I arrived at Magic Island at the obscenly early hour of 6:00am on Saturday morning. The plan was to ride the Honolulu Triathlon bike course, and we wanted to do it before traffic kicked in. It was a warm and windless morning.
This was my first day riding my new bike out on the road, and it was fun. It's surprising how much easier it is to accelerate, but I guess that shouldn't have surprised me given the weight difference from what I'm used to. The ride went well. We started from Magic Island and went to Aloha Stadium via Ala Moana and Nimitz. On the way back, we added eight miles by doing two laps up and down Lagoon Drive.
For most of the ride, it was a fairly comfortable pace. The second lap on Lagoon was a different story. Our group (the medium-speed riders) started right after the fast riders, and I expected us to stay in our group. Our coach had other ideas and unexpectedly told us to just go and try to catch the fast riders. It was fun. I really think my new bike made a big difference. I didn't really catch anyone, but I came in first for our group, and I didn't loose ground on the riders from the other group who got a head start. I thought I was gaining a little, but that's likely wishful thinking. I felt smooth and strong the whole way.
Back at Magic Island, we put our bikes away and got ready for the swim. A 1500m swim along the shoreline. We started at one lifeguard tower, passed another, passed the first white pole, and turned around at the third lifeguard tower. Out and back is roughly 1500m. I forgot to start my timer on the way out, but the way back took me 20 minutes. I don't think there was a current in either direction, so I likely did the whole thing in 40 to 45 minutes.
This swim was much better than the last ocean swim. No panic attacks and I didn't feel sick. The water was smooth and glassy, so I'm sure that helped. It was almost like swimming in a pool, except I had to work on sighting. Initially, I found myself going off course quite a bit, but I got a little better at staying on course as it went on. It was much easier coming back than going out as the landmarks were bigger and harder to miss.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Tri Class #18: mini-tri
Last night was a great workout. We did our own mini-triathlon. We met at Queens beach and went back and forth twice for the swim. We started near the pier on the right (facing the water) and then went until the first wall outcropping on the left, not the further one that sticks out like a pier.
Then we ran over to the parking lot, pulled out our bikes and rode over Diamond Head. We stayed on that road until the stop sign just before Kahala Beach and turned left there. At the Arco gas station, we turned around and retraced our route back to the cars.
Putting away the bike, we changed into our running gear and did a lap clockwise around Kapiolani park, finishing at the Marathon finishing line.
The swim was the hardest portion for me. The water was ugly and murky. When you put your face down, you couldn't see a thing. That's really unusual for Hawaii and it was really disturbing to me. I sort of freaked out a bit, but I lifted my head and floated a few moments and eventually got a grip on myself.
Needless to say, the swim took me quite a while. I ingested quite a bit of water, too. At two different points I truly thought I was going to throw up. Fortunately, I didn't and I was able to finish the swim. I rinsed off and then jogged to my car. During my transition to the bike, I glanced at my watch, 20 minutes.
The bike actually went really well. I'd say this was my favorite part of the day. Going up Diamond Head right at the start isn't so much fun, but going down afterwards is a nice reward that helps you catch your breath. I felt pretty strong on the bike, and I felt like I was getting stronger as we went on.
There were three other riders who had started the bike at the same time I did. We spread out going up Diamond Head, with me in second. Starting on the downhill, I set to work catching up with the leader. I was slowly gaining on her, when she pulled up with a flat near the left turn we were to take. I turned around to help, and then was waived off by a coach who I hadn't seen.
I felt bad for her because it just sucks to get a flat in a race, even in a practice race. I also was bummed for my sake. I wanted to find out if I could catch her. I know even if I caught her on the bike, unless I put a huge margin between us (unlikely), she would smoke me on the run. Still, I wanted to know. Back to the bike. It was hard to get going again and in the process a fellow I had passed earlier, had passed me again. So I passed him back. Yay! It was an isolated victory though.
The rest of the ride was uneventful until near the end when my attention wandered as I was coming near the transition. I was thinking about how I wanted to get to my car and I guess I had slowed down. Another rider, Tom, passed me and yelled "higher cadence." I knew I was in too hard a gear, but since I wasn't really paying attention to my riding, I had neglected to change it. He snapped me back to attention, for which I was grateful. I dropped my gear, picked up the cadence and was hoping to pass him when he pulled over to his car. My car was around the corner and I had banked on having that much distance. Pooh. Starting the run, I glanced at my watch again, ~1 hour, so the bike and transition took roughly 40 minutes.
Although I had felt good on the bike, the run was a completely different story. I think all the sea-water in my stomach caused it to rebel and I had pretty bad side pain. I felt my stomach and it was hard as a rock. While that sounds good, that's not a normal state for me, usually there's some give. Basically, not good. So I held it to a slow pace and hoped it would pass.
About a third of the way into the run, Tom, who had passed me earlier on the bike, passed me again. Dangit. I was in no shape to chase him down at that moment. Half way along, Mike, who had already finished, was walking back from the finish line and I guess he thought I looked like I was in pretty bad shape, so he turned around and joined me. He's by far the fastest person in our group, so I wasn't sure how I felt about him trotting along at my pathetic pace.
It turned out to be great though. We discussed what was going on with me, and his suggestion, I'm not making this up, was to run faster so maybe I can throw it up. To illustrate what a weird sport this is, I actually thought there was logic in this and picked up the pace. He also reminded me to lean forwards. When he said it, I realized that I was running extremely upright and tight. I have to watch that.
When I finished the run, I neglected to look at my watch right away, but when I did, it said 1h20m. I estimate the total time to be 1h15m, so the run took 15m. At the end, we were right on Tom's heels and if my breathing wasn't so rough (asthmatic-like again), I might have caught him. He said afterwards that he could hear our footsteps (and I'm sure my breathing) and had picked it up. So, in the end, I was very grateful that Mike had run back with me. He was a huge help and I pushed myself much harder than I would have otherwise.
Why is it that I need someone else pushing me along? I should be self motivating. Maybe that comes with more experience. I think I still have the survival-mode mentality where I only push myself to the point where I know I will finish. Now that I'm getting more fit, I should be pushing for time. I know I'll finish, so I should focus on making myself go as hard as I can. If I end up having to slow down, so be it, but I'll eventually get stronger and more wise about how long I can hold a hard pace. What have I got to lose?
On a side note, I wore my tri-shorts and black swim-suit top for the whole thing. It worked out well. No more trying to force bike shorts on over a wet body. I just pulled on a bike jersey during the first transition and I was all set.
Lessons learned:
Push HARDER!
I need to do more ocean swimming.
Don't stand up to get out of the water until your hand hits the sand.
High cadence, low resistance near the end of the bike to let your legs recover before the run.
Lean forward while running. When I'm uncomfortable, I tend to be very upright.
Get the little tie-thingys for my shoelaces.
Then we ran over to the parking lot, pulled out our bikes and rode over Diamond Head. We stayed on that road until the stop sign just before Kahala Beach and turned left there. At the Arco gas station, we turned around and retraced our route back to the cars.
Putting away the bike, we changed into our running gear and did a lap clockwise around Kapiolani park, finishing at the Marathon finishing line.
The swim was the hardest portion for me. The water was ugly and murky. When you put your face down, you couldn't see a thing. That's really unusual for Hawaii and it was really disturbing to me. I sort of freaked out a bit, but I lifted my head and floated a few moments and eventually got a grip on myself.
Needless to say, the swim took me quite a while. I ingested quite a bit of water, too. At two different points I truly thought I was going to throw up. Fortunately, I didn't and I was able to finish the swim. I rinsed off and then jogged to my car. During my transition to the bike, I glanced at my watch, 20 minutes.
