DO WORK

I thought about heading down to Austin this weekend for Capital of Texas Triathlon but my body and ever so shrinking wallet had other plans... HA, the wallet thing always cracks me up! Priorities have become interesting over the past couple weeks. With 2 Ironman and a "dozen" or so other races around the country this year....I really need to choose my battles and choose them wisely.

Well...it was off to Memphis again for the star studded Memphis In May Triathlon. As usually, the race certainly didn't disappoint on talent. Some of the most talented athletes in the country ventured outside of there comfort zones for the long drive or flight, cross-country, to the little town of Millington, Tennessee.

This years race was going to be interesting for yours truly. Coming of a long off season of base and an Ironman 5 weeks ago...I was extremely curious to see where my short course ability actually was.

Since my venture out to Tempe, Arizona...it's been 3 weeks down for recovery....1 sprint race....followed by 2 focused weeks bringing speed back into the equation. After my race out in Memphis...I feel confident that I'm on the right track and will soon find myself completely acclimated to racing hard and fast again....

The swim today was pretty nice. Memphis In May is a TT format start. Every athlete starting in 3 second intervals. When it was my turn...I hit the watch and took off. Water felt amazing. Thanks to the Long-John Blue Seventy Helix I was wearing...I was positive overheating was not going to be an issue. Water temp was 76.8 and if I wore a long sleeve suit...I'd fry by the time I hit the first turn buoy.

I swam the course last year in 22:31. This year I really wanted to hit a better number.

Saturday...the day before the race, I opted to swim the course nice and steady...just a little something to get an idea of effort. On Saturday, I cleared the course in 22 flat. I was a little disappointed but knew that I expended zero energy and it was just another easy day in the water.

Sunday...I stood on the line and told myself...just swim nice and steady...maybe a tad harder than yesterday but make sure and use the swim as a warm-up and see how things go. I did exactly that and exited the water in 21:37. Later on after the race...I spoke with a couple athlete from last year as well as the race director. I was told the swim was a little longer this year. With all the rain we've had down here in the South...the lake had risen and they were able to extend the course out to the regulation 1.5k. Shoot...if a :54 second pr wasn't enough...that made me smile a little more. Maybe I had gotten a touch faster? Regardless...I still had a good swim and will use that positivity down in Austin for "Capital of Texas" next week!

Just before leaving on the bike...I ended up fumbling with my helmet for sooo long. The strap was all twisted and I couldn't get it straight. I cannot believe I jacked with the stinking strap. I usually make sure everything is set up nicely before leaving for the swim start. Anyway...I was yelling at myself while wasting time. I told myself...get it together dummy. Your screwing up all that time you saved in the water. Arghh...oh well.

I left on the bike and rode pretty strong. I tried to sit in on a solid effort, dial my pace and find a rhythm. I never race with a heart rate monitor or a speedometer...just my Timex OVA! As I went through the different segments on the course...I just told myself not to get out of control...just relax in and push what you can. I did exactly that!

Something just popped into my head. That course is rough! The road in some areas is BAD. The TTX handled well and ran through the rough sections like a champ. When I arrived back into transition my Timex read 58:15. That was nice and dandy...but today...with the field that showed up this year...that wasn't going to get me anywhere. I told myself I'd need to run solid for a successful day.

I left transition like I was running back in Arizona. I went through mile 1 in 7:02. I was like...DUDE...you've got to run faster. Mile 2 was no better as I went through in 6:57. I'm still in this mindset of conservation. I'm always worried about going out too hard. Anyway...it wasn't that big of a deal as things would begin to open up.

After 2 miles of nonsense...I had just about had enough and decided to up the pace. Cleared mile 3 in 6:27. As I came up on the turn-around...I noticed they moved it further back then the previous year...about an extra 150 meters from last years turnaround spot. Ok...that means I just need to run faster I thought. Mile 4 came in 6:49. At this point I just thought about running solid....focused, and get dig into some pain. Mile 5 in 6:35. Cool is what I thought and now it was time to climb back into the park. Mile 6 came in 6:17 and the last .2 miles in 1:23. Total run time was 41:32, a minute faster than last year to the "T".

Total Time: 2:04:31

Swim: 21:37
Bike: 58:15
Run: 41:32

Overall: 57th

Age-Group: 10th

The field in Memphis was amazing! The depth of talent from around the country was like nothing I've ever seen. I thought last year was tough...but this year...everyone came to play!!! The top 20 athletes in the men's 30-34 age-group, came from 14 different states.

I didn't come to Memphis to win my age-group or even place. I came to see where my fitness was. That's exactly what I did last year and is exactly what I did this year. Last year I got a nice little present and walked away with an award. It wasn't because I beat a bunch of awesome athletes...honestly, it was because nobody showed up. This year...I got exactly what I wanted.... I came to race the best athletes in the country at the Olympic distance...and...At the end of the day...that's exactly what I got.

On another good note...one of our Timex athletes, Laura Tingle won the overall Female title, and my good friend who I traveled with this weekend..."Mikey Benes" had a PR himself. Congrats to both Laura and Mikey on truly successful days!

Until "Capital Of Texas Triathlon", Memorial Day weekend....

Later...

