Well, a month has passed since my last post and the season is definitely in full swing.  I'm approaching check point 2 at the end of next week and I have to say, not unexpectedly that the return to the sport as a middle aged guy is slow to return. 

Training is going great and I competed in a half ironman outside of Louisville Kentucky on May 17th.  63 degree water and 5,400 ft of climbing on the bike made for a tough day.  5:04 for 8th overall and 1st in the 40-44 age group.  Next up the Rock N Roll Coliseum half ironman in Macon, Ga next weekend. 

The end of phase 2 with this race will set the stage for training for the 13 week build for Ironman Louisville.  I can tell you already that June is the month for as much volume as my body will handle.  In addition, all training will be done in the heating of the day. While least desirable, I have to be able to handle the heat on August 31.

Swimming just got a new spark when the local Y opened up their newly renovated 50 meter pool yesterday. Wow, this is a nice facility and it opens at 4:45 a.m.!  The bike is well, the bike. It will be fine.  Running is okay except I have this new blister thing going that must be fixed quickly.

It's fun to read about so many others who are in full swing and working so hard to improve. That's what the sport is all about, watching others race, train, and tell about their experiences.

Got a good story to tell or want to introduce yourself as a viewer......marshall.s.martin@comcast.net

With multisport on the horizon for me this year and passing up on the Athens Twilight criterium, I decided to run the half marathon at the country music marathon. With this being the third half marathon for me in 8 weeks, I was pretty excited about running this.  However, as my bad luck seems to continue, either I did something to my back this week or I still have lingering effects of the car accident a few weeks back.  I woke Friday morning to some general stiffness in my back and sharp pains in my low back near the SI joint and the piriformis region.  Not cool.

I carbed out Friday night and went to bed early as my normal pre race prep. I did wake up about 3:30 as I usually sleep face down and when I went to roll over it felt like someone shot me in the low back.  I decided to just get up and get in the hot shower and try to get loose.

I rode down to the race with my brother in law (his first marathon 4:39) and then caught the shuttle to centennial park for the start.  31,000 runners and these guys pull the logistics off to a "T".  Got to the race start and just kept stretching. It was weird as they played the national anthem and I wanted to be excited but I just stood there thinking "is my back just going to lock up" a few miles into the race?

I was starting corral # 1 of something like 30 plus starting corrals. Great idea on their part. I took off 1 minute after the Kenyans.  (tiny little guys :) )  We went straight down Broadway towards downtown.  Lots of rollers to run through.  1 mile in I still see the 1:30 pacing sign so I'm thinking, oh well, I guess I'm still running okay even though my back is killing me. I think I was holding my back tight because the pain was shooting down from my hips. I just couldn't get my legs to release. 2 miles in and I go through in 13:54 and of course I can still see the 1:30 pacing runner right ahead. We're still running through a ton of hills and its raining and getting very cool.  I decide to let the pacing running go in the hills and I turn in a 7:14 third mile.  I went through 5 k in 21:53 and I'm praying that the hills will subside.  Mile 4 was a little better as we got near the Belmont area and caught a downhill. 7:09 and still holding a 7:04 average overall. But then I saw the Kenyans heading back at me which meant that I would have to come back up this hill :(.  7:05 for mile 5 and I still can't find a rythm. I slow it down to 7:14 at mile 6 and then 7:20 average for the next 2 miles.  Now I am at 7:09 pace at mile 8 and trying to work through the pain. The next 3 miles I go 7:06, 7:00, and 7:10 (uphill) and finally my back starts to loosen and my legs release and I am flying downhills. I ran a 6:58 mile 12 (up several hills), a 7:03 mile 13, and finish things up in 1:33:22 for 7:08 pace.  First 5k 21:53, last 5k 21:56 so I guess consistency will work. 

This was a phenomenal event and I have never ran with so many runners on a course.  I stuck around, had some cold beverages, and watched 1,000's finish the marathon.  March 1 I ran 1:38 in Chattanooga for the half marathon and today under less than ideal conditions I ran 5 minutes faster.  I'm pretty stoked about the improvement. Next year I think I will delay the start of the triathlon season and make a run at a good full marathon at the country music marathon 2009.

Now to just get my back better so I can tackle a half marathon off the bike in 2 weeks!

