BIKE: 30 miles in...1hr 40 mins?
Indoors again. Booooo...
Can I count the 7 hours of paint scraping today? What about yesterday? My arms and shoulders are gonna hurt tomorrow. But the smile I have for finishing it..nice!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
First swim since Redman
SWIM 1050y in 28-31 mins
5x100 swim
5x100 kick and pull
I've been saying that I need to get back to the pool, mostly as a way of convincing myself to do so. I haven't been in a swim cap since Redman-2 months ago! Between recovery, Glacial Trail, recover, and injuries, the pool was really a distant thought. But that's not to say I missed the pool either :)
This morning was just to break the ice, so to speak. I didn't have high goals other than to swim at least 30 minutes. Quite simply, I wanted to get back to the habit, test the injuries, and see what needs to be worked on this winter. The injuries were fine. My form was decidedly NOT.
In the first few laps, it seemed as if the pool was longer than it should be. In the next lap I counted my stroke and realized why. It usually takes me 11 right-arm strokes to go 25y (not an ideal number for a swimmer, but it's what I'm capable of). Today it was taking me 14. 14!!?? So the next few laps focused on finding what was wrong and reducing that to at least 12. I settled with a few 12.5's and 13's.
Dear Gawd, what have the last two months done to my swimming? Time to get it back!
If I've heard it a hundred times, then I've thought about it a hundred times more: my catch is weak. My forearms and hands slide backwards under me with little resistance. CHG suggested strength building to develop the muscles in my back. (He's suggested a lot of things, but this one seems like something I could actually make changes to right now). I have the bands, I bought them early this summer or late spring. They're hanging on the hook...waiting...
So that's one thing to work on. Let's keep it simple, and work on dryland strength training and just getting to the pool 2-3 times a week for now.
5x100 swim
5x100 kick and pull
I've been saying that I need to get back to the pool, mostly as a way of convincing myself to do so. I haven't been in a swim cap since Redman-2 months ago! Between recovery, Glacial Trail, recover, and injuries, the pool was really a distant thought. But that's not to say I missed the pool either :)
This morning was just to break the ice, so to speak. I didn't have high goals other than to swim at least 30 minutes. Quite simply, I wanted to get back to the habit, test the injuries, and see what needs to be worked on this winter. The injuries were fine. My form was decidedly NOT.
In the first few laps, it seemed as if the pool was longer than it should be. In the next lap I counted my stroke and realized why. It usually takes me 11 right-arm strokes to go 25y (not an ideal number for a swimmer, but it's what I'm capable of). Today it was taking me 14. 14!!?? So the next few laps focused on finding what was wrong and reducing that to at least 12. I settled with a few 12.5's and 13's.
Dear Gawd, what have the last two months done to my swimming? Time to get it back!
If I've heard it a hundred times, then I've thought about it a hundred times more: my catch is weak. My forearms and hands slide backwards under me with little resistance. CHG suggested strength building to develop the muscles in my back. (He's suggested a lot of things, but this one seems like something I could actually make changes to right now). I have the bands, I bought them early this summer or late spring. They're hanging on the hook...waiting...
So that's one thing to work on. Let's keep it simple, and work on dryland strength training and just getting to the pool 2-3 times a week for now.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Wild Turkey run
Weds 1:55 on the trainer, 31 miles
Thurs ?:?? group run around FoPa, 6.5 miles
The upswing continues with an energetic ride on the trainer yesterday (really? I rode that long indoors in November?) and a great run today. So far, no pain. Just great energy!
Thurs ?:?? group run around FoPa, 6.5 miles
The upswing continues with an energetic ride on the trainer yesterday (really? I rode that long indoors in November?) and a great run today. So far, no pain. Just great energy!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Back in the saddle?
RUN: 50-ish minutes, 5 miles
OK so it was more like 4.5 miles of running and 0.5 miles walking. Whatever. I ran!!
OK and so I was on a treadmill. Whatever. I RAN!!
I ran I ran I ran I ran and oh yeah it felt fantabulous. Obviously, right? I mean, look at all the exclamation points I have going here. !!! :)
Everything still feeling good. I wanted to go for 6 miles but when I felt my form starting to fall off I called it quits. Less running now might mean more running later. I stayed focused on form, which is easy and hard to do on treadmill. Easy in that since the terrain and surface never change, you can zone out and just run on automatic. Hard in that sometimes when I come back from a zone-out only 2 tenths of a mile have gone by.
