2011 Stats

So, for fun this morning I took a look at my training totals for 2011 in Training Peaks.   These numbers are a little underestimated as not all workouts and races were logged in Training Peaks (although the vast majority were).

Here goes:

Swim:   53,800 yards.     55.84 hours
Bike:     1,830.6 miles   112.27 hours
Run:      562.83 miles    104.32 hours



On top of this there are core workouts, TRX sessions, walks etc.
No wonder I'm tired!

Looking forward to seeing these numbers go up this year!   Can't imagine what the equivalent numbers look like for those crazy enough to train for the full Ironman distance!  (Yes, that's you Compass!)

Things That I Will Do in 2012.....

OK, so as per my previous post, I made just  two simple resolutions this year….    To waste less time surfing the internet and to put full effort and concentration in to every workout.

But there are soooo many other things that I want to do/achieve this year!   I have already posted my provisional race calendar and, of course, I will be trying my very best to undertake all of the workouts that The Puppeteer sets for me on www.trainingpeaks.com to the very best of my ability, but beyond this there are a whole host of “triathlon things” that I need to do better this year.

During my first year of working with The Puppeteer I learned a great deal, both about triathlon training in general and about myself.  I have built what I now consider to be a reasonable “base fitness” which I intend to use as a springboard to more intense training and improved performance.

I remain relatively strong on the bike and my run times continue to improve at all distances and hopefully these will continue, but there are two “primary limiters” that I need to try to eliminate, so I will start with these:

First:   Lack of Flexibility:     Surprise, surprise, this tired old body is not as flexible as it used to be!   When I do stretching exercises next to other victims of The Puppeteer (especially the ladies of course) it’s clear that I have a long way to go!   In addition to increasing the likelihood of injury, the lack of flexibility likely hurts my performance in all three disciplines.   So what’s the solution?  Work, work, work!   I have done a couple of TRX sessions with The Dominatrix aimed at teaching me specific stretching and flexibility exercises and now that I have a TRX set-up at home I will incorporate these into my routine.  I will also do more exercises from Verstegen’s Core Performance books and spend time trying to master some yoga techniques as illustrated by local yoga guru Sage Roundtree at: http://www.yogavibes.com/videos/channel/free-classes/?filter%5Btype%5D=2&filter%5Blabel%5D=Style&filter%5Bvalue%5D=Yoga+for+Athletes

The good news is that I should be able to fit these additional sessions in relatively easily around my regularly scheduled workouts and they are definitely something that I can do when traveling.

I am also committed to improving my dynamic warm-ups before workouts (especially runs) and to stretching and using the dreaded foam roller afterwards.     In parallel I will be using TRX and Core Performance drills to try to dramatically improve my core strength.

I’m not sure that I’ll ever be this guy…..

......but I’ll try!

Second:   Swim Endurance:   This is very clearly my weakest triathlon discipline and the one that needs dramatic improvement.  The Puppeteer tells me that all is not lost and is actually reasonably complementary about my “form” but I still have poor endurance and am not able to hold my good form over long distances.   The solution to this one is to suck it up and work at it!   There’s nothing to do but to suck it up, schedule extra sessions in the pool, complete every swim set exactly as set and just keep at it!    I will also make sure that I get monthly one-on-one swim sessions with The Puppeteer.  One positive here is that I have discovered the City of Raleigh Optimist pool which is much nicer than Millbrook Exchange and is closer to home!

I also intend to hook-up with local triathletes to do more open water training swims in the local lakes and hopefully to do some sound/ocean swims with the GS-OBX group down at the coast this summer.

One other fun swim related objective is to learn to do freestyle flip turns properly (tumble turns if you’re in the UK or Australia).

I identify a key secondary limiter as my crazy and erratic work/travel schedule, but there’s not much I can do but try my best to work around it and to find ways to keep up with things when traveling.

OK, so those are the big ones…   what else?

Here goes, in no particular order:

1.   Continue to work on the bike.  More “TITS” (“time in the saddle”) will help, but there are other things to be done.   I need to spend more time in the aero position (the aforementioned flexibility will help!) especially that I now have “The Slut” and have converted my Cannondale CAAD9-5 back to a pure road bike and removed the aerobars.   I’m also going to work on my climbing and would love to find a way to ride in the mountains of NC somehow.   I would love to take a vacation follow some of the Tour de France stages one day, but I need to build up to those mountains!    Losing some weight will help (see below).   I would like to complete at least one organized 100 mile event.   I would also like to get my pedal stroke properly analysed and, perhaps, work with someone’s power meter for a while to try to get a good feel for how to get the best out of this relative strength.

Outside of specific triathlon training, our youngest daughter has finally learned to ride without training wheels and SWMBO loves riding her bike, so I’m looking forward to lots of “family rides” both on the local trails and at the coast.

Finally on the bike side of things (and this is something that I have already started) I’m going to do most of my own “wrenching” and keep my bikes in tip top shape – I already have my workshop kitted out!   J

2.   Get more sleep.   Have been doing well on this, but have slipped a little over the holiday period (those darned bowl games!)

