...and the Road is Long!!

Training is still going very well...at least I'm not hurt at this point, which is a serious step up from my previous races!! The last few weeks have been fairly busy and focused. I did participate in the Publix 1/2 marathon on March 21st...which just happened to fall on the first day of spring!!...Coincidence?...I think not! The following week was a little slow and sporadic, I felt like I was taking it easy during the race, but I have to say I sure felt it for most of the following week. I did make a few spin classes and survived, but tried to run a few times and ended up just doing short little runs, trying to loosen everything up. This week will be a pretty hard week volume wise...assuming of course I get everything done:) Check back on Sunday and I'll keep you posted!!

V8...Its Nutritious & Delicious

Great weather in the ATL led to a really nice training weekend. 70 mile bike with my friend Burt on Saturday followed by a 3 mile transition run. The actual run was slower than a frozen bottle of Aunt Jemima syrup, but ..Hey..I did complete it. Legs were super tired though!! My shin felt like my dentist shot it full of novocaine!! I followed this with an 11 mile run on Sunday, again slow, but I'm basically just going for volume at this point....at least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!!

Good swim on Monday drills and main set consisting of ~2,000 meters. Should be a pretty hard week ahead as long as I can find the time (and energy) to accomplish everything. The week ends with a Century ride on Saturday and then the Publix 1/2 marathon on Sunday, so that should be interesting to say the least or maybe you can just label me a JACKASS ....and we'll call it a day!!

6 Months and Counting!!!

Okay, okay...I know...I have come to the realization that I TOTALLY suck at blogging. I am however a little better at training. A little less than 6 months before Louisville and overall the training is going well. I feel like I have a great base built up, so now its time to pick up the intensity and volume!!! Started 6am spin classes at ATS twice a week beginning March 1 and I can feel a big difference in my legs already....Meaning THEY ARE FUCKING tired all the time!!!!! Thanks Tony:)

Hopefully spring is here to stay, which will make training MUCH easier! I WILL try and post a little more often...but no promises!!!

Week 1 in the books only 34 more to go!!!!

Not a bad first week. 4 runs of 3mi, 4mi, 6.5mi and 8 mi. Two spin classes averaging about an hour each followed by 20 minutes of core ab strength. One outdoor 56 mile ride on Sunday morning in Chasland. It was freaking freezing at the start, but warmed up nicely by noon or so. Hoping the weather will hold off for a while so I can get a few more long rides on the weekends before winter settles in!! Now if Tony will just get me schedules for this week I can maybe keep the momentum going!!

Finally!!!! Back to to training!!

Wow!! Okay after a verrrrrry long bloggin hiatus I am going to start adding (at least weekly-hopefully)training blogs for Ironman Louisville on August 28, 2011!! I just started back with my original coach this week and have been slowly getting back into the weekly grind. Health problems are mostly solved, at least the old ones:):), and hopefully I will be able to remain healthy in 2011 to compete in some races and finally make it back to Ironman distance!!!

The Gaps! Mountainous Training Ride or Cavernous Training Void?

Overall not a bad week last week, although I did get a little de-railed at the week's end as usual. I think my last post was after a pretty horrific shart on Tuesday.

Rest of the week was pretty benign with a long trainer ride Thurday and short run and swim on Friday. Saturday consisted of a pretty long run of 1-1/2 hours that I really struggled with. I just felt tired during the whole run. It was a really pretty day though so I just ran around the neighborhood and followed up with a nice bike ride on Sugarloaf. I usually don't like to ride there with all the traffic, but I just didn't feel like driving anywhere to complete a pretty short ride of 1-1/2hours. I also wanted test out my "old" Trek road bike since my plan was to go to the Gaps on Sunday and enjoy the nice weather and I didn't want to be out in the middle of nowhere if there was a problem.

Sunday morning I decided to hit the Gaps. It was first time going up there in almost a year. Unfortunately they decided to hit back! I guess the long layoff was a little shocking to the legs. My original plan was to do at least the 3 gap 50 and maybe a few more if I felt good. That question was settled after going 0.000001 miles on Neel's (I think even before I actually reached the climb)as my legs screamed for me to stop and go back.

Overall it wasn't a terrible ride but it definitely left me a little more than worn out. I ended up doing Neel's, Wolfpen, Woody's and a quick jaunt up Pigsah Mountain before returning to Turner's Corner. Not sure how I will hold up this week at Mt Lemon.

Treadmills, Spin Bikes, Instructors and Sharts!

Not necessarily in that order unfortunately(:. Interesting week thus far. I totally blew off my Monday core, lift and swim session. I just didn't feel like doing anything after a long weekend. Carole had scheduled me for not one but two runs sessions on Tuesday. First session was a 1-1/4 hr run and later in the day an additional 40 minute run. I knew as soon as I read my schedule that it just wasn't happening. The alternative was 1 run in the 1-1/2 hr range. I figured my best bet was to attempt the latter. I managed to hit the gym at about 6pm after work and got through the first hour on the treadmill. I was starting to rationalize why 1 hr was totally enough, when I noticed the HOT spin instructor I like to fantasize about heading towards the spin classroom. Hhhm, I could cut my run short and get an extra hour of aerobic endurance on the spin bike?

Sounded like a plan to me, so I hustled downstairs grabbed my spin shoes and headed up to spin class for a 7:15 pm start. Somewhere along the way I managed to expel some fairly noxious, pent up GU gases prior to my entering the spin room. At that time I failed to notice anything "different." Probably because I was already very sweaty from my run. Unfortunately that perception changed about 2-3 minutes into class when I noticed a very disgusting smell coming from somebody near me...but there is no one near me..."what the heck...is that me?". Simultaneously I also noticed a little excess moisture floating around in my bike shorts. I could not have just sharted in my pants, could I? Are you kidding me? I'm 45 years old and I just...damn it!!

I should have left class immediately, but pride took over and I somehow managed to muttle through, disgusting myself the entire time. What can I say. When you gamble...sometimes you lose.