At the beginning of the year, I looked back through my training journal and tried to decide where I could coax a bit more speed out of my soon to be 44 year old body. Two areas jumped out at me immediately. My weaknesses...... swimming and transitions. In most of my races I was generally dead on in predicting my bike and run splits. My swim splits were ALWAYS slower than I would have anticipated. I also noticed, when comparing my times to those around me, my transitions were generally slower. Last year I made a small step in the right direction to lower my transition time by investing in speed laces. Still, I realized there was definitely some room for improvement. I plan to actually PRACTICE transitions this year. I may also invest in a pair of triathlon cycling shoes to speed up the lengthy, but necessary, process of tightening of my road shoes.
With the goal in mind of knocking a few more minutes of my times, it became evident I could really get some bang for my training time buck in the pool. I began a diligent training plan by reviewing my training for last year's St. Anthony's triathlon. I had projected a swim time of around 38 minutes for the 1500 meter swim, I actually finished in about 41 1/2 minutes. While the current was a factor, a bigger factor was lack of significant preparation with longer swims. I had only done 3 continuous swims longer than 1000 meters. This left me with less confidence for the distance than I would have liked. So this year after six weeks of short, hard interval work I plan on doing, at the MINIMUM, 1 longer swim every week up until race week when I will taper.
I am also engaging in an early swim focused training plan. Meaning more swimming early in my preparation when the weather is colder and less amenable to running / riding outside. So far the plan appears to be paying dividends. I swam a 200 yard PR this week smashing my best swim time for the distance by a whopping 19 seconds! My 100 repeats have also been consistently faster. Right now I am keeping the workouts to around 1200 yards, but I plan on increasing them in the coming weeks.
One of the things I like least about winter is running on the treadmill, ughhhhh. As luck would have it, I am always engaged in a search for a better gym and I happened to find one close to my job that has, *GASP*, an indoor track (it actually has 2). Now at least once a week I take my lunch break by running in circles for 30 minutes or so. This has proved to be a great incentive to get out there and run!
Other stuff.....
About a year ago I purchased an Elite Real Axiom trainer for the bike. I have been using it diligently since it got cold and next blog will feature a full review.....
I hope the new (and cold, BRRRRR) year finds everyone happy and in shape.
Peace and keep training.....
Rob
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Happy New Year, yada yada yada
I'm back from a long holiday induced daze. The holidays provided their usual ups and downs. On the upside, being in Florida with 75 degree weather everyday made for a wonderful experience. On the downside, having to return to the low 30's and freezing wind and rain was not so great. On the upside, I did manage to get in some quality runs in the nice weather, on the downside, I managed to sabotage most of it by eating like a starving man. But enough about last year 2009 is underway! I am committed to working on my weakness, and that means a lot more SWIMMING!
I have already started that process by hitting the pool and establishing some benchmarks for this season. I also went back to last years data and was pleasantly surprised to note that I am swimming faster this year if only marginally. One bright spot was my fastest swims, while not consistent, were noticeably faster than last year. If I can just combine that top end speed with some endurance it will be an altogether better swimming experience this year.
From a spectating standpoint, this looks to be one of the most exciting years to watch cycling as well. With the rise of the Schlecks, Basso, Sastre, Cunego and the return of Armstrong, not to mention the removal of many chemically assisted riders, the racing should be wide open. I for one can't wait to watch the Giro, as it could be one of the most exciting of all time.
Speaking of excitement, if you need some video adrenaline, check out the helmet cam video of two mountain bikers on steephill.tv . If you want to know what real downhill excitement looks like this video will give you a good idea. The Stella Artois commercial is pretty funny too.
Since I'm not important enough to hold a press conference, I just announce my major objects of the year to whoever happens to be reading. I encourage you all to join me in training and, if you feel so moved, join me in some of these races as well.
Columbia Olympic Distance triathlon May 17th,2009
Goal: Sub 40 minute swim
This is a hilly race so I think cracking the 3 hour mark probably won't happen in this race. I'll look for something flatter later in the year to achieve that goal.
Tri-to-Win Sprint Triathlon June 21st, 2009
Goal: PR
I need to go sub 1:27:29. My best chance to improve will be my swim and transition times. I plan on devoting a fair amount of time to each. With luck my bike will be a bit better and my run at least as good.
Wednesday night training race series.
I NEED to get into the top ten this season. My best was twelth last year. I'll take a short break after the Tri-to -Win to focus on the bike. Hopefully this pushes me into form.
End of season: 1/2 marathon and century
I will try to improve on last years 1st ever 1/2 marathon by doing the Parks 1/2 again. On a lighter note I will train with my wife for the Seagull century, just for fun.
