Lance has the F1 project and I have Bob from Wheeliefun

My goal is out there now and kind of hangs around my neck like a noose. This is my first go around with an actual goal. Come to think of it, I have made it through half of my life without a goal.
Our swimming goal is 35 mintues and I feel pretty good. The race is 1500 meters and I consistently swim 100 in around 2 minutes or less. Multiply that out and you get 30 minutes or so plus five minutes for fighting in the water, CPR, giving my insurance card to the rescue guy, running up the swim stairs and pulling off my wetsuit.
Perfect-35 minutes

But the bike is another story. I need to go 20 mph and in the past have only managed 19 mph. Does not sound like a big deal until you realize that resistance on the bike is a NON LINEAR function. So a small increase in speed or wind comes at a very high cost.

So I have two solutions for this problem. The first is that Nick and I have adjusted my weightlifting to increase muscle strength in the leg.

The second is my "Rosie Ruiz" strategy. I went to visit Bob, The TNT Coach, at Wheeliefun today. He outfitted me with a new saddle and funny handlebars that stick out in front of the bike called aerobars. It makes me more aerodynamic and takes the load off the front of my leg. Bob says its good for one mile per hour----19+1=Twenty MPH. 20 mph equal a bike time of 1:15. Now I just have to figure out how to run and transition.

Overpass

In the words of Tennessee Williams, "Somtimes, there's God so quickly".

Today I was driving to work on one of those streets that is not quite a highway but still everybody drives about 65 mph when cruising along.
I was approaching an overpass that had a highway fence around it (The "no throw rocks on cars" kind of fence)along with a set of bars over the top. On one of those bars there was a guy, a tall guy, doing multiple pullups.
Show off or just making the best use of his time?

Last night I made the best use of my time by working out with Nick at Power 3 . We used to meet around 5:30 am or 6 and then one day it dawned on both us, "Could this be too early for human activity"? So we switched to night workouts in the weeks leading up to St. Anthony's to better accomplish run and bike training in the morning.
Nick is also training--for his vacation to Cabo! Who says kids don't have it tough these days--Training for vacation!--That is pressure.

Where's My Dog?

I went out for a two hour run this morning. To get the time in I started at 5am which frankly is too early to start anything. Though, interestingly enough, not too late to finish something.
That aside I started my run at 5am and was suprised to find that it truly is a dog's world. Every other person had a dog with them. An then some folks came with multiple dogs. At one point I could not get past all the dogs on the block--not that I was unhappy with the excuse to rest.
Of course I am allergic to dogs.

Meet our best athlete and maybe throw him some love (and by "love" I mean Money)

David Young is our latest athlete to join TeamBigWave. Here's the unusual part, "He is an actual athlete."
You may recall that he beat me last year at Tri For Joe without training, without custom biking shoes and while riding LISA's bike (you know Jessica Fletcher saddle).
David has been training like a maniac and I suspect we will see big things from him.

I have provided a link to his donation page on the right of the screen.

As per my unoffical routine, I will alternate years of begging for donations for myself. This is an OFF year so you are all safe from my requests. I will pay my own freight this year.

But how about David? Throw him some love and follow our exploits over the next few weeks.

Goal, Eh, Goal, Eh Goal (Say it out loud like Telemundo)

Let's get down to brass tacks. Tonight got in the famous on brick that consists of indoor biking and treadmill running--back and forth, back and forth (kind of like rinse, lather, repeat).

So what can we shoot for at St. Anthony's?

How about 2:48? Would be great since my best in the past has been around 3:21.

The swim: I can do 35 mintues which is still slow for a mile but improved for me. On a great day, 30 minutes

The Bike: If I push I can make 20 mph and finish in 1:15--A REACH BUT POSSIBLE.

The Run: 9 minute miles put me around 56 minutes and 10 minute mile sput me around 62 minutes. Can I lose more weight? If so the time will go down.

Transition:Better know as changing your shoes--can I get 4 minutes?

Ok so
swim-35 minutes
Bike-75 Minutes
Run- 58 Minutes
Trans-4 minutes

Equals 2:48 (what is actually equals 2:52?)
How do I get to 2:48?

MAGIC DUST in the Gatorade.

Progress

Let's face it. Although the last two of triathlon training have been fun for us all, there has never really been a concern that I was any good at these events. The fun has come primarily from the survival aspect. Unusual for a sporting event but , then again, I am no ordinary sportsman.

Now that is not to diminish TeamBigWave accomplishments but my near drowning in Tampa Bay, my gasoline inhalation in Lake Michigan and of course the bilateral, monster leg cramps in Chicago were closer to "Jackass:The Movie" than Bud Greenspan's film of the 23rd Olympiad.


