Decisions...

We got back early this morning from a wonderful weekend in San Diego to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was a really quick trip, but so worth it. Elizabeth, Aaron and I all flew in Friday night and Loren drove down from LA to pick us up from the airport. The visit was a surprise for my mom and boy was she surprised. On Sunday, my parents hosted a brunch to celebrate her birthday and Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Jim, Aunt Lynn (mom's twin), Kathy (Lynn's partner) and Cousins Emma, Dan and Lucia all came in as well. It was a blast.

It was really hot out there this weekend - mid-to-high 80's and solid sun. I did a couple nice runs, one by Mission Bay and one in my parent's neighborhood. It was nice to run in the blazing sun, but I definitely am not used to the heat right yet. From the rainy, cool temperatures here in NYC today, I think I have some time before it will be a problem.

My knee feels nearly 100%. I think it is still swelling up a little from time to time, and sometimes feels stiff and/or achy, but it's never painful. And I ran back-to-back days this weekend; 5.5 miles on Saturday and 4 miles on Sunday. I think that's a good sign and I'm feeling encouraged - about my knee. My butt (I've been referring to it as my "back", but it's really my butt) is not doing great. It was worse at the end of last week than it was yesterday or today (even after spending 5 hours trying to sleep on the plane sitting up last night). It doesn't really hurt when I'm running, but I know that it's something I absolutely have to take care of. I'm getting a massage on Wednesday and going back to my doctor next week - for a check-up on my knee and for him to look at my back/butt. I know that I need to stick with the stretching, strength training and icing. Today I went to the gym and did some strength training (upper and lower body as well as core) and then took my usual Monday yoga class.

I have to admit that I am seriously questioning the wisdom of trying to train for a July Ironman. I am really nervous about having "missed" the last four weeks of training and now trying to get myself in shape to perform at Lake Placid. Part of me is thinking that I should ease back a bit on my summer goals and plan for the fall season, beginning with SOS. I could still do an Olympic distance race or even a half ironman in July or August, but the full thing might be a bit too ambitious, given my current state of fitness. I had a good call with Coach John on Friday and he was encouraging - after listening to my schpiel, he said that I really have two options:

• One, I can lay off for four or so weeks, keeping up my base but not pushing too hard in an effort to heal my back and knee and prepare for some fun, easy-going summer races, a good fall season and a strong 2009; or
  
• Two, I can go for it and train to be at Lake Placid. But, if I choose option two, I have to toss all time goals out the window and do a lot of long, slow, low intensity training. He's certain (and so I am) that I could get into good enough shape to finish at Lake Placid in a respectable amount of time and who knows my body might respond to the low intensity training well and I could surprise myself on race day.
  

I don't have to decide today, but I do want to decide soon, because it will make a big difference in how I train and live for the next few months. And frankly, having a big decision hanging over my head is always a stressful thing for me. I will feel better as long as I make a decision, whichever way that decision goes.

Indoor Bike - April 22
Time: 1:10
Average heart rate: 124

Swim - April 23
Distance: 2,700 yards
Time: 1:00

PT - April 23

Run - April 23
Distance: 3.6 miles
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 134
Treadmill

Bike - April 24
Distance: 27.3 miles
Time: 1:28
Average heart rate: 130
Course: West Side Highway to Central Park, 3 loops
Conditions: Sunny, mid-60's, awesome!

Swim - April 25
Distance: 3,100 yards
Time: 1:10

PT - April 25


Run - April 26
Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 43 minutes
Average heart rate: 149
Course: Mission Bay Park, San Diego
Conditions: Sunny, hot (mid-80's)

Run - April 27
Distance: 4.0 miles
Time: 33 minutes
Average heart rate: 144
Course: Mission Hills neighborhood
Conditions: Sunny, warm (70's)

Strength - April 28
Yoga - April 28

Spring has sprung!

It was a beautiful spring weekend here in New York. Blue skies, sunny, warm during the day, cool at night. Highs in the 60's - and supposedly we'll be getting some days in the 70's soon. It's the perfect time to be outside exercising. And this weekend I managed to spend my fair share amount of time outside. We were out at the beach and I was so happy to get out and ride without all the layers. On Saturday I rode in shorts and a short sleeve jersey, no jacket, no gloves, no winter hat under the helmet. I was a little chilly, but it sure felt liberating. Sunday was a bit cooler so I put on some leg warmers. Imagine riding like that year round; oh yeah, that's what my dad does in San Diego...

