Monday 7 September - Sunday 13 September 2009

Sun 9/13 - This was the 3rd week of a 4 week "build phase" cycle. This coming week is a recovery week. I also have 2 more acupuncture appointments this coming week. I decided to adjust my prewritten workout plan by removing some of the last few "peak phase" weeks. The reasoning is that the so-called build workouts are slightly easier but also necessary before peak workouts are done. If I drop some of the build weeks I will possibly ramp up distance/intensity too quickly, risking injury. The main modification I have made to that is to change the length of the long bike rides on the weekends so that I increase those to the maximum prescribed distance by the time it's time to taper. I believe I can do this with little risk as I don't intend to increase more than 10% at any point.
With 10 weeks of training left to go, while I'm comfortable with the bike and swim training, the run is of great concern. While I'm doing water running and doing some excellent work in the weightroom to try to compensate for my lack of road running, I know it's not the same. Acupuncture has been frustratingly slow and I'm not sure it will be a success. I don't really have much time to train, successful or not. I've resigned myself to having to walk more of the marathon than I'd hoped. But I'm very optimistic that I've done everything reasonable (or should I said beyond reason?) to perform the best that my body will allow. Although I have brief flashes of disappointment/frustration/anger/dejection, I am ever hopeful and am training as if everything will be great!
The La Jolla Rough Water Swim was today. Very choppy conditions and a good sized swell. At least the water temperature was good: at least 70. Very pleased with my swim under the circumstances. Only 2 minutes slower than last year's first effort. Plus I did a 78.5 mile bike ride the day before. (I didn't want to sacrifice that for the short term Gatorman goal when there's only 10 weeks until Ironman Arizona.)
Went a 1:25:08, 229th overall out of 491 finishers, 162nd of 342 men finishers, and 20th of 46 in my age group. Did well on the sighting and tried to swim with people so that I could draft (and also gain experience for the Ironman swim). I was only mildly successful on the first leg. During the 2nd leg I abandoned the effort pretty quickly because one group kept moving off course and more toward shore and the other group swam outside and I lost contact with them. They also seemed to be aiming too far left of the Cove. With the rolling swells it was difficult to see anybody and I felt like I was on my own nearly the whole way back. I was worried about not being able to do a water warm up because I always end up with tight, sore lats a few minutes into a swim without it. The pushups and arm swings seemed to help. I tried to swim the 1st half at a steady pace so I could "negative split" the 3 miles but it's hard to gauge. A good strategy would be to take the first half a little slower and try harder to draft behind someone.
Only lifted weights once last week as a compromise for Gatorman.

Weekly Totals:

Swim 11,000 yd

Bike 8:07

Water Run 2:40

Wts 1 time

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Monday 9/7 Labor Day
Rest day
1 mile ocean swim at LJ cove at recovery/moderate effort

Tuesday 9/8
am Swim 2950 yd, 45 min Water Run
3,2,1
200 Mtn Fly K
200 Mtn Fr P
50 s
6 x 100 Fr mod on 1:30
12 x 50 Fr sprint on 55 - 35, 35, 36, 35's, 34, 34
100SD
Water Run 45 min
10 x 60 sec sprint RI 2 -2:30

pm weight training

Wednesday 9/9
am Spin Bike Ride 1:20
55 min class
25 min post-class @HR137 ave
HR161/1234; 845 cal
Zone4- 42:46, z3- 19:00
pm Acupuncture treatment - no spin bike workout

Thursday 9/10
am Swim 3150 yd, Water Run 45 min
3,2,1; 6 x 75 Fr P on 1:10
6 x 75 K on 1:40
75 s
6 x 200 Fr fartlek on 3:10 alt 50 ez, 50 H
6 x 50 Fr sprint on :55
75 sd
Water Run 45 min
pm teach eBay class - no spin bike workout

Friday 9/11
am Spin Bike Ride 2:00
60 min
HR166/136; 708 cal
Zone 5- 13:34, Z4- 25:37, z3- 12:59, z2- 3:47
15 min break
pre-class 15 min, class 45 min
HR154/137; 741 cal
Zone 5- 5:24, Z4- 33:16, z3- 22:31, z2- 1:29
Acupuncture treatment
pm No weights - rest for Gatorman

Saturday 9/12
am Road Bike Ride 4:47, 78.5 miles
HR155/126; 2805 cal
speed 38.8/17.5 mph
Zone4- 1:05:34, z3- 2:411:54, z2- 41:02
it sure is more crowded on saturdays, with more stops for traffic lights
pm 40 min water run

Sunday 9/13
pm Gatorman 3 mile ocean swim 1:25:08
20th of 46, 162nd of 342, 229th of 492

Water Run 30 min at recovery effort
No weightlifting today

Sunday 7 September 2008

La Jolla Rough Water Swim Gatorman 3 mile - 1:23:00, 20th of 51 men 50-54, 153 of 329 men, and 221 of 478 overall finishers.

