Suffering required?

Today's ride was mostly about suffering. It can be summed up in one word. SUCK. 69 miles, 4 hours and 4 minutes of cold, wet, rain.

Maybe it's my "more than not" traditional European upbringing? Maybe my intrisically woeful faith?...But I feel like suffering is the way. Maybe I am just plain stubborn...giving in isn't easy and today was no different. I left Kristina a message and talked to her on the way back from Lyons and she said "I'll come and get you, if you need me to." I just felt like I couldn't say OK.

At one point, my feet were so wet and cold that I called a fellow CDA'r on my way past his house to see if I could borrow a pair of socks...not shelter, not a ride....socks?? He wasn't there, I pressed on. Only 22 miles home. 22 long miles. Much to my chagrin, the days of two foot snot streamers and toes-so-cold-they-feel-like-they-could-break-off are still here.

I know the company that I keep likes to suffer too...and for that, I am thankful that I am not alone.

BRRRR...

After a day of recovery and some light gardening, I mustered up the "carjones" to at least take a dip in the lake. With my new wetsuit (full), my bonnet and booties (yes, Jess I said "bonnet" and as gay as this thing is, it works, WELL) Kristina and I headed to this small lake near the house to test the waters; and the waters did not disappoint...they were COLD!

Time to HFTU! Luckily for us, CDA has had its worst, coldest, and snowiest winter since records were kept, giving us an additional bragging right, come June 23, as if being Ironmen and Ironwomen isn't enough!

Craig, I'll see you at the Rez, manjana, before my flight to B'town.

Breakthru ride

Saturday's ride was my breakthru ride...mentally, physically...the longest ride of my training season for CDA. It's purpose, two-fold... a delicate balance between building confidence and suffering just enough to foreshadow what the day may bring.

I left just before 10 am and headed for Estes Park via the Big Thompson Highway, a 22 mile stretch of road between Loveland and Estes. Big Thompson Canyon is epic... it is enormous. My thoughts and I thought endlessly about the power of water to carve out rock...Canyon walls a few hundred miles deep. There were so many people out fishing, kayaking...doing their thing, and I was doing mine. At mile 65.5 at turned back for home, and a chilly descent out of Estes. I was only supposed to ride 125 on the day, but stopping a few miles shy of EP made it seem less of a breakthru. Ended the day at 131 miles, with a total ride time of 8:08:13. The last few miles were a little painful on the bum...and my legs were certainly talking to me...saying "good, long day". I topped it off with a one-mile run off the ride and a quiet dinner and bottle of wine with Kristina to celebrate our anniversary.

For the most part, the day was incredible...The only downside was this jack-ass, red-neck farmer type, who pulled out of the ditch right in front of me, while watching my approach. To take it one step further, this beeatch held my speed for a few hundred feet, while watching me in his side-view mirror...then punched it while I was on his bumper, so a huge black cloud of diesel fumes came spewing out of his sorry, dilapidated rust bucket of a truck....Thankfully for me there was a great crosswind...Thankfully for him, he kept going or he would have had my size 10.5 Sidi crammed up his ass and I may not have made it back from Estes in as good of time. Ride safe.

For the record...

Due to some sort of apparent Hostess Pie conspiracy I will not be including it in my special needs bag after all...a dozen or so thumbs down have caused me to re-evaluate. Have a look-see...

Calories 480
Protein - 3 g
Fat - 20 g
Carbohydrate - 68 g
Fiber - 1 g
Sugars - 35 g
Sodium - 400 mg
Saturated Fat - 11 g
Cholesterol - 20 mg

INGREDIENTS: Wheat Flour Enriched [ Flour, Barley Malt, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Cherries, Vegetable Shortening and/or, Animal Shortening [Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Beef Fat], Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Modified Corn Starch Color Added [ Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5, Yellow 6]

Beef fat? What the hell is that doing in there? OK maybe not a super food!

Solid.

Today was run to work day. The plan was to do 3 - 10k splits, running each progressively negative. Well, that didn't happen, but it was pretty damn close. The 3rd - 10k was all up (Lookout Road, heading west). It was a high z2, low z3 day all the way and overall I am happy. I also learned that I will have a Cherry Hostess pie in my special needs bag...freakin' super food. 480 calories, 68 grams of carbs, 6 grams of protein, and oh ya....20 grams of fat!

