Calm before the storm

I am still surprised how much my 'spill' took out of me this week. Despite taking Wednesday morning off (planned), I could not for the life of me pull myself out of bed on Thursday morning to go for my scheduled bike ride.

You're probably thinking that I have post-traumatic-bike-accident-disorder or something. That I flinch at the first sign of construction lights. No, no that's not it. I was just flat out tired. Body bruised, shin throbbing and my hand clenched in a ball due to the tightening scab that's starting to form (yes, delightful).

I managed to go to the gym yesterday afternoon to try and get in some weights. Pssh - what was I thinking? I couldn't lift a thing or put any kind of pressure on my right hand. Well, let's see...what CAN I do? Stretching, (upper) abs, Stair Master, (lower) abs, more stretching, more Stair Master and more abs...not a bad workout actually.

This morning was long swim day. In the past, I've loathed long-swim-day. Every age-grouper like me has that one part of their tri's that they just suck at...mine was swimming. I can say that in the past tense now because after taking months off to heal my feet, I spent that time in the pool drilling, floating and breathing. I love long swim days now.

I cranked out 3250 yards (1.8 miles) in about 50 minutes. Tired, but feels good.

I do not have a long bike ride this weekend either. This is my rest week at the end of the month (I'll have to start timing all my bike accidents during rest week!). Things pick up next week again with high-intensity bike and swim workouts. Since I can't lift, I'm going to have to mix in more cross-training and core workouts (which are never a bad thing). I'm also going to delay my running start for another couple weeks to make sure the feet are 110%.

Can't believe that April is already in the bag. See you next week.

205 days and counting...

Damaged goods

If you've ever been in a car accident, you know that the aches and pains don't show up right away. The same thing goes for bike crashes as well.

Today, it feels like I got beat up. Kicked in the shin, put in a head lock by Rowdy Roddy Piper (yes, I know that dates me) and pressed my hand on the grill just a little too long.

! Graphic image warning !

• Damage to right hand
• Road rash on right leg

Of course, there are all the things you can't see - the bruising to my shoulder, knee and quad along with the strain in my neck when my head smacked the ground (helmet is dented and scratched). Thanks goodness I'm going to the chiropractor today. Pain is only temporary.

Don't get me wrong, there is no pity party here. I took the morning off to sleep in a little bit (till 5:30) but I'll be jumping back in the pool this afternoon (or I might try a short run in my new shoes).

No pain no gain, right?

Road rash sucks

Both my pride and right side are a bit bruised this morning after a fateful decision to take a route on the bike that I normally don't take.

My morning bike ride started out just like any other but I've been thinking the last couple rides that I really should venture out and try new routes. Not that the scenario contributes all that much but when it's dark, I'm definitely looking for roads that have a good bike lane and are lit.

I took a left turn this morning that turned out to be exactly what I was looking for - nice bike lane, lit well and low traffic. After about 1.5 miles however, the construction signs start flashing in the wee hours of the morning. No big deal (usually) - just slow down, keep close to the curb and avoid the barrels.

You know how when a road is being resurfaced, they scrape the top layer off leaving a massively bumpy surface behind? This is the road I ended up on. And not just for a couple hundred feet...after a mile of being rattled so hard my water bottle was shaken lose, I decided that I needed to improve my position. Of course, the closest smooth location was the 1.5 foot section of the curb beside me.

Oh, one other thing to note - when they scrap the pavement away, it makes the road and edge of the curb uneven (e.g., the lip of curb is raised above the bumpy pavement). So if you try to swerve over onto the curb, your tires will meet the raised cement of the curb. If your body is leaning right and your wheels are caught on the lip of the curb, they will NOT move in the same direction. BIFF.

After laying there in the dirt for a minute trying to catching my breath and assess which part of my body hurt the most, I stood up and dusted myself off. Dammit that hurt. After a quick assessment of the bike to make sure I could still get home, I got back on and had to endure another .5 miles of the stupid bumpy road. Disoriented and still reeling that I crashed, I spent another 5 minutes trying to figure out where to go next. Nothing looked familiar. I'll just head east, toward the sunrise...

I made it home fine. I'll look over the bike this afternoon to make sure nothing is out of whack. Me, I'll be fine. My pride is probably bruised more than my body but I'll get over it.

Triathlon gear

If you're in any kind of organized sport, you know that the gear you use makes a big difference in how you feel and perform. The same goes for triathlons - so when I find gear that I really like, I do my best to get the word out so that others can hopefully, find the same level of success that I have.

