Transition, Family Pictures and Future Plans

Hard to believe but it has already been over a month since I completed the Florida Ironman? The month after the race has been a quiet one. I ran the Philly half marathon with my friend Jess on Nov 21 but other then that I have been taking it easy. A run here and there but that’s it.



The time off has allowed me to catch up on yard work and spend more time with the kids. This weekend we had our semi annual family portraits taken and I may be the first father of a 2 and 5 year old to say this but I had a great time. You are probably wondering how this is possible?

Here is how it happened. Missy and I ran across some photos our friend Kristin had posted on facebook. The pictures were absolutely amazing…unlike anything we had seem before. We were completely blown away. It turns out Kristin had done some modeling for her friend Andy (photographer).

Check out his stuff here…it is amazing http://www.todesphoto.com/



Missy got in touch with Andy to figure out dates that would work best for both parties. Andy asked where we’d like to have the pictures taken and we decided to leave it up to him. Thursday evening we received an email from him asking if we would mind meeting him out front of the random tea room (http://therandomtearoom.com/home.html) on 5th street in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia around 10 am for our shoot.


We agreed and on Sunday morning we bundled the kids up and made our way down to Fairmount. Parking was tough to come by but we eventually found a spot a block or so away. As we approached our destination Andy was easy to spot. There aren’t many people hanging out on 5th street at 9:45 am on Sunday morning with several cameras and a kitchen chair.

After our brief introduction we decided that we would need to work quickly because there was no telling how long the kids would last in this cold. The first pics were taken in front of an orange fence on the sidewalk. As expected Emily was all in and Johnny was reluctant (matches their personalities).

The looks that we were catching from passersby were interesting to say the least. Can’t imagine what they were thinking? (Interesting side note…during our 45 minutes or so we had to have seen 20 different people out walking their dogs. Need to determine the dog to person ratio in Fairmount).

Following this we made our way up the street to a small vacant lot converted to a park(?) that featured a huge mural painted on the side of one of the building. Emily in particular enjoyed this time as Andy asked her to stand on a chair for the pics. I haven’t yet met a 5 year old who didn’t love to stand on a chair. By this time Johnny was beginning to warm up to Andy and seemed a little more willing to cooperate.

For the final segment we walked a couple of blocks up to a very beat up looking green garage door. Emily again had a ball as she got to sit on my shoulders and ham it up for the camera. At this point we decided to cut the shoot short as it was just getting too darn cold for the kids (and me).

We couldn’t have been happier with the way the pics turned out and our experience in general. Andy took a seemingly ordinary setting on a frigid day and turned it into a collection of unique pictures and memories that we will cherish for years to come. In case you haven’t guessed I would highly recommend Andy to anyone looking for a photographer. He is first rate across the board.

This week will be the last of my hiatus from training. Jess and I are signed up for the Ocean Drive Marathon on March 28th of this year. Not sure what my goal is for this race as of yet...I'll have to wait and see how the knee is feeling. I'll plan to play it by ear the first month or so and then take it from there.

www.todesphoto.com

Dare to Dream

.....as I turned the corner to the finish line my entire body tingled. The official timer says 11 hours 50 minutes. (I would finish with the 500th or so fastest marathon of the day and in 841st place Out of 2,500). I see my family as the announcer says John Orsini you are an Ironman! And with that my dream was realized....

After crossing the finish line I am immediately grabbed by a volunteer and wrapped in an aluminum foil like blanket. I am ushered through the crowd and told to wait to have my picture taken. My head is spinning as flash bulbs go off all around me. I am positive it is noisy but I don't hear a thing. Before I know it my picture is taken in front of the "finisher" sign and I am whisked along yet again.

As my escort and I make our way toward the massage table something catches my eye...is that pizza? Yes it is! I break away from my escort and begin to inhale large quantities of pizza. Has pizza ever tasted this good? I think not. I have never been so grateful for a food in my life.

As I wolf down my third slice I start to wonder how do I get out of this caged in area? I wander along and as if by magic Team Orsini appears. Missy just about takes me down with a cross body hug. I remove my medal and place it around my little girls neck and her smile lights up the night sky. I hug my Mom then my Dad and look down to see the little man relaxing in his stroller as if this is a typical Saturday night.

We make our way out of the mob scene and I struggle to take it all in. What has just happened? I have done it. It is over. All the time spent dreaming, planning and training, training and training some more and now I have really done it!

And with that my dream was realized....

But this is not an ending but rather a beginning. A beginning to a life of a person that now truly understands the value and place that hard work and dedication have in achieving ones dreams. Ironman was not the ultimate dream for me but rather it was a goal that was out there for me to prove that I could do it....that I could accomplish something that few can do.... "if" I put my mind to it and dedicate myself to the goal.

I now feel equipped to accomplish anything in life. Nothing seems out of reach. With time, effort and perseverance anything is possible.

"Dare to dream, but even more importantly, dare to put action behinds your dreams."
Josh Hinds

Ironman Florida Race Report

As I stepped onto the balcony of our 8th floor condominium and looked out upon the Gulf of Mexico an overwhelming rush of emotions came over me. The water was the most beautiful mix of blue and green that these eyes had ever seen. Through the perfectly still water a lone swimmer made his way down about 50 yards off the coast. The sun was just beginning to set and the sky was a brilliant mix of blues, reds and oranges. I stood there for several minutes with Missy just taking it all in. We were here together and I was ready for my challenge on Saturday.

The days leading up to the race were quite relaxing. I went out for an easy 3 mile run on Wednesday morning and then out for a 20 minute swim in the early afternoon. This is hard to believe but the Gulf was literally more calm then the pool at my gym. I was at the same time in awe and afraid of the hundreds of fish that I saw as I swam down the coast.

After my swim it was off to the airport to pick up my parents. Thursday I wanted to simulate race conditions so I was in the water promptly at 7 am as this would be the starting time of the race. Again the water is perfect...absolutely perfect. I just can not get over how calm the water was. Shortly after the swim I was off for a 10 mile bike ride. The intent of the ride was really just to ensure that the bike was mechanically sound. All systems are go and now it is time to rest and mentally prepare myself for race day.

Through out the week I had little trouble falling asleep at night but was unable to sleep past 5am. This may have had something to do with me being excited for the race or Emily coming into our room and telling me "come on daddy time to get up it's a wonderful day" each morning?

Friday morning I turned on the t.v. and the lead news story was the impending arrival of Hurricane Ida. Hurricane.....you have got to be kidding me? Luckily the storm was scheduled to arrive until Tuesday but it's effects would be felt. The previously tranquil Gulf was now showing it's first signs of turbulence. Could not help but wonder what the water would be like on race day?

The rest of the day was spent taking it easy and following my well researched prerace day plan. For those interested in pursuing an Ironman I highly recommend Joe Friel's Triathlon Training Bible (http://www.trainingbible.com/). I ate a large breakfast first thing in the morning and then a decent sized lunch while making sure to have a bottle of water in my hands at all times.

The Mulholland's were scheduled to arrive in the early afternoon after a drive from Disney but had a last second change of plans. Their daughter Kylie had been battling a severe case of the flu all week and just was not getting better. As a father of two I know how incredibly stressful traveling with small children can be, let alone a sick child in Disney. It just doesn't seem fair to them. Thankfully they were able to get home safely and Kylie has since recovered:)

Later on in the afternoon the family was joined by my cousin David who serves in the US Air Force and is stationed in Panama City Beach. The kids were beyond thrilled to meet their cousin David for the first time! The poor guy spent the better part of his visit playing hide and seek with the kids and listening to Emily tell stories. Though I must admit that it helped to keep my mind off of the race.

As the evening was winding down Missy announced that she had something for me before I went to bed. Finally I would get to see what this "top secret" project she had been working on was all about. I was told to cover my eyes as she set it up. After a few minutes she told me to open my eyes and turn my attention to the t.v. What could it be?

