Indicator workouts...

So as Ironman Arizona continues to get closer and closer, the peak of my training begins to close as well. I have just over a week left of hard training. The week will be very intense. I'm extremely excited about these workouts actually! I'm feeling good and look forward to testing my fitness, yet making sure not to expend too much as the big dance is 3.5 weeks away. Anyways, short post. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all the support lately. I'll try and continue with frequent posts as the day continues to near. I need to get to bed as I have an early 3k time trial in the pool. Thanks for reading,

-T

Peaking...

Well, it's about that time. I'm 4 weeks away today from Ironman Arizona! I just finished week 2 of an intense 4 week build prior to a two week taper leading into the event. This week included 12k in the pool, just over 200 miles on the bike, and 42 miles of running. I'm feeling great! I really feel like my body has taken in all these weeks and months of training properly and I'm peaking at the right time.

Saturday I pushed off early in the cold, brisk fall air to tackle a 6 hour ride. I had the benefit this week of riding with a friend. I wanted to head out to Multnomah Falls as the ride has about 20 miles each way of flat terrain with heavy wind (similar to Arizona) and includes somewhere around 5 to 6k of climbing. I took my TT bike to continue to get accustomed to riding hours on end on it.

We started out of town pumping. Andrew seemed like he was in a hurry to get our 6 hour ride finished with! Oh well, it was good to push myself early in the ride and see how I responded. We ended up having a great ride. As we were heading back down to Marine Drive to make the trip home I was actually hoping for a headwind for the 15 to 20 mile section. I was feeling great. I dropped Andrew off after 5:15 and went out for another 45 minutes of time trial at just faster than Ironman pace to finish the 6 hours. I then quickly changed into run gear and got in a quick 5 mile run...again felt great.

Today started with me sleeping in. We went out last night to celebrate our birthdays (Andrew and me). Interesting fact, we share the same birth date. Actual birth day folks. Weird. So anyways, 2 beers and some fajitas called for an extra hour of sleep. My schedule called for a 15 mile run. I hit up my favorite trail for this. My legs were fairly tired after a difficult week of training, but I was actually feeling pretty good. I negative split the run with an overall average of 7:43 per mile. My last 3 miles went 7:12, 7:13, 6:48.

So, another week of training is over with. Every week has has different challenges. This past week I really worked on my mental training for the event. I'm very happy with the progress I've made and can't wait for Ironman!! And again, thanks to Meg, my friends, and family that continue to be so supportive of my racing and training. I can't thank you all enough!! Thanks for reading,

-T

Staying healthy...

It appears that everyone in the Willamette Valley is coming down with the flu, or some version of it. It's kind of scary. Knowing that if I get sick, especially with something as bad as the flu, my airway won't hold up for the big dance in a little over a month I'm being extra cautious. I received my seasonal flu shot on Friday and am actually carrying hand sanitizer around with me...everywhere I go!!

I'm making sure I get plenty of sleep and stay up on my vitamins. So far, so good, but there is plenty of time. I'm just trying to be as proactive as possible to avoid potential infection. On a bright note, I did get my flu shot and am taking all these precautions.

On a training front, I'm starting to feel really good. I'm nailing my workouts and recovering well from them. A friend recommended trigger point products to help with my IT band issue I had a while ago, I must say it has been one of the best triathlon related purchases I have ever made. I'm able to recover better than before, especially after punishing run and bike workouts. So, thanks Erich, and anyone reading should check out Trigger Point's products!

Well, time to get ready for bed and do it all over again tomorrow. Thanks for reading,

-T

5 weeks...

Saturday started with a lot of uncertainty. The weather didn't look terrible, but did I really want to venture out for 5.5 hours in suspect weather? The other option would be to spend the time on my bike trainer. After second guessing myself multiple times I settled on the trainer as I could put on some extra clothes to help simulate the heat I will likely encounter in Tempe next month. It was one of the harder rides I have ever done. Not because of anything other than I was just tired and didn't have a ton of motivation. I made it a little under 5 hours and then went for a quick 4 mile transition run. I felt amazing on the run!

The picture to the right is the line for the haunted corn maze we went to later that night out at Lone Pine farms! It was a blast actually :) Great fun all around.

