Been busy

Wow. It has been a couple weeks since I posted. I did not realize that time had slipped away so fast.
Got a lot accomplished in the past couple weeks.
The week of fathers day I got a cool camera and video taped myself swimming. Something kind of funny happened (for the good). I noticed a few things that looked just plain dumb. Things I was doing in the water that really we not needed. So that week, in that brief moment, I figured out how to swim and I have not looked back. Swam a couple times in my wetsuit (to see if it still fit as someone shrunk all my clothes over the winter) and then every day since. That weekend on the 14th we did the 100K pie ride. We left at 7 as a group of about 10 SWAT people and then a few of us broke away from the pack and rode a little harder. It was really fun and it was good to get the miles in. I would really like to go and ride that route again in full race mode to see what I can do. The route has a good mix of hills and flats with about 3000 feet of climbing over the 63 miles. We finished in about 4 hours. I think we averaged around 16 MPH. We did stop at a couple of the aid stations for gatorade. The last 20 miles were into a stiff headwind. I hunkered in the aero position and rode hard. It was tough, but fun. I learned a few things about my biking too. I know a lot of guys use the smaller chain ring and spin faster to keep the blood moving and the legs fresher. I guess I am a masher. I keep it in the big ring and spin a little slower but seem to make up a lot of ground. Now if I can do that for 100 miles, I don't know yet. But it feels good to me. If I stay in the smaller chain ring, I feel like I am working like crazy to go slower than I am if I keep it in the big ring and spin slower. It probably will be something I need to change in the future, but for now I'm mashing.
The following week we swam every day. Tuesday SWAT workout week number 2 came so we did the swim/bike/run thing. We went a different route and I did not flat which was sweet. I was able to ride pretty hard and got in front of everyone for a while. I even ran the 2.5 miles route after the bike (had a garmin issue too-more on that later). I swam almost a mile on Tuesday and then Wednesday and Thursday I did a mile each day. It is getting very easy now. I am not focused on my breathing and worrying, I am just swimming and now it feels very natural. I focus more on my swim form and it has been great.
That Saturday we had my sons grad party. It was nice to see some relatives I have not seen in a while. We planned on lap swimming after the party but we had some late comers and they stayed until it was too late. Sunday we went on another 50 mile bike ride to Whitewater with the president of our tri club. It was fun and it was a nice ride. We avg about 16 MPH again. I am glad to be getting between 80-100 miles per week right now.
We got home in the afternoon and settled in to watch all the bloggy bloggers do CdA. It was great. We so wanted to be there but with money and the kids grad party and the lack of planning on our part meant we had to make the choice not to go. It looked like a great day. We watched everyone finish up to about hour 15 and then it was past midnight here and being a work night meant we had to get some rest. YOU GUYS WERE AMAZING. All of you, sherpas included and being able to see pictures and read accounts of what happened have been great. I got up early in the AM and check to be sure Geek Girl made it and when I saw she did with 45 minutes to spare, I quickly woke up my wife and we both were very glad.
This past week has been a big swim week. We also did some running again which is good. I have been able to swim over a mile when we have time and my confidence in the swim is getting good. Now for a couple open water swims and I should be good. I know I can swim now. I know that I can concentrate on my form and I will get from point A to point B. Before I was scared, now I accept the challenge.
We did a hard bike on Tuesday for SWAT. We did about 26 miles with a couple thousand feet of climbing. My legs felt it. We had done a swim/run on Monday and my legs were getting tired. After the bike we did another 2.5 mile run and it felt o.k. My garmin puked. It keeps turning itself off and it was acting weird and telling me it was not charged when it was. I sent it in to garmin and let's see if their customer service is as good as it is reported to be.
Tonight we swam for half hour and went to Dunhams to buy a new swim cap for the wife. I saw a sweet NIKE running jacket (winter one) and it fit great. It was a stinkin hundred bucks. What a rip off. I would have bought it if it was about 40 but not a C note.
My 15 year old son is at Football Camp from 5-9 last night, tonight and tomorrow. He said it is hard and I tried my hardest to explain to him that good things in life come hard. You have to pay the price for things you want. He has worked so hard up to this point and football is 10 weeks away. He wants to be varsity and has worked his tail off. He has not missed any of the weight training all school year and now it is 4 days a week in the summer. I told him that as hard as he has worked, now is the time to show the coaches what you can do. Don't get frustrated, listen to what they say and focus on technique. Sort of triathlon related. Same way I feel about myself.
Tomorrow we volunteered to ride the bus and help out and there is a running track there so maybe we can get a ten miler in.

Only 24 days until the half iron. I need to get my run up to speed and I think I will be ready. Funny but I was really worried about the swim and now I am more worried about the run.

