Another week, another head cold...

Saturday I awoke to a stuffed up head and no energy. Another damn head cold. I'm averaging about one a month these days. Not sure what's going on. Anyway I decided to head out for my 4 hr ride anyway. The first hour was ok, cold but not raining. After that though the rain came, and it was heavy. I ended up making it 3 hours. This was followed by absolutely nothing for the remainder of the day. Sunday I woke up and was completely stuffed up. Fortunately I still have prescription Sudafed from a previous cold so I popped a couple of those. Met up with some of the group at Portland Running Company to see how long I could make it. To my surprise I was able to run the full 2 hrs. (16 miles). I was a little slow (7:47 pace) but happy I got it in. This too was followed by more napping and football watching. I did manage to do an easy hour on the trainer in the evening though to make up for the shortened ride on Saturday.
What now? Scott just posted my January calendar and wow... I'm going to be in good shape for AZ. I have a 23 hr week this week (which includes a 6 hr ride on Saturday) and another in two weeks. I think it's doable though. It is going to require some major time management and maybe a vacation day or two from work, but it can be done. The one thing I think I need to re-evaluate is my bike to work frequency. I am wondering if it is contributing to my constant head cold battle? I do have to get up about an hour earlier and it seems to always be raining. Not sure. I think during these bigger weeks I may need to cut back to once or twice a week. It's still good on the days when I have EZ recovery rides. It's a good way to get them done. I just feel bad because I don't want to be responsible for killing anymore Polar bears by driving my car. This is the picture I try to visualize when I drive now. It makes me not feel so bad. I'm actually saving a seal or two!!

I love the Internet...

Above is a test I found from a link in Sarah McMillan's blog http://roadcycling.loopd.com/Members/Sierrra/Home.aspx. It is a website with a bunch of random quizzes and calculators. The link she had was used to calculate the value of your body once you die. That is funny. I also liked this one, how many 5 year olds could I fight at once. Not bad, 24. Makes me feel tuff! Bring 'em on!

One Down, One to go

Not that I'm happy x-mas has passed, it just serves as one of the major milestones on the road to AZ Ironman and summer (a.k.a Sabbatical). New years is the last major holiday before the 3 month stretch of big volume training weeks with only President's day to break it up a little. Of course there is the 9 day training camp in Palm Springs in March that Santa left in my stocking...
Last week went well from a training perspective. It was relatively light, 12 hours. Key workouts where a 12.5 mile TT on the bike and a 5k run TT. The point of both was to see how recovered I am from last season and to get a baseline for my fitness level going into 2008. It went pretty well I think. The bike TT was done on a mostly flat course, no wind, and no rain. Avg MPH was 24.2. HR was low zone 5 and my legs never felt tired. I was very happy with the out come. The run also went well. I was able to avg a 5:57 pace per mile on the Leif Erickson trail between mile's 2 and 3.5 (out and back). This is the flattest section of the trail. I was able to get my HR up into upper zone 5 (max 188). Again, legs never felt fatigued. Last year about this time Scott had me do a 5k tt and my avg pace was 7:15 with my HR about the same. This gives me hope going into 2008.
This week is a 17.5 hour week with a good mix of low intensity long runs and rides with a few mid level intensity workouts thrown in. The big emphases this week is swimming. Scott has about 15k yards planned. I've got 7700 done already, so I should be able to get them all in before the weekend.
One more weekend of questionable eating and drinking before the switch gets flipped! Then it's all business...

Blah... Here it comes again...

Every year I get to a point when winter starts beating me down. It's like the cold damp moister finally seeps through my skin and moss starts growing on my soul. Wow, that was dramatic! OK, so it's not that bad. This year that depression has come early. I think it is due to multiple things. I am training more right now then I ever have in December. Commuting to work has put me out in the elements more then usual, and it seems like it's been extra cold and rainy this year. Yesterday was the toughest yet. It hit me after I got to work and took my musty damp cloths off and headed up to my desk. All I could think about was how am I going to make it to April? It seems like forever from now, especially with a couple hundred hours of training ahead. Rather then working I found myself on the weather channel looking at the forecast in AZ and trying to figure how I could spend a month or two down there.

