2001 and 2002 Ironman Training rides

Well this afternoon my friend Josie and I spun in the New Year watching Universal Sports replays of the 2001 and 2002 Ironman Highlight shows. Watching them it was interesting to see just how fast some of the age group swimmers were. In 2001 an AGer beat the pros out of the water and it almost made me hate the "Pros get a 30 minute head start rule." I mean I know why it's in place but I feel that it cheats some of us Age Groupers out of 15 minutes of fame and a chance at going for the overall win. Then again I can understand it from a saftey point of view. You don't want Normann or Badmann wrecking on the bike because they're stuck behind some granny who does all her training in the pool. Likewise what if one of these age groupers won the thing it would sort of suck to man hande the world's best and not collect a check for it. Conversely what if an AGer sets the fastest time with the stagger, do they get the credit for the win? Or is it like swimming when if you didn't make the A final in an event you could break a world record and have the day's fastest time but still not claim that gold medal. Just food for thought.
It was also amazing looking at how technology has changed since 2001 and 2002 to see Peter Reid on a Trek, Tim De Boom before he had Red Bull Sponsorship. Normann as an "up and comer." Karen Smyers rolling in the pro ranks. Macca's meltdown. A ramp leading up out of the water instead of the now infamous steps. Aluminum bikes, very few areowheels and helmets, heck even the old soft ride craze with guys like Jurgen Zack ppowering down the Queen K it was a blast back to when I first rolled into the sport.

Today's trainer ride featured a main set of 2x 8 minutes, 6 minutes, 4 minutes, 2 minutes in the big ring with 2 minutes easy between intervals annd 5 minutes easy between sets. Having not been on the bike in almost 4 months it hurt but in a good way. I could almost feel power returning to my legs with each pedal stroke. I felt alive again, granted I was covered in more than a Turkish Wrestler. It felt good to get back on the bike again, and hopefully what ever happens in 2010 I'll race again hopefully more powerful and more confident than last season.

R.D.

The trainer is back...

Well last night I was feeling fat and lazy and after picking up my kid sister from cheerleading, there was no time to get my planned swim workout in. So as I sat in my room watching TV the weather too dark and crappy to go out and get an evening run in I decided to break out my trainer. Now yes I don't have a race coming up for at least 5 months. Yes I know it's boring as hell, but I had recieved a copy of the 2008 Ironman DVD from the same friend who got me the Timex hotline number so I figure it would be a good way to christen it and give me a repreive from adding to my growing gut. I managed to get a half hour in on the trainer working the big ring ( I believe it was big ring 23 but I'm not positive.) I just figured I would work a high cadence for a while. In the grand scheme of things this workout was probably piss in the ocean but watching the DVD sort of rekindled my passion for Ironman.

Needless to say this has set off World War 3 in my head as rational adult dull boring money grubbing me, faces off against crazy, psycho, spend it all and go for it me. It's never pretty, especially not for my check book. So I plan on keeping my training up...whether there is a race or races in the future is yet to be determined.

RD

Yet another trainer session.

Well upon talking to my mechanic and procuring some bike tubes for what was supposed to be a frigid 50miler I was greeted with a fine layer of the white stuff falling from the sky. After some muttered cusses I resigned myself to using the trainer. 3 hours on that little track stand had me sweating like a Turkish weightlifter in a sauna. I worked through some nutrition as well granted I think that I was a little heavy on the simple sugars as my mouth felt like it was going going into sweet diabetic breath mode.A bottle of Gatorade, a pack of shot blocks and a gu in what would be the equivalent of a half iron bike leg. My training for this Ironman hasn't gone as well as I'd hoped but then again 2008 was a nightmare on the personal and financial front and 2009 has begun a little shaky on the same two fronts. My mind has been in 50 different directions, and I just haven't been able to keep my head in the game...the weather hasn't helped,the fact it's my senior year of college hasn't helped, it's just been so hard to focus on the things I need and want to do, instead of give up in frustration. for triathlon, the motivation for me to keep going is simple to find, I do it because there are people out there that can't. For the getting myself squared I know I need to because I want a decent life, and for graduating college it's the same reason I want a better life than my parents I want to succeed but I am so afraid of failure. I just hope that maybe this year I can take that anything is possible mantra out of the Ironman, that I'll be able to knuckle down and get things done and that in 2009 I'll be self suffcient and prosperous, that I'll be able to find where I want to be and get there and that maybe for the first time in a while I can look at myself in the mirror without second guessing myself, that I can feel pride in doing what I want to do instead of guilt. Sorry didn't mean to get deep but when you sit on the trainer for hours at a time the wheels start spinning and you get nowhere, and if there is anything I hate it's doing a lot of work to go nowhere.

