Rest of Camp and Hatley 8k

The rest of camp was rough but it went well. Thursday was an uber day starting with a 5k pool swim with a main set of 10x400; followed by a hard run interval workout with 3x2.1k and 5x2min hill repeats best average. I am excited my tempo running is getting faster holding around 5:15per mile. After those two sessions we had a bit of a break before a 90minute trainer session with a fast run off the bike. Friday being pretty tired we hit the pool for another good swim session and then we headed out with Brent McMahon for a 4hour bike workout. Saturday involved a run session at Elk Lake and a Recovery swim. By this point in the week i was pretty tired but i knew we had one last hard 8k race left. The race went well, it was super hilly and off road at Hatley Castle. I was thinking of the race as another chance for tempo work since walking was a bit of a challenge and stairs were extremely difficult to walk up. The race was well known in the area for being super hard and hilly. I ran in a small group with Erik Findlay, Nick Walker, Shawn Nelson with 2 other Nice Kenyan runners off the front. At about 5k i decided i wanted to push the pace and try and catch the second place runner as we were closing the distance down. Needless to say my fatigue legs caught up with me with about a mile from the finish and i ended up coming 5th not being able to sprint when Erik and Nick made there moves. I was super excited to race this well as the leader was roughly a minute up the road and i knew i could have been up there if i didn't have the lingering fatigue. Mags through down a great race winning it and Dan Smith had a great run as well. After the race it was one last ride along the water before packing up. I want to thank Doug and Cathy Noel for hosting me in Victoria while i was in town!
So the biggest week of the year was logged, I am looking forward to another good week and a 10k run race on the weekend. Now its time for some Carley time, and some how i need to make up for missing Valentines Day!

A few photos of hydration/sodium testing

Here are a few test shots from the hydration/sodium test. These shots were calm as they were taken during warm up. It was rather a tough day for me, and i learned that high concentrate Gatorade and power gels weren't a good mix for me. My body really needs water to help wash the gels down. Day 1 started with a hard interval run session of 6x1mile(which was awesome for February!), a hard 5k swim set, and another aerobic run. Day2 was pretty solid with lactate bike testing and a longish muddy run. Day3 was a good long 2hour run with lots of hills in MT. DOUG, followed by a ice session and another 5k swim set. DAY4 i cracked a bit with a 5k swim set, not enough food, followed by a long sodium test. DAY5(today)- was an easy bike/run session this morning, followed by a recovery swim. Tomorrow its back to some hard work for the rest of the camp. When i receive more photos and test result's i will do individual posts on the different testing protocol and the results and data i can now use in training. I can't believe the energy in B.C right now with the Olympics going on, GO CANADA GO!

Domestique Diaries - Athlete Suck Attack

Here’s how two consecutive evenings unfolded last week in our household. Typically, athletes are strong minded, controlled and very focused; however when an unplanned mishap interferes with their training schedule they have what I have named an athlete suck attack. It reminds me of the same genre of suck attack children often pull when they do not get their way, only the athlete version occurs when they realize that they may not get the training done. This is what happened last week, and as usual it made me laugh really hard and gave me a great post idea.

Recently, Brent has been riding the trainer and one day last week he finally decided to put his training tire on after getting multiple flats while riding the trainer. So one night after dinner i’m watching TV and Brent is in the other room at first silent however as time goes on he begins to curse and bang things around loudly. So I go check it out and he’s definitely frustrated, he has two broken tire levers and a screw driver beside him. So, I do the obvious and ask if I can help him put the trainer tire on he says no right away, so I leave and go back to watch my show. Minutes later out comes Brent with the tire and wheel asking for my help. I smile and agree as long as we can continue to watch my show. After 30 additional minutes of working with our four hands, the two more broken tire levers, and two screwdrivers we finally get the trainer tire on.

Immediately Brent puts a new tube in. Well the valve on the tube isn’t long enough so for the next 30 minutes, as I try to hold the pump on the valve and Brent pumps we try to pump up the tube but do not succeed. Brent comments that he has a tube with a long valve in the truck that only has a slow leak in it so off he goes to get it. When Brent arrives from the truck we put a little air in the tube and inspect it for holes and it seems to be holding the air well, so we both agree the problem is solved. Brent quickly puts the tube in, replaces the wheel on the bike and sets the trainer back up in front of the TV. All is good, for now at least.

