Again, again, to Base Training

Fitness Journal was kind enough to provide me with my latest distance so far through this period of my base training. It's been 358 miles in riding, running, and swimming and I feel great.

Check out my latest map.

Triathlete Magazine talks about odd running form in triathletes

In an interesting observation, Matt Russ, in an article written for Triathlete magazine , talks about why triathletes as a group seem to have a different running form than runners. The reason for this, as cited by Russ, is that triathletes swim, and there for have a more developed upper body, in particular shoulder muscles that change the way the upper body moves thus affecting our running form.

http://www.triathletemag.com/Departments/Training/2007/Why_do_triathletes_run_funny_.htm

Just how far do we train here anyway?

One of the most significant collective stats that my friend Doron shared with me my after our first ironman was just how much distance we had covered in training. He used a number that I can barely fathom at this point, and wondered if we had been on the same training plan.

This year I want to see how far I end up traveling on my "trip" to ironman. To that end I've been logging my workouts in a personal workout log as well as the one that we are given access to through the teamintraining ironteam.

There's even a nifty map that shows how far I would have gone across the country.

2007/2008 Ironteam - first practice

It's a new year, a new season, and a whole new race. This year Team in Training has decided to field a team of athletes for both the Wildflower long course, a half iron distance, as well as Vineman a full iron course, and have both groups train on the same team.

Wildflower (2008 link not posted at the time of writing) an annual favorite of triathletes is a race to aspire to. Just think, a lake swim, hilly ride, and an awesome run through beautiful central California (Lake San Antonio, CA just up from the 101 freeway from Paso Robles).


Vineman is a full iron distance race in beautiful Sonoma, California. (Think wine country, and you'll get the idea.

At the first practice we took to the pools and as always there's a great mix of people. Some who've been swimming for years with graceful effortless strokes and people who have just now taken up the sport. Have no fear however, my first year we had a guy (some of you out there know him) who couldn't swim a stroke, and still finished the swim well under the cut-off time just from coming to practice and hitting all of his workouts (and a little extra tutoring).

Tomorrow we will have our first team run. Should be fun. We're about 40 strong as a group and that'll give everyone someone else to run with as the season progresses.

On the whole we're a lucky group. We live in an area that affords us the ability to train year-round, have enough loony people to train with, have a group of great coaches, and will raise a significant amount of money to fight cancer and fund patient services. I feel proud to be here.

Thanks for reading, drop me a note if you feel so inclined.
-dean
(link to this blog post: 2007/2008 Ironteam - first practice)

Racing and whatnot

There really is something to racing. Whether it's your career as a pro, your gift as an elite, or your passion as an age grouper, racing is a test you abilities on your chosen course. Some people are absolute monsters racing every weekend in some cases and prospering in the standings. I marvel at their fortitude and bow to such commitment. This of course is coming from someone who for the past two years has taken an ironman finish in late June as the end of his season. This year I hope to add just one more race (maybe two) to my schedule by taking on the Long Beach Marathon. A sub four finish would be dreamy, but it won't happen this year. I'm honestly hoping for twenty six 10 to 11 minute miles which puts me at just under four hours. Or in a more optimistic perspective, a new PR, dropping my old time by over an hour. Time will tell if there's enough juice left in my tank to train for this one. I'll let you know how it goes.
-dean

Absense makes the heart grow fonder..?

In the spirit of mock conversations with higher powers. Hello, my name is Dean and I'm an injured athlete. Or I WAS an injured athlete. In March, I ran a race. It was the ironman California, a.k.a.. California 70.3, California half. For me it was a great day.

I learned a lot about where I was in my training and how I was setup to run Sometimes you have to sit down and reflect. Unfortunately for me I have to get injured or sick (or both) to slow down long enough to do so.

So here I am sitting down. OK, so it's in a bar but so what. Let's take the good news first. Good times were had by myself and my iron teammates. My swim pace minus a little open water panic was smooth and steady, on pace to beat my 2006 Ironman Coeur d'Alene swim by close to ten minutes. I finished the race upright and smiling, meaning I didn't over extend myself.

Now the not so good. I got tired near the end and lost my form. After losing my running form I stressed a tendon in my foot and could barely walk on it without wincing. I took three weeks off and now am finally back to training, and putting in some long mileage.

Therein lies the good news. In getting in my first new miles of the post injury period I realized something about myself that made me smile.

I missed it.

Three weeks off had cleared out my mid season burnout and focused me. My brain was, is telling me that I want to run. I can't wait to get on my bike. I want to move. I want the distance. And so with six and a half weeks to go.. Bring it. It's time to train again and I can't wait. Let's get going! (and someone bring me some motortabs!) -ds

http://irondean.blogspot.com

Begging forgivness from the Tri-Gods

If the training of an athlete for an event was under the supervision of god, like in Greek times, and the actions of an athlete answerable to that god, this is what my most recent prayer would have looked like.

