The Love Haters!

Yesterday (4-2-11) it was time for another good run, and I went back to 1 of my fav spots, Bayshore. I have a love/hate relationship with running. There are times when I feel GREAT and get that runners high where I feel unstoppable and can run forever. Then there are other days when the YARDS just drag by. My feet hurt, it's hot, and I'm just plain TIRED! (I'm just keeping it real!)

Part of the love/hate relationship stems from the fact that running just isn't easy for me anymore. The years of running have taken a toll on my body. The older I get, the longer it takes for me to warm up, and for the first 15 minutes I'm going thru my "checklist:"

How do your knees feel?
Achilles heel ok?
Slow down! We got a long way to go!
Which stride today? Long strides or short shuffle strides?
It's really hot, gotta run defensively today.
Loosen your shoulders, mofo!

Yes, these are actual thoughts that go thru my mind. If a person saw me running, they'd have no clue I was doing this, or if I was in pain. One of the keys to excelling in sports (or anything we do for that matter) is to make it look effortless, and having proper form is the key to making that happen. If you look at pro athletes, many times you can't tell if the race or game has just started, or if they've been going at it for 3 hours. Having proper form helps minimize injuries, maintain your pace, and keeps you motivated psychologically. Your conditioning has to be on point for that, and that means a lot of time training.

On the flip side, if you can visibly see the strain on a person's face, their form has broken down, etc. then you know it's just a matter of time before they fall apart.

Anyway, it was yet another beautiful day in Tampa Bay!





A lot of these pics may look the same, but that's because pretty much every day is sunny in Florida. lol Before my run I took a quick video:



I was feeling REALLY GOOD yesterday morning. Downright excited to run! Brotha was HYPED and I don't even know why! I was loving the run yesterday! lol!

I've been running in the grass a lot lately to give my knees, ankles & Achilles heel a break, so as a result, my pace is slower than normal. Add in my checklist as described earlier & I start off pretty slow. At first, I didn't like running on grass because it really does slow me down even more. I really do enjoy running faster, but I can save those "fast" days for the treadmill or an actual race. Race days you want to give it 150% and leave it all out there, because the last thing you want to do is say "I could've done better." It's too late then. Give it your all. Leave it on the course!

The grass is getting thicker out here, so my running has slowed as a result:



Then add in the rain we've had recently & I have to watch for the puddles too:



After I completed my checklist, I was feeling pretty good. I picked up my speed, but resisted the urge to pick it up too much because I wanted to go for a "negative split." This occurs when you run the 2nd half of your workout faster then the 1st half. In other words, I wanted to finish strong. That's key in any race and sometimes I have a problem with that. Partly because I don't pace myself as well as I should. One part of my is competitive, and wants to push it so I can catch as many people as I can, or run (or bike) at a high level for an extended period of time.

The only problem is my energy levels can't sustain that high pace for only so long. So this is something I must work on.

I was debating on running either 7 or 9 miles today, but since I decided to go for a negative split, I decided on 7. I ran the 1st 3.5 miles with a conservative pep in my step, trying my best to hold back. It's really tough when the weather's so nice and people are out running along with you, but I held back. I really wanted to run on the concrete, but stayed on the grass. I hit the turn-around at 30 minutes.

I was still feeling good, but about 45 minutes in I started to get a little fatigued. I know it was the grass, because I had to pick up my feet a little more than normal. But I kept trying to push it. I wasn't going all out, just tried to keep a decent pace. Technically, for the negative split to be a success, I should've completed the 7 miles in 59 minutes, but I didn't. I finished the run in 65 minutes.

Am I disappointed? Not really. That's why you train: to make adjustments and modifications. I was tired, but not exhausted or anything like that. I had a good run actually. No leg problems,no stomach cramps, none of that crap. Just broke a good sweat! lol After my 20 minute cool down walk I felt GREAT. I still was happy and felt I could have kept running.

Here's my post run video:



Overall, I'm happy with my progress. I know I could've run further, but I can save it for another day. As always, I relaxed for a few and just enjoyed the day and the sights. I'll NEVER get tired of this view:



I saw a lot of stingrays today.




Yes, it's all about the race, but you MUST enjoy the journey too! Most people only see the end result which is crossing the finish line, but it takes a lot to even make it to the starting line. Might as well enjoy that aspect of it, and that's what I plan on doing! Scratch that. I will LOVE that aspect of it! :)

Thanks for reading! Till next time, Peace!

