Emergency Stopping Only!

This time next week I'll be in Clermont, Florida (hopefully sleep) because it'll be time to race in the Florida Challenge Triathlon! I can't believe the day is just about here! Time truly flies when you have a million things to do at the same time...lol

I'm a little nervous about this one because I haven't trained as much and as hard as I would've liked. This year I've been busier than I've ever been, and unfortunately the last 2-3 weeks my training took somewhat of a back burner.

But these last few weekshave been VERY productive! I did an hour long presentation at Raymond James Financial on 5-24-11 talking about health & fitness in front of about 100 employees. It was very well received, and hopefully they'll invite me back to speak again.

I FINALLY completed my yoga classes on 5-29-11. I submitted my final exam, and hopefully I'll be a certified yoga instructor by July. Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed on that one! lol

Luckily, I DID do some light training while doing the above, so it's not like I didn't do anything at all. But at the same time, I didn't do as much as I'd like. Don't get me wrong, I feel I can finish. If I didn't think I could I wouldn't even race. My question is how will I do? How will I feel crossing the finish line? Will I feel like a million dollars, or feel like I got HIT with a million nickels? lol

Even though I've done this race 8 or 9 times previously, I don't take it lightly. Swimming 1.2 miles, riding a bike 56 miles, then running a half marathon is no joke. The mental preparation is just as important as the physical, and that's what I'm going to really work on this week. I have 1more hard training day (tomorrow) and then I'm on cruise control. Getting ready for races like this take months, and the week before the race is not the time to put in hard training. You want your body refreshed and ready to go on race day, not tired and still recovering from a hard workout the a couple days before...

Which leads me to today's training session, which was back to the bridges for some good hill training.



I have quite a few cycling jerseys, and I decided to dust this one off and wear it. I like this one because it's a pic from an actual professional bike race. The shot is taken from by a pro photographer (Graham Watson) riding on a motorcycle at the back of the peloton. You can see a couple guys ahead of the pack in the distance, and the others fast approaching with their different color helmets. The shot makes it seem like you're riding with them:




Well, I like it...lol

Anyway, back to the training. Here's a quick vid I took before I started my ride:



The goal today was to ride 3 hours pretty much as hard as I could over the bridges. The bike course is quite hilly, so I MUST simulate the race conditions as much as I can.

It was a great day to ride the bike. Here are a couple pics at the top of the the
1st bridge I ride:




Pictures really don't do this view justice. Th is the Gulf of Mexico and the water looks GREAT. Views like this make it a little easier to ride over & over these big a** bridges!



I usually ride the bridges in a seated position, kinda taking my time, but today I wanted to really push and "hurt" myself. What I mean is I wanted to ride so hard that my legs would be burning by the time I was done. I do that because I want my legs to get prepared for next week. So I did alot of standing and pedaling, trying to ride up the bridges as fast and as hard as I could. To be honest, I couldn't stand & ride all the way to the top. I'd get about 3/4 to the top and I'd have to sit down and slow my pace. But the damage was done. My legs felt it! lol

About an hour into the ride I stopped and took this quick vid:



It was a coincidence that I stopped right at that sign. That's fine, cuz it's my new motto: Emergency Stopping Only: Do NOT stop! I will NOT stop! No matter what happens next week, I'm gonna keep going!



I was feeling good at this point. My legs were holding up pretty well. I was drinking my water & Gatorade, took an electrolyte tablet, ate half a Clif Bar, and took 1 Gu. About 40 minutes later I head back to where I'm parked, which is by the other bridge.


The 2nd bridge is a little longer and harder than the 1st one, and I purposely ride this one last for that very reason. I need to make sure my legs can respond 2-3 hours into a ride when things get really tough. The last thing you want as an endurance athlete is to have your body fail on you when you need it most, which could 3, 4, or 5 hours after you start your event. You gotta dig deep and find that extra bit of energy, and to find it you have to locate it while training.

Two hours into my ride and I'm still feeling good. I'm surprised to be honest with you, because when I say good, I mean I did NOT feel like I had been riding for 2 hours. MAYBE for about 30 minutes of riding, amazingly. I was still riding aggressively and wanted to see how far I could push myself. So far my body was responding well.

I started to feel fatigue 2:45 into my ride. My legs felt tired, but no cramping (thank goodness.) I was still able to push hard, but I could feel my energy levels dropping slightly. That's fine, because on race day I won't ride as aggressively because I'll be saving energy for the run.

Here are pics on top of the other bridge as I was shutting it down:






It was a GREAT day to be outside, and quite a few people were out enjoying the perfect weather. I will never get tired of this view. They always say "never say never," but I'm sayin NEVER! lol








I'm sure after seeing these short vids why I enjoy coming out here to train!


After my ride I took my customary 15 minute cool down walk. I like to do that so I get the lactic acid out my legs, and to let them know subliminally that it ain't over yet! They still need to do some work, especially next week! lol

After my walk I get to do what I do best: lay down and relax! lol



You can see the 1st bridge in the distance:



What I like about Florida is you can ALWAYS find a small secluded spot where you can chill by yourself away from everybody. Sometimes you just need to get away from everybody, even if just for a couple minutes.