The bike actually went really well. I'd say this was my favorite part of the day. Going up Diamond Head right at the start isn't so much fun, but going down afterwards is a nice reward that helps you catch your breath. I felt pretty strong on the bike, and I felt like I was getting stronger as we went on.
There were three other riders who had started the bike at the same time I did. We spread out going up Diamond Head, with me in second. Starting on the downhill, I set to work catching up with the leader. I was slowly gaining on her, when she pulled up with a flat near the left turn we were to take. I turned around to help, and then was waived off by a coach who I hadn't seen.
I felt bad for her because it just sucks to get a flat in a race, even in a practice race. I also was bummed for my sake. I wanted to find out if I could catch her. I know even if I caught her on the bike, unless I put a huge margin between us (unlikely), she would smoke me on the run. Still, I wanted to know. Back to the bike. It was hard to get going again and in the process a fellow I had passed earlier, had passed me again. So I passed him back. Yay! It was an isolated victory though.
The rest of the ride was uneventful until near the end when my attention wandered as I was coming near the transition. I was thinking about how I wanted to get to my car and I guess I had slowed down. Another rider, Tom, passed me and yelled "higher cadence." I knew I was in too hard a gear, but since I wasn't really paying attention to my riding, I had neglected to change it. He snapped me back to attention, for which I was grateful. I dropped my gear, picked up the cadence and was hoping to pass him when he pulled over to his car. My car was around the corner and I had banked on having that much distance. Pooh. Starting the run, I glanced at my watch again, ~1 hour, so the bike and transition took roughly 40 minutes.
Although I had felt good on the bike, the run was a completely different story. I think all the sea-water in my stomach caused it to rebel and I had pretty bad side pain. I felt my stomach and it was hard as a rock. While that sounds good, that's not a normal state for me, usually there's some give. Basically, not good. So I held it to a slow pace and hoped it would pass.
About a third of the way into the run, Tom, who had passed me earlier on the bike, passed me again. Dangit. I was in no shape to chase him down at that moment. Half way along, Mike, who had already finished, was walking back from the finish line and I guess he thought I looked like I was in pretty bad shape, so he turned around and joined me. He's by far the fastest person in our group, so I wasn't sure how I felt about him trotting along at my pathetic pace.
It turned out to be great though. We discussed what was going on with me, and his suggestion, I'm not making this up, was to run faster so maybe I can throw it up. To illustrate what a weird sport this is, I actually thought there was logic in this and picked up the pace. He also reminded me to lean forwards. When he said it, I realized that I was running extremely upright and tight. I have to watch that.
When I finished the run, I neglected to look at my watch right away, but when I did, it said 1h20m. I estimate the total time to be 1h15m, so the run took 15m. At the end, we were right on Tom's heels and if my breathing wasn't so rough (asthmatic-like again), I might have caught him. He said afterwards that he could hear our footsteps (and I'm sure my breathing) and had picked it up. So, in the end, I was very grateful that Mike had run back with me. He was a huge help and I pushed myself much harder than I would have otherwise.
Why is it that I need someone else pushing me along? I should be self motivating. Maybe that comes with more experience. I think I still have the survival-mode mentality where I only push myself to the point where I know I will finish. Now that I'm getting more fit, I should be pushing for time. I know I'll finish, so I should focus on making myself go as hard as I can. If I end up having to slow down, so be it, but I'll eventually get stronger and more wise about how long I can hold a hard pace. What have I got to lose?
On a side note, I wore my tri-shorts and black swim-suit top for the whole thing. It worked out well. No more trying to force bike shorts on over a wet body. I just pulled on a bike jersey during the first transition and I was all set.
Lessons learned:
Push HARDER!
I need to do more ocean swimming.
Don't stand up to get out of the water until your hand hits the sand.
High cadence, low resistance near the end of the bike to let your legs recover before the run.
Lean forward while running. When I'm uncomfortable, I tend to be very upright.
Get the little tie-thingys for my shoelaces.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Food Diary Mon 4/17 - Sun 4/23
Monday, April 17, 2006
06:30a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
09:00a Soda
11:45a Chicken stirfry, brown rice, and roasted veggies
05:00p Energy bar
10:30p Pancakes
Water: 2-3L
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
06:30a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
11:00a Sushi and fruit
02:30p Chicken summer roll
04:00p Chicken summer roll
06:00p Caesar salad, bbq chicken, potato salad, pupus
06:00p Soda
Water: 2-3L
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
07:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
09:30a Half a muffin and orange juice
10:30a Half a muffin and orange juice
11:00a Beer and wine tasting
12:00p What did I not eat? Greek buffet
07:00p Chicken Saltimbocca, pasta, wine, & antipasto
Water: ?
Thursday, April 20, 2006
09:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
12:30p Brown rice & roasted veggies
03:00p "Strawberry Whirl" smoothie from Jamba Juice
06:30p Sushi roll
10:00p Tomato & cheese on ciabatta, wine
Water: ?
Friday, April 21, 2006
09:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
12:00p Chicken Saltimbocca
04:00p Brown rice and roasted veggies
05:00p Ginger snaps
09:00p Salad
Water: ?
Saturday, April 22, 2006
06:30a Smoothie
10:00a Energy Bar
11:00a Pizza and soda
04:00p Green Tea Frappaccino
09:00p Pasta
Water: ?
Sunday, April 23, 2006
10:00a Cereal
10:30a Green Tea Frappaccino
02:00p Sushi
04:00p Soda and chips
08:00p Nachos and Margarita
Water: ?
06:30a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
09:00a Soda
11:45a Chicken stirfry, brown rice, and roasted veggies
05:00p Energy bar
10:30p Pancakes
Water: 2-3L
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
06:30a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
11:00a Sushi and fruit
02:30p Chicken summer roll
04:00p Chicken summer roll
06:00p Caesar salad, bbq chicken, potato salad, pupus
06:00p Soda
Water: 2-3L
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
07:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
09:30a Half a muffin and orange juice
10:30a Half a muffin and orange juice
11:00a Beer and wine tasting
12:00p What did I not eat? Greek buffet
07:00p Chicken Saltimbocca, pasta, wine, & antipasto
Water: ?
Thursday, April 20, 2006
09:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
12:30p Brown rice & roasted veggies
03:00p "Strawberry Whirl" smoothie from Jamba Juice
06:30p Sushi roll
10:00p Tomato & cheese on ciabatta, wine
Water: ?
Friday, April 21, 2006
09:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
12:00p Chicken Saltimbocca
04:00p Brown rice and roasted veggies
05:00p Ginger snaps
09:00p Salad
Water: ?
Saturday, April 22, 2006
06:30a Smoothie
10:00a Energy Bar
11:00a Pizza and soda
04:00p Green Tea Frappaccino
09:00p Pasta
Water: ?
Sunday, April 23, 2006
10:00a Cereal
10:30a Green Tea Frappaccino
02:00p Sushi
04:00p Soda and chips
08:00p Nachos and Margarita
Water: ?
Tri Class #17 Bike/Run
The short version:
25' T.T.
25' Core
25' T.T.
20' Run
The long version:
The turbo training workout started off with an easy spin warmup and then slowly increased the gear every minute or so. Tempo in the 90rpm area. Then after the fourth increase, we dropped down for a rest. Then back up to the gear we had finished the hard set at and held that for five minutes, followed by a two minute break. I don't recall what happened after that.
