Road to Ironman

the journey continues ...

2010-12-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

My journey continues here ... walk with me.

the day after.

2010-11-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

so, that is certainly the most self inflicted pain i have ever been through in my life. 24 hours later, i'm feeling better, but that's only if i don't move too much. my legs are completely destroyed, making it difficult to walk or bear weight on them (esp steps etc), but i am functionally managing to limp around on them ok. it will take a couple of weeks for my body to recover to normal levels chemically, and 4-6 weeks to recover muscularly.

the race was pretty well, but the conditions were not ideal. i finished in 13:47, which was off the sub 13 hour goal i had for myself. the surf was fairly rough, though not nearly as rough as the day before (when i woke up this morning the day after the race, the gulf was as smooth as glass ... go figure) and the temp outside when i started the swim at dawn was 40 degrees, which made the 72 degree water almost feel like a warm bath. it did make the start of the bike at 8:30am feel like i was in an arctic wind tunnel though. the first 60 miles on the bike were bitterly cold, with wind gusts up to 20mph. i actually got off the bike and onto the run right on the pace i wanted, on target for my sub 13 goal. i was doing alright the first 6 miles on the run, just a few minutes slower than i wanted, but then i started to hit a wall. i was having a lot of trouble stomaching anything, not able to ingest many liquids, not to mention any gels (i probably had 1 gel the entire 26 miles, i just couldn't stomach it any longer), and try as i might, i knew the inevitable was going to happen, i ran out of fuel, so i slowed up tremendously. the last 20 miles of the run was a constant battle of me fighting off feeling sick while struggling to maintain 11-12 minutes miles, and then at the end, the final 8 miles, a 14 minute pace (i was shuffling, a glorified walk) which was considerably off my mark of a 10 minute pace on the run. after i realized i just didn't have the energy to make my goal, i didn't care if it took me 13:30 or 14 hours, i just wanted to finish.

And finish i did! at the finish chute a friend of mine ran along side of me and screamed, "do you hear that? they are playing 'eye of the tiger' at the finish line for the first time tonight! run bro, run!" ... and run i did ... i crossed the finish line in a full on sprint with one fist in the air, pumping, hard. at that moment i had so much adrenaline pumping through my body i could feel no pain and could have tackled a Buick. as i crossed the announcer yelled over the p.a. "Jon Sherwood ... you are an Ironman!" it was incredible.

After i got my racing chip removed from around my ankle, received my finishers medal, hat, and shirt, and had my picture taken, i saw my girlfriend to my left out of the corner of my eye, standing on the other side of the barricade that separated the finish chute from the spectators. i went over and hugged her, with most of my weight falling on her and she said she was so proud of me and how much she loved me. i started to cry. i don't know if it was the emotional excitement of the finish line, the overwhelming support that i had at the race with 20 friends and family from all around the southeast cheering me on ALL day and showing me love ... or if it was the lack of glycogen in my brain due to 14 hours of strenuous endurance activity ... but i started to cry.

I then proceeded to the medical tent, in which i spent over 30 minutes, trying to get my glycogen and electrolyte levels up and my body warm, as it was very cold outside again. a friend of mine in med school at Florida State was working the med tent and said that the human body was not designed to go through this type of stress, and he didn't understand why people would want to do it ... looking back, that might make two of us. ;) eventually i did start to normalize and feel a little better. and after getting back to the condo and cleaning up, i fell asleep for 7.5 hours and didn't move a muscle, i woke in the exact same position as i had fallen asleep in. i have not slept that hard in a very, very long time.

thank you again to all who not only came to the race, but to all who prayed, believed, and supported me through this endeavor ... I AM AN IRONMAN! :D

on the eve ...

2010-11-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

here i am on the eve of the largest undertaking that i have ever ... undertook? lol. i am feeling some what subdued and calm, earlier toady i was so amped on nerves i felt almost sick most of the day. now i am simply anticipating the start, the frigid temps outside with the very cool water, the tremendously cold start to the bike and the cool finish to the run. on a more positive note, i have approximately 20 people here from all around the southeast that have come to cheer me on to the finish line. I am so grateful to God for the family and friends that He has given me, and the ways He has shown me His love through all of them.
And so it comes down to this ...

anticipation ...

