It been nearly 6 months since I last updated. SIX MONTHS! Where has the time gone? Well, its been a rough last 3 months, as I've been dealing with lingering ankle issues since the Rock n Roll Las Vegas Half in December. An issue that required me to take a DNS (did not start) for the Rock n Roll USA DC Half. Having taken a little over 2 whole months off, its as if I have never run, EVER.
Originally, the injury was in my right ankle. Took x-rays and an MRI and went to the Ortho (the same guy that did my surgery back in 2004). When all was said and done, he didnt' have a diagnosis for it and really didn't and couldn't do anything for me. This is why I dont go to doctors! Anyway, the pain eventually subsided enough where running was not bearable. The only other problem? The LEFT ankle has now been the issue, and is still bothering me. Its been lingering for a while now and there are bad days and worse days. The only thing that has really helped it along is KT tape, so I highly recommend it for any nagging injuries you may have.
So in the past month, I've just been trying to ease my body back into training mode. Starting with short 1.7 mile runs (once around the small southern loop in Central Park), then slowly increasing that to twice around the loop in CP. Yesterday was my first run without taking a break in the middle somewhere, FINALLY. Hoping to finally rebuild the base, so I can get into more focused training, since I have the following events rapidly approaching:
4/28: Run as One (4 miler)
5/30: Wall Street Run (3 miler)
6/1: Ride to Montauk (Century Ride) **(see below!)
6/12: JP Morgan Corp Challenge (3.5 miler)
6/16: Gold Coast Tri (Spring Distance- 750m swim, 11.5 mile bike, 3 mile run)
6/23: Run of Champions (5k)
And all this to be capped with the Olympic distance Tri again in Maine! Happy training.
**I will again be riding to Montauk to help support Team Viscardi! Please click here to find out how you can support!
Showing posts with label biking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biking. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Rev3 Tri, Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Hard to believe it has been over 2 months since my last post which was on the Ride To Montauk. I'm now two triathlons removed and we're almost into September.
Anyway, this past Sunday was the Rev3 Tri in Maine! Overall, it was a great race by a great organizer. As for my performance, thats another story (more on that later). When I registered, I failed to realize that the race date, being at the end of the summer, meant that most of my training would be in the dead heat of summer. And if theres one thing I cannot do, is function in heat and humidity, thus rendering my training for this Tri to almost zero. So much so, that at one point, I had decided (almost officially) that I wasnt going to do the race. So with a little less than a month to go (after watching an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Weight-loss Edition", where the guy does an Olympic distance Tri at 300+ pounds), I again changed my decision, and then crammed what should be at least 3 months of training into 4 weeks. I squeezed in whatever running I could, running on the cooler, less humid days, ignoring the bike (again!), and well, trying to swim (saying the FMCP Aquatic center gets "crowded" during the summer months is a severe understatement). Thankfully, I went on a cruise 2 weeks prior to the race, and was able to run on the ship, and swim at the beach while in port. Let me just say, running on a ship in the middle of the ocean was a unique experience.
So then, how did I do, you ask? Well, to that, I respond with, "Hey, I finished!"....hah! Out of 300 Olympic distance athletes, I came in 290th. At least I wasnt last! Final time was 3:44:42 (40:54 swim, 1:36:47 bike, 1:16:22 run), which is slower than I had anticipated. I was hoping more of the 3:15-3:30 range. But thanks to my lack of training, this is my result.
The swim was actually not too bad, considering its usually the one I am most concerned about, especially this time not having gone the 1500m distance- and yes, I was nervous if I could even make it, and went in having a "lets just survive this" mindset. The waters were chilly, but since I wisely rented a westuit from the good people of Rev3, it was not an issue, and probably even made this portion easier.The most difficult part of this was my inability to swim in a straight line, no matter how frequently I sighted. I felt like I swam double the 1500m distance because I was zig-zagging so much. This definitely added to my time and sapped some energy. It also didnt help that my goggles were completely fogged up, making sighting that much more difficult. Though compared to DC, this was much less chaotic, since it was an ocean swim (read: A LOT more room to swim) so we werent all going in the water one on top of the other.
So after what seemed like an ETERNITY to get to shore, I'm finally out of the water, unzipping the wetsuit, and making the .3 mile jog to transition. T1 actually goes along without a hitch until, after I go my bike shoes on, I realized I forgot to take the cleat covers off, AGAIN (I had also done that the NYRR Tri). So I had to bother with that for a few seconds before I was out on the bike course.
Bike course was not TOO much of an issue, just a little hillier than anticipated. It also wasn't "fast and flat with a couple of rollers" as they had advertised. It actually was mainly all rollers, with a couple flats. Had some aches and soreness during this leg, mainly from not biking since the Montauk ride, but otherwise, I think it went well (asides from being passed by 50 and 60 year old women, doh!).
T2. Off the bike, back into transition, slip on some socks, my running shoes, shorts, visor and off I go! What did I forget? My gels. ARGH. I had gone too far to go back. There would be gatorade on the course, so I was just going to go with that. Otherwise, I think it was a pretty successful T2.
So onto the run I go, temps in the mid 70s at this point, it feels, okay. And just okay. Mile 1 marker came rather fast, and turned out I did it in 9:30 (which was WAY too fast), and it showed the rest of the way. After that first mile, I had to go into a run/walk, as I was pretty much out of gas at this point. Nearing the halfway point, both quads start tightening up big time. I spot a port-o-potty, and since I needed to go since the swim, and the fact that my quads could use a break, I made the pit stop. Back on the road, the quads would tighten up again 2 more times, each one calling for a quick stop and stretch to alleviate. Then once again, on the final stretch, I felt it. Just before returning to the crowds, I stopped to try to stretch them out again, so I could run through the finish strong. I reach the finish chute, and there it was, my legs, seconds from cramping up into big huge knots, all I could do was fight through it. Made the final turn just before the finish arch, found my adoring wife waiting for me, grabbed her hand and trotted through the finish together! All the while, the crowd is cheering you on. The PA announcer shouting out, "Ben-Jammin'!" to acknowledge me. What a rush. What a feeling. Though I didnt come close to breaking any kind of records, it was still a wash of emotion that I just completed an Olympic distance triathlon. OLYMPIC Distance!!
So looking forward, I would LOVE to do this race again, but would need a better training strategy, because training in the summer heat just is not an option for me. Anyone with ideas, I'd love to hear it! 'Till next time!
Anyway, this past Sunday was the Rev3 Tri in Maine! Overall, it was a great race by a great organizer. As for my performance, thats another story (more on that later). When I registered, I failed to realize that the race date, being at the end of the summer, meant that most of my training would be in the dead heat of summer. And if theres one thing I cannot do, is function in heat and humidity, thus rendering my training for this Tri to almost zero. So much so, that at one point, I had decided (almost officially) that I wasnt going to do the race. So with a little less than a month to go (after watching an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Weight-loss Edition", where the guy does an Olympic distance Tri at 300+ pounds), I again changed my decision, and then crammed what should be at least 3 months of training into 4 weeks. I squeezed in whatever running I could, running on the cooler, less humid days, ignoring the bike (again!), and well, trying to swim (saying the FMCP Aquatic center gets "crowded" during the summer months is a severe understatement). Thankfully, I went on a cruise 2 weeks prior to the race, and was able to run on the ship, and swim at the beach while in port. Let me just say, running on a ship in the middle of the ocean was a unique experience.
So then, how did I do, you ask? Well, to that, I respond with, "Hey, I finished!"....hah! Out of 300 Olympic distance athletes, I came in 290th. At least I wasnt last! Final time was 3:44:42 (40:54 swim, 1:36:47 bike, 1:16:22 run), which is slower than I had anticipated. I was hoping more of the 3:15-3:30 range. But thanks to my lack of training, this is my result.
The swim was actually not too bad, considering its usually the one I am most concerned about, especially this time not having gone the 1500m distance- and yes, I was nervous if I could even make it, and went in having a "lets just survive this" mindset. The waters were chilly, but since I wisely rented a westuit from the good people of Rev3, it was not an issue, and probably even made this portion easier.The most difficult part of this was my inability to swim in a straight line, no matter how frequently I sighted. I felt like I swam double the 1500m distance because I was zig-zagging so much. This definitely added to my time and sapped some energy. It also didnt help that my goggles were completely fogged up, making sighting that much more difficult. Though compared to DC, this was much less chaotic, since it was an ocean swim (read: A LOT more room to swim) so we werent all going in the water one on top of the other.
So after what seemed like an ETERNITY to get to shore, I'm finally out of the water, unzipping the wetsuit, and making the .3 mile jog to transition. T1 actually goes along without a hitch until, after I go my bike shoes on, I realized I forgot to take the cleat covers off, AGAIN (I had also done that the NYRR Tri). So I had to bother with that for a few seconds before I was out on the bike course.
Bike course was not TOO much of an issue, just a little hillier than anticipated. It also wasn't "fast and flat with a couple of rollers" as they had advertised. It actually was mainly all rollers, with a couple flats. Had some aches and soreness during this leg, mainly from not biking since the Montauk ride, but otherwise, I think it went well (asides from being passed by 50 and 60 year old women, doh!).
T2. Off the bike, back into transition, slip on some socks, my running shoes, shorts, visor and off I go! What did I forget? My gels. ARGH. I had gone too far to go back. There would be gatorade on the course, so I was just going to go with that. Otherwise, I think it was a pretty successful T2.