For the core part, we did a bunch (2x15?) of squats (normal and one-legged), side-squats, lunges, dips, crunches, and pushups. This was followed by stretching.
Back on the T.T., we did three intervals of five minutes at 90rpm with two minutes break in between at the highest gear we could maintain.
This was followed by a 20 minutes out and back run where we cruised for the first three minutes and then picked it up to slightly faster than our 10k pace. I went out for 10'45'' and then back, and made it back to the start at almost exactly 20'.
I bought my new bike today, and tried it out. It needs a new seat above all, the current one is realllly hard, and I need to shorten the stem, but still, I'm shocked at how I ended up with such a nice bike. The chain came off during the T.T. workout, but the shifters just needed adjusting. One of the coaches fixed it for me after the class. Now I want to get all the toys for it: aerobars, a pump (not really a toy), and a computer with a cadence meter.
25' T.T.
25' Core
25' T.T.
20' Run
The long version:
The turbo training workout started off with an easy spin warmup and then slowly increased the gear every minute or so. Tempo in the 90rpm area. Then after the fourth increase, we dropped down for a rest. Then back up to the gear we had finished the hard set at and held that for five minutes, followed by a two minute break. I don't recall what happened after that.
For the core part, we did a bunch (2x15?) of squats (normal and one-legged), side-squats, lunges, dips, crunches, and pushups. This was followed by stretching.
Back on the T.T., we did three intervals of five minutes at 90rpm with two minutes break in between at the highest gear we could maintain.
This was followed by a 20 minutes out and back run where we cruised for the first three minutes and then picked it up to slightly faster than our 10k pace. I went out for 10'45'' and then back, and made it back to the start at almost exactly 20'.
I bought my new bike today, and tried it out. It needs a new seat above all, the current one is realllly hard, and I need to shorten the stem, but still, I'm shocked at how I ended up with such a nice bike. The chain came off during the T.T. workout, but the shifters just needed adjusting. One of the coaches fixed it for me after the class. Now I want to get all the toys for it: aerobars, a pump (not really a toy), and a computer with a cadence meter.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Tri Class #16: Run and aborted swim
Met at Central Oahu Regional Park. Ran loops around the perimeter for 90'. I got another "asthma" attack and got to try one of the coach's inhaler, which seemed to help, but as soon as I slowed down, it got better on its own even before the inhaler. I was able to resume running after, and the chest no longer had that tight feeling, so the jury is still out. Regardless, I think I should see a doctor and get a perscription for an inhaler to see if that helps in the future.
We were supposed to do a swim at the pool right next to the parking lot after, but it turns out they had a water polo tournament scheduled there, so it was closed. We were supposed to do the swim on our own, but I didn't get around to it.
In other news, I had Eduardo and Ray check out the bike I'm considering buying from Ken. It got their approval. They said it fits me well, although it needs a few adjustments, and that it was a fantastic deal. Eduardo even wanted to try it out. Ray told me that if I didn't buy it, he would. It looks like I'm getting it.
We were supposed to do a swim at the pool right next to the parking lot after, but it turns out they had a water polo tournament scheduled there, so it was closed. We were supposed to do the swim on our own, but I didn't get around to it.
In other news, I had Eduardo and Ray check out the bike I'm considering buying from Ken. It got their approval. They said it fits me well, although it needs a few adjustments, and that it was a fantastic deal. Eduardo even wanted to try it out. Ray told me that if I didn't buy it, he would. It looks like I'm getting it.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Tri Class #15: part two
Yay! I did manage to get the run in last night. I ran a loop around a neighborhood near the Y. We were told to run one-mile repeats, and I think my loop was just shy of a mile. I estimated the distance by doing a warm up lap and combining my time along with perceived effort. Not scientific, but it was the best I could do. It has a few hills in it, one being short but steep, so I think it balances out for the slightly shorter distance.
After the warm up lap, I did three repeats with two minutes rest between each one. My times were 9:34, 9:44, and 9:22. I finished up with a final loop at a slow jog, then went in the Y and did a bunch of crunches along with some pushups and plank-poses.
I'm so happy I was able to get that in. On a side note, the car appears to be fixed. We changed the battery and all is well. Hopefully it wasn't something else, like the alternator, which will manifest itself by draining the battery in a day or two.
After the warm up lap, I did three repeats with two minutes rest between each one. My times were 9:34, 9:44, and 9:22. I finished up with a final loop at a slow jog, then went in the Y and did a bunch of crunches along with some pushups and plank-poses.
I'm so happy I was able to get that in. On a side note, the car appears to be fixed. We changed the battery and all is well. Hopefully it wasn't something else, like the alternator, which will manifest itself by draining the battery in a day or two.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tri Class #15: track workout and swim
I actually didn't go to the workout last night, but I got the scoop from the coach as to the workout so I could do it on my own.
The run involves a warmup (~ one mile) and then three one-mile repeats around the track with 2 minutes rest in between. Each repeat should be run slightly faster than your 10k pace. Follow this with a 20 minute cool-down jog.
The swim: 45 minutes to one hour. The first half as drills and the second half just swimming.
I did the swim part today, well 36 minutes of it, and I had meant to do the run after work, but my car died unexpectedly this morning, so I'm dependent on my husband today. Dealing with the car takes precedence over the workout, so I doubt it's going to happen.
The swim was ok. Did 1200 yards (~1100m). I started doing my first flip turns today. On the very first one, I got a ton of water up my nose. Very uncomfortable. I learned pretty quickly that you breathe in right before the flip and exhale out your nose as you rotate. I'm starting to get the hang of it, but I have this strange feeling that my butt is out of the water for rather a long time while I'm doing the flip part.
I did finger-drag, fist-swimming, and catch-up drills. I counted strokes a bit, and I seem to have dropped from 25 strokes per 25 yards, to 24 strokes. It doesn't seem like much, but it's going to happen one stroke at a time, so I'm happy.
In contrast, I counted the fellow in the lane next to me who seemed to know what he was doing, although his wearing board shorts belies this. He took 19 strokes, in spite of the shorts. Maybe he's intentionally causing drag.
The run involves a warmup (~ one mile) and then three one-mile repeats around the track with 2 minutes rest in between. Each repeat should be run slightly faster than your 10k pace. Follow this with a 20 minute cool-down jog.
The swim: 45 minutes to one hour. The first half as drills and the second half just swimming.
I did the swim part today, well 36 minutes of it, and I had meant to do the run after work, but my car died unexpectedly this morning, so I'm dependent on my husband today. Dealing with the car takes precedence over the workout, so I doubt it's going to happen.
The swim was ok. Did 1200 yards (~1100m). I started doing my first flip turns today. On the very first one, I got a ton of water up my nose. Very uncomfortable. I learned pretty quickly that you breathe in right before the flip and exhale out your nose as you rotate. I'm starting to get the hang of it, but I have this strange feeling that my butt is out of the water for rather a long time while I'm doing the flip part.
I did finger-drag, fist-swimming, and catch-up drills. I counted strokes a bit, and I seem to have dropped from 25 strokes per 25 yards, to 24 strokes. It doesn't seem like much, but it's going to happen one stroke at a time, so I'm happy.
In contrast, I counted the fellow in the lane next to me who seemed to know what he was doing, although his wearing board shorts belies this. He took 19 strokes, in spite of the shorts. Maybe he's intentionally causing drag.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Tri Class #14: TT and drills
Last night's workout started with Turbo Training.
One-legs drills.
Maybe 10 cycles of alternating 15 second and 30 second hard (95-100rpm) intervals with 30 and 45 second rests.
One 15 minute interval at 95-100 rpms at highest sustainable effort.
