Walk for Talk 5K (Walk or Run) - Please Donate or Do It!

My nephew, my wife's brother and sister in-laws youngest son, Nolan, was born with a rare hearing disorder, and has no hearing in one of his ears. 
He attended Northern Voices, a school that helps hard of hearing children learn to speak.
Website is here: http://northernvoices.org/
They are having their 4th Annual Walk for Talk.  In the past, it was only a walk.  This year it is a walk and a chipped timed run around Lake Como in Saint Paul, MN.  It is Sunday May 4th.
 https://sites.google.com/a/northernvoices.org/walk-for-talk/

Registration for the run is on active.com

Please consider making a donation to Nolan's Walk Team and doing the run or walk.
Go here for the donation page: http://www.razoo.com/story/Leah-Paul-Fundraising-For-Walk-For-Talk-5k-Run-Kids-Fun-Run-2013?fb_action_ids=10200896331314792&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

If you run, walk, or just donate, it is appreciated.  Thanks, Chris

2013 Race Schedule (Most Likely Schedule)

Below is my 2013 race schedule, also to the righ in the sidebar, most likely race schedule. Already one change, I registered for Lake Minnetonka, but just found out I have a wedding that weekend, so I will miss it. I have registered for Lake Minnetonka 4 times, I have done it twice. Both times family stuff as come up after registration and I missed the race. Oh well, that comes with early registration.
I will be starting the season for the 6th year with St. Anthony's in Florida. I will racing the Gear West Du for the 7th time in 8 years.  I have been there 8 years in a row, in 2009 I was injured and volunteered.  I will be doing Waconia for my 5th time.  I will be doing Maple Grove for the 4th time in four years, each time Oly distance, since it started.  I will be doing the St. Croix Valley Oly for the 4th time.  I did the sprint in 2009, on my bad leg.  If I do Dousman this year, it will be my 8th year in a row.  2009 I did it as a relay, all other years as an individual.  I am not sure if I will do Dousman this year.  I have a family wedding the weekend before down in that part of Wisconsin.  It will be a lot of driving in a 10 day period if I do the race the weekend after the wedding.  I will see how things go. 
I am thinking of adding 3 new races, I am registered for one of them, Graniteman St. Cloud.  I am considering, and will probably do, the other two Graniteman races.  All three races are sprint distance races.
Additionally, I am doing the "Irish for a Day" 8K in St. Paul next weekend, Sun March 24th.  I am doing a Friday evening 5K in May at Valley Fair.  I will probably do some, if not all, of the Salomon Trail Races in September and October.  Also, as usual, I will do as many of the Tuesday Night Time Trials (T'N'T) as possible.  The Tuesday Night Time Trials are one of the best, if not the best, bike workouts of the year.  The races are every other Tuesday starting in May and go into August.  I highly recommend doing these races.
An "R" means I am already registered. I have a "normal" schedule for this season, 12-13 races.

4/28/2013 - St. Anthony's Triathlon (St. Petersburg, FL)R
5/19/2013 - Gear West Duathlon (Orono, MN)R
6/9/2013 - Manitou Sprint Triathlon (White Bear Lake, MN)R
6/15/2013 - Lake Minnetonka Triathlon (Minnetonka, MN)R
6/23/2013 - Graniteman Triathlon (Saint Cloud, MN)R
6/30/2013 - Lake Waconia Triathlon (Waconia, MN)R
7/13/2013 - Graniteman Clearwater (Clearwater, MN)
7/21/2013 - Heart of the Lakes Triathlon (Annandale, MN)R
7/28/2013 - Chisago Lakes Sprint Triathlon (Chisago Lakes, MN)R
8/2/2013 - Graniteman Big Lake (Big Lake, MN)
8/24/2013 - Maple Grove Olympic Triathlon (Maple Grove, MN)
8/31/2013 - St. Croix Valley Olympic Triathlon (Hudson, WI)
9/15/2013 - Dousman Duathlon (Dousman, WI)

February 2013 Racing and Training Summary

This Feb was pretty average in terms of total time spent, when compared to previous Febs. 
My swim distance and time continue to grow since the end of 2012. 
I am keeping with the my training goal of increased intensity over last year.  The new Masters group I am in is definitely more intense and the distance keeps up.  I Swim has the intensity workouts, distance workouts, and form workouts.  Hopefully, the change up in types of workouts and coaching will translate to some extra swim speed.  I did a timed 100yd sprint off the blocks for the first time in a long time.  My legs were a little tired from a hard bike and run weekend.  I was able to pull out a 1:06 for the 100.  I was very happy with that. 
I am keeping my run and bike intensity up.  Not really much to say about Feb, except trying to be consistent and keep up my intensity.  Trying to hit those Sunday morning LA Fitness spin classes. 
Through the first two months of 2013 I am on pace to be where I want to be.
Below are my usual monthly summary tables

