First Triathlon of 2009

My first triathlon is in the books. It was tough. Lots of hills and winds that were between 20-25mph. I made a slight mistake by going on a 2 story water slide the night before with the kids. Up the steps well over a dozen times, but it was worth it. The kids and myself had a blast. This particular triathlon was a “D” race, meaning it was more a gauge to see where I was at and what I needed to work on.


Olympic Distance

Pre-race…when I pulled my bike out of the car, I discovered my front tire was flat. How? I didn’t want to start the day changing a flat, but that is exactly what happened.

Swim – After looking at how choppy the water was before the race, I knew the swim would be rough. The water threw me all over the place. Lost my sighting a bunch of times and the waves crashed over my head filling my mouth with water when I was expecting a breath of air. I probably swam a little extra after losing my way, but I didn’t really care much. I finally got into a good rhythm on the way back (out and back swim), but the waves still made it tough. My time was 37 minutes and change. About 7 minutes longer than I wanted, but given the conditions it was fine with me.

T1 – 3 minutes. Took my time. I really wasn’t focused on a speedy transition.

Bike – This was tougher than the swim. All hills and rolling hills. It seemed like no matter where you turned there was wind or cross wind. I never experienced being blown sideways like that before. On some of the climbs, I was down to 9mph. I told myself before the race started, after seeing the wind conditions, that if I finished with an average of 19mph I would be happy. I finished at 19.3mph. Total bike time was 1:12. Again, I was about 7 minutes off the pace I would have liked to have been at come, but with the wind, I was happy with my time.

T2 – 3 minutes. Again, wasn’t worried about it.

Run – My legs were feeling it by this point. I started my run and the wind blew my visor right off and I had to go chase it down. The run course was loaded with hills as well. 1200 feet of climbing over the 6.2 miles. It was pretty much a trail run all on grass or wooded area. I enjoyed it. Finished in 50:45 with an 8:11 pace. I was about 3 minutes off my time here. Nothing to concern myself with.

Finishing time 2:47.

I felt strong throughout the race and will my training the same.

In good health,
Joe
http://www.eeathlete.com/
joe@eeathlete.com

Off To The Races

The past two days has pretty much been stretching and rest. Two more days until my first triathlon of the year. Training could have been a little better, but this is an early tri for me and I am using it as my D race.

I will be back on Sunday with a full race report and then next week, it is back to some P90X workouts.

In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Running Hot

Again, a very hot day. This is good for getting my body use to the heat. Over the next couple of days, I am going to be stretching and getting rested for my triathlon. My blogging will probably be every other day. Also, after this tri, I am really going to focus on diet again. I have strayed from the norm as of late and I need to get back on track.

Workout

3 mile run.

This morning was a quality run. A little warm and very humid, but I felt strong. I did not keep time because I did not want too push myself too much. If I had to guess, I would say I was between a 7:30 and 8 minute mile. Also, I experienced no shin splint pain. This is a good thing.

In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Final Ride Before Race

Today was my last bike before this weekends triathlon. I feel like my cold is on its way out, which is definitely a good thing. I am hopeful to be 100% on Sunday.


Workout

10 mile bike.

Nothing fancy, just a light ride to keep my legs loose for the tri. I averaged right around a 20mph pace. I cleaned the bike over the weekend and put some new tires on. Everything felt smooth like butter. No need for any adjustments. If I ride like I did tonight, the bike portion of the triathlon will go well.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Dip

It was a very busy weekend and I had an excellent fathers day. This week is going to be very light on the training with my first triathlon being Sunday.

Here is what the schedule looks like.

Monday – 1 mile swim

Tuesday – 15 mile bike

Wednesday – 3 mile run

Thursday – Fountain of Youth Yoga

Friday – X Stretch

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – Olympic Distance Triathlon


Workout

1 mile swim, all laps.

