I haven't posted in a couple of weeks and my fan has been concerned (thanks Lindsey). I took last week off from training. My body needed a week off after working out all summer.
Now that I am officially in my off-season training I am trying to figure out what I am going to be doing between now and the beginning of January. I started swimming with a Master's swim team this week. They meet at 5:45 am, Mon - Fri. I am going to try and swim at least four days a week throughout the winter. During the off-season, you are suppose to focus on your limiter(s). Swimming is my weakest event, so I am really focusing on that. By swimming with a Master's group, I get access to a coach for a very small cost. Plus it is nice to meet other people every now and then.
I have hired a coach to help me train for Ironman. I am going to be working with him starting in January. It is a big expense, but definitely worth it. I am confident that I can get myself to the finish line of Ironman, but a coach will allow me to maximize my potential. I can't wait until January to get started.
My kids are off of school the next few days, so I have decided to take a couple of days vacation. We may go bowling or see a movie. Right now we are cleaning the house and I need to mow the yard.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Still not feeling good
I have left work early the last two days from not feeling good. Fortunately enough, I have a flexible job so I am able to monitor things from home. It's a good thing I had planned on taking the week off, because I don't think I would be working out anyway. I went to the store and bought cold medicine and cough drops today, so hopefully that will make spending the day at work bearable.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Tri for Sight Race Report
Today was my final race of the year. It was the Tri for Sight Triathlon/Duathlon in Lexington, KY. The race started at 7 am and check-in was at 5:30. We drove over from Louisville on Saturday and stayed in a hotel. The boys had fun swimming in the indoor pool and it was nice getting out of town for the day.
We still had to get up early and I didn't sleep well the night before. I was very congested and paranoid that I wouldn't wake up at 4:45. I set the alarm clock and had a wake up call just in case. We managed to get out of the hotel at 5:45 and drove over to the University of Kentucky's campus.
The swim was 800M in a 50M pool. I estimated my swim time at 20 minutes, so I had to wait about 50 minutes before starting. The swim went well. I did my normal slow consistent pace, which is all I can ask for. I have reached a point in my swimming that I can swim for a long time at a slow pace. When I try and swim faster, I end up expending more energy without a lot of time savings.
There was a distance of .25 miles from the pool to the transition area. I set a pair of sandals outside the pool because I didn't feel like running that far bare footed. I may have lost 15 seconds for doing that, but it was worth it to me. Once I finally got to the transition area, I suited up for the bike and headed out.
The bike ride was 18 miles of rolling hills. The support on the bike course was great. The police had all of the major intersections blocked and the volunteers were very encouraging. The course was 9 miles out and 9 miles back. I had never ridden it before and don't have a bike computer, so I was curious when I would hit the turnaround. I felt strong during the entire ride maintaining my heart rate around the 80% range (except on some of the bigger hills).
The run was 4 miles around the University of Kentucky football stadium and through the nature Arboretum. I averaged 9 minutes miles throughout the run which is better than I estimated.
All in all the race was good. I had a strong performance and will definitely do this race again. My final times were;
Swim - 19:04
T1 - 4:39
Bike - 1:02:48
T2 - 1:14
Run - 36:19
Total - 2:04:03
This officially makes me a middle of the packer, which I am completely fine with.
We still had to get up early and I didn't sleep well the night before. I was very congested and paranoid that I wouldn't wake up at 4:45. I set the alarm clock and had a wake up call just in case. We managed to get out of the hotel at 5:45 and drove over to the University of Kentucky's campus.
The swim was 800M in a 50M pool. I estimated my swim time at 20 minutes, so I had to wait about 50 minutes before starting. The swim went well. I did my normal slow consistent pace, which is all I can ask for. I have reached a point in my swimming that I can swim for a long time at a slow pace. When I try and swim faster, I end up expending more energy without a lot of time savings.
There was a distance of .25 miles from the pool to the transition area. I set a pair of sandals outside the pool because I didn't feel like running that far bare footed. I may have lost 15 seconds for doing that, but it was worth it to me. Once I finally got to the transition area, I suited up for the bike and headed out.
