Hot Hot

This weather is great training weather. The hotter the better, just keep drinking. Took a nice ride the last two days while the temps were mid 90's. I had two water bottles and an Infinit bottle loaded up. I made a water stop at a few small town to refill and the attendants thought I was crazy for being out in this weather. Oh well just another day closer to the race. Riding in these temps makes me not hungry on the bike even though I think of food all the time. I definitely needed to eat and felt in when I pushed the pace on the way back into town.
As of now I'm 66 days away from Louisville and I will be going into the race a little under trained. At least in my own thoughts.
WOWS is still going strong. The water temps are up but some still wore a wetsuit. There were 30 plus out to brave the waters. Someone stole my paddles so the makeshift shovel paddles did the job. A little heavy toward the end and blister started to form but we managed to get the course set up. I know I have said it before but swimming open water is the real deal. A different feel when you cant see a lane line and there are no turns. I can actually relax more, and when you find your rhythm or breathing pattern its much more enjoyable.
Thursday night and Tuesday morning fun runs are in full swing. Last night we had over 20 people attend. It was hot and buggy and the mosquito's were terrible as the sun started to go down. The fun runs are to get or to keep the Heyworth kids in shape for the upcoming cross season and also to give some folks an opportunity to learn how to run and maybe shed a few lbs.
While training in this weather just don't drink while training you must keep prepared all day. Just like I tell the kids drink drink and drink some more.


Train hard train smart

ironman training 2009

Ironman training for Louisville has not been easy. With this type of injury/recovery I'm finding it takes several months to heel correctly. I'm getting stronger everyday and hopefully be released to swim in July. Right now I am swimming with the right arm only and I feel confident enough to swim the whole race with one arm. Masters has been helpful and 3-4 times a week now that track is over is helping.

The bike training is going fairly well. I feel I have a good base and my legs are stronger because of all the hill training. I have several longer rides planned the next couple of weeks and will report back.

Running is my strongest at this point. I have had a long run week this week with Sunday 10,Monday 15, Wednesday 19, Friday 20 miles. The 19 mile day I split 14 -5 hills and the 20 miler I split 18-2. My speeds and times stayed fairly fast, 7:30- 7:40ish with the exception on the Friday. I ran the Illinois Special Olympics torch run with fellow Police Officers so my pace was slower. I did manage to throw down several tempo miles the fastest being 6:16. This morning I thought maybe a little soreness but nothing except for the blister that appeared on my pinky toe.

Out for more

Train hard,train smart

Track Season ends

lil late but here goes. The 2009 track season comes to an end with some good news to report. The season was full of hard work and training and I will give it to the kids who kept up with the work outs everyday. Weather it was repeats on the track or repeats on the Apple hill they did as I asked with very little complaining and in the end it paid off with several PR's and state qualifiers.

I am proud of them and what they had accomplished this year. Throughout the year the track meets had every kind of weather and the Illinois winds. Times just kept improving. It didn't matter if you were a sprinter or a LD (Long Distance)kid. To get them to peak, physically and especially mentally at the right time is the key. The entire week prior to sectionals we worked strictly on mental toughness through visualization drills and strategy drills on the track.

At the sectional track meet there were 91 kids that qualified. No doubt the toughest sectional in the state. Heyworth qualified returning state champ Ben Asmus 400 and 200 and 4x100 relay. Kyle Andrea 100, 4x100 relay along with Ethan Wilson and Leon Peters as a team.

LD kids came away with PR's in every event. The fastest mile in the state as a freshman was 4:41 by Zach Quinn. That time would have qualified in 8 of the other 15 sectionals. Hayden Kingery PR mile 4:50 Matt Berry PR 3200 and Ryan Wilson ran a great race in the 800 and also had a PR. These guys put in the miles and it showed. There will be state qualifiers next year for sure.

At the state meet Ben Asmus repeated as the 400 champ, took 2nd in the 200 and the relay team came in 2nd. There were some state records that fell this year in just about every distance and Illinois has a tremendous amount of talent which everyone will see the next few years.

WOWS

Its again time for WOWS (Wednesday Open Water Swim) Last week was the 2nd for the year and there were 51 peolpe who signed in and swam. That's a record up from 37 the Wednesday before last years Tri-Shark. There is an infux of new triathletes getting ready for this years race. For those who didn't know club put together the idea of having a PUPS program which provides the beginner triathlete training,information, and an enterance ticket into the race. For more information on the PUPS program go the club website: www.tri-shark.com

Since we have been having lots of rain and cooler weather the lakes temp is staying cold. Last week the new temperature measuring device said it was cold. 68-70 degrees. Wet suits are recommended but there are those polarbears that like to swim with out a wetsuit. During the first week we also had Chris Sweet speak to the members about the basics of open water swimming.