So onto the run I go, temps in the mid 70s at this point, it feels, okay. And just okay. Mile 1 marker came rather fast, and turned out I did it in 9:30 (which was WAY too fast), and it showed the rest of the way. After that first mile, I had to go into a run/walk, as I was pretty much out of gas at this point. Nearing the halfway point, both quads start tightening up big time. I spot a port-o-potty, and since I needed to go since the swim, and the fact that my quads could use a break, I made the pit stop. Back on the road, the quads would tighten up again 2 more times, each one calling for a quick stop and stretch to alleviate. Then once again, on the final stretch, I felt it. Just before returning to the crowds, I stopped to try to stretch them out again, so I could run through the finish strong. I reach the finish chute, and there it was, my legs, seconds from cramping up into big huge knots, all I could do was fight through it. Made the final turn just before the finish arch, found my adoring wife waiting for me, grabbed her hand and trotted through the finish together! All the while, the crowd is cheering you on. The PA announcer shouting out, "Ben-Jammin'!" to acknowledge me. What a rush. What a feeling. Though I didnt come close to breaking any kind of records, it was still a wash of emotion that I just completed an Olympic distance triathlon. OLYMPIC Distance!!
So looking forward, I would LOVE to do this race again, but would need a better training strategy, because training in the summer heat just is not an option for me. Anyone with ideas, I'd love to hear it! 'Till next time!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Ride to Montauk Recap!
Game day! Finally! I don't think I have ever been so anxious than I was the 24-48 hours leading up to the ride. I could have used to vallium to calm my nerves down! It was a 4:30am wake up call, since check in started at 6am for me, and there would be some travel time to get to Babylon. I went through with my usual race day nutrition routine, which was a bagel, banana and 20oz. of water. Packed up all the gear and loaded up the car and we were headed off to Babylon train station.
It was a cool (almost chilly) sunny morning. We arrive to Babylon around 6:30am to find it rather buzzing with activity already. I check-in my bag, grab a route sheet, and use the port-o-potty. Change into my bike shoes, and I'm about ready to roll. Still debating on whether I wanted to join the escorted ride, I finally decided against it, said good-bye to my loving wife, and rolled out with a few other members of Team Viscardi.
This first leg was from Babylon to the Blue Point Brewery in Patchogue, which would be a little over 20 miles. For some reason I thought it would be closer to 30. It was a pretty uneventful 20 or so miles, just had more lights and intersections than I would have liked (because that meant having to stop, and still being a "newbie" to bike shoes that clip in, each stop was a small adventure!). Toward the end of this section, the competitive, i-cant-do-anything-just-for-fun part of me takes over and I decide to pull away from the group. Surprisingly, another Team Viscardi member I was rolling with decided to follow me. And since I thought this section was longer, I was very surprised when I arrived at the Blue Point Brewery (around 8:30am) much sooner than anticipated. My original plan, before ride day, was to spend AT MOST 10 minutes at each rest stop. I quickly realized that was not going to happen. Between people hanging out, grabbing food, and the lines for everything (food, water, gatorade, potty), my desired 10 minute max became a 30 minute stop.
This second leg, from the Brewery to Westhampton Church would be about 30 miles, just around the midway point for the 100-milers. A large group of Team Viscardi decides to roll out together, now 9:00am, so we are out in full force! I try to hang around for about the first 5 minutes, then again, that i-cant-do-anything-just-for-fun side takes over and I decide to just break away from them, otherwise, I probably wouldnt finish until after 7pm! So I'm keeping it around a 16-17mph pace, when conditions allowed of course, and I couldnt help but start to think, will this catch up with me later? But I didnt care, I just wanted to keep going. Nearing the 50 mile mark, and close to the next rest stop, I'm really starting to feel it. I'm starting to get tired, my legs are burning, and worst of all, my butt hurt! I was able to ignore it knowing the rest stop was near. So as I approach the rest stop, around 11am, my original plan of "no more than 10 minutes" at the rest stop was out the window. I knew I had to stay a while, let my legs recover and get some fuel in me. So I pulled in, set my bike down, and just shook my legs out and stretched out for a bit. Took my bottles to refill and grabbed a banana. I really didnt want anything else to eat, fearing it my come back to haunt me. I found a bench to just relax on, just to recover a little.
So, from here would be another 25-ish miles to the Water Mill, the next rest stop. Now around 11:30am, as soon as I leave the rest stop, I feel a tightness in my right leg, almost like it was about to cramp. I try my best to pedal and stretch at the same time (I'm sure it was a site to others). I also downed some water and gatorade. It does finally subside and all was well, UNTIL....the WIND. This next section was, in one word, HELL. There was a slight headwind all day, but this stretch on Dune Rd, for about 5, 6 miles, were the worst. I was literally going about 6, 7 mph. My legs were so on fire, that I stopped to stretch out and rest. This is where I started thinking the worst, that the fast start was catching up to me and that I may have to be SAG-ed to the end! So we finally turn onto Ponquogue Bridge to catch a nice break with the wind at our backs, and a nice downhill on the second half of the bridge. From here, it wasn't all bad, very scenic, then around 1:30pm, I arrived at the Water Mill. This was the imfamous stop with PIE. PIE!! I badly wanted some, but again, knew that it would come back to haunt me later. Refilled my water and gatorade, used the facilities, laid down for a bit, and most importantly, downed a small packet of salt. Money.
Around 2pm, I was back on the road, and it would be another 30 miles to the finish. I knew since I made it this far, no amount of pain or soreness would stop me from getting to the end. I'm not even caring about how nice the scenery was around me was at this point. It was, lets get the heck to Montauk!! And that is what I did. Trying to keep it around 15mph where I could, and if my legs let me, I was finally got to the final 15 mile stretch that led to the lighthouse. Here, is where it got fun. The first 5 were fine, but the final 10? Lets just say there were a couple of hills. A couple of Cadillac mountain type hills!! At the END!! That was just wrong. So I push through the first one, levels out, I'm tired, I slow a bit....get to the next one. Same thing. Finally, not far from the end, is the biggest one. Fortunately, there was a big downhill just before it, so I was at least able to gain some momentum up this last one. It carried me to about 1/3 of the way up, before I was in my lowest gear already. As I'm going up this hill, I couldnt help but think that I'd rather just get off the bike and run!! Too bad I only had the bike shoes. Then the next thought, that as soon as I get to the lighthouse, I was going to just chuck the bike and not want to see it for a while (too bad I have a Tri in less than 2 weeks!). So, finally, over the hill, I see the line of cars, trying to enter the park. I know I'm close. You start to see the crowd, they're cheering. I'm getting emotional. Yes, emotional. Nearly choked up!! I'm rolling through and I see Ahmee, Lillian and David cheering me on as I roll by. I made it. 108 miles, and 9.5 hours since I left Babylon, I made it to the lighthouse in Montauk!!!
I was completely spent. I'm not sure I've ever felt that kind of fatigue before. That kind of burn in my legs. It was still settling in that I did that. I biked over 100 miles. And all for a great cause! Montauk....THE END.
It was a cool (almost chilly) sunny morning. We arrive to Babylon around 6:30am to find it rather buzzing with activity already. I check-in my bag, grab a route sheet, and use the port-o-potty. Change into my bike shoes, and I'm about ready to roll. Still debating on whether I wanted to join the escorted ride, I finally decided against it, said good-bye to my loving wife, and rolled out with a few other members of Team Viscardi.
This first leg was from Babylon to the Blue Point Brewery in Patchogue, which would be a little over 20 miles. For some reason I thought it would be closer to 30. It was a pretty uneventful 20 or so miles, just had more lights and intersections than I would have liked (because that meant having to stop, and still being a "newbie" to bike shoes that clip in, each stop was a small adventure!). Toward the end of this section, the competitive, i-cant-do-anything-just-for-fun part of me takes over and I decide to pull away from the group. Surprisingly, another Team Viscardi member I was rolling with decided to follow me. And since I thought this section was longer, I was very surprised when I arrived at the Blue Point Brewery (around 8:30am) much sooner than anticipated. My original plan, before ride day, was to spend AT MOST 10 minutes at each rest stop. I quickly realized that was not going to happen. Between people hanging out, grabbing food, and the lines for everything (food, water, gatorade, potty), my desired 10 minute max became a 30 minute stop.
This second leg, from the Brewery to Westhampton Church would be about 30 miles, just around the midway point for the 100-milers. A large group of Team Viscardi decides to roll out together, now 9:00am, so we are out in full force! I try to hang around for about the first 5 minutes, then again, that i-cant-do-anything-just-for-fun side takes over and I decide to just break away from them, otherwise, I probably wouldnt finish until after 7pm! So I'm keeping it around a 16-17mph pace, when conditions allowed of course, and I couldnt help but start to think, will this catch up with me later? But I didnt care, I just wanted to keep going. Nearing the 50 mile mark, and close to the next rest stop, I'm really starting to feel it. I'm starting to get tired, my legs are burning, and worst of all, my butt hurt! I was able to ignore it knowing the rest stop was near. So as I approach the rest stop, around 11am, my original plan of "no more than 10 minutes" at the rest stop was out the window. I knew I had to stay a while, let my legs recover and get some fuel in me. So I pulled in, set my bike down, and just shook my legs out and stretched out for a bit. Took my bottles to refill and grabbed a banana. I really didnt want anything else to eat, fearing it my come back to haunt me. I found a bench to just relax on, just to recover a little.
