Lucas Rocklin - Age Group Triathlete

I'll Soon be Back on Record

2008-09-10T13:57:00.001-04:00

More to come....

Post Race Report - Winding Trails Cross Country Ski Race

2007-02-19T16:50:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to report an overall first place finish in this past Sunday's cross-country ski race. It's a little ironic that in my triathlon blog I'm writing about a first place finish in a cross-country ski event, but I'll take the victories where I can get em’! Check out the gold, well gold-color metal that I was awarded at the post-race ceremony. Here's how the race went down.

Fighting Meredith all week that my competing in this race was a good idea (a fight I didn't win), I arrived alone at the ski center about an hour and a half early in order to check in, get my rental equipment and shake off the major rust since the last time I went cross-country skiing. I knew going into this race that my endurance was strong but at the same time other than some anaerobic swimming sessions when I would find myself racing against some unknown swimmer in the next lane, my base training has been almost exclusively easy aerobic work.

After about a half hour of some nice backcountry skiing, I felt that my form was as good as it was going to get. Overall I was pleased with my technique. Into the lodge for some pre-race instructions, I learned that the race loop was 5K and that the 5K and 10K racers would be going off at the same time. As this was a traditional cross-country ski race and not a skating cross-country ski race, the race loop was double tracked. In other words, there was a left track and a right track with more or less clumpy snow and ice in between the two tracks. The race start wasn't a mass exodus but single-file, with 5 seconds between the start of each racer. Each racer's time didn't start until he or she crossed the starting line. I was slated to start fifth position with the first four racers competing in the 10K. In other words, all of my competition was behind me.

As I watched the first four racers take off, my plan was to go 100% for the entire race and bank on my guess that I had enough stamina to make it 5K at 100% effort. Within the first mile, I quickly passed two racers on an uphill that were in the left track while I was in the right. From this point, I trailed a racer the whole way using him more or less as a rabbit. While I thought I could possibly pass the racer, I wasn't sure that I could stay in front of him and avoid him from passing me back shortly thereafter. I found that he was faster than me on the flats but that I was quicker on the down hills (which I attribute to my all-out recklessness more than anything else). I also thought to myself, "hey this guy's in the 10K – there's no direct competition. See if you can draft off him (I couldn't)."

The course was quite technical with constant up and downs and with many left and right turns. The entire race saw me grunting, muttering gibberish to myself and sweating like I was in a sauna. I'm fairly certain that in going all-out my form wasn't all that pretty either. I was more of a runaway train than a sports car during this event. Notwithstanding, every time I looked over my shoulder to what I thought would be a racer closing in, I saw no one in site. As I rounded the last turn and crossed the finish line, which culminated a long ascent, I nearly collapsed. I was exhausted. 100% is what I gave that course and it yielded me first place! So when's my next cross country ski race? Next year, same race. Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Pre Race Post

2007-02-13T22:18:00.000-05:00

I'm registered and this Sunday at 10:30 am I'll be pushing off the start line on skinny cross-country skis as I compete in the 5K Nordic ski race at Winding Trails in Farmington, CT. In my last post, I mentioned my plan to get-in a practice ski run on Sunday for the reason that I haven't been on Nordic skis in over a decade. However, on account of a late night Saturday party, I didn't make it skiing on Sunday but instead opted for my usual long swim. With no trial run under my belt, I registered for the 5K distance and not the 10K battle. I let my friend and experienced Nordic skier make this call. "You don't want to hurt yourself. You're there to have fun. Leave the 10K for next year." I'm pumped! Here in Connecticut we're due for a snowstorm beginning this evening and continuing on and off through Sunday. Until my post race report, thanks for reading and stay tuned!

First Race of the Year

2007-02-10T14:25:00.000-05:00

It's been a good few weeks since my last post. Let's see here...last Saturday I went skiing at Mount Snow in Vermont. It was my first time on skis in about 13 years and boy was it a blast! I forgot how addictive the speed of skiing is. I had planed on bringing my camera to snap a few shots but as usual, I forgot it. Oh well. As for my training, the past three weeks have been solid. My swimming yardage is increasing nicely, my riding comfort has never been better thanks to my fit session a month ago and my running is progressing well also. Some posts ago, I detailed my visit to the podiatrist to acquire orthotics to see if they could alleviate the right inner knee soreness that I sometimes get post running. Since that post, I've been back to the podiatrist to have my orthotics tweaked a little. We're getting closer to the final solution...no pain! The orthotic in my right shoe is fitted with a lift to compensate for the slight right tilt in my pelvis. It's all rather boring or fascinating depending in your interest in running mechanics.

So onto the title of this post: First Race of the Year. That's right, next Sunday I'll be competing in a cross-country ski event in Farmington, CT (click here for the link). This event is annual but will be my first go around. Cross-country skiing is an activity I had done as a kid growing up. However, I literally haven't been cross-country skiing in about 15 years. So the plan is to get a little training in tomorrow, just to get my rhythm back as well as to determine what distance I want to compete in next Sunday. The distances are 3K, 5K or 10K. Right now I'm leaning towards the 10K but I'd like to see how hilly the course is before I commit to this distance. I'll be sure to throw in a post during the middle of next week as a little hype for the race...and I'll try to remember my camera this time. Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Professional Bike Fit

2007-01-22T21:07:00.000-05:00

There are literally dozens of books and different methods on how to properly set up a road bicycle to optimize power, efficiency, aerodynamics and injury prevention. While most of the various methods differ in some regard, all are in agreement that a proper bike fit is paramount for any serious rider. Here's why. The amount of power a rider can generate is related to the position the rider is on the bicycle. With the seat too high, low, forward or backward, power is diminished as well as subjecting the rider to possible injury. The same holds true with the handlebar position and even cleat location on the bike shoe. You get the point.

I've been tinkering with the fit on my bike for years, more or less guessing along the way. Most recently, I decided to try raising the seat height about an inch. A half hour into the ride and my Achilles were aching. "Enough" I yelled. "Time to get my bike professional fit." Enter Bethel Cycles. Storeowner Greg Pelican runs a fabulous shop in Bethel, Connecticut and is himself a former professional road racer and triathlete. One of Greg's specialties is bike fitting. "Greg, I need your help fitting my bike." "Sure, come on in." This was a few Saturdays ago on January 6 when it was 70 degrees here in Connecticut.

Besides the wealth of Greg's knowledge and the fact that Greg does all the bike fitting for his shop, Bethel Cycles has a "speed lab," which is a dedicated area in the bike store tricked out with every state of the art device used to optimize bike position. The first thing Greg did was to throw my bike on a trainer and measure about 20 different existing positions. With each calculation he went to the computer to input the data. Greg explained that he wanted to first see where all my measurement are before moving anything. After measuring my bike, he took about 20 measurements of me, leg length, arm length, etc. and also entered these into his computer. With my body's measurements and his proprietary software program, Greg was able to instantly tell me where my bike's measurements should be in relation to my build. These "should be" numbers did not jive with my existing bike set up. For example, my bike seat was over an inch low. Furthermore, Greg informed me that my bike is probably one size too small. From this point, Greg broke out a video camera and recorded me while I rode for a few minutes. Upon completion, he analyzed my stroke while proceeding to break down the long list of how my bike was not correctly set up.

Greg proceeded to raise my seat, move my seat back and reposition my cleats. To the camera again for another few minute spin and..."better, but your stem is too short. I can't adjust this and you're too cramped." "Well get me a new stem already" I exclaimed.

All said and done, I was there for about 2 hours and almost every aspect of my bike has been tinkered with. How does Lucille ride? Better than ever. Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

2007 Already

2007-01-10T21:25:00.000-05:00

Where does the time go? For me it seems like the days, weeks, months and years blend together so that the passage of time doesn't seem to have significance other than the accomplishments achieved along the way. Time is always ticking whether one chooses to sleep all day or work 100 hours per week and for any given point in time, the only significance is what has been accomplished to that point. That's what establishes worth in this world or at least in my eyes. Would the year "2007" mean anything if it were preceded by nothing?

So what does 2007 have in store for me? I've got work to do...at the office, at home and of course in the pool, saddle and on the road running. A few posts ago I broke down my 2007 training philosophy by setting forth that my training would be more relaxed and less rigid as compared to 2006. I've hung to this plan thus far. Time has been spent in the three disciplines of triathlon but I've also dedicated time to hiking, rowing (the concept II rowing machine is super) and elliptical training. These additions have been great both mentally and physically and empirically I have been able to gauge that my strength and endurance are on the rise. At this time of the year it's time to be an athlete and not just a triathlete.

Thanks for viewing and stay tuned for my next post where I'll detail my professional bike-fitting session that occurred this past Sunday. As a foreshadow, it was amazing and nearly every part of my bike has been moved one way or another!

Visit to the Podiatrist

2007-01-01T13:19:00.000-05:00

That's right, I went to see a local podiatrist who has a specialization in treating sports related issues. My issue and reason for the visit? Well it goes like this...for as long as I've been running, or since 2004, I frequently get post soreness on the lower inside of my right knee (on the bone itself). The tenderness usually goes away after two days and for what will be three years, has not progressed into anything more severe (fingers crossed on this one). However, that the soreness eviscerates quickly hasn't stopped my desire to have no post running discomfort.

Enter the podiatrist. Upon research, I've come to learn that my issue is most likely caused by the way my right foot impacts the ground when running. After all, my soreness doesn't occur after biking and most lower body running issues result from foot striking mechanics. It's Newton's third law, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction," and the "equal opposite reaction" in this case is the ground impacting my body and disproportionately on the inside of my right knee.

Upon recounting the same story as narrated above, minus the Newton talk, the podiatrist put me through a series of tests, including an examination of both feet, walking bare foot up and down a hallway corridor for 5 minutes and x-rays of both feet. After all was said and done, the doc outfitted me with a pair of temporary orthotics to try out for a few weeks until my next visit scheduled in early January.

So do they work is the question you're probably asking yourself? I don't know. I'm still deliberating. After my first few runs, I was confident they did the trick but then again my knee doesn't get sore after every run, just after most. I hate to do this to my readers but for the first time, this post will be continued. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next post.