Misc...
I usually do some early season racing just to get an idea of my form prior to my first big race (this year it's Columbia) so don't be surprised to see a duathlon or a bike race pop onto the schedule in March or April.
Random thoughts:
I'm going to Vegas at the end of March, is there anywhere to ride a bike out there?
I hope the new year has started off well for everyone, now get out there and get in shape!
Peace and keep training
Rob
I have already started that process by hitting the pool and establishing some benchmarks for this season. I also went back to last years data and was pleasantly surprised to note that I am swimming faster this year if only marginally. One bright spot was my fastest swims, while not consistent, were noticeably faster than last year. If I can just combine that top end speed with some endurance it will be an altogether better swimming experience this year.
From a spectating standpoint, this looks to be one of the most exciting years to watch cycling as well. With the rise of the Schlecks, Basso, Sastre, Cunego and the return of Armstrong, not to mention the removal of many chemically assisted riders, the racing should be wide open. I for one can't wait to watch the Giro, as it could be one of the most exciting of all time.
Speaking of excitement, if you need some video adrenaline, check out the helmet cam video of two mountain bikers on steephill.tv . If you want to know what real downhill excitement looks like this video will give you a good idea. The Stella Artois commercial is pretty funny too.
Since I'm not important enough to hold a press conference, I just announce my major objects of the year to whoever happens to be reading. I encourage you all to join me in training and, if you feel so moved, join me in some of these races as well.
Columbia Olympic Distance triathlon May 17th,2009
Goal: Sub 40 minute swim
This is a hilly race so I think cracking the 3 hour mark probably won't happen in this race. I'll look for something flatter later in the year to achieve that goal.
Tri-to-Win Sprint Triathlon June 21st, 2009
Goal: PR
I need to go sub 1:27:29. My best chance to improve will be my swim and transition times. I plan on devoting a fair amount of time to each. With luck my bike will be a bit better and my run at least as good.
Wednesday night training race series.
I NEED to get into the top ten this season. My best was twelth last year. I'll take a short break after the Tri-to -Win to focus on the bike. Hopefully this pushes me into form.
End of season: 1/2 marathon and century
I will try to improve on last years 1st ever 1/2 marathon by doing the Parks 1/2 again. On a lighter note I will train with my wife for the Seagull century, just for fun.
Misc...
I usually do some early season racing just to get an idea of my form prior to my first big race (this year it's Columbia) so don't be surprised to see a duathlon or a bike race pop onto the schedule in March or April.
Random thoughts:
I'm going to Vegas at the end of March, is there anywhere to ride a bike out there?
I hope the new year has started off well for everyone, now get out there and get in shape!
Peace and keep training
Rob
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving...
I just wanted to wish everyone who reads my blog and all my training partners a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway) don't pig out!!!!! I, for one, plan on a nice 4 mile run prior to Thanksgiving dinner. I also tried to do my part by teaching a tough spin class this Tuesday. So to everyone this Thanksgiving, enjoy the festivities and then go RUN!!!!
Peace, health and happiness....
Rob
Peace, health and happiness....
Rob
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Long Season ends, The Long Season begins...
Well I vanished for a while on everyone. I missed you all greatly, I hope you missed me as well. I must admit I was glad to see the "season" come to an end. I only recently started thinking of my racing as belonging to a season. This past year I had "A" races, "B" races, goals, peaks, valleys, surprises, disappointment and felt like I actually did this for more than just "fun". It was quite an experience.
The Recap:
Training started off badly last year as I was swamped by work. I managed to get in enough training to head into my first race, St. Anthony's Olympic distance triathlon, with a good idea of my level of fitness, but less confidence than I would have liked. My goal was 2:59:59, my time 3:06:59. Grade B-.
My first goal race of the year. The real challenge I thought would be the swim. This is clearly my weak leg. I was shooting for about 38:00 minutes or so. The tide would be an obstacle as I made it to shore in 41:36. My goal on the bike was 1:15:00, I rolled home in 1:15:44 so I consider this a success. I left the transition at almost 2:00:00 on the nose knowing I had to run a 59:59 10k to hit my goal. I imploded somewhere around mile 2 from a combination of inadequate calorie intake and the Florida sun. Lesson learned, I gotta eat more on the bike.
Mountains of Misery: 100 miles , 10,000 feet of climbing. Grade A. I finished, nuff said.
Tri-to-Win Sprint Triathlon: Grade A-. A replay of the first triathlon I ever did. While I improved on every leg over the first time I was hoping for a faster swim for the 400 meters. Other than that I rocked. I was actually able to push on the run, something I haven't been able to do in quite some time.