I also managed a few more short runs, including back-to-back running days on Saturday and Sunday. My knee actually isn't really bothering me. But it's not 100%. Sometimes it hurts a little, sometimes it's just stiff, sometimes it feels a little weak. I'm not worried about the long-term, but I am a little concerned about trying to get it ready for an Ironman in just three short months. I've now "lost" four key weeks of training. I'm going to keep at it, slowly, and see how it is. I don't have to do the Ironman, right??? I wouldn't be worried about getting ready for any other distance, but as I learned over the last few years, the triathlon training regimen gets exponentially more difficult and taxing on the body as you increase the race distance. I am not rushing to any judgements just yet, but if I can't do the Ironman, I'll rejigger my schedule and find some Olympic distance races or a half ironman. And I still have the SOS!

The Boston Marathon was today and it was an absolutely beautiful day for it - partly sunny, low 50's, little wind. Too bad I was sitting at my desk watching it online. At least I did get to see a very exciting finish to the women's race (it was too close to call until Dire Tune made her final kick with just 250 or so yards to go - the closest finish at Boston ever), instead of just reading about it afterwards. So there's that. And I got to check out the course one more time before I hopefully race there next April.


Indoor bike - April 15
Time: 1:15
Average heart rate: 124

Swim - April 16
Distance: 2,700 yards
Time: 58 minutes

Run - April 16
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 26:30
Average heart rate: 133
Treadmill

PT - April 17

Indoor bike - April 17
Time: 45 minutes
Average heart rate: 116

Swim - April 18
Distance: 3,100 yards
Time: 1:05 minutes

Run - April 19
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 26 minutes
Average heart rate: 142
Course: Washington Square Park
Conditions: Sunny, nice (low 60's)

Bike - April 19
Distance: 46.9 miles
Time: 2:20
Average heart rate: 120
Course: Wainscott to Montauk Point
Conditions: Sunny, nice (low 60's), windy

Run - April 20
Distance: 3.5 miles
Time: 26 minutes
Average heart rate: 138
Course: Wainscott
Conditions: Sunny, cool (mid 50's)

Bike - April 20
Distance: 30 miles
Time: 1:32
Average heart rate: 122
Course: Wainscott, Sag Harbor
Conditions: Some sun, cool (mid 50's), windy

Yoga - April 21

2.25 miles - it's a start...

I was pretty nervous this morning and considered putting it off to the afternoon, but I put on the running shoes and got on the treadmill. I ran 20 minutes, 2.25 miles, and was pain-free! Whew. I was pretty scared with every step I took - worried that this one would be the one that would cause my knee to start hurting. But it was fine. After the run, it did feel a little tight, especially along the far outside of my knee (a different place than was bothering me before), but I did my little exercises and stretched for a little bit, then iced and took a preemptive Aleve. Right now it feels totally fine. As I'm sure you can imagine, I'm pretty relieved.

Yesterday morning it was a little cool and cloudy, but I'm getting sick of riding inside, so I rode through the City and across the Brooklyn Bridge to ride a few laps at Prospect Park. It was pretty nice cycling weather and just felt good to be outside! Prospect Park, even though it's a relatively short loop (about 3.25 miles) is a really nice place to ride. It's a nice, rolling path. The roads are well maintained and aren't nearly as crowded as they are in Central Park. And there are usually some really good cyclists out there.

I'm going back to PT on Thursday and will go next week as well. I'm still waiting for my knee to start hurting again and frankly and probably going to be nervous about it for a little while. I'm feeling ready to get back on track. I am worried about having missed the last weeks of hard training and worried that I'll suffer at Lake Placid for it, but that's me getting ahead of myself. For now, I need to focus on increasing duration and intensity of training and then I'll start evaluating the future.

p.s. no Kona for me, again. The lottery results were announced this weekend and my name wasn't picked. Oh well... Who wants to race in the World Championships anyway!


