112 days and $1885 to go!

"Back" on track! Pun intended. :)

I restarted the 18 week marathon training schedule and completed the first week. I was in Florida this past week and was able to run the 3 miles on each of tuesday, wednesday, and thursday. My back was feeling good through that effort. According to the schedule, monday and friday are rest days, so I did nothing on monday since I was travelling to Florida on that day. On friday, I did a 20 minute Yoga routine. It felt good to get back to the Yoga. Yesterday was my first run this season of any real length, 6 miles, and I completed it feeling pretty good. According to that marathon schedule, today is a day for "cross-training". So, I hopped on my bike for 6 miles then planted four azalea bushes, two hydrangeas, and layed down 10 bags of mulch in our front garden. Some "cross-training", huh? Guess my back's doing pretty well. All-in-all an uneventful week, pretty much to plan.

The usual weekly schedule has monday and friday as "off-days", saturday as a long run day, and sunday as a "cross-training" day. But, I will have to shift the schedule a bit this week since I will be travelling next weekend. So, thursday will be my "off-day" and friday will be my long run day (7 miles is the plan). I'll just do some walking and some Yoga next weekend while I am out of town.

119 days and $2060 to go!

I had some trouble with my back again this week. I started the 18 week marathon training schedule. But, it looks like I will have to start it over this coming week, provided that my back cooperates. Here's how it played out.

After my long ride last saturday, I took it easy on sunday. But, my lower back was feeling a little stiff. According to the marathon training schedule, monday was supposed to be a "rest" day. So, I did my yoga routine hoping that would help to loosen my stiff back. Well, it might have aggravated things a little. Tuesday, determined to start the training, I ran the prescribed 3 miles. My back felt a little better. Another 3 miles on wednesday and my back was still feeling ok. However, on thursday when I had another 3 mile run scheduled, I bailed because my back was feeling worse. Darn!

I spent a little time on thursday researching online to try to understand the cause of my pain. The symptoms actually don't feel like a bulging disc this time. So, I have decided that the problem is stress on the facet joints from too much, not too little, arch in my lower back. My fear of causing discs to bulge posteriorly has me arching back too much and putting pressure on the facets, the vertebral joints which limit this backward arching. That's my diagnosis. It actually does make sense, at least to me.

Turns out that a healthy back is the result of a balance between abdominal and paraspinal muscles that keeps your spine within reasonable limits of its proper curve. It is important to maintain this balance (posture) when sitting, standing, walking, running, and bicycling. The only time that you get a pass is while swimming. It's probably really hard to have problems with your back from swimming.

My back is actually starting to feel better now. I ran 3 miles yesterday. This is shorter than the training plan, but I'm just happy to get back to it. I'll go for a short 7-8 mile ride today. So, where my back is concerned, I will concentrate on the basic set of "core" exercises and stretches I was taught in physical therapy and work on maintaining the proper posture for all my activities.

126 days and $2060 to go!

Thursday a week ago, when I went to the Team in Training kickoff meeting, I met one of my coaches for the Nation's Triathlon. He encouraged, no urged, us to begin running immediately - to start to get used to running for long distances. He stressed that the run can make or break the triathlon for many competitors. I've read this before. And, having competed now in two triathlons and one duathlon, I believe it. Being the last leg of the race, the run finds you at your most vulnerable. In the water you are relatively fresh, on the bike you can coast from time to time or find other ways to momentarily relax. On the run all you can do is stop or walk. You probably can't gain a lot of time on the run. But, you can lose a lot of time, particularly if your energy is spent or you are unprepared.

I have had real trouble on the 13 mile run in both of my half ironman efforts. In both cases I probably walked 1/3 to 1/2 of the distance, losing much time in the process. Largely as a result of this and of the coaches comment about training for the run I am seriously rethinking my strategy for preparing for this next race. What better way to enjoy, and to do well, in this race than to really prepare for the run.

I know I can cover the swim distance. And I don't expect to shave much time off of that effort. I just bicycled about 30 miles yesterday - then cut the grass. So, I know I can handle the bike portion which is 25 miles. What I really need to work on for September is the run.

With that in mind I have found an 18 week training schedule for a marathon (http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novices.html). Since I last ran a marathon about 20 years ago, I consider myself to be a novice. Yes, I am still thinking about the Akron Marathon which will be held two weeks after the Nation's Triathlon. We'll see how the training goes. I still haven't fully decided to enter this marathon, but I will try to stick to this training schedule and see how I am running after 8 to 10 weeks. Wish me luck! :)

133 days and $2085 to go!

I rode the crank off my bike this week! Literally!

I have toe clips on my bike. I know, to the unfamiliar it sounds like a medieval torture device but they are actually quite handy. They consist of a short plastic cage and a strap to keep the toe of your shoe on the pedal. Sometimes, on long rides, they can actually feel like a medieval torture device. I don't tighten the strap because when I fall - and I do fall - I don't want to be fastened tightly to the bike. But, keeping your feet securely in the pedals while you are riding is definitely a good thing. Well, back to the crank. I was about 7 miles into a 10 mile loop on tuesday when I noticed that my left pedal seemed to be a little loose. Something actually started clicking against the frame of my bike. It was the crank. I was rounding a bend about 3 miles from home when I found that the left pedal and crank were just hanging by the toe clip from my left foot. Just like that the whole left crank popped off of the bike.

At that point, I decided to turn my 10 mile bike workout into a 7 mile bike, 3 mile run "brick" workout. So, grabbing the crank and pedal in my left hand and guiding the bike with my right, I jogged the 3 miles back home to finish the workout. Now my Cannondale is in the shop and I am riding my trusty Specialized. This is the bike I use for touring with my brother.

