What started as the story of an average Dave knocking things off his life to-do list is now a blog about distance running, triathlons, all things Chicago… complete with a Rock and Roll soundtrack.
Showing posts with label Pikes Peak Ascent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pikes Peak Ascent. Show all posts
I am over my hang up with doing a triathlon this year. Sure, I did work hard at the swimming, and was a lot more prepared for my tri this year than last. But even had Des Moines worked out perfect, I had spread myself too thin between very different types of competitions.
This was never to be my year of the triathlon. This was the year to improve in the three disciplines, not to master the tri. This was always to to be my summer to do the Pikes Peak Ascent. Now its time to refocus on my original goal. It's time to run.
How to Do a Du? If anyone has any hints on duathlon strategy, I am all ears. Sounds like a very taxing day on the legs. I remember thinking last week at Batavia, that I was really glad I was doing the tri because the du looked really hard.
Pikes Peak 64 days until the Pikes Peak Ascent. I am going to put a countdown widget on the site the next couple of days, as well as a link to my workout plan.
Thoughts are in Iowa As a native Iowan, my thoughts and prayers are with everyone back home who are having to deal with issues related to the flooding and devastating weather.
Notes:
Lots of good links today in Daily Triathlon media watch email. If you don't already get it and are into tri info, that is a great source.
They posted an interesting article on the USOC site about how they are still scrambling to find a swim location for the pros in Des Moines for the Hy-Vee tri. They still want to make it an Olympic qualifying event, but to do that it sounds like they really need the swim.
With all the news of the floods in Des Moines, I have yet to report on the pro's race last weekend Vancouver. Matt Reed continues his good racing by placing 5th and in doing so secured the US three spots in the triathlon in the Olympics. Here is the story in Inside Triathlon.
On the Time to Run theme, CARA's (Chicago Area Runners Assoc) marathon training program started this week, with the first group run this weekend. I have decided to lead one of the pace groups this year. Hopefully I will have more than two people in my group like the winter half training group had (it will be closer to 20 this time).
Fun Fact: Started in 1956, as a challenge between smokers and non smokers, the Pikes Peak Marathon is the 3rd oldest ongoing US marathon behind Boston and Yonkers. That is Pikes Peak above. I took that photo a few weeks ago from my Aunt and Uncle's neighborhood. I am going to stay with them when I go out for the race.
Last night, I went for dip. It is getting easier, but I am still not good. I did the same workout as March 10. With the exception of warm-ups, it was all 25's and 50's, which isn't awesome. I did do a few flip turns, so there is progress.
I am going to email Fitz today and start hitting the Chicago Blue Dolphin practices. While I am a few months and a lot of swimming skills ahead of last year, I have a ways to go to hit my goals in Des Moines and to swim with Chuck later this summer.
Dave, "So I registered for the Pikes Peak Ascent Half-Marathon today." Co-worker, "You know you can drive up that right." Dave, "That would be a lot easier wouldn't it." Co-worker, "Yep."
I am excited and maybe a little scared... not that a mountain really cares. I did in fact register for the Pikes Peak Ascent yesterday. According to their website, Ascent Wave 2's (the slower wave, I didn't qualify for the fast wave) 865 spots filled in 1 hour 7 minutes. They still need to confirm my qualifications (that I did a half marathon in under 2:30), but once that is complete I willl be all set to knock off a couple of things off the list. Pikes Peak Ascent as an event is on the list, as is climbing a 14,000 ft mountain. If I don't get up a 14,000 foot peak before August 16, I will just have to kill two items off the list with one "run." Pikes Peak's summit is at the elevation of 14,115'.
I will post more info on this as my training continues, but the more I read about it, the more I get a little "concerned" with what I am getting into.
From their website:
The Pikes Peak Ascent® will redefine what you call running. Sure, they start out like a lot of races on Any Street, USA. But your first left turn will have you turning in the direction of up! During the next 10 miles, as you gain almost 6,000 vertical feet, your legs, lungs, heart and mind will be worn to a ragged nothingness. But it won’t be until your last three miles, with still over 2,000' of vertical to go, that you will realize where the it got its moniker—America’s Ultimate Challenge.
There’s a reason trees don’t bother growing above 12,000' on Pikes Peak. They can’t! Makes one wonder if trees are smarter than runners. Above treeline most runners take 30 minutes or more, some much more, just to cover a mile. What little air remains can’t satisfy the endless stream of zombies hoping only to survive their next step—a death march right out of a scene from Dawn of the Dead. Adding insult to injury, it might start to snow!
Great.
Well I have decided I need to keep challanging myself, this should be a good start.
I got the night off of working out. Joined my good friend Meghan Robb for dinner. Meghan is getting back into triathlons after a few years off. A natural swimmer, she is considering ESCAPE FROM THE ROCK Triathlon this summer. Could be a really cool event!
For me, no, but for Dallas Robinson maybe. For all you corporate slaves pretending to be athletes out there, read this story in the New York Times.
Even better, check out his training video.
Pretty good use of Johnny Cash’s version of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.”
As for me, while I won’t go to the Olympics anytime soon, I do have high hopes for a number of events this summer. Wednesday is the registration for the Pikes Peak Ascent. This is a half-marathon up a mountain. A pretty big mountain.
More on that if I make it into the registration. It fills up VERY quickly. Wish me luck (not sure what good luck would get me, but I guess I am hoping to get into it).
Today’s Workouts: Strength: I haven’t talked much about Crossfit yet, but I will. I used their workouts for my strength training all the time. Pretty good stuff. I did a lighter version of their "Lynne" workout: Five rounds for max reps of: Body weight bench press, Pull-ups
Running: On treadmill, 3 miles keeping HR under my anaerobic threshold (which was 167 when I last tested it). Then I did 4 x 400 meters for speed work (between 6-6:30 min/mile pace).
Swimming: This practice comes from Fitz at Chicago Blue Dolphins. I only post it because it is on his public site, and because I keep telling everyone I know in Chicago to go to him for swim lesions. I mean it. They really do a great job there.
Tech/Link Set: 4 x 50 Skating Drill @ :15R – Focus: Breathing into the water 4 x 50 Drill @ :15R (25 Triple Switch, 25 Triple Switch for a Bite) 4 x 50 FR @ :20R
Main Set: 4 x 25 Five Switch Drill @ :20R – Breathe into the Water 4 x 25 FR @ :20R – Breathe every 5th stroke 3 x 50 FR @ :30R (1st 25: Breathe every 3rd stroke, 2nd 25: Breathe every 5th stroke) 3 x 50 FR @ :30R (1st 25: Breathe every 5th stroke, 2nd 25: Breathe every 3rd stroke) Cool Down: 100 Drill/Swim – Alt. 25 Triple Switch for Bite + 25 FR
Yeah, now I have a few hours of work to do. I am beat. Tomorrow I am off to Omaha for a meeting. No workout for me, but it has been 4 days in a row, so I am due for a rest day. Update on the Pikes Peak registration on Wednesday.