Water, water everywhere...so I swim

Well since last Friday I have to say there has been some really messed up weather here. It has rained and rained and stuff has flooded and lakes have found ways to make their own drain to rivers (search lake delton video and watch mother nature at her finest). But it hasn't been all bad. Saturday we got up and met another SWAT member and took at 45 mile ride. Not at super race pace but just to get some miles. Sunday was nap and clean day. Monday we went to the local pool as it opened up. We took wetsuits so we could check them out. It was pretty cool. There wasn't hardly anyone else there (in fact there was only 3 of us at 6PM when lap swim was over) so they kicked us out after 20 minutes. Tuesday was the first SWAT triout. We showed up in wetsuits again and this time we swam. I got 900 yards of continous swimming. It was pretty cool. I still felt like I was not getting around like I should but things were for sure coming together. Then we took of on the 20 mile bike part. The first 10 went great. We hammered it out in about half an hour. We stopped to turn around and waited for the others. When we went to take off I HAD A FLAT. First one. At least it was a front tire. Got it changed out quickly. I did not notice there was anything in the tire. Got about 4 miles down the road and it flatted again. That sucked. Then I found a chunk of rock or something sharp in the tire. It took a few minutes to get it out. It was wedged in there hard. Put a new tube on an got it going. We got almost back and found another SWAT memeber had flatted. So we got her going and made it back. Not the greatest of rides but it was still riding. Bypassed the run. It was already getting late and we were chatting with some new folks. Wednesday it was sort of raining so we quick ran out to the bike shop for tubes and CO2 then went to swim. I had a major breakthrough. The whole time I have been trying to swim, I have just been going through the arm motions but not really trying to pull. I guess I never really thought it should be hard to pull. J-Wim told me to try to swim through as small a space as I can and to really pull with my arms. I also was not entering the water by my eyes with my hands. So I did some testing and trying stuff out and I got it. I was able to finally make myself glide in the water. I never even had to kick. I swam almost a mile (I did use the pull buoy some). After the swim we ran a pretty slow 3 miles. I have not ran at all in 2 weeks since the marathon so it was time to get it going again. I was really happy about the swim progress so tonight we went back and I was able to duplicate it. I did over a mile. I only swam a few hundred yards without the pull buoy, but that will come. I know now that as long as I can get over the open water fear, I should be able to wetsuit swim the mile. I am actually getting confidence about my swimming. I know that is a good start.




I also got a really cool Father's day gift.





A HD mini video camera. It rocks. J-Wim and I took some video of us swimming but I don't know if I can upload an HD video onto the blog. But I will try.

More wetsuit swimming tomorrow and biking/running this weekend. 6 weeks until the half iron

Pomp and Circumstance

Let's let the pictures speak the thousand words. Should be a thousand words squared for all the drama we incurred to get this far.

But not a prouder set of parents will you find than us.

Random Miscellaneous Stuff

After last weekends bike rides, not a whole lot got done during the week. It was the last week of school for the kids, and the weather here is not being very nice. Also we had some minor prep work to get done for my eldest sons graduation (more on that later as that deserves it's own separate post). I did get 2 very productive swims in. Someone told me that as a beginner swimmer that eventually the switch comes on and it will feel more natural and you will be able to start to swim longer and with less effort. Well we have come to that point I think. I got into the pool and just did it. I felt very comfortable. I was able to breathe very good and I was able to go farther than I ever have without stopping. I am really looking forward to the challenge of the open water swim when I was terrified before. My wife has really pushed me and helped me to swim and I am grateful. Now my next project is to get in the open water and swim with my wetsuit on (I put it on the other night and forgot how much fun it was to get on-especially if you are sweaty). Survive the swim- that's my motto. I don't care about being ultra fast or have perfect technique. I just want to get my 1.2 mile distance over.

Yesterday we went on a nice 45 mile bike. We rode with another SWAT person and left at 7. The weatherman should be shot. It was supposed to be sunny and hot and instead it was foggy and muggy and the sun did not come out until long after we were done. But it was over 2000 feet worth of climbing and some of the hills around here really challenge you but that is the way most of Wisconsin is so we just have to downshift and deal with it.

Felt good to ride that far. We have decided that we are going to do a 50+ mile ride every weekend and if we can ride by ourselves we are going to hammer it like we are racing. I don't think the half iron bike will be a problem for either of us that this point. I'm not saying that biking is easy, I just feel like my bike fitness is up to where I would like it to be for a half iron. I am hoping for under 3:30 for the 56 miles. It would be nice to do closer to 3:15 but that will depend on a few things.
No runs this week. That is going to be the focus of next week if it stops raining. We have had rain and thunderstorms and tornadoes all over around here yesterday afternoon.

I also got some cool SWAT gear.

Dri fit shirts and hats. I also got an orange shirt with black letters that is not sleeveless.

Yesterday I got some cool bike stuff too. I have been wanting a bike stand forever. J-Wim got me one yesterday along with an aero bottle. I think that will be sweet as well.

Getting a better bike has sure made a difference for me as a biker. It makes it easier to ride and more fun and because the crank is larger than my old one, it goes faster with a lot less effort. Goal for next year is to save up for some race wheels.

Repeat

Woke up (past 8 even-I took 2 Bendadryl to help me sleep) and felt groggy. Thought about running. Ate some toast with PB and wife woke up. She asked about running and I said I would be up for biking instead. No wind and 80 and bright sun. Decided to do the same 23 miles as yesterday and try to do the same effort.

Results



10 minutes faster. It seemed a little harer. I think I need to tweak my seat. I feel slightly uncomfortable in the aero position and I think if I move the seat slightly back and tip the nose down just a hair, it will help. Spent almost 100% of the ride in the aero position.

Need to swim badly now. Time is getting short. Outdoor pool opens next weekend. I like it better. It's cheaper and I can go everyday even on the weekends. Just gotta be able to make it a mile and a quarter. Just survive the swim and get me to the bike and run. Got to go to the kids sports banquet now. Didn't get all the projects done I wanted to for the weekend. In fact I barely got anything done. I wish I could afford to hire someone to do all the stuff I fail to get done. That would be sweet.