We've jumped into June and it still feels like April with our cold and windy weather! The training for Ironman Racine 70.3 is going well and Team Motiv8 has had a successful first few weeks of racing.
Craig Weaver and Family wrapped up the Curwood Half Marathon in style! Craig took 2nd in his Age Group at the Half Marathon distance. Craig's wife, Susan, took first in her Age Group at the 5k distance and son, Ryan, took first in his Age Group at the 10k distance. This absolutely shows the underlying reason that Team Motiv8 exists; to help encourage families to be active together!
I raced the Hawk Island Triathlon and the Motor City Triathlon. At Hawk Island (400m, 10mi, 5k) I raced well but I wasn't as fast as I hoped to be. In fact, I was about 20 seconds slower than I was last year. Unfortunately I was about 2 min 30sec out of contentions for an Overall finish; in a sprint distance triathlon that is a fairly big time gap! I had the disadvantage of working my normal shift (24 hours at the fire department) the day before the race. So I got off from work at 7am and went straight to the race. But I finished in 1h 2min with a 2min/100 swim, 21mph avg on the bike and a 7:10/mi paced run. A good friend, Adam, did race very well taking a 3rd place OA finish and setting a new PR at that course!
Last Sunday at the Motor City Triathlon (500m, 12mi, 3.44mi) I raced very well! I set a huge personal best in swimming! I placed 6th Overall and 1st in my Age Group by over 7 minutes. I was still about 2 minutes away from a Podium Overall placement, but I am very satisfied with the performance! My swim averaged a 1min/100, biked 22 mph and runs were paced sub 7min/mi. My biggest advantage came in the swim where we had the help of a 3-4 mph current in the Detroit River - we swam mostly with the current and I used my full wetsuit as the water was a little chilly. What I find rewarding is that even if I would have experienced my "normal" swim, I still would have placed first in my Age Group. My bike split was very good and also a race PR for speed. My run followed suit where I raced a sub 7min/mi for the first time in a triathlon.
This past week was my Peak Week in the Periodization Training Plan for Racine. So my volume was huge and the speedwork on the run was intense. I hit a big benchmark in speed training on the run and completed a new 1 Mile Best Effort Run in 5m42s. I feel like the past 4 years of training and planning and analyzing data are finally paying off. While my overall training volume is much lower this year than last year, I have trained much more intentionally and spent a lot of time working on form, both in the water and on the run. Perhaps later this year I'll be able to bring my biking up and show a big break to hit avg speeds of 24mph.
Racine weighs heavy on my mind every day. I've looking back at race data from last year and trying out more specific nutritional planning. While I raced well at Racine last year, I know that my nutrition was low on a caloric base and I wasn't properly conditioned for the run. I cramped up on the run last year, partly due to nutrition/hydration and partly due to a storm that left the run course brutally hot and humid. Tuesday I will complete my final long distance bike/run session being a full distance brick session. From there I am only about 3 weeks away from Racine and will wrap up the Peak Training Plan and start my Taper.
After Racine I plan to enjoy the rest of the season with another 70.3 in September for fun, a local triathlon, a marathon and wrap up the year with the largest single mountain biking race in America - the Iceman.
I have to send out a big "Thank You!" to my family and friends who have helped me with training (support and encouragement, watching the girls and so much more). Becky has always been my biggest supporter! Marsha at Escapes Spa Therapeutic Massage, Fluid and Trinity Multisports continue to be very supportive sponsors -- You owe it to yourself to be treated the way I have been by visiting them! (Marsha even has a special offer for first time customers if you mention Team Motiv8) Please do mention Team Motiv8 when you visit or purchase from these sponsors - we get NO kickback from them when you utilize them, but they do like to hear that we are promoting them.
On the personal training front: I have set up a training studio in the PKSA Karate Saint Johns location (this link will take you to their Facebook page - please go 'Like' them. I hope to start building a solid client base in the St Johns area and still plan to meet others for sessions. I look forward with great expectations to this next month! Come out and swim, bike and run with me!
Showing posts with label Triathlon Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Triathlon Training. Show all posts
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Game Time!
It's game time. Well, not time to race, but time to train. 20 Weeks until Racine! My racing plans have taken a definitive shape. Here's the list:
4/02 Martian Marathon (Not set in stone yet)
6/05 Hawk Island Tri - Sprint
6/12 Motor City Tri - Olympic
7/17 Ironman Racine 70.3
7/30 Warrior Dash MI
8/07 Lansing Legislator - Sprint or Olympic
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon
11/05 Iceman MTB Race - 27 Miles of Pain!!
6/05 Hawk Island Tri - Sprint
6/12 Motor City Tri - Olympic
7/17 Ironman Racine 70.3
7/30 Warrior Dash MI
8/07 Lansing Legislator - Sprint or Olympic
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon
11/05 Iceman MTB Race - 27 Miles of Pain!!
