I am not updating much right now just from time constraints and lack of anything interesting to report. Marathon recovery is going well but my right IT band is giving me some issues, so I am taking it easy on the run until that is gone. Cycling and swimming no problem.
We are competing in the NC State Short Course Masters champs this weekend in Hillsborough. I believe it's my 3rd Masters meet. I am on pace for one per decade at the moment, the last one being in 2000. Open water is more my bag as you might have figured.
Upcoming events:
April 16 - Powerstroke Freestyle Technique in Cary
April 30 - Open Water Clinic at Jordan Lake
May 22 - 5280 Swim at Beaverdam (Falls Lake)
My next triathlon is Tri Orthopeadic Centennial Campus Sprint on April 23. The bike will be in better shape than Azalea, I am shooting for 200+ per week for the next few weeks.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Tobacco Road Marathon
Start slowly. 8 minute miles.
Ease into it. 7:45 minute miles.
Finish strong. 7:30 minute miles.
1:41.10 first half
1:39.56 second half
The end.
Ease into it. 7:45 minute miles.
Finish strong. 7:30 minute miles.
1:41.10 first half
1:39.56 second half
The end.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Tobacco Marathon madness
I will skip the sanctimonious horsepoop and get to the point. I have been training for the Tobacco Road marathon this season, basically to help get me back into better running shape and to have an early season goal that didn't involve biking 70+ miles in 40 degree weather. Many moons ago I ran 3:08 and 3:12 in open marathons (good times for me). I have also cracked badly a couple times. The last open marathon was nine years ago, when I was just a little baby boy. The last one was a bad one, by the way.
My goal for this one was 3:20. Then as the winter went on I found myself in better and better shape. I upgraded goals a bit - 3:15.59 which would be a Boston qualifying time. My 40:41 10k a couple weekends ago predicts a ~3:11 time in various calculators, all things being equal.
(These are worth as about as much as a visit to your local psychic, but they're still a prediction of sorts).
I heard some news about changes to the qualifying standards and registration process but it bounced off my thick skull. A few days ago a buddy reminded me that a BQ that only scrapes in is unlikely to actually get registered for the 2012 Boston Marathon as there will be a week of other people (faster people, better people, more deserving SOBs) registering prior to "any qualifying time" people like I aspire to be.
In addition, the 3xxxx.59 won't cut it anymore. Has to be on the nose or under.
Bragging about qualifying times (BQs in runner lingo) don't mean much to me unless you go run. We have a good friend in Boston which is a driver to go race - beyond the history of the race itself.
I don't have a 3:10 or faster in me right now so that as a realistic goal would not work. In light of this I have downgraded the goal back to sub-3:20 without injury or massive recovery time. My marathon history is littered with fallen soldiers and neither Bri nor myself want a repeat of that:
"Bri, I can't get up, please get me another beer. Bri, please make me dinner, again, my legs hurt, poor me. Bri, waaaaahaaah, Bri."
The plan is to go out with a couple of 8-8:30 miles to warm up, then bring it down to 7:40 for quite a while. No faster than 1:38 (7:30/mile) at the half. If I have a great run then negative split for a BQ or near there. If not just hold steady and finish being able to walk.
See you out there.
My goal for this one was 3:20. Then as the winter went on I found myself in better and better shape. I upgraded goals a bit - 3:15.59 which would be a Boston qualifying time. My 40:41 10k a couple weekends ago predicts a ~3:11 time in various calculators, all things being equal.
(These are worth as about as much as a visit to your local psychic, but they're still a prediction of sorts).
I heard some news about changes to the qualifying standards and registration process but it bounced off my thick skull. A few days ago a buddy reminded me that a BQ that only scrapes in is unlikely to actually get registered for the 2012 Boston Marathon as there will be a week of other people (faster people, better people, more deserving SOBs) registering prior to "any qualifying time" people like I aspire to be.
In addition, the 3xxxx.59 won't cut it anymore. Has to be on the nose or under.
Bragging about qualifying times (BQs in runner lingo) don't mean much to me unless you go run. We have a good friend in Boston which is a driver to go race - beyond the history of the race itself.
I don't have a 3:10 or faster in me right now so that as a realistic goal would not work. In light of this I have downgraded the goal back to sub-3:20 without injury or massive recovery time. My marathon history is littered with fallen soldiers and neither Bri nor myself want a repeat of that:
"Bri, I can't get up, please get me another beer. Bri, please make me dinner, again, my legs hurt, poor me. Bri, waaaaahaaah, Bri."
The plan is to go out with a couple of 8-8:30 miles to warm up, then bring it down to 7:40 for quite a while. No faster than 1:38 (7:30/mile) at the half. If I have a great run then negative split for a BQ or near there. If not just hold steady and finish being able to walk.
See you out there.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Azalea sprint triathlon 2011
A few weeks ago I decided to do the first race in the IOS NCTS series to see where I am at the moment and just 'be there' for the first event. It can be cold in mid-March in NC and this year was no exception - temperature when we started at 8AM was around 40 degrees.
The swim went well, I went hard but not all out. Probably 3:20 in the pool, decent, felt fine.
Coming out of the gym I stopped to put on a wind jacket and hoodie. Not interested in getting pneumonia. Ran to the bike then put socks on. Slow T1.
Bike = no bike legs yet. I have been avoiding hard intervals until after the marathon next weekend. Then it will be hammer time. For now it is more like cloth-covered inflatable mallet time. Slow bike. Painful bike. No lactate buffering capacity. Nerd.
T2, stop to take jacket off. Slow in general.
Run. Legs a little twitchy but felt OK. Back tightened up. The mile markers were either off or the run was .15 long. 20:45. Even splits. Not great but not terrible.
37th overall, 52:14. 8+ minutes behind the winners. 3rd place female.
Lots of room for improvement this season! It will be good to race the same crew in 6 months and see how it goes.
The swim went well, I went hard but not all out. Probably 3:20 in the pool, decent, felt fine.
Coming out of the gym I stopped to put on a wind jacket and hoodie. Not interested in getting pneumonia. Ran to the bike then put socks on. Slow T1.
Bike = no bike legs yet. I have been avoiding hard intervals until after the marathon next weekend. Then it will be hammer time. For now it is more like cloth-covered inflatable mallet time. Slow bike. Painful bike. No lactate buffering capacity. Nerd.
T2, stop to take jacket off. Slow in general.
Run. Legs a little twitchy but felt OK. Back tightened up. The mile markers were either off or the run was .15 long. 20:45. Even splits. Not great but not terrible.
37th overall, 52:14. 8+ minutes behind the winners. 3rd place female.
Lots of room for improvement this season! It will be good to race the same crew in 6 months and see how it goes.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Training camp write up
Bri Blog did a good job of writing up our 2011 winter training camp so the royal we will direct you there for today's amusement.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
back to work
We are back home and I have a stack of things that all needed doing yesterday, so won't be writing detailed posts for a few more days. Camp went well, we had 12 athletes from all over the place join us, weather was cooperative. Biked around 180 miles, ran around 40, and swam a bunch.
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