November is nearly here. That means it is time to get your feet wet. We all know the offseason is the time to focus on improving our skill in the various disciplines of triathlon. There are a lot of different programs out there, and using the advice of Coach Mike Ricci, I am once again focusing a 30 day period to becoming a better swimmer. While it is nearly impossible to dedicate most training time to a single discipline during the race season, the winter months provide the opportunity to intensify our training in weak areas.
This year, there is an added opportunity. In addition to making dramatic improvements in the swim, those who complete the 30 swim plan (okay, 26 as I'm sure we'll all miss one or two) stand to gain some schwag in the form of energy gels. The first five to let me know they will be participating (and to actually complete the swims) will receive five Power Gels. If there are fewer than five participants, the case of gels will be divided among those who do.
Now, to be fair to Bigun, he would really prefer that nobody else join us. At this point, he is the only one who has notified me of his intent to participate. As it stands, he will be up an entire case of Power Gel by the end of November. He stands to lose Bigun-time if anyone else signs up. So if you hear anything from him saying you SHOULDN'T attempt this, remember he is biased.
Whether you are currently swimming a maximum of 500 yards or you are making the transition from short to long course triathlons, you will benefit from a heavy focus on the swim. If you are struggling to shave time off your favorite swim distance, 30 days of intense swim training will give you the opportunity to improve your pace. If there are specific areas in need of improvement, such as bilateral breathing or balance in the water, 30 days of drills provides plenty of time for drills. And if you are looking to improve your aerobic base, 30 days of swimming will move you well along that path to greatly improved fitness.
If you are interested in joining us, let me know by posting a comment or via E-mail. The more the merrier. Well, unless you're Bigun. If you're Bigun, it's "Go away! Clydesdales need big schwag!"
One of the minor disappointments from Ironman Louisville was the finisher's bag. The main letdown? That there weren't finisher's bags. No finisher's hat. No finisher's shirt. Just the medal. It would have been nice to get something, ANYTHING, other than the medal to indicate an Ironman finish. It just looks wrong when I wear that medal to work. Even if it IS casual Friday.
The one silver lining was the announcement that came just days after the race. As a "thank you" to participants, all finishers would be provided a copy of the finisher DVD shown at the award ceremony. A great many people have been anxiously awaiting that video since the announcement was made. And continue to wait.
A quick check with several others who completed the race confirmed that the videos have yet to be sent. That is the kind of situation that warrants a note to the race director. And despite the feeling many had that any message would fail to get a response, there was a positive reply. Apparently, the videos were sent out last week. A mere eight weeks after the race (six weeks after the announcement).
Of course, as with any good business, the E-mail added that dreaded caveat...
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
Perhaps it will get here in time for Christmas.
 I have never really considered myself a "runner." Sure, I'm a marathoner. But there's a difference. Runners LOVE to run, and would do it without a race on the horizon. And in many cases, marathoners ARE runners. Me, not so much. I run marathons because that is what keeps me running.
Triathlons threw a whole new group of things into the mix. I'm no more a swimmer than I am a runner. I'm not really a biker, either, though I do like biking a lot more than running or swimming. And despite not really being a swimmer, a biker, or a runner, I became an Ironman.
And I think I like being an Ironman more than being a marathoner. For the same reason I like being a triathlete more than being "just a runner." It has to do with variety. Having the choice of training disciplines combined with getting to do all three sports in a single race makes training for and racing triathlons more bearable. "Fun" might be a stretch, but I do enjoy myself more in triathlons than marathons.
 Getting to know George Schweitzer over the past year, I've seen a similar attitude. Anyone who keeps up with George's blog knows that he is more than just an Ironman. He qualified for the Boston Marathon and had an amazing run despite the horrid conditions, this year. He has completed triathlons all over the country (including a half-dozen Ironman events). This past year, he started breaking out the mountain bike to participate in various off-road events.
He takes all of his experiences in these disciplines, combines it with his ever increasing base of academic knowledge, and shares it with others. Some of his best posts are from his series about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. If you haven't read them, trust me, they aren't the "lower heart rate and improved blood pressure" variety. They're worth reading.
It is this variety that is leading me to consider the "next big challenge." It is what motivates me to see if I can complete a 50-mile ultramarathon. It is what generates interest in endurance level adventure racing. It does not, however, lead me to consider 10K swimming events. After all, everyone needs some kind of boundaries.
Do you find yourself in a rut? Is the "same old" training starting to stagnate? Perhaps it's time to consider shaking things up a bit. I'll be doing that in November with my 30-day swim challenge. If swimming has become mundane, Coach Mike's suggestion about 30 days of running (or biking) might apply to you. Don't be afraid to mix it up and focus on a weakness.
Another option is to find a new event to run. Last winter, Rural Girl got involved in snowshoe racing. If that's not crazy enough, Tri-Mama (and others) completed a mid-winter triathlon, complete with swimming in a frozen lake. Take a season off from endurance triathlons and push yourself in shorter races. Or participate in other multisport events.
