No Rest After Eagleman

There was no rest for the weary after Eagleman 70.3.  Before I describe the week of training, I first have to give major props to my Honda Fit for averaging 44 miles to gallon for the roughly 800 mile drive.  

My legs were sore on Monday.  All cramping had taken its toll.  So the workouts called for an easy swim and a 90 minute bike.  Fellow pro triathlete and fast forward triathlon owner/coach Alex McDonald joined me for the swim and ride and provided some great insight with respect to my nutrition problems.  Thanks Alex!

Tuesday morning meant I was back at the Pro Swim Workout.  My coach Dave Williams took no time to throw us into the fire.  The main set was a tough one: (i) 4 X 100 @ 1:10, 200 easy; (ii) 4 X 100 @ 1:05, 200 easy, (iii) 4 X 100 @ 1:15, 200 easy, and (iv) 4 X 100 @ 1:05, 200 easy.  For the first set of 4 100s on the 1:05, I made 3 but missed number 4.  I dug deep on the second round and made all of them.  I was back to swimming fast and my confidence in the pool was up after having a less than stellar performance on Sunday.  

I followed the swim up with another easy ride.  

Wednesday was a moderate swim of 4000 yards and 7 mile run.  I was back to feeling strong.  

Thursday another Pro Swim Workout and another tough one at that.  The main set was a 400 fast and 300 fast, and I came through in 4:21 and 3:10 respectively.  My swim is feeling great in the pool, I just need to put it together in a 70.3 race.  The weather forecast called for thunder and lightening, so I decided to stay inside for my bike ride.  The trainer ride was not too bad, as I was able to watch the movie No Limits, the Prefontaine story on Netflix.    

I'm looking forward to this weekend.  On Saturday I'll be racing the Bandits Triathlon.   

Easgleman 70.3

Eagleman 70.3 was a tough race.  The weather was not particularly warm (only 82 degrees) but the day was very humid, with the humidity level about 90%.  I did not finish the race but did learn quite a bit and was generally happy with my performance.  I made some mistakes but I also made some improvements and I stayed positive through the whole race.  I also learned what part of my nutrition game plan I need to revise.  

Swim 27:10

I have been swimming excellently in the pool and was looking forward to a great swim today.  The pro field separate into two groups quickly, a group to the far right and a group to the far left.  I found myself at the far right.  I was swimming with some strong swimmers, but the guys to left had taken a better line to the turn buoy and were quickly ahead of us.  I've been working on staying positive and my mental preparation paid off.  I focused on my swim form and came out of the water in 8th place, right behind Richie Cunningham and James Cotter. 

My feet on top of my shoes.  The cyclist
next to me missed the group.

Bike 2:11:03

I had an excellent start to the bike.  James Cotter and Richie Cunningham created a small gap at the end of the swim by dolphining the last 50 yards.  Out of transition, the guys were about 200 meters ahead of me.  Knowing how important it is to ride with strong riders, I jumped on my bike and started pedalling as fast as I could.  This was very much like a ITU race, I didn't put my feet into the shoes for the first mile of the ride.  Once I made it up to them I put my feet into the cycling shoes and we were off.   James Cotter and I begin to rotate taking pulls and we kept the early pace about 27 mph.  However, Richie opted not to pull and decided his best bet would be to let James and I do all the work on the bike.  Looking back at this James and I should have forced Richie to do his fair share of work, but we did not, so Richie got a free ride for 56 miles (it paid off for Richie, he ran his way from 9th off the bike into 2nd place).  James and I worked well together and I led the group into transition 2 in 7th place.     

Run DNF

I jumped off the bike and once my feet landed on the ground both calves cramped up.  I limped to the bike rack, hung up the bike and slipped on my shoes.  I was hoping the run would loosen up my legs and I could hold a decent pace.  I thought a 1:20-1:24 would be great and likely place me in the top 6 or 7.  I started off at a 6:15/mile pace and knocked out the first 2 miles.  They were not easy but at least I was making progress.  I was passed by James and Richie, so I found myself in 9th place, but holding strong.  I had a big lead over 10th, so I was looking forward to my first top 10 finish.  I kept running, putting together miles between 6:40 and 7:00 pace.  I hit the turn around and was still in 9th place, only 6.5 miles to go.  After the turn around I felt great and put together a mile and half of 6:05 pace.  I thought wow, I'm finally running, now just to keep it together and maybe move up a place.  However, at mile 9, things unraveled.  I started cramping badly.  My pace quickly dropped down to 8:00 pace.  In between miles 9 and 10 I was passed by Andrew Hodges and now I was in 10th place.  It was at mile 10 my body just gave way.  Both calves and quads were done, they completely seized up in a total cramp.  I could not even walk.  At that point, I decided to call it a day.  I didn't want to damage my muscles any further and wanted to make sure I was good to go for the next few weeks of training.      

