Milestone.

Finally went over 1,000 miles cycling.

Trainer and Race Results.

Hopped on the trainer for a while again tonight while watching the 1992 Ironman World Championships.  I gotta say... my knee is feeling a lot better after being loosened up by cycling.

Now don't worry, I'm still going to stick to the "no running until March" plan just to make sure I don't do any serious damage... but this is a turn for the better, finally!

Also, I finally updated my results page with my Philadelphia Marathon time and my times for the past two swim meets.

On the first day of Christmas...

... my doctor gave to me, some Cortisone in my right knee.

Well, I hope everyone had a merry Christmas!!

This year I was fortunate enough to not only get a new wetsuit from my family, but also a great new CycleOps Trek bike trainer which is pretty great considering the weather is crap and I can use it anytime during the day while watching movies!  Brilliant!

So since the Philadelphia marathon i've been battling serious knee problems.  It finally got to the point where i scheduled an appointment with the Rochester Rhinos knee surgeon.  Went in last Wednesday and temporarily settled for getting my right knee shot up with a lidocaine / cortisone shot.  

I'll tell you what... at first when the lidocaine was working, my knee felt like gold.  But after that wore off, the pain was incredible for the next two days.  Only now, about a week later, my knee is starting to really feel better, although i'm still icing and taking my anti inflammatories.  I've also resigned myself to the fact that i won't be doing any serious run training until probably March.  A questo punto, its probably the only way to make sure this problem won't continue for months and months and make racing Ironman impossible.  Not to mention ruin any chance i have at being successful this next season.

More likely than not, I will probably not do any more marathons previous to the Ironman due to the fact I'm apparently at risk for physically falling apart.  If i couldn't finish or even compete in Ironman, there would be no words as to the devastation i'd be feeling.

So here i am, cycling on my trainer and swimming.  The team i swim with here in Canandaigua did some stroke evaluation video taping on Tuesday which we reviewed afterwards, and I'm happy to say that i've improved a lot since the start... in every respect.  There's a "community meet" on Monday that we're going to swim in just to get some times, so it should be interesting.

Due to the fact that i'm RARELY cycling outside right now, and because i'm far to lazy to switch my computer from the front wheel to the back of my bike, I will be calculating different things when I ride my trainer now.  

1.  Mainly i'll be keeping track of the minutes / hours I've been on it.

2.  I have a heart rate monitor that i'll use to make sure i'm in my ideal workout zones.

3.  I took a look at all my old logs, and found that my average speed for a ride was usually around 18-19 mph depending on the route.  So for the sake of getting "mileage" out of my trainer rides, I decided that i'd assign 17 mph as my average distance per hour of riding.  I realize this might be a little low, but i'd rather claim a lower training distance over time than say i've been riding further than what is actually true.

17 miles / 60 minutes = .283 miles per minute

I guess thats all for now really.  Now that i'm not a complete cripple i will hopefully have more interesting things to update from here on out... although, like i said, running will have to wait until March rolls around.

Philadelphia Marathon!

Ok ok ... so the race was what, almost 4 weeks ago?  Yes, i've been slacking when it comes to updating... so here we go.  I'll give the update in this and the subsequent post or two!

So we made the half hour trek to the starting area before the sun even came up over Philadelphia.  To say it was cold would be an understatement.  At race start the temperature was around 25 degrees which means it was substantially colder an hour + previous to that.

Finally made it to the staging area with the tens of thousands of others, i checked my bag into one of the many school buses lined up in front of the "rocky steps" and immediately went to stand in line at one of the port-a-potties.  Standing in line, at least 50 runners deep, i anxiously looked at my watch, counting the seconds until i'd have to say "screw it" and run to the start corral.   Fortunately, at about 7:00 am i was able to hop in and do my business (mind you, start time was scheduled for 7:02.)

Ran to the corral, hurdled 2 barriers, squeezed through a fence and finally found the group i needed to be with: the 3:20 pacers.

The race started off around 7:10 and the pace seems VERY pedestrian.  Painfully so.  

For the first ten miles, the race went without incident.  It was very easy, actually, considering i hadn't run the 4 weeks leading up to the race due to a stress fracture and tendon damage in my right foot.  

Between mile 10 and 11 is when i essentially fell off the physical health cliff.

First my right foot started flaring up.  Initially it was a small ache which grew into shooting pain from the tendon and 5th metatarsal point.  If that were all, i may have been fine for the remaining 16 miles, but unfortunately, my luck isn't THAT good.

At the halfway mark i saw Eric and Adam, tossed my hat, and let them in on the fact that the remainder of the race would be a struggle due to pain.

About mile 14 is when my little friend, who i lovingly named "marathon buddy," came to join me. 

This blister made me completely forget about the pain coming from the rest of my foot.  With every step... shooting pain.

As if that wasn't bad enough, an old soccer injury flared up and my right knee became the source of almost crippling pain at about mile 16.  It turns out i had somehow irritated my IT Band and the combination of the injuries nearly caused my right leg to crumble beneath me on more than a few occasions.

I gladly let the 3:20 pacer group drop me around the halfway mark just because i knew if i kept that pace my injuries may force me to not finish at all.  I wasn't winded, cramped, or anything like that.  I was purely worried that my foot would fail me... of course, i wasn't experiencing the other ailments at the time. 

At the 20 mile marker i checked my watch and realized that i had to keep a 10 minute mile pace to keep my overall time under 4 hours.  That became my new goal.  Even after not having run for years i could run 6.2 miles in well under an hour... but this would be a challenge.

I walked hills and aide stations, and hobbled the rest of the way.

When all was said and done, i finished the race 3:58:30.

Now... some race highlights!!

-  I must have heard the Rocky theme AT LEAST a dozen times throughout the race.  It was great!

-  The aide stations were organized far better than those at Baltimore (however, it was so cold that i nearly fell a few times because of ice that had formed from spilled water.)

-  The runners were very supportive when they saw i was in obvious pain.  Many actually stopped to see if i needed help for my knee.  This probably would have ever happened in Baltimore.

-  Nearly EVERY street was lined with people.  From downtown to Manayunk and back... it was great to have all the support.

-  I learned from my past mistakes at Baltimore and fueled my body far better.  I didn't cramp, i upped my sodium intake and carb / calorie intake (thank you Hammer Nutrition.)   I wore a fuel belt where i had 4 hammer gels mixed with water, 4 endurolite tablets for my sodium intake, and then a healthy mix of water and gatorade helped a lot.

If i hadn't been injured and if i had actually been able to train for the race, i think that i would have easily qualified for Boston on this course.  It was very flat, fast, and easy...  maybe next year...

I ended up driving back to New York later that day, and for the next few days felt like absolute garbage.  I didn't get a chance to take an ice bath so that was a big factor in my post race soreness.

To this day, my knee is still hurting, so until further notice, only swimming and lifting for this guy.

Race Morning.

4:30am.

27 degrees (feels like 20,) according to weather.com

tried to get to sleep before 11 pm, but it was a restless night.  woke up before the alarm and now i'm about to eat and get ready.

race start is 7:04 am.

here we go.

What I Want For Christmas...

Race Weekend Coming Up!

It's been a tough week.  

Hell... it's been a tough few weeks.

I still haven't run due to the fear that the pain will flare up and any chance of me running the marathon this weekend will be shot.  Great way to go day to day huh?

On top of that, due to chlorination problems at the pool, I haven't been able to get my swim workout in since last Friday.  ALSO, since we have snow on the ground and the weather has been crap, I've had to settle for cycling sessions at the gym... which make me want to rip my hair out and stick bamboo chutes under my finger nails.  Ugh.

I really really really REALLY hope my foot holds up this weekend, to the point where I feel like I can continue running from there on out.  If this 3 weeks off has made me antsy and insane, I cant imagine being laid up even longer, waiting for this ailment to "heal."

So fingers crossed.

Off to Philadelphia early on Saturday morning, to the race expo that afternoon, then up at 4:30 am on Sunday in prep for the 7 am race start.

Hopefully i'll beat my time from Baltimore, despite the injury and nearly month off from training.  

A 3:30 finish?  We'll see...

Not Happy. Not Even A Little Bit.

So nearly through the 2nd full week of not being able to run.

My guess is that how i'm feeling now is how McCain felt as a POW.  Ok, well not to that degree, but helpless, miserable, alone, TORTURED... 

Inappropriate Nate.  Inappropriate. 

I've been taking the medication prescribed to me, and overall, i feel like the foot is feeling better.  But it always seems that when i start to get excited or my confidence comes back, the injury insists on being a bastard and rearing its ugly head.  

Ugh.