The bike ride was 18 miles of rolling hills. The support on the bike course was great. The police had all of the major intersections blocked and the volunteers were very encouraging. The course was 9 miles out and 9 miles back. I had never ridden it before and don't have a bike computer, so I was curious when I would hit the turnaround. I felt strong during the entire ride maintaining my heart rate around the 80% range (except on some of the bigger hills).
The run was 4 miles around the University of Kentucky football stadium and through the nature Arboretum. I averaged 9 minutes miles throughout the run which is better than I estimated.
All in all the race was good. I had a strong performance and will definitely do this race again. My final times were;
Swim - 19:04
T1 - 4:39
Bike - 1:02:48
T2 - 1:14
Run - 36:19
Total - 2:04:03
This officially makes me a middle of the packer, which I am completely fine with.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Not feeling good
I have my final race of the year in two days and I am not feeling good. I think it is allergy related, but I don't know. My throat is sore and I am very tired. I was suppose to have an easy swim and run today, but I am going to skip them all together.
We are going to be heading to Lexington in the morning. I have to check in for the race and attend a pre-race meeting at 12 noon. It takes about an hour to drive from Louisville to Lexington, so we will probably leave around 10 am. I am suppose to have an easy 30 minute bike ride in the morning.
The hotel we are staying at has an indoor pool, so the kids will be entertained tomorrow evening. The race starts at 7 am on Sunday, so I will have to drag everyone out of bed so we can get there on time.
We are going to be heading to Lexington in the morning. I have to check in for the race and attend a pre-race meeting at 12 noon. It takes about an hour to drive from Louisville to Lexington, so we will probably leave around 10 am. I am suppose to have an easy 30 minute bike ride in the morning.
The hotel we are staying at has an indoor pool, so the kids will be entertained tomorrow evening. The race starts at 7 am on Sunday, so I will have to drag everyone out of bed so we can get there on time.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Another Day Another Dollar
I usually enjoy my work, but this week has been terrible. I work for a large health insurance company as an analyst / report developer. Our database has been down all week, so I have been sitting around twiddling my thumbs. Hopefully Wednesday will be better, but I am not holding my breath.
This is my taper week leading up to my race in Lexington on Sunday. Last night consisted of a 1 hour bike ride with two 12 minute intervals at a higher intensity. I usually go to a local park to ride, but Dalton had Cub Scouts at 7 pm, so I just rode around the neighborhoods near my house.
Today's workouts consist of a 1600M swim and a 30 minute run. I am going to try and fit in the swim during lunch. If things are as slow as they have been all week, it won't matter if I take extra time, but if the database comes back up I am going to be busy.
This is my taper week leading up to my race in Lexington on Sunday. Last night consisted of a 1 hour bike ride with two 12 minute intervals at a higher intensity. I usually go to a local park to ride, but Dalton had Cub Scouts at 7 pm, so I just rode around the neighborhoods near my house.
Today's workouts consist of a 1600M swim and a 30 minute run. I am going to try and fit in the swim during lunch. If things are as slow as they have been all week, it won't matter if I take extra time, but if the database comes back up I am going to be busy.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Feeling Tired
This was my last week of heavy training leading into my taper week before my race next weekend. I had a 2:15 bike ride yesterday, followed up by a 2500M swim and a 1:20 run today. I know that this is nothing compared to the workouts I will be doing next year for Ironman, but it is a lot considering my current level of fitness.
On Friday, I went to a presentation about Ironman from a local tri coach. I took my wife and kids so they would have an idea of the commitment we have made in order for me to participate in next years event. It was a little bit of a sales promotion for their coaching services, but they also provided some useful information. I am going to utilize some of their services (bike fitting and establishing training zones), but will be self coached other than that.
I am trying to find what training plan(s) I will use. I want to choose one from Training Peaks, because I want to be able to utilize their online software. I think I am going to choose a couple of plans from Joe Friel. I think something from him would be the next best thing to having a coach. I would love to have a coach, but I just can't afford an extra $200 per month at the moment. Any extra money I have over the next year needs to go towards equipment.
At the moment, I am in need of an indoor trainer, aero bars, forward seat post, bike fit, and a wet suit. There is probably more, but those items equal around $1000. Any money I get for Christmas and birthday will go towards purchasing the things I need.
Tomorrow is a free day and then Tuesday begins my taper week. It will be nice to have a week of easier workouts for a change.
