I can't say enough times how much I love my SRM. I have been stressing my LT and VO2 max systems a lot the past two weeks and the results are staring to show. Did the ATC Saturday morning ride yesterday and rode strong. Brandon Marsh set a tough pace heading up Southwest Parkway and I was lurking at the back pushing some numbers to tire me some. Once Marsh pulled off to go do some intervals I moved up to the front and rode strong. Coming home the group wasn't too keen to push hard so I took off and rode LT home with another strong guy training for cyclo-cross. Ended up averaging 300+ watts coming home. Much easier to stay in the L4 zone these days.
Just finished up a higher end of moderate 10 mile run on town lake and was pleased. I haven't been able to run the past week because of some knee pain. I had the same pain about 3 years ago and decided to ignore it. Ended up taking me out for 7 months and had to aqua jog! Ain't nothing wrong with the aqua jogging scene, but seven months worth was bloody awful. Lets say I learned my lesson and will not risk running on pain again.
Went and ran the course in 61 minutes and now know I am very capable of dropping it below 60 minutes sometime this week.
Can't wait to head out to Clearwater. Turns out the Marsh's are going to be on our flight! Second time this year.
Pain=Performance
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
A Win is a Win
Did the Longhorn half two weeks ago and became a little under the weather after the race. Lots of congestion in the head and a nose like a faucet wasn't what I had planned in final weeks leading to Clearwater. Two weeks and very little training and I still have a leaky nose and bad headaches!
Texas Triathlon was today and the ride out to race site wasn't a good one. My head was hurting and my nose was running. The last thing I wanted to do at this point is ruin any chances of racing well at Clearwater, so I was thinking very hard about doing a U-turn and heading home. Since the drive was 90 minutes the fiancee and I decided to stay and see what would happen. Amongst the doubt, I was still very excited to race because Justin Daerr was also showing up. It would be nice to measure up fitness with him during the race. Unfortunately, a buddy of his was sick and he couldn't make it up.
The swim was a good one. I came out of the water 1-2 minutes ahead of second place and was in and out of T1 fast. The bike at Texas Tri is a challenging one with lots of hills and rough Texas roads. It zapps the energy out of you pretty quick. I managed to arrive into T2 in the lead and a little sore. The last five miles took its toll on my legs. Once on the run my plan was to run the first lap hard and then go hard again if my lead was in jeapordy. I put a couple more minutes on the chasers and cruised home for the win. I tell ya, winning is a very addictive feelling and I was happy to cross the line first. With Clearwater knocking on the door it was yet another confidence booster.
Tonight is the first of many wedding showers for the fiancee and I, so I had better freshen up.
-Cotter
Texas Triathlon was today and the ride out to race site wasn't a good one. My head was hurting and my nose was running. The last thing I wanted to do at this point is ruin any chances of racing well at Clearwater, so I was thinking very hard about doing a U-turn and heading home. Since the drive was 90 minutes the fiancee and I decided to stay and see what would happen. Amongst the doubt, I was still very excited to race because Justin Daerr was also showing up. It would be nice to measure up fitness with him during the race. Unfortunately, a buddy of his was sick and he couldn't make it up.
The swim was a good one. I came out of the water 1-2 minutes ahead of second place and was in and out of T1 fast. The bike at Texas Tri is a challenging one with lots of hills and rough Texas roads. It zapps the energy out of you pretty quick. I managed to arrive into T2 in the lead and a little sore. The last five miles took its toll on my legs. Once on the run my plan was to run the first lap hard and then go hard again if my lead was in jeapordy. I put a couple more minutes on the chasers and cruised home for the win. I tell ya, winning is a very addictive feelling and I was happy to cross the line first. With Clearwater knocking on the door it was yet another confidence booster.
Tonight is the first of many wedding showers for the fiancee and I, so I had better freshen up.
-Cotter
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Stress+Kids+No Sleep=SICKNESS/Fiancee=Better Health
Why is it that when things start going well you get a big slap in the face? Long Horn Tri went well until the run (note to self....more salt) and I was ready to hit it hard after a two day break. Work said, we need you, kids were sick, two nights till 11pm and my body decided to shut down shop in order to figure out how to get fixed fast. The plan kicked into action this morning and I finally felt ready for a wicked crazy 3 week training block. My fiancee has been feeding me and keeping me sane this entire time but I'm freaking out. As of right now I feel I will have failed if I don't place better or race faster then last year! I need to get over that.
Really need to work the bike hard and tap into some high LT/VO2 max sets to be able to play with the boys. Racing this weekend to make sure the swim and run are on. Just hoping I don't run into very much staleness these next five days.
How crazy was Kona on Saturday! Big shout out to McCormack for brining it home.
Off to bed.
Cotter
Really need to work the bike hard and tap into some high LT/VO2 max sets to be able to play with the boys. Racing this weekend to make sure the swim and run are on. Just hoping I don't run into very much staleness these next five days.
How crazy was Kona on Saturday! Big shout out to McCormack for brining it home.
Off to bed.
Cotter
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Zoot Shoes. Get them when available.
I was very lucky to run into someone special at Zoot a while back and scored a pair of their new bright yellow racing flats as seen in my previous post. Forget Newton because the new Zoot shoes will blow you away with all they have put into the shoe. The shoe is light and for a racing flat has the perfect amount of cushion to the shoe. I love me a shoe with good cushioning especially when it is under 9oz. The material is similar to the old school Nike Hurricane, as it feels like you're sliding your foot into a new shoe every time. If you suffer from heel blister this is your shoe. I was so sick of staining my shoe's red and having them smell of rotting flesh! I used this shoe for one before using it in the Half Ironman and it was beautiful. No blisters at all. The drainage port works wonderful. The material doesn't absorb all the water that trickles down from what you cooled yourself down with.