So next weekend is the Philadelphia marathon, and naturally, I'm going to do it despite my physical condition.  The goal originally was to qualify for Boston, but now, it's to beat my time at Baltimore / finish.  Essentially, its a half and hour difference in goal time.

Need that finishers medal!

It's remarkable how much running became a part of my life, and now that i'm not able to, theres a noticeable void.  On top of it all, i can't eat as much since i'm not burning the same calories (i.e. no more 8,000 - 10,000 calorie consumption days) and i'm lethargic as hell.  The weather has been crap which rules out cycling outdoors.  Swimming is, well, swimming, and only takes up about 8 hours a week.  And i'm afraid that without the running and cycling to lean me out, my lifting routine is going to bulk me up to a point that will harm my performance instead of help it.  

So yeah.  Thats where i'm at in my life right now.  

I haven't been this frustrated in a long time.  

Maybe with Obama in office, stem cell research can finally manufacture new parts for me so that my body can keep up with my desire to compete and succeed.

Something New!!!

So our story begins last Monday.

It was a pleasant early November day.  Unseasonably warm, in the mid 60's.  Obviously, i would have never forgiven myself if i had passed up this opportunity to run in stellar weather.  So, run i did.

Now, i wish i hadn't.  Oh how things would be different.

About a mile into my short 4 mile run, i felt a pop in my right foot and shooting pain that lasted only a second, and then settled into an intense ache.  I'll let you guess what i did after experiencing this...

... did you guess yet??

Yes, that is correct.  I opted to finish my run.  

The pain kept getting worse the further i went, surprise surprise... but i still managed to finish the 4 miles in 27 minutes flat.  

Swam that night and afterwards, while in the shower, nearly collapsed from the shooting pain.  I'm the type of person who avoids doctors at all costs, because more likely than not, i'll just ignore what they have to say and do what i want anyways.  But this time around, something was different.  Luckily, a good friend of mine who is on the Masters swim team happens to be a Podiatrist.  He checked out my foot on Tuesday night and said it was most likely a strain / partial tear of the peroneus longus tendon, or a possible stress fracture of the 5th metatarsal. 

Awesome.

Essentially, he said "you should probably rest between 1-2 months to allow it to heal, but knowing you, ice it, take some anti-inflammatories, and try and get through the Philadelphia marathon in 3 weeks.  Take some time of afterwards."

Finally, advice i can take!

I went to my orthopedic surgeon the following morning and he told me i have tendon damage and a possible stress fracture as well.  However, his advice was to go to physical therapy, do absolutely NO running until cleared, and rest as much as possible.  Oh, i'll get right on that!

So, since the diagnosis, I've behaved and refrained from running.  It sucks.  A lot.  My twice a day cocktail of prescribed anti inflammatories and pain pills help a bit.  

I actually just got back from an interview trip to Pittsburgh, so that took my mind off things for a bit.  Now, back in New York, all I want to do is train.  

For now, i think i can control myself and behave... but i don't know how much longer this can last.

Cortisone shot anyone??

First Swim Meet!!!

I'll make this short and sweet.

So today was the first swim meet of the year.  I was penciled in to swim the 50 & 100 yard freestyle, the 50 yard breaststroke, and the 200 free and medley relays (if we could manage a team.)

Unfortunately, we were unable to get together a team for the 200 freestyle relay.  Oh well.

Since practice on Friday, I've been having back problems.  I pulled something and now, every time I breathe, there's a sharp pain on my left side in the middle of my back.  Probably not good.  I'm hoping that in a couple days it will go away.  ::fingers crossed::

First event was the 50 free.  My seed time was 25 seconds (my best time in high school was 23, 22 high on a relay pickup,) so I was hoping to get under that.  The time was good enough to be seeded 2nd, which i was pretty surprised about.

Long story short, i was in lane 5 and out touched the guy in lane 7 to take 1st overall with a time of 24.93.  

More than a second off my best.  

Second event was the 100 freestyle.  I put in my seed time at 1:00 but my previous personal best was just over 1:01 back in high school. 

Like always, I'm always ahead off the start but my turn is mediocre at best (although the first turn in this race is probably the best i've ever done!) and i lose ground there.

Ended up coming in at 1:00.14 which was good enough to win my age group and place 4th overall.

The 50 breast is not exactly a strong event for me.  Anything other than freestyle is rather awkward.  I put in my time as 35 seconds, not knowing what a "good" and "bad" time was for this race.  I touched the wall in 35.8 seconds which again, was good enough for a win in my age group and 4th overall.

The last event was the 200 medley relay which a few random people threw together at the very last second.  We had to play catch up from the very start and I was able to hold off the other team on the last leg to keep the 1st place in our hands (although my relay split was 25.17 ... nearly 3 seconds slower than in high school.)

Overall, I was disappointed with the way i swam.  I know i can swim faster in the 50 and 100 free, and when i get my technique better for the breast and in the turns, i'll be a force to reckon with.  Not to mention, when i shave down.

Other than the swim news, I've been running a lot.  10 - 11 mile runs have gotten very easy and prep for the Philadelphia marathon is going well.  Still hitting the weight room, but unfortunately cycling has taken a back seat because of the weather and priority.  

I need an indoor trainer for my bike.

Blah.

So first of all... it is freakin' cold outside. 

During my run today, i went by a thermometer board that had the temperature at 34 degrees.  With the wind chill, it's safe to say that it was well into the 20's.  Blast my body's inability to handle running on a treadmill, where it's nice and warm!

Anyways... two days ago i set out for a 10 miler, the first one since the marathon.  At about the first mile marker i was crossing a main intersection and accidentally stepped in a pothole and rolled my right ankle (yes, that is my reconstructed one.)  I managed to "run off" some of the pain for about 5 miles, but had to call it quits at mile 6 since it just hurt too much.  

I was scheduled to run 10-15 miles yesterday morning with my good friend Mary Hankin, but i nearly collapsed when i put weight on my ankle getting out of bed at 8am.  Ah yes, it was like deja vu, back to my old soccer days when this was a daily occurrence.  It didn't seem to bother me so much back then, maybe this "being physically healthy" thing is making me soft.  

::shrug::

Decided against running yesterday and lifted hard at the gym instead.  Rounded up the night with an hour and a half swim training session.  I'm pretty stoked that on November 2nd, the team i'm swimming with actually has a meet up in Rochester at RIT.  Should be a great time... just like the ole' high school days, only swimming, not diving, and against really really old people.  Errr...

Much to my delight (horror,) we emerged from the pool area to a winter wonderland.  First snow of the season.  I immediately popped the trunk and rummaged around for the snow brush / scraper and did the neighbourly thing and brushed off my fellow relay members cars.

So today i decided to head out for a long run again.  Mind you, it wasn't high miles today, but 6.7 miles is something considering how cold and windy it was and how "old school" my ankle was feeling.  It's just horrible that after a serious athletic career altering injury, any little thing that happens to that body part afterwards is amplified 10 fold.  Both physically and mentally.  

It's hard to get that confidence back.

Went out (way too fast) and rounded the first mile in just under 6 minutes.  Whoa there Nate... slow down buddy.  Settled in and just started cruising.  It was FREEZING but the pace was comfortable overall.  Towards the end my ankle began to stiffen up and the pain migrated back to my right achilles tendon area (which i have also had problems with in the past.)  At the end of the 6.7 miles, the inside of my right knee had also joined in the pain game (where i have a partially torn mcl,) but to my delight, my left leg felt wonderful.

I'll take pleasure where i can get it! (thats what she said.)

Finished in just under 48 minutes averaging 6:58 per mile.

Hopefully my ankle and knee wont be too sore tomorrow and i can get out for a longer run.

Run / Lift / Swim tomorrow.

Pitt Homecoming this weekend.

Woo!!!

Rough Week.

So this past week was a particularly rough one for me, for a couple reasons... and due to the fact my legs weren't in any shape to run after the marathon, one of my most important outlets for my frustrations, anger, energy wasn't available.  So i did what any normal person who can't run would do: cycle 120+ miles and write some music instead.

I feel like i'm in the best cycling shape i've ever been in, and i turned out some lyrics / music that may have some potential once i let it sit and refine it later on.

Today i feel like my legs are finally in form to get out and pile up the miles again.  We're going to start with a 10.2 miler and maybe a shorter 3 - 3.5 miler after depending on how i feel.  I'm going to try and get in at least 10 miles a day from here on out until the week or so before the Philadelphia marathon, so hopefully i'll be a tad bit more prepared this time around.  Focus on that 3:10 mark.

So off i go.  Time to run.  Swim session tonite.

Baltimore Marathon.

