Thursday, December 31, 2009

12/31/2009 LT Test at PS


Well, today is the last day of 2009. 2010 promises to be non-stop work, to say the least. I'm heading into this with a good solid base, and I'm very happy with the results from my LT test I took earlier today at the Peddlers Shop.

My numbers came out to be 156bpm @ 300 watts. Last year, at the END of winter training, my LT was 156 @ 240 watts. Big improvements made. I'm very happy and proud of myself.

Now, looking forward to the beginning of training. DAY 1 is Monday, (which happens to be a rest day)...Then, I'm in...and no looking back, until July 26th.

Happy New Year!!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

12/29 swim

swim, 200wu, 10x100 @20secs, 200cd

Monday, December 28, 2009

12/28

Run, 10:00 wu, 45:00 @5.5mph; 144bpm, 692cals, 5:00 cd. 4.6 miles

Sunday, December 27, 2009

12/27 (EAGLES-BRONCOS)

BIKE (indoor), 2:00:00, 42.97 miles, 131bpm, 184watts

Saturday, December 26, 2009

12/26


The Day After. Jeez, I've been eating so much junk and crap, I could jump in the pool and would float right to the top. Had a good swim/run workout this morning though. One week til the fun *REALLY* starts, though.

swim, 200wu, (1)500, 8x100 @20 seconds, 200cd
run, 30:00, 144bpm, 496cals

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

12/22

Bike (indoor), 45:00, 173 watts, 130bpm

Monday, December 21, 2009

12/21, a.m. run

run, 10:00 wu, 30:00 easy run, 5:00cd, 131bpm, 396cals

Sunday, December 20, 2009

snow shoveling

2:08:00, 108 bpm, 1465 cals. 24 inches of snow.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

12/17

bike 30:00, 11.17 miles, 203 watts
run 30:00, 2.6 miles

135 bpm, 901 cals

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

12/16 **LAST TRI CLASS FOR THIS SEMESTER**


WOW. Has it really been almost 4 months already since I started with Nick? Jeez. Well, the good news is this: I'm feeling really strong in the water. I'm taking alot away from this class as far as knowledge goes, coming from people who I train with, as well as Nick. I definitely got the most out of the swim portion, and the group runs. So far, in training, nothing has pushed me more than running with others...whether thats Rich and Bry in Tri class, or with Roy in the Turkey Trot. *WHEN* I make it to the finish line at Lake Placid, I will definitely give a shout out to those who pushed me. (Yes, even Mr. Swim, who pushes me EVERY time I get in the water)

So, tonight, I decided since it was the last class, that I was going to push...HARD. We started in the water with a 300 warm up. I have this new thing that I started to do. My first lap (25m), i swim underwater. End to end. I feel it makes me breathe better or something. Its probably stupid, and can be put up there with my thoughts about "wearing tights while riding the trainer indoors, since that keeps my legs constricted" that everyone always laughs at. So, after my end to end underwater journey, I warmed up the rest of the 250. After that, Nick layed out the workout. Broken 500, then 400, then 300, then 200. The 500 would be (1) 200, (1) 100, (2)50's, and (4) 25's. On that first 200, I decided to really push, and I finished under 2:50 (which is my best 200 so far). The bad news is, the rest period is not that long before the 100 starts. I went hard on that, and kept pushing, telling myself that this was the last class...make it worth it. I kept up my intensity throughout the workout. After a 150 cooldown, I hopped out and talked to Nick for a few minutes by myself. He told me how well I'm doing, and how much stronger I've become since September. He did, however, say "imagine what you'd be like if you slimmed down...not that you're fat, but imagine losing a few pounds and keeping your muscle." I know he didn't mean anything by it, but I took that as him telling me to lose a few. I haven't focused that much on my diet in these last few months, and I promised myself I would come January when I start the rigid training program.

After we got changed, we did about a 20 minute spin on the bike. Nothing too crazy. Some people from class were trying to talk Rich and I into growing our hair until Lake Placid without cutting it. I took it a step further, saying that we shouldn't shave either. Rich vetoed both. (Not that I couldn't do it myself, but I've been lazy lately with regards to my hair, and this buzz job that my mom does every 4 weeks or so has been working out for me. PLUS, I can't grow a beard to save my ass, so I'd look stupid)

All in all, this tri class was the right thing for me. At $150, I think it was a great value. I'm looking forward to the spring session, which will take me up to mid to late May.

12/15, workout skipped...


...with good excuse. I decided that it would be a good night, without too much going on, to do the Christmas lights, and also take a look at what it would take to fix my treadmill. I've been dealing with the broken treadmill thing for a while now, and I isolated it to the running deck. I ordered the part ($139), which seemed to be just a 3 foot by 4 foot piece of wood (maybe its some "special" wood, WTFK?) Anyway, after doing the lights, I started to take apart the treadmill, using the instructions for "REPLACING THE BELT", which I figured would lead me up to the point I needed to be to take the deck off. I was right, and after the first 3 steps or so, I ditched the instructions, unbolted the deck, and slid the new one on. After making a few "modifications", everything seemed to go back into its proper place. All the parts that were removed ended up back on the treadmill, which I consider a positive. So, skipped workout, but lots to gain from it...my treadmill works again. Yay.

Monday, December 14, 2009

12/14

swim, 150wu, (3) broken 500's- (1) 200, (1) 100, (2) 50's, (4) 25's, 100 cd...

run, 25:00, 152bpm, 424 cals.

Felt like shit tonight. Maybe I was tired from last night. I don't know. I'm writing this one off. The good news is, the part came for my treadmill, so hopefully I can get that sucka going again soon.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

12/13 indoor bike during Eagles/Giants game

Bike (trainer, while watching Eagles/Giants)...rode for entire first half. 1:45:08, 38.03 miles, 21.71avg/mph, 88rpm, 133 bpm, 169 avg watts (417 max)

Longest ride on trainer so far/nice steady 170-190 watts @ around 135-140 bpm (zone 2). Felt good. Legs a bit tired at the end...but hey...was shooting for 1:30:00 but waited til halftime.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

12/12 tri class

Swim, 450 wu, *timed* 500 (7:42:00), (3) broken 500's - (1) 200, (1) 100, (2) 50's, (4) 25's, 200cd
total swim= 2650 yards

bike, 45:00 spin class, run 15:00. 1:00:00, 129bpm, 735 cals

Friday, December 11, 2009

12/11

bike, 50:00, 18,14 miles, 129bpm, 162 watts

12/9 tri class

Swim, 200 wu, broken 600- (2) 200's, (2)100's, (2)50's,(4)25's
broken 500- (1) 200, (2) 100's, (2) 50's
broken 400- (2) 100's, (2) 50's, (4) 25's
broken 3o0- (1)100, (2) 50's, (4) 25's
100cd

run, 20:00, 141bpm, 304 cals. *ran the wrong way on the track and had to be "reminded" by Rowan rec center employee.*

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

12/08

bike. 22.26miles, 1:00:05, 126bpm, 155 watts

Monday, December 7, 2009

12/7 tri class

Swim, 100wu, (4) broken 300's

Run 30:00, 147 bpm, 474 cals

Sunday, December 6, 2009

12/6

Easy Zone 1 spin on the bike.

30:00, 10.83 miles, 123 bpm

Saturday, December 5, 2009

tri class 12/5

tri class

swim, 400 wu, timed 400 (6:09, 4 seconds faster than last week), 600, (3) broken 300's, 200cd, 2500yards total

bike, 45 min spin

run, 20 mins treadmill @ 6mph

Thursday, December 3, 2009

12/3

bike (indoor), 22.63 miles, 132bpm, 160 watts

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

12/2

Still battling a bit of a cold. Ran outside this morning, since the treadmill is still broken. I called yesterday about the part, and they're supposed to call me back within the next 48 hours with a price. Hopefully that gets fixed soon.

My legs don't really like the cold air. I've been running with tights on alot, and this morning I didn't. It wasn't the best run I've had, but I guess even though I'm not THAT sick, I can blame the leftover sickness for some of that.