Week of Eagleman 70.3 (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday)

Eagleman 70.3 is fast approaching and I am feeling well and fit.  For a taper week I decrease the volume and the intensity of the workouts.  The days right before the race are usually quite easy, with just enough work to keep me feeling fresh and ready to go. 

Monday was a recovery ride.  I really enjoy the opportunity to ride with Elizabeth, so she joined me for the ride and we went out Monday morning and rode roughly 85 minutes around Carborro.  A great way to start the week.



I followed the ride up with a swim at the Triangle Aquatic Center.  It was excellent to swim long course meters.  After putting in 3500 meters it was time for lunch.

Tuesday morning means it's time for a Pro Swim workout.  The key sets were a 500 for time and 100 time.  I swam well and put in some good work on my form.  I'm feeling great in the water and hope it translates to a first group swim on Sunday.

Tuesday's evening workout called for 5 x 800s @ 2:26.  I ran each on the 2:26 and felt strong.  With a warm up and cool down I ran 9 miles.  I finished the day with a dinner at my favorite casual restaurant, Carrburritos.

Wednesday called for a 90 minute ride with 10 one minute efforts at 95%.



I took the Time Trial bike out and the ride went great.  I really pushed the 10 one minute efforts.  In addition, the weather was warm and not many cars were on the road, another perfect day of riding.

3 more days to race day!  

Saturday and Sunday (June 4 and 5)

I am racing Eagleman 70.3 next weekend, so this weekend's training was toned down from last weekend.  My Saturday ride called for a lower effort than the usual P-Ride so fellow fellow North Carolina pro Justin Park and I opted out of the P-Ride headed out for our own ride. 

It was an absolutely perfect day for riding, a wonderful way to start the weekend.  The ride was relatively easy, with only one 30 minute sustained effort.  Justin and I put together a strong effort two hours into the ride, and then rode back into to town for the transition run. 



The T-Run went well.  I took out the first mile at a fast pace, coming through in 5:12. The rest of the run was easy and nice way to end the training session.



Sunday called for a 12 mile run and a light swim.  Justin joined me for the run.  The run felt great, I am acclimating to the weather and feel fit for next weekend.   



I swam easy, only 2000 yards all focusing on swimming smoothly and working on my form.  My better half, Elizabeth, joined me for the swim and then we headed out for a nice dinner, a perfect way to end the weekend.   

New Doctor and New Drugs

While living in California, I had a great network of health care professionals helping me stay healthy and physically fit.  I had been working with a GI specialist, a nutritionist, and massage therapist/acupuncturist, and their combined efforts helped me race my way back into professional status last year.   

 

It's always difficult to establish new doctors after a big move. Fortunately, there are great medical resources in Chapel Hill, but it still takes time to get all of the pieces in place. As I met friends in town, I began asking for doctor recommendations and also did some web research on Crohn's specialists. I found a primary care physician and set up an appointment for an physical and to get a referral to the Chron's group at UNC. The physical went well and I was really impressed that my primary care physician took a lot of time with me to really explore my medical needs. She made me feel really comfortable and well-cared for. Other than the flare up I've expreincing, I'm glad to report I have a clean bill of health. Plus, I walked away with a referral to a GI specialist. 

On Tuesday I met with my new doctor at the UNC Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.   We discussed my medical history, my current condition and how my athletic goals and working life affect my Crohn's. We then began to discuss my options for getting my flare up under control, and ideally, in remission.  My doctor offered me three options for new medication, each with its benefits and drawbacks. My doctor outlined his preferred treatment, which he was confident would eliminate my symptoms, but could also cause side effects that would negatively affect my training and racing. He suggested that the other treatments would also help me feel better, but would likely be slightly less effective in getting me into remission.

To be honest, it felt like a really big decision. On the one hand, getting into remission would be amazing. On the other hand, I am so used to living with my symptoms -- and training through them -- that I'm not sure that the benefits would outweigh the risks. I'm just not sure that I'm willing to trade off my training success as I work to rebuild my fitness, especially if there are alternative treatments with less risks (though also, likely, less rewards). 

My doctor and I talked through the options, and I decided to follow the more conservative approach. But even this approach had a snag. Before I even picked up the new perscription, I consulted the US Anti-Doping Assoication website to see if the drug was on the 'banned' list. Indeed, it was, though I can file for a Theraputic Use Exemption (TUE).  I am currently in the process of applying for the exemption and will hopefully be on the new medication within the next few weeks.  Until then I am taking my current medications, taking my supplements, and trying to increase my hours of sleep. 

