This is my training log from Feb 1, 2009 to July 26, 2009. Ironman USA - Lake Placid New York.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Saturday 3 hour bike

Lynne and I went out last night to see my old friend, Jim Parker's band play their last gig. One of the group are leaving so it will be a while before they get out on the road again.

The gig was great. The band has knocked it up a couple of notches. They rocked the house down. Great to see! Congrats old friend.

Needless to say, I slept in this morning. I didn't get started my ride until 9:00, so I just finished now and the day is half over. I've also only got 18 hours before Doris and I head out on our 29k run tomorrow morning.

I rode the Live Video Lake Placid course today. I finished up at the A&W, just past Mel's diner, across the road from the North Pole Motel. 70k into the ride, just about 1k out of the out and back.

I can't say that they have built the perfect application. There are spots where the scenery sped up and then slows down. The evaluations are off a bit. The screen went black at one point where the trees blocked out the sun. At one spot, a bug walked down the windshield of the car window that they drove around in. I'm so glad no birds flew into their windshield. It would have been like pulling "Fabio on the Roller Coaster".

Yup there are lots of places where we can complain about the quality, but overall, it didn't matter a bit. For anyone who has ridden that course, or done that Ironman, the memories all along the route are exciting as hell. The store at the bottom of the hill in Keene, the creek on the right side as you bike into Jay. All the stuff hanging over the road at the turn around in the out and back. It's great. I could even see the sign on the fence that my kids had put up with all of our pictures on it.

What a great way to while away the hours.

Tale of the tape? 70k - 3 hours, 24 kph, 130 watts.

OK - that's it - shower time!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Thursday Bike, Run, Weights & Stretch

I drove my bike down to the Endurance Lab for a Lactic Acid threshold test with Adam, the coach this morning. 45 minutes later, all my fingers poked for tiny blood samples and the bike test was over.

I went straight from the bike to the treadmill for a little 15 minute run. It was interesting to me that my legs didn't hurt at all when I started running. No cement legs at all. YEA!

I was disappointed that my legs were burning a bit almost as soon as I started the test though. The test results were more disappointing though. I'm down about 5 watts from where I was in December. I can only think that the broken sleeps I've been having for the last few weeks is to blame. I'm up about 10 watts from this time last year. That's a good thing.

Oh well. It is what it is. Last year, threshold was 165 watts at 137 bpm, this year is 175 watts at 126 bpm.

Maybe I'll forget about the December test. This one year increase is not too bad!

I went to the club on my way home and did my weights and a bunch of stretching. It was a long time after the bike and run. I didn't get that "OH, that's a good stretch" feeling .

Off tomorrow and then a 3 hour bike Saturday and a 29k run with Doris on Sunday. I borrowed a Queen concert video for this weeks bike! (Thanks Vickie)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Wednesday Swim

With 150 days left to Ironman USA, I got off easy today with just a one hour swim. Andrea, Kathy, Linda and Simon were all there today so I got to swim with all the fast gang in lane 2. I must admit I pushed a bit harder than usual trying to keep up, but I think I did OK. Nobody lapped me anyway.

My shoulders are a bit more sore this morning than they have been for a little while. Who knows, I may even knock a few minutes off my swim time this year!

It was nice for a change to get a good shower after the swim and then just drive home. I've had other workouts at the club straight after the swim for a while.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Tuesday Brick

Now that was fun! A half hour bike and then a one hour run. The fun part was riding for 30 minutes on the Computrainer with the real video going on the Lake Placid course. It's just way too much fun watching all the actual scenery go by. We've ridden the course many times so, so far, everything is very recognizable. I've got a 3 hour bike ride this weekend. I'm tempted to stretch that out to 3.5 and see if I can't get one loop of the course done! I've got a 29k run on Sunday which is going to take me about 3:15 I expect, so I'm not sure about adding on the extra 30 minutes to the bike. We'll see.

I drove over to the club and did my 60 minute run on the treadmill. I had opted for an extra half hour sleep this morning and skipped breakfast. Not a great idea. I was really tired on that run. The 15 minute warm up was OK. The next 13 minutes at low zone 3 was a struggle, the next 13 at mid zone 3 was really tough, and I had to take a couple of 30 second walking breaks for the last 14 minutes at high zone 3.

Is it possible that my heart rate stays a bit lower when I'm inside rather than running outside? I feel like I push a lot more inside to bring my heart rate up.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Monday Swim and Weights

Well. It had to happen eventually. I got to the pool, stripped out of my winter clothes and then discovered that I forgot to pack my swim suit and towel! Luckily the lost and found was close. Now I just have to pray I don't start getting itchy during the day.

That was another long long tough swim today. The swim suit I found was all baggy so it was like swimming with a parachute dragging me back. I'm not sure what distance we did, but I'm sure it was around the 3000 meters again. Tired at the end, but the arms feel OK. Swimming always helps loosen up my back to so it's feeling a bit better today too.

Off to the club after the swim for a 45 minute weight workout again. All the usual stuff and the triceps stuff. Who knows. One of these days I may even appear to have arm muscles!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Sunday 3 Hour Bike

Sitting on my bike for 3 hours inside on a trainer is never a lot of fun. Connecting to the Computrainer makes it more interesting, but 3 hours really drags regardless.

Today, we did something a little different. Willem and Bryan came over and we set up our trainers side by side and we rode together. I put Willem's bike on the Computrainer and turned on the Lake Placid course. Bryan rode in ergometer mode. I just watched wattage on my watt meter. We tuned on a 4 CD set of the Rolling Stones 2003/2004 world tour concert and watched 3 CD's of that while we rode.

The time actually went by fairly quickly today. Willem stopped after an hour and a half. I'm not sure why the fastest guy around doesn't train for 1/2 a year, and still kicks everyones butt, but, so it is. I moved over to the Computrainer in ergometer mode when Willem got off. I screwed up my timing a bit. I ended up doing an hour in Zone 2 when it should have been 30 minutes. I ended up doing less of the easy riding in the last half hour, but all of the tough stuff. The 5 minute zone 4 bit at the 2:50 mark was tough, but I was able to hold on to 190 watts at 88 - 90 rpm for the full 5 minutes. My legs are dead now, but I did what I had to do. It was a lot more fun with the guys here as well.

Bryan and I worked out how to get the Real Video going for the Lake Placid ride after we'd finished the workout. It's too bad I didn't have that going when Willem was riding it. Jordan had to update the bios and install all new motherboard drivers to find the com ports, but once he did that, the video worked perfectly. Unfortunately, I'm too tired to do more than a couple of k of it, but it looks great. I can't wait for my next long ride to get through it.

Saturday Bike and Run

A one hour run followed by a 30 minute spin on the bike. It's a great way to start the weekend!

I ran from the house, but a totally different route. I headed out to Wellington, east to Yonge, south to Henderson, west to Bathurst, north to Kennedy and back home. The run was broken up into a series of times and heart rate zones. This route was relatively flat (what isn't when compared to Vandorf!) so it was easy to just pick up speed when I had to increase heart rate.

I felt pretty good after this run. I'd had to do a bit of a loop around the block when I got home to make up the last 5 minutes. I ended up doing 9.72k in exactly one hour our, average pace of 6:10/km and heart rate average of 131. Max was 4:38 and 146bpm so I think I stuck pretty well exactly to what I was supposed to do.

Back home and on the bike for a nice easy 30 minute spin. I was running late already for the day. Nadia and I were helping out at the Body Show in Barrie at the Running Free booth and she was meeting me at 9:00. I was thinking of knocking 10 minutes off the bike ride so that I'd not be late, but when I got to the 20 minute mark, I couldn't do it. I finished at EXACTLY 30 minutes, showered quickly and was only about 3 minutes late.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Friday Swim and Weights

Today was the first day in lane 2 at the 50 meter pool. I'm very happy to report that . . . . I did not embarrass myself! A couple of the faster swimmers were not there, but I managed to keep up and even passed someone once or twice. This training shit really works eh!

I think the arm exercises that I'm doing are helping too. I'm finding that it's not as painful on my arms finishing my stroke, and I think it's finishing the stroke that is making the difference for me.

I think we did 3200 meters today. That was a LOT of swimming!

I left the pool and headed up to the club. I had one bottle of e-Mend and a protein bar on route. I changed quickly and did my 45 minutes of weights with a bit of stretching.

These arms are pretty good and tired now!

Tomorrow going to be fun. I've got to run for an hour and bike for a half hour and be ready to leave to help out at the Running Free booth in Barrie with Nadia by 9:00 am. It doesn't look like I'm going to get to sleep in very much tomorrow.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Thursday Reverse Brick

Today started out with a 5k, 30 minute run. It seems like forever since I've run from the house along Wellington to Bathurst and Kennedy and home again. I used to do that route a lot, but it's been a while!

Lynne was out running as well. I caught her at Wellington. We didn't stick together though. We we at different speeds and had different routes. It was crappy running again with the fresh wet snow.

Back home I put on the Stones 1992 Madison Square Gardens concert and rode my ergometer sixty minute bike. Those 4 times 3 minutes at zone 4 wee tough. It's interesting how the first one is almost imposable, and the subsequent ones are just really hard to do!

Nadia and maybe Bryan and I will be working the Running Free booth as Team Running Free members this Saturday at Molsons Park from 10:00 - 5:00. There's a Health and Wellness show on this weekend. Drop on by if you're in the area!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Wednesday Swim and Bike

Today was my first day in lane 2 at the pool. I must admit I was nervous hoping that I could keep up the gang in the new lane. Luckily, they were all complaining of being tired or hurt, and I was wired for sound, so I did ok (note small case!)

Actually, this lane change is going to be good for me. Lynda, Kathy and Simon definitely are quicker, but not a lot quicker. They also don't ever seem to stop for an extra breath or two at either end of the pool. I f I can get to the point where I can do the same, and keep pace with them through the whole swim, I'll be pretty happy!

I came home and jumped on the bike for a nice easy 30 minute Zone 1 ride. Just 'knocking the edge off' these tired legs as Adam says.

Hopefully I can get the Real Video going on the Lake Placid route before the weekend for the upcoming 3 hour ride!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Monday Long Run

The schedule called for a day off because of 'Family Day" but it called for a 26k run tomorrow. I figured I'd rather be pooped and maybe have a nap on Family day, so I did that run today.

Nadia, Frank and I headed out from Timberlane at about 7:15 and ran straight out Vandorf to hwy 48 and back. There must have been a bit of a breeze from the west because it sure got a lot colder when we turned around at the highway!

We ran a nice easy pace, about 6:36/km - total distance was 27k, but we couldn't see turning around 500 meters from the highway. I guess we went a bit quick. I see my average heart rate was 133 - a bit high!

Water bottles froze on the way out so I was under nourished and under hydrated. It was a painful finish, but we did it!

Frank and I are talking about how cool it is to run what at one time was a good long bike ride distance. At some time this spring, we want to run our to the highway, but add the loop around the lake as well. That will be a 37k run I think.

Hey coach - can we add that in somewhere? :-)

Back to the club for a good round of stretching and e-Mend drinking. I didn't have any extra energy to do any more weights today!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Sunday Run Weights and Stretch

I'd read me schedule wrong and I thought I had a 3 hour bike ride this morning. I had a 4 CD stones concert all set up on one computer and thought I'd just rock through the time. At the last moment I checked ans found that I was wrong. I had to run. I emailed Nadia quickly to see if she was still around. She and Susan were meeting at 8:00 at St. Andres Collage so we all met and ran from there.

We did a nice 8.5k loop from the college to Yonge to St John's to Bathurst, south to Orchard Heights and back to the school. It wasn't exactly the technical run I was supposed to do, but it was close. I did pick up speed progressively on the way back. (The downhill helps!)

A small loop back in the parking lot brought us to exactly the 1 hour. My average heart rate was 127, high Zone 2, so i think that's good!

I went back to the club and did all my old weight, upper body stuff, then I did the triceps stuff and stretched for a while.

Tomorrow is an "Off" day and I've got a 26k run on Tuesday. I'm going to switch that around seeing as tomorrow is a holiday. Frank and Nadia are going to meet me for our run along Vandorf to Hwy 48 and back! According my my GPS mapping software that will be 27.2 - but at these distances - what's an extra kilometer? :-)

Saturday Bike

I forgot to write up my report after spinning for an hour and a half yesterday on my trainer. For some reason I'd stayed up working the night before until close to midnight. When I woke up, I wanted to get the bike over with, so I didn't bother eating. (I'd missed dinner the night before)

That made this workout a bit tough. Thanks God for multiple bottles of e-Load and Fly and a few packages of GU!

Anyway - I go it done. 30 minutes chasing the guy on the trainer and then 60 minutes of specific times and power. A couple of 5 minute stints a Zone 4 were tough, but I got em!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Friday Swim Cancelled

This is turning out to be a great recovery week. Monday off, Thursday off and today there was a problem at the pool with a pump, so today's swim was cancelled, last night!

