tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73014148309009791712024-03-08T01:49:13.676-08:00Ironman 2007Nels Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11080071498931697658noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301414830900979171.post-39771987091154079972007-08-13T08:13:00.000-07:002011-05-02T10:18:55.660-07:00MISSION ACCOMPLISHED<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NwEusy-JAkA/Tb7mT6Mt6kI/AAAAAAAADCE/pL3Bl74oWvM/s1600/063.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NwEusy-JAkA/Tb7mT6Mt6kI/AAAAAAAADCE/pL3Bl74oWvM/s400/063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602168216209975874" border="0" /></a><br />We did it! Lauren and I both finished the ironman triathlon with a time of 13:05. Considering my goal was 15 hours, I was pretty stoked. The swim took place in a frigid lake in rural British Columbia. The setting was comical: the head lifeguard was obviously recovering from a hang-over as he helplessly tried to prepare the race on time and the swim/bike transition took place in an Indian campround full of families. The lifeguard failed miserably in his effort, and we plunged into the water almost an hour delayed. We both felt strong in the swim, however, with Lauren leaving the water in 3rd place overall and me a little ways behind in 5th place. <div> </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x9vCVDmN0D0/Tb7k09QecyI/AAAAAAAADB0/dHxv2EynrKo/s1600/042.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x9vCVDmN0D0/Tb7k09QecyI/AAAAAAAADB0/dHxv2EynrKo/s320/042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602166584943473442" border="0" /></a>The bike is the achilles heel of my triathlons. This, in one sense, is unfortunate because the bike is the most important leg of the race. If I kick your butt in the swim, I gain a few minutes. If you kick my butt in the bike, you can gain an hour or more in a race of this distance. So, as far as being competitive goes, my race is over when the bike begins. I don't really mind, though. This race, for the overwhelming majority of competitors, is about challenging yourself and the relationship amongst the athletes is definitely friendly.<br /><br />My goal for the bike was between 7 and 8 hours. We took 8 hours to ride 112 miles during the STP the month before, but that included long breaks and I felt there was a possibility of improving upon that time. I finished in 6:50, so I beat my optimistic goal by over ten minutes. That I finished the bike at all was lucky. At mile 34 my rear tire blew out and I didn't bring any tools for repair. A superstar triathlete from San Diego eventually rode by and gave me a spare tube. Also, some local farmers saw that I needed help and talked with the volunteers down the road to arrange some assistance. Overall, I lost about 20 minutes during the ordeal, but since I had already resigned myself to the fact my race was over, I was very appreciative just to get back in the race. About an hour back into ride, I saw Lauren up ahead. I had told her to go ahead and try for her best time, but she, as always, was thinking of me and decided to wait for me and finish the race together. </div><div> </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ytKof4MUsoY/Tb7k1INLJeI/AAAAAAAADB8/MjRLz5EIGYI/s1600/059.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:5 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ytKof4MUsoY/Tb7k1INLJeI/AAAAAAAADB8/MjRLz5EIGYI/s320/059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602166587882415586" border=".2" /></a> The run in an ironman triathlon, as you might already be aware, is a marathon. I had completed one a few years earlier so I knew I could go this distance. Also, Lauren and I had been running fairly consistently through the summer, so I felt physically prepared. The transition from the bike to the run is a major topic of conversation amongst triathletes. Many believe you must create muscle-memory to train your legs to go from the biking motion to running. I have always thought "screw it", my legs will deal with it on game day. And, in this instance, it wasn't a major factor. We transitioned into the run with about a 10 minute turnaround of preparation. The course was relatively flat, with a couple steep hills and two long slopers. I felt strong until around mile 20. Then I started thinking "okay, I am pretty much done". About mile 23 my body was screaming to stop and each step was a challenge. My goal for the run was between 5 hours and 5:30. We finished in 4:50. If I was a stronger cyclist, I think I could improve upon this time significantly, but my legs were in such disrepair that I think I mustered about all I could give. Overall, really happy to have completed this race: I have had this on the life-goals list for awhile. Will I ever do another one? No.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gnAyMcy_474/Tb7mhg74eqI/AAAAAAAADCM/oqhhLh_mVfE/s1600/046.