Run, about 3 miles, 33:32, 137bpm, 475 cals. (with cotton in my ear.)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

12/1, cottonball ride


Well, the doctor determined that my main trouble was basically "swimmers ear", with some wax lodged in there clogging things up. He flushed out the wax, which led to that clog feeling going away, so now I can hear...BUT, the pain is still there, and my eardrum is inflamed. He gave me some ear drops to put in there for a few days, and recommended that I stay out of the water until it clears up. I still have a slight head cold, so today I decided to stay inside and ride the trainer easy, just to get a sweat on. Its amazing how much a little cold can effect the heart rate. When I'm working easy at, say, 150 watts, my heart rate is USUALLY around 120 or so. Today, 135. As I pushed to 175 watts to chill, my heart rate climbed to the high 140's. Amazing how you can become so "in touch" with your body when you use a heart rate monitor. You can tell when you're having a good day, and when you're not. Fun.

bike (indoor), 45:00, 16.9 miles, 126 bpm, 135 watts *easy spin, due to head cold*

Monday, November 30, 2009

11/30

So, its Monday night. I'm supposed to be in the water right now, but my ear has been bothering me enough to do something about it. I called the doctor at 5:15 to ask about a possible appointment in the morning, but the receptionist said they could squeeze me in tonight if I "didn't mind waiting". Well, my first thought was that I must be in for a looong wait if they warned me like that. (Since most doctors usually make you wait long anyway...)

So, I'm sitting in the waiting room as I type this, and, yes, I'm "waiting". I got here at 7:15, and its now around 7:45 or so. Hopefully, my name will be called soon.

No swim, 0:00, 65 bpm, 0 cals

Saturday, November 28, 2009

11/28

Today was 400 time trial in the pool. While I felt a little under the weather when I woke up, I was happy with my first 400 time of 6:13. I feel I can improve on that next week, but was happy about it.

swim, 250 wu, 400TT (6:13), (4) broken 400's- (1)100, (2) 75's, (2) 50's, (2) 25's, then 200 cd. Total yardage= 2450

Friday, November 27, 2009

pictures

I should have taken more pictures from Turkey Trot.

I have to get better at that.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

THANKSGIVING

Moorestown X/C Turkey Trot 5k with Roy. We have been planning a run together for a while, and the other day, my cousin Frannie mentioned a Turkey Trot to benefit the Moorestown XC team on her facebook, so I thought we'd give it a go. It was very wet and muddy, and thankfully I remembered to wear my old running shoes. I forgot to pass my revelation on to Roy, though, and his good shoes got pretty muddy. Sorry, Roy.

I'm so glad Roy was able to come with me. He's a much better runner than I am, but he vowed to stay with me and help me through. I think he could have done much better if I wasn't there pulling him back, but he was a trooper. I started out feeling pretty good, my heart rate elevated quickly, and then kind of evened out. When we hit the first mile at 8:45, I was pretty happy. My only goal for the day was to finish under 30:00, as many of my training runs are in the 10-11 minute/mile pace. I decided to push for time, just to see where I stand. Around midway through mile 2, I started to get tired. The trail was tight, and it was hard to pass anybody. I got "stuck" behind a guy, which gave me some time to ease off and get back into breathing right. I didn't have it in me to speed past him, but when it opened up again, we went past and got back on our pace. We hit the 2 mile mark at 18:00 on the dot. I tend to break things up in my mind, so immediately, I told myself I'm doing well, and that I'm 2/3 of the way done. We had to go "out" a little more, then made the turn and I could see where the finish was. I tried to keep things smooth and steady, and as we made our way onto the track, I was pretty happy to be near the finish. The clock on the scoreboard showed 27:30, so I knew we'd have to pick it up to get in under 28. We sped up, and hit the finish line just at 27:59. After exchanging a high-5, I gave myself a few minutes of deep breathing before we could talk. I thanked Roy for his help...and I continue to thank him even now.

27:59

Somehow lost my heart rate information, but I remember the mileage breakdown.

1- 8:45
2- 9:15
3- 9:30

Roy helped with pacing. I'm sure he could go faster, but today I'm thankful that he stuck by me and helped me through my first timed 5k in a LONG time.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

11/25 tri class

Swim, 200wu, broken 1650, 200cd

Left right after swim, since I'm doing the Turkey Trot tomorrow at 9:45am with Roy.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

11/24

Run,27:25,149bpm,474 cals

Monday, November 23, 2009

11/23 tri class

Swim, 200wu, (6) broken 250's, cd

Spin

Sunday, November 22, 2009

11/22

Bike (OUTSIDE...37 degrees and windy @8am)..27.5 miles, 1:30:00, 137bpm, 1326 cals

Saturday, November 21, 2009

a rare completely random update

Mid-November, and I've been at it for a few months now. Trying to lay down a base for when the "real" training starts in January. I have been looking over some books with training programs in them...and hoping to incorporate what I've been doing with Nick into this training program. One book I've been looking at is called IRON FIT, by Don Fink. http://www.donfink.com/ He has three different (30) week programs in there to choose from. The first is "competitive program"...umm, no. The second is "intermediate program", ummm...maybe. And the third is "just finish program"....sounds good. When I was looking them over, I thought the "just finish" was right up my alley. Now, after training for a bit...I think I might be able to handle intermediate. I might ask some people to look at them for me, and give me an honest opinion about where I stand.

THE SWIM
So far, so good on the swim. I've been doing about 3 training sessions a week in the pool, with an average of about 2,000 yards. We've mostly been doing intervals, which at first, were super hard...but now they're becoming easier and easier. I'm trying to work on my stroke as much as I can, to become more efficient and use my long ass arms...but sometimes I get caught up in going all out during interval work...which leads to not focusing on stroke as much. I don't see this as a bad thing, since going all out produces a higher heart rate, and I need swim cardio just as much as I need swim endurance.

THE BIKE
The bike is the bike. I ride, I like it... I've been doing lots of indoor stuff...well, mostly indoor stuff for the last couple of months. I'm such a puss when it comes to riding the road bike in cold weather. I'd rather be on the mountain bike any day once the weather dips under 60. (told you i'm a puss). So, indoor miles are ok, too. Can't coast, and since I got the PT-300, I can measure watts and HR there too. So, I've been focusing on some watts based intervals, and keeping tabs on the average watts afterwards. I thought about not including my warm up into those numbers, and maybe that is something I should do...since the warm up produces low watts, and kills the average. But, then again, its all time on the bike...and in Lake Placid, I'm sure there will be plenty of times when I'm just spinning and not pushing....just because.

THE RUN
Ahh, yes...the run. My least favorite by far. I'm trying though. I've been running about 3 times a week, and the longest runs are about an hour. 5-6 miles. I'm not the fastest runner, and I don't think I ever will be...and to be honest, my goal for the run in LP is to just finish. By that time, I expect to be pretty worn out, and any fitness that I've built in the run will be replaced by a will to finish. I really am not expecting my run fitness to carry me across that finish line. I will, however, keep working, and you never know, maybe I can surprise myself.

Its hard to not put goals on yourself, other than "just finish". I like to have time goals for each, and it seems doable, but I have NO IDEA what to expect. Maybe by July..but for now, the goal is to JUST FINISH...and to survive.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

11/19

swim, 200wu, broken 1650, 200 cd
run (inside), 35:00, 140bpm, 551cals

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

11/18

bike (indoor) 22.14 miles, 1:00:06, 128 bpm, 165 watts (299max)

5:00 wu, 17 intervals of 1:00 on @225 watts, with 1:00 rest @ 175 watts, 8:00 @200 watts, 5:00cd

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

11/17

pissed. running on treadmill, and heard this loud *CRACK*. I think the piece that is under the belt cracked, because afterwards there was a squeak and a lot of FLEX. I got off of it and rode the bike for 15 mins. Stopped early, so I can write an email to HORIZON FITNESS. Ugh. Headache.

11/16

Well, last week they informed me that tri class would be moved to Mon-Wed-Sat from Tues-Thurs-Sat. It kind of messes up the flow of things in my house, since Nicole has swim Mon-Wed, and the routine was that i was taking her to swim on the days that I didn't have my class. Oh well, we must adapt.

