March 2012-15 Totals

Month in Review
March 2015 has been all about monitoring (my hamstring) and adjusting to keep training as much as possible.

Here are what the March 2015 totals looked like along with the three previous years as context. As a reminder, goal events for each year:
2012 - Summer - Ironman Mont Tremblant
2013 - Spring - Lansing Marathon to BQ, Summer - IM Muncie 70.3
2014 - Spring - Boston,  Summer - IM Steelhead 70.3, Fall - Detroit Half
2015 - Spring - Boston, Summer - IM Boulder, Fall - heal from IM and then 5K/10K Focus

Line 1: Hours worked out this month...despite hamstring, doing fine.

Line 2: Swim...had hoped to do more, but lots of family obligations kept me from swim practice. Downward trend in swim yardage from January and February. No matter...all of those distances are meager.  This will clearly need to change after Boston.  

Line 3: Bike...Lots of good miles as a way compensate for the lack of run miles.

Line 4: Run...Low mileage, but I'm hoping it all be OK.  Hammy seems to be on the mend. :-)

20 days until go.

Let's Do This ... Three Weeks To Go

Today's 18-mile training run had an average pace 10 seconds slower than my average pace at Boston last year.  And today's run was not all that taxing (other than the hamstring issues).

Crushing Boston may still be possible.....all is not lost! :-)

Let's do this!

Still Hanging In - 18 Miles Down, On Pace

As I started today’s run, I asked Dave if he had ever tried to run through an injury in preparation for a goal race.  He replied, “I’ve been doing it my whole life. You’ll know if you have to stop because it will hurt that bad."

Oddly, this response gave me a bit of comfort during today’s 18 miler.

While I made the decision to (mostly) not let up on my training regimen a few weeks back when I realized the hamstring strain was not going away, I’ve been neurotically questioning the decision every day since.  Is this a bad idea…maybe I should rest for a week and then try to train?  Will I jeopardize Ironman Boulder?  Will I blow out my whole hamstring?  I guess this is what happens when you have a goal you don’t want to give up on, the plan does not go as expected, and you are having to adjust.  

I’ve been adjusting here and there.  I’m keeping my intensity and long runs but am substituting one or two runs each week with a bike ride instead.  This seems to be helping…there is no perceived hamstring pain on the bike.  But 18 today was a big test.  I decided I was going to keep my targeted pace and see what happened.  Went out a little bit slow, but inched it back up close to 7:30 average by the end of the run.  Hamstring felt pretty good the whole way, but I do feel it EVERY step I take.  Given today’s result, I still think I’m in an OK place.  Hamstring is pretty sore tonight though.

Current hamstring treatment:

- Compression - almost all of the time, even wear it to work every day

- Icing

- Kinesio tape (today for the first time)

- Foam rolling

- A little ibuprofen ….I’ve been mostly off of this.

Thanks to Dave for the company.  Lots of school talk today …. because there is a lot to say and discuss.

Here’s the scene at the end of today’s run:

Other updates:

- Jon publicly addresses me as his “rival” but says I threw down the gauntlet:  

Read this first:  http://gobears-natsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2015/03/morning-track.html 

and then this: http://gobears-natsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2015/03/just-to-clear-air.html

- Today I noticed Dave’s Garmin measured the run longer than mine.  I think this is how Dave appears to be so fast.

- I continue to like coffee, but I enjoy other beverages too. :-)

Ryan - Looking Ready for Collegiate Triathlon Nationals

The M Tri team got their new unis in….they look awesome.  Really excited for Ryan as he takes on USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals coming up.  Should be an amazing experience.

Note: Keep your grades up son. :-)

Mission Accomplished + Hamstring Is Intact!

Thanks Comet for coming along today!

Legal Update: Dave Returns Chuck's Garmin - Now Must Wear His 1st Generation Running Watch

While there are limited GPS functions on this model, it is +/- 1 minute per mile.

Not sure if Dave with receive a Lance-like lifetime ban by USA Track and Field yet. More on that later.

You should read this....First Post About My New Garmin

I was happy to read an article this evening entitled Alberto Salazar's 10 Golden Rules of Running: CLICK HERE to check it out.  Good stuff for runners and you tri-wannabes to read.

Take particular note of #10.  Or if you don't have time to click above, let me quote it for you:  

"10. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY"

Note: This is not my hand.

I've been pretty quiet about the Xmas Garmin . . . gotta say it is all of what I expected and more.  In particular the automatic uploading via iPhone or home WiFi is the best new feature.  It is a great time saver....no more plugging the watch into the computer or transferring via USB dongle.  Haha.  

I've also been happily surprised by the features of Garmin Connect, the place your data shows up once it is uploaded. Everything is right there for viewing and analysis, and it is easy to connect with others to share workout data.

@ryankarr23, @jmmuncie, @cm0nay: the chart here is from this afternoon's bike intervals on Garmin Connect.  I was riding those intervals at ~260 watts.  You get in early on the bike at the local tri when you ride 260 watts ;-).  Just sayin...youth is not everything boys. #smack

I'm also interested in the segments part of Garmin Connect where how fast others have run or biked predetermined sections of road or trail can be seen and compared.  Could be fun with friends.

Once your data is uploaded to Garmin Connect it is pretty easy to set up an automated transfer to other training websites including my go to TrainingPeaks.com.

Lots to talk about related to the new Garmin but gotta get back to the school work tonight...big things to finish up on this fun Friday.

Happy weekend running!  Have fun :-)

#boston2boulder2015

This is Chuck's long lost Garmin that Dave stole.

PS While we've previously made it clear this is not a blog about Dave, I do want to show a picture of Dave's Garmin which was manufactured just before WWII, maybe in the early 30s.  

Actually it belongs to Dave's Dad, Chuck.  Dave stole it from Chuck. I feel bad to Chuck. His son steals from him.

Chuck is my second best Facebook friend.  I'm going to post this on FB for Chuck to see.

Everyone:  Watch out when you are around Dave. He might steal your Garmin next!