Training Week 21 (May 19-25 2014)

Yup, this about describes me right now!

Well another week down, and another lost to training.  Before I reveal the numbers, let it be known my mother came to town and the wife and I played tour guide (plus Central Texas had wicked nasty storms all weekend), so I lost 4 days or so of training, but got to see my mom!  I'll take that any day!

PLANNED:

SWIM: 0 - Pools are open now; just need no more lightning to swim!
BIKE: 30 Miles - Easy week, 1 ride
RUN: 30 Miles - Another Large week; 5 runs

EXECUTED:

SWIM: 0 (Lightning storms all weekend)
BIKE: 2 Miles (00:08:00) 1 rides (Pre-rode PT course, that's it!)
RUN: 8.3 Miles (1:02:00) 2 runs (One was a 2 mile PT Test run)
TOTAL : 10.3 Miles (1:10:00)

Year to Date:

SWIM: 13.7 Miles
BIKE: 933 Miles
RUN: 249 Miles

Well this week will be better (promise) and weather pending, first swim at Fort Hood!  Looking to ease into lunch swims right across the street from work on Mon-Wed-Friday's, so barring weather, it'll be on.

Also, re-looked my race calendar, so I hope to hit 90% of the races posted on my front page, and I'm going to hold off on my first XTERRA until July, so I'm going to give Lake Pflugerville a try (no pun intended!).

One more thing, I realized that I need to revisit some of my race reports and include a course preview and my thoughts, in addition to the existing, boring race reports I have on there.  Going to go back and revisit the Kansas one to help out my friends at Manhatten Tri Club, so folks can get the "lay of the land" on the courses I did last year, and help them out a bit, so I'll have to figure out how I want to lay those out (imbed them in the race reports, make them seperate, or what), so that is something I'll have to work on.

 

Training Week 20 (May 12-18 2014)

Well, it's been a while since I reviewed my training, which I need to do weekly, since to me, talking it out can help motivate me to keep at it, so here it is:

PLANNED:

SWIM: 0 - Pool opens soon here!
BIKE: 75 Miles - Moderate week (no "long rides") 3 rides
RUN: 29 Miles - Large week; 5 runs

EXECUTED:

SWIM: 0
BIKE: 55.3 Miles (3:04:42) 2 rides
RUN: 20.7 Miles (2:42:27) 3 runs
TOTAL : 76 Miles (5:48:09)

Year to Date:

SWIM: 13.7 Miles
BIKE: 931 Miles
RUN: 241 Miles

Not bad, but swimming will be bigger once the pool opens here (24MAY), so looking forward to getting wet again, so I can do those workouts at lunch, so actually can't wait to get some yardage / meterage in!  As far as run and bike, just need to program some longer runs / rides in and keep it up. 

And now, a totally unrelated picture for the week:

I don't mind if I do!  Thanks Putin!

 

Fallen, Never Forgotten 10K Race Report

Me rockin' the Eagle #TeamRWB

Well I finally found out where I placed in this race now that the race results are posted now!  But this was the first edition of the "Fallen, Never Forgotten" Race at Fort Hood, and overall, the folks who put it on did a pretty good job!  It featured a 10K and 5K (competitive, chip-timed race) as well as a 3K and 1 mile fun runs/walks for anyone, and for $15 bucks, you can't beat that!  So with that, on to the race report!

I ended up toeing the line with 165 others in the 10K wave (5K was about 5 minutes behind us), and I wanted to make sure I didn't go out too hard, like a lot of folks did, I lined up in the "2nd" row or so of folks.  We had a countdown and the Corps Command Sergeant Major fired off the starter's pistol and we were off.  It seemed that everyone thought this was a sprint and not a 6.2 mile run, but after about 800 meters I was about 20th or so, but I was running my pace, my race!  I cruised thru the first mile at 6:24, a bit fast, but I was riding the wave!

The second mile I settled in and started to pick off folks who were fizzling out and felt good.  I arrived at the first water point to find... it was unmanned!  What the fudge!  Water was there, cups in the wrappers, but no one pouring.  Hmmm hope this was a one time thing.  At least it wasn't hot out, just the first 3 miles were into the wind.  Which I drafted (ran behind someone taller than me, which wasn't hard) and let them work a bit harder in the wind.