It was a long and brutal weekend to say the least... and i am anything but motivated in wanting to post about it.  So i apologize in advance for it being brief and without my normal array of quips and wittiness. 

I got a late start on Thursday and headed down to Baltimore / DC, arriving a little after 10pm.  After hanging out for the night, I headed to Ravens Stadium on Friday for the Event Expo... to register and to collect all the SWAG from the various booths.... i.e. chapstick, more water bottles than i will ever use in a life time, plastic cups, lanyards, gloves, etc etc etc.

Picked up my bib number, signed up for a pace group (3:10) and collected my UnderArmour marathon shirt.  I also purchased some things i probably shouldn't have:  a 2nd UnderArmour shirt, a fuel belt for long distance running, and sweat bands for my wrist.  

Left after about 2 hours of meandering and picking up at least a dozen marathon fliers for other races and headed out to my cousins place about 25 minutes northeast of Baltimore.

When i arrived, i was immediately greeted by a joyous 3 year old who was more than willing to tire me out before i had even run!  I spent most of the day (Friday) playing with him, throwing out my back, and watching Ratatouille / Finding Nemo.  Finally we were able to get him to bed after some convincing and a half hour story time session courtesy of yours truly.  

I think i'll be a great dad.

Went to bed around 11 in anticipation of the 5am alarm that was set to go off.  

Of course, i woke up 2 minutes before the alarm was supposed to go off, so i just got up instead of waiting.  Hopped in the shower, made some oatmeal, and drove to Baltimore.  

Arrived at about 6:30am and wandered about for a bit. I had until 8am to kill until the race start.  Listened to the ole ipod, took in some water and gels, stretched, dressed, laced up the shoes, checked my bag and went to the starting area at around 7:45am.  It was there that i met up with the 3:10 pace group (thanks to Geico) and met some great guys who i was to be running with for the race.  

It was great because the runners were set up so that there wouldn't be faster ones dodging and weaving through crowds of slower ones.  The 3:10ers were at the head of the pack, right behind the Ethiopians.  No. Really.  I lined up right behind the Ethiopians.

The time grew near and at 7:58am, 2 mins before the start, i realized i had to go to the bathroom.  Great.  

Welp... gotta hold it.

The gun went off and we started off on your 7:08 per mile pace.  It was surprisingly comfortable and easy.  We were having conversations and it wasn't laboured at all.  The biggest thing was that i really loved running with other people.  After the initial jockeying for position and crowding, we spread out a bit and just 'chilled' so to speak.

At mile 2, a helpful man on the corner gave us encouragement... saying "you're doing great guys... you're only 4 minutes behind the leaders."  

4 minutes behind the leaders... at MILE 2!  

We pranced on... up one hill, down a little, up another big hill, down a small one.... i swear i have never run so many hills in my life.  I wasn't exactly prepared for that.

About an hour in, i took down my first gel of the race.  Its tricky the first time out.... running, grabbing water, pounding it, grabbing gatorade, pounding it, and trying to get gel too.  

The sun eventually came out and we could tell it was gonna be a hot one.  Through mile 10 we were actually under the 3:10 finish pace which was great.  I still felt great and strong.  The crowds were great and inspiring, and even through some of the ghettos i mean "less wealthy sections" the people had their speakers in windows blasting 'Eye of the Tiger' and 'Chariots of Fire.'  It was a rush! 

Came through the halfway point at about 1:35 which is right on pace for a 3:10 marathon.  It was about this time that we saw the leaders streaking by the other way.  

Unreal.  

Throughout the first half of the race i was ever vigilant of the professional photographers on the course.  I can't wait for the cd to get to me with all the pictures on them... i made a point of posing for a number of them... so it should prove interesting.  Another thing that will be great to see is my inevitable decline after mile 16 and the how bleak i looked.  

Heres a mile by mile recap of the end of my race:

Mile 16 - Left leg started cramping up a lot.  First my calf, then my hamstring had to play too.

Mile 18 - I had been able to keep the pace group in my field of vision up until this point.  No more.  My race had turned in to running with walking through aid stations.

Mile 19 - My right leg finally felt the peer pressure and started cramping up... only worse than my left.  These cramps were the balled up ones where every time i kicked my hamstring constricted.  I haven't felt that kind of physical pain in a long time.

Mile 20 - The 3:20 pacers started to pass me.  This is when i knew i was in serious trouble.

Mile 21 - Lost view of the 3:20 pacers.  My run became more of a pathetic hobble.

Mile 22 - My body finally gave me the big middle finger and reduced me to walking.  Talk about humbling.  I decided to finally stop and use a port-a-pottie if only to give my legs a rest.  

Miles 23 / 24 - Consisted mostly of a humorous hobble / walk combination (humorous to watch, not experience) and a "grab everything i can get my hands on" mentality through the aid stations.  I was grabbing a cup of water, pounding it, grabbing a cub of gatorade, pounding it, and then another water to wash that down.  My body hated me.  To add insult to injury, the 3:30 pacers had began to pass me.

Mile 25 - Almost entirely a walk, at this time it was about finishing... but oh boy did the first aid booths look inviting along the course.  

The last mile was entirely down hill and i met up with another struggling member of the 3:10 pace group.  We just said screw it and starting running as fast as we could.  I sprinted the last mile (well, as good a sprint could be after 25 miles of physical battery) and finished in a time of 3:38:54.  Almost a half hour after the the group i had set off with.  The surprising thing was that my last mile was actually ran in under 6:30. 

I hate my body.

After the race, we were corralled into the runners area where we were treated to a medal, a reflective sheet to ward off the sun, liquids and some food (bananas, chips, granola, fruit, etc.)  Stupidly, i pounded 4 cups of gatorade, grabbed two bottles of water, chips and granola and went and sat on the ground.  This is where i started to feel bad... dizzy, nauseous, all sorts of not normal.

I stood up and walked over to the other side where i checked my bag.  Sat down on a bench, put my head in my hands and i may have 'fallen asleep' for a good 15 minutes.  In reality, i probably passed out.  When i 'woke up' i went and collected my bag and then got that mouth watering feeling that comes to you right before something bad is going to happen.  Yeah, you know what i mean.

I snatched my bag and made my way as quickly as possible to the far end of the nearest parking lot, where no one could see me, and promptly returned all that gatorade back to the earth.  On the plus side, it made me feel 150 times better, but at the cost of soiling my new $110 Adidas AdiZero running shoes.  

I guess they're officially broken in now.  

After collecting myself and getting my act together, i was delighted to see that ONE PERSON came to see me.  Maren Bertwell from my Italy Round 1 lives in Annapolis, so she drove up to say hi.  It was amazing to see her and was really the highlight of my day.

I think the hardest part about running there wasn't the heat, wasn't the hills, wasn't the distance or any of that... it was the fact that i had no one there to support me.  No one for the hour and a half prior, no one cheering for me during, and no one at the finish where everyone else was hugging their loved ones.  It was just me, my little spot on the pavement and eventual puddle of gatorade.

Congrats Nate.

Gotta be honest, sitting in a car and driving yourself home 30-40 minutes is not an ideal way to wind up a marathon experience either.  For a lack of better way to put it, that sucked.

Went back to my cousins place, but only after i stopped into a Walmart to grab a 10 pound bag of ice.  Filled the tub up, dumped the ice in, and submerged my battered lower body.

Now, you're only supposed to be in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes.  I FELL ASLEEP in my ice bath and only woke up when my cousin pounded on the door 50 minutes later.  

Nice one Nate.

After washing off i headed downstairs where Derek (the 3 year old) was more than willing to pick up where we left off the day before.  Unfortunately, i couldn't say no to him and ignored my body's pleas to rest and relax.  We ripped through Finding Nemo again, and then sat down for a great meal of eggplant parmesan.   After putting the kids to bed we sat down and watched Reign Over Me.  Well... my cousin and her husband sat, i kind of sprawled in whatever position would make my body the least angry.

I went to bed before 11pm and passed out until my alarm went off at 9am.... i MUST have been tired.  I never completely sleep through the night.  Due to the fact i drink too much water (or maybe because i'm getting old) i have to get up to piss 1-2 times during the night.  I know you wanted to know that.

When i got up, i was greeted with eggs, bacon, and strawberry / chocolate chip pancakes.  Ugh... heaven.  At about noon i said my goodbyes and began my trek back north.

If there's anything worse than driving 40 minutes right after running a marathon, its driving 6+ hours the day after.  Not exactly pleasant.

So that was my weekend in a nutshell.  Today i was antsy, and although unable to run for another couple days, i went against my better judgement and cycled an easy 34 miles.  

::shaking head::

Lifting and swimming tomorrow... hopefully turn on the high mileage running at the end of the week in prep for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 23rd.

