Man I friggin' HATE Mondays!

So I upload my PT info last night after doing my EN bike test (this was now about 10:40p); figure I'll play with the numbers until about 11p and then hit the sack for 7 good hours of sleep (no early bike on the trainer).

Well, before I know it it's 12:30a and I'm still messing around the internet - NOOooooo. And tomorrow's the always-dreaded Monday at work. Hard enough going in to a Monday fully rested from a good night sleep prior --- now I compound it with a 5 hour night sleep (finally put head to pillow at 1:37a).

When will I ever learn?!?!?! Guess it won't be tonight, cause I had a chance to hit the pillow at 9:30, 10:00 latest. But here I am again at 10:35 checking emails, EN forum questions, and writing the Blog.

Well, that's it damn it - I am finishing this and going to bed - got the coffee ready for 0430; gear out and ready to go. Planning a 90 minute endurance ride at 0500. (gotta remember to change the battery in my HR monitor...)

So a full off day today - didn't want it to be but so it was. Aside from the chocolate chip cookie I ate tonight (alright, 2 cookies I ate) the food intake was good again. This morning's scale read 189.6 (that's after a 72' hard bike before bed last night - let's take it again tomorrow before the workout.

Signing off for now -- gotta get to bed!

pw
189.6

EN Bike test tonight

Daylight Savings today - lost an hor of sleep but it's all worth it now that it'll be light out well into the evenings! Love that!

EN Bike Test
15' wu
2x20' (2')
15' cd

results -
42:00
15.01 miles
FTP 301 watts
HR - not working (battery dead)
first 20' - 322 watts avg
2nd 20' - 296 watts avg = weak effort follow set 1. Retest Tuesday

did some nice core work while playing with the kids on the turf field at LS this morning! I love going down there when the sun is out and it's warm (a little breezy today)...

good eats today - no snacking.

191.4 (this morning)
pw

Few and far between

that's been the frequency of my follow thru with this journal. Luckily, my training has been more consistent.

Over the last month I have gotten some key run wkouts in, slowly strengthening the hip (i think), some great bikes - on my new PowerTap in the basement - and even dipped my big toe into the pool again.

Just last week I started up with TD and the crew in Dedham for the most recent SufferFest (which btw, kicked my a$$ 3/4 of the way thru with major calf cramping = need more Endurance drink)

In true triathlon form, here's a summary of the last month...

Swim - started Feb with consistency and yardage... avg 2x per week, avg 2500y/wkout; several main sets of 1k; after that I felt like I was only swimming slow so I started adding more 100s, 200s and 50s sets. First Dedham swim last week = about 3500y = felt it. Rt calf cramped up pretty bad 2/3 way in; not enough gel or PB Endurance (next time!!!). Have to miss this wk due to Mary's travel.
Overall: pleased to be back in the pool; quite a ways to go!

Bike - best progress so far; very consistent with early morning or later evening rides; using the PT, couple of FTP tests yielding about 290-310 LT. Avg b/t 75'-90'.
Raced the BTT ITT on 3/1 - a 6.4m uphill TT (it was the last 6.4m of the Boston Marathon course... in reverse = basically all uphill, some plateaus, no descents.
Results = 20 OV, 2nd masters 35+, Avg 318 watts; 18:08 = a heart-pumping, lung-burning 18' but worth the early Sunday morning drive into Boston (Landry's on Comm Ave).

Run - some please and pain here; started the month with a couple easy 4m runs from home and work; focused on keeping the core in line and not letting the hip fly all over the place, or over striding = turnover about 84-86. That seemed to work well - was able to run 29'-30' without discomfort (I did feel the hip and knew the pain was there but kept it under control).
After a few of those runs I started picking up the pace - was very pleased with the results. But my last run (about 10 days ago) my hip was sore for several days. Haven't run since due to that and then the snow storm on 3/2 (a little shoveling and the back was pretty sore again - so nothing this last week).
Run results:


All in all a good February. The first week of March, post the ITT wkout, has not had a lot of wkouts. Mary is off to LA for 10 days... the back is sore (saw the MGH back Dr - Kellie McInnis, highly recommend her to anyone) and the snow has caused me to miss activities - should have been spinning every morning or night but haven't gotten my a$$ out of bed (did get a late night spin in during the week though... trying the EN bike test = more on that in my next post).

So again I will try to increase my log entries moving forward --- but right now I have to change a poppy diaper.

pw
192.2

Couple weeks later... couple pounds lighter.

Slowly moving in the right direction. This week I got my first run in in several months. The hip was fine up to the point I expected it to start acting up - about 18-20 minutes into the run. It was an easy pace; 30 minutes in total. Tried to concentrate on form and high turnover, so not to over-reach with the stride which seems to upset the torn labrum. The quads felt wonderfully sore 36-48 hours later - love that feeling! Based on this test run I am STILL not sure if I should have the surgery or not... each day I wait is another day closer to the season I loose in training while I recover. I think I will call the dr's office and see when he is scheduling surgeries and get a better understanding of the recovery time.