Almost forgot again, check out my new Park Bicycle repair stand pictured above - a recent birthday gift. Happy new year to all!

Base Work Underway

2006-12-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

The toy showcased for this week's post is my recent acquisition, Base Building for Cyclists. As I've mentioned numerous times before, base building is the first step to success for any endurance athlete. This understanding, however, means nothing unless the athlete also comprehends how to properly build base. Enter me...case in point. Although I've read countless articles in countless magazines discussing the subject of base building, including the subtopics heart rate and power meter training, I've come to learn that this is not a subject that can be grasped in a 1-3 page article. In retrospect, last year this time when I was attempting to build base, I really wasn't simply due to my lack of understanding of what to do.

Without going back to fourth grade and delivering a full book report, Base Building for Cyclists is easily the best book I've read on endurance training. It clearly sets forth the who, what, where, why and when of base building a/k/a aerobic training. A significant aspect to this process is the importance of recovery and the avoidance of high intensity training. For anyone who reads this blog this topic is of particular relevance to me.

So I'm underway base building. The workouts are easy and fun and with the exception of recovery weeks, the mileage is slowly increasing with each passing week. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next post where I'll be highlighting my recent trip to the podiatrist to get fitted for orthotics!

Training Philosophy For 2007

2006-12-09T18:53:00.000-05:00

Unlike the 2006 race season, where I mapped out my races first and then trained second to prepare for each race, for 2007 I'm taking the opposite approach. (For example, in 2006, I registered for and was very much focused on getting ready for the Timberman Half-Ironman Triathlon in New Hampshire. In retrospect, this method was the major reason that I sustained more than one injury that had me sidelined for many months. The other reason for my injuries was simply due to trial and error where error equated with an injury).

For the 2007 race season, I'm going to let my training and gains as a result thereof tell me what races to enter. In other words, I'm intelligently training for distance with no race dates set. (This of course is a lie. There are definitely races I have in mind that I'd like to enter). The idea is that without the pressure of a specific event to train for, I'll train with flexibility and thereby reduce the chance of injury. My training techniques for 2007 are going to vary somewhat from 2006 and in the next few posts, I'll be detailing these techniques.

I almost forgot...my promise to unveil another new toy that I'll be using for the 2007 season. The feature for this week is pictured above, "Workouts in a Binder for Indoor Cycling." This book provides numerous indoor/trainer exercises broken down by goal, with the focus of exercise ranging from endurance to speed. Living in the northeast, winters are often cold snowy affairs, where it's pitch black at 5:00 pm. For much of the winter, an indoor ride on the trainer is far more appealing than layering up for a chilly ride outdoors. Until next post, thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Game On - 2007

2006-12-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'm back after a much-needed break. Since my last post, I took off the entire month of October to recover mentally and physically from my 2006 training and race season (us triathletes work on a race-oriented calendar). Although I intended to continue with regular exercise through October, albeit unstructured, my body and head wouldn't comply. Not to worry I thought, I'll know when I'm ready to begin traveling down that long road again of swimming, biking, running, weights, repeat. Sure enough, by the end of October, five pounds heavier (I was on the infamous see-food diet), and psychologically neutral following my post-race season depression (common for athletes), my inner flame that pushes me to exercise was roaring like a bonfire and burning me up! One swim and the fire was out...just kidding!

I'm officially in my fifth week of training for the 2007 season and more specifically, in a recovery week, i.e. reduced volume week. My training for the next few months will be 100% aerobic base work or comfortable/moderately paced exercise with emphasis on form, building volume and strength training. This period of the year is analogous to laying a building's foundation. The foundation or aerobic base must be big and strong to withstand injury and the lengthy race season.

I've also acquired some new tools for the 2007 season, which I'll reveal little by little during the next few posts. My first new toy is pictured above, a 2007 Nissan Xterra 6-speed in Night Armor. I know several months ago I posted that I had purchased my dream vehicle and even explained that the automobile had to be custom ordered direct from Nissan due to the options I elected. Well...three long months later it arrived and I can say that the wait was well worth it. "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." Life is good! Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Post Race Report - Darien Triathlon 2006

2006-10-04T19:53:00.000-04:00

Friday evening, September 29, Meredith and I fully loaded with my necessary gear, headed south to the race's designated hotel, the Double Tree in Norwalk. The hotel was situated 4 miles from the race site in Darien, where the race was scheduled to being at 7 a.m. As we arrived at the hotel, the lot was full of cars with bike racks. Checking in, we found ourselves surrounded by the professional triathletes who I would be lining up with the next morning, including the well-known Jordan Rapp, Paul Fritzsche, and the very beautiful Katya Meyers. My sleep that night was the same before all races, mediocre.

At 5:00 a.m., my three alarms sounded in unison, and I hopped out of bed. We gathered our things and made our way to my car to find the morning temperature in the 30s! It was cold! In a few minutes we arrived at the race site in the pitch-black. Only the transition area was lit by spotlight. After checking in, racking my bike in the transition area and getting my body markings (#288), Meredith and I raced back to the car and cranked the heat. At around 6:30 a.m., my good friends Matt (pictured above) and Melissa showed-up to root me on. At 6:50 a.m., ten minutes before the race start, I took to the water, which felt like a bathtub in comparison to the air temperature.

The Swim
In the third swim wave, I watched the professionals and second swim wave head out into the water. The swim route was a rectangle format, with the second buoy headed straight into the rising sun. As my wave was released, I found myself crowded in a pack of around 20 swimmers. As with the Branford tri, I quickly eased into a comfortable rhythm, confident that my swim condition was at its peak for the season. Rounding the first buoy, I glanced up to locate the second buoy, but only found the rising sun. I was blinded. With no other option, and determining that no other racer could possibly locate the second marker, I did only what I could - follow the pack. As I neared closer to where I thought the second buoy might be, I along with about 20 others saw that we were roughly 20 yards high. Laughing, I made my way north thinking that the race organizers were a little inexperienced to have set the swim course headed east. Reaching the shore and out of the water, I glanced at my watch to see that I made it out in just over 15 minutes.

The Bike
Into transition one, I took far too long to get my bike and helmet on before heading out on the road. Once on the road, I couldn't believe how cold I was. I was literally freezing. I could hardly feel my hands, which were numb and made shifting quite difficult. Notwithstanding, I noticed that I had great power and that my race specific training had really paid off. The course was very technical, set on winding roads throughout beautiful Darien and New Canaan. Whizzing along the multi-million dollar mansions that line the shore, I was in a pack of about 10 bikers. Although the race was a non-draft legal event, due to the technical course, everyone was riding in packs. Rolling along the streets, it seemed that the 15-mile bike leg was over in only a few minutes. I averaged just over 19 miles an hour and when I arrived into transition two, I saw few bikes racked.

The Run
Running into transition two, my feet felt like blocks of ice. After putting on my shoes and taking a few steps, my gait felt awkward as if I wasn't wearing my running shoes, which are comfortable and roomy. Within the first mile, I stopped not once but twice to inspect my shoes in order to make sure that I indeed had on my shoes and not by mistake another racer's shoes. New Balance 766 - these are mine I told myself! Around mile 2, my feet had thawed, and I finally began to warm-up as the sun was high in the sky. The run course, a 5-mile route, was similar to the bike, although headed in the opposite direction. During the run, I was passed by perhaps a dozen runners as it became clear that my lack of running this season had left my swimming and biking relatively stronger. Nevertheless, I was happy with my pace.

Overall
Once finished, the sun was high in the sky and the temperature was warm and in the 60s. It was a remarkable contrast from the start of the day. I finished with a time of 1:51:18, and 162 out of 375 racers. Until next post, thanks for reading and stay tuned for my off season plans!

Pre-Race Report - Darien Sprint Triathlon 2006

2006-09-24T17:55:00.000-04:00

Despite my race season having just begun in August it's about to end on September 30, at the Darien sprint triathlon, the last triathlon in Connecticut. With the temperature dropping and fall weather setting in, any competitive racing into October and perhaps beyond will invariably be left to biking and running only events. For myself, I've determined to call it a season on September 30. Although I've discovered a century bike tour in New Jersey in mid October that interests me, I will not torture myself in attempt to prepare for this event on such short notice. All of my training as of late, including that on the bicycle, has been race specific - short, frequent and intense. The transition from this mode to preparing for a century in a few weeks is the type of move that could land me back on the I.R.

Back to my pre-race report for the Darien sprint triathlon. This will be another first time event for me. Somewhat remarkable is that there are five professional triathletes advertised to be among the racers competing. I say remarkable because an olympic distance triathlon is usually the shortest distance on the professional circuit. Also atypical for this race is that although dubbed a sprint tri, the run leg of 5 miles is closer to that of an olympic tri, which hosts a 6 mile run.

Scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. sharp and approximately 50 miles from our condo, Dith and I have decided not to torture ourselves with a sub 5 a.m. wake up time and have opted to stay at a nearby hotel in Norwalk. We're going all out for this last one - the Double Tree Inn!

As stated above, my training since the Branford tri has been more of the same high quality high-speed workouts that have tested my mental reserve as much as my physical stamina. I believe I'm beginning to understand the type of training required to post competitive times in this sport. For example, in preparing for a tri last year, I was under the impression that swimming a mile at a moderate tempo was more beneficial than a .5 mile tempo swim. I now know the opposite to be true. The same logic applies for biking and running in the final weeks leading up to an important race. Until my next post, the "post race report," thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Post Race Report - Branford Triathlon 2006

2006-09-19T21:28:00.000-04:00

First off, sorry for the lack of a pre-race report - my work schedule has been extremely busy and has left little time after squeezing in my training.

The Branford Sprint Triathlon 2006 - this was a new race for me as last year I ended my tri season in August. And the truth be told is that had I not been sidelined for three quarters of this tri season, I probably would have again concluded by season in August. Until this past Saturday, the temperatures in Connecticut have been low with lots of rain. If you live in the northeast, however, I don't need to tell you that summer made a strong come back this weekend. The weather was beautiful!