After just before the three mile mark, we turned south and got out of the wind for a bit, and I passed two more guys.  By then, the leaders were WAY long gone, so I just worked my pace and kept plugging away.  I managed to get caught by one of the guys who I passed and didn't repass him for another mile or so, but after that, I had one other guy up ahead to get after.

I kept putting in mini-surges but couldn't get up to the last guy as I ran out of race to catch him, missing him by about 15 seconds.  Ended up with a nice 42:25 and 8th overall (2nd in AG), and not too bad for my first 10K in a long time.

But in the end, all the other water points were "Self serve", so if they can fix that for next year, that'd be great!  I think it is a great race to do, on the 10K you pass all the memorials on post, but I didn't really stop and reflect at them, and the bibs were neat as well, you could right who you were running for, so I put in three guys I was running for; MAJ Doug "Mosey" Sloan, MAJ Chris Galloway, and SFC(R) Kevin "Diesel" Brynn, three friends I've had throughout my career.  I thought that was a nice touch for the race.

Well, I'll let this RR fire off into the ocean of the 'nets, so until next time!
 

The Fort Hood Bunny Hop 5K

Since I don't have any photos from the race last Saturday, I figured Rambo giving me two thumbs up would work just as well!

Well the Bunny Hop 5K is a monthly run put on by Fort Hood MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation), and this was my first one here at Fort Hood.  I've done a few while at Fort Bragg, but I'll tell you, Hood has got them beat hands down.  Both are cheap (read:free!) but Hood offered awards 3 deep in each AG, which I don't care as much as the thought of kids getting awards (they had multiple age groups for the kids, and they turned out in droves!), so I was happy to see so many younguns getting out and running 3.1 miles (I never did that at that age!).  During the awards ceremony, they announced that they had over 500 people running (some walked, some had strollers, but besides the point), that's a lot of people!  Good to see!

Since I hadn't done too much speed work, I figured this would be a good workout for me to push just hard enough, but not too hard, and I was right on the money. I finished up with a 20:32, so not too bad.

The course is the same course they use for most of the 5Ks throughout the year, and it isn't an easy, flat one!  My garmin says only 33 feet of gain, but they are punchy little climbs.  You start in the parking lot, and head out to Old Ironsides, head down the hill, back up a slight hill and hit the first turn just short of 62nd street, over to Hell on Wheels, back up a slight rise and down the hill to 78th Street, back up Old Ironsides (up the gradual hill) to 74th and a nice flat .1 of a mile run to the finish chute.  My garmin recorded the run at 3.15, but that's close enough for government work!

Overall, I finished in 8th, and 1st in my AG, so had a good workout, and it was neat to see all the kids getting their awards, and the ones who didn't, I overheard that they wanted to run more to get faster to win a trophy next month.  That was refreshing to hear! (Soapbox time: I had the "everyone gets an award" mentality, but military kids seem to have the right mentality that if they want something, they need to work hard, or harder for it.  Bravo parents, you're doing the right thing!)

So this one's for the kids!

 

See you next time!

Tri Aggieland Race Report

Well, I'm back again for this year of racing, and finally getting around to writing again.  So, a little recap before I talk about the race this last weekend; moved to Texas, got settled, got active again with biking and more running, saw my swim fitness take a nose dive since there are ZERO indoor pools to use around here it seems, contended with the craziness of a second Fort Hood shooting (I was off post when it happened) and getting adjusted to the area.

But as it seems, getting back into racing shape pretty well with my solo runs and group rides with the various cycling groups here in the area, which is a nice change, plus the weather is a nice change of pace, with warmer weather earlier in the year, so I am ahead of last years mileage, just need to keep putting in the miles!

Well at the beginning of the year, I wasn't looking at doing this as my first race of the year, just happened this way!  I found this race and since it was only about two hours away, the wife and I decided to make it a short weekend trip, to include a trip the George Bush Presidential Library there on campus at Texas A&M.  Other than the weather (dreary and wet), it was a nice trip.

