List :-)

Ok - little update on the knee. The shot seems to have done the trick. Swelling is way down. Felt good on my run last night. The big test will be Saturday's brick. That will determine whether I go to visit the doc on Monday again. So with my departure a mere 5 days away, I've started to think about my packing list. I thought I might share that with you just for fun. I will go by each discipline, with transitions in between.

Plan is to bring my bike pump and hand it off in the morning after I use it to whomever is lucky enough to accompany me to transition at 5:30 am :-)

Swim: wetsuit, goggles, cap, bodyglide before swim, bike shorts and 2XU race jersey under wetsuit.

T1 Bag - little white towel, chamois butter, body glide, bike socks, bike shoes, race number belt, helmet, sunglasses (regular and amber lenses), arm warmers, magic pills in ziploc (tylenol, ibuprofen - evil NSAID I know, immodium, salt tablets), nutrition and fluids already on bike, along with little pack of chamois butter, in seat pack will be 3 CO2, CO2 pump, tire levers, 2 tubes with valve extenders, zip ties

Bike special needs - 2 more EFS bottles, coke or red bull

T2 Bag - running shoes, running socks, tri shorts for running, hat, body glide for feet and arms

Run special needs - warm base layer shirt, red bull

Post race - socks, underwear, prepair crocs, shirt, sweat pants

I'll need training clothes for the week, 1 bike short, 1 jersey, 1 running shorts, and 1 running shirt

My plan is to put as much as I can besides my bike and wheels into my bike box, since I'll have to pay extra for it anyway, might as well make it worth it. Sunday is packing day, The only other bag I'm bringing is my black TYR transition bag. I'm bringing minimal clothing to wear during the week - can just wash while I'm there. I should be able to cram everything I need into the bike box and the backpack. Now all I need is for the airlines not to f up my packing job or lose my bike and I should be good. I'm shopping for food when I get there. I have friends getting there on Thursday, and family on Friday - and one person should be arriving during the race to see me finish - he gets the prize for the shortest trip - about 15 hours from landing to leaving again.

I hope I impressed you all with my list making ability. Rest assured, you will hear from me soon again!!

The doc

Ok, I promised all of my faithful readers an update after I went to the doctor - well I just got home, so here goes. First of all, I really like this doctor - I know he runs and has done triathlons, and he relates really well to his patients, judging by all the thank you autographs he has up in his exam room. So he took a look at my knee, and explained that it felt like I had a combination of patella-femoral syndrome (or runner's knee), and an inflamation of the bursa sac. and it was most likely the latter which was causing me pain. There was warmth and swelling and "bogginess," and maybe some fluid. (At this point, my brother will be explaining this in detail to my father). He clearly explained my options at this point, which were 1 -physical therapy, or 2 - a cortisone injection into the bursa sac. I chose the 2nd option. The risks and benefits of the injection were clearly spelled out to me, and I chose to do it. He explained that this 1 injection may be all it takes to take care of this issue, and it may never come back, or I may need physical therapy. But, I don't have time for physical therapy to work, and he seems smart and probably realized that, but is still obligated to explain all of my options to me. First, he numbed the knee, then he tried to draw some fluid out - getting an ever so small amount. Then he did the cortisone injection. He explained that he did the injection into the bursa sac because there was less risk doing it there then directly into the area of the tendon, where there is a "very small risk" of the tendon rupturing - he said he has never had it happen to a patient. He said if I have any problems to come back and see him on Monday before I leave on Tuesday, and that they would "get me in" - I even got the direct phone number :-). It's nice going to a doctor who seems like he cares and understands, because I know there are those that don't. I took yesterday off completely - skipping an hour easy ride. Today I'm going to go lift - I'm going to skip the squats and just do upper body stuff and abs - then no lifting next week. And because you all can't live without it, here's my training schedule for the next little while:



Tuesday 10/27 - Swim 1:00, zone 1-2 effort, speed work; Run :45, zone 1-2 effort

Wednesday 10/28 - Ride 1:00, cadence at 90+, zone 1-2 effort

Thursday 10/29 - Swim :45; Run :45, both zone 1-2

Friday 10/30 - Off day

Saturday 10/31 - Swim 1:00; Ride 2:00, Run 1:00

Sunday 11/1 - Ride 1:00 easy



Race week I'll figure out as I go. Talk to you soon all!!