Tonights swim was another tough one. I think Nick likes these 300's split up like this. First a 300, then (2) 150's, then (3) 100's, then (4) 75's, then (6) 50's, then (12) 25's. Its a very tough workout, especially when theres less than 10 seconds rest on those 25's. Feeling great in the water, though.

Tonight was the first time i got a big mouthful of chlorinated water in a while, though. I went to class on an empty stomach, and the water didn't sit so well with me. Ended up deciding to leave after the swim to get home and get something to eat. No big.

Swim, 200wu, (6) broken 300's, 100cd

Sunday, November 15, 2009

11/15

bike (indoor), 1:05:01, 23.44 miles, 120 bpm, 146 watts (315 max)

easy ride. 1o min warmup, 5 min cool down. watched eagles-san diego during. spent the most part of the ride at around 175 watts and 125-135 bpm.

11/14 tri class, with 300 TT in pool

This was going to be my first timed 300. My endurance for this stuff has been really improving since I first started. And I thought I was OK at the beginning of training. I mean, I could muscle through things, but now I feel like I'm really getting BETTER at it. These intervals have gone from being TOUGH, to almost tolerable, to actually kind of enjoyable. I love to push as hard as I can, especially during the final set. That being said, I was still a little nervous about doing a timed 300. My 200 time was 2:53, so when I was setting my goal for the 300, I had to consider that the third 100 would probably be a little slower than the first 2. I figured I'd be around 4:30, but set my goal at 4:45 since I didn't know what to expect.

I started out pretty hard on the first 50, then settled in for about 150 just cruising...I started to feel the burn at about the 225 mark, and when I hit the wall for the last 50, I decided to just go all out, knowing that I only had about 30-35 seconds to go. I ended up swimming a 4:30 on the dot, so my prediction was right on...and, of course, my goal was met.

Swim 500 wu, 200 drills, 300TT (4:30), (5) broken 300's (2 150's, 3 100's, 4 75's, 6 50's, 12 25's)
200 cd (This was probably my longest and hardest swim workout to date. After the all out 300, those intervals were TOUGH.)

run 15:00, just to get the legs moving.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

11/12 tri class

Swim, 200wu, (6) broken 300's
It went like this: (1) 300, (2) 150's, (3) 100's, (4) 75's, (6) 50's, (12) 25's. All out for each, with about 20 second to one minute rest between. Tough workout. Sore arms.

Followed that with about a 30 minute spin session. Nothing strenuous.

300 time trial on the pool on saturday.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

11/11

Tired, tired legs tonight. Just put some spin in, while watching a movie called SMART PEOPLE. It was pretty good...kinda slow, which didn't really do anything to motivate me. Probably better to stay zone 1 today anyway.

easy bike (indoor), zone 1, 1:00:03, 21.68 miles, 121 bpm, 123 watts

funny

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

11/10 tri class

First class since back from vacation. Went very hard during pool workout. Felt strong, and maintained intensity throughout workout.

Swim, 300wu, (2) broken 300's (100, 2 50's, 4 25's), a straight 300, then 2 more broken 300's. 300 cd

Run (outside), around 4 miles, 43:23, 143bpm, 673 cals

Monday, November 9, 2009

11/9

bike, (indoor) 1:00:02, 22.48 miles, 124 bpm, 145watts (687 max watts)

Sunday, November 8, 2009

11/8

Came back from Disney yesterday. I guess I should be happy that I got 2 workouts in during the week. The other days were too busy to sneak in a workout, plus I was spent from long days at the park.

bike (indoor), 1:00:00, 22.09 miles, 134bpm, 152 watts

Thursday, November 5, 2009

vacation workout

@the Beach Club in Disney:

Bike (indoor, LifeCycle "hill" workout, Level 12) 45:00.

Run (treadmill), 45:00, 4.21 miles

1:30:00, 125bpm, 1154cals

I *HATE* looking at myself in the mirror while doing the treadmill. Very bad for self image. I have a lot of work to do.

Monday, November 2, 2009

11/2

Run (around Disney Boardwalk loop), 30:00, 131 bpm, 425 cals

Saturday, October 31, 2009

10/31/09

swim/ 400wu, 200TT (2:53), then I did 1000 yards, going hard for 100 then recovery for 100 (5 sets, no rest), 200 cd

bike/run 45:00 bike, 15:00 run, indoor. 131bpm, 740cals

Very happy with the 2:53. I was hoping to be under 3:00 for this. Was my first timed 200 EVER, so I had no idea of how to work the strategy of it all. I ended up just going, kinda feeling it out, and finishing strong. Overall, not bad. Next time, goal is 2:50, but I'm thinking by the time I get back from vacation, we'll be up to 300's as time trials. Bring it on!

Peace.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

10/29 swim only tri class

Swim, (3) 500's then (3) 50's.

did the first 500 as a warmup/steady swim, 2:00 rest, then the 2nd 500 I did the first 200 hard, then recovered on a 100, then did another 200 hard. //2:00 rest// For the third 500 I did 300 steady, then the last 200 hard. I followed this with (3) intense, all out 50's. I was happy, since my last 50 I clocked @33 seconds.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

10/28

bike. (indoor), 1:00:09, 21.49 miles, 126bpm, 154watts (433max)

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

10/27

run (treadmill) 10:00wu, 45:00 @6mph, 5:00cd / 5.12 miles, 131bpm, 773 cals

Monday, October 26, 2009

10/26

Easy, easy...zone 1 spin, indoors, 40:00 @ 114avg bpm. Watched Sportscenter, got caught up on scores from yesterday. Bring on the Yanks.

Go Phils.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

10/25


So...today the weather forecast was calling for sunny and 62. It should come as no surprise to anyone that I really don't like to ride when its cold outside. Yeah, they say the high was 62, but I would be riding at 9am. It was probably a little over 50 when I rolled out.

Immediately, I felt a chill on my legs. I was wearing tights, but it felt like the wind was blowing through them. Yes, wind. The wind would turn out to be brutal on this ride. The whole time I was riding, the wind seemed to be in my face. I would check the flags at schools, post offices, etc...and they were always blowing in a different direction. It was only for about 10 mins that I felt I had a really nice tailwind. The rest of the time, I was battling.

There is also the issue of the crap in the road from storms, etc. Leaves and branches, wet and dry, puddles, potholes...all of the above. Sure does seem like I'm complaining a lot, huh?

Anyway, it was worth it, because eventually I got to the lake up there. Nice, nice view.

BIKE, 1:41:00, 30.65 miles, 17.0 avg, 120 bpm, 1510cals

Saturday, October 24, 2009

10/24

Up early this morning, since I was scheduled to work. Decided a run on the treadmill would be the best for today.

Forgot to bring my ipod down with me, so I hit up the ON DEMAND and started watching 21 from Encore. I saw it before, so it wasn't hard to turn off after about 35-40 mins. Helped get me through. I ended up walking for the first 10 (usual warmup), then I ran for the next 35, which is becoming easier and easier for me.

I've been thinking about doing a 10k sometime at the end of November or early December, kinda just to use as a training run/test. I put a call in to a friend of mine, and we're gonna try to work something out between the two of us...and sign up for something. He's a lot stronger of a runner than I am, but said he's willing to go slow to help me out. Really, I think it depends on how much running I do on vacation. If I stick to my plan, and get some runs in, I hope to not lose too much of what I've built up. I don't want to go down there and eat crappy, not exercise, etc...because that will set me back. I'm building up both cardio and discipline by waking up, exercising, eating (somewhat) right...I don't want to fall into bad habits.

treadmill 45:00, (10:00 wu, 35:00 run), 3.7 miles, 122bpm, 511 cals

Thursday, October 22, 2009

10/22

I'm scheduled off today, since I have to work Saturday. Yes, this sucks for a bunch of reasons. First, I hate working Saturdays for "straight" time. Its one thing to give up your Saturday for OT, but on straight time, it sucks. Second, I have to miss my tri class...which also means I will miss the TT in the 200 free. This particular weekend sucks even more, since I was scheduled LAST Saturday (200 TT #1) as well.

