Ten days ago I was feeling fitter than I've ever been. I was looking forward to a few more days of hard training before our week of babysitting, and then the final push before starting my taper for Kona. Then, the bottom seemed to drop out. After today, I can look back with fresh and objective eyes and see what transpired. First of all, I spoke to my coach yesterday. We discussed my blog from the day before. He quickly reined me in, noting that I'd only run once in ten days, and that might actually lead to some loss of run fitness. That got my attention. Being a good coach, he intuitively knew not to push that button too hard, lest I'd take it too seriously. There's always a fine line when you're a coach, and Lucho is great at straddling the line between encouragement and criticism. In fact, criticism is a word that I would say he almost never leans in to. He came close yesterday, and it got my attention. However, he used data to help me understand that I had been pushing a little too hard on some of my workouts. Combining that 9 days ago with the upcoming reality of a week of babysitting a nearly 4 year old ball of energy, was enough to send me into an ongoing anxious state.
My dad emailed me today and used the word anxiety. That's pretty accurate. I've been training for Kona like I've never trained before. It's important to me to give this race everything I've got. Why not? It's a lifetime dream. Going there and just participating is not who I am. Going to Kona and having the best result possible depending on the circumstances is what I'm all about. Since I dramatically cut back my training last week in order to babysit, it was almost like a mini-taper. The body's response to that is always challenging. The endorphins drop, and any anxieties are heightened. Plus, the daily challenge of watching my grandson, while loads of fun, was certainly stressful, especially when underneath it all I knew that I could have been training.
I felt a huge relief after my call with my coach yesterday, and last night's blog spoke about that. I had an answer to my struggle over the past week. That gave me confidence that today would be a good day. What I didn't fully comprehend was the added benefit of no more babysitting! It was like 100 pounds had been lifted off my back! I decided to do the same run that I'd done 2 weeks ago. A very challenging, very hilly run. However, from the moment I began the run, I dedicated myself to not pushing too hard, and maintaining my heart rate below 140. A truly MAF (maximum aerobic function) run would have me in this range. It's what I'd actually been thinking I'd been doing in the last several weeks on both the run and bike, but not really. I'd been letting the intensity rise above MAF intermittently, which on a certain level is fine, but from the perspective of getting in as much volume of training as possible, has been counterproductive.
The cool thing today was that with my confidence back, and the weight of babysitting off, I felt like I had wings. I enjoyed every minute of todays run. Well, maybe the last 45 minutes were a little more challenging, as the heat of the day increased into the mid eighties. Nevertheless, for the first three hours (and essentially 16+ miles), I kept on target with my goal for the day. Over the last hour, it was hot, I was tired, and I did let my heart rate increase into the 140-150 range, which by many criteria, is still not too high (zone 2 per Joe Friel). I stopped at my daughters house with two miles left to replenish my fluids and electrolytes and grab some ice. This made a huge difference on the final climb and getting back home.
I felt so good when I got home that I decided to ride one loop of my hilly bike course, all the while keeping my power down to less intense levels. It felt great! I've never done this after a long run, though I have done some easy spinning to loosen the legs and flush them out. This was even better. It also increased my confidence for tomorrow's long bike ride. I'd originally thought of doing tomorrow's ride on a flat course because of the intensity issue, but after today's run and bike, I think that I can handle more hilly loops in my neighborhood so long as I pay attention to my power output.
The title of today's blog kept changing as my workout progressed today. My first thought was the importance of a good coach. I then changed it to "getting off the ledge," which was how I felt last week. I finally was going to change it to "It's all about the run," which I think will be a topic for another day. In the end, I realized that my successful workout today needed to be solely dedicated to my coach and the importance of having great coach in order to do this ironman thing properly!
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Friday, September 6, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 213: Numbers Matter
One of the main reasons to have a coach is to have someone who can be objective when you're not. In yesterday's blog I convinced myself of the need to start shutting things down. It was definitely fatigue speaking but I wasn't paying attention to the data. First of all, I've been chomping at the bit to train. That's not usually indicative of being on the verge of overtraining. Second, a couple of days of rest seem to help significantly. Third, I wasn't really paying attention to the numbers. My coach pointed out that even during my recent 45 minute bike rides, I'm putting in several (if not more) minutes of intensity. Considering where I am in my training, and that I'm training for an ironman, I not only don't need the intensity, but if it's knocking me down, I definitely don't need it! However, that doesn't mean it's time to shut things down. With five weeks to go, I should be still putting in volume, which is actually what I want to do. That volume just doesn't have to be, nor should it be, too intense.