SWIM:  07:38 (5th AG / 57th OA)

The race was on the campus of Texas A&M at the natorium (fancy speak for pool building) with the swim in their nice 50 meter pool.  Nice!  The swim was a 400 meter, serpentine swim, meaning that traffic was only one way, so no head to head collisions!  Since I hadn't swam since January, I seeded myself a little aggressively, to help motivate me to get the lead out at a 07:45 for 400 meters.  This is under my 400m PR for the swim by about 25 seconds, but would get me towards the front of the pack.  Still with my seeding, I was #115, meaning that I was MOP, seeding wise.  It didn't bode well that a swimmer that was seeded in the 60s needed to be rescued by the lifeguards.  Awesome!  But hats off to #69, who stopped and made sure that the person in need was ok and got her hanging on the lane line, so that was seriously selfless!

After that, the folks near me in line were critiquing the wave starts, since it looked like you HAD to start on the deck, but just no diving.  As we got closer to our 10sec separation for the start, we discovered that you could do a water start.  So getting the extra push from the wall is ALWAYS a good thing.

Well it was finally my time to get in and it was a little chilly, but not bad.  I got my countdown, and was off.  Since I was used to swimming in a 50 meter pool back in Kansas, this didn't phase me as much, I just got into a rhythm and ticked off the meters and concentrated on catching and passing folks.  I ended up passing about 8-10 folks, and was feeling good.

T1: 01:24 (3rd AG / 28th OA)

I climbed out of the pool and got the leg wobble and made my way outside, were it was a crisp, 52* and overcast, but from the swim and the jog to the transition area kept me warm.  I did make a nice rookie mistake, I left my Oakleys in my bag, so I stopped over there to unzip it, grabbed them and headed over to the bike to continue my T1.  Helmet on, shoes on and run to the exit and mount line, so overall, I can be faster, just need to remember everything next time.

BIKE: 33:12 (21.7 mph - 3rd AG / 16th OA)

With the road a bit rain-slickened and a funky gusty wind blowing, I wasn't as aggressive as I normally am on the bike, as this bike was a two loop, roughly square course.  I was aero in the straightaways, but eased up in the corners and turns and avoided the paint/tape that was on the road like a plague!  I settled in and hammered on passing a few of the faster swimmers / slow bikers in the first mile or so until I hit the headwind/cross wind (it was swirling and very annoying, so you ended up with two legs of headwind it seemed.  As I was heading up a slight rise, I was passed by another guy not in my AG, but as he passed me, I decided to push a little harder to catch up with him.  It took me about 3 miles to get within striking distance to pass him, but for some reason he rode just about on the yellow line, so after catching up to him, I yelled "ON YOUR RIGHT!" and passed him safely.

I know that I shouldn't have passed him on the right, however, when he's blocking, I'm not going to cross the centerline (even though the traffic was blocked off on the entire course), just bugs me a bit.  I finished up the first lap and started to hammer on the 2nd lap, which was more of the same, passing people, wind from funny directions, and one guy who passed me (which I passed him back later).

I finished up my 2nd lap and took the lane to the transition, hit the dismount line and did my standard running dismount (which folks were talking about after the race, very cool!) and rolled hot into T2.

T2: 01:01 (8th AG / 94th OA)

Well, despite a cool looking dismount and all, it still took me a little time, luckily the times were all right around my time (but a top ten time was :30 and under), but I just seem to lose "free time" in T1/T2.  I got the socks and shoes on, grabbed my Garmin and race belt and started my dash to the exit

RUN: 20:21 (6:33 pace - 2nd AG / 19th OA)

Luckily the course was twisty at the beginning, which gave me time to reset the Garmin (next time, need to set up multisport) and get my race belt on then start the real running.  After a short twisty section, you drop down into the tunnel (which the slopes on both sides constituted the only hills on the course) and you run under the railroad tracks and a street and surface on the other side near the football stadium.  The course takes you through campus and all the scenic spots, like the Alumni center, Kyle field (under construction), the indoor track center, golf course, etc, etc etc.  I just kept the foot on the gas and looked ahead to pass as many folks as I could.  The run was not too bad, just need to work on my foot speed a bit more and transitions more.