The swim was great. I had a nice pace going. My goggles started letting in some water, so I had to fix them at lap 5. After that, there were no interruptions. I am hoping to start getting in the pool twice a week. We will see if I can fit that into my schedule. I really want to improve on my swimming.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Tough Brick

Ugh. Not a good night sleep. We had a dog over at the house last night and it dumped on the carpet. The carpet cleaning started at 6am. This would have been fine except I didn’t go to bed until 12am. This mixed with having a cold, made me not so eager to work out. I waited until the wife got home from driving her friend to the airport. By this time it was close to 80 degrees outside, not ideal conditions.

Workout

20 mile bike followed by a 4 mile run, all hills.

It was suppose to be a 6 mile run, but the weather, my lack of sleep and my cold change the scheduled work out. I started off on the bike sluggish and immediately encountered hills. After about 3 miles, I started feeling better, but not great. I finished feeling halfway decent.

Then came the run.

It was hot and very humid. I had to keep pouring water on myself. My allergies and cold didn’t make it easy to breath. I felt like the wise decision was to cut it short. With my triathlon next week, I didn’t want to push it to the point that I get worse. I finished a little disappointed I didn’t get my 6 in, but oh well. I will have more opportunities.

In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Late Night Mistake

Yesterday’s late night workout was a big mistake. I finished at about 11pm but didn’t fall asleep until 12:30am. I was so wired from the workout that I ended up watching Sportscenter until I was able to get some z’s.

I spent an hour on the trainer last night and sweated my butt off. I had to have burned a ton of calories. My cadence felt good. I feel like my bike is coming along great this year.

I was going to do yoga today, but I think I will just do a nice stretch to get ready for tomorrow’s brick. I will use my usual X stretch from P90X. Stretching is vital in my triathlon training routine.

Now, the negative. I have come down with a slight cold. With my first triathlon about 7 days away, this is not the best time. I will be popping cold-eez and vitamin c for the remainder of the week. I need to knock this out quickly.

In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Morning Rain

This will definitely be one of my shorter blogs. I woke up this morning to rain, so I hit the snooze and went back to bed. So this means that I have yet to workout.

I just finished up dinner and will be working out in about an hour. I am going to put in 20 miles on the trainer.

I will report more on today’s workout tomorrow.

In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Back To Swim

Finally, after a two hiatus, I am back in the pool. It was also another 6am wake up call. Being off the past month really spoiled me. I became so use to working out whenever I felt like it. It will probably take me another week to get use to it, which is good with my first triathlon right around the corner.


Workout

30 minutes in the pool, straight laps.

I probably could have gone longer, but I have taken the past 2 weeks off from swimming and didn’t want to risk injury.

I struggled with my breathing. I was constantly trying to clear my throat. Allergy season is in full bloom and is factoring in to my triathlon training. Hopefully this won’t last long.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

6am = 6 Miler

Another two day gap. I am really falling behind. The previous day missed was a Stretch day using the X Stretch from the P90X series. I started a new job and it has been taking up some extra time. I need to get into a rhythm. The good news is that they have a gym close to work, which means I can get in some lunchtime workouts. I can also bring my bike to work, which will be great.


Workout

Today was a 6 mile run. It was rough getting up at 6am again. The run started sluggish and remained that way for a good 3-4 miles. After that, I started to loosen up a bit. The temperature was cool with a slight wind. Almost idea conditions. I finished at a 7:46 pace.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Sun City Carnival

This weekend was pretty much going to be a wash as far as blogging and working out went. I started out Saturday with some fountain of youth yoga from Tony’s 1-on-1 series. It was perfect after my 12 mile run the previous day. My calves were super tight. I actually should have done the yoga from the P90X series. Later that afternoon, I went to see Kenny Chesney and it was a 7 hour concert. It was an awesome show.

After many beers that night, I knew there would be no working out on Sunday. When I woke up, I knew that was going to be the case.

I am starting a new job tomorrow, so this weeks schedule is kind of up in the air. I know Saturday will be a brick and that I would like to get two swim sessions in, as well as a bike.

Two weeks until my first triathlon of the year!