On Friday, I went to a presentation about Ironman from a local tri coach. I took my wife and kids so they would have an idea of the commitment we have made in order for me to participate in next years event. It was a little bit of a sales promotion for their coaching services, but they also provided some useful information. I am going to utilize some of their services (bike fitting and establishing training zones), but will be self coached other than that.
I am trying to find what training plan(s) I will use. I want to choose one from Training Peaks, because I want to be able to utilize their online software. I think I am going to choose a couple of plans from Joe Friel. I think something from him would be the next best thing to having a coach. I would love to have a coach, but I just can't afford an extra $200 per month at the moment. Any extra money I have over the next year needs to go towards equipment.
At the moment, I am in need of an indoor trainer, aero bars, forward seat post, bike fit, and a wet suit. There is probably more, but those items equal around $1000. Any money I get for Christmas and birthday will go towards purchasing the things I need.
Tomorrow is a free day and then Tuesday begins my taper week. It will be nice to have a week of easier workouts for a change.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Conflict of Interests
Over the past 1 1/2 years I have made a drastic shift in my priorities. I have put less emphasis on work and more on health. I am the type of person that let's themselves be consumed by what is going on in their life. That is what has happened with triathlon. I eat, sleep, think and even dream about it.
The only problem is that I am also the kind of person that has trouble focusing on too many things at once. As you can imagine this causes conflicts. Not necessarily at work, because I am good enough at what I do to be able to perform at a high level without really trying. My main problems arise in my spiritual and family lives. I struggle fitting in time for God and family in the midst of my busy schedule.
For instance, last night there was a parade that my wife and kids were going to. I had a scheduled bike ride, but also felt like I needed to go with them. I decided to skip the workout and go with them, but I struggled with the decision all night. I know that missing one bike workout isn't going to undo all of the work I have done all year, but I still feel guilty about it.
My bike days are the most difficult, especially since it is starting to get dark earlier. If I am not able to start my ride by 6 pm, I don't have time to get it all in. A bike trainer is at the top of my Christmas list this year, so hopefully that will alleviate some of the scheduling (and internal) conflicts.
My prayer is that God will help me prioritize my time that allows me to dedicate myself to him, family and triathlon. I don't feel like I need to stop or cut down my workouts or races. I actually feel like that is a way that I can bring glory to God. But, I do need to maintain a better schedule. That means that I have to get up earlier and workout. I don't like getting up early, but I don't see any other options.
The only problem is that I am also the kind of person that has trouble focusing on too many things at once. As you can imagine this causes conflicts. Not necessarily at work, because I am good enough at what I do to be able to perform at a high level without really trying. My main problems arise in my spiritual and family lives. I struggle fitting in time for God and family in the midst of my busy schedule.
For instance, last night there was a parade that my wife and kids were going to. I had a scheduled bike ride, but also felt like I needed to go with them. I decided to skip the workout and go with them, but I struggled with the decision all night. I know that missing one bike workout isn't going to undo all of the work I have done all year, but I still feel guilty about it.
My bike days are the most difficult, especially since it is starting to get dark earlier. If I am not able to start my ride by 6 pm, I don't have time to get it all in. A bike trainer is at the top of my Christmas list this year, so hopefully that will alleviate some of the scheduling (and internal) conflicts.
My prayer is that God will help me prioritize my time that allows me to dedicate myself to him, family and triathlon. I don't feel like I need to stop or cut down my workouts or races. I actually feel like that is a way that I can bring glory to God. But, I do need to maintain a better schedule. That means that I have to get up earlier and workout. I don't like getting up early, but I don't see any other options.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Final Two Weeks
The training plan I am on ends in two weeks ending with the Tri for Sight triathlon in Lexington, KY. The plan I am using is for an Olympic distance race. I am suppose to start my off-season after that race, but I am thinking about going back and doing the last four weeks of the plan over and doing a self-supported Olympic distance race in October.
A "self-supported" race is when you wake up one morning and do your own triathlon. No money, no travel (or little travel), but you still need to train. I learned about this on the newest podcast from Zen and the Art of Triathlon. The host of that podcast has created a new site called 140dot6.com. This is a new online community dedicated to self-supported Ironman and shorter distance triathlons.
