Everyone has goals, in fact, this blog was started on a goal that will (hopefully) be achieved this summer in Mont Tremblant. So here is my bucket list moving forward:
Ironman Mont Tremblant - haven't done it yet, but it is the soonest, so it seems appropriate to put it first
Qualify for Boston by the time I'm 40
Race Challenge Roth - its been voted one of the best races in the world, so seems like it'll be a fun time
Race REV3 - they seem like a fun event, and I like fun. Costa Rica? Wish I could get the time off of work.
Destination Race - maybe Brazil? Brazil seems like a good time. Fun country, and I do like fun
Qualify for Duathlon Canadian and/or World Championships - haven't talked about duathlons much, but that's where my competitive future will lead me. My swimming improvement is going to be marginal, and although I can ride and run myself into contention, why not stay on land and become a race favorite from the start instead of playing catch up?
Cross the finish line of an Ironman with Tanya - even if SHE has to wait for me at the last aid station (wink) it'll be cool to cross with the love of my life
Have fun in every race I enter - worst time racing was Orillia this year where I was angry the whole time. That sucked. I do this sport cuz it's fun and positive.
Obviously that's not the final list of my athletic life. But, it's a cool, and reasonably relevant, start.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
today's athlete is bigger, stronger, faster...but is he/she better?
I've always wondered about how today's athletes compare to yester-years. Sidney Crosby versus Wayne Gretzky, Peyton Manning versus Johnny Unitas, Craig Alexander versus Mark Allen/Dave Scott, the comparisons are endless. If you were to strip down both athletes while in their prime, today's athlete would be "ripped". If you had them do simple athletic tests, today's athlete would probably win. But if you were to put today's athlete in the situations that past athletes competed in, I feel that today's athlete would fail. From equipment, to nutrition, to "off-season", today's athlete is at such an immense advantage...but are they performing any better?
Today's athletes receive amazing feedback from video training, scientific testing, the latest/greatest/lightest equipment, training facilities, and proper nutrition. Imagine Gretzky with a composite stick, or the latest/lightest skates.Imagine Mark Allen on the Shiv with specialized on course nutrition fine tuned to his body's performance?
I've been thinking about all these factors for awhile, especially when I hear about an athlete today being questioned as "the best ever". Today's athletes have little to no worries. A professional athlete plays their last game, then goes to the gym to begin prepping for next season. Past athletes finished their last game, then had to go and find a job, or return to take care of their families.
Then, I watched Kona 1991 the other day while on the bike. I admittedly chuckled at the clothing, the equipment, basically their overall 'look'. But then I thought about how Craig Alexander just set the course record this year, and how the separation of times from the last 10 years to 20 years ago is not that different. If today's athlete is bigger, stronger, faster, with more specific engineering and focus for their race day, should they not be incredibly faster?
There's an ingredient missing, and I don't know what it is. I would never question an elite athlete's heart, unless they clearly had given up (see: Albert Haynesworth), but to proclaim any athlete today as "the best ever" is unacceptable, as today's athletic equipment/testing/coaching/nutrition is a rather large factor in why they are good. Past athletes didn't have any of those options...and that's what made them great.
Today's athletes receive amazing feedback from video training, scientific testing, the latest/greatest/lightest equipment, training facilities, and proper nutrition. Imagine Gretzky with a composite stick, or the latest/lightest skates.Imagine Mark Allen on the Shiv with specialized on course nutrition fine tuned to his body's performance?
I've been thinking about all these factors for awhile, especially when I hear about an athlete today being questioned as "the best ever". Today's athletes have little to no worries. A professional athlete plays their last game, then goes to the gym to begin prepping for next season. Past athletes finished their last game, then had to go and find a job, or return to take care of their families.
Then, I watched Kona 1991 the other day while on the bike. I admittedly chuckled at the clothing, the equipment, basically their overall 'look'. But then I thought about how Craig Alexander just set the course record this year, and how the separation of times from the last 10 years to 20 years ago is not that different. If today's athlete is bigger, stronger, faster, with more specific engineering and focus for their race day, should they not be incredibly faster?
There's an ingredient missing, and I don't know what it is. I would never question an elite athlete's heart, unless they clearly had given up (see: Albert Haynesworth), but to proclaim any athlete today as "the best ever" is unacceptable, as today's athletic equipment/testing/coaching/nutrition is a rather large factor in why they are good. Past athletes didn't have any of those options...and that's what made them great.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
the difficulties of updating a blog and my training plans moving forward
When I started this blog, I was updating it after every race or good training session, expressing my feelings of how it went, how my training was proceeding, and how my first race season went. As I got more involved in triathlons and training and such, one would think that I would be blogging more often? But alas no, it is so hard to think of what to write when there isn't much new to write. "woke up, swam/biked/ran (pick 1 or 2 or 3) repeated". But really, the last few years have been pretty big in terms of my athletic development, and my involvement in the sport of triathlon.
My initial goal, as I stated in my first post, and re-posted last June, was to complete an Ironman in 2012. I'm well on my way to doing so. I know my physical disadvantages, and I'm working on improving them/making them strengths. The swim, I'm basically just going to survive. It's all I can do. All the time, energy, effort I've put into fixing my form and getting faster times hasn't paid off at all. I've tried different strategies, improved/modified my form, FELT like I'm faster, but the times ended up being the same this past year as they have been the two seasons prior. So basically, I'm just going to work on form and volume, get my endurance so that I can comfortably do the 3.8km swim and crack the bike/run.
This past year, I didn't work on my bike AT ALL. That being said, I was still a pretty darn strong cyclist. This winter I'm going to be spending hours on the bike. Not necessarily pounding out the Watts, but essentially working on comfortability and heart rate training for long periods in the saddle. Does that mean I plan on being slow? HELL NO! If you thought I was good before...look out. My bike is not my swim. The time and effort I put into it WILL pay off, and my fellow competitors better have toothpicks in their bento boxes so they can pick the asphalt out of their teeth when I go roaring past them after I "give" them their headstart in the water!
The reason I didn't bike so much is because a) it bored the hell out of me, and b) I was working on my swimming and running. I found out that I am a fast runner, and I plan on getting even faster. By the end of 2011, I was able to run under 4:00 for quality intervals at KevOs speed sessions. Next year, my goal is to continue that, and try to get my race pace intervals under 4:. I feel that I have it in me to break 20:00 for 5KM, and I plan on doing it! Will I do that in Tremblant? Hell no, that marathon will just be survival! But I do plan on putting the foundation on my 2017 goal: qualify for Boston! (hopefully I achieve this before 2017, but my goal is to make it to Boston by the time I turn 40!)