Thursday was a magical evening. It was the Team in Training kickoff celebration for the summer season. It was great to see two of my Philadelphia Triathlon team members at the party. No matter how many of these events I may do, the first one in Philadelphia along with the people with whom I shared it will always be special to me.

This morning, for the first time this year, I completed the 30 mile loop from my house which follows the Greater Cleveland Triathlon course. It took me about 2 hours. This coming week I will be running in florida.

140 days and $2385 to go!

I received a flier in the mail this week that got me thinking... I had intended to sign up for a half-ironman race at Headlands Beach in August near my home. I wanted a second challenge this year since the Nation's Triathlon is an Olympic Distance Race. I was disappointed to learn that the Headlands race would not include the half-ironman distance this year. Darn! This brings me back to the flier. Two years ago, I ran the last leg of a relay at the Akron Marathon. Since then, I have been getting notices in the mail about this race. I almost threw this one away, not intending to run a marathon this year. Then I started thinking...

If I truly want a second challenge, what better than to attempt a marathon this year. I last ran marathons in my 30's. My fastest was about 3 hours, 15 minutes. My "best" was about 3 hours, 30 minutes. I say "best" because that second one was at a very even 8 minute per mile pace. I wouldn't expect to do anything like that this year. I would be happy with a finish in under 4 hours, 30 minutes. Actually, I would be happy with a finish. Funny that the thing that caught my attention and really got me thinking about this possibility was a notice on the brochure that all full marathon finishers get a free Brooks "Tech" Jacket. Now, there are much easier ways to get a jacket. And, I really don't know if it's that good of a jacket. But, I do know that there is only one way to get this particular jacket. And, that is to finish the Akron Marathon. That alone makes it special.

Will I sign up for the Akron Marathon? I don't know yet, but it's definitely got me thinking...

Oh yeah, my back seems to be doing pretty well. I ran a couple of 3 milers this past week and rode my bike several times. Got a flat tire on the ride this morning, so I'm planning to spend the evening patching a few flats which are left over from this and a few previous rides.

147 days and $2385 to go!

It's a little strange to me when I think about last year's Wildflower Triathlon. This time last year I was winding down my training for the triathlon which was held on the first weekend in May. May! that's barely 2 weeks away! Boy, do I feel like a wimp right now! This time last year I was trained and ready to take on what is generally acknowledged as one of the most difficult Half Ironman courses in the country. This year, I'm still dragging around my winter weight and trying to get my training started for this years triathlon season. What a difference a year makes.

For the second weekend in a row, I travelled to Cincinnati. Last weekend for Easter, this weekend for my youngest grandson's first birthday. We also took the opportunity both times to attend Miami University's production of the musical "UrineTown". My youngest daughter, Heather, plays the part of "Soupy Sue" in the musical. It is a very entertaining play (I loved it so much I went twice) with a very weird name.

I think my back is ready for the start of some serious training. I will be in Florida this week. So, this is the perfect opportunity to gradually start training for the running leg of the triathlon. The trick for me, as always, will be to start slowly, giving my body time to adjust. I will have Miranda's magic powder to help ward off the leg cramps and the exercises and stretches from physical therapy to keep my back in shape. We'll see how it goes.

154 days and $2735 to go!

I haven't been able to do too much training this week but I have been working on my back exercises and I did get in a fun 45 miles around Cincinnati with my brother, Jim, on Saturday.

I have two issues affecting my training that I am still trying to get a handle on. My periodic back problems which seem to interrupt my training at the most inconvenient times and leg cramps. First the back. I went to physical therapy on Monday. I told the therapist that I just wanted to figure out what to do so that I could keep training without worrying about being periodically "side-lined" by back problems. He gave me a series of exercises for my abdominals and lower back muscles and stretches which target my hip muscles. Hopefully, this will do the trick. We'll see.

My dear friend Miranda, who is training for an Iron Man, left some powder in a bag on my desk at work with a label reading "For Louie". This got more than a few chuckles from my colleagues and a quizzical email or two since I was not in Florida this past week. After the Corporate Run I had discussed my leg cramping with Miranda and she helpfully suggested this training and racing preparation (the powder) that she was trying in preparation for her big race. She offered to let me try some of this "magic powder". So, there you have it - a bag of powder appeared on my desk. Thanks, Miranda!

Now to the fun stuff! Whenever I get to Cincinnati to visit my family, I try to get in a bicycle ride with my brother, Jim. He picks great routes around the city and in the surrounding areas. This time, he mapped out a tour of the best overlooks around Cincinnati. It was, of course, a great "hill" workout. Not sure I was fully ready for it since it's been a while since I have ridden hills. But, I worked it out and managed to handle each hill, although I had to shift into "low low" toward the end of the ride. And my butt was definitely dragging going up that last hill. Our first stop was Eden Park on the east side of town where we also checked out an outdoor art exhibit. Our next stop was Mt. Adams where we got a cup of coffee to break the morning chill and enjoyed a beautiful view of the Ohio River. A harrowing ride down a winding road found us in downtown Cincinnati where we visited the huge display of pansies at fountain square and stopped at "Lytle Park" which is named after William Lytle, a Cincinnatian and a Civil War General who was killed that the battle of Chickamauga. He was also a noted poet of his time whose death was mourned in both the North and the South.

We then crossed the River and rode around Ft. Thomas, Kentucky, looking for a view - which we never found. Our most memorable view of the city was from Devou Park (see the photo), which is also on the Kentucky side, but at the other end of the city. Recrossing the river, we rode up to Mt. Echo on the west side of town for our final view of the Ohio River. After lunch at Findlay Market we rode up to Fairview Park, the final overlook on our tour. All in all, a very enjoyable ride on beautiful day!