Todde's Tri Blog

The season is coming to an end and it is about time. Amber jumped my case today about helping around the house and i started to think about all the things i need to get done once a take a long break.

Now back to the good stuff - RACING!!!!!!!!! The inaugural Longhorn Half Ironman is a little over 2 weeks out and i am ready to roll. I targeted this as an A race after IMAZ and it still is. The is a big local race where all the best talent around the state should be racing and i want to be fighting for a podium spot as i cross the finish line. I feel my training has been going well and I feel more prepped for this race than any before it. The last few weeks i have really cranked up the intensity by focusing more on race pace efforts and I think it will pay off come race day. This weekend will be 1 last brick and then the taper is on.

Stay tuned for the results and maybe a few pix!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been putting more of my thoughts in my workout log on beginnertriathlete.com and i have neglected my blog. Training is coming along well for Longhorn Half in 6 weeks. I have been running consistently for a few weeks with 2 days rest between each run. I will not have much time to get in long runs but as long as i can hammer out some strong transition runs up to 6-7 miles and get at least 2 runs over 10miles before the race i should be fine. The goal is a time of 4:45 at Longhorn and I have every intention of hitting it.

Today was one of my toughest workouts since AZ training. I road a hard 50miles thru some hilly terrain after a strong ride yesterday. I started off slow to get the legs going and then really hit the flats hard. Too bad there seemed to be more hills than flats. This ride is my new favorite sunday route. You get some really nice scenery and some really nice hills. Most of the road conditions are favorable and the traffic isnt too bad. Anyways, after the bike i hit the pavement for 4+ miles of running. The run legs felt fine and there was no downtime to get the running legs under me. I really thing this is due in large part to my softride (which by the way i plan to keep for at least another season) and it makes the transition really easy as was the case in IMAZ after 112miles. The run started great and i was working a 7:20pace with no issues. Near the 3rd mile the sun started beating down but i held the pace and finished the run. The best part was the knee did pretty good. I treated myself to dinner at kerby lane (apple wheat pancakes with bananas cooked in), a couple beers, and i salt bath to soak the legs. I was most impressed with my mental toughness today. During the bike and run i hit a few spots where i could have laid off b/c it would have been easier but i didnt and it hurt a little bit but i survived just fine. I plan to carry this attitude thru the next 6weeks and into Longhorn for my best race to date.

I have also thought a bunch about the offseason and next year. I have decided to bag the idea of the kona lottery. I want to earn my way and i know with the right prep i can. the good thing is i am passing on another IM until 2009. I know by then my bike will be a big weapon and hopefully all my knees issues will be a thing of the past some i can properly prep for the run. Next year instead will focus on some quality halfs (Galveston, Buffalo Springs, Longhorn and Half Max Champs in Mizzou if I qualify at Longhorn this year). I plan to really work on the bike during the offseason this year and next and maybe run the austin marathon if the knees allow me to. I will also focus on where i want to claim my 2009 kona spot next year and then buy about 10 laptops so i can be really to register online.

This past weekend was Jack Generic sprint tri. it wasnt a race i planned to do but due to unfortunate circumstances i took the place for an injured friend. I really enjoyed the race and was really pleased with my effort. My knee has been a real concern of my lately so my run training has been almost non-existent. I feel like a nailed the swim, did really good on the bike, but lack on the run. I hate to say my run was due to my lack of training because I know the legs had more in them but I failed to dig down and run harder. The best thing about the race was that it gave me the confidence i needed to know my knee can hold up for the longhorn half in 2 months. i have a dr visit for my knee next week but i am eager to get some input but i wont let it keep me for one last hoorah!!!!! i have had a goal of 4:40 in a half for awhile now and i plan to hit it in 2 months. my knee has some issues but its a mind over matter thing in training. i need to suck it up the for next few months and so my fellow competitors what i am capable of.

got that first run in since buffalo springs half IM 5 weeks ago. I was a little nervous that my knee issue would pop up immediately but it didnt. my knee is however sore this afternoon but that was to be expected. i ran 3miles and tried to stay at 8min miles but it was tough. the legs became a little fatigued after 2 miles and they were itchy from the blood flow but i was great to run again. i plan to wait a few days and run 4miles on monday. if the run is pain free i will move forward with the longhorn tri. if not, i may see the knee guru again and probably still move forward with the longhorn tri.

trianing has been going good. i am loving the road bike for longer rides lately and my swim workouts feel like some good quality efforts. i hope i will be able to continue to ramp up the biking and add some runs for the last race of the season.

in some other health related news i checked my blood pressure the other day at HEB. i am 114 over 69 and my pulse was 55. for blood pressure you want to be under 120 over 80 so i am looking good. i also recently took a how old are you really test. you answer lots of question about yourself, your diet, exercise, etc and its tells you how old you are. well i am 22 according to the test. i took another one several months ago off oraph's site and it said i was 23. looks like i am still a young buck!

this week wraps up the TDF. i hope levi can have an awesome time trial and sneak a win. we shall see tomorrow. my mom has been in town this past week to help with carson while amber was in maui. we have had a good time except for carson being sick with croup (sp?). we took her to the dr yesterday and i think she is getting better. amber and i saw the movie chuck and larry today and we werent impressed. i did however recently see knocked up and die hard and they were both really good.