2010-10-28T05:45:00.000-07:00

It has become almost comical, how much anticipation I have for the race. Being a little over a week away, I feel like I am just ready to GO! I am having to really fight to trust the taper period ... I feel like I am just sitting around on my duff, doing nothing, getting fat, and having nightmares about missing the start of the race. I almost don't know what to do with myself. I am having to trust that I will be ready physically. My body is telling me that I'm losing ground, slipping away from my edge, but my mind tells me that it is good for my body, to have time to get recovered, flexible, and fresh for the start line. I'm a week away from leaving for the race, and I can almost taste the frenzied air and feel the electricity that will be there.
I knew I would have trouble sleeping the night before the race for sure, but to have trouble sleeping a week out!? This I was not ready for.
I pick up my bike tomorrow from the shop, it should be race ready, outfitted with Zipp 404's, to take out for my last tune up ride this Sat before I head out to Panama City on Wed. ...

the taper

2010-10-13T14:27:00.000-07:00

being about 3.5 weeks out now from the race, i will be starting to taper next week. the tapering period is a period before the race that you start to decrease your training load in order to have a recovered, healthy and fresh body (well, as much as possible anyway) for the main event, while remaining as fit as possible. at this point, your engine is what it is ... you ain't gettin much better in 3 weeks. with this tapering comes extra time ... time to think, time to get anxious and nervous, time to question and doubt yourself, time to visualize. It is not an easy time. as i read and study as much as i can about the race itself and the days surrounding the race, i find myself sometimes wondering what this is all going to be like. having never experienced anything like this (or anything even remotely close) i often wonder what it is going to be like come race day. the nerves and excitement. the restless night before the race (my first ever triathlon, a sprint, kept me up all night with nervous excitement). most people look at me like i am either a courageous beast, or some moron who has no idea what he is doing (the deeper i get into this i tend to think the latter) when they find out i have never done a 1/2 ironman, and in fact this is only my 4th triathlon ever. i am excited for the race, and honestly i think i am just ready to get there and perform. the taper process is going to be difficult for me mostly because it is like getting a high performance race car and going around the track in 2nd gear a few times. also, it is a time that i have to focus on getting my body as fresh and flexible as possible. i have been having problems with lower back tightness (mostly due to my hips and hams im sure) so i want to get to the starting line feeling 100% physically ... not 80%. easier said than done.

lastly, i want to give a shout out to the likely 20-30 people that will be coming out to my race in support. i can't do it without you. many of my good friends and family from atlanta, auburn, tallahassee, tampa, and gainesville will be there to cheer me on in the most challenging athletic endeavor i have pursed as of yet (and not a spectator friendly one either). THANK YOU.

a special thanks to my wonderful girlfriend who has stood by me and encouraged me through this ... at a large expense to herself. you are crossing the finish line with me. i love you.

the metamorphosis

2010-10-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

So after training for Ironman for 9 months now, I have gone through quite a metamorphosis ... physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Physically, I have shed about 10-15 pounds (probably a couple more to go) and about 3-4% body fat from when I started training for this 9 months ago. I have noticed vascularity and striations all over my body where I never have before as well as feeling this tight in places I didn't even know existed.

Emotionally, i have been on the brink so many times ... frustration and anger (ready to throw my bike as far as i can, bite my girlfriends head off for no real reason, and kick the dog ... but that would hurt, so i don't do it), elation and joy (barely being able to contain myself from the anticipation of all that I am experiencing), sadness and overwhelmed (to the point of crying ... and sometimes, i'm not even sure why ... maybe i have been increasing my estrogen levels through all this training?) ;)

Spiritually, I have changed as well. I have created more of an appreciation for God and His word, and being consistently connected to both. I have developed an appreciation for how difficult that is while living a full time work life as well. I have learned that I need many people to help me accomplish this great feat, and no matter how much I hate it, or want to think that I can do it on my own, I cannot. I find it to be true in my spiritual life as well. I have learned that God wants to be apart of my journey, not an addition to it, but a sharer of it. That has been difficult for me at times. I have learned the difficulties like never before of how to carry on when in pain physically, emotionally and drained from all the training ... life must go on. Mostly, and I think most recently, i have learned that the real courage, the real challenge ... in fact the greatest challenge ... is to live a balanced life. Difficult to do with something that demands so much ...

T minus 5 ...

