Eye on the Prize

I'm back in the saddle again. It's great to be back, actually. It's funny how much you forget when you've been gone from training so long. All the laundry, for one... running shorts and shirts, socks, biking pants - the hamper fills up fast these days!

Getting the bike back up to speed is also fun. Everyone loves bike part shopping, and I'm no exception. Tires, tubes, brake cables, chain lube, chamois butter, sunglasses, etc, etc, it seems the list hardly ends. But that's part of it.

Also part of it is figuring out the training/racing schedule. Not over-doing it. Preventing injury. Goal setting. All good stuff. I guess after doing it since '05, when I ran my first triathlon, it all comes back pretty quickly. Not the fitness, mind you - the process. Yea, coaching yourself is probably not the best idea - and we all know I've got some different ideas when it comes to training for Ironman - but I got my 255lb ass to the finish line in 14:36 last time - I might just know enough to be dangerous.

So now there's an Ironman in Houston. Who'd a thunk it? Quite possibly the hottest, most humid place on earth - more power to you Texans for selling out the race so quickly - May '11 could quite possibly bring the hardest IM on the planet for those of you toeing the line.

There's oil in the water for IM Florida swimmers this year, and possibly for years to come. Ocean swimming is bad enough without the oil slick. I remember the Chicago Triathlon, and the taste of diesel fuel in my mouth for the rest of the day after that short swim - I wonder if there ever is enough Gatorade after an oily Panama City swim?

IM Arizona '10 now has it's challenges - like the swim venue springing a leak. Everything I read tells me that it's doubtful that Tempe Town Lake will be fixed by November. I'm sure the show will go on - be it somewhere else to swim (is there?) or an Iron-duathlon of some sort.

Hey, every other business entity and industry is having their share of troubles, it's time the WTC has a challenge or two to overcome. Good for them. I'll tell ya, I really enjoyed the absence of PNF on IronmanLive's broadcast of IMUSA last week. Lisa Bently was fresh, interesting, and enthusiastic, and actually had some inflection in her voice throughout the program. I hope to see more of her co-hosting at other races.

I'm gonna bet that Tempe Town Lake is fixed by November 2011. I've started my Ironman Bank Account - not the "fitness bank" that we make deposits into after a century ride, but an actual savings account just for IMAZ11. The darn thing is about 68 weeks away, which means we have to sign up in 16 weeks. Probably will need about $600 to register when it's all said and done - and that isn't as painful if you throw money in an account weekly as it is if you just pay it - well, it's the same, sure, but somehow it's easier for me. The $33 a week I'm saving now is the money I'm not spending on Cokes and Sweet Teas and vending machine snacks. All that stuff is done, and I think I'm easily saving that much.

IMAZ'11. Eye on the prize. Not just "finishing" this time. Been there, done that. Need to up the stakes a little bit...

Athletic Tourettes

So here we are. Again.

Yes, we've been down this road before. Starts and Stops. Athletic Tourettes. I finally had the courage to step on a scale a week ago. 286. About 35 lbs gained from IMCDA08. Resting heart rate that morning? An alarming 72 bpm. Something needs to be done. ASAP.

When it comes to training, I'm one of those people that need a goal. Something tangible to look forward to. Tangible, as in, an event or an accomplishment. Something to hang on the wall. It makes sense really. I read once that there are, in general, two kinds of salespeople - those that can can sell "things" and those that sell "ideas". Stocks, insurance - those are examples of "ideas", where cars, RVs, houses, boats - those are "things". I read that rarely does someone do well at selling both, and once you find out which "type" you are, you should stick with that. Having tried both, I can assure you that I'm a "thing" guy.

Being healthy and having fitness would be "ideas". Something you get as a result of something else. Finishing an Ironman or other race is a thing. An accomplishment. Perhaps I'm splitting hairs, but I've also tried to exercise, and I don't do that well. I do, however, train well. I'd argue that you exercise for general fitness but you train for a specific event. I'm a trainer (whatever gets you out the door, right?).

So short term, my goal is a nice Olympic in 8 weeks over in Clermont Florida, the Florida Challenge. They do a half IM as well that day, but starting, essentially, from scratch like I am, even an Olympic is a hearty goal to say the least. It's a "just finish" race, but the venue is great, and it will be a nice re-entry to the sport. We have a cabin lined up nearby, TriSherpaDi will be kayaking on a lake that day with her pal Linda; the whole affair will be pretty low key.