So, from here would be another 25-ish miles to the Water Mill, the next rest stop. Now around 11:30am, as soon as I leave the rest stop, I feel a tightness in my right leg, almost like it was about to cramp. I try my best to pedal and stretch at the same time (I'm sure it was a site to others). I also downed some water and gatorade. It does finally subside and all was well, UNTIL....the WIND. This next section was, in one word, HELL. There was a slight headwind all day, but this stretch on Dune Rd, for about 5, 6 miles, were the worst. I was literally going about 6, 7 mph. My legs were so on fire, that I stopped to stretch out and rest. This is where I started thinking the worst, that the fast start was catching up to me and that I may have to be SAG-ed to the end! So we finally turn onto Ponquogue Bridge to catch a nice break with the wind at our backs, and a nice downhill on the second half of the bridge. From here, it wasn't all bad, very scenic, then around 1:30pm, I arrived at the Water Mill. This was the imfamous stop with PIE. PIE!! I badly wanted some, but again, knew that it would come back to haunt me later. Refilled my water and gatorade, used the facilities, laid down for a bit, and most importantly, downed a small packet of salt. Money.
Around 2pm, I was back on the road, and it would be another 30 miles to the finish. I knew since I made it this far, no amount of pain or soreness would stop me from getting to the end. I'm not even caring about how nice the scenery was around me was at this point. It was, lets get the heck to Montauk!! And that is what I did. Trying to keep it around 15mph where I could, and if my legs let me, I was finally got to the final 15 mile stretch that led to the lighthouse. Here, is where it got fun. The first 5 were fine, but the final 10? Lets just say there were a couple of hills. A couple of Cadillac mountain type hills!! At the END!! That was just wrong. So I push through the first one, levels out, I'm tired, I slow a bit....get to the next one. Same thing. Finally, not far from the end, is the biggest one. Fortunately, there was a big downhill just before it, so I was at least able to gain some momentum up this last one. It carried me to about 1/3 of the way up, before I was in my lowest gear already. As I'm going up this hill, I couldnt help but think that I'd rather just get off the bike and run!! Too bad I only had the bike shoes. Then the next thought, that as soon as I get to the lighthouse, I was going to just chuck the bike and not want to see it for a while (too bad I have a Tri in less than 2 weeks!). So, finally, over the hill, I see the line of cars, trying to enter the park. I know I'm close. You start to see the crowd, they're cheering. I'm getting emotional. Yes, emotional. Nearly choked up!! I'm rolling through and I see Ahmee, Lillian and David cheering me on as I roll by. I made it. 108 miles, and 9.5 hours since I left Babylon, I made it to the lighthouse in Montauk!!!
I was completely spent. I'm not sure I've ever felt that kind of fatigue before. That kind of burn in my legs. It was still settling in that I did that. I biked over 100 miles. And all for a great cause! Montauk....THE END.
Thanks for your support!
Just a quick and warm "Thank You" to those of you who contributed to Team Viscardi's Ride to Montauk!
It was a hard fought and might I even say brutal 108 mile ride from Babylon to the lighthouse at Montauk, but was well worth it to support a great school and a great cause. Although completing the ride was no easy task, neither are the lives of these children who attend Henry Viscardi School.
If you've been meaning to support but haven't, there is still time. The School's fiscal year ends on June 29, so you can still contribute until then. You can do so in the following ways:
(1) "pledge" to support me on the ride (choose this option so I know that you contributed!). You will receive and "invoice" in the mail: http://www.abilitiesonline.org/pledgeform.aspx
(2) make a general donation to the Henry Viscardi School (**be sure to select “Team Viscardi/Ride to Montauk” on the Restricted Gifts drop down menu**): https://npo1.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=5560
To learn more about Team Viscardi, Henry Viscardi School, or Abilities!, please go here:
http://www.abilitiesonline.org/ride.aspx
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me: benjamin.c.huang@gmail.com
Click here for a full recap of the ride!
It was a hard fought and might I even say brutal 108 mile ride from Babylon to the lighthouse at Montauk, but was well worth it to support a great school and a great cause. Although completing the ride was no easy task, neither are the lives of these children who attend Henry Viscardi School.
If you've been meaning to support but haven't, there is still time. The School's fiscal year ends on June 29, so you can still contribute until then. You can do so in the following ways:
(1) "pledge" to support me on the ride (choose this option so I know that you contributed!). You will receive and "invoice" in the mail: http://www.abilitiesonline.org/pledgeform.aspx
(2) make a general donation to the Henry Viscardi School (**be sure to select “Team Viscardi/Ride to Montauk” on the Restricted Gifts drop down menu**): https://npo1.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=5560
To learn more about Team Viscardi, Henry Viscardi School, or Abilities!, please go here:
http://www.abilitiesonline.org/ride.aspx
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me: benjamin.c.huang@gmail.com
Click here for a full recap of the ride!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Swimming, Biking, Running...Oh My!
Going to cover a little bit of everything today, since it seems like I havent done that in a while. Heck, I haven't even really been posting!
Events Update
So I've finally registered for the NYRR Sprint Tri (400m swim, 13 mile bike, 5k run) on June 30th. I was falling into my trap of "I want to make sure I'm ready, then I'll sign up"- which we all know will eventually never happen. So when I saw that it was nearing capacity, I jumped on it. One month to train.
Speaking of Triathlons, in a bit of sad news, the DC Tri, which I did about a year ago, has been cancelled for this year. Whats more is, it appears the race itself will no longer exist! This makes me sad since, although I was not signed up for this year, I was hoping to do it again in the future. It was very well run, very organized. And it was my first Tri, so it has a special place in my heart. RIP DC Tri!
I've also signed up for the Celebrate Israel 4-miler in Central Park. I felt I needed to do this one again, since this was not only my 4 mile PR, but my overall pace PR as well. Not that the course is any different from any other 4 miler organized by NYRR (Japan Day run was the exact same course), but its just that it was this race last year where I got that, so I felt I should give it another go for another big PR.
And just to highlight again, I'm also signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll NY 10K, which is October 13th, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. As well as Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half (again!). This will total 3 Rock 'n' Roll events this year, meaning, not only will I be receiving medals for each individual event, but an additional one for doing 2 and then 3 races! Thats 5 medals in all, score! Easily amused, I know.
Upcoming Races/Events
A couple races coming up, the American Heart Associations' Wall Street Run (3 miles) on Thursday, May 31 and the above mentioned Celebrate Israel run on Sunday, June 3. I did not realize that they were only a couple days apart when I signed up! I guess it'll be similar to the Healthy Kindey/Japan Day weekend. Except its not back to back. That was rough!
And on Saturday, June 16th, will be the Ride to Montauk with Team Viscardi! Please click on the link or the link above (Support my Ride!) for more details on how you can support this very wonderful school for disabled children. I will be doing the 100 mile ride (my first one, yikes!). Though not a race, I would like to complete it in or around 6 hours. That is my goal. Okay, maybe 6.5 hrs. I dont have the ability to do things, "just for fun". Its either all out competition, or not at all. Even if I'm just competing against myself.
Training
Oh yea, then theres training...haha. So I finally renewed my pool membership, and went back for a swim this past monday. It went alright, but I kept getting impeded by other swimmers, to the point where I completely lost count of how much I swam. I think I totaled about 800m that night.
Biking will probably be contained to the weekends. The weather has been poor as of late too. Not really sure when the last time the sun was out. I'm doing decently, and can maintain 80rpm fairly easily now on flats. It actually wasn't as fast as I thought it was, so I guess it means I'm in decent shape....
So my goal from now until the Sprint Tri in June 30 is to focus on speedwork. I started this week. I did 2 runs, with hills this past Tues and then intervals last night, which was distributed across the 5 mile loop in CP. Started with a 10 min warm up, then 1 minute at about 80%, with the last 15-20 seconds going almost full out. Walk for the next 60 seconds to recover, and then 3 minutes of easy, light jog, with the final minute back to about my 4 mile pace. Lather, rinse, repeat. Finally, did a cool down for the final mile. The challenge in doing it this way, especially in CP is the inclines and declines. Doing it based on time, it always seemed the "speed" portions of the intervals landed on the downhills, which, well, made them a bit easier. Perhaps I'll have to go the other direction next time I try it.
So, thats whats up for the next month or so for me. Lots coming up, and lots to do. 'Till next time.
Events Update
So I've finally registered for the NYRR Sprint Tri (400m swim, 13 mile bike, 5k run) on June 30th. I was falling into my trap of "I want to make sure I'm ready, then I'll sign up"- which we all know will eventually never happen. So when I saw that it was nearing capacity, I jumped on it. One month to train.
Speaking of Triathlons, in a bit of sad news, the DC Tri, which I did about a year ago, has been cancelled for this year. Whats more is, it appears the race itself will no longer exist! This makes me sad since, although I was not signed up for this year, I was hoping to do it again in the future. It was very well run, very organized. And it was my first Tri, so it has a special place in my heart. RIP DC Tri!
I've also signed up for the Celebrate Israel 4-miler in Central Park. I felt I needed to do this one again, since this was not only my 4 mile PR, but my overall pace PR as well. Not that the course is any different from any other 4 miler organized by NYRR (Japan Day run was the exact same course), but its just that it was this race last year where I got that, so I felt I should give it another go for another big PR.