The next day Brent is set to start his trainer ride at 5pm and i’m at the gym already. On my short walk home from the gym, I see this mad man with a touque and shorts hauling butt towards me. As I get closer I see it’s Brent. I approach him he doesn’t say a word, the suck attack is already in full force. Finally after pulling teeth I get out of him that he had two flats in the first 5 minutes of his ride, and right now all he needs to do is get the workout done so he’s settling for a spin bike at the gym. Obviously bitter, I walk with him to the gym, he’s stressing over not making it to the bike store on time for his next ride tomorrow morning and taking a suck attack that now he has to use a spin bike and is no longer able to measure power and cadence with the same accuracy for his workout. He’s difficult to speak to during this athlete suck attack. I think to myself I can’t deal with this athlete suck attack all night, so I tell Brent I will go to the bike store and get the trainer tire on for him. Immediately that brings the athlete suck attack level down by at least 50% and to me that means that remainder of the night will be bearable.

So off to the bike store I run with the tire. I tell all the guys at the bike store about the athlete suck attack. They heckle us for using a screwdriver on the wheel, which they notice right away.

Anyways, after Brent finishes his ride on the spin bike and comes home to a trainer tire on the wheel he’s already over his athlete suck attack.

All is good for Brent’s trainer ride that day. The next day I come home and find this in our coat closet. It’s the trainer tire! After all that work, he’s already taken it off cause he’s getting ready to ride outside!

You know you’re living with a triathlete when:

-you play bike mechanic in the evenings while watching TV

-due to equipment malfunction and the possibility of a not as accurate workout you’ve witnessed an athlete suck attack

Happy Trainer Rides,

Carley

January Update

It’s amazing how time flies when you’re logging the training and getting the work done for the upcoming season. I seem to be getting over the initial shock of the start of hard training as well as the pain and sore muscles associated with this time of season.

Every day I must remind myself that it’s early and most importantly that I must be patient with the process. I think Dan is sick of hearing from me about power wattage or average paces over long runs or heart rate comparisons to my fitness at the end of last season. Here are some good things I have heard from him over the last few weeks:

“Don’t beat yourself up on rides that aren’t perfect. You still get stronger from them, plus you will be tired from prior workouts – that’s the theme nowadays. You remember that from last year this time. Then form and fitness improve and it all comes together.”

“Just remember it’s January and your legs will come around. Ice and recovery will help. And remember, bad days keep you focused on the good ones!”

I seem to be back in a good rhythm and am starting to feel the fitness come back which I am very happy about. I have just finished up a few bigger workouts and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Some of my favorite workouts over January have been:

-3x 8 min’ hill repeats (I have done this session a few times; it doesn’t get easier )

-Lots of time trials in the pool. Last week for example one of the good days I did a 1650 for time at the end of a workout. Two days later I swam a 1 hour TT, in super hot water, it was fun but hard.

-One of my favorite over gear sessions so far in January was 2 x 20 minutes @ 50-55 rpm’s.

Things are rolling, I have a new training partner and this past weekend we ran almost 14 miles @ 6:00 min per mile average. Since he is super fast it was easy for him, it was evident when he was maintaining most of the conversation at this pace and I sort of just said "yah" the whole time. I’m stoked as I will have my work cut out for me and I am positive this Texas ATM star runner will help me get my running to a new level.

So enough about January, it’s now February and the workouts are starting to get longer. I will be off to Victoria next week for a mini training camp. But first I have to get through an epic Super bowl training weekend here. I want to thank Priya and Tino from K-Swiss Canada, I just received a pair of my favorite K-Swiss Misoul Tech shoes! They are awesome especially when I put my fast insoles in and I can really float down the trail.

February will bring lots of fun adventures in preparing for the season so more stories and photos will arrive soon. The first race of the year will be LoneStar 70.3 in April and I’m already very excited to start racing.

Here are some awesome race weight meals that Carley has made me to help me get down to fighting weight. Carley has been awesome in keeping me well fueled with dinners prepared as I come home from my afternoon workout.

Do you notice the lack of variety, we like to buy in bulk from Central Market and Carley likes to stick with what works. We also don't have a lot of time to be too creative with meals, but the good thing is meals are made fresh every night with organic vegetables and meat. And Carley ensures there are planned overs for my lunch the next day. If there was an award for timed veggies cleaning and chopping, Carley would win.

Thanks for reading,

Brent