Been bad at updating this - but I will follow up on how training went leading to the half marathon. Set a new PR shaving almost 7 minutes off my time from last year in what were much harder conditions today.
Today's playlist during the half marathon - BPM increased with the Scooter track ...
Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (Stargate Mix)
Laibach - Das Spiel Ist Aus
The Bravery - Hatef--k
Die Atwoord - $O$
Die Antwoord - Never Le Nkemise 2
Evil's Toy - Organics, I want to believe, A Girl Called Bitch, From Above Comes Sleep, Back on Earth, Transparent Frequencies
Aesthetic Perfection - A Nice Place to Visit, Celebrity Sun
Scooter - Move Your Ass!
Aesthetic Perfection - The Devil's in the Detail
Combichrist - Electrohead, Get Your Body Beat
Suicide Commando - Bind Torture Kill, Torment Me, Bleed for us all, Conspiracy with the Devil, Menschenfresser
Eisenfunk - Quattro Gti
Funker Vogt - Arising Hero (Faderhead Remix)
If you are looking for fast aggressive tunes to run too - check out from Scooter on - the first bunch were just getting me to a comfortable pace.
My name is Paul - I am a Clydesdale Triathlete from New York competing in my third season (2013). 2012 was a mess of injuries and disappointments but this is a new year with new goals. A few short years ago I weighed 308 pounds. Changes in nutrition and exercise helped with weight loss and competition keeps me focused on getting lighter and perhaps someday not being The Heavy Racer.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Marathon that kicked my butt ...
Lydia and I drove up to Massachusetts on Saturday morning and arrived in Hyannis at around 3pm. Prior to heading out there was a "heads up" email from the race director that due to the projected weather the police may call off the event. The weather forecast called for steady freezing rain, wind gusts up to 50mph and possible flooding. When we arrived the expo was in full swing and it was just starting to rain. I picked up my packet and bought some gels and we heard the announcement that the race would go on ... whew!
We then went to check in at the International Inn (The Cuddle and Bubble) which my brother suggested. As far as hotels go this one was pretty much a dump - unlike other couples themed hotels we have stayed at this one was pretty shabby. The plus to this spot was it had a buffet breakfast (for free) and was 3 blocks from the expo center (start and finish line).
We attended the pasta dinner and the guest speakers Bill Rodgers and Greg Meyers were both informative and entertaining. What I took away from it was - they ran the course today and the conditions were lousy - and on race day they would be worse. Suck it up and run ...
I went to bed debating what to wear - I had already decided I would wear my bike jacket, a base layer and a t-shirt ... had my cold weather bike gloves and decided to go with shorts instead of tights. When we woke up and checked the weather the forecast started at 39 degrees and then dropped a degree each hour as rains increased - oh boy! Ate breakfast of eggs, a glass of orange juice and half of a banana - had some hash browns also but they were lousy so didn't eat all of them. Lydia went back to the room with plans to meet me at the 13 1/2 mark and I walked the 3 blocks from my hotel to the race start - pretty much getting cold and wet before the race where I further got cold and wet.
My goal was to run the first half at around 2 hours and then increase my pace for the second loop. The course was packed with runners and despite the wind and rain many people were cheering people on during the first loop which included some 3000 participants in the half marathon. The poor weather and the threat of a possible cancellation kept away hundreds - I believe between the half marathon, marathon, and marathon relay there were 5000 registered and there were not that many out there. Lydia met me near mile 14 and I switched out my empty bottles on my fuel belt for full ones - and she passed me a Zico. My nutrition for the first half was on point - I ate at mile 5 (a Clif Bar) and 10 (a gel) and I had consumed 24 ounces of eFuel and 10 ounces of water. But that last 5 miles back to the starting line had a head wind and I knew that a 4 hour marathon, and a negative split was not in my future. I asked my wife to look for me in the 4:15 to 4:30 range and continued on. I continued at my first half pace until reaching the road with the war memorials where the road had become a small stream. Not like my feet were not 100% saturated at this point, but now it was bothering me. I never hit a wall per se but the mind games definitely started on mile 17 where there was the slight incline "the hill". I did not even notice it on the first loop but the second loop my calves responded first and then I started second guessing my intelligence in not wearing tights (I wore shorts) and here I realized if I closed my fists I could squeeze off a pint of water from my gloves. I switched to a run-walk at this point starting at run 5 minutes walk 1 ... and by the time I reached mile 20 I was down to run 3 minutes walk 3. The volunteers that were still out in the torrent (from mile 16-23 I experienced the heaviest rains all were thanked by me as I struggled to run - I stopped looking at my watch as it had decided to fog up and basically die on me (lasted 2+ years - my Timex Ironman) ... Headwind humbled me from mile 23-24 but I ran that one at an arthritic pace before getting a wicked cramp at the 24 mile marker. As I stopped (for the only time during the race) and grabbed my leg a polic officer asked if I was ok - I said something along the lines of "bad cramp' he asked me if I needed medical and I said I would crawl before I stopped or something like that and he told me something about it being a bad idea because I would not see any rocks or glass because of the depth of the puddles. Ugh ... I plodded on and eventually heard the finish and tried to run in - they were playing "party Rock" as I crossed my first marathon finish line ... happy to be done, content that I accomplished a goal but unsatisfied with my time so I guess I will have to do another one ...