So some big things coming up! I plan on modifying how I post on this blog, so that it's not one long dialogue of my training/racing. I listen to a marathon podcast that has some fun little sections that I plan on "borrowing" for this blog, so make sure you bookmark it and keep coming back for my training Rant/Rave, Motivation Station, and I'll also be posting some specific workouts that I found effective, as well as some of my favorite recipes!
Cheers!
My initial goal, as I stated in my first post, and re-posted last June, was to complete an Ironman in 2012. I'm well on my way to doing so. I know my physical disadvantages, and I'm working on improving them/making them strengths. The swim, I'm basically just going to survive. It's all I can do. All the time, energy, effort I've put into fixing my form and getting faster times hasn't paid off at all. I've tried different strategies, improved/modified my form, FELT like I'm faster, but the times ended up being the same this past year as they have been the two seasons prior. So basically, I'm just going to work on form and volume, get my endurance so that I can comfortably do the 3.8km swim and crack the bike/run.
This past year, I didn't work on my bike AT ALL. That being said, I was still a pretty darn strong cyclist. This winter I'm going to be spending hours on the bike. Not necessarily pounding out the Watts, but essentially working on comfortability and heart rate training for long periods in the saddle. Does that mean I plan on being slow? HELL NO! If you thought I was good before...look out. My bike is not my swim. The time and effort I put into it WILL pay off, and my fellow competitors better have toothpicks in their bento boxes so they can pick the asphalt out of their teeth when I go roaring past them after I "give" them their headstart in the water!
The reason I didn't bike so much is because a) it bored the hell out of me, and b) I was working on my swimming and running. I found out that I am a fast runner, and I plan on getting even faster. By the end of 2011, I was able to run under 4:00 for quality intervals at KevOs speed sessions. Next year, my goal is to continue that, and try to get my race pace intervals under 4:. I feel that I have it in me to break 20:00 for 5KM, and I plan on doing it! Will I do that in Tremblant? Hell no, that marathon will just be survival! But I do plan on putting the foundation on my 2017 goal: qualify for Boston! (hopefully I achieve this before 2017, but my goal is to make it to Boston by the time I turn 40!)
So some big things coming up! I plan on modifying how I post on this blog, so that it's not one long dialogue of my training/racing. I listen to a marathon podcast that has some fun little sections that I plan on "borrowing" for this blog, so make sure you bookmark it and keep coming back for my training Rant/Rave, Motivation Station, and I'll also be posting some specific workouts that I found effective, as well as some of my favorite recipes!
Cheers!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
interesting running video
my chiropractor shared this with me. I found it interesting, but information overload for me. It's definitely made me analyze my running while I'm running though
http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/238775-Somax-Stride-Analysis/video/490947-Chris-Solinsky-Stride-Analysis
http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/238775-Somax-Stride-Analysis/video/490947-Chris-Solinsky-Stride-Analysis
end of 2011
Well, the season ended a lot more challenging than it began...surprisingly because at the start I was coming off my Achilles Tendonitis. I start to feel the symptoms of burning out in August, and had some pain in my achilles reappear due to overuse, so I had to take a bunch of time off in late August and early September.
My goal of winning/podiuming in Wasaga wasn't achieved, but like I said in my goal setting entry, it was dependant on the participants, not the effort. I put in an effort that would have got me 1st in my AG the last 2 years, but I ended up 6th...just goes to show that all the other fast people in my AG looked at past Wasaga times and decided to show up!
Some other great non-triathlon news...I got engaged! Tanya didn't think it was going to happen because I'll be training for IM Tremblant all next year, and since I don't do well with stress, she didn't think that I'd be able to manage the stress of training, stress of teaching, and the stress of planning a wedding....but I'll show her! Actually, the wedding planning has been going pretty good so far. We have date, venue, caterer/decorator/planner, priest, wedding parties, colours. We just need to finalize the list, settle on the menu, make invitations, and all the other little things that I'm not thinking about, but will cause me frustration because I will think we're done but not totally.
All that's left for the season is the Base Borden 13.1. I was supposed to do the Hamilton 26.2, but my oldest/dearest friend Michelle is getting married the day before and I don't want to have to worry about running my first marathon when I should be celebrating Michelle's wedding!
The season has been a successful one. I pushed myself beyond boundaries I ever thought imaginable. I'm currently planning my 'off-season' but it seems that all the ideas I put into my head have me working pretty hard, so I'll have to make sure that I clearly cut down any and all intensity so that in January I can begin the climb to becoming an Ironman!
My goal of winning/podiuming in Wasaga wasn't achieved, but like I said in my goal setting entry, it was dependant on the participants, not the effort. I put in an effort that would have got me 1st in my AG the last 2 years, but I ended up 6th...just goes to show that all the other fast people in my AG looked at past Wasaga times and decided to show up!
Some other great non-triathlon news...I got engaged! Tanya didn't think it was going to happen because I'll be training for IM Tremblant all next year, and since I don't do well with stress, she didn't think that I'd be able to manage the stress of training, stress of teaching, and the stress of planning a wedding....but I'll show her! Actually, the wedding planning has been going pretty good so far. We have date, venue, caterer/decorator/planner, priest, wedding parties, colours. We just need to finalize the list, settle on the menu, make invitations, and all the other little things that I'm not thinking about, but will cause me frustration because I will think we're done but not totally.
All that's left for the season is the Base Borden 13.1. I was supposed to do the Hamilton 26.2, but my oldest/dearest friend Michelle is getting married the day before and I don't want to have to worry about running my first marathon when I should be celebrating Michelle's wedding!
The season has been a successful one. I pushed myself beyond boundaries I ever thought imaginable. I'm currently planning my 'off-season' but it seems that all the ideas I put into my head have me working pretty hard, so I'll have to make sure that I clearly cut down any and all intensity so that in January I can begin the climb to becoming an Ironman!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Summer Summary
This summer has being going great, and I hope to write a more comprehensive overview of all that I've done/accomplished this year, but here's a little snapshot:
2nd Place AG/5th Overall at Midland Sprint
4th Place AG at Bala Sprint
first sub 4:00 KM (I know it's no 4:00 mile, but it's a big deal for me!)
set a new 1/2 marathon PB by 7:00 @ 1:38, and still feel like I could go faster
broke 32:00 on the line 1 TT course (if it were a wind-less night, I could probably break 31:00 on Golf Course Rd right now)
My recovery from my injury has gone really well, although I do have a lot of pain from time to time, especially the day after a race or long run. I just make sure I ice it and listen to my body. One of the best quotes I've heard states: "Bravery is not the man that trains through pain, bravery is the man that knows when not to train". I'm still stubborn from time to time, but I know the difference between an ache and a pain. When my achilles starts feeling the way it did last February, I shut it down for a few days then slowly rebuild, and that's made all the difference. I used to always run fast and try to hold it, inevitably burning out and slowing down. Now I start fast, but not full out, and I always finish way faster than my opening pace. It's how I've been able to put down the fastest times of my life.