All in all,I had a GREAT ride. 3 solid hours with little problems. I think my swim and bike will be fine, but the run is the x-factor. Based on previous races, I'm able to get off the bike and run the first 7 miles w/o many issues, but at mile 8 all hell seems to break loose! It's like I have a major energy leak and it becomes a major struggle. I'm sure it's a combination of the heat and being out there for 6 + hours. I'm just plain tired at that point! lol

I really don't want to walk, but if I have to I can walk with the best of them. I can walk to EGYPT if I have to, but I'd rather not! lol

So tomorrow, I'm going for an 8- 10 mile run. That will be my last major workout b4 the race. We'll see how THAT goes!

But whatever happens next week, I'll give it my best shot, and I'll accept whatever fate has in store for me!

Thanks for reading! Till next time, Peace!

Going Vertical

I can't believe it's April 24th. Time is really going by fast! That means my race is getting closer & closer, and that also means every training session counts! In January & February you can kinda slack a bit on your workouts, because you still have plenty time to get it together. But come April, EVERY WORKOUT COUNTS! Every lap in the pool, every mile ran, every pedal stroke. Which brings me to this weekend's workout: Hitting the bridges.

I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but riding hills is tough for me. I'm not making excuses, and I'm not I'm not complaining at all. It is what is is. Kinda like how some have a tough time with algebra. It just means I have to work harder than others to excel at them. Sometimes it's best to know what your weaknesses are so you can work on them.

The plan this weekend was to hit the bridges and ride them for 3 hours. Here I am before I headed out:



As an FYI, I got this jersey before T-Mobile became a household name in the US. Back in the early/mid 90's they were a powerhouse in the pro cycling world. They were the Lakers of cycling:



This team no longer exists, but I still have my kit! LOL



I was feeling pretty good this morning as I got ready for my ride. The bike is the most important aspect of the race, because if my legs are cramped up there's no way I'll be able to run. Unfortunately that's happened tome before & I've had to walk the majority of the run as a result. NOT FUN.

Here's a quick vid before I start my ride:



The plan today was to try different riding styles up the bridges: Sometimes I'd attack & try sprint as fast as I could. Other times I'd sit in the saddle & ride at an easy pace. Other times I'd ride seated, but at a faster pace. The goal is to hit my legs in a variety of ways, in hopes they can recover enough for the next time up the bridge.

Basically I'd just be riding the bridges back & forth, back & forth. I do this to try simulate the rolling hills I'll see on race day. This would be a boring ride, except I really DO like riding hills & bridges. I like the challenge of it. But the views make it that much easier to do:

Here's a pic at the top of 1 of the bridges:




The pics really don't do the view justice, especially on that pic. Going down the bridge is an incredible view of the Gulf of Mexico.

On this pic Mexico is straight ahead (even though we can't see it;)




45 minutes into my ride I'm feeling pretty good. To be honest, I felt like I just got on the bike. Here's a quick vid I took at that point:



Up to this point I'd taken my time over the bridge. I wasn't trying to push it, just taking my time. In Flatwoods I can start off aggressively, because there are no hills there. Sometimes when riding the bridges, I can feel fine, then halfway up I'll get a leg cramp or feel like I hit a wall and can barely pedal and will fall over! So I'm ride defensively on the bridges.

I'm now an hour into my ride & I still feel good. Really good! It's now time to get a tad aggressive on these damn bridges! I start to ride as hard as I can, standing & really pushing it as far as I can up the bridge. I get anywhere from halfway to 3/4 of the way up before I sit and pedal. What I have to work on is my tempo and relaxing AFTER I ride all out. The key for me is to not fight the hill, but try ride WITH it. It's hard to explain, but the more you "fight" the hills/bridges, the more energy you use. I have to work on that.

I've been riding now for 90 minutes and I feel STRONG. I head over to the 2nd bridge now, which is the hardest. I've eaten half a Clif Bar, taken 2 electrolyte pills, and a Gu. I ride the hardest bridge last because that's the best way for me to improve. 2 hours into my ride I want to have to work VERY hard. How else will you get better? You have to keep pushing yourself.

The views from this bridge are just as nice as the other one:





This bridge is HARD!! It's longer than the other one, and seems like it takes forever to make it to the top. When I try stand & pedal I get about halfway up before I have to sit down. It takes me about 2 minutes to get to the top. I guess that would make me a "2 Minute Brotha?" Yeah, but ONLY in this instance! lol



2:15 into my ride I start to feel the effects. My left leg is starting to feel a twinge, like a cramp is trying to come. When that happens, I try to work them out by standing & pedaling at an easy cadence on the flats. I also become more aware of food & drink intake. Luckily I didn't get any cramps today, but I was definitely tired.

After the dust settled, I accomplished my mission today and rode 3 full hours. Here's another quick vid:




I was pretty tired when I shot that one. Riding bridges really wears me out, but it's a GREAT workout!!

