Training Has Begun In Ernest

Well this weekend the training has really begun for both the snowshoe marathon and TransIowa.
Yesterday I did a 4 mile snowshoe run then took the mountain bike out in the afternoon during a lovely lake effect snow storm and got in a little more than 1 1/2 hours ride time. I bit it hard in the park on some ice on the road but all was good.

Today I was going to do some cross country skiing but Jane was having a party and I felt I should help her out so I did a workout after Jake's basketball game (which he was the star of :) ) and did my interval walk, 3/4 mile swim, and 26 mile mountain bike ride home from the Y. I was pushing the Felt with low tire pressure so it was pretty slow and high effort but it was fun. The legs are sore tonight and I have a long run scheduled tomorrow. Need to figure out if I am doing it on snowshoes or the road - somehow I think snowshoes will win out in the end.

Have a great weekend.

BTW - I got sponsored by Brooks so look for more information on that coming up real soon!

Trans Iowa Version 5

Well I made it into the Trans Iowa Version 5. The race is scheduled for May 2nd-3rd. My goal is to complete the race in the alloted time but a set distance and time has not been determined yet. I am also registered for a Snowshoe Marathon the first week of March in Vermont.

What does all of this mean - A lot of a variety of training. I started snowshoe running, did some cross country skiing this weekend at Sprague Brook Park, will continue to work on my upper body strength, and keep at building my endurance base on the bike and running.

My main concern is overtraining leading to an injury so I need to listen to my body and take it easy when necessary!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

I AM IN

Well it is official - I am in for the 2009 TransIowa Version 5.

Here is the link to the blog for the event: http://transiowa.blogspot.com/

So what exactly does this mean? It means a lot of biking to be sure coming up this winter. Coupled with the snowshoe marathon in March this will be a full winter of training! The marathon plan is simple. Just follow the marathon plan I did last year, but incorporate runs on snowshoes to get stronger. I know the biking I will be doing will help with the snowshoeing as well so that will be good cross-training.

I am still going to get in the pool and work on my swimming, but running and riding will be main focus for the next 6 months.

My next goal is to decide which bike will work the best for me in the future. I need a mix for road (selling the Cannondale), commuting (selling the Bianchi and Raleigh), cyclo-cross racing, triathlons, and endurance events. Sounds like a daunting exercise but I know the perfect bike is out there - just have to find it, get the finances together, and make the motion!

If you have any suggestions please let me know!

100 MTB Race

Well this Sunday I am contemplating a little jaunt through some neighboring counties in the Western New York area.

presents the 3rd annual...Humbler

It should be interesting to say the least. More to follow on it after the race itself occurs on Sunday!

So I am in the process of increasing my running mileage in preperation for The Philadelphia Marathon on Thanksgiving weekend. I am probably late in the season for doing this race managably, but I know I can finish it, I just want to finish it in under 4 hours. I want to see a 3 for the hour when I go under the finish line! It will be my 3rd marathon (or longer) this year which I feel really good about since I have been injury free all year long. Hopefully I make it through this race in the same state as I enter it - injury free and really looking forward to some 50K, 50 Milers and maybe a 100 miler next year. The ultimate lead up to the Umstead 100 in 2010.

My sister and I are contemplating the Leadville 100 as well in 2010 or 2011. All this training will make that less painful than it is going to be hopefully. We will see how that plays out!

Moab, Utah - Mountain Bike Heaven

Well I got to spend 1 morning in Moab, Utah and I loved every second of it!

I rode Klondike Bluffs Trail and did some single track on baby steps trail. Had to do some hike a bike and wiped out a couple of times but hey it was worth every scratch, dirt bath, and drop of sweat that happened!

If you have never been to Moab and you love mountain biking - then you have to visit with your bike - you will not be disappointed.

Running is coming along and now it is time to hit it hard and start preparing for Philadelphia.

Completed first XTERRA

Sunday August 17th, 2008 - I got my A** kicked by a game called XTERRA. It was my first triathlon, however it will not be my last - even though I should be checked in to a mental home based on how I fared during the event itself.

So it starts with a 1500 meter (2 750 meter laps) lake swim. I will be the first to tell you that my swimming is as poor as it can be for someone attempting a triathlon. I was not the last out of the water, pretty close but not last. There was a lot of breaststroke and the freestyle needs a lot of work. There were no wetsuits available.

I get out of the water and am feeling good about the bike. So I take a GU, drink some water, and head out after changing. My biggest mistake was not having my camelback or taking any nutrition in besides the GU. I should have had a clifbar before I headed out of the lake area, but this was a good learning experience.

The bike ride was hell on wheels. It was very technical, much more so than I was prepared for. I did a lot of falling, walking, swearing, and crying (not really but I felt like it a couple of times :) ). Tree roots running at an angle to the trail are a pain and rock gardens when you are wasted are very dangerous. Another mistake made was having my tires too pumped up. I should have dropped some of the pressure out and it would have been better (A little not much more!). So 17 miles later and I am done with the bike and still have to hit a 5 mile trail run.

I was spent by the time I got off the bike. My legs cramped up in transition while I was trying to tie my shoes so I just left the right shoe untied and ran a while to loosen up. That worked and I tied my shoe down the road. Then came the uphill section and more cramping. Sat down for a couple of minutes, did some stretching, and drank some gatorade. The funniest part was that I felt stronger at the end of the run than I had since I got on the bike (This is where the nutrition/hydration part comes in because I was replacing some stuff with gatorade at least).

All in all I was very displeased with my performance. Would I do XTERRA again - in a heartbeat! Why - to prove to myself that I am stronger than the performance that I put in this date. It was a great learning experience, a great event, well organized, and the competitors were awesome to be around. The winners are studs!!!!

Where has the time gone?

Well it is mid-august already and the last time I posted was July 1st. We finished the kitchen project up so hopefully I will be able to do some more long runs and rides to discuss in this blog of mine :)

This weekend I am doing my first triathlon - XTERRA which is a swim, mountain bike ride, and trail run. I am really looking forward to it and hope all goes well (which means finishing!). I know I will be slow out of the water, but will hopefully make up a lot of ground on the bike and running.

Other than that, I am now training for the Philadelphia Marathon. So hopefully I will be able to get some more information down on how the runs are going, but I really hate giving up bicycle time right now. I am sure I can do both and not kill myself physically.

I will post a post-XTERRA report next week just to let you know how things went!