...the weather has made Siberia look like St. Martin. Riding the trainer like it's going out of style.The ankle acted up after a 12-15 mile run but I had been doing 2 to 3 8-9 milers a week before progressinging up, granted I did roll the ankle a little bit. but I've rolled my ankle like that before with no real issues. Running progressing conservatively, ankle always flares after spinning, doing more spinning than normal ankles hurts worse than normal 2+2= spinning is what's inflamming my IT band hence inflamming my ankle. Solution stop spinning let the IT/ ankle heal then get back into it. Still going to the Doctor on Monday to make sure I didn't screw myself up that bad.