I've also gotten a lot smarter about my nutrition and eating habits. Before I trained to lose weight, but this summer I've been training to build strength and I think that's been the big difference. I feel I'm at the perfect weight for my size and the muscle I have/want to build. I currently bounce from 151 - 156 depending on the day/how much beer I drank the day before (lol). Summer 2009 I trained to drop weight from low 170s to low 160s, and 2010 I trained to drop weight from low 160s to low 150s. I don't really gain winter weight as I'm a pretty good cook, and I make sure that everything that I cook is fresh and homemade (rarely do I order out/go through drive thrus). When I found my weight dipping into the high 140s in late May/early June, I decided to make sure that I eat a full and healthy diet. Knowing my dietary restrictions has helped too. I'm pretty much gluten free now (not because it's the "in" thing to do, but because I can't eat regular bread/pasta without severe stomach pains) which has allowed me to eat before training/races, and I have properly fueled post-workout with a protein shake and berries with vanilla soy.
I've been working on my Ironman build, swimming a lot of long distances slowly to get a feel for spending that much time swimming. Last week I swam a total of 6KM (2700m and 3300m) and felt fine. My running has been coming along as well. My long run next will be 28km, and then after that I'll break 30km which will be the longest I've ever ran. I've been slowly building my marathon to run the Hamilton Marathon as my first 26.2. This slow progress has helped me stay healthy and recover quickly so that I can continue training for my Sprints.
My racing this season has been above and beyond what I expected. I thought I would still be a M.O.P. racer, but the times/speeds/results I've been pulling off has me believing that on any given Sunday, I can put myself on the podium, which I have 2 of the last 5 races, narrowly missing a 3rd place in Bala by seconds. My goal was to AG podium in Wasaga, but I'm gunning for the win now. I know it depends on who registers, but I have the confidence in myself that regardless of who is there, that if I can see them on either the bike or the run, I will catch them. I'm biking faster than I ever have before believing that if the elevation is flat, I expect to be 40km/h, and I know what it feels like to run a 3:54 pace over 2KM. Now if only I could swim faster!! That's actually improving, and it's more mental than anything else. My technique is okay, but I don't push myself in the water like I do on the bike and am learning to do on the run. I tend to save too much energy in the swim when I should be pulling as hard as I can with my arms. I get lazy and that's when I lose the front of the pack. But it'll come, I feel it. One of these races it'll just click and I'll be exiting with the leaders.
2nd Place AG/5th Overall at Midland Sprint
4th Place AG at Bala Sprint
first sub 4:00 KM (I know it's no 4:00 mile, but it's a big deal for me!)
set a new 1/2 marathon PB by 7:00 @ 1:38, and still feel like I could go faster
broke 32:00 on the line 1 TT course (if it were a wind-less night, I could probably break 31:00 on Golf Course Rd right now)
My recovery from my injury has gone really well, although I do have a lot of pain from time to time, especially the day after a race or long run. I just make sure I ice it and listen to my body. One of the best quotes I've heard states: "Bravery is not the man that trains through pain, bravery is the man that knows when not to train". I'm still stubborn from time to time, but I know the difference between an ache and a pain. When my achilles starts feeling the way it did last February, I shut it down for a few days then slowly rebuild, and that's made all the difference. I used to always run fast and try to hold it, inevitably burning out and slowing down. Now I start fast, but not full out, and I always finish way faster than my opening pace. It's how I've been able to put down the fastest times of my life.
I've also gotten a lot smarter about my nutrition and eating habits. Before I trained to lose weight, but this summer I've been training to build strength and I think that's been the big difference. I feel I'm at the perfect weight for my size and the muscle I have/want to build. I currently bounce from 151 - 156 depending on the day/how much beer I drank the day before (lol). Summer 2009 I trained to drop weight from low 170s to low 160s, and 2010 I trained to drop weight from low 160s to low 150s. I don't really gain winter weight as I'm a pretty good cook, and I make sure that everything that I cook is fresh and homemade (rarely do I order out/go through drive thrus). When I found my weight dipping into the high 140s in late May/early June, I decided to make sure that I eat a full and healthy diet. Knowing my dietary restrictions has helped too. I'm pretty much gluten free now (not because it's the "in" thing to do, but because I can't eat regular bread/pasta without severe stomach pains) which has allowed me to eat before training/races, and I have properly fueled post-workout with a protein shake and berries with vanilla soy.
I've been working on my Ironman build, swimming a lot of long distances slowly to get a feel for spending that much time swimming. Last week I swam a total of 6KM (2700m and 3300m) and felt fine. My running has been coming along as well. My long run next will be 28km, and then after that I'll break 30km which will be the longest I've ever ran. I've been slowly building my marathon to run the Hamilton Marathon as my first 26.2. This slow progress has helped me stay healthy and recover quickly so that I can continue training for my Sprints.
My racing this season has been above and beyond what I expected. I thought I would still be a M.O.P. racer, but the times/speeds/results I've been pulling off has me believing that on any given Sunday, I can put myself on the podium, which I have 2 of the last 5 races, narrowly missing a 3rd place in Bala by seconds. My goal was to AG podium in Wasaga, but I'm gunning for the win now. I know it depends on who registers, but I have the confidence in myself that regardless of who is there, that if I can see them on either the bike or the run, I will catch them. I'm biking faster than I ever have before believing that if the elevation is flat, I expect to be 40km/h, and I know what it feels like to run a 3:54 pace over 2KM. Now if only I could swim faster!! That's actually improving, and it's more mental than anything else. My technique is okay, but I don't push myself in the water like I do on the bike and am learning to do on the run. I tend to save too much energy in the swim when I should be pulling as hard as I can with my arms. I get lazy and that's when I lose the front of the pack. But it'll come, I feel it. One of these races it'll just click and I'll be exiting with the leaders.
Monday, July 25, 2011
2011 Season Mid Report
I have done 4 races so far, and achieved most of the goals that I have set for myself.
At Muskoka, my goal was to go sup 1:15. I missed the goal by :45, by I'm still happy with the result as it was my fastest ever run, and gave me the confidence to feel like I can be a fast runner.