2010-09-29T12:03:00.001-07:00

so i am in the final countdown now to the race, 5 weeks ... it has been a long and hard journey.

i have endured two cracked ribs (1 snowboarding, 1 crashing my bike), 1 stress fracture on the left foot (overuse injury), and countless amounts of 'tweakage' ... the latest of which is an extremely tight low back preventing me from running for a couple of days ...

i am going to be so excited to get down to panama city and be able to experience this with many of my friends and family (we are even making shirts!) ;) ... the finish line is almost small potatoes compared to that. i have enjoyed this year very much in pursuit of becoming an ironman, and i seem to have awoken a new love and passion for endurance sports ... i think i will drop down to the short course again and see if i can get competitively fast after this ... and maybe try some off road stuff, xterra tri's, trail races ... maybe even adventure racing someday ;)

so much more involved than i anticipated

2010-09-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

so ... as i have been trying to nurse my foot back to running (seems to be doing ok so far, though im not in high mileage yet), i am reading up and doing homework for my race day. it is far more involved than i ever thought, i once thought that ironman would just take a lot of training, athleticism, some guts, and a strong determination. i am realizing now however, that is only the beginning ...

if you care to read about some of what i have been learning, be my guest: :)

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=420
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=154
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=438

in fact, as i stop to think about this, it reminds me of my decision to follow Christ. if anyone knew what following Christ would completely mean for their lifetime, likely no one would ever start. just like ironman. but, you learn what you need to get started, and learn the rest as you go. Jesus said that if you are to follow Him, you can't look back and must keep your hand to the plow (Luke 9:62), but He also said that He would be with us every step of the way until the end (Mat 28:20).
that's comforting.

getting stronger ... (breaks into rocky theme song)

2010-09-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

so after starting to run again this past week on my foot after being off for a month, it is feeling pretty good, but i have not started any high mileage yet (4 miler a couple of times).
i was able to strap on a set of zipp 404 wheels on my bike over the weekend and think they really made a difference. of course it could be psychosomatic as well, simply because i was expecting them to make me faster i probably pushed harder. it was likely the hottest day i have ever trained and was i totally gassed after my session.
tomorrow i plan to get in my wet suit for the first time and get in the ocean for an open water swim followed up with a bike ride.
i have started to experience some of the emotional stress/break down after pushing my body to the edge of its physical limits, it has been quite unexpected ... i think i am just gonna be glad when i can go back to normal life again.

ouch, my first encounter with carnage ...

2010-08-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

so on the way to the beach yesterday, i took my first spill on the bike. At 20mph i had my head down in the aero position looking down and not in front of me (first mistake) because I was on a long, flat, straight rode in the middle of nowhere florida ... and up out of no where, BAM! a tree branch jumps into the middle of the road and i proceed to jump (more like fly) over my bike and do a diving role up to my feet on the pavement (it was a pretty sweet dismount if i must say so myself). luckily i wasn't seriously injured (bruised rib, shoulder and a bunch of road rash), thanks to my helmet taking the impact instead of my skull, and my bike really didn't take any serious damage either, other than a broken water bottle cage, which can by fixed (thank the Lord). I think i fell pretty well due to the fact that i never saw the branch from the fallen tree (about 6 inches in diameter) therefore i never had an opportunity to tighten up, i just went into the air and didn't know what happened until i got up and looked behind me. it was a pretty gnarly fall and i am very fortunate that nothing worse happened. the view i had once i got to the lighthouse totally wasn't worth it, freaking lame.

so ... now on top of nursing a foot injury ... im now also nursing some road rash, and structural rib and shoulder damage (don't think anything broke though) ...

well, off to train some more tomorrow ...

the beach & burnout

2010-08-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

I have been getting back into my regular training regimen here, and just in time ... I only have 10 weeks until the race! (AHHHH!!) This sat I am planning on riding my bike from just outside of town to the gulf coast and get a glimpse of the ocean, it's only about 30 miles one way, which is much less than my longest rides in the past, but it should be fun (i'm playing around with the idea of swimming when I get there ... maybe in a couple weeks).

I am still nursing an injured foot, and haven't run on it for 2 weeks. I'm going to try to stay away from running for another couple of weeks to let it heal up as much as possible, but I have to start running by then in order to get my legs and body ready for the race.

I am honestly experiencing burnout a little bit. I am not as pumped for my workouts as I once was, I have a harder time getting out of bed early in the morning to train, I have gotten discouraged about my injuries and general hindrances to my training from life, and I am just ready to have this thing done! I've been training since the beginning of the year for this thing, and I'm ready for the race already (at least mentally, not quite physically). I am enjoying my new living situation and the city is great ... I am starting to settle in to some sort of consistency with my training, but I am still figuring out exactly where to train most of the time.

I am really excited about this "home stretch" that I am on, and can't wait to see the progress that I make over the next 10 weeks (I can't miss many training sessions, and I need to get mega disciplined with my nutrition (Britt ... help!)). I still have some very important pieces to do for the first time in my training, mostly in the water and on the run. I haven't done a long swim that replicates the distance of the race, gotta get time in my wetsuit and in the open water ocean ... and I would like to put some long runs (20+) in at some point ... God willing.

I am starting to visualize race day ...

walls, hinderances, and just plain shenanigans.