I'm going to miss tri class tonight as well, since I'm going to see the movie about the Leadville 100 mountain bike race from this past August. http://www.raceacrossthesky.com/ I decided early in the day that I was going to head down to Rowan to get a swim workout in, sometime around 12. The pool is closed from 9-12 on weekday mornings, so 12 would be the earliest that I could get there.

The swim was good, and I did the same workout that I'd do if I were heading to class tonight. Ran into a guy I know, but haven't seen in a while, and shot the breeze with him for a little bit.

SWIM, 200wu, broken 1650, 200cd

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

10/21

Put the knickers on for an indoor spin on the PT-300 tonight. Rode a nice easy spin while watching the first few innings of the Phillies-Dodgers LCS game. (potential clincher for Phils).

Nice ride, had a good sweat.

BIKE (indoor), 22.42 miles, 1:00:00, 119bpm, 142 watts (276 max)

ramblings.

So, it's mid-October...The Phils are still in it, the temps are getting cooler, and it's been about a month and a half of tri-class training. I'd like to think I'm doing ok, although since I really have no idea what to expect with IRONMAN training...who knows? The swim workouts seem to be going well for me, as I've been hanging in there with the rest of the class with interval work. I've been really focusing on listening to every instruction Nick has been giving, and I think it's paying off. My swim cardio has been getting better weekly, and I have been making improvements in my TT times in the pool. As far as running goes, I'm lucky to have a group of people who are very strict in their training for this Half Iron event that's coming up (Beach to Battleship, in NC) on November 7. SO, when Tuesdays roll around, they HAVE to do a 50 min run, and it's been very easy for me to tag along and push myself there. My runs on my own could probably be a bit longer, but I'm really looking at these next 2 months as base training, in preparation for what i will HAVE to do in January.

My weight loss goals have been a little off...although its hard to tell, since I feel slimmer than before, and my upper body has changed a little from swimming (I feel the burn after every swim workout. Feels like I've lifted arms, chest, and shoulders on the same night.) I will continue to push, continue to do what I've been doing.

I've remained focused on the big picture. When a run sucks, or I feel shitty on the bike, I'm kinda pushing through, and really just remembering that its all hopefully going to pay off in the long run. It has definitely given me a new respect for all the people I saw finish at Lake Placid 2009. It just makes you realize that their race was not a one day event. There is so much that leads up to it.

As Bryan told me last week, I'm just at "the beginning of the journey". I know theres a long way to go, but I'm very excited about it, and I can't wait to get more into it.

I'm going to try to get better at writing things out, and taking more pics. I have a bit of training blog envy, since I've seen some REALLY cool ones lately.

Peace. Go Phils.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

10/20 tri class

swim, 300wu, "pyramid" to 200, (4 25's, 2 50's, 2 100's, 1 200, 2 100's, 2 50's, 4 25's), 300 cd
run, 4 miles, 44:00 , 132bpm, 601cals

Monday, October 19, 2009

10/19

run, 45:00, 131bpm, 486cals

Sunday, October 18, 2009

10/18

Swim, 200wu, (3) 500's, 200cd

Thursday, October 15, 2009

10/15 tri class

Swim,200wu, broken 1650, 200cd
Bike 10:00, run 10:00, bike 10:00, run 10:00 (cut last 10run a little short)

10/14

Bike, 45:00, zone 1. Headache. Watched Glee, again. Shhh.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

10/13 tri class

Swim, 300wu, (4) broken 300's, 300cd
Run (inside on track),35:00,151bpm,574 cals

Monday, October 12, 2009

10/12

bike (indoor), 1:00:00, 21.18 miles, 126bpm, 164watts (322 max watts)

Avg watts higher than usual, due to doing intervals during commercials of Phillies-Rockies game. Consistently working at around 250-275 for full commercial breaks.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

10/11

bike 45:00 (16.04 miles, some intervals, hr 121bpm, 140 watts. max 349)
run 45:00 (40 run, 5 wu/cd, 3.6 miles, 133bpm)

1:30:00, 1148 cals

Saturday, October 10, 2009

10/10 tri class

Left after swim, since today is Shanes birthday parties. Felt good in the 100TT(1:13,3 seconds faster than last week) but afterwards was burping up my breakfast during the broken 200's.

Swim, 200wu,300 drills,100TT(1:13),(5) broken 200's(100,then 2 50's), 200cd

Thursday, October 8, 2009

tri class 10/8

Swim, 200wu,broken 1650,200cd

Bike 10:00,run10:00,bike 10:00,run 10:00

Nice workout. Felt great in pool. Nick not at class, he's getting surgery on his ankle tomorrow in NYC. Saturday, 100TT in pool.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

10/7

bike (indoor, PM), 1:00:00, 21.07 miles, 119bpm, 146avg watts(331max)

Watched glee while on the trainer, which may or may not be like singing Lady Gaga songs in the pool. It actually was pretty good. Funny.

test

I just created a bookmark to this from my blackberry. Just testing it out.

10/6, tri class

Tri class- swim, 200wu, (5) broken 300's, 200 cd.
run, 52:00 (w/Rich), about 4.5 miles, 821cals, 139 bpm

Found out Brian likes Lady Gaga songs.
Rich was wearing the CRAZIEST running tights ever.

Monday, October 5, 2009

10/5

bike (indoor), 1:00:00, 21.46 miles, 119 bpm, 147 avg watts, 374 max watts

Sunday, October 4, 2009

10/3 tri class

swim- 200 wu, 300 drills, 100 tt (1:16), (4) broken 250's, 200 cd. *broken 250's = 100, (2)50's, then (2) 25's. repeat.
bike- 45:00
run- 30:00

Friday, October 2, 2009

10/2

treadmill, 35:00, run 20:00 to test knee. HR128, 415cals

10/1

tri class.
swim (200wu, broken 1650, 200cd) "broken 1650"=11 laps, then 10, then 9 etc. 30 second rest between.
bike 35:00

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

9/30

Forced to rest today, due to knee problem. Starting to feel better now, so tomorrow I should be a go.

Tri Class, 9/29 RIP STEVE

At the beginning of the session, there were four new people in the tri class. Me, Frank ( I knew from PShop cycling), Dan (who happens to work with my brother in law), and Steve. Steve was an older guy, who was very enthusiastic about progressing in his swim technique. He followed along, and really gave it his all.

When I got to tri class last night, Nick gave me some bad news. Steve had been out for a run on Sunday morning, and sometime after returning, he collapsed and died. I was in shock, since we often shared a swimming lane during class, including just last Thursday. He was a nice guy, and even though I just met him a few weeks ago, I am deeply impacted by his death.

We swam, did the broken 250's again (this time "only" 4 of them), and a 300 cool down. My knee was still bothering me from the 24 Hours Of Booty ride, so I skipped out early on the rest of the workout.

Monday, September 28, 2009

9/26-9/27 24 Hours of Booty

This past weekend I did an event called the 24 HOURS OF BOOTY. Great name for a cycling event. It was started several years ago by a Charlotte lawyer who decided to ride his bike for 24 straight hours around a loop that is known by the locals as the "booty loop". He had a few sponsors that first year, and raised around $5000 dollars. The next year, a few of his friends did it with him, and they raised more money. Eventually, it has turned into an event that has raised over 1.1 million dollars this year, with 2 events...Charlotte and Columbia, MD, which is the event I rode in.

I have been fund raising for over 4 months, and ended up with a total of over $5000, which was good enough to be in the top 10 of individual fund raising. I'm very proud to be able to say that I finished in the top 10, and the event organizers definitely made me feel special as well.

When I got to the event and checked in, I knew the weather forecast was calling for rain...so I pretty much brought everything I own as far as bike clothes. I never once thought I would need the 2 pairs of long tights that I brought with me. (I did), or the rain pants that I brought from work (life savers). About 15 minutes before the 4pm start on Saturday, it started to drizzle, and eventually, by 4:15, it was coming down pretty hard. After the first ceromonial lap wearing the yellow jersey I earned (by raising over $3000), I immediately switched to the rain gear.

I met many amazing people at the start line. First, I rode next to a man named Lance, who told me he was 24 weeks out from having prostate cancer surgery. His doctors advised against him riding the 24hob, but he was determined to prove them wrong. I admire Lance for his determination, and the many others that I met along the course that day.

