....was the word coming to mind during today's workout, among others. Here's the workout:
Bike 5 hours (ended up at 5:15, 91 miles) and run :30 off the bike.
Bike workout: WU: 60' @ 65-70%, 60' @ 80% MS: 2 x (40' @ 88-90%, 10' Easy), 20' Easy, then 1 x 20' @ FT. Remainder (50') is 80-85%, as you feel. (All percentages are as % of FT. 65-70% is easy (below IM watts); 80-90% is HIM watts. So not an easy ride, really. I had happy 15-20MPH winds , but today got the tailwind on the way home. That part was SWEET!--going 27-30MPH with a huge, silly grin on my face. Also, the groovement was gone, so I got to ride some fresh asphalt for about 3 miles. Also a pleasure!
Run workout: Easy out, steady back. Well, I just ran as best I could on the way out. I averaged 8:25/mile or so. What the hell? I can't believe I can run like that.
Below are excerpts from my internal dialogue while on the bike:
Pay attention! (said to numerous cars with drivers on cell phones)
Fucking stoplight.
This sucks. No, this is how it's supposed to be. If all I do is ride easy, I am slow.
Thank you (pointing upwards) for the wind today. It helps me to work harder.
I feel very scientific! (I rode in Fermilab, one of our National Accelerator Labs, again today)
I LOVE Nitrogen (thought while looking at one of the numerous Nitrogen tanks).
No, wait, I LOVE Oxygen (but there were no tanks of it--I just got to breathe it in)
PLEASE BE WINDIER (thought while the wind was gusting to about 35MPH in my face)
Hello, Bobbleheads (while looking at the buffalo)
Thank you (to a man in a car who let me cross this busy road ahead of his left-turn right-of-way)
My ass hurts (well, DUH)
My neck hurts (after first 2 hours in the aerobars, but I got used to it or else I ignored it)
UGGGGHHHHHH (after the first HIM interval)
I like to pee (while peeing at one of the Fermilab entrances)
Hi! (to at least 50 cyclists today, lots of riders were out)
(hand gesture) Thumbs up (to the guards at the various Fermilab gates since they saw me 4 or 5 times)
I suck (whenever I felt I wasn't generating enough power)
I am fucking great (other times)
I can't believe I am doing this right now cuz I've already put in 11 hours of training this week
I wouldn't rather be doing ANYTHING except riding my bike today (whenever I saw a convertible with the top down)
My bike is better than yours (whenever a motorcycle would drive by me)
I'm disgusting (2+ hours in the saddle you are pretty much like this, right?)
Why do I do this? Oh, it doesn't matter, I have a workout to do.
Why do I do this? I don't know, but I may as well keep pedaling.
Why do I do this? I spent good money on the stupid race fee.
What a great way to get a tan!
I am fucking out of my mind. 6 years running now. It could be worse, though.
Maybe I'll stop doing this after Ironman Brazil and just work out 1 hour a day. That would be like--well, NOTHING.
I can't believe I'm OK with circling around this lab like 6 times. I'm like a hamster or something.
The squirrels look really happy. They don't question their existence, do they?
I LOVE Ultra Violence.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
My Pet Tapeworm
He's baaaaaack. Constant hunger. Metabolism is racing like a good BBQ fire. Throw more wood on it! I don't think it matters how much I eat now, as long as I E-A-T. And try to match that to my training. This is not easy, but I'm trying.
Yesterday, thankfully, I got my Bitch back. All with SRM re-energized with new batteries, speed sensor works, recalibrated, bike all tuned up, gosh I missed her. So I needed to do an FTP test yesterday.
I was supposed to do a brick run, but that would need to wait until later in the day, since it took some time getting to the bike shop, and then I needed to wait for new cleats to put on my shoes (luckily I spotted the worn out metal on the old pair last weekend). The run would get done after work.
I had about 300 calories at breakfast, I ate a banana, I snacked on jelly beans, and I started on a can of Ultra Violence before the workout. During the workout (my FTP hasn't changed, by the way, still holding at 171), I polished off the UV and a little Gatorade. When I finished (around 1:45PM), I drank a serving of Endurox R4 and had about 300 calories of lunch. So at this point I'm up to about 1400 calories.
At about 6:15 I went to the Y to do a short run. I figured I'd run on the treadmill just to keep my QL/piriformis issue in check, and then I'd stretch afterwards. I drank a 20-oz. bottle of Gatorade during and finished up while I stretched. I got home at 7:30 ready for dinner, relaxation and sleep.
As soon as I got into my house, I felt a little dizzy and weak. My good friend Mr. Hypoglycemia had come to visit! Since I knew what it was (although I was a little surprised--I didn't think I was that depleted), I decided to gamble a little and see how long I could wait to eat something before passing out, or at least falling over. But I threw my dinner into the microwave for 2 minutes 45 seconds, and when it was done I finally sat and chowed down. I literally shovelled the rice into my mouth, because I was no longer willing to mess with Mr. Hypoglycemia. About 10 minutes and 700 calories later, I felt fine. Actually the dizziness passed within minutes of getting the rice down (see this is why sometimes you need to eat high glycemic foods). But it made me laugh, and I wouldn't have written a post if this hadn't happened. I figured I was still low on calories for the day, so I polished off the remainder of a package of Jordan almonds, maybe 20 of them? It doesn't matter. I needed calories.
