USAT level 1 certification

What a weekend!, I found myself in an indoor seclusion for 2 days with lots of lectures and power point presentations of information.  I decided it was time to add a title to the end of my name and make something of myself.  I figured getting MD on the end wouldn't be easy. 

The class started on Friday morning at 7:30 am and went till 9pm. I also added an extra swimming course for my knowledge! As a coach and a person thinking about triathlons, the biggest thing I hear most is that the  SWIM portion is usually the toughest. I decided the more information I obtain on swimming the better I am to help someone with that fear when they come to me for help. 

The certification program was really good and  well taught.  It was amazing to be in a room with so much talent as well as a  wide variety of coaching and triathlon experience.  The course covered everything from nutrition information, work out plans, to techniques in swimming and running forms as well as cycling. 

Day two went as smooth as day one, thankfully not as long though.  my brain was packed, the info was good and the ideas were already starting to form for my future and how I wanted to take my coaching to the next level.  Information is basic we all know this, but its how we take the information learned and how we use it that makes us different then "basic."  in short I met a lot of amazing people in that room for those two days and I was happy to see that their is other people out there who care about helping others take it to the next level as much as I do. 

So what did I do today back in Training! Swim and I even used my new techniques from the fixed form swim class.  We are our own "experiment" and must practice with ourselves before we can teach others. Today's Swim set was: 300 warm up 
                                                                12x25 on 30 sec rest.,
                                                                3x300 pull 20 sec rest,
                                                                200 cool down= 1700

2 months and some odd days till First Tri of 2013

MLK5k race

I am going to start off with a recap of my 5k race yesterday.  I decided to sign up for a race called the MLK5k race here in my city of Atlanta also hosted by the RunningNerds.  What better way to start celebrate a day then with a race.  Its been months since I did any speed work in a race so I figured this would be a good start for the year. 

The race morning temps were in the low 40's, but the sun was out so it helped some.  The start of the race was inside Piedmont Park.  This race was slated to start out with a little bit of cross country style running with about a quarter mile run through the park up a hill before you hit the pavement.  the park has a good layout with lots of small rolling inclines and descends which keep you busy.  the crowd thinned out fast as we all made our way to mile 1.  typical race malfunction for me began when I looked at my watch during the first mile.  I lost GPS and was just running on time, this is where I needed to pay attention to my first mile and see what time I was at and then do the math for my splits.  the volunteers on the course were great and what was even cooler was the drum lines that had been set up along the course from the local schools playing as you ran.  Nothing better then some good beats to help you charge up a hill. 

The race ended smoothly with another run into the park and down a slope to the finish line. the crowds were cheering the drum lines were still playing.  I was happy to make it out to that race this year and finish with a decent time of 20:57.  Not bad for returning back to speed work.  the race was very well organized and its getting bigger every year from what I hear.  the expo for race packet pick up and post race was even better.  Most importantly was the T-shirt at the end, which is always a race bonus for me.



Recovering right with Muscle milk. (notice the great bed head to race look)

This is one more race and training day closer to my first race of the season in March.  I am  really looking forward to racing HITS Triathlon down in Ocala, Florida. The race is an Olympic distance race so these short 5k races will definitely help with my speed work.

Swimming is Winning#

I Finally got back into the pool today Folks! With all the rain we have been having the last days over here you would think one would be sick of water.  I have said many times in previous posts, that it has been months since I have been in the water since my last race, before off season began.  Today's goal was 45min to 1hr  of easy swimming. It was awesome to be back in the water today swimming.  Some time ago when I first started Triathlons, it was my leas favorite discipline.  during the course of last year in training for my Ironman with all the swimming volume put in, I began to really enjoy it. Swimming is the first portion of the race, so to be comfortable in the water can really start off a great race. 

I have still lots of swimming to do before HITS Ocala Triathlon, but I am confident that with hard work and time spent in the water.  I will be ready to tackle my first race.  Its a race I did last year down in Ocala, Florida.  The race is in a Lake, which is good for calm waters also.  Its a nice out and back 2 loop course.

I left the pool today smiling and excited for my next schedule return.  What I am really looking forward to is the open water swims when the temperatures begin to warm up again. 

