Tag Archives: triathlon training

Training, Mentoring, and the Blood, Sweat & Beers 5k

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Time for an update.  Training is going well, although at times I think my coach is conspiring with my wife to knock me off for the insurance money.  Ok not really, but if they are my coach better get a 60-40 split.   The training is going well so far. I like the structure, but worry every time the new workout schedule is posted thinking “how the heck am I going to get this done?!?”  But somehow it does get done, and I feel a sense of accomplishment on knowing that I am committed to this plan, and put it above a lot of other things.

For example, we just ran the Blood, Sweat & Beers 5k for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and to support Team in Training. It was held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, and it was a nice course with quite a few hills (short and steep) to make it challenging.  Julie and I ran it together, and when we finished, we received a cool mug, a bowl of chili or a corn dog (I had to get a corn dog), and all the beer we could drink for free from Exile Brewery.  Exile Brewery is a local brewery that has amazing beers with names such as Ruthie and Hannah, and they have donated a lot to events such as this one.  So please support them by stopping by and tell them thank you, that way they know its appreciated.

Now, having explained that there was free beer involved, you would think that we would have stayed until the well ran dry.  This was not the case.  I had a beer and a half, and we decided that we needed to go because we still had swim drills to do sometime that day.  So we said goodbye to our friends and headed home to grab our swim bags and hit the pool.  That is what I mean about putting our workout commitment above other things.  One friend said to me that “the beer isn’t even close to running out”, but that didn’t matter to us.  What did matter was getting our training in and to focus on our long term goals.

Mentoring is about to wind up for the season, and the groups graduation run is the Hot Chocolate 5k on November 1.  It’s a fun run, pretty flat, and some pretty nice swag at the packet pickup.  We decided to take the group on a pre-race run of the course so they would know what to expect.  It’s been an amazing experience watching these people develop their abilities in running, and I hope that they continue long after the class is over.

Here are the totals for the week, and a photo of the cool mug we got for the 5k yesterday.  I have a bike ride to get in today (1:30 total) so I better get moving and get the tires aired up.

Running – 6 workouts – 19.59 miles

Cycling – 1 workouts – 26 miles

Swimming – 4 workouts – 3.35 miles

Strength training – 2 workouts – 1 hour

  
Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

Wetsuit Swimming, No Boundaries, and the Run With the Police 5k

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As you have probably read here before, I am in the midst of triathlon training to ready myself for not only an open water sprint in June, but an Olympic distance triathlon later this year.  Swimming is my weakest sport, as I sink like a rock and cannot seem to tread water.  The idea of swimming almost a mile started to seem like a far fetched idea.

But, one should not give up hope.  So to push myself a little harder, my wife and I purchased wetsuits.  I purchased what is considered an entry level Orca S5 suit.  Since the outdoor water temperature is still a little cool, we decided to try them out in the pool at the YMCA.  It wasn’t too bad getting it on for the first time, although I did have trouble getting the pull string to stay out of the way!  I made my way to an open lane, said a little prayer that everything would be ok, and jumped in.

I actually felt a little lighter in the water with it on, but then again I was just standing there.  It’s when I started to swim that I noticed a big difference.  First: I didn’t have to try so hard to beathe, as I was almost on top of the water.  Second: It seemed almost effortless, as if I was gliding along. Third: even with the full sleeves, it never felt cumbersome and I seemed to have a full range of motion.  That’s when I realized that I had swam 400 yards as my warm up!  I had never done that so easily before.  After drills, I decided to just swim laps again, and completed 750 yards non-stop!  That felt amazing, and since my first open water sprint is approximately 820 yards, I feel much better about it.

Then my wife suggested that we swim out to the deep end and and practice treading water.  Now I don’t tread water, I sink.  I don’t know why, but that’s what happens.  So I try to be brave, and swim out to the deep end and stop … and I float!  I barely moved my arms or my legs, and I was floating.  I even went one minute treading water and floating.  It was amazing, and it has me amped up to try open water swimming now!

My No Boundaries group is moving along so well that they will soon be teaching me.  Because of a graduation, only one of my team, Shirley, was there on Saturday.  We partnered with Maria, another mentor, and I asked Shirley what she wanted to do.  She said she wanted to try to run the entire 5k, but slowly and no walk breaks.  So I told her that she would set the pace and off we went.  And she did it!!  Shirley was amazing, and she finished in 34:39 which is a great time!  It has been amazing to run with this group, and between Shirley, Jennifer, Sarah, and Bob, I have learned so much.  They have taught me how to encourage people, to make things fun, to boost spirits, and to love running even more.  I can only hope that they got as much from this program that I have.

