Weekend at large..

Let's get straight to training updates!

Friday, I went out to Twin Lakes for a little open water swimming again with some fellow Team in Training people. Swam ~1000 w/wet suit, I think I started too fast as I tired within the first 300 and couldn't seem to find a groove after that but got it done.

Then once out of the water and wet suit off, the sports doc, JD, said let's swim to the Tiki Man and back with no wet suits. WTF! Are you kidding me, its a lake, I can't touch, I might drown, it's too far, I'm freakn out! After a little pushing I jumped in and swam to Tiki Man and back which was about 200 meters! Yahoo! I did it! So know I know my 400 meter swim of Silverlake is do able!! I was really just nervous and not confident in my swimming but a little push factor and I got it done, thanks JD.

Saturday morning JD and I and there were about 4 others scheduled to ride met at a high school parking lot. Well, turns out the 4 others canceled/no showed and so JD and I were off. Cruising along at a stead 16mph and just taking. I noticed my HR was reading 150 the hole time and I felt good, a little winded at times but with a few deep breathes I was OK. After JD suckn wheel for a while he took the lead and let me do some drafting, this was pretty cool, b/c I have never really been where I can draft so to feel the difference was interesting. We didn't stay like that too long and I dropped out of the zone but the 22 mph with the tail wind we had was cool!

After 28 miles we transitioned out and started running from the high school down to Twin Lakes as they were having a big open water swim meet. The run was about 2 miles round trip. It was a little hot by this time so before we headed back to the high school we jumped in the lake for a cool off! It was great! Got done, headed back to the cars and home we went.

Now for the final word!!!! (drum roll please.......) I will be starting work with the sports doc, JD, on May 15th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yahooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (amen to that!!!)

I'm some ways it was good that the others didn't show up b/c it gave us time to talk a little business and get some things worked out.

Oh yeah, after I got home I was so excited about the workout and starting work I was totally a jabber box and my family was like, dad, slow down!! breath...haha..(and then to make it more funny, my daughter had a friend staying over and she was like, Does your dad come back from riding his bike like that all the time? haha.. now that's funny!)

After filling in the family and getting cleaned up, it was off to lunch and then to Corteo - Cirque du Soleil. Any of the du Soleil's are amazing and this was no different! The show was totally awesome and I am so amazed at there athletic/gymnastic abilities! If you have never seen a show go to one when you get the chance, Yes, the tickets are expensive but worth it!!

Then it was home for some family TV time as we all watched Pear Harbor together, nice and then off to bed.

Today, even after sleeping 8.5 hrs I feel tired and pulse was a couple of beats higher. My run of 5 miles is scheduled today but I might move/skip it as I don't feel recovered at this time.

Have a great Sunday all... rockon`

Training..feeling 100%

First off a great big Thank You "to the Millions" (people: And Millions!) of fellow bloggers for the great comments on the Cap Tex Tri and encouragement!

Training this week has been working as planned. I have a had great swim/bike/runs and even a brick yesterday after 18 mi ride. Tomorrow, heading back out to the Twin Lakes with a few others for some more open water swimming, will try and get some pics of the others.

Also and the best news! I feel 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After taking coach tammys advice and increasing my sleep time, last few nights have been at least 8 hours a couple were like 9 and 10 hrs! and just adding some vitamins/minerals.

"Finally, JohnnyTri has come back to HOOUUSSTONN!!!" (ok, it sounds better with The Rock, but you get the point if you seen The Rock when he was active in WWF/E)

One side step was my daughter's great grandma, on her dad's side, passing on Saturday and the services were held on Mon night and Tuesday morning, so I had to take time off for that. Her great grandma was a wonderful lady, I know knew here briefly, but she was very nice and always outgoing. She will be missed. God Bless.

Wednesday my daughter stayed home from school for an extra day as did my wife and so we all got to go to lunch at a great old time burger place that my wife grew up eating near downtown Houston called Champ Burger! If your in H-town and near downtown you gotta go! It was really nice to have lunch with the family, as I mentioned, that we do not get time to have lunch's all together due to work and/or school. I really enjoyed the time as did they!

