Pre-Vineman Aquabike

A lot has been going on with my work that has increased my level of stress and probably impacted my training.  I was starting to feel "burned out" by training.  Instead of a joy and stress reliever, the 2 a day workouts were becoming an unpleasant chore.  I discussed this with Coach Paul and he told me that I've been going full bore with training and my "additional" activities that my body was feeling worn down.  He told me that I still have time to get my body back in tune before Ironman Louisville.  

It started with getting back from Vegas and dealing with one urgent situation after another at the hospital.  I can deal with medical emergencies, but dealing with administrative and personnel issues can be even more stressful because the situation drags on for weeks.  On top of this, training has now ramped up to 2 a days on weekdays and weekend rides + runs lasting 5, 6, up to 8 hours! Then throw in my Alcatraz Challenge Part 2... and no wonder I'm beat.

  I signed up for the Aquathon which consisted of swimming from Alcatraz to Chrissy Field and then running over and back from the Golden Gate Bridge.  My last Alcatraz swim went so well that I got cocky.  I did not prepare well and I paid the price.  20 min into the swim and I was tired and my HR was way too high.  The water was very choppy and with the fog and my leaky goggles, I could not sight my landmarks.  This increased my anxiety which increased my HR and breathing, and I was finished.  I got pulled into a boat and for the next 30 min we picked up other swimmers who were struggling or were getting pulled off course by the strong current.  The good news to this was that they took us to a point about half mile from shore and allowed those who wanted to finish the swim to do so.  I knew I had to jump back in the water to regain my lost confidence.  So I finished the swim and then ran the 7.5 miles across the GG bridge.  From the bridge the distance between Alcatraz and Chrissy Field seemed immense! 

 

For the next week I felt crappy about my swimming and psychologically I had a real negative attitude.  But after taking a couple days off last week, I feel renewed and my workouts have gone well this week.  I got a massage on Monday after Saturday"s 100 mile ride and Sunday's 16 mile run.  Today I swam 2.5 miles in the pool.  

I now feel confident again heading into Vineman Aquabike.  I will swim 2.4 miles and ride 112 miles this coming Saturday.  I leave for the Bay Area tomorrow.  Stay tuned for my race report next week.

1 year after ACL Reconstruction: Ironman Training Continues

One year ago, I underwent the surgeon's knife and had a graft taken from my hamstrings to recreate a new ACL for the one I tore on the ski slopes of Calgary, Alberta.  I have come a long way since that day a year ago.  I have kept this blog as a reminder of what I went through, and some of the feelings I had as I went through the pre-op, post-op, and rehab phases.  Looking back at the recovery / rehab from the ACL reconstruction, I don't wish this injury on anyone.  Yet I know that every year, many people do tear their ACLs and then undergo reconstruction.  In fact, two of my coworkers have undergone ACL reconstruction this past year.  I hope that my experience will provide some inspiration for those who just had or will have this surgery.  There is light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel is long and torturous, filled with many obstacles.

I had a 1 year post-op checkup with my surgeon a few weeks ago and I was told that my ACL was solid and completely stable.  My surgeon said that I was the most motivated ACL patient he has ever had.  I pushed myself to regain the level of fitness I had before the surgery.  Soon after I got off the crutches, I got on the stationary bike, elliptical, and the pool.  By 3.5 months post-op, I walked-jogged the Nike SF marathon.  A month later I jogged the RnR San Antonio marathon.  The following month I ran the RnR Las Vegas Half marathon.  This was followed a month later with my 1st Ultra 50-K in Arizona.  In March, I completed the Desert International distance Triathlon and set a PR ( much faster swim, slower run from the year before).  I followed that up with Wildflower Long Course Tri, Palos Verdes Marathon, Alcatraz challenge swim, and Laguna Hills Half Marathon in May.  In June, my marathon relay team consisting of 4 old "farts" from work finished 3rd in the Men's Division at the RnR San Diego Marathon!

All of this occurred while I was training for Ironman Louisville with Team in Training's Ironteam L.A.  In a sense, raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and training with the Ironteam gave me the motivation to push on ahead when the going got tough.  When you think of those fighting for their lives against Cancer, recovering from ACL surgery seems like no big deal in comparison.  I have a teammate Gordie who is a Cancer survivor and despite the many obstacles in his path, he pushes on ahead and is there with us every week going through the same tough workouts.  He even sends weekly emails with an inspirational message to the Ironteam.  That's the kind of dedication that inspires me.

This past weekend we rode 85 miles, starting from Camarillo, down PCH to Mulholland and Encinal Canyon back to PCH and then up for a second loop of Mulholland / Encinal Canyon before finally heading back to Camarillo.  Lots of climbing, but I love hills.  I finished in about 5.5 hrs.  I finished off the ride with a 5 mile run.  I felt great and I know I'm ready for the Vineman Aquabike event.  I got another long run in on Sunday in PV before heading out to Vegas for some Rest n Relaxation.  By Relaxation, I'm talking about getting up every morning before 6am and getting in a 6 mile run in 80 degree heat ( by noon its over 100 degrees !!!)  The run is followed by swimming laps for an hour in the resort pool before the pool gets too crowded.
Other than losing several Benjamins to the Blackjack tables, it was a great mini-vacation.