So now I was supposed to rest, which I did for a little while until I decide to hop into some bike racing. After such a long layoff from straight up bike racing I wasn't expecting much but I was competitive and managed to snag 12th place at one race. Overall a great experience and lots of fun. Grade B.
After July I began to turn my attention more and more toward running. I began preparing for my first 1/2 marathon. My goal was to break 2 hours. To push myself a bit I entered a contest to guess your own time. I guessed 1:56:56 and ran 1:56:50 good enough for a $25 gift certificate.
The long run training was probably the toughest thing I did all year and I can see how it will be beneficial next year. Grade A-. I actually think I can run this race faster next year, and I intend to try.
After the 1/2 I pretty much did NADA.... In fact I did so much NADA I gained 5 pounds in about 2 weeks. I'm not worried though, as I begin to ramp up for next year I'm sure I will shed the extra five.
Lessons learned:
You can't eat too much during a tri!
More long runs and swims.....
Preparation is better than desperation.
I had planned to try the move up to the 1/2 Ironman but I am putting that on hold until I master the Olympic. I also want a few more 1/2 marathons under my belt. I plan to kick off formal training on December 1st for the Columbia Olympic distance triathlon. I picked this as my first "A" race of next season for a few reasons. First it's later in the year so I have longer to get ready. It also means no travel which is another level of stress avoided. In addition, I ride part of the bike course fairly regularly, so I know the bike course. I probably wont break 3 hours for this event since the bike and run are both pretty hilly, but I will try to make a reasonable estimate before the race rolls around.
Other news:
Whenever you get a chance check out my new website Clarence Cycling. It's devoted to all things cycling including triathlon. I'm looking for feedback so all comments and suggestions are appreciated. Now that I plan to be back on a regular training schedule, I should also be back on a regular blogging schedule. One passion drives the other is seems.....
Until later...
Peace and keep training.....
Rob
The Recap:
Training started off badly last year as I was swamped by work. I managed to get in enough training to head into my first race, St. Anthony's Olympic distance triathlon, with a good idea of my level of fitness, but less confidence than I would have liked. My goal was 2:59:59, my time 3:06:59. Grade B-.
My first goal race of the year. The real challenge I thought would be the swim. This is clearly my weak leg. I was shooting for about 38:00 minutes or so. The tide would be an obstacle as I made it to shore in 41:36. My goal on the bike was 1:15:00, I rolled home in 1:15:44 so I consider this a success. I left the transition at almost 2:00:00 on the nose knowing I had to run a 59:59 10k to hit my goal. I imploded somewhere around mile 2 from a combination of inadequate calorie intake and the Florida sun. Lesson learned, I gotta eat more on the bike.
Mountains of Misery: 100 miles , 10,000 feet of climbing. Grade A. I finished, nuff said.
Tri-to-Win Sprint Triathlon: Grade A-. A replay of the first triathlon I ever did. While I improved on every leg over the first time I was hoping for a faster swim for the 400 meters. Other than that I rocked. I was actually able to push on the run, something I haven't been able to do in quite some time.
So now I was supposed to rest, which I did for a little while until I decide to hop into some bike racing. After such a long layoff from straight up bike racing I wasn't expecting much but I was competitive and managed to snag 12th place at one race. Overall a great experience and lots of fun. Grade B.
After July I began to turn my attention more and more toward running. I began preparing for my first 1/2 marathon. My goal was to break 2 hours. To push myself a bit I entered a contest to guess your own time. I guessed 1:56:56 and ran 1:56:50 good enough for a $25 gift certificate.
The long run training was probably the toughest thing I did all year and I can see how it will be beneficial next year. Grade A-. I actually think I can run this race faster next year, and I intend to try.
After the 1/2 I pretty much did NADA.... In fact I did so much NADA I gained 5 pounds in about 2 weeks. I'm not worried though, as I begin to ramp up for next year I'm sure I will shed the extra five.
Lessons learned:
You can't eat too much during a tri!
More long runs and swims.....
Preparation is better than desperation.
I had planned to try the move up to the 1/2 Ironman but I am putting that on hold until I master the Olympic. I also want a few more 1/2 marathons under my belt. I plan to kick off formal training on December 1st for the Columbia Olympic distance triathlon. I picked this as my first "A" race of next season for a few reasons. First it's later in the year so I have longer to get ready. It also means no travel which is another level of stress avoided. In addition, I ride part of the bike course fairly regularly, so I know the bike course. I probably wont break 3 hours for this event since the bike and run are both pretty hilly, but I will try to make a reasonable estimate before the race rolls around.