I felt great all morning, awake, excited, and fresh off a hit of drug. It's hard to capture in words, that feeling of being able to reopen the race calendars and weekly calendars and actually see the possibilities. For the past few weeks, I couldn't do it. I had a piece of paper with a 50 miler training schedule on it, I'd carry it with me to work thinking that over lunch I'd look at the numbers and see how I felt about it. For the first time, I started penciling mileage ramps and distance goals.
Every storm runs out of rain.
Off to bed, I want to get up early to SWIM!
OK so it was more like 4.5 miles of running and 0.5 miles walking. Whatever. I ran!!
OK and so I was on a treadmill. Whatever. I RAN!!
I ran I ran I ran I ran and oh yeah it felt fantabulous. Obviously, right? I mean, look at all the exclamation points I have going here. !!! :)
Everything still feeling good. I wanted to go for 6 miles but when I felt my form starting to fall off I called it quits. Less running now might mean more running later. I stayed focused on form, which is easy and hard to do on treadmill. Easy in that since the terrain and surface never change, you can zone out and just run on automatic. Hard in that sometimes when I come back from a zone-out only 2 tenths of a mile have gone by.
I felt great all morning, awake, excited, and fresh off a hit of drug. It's hard to capture in words, that feeling of being able to reopen the race calendars and weekly calendars and actually see the possibilities. For the past few weeks, I couldn't do it. I had a piece of paper with a 50 miler training schedule on it, I'd carry it with me to work thinking that over lunch I'd look at the numbers and see how I felt about it. For the first time, I started penciling mileage ramps and distance goals.
Every storm runs out of rain.
Off to bed, I want to get up early to SWIM!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
I've got nothing to lose
RUN! 3 miles in ~30 mins on the treadmill.
Today is Sunday, I ran this past Friday. Aside from a few trainer sessions--that's it and all I've done!
For whatever stupid reason, I hate going to see Dr M for injuries. Yeah, I know, that's what he's there for, he's getting paid, blah blah, etc. Yet I don't wan't to be the whiny maggot who comes through the door for every little creak and niggle. I don't want to act as if I need help with every little problem, or be the person for whom every pain is like the worst ever.
The knee continued to hurt to the point that it became a persistent worry for me. It seemed that I was always doing something to hurt it--rolling around in a wheeled chair, squatting, climbing stairs, turning on my heel, pushing the clutch, and even bending over (to avoid squatting!) with loose knees to pick something up. I knew it was really a problem when I readily compensated with my other leg, core, hip, whatever it took.
Some I did some researches on The Internets, that wonderful series of tubes and YouTubes to learn more about knee pain. Soon enough, after searching for medial patella knee pain, I found a few possibilities including patellofemoral pain (not sure of the spelling...) which can be caused my muscle imbalances, poorly supported shoes, and overly tight muscles. All of this sounded familiar to the line of thought I had in my recent post.
So what to do? I've been very diligent to keep it stretched, and in doing so found my left leg to be very tight. I've been watching my electrolytes and being mindful of not flexing my feet at night to avoid the cramps. I've been wearing my regular kicks instead of the Merrells. Since I don't know the source of my problem, I have been attacking at all angles. The down side of this is that if it recovers, I won't know what exactly I did. Same problem I had in creating the problem, as I changed a lot at once then too.
My anatomy research indicates that my patella is not tracking in the femoral grove like it should. A tight muscle or muscle imbalance can cause this, as the muscles need to act in coordination during knee flexion to keep it from tracking right or left. Between the tight crampy calf muscles and the tight hammies, I can see where there could be problems.
On Wednesday things were reaching threshold for me. Not that I couldn't tolerate the pain, rather I couldn't tolerate the immobility, the doubt, or the idea that I was causing more damage by continuing without treatment. Then that night I had a dream that I finally went to Dr M. Rich dropped me off to the building and I realized after he pulled away that we went to the wrong building! (This happened in reality, his office moved and I didn't know it, so we were late to an appt). I called Rich so he'd come back and I started wandering up long hallways trying to get out of the building. At one point I was on a small wheeled platform rolling around the hallways. I was terribly stressed about being late for my appt (this happened in reality, too).