I have been searching for a way to incorporate my triathlon and spiritual lives. Hopefully I have found that through Team Godspeed. There is only one person involved in the Louisville area, but I have been in contact with him and we are going to try and get together for a training ride.
A "self-supported" race is when you wake up one morning and do your own triathlon. No money, no travel (or little travel), but you still need to train. I learned about this on the newest podcast from Zen and the Art of Triathlon. The host of that podcast has created a new site called 140dot6.com. This is a new online community dedicated to self-supported Ironman and shorter distance triathlons.
I have been searching for a way to incorporate my triathlon and spiritual lives. Hopefully I have found that through Team Godspeed. There is only one person involved in the Louisville area, but I have been in contact with him and we are going to try and get together for a training ride.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Oldham County Mini Tri Race Report
Today was my fifth triathlon of the year. This race took place in Oldham County, Kentucky. It was a short mini-sprint (400m Swim, 8 mi Bike, 3k Run), but it was fun. This race was special because last year it was the first triathlon I had ever participated in.
The swim was in a 25m pool, so each participant had to swim up and back in each of the eight lanes. The start was staggered, so someone started every 30 seconds. The swimmers were seeded based upon their estimated swim time. For some reason I put that it would take me around 10 minutes to complete the swim. This meant I had to stand around for an hour before starting. By the time I got in the water it was 8:20 am, the first people in the water had finished the race. I felt very good on the swim and finished in 8:36.
The bike course was very hilly which is pretty normal for this part of Kentucky. Even though it was only an eight mile bike, it was pretty tough. Especially since I was pushing myself because it was such a short race. A lot of people do this race that have never done a tri before, so you see all kinds of bikes (I rode my mountain bike last year). They also have a team event, so a lot of families participated which is pretty cool. I finished the bike ride in 27:53.
The swim was in a 25m pool, so each participant had to swim up and back in each of the eight lanes. The start was staggered, so someone started every 30 seconds. The swimmers were seeded based upon their estimated swim time. For some reason I put that it would take me around 10 minutes to complete the swim. This meant I had to stand around for an hour before starting. By the time I got in the water it was 8:20 am, the first people in the water had finished the race. I felt very good on the swim and finished in 8:36.
The bike course was very hilly which is pretty normal for this part of Kentucky. Even though it was only an eight mile bike, it was pretty tough. Especially since I was pushing myself because it was such a short race. A lot of people do this race that have never done a tri before, so you see all kinds of bikes (I rode my mountain bike last year). They also have a team event, so a lot of families participated which is pretty cool. I finished the bike ride in 27:53.
The run was on a short cross country course full of pot holes and plenty of other places to turn your ankles. Fortunately, they had the bad spots marked with spray point, so I managed the run unscathed. My heart rate monitor had slipped down around my stomach, so I don't know if I was getting an accurate reading or not. I was going pretty hard, but I don't think my heart rate was at 95% of max. The last 100 yards or so I went as hard as I could and finished the run in 17:02. As soon as I crossed the finished line, I ducked behind a tree and threw up. The picture below shows me right after that pleasant episode.
My total time for the day was 55:31. This is more than 10 minutes better than my time a year ago. It is amazing what can be accomplished and the improvements that can be made if you just stick to it and put forth the effort.
Friday, September 7, 2007
It's been a long week
Today is a busy day. I am suppose to swim 2200m and run 50 minutes, but I may have trouble fitting both of those in. I had to go to the bike shop at lunch and pick up an inner tube and gels for tomorrow's race. Fortunately my bike shop also has a restaurant (hence the name Cycler's Cafe), so I was able to grab lunch as well. There is nothing like eating lunch and dreaming about the $4,000 bike that is setting two feet away.
I am going to head to the pool right after work. When I get home, I have to head to the mall with my family to order pictures that were taken of Ansley. We also need to run by Whole Foods to pick up a few items. By the time we get home, I don't know if I will have time to run or not. It is starting to get dark earlier, so it probably won't happen tonight. I need to get everyone ready for tomorrow anyway.
My iPod is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to my work day. There is nothing like putting in my earphones and secluding myself from the rest of the office (kind of kidding, but not really). When you work in a cubicle, it is difficult to stay focused when there are so many distractions going on around. I listen to music some, but I really enjoy podcasts. I listen to a lot of Triathlon podcasts. A few of my favorite are Simply Stu, Zen and the Art of Triathlon, and Tri Talk. All of these can be found on iTunes.
