This Weeks Workouts

Going to start something new where we post up the weeks workout for viewer critique, encouragement, and to give readers a glimpse at what training looks like on a weekly basis.

Monday: Swim at Lunch and a 5 mile foundation run after work. Ran it 36 minutes

Tuesday: Weights before work/Yoga and a foundation bike ride after work.

Wednesday: Run trails in Mountains. I'll be at Black Mountain, just below Mitchell for a conference.

Thursday: Run trails in Mountains, focus on the hill climbs. Ride when I get back to PBO hill repeats are in order.

Friday: Weights in AM. Swim at Lunch. Mountain Bike after work

Saturday: The Infamous Brick. 40 mile ride 6 mile run back to back

Sunday: Tempo Run AM and a Mountain Bike ride in the PM.

Carry on,

-E
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The March To White Lake

Now that spring tune ups are over it's on to White Lake, the biggest spring race around. It's a half Ironman (1.2/56/13.1). Hopefully it will go well. I am feeling stronger than I have in the past three years heading into this race, and I am sure Bobby will once again set a personal best at the distance. Lately his course records have been falling. Yesterday we heard a 6 hour flat announcement from Camp Wilt. For me I am hoping to come in around 5:15. I think it's realistic, but we will see how the next two weeks go.

"It's only a mile anybody can do that..."

-E Click Here for Full Post

Race Week

P-11 is racing this weekend, at Beaverdam Lake. The water will be freezing! Get ready for some great photo's and good stories.

-e Click Here for Full Post

Saddles

Back in the saddle after final four weekend. I don't know if y'all know this, but the Heels are your 2009 National Champions, making UNC the University of National Champions! Go Heels! I had to work late nights/early mornings because of the celebrations. Sunday was my last workout before today. I got back in the pool and then ran a 20 minute 5k after work. Not bad for sleepless nights, poor nutrition, and allergies like you wouldn't believe. This weekend is Easter, I'll be on the road down in SC, and Bobby will be in Western MD. He'll be previewing the Westernport wall, and I'll be running in low country. 10 days till the next race!

Hammer Down,

-E Click Here for Full Post

Swimming

Clearly the most hated part of most folks triathlon training.

Why? For me its the sheer boredom of the black line...and the fact that I am the most hungry after a swim session is over.

Anyone else?

Just for the record I did swim during the lunch hour, even though I totally did not want to be there. Click Here for Full Post

Training Schedule

Afternoon folks,

Wanted to take a second to post the rest of this weeks workouts. Making them public, makes me much more accountable to them...

Today: Swam at lunch. Running at home after work. Planning on heading through town and then up this road to the fire towers. I have never been before but I have always wanted to check out the road. Will report later for distance and what not.

Tomorrow: on the bike after work.

Friday: Swim at lunch running in the evening at the local high school's cross country course. Go Northwood Chargers!

Satruday: Bike ride

Sunday: Oly distance brick at race pace.

What are others up too?

-E Click Here for Full Post

Death in Triathlon

Not good news...well really not good news if you are a male between the ages of 35 and 55 who happens to not be the best swimmer out there.

Anyone know someone fitting that description?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/03/triathlons-and-marathons-are-amazing-fitness-feats-of-fitness-but-neither-one-is-without-risks-dehydration-exhaustion-bro.html

-E Click Here for Full Post

"We Love Adversity"

Sandwiched between the long course duathlon in Cary last weekend, and the Knoxville half-marathon this weekend, this was a challenging week for Team P-11. Not only did we have to deal with training in inclement weather, but we suffered our first injury of the season. Here's the backstory.

I am taking a swim class at the gym and was sharing a lane with a more experienced swimmer who was doing flip turns. In the middle of a drill, she flipped into my head, puncturing my left ear drum. I tried to swim on, thinking I just got my bell rung and could swim through it. Alas, it got worse instead of better. Therefore, as much as it pains me to admit, I sought medical treatment at the ER. Doctor verified a punctured ear drum and advised no swimming until cleared by and Ear, Nose, and Throat doc, which I will see on Monday. Suspect I'll be out of the pool for a few days and will probably be a couple of months before I can hear again. No worries, I couldn't hear that well to begin with. Biggest worry is that I can ill afford to miss any swim sessions, as I'm staring at two tri's in the next 5 weeks with a mile swim leg each. I'll have to resort to survival swimming techniques taught during plebe year at West Point to get through them.