But as I sit here and type this entry there is sun streaming through the window and into my gray little cube. It's SO amazing how much difference a little sun light makes. After growing up here I've come to learn that days like yesterday come and go. I know I just need to keep my head up and not let the weather defeat me. Most days when I am riding to work and it's cold, raining, and windy I feel like I am winning the battle. I'm not giving in and letting the dark dampness beat me! Besides, time goes by so fast these days, it's going to be July before I know it. That is when I start looking at the AZ forecast and think "I am so glad I live in Oregon". Someday we will hopefully have condos in both OR and AZ. Migrating would be ideal! Until then, Head up, rain gear on, and plenty of long weekends in AZ staying with family!

Weekend Wrap up

Dyno-mite! As JJ from good times used to say. That's how my weekend went. Saturday kicked off with a long ride from Athlete's Lounge. We had really good turn out, 13 people showed up. Four of us split off about 2 hrs in and headed up to Skyline via Logie Trail. We dropped down to hwy 30 and headed back up Newberry. That's a steep little climb. By the time I got back home I had ridden 3hrs 45 min w/ 3300ft of climbing. Once home I persuaded Murph to get out of bed and go for a short 20 min transition run with me. It was definitely an EZ pace as he was dragging behind for most of it. It was good though, nice to have the company. Saturday night was low key with a movie, spaghetti and some prep work on the new bike. Sunday was a 4 hr. Mt. Bike ride at Forest Park. What a mess! I don't think I have ever been so dirty, but it was a great change of pace. Nothing like bombing down a muddy trail with dirt flying up your nose and Bob Marley playing on the iPod.

I stayed on the major trails for the most part since it was so muddy. I ended up with 3hrs and 45 min on the trails and 15 mins from Saltzman/Skyline to home. Worked out to be almost exactly 4 hrs. Wow what a workout! I was beat when I got home. Took a little nap then hit the gym for a 40 min treadmill run and some weights/core work. The evening was topped off with an hour of bike maintenance and some stretching. I think we ate dinner somewhere in there too. It's hard to recall as I haven't been that tired in a while. Total for the week ended up @ 21 hrs.

The new bike worked out perfect! The only adjustment needed was the seat height. A 4 hr ride isn't bad for it's first time out.

I think it looks best dirty:

Here's the "clean" shot:

A good year, and I'm not talk'in tires...

Working in a corporate environment I am inherently indicator driven. I'm comfortable with spreadsheets, and like to see my data graphed. So after listing some highlights of 2007 in an earlier post I started trying to think of what tangible data I had to show that 2007 was a success. I thought maybe it's a financial indicator? That's too predictable, and something I would not typically share with everyone who stumbles upon this blog. Then I started thinking about my race times. They did improve significantly this year, but I still have a long way to go. Truthfully, they'll never be good enough, I'll always want to go faster. Then it hit me!! The "success" indicator for 2007 is.... drum roll.... How many new bikes did I purchase. That's it! As I've mentioned before, I LUV bikes. So what better way to sum of the year. Besides, the numbers have meaning. If you think about it, each new bike represents a different type of racing, or training. Each bike presents new opportunities and increased fitness which in turn should improve my overall fitness and allow for faster race times. So here's the breakdown corporate style:
2007 -
As a family: 5 New bikes
Personally: 4 New bikes
Bikes:
Guru - I won't go into that whole story again. Update though, I got it inspected and it's good to go. Bought some fancy black finger nail polish and you can hardly tell there was a scratch. I can, but most cannot. And my toes look pretty.
Jose - Bianchi single speed - This may be the best overall purchase I have ever made in my life. And it was by far the cheapest bike this year. I love this bike. It is the most fun to ride and it is the perfect commuter.
Scott Road bike - Finally a road bike that fits me. Unfortunately it's identical to Jen's. Oh well, nothing wrong with being a "cute couple" I guess.
Scott Mt. Bike - This one will be ready Saturday. When it arrived, the shop opened the box to find that the fork had been damaged in shipping. The good part is Rock Shock sent an upgrade as the replacement. Over a pound lighter then the one that was damaged. So it all worked out.
In the end 2007 was a major success. I'm hoping to get some pic's of my rides soon. Now I just need to find room for the them all. The old Mt. bike will be going to the CCC (http://www.communitycyclingcenter.org/) and hopefully be joined up with someone that can put it to good use.
Other updates:
My personal commuter challenge is in it's 2nd week and going well. So far I have only driven to work 1 day since I started. I picked up a bacterial sinus infection over the weekend. Fortunately I got on it quickly and hit Urgent Care Saturday morning for antibiotics. By Monday I was feeling better, but decided to give myself one more day of recovery before braving the cold temps. Other then that just training away this week. on my way to a 22 hr week and feeling pretty good. This weekend will be a challenge though with 4 hrs of riding on both Saturday and Sunday. Both days are supposed to be in the hills. I decided to mix it up a little and do Saturday on the road and Sunday on the new bike, up on the trails in Forest park. It's nice to have options. I should have close to 200 miles of riding, 30 miles of running, and 11k in the pool. Oh, and the other thing... After lying around all weekend sick, I had a lot of time to think about IMAZ November 2008. I (with Scott's help) decided not to do it. 3 races in 8 months is too many if I want to do well at any of them. I need to be able to focus on Canada and not have to worry about another race 8 weeks later. I need to let it all hang out on race day. Basically I would rather go for quality over quantity. My fortune cookie that came with my teriyaki chicken today sums it up best "Enough is as good as a feast".