One 2 minute interval.
More one-leg drills.
Then we ran over to a nearby park where flags had been set in the ground for four corners of a large square. We did pickups along the long sides, a light jog on one short side, and shuttles along the other short side. Each corner was assigned to be one of the following: lunges, crunches, squats, or pushups. Each time we came to a particular corner, we would do a variation of its assigned exercise. It was surprising how fast you get out of breath doing this. Also, I was surprised to wake up this morning and discover that I was rather sore in a few places.
Then we were split up into four groups and did a relay race weaving in and out of two rows of palm trees. I initially had some trepidation, but it was a lot of fun. There were some surprises in seeing who could really knock it out, and it was fun cheering for everyone on either side.
One-legs drills.
Maybe 10 cycles of alternating 15 second and 30 second hard (95-100rpm) intervals with 30 and 45 second rests.
One 15 minute interval at 95-100 rpms at highest sustainable effort.
One 2 minute interval.
More one-leg drills.
Then we ran over to a nearby park where flags had been set in the ground for four corners of a large square. We did pickups along the long sides, a light jog on one short side, and shuttles along the other short side. Each corner was assigned to be one of the following: lunges, crunches, squats, or pushups. Each time we came to a particular corner, we would do a variation of its assigned exercise. It was surprising how fast you get out of breath doing this. Also, I was surprised to wake up this morning and discover that I was rather sore in a few places.
Then we were split up into four groups and did a relay race weaving in and out of two rows of palm trees. I initially had some trepidation, but it was a lot of fun. There were some surprises in seeing who could really knock it out, and it was fun cheering for everyone on either side.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Food Diary Mon 4/10 - Sun 4/16
Monday, April 10, 2006
07:30a Smoothie: banana, strawberries, blueberries, flax seed, and apple juice
10:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
11:30a The rest of my oatmeal, I only ate half earlier
01:15p Half of an eggplant parmesan sandwich
01:45p A meatball and brown rice
02:00p A square of chocolate
07:30p Tomato and cheese on ciabatta, a glass of red wine
Water: 2 Liters/~67 oz
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
09:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
12:30p Tuna sandwich, chips, and guacamole
02:30p Smoothie: soy milk, chocolate syrup, ice, and chocolate chips
07:30p Portugese bean soup, chips, and wine
Water: 3 Liters
Wedneday, April 12, 2006
08:00a Smoothie: banana, strawberries, blueberries, flax seed, and apple juice
10:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, and splenda
12:15p Rest of the oatmeal
01:30p Half of a Veggie Pita Wrap
02:30p Slice of Veggie Thai Pizza
09:00p Portugese bean soup, chips, and wine
Water: 2-3 Liters?
Thursday, April 13, 2006
08:30a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, and splenda
10:30a Half of a Veggie Pita Wrap
01:00p Half an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich and chips
03:00p Slice of Veggie Thai Pizza
07:00p Half an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Friday, April 14, 2006
11:00p Eggs Benedict
03:00p Green Tea Frappaccino
07:30p Chicken Scallopine and wine
Saturday, April 15, 2006
06:30a Smoothie: strawberries, blueberries, flax seed, and apple juice
12:00p Half a bacon supreme personal pan and soda
07:00p Chicken Scallopine and wine
Sunday, April 16, 2006
08:00a Pancakes and milk
01:30p Cinnamon rolls and milk
03:00p Hot chocolate
06:30p Soup, Salad and a Margarita
07:30a Smoothie: banana, strawberries, blueberries, flax seed, and apple juice
10:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
11:30a The rest of my oatmeal, I only ate half earlier
01:15p Half of an eggplant parmesan sandwich
01:45p A meatball and brown rice
02:00p A square of chocolate
07:30p Tomato and cheese on ciabatta, a glass of red wine
Water: 2 Liters/~67 oz
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
09:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, & splenda
12:30p Tuna sandwich, chips, and guacamole
02:30p Smoothie: soy milk, chocolate syrup, ice, and chocolate chips
07:30p Portugese bean soup, chips, and wine
Water: 3 Liters
Wedneday, April 12, 2006
08:00a Smoothie: banana, strawberries, blueberries, flax seed, and apple juice
10:00a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, and splenda
12:15p Rest of the oatmeal
01:30p Half of a Veggie Pita Wrap
02:30p Slice of Veggie Thai Pizza
09:00p Portugese bean soup, chips, and wine
Water: 2-3 Liters?
Thursday, April 13, 2006
08:30a Oatmeal w/ blueberries, flax seed, cinnamon, and splenda
10:30a Half of a Veggie Pita Wrap
01:00p Half an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich and chips
03:00p Slice of Veggie Thai Pizza
07:00p Half an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Friday, April 14, 2006
11:00p Eggs Benedict
03:00p Green Tea Frappaccino
07:30p Chicken Scallopine and wine
Saturday, April 15, 2006
06:30a Smoothie: strawberries, blueberries, flax seed, and apple juice
12:00p Half a bacon supreme personal pan and soda
07:00p Chicken Scallopine and wine
Sunday, April 16, 2006
08:00a Pancakes and milk
01:30p Cinnamon rolls and milk
03:00p Hot chocolate
06:30p Soup, Salad and a Margarita
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Tri Class #13: Run up Tantalus
This morning was cold and drizzly, but that makes for great running weather. In spite of this, I didn't have a really good day. We ran up Tantalus and I didn't do as well as I would have hoped.
The fastest guy in the group did it in 48 minutes. I came in at 64 minutes. Tantalus is 4.7 miles long, so that's a difference of roughly a minute and a half per mile. Pretty big difference. Excepting that, there was still much to be disappointed about. I ended up doing some walking, which I had really hoped to avoid, and I was passed by people that I thought I could beat.
What was interesting was that whenever I hit a section that was remotely flat, I felt fresh and was able to really pick up the pace. Unfortunately, flattish sections are few and far between, and I just couldn't seem to get a good rhythm for the uphill. As soon as the grade increased, my performance fell apart again.
Why did I suck? I'm not sure. Perhaps I didn't eat enough before. I found out the night before that I didn't have any bananas, so my morning smoothie consisted only of strawberries, blueberries, and apple juice. Also, I didn't drink all that much of it, and no water, for fear of having to go to the bathroom, as there are no restrooms anywhere along the way. I would have loved to have taken the Gu I brought with me, but with no water, I didn't dare.
The question is how do I rectify this? I guess I just have to do it on my own after work some days. Going up takes an hour, I wonder how long it takes to come down without blowing out your knees (today, there were cars that brought us down). We'll see if I have the willpower to do it without being told.
The fastest guy in the group did it in 48 minutes. I came in at 64 minutes. Tantalus is 4.7 miles long, so that's a difference of roughly a minute and a half per mile. Pretty big difference. Excepting that, there was still much to be disappointed about. I ended up doing some walking, which I had really hoped to avoid, and I was passed by people that I thought I could beat.
What was interesting was that whenever I hit a section that was remotely flat, I felt fresh and was able to really pick up the pace. Unfortunately, flattish sections are few and far between, and I just couldn't seem to get a good rhythm for the uphill. As soon as the grade increased, my performance fell apart again.
Why did I suck? I'm not sure. Perhaps I didn't eat enough before. I found out the night before that I didn't have any bananas, so my morning smoothie consisted only of strawberries, blueberries, and apple juice. Also, I didn't drink all that much of it, and no water, for fear of having to go to the bathroom, as there are no restrooms anywhere along the way. I would have loved to have taken the Gu I brought with me, but with no water, I didn't dare.