We went to bed kind of late that night so I easily ignored the alarm clock in the morning. I rolled back over for another hour of sleep but then remembered that I needed to knock out the 20 mile run that was on tap for the day early so I could catch the Vikings game which was on at 10am. I was out the door by 9:20, and luckily had DVR'd the game...Thanks baby!

The run. Summed up in one word. Solid. I went out right around 8 min mile pace just taking it easy and keeping my HR in check. I turned it up on the second half, averaging just under 7:30 min miles. My last two miles were both at 7:15 or under. I felt great.

I got home and quickly caught up on the Vikings game. What a great game, especially that fourth quarter! Meg and I then headed back to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkin.

So, here we are 5 weeks from IMAZ. I'm feeling very strong and am ready and excited for this race. I have 3 more intense weeks and then an aggressive 2 week taper. This past week included 14k in the pool, 200 miles in the saddle and 40 miles on the run. The next 3 weeks will look similar with some weeks having higher run vs bike or vice versa.

This week is now in the books. I'm feeling great and wanted to make sure I made mention of how incredible Meg has been during this process. I would not be heading to Arizona in this kind of shape without her at my side. You are the best honey!! Thanks for reading,

-T

Early night...

I didn't get hardly any sleep last night and the day included a full day at work (when aren't they full) combined with a tough morning swim practice and a 10 mile "recovery" run (whatever that means!) at night. I'm officially pooped. I was trying to fall asleep a few minutes ago, but my cat (the one with the fleas lately) is trying to snuggle in bed. Not cool Teton. Sleep somewhere else amigo.

Alright, off to bed then. Another double tomorrow and then another huge weekend of training after that. Saturday's long ride my be interesting with the weather forecasts I'm still seeing. Keeping my figures crossed. My legs are starting to feel unreal. My swim is feeling better, just need a few more solid 5k efforts and I'll be back. Less than 40 days. Thanks for reading,

-T

VO2 Max Testing...

Another tough double today that included a VO2 max test on the treadmill, courtesy of the UO Exercise and physiology department!! I've wanted to get my VO2 max tested for the past year, but it is not cheap. VO2 max is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise, indicating cardiovascular efficiency...aka fitness.

I knew I was going into the test in good shape although I've had a difficult last few weeks getting over a recent sinus infection. That being said, I started to feel like myself again this past weekend so I was looking forward to the test. Being a chronic asthmatic, I was a little unsure how much of a limiter that would be as well. A lot of questions that would be answered within about 15 minutes on a treadmill. This is not me below, but gives you an idea of what the test looks like.

For those of you that haven't had this test or have no idea what it entails, you hop on a treadmill and after warming up the director of the test loads his computer with interval increments based on your top end type speed. Example, they wanted to know what my fastest 10k time was, my marathon time, and what a hard tempo run of 4 miles would be at. The goal is to increase the speed slightly each minute for 8 minutes until you are at what would be considered a very hard effort (5k or 10k) and then all the further minute adjustments are done with incline instead of speed.

So...we decided they would take me down to 6:45 pace for my top speed. I have started to consider myself a runner as of this last year after knocking out some respectable times, but I definitely lack speed so 6:45 pace is fast for me (especially on a treadmill as I hate treadmills and have a difficult time running fast on them). Ok, cut to the chase Yates, I know, I know. I made it to the stage right before we started inclines and was feeling like a million bucks!! The students there (it was part of a class) were getting excited and shouting encouragement. First incline came...piece of cake! 2nd came, ok...a little harder but still hanging in there! 3rd incline came (now at 6% grade) HOLY SH#T this is getting hard! I promised myself I would make it through this stage and into the 4th...I didn't know if it was going to happen but then I heard one of the guys start to count down to the next incline adjustment and I knew I was going to make it to 8%.

I now had these 10 students really cheering for me and I was determined to keep pushing. But I was getting to the point that I really did feel I was basically maxed out. I was having trouble getting enough oxygen in and was worried about pushing too hard with the big race less than 6 weeks ago. I shut it down and called it a day. The students quickly started going over the numbers and one of the girls yelled, "holy crap!" Ok, now I was excited to see what the results said. So the number that you might hear athletes compare against each other is a reflection of the oxygen consumption as a percentage of your body weight. My score ended up at a 63. The prof told me that a world class runner or cyclist would normally come somewhere around 70. Lance Armstrong, aka freak of nature, once measured an astounding 85! So, I will take my 63! I think with continued training I could reach that 70 mark, but a higher VO2 max score doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to race faster or slower in triathlon...it's more of an indicator of my cardiovascular engine and what is possible.

