2 years after ACL Reconstruction: Vineman 70.3 PR and Full Vineman Ironman Next

Wow, so much has happened in the last month.  Training.  Racing.  Work.  Nutrition.  Sleep.  Repeat...
Vineman 70.3 was a great success.  I set a PR.  I completed my Half Ironman almost 20 minutes better than my Best Case Scenario Goal Time.  I was expecting temperature in 80s, but we had the best race conditions possible with temp in 60s and low 70s.  This allowed me to push it a little harder on the bike and still have a great half marathon time.  Now if I can only have those conditions again for my Full Vineman ( 140.6 miles) this weekend.  I am once again in taper mode this week.  I need to catch up on a few things, tie up some loose ends, and then start packing and trek up to Northern California again.  It seems like I was just there last week... Oh yeah, I was there last weekend for 70.3

Having a great time cruising up Chalk Hill.


With everything going on with Ironteam, finishing up my fundraising, and my work responsibilities, I almost forgot my 2 year anniversary of my ACL Reconstruction.  That's a good thing.  My knee use to remind me on a daily basis that I had surgery.  Now I usually don't think about my reconstructed ACL even after a Half-Ironman!  I was ready to PARTY after Vineman 70.3 and thanks to teammate Jazzy, we had a great celebratory get together that evening.
I am setting new PRs in triathlon.  Earlier this year I set a marathon PR.  I am about a minute off from my 5K PR ( and I don't run very many 5Ks since I've been training for Ironman).  So once again, my thanks to my great Orthopedic Surgeon: Dr. Raffy Mirzayan at Baldwin Park Kaiser.  Thanks again to my Physical Therapist: Nazly Behnia at South Bay Kaiser for pushing me and encouraging me during those tough months immediately after the surgery.  It was literally learning to walk again, jump again, and run again.  Tearing an ACL is never a good thing, but with the right surgical / medical team, a supportive social network, and one's own "will power" and determination, those of you about to undergo ACL reconstruction will once again be doing the things you enjoy most and resume your active lifestyle.  Good luck to all.

San Diego Ride, Piuma, and Vineman Training Weekend

The last 3 weeks have been a blur.  First was the San Diego 100 miler.  We rode from Anaheim to Del Mar and up past Torrey Pines to UCSD.  It was my first time and I enjoyed the ride especially through Camp Pendleton.  The next day, we had a nice long run and then returned to Anaheim via car or Amtrak.  I rode back up with some bikes in Louis' car.
The following week was a big Brick workout; we started in Westlake Village and rode up and down Piuma, followed by an out and back around Westlake Village.  Then it was a 12 mile run.
Finally this past weekend we drove up to Santa Rosa and had Vineman training weekend.  Saturday was the 2.4 mile swim in Guerneville river, followed by 112 mile bike ride on the actual Vineman course.  The swim was so pleasant.  I ended up with my fastest open water swim to date 1 hour 20 min.  Then after a quick T1, it was off on the 112 mile ride.  Unfortunately my legs immediately felt tired and heavy.  It took a good hour for the lead in my legs to fall off.  I then started getting into a groove, but as the day progressed, it got hotter and hotter.  By the second loop, I had to cool off at the aid stations by dumping water over my head and onto my cooling arm sleeves.  The second time up Chalk Hill was tough.  I just kept pedaling and finally, I sped back to Windsor High School for T2 and a quick 2.5 mile run.
The following day, it was back to Windsor High for a 21 mile run.  The morning was very pleasant and I enjoyed the scenery very much.  But after 10 miles, it started to get warm.  I just wanted to finish ASAP, before the day got too hot.  So I probably ended up running at marathon pace.  I finished the 21 miler in a little over 3 hours.  Not bad on tired legs!
The worst part of the weekend was the 8 hour drive back home to LA.  Sore butt, sore legs, sore back... Yikes!  I had to go to work on Monday and I felt like I was half asleep.  Tuesday after work, I ran 3 miles, but then I was too tired for my Tuesday swim; I ended up going to bed early after dinner.
Today, Wednesday, I finally feel recovered from Vineman Training Weekend.  I had a nice bike ride up and down the hills of PV.  I will hit the pool tomorrow.  Stay tuned for more training updates...