2010-08-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

So, as you can imagine by the title as well as the more than month that has gone by since my last blog, I have encountered some difficult times recently with my training.
When I decided to do Ironman almost a year ago, i was single and living in atlanta, two things I was not anticipating changing. Since that decision to commit myself to ironman, both indeed have. I now have an an AMAZING girlfriend and have moved to tallahassee with her to work along aide one another in the ministry of reconciliation of Jesus Christ. This past month my training has been slowed considerably by both of these (which i am totally grateful for).
I also ran my longest run to date last week @ 19 miles in central park (with improper fueling) and proceeded to injur my foot (a possible jones stress fracture on the 5th meditarsal - mostly self diagnosed ... I didn't get xrays). Just great I think, I have slowed my training regiment this past month with moving and life transitions, and now on top of all of that, I went and broke my foot! (possibly) In the midst of all of that I'm trying to figure our where my new training spots will be in a city I'm not familiar with ... yet another hinderance. (i can hear my girlfriend singing to me now ... "do everything without grumbling or complaining") Arg.
All in all, I invite the challenge. It is what makes it the ironman and not the soft-fluffy-pillow man ... right? :P

To Bama & Back

2010-07-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

So today, I rode the silver comet trail from its head in Smyrna, GA to where it intersects the Alabama-Georgia border and back again, a total of 122 miles. It took me 9 hours. It might have taken me a little less time, had the first 5 miles of the ride at 630am not been riddled with debris from a bad storm the night before. It took me more than 45 minutes to navigate through those 5 miles, dismounting and climbing over 3 different trees in the middle of the trail, and loosing my riding partner to a 'forget this, I'll do this some other time', with me replying, 'eh, I'm pot committed to this today, I'm headin on.' :)

I got a real treat at the end of my ride with TJ Del Rocco and Travis Albritton showing up. they saw my parked car and came on the trail hoping to cross paths with me, and about 5 miles before I got back, they did! they escorted me the rest of the way back (or rather I escorted them, but don't tell them I said that) ;) I ran into a bit of a 'wall' at about 85 miles where I started to get really agitated at everything and very irritable in general (and i know what your thinking "he's always like that") ... but that is besides the point: this was do to exhaustion and fatigue causing mental irritability! thank you very much. ;)

i had a few thoughts during the ride, but couldn't entertain them for very long as it is very hard for me to concentrate for extended periods because the ride demands my mental effort. however, i think the ride sort of epitomized the Christian faith in miniature. i started the ride with one person, it got difficult, they turned back ... i met up with another person and rode with them for a while, they sped up and continued on without me ... when i was cooked and could barely ride, i got in a random guys draft for a while which enabled me to ride at a speed that i otherwise could not ... i ended the ride with good friends coming for me, who love me and wanted to take care of me ...

and i think: after all that, all i have to do ... is run a marathon.

got my new saddle

2010-07-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

So I was able to get my new saddle last week and am trying to put a couple of rides together before i go to alabama and back this sat (about 130 round trip ... will need ur prayers) ... I really like it so far.
I ran one time this week in my vibrams after a 30 mile ride and had to stop because my legs were tightening up do bad. It was unexpected, but I'm glad I stopped when I did ... don't want to risk injury at this point. I am really pleased that I have remained relatively free from injury thus far and only had to deal w minor tweakage.

"the line"

2010-06-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

today i ran about 6 miles in my vibram's, the furthest so far. i felt really good. i developed a bit of a hot spot and thus a blister in one area of my foot that i always have problems with )due to a mishapen joint from a previous injury) so i was very pleased with that. i want to get another pair for trail running and try to do some serious distances in them at some point. i really feel like the mechanics of my stride and gate are much better when i have the vibram's on and i feel much lighter on my feet in general. i have enjoyed learning to run in them (http://www.vibramfivefingers.com)

on another note, i came across an article today that i found to be very helpful and interesting. it discussed the mental preparation that is needed for a race like the ironman. i thought is was something that most people (including me) wouldn't necessarily think of when doing this type of thing ... here is a byte from the article:

"Nothing on race day really matters until you reach The Line on the run. The Line is the point at which continuing becomes very, very difficult. You define success as simply not slowing down at The Line. EVERYTHING before The Line is simply about creating conditions for success for when the Line comes to you."
read more here ...

