I Couldn't Go Too Long Without a "Big Goal"

I did the best I could to take as much down-time as possible, but it wasn't going to last too long. This year was frustrating with some of the health issues I've had (overtraining leading to burnout) but I'm feeling a lot better. Although I feel ready to start full-on training again I know the "smart" athlete will take this time to fully regenerate and get back to feeling 100% and then rest more and feel 110% for the spring season. I've decided that the winter Coach Troy workouts are not the best way for me to spend my training time and I'm going to focus more on strength and core development. I'm noticing (especially this year) that it's taking me a lot longer to recover from workouts and I need to pay very close attention to my diet and recovery to keep my body going. I've started supplementing my diet with vitamins (B complex, magnesium, and immunity supplement) and I've noticed I'm feeling so much better when I wake up and that I have more energy throughout the day. I've always thought that I could get enough vitamins and minerals through my food but obviously I'm missing something because the vitamin regimen seems to be working.

I think it's also helped that I've scaled back the training intensity 100%, only doing steady state or low intensity workouts. I'm about 10lbs heavier than my race weight but that's okay, this is the time of year to gain a little weight and I know that my body cannot be 164lbs all year round without sacrificing some muscle mass. Part of being a healthy athlete is knowing how to utilize my body's ability to gain weight (muscle & fat) in the off-season and work towards a peak for 1 or 2 races. Being afraid of gaining weight is the mindset of the "obsessed athlete" not the "healthy athlete." I think I spent too much time in the obsessed athlete's frame of reference and now my body is telling me if I want to continue I need to change. So I'm learning little by little and I have to credit my friends and family for giving me the well-rounded perspective I need to bounce back. Amber always gives me a friendly reminder when see thinks I'm pushing a little too hard on the bike or in the pool and I appreciate it. Also Robert brings me back to earth with his off-season attitude and keeps me focused on not trying to peak in January.

So I needed a "Big Goal" to keep me training and fit throughout the winter and Amber and I have decided on IM 70.3 San Juan, Puerto Rico!! It's a beautiful location for a 1/2 IM and it'll be a fantastic way to say good bye to winter and see an incredible island. It's March 19th and we are sending out an invite to everyone to join us, come spend a week or two on a wonderful tropical island. If you don't feel like doing the race don't worry about it just come for the get away. Hope to see you there, Amber and I are sooooo excited last year we didn't get away at all so we need this trip this year.



http://www.ironmansanjuan.com/

Happy Anniversary Babe

Images from our second year of marriage

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving. I feel very fortunate to be healthy, happy and have an incredible family.

IM Kona

Yesterday was a perfect day I had a great time watching the start of the IM World Championships the only thing that was missing was Amber. She and I always enjoy watching the pros race and determining who is going to have the best day. This year however she was in Victoria with her 1/2 marathon training group and I was left to watch the action with Harley. He didn't seem as excited about the action as I was but I'm sure he was questioning what I was so excited about when I saw the end of the race. What an incredible finish, I've never really been a big fan of Chis McCormack (he's always seemed a bit too cocky for me) but when he hung with Andreas Realert in the final three miles of the run and then started to pull away from him in the final mile, wow I was impressed. You can't imagine how aweful you feel at the end of an Ironman race (especially in 40'c) but to put together an 8:10 Ironman is absolutely incredible. I have to give credit to Macca, he is a true IM champion. I saw Andreas run with Craig Alexander last year stride for stride and I immediately thought he was going to win this race one day but Macca proved that it takes a lot more than just a great run. Great action and I was just sorry that most of my friends were in Victoria or Kelowna running in their own races.


I was inspired by the racers and decided to go out for a little ride, just 90k out to the Smoky River and back. It was a fantastic ride, I cruised through the first 45kms in 1:07 and was feeling pretty good about myself but when I turned around reality started to set in. I struggled up the back half of the hill and never really had the same legs after that. It didn't seem like there was much of a wind but I was definitely moving a lot slower than I was on the way out. I ran out of water in the final 15kms but hobbled back into town in 2:32. Fat and out of shape and I can still pull off a 2:32, 90k ride in October. I know I still need to rest a while but I'm looking forward to meeting Lance again, this time in Kona (he was watching the action yesterday too). I had the upper hand in the 2008 Boston Marathon but I think I have my work cut out for me if I want to beat him in Kona next year. We'll see how the year develops, I'm looking forward to our next meeting see you in Kona Lance.