And just to highlight again, I'm also signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll NY 10K, which is October 13th, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. As well as Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half (again!). This will total 3 Rock 'n' Roll events this year, meaning, not only will I be receiving medals for each individual event, but an additional one for doing 2 and then 3 races! Thats 5 medals in all, score! Easily amused, I know.
Upcoming Races/Events
A couple races coming up, the American Heart Associations' Wall Street Run (3 miles) on Thursday, May 31 and the above mentioned Celebrate Israel run on Sunday, June 3. I did not realize that they were only a couple days apart when I signed up! I guess it'll be similar to the Healthy Kindey/Japan Day weekend. Except its not back to back. That was rough!
And on Saturday, June 16th, will be the Ride to Montauk with Team Viscardi! Please click on the link or the link above (Support my Ride!) for more details on how you can support this very wonderful school for disabled children. I will be doing the 100 mile ride (my first one, yikes!). Though not a race, I would like to complete it in or around 6 hours. That is my goal. Okay, maybe 6.5 hrs. I dont have the ability to do things, "just for fun". Its either all out competition, or not at all. Even if I'm just competing against myself.
Training
Oh yea, then theres training...haha. So I finally renewed my pool membership, and went back for a swim this past monday. It went alright, but I kept getting impeded by other swimmers, to the point where I completely lost count of how much I swam. I think I totaled about 800m that night.
Biking will probably be contained to the weekends. The weather has been poor as of late too. Not really sure when the last time the sun was out. I'm doing decently, and can maintain 80rpm fairly easily now on flats. It actually wasn't as fast as I thought it was, so I guess it means I'm in decent shape....
So my goal from now until the Sprint Tri in June 30 is to focus on speedwork. I started this week. I did 2 runs, with hills this past Tues and then intervals last night, which was distributed across the 5 mile loop in CP. Started with a 10 min warm up, then 1 minute at about 80%, with the last 15-20 seconds going almost full out. Walk for the next 60 seconds to recover, and then 3 minutes of easy, light jog, with the final minute back to about my 4 mile pace. Lather, rinse, repeat. Finally, did a cool down for the final mile. The challenge in doing it this way, especially in CP is the inclines and declines. Doing it based on time, it always seemed the "speed" portions of the intervals landed on the downhills, which, well, made them a bit easier. Perhaps I'll have to go the other direction next time I try it.
So, thats whats up for the next month or so for me. Lots coming up, and lots to do. 'Till next time.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Run As One Recap (and Training update)
This past sunday, April 29, was NYRR's Run as One 4-miler through Central Park. It was a 6AM wake up call, with an 8:30AM start, since I was training it in on this one. A crisp 44 degrees when I woke up, so I went with cold-gear compression, a tech-t over it and shorts. I completely deviated from my normal pre-race nutritional routine this time around. It was a combination of forgetting to buy my bagel and banana, and simply just not worrying too much because "4 miles is so beneath me!". 20oz of water as usual, but I added half of a scoop of protein powder. Then I had a peanut butter sandwich (which was dry as heck to eat!).
So, was out there door at 6:55, caught the 7AM into Penn which arrived around 7:25AM. After a bit of a wait for a subway, finally arrived at the park around 7:50AM. It was actually pretty good timing, because that gave me just enough time to empty my bladder (only once this time, amazing!), drop off my bag and find the start line. Had about 10 minutes to spare, so I did a light warm up and just waiting for the slow march to the start. The temperature only warmed up one degree by this time, but it was a beautiful sunny morning, perfect for a race.
6 minutes and 45 seconds after the starting horn is when I actually cross the start, and it does seem to be slightly more crowded than what I'm used to, but bearable. So about a quarter mile into it is when we hit Cat hill. And I'm quickly slowed down by the crowd, since they naturally slow down with the incline. To avoid using up too much so early in the race, I decided to just fall in with the slow trek up the hill. The race was relatively uneventful, otherwise. I did find someone I could pace for nearly the entire course. And when all was said and done, I finished the 4 miles in 38:31, for a 9:38 pace. Not my best 4-miler, and I admit, I thought I did better, but I will take it. I knew I should have kicked it up sooner, possibly as soon as that last mile marker. But whats good is that I felt pretty fresh afterwards, as if I hadnt run at all! All in all, good race, complete with a tech-t for participating.
A little biking news- on Saturday, April 21, I went out on a training ride with Team Viscardi. The ride was supposed to be for 45 miles, but due to other obligations, I had to turn back early. Even so, I completed 26 miles that day. Not bad for my second ever ride with Scarlett (the second). So far so good with it, still getting used to the riding position and the bike itself, in general.
Running has been pretty uneventful as well. Just trying to prep for the smaller races coming up: Healthy Kidney 10k, Japan Day 4M, and Wall Street Run (3M)- which are all within the next month. Keeping it pretty much to the 5 mile loop in CP, with nothing special or crazy, really just doing time trials with some pushes to challenge myself.
Well, thats it for now. I still need to renew my pool membership. And get back in the pool. Otherwise, until next time.
So, was out there door at 6:55, caught the 7AM into Penn which arrived around 7:25AM. After a bit of a wait for a subway, finally arrived at the park around 7:50AM. It was actually pretty good timing, because that gave me just enough time to empty my bladder (only once this time, amazing!), drop off my bag and find the start line. Had about 10 minutes to spare, so I did a light warm up and just waiting for the slow march to the start. The temperature only warmed up one degree by this time, but it was a beautiful sunny morning, perfect for a race.
6 minutes and 45 seconds after the starting horn is when I actually cross the start, and it does seem to be slightly more crowded than what I'm used to, but bearable. So about a quarter mile into it is when we hit Cat hill. And I'm quickly slowed down by the crowd, since they naturally slow down with the incline. To avoid using up too much so early in the race, I decided to just fall in with the slow trek up the hill. The race was relatively uneventful, otherwise. I did find someone I could pace for nearly the entire course. And when all was said and done, I finished the 4 miles in 38:31, for a 9:38 pace. Not my best 4-miler, and I admit, I thought I did better, but I will take it. I knew I should have kicked it up sooner, possibly as soon as that last mile marker. But whats good is that I felt pretty fresh afterwards, as if I hadnt run at all! All in all, good race, complete with a tech-t for participating.
A little biking news- on Saturday, April 21, I went out on a training ride with Team Viscardi. The ride was supposed to be for 45 miles, but due to other obligations, I had to turn back early. Even so, I completed 26 miles that day. Not bad for my second ever ride with Scarlett (the second). So far so good with it, still getting used to the riding position and the bike itself, in general.
Running has been pretty uneventful as well. Just trying to prep for the smaller races coming up: Healthy Kidney 10k, Japan Day 4M, and Wall Street Run (3M)- which are all within the next month. Keeping it pretty much to the 5 mile loop in CP, with nothing special or crazy, really just doing time trials with some pushes to challenge myself.
Well, thats it for now. I still need to renew my pool membership. And get back in the pool. Otherwise, until next time.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Meet, Scarlett (the second)
Major development boys and girls! I've finally purchased a legit road bike to further my Triathlon aspirations. I present to you, "Scarlett". The reason for "(the second)" in the title for those who dont know, Scarlett (yes, after Scarlett Johansson) was the name of my beloved Scion tC, which I lost in 2010 due to a freak tornado that hit the city. In any case, here she is!
It's a Trek 1.2, which I purchased from Brickwell. I chose this over a Cannondale CAAD8. For me, The Trek just felt smoother and more sturdy, but generally the difference was not huge. Honestly, price may have been a bigger factor! Haven't had a chance to take it out for a true ride yet, hoping to do that soon.
Well, the past few weeks have been a challenge, training wise. Took two weeks off after the RnR DC Half. I was only going to take one week, but life got in the way (I was moving!). Then I finally got back into it with a 3 run week, taking it really easy though, only totaling less than 10 miles for the week. But then the next week, I was having some serious discomfort in my back, and was advised by my Chiro to take it easy. So instead of doing another 3 runs last week, it was only one run on Friday, but I did do the 5 mile loop in a sub 10min-mile pace, which actually surprised me a bit.
So I'm hoping to get back into it with 2 runs this week and a ride or 2 to get the bike broken in. I'll also have to renew my FMCP Aquatic Center membership and get back in the pool. The Rev3 Tri in Maine is not until the end of August, but the NYRR Sprint Tri is at the end of June, and though I havent registered, now that I have the bike, I think I will.
And finally, an events update. Despite all the shenanigans that went on during the RnR Vegas Half, they have listed a number of improvements they are making in response to everyone's feedback. On paper, it looks good, but we will have to see how well it is executed. But given that, and they offered last year's runners' a discount, the sucker that I am.....REGISTERED again. So that'll be my second half for the year. I was hoping to do another RnR event to get the "heavy medal", so here is my chance. Such a sucker for deals and free stuff! Thats it for now, until next time!
 |
| My new Scarlett |
Well, the past few weeks have been a challenge, training wise. Took two weeks off after the RnR DC Half. I was only going to take one week, but life got in the way (I was moving!). Then I finally got back into it with a 3 run week, taking it really easy though, only totaling less than 10 miles for the week. But then the next week, I was having some serious discomfort in my back, and was advised by my Chiro to take it easy. So instead of doing another 3 runs last week, it was only one run on Friday, but I did do the 5 mile loop in a sub 10min-mile pace, which actually surprised me a bit.
