~ I forgot my camera, however the camera would not do justice to the experiences of Camp Alpha or Bravo ~
I figured the best way to start off the triathlon season was with a solid training camp. I wanted to get in a good block of training time; so far I have done just that. I spent the first week of the season training at Base Camp Alpha in Anaheim. The 70 plus degree weather was just what I needed to get out the door and have fabulous run training. My favorite run was a loop that went right by Disney Land.
After a week I jetted off to Base Camp Bravo in Nashville, Tennessee. While both camps have been great, I will be dedicating the majority of my time in Bravo location. The weather is 85 percent gorgeous in Tennessee, the other 15 percent is perfect for building mental toughness that I miss from Spring time training in Montana.
Like Anaheim, I have had a phenomenal training camp here. I have been putting in great run training. On top of that, I have been doing 2 hour swim sessions at the swim center. They like their pools hot in Nashville, 85 degrees hot, so that has been a great element of mental training to add in the top physical conditioning.
My swimming has been great, I have been doing a bunch of different strokes and everyone is so nice. My fly is coming along nicely, I have made a lot of improvements by training such a demanding stroke. In the pst I have not trained a huge amount of swimming or alternative strokes, but Camp Bravo is all about breaking the routine of what I ordinarly do for training. New ideas and training tactics have the potential to bring huge amounts of progress.
I have 3 more weeks in Nashville, by the time I return to the Tri Palace I will be ready to enter final prep for the early summer races. It is a new experience to train in the South, I don't know if triathlon is big down here, but it seems like everywhere I go everyone is so interested in why I am here to do swimming, biking, and running. When my training is done for the day and I have down time, I retreat to the relaxing confines of my 4th floor studio suite for recovery.
It is important for me to travel to a base camp. I have always done my best training when I am alone and isolated, Peter Reid, a crazy character, is the same way. Some do well with large groups, I do not. My best training is distraction and interaction free. My time spent training day after day, after day, alone in Bozeman a few years back or at the Tri Pad the last 3 summers have gained me the most measurable physical and mental benefits of any other type of training. Being alone while training makes you tough period.
Three more weeks of Nashville, training camp, and country music. Ahh the life of a triathlete…
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Do Not Tell Anyone I Rollerblade...
The first, Brodacious is training, lightly. I have a had a few runs of 5-10 minutes, and 2 ten-minute trainer rides on the P3 with no issues. I have kept up on my swimming, and I have picked up a new secret weapon, rollerblading! I was a bit skeptical at first, yes it was cool in the '90s and yes rollerblading is not on the list of street cred items.
*Radical blades dude
However, it is a good workout. Rollerblading is not a hard as skate-skiing, but it is close. I can skate 800 meters in about two and a half minutes and end up with a heart rate of 165 bpm. Like skiing, it works your legs harder than cycling or running. After and hour of blading the section of muscles from my lower back to hamstrings are worked hard. Plus, blading is pretty fun, I have a pavement track I do laps on so it is sort of like speed skating at the Olympics.
The podiatrist told me, as advice, he would dedicate less amount of training to running, and more to non-impact sports like cycling. The first thing I thought of when he said that was this recommendation won't be a huge change for me, I have never been an advocate of huge run volume. When I win and/or do well, I do so with a fast swim, a super hard bike, and then a decent, top 5ish, run split.
Rarely do I have the fastest run split, but I can count on my bike and swim split to be near the top. My strength has always been riding hard and trying to slow down the faster runners by putting them through the "meat-grinder (Jens Voight style)" on the bike. The strategy has been proven to work, however, I have been run down by faster runners a lot in the past when my run does not come through.
So my sports car feet are getting a special set of custom treads to help with a few of my leg issues. It was refreshing to go to podiatrist and be treated like an athlete. The most brilliant medical statement I have ever heard was in 2007 when a doctor said, "you can't treat triathletes, runners, and cyclists like you treat a normal person. They live a different lifestyle and the normal rules of medicine don't apply to them." In my opinion the doctor is exactly right, the only treatment that I buy into is one in which my status as an athlete is considered. When I have triathlon related issues, I expect to have triathlon be included in the prevention and correction process.
I am hoping my cycling and run training progresses without issue and I can soon be back on track and ready for the spring and early summer races. I have had a pretty good winter of swimming so it will be interesting to see if I can break a few swim PRs this season. I move into my "Tri Palace" next month, it would be awesome to utilize it to the maximum by being at 100 percent.