In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

12 Miler

I woke up today feeling pretty good and ready to tackle my longest run of the season. I am pretty happy I did that light workout yesterday. I have no soreness at all today. The only issue I may have is coaching my daughter’s t-ball game tonight. Being in the sun this morning has made me pretty tired. I am going to need a cup of coffee before I hit the field.


Workout

12 mile run, all hills.

I started off feeling good. I had a nice pace and there were no coyote’s on the trail. I heated up pretty quickly and there was cotton blowing everywhere. My allergies would be pretty bad once I finished this run.

Right around mile 9, I started getting a little tired. By mile 10 it was gone. I really wanted to finish. I had no sunscreen on and I could feel my arms getting burned. I finished strong and, overall, it turned out to be one of my best runs this year.

Total Time - 1:33:38Pace - 7:48Total Ascent - 2237 ft.Total Descent - 2251 ft.

Calories Burned - 1434

In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Good Recovery

I skipped my blog yesterday, another P90X stretch day, because I wanted to keep my workouts lined up with the correct day. I have always been a day behind so I could post all my nutrition. Since I will not be posting my nutrition for a while, I figured to line everything up.


Workout

Tony’s 1-on-1 Recovery 4 Results.

This was my first time doing this workout. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew I wanted something light and this seemed like it would be a good fit and it was. It was a combination of stretching, yoga, light cardio and some resistance training. This is a perfect 30 minute routine when you are looking to take a light day, but don’t want to just sit on your butt.

I got my heart rate up a little, but did not over exert myself. This workout will definitely become a part of my routine. Especially when I want something light during triathlon training.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Brake Rub

Skipped another day of posting, but it was only a stretch day using P90X’s X Stretch. No biggie. I am taking it pretty slow this week. I need to let the muscles get some rest as my first triathlon approaches. The next few weeks will be straight triathlon training. I have an injured hand as I ate some concrete late last week. I have also had to take a couple weeks off of swimming. That is not so good. They kept the pool closed an extra week.


Workout

40 miles on the bike.

Not the best ride. The conditions were poor and I had some mechanical problems. I rode 30 miles with my brake completely pressing against the tire. I was wondering why the ride felt tough. I was not in the mood to fix it, so I just opened the brake and kept riding. I will be doing some tune-up work this week.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

All Over The Place

My schedule is all screwy this week. Workouts have been switched around and my pool is still closed for another week. Luckily the triathlon at the end of the month is just a tune up for August. The days I didn’t post were just stretch days. I am not sure how my schedule is going to play out this week. I also am going to stop posting diet until after triathlon season and once I am back on P90X. My diet is going to be about 60% carbs, 25% protein and 15% fats.


Workout

Today was a nice and easy 4 mile run. I went at about an 8:30 minute mile pace. I went out with a friend and I forgot how the time flies when you run with someone else.

We just hit a local trail because he wanted to check out a pair of Zoot shoes. When we got to the tri store they said they no longer carry Zoot shoes due to all the complaints. It was a good piece of information.

I am going to be taking another stretch day tomorrow and will probably do 55 miles on the bike the following day.

I also forgot to post the brick I did a couple of days ago. I did 15 miles on the bike followed by a 5 mile run. It was a great workout, but tough. It was hot and humid. It will help get my body adjusted to those kinds of conditions.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

Last Lifting

Today was my last strength workout for a few weeks. Everything that I will be doing will be triathlon specific. Next week is a recovery week, so I will be doing Core Synergistics from P90X.


Workout

Upper Plus followed by Abs/Core Plus, both from the P90X+ series.

I hit these workouts hard today. I still didn’t max out on weight, but I did a ton of reps. This is also good for building endurance. As I was working out, I felt my body telling me I need to slow down. I have pretty much been doing strength training since October without much rest. Luckily, this was it for a while.


Diet

Calories – 2300

Carbs – 204g (49%)
Protein – 155g (37%)
Fat – 61g (14%)


In good health,
Joe
http://www.eeathlete.com/
joe@eeathlete.com

More Hills?

