So... It's a Tuesday night and instead of doing homework I started thinking of the coming year. A few hours ago I was only signed up for the Chicago Triathlon, an Olympic distance race, the end of August; and the Ironman Arizona. As it turns out I'm not good with an idle mind. I started thinking...
What to do... What to do???
I was kind of toying around with signing up for the Escape from Alcatraz Tri in June. Or at least signing up for the lottery which opens December 1st. But... I'm already signed up for 1 lottery, and figure one is enough for this year. So... If I get chosen in that lottery I'll be going to Kona for Ironman in October. If I don't go... Then Ironman AZ will be my only Ironman next year.
Since I decided: Maybe I should swim around Key West. And low and behold there's a race. Well, I actually heard about it a few months back, and it's been in the back of my head since I did.
Bored, not wanting to do homework has lead me to sign up for a 12.5 mile swim. Ummm.... Yeah!!! This was only two glasses of wine into the evening, so I have no excuse. Maybe I can blame the not swimming for a month, I took two weeks off from training after the race; then the tattoo took me out of the water for another two weeks. So. this Sunday I'll be jumping back in the pool.
So along with a few Olympic distance tris, and a half marathon in the spring, the culminating point of my spring season will be this TWELVE and a half mile swim around Key West.
I just hope I can find someone to Kayak for me. Oh, and that I don't get eaten by a shark!! :|
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
I'm scarred for life...
Or at least branded. With two Ironman races under my belt; I decided to go ahead and get the Ironman logo on my left calf surrounded by waves, a chainring, and a stretch of road to symbolize triathlon.
The tattoo was a few months in the making. I went in for my consultation in September, scheduled my appointment for October; that got canceled and rescheduled for two weeks later. Last Tuesday I went for my appointment and the concept designed by my tattoo artist was not what I had imagined. So... The appointment was rescheduled again; but we did spend some time talking about what I really wanted. So I went back on Saturday for a four hour session and walked out branded for life. Going into the session my tattoo artist had told me swimming had to be put on hold for a two weeks... THEN two hours into the tattoo he said "oh, and um... running and biking should probably be put on hold for a couple weeks too."
I said "ok" but in my head I was screaming WHAT!!! I took two weeks off after the Marine Corps Marathon, and now I have to wait another two weeks. UGH! But I'm going to wait it out, with a few light runs here and there and a couple real easy bike rides.
The good news is... My big race is 365 days a way, so I have time to train and get ready after this latest break in training. That big race IRONMAN ARIZONA! WOOT WOOT!. MERRY CHRISTMAS to me. I'm super excited for training for this race. I'll be done with school by then and I will be able to focus on the training.
In the meantime while I wait to kick off this training, I am finishing up my second to last semester, and finalizing my training plan for next year.
I just wanted to give an update since getting back in the saddle got put on hold a bit.
Till next time... Thanks for stopping by.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Time to get back in the saddle...
I have not been on my bike since the Giant Acorn Sprint triathlon the first weekend in October. Where I placed first in my division. What a great way to finish the season. The rest of October I concentrated on running and prepping for the Marine Corps Marathon, which I'm very happy with my improvement, and these past two weeks I took a much needed two week break from all training. Though the break was much needed, it will also be a tad difficult to get back into my training. But I think I'm in a good position to have a very successful training season.
I say I should be successful, because I've designed my training plan for the next 53 weeks. UGH!! What a pain in da butt. But it's done!! Well... Kinda. For the most part. I also joined a new gym which is where I hope to do most of my swimming, in an effort to save some money. The hurdle that I'm still grappling with is whether or not I will renew my membership with Team Z??? The comradery, SAG support on long rides, and race support I think almost make it worthwhile... But if I'm not planning on using the race plans the coach puts together... I wonder if it really is worth it. I'm leaning toward yes.
So... The goal is to work out Tuesday thru Sunday and taking Monday off. Most days will have two workouts a week. And I've yet to decide if my "winter focus" is going to be a marathon, or just a half. It kind of depends on if I change my spring focus to be a half Iron vs. an Olympic distance. We'll see. I think my biggest challenge will be the diet. I'm trying to work on that too. The goal is to loose 22 lbs (ish) by March. Totally doable if it weren't for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the yummy food. But I'm going to give it a shot.