However, it is a good workout. Rollerblading is not a hard as skate-skiing, but it is close. I can skate 800 meters in about two and a half minutes and end up with a heart rate of 165 bpm. Like skiing, it works your legs harder than cycling or running. After and hour of blading the section of muscles from my lower back to hamstrings are worked hard. Plus, blading is pretty fun, I have a pavement track I do laps on so it is sort of like speed skating at the Olympics.
*Here comes the hill
*Aero tuck the downhill in totally radical fashion
*This is what a totally insande blading looks like at 160bpm
*Don't tell ANYONE I rollerblade...I'm so ashamed :)
The second, what is it with sports cars? They are so finicky with their maintenance, high-octane gas, special tires, German sport tuned suspensions, and ridiculous prices. Apparently, my legs are like a sports car. The podiatrist told me when he looks at my Achilles tendon and feet "it is like looking under the hood of a sports car. Everything about your feet is built for speed." Unfortunately, sports cars are not the most comfortable rides, and like sports cars, my feet are prone to issues related to their "built for speed" nature.
The podiatrist told me, as advice, he would dedicate less amount of training to running, and more to non-impact sports like cycling. The first thing I thought of when he said that was this recommendation won't be a huge change for me, I have never been an advocate of huge run volume. When I win and/or do well, I do so with a fast swim, a super hard bike, and then a decent, top 5ish, run split.
Rarely do I have the fastest run split, but I can count on my bike and swim split to be near the top. My strength has always been riding hard and trying to slow down the faster runners by putting them through the "meat-grinder (Jens Voight style)" on the bike. The strategy has been proven to work, however, I have been run down by faster runners a lot in the past when my run does not come through.
So my sports car feet are getting a special set of custom treads to help with a few of my leg issues. It was refreshing to go to podiatrist and be treated like an athlete. The most brilliant medical statement I have ever heard was in 2007 when a doctor said, "you can't treat triathletes, runners, and cyclists like you treat a normal person. They live a different lifestyle and the normal rules of medicine don't apply to them." In my opinion the doctor is exactly right, the only treatment that I buy into is one in which my status as an athlete is considered. When I have triathlon related issues, I expect to have triathlon be included in the prevention and correction process.
I am hoping my cycling and run training progresses without issue and I can soon be back on track and ready for the spring and early summer races. I have had a pretty good winter of swimming so it will be interesting to see if I can break a few swim PRs this season. I move into my "Tri Palace" next month, it would be awesome to utilize it to the maximum by being at 100 percent.
Friday, January 29, 2010
I Won't Ever Give Up... This Is My Challenge.
Some things in life are frustrating. Period. I have illiotibial band syndrome again, the third time, the second in my right knee. Beyond frustration with this injury is where I am at. I know many athletes, some friends, that for whatever reason have crappy things happen to them.
Despite all the foofy hoop la stretching and physical therapy techniques I have ITB again, great. It is totally frustrating that I see all the people around me getting faster and having great training seasons while I sit at home with an injury that at this point is robbing me of all the hard work I put in. I work just as hard as everyone else, but for the last 3 of 4 years I have this injury. I'm convinced it has to be some sort of bio mechanical deficiency and for whatever reason I'm prone to this specific injury. Triathlon is easy, this injury is the hardest challenge I have to face over and over.
It would be pointless to draw this situation out and blog further some sob story. I have beat his injury two other times, I'm sure this won't be my last time getting it. Last year I cured ITB in my left knee and ripped off a great streak of success winning 4 races in a row and finishing 7 times in 1st or 2nd. The injury made me stronger.
Yes it is hard to to deal with, and frankly it pisses me off, but this is my challenge. I use this frustration at the perfect time, a time when I can use it during a race, times that make me appreciate being healthy. Like I have said, "I have beat it before, I will beat it again." Just like I have done before, I will seclude myself from the triathlon world, find other means of exercise and a new focus to get my body and mind even stronger while my injury fades.
I have always come back faster and stronger after ITB, I won't ever give up because this is my challenge. This is a perfect example of how easy it is to feel like "the man" when things go your way. It is the times when you are tired and tested (or hurt) when you find out what you are made of. I have been here before and I know what I am made of, I am not looking back.
Despite all the foofy hoop la stretching and physical therapy techniques I have ITB again, great. It is totally frustrating that I see all the people around me getting faster and having great training seasons while I sit at home with an injury that at this point is robbing me of all the hard work I put in. I work just as hard as everyone else, but for the last 3 of 4 years I have this injury. I'm convinced it has to be some sort of bio mechanical deficiency and for whatever reason I'm prone to this specific injury. Triathlon is easy, this injury is the hardest challenge I have to face over and over.