At Huronia, my goal was to bike sub 34, and run sub 22. Bike sub 34 is impossible at that course, as both of your transition times are included in the bike, and it is a 21.5km bike route with a large hill, some minor inclines, and sketchy road surface. I did, however, ride 38:00+, so I'm happy with that. I came close to running a sub 22:00, running a 22:30, again showing that my speed has improved a lot. It was hot and I didn't pace myself properly. I did, however, finish 2nd in my Age Group and 5th Overall!
At Bala, my goal was to run a sub 35:00. I thought it was only a 7km run (got it confused with Orillia), as it turned out to be a 7.5km run. BUT: I did achieve this goal! I ran 34:43, which is crazy for me! This is a hilly course, and I normally see my pace drop significantly as I run up hills, but I was able to maintain a consistent 4:30ish pace. I finished 4th in my Age Group which bummed me because I missed the podium by :38, but I knew I'd have to go 1:44 for a podium (did 1:45:08) and the guy that passed me with 1km to go runs a sub 3:00 marathon, so I'm not complaining!
Next up I have the Barrie Sprint. I have a lot of trouble getting pumped for this race, but hopefully this year is different. My goals are lofty: sub 30:00 bike (I'd have to average over 40km/h on the bike) and/or a sub 20:00 run (have to average sub 4:00 km pace for the run). I think I can do the sub 20:00 if I really push myself, but the bike will be very difficult. If it's dry out though (a first for me racing in Barrie) I can get close.
Cheers, and thanks for reading!
At Muskoka, my goal was to go sup 1:15. I missed the goal by :45, by I'm still happy with the result as it was my fastest ever run, and gave me the confidence to feel like I can be a fast runner.
At Huronia, my goal was to bike sub 34, and run sub 22. Bike sub 34 is impossible at that course, as both of your transition times are included in the bike, and it is a 21.5km bike route with a large hill, some minor inclines, and sketchy road surface. I did, however, ride 38:00+, so I'm happy with that. I came close to running a sub 22:00, running a 22:30, again showing that my speed has improved a lot. It was hot and I didn't pace myself properly. I did, however, finish 2nd in my Age Group and 5th Overall!
At Bala, my goal was to run a sub 35:00. I thought it was only a 7km run (got it confused with Orillia), as it turned out to be a 7.5km run. BUT: I did achieve this goal! I ran 34:43, which is crazy for me! This is a hilly course, and I normally see my pace drop significantly as I run up hills, but I was able to maintain a consistent 4:30ish pace. I finished 4th in my Age Group which bummed me because I missed the podium by :38, but I knew I'd have to go 1:44 for a podium (did 1:45:08) and the guy that passed me with 1km to go runs a sub 3:00 marathon, so I'm not complaining!
Next up I have the Barrie Sprint. I have a lot of trouble getting pumped for this race, but hopefully this year is different. My goals are lofty: sub 30:00 bike (I'd have to average over 40km/h on the bike) and/or a sub 20:00 run (have to average sub 4:00 km pace for the run). I think I can do the sub 20:00 if I really push myself, but the bike will be very difficult. If it's dry out though (a first for me racing in Barrie) I can get close.
Cheers, and thanks for reading!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The Original Point of this Blog
Here's what I wrote two years ago:
Welcome to my (Matt Doucette's) blog. Here I will be keeping you up to date as I work my way towards an Ironman Triathlon. The goal is to have this done by 2012. I'm more of a talker than a writer (and even then, many say I can't talk properly...pathetic for an English teacher!), but I hope to provide a humorous look at my seasons from training to races, goals that I've achieved, or set too high. I don't want to just throw out training stats; I want to be able to let you know what it's like for me as I work to accomplishing my goal: Ironman 2012
I haven't read this post in a while, but I knew what it entailed. The ultimate goal being an Ironman race in 2012. Shoot, guess I should sign up for one. Oh wait, I already did! Next August 19th, 2012 I will be competing in the inaugural Ironman race at the beautiful Mont Tremblant. It's going to be scary, nervous, exhausting, painful, DEATH, but...it's going to be a wonderful experience. The last two years have been such an amazing experience. I have accomplished many firsts, and have improved immensely. Fact: I was faster by 20 minutes from my first ever sprint at Muskoka to this year's Muskoka sprint. I have learned how to push myself to the boundaries, and do what it takes to win. Each race I work on something different in the hopes of making myself a complete triathlete. All in all, I am no longer compliant with just finishing. I'm now trying to win.
Welcome to my (Matt Doucette's) blog. Here I will be keeping you up to date as I work my way towards an Ironman Triathlon. The goal is to have this done by 2012. I'm more of a talker than a writer (and even then, many say I can't talk properly...pathetic for an English teacher!), but I hope to provide a humorous look at my seasons from training to races, goals that I've achieved, or set too high. I don't want to just throw out training stats; I want to be able to let you know what it's like for me as I work to accomplishing my goal: Ironman 2012
I haven't read this post in a while, but I knew what it entailed. The ultimate goal being an Ironman race in 2012. Shoot, guess I should sign up for one. Oh wait, I already did! Next August 19th, 2012 I will be competing in the inaugural Ironman race at the beautiful Mont Tremblant. It's going to be scary, nervous, exhausting, painful, DEATH, but...it's going to be a wonderful experience. The last two years have been such an amazing experience. I have accomplished many firsts, and have improved immensely. Fact: I was faster by 20 minutes from my first ever sprint at Muskoka to this year's Muskoka sprint. I have learned how to push myself to the boundaries, and do what it takes to win. Each race I work on something different in the hopes of making myself a complete triathlete. All in all, I am no longer compliant with just finishing. I'm now trying to win.
It's been awhile...
Haven't posted in awhile, but boy, has a lot happened! Okay, since my last post I:
finished physio, feeling completely healthy, and a new appreciation for my body. I learned the importance of a proper warm up, and that it means nothing if the 1st km is your fastest, it only matters if the last km is your fastest.
began a proper marathon build. Rather than just randomly running a long distance; I now follow the 10% rule. Since it's currently tri season, it's difficult to get a long run in, but on off weeks, you can find me running along Veteran's Dr., and Hwy 27. I've built to a comfortable 18km, with the goal of Hamilton's Road2Hope being my first marathon.
I realized (although I already knew) that pool time does not equal open water time. In the pool I average 1:50, but unfortunately my two races have averaged 2:20.
I have only biked a total of 9 times. Weird because I love the idea of riding, I love my bike, and I love the bike leg in a race, but I can't get out and ride by myself. I need the motivation of others/adrenaline to pass people and show my superiority in the saddle (I know that sounds extremely vain, but I do fancy myself to be a fast cyclist, although realizing I can work harder when I continue to finish 2nd/3rd at the club Time Trials.
