2 Weeks, no running...

and no end in sight. :(
I've got a nasty case of posterior tib. tendonitis and have really no idea how it got so bad so quickly.
My mileage was reasonable, stride was feeling fluid and light but all of a sudden I can't walk let alone run.
We think it may have been a longish run on a hard surface with bits of ice and snow scattered around that really triggered it (thus the subtle message to winter above).

I tried to manage it and run easy for a couple of days but two weeks ago I had to walk/limp home 5km...I haven't even thought about running a step since then.
It is still pretty inflamed and I often can't walk properly but I'm hoping with another week or two I'll see some progress.
I'll keep you posted (both of you), in the mean time I'll hammer the bike and try to keep some semblance of running form by taking part in possibly the most embarrassing activity for a former swimmer - AQUA JOGGING!!

The Ride to Conquer Cancer...Half Way!

For one weekend in June, I plan to finally ride my bike for someone other than myself. I ride my bike pretty much every day, I always do it for me. Whether it's training, racing or commuting, I ride because I take pleasure in it, I get something positive out of it physically and mentally.

My Dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer this past August.
I found out about the Ride to Conquer Cancer in the Fall and decided to enter and ride for my Dad. 200km of riding in a weekend isn't much for me (actually I'll probably hafta put in some extra miles and a run after Day 1) but by entering I committed to raising at least $2500 for the Princess Margaret Hospital's Cancer Institute, that's my challenge.

In addition to the usual training updates and the odd rant, I'm gonna start to post about my progress in the fundraising department as well. I've been inspired by the donations thus far and I know those who have donated are eager to track my progress.

Thanks to the generous support of friends and family (and friends of friends and family!!) I am more than half way to my goal. It truly shows that reach and impact of this disease - it is personal to so many people.

Until June 21, 2008 I'm going to keep working. Riding will continue to be something I do for me but I constantly keep in mind my Dad's fight. For that reason I'll keep pestering folks in the fundraising department. If you'd like to help, click on the link:
www.conquercancer.ca/goto/ianyoung

50cm!!!

For all you math majors...that's half a meter...I'm not sure how many feet that is in American, likely close to 2. In any case, we're supposed to get hammered once again with a huge snowfall tonight and tomorrow.
So the SCCC group jams that I usually count on for long, hard miles in the saddle are yet again replaced with mind (and taint) numbing sessions on the trainer.

Apart from winter's refusal to make way for spring, the training is going OK. A 20 minute critical power test on the trainer shoes my FTP to be in the neighborhood of 325W. I'm pretty confident that an outdoor test will yield higher numbers but I'm content with where we're starting out the 2008 campaign

Running frequency is up to 6/week and my stride feels like it's coming together. Still most runs are easy-steady around 4:20-4:30 pace but they feel good and they feel easy.

Swimming is still a bit of an issue with some rib problems but I'm getting a few easy swims in every week and getting some feel. The swim fitness will come pretty quick assuming everything else is firing!

Now, it's time to sit back and see what mother nature has in store for us...I swear this better be the last of it. Seriously, how full of shit was Al Gore this global warming thing? :)

Until next time, keep fit and have fun!

Whoa, it's been a while...but it's still winter

And it's still fucking cold and gray and cold.
While it's not a big surprise to still be dressing in countless layers of clothing to go for a ride or run in late February, I always get pretty tired of it this time of year.
It doesn't help to read and hear about friends heading to Tucson or South Carolina for a couple of weeks of great training in nice weather.
And just when I'm on the brink of S.A.D. (look it up) I slip on some ice last Tuesday while running and I've done some damage to my ribs/intercostal muscles. I haven't gone for an X-ray yet, mainly because I don't think there's anything you can do for cracked/broken ribs anyway.
I've still been able to train, the riding feels fine, running hurts (but that didn't stop me from entering a 1/2 marathon on Sunday...bad decision that I'd rather not talk about!) and swimming hurts - just annoying, persistent pain but it effects my stride and stroke if I don't take it easy.

Until next time, I'll be toiling away on the trainer or trudging through slush and snow, longing for the days when I'm suffering like a dog in the heat and humidity that is hopefully around the corner.

"You must be dedicated...

...to be running out in this cold weather" was a comment made to me today as I was out on a great little :50 run at lunch.
We've had a bout of warmer weather in my neck of the woods over the last week or so, today was the first day in about a week that was below 0*C (-1), I thought it was a great day to be out. Not like somedays when I really struggle to get outside, today was a no-brainer; probably about 10-12*C above my "treadmill temperature threshold."
I started to think about her comment and her perspective as I continued my run. This was just one little run on what I thought was a great day to be outside. From her tone of voice I gather she thought what I was doing was crazy, if it was up to me, I'd be out for a much longer run or a nice bike ride; different perspective. I (along with MANY other athletes) am not only willing to train despite a bit of snow in the air and a cool breeze, I enjoy it.
But she was right: "you must be dedicated." Today it was easy. I don't imagine I'll be racing that woman this summer, so doing something that she (and honestly most people) thought was crazy is no big deal. At some point between now and the 2008 triathlon season I'm gonna hafta do things that really do take dedication, things that my competition not to mention the lady on the street are unwilling to do.
Today I'm enjoying the easy, no-brainer days. I wanted to blog this so I'd remember that comment during the workouts that aren't so easy, the workouts that will hopefully set me apart.

Beautifully Ugly

Probably best describes my first swim "workout" since October, I loved every second of it but I bet it was U-G-L-Y to watch.

After spending my formative years fixated on the black line, starting set after endless set 'on the top' I go through periods where the last thing I want to do is pull on my speedo and go for a dip.
I've tried to force myself back in but I always end up hating it. I've now learned to let it go a bit, that it's OK to not swim. If I don't feel like swimming I do something else, for the past 2-3 months I haven't felt like it, I also haven't stressed about it. Sure, it's a nice luxury to have as a strong swimming triathlete but today I felt like swimming so I swam.

It was good to be back, I sucked, but it was a good suck. The sound of the water rushing past my head and was calmingly familiar, I guess I'm still a swimmer after all....even though 2001 me would laugh his ass off at the pace times 2008 me is using.

Happy New Year!

With the exception of a few 'ZEROES' over the past few weeks to do the holiday rounds, training has been rolling along OK. The volume is pretty low but I've been trying to get some quality/intensity in most days.
On the competition front (if you can call it competition), I ran my first beer mile just before X-mas and man did I under estimate the difficulty of that event! A beer mile consists of 4 beers, 4 laps of a 400m track, alternating beer/lap. I came out on top of our little group and finished in 7:40. We had about 6" of wet snow to run through so I think I can get close to 7:00 with a faster track. Regardless, it was a fun event, I think there's video footage floating around out there. I'll see if I can get my hands on it and post it here.

Keep fit and have fun,
Ian