I don't know if I could have crapped the bed much worse on the second loop. If I had just run from the start at an 8:20 and pushed to maintain that I think I could have gone to the same 17 mark where I fell apart, and have gotten there much sooner. I don't know - this was my first try at the distance and was using this as a mental thing more than anything. The next morning it was a sunny and clear 36 degrees on the cape ... if I could control the weather I am fairly certain I would have run considerably better.
After I finished, Lydia (she was in the rain cheering me across the finish) and I went into the expo center and she got me some hot chocolate and tomato soup. I think I knocked back one of each and then stripped off my drenched jacket, shirt and underarmor shirt. I put on a dry shirt and sweat shirt and had another soup and hot chocolate. My legs were like rocks and I started to shiver and could not stop. Lydia went back to the hotel to get the car since she didn't think I could walk back - honestly I didn't want to so I was good with that. A paramedic came over and gave me blankets and told me to bundle up that it looked like I was suffering from hypothermia. I did as I was told until my wife returned then went back to warm up at the hotel.
In hindsight, I guess it was colder than I thought - I was out there longer than I had anticipated but while running I was never "cold" just wet and miserable. In training I ran in a lot of cold - with often icy and snowy conditions but I have only run a dozen times in rain - never anywhere near this distance - and never to the point that the roads were flowing rivers. I guess I need to train more in the rain.
As far as events go - the organizers did an awesome job. Very well run event - cannot hold the weather against them. The expo and pasta dinner were well done. Guest speakers Bill Rodgers and Greg Myers were both entertaining and informative - and I got to see one of them out on the course during the race. Volunteers were awesome to stay out there in dismal conditions and the Barnstable Police were extremely supportive.
We then went to check in at the International Inn (The Cuddle and Bubble) which my brother suggested. As far as hotels go this one was pretty much a dump - unlike other couples themed hotels we have stayed at this one was pretty shabby. The plus to this spot was it had a buffet breakfast (for free) and was 3 blocks from the expo center (start and finish line).
We attended the pasta dinner and the guest speakers Bill Rodgers and Greg Meyers were both informative and entertaining. What I took away from it was - they ran the course today and the conditions were lousy - and on race day they would be worse. Suck it up and run ...
I went to bed debating what to wear - I had already decided I would wear my bike jacket, a base layer and a t-shirt ... had my cold weather bike gloves and decided to go with shorts instead of tights. When we woke up and checked the weather the forecast started at 39 degrees and then dropped a degree each hour as rains increased - oh boy! Ate breakfast of eggs, a glass of orange juice and half of a banana - had some hash browns also but they were lousy so didn't eat all of them. Lydia went back to the room with plans to meet me at the 13 1/2 mark and I walked the 3 blocks from my hotel to the race start - pretty much getting cold and wet before the race where I further got cold and wet.