It would be pointless to draw this situation out and blog further some sob story. I have beat his injury two other times, I'm sure this won't be my last time getting it. Last year I cured ITB in my left knee and ripped off a great streak of success winning 4 races in a row and finishing 7 times in 1st or 2nd. The injury made me stronger.
Yes it is hard to to deal with, and frankly it pisses me off, but this is my challenge. I use this frustration at the perfect time, a time when I can use it during a race, times that make me appreciate being healthy. Like I have said, "I have beat it before, I will beat it again." Just like I have done before, I will seclude myself from the triathlon world, find other means of exercise and a new focus to get my body and mind even stronger while my injury fades.
I have always come back faster and stronger after ITB, I won't ever give up because this is my challenge. This is a perfect example of how easy it is to feel like "the man" when things go your way. It is the times when you are tired and tested (or hurt) when you find out what you are made of. I have been here before and I know what I am made of, I am not looking back.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
"Races Are Not Won On Race Day"
Do you ever wonder what triathletes and cyclists do in the winter?
Well if you cannot go to Tucson Arizona, you ride your bike indoors on the trainer while watching tv. I have spent countless hours riding trainers, it was riding my trainer in my garage in Bozeman that pushed me up the ranks and first allowed me time trial well at the races. No other workout can build mental toughness and confidence to do well like a winter of riding a bike trainer can.
***I hide out in a secret undisclosed lair riding my road bike on my fluid trainer.
After a restful break from training I find myself ready to begin training for the 2010 season. Finally I will have some blog worthy items as the season's structured training begins. It was hard to start up again after the long layoff, I was really burnt out in September from training and racing, it honestly took me 3 months of unstructured fun exercise to get the motivation to start back up.
I feel the same way every year, the feeling of not wanting to begin structured training always has to be overcome, but once you get back into the training mindset it is nice to be back. I always fall back on something I heard Ironman Champ Pete Reid say, "races are not won on race day, the winners put in the work necessary to win during the winter." This, in my experience, would be those times when no one is around and no one is watching, times when it is cold outside, times when you have no tan, times when it is usually dark and times when you ride your bike in the basement, going no where, watching Floyd Landis annihilating the 2006 Tour de France, and dreaming of warm weather.
These are the toughest times for me because I have to shut my mind off to the potential boredom of the bike trainer or waking up in darkness to go swim. I know every triathlete has to do these if they want to be at their best later in the spring and summer or even have a chance at winning anything. You have to do it, so you do. I am not saying these things are bad, only that they are the least fun (but still fun) aspects of triathlon.
***It really isn't all that bad, riding the trainer in the winter is about a 6 on the fun scale, winning a race because you suffered through riding the trainer all winter is a 50 on a scale of 1-10.
***As the season begins this is where most triathletes, including me, will be. Pedaling their legs off but going nowhere! A year ago I had my running injury so this year is much improved over that, I am so happy to be able to run and ride the "boring" bike trainer.
I remember a long time ago I was talking to my history teacher, Mr. Normand (the cross country coach) and he told me about hard training and workouts. I will never forget what he told me one day in class in 2003. Mr Normand encompassed the principle of training perfectly, he said, "Pay now or pay later." I interpreted that to mean everybody eventually has to pay with suffering as currency. Pay now with the hard work, or pay later with poor races and regret of not putting in the work. Turn off your mind, put in the miles and begin paying now, because I have said a hundred times over, for me, it has always been worth it in the end. Smile, triathlon is fun!
Well if you cannot go to Tucson Arizona, you ride your bike indoors on the trainer while watching tv. I have spent countless hours riding trainers, it was riding my trainer in my garage in Bozeman that pushed me up the ranks and first allowed me time trial well at the races. No other workout can build mental toughness and confidence to do well like a winter of riding a bike trainer can. ***I hide out in a secret undisclosed lair riding my road bike on my fluid trainer. After a restful break from training I find myself ready to begin training for the 2010 season. Finally I will have some blog worthy items as the season's structured training begins. It was hard to start up again after the long layoff, I was really burnt out in September from training and racing, it honestly took me 3 months of unstructured fun exercise to get the motivation to start back up.