I am now a fast runner. I averaged 4:22 at the Muskoka sprint, and the last 2 weeks I have ran at a <4:20 pace at speed work. Hopefully soon I'll be sub 4:00.
My body feels great. The general fatigue from training and pushing myself, but other than that, there is nothing lingering, and nothing to write home about. My season of speed has been great thus far. I did the Guelph Lakes 1 Sprint and finished 8th in my Age Group, which was great because it was the best finish I had had at a Subaru tri, and then followed that up with a 4th Age Group finish at the Muskoka Sprint. I will try to provide more in depth analysis with my blog posts in the future, but all in all, it's been a great start to the season, and it's only going to get better!
my new favorite mantra: "I don't want easy, I just want possible"
finished physio, feeling completely healthy, and a new appreciation for my body. I learned the importance of a proper warm up, and that it means nothing if the 1st km is your fastest, it only matters if the last km is your fastest.
began a proper marathon build. Rather than just randomly running a long distance; I now follow the 10% rule. Since it's currently tri season, it's difficult to get a long run in, but on off weeks, you can find me running along Veteran's Dr., and Hwy 27. I've built to a comfortable 18km, with the goal of Hamilton's Road2Hope being my first marathon.
I realized (although I already knew) that pool time does not equal open water time. In the pool I average 1:50, but unfortunately my two races have averaged 2:20.
I have only biked a total of 9 times. Weird because I love the idea of riding, I love my bike, and I love the bike leg in a race, but I can't get out and ride by myself. I need the motivation of others/adrenaline to pass people and show my superiority in the saddle (I know that sounds extremely vain, but I do fancy myself to be a fast cyclist, although realizing I can work harder when I continue to finish 2nd/3rd at the club Time Trials.
I am now a fast runner. I averaged 4:22 at the Muskoka sprint, and the last 2 weeks I have ran at a <4:20 pace at speed work. Hopefully soon I'll be sub 4:00.
My body feels great. The general fatigue from training and pushing myself, but other than that, there is nothing lingering, and nothing to write home about. My season of speed has been great thus far. I did the Guelph Lakes 1 Sprint and finished 8th in my Age Group, which was great because it was the best finish I had had at a Subaru tri, and then followed that up with a 4th Age Group finish at the Muskoka Sprint. I will try to provide more in depth analysis with my blog posts in the future, but all in all, it's been a great start to the season, and it's only going to get better!
my new favorite mantra: "I don't want easy, I just want possible"
Monday, March 28, 2011
Around The Bay 2011
As some of you may or may not know, I have been suffering from an Achilles injury the last month-ish. Really, it all started in my right leg last June when Plantar Fasciitis set in, then during Muskoka 70.3 when my achilles and knee began to hurt on the bike course, and 2 weeks after that, my piriformis tightened up while running Scotiabank Waterfront Half. The pain never went away despite the rest, and now I'm in physio 2 - 3 times a week wondering about my season.
Anyways, this past weekend was Around the Bay. I wanted to do this race for the sense of accomplishment. It is counter-productive for my speed goals, but it's an historic race that a lot of Baydogs have raved about. Plus, they have really nice shirts! I was very skeptical, almost fearful, of what would happen to my achilles. I started out with a 10:1 strategy. I have found that this strategy works best for me, especially with the half marathons. Where it foils me is when I look at my pace average right after a walk, so I run too fast to improve the average. Again, I tend to think counter-productively even in races.
All the hype/talk of me running this race on no training, a bum achilles, people questioning my sanity for running this race injured, and my own worries about what would happen if my achilles did "pop", lead me to have some not so pleasant thoughts. I was grumpy, snappy, scared in the days leading up. I couldn't help but wonder 'should I do this?'. I assured myself that if I was ever in doubt of my physical well-being while running the race I would just stop and walk. But, my competitive side questioned, is that really racing?
I went into this race with the mind set that this would be the longest distance I have ever ran, and that no matter what, it will be an accomplishment. I assured myself that I would be okay, and that no matter what happens, I will have fun. I started off with a light warm up trot where my achilles immediately started hurting. Not exactly the thing you want to feel before you've even started. This had me worried, but I just shrugged it off and decided to drop back in the corral. The gun went, and 4 minutes later I crossed the timing mat. As I started to run, the achilles loosened up and the pain went away. I felt great as I was able to stretch my legs out and run at a good pace. One problem: racer Matt had taken over my psyche pushing Cautionary Matt to the back burner. This would prove troublesome for me physically during the more demanding section of the race.
I was moving along quite well, little to no pain in any of my trouble areas, sticking to my 10:1 strategy, and watching the seconds tick off my pace avg and imagining how awesome it would be to obliterate my time goal by NOT training and suffering an injury! I was on top of the world! I would run behind people to get paced/block the wind, seamlessly move through packs, I felt fantastic! Little did I know that all this would add up to pay a price later on, as my legs were slowly deteriorating.
A little thing starts to happen to your mind while you're feeling good in a race. You start to imagine the ending, without visualizing the process. You dream of crossing that finish line with your low personal best flashing in bright lights above you, smile beaming, friends clapping and patting you on the back. The reality is, that if you can't visualize the process, all those images can vanish, and leave you feeling defeated. Sure people will congratulate you, but you yourself may feel as though you let yourself down.
As the race progressed, I began to think that I was going too fast, and that I needed to start pacing myself so that I could finish strong. Unfortunately I was too busy Garmin watching to realize how the pain had started up again in my achilles, a new pain was starting in the ball of my foot, and my knee cap was tender. I periodically took longer walking breaks, which meant that my joints were tightening up, and restarting became more difficult.
The mind does funny things in the middle of a race when fatigue and pain sets in. It is at this point that I feel the mental training and drawing upon past experiences really helps. I re-evaluated my goals for the day: finish, get my medal, and set a time to obliterate next year. I knew that I would be slow, so I couldn't let myself be disappointed with the drop in pace.
I walked up the first hill, and decided that I would make it my goal to run up all the hills...even if it meant an extended walk at the top. The pain in my right leg made it impossible to push off on climbs, so I literally limped up the hills with a fast cadence, using my left leg to push off as strong as I could (that would prove to be ill-advised as today my left leg is hurting more than usual!). My physiotherapist told me about this one big hill: "you'll go down a hill, turn a corner, cross a bridge, and then climb a very big hill". Well, I went down a hill, THOUGHT I crossed a bridge (I saw guard rails), and climbed what "felt" like a big hill. It wasn't until I was hobbling down a steep decent that I realized I was entering a valley. I looked across and sure enough, there was the hill my physio was talking about.