The video begins with Missy telling me how incredibly proud she was of me and how much support I had behind me. What followed was the most amazing gift I have ever received...
A video good luck from the most important people in my life...family, friends and co-workers. To see the out pouring of love and support from so many people truly touched me. As I sat there watching I couldn't help but think I have to be the luckiest person on the face of the earth. To be here prepared to embark on my dream with the people I love pulling for me...my race was already won. Missy you are the best. I love you.

After the video it was off to bed and believe it or not a peaceful nights sleep. The alarm went off at 2 am and I made my way into the kitchen for my prerace breakfast. 1 bagel with peanut butter, 2 ensure shakes, 2 cups of apple sauce and 1 pint of water. After my meal it was back to bed for a couple of hours. At 4:30 am the alarm went off again and I was up for good. After getting dressed I came out of the bedroom to see a "sea of red". My parents, Missy and the Kids were all wearing red Team Orsini tee shirts. Talk about awesome!

Dad and I began the 1 mile walk to transition around 5:30. We arrive and the place is bustling... the entire area is pulsating with an incredible energy. "It's a Beautiful Day" by U2 is blaring over the loud speakers as the sun begins to rise. I make my way over to my bike to load up my bottles for the day. 1 5x gatorade, 1 protein/peanut butter/banana shake (900 calories)/and 2 bottles of water. I don my wetsuit and make my way out of transition to meet up with Dad. He has a look of pride in eyes that I won't soon forget.

After a few minutes Missy, Mom, Emily and Johnny arrive to wish me luck and then I am off. I slowly walk down to the beach and try to take it all in. 2,500 athletes, thousands of spectators...unbelievable. I stand there at the beach and I go over my race plan in my head and am again strangely calm. The pro's go off 10 minutes ahead and then it is time for the mass start.
The moment is here and the time is now.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
- Teddy Roosevelt, Speech at the Sorbonne, April 1910

This moment is about more then just finishing a race...it is about setting a goal, working as hard as you can, over coming adversity, striving to be the best that you can but ultimately it is about putting it all on the line stepping forward to be counted, to put it all on the line in front of everyone and know either victory or defeat.

The cannon goes off and there is a rush to the water but I don't move. I wait. Let them go. Take your time this is not a sprint but a half day event. Survive the swim and go on to the bike. One step at a time. The goal is to finish. The surge heads out and I begin my walk to the water a full 1 minute after the rest. I check my goggles, adjust my swim cap. One last check to make sure the goggles are on tightly. No leaks. I am ready to go.

I look at my watch and 2 minutes have passed. Here I go. I begin my swim and quickly find my rhythm. My swim stroke is strong and fluid. My breathing feels great. With in seconds I am on the back of the pack. Like a half back following his blockers I patiently look for gaps in the mass of humanity. When I find one I hit it. When I don't I patiently wait for my opening. I begin to make my way through the field of competitors. The calm waters of mid week are long gone. I would later find out that the seas were 4-6 feet that day and I believe it. Up and down I go over the rolling waves. I am certain that people will have to withdraw from the race due to sea sickness.

As we approach the turnaround I resist the temptation to cut it close to the buoy. Way to many people. I take the turn a solid 25 yards wide. Wise choice. I glance over and see people at an absolute stand still, treading water waiting to make their turn.

As I begin the swim back to beach I am feeling great. I am not sure what my pulse is but the effort level feels like about 75%. Before I know it I am on the beach I look at my watch and it says 34 or so minutes...one lap in the books and one to go. As I cross the timing mat I hear my name. I can't believe it...amongst the thousands of people there is Missy standing in the surf with a video camera holding Johnny. My spirits are feeling really high.

The second lap is all about restraint. I resist the urge to open it up and instead take it easy. Any doubt that I had regarding the swim is gone. I stick with an easy 75% effort and cruise through to the finish of the swim. I would later find out that I came out of the water in 814th place.

After coming out of the water I see my family or at least I think I do? It's all a blur. The adrenaline is really pumping. The wetsuit strippers make short work of my wetsuit and before I know it I am dressed in my bike gear and getting slathered with sun block by the fantastic volunteers. Missy is cheering me on at decibel levels that have to be causing long term hearing damage to Johnny and Em.

I am out of transition and on the bike. I am cruising along taking in fuel and watching my heart rate. I am also watching dozens upon dozens of people passing me in Tour De France like drafting trains. Unbelievable? I can't believe people have trained for this long and then blatantly cheat? The first 20 miles are an endless stream of being passed by hundreds of people. I stick with the plan. I am not racing them I am racing myself. Focus on fueling early and make up ground later.

At mile 20 we make a right turn and a spectator yells enjoy the headwind. My first real bit of adversity. I struggle but battle through. I am happy to see that others out there are working hard. Not so happy to see the blatant drafting taking place all around me. A bit of redemption is felt when I pass the penalty tent and see dozens serving their 4 minute penalty.

The miles roll on and the wind continues. The windy miles put in during my Outer Banks vacation are paying off. I am ready for this and I am handling it well. At mile 50 we make a right turn and the wind is gone. I did not know then but the worst of the bike ride was over. The rest of the way there would be maybe 12 miles of head wind.

I begin to make my way through the field. The strategy is paying off. I am feeling incredible. One of the quotes that I read during my training advised that when you feel great on the bike take on more fuel and that's just what I did. I rode the last 40 miles with my heart rate below 70% the entire time...resisting the temptation to open it up. This is a triathlon not a bike race. There is still a marathon to go. Glory is not had on mile 95 of the bike ride but mile 26.2 of the run.

As I approached transition I am elated to see my Dad about a quarter mile up the road. He lets off a raucous cheer that shakes my bike. I have fallen back in the standings to 1166th place. Coming through transition my Mom's smile lights the way. I head out for the run and I can see, hear and feel Missy. The kids are cheering! This is just as I imagined it on all of those long runs.

The first few miles are a bit of a blur. People are everywhere cheering us on. I find my stride and settle in for my marathon. The plan for the marathon is walking breaks at each aid station with a target time of 9 minute miles. What wasn't planned for were all of the rest room breaks. The draw back to taking in so much, maybe too much, fuel during the day is that I had to go to the bathroom a lot. In total I went to the bathroom 9 times during the run. That has to be some kind of record?

As I approached the half way point of the run I noticed that I had a great chance of bringing in a sub 12 hour ironman if I could avoid blowing up. I began to pay close attention to what my body was telling me. Looking for signs of hitting the proverbial wall. Then it happened. Around mile 15 I felt a slight tightness in my right calf. I decided immediately to implement a 1 minute walking break every 5 or so minutes in addition to my aid station breaks. The strategy pays off and by mile 20 my leg is feeling good but I continue with the 1 minute walking breaks.

I approach mile 24 and I am searching for a port potty that is not occupied. I finally find one at mile 25 and what a relief. I make my way up to the road and am struggling to process all that is going on...what is happening? Then just as I am about to make the turn to the last half mile a stranger steps out of the crowd and screams for the world to hear "632 YOU ARE A F$^KIN IRONMAN!" we both let out a roar and I hi fived him as I passed him. I don't think my feet touched the ground the rest of the way.

As I turned the corner to the finish line my entire body tingled. The official timer says 11 hours 50 mintues. (I would finish with the 500th or so fastest marathon of the day and in 841st place Out of 2,500). I see my family as the announcer says John Orsini you are an Ironman! And with that my dream was realized.

Garnet Valley Speech - Oct 09

As promised the following is the speech that I gave on Wed night.

Here we are. It’s been almost 5 full months since I spoke to this team back in spring practice. That’s a long time. A lot of blood, sweat and tears have been spilled over since that day.