I feel the same way every year, the feeling of not wanting to begin structured training always has to be overcome, but once you get back into the training mindset it is nice to be back. I always fall back on something I heard Ironman Champ Pete Reid say, "races are not won on race day, the winners put in the work necessary to win during the winter." This, in my experience, would be those times when no one is around and no one is watching, times when it is cold outside, times when you have no tan, times when it is usually dark and times when you ride your bike in the basement, going no where, watching Floyd Landis annihilating the 2006 Tour de France, and dreaming of warm weather.
These are the toughest times for me because I have to shut my mind off to the potential boredom of the bike trainer or waking up in darkness to go swim. I know every triathlete has to do these if they want to be at their best later in the spring and summer or even have a chance at winning anything. You have to do it, so you do. I am not saying these things are bad, only that they are the least fun (but still fun) aspects of triathlon.
***It really isn't all that bad, riding the trainer in the winter is about a 6 on the fun scale, winning a race because you suffered through riding the trainer all winter is a 50 on a scale of 1-10.
***As the season begins this is where most triathletes, including me, will be. Pedaling their legs off but going nowhere! A year ago I had my running injury so this year is much improved over that, I am so happy to be able to run and ride the "boring" bike trainer. I remember a long time ago I was talking to my history teacher, Mr. Normand (the cross country coach) and he told me about hard training and workouts. I will never forget what he told me one day in class in 2003. Mr Normand encompassed the principle of training perfectly, he said, "Pay now or pay later." I interpreted that to mean everybody eventually has to pay with suffering as currency. Pay now with the hard work, or pay later with poor races and regret of not putting in the work. Turn off your mind, put in the miles and begin paying now, because I have said a hundred times over, for me, it has always been worth it in the end. Smile, triathlon is fun!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Triathlon Season 2009
The most satisfying moment in 2009:
...getting 2nd at the State games, a race I know I can win.
______________________________________
The end of the triathlon season is always dissapointing, but I take comfort in knowing, that after a winter of hard work, next season will be even better.
If I could sum of my triathlon season I would do so by saying, "rags to riches." I was in rags up through March after a winter of not training, only to rise up to riches and attain my fastest form ever. Out of 8 finishes I managed 4 wins, 3 seconds, and an 8th in Washington after bike problems, not bad for a season that was scrapped the first day of the year.
I had more fun and success this year than any previous. At times is was hard, especially in the beginning of 2009, most would have given up but I take victory in the fact I did not. I had incredible races and trips with so many great people! Please see my previous posts for the specific race reports. I would just like to sum 2009 up with a few antedotes and photos.
_______________________________________________________
Best triathlon accomplishment of 2009: Winning 4 races in a row!
Win #1 at YTriathlon!
Win #2 at Queen City
Win #3 at Janet Clarkson Memorial!
Win #4 at Spring Meadow Sprint!
______________________________________________________
Best Swim:
Janet Clarkson Memorial
______________________________________________________
Best Bike:
Tie! Spring Meadow Sprint and Federal Escape (bike problems not considered)
______________________________________________________
Best Run:
Tie! YTriathlon and Spring Meadow Sprint
______________________________________________________
Best Finishes:
Finishing 8th in Washington despite major bike problems and...
...smashing my course record in West Yellowstone
_____________________________________________________
Best supporter (non family):
Wasn't even close! :)______________________________________________________
Best new triathlete:
Carrie Eubank! (with me at her first race) ______________________________________________________
Best counselor and therapist:
Jess Kato!
______________________________________________________
Best trip (interstate):
Federal Way Triathlon with Kevin via Yakima and Seattle hospitality and cheers
______________________________________________________
Best trip (intrastate):
West Yellowstone with Corrie, my family and Quintana!______________________________________________________
Best home-away-from-home (Montana):
PJ's house "my apartment in the basement" in Billings for State Games and Great Falls triathlon!
______________________________________________________
Best home-away-from-home (non-Montana):
Kevin's house! His mom makes excellent pasta salad and his dad likes NASCAR...just like me, don't hate.
______________________________________________________
Best shared accomplishment:
Sharing the overall (men's and women's) wins in West Yellowstone with my Sister!
______________________________________________________
Best tradition continued:
Mackenzie winning her division in her first Half Ironman (My older sister did it, I did it, and now so has Mackenzie)
______________________________________________________
Best triathlon get-away:
The Tri-Pad at the lake! (living room full of bikes)
______________________________________________________
Best weekend trip:
Tri-Pad with the Eubanks, Jess, Kevin, Trisha, and Chris the pizza slicer, hands down (I mean hands up...Chris)!
Tie between my Civic SI and Cervelo P3 Carbon
______________________________________________________
Funniest T-shirt of 2009:
My friend Evan "the excellent" Eck's triathlon shirt (not typing what it says).
