G8r80's training / dieting / cycling / log

I figured out how to install the special brake pads for the carbon fiber wheels, which was the last equipment issue for me to resolve.:) I tried out clif bars on the 38miler yesterday and they worked fine for me so I will go with those. At 240 cals, I was thinking about taking 1 every 15 miles on the bike (3 - 4 total) and just liquids at the rest stations on the run.

Thoughts?

Today: 10 miles mountain biking with 25yo friend - spur of the moment thing. Nothing gnarly. 1000 yards in pool. Some ab and lower back stuff, some standing cable flies, some Concept2 rowing. Going to bed early tonight.
 
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4 cliff bars on a 3 hour bike ride is too many...- you will have a major "wad" in your gut as you head into your 2 hour run....

maybe one cliff bar at the outset, and then one at 90 minutes,,, then ease off on the solids a bit, and eat gels, (I use honey and endurolytes), maybe a banana, or even PB&J will digest better. Take a slice of that raisen bread that you like.


Breath G8R....

listen to your body, as you go....

it is an "EVENT," for guys like you and I, not a race.

p.s. I hear there are less than 125 athletes registered..... SO- TAKE IT EASY... it's gunna be a great day!

FF
 
Thanks Todd. I went by the lake today and the water temp by the edge 1 foot below the surface was 77 or 78F. That is cold enough, but I am sure it is colder in the center where they will measure it.

I made a few changes / improvements to the bike before taking it out, including installing the carbon fiber wheels, new calipers (old Campy Chorus calipers couldn't hold new pads) with special pads, and a profile design aero bar water bottle. All the equipment worked to perfection. The wheels make a loud humm similar to a disc wheel, much louder than my aluminum wheels. I moved the seat forward about 1 inch and that gave me more seat to sit on.

Afterwards, I took my final bike tuneup today - 19.6 miles in just under 1 hour. Moderate pace. 99.5% in aero position. I will have to compromise a little neck and back soreness for the increased aero efficiency. A good compromise in my opinion.
 
Thanks Drex! Today: final swim tuneup. 1000 yards. I considered a run today, but for the last few days, I have had no soreness in my shins even when I press on them, so I decided to forego any running until Sunday so as not aggravate them beforehand.
 
Today:
bench press: 135#x10x3
squats: 135#x6x3, 185#x1
standing cable flies: 50#x10x3
parallel bar pullups (easier than wide arm pullups, but harder than chinups for me): 8, 6, 4
cable tricep pulldowns: 10x3
1 hour on stationary bike
 
Thanks, Mel, but I don't feel that I am all that strong compared to a lot of folks on this board, but with the amount of weight training I do compared to my endurance training, I am okay with that. I did realize why my bench press is so weak (205 max) - my triceps are limiting. So, I am focusing on them with skull crushers, dips and pushups. Also, although my legs can generate significant power in a sprint or maintain a brisk pace for 100+ miles on a bike, I am a mediocre squatter. Weird.

I only have a few things on my schedule:

1. A bike time trial on May 3. 4.1 miles. Short and fast! I'll probably do a few more bike races as time permits. They are common and cheap ($10 -15).

2. A sprint triathlon on June 6 in Bloomington, Illinois, 600m swim, 13 mile bike, 5k run. I was registered for this last year, but had to cancel because of my heart surgery, so I am looking forward to this.

I want to pick up an Olympic length triathlon later this year, in conjunction with my travels.

But, my longterm goal is to do one of the 140.6 mile full Ironmans next year. I am looking at Cozumel, Florida, St. Georges Utah and Coer 'd Lane (sp.) Idaho. Naturally, the wife is lobbying for Cozumel (see Carlos and Charley's bar).:)

Thanks for asking. I follow your journal.
 
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Saturday: 500 yards open water ocean swimming
Today: 2 hours on stationary bike.

I brought my Orbea Onix road bike with me here to Eagan, MN, near Minneapolis and St. Paul. I am gonna hook up with Drex, who has been MIA on this board, this week and ride and/or hit the weights in his basement weight room.
 
Rode bike to YMCA 3 miles

Today: 1 mile swim in 55:00. I didn't have anything going and went through the motions.

The good news: I tried a new catch - aiming hand downward (i.e., finger tip first rather than thumb first) - and a new pull - straight arm. This allowed me to go 2:10 for 100 meters with a pull buoy, no flip turns and minimal kickoffs which is faster than I usually am for 100 yards. On the downside, I am using my lats more and they tire faster. As I build up the lats, I will become a faster and more efficient swimmer.