When I spoke to you I said…. I am a firm believer that adversity doesn’t build character…rather it reveals it. That the hard work we were putting in now would build character that we’d draw upon later when times got tough….and watching what this team has accomplished this season has done nothing to change my view on the role one’s character plays in overcoming adversity.

I stand here before you as a man that has battled my own adversity, injury, fatigue, self doubt…to name a few….but I found a way, a will to reach for a goal that, at times, seemed impossible…to toe the starting line on November 7 at Ironman Florida… to be in position to realize my dreams.

I stand here before a team that has seen it all this year. You opened the season with a hard fought 1 point win over a tough opponent, lost a tough game two weeks later, came from behind to win a tough game the following week, won in a blowout, and had dozens of great moments along the way.

Why were these moments possible? Because when others chose the path of leisure you chose the path of hard work. You chose to train for months, ran plays countless times in practice . That path has led you to this point. It has put you in a position to play in a meaningful game this Friday night. What more could you ask for? …what more can we ask for?

Think about it. When you look back on your time here…win or lose you will remember this game. But don’t forget the parts that led up to this point. The hard work you put in and adversity that you overcame are what made this moment possible. In life…there can be no “moments” without hard work

Guys…the hard work has been done and the time is now ours. I have proven to myself that I’ll have what it takes on Nov 7. And you have proven to your community, your school, your coaches, teammates, your families and most importantly yourselves that you can accomplish anything….this Friday and more importantly in life. Now is the time to seize the moment. To put our mark on history. Mine with an Ironman and yours with a win this Friday night!

Sums it up

I ran across this on a couple of blogs that I follow. Not sure who wrote this? but it pretty much sums up everything that I am feeling right now and what it will be like on race day.

"Right now you've all entered the taper. Perhaps you've been at this a few months, perhaps you've been at this a few years. For some of you this is your first IM, for others, a long-overdue welcome back to a race that few can match.

You've been following your schedule to the letter. You've been piling on the mileage, piling up the laundry, and getting a set of tan lines that will take until next year to erase. Long rides were followed by long runs, which both were preceded by long swims, all of which were followed by recovery naps that were longer than you slept for any given night during college.

You ran in the dark.
You rode in the rain.
You ran in the heat.
You ran in the cold.

You went out when others stayed home.
You rode the trainer when others pulled the covers over their heads.

You have survived the Darwinian progression that is an Ironman summer, and now the hardest days are behind you. Like a climber in the Tour de France coming over the summit of the penultimate climb on an alpine stage, you've already covered so much ground...there's just one more climb to go. You shift up, you take a drink, you zip up the jersey; the descent lies before you...and it will be a fast one.

Time that used to be filled with never-ending work will now be filling with silent muscles, taking their final, well-earned rest. While this taper is something your body desperately needs, your mind cast off to the background for so very long, will start to speak to you.

It won't be pretty.

It will bring up thoughts of doubt, pain, hunger, thirst, failure, and loss. It will give you reasons why you aren't ready. It will try and make one last stand to stop you, because your brain doesn't know what the body already does. Your body knows the truth:

You are ready.

Your brain won't believe it. It will use the taper to convince you that this is foolish - that there is too much that can go wrong.

You are ready.

Finishing an Ironman is never an accident. It's the result of dedication, focus, hard work, and belief that all the long runs in January, long rides in March, and long swims every damn weekend will be worth it. It comes from getting on the bike, day in, day out. It comes from long, solo runs. From that first long run where you wondered, "How will I ever be ready?" to the last long run where you smiled to yourself with one mile to go...knowing that you'd found the answer.

It is worth it. Now that you're at the taper, you know it will be worth it. The workload becomes less. The body winds up and prepares, and you just need to quiet your worried mind. Not easy, but you can do it.

You are ready.


You will walk into the water with 2500 other wide-open sets of eyes. You will look upon the sea of humanity, and know that you belong. You'll feel the chill of the water crawl into your wetsuit, and shiver like everyone else, but smile because the day you have waited for so VERY long is finally here.

You will tear up in your goggles. Everyone does.

The helicopters will roar overhead.
The splashing will surround you.

You'll stop thinking about Ironman, because you're now racing one.

The swim will be long - it's long for everyone, but you'll make it. You'll watch as the shoreline grows and grows, and soon you'll hear the end. You'll come up the beach and head for the wetsuit strippers. Three people will get that sucker off before you know what happening, then you’ll head for the bike.

The voices, the cowbells, and the curb-to-curb chalk giving you a hero's sendoff can't wipe the smile off your face.

You'll settle down to your race. The crowds will spread out on the road. You'll soon be on your bike, eating your food on your schedule, controlling your Ironman.

You'll start to feel that morning sun turn to afternoon sun. It's warmer now. Maybe it's hot. Maybe you're not feeling so good now. You'll keep riding. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep moving. After all, this is just a long training day with valet parking and catering, right?

You'll put on your game face, fighting the urge to feel down as you ride for what seems like hours. You reach special needs, fuel up, and head out.


By now it'll be hot. You'll be tired. Doubts will fight for your focus. Everyone struggles here. You've been on that bike for a few hours, and stopping would be nice, but you won't - not here. Not today.


You'll grind the false flats to the climb. You'll know you're almost there. You'll fight for every inch of road. The crowd will come back to you here. Let their energy push you. Let them see your eyes. Smile when they cheer for you - your body will get just that little bit lighter.

Grind.
Fight.
Suffer.
Persevere.

You'll plunge down the road, swooping from corner to corner, chaining together the turns, tucking on the straights, letting your legs recover for the run to come - soon! You'll roll back - you'll see people running out. You'll think to yourself, "Wasn't I just here?" The noise
will grow. The chalk dust will hang in the air - you're back, with only 26.2 miles to go. You'll relax a little bit, knowing that even if you get a flat tire or something breaks here, you can run the damn bike into T2.

You'll roll into transition. 100 volunteers will fight for your bike. You'll give it up and not look back. You'll have your bag handed to you, and into the tent you'll go. You'll change. You'll load up your pockets, and open the door to the last long run of your Ironman summer - the one that counts.

You'll take that first step of a thousand...and you'll smile. You'll know that the bike won't let you down now - the race is down to your own two feet. The same crowd that cheered for you in the shadows of the morning will cheer for you in the brilliant sunshine of a summer Sunday. High-five people on the way out. Smile. Enjoy it. This is what you've worked for all year long.



That first mile will feel great. So will the second. By mile 3, you probably won't feel so good.

That's okay. You knew it couldn't all be that easy. You'll settle down just like you did on the bike, and get down to your pace. You'll see the leaders coming back the other way. Some will look great - some won't. You might feel great, you might not. No matter how you feel, don't panic - this is the part of the day where whatever you're feeling, you can be sure it won't last.

You'll keep moving. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep eating. Maybe you'll be right on plan - maybe you won't. If you're ahead of schedule, don't worry - believe. If you're behind, don't panic - roll with it. Everyone comes up with a brilliant race plan for Ironman, and then everyone has to deal with the reality that planning for something like Ironman is like trying to land a man on the moon. By remote control. Blindfolded.

How you react to the changes in your plan will dictate your day. Don't waste energy worrying about things - just do what you have to when you have to, and keep moving. Keep eating. Keep drinking. Just don't sit down - don't EVER sit down.

You'll make it to the halfway point. You'll load up on special needs. Some of what you packed will look good, some won't. Eat what looks good, toss the rest. Keep moving. Start looking for people you know. Cheer for people you don't. You're headed in - they're not. They want to be
where you are, just like you wanted to be when you saw all those fast people headed into town. Share some energy - you'll get it right back.

Run if you can.
Walk if you have to.
Just keep moving.

The miles will drag on. The brilliant sunshine will yawn. You'll be coming up to those aid stations fully alive with people, music, and chicken soup. TAKE THE SOUP. Keep moving.

