5 weeks of Ironman Training is complete (kind of)

Summary Commentary
I just completed the first 5 weeks of my Ironman training.   Overall not where I want to be because I was sick for the first 2.5 weeks and as a result I have missed 8 days of training thus far.  I believe that things happen for a reason, and perhaps me getting sick was a blessing in disguise as it gave my legs some time off.  I've started running again over the last 5 weeks and have been pain free, which is exciting.  Over the last few days, I finally feel like I'm starting to get into a groove.  Today, I rode my bike on the trainer for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  I started off ok but noticed that my heart rate was really low given my fast speed.  After an hour, I felt strong and was able to easily push harder, averaging 18.5mph for the last 40 minutes of the workout (better than I ever have done before, even for the first 40 minutes of a workout).  I exercised over 10 hours over the last week, an all-time record for me.  What's great about it is that it was incredibly balanced between running, biking, swimming, and strength training, so I don't feel fatigued at all (in fact that opposite).  I would be completely fried if I ran 10 hours in a week.  I've also been sleeping more, getting 7-8 hours on most nights, which is clearly keeping me healthy.

• Given that I have already missed 8 days of workouts, I thought that I would look back on my 3 marathons to see how many workouts I missed (all 18 week training programs).
• For the NYC Marathon in 11/2009, I missed 7 workouts (all in a row) due to a swollen left knee (IT band). I put on too much mileage too quickly (was doing 50+ miles per week with no base). After 7 days off and physical therapy, I was fine and didn't miss another workout.
• I missed 0 days of training for the Kenosha Marathon (5/1/2010) and 0 days of training for the Chicago Marathon (10/10/10). That means I wasn't sick or hurt at all. Impressive but I'd say more lucky than anything else. Definitely proves that exercising regularly (particularly running) keeps me healthy and from getting sick.
• My ironman is on 8/28/11 and I'm doing an Olympic triathlon in Miami (South Beach) on 4/10 and a half ironman on 6/5 (in Connecticut). I am signed up for the NYC marathon in November and would love to do it as a fun run. If I can stay healthy during my training and have a good ironman marathon I might be able to swing it.
• I'm also seriously considering doing the "Goofy" in January at Disneyworld in Florida.  The "Goofy" consists of running a half marathon on a Saturday followed by a full marathon on Sunday, both running through the park.  I want those medals (one for the half marathon, one for the full marathon, and one for running both of them).  Will do them as fun runs.  Who wants to do them with me?
• I went to a Motorhead concert this week (my first).  My friend TM got me into Motorhead and I've become a big fan, often running to my favorite Motorhead tunes.  They definitely pump me up.  I am very tolerant of loud music, but this show was a whole new level of loud.  My ears rang for 3 days after, I was in real pain.  I loved the show and the guys in the band have serious chops.  They are real musicians. 
• Had a very busy February at work, only taking 2 days off (including most weekend days in the office)

Workout Summaries over the last 5 weeks

Ironman Training Week 5 - Week ended 3/6/11 (total workout time 10.3 hours) - 11 workouts in total


Swim - 2 swims (58 minutes, 64 minutes) - each 2500 yards (1.43 miles) - took my time for the 58 minute workout and had my own lane the entire workout.  Was very happy with this workout, the best swim workout I have ever had.  Did 100 yard intervals for the 64 minute workout with 20-30 seconds between each interval.  Was in the fast lane and was out of my league there.
Bike - 3 rides (45 minutes (17.9mph, avg hr 131), 47 minutes (16.7mph, avg hr 132), 1 hour 45 minutes (17.8mph, avg hr 134)) - all on the trainer
Run - 3 runs (45 minutes - 8:57 pace/152 avg heart rate, 45 minutes - 8:50 pace/151 avg hr, 64 minutes - 8:55 pace/157 avg hr).  All runs were easy - I'm very far from where I want to be with my running, but making progress.
Strength training - 3 strength workouts (37 minutes, 70 minutes, 39 minutes) - have progressed to hard jumps, step ups, and other tough stuff.  Very, very happy with my progress here.  Started to work on my core by doing planks this week (first time in my life doing them).
Notes: Saw Motorhead Monday night.  Had 3 workouts in a day twice this week (Tuesday - Run, Bike, Strength) and Thursday (Run, Bike, Strength) - all of these workouts were done before my kids were awake or after they were asleep.
Days off During Week: 1 (Monday)



Ironman Training Week 4 -Week ended 2/27/11 (total workout time 6.2 hours) - 9 workouts in total

Swim - 1 swim (33 minutes) - was looking to go longer but got kicked out of the pool for a kids swim practice
Bike - 3 rides (33 minutes, 46 minutes, 90 minutes) - all on the trainer
Run - 3 runs, (45 minutes - 8:51 pace/152 avg heart rate, 45 minutes - 8:37 pace/156 avg hr, 61 minutes - 8:44 pace/156 avg hr)
Strength training - 2 strength workouts (34 minutes, 43 minutes)
Notes: Worked about 65 hours this week including both weekend days (had a tough month with only 2 days off).  1 day in Washington D.C. to recruit at Georgetown
Days off During Week: 1 (Monday)


Ironman Training Week 3 -Week ended 2/20/11 (total workout time 4 hours) - 6 workouts in total


Swim - 0 swims - sinus infection, couldn't swim
Bike - 1 ride (45 minutes, 17.3mph, avg hr 148) - on the trainer
Run - 3 runs, (30 minutes - 8:44 pace/156 avg heart rate, 30 minutes - 8:49 pace/159 avg hr, 45 minutes - 8:59 pace/145 avg hr)
Strength training - 2 strength workouts (60 minutes, 35 minutes)
Notes:  sinus infection came back, went on 10 more days of antibiotics.  took 3 days off completely from working out to get better.
Days off During Week: 3 (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday)





