I'm back!

Wow, what a break this was. My last post was IMCDA in July of last year - can't believe it took me that long to blog again. To be honest, I can't believe I AM blogging again here. I convinced myself that I was done with endurance sports and Love the Hurt. A lot has happened since my last post. I needed a break from it ALL. I got way to wrapped up into triathlon and both my mind and body needed this break. So what have I done this whole time?

1. Sold my Slice, bought an EVO
2. Sold our home in Temecula and live back in San Diego now.
3. Baby #3 is due in 2 weeks!
4. I drank a lot of delicious craft beer.
5. I gained 15 pounds (see #4).
6. I've swam maybe 10 times since IMCDA with half of those within the past few months.
7. My riding habits are sporadic, but when I do ride, I sure love that EVO.
8. My running has been a roller coaster. 1 month off, 1 month on, 2 months off, 1 week on...etc
9. I raced the Ragnar Relay in April.
10. I hired a running coach three weeks ago and am going "all in" to see what I can do in running.

So here I am, back blogging. I shut down "Kona Journey" and transferred all those blogs over here so I apologize for all the pictures missing from basically all of last year. I did go back and insert IMCDA pics though, that one was special to me. I've told a lot of my friends that I am a stronger person from that race. Even though it didn't pan out like I expected, I overcame so much during those 11 hours and now I take that race with me in everyday life. When I feel like something is hard, I fall back on that race. It made me a better man and I am thankful I went through that experience.

Now what? Time to run! Who says you still can't run fast in your 30's?? I love to compete and I happen to be good at running, so why waste that? The long-term goal is to break 2:30 in the marathon. It may come quick, it may take some time but I want to break it as badly as I wanted to break 4 minutes in the mile 12 years ago. It's going to be a gradual build - first thing is to get some speed back on the track. Mile, 5k, 10k most of the rest of this year with maybe a half marathon at the end of the year.

Not going to lie. Getting back into shape sucks. Carrying around this extra weight and trying to get my running legs underneath me without being sore ALL THE TIME is brutal. But I know it's part of the process. It's one of the reasons why I hired my coach. He's big on the mental approach which I love and believe in. I already know how to coach myself and what workouts to do to get me fast but it's so important to introduce new training methodologies and have a coach to hold yourself accountable - which is exactly what he is doing, good stuff.

Well, thanks for reading - I plan on posting each week like I always have. This blog has been so cool to be able to look back on. I got a message months ago that told me my blog helped someone quit drugs and get into triathlon. It absolutely blew my mind. Words are powerful. Be bold and share your story, you never know who it might impact or inspire.

Guest Post II: Coach Robert "Flanny" Flanigan

Before I get to coach Flanny’s blog post, I think it’s important to try to explain in writing how physically and emotionally hard it was to finally arrive here. In reading Flanny’s post I had to fight back tears. He went WAY above and beyond what a typical coach does for you. He held my hand though the thick and thin. Took my calls and texts from different time zones to make sure I was alright. You see, I’ve never been much of an emotional person. I’ve always been really grounded and strong (so I thought). Ironman training has changed that in me. It’s broken me to pieces, it’s forced me to get back on my feet and it’s left me standing tall and proud whether I have a good race or not.

There’s always been this emotional wall I’ve put up my whole life. Every ridiculous hard workout Flanny threw at me when I was physically and emotionally drained from training, career and life – slowly broke down that wall. “Why an Ironman?” is the question I’ve been asked so often leading up to this race. This is why. It’s been life changing and turned me into a better man. A man that falls down and gets back on his feet holding a stronger ground day in and day out.

It truly has been a journey that I will never forget.

Guest Blog post: Coach Robert “Flanny” Flanigan, Owner - Central Virgina Endurance and Black Dragon Racing.
www.centralvirginiaendurance.com
www.facebook.com/blackdragonracing.com

With just a few days until the gun fires at the 2014 edition of Ironman Coeur d’Alene I wanted to step back to reflect and comment on the preparation James has put in since the decision to pursue Ironman was made late in 2013. 

