Day 0: The Finish

The ultimate goal for anyone who starts an Ironman is to finish. Goal times get thrown out the window, injuries get ignored and fatigue is battled. Just look at any Ironman video on YouTube and you will see the athletes who push all day long just to get in under 17 hours and those who continue to battle knowing that they will come in after....

I am able to proudly say that I am now an Ironman. I fought and pushed through the day, battled adversity and enjoyed every minute of it.

140.6 miles can make you question a lot about yourself. Do you have what it takes to push through the pain of severe physical and mental fatigue?

 How badly do you want to see those people at the finish line?

I woke up Sunday, August 26th 2012 like I do on most race mornings. 4 a.m. came quick but it was preceded by almost 7 hours of sleep. This was by far the best sleep I had gotten before any race. I found it to be a good sign for both my mental and physical state. Alli and I left the hotel at 4:20 and walked the 30 minutes to transition. I was taped my Gu Gels to my bike, placed my Gatorades in their bottle holders and topped off the tire pressure. The bike was in good shape and was ready for the day.

We then proceed 15 minutes down the river to the swim start. The race had a time trial start which meant all the athletes had to line up. Starting at 7 a.m. the athletes were allowed to jump in the Ohio river off of two boat docks, with each person's time starting as they leap into the water. I managed to find a spot in line 800-900 people back. I was glad to be this close considering there was about 3000 athletes in the race. There were a number of interesting people around me. One gentleman was trying to qualify for Kona in the 45-49 age group (he made it) and his friend was competing one month after wrecking on his bike, breaking four ribs and having a plate put in his shoulder. Wow...

The pros were started with a cannonball firing at 6:50 and the age group athletes starter pistol went off 10 minutes later. It took 17 minutes for me to get in the water and I was more than ready to get the race started!

The Swim
I jumped in the water and immediately started my watched. I was not sure how frantic this time trial start would be so I tried to gain a feel on the athletes around me before I started making my move. The majority of the athletes moved to the island side of the canal. This can lead to a large amount of jostling for position so I put myself to the main land side. I was able to keep a solid stroke heading upstream past the island and to the turnaround, which was roughly 1300 meters into the race. At this point my nerves had begun to calm down and I started to pickup up my stroke cadence. I swung wide on the turn to once again stay 5-10 meters outside of the traffic. This allowed for easy passing as I continued to gain speed. My heart rate and breathing stayed smooth for the duration of the swim and I was able to battle back to the inside line with 300 meters to go. At this point the current had pickup and I, along with the other athletes, really had to fight to get over to the exit stairs. Time: 1:18 Pace: 2:02/100m

Transition 1
The exit from the swim was a ramp that led from the river to the Great Lawn, where transition was laid out. I ran through the bag lay-down and into the changing tent to get my bike gear on. I took my pre-workout drink (AGC3) to give me a boost and chose to stay in my one piece trisuit. I headed out to my bike and onto the course. The only downfall to this layout of transition is that it forces the athlete to put bike shoes on before getting to the bike. I prefer getting on my bike with my cleats already clipped in. This allows me to run barefoot through transition, saving a minute or so in time. Time: 7:57

The Bike
It is common knowledge that one of the biggest mistakes a first time Ironman athlete can make is to push too hard early in the bike portion of the race. This will in turn cause many athletes to 'bonk' or hit the wall for the later portion of the bike and onto the run. I was determined not to do this and had laid out what I thought was a good plan to get me off the bike in under 6 hours. I started out the ride trying to average 17.5 mph for the first hour or so. As I became more comfortable I would slowly in crease my time until I reached the last 20 miles which contained a downhill section of road and a final section of flats.

Riding at 17.5 mph was painful for me. I hate getting passed on the bike and for someone who had trained in the 20-22 mph range, this was killing. I was getting passed by everyone it seemed but in the back of my head I knew the benefits of a slow start would pay off. Over the first 23 miles, my average speed was 17.83 mph. From mile 23- 40, my speed rose to 18.13 mph. This is where I noticed my slow start had already helped. I began passing people. Lots of people. I was able to power up the hills that had been thrown into the course with relative ease while others were already struggling. Now the next section of the race, mile 40-70.5, my speed slowed to 16.28 mph. I attribute this to two things: stopping to use the restroom and stopping to get sunscreen reapplied after 3 hours on the bike. I did not want to come off the bike being beat red and I just am not comfortable peeing myself on the bike. Maybe i'll work on the latter of the two one day.

The final section of the race is where things got interesting. After my two stops in 30 miles, I had begun to push my pace up into the 19-20 mph in order to be ready to go 21-22 mph over the final 20 miles. I hit mile 90 and was holding a speed of 21.6 mph. However at about mile 95 I started to develop a rather uncomfortable hot spot in my ride shoes. I began to slow down in order to readjust my sock on the fly when all of a sudden BAM!!!! I was sent crashing to the pavement by another rider who had not noticed me slowing down and failed to look up before it was too late. As we laid there on the road, he immediately began to apologize. He said that he had simply zoned out, failing to notice my unclipped foot and hand held out to signal I was slowing down. My arm throbbed from the impact but showed no skin abrasions. The bruises however began to form immediately. We separated our bikes and began to check them over. He had hit me on the right side of the bike but managed to avoid significant damage to the wheels and deraileurs. My brakes and handle bars also checked out fine. His bike however snapped an elbow pad off and may have had other damage.

As mad as I was at him, I couldn't leave him on the side of the road as he got light headed when he tried to stand up. He finally got to his feet after what ended up being 15-20 minute ordeal. I hopped on my bike and took off again, passing a number of people who had ridden by the wreck, asking if we were okay. It was not until 5-6 miles down the road when I noticed just how much pain my left elbow, shoulder and knee were causing me. This discomfort really hurt my effort over the final 17 miles and I was only able to average a speed of 14.73 mph from mile 70.5-112. I was pretty discouraged at this point Time: 6:55:08 Pace: 16.19 mph

Transition 2
I managed to spot Alli in the crowd as I came in off the bike. I told her to alert my family that I had been in a wreck on the bike and not to worry about the split times anymore. My arm and knee hurt, but I was bound to finish the race. I went into the changing tent and sat down next to a gentleman from Tennessee named Jay. Turns out Jay had passed by after the wreck on the bike and was curious if I was alright. I assured him I was good but didn't know how this run was going to go. We struck up a quick friendship and decided to keep each other company on the marathon. Time: 11:00

The Run
Jay and I set out on the run course that weaved its way through the city. Landmarks that is went by included the University of Louisville and Chuchhill Downs. The first 3.4 miles we average a 10:52 min/mile pace, very slow by both our standards. I was far from comfortable on the run due to the wreck and it was Jay's first time having rode the full 112 mile distance. It was safe to say we were attempting to get our bearings. However, it did not get better over the next split. From mile 3.4-8.2 we went 12:48 min/mi. and then from mile 8.2-13.1 we averaged 12:48 min/mi. Following our initial run pace, we quickly realized that we were both severely dehydrated and low on salt. So over the course of the first half-marathon, we used a run 2 mins/ walk 1 minute in order to allow food, drink and salt tablets to settle into our systems. We know the pace was slow but we needed to finish on foot, not in the back of an ambulance. So at mile 13.1, a half-marathon, we had been running about 2 hours and 40 minutes. To compare, the last half-marathon I had run off the bike in training was a 2:03.