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gnAyMcy_474/Tb7mhg74eqI/AAAAAAAADCM/oqhhLh_mVfE/s320/046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602168449946647202" border="0" /></a>One of the blessings for us during this race was having my mom and my sister's family there to support us. It was a small race and they definitely brought some enthusiasm for us that helped along the way. How can you not get pumped when your 3 year-old nephew is rooting for you? </div><div> </div><div>For anyone considering doing an ironman triathlon I have thought of a few things I learned along the way. Here they are:</div><div><br />1. Nutrition is important. Eating complex carbs and protien are essential for your conditioning. In addition, it is worthwhile to look into supplements. We settled in on drinking a protien shake and a "recovery" drink after each workout. Also, we both loved Hammer's "Perpetuem" multi-hour drink for our longer days. It supplies the energy and electrolytes you need without having to eat multiple goos and popping pills. </div><div><br />2. Bike at least 1000 miles. We biked around 1200 miles before this race and I definitely didn't feel overtrained in the bike category. Others will say it is important to train at certain heart-rates or power-outputs, and they are right. However, for the bare bones approach, make sure you get a thousand under your belt and you will be fine.</div><div><br />3. Try to find a 50 meter pool to train in. The extra distance (the standard length is 25 yards) will give you more endurance and it provides opportunities to practice sighting. The best option would be to train in a lake if you have access. Also, get good goggles. My favorite are the Kaiman's from Aquasphere. </div><div><br />4. Get your running shoes from a professional dealership. My joints and knees don't really hurt on my runs and I am convinced it is because I bought a great shoe that is designed for people with slight pronation. Before you buy your shoe, make sure the employee has watched you run a short distance and is matching your particular stride with the right range of shoes. If he looks at you strange when you ask about this, it means you are in the wrong store. The best place I know of is Jock n' Jills at Greenlake in Seattle, WA. </div><div><br />5. Go watch a triathlon in the area. They are mellow. Most people feel intimated by these races, but the reality is they are comprised of a group of middle-aged people just trying to get in shape. There is absolutely no pressure to perform "well". So, just get out there and do it.</div><div></div><div> </div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RsExi60Jb2I/AAAAAAAAAE8/LXhYO_E06UY/s1600-h/101.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RsExi60Jb2I/AAAAAAAAAE8/LXhYO_E06UY/s320/101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098410729133404002" border="0" /></a>Another highlight of this month was going to Las Vegas to visit Lauren's family. I had met her brother Tyler before, who scores points for being Sigma Chi as well as being a nice guy, but had never met the rest of her family before. We had a really nice time in a beautiful home they rented in the burbs. Her family is very gregarious and diverse in their interests. In this photo is Tyler, Lisa, Paul, Alison, Lauren, and Travis. Travis goes to school in Dallas, so we are looking forward to seeing him more often after we move to New Orleans. Lauren and I are hoping to some day have a get together where both our families get to know each other, but for now that is on the back burner. </div><div></div>Nels Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11080071498931697658noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301414830900979171.post-78530462132768305582007-07-02T10:36:00.001-07:002011-05-02T09:39:05.035-07:00July<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gKZ9qAd1J0s/Tb7d2YY6M6I/AAAAAAAADBE/OpBHKQWek2Y/s1600/IMG_0573.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gKZ9qAd1J0s/Tb7d2YY6M6I/AAAAAAAADBE/OpBHKQWek2Y/s320/IMG_0573.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602158912825078690" border="0" /></a>This month started with an insane 15 mile run in 100 degree weather. We experimented with a run/walk strategy that we might use in the triathlon, so that helped, but overall we felt pretty miserable at the end. In fact, that is what we probably learned about most this month: hot weather training. The additional water necessary and limited periods feasible for work-outs has added another factor. The weekend of the run was also Hoopfest, Spokane's big 3-on-3 tournament. I was going to play with my cousins, but eventually bailed out to allow more time for training and prevent a bad-timed sprained ankle. I don't think they missed me, though, as my 6'2" younger cousin filled in