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.

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!

Ah Christmas.....

Well Yesterday was Christmas and over the past 48 hours I've been in church 3 separate times for the grand total of about 4 hours...so maybe all that stuff I've been praying for will come to fruition...or maybe I'll just end up in the 2nd or 3rd layer of Hell instead of the ninth....
ok enough of Bobby being a semi-good Catholic boy.

After reading Claire's post, I was really beginning to dread Christmas dinner. For some odd reason Medieval Europeans did not have a heart healthy feast in mind. Dinner was the usual fare Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Broccoli with cheese and bread crumbs, Cranberry Sauce, diner rolls, the usually appetizers Spinach dip, cheese and crackers, a veggie platter. With the exception of the veggie platter I don't think any of this stuff is going to help my waist band. I won't get into dessert but when I left I knew I needed to exercise and fast.

My initial plan was going to be going for a run after dinner, but it got dark quick and dodging traffic and black ice, at night, after said drivers probably had a few brewskies, didn't seem like a wise idea. So I went home and got on the trainer.

After a 20 min warm up in the Big Ring rear 12 I did 10x 2min hard in the big ring 12 followed by 2 min easy little ring 15. On the hard # 5 and 10 I tried to stay out of the saddle as long as possible I managed to go the full two minutes on #5 and only a minute on #10 After my set I sat down and spun easy for 10 minutes, so I got a quality hour and 10 minutes on the bike. Tonight Possibly a run and masters. My running is starting to suffer so I need to get back on it. This weekend is looking like my best time to get my longer rides in so Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Afternoon, sure it's supposed to rain, but rain is better than ice and who knows maybe I'll luck out on Sunday and get 60 miles after Church or maybe I'll just go to Blessed Sacrament at 4PM on Saturday so I can ride longer on Sunday, We'll see. We're past the solstice so it should start staying lighter longer, so hopefully I'll be able to tack up some 70 plus mile rides in the coming weeks, weather permitting.

Well to everyone out there I hope your celebrations went well, you didn't drink too much 'nog, and the new releases in theatres didn't suck as bad as the crtics say they did.

R.D.

The Bitch Stomper Rides Again!

That's right for the first time in nearly three weeks, I put the rubber to the asphalt. While the ride was nothing impressive, I did manage to get 34 miles ( a little more than 50k) in. The route was my usual circuit of Lake Waramaug with one loop of the pitted back half of the tri course thrown in for good measure ( note I only did one loop, most of the road had been dug up and might be better handled with a mountain bike.). I had debated doing my usual assent into the Depot from Woodbury, but the threat of rain ( which never came) hung in my head so I decided for easier loops of the fairly flat lake. So I just pulled up to the lake, got out the stomper and rode. A few other cyclist were out and enjoying the fine weather, which made tights, toe covers, and long sleeves unnecessary. It was 75 degrees ( tomorrow its supposed to be 55 so I'll most likely have a long sleeve jersey for my assent in to the Depot. Toe Covers and tights optional.) Not much happened other than the fact I was passed by a Clydesdale rider....this sort of hurt my ego...there was no way I was going to get beat by the big man...so it caused me to kick it up a notch....I will say this this dude's legs were all muscle and he held with me and repassed me with ease....seriously this guy was heavy but he was in shape, and he whooped my scrawny ass. So as a warning beware the Clydesdale....because big might also = big and powerful. My legs felt a little tight after the 48 hour sluggfest that was unleashed upon them. I was going to try to do a 7 mile run but after about 3 steps decided to give my legs a breather. As of right now my legs feel a little thrashed but it might be a sign that I need to fuel better and invest in another set of running trainers. Tomorrow debating between a ride/run brick or just a straight up ride or run. I need to start my first draft of my paper, and I'll most likely hit the pool/gym on Monday morning. So all in all, I'm starting to get back into training at fairly moderate volume...part of me wanted to ride longer, but my body was saying 35 miles was quite enough. So essentially I'm at build 1 phase for Eagleman, and with the type of mileage I know I can crankout on the bike I'm confident that I'll be able to scorch my bike splits at the griskus series, and my legs will be well prepared for the infamous triple play week in early July. Now its just a matter of sucking up and getting one day a week doing the Carmichael faster time trial video on the trainer, I know I have base, now I've got to condition my fast twitch fibers as well as hone my pedal stroke and climbing strategys...I want to fly this year.