The question is how do I rectify this? I guess I just have to do it on my own after work some days. Going up takes an hour, I wonder how long it takes to come down without blowing out your knees (today, there were cars that brought us down). We'll see if I have the willpower to do it without being told.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Swimming laps
Just got back from swimming 1100yards/1000 meters at the pool. It took slightly over a half an hour. I didn't keep exact time, I just know that I was in the pool just after 11:30 and out again sometime before 12:10.
I was fairly pleased. I kept track of the laps by doing drills in sets of four. Five sets of four (+2) are 1000 meters (22 laps @ 50yds/lap = 1100 yards = 1km. I did finger drag, catch-up, fist-swimming, legs-only, and normal freestyle where I really tried to concentrate on rotating my hips.
While I took very brief pauses occassionally, overall, they were only for a few seconds each. Although I did pause once when I forgot what set I was on, I was able to figure it out after a bit and started up again. I can hardly believe it when I think back to how winded I would be after just swimming 50m. Swimming is starting to be fun.
I was fairly pleased. I kept track of the laps by doing drills in sets of four. Five sets of four (+2) are 1000 meters (22 laps @ 50yds/lap = 1100 yards = 1km. I did finger drag, catch-up, fist-swimming, legs-only, and normal freestyle where I really tried to concentrate on rotating my hips.
While I took very brief pauses occassionally, overall, they were only for a few seconds each. Although I did pause once when I forgot what set I was on, I was able to figure it out after a bit and started up again. I can hardly believe it when I think back to how winded I would be after just swimming 50m. Swimming is starting to be fun.
Tri Class #12: Bike Kilauea Repeats and Run
Yesterday's workout.
Starting from Triangle Park, we got on our bikes and did a loop around Kahala for a warm up, then we went over to Kilauea. Up and down 4 times, then back to the park for a 30 minute run. The run was 10' fast, 10' easy, 10' fast.
The bike went well, but I'm looking forward to just being able to charge up the hill like some of the more experienced riders. It sucks when I'm laboring along and a coach just goes cruising right by. I don't think they're even breathing hard! I guess that's why they're the coaches.
The run was pretty good too, except about five minutes into it, I rolled my ankle in a pothole. Hurt like hell for a moment and then seemed to be fine. I walked for a minute to see how it felt, and then ran the rest of the way. The ankle seemed a little tight, but no other problems. Today, it's just fine.
On a side note, I was told something that made me feel better about my time trial that I wrote about on March 1st. In that time trial, I was passed near the end by a more advanced cyclist, and I was a bit bummed about it. Well, at the workout yesterday, his wife told me that he said it had taken everything he had to catch me, that he had worked so hard to catch me that he couldn't do the run afterwards. Of course, it still sucks to have been passed, but at least I made him work for it.
Starting from Triangle Park, we got on our bikes and did a loop around Kahala for a warm up, then we went over to Kilauea. Up and down 4 times, then back to the park for a 30 minute run. The run was 10' fast, 10' easy, 10' fast.
The bike went well, but I'm looking forward to just being able to charge up the hill like some of the more experienced riders. It sucks when I'm laboring along and a coach just goes cruising right by. I don't think they're even breathing hard! I guess that's why they're the coaches.
The run was pretty good too, except about five minutes into it, I rolled my ankle in a pothole. Hurt like hell for a moment and then seemed to be fine. I walked for a minute to see how it felt, and then ran the rest of the way. The ankle seemed a little tight, but no other problems. Today, it's just fine.
On a side note, I was told something that made me feel better about my time trial that I wrote about on March 1st. In that time trial, I was passed near the end by a more advanced cyclist, and I was a bit bummed about it. Well, at the workout yesterday, his wife told me that he said it had taken everything he had to catch me, that he had worked so hard to catch me that he couldn't do the run afterwards. Of course, it still sucks to have been passed, but at least I made him work for it.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
No Soda!
Since I'm doing all this exercise, it seems a shame not to pay attention to my eating, too. So, I'm making gradual changes. Two weeks ago we started to get a box of organic veggies every other week from a local supplier (www.just-add-water.biz). This is cool because it forces us to eat more veggies lest they go to waste. Also, we are getting exposed to things we've never tried before, like kale, chard, and collard greens.
That was step one. Step two is to give up soda. This my single biggest weakness. I drink one or two cans on weekdays, and two a day on weekends. At 150 calories a can, I'm taking in somewhere between 1350 to 2100 calories a week in soda alone. It's typically closer to 1350 than 2100, but still. It's all empty calories, mostly sugar, definitely not good for me. But, it's sooo hard to give it up.
Regardless, yesterday, I went cold turkey, and I'm paying the price. Headache. Bad enough by the end of yesterday for me to skip the workout. I went to sleep with a headache and woke up this morning with the beginnings of a migraine. I've taken medication, which seems to be doing the trick, but now I'm a little dizzy, a side-effect of the medication. I really need to remember this before I ever start consuming caffeine regularly again. The withdrawal sucks.
After a week without soda, I'll work on the rest of my diet. More fruit and veggies. Less cheese, nachos, margaritas, refined carbs, etc. Notice, I didn't say "no...", rather it's "less." The process needs to be gradual, or I'll never stick with it.
On the side bar of this blog, I'll keep my food diary. I'll move it into a proper entry at the end of the week and start over on the sidebar. Hopefully I'll be good about recording things, at least initially until I feel pretty solid. It's easy to let things slide if you don't have documentation to keep you accountable.
That was step one. Step two is to give up soda. This my single biggest weakness. I drink one or two cans on weekdays, and two a day on weekends. At 150 calories a can, I'm taking in somewhere between 1350 to 2100 calories a week in soda alone. It's typically closer to 1350 than 2100, but still. It's all empty calories, mostly sugar, definitely not good for me. But, it's sooo hard to give it up.
Regardless, yesterday, I went cold turkey, and I'm paying the price. Headache. Bad enough by the end of yesterday for me to skip the workout. I went to sleep with a headache and woke up this morning with the beginnings of a migraine. I've taken medication, which seems to be doing the trick, but now I'm a little dizzy, a side-effect of the medication. I really need to remember this before I ever start consuming caffeine regularly again. The withdrawal sucks.
After a week without soda, I'll work on the rest of my diet. More fruit and veggies. Less cheese, nachos, margaritas, refined carbs, etc. Notice, I didn't say "no...", rather it's "less." The process needs to be gradual, or I'll never stick with it.
On the side bar of this blog, I'll keep my food diary. I'll move it into a proper entry at the end of the week and start over on the sidebar. Hopefully I'll be good about recording things, at least initially until I feel pretty solid. It's easy to let things slide if you don't have documentation to keep you accountable.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Tri Class #10: Bike, Run
Yesterday morning, we rode our bikes from the store all the way up Tantalus and back. I stopped once to eat part of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but other than that, no stopping. Much better than the last time I did this when I stopped three or four times. Come down wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. There's too many potholes. By the time I reached the bottom, my wrists hurt from all the jarring.
Back at the store, we ran for 20 minutes, then stretched and did a few crunches and pushups. The running was harder than I expected. I don't think the pace was that fast, but perhaps the heat was getting to me.
Food-wise, I think I did well. I had most of a smoothie for breakfast. On the ride, I brought half a peanut-butter sandwich cut up into four pieces. I ate the pieces along the way. I also had an energy bar that I ate part of after the ride and before the run. This left me with the rest of my smoothie and the energy bar for the after-workout food. Overall, well planned. I need to follow this in the future.
Back at the store, we ran for 20 minutes, then stretched and did a few crunches and pushups. The running was harder than I expected. I don't think the pace was that fast, but perhaps the heat was getting to me.
Food-wise, I think I did well. I had most of a smoothie for breakfast. On the ride, I brought half a peanut-butter sandwich cut up into four pieces. I ate the pieces along the way. I also had an energy bar that I ate part of after the ride and before the run. This left me with the rest of my smoothie and the energy bar for the after-workout food. Overall, well planned. I need to follow this in the future.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Swim
Today I went down to the pool and swam for a while during lunch. All freestyle, no real drills, just trying to think about what I was doing. I did do a lap or two doing catch-up, but other than that, I tried to concentrate on reaching out, and keeping my hands in the correct plane.
I started counting strokes today. It was short course, and I was averaging 24 strokes each 25 yards. Not so good I'm sure, but it's a starting point that I hope to improve upon. I think I did 1000 yards, but at one point I lost count of the number of laps I had done. Hopefully I got it right.
On the progress front, I no longer have to stop for breaks every 100 or so. I can just keep on going. Now, I just need to learn the flip turn so I don't have to pause at the wall. I would report on times, but I forgot my watch.
On a side note, while it's nice to go for a swim in the sunshine in the middle of the day, I felt a little wiped out towards the end of the working day. I'm not sure if I can blame it on swimming though. More data is needed to verify cause and effect.
I started counting strokes today. It was short course, and I was averaging 24 strokes each 25 yards. Not so good I'm sure, but it's a starting point that I hope to improve upon. I think I did 1000 yards, but at one point I lost count of the number of laps I had done. Hopefully I got it right.
On the progress front, I no longer have to stop for breaks every 100 or so. I can just keep on going. Now, I just need to learn the flip turn so I don't have to pause at the wall. I would report on times, but I forgot my watch.
On a side note, while it's nice to go for a swim in the sunshine in the middle of the day, I felt a little wiped out towards the end of the working day. I'm not sure if I can blame it on swimming though. More data is needed to verify cause and effect.
Tri Class #9: Run, Abs, Swim
Last night's workout, short version:
Warmup jog
Drills
Run 10 hill repeats
6x25 abs
Swim
The long version:
I HURT today! Mostly a sore rear and shins. I think it's all muscles being rediscovered as opposed to injured. I'll have a better idea tomorrow.
It started off easily enough. We met at Palolo field and jogged around for 10 minutes or so, adding drills along the way. jog backwards, side ways hop, butt-kicks, high-knees, skipping, carioca, etc.
We jogged over to the top of a hill and stopped. The road went down and then up another hill, even steeper than the one we were on. It formed a 'U' shape of sorts. We had to run slowly down the hill until we reached a marker near the bottom and then we had to pick up the pace and really push it up the hill. When we got to the top, we could turn around and cruise back down again. Repeat the process going up the other hill. Each uphill portion counted as 1, we had to do 10.
My times, at least the ones I remember, were: (a)1:25, (b)1:30, (a)1:19, (b)1:25, (a)1:20, and then things got fuzzy. I know I never went as slow as I did on the first two hills, but I was really pushing hard and got to the point where I was glancing at my watch just to make sure I didn't go any slower, but not really trying to remember the times.
After all this, I would have been ready to call it a day. That's why I do better with coaches, they always get me to do more than I would do on my own. So, I thought we were heading for the pool. Not yet. Instead, we lied down in the grass and did six sets of crunches at 25 reps each:
Hands crossed over chest
right ankle on left leg, touch with left elbow, and vice versa
legs up w/ knees bent and reach with arms
similar to second set only left elbow to left knee and vice versa,
bicycle style (alternating elbows to bending knees)
bicycle style only bring right knee up, touch with right elbow, left elbow, then right elbow. repeat on other knee.
This was all followed by two sets of 10 pushups each.
Now the pool. The sun is setting and the wind is very strong and cold, but I get in the pool and soon find my teeth chattering. This is a Master's swim class that we've been allowed to join for the day, so it's a new coach to me. I've never really done a swim class before, so when he rattled off some drills for people to do, I was at a total loss.
I swam a few laps just doing my own thing and then asked someone to translate for me. It turned out he wanted us to drag our fingers across the surface of the water at the start of our stroke. It's to get us to focus on keeping our elbows high out of the water.
The next thing he said, I asked the coach directly what he meant. He explained it to me and I explained that I would try, but that I'm fairly new to this. The next drill was the catch-up drill where you wait until one hand was next to the other at the top of the stroke before doing the next stroke. I've yet to be able to pull this one off through some error in coordination, but today I was finally successful. There were a few false starts, but eventually I got it and pretty soon I hardly had to think about it. Cool, now if I could learn the butterfly stroke that easily.
Finally he had us swim 75m at a slow, elongated stroke, followed by 50 at a fast pace. Rest 20 seconds and repeat 3 more times. During the second set, the swim coach came and watched me for a bit. His first comment was "You're in good shape!" I'm still not sure if this meant my stroke was in good shape, or I'm physically fit. Next, to my shock, he said I was actually doing rather well. I kept my elbows high, extended my reach out, and pushed through the water well. He told me that I was actually doing better than most people in the pool.
He then told me to make sure that I didn't cross my hands in front of my body during the stroke, rather, try to keep them on a straight path throughout. He said I was mostly keeping them straight, but every so often, one would cross over. I also need to work on rotating the body more, that I should try to keep the whole body in a straight line. I think I'm moving my upper half well, but the hips don't always follow. That's the next goal.
Things to work on:
Keep hands on a straight path through the stroke
Rotate body, keep hips in line with shoulders
Warmup jog
Drills
Run 10 hill repeats
6x25 abs
Swim
The long version:
I HURT today! Mostly a sore rear and shins. I think it's all muscles being rediscovered as opposed to injured. I'll have a better idea tomorrow.
It started off easily enough. We met at Palolo field and jogged around for 10 minutes or so, adding drills along the way. jog backwards, side ways hop, butt-kicks, high-knees, skipping, carioca, etc.
We jogged over to the top of a hill and stopped. The road went down and then up another hill, even steeper than the one we were on. It formed a 'U' shape of sorts. We had to run slowly down the hill until we reached a marker near the bottom and then we had to pick up the pace and really push it up the hill. When we got to the top, we could turn around and cruise back down again. Repeat the process going up the other hill. Each uphill portion counted as 1, we had to do 10.
My times, at least the ones I remember, were: (a)1:25, (b)1:30, (a)1:19, (b)1:25, (a)1:20, and then things got fuzzy. I know I never went as slow as I did on the first two hills, but I was really pushing hard and got to the point where I was glancing at my watch just to make sure I didn't go any slower, but not really trying to remember the times.
After all this, I would have been ready to call it a day. That's why I do better with coaches, they always get me to do more than I would do on my own. So, I thought we were heading for the pool. Not yet. Instead, we lied down in the grass and did six sets of crunches at 25 reps each:
Hands crossed over chest
right ankle on left leg, touch with left elbow, and vice versa
legs up w/ knees bent and reach with arms
similar to second set only left elbow to left knee and vice versa,
bicycle style (alternating elbows to bending knees)
bicycle style only bring right knee up, touch with right elbow, left elbow, then right elbow. repeat on other knee.
This was all followed by two sets of 10 pushups each.
Now the pool. The sun is setting and the wind is very strong and cold, but I get in the pool and soon find my teeth chattering. This is a Master's swim class that we've been allowed to join for the day, so it's a new coach to me. I've never really done a swim class before, so when he rattled off some drills for people to do, I was at a total loss.
I swam a few laps just doing my own thing and then asked someone to translate for me. It turned out he wanted us to drag our fingers across the surface of the water at the start of our stroke. It's to get us to focus on keeping our elbows high out of the water.
The next thing he said, I asked the coach directly what he meant. He explained it to me and I explained that I would try, but that I'm fairly new to this. The next drill was the catch-up drill where you wait until one hand was next to the other at the top of the stroke before doing the next stroke. I've yet to be able to pull this one off through some error in coordination, but today I was finally successful. There were a few false starts, but eventually I got it and pretty soon I hardly had to think about it. Cool, now if I could learn the butterfly stroke that easily.
Finally he had us swim 75m at a slow, elongated stroke, followed by 50 at a fast pace. Rest 20 seconds and repeat 3 more times. During the second set, the swim coach came and watched me for a bit. His first comment was "You're in good shape!" I'm still not sure if this meant my stroke was in good shape, or I'm physically fit. Next, to my shock, he said I was actually doing rather well. I kept my elbows high, extended my reach out, and pushed through the water well. He told me that I was actually doing better than most people in the pool.
He then told me to make sure that I didn't cross my hands in front of my body during the stroke, rather, try to keep them on a straight path throughout. He said I was mostly keeping them straight, but every so often, one would cross over. I also need to work on rotating the body more, that I should try to keep the whole body in a straight line. I think I'm moving my upper half well, but the hips don't always follow. That's the next goal.
Things to work on:
Keep hands on a straight path through the stroke
Rotate body, keep hips in line with shoulders
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Tri Class #8: T.T., core, T.T., run
Last night in summary goes like this:
25' Turbo Trainer
25' core exercises
25' Turbo Trainer
20' run
nutrition seminar
The long version:
Started off with a slow warmup, then one leg drills (1:15 each leg, rest, then a minute flat each leg). Did various paces on easy gear. Mostly alternating between 105rpm, 100, and 90.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The core exercises where were things got hard.
Got off the bike and changed into running shoes. Grabbed 2 5 lb hand weights and did three circuits of the following exercises, 10 reps each exercise, each iteration:
Side lat raises: both weights lifted out to the side while balancing on one leg.
Squats: one weight, lifting the weight with both hands out in front of you as you go down.
Shoulder raises: both weights, lifted out in front of you while balancing on one leg.
Lunges: one weight, lifted with both hands in front of you as you go down. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each, switching legs for the sets.
Triceps: one weight, keep arm up near head, and lower and raise weight behind your head. Balance on one leg.
After all these were done three times without resting between exercises, we did the following:
10 pushups
10 situps: flat on back, legs straight up in air, reach and hold for 3 seconds, then back down.
10 pushups again
plank pose for 30 seconds
side plank pose for 30 seconds
side plank pose for 30 seconds on the other side
This was all led by a guy who hasn't been around for this clinic before. He was one of the running coaches from the marathon group, and I haven't seen him in a few months. At the end of all the core exercises he looked at me and said the exact same thing the other coach said last time "You're getting stronger." I know the last time he saw me, I was probably really struggling, but I stuck it out and the results are starting to show. How very satisfying. Ok, enough gloating, back to work.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
For the bike, part two, we put it in a hard gear and did four sets of 2m15s intervals at 90 rpm with 45 seconds rest. Each set was one gear harder than the last. Final set got 2 minutes rest. Then 4 more sets at a hard gear of 2m15s at 100 rpm with 45s rest. The first set was done standing. The 4th set was whatever gear you wanted hard or easy, but at 110 rpm. Cool down, then go for 20m moderate run.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought I did well on the run. I started the timer after crossing Ala Moana and went to Kakaako Waterfront Park. I went up the hill to the left after the stairs, then turned left at the bathroom. Went all the way down to the end, then all the way to the other end, that took 10 minutes, so I retraced my steps. I felt really strong, almost as if I had done nothing before.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Back at the shop, we had a nutrition seminar. There are handouts that I will use later to put some of the information here. Most of it was pertaining to the period right before a race, through the race, and post-race. The most interesting piece of more general information was that we only have a 30 minute window after working out to replenish what we've lost by eating. It helps in recovery.
25' Turbo Trainer
25' core exercises
25' Turbo Trainer
20' run
nutrition seminar
The long version:
Started off with a slow warmup, then one leg drills (1:15 each leg, rest, then a minute flat each leg). Did various paces on easy gear. Mostly alternating between 105rpm, 100, and 90.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The core exercises where were things got hard.
Got off the bike and changed into running shoes. Grabbed 2 5 lb hand weights and did three circuits of the following exercises, 10 reps each exercise, each iteration:
Side lat raises: both weights lifted out to the side while balancing on one leg.
Squats: one weight, lifting the weight with both hands out in front of you as you go down.
Shoulder raises: both weights, lifted out in front of you while balancing on one leg.
Lunges: one weight, lifted with both hands in front of you as you go down. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each, switching legs for the sets.
Triceps: one weight, keep arm up near head, and lower and raise weight behind your head. Balance on one leg.
After all these were done three times without resting between exercises, we did the following:
10 pushups
10 situps: flat on back, legs straight up in air, reach and hold for 3 seconds, then back down.
10 pushups again
plank pose for 30 seconds
side plank pose for 30 seconds
side plank pose for 30 seconds on the other side
This was all led by a guy who hasn't been around for this clinic before. He was one of the running coaches from the marathon group, and I haven't seen him in a few months. At the end of all the core exercises he looked at me and said the exact same thing the other coach said last time "You're getting stronger." I know the last time he saw me, I was probably really struggling, but I stuck it out and the results are starting to show. How very satisfying. Ok, enough gloating, back to work.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
For the bike, part two, we put it in a hard gear and did four sets of 2m15s intervals at 90 rpm with 45 seconds rest. Each set was one gear harder than the last. Final set got 2 minutes rest. Then 4 more sets at a hard gear of 2m15s at 100 rpm with 45s rest. The first set was done standing. The 4th set was whatever gear you wanted hard or easy, but at 110 rpm. Cool down, then go for 20m moderate run.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought I did well on the run. I started the timer after crossing Ala Moana and went to Kakaako Waterfront Park. I went up the hill to the left after the stairs, then turned left at the bathroom. Went all the way down to the end, then all the way to the other end, that took 10 minutes, so I retraced my steps. I felt really strong, almost as if I had done nothing before.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Back at the shop, we had a nutrition seminar. There are handouts that I will use later to put some of the information here. Most of it was pertaining to the period right before a race, through the race, and post-race. The most interesting piece of more general information was that we only have a 30 minute window after working out to replenish what we've lost by eating. It helps in recovery.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Tri Class #7: Bike/Run over and over
Yesterday was harsh. I slept badly the night before and just felt ill that morning. I forced down some oatmeal and went to Lagoon Drive. Here, we laid out our running gear and got on our bikes. We did a warm up ride going from the second parking lot, out to the street, turn left on Lagoon, and then all the way down and back. I'm told the Lagoon Drive section is 4 miles total, so 2 miles each way. There was a side-wind that hurt a bit more on the way back than out.
After the warm up, we all met at the parking lot and then started out on the workout. The goal was to bike the same route we did as the warm up, then run two loops around a section of the park, about 1k. The run loop was started from the car, you go left on the grass, then turn right around the nearby backstop, heading straight back to the concrete poles along the ground, turn right until the next backstop where you turn right again to go straight back to the car. Repeat the bike/run two times for a total of three bike/run iterations, 12 miles biking, 3k running.