Indoor Bike - April 10
Time: 45 minutes
Average heart rate: 117

Swim - April 11
Distance: 3,300 yards
Time: 58 minutes

PT - April 11

Indoor Bike - April 10
Time: 45 minutes
Average heart rate: 119

Strength - April 12

Bike - April 13
Distance: 25 miles
Time: 1:37
Average heart rate: 121
Course: Brooklyn Bridge to Prospect Park
Conditions: Overcast, mid-50's

Treadmill run - April 14
Distance: 2.25 miles
Time: 20 minutes
Average heart rate: 126

Lessons learned

I've now been to physical therapy twice. And I'm definitely feeling better, both physically and psychologically. It seems pretty clear that I'm dealing with a few muscular and connective tissue (tendon) issues that are combining to disrupt my running stride just enough to have caused some pain and swelling around my patella. That being said, the prognosis is good and now I've heard from both the doctor and the physical therapist that this is something I should be able to get past pretty quickly. It's going to take some patience as well as incorporating more strength training and appropriate stretching into my daily routine. In other words, great news so far. I'm not going to run this week, but might try a short run this weekend or early next week, latest. Fingers crossed...

This experience has gotten me thinking about some basic principles of exercise. In order to successfully train and race in endurance sports you have to be willing to learn from prior experiences and take that knowledge and apply it to future events. This is true from the smallest details to the most encompassing racing "truths". Of course, you train in order to build cardiovascular and muscular strength and endurance, but you also train in order to learn how to race. That's why during training triathletes do things like laying out a mock transition area so that on race day you don't have to think about where your running shoes are or where that extra gel is hiding. Athletes also design a nutrition plan for race-day and test it out during training to make sure that they're getting enough fluid and calories, that everything is laid out comfortably on the bike or in pockets and that the specific products won't upset their stomach. Over the course of races and seasons, you learn what kinds of training sessions are most beneficial to overall success - maybe I realized that if I'd done more hill work, I would have had an easier time tackling the hills during the race or maybe my swim kick is really weak and next season I'll spend more time working on just the kick.

The lesson so far this season: the importance of strength training. I really think that I haven't been doing enough - and not doing the right exercises - to address my physical needs and limitations. I've heard from multiple people that my hips are weak and that my quads are being overpowered. I've gotten a few exercises from the physical therapist so far and I'll learn some more on my next visit. I've got the dedication to stick with it (and, of course, the fear of what could happen if I don't!) This is a lesson that I guess I had to learn the hard way, but that's how athletes learn most of their lessons. I'm taking this one to heart and am convinced that after this bump-in-the-road, I'll be back stronger than ever.


Indoor Bike - April 5
Time: 45 minutes
Average heart rate: 114

Strength - April 5

Indoor Bike - April 6
Time: 50 minutes
Average heart rate: 111

Yoga - April 7

Indoor Bike - April 8
Time: 45 minutes
Average heart rate: 113

Physical Therapy - April 8

Swim - April 9
Distance: 2,600 yards
Time: 54 minutes

Physical Therapy - April 9

Cautious optimism

I saw a new doctor (Gerard Varlotta at NYU) yesterday and he gave me some hope. He confirmed my self-diagnosis (aided by Assaf) of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (or "runner's knee"). He diagnosed a tight iliotibial (IT) band, weak hip flexors and some noticeable muscle imbalances, all of which are contributing factors to my issues. It's not a structural issue, it's biomechanical and should be relatively easy to fix. The most important thing for me to do is work on stretching and strengthening my lower body and core. (It seems nonsensical that a runner or triathlete wouldn't have strong legs and hips. I mean where does the power come from? How come all that running and cycling doesn't result in a strong lower body? These are all good questions for me to figure out and issues to address as I treat this injury...)

Anyway, off to PT I go - my first appointment is on Tuesday. In order to decrease the swelling in my knee, Dr. Varlotta also gave me a cortisone shot and actually said that I could start running as soon as this weekend. When I expressed shock at that, he said that he knows how compulsive runners are and would prefer that I wait until I started the PT before I did any running, but that I had to give it at least a couple days to let the cortosone work. Fair enough.

And I'll wait. I'll exercise restraint, patience and some plain-old good sense and stay out of my running shoes for a few more days.

This is all good news, and I'm a happier boy. I'm still nervous about my season, but much more hopeful than I was 48 hours ago. Boston's definitely off the table.


Indoor Bike - April 3
Time: 45 minutes
Average heart rate: 111

Swim - April 4
Distance: 2,300 yards
Time: 50 minutes

The Roller Coaster

Forget about all those amusement parks. Ironman training (or endurance training in general) is about the scariest roller coaster ride there is. Ups, Downs, Loop-the-loops, Abrupt starts and stops, Nausea... I could definitely go on.