It only took 6 months but now the real training starts.  Last week I got

a few swim sessions with some intensity

nearly 40 miles of running with a hill session, a track session with 800's at 6 minute pace,  and a 12 mile tempo run

3 solid bike sessions with tempo, steady states, and my initial pass at 4 x 30 minute blocks at my targeted IM pace of 3.5:1 power to weight

Throw in 3 weight training sessions and finally I have what I call a real training week

I'm still trying to find that month I got behind in January so I need to be patient and reset any realistic expectations of doing any real "racing" until about late June. Actually, anything I can pull off this year that resembles any "great performances" would just be a bonus since 2009 is probably best case scenario for being competitive at the national level.

Many thanks to all that help out including Harpeth Bicycles, Rudy Project, and Swiftwick socks.

Be safe and train hard,

MM

Man I'm stoked. I got feedback this week that I was not expecting. For the good that is.  On the bike I am pushing threshold numbers 371w-381w that I was generating last year when I was bike racing. Should be able to field test around 5.25:1.   On the run I am doing my 800's right where I want to be and the swim is coming along nicely.  I have my setpoints for the next block of training and also some good benchmarks after 6 official months of multisport training.

Now I just have to pull this stuff together, learn how to suffer regularly, get my nutrition right, and go out and kick some ass. 19 weeks until Ironman Louisville.  Not that long if you think about it.  Motivation is in full swim.  Rock on baby, the old guy is getting the hang of it again :)

Thanks to the work of some great therapists at Tennessee Orthapedic Specialists last week I was able to compete in Powerman Alabama.  The race went fairly well except for some cramping on the second run.  I think this had something to do with the rapid release of the extra fluids Saturday night that were present due to the steroid injection I had on Wednesday?

I raced this race very conservatively not going over threshold once.  I ran 6:30 pace for the first 5 miler, held back at 257 watts (still good enough for 9th fastest) on the bike, and was able to still run 7 minute pace when you take out the cramping. 2nd in the 40-44 age group. Not pretty but I will take it for the first multisport event for me in several years.The fitness is coming an I am still on track for a good season.

Now it is time for the next block of training and I will be taking all disciplines up a notch over the next 3 weeks.  I think I will see some good improvement for Gulf Coast and I will use this as a training race as a buildup to the Rock N Roll half on May 31.

Gulf Coast  goals (35 min swim, 2:30 bike, 1:45 run) so this will put me right at 4:50.  After Gulf Coast I will take another look at training and see where I am.  If all goes well I should be 31 min, 2:23, 1:40 at Macon for sub 4:40. 

Off to the lab now to do my homework.  Lots of number crunching to do over the next 2 months :)

MM

Back to the therapist today to get some relief from a sore back and neck. Not sure if this is any worse than dealing with insurance companies.  Might I say I reminded them yesterday that when I woke up Wednesday my car and my body were both okay and  that it is unacceptable to drive while looking out the "rear" window of your car.

I was really looking forward to Powerman but am a little nervous now.  Oh well, it's early and the main part of the season is on the horizon. On a brighter note, the bike looks great and weighs just a bit over 15 pounds with the 404's. That also includes a 56 chainring and my SRM!

Stay safe and maybe I will see you in Birmingham. If I get to feeling better maybe I can launch the mad dog TT bike into orbit!

MM

Well, you know the rest. I had gone 25 years without an auto accident until about a month ago and now I have another today.  Get this, a lady hits me from behind while I'm sitting at a red light and she tells me she was turned around looking in the back seat at her son who was coughing and when she looked up I was there and she panicked and hit the gas instead of the brake.  Thanks alot chic. Nice move.

So, besides having a damaged vehicle, I spen all day at the orthapedic and rehab clinic getting cervical x rays, cortisone and toridol shots, and ice and electric muscle stem treatment for muscle spasms in by back and neck.  Who knows if I will be able to do Powerman  now. I'll know more tomorrow or Friday after more therapy.

Be safe out there, this same chic could have been behind you on the road with you on your bike.

MM 

Multisport season is about to kick in this weekend and the excitement continues to build for me.  After a few years away from the sport, ready or not here I come. 

Training has been pretty good since I last posted but I guess you are just never happy with where you are with your fitness.  My run continues to be a liability due to old age and the layoff due to bike racing.  I have managed to run two half marathons (1:38 and 1:35) and just last Saturday I got 8th in a local 10k at 41:45.  For running sake these times are quite pedestrian and will remove any chances I have at being as competitive as I would like at multisport in the early season. With a continued run focus and some extra weight loss I think I can continue to build upon this form as it is still a long time until my August 31 Ironman.  Building distance and trying to get faster can be a bitch sometimes.