hoping for a new saddle

2010-06-28T22:48:00.000-07:00

well, last week, i titled my entry 'back in the saddle' ... and as it would turn out, it was a bit sore. i am currently waiting for a new saddle to come in the mail hopefully to alleviate some of the pain i have been experiencing with my current saddle. i will especially need it by the time i try to ride to Alabama and back in two weeks.
it has been a good first couple of weeks getting back into a solid routine, i have felt good as i have put in about 10-12 hours each week, not missing any days except one i think. i will have some weeks that reach up to 18 hours, which i did not experience during the first run through of this program, so i will need to be very disciplined during those times.
on another training note, i am finally able to keep a fairly accurate log of my nutrition thanks to an android app i have on my phone, 'calorie counter'. it works amazing! i have been so pleased with it. i am taking in around 3500-4000 calories a day right now, but during the peak weeks, i am expecting it to bump up around the 5000 mark ... man this stuff gets expensive! I have spent nearly all my money on equipment and fuel just to keep me going in this thing!

back in the saddle

2010-06-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

so after a month of traveling and derailing from my program, I am back in the game! I look forward to putting in about 4.5 months before the race. I am feeling like I am getting dialed in but need to put a lot of work in on the run, as i have only had a 16 mile run so far as my longest (still another 10 on top of that needed for race day)!

I am going to try to take the silver comet trail out to the Alabama state line and back sometime in the next month (130 total miles) ... that should be interesting. Probably be a 8-9 hour ride. :/ lol

For those of you interested, the race will be the weekend of Nov. 6th in Panama City, FL. (www.ironmanflorida.com) I would love all the support and help I can get for the race!

Weekly posts to follow ...

my first century ride in the books ...

2010-05-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

so yesterday, i did my first century ride, on the silver comet trail, it was pretty much exhausting. i wanted to do it in 6 hours, but ended up around 6.5 hours, the middle 20 miles of my ride was a lot of climbing, which i was not expecting. i thought to myself when i got off the bike, "come race day, all i would have to do now is run a marathon." aye carumba. that is just ridiculous. i am starting to humble my original goal of a sub 12 hour finish, to simply finishing at all. seriously. i woke up this morning from my ride feeling sick, not because i had a cold or anything, but because of self inflicted slow type of torture called ironman training.
on the ride (i rode 15 miles from the Alabama/Georgia state border) i saw some of the most breath taking views and rustic scenery, it was like straight out of a movie. i was so far out in rural west Georgia i was seeing old homesteads and farms that were situated on top of rolling, wild flower covered hills. at one point i had to stop to take a picture, and i realized that after a while i was barely riding because i was so caught up in the scenery. in fact, at one point i started applauding God and laughing out loud as i was riding because of the true beauty and majesty of what He has created ... i don't think i knew what else to do.
the last couple of weeks have been very difficult with the traveling (and then being sick afterwords) for my training, but i have been pushing through and doing the best i can. i will be going crazy with work and traveling over the next couple of weeks, so i plan to do what i can and not stress to much over it. i will probably try to work on some technique based stuff, esp on the run and in the water. june 1st will be my projected date to start the 2nd go around of my 5 month cycle, that should put me right on target for the race in nov. and i am sure that i will need every bit of it. from what i hear and understand so far, you can never feel totally prepared for ironman ...

week 14 in review ... + tweakage ... + omg.

2010-04-19T07:36:00.001-07:00

so this past week was an interesting one. i skipped e of my 6 workouts, basically due to exhaustion and the need for rest, and one of the workouts i decided to be brilliant and run for 15 min(what i thought was not that long) in my new vibram five finger kso's (a minimalist shoe that mimics barefoot) and i basically strained my calves, especially my right one (in which i have a short leg). ouch & ouch.
on my ride sat i got to join up randomly with another ironman though. that was a real treat. he was tapering for his 3rd ironman, which is in a couple of weeks. and he has raced Florida ironman before (the race i am doing in November) so we talked a lot about it (while i was trying to keep up with him on his interval workout). i received invaluable information from him concerning the details of the race and how to strategize, both for race day and for my training leading up to it. I am learning there are many more layers to this thing than i originally anticipated ... and the goal of finishing becomes more and more on the forefront of my mind.
I will be going out of town this week for a few days, and the travel will disrupt the training that i am supposed to be doing for one of my peak weeks (which i think i am actually very grateful for). ;) but i know that i am still ahead of the game having this long to train for the event ... and i still have 6 months to go!

