Friday, October 22, 2010

Crash and Burn ...

Continuing with the TOP GUN theme this week ...

...  "Crash and Burn" pretty much describes the majority of my training over the last couple of days!

On Wednesday I did a 10-mi run with the LifeTime Fitness Run Club.  Only myself and my friend Bobby did 10-miles and the run started off very well.  We kept the pace around an easy 9min/mi but something I did not prepare for was the return of the 90 degree day.  Yep, it was 93 degrees when we began our run at 6pm.  The humidity wasn't bad but 93 degrees is still pretty darn warm.  By about mile 8 my body was beginning to feel some fatigue.  By mile 10 I was extremely happy their would be no mile 11.  It was hot.

Thursday I woke up at 4am to go to Master's swim and my legs felt like hell.  I immediately turned off the alarm and went back to bed - rest was more important that a swim at this point.  On Thursday afternoon I jumped on the trainer and did an easy spin for a little over an hour while watching, "Red Dawn" - which this movie deserves a separate post because of it 80's awesomeness! 
 
The spin really made the legs feel good so I figured it was time to go for my scheduled tempo run.  Well, the tempo run started out decent but did not end that way.  I like to do a one mile warm-up before the tempo and did my first mile split in 8:32.  Then I kicked it in and did the second split in 6:40.  The third split in 6:42.  The fourth split was a complete BONK and the fifth mile split was a slow jog back home with my tail tucked between my legs.  

The weird thing is that I was not struggling aerobically at all.  My heart rate was barely even in the anaerobic zone when my legs just said, "Stop, Now".  Frustrating.

So what is going on?  Well, it is pretty obvious that the 10mi run in the heat took more out of me than I expected.  Also I think my body is having trouble acclimating to last weeks 21 hours of volume and the entire 17 weeks of hard training.   Because of this I have decided to back-off and give myself some time to recover.  Normally I would try and push through this wall but with my race in 15 days that would be unwise because the chances of being flat on race day would increase.  So, I am skipping today's bike ride and just doing an easy 2000yds in the pool after work. Then I will begin full taper on this coming Wednesday as opposed to next Sunday.  Hopefully these little fixes will get the spring back in my step!

I'd like to thank Jon and Scott for their sage advice.  Jon helped me decide on the appropriate day to start tapering and Scott told me to back the hell off or I was going to get hurt - Thanks Guys!

Ramblings:

- Would like to wish a BIG GOOD LUCK to KC who will be competing in her first 140.6 Iron Distance tomorrow at the Great Floridian.  Let's all come together and send KC positive race vibes through out the day tomorrow!  She is going to do so awesome!  Go to her blog because she has posted ways we can follow her throughout the race.

- Election day is almost here!  If you support the current administration and believe the congress has been doing a good job, please stay the hell home and don't vote. HAHA, just kidding (not really).  Back in 2008 I wrote THIS about politics and this blog:
"Election Day: This isn't a political blog so I will not express my personal opinions about the candidates but whoever you like get out and vote. Many have fought and died for your right to vote - do not waste the opportunity!"
- Considering the vast number of political issues that have been blogged about since 2008 I'd have to say that at least my blog has undergone some significant CHANGE from that post 2 years ago!

- Speaking of issues:  Hows 'bout NPR firing Juan Williams over some comments he made about Muslims on airlpanes.  Here is Juan Williams quote from his appearance on the O'Reilly Factor:
"I mean look, Bill, I'm not a bigot.  You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country, but when I get on an airplane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried.  I get nervous."
- The Pres and CEO of NPR released a statement saying that Juan Williams should be expressing his opinions to his Psychiatrist.  Wow, IMO, that is a lot more offensive than what Williams said about Muslims on airplanes.  Whether you agree or disagree (75% of Americans polled agree with Williams comment, btw) he should not have been fired for expressing his opinion on an opinion show on another network.  The Politically Correct police are completely out of control in our country to the point that special interest group appear to have absolute power.  We need to man the hell up and quit being a bunch of thin skinned wimps.  Election Day is coming people and shit like this has become common place.  Remember that when you vote.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

16 comments:

  1. Ugh...10 miles in 93 degrees! Yikes! My legs would have been toast too!
    Good job listening to your body and backing off from your training. I definitely think it was the right decision! Bring on the taper!

    I loved "Red Dawn." The acting wasn't the greatest, but there was just something about the movie that I really liked.

