


May 27, 2010
Last day of crash cycle. My legs are wiped out. Today is going to be extremely tough
especially with the heat. 86 degrees. The plan was to do as many 6 minute miles on the
track with on the 6:30 interval. First mile was 6:04 and it was too hard so I immediately
adjusted. I ended up doing 9x1 mile repeats between 6:04 and 6:23 with a 30 sec quick
recovery. Long enough to take a quick swig of water and poor some cold water on me to stay
cool. Legs are really wiped out. 13 mile total day. Now I just need to rest and the fatique will
go away and I should feel fresh. Coached Billy and Roy Leighton after my workout. Man are
thes e guys going to get fast this year. No more setting them up for other coaches to screw
them up every season.
May 26, 2010
6am did a 1000 meter long course moderate effort time trial swim in 16:23 followed by a 30
mile easy bike ride. At 6pm I did a moderate time trial on the bike from ghisallo to my house
going through dutch town and chaffee. The course should be similiar to the Kansas bike
course. Did it in 1hr 46 min. 38-39 miles total and hilly. Just beat the lightning storm to my
house.
May 24, 2010
Still drained from the heat but I am determined to take advantage of it. I am using it as part of
a 4 day "crash" cycle. My last hard workout will be thursday (9 days out) then hopefully with
a full recovery my body will be rewarded with an overcompensation of fitness. I'm counting on
it. Today we did 5-6 miles worth of fartlek. We went 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes at 6 minute
pace with a 1 minute recovery. Felt very fatiqued. That is good though.
May 23, 2010
Memphis in May triathlon-This was my first triathlon after a 3 year layoff. I was really excited
to see what kind of time I could lay down. The heat stopped all of that. I have never done
well in races in heat so I planned just to go moderately the entire time. The last thing I wanted
to do was quit. I have done that several times in the past in the heat. In 2003 at White Lake
Half. I was leading the race after the bike. Sat down to put my shoes on and never got back
up. I ended up with Heat exhaustion. Yesterday was miserable. We started the day by
getting up at 4 am to set up for the Kfvs12 5k in Cape Girardeau. We ended up being in the
sun until around noon. Drove home, unloaded the van, reloaded the van with bikes, gear,
etc.. Started to drive to Memphis. The air conditioning went out in the van. The sun was in
my face the entire drive. Friggin miserable. Our hotel ended up being an hour south of the
race site, on the third floor, no elevator. We unloaded everything, went out for dinner, and by
the time we got to the room it was 11pm. Both Brooke and I was exhausted so we said screw
it and figured we would get to the race site early and set up our equipment early. So we went
to bed. To be as discrete as i can....we never get out without our kids. So..Brooke feeling
frisky that evening decided to exhaust the last bit of energy that I had....twice! At some point
we fall asleep and get up at 5am only to load everything up and head to the race site.
Somehow we made a wrong turn and got to the race site after the race had started. Brooke
and I both missed our start times, did no warm up and had nothing set up. I had to dig my
stuff out of my bag and tie shoes, etc...I was miserable before the race started and just tried
to do everything pretty moderate. The swim I went very easy with a long slow stroke. Every
time I passed a struggling swimmer I had flash backs of Kevin Hunt who drowned at
quartermax. It really made the swim tough. Most athletes know this, to be competitive you
have to be selfish. When I was fast I only thought of myself. I know most people thought of
me as a jerk when I was like that. Probably still do. However, it is very hard to be competitive
and worry about others. When I got back from the swim, Brookes bike was not gone yet and I
was worried that something may have happened. Brooke is a better swimmer than me and
started before me, or so I thought. She should had already been back from the swim. She
wasn't. I didn't realize yet that Brooke missed her swim start and actually started after me. I
took my time through transitions. On the bike I rode easy. I was still passing a lot of people
so I backed off some more. Then at mile 20 I realized I wasnt going to even be under an hour
and started to let it bother me. I hammered the next 4 miles or so just to be under an hour.
That was stupid and completely drained me for nothing. Still ended up with a split of 1 hr and
1 sec. Figures. Dug my shoes out, tied them. Started the run, very hot, not motivated and
just hoping not to completely screw myself for my uncoming half ironman. I jogged the run
and finished in a pathetic time of 2:19. However, I will take it. I didn't quit. I have been here
before. At Kansas I will bike very easy to ensure a fast run. My run is in great shape. I just
have to get some more base. I only have 2.5 months of triathlon base training. This year is
nothing more than to get my fitness back. At Kansas I am not going to wear a watch. I don't
want to make any stupid mistakes ie...rookie. With no watch I will only race by feel.