Overall, it was a wet, cold mess of a race, but I enjoyed myself.  Not a great start to the season, but not too bad.  I did like the display screens where you can check your race stats by punching in your number on the key pad.  Very nice touch.  I did sneak into the locker rooms and took a long hot shower, which felt good since I didn't bring any long pants for after, but it felt goooooood!

I ended up 14th overall, and 2nd in my AG, so not too bad, just need to get to work some more.  I'll update this with pictures when I get them, since part of the 90 buck price tag was free pictures, two shirts, and a hub cap of a finisher medal (I like it, it looks like a giant stop watch, but it's huge!).  So not too bad for the bucks.  Now I just have to find my next race this year as I am just planning this as I go now!

Check back later for race photos!

SLACKER!!!

Yup, I'm a slacker.  Well let me rephrase, I'm a blogging slacker.  I've been busy getting ready to move to more warmer climes (namely Texas) and swimming my butt off (13 and a half miles this month!), so I get a pass on not blogging, right?  C'mon!

Well I am about a week out to my move, which means tons of paperwork, movers, and probably no exercise!  Ugggh!  I've been hitting the pool 3-4 times a week, but that is going to dry up (no pun intended), it is still arctic frigid outside (and I have HTFU a few times and run in sub 20 weather), so running has been little to none, but all that will change soon!  Texas, home of warm weather, low winds (most of the time) and good roads (I hope!).  I need to get a pedallin' here, especially with NOLA 70.3 coming up shortly.

So, at least I've been swimming and feeling good, so I'm not going to bomb this season.  In other news, it amazes me what people get paid to do.  Like this picture here, someone actually build a track like this.

Hill workout AND track workout.  Brilliant!!

This is why the runners get the inside lanes!

 

This is a real track in Alicante, Spain.  At first I thought is was a photoshop, but they actually built it this way.  It looks very cool, and I can see my old track coach telling me that we'd be taking the day off from hill workouts just to run on this!

 

Ah, well better get back to getting out of here, the clock is ticking and time waits for no man!

 

See you all later

First Thing Monday Morning - 16 December

Well, finally got out and ran yesterday!  Coincidentally, it was 57* and sunny, so guess that means I am a wimp!  But the rest of this week should be warm until Friday, so that is a good thing I'd say!

And I also just started the Slowtwitch 100 runs in 100 days challenge.  Basically you try to run 100 times over 100 days (sounds simple enough, or run 100 times in one day and get it over with!).  The main "rule" is that for the run to count, it has to be 30 minutes or more in length, which for me is at least 4 miles.  Oh well, guess it is as good a time as any to get back on the "wagon".  So with that and the Strava 33 miles in 10 days (starts 22 December until the 31st), I'll be busy making sure I get my running miles in, warm or cold weather (time to stop being a little wimp about it), and get them knocked out.

Let's look back on last week's training:

SWIM: 5800 yards (out of 8000) - Not too bad, my skin is starting to reek of chlorine no matter how hard I wash off, oh well.
BIKE: 15 miles - Man, riding on the trainer just kills me, no matter what I watch, still bores me to death.
RUN: 4.1 miles - Gotta ease into it, but these 4 mile runs will add up quickly!

And, looking ahead:

SWIM: 8000 yards (looking to get at or near this, but going to swim 4 times this week)
BIKE: 60 miles (which might include an outdoor ride, so bonus!)
RUN: 30 miles (a whole lot of 4 milers with a 6 on Sunday for my long run)

Only 33 more days until my half marathon (Topeka to Auburn), so need to get my mileage back up and hope not to overdo it, just have to be smart on the run!

We'll see you all later!

2013 Winter Runderland 5K Race Report

 Well it has been almost two weeks since I ran this race, been busy, mainly swimming (yup, swimming) and figured I'd better get this posted before I forgot about it any longer!

