Sometimes balancing workouts and building relationships is tough
The struggle of getting the miles in day after day is no bullshit. I am making a significant investment of my time and am focusing on removing all of my excuses along the way. I regularly travel several days a week for work. I have improved my ability to inject a...
Open Water Swim Practice
Training alone cannot prepare you for the full set of mental and physical challenges that you’ll encounter on race day.
My performance gains reflect inadequate nutrition
How I came to neglect nutrition Until recently, I've focused almost exclusively on the physical aspects of my training. Yes, I do eat, sleep and go through mental highs and lows like everyone else. However, most of my focus has been on getting the workouts done day...
Showing up is important
Holidays still count Although I'm at the beginning, my journey to the 2020 Ironman Texas continues to surprise me. The surprises show up in various ways. Such as physical improvements, insights into how my mindset affects my training AND how training affects my mental...
Suffering from stagnation
Well, it's been 7 days of stasis, stagnation, sulking, and sickness... While I was in Chicago and Minnesota two weeks ago I managed to allow a pathogen to hitch a ride and populate my respiratory system. It began with chills and dull body aches which made me think...
Rockin’ & Rollin’ in Rochester
My next training conundrum... I'm traveling from Chicago to Rochester, MN and that would take most of the day. The next day, I'd be in meetings from 7am to 5 pm then driving back to Minneapolis. So, I was pretty sure that I'd be too tired to get in a run once I made...
Spend to Swim
The hotel in Chicago didn't have a pool. Since it was built in the 1920s there was no room for one. I was told by the concierge that we had access to a local gym, the Equinox. The club was only a block away, so there was no real excuse to not go. It would...
Running on the road
For me, developing the discipline to maintain my weekly training regimen while I'm on the road has been a huge hurdle. I'm frequently on a plane twice a week. This week was particularly challenging. I was going to be on the road for 5 days and staying in 3 cities....
RACE DAY – LAKE PFLUGERVILLE TRIATHLON (3 OF 3)
Baby Steps If you've never done a "brick" workout, it's hard to relate to the difficulty of running after riding a bike for an extended period of time. A brick is practicing the transition from one discipline to another, usually, bike to run. But, why is it so hard to...
RACE DAY – LAKE PFLUGERVILLE TRIATHLON (2 OF 3)
Get out of the water and get that ass in gear! After the swim, we made our way to the transition area (T1). This is the place where racers switch disciplines. In T1 we "transition" from swimming to cycling. Some will run from the water to the bike. Others take...
Race Day – Lake Pflugerville Triathlon (1 of 3)
Today is Race Day! The 14th Annual Lake Pflugerville Triathlon. Event - Sprint Age Group 40-49. Although this was not my first Triathlon, this was my first one of the year, and more importantly, the first time that I've trained prior to a race. Leading into this one I...
Ironman – One of the most challenging endurance races
8 Week Run Test… Gains!
Johnny has designated this week a recovery week. Part of the recovery process is getting assessments of fitness and metabolic status. I scheduled my run and bike assessments for Tuesday and Wednesday morning respectively. My legs were still a little sore from the...
Running with a new pack
Running is no fun Running for me has been akin to swimming with a laundry bag on my feet. I've always felt like all I could do was lumber along at a mediocre pace. I experienced absolutely no joy during a run. In addition, I never could get past 2.5 to 3 miles...
My Best Ride Ever!
I finally found the local triathlon group! Pearland Triathlon Racing Club is composed of racers of all levels. Runners just getting into doing triathlons to regular full Ironman athletes with multiple years of tri experience. I've wanted to join one of their Sunday...