But a strange thing is going on. In the last few weeks I can feel myself getting control of some apsects of the sport. Tonight I went for an 11 pm swim session. Since I am on call I have a plastic bag technique to hold my pager and cellphone on the pool deck. Walter set me up for a 2 plus mile swim that included 20 intervals of 100 yards each. The goal is to try and go fast but then to hold this pace for each of the intervals. A funny thing happened--I was able to do it. I might be racing this year.

I Hate CATs and PETs

So I had a conversation that went something like this (actually it went nothing like this but I thought it would make for a better story this way):

Ding-a-ling-a-ling (Not sure why I have a phone from 1942)

Wifey-"Hello "
Me-"It's me. What's up ?"
Wifey-"Nothing. Anthing going on with you? Anything to report?"
Me-"Nothing much. I am at work and blah blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda punchline. Training tonight etc etc etc. Oh by the way you're tests came back and you do not have Lymphoma and you do not have to have another transplant and you do not have to put your life on hold and you can have fun at St. Anthony's race and you can plan our 20 th aniversary get away and you can take out a lease on a new car and generally go on with you life. So, What are we having for dinner?"
Wifey-"Great. The kids need a bath tonight."

I have this system worked out with the oncology nurse. When the tests are done I epage her a text message at 6 am the next day letting her know when and where the test was done and how she can reach me. So if she gets back to me real quickly I know things are totally normal and if it takes a little while there is probably an issue but it is unlikely ot be a big deal and , finally, if it takes along time and the doctor calls---trouble. This go around the calls came early.

TeamBigWave a useful distraction from fear

TeamBigWave

I thought it would be nice to review how TeamBigWave got to this point. Frankly, blame it on Buddy.

3 years ago Lisa got sick and I thought it would be a great idea to join Team in Training and raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society while training for St. Anthony's Triathlon. Women, of course, recognize this as an example of guy logic. Guy logic goes like this:

1)My wife needs helps
2)I'll go ride a bike

Why be actually helpful, when I can be inspirational?

Along the way there was a detour when Lisa fell out of remission and had to undergo a stem cell transplant. So I left the St. Anthony's Team. Along came Buddy Hammerman who dusted off his bike and "took my place" by participating with Team in Training in the 100 mile America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe. Later that year Lisa was better and I completed the Chicago triathlon with Lisa, Buddy , Renea, John and Julie in attendance. A great idea was born and we have spent the last three years informally supporting each other.

TeamBigWave Athletes
Buddy Hammerman-Cycling
Carol Craige-Half Marathon
Sarah Suraci-Half Marathon
Gwen Linthicum-Triathlete
Greg Clarke-Triathlete
David Young-Triathlete
Rob Rothaus-Cycling
Brian Carroll-Triathlete

Who's Next?

Payoff

A lot of triathlon training is actually about what you do when you are not training. This weekend I really put out a large effort and pushed myself in terms of time pretty hard. Now, it was not necessarily easy and it did not feel great at the time.

Monday is my typical day off so Tuesday I was back at it with an hour and a half run followed by an hour of weights. Funny thing--I seemed to do better today.

High stress followed by rest equals better performance. Sounds like a good guide for life.

Big Secret

Less than six weeks to go before the first big race of the season, St. Anthony's triathlon. Last year's story is well known by now with 6 foot swells in the ocean and my near demise by water. I was proud to compete and recover but just because you can make something out of trouble does not mean you should be proud of getting into trouble in the first place. So I have spent the past year correcting my faults:

1)More swim training with coach Barb
2)More weight lifting with Nick
3)Longer workouts directed by coach Bob and Walter DeNino
4)Setting the bar higher

So this year I have set my sights on a half ironman race, to set the bar even higher. My season will start with St. Anthony's ( 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike and 6 mile run) in April and end with The Buckeye Challenge in August ( 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run).

Yes, you heard it first here--A Half -Ironman. Better lose a few pounds.

Freezing! Rain! I'm Back

Ok so the blog is back.

I stopped writing for a while since I had nothing to say. Then I stayed away too long because I was waiting to hit my groove.
Well this week I hit the training hard with a long run in the rain at night, a 2 and half hour bike and run in 20 degree weather and a monster 4 and a half hour bike and run today.
Now, things are cooking.

So in the next week you can look for posts on the following topics:
1)Preparation for St. Anthony's race with Team in Training in April
2)Introducing David Young who will race with me at St. Anthony's
3)Announcement of race schedule for this year
4)Big Secret stuff that only you will know