Saturday's Brick pics.....

Some not-so-great shots from Saturday's bike/run combo workout in Rock Creek Park.

Enjoy.

The Team photo.....

Here we are - many of us, at least. From the honored teammate picnic a few weeks ago.....

(Thanks to Nancy Tang for the image!)

Streamline, streamline, streamline.....

REALLY didn't want to get up for swimming this morning. The 5:30am sessions at the Lab School on Thursday mornings are good to get to but difficult to wake up for.

I've had a good active week getting ready for the Philly Triathlon. Cycled into work Monday and Wednesday (about 25-30miles r/t, depending on my route), went to boxing each day, and then ran 50 min Tues and today.

I was tired. I didn't want to get up. Alarm went off and HankTheDog came in, cuddled in, and fell asleep next to me. I hate getting up from that. Still, after an argument with myself, I got up - got to the pool in time and had a productive swim.

AJ's pushing me to attend her yoga class tonight. I suppose I'll go. I usually paddle with Team River Runner on Thursday evenings but I could use the stretch.

Oh yeah...streamlining. So, basically, I can't swim. I mean, I can get by. I've swum (swam? swimmed? done swim?) some mean sections of rivers in my life. Nasty rapids, big hydraulics, crashing waves. But flat water? That's a challenge.

Here's why. Before I was born, my uncle Ronald drowned trying to save someone that had fallen into a lake. He was one of three - a twin brother and sister (my Mom). So, when I was old enough, Mom whisked me away to the Pickens County Country Club - which had the only outdoor pool in the county at the time - to learn how to swim. Or, rather, to learn how to not die. I never got much more than that. For years, I excelled at Polliwog swimming.

That brings me to my career as a whitewater paddler and instructor. I can swim rivers. And rapids. Through my training and time as a paddler, I've developed a keen skill for swimming rivers. In fact, I hold the highest certifications in search and rescue from the American Canoe Association. I've done live bait rescues, deep current wading, and body surfed big holes (not all of them intentionally!) But the whitewater swim is really different than a swim for distance. Whitewater swims are about safety and survival. Endurance swims are about efficiency and glide. So, I'm learning how to streamline in the pool. Coach Danielle was really helpful this morning - as was Coach Ivey - in giving me tips on technique and efficient motion. I'll practice it some this weekend but, for one of the first times, I felt like I was doing something right in the pool

And, that, was a pretty cool thing to experience at 5:30am.....

Go Team

A good weekend....

After a week of fighting off negativism about my knee, the weekend thrust me back into training with a nice momentum.

Even though I didn't swim on the Thursday morning workout, getting up at 5am and joining the group still kept me motivated. A good flatwater workout that evening followed by a solid lunchtime workout on Friday and I was ready for the group ride on Saturday morning.

We met at the red caboose in Vienna, VA for the ride Sat morning. I really like that we're moving around the greater DC area for our rides/runs. The change of environment breaks the monotony up well. I opted for the Level 2 ride of 70 min since my knee had been hurt. I didn't want to push too much on the first ride back. It ended up being easy - had a good conversation and slow pace going out and decided to sprint back - working at, what felt like, about 80% of my max. No problems - except for the guy (not a part of the TNT group) that trash talked me a bit on the ride back.

And, good call by the coaches to go to the Vienna Inn afterwards - a very cool place and fun time talking with Danielle, Tod, Esteban, and Brett.

Saturday night brought the annual tradition of Pie Night. That's right an entire evening dedicated exclusively to pie. Started almost 10 years ago when a group of kayakers were jones-ing for some pie similar to the homemade pie we'd get at a diner near the Lower Yough river, Pie Night was created as an off-season way to get our pie fix. AJ and Bob (Queen and King of Pie, respectively) have led the charge.

So, after baking 14 different pies from scratch, a large group gathered at Bob's newly refurbished house for the blessing and consumption of pie. A very good night.

Consequently, I missed the group swim at the Lab School the next morning. Slept in. Dreamt of pie.

AJ and I did go to Rockville that afternoon for a late swim after a lazy Sunday. I managed through it but was really tired for most of it. Whatever figment of technique I have was not present. Regardless, I made it through the 800 meter workout - albeit not very stylishly.

That brings us to Monday where I've had a good ride into work, another good lunchtime workout, and looking forward to a nice slow ride home......

Go team!

Swim Pics from Thursday morning.....

Doing better....starting back.....