Completely.
Brooke did very well for her first race in three years and somehow managed to go 11 minutes
faster.
April 18, 2010
Ran the Charleston Azalea Festival 5k in 17:39 and placed third. However, the course has
been the same for 14 years and now they make the finish a block later. I came through the
old mark in 17:11. I am stoked about it. The year I went 1:14 on Steamboat course I ran
17:44 the week prior so I should be able to lay down a good swim and run split at Steamboat
next week.
April 15, 2010
Rode 60 miles with Taylor Vaughn and 10 others. We rode to Trail of Tears State Park and
then the proposed Howlin Half Ironman course. The course will actually be much faster than
what we originally thought. I am very excited for this event. The course will be challenging
but still very fast. It will be two 28 mile loops on the bike with rollers and only one really steep
hill. Everytthing else riders will be able to keep their momentum going. We rode easy but it
has been a long time since I rode 60 miles. My bike legs are not back yet and I think it will
take a few more months before they come back. Just need to be patient in my training and
realize that I can't do the things I used to do. I am going to be doing much more quality and a
whole lot less volume that I did in the past. The good news is my foot is holding up but my
weight isn't coming down. Still hanging around 195lbs. I think I can get under 190 but not the
180 that I used to race at. I really like beer, steak, and as everyone knows chicken wings!
Don't think I want to give all that up again to get at the 180lb mark.
Thursday, Aug 13, 2009
Kevin Hammes and I ran a 2-mile Time Trial on the complex track just to see where our fitness
level was after opening my mouth about a comeback. The goal was for Kevin to run between
10:30 and 10:40. I was going to attempt a run between 10:45 and 10:59. The plan was to
run the first 800 in 2:38 and then slow down about 8-9 secs for the next couple of 800 splits
and then finish hard the final 800. Well...Kevin didn't do his job and led us through in a
ridiculously fast pace of 2:29 and 2:31 the first 800! Oh well, I thought. Let's just not lose
too much time the next two 800's. We both hung on and finished very strong to exceed our
goals. Kevin finished in a time of 10:20 while I tried to real him in but came up short in a time
of 10:29. That is by far my best in two years so I am estatic about it! One thing about Kevin I
can always count on him pushing hard.
Sunday, Aug 16, 2009
Kevin and I ran the City of Roses Half-Marathon course today. We both felt a little tired from
the time trial Thursday. We managed around a 7:30 pace but the final three miles of that
course is brutal. Should have taken a couple of GU's, but managed to hang in there. Will try
to get two bike rides in this week and 50 miles of running.
Tuesday, Sept 22, 2009
This sucks! Went to see Dr. Stahle in St. Louis to have an MRI done on my shoulder that I
hurt while helping out at Quartermax this past June. My worst fears were realized. My labrum
is severely torn in my right shoulder. No wonder I can't swim, do push-ups, pull-ups, or lift
weights. It is very painful to even train "hard" on the bike. We have planned to have surgery
in the middle of December. I have been training too hard running to not at least run the
Memphis Marathon and attempt to go sub 3hrs and qualify for boston. I am going to up my
mileage and try to get in better run shape the next 9 weeks so I don't lose too much fitness
with the long layoff that is expected.
Saturday, Sept 26, 2009
Ran an easy 8 miles keeping my heart rate around 130. Then later that day ran a mile with
my kids at the park at a 10 minute pace. It was Dani's birthday.
Sunday, Sept 27, 2009
Ran an easy 10 miles with Kevin Hammes. Pretty much kept the pace just under 8 minutes.
Pretty easy but just coming off the flu so feel like crap. Going for as many volume miles as I
can in 10 days.
Monday, Sept 28, 2009
Ran an easy 12 miles at 8:40 pace
Tuesday, Sept 29, 2009
Ran 18.1 miles from work to home. First mile 8:03, then tried to maintain a 7:45 average
which I did. Ran a couple 7:30 miles and the last mile in 6:22. Solid long run. Weather was
nice. Ran in my new Asics DS Trainer XIII's. I like them.