This weekend I will make my way to Westlake Village, where I can run and bike a five mile flat loop. I won't have climbs to power up. I can focus on getting in volume, which I've been definitely doing, but without also putting in intensity. My coach picked a 5 1/2 hour bike ride I recently did, and noted that the amount of intensity I did during this ride would have been a solid workout in and of itself! I've also been stressed this week by babysitting chores, which added a layer to my fatigue. Just recognizing all of this, or rather having my coach open my eyes to it, is already making me relax and feel better.
It's funny. I collect all of this data, but I wasn't really paying attention to it. That's why it's not only good to have the data, but it's also good to have an objective third party, in this case my coach, make sure that I'm using the data wisely. Numbers matter!
This weekend I will make my way to Westlake Village, where I can run and bike a five mile flat loop. I won't have climbs to power up. I can focus on getting in volume, which I've been definitely doing, but without also putting in intensity. My coach picked a 5 1/2 hour bike ride I recently did, and noted that the amount of intensity I did during this ride would have been a solid workout in and of itself! I've also been stressed this week by babysitting chores, which added a layer to my fatigue. Just recognizing all of this, or rather having my coach open my eyes to it, is already making me relax and feel better.
It's funny. I collect all of this data, but I wasn't really paying attention to it. That's why it's not only good to have the data, but it's also good to have an objective third party, in this case my coach, make sure that I'm using the data wisely. Numbers matter!
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 212: It's Crunch Time
Five weeks and two days to go before Kona. The last week has been a struggle. In some ways, I'm ready. In fact, I felt that I wished that the race were in 3 weeks and that I could start my taper. But today I realized that might not be right. I'm feeling the cumulative fatigue of the entire year. The year began with my first 100 mile ultra, and then had one of my best ironman preparations for IM Boulder, where I had an excellent race. I went from that to the Santa Rosa 70.3, where I had another excellent result. I kept my foot on the gas pedal in preparation for Kona. I've done more and higher quality preparation than ever. I've been accomplishing things that I've never done before. And I'm tired.
I remember 2014, the year I completed 3 ironman events and was actually ranked 11th in the world in my age group. That high ranking reflected my endurance and consistency. The following year, however, was a year filled with fatigue and injuries. In some respects, I feel that I've pushed myself pretty far this year. I've grappled with emotional stress unlike any I've ever had. It's taken a toll. I am truly on the edge. That should actually create an opportunity for me.
The key to an effective ironman taper is to get rid of the cumulative fatigue, while staying sharp. I have five weeks and two days to get rid of the fatigue. That should be my primary goal. Staying sharp is always a tapering challenge, and it's as much voodoo as it is science or even art. It's ironic, but as I told my friend Rudy today that I wished Kona was only three weeks away, I immediately knew that I really didn't. Three weeks won't be enough time to wash away the fatigue and effectively recover for my greatest challenge. Five weeks should be enough time. The trick is how to bring this plane in for a soft landing.
My blogs over the past week have delineated a lot of my thoughts on where my training is. There is thing that I am certain of. I can continue to accumulate swim volume and focus on my swim form, so that it becomes even more ingrained in my muscle memory. Swimming is the healthiest thing that I do, and todays 4000 yard continuous swim served to remind me that I can keep swimming despite my fatigue level, so long as I don't try to push intensity. If I can "toe the line" at Kona well rested, my swim intensity will take care of itself on race day and I can have the type of swim that I now believe that I am capable of.
While training in heat has some benefits, the stress of biking and running in the heat is not well placed right now. I think I finally understand that. If I wanted to perform longer bikes and runs, it would be ideal for me to do in a cooler climate. I need to keep that in mind and do everything in my power to stay cool despite the heat. That means bikes and runs with ready access to cold fluids and ice. If I want to acclimatize to Kona, which I still want to do, hot yoga is still going to be my best bet.
How much benefit do I get from a couple more long bike rides or runs? That is the sixty-four thousand dollar question. I find it unlikely that, after ten years of ironman training, and a solid training year thus far, that a couple more long bike rides or runs will make much of a difference. I already had one of my best ironman bike splits in Boulder, at high altitude. I've built on that with several long bikes over very hilly terrain. More climbing will also not make a huge difference, and I may be best served at this point to finally allow myself to do some rides on flat terrain. The same may also apply to my runs, especially if it's hot out, which it will be for the foreseeable future.
Pushing too hard at this point can certainly cause more harm than good. It's time for the soft landing. It's crunch time, but that means it's also time to be smart. Recovery and washing out my fatigue will get me to a better place on race day than squeezing in a few extra hard or long workouts. It's time to stay in the moment and get myself ready for Kona!