From the very beginnings of the preparation for this season, one concept was reinforced to James almost every time we spoke. The concept of consistency. The season needed to be looked at as a very long book with each of the pages being individual workouts, each chapter being a cycle (block), and the entire book being the work done to prepare for race day. Success or failure would not be determined by the individual pages of the book, but would be determined by the overall volume of the book. Getting the workouts in day after day, making the right decisions, and being consistent would be the keys to unlocking the physiological adaptations needed to accomplish the goals James had set.

For those familiar with James and his personal situation, consistency would not prove to be as easy as it sounds. As a committed family man, businessperson, and lastly an athlete the life demands took a toll on James throughout the process. This is where the value of the coach-athlete relationship comes into play and makes a huge impact. Coaching is not about training plans. Any educated and intelligent person can eventually throw together workouts and call it a training plan. It’s everything else that makes up coaching. Helping an athlete navigate the insanity that can be life while staying on track to achieve peak performance and meet their goals. The preparation period for this race threw everything it had at James ranging from illness and unexpected lows to career advancement and unexpected highs. James and I stayed very closely connected throughout the entire process and were able to course correct when the currents of life tried to push us off course.  The result was the consistency I had hoped for and preached since the start. Did we get to fill the book with as many pages as I had hoped or expected? Not really but we did get in all the key parts of each chapter, all the chapters, and the book is now complete.  We have indeed seen the adaptations we had hoped we would see leading into his first Ironman.

James will be entering this race in the best form and fitness he has ever been in, injury free, strong, fast, and most importantly with the support of his loving family. I cannot tell you how refreshing it has been to work with someone so fully committed to his family. In this sport I see many people willing to sacrifice so much to succeed and many times those that suffer most are the athlete’s family. While the goals James had set for himself were of great importance to him there was no question as to what sacrifices we would make in his preparation. Family always came first and we were all in agreement with that expectation. The sweaty hugs at the finish line will truly be a team celebration as they all took this journey together.

When James gets into those chilly waters at the start, he can do so knowing he is fully prepared to race Ironman and his only job is to execute his race plan, stay dynamic and adjust to the demands of the day, and enjoy the end of a long and rewarding journey. 

Race Week: Training Log (April 21-27)

It's RACE WEEK! With the job of qualifying for 70.3 World Championships out of the way and IMCDA still two months away, I jumped at the opportunity of racing Wildflower. There's zero pressure to perform well, so what are we going to do? We're going to take risks! Every single 70.3 I've raced has been on a conservative approach - which is smart since I was so new to the sport. With this being my fourth year in triathlon, I think it's time to put on my big boy pants and actually take some risks and race aggressively. There's no doubt that this course can really hurt you if you're too aggressive but I really don't have anything to lose. I'm not tapering or taking this race too seriously. It's all about having fun with team mates and racing harder than I ever have before.

Why risk a blow up when this is my last race heading into the most important race of the season? Well, my confidence is sky high right now. There's no doubt that I'm in the best shape of my life. I've also matured as a triathlete a lot this year and I know what I am capable of. My once hesitant confidence at my chances of qualifying for Kona are now a distant memory. I now believe that as long as I execute come race day at IMCDA, I'll be standing on the podium and collecting my Kona slot. Flanny mentioned that I'm ahead of his expectations with my fitness and I still have two months of solid training to build into the race.

So really, the goal at Wildflower this weekend is to put myself in such a deep/dark place that once I start to suffer at IMCDA, I'll remember the battles that I won at Wildflower.

Here's how last week's training looked like. Work was super busy so I really had to manage my time well and be disciplined on the hour.

Monday: 1 workout

Bike Tempo Session Data HERE:  1:40/ 30 miles / 18.4mph

Flanny’s workout: 1.5-2 hours depending on available time. 2 x 20 minutes @ 70.3 Race Watts on 5 minutes easy. Stay aero as much as possible.

Post workout notes: (in notes) [hr]

Tuesday: 1 workout

Run Track Workout, Data HERE: 1:10 / 8.5 miles

Flanny's Workout:
15 min WU
2 x 2 mile on 2 min rest
(first one I want at 6:30 pace, second one I want at 6:15 pace)
2 x 800 on 1 min rest
(I want both at 6:00 pace.....NO FASTER)
This workout should not be too hard for you.
Easy CD for the remainder of the run.