After my 5:30 a.m. alarm went off and I ate some food and double-checked my things, Dith and I hit the road and arrived on site at the Owenego Beach Club in Branford, Connecticut, at the early time of 6:30 a.m. Following check in, body markings (#238) and securing my transition spot, I headed with some reluctance to the water for my customary warm-up swim. I say with reluctance because swimming in the cold ocean at 7:00 am is not an inviting prospect. After a 5-minute swim, I came ashore and toweled off. "Meredith, the water is fairly warm!"

The Swim
Placed in the first swim wave, my goal in the water was drastically different as compared to my swim objective for the Caz tri. This time around, I was dead-set on remaining relaxed and smooth, even at the expense of giving away a time that I was otherwise capable of posting. I was determined to leave myself fresh for the bike, unlike at the Caz tri where I expending great energy in the water and started on the bike behind the 8 ball and winded the whole time.

As the gun went off, I established a comfortable rhythm almost immediately. My sighting was much improved and I accomplished exactly what I wanted, a nice moderate paced swim, leaving me plenty of energy for the bike. Out of the water and on my way to the first transition, I looked down at my wristwatch and was amazed to see that I finished in less than 16 minutes, a personal record!

The Bike
After taking far too much time in the first transition, I headed out onto the double loop bike course. A double loop format is not one that I had experienced before but I quickly found this to be preferred as compared to the typical one loop. As with the Caz tri, my legs felt quite fresh in the beginning. However, unlike the Caz, I was able to produce some decent power from start to finish. Although not burning up the course, I pressed the pace the whole time, and pedaled with an efficient quick cadence.

The Run
Following a speedy second transition, the first part of the run hugged the beautiful Branford shoreline. With the sun rising over the water on an absolutely spectacular September morning, it was impossible not to be inspired. A four-mile jaunt, the run segment was fairly flat and despite my lack of running this summer, I was able to comfortably charge through the run.

Overall
I finished the race in 1 hour and 32 minutes, leaving me a finishing place of 148 out of 322 racers. I had an absolute blast and will definitely be doing this race next year. Meredith, my partner in crime, was as always faithfully cheering me on as well as taking pictures (check them out - they're uploaded!) On a final note, I was surprised to see about 5 college-aged racers wearing Syracuse University jerseys. Perplexed the whole race as to who these kids were, as school is back in session, I was excited to learn after the race that SU has a triathlon team and that the group drove 5 hours to race along side us at the Hammerfest. So after chatting with Meredith, I'm going back to college. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the Darien Sprint tri on September 30!

Race Preparation

2006-09-04T20:21:00.000-04:00

My training since the Caz tri has been exclusively catered to my upcoming tris on September 17 and September 30. For swimming, I've continued my shorter distance sessions with full intensity, but have been spending more time on my sighting. Every 10 seconds or so I've been practicing looking up prior to taking my normal breath. For biking, I've cut down on my distance rides, and have increased the frequency and intensity for each ride. I've found this adjustment to be yielding gains already (It's trial and error folks and yes this season has had its fair share of error). For running, I'm doing very little on account of my hip still being somewhat bothered by the impact.

I'm determined to build on my weaknesses from the last race. My most obvious came on the bike, where I lost much ground I worked so hard to gain in the water. It was devastating watching the crowds pass by and not have the power to respond. However, being that my next race is in a few weeks, how much progress can I expect? We'll have to wait and see. I'm predicting that I'll be able to cut my times in all three legs. A little more relaxed in the water and without going off course, I should be able to drop up to a minute. On the bike, I see no reason why I can't erase 5 minutes. On the run I'll make no predictions. Yes I will-I'll be faster. Thanks for reading and stay tuned. Great things are to come! See you out there!

Post Race Report - Cazenovia Triathlon 2006

2006-08-23T21:14:00.000-04:00

My cell phone and wristwatch alarms went off almost simultaneously at 6:00 am. After hopping out of bed and bumping my shin thereon I began to gather my things and prepare for my scheduled 7:00 a.m. departure. Being that my grandparent's home is approximate one mile from the race start, I had the unusual luxury of not having to worry about traveling a far distance to the race. As an added benefit, the start time was scheduled for 8:30 a.m., an abnormally late time. After putting my bike on the car, mixing my Gatorade drink and double-checking that I had everything that I needed, Meredith and I departed down the road. Arriving early, we got a parking space 20 feet from the transition area.

My first move was to get a good spot in the transition area. Although not many were left, I obtained a position about as good as any other. I checked-in and got my timing chip and bodying markings - number 171 - I suppose the race organizers didn't think I was much of a threat to win the race. At this point, my family started to trickle in. First my grandmother, and then the rest of my family arrived-6 in total. With about 10 minutes to race time, I proceeded to the water for my customary pre-race swim. I've found that a pre-race swim is obligatory for me. Swimming requires relaxation in order to develop a breathing rhythm. Being nervous and overexcited causes hyperventilation and mandatory breaststroke until you can calm down enough to put your head in the water. Well warmed up, I stood with my assigned second swim wave as I watched the first wave take off.

THE SWIM

The swim started with all racers standing in waste deep water. Slipping forward I was able to obtain a position in the front as my goal was to start fast and hope that I could get out in front and push the pace from start to finish. (For my last five or six sessions in the pool, I've tried to simulate race day conditions by swimming a little over .5 mile at full speed. I've found that if you don't start the swim in front, it's very easy to get boxed in a group. Moreover, passing and accelerating in the water is difficult. Accelerating straight ahead finds you getting kicked straight in the head. Going to the right or left only adds distance to the swim and takes precious energy for little in return). As the gun went off I began a sprint as if I were racing in the 100-yard dash. Within 10 seconds or so, I could see that I was out in front. After another 10 seconds without sighting and continuing with my furious pace, I looked up to find that I was off course to the right! Not good-I immediately began pulling left, but was no longer in the lead. Once back on track, I found myself in a pack of about 10 swimmers. Unable to pass as I was boxed in and never really comfortable because I was boxed in, my swim continued in this manner until I exited the water.

THE BIKE

Onto the bike, I mounted with little difficulty and began by thinking that my legs felt great. Down the road about 1 mile into the ride, it became clear that although my legs were fresh, I had no power and no mental anger that I require to ride with power. I couldn't accelerate, I couldn't push the pace and I began getting past by many swimmers who I beat out of the water. The bike leg never got better. Notwithstanding, I tried to stay positive while thinking the whole time about how I might improve my biking speed.

THE RUN

Off the bike and into the second transition, I slipped my shoes on and headed out onto the run course. Again my legs felt fresh, particularly so in that I've put in very little run training. For the first half of the run, my lungs were burning despite my stride feeling strong. Pushing thru the pain, in the second half of the 5K I hit my stride and cruised home to the finish where in the last 20 yards I found myself for the first time in any triathlon, in a sprint. The racer to my left and behind me began a dash in order to drop me at the finish line. He didn't. I finished in 1 hour and 37 minutes, 7th in my age group and 120 out of 271 racers.

Overall, it was a great first tri of the season (check out the new photos from the race). Up next is the Branford sprint triathlon on September 19, followed by the Darien sprint tri the next week. Until then, anyone have any pointers on the bike? Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Cazenovia Pre-Race Report

2006-08-16T21:02:00.000-04:00

Cazenovia New York is a very special place. Anyone who has been can attest to this as a fact. It is especially important to me in that my grandparents live in Caz and I have very fond memories from the frequent trips that my family and I made there when I was younger. About 20 miles from Syracuse University where I went to undergraduate school, Caz is also where Meredith and I got married in September 2005.

The Cazenovia sprint triathlon will be my first tri of the year and the second year that I'll be racing in this event. In 2004, I remember running on the high school track one early Sunday morning while the event was underway. I recall telling myself that next year I'd be lining up for that race. I kept my promise and my experience last year was quite memorable.

The .5 mile swim is in a triangle-shaped format and starts at the public boat launch and ends as all triathlons do that I've entered, at the beginning. From the swim and into the first transition, the bike mount can be difficult as it's an uphill affair. This caused many racer difficultly, especially the ones that opted to put on their bikes shoes before mounting (most triathletes use clipless pedals, and on an uphill start you basically have one shot at getting your shoes to clip-in before you fall from lack of momentum). As for myself, I've become comfortable with leaving my shoes clipped into the bike, mounting the bike, and slipping my bare feet into the shoes down the road. This technique is not only a time saver but for this race is definitely the safest method.

Onto the 15-mile bike course, it starts flat and in a half a mile goes uphill fast, for a short yet very steep hill. From this point, it more or less flattens out with only one remaining hill that's long and steep. This second hill brings to mind slow riding and heavy breathing. Once off the bike and onto the run, the 5-kilometer (3.12 mile) run is essentially all uphill for the first half, with a moderate gradient, and is all downhill on the return. The pain I was in on the run I don't think I'll ever forget. It took everything I had to not stop and walk as many did. For my finishing time last year I clocked a time just over 1.5 hours and finished 136 out of 309. In comparison to last year, my swimming and biking are probably equivalent if not a little stronger. My running is a different story but you can bet that I'm going to do everything in my power to finish with a better time this Sunday. Until my post-race report, thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Last Full Training Week

2006-08-13T21:37:00.000-04:00

Going into this week, I understood my training and diet to be incredibly important in preparation for next Sunday's triathlon. The reason is simply that my triathlon training has been lower than desired for the past month or so due to injures. Essentially, this was the last full week of training I'd be able to do prior to the race on the 20th. Next week I'll be tapering a/k/a resting in order to ensure that I'll be fully rested for race day. In other words, my training will be light, as I'll be more focused on being fresh for the race. Therefore, what workouts I did this week and their frequency had to be carefully managed in order to maximize the healthy amount of training I could complete.

With the above in mind, I lifted weights on Monday and Thursday sans lower body. On Tuesday and on Saturday I swam. On Wednesday I ran at the track and on Sunday I pushed the pedals. For my swimming, truth be told is that my volume for the past month has been low on account of the shoulder injury I incurred a month and half ago. For the past month, I've more or less put in shorter sessions with the goal of trying to maintain my stamina in the water. Notwithstanding my lack of volume, I have confidence in my swimming ability albeit although I'm not in peek shape. For my running, it's a complete joke. For those that don't remember this sad story, I've been rehabbing my hip injury, which ultimately led me to forego running and focus instead on my biking. Taking to the local high school track on Wednesday, my form and speed felt surprisingly good and I'm ready to roll. The excitement is building and building. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my pre-race report for next Sunday's Cazenovia Triathlon!