Next up is this weekend's Powerman Alabama in Birmingham.  This will be good feeback as to how it is all coming together.  I would have like to turn in a 2:38-2:40, but realistically I will be about 10 minutes off that. The really good runners will turn in around 62 minutes of running and I will be about 72 minutes of running.  Otherwise, the bike will be fine. What will that first run off the bike in several years feel like?????????

I'm really excited about experiencing the multisport scene again after a few years away even though I will miss racing with the good pro teams in the Georgia Cup crit in my old home town of Chattanooga. I'll always look upon those years of bike racing and reflect some great times but I think multisport is where I belong for the long haul.

Train hard

MM

I'm always discussing business with someone and coming accross great new companies. I just came accross a little Tennessee company a few weeks ago that is certainly a diamond in the rough. The company is called Swiftwick Socks.  While you may no very little about them today, you're soon to know alot.

Swiftwick socks are simply the best sock on the market that you don't know about. While many of you may have seen the Jittery Joe's cycling team "tall socks" last year you may not have known where these came from or where you can get some.

Soon to be at a retailer to you these socks are awesome. 200 thread count, tight fitting in all the right spots, these are my socks of choice not only for racing but for the boardroom as well. 

These socks come in various sizes from below the ankle all the way to the knee and are sure to be a big hit.  They also offer a nice custom program. 

"No matter what you do, there's a swiftwick for you"  I'll be rocking and racing in these this year to help my performance.

Still pushing along with the tri training trying to make some progress.  Last week was a good week as coach now has me finally focusing a bit on some bike fitness. When I look back at last year's bike training at 20 hours a week and see this year's at less than half that I quickly realize two things, 1. how strong I was cycling last year and 2. how behind I am this year.  Last week I did 3 rides and reintroduced some steady state training into the program.  Saturday's long ride was 4 hours.  For the run I had 3-4 runs with  1 hard tempo run and a 16 miler with the Nashville striders on Sunday.  I managed two swims just to say I got wet.  However, last night I got my first official swim where I did a workout!  So far no shoulder pain this morning! 

Hope your training is going well. For me, I just look at it as I may be slow for now but IMKY is still 6 months away! 

Rock on!

Well it's February, how's your training going?

For me, I feel a bit behind. Last week was pretty steady including the first swim of the year. Yes, I said swim. I can still do that.  This week I plan to do a few more of them until I can build up to some steady pool training. 

I managed to get in 2-3 runs and 2-3 rides last week as well. The weekend training was a 3 hour ride with some other tri guys with 1 x 20 and 1 x 10 at about 10 beats below threshold.  Felt pretty good in spite of the cold weather. 

The run following this was a disaster. My training buddies drilled me and I couldn't hold on.  A nice reminder that my fitness is behind.

Time to kick it up a notch.

MM

It was a great day for running so I thought I would lean on it a bit for 16 miles.  The first 12 miles went well but after a debacle at the YMCA trying to buy a bottle of gatorade and ending up with defizzed cola the last 4 miles became a bit tiring.

All in all no complaints, 3 mile warm up at Ironman pace and then 13 miles at half ironman race pace. For some reason the last mile my legs were hurting quite a bit and got sore. I guess running out of gels and not having any gatorade didn't help.

Still searching for consistency though. This week I got in 3-4 short rides, one ride of 3.5 hours with 3 hours at 3:1 power to weight followed by a 30 minute run along with 2 other 45-60 minute runs with 3 x 10 minutes at threshold.

My dad is soon to get out of the hospital so hopefully less stress is on the horizon.

Time to put in a hard push for February. It's do or die time

That's my story for now.  Even if it were by design I don't think I would have anything to offer. Saturday I rode 3+ hours with the Irish Missile and then knocked off a little over an hour run at a steady pace.  Neither discipline would have been considered fast by any high standards but very consistent.

Yesterday's cold run was steady as well.  15 perfectly even mile splits, but still not the speed that's going to get me to where I need to be.  I guess once I shed this winter fat I will pick it up some  :)

Train hard!

MM

Man is it ever cold. The weekend training is going to be brutal. Definitely the coldest weekend of training for me this season coming up. Oh well, if you can train hard when it is less than desirable then hopefully race day is even better!