I have also been listening to a number of Christian podcasts lately. I am listening to Ransomed Heart by John Eldredge right now. I downloaded these this morning when I was searching for something new to listen to. I really enjoy his books, and the podcasts are along the same subject. A few of the other Christian podcasts I listen to are Relevant Podcast, Daily Audio Bible, and the Village Church.
I am going to head to the pool right after work. When I get home, I have to head to the mall with my family to order pictures that were taken of Ansley. We also need to run by Whole Foods to pick up a few items. By the time we get home, I don't know if I will have time to run or not. It is starting to get dark earlier, so it probably won't happen tonight. I need to get everyone ready for tomorrow anyway.
My iPod is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to my work day. There is nothing like putting in my earphones and secluding myself from the rest of the office (kind of kidding, but not really). When you work in a cubicle, it is difficult to stay focused when there are so many distractions going on around. I listen to music some, but I really enjoy podcasts. I listen to a lot of Triathlon podcasts. A few of my favorite are Simply Stu, Zen and the Art of Triathlon, and Tri Talk. All of these can be found on iTunes.
I have also been listening to a number of Christian podcasts lately. I am listening to Ransomed Heart by John Eldredge right now. I downloaded these this morning when I was searching for something new to listen to. I really enjoy his books, and the podcasts are along the same subject. A few of the other Christian podcasts I listen to are Relevant Podcast, Daily Audio Bible, and the Village Church.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Pictures of the Family
I wanted to test out Picasa and it's ability to post images to my blog, so here are some pictures of me and the family. Ansley Marie is the newest member of the family. She get's two pictures because she is the newest (and the cutest)
The third picture below is me and my two sons, Dalton and Gavin. I had just finished a sprint triathlon at the Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky.
This last picture was taken the same day as the triathlon picture . This is my wonderful wife Tina (and Ansley). We are at a retirement party for our bowling coach (Larry Wilson) at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky.
Bad Day for Training
My training for today consisted of an 1:15 tempo ride. This was suppose to be at race intensity. Things didn't start good from the start. I didn't bring a bottle for water, so I had a bottled water with a screw on lid. This made it difficult to take a drink and maintain any sort of intensity. My second problem was that I forgot my watch, so I didn't know what my heart rate was. I am very dependent upon this, so I found myself either going too hard or too easy. After an hour of riding, I had all I wanted so I headed home.
My oldest son, Dalton age 8, is on an overnight field trip with his third grad class. Since we were minus one child, my wife and I took the other two (Gavin age 5 and Ansley age 4 months) grocery shopping. No one was out since the University of Louisville had a home football game. It was nice going to Wal-Mart and not having to fight the crowds.
I have two workouts tomorrow (swim and run) and a mini-sprint on Saturday. I only have two more weeks of training before my final race of the season in Lexington, Kentucky. I am ready to start my off-season training. I have gotten pretty skinny over the course of the year, so I need to hit the weights this winter.
My oldest son, Dalton age 8, is on an overnight field trip with his third grad class. Since we were minus one child, my wife and I took the other two (Gavin age 5 and Ansley age 4 months) grocery shopping. No one was out since the University of Louisville had a home football game. It was nice going to Wal-Mart and not having to fight the crowds.
I have two workouts tomorrow (swim and run) and a mini-sprint on Saturday. I only have two more weeks of training before my final race of the season in Lexington, Kentucky. I am ready to start my off-season training. I have gotten pretty skinny over the course of the year, so I need to hit the weights this winter.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Fun Weekend
My family and I traveled to western Kentucky this weekend for the Labor Day holiday. We have a new baby (Ansley) who was born on May 11th. Most of the family hasn't seen her since she was two weeks old, so we needed to go make the rounds.
I love going back because I usually take my mountain bike. I had a good ride on Saturday, minus one wreck. I was too tentative on a rocky switch back. I fell over and roll down a rock hill with my bike still attached to my feet. Fortunately, I walked away with only a few scrapes and bruises. I was riding by my self, so I am thankful I was able to finish my ride.
