Sunday 1/24/10

I started the day by getting up at 7:00 am and fixing a bowl of oatmeal with a scope of vanilla protein powder and half of a banana. While this might sound a little off it was actually pretty good. The plus side of this breakfast was it had 320 calories, 22 grams fat, 34 grams carbohydrates, and 30 grams of protein. This was eaten 1 hour before the start of my exercise program that started with a 45 minute spin class and then moved on to a 3.1 mile run on the treadmill. This is the protein powder I use Body Fortress 2lb Vanilla Whey Protein and I purchase it at Wal-Mart and the price is reasonable at $14.94 for a 2 lb container. This is also the same protein that I used after my gastric bypass surgery at GBMC in 2008. Post workout I used Body Fortress: Super Whey Protein Shot Fruit Punch Supplement, 17.4 oz for 26 grams of protein, you can find this at Wal-Mart $10.54 for a box of 6 shots. On the way home from the gym I ate a Met-Rx: Peanut Butter Pretzel Big 100 Colossal Meal Replacement Bar, 3.52 oz for an additional 30 grams of protein. You can purchase these bars in your local grocery or pharmacy store and even on the internet. You can see by noon I had 86 grams of protein and was working on consuming water for the day. For dinner I had some barbecue ribs, beans and peas around 4 PM and will be having some wings later while watching the NFC football game.

Yesterday I wrote about the VO2max test that the team was given and wanted to expand a little on the results. The test was using the Rockport Fitness Walking Test and after calculating my results were 43.01 and according to the chart I found for a 51 year old male this is Excellent see the chart below from the Brian Mac sports coach website. This was a surprise to me and I am hoping that maybe I can get to that Superior level.

Age	Very Poor	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent	Superior
13-19	<35.0	35.0 - 38.3	38.4 - 45.1	45.2 - 50.9	51.0 - 55.9	>55.9
20-29	<33.0	33.0 - 36.4	36.5 - 42.4	42.5 - 46.4	46.5 - 52.4	>52.4
30-39	<31.5	31.5 - 35.4	35.5 - 40.9	41.0 - 44.9	45.0 - 49.4	>49.4
40-49	<30.2	30.2 - 33.5	33.6 - 38.9	39.0 - 43.7	43.8 - 48.0	>48.0
50-59	<26.1	26.1 - 30.9	31.0 - 35.7	35.8 - 40.9	41.0 - 45.3	>45.3
60+	<20.5	20.5 - 26.0	26.1 - 32.2	32.3 - 36.4	36.5 - 44.2	>44.2

 

One more thing before I go while I was running today I had the voice of Lance Armstrong on my iTouch tell me that I had a new personal best for the mile. When I was done it showed me that I ran a mile during my run today at 6:53 pace. This without a doubt is the best I have done and I am confident that I should get a personal best for the 5k on Valentine's Day for the first race of 2010.

Saturday 1/23/10

Well today has been a pretty good day and I enjoyed sleeping in. The training session consisted of getting our Vo2max tested, results to follow. A good part of the day was spent working on my nutrition plan and evaluating my supplements. My research is coming from The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel and nutrition periodization for endurance athletes by Bob Seebohar. Currently I am taking a liquid daily multivitamin, liquid calcium, liquid mega 3 fish oil, creatine, and B12 nasal spray. My protein intake is 80 grams or higher, trying to get this up to 120 grams per day. Some might ask why I use so many liquid supplements and the answer is simple. I want to get them in to my system quickly and I found some that don't taste to bad, especially the fish oil one.

Thursday 1/21/10

Well today was a 30 minute run 4.4 miles with a 6:49 pace I felt really good. Today's weight training was arms and back and I didn't think that I over did it, but I am a little bit sore tonight. Tomorrow I will ride the bike to get some seat time and I'm looking forward to Saturday when the coaches are going to measure our VO2max. This will be the first time I have had this tested and hope to learn how to train better. My running needs to start increasing as I will be running a half marathon March 7, 2010.

Today's question – what kind of pedals should I get for my road bike? Currently have straps but really don't like them and don't want the risk of an accident with them either.

Wednesday 1/20/10

Today I got up at 5:30 AM and packed my bag and headed to Aquafit for a circuit training session. This week the training is focusing on the upper body. The training is 30 minutes long and very challenging and I look forward to do this training more in the future. Next week the focus will be on the lower body and should help with my running and bike work.

Once I completed the circuit training I changed to my swimsuit and did 20 minutes in the pool. While there were no drills on the schedule I did do laps and practice on my breathing. The swim is going to be the hardest part for me. From my research and never having a formal swim lesson it seems that I am unbalanced. Should I be able to breathe from both sides? I seem to only turn my head to the left and I think this is wrong.

Tomorrow is a run and strength training for arms and back.

Tuesday 1/19/10

Today was a rest day by force really as I had to take my truck to the shop. While waiting for it to be fixed I reviewed my training program and recommitted to completing it with 100% effort. My rest day was also a chance to do more research on the proper equipment for a triathlon. What pedals and shoes are best for my bike? Should I use a one piece triathlon suit or top and shorts? What about the swim, wetsuit used or new?

Monday 1/18/10

Today's training consisted on a 30 minute run in the morning at a 9:31 pace on the treadmill. If the weather tomorrow is like todays then I will do a noon run outside. This evening I went to the gym for 30 minutes of strength training for the legs and core. My bike is on the rack and I am cleaning it up as I had it in storage for several years due to my health issues. What I would like is some feedback on what type of pedals I should use for triathlons. Along with that go the shoes and cleats to lock in to the pedals. Currently the pedals are straps and I never really liked them but I was not competing either. Should I install aero bars?

Tomorrow will be a rather light day with just a run I'm just not sure how long I will do. Whatever time I don't spend running I will be working on the bike.

Triathlon Training – Week 1

This week is the start of Aquafit's first triathlon training program. Yesterday we met with the coaches and they explained the program and expectations for the next 15 weeks. The group seems to be a diverse one and I think that we will have a great time getting to know one another. We had our measurements taken and then a gait analysis was completed, I have a normal gait and can wear whatever shoes I want.

The calendar for the 15 weeks was handed out and it seems to be an aggressive one but has room for flexibility. With that in mind I made my first change and instead of an off day today I did a spin class. This was only my third spin class so I am getting used to it but it was the first one that ended with a puddle of sweat under the bike. My heart rate ranged from 89-161 with an average of 137 so I did not feel over worked. Today's workout did follow a yesterday's 45 min spin class, 40 min run on the treadmill, and some upper body strength training.

There are some questions as I work through this training and preparation for my first event and they surround the gear. Should I wear a triathlon suit or a top & shorts? What kind of wet suit should I purchase? The first race is in June with and ocean swim. What kind of pedals should I install? Currently have the straps on my pedals but never felt safe with them.

Please respond to these questions with any suggestions that you might have for me.