No PR's, no worry of a PW. Just getter-done. What's down the road? Some more "things"....

Echo, echo, echo

Sorry gang - been doing too much Facebook (is that really possible?) and not enough blogging - but isn't that the going trend?

I've been getting slammed with Anonymous spam to my comments, so I'm going to take away the ability for Anon folks to comment, and require the word box. Sorry, I've fought that for a while, but it's getting noticeable in my comment sections.

I've been getting about 5hrs a week in training - which really kinda sucks. I know it's the time of year, and this is technically the "off" season, but 5 hrs isn't enough for me to lose any weight. I've been plagued by a deep right hip pain that shows up when running - so I took a couple weeks off from it and have so far, this week, been pain free - so we'll see.

The only highlight to my training as of late has been swimming. Nothing great, mind you, but I've seen progress and am up to 2k at lunch instead of a drowning, splashing, punishing failure of 1k ugliness.

I don't know. The Gator Half is screaming up at me - early March - and I fear it's gonna be uglier than it should be. Meah... I'll take my time and try and have fun, right?

Ok, enough of the ramble. Enjoy the break, and I'll look forward to reading of your '10 season success soon enough!

Season 2010

So this is the time of year when the typical triathlete (or person in general) gets excited and makes plans for 2010. Training schedules need to be made, goals for the year dreampt up, and friends and family talked into competing with us.

2009 was a bust for me triathlon-wise. I did get out and get one done though - make that two. Nothing like a couple of sprints to keep the interest up. Got a couple of Centuries under my belt as well, and even snuck in a half marathon before the year closed out. Nice.

So what's in store for 2010? I'm looking at a Oly to start - one up in Gainsville, FL - just a few weeks away, and glutton for punishment that I am, I know up front it's gonna be cold as all get-out. But my boy Lee hasn't ever done an Olympic Tri, and this one is more of a confidence builder than anything else. For sure a "C" race.

Gasparilla is next, in late February. Just planning on doing the half marathon - even though this is the last running of the full Marathon here in Tampa, I just don't see myself recovering fast enough for my next race 3-weeks later. I know me. But one thing I'm shooting for is at least getting back down to my Ironman weight by then, and being able to match my PR at that distance of 1:57. You should "reach" for goals, right?

So after that, in March, I plan on doing the Gator Half Marathon down in Sarasota - signing up before New Years Day keeps the price down to $155 - a bargain considering St. Anthony's Oly was that exact same price! Krimeny! The Gator Half has my eye as an early "A" race. My boys Curt and Lee are already planning on coming down with, and I'd like to put in a good showing. PR time. It will be cool, flat as a pancake, and cheap - all of my favorite race-type things.

Next is the typical triathlon season opener - St. Anthony's Olympic. I plan on being in great shape by then - having just PR'd in a Half IM a month earlier (the power of positive thinking at work here). I have a full 4-week training cycle to get some serious speed work in at the OLY distances, and for once I plan on having a great St. Antony. So that's April.

St. Anthony's marks the end of my "regular season", and the beginning of the MNB2B train-up. Yes, you've heard it all before, but this year is going to be different. We are, according to our President and all his Czars, screaming headlong out of this Recession, and what are the first industries to leave the recession? The luxury, big-ticket sales industries - like the RV industry, where I have suffered for the last 12 months, and am ready for the whirlwind of commissions that await me. By March (the deadline for the less-expensive entry fee for MNB2B) I'll need to have saved a benchmark amount of cashola to qualify for the ever-so-trendy "trigger-pull", but I'm pretty confident for this year's economic rebound in the Bigun household.

What's so irregular about the MNB2B you ask? The mighty CANOE! I'll have about 12 weeks to go from zero to hero in the shadow of a 50-mile 2-man canoe jaunt planned for the end of the MNB2B race. I also have to figure out the training specifics for the crazy distances and relay-induced time-trial sets that this race calls for. Fun stuff ahead.