First, props to TriSports.com - hands down my favorite online destination for running, cycling or swimming gear of any kind. They have a great price-match policy and have a fantastic selection of just about anything.

My first piece of (new) gear are the Endurance Aero Tri short by 2XU. If you're not familiar, a tri-short is just like bike shorts except with a thinner chamois. I've had other tri-shorts in the past but I have to tell you that they pale in comparison to this short. I took these out on my long ride yesterday (50 miles) and they exceeded my expectations. I loved how they breathed - never did they get too hot or did I get too sweaty. The chamois, which is not cloth like previous shorts, stayed in placed and did not rub. The best thing about these in my opinion is that they don't bunch up near the top of the leg/crotch. The entire short stayed put and did not 'creep'.

The second product I tried for the first time on Sunday was Perpetuem - a product by Hammer Nutrition. I've been using Heed for the past year or so but all my buddies who have done an Ironman told me that I need to stock up and start using Perpetuem for long rides/runs. I'm not going to spend time on the science or why it's 'good for you' compared to say, Gatorade, but let me tell you...this stuff worked great. A few things I noticed:

1. It kept me nourished without having any solid food
2. It wasn't chalky or have a funny taste (I tried the latte flavor)
3. It has caffeine

A whole bike bottle got me through 3 hours on the bike (well, that and my new shorts!).

So overall a great ride and some new products that I'm really looking forward to using throughout the race season. I hope you check them out to see if they help you as well.

Pro choice

If you decided to read this because of the title, you're probably going to be disappointed that it has nothing to do with Roe vs. Wade. I needed something catchy for this blog, and that's the first thing that came to mind (you'll understand after you read it)

I got home from the gym a little late last night - not a big deal but my wife asked why I was late. I told her that I had only planned on swimming 5 sets of pyramid sprints (a set is 5 laps where the 1st lap is really easy, the 2nd is moderate speed and the 3rd is an all-out sprint, 4th is moderate and 5th is easy). Repeat 5 times. At least, that was the plan. After 5 sets however, I felt really good.

So I made a choice. I kept going. 6 sets. 7 sets. Until I was fully spent after 10 sets (2500 yards or 1.4 miles).

This morning as I was exiting the garage to go on my ride, the cool 40 degree blast hit my face. I stood there shivering, questioning my resolve and number of layers I was wearing.

So I made a choice. I turned on the lights (all 4 of them) on my bike, clipped in and took off.

I'm a firm believer that the choices we make during our day, during our week and during our lives are the very thing that molds us, defines us and makes us stronger.

It is very easy to crumble in the face of adversity - choosing the easy way out is always less confrontational. You can never know your limits if you don't challenge yourself. I have to admit that I'm a fan of the Biggest Loser - not just for the draw of reality television but for the core theme that permeates almost everything they do in challenges and physical activities....re-training the mind is just as important as re-training the body.

Removing mental barriers is one of the key elements of knowing that you CAN - that you're worthy of doing something positive - something that makes you grow as an individual. These incremental changes are the positive reinforcements that allow us to take on bigger and bigger challenges in our lives - athletic, financial or personal. Being in control of your choices is a powerful thing no matter what you apply it to.

So choose to try. Choose to do something you don't think you can.

Yes, it might be scary. Yes, you'll wonder if you can get through it. But I'm positive that the next time you try that same thing (or even something different), it won't take you nearly as long to make the right choice....and you'll be glad you did.

Training and physics?

Sir Isaac Newton was the man. Think about all the different ways you can apply his third law of physics - "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"

After realizing I missed my cycling workout this morning, I laid in bed considering how Mr. Newton's law had crept up on me.

Wednesdays have become my long swim day coupled with 1.5 hours of cross-training and weights. I spent about 1.5 hours in the pool cranking out 3000 yards (or 2700 m for you metric fans). I had only planned on hitting the 2000 yard mark given that my long swim for the previous week was 1500 yards. Well, there happened to be this gal in the pool while I was there and funny things happen in your brain when there is a little competition (however made-up it might be).

Action, reaction.

Whether it was the idea of letting a girl out-swim me or feeling good and pushing myself to do 10 more laps...and then another 10 more...I did more than I expected Wednesday morning. About 1.7 miles just under 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Rounding out the day was an hour of weights and core exercises. This was cut short by issues we're having with my son and his recent unexplained disdain for the KidZone at the gym.

Action, reaction.

Carvor screams his head off. The gym staff comes to find me. We go home. UGH.