When I woke up, kid you freakin' not my knee didn't hurt anymore. Seriously. And hasn't hurt much since!
WTH?! I dream about seeing my doctor and get fixed?
It also just so happened that my calf cramped badly overnight, a really painful one that kept me awake for awhile. Did that re-align things? Who knows?
So I woke up that morning feeling great! Using some knowledge from The YouTubes, I KT'd the joint and spent the rest of the day just fine.
The next morning I decided to risk it and join DH at the gym. He'd just renewed my Y membership on Wednesday, this would be my first trip there since before Redman. Two months ago!
I hopped on a treadmill overlooking the pool and started walking. Some tightness, a little pain that emanated from the patella connective tissue (so a different pain than before), but nothing to stop me. I decided to try running, and the best song for this situation came on: Josh Gracin's Nothing To Lose. (Why is it so many songs about girls remind me of running? Just replace the girl with a run and voila you've got yourself a song to run too?). A settled into a 6.0 setting at 1% incline, a 10m/m pace. I kept bumping the front of the treadmill, but I was hesitant to go any faster.
Today is Sunday, I ran this past Friday. Aside from a few trainer sessions--that's it and all I've done!
For whatever stupid reason, I hate going to see Dr M for injuries. Yeah, I know, that's what he's there for, he's getting paid, blah blah, etc. Yet I don't wan't to be the whiny maggot who comes through the door for every little creak and niggle. I don't want to act as if I need help with every little problem, or be the person for whom every pain is like the worst ever.
The knee continued to hurt to the point that it became a persistent worry for me. It seemed that I was always doing something to hurt it--rolling around in a wheeled chair, squatting, climbing stairs, turning on my heel, pushing the clutch, and even bending over (to avoid squatting!) with loose knees to pick something up. I knew it was really a problem when I readily compensated with my other leg, core, hip, whatever it took.
Some I did some researches on The Internets, that wonderful series of tubes and YouTubes to learn more about knee pain. Soon enough, after searching for medial patella knee pain, I found a few possibilities including patellofemoral pain (not sure of the spelling...) which can be caused my muscle imbalances, poorly supported shoes, and overly tight muscles. All of this sounded familiar to the line of thought I had in my recent post.
So what to do? I've been very diligent to keep it stretched, and in doing so found my left leg to be very tight. I've been watching my electrolytes and being mindful of not flexing my feet at night to avoid the cramps. I've been wearing my regular kicks instead of the Merrells. Since I don't know the source of my problem, I have been attacking at all angles. The down side of this is that if it recovers, I won't know what exactly I did. Same problem I had in creating the problem, as I changed a lot at once then too.
My anatomy research indicates that my patella is not tracking in the femoral grove like it should. A tight muscle or muscle imbalance can cause this, as the muscles need to act in coordination during knee flexion to keep it from tracking right or left. Between the tight crampy calf muscles and the tight hammies, I can see where there could be problems.
On Wednesday things were reaching threshold for me. Not that I couldn't tolerate the pain, rather I couldn't tolerate the immobility, the doubt, or the idea that I was causing more damage by continuing without treatment. Then that night I had a dream that I finally went to Dr M. Rich dropped me off to the building and I realized after he pulled away that we went to the wrong building! (This happened in reality, his office moved and I didn't know it, so we were late to an appt). I called Rich so he'd come back and I started wandering up long hallways trying to get out of the building. At one point I was on a small wheeled platform rolling around the hallways. I was terribly stressed about being late for my appt (this happened in reality, too).
When I woke up, kid you freakin' not my knee didn't hurt anymore. Seriously. And hasn't hurt much since!
WTH?! I dream about seeing my doctor and get fixed?
It also just so happened that my calf cramped badly overnight, a really painful one that kept me awake for awhile. Did that re-align things? Who knows?
So I woke up that morning feeling great! Using some knowledge from The YouTubes, I KT'd the joint and spent the rest of the day just fine.
The next morning I decided to risk it and join DH at the gym. He'd just renewed my Y membership on Wednesday, this would be my first trip there since before Redman. Two months ago!
I hopped on a treadmill overlooking the pool and started walking. Some tightness, a little pain that emanated from the patella connective tissue (so a different pain than before), but nothing to stop me. I decided to try running, and the best song for this situation came on: Josh Gracin's Nothing To Lose. (Why is it so many songs about girls remind me of running? Just replace the girl with a run and voila you've got yourself a song to run too?). A settled into a 6.0 setting at 1% incline, a 10m/m pace. I kept bumping the front of the treadmill, but I was hesitant to go any faster.
