Recovery, motivation, Coach Troy, Scott, Kona

I really don't like recovery weeks. It's harder for me (mentally) to train less than train more. I guess I worry that I'm losing fitness even though I understand the principle of periodization ~ that my body needs a recover period to adapt (get faster) to the stress I've been putting on it over the previous 3 weeks. Regardless, I'll be glad when this week is over.

I forgot bring my iPod to the last 10k I ran and did well enough, but I'm hoping that if I bring it this time and load it up with some super motivating music, it'll give me that extra edge to break 42 minutes. We'll see if it works.

I've got a little play in my rear wheel so I'll be dropping my bike by the shop today. I think it may be from doing that coach Troy video on the trainer. I never stand on the trainer and especially don't do sprints. Coach Troy had us doing both in "No Slackers Allowed" and now all the suddent I have this looseness in my rear wheel. Hmmmm. Because of that reason and because all the trainer riding has put a wide flat area on my Conti sew-up, I've decided that I'm going to ride my commuter road bike with it's cheapo clinchers and inexpensive tires on the trainer instead of my race bike.

I saw this article last night from way back in 05 in Triathlete magazine before Scott had a tri bike. I just LOVE the look of this CR1 with those bars. It's like a carbon Litespeed Saber or something ... very clean and light looking. What they’ve done as far as market share since 2005 has been very, very impressive. I think they we're tied with Trek for 3rd at Kona this year and three years ago they didn't even have a tri bike! Anyway, this got me thinking about going with a base bar / aerobar setup for the triathlon season this year. The one thing I'd disagree with is that it's difficult to get a 76 degree seat angle; with a saddle with long rails like the Fizik Arione tri + a zero degree offest seatpost it's easily attainable. For me, I like to a pretty powerful position, especially with the hilly courses I race, so 76 degrees is as steep as I'd want to go.

If I flirt with a certain time at Beach-2-Battleship this year, I'll be trying to find a Kona qualifier to race ASAP. If that race is a flat one like Arizona, you may see me move to a Plasma. If it's a rolling course like Louisville or Wisconsin, I'll probably keep the same light-weight setup I have now.

Who I want to be when I grow up.

If you don't already know Bill Linder, I'd like to introduce him to you. He's a guy that I see at the pool a few times a month maybe and occansionaly at a bike shop. He doesn't race much locally, but he does race a lot and he trains a lot too.

I know from talking to him thoughout the year last season that he raced the Buffalo Springs 70.3, Ironman World Championships in Kona, and Ironman Florida. I know he's run Boston a few times but I'm not sure if he did last year or not. Although I don't know a whole lot about him, I do know that he's one bad a$$ triathlete and if SC had a Triathlon Hall of Fame, he'd be the first inductee. This year Bill will race as a 74 year old; his last year in the 70-74 year old age bracket.

Bill has raced at Kona 5 times that I know of, finishing in 14:26:41 in 2002. He's raced at Ironman Florida at least 8 times and according to our conversation last Wednesday, plans on racing again this year. He seems to have a lot of success at Florida winning his age group there in 2001,2004 and 2005, placing 2nd most other years. In 2005 he also completed the Assualt on Mt. Mitchell. He's a true competitor and athlete. In this article on Ironman.com, Roger Brockenbrough, who's an amazing athlete as well, expected Bill to be the one to beat in the 70-74 age bracket at the Ironman World Championships in 2005.

But Bill is not all about 70.3s and 140.6s, he also happens to hold the 5K SC State Record in the Male 70-74 age group with an astonishing 21:27 at the age of 70 at the Get to the Green 5k on St. Patty's day here in Columbia. That's a sub 7 minute mile pace for a 70 year old!!!!!

Bill is in inspiration to me and real treasure of our state. I hope I keep crossing training-paths with him for a long time to come. This year we'll will both be attempting 140.6 on Nov 1 at different races; Bill for the umpteenth time, me for the first time. Who knows, maybe one day we'll represent SC at Kona together.

Fun at the Zoo

Here's a slideshow that Jennifer put together of our fun Saturday at the zoo with the kids!

http://www.slide.com/r/sqcx5Fv64T-4jQossqO1ZPw_akHb-Cbi?previous_view=lt_embedded_url