This Week at the Improv

Today was a big day for me training wise: It was my first day riding the bridges since my last race. The Florida Challenge bike course is 56 miles of rolling hills, and the only way you can really get ready riding hills is to, well, ride hills. lol

Tampa is pretty flat, so I go to the closest place I can to get some hill training, which is in Clearwater, Florida on the big bridges.

Even though I've done this race many times, I get nervous with the hills. They're my biggest challenge. I've been fortunate enough to finish this race each time I've started it, but I had trouble on the hills every race. They BURN! Towards the end of the bike, my legs hurt so bad sometimes I want to quit and go to McDonalds!! LOL But of course I never do, and that's why I like this course: It pushes me to my physical & mental limits.

There's no faking it riding uphill. When riding on a flat road, you can coast pretty much as long as you want, pedal a little bit, coast, and you'll keep moving. Same with riding on an indoor trainer. You can put out minimal effort and keep moving. Can't do that on a hill. No coasting allowed! Either keep moving or you'll literally fall over! Unfortunately that has happened to me TWICE in a race. Your legs burn, yet you MUST keep moving. The last thing you want to do is get off your bike & start walking up the hill. Mentally it demoralizes you.

Then your weight can play a factor too. You're fighting gravity: The lighter you are, the "easier" it is to go uphill. The heavier you are, the harder it is and the more energy it takes to lug your big a** uphill. Doesn't matter if it's fat or muscle. Weight is weight. But no matter how much you weigh, you gotta get your legs used to the hills!

Which brings me to my ride. The goal was to ride the bridges for 3 hours today, back & forth to simulate rolling hills. Here I am before I head out.



I'm not a Heinekin drinker, but I sure do like the jersey! lol

It was a perfect day for a bike ride! This time of year is picture perfect. I rode the 1st bridge back & forth for a little more than an hour when I stopped & took these pics:



This is the Gulf of Mexico, and straight ahead is the state of Texas, but it's too far away to see it.



I liken this type of riding to running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike, only the scenery is a little better! lol



Here's a quick video I took after I snapped the pics:

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I've been coming out here for years and still can't get enough of it. Something about the water is relaxing!

All in all, the 1st part of my ride went well. I didn't have any leg problems, and to be honest, it felt as if I didn't take a 5 month layoff from riding the bridges. I rode up the bridge seated, in an easy gear, at a relaxed pace. I wasn't racing up the bridge, but I did try ride at a good speed. It takes about 90 seconds to ride up this bridge, so I try pace myself and was pleased with my effort.

After 2 more laps I took this video and rode over to the other bridge.

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I park my car at this bridge so I stop for a quick minute to exchange my water bottles. This bridge is harder than the 1st, so I like to do this bridge last. Why do the hardest bridge last? It's simple: How else will I get better?

I get up the bridge & I'm feeling pretty good. At this point I've been riding almost 2 hours and feel VERY good. I'm starting to feel confident in my biking. At this point, I know my swim is on point. I'm ready for the swim. My biking is better than I anticipated. I don't have the speed yet, but I think I'll be ready for the 56 miles much sooner than I anticipated. The run is my weak link. It's the worst of the 3 at this point. I can't run 13 miles yet. MAYBE 10, but even that would be a stretch.

Anyway, after the 1st lap I notice that my bike feels funny? My rear wheel seems to be slipping from underneath me. I stop & check my tire: I got a flat! Mother-Father!! I have no idea how I got it. I didn't hit anything or roll over any glass. Who knows. Those things happen. Just gotta go with the flow!

I head back to the car to change it:






I change the tire in about 10 minutes time. I was about to finish my ride when I had a thought: why not do a quick run? You had a great ride, let's test your legs real quick? Why not?

Yeah, why not??

Sometimes a little improvisation is good! It keeps you on your toes. Besides, I had never run over here for training. A little hill running might dome some good. Besides, my run sucks right now anyway! lol So this brick might do me some good.

So, that's what I did: I did a 40 minute run/walk. I got to the top of the bridge and took these pics:



Did I mention it's Spring Break? People were OUT today! Traffic to get to the beach was backed up for MILES.

Thankfully, they have bike lanes & barriers on the bridges because I HATE riding on the road. Hit & run drivers are a major problem down here. People will hit you and keep going w/o a 2nd thought. I refuse to be a statistic, so I ride as far away from traffic as possible! Eff that!!





My total workout was 2:40 minutes. All in all, it was a great workout. The spur of the moment brick was a nice twist. My legs responded well to the change. I was tired, but not as tired as I thought I'd be.

After the ride I laid out & just relaxed and enjoyed the day:



There were a lot of people riding by on boats & jet skis from my vantage point. I wasn't on the beach, but can tell you it was jam packed with tourists & people from all over the U.S.