Saving the planet 30 minutes at a time

I am at 2 days in a row now of ridding to work! Huge milestone I know. I decided to ride yesterday as a way to get in a workout. I forgot how much I enjoy it. It's only about 30 minutes each way on a mix of bike lane & neighborhood streets, so it's a nice ride. Unfortunately the weather people in PDX suck at their jobs and it was raining on the ride home, it was supposed to be dry until next week. I don't mind riding in the rain when I'm prepared for it, but yesterday I was not. I was on the single speed with no fenders, no foot covers, nothing but a wet ass and cold feet when I got home. I did stop on my way home though and picked up some full length fenders. What a difference! I was toasty and dry this morning on the way in. My new goal... See how long I can go without driving by myself. I've decided using the car to run errands on the weekends with Jen or at night is ok. But if I need to go anywhere on my own, I am going to try to ether run or ride. We'll see how long I can go. I figure by just riding to work I'll save about $60 to $70 a month in gas alone. I am also so much more relaxed when I get to work in the morning. I forget how much stress driving can cause. It's also nice to come up with a new routine. Packing my bag the night before, getting up a little earlier. Being strategic and leaving certain items at work so I don't have to haul them around on my back. We'll see how long I can make it.
Other updates... Not much going on. My new Mt. Bike is in and is being assembled. Should be ready in the next couple of days. Starting to crank up the training a bit. on track for 16+ hours this week. I am fired up too! After watching the IM world champs in HD this past weekend I am ready to hit it. Also, fellow Ironheads Dave and Ann Ciaverella ROCKED IM Western Australia on Saturday. Check out Dave's race report: http://try3sports.blogspot.com/. They are amazing, and I am so fortunate to get to train and learn from them. I had a crazy idea this morning... IM AZ in November!?! This year they are holding the race in April and in November as it makes the transition to a fall race only next year. I was looking at the calendar and wondering if 8 weeks is enough time to recover from Canada and be ready for AZ. The jury is still out on this one. Need to talk to the two bosses (Jen and Coach Scott). It's up to them at this point, If they say go for it then I'm in. Why am I such an idiot?!?

Year in review...

Last night I had a really hard time falling asleep. As I laid there I started thinking about the past year and ALL of the things that made it such a great year. Everything from fun road trips to experiences that I'll never forget. Here is a list of 10 things that came to mind in no particular order (except #1 is #1):
1. Jen finishing IMCDA - I have never felt so much pride and relief as I did when she emerged from the darkness that night with a smile on her face. In Feb this year the farthest she had ever ridden on her bike was 25 miles, 4 months later she's an Ironman...

2. Winning my first race - Scoggins Valley sprint tri: Had a good ride and came into T2 first. Took a second to look around and see what an empty T2 looked like. I hope to have that experience again some day.

3.My second group ride with the Ironheads- Garren got 45 flats that day, ok maybe not that many, but it felt like it. I ended up riding home with the Ironhead ladies. This was a little shocking. I remember being out on some road, not sure where. I was 2nd in the line behind Kaytee struggling to stay on her wheel at 24 mph. I was SO relieved when someone in the back yelled up to slow down. This was when I realized how strong the folks on this team really are. Since then I have learned so much from so many people. I have also made some amazing friends in the process. I always look forward to the group workouts now on the weekends. I'm not sure that I would keep doing tri's if I had to do all of training alone.

