Day 10 - The VO2 Max and Metabolic Test

My coach gave me a weights workout yesterday that proved to me that my core is very weak and I need some serious work ... always good to be humbled but after a 12 hour work day; a gym workout and a few hours with the kiddies I am shot.

Today I did 6 exercises and it whupped me ...  Decline bench sit ups 30x3, Pull ups (I was unable to do the number I was told I could only do 4 ... had to switch to chin ups and was still only able to do 8 more), Lunges with weights each set increasing (my legs still burn), Dead lift into shoulder shrugs (I am pretty sure I did this all wrong as it seemed too easy), Leg Presses (increased weight each set and lowered reps), Medicine Ball twists (I was rolling on the floor with a ball and had to look ridiculous (and I think I was using the wrong form) ... humbling to say the least.

Today I took a Max V02 & Anaerobic Threshold Test at Peak Performance in Lynbrook with Exercise Physiologist Paul DiLauro.   First we reviewed my history, both medical and racing performance related. he went over the test and we went to start.  

The test starts with a mask being attached to your head that covers your nose and mouth.  There is a breathing tube that allows air in and out and a censor attaches to this which ready your Oxygen to CO2 transfer.  He also had me wear a heart rate monitor and aimed some device at me to read/record my heart rate. So we started with me walking on a treadmil at a 15 m/mile pace and the sensor would not read my HR.  We tried another monitor and again no HR.  So I then had to shave two places on my chest so the sensor could read without my "hair sweater" being in the way.  Guess I will look awkward at the pool again - awesome - another reason for people to not want to share a lane with me muhahahaha.

He then set the treadmill for a 9:13 mile and had me chugg along for about 15 minutes, then he added a 3% incline ... 5 minutes later he added another 3% incline ... 5 minutes later he did it again ... now at 9% incline.  At this point I was a melting sweaty mess.  I was struggling and then it was over.  

We then reviewed my results.   I now know my real Training zones when before I was winging it - I had been pretty close in my assumptions.  For the next 10 weeks once a week I will be doing a tempo session with Paul and in 10 weeks we will do another test - supposedly after this series I will be slightly faster ... let's see!  Need to share the results with my coach and see if he is willing to adjust my training schedule so my tempo runs are consistently on the same day so I can set up something steady with Paul.  Interesting gift this was from my wife - hope it pays dividends with some run PR's this season.

Day 8 - back to the pool

After today's 9 hour work day (not bad for a FedEx day) ... I rolled out of work at 10:30am to meet Coach Brendan at the Aquatic Center.  My 28 minute ride was immediately compromised by the parking lot that was the Long Island Expressway.  It really blows that no matter what time I leave Brooklyn I seem to get trapped in traffic going home ... ended up getting to the pool 15 minutes late which is not cool at all.

My membership had expired so I paid the fee (I renewed after today's workout) and met with Brendan in the pool.  Started off swimming and he watched my stroke.  My bi-lateral breathing was non existence to start as my shoulders take some time to get loose and I have not swam since October 1st.  I don't think I embarrassed myself but I was not impressive in technique or form.  Brendon showed me some drills and I copied them back, we then reviewed some other stuff I would be working on over the next few weeks.  Brendon left me with a set to do and I finished it up.  Very different from how I would do things.  Generally I would bang out a mile as fast as I could and then tack on extra laps for "distance".  The plan now is to drill technique and form so that I have a more perfect stroke - and I guess later we will work on distance.

I am a capable swimmer - I can bang out the distance - I can mash it up in a maelstrom of human bodies and   stay calm and confident.  Up until now I really never worried about my stroke just how fast I was going to get out of the water - Brendon is a swimmer first and coached for 12 years, I am hoping with his guidance I will see some real improvement on the swims this year.  Just hit slightly over 1000 meters but it was not a usual swim for me and I feel soreness in my upper body that I haven't felt before - a good soreness of muscles being challenged.

Tomorrow is a gym day with a set pattern of exercises - I will do my best and see how I do - focused alot on core work I have a feeling I will struggle as my core is weak (multiple abdominal operations will do that to you).  After the gym looks like he has a steady 2 hour bike on the trainer - should be fine with a nice high cadence.  Already worried though about his drastic reduction in my run training - but for now I am in his hands.

Booked my Max VO2 test - will be Thursday - interested to see how unhealthy that will make me look ...

Day 7 - One week in ...

Yesterday was a good day - I met my new coach for the year (Brendan Mims) and we had an interesting meeting in a coffee shop.  We went over my schedule - weighed the pro's and con's of each event and made some tweaks - so I will be updating my calendar shortly.