I just kept telling myself that the time wasn't important, only the finish was. The wreck had already derailed my plans of a 12 hour completion so there was no longer a need to crush myself on the run. Jay and I did mile 13.1-15.2 in a 14:42 min/mi pace, but this included stopping in order for Jay to put cream on his blisters that were forming on his feet. Let's just say he learned the hard way to not forget socks on race day. The next split, mile 15.2-20.1, paced at 13:38 min/mi. It was at this point that I realized we could still go sub-14 hours if we picked up the pace and did dabble at aid stations for too long. We started to pick up the pace and at mile 22, Jay told me to go on. It was hard to run off from him but I did. I wanted to go under 14 hours. It would have validated the pain in some manner that I can't explain in words. from mile 20.1- 25 the pace dropped to 12:36 min/mi, with two of those miles being sub-10 minutes. At mile 25 I could taste the finish and continued to push the pace. I experienced a hiccup of heat cramps in my stomach which cause me to pull up for just a few second but I pushed onward. I came around the final corner to see the finish line! The lights were shining down the road and thousands of people were lined up waiting for their athletes to come down final stretch. As I came up to the line, Alli, one of my best friends Tommy and his aunt and uncle, were on the left side of the chute cheering for me. I slowed down to soak in the atmosphere and then came the moment I had been waiting for...

"Drew Robinson...YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!"

I raised my arms in the air in both celebrations and relief. I had made it to the finish line. I had conquered one of my lifetime goals. I felt a year and half of training, 50 pounds of weight loss and a good chuck of money turn into the scene that was unfolding before me. I had done it. I went 140.6 miles in one day.

Even though I finished with a time of 14:05:57 and didn't reach my goal time, I still got across that finish line. I made it of the Ohio River, pushed through the pain of a bike crash, and overcame a nutritional battle to finish.

I can proudly stand here and say that I conquered my goal. It wasn't pretty, but it's done.


I want to thank everyone who helped me during this journey. There were many short nights, early weekend morning, cold swims, hot rides, and miserable runs. There were many days where I was tired and irritable and you all put up with me. Thank you.

My plans for the next couple of weeks are to rest my body. Hopefully my knee will be able to finally heal after being injured in March and my new injuries from Louisville will recover. In a few weeks time I will begin to ease my way back into swimming, cycling and running and go into an off-season plan that will help me to continue to get my weight down to my goal of 170, while maintaining my current level of fitness.

And for those of you wondering, I will be doing another Ironman next year!

Happy training!

Drew

1 Day: Tomorrow

The day has finally arrived. Tomorrow morning, at 07:00, I will begin my quest to become an Ironman. I've thought about this moment for a long time and it's hard to believe it is less than 15 hours away.

I've gone through registration and the Athlete Expo and turned in my equipment at the transition area. Now it's all about resting, taking in calories, staying hydrated and not over-thinking the task at hand.

Gear laid out with the appropriate bags

This morning the athletes were allowed to swim in the river to get a feeling for what it will be like tomorrow. The water was a balmy 85 degrees with a barely noticeable current when swimming up river. I plan on keeping my equipment simple on the swim with slightly tinted goggles, swim cap, and trisuit. Some athletes will be wearing a speed suit, which goes over your trisuit to reduce drag, but I feel that the benefits would be minimal tomorrow. The course takes you upstream for 1300m, where you then loop the edge of an island and head back down stream for 2600m. The swim exit leads you up a stone walkway to the transition zone.

Transition

After grabbing my bike gear bag and  getting to my bike, I plan on pushing out at a slower pace, ~17.5-18 mph. This is slower that I have trained at but with the uncertainty of the course, it will make sure I can pound the pedals hard on my ride back to transition. The course involves a loop that has a few challenging hills. And the nice thing about the last 30 miles is that it is a slow downhill. Once reaching transition, I plan on staying in my trisuit, slapping on my shoes, visor and sunscreen and tackling the marathon.

The run is a two lap course that basically runs you straight out of town then back twice. It is flat which will be nice because the heat will be at it's peak when I plan on putting my feet on the pavement. 26.2 miles later I hope to coming down the finisher's chute with my arms and head held high.

The finish line being set up

I know this post is nothing special, but I can't put my thoughts into words right now. I hope this tides most of you over. To you others, wait until the post race report.

Happy racing!

Drew

6 Days: Pre-race Strategy

There is a fair amount of planning that goes into an Ironman race.

I'm not only talking about registering ($600- that hurt), finding a hotel (another $400), traveling (I'll be driving the truck-$250) and assembling an entourage (the girlfriend and possibly a couple friends).

Planning out the race is the equivalent to writing out a 4 year plan. You can put tons of work into it and have short and long term goals, but one hiccup can derail the entire plan. Look at my Ironman Kansas 70.3 in June. When my bar extensions started to come loose, my entire plan went out the window.

Many things can wrong over the course of 140.6 miles. For example, I could cramp up at any point of the race, a could break something on my bike, I could crash on my bike, i could get bloodied up during the mass swim start, I could run out of gas on the run, I could push any discipline too hard, etc...You get the idea.

My race plan started yesterday following my 4000 yard swim. I am now in what is called a taper week. What a taper week does is allow for you body to recover while staying loose. You are not going to be building any strength this week or adding volume. Today was an easy 35 min run with four 5k pickups. Just some light intervals to get the heart rate going. Following my shorter and lighter workouts, I will be watching everything I eat. I mean EVERYTHING. I have all but knocked artificial sugars and alcohol out of my diet starting last week and this week I will slowly reintroduce carbohydrates into the diet to build energy stores for Sunday. These will go along with lean protein and a variety of fruit and vegetables. I also do not planning on doing anything outside of my exercise in the evenings. No yard work, different sports, and anything that could add stress to the day. There will be a fair amount of icing on the knees, a few ice baths and lots of stretching. Starting at 8, I will be winding down to get into bed at 9. I hope this leads to 8+ hours of sleep each night.

All of my triathlon equipment is strewn around one of the rooms in my house. The vast majority of these things will not be taken on the trip but serve at reminders to the things I really need. Tomorrow I will be prepping what will be going into my transition bags and what goes into my special needs bags. See, in an Ironman, you are not allowed to pile all of your belongings in the transition area. You put your bike gear (helmet, shoes, glasses, watch, HR monitor, etc.) into a bag which is given to you in the transition tent. If you so choose you can change clothes but most will not. The same thing happens when getting off the bike and going to T2 but only now you are putting on your run gear and heading back out. It's a little different from 70.3s but I think I'll manage. I will also be looking over every bolt on my bike for proper positioning and tightness. I will not have another mechanical failure due to not checking over parts of my bike.

I will be arriving in Louisville on Thursday evening and plan on checking into the hotel, getting a light run in and finding dinner. Then into the hotel to get a large amount of sleep. On Friday, I will check in and get all my registration items. There will be plenty of time to walk around the Expo and look at vendor products, along with spend a little money. After leaving, I am planning on touring Louisville and possibly going to the Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat factory before heading back to the Pre-race banquet. Every athlete is invited (with the option of paying for guests) to partake in the festivities and then to stay after for the mandatory pre-race meeting. Then it will be off to bed.