I got my alarm set for 4, plan to be at the gym shortly there after, and hope to be at work by 7 ish. Wish me luck.
I say I should be successful, because I've designed my training plan for the next 53 weeks. UGH!! What a pain in da butt. But it's done!! Well... Kinda. For the most part. I also joined a new gym which is where I hope to do most of my swimming, in an effort to save some money. The hurdle that I'm still grappling with is whether or not I will renew my membership with Team Z??? The comradery, SAG support on long rides, and race support I think almost make it worthwhile... But if I'm not planning on using the race plans the coach puts together... I wonder if it really is worth it. I'm leaning toward yes.
So... The goal is to work out Tuesday thru Sunday and taking Monday off. Most days will have two workouts a week. And I've yet to decide if my "winter focus" is going to be a marathon, or just a half. It kind of depends on if I change my spring focus to be a half Iron vs. an Olympic distance. We'll see. I think my biggest challenge will be the diet. I'm trying to work on that too. The goal is to loose 22 lbs (ish) by March. Totally doable if it weren't for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the yummy food. But I'm going to give it a shot.
I got my alarm set for 4, plan to be at the gym shortly there after, and hope to be at work by 7 ish. Wish me luck.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Why Average Matt???
I've gotten a few questions about my blog title "Average Matt the Triathlete." Some asked, Average? Why not Ironman Matt or IronMatt. Both catchy, and tempting... But truth is. I'm just an average guy that happened to do two Ironman races (so far).
Maybe I have a different definition of average than some people. But to me... Average means something that everyone can do. And I believe that anyone can do Ironman. Many have no desire, some have commitments and time constraints that won't allow them to do the training. But if someone has the desire and the dedication to training they will be able to do the Iron distance triathlon. It may take a few years of conditioning, a few attempts at the race, but I believe it can be done. Don't get me wrong... Ironman is NOT easy.
So... I went from being an artsy kid in high school, never playing many sports after about the sixth grade or so. To joining the military after my first year of college. I used to hate running, then started running with Dalia in Germany. Now she was a runner, I just tried to keep up. Once I left Active Duty, I sat on my ass a whole lot. Enjoyed time not working and bellied up to the bar on a regular basis. Work, eat, drink, hangout with friends, sleep... All very typical activities that I think define me as an average, regular, everyday kinda guy.
Then one 4th of July, shortly after I moved to DC, my friend Mr. Parker told me of this race he was planning to do. It was the Urbanathlon in New York City. This was a 6 ish mile run that started in Central Park, ran down the west side of Manhattan, had a 52-story stair climb, and finished by leaping over a taxi, climbing an 8 foot wall and crossing the finish line in Battery Park. So anyway.... My friend Cody said he was signing up for this race. It planted the seed in my head, which somehow grew despite the amount of beer consumed that morning, afternoon, and evening. I got home, and the next day I looked up the race on the website. They had something like a 60-day training plan on the website. I did the math, and it was 60 days exactly between when I was reading the plan, and race day. So I signed up.
Cody and I trained throughout the summer, and we did the race in September. Sometime that cold morning in the pre-dawn hours in Central Park, I got bitten by the racing bug and I've been doing races ever since.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent...
So my point is... I'm an average guy that is now addicted to running and races. I somehow manage to squeeze in time to train amidst school, work, Army training, and some remnance of a social life. I do not have a natural ability at any of the three disciplines, I try to train equally in all of them. Though I'm going to try this year to buckle down on my diet, and ramp up the training a bit more. There's nothing I'm doing, that someone else couldn't do. That's why I chose Average Matt the Triathlete for the name of my blog. Cause in my mind... I'm just like everyone else. :)
Maybe I have a different definition of average than some people. But to me... Average means something that everyone can do. And I believe that anyone can do Ironman. Many have no desire, some have commitments and time constraints that won't allow them to do the training. But if someone has the desire and the dedication to training they will be able to do the Iron distance triathlon. It may take a few years of conditioning, a few attempts at the race, but I believe it can be done. Don't get me wrong... Ironman is NOT easy.