Other news:
Whenever you get a chance check out my new website Clarence Cycling. It's devoted to all things cycling including triathlon. I'm looking for feedback so all comments and suggestions are appreciated. Now that I plan to be back on a regular training schedule, I should also be back on a regular blogging schedule. One passion drives the other is seems.....
Until later...
Peace and keep training.....
Rob
Monday, August 18, 2008
Focus, focus, focus
Last week was one of my best training weeks of the year. Not withstanding that I haven't swam a lap in 2 weeks, my running was solid and my cycling was, well FUN! For only the second week in my training I actually completed my prescribed run training to the letter. No missed workouts, no dialing down the intensity. Just followed my training to the letter. As I enter the last 4 weeks until my 1/2 marathon I am feeling stronger and stronger. My running as improved greatly, and I am even starting to feel like my sub 8 minute miles may be returning to me (hopefully for good).
I had started to ponder the eventuality of losing fitness due to age. Then I chanced across this weeks Washington Post magazine which told the story of two African-American brothers ages 84 and 89 who were competing in the Senior Olympics. These guys have been swimming for 50 years or so and apparently have no plans of stopping! I figured if these guys can keep going then I have no excuses. That, coupled with the fact I went on a 50+ mile ride and ended up being the YOUNGEST rider, made me feel I have a long happy athletic career ahead of me.
On October 4th the 12th annual Becca's Run 5k takes place in my Woodmoor neighborhood. The start is up the block (literally) from my house and I have made it a tradition of hosting a post run coffee and donut party (donuts from the FABULOUS Woodmoor bakery) at my house. All are welcome, all you have to do is trudge the 3.1 miles and RSVP with the number of donuts you wish to eat. Showers are available as well. Please arrive early if you do attend as the streets are closed off to accommodate the race.
Coming soon to Tri-ing Times Ahead.... Calculators!
Ever wonder how fast you need to go to say finish that 12 mile ride in 40 minutes? This is the type of thing I ponder all the time before races. So to make that a little easier for me and all those involved, Tri-ing Times Ahead will be adding calculator gadgets for swimming, running and cycling in the not to distant future. I hope you find this helpful the next time you need to calculate your next 40k time trial (or 5k run, or well you get the picture).
Random Thoughts....
Summer seems like a great time to plan your winter schedule so I am planning a few winter indoor training sessions. Trainers provided but you need to bring your own bike...... My wife made me a deal the other day, if I could get ride of three bikes, I could get a new one. Well 1 bike is gone, another I have a buyer for so 1 to go..... Now I just have to figure out what other bike I want. Of course these are the types of problems I like to have........
Peace and keep training.....
Rob
I had started to ponder the eventuality of losing fitness due to age. Then I chanced across this weeks Washington Post magazine which told the story of two African-American brothers ages 84 and 89 who were competing in the Senior Olympics. These guys have been swimming for 50 years or so and apparently have no plans of stopping! I figured if these guys can keep going then I have no excuses. That, coupled with the fact I went on a 50+ mile ride and ended up being the YOUNGEST rider, made me feel I have a long happy athletic career ahead of me.
On October 4th the 12th annual Becca's Run 5k takes place in my Woodmoor neighborhood. The start is up the block (literally) from my house and I have made it a tradition of hosting a post run coffee and donut party (donuts from the FABULOUS Woodmoor bakery) at my house. All are welcome, all you have to do is trudge the 3.1 miles and RSVP with the number of donuts you wish to eat. Showers are available as well. Please arrive early if you do attend as the streets are closed off to accommodate the race.
Coming soon to Tri-ing Times Ahead.... Calculators!
Ever wonder how fast you need to go to say finish that 12 mile ride in 40 minutes? This is the type of thing I ponder all the time before races. So to make that a little easier for me and all those involved, Tri-ing Times Ahead will be adding calculator gadgets for swimming, running and cycling in the not to distant future. I hope you find this helpful the next time you need to calculate your next 40k time trial (or 5k run, or well you get the picture).
Random Thoughts....
Summer seems like a great time to plan your winter schedule so I am planning a few winter indoor training sessions. Trainers provided but you need to bring your own bike...... My wife made me a deal the other day, if I could get ride of three bikes, I could get a new one. Well 1 bike is gone, another I have a buyer for so 1 to go..... Now I just have to figure out what other bike I want. Of course these are the types of problems I like to have........
Peace and keep training.....
Rob
Monday, August 11, 2008
Re-evaluating the season. Again......