Saturday will consist of four things: doing a quick 10 minute workout of each sport, getting my bike and gear bags to transition, eating, and keeping my feet up. I plan on being in bed by 8 which is very early by any one's standards but the next morning starts at 4:30. The more sleep, the better.

Speaking of sleep, it's that time of the night.

Happy training!

Drew

27 Days: No Pressure

My race is four weeks from yesterday, and to be perfectly honest, I do not feel a bit of pressure. After riding more than 130 miles this weekend and having two solid runs, I think that my fitness will get me across the finish line on August 26th.

Lots of things can happen between now and then...lots...but what I am hoping happens is that my knee continues to heal. It has felt very good for the last few runs and I will be focusing on not over-training. I would hate for the strain to creep back up. 

I don't have much to say tonight even though it has been some time since my last post. This is my last week before tapering begins. It will be nice to scale back on training.

That's it for me!

Happy training!

Drew

P.S. Here's an article on what it takes to be an Ironman Champion: http://ironman.com/columns/ironmanlife/ironmanlife-alexander-the-great

41 Days: The Unknown

I've learned a lot since beginning my triathlon career a year and a half ago. For three sports that appear so simple on the surface, they sure are difficult once you really hone in on them. And once you realize how difficult they are individually, go ahead and throw them together. What a mess.

My Ironman race is quickly approaching. I'm not intimidated or worried that I won't finish. I am more concerned about the unknown; concerned about the bridges I have yet to cross since my racing began. One would think after 4 half-Ironmans that I would be ready for what is about to thrown my way. But to be honest, I might as well be standing at home plate with a blind fold on.

Your body responds differently than mine, and my body responds differently than the next person's. No one person gets through an Ironman the same way. Then again, I am only going off of what I have read and seen online. I have hit some large training benchmarks but is that enough? I've rode my bike for 6 hours then hopped off and ran for 45 minutes; the leg wobble is incredible. I've swam 5000 meters then got on my bike for a couple hours; I would compare the first few minutes to vertigo. What I haven't experienced is all three sports together.

Yes, I know, I've completed half-Ironmans. That should be all the experience I need right? Wrong. What are my legs going to feel like after swimming in a river for an hour then running into the first transition? Yes, I can simulate this to the best of my abilities but nothing compares to a race scenario. What are my neck and back going to feel like after roughly six hours on the bike? I know after three hours during previous races I am more than ready to get on the run. What do miles 14, 15, 16, 17,....26 of the run feel like? What do they feel like after 112 miles on the bike?

There are things I don't know and I wish I did...

But then again, that's what makes this journey exciting. It's the feeling of not knowing what I'll be experiencing during the race and figuring out a way to push both my mind and body through it.

It will be hot, humid and hilly. Those are the things that are certain. Everything else is up in the air!

One last question...what do I do after I complete an Ironman?

Happy training!

P.S.- Shout out to my parent's neighbor Tami (I hope I spelled it right). Thanks for reading!

P.S.S- Go U.S.A!

55 Days: The Sufferfest

Suffering: an experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with the perception of harm or threat of harm in an individual.


Have you ever experienced a form of suffering, either physical or mental? Maybe it was both but either way we've all gone through it. I've finally stepped into a new world of suffering but this one involves me, my bike, my trainer and a series of workouts that are designed to crush your legs and your mental barriers. 


I was skeptical at first. I had heard great things about The Sufferfest and another cycling series called Spinervals. One of the largest differences was the cost. For $95, the Sufferfest offered 10 videos that covered a wide range of techniques and levels of suffering. The videos use race footage and great musical selections to push the riders during the workouts. Spinervals on the other hand cost $25-$30 a video but have a library of 40+ videos. Spinervals also force the rider to watch other riders on trainers. Ultimately, The Sufferfest sounded more appealing and to be honest...I made an excellent decision!

After a little more than a week of using these videos, I have already noticed gains in my strength, force and endurance. Not bad if you ask me. These videos make you earn every pedal stroke and are quick to call you out right as you think about slowing down.




I am now in a constant state of waiting for my next trainer ride. That is how much I look forward to these workouts.

And in other news, I may be buying a road bike in the near future...more on that later!

Happy training!

Drew

P.S.- I am at 186 lbs!

66 Days: Crazy

Triathletes are a special breed. Some would say they are a little crazy...

I don't get it. Everyone loves early Saturday morning brick workouts. Wait...most people don't go to bed early on Friday night just so they can get up at 5:30 and be riding their bike at 6 on Saturday morning? Weird...

What about doing it again on Sunday but with a 2 hour fun-run? No? Oh, I see what's going on here. The people who sleep in aren't normal. Why would you sleep when there are long workouts to be done?

Okay, fine, triathletes are nuts. Crazy. Obsessed. *Fill in your own adjective here*

Call me what you want but I look forward to my 5 a.m. workouts every morning (except Fridays-Rest day!!!!). I look forward to sitting on my bike for 4, 5,or 6 hours on Saturday and then going right into a run. The thing is, I'm not alone. There are other people up at those times. Other people who are logging early morning miles or getting that second workout in after work. People who skip lunch to swim 1500 meters or hop on the bike trainer for an hour.

See, I'm not crazy. Not at all. Just know that the longer the distance of a triathlete's upcoming race, the more dedication they will have. Yup, dedication is not insanity.

Anyone going to meet me on the roads this weekend? I think I'll ride 5 hours before lunch on Saturday.

Happy training!

Drew

73 Days: The Results

Two words can describe the race: hot, windy.

I knew that the wind may play a factor in the race. If I had only known how wicked it was going to be, I may have attached a rocket to my bike.

Pre-race: I arrived at the course (at 5:00 a.m.) with everything but the water and Gatorade bottles I purchased the night before. I use the 24 oz. squirt tops so that I don't have to toss my good bottles while on the bike but am not waiting for fluids after T1. Alli kindly went and picked up on of each while I set up both transitions. My wave did not begin until 7:10 so I had plenty of time to hang around the start and watch the pros come out of the water. To give you an idea, the pro men began at 6:30.

Swim: The 18-24 M and the 35-39 W were to leave together at 7:10. We got into the water at 7:06 and tread water until the horn sounded. I set up in the front but on the outside to avoid the buoy-hugging chaos. As expected, there was a sprint for the first 300 m. Once the wave spread out I was able to settle into a groove and figure out my stroke. Now this was not easy. Due to the high winds, the waves were white capping. The course also took us almost head on into the current. This lead to a slow swim time but I wanted to find a solid groove and just push through. At the turn I experienced some calf cramping which was partially due to fatigue but more to the people slamming down on my calves at the buoy. After the turn the current helped to push you in, but more worked in pushing you off course. The swim ended up being almost 10 mins slower than normal.  TIME: 44:39, 2:14/100m

Transition 1: My transition was slower than normal because I had to put on sunscreen and calf compression sleeves. I put the sleeves on because I was worried with the swim cramps I would experience another bought on the bike. And to top it off, my bike show came off my pedal while mounting my bike which forced me to hop off and pick it up. TIME: 4:08


Bike: I always look forward to the bike. For me, it is normally a peaceful 2:30-3:00 hours of cruising. This was not going to be the case. I should have known when I had issues getting clipped into my bike. I rode out of the park at a solid effort, trying to orientate myself to being on the bike post-swim. As soon as I hit the Clinton Lake dam, my right aerobar elbow pad began to rotate away from me as I settled into an aero position. I thought it was just an loose elbow pad issue and I would adjust my weight slightly forward off of the elbow pad. 5 miles later, I realized the problem was that the clamp connecting the aerobar to road handle bars which meant that shifting my weight would do no good. The clamp became looser each mile I rode, eventually getting to the point where I could not ride in an aero position but was forced to ride like a normal road bike. To make problems worse, I did not have an  Allen Wrench to fix the clamp. I would have to hope that when I got to the next aid station, someone would have a wrench.