Got an hour and a half in on the bike - pushing on the big ring and the number 2 small chain (sorry I still don't know the proper terms for any cycling stuff) - pushed at 70 cadence hard for most of the movie of the day (Edge of Darkness - decent movie BTW).  My debate with myself prior to choosing a coach was this - what made the most sense for me this TRI season - getting a coach, buying a CompuTrainer, or getting a Power Meter.  A power meter runs between $1500-$2500 ... a CompuTrainer is about $1800 ... both would have been awesome for the winter sessions on the bike - and I would honestly do most of all bike sessions on the CompuTrainer if I had one.  But in regards to all around improvement and focus on my who season the coach was the way to go.  For 7 months I would spend the same as I would have for one of these products but I would have that wisdom and advice for life - I am hoping it will be money well spent.

My coach was not overly enthusiastic about my planned Marathon but he understood why I want to do it.  To me this is the scary obstacle part of the Full Ironman - how can I run a Marathon after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles when I have never run close to 26.2 miles before - and in fact suffered in my half marathon after my Half Ironman.  So it's a mental thing - I need the notch in my belt but as today showed me again - I can run but I am a stupid stupid runner.

Today I was slated to run 17 miles - this would be my new "record" distance.  I know I need to run slowly in fact 1:20-1:40 slower than I plan to on race day but I can't bring myself to slow down and once again it smashed me hard.  It was at least 8 degrees warmer today then it has been in 2 weeks.  I thought I dressed lightly but by mile 8 I was getting hot.  I brought 10 ounces of water with me and three eGels and I knew by mile 5 I would need contingency water or I would fail to complete my run.

My splits were solid - I stopped my watch twice in the first 6 miles - once waiting for a train (about 2 1/2 minutes) and once to cross Sunrise Highway (another 2 minute wait).  This saved me from over heating and I was able to conserve my water.  I took in 3 ounces with an eGel at mile 7 and was down to an ounce until the 9 mile mark when I deviated off my run path to hit my Mom's house for a bathroom/water refill.  Unfortunately I was suffering some gastro intestinal distress and had my watched stopped almost 11 minutes at Mom's.  I drank 12 ounces of water and refilled my 10 ounce bottle and was back out on the road.

I was immediately FREEZING - the stop was too long and I was drenched - running into a headwind I was immediately chilled to the bone.  I over compensated by running faster - this got my HR and body temp back up but helped make the last 5 miles a complete sufferfest.  My pace was ridiculous and I knew my body was going to revolt.  I need to run properly next week or my marathon will have a poor result.  At mile 14 I was watching a bunch of FEMA trucks rolling out and ran into a yield sign - I felt like a total tool but kept running.  I then realized my bottle was really light - damn it was empty!!!  So instead of going my regular route I again deviated - this time to a park where I hoped the water fountains still worked.  Thankfully one had a tiny trickle and I filled my bottle once - drank about 4 ounces, took another eGel - drank 2 more ounces and then topped off the bottle again.  From this point to home I was shuffling then running - shuffling then running - going from 12:00m/mile average to 8:20m/mile ... seriously what the hell is my problem.

Need to fix my pacing for training because this can't be doing myself any favors (especially after looking at my Coaches plan for next week - he is calling for 17 miles at a 10:40 pace --- that will be difficult).   Looks like I am back in the pool tomorrow and will start some weight work as well this week.

Todays splits (this is purely run time - not accounting the stoppages)
Mile 1 - 8:48
Mile 2 - 8:43
Mile 3 - 8:51
Mile 4 - 8:50
Mile 5 - 8:59
Mile 6 - 8:53
Mile 7 - 8:59
Mile 8 - 8:45
Mile 9 - 8:46
Mile 10 - 8:35
Mile 11 - 8:30
Mile 12 - 8:38
Mile 13 - 8:52
Mile 14 - 9:11
Mile 15 - 9:12
Mile 16 - 9:20
Mile 17 - 9:30
Garbage time 1:51

Day 5 - 205 days to IMLP

Two run days back to back in the books.

Awesome 7+ hour sleep last night so even after work I was refreshed enough to feel excited to run.  Today was slightly more than 5 miles and with the weather poking over 40 degrees for the first time in nearly two weeks I was able to run without leggings.  Ran a nice tempo that would have had me set bot 5k and 5 mile PR's if today's training run was a race.  I still struggle with pacing - I can't tell when I am going too hard other than overheating, labored breathing and a spiked heart rate.  Today I felt good at one mile and saw I was at an 7:55 pace.  Stepped it up for mile 2 since I felt solid and breathing was still steady and I was not hot 7:49 pace.  Shooting for the sub-24 I stepped it up a bit and did mile 3 at 7:27.   Right after the 3 mile mark was an intersection with a railroad track and a woman in a mini van came inches from hitting me.  Gotta love that - my sprint came to an abrupt stop but I still got the 5k in under 24 minutes so I was stoked.