To summarize my off season: October left me spent. Grand Rapids Marathon was a great race, but I was secretly glad the season was done. I had hopes to run an ultra marathon, but I needed the rest. I decided to take December easy, January came quick and I emphasized strength training and stretching. I did low volume running and no swimming. February proved to be a challenge to get back into the groove of training. Many times I had to really make a mental push to get in the workouts.
Warm weather is close, here in Michigan, and everyday we see more sunlight earlier in the morning. I'm ready to go, I'm chompin' at the bit!
I've registered for the Iceman Cometh mountain bike race. This was my 3rd year thinking about the race, but every year it sells out within hours of opening registration. This year I got in, the race sold out in 5 hours with 3700 participants. I'm pretty excited about this race.
Becky and I will be running the Warrior Dash just after Racine. I'm excited about this one too, it'll be my first adventure race and it will be super fun to run it with Becky!! Some good friends ran it last year and came back with stories and pictures that you wouldn't believe, I'm stoked to run this one!
Team Motiv8 is well under way! We're nailing down our sponsors and creating our tri training classes. We are also readying our childrens programs. I can't wait to get in with the kids and talk to them about the importance of making healthy nutritional choices and to encourage them to play (like kids should do). What a great opportunity that we have! Check out our website at Team-Motiv8.com We'd love for you to join us and run with us across the finish line. Watch for us at local races and stop by our tent before and after the event! There will be good stuff happening at our tent!
As always, thank you to my girls! Becky, Anna and Sophia - you ARE my world! You inspire me to be a better person every day.
February Totals:
| Bike: | 10h 29m 48s - 161.55 Mi | |
| Run: | 9h 31m 10s - 53.5 Mi | |
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The Year in Review: 2010
2010: What a great year!
I've been able to complete a few things this last year that I've been working towards for a while. Over the course of the year I exceeded each of the goals I set for myself. 2 of my biggest race goals were to run a marathon and complete a Half Ironman. Both went very well and were a big step up in 'The Plan'
Annual Swim/Bike/Run goals were met, though my run totals could have been much higher if I would have kept running through the end of the year. But again, my foot needed the rest and I think my mind needed it too - thus, the Off Season.
In 2011 my biking mileage will probably be about the same but I plan to do a bit more work on speed. My average race speeds are currently about 21mph and I'd like to be about 24mph for Racine. For my run goal I would like to shoot for 1000 miles in 2011. It's a huge step up, but based on my peaking from last year, I think it would be a good goal. I always need to improve my swimming so I'm not setting a specific goal for swimming. Yes, it is my biggest limiter and needs the most work, so if I could swim even 10-20 seconds faster (per 100m) I would consider that a pretty big success.
Strength training will need to be increased quite a bit. I've been fairly consistent the last 2-3 years in total volume for strength training, but in order to improve my overall speeds, I'll need to gain more power early this year. I've been on a kettlebell routine that will surely help me improve all around. I'll be working on basic calisthenics (like push ups, sit ups, pull ups and squats - body weight stuff). I've always liked the basics and enjoy the Navy SEALs workout programs. I've also looked at the newer things from books like "Convict Conditioning" - all body weight things... you know, everything you'll need to be able to do to prove yourself strong in the prison system!
I did learn quite a bit of valuable information from the MSU study that I was a part of. A big key is the total volume of aerobic activity that I need to be doing. A LOT! And along with that I am learning the importance of more frequent high intensity drills and circuit style training.
Lot's of things to incorporate in this years training program. I'm excited to start the new plan. My Racine plan will start in mid-February. While I haven't pinned down the exact race plans for the year, here's the list of events that I'd like to consider:
4/02 Martian Marathon
5/01 Steelcase Du
6/05 Hawk Island Tri
6/12 Motor City Tri Oly
7/17 IM Racine 70.3
7/30 Warrior Dash MI
8/07 Lansing Legislator Oly
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3
9/24 DWD 50k
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon
As always, THANK YOU to my family and friends for your support over this past year. My girls are my biggest supporters.
Fluid continues to be a huge part of my training and racing as a sponsor! Thank you Rich and Dave and to the whole rest of the Fluid crew. Give Fluid a try sometime and you'll find the best available recovery drink mix of electrolytes, protein and glutamine! For those who like the typical post workout protein shake, try the new Fluid flavor: Chocolate!
Team Motiv8 is underway. If you'd like see how you can get on board with our team, send me an email at JHag@Team-Motiv8.com We continue to look for sponsors who want to come on board and help us take the message of the importance of making fitness part of a child's everyday life! As part of that, adults need to be proactive WITH their children. If you are interested in completing your first triathlon - let me know. We will be putting on a First Time Tri training program that will lead up to the Hawk Island Triathlon in Lansing, MI. We will cover all of the basics that a "Noob" will need to know in order to successfully complete a sprint distance triathlon.
Bring on 2011!!!