After No Boundaries was completed Cathy, another mentor in the group, asked if I was doing the “Run With the Police 5k”.  It was the first year for the race, raising interactions with the police and the community, and raising money for Special Olympics.  I told Cathy that I had not signed up, but would love to run it.  So I ran a half mile to the police station, and they were still accepting applications for the race.  I got my bib, my t-shirt, then ran a half mile back to Fleet Feet Sports.  The race was at 10 am, so we had enough time for a coffee and a pastry before walking to the starting line.  I had already logged in 4 miles, and now going to run a 5k.  I wondered how this would pan out.

The race was wonderful, with 1000 runners at the start.  We took off, and the police were everywhere, cheering us on, high-fiving runners, it was a great time.  I crossed the finish, got a great looking medal, and went through a wall of uniformed police officers all fist bumping us and congratulating us!  It was a great race, one that I will add to my “have to run” list.  I looked at my watch to see the time I finished: 26:30.  Not too bad for running 4 miles beforehand.  I stayed to cheer on Cathy, Brenda, and Cindy on as they headed to the finish.

Here is the medal we received: 

 

Here we are after the finish:

  
After the run, I cleaned up, got out the bicycle, and went with on a 25 mile bike ride.  My wife, my training partner Kara, and her sweetheart Eli were there, and we stopped at Mullets for an early dinner.  It was great to see Kara and Eli again, and I hope we can ride together more often.

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

Triathlon Training, Mentoring, and More Running News

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It’s been a while since I last posted, and there has been a lot going on as of late. This past Saturday, I raced in the annual Red Flannel Run, which benefits the YMCA. It was cold and the wind was brutal, but I managed to finish third in my age group. I was pretty happy with that! The winds were gusting up to 35 mph, so it was not an easy run by any stretch of the imagination.

I have also joined a group that helps you train for a sprint triathlon in 12 weeks. We meet every Wednesday, and usually do a bike/swim brick. Tonight we did all three! I find that having coaches there, watching your performance and giving you suggestions and tips is worth every penny, especially in the swimming portion. That was the reason I signed up in the first place, and it has been invaluable! Not only that, but we get to work out with a great group of people, and have made some nice friends along the way. I am hoping Vicky will be nice and help me with my swim technique, or at least distract the coach while I swim!

I decided yesterday to run indoors on the track at lunch. My knees were sore, and I didn’t bring the right gear to run outside, so to the YMCA I went. I don’t know what got into me, but I ran the first mile in 6:47:99!! I broke the 7 minute mile for the first time! I couldn’t believe it! The second mile was back to reality at 8:48:00, and the third was 8:30:00, but I was still in shock over that first mile.

I was asked by Andy Roat, the owner of Fleet Feet Sports in Des Moines, if I would be a mentor in a upcoming program called No Boundaries, which helps people prepare for their first 5k run. I was honored to be asked, and I am looking forward to helping others learn the joy of running! It seems as if the circle is now complete; once others helped me along my way (and still do, I have a lot to learn), and now I get to help others. I am hoping to mentor the marathon group again this year, but I am waiting to hear more about this years program on the marathon training. If you are in the Des Moines area, stop by Fleet Feet in the East Village. They are the nicest and most helpful people on the planet. They love running, the community, and helping people in general.

I also heard that I will have the chance to meet someone that I have admired, from our connection in the “From Fat to Finish Line” FaceBook page, and also her blog “Confessions of a [Former] Fat Girl”. Celeste E. and her husband will be in Des Moines for a few days as she becomes a certified running instructor. How cool is that? I believe she is also becoming certified to do group instruction, such as spin, Zumba, etc. I really admire her determination and how she just loves to run! They are planning to run the Drake Relays 10k run that Sunday, and wouldn’t you know it, I will be there running a half marathon! I can’t wait to meet them both, and to hear Celeste’s lifestyle change firsthand. It is stories such as hers that makes me continue to push harder, to try and do more. I know that I have a long way to go, but I see progress at every turn.

So, it has been a great few weeks! I also have a Live Healthy America Challenge going on at work, where to try to work out 2 hours a week for ten weeks. The goal is to have 20+ hours of exercise total at the end of ten weeks. Right now, into week four, I am averaging 16-17 hours a week! That’s quite a change for me, as I used to do nothing. But, when you decide to make a lifestyle change and commit to it, things change for the better.

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis