Turkey and Training

Training seems like an endless effort.  It takes time and it can take a toll.  The toll can be directly felt by those that are closest to you, your family.  The time and places for training can be lonesome and far flung from those you love.  These paths rarely cross and are often hard to relate.  My kids are always the first to ask; How far did you go? The response is usually interpreted as just a number to them.  Obviously, some are more impressive than others but the true effort eludes as it would most.  Holiday times are especially difficult as you try to maintain your training while being supportive and active in family events and traditions. 
Our holiday is rather similar year on year.For us its usually a rather calm Wednesday in preparation for the 5 day weekend.  A pleasant surprise was the unprecedented warm temperatures that invaded our area for the first half of the holiday.  There were temps in the low 60's.  It allowed for me to take my bike training outside again for a very pleasant ride on Wednesday.  20 miles over an hour's ride made for a pleasant gateway to the holiday.  I returned from the ride to gather the kids for "packet pickup".  We were going to participate in our family's 2nd annual Thanksgiving AM 5k race.  We really enjoy this opportunity to start the day of Thanksgiving with some physical activity that gives a bit of justification for those inevitable second helpings.  For me it carried an added bonus.  I was able to bridge that gap of training with family time.  So we donned our gear and ran in the 1st annual Fishers Gobbler jog.  For me, it allowed me to gauge my early training progress and set my seasons time standard for a 5k.  The temps were cool to begin with as they were in the low 40's but the sun was bright and the winds were very light.  It made for good running and fortunately my time showed it.  I PR'd (personal record) my 5k with a 23:50.  The whole family enjoyed the challenge and the chance to wish a happy thanksgiving to several friends and acquaintances who were participating as well.  I can not recommend enough to try one of these races even if its just walking the distance as it really enhances your well being  for the day not to mention that most of the entry fees go to charitable organizations such as ours going to a local food bank. The remainder of the day was spent enjoying a wonderful feast and the continued warm temperatures with family.
Friday was a scheduled recovery day(no training) for me but it provided a great opportunity for my son and I to continue our family's black Friday tradition of going hunting.  For us, it was a spectacular quail hunt in southern Illinois with a good friend and his family that share a similar tradition.  It was a truly a memorable time as my son got his first birds.  The day was long and the drive even longer (8 hours) but well worth it and fortunately, again, the training did not compromise tradition and time with family and friends.
Saturday was an early start with a 6AM swim workout.  I can honestly say I laid there thinking "skip it you can swim later today" numerous times before I finally rolled myself from my warm bed and headed for the pool.  Again, the fact that I knew I had told my coach I was coming and the expectation of being held accountable to others creates motivation in place of weakness.  The swim felt really good and it was good to work off some of the Turkey day consumption.   A majority of the day was also spent pool side as I was officiating my daughters swim meet.  Chlorine over load was peasant.
Sunday was a stark contrast to Wednesday as the temps were now in the mid 30's with 15 mph winds.  I was due a bike workout and I had set my mind to doing it outside as a bit of a trial run on some cool weather bike gear I had gotten.  So instead of settling into the recliner with some snacks to catch the Colts game I set the DVR and began to "layer" myself for the ride. Riding in cool weather is a real tug of war.  No doubt,  it is more cold when you ride.  When you couple air temp with the wind from the weather and then you put your self on a bike doing 18-30 it gets downright nippy especially on exposed skin.  Windchill is no joke during a two hour stint on a bike in depressed temperatures.  In addition too, you can not throw on a snowmobile suit and ski mask. You must be able to pedal the contraption below you and in doing so you will build up a fair amount of heat and perspiration with that get up to a point of overload.  Those items need to expelled to maintain compfortability and not have drast swings in core body temperatures.  Therefore, I tend for keeping about three thin layers between me and the elements with these garments using the latest technologies in wicking.  After some concern from the wife as she observed my layers. I explained the theory, my need, and my plan.  I was now ready for departure.  The ride was completed with success.  Well, about as comfortable as is possible for the conditions.  The good news was I had also gained insight to my "kit" for such conditions going forward. 
My weekend was closed out with one last tradition. The disembarking of decorations for the holiday season from the attic.  I guess you could call this workout; stretching.  In closing, I was able to catch the Colts win and get ready for a new week.  Thankfully, the "toll" ended up being negligible.  Traditions were maintained, quality time and memories were made with family, and at the end of the week I was a net zero on the scale and kept my training plan intact.  There is much to be thankful for this season. 

