Week 12 of 70.3 Florida training:

Week 12 is a RECOVERERY week, just in time.

Everything looks good, the weather look like I'll have nice week so I hope to as much as possible outside.

I'm still a little sore from Sundays ING half marathon, so I'm going to do my workouts at a slightly lower intensity.

WK-12	Swim Recovery	Bike Recovery	Run Recovery
Mon	(#3) 1000 yds. a.m	20 miles p.m.
Tue	(#13) 2000 yds. a.m		50 min p.m
Wed		30 miles p.m.
Thur	(#4) 1250 yds. a.m		40 min p.m
Fri		20 miles p.m.
Sat	(choice) 1000 yds.		90 min a.m
Sun		50 miles a.m.	60 min walk p.m

I forgot to add to my last post some info about the ING expo.

Good show, it was at the Georgia Dome, you know that hallowed hall where the Falcons play.

The expo was on the field, and I got to walk the field and look up at the stands, life is good.

I got to meet Tommy from GU Sports and talk about the Team Zoot/GU project.

What a good guy, they were a very busy booth, but he was able to take some time and meet with me, talk sport and tell me all about the product.

Also, a good tip, if you at the expo on the last day and 10 minutes to close, you can score a lot of free stuff.

In 10 minutes I got 2 large bags to FREE stuff, so thank you to all.

OK, I need to stretch it out and get too bed.

Train smart train strong,

-Brian

ING Half Marathon my race report:

ING Half Marathon today.

Cold run, but the rain stopped just in time.

My alarm went off at 04:30 and I could still hear the rain.

I got up, cleaned up and dressed. I wore two short sleeved tech shirts under a long sleeved tech shirt and a light windbreaker, and shorts under loose tights and my newish Mizuno's, not sure what I was going to run in, but at least it had it.

I use Body Glide on my longer runs on my feet, and I thought it would be a good idea to do the sides of my heels, wrong, while walking my socks where falling down and getting sucked into my shoes. After some playing around I was able to rub it off and get my socks to stay, but I was real worried, 13.1 without socks.

Out the door and to the train station, I got in without any issues, lots of other runners on the train.

Got to the start and it was dark, wet, cold and crazy.

I found the bag check station and it was a real long line, and it was cold to I kept it all.

I would suggest more lights, and better direction, it would of been nice if someone was telling people where the corals where. That kind of stuff, all in all they did a good job, 20k runners, its a big job.

We when off and I as soon as I crossed the starting line walkers were blocking 3,4,5 wide, not cool, please walkers, I am truly glad to have you out with me, but come on folks, please understand some of us are here to run (or what I call running), and make a whole.

Just like the last few weeks, I got some real lower leg splints and it hurt, real bad. I had to walk them off, or risk them all day. Slowly they were getting better, but I was feeling like a loser, walking 9 minutes into it. I had to walk them off, I would run for about 5 minutes and have to walk for about 5 minutes. This continued for almost 40 minutes.

Once I got past my issues I was able to run it out.

Quick comment about the people around me at 40 minutes, and about 2.5 miles into it. People were walking, and lots of them, and they were there for a reason, many of them walking for someone else.

I saw a woman with the pictures of two very your children on the back of her shirt, I wanted to ask, but I don't think I could of taken the answer.

Many with the same stories.

Lots of support, it was a special crowd.

At this point I got my legs and I had to go.

I'm calling this the middle section of my run.

I felt fine, I was finally running and I was smiling.
After about two miles if running I was feeling fine and started to make up a little time.
I was passing people left and right, granted a lot of these runners were slower them me, even if I didn't have to slow down for shin splints.

But it's fun to pass people.

I would get on a stretch where I could see 500 meters and say 'I'm going to pass 20 people' and I would and more, I did this much of my last 5 miles.

I ran everything, hills, come on, I was running hard up them, runners where dropping like flies. I took corners fast, leaning into them, and passing people.

At about mile 12, quite a few people were walking, I couldn't believe it, 1 mile to go, come on folks, dig deep.

I would say this was a pretty hilly course, lots of ups and downs, and some good size, and I know it was cold but 1 miles left ya got to turn it up.

I finished strong, and I would have to say, I finished about as strong as I ever had.

In the last 1/4 mile I passed 30 people that just didn't have it.

That's my story.

Run strong,

-Brian

Shameless plug, but I love GU, I was taking Espresso Love and Lemon Sublime.

I also got to meet up with a young old friend from Middleboro Ma, who ran the Full Marathon who just killed her goal time.

Thyroid results are in:

Just opened the lab report from my last thyroid test, and just as I suspected I'm real low.

Thyroid can be measured from 3 chems T3 I'm 2.5 normal is 4.6-12, T4 I'm 56 normal is 59 – 174 and TSH I'm 11.56 normal is .34 to 5.6.

The TSH for me is the big indicator; your pituitary gland creates the TSH to call to your thyroid to create more T3 and T4.

Just about a week ago I called over to my doctors office begging for something, I felt real low, so low that training had become real work and all I wanted to do is sleep.

Not sure if one week is enough, but I'm still feel a little low, and I can feel it in my muscles, I've never gotten a Charlie horse but, but now I've had a few, and lots of shin splints. Who would of thought it was going to be so bad, not me.

My issue now is the ING half mary, I got to run this thing and I will, but I have to say my ambitions of running this thing as a bull has been set adrift and now I just want to complete it and stay strong.

I know thing are now going to in the right direction and just in time to finish my 70.3 Florida training.

I really haven't missed too much, I've just been tired and wow I gained about 10lbs in 3-4 week, crazy stuff.

Ok, enough, I hope this is my last downer of a post. It's not really a downer because the hard part is over, right? Yes it is, come on 70.3!

Train smart, train strong,

-Brian

Week 11 of 70.3 Florida training:

Counting them down, it's week 11.

Looks like I've pulled a pretty big week out of my hat (or other part of my body).

I've been looking at this week for some time now, it, by far has been the biggest week I've seen in, well ever I think.

Got a couple of key swims, run and rides, but I'm not sure I can pick 'em all up. I have to all day meetings for Wednesday and Thursday, and I bailed on today's lunch time swim in favor of shoe shopping, I know that didn't come out right, shoe buying! The pair I've been running in has been killing me, they have too many miles on them, and they are failing me. Lately I feel like I'm mid foot striking too much and causing splints, and I need to find something with a heel ASAP. I liked the pair I have now, I ran Chickamauga in them, but it's time to move on, and I can't say I want another pair.

My show quest will continue post work where I will hunt for footwear.

I also have the Georgia ING half marathon this Sunday so I need new shoes and some time to wear them in.

 

WK-11
Mon	(#7) 1500 yds. a.m	25 miles p.m.
Tue	(#14) 2500 yds. a.m		60 min p.m
Wed		40 miles p.m.
Thur	(#10) 1750 yds. a.m		50 min p.m
Fri		20 miles p.m.
Sat	(choice) 1000 yds.		100 min a.m
Sun		60 miles a.m.	75 min walk p.m

 

I might swap this week with next or because of the run, I'm not sure I want to ride 60 the day before, still thinking about this one.

 

Either way, I hope everyone has a good week and a good run on Sunday.

 

Run long my friends,

 

-Brian

55 mile ride is in the books:

Greetings all,

With it being Good Friday and Easter Weekend I needed to move a few things around to accommodate everything and everyone.

Sunday was to be my long ride, but I'm going to my Fathers for Easter so a 3 hour Sunday ride is out of the question. So my only other option was to get it done today, and my friends today was a great ride.

The hills felt smaller the sun was one my (sun screened) face and the wind at my back, the bike was tight and all I needed to do was ride 55 miles.

I set off at 10:00 am and was making great time; my goal was to negative split the ride and get back to the house feeling like I could run nothing more nothing less.

It was a little cool this morning about 50 degrees (I know it all relative) but sunny and not much wind, I set off on a route that I ridden before but a little shorter than my requited 55 miles, but I added a new loop to get my distance.

Things were going good until I got to a closed road, the road dipped down real low and had been closed due to flooding, so I turned it around, I knew where I was so no big deal, just funny.

I was going to link up with a pal from the office and do a partial ride from his house to the office and get a feel for the route, but scheduling issues arose so we missed, so I road it alone.