I've been able to complete a few things this last year that I've been working towards for a while. Over the course of the year I exceeded each of the goals I set for myself. 2 of my biggest race goals were to run a marathon and complete a Half Ironman. Both went very well and were a big step up in 'The Plan'
Annual Swim/Bike/Run goals were met, though my run totals could have been much higher if I would have kept running through the end of the year. But again, my foot needed the rest and I think my mind needed it too - thus, the Off Season.
| 2010 totals | ||
| Bike: | 2098 Miles | |
| Run: | 702 Miles | |
| Swim: | 31 Hours | |
| Strength: | 16 Hours | |
| Other Exercise/Stretching: | 55 Hours | |
In 2011 my biking mileage will probably be about the same but I plan to do a bit more work on speed. My average race speeds are currently about 21mph and I'd like to be about 24mph for Racine. For my run goal I would like to shoot for 1000 miles in 2011. It's a huge step up, but based on my peaking from last year, I think it would be a good goal. I always need to improve my swimming so I'm not setting a specific goal for swimming. Yes, it is my biggest limiter and needs the most work, so if I could swim even 10-20 seconds faster (per 100m) I would consider that a pretty big success.
Strength training will need to be increased quite a bit. I've been fairly consistent the last 2-3 years in total volume for strength training, but in order to improve my overall speeds, I'll need to gain more power early this year. I've been on a kettlebell routine that will surely help me improve all around. I'll be working on basic calisthenics (like push ups, sit ups, pull ups and squats - body weight stuff). I've always liked the basics and enjoy the Navy SEALs workout programs. I've also looked at the newer things from books like "Convict Conditioning" - all body weight things... you know, everything you'll need to be able to do to prove yourself strong in the prison system!
I did learn quite a bit of valuable information from the MSU study that I was a part of. A big key is the total volume of aerobic activity that I need to be doing. A LOT! And along with that I am learning the importance of more frequent high intensity drills and circuit style training.
Lot's of things to incorporate in this years training program. I'm excited to start the new plan. My Racine plan will start in mid-February. While I haven't pinned down the exact race plans for the year, here's the list of events that I'd like to consider:
4/02 Martian Marathon
5/01 Steelcase Du
6/05 Hawk Island Tri
6/12 Motor City Tri Oly
7/17 IM Racine 70.3
7/30 Warrior Dash MI
8/07 Lansing Legislator Oly
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3
9/24 DWD 50k
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon
As always, THANK YOU to my family and friends for your support over this past year. My girls are my biggest supporters.
Fluid continues to be a huge part of my training and racing as a sponsor! Thank you Rich and Dave and to the whole rest of the Fluid crew. Give Fluid a try sometime and you'll find the best available recovery drink mix of electrolytes, protein and glutamine! For those who like the typical post workout protein shake, try the new Fluid flavor: Chocolate!
Team Motiv8 is underway. If you'd like see how you can get on board with our team, send me an email at JHag@Team-Motiv8.com We continue to look for sponsors who want to come on board and help us take the message of the importance of making fitness part of a child's everyday life! As part of that, adults need to be proactive WITH their children. If you are interested in completing your first triathlon - let me know. We will be putting on a First Time Tri training program that will lead up to the Hawk Island Triathlon in Lansing, MI. We will cover all of the basics that a "Noob" will need to know in order to successfully complete a sprint distance triathlon.
Bring on 2011!!!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Oops, Where Did October and November Go?
Another great aspect to this race was that Becky and a few of her coworkers also ran the marathon as a relay. Becky ran a leg longer than she has ever ran in a race before. She did great and said that she felt great during the run.
Since the GR Mary I took a 2 week time of minimal training in order to recover. I had hoped to run an Ultra Marathon in middle December but I opted to let my body rest and to take care of a small nagging injury to my right foot. November became a month of rest. I didn't plan to take the month off, but as time progressed it was a nice break. Over the last 2 years I have taken November off to recover. So not a big deal.
This month I will be starting my new training plan back up. December and January are prep months - basically a way for me to get back into a regular routine without the specific demands of high intensity training; not that I won't be doing some high intensity stuff, but it won't be a mandatory part of the training plan. During this time I'll be doing regular aerobic base building which means long and slow. That means it's time to catch up on some movies while riding the trainer and going out to enjoy the cold weather for some runs. Swimming hasn't been in my regular routine lately. Why, you ask? Good question... to which I have no good answer. In part because I haven't had any specific event that forces me to stay in shape for the water. In January I will be back in the pool regularly building that base back up.
I have a handful of races that I'd love to consider for next year. There's not a chance that I'll be able to do every race that I want to do, so it'll be a slow selection process. My A race of the year will be Ironman Racine 70.3 again. Last year it was a great race experience and I'm stoked to go back and see what I can do! I'm also considering Rev3 Cedar Point, also a half Iron distance race. I wasn't able to go last year while several good friends did, and it sounds like it was an awesome venue with outstanding race support! Races the I'm considering: 3D Motor City Oly, 3D Racing for Recovery Half Iron Distance (yes, that would make 3 70.3's), and 3D Lansing Legislator Oly. Also on the list would be Hawk Island Sprint Tri and, of course, another marathon - either Grand Rapids or Detroit. I'd like to think that I could consider an Ultra next year, but my schedule is quickly filling.