By now she's got me pretty tied upTied down, any way I chooseI've got nothin' to loseI started testing by focusing on what hurt, when in the stride, what if I changed my stride, what if I changed the contact time, on and on. I found that for the most part, I had only minor pain--a pain maybe best described as coming from connective tissues that have recently been thru a little hell and just had some residual hurts. No acute or focal pain like before. Am I healed? I could feel some discomfort from the ankle and had a few twinges in the hip, all likely compensation issues. Really, am I healed?
Now I'm in the fast lane going 98By now I know she can smooth operate meI know now she's no goody two shoesBut hey, I've got myself nothin' to lose
Saturday, November 3, 2012
So what have I been up to?
Nutthin.
Absolutely nutthin. I haven't ran since last Saturday (it's Saturday again now) at C-wood. Two reasons.
1. Left knee. It's been...not really hurting, but it hurts. On the Pain Scale it's a low 1-2, OK I'll admit sometimes it's maybe a 2.5. The issue is that it's not a constant issue. It's not a weigh-bearing one. It's a movement problem. It feels as if the muscles in my knee are pulling something out of alignment. Or as if something is out of alignment and pulling the muscles. I really can't tell which it is. Most of the time I think that something is slipping, like when I use my feet to scoot around on a wheeled chair--I can feel something 'pop' or 'shift' and Ouch. Usually it's when I stand up, it's like something moved in my knee. Then I feel the need to shake my foot or stretch or twist it in a bid to 'put it back'. But it seems to go back on it's own, and to be honest I can't tell if it just happens on it's own or something specific puts if back. Further, I can't tell if there's a muscle spasmy feeling before or after it shifts. In short, I don't know what's going on.
But I have theories. I always have theories. I get a lot of thinking done in the off season when I don't have hours of training. It's not always great thinking, and I don't always get it written down somewhere, but I'm always thinking.
It's possible that my new bare foot Merrells have changed the muscle stretch/alignment/movement. I have to admit too that every so often my right knee is uncomfortable, but that's just more of a light pain not this poppy stuffy. I did jump right into wearing those shoes everyday/allday. Did I jump in too fast?
It's also possible that the ankle injuries finally took their toll and I'm paying the price. Another possibility is that the lack of training has caused muscles to loosen or tighten, maybe at different races, and things are just pulling against each other wrong?
There's also the fact that my calf cramps almost every morning here the last week or so, right when I wake up or get out of bed for the alarm. It leaves my calf/knee/hammies feeling tight and stiff. It's been going on at least since last Weds and I haven't really thought much about it until today. That could easily be pulling on something the wrong. [As an aside, I've been having these calf cramps pretty often at night since I quit eating bananas after Redman, but it's hard to pin something like that on just a banana when I'm also SBR'ing less, sleeping more, moving less, etc].
Question is, which came first? Muscle problems pulling things out of alignment? Or out of alignment things pulling on muscles. I tend to think the former. Next question is, what to do about it? Well I'm afraid to run right now, for fear of something really getting screwy while under load. Heck, it bothers me to walk! I'm also wondering if foam rolling would address the tightness issue. I'm hesitant to use static or dynamic stretches. To avoid the cramps, I'm going to up my electrolyte levels.
2. I'm hibernating. Sometimes I look around the house and I'm reminded that I like bears. Sometimes I wonder, how did I start liking bears? Why did I get a bear tattoo? What is it about bears? In separate thoughts, I've wondered why I shut down after my last race so completely. Other training buds are still looking at group rides, cross races, 5Ks, etc, and I'm like "meh, I'm staying home". My pendulum swings from 20hrs a week to 2hrs a week pretty easy, and it's an annual event. Iron year, half year, doesn't matter. By Sept I'm wearing down, by Oct I'm resting but have all these grand ideas about the next year (like 50-milers...), and by Nov I'm cooked and done.
It seems that besides a love of honey, bears and I also share a winter hibernation. Except I do fall instead of winter. But regardless, I've lost my urge to train, run, swim, anything. I just want to sleep, rest, eat, sit, rest. In the not to distant past of oh...just 10 days ago...I had energy to burn and needed something to do to release it. Not now. No energy.