and played really well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g2PIY4yshUQ/Tb7dHabwLPI/AAAAAAAADA8/pl9fCmRc8jE/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g2PIY4yshUQ/Tb7dHabwLPI/AAAAAAAADA8/pl9fCmRc8jE/s320/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602158105920023794" border="0" /></a>Following the first week of the month, I got the flu. I was a little upset with the timing, as we were preparing to ride the <a href="http://www.cascade.org/EandR/stp/">Seattle to Portland (STP) </a>bike ride shortly. The ride itself was pretty cool. The first day was 140 miles, and we got picked up near Longview by my old college buddy Anton. Our previous longest-ride was 60 miles, so this was a big step-up for us. After the ride we went to our cabin on Mt. Hood for some much needed rest. I love that cabin. Of course, my "rest" turned into cleaning the roof and gutters, but that was to be expected.<br /><br />The rest of the month was spent trying to re-build some endurance in the swim and run. Lauren found a nice 9 mile run in the neighborhood and we have done that course several times. To end the month, we ran the loop twice and completed our "long run" of 18 miles to prepare for the marathon leg of the triathlon. We both felt pretty strong at the run, but we took it slow. The race is now less than two weeks away and I don't feel totally prepared. And by "totally" I mean "not at all". Well, actually, I feel confident I can now finish this race (not something I felt two months ago). It is not finishing this race an embarrassing distance behind my girlfriend that is worrying me.<br /><br />Training Log:<br />July 1st 15 mile run<br />2nd rest<br />3rd 1.5 mile swim<br />4th 40 mile bike<br />5th rest<br />6th flu-1 mile swim<br />7th flu<br />8th flu-18 mile bike<br />9th 1.2 mile swim<br />1oth 1.2 mile swim, 9 mile run<br />11th 1 hr bike<br />12th ??<br />13th rest<br />14th 140 mile bike (part of the Seattle to Portland bike ride)<br />15th 60 miles (STP)<br />16th rest<br />17th rest<br />18th 2 mile swim<br />19th 9 mile run<br />20th 1.5 mile swim<br />21st 50 mile bike<br />22nd 1.5 hr lake swim<br />23rd rest day<br />24th 1 mile swim, 9 mile run<br />25th 5 mile bike (flat tire)<br />26th 40 mile bike<br />27th 1.5 mile swim<br />28th rest<br />29th 18 mile run<br />30th 1.5 mile swim<br />31st 20 mile bikeNels Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11080071498931697658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301414830900979171.post-3248098295322760892007-07-02T10:23:00.000-07:002011-05-02T09:55:51.993-07:00JuneJune started off well, with a <a href="http://www.sjmarathon.org/blog/_archives/2007/12/23/3426511.html">half-marathon</a> in the San Juan Islands. I went there with Lauren and her co-workers as part of a fund-raiser for School's Out Washington. It was pretty fun. The race itself was actually 1.5 miles too long. They didn't measure out the distance correctly and several people with GPS watches were complaining after the race.<br /><br />When Lauren told the race director about the discrepancy, he just said "Yeah, I knew it was a little long." Weird, huh? For many<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6e4o5yF1SPI/Tb7g7bSTdRI/AAAAAAAADBM/iZ06a5L7oD0/s1600/2008_07_Western.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:5 5 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6e4o5yF1SPI/Tb7g7bSTdRI/AAAAAAAADBM/iZ06a5L7oD0/s320/2008_07_Western.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602162298036909330" border="0" /></a> people, a half-marathon is the longest, hardest thing they have ever done and the least you could do is drive the course once with your car and get the friggin distance right. I finished in around 1:50 and felt pretty good about the race. Since then, however, I have become pretty bored with running. I tried, I really tried, but in the end running is just not that fun. The "runner's high" is still miles below basketball, surfing, snowboarding, climbing and all the other sports.<br /><br />For biking, we came up with a new system this month. As you will see below, we tried to ride 30 miles on Wednesday, 20 miles on Thursday and then a long ride on the weekend. This idea came from an article we read in an outdoors magazine about an ironman triathlete who trains each week by doing an "iron-week", or the distance of an ironman each week. I think our system has worked pretty well, except we are now bumping up the mileage a little.<br /><br />We found an incredible biking trail in Idaho. It is part of the "rails to trails" program that turns old train tracks into bike paths. The Burke Gilman trail in Seattle is actually part of this program. The trail is 70 miles long, curves through the forest and around lakes, and basically dominates all other biking routes. Stay away, it is our turf, and we urinated along the whole route to advertise this fact.