One of the huge benefits of triathlon is the variety. Three disciplines. A variety of distances. The gamut of race environments. Even so, we should remain open to other opportunities and continue to expand our horizons in the world of fitness.
It looks like I might have my next major undertaking laid out before me. That will teach me to open my mouth too widely.
This morning was a great day for a swim, as several triathlon friends were there for workouts. It was nice to catch up without the pressure of a big and vital workout. All too often, my conversation at the pool consists of:
Hit wall. "Hi." Turn and swim the other direction.
It sort of covers "polite" in that I did, in fact, acknowledge them. It makes it difficult to see what is happening in people's lives. This morning was different. I was able to stop between sets. While it may have only been 30-60 seconds at a time, it gave me brief opportunities to see what people had on the agenda.
Then, we all hit the whirlpool and caught up. During the "what's next" part of the discussion, I mentioned that I would have to hit some of the trail races one of these friends will be directing. I indicated it would be good training for a race I was considering. "Oh, which race is that," he asked. "A 50 mile trail race in Kettle Moraine."
"Really! I'm running that race. We'll have to do some training, and might even be able to run together in the race." And like that, my "perhaps" race has become something with a bit more peer pressure.
That's just how I roll. Come up with an idea and then find someone to light the fire that will be held under my toes for the next six to twelve months. Some think it's all about self-motivation. Sometimes, it's just easier to let others provide the motivation.
So, anyone have a training plan for a 50-mile race?
 It seems I need to find something in the near future to provide greater motivation. A long race, a big event, something. It has been too easy to pass on early morning workouts given the lack of a key race in the near future.
This morning's scheduled workout was a run of 6-7 miles. Everything was set for the run. My cold(er) weather gear was laid out as the temperature was expected to be somewhere around 40F. (Anything under 45 degrees and I break out a long sleeve shirt. Under 40 degrees and I go with running tights.) My shoes, MP3 player, fuel belt, and hat were all strategically placed for a fast transition from sleeping to running. And the alarm was set for 4:45 a.m.
My backup alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. For the record, I don't own a backup alarm. My daughter has that covered. When I went in to check on her, she started grabbing things out of the crib, a not-so-subtle hint she wants to sleep in mommy and daddy's bed. Given the hour left until the real alarm, I didn't argue.
No sooner did I set her down than she started saying, "Pah ee." That translates to "potty." Which translates to "Daddy isn't getting back to sleep anytime soon, because I want you to read me a book and/or play a game." And the state of her pull-up confirmed that her need to actually use the potty was perhaps a bit overstated.
Still, potty training is potty training, so we headed off to the bathroom. About 10 minutes later, I got her back to bed, only to have her wake me up 10 minutes after that with another refrain of "Pah ee." Ummmm, didn't we just go through this. At least for round two, the new pull-up was still dry.
By the time we got out of the bathroom the second time, I was looking at about 15 minutes before my alarm went off. I caved, reset the alarm to 6 a.m., and decided to play the training day be ear. If I can, I'll squeeze the run in when I get home. Since Mrs. Pol has Bible study, tonight, odds of that happening are greatly reduced.
When late nights, middle-of-the-night wakeups, and colds start interfering with training, it is time to find something with greater motivational power. I have to find a race with sufficient impact and get registered. As Boomer would say, "Stay tuned..."
No, I didn't head to Indianapolis to participate in a masochistic cold-water triathlon. In fact, I stayed close to home and played outside with my kids. And got my hair cut.
As many of you already know, juggling training with an already full schedule can be challenging. This weekend, my wife had a lot on her plate. Though she had agreed to let me get my swim and 30-mile bike in on Saturday, it seemed reasonable to shift my schedule around to help out. So, I decided to do a little "independent" sprint triathlon.
It started at 6 a.m. at my local YMCA with a 1200 yard swim. That took just over 25 minutes. After a rather lengthy transition, I checked out the spin class and found that it was non-existent. It must start later in the fall. Lacking the spin class, I hopped on the one adjustable trainer in the Lifestyle center and pounded out 30 minutes at a (too) high cadence and heart rate. They get antsy when anyone spends more than 30 minutes, and I decided to play nice.
After the spin, I grabbed my fuel belt (giving my heart rate time to come down) and headed out for a 5.4 mile run. I had a beautiful day with sun and little wind, and completed the run in 45:44.
There wasn't anyone to race, and there were no crowds to cheer, but it was a nice change of pace to the normal training day. And it got me home early enough for my wife to get an early start to her schedule. In fact, it was so early she didn't even realize I got my hair cut on the way home.
Which in and of itself is a sad commentary on the state of my hair. It's now to the point that there is little difference between "in serious need of a haircut" and "just got a haircut." Something Tri-Dummy pointed out before I even GOT the haircut.
Okay, mark it on your calendar and circle it in red. I don't really have anything to say, today. Anyone who knows me can verify that IS news.
To be fair, I do have a few things rattling around in my head, and have to figure out how to fit them into a post. Perhaps a haircut will help.
Have a great weekend and if your weather is better than ours promises to be (cold and rainy), use it well in training. I have a longish ride scheduled for Saturday and a long run on Sunday. Both promise to be good training for inclement weather.