R.D.

Did I mention that I REALLY hate winter!!!

What was supposed to be Bob-o's mini tour de Connecticut Weekend , turned into a Saturday long Run and a bored to tears 90 min. Trainer session. Why? Mother Nature took a look at the calendar and decided to drop some of the white stuff.

Snowy Saturday!
Saturday wasn't too bad snow was stiking to the grass surfaces but the asphalt was more or less just wet. so I decided to get my last long run before the IM in. ( I would have gotten onto the bike except there were some sulshy spots, especially at the bottom of hills.) I did two of my 8 mile loops. with a 2 min. bathroom break in between. The 16 mile oddessey took about 2:35, not my fastest effort but with soaking wet and freezing cold feet I'll take it. I figured the loop would help me prepare for the two loop marathon, afterall nothing is worse than running to the top of murderous hill and then coming to the realization you have to do it twice. I figured I'd run my usual deadly back half up Boundline Rd. ( I had orginally thought of running into Southington but decided not to risk life and limb on 322.) I finished my run with the most poetic stream of explatives as I ended up running through a slushy puddle infront of my drive way, pushing my already cold feet closer to frostbite. But 16 miles in a snow storm isn't bad. After my post run shower I went a got a hair cut for the first time in 4 months, I never knew how much I tookfor granted not having to pull my bangs out of my face to see.

Sunday Sweaty Sunday!
I woke up late on Sunday Morning, only to look out the window and see snow blowing around. After mumbling " I f**king Hate winter !" under my breath, I ate a "not heathly for you" breakfast. Only to look out and see the weather was clearing....now came the decision: To ride or to Trainer? In a very insurance type way I weighed the options:
Ride outside:
Pros
Won't sweat like a Turkish Weightlifter in the middle of summer.
Will actually have a change of scenery.
Get to work on handling skills.
Cons:
Narrow, and slick roadways
Killer Cross winds
I'll Freeze my ass off.
Having way the options in a calculated risk managerment style I decided that it would be a reasonable execution of opportunity to use the trainer that I had at my disposal.
So I popped in the coming of age early 80's film "Breaking Away" featuring a Young Daniel Stern amd Dennis Quaid. also the fact that it has Dennis Christopher playing a wise cracking "wantabe Italian" Cyclist. So I sprinted during most of the bike race scenes getting in a nice
3x30 min. in the big ring rear ring 15 with 5 min. Small Rig rear ring 15 recovery.
I decided that 90 min., 3 water bottles, and the fact my cycling jersey was drenched in at least a gallon of sweat, that I wasn't going to go any futher. ( Using the Paul and Roch Method the distance you do on the trainer is double what you do on the road. So by their "fuzzy math" my 90 min. trainer ride equates to 3 hours on road. )
I came up showered and got ready to go to a Late Mass, ( having slept through the regualr one I go to.) Only to find a mini blizzard was going on outside....I called Angry to speak of this development interupting him on his date with a potential "baby mama"...I mean... having dinner with a friend, to whom he was "faking an engagement" to get her into the CT Bridal Expo. Seriously I think I'm going to have to try that. My plans of "refreshing my sprit." thwarted I gave The Bitch Stomper a good scrubbing, removing sand, salt and sweat accumilated by a month's worth of cold weather rides and trainer workouts. I plan on going to the hobby shop and getting some dry transfer decals for my bike, otherwise I'll be reduced to dollar store stickers, for my fundraising promise.

Well that's all for the weekend up date.

The Terror of the Tundra
R.D.

I miss running......