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RoyH-xjWWAI/AAAAAAAAAB4/NWs_v6Av3QU/s1600-h/011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083587591917688834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RoyH-xjWWAI/AAAAAAAAAB4/NWs_v6Av3QU/s320/011.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />My swimming has fallen a little this month. Or a lot. The emphasis on the bike, our trips to Seattle and my new job have taken their toll. I hope to bump this up again after the STP July 15th. Oh, that's right, I have a new job. I am working with a summer camp program at the local elementary school. I basically go on field trips and play sports with young teens. It is fine, except it pays pennies and my "sub" position has morphed into a daily routine. Oh, the things I do when the savings start to fade.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RoyJ-RjWWCI/AAAAAAAAACI/PGQpTPOU7t8/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083589782351009826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RoyJ-RjWWCI/AAAAAAAAACI/PGQpTPOU7t8/s320/003.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Training Schedule:<br />June 1st 5.5 mile run<br />2 rest<br />3 1/2 marathon at San Juan Islands<br />4 rest<br />5 1.5 mile swim at Eastern<br />6 30 mile bike Palouse<br />7 20 mile bike Palouse<br />8 1hr swim<br />9 45 min run<br />10 50 mile bike<br />11 rest<br />12 6 mile run/ 1.5 mile swim<br />13 30 mile bike<br />14 20 mile bike<br />15 Bloomsday course 7.5 miles<br />16 1.5 hrs tennis<br />17 60 mile bike<br />18 rest<br />19 1hr swim/ 1:15 run<br />20 30 mile bike<br />21 1hr bike<br />22 50 min run<br />23 1hr swim<br />24 42 mile bike<br />25 rest<br />26 52 mile bike<br />27 rest<br />28 1.5 mile swim/ 45 min bike<br />29 missed workout (driving back to Spokane)<br />30 52 mile bikeNels Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11080071498931697658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301414830900979171.post-21945480517917627342007-05-10T13:01:00.000-07:002011-05-02T09:02:47.050-07:00May: Taking on the Bike<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CS19-8Glyfc/Tb7VKI_U9qI/AAAAAAAADAs/2Z8I2TIbmgY/s1600/bike.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CS19-8Glyfc/Tb7VKI_U9qI/AAAAAAAADAs/2Z8I2TIbmgY/s320/bike.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602149356683982498" border="0" /></a>It is apparent that if I want to be successful at this training, I need to get better at the bike. Way better. So, I have made some changes. One option would be to work harder. Never really been my style. The other, buy a better bike. Actually, I was getting some good miles under my old bike when I went into REI to inquire about new wheels and tires that would make my bike lighter. I was riding a good, but heavy, bike designed for long-distance touring. He suggested I look into upgrading to a classic road bike. So, ladies and gentleman, you are now looking at the proud new owner of a kick-ass bike. I took it out for my first ride yesterday and it is definitely on. The thing about biking is, duh, the bike is a major part. With running and swimming there is less hassle and I can just go work out. With cycling, there is so much attention paid to the size of the frame, weight, components, etc., that it is a little stressful for a newcomer. I think I am pretty much dialed in right now though, with just a little concern over the frame size. This month I hope to include a lot more days of dual work-outs and long bike rides.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RmZWnBMjX1I/AAAAAAAAABo/mM4mlrr2OmU/s1600-h/002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072837258615414610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RmZWnBMjX1I/AAAAAAAAABo/mM4mlrr2OmU/s320/002.JPG" border="0" /></a>At the beginning of the month we ran <a href="http://www.bloomsdayrun.org/">Bloomsday</a>, our first official race. At 50,000 people, this is the largest run in the world. The course is a hilly 7.5 miles through both scenic and ghetto Spokane. Lauren and I both felt pretty good running. I beat 1hr, which was my goal and much better than my previous attempts at this hometown run. The only lame thing about the race was the priority given to corporate sponsors. The food court at the end of the race was only available to these runners and they were allowed to start the race from the front. If you donate some money, you should get some benefits, but I wasn't stoked having to dodge this group of overweight, balding execs as I made my way down the course.