I learned a lot this weekend, about the race and about my body:

1.  I underestimated how hard a marathon is.

2.  Despite what your mind and lungs want you to do, your body will do what it wants.

3.  Running with other people make all the difference in the world.

4.  I've said it before, and i'm saying it again:  i have to check my ego at the door.  Even though my time was "really good" for a first timer, i wasn't nearly prepared enough from my training.

5.  Have people there for you.  At the end, there's nothing i wanted more than to see the people i care about.  It's a crappy feeling when you can't.  Substitute "crappy" with a much stronger word though.

6.  Ask questions and take advice.  Encourage others and accept encouragement.  

7.  Fuel and hydrate.  FUEL AND HYDRATE.

8.  It's an emotional experience.  Crossing that finish line was more than gratifying.  To the point of wanting to cry.  When it hurts to the point you want to quit, think about that finish line.

40 days until Philly.  Lets see if we can cut 30 minutes of that time, shall we?

20.4

Anyone i've talked to has made a point at saying "if it's the only thing you do, run at least a 20 miler before your first marathon, just so you get a taste of what you're in for, and know what to expect."  Well, today, as promised, i did just that.

Although still a little achy in the joints from the devil treadmill, i really couldn't have asked for a better day for a run.  Not humid at all, clear skies, sunny but not sunny enough to warrant sunglasses, and a refreshing 55 degrees.  

So this was the plan : my normal "10 mile run" is actually a 10.2 mile loop that i do, starting and ending at my house.  Since it was my intention to run at least 20 miles today straight, i figured i'd do the loop twice, with a quick water / food / pee break after the first 10.2 miles.  Simple enough.

I head out, feeling absolutely great.  After about a mile, any rust and aches that were in my joints melted away and i was on cruise.   Long easy strides and my breathing wasn't laboured at all.  If pressed, i would have to estimate my heart rate wasn't too far above 100 bpm.  Maybe 110 at most.  I was still able to have a conversation at the pace i was running... it's incredible the progress i've made... now thinking that a 10 mile run in just over an hour is "easy."  

"You're a machine Nate... and more than a little insane."  

Yes... so i've been told.  Repeatedly.  If i had a dollar for every time i've heard that, i could probably purchase one of those new sweet C-series 450 horsepower AMG Mercedes.  

Donations anybody??

Came in after the first 10.2 miles in 1:12:52 which is 7:09 per mile.  Legs felt great, breathing still wasn't laboured, i was just a little thirsty.  haha.  

Took a 5 minute break.  Downed a water bottle of water, ate a banana quick, took a bathroom break and was back out for round 2 after only 5 minutes "rest."  I figure that during the actual marathon, i can easily cut off 3 minutes of that since i'll have HAMMER GEL packs on my tri belt and there will be aid stations throughout... so i can actually cover SOME distance as opposed to remaining stagnant at my house for 5 minutes.

After the break, took off for lap two, and it took about a mile to get back into the groove and have the newly ingested fuel take affect.  About mile 13 my right knee started bothering me and by mile 15, that pain was replaced by sharp pains in my left knee.  At mile 17 i definitely started to slow down a little bit... the knee pains were promptly replaced by pain from cramping calves and hamstring.  Unlike the joint pains... these stayed with me until the bitter end.

I ended up running the 2nd 10.2 miles in 1:19:51.  Just shy of 7 minutes slower than my first 10.2 and at an average of 7:50 per mile.  

Added together and including the 5 minute pit-stop, my total time for 20.4 miles was 2:37:43 which equates to a 7:43 per mile average.  Plenty below the 8 minute average i need to reach my 3:25 goal in Baltimore.  Take off a couple minutes with the on-the-go aid stations... i think i'll be golden.

After i got home i quickly filled the bathtub and dumped a bucket of ice into the water.  Dipped myself in and sat there for about 20 minutes... i think thats going to save me in the next few days and i hopefully my soreness level will be far lower than it was last week when i only ran 13.7.  

I estimate that i probably burned around 2,000 + calories during todays training session.

Just finished eating, spent about 15 minutes stretching, and i currently have an iced gel pack on my right knee.  Hopefully i'll be in good enough condition to head out for at least a 3.5er tomorrow.

I learned a few things about longer runs on my training session today:

- i am capable of going 10.2 miles without hydration in conditions similar to today.

- the race really doesn't start until mile 17 and higher.

- distance running is a testament to how well you can endure and shut out pain.

- if you cant endure or shut out the pain, embrace it.

- i no longer have to wonder if running a marathon will suck.  i KNOW it's going to suck.

- throughout the entire 2nd half of my run, i could only think about the fact that i will be doing this next summer, after a 2.4 mile swim and after a 112 mile bike, through the mountains.  it has given me a new perspective on how difficult the Ironman really is.

- i consider myself pretty fit and my athletic ego tells me i can finish any type of race without training hard.  i mean, REALLY training.  shorter races, yes... ok.  these longer endurance races i have to check my ego at the door and train seriously.

- the body is an incredible thing, and only a week after struggling so much with a training run, the fact it allowed me to come back and run well today, 7 miles longer, with more ease, and less physical punishment.

- endurance races are humbling.

Baltimore is just going to be a stepping stone.  I think after todays run i definitely want to run in Philadelphia and drop my time.  The time of 3:25 which i want to reach is an average of 7:48 per mile.  Even with that long break today, i'm 5 seconds below that.  I'm like rainman.  It's always a numbers game for me.  

Always crunching. 

Oh, and i got new running shoes a few days ago.  Adidas AdiZero Tempos.  They are incredibly light and they make a world of difference compared to my Nike Shox (purchased in fall 2004 and with 500 + miles on them.)  haha.

After the marathon, i'll finally be comfortable enough to call myself a real runner.

Rain, Treadmills, and Wind chills.

Let me preface this post by saying it is freakin' cold outside!

Today i decided to hit the trifecta with training.  Cycling, running, and then swimming this evening.  Initially, i went outside without checking the temperature and only going off the fact that there were blue skies and sun sun sun.

Bad idea.  

I quickly found out that cycling shorts, no socks, and a beater was NOT sufficient enough to get me through a training ride.  Time to revamp the training wardrobe.   After about 15 minutes of trying to find a make shift cold weather cycling outfit, i emerged from the house wearing my knee high black nike soccer socks, my black cycling shoes, black nike cycling shorts, and long sleeve tri shirt.  Even with all that, it couldn't keep me warm and the wind cut through everything when going 30+ mph on my bike.  With the air temperature being in the upper 40s / low 50s, the wind chill must have been at least the low 40s / upper 30s.  Absolutely freezing.

After a ride in which i was thoroughly chilled, i grabbed some water and headed out for a run.  

But before i get into that, lets rewind to yesterday.

Yesterday.  Cold, rainy, miserable yesterday.  I had the brilliant idea of putting to use the treadmill we've had for YEARS by putting it outside on the porch so that on those rainy days, there is no excuse for not running.  Also, i put a stand in front of it so that i could watch movies on my laptop and partake in Facebooks MOB WARS while running!!!

I. Hate. Treadmills.

I put on the movie Boiler Room, set the treadmill for 9 mph, and went at it.  God, its boring, and even though i was mildly distracted with Facebook and Boiler Room, i really couldn't deal with it.  Every 2 miles i had to stop because the constant bouncing and noise annoyed me.  I ended up doing only 7.5 miles, but it was the worst 7.5 miles i have ever run.  Treadmill running will only be a last resort thing from now on.  

Hell, I'll even run in the rain / sleet / hail / snow / hurricane katrina to avoid that blasted machine.

So back to todays run.  I set out with every intention of running at least 10 miles.  I mean, i DO have a marathon in a week.  About a mile into my run, my ankles and knees began to hurt like hell and the pain only escalated with each step and each mile.  By mile 3 i knew that 10 wasn't going to happen today.  In fact, i had to stop at 3.5 because it got so bad.  

Not a good sign.

I haven't hurt like this since i was playing soccer in Italy.  The only change i've made in my training was the treadmill... so now i know how my body reacts to that.  

Tonight swam a nice 2,400 yards and i'm finally feeling great about my swimming.  I feel fast, fluid, and comfortable in the water.  A far cry from what i was only a short month ago where i would drown after a quick lap!

So the enormity of the race i'm about to take on is finally hitting me.  I'm quite certain that i'll be laid up for quite a few days afterwards and i'm having doubts that i'll even be able to finish in the 3:25 that i set as a goal.  My longest continuous run thus far is 17 miles, and i was struggling towards the end of that.  I guess finally the nerves are hitting me and the uncertainty of what i'm about to take on makes things worse.  I'm sure the marathon in Philly will be a little better seeing as i'll know what to expect.