What a nice ride, I'm going to enjoy riding to the office, at about mile 2ish it's a good downhill into a covered bridge, real nice, then it's a bit of a long grade uphill, but the covered bridge is real cool.

After that I needed about 20 miles and I needed faster splits, so I got it in gear and went. The sun was getting a little higher in the sky and it was warming up nicely so the added speed didn't feel like work at all, it felt like spring.

I got back to the house feeling great, I didn't get to run off the bike, I was tight for time, and I owed it to the family not to keep them waiting.

So that's the story of my 55 miles ride.

Good Friday and happy Easter to all,

-Brian

Help us fight cancer by supporting Relay For Life!:

Hi Everyone,

I am going to do the "Relay For Life" to benefit the American Cancer Society, this is a overnight walking event from 7pm to 7am, then I am going to run the Grayson Day 5K road race at 7:30 that morning.

Besides being a little crazy, I am doing it to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and I need your help.

I want your money!

I've been spending some time thinking of the people I knew that died from Cancer, both my grandfathers for starters, and many others. But then I started to think of the people that I knew that HAD and SURIVED cancer, this was a longer list.

We are making great strides in stomping out cancer and this is how we pay for it.

Folks, this is how we pay for it, we do crazy things like walk all night, and then the real crazy ones run a 5k.

So, we need your money, plain and simple, it’s the money that makes it all work. No one else is going to do it for you. You are either going to have to come walk with us, and I wish you would OR you’re going to have to get out your checkbook and do what you can.

Please help me, I set a modest goal to raise $500.

Click here to visit my personal page.

Please visit my site and click the donate button, give what you can.

This way we can both pay if forward.

Good Karmas king.

-Brian J MacDonald


Can you believe that more than 1.3 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States this year? Those are staggering statistics, but there is hope. Each of us can do something to save lives and help those already fighting this disease. That's why I've decided to take action against cancer by supporting the American Cancer Society Relay For Life® event in my community.

Relay For Life is an overnight event that brings our community together to help support the American Cancer Society and its lifesaving mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. The Society works hard every day to prevent cancer and save lives by supporting groundbreaking research, affecting public policies that protect us from cancer, and educating people on how to prevent or detect cancer early. The Society helps people with cancer right here in our own community, and our efforts at Relay For Life can help the American Cancer Society to keep working toward a cancer-free future.

I want to invite you to show your support in the ongoing fight against cancer by teaming up with us for this year's Relay. Please click on the link below for more information, including details on the inspirational Survivors' Lap and the moving Luminaria Ceremony. We hope to see you there! If you can't join us, will you please visit the site and make a donation to support our efforts? Either way, you will make a real difference in the lives of people facing cancer and in the lives of the people who love them. Thank you!

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Week 10 of 70.3 Training:

This is it the biggest week yet, and I'm a little bummed because something has to go.

We are going to Spend Easter at my Dads house; we are going to my Dads in South Carolina on Saturday day after the kids play their soccer games.

Looks like I'm taking Sunday off, not really a big deal, I mean come on, its Easter.

That said I have Friday off, so I think I'm going to do my long ride on Friday, and my long run on Saturday morning before soccer, then I'll let the wife drive us out.

Next week is the Georgia ING Marathon, which I will be running the HALF, I'm not completely sure if I'm going to taper at all. It might be good training to have a big ride on Saturday and then race ING on Sunday. I have to really think it over, I would like the training, but I don't want to risk any injuries, going to have to sleep on that one.

So here's my week, Monday is in the books. I followed last night's 25 mile trainer ride with a fast one mile off the bike run. I could really feel that run, wow.

The swims are getting good, and I've got to hit all my runs, especially with the ING half next weekend.

WK-10
Mon	(#9) 1500 yds. a.m	25 miles p.m.
Tue	(#14) 2250 yds. a.m		60 min p.m
Wed		35 miles p.m.
Thur	(#11) 1750 yds. a.m		50 min p.m
Fri		20 miles p.m.
Sat	(choice) 1000 yds.		90 min a.m
Sun		55 miles a.m.	75 min walk p.m
WK-11

Wish me luck.

