what is the Challenge?

I was reading Iron Andrews blog the other day and he asked the question, What's Your Challenge? After reading his blog I had to really think about this and it has taken me a few days to reflect. What I have come to is that my challenge is unclear.

Now I like that fact of a challenge, especially in Ironman, as we all know you have a 17 hours to complete 140.6 miles. Physically, that is a challenge in itself but the mental challenge that will occur that day is anything beyond what you can train for. After reading blog race recaps from Geek Girl, Dying Water Buffalo, Sweet Baboo, and Steven's Tri Station it seemed them and others have a specific challenge. I know mine is to Finish the distance and cross the line for that Finishers Medal but there just seems to be more to it than that.

Is it the training along the way? The personal satisfaction of training and completing? Learning what your body can and Won't do? Or is it helping bring awareness like the Blazeman, #179. It is so much bigger leading up to the race event than just training. Although I am still searching for my Challenge, and it may be that I have more than one, I look forward to going down that road over the next 9 months and counting...so stay tuned. Have a great Holiday Weekend! rockon

Congratulations to all the IM Canada and Louisville athletes. And the Bigun up in Chicago! Can't wait for the race recaps.

Training this weekend was the group run on Saturday with the TNT peeps which gave me about 5.5 miles in the nice humid, keep my heart rate in zone 4 weather! Finally, after trying to run slow to bring my HR down it was just not working so I said OK, tempo time and kicked it up and just ran zone 4. As Bigun says, no training in the "bizz". Sunday was my the standard bike ride but no organization this week, I guess cause Liz was out of town so I decided I would ride my motorcycle out to the race venue for Canyon Lake Tri in Oct and GPS the course as I hear it is tough. Well as you can see by the map it's tough. The start of the bike course is actually at about mile 9. I stopped at this corner store on the loop and started the GPS. I laughed as I was riding my motorcycle around it and saw the climbers! Overall it was a nice long 430 mile round trip on the motor.

Although no training was done it was a nice rest up for training this week as it is a run focus week according to plan. Now that the Woodlands 101 series is nixed, it totally messed up my training plan for anything specific so I attempted to adjust things but it was not working so I put it back as I like the layout.

Looking forward to this coming holiday weekend for some training and motor riding.

Have a great week!

rockon`

La Vida Loca!

Hey all. So let's recap la vida loca and get you up to speed. First training: I have gotten some swims in this week as the plan has a swim focused week and little biking and running. Monday night was track night and the legs were feeling a little sore from Sundays long 63 mile ride so getting to do a little running loosened things up and track night turned out great!

Tuesday, was swim after work. Wednesday was swim again and a run on the treadmill. Today, was rest day as tomorrow I will be back in the pool and a short 20 mile bike ride. Saturday will be the TNT group run of 4 miles but will run 2 extra before we start. Then Sunday, will be no training, WHAT? Yup, that's right. As JT is taking Mrs. JT on a motorcycle ride in the morning. The great thing is that we are going riding on the bike course from last week so she will be able to see why JT was whining about his legs and how tired he was and why he got his ass kicked! HA.

So along with the training issues work has been a little crazy and has made my mind a little mush, but today things cleared up in a good meeting that I really needed for clarification and direction. So la vida loca is just that. We all get it. We all love to hate it. We all love it!

One a super note, I must shout out to Wil with a Big Thank You, as she seemed to be having some low back problems and I was able to provide some assistance and Wil, I am so glad you are feeling better, Anytime!

And last thing, it turns out that The Woodlands Triathlon 101 Series has been Canceled! Sucks! Actually, All the 101 series are dead in the water.

rockon`

Weekend whoopin`

What a weekend so let's get to the update on training.

Friday I went to the pool with Coach Liz but we were rained out so we talked a while to see if it would pass and unfortunately it did not so it turned to an off day and I went home.

Saturday morning I met Liz at 5:15 am to get a run in before the TNT training run. We ended up running 5.25 miles but let me tell you it was Humid. Now that's funny! I was totally dragging by the 4th mile, heart rate was too high and I was doing a lot of walking. After thinking about it, I was dehydrated as well. So for the TNT run I ended up getting another 1.5 miles but it was on off running and about 1/2 walking. Ass kicking #2. Yeah, #2, as #1 was today!