Anyways... this weekend (tomorrow) i am planning on running at least a 20 miler to get a taste of what it will be like.  I've heard and been told that the race doesn't actually really start until after the 20th mile... so i guess we'll just have to see how strong my resolve is.

Yay haw.

QUOTES!

Here are a few running related quotes that i found truthful and humorous!  Picture them on the back of a shirt.

- "destroying your confidence one step at a time."

- "on the 7th day, god ran an easy 3."

- "in my mind, i'm a Kenyan."

- "trample the weak, hurdle the dead."

- "every second per mile in a marathon is the difference between finishing with the Kenyans, or finishing with a guy name Ken."

- "our training runs aren't the only things that are long."

- "we're those fast kids your parents warned you about."

- "if you're reading this, you've been lapped."

- "my pace or yours?"

- "running is different from other sports.  other sports only need one ball."

- (for x-country) "roads? where we're going, we don't need roads."

- "if running was easy, they'd call it a game."  (another variation: "if running was easy, they'd call it your mom."  sorry... i had to. haha.)

- "my sport is your 'sports' punishment."

10.2 ... PLUS 3.5

Well i figured it was time to stop my slacking and hammer down for the next week and  a half before the marathon in Baltimore.  What better way to "hammer down" than head out for a 10.2 mile jaunt.  

So i did.

Felt great.  Fast.  I was probably at about a 7 minute per mile pace by the end of it and felt like i still had some gas left.  Legs weren't sore, strides were long and fluid...  tack on an extra 3.5 miles?  SURE!  Why not!!!

About a mile in, it hit me.  I started to hurt... a lot.  Legs started feeling like lead, stride shortened... breathing was still unlabored, but i was just running out of gas.  It probably didn't help that i was foolish and failed to stop at any point for water or a refuel.

Finally got home, pounded 2 bottles of water, and ate a banana that tasted absolutely glorious.  My legs were definitely in pretty bad shape though.  As i sit here, my quads are pretty sore.

Finished up 13.7 miles in 1:45:34 which equates to 7:42 per mile.  So that was a little over a half marathon training session today.  If i fuel and prep properly for the race in Baltimore, i think that the 3:25 mark is definitely in reach... although i'm really cutting it close at the moment.

Hopefully i can get about 50-75 miles of training in before the race, rest for a few days, and be good for the big day.  

Only time will tell.

New Goodies and RACE DAY!!!

So, i accidently purchased some new goodies for my bike and races in general... in addition to getting my bike completely overhauled.  I mean, it HAD been 1,500 miles since any tune up had been done!

The tune up was first... and when i went out on it afterwards, it felt like a completely new bike.  Smooth, accurate shifting and fast fast fast.  Not even a week later, i went in and pulled the trigger on getting new pedals, cycling shoes, and aerobars.  I won't say how much everything cost in total, but lets just say i wouldn't have made the investment if i didn't intend on competing for years to come.

Lesser purchases over the past week included a tri-belt to attach my bib number so transitions go faster, various HAMMER Nutrition products... including tri shorts, and YANKZ elastic laces for my shoes to help slide them on faster.  Back to those later...

So i took out my bike after purchasing the bars, pedals and shoes and it was unbelievable the difference they made.  The power i gained from the shoes and pedals put me at almost 5 mph above what i usually rode, and the aerobars made flat rides and down hills far more comfortable and easy.  

Now for the REAL story... RACE DAY!!!

Yesterday was finally the Finger Lakes Triathlon that we've been waiting so long for... but race weekend really got started on Saturday with the arrival of the out-of-town athletes!  Eric, Adam, and family arrived early in the afternoon and we met by the lake to pick up our packets.  Shortly thereafter, Jenny Scott, who is one of my good friends from Italy, came in from Grand Rapids, Michigan.  We loaded into the convertible, picked up Eric and Adam, and i showed them the bike route for the following days race.  Then i showed them what the course WOULD have been had they not changed it.  Needless to say, they were very happy not to have to deal with the massive hill previously on the route.

We then went on a little driving tour around town and then back to my house for a pre-race bbq / dinner / fire.  After a delicious dinner of salad, lasagna, grilled chicken and various other Mama Rychlik culinary delights, Adam and Eric went back to their hotel suite and we settled in for the evening, prepping for the day to follow.

Nates Race Day Check List -

- 3 Packs of HAMMER Gel

- 1 Pack of HAMMER Revcoverite

- Bottle of Water

- 2 Bike Water Bottles

- Helmet

- Sunglasses

- Timing Chip

- Speedo / Tri-Shorts

- Stop Watch

- Goggles

- Swim Cap

- Cycling Shoes

- Running Shoes

- 2 Towels

- Chapstick

- Bib & Bib Belt

- Socks

- Bucket

- Bike

- Banana

The day started at 5am, getting hydrated, and making sure everything was packed and in working order before the race.  Shortly before 6am Jenny and i loaded up our bikes onto the bike race and headed off to the race site.

After Jenny registered, we headed to the transition area, got body marked, and headed to set up our transition spots.  There we met up with Eric and Adam who had already been there for some time.  

7:15am - Transition area closes and everyone is corralled to the swim area for last minute instructions and prep for the first race waves.  Between 7:30 and 8:15, the Olympic distance races took off on their swim in the nippy waters of Canandaigua Lake.  The air temperature was in the low to mid 50's and the water temperature was a brisk 64.  Unfortunately, we had about an hour to stand around before our wave was to take off.  Plenty of time to stretch, relax, and psych yourself out before the race!

Shortly before 8:15am the first wave of the Sprint race was herded into the water.  There we stood for a good 10 minutes.  The most conversation starter was "God bless you that you're not wearing a wetsuit.  You're either really hardcore, or just insane!"  Frankly, at a distance this short (half a mile,) it's not worth it for me to struggle with a suit when i'm only going to be in the water for 15 minutes at most.  

The countdown began.  30 seconds.  One last pee in the lake.  A few last "good lucks" all around.  10 seconds.  Finally splashing my body with water in preparation.  5 seconds.  The adrenaline starts flowing.  GO!  We take off.  

After a couple minutes we all found our place in the group.  A select few Michael Phelps-esque swimmers separate themselves, I found myself just after the lead group with one other swimmer, and the main group further behind me.  It was surprising how easy i found the swim this year... well, i guess compared to two years ago, anything would be easier.  I didn't train for the swim at all in the previous race, and hadn't swam in about 5 years, since high school... and my time of 19:25 was reflective of that.  THIS year however, with nearly 50,000 yards of training under my belt,  i felt fast and comfortable (not to mention, numb) in the frigid water.  This time around my time was much better.  I was top 10 out of the water in my heat in a time of 14:43.

Swim Time 2006 - 19:25

Swim Time 2008 - 14:43

Next came the bike.  Out of the water, running to transition was probably my least favorite part of the race.  Running barefoot on a jagged cinder walkway on water adjusted numb legs is NOT easy or fun.

Got on my cycling shoes, helmet, sunglasses, Tri-belt and took off.  I only got passed once on an uphill climb where the cyclist promptly scolded me, saying "don't get out of the saddle!  You'll only waste energy and lose speed!"  D'oh!  I passed a lot of people and refused to slow down around corners that had signs saying "SLOW DOWN."  I ended up hammering into the transition area with a time far better than 2 years ago!

Bike Time 2006 - 46:56

Bike Time 2008 - 40:37

AVG MPH 2006 - 17.0

AVG MPH 2008 - 20.8

My T2 was too long and frustrating.  I got off my bike and to my spot fine, but i couldn't for the life of me get my left shoe on.  Even WITH the YANKZ, the sole kept sliding to the toe... a testament to me not wearing socks.  Damn.  So in a transition where i was able to get in and get out in 40 seconds two years ago, it took me 2 minutes this time around.  Definitely frustrating. 

The run started off alright... it seemed as though my legs would easily make the transition from biking to running, but at about the half mile mark, i started to cramp and my stride was noticeably shorter and less free than usual.  This went on until a little after the first mile and then the cramp went away and my muscles started to get accustomed to running.  My stride opened up and the remainder of the 5k felt good.  I came in with a time literally a mile faster than my time 2 years ago.  I had a great kick to the finish.  

5k Time 2006 - 28:12

5k Time 2008 - 22:08

Overall, the race was a success for me i think.  I didn't finish top 10 overall like i had hoped, but i got through without feeling short of energy and learned a lot about training and proper fueling.  I know that i still have a lot of room for improvement and i think i can easily drop 10 + minutes for next years race... putting me in the top 5 overall.