When Eric and I were discussing the setback, he says "we love adversity". While its a nuisance to ride or run in the rain, or play through a minor injury, these adversities are nothing compared to what cancer patients deal with. That's why we're doing this - to raise money and awareness for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in order to help cancer patients fight the disease and Live Strong, just like Tim did for 11 years.

Push yourselves hard this weekend. Relish the adversity and remember, there are folks out there who aren't just practicing how to deal with pain, they're in the middle of a fight for the lives. Beat Navy. Out.
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Rain

Seriously training in the rain is becoming like second nature. More miles in the rain tonite, more in store for tomorrow, and the weekends key workouts as well as The Knoxville Half Marathon will be in the rain too.

If it aint raining we aint training...

-E Click Here for Full Post

Race Weekend Nears

Evening folks,

Its Thursday night, March Madness is in full swing, and we are gearing up for the first race of the season. Bobby is back from Wenatchee, or will be in an hour. He is taking care of some business in the morning and then heading over here as soon as he can.

Tomorrow is going to be about checking the gear, making sure we are eating, and hydrating. I'll be at the office until noon, but then heading home to make sure my race bike is in proper shape. Once Bobby arrives we will probably take a shake down cruise on the bike, and then head to packet pickup. Eat a great dinner and try to get some sleep. Even though the race is not until 9am, its going to be an early morning.

We'll post a bit about race plans and post some pictures tomorrow.

Thanks for reading and please remember to donate.

-E Click Here for Full Post

Cary Long Course

Evening folks,

We are a few days out from the first race of the season, and I am a little nervous. The first race of the year is an unknown. I have nothing to base my performance on. I have not strung together a big brick yet, and if nothing else the CLCD is a big brick. It's not a question of finishing, barring injury that should not be a problem. The big issue is just how will the day go. The first run should be nice and smooth. I am not going to push too hard on it, and just kind of cruise through it. The bike course is pretty sweet. I have ridden alot of the roads before and know it quite well. I am really looking forward to the strech on Big Woods road, its one of my favorite training roads in the area. Most of the climbing is going to ocurr at the end of the ride, so I will need to conserve enough to really pick it up over the final stretch. The final run is going to be the issue. It's the big unknown. At any triathlon you just never know how you are going to respond on the final piece.


On the brighter side the weather is suppossed to be much better than last weekend. Sunny with temps in the approaching 55. Going to need to remeber the arm warmers on the bike...More to come later.

BTW - ran a foundation 4 today just cruising around PBO 7 min/miles

Carry on,

-E
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Running in the Rain

Yesterday I went out for an 8 mile run. I employed what I like to call a survival run. On a survival run I have Gina blindfold me, toss me in the truck, drive off in the country, and leave me. Usually I get a watch and a water bottle and am told to find my way home. Sometimes this happens under the cover of darkness too. Well maybe they are not quite that dramatic, but still make it home is the basic theme of the run.

Yesterday it also happened to be dumping rain when Gina left me at the river and I started to make my way home. I love this style of running cause you can simply focus on one thing, getting home. Point A to Point B, no loops, its just a straight ahead run. The run went really well too, although I know I was getting a lot of weird looks from cars. The best happened about a mile from home, when a woman pulled over to ask me if I wanted a ride. I said, "no thanks mam. I am out here for this..." She just laughed and told me not to get sick and I kept running.

Here's the route:



It was not so bad at all...but I have noticed that my right leg, IT band, calves are always wicked tight. Need to remember to stretch more.

We are going to start using http://mapmyride.com to post routes.

Carry on,

-E
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Mountain Biking

This afternoon I went mtn biking, and it was awesome! I wiped out a couple of times while I was getting warmed up, but after that I was in the zone. It was like I was surfing the trail, it was by far the best ride I have had on the mtn bike in awhile. I threw my body a little training curve ball too, and am feeling it this evening.

I have been trying to trust the bike more and more, and true enough it will carry you over almost any of the obstables in your way. It was a great workout, my endurance has improved from road riding, so I was able to hammer the trails a bit more than my last trip out. Speed on a tri bike or road bike is one thing, but screaming speed on a trail is another. You are dodging trees, rocks, branches...it's intense. You are continually engaged.

This picture was taken at Briar Chapel Trails, a system of local trails that we are building about 10 miles from the house. When complete its going to be 20+ miles of single track. If you go out right now you can piece togeter some loops and get a great ride in. Rock gardens, obstacles, screaming downhills, and some steep hills of truth round out the course.