It's been fun competing this year. I achieved most of my goals or came very close. So now with all of my goal races for the year finished, I started to consider how best to use the rest of the season. Since running was a weakness I decided to focus on running for a while. I have probably run more in the last two months than I did in the last six. Hopefully this will pay off on Sept. 14th when I attempt my first half marathon. So far my speed work has been encouraging and my endurance has been OK. If I can stay consistent for the next 5 weeks, hopefully my goal of a sub 2 hour race will come to fruition.
Looking back on the season is often overlooked as a means of improving your FUTURE performance. By reading over my training journal, I realized that one of the main reasons I suffered such a poor 10K at St. Anthony's triathlon was because I failed to take in enough fuel. I also didn't adequately hydrate on the run. Part of that was due to the fact that the swim and bike took place while it was relatively cool. However by the time the run rolled around the temperature had risen 5 - 7 degrees. This was enough to significantly increase my water intake needs. By carefully scrutinizing my diary I was able to correct this when I did the mountains of misery and I never felt drained for energy the whole ride, despite the fact that it was a significantly longer event. I also realized that scheduling a race so early in the season was probably, if not a mistake, then an over estimation of my ability to train adequately during the cold Maryland winter. Accordingly I have schedule my first Olympic distance race a month later next year. If I can train more diligently during this winter I will consider returning to St. Anthony's in 2010.
Having reviewed my training for the year, and still possessing a fair bit of fitness, I plan to try to participate in a few bike races or duathlons just for fun to finish off the season. However, before I begin to focus to much on next year a few acknowledgments are in order. So without further ado, I present the Rob's Training Awards for 2008 (hell everyone else has an award show, why not me?....)
Best Training partner: Jeff - Aside from his ride anywhere, anytime, mentality, he's a good friend to boot and since I can't drop him any more he pushes me just as much as I push him.
Best Non-training partner: Lisa, my wife, has been very supportive , what with the long hours in the pool, on the bike etc. That said, next year I want you to take the Best Training partner award HONEY :-)
Most missed training partner: Miguel, I know you had your first born, but we MISS you man! Drop all the running and get back on the bike!
Most improved: Mike M. Very impressive Mike, now if you can cut down those 8 minute transitions you may just win your age group!
Of course I enjoyed training with everyone, remembering the funny stuff, and trying to forget the suffering.
One pet peeve for the year tho..... no one wants to come with me on the Sunday fast ride, c'mon guys, I know it's fast but hey we've all been dropped before, no shame OK?????
Gadget review:
As I mentioned in a earlier blog this year I purchased a Real Axiom trainer. Over all I have been pleased, but since the weather has been so nice I haven't used it that much. I have used it more than the last time I blogged so here are a few more things of interest.
I dropped $40 on the Alpe D'Huez DVD. Now I have actually ascended the Alpe twice. I must say the actually climb is MUCH HARDER! Now this shouldn't really be news. Its hard to completely and accurately reproduce any real climb on a trainer. One of the more obvious limitations of the Real Axiom trainer is it only reproduces grades up to 8%. Of course the Alpe has grades up to 12% and has an average grade of 8.5% so that explains some of the discrepancies. The course is easy to install and the video is of very good quality. It's a bit amusing watching the "real riders" who are struggling up the climb. In fact, watching some of the video riders will give you an impression of just how hard the climb really is. At 8.5 miles it a good hill climbing workout. On the Real Axiom sight some people have posted times in the 32 to 33 minute range for the climb, which is impressive and makes me think they don't really need the trainer! On little thing I missed are the switchback signs. On the climb up to Alpe D' Huez each switchback has a sign that tells you what number it is and they counts down all the way to 1. This was a great source of motivation as I got closer to the top of climb when I did it 1994. Unfortunately the signs are not really visible on the video. I did, however, see the grass I laid down in when I bonked on my first attempt in 1993. I have to admit, I had to chuckle as I zipped by it on the video. Since Alpe D' Huez is such a monumental climb and such an icon of the Tour de France, after the season winds down I will be throwing a ride the Alpe party featuring French wine, cheese, baguettes, and an opportunity for those so motivated to ride the Alpe (on the trainer of course). Best time wins a bottle of wine!
I'm still working on a full review of the Real Axiom, probably to arrive sometime in September so stay tuned. And if anyone out there has done any LAN racing with it yet I would like to know. I tried a preliminary setup but couldn't quite get it to work. I'm stubborn though and I haven't given up yet.
Peace and keep training.....