I quickly learned that that riding upright was going to crush my legs due to the high winds and rolling hills of the course. I really began to hate on myself for missing that bolt while tightening the bike down. I eventually made it to the second aid station where one of the race directors had the proper wrench to fix my bike. From that point on, I pushed my pace up 23 mph to try and make up time. Unfortunately, this would be detrimental to my run. TIME: 3:26:36

Transition 2: This transition was also a little slow. Due to my IT Band injury in my left knee, I had to wrap it to help my stride during the run. However, it did not add much time because I was well practiced in doing the wrapping. TIME: 2:48


Run:  I knew the run was going to be difficult. I was not bothered by the heat and my knee felt great early on. It was a matter of being beaten down on the bike and the mental struggle that ensued for those 3+ hours. I was upset that my bike failed me and that I had ridden so far off pace but I knew I had to finished. With friends and family in the crowd, I was going to just push through.


I set out at a 9:00 min/mi pace for the first two miles but that pace quickly slowed down as the cramps crept into the legs. The way the run course was set up through the Clinton Lake camp grounds did make sure that the run was somewhat enjoyable, even with all the struggles. There were many friendly faces, positive encouragements and ice cold spray hoses. TIME: 2:36:43

RECAP: So in a nutshell, the race was a disaster. My swim time was 10 mins slower than goal, my bike time was 40 mins slower than pace, and the run was 40 mins slower than pace.

I was frustrated, upset and annoyed that the weight I had lose and increased fitness had not paid off in my finishing time. How could I take nearly 20 lbs off since my last race, yet add 45 mins?

However, I finished. I persevered. I realized that this race was not the main objective. I reminded myself that I have a goal farther down the road. That goal is completing Ironman Louisville; a 140.6 mile monster that is quickly approaching. Ironman Kansas 70.3 prepared for the heat and showed me that I can push away my physical and internal struggles.

I want the Ironman to know I am coming for it and that I will conquer it.

Happy training!

Drew

78 Days: Ironman Kansas 70.3

I am not sure if I mentioned it but tomorrow I am racing a half-Ironman just outside of Lawrence, KS. I have wanted to do this race for some time but it never worked with my schedule. I figured I would post to let you know what my day-before feelings are.

I have a pretty structured idea of what I wanted to accomplish today. I planned to get up at 7, get a 15 min bike in and a 15 min run, pack and get to Lawrence, go to race check-in, then mope about the rest of the day.

I hopped out of bed right at 7 AM. It is much easier to get up after 9 hours of sleep and with the sun above the horizon. I drank a pre-workout drink then headed out on my ride. This was my last chance to feel the bike out before the race tomorrow so I made sure to run through all the gears, press on the brakes and check my aero setup. Following the ride, I got my shoes on and took off on a nice run up the road. The legs felt great and I was finished before I ever got too comfortable.

This is the first time where I have done a HIM (half-Ironman) where I didn't have to fly or drive 12 hours to get to. I had not packed a single thing until I looked at my stuff this morning. It's getting fairly easy to remember exactly what you need for each leg of the race and it turns out everything was exactly where it should have been. The only thing I had to hunt down was GU Energy Gels and I picked those up once I arrived in Lawrence.

Getting to the race site was easy but parking was a mess. I ended up have to park the truck about a half mile away from check-in. This is also when I realized that T1 and T2 are in different locations. That meant another half mile walk to get my bike checked in. Now, don't call me a whiner but the last thing I wanted to do today was to walk around in the heat for two hours. It was not on the agenda.

Once I got the bike in place and hopped back in the truck with Alli, we made a dash for a light afternoon snack and headed back to her house. Another benefit of racing in Lawrence is that the different lives here. Therefore, not hotel cost, low gas cost and a home cooked dinner.

For dinner we had chicken, rice and potatoes. Oh, and a few pieces of chocolate. The key to the pre-race dinner is to eat it early enough in the night to allow for it to digest while you sleep. You would not want to have to use the rest room 3 hours into the race. I could not think of a more unpleasant experience.

The rest of the night has been dedicated to stretching, massaging and compressing. It's all about relaxing and that is very easy to do in a familiar place.

Tomorrow is looking to be a warm day with a lot of sunshine. If the wind can stay calm, the bike could be fast. My goal is 35 min Swim, 2:45 Bike, 1:55 Run for a total of 5:30. I think that would be an excellent race.

I'm off to bed; 4 AM will be coming soon.

Happy training!

Drew

83 Days: The Next Half-Ironman

This weekend is the Ironman Kansas 70.3, located just outside of Lawrence, KS. I have wanted to do the race for two year now due to its close proximity to Kansas City and the fact that I was attending the University of Kansas. But alas, two years ago I was not into triathlon yet, only half-marathons, and last summer I was living in Barcelona. But now I am fully prepared for the race.

Now you may be wondering why would I stick a race right in the middle of my Ironman training regiment and to that I say 'Why not?' Races are great checkpoints to test your fitness and progress from the last few weeks or months and can help you to gauge what you need to do to improve. This race for me is all about racing in front of family and friends. It is a race that is close enough for the majority of my big supporters to come and cheer me on and see why I enjoy triathlon so much.

Normally after a HIM (Half-Ironman), I take the week off. Due to the structure of my Ironman training plan, I believe this will not be the case for next week. I will take Monday and probably Tuesday off from training, but Wednesday will be my day to get back in the groove. My only concern with the quick recovery time is it may lead to injury or strain but I will be sure to build slowly through the week. I simply do not want to take too many days off.

I came across this article on Men's Health; read for some reasons as to do a triathlon.
http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/20-great-reasons-do-triathlon?fullpage=true

Maybe one of those will push you into doing one if you haven't already!

And on a side note, I finally received my new race wheels! Check them out!

And in case you are in the area this weekend:
http://ironmankansas.com/

Hope everyone is doing well!

Happy training!

Drew

91 Days: Time

Time management.

It has always been something that has factored in to my life with significant priority. Those that know me realize that I like to be early (10 mins or so) and I dislike change of plans. Now I say that, but some days I have nothing planned so any 'change' is welcome.

Now the whole purpose of writing a blog is to keep those who read it up-to-date with what is going on with my training and offer any advice that I could see being useful. What good is the blog when it is not updated for about three weeks? You nailed it; it's not very good.

People have any number of reasons for being busy: work, school, kids, etc. My reason for not updating the blog was due to laziness. After working out each night, following work, the last thing I would want to do is type out something not worth reading.

So what am I getting at here?

It's okay to be busy! Don't fret over missed workouts or workouts that don't go well.