As I rode along, I talked to a man named Ron, whose sister-in-law had passed away on September 1st. We talked about our fund raising, and when I told him how much I had raised, he thanked me, on behalf of his family. I saw him throughout the ride, and we talked a little bit more later. He just finished his first triathlon, and was very interested in my training for Ironman.

The rain was insane. It poured and poured and didn't stop until 10:30 am Sunday. I rode from 4 until 7:30pm..then it was time to eat dinner...at 9pm was the VIP celebration. That didn't end until around 9:30 or 10, so I got changed back into my tights and rain pants and headed back out. Rode until a little after midnight, when the pizza party started...and when that was over went back out until about 2:30am. I called it quits for the night with 86 miles in.

I slept for about 3 hours in the tent, then went to breakfast (still raining), and got back out on the course at around 7:30 am. I rode most of the morning, and stopped for lunch and a few times to fill my bottles. I ended up riding until around 2:30 pm, and finished with 161.2 miles. Overall, It was a great event...and definitely one that I will look forward to doing again.

9/24

Tri class.

drills in the pool, then 10x25 yard intervals...followed by 45 min spin on spin bikes.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

9/23

PM workout on bike. Watched new show, Modern Family. Funny shit.

bike, 35:00, zone 1 easy spin

tri class 9/22

So, last night was tri-class, and it was also the first time I was doing the same program as the seasoned vets in there. Previously, I was working on stroke technique and doing drills, but last night Nick decided that the new people would participate with the rest of them in interval training.

So, the interval training went like this:

100 freestyle
(about a 30 second break)
50 freestyle
(20 second break)
50 freestyle
(20 second break)
25 freestyle
(10 second break)
25 freestyle

we did (6) of those sets. I used my fins for a couple of the 100's, since I was completely gassed at times, but all in all, I felt like I handled it well.

Afterwards, a few of us ran outside, since its still nice weather...I ran with Richard, and we did about 4.75 miles in 52:00.

I felt all of this in the morning. My arms, my legs...tired. But the good kind of tired. I feel like I'm getting stronger.

Monday, September 21, 2009

9/21 *easy day

Easy day, after 4.5 hour weekend.

treadmill 35:00 (10 wu, 20 min run, 5cd), 2.55 miles, 116bpm, 350cals

Sunday, September 20, 2009

9/20

Wasn't really feeling an early morning ride today...figured I'd sleep in some, then ride indoors while watching the Eagles game. I'm kinda torn about it, since the weather is so great to be outside...but hey, at least I get to watch the Eagles some...and it certainly made the time go by faster. I was doing intervals during commercials...high resistance, standing up out of the saddle, etc. It worked.

bike, (indoor), 1:30:00, 32.04 miles, 21.35 mph, 117bpm, 134 avg watts (677 max watts)

Saturday, September 19, 2009

9/19

Tri class this morning. Was looking forward to it, since it would be my very first time trial in the pool. Believe it or not, I've NEVER been timed doing a 50 freestyle as hard as I could go. I guess unless you're on a swim team, you'd have no reason to, right? Anyway, I was looking forward to it since I missed last Saturdays class (and time trial) due to work.

We started off with the regular warmups and drills. After a little bit, it was time for the time trial. I ended up swimming as hard as I could, which is totally different for 50 than for any other training I've done. I usually breathe every 2 strokes, but for the 50 it was something like every 4. I don't even remember, I just remember going all out. We started out in the water (not diving in), and my time was 30.5 seconds. Since I have nothing to go on, I'm assuming that this is a good starting point, and I look forward to lowering that to under 30.

I'm feeling good about the swim training. I'm learning a lot, and these drills that I had my doubts about at first seem to be paying off. I've been listening to every tip Nick has given me, and I'm doing my best to follow his instructions to the "T". Since I've seen an improvement already, I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do in the pool with the time that I have before my race.

We followed up our 1:15:00 swim training with a 45:00 session on spin bikes, followed by a 15:00 run. I'm completely spent...I took a nap...and I'm thinking that I'm going to be useless on Saturdays for a while. It will all be worth it in July....


Tri class. 1:15:00 swim; 50yd time trial (30.5 seconds), intervals, drills, etc.
45:00 spin
15:00 run

Friday, September 18, 2009

run, 3.5 miles, 45:00, 118bpm, 485cals

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

9/16

Early morning...woke up to get some spin on my legs. Nice and easy, 30:00, just to get things movin'. Late run last night left my nipples sore. But, it was my longest run outside so far, so I can deal.

bike (indoor), 30:00 *easy, 10.76 miles, 102bpm, 121 watts

9/15

Tri class canceled due to University wide power outages at Rowan. Instead, I went on a run with Richard, Karen, and Frank. It was a nice night, but I was looking forward to swimming.

RUN (outside @Rowan), 57:00, 5 miles, 140bpm, 860cals

Monday, September 14, 2009

9/14

My back started to tighten up on the bike yesterday. I felt it this morning, a little soreness when I started to run. I took it easy, and did a run/walk to loosen it up.

Run/walk, 30:00, 2.2 miles, 115bpm, 298 cals

Sunday, September 13, 2009

9/13

So, today I went out for a training ride with Ben and Sid. Took a little bit of a different route, but somehow ended up with EXACTLY 2:30 mins. These two are sick. I don't understand how we can ride, pretty much as HARD as we can, never crossing back or doing another loop..and yet STILL finish at the exact time they wanted. 2:30, zone 2-3... that was the ride. and poof, thats what happens. Maybe I'm too laid back about things...but Jesus Christ, I don't think I could plan stuff out like that.

Anyway, yesterday NPR aired the story about the donut derby. You can listen to it here: http://www.onlyagame.org/2009/09/saturday-september-12-2009/ Scroll down to DONUT DERBY to listen. The reporter did a good job.

BIKE (with Ben and Sid), 2:33:00, 48.67 miles, 19.3 avg, 130bpm, 2012 cals

Saturday, September 12, 2009

9/11 and 9/12

rest days. Wasn't planning to rest this morning (9/12), but had a 12 hour work day yesterday and I was beat up from that. Set the alarm, but never got out of bed. Slept til 7. Looking forward to a good ride outside tomorrow..supposed to be nice, following a few days of rain.

9/10

Tri Class. Swim (drills, drills, drills), 1:00, bike 10:00, run 10:00, bike 10:00, run 10:00. Had problem with HR/monitor. Unless, of course, my heart rate really was 44 midway thru the second run.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

9.9.9

bike (indoor, zone 1), 1:00:00, 21.77 miles, 113bpm, 124watts

tri class 9/8

1:00 swim (drills), run 4 miles, 44:00, 146bpm, 717 cal

Monday, September 7, 2009

The end of an era


Donut Derby 2009- the recap

While I felt good and confident about this years Donut Derby, there was something inside of me that had its doubt. Maybe it was all of the training I've been doing for the Ironman next year. I've also been watching what I eat for a while, so maybe those doubts were simply a gut feeling that I really shouldn't be eating 25+ donuts in the middle of training for the craziest day of my life. This is not an excuse for the story I'm about to tell.

This years team consisted of Me (donut eater, and 2x defending champ), Johnny (my top tactical guy), and Jack (hired gun, there to set the pace, no matter how crazy things got.) We arrived at the Velodrome with plenty of time to spare for warming up, etc. When we went over to the tent to check in, I was pleasantly surprised that the race organizers held aside the #1 for me (as last years winner). I figured at the least, this would be a very good souvenir for my basement wall, and I promptly pinned it on and wore it with pride during my warmups.

I knew this year was going to be different. I wasn't about to sneak up on anyone. These people knew who I was, and they were out to take me down. I can't blame them, I would have tried to do the same thing. The SPARE TIRE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT is nothing to sneeze at, and I found out how bad some of these guys wanted it.