Time.....dark to dark

Getting all of your training done this time of year is difficult. Training for an Ironman this time of year is even more of challenge given the weather conditions and lack of daylight. I can not imagine how my friends who just finished IMFL and IMAZ did it. They were much closer to peak training hours in these conditions. The feeling of not enough hours in a day is ever present but this takes it to a new level. Currently, I am at about 6.5 hours training per week. That is not a huge number and rather inconsequential compared to when I will peak at about 17-20 hours about 3 weeks out from the race. Let's look at this in a little more detail to get a real feel for the predicament. First you must take into consideration of the pre and post times to get a more complete number. For ease of math we will use a half hour on each side of my workout. This time is used for things like a post workout shower, gear prep, getting to the workout site, etc. Therefore, my 6.5 hours actually becomes 12.5 hours based on my 6 days/ week schedule. The good news is that that 6 hours will never increase unlike the the other number that will climb in time. Anyway, that puts me at just over 2 hours of training 6 days a week. Here in Indiana, in the week prior to Thanksgiving we are currently down to less than 10 hours of daylight each day. That is roughly 30 days prior to the least "lit" day. Therefore we have about 100 days that are rather short in terms of day light. For me, my work day is usually on average 9-10 hours. Yes I know, the dreaded going and coming in the dark. Then let's tag 2 hours of training onto this. But how? I am learning you go subterranean and nocturnal. You also learn to focus your weekend time for longer workouts in the light of day. You learn to eat at your desk and do some treadmill rather than catching up,with coworkers over lunch. As for subterranean and nocturnal, I am now swimming at 5:30AM when it's dark, I hit my bike in the basement when it's dark, and I do some treadmill work early and late back in the basement. The cruddy part for me is that these are not short 30 mins workouts. These are 1 hour plus long as we discussed. That much time on trainers and treadmills again tests your mental persistence and are boring. Some more training huh for this event that is a real challenge mentally. The other aspect of this is the weather. It is very inconsistent this time of year. Its marginal on a good day and requires a degree in Eskimo dressing. Therefore, often time regardless of light, nocturnal and subterranean is your only chance because its 28 degrees with a 15 mph wind. Those conditions are often just more brutal than the treadmill in the basement. So, the next time you see that guy running in the dark, a woman loading a swim bag in their car at 5 AM, the guy carrying an impatient look on his face while waiting in line at the gym, ask them, "What ya training for?" You will probably get an initial quizzical look but then beware as one of things triathletes like to do as much as train is talk about training. Got to go.....I am burning daylight

Getting Started

To do anything you must first begin.

For me, my beginning is 284 days, 13 hours, 46 minutes, 9 seconds away from my goal of becoming an Ironman on August 25th 2013.

Perception of time is always relative and circumstantially dependent.  If I gave you this amount of time to get a present for someone it may seem to be more than enough and even enough time for some procrastination.  If I gave you this as the amount of time left to live well then a whole new panic sets in.  To train for a race of this magnitude it takes time.  It takes a substantial amount time ahead of the race and a substantial amount of time each week. The time per week is established by the plan and the plan is based on your training. Your training is based on your goals, circumstances, and condition. 
For me, the time to begin my training was now. As for this amount of time its somewhat substantial, its daunting, and its ever escaping.  Training for a race like this is one that some do in 16 weeks, 32, weeks, 1 year, or even 2 years ahead.  Again its based on the previous 3 criteria. For me, it seems right but I will update you in about 9 months. I chose now because the "timing" was good.  I am just coming off a season of tri's, running, biking, and general fitness shape like I have not been in for decades.  I had taken some time to refresh and rekindle my energy with a bit of "break". Yet, in this "break" I did maintain some baseline of endurance.  I took the break to educate myself as to the plan, process, and program that lies ahead so that I was mentally aware of the challenge.  I spoke to friends, confidants, coach's and my family about what lies ahead to gain their insight, support, and wisdom.
This time is set upon my condition.  My condition is one that is a novice. I have never swam farther than 1.2 miles, ran farther 13 miles, and I have never biked more than 90 miles let alone all of that together and then  nearly double it.  Holy wow.  However, that is why you train.  That is why for me I am starting over 9 months ahead of the race.  Now that nine months does not sound so long does it?
Last night I started: 1 hour on the bike trainer in my basement. This morning: 5:30 swimming for an hour with a coach.  For the next 40 weeks I am going to be spending time from 5-20 hours per week in preparation so that I may achieve my goal, within the circumstances of my life given my current condition.