Today, was a short 56 mile ride and would be longest ever. I met up with Liz and Geoff and some others from the tri club. There were some pretty good rollers or hills as we say down here and it didn't take long to get into them. Next thing I know my HR is running Z3 and Z4 due to these hills and I'm thinking, "crap, we just started and I still have about 48 miles! I better slow down" After talking with another rider he tells me it only gets worse after mile 30! So I definitely slowed down. By mile 30 we hit a rest break, refuel and head back out. Geoff did an out and back and we saw him heading back in. Liz was leading the way and I just followed as much as I could because she is faster than me, luckily we had just started out and I was fairly close. Well after some serious long climbers I see Liz coming back on the other side of the road and think, Shit! We missed a turn. Sure enough, so it's double back but luckily it's down hill time and added an extra 6 miles. Once back on track, it's hot now and I have begun to feel the effects and try to stay hydrated. By mile 40 my back is killing me and I have been trying to stretch while on the bike but it's not working and figure I am going to have to stop and get off. I flag down Liz and take a few minutes to stretch. I feel better and take off and Liz drops. I am in no mans land and had to pull out the map to make sure I was on track. By mile 54 I have to stop again and stretch, damn, the more I stop the longer it takes and it's only getting hotter! I make it quick and get going knowing that I only have about 6 miles. Finally, I pull in to the park and tell Liz, that I just got my Ass kicked! #1. I was change and start recovery hydration asap! So here is my ass kicking elevation and HR.

So what did I learn? I need more water when it's that hot! My other drinks provide the calories but not the same as water. I found a new route that I will will see many times over the next year in training for CdA. I need new pedals with a better platform, I currently have SPDs. I need can take more calories as I burned about 5500 and took in about 1600, stomach felt fine so need to try more food.

Tomorrow is track night but will not be running, only helping!

All you IMC and IML peeps have a great week and stay rested as I will be watching this coming weekend!! Go Steve #1206 IMC, Dying Water Buffalo IML, Sweet Baboo #1539 and Athena Diaries #1540 both IML!

rockon`

What a week!

We all have crazy weeks and this week has been no exception for me. After coming off a little illness at the end of last week and starting out on Monday with TNT track night I was able to get some descent sprints in. Tuesday was at the pool with Coach Liz to give me some specific coaching on my swim stroke which let me tell you needed some serious work. I mean let's face it, JT can swim but not the best. After finding out that my left arm was completely working against me and actually pushing the water downward towards the bottom of the pool vs. Pulling the water down towards my feet I was amazed at how much distance I was covering in just a short time. Also worked on positioning and left sided breathing. I have some work cut out for me but I am a lot more confident in knowing what I have to working on.

Weds. it was straight to the park to get my run on as I had to get home early. It was pretty damn hot and I actually felt a little down, was having a hard time breathing around the 2 mile mark and just felt like I was out of gas. As I was running I was thinking about my nutrition and realized it has been way below par the last couple of days and that needs to change, asap!

So after getting home, me, Mrs. JT and daughter JT were off for a new surprise. We have been looking for some time now but just finding the right one has taken a little time and JT has been kind of resistant on getting a new one but I have been basically out voted so I will welcome.

So what is it? It is Noah! Noah is our new 1 year old Black Lab! Noah was found by a fellow worker of Mrs. JT who was on a bike ride and was hanging around near her car when she was getting ready to leave at the end of her ride. He was so hot and needed water, so she helped him out and then she had to bring him home, as a lab owner herself, she could not leave him there. She would eventually post information about him around the park and area and waited about 10 days before letting anyone take him in case the owners were looking for him. Well turns out no owners so we wanted him and went to pick him up Weds. He is actually a big 1 year old but let me tell you, Noah, (which had no name, and we all decided that was a great name for him) but he can sit, stay, is house trained, Score! is kennel trained, double Score! and is just a great temperament of a lab. I am happy to have Noah and look forward to him being with the family.

So today the back side of Tropical Storm Erin rolled through and lots of rain and flooding in some areas but we needed it and it cooled things down. No training today as right after work I took Noah to the vet to get checked out as we needed to make sure he was OK with everything and he did have a little ear itching. After his shots, some medications and a new 1 year plan for his shots/chk up's and a few other things all for the grand total of $190. Damn! I could have bought a new Xterra Vengance Wet Suit, Double Damn!! But he's good to go and JT family happy and that's worth the money.