Not sure if I mentioned but on Saturday my wife and I attended a seminar called Teens in Transition by Bruce Johnston. This guy is so great in putting things together for parents and kids. Bruce came from a family of 12! as the oldest. Anyway, I truly loved it, we learned and shared with our daughter lots and also are now looking at spending some time together and going to a Father/Daughter trip at a place called the JH Ranch in Northern California. It's quite pricey but so worth it, as nothing can value bonding with your kids (esp. for me as a step dad) I am blessed to have a loving and accepting daughter!

rockon!

its on NOW!!!

And so it is Official!

OK, here's the update, after the open water lake swim, JD, was really pumped, as I, that we swam 1000m and he asked if I was going to do the Cap Tex Tri. This was my original plan back in Feb but when the layoff came, financially things changed as you all could imagine. After filling JD he understood. Later that afternoon he messaged me a few times and was again asking about Cap Tri. I finally told him that I was just not financially read and it may be just a little sooner (or not enough training) in the amount of time that was left, Race day is May 28th, Memorial Day.

The next text I got from JD: Sign up! Bring me the registration and I will reimburse you..Let's do it together! No way! I replied, are you serious? Yes, he said, Let's do it!

Now I was really flying but was nervous and scared to sit in front of the computer and fill out the active.com registration form. Now came the moment of truth, time to click the submit button. (OK, now is the time that my mind starts going off and it goes like this: the swim, the bike, and run WTF! I can make the swim but now I am not ready for the bike or running as my distances have been short with the colds I have been fighting and now I only have about 5 weeks! Oh Crap! What am I doing? You can't do this, you don't have enough time, maybe if you had 8-10 weeks and were healthy. And besides you are doing the Silverlake sprint the weekend before!!! Hello! You think your an amateur pro! Wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Just then I clicked the button! Yup, Congratulations you have been registered! (during this time JD was texting me asking if I had signed up) Well, there it is Official as can be. Text JD and told him I'm in but we are not doing it together because last time I looked Triathlons were individual, haha, and that he just wanted me to feel the pain with him, he laughed.

So now the training has changed a little from the side bars and will be updating.

I'm totally excited even if I only have about 5 weeks. It's all about fun! and fun we shall have!

So today's training is a 20 mile bike ride but it's totally storming here so it looks like it will be on the trainer.

rockon` peps!

Open water swim..

Just got back from my 1st open water swim this year. It was out at a place called Twin Lakes and there were about 8 of us, most training for the Capital Texas Olympic Tri end of May.

It was great to get some open water swimming. I lake was a little cold and wet suits were very welcomed. The out swim was directly into some head wind with some chop but the turn around was great with that tail wind helping.

At first I was nervous as was others but after about 500 meters and making the turn around I was more relaxed and just focusing on breathing, sighting, and not stopping. Made the loop and then 3 of us called it a day while the others did one more loop.

Some of you may have noticed I changed some side bar stuff and added 2 weeks of training for Accountability purposes for the Silverlake tri.

Feeling better still but not 100%, I would say 88%.

Time to relax and get some reading done. Oh, BTW, I finished the Lance Armstrong Performance Program book so book recap to come soon and started with another book, kind of 2 books, more on that later too.

rockon` A few pics from the Twin Lakes. The bike Blue Ticky pole is funny, there is actually a big yellow one in the lake as a marker!

Brick Question?

I am currently planning out the next 28 days till the Silverlake Sprint Tri.

Question: Do you feel 2 Bricks (bike/run) per week is good or should I only do 1 per week?

rockon`

Distance: 400 meter/10 mile/3 mile

I'm In!

OK, I did it! I signed up for the Silverlake Sprint Triathlon. May 20th

It's 400m open water lake swim/10 mi bike/3 mi run.

Should be no wetsuit so that will be my biggest fear :( but should be fine, should be, (glup)

rockon`

PS. no more bridesmaid...

a week at hand.

So it's already Thursday as the week has moved quickly. I am still fighting the mild cough/congestion but overall its better just not gone!

Training this week as been an easy 3 mile run and good upper body workout with 20 mins of elliptical cardio exercise. Sunday, I am scheduled with my sports chiro bro's for an open water swim so it should be interesting being as I will be swimming without a wet suit, maybe, depending on the water temp, if too cold, I will swim with it and get the practice in.