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RmZVIRMjX0I/AAAAAAAAABg/hBvzjGfQ8tg/s1600-h/036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072835630822809410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 5px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RmZVIRMjX0I/AAAAAAAAABg/hBvzjGfQ8tg/s320/036.JPG" border="0" /></a>Personally, we spent some time in Seattle this month and I got the chance to visit with my twin brother Thomas. He is living in New York, and was back in Seattle resting after his first year of Law School. It has been great to be so close to my family in Seattle and see the babies grow. The picture with my sister is her and Lauren holding Caden and baby Lauren. Amazingly, I have managed to avoid changing any diapers so far.<br /><br />Training this month was pretty solid. I definitely got some more time and confidence on the bike. That said, I am still pretty daunted by the prospect of 112 miles. Some days 30 miles seems like childs play and others I am pushing hard to complete 20. I am not sure if this is a function of rest or nutrition. I think we have an advantage biking here for training because the terrain is so hilly. I can't imagine the triathlon courses will be as difficult as our day-to-day conditions. So far my longest day has been a beautiful ride south of town that leads to an historic country church and cemetary. I brought a book of sermons I was reading at the time, and I had to smile at how sappy the whole scene must have looked to anyone passing by.<br /><br />The highlight of the month was completing the <a href="http://www.wwmultisports.com/index.html">Onionman triathlon</a> on my 28th birthday. The day before Lauren and I drove down to Walla Walla and checked out the scene. The lake was small and probably better suited as a fishing hole than swimming. The bike was uphill for 13 miles and then pretty fun on the way back. The run was a very fast 10k that followed the river. We both were pretty nervous before the race. However, the jitters turned quickly into adrenaline as the swim began. I finished the swim much faster than I had hoped and basically biked as expected. Predictably, Lauren beat me in both disciplines.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RmZVHhMjXzI/AAAAAAAAABY/FLuUw_llLfU/s1600-h/021.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072835617937907506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RmZVHhMjXzI/AAAAAAAAABY/FLuUw_llLfU/s320/021.JPG" border="0" /></a>All in all, I feel on track. The next focus will be to up the mileage on the bike. We have a goal of completing the Seattle to Portland (STP) bike race in about six weeks, so that should determine the training schedule. Whether I am right or not I don't know, but I think if I can finish the STP I will be able to do the ironman. My thinking is that, with the STP under my belt, I will have completed the individual distances that comprise the triathlon and the ability to combine the three can be achieved through mental discipline. We'll see.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Training Log:</strong><br />May 1st: 1:30 tennis<br />2nd: 1:20 jog around Manito<br />3rd: 30 mile bike in rural NW of town<br />4th: 3000m swim at Eastern<br />5th: tennis<br />6th: Bloomsday fun run (7.5 miles) My time was 59 min.<br />7th: 1hr swim<br />8th: rest day<br />9th: Bike 20 miles and 1hr run<br />10th: Bike 19 miles and 1 mile swim<br />11th: 1hr basketball<br />12th: 30 mile bike in Palouse<br />13th: rest day<br />14th: 30 mile bike in Palouse<br />15th: missed work-out due to tutoring (and laziness)<br />16th: 1hr swim and 1hr run<br />17th: 40 mile bike<br />18th: 30 min tread/ 30 min weights/ 30 min spin<br />19th: 9 mile run<br />20th: 2.4 mile swim at Eastern<br />21st: 20 mile bike<br />22nd: rest day<br />23rd: 1.25 mile swim<br />24th: 1hr run<br />25th: missed work-out (brother Peter in town)<br />26th: rest day<br />27: Onionman triathlon 1500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run. My time was 2:47<br />28th: rest day<br />29th: 5.5 mile run<br />30th: rest day<br />31st: 37 mile bikeNels Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11080071498931697658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301414830900979171.post-3827259751353836542007-05-09T15:38:00.001-07:002011-05-02T08:57:54.669-07:00The April Step-Up<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RkNz2TSmE2I/AAAAAAAAABA/GbyiG-4A3Do/s1600-h/846a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5063017782822966114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RkNz2TSmE2I/AAAAAAAAABA/GbyiG-4A3Do/s320/846a.jpg" border="0" /></a> This month was a funky blend of working out and adjusting to life back in the States. I wanted to attack the training hard, but realized my body needed to rest and I ended up with an average day of 1 to 1.5 hours of training. When I was traveling I envisioned this process as a peaceful lifestyle of eating healthy and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">exercising</span> full-time. I soon realized that being back home included long lines at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">d.m.v</span>, traffic, being on hold on the telephone, and a million other <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">nuisances</span> I had forgotten about while away. I have tried to maintain a perspective of appreciation for all the comforts and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">privileges</span> we have here, but it's hard to keep up.