Getting back into gear

You have three options: Lead, Follow or Get out of the way.

Well this week I've been trying to get back into shape. I managed to get a 5 mile run 3500 yard swim, in on Wednesday and my run mileage is up at 18 miles for the week. Not much done in the way of cycling but I don't have any major races coming up until next year.

I had my Navy Physical, good news I'm healthy bad news I need a letter from a therapist I saw twice when I was in High School in order to get cleared. Essentially the Navy wants to make sure I'm not crazy, or I won't snap easily. Called the Therapist, she destroyed her records of my visits about 5 years ago so I need her to write a letter saying "yeah I saw Rob, essentially he was feeling a little socially awkward like any teenager and just needed to talk out some issues. I didn't put him on meds or anything so he's about as sane as the other applicants." Hopefully that'll be good enough to get me cleared. Also studying up for my ASTB round two. Reading up on my aviation knowledge and getting my math skills back up to par.

Tonight I flaked on my swim, but I decided to get my lift on. Seriously I've lost some muscle. I could barely bench 110 lbs. I managed to get up 4 reps then a set of 3 reps, I bumped down to 95 lbs. and easily pounded out 6 reps. I managed to get some decent reps out squatting 110lbs. ( 3 sets of 10). Also did some lat pulls, bicep hammer curls ( yes I know the muscle is the size of a baseball but it needs some strengthening so I can crank out some pull-ups.) Inclined Pec flys, and some leg extentions. Also managed 30 push ups and 120 sit-ups and crunches. Essentially I want to plan out my workouts. Next week is sort of a burnout, as I'll be on vacation in Maine with Steph for a few days. I do plan on getting some runs in but not much is going to happen on the training front. Next week I want to start planning my workouts so I'm hoping to set up at least 2 days of lifting, 3 swims, 3 runs and 3 rides. Essentially I'm going back into Ironman training mode because I need the fitness back.

Likewise I hope everyone sees the new link. My friend and High School Track teammate Chris is getting himself ready for 2011 Long Beach Marathon. It looks like it's going to be an interesting journey as this guy is a speedster.

Well that's all from me, I've got a drive up to York Beach awaiting me.
R.D.

HTFU

Ok I put up the Abbreviation....after reading Judi's blog...in which her part of Ohio was 50F ( 10C) and experience liquid..I stress LIQUID rain. I have been consumed by jelaousy. I need to ride out doors but the weather hasn't been really conducive to it, and with my next semester rapidly apporaching I need to get some miles in my legs, before I'm back to the post class pool sessions and early morining trainer work and whatever lifting I can get in.
Sunday is supposed to be in the 20's F absolutely freezing but it's looking like the only day on the weekend that we won't be dealing with or cleaning up frozen percipatation. Part of me is leary of riding in weather under 30F but at this point I need a long outdoor ride and realistically once classes begin I'm going to need to devote some time to my thesis.. so I need to ride this weekend and next weekend if the weather will allow. Tonight I plan on running after work trying to beat the FREEZING rain they are predicting , seriously I'm hoping ths storm trak flows a little more to the north so we end up with the liquid crap. My run is nothing much my normal 10 mile loop followed by some trainer love...like 3-4 hours of trainer love... tomorrow if the roads are good I'm not due into the office until 11 so I might get a morning run in if not the trainer will be getting yet more love....I'm serioulsy thinking of getting a netflix account so I can rent some TDF dvds..because Troy's Aero Base Builder is well ..too easy. So regardless it looks like my weekends are going to be consumed by the 3 R's Riding, Running, and Researching ... HTFU of Harden The F**K Up is my mantra this week even if it's cold as long as the roads are good I need to crank out the mileage.

On the cash flow front I've got an interview for my first coaching gig. Two weeks of working in an intermediate and beginner tri camp in the Lake Placid region of New York I figure some time of getting back to basics and hanging with some fellow tri geeks, or soon to be tri geeks will help, not to mention if I do well here I can justify going for my USAT coaching Cert, and the cash will definitely help me in my escape from debtopia or in my 2010 tri endevaors, only thing is I have to do is renew my lifeguard cert...who knows will this be a stepping stone to a long Tri Coaching career...will my name be thrown around with the likes of Lance Watson, Troy Jacobson and Mark Allen...idk but if I can make a little for the race fund it would help.

My Ironman Scouting report will be posted soon...hopefully my age group won't have the pathenon or speed demons it had last year, or at least I'll be better able to compete. My swim is solid as Stef has been kicking my ass, tomorrow Alex will put me through weights. My bike is progressing granted I haven't gotten as many outdoor miles as I would like so I'm really hoping for a clear weekend this week so I can ride Saturday and Sunday. My run well tonight I'll see if 4 days rest was enough to get my achilles back in gear. I spun last night at the Y for about 45 minutes on their expresso road race simulator...let's just say this nothing replaces the open road. I've also been doing trigger point soft tissue work as well as pull ups and squats...if I start picking fights that I can deadlift more than you, start making dirty looks at people using the leg press machine instead of "manning up" on the Squat rack you will know that I have drunken the Crossfit Kool-Aid.