So anyways, if you are still reading...sorry for the drawn out story! It was quite the experience today. I had a great time (despite the torture) and am looking forward to doing this test again and pushing that 70 mark. Of to bed, early swim is staring me down. Thanks for reading,

-T

Anniversaries...

November 22, 2009 represents the date I will tackle my first Ironman. I'm feeling more and more prepared as the days and weeks go on and am excited for the day to come! I've been racing triathlon for a few years now and have developed a solid base over the years. This past weekend was very successful, training wise. I got in my 6 hour ride on Saturday, my 15 mile run Sunday, and 3500 yards in the pool Sunday night. I feel back on track after recovering from the recent sinus infection I suffered.

I rode by myself on Saturday. Which I'm actually happy for. It gave me the opportunity to deal with something that I haven't really dealt with on a long ride in a few weeks, yet will have to deal with at Arizona...Wind. I was pedaling into a strong headwind for the first 2.5 hours. And I mean strong headwind. As I was pumping away, trying to stay focused and motivated I started thinking about why I started triathlon. And that's where the title of this entry comes from.

November 22nd will be almost 3 years to the day. It will be 3 years since I decided to go for a run. You see my family was in town for Thanksgiving and my sister and father went out for a long hike. I was over weight, out of shape, and lazy. I had decided that I would go for a quick jog to show the family that I still had it. I made it just over a quarter mile until I almost collapsed. I couldn't breath. My muscles burned. My heart was about to jump out of my chest. I actually felt like I might die.

I decided then and there that I was going to get in shape. 6 months later I finished my first triathlon, in the top 7% of the field as well! I had lost 35 pounds and felt great. The next year I lost the rest of the weight I needed to (about 10 or 15 lbs) and became much more competitive within the sport. That same year I finished my first half Ironman. I felt even better and decided I was going to sign up for Ironman Arizona. I signed up last November, took all of December off, and then started training for my first marathon which I completed in May.

So during my ride, I again asked myself, "why am I doing this?" Well, ultimately I compete in triathlon for me. I do it because I love trying to push my body and my mind to new limits. I love the challenge of trying to race competitively for hours at a time. And damn it, I love to go fast on the bike!! Seriously though each workout I think about different motivators, and it helps. I think of my amazingly brilliant and beautiful fiance and how she deals with my obsession. I think about my incredibly successful sister who has been living with type 1 diabetes since she was 2. I think of my mom, whom determined working 60 hours a week as a clinical manager wasn't enough so she went back and got her MBA, while still working full time...and then decided she needed a PHD!! I think of my dad, and everything he has done professionally and athletically (7 time Ironman finisher himself). And then I think about the finish line in Arizona. And seeing you all there.

There are many more people that I think about during these tough workouts, and you all have a part in helping me get through them...even if you don't know it. So on November 22nd I will not only celebrate the start (and hopefully successful conclusion) of my first Ironman, but I will celebrate my re birth to a more happy and healthy individual. I will celebrate this with the people that helped make it happen. Thanks for reading,

-T

World Champs cont...

What a day! For me as well as the Ironman World Championships in Kona. I went out for a long ride early so I could get back to watch the ducks as well as the World Champs. I went out for 4.5 hours in some of the windiest conditions I have ever ridden in! I went up to the gorge and ended up at Crown Pt. I did have a tailwind on the way back which was awesome. I got back just in time for kick off and then put in another 1.5 hours on my trainer to get to my 6 hours for the day. Felt awesome.

As I settled in watching the Ducks I kept getting distracted by Kona. I had it going on my laptop next to me. I was so happy to see my man Chris Lieto pull away half way through the bike. He had about a 5 minute leading heading out on the marathon. And he had spent all this time over the summer working on his running! I was really pulling for this guy. But Craig Alexander (reigning champ) had other designs and eventually made a pass of Lieto at mile 22. Hats off to Crowie, he is the champ and a great guy. But on this day Lieto was my hero. What a gutsy move to take it to the field and hold on for 22 miles of the run. Chin up Chris!

To top of the great race in Kona, the Ducks won...AGAIN! Go Ducks. And now it's time for me to go. I have a 15 mile run to attack in the crisp fall air of the Northwest. Then off to the pool to get some yards in. Thanks for reading!

-T

World Championships...