The 2013 Winter Runderland 5K (and Donut 5K) was run in Anneberg Park in Manhattan, KS.  And luckily it was on a nice day, since most of the weather since about mid November has been frigid (which leads to me not running!).  But managed to get out and run, and since it's run at 3 pm, makes it all the much better.

This race has been put on by Red Dirt Racing, which is owned by Manhattan Running Company here in town, and they do a great job.  The only downside I could see was there was only on port-o-potty, but eh, line wasn't too long!  The proceeds each year goes to a different charity, and this year was Girls on the Run, a non-profit who gets girls out running as well as teaches life skills.  So as always, I'm a softy for a good cause!

On to the race!  I last ran this two years ago in 30 degree weather and on a slightly different course, but this year, I liked the change, it had a little cross country to start out with, a nice run through the trees before heading up the hill into the housing area across the street from the park.  Man, I forgot how much that hill sucked!  You do a little loop in the neighborhood and head down the hill, back to the park and across some more grass, and finish where you started, and according to Garmin, 3.10 miles, on the nose!

Well I went out in the lead pack of about 5, with one young gazelle leading the way and I settled into 3rd as we wound through the trees and headed to the 1 mile mark.  I have to say also, there was an aid station, and for the folks doing the donut challenge, you had to stop there and on the way back to eat two Varsity "Otis" donuts, which is good, but not while running.  Ok, with that little sidebar out of the way, I was passed just before the aid station, but passed another to put me in 3rd still, but as we came to the aid station / donut stop, the guy pulls off to eat.  Yes, fist pump in my head!  So I was racing in 2nd for a bit, until we hit the hill, and bang, a small quick female blew by me, like it was the first 200 meters, not a mile and change into the race.

It was a nice day to run!  Female in orange was the 1st female

 

Yup, I got chicked!  Oh well, I'm not as young or fast as I used to be!  But she ended up winning the female race, and was 2nd overall, so not too shabby!  I kept her in sight the entire race, but couldn't close on her, and as we came down the hill, I was passed by an older gentleman, man, what is up with me today?  I kept the both of them in sight the rest of the race, but they were just out of reach and my legs couldn't churn out anymore power (hmmm, must be the long run layoff, jack wagon!), but I held it together enough to finish and not hurl, but I was thinking about grabbing a donut on my way by the 2nd donut stop and munch on it as I ran, but didn't sound very good at the time.

 





A nice cross country like finish!

 

I ended up finishing 4th, 1st overall in my AG, but the three that were in front of me was a high school senior (his CC team *did* win state this year), a fast female, and a 50-55 year old guy.  Eh, what ya gonna do?  Overall, had a good time, but finished in 20:06, so a bit back of my PR from earlier this year, so once I adjust to the cold, I gotta get out and hit some maintenance miles, especially if I want to punish myself with the half marathon in January in Topeka.

 



 Me, looking for my lost fitness.  Yup, slowly losin' it for the year!

 Thanks for reading again, and let me know if you like this format!

FTMM (post Thanksgiving) and Turkey Two-Miler Race Report

Well, you see I survived Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday (which wasn't too bad really), I wish the same could be said for my training.  The last two weeks took a turn downhill, which coincided with the weather as well.  But after two runs in about two weeks (both races; which I'll recap in a sec), I am getting back on the horse and staying there.

Since this is going to be long, here's the stats!

Last week:
SWIM: zip
BIKE: 30.7 Miles (Got nice weather finally)
RUN: ahem, nothing

This Week:
SWIM: 6000 yds (Since it will get nasty cold soon, Swim Sets!)
BIKE: 40 miles (All trainer, with a few commute miles)
RUN: 25 miles (I'll just suck it up and run in the single digit weather, if it isn't windy)

So I have a few things planned, so that is good.  But I'll recap the Turkey Trot 2 Miler I ran on the 23rd here on post, and it was a fun run (but I kept score!)