Comparison of Feb Time Year-To-Year

Totals and Averages Since 2007



Totals for 2013 and Totals Since 2007

 

 

My Training Log for 1/21/13 - 2/10/13

Trying to post the workouts I do every week would be too time consuming, and probably just plain boring.  I try to occasionally post workouts, as an example of what I do to train.  Hopefully, it gives people an idea of what I am doing, they can compare to what they are doing, and/or they can comment and question me.
Depending on the LA Fitness, treadmill is either min/mi or mph.
I would say this is an average of 3 weeks while I am training and not racing, basically Jan - May/June.

Monday 1/21/13 - No workout

Tuesday 1/22/13
Bike - 70 minutes on trainer at home.  35 minute warm-up and then 20 x 30 sec hard/30 sec ez, warm down rest of time.

Wednesday 1/23/13
Swim - 400fr, 200k, 300pull.  2x(4x50 (1-12.5fast\37.5ez, 2-25fast\25ez, 3-37.5fast\12.5ez, 4 AFAP) 100pull), 2x400, 200fast, 4x100 = 2900 yards about 60minutes

Bike - 30 minutes at home on trainer, mostly ez

Thursday 1/24/13
Run - 30 minutes on treadmill at LA Fitness.  5 minute warmup.  3x(2.5% incline at 8:15min/mi for 1 minute, then 1 minute at same pace at 1%incline).  Then 3x(3.5% incline at 8:15min/mi for 1 minute, then 1 minute at same pace at 1% incline).  Then 1 minute at 4.5% incline at 8:15min/mi pace.  Then 5 minutes at 1% incline at 8 min/mi pace.  4x(30 sec at 7min/mi pace, then 30 sec at 8min/mi pace).  Cool down rest of time.

Friday 1/25/13
Strength - 30 minutes at LA Fitness.  3x15 of each, triceps biceps, chest press, seated row, seated dip, back extension, prone ab machine, ball wall squats, and leg lifts).   Then planks, about 20-30 seconds on each side and flat.

Saturday 1/26/13
Run - LA Fitness on treadmill for 40 minutes.  5 min warmup then, 5x(3min at 8MPH, 2min at 7MPH) then 3min at 8.2MPH and 2min at 7MPH, then 3min at 8.5MPH and 2min at 7MPH.  Then warm down.  All at 1% incline.

Sunday 1/27/13
Bike - Spin class at LA Fitness for 69.5 minutes.  Did not track exact workout details.  Alternate between high resistance (50-70rpm), medium (70rpm-90rpm), low (100+rpm). Most work done at high and low and rest done at medium.

Run - At LA Fitness on treadmill, right after spin class, for 12 minutes.  Get on treadmill and run as hard as I can for 10 minutes (average 7:20 min/mi pace). Cool down last 2 minutes.

Week total = 5.695 hours
Swim - 1 hour and 2900 yards
Bike - 2.825 hours
Run - 1.37 hours
Strength - 0.5 hours

Monday 1/28/13
Bike - At home on trainer, for 40 minutes.  20min moderate, 10min increase pace and resistance, 10min increase pace and resistance.

Tuesday 1/29/13
Strength - 30 minutes at LA Fitness.  Kind of max lift workout day, mostly legs.  10, 5, 3, 1 reps, and keep doing 1 rep and increase weight until I cannot lift anymore.  Leg press, leg curl, seated leg curl, leg extension, seated ab machine, back extension, seated row, seated dips

Wednesday 1/30/13
Swim - 5x200(fr, k, drill, pull). 2x(100( 50k twist, 25overkick, 25swim), 4x50(1ez k, 2 75%, 3 85%, 4 all out), 250 pull). 3x100k, 150swim, 3x50 kick on back, 100 swim = 2800 yards and 60 minutes.

Thursday 1/31/13
Run - 35 minutes on treadmill at LA Fitness.  1% incline, 5 min warmup and then run about 28 min at 7:40min/mi or faster, then cool down last 2 min.  Did this workout around lunch time

Bike - At home on trainer.  Low resistance for 25 minutes at a steady pace.

Friday 2/1/13 - No workout

Saturday 2/2/13
Run - 45 minutes at LA Fitness on treadmill.  First 15 minutes warmup to 7.2mph at 1% incline.  5x increased incline (1-3 at 2.5% and 4-5 at 3.5%) for 1 minute then 1 minute at 1%, all at 7.2mph.  Then 1% at 7.2mph until 30minute mark.  Then 5x(30 sec at 8.5mph and 30sec at 7.2mph), then at about 39:30 mark, 0.1 mile at 7.7mph, 0.1 mile 8.2mph, 0.1 mile at 8.6mph, then cool down last 2 minutes.