Even though I still miss these days of swimming with my friends.  we were the ones in the chat lane of course.  Its amazing how we got any training in. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 Goals

I don't know how I could have started this whole thing and not have shared my goals with you.  I mean the whole point of this "share" right?!  Okay lets see. Last year ended on a very high note for me with IRONMAN Florida in November.  Last year was the "year I pushed my own limits" I named it that year because I was so new to the sport of triathlon with only less then 5 triathlons under my belt.  So, here comes 2012 and I decided I was going to do a full ironman.  Well I knew that if I was going to do that race and race it well I was going to have to dedicate myself and the year to hence "pushing the limit"  so I did..i raced hard and trained even harder completing 10 triathlons last year, including my Full ironman.  We all have to have goals set, especially when it comes to things we love.  the goals can be any size, big or small.  achieving those big and small goals make a difference.  they make us want to push it harder the next next.  the best part of the journey in achieving goals we start to find and learn so much about our own abilities that we start to really listen to what our mind and body are telling us.  This is where I start to take mental notes.. 2013 here I am, I had a strong year prior with all the races and training.  Now this is where I start to open my mental notebook and decide what im going to do. First things first, I name my year and for 2013 I am calling it the "year of firsts"  now that doesn't mean I plan to place first in age groups or be first in line for anything.  It means that I am going to start trying new things out, especially when it pertains to the sport I love.  It doesn't mean I am selfish or anything, just means that I want to have a more hands on approach to the sport of triathlons.  I'm reading a lot more about heart rate monitor training, power meter training and other random books and articles I can get a hold of.  2013 is looking bright already for me.  The training is going well, my friends are getting back into the groove of things and I love it.  Something about the beginning of season that gets me excited to see my friends all ready to swim, bike and run with me.  that feeling you get when you just did a hard swim and your on the edge of the pool deck with your head down on your arms breathing heavy, and my favorite after a nice good long run the feeling of nice cold ice bath and compression clothes. 

 

Some of this and Some of That...

Its just now been 4 weeks since my Ironman Florida Tattoo and I'm going through some serious withdrawals.  I was really hoping to get into the pool today and start my swim training portion of my triathlon season.  Rules are rules right? They advise you to wait 4-6 weeks before getting into a pool for proper healing.  I settled for a quick 3mile run for the cardio and some at home yoga/stretching for swimmers.  Yes, they have yoga and other forms of stretching for that, just look it up on YouTube under yoga/stretching for swimmers.  So that's basically what I have resorted to in the meantime to keep my core strong, shoulders loose and body ready for the water.  I throw in some light weight training as well for my upper body muscles to compensate for the water training.

Energy – An Unappreciated Key to Leadership
I came across this great article yesterday on leadership and its qualities and it definitely made me think about the importance of qualities in a leader.  The article centers on Energy from a person being the main attraction in a leader. I really thought the article made some good valid points.  I think in the fitness world of triathletes, runners and other fitness members, we look for guidance and help.  That guidance and help can come in all different forms, like coaching and just plain ole peer to peer mentoring.  take a read and you see what your take on it is


okay so its Friday and I'm sure your ready to get on with your day and move on.  I just want to say that I tried those veggie wraps that I posted the other day.  I will say this, nothing really comes out as good as the picture, but I tried and I was happy with my attempt.  The Kiwi on a stick is next! =) 
I want to leave you with my next attempt at something I've been dying to try and that is.

                                                High-Protein Breakfast Smoothies

 

 

Big Question is?  What are your training plans for the Weekend.. I have 2 full days of Biking on my Training schedule.  my Goal for the weekend is just over 3 hours of total biking.  its still early so the mileage is being tacked on slowly.

 

 

 

 

Runnin my CITy#ATL

I peeked through the covers this morning when the alarm went off hoping for the day to be gloomy enough to put off my run... The gloom was there, but the Temperature was PERFECT!  I rolled out of my house excited to run in the 56 degree weather.  Today's training plan was a 60 Min run.  I took it nice and easy shooting for my reboot pace of 7:44 or better.  I like to try and hold this pace for when i start to do sprints i can shoot for faster times.  It does have it disadvantages, such as traffic lights and unknown vehicles pulling out in front of you. The city was alive, the traffic was moving and the pedestrians were walking.  I was always enjoy the out and back route i do in my area.  It is basically a steady straight shot into the downtown area and back into the west side where i live.  So much to see on my run that always keep me entertained.  Every landmark in the downtown area is a sight to see on the route i take.

I'm still getting my miles in and feeling the fight for some of them.  Getting back into the routine isn't always easy, but you have to keep setting the goal and hitting the mark. Today was a good day, I'm glad i made the most of the morning and started it off right.

FOOD PORN FOR THE DAY:

                                                 CHOCOLATE KIWI POPSICLES





                                              




  SUPER 8-STEP SALAD WRAPS

Take it to the Club!.. (Song on my mind)

 I just got back from one of those Bomb Diggity Spin classes again! So, I didn't like the issues my bike was making during my ride with my Friends this weekend so i decided to hop in on another 915am class. I'm so happy i did Luck so be it, the Instructor from last week was there today Sub'n for another instructor.