At the starting line, I lined up next to a guy named Frank, who I remembered from last year. His time total was comparable to mine, except for the fact that he ate 10 fewer donuts. I knew that he would be stiff competition, and he pretty much told me he had the legs to beat me. When the gun sounded, the (unnecessarily arrogant) guys from Monmouth University Cycling set the pace, and set it fast. The first group was going 30+ easy on the flats, and eventually I was dropped. Jack stayed up with those guys until the first stop. I ended up left out on my own, since John was dropped by my group. I was riding with a few people around me, and this one guy, Jim, told me to grab his wheel. He ended up pulling me to the first rest stop, and I made sure to keep him close by so I could introduce him to the other guys from my team.

At the first stop, the plan was for 8-10 donuts, and I met that goal. Try not to fill up...I've learned that first rest stop lesson in the past. Fill up too early, and you're busted by the end of the race..sweating out the sugar, stomach issues, etc. SO, stick to the plan from last year. I smashed down two stacks of (5) donuts, for 10 total, and was back out on the course.

Johnny (who caught up while I was eating), Jack, Jim, and I started on the second leg. In a completely unfortunate act of God, Jim blew out the sidewall of his tire about a mile in, and his race was over for the day. Too bad, because he was a nice guy, and it would have been better to have numbers. Johnny quickly fell of the back, due to his lack of riding since the ACS ride in July. (I forgive him, he's been working a lot and has a baby). So that left Jack and I. Jack was a monster, pulling me into a crazy headwind for most of the second leg, and got me back in perfect position to go for win number 3.

When I checked in, I had my first stack of 4 in my hand when Frank came by. I must have beaten him to the second checkpoint, but he at 12 at the first stop, and quickly grabbed a 4 stacker. I pretty much remained 2 donuts behind him for a bit, but he was looking strong. No sign of slowing down. I had to make a run. He had 24, and I had 18. I grabbed 7 donuts and stacked em high, smushed em down, and started on them. I was really struggling at this point, and barely making progress. Frank finished his 4, and went for 2 more...which made 26 for him. Since I was struggling, and facing the thought of LOSING the Donut Derby title for the first time in 3 years, I decided to concede. I went to the race officials and told them I wasn't going to finish the 7 stack...and then I threw the donuts and the sticks in the trash. I ended up with 19 donuts, and figured I'd head out and try to make a run at a top 3 finish.

Jack pulled me the rest of the way home, and I finished up feeling ok. Frank ended up winning the overall title for Donuts AND time, even breaking my record from last year on the time total. His winning adjusted time was 52: something, which was better than the 54: something I put up last year. My 28 donut record is still intact though.

I wasn't sure what to expect when they were announcing the winners. He called me up for the 30-39 category, and I got a 3rd place medal. They even asked me to stick around so I could present Frank with his championship belt, which I thought was an honor. The bottom line is that Frank beat me today. We had this sort of one on one thing going at the second donut stop, and I came up on the wrong side. I just didn't have it, for some reason. Maybe its for the better, who knows.

Anyway, on a positive note, NPR was there doing a story that will air next weekend on a show called ONLY A GAME(?) I think. The reporter interviewed me for several minutes, asking about strategy, etc..and I gave him the type of answers you guys would expect of me.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

First Tri Class

Yesterday was my first "tri" class at Rowan. It runs on Tues/Thurs nights, and Saturday mornings. The idea is to swim/run or bike at nights, and Swim/bike/run on Saturday.

The first class was pretty good. I guess some people who were signed up didn't show up, since its a holiday weekend....which led to me getting some one on one time with the instructor of the class at the pool. He started out by videotaping my swim technique, and after seeing "only a few little things" that I need to improve, we worked on some swim drills for about 50 minutes. (My shoulders are totally paying the price today for that work). After the drills, I swam 2 more 50's, and the drills seemed to help correct the problem I was having. So, more work on that to come.

After that was a 45 minute spin class. Pretty basic, spinning with music...lotta resistance which is something I'm not used to doing. Usually I would just spin at high cadence, as if I was riding outside. I guess the high resistance is why my legs are sore today. haha.

At the end of all that, I did a 20 minute run around the inside track. Felt good, and it felt good to get it done. Hard work, but satisfying. Can't wait to see the improvements I will see from taking this class.

Tri class, 1:00:00 swim, 45:00 spin class, 20:00 run

Friday, September 4, 2009

24 Hours of Booty

As many of you remember, last year I rode 100 miles to raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. I was successful in both my fundraising, and on the ride. This year, I have decided to "step it up" on both fronts. I have committed to ride in the 24 hours of Booty, on September 26-27. This is a 24 hour charity road ride. I have entered into this SOLO, which means...NO relay, NO teammates, NO HELP. I will ride the 24 hours ALONE. My goal is to surpass last years total of over $1700 in fundraising! With your help, I feel this can be accomplished. PLease pass this email on to family and friends, and anyone that can help us reach our goal!

Thank You,

Joe Skelly

http://www.24hoursofbooty.org/site/TR/Bike/General?px=1131161&pg=personal&fr_id=1070

Tri Class Eve

First tri class is tomorrow morning...so I'm just taking it easy today and spinning, since I really don't know what to expect tomorrow.

bike, (indoor), 35:00, 12.86 miles, 121bpm, 139 watts

Thursday, September 3, 2009

donut derby and me...the history

2005- I read online that there is an event run by the Lehigh Valley Wheelmen called "THE DONUT DERBY". It consists of a 36 mile bike ride, with 2 stops at miles 12 and 24, during which riders eat donuts. For each donut you eat, 3:00 is subtracted off of your race time. Perfect race for me, I thought. I would later find out that there would be no donut derby in 2005, for unspecified reasons.


2006- My first Derby. I recruited my friends Ray (back when he used to ride) and Chris to race with me. Goal was 20 donuts. I went crazy at the first stop, eating 12...but could only muscle down 5 at the 2nd, at which time Ray proclaimed me to be a "pussy". I ended up coming in 2nd place for donuts, but a new strategy was born on the car ride home.

2007- Ray and Chris out...Johnny and Tom in. Johnny is key, he's a mastermind at timing and keeping things on pace, which perfectly offsets my lack of urgency at all times. The strategy would be to eat the donuts at the SECOND stop, and hopefully any feeling of sickness would be delayed until long after the finish line. I did 6 at the first stop, and 13 at the second...for a total of 19 donuts. I waited around at the finish, and heard of no higher number. However, when they were giving out the prizes, it was revealed that race officials made a mistake, and gave the "GOLDEN DONUT" to another rider, who also ate 19. *NOTE* I won on tiebreaker, since my ride time was over 45:00 faster than his.

2008- I was determined to get the GOLDEN DONUT. I was not only looking for the overall donut title, but also the overall winning time. This was unprecedented, since the overall time winner usually doesn't waste time eating donuts. (or can't for that matter). Again with Johnny, we developed our strategy on the way to the race. 20 donuts, 2:00 ride time. Ambitious? yes. but totally doable. We rode at a crazy pace to the first stop...averaging around 23mph. I strategically ate only 8 donuts at the first stop, and was right back on the bike as if I never stopped. We flew through the next 12 miles, and then I knew it was game on. I ended up breaking the previous record, and I ate 20 donuts at the SECOND STOP..for a total of 28! People were having their picture taken with me, as we all knew that I was heading for glory. I hustled back, and my ride time was 2:16:00 for the 36 miles, INCLUDING the time I stopped to eat. I ended up breaking records for donuts and for time, in what could be called the greatest Donut Derby ride of all time.

I don't know whats in store for this year. I have assembled an all star team to pace me through. I should have no problem with 20+ donuts...although I have been eating a little better in preparation for this Ironman next year. I will be sure to update on Monday afternoon to let you know.

-Joe


bellyache

cut things short this morning, for gastro intestinal reasons.

treadmill, 31:00, 121bpm, 310cals

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Vick Jersey and Morning Joe's Gray Hair

Today I learned that Mike Vicks #7 jersey is the 4th best selling NFL jersey right now...and also, that Morning Joe apparently dyed his hair just for the Kennedy coverage last week.

BIKE, (indoors), zone 1 55:00, 19.92 miles, 113bpm

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

whats the time?

Easy treadmill run this morning. Woke up with a stiff neck, probably from tightness in shoulders from swimming yesterday. My allergies have been kinda bad lately too. Anyway, had the ipod on shuff, heard a song from Licensed to Ill, and took the shuffle off and listened to the rest while watching sportscenter. Certainly made the run easier. Felt good, my easy jog pace is getting easier, and soon I'll be stepping up to a longer run. For now, I'm happy that I can "run" for 30:00 without stopping. Progress.