I'm starting to get back to a little consistency. This week so far:

Monday off- now that's consistency :)

Tuesday= a.m. ride on the trainer

                p.m ride on the trainer

Wednesday- 1 hour run with 3 x 10 minute tempo

Thursday- 90 minute ride with alternating 5 minutes within a 50 watt range approaching ironman watt goal

Friday- 50 minute run with 3 x 10 minute tempo

Still no swimming which will probably come back to haunt me but I had a little shoulder tendonitis that I wanted to cure before getting consistent with it. 

Rock on!

Guess I will start getting used to some weekend training at my old hometown. Yesterday I got in a bit over 3 hours with a climb up Lookout Mtn followed by an hour run and then got in a 12 mile run this morning.  I'd like to be a little more mentally fresh but boy do I enjoy the positive effects of training.  I met 3 folks this morning out running and preparing for the Scenic City Half and i backed things down a bit to spend an hour with them to share their experiences of being new to endurance sports.  It's always fun to see the excitement of those who are just starting out. I find it very motivating to see those achieve things they had no idea they could do.

Now if I can only sneak in a couple of hours on the trainer in front of the football games this afternoon!

Be safe and train hard!

MM

Dealing with a family member in the hospital is a very high stress situation. You cannot train as hard because the body is dealing with stress as well.  As of late it has been as follows

Late Sunday night- 45 minutes of easy running

Monday a.m. ride p.m. nothing

Tuesday a.m. 30 minute run, p.m. 1 hour ride

Wednesday, actually had some energy and did 6 miles at 7:30 pace without much problem

Today is supposed to be an a.m. ride and a p.m. run but I'm a bit tired so I will shift the run to tomorrow.

Here's to fresher days!

If life had no responsibilities we'd all be professional triathletes.  I've always said that it's more about the journey as opposed to the race itself. Sometimes it's just plain tough just to go do the training even though the passion is there.

Yesterday was my birthday, so missing a workout is fine, right?  Well, as I sit at dinner I get a call that my father had become extremely ill and had been transported to the hospital. He's had a very tough day and we are all praying that he will pull through.  Sadly, what caused him to land in the hospital for the fight of his life could have been handled 10-14 days ago with a little communication on his part.  I hope when I get old I don't get so stubborn that I let things go to the point that they become very serious.

This was a rest week so a couple of days off won't cause much harm.  However, tomorrow I hope to get in a long a.m. run and then decide whether or not I return to home or have to stay in Southeastern Tennessee one or two more days to take care of my dad.

Don't take life or training for granted and train every day like it's your last!

Thank god tomorrow is Friday. Short work week to transition back into the groove.  Tonight I got in 30 minute run and an hour easy on the trainer while watching football.  Another easy day tomorrow and then some volume for the weekend before kicking it back into gear next week. 

It's not long until March 1!

Man, I'm feeling the fatigue of the last few weeks of training. A rest week couldn't have come at a better time. Late night football and heavy drinking in the last week is going to take a few days to overcome.

Weight training and 30 minutes on the trainer is all the plan called for today. Cutting calories is killing me as well. ha ha

Back to football :)

Originally a scheduled day off but I couldn't resist the weather to get in one more ride this year.  2007 was an awesome year for me personally both on and off the bike and it's only fitting that a bike ride would be the last workout of the year. I started the day with some weight training and then got in 2.5 hours cycling.  My good friend Gray Skinner was feeling fresh and pushing the pedals pretty hard so I had to escape after a while and catch a tailwind home.

My goal for 2008 is injury free and to capture all training activity to see just how much I really do work out.

Good luck to you all in 2008!  Train hard!

Out of bed this morning were slow ones. After yesterday's long day the old legs were a bit sore. However, after a little stretching and my morning diet coke they were good enough to go out and cruise a 60 minute run at just a little under 8 minute pace with no issues. I can't remember when I last ran nearly 22 miles in a 2 day period and 35+ miles for a week. I did postpone the ride until tomorrow since we have one more 55 degree day and I wanted to wash and wax both vehicles today.

Tomorrow, 2 hour ride, weight training, lots of junk food. Tuesday it's time to get serious again!

Enjoy your last day of 2007 tomorrow!

As 2007 winds down it's time to set my sights on 2008.  Today was the last long workout of 2007 and I am very pleased with the results. I started my day with the Harpeth cycle boys (Craig Evans, Bruce Gennari, Ben Ross, Vince Hicks, and others) for a 3 hour 15 minute journey. While the pace was somewhat hard at times I made sure I kept the fueling right to prepare for my longest run off the bike in 5 years.