But I'm not worried about it. I don't think I'm sick, or missing something in the meals, or anything like that. I'll note that I've made a conscientious effort to decrease my daily carbs and up the fat, but I don't think that's it either, as I started that after Redman (about 5-6 weeks ago).
It's also worth reminding myself that I'm only 3 weeks out of a big race, and 6 weeks out of another big race. I've earned my rest. I pushed through 2 iron-distance tri's, a 50K, and Triple T, so dammit, I'm tired!
I learned last year that I can take advantage of this rest time and still ramp up OK for next season. This used to cause me some anxiety, the idea that I was going to turn into a weak, slow, unhealthy slob in the off-season. But that doesn't happen. If anything, the brief shut-down is wonderfully refreshing.
It's just not that refreshing right now. I feel run-down and out of time. It's as if I'm training and feeling that fatigue, yet I'm not doing anything. No swimming since Redman. No biking since...a commute weeks ago. Running? Nope. I take the stairs at work, and that's about it.
Enjoy it. But keep an eye on it. And that knee.
Absolutely nutthin. I haven't ran since last Saturday (it's Saturday again now) at C-wood. Two reasons.
1. Left knee. It's been...not really hurting, but it hurts. On the Pain Scale it's a low 1-2, OK I'll admit sometimes it's maybe a 2.5. The issue is that it's not a constant issue. It's not a weigh-bearing one. It's a movement problem. It feels as if the muscles in my knee are pulling something out of alignment. Or as if something is out of alignment and pulling the muscles. I really can't tell which it is. Most of the time I think that something is slipping, like when I use my feet to scoot around on a wheeled chair--I can feel something 'pop' or 'shift' and Ouch. Usually it's when I stand up, it's like something moved in my knee. Then I feel the need to shake my foot or stretch or twist it in a bid to 'put it back'. But it seems to go back on it's own, and to be honest I can't tell if it just happens on it's own or something specific puts if back. Further, I can't tell if there's a muscle spasmy feeling before or after it shifts. In short, I don't know what's going on.
But I have theories. I always have theories. I get a lot of thinking done in the off season when I don't have hours of training. It's not always great thinking, and I don't always get it written down somewhere, but I'm always thinking.
It's possible that my new bare foot Merrells have changed the muscle stretch/alignment/movement. I have to admit too that every so often my right knee is uncomfortable, but that's just more of a light pain not this poppy stuffy. I did jump right into wearing those shoes everyday/allday. Did I jump in too fast?
It's also possible that the ankle injuries finally took their toll and I'm paying the price. Another possibility is that the lack of training has caused muscles to loosen or tighten, maybe at different races, and things are just pulling against each other wrong?
There's also the fact that my calf cramps almost every morning here the last week or so, right when I wake up or get out of bed for the alarm. It leaves my calf/knee/hammies feeling tight and stiff. It's been going on at least since last Weds and I haven't really thought much about it until today. That could easily be pulling on something the wrong. [As an aside, I've been having these calf cramps pretty often at night since I quit eating bananas after Redman, but it's hard to pin something like that on just a banana when I'm also SBR'ing less, sleeping more, moving less, etc].
Question is, which came first? Muscle problems pulling things out of alignment? Or out of alignment things pulling on muscles. I tend to think the former. Next question is, what to do about it? Well I'm afraid to run right now, for fear of something really getting screwy while under load. Heck, it bothers me to walk! I'm also wondering if foam rolling would address the tightness issue. I'm hesitant to use static or dynamic stretches. To avoid the cramps, I'm going to up my electrolyte levels.
2. I'm hibernating. Sometimes I look around the house and I'm reminded that I like bears. Sometimes I wonder, how did I start liking bears? Why did I get a bear tattoo? What is it about bears? In separate thoughts, I've wondered why I shut down after my last race so completely. Other training buds are still looking at group rides, cross races, 5Ks, etc, and I'm like "meh, I'm staying home". My pendulum swings from 20hrs a week to 2hrs a week pretty easy, and it's an annual event. Iron year, half year, doesn't matter. By Sept I'm wearing down, by Oct I'm resting but have all these grand ideas about the next year (like 50-milers...), and by Nov I'm cooked and done.