weeks 12 & 13 in review ... + upcoming peak-age

2010-04-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

so i am pretty much wondering what in the world i have gotten myself into. I have just finished a recovery week (week 12) as well as the first week of my ascent to the peak portion of the training program (week 13 I put in a 2 hour run at 13 miles as well as a 4.5 hour ride in which i put in 70 miles ... not in the same day). the hours will be increasing over the next 3 weeks, up to 18 hours in week 16 with 6 hour rides, 3 hour runs, and 2 hour swims! (and then i stop to realize that i have to basically put all that together in ONE day for the race!)
i think i have been figuring out my fueling problem ... i haven't been planning for enough fuel, so now i just take more than i think i will need, and its about right. i read in my endurance nutrition books that for ultra-endurance events (like an ironman) it is a swimming, biking, running, eating, and drinking contest, which by my training i am finding to be very true.
i will be taking off out of town for a few days next week, in the middle of one of my peak weeks and will miss a couple of workouts, which i think i will rather enjoy, but also i think will work out well for my body to recoup a bit during this first time through the program. Hopefully my body will be adjusted better by the time i go through the program again starting in June.
this is certainly stretching me ... and i have so far to go.

glorious....

2010-04-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

So I just got out of a bible study that was monumental ... and it helped me to realize what is most glorious in this life. Seeing a man, a young man, broken by the weight of the cross and it's message of God's love. Getting a glimpse of how unconditional God's love is, and how unlike anything else he (or we) have ever known or experienced, from anyone, including ourselves ... caused a collapse. A collapse of walls, a breaking down of the performance based loved we have always known, and openness of heart to the love that is unimaginable.
It was at that moment, that I remembered my first encounter with that love ... with how I felt, the unreasonableness of it all. That a perfect God could love me so perfectly, an imperfect person (which is understated). It also reminded me of what is truly important, and absolutely glorious in this life. In the midst of all the training I am doing for the Ironman, which I love, and am grateful I can do, I peered tonight into a window where I saw again that there is nothing more important in this life than being able to help someone else know this love that surpasses knowledge (Eph 3:19).
I encourage all of you out there who have been rooted and established in this love ... to share it with someone this week. Nothing is more profound, inspiring and satisfying.

GLORIOUS ....

week 11 in review

2010-03-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

this week was focused on the bike, and man did it take it out of me (and I skipped 2 of the 6 workouts this week!) today i had the long ride (my longest to date) at 4 hours, roughly 65 miles. i did it on the silver comet trail which was so beautiful! i look forward to having more long rides out there ...
i have been having problems with fueling though, i seem to always under shoot what i need. today i had 4 gel shots with me for the whole 4 hrs (along with 2 bottles of gatorade), but i probably need another 4 more. the workouts are starting to get to the point now that i am really feeling them, my body is starting to give me some real kick back, but i am grateful that i have not had any real injuries creep up.
thankfully, next week is a recovery week, and i intend to take FULL advantage! ;)
on an encouraging note, i fell that i have been doing a lot better with my time management and have been able to really connect with God on a consistent basis, especially in my bible study. i have gotten a new bible, the noteworthy bible, and i am really loving it. i has gotten me engaged in the bible again like i haven't been in a long time, i am really excited. i need to continue to push myself to connect in prayer consistently as well, especially now that i have so much physical exhaustion all the time it can be difficult.
on a not so encouraging note, in order to do all of this, i have joined the rest of the world in a caffeine coffee drip ...

weeks 9 & 10 in review

2010-03-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

with week 10 being focused on the the run, i was def feeling it! week 9 was the swim and this week will be focused on the bike. this past week with the run was super beast for me, as i had some of my most intense workouts to date: a tempo run where i did 7, 7min mile repeats with a 3min recovery, as well as a 2.5 hr trail run that week.

I wasn't getting much sleep last week, which of course made the training all that much more difficult, but i am excited about trying to make some adjustments and be able to rock this week! :)

I'm that guy ... & I think I love it ...

2010-03-12T06:34:00.000-08:00

So this morning I found myself in a pool at 6am in the lane next to another ironman competitor, and after talking for a brief minute (for we both know that we cant disrupt the continuity of our interval sets) :P I realized that I am that guy.

That guy that so few are, or even want to be. That guy who most normal guys (and gals) look at and think, who in their right mind would want to get up in the morning, drive 30 minutes downtown, and be in the water by 6am, only to swim for 2 hrs then get started with the rest of your day at the same time the rest of he psychologically stable and normal world is starting their day. That guy that thinks its fun not only to race for 12 hours covering over 140 miles in a single day event, but also thinks it's great to train for 10 months in order to so.

ay' caramba! ... I'm that guy. ;)

week 8 in review

2010-03-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

i enjoyed my recovery week, although one of the workouts at 2.5 hrs didn't feel like much of a recovery ... ;)
i will now start getting into my sport specific weeks where i will have a focus on one of the three events every week, this week is in the water, next week the run. the hours continue to be many, and are only increasing as i go through the program, its teaching me a lot about myself, about life, and about perseverance ...