I had a good run on Sunday morning before church, but I wasn't able to get in my swim. I am a little concerned about pains I have been having in my right hip on long runs. I think it is due to running on the side of the uneven road, but need to find out ways to strengthen it if possible.
I am already four days behind on my daily bible study. I need to get my priorities in order if I want to have a successful year of training. I have such a one track mind, I really struggle with focusing on training, work, family, spiritual life, etc. My prayer is that God will help me keep my priorities in check.
I love going back because I usually take my mountain bike. I had a good ride on Saturday, minus one wreck. I was too tentative on a rocky switch back. I fell over and roll down a rock hill with my bike still attached to my feet. Fortunately, I walked away with only a few scrapes and bruises. I was riding by my self, so I am thankful I was able to finish my ride.
I had a good run on Sunday morning before church, but I wasn't able to get in my swim. I am a little concerned about pains I have been having in my right hip on long runs. I think it is due to running on the side of the uneven road, but need to find out ways to strengthen it if possible.
I am already four days behind on my daily bible study. I need to get my priorities in order if I want to have a successful year of training. I have such a one track mind, I really struggle with focusing on training, work, family, spiritual life, etc. My prayer is that God will help me keep my priorities in check.
Friday, August 31, 2007
I was right
I was correct, last nights swim workout was negatively impacted by my run. I had a decent 50 minute run at Seneca Park. I am not a fast runner by any means, but I have reached a point in my fitness that I can maintain a 10 minute mile pace for an extended period of time.
After my run, I headed over to the pool to get in my 2200m swim. My workout for the evening was supposed to consist of;
250m Warm Up
6 x 25m Drill Sets
4 x 300m Threshold Intervals
8 x 25m Sprint Intervals
6 x 25m Kick Set
250m Cool Down
I had to cut the kick sets and cool down short due to cramping in my feet and calves.
We are heading to western Kentucky this weekend to visit family. I plan on taking my mountain bike to go riding at the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area . I look forward to going because I don't get a lot of opportunities to ride my mountain bike in Louisville. I need to be careful though, the last time I rode there I wreck and slid head first into a tree. I have been having trouble with my shoulder ever since that happened. I have four more workouts to fit in over the weekend. Hopefully I can find a place to swim on Sunday afternoon.
After my run, I headed over to the pool to get in my 2200m swim. My workout for the evening was supposed to consist of;
250m Warm Up
6 x 25m Drill Sets
4 x 300m Threshold Intervals
8 x 25m Sprint Intervals
6 x 25m Kick Set
250m Cool Down
I had to cut the kick sets and cool down short due to cramping in my feet and calves.
We are heading to western Kentucky this weekend to visit family. I plan on taking my mountain bike to go riding at the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area . I look forward to going because I don't get a lot of opportunities to ride my mountain bike in Louisville. I need to be careful though, the last time I rode there I wreck and slid head first into a tree. I have been having trouble with my shoulder ever since that happened. I have four more workouts to fit in over the weekend. Hopefully I can find a place to swim on Sunday afternoon.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Busy Day
Today is going to be a busy day. I have to run for 50 minutes and then swim 2200m. I was going to go and run at lunch, but decided to wait until afterwards because I won't have time to get to the gym, run for 50 minutes, shower and get back to work within an hour and a half.
I am really starting to think about priorities and how I am going to fit in all of the training for Ironman while still meeting my other responsibilities. I have enough problems doing it now training for an Olympic race. I need to mow my grass right now, but don't know if I will have a chance before we head out of town tomorrow afternoon. Come next spring things are only going to get more hectic. Fortunately I have a wonderful wife who is very supportive and understanding. We discussed the time requirements involved in training for an Ironman before I registered. She gave me her blessings, so hopefully she'll remember that next summer when I am training 15 - 20 hours per week.
As much as I hate to say it, I am going to have to be much more structured with my schedule. Today is a prime example. I should have gotten up and ran before coming to work instead of cramming in two workouts this evening. My swim will probably suffer due to the fact that I am tired from the run. In order for this to work, I am going to have to maintain a schedule, share it with my family, and if at all possible stick to it. Of course, adjustments will occasionally have to be made, but I can address these issues as they come.