This morning I had the great idea of going for a 5AM run and I would have done one too..except for my good friend the snooze button. 5 turned to 5:30 to 6 to 6:30 to 6:45 and by that time it was just crawl out of bed and drive my sister to school before going to the office. So sadly my New Balance 720's are collecting a fine layer of dust. Last night my crappy mood/ trying to rebuild my immune system resulted in me by- passing my trainer work out. So tonight I have class and a Cen-Tri meeting ( in which I will get Bjorn's bike case and a lovely $250 from the school for food and travel expenses for New Zealand. So I won't be living off ramen pre- Ironman. ) after that masters and a nice 5 mile jog in the well lit parts of my sub-urban hood. ( man that little headlamp is paying off, thank you for the gift card Simona.) Tomorrow I'm not due into the office until 11:00AM so a morning run, in daylight by god, is an actual possibility. Friday the apocolyptic weather mongers are predicting the mother of all snow storms as they always do and like always we will most likely end up with a flurry. So I might be reduced to just a trainer/ treadmill session other wise ...no wait they just changed it to Monday....gotta love that kind of accuracy. Saturday I will hopefully have decent road conditions to get in a nice 50-100 miles on the bike...or I will have gas cash for a trip up to the lake. Sunday I figure a nice town ride and a run brick is in order. So that's the game plan as of now, as always its a "read and react" winter training plan . so yes my mood is starting to improve a little bit. My loan gets disburst tomorrow so I can pay down one of my annoying credit cards so I can buy gas, books, and oh yeah a nice plane ticket to New Zealand. My lifeguarding W-2 should be in any day now which means I can fire up ye old turbo tax or call up my brother's godfather, file for 2 to the 007 and get a hefty refund direct deposit, which will then pay down a credit card and Bob-o's magical mystery tour. (That $600 "economy booster" is going directly into a high yield savings if there still such a thing as a high yield savings in mid-May.) so things are coming together.....I just wish they'd move a little faster.

Trying to rebound Ray Allen Style
R.D.

Ok I know I'm going to get shit about that ending

I feel fat.....or some speed work.

That seemed to be the sentiment at the Waterbury YMCA yesterday. As I got ready for swim practice I looked in the mirror at my "just ate a large meal" bloated gut overhanging the front of my jammer ( long legged swim suit Goes to the knee instead of cutting off a the thigh like the traditional "speedo".) Well any way with the images of a bloated gut,weakened arm,muscles, ( from not enough lifting..come March 6 I'm hitting the weights with a vengeance.) yet diesel legs. I drove from my home to the Y. Once again Stef was on deck with the workouts. " I feel fat." I exclaimed as I took a look at the 4600 yard set of mixed speed work. "join the club" she said patting her semi firm abs. I tried to retort back with the that ain't fat remark but it wasn't worth it. Anyway a majority of our group was doing Stef's 3000 yard I.M of Doom set While I was doing a set that brought back memories of Fordham and the mid-distance lane. Stef and I split a lane for warm ups but its kind of hard to circle swim when 1 guy's doing a full bore 400 free and the other is in the midst of a 100 breast stroke. Anyway here's the workout broken down.

6x200 2 swim 2 pull 2 kick Swim& pull on 3:00 kick on 4:00
5x 100 50 drill/ 50 swim on 1:35
1x 300 choice.

2000 yards to warm up. Not bad and tonight there wasn't as much kicking for which my legs were grateful.

3 x 400 on 5:30 build
This set wasn't too bad. It helped to get the heart rate up and I managed to average 5:15's on all three.

4x50 build to all out sprint on :50
I still feel pathetically slow on my sprints. The fastest one I was able to crank out was at about 32 seconds...granted that's what I can usually sprint in practice and I'm training for distance at the moment so I'll take it.

1x 400 moderate on 6:00
Did it on 5:30 so I had plenty of rest.

8x50 build to sprint 1-4, 5-8 on :45
Did these pretty well. Once again my fastest times being just a hair under 35 seconds.

3x 100's on 1:25
I did these averaging between 1:15 and 1:20.
I did bother doing the 100 cool down because it was three minutes to closing when I finished and decided to loosen up in the hot tub. So 4500 yards is a good night's work.

Today I don't know what's on tap. I'm trying to conserve gas but I have to run to New Britain to buy a book for my anthropolgy class. Sell some books I've had lying around the homestead to buy a book I need for European history as I wait for my loan check to come in. ( the loan gets disburst on Jan. 31 then the state cuts me a check and that takes about a week to get to me. ) So it doesn't look like there'll be any lake bricks this weekend. From What i see the weather's supposed to be ok and the roads arond Wolcott aren't too bad so I might do some short hill work or town loops, otherwise I've got the trainer and a movie collection and I also need to get a couple more long runs in. so my "read and react" training plan might not be the most effective but it has been working, granted I haven't gotten my century in but I've come pretty damn close so I'm confident that'll I'll be bike leg ready with 1-2 more 5 hour rides/ trainer sessions. I need to do one more 20+ mile run..so that my be my weekend right there.
Well I've got a go the rush is coming. More to be said on Monday.

The Barbarian Banker
R.D.

5AM Trainer session...

