New Triathlon Coach!

Hi Everyone,

I'm pleased to announce that I have engaged with a professional triathlon coach. His name is Kevin Landry and works with Tri On the Run here in Houston.

We've just started working together and are basically feeling each other out. Kevin has been evaluating my current fitness level so that he can provide customized training to meet my specific goals.

I am really looking forward to working with Kevin.

This week I've started performing Kevin's plan. The workouts are very interesting and definitely NOT BORING. I am going to do a two mile time trial on Thursday so that my current fitness level can be measured.

In other news, I had my last swim lesson from Herschel. He said that my stroke and efficiency has improved quite a bit and he thinks the techniques he has shown me are starting to sink in. But I must DRILL DRILL DRILL!!!!

That's about it for now.

Tri your best,

Bill

Stroke Analysis and Training

Boy oh boy was this week busy. Not much time to do a lot of blogging. But suffice to say, this weeks training was great. Sort of a recovery week, not many two a day workouts. As some of you may know, I have been working with a swim coach (Hershel is a awesome coach!), and this week we did video analysis of my swim stroke. Here are some clips below. This video was done in an endless pool and there are two views, one from the top and one from underwater. An endless pool is like a treadmill for swimming. You swim in place against a current. When you see me stop, its because Hershel is yelling at me for doing something wrong and so I look at what I did and then go at it again to correct it. I definitely feel like I am improving my efficiency. I swam 1.5 miles on Friday and it definitely seemed to feel better.

Note that I am trying to keep my elbows high and pulling all the way through the stroke. Unfortunately, I would get all discombobulated and the stroke would break down, but I swear I have some good pulls in there.



Today was my longest workout this week, rode 61 miles with a great wattage average (about 250 watts).

What is wattage you say? Well, think of it this way, the harder you pedal, the more power that is produced. This is measured in watts. So the higher the wattage you generate, the more power you are placing on the pedals and the longer you can sustain a higher level of wattage, the faster you will go!

Tomorrow I will run 13 miles. Can't believe the race is just a few weekends away!

Less than a Month to Go Before Lonestar!

Ola Amigos!

We have less than a month to go before my first Triathlon of the year! As I stated during one of my previous posts, it's the Lone Star Triathlon. It is being held in Galveston, which is right near where I live. This is a half Ironman distance race, so it ain't going to be no picnic as they say, but it isn't the full deal either. I need to get a new wetsuit this week. I'll post about that once I get it.

Training

Training is continuing to go very well. New Bike is working wonderfully. I rode 60 miles today and it felt really great. Tomorrow I'll run a dozen miles or so at race pace. My knee is continuing to improve. In fact it feels so good, that the last time I did a 5k tempo run, I forgot to put on the knee strap! Didn't even realize I missed it till I came home!

That's all for now.

Tri your best!

Bill

Swim Coaching

Hey Everyone. Well I finally realized that my swim needs as much improvement as possible. While I feel I am a pretty strong swimmer (I can swim 10 KM if I had to), there is room for improvement.

So I started working with a senior Olympian who lives in my area. Boy this guy is cool! He has a endless pool in his home. For those not in the know, a endless pool is a treadmill for swimmers. It creates a current that allows you to swim in place at a specific speed. It's actually pretty cool.

My first meeting was on Monday evening and he showed me some things I was doing inefficiently. The whole goal of my working with him is to swim with the least amount of effort at the maximum speed. He said I have a lot of potential and rated me a 8 out of 10 for swimming ability.

So now I have lots of drills to practice and hopefully his advice will get drilled into my brain enough that I can take advantage of it at the next race.

That's it for now.

Tri your best!
Bill

Workout Journal for Week of February 22nd and Run Gait Analysis

Hello everyone! This week was a great training week for me. My knee is continuing to strengthen and my renewed focus on flexibility has helped tremendously.



This week was a week to work on form and drills. Did some mile swims and some high intensity bike and run sessions. On Saturday I rode 37 miles in 1.5 hours and then immediately ran 6 miles (in about 50 minutes). This is what is called a brick workout. It simulates race conditions and gets your legs used to the bike to run transition.



The upcoming week is a recovery week with short and easy sessions until the weekend where I will have a long bike and run session at race distances.



One thing I wanted to note is that on Saturday I went to the Koala Health and Wellness center and had my run gait (i.e. mechanics) analyzed. It was pretty cool. They have you run on a treadmill and videotape you from side and back angles.



They only had me run for a minute or so and then sat me down and showed my areas where I can make my running more efficient.



Things they pointed out:

1. I need to run more relaxed.


2. I need to continue stretching and improving my flexibility


3. My hips are a little out of balance.


4. My stride can be lengthened.


5. I need to lean a little more forward during my racing (about 5 degrees).


6. I shouldn't be moving my arms so far back but keep them swinging in front of me.

Things they thought were pretty good:

1. Legs are moving straight back. That's very efficient.


2. Ankles are not buckling so I am wearing the right kind of shoes.


3. I am planting my feet under me (also very efficient).

I was really pleased with the analysis. They recommended that I get my muscle groups analyzed to see what areas are stronger than the other and would cause an imbalance.

