Burning questions

One of the things I don't think a lot of people realize about running "races" is that aside from just the training, running and sweating there is also quite a bit of planning and strategy. Not only do you have to plan for what you think will happen, but also for what might happen. Blisters, weather and injury are just a few...

For example, here are some of the things I'm still contemplating for the Black Hills 100(k):

1. Should I run with my Camelbak or hand-held water bottles?
2. How far are the aid stations from each other?
3. How am I going to carry some of my nutrition (gels, etc)?
4. What is my nutrition strategy going to be?
5. What will I put in my drop bag?
6. What's the weather supposed to be like?
7. What will I wear?

These just scratch the surface. You truly have to be prepared for anything in the Black Hills - it can be very cool in the morning and blistering hot in the afternoon. In the end, you have to trust that you've made the right decisions...one minor flaw in your race strategy and/or preparations can have a very meaningful impact on your race day. The day is long enough without having to overcome artificial or mental barriers caused by your own stupidity.

Then there's the other side of the coin - everyone always asks, "What do you think about while you're running?"  The answer(s) may surprise or bore you. Here is a run-down of some of the things that go through my mind:

• Lyrics to some of my favorite/inspirational songs
• Not falling
• People who face true adversity/sickness and continue to persevere
• What I'm going to eat after the race
• Taking an ice bath
• What my kids are doing
• "Really!? I paid to do this?"
• Seriously, don't fall

At the end of the day, it's the challenge and sense of accomplishment that I really get a charge from. So come hell or high water, I'll be prepared and all my questions will hopefully be answered by June 23rd.

Just keep swimming...

I've blogged several times in the past that swimming is probably my least favorite of the three disciplines. In reality, the logic escapes me for why I continue to have such a disdain for the sport - it's the least impactful on the body, requires little to no gear and is one of the best cardio workouts you could ever get. I think it's mostly the chlorine.

Some people have a gag-reflex with yogurt (my wife) others with cottage cheese (my wife)...for me, chlorine. It's not that I'm drinking it on purpose. Towards the end of my 4,500 yard swim today (2.5 miles), I was getting lazy/tired and not twisting my body enough to get my face fully out of the water to take a breath. Chlorine ingestion commenced and I had to stop to clear the pipes...still can't get that taste out of my mouth. Ugghhh.

Someone asked me what I think about when I'm swimming (it seems people are very curious about that goes through the mind of a triathlete when swimming, biking or running these crazy distances). Truth-be-told, for the first 2 miles, I am concentrating on a smooth stroke, trying to alternate my breathing and keeping my body balanced so my legs don't drop too far. Between 2 and 2.5 miles however, I replay the scene from Finding Nemo where Dory and Marlin are on the edge of the dark precipice considering swimming down into the dark abyss to find the diver's mask.

Dory delivers the classic "Just keep swimming..." line and it repeats over and over in my mind during every race and swim session I do. May sound childish and insignificant but when your shoulders are about ready to burst and your lungs are about ready to pop out of your chest, it is the one thing that keeps me going.

With less than 4 weeks to go to Ironman Arizona, that is all I can do is just keep swimming. Later.

The highs, the lows

If you've been keeping up, my previous post about feeling awesome really did reflect the natural high I had after finishing a major milestone in my long road to recovery and overall Ironman Arizona goal. It was the cap to a challenging week and a performance that was inline with where my race season ended last year.

Hence, the high.

Enter the new week. I knew deep down that pushing a few extra miles on my Sunday run would probably have consequences...and of course, it did. My calves were knotted up pretty good and my hamstrings were really tight. Several nights of stretching didn't help provide any relief. Hell, I even had a massage on Monday and that only seemed to spread the soreness around to places that previously felt great!! Subsequently, I did not work out on Monday at all - between post-brick soreness and post-traumatic-massage-disorder, I opted to lay low on Monday.

Tuesday morning was another one of those "I need sleep more than another workout" mornings. I felt horrible about skipping that morning.It had been a while since my last swim and I really needed to get back into the pool. I was determined to get in a workout that day however...until I realized I was booked for a meeting at my normal afternoon gym time. Dammit.

Turns out, my meeting got canceled and I was able to bust out of my over-heated office and go for a bike ride. Normally, I try not to ride in the afternoons around here - hot Arizona afternoons don't bode well for the skin, respiratory system or water bottle temperature. Being that it was sub-90 and breezy however, I figured it would be fine.

I only had an hour for my ride so I decided to make it a good one. I was reminded of what a buddy of mine has always maintained, "The faster you go, the sooner your get home (in reference to his kids, wife, etc)". Let's give that a shot.

I couldn't be happier with my performance -  I was able to maintain a good spin, strong cadence and a relaxed aero position. I was hauling ass. In fact, my time (56:13) for 20 miles yesterday is a PR. It's great to see improvements in performance.

In my mind, I've negated all the previous 'lows' of the week and am focusing on creating new 'highs' - as small as they be. Everything counts.

My words...

First, let me start by saying that plantar faciitis will ALWAYS suck. It's something that never goes away completely. Standing/walking in dress shoes for 4 days at our company conference did not treat my feet well. Welcome back pain.

I've spent the last 1.5 weeks making things right with my arches. Rolling (thanks Thera-Band!) and icing up to 3 times a day is not only time consuming but just plain frustrating. The good news is that they are starting to feel better and I'm sure I'll be back running here in another week or so.

This post is mainly dedicated to 'The Words' I needed to find - words of strength, inspiration and acceptance. Every book you read tells you to find words that you mentally carry with you during the race. In my case, I've been needing these words just to get me into a schedule and mindset to kick-start my training. Here they go -

1. Make Time
2. Patience
3. Perseverance

It's important to make the time for the things that are important in life - not just training but family time, kid time. I need to be patient with my progress - expecting results too quickly just leads to frustration and self-loathing. I considered my last word to be 'dedication' but it's so overused - to persevere is more inclusive of the qualities needed to succeed. Strength, confidence and toughness are all rolled up into that word - you keep at it, no matter what.