Return of the Marathon Maniac

I've been busy with Ironman training and with work at the hospital.  After Wildflower, I jumped into Marathon mode.  I ran Back to Back marathons in mid May.  First off was the Palos Verdes Marathon on Saturday May 14.  It was a tough and hilly race.  The downhill running actually took more of a toll on my legs.  By mile 18, I slowed down significantly from my marathon pace.  I decided to treat this as a training run and after mile 20, I turned it back way down.  I even walked most of the last 3 miles.  In the back of my mind I was a little concerned about my marathon the next day.  My legs were very sore, again probably from the downhill running. When I finished, I immediately went into refuel and rest mode.
The next day, Sunday May 15, was the Pasadena marathon.  It was a great course.  Some hills, but not as bad as PV.  It rained the first couple hours, but the sun came out and the last couple hours were very pleasant for running.  I ended up running more than 10 minutes faster in Pasadena on tired legs than at PV the day before on rested legs!
What was my reward for this Marathon Madness?  The most important reward was the mental strength I developed which I will need to draw upon during Ironman.  Another reward is stronger legs and a more robust cardiovascular system.  Oh yeah, I also got a Phiten necklace for completing the PV to Pasadena Ultra Challenge.
On Memorial Day, I ran the Laguna Hills Half Marathon which is a hilly course as well.  I actually set my Half Marathon PR here in 2008.  I was out late the night before the race with my neighbors.  I probably had too much Johnny and Jack.  My sleep was not optimal at all.  So I actually had second thoughts when my alarm went off that morning.  Since I needed to at least get a training run in, I decided to attend the race.  I started the race feeling crappy.  My legs felt sluggish.  My breathing labored.  But after a couple miles, I started to find my groove.  Soon I was running at my 5K pace.  I knew I couldn't keep this up, but I decided to run fast as long as possible before turning it down and treating the rest of the race as a training run.  By mile 6, I had slowed to 10K pace, but I was still feeling strong.  I eventually started tiring around mile 9, but I knew at this point that I could race the entire course.  Well I just missed my PR by about 30 seconds!  I had not taper.  In fact with Ironteam training, I just went on a 5 hour-90 mile bike ride against a strong headwind 2 days before the Half Marathon!  This race just reconfirmed how far I have come from my ACL Reconstruction in 2009.
So my running is at Ironman level.  My cycling is close to Ironman level; I have a 6 hour ride tomorrow in which I should go well over 100 miles.  My swimming is another matter entirely.  I have been suffering from a sore Left shoulder for about 3 weeks now.  I would start to feel better, but after the 90 min swim workouts, I would go back to square one.  I finally rested and avoided the pool for 10 days.  This week I had a 60 min swim and the shoulder felt OK, but my swim stroke deteriorated.  I know I'll have to put more time into the pool.

Wildflower Long Course Triathlon 2011

Team in Training evening before the race

Well another successful Wildflower Long Course Triathlon is in the books.  I managed to make slight improvements in all aspects of the race and set a new PR by beating last year's time by 26 minutes.  I probably could have shaved off 15 to 30 more minutes if it wasn't for the strong winds.  But the breeze did help cool things down a touch, so the race wasn't as hot as 2010.
The swim could have been better.  I was a little off course after the first buoy and drifted too far to the left.  Minor bumps along the way, but no major disasters.  The bike was windy and hilly.  The run hilly and warm, but I dumped water at every aid station to cool off.  The downside to dumping water is wet feet and I finished the last 10 miles with a blister on my left foot.  Ouch.  I was also wearing relatively new shoes.  I got the New Balance Minimus Trail shoe 2 weeks earlier and ran 7 miles the week before.  Perhaps that also contributed to the blister.  I know, I know... Nothing new on race day...

 Now more training... for Ironman 2, 3, and 4


Cooling down at the Finishline

Ironteam Finishline

New Balance Minimus ( mine is the large foot)

2 Years after ACL tear

2 years ago, a fabulous day of skiing in Calgary / Banff turned into the worst day of my life.  I had never broken a bone or been seriously injured until I tore my ACL that afternoon.  Here is an excerpt from my blog 2 years ago:

"It's hard adjusting to the transition from training so hard for Wildflower ( I completed the swim, bike, and run workouts in Canada at high altitude and even ran 14 miles in 2 hours the day before the accident) And now being on bedrest with my foot elevated and an ice pack on my knee!"
"I'm pretty depressed. I always took running for granted. It was so effortless, unless I was pushing 7 min/ miles. Now a fear I have is that I won't get back to my previous running form with a bum knee. I still dream of becoming an Ironman. I still dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon someday. Hopefully with the support of family, friends, coaches, and teammates, my dreams will still be realized one day."

Well after ACL reconstruction with meniscus repair in July 2009 and PT/ Rehab, I resumed marathoning in October 2009 and became an Ironman in August 2010.  My fear of never running fast again was conquered when I set a marathon PR in Arizona January 2011.  I can run 6 and 7 min/ miles again ( for short distances).  I'm biking faster than ever before and swimming better as well.  The weakness in my surgical leg last year affected not only my running, but also the biking and swimming.  Now with my leg basically 100%, I'm much stronger tackling hills on the bike and my swim kick is stronger as well.

I heard popping noises from the surgical knee last year, but that has resolved.  Before exercise, my surgical knee can be a little stiff, but after 5 to 10 minutes I'm fine.  After a long run, my surgical knee is a little more sore, but there is no swelling.  I was wearing a knee brace last year, but I ditched that last summer.  I am very happy with my ACL reconstruction and I'm glad I had the surgery.  I even went skiing in Feb 2011.