3.  Attend The Puppeteer’s spring triathlon weekend clinic at the end of March. 

4.  Work out more often with others.   With the exception of a few rides with The Snitch, I was pretty much a Lone Wolf last year.   Working out with others is much more fun and I can now at least hold my own a little better than this time last year!  I can also learn a lot from those with more experience.   This has already started and The Puppeteer is already arranging a lot of group sessions – yeah!

5.  Find my racing weight.  I’m guessing that this is somewhere in the 180 – 185 lb range and will make a big difference to both my bike and run performance.  Of course this involves both continuing to eat well (sensible portions; good quality food; push calories earlier in the day) and burning calories.

6.  Have my run gait fully analysed (this may go along with 3. above) and continue to work on run technique to both improve performance and reduce injuries.

7.  Take dynamic warm-ups and post workout stretching very seriously.

8.  Stay hydrated

9.  Get serious about racing!   I know the ropes now and should know how to properly pace myself etc.   No reason to hold back!   I may not be challenging the podium any time soon in my age group (there are some scary dudes out there!) but I will improve my performance and race results!

10.  Continue having fun!   Train and race with a smile on my face.  This lady is my inspiration in this regard!  If a world champion can absolutely destroy world records without ever taking the smile off her face, then so can I!    Ummm....   I mean I can keep smiling, not break any world records!!!

Resolutions.....

We have very much enjoyed the holiday season, including the annual "Gloggfest" celebrations down on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Training has been pretty light, in no small part because (a) I am still fighting off the final vestiges of a nasty cold that I had before Christmas and, in particular, (b) I am still struggling a little with the right calf injury that I suffered during a track workout at UNC earlier in December.  I thought that I was recovered, but I tweaked it again during a run along the beach road in Nags Head a few days ago and had to walk back along the beach.  A walk/run session this morning was fine and I'm hoping that some deep tissue work with The Beast later this week will finally get the kinks out.

Last year I didn't make any specific New Year's resolutions, preferring instead to focus on my first few months of working with The Puppeteer and to keep working on my "Don't be a Homer" initiative....      http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1631188878356297104#editor/target=post;postID=3336876058300963647

I will post some specific training thoughts and objectives soon, but in the mean time I did decide to make two specific New Year's resolutions this year.   Here they are:

1.   The first is a "personal resolution"....     I will spend less time "pfutzing around" ("futzing?") on my computer and more time reading or doing something more constructive with my spare time.  This will also include being less obsessed about work email at all hours of the day and night!




2.  The second is a "triathlon resolution"....   I will put hard effort and full intensity into every training workout (unless specifically instructed not to!).     Focus, focus, focus!



If you see me slacking off feel free to yell at me!

Happy New Year everyone!

The Team....

At a Christmas party yesterday someone told me that they enjoy reading this blog (and that I had inspired him to start working out, which is nice!) but that he couldn't quite work out who all the characters are, so I promised him this update - here goes.....

First, and most importantly, my lovely wife who puts up with all of my crap; supports my crazy training and is the most wonderful Mom to our two lovely daughters.    Ladies and gentlemen......  "She Who Must Be Obeyed" ("SWMBO"):

SWMBO - for anyone who is wondering, the name comes from the late John Mortimer's Rumpole of the Bailey books

Next up, of course, is "The Puppeteer" - my wonderful coach and all round good egg Stacey Richardson http://www.tristacey,com/ :

Finishing strong!



 Next up!    That would have to be "The Snitch" - fellow victim of The Puppeteer, friend and awesome short course triathlete.  She's heading to Nationals next year!  The name comes from her propensity for ratting me out to The Puppeteer if I don't train properly, eat a doughnut or otherwise stray from the path!

Get out of my way!

While on the subject of fellow victims and awesome triathletes, here's the recently introduced "Compass" looking far too happy as she competes at Ironman Florida a few weeks back:

Looking waaaaay too cool considering that she still has a full 26.2 mile marathon yet to run!

Now onto some the invaluable folk who help keep me running, both literally and figuratively.

First TRX expert, fitness trainer extraordinaire and good friend Kim....   The Dominatrix:  http://www.simplyfitraleigh.com/


She may look as if butter wouldn't melt....  but she can punish you!


OK, waaaay too many ladies, so next let's introduce the guy who keeps our bikes running and makes sure that they fit us properly....   Matt, "The Surgeon"....    http://www.carycyclesurgeon.com/

Sure he's not as cute as the rest of them, but he's cool!

Who else?   Oh yes, Holly....   "The Beast", who does deep tissue massege.  Unfortunately I don't have a picture, but you'll have to take my word for the fact that she's five foot nothing and about a hundred pounds of pure evil!   http://www.lavenderwillowmassage.com/

Finally, at least for now, the latest addition to the stable.....  "The Slut":

Love!.....



Introducing..... "The Compass"

OK, so it's been a while since I introduced a new charachter to the blog to join She Who Must Be Obeyed; The Puppeteer; The Snitch: The Dominatrix and The Beast (unless, of course, you count The Slut, but she's made of carbon and doesn't really count) so it's time to introduce......   ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.....     her sense of direction and spatial awareness are legendary on several continents.....   I give to you......    wait for it.......   The Compass!