Rob
Looking back on the season is often overlooked as a means of improving your FUTURE performance. By reading over my training journal, I realized that one of the main reasons I suffered such a poor 10K at St. Anthony's triathlon was because I failed to take in enough fuel. I also didn't adequately hydrate on the run. Part of that was due to the fact that the swim and bike took place while it was relatively cool. However by the time the run rolled around the temperature had risen 5 - 7 degrees. This was enough to significantly increase my water intake needs. By carefully scrutinizing my diary I was able to correct this when I did the mountains of misery and I never felt drained for energy the whole ride, despite the fact that it was a significantly longer event. I also realized that scheduling a race so early in the season was probably, if not a mistake, then an over estimation of my ability to train adequately during the cold Maryland winter. Accordingly I have schedule my first Olympic distance race a month later next year. If I can train more diligently during this winter I will consider returning to St. Anthony's in 2010.
Having reviewed my training for the year, and still possessing a fair bit of fitness, I plan to try to participate in a few bike races or duathlons just for fun to finish off the season. However, before I begin to focus to much on next year a few acknowledgments are in order. So without further ado, I present the Rob's Training Awards for 2008 (hell everyone else has an award show, why not me?....)
Best Training partner: Jeff - Aside from his ride anywhere, anytime, mentality, he's a good friend to boot and since I can't drop him any more he pushes me just as much as I push him.
Best Non-training partner: Lisa, my wife, has been very supportive , what with the long hours in the pool, on the bike etc. That said, next year I want you to take the Best Training partner award HONEY :-)
Most missed training partner: Miguel, I know you had your first born, but we MISS you man! Drop all the running and get back on the bike!
Most improved: Mike M. Very impressive Mike, now if you can cut down those 8 minute transitions you may just win your age group!
Of course I enjoyed training with everyone, remembering the funny stuff, and trying to forget the suffering.
One pet peeve for the year tho..... no one wants to come with me on the Sunday fast ride, c'mon guys, I know it's fast but hey we've all been dropped before, no shame OK?????
Gadget review:
As I mentioned in a earlier blog this year I purchased a Real Axiom trainer. Over all I have been pleased, but since the weather has been so nice I haven't used it that much. I have used it more than the last time I blogged so here are a few more things of interest.
I dropped $40 on the Alpe D'Huez DVD. Now I have actually ascended the Alpe twice. I must say the actually climb is MUCH HARDER! Now this shouldn't really be news. Its hard to completely and accurately reproduce any real climb on a trainer. One of the more obvious limitations of the Real Axiom trainer is it only reproduces grades up to 8%. Of course the Alpe has grades up to 12% and has an average grade of 8.5% so that explains some of the discrepancies. The course is easy to install and the video is of very good quality. It's a bit amusing watching the "real riders" who are struggling up the climb. In fact, watching some of the video riders will give you an impression of just how hard the climb really is. At 8.5 miles it a good hill climbing workout. On the Real Axiom sight some people have posted times in the 32 to 33 minute range for the climb, which is impressive and makes me think they don't really need the trainer! On little thing I missed are the switchback signs. On the climb up to Alpe D' Huez each switchback has a sign that tells you what number it is and they counts down all the way to 1. This was a great source of motivation as I got closer to the top of climb when I did it 1994. Unfortunately the signs are not really visible on the video. I did, however, see the grass I laid down in when I bonked on my first attempt in 1993. I have to admit, I had to chuckle as I zipped by it on the video. Since Alpe D' Huez is such a monumental climb and such an icon of the Tour de France, after the season winds down I will be throwing a ride the Alpe party featuring French wine, cheese, baguettes, and an opportunity for those so motivated to ride the Alpe (on the trainer of course). Best time wins a bottle of wine!
I'm still working on a full review of the Real Axiom, probably to arrive sometime in September so stay tuned. And if anyone out there has done any LAN racing with it yet I would like to know. I tried a preliminary setup but couldn't quite get it to work. I'm stubborn though and I haven't given up yet.
Peace and keep training.....
Rob
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Where I was, where I am, where I'm going and my apologies for being gone so long....
I've missed blogging..... but I have been busy. So a little catching up is in order. When last we spoke (or I spoke I guess) I was preparing for one of my A races and reviewing gadgets. My legs were also rubbery for climbing all Memorial day. So what happened?
Tri-to Win Sprint Triathlon June 15th Westminster MD.
The race went well for me. I set a new PR for the course taking 2 minutes off my bike time and running slightly faster than 2 years ago. My swim time was only slightly faster which was disappointing, but I plan to devote significant time to swimming in the near future since this is clearly my limiting discipline. The other cool thing was I convinced a couple of friends who had never done a tri to participate. They did great although one of them had an 8 minute transition time due to having their race number blowing away a few times! Other than that, the race was great. We had great weather and the race organization did a great job as always. I plan to participate next year as well.