<br /><br />The primary biking trail in Spokane is the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Centennial</span> Trail. It is somewhat similar to the Burke <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Gilman</span> Trail in Seattle. It is worse in that the "trail" is often a shoulder on a busy road. Outside of the more urban parts of the trail, however, the course follows a river and allows beautiful forested views. Also, because Spokane is a small city, a short drive from home allows countryside cycling. Unfortunately, even with all the nice scenery, cycling has been my biggest obstacle. My legs have been burning pretty bad as I try to maintain consistent 20-30 mile rides. Because this is the biggest part of the triathlon, I am a little daunted. With a marathon, you can just take it really easy and cruise at 12 minute miles if necessary. With the bike, because it is so long, if you go slow you won't finish before the cut-off. For the first time, I am not sure I can complete the race. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">friggin</span>' bike is a long row to hoe. And the curse of the chicken legs continues.<br /><br />In April we took a little vacation and went to Chicago for a wedding. We stayed in the neighborhood that Lauren grew up in and it was great to meet some of her childhood friends. It is located on the North Shore and is mildly famous as the neighborhood of "Home Alone". Actually, we ate dinner in one of the homes that is featured in the film. As a bonus, the family we stayed with owns a great gym downtown and I got to continue training there. It's a different crowd on the north shore,I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">telling</span> ya', everyone owns buildings or heads large firms. The wedding itself was conducted by a charismatic priest and the reception took place in a Gothic-style ballroom in the heart of the city. Perhaps coolest of all, we went to see the Cubs play at Wrigley. The atmosphere was perfect, and I am now officially a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cubbies</span> fan. All around, Chicago was a great city. It appears to be a thriving city populated by transplanted <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">countryfolk</span>, so there is a friendly charisma absent in other large cities. (That means you, Boston)<br /><br />I am running about 3 times a week from an hour to an hour and a half. The loops are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">generally</span> around the parks in the area. The major park near my house was designed by the same brothers that designed Central Park in New York and it is the best ever. Spokane would never be considered a front-runner for the "Most Progressive City" award, and the lack of community pools attests to that conservative mindset. It appears the rich Republicans swim at their clubs and the redneck prefer sports involving rifles: "Git yer damn Government pools out of our town!" Obviously I am a little frustrated. To swim, I drive about a half hour north to the Christian college of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Whitworth</span>. It's actually a pretty good pool, but try to wrap your head around this: there are NO indoor public pools in the whole city. When I do get the chance to swim, it is typically for a mile or so. Lauren is still much better than me, but I am closing the gap.<br /><br />The "step-up" of April was pretty <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">successful</span>. I have improved in every category and am right where I want to be in both swimming and running. That said, the average workout is around 1.5 hours and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ironman</span> will last around 16. Still a long ways to go.<br /><br />Training Log:<br />April 1- 1hr tennis<br />2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">nd</span>- 1:45 bicycle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Palouse</span> Highway<br />3rd- 4.5 mile track "surge" running + 1 mile at Eastern pool<br />4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">th</span>- 16 mile bike east on Centennial trail<br />5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">th</span>- rest<br />6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">th</span>- 15 mile bike with 7 mile push (20 mph) + 1hr basketball<br />7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">th</span>- 1 mile swim (1/2 non-stop) + 6 mile track jog<br />8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">th</span>- <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Bloomsday</span> course prep run. Approx. 