Tour of Litchfield Report

2006-08-07T21:54:00.000-04:00

At 2:30 am I awoke to Meredith's cell phone going off. From that point, I basically dosed in and out of sleep until 5:45 when my alarm went off. Out of bed and tired, I mixed my water bottles with the proper Gatorade mix and drove straight to Dunkin Donuts while admiring the gorgeous weather. I've learned from more than one experience, that packing the car the night before with everything but water bottles is the only way not to forget something. Driving up to Torrington the roads were predictably empty until I got closer to the event where cars with expensive bikes strapped to the back became numerous. Pulling into the parking lot the adrenaline was flowing and I was no longer tired but pumped for the ride ahead. After registering and chatting with a few riders I headed to the starting line and waited for instructions.

The format for what was officially titled a "tour" (which I found to be distinguished from a "race" only in that we didn't wear computer timed chips) was different length courses with there being a 30, 50 and 75 mile route. As the announcer explained, colored arrows, red, orange and yellow, differentiated the course routes. Upon hearing this, I knew it was inevitable that I was going off course. I'm colorblind. As I was thinking about how I could avoid the unavoidable, the gun went off and my thoughts quickly changed to the matter at hand.

For the first 10 miles or so, I couldn't seem to get motivated to ride hard. I was stuck with a pack complacent to more or less cruise than to push the pace. Every time I thought I was going to make a move and pour on the gas, I found myself saying "I'm still warming up, let your body tell you when it's ready to ride." As an added disincentive, the first 10 miles were more or less like riding up a cliff. I knew Litchfield County was hilly, but this was like the Pyranies.

At mile 12 a major juncture was revealed, where the three route arrows all pointed in different directions. I went left and down a two-mile hill before I realized that I was off course. Finding an event staff to confirm what I feared, a feeling of rage overcame me. Shouting out every expletive I could recall the next 1.5 hours were a blur.

Once back on track and way back in the pack, I began picking off riders one by one. I remember only that I was riding as hard as I possibly could. I didn't care that I was far from the half way mark - I was in a blind rage. This feeling lasted until about mile 35 when I caught a large pack of riders that I couldn't drop. Although still committed to push the pace, between fatigue setting in from the hills and being in a pack of riders with similar ability to myself, I more or less rode with the same 20-30 riders to the finish where hundreds of spectators awaited.

Overall, the ride was great doing 54 miles in a little over 3 hours. The weather was amazing and the scenery in northeast Connecticut picturesque. Until the next post, it's time to get triathlon ready as the Caz tri on August 20 is fast approaching. I wonder if I remember how to run? Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Cazenovia Triathlon

2006-08-03T20:51:00.000-04:00

This just in...I'm registered for the Cazenovia sprint distance triathlon to be held on August 20. This will be my first tri of the year! More to come!

Race Week - Pre Race Report

2006-08-01T20:31:00.000-04:00

Being that I'm racing this weekend, an anomaly in of itself, I thought I'd try for a double whammy and do a mid-week post. Here it is. After Sunday's 40 mile ride, which for me is a longer ride, my legs were shot. This was partly due to the fact that my legs were sore going into Sunday's ride after my Friday bike ride and evening beach volleyball competition (work summer outing). Speaking of beach volleyball, that's one fun sport, but certainly not easy. For this week, my goal is to be fresh for Sunday, but this doesn't mean sitting on the couch for the whole week. For training, I will continue to swim and lift weights. For diet, I'll try to stay strict, consuming my usual large doses of fruit and complex carbs, with minimal fat and simple sugars. I must admit that Monday didn't fit into this scheme as I ate .5 a pizza. It was worth it.

On a tech note, last Saturday I picked up a new pair of pedals. I opted for the Look Keo Sprint model that has been favorably rated. The advantage of these pedals, or any high quality pedal in comparison to my previous pedals is at least three fold. First, the pedals themselves are a good amount lighter, which equates with a quicker turnover. Second, the cleats, which attach to the bike shoes, are much larger. This is a power booster, as I'm able to translate more energy into each pedal stroke. Third, and perhaps most important, is that these pedals have what's called "float," or the ability to wiggle without popping out of the cleats. This creates a hip and knee friendly environment that is especially important when piling on the miles. I must give a shout out to my usual advisor, Joe Vinciquerra, who's not only having a fabulous season and hosting a great blog, but who just registered for the 2007 Lake Placid Ironman. Way to go Joe!

Other than the above news, I've come to learn that two members of Living Colour will be in town this week. Guess which night they're performing? Saturday, of course...what to do...what to do? I haven't yet decided. Lastly, I hope some of you were able to catch Hunter Kemper's unbelievable win at the famous Battle of the Sexes Triathlon (the event was televised last Saturday on NBC). Hunter Kemper is certainly my favorite triathlete. Check out his website. Although basically walking the last 100 yards of the run, as he was far ahead of the pack, he still managed 5:15 per mile! Until next time, thanks for reading and stay tuned for my post race report!

First Race Scheduled

2006-07-30T21:39:00.000-04:00

This race season has been riddled with speed bumps. Before the season started I had planned to have already completed 3 to 5 races at this point. For weeks I remember thinking more about racing in the Timberman triathlon than just about anything else (except for my wife Meredith of course). An Achilles tendon, hip and shoulder injury later, my patience, pride and resolve to reach my season's goals were all but erased. For a while I really wasn't sure that I'd be able to make it to the starting line of any events this season. I'm happy to report those thoughts are over. I'm ready to start anew and write off the first 2/3 of the season as a valuable learning experience as to the volume of training my body is capable of safely consuming.

I am proud to write that I'm set and prepared to enter my first race next week. The race is the Tour of Litchfield bike only event to be held on Sunday, August 6. Litchfield County is set in Eastern Connecticut and is one of the most beautiful and hilly areas in Connecticut. The race, or officially titled "tour," has different distances of which I've entered the 50 mile competition. Needless to say, I'm excited.

For my training this week, I managed two swims both of which were excellent. I'm very happy to be back in the pool. I have a true love for the water and to be able to swim pain free is thrilling. On the bike I put in two quality rides. A short 30 minute indoor ride on the trainer Friday, and a longer 40 mile ride on the road Sunday. Until next post, thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Dream Car Purchased

2006-07-23T21:01:00.000-04:00

Although I didn't get a post in last week, that's not to say that I didn't have a great week training. I did, especially on the bike. On Saturday, I went on my customary early morning bike ride. Prior to the ride, I had adjusted my bike seat, moving it back and up. As any regular bike rider can relate, you're always fidgeting with the seat and hand positions in order to maximize the delicate balance between power and comfort.

For the first 15 miles of the ride, where my goal was to hit the hills hard to work on my climbing skills, I felt quite lethargic and with little power. Specifically, I was very uncomfortable, with my seat being pointed too far down causing me to fall forward into the handlebars. As an added discomfort, my seat was too high.

At the 15 mile point into my awkward ride, I saw a group of riders taking a break off to the side of the road. Eager to say hi and to adjust my seat position, I joined the congregation. After exchanging hellos, and checking out everyone's bicycle (a must), I began to adjust my seat at which point one of the riders chimed in with some suggestions. "Bring the angle of the seat up, and lower the seat." With nothing to lose, I happily agreed. After all, I haven't been able to find a good seat position in over a year.

Taking back to the road and about two miles later, everything clicked. My power was sky high, I was at such ease and very comfortable. Riding had very been more enjoyable. After getting lost in my own town (we just moved there 6 months ago), and having to stop for directions, I made it home after a nice 35 mile jaunt. That was last week.

This week was also great. Early in the week, I renewed my annual pool pass and on Saturday, I made my return to the pool after an approximate 1.5 month lay-off due to sustaining a swimmers shoulder injury. To my delight, my swim was great, being smooth and pain free. On Sunday, I repeated my last week's performance on the bicycle and logged in another 35 mile ride.

And for the best news...I just purchased my dream car, a 2006 Nissan Xterra, to be delivered sometime in September. Apparently due to the out of the ordinary options I elected, namely the Off-Road edition in 6 speed manual, the car wasn't available for immediate purchase anywhere in the Northeast and had to be custom ordered direct from Nissan! Until next time, thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Still Here

2006-07-10T22:01:00.000-04:00

A shortened workweek last week due to the holiday was beautiful. I guess I know how the French have it year around. I still can't get over the fact that France actually had a law prohibiting employees from working more than 35 hours a week. Furthermore, employees could not waive this right by contract or otherwise. Now that's a great law. From what I understand, however, the law has been amended to now allow employers to mandate up to 4 additional hours, or 39 hours a week, but only if employers pay overtime compensation for the additional 4 hours. What a great country. Gorgeous scenery, the world's best bicycle race and maximum workweeks of 39 hours. I'm way off track...so last week's training was great, defined as I didn't sustain any new injuries and at the same time put in some quality training. On Wednesday, I made it to the local track to log in some laps, and on Saturday, I took to the street for a stomping on my bicycle. Sunday, I made it to the tennis courts to hit some balls after being inspired by Roger Federer's routing of Nadal.

On another note, Meredith has put me to work this summer priming, painting and sanding. In January we moved into a condominium and apparently every wall has to be painted something other than white. Most recently, with my good friend Whit, we installed a chair rail in the dinning room to break it up from the connecting living room. Peep the above picture. Also during the past weekend, my sister and brother in law were in from out of town. This is always a blast and the weekend brought good barbeques and laughs. Until next time, thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Down But Not Out

2006-07-04T21:57:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's been some time since my last post and I apologize. I just could not bring myself to write any more negative posts, and since my last, there's been little in the way of positive training. As such, and as was evident, I opted to take a break from my weekly updates while I was healing and getting healthy.

At this point I am happy to report that I've started biking and running again!! My hip is not 100%, but it's good enough to permit moderate training without worrying about further injury, I hope!! In fact, I started running last week and have been hitting the road with my bike for four straight weeks. Although my stamina compared to a few months ago is woefully bad, I'm just happy to be on the mend and able to train.