Once the Tri- to Win was over I had accomplished most of my major goals for the year. I was a little lost. I hadn't planned anything for later in the year so I just decided to relax and go with the flow, ya know, run when I felt like it, swim when I felt like it, ride when, well you get the picture. With the improving weather and longer daylight I decided to resurrect an old ride that used to take place a few years ago.
Thursday thunder is now a staple for myself and a few friends. This ride hits just about every tough hill in Rock Creek park. Its a great test of your climbing legs and a great way to get your appetite ready for Thursday's dinner. Climbing with your friends builds great camaraderie (or animosity depending on their climbing ability and gearing).
After doing a few weeks of this I started to notice my fitness was improving. Realizing I was near a season peak I decided to jump into a training race in Greenbelt. This series is run every Wednesday evening from April through August and is a great way to test your bike form. I went into my first bike race in over two year not really expecting anything. Bike racing form and triathlon form can be very different things. Despite this, I managed to hang with the lead group and managed to finish 16th. My 16th probably could have been better but I forgot some golden rules of road racing. First and foremost, be in the first 5 to 10 riders and avoid using all the unnecessary energy that results from having to chase past riders being dropped from the field. I spent WAY TOO MUCH time in the back of the field doing just that. I did eventually move up but I was toast by the time the sprint started. I went back two weeks later hoping to improve to a single digit placing, but was instead rudely dropped with 3 miles to go. I managed to chase hard enough to snag 20th place. Not great but at least consistent. It also struck me that if I want to do more road racing I need to change my training to adapt to the much less steady pace by incorporating some shorter harder intervals.
All this lazing around made me decide I needed to add a goal or two for the end of the season. Since my run had let me down to some extent at St. Anthony's I decided a 1/2 marathon would be in order to get some run focused work into my training. So on Sept. 14th I will participate in my first foray into the double digit running world. I'll keep in touch and let you know how that works for me. I was also looking for a late season triathlon but nothing really fit into my schedule so I had decided to just bag any more serious training until next year, when I came across an add for a triathlon in Jamaica in late October. Hmmm seemed perfect, the wife wanted to take a vacation this might be a good chance to get a last race for the season in. I also ran across an add for a race in Bermuda, so there may be some warm weather races in my future.
Gadget Update
I have been using Garmin's forerunner 305 quite a bit lately so I wanted to give everyone an update. In my last post I noted a few minor quirks let me update them.
1) Heart rate is so small as to be useless. Well as it turns out you can change what is displayed on each and every screen. I put heart rate into a window which made it easy to read and created a display with all the data I was interested in seeing.
2) Too many options to remember the correct sequence of buttons to push. Well the ability to create screen with the data you want to see more or less solved this problem. The good thing is the instructions are pretty clear and helpful. You can set the watch in the mode you want BEFORE you head out making the need to switch the display more or less unnecessary.
3) With time you don't forget to switch sports, however, if don't reset the watch after switching sport a run and then a bike on the same day ends up showing up as a multi sport workout instead of s separate run and separate bike. I find this somewhat annoying.
I did have the opportunity to record a course (that is, save a workout over certain terrain for reuse). I could then compete with myself over the same course. This is a good way to push yourself when running alone. I will test the workout feature this month and get back to all those who are interested. Oh one other thing, when I started using the Garmin on my bike I didn't remove my bike computer. It was interesting to note that my bike computer's speed readout seems to accurate for instantaneous speed, although I think distance wise the Garmin is more accurate. I still have a lot to learn about the Garmin but the more I do the more pleased I am. I may even splurge for the cadence accessory (although at $40-$60 I think it's overpriced).
Future stuff.....
I'm planning an Alpe d'Huez party. Since this year Tour de France was decided on Alpe d'Huez (apologies to my wife who became a tour window for 3 weeks) I decided to invite folks over for French food, French wine , famous Alpe d'Huez moments (including some of my own) and offer them a chance to ride the fabled mountain. My trainer has a video of the fabled climb so any one wanting to make the climb will be more than welcome. I did the actually climb in 80 minutes in 1994 (about twice as long as it took Carlos Sastre this year's winner on the Alpe). There will be a bottle of wine in it for the fastest to the top.
Well that's all for now.... I'll be back much quicker this time with news, ideas, stories, and general trivia for all who are interested. Send me some feedback about what you like, what you don't, and what you'd like to see included. I'll do my best to include it.
Peace and good training....
Rob
Tri-to Win Sprint Triathlon June 15th Westminster MD.
The race went well for me. I set a new PR for the course taking 2 minutes off my bike time and running slightly faster than 2 years ago. My swim time was only slightly faster which was disappointing, but I plan to devote significant time to swimming in the near future since this is clearly my limiting discipline. The other cool thing was I convinced a couple of friends who had never done a tri to participate. They did great although one of them had an 8 minute transition time due to having their race number blowing away a few times! Other than that, the race was great. We had great weather and the race organization did a great job as always. I plan to participate next year as well.