So the MNB2B is at the end of June. 12 weeks away, or so, from the illustrious Beach to Battleship Iron Distance Triathlon. I can't see how that will happen, but if the stars align and the injuries all stay away, the money doesn't run out and we can fit a MUCH NEEDED week long absolutely nothing to do with triathlon or training VACATION (like a cruise or whatnot) in before-hand, like in the summer, around July or August - then there's a chance of signing up for the B2B, if on the off chance that registration hasn't filled up yet. Phew. See that, I committed to a VACATION and was totally uncommitted to the prospect of an Ironman in 2010. But I want to do one.

But I (we, as in Tri-Sherpa Di and I) really, really need a vacation.

Scared of a 'lil bike ride...

So Sunday is the Horrible Hundred. I don't think it got it's name by being a walk in the park. I've ridden on part of it in the past, and it's no joke. The area around Clairmont, FL has some decent hills, and they wind this course around to make sure you climb most of them. I took the day off work so that I could enjoy the day and not worry about making it back in. Get-her-done.

Gasparilla is right around the corner. Feb 28th. It marks the last running of the Marathon for that day - it seems the Mary has been decreasing in number of participants, while the Half-Mary, run the same day, is the preferred venue, and has seen growth. I'd like to say I'm running the full, but two things - getting the training in (which, so far, so good), and only having 4 weeks until a nice half-Iron-distance race down here in Sarasota - the Gator Half. Now some of you sprite, skinny runners may be able to recover from a marathon in a month, but me - Herr Bigun - I'm not built that way. So we'll see.

I'm also staying psyched for the '10 Minnesota Border to Border. I'm thinking of a 2 person relay with Blink - and of course it would be cool for other teams of friends to compete with and against - but that's still a little ways off for next year. Lots of "life" between now and then, and life sure is complicated these days!

Hilly Hundred

So much for the Hundred! Disclaimer up front - I only managed 87 miles - so I did more then the 100k, but not the whole 100 miles. I feel like giving the t-shirt back! I've never done that before - cut a race short like that. Oh yea, its not a race, it's an organized ride. Right...

The cold front went through the day before, so it was kinda freaky waking up to temps in the 50's! I got in the truck after loading everything up and while it was calm outside, it was 53 degrees. Well below my previously stated limit of 60 degrees for bike ride low temps. Driving north to the start of this event, the thermometer crept steadily downward. By the time I got to the college where we were to head out, it was 48 degrees! Now I'm really breaking the Bigun's rules.

Of course I've got nothing extra special for this ride. No arm warmers, no leg warmers, no toe warmers or hat thingy. I did bring a long-sleeve shirt which I kept on for the whole ride - it was the only thing good about being the biggest guy there - everyone else was shivering, while I was ok. I met John and Lee there; I think if John would have brought a winter parka, he'd have worn it. He had everything else on - you have to keep in mind - last Sunday, we started our ride at 77 degrees and finished at 93. Today's ride would not even get up to 77. Our blood is a bit thin this time of year...

Just what I thought would happen - did. The Bigun, at 280lbs, was dropped at the third big hill, about 5 miles in. I watched the peloton ride away, and I settled in to my pace and my alone-time. The course was essentially a North-South out and back, with a couple of East-West loops thrown in for good measure. The East-West's on this day were welcome, as out of the north came a staunch headwind steady at 5-6 mph, gusting 10-15mph. For drama's sake, I'll say it was mostly gusting.

So not only did I lose the draft-pack, but now I had to fight the wind and the hills all by my lonesome. Sucked to be me. I made it to the 3rd SAG stop before stopping, and that was at 62 miles or so. By then my average speed had dropped to below 16mph, and with the stop, I was firmly in the 15's. I knew my buddies in the draft would be averaging 18 at least, so to keep them from having to wait an hour for me at the finish, and since I had to work and was already late, I hatched a plan to cut the ride short. I knew one of the loops was a 6 mile out and back, and as I struggled to keep my average above 15.5mph, I cut that "Trilby Loop" and rode to the finish. It wasn't an easy decision, but looking back, I'm glad I did - we all finished within 10 minutes of each other, and I saved them some worrying and an extra hour of lateness at work.

Packing this extra 30 lbs is a bear. I'm hoping that adding the running now will start to whittle away at it - I sure do miss the spryness of 250lbs! Ha! That even sounds funny to me.