I could really get into this sleeping in in the mornings!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Wednesday - Swim and Run (Graduation Day!)

Today is a celebration day! 3 years, one month and 2 days ago I started to learn how to swim (http://www.gregcollett.com/html/IronTraining/WebCal/wc20060109.html) . Today the coach moved me from the slow lane, to the quick side of the slow lane! Lane 2. YEA – I’m not on the wall anymore. Just think, by the time I’m 65, I could make it to the ‘Medium’ lane. This training really works!

I swam at Glendon for an hour today. Part way through the class Adam moved me over to lane 2. I feel like I've moved from public school to high school. Great to graduate, but now I'm the new guy again, and fighting like made to catch up to everyone! Such is progress! Life is Good!

The minute I moved over I passed Cathy who was coming the other way. We were swimming with paddles and pull-buoy. We both took a stroke at the same time. Our paddles hit and the band on hers broke! I'm sure she's VERY happy that I moved into her lane! :-( We'll see how I stand up with the full gang on Friday at the big pool.

I headed back up to the club and did my 30 minute hill run on the treadmill. I was looking at the sidewalk along Van Dorf as I drove back to the club. It probably is a 2 minute hill, but it was wet and muddy. I whimped out with Bryans line. "I don'[t want to get my new shoes dirty!"

I'd forgotten to bring something to eat with me for during the drive from the pool to the club. I had a gel just before starting to run and then a bottle of e-Load while I ran.

It felt good. Nothing hurts. I'll keep my fingers crossed for another 165 days of staying injury free!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Tuesday Spin and Weights

I don't usually get to join into the spinning classes. I've usually got some sort of very detailed ride to do on the computrainer, but today the schedule read 'Go to spin class and have fun".

I lucked out Christine (www.ChristineGardner.ca) decorated the class up like a Hawaiian beach complete with blow up palm trees and Flamingos. Someone brought water guns for everyone. We got all decked out in our Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses and goofy hats. It was a ton of fun. We even had a plastic golf set laid out to play.

Too bad that Nadia wasn't there though (You missed a fun one kid!)

We actually did some spinning too. Good workout! Super hot with the extra shirt on, but the water helped cool us off!

I went and did all my weight stuff and stretching after.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Sunday 3 Hour Bike

The great thing about this mornings 3 hour ride is that it's over, as is this two week build, and I have tomorrow off!

Actually, the time went by fairly quickly. I really have to get some more music. I have way too much Beatles at the BBC! I think I need to build up my Stones, Aerosmith and Queen library!

The little Comutrainer rider took off from me at the beginning and got about 500 meters ahead, but I ended up 6.5k ahead of him!

I averaged 24.4 kph on the first 73k of the Lake Placid route. I was pushing 24.8, but I was starting up the two Cherrys and the three Bears hills back into town. It's hard to keep speed high on those hills. I've ordered the Real Course Video of that ride which should add another level of fun to riding that over the next while.

I managed to keep my cadence up to an average of 82 over the three hours. I still need to pick that up a bit, but it's moving tin the right direction. My average wattage was 141, pushing to top of zone 2 for me.

I stretched for 10 minutes, grabbed a shower and a bottle of e-mend and so ends the second, two week build of the year!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Saturday Bike - Run - Weights - Stretch

Now that's a fun filled morning of working out!
I did a 30 minute zone 1 ride on the bike. Most of the time I looked I was at about 27.5kph, at 48 to 52 split left to right leg and overall spin scan ranged from 65 to 75%. The half hour went by quickly.

I got changed and headed over to the club. I had a gel and a protein shake on the way. The 40 minute hill repeat on the treadmill went OK - My heart rate was generally in the mid zone 2, about 123 bpm on the flats. It pushed to about 135 - 138 at 5% grade for the three, five minute times I had to increase the grade.

I did my weight stuff after, complete with the triceps stuff, stretched for 10 minutes, hit the shower that was that. Another fine morning of training out of the way!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Friday Swim and Bike

The swim was great this morning. There were only three of us in our lane, so we had lots of room. I screwed up the 6 times 200 meter drills. For some reason I did 3 times, then the recovery 200, then figured out I'd screwed it up and carried on and finished the other 3 times 200. So . . . . I got it all done, just took the break a little early!

I don't know if it was just the day or if the triceps exercises I'm doing helped, but my arms aren't as sore today as they have been lately. We did tons of distance, so I know they should be falling off by now!