Post workout notes: (listed in data file). [hr]

Wednesday: 2 workouts

Masters Swim: 90 mins / 4000 yds
500 wup, 4x100 on 1:40, 4x50 on 50
Main set:
5x200 on 3mins
500 pull (buoy/paddles)
5x200 on 3 mins
500 with fins

Post workout notes: I hit all of the 200's between 2:50-55. For not swimming since Friday, this was a really good workout for me - basically 2k at race pace.

Bike Tempo Session DATA HERE: 2hrs / 35 miles / 17.7 mph

Flanny’s workout: 2 hours today with 3 x 20 minutes at your 70.3 race watts on 5 minutes easy riding between efforts.

Post workout notes: (listed in data notes).[hr]

Thursday: 2 workouts

Morning run: 41mins / 4.5 miles / AVG 9:07 pace.

Flanny’s Workout: Easy morning run.

Post workout notes: 5am run's are always hard for me to warm up. Just an easy slow run.

Afternoon run: 1:22 / 10 miles / AVG 8:12 pace.

Flanny’s Workout: Evening Run 1:20 Z2+

Post workout notes: Hit the trails, felt pretty tired after a long day at work but started coming around towards the end. Good double run day, it's been awhile since I've done that.[hr]

Friday: 1 workout

Masters Swim: 90 mins / 4000 yards

700 wup, 10x50 on 50
4x500 @1:35 pace (odds swim, evens paddles)
500 drill (changing every 100)
c/d

Post workout notes: Another early wakeup call as I played golf with some clients for the rest of the day. Starting to love the longer intervals.[hr]

Saturday: 2 workouts

Wetsuit Swim: 31:36 / 2000 yds / AVG 1:34/100 
 
Post workout notes: Was scheduled for a long ride/brick run but woke up to nasty rain and wind so I made a quick call to Flanny and we just swapped Sat/Sun's workouts. I have access to a non-heated pool so I knocked this out and was 3 seconds faster per 100 then I was the week before Oceanside. Good to see some progress.

Tempo Long run, DATA HERE: 1:27 / 11.3 miles / AVG 7:44 pace 

Flanny’s Workout:
30 minutes Z2
30 minutes Z3+
30 Minutes Z2
Relaxed

Post workout notes: (posted in workout notes).6:30's never felt so easy (ok, except in college :)[hr]

Sunday: 2 workouts

Bike ride, DATA HERE. 3:30 / 61 miles / 17.5 mph

Flanny’s workout: Within today's session I want 3 x 30 minutes at Z3 watts with lots of rest between efforts. Stay down and aero for as much of this as possible. We don't need a huge climbing day today so keep it reasonable.

Post workout notes: Notes attached to the power file above.

Brick Run- 20 mins / 2.75 miles/ 7:16 AVG pace. 

Flanny's workout: Easy 20 min run off bike.

Post workout notes: Running is feeling effortless right now.[hr]

Totals (3 swims, 3 rides, 5 runs)
Swim: 10,000 yds /3:32
Bike: 127 miles / 7:09
Run: 37 miles / 5:00
Total hours: 15:41

Hours had to go down a bit this week with it being such a busy week commuting to San Diego 4 out of the 5 days, running a trade show at the convention center for two days and golfing all day Friday. Overall very pleased with the progress and my fitness going into Wildflower.

Wish me luck!!

Here's some more pictures from the weekend, cheers!

[gallery columns="2" ids="2808,2807,2806,2805,2803,2802,2801,2800,2809"]

Training Log (April 7-13)

Last week kicked off my "official" Ironman training for IMCDA. After a week of recovery from Oceanside I'm back into a great consistent routine and most of all, my attitude about the sport and training are at an all-time high right now. I feel like my maturity for each discipline has grown exponentially over the past few weeks. What was once a hesitancy about my chances of qualifying for Kona on my first go are now becoming a confident, "I will have a great race and qualify if can continue to stay focused, stay consistent and BELIEVE."

You always hear people say they are excited to do an Ironman. I'm excited to RACE an Ironman. The distance and idea has always intimidated me until now. Here's why I say that. I'll break down each discipline individually to give you an idea of what our plan for is in our build towards IMCDA and where I am at physically and mentally.

