tedr's blog

4 Peak Tucson Holiday

Well, I had a goal. And it was good to be done with it. I must say it proved more difficult than I thought it would be! I had some necessary help from some friends.

Saturday was an aggressive beginning. I ran Wasson Peak on the west side with my friend Joe. It was a great morning run, but harder than I had expected. And this was the smallest one! After a fruit shake at Joe's house, I went to Mt Wrightson on the south side. I was already a bit sore but started to make my way up. On the way, my right quad cramped and I had to fast walk on a lot of the steep trail. On top of the mountain there was some snow and it was super windy. Freekin cold! But I got there and made a quick decent. Very sore and rethinking this whole plan.

Holiday weekend workout plans: Four Peaks

So what do you do after Ironman? I want to keep the fitness, but have not worked out much for the last month. My forced rest and recovery. But this weekend I am going to go aeorbic and long with a goal I have always been interested in. ALL FOUR PEAKS AROUND TUCSON!!! I have stared at these mountain ranges around us for so long. I have only been to the true peaks of 2 of them. So here is my plan, all who want to join me for all or part are encouraged. For those racing in Sahuarito's Tri this Monday, good luck.

10:21:57

10:21:57 in Ironman Arizona, after a long day of Hot and Windy weather. Honestly, I had a great day. My swim was solid in the 65 degree dirty water of Tempe Town Lake. I wore a sleevless wetsuit and fealt good. Not too cold, not too warm. It was a bumper car ride the entire 2.4 miles though. I really thought things would separate out a bit more, but I guess 2000 people in the water at the same time doesn't leave much room for space. Nothing too bad though. One heel kick to the left eye. But the goggle lens took most of the hit. I have a few more finger nail scratches on my wetsuit!

The night before Ironman

Well, tomorrow is a long day coming.........so it will be, a long day. Here in Ironman village and hotel, there is an interesting energy combined with a calmness. All different walks of life have led to this path. From all corners of the world. Some to win, some to dive into a personal agenda. Some unfinished turmoil that needs to be let go through the exhaustion and intensity of a day of Ironman. You can see the different stories in people's eyes as they walk, talk and stare..........

One more week down

Last week was a run focus week. And I ended up a little short of my goals in the swim and bike. Overall for the week, I had 7250 for the swim (goal was 8-9k), and only 80 for the bike (goal was 120). For the run I was just wanting to get total of 26-27 with a couple of quality runs and a long run of atleast 13. I did some pick-ups on the track on Tuesday. Not much, but a couple of mile efforts: One at a 6:40 pace and one at a 5:50 pace. They fealt good but my calves were feeling it the next day. No cramping though.........WOOHOOO!!

Good week

Well last week was a good week for training. For a rare time, I exceeded my plan! 11,000 in the pool, 242 miles on the bike, and 14.5 running. The last and big workout was a 112 bike with headwinds and sun from 10:30 to 4:20. I did a weigh in before and after and kept track of my fluids to help manage myself for the race in 3 weeks. I drank 120 oz of gatorade over 5 hours and 50 minutes and came home still down 9.5 pounds!!

4 weeks to IM AZ

The last few weeks have been busy. Work, life, and fortunately some working out. I think the surgeons have run a special on procedures this last month, making my life busy as an anesthesiologist! But with Ironman AZ only weeks away, I have sensed the urgency of getting mileage in. So sleep has given way to the risk of injury. And I am happy to say that SO FAR, SO GOOD! Although not doing "classic" Ironman training, I am getting in enough to feel like I can finish. My run has started coming around, without my dreaded calf cramp/pull being a problem. Yes, I am up to 21 miles this last week.

For the last 3 weeks, here are my totals: Swim 6500/8000/66350, Bike 176/40/176, Run 14/19/21

My goal for the next 2 weeks is: Swim 9000/8000 Bike 220/120 Run 13/26.2

24 Hours of Biking

This past weekend was the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo........A great event that takes a scrappy piece of desert and turns it into a bike city of 3,000 plus people every winter outside of Tucson!  RVs, tents, expo, entertainment and lots of just plain good people.  For those that do not know, the race is a 24 hour non-stop affair........A 17 mile loop course and you and or your team making it around the course as many times as you can from 12 noon Saturday to 12 noon on Sunday.  I was in a duo team.  Our goal was 16 laps total..............We were doing well until late in the night Saturday, both of us started to experience BAAAD stomach cramps!!  We both were using Accelerade and think the protein and the bouncing around on our bikes caused some gasseous cramping.  So we laid off and

Super Tuesday and Triathlon

Who would make the best triathlete????  A commentary..................

Hilliary:  The largest CANKLES (having no distinction between calves and ankles) I have ever seen!!  I have met her and shook her hand........NEVER a triathlete!!

Obama:   Thin and lean.  Young and with potential.  BUT.........a SMOKER he has been.  Only quit to run for the presidency.  NOT an athletic attitude.  But potentially a reformer if it gives him fame and fortune...........Sounds like it leaves him out of our poor sport!!

To watch an athlete

It has been a mundane couple of weeks.  Lots of bike trainer time.  Some good swims.  And keeping off my run for another week.  Going to get an MRI to check my calf out next week.