I remember 2014, the year I completed 3 ironman events and was actually ranked 11th in the world in my age group. That high ranking reflected my endurance and consistency. The following year, however, was a year filled with fatigue and injuries. In some respects, I feel that I've pushed myself pretty far this year. I've grappled with emotional stress unlike any I've ever had. It's taken a toll. I am truly on the edge. That should actually create an opportunity for me.
The key to an effective ironman taper is to get rid of the cumulative fatigue, while staying sharp. I have five weeks and two days to get rid of the fatigue. That should be my primary goal. Staying sharp is always a tapering challenge, and it's as much voodoo as it is science or even art. It's ironic, but as I told my friend Rudy today that I wished Kona was only three weeks away, I immediately knew that I really didn't. Three weeks won't be enough time to wash away the fatigue and effectively recover for my greatest challenge. Five weeks should be enough time. The trick is how to bring this plane in for a soft landing.
My blogs over the past week have delineated a lot of my thoughts on where my training is. There is thing that I am certain of. I can continue to accumulate swim volume and focus on my swim form, so that it becomes even more ingrained in my muscle memory. Swimming is the healthiest thing that I do, and todays 4000 yard continuous swim served to remind me that I can keep swimming despite my fatigue level, so long as I don't try to push intensity. If I can "toe the line" at Kona well rested, my swim intensity will take care of itself on race day and I can have the type of swim that I now believe that I am capable of.
While training in heat has some benefits, the stress of biking and running in the heat is not well placed right now. I think I finally understand that. If I wanted to perform longer bikes and runs, it would be ideal for me to do in a cooler climate. I need to keep that in mind and do everything in my power to stay cool despite the heat. That means bikes and runs with ready access to cold fluids and ice. If I want to acclimatize to Kona, which I still want to do, hot yoga is still going to be my best bet.
How much benefit do I get from a couple more long bike rides or runs? That is the sixty-four thousand dollar question. I find it unlikely that, after ten years of ironman training, and a solid training year thus far, that a couple more long bike rides or runs will make much of a difference. I already had one of my best ironman bike splits in Boulder, at high altitude. I've built on that with several long bikes over very hilly terrain. More climbing will also not make a huge difference, and I may be best served at this point to finally allow myself to do some rides on flat terrain. The same may also apply to my runs, especially if it's hot out, which it will be for the foreseeable future.
Pushing too hard at this point can certainly cause more harm than good. It's time for the soft landing. It's crunch time, but that means it's also time to be smart. Recovery and washing out my fatigue will get me to a better place on race day than squeezing in a few extra hard or long workouts. It's time to stay in the moment and get myself ready for Kona!
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 211: Balancing Act
This week has been challenging. With less than six weeks to go before Kona, I can do myself more harm than good if I push too hard. I know that I've been writing a lot about this over the past week, but that's probably the point. Sometimes the difference between overtraining and overreaching is small, but the potential impact of pushing too hard can be devastating. I had hoped to do a long run today, but realized that the upside was small. I've already done several long runs, and I've done five 3 hour runs since May. Squeezing in another 20 mile run is nice, but it won't make or break my run in Kona. I still would like to do at least one more, and might possibly get two more in depending upon how I feel. With that said, if I don't do another 20 mile run, it probably won't matter.
Life is a balancing act. Ironman training is a balancing act. The Ironman race itself is a balancing act. I've been trying to maintain some balance all week. My brain wants to work out. My body is feeling the stress of both training and babysitting. I can feel the strain of everything. That's one thing that ironman training does for you. It makes you aware of every little thing that goes on with your body. Ironically, not training for a few days certainly has its own impact. I'm sure that I'm feeling the impact of fewer endorphins. I'm trying to figure out how much to eat, or not to eat.
So, instead of running today, after getting up early and taking care of my grandson, I finally had some time to work out. It was 92 degrees out, and I went for a bike ride. I kept my wattage under control again today, but riding in the heat has it's own stress. My heart rate was higher than I would have liked. Still, it was a decent workout. I took a nap later in the afternoon, and made sure that I was hydrated. I will assess my balance every day. I have to trust my instincts and my body. It's a balancing act.
Life is a balancing act. Ironman training is a balancing act. The Ironman race itself is a balancing act. I've been trying to maintain some balance all week. My brain wants to work out. My body is feeling the stress of both training and babysitting. I can feel the strain of everything. That's one thing that ironman training does for you. It makes you aware of every little thing that goes on with your body. Ironically, not training for a few days certainly has its own impact. I'm sure that I'm feeling the impact of fewer endorphins. I'm trying to figure out how much to eat, or not to eat.