Sometimes, it is the goals within a race that make that day successful. By setting myself the little goal of climbing the hills, I felt I was able to be successful. Hills have always been my achilles (no pun intended), so as I began the ascent in my hobbled state, I was determined to not allow myself to walk. The pain wasn't worsening, but it wasn't getting any better, and I knew when I got to the top it would be a flat finish, and I can walk flat.
I slowly limped my way up the hill, and was pleased to see the last turn of the race. Home free! By this point though, the pain had become quite unbearable when I ran. The fatigue, lack of training, pre-existing injuries, and never before done distances had taken their toll. It was at this point that I decided that my race wasn't going to be defined by my time. It would be defined by my will to finish. I walked a lot those last few kilometres. I was still Garmin watching, wondering what time I could get if I could start running and hold even a 7:00 pace...I could easily finish below my goal of 3:00. The thing is, running really slow is more painful than walking fast, and the pain was too muc to bear. I decided walking was in my best interest. I felt good and strong mentally and did not feel tired except for my legs.
It's tough when you've always felt like an underdog and want to do the best at everything you do as a big "FU" to the people that teased you when you were younger or picked you last when playing sports at recess. I fought my way through a lot of the pain those last few hundred meters, and as I could see the final turn into Copps Coliseum I started running, knowing that the finish was near. I painfully descended the ramp into the arena, and ran down the lane to the finish line. The finish felt great as I stepped on the timing mat, turned off my garmin, and stared at the time - 3:00:55. At the time, it was bittersweet. Yes I had finished Around The Bay, the longest run I had ever done, and I did beat my time by 5 seconds. But I felt as though I gave up those last 8KM, and as a competitor, that's tough to get over.
As I've moved on and reflected on my race over the last 24 hours, talking to friends on facebook, or friends at school that are runners or will be running their first marathons this spring, I'm beginning to think more positively about my race. I am proud of my finish, proud of the heart and guts that I put into my race, proud that I was able to mentally keep myself in check, but most of all, I am proud that I finished. And that, is a victory all in itself.
The one lasting impression that I have with this race, and my whole racing experience as a whole, is that it's a sense of accomplishment. It's great to be competitive inside your little bubble of competitive people, but it's amazing how people that are not in that bubble are so in awe of your personal accomplishments. And THAT'S what I need to focus on in these types of races where I'm going for firsts and not worrying about times. The fact that so many people are afraid to do what I did, and that's what makes me a champion...not what some timing chip say.
Anyways, this past weekend was Around the Bay. I wanted to do this race for the sense of accomplishment. It is counter-productive for my speed goals, but it's an historic race that a lot of Baydogs have raved about. Plus, they have really nice shirts! I was very skeptical, almost fearful, of what would happen to my achilles. I started out with a 10:1 strategy. I have found that this strategy works best for me, especially with the half marathons. Where it foils me is when I look at my pace average right after a walk, so I run too fast to improve the average. Again, I tend to think counter-productively even in races.
All the hype/talk of me running this race on no training, a bum achilles, people questioning my sanity for running this race injured, and my own worries about what would happen if my achilles did "pop", lead me to have some not so pleasant thoughts. I was grumpy, snappy, scared in the days leading up. I couldn't help but wonder 'should I do this?'. I assured myself that if I was ever in doubt of my physical well-being while running the race I would just stop and walk. But, my competitive side questioned, is that really racing?
I went into this race with the mind set that this would be the longest distance I have ever ran, and that no matter what, it will be an accomplishment. I assured myself that I would be okay, and that no matter what happens, I will have fun. I started off with a light warm up trot where my achilles immediately started hurting. Not exactly the thing you want to feel before you've even started. This had me worried, but I just shrugged it off and decided to drop back in the corral. The gun went, and 4 minutes later I crossed the timing mat. As I started to run, the achilles loosened up and the pain went away. I felt great as I was able to stretch my legs out and run at a good pace. One problem: racer Matt had taken over my psyche pushing Cautionary Matt to the back burner. This would prove troublesome for me physically during the more demanding section of the race.
I was moving along quite well, little to no pain in any of my trouble areas, sticking to my 10:1 strategy, and watching the seconds tick off my pace avg and imagining how awesome it would be to obliterate my time goal by NOT training and suffering an injury! I was on top of the world! I would run behind people to get paced/block the wind, seamlessly move through packs, I felt fantastic! Little did I know that all this would add up to pay a price later on, as my legs were slowly deteriorating.
A little thing starts to happen to your mind while you're feeling good in a race. You start to imagine the ending, without visualizing the process. You dream of crossing that finish line with your low personal best flashing in bright lights above you, smile beaming, friends clapping and patting you on the back. The reality is, that if you can't visualize the process, all those images can vanish, and leave you feeling defeated. Sure people will congratulate you, but you yourself may feel as though you let yourself down.
As the race progressed, I began to think that I was going too fast, and that I needed to start pacing myself so that I could finish strong. Unfortunately I was too busy Garmin watching to realize how the pain had started up again in my achilles, a new pain was starting in the ball of my foot, and my knee cap was tender. I periodically took longer walking breaks, which meant that my joints were tightening up, and restarting became more difficult.
The mind does funny things in the middle of a race when fatigue and pain sets in. It is at this point that I feel the mental training and drawing upon past experiences really helps. I re-evaluated my goals for the day: finish, get my medal, and set a time to obliterate next year. I knew that I would be slow, so I couldn't let myself be disappointed with the drop in pace.
I walked up the first hill, and decided that I would make it my goal to run up all the hills...even if it meant an extended walk at the top. The pain in my right leg made it impossible to push off on climbs, so I literally limped up the hills with a fast cadence, using my left leg to push off as strong as I could (that would prove to be ill-advised as today my left leg is hurting more than usual!). My physiotherapist told me about this one big hill: "you'll go down a hill, turn a corner, cross a bridge, and then climb a very big hill". Well, I went down a hill, THOUGHT I crossed a bridge (I saw guard rails), and climbed what "felt" like a big hill. It wasn't until I was hobbling down a steep decent that I realized I was entering a valley. I looked across and sure enough, there was the hill my physio was talking about.
Sometimes, it is the goals within a race that make that day successful. By setting myself the little goal of climbing the hills, I felt I was able to be successful. Hills have always been my achilles (no pun intended), so as I began the ascent in my hobbled state, I was determined to not allow myself to walk. The pain wasn't worsening, but it wasn't getting any better, and I knew when I got to the top it would be a flat finish, and I can walk flat.