When I got back home I laced up the shoes and went for a run. I am trying to get my legs used to the pounding they will take next week at the Cary Long Course.

Hammer down and leave no trail unexplored.

-E
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Tri Bike

I took the tri bike out for its first spin of the season tonight. It was really different. The position is much more aggressive than a regular road bike, and the handling is not nearly as responsive. Tri bikes were meant to aim and fire. I took a turn coming down a hill, and to be completely honest thought I was in deep. I managed to get my knee out far enough that I made the turn, and when I looked down at my speedometer I was carrying 27 mph into the turns. It was a good ride though, that included some nice climbs, and some hammer sessions on the aero bars.

Tomorrow the weather is supposed to turn back to winter-ish. I'll be in the pool and running after work.

Carry on,

-E

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Training Tips - Running for Beginners

As you know, Project 11 is all about encouraging folks to start their own training programs. This can be a daunting task for someone who has never competed in an endurance race before, but there are plenty of events, for people of all different fitness levels. Sometimes it is just the shear act of signing up, or the pending event, that helps people stay focused on their fitness goals. I recommend that everyone at least sign up for a 5K race this year. Trust me. You may think that you can't run 5K right now, but I guarantee if you take a month or two to prepare, you can finish a 5K with no problem...Plus, who ever said you can't walk if you absolutely need to?

The following site lays out a great plan called "How to go from Sedentary to Running in Five Steps". It is a quick and easy plan to get you ramped up for a 5K in no time. The author gears the article towards someone who can simply walk for 20-30 minutes today. It then lays out a plan on how they can gradually apply a little more challenge, until they are finally running for 30-40 minutes.

Check it out. If you are having a hard time getting your butt in gear, this may be just the ticket.

http://zenhabits.net/2008/06/how-to-go-from-sedentary-to-running-in-five-steps/

Now get running...
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Litespeed

I took the Litespeed out for some intervals this evening. I rode 25 miles in 1 hour and 9 minutes. Not bad for early March, but I think favorable winds helped the effort. When I got home I spent some time cleaning up the bike and installed a new handlebar on it too. I am always nervous when I am working on my bikes. I am so afraid to mess something up and cause more harm than good. Luckily a new handlebar was fairly easy to install.

Words of wisdom for the evening "Man cannot remake himself without suffering. For he is both the marble and the sculptor." Dr Alexis Carrel

Fight on tomorrow.

-E Click Here for Full Post

Training

I just got word that Bobby completed his fourth workout in the past 24 hours. Hammer Down man.


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Bricks

The Brick Workout, the essence of multisport. A necessary evil of training. The Brick is something I have not done since the fall. That streak ended today. With the first race two weeks away I thought I was a little past do for a brick workout.

I rode just about 25 miles this morning and then dismounted the bike, walked inside and laced up my shoes. Back out the door with AC/DC's Thunderstruck playing and the run was on. the first mile had its low moments, but was not too bad. It was early in the run that I realized my steps were very heavy while I was running, I was just pounding the pavement. It was somewhere between .75 of a mile and mile two, that I struggled the most. The legs hurt, pretty much all over but especially at my calves. I pushed on though, luckily I saw neighbors moving my way, which served as a pride motivator, and I straightened up, and ran harder. Before I knew it 2 miles was up and I was round the corner to make my way home. I finished the run at full speed and cleared 5k in 21.5 minutes. Not bad considering is still early and it was my first brick of the season. Recovered at the house and the legs haven't hurt at all today.

BTW - I think they are called bricks, because your legs feel like bricks while you are trying to run. I might start to call them pavers, or concretes, maybe cobbles just to change things up a little bit.

Carry on,

-E

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Training Time

The weekend is here and for many of us that means hitting big workouts. My big workout this weekend will probably be a brick workout on Sunday capped with a 10 mile run. Tomorrow I'll be up and ready to roll around o'dark 30 for some cycling. Then it's time to pretend I am Bob Villa and do some work around the house.

What's your workout plans look like this weekend? Whatever it is remember to recover afterward. I am sure Bobby will post up some recovery recipes if we want him too.

Carry on,

-Eric
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Congratulations

Project 11 wants to extend a big high-five to Mike Sasscer, who just purchased his first road bike, a sweet carbon fiber beast of a bike! Mike has already been spotted cruising PBO at 22mph.

Get ready to see Mike out riding with us, and gearing up for a potential race/event this summer.

In the words of Bobby, "Beat Navy!" and get after it.

See you on the roads.

-E Click Here for Full Post