To you all, train smart, train strong,

-Brian

Week 9 midweek update:

Oh it's Wednesday already, the weather is cooperating and I'm feeling fine.

Monday after my swim I thought I was coming down with the flu, I'm happy to say it wasn't my time, but I still caught something. So I headed home and tried to sleep it off, and needless to say I missed my 25 mile ride.

Tuesday, I swapped my swim workouts because I just wasn't feeling 100% and I didn't do the drills I just swam it straight out. The kids have Dance on Tuesdays one has it early and the other late, while I take care of one the other goes with my wife, and it went long so my run went sort. I blasted to the gym (closes at 10:00pm) ASAP at got on a tread just about 09:10 pm, feeling a little bummed about trying to squeeze a 50 minute run in 40 minutes. I got in the tread warmed up for 5 minutes, restarted it and got up to speed, feeling the pressure of -10 minutes I ramped up my speed about a full minute faster than my normal, after all in order to run faster you just have to run faster. I was able to hold my new speed for 2 miles and then had to back it down because I feared I would blow something up. Post workout I was feeling really good, but for all that's good in this world I could not get to sleep, and when I did I don't think it was that high quality stuff I like so much.

Wednesday, still a little sleepy I got to work and hit the coffee pot, (we brew Seattle's Best, Henrys) so a little goes a long way. I got to the pool at noon and swam my 2k, I did do the drills, I just swam it straight and felt pretty good about it. I broke it down to swimming 20 100m, so I would swim the 100 and click my watch, in the end I swim 2000m in 39 minutes, not too shabby for my standards. Post workout I got to the office, ate my turkey sandwich and a bag of Cape Cod cheddar jalapeño (this is a habit I can't seem to break) , I was tired but I my mind was real clear and I did some of my best work. I got home on time and grabbed my bike, the wife (good gal) had the kids at soccer practice, so I road for 28 miles and averaged 19.40 mph, (holy $hit) 19.40, this is new, where did this come from? Must be that bike, I was able to spend more time in the aero position, I would say I was aero about 20% of the time. I was monkeying around with the seat tilt and I think I'm off a little because riding aero was a little uncomfortable. Maybe that's how I found that new speed… Post ride my legs were a little toasty but I felt the need to run off the bike, so I ran inside and changed my sorts (sore from the seat tilt) chugged a little water and ran my one mile. I had posted earlier about how good I was feeling running off the bike, well today I didn't have that same feeling, my legs were a little too pumped and contraction was little limited. I got my mile in about the same time as usual so I felt ok, I felt like this was more like a race scenario and that's what's it all about.

Tomorrow, how knows, but I would like to run at lunchtime, and take the evening off and do something with the family, I've been asking a lot lately and I need to show my appreciation.

So that's my week so far.

My advice to you all get you're training in, but down forget to pay karma bills.

 

 

Week 9 of 70.3 training:

Ok, here we go boys and girls, week 9. This is the week when I go from 9 workouts per week to 12 workouts per week.

 

WK-9
Mon	(#6) 1250 yds. a.m	25 miles p.m.
Tue	(#12) 2000 yds. a.m		60 min p.m
Wed		30 miles p.m.
Thur	(#8) 1500 yds. a.m		50 min p.m
Fri		20 miles p.m.
Sat	(choice) 1000 yds.		80 min p.m
Sun		50 miles a.m.	75 min walk p.m
WK-10

On top of this I need to run off the bike, I'm thinking I keep to 1 or 2 miles for my weekday rides and 30 minutes or more on the long weekend rides.

Timing is everything, the clocks got moved and my PM rides should be outside in the sun!

Ok, I'll update throughout the week.

 

-Brian

2.1 k in the pool:

I forgot to post yesterday; I must have been a little dizzy sill from my pool workout.

I hit the pool for my longest straight out swim ever, 2100 meters. I had a run scheduled but as I was getting changed I noticed I didn't have my running shoes. I had packed my shoes the night before, but when I got of my bike that night, I pulled them from my car so I could run off the bike and forgot to repack them. So the best sounding option was to swim.