So... I went from being an artsy kid in high school, never playing many sports after about the sixth grade or so. To joining the military after my first year of college. I used to hate running, then started running with Dalia in Germany. Now she was a runner, I just tried to keep up. Once I left Active Duty, I sat on my ass a whole lot. Enjoyed time not working and bellied up to the bar on a regular basis. Work, eat, drink, hangout with friends, sleep... All very typical activities that I think define me as an average, regular, everyday kinda guy.
Then one 4th of July, shortly after I moved to DC, my friend Mr. Parker told me of this race he was planning to do. It was the Urbanathlon in New York City. This was a 6 ish mile run that started in Central Park, ran down the west side of Manhattan, had a 52-story stair climb, and finished by leaping over a taxi, climbing an 8 foot wall and crossing the finish line in Battery Park. So anyway.... My friend Cody said he was signing up for this race. It planted the seed in my head, which somehow grew despite the amount of beer consumed that morning, afternoon, and evening. I got home, and the next day I looked up the race on the website. They had something like a 60-day training plan on the website. I did the math, and it was 60 days exactly between when I was reading the plan, and race day. So I signed up.
Cody and I trained throughout the summer, and we did the race in September. Sometime that cold morning in the pre-dawn hours in Central Park, I got bitten by the racing bug and I've been doing races ever since.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent...
So my point is... I'm an average guy that is now addicted to running and races. I somehow manage to squeeze in time to train amidst school, work, Army training, and some remnance of a social life. I do not have a natural ability at any of the three disciplines, I try to train equally in all of them. Though I'm going to try this year to buckle down on my diet, and ramp up the training a bit more. There's nothing I'm doing, that someone else couldn't do. That's why I chose Average Matt the Triathlete for the name of my blog. Cause in my mind... I'm just like everyone else. :)
Monday, November 8, 2010
Triathlon is Awesome!!!
So.... I'm not new to triathlon, been doing it for about two years and finished two Ironman competitions within the past year. A year ago I spectated at my first Ironman, and two days ago I saw my friend Jackie cross the finish line (and at random spots along the course) at her first Ironman.
It is an amazing sport, and I love the Ironman distance. Maybe not so much doing the run after 112 miles. It just hurts! But the sport as a whole is amazing. Sprints for me seem too short. But that may be because I didn't do my first sprint until the weekend after my first Ironman.
Now I'm approaching the off season and compiling a training/race plan for next year. I amd trying to approach the season in a more methodical manner; instead of signing up for all the races, I am planning my training first, and then identifying races that coincide with my training plan. The exception is signing up for the Ironman Kona Lottery. I hope to qualify for the race one day, but couldn't pass up the opportunity.
So... As I enter into my second recovery week I know that the next year will be busy. My focus is to slim down, focus on Olympic distance in the Spring, and get into IMAZ for 2011.
My goal is to use the blog to talk about my training, diet, races, and any tips and tricks I learn along the way. We'll see how it goes. With any luck it'll be more successful than my diet log. :-/
It is an amazing sport, and I love the Ironman distance. Maybe not so much doing the run after 112 miles. It just hurts! But the sport as a whole is amazing. Sprints for me seem too short. But that may be because I didn't do my first sprint until the weekend after my first Ironman.
Now I'm approaching the off season and compiling a training/race plan for next year. I amd trying to approach the season in a more methodical manner; instead of signing up for all the races, I am planning my training first, and then identifying races that coincide with my training plan. The exception is signing up for the Ironman Kona Lottery. I hope to qualify for the race one day, but couldn't pass up the opportunity.
So... As I enter into my second recovery week I know that the next year will be busy. My focus is to slim down, focus on Olympic distance in the Spring, and get into IMAZ for 2011.
My goal is to use the blog to talk about my training, diet, races, and any tips and tricks I learn along the way. We'll see how it goes. With any luck it'll be more successful than my diet log. :-/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)