I'm gonna put this out now and say her class is worth it.  I'm speaking from the endurance side of fitness and just my own opinion.  Her name is Tuesday (I'm serious) and she teaches on Thursdays @ 9;15am and 6:15pm at LA Fitness Midtown II and also on Saturday's at 10:30am and Sundays at 9:15am.  Her music selection great, with lots of top 40 music with great beats to peddle too.  She is so pumped an motivated and really makes me push myself harder then i would at home on my trainer.  She is well worth the add to the mix in my triathlon training for once maybe twice a week.  I would like to try one of her Saturday's classes, which she says are more intenece then her midweek classes (kinda scared) but in the long run i can see that endurance and fitness wise, Its is going to be well worth the the sweat, and pain.

MY Life

I hope everyone had a great weekend filled with training and good times.  I was happy to take my riding indoors this week after a freezing 30 degree ride on Saturday.  I know people say that we must be crazy to ride and or run in temperature's like that.  I like to think that as long as i can bear it and i am dressed properlyy in the future during a race i can look back on the cold, wet and freezing days and push through the race I'm having.  We all  come from a place of hard work and dedication.  Winter is here and the off season is over.  my old coach Andrew Johnston once said to me on a day it was raining and i was hesitant on a run.  He said "Eddy, if the mailman can deliver mail in the rain,sleet and snow, you can train in it"  Boy was he ever so right..i always think of that on foul weather days, in fact i love the bad weather days even more some times. 

Speaking of cold weather training days, i know of a great run group that meets every Wednesday's in front of lulu lemon at 6:30pm for a run club.  They are an awesome group of runners that vary from beginners to veteran's.  There is a place for any athlete with them.  I had the pleasure of meeting this group in the summer and since then I have been hooked and they have become my run family.  if your in the area and looking for a great group of people to run with then check them out.  West Midtown Run Club.  While your there step inside the store as well, there is something for everyone in there.  Like i said its cold out, so layer up properly with some of the awesome clothes they got.  

My goal for this week:  Stay healthy and hide from the flu and cough that is getting all my freinds around me.. BEWARE the BUG..

TGIF people

TGIF my Friends and what a glorious start to my day so far.  Today was my day off from work, so rolling out of bed early for a 30 min run was not easy.  I had that thought in the back of my  head that kept saying "sleep in some more, you have all day".  Truth is i almost listened too!, but with the sun looking so bright and the thought of a nice cold brisk run.  It just got me up and ready.. I like to think of the the positive sides of getting a early work out in.

1. Worth the Breakfast
2. Extra energy throughout the day
3. you can relax in the evening
4. you look like a bad ass to your co workers when they know you were working out while they were sleeping.
5. you have an excuse for not making coffee in the morning to your significant other.."what i was out training" 
6. The list is endless, but I'm sure that we all have our "valid" reasons to work out early and or later.

The weather  was a brisk 32 deg today and i knew it was going to be a chill-fest.  No worries, crazy triathletes layer heavy on top and still run in shorts! well at least i know i do.  on the plus side i was excited to wear my http://www.skins.net/en-US/why-skins/compression-socks.aspx skins Compression socks to make up for the lack of lower body clothing.

I have several pairs of the calf sleeves but i wanted to try my hand at these.  I will say that i had great success in these today.  they were a great deterrent from the elements as well as compression and comfort that i was looking for during my run.  I was never an athlete who leaned toward the full sock and calf compression but i will say that during this winter and for recovery i am sold on these. Anyways that is my plug/review on them, but no seriously i really enjoyed them on my run.  i kept my run to 30 min today as planned.  I have a nice out and back run i do in the city where i live.  i  only have to challenge on big hill and its within the first mile too! i pushed my engine as steady as i could to a nice 8min pace. I was shooting to avg 7:44 for 30 min.      I was feeling really good, the cold air always makes me wanna push it harder for some reason but i kept a steady on my watch and kept the pace.  I was always a bad pace runner, many of my Friends can attest to that too.   today i was all over my watch, making sure i didn't blow my goal.  Fast forwarding through my run to the End it was a success i didn't quite hit my mark of 7:44, but i did land myself a nice 7:47 for final avg.  I was happy.  Besides i can blame the truck who instead of waiting for me to pass,  decided to cut me off and turn into my path.  I made it home in time for my watch to say low battery and powering down.. Guess i have to get back into the routine of battery charging my run watch at night.

Today was another breakthrough for me on my road back to triathlon training.  I really appreciate the nights before bed, where i know that I'm going to have to push myself in the morning to do something as important as training.  We have those days where we have time off or more time in the day, so we postpone our training. Just got to find that motivating force inside you that pushes you all the time.  It can be a word Mantra, pictures, posters or even a simple text from a freind. I get alot of my motivation from those places, but sometimes watching my freinds on facebook or reading their daily motivating blogs does it for me ALOT.  So i ask, whats your motivataion?

 DAY 3 in the books for me...I'm looking forward to a full weekend of biking and running..I'm excited about using my new booties for my bike cleats.  the temperature has dropped so with the wind chill, its going to be some cold feet.  Have a great weekend everyone and i hope to hear about your training endeavours.

