Riding;
Been riding stronger lately. Avg speeds are up, climbing is definitely getting better. I'm not quite doing the distances I want but that's more mental than physical but I'm working through that.
Also been doing a lot of riding solo, which I guess most who do what we do ...well, do. So those times I get to ride with others are precious, inspiring and definitely helps me push harder.
Running;
Been running better to be sure. But its still more like work than invigorating training. My gait seems to be getting better and more natural in feeling but the heavy feeling in my muscles after is considerable. What I find interesting is how effortless it feels when I turn the cranks for 3-4 hours and how tough it feels moving one leg in front of the other for a 27 minute run. I assume its just the neuromuscular memory from all the cycling.
Training wisdom suggests that you should work the weaker discipline with more attention.... Still working on that. :x
Swimming;
Haven't been. I'm hell bent on getting back into the water on a regular basis next week... For now its just visualization in the shower... ;)
Train Race Inspire
Eric J
Friday, July 8, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Starting over in a new Age Group...
"Most things in life, good and bad, just kinda' happen to ya'." Uncle Pat...
New job, new surgery scar, new age group.... Same old body...
A few years ago I was just about at the top of my fitness and on my way to a 1/2 Iron and then the big IM. Time for a cliche' "Best laid plans..." First a job that took all my time away and then problems with both knees. Surgery took care of my left Meniscus but the right is trauma issues so its just time, ice and Ibuprofen. We learn to live with all sorts of pain doing the Endurance thing. Oh, and I turned 51!
My lungs, legs and psyche were shot to hell along with my waistline. The surgery was cake, in fact I stayed awake for the whole deal goofing around so much my Doc asked me to stop or she'd cut too much from the laughter spasms. I stopped laughing after the local wore off...
But enough of the maudlin; Its been 7 months, I've been riding and just started running. Tomorrow (June 27th) I start swimming again. I'm fitting into my old kits properly again but still have a small way to go. I have pledged to do an IM in 2013. I'll tackle the half in 2012 if all goes according to plan...
Yeah I know,
So to training; Been running for 3 weeks now and its going okay but slow. 25 minutes is my max right now and no hard intervals. It all just feels like so much work. Cycling on the other hand... foot... pedal whatever... is a pure joy and I'm getting closer to my old form with every ride. I'm getting dropped a lot but that's okay. I've got a couple top tens in bike racing and 3 podiums in Tri, I'm past trying to prove myself on the weekend ride.
Okay, so that's not altogether true. But if my pride (ego?) wasn't so big I'd be satisfied to ride around the local lake....But that ain't me.
This morning though I got out late missing the Sunday group ride, on purpose as I wanted extra sleep after a tough work week. On the way down I hooked up with a couple different solos and joined up with them pacelining it at some nice mileage for a great workout. I caught up with some friends at the halfway refuel point along our regular 9w route and stopped for water and conversation.
We chatted a while then decided to ride back together. We took it pretty easy for the most part talking and laughing, mixing it up with short hard intervals. It was nice not to ride all tensed up waiting for the next attack. Hard to do that when your riding buddy has a completely decked out Cervelo sporting DI2 electric shifting, Zipp808's AND A BIKE BELL! There is nothing more disarming than a multi thousand dollar rig coming up from behind ringing a bike bell. Really, how seriously can you be with that kind of whimsy riding along...
So that's how I'm trying to approach my training going forward. Train hard and compete hard but don't forget to include a bike bell. Because even at 51 years of age it still puts a smile on my face...
Train Race Inspire...
Eric J
New job, new surgery scar, new age group.... Same old body...
A few years ago I was just about at the top of my fitness and on my way to a 1/2 Iron and then the big IM. Time for a cliche' "Best laid plans..." First a job that took all my time away and then problems with both knees. Surgery took care of my left Meniscus but the right is trauma issues so its just time, ice and Ibuprofen. We learn to live with all sorts of pain doing the Endurance thing. Oh, and I turned 51!
My lungs, legs and psyche were shot to hell along with my waistline. The surgery was cake, in fact I stayed awake for the whole deal goofing around so much my Doc asked me to stop or she'd cut too much from the laughter spasms. I stopped laughing after the local wore off...
But enough of the maudlin; Its been 7 months, I've been riding and just started running. Tomorrow (June 27th) I start swimming again. I'm fitting into my old kits properly again but still have a small way to go. I have pledged to do an IM in 2013. I'll tackle the half in 2012 if all goes according to plan...
Yeah I know,
So to training; Been running for 3 weeks now and its going okay but slow. 25 minutes is my max right now and no hard intervals. It all just feels like so much work. Cycling on the other hand... foot... pedal whatever... is a pure joy and I'm getting closer to my old form with every ride. I'm getting dropped a lot but that's okay. I've got a couple top tens in bike racing and 3 podiums in Tri, I'm past trying to prove myself on the weekend ride.
Okay, so that's not altogether true. But if my pride (ego?) wasn't so big I'd be satisfied to ride around the local lake....But that ain't me.
This morning though I got out late missing the Sunday group ride, on purpose as I wanted extra sleep after a tough work week. On the way down I hooked up with a couple different solos and joined up with them pacelining it at some nice mileage for a great workout. I caught up with some friends at the halfway refuel point along our regular 9w route and stopped for water and conversation.
We chatted a while then decided to ride back together. We took it pretty easy for the most part talking and laughing, mixing it up with short hard intervals. It was nice not to ride all tensed up waiting for the next attack. Hard to do that when your riding buddy has a completely decked out Cervelo sporting DI2 electric shifting, Zipp808's AND A BIKE BELL! There is nothing more disarming than a multi thousand dollar rig coming up from behind ringing a bike bell. Really, how seriously can you be with that kind of whimsy riding along...
So that's how I'm trying to approach my training going forward. Train hard and compete hard but don't forget to include a bike bell. Because even at 51 years of age it still puts a smile on my face...
Train Race Inspire...
Eric J
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