On another note: I received word this week that one of my cousins, although not too close with as we grew up a part and are a few years a part but he is relation was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer Stage II, he is 27 years young. Yes, it was a little shocking but as a doctor I understand how and when things happen and so my questions were how is he doing and is he ready to win this little life battle? He underwent an outpatient surgical process today and being as it is Stage II he is toward the beginning of the cancer which is good and from my understanding has a fairly good prognosis with treatment. After reading the book Its Not About the Bike, Lance Armstrong, I had a great understanding of what is expected during treatment and prognosis and was able to provide information to my mother who in turn relayed it to her sister, Kathy (it's my aunts son, Daniel).

After learning of this on Tuesday, yesterday, I ordered him the LiveStrong Notebook/Organizer and had it shipped to them. I also have some LiveStrong braclets that I will be sending out tomorrow. I was already wearing the LiveStrong yellow braclet in support of cancer patients after reading the book but now I wear it for them and Daniel! It's great because I never take it off, swimming, biking, running, showering, it does not come off! Period! You never really think that when you support something as I started out after reading the book that I would actually know someone so close (family) that you will be supporting.

I pray for there family to be strong and for Daniel to be stronger as he will need it as he goes through medications and treatments. I sent him a note stating to LiveStrong and that he can win this little test of life. A part of me is sad and another part of me wants to be there with him to motivate, support, listen, cry, and walk as much as I can along his journey but living 900 miles away makes those things hard. It's my job now to let him know that I am here, supporting and cheering him on, a cousin that's distance but is closer than he thinks. It's my job to help other understand and learn. It's my job to be an advocate. It's my job to LiveStrong for others.

May 16th is LiveStrong Day! and although this year I am a little late to organize any types of events but you wait till next year Baby! I'm gonna do it so remember this day and come next year we can go back to archives! rockon`

Rally, Riding, and The Wall of Death.

Yahooooo! I'm back! and what a great weekend riding, freezing, and hanging with family. Let's get to it. Rode down to the San Antonio Bike Fest 2007, we first rode a little out of the way to meet up with my other brother inlaw, Mark, and his family and friend, Ray, who came up from the southern part of Texas. Once we meet up it's easy riding into San Antonio, BAM! wait a minute. As we're about 18 miles out my brother-sister inlaw, Gerado/Alice, who I rode with to meet up with Mark get a freakn` flat tire! (see pictures)

So luckily Mark's wife, Yolanda, was following in the truck with there kids, so us macho guys lifted the bike into the back of the truck, tied it down and hauled it on into San An to find a place to fix it. Finally, after several phone calls we had to drop it off and leave it till next morning to get it fixed, which was fine because we were all tired, wanted to hang out, drink some beer and get caught up, not to mentioned to totally Stormed later about 8pm and it got cold so it was good we were just hanging at the great Motel 6.

Next morning after breakfast we go to pick up the flat tire bike. Now I first have to give a HUGE Thanks to the guys at THE MOTORCYCLE SHOP for fixing the bike in such a short notice, being as all the other dealers would not even have time to fix it till Tuesday!! WTF! So The Motorcycle Shop gets the total plug and if your in San Antonio and need great service, friendly guys, and great deals check them out. OK, but the Motorcycle Shop is a Scooter Shop, yes, the do work on all makes of motorcycles and repairs but there main sales is Scooters! So you can imagine the jokes flying around my family with having to leave a Gerado/Alices bike at the Scooter shop to get fixed! Haha. And we have evidence. (see pictures)

Once back on the road it was over to the Rally where many bike manufactures were on display and many riders were walking about the vendors and shops. It was freakn` cold out Saturday so bundling up was a must. One of the coolest parts of the Rally was watching Rhett Rotten and the Wall of Death. This guy is one of the last guys around to perform this stunt from the early 1900's. It's totally amazing how he rides in on the wall and balances himself, without hands, side saddle, and takes tips from spectators hands as they hold paper currency over the rail in there hands and he just grabs it out while he goes around, Amazing! Not only does the guy put on a great show but he is very professional in his respect for his work, the fans, and his crew, which, includes his wife. He is a complete Class Act! Thanks Rhett. (see pictures)

After the rally we were at Ray's cousins house who hosted us and threw a great BBQ, thanks Mike for cooking, your totally awesome on the grill!

Sunday, was breakfast and walking around the San Antonio market square where I finally found some chaps that I had been looking for, which, would totally come in hand later that evening as we rode home and it got cooler. During the day we all went by the Alamo and then for a late lunch before heading out. (see pictures)

The ride home was basically straight down I-10 with all the speed demons heading back to H-town. I tell you people totally haul ass down the highway. Anyway, we made it back about 9pm after a long day and by then it was cold and I was so digging the chaps I had bought.

