Tag: Strength Training

Go Team Crazy!

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It was Monday night, 11 p.m. EST, and I was in a panic. Earlier that day, John had brought our bikes home from the Pro Pedals Bike Shop, where they received their final tune up and check over before Ironman Lake Placid, now just 10 days away. Normally, I go to bed at at 9 p.m., but I had drank a foolish amount of green tea, and couldn’t sleep. So, I wandered over to my bike, which was sitting in the living room (a.k.a., the CompuTrainer room), to check out the new tires the mechanic Jason put on my rims. …

Really running again

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With all the attention I’ve been giving to cycling for the past few months, some of you may have started to wonder if I should change the name of my blog to cycling a life. Hey, not so fast there, buddy. Let’s get something clear: if it wasn’t for running, there would be no reason to do triathlon, to punish myself on a bike, to slog through yards of swimming despite the fact that I am clearly NOT a fish. Running is, and always will be, my sport of choice. The swim and the bike are an elaborate warm up. …

2 out of 3 ain’t bad: NJ Devilman race report

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I almost scratched this race because I knew I shouldn’t run at race pace to ensure full recovery from Boston.  I could claim to take it easy on the run portion, but let’s face it, I wouldn’t. Usually, I get out on the course and the competitor in me makes instant revisions to my “take it easy” plans. Boston itself is a case in point of this pattern. Given my tendencies to ignore intelligent thinking while racing, I figured the smart thing to do would be to skip the race altogether. After all, I couldn’t start a race knowing I …

Feeling the awesomeness that is life

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We are a little more than 17 weeks away from our second go-round with Ironman Lake Placid. And, I know we have entered a new phase in the training. …Not because the volume is increasing. …Not because speed and hill work are weekly regulars in the training schedule. …Not because I need more sleep to make up for the longer training hours. …Not because the pantry is bare just days after we stock it. Nope. None of these. I know it’s a new phase in the training because I’m weepy. I am not a did not used to be weepy …

Going From “How far?” to “How fast?”: Part 2 – Running

  Setting a goal to run a new distance may cause uncertainty: Can I really run [insert your dream distance here]? Then, as training progresses, we start to realize, “Oh yes, I CAN run that far. But, hmmmm, I wonder how fast I can do it?” It’s a natural and possibly inevitable progression: moving from how far to how fast. In my previous post, I talked about two key workouts for improving speed: tempo efforts and repeats (intervals), and discussed how these basic workouts apply to cycling. This post is the second part of that discussion, and applies speed strategies …

The best day of the week, even if it hurts

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Sunday is my long run day. It’s the crown jewel of the training regimen. The piece de resistance, the bees knees, the cat’s meow, the best part of waking up, the main event. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I really enjoy the long run – even when it hurts. While I mess around with this triathlon gig, running is my thing. It brings me joy, peace, and just the right amount of pain. I feel most alive when I go on these long, almost-always solo jaunts, during which time I experience the gamut of human emotion …

Sticking to the plan…or not: When to call in sick from your training plan

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Once set, I stick to my training plan. If it says “60 minute bike, zone 2 heart rate” I bike for 60 minutes in my zone 2 heart rate. Not 59 minutes. Not zone 5. 60 minutes. Zone 2. It’s not that I never deviate – it just causes me considerable angst when I have to switch things up for some reason, such as illness, let’s say. On Wednesday morning, when I awoke for the third day in a row with an animal of a cold living inside of my chest, my training plan mocked me. “Brick: 60 minute bike …

Who is a “real” runner?

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Yesterday at the gym, I ran into an acquaintance, who has done marathons and triathlons, including an ironman. During the course of our small talk, he made an off-hand comment, “I think you’re not really running if you aren’t doing an 8 minute mile.” Oh, reeeee-aaaaa-lllll-yyyyy? I’d like to see him maintain an 8 minute per mile pace over 50 miles of rugged single-track trail that climbs 9,000 feet. I vehemently disagree with such arrogant and condescending pronouncements of who is and is not a runner.  However, I figured in the interest of a quick conversation, I wouldn’t argue the …

Satisfying the demands of reason and emotion through gradual adaptation and 1% improvements

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I’m antsy. I’ve got work to do.   It’s been a week since the half iron distance triathlon. The soreness has faded. The feeling of accomplishment is there, but I can’t help feeling that I want to do better, go faster, be stronger. My basic goal for the triathlon was 6 hours, and while I accomplished that goal with a time of 5:55;37, I secretly (or not so secretly) wished I would do better–like 5:45 would have been great. I had wanted to place in my age group, but was 4th (by over a minute). My rational mind knows that I …

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Marathon Season!

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As the weather gets cooler, the distances get longer. That’s right, people: it’s marathon season. While you can find a marathon during any time of this year, the fall season has a many, many options. And, there are also plentiful options for other racing distances: half marathons, 10 miles, 10K, 5k – and for those who really love endurance – ultras (50K or more). Recently, I was tweeting with a fellow runner (runningtops) who asked for tips for first time marathon runners. I offered her some of the tips that I thought worked well for me. Then, it occurred to me: perhaps …