Realize that you are probably not a professional athlete and may never be. You are not expected to hit every workout on schedule. Flexibility is your friend. Accept being flexible (I am working on this). Do your best to get your workouts in  and work hard but don't stress out. It will do no good.

I will post again soon. Promise!

Happy training!

Drew

110 Days: Getting Back in Form

I love my bike. Is that weird for me to say? To those of you who spend as much time on the bike as I do, I would hope your love for your bike is the same. There is just something about the wind and the road and the alone time. During my afternoon workout on my bike I fully realized just how much I enjoy riding my bike. I even gave Jamis a solid cleaning afterwards.

I am also beginning to realize the effect of finishing an Ironman would have on my life. To me, an Ironman is one of the top physical accomplishments any one person can achieve. Even with all the other participants, it comes down to you and the clock. 17 hours is what you get and hopefully is 5 hours more than I need. Finishing would show myself that I can go out and accomplish anything I set my mind to. There were people who said I was crazy for doing a few half-marathons, and I was crazy to do a few half-Ironmans but now others are starting to believe in me. They have seen what commitment I am willing to put into this goal and can see that it means a lot to me.

Author Howard Thurman once said "Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

My passions have changed throughout my life but this is one that required money, organization and discipline. One that challenges the participant to give it their all, no matter if the weather is hot and muggy or cold and rainy. It's very hard to explain unless you've gone through a race doubting whether you can finish. Trust me, many of those moments come about in a half-Ironman and I guarantee they will in Louisville in August.

You have to persevere. You have to dig deep. You have to finish.

You can't fake passion.

Happy training!

Drew

115 Days: Reality of Keeping A Blog

I started out writing this blog with the intention of posting everyday. However as you may have noticed, the week has lacked posting. Not to mention some of the articles have included simple workouts, with no other significant information. This is going to change.

I am going to update the blog hopefully twice a week. It will include information on my diet and weight progress, key workouts that are to be completed and just about anything else I see fit.

I will be away from home for the next 3 days due to a bachelor party. The previous week I had been out of town for a business conference. I was able to keep up with my run training during these past days but I don't plan on doing anything but beer curls for the next few days. The diet will be in shambles and the legs will be aching to run but this is how the days will be.

While in Tempe, AZ I was able to get a couple good 30-60 min runs in before my sessions began each day. The weather was much dryer than I am used to and along with the heat and wind, you would barely develop a standing sweat. I would get back to my hotel room and still be dry because the sweat had been pulled away so quickly. It was strange but nice to not have a soaked shirt hanging off of me.

The hotel did have a long pool but not one that was suitable to swim laps in. I tried but after each flip turn and rise back to the surface I'd be 4 strokes from the next wall. There were also a number of shops in the area that rented road bikes but with an inconsistent schedule, I was hoping for a spin bike or the like at the hotel. The gym ended up only having an older recumbent which was something I have no interest in.

So you can see that this 10 days stretch is pretty hard on my workout schedule. But it'll be okay; I've got 115 days until the Ironman and 38 until my next half.

Happy training!

Drew

122,121, 120, 119 Days

I've failed these last couple days and I don't think tonight is going to be different. I just haven't had time to write in the blog. However, I'll let you know that I got a good 20 min, 8 mi ride today before I boarded a flight. I should be able to stay up on my workouts while out of town.

Happy training!

Drew

123 Days

Another day down...

Today seemed to go rather well. I started of with a lifting session followed by a core workout in the morning. By the time I got around to my swim I was somewhat sore which I figured would damper the swim. However, I was able to push through the soreness and have a very solid swim session.

Today's Workout

• Weights/ Core
• 3 sets, 15-20 reps
• Squat, bent-arm pulldown, leg press, seated row, leg extension, hamstring curl
• Core set #2, 2 sets
• Results
• 15 reps, 3 sets of all the above 
• Completed the core workout
• Reflection
• The weight session is always difficult when done in the morning. Even with stretching my body will occasionally seem to rebel against the idea of hauling weights. Starting off with squats doesn't really help either. The core session was done at a slower pace than normal but my form stay in line and I was able to sustain a solid burn.
• Swim
• No warm up
• 500 yd
• 5 x (25 right side kick, 25 left side kick, 50 medium effort)
• 500 yd
• 100 closed fist, 100 swim, 100 paddles, 100 swim, 100 closed fist
• No cool down
• Results
• Completed. During the main swim sets, 1:27 100yd splits
• Reflections
• Once my heart rate settled down at about 250 yards into the first set I was able to focus and grind the swim out.

Tomorrow starts off with a Run session in the morning and a Bike session after work. The legs are feeling great and hopefully I will get some solid sleep tonight!

Happy training!

Drew

124 Days

I started this morning off with a bike ride on the trainer. It turned out to be excellent. My body is still trying to get used to more intense workouts before work. I've been getting out of bed at 4:40 every morning so that I can complete one of my daily workouts and get to work on time.

Today's Workout

• Bike
• 30 min warmup
• 30 min time trial, push the pace and heart rate
• 15 min cool down
• Results
• 15 min warmup, 12-14 mph
• 30 mins trial, 15 min at 18 mph, 15 min at 24-26 mph
• 15 min, 16 mph
• Reflection
• The ride was great and I felt strong throughout. The bike is quickly becoming my strong point over the swim. I guess after a year of riding the same bike it has been tuned and adjusted to fit me perfectly. 

I am looking forward to my weight session and swim tomorrow. The weights will be in the morning prior to work.

And in other news, I finally pushed through 196 lbs and hit 195 tonight. Big accomplishment! 15 more to go!

Happy training!

Drew

125 Days: Paleo Diet

I decided that my diet needed a change, possibly temporary, but a change to push through my current weight plateau. I decided to give the Paleo diet a try. For those who are unsure of what this diet consists of, think back to era of early humans. This was when processed food did not exist and yet the species thrived. The diet is all about eating foods that haven't been processed such as grain products (bread, cereal, etc.), dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream), salty foods and sweets. In addition, if you are trying to lose weight like I am, it is best to avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes.

I really can't speak for the benefits of this diet yet because I have only been on it for a day and a half but I did notice no drowsy period in my day. The diet allows for your blood sugar to maintain a constant level, avoiding the peaks that processing carbs causes. I still plan on drinking one cup of coffee a day but more than that just is not necessary.

I will keep everyone posted on how it goes. If you are interested in a food list for the Paleo diet, check out this link:
http://desertcrossfit.typepad.com/Paleo_Food_List.pdf

There is also a number of videos on YouTube that talk about the benefits of the diet. Hopefully it works for me!

Today's Workouts

• Run
• 15-20 min run
• High knees, butt kicks, skips, karaoke, strides (x5-10)
• Results
• 20 min run, followed by assigned drills, 6 strides
• Reflections
• The morning Run session went very well. I wasn't expecting to be fully into the workout but once I started moving things fell into place. My hips opened up early on the run, allowing me to push the pace early
• Swim
• 400 yd swim, 8x50 swim (:15s rest intervals)
• 1000 time trial
• 200 swim
• Results
• 300 swim, 8x50 at :40 sec pace
• 500 swim
• 200 swim
• Reflections
• Unfortunately the time trial did not go well. I simply could not get a rhythm going and was really straining to maintain form. I decided to cut the trial in half in order to save my shoulders and sanity. It's unfortunate but it happens. Hopefully the next swim will go better!

