Week 20: Just Like Riding a Bike!

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

    Over the next 7-1/4 months, I will be doing a TON of bike riding.  Short rides, slow rides, high-intensity, and long rides. Outdoors or on the trainer.  I was the most comfortable on my bike I have ever been.  This was a big training week, but feel great. Nothing hurts and I got all my sessions in (double bonus!) Weekly training stats to start off the week!

Weekly Stats:

• Weight:  177.0
• -.2 lbs from last week 
• Swim (3x)
• 4.06 miles (7,150 yards)
• 3:05:40
• Bike (3x)
• 87.99 miles
• 5:00:04
• Run (4x)
• 22.14 miles
• 3:49:34
• Strength (1x)
• 17:01
• Yoga (5x)
• 2:04:34
• TOTALS:
• 16 workout sessions
• 114.19 miles
• 14:16:53

    I didn't realize as I was going through the week that it was going to be this big of a training week.  I knew it was a hair more time than some other weeks, but I don't ever take into account the time for yoga and strength.  Those times aren't listed on my training plan, although the swim, bike, and run workouts are.  It was Spring Break this week, so that probably worked in my favor as I could really focus on my training and work only when I went in to the school. I was able to sleep in a few extra minutes each day as I could get a lunch swim or run in instead of having to do a 4:30 wakeup call.  But those are back in vogue this week! 

    This was my longest swim week to date.  It's actually my 2nd longest swim week ever, only eclipsed in July of 2016 as I was training for my first half-Ironman.  But as I look back into my stats from 9 years ago, I was swimming 20 seconds slower per 100 yards than I am now. I'm only 6 weeks into a long training year and I am light years ahead of where I was then.  That is what this plan is doing for me with the intervals, speed sets, and recovery workouts.  I was able to get 3 swims in this week, having to work around the "Schools Out" schedule at the Community Center due to Spring Break.  All three swims had hard sprint efforts and mixed the interval speeds throughout each workout.  I believe this is what is getting me faster.   Nine years ago, I just swam. I just biked.  And I just ran.  No plan and no mixing it up.  And I don't remember exactly how I felt during my training back then, but I am truly loving each day.  Sound cheesy, but it's really been fun (once I actually get into the workout--can't honestly say that I always look forward to them).  On my last swim on Friday, I didn't splash anyone (that I know of), but was asked to take my conversation with Chad elsewhere as the lady couldn't hear the full-volume Zumba music 20 feet in front of her.  Pretty sure I found my complainer of my too much splishy splashy.  But I will just keep swimming and doing my thing.     

  

     I had three long bike rides this week.  However, "long" is relative to what will be coming in the late summer/early fall.  I averaged almost 30 miles per ride. Two of the rides were low intensity, and the final ride on Saturday was a 2-1/2 hour mixed interval ride.  Some slow and low-intensity, then some faster and recovery time, then 10 all-out 1 minute sprints as hard as I could push it.  150 minutes on a bike trainer is not fun, but it went by fast as I was able to join a group chat with other podcast folks.  I "met" a few people I hadn't talked to before but had heard on other podcast episodes, and it made not going anywhere fast fun.  Missouri, Texas, Connecticut, Kansas, and Illinois were represented.  Just people from all over doing our thing, and all having goals for the near future.  It's the miracle of technology that we can talk live (just like the old telephone party lines) while riding indoors on an app that changes our resistance automatically based off hills in the course.  Looking forward to more rides with others from across the US.  

    Where I saw most improvement this week was on my runs.  I had two runs were I had high intensity and fast interval sets.  Even a few months ago, I would have said seeing paces into the mid 7:00/mile would be an all out sprint for me.  However, this week during my high intensity intervals, I had to get down to 7:10/mile and I was able to do that and hold it

for a few minutes.  I'm definitely not going to be doing my half marathon of my race at that pace, but to even do that speed without thinking about it tells me I'm moving forward.  It's a sneaky thing, kind of like the Karate Kid.  Not really knowing how it will all work as I do slow-paced runs, but then a couple run sessions and I see it all come together.  I did one run on the track at school after work, and then it turned cold and snowy again for a couple of days.  I was then forced to hit the treadmill for a day at the school.  Not ideal, especially when I'm in front of a mirror instead of a TV.  Watching my phone is a little bit harder.  On Sunday, I had a 90-minute run scheduled, but had committed to helping my dad in the afternoon after church.  So I knew I'd have to get up early to get it in.  Of course, thunderstorms rolled in from 3AM on, so it was back onto "Judge Tread" in my basement. Two episodes of "Lost" (season 5), two headbands soaked through, 900 calories burned, 2.4 pounds of sweat weight loss, and I got it done.  I still dislike the running the most, but that's my anchor leg of each triathlon, so I have to be strong at it.  And I'm getting there.     

    I did five Yoga sessions and one shoulders & arms strength session. I have noticed that the yoga really stretches me out and releases some of the soreness when I'm coming off a hard bike or run session.  Even with swimming, it helps with my shoulder flexibility.  I've never been flexible, and I know I'll still get the lecture at my annual physical, but I'm getting better in this area too. I'm working through a YouTube lady named Charlie Follows, and the workout I am doing is for athletes.  Four days a week I do a 20-min session, and at least one day a week (depending on what is on the calendar) I do a 30-40 minute session.  Still not pretty--I fall over, I can't twist as much as I should, but I still sweat.  So it's a good workout but minimal impact.  

    Over 14 hours of workout sessions this week.  My plan said I'd be at 10:56, but with the yoga and strength, those add a few extra hours to my overall time.  I'm still doing pretty well with balance of family, friends, church and triathlon and hope to keep that up as my times increase.  I'm just really trying to prioritize getting things done first thing in the morning, and immediately after work. I'm enjoying new friends and looking forward to meeting some in person at a race or two.  