Triathlon Time 2006 - 1:40:16

Triathlon Time 2008 - 1:22:39

My finish this year was good enough for 31st out of 455 and 3rd out of 32 in my age group.  I even got a nifty 3rd place plaque!  

Afterwards i was waiting for the other three to enter transition, but saw the massage table and opted to get my hamstrings worked on instead.  After an after race meal, i planted myself at the chiropractic booth and got my back fixed.  From there i went to the awards ceremony.

Jenny did great, coming in 8th in her age group and Eric and Adam both did superb, finishing below 2 hours.  This was the first real triathlon for all three of them and i think it's safe to say they have the bug now.  Just look at me... i am the face of triathlon addiction.  Now i have 3 others that share my "pain."   haha.

Next year can't come soon enough and this is going to be a long winter of training without outdoor races.  I'll have swim meets, and i still have 2 marathons on the agenda... but it's just not the same.  

The next big triathlon on the schedule right now is Ironman Lake Placid... but i'm sure that i'll partake in some before hand as well.

Great job everyone, i'm proud you all made it through after all your training!

Now... let the training continue!

I Cycle. A Lot.

Each time i head out on a ride i seem to not bring myself to come in as early as i used to.  My time in the saddle has gotten progressively longer and the distances i've been riding have steadily farther.

This evening i rode around for about 2 hours and covered 38 miles.

The second part of the ride was the new route for the Finger Lakes Triathlon.  I was training the old route until last week it was brought to my attention that it was changed.  Great right?  No more initial steep climb... oh, but wait... instead its a gradual few mile climb mixed with a healthy dose of vehicle exhaust.

Personally, i would have rather just hammered up the steep climb with no car exhaust than have to endure this new route with it.  

All in all it wasn't too bad.  I wasn't going too hard since i had already cycled about 20 miles, but overall i still managed to finish the route with an average speed of 18-19 mph.  I guess we'll see what happens.

- elevation chart of todays ride.

List of dead animals i saw on my ride today -

1. chipmunk

2. skunk

3. raccoon

4. cardinal

5. snake

6. weird little black and yellow bird.  i call it the Livestrong bird.

7. anna nicole smith  (what?!  too soon?)

Oh, and i broke the 700 mile mark for cycling since July.  I only needed a couple miles going into today... so now i'm looking forward to the 1,000 mile mark.  Could happen by the end of September!

Lifted earlier... wednesday is a day off from swimming, and running... well, i just ate dinner... i might just have to head out before my cycling tomorrow for a 10 miler or so.  Yes... i'm slacking on my running.  I did a 3 miler yesterday sub 19 minutes, so i'm not too worried.

Oh oh oh!  One story from my ride!

So i was nearing the end of my venture and i come to an intersection.  A car with an older woman who clearly should not have been driving was coming at me from the road to the left.  So i stop and wait for her to go by.  No turning signal, she stops in front of me and after about 15 seconds with no traffic anywhere, decided to make a left turn... which conveniently put her in front of me.

Followed her for about a quarter of a mile to a stop sign.  The only options were to turn left, go straight, or flip a bitch and go back the other way.  She signaled left... but went straight.  Ok... thats two strikes in my book in less than a half mile.  Maybe about 150 yards ahead we hit another stop sign.  Options : left or right.  She hits the signal... right it is.  WAIT!!  NO!!!  Surprise surprise she turns left.  

RIGHT SIGNAL FOR A LEFT TURN!

At this point i was in utter disbelief.  Deciding not to filter my inner thoughts, i said "wow, you've got to be F%$#ING kidding me!"  As she turned i saw her window was open.  Oops.  She looked back at me, i waved, and turned right to continue my ride.  Unreal.

So seriously... how do people like this get on the road?!  To think the most pressing issues on the top of police lists are (not in order of importance):

1. Front license plates (yes, we have to have one in NY.  Sucks.)

2. J-walking

3. Underage drinking

4. Drinking in parks

5. Cleaning up after your dogs in parks.

I really love how our resources are going to such worthwhile, life or death matters!

Swimming.

Finally started getting into the pool and swimming with the Masters team.  These workouts are just a tad more intense than the buoy to buoy swims in the lake I've been doing up until now.  I kinda miss those days of stopping to talk at each buoy and resting before swimming the next length.  

::sigh::

The workouts consist of 25 yard sprints, 50 yards, 100 yards, 125 yards, and 150 yard increments.  Ladder up, down, repeats, etc.  with only a few seconds of rest in between each set.  A far cry from the up to 5 minute "breaks" we'd take at the lake.  haha.

Tonight was the second workout i've been to and it is definitely getting easier.  

A lot easier.

Two days ago I was having problems catching my breath and my muscles were very fatigued.  I just wasn't use to such a fast pace workout without any rest.  It's nice to be pushed... since i wont have the opportunity to "rest" durning a race.

It's been a productive training week, not as much running as i had hoped to do, but i still have 3 more days before the week is over.  

More cycling, running and swimming tomorrow.

Brick.

Not a fan of them.  Alas, they are a necessary evil.

Cycled 30.1 easy miles today.  Came in at about 16 mph average and that was with 3 pretty big hill workouts (climbs) in there.  Legs felt good and could have easily kept going for a while longer.  The only thing was that it was mid to upper 80's and i could feel the heat coming up from the pavement.  

Got home, got a drink, changed into my running gear, did a quick #1 and off for a 3.5 miler.  Now, i've done a brick before, but none really serious.  I usually putter around and take at least 15 - 20 minutes between my bike and run when i'm training, or do the run first, or wait hours while i sit down, have 3-4 sandwiches and play a game of MLB 2K6 on xbox (i'm 31-7 as the Toronto Blue Jays right now.)

This "transition" was about 5 minutes tops.

The run was tough.  Hamstrings hurt and just felt like i ran out of gas.  Came in at 25:11 which is a 7:11 mile pace, but still not good enough.  

BLAST!

Just had dinner (mmm, pulled pork) and i'm heading to the pool in about an hour for 3,000 - 5,000 yards.  

The Finger Lakes Tri is coming up fast!

Crosswinds 5k.

I am the type of person that absolutely cannot get a stellar nights sleep before a race.  No matter how tired i am, i get so antsy and can't turn my brain of while thinking about difference scenarios and how the race will play out.  

That being said... i got 4 hours of sleep last night before the race, if that.

Up this morning at 7, even though i had been laying there for quite some time.  I feel like i was waking up every 5-10 minutes on my own, and although my alarm was set for 7 am, i hate that alarm clock sound so i just got up at 6:58 when i woke the latest time.

Moped around, got some fluid in me.  Felt hungry but resisted the temptation and decided to race this one without eating breakfast and only used the stored energy from dinner last night.  I knew it was a possibility that if i ate anything it might come right back up since the course was definitely harder than last week and i was feeling fatigued as hell.

Got to the race site at about 8am, registered, and the waiting began.  God i hate waiting.  It makes me even more anxious and antsy to get out there and run.  

While i was stretching, the only thing i could do was look around and scope out the competition... definitely a stronger group than in Philly.  A lot of high school and collegiate runners in their short shorts and running tank top gear.  I love being a sleeper in the crowd.  Out of no where i see an old friend from high school, Andy Crawford, who is insanely fast.  Of course, he was in my age group... welp... scratch winning my group.  

We got to talking and i asked him what his goal time was for today.  His nonchalant reply was "well, i'm coming off an injury, so if it feels good and i actually race it, i'll run it in around 16... but if i just treat this as a training run, maybe around 17."

Jesus.  Right.  Essentially what he was saying is that he will be showered, changed, and sat down to eat by the time i cross the line.  

As we line up for the start, i stay near Crawford thinking that i could probably hang with him for at least the first mile or so.  We muscled our way to the front of the starting group (always start where you plan on finishing, right Irial?) and off we went.  

Got off fast from the line and managed to secure myself in the lead pack.  Crawford passed me after about a half mile, but he was the only one to do so the entire race, so i was pretty happy with that.  Of course he kept going... and i knew there was no way i could keep pace with him.

He's a ridiculously strong runner.

Crossed the first mile marker in a time of 5:43.  Oh crap.  Out too fast... not good.  I knew it was going to be a struggle to keep a 6 minute mile pace from here on out and with the dreaded hill coming up between miles 2 and 3.1 ... i would be lucky to stay under 20 minutes.

From mile 1 - 2 it was a sharp downhill and flat, so it was a chance to rest a bit and just let the body go.  The first place guy was so far ahead, i couldn't see him, but i could still see Crawford (who was in a battle for 2nd with another guy,) that other guy, and an older man directly ahead of me.  I drafted off of him for about a half mile and then passed him at about mile 1.75.  My 2 mile split was 11:50, so i fell off my first mile pace a bit, but it was still under a 6 minute mile.

