Week 3, one half down....

With this post, week 3 is half in the bag...

Goals for the week:

• Swim 4000 yds
• Bike 77 miles
• Run 15 miles

Monday was a big day. 5 am, put just under an hour on the trainer, with heavy legs...barely found a groove...was really happy to get out of the saddle. Later Monday night, ran 5 miles on the treadmill mostly in Z3, then on to a new circuit program with a strong focus on legs; hi reps/mid weights, in an attempt to build some endurance.

Tuesday started with hot yoga like it most often does...6 am, 100 degrees, my legs were toast...but as always a challenge that doesn't disappoint and leaves me feeling revived.

Next, acupunture...Southwest Acupuncture School rocks...I had a wicked session. Tons of work on my hip as well as a little IT band to try an loosen it up...and then the kicker - ear acupuncture. Intense...really difficult to explain, so your just going to have to try it yourself.

Needing new sneakers, I made the trip into Boulder to Fleet Feet for the hook-up. Another pair of Nimbus 9's....WRONG! When I got on the treadmill, Lily (we're on a first name basis now, after my schooling on the foot's anatomy, running mechanics and my stride), let me know that after running in neutral shoes for what seems like ions, I need a stability shoe...go figure.

I wrapped up the day with steady 1400 in the pool and a salmon, brocolli, brown rice and "spicy-aki" bowl at Tokyo Joe's.

That brings us to today. Wednesday. Hills. Wind. Seven slow miles, seemingly all uphill. BJ's Blog substantiates the wind today...freezing, 20 mph...BUT...I did have pretty happy feet. Those Kayanos are worth every penny, all 14,000 of them. The best part of the day...as it always is when I see Jess, was the massage...lats little helper and my colloidal sternomastoids were happy to see her and her elbow again.

More tomorrow.

Miss you Joz...

One month to the day....we had to say goodbye. One month to the day...I held her in my arms for the last time. Josey, our eight year old Rottweiler was finally free of the cancer that had taken over.

Five months earlier, Josey was diagnosed with osteosarcoma...bone cancer. We,...Josey, Kristina, Luna and I made the decision to fight...to Livestrong, and Josey did until the end. Thru the surgery, the chemo...she never stopped fighting, she never stopped loving....sometime I feel like she really hung on because we wanted her to, always for us.

Long and painful story short, on December 29, we said goodbye to a best friend. For now...

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her, talk to her...the undying loyalty & love,the sleeping on the dirty laundry in the "office" just to be closer to us, the nudge teling me to scratch between her eyes..."you know the way I like it, dad...."

I learned infinately from her, from her fight, from her life. She made Luna into a strong, loving dog...she tough Kristina and I how to work together thru a very difficult time...she taught me what is important, and what is less important.

The night after she died, she came to visit me...just for a second or two, in my dreams...charging in on three legs, as if to say..."I am OK Dad", "I am free", I am OK". I saw her once again, shortly after, when I closed my eyes at yoga...she was frolicing in the waves somewhere, playing, bouncing, swimming...Heaven I suspect. How she loved to swim...

Yesterday, driving home, I heard Tom Petty's "Wildflower" on the radio...and it made me think of her, that all to familiar dull ache came back to my chest...but as the song played, as memories came back....a smile came to me...knowing that she's doing fine, and getting lots of love, because if you knew her for only a minute, it was impossible not to love her. I am sure she's making great friends with all the angels, chasing bunnies...I just wish she'd come back and vist me again soon...Love you Joz!

Man vs. Howling Beast

Ipod fully reloaded, as I was headed out the door to start my brick (28 mi. bike/6 mi. run) Kristina scared the crap out of me....she was in the garage, back from her 20 miler...she said "honey, that may have been the windiest I've ever run in. If you know her, 10 years of all but daily running...must be pretty darned windy.

She wasn't lying, but God it was great to be outside...The highlight of the ride...a one mile stretch of road that took me over 6 minutes. I rode directly into the mouth howling beast, 9 mph on a flat, heart rate pegged at 145 bpm...You don't get this kind of action on a trainer in the basement for sure. A left hand turn and 4 miles home.

Transitioned. Slowly. 6 miles. My biggest off-treadmill run since November...this feels like a big deal. Mile 3 the hip is alittle tight, I decide to take a stretch, good call. I turn around and head for home...about one mile out I see K on my mountainbike with a camera....nice surprise. It puts a little bounce in my step.

I finish strong to a great Rusted Root song. A good day for my first longest brick in some time...2 hours 39 minutes. Must stretch long time.

Post-script: SO, I checked the weather channel...18 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph.

Week Deux

One down, twenty two to go....

The plan for the week is 3700 yds in the pool (mostly Z2), 70 miles on the bike (hopefully for an outside brick), and 13.5 miles running.

Went to LA for a few days this week...hip feeling pretty good, I was really looking forward to a run...outside, on or near the beach, warm breeze, sunrise....NO SUCH LUCK...it was drizzly and 45 degrees when I rolled out of the pillowy Marriott sleeping arrangements that left my back as twisted as a pretzel.