So, instead of running today, after getting up early and taking care of my grandson, I finally had some time to work out. It was 92 degrees out, and I went for a bike ride. I kept my wattage under control again today, but riding in the heat has it's own stress. My heart rate was higher than I would have liked. Still, it was a decent workout. I took a nap later in the afternoon, and made sure that I was hydrated. I will assess my balance every day. I have to trust my instincts and my body. It's a balancing act.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 210: Carbs, Keto and Training
Days like today remind me of the challenge of carbohydrates. I worked out yesterday, but changed my training plans today when I didn't get enough sleep last night. I took a nap instead. I was debating squeezing in a bike ride this afternoon, but decided against it due to 90 degree temperatures and the fact that I was still tired after my nap. We've still got three and a half more days of babysitting, so I need to conserve my energy! This morning and this afternoon I took in some carbs (honey stinger waffle this morning and frozen yogurt this afternoon). I pretty much immediately felt lousy. It reminds me of how I used to feel when I was mostly running and following the carb loading approach to training. My body and carbohydrates are not a great match, especially when my metabolism isn't burning the carbs immediately.
Training for an ironman with a low carbohydrate or keto diet has its challenges. First of all, it's not for everyone. We all have different metabolisms and body types. There is no doubt that I can tolerate a low carb diet, but at the same time, I don't want to be training with inadequate carbohydrate stores in my body, as the stress of doing so is an added one. As I keep learning from babysitting, there's all kinds of stresses that impact the human body, and exercise is just one of them.
I'm intrigued about what it would take for me to get back down to the weight I used to race at a decade ago. I'd have to lose about 10 pounds, which doesn't seem like a lot, but it's not like I'm carrying around too much excess fat. This means that burning carbohydrates risks burning protein in the muscles, which could have a negative impact on me. Nevertheless, I've thought a lot about trying to get down to what I call "fighting weight" for awhile now, especially after I gained weight a couple of years ago while my training lapsed.
I am certainly not against a "keto" diet, in fact, I tend to lean in that direction. However, I am a firm believer that everything should be done in some degree of moderation. It probably wasn't a good idea to eat "empty" carbs today, in lieu of the fact that I'm not going to work out today. Of course, I didn't know that this morning. In fact, I often don't take in any carbs in the morning and start my workout without any sort of carbohydrate "boost." I can't complain as to how that's worked out for me in the past few years. At the same time, with 5 1/2 weeks to go before Kona, I have no intention of doing anything differently right now. I'll keep listening to my body, and keep doing what's gotten me here.
Training for an ironman with a low carbohydrate or keto diet has its challenges. First of all, it's not for everyone. We all have different metabolisms and body types. There is no doubt that I can tolerate a low carb diet, but at the same time, I don't want to be training with inadequate carbohydrate stores in my body, as the stress of doing so is an added one. As I keep learning from babysitting, there's all kinds of stresses that impact the human body, and exercise is just one of them.
I'm intrigued about what it would take for me to get back down to the weight I used to race at a decade ago. I'd have to lose about 10 pounds, which doesn't seem like a lot, but it's not like I'm carrying around too much excess fat. This means that burning carbohydrates risks burning protein in the muscles, which could have a negative impact on me. Nevertheless, I've thought a lot about trying to get down to what I call "fighting weight" for awhile now, especially after I gained weight a couple of years ago while my training lapsed.
I am certainly not against a "keto" diet, in fact, I tend to lean in that direction. However, I am a firm believer that everything should be done in some degree of moderation. It probably wasn't a good idea to eat "empty" carbs today, in lieu of the fact that I'm not going to work out today. Of course, I didn't know that this morning. In fact, I often don't take in any carbs in the morning and start my workout without any sort of carbohydrate "boost." I can't complain as to how that's worked out for me in the past few years. At the same time, with 5 1/2 weeks to go before Kona, I have no intention of doing anything differently right now. I'll keep listening to my body, and keep doing what's gotten me here.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 209: Back on Track
The key word today was patience. After hitting the proverbial wall last Thursday, today was a welcome reboot of my training. We're in the middle of babysitting, so I needed to fit some training into the day. I needed to do some grandpa chores this morning, so by the time I got on my bike, it was already over 80 degrees out. My goal today was to ride my hilly neighborhood loop while keeping my wattage below 200 and my HR under 140. I briefly bumped above both (the HR was a little harder to manage today due to the heat), but was really please with my wattage today. It's really easy to push too hard on climbs, and I will definitely need patience at Kona to keep myself from burning "matches" too early.