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised that I felt much better within minutes of getting off the bike. That's a VERY good sign. That means my legs are recovering pretty well. That's GREAT, but there's s till work to do. can't get over-confident. Gotta stay focused and can't rest on my laurels!


After my ride I did my customary walk to get rid of the lactic acid in my legs:




This is a great place to train, and a great place to relax AFTER a workout:



The cool thing about living in Tampa is if you like the beach, there are PLENTY spots you can hit. Even find some nice, secluded spots like this one.



Sometimes I like the chillin out more than the actual workout! lol






All in all, I had a great workout. I'm still not fast on the bridges, but that's not my primary goal. My goal is to ride them at a good pace, while still having enough energy to run afterwards. I expect people to pass me on the bike come race day, but I want to pass them right back on the RUN! So I have to make sure I'm fresh starting the run, but still have a good ride. I'm hoping come race day I'll be able to do that. Luckily, I still have time to make that a reality. I don't have a lot of time, but I plan on using every workout forthcoming to make it happen!

Thanks for reading! Till next time, peace!

Going Up Yonder!

Well, the Florida Challenge Triathlon is fast approaching and I have to make a decision. The race is September 12th, and as of today I'm not 100% committed to racing. I'm pretty sure I'll do it, but I have to make sure I'm ready for it mentally. Physically of course, but the mental aspects of these races can NOT be overlooked.

I've done this race several times before, and each time it takes me to my limit. Some races were better than others, but what makes it so tough for me is the bike portion. Florida isn't known for hills, but Central Florida has A LOT of hills.

Here's the bike course description for this race:

Bike Course: A 56 mile course consisting of one loop along rural country roads. No major elevation changes, but you will experience a few rolling hills and a steep but short climb up Sugarloaf Mountain. Support/aid stations will be located aproximately 10-15 miles apart. The official bike course cut-off is at 2:00 pm. All participants still on the course at that time will not be allowed to continue and will be removed from the course.

Now the race I did earlier in the year had some small hills, but this race takes the hills to another level! The description above spoke of Sugarloaf Mountain.

The 1st time I did this race, I was STUNNED at the sight of Sugarloaf. I wasn't ready for it. Even now, years later, I get nervous thinking about it:






These pics don't do the hill justice. It's a steep hill that comes at about mile 30 of the bike ride. The heat of the day and the other hills before this one make it for a very challenging bike course.

Bike riding (especially over hills) is generally speaking easier for lighter cyclists than heavier ones. The less weight you have to lug over the hills, the better! That's why many of the top riders in The Tour De France are skinny. But at the same time, their weight to power ratio is high.

Seeing how I weigh 210 pounds, it takes a lot of energy to climb hills. Luckily for me, this race has a division for the heavier athletes: Men over 200 pounds are called Clydesdales, and women over 140 pounds are Athenas. That way, we're not competing against athletes who weigh significantly less...

Like I said, I'm not fully committed to the race as of yet, so I need to test myself a bit to see if I'm ready. The bike ride is the key. If I don't feel my bike is up to par, I won't do the race, because the last thing I want to do is start a race then quit because I wasn't ready to race!

So to get ready, I have to ride on hills or bridges I can find in my area, and here they are:

The Sand Key Bridge:






I ride this bridge first. In order to simulate rolling hills that I'd see in a race, I ride over the bridge, ride about 2 blocks, then turn around & ride it again. Over & over. I try to ride at an even pace, using the least amount of energy. Try as I might, I have a VERY hard time accelerating or riding fast uphill. It's just not my strong suit! Everyone has a weakness and riding uphill is mine.



But I don't use that as an excuse to slack off or give up. If anything, it makes me work harder!



Yesterday was my 1st ride on the bridges in a couple months. My goal was to just see how my legs would respond. I practiced sitting down and riding up the bridge, and standing up periodically.

Hereare pics at the top of the bridge:



(An old pic)



I rode the bridge back & forth for 90 minutes, then rode 10 miutes over to the other bridge (Clearwater Bridge:)




Here's an old pic from the top:




The key for me when riding uphill is to go at my own pace & stay calm. Over time, I've discovered that if I'm using too big a gear my lower back will hurt, specifically my right side. The reason being is my right leg is my dominant leg, so I'm over-compensating. (When I strained my back a couple months ago, it was on my left side.)

When riding a bike, the muscles used are your abs, calves, glutes and calves. When my back starts to hurt, I ease off and go down to an easier gear.

All in all, I had a good ride yesterday. I rode a total of 2:55 minutes, with a 20 minute walk for a cooldown. It was pretty hot out, but I had plenty liquids and electrolytes. I'm going to train pretty hard for the next 2 weeks and make my final decision at that point as to if I'll race or not.

Seeing how I completed a half ironman already I feel pretty good about my probability of doing this race. But the key is the bike ride. Struggling over hills is NOT FUN! It's pure torture. So the bike is my top priority. With that said, I'm going to lift weights only once per week for the time being and ride the bike instead by doing intervals.

I'll know within 2 weeks if I have enough gas in the tank. Tme will tell!

Thanks for reading! Till next time, Peace!