The weekend

So I felt a little knee pain after my long ride 8 days ago. Not a whole lot to say about it during this past week. Actually felt good. Then I did my brick on Saturday. And I was definitely pathetically hobbling around all day yesterday. I was kind of pissy about it too. The left knee is pretty obviously bigger than the right and there is fluid in it from what I can feel. YAY!! :-) The only thing I can think of is that my bike seat is a little too low. So I skipped my 1 hour easy ride yesterday, took the day completely off - yes, I skipped a workout - I did raise my seat up a few millimeters too. Hopefully that makes a difference. My brick next Sat - 2:00 bike, 1:00 run should let me know if the problem is resolved. I do feel a little better today. I did manage to get an apt to go see my sports medicine doc today. Obviously, resting it is not an option at this point. So aside from a little peace of mind - we'll see what else arises out of the visit. Remember - whatever it takes at this point. I did not train six months to be stopped by a bum knee with 2 weeks to go. So if that means sticking a needle in my leg, sucking out fluid, and injecting me with some cortisone, then that's what it'l take. My doc's a good guy - he'll understand. So I'll let you know what comes out of this visit. Countdown is on - 12 days to go. Oh my!!......
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Update

Well,

I’m done with my last long ride – did that last Sunday. I rode with a buddy for the first 3 hours – it’s amazing how much faster the time passes when you can draft and talk while you’re riding J . I did a little less than 5 and a half hours out of a scheduled 6. I figure 3 rides of 5 + hours should do it. This weekend is 1:30 swim, 3:00 bike, and 1:30 run on Saturday, and 1:00 bike on Sunday. I suppose I should start to feel “rested” soon. I guess there’s all that waiting to do now. I’m kind of excited – I’ll probably drive everyone around me nuts the next couple of weeks, but they’ll deal J. I’ll save all the poetic speech ifying for race week – I’ll touch base soon. Take care all!!

untitled :-)

I came across this story on ironman.com and I wanted to pass it along. It’s a pretty good little column.

 

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/kona2009/lee-gruenfeld-looks-back-at-this-years-ford-ironman-world-championship

 

It looks like I’ll be able to get my six hour ride in on Sunday. It says a high of 57 with “pm showers”. So hopefully that holds up and I can do what I need to do. No more long rides after Sunday. Next weekend is a long Saturday brick of 1:00, 3:00, 1:00, and a Sunday ride of 1:00 – almost taper time J. I’ll talk to you all some time next week.

Another week gone by

Hi all, another weekend in the books, the date is fast approaching. Did a swim, bike, run brick on saturday, with the bike on the trainer, and the run outside - 90 minute run. On sunday I spent 4 of the most boring hours of my life on the trainer, which is equal to 5 + hours on the road - take 3/4 of planned outside time and that equals time necessary on the trainer. It also helps me develop a tolerance for the heat and humidity which is useful for Florida. Hopefully I'll be able to do six outside on Sunday if the weather holds up, relatively speaking. I'm feeling good about my nutrition - I talked to a coach on the phone who I'll be working with for CDA and he gave me some good ideas and suggestions which I tried on Sunday and will again next week. That's all for now. Take care all.

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Monster weekend

So that was kind of a long training weekend - or monster weekend - as referenced in the title. Got up and ran 17 miles in a little under 3 hours on Saturday morning. I did a combination of about .93 run, and then walked til I hit the mile split. I really liked that way of doing things and I kept my splits relatively even throughout. I'm gonna stick with that method - "the galloway method." I also tried fueling with coke. I found that worked too - aside from it spraying out of my fuelbelt when the flasks were filled - that's why there's aid stations :-) Then I swam about 3500 in a hour after the run. No problems there. Sunday I did about 96 miles in 5 hours on the bike. Kinda chilly, cloudy, occasional misty rain, but light wind. Why can't it be sunny?? I like the cool, but bring on the sun damnit!! Towards the end of the ride, my legs felt pretty trashed. Guess something's working then... My position feels good on the bike - after multiple minute adjustments of saddle height the last couple weeks - my back is not too sore today - feel it a little in the knees, which might mean I need to go up a millimeter or so. I'll get it - really I will. All I can say is my back feels the best now out of all of my long rides... Next weekend, brick of 1:30, 1:00, 1:00 on Sat, and ride of 5:30 on Sunday. That's all for now - talk to you soon - oh ya, Kona's on Saturday, keep those guys in your thoughts and prayers.
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The lottery and some thoughts

October 1.... The lottery for Kona opens today. I am most definitely going to sign up. Why, you ask?? Because there's always a chance that YOU will be one of the lottery winners. What happens if I am selected? Maybe I can end up on that NBC documentary about the Ironman in Hawaii. Maybe I'll get to Kona when I'm 27, and maybe I'll be 67, who knows... Why spend the almost $100 every year to enter in a lottery where the odds of winning are miniscule at best? I suppose only a triathlete knows - no matter how much you try to explain to everyone else why you do it - it's only you that knows. Why do ironmans at all? Why train for years on end to put yourself through that much suffering? Why not stick to shorter distances that don't require as much training? Again, I suppose it's only you that knows - those that live with you get a pretty good idea over the course of 6 months of structured training as well. It's funny how I've never even done an ironman, and it's like I'm already addicted. I haven't even done one, and I want to do them all. One of my friends told me last night, "let's just focus on the first one." Very true. I don't know if I have ever been more focused on a single goal as I am on this race in Florida. Do me a favor, take five minutes and watch this short video on youtube - it gives me chills everytime I watch it - it's from the 2003 NBC documentary on Kona - it was also the 25th anniversary of the race:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EokseUskyDI

That being said, another 2:30 running, 1:00 swim on Saturday, and 5:00 riding on Sunday. Let's get that done. I'll let you know how that goes after I'm done. Take it easy all - thanks for reading....