That is all I have today. Off to bed so that I can get my Bike session done in the morning!

Happy training!

Drew

126 Days

Today was going to be an off day but following yesterday's slow ride, I felt that I would get back on the bike and bang out some miles.

I wasn't going to do more than 30 mins of hard riding it order to have somewhat of an off day. I went out for 27 mins, and averaged 19.5 mph. Not too bad if you ask me. I also managed to hit 42 mph at one point on the ride (downhill, wind at my back).

In other news, I am slowly switching my diet but I'll write more on that tomorrow.

Happy training!

Drew

127 Days

Today's Workout

• Bike
• 150 min ride, easy to moderate pace
• Results
• 105 mins, 12-14 mph pace, lunch in the middle
• Reflection
• I ended up riding today with my brother and his wife. We had a great time but kept the pace slow and ended up eating lunch on our way back to our starting point. I had done some work on their bikes so they felt it was necessary to pay me back. I won't complain!

Tomorrow is supposed to be an off day but I plan on getting up and putting down a hard hour on the bike to make up for today. It should be great!

Happy training!

Drew

128 Days

OFF DAY!

129 Days: IT Band Issues

A little video on IT Band Syndrome:

I've mentioned it in a earlier post but I have been struggling with an IT band injury. It happened towards the beginning of March and most likely was caused by over training. This can be compounded by improper cycling form, worn out running shoes or general bad form. The day I was in enough noticeable pain I went on a 3 hour bike ride followed by a 1 hour run. After a few more workouts, I opted to readjust my bike and a few days off.

Unfortunately the days off did not help but a knee wrap and athletic tape helped to put pressure on the band to prevent it from becoming inflamed. I then bought a foam roller and researched countless stretches and work outs to help strengthen my ITB.

Today I can say that it is not perfect but the annoyance has been significantly reduced.

And on that note...

Today's Workout

• Run
• 60 mins, hills at HR 3-4, flats at  HR 1-2
• Results
• 47 mins, 40 run, 7 walk, 4.6 mi
• Reflection
• Started out with a solid pace but mid way through the legs fell off and I milked it home. Another disappointing day for running

• Bike
• 60 mins, small gear, following run
• Results
• 45 mins at 16 mph
• 15 mins at 14 mph
• Reflection
• I worked on keeping my cadence high through this ride and manage to hone in on the 80 rpm mark. The ride was solid and I was quite comfortable for having ran so poorly earlier. The bike is figuring the get much better for the next Half Ironman in June. Possibly sub 2:40, which would be great for me.

Tomorrow is an Off Day so don't expect too much from me!

Happy Training!

Drew

130 Days

Let's see...what word best describes today's workout? Lethargic? I think that works to describe it. And with that sort of day/ workout, I once again won't be posting much today. Tomorrow I will hit this blog on the head!

Today's Workout

• Swim
• Warm up
• 300 yd easy
• 6 x 50, 15s rest
• Main Set
• 8 x 100, moderate, 10s rest
• 4 x 50, moderate, kick
• Cool Down
•  200 yard easy, switch 50 pull, 50 swim
• Results
• Everything was completed except for the cool down. I elected to stop following my last kick set and head to the weight room.
• Reflections
• These days don't come often but it was really important for me to grind the workout. Even though it was not a hard day, I still needed to finish it.

• Weights
• 3 sets, 15-20 reps
• Squat, bent-arm pulldown, leg press, seated row, butterflies, leg extensions, hamstring curl
• Core set #2, x2
• Results.
• Completed all sets, 15 reps, increased weight. Core was also completed as written.
• Reflections
• Like stated with the swim, I felt very tired while lifting but pushed through it.

Tomorrow is a run/bike day. Should be very solid and I am looking forward to it!

Happy training!

Drew

131 Days

Today I had my second massage in 3 weeks. It was amazing. I will be touching base on my strategy for recovery one day but today's post is short.

Today's Workout

• Bike
• 60 mins, small chain ring work, easy pace
• Results
• 60 mins, small chain work
• 45 mins, 12-14 mph
• 10 mins, 14-16 mph
• 5 mins, 20-21 mph
• Reflections
• I get very bored riding that in the 12-14 mph range. It's almost painful for me. I don't mean to disrespect anyone who struggles in that speed range because I was once there but now in my current state it is very slow. For that reason, I worked in a few build ups while staying in my small chain ring. I didn't want to ruin the 30 minute massage I got this afternoon by pounding the bike too hard.

Sorry for being brief today. I feel like calling it an early night.

Happy training!

Drew

132 Days: Pre-workout

So true...

I feel like changing the format up today so first I'll start with my workouts:

• Swim
• Warm-up
• 300 yd swim, 100 yd drill
• Main Set
• 300 pull using swim buoy/ 100 drill, repeat for 45 minutes
• Cool Down
• 100 yd swim
• Results
• Warm up: 250 yard swim
• Main Set: 300 pull, 50 with hand paddles, 50 back kicking, repeated 5 times
• Cool Down: None
• Reflection
• Overall the swim went great. I got 50 mins in with a total of 2250 yards. I did the pull efforts slower this week that last due to my shoulders being sore but it still was solid. 

• Weights and Core
• 3 sets, 15-20 reps:
• Squat, Arm Pull down, Leg Press, Seated Row, Seated Butterfly, Hamstring Curls
• Core
• 2 sets of a pre-planned circuit
• Results
• Completed all workouts as planned but kept the squats and butterflies to 10 reps. Everything else was 20 reps for the 3 sets. Core was completed as planned
• Reflections
• My body was feeling quite tired but I was able to push on and get all the training in.

Now onto my topic for this blog: your pre-workout preparation. Every one does things a little different. Some go to the gym straight from work; others wait till after dinner. Myself, I go home after work and take a workout stimulant to increase and sustain my energy levels through each training session. This is somewhat equivalent to drinking a cup of coffee prior to a morning workout for some people. I also go over what my plan of attack for each workout is and the time necessary to be successful.

Some of you may be concerned about this workout stimulant. For the majority of my triathlon career I have used jack3d. It can be found at many nutrition stores, such as GNC, and the cost can vary between $26-$35. I also, as of today, have tried ACG3. Supposedly it is better formulated than  jack3d and comes with more servings per container. After only one day of taking it I have yet to establish an opinion. What these stimulants do in my case are cause an increase in my energy level, mainly due to the amount of caffeine, and concentrate my focus. I am yet to experience any sort of side effect from these products aside from taking them too late in the evening and not being able to go to sleep at normal time.

If you are looking for a boost in your workouts to push you through a wall, maybe one of these products could help. There are plenty of other options on the market so contact a nutritionist to find what is best for you.

Aside from the pre-workout drink, I also key in on certain stretches to preform and in recent weeks, certain muscles to be massaged out. Both have kept me from sustaining injuries during higher intensity workouts and I highly suggest taking the time to get your body warm. Most stretches can be performed at your desk while you finish up the day's tasks.

Everyone does their own thing before, after and during workouts to keep them going but I find what works best for me is a good pre-workout drink, a solid stretch and some great trance music!

Happy training!

Drew

133 Days: Sleep

Today was an interesting day...