My goal was to run the first half at around 2 hours and then increase my pace for the second loop. The course was packed with runners and despite the wind and rain many people were cheering people on during the first loop which included some 3000 participants in the half marathon. The poor weather and the threat of a possible cancellation kept away hundreds - I believe between the half marathon, marathon, and marathon relay there were 5000 registered and there were not that many out there. Lydia met me near mile 14 and I switched out my empty bottles on my fuel belt for full ones - and she passed me a Zico. My nutrition for the first half was on point - I ate at mile 5 (a Clif Bar) and 10 (a gel) and I had consumed 24 ounces of eFuel and 10 ounces of water. But that last 5 miles back to the starting line had a head wind and I knew that a 4 hour marathon, and a negative split was not in my future. I asked my wife to look for me in the 4:15 to 4:30 range and continued on. I continued at my first half pace until reaching the road with the war memorials where the road had become a small stream. Not like my feet were not 100% saturated at this point, but now it was bothering me. I never hit a wall per se but the mind games definitely started on mile 17 where there was the slight incline "the hill". I did not even notice it on the first loop but the second loop my calves responded first and then I started second guessing my intelligence in not wearing tights (I wore shorts) and here I realized if I closed my fists I could squeeze off a pint of water from my gloves. I switched to a run-walk at this point starting at run 5 minutes walk 1 ... and by the time I reached mile 20 I was down to run 3 minutes walk 3. The volunteers that were still out in the torrent (from mile 16-23 I experienced the heaviest rains all were thanked by me as I struggled to run - I stopped looking at my watch as it had decided to fog up and basically die on me (lasted 2+ years - my Timex Ironman) ... Headwind humbled me from mile 23-24 but I ran that one at an arthritic pace before getting a wicked cramp at the 24 mile marker. As I stopped (for the only time during the race) and grabbed my leg a polic officer asked if I was ok - I said something along the lines of "bad cramp' he asked me if I needed medical and I said I would crawl before I stopped or something like that and he told me something about it being a bad idea because I would not see any rocks or glass because of the depth of the puddles. Ugh ... I plodded on and eventually heard the finish and tried to run in - they were playing "party Rock" as I crossed my first marathon finish line ... happy to be done, content that I accomplished a goal but unsatisfied with my time so I guess I will have to do another one ...
I don't know if I could have crapped the bed much worse on the second loop. If I had just run from the start at an 8:20 and pushed to maintain that I think I could have gone to the same 17 mark where I fell apart, and have gotten there much sooner. I don't know - this was my first try at the distance and was using this as a mental thing more than anything. The next morning it was a sunny and clear 36 degrees on the cape ... if I could control the weather I am fairly certain I would have run considerably better.
After I finished, Lydia (she was in the rain cheering me across the finish) and I went into the expo center and she got me some hot chocolate and tomato soup. I think I knocked back one of each and then stripped off my drenched jacket, shirt and underarmor shirt. I put on a dry shirt and sweat shirt and had another soup and hot chocolate. My legs were like rocks and I started to shiver and could not stop. Lydia went back to the hotel to get the car since she didn't think I could walk back - honestly I didn't want to so I was good with that. A paramedic came over and gave me blankets and told me to bundle up that it looked like I was suffering from hypothermia. I did as I was told until my wife returned then went back to warm up at the hotel.
In hindsight, I guess it was colder than I thought - I was out there longer than I had anticipated but while running I was never "cold" just wet and miserable. In training I ran in a lot of cold - with often icy and snowy conditions but I have only run a dozen times in rain - never anywhere near this distance - and never to the point that the roads were flowing rivers. I guess I need to train more in the rain.
As far as events go - the organizers did an awesome job. Very well run event - cannot hold the weather against them. The expo and pasta dinner were well done. Guest speakers Bill Rodgers and Greg Myers were both entertaining and informative - and I got to see one of them out on the course during the race. Volunteers were awesome to stay out there in dismal conditions and the Barnstable Police were extremely supportive.
| 04:34:37 | 26.200001 miles | 10m 29s min/mile | |||
| Age Group: | 5/7 | ||
| Overall: | 265/385 | ||
Monday, February 18, 2013
Day 48 - The Marathon looms ever closer ...
I have been tapering for a week and a half and now am in the final countdown to Sunday's marathon ... just 6 days away. Tapering has been more difficult than I thought it would be, I am running such short distances and yet still trying to run at a slow steady marathon pace - I want to go 18 miles and ensure I am ready but my coach is telling me reign it in and follow his plan so I am.
This week I did a few short runs and had 2 pool sessions, I got on the bike and did a Spinervals session and did some light weight work. Today I ran on the treadmill for my weekly interval session and really sucked it up. I could not make the times on the 10% incline and had to bail out at 1:15 when I was slated to go 2:00 at that incline (speed was at 7) ... depressing and I started to beat myself up about it but got over it when I said to myself - you have never done that before and you made it over a minute - next time it still might not be 2 minutes but you will go longer - hells yeah!
I need to go long on Sunday and right now it looks like hell in Hyannis - hope the snow melts (there are still FEET of snow on the cape) ... right now weather is saying low 30's and either rain or snow with 7mph winds - that is a GOOD day for the cape - I am hoping for snow (that doesn't stick) ... oh by what have I gotten myself into.