One thing I definitely have to include in my schedule is time for prayer and bible study. God has given me the opportunity and the ability to participate in Ironman next year. I need to make sure I give him (and me) time each day.
I am really starting to think about priorities and how I am going to fit in all of the training for Ironman while still meeting my other responsibilities. I have enough problems doing it now training for an Olympic race. I need to mow my grass right now, but don't know if I will have a chance before we head out of town tomorrow afternoon. Come next spring things are only going to get more hectic. Fortunately I have a wonderful wife who is very supportive and understanding. We discussed the time requirements involved in training for an Ironman before I registered. She gave me her blessings, so hopefully she'll remember that next summer when I am training 15 - 20 hours per week.
As much as I hate to say it, I am going to have to be much more structured with my schedule. Today is a prime example. I should have gotten up and ran before coming to work instead of cramming in two workouts this evening. My swim will probably suffer due to the fact that I am tired from the run. In order for this to work, I am going to have to maintain a schedule, share it with my family, and if at all possible stick to it. Of course, adjustments will occasionally have to be made, but I can address these issues as they come.
One thing I definitely have to include in my schedule is time for prayer and bible study. God has given me the opportunity and the ability to participate in Ironman next year. I need to make sure I give him (and me) time each day.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Peak Training is Getting Difficult
I am entering the last month of my training plan and the first week of peak training. I am currently following an Olympic distance plan out of the Triathlete Magazines Essential Week-By-Week Training Guide by Matt Fitzgerald. This is a good book full of training plans for all levels if anyone is looking for structured training without a coach.
I am having to adjust my workouts this week to account for the Labor Day holiday this weekend. The pool I usually swim at is closed for repairs and won't open until next Tuesday. Therefore I am having to swim wherever I can find the time and place. Last night was suppose to be a bike night, but I decided to swim instead. Today, I ran for 40 minutes during lunch and then had and hour and ten minute bike ride this evening. Both of today's workouts consistent of increased effort for an extended period of time, so I am pretty tired.
My mind is being consumed by Ironman. I am already making lists of things I need and trying to educate myself about anything and everything. I went to the book store today to look at different books. I am probably going to purchase Going Long by Joe Friel.
I am having to adjust my workouts this week to account for the Labor Day holiday this weekend. The pool I usually swim at is closed for repairs and won't open until next Tuesday. Therefore I am having to swim wherever I can find the time and place. Last night was suppose to be a bike night, but I decided to swim instead. Today, I ran for 40 minutes during lunch and then had and hour and ten minute bike ride this evening. Both of today's workouts consistent of increased effort for an extended period of time, so I am pretty tired.
My mind is being consumed by Ironman. I am already making lists of things I need and trying to educate myself about anything and everything. I went to the book store today to look at different books. I am probably going to purchase Going Long by Joe Friel.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
It's Been a While
It's been a while since I started this blog. I began in January with good intentions to faithfully post daily messages. I had hoped to journal my progress in both my spiritual and athletic pursuits. Fortunately, I have continued to train and compete in triathlons. I have participated in four events to date, and have two more before the year is over. I didn't do the Half Ironman which I mentioned in my initial post, but I will have competed (and completed) five sprints and one Olympic distance races by the end of September.
I have also made some progress on the spiritual and intellectual fronts. I have been reading a book about every three weeks since January. I have read everything from the Lord of the Rings trilogy to John Eldredge's, The Way of the Wild Heart. I am not reading my bible as regularly as I would like, but I am listening to a daily podcast which goes through the bible in a year. If you are interested in checking it out, you can go to the Daily Audio Bible and subscribe to the podcast (http://www.dailyaudiobible.com/wordpress/).
My big news is that I have registered for Ironman Louisville 2008. I spent the last 5 days working at this years race. My goal was to make enough money to register for 2008. At 11:01 on Monday morning I logged on to Active.com and registered. I hope to use this blog to chronicle my journey over the next year.
I have also made some progress on the spiritual and intellectual fronts. I have been reading a book about every three weeks since January. I have read everything from the Lord of the Rings trilogy to John Eldredge's, The Way of the Wild Heart. I am not reading my bible as regularly as I would like, but I am listening to a daily podcast which goes through the bible in a year. If you are interested in checking it out, you can go to the Daily Audio Bible and subscribe to the podcast (http://www.dailyaudiobible.com/wordpress/).
