Lake Time

Lake Time
Okiboji 7/2011

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Ironman St George coming sooooooon........

Its been awhile since my last post so will try and catch you up quickly.

My season began on 10/1/11 with a very tough outseason (OS) and rebuilding from my bicycle wreck that left me with a torn mcl and acl.  

The oustseason consisted of ~16 weeks of very high intense biking and running.  Prior to my accident my FTP was 270 and going into the OS I tested at a 230.  Very frustrating but new I had a lot of work to do so I put my head down and my body to the Ultimate test.  By week 8 I tested out at 242 for my FTP and my 5K test (vDOT) went from a 46 to 49.  Was happy but not where I wanted to be.  So I pushed on even harder.  Week 17 came quick and it was time to test out and drop into my Ironman plan for St George.  Final test for the OS was an FTP of 250 watts for 42 minutes and a 19:47 5K (vDOT ~ 51).  Was happy with the results and was so ready to get out and away from the high intense workouts d/t the fact my body was really starting to hate it and ache everywhere.

So now we are moving on to the 20 week Advanced Ironman Plan with Endurance Nation (Note I dropped in around week 8).  Training weeks are like 15 and recorded one 19 hour week.  My ave weekly miles were: 180-280 miles a week of biking, 28-68 miles of running, and ave 12-19,000 yards of swimming.  My best month of cycling racked me up 827.62 miles, 3,058 TSS points, burned ~ 27,439 calories, ave weight 150 pounds, with an ave HR of 132. 

Doubt that I will ever do a early spring Ironman again d/t the fact I did not enjoy 4-6 hours at a time on the trainer.  Did build a huge mental 6 pack and when it was time to get outside man were we flying. 

Note I tested last week which was week 17 of the IM plan and I landed a 260 watt 42 minute FTP and that was on very unrested legs.  Getting closer and put a huge smile on my face.

To date since Oct 1, 2011 my bike miles are at : 3,091.77, Running: ~ 715.78 miles, and swimming ~ 240,000 yards or 137 miles!! Most of the winter I concentrated on drills and working on my catch and roll.  What a huge different it makes when the catch is there!!

 Current weight 148 pounds.  Puts me at 3.9 watts/kg on bike.  Race weight is 145 pounds and that will land me 4.0/watts/kg.  The lighter the better cause it will make climbing those rated hills in St George just a little easier.

Note I use WKO with Training Peaks and Garmin Connect for all my information.  Every workout is inputed and then it gives me what is called a TSS (Training Stress Score).  I watch and use this with my training.  Its fun to see when I am really tired and sore where the TSS falls and truly coordinates. 

Training for St George has truly been an adventure and a full time job.  I work, train, eat, and sleep.  I have put my heart and soul into my training so far this year.  I have three weeks left till race day and my goal now is to stay safe and remain healthy.  

Now for the most important part of my blog:

  • I want to give thanks to GOD for keeping myself and my training partners safe and healthy.
  • To my very supportive family:  My wife Alison, Son Keegan, and daughter Olivia.  You three are my biggest fans and I could not have asks for a better support crew.  Thank You from the bottom of my heart for allowing me the time to train, complain, eat everything in the house, going to bed before the children, and always giving me time to scream, spend money :(, and yes cry when needed.  
  • who ever thought this sport cost so little ")
  • To my body for allowing me to understand what this pain is from this pain.  What is serious and what is just another something to fight through.  For allowing me to understand the importance of the nutrional factor of this big game and without the proper nutrition you will go down for the count.  Yep, everyone bonks and learns including me.  Not a fan of that feeling at all
  • To our sponsors:  Traviss TV and Audio,  Des Moines Fire, Local #4,  Endurance Nation, Chad Johnson, DDS, Oral Health Clinc PC, and Legacy Stone of Eastern Iowa
  • Please check us out: We are IM4RM and raising money and awareness for: Chilren's Cancer Connection of Iowa
  • If you would please consider donating to our cause I would greatly appreciate it :) Click on the IM4RM link above and just follow to donate....Thanks...the race is a total of 140.6 miles....Hmmmm lets see if I can get a few people to donate a dollar to me for every mile I complete.....All goes to a wonderful cause.
  • We must send a HUGE THANKS out to whom I consider one of our biggest supporters and always bends over to be sure we are ready to race and helps out in any way: Kyle Robinson and his crew at Kyle's Bikes in Ankeny, Iowa.  Kyle's Bikes-Ankeny Iowa
  • To my many training partners and teammates: They have been with me through thick and thin...Troy Morris (PT), Iron Mike Morrison, Caleb Pike (Pikester), John Barlow for the recent 0330 run and the hilliest of the year :), Chad Johnson, Ryan Parlee (always late-:)), Austin and Tyler Vanderlinden, Nate Stewart, Randy Pickard and to the person doing St George and Wisc with me Levi VanOort.  I am sure I have left some out but trust me I am thinking of you!!!!
  • My first race of the year of course will be a huge accomplishment and when I go to the place that is stored just for the right time, that only I know how to get to and open up It will carry me to the finish line: I will be the first to admit it may not be pretty getting there but: ALISON, KEEGAN, OLIVIA, CAMRYN, TO OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS......BELIEVE IN ME FOR I WILL CROSS THAT FINISH LINE AND IT WILL BE "THE TIME OF MY LIFE"!!!!!!!
Well three weeks left and the taper has started-------yep let the mental games begin!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Last but not least please come in and take a minute to view this video for it will only open your eyes to the pure beauty, heart and soul of IRONMAN:IRONMAN ST GEORGE VIDEO