This week I did a few short runs and had 2 pool sessions, I got on the bike and did a Spinervals session and did some light weight work. Today I ran on the treadmill for my weekly interval session and really sucked it up. I could not make the times on the 10% incline and had to bail out at 1:15 when I was slated to go 2:00 at that incline (speed was at 7) ... depressing and I started to beat myself up about it but got over it when I said to myself - you have never done that before and you made it over a minute - next time it still might not be 2 minutes but you will go longer - hells yeah!
I need to go long on Sunday and right now it looks like hell in Hyannis - hope the snow melts (there are still FEET of snow on the cape) ... right now weather is saying low 30's and either rain or snow with 7mph winds - that is a GOOD day for the cape - I am hoping for snow (that doesn't stick) ... oh by what have I gotten myself into.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Altitude training mask
When I returned from my 6 mile run today I had a box on my doorstep ... my new Elevation training mask had arrived. Touted to simulate high altitude training it supposedly allows you to simulate breathing conditions at 3000, 6000, or 9000 feet. I am excited to try this but I will wait until AFTER my marathon next weekend to add anything NEW into the mix. It has been hard to taper this week - there has been very low mileage plus my cold and I feel I am not doing enough ... hopefully this feeling will pass but I have a day off scheduled tomorrow and I know I will be going crazy to do SOMETHING.
Pictures of the mask and me in it soon ...
Pictures of the mask and me in it soon ...
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Day 43 - Finally feeling better
Still need to recap the days I was under the weather but with work being busy (Valentine's Day volume) and trying to catch up on stuff I didn't do when I was blotto it is taking me longer than I would like. Today I got in a swim workout and a shorter than I would have liked bike but time once again got away from me.
Today I swam 2000 yards - did a 400 yard warm up doing some freestyle and then some kickboard with fins. Followed that with a set of drills - fingertip, catchup and one armed. The third part was supposed to be a sprint set but I am sorta lacking in that regard right now so was more of a labored 800 yards of freestyle rather than a fast one. Then cooled down with some breast stroke and back stroke and pounded out a length of butterfly just to show myself I still have it ... pretty sure it looked like near drowning to anyone that cared to watch though.
Did 45 minutes or so on the bike spinning high cadence on my big ring ... watched some Lake Placid bike course talks - sounds like a beast - I need some serious time in the saddle!!
Today I swam 2000 yards - did a 400 yard warm up doing some freestyle and then some kickboard with fins. Followed that with a set of drills - fingertip, catchup and one armed. The third part was supposed to be a sprint set but I am sorta lacking in that regard right now so was more of a labored 800 yards of freestyle rather than a fast one. Then cooled down with some breast stroke and back stroke and pounded out a length of butterfly just to show myself I still have it ... pretty sure it looked like near drowning to anyone that cared to watch though.
Did 45 minutes or so on the bike spinning high cadence on my big ring ... watched some Lake Placid bike course talks - sounds like a beast - I need some serious time in the saddle!!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Day 42 - 10 miler down but still not feeling good
Felt lousy all day at work today but had a 10 miler on tap today and had to put it down.
Ran a half marathon pace for the first five miles than turned it up to my 10k pace for the second five. Was fun dodging puddles and leaping over snow - but ended up coming home with wet feet, sand and salt covered legs and a wind blown face.
Decent times but did nothing to make me feel better (physically) ... hope to feel better soon this cold has crushed me for 5 days now.
Splits:
mile 1 - 8:50
mile 2 - 8:59
mile 3 - 9:02
mile 4 - 9:05
mile 5 - 8:59 (first half 44:57)
mile 6 - 8:30
mile 7 - 8:08
mile 8 - 8:05
mile 9 - 8:10
mile 10 - 7:48 (total time 1:25:40)
Ran a half marathon pace for the first five miles than turned it up to my 10k pace for the second five. Was fun dodging puddles and leaping over snow - but ended up coming home with wet feet, sand and salt covered legs and a wind blown face.
Decent times but did nothing to make me feel better (physically) ... hope to feel better soon this cold has crushed me for 5 days now.
Splits:
mile 1 - 8:50
mile 2 - 8:59
mile 3 - 9:02
mile 4 - 9:05
mile 5 - 8:59 (first half 44:57)
mile 6 - 8:30
mile 7 - 8:08
mile 8 - 8:05
mile 9 - 8:10
mile 10 - 7:48 (total time 1:25:40)
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