It was a cold 23* mid-morning, and windy, but not raining / snowing so I was good with that, more or less.  The real reason I was running this wasn't to stroke the ego, it was to try to win a turkey at the raffle just after the race, which sadly I didn't get one.  But I stretched out and was going to just let the run develop since I hadn't run much because of the cold (I know, HTFU), but I figured I'd be fine.  We lined up and this time I was at the front, unlike last time I ran this, I was behind a ton of kids, not fun dodging little ones.  I ran in a couple long sleeve shirts double tights and beanie, but no gloves.

The run was at the Riley Conference Center's running trail, a nice rolling 2 mile loop, but this time it was run clockwise, with the majority of the hills in the 2nd mile.  But I went out and hung out in 3rd to begin with, and couldn't feel my hands, which made them ache later in the run.  But a larger guy surged to the front after about 150 m and I passed the kid on my right in the picture and settled in behind the guy to my right in blue (2nd overall) and just kept with him.  At about 400m, guy in blue (GIB) passed the big dude, and I held his shoulder.  We were going fast but not unmanageable at all and I started to think out how I'd want to run this.  I hung with GIB for a while til about the 3/4 mile mark and put in a surge, just to check him out, and despite my heavy breathing, pulled a few strides ahead.  he came charging back and stayed with me, and I counted to 5 and put in another, longer surge and pulled away, since he was laboring hard just to catch me after the first one.  Luckily it was a nice downhill to the mile mark and by then I was all alone.

"All by myself, I was all by myself"

 

The 2nd mile started with a long, twisting uphill that ran right by the finish area, just to tease you.  That is when my hands started to hurt and feel like crap, mainly like they "locked" up, which was not cool.  I was trying to concentrate and run "scared" that I might get caught.  But I looked when I ran around a hairpin turn and saw no one for a while, only then I relaxed a little bit, and tried to pour on more speed to get this over with and back to my sweatshirt and moderate warmth.  That was the theme of the 2nd mile, run fast to get back to my clothes!

 

I ended up with a good 2 mile time of 12:31, but no turkey.  But it was a good test of race tactics in a shorter race as well as a test of fitness after a few days layoff (not that I wanted to skip runs, but I'm a wimp).

 

Finishing up!

 

Well, I need to get back on the ball, since I have only 132 more days to my first half-iron race, New Orleans 70.3, so can't waste too much of my time.

 

I'll write up the 5K from yesterday's race report tomorrow, along with pictures!  No puking for this guy!



FTMM - 18 November 2013 - OUTSIDE Finally!

Man I hate treadmills!  And trainers!  But when you are a wimp, plus the weather sucks and/or it gets dark before you get home from work, these things all lead to them.  Hey, I love the feeling of wind in my hair, even if you start to lose feeling, I'd rather be outside.  And this finally happened this weekend.  I got two solid runs in and it felt great!  Now that I am free on my lunch hour now, running at lunch is on again!  But still have to force myself to go to the pool, since I checked my training logs, yup, no real swimming since June.  Yes, June!  Man, I'm a wimp!

Also finally got great news, I'm headed for Texas!  A place where it's 16* warmer on average and I hope a ton less windy than Kansas!  I am looking forward to being able to train year round outside, so let it begin!

Here's a look at last week:

SWIM: Still looking!
BIKE:  20.2 miles (all indoors)  Well I almost made it through Fast and Furious 6, just a little longer!
RUN:  13.7 (with two outdoor runs) I ran hella fast on Friday, got sore from not running that much, then ran 8.6 hilly miles Saturday.  Yeah, stupid, but it hurt sooo good!

Looking ahead:

SWIM: 7600 yds (3:50)  Got these scheduled for the evenings so the wife can go.
BIKE: 40 miles (2+ hrs) All indoors unless we get some freaky warm weather this weekend.
RUN:  32 miles (3:45)  These will be all outdoors this week, so should be a good week.

I'm going to lock myself into two races by paying for them now so I can't "worm" my way out of them.  So this week both going to sign up for the Winter Runderland 5K here in Manhattan, KS and the Topeka-to-Auburn Half marathon coming up in January before I move.  That way money will be paid and no getting out of that!

Well, I'm off like a prom dress, so we'll see you next week!