Team Motiv8 is currently seeking out sponsorship opportunities. So if you or someone you know would like to financially assist us in making this team a reality, I would love the opportunity to talk to you. Our main focus will be in the programs that we will take into the elementary schools. Sponsors will be listed on our print material, website and given promotion at multisport events. We will be making a big impact and we would love the opportunity for you to join us.
I have finally decided to become a certified personal trainer. About time, right? A lot of the study material is review given my background. I then hope to also become a USAT certified coach. Good things in the mix for next year!
A huge Thank You to Fluid for their sponsorship this past year! What a great product and a great company. Rich and Dave, you guys rawk! Check Fluid out for the perfect blend in a muscle recovery drink mix. The new chocolate flavor is my favorite!
Thank you for all of your support over this race season!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sept 2010 - Capital City River Run
I opted to run the Capital City River Run half marathon last Sunday. I figured that it would be a good final tempo run for training towards the Grand Rapids Marathon on Oct 17th. I ran it by the race clock 1 minute slower than last year with a final finish time of 1 hour 38 minutes. I would have liked to be faster than last year, but given that my recent training has been for a full marathon, I'll take that time!
On my way to the race Sunday morning, my truck started leaking gas from somewhere. A half a tank of gas went missing along Michigan Ave. The tank went dry... not my glycogen tank you geeks. I happened to stop just close enough to the race site where I could walk in to PPU. I opted to race, even though I was upset. I could see where the gas leak was from, so I figured that since there was no more gas (thus no more gas leak) that I would have the truck towed home... after the race.
I started off in front of the 7:30 pacer. Initially I thought that I would run as far as I could at a 7:20 pace. That lasted until mile 8. I slowed to a 7:35 pace and held it there for all of mile 8, 9 and into 10. I did take 1 GU at the 8 mile mark and water at every other aid station. I had hoped to have enough 'in the tank' (glycogen now) to finish the last 3 miles real strong. It was at that point that the 7:30 pacer caught up to me.
Now, I'll give it to the pacers for running a specific pace while encouraging runners to give it their best. But I just didn't want to hear all that 'encouragement' I just wanted to finish my race. I couldn't get back in to a good groove. I could hold a 7:15 pace, but when I tried to push into the high 6's my HR jumped up. Funny thing - the 7:30 pacer found himself all alone and started running a 7:00 pace. C'mon!!
I finished with a short final sprint. I felt great! I had a good run and was thankful for a beautiful race morning.
Finally, finished off my morning with a tow truck ride home. Then replaced a minor part on the truck and spent the day with my family.
Totals for the month:
(yes, only 30 minutes of swimming due to a broken rib)
| Bike: | 7h 16m 31s - 106.17 Mi | |||
| Run: | 11h 50m 07s - 80.57 Mi | |||
| Swim: | 30m - 1000 Yd |
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
September Update
It feels like fall. The triathlon season is ending. It's time to start thinking about running with the arm warmers and a hat. I welcome the fall season this year. Something about it this year feels comfortable.
August was a great month for to recover from my biggest race to date; and I may have taken advantage of the 'month' for recovery. My total biking miles were down, but my running was up as I will be running the Grand Rapids Marathon. I did have a minor injury, so my swimming has been exceptionally minimal. I dislocated a rib that caused an inflammation issue with the cartilage in the front of my chest. I was told to rest, relax... blah blah blah or something to that effect. I did, sort of. I'm pretty much back to normal now - so about that water.
I was fortunate to participate in a study at Michigan State University for a PhD student who was finishing some research about energy expenditure in endurance athlete's. It was a 2 week study where I had 3 visits to his lab each week. I did complete body composition tests during each visit in a BOD POD (an enclosure that measures body density and body fat in about 45 seconds - equally as reliable as a water submersion test). I also wore a SenseWear BMS armband for the whole 2 weeks. This enables post week review of total calorie expenditure, activity and sleep efficiency (they are in for a ride looking at my sleep patterns!!). Week 1 of the study I needed to log 15+ hours of training and week 2 I needed to log less than 10 hours of training. Lastly, I did 2 separate VO2 Max treadmill tests. My VO2 Max is 56 with a max heart rate of 186 for that test. I've never felt my legs turn to noodles so quickly ever before. I will be getting a complete training review at the end of this month with specific details about how I can better prepare for races and how to focus my training. That was very cool to be able to be a part of.
On the family front, Anna started pre-school. She is so very excited and I love her enthusiasm. This also means more time for Sophia and I to hang out together while Anna is at pre-school. Becky's work is stable and steady. My job... well, is not 100% stable. The township will be asking for voter support for a millage (essentially). If it does not pass, I was officially informed yesterday by the fire chief, that in 2012 I will be laid off (along with 2 other firefighters). Currently the fire department is down more than 6 positions and our monthly run volume has been consistently more than 100 calls higher for 3 months in a row. So the stress level at home and work has been a little higher than normal.