Bottom line.......THE ZOOT SHOE IS INCREDIBLE...and no I am not sponsored by them.
Bottom line.......THE ZOOT SHOE IS INCREDIBLE...and no I am not sponsored by them.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Back to back wins foiled
Yesterday was the inaugural Long Horn half ironman held at Walter.E. Long Park. I was feeling very good leading into this race with my swimming and running ability. Was not confident at all with the bike as I have have not been riding her as much as I would like. This race was going to be a real test to see how my swimming was coming along as I have been a middle of the packer the past two years. The plan was to swim strong, hang on during the bike, and see how the run went. If victory was is sight, I was going to take it.
The swim went very well. Pace was moderate to the first buoy and then I just set a rhythm I was comfortable with and went. I shut it down after 17 minutes and cruised into the finish. Turned around and had about a 90 second lead over the field!
Jumped on my bike and rode at what my endurance wattage would have been waiting for company. After 30 minutes by myself, the big man in red, Todd, came flying by me. I decided to gamble and follow him for as long as I could. Now everyone knows Todd is bloody strong, so when I stayed with him to mile 40 I thought I was a complete stud. I found out later on he has not been riding much at all and he still dropped me! About mile 40 I stared feeling some cramping going on in my vastus medialis from going harder then I should have but didn't think to much of it.
Came into T2 two minutes behind the leader, uber biker, Richard Fryer. Closed the gap by mile three and all the sudden my vastus medialis said, HELLO!!! Not too sound extremely cocky, but I really thought I had the race in the bag. Around mile 5 my plan was to step up the pace as I was feeling great. From then on I was unable to push the throttle much higher then 50% without the cramping coming back. At least I know my swimming is coming along for Clearwater. Congrats to all who finished and to all the guys in the elite wave.
Just want to give a big shout out to RD Keith. You put on one hell of a show for a first time race. Spot on. Also want to thank Jack Murray, from Jack and Adams for getting me into the race.
One more thing. Good luck to everyone in Kona next week! And to the Marsh's, good luck at Dallas.
The swim went very well. Pace was moderate to the first buoy and then I just set a rhythm I was comfortable with and went. I shut it down after 17 minutes and cruised into the finish. Turned around and had about a 90 second lead over the field!
Jumped on my bike and rode at what my endurance wattage would have been waiting for company. After 30 minutes by myself, the big man in red, Todd, came flying by me. I decided to gamble and follow him for as long as I could. Now everyone knows Todd is bloody strong, so when I stayed with him to mile 40 I thought I was a complete stud. I found out later on he has not been riding much at all and he still dropped me! About mile 40 I stared feeling some cramping going on in my vastus medialis from going harder then I should have but didn't think to much of it.
Came into T2 two minutes behind the leader, uber biker, Richard Fryer. Closed the gap by mile three and all the sudden my vastus medialis said, HELLO!!! Not too sound extremely cocky, but I really thought I had the race in the bag. Around mile 5 my plan was to step up the pace as I was feeling great. From then on I was unable to push the throttle much higher then 50% without the cramping coming back. At least I know my swimming is coming along for Clearwater. Congrats to all who finished and to all the guys in the elite wave.
Just want to give a big shout out to RD Keith. You put on one hell of a show for a first time race. Spot on. Also want to thank Jack Murray, from Jack and Adams for getting me into the race.
One more thing. Good luck to everyone in Kona next week! And to the Marsh's, good luck at Dallas.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
CLEARWATER focus begins with half this weekend
Bought the tickets to Clearwater for the fiancee and I the other night. Very excited about returning to improve on my 7th overall. It is pretty amazing what a break through race does for your confidence and ego. I'm probably a little eager at the moment since I have a better idea on how to finally use my SRM which is dead.
Swimming has been coming along nicely. Hit up the pool with super swimmer Mark Van Akkeren at Lifetime Fitness. Did a main race pace set of 5x200m on a 1:35 send off. Not to bad for my self at this time. Did a faster set of 4x100m on 1:15 and hit them all. Hopefully this will be good for the swim this weekend.
Running has been steadily improving. I have started a cycle of running 10 miles for two days and then tempo work the third. My 10 mile cruisy time is down to 62 minutes! Should be ready to push the throttle forward some and break the hour next week. I ran 1:17 last year at Clearwater and would like to go 1:15 this year. Big goal but I am prepared to lay down the yard yards.
The bike is really bad. The SRM is broken and I have only been in the computrainer. I figure the next five weeks on the bike will have to be spot on. Like Chopper Read says, I will have to Harden Up!
Hope every one is training hard.
-cotter
Swimming has been coming along nicely. Hit up the pool with super swimmer Mark Van Akkeren at Lifetime Fitness. Did a main race pace set of 5x200m on a 1:35 send off. Not to bad for my self at this time. Did a faster set of 4x100m on 1:15 and hit them all. Hopefully this will be good for the swim this weekend.
Running has been steadily improving. I have started a cycle of running 10 miles for two days and then tempo work the third. My 10 mile cruisy time is down to 62 minutes! Should be ready to push the throttle forward some and break the hour next week. I ran 1:17 last year at Clearwater and would like to go 1:15 this year. Big goal but I am prepared to lay down the yard yards.
The bike is really bad. The SRM is broken and I have only been in the computrainer. I figure the next five weeks on the bike will have to be spot on. Like Chopper Read says, I will have to Harden Up!
Hope every one is training hard.
-cotter
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