Signed up for Florida Challenge

I took the $175 plunge and signed up for the Florida Challenge by Sommer Sports today. A Half Ironman (sorry M-Dot but its easier to say it that way ) in Clermont on October 22nd. Im obviously hoping this one turns out better than the last being that I had to drop out long before I ever got to the line. Had a nice hour run last night with a few pick-ups throughout and woke up this morning with no knee pain so that was the deciding factor.

Sidenote:

Do not consume peanut butter before a periodically hard workout. I put a teaspoon of Reduced Fat Natural PB and some preserves on a single piece of bread and then hit the Spinervals Recovery and Technique video on the indoor trainer. This created some of the worst stomach cramping. Probably a no brainer. You may be asking why is he indoors in early September and the answer is my wife travels with her job which makes me Mr. Mom 2-3 days a week with no babysitter and I like to do the Recovery and Technique video about once a week.

Sidenote II:

Had my first weight training session on Monday and woah baby do I gots pain today. Especially in my chest.

Sidenote III:

Pre-Ordered The Paleo Diet for Athletes : A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance today. Im still about 10-15 pounds over what I feel my race weight should be and one goal I've failed miserably at this year is becoming more dedicated to a sport specific nutrition program. Hope this is the answer.
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew

Is the weekend over already?!

I can't believe Sunday night is already here! Had a pretty good tri-related weekend and some quality time in front of the idiot box.

Saturday AM - Patriots Memorial 91.1 km ride in St. Augustine

5:30 am Saturday Im on my way to St. Augustine to do a roughly 50+ mile group ride hosted by the Cody's Challenge team. For background visit their web site. This was a whole lotta fun. The group I was in was not as fast as the PC Bike group that usually kills me so I got a great workout in without the usual 'At any moment I'm going to die feeling'. This was not a race, just a ride, and I think the average ended up being a touch over 22mph. Really nice group of people will definitely go back next year.

Saturday PM - Some work and Some TV

I've been doing some donation type graphic design work for a family in need for which I hope to post a web site later this week. While working I enjoyed watching Agassi beat Ginepri however was disappointed that Hewitt lost to Federer as I thought Andre would have had a better chance beating Lleyton over Roger. Roger is a beast. I keep hearing he may be the best of all time .... its beginning to look like it.

I then spent the evening watching a movie called "The Notebook" starring Rachel McAdams, the babe from "Wedding Crashers" which we've seen 3 times, and Ryan Gosling. At first I thought, 'Here we go again, another wifey movie chick flick'. This, "The Notebook", actually turned out to be a great movie. Of course I'll never be able to watch it again because I cant stand sad stories. Not to be a spoiler but the ending is really more bitter-sweet than sad. And "the babe" is great when playing a class act. In Wedding Crashes her role is kind of 'the cute chick with a pretty smile' in The Notebook shes more like 'dream girl'.

Im hitting a somewhat early mid-life crisis lately not in the sense that I want to buy a sports car or take off on my family but more that I've become somewhat obsessed with my own mortality and hoping Im making the most of the life I have and being the most I can for my family. Movie just made me think about it more. Triathlon has obviously helped with some of that but Im sure there is more.

Sunday

Up at 7 am and my face was in the water by 7:30. Had an hour swim and about 2700 yds. I then proceeded to Princess Place Preserve for a long run (1:45).

Princess Place in my humble opinion is the absolute best running in Flagler County. Its all off road and dirt paths but the scenery is great and the lightened impact on my knees is the icing on the cake. I have often considered carrying a small camera with me but then I think better of it because judging by the hits in my photo gallery people want to see pictures of people not trees. Also, I think alot of things I see that I think 'what a great picture' have a lot to do with my brain being on a natural high from the running or cycling and EVERYTHING looks like a great picture. Could be a natural high. Could be Im delirious from the heat. Either way the experience is mine and you'll just have to get out there and see for yourself.