I went into work at 2 a.m. to do some inspections on some equipment. I spent about 2 and a half hours there and got back into bed at 5 a.m. Let's just say that middle of the night interruption was more than enough to drain my workout.

I've always heard that getting 7-8 hours of sleep is essential but until you compare 6 hours to 8 hours, you just don't understand the difference it makes. When I get 8+ hours of sleep I feel that I could run all day. My energy level is simply through the roof. Your body doesn't crave food either because it was able to repair and re-energize itself through the night.

For the longest time I was more than satisfied with 6 hours of sleep a night. Now I almost force myself to bed by 9. Granted tonight I am up a little later but I had a fair amount on my to-do list to get done.

If you find yourself not losing weight as quickly as you think you should or your workouts just aren't effective, look into your sleep schedule. I'd be willing to bet that making sleep a higher priority could help you push through your barriers.

Today's Workout

• Run
• 50 mins, hills, high cadence
• Results
• 34 mins, 5 solid hills, cadence in the 80 strides/min, 8:30 min/mile pace, run cut short due to   severe weather
• Reflection
• I was pretty tired for today's run but I made sure to get it in. It took a little planning with the breaks in the storms but I managed a decent 34 minutes. However, my pace was slower than I would have liked and that is quite disappointing. The knee felt solid and gave me no trouble and that was about the best thing of the workout. I wish I could have finished those last 16 minutes but it wasn't meant to be. 

It's time to take my own advice and head to bed. The workouts this week climb a little more in length and intensity. See you tomorrow.

Drew

134 Days

Today's workout was excellent. I've got two reasons why: I went on a group ride and it was painful. The group ride was something new and enjoyable. Set out in a group of roughly 16 for about 30 miles on a beautiful morning. The ride was painful. The pace was fast and into a head-wind. I loved every minute of it.

Short and to the point, right? It's been one of those days!

Today's Workout

• Bike
• 2 hours, solid effort, heart rate zone 1-2
• Results
• 110 minutes, above average effort, HR zone 2-4
• Reflections
• As you could probably tell, today's ride was amazing. I look forward to more group rides in the future.

Sorry for such a short/ late post. I promise better posts and maybe more photos and videos.

Happy training!

Drew

135 Days: OFF DAY

OFF DAY

Talk to you tomorrow!

Drew

136 Days: The Run

Running and I have a love/hate relationship. I believe this is the case for the majority of people. So it makes perfect sense that the best triathletes in the world are phenomenal runners. I'm not talking about someone who can run a five-minute mile. I'm talking people who can run six minute miles for 26.2 miles AFTER riding a bike for 112 miles. It's simply amazing. 

I grew up running quite a bit with being a wrestler. It was something you just did. You were never happy about it but you knew it was part of the process so you put your time in and worked hard. Slowly that mentality has changed in me. I enjoy the majority of my runs. That's right; the feeling after a good run is unlike anything else. For me, the best runs are when my knee doesn't hurt and I can knock of multiple sub-8 minute mile splits.

What does one need to be an effective runner? Well, it's really up to you. I would say a professionally fitted pair of shoes from a running store but then a barefooted runner would say otherwise. I'd also say that a quality music playlist is a must but then someone will mention that you can't have a mp3 player during races so why train with one. SO, I’ll tell you what I use. I wear Adidas Supernova Sequence shoes, size 12.5. I prefer to run in cutoff workout shirts, such as Nike's Pro Combat line. I use an Ipod shuffle filled with all sorts of music and a pair of Ipod headphones. I was using Yurbud earphones but unfortunately they don't hold up too well to the vigor of running. Ironic for a brand that is the 'Official Headphone of Ironman' or whatever they say. So once they started cutting out, I took the rubber attachments off and put them on Apple headphones. Ultimately I will go back to a more expensive pair such as Shure SE215's. They're amazing and I miss my old pair. Finally, add in some running shorts, sunglasses for outside runs and maybe a hat and you're all set for running. 

Now you just need a plan and a quality road/gym. To the people who run on treadmills every day, I applaud you. What a boring way to spend your workout. Trust me, I know this first hand. In fact, I had to do it tonight with my scheduled training session. Ugh...

Running is just like riding a bike in the fact that it doesn't come easy. You have to put in the time and miles. And do not forget about brick sessions. For those new to triathlons, a brick is when you immediately go from riding your bike to running just like in a race. The feeling is awkward and sometimes painful but it is necessary to experience prior to a race. There is nothing funnier than watching some wobble around when getting off a bike after 3 hours. I've been the person so I'm allowed to laugh at others. Don't judge me. 

I don't have much insight into the run. Everything I've learned is through friends, magazines, YouTube and RunnersWorld.com. I highly recommend their site. On that note...

Today's Workouts

• Bike
• 60 mins, easy pedaling, small ring
• Results
• 10 mins at 10 mph
• 50 mins at 14 mph
• Reflection 
• It's hard for me to ride at 10 mph on the trainer. It's almost painful. 14 mph is much better. I sat in aero position for 45 mins and felt great.
• Run
• 50 mins, hilly course of treadmill, hit HR zone 3/4 on uphill and keep in 1/2 otherwise
• Results
• 10 mins on treadmill-steep incline, 6 mph
• 20 mins on treadmill-flat 6 mph
• 18 mins on indoor track
• 1 lap sprint, 1 lap easy, averaged out to 6.7 mph pace
• 2 mins easy walking
• Reflections
• My left IT band is still bothersome but getting better. I use a Velcro band to keep pressure on it and then make it tighter by wrapping it in athletic tape. It seems to do the job for most running workouts. The treadmill running felt great. I've adjusted my run so that I land more on my toes due to the IT band issue but this leads to more stress on my calves. The sprint work was good as well, minus having to run around people walking in the running lane of the track.

Overall today's work was solid. I am happy with my first week of training so far and am looking forward to my workouts this weekend. Tomorrow is an off day which will be great. 

Happy running!

Drew                                                     

137 Days: Finding a Groove

Getting back into training after a week off is always tough. I had some meetings about an hour away this morning but I was able to get up and do some lifting a core. During my last training block I began to focus on weight training to help with all three triathlon disciplines. It seemed to work great and the results continue to impress me. I highly recommend working strength training into any plans you have.

After getting home I had a pretty good swim session. I used my new hand paddles for the first time and they really do make you have proper hand positioning. They also helped with the pull portion of my stroke.

This post is going to be short so let's cut to the workouts:

Today's Workout:

• Weights and Core (AM)
• Squat, 3 sets, 15-20 reps
• Bent-arm press down, 3 sets, 15-20 reps
• Leg Press, 3 sets, 15-20 reps
• Seated Row, 3 sets, 15-10 reps
• Leg Extensions, 3 sets, 15-20 reps
• Hamstring Curls, 3 sets, 15-20 reps
• Core Set #2, 2 sets
• Results
• I completed each lift by doing 3 sets of 20 reps. Typically there is a 60 second rest between lifts but I normally cut that down to 30-40 seconds to keep my heart rate someone elevated. I also completed both sets of core work.
• Reflection
• I was worried that not having lifted in two weeks would lead to soreness for the swim but that was not the case. All the lifts felt good and the core work was excellent. I did get pretty stiff during the day but that was easily stretched out.