Well alright it was more of a 5:30AM trainer session. I spent the vast majority of it looking in the mirror focusing on pedal stroke and moving my legs like the powerful "Flesh Pistons" they are. Today not much is on tap...work, class..(.pretty much learning on how a bunch of Chauvinistic Catholic Spaniards destroyed the Advanced Native American cultures of Central and South America and began an Economic and Political Crisis in that portion of the World that lasts to this day...setting the benchmark for Post Imperialistic failure.) then Masters with Dominatrix of the Waterbury Y Stef Karas. Anyway this trainer session really jump started me this morning..I will probably pay fo this collapsing into the sleepy 5 year old position at about 9:30PM and drifting off at an unreasonably early hour. I am amazed though at how much the spinning 3 times a month has helped my pedal stroke...I suddenly feel more efficient/braver on the bike...so maybe Stadler-esque bike splits are in my future....with out the whole "Flat F**king Tire!" or "Mein Tummy Ache! " episodes.



Angry's out of Eagleman.....damn it! I was hoping for the infamous Angry vs. Bob-O bike split duel.....Well I guess there's always the Griskus Sprint. Sadly now I too am wondering why the Hell I signed up for the most competitive Half Iron in the Country. Because you were forced fed lead paint as a kid, dropped on your head repeatedly, and if all that doesn't account for it there are Kona Slots at stake Bob that's why!

Also I am debating changing my blog title. I will like always leave that up to the democratic process...any one with any interesting titles please leave a comment.

so recap:
5Am bike trainer session leaves Bob-o feeling pumped up.

Angry's Withdrawl leaves Bob-o bummed.

Class, Stef's workout and being up at 5 am leaves Bob-o on verge of collaspe.

Chugging Coffee like it's his job
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.

I have been to Hell and I have seen the devil...his name is Coach Troy...

Last night on a whim I decided to haul up to Newington Cycle and take advantage of their free spinning classes ( it beats sitting in my room alone hunched over the areobars cussing Coach Troy as I diligently crank out my Spinnervals.) Instead it was a group of 10 of us hunched over our aerobars noticing Troy's "fuzzy math" Count downs. Seriously did you notice how he jumps from 5 to up when he wants you out of the saddle and it seems like he has a 10 second pause between 5 and 3 and the end of set count down. Troy was not the only one taking a beating as Jeff, the senior mechanic, was revealing his "mid-life Crisis purchases" We chimed in if you start a tour team you've got plenty of takers. ( the takers being me and 4 other 20 somethings grinding it out in the back.) It felt good to group "ride" for the first time in almost two months, granted I definitely think I talk too much. (New Year's resolution " Shut the Hell Up Rob!") . Well my motor mouth aside it was a good 75 min. of aerobic base building, I'm pretty sure I was in zone 2 0r 3 but I don't have a heart rate monitor so I go off or perceived exertion, so if I'm huffing puffing and can barely talk, I know I'm in my anaerobic zone, If I can talk with little difficulty I'm in aerobic and if I'm making hand movements with my speech then I'm not working hard enough. I know it's low tech and primitive in this age of heart rate monitiors, GPS monitors, Power taps, Monkey girated, lazer calibrated HM, GPS, Power reading bike mounted Espresso machines, but hey that's how my poor college student ass rolls, eventually I'll get my self a heart rate monitor ( I'm looking timex, polar, or possibly Garmin but like I said I don't like to be like the other kids on the block.) ut for right now i have more pressing expenses.

R.D.

I apologize there have been no images in the last couple of posts, I've been posting when on break at work, because something happened with my router at home and now only one PC has Internet access, and my little brother has taken it hostage playing at club penguin or what ever little evil 12 year olds log on to, and with these kids today if you separate them from electronics there is Hell to Pay...not like in my day when we'd just pull out wiffle bats and start beating each other with them.....ahh memories, or lack thereof.

The Thaw: or I will be a running machine for the next three days

Yep, that's right the long awaited January Thaw had made its presence felt . Today it hit 60 and I celebrated by sitting at my desk. I did get in a nice 7-8 miler after work, in the dark in SHORTS for the first time in almost a month. Tomorrow I'll probably crank out another nice 7-10 miler before work, with the possibility of a trainer session or a quick set of hill repeats. ( I don't like riding in the dark.) I went to masters cranked out a 4500 yard workout. Part of me still feels under trained for this Ironman but I'm channeling the spirit of fellow HEATster Raphael on this one: if he could do Lake Placid in under 12 hours with no long runs, one long ride and a killer swim background...I know I should be able to do the same...with the long runs, and long swims but no real long ride as of yet....Saturday or Sunday I'm cranking out 5 hours I have to ,just to get the long brick thing in. Also temps for the weekend don't look to bad, seasonable , 30's - high 40's ....although another week of this warm stuff would be nice.
Angry and Leena tackle the Disney Marathon this weekend. My first Marathon was a 3:56 on the semi rolling Nashville Country Music Course...Angry's rolling in the Florida flatlands so I'm pretty confident he'll surpass my mark. Well that's it for me Karas kicked my ass again tonight so I'm hitting the sack.