Run, (easy treadmill), 45:00 (30:00 run, 10:00 w/u, 5:00 c/d), 3.4 miles, 121 bpm, 505 cal

Monday, August 31, 2009

8/31 swim

swim, 30:00, 12x100's

8/30 bike

I got a call from Ben on Saturday afternoon asking whether I wanted to do "3 hours, zone 2/3, no sid". These Sunday morning rides have been pretty good to me these last few weeks, and since I know Ben is a stickler for his zones...I decided to take him up on it. He once again amazed me with his precision routes, and we got back to the house almost EXACTLY 3 hours after we started...and with a HR avg of 135. I guess he's good to have on my side, since when I ride alone I am not nearly as precise. He does keep dodging my offer to ride on my team in the donut derby, though.


bike (w/ben) 3:04:00, 56.13miles,18.5 avg, 135bpm, 2545cal

Saturday, August 29, 2009

8/29 run

Its like this...as much as I LOVE to swim and bike...thats how much I don't like to run. I'm getting there...and I do have almost a year to build.



treadmill 45:00, (10:00 w/u, 30:00 run, 5:00 c/d), 132 bpm, 561cal

Thursday, August 27, 2009

sharks and minnows

So, back to the Rowan pool at 6am this morning. Need to work out the kinks in the routine, though...since I got there at 5:50am and had to wait til 6 to get in. MAYBE, leave 10 mins later. duh.

So, the actual swimming is going well. I feel pretty good about where I am with that, especially considering that I haven't trained for any swim event in almost 2 years. Really, though, I don't expect to know this for sure UNTIL my training class starts, 9/5. I'm pretty excited, and I love to swim.

SWIM, 30:00, 1350 yard(in 100 intervals)

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

no ipod, no sportscenter


rip, Ted Kennedy.

bike (indoor w/morning joe), 45:00, 16.67 miles, 119bpm, 134 watts

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

the cup of joe is key.


Since I was unexpectedly off for today, I decided to sleep in and do my running a little later than usual. I was able to relax some, eat a good breakfast, and drink a cup of joe before setting out to the track at Camden County College. I continued my efforts to train like Bryan said...so after a 10:00 walk to warm up, I ran 10:00 then walked 5:00...I felt ok, although I think the heat from running outside made my HR elevate some. Oh yeah, and I forgot my ipod, which kinda sucked.

run: 52:32, 4.0 miles, 137bpm, 738cals

first swim

Yesterday was my first swim in the Rowan pool...and also my first swim in preparation for IRONMAN USA. Since it would be my first time in the water to train in a while, I decided to just see if I could handle a 30:00 swim, nice and easy. I got in, swam a 100 yard warmup, then took a break for about 45seconds to a minute, then swam 1100 yards without too many problems. I was actually going to stop at 1000 yards, but still had a few minutes left, so I kept going. It was a good first test, and left me feeling good, since I felt as if I was actually getting stronger as the time wore on. I didn't get out because I was tired, I got out because time was up and I didn't want to go crazy the first time out. All in all, very good sign.

SWIM, 30:00, 1200 yards

Sunday, August 23, 2009

HEED me, Seymour!


So, today the plan was to go out for a REAL zone 2/3 ride with Ben. We made our arrangements last night, and agreed to play it by ear as far as the weather went this morning. Well, it turned out ok, and the forecast was for clearing skies through the morning. Very humid, but clear.

I decided I was going to test out my new sports drink purchase, HEED (subtle strawberry flavor). At first, I wasn't sure, since it has kind of a diet-y aftertaste, but it kinda grew on me. Seemed like it worked, as I drank two bottles during our ride and felt pretty good.

The ride itself was great, since we were able to keep Sid Vicious under control. I joked about Ben and I being the Schlek brothers trying to work against Sid in a breakaway situation. Yes, thats what its like. (except for the fact that Andy Schlek weighs like a hundred pounds less than I do.)

Overall, a great ride. Just what I needed for today. TOMORROW will be MY FIRST SWIM WORKOUT, since the Rowan Pool will be open again! I'm pretty excited, and I plan to be there bright and early at 6am.

BIKE: 2:37:00, 48.7 miles, 18.8mph, 128bpm, 1998cal

Saturday, August 22, 2009

cursing Mother Nature


So, after 3 or 4 REALLY nice (although humid) mornings, of course its pouring and thundering on my day off. Even though I read the weather forecast yesterday, I remained optimistic through the night that MAYBE it would only rain, and not T-storm in the morning. Well, weatherman was right. Joe was wrong. So, I took the game inside.

When I first got on the bike, I thought it would be nice to finally watch the training video that came with it. The Science of Power, or some bullshit. Basically it was a waste of time. I watched, and Dr. Allen Lim explained why I should workout using power and HR #'s as gauges. I knew why, i wanted some POINTERS. No pointers. I bet I have to BUY that tape. The one with the pointers.

Anyway, after I shut that off, I switched to ipod. I've noticed something about the iPod shuffle...seems to play one artist MORE during each session. Example: the other day, I heard like 5 or 6 Beastie Boys songs in an hour. Today it was Matisyahu that I heard alot of. Just an observation. I don't really care, because my playlist only has songs that I like, so as not to be stuck with a crappy song while working out.

Oh well. Another one down. Peace.


BIKE (indoor, thanks to Mother Nature screwing me), 1:00:00 (10:00 w/u, 45 min zone 3/4 w/(10) 30sec 300 watt intervals (max watts 578, max hr 164bpm), HR 134bpm, avg watts 151

Friday, August 21, 2009

Power Tappin

So, tonight I went to see my buddies at the Peddler's Shop to get some info on the FREE POWER TAP with purchase of CycleOps PT-300 deal. Seems legit, and I should be getting a free powertap comp (wired) in a few weeks. I will probably ebay it, since I need some other stuff (wetsuit, etc) for tri training.When I was there, I talked to Steve about riding in the donut derby with me (labor day) as a sort of pace setter. Would be a good guy to have on my side, although I'm a little leery about his donut eating abilities/speed combo, and he is definitely a guy that could pull a "Contador" on me and speed off to a win, while leaving me in the dust. ha.

I also talked to Jack about some stuff I need to start thinking about. We were talking about 1 day a week getting together for brick workouts. He wants me to swim 2x a week (which I plan on) and lift shoulders, chest, and arms 3x a week (which i do, but off and on). I told him about what I've been doing as far as running goes, and he seemed to like my plan...telling me to keep it up and build base until January, which was also part of my plan. We talked about doing an Olympic in May, and a half ironman in June...also, something that I was aware i'd have to do. So, it seems like my plan is right on, with the exception of the brick workouts. Its great to get his opinion, because I respect him as a triathlete...and a friend. I know he'll look out for whats best for me.

Monday is day 1 of swim training

treadmill 20:00 walk (with 3lb weights), Ab and Ob workout on bioforce

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Like a hot potato

Getting dropped...

We've all been there. No matter how fast you are, at one point or another its going to happen to you. Because, after all, theres ALWAYS someone faster (even if just for one day, Lance). Anyway, it happened to me in a big time way tonight.

I got a call from this guy Justin, who lives in my development, about riding tonight. I knew he'd been doing a lot of riding with Action Wheels, and he's been getting in a lot of mileage this season. He was just looking to chill, and asked if he could come along to the Wednesday ride. Sure, I told him, explaining about the specifics of the Wednesday ride (there are none, it pretty much depends on who's on it)

We get there, and it seemed like we had (2) choices...the A+++ ride, full of racers...or the C ride, which was full of, ummm...lets just say "non-racers". I decided to take the plunge, figuring that i'd eventually get dropped, but what the hell...maybe I could hang on for a bit,even though I had a solid 30 pounds on EVERY guy there (not in a bad kinda way, but these were some skinny, racing type, mofo's)...ANYWAY, being the guy who takes FOREVER to warm up...and since the A+++ riders like to shoot out of the gate "balls to the wall" style...I lasted about 10 minutes before getting COMPLETELY blown off the back. You gotta laugh, though, when you look at your speedometer and it says 21.0 mph, as you watch the other guys ride away from you like you're some slowpoke. I took a sort of, "it is what it is" type of attitude, and continued on. Eventually, I caught up to another guy who got smoked out, and we ended up riding the rest of the way together. Wasn't a bad ride, wasn't a bad pace...just not as fast as the A+++'ers.