So I'm hoping to get back into it with 2 runs this week and a ride or 2 to get the bike broken in. I'll also have to renew my FMCP Aquatic Center membership and get back in the pool. The Rev3 Tri in Maine is not until the end of August, but the NYRR Sprint Tri is at the end of June, and though I havent registered, now that I have the bike, I think I will.
And finally, an events update. Despite all the shenanigans that went on during the RnR Vegas Half, they have listed a number of improvements they are making in response to everyone's feedback. On paper, it looks good, but we will have to see how well it is executed. But given that, and they offered last year's runners' a discount, the sucker that I am.....REGISTERED again. So that'll be my second half for the year. I was hoping to do another RnR event to get the "heavy medal", so here is my chance. Such a sucker for deals and free stuff! Thats it for now, until next time!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and Birthdays..Oh MY!
Another month since the last update? Glancing over at my blog reading list, I'm glad I'm not the only one slacking! Nothing notable since the last update though. Maintained my two to three shorter runs per week since, except for the week I was in Virginia Beach. Only one run (for 4 miles) that week on the Va Beach boardwalk. That was a nice run, and nice change of scenery. Temp wise it was "cool", but the sun was pretty brutal, as there is no shade on a boardwalk, of course. Had a really good training week last week, as it was going to kick off my half-marathon training, but was quickly derailed this week, with the rain and birthday festivities. Totaled about 10 miles last week, including a 5 miler last friday (haven't done a 5 miler since before the Tri!). I also learned that day that 75 degrees is my performance threshold. Once it exceeds that, my conditioning dramatically decreases. On top of the 3 runs last week, I also biked 2 days, for 7 and 11 miles each. So it had seemed like I was off to a great start to my training, but not so much anymore. After this week, I'll have 12 weeks remaining. Better get crackin.
On an events note, will soon sign up for Urbanathlon. They've released the obstacles, and everything seems do-able. Will require work, but definitely doable. Also eying 2 NYRR races, the Poland Spring Marathon Kick Off (5M) on 10/30 and the Ted Corbitt Classic (15K) on 12/17, 2 weeks after the Half.
I'm also going to start my search for a road/racer bike, as my current city-bike will only take me so far- competitively speaking. Hoping to do 3 Tri's next year, 2 sprints and 1 olympic distance.
On an events note, will soon sign up for Urbanathlon. They've released the obstacles, and everything seems do-able. Will require work, but definitely doable. Also eying 2 NYRR races, the Poland Spring Marathon Kick Off (5M) on 10/30 and the Ted Corbitt Classic (15K) on 12/17, 2 weeks after the Half.
I'm also going to start my search for a road/racer bike, as my current city-bike will only take me so far- competitively speaking. Hoping to do 3 Tri's next year, 2 sprints and 1 olympic distance.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Coasting Right Along...
So its been pretty quiet, evidenced by the month between blog posts. What's been going on? I've been going out for a run about twice a week since the beginning of July, totaling no more than 7 miles per week. Just trying to maintain a bit, since the Tri, but now also trying to build the mileage back up. The weather has definitely been a force to contend with. Last week I did twice around the southern loop (3.44 miles), on Tues and Thurs. Hoping to get maybe a 5-miler in this week, as Thur and Fri are looking to be relatively cooler days. Again, I'm going to build up my mileage the right way this time to avoid any (further) injury. I must note that the plantar fasciitis has been better. Not sure if its just the decreased mileage or if its the Nike LunarEclipse, but hey, I'll take it.
I've also been doing a bit of biking. Trying to keep that up as to keep up on some cross training. Not sure how much I can do once it starts getting colder. But that does seem like light years away at this point. Perhaps I'll re-visit the pool....hmmmm.....Oh, and speaking of cross training, I've noticed I'm starting to get on the....how do you say "flabby" side. I mean, lets be real, I've always been flabby, but theres always more flabby and less flabby....haha. So I started some simple push ups and pull ups on days in between runs. Simply doing 3 sets of each, with minimal rest in between.
And on an events note, I'm 75% sure I'll do the Urbanathlon at this point. They've posted the course, though nothing exciting, I think it would just be a fun thing to do, and actually will work well to keep me accountable in the cross-training side of things. I know simply running will not suffice to complete it, as the obstacles will require much more than just running endurance.
So thats about it for now. About 3 weeks away before I start to get cracking on hard core half marathon training for Vegas. Should be loads of fun.
I've also been doing a bit of biking. Trying to keep that up as to keep up on some cross training. Not sure how much I can do once it starts getting colder. But that does seem like light years away at this point. Perhaps I'll re-visit the pool....hmmmm.....Oh, and speaking of cross training, I've noticed I'm starting to get on the....how do you say "flabby" side. I mean, lets be real, I've always been flabby, but theres always more flabby and less flabby....haha. So I started some simple push ups and pull ups on days in between runs. Simply doing 3 sets of each, with minimal rest in between.
And on an events note, I'm 75% sure I'll do the Urbanathlon at this point. They've posted the course, though nothing exciting, I think it would just be a fun thing to do, and actually will work well to keep me accountable in the cross-training side of things. I know simply running will not suffice to complete it, as the obstacles will require much more than just running endurance.
So thats about it for now. About 3 weeks away before I start to get cracking on hard core half marathon training for Vegas. Should be loads of fun.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
DC Tri Recap!
800m swim? Check. 20k bike? Check. 7.5k run? CHECK! Completed my first (sprint) Triathlon and what an experience it was. Even now, two days removed, it feels sort of surreal. (and just as a warning, this will be a rather lengthy post....)
Pre-race
The day started at 3:50am, as I conveniently awoke before my alarm went off, which was set for 4am. Got up, downed about 20oz of water, ate a banana, got dressed, did a last minute check of all my gear, and it was out there door. The hotel was thankfully right across the street from the shuttle, so I was on the shuttle headed to transition right around 4:30am. I arrived at transition just before 5am, and there was already quite the hustle and bustle going on, with people getting body marked, picking up timing chips, doing last minute tuning to their bikes and setting up their gear. I arrived at my rack location (which fortunately was on the end, near the aisle, which made transitioning that much easier) also find out that the person who was supposed to rack next to me was a no show. I'm now going to spoiled for future Tri's, since not only do I have an end spot, I had double the room for all my stuff. I carefully lay out my gear, ensuring things are placed in the order I would need them. This took a whole 5 minutes. It's now a little after 5am, and I have nothing left to do. Transition closes at 5:55am, and the first Olympic distance wave goes at 6am. I wasn't set to go until 7am, at the earliest, not to mention I was in the second to last wave. So I spent probably the next 15 to 20 minutes just staring at my stuff, trying to visualize both transitions, the order I would do them in, and how. It's now 5:55am, transition is closed, and at least another hour for me to wait. So, I just popped a squat and waited until they called my wave. Onto each section, after the jump....
Pre-race
The day started at 3:50am, as I conveniently awoke before my alarm went off, which was set for 4am. Got up, downed about 20oz of water, ate a banana, got dressed, did a last minute check of all my gear, and it was out there door. The hotel was thankfully right across the street from the shuttle, so I was on the shuttle headed to transition right around 4:30am. I arrived at transition just before 5am, and there was already quite the hustle and bustle going on, with people getting body marked, picking up timing chips, doing last minute tuning to their bikes and setting up their gear. I arrived at my rack location (which fortunately was on the end, near the aisle, which made transitioning that much easier) also find out that the person who was supposed to rack next to me was a no show. I'm now going to spoiled for future Tri's, since not only do I have an end spot, I had double the room for all my stuff. I carefully lay out my gear, ensuring things are placed in the order I would need them. This took a whole 5 minutes. It's now a little after 5am, and I have nothing left to do. Transition closes at 5:55am, and the first Olympic distance wave goes at 6am. I wasn't set to go until 7am, at the earliest, not to mention I was in the second to last wave. So I spent probably the next 15 to 20 minutes just staring at my stuff, trying to visualize both transitions, the order I would do them in, and how. It's now 5:55am, transition is closed, and at least another hour for me to wait. So, I just popped a squat and waited until they called my wave. Onto each section, after the jump....
Thursday, June 16, 2011
This is it!! (and JPMCC Recap)
Last night I ran the annual JP Morgan Corporate Challenge and I was fully intent on giving a more detailed recap, but I think all I'll say is: It was hot. It was CROWDED. And I should have worn a different shirt. If I get into more detail, I fear I'll start whining too much about all the walkers that somehow started in front of me, thus being in my way when I had to go around them. I finished the 3.5 miles in 34:12 at a 9:46 pace. Expected better, but decent given the conditions. Now onto more important matters....
Less than 3 days remain until the Tri! I head out for DC tomorrow afternoon, so the anxiety is starting to creep in! (not like it hasn't been, as I numbingly stare at the course map that I printed and pinned to my cube wall all day long). I did some last minute stuff for the bike, like take off the kickstand (for some weight reduction, haha), and install my second bottle cage and prepared my emergency kit. I should also probably do a couple "dry" runs of the transitions some time. I keep trying to go over it in my head, and though I feel like its not much of an issue, I should really rehearse it to know what order I'm putting things on or taking them off, and how to lay it out on race morning. Main concern at this point is the bib and when/how I should pin it on. If I just relax and take my time, I should be okay. Dont' want to be like a rabid dog in transition....