Swim: Flanny and I decided to actually bring my swim volume down a notch. Although this may gain some criticism - I truly believe it is the right call. I noticed I was swimming the same whether I swam 10k/week or 15k/week. Some call this "maintenance mileage" - basically I'm not getting any faster or slower. I believe with the level I am at and the experience I have, I won't really see any improvements unless I get up to the 18-20k/week range. So we brought it down to 10k/week (3 swims a week vs. 4-5 swims a week). This gives me two additional workouts a week where I can do a bike or run. HOWEVER, my workouts in the pool are a lot more focused, intense and include more paddle work to gain strength which is key in long course.

Takeaways: I've noticed more energy in my bike and run workouts leading to more quality sessions. I've also noticed that I sustain pacing deep into the latter parts of 3500/4000 yard days when normally I would fade. I contribute that to paddle work and really focusing on keeping form when fatigue sets in.

Bike: Time for volume to go up! We'll start incorporating back to back long rides on the weekends with some tempo work and recovery rides during the weekdays. My SRM Power meter has really helped take my cycling to the next level. I'm really starting to learn how to use it. Not just chasing watts but studying output when out of aero, out of the saddle, speed, wind....etc etc. There is a lot to it and it's been fun seeing speed improvements with just simple adjustments in my riding style. This really is what IMCDA all comes down to - How well I ride, and a big part of that is how smart I am and the SRM plays a huge part of that.

Takeaways: I'm closing long rides better and running off the bike even better. I'm seeing power numbers; speed, energy and recovery time all go up. I had no idea how big of a tool a Power meter could be until now.

Run: Run volume will also increase. I'm already starting to see some gains because of it. For the past 3 years in triathlon I've always kept my mileage between 15-25 miles a week which is very low but with my running background I've been able to get away with it in most cases. Well, I have no doubt that my true running ability will start to show with the higher mileage.

Takeaways: With the extra consistency and volume, I'm seeing quicker/effortless recovery runs and it's also given me the ability to work on perfecting my form and efficiency. We'll be smart about the ramp up in volume and I'm excited about the prospects of crushing that marathon at IMCDA.

Here's last week's workouts: [hr]

Monday: 2 workouts

BlueSeventy Masters Swim: 75 mins / 3500 yds
700 wup
8x50 on :50
10x100 on 1:40(50ez/50 fast)
500 kick with fins
800 pull (1:30 pace)
c/d


Post workout notes: Mondays always feel like a time to shake out the cobwebs since I hadn't swam since Friday. Good workout

SRM / Speedfil / Reynolds Bike Tempo Session: Power File HERE 1:56 / 33 miles / 17.3 mph

Flanny’s workout: We now turn our focus to Ironman. Your current speed and strength will serve you well at Wildfllower but we need to start focusing you on the full distance. This will consist of LOTS of tempo work as our quality. VO2max work is now a thing of the past and Threshold will be an ocassional treat but not used as we have been to date.

2 hours today with 3 x 20 minutes at your 70.3 race watts on 5 minutes easy riding between efforts.

Post workout notes: (listed in power file)[hr]

Tuesday: 1 workout

Rudy Project Track Workout, Data HERE: 57 mins / 7 miles / 7:47 pace

Workout details & notes: (listed in data file). Still felt a little tired from the race and being sick. Just stayed smart and cruised through the intervals.[hr]

Wednesday: 2 workouts

BlueSeventy Flanny Swim: 1hr / 3000 yds
400 Swim
400 Pull w/ Paddles
15 x 100 best avg you can hold on 15 sec rest
200 Kick
6 x 50 as 1 fast 1 easy on 10 sec rest
200 CD

Post workout notes: Held 1:30's for the 100's, felt good.

SRM / Speedfil / Reynolds Bike Trainer: 1:34 / 25 miles / 16.4mph

Flanny’s workout: Simple Zone 2 ride as recovery.

Post workout notes: Just threw on some Netflix and enjoyed the recovery ride.[hr]

Thursday: 1 workout

Rudy Project / Powerbar / Herbalife Long run/ Tempo Session Data HERE
90 mins, 11.6 miles, AVG 7:44 pace 

Flanny’s Workout: 30 min of Warm Up, 45 minutes building from low Z3 to mid Z3, 15min Easy to finish it out.