Spilt 1 – 1:01:32
Split 2 – 1:00:44
Split 3 – 1:04:05

Total time 3:32:29 (9.50's)
Distance – 21.6 miles

Its been a few years and just as many surgeries since I've run farther. Solid.

Big week ahead...

Another week for the books...a big one lay ahead. Yesterday's workout was my biggest brick before Ironman. When I hit the 3 mile mark on the ride, I blew a tire and a tube, made a quick change and then started over. On the day 67 miles on the bike, mostly good. For my run, I did 2- 6.5 mile out and backs and then a 4 mile loop to round off the 17 miles...that last 4 seemed endless, slow, legs were heavy, stomach was a mess...when I got home I went right for the hose, and had Kristina hose me down...invigorating! From there to the SIDS picnic and after to our friends Marina and Mariano's for a few too many glasses of wine...FYI...wine is NOT a recovery drink.

This morning we caught up with Jess and Brian, two fellow HEPster's running the Colfax Marathon, as a training run. They both did fantastic! After a little yard work, we regrouped at Chris and Craig's for the monthly CDA get together...the next time we are all together will be for Ironman.

Next week holds 2 key workouts...Wednesday will be "run to work day" 21.5 miles and Saturday, 125 on the bike...If my wetsuit gets here when expected, I will also join Craig at the Rez Thursday am for the my first open water swim of the season...BRRR!

Recapitulate...

My week was better than David Millar's...

My weekly totals will be 9,000 swim, 153 bike, 28 run...to date, a few workouts worth mention...a great endurance run in less than great weather conditions, a solid 2.5 mile swim and one completely exhausting tempo swim.

Friday is here, tomorrow my big brick...65 ride & 17 run...the weather is supposed to be the best of the year...we'll see. Tomorrow afternoon a B-BQ with friends that we haven't seen in a long time, a benefit for SIDS, and a little time to remember my twin brother, Mark.

Now to bed!

Dual purpose...

So there's a dual purpose of this post. First, kudos to my wife...and second, gear review.

Kudos to my wife...who has picked up a ton of my slack while my training volume and intensity increases; who brings me nutrition when my rides and runs are too long to carry enough; who inspires me with her dedication and commitment to her training; who supports me and believes in me when I don't believe in myself; who is my personal countdown timer to CDA, DAILY; who tells me that its OK to go out and get us new cyclo-computers and let's that count as our anniversary presents to one another...how cool is that?

Gear review.

VDO C3 DS w/ cadence & C2 DS - Total shite. Inaccurate. Inconsistent. Constant struggle.

Cateye V2C - 2.4 GHz! Broadband baby. Brilliant! Double wireless integrated cadence. Rear mount. Read more @ Cateye.

With CDA 5 weeks out, the realization that it is time to get my shit together is constantly looming. I just changed both my running shoes and saddle as I have been struggling with both...a no-no for sure. I am waiting on my full wet suit, booties and cap so I can begin acclimating to the chilly waters that await us. 5 freakin' weeks!

109 bucks and the reach around...

Dreading my Saturday ride on my current bike seat, I browsed the list of local bike shops on my Blackberry Friday while I drove home...I went thru the entire list of any stores within a 50 mile radius, calling each as they may potentially carry my "next" saddle. Alphabetically, of course...and of course, Wheat Ridge Cyclery was the only one to have it, was the last store on the list and was closing in 45 minutes...In the nick of time, I was in and out in a flash with seat in hand.

Bye-bye San Marco, bye-bye Fizik,...hello Terry Fly Titanium Tri...not that the jury is out yet, but out of the box it felt better than any saddle I've ridden on the P2C to date...the sacrifice is a few grams and a less chic design...but it was oh so comfy until about mile 80. Terry also has a 30 day ride guarantee...if you don't love it, they take it back...no questions. The back of the saddle says "gellisisma"...I'll second that.

That brings us to the ride...Saturday's weather followed suit...cold, windy as hell, and a wee bit of rain and hail. As Murphy would have it...Saturday is almost always crap weather while Sunday (rest day) is perfect...I am good with that as long as it holds true until June 22.