So thats it. I'll be back probably Monday or Tuesday with a full report of the Tri. This should be exciting, wish me luck!
Less than 3 days remain until the Tri! I head out for DC tomorrow afternoon, so the anxiety is starting to creep in! (not like it hasn't been, as I numbingly stare at the course map that I printed and pinned to my cube wall all day long). I did some last minute stuff for the bike, like take off the kickstand (for some weight reduction, haha), and install my second bottle cage and prepared my emergency kit. I should also probably do a couple "dry" runs of the transitions some time. I keep trying to go over it in my head, and though I feel like its not much of an issue, I should really rehearse it to know what order I'm putting things on or taking them off, and how to lay it out on race morning. Main concern at this point is the bib and when/how I should pin it on. If I just relax and take my time, I should be okay. Dont' want to be like a rabid dog in transition....
So thats it. I'll be back probably Monday or Tuesday with a full report of the Tri. This should be exciting, wish me luck!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
My LAST Swim Workout!
This past Sunday, I did my final tune up for the swim before the Tri. Its good knowing I can sustain 800m, because at this point, thats all I'm looking to do. Should take me in the neighborhood of 25 minutes, which judging by last year's results, is pretty darn slow! But its okay, its my first Tri. Hopefully I'll be able to get behind some other "slower" swimmers and draft them to make it a bit easier.
Last night I ran the entire 6 mile loop in CP. And since it was cooler and low humidity, I did it rather comfortably, which thankfully was a confidence booster. Its amazing what the heat and humidity will do to me, and not only physically, but man, what a shot to the ego it is. Anyway, finished the 6 miles with a 9:44 pace, and a total time of just under 59 minutes, which actually, is the fastest I've done that route. So its a great second to last training run before the Tri. Tomorrow's JP Morgan Corporate Challenge will serve as my final tune up. And hopefully, I'll have time on Thur for a quick ride, if not, then the ride from the convention center down to transition will have to serve as my final ride.
So at this point, I'm actually kind of anxious and want to get to the Tri already! And perhaps the biggest concern on my mind now is that I hope I dont get a some kind of flat on the bike. I've been studying the course pretty diligently, last thing I'd want is to end up off course. Not sure it'd be that easy to do, but, you never know. The bike course is rather confusing. At least from the map. I picked up some last minute stuff to make my "emergency" kit for the bike. Just need to familiarize myself with how to change the tube, if by chance some does happen. Otherwise, I think I'm set. Still can't believe its finally here!
I'll probably be back for a quick recap of the JPM CC, and then that'll be it. Wish me luck!
Last night I ran the entire 6 mile loop in CP. And since it was cooler and low humidity, I did it rather comfortably, which thankfully was a confidence booster. Its amazing what the heat and humidity will do to me, and not only physically, but man, what a shot to the ego it is. Anyway, finished the 6 miles with a 9:44 pace, and a total time of just under 59 minutes, which actually, is the fastest I've done that route. So its a great second to last training run before the Tri. Tomorrow's JP Morgan Corporate Challenge will serve as my final tune up. And hopefully, I'll have time on Thur for a quick ride, if not, then the ride from the convention center down to transition will have to serve as my final ride.
So at this point, I'm actually kind of anxious and want to get to the Tri already! And perhaps the biggest concern on my mind now is that I hope I dont get a some kind of flat on the bike. I've been studying the course pretty diligently, last thing I'd want is to end up off course. Not sure it'd be that easy to do, but, you never know. The bike course is rather confusing. At least from the map. I picked up some last minute stuff to make my "emergency" kit for the bike. Just need to familiarize myself with how to change the tube, if by chance some does happen. Otherwise, I think I'm set. Still can't believe its finally here!
I'll probably be back for a quick recap of the JPM CC, and then that'll be it. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Almost "Tri" Ready and Another Race Week
A pretty decent past few days, since my little stomach bug incident last week. Went for a quick 2 mile run last Thursday, just to be sure I had shaken the bug, and more importantly, to test out my brand new Nike Lunar Eclipse running shoes! I always seem to make the mistake of going faster on new shoes, because I know I'm keeping it short. Ended up with an 8:45 pace. I should really learn to take it easy, especially when the purpose of the run is to "ease" into the new shoes. All in all, the shoes felt good. Nice spring to them, good support and definitely not as mushy as the Lunar Glides. Why did I ever abandon Nike? Anyway, the Mizuno's have been relegated to just "casual" duty now. The plantar fasciitis seems to be at its worst the days after I train in them. So now the rotation will consist of the Lunars and Asics. But, probably will stick to just the Asics until the Tri.
Which "transitions" me very well to my next training session. On Saturday, on a warmer and rather humid day, I did a bike/run brick. Just simply did one transition to test my endurance. Completed 9.5 miles on the bike, then ran 3 miles. It was tough, but I was able to complete it and was definitely a confidence booster. The 9.5 mile bike took about 40 minutes, and actually was a little harder than I remember. I was really hoping for a better time than that. I purposely pushed it for the majority of the bike to tire out my legs, as to see how I perform in the run with my legs fatigued. So I get off the bike, lock it up, and down about half a pack of Gu Energy Gel, along with some water, and continue to the run. This was a little harder than I remember as well. Both knees were experiencing some pain from the start, along with my left heel. But as I got into my run rhythm, everything was okay. I got to the halfway point and briefly took a breather (30-60 seconds) and quickly continued the run. Though I was pretty beat from the session, it felt good knowing that I was able to do that, and was not completely gassed (like I was from mile 10 of the half!). Knowing that I only had another 2.5 mile bike and 1 mile run on top of that, I had a rough idea of how I'd feel and do on raceday. Of course, I didn't have the swim to start. So I'm now going to put my money on that I'll finish in around 2 hours.
It was back into the pool on Sunday. Did 800m, took a short break, then another 200m, as a bonus. Did the 800m in about 24 minutes. Still hard to say how that will translate in an open water swim, but I'll take it for now, since it does not seem likely I'll get any open water time, except for the day before during swim practice. It was good to know that the 200m bonus felt strong, even after the initial 800m. So long as I don't gulp a bunch of water on raceday, I think I'll be okay. And just okay....
It will be the Celebrate Israel Run (4m) this coming Sunday. So it'll be 2 more training runs for the rest of this week, either 5 and 6 miles or 5 and 5. I plan on hitting the pool on the off days and then take Saturday as recovery. Lots going on and lots to come. Less than 3 weeks left.....*whoooaaaaa....*
Which "transitions" me very well to my next training session. On Saturday, on a warmer and rather humid day, I did a bike/run brick. Just simply did one transition to test my endurance. Completed 9.5 miles on the bike, then ran 3 miles. It was tough, but I was able to complete it and was definitely a confidence booster. The 9.5 mile bike took about 40 minutes, and actually was a little harder than I remember. I was really hoping for a better time than that. I purposely pushed it for the majority of the bike to tire out my legs, as to see how I perform in the run with my legs fatigued. So I get off the bike, lock it up, and down about half a pack of Gu Energy Gel, along with some water, and continue to the run. This was a little harder than I remember as well. Both knees were experiencing some pain from the start, along with my left heel. But as I got into my run rhythm, everything was okay. I got to the halfway point and briefly took a breather (30-60 seconds) and quickly continued the run. Though I was pretty beat from the session, it felt good knowing that I was able to do that, and was not completely gassed (like I was from mile 10 of the half!). Knowing that I only had another 2.5 mile bike and 1 mile run on top of that, I had a rough idea of how I'd feel and do on raceday. Of course, I didn't have the swim to start. So I'm now going to put my money on that I'll finish in around 2 hours.
It was back into the pool on Sunday. Did 800m, took a short break, then another 200m, as a bonus. Did the 800m in about 24 minutes. Still hard to say how that will translate in an open water swim, but I'll take it for now, since it does not seem likely I'll get any open water time, except for the day before during swim practice. It was good to know that the 200m bonus felt strong, even after the initial 800m. So long as I don't gulp a bunch of water on raceday, I think I'll be okay. And just okay....
It will be the Celebrate Israel Run (4m) this coming Sunday. So it'll be 2 more training runs for the rest of this week, either 5 and 6 miles or 5 and 5. I plan on hitting the pool on the off days and then take Saturday as recovery. Lots going on and lots to come. Less than 3 weeks left.....*whoooaaaaa....*
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Missed it by a swimcap!
It's hard to believe both the NYC Half (March 20) and the 13.1 World Vision Half (Apr 2) have both passed, both of which I had thought about doing, but did not. And I also just recently let go of hopes of doing the LI Half, simply because I'm not ready, and I do not want to attempt something like this without proper training. Which really turns my attention to the DC Tri in June. I have about two and a half months remaining to train. I know I have the run part down, so its just a matter of the other TWO sports.
First, due to the piss poor forecasting at weather.com, I failed to do a second run last week after the awesome 8 miles on Monday. And due to my laziness, did not do Yoga (or any other workout) in its place. Ugh.