This is a good time of year for the pool, not too many swimmers, mostly people doing PT. So I had my own lane and the water was good and flat and I was feeling pretty good. I got in and started out, I wanted to swim this complete without stopping. So I started off slow and after my typical 300m warm up I started to feel loose, the first few 100 I'm tight and I don't reach my form. So I started out for my first 1000m, doing fine, clicking my watch on the 100m so I would have a record, 1k in 18:23, good I thought, then I clicked the wrong button on my watch and my workout was saved and I had to start another workout. See I got the new watch a Polar RS100, I will review sometime soon. I felt bad and I had to stop swimming for approx 20 seconds until I could reset my watch, dam you watch. So then I set off on my next 1000m, I was still feeling fine, I was swimming about 1:40 – 1:45 and real happy with my time. At points I would work less on mussels and more on technique and try to learn to maximize my speed and conserve energy. The rest of the workout when fine, I started to feel a little tired in the last 200m, but I finished the last 1100 strong and felt good about missing my run.

Next up, a 50 minute run today @ lunch if I can, 70 minute run Saturday and a 35 mile bike Sunday.

-Brian

Going strong:

Wednesday update,

Today was a good day, I did a swim workout at lunch, 300 warm up, 16x50s (all out speed) 20 sec wall time and a 150 cool down for 1250m.

Tonight was a bike on the trainer for 01:12 for 25 miles, just a steady ride, working on breathing and keeping my HR low (131 avg.), followed up with a 1 mile off the bike run at tempo pace.

So I'm starting to feel real good about my training and need to get psyched up for next week I jump from 9 weekly workouts to 12!

Like most training programs you start out light and a little disjointed and start building and over time some of the dots start getting connected, for me this was the week. My body and mind are getting stronger, I'm getting good sleep and my food habit is now all about choosing good whole things.

Bike talk, for the last two days I've been running off the bike and my legs feel like a million bucks. Take this for what it is, I'm on a trainer ridding a steady but strong 20 mph speed, no hills and no wind, but when I jumped off and ran and I didn't have heavy legs WOW, I just felt great, and I owe it to my training and the Felt b12, I love this bike.

Train strong,

-Brian

Florida 70.3 training halfway point

Update:
I needed so swap Monday for Tuesday, so tonight I rode the trainer.
What seemed like an effort 3 weeks ago now seemed like a rest, I rode for an hour averaging 20 miles per hour. The last two weekends had longer 45 mile rides with lots of hills, so heck ride only an hour on the flats, no problem. I felt so good, I hopped off the bike grabbed my running shoes and blasted for a 1 mile run and it felt so good.

Barring time constraints I’m going to brick of the bike every time.

-Brian

WK-8	Recovery	Recovery	Recovery
Mon	(#2) 1000 yds. a.m	20 miles p.m.
Tue	(#4) 1250 yds. a.m		50 min p.m
Wed		25 miles p.m.
Thur	(#5) 1250 yds. a.m		35 min p.m
Fri
Sat			70 min a.m
Sun		35 miles a.m.

This is the halfway point in my 70.3 FLA training, hard to believe it's here.

I've got a little over 2 months of training left and I am feeling good. The weather is starting get better so long runs and long rides are going to be a lot more fun.

I'm looking forward to getting my wetsuit and starting to get some open water swims in, the pool work is going fine, but it's the open water that need the help in. I want to rip that swim, I want to keep with the mid packers and cruise this swim, I want to have a good time, not the typical panic and exhaustion.

My bike is spot-on for my training Sunday was a 45 miler with lots of long grades and some rolling hills, and I managed to average 17.7 mph. Now my goals for 70.3 FLA are 19 MPH, but for only bike training for 2 months or so I am feeling good about my progress. I will be on the bike trainer tonight for about an hour J

Running is where I need to start getting faster; I have been running a real hilly 6 mile loop around my neighborhood and I've been averaging on 11:30-12:00. I think I've been so worried about the swim and bike that I have been neglecting the run, but that's all changing this week. I have the Georgia ING half mary at the end of the month and I would like to finish in 2:25 or less, that sounds so slow, I might have to revisit this goal as I get closer. So this weekend I am going to watch what I'm putting in my mouth, (going to be hard because the Girl Scout cookies just showed up), and I've going to run, run and run some more.

Train Strong,

-Brian