I lasted about :45 reading before it was lights out. And I went down FAST, by 8:45.
I know that tapeworm is still with me because I woke up hungry, ate, went to the pool, was hungry while swimming, and I'm eating again. About 4 more weeks to deal with the tapeworm and then it will be taper time! But it's totally worth it to be on the lean side; it's what I want for Ironman Brazil, and dealing with some level of hunger is worth the effort.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Weekly Workout Totals: 04/10/2006-04/16/2006
It was another banner week! I capped it off with a 3-hour ride today. Same directions, same wind, only stronger, and as a bonus, I got to play storm-chaser on the way home. When I woke up, it was rather cool (about 50F) and it had rained overnight. The forecast called for sporadic rain throughout the day and cool temperatures. Well, since I "only" had to ride 3 hours today, I procrastinated, and luxuriated with the Sunday paper and coffee and organizing my day and next week and such. As I procrastinated, the weather improved, and I decided, what the hell, I'm riding outdoors. ALWAYS a better option than the trainer.
Today I wore a regular short-sleeved jersey and regular length tri shorts. I got a decent sunburn yesterday and didn't need a repeat performance! As I headed out west, I could feel the wind pushing me there, only today I wasn't so happy about the prospect of >20 miles back in headwinds. Oh well, this is about work now, so I needed to get to work.
I shot a can of Ultra Violence before I started, which helped to clear the cobwebs from yesterday's big day. That really helped! And I loaded up some more Ultra Violence onto the bike, because I thought it might come in handy today. Big week, big workout yesterday, everything is pretty huge in training right about now!
The ride felt hard today, and I don't think I was able to push as much as I wanted to, yet I was pushing most of the time, because I was battling seemingly swirling winds. Although the weather had cleared somewhat, there were clouds gathering (lack of sun was not something I missed today!), and I needed to be on the lookout for potential storms.
Long story short, when I was about :45 from home or so, the sky looked really dark to the south and east where I was heading. I guess this was all the impetus I needed to push harder to make it home before getting soaked! All I could think was BEAT THE STORM, BEAT THE STORM. And I didn't want any stinking cars getting in my way. So I pushed, riding through the groovement zone again (arghhhhhhh), and about 3 miles from home I felt the first raindrops. No lightning or thunder, though, so I was good to go. I just kept pressing and pressing. I knew that at any minute the sky could open up and I could be in for some serious weather. I started to feel bigger raindrops. GO FASTER, DAMMIT! Luckily, it being Easter Sunday and all, there wasn't much traffic those last few miles. And I reached my house, exactly 3:00.38 after I started, and the sky opened up! Although my actual riding time was more like 2:50-something, I'm calling it 3 hours on the nose. That was enough for today!
After the typical admin time at home to suck down Endurox R4, eat a quick lunch, and lay in bed for about an hour (to the accompaniment of heavy rain and thunder, you can't beat that), I motivated again since this was my day to catch up on things. Laundry, dishes, cooking, a little cleaning, fixing bottles, washing bottles. At this point in training, there is precious little time on the weekends, so in a way, I was glad to have drunk the Ultra Violence and not actually napped as I still had some energy to get these things done.
And now for the happy totals. I'm on some kind of roll, as I should be, given how close Ironman Bra-zeel is:
Weekly Totals 04/10/2006-04/16/2006
Swim: 8,800 yards in 3.13 hours; 18% of weekly workout time; approx. 1,096 calories burned
Bike: Approx. 158.96 miles in 9.08 hours; 52% of weekly workout time; approx. 3,789 calories burned
Run: Approx. 25.41 miles in 3.9 hours; 22% of weekly workout time; approx. 2,075 calories burned
Strength: 1.47 hours; 8% of weekly workout time; approx. 368 calories burned
All Sports: 17.58 hours; approx. 7,328 calories burned
Sleep: 9 hours avg./night
Stretching: 3.9 hours
Season Totals 09/12/2005-04/16/2006
Swim: 256,850 yards in 90.93 hours
Bike: Approx. 2,402.82 miles in 138.32 hours
Run: Approx. 898.43 miles in 141.47 hours
Strength: 47.47 hours
All Sports: 418.19 hours; approx. 186,334 calories burned
Stretching: 45.11 hours
Season Weekly Averages 09/12/2005-04/16/2006
Swim: 8,285 yards in 2.93 hours
Bike: Approx. 77.51 miles in 4.46 hours
Run: Approx. 28.98 miles in 4.56 hours
Strength: 1.53 hours
All Sports: 13.49 hours
Sleep: 8.46 hours avg./night
Stretching: 2.15 hours avg./week
Goals from Last Week:
Accomplishments This Week:
- Achieved highest ever amount of stretching!
- Persevered despite a "crash" day on Friday
- Reestablished my usual healthy eating after a junk festival on Friday
- Kept my piriformis in good stead, even though it bugged me for a few days this week
Goals for Next Week:
- Average 8+ hours of sleep per night.
- Get in at least 2 hours of stretching for the week.
- Keep up the mental focus. Next week is harder than this week!
- Reestablish my power readings, after a week without the SRM and good power readings.
- Stay on top of my nutrition
- Keep my head in the game during every key workout
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