Fluid has continued to support me throughout this year. Today I received a new product that they are offering; the same great recovery drink with a new chocolate flavor. In fact, I'm drinking some as I type! Plus this flavor will mix great with milk - so for those of us training where it gets cold, it'll be a great post training session warm up (imagine the most nutritious and best tasting hot chocolate after playing in the snow)! Go give it a try or hit me up for some samples! It's only 140 calories and has protein and glutamine in the mix!
Sharkies has also offered to bring me on board, the details are in the mix right now. As soon as I know anything, I'll post it here. Sharkies are a USDA Certified Organic snack-type source of electrolytes and complex carbohydrates. They are Gluten and Wheat free as well as Vegetarian. They have a few different flavors and even make a children's version of the snack. If you've been bike riding with me, you know that I swear by Sharkies as a nutritional supplement while training and racing. I've been using Sharkies for over a year. So this opportunity is pretty exciting for me!
I look forward to this coming month and completing my first full marathon. Thank you all who have continued to support me! Fall is a great time to ride and run! I'm always looking for people to run with and I'm determined to get in a century ride again this year. Give me a call and let's play!
August was a great month for to recover from my biggest race to date; and I may have taken advantage of the 'month' for recovery. My total biking miles were down, but my running was up as I will be running the Grand Rapids Marathon. I did have a minor injury, so my swimming has been exceptionally minimal. I dislocated a rib that caused an inflammation issue with the cartilage in the front of my chest. I was told to rest, relax... blah blah blah or something to that effect. I did, sort of. I'm pretty much back to normal now - so about that water.
I was fortunate to participate in a study at Michigan State University for a PhD student who was finishing some research about energy expenditure in endurance athlete's. It was a 2 week study where I had 3 visits to his lab each week. I did complete body composition tests during each visit in a BOD POD (an enclosure that measures body density and body fat in about 45 seconds - equally as reliable as a water submersion test). I also wore a SenseWear BMS armband for the whole 2 weeks. This enables post week review of total calorie expenditure, activity and sleep efficiency (they are in for a ride looking at my sleep patterns!!). Week 1 of the study I needed to log 15+ hours of training and week 2 I needed to log less than 10 hours of training. Lastly, I did 2 separate VO2 Max treadmill tests. My VO2 Max is 56 with a max heart rate of 186 for that test. I've never felt my legs turn to noodles so quickly ever before. I will be getting a complete training review at the end of this month with specific details about how I can better prepare for races and how to focus my training. That was very cool to be able to be a part of.
On the family front, Anna started pre-school. She is so very excited and I love her enthusiasm. This also means more time for Sophia and I to hang out together while Anna is at pre-school. Becky's work is stable and steady. My job... well, is not 100% stable. The township will be asking for voter support for a millage (essentially). If it does not pass, I was officially informed yesterday by the fire chief, that in 2012 I will be laid off (along with 2 other firefighters). Currently the fire department is down more than 6 positions and our monthly run volume has been consistently more than 100 calls higher for 3 months in a row. So the stress level at home and work has been a little higher than normal.
Fluid has continued to support me throughout this year. Today I received a new product that they are offering; the same great recovery drink with a new chocolate flavor. In fact, I'm drinking some as I type! Plus this flavor will mix great with milk - so for those of us training where it gets cold, it'll be a great post training session warm up (imagine the most nutritious and best tasting hot chocolate after playing in the snow)! Go give it a try or hit me up for some samples! It's only 140 calories and has protein and glutamine in the mix!
Sharkies has also offered to bring me on board, the details are in the mix right now. As soon as I know anything, I'll post it here. Sharkies are a USDA Certified Organic snack-type source of electrolytes and complex carbohydrates. They are Gluten and Wheat free as well as Vegetarian. They have a few different flavors and even make a children's version of the snack. If you've been bike riding with me, you know that I swear by Sharkies as a nutritional supplement while training and racing. I've been using Sharkies for over a year. So this opportunity is pretty exciting for me!
I look forward to this coming month and completing my first full marathon. Thank you all who have continued to support me! Fall is a great time to ride and run! I'm always looking for people to run with and I'm determined to get in a century ride again this year. Give me a call and let's play!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
What's Next??
August is here! As summer will begin to wind down, fall approaches. You know what that means? The triathlon season is almost over and runners will be taking over the roads :) Now is a great time to reflect over the last 7 months of the year to see where you've come.
I think that it's kind of funny, November is when I started my training plan for Ironman Racine. This November, I will start the same basic periodization plan. However I will be staring with my basic volume the same as it is right now. I'm excited to think about next year's training and racing, even though it's still several months away. I'm not ruling my tri season over yet, but September offers the last of the local tri's - so it's not far out.
With the August calendar now on the refrigerator, I look forward to this new page.