In attempt to salvage the race season, I'm setting my goals lower than I had planned going into the season. I've come to realize that these current "low goals" were all along my only realistic goals for the 2006 season. My plans to do a half-ironman, and other longer distance events are just not in the cards for me at this time. I am pumped though!!! I'm ready to train like a mad man, which coincidentally has been my downfall. My desire to be competitive has far out paced my body's ability to handle the attendant stresses. With that said, my goals are to compete in some races this season irrespective of posting competitive times. This is actually a quite nice goal. Easy biking, swimming and running. No speed or power sets. I can handle this. So I'm back training and writing. See you out there. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Weekly Check In

2006-05-31T21:38:00.000-04:00

The check in regarding last week's activity is as follows. On Monday, Tuesday and Friday I swam some intense sets and on Thursday, I did my usual weight lifting session. For some detail on my swim workouts, Monday saw me doing some medium distance repetitions totaling approximately 1400 yards. On Tuesday, I decided to swim a very moderate tempo mile, and clocked a time of 32:00 minutes. This got me thinking...a relatively easy mile in 32:00. What if I pushed myself hard? Maybe I could do a 27-28 minute mile. Then I got to some more thinking...I have some time before this race, I might be able to place on the podium for my age group (the winner last year in the male 25-30 age group had a finishing time of 24:53). I quickly convinced myself that with some good focus and swim sets, I could place on the podium. On Friday, I took to the pool with this thought in mind and cranked out some distance speed sets. This folks was a bad move as my right shoulder currently feels like someone stabbed me with a knife. Yup...I know what you're thinking...you fool. So much for the podium, as I'm backing off from the pool and remembering that I'm a triathlete not a swimmer...the water just brings me to my bike. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

A Positive Post Finally

2006-05-22T21:05:00.000-04:00

This past week was one great workout week. Since coming to terms with my decision to pull out of the Timberman Half-Ironman, and instead focus on getting healthy and in great swim shape for the Madison mile in June, my morale has been renewed! On Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, I made it to the pool for some quality workouts. In addition, Wednesday I put in a good session at the gym, with heavy emphasis on core work and lower body movements. Glancing at the Madison mile finishing times for last year, so that I might predict where I'm likely to finish in a few weeks, I was astonished to see some amazing times. In fact, the race's website touts the annual contest as "without a doubt, the fastest open water field in the northeast." This is no overstatement. The winner last year, a 17 year-old female, posted a time of 22:29! As I've become more experienced in swimming, I've learned that unlike in biking and running, there is essentially no difference in swim times between competitive male and female swimmers and it's not uncommon to see professional women triathletes beat the professional men triathletes. This was the case last year, where female teenage swimmers held the first two spots. My goal at this race is to post a time in the low to mid 30 minute range. Measured against the times for last year, the mile swum in 33 minutes would have placed a time a little faster than 50% of the contestants. Until next post, I'll let my hip continue to heal and let my swimming do my triathlon preparation. Thanks for viewing!

Another Revamp

2006-05-15T20:56:00.000-04:00

I'm out of the Timberman Half-Ironman for 2006! While in my most previous post, I discussed that I had reintroduced running and biking into my regime, and even opined that I was basically out of the woods with regards to my hip injury, in the two weeks since that post, I unfortunately came to the realization that I needed to pull out of the Timberman. Once resuming running and biking, I quickly discovered that I wasn't over my injury, and further, I was jeopardizing the whole 2006 race season in attempt to make it to the Timberman. After some long thought, it wasn't difficult to decide that I should get healthy, and with no timetables. In other words, I need to listen to my body and let it tell me when it's ready to resume the kind of biking and running necessary to prepare for a serious event like a half-ironman triathlon.

Notwithstanding not placing timetables on my recovery, I will make the following projections: My goal for the 2006 season will still be to race in a handful of sprint distance triathlons, one or two Olympic distance triathlons, some bike only races and perhaps a run only race. The Timberman will have to wait until 2007 to see my face. At some point this week, I plan to put together a tentative schedule of the races that I'd like to enter this season. With little doubt, my first race will be the Madison mile swim. This is a race that I had always planned on competing in this season and being that swimming does not aggravate my hip injury, I'm confident that come race day in June, I'll be ready to post a competitive time. Thanks for reading and stay tuned! Until then, you can find me at the pool!!

Some Light Running

2006-05-01T21:12:00.000-04:00

The update for last week's training is that I ran twice! I must admit, however, that I am certainly cheapening the word "running," as my first output was 10 minutes and my second just 15. Baby steps. In addition to running, I put in a couple of good swim and bike workouts, as well as some strength training. While I hate to keep dwelling on my hip injury, it's still dwelling on me by remaining a little uncomfortable. As such, I'm afraid of resuming to some serious running until I'm 100% healed. Notwithstanding, I'm hopeful that I'll be able to compete in what's been planned as my season opening race, the Bloomin' Metric (bike race) on May 21. From that race, my goal is to gear up for the Middlebury Olympic distance triathlon. If I can get healthy this will be a good punch in the face for what my half-ironman will be like later in August. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned for the next post!!

Some Progress Finally

2006-04-23T21:17:00.000-04:00

My hip has finally made some healing progress! A review of my last post reveals that my plan was to give biking a go early this week, and if aggravating my hip injury in any degree, I was going to schedule a meeting with my sports orthopedic.

Well...I went for a bike ride as planned on Monday and in rejoice, not only did my hip not hurt during the exercise, but post exercise I still felt great. (I note, however, that I still have some residual pain). Notwithstanding my hip's improvement, I decided it wise to go ahead and schedule the physician's apportionment as planned. More than anything I wanted to engage my physician in a discussion concerning the possible cause of my injury as well as other inquiries regarding future injury prevention. In possibly a world's record, I was able to see him on Wednesday, where he diagnosed my injury as an iliotibial band (commonly referred to as "ITB" ) injury resulting from a lack of stretching. For those unfamiliar with the ITB, it is the connective tissue band that runs down the lateral side of the thigh and attaches on the lateral surface of the tibial condyle. How humorous I thought as I processed the diagnosis given. First I stretch and injure my Achilles tendon a couple of months ago, and than due to a lack of stretching, I later injure my hip. Go figure. After a 20-minute chat regarding run mechanics and a proper stretching routine I was on my way.

Thursday I was back on the bike succeeded by a weight lifting session of my lower body. Friday I took to the pool for an early morning set. On Saturday, I met with a friend of mine, Gerry, an indisputable endurance monster. Gerry not only ran cross-country for Clemson and has completed an ironman years ago, but most recently went to the Tour De France last year to lead a group ride through some of the Tour stages. Gerry gave me a tutorial on how to perform some bicycle maintenance, including helping me install a set of aerobars. (See photo above. By placing a cyclist's upper body in a lower position with his/her arms extended out in front of the body, aerobars allow a more aerodynamic position on the bike - hence their name). Today/Sunday, I was back at the pool for a nice swim to finish out the week. For this coming week, I'm going to reestablish a true training week by finally reincorporating some light running. Dare I say that I'm back!! Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!!

The News

2006-04-16T18:55:00.000-04:00

As an account of my training for this week, I'm sorry to report that my hip still hasn't healed sufficient to permit biking or running. Thus, I'm still confined to the pool for swimming and aqua jogging, and to the gym for weight lifting. This past Monday, I thought I was basically over the injury and tried 20 minutes on the elliptical runner at a moderate intensity to prove my hypothesis. Although strong and not bothered by my hip during the workout, much to my surprise was that within one hour thereafter, my hip was quite sore. So here's the deal and it isn't good. I'm going to give biking a go tomorrow and if it exacerbates my hip injury in any degree, I am going to schedule an appointment to see my sports orthopedic. With the race season just around the corner, and the half-ironman on my mind, I believe it's time that I seek professional attention. The worst part of this injury might be the recent beautiful weather, perfect for what would be my first of the year long bike rides and runs outside. I'm staying optimistic though, in that I'm still holding out hope that not only will I be recovered within the month of April, but also that my half-ironman will still be within reach once recovered.

On the subject of my half-ironman, I am very happy to report that my coach, Joe Vinciquerra, has put together a personalized training plan tailored to my completing the half-ironman in August. Every night I've been studying the plan while coaxing my hip to heal already! Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Plan of Attack

2006-04-02T16:46:00.000-04:00

Although improved, my hip is not at 100%. This week saw me in the gym weight lifting, including my legs, and sticking to a strict regimen of 6 Advil daily, including icing my hip each night before bed. On Saturday, I decided whether intelligent or not, that 15 minutes on the elliptical could do no harm. As I write this blog the next day, I think the elliptical is essentially harmless to causing further injury to my hip, while conceding that it probably isn't helping my recovery.

Not being able to exercise as I would like left me much time this week to ponder over just where my training went wrong as to leave me with my current hip injury. Furthermore, I've desperately been trying to figure out my next move post recovery. Ultimately, mid-week I threw in the towel. I clearly just don't know the proper method to add mileage without injury. After scouring the internet for injury prevention tips, I've come up with at least four axioms of distance training that I violated prior to my hip injury. One, my training schedule needs to be flexible, meaning that if I don't feel good on a particular day, I need not to ignore my body and exercise. Two, it is not wise to increase running and biking mileage each week. Three, the increments cannot be made according to a timetable, but rather only when I confidently feel my body is ready for a boost. Four, it's important to drop the mileage periodically. For example, run 10 miles this week, 7 the next and 11 the third. Despite incorporating these helpful tips in my training, I still don't have confidence that I won't sustain another injury due to my lack of a basic understanding of how to properly train for three sports simultaneously. Moreover, at this point in the season, another injury might end my goal of being able to race in the Timberman half-ironman. This folks cannot happen!