I slowly limped my way up the hill, and was pleased to see the last turn of the race. Home free! By this point though, the pain had become quite unbearable when I ran. The fatigue, lack of training, pre-existing injuries, and never before done distances had taken their toll. It was at this point that I decided that my race wasn't going to be defined by my time. It would be defined by my will to finish. I walked a lot those last few kilometres. I was still Garmin watching, wondering what time I could get if I could start running and hold even a 7:00 pace...I could easily finish below my goal of 3:00. The thing is, running really slow is more painful than walking fast, and the pain was too muc to bear. I decided walking was in my best interest. I felt good and strong mentally and did not feel tired except for my legs.
It's tough when you've always felt like an underdog and want to do the best at everything you do as a big "FU" to the people that teased you when you were younger or picked you last when playing sports at recess. I fought my way through a lot of the pain those last few hundred meters, and as I could see the final turn into Copps Coliseum I started running, knowing that the finish was near. I painfully descended the ramp into the arena, and ran down the lane to the finish line. The finish felt great as I stepped on the timing mat, turned off my garmin, and stared at the time - 3:00:55. At the time, it was bittersweet. Yes I had finished Around The Bay, the longest run I had ever done, and I did beat my time by 5 seconds. But I felt as though I gave up those last 8KM, and as a competitor, that's tough to get over.
As I've moved on and reflected on my race over the last 24 hours, talking to friends on facebook, or friends at school that are runners or will be running their first marathons this spring, I'm beginning to think more positively about my race. I am proud of my finish, proud of the heart and guts that I put into my race, proud that I was able to mentally keep myself in check, but most of all, I am proud that I finished. And that, is a victory all in itself.
The one lasting impression that I have with this race, and my whole racing experience as a whole, is that it's a sense of accomplishment. It's great to be competitive inside your little bubble of competitive people, but it's amazing how people that are not in that bubble are so in awe of your personal accomplishments. And THAT'S what I need to focus on in these types of races where I'm going for firsts and not worrying about times. The fact that so many people are afraid to do what I did, and that's what makes me a champion...not what some timing chip say.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Injuries, Off-Seasons, and Seasonal Goals
Soooooo, it's been a while since I posted something on here. Last time I was all about the goals that I had set out for myself. The training had been going well. I had been doing about 2 or 3 bricks a week, not pushing my run as fast as I want it to be in the season, but building a base so that when I get outside I can put the hammer down. Then, I remembered that I had that pesky 'Around the Bay' race coming up so I spontaneously ran 20km at a ridiculously slow 6:00 pace with breaks to get me ready. Then, I did the speed work 2 days after. Then, I felt a great deal of pain in my achilles. I have been dealing with a lot of pain in my right leg for almost a year. A lot of my runs have had to be offset by a day of rest (I've never been able to run 2 days in a row without issues). A lot of thoughts went through my head regarding this pain. Tear, partial tear, on the verge of tearing, is my season in jeopardy, wtf is happening, etc. When you get a pain in a region that is notorious for serious/long term pain, it effs with your mind. And that's what happened.
I started physio this week, and it's been great. My physio is an athlete like myself. She's trying to qualify for Boston and wants to do a half ironman this year. I like having people help me that know what I'm dealing with. That's what I like about my chiropractor. She was highly ranked in the Women's Hockey Program (she was a linemate of Cassie Campbell) and knows what it takes to be an athlete at a high level. Now I have a physio who is helping me get healthy and achieve my goals. Moving into the future, I think I'm going to need a team of people like this that are going to help me be the athlete that I want to be.
All that being said, once I get over this little hiccup of the injury, I should be back on track. I'm looking forward to my season. It's all about the speed, but I may end up doing Muskoka 70.3 again because this could be the last year it is run. it's the weekend of Wasaga, meaning I would miss out on an opportunity to podium (a lot of that opportunity was due to the race being run at the same time as Muskoka), but it would be worth it because Tanya would be running it with me, and it would be her first 70.3. Anyways, the training has been going well, despite the current pain/discomfort. My swim pace has increased to under 2:00. My run pace is in the mid 4:30s and should be around 4:20 in the warm weather, and my cycling on the spinner is 3km/h faster than it was last year. The schedule is still the same. I may add the Guelph Lakes I sprint or try-a-tri because it is the club championships and I want to help the Baydogs finish first (I'll probably do the sprint because last year I had a shitty bike and an even worse run...so I want to kick it's ass this year). Hopefully the weather prognosticators are wrong and we don't have 3 more months of cold weather. Last year was soooo nice being able to swim in the lake on Victoria Day weekend!
Anyways, that's it for now. Happy training, and see you in transition!
I started physio this week, and it's been great. My physio is an athlete like myself. She's trying to qualify for Boston and wants to do a half ironman this year. I like having people help me that know what I'm dealing with. That's what I like about my chiropractor. She was highly ranked in the Women's Hockey Program (she was a linemate of Cassie Campbell) and knows what it takes to be an athlete at a high level. Now I have a physio who is helping me get healthy and achieve my goals. Moving into the future, I think I'm going to need a team of people like this that are going to help me be the athlete that I want to be.
All that being said, once I get over this little hiccup of the injury, I should be back on track. I'm looking forward to my season. It's all about the speed, but I may end up doing Muskoka 70.3 again because this could be the last year it is run. it's the weekend of Wasaga, meaning I would miss out on an opportunity to podium (a lot of that opportunity was due to the race being run at the same time as Muskoka), but it would be worth it because Tanya would be running it with me, and it would be her first 70.3. Anyways, the training has been going well, despite the current pain/discomfort. My swim pace has increased to under 2:00. My run pace is in the mid 4:30s and should be around 4:20 in the warm weather, and my cycling on the spinner is 3km/h faster than it was last year. The schedule is still the same. I may add the Guelph Lakes I sprint or try-a-tri because it is the club championships and I want to help the Baydogs finish first (I'll probably do the sprint because last year I had a shitty bike and an even worse run...so I want to kick it's ass this year). Hopefully the weather prognosticators are wrong and we don't have 3 more months of cold weather. Last year was soooo nice being able to swim in the lake on Victoria Day weekend!
Anyways, that's it for now. Happy training, and see you in transition!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2011 Goals
So as stated in my last post, I'm going to begin my training this week for what should be an eventful season. A lot of the things I have read say don't make the podium a goal because you don't know who else is going to be racing that day...that your goals should be oriented towards your own personal experiences in the race, and for the most part my goals are just like that, with the exception of Wasaga. I REALLY want to podium at Wasaga.