This is the first time that a blog character has come up with their own name.   I really didn't want to allow this too happen, but in this case "The Compass" is perfect!

The Compass is another one of The Puppeteer's athletes who, in real life, goes by Lindsay and, let's just say, she has quite the reputation for getting lost on rides and generally not being able to find her way out of a paper bag!    Other athletes quivver with fear when they hear that they have to ride with Lindsay.   Most pack extra food and a tent and the sensible ones bid goodbye to their loved ones knowing that they are going to be gone some time and that it may be weeks before they return.  Extra life insurance is advisable and sales of flares and GPS tracking events have skyrocketed locally.



The way The Compass sees life.....

 Well, the day finally had to come and on Sunday I was scheduled for a 2.5 hour ride with The Compass and The Snitch.   Being a sensible fellow, I volunteered to plan the route and ensured that it would commence at my house.   Somewhat surprisingly The Compass found the house with the aid of a GPS app on her phone and made it on time.   Her reputation was soon validated though when, after coming in for a chat before we set off. she was unable to find her way out of our kitchen!   Not a promising start....

Thankfully The Snitch and I were able to tie string to the back of the Compass' bike and prevent her from going too far off the beaten path and we enjoyed a nice (but chilly) forty plus mile ride around the north side of Falls Lake, up to Creedmoor and back before spending some time back in the kitchen chatting with SWMBO, drinking coffee and trying to warm-up!



The compass, smiling because (a) she's relieved to be back in the warm, and (b) she's completely incredulous that we completed the ride in less than three days and that no helicopter assistance was required.....

Joking aside, The Compass is a lot of fun and I hope that The Puppeteer schedules more joint workouts.   She's also an awesome athlete, having recently finished her first Ironman event in Florida!
Welcome to the blog Compass!

Where's My Tutu?

Step aside Vaslav Nijinsky; move over Rudolph Nureyev; get out of my way Mikhail Baryshnikov.....   there's a new sherif in town!

Our girls are very keen dancers and every year at around this time they have a parent participation day at the dance studio.....   and today was the day!   I went along to support our youngest daughter, but primarily to take a few photos and have a good laugh at SWMBO's expense but I was soon drawn into the class!   I was pleasantly surprised to find three other Dads in the same position.

No, not this position.....



This was basically a full lesson and it started with five minutes of really good stretching.  Needless to say most of the Moms were more flexible than tha Dads, but I think that I might have been the most flexible Dad.  It's not saying much, but score one for me!   It turned out to be a lot of fun and a good workout - there's no doubt that ballet is a serious athletic endeavor and I can see why it is becoming a popular cross-training option!

OK, so I didn't actually wear a tutu, but it was fun!   OK, actually it was fun apart from the part where SWMBO accidentally kicked me in the "unmentionables!

Just to prove I was there......

SWMBO working the pole bar!

The Simple Joy of Walking

As you might have read in a previous post, I tweaked something in my right calf during a track workout at UNC Chapel Hill about a week back.    It was pretty painful for a couple of days afterwards, but things have been loosening-up pretty nicely.   I managed an easy run on it on Saturday and all was fine except the hills.   Despite this, The Puppeteer has me taking things easy so that I can fully recover and has scheduled a couple of walks over the past few days to keep things loose (thankfully I don't feel it at all on the bike).

The weather has been beautiful - crisp and sunny - and I have really enjoyed just heading out for a walk - without any training goal, target pace or HR objective - something that I don't do very often.  

I have spent a lot of time on these walks just enjoying the scenery and feeling thankful that I can walk out of my door and pretty quickly be in rural Wake County or even in local neighborhoods and enjoying places like this:

The covered bridge in Barton's Creek - decked out for the holidays...



It's also amazing at how much more you notice when you slow down a little (and when all of the leaves are off the trees!).  I discovered a nice little trail system that I can make good use of - a series of short interconnected gravel paths through the woods:

Finally, in addition to our resident wild Tom Turkey, who is still hanging out and still chases me occasionally (see post from earlier this year) it's nice to see so much wildlife.   I see whitetail deer almost every time I run (and generally think of them as a pest because of the damage they cause in the yard).  I had an unusual encounter on Saturday though and can only assume it's because someone is feeding them....     As I was walking I could see four whitetails just off the road perhaps 100 yards ahead.  Two does and two juveniles.  I'm used to them either running off or watching cautiously as I pass by and was fully expecting "the usual treatment".  This time, however, all four started walking towards me as I approached.  I slowed down and, to be honest, became a little cautious as they got closer - even a doe can give you a pretty good butting if she chooses to!   It was pretty apparent though, that they were in fact being friendly and they came within literally just a couple of feet.  I might have been able to pet them if I tried.  Beautiful animals, even though they are a pest - just hope that they don't turn up in our back yard!

The best news of all is that my calf is feeling pretty good again and after my bike workout tomorrow and swim on Wednesday, I hope to be back to my scheduled run workout on Thursday.