My final solution. I've enlisting Coach Joe Vinciquerra, triathlete extraordinaire, and author of The Daily Grind, to help me structure a plan of attack to get me race ready while avoiding injury. This is very exciting. In the interim, I'll be taking to the pool for the usual swims and adding aqua jogging. Later in the week, I plan to add some biking and elliptical work. All and all, many exciting events are to come. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Another Injury Update

2006-03-26T21:59:00.000-05:00

I write this post with disappointment, as I've sustained yet another injury this week. This latest sidelining injury resides in my right hip and I'm sure it's a classical overuse injury. "Overuse injury," as the term is often used, describes an injury to any part of the body occurring from overuse. Distance athletes are very much susceptible to overuse injuries. As the miles pile on and the pounding increases, so too does the chance of injury.

As the process goes, an athlete gradually raises his/her weekly mileage or intensity in order to achieve gains. Because the athlete makes only small increments with each week, his/her body is able to absorb and handle the minor increases, i.e. repair the cellular, skeletal and muscular damage that occurs with each workout, without sidelining injury. If an athlete makes his/her gains too quickly, however, the body is unable to repair itself between workouts and the end result is an "overuse injury."

From a review of my previous posts, readily apparent is that in my triathlon endeavors, I have already sustained overuse injuries to my right knee and left Achilles tendon. Now I get to add a hip injury! Rather than dwell on just the negative, I'm decided to make this latest injury a positive. I've learned yet another lesson regarding the proper way to increase mileage as it relates to my body. I've also learned that I need to listen better to my body. I hate to admit it, but my body early in the week put me on notice that my hip was sore. Did I take a couple days off to heal? Of course not, I had to get my miles in this week. Throw a bike ride and a run ontop of my slightly sore hip and BAM, a sidelining hip injury. (I think I just committed trademark infringement).

So here's my plan. I'm going to cease biking and running this coming week. In the interim, I will ramp up my swimming, which has been never better, and I'm going to hit the weights heavy. I suspect that my hip will be healed come the following week, at which point I will resume biking and running, but conservatively. Additionally, after each rest week, I'm going to drop my mileage and/or intensity back from what it was the week prior to my rest week. There you have it. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Philosophical Diversion

2006-03-19T20:55:00.000-05:00

This post, although positively related to my training, transcends far beyond any triathlon related activity and is nothing less than a philosophical point of view regarding the principle objective of human life. Before I proceed, I believe it's important for me to report, as I have done once earlier, that in my undergraduate studies I was a Philosophy major intensely dedicated to the study inside and outside of the classroom. This has not changed and here's my latest effort. By way of a chronological profile leading to this post, I suppose this blog's inception began with me spending a good deal of time thinking about why I have chosen to dedicate such an extensive amount of time to the sport of triathlon. This thought lead me to the broader question, "why have I made any of the decisions that I have?" Although this is a question that I have asked myself before, and one in which I have arrived at an answer, lately I have found myself re-questioning the "whys" of my life. Having asked me the "why" questions a few years ago, or even a few months ago, I would probably have said that I am a Hedonist and therefore I make my choices in order to be brought pleasure in return. In other words, I had always believed true that the fundamental human goal in life was to seek happiness. While finding this response rather odd and superficial, until recently, I truly believed that the pursuit of pleasure was the rationale for all of my decisions.

I have changed my basic philosophical belief regarding the purpose of human existence. Oddly enough, a major moving force for this relates back to my initial thought regarding why I spend so much time with the sport of triathlon. Since discovered, this "new for me" philosophical belief seems infinitely more appropriate with how I actually make my judgments. Moreover, I've found this new understanding to be a daily motivational tool.

The purpose of human life as I now subscribe, is to accomplish or to strive to leave an indelible mark in this world. While Hedonism, or the pursuit of pleasure, can appear to be an accomplishment in of itself, it is much more of a feeling or sensation delivered through the external world. Coming full circle back to the question of why I have focused on the sport of triathlon, the answer clearly falls in-line with my new philosophical belief regarding the purpose for living. To set, prepare and achieve my goals leaves immovable achievements. So here's what I have to say: Go out and do it! Work until you can't see straight. Wake up early on the weekends and tackle five things before noon! Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

The Thought Has Been Completed

2006-03-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

The thought has been completed. I've decided to revamp my 2006 race season along the lines of how I was leaning in my last post. While I haven't finalized the details, I am going to incorporate a long distance bike-only and run-only event. For the road race, I'm most likely going to try my luck at the Hartford, CT marathon. I've heard nothing but great things about this race and being that it's the closest marathon from my home in Wallingford (only a thirty-minute drive), I see no reason to look elsewhere. For example, the New York City marathon doesn't excite me. The race should be about the running and nothing else. Not crossing the starting line until 10 ten minutes after the gun goes off due to there being 50,000 participants sounds lousy. In addition to the aforementioned bases, the Hartford marathon falls on October 14, 2006, which will give me ample time after the Timberman half-ironman to prepare for the 26.2 mile adventure.

For the bike only event, I think I'm going after a century race. (A century bike ride is as fearfully denoted, a 100 mile bike ride). The only thing that I've determine thus far beyond that I've some serious work ahead of me, is that I'll do this event early in the race season, preferably sometime in June. As for which race, I'll have to check the local listings to find an event.

Before I move onto a reporting of my training, I must comment on the fact that with the addition of these two races, I'm really laying it all out on the line, and by this, I mean that in all my training I've never ridden close to a 100 miles in one shot before, and nor have I in one day ran anywhere near 26.2 miles. This admission gives me mixed feelings. One the one hand, and as I've reported in the past on this blog, much of my attraction to endurance-oriented sports is to see what I'm mentally and physically capable of accomplishing. The scheduling of these two distance events will certainly comply with this motive, and while triathlons happen to tickle my fancy more than the other endurance sports, the end goal is still the same (albeit having gotten there through a bike only and run only race). On the other hand, I'm not sure that I'll be able to do this! For those that know me, I don't take failure well. Enough of "the other hand"...onto my training.

For the next four weeks I'll be continuing more base work. I'll do this by conservatively increasing my mileage across all three sports while keeping everything easy and aerobic (as opposed to anaerobic). With regards to biking, I've been urged to join a local club that does lengthy weekly bike rides. This sounds interesting and a great way to prepare for a century bike race. If and when I make this commitment, I'll be sure to post a report. Until next time, thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

The Thought To Reschedule My 2006 Race Season

2006-03-05T16:39:00.000-05:00

I'm heading into a rest week and this time it is a planned rest week as compared to my previous break which was taken unplanned subsequent to me coming down with an illness (which as I've said earlier, was almost certainly due to Meredith's tasty yet deadly bean soup. I use "certainly" because the tests have yet to come back from the laboratory). Before I comfortably slip into next week, let me take this time to provide the latest headlines in Lucas Rocklin, an age-group triathlete's life. On the training side of this week, there is nothing profound to report other than perhaps another solid week of exercise without injury. This is not to say that I don't have a few aches and pains, but nothing that I don't expect to fully dissipate during my break next week.

My more interesting triathlon related occurrence this week has been my thoughts on rescheduling my 2006 race season. From what may or may not be apparent when viewing my current 2006 projected races, which can be found on the tool bar to the right, is that I had basically planned on doing a few short and intermediate distance triathlons, all of which would prepare and lead me to the Timberman Half-Ironman, the culmination of my season. While baring an injury I'm definitely still racing the Timberman, I've been contemplating revamping many of my other planned races in order to incorporate a long distance bike only race (probably a century bike ride) and a long distance run only race (marathon). As I sit here today and write this, I note that I am not yet fully committed to this overhaul and that the addition of these two races are merely a potential. Throwing in a century bike ride and a marathon will be incredibly challenging for me, and will require specific and tactical training. Moreover, these changes would necessitate that I forego a few of my planned triathlons due to if nothing else the training differences inherent between preparing for sprint distance triathlons and a marathon for example. What shall I do...stay tuned and find out! Thanks for viewing!

Still On Track

2006-02-28T21:04:00.000-05:00

Building on my last post where I announced that I had registered for the Timberman Half-Ironman, I took the final step last week and booked a hotel. Joining me on my adventure in August will be Meredith, her parents and my parents. Beyond making accommodations for the big race, I've been persuaded by Joe V. from The Daily Grind, to race with him in the Shamrock Duathlon in Gastonbury, CT. After some twisting of my arm, because another friend of mine has been urging me to do the Southern CT metric century bike ride on the same day, I've decided to forego that race and add a Duathlon to my list of achievements. The format for this race to take place on May 21 is a 5K run, followed by a 28K bike ride, and ending with another 5K run. Why not a single 10K run and then the 28K bike ride? I haven't a clue. Like I said earlier, this is my first crack at a Dual.

For my training last week, things are still right on track. My conservative approach to increasing my mileage has worked beautifully. Despite my great workouts, however, the highlight of my week came on Sunday when I recorded a demo with my two brothers (Zach and Will) at our friend Jaeme McDonald's studio in Hartford, CT. We were able to lay down three tracks and it was an absolute blast. During the session, Meredith was able to snap off a few shots. In addition to the photo for this blog's heading, I have posted the rest of the pictures on my flickr account, which can easily be accessed via the tool bar to the right. Until the next post, thanks for the viewing and stay tuned!

Morning Workouts

2006-02-19T18:06:00.000-05:00

In the past, I've tried to workout in the a.m. The process has always been the same. I'd set my alarm early, I'd lay out my clothes, and I would go to bed excited and pumped for the next day's workout. Without fail, however, as soon as my alarm would go off, I'd quickly reassess my pre-slumber decision, and decide that I was crazy, and that another hour of sleep was definitely better than going for a run, bike ride, or even worse, jumping in cold water at 6 a.m. Just before slipping back into bed I'd always say, "I'll just do the workout after work..no big deal...one more hour of sleep here we come."

