Sunday, August 28th 2011

I decided to post this blog also on the main page of my blog, not just in the training journal because I think everyone can relate to it.

I am getting ready for day 4 of my hell week – with 11 hours of training scheduled today.
Remarkably, my knees and body feel good.  I almost stopped in the middle of training yesterday because I felt pain … Mario kicked me in head and reminded me that I am not suppose to feel good this week.

Quote of the week:  Mario Huys – “you can go home and sit on the sofa and be in pain, or run and be in pain … its both the same.  What do you think will help you finish and achieve your goal?”
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naseba seven test #2

day 3

Swim:  4,000 meters (58.55)
transition:  about 10 minutes
Bike:  120 km (4:25)
transition:  about 10 minutes
Run:  full marathon (4:47)

total training time:  10+ hours

Comments:
I slept poorly because my left knee is very sore – it woke me up a couple of times when I would move in bed.
My swim was the fastest swim yet – but I think it had to do with strong wind on the 2nd half.  I had a terrible feel for the water, and my shoulders are both very sore … so I dont see how I swam so fast, thus it must be the strong wind pushing me back.

The bike was uneventful – my ass didnt hurt much, but my left knee was very sore.  The last 20km loop .. it hurt so much that I kept thinking about skipping the full marathon.

When we finished the bike, I told Mario that my knee hurt so badly that I am not sure if I should run or not. 

Mario looked at me and said in a mellow austrian/german/belgium mixed English accent, “you can go home and lay on the sofa and your knee will still hurt, or you can go run and it will hurt … it’s the same.  What do you think will help you the most to finish naseba seven? “Then he added, “You just swam 4k and rode 120km … you are not supose to feel good.”So I started on my 40+ km run with a bad attitude, feeling sorry for myself.  Within 15 minutes, the pain in my knee seemed to be gone and I got into the run. 

An hour or so later, Mario came flying by me … he told me that he wanted to see how fast he could go for a half marathon.

I tried to run faster, but I couldn’t.  I seem to always be stuck in the lowest gear.  Nearing the 20km mark, I started thinking about the pain in my knees … and part of me wanted to stop at the half way point. 

But I thought of this training journal … and thought about the concept — “there aint no summit half way up the mountain…”

At the exact half marathon point, Mario was standing with his watch and handed me a water bottle and told me my time was 2:12 … (later he would tell me that he went 1:40)

The last 20 km went by ok … however, I did have a few other runners pass me.  I couldnt keep up with them (and I tried)  Its something I can’t really describe, the frustration at being so bad/slow at running.

Finally, I crossed the 42km mark at 4:47 … I didn’t walk at all, and I broke 5 hours which were both my goals today.  I know – the time is shit, but I am a shit runner.  

I ate an entire large pizza and large portion of penne arabbiata and drank 3 liters of water.
I couldnt find ice to ice my body tonight…

A good workout today.  I am very happy that Mario prevented me from being a total pussy …
Tomorrow is 4,000 meter swim, 150 km bike and then 20 km run.  A longer bike, and “short” run.

What suppliments do I use?

Many people have posted comments asking me about my diet and what suppliments I take.

I dont like to take suppliments or powders, etc and up until recently, I didnt take anything.
However, beginning of July Meinhard, an Austrian doctor who is a 10 time ironman including a sub 10 hour IM … friend of mine introduced me to what he considers the best nutritional suppliments on the market — an Austrian nutrition company called Peeroton.

Meinhard explained to me that Peeroton is the purest, most natural products he has come across and he gave me a box of BCAA tablets, recovery powder and bars to eat on my ride … as he is a multi-ironman doctor I listened to his input and took the products.

Irronically, Mario had told me for many months that I needed to take “BCAA” (branched chain amino acid) to help with recovery, but I never bought any because I dont like to take suppliments or pills…

Luckily, Meinhard talked me into taking them because since I started to take BCAA (since early July) my recovery is excellent – remarkable.

Because of the success I had with Peeroton’s BCAA, I researched more into Peeroton and bought more products including a recovery shake, and bars to eat on the bike and run.  They have a banana bread with chocolate and a musli bar which both taste great.

Peeroton products are 100% natural so are not cheap, but in my opinion, Peeroton is so much better than other cheaper, mass marketed products which are on the market.

I don’t believe in short cuts – but I sincerely believe Peeroton is helping me train and recover better than ever before.