To me this is great for a few reasons:
SO, where are you in your fitness? Do you have a goal? What motivates you? What do you want to do this year or even next year? Get healthy, stay healthy! Live life to the fullest knowing that every step you take will influence someone close to you!!
A HUGE congratulations to The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Chapter (Lansing Office) for committing 5 people to run the Grand Rapids Marathon as a relay this year! My wife will be on that team with 4 of her coworkers. That's a huge step to take and I'm soooper proud of all of you. Train like you want to win and represent TNC with pride!!
I think that it's kind of funny, November is when I started my training plan for Ironman Racine. This November, I will start the same basic periodization plan. However I will be staring with my basic volume the same as it is right now. I'm excited to think about next year's training and racing, even though it's still several months away. I'm not ruling my tri season over yet, but September offers the last of the local tri's - so it's not far out.
With the August calendar now on the refrigerator, I look forward to this new page.
To me this is great for a few reasons:
- I chose to start a marathon training plan and I plan to run the Grand Rapids Marathon on October 17th... this year! I'll be running it with a friend who is hoping for a BQ time, she's got to finish under 3:45, so we'll be training to finish at 3:30. Just FYI - my BQ time would be 3:10... not happening!
- I am participating in a study at Michigan State University. I will be one of a handful of people to be subjected to some pretty crazy testing that includes data tracking for 2 weeks of workouts, 1 week at a volume over 15 hours and a second week at a volume under 10 hours. There will be a nutrition/metabolism and threshold/ VO2 Max treadmill tests and blood testing before and after the study. It'll tell me a LOT about where I am, as well as where I could be in training intensity.
- September is the Rev3 Cedar Point half distance triathlon. But due to some family happenings, I may not be able to run this race. I'm waiting for word back from Rev3 about a couple of options for me to get in to this event. Whether I do or do not do race this event, my training will have to peak during the same time frame due to the MSU study.
- Lastly, August marks the month that I hired in to the fire department - this year I become Senior Firefighter... which is a fancy way to say that I get a significant pay raise! Sadly, I only have 1 person below me in seniority due to budget 'shortfalls' The 2011 budget will be tight, but word is - 2012 will be worse for the area that I work. Who knows. Right now, I'm good.
SO, where are you in your fitness? Do you have a goal? What motivates you? What do you want to do this year or even next year? Get healthy, stay healthy! Live life to the fullest knowing that every step you take will influence someone close to you!!
A HUGE congratulations to The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Chapter (Lansing Office) for committing 5 people to run the Grand Rapids Marathon as a relay this year! My wife will be on that team with 4 of her coworkers. That's a huge step to take and I'm soooper proud of all of you. Train like you want to win and represent TNC with pride!!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wrapping Up June 2010
It's the last day of June 2010. It's hump day during my biggest week of training EVER.
On Monday I got hit by a car while running - tru. I'm mostly fine, nothing that will prevent training. But my Garmin Forerunner 305 was broke during the accident and the driver took off - also tru; Garmin is missing... gone. My biggest week of training and I don't have my GPS/Heart Rate Monitor/Cadence and all. I have been blessed to know a few people who have offered to let me borrow their Garmin for Racine - Great, but you know... still not mine.
So beyond all of that where am I at with my training to date?
June Totals:
Swim - 3+ Hours
Bike - 334
Run - 112
So June is beyond any distance training that I've ever done in a single month. This was my first month running more than 100 miles and my second month biking more than 300 miles in the last year. Big steps for me!
For this stage in training (Critical Volume: Sat, June 26 - Wed, June 30 [5 days]) my totals to date are:
Swim - Just under 2 miles (1mile swim in Lake Michigan)
Bike - 146 miles
Run - 24+ miles
I still have a run tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. I also have a swim tomorrow and another bike on Friday.
Almost there!! Racine is 3 weeks away!
On Monday I got hit by a car while running - tru. I'm mostly fine, nothing that will prevent training. But my Garmin Forerunner 305 was broke during the accident and the driver took off - also tru; Garmin is missing... gone. My biggest week of training and I don't have my GPS/Heart Rate Monitor/Cadence and all. I have been blessed to know a few people who have offered to let me borrow their Garmin for Racine - Great, but you know... still not mine.
So beyond all of that where am I at with my training to date?
June Totals:
Swim - 3+ Hours
Bike - 334
Run - 112
So June is beyond any distance training that I've ever done in a single month. This was my first month running more than 100 miles and my second month biking more than 300 miles in the last year. Big steps for me!
For this stage in training (Critical Volume: Sat, June 26 - Wed, June 30 [5 days]) my totals to date are:
Swim - Just under 2 miles (1mile swim in Lake Michigan)
Bike - 146 miles
Run - 24+ miles
I still have a run tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. I also have a swim tomorrow and another bike on Friday.
Almost there!! Racine is 3 weeks away!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Critical Volume Week 1, June 27 - July 3
It's time.... The stage is set for my hardest week of training ever. This is going to hurt!