Not this week...this week I finally got out of bed and exercised not once, not twice, but three times! And each workout was phenomenal. On Monday morning I went to the gym to get in a weight lifting session. On Tuesday, I made it downstairs to my basement for a bike ride, and on Friday, I was at the pool at 6:30 a.m. I suppose that some of my previous reluctance to morning workouts was my fear of being comatose for the remainder of the day. Quite the contrary, I found that upon making it to work, and after downing two to three cups of coffee, I was ready to tackle a full back. And because I had taken care of my exercising for the day, I stayed at work later, and not at all thinking about when and how I was going to squeeze in my workout. I guess this transformation is best described by the old saying, "It's the early bird that gets the worm," and by worm I think I mean, "gets in a early morning workout instead of in the evening"? In any event, thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Vacation Week

2006-02-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

The past week was a much needed vacation week, and the first vacation in a long while that I've taken at home. During my time off, I painted the whole kitchen lemon yellow and in disgust, partially back again to white, as well as painting the downstairs half-bathroom cellophane green. On Thursday, I made it up to Hartford to watch the UCONN men's basketball team beat-up on my alma mater Syracuse University (I left at half-time). On Friday, I test drove a few cars including the Subaru Outback 2.5xt, and a back-to-back comparison of the Nissan Xterra 6-speed and automatic transmissions. Although still decided on the Nissan Xterra, I'm leaning towards the short-throw 6-speed and not the 5-speed automatic (this statement doubles as my on-the-record note to Meredith to get over your fear of driving a manual). On Friday evening, Meredith and I went out with friends to a charming restaurant in New Haven. On Sunday, we played in the snow with our Honey dog and were able to snap a few photos to make the above comic strip using our new iMac.

Despite my busy schedule, I also budgeted some quality training time. Before giving a breakdown of my workouts, I'm happy to state that I took the plunge and registered for the mighty and quickly filling to capacity, Timberman half-ironman. Now I'm truly committed. There's no halfway training and hoping for the best with a half-ironman triathlon equaling 70.3 miles. To get to 70.3 miles, I must complete 1.2 swimming miles, 56 biking miles, and 13.1 running miles. Needless to say, I have continued to ramp-up my weekly swimming yardage and speed and I'm quite happy with my swimming progress thus far. For biking, I've also increased my time in the saddle while making sure to keep my heart rate within my previously reported endurance zone of 159-167 beats per minute. For running, I've also increased my weekly time and have begun to see my speed increase while my heart rate is held in check between 160-167 beats per minute. Training by heart rate has been great and has allowed a somewhat obsessive compulsive person like myself to have yet another empirical piece of data by which to measure my progress.

To end this post, I feel obligated to express my trepidation regarding my scheduled half-ironman. I understand that although most of my attraction to triathlon revolves around pushing myself physically and mentally, and to determine whether or not I'm capable of accomplishing the feats I set for myself, I'm downright scared. And while some might find a goal of completing a half-ironman absurd, I truly feel that such an accomplishment will be extremely rewarding...this I'm counting on. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Unplanned Rest Week

2006-02-06T11:31:00.000-05:00

Resting
Originally uploaded by Lucas Rocklin.

It was not until the week of February 13 that I had planned to take a rest week. This would have given me a solid 6 weeks of consistent training since returning from my ankle injury. I should note that despite my plans to put in 6 weeks before taking a break, I expected, and still do, that all weeks off thereafter will come subsequent to every fourth week of training. Also, if it isn't clear from my writing, the notion of resting for a week is not something that I have ever tried before, but then again, maybe that's why I'm always battling one or more injuries.

Upon conducting research, I've discovered that taking a week's worth of rest in 4 to 6 week intervals is "all the rage." The theory, as I understand it, and it makes for good sense, is that your mind and body need to heal and recharge from all the pounding and physical abuse inherent in swimming, biking and running. When you resume training the following week, apparently you'll be stronger, both physically and mentally, and ready for another 4 weeks or so of training.

Getting back on track with this post, as the title describes, I took an unplanned rest week. The reason for my unexpected break was that I got sick, with the details of my illness deserving a thorough description. Unconfirmed for sure, I'm fairly confident that Meredith intentionally poisoned me with her Monday evening white bean soup. In building my case to prove this bizarre conclusion, follow along and connect the dots:
Premise One: Meredith is normally a very good cook.
Premise Two: After finishing the white bean soup that took over 1.5 hours to prepare, in an uncharacteristic manner, Meredith declined to have any.
Premise Three: I ate the soup alone and was enjoying life until about 3:30 a.m. when I took ill (I'll spare the full manifestations of my ailment, but for the sake of my argument, I must report that the soup was never digested).
Premise Four: Meredith's soup was the only food I consumed on Monday evening.
Premise Five: Meredith remained healthy the entire week.
Conclusion: Using the preponderance of the evidence standard, my premises clearly support the assertion that I was poisoned by my own wife...either that or she gave me the virus she had the week before.

Take two on getting back on point. So I got sick Tuesday and although I biked on Monday, I decided, or my illness decided for me, to turn last week into my first rest week. Perhaps my illness was a blessing in disguise? Who knows, had I stayed healthy, I may have tried stretching again. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

New Trainer, Treadmill, and One Great Week

2006-01-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

Peep the new equipment! I recently acquired both a bicycle trainer and treadmill. The trainer is straight from ebay, and is a Cycleops Fluid 2. The treadmill is a gift from my parents-in-law, which I transported the other week from their home in New Jersey. So let me take this moment to give a shout-out to Bob and Janet "break-dancing" Pincu. As a quick aside, in moving the treadmill I rented the new 2006 Nissan Xterra, compliments of Enterprise and my brother-in-law Glenn. ("Pick Enterprise, and we'll pick you up!" On the subject of Enterprise, does anybody else find it strange that Enterprise runs a television commercial where they feature one of their rental cars being driven while completely wrapped in brown paper? There's not even one of those disclaimers, such as, "Professional blind driver on closed track," or "Driving a car in this manner will cause you to never be allowed to rent a car from us.")

In any event, driving this mammoth of a beast was almost as exciting as being gifted the indoor runner in the first place. After two days behind the wheel, where one was spent navigating in four-wheel drive through the snow, I'm sold. My current leased car is due back this August, and I've been torn as to its successor. No longer however. (To any others interested in the new Xterra, make sure you get the upgraded stereo. My rental came with the lesser of the two available stereos and sounded like an alarm clock radio stuck in a cardboard box). The only remaining issue is what color, Canteen, Granite, or Night Armor? Will see what Dith's two-cents are as the time comes nearer.

On the topic of my training, last week was great. Phenomenal swims and I think it goes without saying, spectacular runs and cycling sessions. To top the week off, my romantic side was revealed when on Saturday, I surprised Meredith by taking her to quaint Essex, CT, where we shopped for clothing and antiques. Afterwards, I squired her to dinner at the Cooper Beach Inn in Ivoryton, CT. This folks was voted by Connecticut Magazine, as one of Connecticut's most romantic dining spots, and I must confirm that its rating is well-deserved. Lastly, an extra special thanks is due to Whitney for picking me up this amazing piece of art. It's a painted, glazed tile of a man riding a bike. There you have it, a new piece of art, bicycle trainer, treadmill, and one great week. Until the next post, thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Heart Rate Report

2006-01-25T16:59:00.000-05:00

Back from the lab, and with the all-important numbers in hand, my resting and maximum heart rates. With regards to locating my maximum cycling heart rate, I scheduled this past Friday's spinning class as a mission to find just that. As a quick preface, the procedure for determining your maximum bicycle heart rate is as one would expect, not all that complicated. You hop on your saddle, get a good warm-up, channel all of your emotions, and pedal as if you were a plane preparing for take-off.

As my first step, I had a brief conversation with the spinning instructor in order to notify her of my intention, and more importantly, to determine at what point during the ride would be best to attempt my feat. Thirty minutes into the class and well warmed up, the music was blasting, and I was given the nod. I cranked down the resistance and began a furious pedal cadence with the image of a Honda S2000 (for those of you who are not car enthusiasts, the Honda S2000 red-lines at a phenomenal 8500 rpm), in mind. In enduring a remarkable amount of pain, I achieved an astounding 202 beats per minute before I thought my heart would explode (all kidding aside, please don't attempt this unless you exercise regularly)!!! So although unknown for sure, I believe my maximum cycling heart rate is 202 beats per minute!

Saturday found me in the pool drilling it up with the kickboard, pull-buoy, as well as throwing in some minor speed work. Sweet Sunday was an off day, and Monday, after I convinced myself that I had fully recovered from my near death experience on Friday, I decided to double my luck and attempt to establish my maximum run heart rate. Back to the gym and onto the treadmill, where a 5-minute warm-up was succeeded by increasing the speed in 4-minute intervals. Upon reaching the 25 minute mark, I dialed up the speed and incline to a level where I was unsure as to whether or not I would be able to stay on the machine without being thrown off the back. At 26 minutes into the run, I was satisfied that 203 beats per minute was as she wrote.

With regards to my resting heart rate, on Tuesday morning I woke up early to strap on my heart rate monitor. After lying back in bed for 10 minutes, I recorded an average resting heart rate of 60 beats per minute.

Mission accomplished! The numbers are set and when plugged into the Karvonen formula, my new training zones can be seen above! Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

Question For My Readers

2006-01-19T08:21:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to receiving some good responses. Here's the question for all my readers: Should I focus my season on becoming a more competitive short distance triathlete (i.e. Sprint and Olympic distance races), or on merely finishing longer distance triathlons and the like (i.e. Half-Ironmans, Marathons and Century Bike Rides)? While certainly a competitive person, I have been leaning towards conquering the lengthier distance events, even at the expense of posting competitive times.

So what do my faithful readers want? Sprint distance times at one and one-quarter hours, and Olympic distance times at two and one-half hours, or rather just an Ironman finish on my resume. An Ironman finish? Where did that come from? Perhaps it's the Ironman slogan that keeps ringing in my head. "Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26.2 miles, and brag for the rest of your life." I want those bragging rights, but I'm years ahead of myself. I have only a few short-distance triathlons under my belt. So please post your comments and let me know where you stand. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!

First Week Back

2006-01-13T08:49:00.000-05:00

The past week marked my first back to swim/bike/run training since my ankle injury. Does it feel good to be able to exercise without pain! On the negative though, my off-season has been cut short by a few months and I'm more or less starting from square one. Until injuring my ankle, I was making good base progress. From this point, I have determined to commit to heart rate training. I am hopeful that this will allow me to develop my much-needed aerobic base, while also keeping the probability of another injury low. To train by heart rate, I will use the Karvonen formula to establish my training zones. The Karvonen formula is widely respected, most specifically, because it takes into account not just one's maximum heart rate, but also one's resting heart rate.