Kristina and I rode the first 62 miles mostly together. There were times when the cross winds were so strong they almost blew her over, all 129 lbs. of her. I had 4 repeats up Olde Stage, top to bottom, I actually do have a z5. From Boulder we headed north on Highway 36 to Nelson Road and a fast downhill towards home. Then came the rain, and then a little hail...K finished up her 70 on the trainer.

A quick change of clothes, a little more chamois creme, and a peanut butter Power Bar and I was out the door for another 50. The wind picked up some, but the sun was trying to peak out, so it wasn't as cold as it had been earlier. Near my turn-around the crosswind blew me off the road into a puddle that was about a foot deep...soaked and muddied, no worries, I only had 25 miles left...tailwind all the way! 112 on the day, 6 hours 49 minutes...

6 weeks until CDA, next week is peak.

18 for the barn...

Turtle wins!!...Great run!

18 miles - Hay in the barn! 2:55:54...9:45's, hence "turtle". Same hilly loop plus 3 miles. Kristina hooked me up with some well needed support...gels, beverages and words of encouragement.

Overall, I felt good...Initially I was tentative, not wanting the calf to flare up again. Knock on wood it didn't. Again, no music and a whole lot of talking to myself...I was also militant with the nutrition tonight, to the second...3 sips every 10 minutes, a gel every thirty...worked well.

Tomorrow, 2,700 swim and a massage to work out the kinks...Given all the kinks I have, I am bound to throw up on the massage table...Jess beware!

Houston...7 weeks and counting

For Jackie:

This week's plan: 7,800 swim, 160 bike, 29 run. (Key workouts - 18 mile run and 112 bike)

With a new week comes a renewed focus, though focus is a teence difficult with my new buddy...the "calf knot". Little bastard is going to be a challenge but I feel like it will be something that I can work thru.

Yesterday, I had acupuncture...and they were almost afraid to stick the needles into my calf, for fear that it would explode. We got 4 needles in, superficially, to try and promote some healing.

Week to date I did get in a 6.5 mile tempo run...mostly in mid-Z3, and a smoking 27 miler on the bike and was able to hold just under 21 mph, for the whole ride...NO WIND! and this morning a 3,600 swim.

Tomorrow will be the big test...18 miler, and God bless her, Jess had a cancellation so I can get a massage in on Thursday, focusing on only lower extremities...I am hoping she beats the shit out of my little buddy with her elbow...driving him into submission.

Get out of my kitchen...

The distance between having it all, and not, is usually only as great as you think....

Stabilizer week was just OK...the rest was nice and welcomed, but in some sort of distorted (demented) mindset, I feel better when I am not at rest. The reality of it is that the body needs rest.

Saturday's workout was incredibly difficult for me. Not exactly sure what it was...possibly the few glasses of wine at dinner on Friday night; possibly the nutrition on the ride...or the run. The first leg of my bike was great...tailwind, 22 mph average...the road back into the wind was trying...to the tune of me screaming four letter obscenities at the top of my lungs. I am pretty certain that I didn't have enough in the tank either. The only other variable was no music for the first time in eons, which certainly changes the dynamic.

On to the run...I started off a little slow but felt decent for the majority of the run...though getting motivated was a challenge for the better part of the run. At about mile 12, the rapid fade set in...gels made me gag, stomach was off and my black shirt was tie-dyed salty style...Mile 14 calves knotted up, I alternated between light poles, run/walk for a spell...and then it was all walk. Ate $20 worth of food at Tokyo Joe's when I was done...

Earlier in the week, I had a chat with my blog-less buddy, Brian. He shared his perspective on this exact workout one year ago for him. Now I agree...a hard reckoning. Time to refocus and get all the bad mojo out of my kitchen.

loving stabilizer!

Keeping the lows, low. For the first time in 99 days (14 weeks) I am positive on my stress-o-meter. I had a great massage yesterday with a 75% focus on legs and feet...killer! Thanks Jess.

Tomorrow I have a little swim. Saturday I have a big brick, 56 bike and 15 run...the goal is to start Monday as close to "zero" on the meter as possible.

Craig is in St. Croix prepping for "The Beast", so I got my next week's plan early...7,800 swim, 160 bike, 29 run...yikes. There are going to be two key workouts, an 18 mile endurance run and a 112 bike. Kristina gave me some perspective today on how few big workouts we have left until CDA...I had a mini freak out...better now.