I'll let you all know how that goes when I get that analysis done.

That's it for now.

Tri Your Best!

Bill

We are in Full Training Swing!

Good day Amigos!

It's been a really busy week, but I have been keeping up with my training. I have logged the following workouts in my Training Peaks (TM) diary:

Sunday
Ran for 90 minutes (11 Miles)

Monday
Off

Tuesday
Swam for 45 minutes (went about 1.5 miles)

Wednesday
Biked for 25 miles

Thursday
Did swimming drills 5 x 200, 10 seconds rest in between (1000 meters worth) and then did a main set of 600 meters) followed immediately by a 7.5 mile run.

The following workouts will round out the rest of the week:

Friday
Off or Weights

Saturday
Ride 65 miles.

I may move the long ride to Sunday due to weather and do a long run on Saturday instead. Playing it by ear.

One thing I would like to note is that my swimming stroke is improving a lot. I am really working on swimming at least three times a week and it is starting to pay off. Today's workout was so effortless and I felt like I was really balancing well in the water.

Running is coming along really well considering my knee issues. No pain and I feel my strength and endurance coming back.

That's all for now.

Tri Your Best!

Bill

Lone Star Triathlon

I'm excited to announce that I am officially entered into the Lone Star Triathlon. This is a multi-race festival. I will be competing in the half Ironman distance race. Here's a rundown from the website:

1.2 mile saltwater swim, in protected Offats Bayou. No big surf here! The swim will begin at Moody Gardens’ beautiful white sand Palm Beach, and finish next to the majestic Colonel Paddlewheel boat, with approximately 100 participants per wave. There will be lifeguard and boat support provided by Galveston Beach Patrol. Average water temperature is 72 degrees F. There is an elite wave available for those attempting to win the race. This wave will lead off the race. Those athletes participating in this wave are not eligible for age group awards. Wetsuits will be allowed per USAT rules.

As you exit the water, there will be some fine folks to help you out of your wetsuit. Just pull down the zipper leash, and get the wetsuit down to your waist. Flop on the carpet, and they'll do the rest!

56 mile spectacular, scenic one and a half loop course along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Head out of Moody Gardens and hammer along the Seawall and hug the Texas coastline, heading south to the end of Galveston Island. You’ll cross over the San Luis Pass onto the mainland, through beautiful undeveloped coastline. The course is flat and fast! Nary a speed bump to be found. Watch out for the wind! There will be professional lead and sag vehicles provided. MAVIC and BIKE BARN will be on site and on course for mechanical support. They will also be on hand to help you with any problems that occur race morning. There will be 4 aid stations with bottle hand ups on course. Gatorade Endurance, water, PowerGel Energy Gels and bananas will be available. Athletes should begin the bike with 2 full bottles. This is a draft-free event! Marshals will be enforcing USA Triathlon drafting guidelines.

Motorcycle Support will be provided by Bikers Against Child Abuse. BACA is a child support focused, 501 C-3 non-profit organization in Houston that strives to break the cycle of child abuse among Texas children. To learn more about BACA, please visit www.bacausa.com.

Additonal course support provided by Krewe De Vroom

13.1 mile Run is a 2 loop FLAT course meandering through Moody Gardens, it’s tropical gardens and towering glass pyramids, along Offats Bayou and Palm Beach, and by the Lone Star Flight Museum. There will aid stations every mile stocked with Gatorade Endurance Formula, Water, PowerBars, PowerGel Energy Gels, fruit, defizzed cola, Salt and Vinegar potato chips, pretzels, and just about anything else you could dream of. Live entertainment featuring great bands, cheerleaders and more will be keeping your endorphins kicking in! Once you cross the finish line, head over to the Lone Star Stage and rock out with THE LINE UP.

This should be a lot of fun and a great tune-up for the Lake Placid Ironman.

Tri Your Best
Bill

I am Back!

Well I had my first real test of my knee today. I ran 10K (6.2 miles) at race pace. And guess what? My knee was great! Tomorrow I am going to sign up for the Lone Star Triathlon for sure.

I love treadmill running. I turn up the ipod and rock out. It's weird how music can really get your adrenaline flowing. When I do speed work on the treadmill, I keep the boredom away by constantly increasing my speed. I'll start out at 6 MPH and then up it .1 MPH ever .05 miles. So by .25 miles I am at 6.5 MPH and by .5 miles I am at 7 MPH, etc.

I keep increasing it till between 9 and 10 MPH. That's a darn good clip. Then I back down to 6 MPH and start climbing again, but this time at .2 MPH increments ever .1 miles. When I get to 30 minutes I go back to my .1 steps every .5 miles. It really isn't all that complicated and it makes the workout interesting. I usually don't do more than an hours worth of speedwork for 1/2 Ironman distance races.