I had a plan today..i promise?!

So...I decided to give Spin class a shot this morning because honestly i was just too lazy to mess with my bike last night and get it ready for the trainer.  I want to start out by saying its so good to be back in the training regiment again.  I really started to feel yesterdays training session from the in the evening while i was at work.

 My body has quickly realized that i am no longer eating for pleasure anymore.  It started with it small growls and small rumbles to let me know that it was on empty many times last night and i had to quickly manage with small snacks (ie;mixed nuts and dried fruit).  These feelings are all to familiar  from last season when i began training.  Getting a proper Diet plan is that hardest part to training for a triathlon.  its true what they say about the 80/20 rule of diet to exercising.

So i opted for the pancakes today...okay not so tall, but was wishful thinking after the workout i had today.  Like i said, training appetite is going to be the hardest part during routines and racing.

So where was i? before i let my stomach get the best of me and talk about food.  Oh, ya right i was going to tell you about my epic spin class.  So i get there 15 after thinking i was the late one to the class.  it appeared the class had not eve started yet and everyone was still warming up as the instructor played with her music selections.  Let me remind you I have not been on a bike since November 3, 2012. that is the date of my ironman race, so i was a little rusty.  i has scheduled myself for an hour of spin, with some interval training in the mix.  i wanted to warm up in zone 2 (low heart rate) then after that jump up into some zone 4 for about 15min. then back down and so fourth.  THAT was my PLAN..that all soon changed when the first song hit the track. 

A real quick background to me before i continue is..no matter if I'm on the treadmill or on the bike trainer in a group..I am racing against you!, you may not know it, but i am.  I told a friend last night i couldn't join there spin class because i felt that it was maybe to much for me on my first day back.  i wanna say now, I'm sorry friend.. I failed, today in my class i competed. It all happened so quickly..the music was bumping the beats were good, my legs were spinning i was set at a 10 on the level...then BOOM she got us out of the saddle and off the races i was..I'm going to say the rest was a blur..i tried to think to myself during all this."eddy its your first day back just hang in there and don't burn out." I will say this..she was a really good instructor, she was loud, motivating and had a really awesome music selection.  it ain't a good class if you cant bounce your cadence off of the rhythm of the music..that's when it happened she had us in the bars sprawled out in the extended position doing this move she calls the "blackout"  its where you just go all out to where you blank out the screen..WHAT was i thinking...this was a chance for me to take my advice and just spin it out...I blanked that screen out as fast as my little legs could spin..that's when i knew that i took this class way to seriously today.

End result of all that spinning, sweating, teeth gritting was worth it.  I left feeling Really good about myself in that class today.  I went into that class with a medium expectation of myself and left with a smile and great confidence in myself.. We all think about have an idea in our head how we want our next workout to go.  If it doesn't work out that way, then its okay just try your best and give it all you got..

I'm still on Track towards my first Triathlon race of the Season March 23, 2013. these are just beginning moans which i know will change into success stories soon.  I know we all go through them and its always easier when we know that were not alone feeling that way

Happy New Year Everyone and welcome to 2013

  Hey everyone!,  Well its official 2013 has officially begun for me.  It actually should have started yesterday with a 10k resolutions race, but rain and a long new years evening had other plans for me.  BUT anyways that's the PAST right! Good well its 2013 now and my day started with some excitement.. i can actually say i didn't sleep great, one of those look at the clocks kinda nights.  I think the anticipation of today's first session had me in nerves.  Hardest part about the first day back is morning fueling process.  Breakfast is the most important part, so before my workout i have to re-train my body to eat just enough to sustain the work out with out feeling sick.  So today i started off with a Banana, yogurt cup and a cliff crunch bar..I'm not gonna say it did the trick but for the first day back it worked well.  Once you get your body into a good 24hr eating rhythm you will be fine.
 

 Today's work out was a little different then the one i posted sorry guys.  I cant yet get into the water since my most recent tattoo, but i did get a good 25min run at an 8:30-8:44mile pace in.  I'm not gonna say that i felt like peaches and cream during my run.  Since IRONMAN back in November i have have done very little training and trying to rehab a knee injury, i sustained during the marathon portion of the race.  My point is, that i am starting from scratch and im okay with that.  I know its going to take some time and lots of aches and pains to get back where i once was.  Once i finished the run I then hit some weights, I tried to gear my weight training toward swimming specific muscle and range of movements to make up for the swim workout.

 I will say that getting back into the swing of things can be a little mentally overwhelming. but you just gotta look at the big picture of things and remember that the beginning is the adaptation phase..just focus on form and the rest will follow...Day one complete and I'm happy to be back into the swing of things..thank you all for letting me share this journey and following me into it all..