You'll soon only have a few miles to go. You'll start to believe that you're going to make it. You'll start to imagine how good it's going to feel when you get there. Let those feelings drive you on. When your legs just don't want to move anymore, think about what it's going to be like when someone catches you…and puts a medal over your head... all you have to do is get there.

You'll start to hear the people in town. People you can't see in the twilight will cheer for you. They'll call out your name. Smile and thank them. They were there when you left on the bike, and when you came back, and when you left on the run, and now when you've come back.

You'll enter town. You'll start to realize that the day is almost over. You'll be exhausted, wiped out, barely able to run a 10-minute mile (if you're lucky), but you'll ask yourself, "Where did the whole day go?" You'll be standing on the edge of two feelings - the desire to finally stop, and the desire to take these last moments and make them last as long as possible.

You'll hit mile 25. Your Ironman will have 1.2 miles - just 2KM left in it.

You'll run. You'll find your legs. You'll fly. You won't know how, but you will run. The lights will grow brighter, brighter, and brighter. Soon you'll be able to hear the music again. This time, it'll be for keeps.

Soon they'll see you. Soon, everyone will see you. You'll run towards the lights, between the fences, and into the night sun made just for you.

They'll say your name.
You'll keep running.
Nothing will hurt.



The moment will be yours - for one moment, the entire world will be looking at you and only you.

You'll break the tape at the finish line, 140.6 miles after starting your journey. The flash will go off.

You'll stop. You'll finally stop. Your legs will wobble their last, and suddenly...be capable of nothing more.

Someone will catch you.
You'll lean into them.

It will suddenly hit you.


You are an Ironman!"

Garnet Valley Speech 2.0

Well as I mentioned yesterday I had the pleasure of going to the Garnet Valley Football practice today. At the conclusion of a very crisp practice I had the opportunity to say a few words of motivation to the team. I prepared for the moment and had nice one page speech ready to go. (I'll post it after the game is played). A funny thing happened to me just after my good friend, and a coach on the team, Scott Green introduced me....I got extremely fired up.

I think for the most part I've been down playing the emotional aspect of my Ironman. But standing in front of the team...the adrenaline starting pumping and I had a difficult time staying with the plan. I think its time to be completely honest with myself admit that I am really chomping at the bit for Nov 7 to arrive. And maybe just maybe I am not as "in control" as I think I am?

I hope that this isn't a precursor for things to come for on November 7th? I have to stay cool and keep my emotions in check if I hope to hear the announcer at IM Florida say
"and now crossing the finish line bib #632 Ironman John Orsini.

Full Circle -- Garnet Valley Football

A few posts back I wrote about how my training had come "full circle". At the time I was referring to the changes of the seasons and the cold weather we were experiencing in the Northeast. Well it seems that it applies to something else. Early in my training program I had the privilege of spending time at Garnet Valley High School football practice and addressing the team. (covered here http://johnorsiniironmanquest.blogspot.com/2009/06/garnet-valley-football-speech-june-1st.html )

During the speech I talked about the value of hard work, persistence and character in both Ironman training and in preparing for the upcoming football season. The jist of the talk is that seasons are won and lost in the off season and that the time that they were putting in now would yield results in the fall for Garnet Valley Football and my Ironman dream. The story has come full circle as Garnet Valley is preparing to play for their league championship on Friday night, against new arch rival Ridley High, and I am 11 days away from competing in my first Ironman.

Tomorrow I head back to Garnet Valley watch final preparations for Fridays game and again address the team. I have a good idea about what I'll say but will save it for tomorrow's post. Off to work on my notes.

Victory!

Well here I go...the work has been done. I've trained for what seems like forever...regardless of what happens on November 7 I have no regrets. My training was far from perfect. There were some tough days along the way but I feel good about the effort that I gave. I have learned so much about myself and what I am capable of. I don't recommend Ironman for everyone...because I understand that this isn't for everyone....but there is something out there for everyone. What I do recommend is to not be afraid to push yourself to accomplish whatever it is that you thought impossible. Be it training for a 5 K, going back to school, learning to play an musical instrument... The key is to set a goal and then work as hard as you can to accomplish that goal...you'll be amazed at what you are capable of.

When I started down the road to recovery from my Achilles tendon surgery in October of 2005 I had no idea where it would lead. And if you had told me then that today I would be 12 days away from competing in an IronMan I would have said you were crazy. But here I am? There is nothing left to do now except get as healthy as possible. Follow my plan on race day. And enjoy the experience. In my mind I have already won my race...November 7th will be merely a victory lap!

Embracing the Taper

Though it is difficult for me I am trying my best to embrace the "taper" phase of my training. I definitely have mixed emotions when I skip a workout or reduce the total time of workout. On the one hand I feel good that I am listening to my body and giving myself the best chance to enter the race as healthy as possible. On the other hand I have been training at such a high volume (for me) for so long that I feel a little bit of guilt.

Take today for example. I live just outside of Philadelphia and as you may know we are in the midst of some rainy weather. As a result of this rain I hooked my bike to the trainer and rode inside. Previously I would have rode outside in the rain but this close to the race I don't want to take a chance crashing on the wet ground or catching a cold. The ride inside is a little monotonous but I got it in...4.5 hours pedaling in one place is not a great way to spend a Saturday morning. Thankfully next weeks ride is only 2.5 hours and then its off to Panama City Beach!

After the bike ride I was scheduled to run 45 minutes but the rain outside was really coming down and I am prone to blistering on my feet so I decided to skip it. Last weekend I ran in the rain and ended up with a nice blister on my little toe. Better to miss a run today and get a good one in tomorrow.

I also bypassed the swim workout today. There is just no chance that I am driving all the way to the gym to swim for 30 minutes. So today's workout was a not quite what I wanted but I feel like I made the smart choice. Time will tell I guess. 14 days and counting....

Draggin a Little Today

The energy level is not quite there today. I got a little caught up in the hype of the Phillies come from behind win over the L.A. Dodgers. I actually dozed off between the 7th and 8th inning and woke up in the ninth after J Roll's big hit! After that the adrenalin kicked in and next thing I knew it was 2 am.

The late night forced me to split my workout into a morning and afternoon session. Cranked out a solid hour on the bike this morning -- 4x6 mins a@ 82-86%. After the bike ride it was off to work and to find out that my company (Morgan Stanley) had sold off the retail portion of its asset management business to focus solely on Institutional investors.

Whenever I say this I can't help but think of that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine and George cook up that story so George can go on a date with Marissa Tomei. The premise is that George has to help Elaine and her boyfriend through a difficult decision. You see he is an importer / exporter and she thinks he should only export and he thinks he should focus on importing.

Anyway, my area is reporting and analysis and we support both retail and institutional so I am unsure if/how this impacts me and my team? Nothing like a little uncertainty right before the big race. Can't wait waste any energy worrying about something that is out of my control. Whatever happens...happens.

After work it was back to the gym for a 45 minute swim session -- 2500 yards total. After the workout I was extremely happy with the way that my legs are feeling. The extra time icing them down over the weekend really seems to have paid off.

Tomorrow is a big bike / run brick before work. Need to get to bed early.

The Journey

Really coming down the home stretch now...less then 19 days to race day! Today is an off day then I start up the last serious week of training. The schedule for the week is as follows:

Mon: Off

Tue: 0.75 hr swim / 1.0 hr bike

Wed: 1.25 hr run / 1.75 hr bike

Thu: 1.0 hr run / 1.0 hr swim

Fri: 0.75 hr swim

Sat: 4.5 hr bike / 0.75 hr run / 0.5 hr swim

Sun: 1.5 hr run / 0.75 hr bike

Most likely I will skip the Thursday run as a precautionary measure...no sense in beating up the knee anymore then is necessary. Other then that I plan to follow the program to the letter and enjoy my last big week of training before the race. Next week the time is cut in half and then the family and I are hopping on a plane and headed to sunny (hopefully) Fl. Mom and Dad are flying in on Wed and Mike, Jess, Shane and Kylie are driving over from Disney on either Thursday or Friday? Can't Wait!