So on Saturday, I set out to finally sign up at the Flushing-Corona Park Rec/Aquatic Center. I park, walk about 2 blocks to the Rec Center, wait in line for 20 min to register. Finally register, only to find out the pool is in another building. Walk back to my car, drive about 10 min over to the pool, park, and hike into the building. Go up to the second floor, where the pool is, only to realize that swimcaps are MANDATORY. Now, they sold them there, and I was more than willing to purchase one of theirs, the only thing was, I left my wallet IN THE CAR. I wasn't parked too far away, but it also wasn't like, just outside. So I thanked the lady, turned around, got in the car, and drove home.
Later on in the day, I told myself I'd make up for missing out on swimming, so I'd go take the bike out. I got all suited up, went to grab the bike, only to find that my tires HAD NO AIR IN THEM! Not a huge deal, one would think to oneself, thing was, I dont have a pump! Dejected, I changed out of my workout gear, and trotted back in the house and ploppled myself in front of the TV. I did head out shortly after to buy the pump, but by the time I got back, and given the track record for the day, I simply gave in and called it a day.
So on Sunday, I finally got something done. I did my first brick workout. I did 3 repeats of bike to run. First repeat was about a 2 mile bike, got off, locked the bike up, and ran for a quarter mile. Not bad. Got back on the bike, went about 3 miles, got off, but this time, since locking up the bike was a serious hassle, I just ran with the bike, for another quarter mile. Third repeat, another 2 miles on the bike, going hard this time, then got off and did another quarter mile run. All in all, not a bad workout for my first brick! I actually kind of enjoyed it, and felt I ran better after the bike. But it was only a quarter mile. We'll see what happens when that gets upped to 1, 2, 3 and eventually 4 miles.
Plan for the week, as long as the weather is what they say it is, is simply a race simulation tomorrow (wednesday), and then the Scotland Run 10k on Sunday. Let the race season begin!
First, due to the piss poor forecasting at weather.com, I failed to do a second run last week after the awesome 8 miles on Monday. And due to my laziness, did not do Yoga (or any other workout) in its place. Ugh.
So on Saturday, I set out to finally sign up at the Flushing-Corona Park Rec/Aquatic Center. I park, walk about 2 blocks to the Rec Center, wait in line for 20 min to register. Finally register, only to find out the pool is in another building. Walk back to my car, drive about 10 min over to the pool, park, and hike into the building. Go up to the second floor, where the pool is, only to realize that swimcaps are MANDATORY. Now, they sold them there, and I was more than willing to purchase one of theirs, the only thing was, I left my wallet IN THE CAR. I wasn't parked too far away, but it also wasn't like, just outside. So I thanked the lady, turned around, got in the car, and drove home.
Later on in the day, I told myself I'd make up for missing out on swimming, so I'd go take the bike out. I got all suited up, went to grab the bike, only to find that my tires HAD NO AIR IN THEM! Not a huge deal, one would think to oneself, thing was, I dont have a pump! Dejected, I changed out of my workout gear, and trotted back in the house and ploppled myself in front of the TV. I did head out shortly after to buy the pump, but by the time I got back, and given the track record for the day, I simply gave in and called it a day.
So on Sunday, I finally got something done. I did my first brick workout. I did 3 repeats of bike to run. First repeat was about a 2 mile bike, got off, locked the bike up, and ran for a quarter mile. Not bad. Got back on the bike, went about 3 miles, got off, but this time, since locking up the bike was a serious hassle, I just ran with the bike, for another quarter mile. Third repeat, another 2 miles on the bike, going hard this time, then got off and did another quarter mile run. All in all, not a bad workout for my first brick! I actually kind of enjoyed it, and felt I ran better after the bike. But it was only a quarter mile. We'll see what happens when that gets upped to 1, 2, 3 and eventually 4 miles.
Plan for the week, as long as the weather is what they say it is, is simply a race simulation tomorrow (wednesday), and then the Scotland Run 10k on Sunday. Let the race season begin!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
A Quick Update
It has been about ten days since the Cow Harbor Run, and everything is still going as planned. Asides from volleyball the the tuesday after the race, I pretty much took the rest of the week off. As further proof of my lack of cross training when I was training for the Half, I was moderately sore after volleyball. And honestly, I dont find volleyball that demanding!
Saturday (one week removed from the race) I took the bike out and did 12 miles. I did take a mini break in the middle, so the first 6.3 miles took me about 29 min, then another 6.3 miles took me 27 minutes. This included some congestion due to walkers and/or cars, and not really busting it all out. So I'm thinking I should be able to do the bike portion (of the Sprint Triathlon) in around 40-45 min. Now that I'm thinking about it, if I can do each leg of the Tri in 40 min, and with a finishing time of about 2 hours, I'd be pretty darn happy with that!
Finally, I did Yoga X last night, and well, it left me pretty exhausted. I actually did the whole thing (sans the "ohmms" at the end). I was completely wiped out at one point, and actually had to pause for some hydration. I was able to do all the push-ups that are thrown in. Definitely lost a good amount of flexibility in my legs, especially the muscles which are in high demand when running (like the hip flexors).
Have volleyball again tonight, then hoping to hit up Yoga X again, maybe thur or friday. Take the bike out again during the weekend, then its X time.
Saturday (one week removed from the race) I took the bike out and did 12 miles. I did take a mini break in the middle, so the first 6.3 miles took me about 29 min, then another 6.3 miles took me 27 minutes. This included some congestion due to walkers and/or cars, and not really busting it all out. So I'm thinking I should be able to do the bike portion (of the Sprint Triathlon) in around 40-45 min. Now that I'm thinking about it, if I can do each leg of the Tri in 40 min, and with a finishing time of about 2 hours, I'd be pretty darn happy with that!
Finally, I did Yoga X last night, and well, it left me pretty exhausted. I actually did the whole thing (sans the "ohmms" at the end). I was completely wiped out at one point, and actually had to pause for some hydration. I was able to do all the push-ups that are thrown in. Definitely lost a good amount of flexibility in my legs, especially the muscles which are in high demand when running (like the hip flexors).
Have volleyball again tonight, then hoping to hit up Yoga X again, maybe thur or friday. Take the bike out again during the weekend, then its X time.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Chicago Half Marathon Recap and Lessons Learned
Chicago Half Marathon
I did it! I actually did it! Part of me is still trying to settle with the fact that I completed a half-marathon. Crazy. As expected, my official finish time was 2:38:15, which equates to just about a 12 min-mile. The day started with getting up at 4:45am, getting ready, and boarding the shuttle to the race at 5:30am. It waited until almost 6am before it left, and with the traffic due to the street closures for the race, we didnt arrive until 6:45am, 15 min before the race. Due to their port-a-potty shortage and my need to use the facilities before I run, the gun actually went off as I was still standing in line for the bathroom. In fact, I didnt join the slow march to the start line until 7:10ish, crossing the start line a little more than 15 minutes after.
It was a beautiful day, 60 degrees, low humidity. We really couldnt have asked for better conditions. I started out really well, taking the first 2 miles easy to warm up. After that, I picked it up a little bit, and was really trying to achieve negative splits, at least for the next couple miles. Made it to mile 5 without a water break. Was good until about mile 7, and thats where I started to struggle. Got through mile 8 and 9, slowly, then went into a stretch where I was alternating walking and running in 1 or 2 min intervals. Got to the mile 12 marker, and told myself to finish strong. Started running, but could barely make it another quarter mile, before having to walk again. Got to the 'half-mile to go' marker, and sucked it up, and ran to the end. What an experience. All the months of training, all for this one moment. The thrill of crossing that finish line and saying, "I did it".
Lessons Learned
As I look back at my training and all, theres a few things that I really do regret or wish I did, to which I'm certain would have allowed me to have a better finishing time.
So, there you have it. I've completed my first Half-marathon. It was a great experience, and was going to decide, based on this experience, if I'm going to do it again. Verdict? HECK to the YES! Haha....in fact, I've placed my name into the lottery for the NYC Half in March! Here's to hoping I get selected! And now that I've purchased a bike, I'm giving the DC Triathlon (sprint distance) in June some heavy consideration.
So here's the plan for the coming weeks: taking the rest of the week off to recover, do 2 training runs before the Cow Harbor 10k on the 25th, take another 2 week break (light training/biking, if I do anything at all), then shooting for Oct 11 for the start of: Round 3, P90X. Yeah, baby. 'Til next time....
I did it! I actually did it! Part of me is still trying to settle with the fact that I completed a half-marathon. Crazy. As expected, my official finish time was 2:38:15, which equates to just about a 12 min-mile. The day started with getting up at 4:45am, getting ready, and boarding the shuttle to the race at 5:30am. It waited until almost 6am before it left, and with the traffic due to the street closures for the race, we didnt arrive until 6:45am, 15 min before the race. Due to their port-a-potty shortage and my need to use the facilities before I run, the gun actually went off as I was still standing in line for the bathroom. In fact, I didnt join the slow march to the start line until 7:10ish, crossing the start line a little more than 15 minutes after.
It was a beautiful day, 60 degrees, low humidity. We really couldnt have asked for better conditions. I started out really well, taking the first 2 miles easy to warm up. After that, I picked it up a little bit, and was really trying to achieve negative splits, at least for the next couple miles. Made it to mile 5 without a water break. Was good until about mile 7, and thats where I started to struggle. Got through mile 8 and 9, slowly, then went into a stretch where I was alternating walking and running in 1 or 2 min intervals. Got to the mile 12 marker, and told myself to finish strong. Started running, but could barely make it another quarter mile, before having to walk again. Got to the 'half-mile to go' marker, and sucked it up, and ran to the end. What an experience. All the months of training, all for this one moment. The thrill of crossing that finish line and saying, "I did it".