Another double was on tap today, but without a pool at my disposal, it became another single. I am also watching my shins. I am really feeling some shin splints lately. I have come up with another possible cause. I just switched gym shoes recently. I am thinking that might also be a cause. I am cutting out all plyo, so we will see.

On a side note Thing 2 was extra needy during today’s workout. I had to stop and help her a couple of times. She could not decide if she wanted to be on the rocking horse or off the rocking horse.


Workout

3 miles of hill intervals.

Yesterday’s single workout definitely benefited my legs. It took a few minutes for my shins to loosen up, but after that I felt very good. I definitely could have gone longer. I am starting to feel like I need a few days off in a row.

I kept my pace at 8 minute miles. My max climbs were at a 7.8 incline.


Diet

Calories – 2500

Carbs – 287g (55%)
Protein – 166g (32%)
Fat – 72g (13%)


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

No Double

I was suppose to do a double today, but switched to a single workout. In fact, minus my brick this weekend, I am going to cut out all doubles for the next week. I am also thinking of taking two days of next week. My body is not recovering like it should and my shin splints are still lingering. I am going to look back over my training and see where I potentially went wrong. I believe it was the double plyo/run days.


Workout

I went with Interval X Plus and Abs/Core Plus. Both of these workouts are taken from the P90X+ series.

I had a great workout. It was extra good because the wife joined me on this one. We very rarely get a chance to workout together.

We crushed this workout. Heart rate was up and the sweat was pouring. Things got a little tough with our daughter getting in the way. At times, almost getting kicked in the head. Needless to say, we got thru.

The wife skipped doing Abs/Core Plus with me. I definitely feel my abs getting stronger, but my lower back is very tight. I am almost considering taking a week off.


Diet

Calories – 2300

Carbs – 214g (50%)
Protein – 155g (36%)
Fat – 60g (14%)


In good health,
Joe
http://www.eeathlete.com/
joe@eeathlete.com

Stretch Day

Time for my stretch day and I will be doing X Stretch from the P90X series. I need this. Actually, I probably need a couple of days of this. My legs are very sore. I am done with plyometrics until all my triathlons are done. This week will also be my last for hill and speed intervals. I think I have done enough this year to get my legs in good shape.

Here is this week’s schedule.

Sunday – Total Body Plus (AM)
55 mile bike (PM)

Monday – X Stretch

Tuesday – Interval X and Abs/Core Plus (AM)
3 mile run, hill intervals (PM)

Wednesday – 20 mile bike

Thursday – Upper Plus and Abs/Core Plus

Friday – Fountain of Youth Yoga

Saturday – 15 mile bike/5 mile run (brick)


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

A Tough Double

Today was a double from hell. A total workout time of over 4 hours. Luckily I was able to space it while everyone was sleeping. My first triathlon is less than a month away and I feel like I am almost there. P90X is going to take a back seat in the upcoming months as I focus on tri training.


AM Workout

Total Boday Plus from the P90X+ routine. 45 minutes total.

This was pretty tough this morning. I am already making progress on pull-ups. Too bad it will be short lived due to me focusing straight on triathlon for the next couple of months. Strength workouts will be limited.


PM Workout

55 mile bike.

I wanted to keep a pace of at least 18mph. I would be riding in the streets and hitting stop lights, as well as lots of turns. I needed to think realistically. I finished at 18.7mph. It was a great ride. My quads were shot by the time I was done. I definitely think I am ahead of the game with my cycling this year.


Diet

Calories – 2700

Carbs – 291g (54%)
Protein – 171g (31%)
Fat – 82g (15%)


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com

A Day Late

Today was my usual Tony 1-on-1 yoga day. I needed it. It was a good break between an 11 mile run and 55 mile bike. For some reason, I have been sore after the yoga workout. I don’t feel like it is overly tough, but I guess I could be wrong.

I did not keep track of my diet. This post should have been two days ago.

I will be posting again later today.


In good health,
Joe
www.eeathlete.com
joe@eeathlete.com