Tomorrow I will try and sneak on over to the pool and get some swim time in.

Saturday is the TNT group run and I'm excited as it will be my first group run since I was sick last week. And Sunday I am looking at a short 40-50 mile ride, yeehaa.

So for now everyone have a great Weekend if I don't jump back in and post a few things.

rockon`

I survived..

Alright gang, JT, is feeling much much much better and I want to thank you all for the get well wishes as they really helped speed recovery.

Saturday I was not able to make the TNT 1st training run due to some work stuff I had to handle so that really Sucked, missing it but what can you do, right?

In the afternoon, my brother/sister inlaw from down south Texas came into town and it was quick to bust out some Coronas and toast a short reunion. Then later we all headed out to a little place that's basically an old garage that is a ice house/beer place and they always have a DJ and it's nice to just relax, bust a move and throw some cold ones back with Family! We got home about 2am and I went straight to bed as JT is not used to this type of living. I had thought about meeting up with my TNT tri group Sunday morning to catch a 30 mile ride but I knew by 12am that there was no way I was going to make it.

Sunday, I slept in till about 10am, although it was kind of hard as I could here the family coming in and out of the house and making noise. I finally got out of bed and it was go time. We ate lunch, talked, laughed, and watched part of a movie. Then it was time for the bro inlaw to head back home so me and Mrs. JT, and other bro/sister-inlaw hopped on our bikes to follow them about 50 miles out of town. Yes, it was the hottest day of the year here in Houston and we we're out riding a motorcycle! Good thing I put the 50 block on as it was so freakn` hot, you could have fried an egg on my arm!

Finally made it back home, showered and have been relaxing.

My bro inlaw from South Texas, Mark, and his wife, my wife's sister, Yoland, moved down there about 1 year ago and we don't see them that much so it's nice to hang with them and catch up.

We might be meeting up with them again in Oct. down on Padre Island as there is a big motorcycle rally and I would like to ride down and have some fun. We will definitely be meeting up in Nov, the week before The Woodlands Series as there is a HUGE Rally in Galveston and we all booked hotel rooms and are totally excited to be staying down there this year as last couple of years we drove back and forth and I live about 50 miles away.

I like that the Nov Rally is the start of my Recovery week for the 50.5 distance! Ha! What a way to start recovering, beer, babes, and motorcycles!

rockon`

PS. On Friday I got my 2006 Ironman Hawaii video my dad recorded, thanks Dad and mom for sending it out so fast. But OMG, I was really impressed by the NBC Coverage and how great the race was. As always they have great stories and this year was not different with Jon "Blazeman" Blais #179. I remeber seeing him in 2005 coverage and 2006 he is pretty much in a wheel chair, I was a little misty eyed let me tell you. I did look up that Jon passed away on May 27, 2007.

TKO`d by Fever.

Yesterday morning I got my run in early and all was fine. Then by late morning I started feeling some body aches! Crap! I thought it was just nothing but as the day wore on my head started pounding and by late afternoon, JT had a 99.7 temperature! I got to bed early and throughout the night I was hot and cold all at the same time. I slept but it was comfortable and at times I thought I should get up and check my temperature again but I just didn't want to move. So this morning at 5:20am I got up and my head was so pounding! I thought if it hurt that much I should be Hung Over from a hard nite of Drinking, Ha. As the thermometer sounded off, 101.7* fever, WTF! So I started to make the calls to the office, take some more Tylenol and head back to bed.

Now if I was going to get TKO'd by a fever I would have preferred it to have been from say, something like Brook Burke on the right, Ha.

So for now it's totally get better time and only dream of fevers like the right.

rockon`

Weekend recap.

Can you believe that with the advertising I did for the Rebroad Cast I freakn` miss it! But luckily I called my dear ol dad and he recorded it for me.

So here's why I missed it. Training updates: I was off Friday and took off Saturday as well as I had a little hamstring thing going on and it wasn't wanting to fix so rest was the best option, even though I knew this week is a down/recovery week! Yahoo!