Felling hot at this point I took a swig from my hand held and slowed the pace for the final to miles (8:22 and 8:21) and finished up at home in 39:55 ... a sub-40 in a race is a dream of mine for a 5 miler.  I struggle so mightily in heat and humidity and am having my best running of my life now in the cold and non-humid air of winter.  Will be interesting to see how this will correlate come spring and when I start doing bricks outside.

I received several cool emails today - one was offering to extend my "ambassadorship" of Team New Skin through March - and I was also invited to apply for Team SunRype.  My only issue right now is all branded gear is for warm weather and I am seriously layering at this point.  I really like the NewSkin anti-chafing product (I will devote another post to what I did last year with Team New Skin).  I was also approved to mentor a group on BT (BeginnerTriathlete.com).  I would like to help other Clydes and AThenas with their quest to become competitive triathletes.  I don't think I am an expert by any means at all but I think I can support others with similar experiences to my own.  Hopefully I will get to encourage and assist some guys/gals.

Yesterdays run was 9.2 miles of a scheduled 9-10.  Pace was slated to be in the 9 minute range and I averaged 8:42 over the distance.  Ran hard in mile 8 which spiked my HR way too high but other than that was an uneventful cold and windy run.  Mile splits (8:28, 8:36, 8:45, 8:53, 8:57, 8:40, 8:44, 7:30, 8:01).  I was shot after yesterdays run and went to bed crazy early which gave me over 7 hours of sleep as mentioned above.

Tomorrow I have an hour on the bike, some flexibility and to meet with a tri-coach ... a bunch on tap with the kids as well - should be fun!    

Day 3 - 207 days to IMLP

Went to bed last night at 6:30pm but  think I had a fitful sleep (if much at all until 8:30) nd then I think I slept well until the alarm went off at 1:15am.  All in all flt rested enough and the headache from the prior day was gone.

Normal morning routine - a fairly uneventful 9 hours at work - and I got a nice hour and a half on the trainer (I watched Resident Evil:Afterlife) - which I will score as a 5 on a scale of 10.  So far I am not craving food - tonights meal will be some brown rice with chicken (prepared in stewed tomatoes) and peas.  The workout for Friday is an 8-10 mile easy paced run.

I am excited about starting with a coach - weighing my options on my final 2 choices.  Will be meeting with one group on Sunday and still waiting for an official appointment with the other group.  Costs are about the same so my main decision will most likely come down to - will I be able to group train EVER with either outfit - how comfortable am I after we meet.  Guess I will know a lot more on Sunday - for now will stay focused on the marathon training as that date looms ever closer.

Day 2 - 208 days to IMLP

Slept a brief 5 hours today which resulted in a mid afternoon headache.  Got in a frigid but great run though after work.  The weather channel said it was 21 degrees but with 20 mph wind gusts would feel like 7 ... I layered up and went for a planned 5 ...

I guess I was jacked up because I ran a sub 24 minute 5k during this training run!!  what?  WHAT??  I know I was moving fast but I don't think I realized how fast until the 2 1/2 mile mark when my quads started screaming at me.   Todays splits 7:36, 7:31, 7:27 ... hit the 5k mark at 23:31 ...8:07 and the last .94 at 7:43. 4.94 mile run - way faster than my normal pace but at east today I showed myself that a sub 24 is a reality if I don't implode and run a smart race.  First test will come in 12 days the first of the 5k Winter Parks Series.

Head is pounding - off to bed ...

Day 1 - 2013 - 209 days until IMLP

Today is a scheduled day off from training however I did accomplish a few things today.

Weighed in at 216.3 pounds so my weight loss goal for the next 200+ days is 26.3 pounds.  Organized the kitchen and discarded a bunch of expired stuff.  With the plan again to eat healthier in the season the only beer in the fridge is Michelob Ultra and we have only poultry products in the freezer/fridge.  Looking forward to following the structured diet as this is where I have had the most success in the past.

Did my 25 push ups and sit ups.  My nagging shoulder pain I hope will loosen up as I get further along with this, and sit ups are always a struggle since my belly is a mess of mesh work due to three past abdominal surgeries.

On Sunday I am meeting with one of my potential coaches for the season (I have narrowed it down to two). I need to share my planned race schedule and goals with the coach and see if we are on the same page.  I would prefer to get on his plan sooner rather than later.  My wife also purchased for me a MAX Vo2 & Anareobic Threshold Test at Peak Performance Fitness which once I have completed that should also help with my training.

Three races coming up in January - all are 5k's and I am hoping to run my first sub-24 minute race at one of these.  This weeks training:

Wed (1/2) - run 5 miles - crosstrain Chest/Shoulders/Tris
Thu (1/3) - bike on trainer for 2 hours
Fri (1/4) - run 8 miles - crosstrain Back/Biceps
Sat (1/5) - run 5 miles - one hour Kempo
Sun (1/6) - bike on trainer for 2 hours

Back to work tomorrow after three days off - and thankfully the kids return to school as well.  Back to thr routine ... 2013 starts today!