The Critical Volume Training Plan Week 1:
Sunday - Work - Treadmill (Easy 6-10 mi), P90X Stretch (1 hour)
Monday - Long Bike (~52 mi) and Run (7-10 mi)
Tuesday - Early Swim (45-60 min), Track Tempo Run (8 mi)
Wednesday - Lk MI OWS (1.2 mi) and Long Bike (56 mi), P90X Yoga (1 hour)
Thursday - Early Swim (45-60 min), Track Speed / Agility Run (8 mi)
Friday - Long Bike (~52 mi) and Run (7-10 mi)
Saturday - Work - Treadmill (Easy 8), P90X Stretch (1 hour)
Apx Totals:
Swim: 3+ miles - 2.5 Hours
Run: 42+ miles - 6-7 hours
Bike: ~160 miles - 8 Hours
Send me lots of love! Recovery will be crucial, so forgive me if I appear a little tired.
**After re-evaluating the Critical Volume plan site, I realized some important things. For my race on July 18 I will need a little more than a week of Taper (easy and less frequent workouts). So Week 2 of the CV plan will be about 60- 75% of week 1. Still another big week, but with more recovery built in.
The Critical Volume Training Plan Week 1:
Sunday - Work - Treadmill (Easy 6-10 mi), P90X Stretch (1 hour)
Monday - Long Bike (~52 mi) and Run (7-10 mi)
Tuesday - Early Swim (45-60 min), Track Tempo Run (8 mi)
Wednesday - Lk MI OWS (1.2 mi) and Long Bike (56 mi), P90X Yoga (1 hour)
Thursday - Early Swim (45-60 min), Track Speed / Agility Run (8 mi)
Friday - Long Bike (~52 mi) and Run (7-10 mi)
Saturday - Work - Treadmill (Easy 8), P90X Stretch (1 hour)
Apx Totals:
Swim: 3+ miles - 2.5 Hours
Run: 42+ miles - 6-7 hours
Bike: ~160 miles - 8 Hours
Send me lots of love! Recovery will be crucial, so forgive me if I appear a little tired.
**After re-evaluating the Critical Volume plan site, I realized some important things. For my race on July 18 I will need a little more than a week of Taper (easy and less frequent workouts). So Week 2 of the CV plan will be about 60- 75% of week 1. Still another big week, but with more recovery built in.
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Last Couple of Months
So over the past 2 months I've ramped up my running and biking, though my swimming has been lingering. I've chosen to do a little better than 'just finish' my swim, but I hope to rock the bike/run at Racine.
I raced the sprint distance Hawk Island Triathlon and finished 3rd in my AG with an OA time of 1h01m and some change. My swim felt good, but I averaged over 2min/100yds. My bike avg speed was 21mph and my run avg pace was 7:11. I expected to be a bit faster on the swim and definitely hoped to be much faster on the bike, based on previous trials of the bike course. My legs were very tight on the bike and my calves were sore on the run, but loosened up after the first mile or so. I had been a little sleep deprived at work for my previous 2 shifts worked the night before the race. Perhaps that contributed to the tight legs, maybe not. Nutrition was good and water intake was good.
The following week I went to Motor City Triathlon and competed with the RACING GREYHOUNDS on a relay team. We raced the Oly distance and I completed the swim leg... yippers - you read that right. I even did well. I finished up the 1.5k swim in just under 30 minutes, pacing me at sub 2 min per 100 meters... in the past I've been at or just over 2 min per 100 yds. I felt strong and didn't give up placement to those who chose to hit and kick me, I may have shoved back. So that was a huge boost to my swim ego! It was a good thing I didn't bring my bike along or I would have seriously been tempted to ride and run the Oly course.
All in all, training has been going well. I have been shy on my volume for the last 3 consecutive weeks, but I'll concede that time for my family time. These next two weeks will be brutal and recovery plans will need to be tailored specifically to each day's workout. Then I'll be taking 2 weeks easy as a Taper for Racine. I'm pretty excited!
I have been very blessed with my family for supporting me in these plans. This past weekend was Father's Day. I took some much needed time to spend with my beautiful girls (all 3 of them) and just relax.
I have also been honored to be part of the Fluid team as a sponsored athlete. They provide a great tasting recovery drink that provides electrolyte replacement with added protein and l-glutamine - EVERYTHING you need after a long training session!
May Totals:
Bike - 10 hours - 172 miles
Run -13.5 hours - 83 miles
Swim - 4 hours - 11260 yds
June Totals (to date - I'll have 1 week of CV to add to these):
Bike - 10 hours - 171 miles
Run - 12 hours - 78 miles
Swim - 1.5 hours - 4k yds
Thursday, May 6, 2010
April in Review
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| Photo Shoot with Lisa Taylor for Fluid |
April 2010 turned out to be a beautiful month. There's so much change this time of the year; the trees, the grass, the weather... and with that brings the change in focus for training. My first triathlon is a month away. It's a short distance tri that I've run the last 2 years. The course is fun and the atmosphere is great! Then in the middle of July comes Racine 70.3 So next week I will be starting the Build Phase of training.