The creature of the Night
R.D.

My swim coach is going to kick my ass.

Yep that's right Stef Karas has decided to see how fast this long distance glutten for suffering can crank it. Friday night I have my Hour swim.

The Goal: over 4000 yards. If I can't get that in it might be a long ..er day in Taupo.
Goal yardage: haven't set that yet.
What I plan to do afterward: I would set up my bike trainer on the pool deck but the guards might frown on that. So the hot tub is looking good.

Tonight was pretty good a 4500 yard workout. main set 500 on 7:00 1000 on 14:30 500 on 7:00. I managed to pull a 6:38 on my first 500 a 13:30 on the 1000 and I have no clue what I did on my second 500 I know it was under 7 min. if that counts.
I also got on one of those Expresso road race simulator bikes....I will say this no where close to the real deal... although I did manage to climb a 34% grade....at 9 mph. And did a 40min time split for an 11 mile mostly up hill course. Also got in some time with the weights...man I feel weak I could barely lat pull 50lbs. After the the Ironman its time for some serious strength training. All and all nothing new in da hood. Tomorrow's weather is supposed to suck, don't know if I'll run outdoors, the spinervals and charmichael training tapes look tempting. Anyway I need sleep long day at the office.

Oh on the side note last semester's grades are in. I got straight A's and made it back on dean's list...Wahoo!

The Flattener of the Fast Lane
R.D.

I'm hardcore but not that hardcore...and spooty finals week!

This morning I set my alarm to wake up at 6am to try to get in a nice pre car pool run. The little "weather bug" weather alerts i have on my laptop showed the current temperature was 5 degrees...my eyes bugged out....I rubbed them refreshed the screen the temperature had been wrong it was warmer than 5 degrees...it was 6 degrees. I decided that that was a "tad bit too cold for me"....like ten degrees too cold for me.......and rolled back into bed. I will preform penance tonight with a two hour trainer session at Newington Bicycle followed by 3000 yards of swimming goodness. I live by two temperature cut offs, I will not bike in weather under 30 degrees, and I will not run if the temp dips below 15 degrees...it used to be 20 but I've manned up a little. my experience in bike in temps that dipped below 30 with wind chill was not good....ain't nothing to scare you like descending an 8% grade at 35 mph and the whole bike is shaking because you are shivering uncontrollably. And running...well despite a high tolerance to cold I don't want to have any hypothermia stories....so in essence I am waiting for the the afternoon and weekeds to run...this Saturday temps are supposed to be near 40 and it's going to be mostly clear...I might even break out Enrico up at Waramaug....but we'll see...I'm sure somewhere in the mid-west a storm system is brewing that will make Scott Haney screech with glee. also I have just foundout I will have to miss my sister's Christmas Concert because the Russian Computer Czar (aka my Professor) has scheduled my computer science final for December 20 @ 8:30 PM.....my sister's concert begins at 7:00 PM in Waterbury about a half hour away from Central.......curses! I'm really upset because this year they're playing at a real theatre.....not the school auditorium....and the jazz band Chrissy is a part of is the main act.....curse you Russian Computer Czar curse you!!!!( enter Rasputin ( from the movie with Alan Rickman not the animated crap.) style scream here.)

the Tormented Desk Serf
R.D.

( also to all my international readers...these temperatures are farenheight just so no one gets the impression I'm some snood from the tropics.)

Merry Brickmas....

Well Today's brick was cut short from my ambitious 4 hour trainer 2 hour tread mill affair to a modest 3 hour trainer 1 hour treadmill affair.

