Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace...maybe this is what I should be doing with my spare time rather than writing ridiculous posts about sitting around and eating and sleeping all day.
Race prep is going swimmingly! Very excited for my race this weekend.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Lance
I thought Lance's facebook update today was worth sharing. He's either a cocky jerk or he just says it how it is, either way he isn't a cheater:
St13 done. Wet and cold. And slightly boring. Can't remember a day this cold in the TdF. Ever. Team was solid and controlled things well and big surprise, had antidoping control @ the finish. Keep looking, nothing to find except hard work & sacrifice. Never was, never will be.
Also worth sharing is a very in-depth and insightful race report from Ironman Korea by a good buddy of mine Chris Pickering. He's quickly becoming a competitive long course athlete while I'm trying to make it in the equally unforgiving world of elite-level short course, makes for some great training discussions. Definitely worth a read to get a glimpse of the immense challenge of Ironman and the mental fortitude required to survive the day. Here it is, hope you don't mind me sharing Chris.
St13 done. Wet and cold. And slightly boring. Can't remember a day this cold in the TdF. Ever. Team was solid and controlled things well and big surprise, had antidoping control @ the finish. Keep looking, nothing to find except hard work & sacrifice. Never was, never will be.
Also worth sharing is a very in-depth and insightful race report from Ironman Korea by a good buddy of mine Chris Pickering. He's quickly becoming a competitive long course athlete while I'm trying to make it in the equally unforgiving world of elite-level short course, makes for some great training discussions. Definitely worth a read to get a glimpse of the immense challenge of Ironman and the mental fortitude required to survive the day. Here it is, hope you don't mind me sharing Chris.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
race week
The lack of interesting posts (or posts in general) would be due to the fact that I'm too tired from workouts and/or busy recovering from workouts. Its been a really tough couple weeks getting a ton of high quality mileage in, and the whole squad is feeling it. As Paul Sherwin says in the coverage of the Tour, "everyone is going through their own personal purgatory."
Training is going very well, I'm getting faster despite the fact that I've forgotten what its like to feel "fresh" for a workout. Seriously...I don't remember the last time I gave a positive answer when someone asked me how I feel. But its paying off. Monday's track workout ended up being the same as last Monday's (after a few adjustments to accommodate the tired and lazy squad). Last week my 1200s were 3:50-55 (3:12-3:14/km pace), this week I did 3:45-3:48 (3:07 pace) on much heavier legs, and it was after 4x400 to start. I've hit the run hard the last couple weeks doing 60-70k a week and I'm really looking forward to seeing the work pay off.
Swimming is getting there too, the shoulder is still bugging me a bit but I'm getting the workouts done with a bit of modification. I was doing 1:19 consistently for 100's today which is great for me.
Yesterday and today are fairly light days to give us a bit of a break before Belwood. Despite coming off our big training weeks I'm in a better mindset than I ever have been before a race. I know I've done the work and I'm on good form. So I'll get my 8% on Sunday and apply for my elite card. The plan is to race K-Town long course tri as an elite Aug 2, can't wait!
Training is going very well, I'm getting faster despite the fact that I've forgotten what its like to feel "fresh" for a workout. Seriously...I don't remember the last time I gave a positive answer when someone asked me how I feel. But its paying off. Monday's track workout ended up being the same as last Monday's (after a few adjustments to accommodate the tired and lazy squad). Last week my 1200s were 3:50-55 (3:12-3:14/km pace), this week I did 3:45-3:48 (3:07 pace) on much heavier legs, and it was after 4x400 to start. I've hit the run hard the last couple weeks doing 60-70k a week and I'm really looking forward to seeing the work pay off.
Swimming is getting there too, the shoulder is still bugging me a bit but I'm getting the workouts done with a bit of modification. I was doing 1:19 consistently for 100's today which is great for me.
Yesterday and today are fairly light days to give us a bit of a break before Belwood. Despite coming off our big training weeks I'm in a better mindset than I ever have been before a race. I know I've done the work and I'm on good form. So I'll get my 8% on Sunday and apply for my elite card. The plan is to race K-Town long course tri as an elite Aug 2, can't wait!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
6 weeks out from Nationals
Well my last training day of a very tough week has been rained out, the suffering will resume tomorrow. So I'm partaking in my favourite July activities (besides racing, of course) of drinking coffee, listening to R.E.M. and watching crazy French fans doing faceplants on the pavement trying to keep up with Andy Schleck in the Pyrenees...seems like a good time for a post!