So this morning I was supposed to go cycling - didn't make it.

Action, reaction.

1. (extra) Long swim + weights = I'm pretty sore.
2. Slept through my 3 alarms = I didn't wake up until 5:30 (missed the workout window)

So today, props to Mr. Newton. Because of your stupid law, I'm sore, I overslept and missed my bike ride :)

Newton 1, Trevor 0

Need some Zzzz's

I am honestly about to fall asleep as I'm writing this.

I have not been sleeping well the last couple of nights. My guess is that the combination of warmer weather (and temp inside the house) and the pillow I've had since 'Nam are putting the smack-down on my REM sleep.

Did I roll out of bed at 4 am today to do my bike ride? You're damn right I did. It was a good one too.

20 miles in 1:05 - Average speed of 18.5 mph

Looks like I'll try to hit the sack early tonight...and find a new pillow.

Long ride Friday

Normally, I do my long rides on Sunday but this was a particularly busy weekend so I opted to take off early Friday morning (early = 4:30 am) to get in my long ride for the week.

Nothing fancy - just a loop around Gilbert in the wee hours of the morning amidst the dairy farm methane that permeates everything. Thankfully I had borrowed a lamp from a buddy of mine so I could see in some of the more rural areas where there: (A) was no bike lane and (B) was no light.

The light gave out about 45 minutes into the ride but by then the sun was coming up and I had cruised through the rural farm land and into the civilized world of street lights and curbs.

I averaged 18.4 miles an hour for the ride and just a smidge under 40 miles. I felt relaxed and fresh for most of the ride as well which is a good sign considering I haven't logged that many miles in one sitting for a while.

Even better news was that I was pretty good for the rest of the day. Sure I might have dozed off for 5-10 minutes at some point in the day but hey it's Friday and my boss was gone :)

Back to the normal schedule this week. Going to try and push upwards of 110 miles on the bike this week. 20 miles on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings and then 50 miles on Sunday.

Oh and by the way. I got my new shoes. They're bright ass yellow. They're cool. And they're mine. Can't wait to try them out. Review to come soon.

All tingly inside

Don't think less of me because I get excited by a new pair of running shoes.

On some level, every triathlete is a gear-head and will drool like a Pavlovian dog at the sight of a new Garmin GPS or carbon wheel set. I am no different - and that's...OK.

It so happened last week that this awesome sale at TriSports.com coincided with the realization that my feet were on the mend (BTW, at this very moment they are virtually pain-free). I had already tried them on the week before but had mentally put them on the back burner because (a) I wasn't planning to run for another month and (b) it's tough to justify spending that much on a pair of shoes (at least for me).

Egh, who am I kidding. I bought 'em.

Newton running shoes are supposed to be one of the best shoes around for training you how to run more mid-strike, rather than heel-strike. For you non-runners, mid-strike running is when the ball of your foot strikes the ground first, rather than the heel. Anatomically, it's how we all (supposedly) run bare-footed. It reduces the surface area of your foot that strikes the ground resulting in a faster turn-over, less opportunity to supenate or pronate along with removing the impact to your heel (the leading cause of plantar faciitis).

Like a good consumer, I've read all the reviews. And just like anything else, there are positive reviews and some negative. I'm focused on the positive right now because I'm hopeful that it will prevent my foot pain from coming back. And if it helps me improve some of my times, well, that's great too.

So like the big kid I am, I occasionally catch myself hoping that every UPS truck that drives by is going to stop in front of my house and deliver my new shoes. Soon enough though, I will be mid-striking to my hearts content. I just hope that somewhere between the 112 mile bike ride and 26.3 mile run of my Ironman, I will still have that tingly feeling inside.

Putting yourself out there

Yesterday I was able to integrate this blog to my Facebook account - technology rocks. What I didn't realize is that it imported all my previous posts...which is probably overwhelming and irrelevant without the proper context.

So allow me to explain.

I am doing the Ironman Arizona in November 2010. November 21, to be exact. 211 days to be extremely precise.

Some might think me pompous or big-headed posting something like this to the world. For those of you who know me however, that's not how I roll. I find that putting a goal like this out into the world makes me accountable to more than just myself. It's motivating and encouraging to both myself and hopefully others.

Training to date has been slow due to plantar faciitis in my feet. After countless cortisone injections, fly-by-night healing creams and podiatrist appointments I have finally been receiving the holistic rehab (chiropractic, massage and PT) that has allowed me to turn the tide on this injury.