The trainer ride: I started off clad in my HEAT gear....(figure hey, might get used to the stuff I'll be wearing on race day. ) I only stopped twice, once to change movies the other to relieve myself. I'll tell you this the Star Wars trilogy is not the best thing to watch while trying to do this kind of thing...the whistling of the gears blocks out some of the best lines....The 2006 Ironman Highlight show however....muy bien....next time I'll try it with Schindler's List and see how it goes....knowing I have my inspirational movies on the back burner...if it gets too depressing. I killed the ride after obi-wan got his ass kicked by Vader in episode 4 because it was at the roughly 3 hour mark (seeing that I added time for the stops.)....all in all here are the stats

trainer time: 3 hours

movies watched: IM Hawaii 2006 dvd (90mins.) Star Wars ( roughly 90mins. of 123 min. movie)

Waterbottles killed:4

Scenes I can quote word for word in the movie: 45 out of 50.....that's no moon it's a space station....

Surprising new energy food: Saltine crackers....carbs, salt, no sweetingly sick after taste...keep em coming.

The Run: After a quick change of shoes and setting up the treadmill I cranked out 60min at 7 mph..( started at 6 cranked it to 8 for the last minute to get 7 miles in then warmed down) So I got in slightly over 7 miles...I'm not sure if like .008 counts as over but I'll take it. I came up with the strategy break the long boring tedious time into five minute intervals. The first five minutes good...the second 5 ok....third five....maybe I should cut down to 30min.....fourth five tell sister sitting on couch not to let me quit......fifth five 25 min. already....sixith five Somebody play me some bon jovi.....seventh five, please don't let me quit....eighth five, 20 min ain't nothing......ninth five...15 min and man why does these guys on Suburban Crimes keep mentioning the local diner..stupid hicks......tenth five 10 more minutes. why are you taunting me with that bowl of stew...... eleventh five....five minutes to go......pick it up.....sixty minutes grab dinner, a water and a Sam Adams Winter Lager....then realize holy shit I've got a 10 page paper on Arab Israeli crap due tomorrow.....shit shit shit.....

Well that's where I stand right now...my legs feel pretty good... I just need to start my paper so at about 8:30 I will sit down and let the bullshit hit the page. Tomorrow I start selling books back..have my bio exam and that take home final to hand in....Tues. or Thurs. I have my infamous computer science final....may God have mercy on my pathetic soul. ..then I'm free to become Rocky Balboa.....devoting all my free time to training like a beast.

So Merry Brickmas to all and to all a good night.

R.D.

Livin' la vida trainer......

For those of you who don't watch the weather channel...the northeast has turned into a winter "wonderland" uggg.....and we're expected to get another foot of snow on Sunday....now since the roads are a little too sloppy to take out The Bitch Stomper or Enrico...I have decided to give the trainer a little more love than usual.....a 4 hour trainer/2 hour treadmill brick this Sunday. Saturday is supposed to be somewhat descent so I may be able to get in a nice 15-20 mile run...we'll see how it looks at 12:30 when I leave the office. Tonight I've got masters, and it's time to see what type of distance set Karas can put me through. My ALS paper is almost done 2 pages and a bibliography to go, the History paper still has 10 pages of courrption, displacement, disenfranchisement, and political uprising to go. The ALS report will be finished by 6PM and the history paper should be done sometime on Saturday or Sunday. And then as of Tuesday Afternoon I am free of classes and class work until Jan 17. What will I do with myself with all that free time. ....train like a beast...( enter Howard Dean Yell here.)

If you direct your attention to the upper right hand corner, I'm conducting a poll on which Half Iron I should in July.
The Patriot Half on 4th of July Weekend by the cape
Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island on 7/13
or should I torment my body and do them both
or just stick to doing the local sprints (which the Griskus sprint is in between both Halves.)

Leave some love or hate...or lots of sound and fury signifying nothing.....

Coach Troy's work slave
R.D.

About that no training comment....

In one of my eariler post I had sort vowed I would chain myself to my computer desk and be a good little fat stressed out college student. Well that lasted the total of one day...i'm addicted to training I need to train...if I don't do at least on of the swim/bike/run combo...I'd go nuts. Here's the run down of what I've done the last couple days.

Wed: Swam 3000 yards straight...as in no sets, no intervals, just staring at that black line at the bottom of the pool for 120 laps. I did have to tread water briefly at the 2500 mark in order to adjust my goggles (which were giving me a hell of a headache.) I got the workout in 42:02....well under 1:30/per 100 yd pace. So as long as I can set my goggles up right in NZ the swim will be my bitch.