Tri Your Best!
Bill

Recovery is Coming Along Nicely

Hey everyone. Just wanted to blog a little bit about my recovery. It is going really well! I swam 1.5 miles yesterday and today I bilked 20 miles and then hit the weights. Knee is feeling really good! I did a tempo run on Thursday at race speed and held on with no pain for 4 miles.

Tomorrow I am going to run 10 KM and see how it feels. I am being VERY conservative with my mileage so as not to overstress.

If the run goes well tomorrow I will enter the Lone Star Triathlon which is held in April. It's a 1/2 Ironman distance event. http://www.endorfunsports.com/lonestar/lonestarhalfiron.html

My new bike works really well. Of course, my wireless computer threw its magnet off the wheel during the ride. I thought I heard something weird and saw what I thought was a rock come off my wheel. Then I noticed my speed registered as zero.

Anyway, when I got home, I called the folks at Webster Bicycle and they gave me another magnet free of charge. They are too cool!

Bye for now and don't forget to Tri Your Best!

I Have a New Bike!

I am pleased to let everyone know that I bought my second triathlon bicycle in 8 years. It is a Quintana Roo Seduza. Here it is (click to enlarge):
Here's a description:

The Seduza’s inspired design, strongly influenced by its older brothers the Lucero and Caliente, is sure to appeal to your senses with its intriguing 12K carbon uni-directional layup, bold paint job and carefully selected component package. Built by hand, the Seduza’s multi-layered carbon fibers are molded with state of the art resin pregnation system to deliver a precise, unified structure for the ultimate in stiffness and lightweight performance. Contact your doctor, or local bike dealer, today and see if the QR Seduza is right for you.

Carbon monocoque design for molded aerodynamics, light weight, and a comfortable ride.

Tri-specific geometry increases efficiency and eases bike to run transitions. Internal cable routing and integrated aero seatpost for great aero performance.

Uni-directional 12K Carbon Layup finish add to the Caliente's aesthetic beauty and aero performance.

Adjustable rear entry dropouts allow you to tuck the rear wheel close behind the seat tube.

I tell you, this thing is light and fast! I also added some speedplay pedals. Here they are (mine are the black ones):



Description:

The Most High Performance, Technically Advanced
Pedal System.

The performance features of the Speedplay Zero Pedal System read like a pro racer’s wish list. No other pedal system comes close to offering the superior adjustability or cutting-edge performance features of the Zero. By thinking "outside the box", we created and patented the most technically advanced pedal system ever, featuring your choice of either a fixed position or up to 15 degrees of micro-adjustable float. Once you compare the features of Zero pedals to any other brand, you'll find that other pedals systems are no match. And like all Speedplay pedals, we accomplish this without compromise by ensuring that the locking edges of our pedals and cleats are made of metal, not plastic. What more needs to be said? How about Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold, Paris-Nice, World Time Trial Championship, Tour of Germany, Tour of California, Tour de Georgia, Hawaii Ironman World Championship and the countless other races that have been won by champions using Zero pedals. Speedplay Zero Pedal Systems are simply the winningest road pedals on the planet.

Key features:

DUAL-SIDED ENTRY: The symmetrical double-sided pedal self-locates just by stepping down into the cleat whether the pedal is right side up, upside down or anywhere else in its rotation. No kicking, no fumbling, no looking; just step down and go.

YOUR CHOICE OF MICRO-ADJUSTABLE FLOAT OR A FIXED POSITION: The Zero allows rotational float to be precisely micro-adjusted to the exact range needed or set in a fixed-position anywhere within the 15-degree adjustment range.

ALL THREE FOOT-AXIS ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE SET INDEPENDENTLY OF ONE ANOTHER: No other pedal system offers the precise adjustment or convenience of independently adjustable fore-aft, side-to-side, and rotational foot positions. Unlike the inexact set-up of traditional cleats, each of the three critical foot-axis adjustments of Zero cleats can be set or changed without affecting the position of the other two adjustments. This feature also eliminates guesswork and misalignment when replacing cleats.

THE LOWEST STACK HEIGHT: The Zero cleat positions your foot closer to the top of the spindle for improved power transfer.
• 11.5 mm stack height for 3-hole mounting
• 8.5 mm stack height for 4-hole mounting

UNBEATABLE CORNERING CLEARANCE: The thin pedal profile of the Zero pedal lets you power through corners where your rivals coast.
• Stainless - 37 degrees

PHENOMENAL LIGHT WEIGHT:
• Stainless pedal each - 103g

LARGE, STABLE PEDALING PLATFORM: The Zero Pedal System provides the same solid connection as conventional single-sided pedals, but with Speedplay's unique, inverted design the cleat provides the platform once the cleat in engaged.

QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE: Zero pedals use precision cartridge and needle bearings - three of them instead of two found in most other pedals - which allows the Zero to be thinner for a lower stack height, better cornering clearance, and reduced aerodynamic drag. Like all Speedplay Pedal Systems, the locking edges of Zero pedals and cleats are metal-on-metal for durability and safety, unlike our competitors who use engagement edges made of plastic.