January 2011 Update

Posted by on January 20, 2011 in Training

As usual, I’ve been totally lax in posting my updates to this site.  Fortunately, it’s only due to being busy and not because of anything particularly tragic or negative.  I’ll just hit some highlights below and expand upon them in later posts.

Training:  A couple of weeks ago, a teammate of mine commented that she’s a “box checker” with respect to following the workout schedules provided to us by our coaches.  We get e-mails from our coaches on a regular basis and have access to a particular website that includes a full schedule of workouts published on a weekly basis.

Historically, that is for the past ten seasons, I’ve followed my own schedule and operated independently.  I would fit in my workouts around my lifestyle and for the most part, that seemed to work.  In this, my eleventh season, and with this being an Ironman year, it occurred to me that my teammate might be onto something with this box-checking approach.  So, I decided to follow suit.

These days, I’m following the program as closely as possible.  Yesterday, for example, I swam 3,000 meters. Last night, we were supposed to do an indoor cycling session together followed by a 20-30 minute run.  Then, at 6:15 this morning, we were expected to do another cycling session, but with a different focus therein, followed by a strength workout outside in the 35 degree weather including running up hills, climbing sets of stairs, and running with a teammate riding piggyback.  Tomorrow morning, I’ll swim another 3,000 meters.  Saturday morning, I’ll be running in a half-marathon race in Central Park, followed by another two hours cycling indoors, followed by a six hour classroom-type session with the coaches to go over some very specific Ironman-related elements.  Sunday, we’ll be swimming in a time trial format so that coaches can assess our current abilities.  Thereafter, we’ll do the same on a running track.

It seems like a lot, but I look at it as if it was some kind of military boot camp.  I don’t complain; I just get up and do it.  Checking off each box on the workout schedule winds up being quite rewarding emotionally, as if to convey a sense of accomplishment, so my teammate might really be onto something here!

Wedding planning:  Roya has been on point for most of this, but now that the big things are taken care of (venues, invitations, photographer, etc.), I’m now going to be much more involved as plans pertain to the actual ceremony, arranging transportation, coordinating hotels, etc.  I’m really quite fine with this, and I’ll feel good about taking the load off of Roya’s shoulders.  She wanted to do most of this, but I think she’s come to realize that it’s a considerable amount of work.

Honeymoon:  Current plan is for the honeymoon to start three weeks after the wedding.  With my Ironman in Germany exactly 21 days later, we’ve decided on a European vacation.  On the day following the race, I’ll fly out to Venice, Italy where Roya will meet me.  She’ll be coming from LA via NYC since she’s a bridesmaid in her dear friend’s wedding and will have to miss the Ironman.  We’ll spend a couple of days or so in Venice, then take a charming train ride to Florence for another four days.  One of my Ironman teammates has a home on the western coast of Tuscany, so there’s a chance that we’ll get out to Massa to see him during the Tuscan portion of this trip.  Thereafter, we’ll fly to Barcelona and spend five days there before heading back home.  Luckily for us, my cousin Camille will be staying in our home to take care of our dogs.  She’s such an impressive person, and I like that as she gets older, we get closer.  She’s currently a junior in high school, but her maturity far exceeds her scholastic standing.

Work:  Well, I’ve finally gotten my walking papers.  With the acquisition of my company by another, the downsizing has finally affected me.  My last day is March 18th and thereafter, I’ll be on the unemployment line.  I’m lucky to get a severance payout that will tie us over for a fair amount of time, but our goal is to bank that entire sum and for me to begin a new job as soon as possible.  I have several coals in the fire, and I’m very aggressively pursuing all angles in my current job search.  I don’t relish being in this position of having to find a job, but if I can successfully do so quickly and not dip into the payout, all will be well.

Lastly, Vegas:  Once again, I’m joining one my best buddies for a March Madness trip to Vegas.  For him and his crew, it’s an annual tradition.  I’ve gone twice, including in 2008 when I was training for Ironman Brazil.  During that trip, after a night of utter debauchery and drinking, I went out for a 16 mile run into the desert and dehydrated around mile 12.  Getting home from there was sheer torture.  This year, I doubt that I’ll have to put in that mileage in March (Ironman Brazil was in May; Ironman Germany is in July), but regardless, I’m looking forward to avenging that failed run this year.

Some of the guys are looking to combine this trip with a bachelor party for me.  I’m appreciative and will look forward to the camaraderie, but I’m just not a strip club guy, or that into gambling or shows.  Really, I have no idea why I’m going other than to just spend time with great guys, and to make a few bets on the college basketball tournament.  I hear some of our NYC girlfriends may be in town at the same time, so hopefully that’ll mitigate any strip club plans.

In May or so, I’m hoping to coordinate a bachelor party in or around the NYC area.  My idea is for a huge paintball game at some venue in Staten Island, Long Island, or New Jersey.  The concept of 30 or more people split into two teams and firing at each other is soooo appealing.  I already know who I’m going to shoot, and if they are on my team, so be it for the friendly fire!

So, that’s it for now.  I’m feeling really great throughout all of this training, and it’s always a boost to the confidence to see the pounds falling off of me.  When I started in December, I was about 190 pounds.  This morning, after the long workout, I was 172.5.  Of course, that’s a false reading because of all the water weight I lost due to sweating, but still, it’s a good sign.  If only I could figure out how to stop sneezing after my swim workouts.  Damn chlorine!

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