Oh, and Justin? He hung in like a champ. At one point the A+++'ers came roaring past us like we were riding backwards. We were doing 22mph at the time. Sick.

bike (Wednesday night PScycles), 1:20:00, 26.3 miles, 19.4 mph, 142 bpm, 1530cal

The Yellow Jersey

As many of you know, I've been preparing to do a charity ride in Maryland called "24 Hours of Booty". This ride is the only official 24 hour road cycling ride, and an official LIVESTRONG fundraiser. Last Saturday, I held a benefit at a bar and restaurant. We had 81 people come out, and raised almost $1500. With previous donations, this pushed me over my goal of $3000, which puts me into the elite "yellow jersey" club of the ride.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

8/18

bike (indoor) 50:00, 18.45 miles, 122bpm, 146 avg watts

Monday, August 17, 2009

8/17

treadmill 40:00, 10min w/u, 25:00 @5.2mph, 5 c/d. 3.0 miles, 122bpm, 433cal

Saturday, August 15, 2009

anarchy


Since I have been working for 12 straight days without a day off, and since I have my fundraiser for 24 Hours Of Booty tonight from 7-10...I decided to wake up at 6:30 instead of 5:45 and go ride with my brother-in-law, Ben. The *plan was for an easy zone 2/3 ride for 2 hours, which I was totally down for and kinda needed. What *actually happened, was Bens friend, who he refers to as "Sid Vicious", showed up and pushed the pace a bit for both of us.

I realized while riding that I will need to be more in control of my own situation as the race gets closer. I will have to learn to focus on what I need to do, and not so much what everyone else is doing, which might actually be harder than just doing it. (if that makes any sense at all)

Anyway, for now, it was a good ride. VERY nice morning...and even though I didn't quite have "the legs" today, it was fun to mostly sit in (often at 22+mph) and chill for 2 hours.

bike (with Ben and Sid), 2:06, 39.4 miles, 19.2 avg, 140bpm, 1859cal

Friday, August 14, 2009

8.14

Started out on the treadmill, feeling good..but at about the 2 mile mark my knee started to bother me. Its probably nothing, but I decided not to push, so I cut it short at 30:00.

Treadmill, 30:00, 123bpm, 330cal

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

"It might rain on race day."

Had a nice easy day at work, which I figured would be great for allowing me to get off in time for the Wednesday night ride. The only problem was the "usual" Wednesday weather forecast of showers/Tstorms from 5-8. In the beginning of the day, I was very optimistic that the rain would hold off, like it did LAST week. But as the day went on, the clouds started to roll in, and the rain started to fall. I really figured this would end my hopes of getting a ride in tonight. After about an hour, the rain ended at 4pm, and the roads quickly dried, leaving me with that optimistic feeling again. I rushed home, put on the bike gear, threw the bike on the roof, and headed out to Clearview HS to meet up with everyone. On my way out, it started to sprinkle. Then, I get a text from Bryan that says its "pouring" in Deptford, and he's baggin. So, I was still heading out, but I really wasn't expecting to find anyone to ride with. I pull in, and Richard immediately follows me in. I pull next to him and he tells me that Karen is going to go for it, and since he didn't want her to have to ride alone, he would ride with her. That was all I needed to hear. I got off early, dragged myself out in the rain, and now I had people to ride with. Needless to say, it was, in fact, WET...but, we made the most of it, and now that I'm all dried off, it doesn't really matter. In fact, I'm GLAD i went.

bike (Wednesday night P-Shop ride in RAIN), 1:20, 23.87 miles, 17.5 avg, 132bpm, 1060cal

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

motivate me

Unmotivated this morning, possibly heat related since its been super hot..but still making an attempt at..something. Tomorrow I sleep in...with hopes of riding in the PM with the group.

easy treadmill, 30:00 (20 min run), 2.25 miles, 124bpm, 331cal
strength training, chest and abs

Monday, August 10, 2009

bike to run

I was advised by my "Ironman Finisher" buddy, Bryan Mccauley, that I need to work hard on bike to run transitions. So, for now, every once in a while I'm going to throw in an "easy bike to easy run" workout of maybe 45 mins (30 bike, 15 run), just to get that part started.

45:00, bike to run.
bike 10.5 miles, 30:00
run 1.2 miles, 15:00
avg hr 125bpm, 513 cal

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Some Goals for now


1. For now, continue early morning training sessions before work, not so much as part of a "plan", but just to build base and get cardio in, as well as get used to waking up and working out before work.

2. Lose 5 pounds a month, September through December, before starting 30 week training program that will lead up to IRONMAN USA.

3. Swim 2x a week until Christmas, starting September 1.

Chicken Cheesesteak Stromboli HANGOVER


So, last night, after a week in which I've pretty much stuck to the plan regarding my "caloric intake", we decided to order takeout from the local place. Of course, like many people, when given a choice I will choose something bad over something good. I ordered a chicken cheesesteak stromboli, and loved every single last juicy bite of it. Then, after dinner, we watched a copy of THE HANGOVER that someone found and left on my doorstep!

Of course, the chicken cheesesteak stromboli was much better to me 12 hours ago, as my stomach is a mess right now, and I am getting ready to run. Oh well, lesson learned. No chicken cheesesteak stromboli for dinner the night before the race. ha.

treadmill 45:00, with (10) 7mph, 1min intervals (with 1 min rest), 127bpm, 463cal

music: ipod shuffled. apache, yeah.
mood: happy its raining, since I'm working today and would miss the P-shop group ride.

hi-o silver, is what I say.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

slow and low, that is the tempo

cycleops pt300


When I'm talking about an indoor training on the bike, this is what I'm riding. A cycleops PT-300. Power meter, HR monitor, cycle computer...with the ability to upload the results to the computer. For time reasons, I like to ride indoors, since it makes the most of the 45:00 to an hour that I'm putting in, for now. Of course, nothing can take the place of the great outdoors...but there is no coasting indoors.

bike (indoor) zone 1/2, with (5) 300+ watt, 1 min intervals (3 min rest), 126bpm, 146 avg watts, 499 max watts

music= Beastie Boys, Licensed to Ill, unshuffled.

Friday, August 7, 2009

with exposed knees

Ok, so I last night, I'm going through my exercise clothes drawer and I come across this old pair of Nike "basketball" shorts. Mesh, good to run in. So, I put them on, and I realize that they're like 4 inches above my knee!? Did I really wear these to play hoops in? I mean, yes, granted, they're circa 1995...but still.

run (treadmill) 45:00, 3.5 miles, 134bpm, 591 cals

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Me, Myself, and Ironman





Hi. My name is Joe Skelly and I want to be an IRONMAN. Yes, easier said than done, I know...considering that my greatest athletic feat to date is winning the Lehigh Valley Wheelmen's annual DONUT DERBY 2x in a row. Really. Check this out: watch! Now, to defend myself a bit, it takes quite a bit of technique and stamina to win this event. After all, its not that easy to ride 36 miles AND house 28 donuts in less than 2:15. What? Yes, of course I realize that none of this will matter during my training for the IRONMAN USA race in Lake Placid, NY next summer. (Unless, of course, we can substitute the 28 donuts for the "other" 76 miles of hilly terrain) I seriously doubt that, though.

So, I'm in. I went to the 2009 race as a volunteer. I saw a friend of mine accomplish his dream of becoming an Ironman. It was an amazing experience, and definitely one that I think everyone should see at some point in their life. The things you see in that last hour alone are worth the trip.

So...I used my volunteer T-shirt to get me into the preferred registration line for the 2010 event...I paid my $550 registration fee...and I began my journey towards this dream of mine.

My goal is only to finish. Anything more is gravy. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me. But...I THINK I'm ready.