Craig Evans and I ran through the Franklin running trails for 90 minutes together and then Craig took it to the house while I finished up the remaining 22 minutes on my own. 1 hour, 52 minutes and I still felt pretty damn good at the end.

Tomorrow is a 1 hour run, 2 hour bike with some high cadence work and then it's an easy week to start 2008!  I'm having fun back at this multisport thing and hoping the fitness will continue to come.

Today was an easy day to rest up a little for tomorrow's 5 hour journey of 3:15 ride, 1:50 run. No matter how your cut it a 1:50 run is long. Today I lifted weights and ran a 25 minute run with 5 x 2 minute at 6:40 pace. 

The Saturday workouts have been a bit tricky as I am still working on nutrition.

Train hard, the cold air is coming!

Seems to be the patter lately. It would be nice to live this lifestyle.

Today I did a 45 minute run with a 10 minute warm up and then 3 x 8 minutes tempo with 5 minutes in between. The tempo pace was half marathon pace.  All in all a good workout, the third one starting feeling a little difficult but it's supposed to.

Easy day tomorrow and then another long day on Saturday

It was hard to pass up another 60 degree today in Middle Tennessee. Today I made it out for 2 hours with 2 x 20 minutes at a prescribed zone of approx 75% of threshold. Just enough to wake up the legs and get the engine going again. Tomorrow's a fairly tough day and Friday is a rest day before my last big day of training before a rest week next week.  Thank god for a rest week the first week of the year so I can get used to starving for a week before training picks back up!

I always make a point to take off Christmas Day to spend time with the family and to celebrate the birth of Christ.  No training on the 25th as I am now relaxing the last several days before training gets real serious again.

Hope you all had a great Christmas!

My wonderful mother is celebrating her 76th birthday today and I took an afternoon 5 mile run for her.  In her younger years she was very active meeting me at school in the afternoon and running home with me.  She's survived a bout with breast cancer and had a stroke, but you would never know from her positive attitude.  I know she wishes she could still run.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Another 5 hour plus day.  67 miles on the bike with the last 30 minutes at Olympic distance pace and 11 miles of running at Ironman marathon pace. Right at 2,500 calories burned on the bike and 1,489 calories on the run. At least I don't have to worry about all of these Christmas parties. Woo Hoo! 

Yesterday afternoon I went out for my 5 mile tempo run in the balmy 66 degree december weather.  Cranking on the ipod I was able to find a nice groove of 10k pace + 90 seconds per mile.

This morning the legs are a little sore but that may be more from lots of wine last evening. Oh well, 5 hour workout on the books for today and a Christmas party tonight. Ah, the joys of the holidays!

After several hundred miles of base run training, it's time to step up the leg turnover a bit.  The last 2 days I've run some 10 minute segments of tempo. While the heart is prepared for this, the muscles and connective tissues are a bit tender. 

With the season debut only 11 weeks away it will be here before you know it.  This weekend looks like several more very long indoor training sessions with the computrainer and the treadmill.  We've gotten locked into a pattern of rain for 4 weeks now.

Train Hard!

The last 3 weekends have been quite dismal in regards to weather.  Lots of overcast and rainy skies to contend with.  Yesterday I broke out the road bike and hooked up with my friends Jason Tatum and Dave Briggs for a few hours in southern Williamson County and then followed that up with a short run.  I had enough of the inclimate weather on the ride so I did the run on the treadmill here at home and watched some Tennessee High School championship games. 

Last night I managed to catch a Predators hockey game against the defending Stanley Cup champions Anaheim Ducks. Actually I've been the last 3 Saturday nights and am starting to get hooked on the game.   After watching the first 2 periods from a luxury box I went down to the bowl and caught the third period right on the ice.  These guys are great athletes and are alot bigger than you think. Predators win 4-2 and there was 2 pretty good fights. Really intense sport.

This morning it was up at 6 a.m. and on the bike for a couple of hours of cycling and then an hour of tempo running following.  Even though I was sleepy on the bike the legs opened up a bit on the run and I was able to get into my groove.

Oh well, long ways to go to getting back into triathlon shape.  Some days I am optimistic about progress as it has been 2.5 months now and then other days I realize just how far I am in even being back to near where I was back in 2002, my last full season of racing. However, this is what makes the sport so much fun.