It seems that besides a love of honey, bears and I also share a winter hibernation. Except I do fall instead of winter. But regardless, I've lost my urge to train, run, swim, anything. I just want to sleep, rest, eat, sit, rest. In the not to distant past of oh...just 10 days ago...I had energy to burn and needed something to do to release it. Not now. No energy.
But I'm not worried about it. I don't think I'm sick, or missing something in the meals, or anything like that. I'll note that I've made a conscientious effort to decrease my daily carbs and up the fat, but I don't think that's it either, as I started that after Redman (about 5-6 weeks ago).
It's also worth reminding myself that I'm only 3 weeks out of a big race, and 6 weeks out of another big race. I've earned my rest. I pushed through 2 iron-distance tri's, a 50K, and Triple T, so dammit, I'm tired!
I learned last year that I can take advantage of this rest time and still ramp up OK for next season. This used to cause me some anxiety, the idea that I was going to turn into a weak, slow, unhealthy slob in the off-season. But that doesn't happen. If anything, the brief shut-down is wonderfully refreshing.
It's just not that refreshing right now. I feel run-down and out of time. It's as if I'm training and feeling that fatigue, yet I'm not doing anything. No swimming since Redman. No biking since...a commute weeks ago. Running? Nope. I take the stairs at work, and that's about it.
Enjoy it. But keep an eye on it. And that knee.
Monday, October 29, 2012
The 2012 Songlist
There are no rules for the songs, but they are chose not because I like them but because they captured a moment in time for me. In previous years, even if I just can't stand the song and I'll include it anyway because it's part of the story. But so far this year I like them all, with the exception of the back-to-back Tim McGraws.
1. Lose Yourself by Eminem Yes this was on the 2011 Songlist too. But it was my CDA song and this was the year of CDA. "Here I go it's my shot; feet fail me not"
2. *Let it Go by Tim McGraw It was the start of a new year, and the start of a life free of certain responsibilities I've been carrying. I kept going back to thinking about them, but they were no longer mine to think about. I feel like I spent 2011 fighting depression and doubt, and wondering what badness was going to hit me next. I had let it start to define me, and I let it become a way of life. I needed to let it go, move on, and put the focus back on me and DH. "Today, I'm gonna stand out in the rain, and wash it all away".
3. Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue Soon enough CDA training took a turn for intensity and I started cranking up the intensity. The unbelievably warm weather was a blessing for us mid-season IM'ers as we were able to squeeze in long rides as early as March! With 3.5 months to go-time, my training plan started including speedwork and increased heart rate work. "When I get high, I get high on speed".
4. 5-1-5-0 by Dierks Bentley Heard this one while driving home from work shortly after spraining my ankle. I was going nuts, driving past my local track and staring longingly at other runners. Here it was just 3 months out of CDA and I couldn't run!!! All I wanted was just one run, just one, and I'd be back to normal! "And I, I just need one more kiss; From you, and I'll be good as new; If I don't get some of your sweet loving; No telling what I might do".
5. Don't Stop Believing by Journey Played as we lined up for the super sprint at TTT. This to me felt like the first test of my fitness for CDA. I was ready to rock, ready to roll, and believed I had it all my hands. I had come back from the injury, pushed through a quick spring ramp-up of training, and wanted it all. "Payin' anything to roll the dice just one more time".
6. Poker Face by Lady Gaga Played at the swim start for one of the TTT races, I forget exactly which one. I stood in line behind my red-bearded Kroger-guy friend and bopped to this song as other swimmers started their race. I still had a great feeling about the weekend. Here I was looking at only a few more weeks of tough CDA training then a taper. I had it all. I was ready to play it. "I promise this, promise this; Check my hand cause I'm marvelous".
7. Enter Sandman by Metallica I can't say for 100% certain that this played at TTT, but there was a heavy bias to Metallica music played the entire weekend, so I'll bet it played at one point. I liked this song a few years ago and had it in a music mix. This race was nuts, awesomely nuts and by far crazier than any ironman I've done (and I'm saying this after finishing the Redman & Glacial Trail Month of Miles). This race opened my eyes to the fact that by body and mind really are capable of amazing things, that my health is truly a blessing, and that I'm a mad-crazy endurance geek! "We're off to never-never land".