Today, it's catch up, was clothes and get a short run in. Oh and yes, I still have part of the cold. The cough is somewhat still there along with some congestion. I'm sure the cold weather didn't help while were riding around but what can ya do.

It's all good. Glad to be back.

rockon`

PS. today is also a frown sad day for me because IM Arizona has just opened up and financially I am not ready to sign up! Sucks! :(

Looking for me this weekend..

then you will find me here

http://www.rivercitybikefest.com/

I am putting on the leathers and hitting the open highways, so will have some pics when I get back! Feel better, still coughing but I'll be fine!

I'm rip as the mill....Doc Holiday; Tombstone.

Until then fellow bloggers...

Rockon`

It got me.

Let's get to it!

Training for Monday later in the evening was the bike stationary work which I followed a workout from the book that Chris Carmichael talks about. Now that I have new Heart rate zones it was basically keeping HR in my Z2 with cadence approx 75rpm. and a 10 minute tempo ride for a total of 1 hour. It was an interesting training session in the fact that I had to watch the zones and make sure I was in Z2 for the majority of the hour, I like it!

Then yesterday after helping a few high school athletes and going to work, yes, work, I am covering my friends office while he is in the Bahamas! Same guy that went to the Philippines in Feb, must be nice, WTF!

On the way to watch my daughter pitch for her game I stopped and ran at the park. Now the loop is 3 miles so I started running with my warm up and then I increased the pace between the 1/4 mile markers and I did this 5 times! So kind of like a track workout running around our loop. My HR was high towards the end and it took longer for recovery but overall I completed the 3 miles in 31:30 which was great!

Now after going to the softball game where it was a come behind to send the game into 10 innings and my daughter pitching all 10! Then ended up missing the win by 1 point with a final of 10-9. She did really awesome for pitching that much, 3 hours! and not only that she pitched a innings 6-10 with no rbi's and innings 6-9 with no hit's! I'm so proud of her !!!

She is signed up for softball camp this June so watch out next Season!!! That's my Girl!!!

Conclusion: After all the swimming, biking, and running and fighting the sinus/cold crap it caught me and now I'm freakin` coughing and sound like crap! I'm taking every medication over the counter I can get, with Airborne, vits, OJ, Strawberry's, etc.. anything to get better faster. And no more training the rest of the week, sucks! But hey, I do get to take a few naps which is probably good for me!

rockon`

Short n` sweet

After enjoying Easter Sunday, Easter candy, and of course Easter Dinner, it was time to get back at training.

This mornings swim was about 1000y as planned but not really monitored. I warmed up and then spent about 30 mins working on left sided breathing with the help of the buoy. Then I finished up without the buoy and bilateral breathing. I say it was an Accomplishment and I felt much better, still need more work but better than I had been. Something in me today just decided that I had to really work on this and get the mechanics down.

I hit the weights for about 45 mins before swimming as the aquatic class was in session. Felt good to lift some iron as well. In about an hour after lunch settles down I will hop on the bike trainer for about 20 miles/75 mins.

Oh, and not sure where this came from but it snuck up on me, a freakn` cold! I thought it was like an allergy thing as last week my throat and sinus were a little irritated but today it turned into cold so I stopped by Target and loaded up on sinus/cold meds to knock this crap out!

C-ya all soon!!...

rockon`

Happy Easter!

It's Easter weekend and some how the weather has decided to throw a curve ball and freeze everything up and drop temps down one more time before it leaves for the season.

I keep in mind today, Allez, who in Dallas is out participating in a tri and hoping that she's having fun and staying as warm as she can.

The week has been busy but next week things kick up a little more as I actually get to go work, kind of, for a friend who is will be out of town, so just covering his office, Tue, Weds, Thurs, and of course don't forget I'm treating the student athletes at the high school on Tue, Thurs. And then there are the 3 nights this coming week with softball games. So what does all this mean.

No more chilling and getting training down when ever. I now have a time frame in which I have to get things done, which, is really better, I think. This weeks training will call for 2 workouts of swim, bike, run as it will be a 4 day open schedule for workouts as next weekend is motorcycle rally and we are heading out for that.