Post workout notes: (listed in Data file)[hr]

Friday: 1 workout

BlueSeventy Masters Swim: 75 mins / 3500 yards


500 wup, 4x100 on 1:40, 4x50 on 50
Main set (x2):
8x25 on 30
4X50 on 50
2x100 on 1:30
200 on 3:00
500 fins and paddles
300 c/d


Post workout notes: Loving the burn from the paddle work.[hr]

Saturday: 2 workout

SRM / Speedfil / Reynolds Bike Ride, Power file HERE. 4:37 / 71 miles / 15.4 mph / 6k+ of climbing

Flanny’s workout: Lets knock out a good Long Session today with a short run off the bike. Get in some solid climbing and make sure nutrition is a focus and reported.

Post workout notes: Notes attached to the power file above. This was a point to point ride with the infamous Palomar mountain climb right smack in the middle. The climb is 12 miles long with 4k of climbing. Fun workout!

[caption id="attachment_2782" align="alignleft" width="300"] Quick stop at the Julian Pie Company![/caption]

Rudy Project Brick Run- 25 mins / 3.4 miles/ 7:27 AVG pace. Data File HERE.

Flanny's workout: Controlled 30 min Z2

Post workout notes: (Notes listed in data file)

 


[hr]
Sunday: 1 workout

SRM / Speedfil / Reynolds Bike Ride:  2:05 / 33 miles / 16 mph

Flanny’s workout: No concern for watts or speed today.

Post workout notes: Just a nice cruise through wine country. Legs felt surprisingly good and really enjoyed the ride. Threw in some sprints to open the legs up a bit too.[hr]

Totals (3 swims, 4 rides, 3 runs)
Swim: 10,000 yds /3:30
Bike: 164 miles / 10:14
Run: 22.5 miles / 2:53
Total hours: 16:37

Few more pics from the weekend!

[caption id="attachment_2787" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Grillin and Chillin![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2785" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Rewarding beers after a great week![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2788" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Beer from my sis in law from Germany. Delicious![/caption]

 

 

Special Blogpost: Coach Robert Flanigan

James and I started working in late May of 2013 as he was coming off of a long period of illness. From the start it was very apparent that James was like most other high level athletes in that he was extremely motivated, self driven, and eager for success. These three traits are a blessing and a curse at the same time. Normally those traits are accompanied by a lack of patience, desire to do more, and the ego. Adams is thankfully an exception to this and from day one was eager to listen, stuck to his plan, asked questions when clarification was needed. He showed the patience needed to succeed.

This year’s development of James can be simply broken down to one word: Consistency. He has the tools required to succeed at Iron distance racing but needs more than anything consistency week after week, month after month, and beyond. His run ability is lethal but will do us little good if the 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike put a dent in him that he cannot recover from. Volume and Training with Purpose will become his best friends.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Flanigan goes over a race plan with Adams and other athletes before Ironman 70.3 Worlds in Las Vegas (Pictured l-r Flanny, Denise Hiller, Taylor Jennings, James).[/caption]

In this early part of the season, we are going to keep the volume moderate and work on developing his threshold power on the bike (and thankfully his power meter will be under him shortly) while educating him on how to use power as a tool (and how to not become a slave to it), increasing run frequency and volume, and swimming as often as possible. A few swim sessions a week are dedicated to the development of his stroke while the others are Masters sessions to keep building his aerobic engine.

We will keep up this effort until we are ready for his build to Ironman CDA where we will then switch gears. His volume will increase to as much as he can maintain while keeping him married and remaining a good father. Tempo sessions will dominate where higher intensity work resided and we will teach his body to execute specific efforts on a very fatigued body. We will also be very focused on how he recovers from his efforts.

The last piece is the most difficult in my opinion. There are three types of people on the course at an Iron-distance race: those who participate, those who compete, and those who RACE. Learning to race that distance is very difficult, and requires a great deal of confidence, understanding of ones body and its limits, a mindset to push those limits, and execution of a proper race plan. This is where I think James has a big advantage over those he will line up against. I believe he has the tools to learn, absorb and retain what is required to not just compete … but to race Ironman CDA.

