Week 1 in training for the Ironman
Saturday, December 6, 2008 7:10November 30 – December 6 2008
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 195 Run: 17 miles Bike: 40 miles Swim: 0 miles
Picture of Hermosa Beach at Sunset.
Warm-up week: This week is usually considered the hardest and although I’m not using a training schedule yet, I am just trying to get a feel for where I stand in my strength and endurance.
I’ve decided that I wanted to try and make the Ironam Brazil on May 31, 2009 or the Ironman Japan on June 21, 2009. This gives me about 6 months to really get ready for an Ironman race. This isn’t much time, but I already competed in a half Ironman in 2007 so I’m pretty confident that this experience will help me prepare for a full Ironman in 6 months. Although, I am a little worried about my past six months of doing absolutely nothing will hurt my training and motivation.
Not only that but I also have a few other things riding against me: I picked up smoking cigarettes again which will be hard to quit AGAIN (I smoke about a pack every 3-4 days); I gained 30 pounds in the last year (and it’s not muscle); I’m extremely busy with trying to run my company and trying to make a living at the same time (because my company can’t pay me yet); my diet has changed (I used to be pescitarian but lately I’ve been eating everything); and I think that doing an Ironman is absolutely nuts 
This week wasn’t too bad: I started off Sunday with a slow, flat and moderately easy 5 mile run on the boardwalk in Hermosa Beach, which I kept a pace of about a 9 minute mile. Did some stretching, 50 sit ups, 30 push ups.
Monday: 70 sit ups
Tuesday: I added a 10 mile bike ride and increase to a 7 mile run. I kept the bike ride short because I just wanted to warm-up for the run and to start acclimating my legs for transitions. Plus, it’s been about 8 months since I’ve done a really good bike ride so I need to get my groin eased into the saddle again. I kept the run to a moderate speed of 9 min/mi again. I don’t want to cause any premature injuries and I just want to test my distance. 80 sit ups, 40 Push ups
Wednesday: Stretching, 100 sit ups, 50 push ups
Thursday: I did a quicker 5 mile run. I kept an average pace of 8min/mi with some instances where I picked up my pace for 5 min up to 7min/mi.
Friday: 30 Mile bike ride, stretching
Saturday: Stretching, 150 Sit ups 75 Push ups.
By the end of the week I started looking forward to my next workout. I’ve cut down on the smoking a little, which is the worst part. I’m trying to keep it to nights when I drink alcohol, which is something else that will eventually (in the next two months) be cut out of my diet. Working out makes it easier to stop smoking as your lungs begin to burn a little when you’re active. This makes taking your next hit harder to appreciate knowing that you are only going to cause yourself more pain the next time you workout.
My diet is also getting better. I’ve always cooked most of my meals at home with plenty of legumes, but now I’m also starting to cut out the red meat again. I don’t eat chicken either, but this Thanksgiving Holiday has been gluttonous on many levels. I like keeping fish in my diet, but I also try to keep this to once or twice a week.
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