The Build Phase of training is Moderate to High Frequency, High Duration and Heavy Intensity. No doubt, a little painful. This phase lasts 6 weeks and then I'll hit the Peak / Race Phase. That 2 week time will be the heaviest and most intense training that I've ever done. I'm rather excited! I will be starting speed work drills for running and biking. I've listened to my swim coach and I while I don't think that I'll be much under a 1:45/100yd swim, I do feel like I'll be able to race the swim strong and be able to drop the hammer on the bike and run. So swim training will be crucial over the next few weeks - making sure that I'm practicing in the open water regularly and doing brick (swim/bike) workouts.
I've been fortunate to have a few friends to train with who truly push me. Thank you to the family and friends who have encouraged me this past month. I look forward to the next 6 weeks with a lot of optimism and expectations.
*A quick side note, we bought Anna new bike with training wheels... then she wanted to 'train' with me in the basement. So I built a 'trainer' for her bike and painted it green like my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. She uses it and loves to workout with me, she even gave Spinervals a run with me last week. She loves to then go upstairs and tell Mommy - "I'm all sweaty, like Daddy"
As always - I have to give huge thanks to my wife and girls for the love and encouragement that I get from them with this crazy tri thing.
April's totals:
Bike: 16h 34m 15s - 276.87 Mi
Run: 6h 44m 27s - 44.43 Mi
Swim: 4h 22m - 11100 Yd
Go check out Livefluid.com and get yourself the best Muscle Recovery drink on the market.
Thanks to Darryl Evans at Pure Enchantment Photography for doing the Fluid photo shoot - that man has an eye for a great image! He's also on Facebook, you can find more of the Fluid shots on his site!
Monday, March 1, 2010
March is Here!
February seemed to fly by quickly, perhaps that's because we were short a few days. It was a great month for indoor training (not my favorite thing to do). But warm weather will be here soon.During February I spent a lot of time on the bike trainer and a bit of time in the water. I still haven't started to focus my running; and today's run around MSU campus proved it. I started out too fast (6:40's)and tried to settle into a pace that was comfortable (8:20's)... last year. I ended up going much slower than I had hoped. But with the sunshine, you can bet that I'll pick that pace back up soon.
Swimming seems like it is becoming my friend. I have started to focus on speed workouts. 10x50's and 3x500's... it seems like nothing to say that my warm up is an easy 500. That's good as I'll need every minute of training come Racine! I am finally able to push the 1:20's/100 for a few laps. But I still need the direct help from a swim coach. So I hope to be hitting a few swim clinics over the next couple of months.
Cycling (still on the trainer because I'm afraid of the cold weather drivers) is going very well.
February's totals:
Bike: 16h 39m 17s - 264.55 Mi
Run: 5h 13m 07s - 30.14 Mi
Swim: 6h 33m - 17250 Yd
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
24 Weeks... and counting
24 weeks and counting down until Ironman 70.3 Racine. My training is now fully underway and I'm loving every minute of it, almost every minute of it. I started doing speed work in my swims (in addition to the longer endurance sets), which equates to pain in the water. While swimming still proves to be biggest weakness, I spent most of the last several months practicing the swim and building a solid base. Yesterday I met with two teammates who thoroughly kicked my butt in the water. While it was only a 2600 yd set, the intervals helped me realize how my workouts now need to feel. It has been said that you cannot win an Ironman in the water, but you can certainly lose an Ironman in the water. So while I doubt that I'll reach the 1:15/100 meter split, I will have a solid swim!
As soon as the weather warms I will be breaking the bike out of the trainer and hitting the roads. I got a sweet deal for a Kurt Kinetic fluid trainer through the RACING GREYHOUNDS team buy. I am still amazed at the amount of resistance I get on that thing. I'm told that when I actually get my bike out on the road, that it will feel like someone has cut the rope that's been holding me back and I'll fly. I do hope so, as I will need my average speeds at Racine to be 24 mph. Last year I was right around the 20 mph mark, up from 17 the year before.
Running is still my comfort area, so I have not yet began to hit the run workouts. I'm taking those slow and steady for now. I plan to start the intense runs in a few more weeks. Then I'll begin to do tempo runs and get back in the groove. Last year I ran a half marathon in 1h36min @ a 7:26 pace avg. I want to be under a 7 min pace per mile for Racine and hit a total run time of less than 1 hour and 30 minutes. I don't think that will be a problem. We'll see how things go after the swim and bike.
Lastly, I've added a significantly different approach to strength training this year. I'm focusing on endurance sets and multi-muscle group routines. Kettlebell workouts are now commonplace and I am building the 'powerhouse' in my legs.
Year to date, here's my totals:
2010 totals
Bike: 9h 45m 15s - 151.3 Mi
Run: 6h 58m 11s - 42.28 Mi
Swim: 4h 14m 26s - 11700 Yd
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