• Swim (PM)
• Warm up: 
• 300 yards easy
• 6x50 yards with 15 second rest intervals
• Main Set: 
• 5x100, swim, moderate effort, 10 second rest intervals
• 4x50, kick, moderate effort, 20 second rest intervals
• Cool Down:
• 200, easy swim
• 50, pull with swim buoy
• 50, easy swim
• Results
• I did all swim sets as instructed with no variations. I worked with my hand paddles during the warm up 300 and cool down 200.
• Reflection
• Swimming felt great. There was no shoulder or back straining and my stroke really moved me through the water. It's always a great pool sessions when you are the only one in the water. I live for those pool days. I am getting excited about being able to swim outside soon.

That's all I got today!

Drew

138 Days: The Bike

Riding a bike is something most of us have done since we were children. You started off with training wheels, then with a parent guiding you, then eventually you were pedaling and rolling on your single speed cruiser. To use the brakes you simply pedaled backwards and the only position you knew was standing up.

No one cared about their 'aero' position or how many grams their pedals weighed. Biked made out of steel and aluminum were the norm and not a single kid knew what carbon fiber was. Don't get me started on helmets; I never wore mine until I went over the handle bars in the sixth grade.

The bike can be the most intimidating portion of a triathlon. Typically, it is the longest portion in both distance and time. That's a lot of time to think about nothing but the air blowing around your ears, the salt off the ocean hitting your skin or that bug you just swallowed. All that time on your bike can leads to a certain numbness that most riders wish to do without. 

My first bike when I started triathlons in my current one. It's a 2009 Jamis Xenith T1 Triathlon/TT bike. Some of you may wonder why I would spend so much on a full carbon fiber bike for a sport I was just getting in to. Well, it turns out that one of my college roommates, David, was good friends with a bike store owner and I was able to get the bike for a fraction of the asking price. It pays to know people.

My first ride was awkward and slow. I don't think I went more than 5 miles before I was ready to get off and walk. I kept at it and eventually learned to love being on the bike. With adjustments made to the bike, my form and my workouts, I became extremely comfortable in my aero position. This is very evident today because of the tan lines on my back that stop halfway over the shoulder from my last race. The life guards at the pool had a good life at my expense.

There are few tips I have in regards to biking. First off, enjoy it. Whether you're on a group ride or tearing up country highways, biking is a great time to reflect and relax. Second, wear a helmet. Remember me mentioning I went over the handle bars in the sixth grade? Lucky for me I didn't bust my head wide open. I did learn a good lesson though. Third, there is no need to purchase a brand new, state-of-the-art bike for training or racing. Yes, it would have all the bells and whistles but most people can't afford to do this. However, these bike can be found for relatively cheap on craigslist sometimes. Look into bikes that are a few years old too. Fourth, your bike legs will not come easy. You just don't hop on your bike and ride 56 or 112 miles. One must concentrate of form, put in saddle time and push their weekly volume.

I love my bike; I do. I recently upgraded my saddle to a ISM Adamo Racing II. It's made a huge difference in my comfort level on longer rides and causes no numbness. I train on Easton Vista SL wheels and will have a custom carbon fiber wheels by the end of the month. My bike uses SRAM Force components. And finally, I have a Rudy Project Zuma helmet.

It's not the most expensive but I have enjoyed all of my rides with it. Here's to many more!

Today's Workout:

• Bike:
• 45 Mins, flat/rolling course, HR Zone 1-2, easy on pedals
• Results:
• Trainer ride
• 25 mins, 10-14 mph
• 10 mins, 16-20 mph
• 10 mins, 12-14 mph
• Avg, Speed: 13.0 mph  Distance: 9.87 miles
• Reflection:
• Overall the ride was good. I was in aero for about 30 mins and was quite comfortable. The legs felt good and the hips were loose. A solid easy session for a build-up week.

That's all for today. Happy training!

Drew

139 Days: The Swim

Swimming. It may be the number one reason why people are driven away from trying a triathlon. I've heard countless times "I'd be great on the bike and run, but I don't think I could do the swim." When I ask why the reasons range from being uncomfortable with having their face in the water to I would sink. 

Well let me tell you, you don't become an efficient swimmer overnight. I've put countless hours into swimming, watching technique videos and doing swim drills. And finally, after a little more than a year in triathlon, I have found my groove in the water. It really hit me in my last half Ironman when about half-way through the swim I was perfectly relaxed and enjoying the water.

Growing up I always enjoyed swimming. Being a heavier kid didn't limit me in the water like it did with running and riding a bike. I was one of the quickest swimmers out of my friends and quicker than my brothers. I always figured in high school if wrestling didn't work out I would be able to find a spot on the swim team. 

I'll not to bore you too much but the moral of the story is that if you put the time and effort into swimming one day you'll realize it's not so bad and you'll begin to enjoy it. It may only take weeks or maybe it'll take months, but one day you'll enjoy the water.

In terms of swim equipment, I have goggles(duh), a kick board, hand paddles, a swim buoy and my swim jammers. To those who are just starting, I recommend a good set of goggles and a good swim suit. You can accumulate the rest later or even better, your pool may allow you to use theirs. My goggles are the Speedo Hydrospex 2 (~$15). I just bought these because I was in need of new ones and these goggles offered a slight tint and wide viewing range. In terms of my swimsuit, I use Speedo Rapid Slice Jammers (~$35). They are very comfortable and hold up in heavily chlorinated pools.

Finally, you need a pool to swim in, preferably one indoors. You want to be able to get your swims in no matter what the weather. I swim at my local community center and they have a very nice 25 yard pool. Once I figured out what times were best to avoid the throngs of kids that show up, I have had no problems.

Today's Workout:

• Swim
• Warm Up: 300 swim/ 100 drill
• Main Set: 300 swim using pull buoy, 100 drill, repeat for 45 minutes on steady effort, no stopping
• Cool Down: 100 swim
• Totals: ~55 mins, 2500 yds
• Results
• Warm up of 300, 5 sets of 300/100, 100 cool down
• Totals: ~45 mins, 2400 yds
• Reflection
• As you can see I pushed the pace on my workout. With the increased pace I backed off the total distance but still maintained good form and a had a solid swim. Overall I feel good about the workout and training again after being off for a week.

That's all I have for today. This process may change around a bit with the more posts a make but don't expect every day to be so long; some days may only have workout results.

Drew

P.S.- Excuse the writing mistakes if there are any!

140 Days

Welcome to my blog. To those who have been here before, there will sadly be nothing about living in Spain which took up most of my previous postings. To those that are new, feel free to go back and read and check out the photos.

This blog is about all things triathlon and my upcoming journey to completing a 140.6 mile Ironman race. This is not my first go-around in triathlon. I have completed three half-ironmans, the most recent in Galveston, TX on April 1, 2012. Let's just say it didn't go to plan and the wheels fell off on the run, resulting in a dismal time of 6 hours and 12 minutes.

I plan on using this outlet as a way of sharing my workouts, diet, motivation and anything else I see fit. I may even share a secret or two that I've learned along the way. I want to be able to look back on August 27, the day after my Ironman, and reflect on what it took for me to get there.

I hope you get something out of this and if no one reads it, then I've got a record of all my experiences!

I'll leave you with this:

Drew