I recently ran the Los Angeles Marathon.  Now I'm in training for Wildflower Long Course Triathlon ( Half Ironman) on April 30, 2011, Vineman 70.3 on July 17, Full Vineman ( Ironman distance) on July 30, Ironman Louisville on August 28, and finally Ironman Florida on November 5, 2011.

Obviously there is life after ACL Reconstruction.  Good luck to everyone.

Desert Triathlon: Shattering a PR

Well I'm finally getting a hang of this Triathlon business.  My goal heading into the Desert International Distance Triathlon this past Sunday was to beat my previous year's time by 20 minutes.  I've been improving my swim and my cycling, and another year of rehab and conditioning from my ACL reconstruction should lead to a faster run.  So my goal was realistic.  Now I just had to go out and grab the "bull by the horns."

Ironteam had a 3.5 hr+ swim, bike, run workout in Long Beach on Saturday.  Then a mad dash to La Quinta for the packet pickup and practice swim.  After a nice team dinner at Yardhouse, it was time for bed.  Hard to sleep, I tossed and turned and woke up several times during the night.  The AC was noisy.  Before I knew it, it was time to get up and go through my race day ritual.

Ironteammate Louis and I arrived at the Lake and we set up our transition.  Then it was time to decompress the mind and the bowels... A quick warmup swim and then it was time to line up with my wave.  Our wave started and I waited a good 15 to 20 seconds to let the ultra competitive swimmers out first.  Then I jumped in and just tried to swim at a pace that I knew I could sustain.  Sighting to the first buoy was tough due to the sun, but eventually I reached it.  The return was much easier, although more crowded since I was catching up with the slower swimmers from the previous wave and the fastest swimmers from the wave behind me were starting to catch up.  I got out of the water and started to jog and get out of my wetsuit.  I felt good heading into transition.
No major hangups at T1.

The Bike went well.  2 loops.  I passed a lot of people, although quite a few in their disk wheels passed me as well.  The only hitch was that at the turnoff between the first and second loop, I got a little confused since it was a new bike course this year.  I saw cones that guided the turn towards the Right, so I started to slow down to make the Right turn.  Then I noticed that some of the cyclist in front of me kept going straight.  After a slight hesitation, I figured I better keep going straight.  Right choice.  One of my Ironteammates was DQ for skipping the 2nd bike loop.  I finished strong heading into T2.

T2 was going smoothly and I took off on my run feeling good.  Then I realized I didn't have my racebelt on.  I had to go back and get my racebelt, because I didn't want to risk DQ.  Probably wasted a minute, but the worse thing was when I started running again, I felt slow.  I couldn't pick up my pace.  I felt like I was jogging.  My stomach also was very gassy.  I had taken 2 bottles of carbs, a PowerBar, and a packet of PowerBar Gel chews on the bike.  Now my stomach was sloshing around during the first loop of the run course.  I realized that I was now a few minutes behind the pace I needed to beat last year's time by 20 minutes.  I saw Coach Brad at the end of the first loop and he asked me how it was going.  I told him not too good and that I was behind schedule.  He told me that was OK and to go out and see what I can do on the second loop.  That somehow motivated me and gave me the encouragement to try my best even if I fall a little short of my goal.  I started to run and pick off runners in front of me one by one.  I noticed that no one was passing me on the run.  Perhaps all the faster runners had already finished.  In hindsight, I was probably throwing down some 7 minute-miles.  I finished strong with no idea if I accomplished my goal.  I knew I had a PR, but did I PR by 20 minutes.  I felt like I just might have, but it was going to be close.  The minute I wasted in T2 bothered me. 

I cooled down at the finish by dumping a couple water bottles down my head.  It was 80 degrees during the run.  Then I hung out with my Ironteammates.  Later when they posted the results, I was surprised to learn that I had PR and beaten last year's time by almost 24 minutes!  It was a great weekend...

3 for 3: Successful ACL Reconstruction and Rehab 20 months follow-up

When I tore my ACL in a ski accident in April 2009, I was afraid that my dream of becoming an Ironman was gone.  I debated whether or not to undergo Reconstructive Surgery.  I was told that I could still swim, bike, and run without an ACL, but I would not be able to participate in skiing or sports that required jumping or sudden twisting and turning.  So I decided to have ACL Reconstruction, with the hopes that I will one day return to the ski slopes.  Once I had my surgery, I had a long process of regaining my strength.  I was afraid that I would never run fast or set a PR again.

I am now 3 for 3 in my Post ACL Reconstruction Goals:

1) August 29, 2010 I became an Ironman at IM Louisville.
2) January 16, 2011 I set a new Marathon PR at Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon.
3) February 25, 2011 I returned to the ski slopes for a day of skiing.

To all who are facing ACL Reconstruction, do not give up on your hopes and dreams.  Hopefully my story can inspire you and help you get through those dark days.