Packing!!!

Who ever  knew packing for an Ironman could be so hard. This is just race clothing and nutrition. Now I have to figure out how to pack all my training clothes and day wear clothes. Knowing the race is in upstate NY I have to pack everything possible because you never know what the weather will be.

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to 

prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What it takes to get to the start line

It was 53 weeks ago that I signed up for this journey and what an adventure it has been!!

I am going to try to summarize what it has taken to get to this point

 but I am very sure I will leave a lot out.

29 weeks of training

86 miles of swimming

2937 miles of cycling

765 miles of running

3 set of tires

4 pairs of running shoes

At least 30 visits from UPS or FedEx

1 crash and visit to the Emergency Room

10 stitches

Weeks worth the road rash

Hundreds or Gel packets

1 lost toenail

I have lost at least 30 pounds

Unbelievable amounts of sweat

I have bleed

I have vomited

Learned to pee while cycling

And yes I even had bowel problems while running

and now you ask your self why??

BECAUSE I WANT TO BE AN IRONMAN!!!

Working Vacation

I just got back from enjoying two great weeks in Schroon Lake!! While I was there I was able to res but yet get in a ton of training on some great roads!! Training in a new venue is reenergizing and gave me some new found energy to train.

I am all healed up from my crash and I am ready to go!!

Here is a file from one of the rides I did while up north.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/196801170

Back in training!!

I am happy to say I got my stitches out today so I am back in the pool tomorrow!!
I am almost totally recovered still suffering from a hematoma on my hip but it is still allowing me to train!! I feel great and reenergized to make the final charge to the Lake Placid start line.

These next two weeks are huge this weekend Friday I am planning a 100 mile ride and 30 min run and then Sunday I have a 2.5 hour run around Lake Delta.

Next week I am headed to HEAVEN on earth Schroon Lake to camp with my family and train for 14 days. during this trip I will make my last trip to Lake Placid to ride the course one last time before    July 22, 2012.

At this point I believe all my goals are still attainable so that is encouraging at this point I must just keep my eye on the prize.!!

Schroon Lake

1 Corinthians 9:24

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? 

Run in such a way as to get the prize.

The Crash

This past weekend I had planned to do a big weekend of training up in Lake Placid. Friday night I swam one loop and was very happy with my performance. The plan was for Saturday was 120 mile ride. Well 13 miles into that ride things quickly (30 mph to 0 mph) quickly changed. Going down the Keene descent I got a front flat tire and before I knew it I was lying face down on the 73. After several Good Samaritans I was loaded in an ambulance and taken to Lake Placid Hospital where I received 9 stitches in my hand and was looked at for a concussion which was negative thank goodness for helmets!! Damage to my bike was minimal and I will heal.

Lessons learned
1. Wear gloves on the bike they will save your hands!!!
2. Do not fill tires in Lake placid above 110 psi even if they call for more the roads are too bad.
3. Be grateful things were not much worse and that I will still be at the start line on July 22, 2012!!
4. I am thankful to everyone who came to aid me in my time of need

Luke 10:33 - 34
³³ But a Samaritan,^(H) as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 

 Left hand stitches in the base of the middle finger and palm and stitches in middle finger finer tip

Facial grind - Day number 2 lead to a black eye and swelling

Road Rash

Left Hip Bruise

Sorry I have been away

It has been a long time since i have posted. Since April I have raced twice and taken a 2nd overall at Hamtrek & 1st overall at the HP Triathlon I have been putting in 15 hour weeks and really feel my fitness coming along.

This picture explains it all training, training, training!!

But its going great two weeks ago I was able to go up to Lake Placid and ride the course. It was a great ride with lots of wind and cold temperatures but it built a lot of confidence!! That day I did a 54 mile bike followed by a 5 mile run out to the Ski Jumps and back to the Oval.

Here are the links to those two workouts:

 Lake Placid Bike Loop

Lake Placid Oval to Ski Jumps & Back Run

This past weekend I also went for another great bike ride of four hours. these rides are long and sometimes boring but these long rides set up a great foundation on race day!! Did I mention it was 49 degrees with 15 mph winds!!

4 Hour Ride

1 Corinthians 9:25
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

This race is for God and I thank him for all the witnessing I can do because of this race

The results are in!!

In 2011 I ran the Fort to Fort 10k at 200 pounds in a time of 48:10. In 2012 after a lot of training I finally was unleashed and able to run free with heart rate limiters I was allowed to run all out and I did.

I ran the 10k in 42:15 a huge improvement since last year. I felt good and finished good. I took 3rd in my Age group and it was a very successful day.