Ironman with Kids

I think it's safe to say that most triathletes are self centered. Not all, but most. You almost have to be to be competitive in this sport. The sport demands hours and hours of your time - time that could have been spent with your spouse/significant other, your kids, your friends or maybe even a hobby that doesn't suck all your time away? For this post I want to specifically focus on doing this sport with kids because it's completely different then having just a spouse/significant other or a dog to look after.

I have a 3 and 5 year old. Right now time with daddy is more important then ever. It's their developmental years. Experts say a child's personality is fully developed by the time they hit 1st grade! (no pressure parents).  These years are the years that my wife and I develop that eternal bond with our kids. We teach, train and develop their behavior, morals and establish rules that they will forever take with them. Our influence plays the biggest role in their future lives! Parent/s have a lot on their plates. So why choose the one sport/hobby (except maybe golf) that can potentially risk the time you should be spending with your kids and family?

I've used the sport as a growth tool for me and my family. All of the discipline, over-coming adversity, patience and tolerance I get from triathlon transfers great over to my career and upbringing my family. The sport teaches me a lot about myself. It promotes a healthy lifestyle to my kids. They see me workout constantly and they want to be like daddy and mommy so they always want to S,B,R! We have eaten a lot healthier since I started racing and the time I do spend with them is always quality time. Instead of going out to bars or hanging out with friends at night, I am home playing with my kids and going to bed early so I can get up for that early morning workout before work. In a way, triathlon makes me a better person. It's a dangerous sport to flirt with though. There are many broken families from obsessed triathletes so balance is key and so far I believe I have done a good job even if it has sacrificed training time :)

Those that read this blog or follow me via social media probably think I'm doing a lousy job as a parent. All of my posts are triathlon or beer related haha. The truth is, I do this on purpose. Besides some pictures, I don't really want to expose my wife/kids lives to the world - they never asked for that! Sure, I'll post from time to time but I'm going to try and keep this blog all triathlon (and beer) related. At home, it couldn't be any different. They are my world, triathlon is just a little garnish in my life. Of course I have big goals and HUGE commitments this year in trying to qualify to go to the big island but I have other real life commitments that KEEP triathlon as just a hobby of mine. I have a career (Marketing Director), a mortgage, a wife of almost 10 years and two beautiful kids to look after. Balancing all of this with ~15-20 hours/week of training really is a work of art. I posted twice on this subject at my old blog (time management) that you can read HERE and HERE about how I do it.

And this is the reason why I decided to do this blog. This is a completely different journey then those Kona qualifiers that only have themselves to look after. It's really really really hard to balance work/family/triathlon. Day after day after day. If you don't have kids you have no idea. If you have kids and think it's not hard you're probably not training enough or neglect your family. I know it's possible to do it because there are others just like me that are in the same boat and have qualified. They inspire me big time. To juggle a family and still be one of the fastest AG'ers in the country is amazing to me and over anything else, that's what I'm striving for.

When January starts and LAVA starts publishing my blog posts on their site, I'll be documenting every single workout I do leading up to IMCDA. With the workouts I'll be trying to get you inside of my head of all the highs and lows that I go through. Too many blogs are filled with fluff about how great their life is and it looks like to the readers that everything just comes so easy. It's not easy and I'm hoping to translate that to my readers. I'll also give insight to how I balance the family/work/triathlon balance in hopes that maybe you can benefit or give me tips of your own!

[caption id="attachment_2441" align="alignright" width="225"] Time to put down the donuts![/caption]

Back in March when I qualified for IMWC's at Oceanside I blogged about how I was going to focus and go "all in" for 6 months leading up to Vegas. To have tunnel vision focus and discipline that everything I do surrounds me getting better at triathlon. It's a very hard thing to do! I screwed up a lot, lost focus, regained it and ultimately learned a lot about what it takes to get (semi) fast in long course triathlon while still being a great husband and dad. I know I have a long way to go at this point to qualify for Kona. I thought I would have been a lot faster this year but things just didn't work out like I had planned and I didn't come anywhere close to my goals (besides racing WC's). However it was a great learning experience year and guess what? It's that time again. My quick two week unstructured/break is over. I basically have 8 months until IMCDA. The focus is back, the determination and motivation are at an all time high and I'm excited to share with you my Kona Journey.

I would love to hear comments from you parents that are Kona Qualifiers that have a great family/work/triathlon balance. Give me your tips!!