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  2. Gotta put Red Dawn on the to see list. By the way, forgot to mention on last post, have you seen Kelly McGillis lately? Scary! She hasn't aged as well as i would have imagined she would...oh well.
    Thanks Jeff for the shout out!! Love it!

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  3. Smart training decisions! I hope you have a great weekend!

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  4. You are never in charge of the TV if we ever do a trainer session together!!!

    I learned when I crashed, I still had endurance, I just couldnt get the legs to fire at all. What was frustrating, I could go the distance, I just couldnt muster any speed. or speed I was use to.

    OMG, what is this world coming to, I usually scratch my head and do "huh" when you get all politcal, but *gasp* I agree with you and *double gasp* what is more amazing I knew what you were talking about (is that a tear in your eye because you are soooo proud of me), geez I need to trainer harder and longer.

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  5. A thought....do you train with HR or do you monitor your heart rate closely? There is a method of sleeping with your heart rate monitor on and recording the data throughout the night. If you know your resting heart rate, you can compare new data vs old and determine how beat up you are. Elevated heart rates can mean a bunch of things. How recovered you are; if you are getting sick, etc.

    Sounds like you have just beat the crap out of yourself over the past few months and your body is telling you to stop. Time to taper my friend!!! You are not going to accomplish much more other than refining your fitness with short speed sessions and TONS of rest.

    Your volume is in the bank. Time to earn some interest and withdraw on race day!

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  6. I say push through it, who cares about the race? Did you ever name your bike, by the way?

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  7. good job being smart about your training.

    ""Election Day: This isn't a political blog so I will not express my personal opinions about the candidates but whoever you like get out and vote. Many have fought and died for your right to vote - do not waste the opportunity!"".....AGREED!

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  8. Good idea on playing it safe! You have racked up so much training this year that you are going to rock it. As they say, "The hay is in the barn."

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  9. take the weekend to watch football and drink the lowest calorie beer possible.

    You would have loved the run in I had at my kids school today. I was making a turn into the neighborhood where the school is and some guy in an ill fitting suit and a maniacal grin (and the worst comb over ever) came running at me with flyers in his hands. I instinctively hit the gas, Ian was still in the car.

    I found out when I got to school that the guy was actually a candidate for the HB School board. I went back past him (even though at this point I needed to go the other way) to let him know that rushing car's looking like frickin' Michael Douglass in Falling Down was maybe the worst way to get votes. I then asked him who was running against, wrote down the name and told him that's who I was voting for. Politically irresponsible? Yes. High on the "I like to F with people" scale? also yes.

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  10. I'm not sure why any democratic government funds a news organization. Government-run news is not something you should see in free countries.

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  11. BDD - Speechless!

    Patrick - I would have had a conversation with that guy too. And it would have went very similar. I am picturing Michael Douglas walking down the highway right now with that crazy look and bad haircut.

    Chad - You know exactly why they fund NPR, Indoctrination and propaganda doesn't happen on its own. AND surely leaders such as Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would disagree with us -- oh wait you said "free countries" nevermind (-:

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  12. great job on listening to those voices. They are very smart. No need to push when you are so close to dominating that race.

    I couldn't agree more with you on voting. Just to out and do it. It doesn't take long and is your one true voice. If you don't vote, don't complain.

    As for the weather....what happened? It was in the mid-80s up here which is not 93 but still ridiculously warm for us. Hated it.

    Now, say it with me:
    'Let's Go Rangers!!!!!'

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  13. 90+ over here also. Hope it cools down for KC, although I think she is used to it.

    The 100 miler didn't happen today because of car problems (son's) so had to settle for 13.1 in this fine heat. Actually pretty proud of 2hr 2min.

    I wonder if Muslin countries like Egypt have problems on their airlines with radical Christians?? I'll have to listen to NPR Egypt to find out, I guess.

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  14. What? Jeff, crash and burn...not a chance:) Way to listen to the body...you are a wise man!

    Also, nice little plug on election day:)

    Happy weekend!

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  15. Im assuming you will be able to stick with the TG motif in two weeks for race day?? You feel the need .... the need for ...."

    I cant believe how hot this late in the seasoon for you guys! have a great wknd

    D

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  16. Holy crap, that is HOT. I think I will take the frosty mornings anytime.

    Be smart - good for you for turning off the alarm - listen to your body. Read your post as if someone else wrote it, and think about what you would tell them. Yeah, easier said than done, I know!!

    You have put your volume in, you are ready.

    Red Dawn. Classic!!! And if you keep referring to Top Gun, I am going to need a volleyball scene (with the old Val K, not the new chubby one) ha ha

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