Sunday I was out the door for an early 50 mile ride, It would be my longest EVER RIDE! At 8 miles in Flat! Changing tired I realized the nice guy at the REI sold me the wrong length valve stem for my rims and now it was figure out how to get the Co2 in the tube with like 1/8" sticking out of the rim.. humm.. not sure really how I did it but I did and was back on the road and stopped at gas station to buy a patch kit just in case. The course was a long Flat as a pancake route and wrapped up in 2 hours 40 mins avg. 18mph. Good ride overall. Needed more nutrition tho as I was hungry!

Got home and was out the door in less than hour as Mrs. JT wanted to go to the beach. It was nice actually, as I was laying there under my umbrella on the lounge chair and took a nap, read, people watched, texted, and vegd. Made the early AM ride all worth it. We finished up by stopping back Captain Jack's bar and had a few drinks!

Long day for sure and got to bed by 9:30pm

Saturday recap though was the Team In Training Kick Off Party and it was a blast. Lot's of people there to begin there journey towards there goal of a Half or Full Marathon! And a great big Shout out to Mrs. JT for signing up as well as this will be her first every Half Marathon!!!

gotta role..

rockon`

Ironman Hawaii Rebroadcast Sunday!

Set your recorders everyone!!

2006 Ford Ironman World Championship Broadcast To Re-air NBC will air an encore presentation of the 2006 Ford Ironman World Championship this Sunday, August 5, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST. The broadcast was taped on location in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on October 21, 2006, as nearly 1,700 athletes completed the world’s most challenging endurance event.

Pictures from Chappell Hill Ride

Here are some pictures of the Chappell Hill Ride I did last Sunday and few of the riders in the mix! rockon`

Trifecta, AddaBoy, and DownerBoy!

Let's Start with this! Yea, that's right! A Beer while updating tonight for some celebration reasons and some downer reason.

After the hot ass day yesterday we were lucky to get a little break this afternoon but not until I was done, more in a minute. So instead of getting stuck out like yesterday I was up at 4:30am and out the door to the picnic loop where I busted a quick 45 min ride in, a little short of my scheduled 60 but I'll take it! Believe it or not there are others out there that early around here. Distance was 13.98 miles with an avg. speed of 18.48mph, it's pretty flat at the loop but has a couple of twists in it that slow you down but it is closed to traffic and there are street lights so makes early riding safe.

Then after work the boys and myself were heading out to lake for a little open water swim. I got there earlier to get my run on from yesterday, as it was a scheduled tempo run. Well now is when I met Mr. Freakn` Hot Ass Day! Shit it was hot out there, 97*. Funny thing was there was another lady running around the neighborhood and when we passed each other she yelled "Are you insane? It's way too hot out here to be running!" I yelled back, I know! Isn't it great! So after a quick 1 mile loop warm up I ramped it hard to not work in the "BIZ" as Bigun says and stuck another mile in and then the boys showed up so I stopped, again a little short of my regular time but I managed to get 2.13 miles in 20:34 which gives me a SERIOUS NEW PR/MILE at 9:40..bouyyaahh! and it was freakn` hot! So there Mr. FHAD.

Once the boys were there it was time for the TRIFECTA of the day, Swim. So we jumped in and headed out but I quickly noticed that the run had zapped me a little. Then my lats started burning and I could feel them and was thinking, why in the world are they hurting and fatiguing, I had no Pull. Then I remembered I worked out pretty good on Monday and was not recovered. My other problem was I was wearing my older SealMask goggles and I remembered why I don't wear them, Hello! The left eye Leaks and was slowly filling up with water and splashing all over my eye while breathing. And then the Icing on the Cake! I looked up for some sighting as normal and realized the boys had dropped me like a bad habit!! Fuk! So I emptied my goggles and I saw them looking back for me, gave them the big thumbs Down and to keep going I was heading back. By the time I got back to the dock my goggles were splashy with water again and my lats were really fatigued. Time for swim: 12:30 mins for 500 meters.

So I get a big Yahoo for the bassackwards triathlon today but I get a big damn that Swim Sucked!

Maybe I can redem myself on the 40 mins swim tomorrow. Until then, it's time for Corona #2, that's my limit, Ha!

rockon`