Almost There

As I stepped out from the warmth of my house into the cold driving rain of this nasty October morning I had two things on my mind...1 hour and 45 minutes in this mess and I must be crazy. My training has officially come full circle. I started the 36 week training program in the short dreary cold days of March and am finishing in the short dreary cold days of October.

I am pretty sure that today is the coldest that I have been while training. Despite my best preparations I was completely soaked by the 10 minute mark. The steady 10 mph wind brought the rain in sideways and seemed to be hitting me in the face the entire time. Occasionally I was treated to a nice 25 mph or so gust that cut through my 4 layers of clothing like a knife. I had to talk myself out of turning around no less then 20 times in the first half hour. But after that a funny thing happened...as the rain fell harder my resolve grew stronger.

Today, this weekend for that matter, was a test. One last test to see if I have what it takes to succeed on November 7. As I grew colder my focus heightened. It may sound crazy but I found myself talking to myself..."keep your shoulders back", "be light on your feet", "drink before you have to".

The miles rolled off one after the other. I stuck to the plan...energy gel every 45 minutes, 2 electrolyte tabs every 30 minutes, water every 15 minutes, 1 minute walking break every 15 minutes. Before I knew it I was 11 miles into my 12 mile run and feeling great. The last mile went smooth and before I knew it I was in the house on the bike trainer finishing up my 45 minute cool down.

Just like that my weekend training was finished. Combining today's effort with yesterday's 4.5 hour bike ride and my 4 mile run and I am feeling an incredible sense of accomplishment. On top of this my left knee is getting close to 100%...not there just yet but with any luck I will 100% for race day. If this story plays out like it does in my mind the road to PCB is about to get significantly nicer!

Huge Challenge

Finished up the work week with a strong 45 minute swim. I have no clue how many laps I swam today but I felt great doing it. I've had some doubts about the swim portion of the race (and still do) throughout this training program but if I swim the way I did today I will do just fine. I stayed with in myself throughout the workout today. Focused on my breathing and on being strong and efficient with my swim stroke.

The saying goes that sometimes less is more and this is definitely the case with me in the pool. The less movement that I have, the less splashing about, the less short breaths that I take the better off I am. The key for me on race day will be to stay calm and in control. Avoid the rush in the first 400 yards or so then settle in and make up my time from there.

Tomorrows workout (4.5 hour bike ride, 0.5 hr run and a 0.5 hr swim) presents a huge challenge for me. Not the distance or the time spent training but the conditions that I must train in. The weather forecast for tomorrow is low 40's and rainy. This means that I have to ride the bike trainer indoors for 4.5 hours...is this even possible? I guess that I'll find out because there is zero chance that I am riding outside in that weather and even less of a chance that I am riding at the gym.

Looks like 4 plus hours on the trainer followed by a cold and wet run outside then a late day trip to the gym for a 30 minute swim. We'll see how it goes.

Early Morning Adventures

My early morning adventures continue... the alarm went off at 4:15 again today and again I got right out of bed but today I was a little off. I made it out the door alright and was almost to 95 when I realized I forgot my clothes. This meant I had to turn around and head back home. Not a great way to start the day but at least I wasn't on the highway when I realized my mistake. I made it to the gym 10 minutes later then planned but other then that things were looking good.

The pool was a ghost town....must be the cooler weather scaring all the regulars off? Though I must admit it is difficult to predict how many people will be at the pool at any given point in time. Seems you either have the place to yourself or you are waiting 15 minutes to share a lane. Go figure? This was the best swim workout that I have had it quite some time. My breathing felt good and I really seemed to be moving today. 146 laps total which is a little better then my average for a 1 hour swim.

After the swim I was about to get dressed when I realized that my clothes hadn't been ironed. In my tired state I must have grabbed the clothes in the to be ironed rack iso the ironed rack. Luckily my parents live around the corner from the gym so I swung over to iron my clothes before work only to realize once I got there that their house key was on my other key chain. Ugh!!!!!!! At this point I had to laugh. Here I am headed to work in clothes that appeared as if they had been stored in my wallet. On a positive note my coworkers got a kick out of my bold fashion statement. The kid was on the receiving end of a lot of jokes again today. Nothing you can do but laugh.

Cherishing the Journey

In my last post I vowed to cherish each of the remaining days of my training leading up to IM Florida and so far I have done just that. After bmy off day on Monday I was back at it on Tuesday. Tuesdays workout posed a new challenge for me. I had to be at 30th Street Station to catch a train to Manhattan by 7:25. Factoring in traffic, parking and the walk to the train I figured I'd have to leave my house no later then 6:25 am. This meant an extra early workout for me. The alarm went off at 4:15 am and I initially didn't want to get out of bed but I remembered my vow so I hopped out of bed.....and I was glad that I did. I had a great 1.5 hour bike ride on the computrainer.

I made it to the train station on time and was flying high the rest of the day. I initially considered an evening workout for Tues. but I knew that after a long travel day there would be a 10% chance of me getting on the bike and 2% chance of having a good workout once on the bike. I am glad I sucked it up and got out of bed and on the bike. Morning workouts are no picnic but

Needless to say that after my long day I was beat so I headed to bed immediately after putting the kids down. I was out cold before 9pm. I was glad that I was able to fall asleep so quickly because today's workout called for another 1.5 hour bike ride plus a 1.25 hour run. This meant another 4:15am wake up call for the kid.

Because of my good night sleep I was ready to rock when the alarm went off today. The bike ride was great. I must admit that I am really enjoying riding at home iso the gym. Part of it has to do with my bike set up and the other part is that I found out that TBS runs Married with Children reruns from 5-7 am. I forgot how much I loved that show. Al Bundy cracks me up to no end. He is definitely in my top 5 all time...no doubt about it.

After my bike ride I hit the road for a quick 9 miles. By the way it is official Fall is here. I know it wasn't freezing this morning but it sure as heck felt like it. My hands were practically frozen by the end of the run. In all the run was uneventful I have taken to walking 1 minute every 10-15 minutes in preparation for the marathon on race day.

Tomorrow its back to the gym for an hour in the pool and a 65 minute run!

Inspiration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh1yMnrby3w&feature=player_detailpage#

Persistence

As race day approaches (less then 27 days) my mind races. Will I have what it takes on November 7? Am I ready? What does the race have in store for me?

I saw this quote this morning before my workout and after I read it it was all I could think about. The picture just about says it all...success doesn't occur as the result of a single giant effort, rather it is the result of many small efforts along the way. The reality is that my success on November 7 will have little to do with that day and will have everything to do with the year leading up to it. It is during this time that I have sown the seeds of success. Each morning and evening that I made the choice to work towards my goal. Every moment that I have spent researching race day strategies and then testing them during training. Learning what does and does not work for my body.

Over time my body has gotten stronger. My endurance has increased. My confidence in the water improved. But most importantly my mind has sharpened. My focus has never been greater...at least its never greater then during my training. During my training I follow the plan...I execute the strategy. I am at peace with myself.

Today I ran with a renewed purpose. My legs felt light and my stride strong. The plan is coming together. The time for the race is almost here. It is time to push away the doubt and to keep my eye on the prize. The journey is almost over. I will cherish these last few weeks before the race...because each of these days make up the experience and I want embrace each remaining step.

Cool Drizzle

It felt great to get back at it today. A little rough getting out of bed but once I got moving I was fine. The weather was surprisingly mild this morning. I was all set to go with my cold weather gear...little did I know that I would need my rain gear.