Saturday and Sunday (May 28 and 29)

Saturday = the P-Ride! 

Another great P-Ride followed by an extra hour on the bike.  I put in some strong efforts on today's ride and I'm extremely happy with my fitness on the bike. 



After the 3:15 on the bike, I ended up at the track for 3 X 800 meters.  I knocked out the 800s on the 2:40-2:43, not as fast as I wanted to go, but still a great workout.  The map below may be the most boring garmin map ever.   



In the last couple of days I have begun to acclimate to North Carolina's summer.  Wow, it's significantly warmer than a San Francisco summer!  I've enjoyed pushing myself in the heat the last few days because it's only going to make me a stronger athlete.   

Sunday was another great day of training.  After a 30 minute ride on the trainer I headed out for a 16 mile run.  Again, I was very impressed with how warm and humid it can get here.   

This was an excellent week, I put in 20+ hours of training and billed nearly 40 hours.

I have signed up for Eagleman 70.3 on June 12. 

My fitness and form are really coming together.  My run is still a question mark but I am expecting a good performance with a strong swim and bike. 

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY (May 26 and May 27)

Thursday
Pro Swim (5300 yards)
Another great swim workout.  This may have been the best work I have done in the pool in the last 5 years!  The main set was a long one, 3000 yards.  It was a pyramid set with the following:
100, 200, 300, 400, 500 on the 1:15; and 500, 400, 300, 200, 100 on the 1:10.  I made all the intervals and felt tired but great at the end of the swim. 

I ended Thursday with my first track workout in over a month.  It was a tough one but went well.  The workout called for 6 X 1000 with a 400 jog in between each.  I hit my target times (3:07 for each 1K) and was very happy to be back running again.    

After the two solid workouts Friday was an easy day of running and swimming (and lots of work).

Below is an interesting video about head position while swimming.  Over the past few weeks I have focused on this aspect of my swim stroke.    

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY

At the moment, I'm feeling fit.  My run is not there yet, but my swimming and cycling have consistently improved over the course of the year.  Tuesday's and Wednesday's workout were further evidence of this. 

Tuesday

Tuesday's Pro Swim Practice was another example of just how much Dave knows about getting athletes into shape.  Dave gave us a tough and fast set.  Main set was 5 X 100 all out.  Between each 100, we had 60 seconds of work on the stretch chords.  My arms were burning,  but I came through strong, swimming all of them between 57 seconds and 59 seconds.   

Tuesday ended with a 9 mile run at 6:30 pace.  

Wednesday

Early in the morning was full of attorney work, then I headed out to the pool.  I put in a solid 4600 yards at the pool.  Since I often hear I have one of the ugliest swim strokes around, I've been trying to work on my swim stroke and swim form.  Wednesday's set called for some one arm drills and finger tip drills, so hopefully I am learning. 

After the swim, I headed home shot off a few emails, and then jumped on the bike.  The weather is getting warmer now and I am hoping that by training in the heat, I will race well in the heat.  I did 4 loops on the ride, putting in a good effort to start off each loop. 



After the ride I threw on the running shoes headed out for an easy transition run around the neighborhood. 



Wednesday was an awesome day.  Any day I can get 4+ hours of training is a good one. 

Monday May 23, 2011

On Monday morning my legs were definitely feeling the 15 mile run on Sunday.  Fortunately, Monday only called for a moderate swim followed by an easy ride of 90-120 minutes. 

The swim was fantastic.  Elizabeth and I met up with fellow pro triathlete Alex McDonald.  Alex is an inspiration.  Alex was involded in a serious cycling accident about 3 months ago, breaking both his legs and suffering a number of other injuries.  However, Alex has stayed positive throughout the healing process and is already walking.  He's also back to swimming and riding.  It's truly amazing.  Check out the video below. 

We hit the pool for 3750 yards and all felt great afterwards.  Another good swim.    

Following the swim Elizabeth and I went for an easy ride around Chapel Hill.  I got lost only once on the ride (as you can see we were riding towards HWY 40).  Some of my friends in Berkeley will not believe I got lost only once, since I seemed to get lost on nearly every ride in Northern California.     

A Great Weekend of Training (BACK TO RUNNING!)

Saturday means the P Ride and as always it delivered.  A great, fast and hard ride. 



Sunday, time to get out for a run, a long run. 

My calf did all right and I remembered how much I love to run.  It was nice run around Chapel Hill with Josh and Mark, two training partners from swimming.



Before heading over to a friend's home for a BBQ, my better half and I hit the pool for a short swim.

This was nice weekend of work.