Training Reflections:

    This week I went into a local bike shop just across the Missouri/Kansas state line and got a professional bike fit.  I had a "static fit" about 4 years ago leading up to my last half-ironman race.  The static fit was me sitting on my bike, and the bike store person measuring the angles of my knees, hips, elbows and shoulders as I rode on a trainer in a back room.  Nothing fancy, but my saddle, handlebars, shoe cleats and aerobars were moved to make the bike fit me.  When I got home, my bike was so much more comfortable, and it worked great.  This time, I went for a full professional Retül bike fit.  A bit more pricey, but everything I've read and heard said that it is the best way to go.    

    The Retül bike fit consisted of me "riding" on my bike on a trainer.  The trainer was on a kind of lazy susan platform. After getting a flexibility assessment, checking my feet and sit bones to see how symmetrical I am, velcro stickers were placed on the outside of my bike shoes, my ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists.  Attached to these stickers went a cord with sensors that was filmed by a camera synced to a computer app.  Think Motion Capture from the movies. As I moved, the computer animated person also moved.  These images and movement precisely measured my angles and what ranges I should be in relation to how I sit on and pedal my bike.  

    All in, it took about 2 hours.  My saddle was moved up (by about 2 inches--this info will come into play in  a minute!) and forward and flattened out, my handlebars were lifted, my aerobars moved backwards and down, and my forearm pads moved forward.  By the time I was done, I was sweating from the pedalling, and the bike felt VERY different.  I was in a completely different position in every aspect.  Yet somehow it wasn't uncomfortable.  Only time on the bike would let me know if I would get used to it.  Good thing I had a 2-1/2 hour ride on Saturday to shake it all out.  

    Fast forward to Saturday.  I jumped on the bike, and swung my leg over the saddle.  Due to my new saddle height, my left foot didn't clear the saddle and I just about fell over on a stationary bike.  I finally cleared the new seat height, and settled into a whole new feel.  The first thing I noticed is that due to my new height on the bike and position of the bars in front of me, I was naturally in a head-up position.  Before, to see ahead of me, I had to crane my neck to look up.  I was used to it, so didn't really notice it until I could be in a neutral position and still see what's coming (hopefully no cars). The other thing I immediately noticed--well, after about an hour--was that my butt was more comfortable on the saddle.  The guy at the store told me that my saddle was tilted down too much so I was basically sitting wrong and "falling forward".  That is no longer the case.  2-1/2 hours later, I got off the bike and I could feel that my legs weren't as tired as they normally have been.  With my saddle moved forward and my bars moved back, I am now in a tucked-in position that allows me to push straight down on the pedals instead of pushing forward to start the rotation.  And my tighter tuck didn't wear on my lower back as it did before after a couple hours of riding.  

    WORTH EVERY PENNY!  And there were a few there pennies in there....  I knew it would help out, and I haven't ridden for very long yet, but I am the most comfortable I've ever been on that bike.  Thanks, Scott.  If you need anything bike-related, go to Bike Stop in Martin City, MO.  They'll fix you up!  Can't wait to get to riding many more miles each week leading up to the 112-mile middle portion of my Ironman.  

Life Applications:

    Throughout my ride on Saturday talking with friends and watching Top Gun: Maverick on the TV in front of me (now without having to crane my neck up), I got a thought about how my bike fit could apply to my everyday life (I may have mentioned to those I was talking to several times how comfortable I was on the bike).  Often times, as daily life comes about, I try and fit God into the parts where I might need Him most.  I attempt to live life on my own, and when it gets uncomfortable--disappointment, anger, frustration, health issues, or whatever else presents itself--that's when God needs to fit me to make me more comfortable. 

    But it should be the other way around. Instead of making God fit into my life, I should be fitting into Him.  If I allow God to change me, as opposed to me changing Him, that's when I can start living fully.  I'm not there yet, and probably won't ever be here on this earth.  Everyday I need to look to Jesus to guide me, to lead me, and to change me.  Unlike the bike, where everything was changed to make me more comfortable and efficient, I should not be changing who God is to make me more comfortable.  The world has some crazy things going on, and one thing I see is that "truth" is often changed to fit what we want it to be so we either aren't offended or we can justify our actions and beliefs.  The truth should actually make me uncomfortable. God's Word should dig into my life and show me what I need to change. I should be allowing Him to transform me into a new person by changing the way I think. Daily.  

    Now I'm not a theological person in the respect that I know everything about who God is and be able in interpret scripture.  What I am is someone who is daily trying to follow Jesus, and failing more often than not.  It's been about 3 weeks since I regularly followed my weekly devotional.  I got busy, I got tired, and it got put under some other items on my nightstand and I just forgot about it.  I need to do better.  With my weekly devotional and in my daily life.  I wish it was as easy as paying someone to put sensors on me and show me EXACTLY how I should fit into who God wants me to be But it's not.  It's a daily (sometimes hourly) effort and I have to keep working at it.  Getting stronger with it. And keep moving forward as a Christian man, husband, father, and friend.  

    I have two weeks until my "Build Up Phase" is done and I move into my "Race Specific" training. That phase will go for 7 weeks then transition to a "Taper" phase as I hit the final two weeks before race day.  It seems far out there, but I know it will go fast.  In the meantime, I'm going to...

Keep Fit, Stay THE Course, and Keep Moving Forward

     Thanks for following along.  If you see me, I would LOVE to talk to you about my training. I can go for hours!!

So I "Triple Dog Dare You"!

223 sleeps until I outswim the sharks....