8. Wild Ones by Flo Rida Played at the CDA swim start, the first minute or so was played just before the cannon. I didn't know the song, and it took a few weeks after the race to identify the source of the female vocals I heard while adjusting my swim cap, trying to stay calm at the start of what I knew would be a rough 90-100 minute swim. "Hey I heard you were a wild one".
9. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga Played on the bike course at CDA in the first 10 miles from an aid station. It captured the "bad romance" I was having with this race. It's probably safe to say I endangered my life in the cold water, yet here I was still in the race and knowing full well I'd do it all over again. "I want your love and I want your revenge; you and me could write a bad romance".
10. Lightning Crashes by Live The first 40-some miles of the CDA bike were not fun. I was battling headwinds and dealing with stomach upset. But I came back on-line around mile 45, I found my focus, caught a tailwind, and got back in the game. "Oh I feel it, coming back again, like a rolling thunder, chasing the wind." Finally that "coming back again" wasn't referring to the InfinIT that refused to stay down.
11. Where the Streets Have No Name by U2 The song playing as I crossed the CDA finish line. "I wanna run, I wanna hide; I wanna tear down the walls that hold me inside". I was unfamiliar with this song prior to the race, and wasn't sure I would add it to the songlist. It grew on me.
12. Even If It Breaks Your Heart by Eli Young Band The Redman song. I knew before the plane from Idaho landed in STL that I wanted another crack at 140.6 in 2012. CDA just wasn't my race, and I wanted redemption. I heard this song on the radio and decided right there that I was doing Redman. This was my dream, and I knew--I believed--I could finish this race and hit my goals. "Some dreams stay with you forever; drag you around to back to where you were; Some dreams keep on getting better; gotta keep believing if you want to know for sure".
13. Wheel In The Sky by Journey Played while I finished my final practice swim the day before Redman. So many thoughts spin through your head the day before a race like this, and it's hard to resist doing the 'this time tomorrow I'll be ...' mental mathing. "The morning sun is rising, it's kissing the day; The wheel in the sky keeps on turning; I don't know where I'll be tomorrow".
14. Sexy And I Know It by LMFAO The Bikini Race song for the Redman sprint. This one goes back to TTT, when we saw the kid at the grocery store wearing a shirt that said the title of this song. I didn't know the song, but TH did, and this just stuck with us all summer. Finally at Redman I got to hear the song!!! When I came through the tent area for the last time, I danced with my mates do this beat. Of all the memories this year, this one tops most all. This also took some time to grow on me. "Wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-yea!".
15. Hard To Love by Lee Brice Now here's an odd song to have on a racing songlist! This song is about me as it regards DH. He'll do anything for me and supports my racing lifestyle--"I don't deserve it but I love that you love me". He's patient, understanding, and puts up with all my mental triathlon OCD's--"I wish that I could be more like you".
16. Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain) by Gary Allan I heard this song just day's before Glacial Trail, the 50K in which it rained for the entire race. I didn't even know the lyrics for the race, the song was so new to me. "Just put your feet up to the edge, put your face in the wind".
1. Lose Yourself by Eminem Yes this was on the 2011 Songlist too. But it was my CDA song and this was the year of CDA. "Here I go it's my shot; feet fail me not"
2. *Let it Go by Tim McGraw It was the start of a new year, and the start of a life free of certain responsibilities I've been carrying. I kept going back to thinking about them, but they were no longer mine to think about. I feel like I spent 2011 fighting depression and doubt, and wondering what badness was going to hit me next. I had let it start to define me, and I let it become a way of life. I needed to let it go, move on, and put the focus back on me and DH. "Today, I'm gonna stand out in the rain, and wash it all away".
3. Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue Soon enough CDA training took a turn for intensity and I started cranking up the intensity. The unbelievably warm weather was a blessing for us mid-season IM'ers as we were able to squeeze in long rides as early as March! With 3.5 months to go-time, my training plan started including speedwork and increased heart rate work. "When I get high, I get high on speed".
4. 5-1-5-0 by Dierks Bentley Heard this one while driving home from work shortly after spraining my ankle. I was going nuts, driving past my local track and staring longingly at other runners. Here it was just 3 months out of CDA and I couldn't run!!! All I wanted was just one run, just one, and I'd be back to normal! "And I, I just need one more kiss; From you, and I'll be good as new; If I don't get some of your sweet loving; No telling what I might do".