Four weeks until the Clairmont ride - the Horrible Hundred. I've got the day off from work, so I can ride slow and guilt free that day. It's got at least a thousand more feet of elevation change in it; upwards of 8k feet in climbing, as opposed to this Hilly Hundred that is about 6.5k feet. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will be a calm day!

No BAF

So the Bike Across Florida is out. The website for the ride is disabled, although it still shows up in Active.com - I'm even more suspect about this ride then ever, and glad I made the decision with our "team" of work bikers to not do this ride.

Looking forward to the big weather change that is supposed to happen this weekend - on Sunday, for the Hilly Hundred Century here in the San Antonio area of Florida, we are supposed to wake up to 58-degree weather! I'm used to starting my rides in the high 70's, and finishing in the 90's, so this will be oh-so-nice!

I've put together a tentative schedule for next year - now all I have to do is FUND it! MRS Lana wants us to come up and do the Gulf Coast Half IM in May, which is cool, but of course it's not super cheap. That's after the early season Gator Half Ironman in March, a race that Excel Man turned me on to. Looking for tune up races to get back into the swing of things, I found two inexpensive lake-swim Olympics just outside Gainsville in January and February - so I'm excited about that.

No, I'm not doing the full Marathon at Gasparilla - just gonna do the Half. Three weeks later is that Gator Half Ironman, and I'd like to do well at that, which would be impossible on barely-recovered marathon legs.

If all goes well (and Tri-Sherpa Di agrees) May will bring the beginning of the trainup for '10 Minnesota Border to Border. I know, I know, you've heard that one before! I'd really, really like to do that race - spend a week riding and running hard, and the cool thing, really, is that the whole race is spent with your SHERPAs! I mean, how often do you get to do a big race and see your spouse the entire time? Usually a long-course race is a pretty lonely affair, even with the hundreds of other racers. B2B is a sprint relay, and the Sherpas are more vital than ever to the success of the racers.

The B2B is at the end of July - then the summer is firmly entrenched in the year-round-outdoor-training-center. I'm kinda intrigued by the Beach to Battleship race in Wilmington - and will be interested to see weather reports from this year's race. Last year the whole deal got mixed reviews from folks I know, but that's pretty normal for most races. Half? Full? We'll have to see...

Yet another Podcast

If you'll notice to your right, in case you can't get it in I-Tunes yet, you can listen to Episode 19 on the player in the sidebar. Enjoy!

cough, cough

Cough, cough - the dust is bad in here! Sorry folks, it's been a while. I've been putting in some long hours at work, and I think it's paying off. There are indicators that we are at the bottom of whatever economic crisis we are in right now, and heading up. Good news for RV salesmen. Seems that we are the first to dive into the recession, and the first to get our noses up. The season for RV sales is the winter time - folks from the barren tundra you call the Northern States head south to escape the snow. These folks who still have money, hopefully will let some of it out of their bank accounts this winter and trickle it's way into my bill collector's hands. Bypassing me completely. Funny how that works.

A little success in that regard goes a long way toward motivating me to shed some weight and get back in shape. I'm 20 weeks away from the Gasparilla Marathon - this will be the last year the city of Tampa runs this race, and I think I'll run it. Two weeks later is the Gator Half Ironman down here in Sarasota in early March. It bills itself as the fastest half Ironman in the country - so I'm guessing it will be pretty flat.

Coming up soon will be the Hilly Hundred (Oct 18th) and Horrible Hundred (Nov 15th). Nothing like a hilly century or two to get the legs pumped up. The trick after those will be to balance the run volume with some bike maintenance so that the Gator can be a good race, and I can PR the Marathon.

Next May will bring the Cross Florida Bike ride - this one run by a bike club, and better organized and less greedy. I've got a good feeling about the organization, and feel like it would be important to tackle that event.

This is way premature, but the Minnesota B2B - abandoned this year due completely to finances - could be back on the table for the end of July '10. It's early to say if this RV season will be a good one, but if it is, I'd really like to try and convince a couple of wack'os like me to hit it.

Then what? Who knows? Firmly entrenched in summer, any training after July I've come to learn, is pretty much torture. This week marks the first break in days above 90 degrees since they started at the beginning of the summer. I won't plan any further out. I'm not signed up for any Ironman races for '10, although my buddy Lee seems to want to put IMFL10 on the schedule. But that's just not going to happen.