Sunday 2/3/13

Bike - Spin class at LA Fitness for 64 minutes.  Did not track exact workout details.  Alternate between high resistance (50-70rpm), medium (70rpm-90rpm), low (100+rpm). Most work done at high and low and rest done at medium.

Week total = 4.98 hours

Swim - 1 hour and 2800 yards

Bike - 2.15 hours

Run - 1.33 hours

Strength - 0.5 hours

Monday 2/4/13
Swim - 800fr, 2x25 alt side k, 2x50(3 stroke, 5k), 2x50(fingertip catchup), 2x25 sit kick, 200 (overkick odd lengths), 6x50k fins and board, 400 (increase k every 100), 2x150pull@2:30, 2x100pull@1:45,  4x100@0:50 = 2800 yards and about 60 minutes

Bike - At home on trainer for about 25 minutes at steady moderate, sometimes harder, pace.

Tuesday 2/5/14
Bike - At home on trainer for 60 minutes.  15 minute warmup.  Then 30x 30 sec hard and 30 sec ez.  Then warm down rest of time.

Wednesday 2/6/14
Swim - 400fr, 2x25 rotate dr, 2x25 zipper, 150pull, 2x50 board wag, 100pull, 6x25dr, 100pull, 2x150(75fr, 50back, 25br and 25fr, 75back, 50br), 4x125(2pull and 2k), 3x300 (in ~4:58 out at 5:30) = 2700 yards in about 60 minutes

Thursday 2/7/13
Strength - At LA Fitness for about 25 minutes.  3x15 (bicep, tricep, chest press, seated row, lats, crunch machine, back extension, raised leg lifts)

Run - At LA Fitness on treadmill, immediately after strength, for 20.5minutes.  5min warmup to ~8:30min/mi.  13 minutes at about 7:30min/mi, faster than 7min/mi for 0.2mi.  Then cool down

Friday 2/8/13
Swim - 300fr, 200k fins, 300pull, 200dr, 300(every 4th nf), 4x(50k, 2x25sprint, 100pull), 4x50k (25d, 25fr), 4x(2x25 dr/fr) = 2700 yards for about 55 minutes.

Saturday 2/9/13
Run - At LA Fitness on treadmill for 45 minutes.  25min warmup, speed from 6mph - 7.2mph.  Then speed 5x(30sec at 8mph and 30sec at 7.5mph), then 5min at 7.5mph, then 5x(30sec at 8.1mph and 30sec at 7.5mph), then 4min at 7.5mph, then 1min at 8.3mph.

Sunday 2/10/13
Bike - At home on trainer for 30minutes.  Steady moderate.

Week total = 6.26 hours

Swim - 2.83 hour and 8200 yards

Bike - 1.92 hours

Run - 1.09 hours

Strength - 0.42 hours

January 2013 Racing and Training Summary

Intensity.  I have definitely increased the intensity of my workouts.
Started Masters swimming, only 1-2 days a week, but that will change to 3 days a week in Feb.  The Masters swimming group (I Swim, LLC) I am now is much more intense than the previous.  The warmups are longer, there is typically some drill and technique work, and then an intense workout set.  The coach is much more interactive with the group than the previous Masters swim groups I have been in.  Hopefully, this will up my swim performance, and overall performance.
I have been going to the LA Fitness Sunday morning spin classes and they are pretty intense.  I think this has been a good workout to start doing. The class is about 55 minutes, but with warm-up I usually get an hour+ workout in.  During the week I do additional cycling at home, on trainer.  Intensity depends on how I am feeling.  Some times it is a 20-35 min easy to moderate spin, some times it is a 30-60 minute moderate spin with some intervals.  Intervals go anywhere from 30sec to a couple minutes.
My runs have been entirely treadmill.  I know, boring, but actually not that bad.  Usually I am doing a run during the week that is about 30 minutes, with either speed or steep incline intervals.  Then a Saturday run that is 40-60 minutes of more steady pace, but with some type of speed interval built into it.  I am feeling pretty good about my run at this point.
I have continued to do about a half hour of strength work a week.  Alternating between upper and lower body, and always doing back and abs. 
Total time for the last 3 years is pretty consistent. Swim is down, but if you look at my year-to-year, I am swimming more in less time.  5.7 hours in 2010 was 15400.  In 2012, 5.87 is 16,700.  I would say my swim intensity is higher than previous years.   Bike is up from last year, and about the same as 2011.  Run is down a little from last year, but I would say my intensity is better.  The last two years I have had the advantage of working out at OHP.  I do not have that anymore, so it is a little more challenging to get the workouts in, at times.