On the very first round, I made a big error. I knew I should have taken it easy, but ego got in the way. I got passed by another biker, who I know is far better than me, and he urged me to stick with him (he's normally really nice. Really!). Stupidly, I thought I'd try, just to see if I could. I did, but I paid later. I was proud of myself for sticking with him, and he congratulated me at the end of that bike. We both knew I'm no where near his calibur, and he knows I only started biking three months ago. So, although I paid for it later, it was still a feat of which I'm rather proud.
Next was the run, normally my strongest suit (not saying much I'm afraid). I hopped off the bike and changed the shoes and took off my helmet and glasses. Some people ran with their helmets on, but I didn't think it was worth saving the few seconds it cost. I started to run and realized my legs were very wobbly. What startled me more was that after about 50 feet or so, my heart rate shot up and my breathing went a bit ragged. I don't have a heart rate monitor, but I could just feel it. I kept running though, albeit much slower than I thought I was going to, and eventually finished.
Iteration number two. Not so hot on the bike this time. I thought I was going to get to ride with my "rabbit" again, but he got through the stop light and I didn't. It's probably just as well, it turns out I probably couldn't have done it again anyway. Instead, when I got the green light, I put in a decent ride. I passed a few people and eventually sat on someone's tire (I asked if he minded if I drafted). I know I can't draft in a race, but this is training, and I was feeling a bit ill at this point. I realized I had eaten a smaller breakfast than usual because I could barely get things down, so I pulled out an energy bar and took a few bites. Dang it, hungry again!
Finished the bike, not incredibly happy with it, and then back to the run. Noted that I had dropped a half-lap or so from the people that were running with me earlier. Briefly considered skipping one lap and promptly kicked that thought out of my head. This is training, it's supposed to suck. It just means I'll do better next time. I know that logically, but it's cold comfort when you're suffering.
Final bike! It's easier to suck it up when you know you're almost done. I didn't draft off anyone this time, I just toughed it out. I didn't pass anyone, but I didn't get passed either, except from one guy as we left the stoplight together. Why did I always get that red light? I think I put a little distance between me and the guy behind me, but it's hard to tell.
The final run wasn't very memorable except that I did learn something. Apparently, I can't eat and run at the same time. I had taken the last little piece of my energy bar with me on the run, about two bites worth. I took one bite and started to chew. I kept chewing and eventually realized I couldn't seem to swallow. It's stupid, but my body was resisting swallowing that down while I was running. Perhaps the chewing was making my breathing go a bit off, I don't know, but I had to walk for 15 seconds or so while I swallowed that bite and polished off the rest of it. Very strange. I'll have to experiment with that, I'd think the ability to eat and run would be a useful skill to have.
Total time ~1 hour, 12 minutes. Or roughly 24 minutes per iteration. I wish my watch had a lap function so I would know what all the bike/run/transition breakdowns are. Someday.
After all this, you'd think the coaches would have pity on us and let us go, but of course that's just foolishness. Instead we did 7 sets of different crunches, 25 each. Normal, two types of obliques-style, leg lifts, legs up and reaching, bicycle, and something else I can't recall. This was followed by 25 dips, and 2x10 pushups.
Talking to one of the coaches afterwards, she said "You're getting stronger." That's good to hear. I think I am, but it's nice to know that someone else thinks so, too. I had seen her out on the course a few times and she cheered me on. At one point I noted that it sounded like she was surprised to see me, I guess she was. She probably expected me to be further back. It's progress.
Summary:
Bike 4m, Run 1k. Repeat 2 more times.
Obscene number of crunches along with dips and pushups.
Notes:
Learn to eat while running.
After the warm up, we all met at the parking lot and then started out on the workout. The goal was to bike the same route we did as the warm up, then run two loops around a section of the park, about 1k. The run loop was started from the car, you go left on the grass, then turn right around the nearby backstop, heading straight back to the concrete poles along the ground, turn right until the next backstop where you turn right again to go straight back to the car. Repeat the bike/run two times for a total of three bike/run iterations, 12 miles biking, 3k running.
On the very first round, I made a big error. I knew I should have taken it easy, but ego got in the way. I got passed by another biker, who I know is far better than me, and he urged me to stick with him (he's normally really nice. Really!). Stupidly, I thought I'd try, just to see if I could. I did, but I paid later. I was proud of myself for sticking with him, and he congratulated me at the end of that bike. We both knew I'm no where near his calibur, and he knows I only started biking three months ago. So, although I paid for it later, it was still a feat of which I'm rather proud.
Next was the run, normally my strongest suit (not saying much I'm afraid). I hopped off the bike and changed the shoes and took off my helmet and glasses. Some people ran with their helmets on, but I didn't think it was worth saving the few seconds it cost. I started to run and realized my legs were very wobbly. What startled me more was that after about 50 feet or so, my heart rate shot up and my breathing went a bit ragged. I don't have a heart rate monitor, but I could just feel it. I kept running though, albeit much slower than I thought I was going to, and eventually finished.
Iteration number two. Not so hot on the bike this time. I thought I was going to get to ride with my "rabbit" again, but he got through the stop light and I didn't. It's probably just as well, it turns out I probably couldn't have done it again anyway. Instead, when I got the green light, I put in a decent ride. I passed a few people and eventually sat on someone's tire (I asked if he minded if I drafted). I know I can't draft in a race, but this is training, and I was feeling a bit ill at this point. I realized I had eaten a smaller breakfast than usual because I could barely get things down, so I pulled out an energy bar and took a few bites. Dang it, hungry again!
Finished the bike, not incredibly happy with it, and then back to the run. Noted that I had dropped a half-lap or so from the people that were running with me earlier. Briefly considered skipping one lap and promptly kicked that thought out of my head. This is training, it's supposed to suck. It just means I'll do better next time. I know that logically, but it's cold comfort when you're suffering.
Final bike! It's easier to suck it up when you know you're almost done. I didn't draft off anyone this time, I just toughed it out. I didn't pass anyone, but I didn't get passed either, except from one guy as we left the stoplight together. Why did I always get that red light? I think I put a little distance between me and the guy behind me, but it's hard to tell.
The final run wasn't very memorable except that I did learn something. Apparently, I can't eat and run at the same time. I had taken the last little piece of my energy bar with me on the run, about two bites worth. I took one bite and started to chew. I kept chewing and eventually realized I couldn't seem to swallow. It's stupid, but my body was resisting swallowing that down while I was running. Perhaps the chewing was making my breathing go a bit off, I don't know, but I had to walk for 15 seconds or so while I swallowed that bite and polished off the rest of it. Very strange. I'll have to experiment with that, I'd think the ability to eat and run would be a useful skill to have.
Total time ~1 hour, 12 minutes. Or roughly 24 minutes per iteration. I wish my watch had a lap function so I would know what all the bike/run/transition breakdowns are. Someday.
After all this, you'd think the coaches would have pity on us and let us go, but of course that's just foolishness. Instead we did 7 sets of different crunches, 25 each. Normal, two types of obliques-style, leg lifts, legs up and reaching, bicycle, and something else I can't recall. This was followed by 25 dips, and 2x10 pushups.
Talking to one of the coaches afterwards, she said "You're getting stronger." That's good to hear. I think I am, but it's nice to know that someone else thinks so, too. I had seen her out on the course a few times and she cheered me on. At one point I noted that it sounded like she was surprised to see me, I guess she was. She probably expected me to be further back. It's progress.
Summary:
Bike 4m, Run 1k. Repeat 2 more times.
Obscene number of crunches along with dips and pushups.
Notes:
Learn to eat while running.
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