My big news is that I have registered for Ironman Louisville 2008. I spent the last 5 days working at this years race. My goal was to make enough money to register for 2008. At 11:01 on Monday morning I logged on to Active.com and registered. I hope to use this blog to chronicle my journey over the next year.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
First Post
My name is Eric Phillips and this is my blog. I am 34 years old and live in Louisville, KY. I am an aspiring triathlete. I did my first triathlon in September of last year and have been training throughout the winter getting ready for the 2007 season. I am planning on participating in six or seven triathlons this year with my big race being a Half Ironman in September. I also plan on running in the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon in April.
I am married with two sons and another child on the way. My family and I just recently moved to Louisville from Savannah, Georgia. I am originally from Kentucky, but had moved away for job opportunities. My family and I had looked for opportunities to return to Kentucky and last summer the opportunity presented itself. We are all happy to be back in Kentucky and are settling into living in a new city.
As you might imagine from the title of this blog (Triathlete’s for Christ), I am a Christian. I am not a super saint by any stretch, as a matter of fact most of the time I just blend in with the rest of the supposed “Christians”. I grew up in church and accepted Christ as my savior when I was eight years old. My dad was a pastor, so I spent a lot of time in and around church.
Unfortunately, as my physical body matured my spiritual being did not keep up. I continued to go to church, but was never taught how to mature as a Christian. I was taught all of the “do’s” and “don’ts” of living a “Christian” life, but was never taught the “why’s” of living that way. Being an inquisitive kid, I set out on my own to find out “why” for myself. Of course in order to successfully understand “why”, I had to try out most of the “do’s” and “don’ts”, especially the “don’ts”.
So coming full circle, how did I get to this point in my life? After years of not taking care of myself both physically and spiritually I decided enough was enough. In the past year, I have improved my health 100%. I have done this through training for triathlons. I have turned a curiosity I had for the sport into a full blown addiction. A good portion of my time is spent training, reading, or thinking about triathlons. Even though I have only competed in one event, the affect it has had on me has been life changing.
What does any of this have to do with being a Christian or a “Triathlete for Christ”? For many years of my life, I have felt unfulfilled as a Christian. I am secure in my faith, but have never really known how I can share it. I am hoping this site can be a way of doing that. By merging who I am both athletically and spiritually. I hope to be able to chronicle my daily walk as a slowly maturing Christian and my training as an aspiring triathlete.
I am married with two sons and another child on the way. My family and I just recently moved to Louisville from Savannah, Georgia. I am originally from Kentucky, but had moved away for job opportunities. My family and I had looked for opportunities to return to Kentucky and last summer the opportunity presented itself. We are all happy to be back in Kentucky and are settling into living in a new city.
As you might imagine from the title of this blog (Triathlete’s for Christ), I am a Christian. I am not a super saint by any stretch, as a matter of fact most of the time I just blend in with the rest of the supposed “Christians”. I grew up in church and accepted Christ as my savior when I was eight years old. My dad was a pastor, so I spent a lot of time in and around church.
Unfortunately, as my physical body matured my spiritual being did not keep up. I continued to go to church, but was never taught how to mature as a Christian. I was taught all of the “do’s” and “don’ts” of living a “Christian” life, but was never taught the “why’s” of living that way. Being an inquisitive kid, I set out on my own to find out “why” for myself. Of course in order to successfully understand “why”, I had to try out most of the “do’s” and “don’ts”, especially the “don’ts”.
So coming full circle, how did I get to this point in my life? After years of not taking care of myself both physically and spiritually I decided enough was enough. In the past year, I have improved my health 100%. I have done this through training for triathlons. I have turned a curiosity I had for the sport into a full blown addiction. A good portion of my time is spent training, reading, or thinking about triathlons. Even though I have only competed in one event, the affect it has had on me has been life changing.
What does any of this have to do with being a Christian or a “Triathlete for Christ”? For many years of my life, I have felt unfulfilled as a Christian. I am secure in my faith, but have never really known how I can share it. I am hoping this site can be a way of doing that. By merging who I am both athletically and spiritually. I hope to be able to chronicle my daily walk as a slowly maturing Christian and my training as an aspiring triathlete.
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