Well that' it from here

Doing the warm weather dance.
R.D.

2 for 1 Ride for your life & I hate Mondays

Yesterday, my plans for a 60-80 mile ride got well..rained on quite literally. After watching the tour ( Damn you Carlos Sastre and Team CSC damn you! now everyone will be rushing out to buy Cervelo road bikes claiming they are the "world's best.") and making a quick run to stop and shop, for "nutrition" ( was going to try a candy bar regiment, just to break up the montony of gu, unfotunately my milky way melted.) it was off Middlebury to begin my ride. The begining was a little interesting as some gu2o must have spilled on my brakes and a wonderful squealing sound could be heard at the slightest tap thankfully that sharp down hill with a lovely stop at the bottom helpped burn it off and I was in business. I got out to Lake Waramaug and it was pretty uneventful except for a dead deer on someguy's lawn, attacking a crow buffet. After one loop of the lake I looked at the increasingly darkening sky and decided to high tail it back to Middlebury before I got caught in the approaching storm. As I rode back it began to sprinkle alright I can deal with a little rain, the wind kicked up ok I can deal with wind and rain, thunder rolled, shit, lightning struck Holy shit, I got into my biggest gears and rode a time trial Lance would be proud of. I aero stretched on the descents, as I out raced the increasingly violent storm back to Route 47. In my mind I was picturing my obituary, and being nominated for a darwin award, Cycle in a cyclone, man that would be the article title, and forever more I would be remebered for chlorinating my self out of the gene pool. I got to Woodbury and tree limbs and shit were falling around me, winds were blowing my accross the road and debris was hitting me square in the face, the rain began to belt down and finally I took shelter in some hole in the wall Biker bar on route 47. After a half hour I got back on my bike because the storm had let up and began riding up into Middlebury, I wasn't even half way up White deer rocks when the rain began puring down in buckets, I managed to make it back to my car in one piece but it was ugly. Total Distance 50 miles or 80k at an average of 17.4 miles per hour, not bad considering the hills and the weather.

Monday: Today after doing futher research on "the chain" I decided to add weights to my planned swim run double. Needless to say it did not go as well as I hoped, for starters I have forgotten how to do a Turkish get up, I did get some kettle bell snatch and cleans (or was it clean and jerks all I know is clean is some how involved in it) and I managed to screw that up I couldn't get my explosive little hop at the end, that and I don't think I kept neutral spine. I tried getting some pull-ups in a pathetic 7. 3 in the first go 4 in the second, my squats were equally disappointing but I managed to make up for lack of weight in reps and avoid injury. 3x8 reps at 95lbs. It was after this I said F**k this S**t! and went to the pool for 3000 yards. Main set 3x500 on 7:00. after all this I grabbed a gatorade and got a run in. Hauled out to Middlebury and ran the first 3 miles of the griskus bike loop, then back to my car so it was a little more than a 10k. Time was 55.26 slow barely cracking 9 min/miles but it is Monday and I did a lot previous. Irregardless, I need to work the weight room harder, I need to bring diagrams of the workouts I need to do and do them, I need power, I need speed, I need to break 5 hours in 2 months time.

I need more power!
R.D.

My Classes are inteferring with my IM NZ training schedule.

Yes that's right my glorious week off from the rat-race that is Webster will instead be ruled by the rat race that is Central Connecticut State University. My History Professor revealed that he wants us to write an 8 page take home mid-term on the current Israeli- Palestinian situation ( I can wrap that up in one sentence...Mr. Ouimet tear down this wall...) and the Situation in Iraq ( again another one liner..." Poorly planned Money pit/Vendetta gone wrong.") Also in that same week I have an 8 page Anthropology paper due on the effects of cholera on society as viewed by the Victorians ( up tight as all hell but drinking from the polluted, shit filled, and bacteria ridden Thames...Man I love the 19th Century Brits. ) So my time will be split between the library, pool, bike paths/back roads of CT and late nights on my laptop.

Training Plan Far.
Mon. swam 2000 yards straight in under 30 min. ( 28:30 to be exact..go my auqa stud self.)
Tue. Swam 3000 yards
Today Ran 4.5 miles this morning my usual hill climb and fly by of the high school. Tonight I'll lift and maybe some trainner time as I crank up the i-pod and look through books explaining how a bug one millionth our size can cause us to ..ummm..err... well..dehydrate us from both ends , or how the Paelstinans were booted from their land and the "tricky" political situation it has caused in either case my reading material is sort of a downer.

Tomorrow: try to wake up early and get 3000 glorious yards in at the Dirty Water Y. Maybe another 4-6 miler in.

Fri: Run 6-10 miles in the morning Work then get in 3000 yards at masters.

Sat. Long Ride ( hopefully other wise I'll be loafing a brick on the Cheshire trail...Angry you down...)
Sun: Again another ride possible swim but definately getting the bike out for at least 2 hours.

so that's my training for this week next week I have to play by ear. Workouts are always subject to Work Schedule, classes, classwork and fatigue. I will be Ironman ready some day.
Well like I said Lifting to do....gotta get jack so I can intimidate guys as I squeeze my bulging biceps into my wetsuit.
R.D.