The ride started off nice and I headed out my usual route along highway 13 towards Wilmington. As I did last week I stuck with an 8 mile loop to help to minimize the number of traffic lights that I encounter. Things were going well up until around the 2 hour mark and then the cool drizzle began. Thankfully, a serious down pour never materialized but it did rain just enough to sock my long sleeve T and my socks all the way through. By the time I finished my 3 hour 30 minute (62 miles) ride I was soaked and chilled to the bone and dying for a steaming hot shower.

Unfortunately that would have to wait as I had to head back out for a 45 minute run. The run started off a little rough. My knees both felt tight but began to loosen up after about a mile. This has pretty much been par for the course for me during my training. I maintained a steady 8 minute and 20 second pace until the 5 mile mark and then walked the rest of the way in.

Overall I rate today a success though I am hoping for some better weather for tomorrows long run.

Hiatus

Took a little hiatus from training this week. After taking my impromptu day off on Wed, I decided at the last second that I would skip my 65 minute run on Thursday and just swim instead. After a long day of Thursday I decided to skip the Friday swim and just get after it this weekend.

I must admit that I felt a slight amount of guilt in skipping the run Thurs and the swim today but I know that it was the right thing to do. Tomorrow I have a 3.5 hour bike ride followed by a 45 minute run. Sunday is a 1.5 hour run followed by a 1 hour run. I plan to stay with in myself on all aspects of the training this weekend. Just want to get a solid couple of days work in before the start of another 15 hour training week.

On a side note I am heading back to the podiatrist on Monday morning. Purely precautionary...I've been running on the same orthotics for about 6 months and want to make sure they don't need to be resurfaced.

I am off to put the kids to bed and enjoy a couple of glasses of wine.

The Clock is Ticking

Last evening I made all of the necessary preparations to ensure a successful workout this morning. I hooked up my road bike to the trainer. Got my water bottles together and went to bed at a reasonable hour. I had a great night sleep and when the alarm went off at 4:30 am I was wide awake. What an odd feeling?

As I got myself out of bed I noticed that my legs actually felt pretty good today. This is the best they have felt since before falling off my bike 11 days ago). As I sat there and assessed the situation I realized that I liked feeling this way and decided on the spot that I would skip my workout today (2 hour bike / 1 hour 15 minute run). This is completely out of character for me. Normally I push myself to train even when I don't feel like it (which is almost everyday). But not today...today would be a day of rest.

As I mentioned previously I have spent a lot of time reading all things Ironman related and in many of the articles that I have read a common theme occurred. Most first time athletes arrive at race day in an "over trained" state. Allow me to elaborate...this does not mean that they arrived in "too good" a shape but rather it means they didn't strike the proper balance between exercise and rest. Many don't even realize it until they are out on the race and then it is too late.

I am now in the middle of the 31st week of my 36 week program. I have run close to ~1,000 miles, biked ~4,000 miles and swam ~150 miles. In one day I have run 20 miles on another day I swam 4 miles and on two other days biked 100 miles. I have completed a Half Ironman in 5 hours and 20 minutes. At this stage of the game it is safe to say that I am in shape. The two biggest factors in determining my success on race day (Nov 7) will not be whether or not I hammer out my 2o or so remaining workouts. There are but two things left to do...enter the race healthy and execute my game plan. Now is not the time to be a hero now is time to be smart. Now is not the time to be a hero...now is the time to be smart. Less then 30 days...the clock is ticking.

Those that Ignore History....

Those that ignore history are doomed to repeat it....yours truly falls into that category. I have spent the last month or so whining about the new bikes at the gym and swore two weeks ago that I was done for good. Last week I set up the road bike on the trainer at home and had my best week of riding in quite some time. So with that success fresh in my mind I decided to...go to the gym and ride the dreaded bike. I am a glutton for punishment...after about 50 minutes I had to get off the bike. My knee was bothering me and and my ankle felt stiff. I got off the bike took about three steps and felt a shooting pain up my left achilles tendon. I have said it before but this time I mean it...I am done with the bikes at the gym!

Having cut the bike ride short by about 30 minutes I found myself with some extra time so I decided to hit the weights and also did some core work. Good decision...I left the gym feeling great and ready for a day of work.

After an uneventful day at the office it was back to the gym for my 45 minute swim. I walked into the pool area and it was a mad house....8-10 year olds everywhere. There must have been 20 of them? Somehow there was an empty lane...I can't believe my luck.

As usual I focused on my breathing while taking long controlled strokes. After about 10 laps I started to loosen up and could really feel my pace increasing with a relatively low amount of effort. This went on until about the 20 lap mark. At this time a woman who looked to be about 40 asked if I would mind if she shared a lane with me.

I should have been charged an admission fee to witness the swimming clinic that she put on. I have mentioned before that I am a strong swimmer more so then a fast swimmer but I can get up down the pool a little bit....or so I thought?

For the next 15 minutes my lane partner passed me every 10 laps. Then after she loosened up she proceeded to pass me every 8 laps. I was helpless...there was nothing I could do to keep up. I am consistently amazed and impressed at how effortlessly the great swimmers make it look.

Tomorrow is another big day training day for me....2 hour bike ride followed by a 1 hour 15 minute run. I am getting off the computer to set up the bike trainer.

Big Week in the Books

The conclusion of this week marks the end of both the largest week and weekend of my training program and also the beginning of my taper period. The weekend began innocently enough on Friday with a 2 mile swim. Nothing exceptional to report just a very solid swim. I spent the entirety of this swim focused on keeping my heart rate down and extending each stroke as far as possible. My goal for the swim portion of the Ironman is not time related but rather to get out of the water having consumed as little energy as possible. There will be plenty of time for me to make for lost time on the bike and run portions.

On to the meat of the weekend. Saturday's workout called for a 5 hour and 20 minute bike ride followed by a 40 minute run. For those that follow the blog regularly you will recall that I fell off the bike at the end of last weekends long ride. This would be my first road ride since the fall. It was important for me to get my confidence back...in a big way. What better way to do so then to set a big goal and accomplish it. The goal for Sat. would be 100 miles. The ride went great! I am really feeling confident in my fueling strategy at this stage of the game. I nailed 100 miles in 5 hours 24 minutes (which includes bathroom breaks, traffic light stops and a stop at the 7-eleven to refill my bottles). I feel like all of the kinks have been worked out and I am ready to go.

After the bike ride my legs felt really good....much to my surprise? I quickly transitioned and was out on the road and cruised through 4 miles in 33 minutes and then cooled down with about a 10 minute walk. I am certain that I will not run my marathon leg at that speed on race day but it felt good to stretch the legs a little bit without gassing myself.

I woke up this morning and was surprised by how good my legs felt. It is hard to believe how far I have come in such a short period of time. I remember looking at the training program around this time last year and thinking there is just no way...no way that I will be able to do this, yet here I am? Go figure.

Because of the heavy training load this week I didn't want to chance an injury so I went up to the track for my scheduled 2 hour and 30 minute run. Yes, you read that correctly...I went to the track to run for 2.5 hours. The track surface is fantastic and greatly reduces the wear and tear on my knees. More importantly the track is flat which means no steep down hill runs.

The run went great. I was amazed at how well I felt physically though I must admit that running in circles all day can test your mental health. At the 2 hour mark I noticed that I had completed a little under 15 miles and decided then that I would extend out the run to 20 miles. My pace slowed slightly over the last 5 miles but I was able to get in 2o miles in 2 hours and 44 minutes. I am disappointed in the fact that I forgot my electrolyte tabs. I feel that if I had taken them during the run as I usually do I would have felt a little better at the runs conclusion...but I am not going to complain. The workout concluded with a 30 minute bike ride followed by a well deserved glass of ice water.

As far as training goes the worst is now behind me as I enter into the "taper" period of my training program. With the conclusion of this training week (Bike 200 miles, Run 42 miles, Swim ~6 miles) I must admit that I am feeling optimistic about my chances of on November 7. Just need to stay healthy and continue to follow the program.