The end of the race was the hardest i've experienced in running.  All uphill.  My body kept telling me to "walk.  WALK DAMMIT!"  and it took all my willpower to shut off my brain and just enjoy the pain and go... one foot in front of the other.  

I could still see the 2nd -4th place people in front of me, but they were a minute ahead, and on the uphill, and nearly out of gas, catching them wasn't even on my agenda.  At this moment it was "alright nate, don't shut down and DON'T let anyone pass you."

The crowds along the streets helped a lot and there were a lot of people that i knew from high school and living in Canandaigua.  Old classmates, friends, teachers, etc.  It was great to see them all and the one constant reaction was "oh,  you're a runner?!"  

No, i'm not.  I'm a reformed soccer player.

Came into the finish area... lined on either side with cheering spectators and finally crossed.

19:11.  

5th overall.

3rd in my age group.

My goal was to get around 18 minutes and to win my age group, but considering the competition i had, the shape of my body after a hard week of training, and the difficulty of the course, i'm pretty happy with how things turned out.

I think i surprised a lot of people who didn't expect me to keep up with the big dogs... and thats just fuel for the fire.  I love to prove people wrong.

So there's still room for improvement... but at least i proved something to everyone and myself and that i am a force to be reckoned with.  I'll only get better and faster from here.

Oh, and i got a nifty engraved bronze medal too:) 

Oops. Race Tomorrow.

So yesterday i did mile repeats at the FLCC x-country course.  Essentially it's a speed workout where you try to keep a consistent mile speed, rest a couple minutes, and then repeat at the same pace 4 times.  

Splits:

Mile 1 - 6:01

Mile 2 - 5:54

Mile 3 - 6:02

Mile 4 - 6:07

I was going to do a hill workout afterwards but my hamstrings were tight and giving me problems over the last 2 miles.  Keep in mind these are X-COUNTRY splits... hills, grass, mulch, holes, etc ... so if my split times don't seem that fast, now you know why.

Today decided to go out and do an easy 7 miles.  Finished the first 3.5 in 23:09 and the overall 7 in a little over 50 minutes.  The second 3.5 i shut it down and just cruised, to the point where i could have a conversation while running.  Hamstrings again felt tight and i'm chalking that up to the intense workouts this week.

Now, I was planning on doing a 5k on Sunday, but when i got home, my brother informed me that no, we aren't doing the race on Sunday, but instead we're doing a 5k TOMORROW morning which gives me less than 12 hours to get rested and ready to run hard.  I usually like to have AT LEAST a day rest before a race, so this is going to be interesting.  Oops.

My time this past weekend was 21 minutes flat and that was getting caught up in traffic.  The winner of this race last year came in just shy of 18 minutes, so i'm hoping that i can latch on to one of the top guys as a pacer... because i know if i have to pace myself i will probably struggle as i will already be fatigued.

At the very least, i hope to win my age group.

We'll see how it goes!

Back to training after LIVESTRONG.

Yesterday i got back on the bike and decided to do a serious hill workout.  Cycled around for about 10 miles to warm up and then headed to Lincoln Hill (which is the first climb on the Finger Lakes Triathlon course.)

Measured the distance from bottom to top and it came out to be .7 miles.  Shorter than i had previously estimated.  I remember two years ago in the last Finger Lakes Tri that i participated in i did the climb in just over 5 minutes.  With that as my only benchmark, i went to work.

Did the first climb in a little over 3 minutes, coasted down, 2nd climb took about 2:50, coasted down, and the next 3 climbs were all shy of 3 minutes.  I'm going to do 2-3 serious hill workouts a week now in preparation of the race since i know that is where i lost a lot of time in the past.

Ended the session with another few miles and hard sprints around the old Primary School bus loop.  A few young girls decided to join me (no i did not get their numbers, they were too young... even for me,) and kept pulling off to the side when i was about to pass them, saying "you're fast Mr. Bicycle Man."

It was cute.  Just take my word for it.

The total mileage ended up being 25.1 miles.

Today the legs felt good... i was surprised they weren't sore from the climbs yesterday.  Sooo i decided to head out for a 10.2 mile run.  

It had been a few days since i last ran, so my legs were fresh (minus the minor cycling fatigue.)  Went out pretty fast and was able to hold the pace... actually, i was able to go stronger and faster from miles 5 - 10.2.  The route i take passes my house at about mile 6 and i sometimes stop to stretch and get some water, but i completely bypassed that and ran the distance all the way through.

About halfway in i set my goal to finish in 1:10 (1 hour 10 minutes,) which would put me under 7:00 per mile on average.  Unfortunately, i finished in 1:12:44 which put me at 7:07 per mile, but this was still about 7 minutes faster than my previous personal 10.2 mile best.

This is way under my needed 7:50 per mile pace (or so) to finish the Baltimore Marathon in a time where i win prize money.  For those of you that don't know, the Baltimore Marathon offers a cash purse for those who have never run a marathon before and finish the race in under 3:25.  So fingers crossed, i'll be getting paid on October 11th.

Right now my hamstrings are a little tight and my calves are hurting a bit, but hopefully a nights rest will cure that.  

Tomorrows workout agenda:

- 10.2 mile run in the morning

- Hill workout on the bike again (approx. 25 miles)

- 3.5 mile run in the afternoon

- Lifting: back and shoulders

- If i feel so inclined... swimming 5,000 yards between 8:30 - 10pm.

There's a race i may do this weekend thats fairly local... another 5k.  This one is a straight up race so i'm hoping i can latch on to someone faster than myself, have them pace me, and then beat them on the final kick.  I don't mean to toot my own horn, but my finishing kick is pretty ridiculous.  

Toot toot.

LIVESTRONG Weekend In Philly.

* Disclamer - This will be a long post.  So get your popcorn, put up your feet, and enjoy the ride.

Friday, August 22nd.

"oh, yeah... i'll be leaving Canandaigua around 1 pm and get into Philly around 6 at the latest!"

That was Nathan "last thursday" Rychlik.  When reality finally set in, I was on my way to Philly between 4 and 5 pm.  Saddled up in a little red convertible, bike in the back, gear in the front, with my ipod and 5 pieces of Orbitz Mojito chewing gum, 5 hours from my destination, the weekend began.

About 6 hours, 2 pieces of gum, every Gavin Degraw song ever released, and countless construction zones later, i finally arrived to good ole Philadelphia.  

It was great to see Eric and Adam, my generous hosts, and just plain weird to see Wendi waiting on their couch.  I felt like we should be back in Florence at Luna Rossa, listening Italian music and drinking a cappuccino.  Who am i kidding... it was great seeing her too :)

We all went out to dinner where i proceeded to be a glutton and eat a spinach artichoke dip, french onion soup, and a large burger and fries... still famished after downing it all.  

THREE CHEERS FOR A FAST METABOLISM!!!

Saturday August 23rd.

Slept in.  After loafing about for a while, Adam, Eric and I meandered to the race site to pick up our packets, shirts, and timing chips.  A trip that was supposed to only take a half hour or so took much longer and an hour + later, we arrived.  

Yadda yadda yadda...

Hours later we were at a restaurant eating enough food to feed a small country.  Back to the apartment for some olympics and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and asleep by, ohhh 2am.  

Sunday August 24th.  RACE DAY.

Up at 5 am... still full from the night before.  Despite that, managed to eat some oatmeal and a banana before we loaded up and headed to the race site.  I spent most of the ride with my ipod blasting and getting into the "Zone" if you will.  I was just antsy.  After working out every day and then taking 3 days off to rest of a race, I just wanted to run.

Even with having left some 90 minutes prior to race time, we barely made it by 7:30 am.  The logistics weren't exactly worked out by those in charge (good job Lance,) and parking was hard to come by.  Luckily, Adam has a PhD in parking, and he slid in nicely by a bus... risking that perhaps he would block it in.  Oops.

Walked to the race start line and waited.  Waited.  Waited some more.  After the 100 mile bike group, the 70 mile bike group, the 45 mile bike group, and nearly an hour after our scheduled start time, the race began.  Immediately there was a problem.  1,000 people crammed into a rather small space and a start that was not conducive to those faster runners to run to their potential.  I definitely got the short end of the stick.

Adam, Eric and I all started together well back in the pack.  Ducking, weaving, hurdling babies, soccer moms, and old women in wheel chairs, I tried to get clear of the slower people to get to where the race was.  So frustrating.  I spent more time on the grass than i did on the pavement during the first stretch.