2 months down ... only 3 to go!
then i have to do it all over again ... :-/
lol.

week 7 in review

2010-03-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

So week 7 was the most training yet. it was supposed to be 16 hours this week, but i only put in more like 13. i was able to do my longest swim to date at 4000 meters and my longest run at 12.5 miles though! (ouch) :-/

I have actually gained weight the past week somehow, order of 2-4 pounds, so i guess i am going to have to stop relying on hunger to be guide for my nutrition and actually get serious about this thing. this next week, is a recovery week, so my training hours will be drastically reduced (around 8.5hrs total) so i must reduce my caloric intake accordingly as well. i don't want to have ANY extra weight on me come race day.

This past week has been difficult with my scheduling to feel like i have been on top of it all, as well as being difficult to feel close to God through the time i have been spending with Him (which has not been enough). This is definitely challenging me at just about every level ... thank God for recovery weeks! ;)

weeks 5 & 6 in review

2010-02-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

I have been very busy lately so i haven't been able to blog as much as i would like about my training and other various things. last weekend i had a big church conference in Athens GA, the Festival of Faith, that my girlfriend from NY was able to attend as well. (YAY!) we all had a blast as over 3500 people were in attendance from around the southeast on Sunday.
My training has been picking up and I have really been enjoying it. I have noticed vast improvements in the swim, as I can now swim upwards of around 3000 meters in one session, still a lil ways to go for the full 4000 meter swim come race day, but my confidence is growing ... i was able to take my bike outside on the road for the first time this season, it was beautiful! I put in 3 hours, but it was at a much slower pace than i want come race day (which will be around 6-7 hourse on the bike) and my saddle was incredibly sore ... but it was the longest ride i have put in on a bike to date, so i guess it is to be expected. ;) I was able to build some confidence in the run this week as well, as i had my first workout with a tempo run. I ran about 7.5 miles @ a 10min pace, then ran the last 3 miles @ a sub 8min pace, which i was proud of. :)
And through all of this, I am remaining injury free for the most part, which of course is very important. I still need to make some progress however on my self control when it comes to my nutrition, but i have time to tighten it down.

Until next time ... sweat provides cleansing for the soul! :)

week 4 in review

2010-02-06T17:07:00.000-08:00

so this morning in my workout group "faith & fitness" i tweaked my hip with stinkin tony horton's p90x kenpo (kickboxing) video. I think i will be fine, but i sit on an ice pack right now as i write this ... hopefully it won't hamper my training this week.

As i conclude the first month of training i feel pretty good, but know that i have a very long road ahead of me. Next month, the training hours will increase and i must become even more deliberate in my planning and execution of my daily schedule, one thing that i will need to do better is getting to sleep earlier as i am consistently getting up earlier to train, and at this point, my body needs more sleep not less.

i notice growth and progress in my swimming and i have put no time in on the bike out on the road, only on the trainer inside, so there is no telling how i will feel once i actually allow the rubber to meet the road.

thank you all for your support, love, and concern ... we are doing this together! :)

p.s. - let me know if there is anything else i can include in these blogs for you guys ...

week 3 in review

2010-01-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

So this week has been pretty tough all around...

I'm headed down to fl to be with my family after my uncle passed away last week. I'm not sure how I am going to do with it emotionally, I don't think I have really had to yet because I have been up in Atl going about my life. When I am face to face with his family this weekend I will not be able to put it off any longer ... I'm expecting to break ...

This came in the midst of me traveling to ny for 2 days to surprise my new girlfriend. I was planning on being in ny to surprise her for lunch, but after a 10 hour delay at the airport, I was able to make it to surprise her for dinner, but it all worked out in the end. :) I missed 2 days of training because of the trip, and it was WELL worth it ;) (plus it provided a much needed rest for my body).

I have not totally adapted to the training regiment (I'm starting to think I never will) because I find myself fatigued and tired all the time, although I have been fairly pleased with the way my body has been handling the training. A main goal obviously is to make it through the training without major injuries (although I will experience plenty of "tweakage"). I think some of the toughest aspects of training for an ironman aren't just the workouts, but my mood and disposition being joyful and giving while being exhausted physically & mentally during my daily life.

Phil 4:13 - I need HIS strength ... I have a long road ahead.

Week 2 in review ...