Gotta go my "break" is over and I need to get home so I may make time to have time. 

Hello

Hello,

Let me get you up to speed………

My name is Mark and I reside in the Middle, or the Heartland, or the fly over, but to me, a place I was born and raised that I love and want to live- Indiana. In similarity to my surroundings, I find that I am quintessentially average or a rather nondescript person, with grounded ideals, conservative beliefs, and go about my life trying to make it a better place and trying to be a person others like and enjoy being around. I find reinforcement in being “non-descript” in that it is not uncommon to have to re-introduce myself to people that I have met on more than one occasion. Just the other night I was at a banquet when another couple approached and sat down at the table with my wife and me. We went through the proverbial stand and greet.  I guess to my surprise or demise again, I greeted them with my name as I could already tell they were not placing my face, of which the husband came back to me with the “nice to meet you”.  Really? It’s not like we have vacationed with them for the many years but we have had significant personal interaction during and after group bike rides at least 7 or 8 times.  Really? Oh well,it’s not like it’s the first time nor will it be the last. I digress.

I have always had many interests and hobbies and they have tended to change with my stages of life. I usually describe them as more numerous than time allows.  By nature I am a competitive person and enjoy sports and being outdoors. Whereas my birth certificate states 42, my mind dismisses it as a just anumber and that I am not quite as ripe as I see in some of my peers.

WhenI hit 40 I felt no obligation to bemoan the milestone and as with most my birthdays I took it as an opportunity to celebrate.  Another number came at a similar time and it was 228.  This was not a number to be proud of as an accomplishment.  The pictures from the get together reinforced the achievement.  I had let 20 years of consumption and complacency erode me to obesity. Needless to say the pictures are not my favorite part to reflect back on what was a great time of friends and fun. I had no on setting health issues or ailments I just found my aesthetics to be rather disturbing.  I don’t believe I am a shallow person but Iam one that does admire beauty in many shapes and forms.  This can be a classic car, impressionism art, a fine crafted shotgun, or the human body.  Form can be fine and form can be appalling

Around this time, I had tried to resolve myself to become more fit. Success was measurable but not drastic. My activity was up but my lifestyle was still not significantly changed. Then, a series of influences on my life created a level of clarity as to life’s priorities and choices.   

A significant reduction in the types of intake and consumption seemed to give way to results rather quickly.  20 pounds came off rather quickly.  With less girth my energy level grew thus so did my physical activity. I greatly increased my running, biking and continued to maintain lower intake.  The pounds continued to fall and over about a years time I was down 40 + pounds.  I was in a much better place metally and phyusically and the next challenge itch began.  On a bit of a whim I entered a sprint triathlon with my daughter.  I consider myself a classic sports athlete that thought runners and swimmers were all just nuts.  Therefore, shunning anything over a 40 yard sprint. I swallowed my stress and insecurities specifically about failure in the “swim”.  I have to say swimming is pure tough.  I not only survived but the bug had hit.

From there, I stepped itup by joining a local tri team and started this year competing regularly as an age grouper in sprint distance events, did an Olympic distance, ran a half marathon and took my biking(my real passion) to another level of intensity and regularity. I am by no means elite and probably at best a well versed mid packer but I love the results and the feeding of my competitive mind.

For me, even prior to my endeavors into triathlons I had always had an affinity for the competition called an Ironman. For those of you not familiar with such a race, they are considered to be one of if not the most grueling one-day endurance events a person can do.  It is a 2.4 mile open-water swim, followed by112 mile bike ride, and then you finish with a full marathon of 26.2miles.  All 140.6 miles must be completed in 17hours for you to be called an Ironman. It is supreme test of mind, body, and spirit.

An Ironman was always in the back of my mind but I was never very serious about it till recently. After a lot of back and forth I felt the only way to truly commit was to sign up. I am now a few dollars lighter and ready to begin the journey. I feel blessed to be at a point physically, mentally, personally, and professionally that I can commit to make this happen. I am ready to make the investment. I look forward to this path and process and gaining the knowledge and insight that this takes.  It is here where I plan to capture my journey.  Ironman Kentucky August 2013 here I come.

 Sincerely,

Mark in the Middle.