Mg

Well I'm back. After a 10 day hiatus without blogging...I'm making a come-back! Yeah right... Actually, I probably won't do the blogging I was prior to AZ until it gets a little closer to IM Florida. 10 weeks out should be a good time to bring back the "Red Bull" blogs (these are blogs so long you'll need an energy drink like Red Bull to get you through them). Until then...I'll drop in and out for a race report...update on training or anything my mind runs across... This should be once a week or every 10 days or so...

Now...on to the past couple weeks. Nothing really special going on....just lots of quality training. "Intensity focused" and "speed oriented" sessions. I guess you could say I've been trying to find a happy home going hard and fast. Lets just say it's a little different than IM training. Recovery now becomes the most important aspect to your training regimen.

I cannot preach recovery enough. There's only so much an athlete can do before the body starts to reject the workload. Even at low to mod intensity sessions....endurance becomes the limiting factor. With regards to both types of training...whether it be intensity driven or volume driven....both have to be respected. What I mean is "Learning how reap the rewards of each workout".

I used to tell people in the gym all the time...."It's not what you do here in the gym that matters...it's what you do when you go home....how you sleep, what you eat and even what you do tomorrow". Sure...how you execute a squat, leg press, lunge, speed session on the track, bike workout, swim interval session....etc...etc..., all dictates how the muscle and body will perform come race day!

What people don't understand is the recovery process that is needed to reap benefits of each of your workouts. You have no idea how many times I hear people talk about how fast they ran or rode and the very next day...there talkin it up all over again. All about intensity this or intensity that. I don't understand why people can't just learn to rest...recovery...

One of the most important things I stress to everyone I assist or talk too is nutrition. During and After Workouts....it makes no difference...they're both equally important!

To make is simple and easy....you have a short window (about 30 minutes) after an intensity driven workout to get in sufficient nutrients to aid in the bodies natural recovery process. Another recovery meal within 2 hours....helps boost this process even more. What your looking to do is aid in the "Resynthesis of Glycogen".

Simply put...you deplete your glycogen stores when you workout. Below is what I found reading a journal for Sports Medicine written by a graduate at MIT. I thought he did a pretty good job summarizing this topic....

"Athletes may hasten recovery by consuming at least 50 grams of high or moderate glycemic carbohydrates within the first 2 hours when resynthesis of glycogen is highest. Resynthesis of glycogen can take up to 24 hours. The total amount of carbohydrates ingested during this time is important for recovery. Depending on body size and energy expended, approximately 500-600 grams is needed for refueling. Inadequate recovery can lead to chronic fatigue, injury and a gradual decline in performance."

Think about it... You just spent the last hour or 6 hours tearing your body to shreds. You didn't do anything but break yourself down. Now you need to re-build. The tears in the muscle fiber, the aches in your knee or the glycogen depletion in your body....all these have top priority now that you've done THE WORK!

Ok...I could really talk about this forever but it's getting late and I need my sleep.

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Memphis in May is 5 days away and getting closer by the minute. Another chance to race the fastest athletes in the country and couldn't be more excited. I'm headed to Memphis with the same attitude I had last year. I'm just going to show up and give it a go. Race as hard as I can and see where the chips fall. I feel pretty confident about my fitness right now but have no idea how I'll perform....if that makes any sense at all.

Memphis in May is one of the most competitive Olympic Distance race in the country.....and honestly, I'm just stoked I get the chance to race there!

After Memphis...I'll be headed south to Austin and The Capital of Texas Triathlon, Memorial Day Weekend.

Later....

Mg

I couldn't be happier to have the chains off. This week will mark the first week back in full swing.

Actually...Saturday actually marked the first day of any "Real Work" since IM Arizona. Your probably asking what I did? Well, I raced. What better way get things going again. Actually, the real reason was to get an idea what I could expect come Memphis in May, or any other short course racing I'll be doing over the next month. CapTex, Indian Creek...you name it...I'm thinking about it.

Speed really wasn't the ingredient I was in search for on Saturday... It was that deep muscular pain that inflicts your body during a short course race...that "CANNOT" be duplicated anywhere else! You know what I'm talking about. I haven't done anything that fast since October of last year. Wow...glad I did.

From now until Memphis...I've got one objective! Get my body used to working a little harder than normal. Actually...a lot harder! Let's just say...threshold work just became Top Priority over the next month. Truthfully, I'm actually looking forward to the process. "Process"....I kind of like that word. Can you tell? With all the base I put in prepping for IMAZ...I should be well within solid boundaries to push the envelope for a while.

I've got a good feeling about the speed!! Over the next few weeks...I'll lay out more workouts than I can count all focused in on "Bringing speed, back into the equation!"... In the end...I've got a good feeling things will line up nicely.

For me...this is a good approach and will serve me well as I head into the last week in June. What race I will do at that point in still up in the air. As for IM Coeur d' Alene...I'm out. I'll either be racing Buffalo Springs Ironman 70.3 or venture off to Portland for the Age-Group Nationals. Chances are "BIG" that it will be a return to Lubbock, as I find myself desperately wanting to go back! Plus I already have hotel accommodations taken care of....

Congratulations to everyone who raced this weekend. Whether you were in Texas, St. Croix, Wildflower...I watched and looked out for all of you this weekend.... Congrats all around. Everyone seemed to bring things together...

Off to bed....

Mg