The best part about today's ride was that it wasn't that much slower than most of my "easy" rides around my loop. In fact, it was pretty much on track with most of my long ride paces. Another lesson about consistency and moderation. After getting home, I realized that my daughter was occupying my grandson, so there was time for a short run. My legs were definitely a little "out of practice," but I quickly decided it was time to run a 1.8 mile extremely hilly loop near my house. Of course, it was 85 degrees, and the humidity was 50%. I didn't worry about my heart rate too much, except to walk on the steepest parts of the loop, when my heart rate exceeded 150 bpm. Before I knew it, I had run for 3 miles, with plenty of climbing.
The best part of today is the feeling that I'm back on track. Over the past four days I did very little training, focusing on getting sleep and starting our babysitting gig. I had originally planned for a high volume week last week, but that plan went out the window on Thursday when I hit the wall. I have always assumed that this week will be relatively low in volume while we're babysitting, but I'm now wondering what I can accomplish if I am dedicated to keeping my efforts in check and just making sure that I put some workout time in every day. My longstanding struggle, as my coach knows, is that I tend to need to include some intensity in my workouts, but those ultimately reduce the total volume that I'm able to absorb. I'll try to absorb volume this week. I've even entertained the idea of trying to run every day, although that may not work the day after my Wednesday long run. We'll see what happens. No matter what, I'm feeling back on track.
The best part about today's ride was that it wasn't that much slower than most of my "easy" rides around my loop. In fact, it was pretty much on track with most of my long ride paces. Another lesson about consistency and moderation. After getting home, I realized that my daughter was occupying my grandson, so there was time for a short run. My legs were definitely a little "out of practice," but I quickly decided it was time to run a 1.8 mile extremely hilly loop near my house. Of course, it was 85 degrees, and the humidity was 50%. I didn't worry about my heart rate too much, except to walk on the steepest parts of the loop, when my heart rate exceeded 150 bpm. Before I knew it, I had run for 3 miles, with plenty of climbing.
The best part of today is the feeling that I'm back on track. Over the past four days I did very little training, focusing on getting sleep and starting our babysitting gig. I had originally planned for a high volume week last week, but that plan went out the window on Thursday when I hit the wall. I have always assumed that this week will be relatively low in volume while we're babysitting, but I'm now wondering what I can accomplish if I am dedicated to keeping my efforts in check and just making sure that I put some workout time in every day. My longstanding struggle, as my coach knows, is that I tend to need to include some intensity in my workouts, but those ultimately reduce the total volume that I'm able to absorb. I'll try to absorb volume this week. I've even entertained the idea of trying to run every day, although that may not work the day after my Wednesday long run. We'll see what happens. No matter what, I'm feeling back on track.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 208: PapaThon
We're babysitting this week, and today was the first full day. My dynamo of a grandson woke us up at 6:45 am, and my wife kept him occupied until about 8 am. He requested a trip to the bookstore, a kid after my own heart! So, we first stopped to feed his bunny, then went to Barnes & Nobles, where we waited outside on a bench until they opened. He quickly found the book that he wanted, though we looked at a few more, and we headed home. From there, the three of us set out for the day, driving to Ventura to go to our favorite beach park. A couple of hours building sand castles and chasing him in the playground, and we were on our way back towards home, with a stop for frozen yogurt. We got home around 3:30 pm and I took bath duty, which was definitely necessary after the beach. My wife read to him for his nap, and I took a half an hour nap myself. I needed it! I've been fighting fatigue this week, and today was it's own challenge. I can feel my reserves coming back, but chasing a 4 year old around all day can definitely tire you out.
While he finished his nap, I went to feed our kid's bunny rabbit, and then went to the super market. By the time I got home, our grandson was awake, although a bit grumpy, so he chose to watch one of his favorite tv shows. I'm taking the time to write my blog, but I admit that today was somewhat fatiguing in it's own right. At the same time, it kept me moving and certainly didn't allow me to sit around and vegetate.
I had consulted with my coach prior to accepting the task of babysitting just six weeks from Kona, and he made it easy. Being a grandpa is more rewarding than anything that I do, and that includes going to Kona! Kona is a one day experience, being a grandpa is worth a lifetime of experiences. I'll do a "PapaThon" any day!
While he finished his nap, I went to feed our kid's bunny rabbit, and then went to the super market. By the time I got home, our grandson was awake, although a bit grumpy, so he chose to watch one of his favorite tv shows. I'm taking the time to write my blog, but I admit that today was somewhat fatiguing in it's own right. At the same time, it kept me moving and certainly didn't allow me to sit around and vegetate.
I had consulted with my coach prior to accepting the task of babysitting just six weeks from Kona, and he made it easy. Being a grandpa is more rewarding than anything that I do, and that includes going to Kona! Kona is a one day experience, being a grandpa is worth a lifetime of experiences. I'll do a "PapaThon" any day!
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