Back - to - Back

Back to back days of running and the left knee feels decent...definitely not 100% but I'll take it. Eased my way into it this morning starting with an easy walk and then picked up the pace. 1.5 miles at the 15 minute mark. After this I ran off a 4 x 1 mile at the following paces 8, 7.5, 7.0 and 6.5 min miles with a walking 3 minute break between each. Followed this up with a 4 x 0.25 miles at 6 min mile pace. Total time was 65 minutes total distance around 7.5 miles.

Followed up the run with a 5o minutes swim. The swim was decent but not great. It is tough to dial it up after a high intensity run like that. I plan to make up for it tomorrow with a hard 55 minutes. Looking forward to a the nice cool weather this weekend but not the huge workouts.

Saturday:
30 min swim
5.5 hour bike
45 min run

Sun:
2 hour 45 min run
1 hour bike

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Today was a big test for me after my latest injury resulting from my bike fall on Saturday. This morning I found myself up at an absurd hour cranking away on my bike trainer...2 hours and 15 minutes in total. Following the ride I put in a little road work.

My knee was a little tight initially and I must admit I was concerned. After around 15 minutes the knee finally started to loosen up. This was probably related to the fact that it takes me 15 minutes of hills climbing to get to an area of relatively flat ground. I averaged 8.5 minute miles when running and took 30 sec walking breaks every mile to evaluate the way the leg was feeling. All in all it felt good. On the way back I took a conservative approach by walking down all of the significant hills. This was when my knee really flared up on Saturday so I decided not to risk it. In total I ran 1 hour and 30 minutes and covered a little under 10 miles. Not bad for a Wed morning?

Tomorrow it is back to the gym for an hour in the pool and 70 minutes on the treadmill. So far so good...hoping that the knee is 100% at the conclusion of the weekend. This week represents the last huge week of training for me (20 hours of tri specific and another 5 hours of strength and core work). Next week I begin my taper with the first of two 15 hour weeks. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter...is it daylight or an oncoming train? Only time will tell.

Switched it up

As I mentioned in yesterday's post I switched up the routine and did my bike workout on the bike trainer at my house. What a nice change of pace. Working out a home has its advantages:

go from the bed to the bike in a matter of minutes
road bike is much better then gyms bike
no naked old men wandering around me when I change
no naked old men weighing themselves
no naked old men watching CNBC
get to see the kids before work

I am happy to report that my knee felt great today. Though still sensitive to the touch there was no swelling or pain throughout the duration of the ride. After my bike ride it was off to work. Following work I stopped at the gym for a quick 45 minute swim. The swim workout called for a 10 minute warm - up 30 x 50 yds sets of increasing intensity but I decided at the last second to switch it up. The pool was crowded so I had to share a lane with someone. The person I swam with was a fantastic swimmer and provided a great pacer for me throughout. She was swimming a rotation of 2 x each of the following: free style, butterfly, breast stroke and then back stroke and it was all I could do to stay ahead of her. This was the best swim workout that I have had in weeks! My stroke felt strong and smooth...a couple more workouts like this and I will be ready.

Tomorrow is a beast! Wake up call will be 3 am...have to squeeze in a 2 hour 15 minute bike ride and a 1 hour 30 minute run before work. I will be dragging by the end of day tomorrow.

Off Days and Recovery

After my fall on Saturday I took a couple of days to recover. The knee is still sensitive to the touch by otherwise feels stable and my range of motion is good. The plan is to hook my road bike to my trainer and finish the remainder of my work week cycling at home. I am finished with the gym trainer! I haven't felt 100% comfortable on it since they brought in the new ones. Anyway, having the trainer set up at home adds a measure of convenience to my daily training routine. As breaking down the trainer takes but a few minutes I plan to complete the remaining long weekend rides on the road.

As the race day rapidly approaches I have an unquenchable thirst for all things Ironman related. Video clips, articles, blogs and chats. I am amazed at the sacrifice that each person has made to realize their dreams. In reading about (literally dozens of people) I have identified a few common traits

• extremely motivated and driven individual
• all seem to have a very strong support group
• each have had numerous bumps in the road
• all are striving to improve ourselves each day

I am particuarly grateful for all of the fantastic people that I have in my life. My wife in particular has been a rock throughout this entire process. The sacrifices that she has had made so that I can chase this dream are too many to count. The Ironman dream can not be achieved with out sacrifice, hundreds of hours of hard work over multiple years and it can not be accomplished alone. This goes even further then my wife. It includes my kids, parents, mother-in-law, family, friends, co-workers and acquaintences. There is just no way that I make it this far without the support, guidance, advice and inspiration that each of you provide to me each day.

Not to be left out are the people that are no longer with me but who have played such a big part in my life...in making me the person that I am today. A funny thing happens when you are out for a 5 hour bike ride or a 3 hour run....you have a lot of time to think. When I am most exhausted and struggling for a way to push on it is then that they are with me.

I don't know what race day has in store for me but I know this...I know that I will not be out there alone...and for that I am thankful. Thank you to everyone for all that you have done.

Slow Motion Fall of Shame

After my extreme soreness on Thursday I decided that my long term interests would be best served by taking Friday off. I have been going pretty hard the last month or so and sometimes it is best to allow your body to fully recover.

Saturday morning I got off to a later start then usual. I helped Miss get Em and John ready to go to Em's dance class and after they were safely on their way I hopped on my bike for a scheduled 4 hour ride. My body really felt great today. The air was cool and refreshing and the sun was warm on my face. I took my usual route: Route 13 to Wilmington, RT 52 to West Chester, Creek Road north until I reach my turnaround point.

Not surprisingly the roads were packed with cyclists. As I rode along I took time to speak with various people throughout the ride. You really meet some interesting people out there and it helps to break the monotony over the course of a 4 hour bike ride.

I really seem to have my fueling strategy down pat at this point and was feeling great and actually looking forward to my 50 minute run. With about 5 miles to go I approached a left turn from Shipley Road onto Wilson Road and then it happened.... my slow motion fall of shame.

Allow me to elaborate. For those unfamiliar with cycling it is quite common to wear shoes which literally clip onto the pedal. "Clipping in" allows a cyclist to be much more efficient with each pedal stroke. The cyclist can not only push down on the pedal but also pull back up as they are clipped to the pedal.

However, this also introduces and element of risk to the equation. The cyclist must rotate their foot, with a fair amount of force, to dislocate the shoe from the pedal. This is typically non event but if you ride long enough you find yourself in the position that I found myself in.

As I approached the light I was rolling up behind a car that seemed as if they would easily turn and I would simply follow. For some reason the car opted to stop and wait for the next light instead of passing through? I was force to apply the brakes quickly to avoid hitting the car. As I came to an abrupt stop I tried to unclip from the pedal but could not get the shoe off. This happened in the matter of a second or so but felt forever. Gravity took over and I fell hard to the asphalt.

The other unfortunate thing is that when attempting to unclip the knee rotates out and thus takes the brunt force of the fall. To make matters worse there were no less then 20 cars that witnessed my mishap. I quickly hoped up and made my way to the side of the road and literally got back on my bike and pedaled off. How embarrassing! My knee was throbbing as I pedaled the last 5 miles home.

When I got home I accessed the damaged and the knee looked o.k. Maybe the only thing that was hurt was my pride? I decided that I should continue on with my workout and complete my 50 minute run. This may not have been my best idea? The knee felt great, initially. I was cranking along at a 8 minute mile pace for about 35 minutes when I began the decent back to the house. That is when I began to feel tightness in my left knee. I decided to slow it down and walk a little bit. My logic was no sense in hurting myself on my run...I did just fall off my bike. Little did I know the damage had been done.