2010-01-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

So this week went pretty well, at least for the most part. Training was good, but I did have to work through my first bout with 'tweakage'. I had some tightness and pain in my lower left leg, the lower calf and upper Achilles region due to running. I cut a workout short on Tuesday and took wed off, it seemed to help. i was able to do a long run (90 min = 10 miles) again on fri and the pain wasn't as bad, but was still there ...
I have been able to do my first rides (ever) on a trainer this week, it has been interesting. While much more convenient to train in my basement (lovingly referred to as the dungeon of repentance) and it is certainly better than being on the spin bike in the gym (SOO uncomfortable), however it is incredibly boring to stare at a wall and hard to stay motivated during the longer rides.

I also had a tragedy in my family with the sudden death of an uncle this past week, it was definitely a shock and through me for a loop. I think I am still trying to process the whole thing. I will be traveling down to Florida to be with my family next weekend ...

week 1 in reveiw...

2010-01-17T16:43:00.000-08:00

So after my first week of a 20 week program (which I will cycle through twice :/), I must say that it was a bit more difficult than I was anticipating. So either I underestimated the amount of training or overestimated my preexisting physical condition ... or both. :)

I am definitely getting a clearer view of how much this is going to transform me. In a physical way, this isn't just a slight improvement or a modification of the shape I was already in. This is a complete overhaul! I am really looking forward to what my body is going to do through this process and I look forward to how I feel in about 9 months come race time.
I draw a spiritual parallel here to Christ. He doesn't just come to make us better versions of the people we already are by making us more moral and the like (Mark 10:17-22), but He is intrested in making us completely new (2 cor 5:17) so that we can actually know God, for Jesus knows that to become 'completely overhauled' is the ONLY way we ever will (John 3:3).

I got a cycle trainer finally (thanks Nick!), so that means I can actually ride my own bike indoors and not have to ride the incredibly uncomfortable spin bikes in the gym (and it will also save me time in my training cause I can do it in my house).
Week 2 here I come ...

fatigue

2010-01-14T16:11:00.000-08:00

so i did my first 'long run' today (90 min = 10 miles) ... i hate long runs, and this is only week 1. i am building confidence though, 2 years ago, i could barely run 3 in a row. I have done all the workouts this week so far, but a couple of them I had to cut a little short (due to time constraints and soreness from a rib i fractured about 3 weeks ago). I am feeling okay physically, some muscular soreness, but mostly fatigue. I have been gassed all day after doing the run in the morning, I imagine that it will take a couple of weeks for my body to adjust and for me to learn to deal with the fatigue better. (i don't want to be forced to use stimulants just to make it through my day) :/

Spiritually, I know i can get fatigued as well: feel like I'm running into the same walls, not able to overcome some stubborn sin the way i want, feeling in a rut or just stale in my relationship with God, like when i pray, feeling like I'm just praying to the air and no one is listening to me. It's in those times, like with my training that i need to persevere the most, not quit, not give up, but continue to press on, and know that God will help my spiritual body adapt to the fatigue.

Philippians 3:14

and so it begins ...

2010-01-11T18:34:00.000-08:00

Today was my first official day of training! had a 45 min slow run followed by a 55 min swim ... i felt good on the run, just over 5 miles, but struggled on the swim (2200 meters total), and i actually had some rest in between. I am realizing now just how much i have bitten off ;)
I look forward to the ways this is going to help me become more disciplined all around in my life, I intend on having my quiet times with God and training every morning before anything else in my day, hopefully before 9 or 10am. This will be difficult on the days I have 2-3 hours of training ...

physical training is of some value, but spiritual training has value both for this life and the life to come. - 1 Tim 4:8

back into the swing

2010-01-05T20:46:00.000-08:00

so, i just got back from NY (the trip was AMAZING! ... if you don't know why, talk to me later) ;) which was the cap from a month of travel. during that month, i let go of a lot of my conviction to exercise as regularly and eat as healthy and as a consequence, today in the gym, i could tell. instead of feeling like an ironman in pre training, i felt like a deep dish, extra cheese, feather-pillow-man in pre training. :/ lol.
i am looking forward to my training beginning and being able to get a routine going. i think i am going to start my offical plan next week, and just get back into run-bike-swim this week ... i will be out of town again this weekend so i think that is going to work best ...
ready or not ...

good food, happy holidays

2009-12-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

so i am wishing everyone out there a happy holidays! i am trying to enjoy my 'calm before the 10month storm', as well as some good holiday food before i start my training 'diet' ... ;)

i think i planned the training well, i will be able to enjoy holiday foods for both 2009 & 2010! lol.
i should officially start my 5 month training cycle towards the end of the first week of Jan ... i will cycle through the program twice before the race in Nov ...

follow along ...

2009-12-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

this is where i will be attempting to blog about my 10 month training program to become a 2010 Ironman!

Please follow along ... and do not try this at home ... ;)