Next up on the schedule is Belwood July 19. It seems like I've barely been racing at all this year only having done two and its mid-July, but I've been picking my battles wisely. I have a lot of motivation to get within that 8% margin of the winning time, as Craig and I decided that I'll apply for my elite card after Belwood. I have no doubt that I have the fitness to get that 8% so I'm just looking forward to having a great race at one of my favourite venues.
Kelowna is 6 weeks away this weekend, and sprint nationals is my A-race this year. I've been really excited for this race since I first checked it out at the beginning of the year. The course suits me perfectly - very technical bike course, flat run, and hot. Given how hard I'm working and the training we're doing in the next few weeks I have a ton of confidence; I want to win and I don't see any reason why I can't. Unless of course training kills me first. My three goals this season are 1. get my elite card, 2. win nationals and 3. top-15 in my age group at Worlds. The first two are in my sights and giving me the motivation I need to get through the toughest training of the year (not to mention my entire life).
Next up on the schedule is Belwood July 19. It seems like I've barely been racing at all this year only having done two and its mid-July, but I've been picking my battles wisely. I have a lot of motivation to get within that 8% margin of the winning time, as Craig and I decided that I'll apply for my elite card after Belwood. I have no doubt that I have the fitness to get that 8% so I'm just looking forward to having a great race at one of my favourite venues.
Kelowna is 6 weeks away this weekend, and sprint nationals is my A-race this year. I've been really excited for this race since I first checked it out at the beginning of the year. The course suits me perfectly - very technical bike course, flat run, and hot. Given how hard I'm working and the training we're doing in the next few weeks I have a ton of confidence; I want to win and I don't see any reason why I can't. Unless of course training kills me first. My three goals this season are 1. get my elite card, 2. win nationals and 3. top-15 in my age group at Worlds. The first two are in my sights and giving me the motivation I need to get through the toughest training of the year (not to mention my entire life).
Monday, July 6, 2009
Monday Workouts
Swim:
1000 warmup
16x50m on :55 (alt. sprint 15m/easy)
6x200 on 4:00
Felt really sluggish in the water, probably since I haven't had regular swims in 2 weeks now. 200's were around 2:48-2:55, I was just glad to get it done
Bike:
45min easy spin to test out the wrist with a brace on (I can ride again!), then spin to the track
Run:
3-4x1200m @ 5k pace (16:00 5k = 3:50 per 1200)
I only did 3 since I'm pretty beat from a massive run week last week (72k), but felt quick today.
Now I'm just resting up for TdF Stage 4 team time trial tomorrow in Marseilles (I'm going to southern France one of these days to race IM Nice). Very excited that the TTT is back, Astana is going to dominate just as US Postal used to in the good old days...like 6 years ago. Lance will be in yellow tomorrow after the lucky breakaway today.
Now for your weekly dose of awesome Canadian music, recommended by Ryan Power himself...
1000 warmup
16x50m on :55 (alt. sprint 15m/easy)
6x200 on 4:00
Felt really sluggish in the water, probably since I haven't had regular swims in 2 weeks now. 200's were around 2:48-2:55, I was just glad to get it done
Bike:
45min easy spin to test out the wrist with a brace on (I can ride again!), then spin to the track
Run:
3-4x1200m @ 5k pace (16:00 5k = 3:50 per 1200)
I only did 3 since I'm pretty beat from a massive run week last week (72k), but felt quick today.
Now I'm just resting up for TdF Stage 4 team time trial tomorrow in Marseilles (I'm going to southern France one of these days to race IM Nice). Very excited that the TTT is back, Astana is going to dominate just as US Postal used to in the good old days...like 6 years ago. Lance will be in yellow tomorrow after the lucky breakaway today.
Now for your weekly dose of awesome Canadian music, recommended by Ryan Power himself...
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Vive le Tour!!
Someone tell Craig I won't be at our morning workouts for the next 23 days. Its that time of year again! I'm picking Cadel this year, although Lance and the rest of Astana will be very interesting to watch. I'll be on the lookout for shiny new equipment to put on my Christmas list, as I'll be in the market for a new time trial bike next season.
Some of you may know that I was considering going to France this summer and I would have seen Stage 1 today in Monaco! But I decided to race in Australia this year instead. What can I say, its a tough life.
Some of you may know that I was considering going to France this summer and I would have seen Stage 1 today in Monaco! But I decided to race in Australia this year instead. What can I say, its a tough life.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Half way through '09
Half-way into the 2009 season I've realized that this year has and will continue to be a learning season. As much as I like to focus on results, I've come to accept that its necessary to have a learning year before a performing year. Last year I learned how NOT to train and race. I completely overtrained for my first experience at World Championships and ended up with a major injury, missing six months of training. This season I'm learning how to train and race properly, and one of the most important aspects of that is, well, not training or racing.