Lessons Learned
As I look back at my training and all, theres a few things that I really do regret or wish I did, to which I'm certain would have allowed me to have a better finishing time.
- Lack of training structure- Since I had signed up for the race so far in advance, somewhere in the back of my head, I kept telling myself that I had plenty of time to train. This caused me to never get into any kind of flow or structure in my training runs. I would just head out for a run, and say to myself, "oh, I think I'll run this amount today".
- Focusing all my effort in mileage- I concerned myself too much with just increasing mileage. Little did I cross-train, nor increase the intensity of my runs. This is what caused me to go from a 10:30 pace in April, to a mid 11 pace later on, even though I had been steadily running about 15 miles per week up to that point.
- Lack of intensity- This kind of goes with the previous point, but not being diligent with tempo, interval and hill training really, really hurt me. I did it once in a while, but nowhere near as regularly as I should have.
So, there you have it. I've completed my first Half-marathon. It was a great experience, and was going to decide, based on this experience, if I'm going to do it again. Verdict? HECK to the YES! Haha....in fact, I've placed my name into the lottery for the NYC Half in March! Here's to hoping I get selected! And now that I've purchased a bike, I'm giving the DC Triathlon (sprint distance) in June some heavy consideration.
So here's the plan for the coming weeks: taking the rest of the week off to recover, do 2 training runs before the Cow Harbor 10k on the 25th, take another 2 week break (light training/biking, if I do anything at all), then shooting for Oct 11 for the start of: Round 3, P90X. Yeah, baby. 'Til next time....
Friday, September 3, 2010
Recap: Maine Edition and the Home Stretch
Wow, we're down to single digit days until the half. Cue the anxiety!
Its been 2 weeks since the last update, and I've done only three *gasp!* runs! BUT! (there is a but), I did rack up about 60 miles worth of bike riding! So it's not as bad as it seems.
So I was in Bar Harbor, ME from 8/21-8/28, and only got one run in, on the first full day there. A moderately hilly 5 miles, which entered Acadia National Park. The hills were challenging, and once I got into the more level portion of my route, I was able to challenge myself by doing extended intervals. The temperature was in the lower 60s, but since it was gloomy and on the verge of rain, meant 100% humidity. Overall, it was an "okay" run.
For the next 3 days, as mentioned earlier, we did a lot of biking, to the tune of over 50 miles. The first day was the biggest challenge. Riding up Cadillac Mountain. From the house, it was just over 6 miles, and a 1500 ft. climb to the top, with the bulk of the climb coming in the final 3 miles, taking just under 2 hours. A far cry from the estimated "30 minutes" which the guy at the bike shop advised. Honestly, it was an amazing accomplishment, and had it not been for the running, I think I would have passed out.
Fresh off the 1500 ft climb, I did about 15 miles the next day, with moderate hills. A very scenic ride through Acadia National Park, down to Jordan Pond. Nothing too challenging, at least when compared to the previous day's feat.
The third and final bike day was a doozy, totalling 30+ miles on a rainy cold day. Thing was, it only ended up being 30+ miles due to a couple wrong turns! On some pretty hilly terrain to boot. Rode from Bar Harbor down to Sand Beach, then Thunder Hole, which was about 9 miles. Then the return trip would have taken us back through Jordan Pond, repeating the previous day's return. One swift wrong turn, then another, tacked on a bunch of needless HILLY miles. But hey, in the end, it was a GREAT workout.
Took the next 4 days off to recover (though I should mention that I did kayak one of those days), and did a 5 mile run, in 90+ degree weather. Though hot, humidity was down. First half of the run went great, then deteriorated quickly as the heat caught up with me. Last night's run, though a touch cooler (89 degrees?), the humidity was up, so was cut short after one lap around the southern
loop.
So its been an interesting past 2 weeks, and should be even more interesting next 10 days. The plan is to hit 10 miles tomorrow, and will cap the training there. Two shorter runs for the upcoming week before the race, and then it's showtime. Man oh man, here we go. Hope to have an update before then.
Its been 2 weeks since the last update, and I've done only three *gasp!* runs! BUT! (there is a but), I did rack up about 60 miles worth of bike riding! So it's not as bad as it seems.
So I was in Bar Harbor, ME from 8/21-8/28, and only got one run in, on the first full day there. A moderately hilly 5 miles, which entered Acadia National Park. The hills were challenging, and once I got into the more level portion of my route, I was able to challenge myself by doing extended intervals. The temperature was in the lower 60s, but since it was gloomy and on the verge of rain, meant 100% humidity. Overall, it was an "okay" run.
For the next 3 days, as mentioned earlier, we did a lot of biking, to the tune of over 50 miles. The first day was the biggest challenge. Riding up Cadillac Mountain. From the house, it was just over 6 miles, and a 1500 ft. climb to the top, with the bulk of the climb coming in the final 3 miles, taking just under 2 hours. A far cry from the estimated "30 minutes" which the guy at the bike shop advised. Honestly, it was an amazing accomplishment, and had it not been for the running, I think I would have passed out.
Fresh off the 1500 ft climb, I did about 15 miles the next day, with moderate hills. A very scenic ride through Acadia National Park, down to Jordan Pond. Nothing too challenging, at least when compared to the previous day's feat.
The third and final bike day was a doozy, totalling 30+ miles on a rainy cold day. Thing was, it only ended up being 30+ miles due to a couple wrong turns! On some pretty hilly terrain to boot. Rode from Bar Harbor down to Sand Beach, then Thunder Hole, which was about 9 miles. Then the return trip would have taken us back through Jordan Pond, repeating the previous day's return. One swift wrong turn, then another, tacked on a bunch of needless HILLY miles. But hey, in the end, it was a GREAT workout.
Took the next 4 days off to recover (though I should mention that I did kayak one of those days), and did a 5 mile run, in 90+ degree weather. Though hot, humidity was down. First half of the run went great, then deteriorated quickly as the heat caught up with me. Last night's run, though a touch cooler (89 degrees?), the humidity was up, so was cut short after one lap around the southern
loop.
So its been an interesting past 2 weeks, and should be even more interesting next 10 days. The plan is to hit 10 miles tomorrow, and will cap the training there. Two shorter runs for the upcoming week before the race, and then it's showtime. Man oh man, here we go. Hope to have an update before then.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Half Marathon, Diet, and more...
2.5 months since I last posted? NOT GOOD. And as I mentioned in a previous post, no posts = no working out! Sadly enough, that holds up. The only activity I've had in the past 2.5 months has been volleyball, and that was only once per week. I should mention, though, the nice bike ride I did in San Fran. Biked from Pier 39, over the Golden Gate Bridge, and into Sausalito. And if anyone knows anything about SF, it is not flat! Made for a good challenge and even better workout. The ride out and back was about 16 miles, essentially working off all the fatty, unhealthy foods I had been consuming during the vacation. Good thing.
In other news, I've signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon. Yes, half. I'm not quite up for the full 26.2 miles just yet. Its set for September 12, 2010. A few coworkers will be doing it also, which will make for some nice friendly competition. Definitely in a hole since I'm not much of a runner. Good thing I'll have 9 months to train.
Since the new year, we (the wife and I) have been trying to eat healthy. Meaning lean proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Very little fats/oils, and processed foods. Eating a lot of turkey and chicken breasts, cooked on the Foreman Grill, and chowing down on salads and a fat-burning vegetable soup (created by researchers at Sacred Heart University, I believe, years ago). Who knows if the soup works, but its a tasty way to get heaping portions of vegetables. For now, I'm totalling about 1500 cals/day.
So, has it been working you ask? Take a look at the stats, keeping in mind, this is purely just shaking up the diet. No working out or marathon training, YET.
1/04: 211lbs @ 22.5% fat
1/11: 209.2 lbs @ 21% fat
AND, just for kicks (since you're only supposed to weigh yourself once a week), this morning, i was 206 @ 21.5% fat. Not bad for 1.5 weeks. Until next time....(hopefully sooner than 2.5 months).
In other news, I've signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon. Yes, half. I'm not quite up for the full 26.2 miles just yet. Its set for September 12, 2010. A few coworkers will be doing it also, which will make for some nice friendly competition. Definitely in a hole since I'm not much of a runner. Good thing I'll have 9 months to train.
Since the new year, we (the wife and I) have been trying to eat healthy. Meaning lean proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Very little fats/oils, and processed foods. Eating a lot of turkey and chicken breasts, cooked on the Foreman Grill, and chowing down on salads and a fat-burning vegetable soup (created by researchers at Sacred Heart University, I believe, years ago). Who knows if the soup works, but its a tasty way to get heaping portions of vegetables. For now, I'm totalling about 1500 cals/day.
So, has it been working you ask? Take a look at the stats, keeping in mind, this is purely just shaking up the diet. No working out or marathon training, YET.
1/04: 211lbs @ 22.5% fat
1/11: 209.2 lbs @ 21% fat
AND, just for kicks (since you're only supposed to weigh yourself once a week), this morning, i was 206 @ 21.5% fat. Not bad for 1.5 weeks. Until next time....(hopefully sooner than 2.5 months).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)