I went for a sip of water out of my bottle and accidentally dropped it on the ground. As I bent down to pick up the bottle my knee caught fire. I looked down and saw a golf ball sized lump just below the knee cap. This can't be good:-( I slowly walked the rest of the way home as dozens of horrible thoughts raced through my head. I iced the knee heavily the rest of the day,

This morning the lump is down 50% but the pain is still there. Looks like I am "day to day" for a little while.

A little too much?

Looks like I may have over done it with my training? Yesterday I split my workout into a morning bike ride and an evening run. Everything seemed fine...my legs were tired but nothing out of the ordinary when I finished up my run at 7:30pm. After the kids were in bed I noticed that my legs seemed a little tighter then usual but figured it was related to the wrestling match that doubles as tucking the kids in.

I went to bed around 9:30 thinking that everything was fine. When I awoke this morning at 4:30 and attempted to walk down stairs I realized that my legs felt completely dead. I would rate them as equal to the way I felt the morning after the half IM. I went to the gym hoping that I would feel some recovery. I powered through my 1 hour swim (132 laps) but had nothing for my the run. In fact I didn't even attempt it. Better to skip today and live to see another day. Instead pf my 70 minute run I walked 2.1 miles on the treadmill in 30 minutes and called it a day.

Tomorrow is a light day (45 min swim / 50 minute bike) before my monster weekend.

Divide and Conquer

The theme for this week is divide and conquer. As in divide the workout into a morning and evening session in order to make the work out practical....as well as keep me from getting fired. Not sure how it would go over at the office if I strolled in at 10am every morning?

After my day off on from training on Monday (unfortunately I still had to work) it was back at it on Tuesday. In the morning I completed a 45 minute high intensity swim. The highlight of the swim was 10 sets x 150 yd at 85-90%. After a good warm up I was right into it. The first couple of sets were a little rocky as I struggled to find my rhythm but after around set number 3 I was feeling great. I switched it up a little today by alternating my breathing from every 3rd stroke to every 5th and even 7th stroke on alternating laps. I noticed during my half IM swim that my breathing was a little labored in the early going and I figure that training with less breathing will help improve this? Keep in mind that I am winging a lot of the stuff I do in this program. All in all I was quite satisfied with the swim (112 laps - 45 minutes).

After the swim it was 45 minutes of strength training followed by 15 minutes of core then off to work. After work it was back to the gym for 1.5 hours of bike work on the dreaded trainer. To make matters worse I forgot my iPod! I hate when that happens. Nothing worse then an hour and a half of listening to people complain to each other about there day. Any way I got the workout in (30 miles - 1.5 hrs) and finished up the day with a total workout time of 3 hours and 15 minutes.

This morning it was back to the gym and the bike trainer. This time it was 1 hour and 40 minutes (~33 miles) plus another 20 minutes of core and stretching. Then off to work again. After work I resisted the temptation of the fantastic dinner Missy had made and got out for a little over 9 miles in 1 hour 15 minutes. At the end of the run my legs were really feeling it. Glad I don't have to bike tomorrow. Total time for the day another 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Tomorrow I am scheduled for a 1 hour swim followed by a 70 minute run.

Sunday Catch Up -- Bobby O's 60th

As race day approaches (less the 47 days!) the intensity and time of my training increases (21 hours last week alone). This increase in time coupled with family, work and an active social calendar poses some interesting challenges. This week would be no exception. Shortly after my century ride on Saturday it was off to Centersville, MD to join friends to celebrate Bob O'Connor's 60th birthday. The party was a great time! You can't go wrong when you gather a fantastic group of people and add lots of food, drink and music! Highlights of the night included Keith O'Connor breaking out some of the old school dance moves and nailing a couple of perfectly executed windmills. Carrie O'Connor and her Dad (the birthday boy) paying tribute to Patrick Swayze and absolutely killing the flying run an leap that he and baby did in dirty dancing. Not bad for a sixty year old!

The party wrapped up around 1am and we were back to the hotel by 1:30. The next morning meant and opportunity to sleep in and grab breakfast in the lobby for the rest of the party goers...but for yours truly in meant taking his training act on the road. The work out for today was what I'll call a sandwich workout. 1 hour and 50 minute run / 30 minute bike / 55 minute run.surroundings.

I drug myself out of bed around 7:10 and before I knew it was off. I couldn't have been 10 minutes into the run when over the music in my headphones I heard the sound that every runner dreads....the sound of a dog bark that was getting louder by the second. Seems as if I had wandered onto the turf of some very protective dog. Luckily the dog wasn't all that aggressive...he just wanted me out of there. No problem pal I am not looking for any trouble.

I circled back and found a small road (chester river beach road) 0.75 miles in length. The quaint street was nestled along the Chesapeake Bay. The view of the bay and the passing sailboats was incredible and the dogs in this neighborhood all had leashes. That was more then enough for me so I decided that I would simply run up and down this street the rest of the way. The people on this street were very welcoming, though somewhat curious as to who this strange man was running up and down our street all morning. One sweet older lady (who's name escapes me) even stopped me to find out what the heck I was doing?

The first segment of the workout went well (12.5 miles) but I must admit I was dragging towards the end. I made it back to the hotel and was elated to see a continental breakfast spread fit for a king. I grabbed a bagel, some danish, a couple of mini-muffins and enjoyed them while I transitioned to the bike. The bike ride was just what the doctor ordered....a half hour of moderate tempo pedaling along the flat Maryland had my legs feeling like a million bucks.

After the bike ride I transitioned back to my running gear and knocked out another 6.5 miles in 55 minutes. I set out with a goal of 7.5 miles in 55 minutes but decided that I would hold back. I had had a big weekend and didn't want to risk injury. Besides the workout for today called for 165 minutes of running (not a specific distance).

Today is an off day! Tuesday is a 45 minute swim (10 x 150 at 85-92% HR) and a 85 minute bike ride -- 4 x 12 minutes of high intensity riding (84-90% HR).

Century Ride

Only time for a quick post today...getting ready to head down to the Baltimore area for a 60th Birthday party for a life long family friend Bob O'Connor. We've been looking forward to this party for a while. The O'Connor family knows how to throw a party and have a great time!

A new personal best on the bike today! 100 miles in the books. I didn't start out with this as a goal merely to ride for 5 hours and 30 minutes. Today was my first training ride where everything went perfect....no flats, crashes, dropped water bottles, rain. It was a great ride and I am feeling good. Tomorrow is another huge challenge for me. 2 hour and 45 minute run with a 60 minute bike ride to mix in. I'll worry about tomorrow...tomorrow. For now its time to party!

Another Test

Today presented me with another test a challenge if you will. This would be the longest weekday workout of my training program, 3.5 hours, one and a half hour run followed by a 2 hour bike ride. In addition to this I had to take my daughter Emily to her first day of school today. Thank the good lord my mother-in-law (i hate the phrase) Helene is here to look after our children during the week. She is the best!

Because of this I was able to get my run in before spending the morning with Em at her first day of school.

Side Note: it is amazing to me how late the sun is coming up already? limited daylight....yet another obstacle on the road to Florida.

I have to admit to being a little nervous about this run this morning. This is my first run since my race and I was worried that I would have a calf or hip issue. I took the run extremely easy today running only 10 miles in 90 minutes (9 min pace). I have another 4.5 hours of running ahead of me this week and I don't want to risk injury.

After school and some quality time with my little girl I snuck out and squeezed in a 2 hour bike ride...and of course about an hour into the ride it began pouring rain on me. I am thinking that I should reach out to drought stricken areas and offer my services (for a small fee of course).. seems like regardless of the forecast there is a 60% chance of rain any time I hop on the bike? All that being said I knocked out 32 miles (16 mph). This pace is horrible for me but is a result of riding around town during mid-day traffic. Because of time constraints I didn't stop the gps when waiting for a traffic light to turn or when I stopped to fix my popped chain...ugh!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow I am scheduled for a 75 minute run and a 60 minute swim. One day at a time, one day at a time.