Ok...the knee is better. It's a bit stiff and sore but nothing like it was a few days ago. My focus now goes from recuperation to avoiding reinjury.

Went to the morning swim at the Lab School - but didn't swim. Listened and did some of the dry land drills but didn't get in the water quite yet. The knee was still sore this morning but I thought I should stick to my plan for coming back slowly.

Step one was to paddle this evening. For those that don't know - I'm an avid whitewater kayaker and have paddled and guided throughout the world. So, this evening, I started my knee back to recovery by going out with some of the vet's that I workout with as a part of Team River Runner (http://www.teamriverrunner.org/). I've been joining them on Thursday evenings for a flatwater workout at the David Taylor Model Basin in Cabin John.

The model basin is where the military tests their ship and nautical models for ship building later on. As a part of that, they have a several hundred yard pool that TRR can use after hours. It's a little weird paddling in a warehouse with all the ship, hul, and what-looks-like torpedo molds laying around. But, it a good place to get a warm paddling endurance workout and a good place for some of the vets to work on their basic/intermediate paddling skills.

Anyway, the knee held up well. It's just a touch sore but nothing to prohibit me from going to the gym Friday and the group ride on Saturday.

I should have more pics up from the morning swim sometime tomorrow morning......

Go Team!

Slow is smooth.....

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

- military training saying

Today the knee is better. Feels tight and stiff but nowhere near the amount of pain I was feeling with it yesterday or Monday evening.

I called the Ortho I was referred to and they can't see me for another two weeks. Alot of good that does. So....here's the plan - I'm going to ice it while watching the DC Utd match on tv tonight, do a basic strength workout Thursday evening, a light workout at the gym Friday - and then see if it's ready for the group ride on Saturday. If it continues to improve at the rate it has thus far, I should be ok to continue training.

I feel lucky that it's not an ACL tear (knock on wood) and that it seems to be improving. Hopefully, I can work with the TNT coaches to make sure I'm not doing something wrong with my technique to create a repetetive stress injury. Hopefully, I can swim for the time I would have spent running and can improve that.

Go Team!

Blog Day 1 - Injury Day 1

Well, I've been struck. After a good couple of days training, something has affected my knee. I've had to take today completely off because I couldn't bend it (or straighten it) with out lotsa pain.

So, I'm bummed. This hurts. And, it sucks because I was having a good couple of days of working out.

Overuse? I don't think so. After missing the run on Saturday morning, I went to our local gym and rode a recumbant bike for 50 min on an easy setting - focusing on my 90 cadence. Then, swimming at the Lab School with Todd et al on Sunday, back home for a nap, a 30 min run at a 12 min/mile pace (slow). Monday morning brought my commute into work via bike and then off to the gym at lunch.

Back at my desk, around 3pm, my knee locks up on me. I can barely move it, barely bend or put weight on it. That's no good - I still need to get home and my bike is the only way that's going to happen.

So, I take my time - warm it up, use my "good" leg for propulsion, and cut my pace by 3/4th. An hour and a half later, I get home. I join 'Team I' - Ice and Ibuprofin and take the evening off.

So, as I awake, the knee is stiff but the more I use it, the better it feels. I worked from home today so I could continue to ice it. I can walk, do steps painlessly, get out of my desk chair w/o too much discomfort. My thought is that I've probably hyper-extended it and a few days off will make it better.

I've consulted with my internist - and he's referred me to an Ortho. So, I'm calling tomorrow morning to see what's going on. Not taking any chances....

Off we go.....

Welcome to my training blog....

As part of my training with the Team In Training triathletes from the National Capital Area who are participating in the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon - I've decided to blog this great journey.
What is Team in Training, you ask?
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training® is the world's largest endurance sports training program. The program provides training to run or walk marathons and half marathons or participate in triathlons and century (100-mile) bike rides. Since 1988, more than 360,000 volunteer participants have helped raise more than $850 million.

For more info on the great work they do, go here - http://www.teamintraining.org/

So, as a part of my training and raising money, I've decided to blog. I don't know if I'll be updating everyday but I aim to post more often than not - hopefully with some photo's along the way. That's me in the profile pic - the one with the red hair.

This will be a warts and all sort of process. For those that know me, know that I'm fairly athletic and active. I've signed up for TNT to push me to the next level and learn about technique in some unfamiliar areas. I'll post more about myself in an upcoming post.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to donate to the great cause I run for, go here - http://www.active.com/donate/tntnca04/tntncaJMcInty

Go Team!