Thurs. Got released form the bank early...1PM got home and slept off some of the groginess from the 6 pages of the anthropology paper and 2 pages of history paper I typed last night. I tossed in the Spinervals DVD and did 2 hours of cardio goodness. I then tossed on a fresh base layer, windpants, and my lovely trek jacket and took off into the snow for a rather hairy half-hour jog. Now I will saw this..it felt kind of badass to have the road to myself...well minus the plows and soon to be organ donors on snowmobiles. The roads weren't too bad but they did require some caution as the soles on my running shoes are worn almost completely smooth. So yes..Mom..I mean Santa to make my Christmas all I need is a pair of New Balance 720's size 11 D...and maybe a first class round trip ticket from LAX to Auckland on Air New Zealand.

Now I'm not sure how Jodi's doing on her infamous 100 runs in 110 days...but I just put up a 3miler for us hard ass New Englanders.......so yeah now Peter Reid used to feel granted all this ice and snow won't really prep me for the 60's and 70's I'll be experiencing the trainer rides in the midst of Dante's Inferno...ie my bed room will. I also have come to the realization that I am a heavy sweater and as a result Powerbar will be getting their sponsorship dollar's worth because of me. On my "easy" aerobic workout I still managed to go through 3 and a half water bottles...my kill pile at the end of the Ironman bike will probably make most wonder why the hell I'm not in the bathroom every 5 minutes....also all those little dixie cups I go through on the run will probably destroy another 10 acres of rain forest.

Well that's my rant...more paper writng on tap...I can see the light at the end of the tunnels...and I hope it's paradise not the A train.

The Triathlete of the Tundra

R.D.

Let the Floggin' contiune until morale improves.......

If any phrase describes Ironman training this is it. This week I have the lovely chore of tying paper writing and training. So far this week I've gotten in a 2 hour trainer session a 3 mile run ( after an ice storm mind you.) and 1000 yards pool time ( for the 15 min. it was slow last night.) Tonight I have at least 3000 yards on tap. Tomorrow, with no foreseeable ice, sleet or white stuff on the Doppler, I might get in an eight mile prework run (possibly 12 if I can drag myself out of bed at 5am.) Tomorrow afternoon has a possible post work swim on the agenda ( 3000 yards.) Thursday, has the same ( 8 mile run or hour trainer ride, and an afternoon swim. ) Friday I have Masters, and my lovely trainer, Saturday, the long run or long brick ( either a 60 mile ride/16mile run or a 2 hour trainer/15 mile treadmill Odyssey. or just a straight up 16 miler . Sunday begins the new week with the hope of some warmer weather and some more cycling damn it. I would love to ride but it will most likely end up as swimming and the trainer, so I guess the next 2 to 4 weeks will be Run/ Swim phase with periods of Special High Intensity Training (SHIT) on the trainer, and the occasional long ride/brick if the weather warms up enough to allow it. I have now come to the rational conclusion that I am most certainly in the wrong climate, and I should move to an area with weather that is more suitable to my activities/personality upon graduation....Kona,HI ....ahh I can dream as I look at real estate listings that show I can buy a condo on the big island for what it would cost me to buy a farm in Southbury, yet on the island I am not hit with as high of a property tax, but the mortgage and insurance plus cost of living would probably kick my ass. on the plus side though I could most likely ditch the car and ride my bike everywhere, although this means taking my life into my hands as most of the island is the ghetto, the work of us rich New England Whiteys that came over took over pineapple plantations, overthrew a sovereign monarch, an pretty much turned an island paradise into a commercial venture...man I hate it when we do that.....my rant on how Europeans/ Americans of European Descent have gone off and wrecked nation states and entire cultures ( the Inca, the Aztecs, The Filipinos, the Hawaiians, the Bannana Republics we set up in Central America, then overthrow when they start favoring their own interests rather than those of American tycoons....I mean...their people....is now over. But no a warmer climate is hopefully in the future for this New Englander....and a violent overthrow of the current leadership is not in my plans. but no Hawaii with all of its possible ghettoness, looks lovely, California ( all the warmth, Ghetto and added bonus of earthquakes) is another place I'd long to hang my hat for a while, or the Arizona Desert ( warmth, drive 2 hours north I've got cold and snow, drive 2 hours back to Pheonix, I've got warm and dry.) might be alternatives to continued life in the Tundra that is Connecticut. (Despite the fact my parents say I'd miss having the cold weather....seriously if it didn't snow another flake up here I wouldn't cry...well ok I MIGHT MISS IT, just a little at Christmas, but I can't take 4 months of the crap.) Well those are my rants and ramblings for the evening. I've got some research todo and a practice to crank out.

The California Dreamer
R.D.