today was my first bike ride since Buff Springs 3 weeks ago. It was a nice change of pace as swimming was getting old. I road about 45min today after my swim. Mainly easy spinning in the small ring with a few hills mixed in. I dusted off the road bike for this weekend and it was a nice change from the tri bike. When i ride the tri bike it seems like a business ride. On the other, the roadie feels like you are out cruising which makes the ride more enjoyable. I will get another cruise on the roadie tomorrow and maybe a couple more this upcoming week before i get back to bike training. As for running i will still wait a few more weeks before i journey down that unknown road. The right knee still has some slight tenderness but for the most part it really feels good. Swimming has been my saving grace the last few weeks when it comes to keeping active. I am following a 12week swim workout in the tri mag and boy is it working me. not much else going on. Amber is headed to hawaii in a few days to visit her sister. part of the time she is gone carson will stay with granny and at the end of the week i will pickup her as well as my mom who is flying in to watch carson next week. Hopefully Amber can keep busy in Hawaii so she wont worry too much about carson and I am really glad my mom will get a few days of QT with carson.

PS - the TDF is the bomb!!!!!!!!!!!

Used a new pair of goggles today and oby did my eyes appreciate it. No problems during or after the swim. I went to lane4 yesterday and picked up some TYR velocity goggles. They are smaller than i am use to bought they felt good. I eye-balled some aquajogger belts but didnt want to drop $30 bucks i something i might not like.

Thought more about the Boerne half IM labor day weekend and decided its best to not due it. Its a tough course and with my downtime i dont think i would be ready. I also think doing it and then the Longhorn half 5weeks later would really be rough. I really want to do well at the longhorn tri and fell its best to just focus on that race for now. Now I can give my knees ample time to heal and still have plenty of time to ramp up for the race. If I start back to biking next week and running 2 weeks after that will give be 3weeks of bike reast and 5 of running and leave me with 12weeks of biking and 10weeks of running until longhorn. the other option is to push everything back an extra week for training and lose a week of biking anf running. i will go with how my legs feel at the end of this week. As a treat after longhorn i would love to go to dallas the folowing weekend to see the big lifetime fitness tri with all the big pros. i am hoping to see that race sunday morning and then slide on over to irving stadium for the cowboys and patsys at 3pm. now thats what i call a weekend!!!!! looks like i need to start recruiting to partners in crime for that road trip.

The tour de france has already been quite interesting. The to prologue winner (Cancellara sp?) destroyed everyone at the end with an time of 8min 50sec when i thought it was going to be tough just to beat Kloden who had a time of 9:03 that no one could touch for most of the day. Then today McEwen and teammates busted the asses to catch the peleton with about 5miles left in the stage and then Robbie hauled even more ass thru a group of 100+ riders to sprint to a win in the final seconds. it was pretty damn amazing what he did. i suspect he will be dragging ass tomorrow.

I followed IM austria today and was blown away by the times being posted. I have heard its a fast course but those times were ridiculous. In the mens AGs 7 men came in under 9hrs and another 2 were 9hrs even. 162 male AGs finished under 10hrs (56 of them in my age group). Are they swimming with a current? riding down a mountain with a tailwind the whole way? I am not trying to rain on their parades but i look at the times of all the IMs and i havent seen anything like that before. I hope its thanks to a super fast course and lots of training and nothing illegal like doping, etc. You always hate to pull the doping card but times like that you cant help but think that.

Last but not least I have been thinking about i new tri bike lately. I cant see myself making a change until possibly next year but damn there are some sweet bikes out there. I love my softride but the positions on the bike are limited and the bike itself has some weight to it. The new frames are really getting aero which can match the softride and with options like enhanced cable routing, etc i cant help but think about a new one. I was looking at the Xlab avenger in the tri mag lastnight and started drooling. i also like the felt B2s and the trek equinox. so much to choose from. i just hate the thought of parting with the softride and its hard to imagine finding a frame that comfortable to ride on a long day.

I think it is time to get some new goggles. Lately my eyes have been on fire when i swim. I wear TYR goggles and use TYR anti-fog but the goggle lenses are worn i i think somehow its effecting my eyes. i wont get any water in my eyes and after a swim they are severely bloodshot and itch so bad. i think i will make a trip to lane 4 this weekend to checkout their vast array of goggles.

Its now been 2 weeks since buffalo springs and i am itching to bike and run again. i will wait at least another week to bike and at least 2 more weeks to run. my right knee is still a little tender but i think the IT band is getting better. i noticed i large bump (the bone) on the outside of my right knee whichs is much more prominent than the bone on the outside of my left knee. its as if my right knee has shifted. we will see when i started running again. if i noticed immediate pain it will be time to visit Dr windler again.

Swimming is going good. my goal is the work up to 12-13k weeks in order to make up for my limited running. my times are getting alot better and the longer swim intervals are feeling a lot easier. i am eager to do another half IM soon to get a better sense of my 2k open water time. i am still dissappointed with my 33min swim in lubbock b/c of my poor decision making prior to the swim start.

I am hoping to get 2 more halfs in this season. I would like to do the boerne half on sept 2 and then wrap up the year at the longhorn half in austin a month later. after that i will determine if i want to work on my running more if the knee will let me. i want to run the marathon here early next year and would like to go for 3hr finish. we shall see.