Comparison of January Training From Year-to-Year

Totals and Averages Since 2007

YTD Totals and Totals Since 2007

 

Product Review 27 - Kiefer Performer Swim Goggle

Full disclosure, Kiefer (http://www.kiefer.com/) contacted me and asked me to review a product for them and I picked this goggle (http://www.kiefer.com/kiefer-performer-swim-goggle-products-435.php), the Performer Swim Goggle.
I picked this goggle because of the way it looked, it looked like it would fit correctly, and it has a low price (Kiefer website has $12.00, selling now for $9.00 on the website). 
The goggles I have been wearing the last 3 or more years are the Speedo Active Goggles - Air Seal Tri Mirror (http://www.speedousa.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3620527&kwCatId=&kw=speedo+air+seal+goggles&camp=PPC%3AGoogle&gclid=CKqmsaCe9bQCFao7MgodiV8ApQ&cid=1062213), which run about 25 bucks. 
I reviewed those goggles here: http://nowiamdoingsomething.blogspot.com/2010/04/product-review-20-speedo-active-goggles.html 
The Air Seal Tri Mirror have done me well.  I have lost one pair, and had to replace one pair due to leakage around the eyes.  The leakage did not become a problem until I wore them for over a year of swimming, indoor and outdoor.  A year+ of swimming for me would be about 250,000 - 300,000+ yards.
I wanted to see if there was a less expensive alternative to the Air Seal Tri goggles.  I have tried lesser expensive Speedo goggles and I have not been that happy with them.  They would not fit me correctly and either leak around the eyes, slip, or pinch.  So, when I was offered a free pair of goggles to test, I decided these looked to be the best. 
In high school, I swam with the hard plastic, and simple Swedish goggles.  Kiefer had some of these, and I remember in high school how much they hurt around my eyes, how they never fit quiet right, and basically how much I did not like them, but they were inexpensive, so I stuck with them throughout high school.
Onto the Kiefer goggles.  They come in a very nice hard plastic case that is hinged and has a snap, which is a plus.  I don't like my goggles loose in my bag, that being said, the end of this review has a bit of an unhappy ending.  I will get to that later.  Because I got these goggles in the winter, I have not had a chance to wear them in open water, only in the pool.  I have put about 10,000 yards on them, maybe a little less.  So far, they are great.  They have fit me well and not leaked.  There is some flex in the lenses and more in the frame.  The only adjustment is the back of the strap.  They have stayed on my face well and there have been no issues.  Hooray! Exactly what I want in goggles.  They fit correctly, are cheap, and even come in a nice case.

Onto the bad news.  I accidentally ran the Kiefer goggles through the washer and dryer.  In a hurry to leave LA Fitness, I forgot to put them in the case and they got mixed with my towel.  Running them through the wash and dryer damaged/broke the strap.  I am guessing the strap is not dryer resistant.  I am going to replace the strap. If not just the strap, then the goggles, since they are inexpensive, because I want to swim with these goggles more and I want to try them in open water.
So, at least for pool swimming, I recommend these goggles. 
That being said, I know that how goggles fit have a lot to do with one's face and personal preference, so what works really well for one person, not so much for someone else. 

Weight

I try not to get to hung up on my weight.  I do weigh myself a few times a month, just to get an idea of were I am at.  It is another easy piece of information to keep about myself. 
I do like to keep my weight around 190lbs, I would like it to be about 180, but I am not going to change my diet dramatically to get there.  I like to eat good food, and drink good beer, and I don't really want to give those things up.  I know that some times I need to do a better job of moderation.  That is probably my biggest issue.  That is the issue with most people.  Eating too much, eating crap, and/or eating too much crap.  I do not eat a lot, or much, crap, but I do tend to eat too much at times. 
I base my weight more on look and feel.  I can gain muscle, lose fast, and gain some weight. I could also lose muscle, gain fat, and lose weight.  I kind of know how I should look and be comfortable. 
I am not going to preach about diet.  What to eat, what not to eat.  There are enough people out there doing that.  I think that most people know that the best thing to do is eat healthy, watch portions, and exercise.  The problem most people have is doing what they know they should do.
I know my weight fluctuates with the season, more in the winter, less in the summer.  It is part of life, especially if you are an athletes who race in summer\spring and takes an "off-season".
Below is the chart that tracks my weight since I started in 2007.   Below that is the chart with my average weight for each year, and below that is the table that shows average weight for the year and standard deviation.  Eventhough, I was a little heavier this year than the past years, I was more consistent this year than last year.
I weigh myself the same way each time, in the morning, after urinating, in the nude.
For reference in 2005, before I started racing, I was probably 220+, and in 2006 I was probably 210+.  In high school, 20 years ago, I was about 175.