Wednesday, Sept 30, 2009
Ran an easy 5 miles with my wife Brooke at the YMCA then swam with the kids. Legs pretty
sore.
Thursday, Oct 1, 2009.
Ran 13 mile workout with Kevin H. Weather was nice but a pretty hard head wind slowed us
down a little. 3 mile wu, stretch, striders. 1xmile hard in 5:18 on the complex track, then
jogged to the starting line of race loop. Ran a 3 mile tempo on the road, went 6:28, 6:30,
6:01, 3 min rest then did it again. Mile in 5:34, 3 mile tempo in 6:44, 6:58, 7:05. DIdn't bonk
but my hamstrings started to twitch right at the end of the second hard mile. On the final
tempo just tried to keep it from locking up. Had to keep slowing down a little each mile. Legs
are beat and extremely sore. Think I will just do an easy bike tomorrow.
Sunday, Oct 18, 2009
Ran the Go St. Louis 10k. Plan was to run the first mile fast and then settle into half
marathon pace. Ran solid. First mile in 5:31 and then settled right at 6:05-6:10 pace. One
slow mile but it had a long up hill. 6 mile warm-up and 15 miles total.
Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009
Ran with Adam Lofton. I wanted to do 3xmile with 3 minutes rest and 5k race pace. Ran solid
and faster than expected. Went 5:39, 5:32, 5:26. Rest was between 3:02 and 3:12 on the
last one. 7.5 miles total. This was a good workout right before my 20-21 miler tomorrow. My
legs should be a little sore at the beginning of the run instead of at mile 15. I am hoping to
average a 7:45 pace. Felt really good about tonights workout. Perfect weather. A little windy
but Adam blocked most of it for me.
Wednesday, Oct 21, 2009
Ran 20 miles today after yesterdays workout. It is 17 miles from my work to my house so I
front loaded the first 3 miles. Doing these long runs the day after mile repeats is an ass
kicker! My legs hurt every step instead of around 12 miles on a normal long run. I wanted to
stay within a minute of my goal marathon pace. I drank a half a bottle of water and powerade
at miles 5, 10, 15. Mile 17-19 sucks because I am running on that chip seal. Absolutely killed
my feet. I bonked a little and am dissappointed but I tried to stay on pace as much as
possible. My legs really got tight pretty early in the run. Around mile 7. I sure hope this
helps me in the marathon doubling these workouts together. Here were my splits. I always do
the first two miles of any workout really easy and that killed my average but who cares. The
rest was descent and not much aerobic effort. 8:26, 8:11, 8:09, 7:43, 7:47, 7:48, 7:48, 7:50,
7:49, 7:56, 7:42, 7:52, 7:53, 7:51, 7:56, 7:47, 8:11, 8:38, 8:49, 8:39. Average 8:02 pace
Dec 5, 2009
I know that I have done a bad job of keeping this up but I actually have been training about
45-50 miles a week with a long run of 18-22 miles and a MLR of 12-14. The St. Judes
Marathon couldn't have turned out any better. I went out moderately to get an adrenaline
rush. My initial 6:20 pace felt easy. I held it with no issues for about 5 miles. Right around
there my foot twitched and I worried about my injury to my plantar. I ran the next mile in 6:44
and it twitched again. I couldn't believe this was happening so I slowed it down to a moderate
jog which was around the 7-7:05 pace. At the half-way point my foot hadn't twitched anymore
and I felt very good because of the easy miles. I went ahead and started to attempt a
negative split second half which was my goal. Except it was planned to go 1:27/1:23. Mile
14-15 was 6:40 and I felt great and the foot was not an issue. I knew that if I had any chance
of reaching my goal of 2:48 I had to go now. My next mile was 6:06 and I made up my mind to
try and get to 23 miles and then push the final 5k like Kevin and I have done so many times at
the end of our long runs. I held a 6:00 pace until 23 and pushed harder than I ever had,
puking on myself several times. My final 3 miles were 5:52, 5:50, 5:41. I am very happy with
my time and glad that all worked out well. However, my marathon days are probably over. It
isn't worth hurting my foot again. It took my almost 3 years to come back from this injury. My
new goal is to win the half-marathon next year with a goal of 1:11! Training day one will start
next Sunday!