5. Don't Stop Believing by Journey Played as we lined up for the super sprint at TTT. This to me felt like the first test of my fitness for CDA. I was ready to rock, ready to roll, and believed I had it all my hands. I had come back from the injury, pushed through a quick spring ramp-up of training, and wanted it all. "Payin' anything to roll the dice just one more time".
6. Poker Face by Lady Gaga Played at the swim start for one of the TTT races, I forget exactly which one. I stood in line behind my red-bearded Kroger-guy friend and bopped to this song as other swimmers started their race. I still had a great feeling about the weekend. Here I was looking at only a few more weeks of tough CDA training then a taper. I had it all. I was ready to play it. "I promise this, promise this; Check my hand cause I'm marvelous".
7. Enter Sandman by Metallica I can't say for 100% certain that this played at TTT, but there was a heavy bias to Metallica music played the entire weekend, so I'll bet it played at one point. I liked this song a few years ago and had it in a music mix. This race was nuts, awesomely nuts and by far crazier than any ironman I've done (and I'm saying this after finishing the Redman & Glacial Trail Month of Miles). This race opened my eyes to the fact that by body and mind really are capable of amazing things, that my health is truly a blessing, and that I'm a mad-crazy endurance geek! "We're off to never-never land".
8. Wild Ones by Flo Rida Played at the CDA swim start, the first minute or so was played just before the cannon. I didn't know the song, and it took a few weeks after the race to identify the source of the female vocals I heard while adjusting my swim cap, trying to stay calm at the start of what I knew would be a rough 90-100 minute swim. "Hey I heard you were a wild one".
9. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga Played on the bike course at CDA in the first 10 miles from an aid station. It captured the "bad romance" I was having with this race. It's probably safe to say I endangered my life in the cold water, yet here I was still in the race and knowing full well I'd do it all over again. "I want your love and I want your revenge; you and me could write a bad romance".
10. Lightning Crashes by Live The first 40-some miles of the CDA bike were not fun. I was battling headwinds and dealing with stomach upset. But I came back on-line around mile 45, I found my focus, caught a tailwind, and got back in the game. "Oh I feel it, coming back again, like a rolling thunder, chasing the wind." Finally that "coming back again" wasn't referring to the InfinIT that refused to stay down.
11. Where the Streets Have No Name by U2 The song playing as I crossed the CDA finish line. "I wanna run, I wanna hide; I wanna tear down the walls that hold me inside". I was unfamiliar with this song prior to the race, and wasn't sure I would add it to the songlist. It grew on me.
12. Even If It Breaks Your Heart by Eli Young Band The Redman song. I knew before the plane from Idaho landed in STL that I wanted another crack at 140.6 in 2012. CDA just wasn't my race, and I wanted redemption. I heard this song on the radio and decided right there that I was doing Redman. This was my dream, and I knew--I believed--I could finish this race and hit my goals. "Some dreams stay with you forever; drag you around to back to where you were; Some dreams keep on getting better; gotta keep believing if you want to know for sure".
13. Wheel In The Sky by Journey Played while I finished my final practice swim the day before Redman. So many thoughts spin through your head the day before a race like this, and it's hard to resist doing the 'this time tomorrow I'll be ...' mental mathing. "The morning sun is rising, it's kissing the day; The wheel in the sky keeps on turning; I don't know where I'll be tomorrow".
14. Sexy And I Know It by LMFAO The Bikini Race song for the Redman sprint. This one goes back to TTT, when we saw the kid at the grocery store wearing a shirt that said the title of this song. I didn't know the song, but TH did, and this just stuck with us all summer. Finally at Redman I got to hear the song!!! When I came through the tent area for the last time, I danced with my mates do this beat. Of all the memories this year, this one tops most all. This also took some time to grow on me. "Wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-yea!".
15. Hard To Love by Lee Brice Now here's an odd song to have on a racing songlist! This song is about me as it regards DH. He'll do anything for me and supports my racing lifestyle--"I don't deserve it but I love that you love me". He's patient, understanding, and puts up with all my mental triathlon OCD's--"I wish that I could be more like you".
16. Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain) by Gary Allan I heard this song just day's before Glacial Trail, the 50K in which it rained for the entire race. I didn't even know the lyrics for the race, the song was so new to me. "Just put your feet up to the edge, put your face in the wind".
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