So today is the big day. Not for me mind you, but for 2,000 plus athletes that have qualified...today is KONA. The world championships for Triathlon, at least at the Ironman Distance. It's the pinnacle of our sport, at least in my mind. Qualifying for the race can change your life, if you are a pro, winning the race puts you into a different conversation among peers and press.

So who is going to win? That's always the question. The tough thing to predict is that it's an Ironman! So many things can, and will, go wrong. Could be mechanical, nutritional, sickness, etc. Sounds like everyone is healthy heading into the cannon start this am so it should be on like Donkey Kong!!

My quick predictions...
* Chris McCormack - Won the race in 2007. Mechanical last year when he was having an off race to begin with. He looks solid and has shown good speed. He is probably the best runner in the field.
* Chris Alexander - First Ironman in 2007 he finished second to Macca. Last year he won by concentrating on his strength...the run.
* Normann Stadler - He showed last year that he is still a player. Cramps on the run due to a poor bike fit have been addressed. If he has a decent swim I look for him to attack on the bike and try and ride away like 04 and to some degree 06.
* Chris Lieto - Many say Chris doesn't have what it takes to win the big dance. He obviously has the swim and bike but has struggled on the run. So he spent a month training with Ryan Hall and Josh Cox. Unreal. Like Stadler, look for him to attack the bike and develop a lead. They might let him get too much due to his run history...
* Terenzo Bozzone - Lieto is my dark horse to some degree, that make Terenzo my unlikely pick. Young kid with tons of upside who took Macca, Marr, and others on and beat them in hot conditions in the phillipines 6 weeks ago 1/2 Iron length. He is a stud and can bring it.

Well, I have plenty of other thoughts on the rest, but must hit the bike for a century ride. Should be a fun day for me as well as all the athletes competiting in Kona! Congratulations and best of luck everyone!

-T

49 days...

49 days. The amount of time until I toe the line at Ironman Arizona!! Crazy. I must say it's coming together pretty well. I have completely recovered from the sinus infection/flu that I had. I had an eventful week this past week culminating in serious amount of work stress at the end of the week. Hopefully the stress will be rewarded soon...

So this weekend consisted of a long ride on Saturday and a long run on Sunday. I woke up Saturday after a very long week to temperatures barely above 40 and some dark clouds. I was still worried that I wasn't completely recovered from the recent sickness so I made the call to ride indoors where I would stay warmer and could regulate my HR better. So I did my century ride indoors. Yes, the whole thing. Well, kind of. I went for 5 hours instead of 5.5 so I'm guessing I was around 90 miles, but close enough right? I probably would have kept going, but we had a game to get to!!! Quick shower and we were off to watch the ducks rip apart the Washington State Cougars!

Yes, we had the band come and play at our tailgate...pretty awesome huh?? Well, it's not the normal band, I guess it's their alumni marching band, but cool enough! Meg requested Duck Tales for me, but we had to settle for a few other classics! Awesome. The food on tap consisted of pasta salad, potato salad, Sliders, and plenty of veggies!! Oh, and a few cold ones. Not a bad way to reward yourself for 5 hours on a bike trainer!

So, we watched the Ducks completely dominate the Cougs for the first half and called it a day. 42-0 was enough for us! Got a good night of sleep and woke up to even colder weather than Saturday and rain. WOW. So, my 20 mile scheduled run now sounded terrible. I ate breakfast and jumped back in bed for 30 minutes in hopes it would warm up a little outside. I know wishful thinking!

Finally I put on a long sleeve shirt, a vest over that, threw the runners on and headed out. It turned out to be a great run. I kept it at a moderate effort to not push it to hard considering I was still somewhat recovering from the recent illness. I averaged my 8/mile throughout and felt great! I finished the last 4 miles strong as I've been working on finishing my long runs strong this year. Mission accomplished!

So, I'm feeling very happy that we are 49 days out right now. I'm feeling fit and somewhat refreshed by being forced to take a little time off. I'm excited for next 7 weeks of training and looking forward to continuing the fitness gains as I prepare to tackle this goal. It's hard to explain in words how excited I am to have this all coming together. Now I must get back to my beloved fiance and our couch! Oh, so I have a 110+ mile ride scheduled for this next weekend...should I invite DUCK VADER to ride with me? Think I could hang on his wheel? How rad is this guy??? Thanks for reading,

-T