4. My Mom's new ride - I arrived at my Mom's house this past Monday after Vegas to pick up Murphy. When we pulled into the drive I was floored! A brand new Lexus SUV. If anyone deserves a new luxury car it's my Mom. Her first real new car ever I think. I credit my love for cars to her, she's just conceals her affection for them much better then I do.

5. Niece and Nephews - I talked to my 2 year old niece on the phone recently. This was the first time we exchanged words back on forth. It's amazing how she has gone from a baby to a little kid in a few months. My nephews experienced their first triathlon this year when they came to the Soma Half. It was very cool to see them on the course during the race cheering for me and ringing their cow bells.

6. Ride up Mt. Lemon with GW: Talk about an Epic ride. Mt Lemon in Tucson. 26 miles of climbing from desert to ski slopes with snow. Garren and I stopped for the best and biggest cookies I have ever had at the Cookie Cabin. This was an awesome day.

7.Trip to Victoria: A great trip! Even though I felt like crap Chris V. managed to make the half marathon fun. Stood in the rain and watched Rob & Erin finish the marathon strong.

8. Road trip to Canada Ironman w/ Garren: 3 bikes, 3 people, and a whole lot of crap. Who would have thought living out of Jetta for 4 days could be so fun. Same time next year, except I'll have a hotel room and a race number.

9. Mt. Biking @ Brown's Camp - Sure I sucked and I fell a lot. But it reminded me how much I love it! My new bike should arrive next week. Xterra next year?

10. Sleeping on the couch last week next to Murphy after he had tooth surgery - This was a long and stressful night. He had an infected tooth pulled last Monday and was still out of it from being under. Since he couldn't make it upstairs to sleep on his pillow in our room I decided to sleep on the couch next to him. He was so out of it, I couldn't help but think that this is what it could be like when he gets old someday. It really scared me, but also made me realize that I need to appreciate my time with him more. He is such an amazing dog, it's crazy how attached I am to him.

So that's the list. That's what kept me up late last night. Not bad, I'd rather be sleepless thinking of all the good things then stressing about the bad. Looking forward 2008!

What the hell was I thinking?

This was the thought that kept going through my head yesterday as I rode along Skyline in the snow/rain mix for 2 hrs. The harsh reality of IM AZ training hit me hard and all of a sudden I remembered why I swore to never do this race again as long as we lived in the NW. Oh well, I'm registered, not much I can do about it now. Expect more complaining in the months to come about the weather. With that being said, I'm anxious to get back to a heavier training load. We are back from Vegas, well rested and well fed. For every pound I gained around the waist I lost from my wallet! The black jack gods were not kind on this trip. The only time I was ever really ahead was when I won on the slot machine at the airport on the way home... Other then that the trip was perfect! We ate at a number of new places and watched a lot of football and basketball at some really cool bars. For workouts we did a swim in the Bellagio pool where we stayed. I used the http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ website to zoom in on the pool and figure out the length. It is 55 meters long. What a great workout. I need to get in more workouts in a 50 meter pool, it makes a big difference. Here's a pic of the pool.

On Sunday we hit the gym at the hotel and did a treadmill run. 12 miles - 1.5 hrs, painful! I hate treadmills! This was by far the longest I've ever run on one, it went by pretty fast though.

Now the base training begins. Scott posted my schedule for December, he isn't messing around. It starts with 16hrs next week then up to 20 hrs the week after that. Not much intensity, just volume. I'm looking forward to it though. I'm anxious to see how next year pans out. Fitness wise I am so much farther along right now then I was a year ago. AZ IM will be here in no time!

Knee Update

My 40 min run the other night turned into a 20 min walk. Murphy was a little disappointed. I went to the doctor today just make sure there wasn't anything going on that I could potentially make worse by "testing" it every couple days. After an exam and x-rays he confirmed that it is a severe contusion and that I need to hold off on biking/running until next week. I don't think I can wait that long. I'm going crazy!! Sure I can swim and do core work, but it's not the same. I really don't like swimming and my core is weak enough that I can only do it a couple times a week. I've been hitting the ice and Ibu's pretty hard and hope to see some improvement by Saturday. I really want to make the group ride Saturday morning from Athlete's Lounge if I can. I only plan to ride ~ 30 miles, so hopefully my knee cooperates. I was planning to do the Hillsboro cross race on Sunday, but I guess that's out. Hopefully I'll be able to at least run a little by Sunday, we'll see. I'm just relieved it isn't something more serious!!