Winning for Janet's Memory!
__________________________________________
The toughest moment:
__________________________________________
The toughest moment:
Holding 2nd place at the Aquathlon, hurting every step of the 5K run, racing sick at ZooTown triathlon and...
...getting 2nd at the State games, a race I know I can win.______________________________________
The end of the triathlon season is always dissapointing, but I take comfort in knowing, that after a winter of hard work, next season will be even better.
If I could sum of my triathlon season I would do so by saying, "rags to riches." I was in rags up through March after a winter of not training, only to rise up to riches and attain my fastest form ever. Out of 8 finishes I managed 4 wins, 3 seconds, and an 8th in Washington after bike problems, not bad for a season that was scrapped the first day of the year.
I had more fun and success this year than any previous. At times is was hard, especially in the beginning of 2009, most would have given up but I take victory in the fact I did not. I had incredible races and trips with so many great people! Please see my previous posts for the specific race reports. I would just like to sum 2009 up with a few antedotes and photos.
_______________________________________________________
Best triathlon accomplishment of 2009: Winning 4 races in a row!
Win #1 at YTriathlon! Win #2 at Queen CityWin #3 at Janet Clarkson Memorial!Win #4 at Spring Meadow Sprint!
______________________________________________________
Best Swim:
Janet Clarkson Memorial
______________________________________________________
Best Bike:
Tie! Spring Meadow Sprint and Federal Escape (bike problems not considered)______________________________________________________
Best Run:
Tie! YTriathlon and Spring Meadow Sprint
______________________________________________________
Best Finishes:
Finishing 8th in Washington despite major bike problems and......smashing my course record in West Yellowstone
_____________________________________________________
Best supporter (non family):
Wasn't even close! :)______________________________________________________
Best new triathlete:
Carrie Eubank! (with me at her first race) ______________________________________________________Best counselor and therapist:
Jess Kato!
______________________________________________________
Best trip (interstate):
Federal Way Triathlon with Kevin via Yakima and Seattle hospitality and cheers______________________________________________________
Best trip (intrastate):
West Yellowstone with Corrie, my family and Quintana!______________________________________________________Best home-away-from-home (Montana):
PJ's house "my apartment in the basement" in Billings for State Games and Great Falls triathlon!
______________________________________________________
Best home-away-from-home (non-Montana):
Kevin's house! His mom makes excellent pasta salad and his dad likes NASCAR...just like me, don't hate.______________________________________________________
Best shared accomplishment:
Sharing the overall (men's and women's) wins in West Yellowstone with my Sister!______________________________________________________
Best tradition continued:
Mackenzie winning her division in her first Half Ironman (My older sister did it, I did it, and now so has Mackenzie)______________________________________________________
Best triathlon get-away:
The Tri-Pad at the lake! (living room full of bikes)______________________________________________________
Best weekend trip:
Tri-Pad with the Eubanks, Jess, Kevin, Trisha, and Chris the pizza slicer, hands down (I mean hands up...Chris)!______________________________________________________
Best triathlon "whip":
Tie between my Civic SI and Cervelo P3 Carbon______________________________________________________
Funniest T-shirt of 2009:
My friend Evan "the excellent" Eck's triathlon shirt (not typing what it says).______________________________________________________
Best triathlon quote:
It's in your head, NOT your muscles." -made by me :)
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Best Wedding to have to miss a race for:
The only wedding I have ever done that for, the Fimrite-Eubank wedding bash!
The only wedding I have ever done that for, the Fimrite-Eubank wedding bash!______________________________________________________
It was an amazing season, thanks to everyone who took pictures, traveled, cheered, sponsored, housed, and helped make it great. Thanks for following and being there for me! Thanks for reading, triathlon 2009 is done. :)
Let us all look forward to the winter training. Remember it's not what you do when you are on top, everyone is "the man" when things are going well. It is the times when you are down that shows the true measure of your belief in yourself. 2009 triathlons were the perfect test and subsequent proof of what it means to BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF ONE.
It was an amazing season, thanks to everyone who took pictures, traveled, cheered, sponsored, housed, and helped make it great. Thanks for following and being there for me! Thanks for reading, triathlon 2009 is done. :)
Let us all look forward to the winter training. Remember it's not what you do when you are on top, everyone is "the man" when things are going well. It is the times when you are down that shows the true measure of your belief in yourself. 2009 triathlons were the perfect test and subsequent proof of what it means to BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF ONE.
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