All in all, it was a GREAT workout. I feel really good as I type this. My legs feel good, and it was just an overall nice day. People were out just having a good time.



Next weekend I'll do another run on Bayshore. At the end of April or early May I'll do a beach run. Running on sand is TOUGH, but it'll be a great training session. Just gotta build up to it first!

Thanks for reading! Till next time, Peace!

Sight Seeing

Today was a great day to go for a run, and that's exactly what I did! It was back to Bayshore for another 7 mile run. I'm still not in race shape yet, but I'm confident I will be by June. The key is to be consistent in my training and gradually increase the intensity and distances of my bike & run.

Ironically, the swim is my weakest of the 3 sports, but it's my easiest! My goal in the swim is to finish the 1.2 miles using the least amount of energy I can. That way, I can go a little harder on the bike and (hopefully) the run. People rarely win a triathlon with a great swim, but you CAN lose it with a bad one. My swim is decent, and I can swim that distance right now if I had to because I swim year round because it's great exercise.

Now the bike & run are different! lol Trying to keep up the level of fitness to be able run 13 miles and/or 56 miles year round is too much for me. Not only would I get burned out, but my knees couldn't take the pounding of the running. I do try to keep some level of fitness though: My goal is to be able to ride 40 miles at any given time, and run 7 also. If I can do that, it'll make it that much easier to get ready for races.

Thankfully, I can do that as I type this, but I can't put it all together in the same day. That's not an easy thing to do, and that's where the training comes in: Mental AND physical training. You have to be in the right frame of mind to do all 3 disciplines back to back to back. It can take up to 8 hours to finish, so the mental preparation is just as important as the physical.

To get my mind right, I like to watch old triathlons, Tour De France races, and track & field on dvd, read sports magazines and find motivational quotes. Quotes like “You are the only person in existence who can use your potential. It is an awesome responsibility.” Zig Ziglar and "In life, we choose whether or not we want to be a winner or a loser. To be a winner, we must devote time and hard work. To be a loser you do nothing, and that's exactly what you will get, nothing." ---Patrick Boles. Quotes like these really motivate me to get out there & give it 110%! I try avoid all negative thoughts, people, and actions, because all that will do is bring you down & prevent you from fulfilling your potential in anything you do...

Anyway, I had a great run today! lol It was another perfect day. There were a lot of people out& about having a good time.



I've been coming out here for years and I never get tired of it. It's quite relaxing and each time is like a new experience.

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Here's a quick video I shot before I started my run:

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What makes it nice is there's so much to look at while you run. You have the water (of course,) all the people, and the million dollar homes across the street:

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Each house is different and some of them are VERY nice. Stopping to snap pictures of them while running won't help my training, so just take my word for it. They are nice! lol.

But what really makes Bayshore so incredible is the water itself. It's very relaxing and makes running that much easier. Running on a treadmill is boring to me (even though I do it often) but I NEVER get bored coming out here! Now I said I won't stop to take pics of the houses, but I WILL stop if I see dolphins!



There were about 5 of them, and they came right up to the seawall! It was mad cool. I HAD to stop, because I don't see them every time I come out here.

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I tell ya, this beats running on the treadmill, watching old reruns of SOUL TRAIN any day! lol



After this brief 10 minute intermission, it was back to the business at hand, which was to run. Seeing the dolphins got me fired up, and I felt like I had a bit more energy. I was still running on the grass, so I was running a little slower than if I were on the concrete, but I still felt good. I get to the turnaround and take a look at the water and what do I see this time? Stingrays! Should I snap a pic? Oh what the hell, you only live once! lol



Heading back, I'm feeling really good. I feel stronger than my last run and my mind is as clear as the sky! Any stresses I had before I came out here are gone. All I'm thinking about at this point is enjoying my run as I place 1 foot in front of the other:



I finish the 7 miles in about 70 minutes or so. It's not about time right now, it's about how I feel during and after the run. I want to have good form: I want people to look at me & think I just started running, even though I've been at it for 45 minutes. Why? because that would mean my form is good AND I look strong and not tired. I'm not quite there yet, but Will be soon!

After the run I walked did my 20 minute cool down walk, then kicked my feet up and made a short video:



I like to relax a bit before I head home. What's the rush?



Besides, if I DID rush, I woulda missed this:



Kinda hard to see, but in person it's pretty cool!

Overall, it was a great run. I'm feeling stronger & my confidence is growing. I'll stay at 7 miles for a couple more weeks, then move it up a bit. By race day I'll be doing 10 mile runs, but that's a little ways off. No worries though. I'm almost there!

Thanks for reading! Till next time, peace!