Bench press: 135#x10x3
Standing cable flies: 10x3
Standing cable twisting pulls: 10x2

Rode bike back 3 miles
 
Thursday: 16 bike miles in cold windy Minnesota with Drex

Chinups: 7, 7, 5 bodyweight
Squats: 135# x 6, 155#x6x3. I go to thigh horizontal.
Deadlifts: 185#x6x4.
Seated cable rows: 10x4.
Bench press: 135#x10, 145#x9, 155#x4.
Stationary bike: 30:00 at low-moderate pace. Avg. heart rate: 122.
Dips: 10x2 bodyweight. My arms were dead by the end and I struggled to finish these.
 
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Today, I donated a pint of blood to those who need it. As an O+, I am hounded by the blood center for donations but was unable to donate for 1 year after my surgery because I received some donated platelets during the surgery. I knew the donation would hinder my athletic practices, but while swimming today, I felt that I was back in my early swimming learning days, having to stop every 100 or at most 200 yards before gasping for breath. I managed to gut out 3/4 mile and keep my 14-day training streak alive.

3 miles on new Brooks Beast shoes. Hopefully, these shoes will reduce my shin splint issue.
 
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Sunday: day at the beach with wife. I am still suffering major DOMS in my lower back (deadlift), upper back (deadlift), glutes (squats), middle back (seated cable rows), so I moan like an 80yo (with all due apologies to non-moaning 80yos) when I move. Struggled through 20x2, 10 pushups but had to rest longer than normal after each set.

I am still weak on endurance from the blood donation, so I worked on weights instead.

Chinups: 5x3
Squats: 155#x6x4
Deadlifts: 185#x6x3
Bench press: 135x10x3
Seated cable rows: 10x3

Was gonna run last night, but got busy with daughter's geometry and biology homework.

Wife dragged me to the YMCA so I went and mainly helped her with her weights. But, I did get a little "me" time in:

Standing cable flies: 3x10
Dragonflies: 3x10. These are hard on me as I have the abs of a jellyfish.
Parallel bar pullups: 5, 5, 4

Later I ran, 5.8 miles in 1:03. I was in all sorts of pain with this; my leg bothered me, my lower back (from the deadlifts) ached until I had to walk, and I get winded prematurely. The back will be stronger because of the deadlifts and the wind will return soon. Hopefully, the leg pain will eventually go away as well.
 
I haven't updated in a while. Still going strong, although I have been fighting a shin splint in my left leg since mid-February. This _+*&$#@ stuff just won't go away. I am doing a sprint tri on June 6 in Bloomington, IL (Tri-Shark) and a half Iron in Racine, Wisconsin (Spirit of Racine Half) on July 19.

Here is a typical workout:

Thursday was a travel day - nothing accomplished.

Friday:

Bench press: 135#x5, 155#x10. This was a new pb for me that equals 207 on the 1-rep-max calculators. 12 reps would equal 223#. I could have squeezed out another, maybe 2 more. I will break my 225# bench press goal soon. Afterward, did another 155#x6 and, with a spotter I cleared 185# and failed at 205#, but I was already spent.

Chinups: 8, Parallel bar pullups: 6, 6. These are well into the 90th percentile for my age group).

Bodyweight unassisted Dips: 3x10 (these are very hard after the bench press)

Swimming: 1500 yards as intervals, with pull buoy, inverted kicking, and freestyle with no aids. I am still a crap swimmer, but I can get by when wearing a wetsuit or in saltwater. I guess I will always be a crap swimmer.

1 hour on stationary bike: moderate hard.

1 mile on treadmill until leg hurt. Called it a day.
 
May swim, bike, run totals:

Run: 24.30 Miles. Major, ongoing shin splint issues
Bike: 349.7800 miles
Swim: 4.9718 miles

Plus about 10 weight days

I picked up a Trico Iron Case bike case that had been used once for $60. I am shipping my Klein tomorrow to Champaign, IL, for my sprint tri on Saturday.
 
I did the Tri-shark triathlon yesterday, 600 yard swim, 13 mile bike and 5k run. Total time: 1:36. I was very disappointed. I should have knocked 10 minutes off this time. Oh, well, maybe next year.
 
Did something happen to make you feel like you did less than your best? If you put forth your best effort then thats all you could do! Sometimes its just a "bad day". I'm sorry tho :(
 
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