OK, so I found all those great youtube Ironman videos and was so pumped!, sorry SkiRough, I know I was blowing them all out! haha.. Anyway, I love the motivation and drive they present and somewhere deep inside me it sparks me every time and makes me realize that the only way my title of "1 step closer 2 Ironman" is to get my ass in gear, start participating in some races and get better!

As I said in one of the video postings, "what's your excuse?" really, what's mine!

rockon`

You gotta check this out!

YouTube has dedicated a site for all there Ironman Triathlon videos. http://www.youtube.com/IronmanTriathlon http://www.youtube.com/IronmanTriathlon http://www.youtube.com/IronmanTriathlon So awesome! rockon`

2006 Ford Ironman World Championship DVD

Scott Johnson - Ironman Finisher

Very Inspirational. Whats your excuse?

Ironman - You Will Do This

Update time!

First update, books. I somewhat finished The Richest Man In Babylon and it is a good book but for me was just difficult to read as the story line didn't grab me. It does talk about financial principals and I would recommend it as a base line financial principal book.

Next book is The Lance Armstrong Performance Program by Chris Carmichael.

Now for training. Being as I have been reading this book, yesterday, while on the cycle trainer I decided to test my max heart rate as instructed in the book. So after a few minutes and totally sucking for air! My max HR was 174. Then I was able to re-calculate my heart rate zone both running and cycling as they were a little off.

Today, I ran 3 miles and negative split each mile, which is good, although the last part of mile 3 I was clearly in my new zone 4 which really was the same as before just a few numbers different.

Overall, the run was faster and felt a little easier despite the 82* and 78% humidity!

My run was great because I had just come from my first ever!! Yoga/Pilate's class. The sports chio place where I am heading come June teaches a class, actually, the physical therapist has been teaching for years so as I showed up at the office to pick up some papers she asked if I was there for the class, which, I was not and immediately stated that they had shorts for me to change into but luckily I was going running so I changed and stayed for the class. Some of that Pilate's is tough! Yikes! and the Yoga, Bowstring, walking the dog, cobra, heavenly prayer, etc.. can be challenging but I really thought it was great and am looking forward to more classes.

So the update on the activities. First my daughter is a softball pitcher for the high school, jr. varsity and covers varsity in case there pitcher gets injured or has an attitude problem and says something back to the coach or something like that but gets suspended from playing and now my daughter has become the starting Freshman Varsity pitcher! Awesome! I'm sure it may be temporary but for now she's enjoying it. It's a little more pressure but she has been pitching for several years and usually works through the pressure.

Next activity. This past weekend I volunteered for the LoneStar Triathlon Sprint and after I attended a seminar for Certified Strength Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) which allows people to work with teams as a team doctor, from elementary to Pro. It's a great certification and there are other requirements but this is part of working with the sports doc come June. Learned some great tricks and great muscle work to help athletes out in a short period of time.

This leads to my now Tuesday and Thursday mornings for working with the student athletes at my daughter's high school which the sports doc was helping out a few months ago but had to stop because he was too busy. It is great to help the student athletes and it helps me fine tune my techniques for sports injuries. Today, there was a students with hamstring, calf, shoulder, and right mid-back pain. Clearance has to be obtained from the parents before final treatment can be given but everyone was sure to get there parents there so I could speak with them or get the consent form signed. I'm so excited and you all are right, it's a timing issue and my time is coming!

OK, gotta run, I gotta shower and get back to the school because today I am volunteering for a mid-school track meet with about 23 different schools so it shall be busy. No chiro sports stuff here, just helping out and getting to know people. My daughter is pitching again tonight so have to jump over in between helping out and watch her and last but not least,

It's my wife's Birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I surprised her today at work with flowers and a balloon that my daughter and I picked out. She was very surprised to see me there for delivery and it really made her day! She has been super supportive in this whole sports chiro gig and even though it's been tough financially she has been there! I love you! and thank you!

Rockon`

Now that's a great weekend and week.. so far!!!

Blessings to all!

I'm so behind..

Lot's going on this past weekend and the first part of the week.

I will be updating training, book recap, new book, daily activities and awesome stuff with the student athletes!!

Big Super Congratulations to Sarah for her Half Ironman finish in the LoneStar Triathlon this past weekend, jump on over to check out her recap!!

rockon`