A few down dogs, child's poses and a chataranga and I headed down to the treadmill. By this time I had a little less than one hour to run my 6.5 mile long run for the week...just enough time. I get on the treadmill, crank her up to 6.5 and giddy up...Within seconds I notice that the lone treadmill is stuck on 5.6 mph...I feel like I am barely moving...this blows!!

Five minutes in, I figure I'll try banging on the controls (again) to see if I can unjam this piece of crap...no luck...

Option 2, let's start playing with the other set of arrows. INCLINE. From here, I started with one minute intervals 1.0 - 5.0....proud of my ingenuity I descend, flatten out my profile for a minute or two to bring my HR down and realized I still have 45 minutes to go. Do it again....

This time I spent 20 minutes going from 1 degree to 10 degrees and back...I call it "the pyramid". Killer workout...got my heart rate up to 167 bpm @ 5.6 mph...I may just do it again.

On Thursday, with my blackberry and computer still on Cali time I was running an hour behind all day...I had no idea why I was starving at 10:30 am. Had to race home to hammer out 19 miles on the trainer, which ended up being only 15 miles at a steady 18.6 mph....Woofed down a bowl of pasta, rinsed and just made our 6:45 pm departure time....Kristina and I went to see Spirit of the Marathon (http://www.marathonmovie.com/home.html) We'd highly recommend it.

Tomorrow, 28 mile bike/6 mile run - brick and beers at OLI....stay tuned!

Week One - Retro

OK, So here it begins...formally anyway...my Road to Coeur d'Alene, my Ironman dream.

After a pretty full season in 2007 and a nagging hip injury, that is slowly returning to normal, it's on.

A steady regimen of acupuncture, massage, yoga and stretching; in addition to a well-constructed plan by none other than Craig Howie, of the Howie Endurance Project will hopefully get me there in one piece...healthy and strong.

The "A" race for me in the first half of 2008 ...Ironman Couer d'Alene. Depending on what the hip feels, like the possibility for an olympic distance prior to June is a strong possibility...need to get as much "hay in the barn" as I can, most likely Deuces Wild in AZ.

In addition, the plan will be to do the Old Town half marathon in Fort Collins, and as many "stroke n' strides" in as I can. Since the rez won't be open "legally" until Memorial Day, I anticipate a fair amount of bootleg open water swims will be necessary.

Post CDA, the race schedule continues with the Boulder Peak and the 5430 Long Course...and last on the "A" list one of two marathons...either Denver or Chicago. Since I have done Chicago and the starting line for Denver is precisely 17 miles to the south, the argument in favor of doing Denver is certainly a strong one...BUT, Chicago is such a great race....we will see.

Since I couldn't get my shit together quick enough to put this blog together for Week 1, this week will be a retroactive synopsis of what the week looked like.

Weekly totals

• Swim - 3500 yds


• Bike - 60 miles


• Run 11 miles

Breakdown

Monday - 12 mile ride/5 mile run (trainer and treadmill) It is freakin' cold and snowy...go figure it's winter...I so cannot wait to ride outside. One of my projects over the next few weeks will be to get the Dean converted over to a semi-aero postition for winter riding. Stay tuned. Hip felt OK.

Tuesday - Yoga/1200 tempo swim. Christ all mighty the damn HRM that I just dropped $200 on is so overcomplicated...I can't figure it out. Barometric pressure? Altitude? Who cares? I thought I did...now I know that I was wrong...anybody need a Polar AXN 300? At any rate, keeping my HR in the mid 120's, feeling OK in the pool. Mostly drills and strength work. By the way, and I will try to keep this to a minimum, I LOVE hot yoga...if you haven't tried it and think yoga is for pussy, fags or women...shut the hell up and do it...if it doesn't kick your ass, you are either a.) lying or 2.) a true bad-ass.

Wednesday - 16 mile tempo ride - this only worked out to be 12 miles (had to fly out of town for work), on the trainer again, held 18.3 mph. Felt good.

Thursday - 5.5 mile endurance run - treadmill, 6.5 mph pace, avg. HR about 145. Hip felt a bit stiff at first but once i settled in, it was all good. Need new sneaks, toying with switching from the Nimbus, maybe back to the Adidas...decisions, decisions.

Friday - 1600 endurance swim...ok I really need a HRM that I can figure out. Steady Z3 workout.

Saturday - 700 swim (bagged)/36 mile endurance ride/0.5 mile run-off-ride - to hell with the swim...I felt like sleeping in after the Xavier Rudd concert, and if you've ever been to the PDRC Waterpark-slash-Lazy River on the weekend you'd know that navigating around the hundreds of pool peeing, nose picking, obnoxious brats is almost as tough as a swim start. NOT in the mood. Rode and watched Pirates of the Caribbean with Mariano, on the P2C for the first time in a long while, and discovered that I really need to raise my seat a good inch and a half...ahhh, much better. The best thing about riding on the trainer is you can really catch up on your TV, movies, Oprah....whatever! Froze my ass off on the whopping 0.5 mile run...windy, about 6 degrees, but sunny.

Sunday - Ended the week with Hot Yoga...best way to start a Sunday...sweat like a lil' pig. Did I already say I love yoga. Kristina, Luna and some friends went for a great hike near Eldorado Canyon, weather really shaped up for a nice ride...I'll save it for next weekend hopefully. Until next post...