 There are lots of benefits to being a member of USAT. Members save the $10 insurance charge at USAT sanctioned events. There are many ways members can work to influence and hopefully improve the nature of our sport. There are opportunities for self-improvement through courses up to and including coaching certification. And one can always hope for free schwag. (Hint, hint for any USAT leadership reading this blog. Hats and large shirts are cool.)
Another cool benefit is the USAT ranking system. With no effort other than that required to complete sanctioned races, I get to know how I rank among other USAT members. Enter a few limiting points and "Blammo," there it is. I'm ranked 210 out of 470 males in the 35-39 age group in the midwest region. My score, 71.0155.
If I read that number correctly, it means that the "par" time for the races I've completed is about 70% of my time. Somehow, that strikes me as fairly useless.
I understand the mentality. Take racers with experience in races, and use their times to establish a "par" time for the course. Kind of like golf. Except in golf, "par" is a fairly standardized variable. A par three on a given course today will be a par three tomorrow. In fact, barring significant changes in green and pin placement, that hole will be a par three next year, too. In the USAT rankings, that target moves dependent upon who races.
So, being ranked 210 out of 470 age group males in this region is fairly ambiguous. The top ranked person in the group has a score of nearly 96. Unfortunately, that means one of TWO things. What it SHOULD indicate is that he is the best performer in the region. And in a relative sense, it does. Relative to the "par" racers in those events he raced, he is pretty quick. What we don't know is the relative speed of those "par" racers.
Obviously, times in a race depend upon a great many variables. Many, namely weather related factors, are beyond anyone's control. But the system used by USAT adds the mix of racers to the pile. Not only is my score based on how well I run, it is based on how well others run, AND who those others are.
I'm not saying USAT should scrap their ranking system. Even if the numbers are somewhat ambiguous, I like having them. I AM saying that people should keep these issues in mind when they review their rankings. Consider the various Ironman races, this year. My ranking at IMKY was 71. At IMCDA, it would have been just over 69. The same with IMWI. Then again, had I raced the Pigman half-IM instead of Racine, my 71 ranking would have been a 74.5.
Of course, my time in Coeur d'Alene, Wisconsin, or Pigman would certainly have differed from what I ran in Loiusville or Racine.
And that, my friends, is confusing.
 For most of the country, the new year begins on the first of January. For triathletes, the new year often starts in September or October as they begin preparing for their next race season. For those considering an Ironman, the new year starts as much as 365 days prior to race day as they sign up at the current year's race.
Next year will be slightly more relaxed as the longest triathlon in my sights will be a half-IM. In fact, I have already registered for my A-race, the Spirit of Racine half distance event. This year, the goal will be to break the 5-hour mark, which will require shaving 31 minutes off my previous PR, set on the very same course.
Ten minutes of that should be easy, as I won't be stopping to help any "damsels in distress," this coming year. The balance will be picked up through self-improvement. My swim and bike times have plenty of room for improvement, and I always strive to pick up the run pace.
2008 might be just around the corner, but planning is well under way for the year's race season. Coming soon...
A mid-winter 15K, an early season 10K, and a full marathon with a Boston qualifying time in the sights.
 On Saturday, the training goals called for a 2500 yard swim followed by a six-mile run. As soon as I got to the YMCA, I realized those goals were going to be missed.
As part of a presentation to 7th graders at a local youth organization, most of my triathlon gear was in a bag. At home. Included in that pile of equipment was my swim goggles. The idea of swimming 2500 yards without goggles was unappealing. Thankfully, I could fall back on the run.
The quickly revised plans called for an indoor duathlon if there was a spin class. I would run until the class started, spin for 60-90 minutes, then finish with another run. An hour later, I was about eight miles into the run, and forced to acknowledge there would be no spin class. So, I kept running.
I figured a 10-miler would be a suitable replacement for 2500 yards plus six miles. When I got to 10 miles, I decided to keep going, as it was barely 7:30, and I had plenty of time. So, I decided to complete the 13.1 miles of a half-marathon. Based on the stated track distances, it was actually just over 13.18 miles. I may have even set a half-marathon PR.
So here's where perspective comes into play. Some people will read about running a half-marathon on a whim and cringe at the thought. For a new runner, the idea of running that distance requires considerable training. Others will shrug their shoulders. "Been there, done that." And some can honestly look at it and grin. "Hah! A mere 13 miles? I ran that as a warm-up for the real training."
The cool part is that we all started from the same place. Whether young or old when first starting endurance training, we all have to train to improve. And we all must have the patience required to progress to the next level. Once upon a time, I looked at a half-marathon as the furthest I would ever run. Then I completed a marathon.
As I completed more marathons, I never contemplated going further than 26.2 miles in a single day. Then I started triathlons. Now, I consider the idea of RUNNING 50 miles extreme, but running a half or full marathon on the spur of the moment is doable. Perhaps someday I will complete that 50-mile run.
Then, I'll look at people who run 100 miles as odd. After all, it's all a matter of perspective.
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