Historically I haven't been one to take recovery all that seriously. I've always been the type of athlete who prefers to ignore nagging injuries and get on with training. I could either be classified as tough, stubborn, or stupid. But diving head first into elite level training this year with the PTC its been a pretty steep learning curve with regards to proper recovery. If you don't train smart and commit to proper recovery practices, you get hurt. If you're hurt and continue training then you're sabotaging your own goals and racing season. I've had my share of injuries this year, most of which have been unavoidable (injuring both my wrists in two seperate bike crashes) but I've been forced to learn when to take time off, focusing on my long term goals and not stressing about missing a couple workouts. Lesson 1 - don't be stupid. Seems simple, but 95% of humans don't follow it.
After missing a number of swims with shoulder tightness, and finally getting a diagnosis on my wrist, I accepted that Peterborough is out this weekend. Lesson 2 - know when not to race (...and don't pay for races 4 months in advance). With my A-races being nationals and worlds, its important to know when not to compete and possibly sacrifice training for my real goals this season. As Craig told me this past week, the difference between elites and age groupers is elites know when not to race. Its not as easy as it sounds.
Lesson 3 - set goals, not expectations. If you expect to perform a certain way then you're setting yourself up for disappointment - either you meet your expectations and there's nothing positive, or you don't meet them and you have a negative experience. I've done that for my entire athletic career. But I finally realized that setting goals is much more constructive and conducive to good performance, and so far this year its worked for me. In my early season races I've had some great results, partially because I've gone into the races looking forward to seeing what I can do, rather than expecting to podium or win my age group by ten minutes. My goals this season are to win my age group at nationals, break 2:00 at Worlds and come top-15, and have strong results throughout the season to work towards a provincial elite card next spring. Lofty goals, but what are goals if they aren't challenging? Goals are constructive, expectations will never create a positive outcome.
If you've actually bothered to read all of this, you'll realize that none of my lessons are particularly profound or original. Well there's nothing all that complicated about training and racing. As I find myself in a strange place in the sport, somewhere between age group and elite both in terms of training and in results, I find that racing at the elite level is a lot simpler than most age groupers tend to make it (lose 30lbs before shaving 12 grams off your SLC-SL, for example). Just a few good lessons to remember going into my training for the races that count. Don't be stupid, remember my long term goals, keep racing a positive experience.
Historically I haven't been one to take recovery all that seriously. I've always been the type of athlete who prefers to ignore nagging injuries and get on with training. I could either be classified as tough, stubborn, or stupid. But diving head first into elite level training this year with the PTC its been a pretty steep learning curve with regards to proper recovery. If you don't train smart and commit to proper recovery practices, you get hurt. If you're hurt and continue training then you're sabotaging your own goals and racing season. I've had my share of injuries this year, most of which have been unavoidable (injuring both my wrists in two seperate bike crashes) but I've been forced to learn when to take time off, focusing on my long term goals and not stressing about missing a couple workouts. Lesson 1 - don't be stupid. Seems simple, but 95% of humans don't follow it.
After missing a number of swims with shoulder tightness, and finally getting a diagnosis on my wrist, I accepted that Peterborough is out this weekend. Lesson 2 - know when not to race (...and don't pay for races 4 months in advance). With my A-races being nationals and worlds, its important to know when not to compete and possibly sacrifice training for my real goals this season. As Craig told me this past week, the difference between elites and age groupers is elites know when not to race. Its not as easy as it sounds.
Lesson 3 - set goals, not expectations. If you expect to perform a certain way then you're setting yourself up for disappointment - either you meet your expectations and there's nothing positive, or you don't meet them and you have a negative experience. I've done that for my entire athletic career. But I finally realized that setting goals is much more constructive and conducive to good performance, and so far this year its worked for me. In my early season races I've had some great results, partially because I've gone into the races looking forward to seeing what I can do, rather than expecting to podium or win my age group by ten minutes. My goals this season are to win my age group at nationals, break 2:00 at Worlds and come top-15, and have strong results throughout the season to work towards a provincial elite card next spring. Lofty goals, but what are goals if they aren't challenging? Goals are constructive, expectations will never create a positive outcome.
If you've actually bothered to read all of this, you'll realize that none of my lessons are particularly profound or original. Well there's nothing all that complicated about training and racing. As I find myself in a strange place in the sport, somewhere between age group and elite both in terms of training and in results, I find that racing at the elite level is a lot simpler than most age groupers tend to make it (lose 30lbs before shaving 12 grams off your SLC-SL, for example). Just a few good lessons to remember going into my training for the races that count. Don't be stupid, remember my long term goals, keep racing a positive experience.
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