7.5 miles<br />9<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">th</span>- Mission Park bike to Liberty Lake. Approx. 18 miles<br />10<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">th</span>- Liberty Lake to Mission Park . Approx. 18 miles<br />11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">th</span>- 1.5 mile swim<br />12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">th</span>- rest<br />13<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">th</span>- 1:30 run in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Winnetka</span><br />14<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">th</span>- Run 45 min, swim 1hr, bike 1hr<br />15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">th</span>- 45 min. treadmill<br />16<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">th</span>- Run 45 min, swim 1hr, bike 1hr<br />17<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">th</span>- 1:15 run <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Manito</span> Park<br />18<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">th</span>- 1.5 hr bike <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Palouse</span><br />19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">th</span>- 1.5 mile swim, 7.7 ,mile run<br />20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">th</span>- 24 mile bike<br />21st- rest<br />22<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">nd</span>- 6 mile run<br />23rd- 30 mile bike + 1 hr basketball<br />24<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">th</span>- 1.5 mile swim and 1hr track run<br />25<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">th</span>- 2:20 bike with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">South</span> Hill finish<br />26<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">th</span>- rest<br />27<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">th</span>- 1hr run<br />28<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">th</span>- 30 mile bike<br />29<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">th</span>- 1:30 jog M<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">anito</span><br />30<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">th</span>- 1:30 swim at EasternNels Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11080071498931697658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301414830900979171.post-20902577719507516962007-03-21T05:45:00.000-07:002011-05-02T08:57:19.685-07:00Easy does it<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RkJMujSmE0I/AAAAAAAAAAw/to5Za14hf2c/s1600-h/761.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RkJMujSmE0I/AAAAAAAAAAw/to5Za14hf2c/s320/761.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062693293748785986" border="0" /></a>Approximate miles ran in past year: 6. Miles cycled: 40. Miles swam: 6. With this impressive fitness background I embark on my latest adventure with Lauren: training for the <a href="http://www.thegrandcolumbian.com/">Grand Columbian Ironman Triathlon</a> on September 15th.<br /><br />We started the training out with a run around Greenlake in Seattle, Wa. This is a mellow 2.7 mile loop that we have both run a ton of times before. I knew we were back home in Seattle when it started raining on us during the run. I don't know how I did it for all those years, the weather in Seattle is a bummer. This is still probably my favorite place to run, though,because of the cool atmosphere and childhood memories.<br /><br />The highlight of our time in Seattle was meeting my new baby niece, Lauren. She is calm, sweet and beautiful. She doesn't do a whole lot yet, but we'll give her a break because she is only 2 months old. Amazingly, when I was holding her she whispered "Uncle Nels, you are my favorite uncle and I love you the most."<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RkJMGjSmEzI/AAAAAAAAAAo/EjmuBCJy3yM/s1600-h/764.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062692606554018610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7sHj1m3LU8/RkJMGjSmEzI/AAAAAAAAAAo/EjmuBCJy3yM/s320/764.JPG" border="0" /></a>In Spokane we took some nice runs and played a little tennis. The neighborhoods are great for running: not many cars, pleasant scenery, the works. Overall, the first phase of the training was mellow. Next month is the step-up. We'll see.<br /><br />TRAINING LOG:<br />March 25th- 2.7 mile lap at Greenlake<br />26th- Nada<br />27th- Nada<br />28th- 45 min. jog around South Hill<br />29th- 45 min. bicycle ride S. Hill<br />30th- 1 hr. tennis<br />31st- 1hr jog on S. HillNels Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11080071498931697658noreply@blogger.com1