Up until this point, I haven't really felt like announcing to the world, "Hey look at me - I'm training for an Ironman" Because honestly, the last 9 months really haven't been what I could consider training - they've been "I'll-try-to-go-to-the-gym-and-work-out-but-regret-it-because-my-feet-hurt". It weighs on your attitude, your perception and general desire to keep going.

Today I'm in a place that feels good. Granted, I'm still taking it "easy" (e.g., no running) but to give you some flavor of what my schedule looks like:

Monday

• AM: Off
• PM swim (3x100 warm up, 10x100m sprints, 3x100 cool down)

Tuesday

• AM cycling (20 miles @ 20 mph)
• PM weights (circuit training)

Wednesday

• AM swim (3x100 warm up, 1000m tempo, 3x100 cool down)
• PM x-training (1 hr mixed cardio + .5 hr light weights)

So now you're caught up. I hope you continue to follow me through this journey.

Feelin' it

It's been a great week for me. Healing from an injury is one of the harder things I've had to do mentally. It's been 9 months since my PR at the Lake Steven's 70.3 race - it's also been 9 months since I was injury-free.

During that time, I've coped with feelings of frustration, doubt and inadequacy as it relates not only to my current abilities but the prospect of rebuilding a fitness that has to go beyond what I've ever known. The anticipation of knowing that the Arizona Ironman will be by far the most physically demanding thing I have ever done is but a glimmer of hope in the not-so-distant future...and that's a little bit scary right now.

Since last week though, those feelings have melted away - the idea of training, eating right and making wise fitness choices has taken hold of my psyche and begun moving me toward a goal that only few people get to brag about. Knowing that the healing process is working has lifted a burden that only those who are stricken can know...

I am back to enjoying my bike rides. I love hitting 1000 m (for now) in the pool after the kids are in bed. At the present however, it's not for the love of those activities - which is the weird thing (I do actually enjoy those activities for what they are). I'm enjoying them because I know that my feet will feel fine after I'm done with them...is that strange? I couldn't enjoy those things before knowing that I (my feet) would pay for several days following.

Feelin' it is the only way I can describe where I'm at these days. Things are looking up - the feet don't hurt and the fitness is coming back. Now I'm not vain but hopefully the waistline will come back soon as well. I clocked in at 171 yesterday evening...that's +11 from 9 months ago.

Turning the corner

It's obviously been some time since I've last posted here - there is no good reason for not keeping up with the blog so my apologies. However, there has been quite a bit going on so let me catch you up.

Training (if that's what we want to call it) has been more of a maintenance these last couple months. About 2 months ago, I committed myself to a wellness plan at a new rehab/chiropractic place here in Gilbert. I really liked what they offered and they are genuine in helping me fix what ails me. Here's a list of the things that were ailing me:

1. Plantar faciitis - Pray you never get this. If you feel pressure or pain in your arches when you first step out of bed in the morning stop running immediately and see a podiatrist. You have plantar faciitis...running will only make it worse.
2. Misaligned hips - The right side of my hip is about an inch lower than the left. This impacts the alignment of the spine but also contributes to #3.
3. Imbalanced foot pressure - Putting a bathroom scale under each foot, we discovered that my right leg exerts 12 lbs of pressure MORE than my left leg. 12 POUNDS...that's a bowling ball more stress being applied to the hips and feet when I run.

So add all those things up and you have a recipe for disaster. Bio-mechanically, it's easy to see how all of these things are causing undue stress and pressure in areas that don't deal with that very well.

I've been going to rehab (sounds like I'm an alcoholic or something) 3 times a week and doing massage every 2 weeks just to loosen things up and to aid with the chiropractic adjustments (at least, that's how I justify it in my mind!). The early weeks were focused on re-aligning my body, strengthening different muscle groups around some of the trouble areas - neck, shoulders, hips and calves. It's fascinating how so many of the things in the body are connected - often, the location of your pain is not often the source of the actual problem.

Well, to wind this up things are going great. The doctors and I had a re-assessment last week to see what kind of progress I was making. I was very honest with them and said, "I feel great. The spine, neck and shoulders were feeling great but my feet were not getting the attention or relief that I want" They listened and changed my treatment plan to focus on the feet.

After a couple of focused massages and adjustments of the feet, I can honestly say that they are starting to improve. It's relative - they still throb and I feel some pressure but there is a pain that has dissipated - and that gives me hope that we're on the right path and that recovery is near.

I just need to be patient. Let them heal and then wait just a little bit more.

226 days until Ironman Arizona.