Once the Tri- to Win was over I had accomplished most of my major goals for the year. I was a little lost. I hadn't planned anything for later in the year so I just decided to relax and go with the flow, ya know, run when I felt like it, swim when I felt like it, ride when, well you get the picture. With the improving weather and longer daylight I decided to resurrect an old ride that used to take place a few years ago.
Thursday thunder is now a staple for myself and a few friends. This ride hits just about every tough hill in Rock Creek park. Its a great test of your climbing legs and a great way to get your appetite ready for Thursday's dinner. Climbing with your friends builds great camaraderie (or animosity depending on their climbing ability and gearing).
After doing a few weeks of this I started to notice my fitness was improving. Realizing I was near a season peak I decided to jump into a training race in Greenbelt. This series is run every Wednesday evening from April through August and is a great way to test your bike form. I went into my first bike race in over two year not really expecting anything. Bike racing form and triathlon form can be very different things. Despite this, I managed to hang with the lead group and managed to finish 16th. My 16th probably could have been better but I forgot some golden rules of road racing. First and foremost, be in the first 5 to 10 riders and avoid using all the unnecessary energy that results from having to chase past riders being dropped from the field. I spent WAY TOO MUCH time in the back of the field doing just that. I did eventually move up but I was toast by the time the sprint started. I went back two weeks later hoping to improve to a single digit placing, but was instead rudely dropped with 3 miles to go. I managed to chase hard enough to snag 20th place. Not great but at least consistent. It also struck me that if I want to do more road racing I need to change my training to adapt to the much less steady pace by incorporating some shorter harder intervals.
All this lazing around made me decide I needed to add a goal or two for the end of the season. Since my run had let me down to some extent at St. Anthony's I decided a 1/2 marathon would be in order to get some run focused work into my training. So on Sept. 14th I will participate in my first foray into the double digit running world. I'll keep in touch and let you know how that works for me. I was also looking for a late season triathlon but nothing really fit into my schedule so I had decided to just bag any more serious training until next year, when I came across an add for a triathlon in Jamaica in late October. Hmmm seemed perfect, the wife wanted to take a vacation this might be a good chance to get a last race for the season in. I also ran across an add for a race in Bermuda, so there may be some warm weather races in my future.
Gadget Update
I have been using Garmin's forerunner 305 quite a bit lately so I wanted to give everyone an update. In my last post I noted a few minor quirks let me update them.
1) Heart rate is so small as to be useless. Well as it turns out you can change what is displayed on each and every screen. I put heart rate into a window which made it easy to read and created a display with all the data I was interested in seeing.
2) Too many options to remember the correct sequence of buttons to push. Well the ability to create screen with the data you want to see more or less solved this problem. The good thing is the instructions are pretty clear and helpful. You can set the watch in the mode you want BEFORE you head out making the need to switch the display more or less unnecessary.
3) With time you don't forget to switch sports, however, if don't reset the watch after switching sport a run and then a bike on the same day ends up showing up as a multi sport workout instead of s separate run and separate bike. I find this somewhat annoying.
I did have the opportunity to record a course (that is, save a workout over certain terrain for reuse). I could then compete with myself over the same course. This is a good way to push yourself when running alone. I will test the workout feature this month and get back to all those who are interested. Oh one other thing, when I started using the Garmin on my bike I didn't remove my bike computer. It was interesting to note that my bike computer's speed readout seems to accurate for instantaneous speed, although I think distance wise the Garmin is more accurate. I still have a lot to learn about the Garmin but the more I do the more pleased I am. I may even splurge for the cadence accessory (although at $40-$60 I think it's overpriced).
Future stuff.....
I'm planning an Alpe d'Huez party. Since this year Tour de France was decided on Alpe d'Huez (apologies to my wife who became a tour window for 3 weeks) I decided to invite folks over for French food, French wine , famous Alpe d'Huez moments (including some of my own) and offer them a chance to ride the fabled mountain. My trainer has a video of the fabled climb so any one wanting to make the climb will be more than welcome. I did the actually climb in 80 minutes in 1994 (about twice as long as it took Carlos Sastre this year's winner on the Alpe). There will be a bottle of wine in it for the fastest to the top.
Well that's all for now.... I'll be back much quicker this time with news, ideas, stories, and general trivia for all who are interested. Send me some feedback about what you like, what you don't, and what you'd like to see included. I'll do my best to include it.
Peace and good training....
Rob
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