Also got into the pool first time in more than 4 months! Actually felt pretty good. Did 1000 yards in 17:11. 8:20 out, 8:51 back. Did this with a pull buouy. Finished with about 150y drills and 50y free - for a total of 120yards. I happy with that. I will be back in the pool Monday, with the goal of hitting it M/W/F each week. Tony's next session is in 3 weeks - going to early April - then he's gone to Sedona. CRAP! Will miss his swim torture fest, it really made my season in 2007. Being able to come out of the water with the Dr and Noel at Appleman was the difference maker for me that day!

I also got several spins in the basement in with the fluid trainer and the Power Tap. I still can't seem to get the software loaded which means I haven't been able to review the data; but I have been watching the meter and doing some LT tests, interval workouts and general spins the last couple of weeks - very happy with the riding so far.

Still taking it easy overall - have usually been one day on, one day off. Will try to start putting 2 and 3 days together if not more. Also will look at getting the weights incorporated. Would love to add yoga - either a class or just a video workout. And I HAVE to start doing mt PT exercises and core strength work at night - even in front of the TV (but I'm either too tired or chasing Blake or helping with homework). It's been an incredibly busy year the last 6 months.

190 this morning... after the ride - will try again tomorrow.
pw

A new day ?

This was a tough week. Work is slow and business sucks in this economy. I have no chance of hitting my number this month which, even though I knew this and accepted it, still really de-motivates you.

Add that with the consistent reminding-pain in my back and hip and I faced with a very poor training motivation psyche. Got an LT test in on Wednesday on the trainer which was encouraging - not the results, just the fact I did it - and had hoped that would catapult me into workouts Thursday and Friday (Friday would have been a great day to run outside - almost 40 degrees) but I just couldn't get it going. Shame on me!

So this morning, after a relatively early night to bed (10:30 - that's early these days) I got up and jumped on the trainer again for about 50 minutes. Did another LT test, different from the first. Results were the same - I am in absolute sh*ty shape. Was planning to follow that up with a run outside but Blake was up and in need of a shower - badly. So I will try to do 20-30 minutes later this afternoon --- want to gauge how the hip feels.

Diet this last week was off as well. I've been trying to live by the QT2 plan Jesse prescribed, and generally have been doing well.... except for the late night grains (and mid day grains.... and morning grains... "Hello, my name is Paul and I'm a Carbo-holic"). Plus, I really am starting to think the 1 glass of red each night is negatively affecting me; I think it's making it harder to get up each morning. I will test it out the next 7 days and see if no wine at night helps me make the morning trainings (bummer - no red!)

Hope to be writing about some consistent trainings rather than my lack of motivation over the next few days --- stay tuned

pw
193

Moving on...

OK, a couple of workouts into it and I'm feeling a little better about myself.

Right now my plan is to forego the surgery until the fall (late fall) and train and race through the season. If I said yes to surgery now I assume I couldn't have it until later February - and with about 2 months recovery before running that means I'm looking at April/May before I can really train again... so I think I'll take my chances playing it smart by limiting my runs to an as-needed basis, maybe do more elipticals and deep water runs in place of the road work. Then once or twice a week go out for a quality session, either on the track or trails to minimize the pounding, but keep the strength up. Hopefully that will allow me to race this summer... then we'll repair the damage in the fall.

The only other decision left to make (if this plan works inititaly) is whether I can race Timberman Half. I want to do more and more 1/2s but now I have to think abut this whole hip thing- crap. On the other hand I could work on my weight, lean body mass and speed and really push the Olympic distance races.... I just love this sport so much that I can't imagine what I'll be like if I can't do it any more - Aqua Bike just isn't the same.r

Well, that's where I am today. Now that I have my diagnosis I am moving on into my training - will be putting the Power Tap to good use starting this weekend with a couple of LT tests. Hope to get my fat a$$ swimming again so I can join Tony's Saturday sufferfest. I'll try to keep this blogging thing up to date as my training diary. Until next time...

Shoot me now!

Saw the Hip Dr today and he told me I'm "shallow". I could have told him that.....

What he meant was I have shallow hips and suffer from Dysplasia - that is the real problem and why I have the Labral tear. I can have surgery and "clean it up" but that won't solve the problem (maybe just some of the pain) --- nope, ultimately I heading towards hip replacement in 20-odd years.... we'll see about that!

He said I'm a dream case for him - I say it's more like Paul's "Nightmare on Hilltop Road".

The other option - other than surgery - is to stop running and find something else, like biking and swimming. Great, so I can again experience that empty feeling I had when I completed the Patriot Aquabike.... roll into transition and STOP! You're done for the day - everyone else is heading out for a run and you're standing there holding your bike, literally, looking like a lost puppy. Oh boy, sign me up!

So it's decision time - have the surgery and hopefully feel good enough to keep training (after 2-3 months recovery), or keep popping NSAIDs, icing and deal with it --- and stop running, or cut back I guess.

Think I will have the surgery. It won't heal my "shallowness" but it will likely relieve the pain. What I'm gonna have to do it reel-in the running and save it for the races.

Dunno --- this sucks! F**king shoot me now!

(oh yeah, and we didn't even address the back - had to schedule another apt with his DO, Kelli McInnis... not until March 5th. Stay tuned...)

Know what? I gotta stop crying in my Power Gel.... at least my wife is beating the sh*t out of her breast cancer! Thank God!