I came home and was on the trainer by 8:15 - I'm not sure how I managed it, but I got a flat tire on the trainer!!! I probably need to practice changing tires again. It took me almost 9 minute to change the tire!

I love the drills were doing now. Mainly progressively short times of a mix of Zone 4 and Zone 1 stuff. I sure can feel it in m y legs. The next bike test is going to be interesting!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Wednesday - 23k Run

Sometimes I work out and end up feeling like a million bucks - then there are days like today when I'm glad I did it, but, holy crap, I feel a bit like I've been hit by a truck!

Nadia met me at the club at 5:00. We were dressed in everything we own and on the road by 5:15, heading east on Van Dorf again. 3k of hills, followed by 2.5k of uphill slope. Luckily, delirium kicks in around the Woodbine (Slap-the-Sign turnaround) so the next 6k heading east doesn't hurt so much.

First light hit about 1/3 of the way back, but traffic picked up too. It was amazing that it was in fact about -25 degrees with the wind chill, but we were both boiling out there. It seemed odd that we had ice on our faces, eyelashes etc, but were so hot in all of our clothes. Michelle and Gavin bought me this great hoodie thing to wear. It's so warm, and the long arms with the wrap around your hands thing is great!

The tale of the tape read 23.06k, 2:37, 6.50 pace, 124 average heart rate. That looks like perfect zone 2 times for me. Around the Bay in 2:45 - 2:50, here I come!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Tuesday Bike and Weights

I woke up early and headed directly downstairs to my bike. I started riding at 4:15. Another great workout of a mix of cadence and variable wattage work. I loved it. Swea like crazy. Probably burned off some of those last few chocolate bars that Nadia gave me.

I was into the cool down when I could hear so rythmic sound from the back wheel. It was like I'd picked up a stone or something, which, seeing as I was on my trainer, in the baseement, would have ben pretty hard to do!

There was a small bubble in the tire about the size of the tip of my baby finger. I'd never seen anything like it. I figured I might as well ride it out. It took about 1 minute for it to go off like a firecracker. I got off, figuring the tire was flat, but it wasn't. There's a spot on the tire where the tire blew, but the tube didn't, and the hole isn't big enough for the tube to pop through. So much for a $150.00 tire! I guess I should have spent the $75.00 and bought the proper trainer tire earlier in the season.

I headed over to the club to do my wieght stuff. I added in the tricept stuff that Dick had shown me. Christine had me do some one armed tricept thing. Amazing how weak both arms are, but more so how my left arm isso much weaker than the right.
Here's hoping the weather doesn't get as cold as it's calling for tonight. Nadia and I are heading out for that 23k run at 5:00 tomorrow morning!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Monday Swim and Run

That was a tough swim this morning. My shoulders are killing me again! Adam asked me why I was swimming in the lane I was in and not in the next one over so I guess it's about time I move up. YEA - 3 years later!

Lots of good drills and lots of distance too. The change room was pretty quiet after we got out – another indication that it was tough for everyone!

I drove back up to the club and did my 20 minutes on the treadmill. I forgot tot take any food with me to eat on my way to the club. I'm glad it was just a short run! I’m not sure what a 20 minute run is all about. I guess it was just to stretch out the legs after that 3 hour bike yesterday.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Sunday 3 hour Hour Bike

Sunday 3 hour Hour Bike

Bryan and I have been talking about getting together with our computrainer's and doing some long rides together so, today was the day!

I unhooked the bike and all the equipment and headed down to Bryan's house. We hooked it all back up and started riding about 8:00.

Pineapple Express is a real dumb ass movie. It's redeeming quality is that it's over 2 hour long, so by the time it was done, we were peddling towards the end of our ride to!

Part way through "Ironman" the movie, and we finished! It really doesn't seem to matter how long, or short, I ride, the last 20 minutes always seem to drag like crazy.

It was a fun experiment. It is more fun riding with a friend. By the time I got everything home again, in from the car, down to the basement and all hooked up again, a 3 hour ride took up the best art of 5 hours. I'm not sure I want to do that many more times, but it was a nice change, and it's always fun to talk tri stuff with Bryan.

I cashed in all of my Optimum points at Shoppers yesterday and bought myself an electric razor. It was all charged up when I got back home today. I HAD TO check it out so, I did a quick You Tube search for Shania Twain - "I Feel Like A Woman" and tested it out, recreating those Triathlon legs! I'm sure I'll be faster in the water now. I must have done something wrong the last time I tried this! :-)