NFL football started today. Woo Hoo. And the Dolphins are off to a great start. It may actually be worth watching this year although I've seen this early season hope turn into mid-season despair many times with Miami so Im going with the whole wait and see and not getting my hopes up. I love football this is the best time of year. Born in Miami Im a Dolphin fan but I'll take anybody over the stinkin Patriots again. Whom I might add don't even have a fight song. Dolphins Fight Song

How Im going to make next weekend go just as fast

In prep for my half iron distance I hope to get out to Clermont next weekend to ride the course map for the Florida Challenge which includes the so called Florida mountains including but not limited to Sugar Loaf. We'll see. And now you know every inconsequential detail of my life.Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew

You can never go home again. Can You? Part One

This will be a two part post because its been so long. The first will be a training update and the second will be on a recent trip to Michigan.

The last time I posted was during the TdF?! What will they think of me?! They'll think I've finally given up! They'll think Im back to sneaking donuts and spending countless hours watching Simpsons re-runs when I should be out doing something. Slacker! Contrary to popular belief I'm now 6 weeks into Gale Bernhardts "Thirteen Weeks to Half-Ironman for those with Limited Training Time" from her book Training Plans for Multisport Athletes. And if you dont believe me check out my training log. This plan almost seems too easy but it keeps me from doing too much with my bumb knee and will hopefully be just enough to get me through this year's goal of completing a Half IM. My goal race is the Florida Challenge in Clermont on October 22nd. Provided it doesn't sell out before I sign up. Im holding off signing up until September 14 I have a couple long runs between now and then a 1:45 and a 2 hour run that will be my last knee test and then I'll sign up.

Swim

Not much new on the swimming front Im getting my workouts in although its for the most part LSD.

Bike

I'm cheating the plan just a little bit by continuing the group rides with the bike shop. Im still constantly getting dropped by the roadies I have serious muscular endurance issues. When I started this I got better relatively quickly but I seem to have plateaued. On a non-training bicycle note the cost of gas has encouraged me to ride my bike to work more often its only 6 miles but in Florida heat Im still sweating when I get to work so I have to bring a change of shirt. My first day I had a ride and swim in the morning so I had the tri bike. I get an hour ride in at 6 am hit the pool at 7 then ride to work on the way home I decide to take it easy so I I'll just cruise on the side walk rather than the road its safer and less stressfull or so I thought. As Im heading down the sidewalk I notice a guy whos house backs up to the sidewalk is walking his bike out. Im thinking 'Okay this guy is getting on the sidewalk but he just looked right at me so he won't step out' of course... he stepped out forcing me off the sidewalk into the grass on skinny tires and when I tried to get back onto the walk I crashed. The guy didnt bother apologize but did ask if I was okay ... holding back my anger and profanity I just said in my most stern tone 'Im fine, thank you.' This left me with a nice bruise on my hip and a scuffed ankle and hand ... Safer in the street.

Run

I've done a handfull of one hour runs, thank you Patt-Strap, but the pace is slow and the distance is almost shamefull. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. If I go too hard my knee will be gone in no time. I've done an hour-and-a half run on a treadmill and a 45 minute run on pavement this week and while this aggrevates my knee the runs were with relative ease. If I could find the inventor of the Patt-Strap I would kiss them.... I hope its a woman :)

The Knee

As far as the knee is concerned there is no change. It still feels like something is moving around in there. I have no pain but I can certainly tell any hard running effort and the pain would be back. This whole thing is really irritating I still cannot believe I spent that much on doctors and the end result is basically the same as where I began. I've started reading the ITBS-Yahoo Group which is really a lot like AA for ITBS sufferers. 'Hi, my name is Sean and I have ITBS. Hi Sean!'. Reading some of the stories on there about folks who've had this problem for YEARS can be an excellent source for discouragement that this will ever get better! However, it is cool to see how similar the experiences are for people with this problem and it helps knowing that others know how frustrating this thing is.


To be continued...Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew
Sean Mayhew