Warm up - run ~.5 miles, swim ~.25 miles

4:30pm Run 7.05 miles, 1:10:40
HR143/131; 754cal

28 min walk with Mrs Sladed

Sunday 7 September 2008 - LJRWS Gatorman

Today was my slowest 5K ever. It took me one hour and 23 minutes to finish, and to tell the truth I was only supposed to go 3 miles, a tenth of a mile short of a true 5K. I was happy enough with the time though since I did swim this distance, not run it. My intention with moving up from the La Jolla Rough Water Swim mile was two-fold. First, I wanted to see if I could actually swim that far in competition in the open ocean. Second, I wanted to gain experience for the Half Ironman Triathlon in April and a possible Ironman down the road. Both purposes were satisfied.

Fortunately the water was warm and the swells weren't too bad. The start was crazy with what I heard to be 575 swimmers, all going off at once. It was a giant churn for a good 500 yards before it started to thin out. This was a good experience for Ironman competition, where usually around 2000 people start from the water.

Once the swimmers began to spread out I tried to settle into a rhythm while aiming for the Scripps pier. In trying to line myself up to swim straight, I aimed for a spot on the hillside beyond the pier that was easier to see. You never know if you're successful when you're trying to swim straight. Before I got half way to the pier I had nobody around me. It makes you doubt yourself.

A couple of times I ran into big clumps of kelp but, like everyone else, just kept going. While I was out there with no one around me, suddenly a girl appeared and swam across my path. I had to chop my stroke and adjust. Then she zigzagged in front of me again. Then it happened a third time. Was I going crooked or was she? I'll never know. It was just amusing that it happened in the middle of nowhere with no one else around.

Finally the pier started to look bigger and I was getting closer. I caught an occasional glimpses of what I hoped were the orange and yellow balloons marking the turnaround point. As I got close to the pier my thoughts went to my brother, Slade441, and his story of sneaking onto this closed pier and jumping off of it in his youth.

The water was choppy a few hundred yards before the pier and was worse heading back to the Cove. All the way back it was hard to get more than a few strokes going before getting knocked around a little and having to try to find my form again. It made it hard to be efficient and strong, which is part of the challenge of a rough water open ocean swim. There are no lines on the bottom, no walls to do flip turns, and no lane lines or gutters to keep the water smooth.

The trip back was similar to the swim out, only in reverse. Once again I took aim, this time at a tall building that lined me up with the Cove. As I swam, the crowd disappeared and I was on my own again. I wondered if I had veered too far out and so, changed my target. Soon one of the lifeguards on a paddle board waved at me and pointed. I stopped and he told me to head out farther, the opposite of my original correction. I thanked him and kept going. Soon I rejoined a crowd of swimmers and we headed for the Cove.

Once your hands touch the sand twice as you get to shallow water you stand up and run, or walk, to the finish line. I took about 10 steps, crossed the line, and then had to hold on to something to keep from falling over. After swimming that far I had no balance, which concerned the volunteers who kept asking me if I was okay. It just took a few seconds to be able to stand up without staggering sideways like a drunk.

Without knowing my place or final time yet, I'm happy with the result. I learned from the swim and accomplished what I wanted. Yes, lots have people have done this swim. But until now I haven't. I feel a sense of personal accomplishment, similar to after completing my first marathon last June. And it's another step towards a successful 70.3 Half Ironman.

Sunday, 9 September 2007 LJ Rough Water Swim

77th La Jolla Rough Water Swim
Run 10 minute warmup, Short swim warmup
Swim 1 mile - 27:35
145th of 615 Men (2006 - 178th out of 545)
23rd of 95 men in the 50-54 age group (2006 - 37th of 84 in 45-49 age group)

Italiphil's time of 32:38 placed 54th in the 50-54 age group of 95. Italipeter's time was a mere 3 SECONDS faster.

Sunday, 10 September 2006 LJRWS

76th La Jolla Rough Water Swim
Run 10 minute warmup
Swim 1 mile - 26:41

The results have been posted. Italiphil placed 41st in the 50-54 age group out of 84. He also beat Italipeter's time from last year by 3+ minutes. I got 37th in the 45-49 age group out of 84. Placed 178th out of 545 swimmers in the Men's Masters Division.

I guess I'm always interested in comparing and measuring how I did against other competitors.