I'm 'starting' the season at the end of March when I run the "Around the Bay" 30KM road race in Hamilton. I'm not heading out to 'race' this race, but just have fun and see what kind of time I can get over 30km so that I have a goal in mind when I do my first marathon
The 6 sprints that I'm planning to do and their coinciding goals are as follows:
June 25 - Muskoka Sprint/go sub 1:15 for the course: this was my first ever sprint triathlon in 2009. It was fun and a great achievement, but I want to improve my finishing time of 1:35:20. Because I'm only focussing on sprints this off-season, and I will be going into my 3rd racing season, I'm hoping to be faster in all 3 disciplines at this race by over 20:00.
July 10 - Huronia Sprint/go sub 35:00 on the bike and sub 22:00 on the run: this was my second ever sprint in 2009. My swim improved immensely, but it wasn't until I got into the TT groove that I really felt strong on the bike. Plus, I hadn't started Kevin's speed work at that point. My 2009 bike was 43:16 and run was 24:36, so improvements can be made, especially on the bike.
July 24 - Bala Falls/go sub 35:00 on the run: I had a horrible run when I first did this race in 2009. I ran a 5:35 split, and even though it was my first season racing and I didn't know what to expect from the course, and despite how incredibly hilly it was, I still felt that I could have done better. I plan on implementing hills into my training so that I can be faster at races like Bala Falls.
Aug 7 - Barrie Sprint/go 30:00 on the bike & sub 20:00: The morning of, I didn't really want to do this race in 2010. Yet again it was raining and cold. I didn't have any adrenaline whatsoever until the run when I felt like I wanted to race. I had my best ever run (4:14 split), but my TT times suggest I should have been A LOT faster on the bike (34:42) despite all the hairpins. I think I can go sub 2o:00 on the run, and be close to 30:00 on the bike. Maybe not both, but one or the other.
Aug 21 - Orillia Sprint/go sub 1:45:00 for the course: last year I improved 6 minutes from my 2009 time, and although I was close to breaking the 1:50 mark (1:50:51), I knew I'd have to have a perfect day to break 1:50. With a focus on speed this year, and (hopefully) dry conditions, I can go sub 1:45.
Sept 10 - Wasaga Sprint/finish top 3 in my age group: They say you shouldn't make this a goal because you don't know who will be registered, but in 2009 (1:20:53) when I ran the course for the first time, I was 2:00 out of 3rd with getting blocked on the bike course, a poor run, and forgetting where my rack was in transition after the bike. In 2010 I didn't run Wasaga because I was doing Muskoka 70.3 (same weekend as Wasaga, which also makes me think I can place due to potential dilution of talent), but my 2009 time had me on the podium in 3rd place by 1 second. In 2011, I expect to be faster on the bike (sub 33:00) and faster on the run (sub 22:00). This 5 minute improvement would have put me in 1st place in 2009 & 2010, therefore it is not farfetched to set a podium placement as my goal. Wasaga is fairly flat, so an increase in time by 5 minutes can be achieved.
You may have noticed that I didn't include any swimming goals for these races. I do not have any time goals for my swims, but my goal for the whole season is to be more aggressive in the water. You don't podium by walking in after the horn and letting everyone go ahead. I'll never forget the Orillia swim start when talking to Lloyd Smith until the starter said 10sec, and he went into a zone then sprinted into the water on the horn. So my goal for the swim is to be a lot more aggressive for the first 50 - 100m, and then swim at a comfortable pace, while finishing the last 50-100m strong. This will help me with my overall swim, but I don't know what sort of times to expect due to fatigue, and the fact that being more aggressive myself means being with more aggressive people and problems could arise.
So there it is, in "writing". They say nothing can be erased from the internet, so once I hit post, I'm held to this! Hopefully I can achieve most of these goals. I don't think they are too farfetched based on the times I was putting together near the end of this year in the 2 sprints I did, the strength I've shown in TTs which is no longer a flat course (although the head wind was killer on Golf Course Road), and the effort I plan to put in with Kevin's speed work (I will be attending a couple in January and then again near the end of February because of ski coaching obligations). I'm keeping it simple this year race wise and training wise because in 2012 I want to do Ironman Lake Placid, so because of the time commitment that will be, I want to enjoy 2011 while still achieving these accomplishments.
2011 preparation
I've slowly been working on a training plan for the 2011 season. I've had my racing schedule set for a couple of months now, but I'm just starting to put pen-to-paper to figure out how I'm going to get that done. I've been doing little to no triathlon training for the last 5 weeks. I've been doing some Hatha yoga and strength training in the gym, but that has been for my general well-being instead of trying to improve triathlon performance. The reason for the break was because I never really took a break from the 2010 season. I took 2 weeks off, but I was still so stoked to continue training that I never did let my body rest. It wasn't until I started doing some running workouts sprinting up hill (hills are not my friends, which is why Bala Falls and Gravenhurst have been 2 of my worst races from a running standpoint) to improve my achilles heel, which is what ended up hurting my achilles heel (oh the ironing is delicious!). The pain in my heel crept up to my knee, which crept up to my piriformis. All these pains started during Muskoka 70.3, but weren't really felt until the Scotiabank 1/2 marathon, and I never really tried to heal them. Now, the achilles feels good, the piriformis feels good, but the knee still gives me problems. The sidewalks do not get cleared very well by my house, so each step has been perilous, and the muscles in my already weakened leg have paid the price for daily walks with Kermit.
So, that lead me to taking the last 5 weeks off from any swimming, biking, running. I must say, I rather enjoy this whole not training thing. Especially during the holidays. It serves to gain some much needed weight, gives the body a rest to see family and friends, but also provides the urgency and salivation to get out there and train. I've never followed a plan before, I've just sort of swam when I felt like swimming, biked when I felt like biking (except for the Tuesday Time Trials and spring time Saturday long rides), and running when I felt like running (except for the casual club run, and when I get the guts to take part in Kevin's speed workout). Tanya bought "the Triathlete's Training Bible" last summer (which I usurped), and I've been perusing their 'how to plan' chapter to get ideas on how to create a workout plan that I can follow without over burdening myself. I do not like to follow schedules like this. I am not a long term thinker when I'm doing things by myself because I will easily quit. The good thing about this plan is that I'm going to be creating it on a week-by-week basis. I don't know what life is going to have in store for me in April on Tuesday night at 7:15, so how can I plan a workout for that time slot? I'm going to map out my training phases, figure out an hourly schedule that will push me, but also leave me with time to have a life. That can only be done if I plan each week as the weeks go by. That's how I've always done it anyways, except in my head. Putting it on paper won't mean anything because if no one sees it and can hold me accountable, then it's easy to quit. That's why I'm going to be updating this blog on my workouts, and tweeting when/what I'll be training so that I feel a sense of responsibility. Even if no one reads it, it's still out there.
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