There are alot of activities that will be happeing at WOWS throughout the year. Stay tuned for more info

long time

Holy *#&^ it been a long time for an update. Boston has come and gone and I am done feeling like a loser. The Shoulder is the big news. After the bike crash, surgery and a painful first 3 weeks post, my recovery seems to be going well. I have some painful therapy sessions 3 times a week and on a daily basis excercises to do. Sleeping is still tough, sore painfull I just cant get comfortable.

Right now there are letting me ride outside, but its tricky especially if the wind is a cross wind. The stabilizers are still getting there strength back. As far as mileage. Im behind but those long indoor trainer rides will help. I will find out on Monday if they will let me run again. Its been the longest time since I started this journey that I havent ran, six weeks. Swimming well I have been putting down some yards. Swimming with right arm only... I think I could actually swimm the 2.4 with my right arm and not be the last one out of the water. Depending on how the shoulder is coming along in August I may have to resort to that. During masters swims 3-4 times a week and no being the slowest person in the pool is, thats just cool..

I am still going to be cheerleading for the next few races. I dont want to push the issue and re injure something that is heeling fine. With just over 100 days til Louisville IM I think I cna get in enought traiing to fair well in the race.I am not setting a time goals for this one, I just want to finish.
Train hard train smart

out of boston

Yep, thats right Ryan Hall will just have to go at this one on his own. I was more than ready to run a 3:10 marathon PR but I had an incident on 03-16 09 while riding my police bike. Yes I am a police bike instructor and yes I am a good rider but good riders crash too. The crash injured my left shoulder and I knew right away that something was wrong, not just becuase of the instant pain, I also heard something tear. I managed to make it back to the Police Department and was hoping for the best. That night pain and no sleep made the decision easy to go have it checked.
Within two days I was laying still for an MRI and the results were not good. Two nice tears and the need for surgery. What to do about Boston 21 days away. I began to get depressed about all of the preperation. 4 days a week in the pool 50-70 miles a week running, and two days a week in the saddle, weights, p90x, and now done for what? Several weeks, months $^%#&^$ and a few other choice words.

Tuesday was my surgical consult, and the decision was made to cancel Boston and have the surgery now, so maybe with some good luck, therapy and all the right prayers I will be ready for the Louisville IRONMAN on August 30...So I sit here medicated, arm in a tight body sling typing this with one hand . My surgery was yesturday at 7:30 and I do not wish this on anyone and feel for those who have been through this before. They said I was in there for 2 hours. There are photos but haven't seen them yet. After being wheeled in the OR, I remember talking about missing the Boston marathon to someone and then the lights went out.

Waking up was tough I just wanted to stay but it felt as though they wanted to kick me out. The nurse kept coming in and waking me up. After awhile I was able to focus enough to get up and get out of there. How rough are the roads here in Bloomington/ Normal,Mclean County and Heyworth, holy #$%^. They really suck. I feel all of the bumps. I also have great respect for those who are unfortunate enough to go through life with a disability. Its the stuff like getting dressed, eating, buckling your seat belt and going to the bathroom, WOW. Good thing its my left shoulder.

Recovery and rest. I will be doing nothing for several weeks and then I hope to start some therapy to get me back to where I was. The goal now is to focus on whats 157 days out. Even if I have swim with my right arm only I will be in Louisville.

train hard, train smart

St Pats 5K

Great day for just blasting away at for most the first race of the year. Started out by hanging with the ORRT out in the parking lot talking race strategies and then went for a good warm up. Starting to get pumped up when race time comes.



Bill Read really puts on a good show and when I run by him while warming up he asked where the Bloomington Police car was this year... I said I don't know did you call, and he said " No" By the way its was 12:54 six minutes till the gun. I located a phone made the call and a short time later there was a Police Officer to lead us.



High fives to ORRT and the horn blows. As we blasted away the first mile Ryan and Mike were still insight, 5:31 What? and with that I know I will be slowing throughout the second mile. Turning around on the Boulevard I got a glimpse of what might catch up. Next thing I know here comes Emily and Carly Pederson. I ride for a minute and it was a nice surge. Mile 2 passes and I hear 11:26 still holding a 5:42 pace. Just then I could feel a pack closing or were they there the whole time, I dont know. Headng back to the east of Croxton I get passed by Doug Rosen and he is the only one I know infront of me now in my age group. Then Seanan and Nikki pull up and I grab a hold and just stay there. The last stretch was nice, a little tail wind for the push home.



I kept telling Nikki it was time to go since we both just got passed. I pushed till the end and came across the line 18:34 good for 3rd in my age group.



I'll take it since speed work has not been on the training schedule. I want to thank Mitch and Ryan for all you do and to the ORRT members everyone had a fast day. Good job



Next for me Boston





Train hard, Train smart

David