I've obviously been feeling pretty sorry for myself recently. I probably focus too much energy on triathlon and these injury set-backs are really messing with my psyche and my ego - and my mood, to which my lovely wife can definitely attest. Added to that, I'm feeling less motivated and excited this year than I remember feeling at this time last year. It's only my second year training for an Ironman, is it possible that I already need a new challenge? I do have the SOS triathlon in September and that is a new twist on triathlon for me.

But in general, I've been feeling down about it all. And then I go and have a swim workout like I had this morning and all that self-pity is gone (for the time being at least).

Coach John scheduled a 1,000 yard time trial for today. Remember those? I haven't done one since last November 29. Today's was my fifth attempt in the past 16 months. I also did one on April 4 and February 27 last year and on December 22, 2006. Each time I did the time trial test, I got faster. Sometimes by just a few seconds, but there were some big jumps in there as well. On my first attempt, I swam the 1,000 yards in 17:21 (about 1:44/100 yards). I was nervous just about finishing during that first attempt and held back too much. Reducing my initial time by a minute wasn't a problem - I just had to risk failure a bit more. Most recently, in November, I swam 15:34 (1:33.4/100 yards).

I really wasn't sure what to expect today. For the last few weeks, I've been doing mostly maintenance swimming - I figured it was just enough to keep my form, but not enough to make any substantial gains in swim speed, endurance or form. From recent swims, I know that I can comfortably swim 500-600 yards averaging about 1:35/100 yards. But I haven't swam longer than 650 yards at once for a while, so I wasn't sure what I could keep up for a full 1,000. Anyway...

Coach John's instructions were to swim "fast, all out". So that's what I intended to do. I knew I couldn't blow it all out on the first 100, but also didn't want to leave a drop in the tank after finishing the 1,000. I tried to keep my eyes on my watch after each 100 to get splits, but it wasn't easy and I don't remember them that well. My first 100 was 1:31, which I actually thought was fine; a little fast for me, but not so fast that I'd be ruined. After that first 100, I settled in and swam 1:32's or 1:33's for a while. Around 600 or 650, I started to feel it in my arms and lungs. I was still swimming in the 1:33 range and I don't think my form was suffering too much (though people standing on the pool deck might dispute that claim). When I pushed off at 900 yards, my watch said 14:00. A quick calculation and I realized that I could hit 15:30, which actually would be a slight improvement over prior attempts. For that final 100, I really did go all out. I hit my turns pretty well and sprinted to the wall. Bang! 15:28. Damn. That's a strong 6 seconds off my prior best. It also meant that I swam my last 100 in 1:28, my fastest of the 1,000. New T-Time = 1:32.8/100. Solid.

So, for the time being at least, I'm feeling "up".


Swim - April 2
Distance: 2,500 yards
Time: 50 minutes

Monthly Summary - March

Here's March 2008:

Swim: 9,500 yards
Cycling (outdoors): 92.9 miles
Cycling (indoors): 19:00 (hours)
Run: 78.32 miles
Strength Training/Yoga: 9 sessions

Approximate monthly total training/racing time: 46 hours

Weight: 168 pounds

Ugh. I guess that's how I'd sum up March. The month started pretty well and I had some very encouraging training sessions. I was happy with my race at the Colon Cancer 15K. I spent a lot of time on the trainer, but not much time on the road. Despite my lingering back aches, my training had been going well. But my knee pain has been a major setback and I'm not feeling great about myself or the rest of my season right now. I went through and compared March 2008 to March 2007 and the difference is pretty discouraging - last year in March, I swam more, biked outside considerably more and ran more. I trained a few more hours, but that's factoring in the yoga I've been doing this year. The yoga counts, for sure, but it's not "training time". And April is scheduled to be off to a slow start. Boston's out, fine, but I'm very worried about the Ironman right now, too. I guess if it comes down to it, I'll replace the Ironman with more Olympic and Half Ironmans. Even if I have to take a couple weeks off (or light) here, I know I can still get ready for shorter mid-summer races.

Sorry for the sourpuss post. For the past few years, this (triathlon/endurance training) is what I've done; how I've defined myself. Losing the ability to do it, even if it's just temporary, scares the sh*t out of me. I'm seeing a doctor tomorrow to get some recommendations about my knee. Fingers crossed that that will put me in a better mood.


Yoga - March 31

Indoor ride - April 1
Time: 45 minutes
Average heart rate: 113