My first mile was a mediocre 7 minutes and my mind got to thinking what could have been if I hadn't been held up for at least a minute and a half with the slower participants.  Continued to pass people and made it a point to never be passed myself. 

At least I achieved that goal.

No one passed me throughout the race and I ended up finishing with a time of 21 minutes flat.  Unbelievably, that was good enough to place me 12th out of 659.  The winner ran in with a time just 30 seconds faster than my personal best, and I think that if i had been running with someone to push me, i would have been able to win in the home stretch.  

Yes, i'm disappointed in my performance.

When i crossed i wasn't out of breath and had this "meh" feeling since i knew it was a lost cause from the start.  I guess its reassuring that a bad race of mine is still 21 minutes.

The whole team got together and we grabbed some lunch and beverages before the jaunt back to Philly.  Oh... and the post race provisions were provided by Pizza Hut and Michelob Ultra.  Weird.

The drive home was faster and the day culminated with a short hour nap and the drive back to New York.

Yeah... i kinda got sick of writing here at the end.

In summary:

LIVESTRONG 5k - COMPLETED

PLACE - 12th out of 659

FEELING - mediocre at best and can do better blindfolded hopping on one foot.

REALITY - pretty great that i finished that high, but it frustrates me when numerical results don't accurately represent what i'm capable of.

Next up: Finger Lakes Triathlon.

Speed Workout #2. Whisper It... Sub 5 minute Mile.

So it's been roughly 3 weeks since my last speed workout at the track.  

Three weeks since I last wanted to cry from being so physically depleted.

At least this time I knew what I was getting into this time around.  Lets recap what I ran just 3 short weeks ago.  Actually... lets do a side to side comparison between the first speed workout and todays 2nd speed workout to show the differences:

July 30, 2008 August 19, 2008

400  - 1:24 1:15

800  - 1:20 1:12

1200 - 1:18 1:12

1600 - 1:17 1:13

2000 - 1:22 1:13

2400 - 1:23 1:11

2800 - 1:27 1:13

3200 - 1:25 1:14

3600 - 1:25 1:14

4000 - 1:21 1:11

4400 - 1:22 1:16

4800 - 1:12 1:08

Mile 1 - 5:29 4:52

Mile 2 - 5:37 4:51

Mile 3 - 5:20 4:49

3 Mile - 16:26 14:32

One word: INSANE!

My average times today were on mark with my fastest last lap time 3 weeks ago.  Keep in mind that I ran 14 miles yesterday, cycled 24 miles this morning, there was a strong headwind down the back stretch, and I wasn't running fresh.  So there is definite room for improvement!

Tomorrow it's up early for a swim session, another 20 or so miles of cycling (gotta break that 600 mile mark,) 10 - 14 miles of running, and ending up the day with a 2nd swim session since I was bad and skipped one today.  If I still have anything left, maybe go to the gym and get some lifting in.

I'm feeling great.  Fit.  Strong.  Confident.  Been icing the joints and so far everything is holding up.

A Tweak here... A Pull There...

I forgot to mention a few things.

For the past month or so, my knee and body problems had seemed to all but disappear.  Today though, midway though my 10 + miles, the knees started acting up.

Right now, I have ice on my right knee, i'll be icing and heating the other and both ankles later on, and my left hamstring seems poised to snap.  No matter how much i stretch it, the tightness still remains.  

When I get sponsors / a semi - reliable income, I need to make weekly chiropractic and massage appointments to help keep my body in working condition.  

It's a scary thing feeling a tweak here, a pull there, and wondering if the next one could be the catalyst for events that would end your dream.

Milestone.

Well... hit a couple milestones this week, the most important being that I broke 200 miles running over the past month and change.  It doesn't seem like I'm running that far during training, but it's surprising and hard to stomach, looking back and seeing what I've actually done!

The other milestone was that I ran my 3 mile in a time of 18:02 and finally got my 5k time under 19 minutes.  Again... it's hard to believe that when I started a little over a month ago I was running 3 miles in 23 minutes and that I've already dropped 5 minutes off in this short of time.  Although it was a personal best by well over a minute, I wasn't happy since my goal was to get in the 17 minute range.  To miss by 3 seconds... gah.  Torture.

Today started the lead-up week to the first road race of the season:  the LiveStrong 5k in Philly.  The plan for the next few days was to run an easy 10 miles today with a 3 mile cool down, speed workout tomorrow, and then another 10 miles on Wednesday.  Rest Thursday, Friday, do an easy mile or two Saturday to loosen up, and then race like a bat out of hell on Sunday.  I would love to drop my 5k time to around 18 minutes... and if I can finally break into that 17 minute zone, I'll be one happy guy.

So I ran an easy 10.2 miles today.  Finished in 1:20:13 which is a little over my personal best, but still averaging 7:51 a mile.  I wasn't winded at the end at all... and I think the Baltimore Marathon shouldn't be too hard to conquer.  Especially my route here has more hills than in Baltimore.

Did a 3 mile "cool-down" and realized with about a half mile to go that my 22 minute pace probably wasn't the "cool-down" i needed.  I ran a faster mile pace than I did in my 10 miler.  Instead of feeling better after that run, I actually started to hurt for the first time.  After 13.2 miles, i was dead.  I can't wait to have aid stations with water and food during the actual marathon.  With that, i know it will be easy.

Looking forward to a personal best this weekend.

Epic Cycling.

So last Thursday, i decided to take on my first real long distance cycling challenge.  The 100 or so miles from Canandaigua to Buffalo.

So i geared up, packed 3 bottles of water, 2 bananas, a sandwich, and my ipod... stoked about the journey that i figured would take me 6 hours, TOPS.  I planned on getting on the road by 6 am, but i actually left around 8.  Got about a mile in, and realized i had forgotten my cycling gloves.  

GREAT.

Turn around, pick them up, and i'm on my way... for real this time.  

It was overcast and the forecast called for severe thunderstorms at the day progressed.  I hoped that i could make it to my destination before those became a factor.

Driving this route in a car, i didn't realize how hilly it actually is.  The first 20 or so miles... all hills... and to make matters worse, i couldn't even get up to cruising speed DOWNHILL because the $%#&-ing headwinds were so strong.  I literally had to pedal to keep speed going down hills.  After pedaling hard up the hills and then having to do the same downhill... very demoralizing.

About 40 miles in, i decided to pull off and have a banana and a sandwich.  After a 15 minute food / fuel break, i saddled back up and headed off down the road (up more hills.)

Cranked away for another 15 miles and i suddenly realized that i was out of water.  Super.  Luckily, my father was leaving to head to buffalo a few hours after i left, in a car of course, so i had hoped water would be available upon his arrival.  

I was about half a mile into a mile climb and he blows by me and stops about a quarter mile ahead.  Not at the top of the hill, or just over the peak, but right on the slope so i have to stop mid climb.  

Thanks dad.

To make matters worse... no water.  It would have been really easy to break down my bike, load it up, and ride the rest of the way... but i resisted the temptation and kept on going.  Luckily, and much to my relief, my father came tearing back towards me about 5 miles later with 2 bottles of water.  He's my hero.  Seriously.

My hamstrings were cramping, my calves were cramping, i was getting sore being in the saddle, and my upper back was just killing me from being in that position for 4+ hours at this point.

Then started the rains.  Misting at first... then harder, mixed with headwinds and crosswinds that made each hammer of the pedals torture.  Mind you, i usually average between 18-20 mph on my rides... i was lucky to be between 13-14 mph at this point in time.  Again... demoralizing.

As the end of the ride neared, the sun came out, and for the first time i realized how close i was.  Only about 20 miles to go.  Only an hour and change.  But no, it would have been too easy to finish like that.  

The Place: Mile 77.5 - Bullis Road, just outside of Buffalo.

My back tire shreds.  AWESOME!  There was nothing i could do.  I had an extra tube and repair stuff, but with 20 miles left and no serious tire pump, i couldn't ride on.  So thats a big DNF.  

DID NOT FINISH.

The worse words an athlete can hear and words i hope to never experience during an actual race.  So now i have to head back out and attempt the ride again, and again, and again... until i'm successful.

So i called my father, he came to pick me up, and in the meantime i walked my bike an extra couple miles because i couldn't bear to just stand there.

The rest of the weekend was a gluttonfest and full of Rychlik family tomfoolery.  It was my cousins wedding on Friday, so naturally we had to party Thursday, Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday.

My family is more fun than yours.

So now, i guess you could say it's back to the grind.  I ate horribly, drank soda for the first time in probably at least 6 months, and enjoyed an alcoholic beverage or 10 with the family to celebrate the wedding.  

Time to detox and get back to it.