Dean: Hear me oh great god of triathlon, one who speeds transitions, suppresses the head wind, and calms the currents of the open water swim.

god of triathlon (GOT): Greetings athlete. What brings you to me today?

D: Forgive me for I have sinned (for lack of a better phrase) in my training.
GOT: How have you sinned?
D: I allowed my bike to fall in to disarray and somehow damage it to an unrideable state.
GOT: Equipment is sacred. You must not allow yourself to err in this way. Without gear we cannot complete the distances we strive for.
D: Yes, I have erred. I will endeavour to be more mindful of my equipment. There is more.
GOT: What else then?
D: I'm in the last phase of my training for my next Ironman race, Ironman Coeur d'Alene in Idaho. Without my bike, I have not been able to ride for three weeks. Please forgive me.
GOT: That is what base training is for you idiot. Nonetheless you're probably fine and thus easily forgiven. Besides you've been injured too haven't you?
D: *GASP* How did you know?
GOT: Do you question my omnipresence?
D: Oh, right. See everything, hear everything. Slipped my mind. Got it.
GOT: The rest probably did you a lot of good. Tell me, do you now want to run?
D: Oh yeah!
GOT: Do you want to go out and ride?
D: You better believe it.
GOT: Did you want to do these things three weeks ago?
D: Not nearly as much as I want to now.
GOT: Then you're most definately better for having been off for a few weeks. No skimping on the training now that you're six weeks from taper.
D: This I can do. Is there anything else?
GOT: No, and stop stealing my lines.
D: *Ahem* Thank you for listening, it stills the demons of doubt that haunt me. Amen.
GOT: And while you're at it go chase down an ironman PR why don't you!
D: You got it... Amen.
GOT: Don't forget the hydration or the salts!
D: Um... Amen.
GOT: Get some rest!
D: Umm.. Really, got to get back to work now, so... Amen?...
GOT: .....
D: Hello?... Amen?... Hello?
GOT: Yes, I heard you. Your sins have been forgiven. Get back to work.
D: Amen.

The 2007 Ironman California - 70.3

A tremendous season opener. The Ford Ironman California 70.3, a mouthful of syllables and no shortage of meaning. Ironman 70.3 races are distances formally known as "half ironman" races. Don't let the "half" fool you it's a race not to be taken lightly. For many present this was not only their first race of the season, but also their first at this distance.

In previous years this race was two weeks earlier and more often than not race day brought cold water, rainy weather, and slick asphalt. This year on March 31st the race was held to bright blue sunny skies, and a swim nearly five full degrees warmer than last year. For Southern Californians this is the closest race at any ironman distance.

Ahh the swim, a 1.2 mile loop through the boat bay. I'm usually pretty anxious to get in the water. Not so much because I like swimming, though I do, but more because I can't wait for it to be over. In most places I'm perfectly comfortable in the water, but in the open with that may people around me, the irrational part of my brain takes over and starts to freak me out. I say irrational because this year and last year I've trained at double this distance and am fine when I get out of the water. For the next race I need to know how hard and/or how fast I can go and still go out and have a good day. I was in the 18th wave, starting over an hour after the first group of professionals. Basically I watched the first pro, Andy Potts, finish his swim in 22:35 (according to the preliminary results), before I had gotten in to my wetsuit and staged in the starting chute.

Getting out of the water the charming water scenes of Oceanside, CA give way to Camp Pendleton and the hills that lay ahead. I've been on base once, and that was a much shorter ride. This ride had us riding on roads that had markings pointing out artillery ranges and signs that notified you not to proceed ahead of a particular point due to falling ordinance... The most striking notice was a crossing for, yes, tanks. A freakin' tank crossing sign. How was I NOT going to notice a 50-60 ton piece of fighting machine crossing the road?

A scant three hours and twenty minutes later it's on to the run. The run for me has always, and I mean always, been the hardest part of the day. There's nothing but road in front of you and only your legs to cover it. We ran on the strand in Oceanside from the Marina past the pier. If I haven't said it before I'll say it now, it was a beautiful day.

Final for me on the day was a 6:32. I dropped an equivalent six minutes on my swim from Ironman last year, and hopefully something equally significant on my bike and run. For me, keeping that pace for Ironman would be phenomenal. I know today that I benefit from a great training program, a year's worth of base training, the support of a fantastic team (Go Team), and the luck of having such a beautiful day on the course.

Special thanks go out to my Ironteammates, Matt (who had the fastest time on the course for our team at 5:50, go and donate to his team in training campaign if you can), Jen (who beat me by two minutes), Christy (whose persistence on the run continues to inspire and drive me), Karen (whose experience on the bike and run mirrored in many ways my '06 Ironman Coeur d'Alene experience), and to Kevin (whose experience in racing helped us all, and who went back on to the course after finishing the race himself, to find and run with Karen as she finished her race).

I was powered by Lemon-lime Motortabs, Vanilla Crisp Powerbars, Enduralytes by Hammer Nutrition, and despite a little cramping in my calves due to an overall lack of flexibility, had a fantastic day. Success is due in no small part to training, but equally to nutrition. I can't thank the fine people at Motortabs, Hammer Nutrition and Powerbar enough for bringing fine products to market and continuing to improve as endurance sports progressively evolve.

Humor: Once Upon a Time I Feared the Treadmill

I once thought that this would most certainly happen to me... Thankfully, or not, I'm still waiting for the first time this happens to me. I can wait...

Review: A film: Without Limits

Citius, Altius, Fortius

"It means 'Faster, higher, stronger.' It's been the motto of the Olympic Games for a hundred years. It doesn't mean faster, higher, or stronger than your competitors... just faster, higher, stronger." These are the first words spoken by Bill Bowerman, running coach of the University of Oregon, in the film Without Limits and they speak to the spirit of the man for whom the film is made. Without Limits is one of three movies made about the iconic Steve Prefontaine, one of America's greatest distance runners. The film stars Billy Crudup as the running star and Donald Sutherland as his University of Oregon running coach the great Bill Bowerman, founder of Nike. I saw this movie five years ago, when I had just picked up running and couldn't make it around the block without needing to stop, breathe, and do everything in my power to keep from dropping to my knees. This isn't an instructional film, it's an inspirational film about one of the most heralded athletes in the history of American running hailing from what was the center of running at the time, the University of Oregon.

At the beginning of the film Bowerman is addressing the team:
"One might say running is an absurd pastime. But if you can find the meaning in the kind of running you must do to stay on my team then you may find meaning in the other absurd pastime. Life."

Beyond this I will not spoil the movie. Suffice it to say that Bowerman was Pre’s coach, and Pre his own man. The challenge of faster, higher, stronger, still lies on our horizon. It exists because we have the desire to strive out to be better than we are, it exists as the motto to the Olympics because athletes need “freedom of excess” said Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the man responsible for applying this motto to the games, it is “a motto for people who dare to try to break records.”

As athletes we can find something deeper in what we're doing that just another workout. There's a sense of symetry that follows through the different pursuits in our lives, our jobs, hobbies, relationships with others, and the thread that holds them all together.

Though I'd heard of Bill Bowerman, I'd only known him as the co-founder of Nike, and had never heard of Steve Prefontaine. Bowerman as a coach took his team to a 114-20 dual meet record during his coaching career (for a winning percentage of 0.843, lifetime). As a runner Pre held 8 American records at once for every distance between 2,000 and 10,000 meters. As of 2001 Pre's collegiate record for the 3 mile was still standing.

Running is a passion,
it is a pursuit,
a life.

Good gear - Running Shoes

Despite the very countable masses that run barefoot through marathons, a great many of us rely on shoes to protect our feet from the ground, and cushion the impact on the *gulp* concrete. No single shoe works for everyone. If you're running now you learned to walk at some point. You followed the examples of those around you and what you heard you should be doing. This in addition to the varying numbers of body styles, leads to a nearly infinite combination of foot shapes, stride patterns, and cushioning needs. Thankfully the shoe industry has our backs.

A good pair of running shoes should feel like coming home, unless you live in a haunted house where evil stalks you at every turn. You should slip in to them and immediately feel like running, they make your feet feel lighter and every foot fall feel less like work and more like a glide. As the purchaser of horrible running shoes (for my feet) I can tell you the difference between a good pair of shoes and an ill-fitting one was like night and day, pain to pleasure.

"So Dean, where do I find such shoes?" I'm glad you asked. Go to a RUNNING store. No, Sportmart is not a running store. Here's why. In high school I could have gotten a job at Sportmart, in the shoe department. What's wrong with that? In high school I wasn't a runner. In fact I hated running more than I hated getting up early in the morning. (By the way now I get up early in the morning to run...) You want to find a person to help you who knows about what each shoe has, does, and is. A good salesperson is a runner themselves, will let you try on as many shoes as you need to in order to find a good fit, and will even let you take 'em out for a quick spin. A great salesperson will take a look at your barefoot, or sock clad, stride and see where you're striking the ground and the amount of pronation (lateral rolling) your foot does. All these things tie in to what shoe you should buy.

If running is going to be a big part of your year, you owe it to your feet, and that part of your mind that is encouraging you to get out there and run, to get not just a pair of shoes that fit your foot but a pair that fit you. They should fit your foot length, width, compensate for where your foot strikes the ground, and feel good. Heck, if you don't like the color, maybe you shouldn't buy the shoe. Seriously, why would you buy something that you need for workouts that is going to make you cringe everything you have to train?

To sum up:
Sportmart is not a running store
Good shoe = Better run
Dean = Gear Geek