Ironman Training Week 2 -Week ended 2/13/11 (total workout time 5.7 hours) - 8 workouts in total


Swim - 1 swim - 41 minutes, 1 mile
Bike - 4 rides (30 minutes (17.6mph, 144 avg hr), 45 minutes (16.5mph, avg hr 127), 45 minutes (18.0mph, 138 avg hr), 90 minutes (17.2mph, 136 avg hr) - all on the trainer
Run - 2 runs, (30 minutes - 8:54 pace/158 avg heart rate, 30 minutes - 8:43 pace/157 avg heart rate)
Strength training - 1 strength workouts (32 minutes)
Notes: sinus infection early in the week, probably came back too quick and got sick again
Days off During Week: 1 (Monday)



Ironman Training Week 1 -Week ended 2/6/11 (total workout time 1.7 hours) - 3 workouts in total


Swim - 1 swim - 44 minutes, 1 mile
Bike - 0 rides
Run - 1 run (30 minutes - 8:50 pace/159 avg heart rate) - first run in over 3 weeks
Strength training - 1 strength workout (30 minutes)
Notes: Sick for most of the week with sinus infection. Felt horrible.  Was on antibiotics
Days off During Week: 5 (Wednesday-Sunday)

Fatigued! Week 12 and Week 13 Chicago Marathon Training Summary

Just finished weeks 12 and 13 of  my Chicago Marathon training.  I did my first very long run during Week 12, an 18 mile run.  Until my triathlon yesterday on 9/12 (see separate race report), my body was feeling very fatigued.  I moved my week 13 marathon training schedule up one day so I could take Saturday off, the day before my tri.  On Sunday, I did the tri and felt great the entire race (and after too).  My fatigue seems to be gone, which is great, as week 14 has me scheduled to run 40 miles (5, 10, 5, and 20 miles).  We will be in Vancouver on vacation for the 20 miler, which I am really looking forward to, as my friends PN and MM in Vancouver are going to run with me and we are going to run along the ocean, which is flat and absolutely beautiful!

As I write this, my fatigue has subsided.  However, during weeks 12 and 13, I felt the fatigue that nearly all marathon runners experience at some point during training. My legs were sore, my IT bands were sore, my knees were sore, the cyst behind my right knee was bothering me, and my body just felt tired.   I took a lot of ice baths and/or Epsom salt baths during this period, and that helped too.

Overall, I'm happy with my training during these two weeks.

Week 12 - I got in 6 workouts (4 runs - 4.6, 9, 5.1, and 18 miles - total - 36.7 miles), 1 ride, and 1 swim).  I was so fatigued that I only rode 12 miles (2 loops of Central Park) the day after my long run.  It felt good to get a "recovery" ride in, but 42 minutes was enough.  I've accepted that I'm going through a tough period of workouts and when I do I try to keep my workouts limited to my marathon training only.  I've noticed my fitness improving, as my heart rate has been lower lately and I have been getting faster.  For one 5 mile run this week, I planned on running around 8:45-9:00 for the entire run, but I felt good so I ended running the last few miles in the low 7s/high 6s and still had more in the tank.

I ran 12 of the 18 miles of my long run on Saturday with BGR, which was great.  I ended up running 3 Harlem Hills, which was tough, but hopefully this hill work will benefit me for the flat Chicago Marathon course.

When we were on our long run, there was a guy juggling while he was running.  Naturally, I started talking to him.  I asked him if he runs entire marathons while juggling, and he said yes.  I asked him how fast and he said around 4:50 (although his goal is a little faster than that).  Pretty impressive if you ask me!  I asked him if I could take his picture and he said yes, so check it out.

Week 13 - 5 runs (5, 9, 5, 14.21, 4 - 38 miles for the week) and 1 race (Greenwood Lake triathlon - 0.5 mile swim, 17.9 mile bike, 4 mile run).  I reduced my schedule to running only plus the tri race at the end of week 13. Other than that, I didn't bike or swim during week 13 at all. I think sometimes "less is more", so I tried to train that way for week 13 and it definitely resulted in a strong race for me. One of the things I love about racing is that there are always things to improve upon, and the triathlon is great for that.   Overall a great week.  I feel like I am getting more fit and peaking at the right time for the Chicago Marathon (for my previous 2 marathons I peaked way too early, about halfway through training.  This year, I've been focused on an easier, more gradual build up).  Sunrise is around 6:25 A.M. these days, so some of my runs are now in the dark.   There's not much better than seeing the sun rise in Central Park while running.  It is beautiful.

My Running Song of the Week
As I mentioned before, I am really into listening to music when I run (although triathlons don't allow music so I did the Greenwood Lake tri without it).  It pumps me up, plus I just love music.  Lately, I've been getting into Motorhead, and my current favorite song is called "Killed by Death".  It rocks, I really can't believe that this song was written in 1984 and I never heard it until 2010.  The song sounds like it was written today and the guitar solos rock! Take a listen.....



Recently, my brother John found some old pictures of our dad's (he passed away in 2006).  I love this one!  It was in the Kenosha News around 1977.  Our dad used to write his bike to work everyday.  He would have loved to see me doing marathons and triathlons.

Want somebody to do a triathlon with?  Perhaps the bike below would be helpful?  Thanks to PN for this picture.