Here is a link to my race file.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/165766139

My wife Becky won her age group at fort to fort running 43:54. I am so proud of her. Also my daughter ran the kids race and ran the complete 1/4 mile with no stopping she did awesome as well.

I closed my day out by going for a 4 hour bike ride. However tis was one of the hardest rides I have ever done as there was a sustained 15 mph wind all day. The only positive to the bike ride was I climbed over 3100 ft which will get me ready for Lake Placid. Here's the link to my ride although my avg speed is not impressive I am sure there will be a better outcome in the future.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/165766152

Even though my training is important it is more important to me to train myself in God everyday!!

1 Timothy 4:8-9

New International Version (NIV)

. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹ This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.

March is done!!

March is in the books and I finished with my toughest workout to date. This morning I did 3 hours and 30 minutes on the bike and followed that by a 20 minute run. This epic adventure started at 5:30 am in the basement and ended at 9:30 am. There is nothing worst then riding and going absolutely no where. But for the mental side of training these long indoor rides will be worth it later. My March numbers were very encouraging as I put in 53 hours and 45 minutes of training that resulted in 15 miles of swimming, 465 miles of cycling, and 117 miles of running.

This month I was totally healthy no sickness of injury and most importantly NO MISSED WORKOUTS!!

God is so good!!

Lets just say I am exhausted though I have been extremely tired this week but I find relief in this:

Isaiah 40:31

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

I did some fitness testing this week because I have my first race of the season next week the Fort to Fort 10k. I ran this race in 48:02 last year and lets just say I am very excited to see what I am capable of next weekend. Stay tuned for race report next week!!!

Feeling Good

This week was the week of the OUTDOOR Ride!! I can say that in my 23 years of cycling I have never ridden outside in Upstate NY in the middle of March. Its been great!! Today I did a 2 hour and 30 minute ride. We covered 47 miles and more then 1900 feet of elevation gain. Needless to say my butt is sore and I am tired. The picture is of today's ride and I will also link this ride to my Garmin file.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/158844713

My Garmin 910xt record all the information for my swimming, biking, and running, so that when I get home I can look at the data to help me better understand my efforts, averages, heart rate, pace, elevation gain, speed and everything else in between.

Today's ride was uncomfortable but I got through it and realize there is a lot of work ahead. Matter of fact there is 18 weeks till the race. So i am humbly reminded that today's ride was just one step towards the goal.

James 1:4

So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

I am in!!! USMC Marathon!!

It has been a goal of my for years and this year I decided to bite the bullet!! I figured that after Ironman Lake Placid I would be in great shape to finally give the Marine Corps Marathon a shot. I am one of the 30,000 people who registered today. The race sold out in a whooping 2 hours and 41 minutes for 30,000 slots. Truly Amazing!! As I run I am sure I will reflect on all my time as sea, in other countries, hanging out with buddies, and being in the field. I learned a lot during my seven years as a Marine and now I will be able to have USMC experience again. To all my brothers who are scattered all over the world protecting us THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

My Prayer for all of you is:

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper!! Go out and be a blessing as we are blessed by all of you!! Semper Fi

10 weeks down!! 20 weeks to Go!!

10 weeks of training finished!! What does that mean?

Here it is by the numbers

Over 27 miles of swimming, 629 miles of cycling, and 223 miles of running, and lastly 3 days of missed training due to the stomach bug, and lots of early nights to bed. Why???

So that I can be in this pool of people swimming in this beautiful lake on July 22, 2012!!

Now that the base phase is over it is now a 10 week build cycle this 10 weeks the workouts will become longer and the intensity will increase!! Oh Joy.

There are two big things I have learned during this first 10 weeks of training. Its not that they are new to me but I can say I was pleasantly reminded of them.

Times will be hard - James 1:2-4 - ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

When I feel like quitting - 1 Corinthians 10:13 - ¹³No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

God is good and has blessed me in my training up till this point and I know he has the perfect plan set for me to proceed forward.

My prayer is all the athletes training for the race stay safe and healthy!!

Recovering!!

I have not posted in a while because I have been recovering from the awful Stomach Bug!! On Feb. 12 I want out for my Sunday morning long run!! About two miles into the run I knew something was wrong because my heart rate was sky high. I suffered through the rest of the run and made it home. When I got home I was hit with a fever and awful stomach problems. After taking Monday off from activity I tried to get make after in on Tuesday and Wednesday but I was still battling an awful upset stomach. SO I went into desperation mode. No food or activity for 30 hours. Needless to say this did not work either. SO I had to pull the plug and I did not work out Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. When Sunday hit I was feeling much better and I once again have resumed training. This week long battle messed with my weight and electrolyte counts so I am tying to get them back to normal but I do feel 100% better and I have energy to workout now!!

I was never in deep worry due to being sick I was more disappointed I could not workout. But I stood on Gods word that says: EXODUS 15:26 "... I am the Lord who heals you." I knew He would take care of me and once again God has I am so Blessed!!

On the Run!!

It seems like all I have been doing is RUNNING!! That may not seem like much fun to many people for me it has been great!! I am watching my running progress and its awesome!! Last week I had four runs three - one hour runs and one fifteen minute transition run. In this three hours and fifteen minutes of running I traveled over 25 miles and some change. Yesterday I did a 1 hour and 16 minute run I covered 9.44 miles 8:04 per mile and in that run I had over 1200 feet elevation gain. I am training on lots of hills because that is what Lake Placid is all about. I used to hate to run over 30 minutes and not I am running over and hour three times a week and I often don;t want to stop.

People often ask me what I think about or how I get through an hour of running. Do you listen to music? NO Don't you get bored? NO Don't you get hungry? Sometimes How do you get through it? I have one simple answer I PRAY. The time I spend out on the road is with God I pray for everything while I am running and I am energized and have been blessed by it.

1 Corinthians 9:24 says

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

I run for the Prize and I am rewarded every time I do!!!

One month Down!! By The Numbers

After one month of training I am still able to walk, talk, eat and socialize.

Thank You God!!

But in one months time some cool numbers have turned up.

From Dec. 26 - Jan 26th

My weight has dropped 186 pounds to 176 pounds and I have 12 more pounds to drop before June.

I have travelled around

14.7 miles Swimming

212 miles Cycling

91 miles Running

I have seen 100 freestyle times drop by more then 5 -7 seconds per 100.

My running pace has dropped as well at certain heart rates. These numbers are really exciting to me because because it means my body is going through physiological changes that will help me perform better on July 22, 2012.

And I have established my 2012 race schedule.

2012 Races April 7 - Fort to Fort 10K June 3 - Quassy 1/2 IM July 22 - IM Lake Placid Sept 2 - Big George 1/2 IM ?? Sept 22 - DeRuyter Sprint Oct 28 - USMC Marathon

Week 27

Week 27 was interesting

Three weeks into training my body is starting to get tired. Next week is a recovery week which means I will be doing less volume to recovery and let muscles recoup. The two hard workouts I had this past week were, on Saturday I had a one hour and forty five minute bike ride. It went very well but my bum was a little sore. The other workout was a one hour run on Sunday. I did this run at 7:00 am and the temp. was -11 degrees when we (Mark Rushton who is also doing Lake Placid) started we covered 7 miles including some hills so it was a great run. However I did look like a snowman when I got done my beard was all iced over.

Even though I braved the cold I was blessed by God no frostbite!!

1 Corinthians 9:26

I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me!

I need to stay focused on this scripture because I am on my way to the finish its 26 weeks away but I can not have sloppy weekends of eating whatever I want. I am a disciplined eater during the week but I do love my pizza and chicken wings on the weekends. With 10-14 pounds to still lose before July 22 I must stay discipline.

Last Week I put in 9 hours and 30 minutes of training.

5000 yards of swimming

56 miles of cycling

21 miles of running

80 minutes of strength training

WOW!!

I am amazed at how many people are looking at my Journey. Please feel free to sign on as a follower and make comments on posts. If there is any information you would like to know I can also add that to the page. On the right there is a link to my full training log so you can also see how daily workouts are going.

WHO WILL BE THE FIRST FOLLOWER?

This is what its all about!!

Thanks to God and Tim Tebow 92 million people have Goggle searched John 3:16. This video was played during a NFL Playoff game. God is planting seeds!!

Why do you race?

Most people ask me why I race? In the past I have said because I am competitive, because I like to see what my body can do. Well this year things are different not that I have not before but this year I will be racing for GOD!! I will be wearing the Team Fellowship of Christian Athletes jersey which is a true declaration of who I will be racing for. I will be doing my best to spread the gospel to other triathletes during my journey. God has done so much for me I feel as if it is the least I can do is race for Him. I look forward to meeting other Christians and sharing what God has done in my live with anyone who will listen. It will be scary at times but I look forward to seeing how God is going to use me this race season.

30 Weeks of Fun!!

On December 26th I started this 30 week journey which will bring me to July 22, 2012!!

I am currently starting my 3rd week of base training and all systems are go I am mentally strong and my body is holding together pretty well. In the last 5 weeks I have gone from 194 pounds to 182 with hopes of being between 165-170 on race morning. This will be a optimal power to weight ratio for me to have a great day in Placid. After 14 days of training I have already logged

5.6 miles of swimming

87 miles of cycling

44 miles of running

Those numbers don't seem like a whole lot but I will keep you posted as the numbers increase from week to week.