As will be seen, the formula is somewhat more complicated than simply multiplying the prescribed lower and upper intensity zone percentages by one's maximum heart rate. The formula, expressed as a mathematical equation, is as follows: (MHR-RHR x % intensity + RHR = heart rate to be used for an established training zone). Confused? I'll plug in some numbers.

Let's assume my maximum heart rate for cycling is 190 beats per minute. (Although I have yet to determine my maximum heart rate for biking and running, I believe from prior experience 190 might be accurate for cycling). Let's also assume my resting heart rate is 60 beats per minute. Now, back to math class: 190-60 x 70% + 60 = 151 beats per minute. I used the intensity percentage of 70%, because this figure will represent the low end of my endurance zone. The high end of my endurance zone will be 75%, which when plugged into the Karvonen formula yields 158 beats per minute (190-60 x 75% + 60 = 158). Therefore, if I had used my correct maximum and resting heart rates, my endurance zone would be between 151-158 beats per minute. From here, I would simply determine my additional training zones, which are long/slow 50-70%, tempo/threshold 80-90%, and interval 90-95%. Also, I would repeat all training zone calculations for running (which as previously mentioned in an earlier post, will be greater due to one's maximum heart rate being higher for running than biking). Lastly, on a monthly basis, I will also recalculate my resting heart rate in order to ensure my zones remain accurate. (One's resting heart rate will drop while becoming more aerobically fit). So stay tuned for a reporting on my painful, yet fun process of determining my maximum heart rates, and much easier, resting heart rate. Thanks for viewing!!

My Winter Training Philosophy

2006-01-06T08:48:00.000-05:00

Since many of my posts will be geared towards my triathlon training and racing, I thought it would be appropriate to provide some insight into my winter training philosophy. While I have used the phrase, "my winter training philosophy," the training concepts I employ are not my own, but have originated from more veteran endurance athletes. One of my favorite sources of triathlon-related information, is from a website entitled beginnertriathlete.

For the winter months, or at least for the next four months, I will be working almost exclusively on my endurance (referred to also as "base" or "aerobic") training. Backing up a few steps, all of my workouts fall under one of three headings, 1) endurance, 2) power, or 3) speed. This is the correct order of importance in which an endurance-oriented athlete must group his/her workouts. Endurance workouts are an athlete's foundation upon which to build power and speed. To use an anology, endurance work is like pouring a building's foundation, and just as a building without a foundation will have no structural integrity, neither will a triathlete who cuts corners skipping these workouts to head straight into power and speed work. (This is a novice mistake that I have unfortunately made a couple of times already. It is a quick recipe for injury). Lastly, base work makes an athlete less susceptible to injuries, particularly when moving onto efforts geared towards achieving power and speed. Endurance work is to be done at low or moderate intensity, for which I often use a heart rate monitor, or if not, what I perceive to be low or moderate intensity. (When using a heart rate monitor, I strive to maintain my heart rate between 70-75% of my maximum heart rate for the given exercise. Maximum heart rate is sport specific, with one's maximum heart rate greater for running than for biking).

Beyond reporting that I am primarily focused on long slow workouts, the only remaining issue is frequency. This involves a much quicker answer. For each sport, swimming, biking and running, I expect to complete two workouts a week. With regards to weight training, due to my background in this sport, I predict to lift weights only once a week. So there you have it...a little insight into my winter training philosophy. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!!

Back From The Sports Orthopedic

2005-12-28T08:02:00.000-05:00

I didn't at all injure my Achilles tendon! Instead, the Dr. told me that I either partially or completely tore a related tendon that's for all purposes useless and often removed to be used for where a tendon is functionally needed. Initially, I thought this diagnosis to be negative, after all I was told that I torn a tendon. To the contrary, however, he was thoroughly excited, and as the expression goes, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander!" (And me is certainly the simpleton gander). All of my physical and mental pain has now been basically eliminated. As I walked out of the Doctor's office, my ankle instantaneously felt better. This I attribute to the Navy Seal slogan, "It's mind over matter. If you don't mind it, it doesn't matter." The Dr. even cleared me to begin running again. I believe it prudent, however, to stay such activity until after the New Year. There is "no need," as my good friend Keith Gitman would say, to rush back and delay what would otherwise be a full recovery. So I'm back folks and as previously promised, I will soon be pontificating on my upcoming 2006 race season...podium finishes, sponsorship phone calls, magazine covers...etc. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned.

Ode to Dith

2005-12-23T08:12:00.000-05:00

This is my ode to Meredith (a.k.a "Dith" or "Baes"), my loving wife of four months. Although slightly upset I no longer desire to have the bodybuilding physique I did in college, she has nevertheless openly embraced my interest in triathlon. (I report that this is not so for my quasi-vegan diet. "Why aren't you putting cheese on your pasta?" "Your new diet has ruined my love for cooking. Now let's order Chinese.") In addition to purchasing my road bike and much of my sports related attire, she's the lucky gal who has invariably woken up with me at 4:30 am on each and every race day. "Do you have your wetsuit, watch, water bottles, etc." There is always a smile on her face as we head out to the next unknown race destination, and always words of encouragement during our every race encounter. Meredith even alerted me during the Cazenovia triathlon that I was exiting T2 running in the wrong direction! (T2 is the transition between the bike and run portion of a triathlon). In my defense, I was simply following the ~~ignoramus~~ person in front of me. And although Meredith sometimes gets angry when I'm off to the pool, or worried when I head out for a bike ride, I know that she supports my endeavors in the sport. (This is why I'm hoping that she won't be terribly upset when I bring home a new triathlon bike next month. I'm just kidding Dith as I'm sure you're livid right now reading this). Meredith once even promised to do a 5k road race with me. For those who know Meredith, this is not something you'd expect her to voluntarily offer. So here's my first ode to Meredith. I love you, and I'll be home late after my swim!

Swim Lesson in NYC

2005-12-20T08:20:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, December 17^th, my wife Meredith and I dropped off our dog Honey (a.k.a. Punums, Mashugina, Cina, and many other terms of endearment that Meredith and I call Honey, where in response, she cocks her head sideways in attempt to decode) at my parents' house and made it to the train station just in time to catch the 9:45 a.m. to Grand Central. Once there we got a quick bite to eat before immediately heading off to the YMCA in Brooklyn for my scheduled swim lesson. Donning my Javelin swim jammers and a little nervous, I hopped in the warm pool as I said to myself, "Don't mess this up, you know you hate receiving criticism." The former collegiate division one swimmer and coach said, "Swim four laps so I can evaluate your stroke." Four laps later, I pulled my head out of the water to hear, "Your stroke is good, very good." It feels good, yup it does! This isn't to say that he didn't levy a handful of improvements I can make to my stroke. 1) Put your hand in the water farther in front of your head; (easy fix); 2) don't rotate your head independent from your body; (difficult fix); 3) think about kicking less to save your legs for the bike and run (easy fix). After discussing my stroke, we spoke at length about my current training methods and different plans I should implement in order to cut my swim times down.

Once the lesson was over, I climbed out of the pool, took a fast shower, and caught the F train to Manhattan to hang with my brothers at their new crib in the lower east side. The rest of the afternoon was filled with good food, coffee, conversation and music, as we began to get excited for the Living Colour show at Irving Plaza. Although I've seen Living Colour probably a dozen times, prior to every concert I still get excited as a schoolboy waiting to play kickball at recess. This was especially so because I was meeting one of my closest friends, Jaeme McDonald, a relative of Living Colour's bassist, Doug Wimbish. It's always fun to sit with the family and friends of the band in the VIP section knowing that you didn't have to sneak in to get there. The show was phenomenal with a near three-hour set. To conclude, the weekend was fabulous and a much needed excitement boost from our life in the laid-back suburbs. Thanks for viewing and stay tuned!!!

Day Job

2005-12-14T08:04:00.000-05:00

Not going more than one week between posts is one of the ground rules I have set to avoid, and being that it's only been one week from "The Launch," I've almost already broken this canon. So first off, I apologize for the lapse between posts. Second, my injury! -- Perhaps many were anticipating this post to primarily be a follow-up on my Achilles tendon injury (not to be confused with my Achilles heel, biking)! I am certain that you, my loyal readers, have been deeply concerned for my physical well being all week. The quick update is as follows: (1) My work schedule, i.e., day job, has forced me to push back my physician's appointment exactly one week to December 19, (2) My Achilles tendon is feeling significantly better, such that I am contemplating canceling the consultation (thanks everyone for praying, I think it worked!), (3) Although I won't dare say that I'm "out of the woods" yet, I hope to resume biking and running on the 19^th. In the interim, I have continued to swim, which will bring me to a point further in this blog.

I'm asked oftentimes how I am able to fit in my twice-weekly swimming, biking and running workouts, while also practicing law as a new attorney. (For my base training this winter, I'm committed to each sport two times a week). Notwithstanding my mental determination, as foreshadowed by the title of this blog, when my triathlon and day job schedules conflict, my bill-paying job wins every time, as it should. This was the course of events over the past weekend, as I spent 16 hours in the office. The bright side, however, is that I am currently sidelined nursing my Achilles tendon injury. I was able to accomplish great gains in my legal caseload, and at the same time, keep my mind off what a fool I am (stretching!!). I assure you, however, that I am not one to plead "work" as an excuse not to train. After all, I once read that President Bush runs six times a week (I believe it was in Runner's World, or if not, one of the running periodicals). While many inferences can be drawn from this fact, I'll elicit only one; there is always time to Tri! Instead of excuses why not to train, I usually employ the opposite, reasons to train, and since I was a philosophy major in college, I like to think deep! One of my personal favorites is to conjure up a mental image of me lying on my deathbed while pondering my life's regrets. For some reason or another, "I should have done more work" does not make the short list, unless you're referring to a short list that starts from the end, which I am not.

Back to swimming as I promised in the first paragraph -- This Saturday, the 17^th, I will be receiving swim instructions from a former collegiate swim coach. How exciting! My every swim movement will be analyzed and critiqued in order to determine what adjustments, if any, I need to make to shave those all-important minutes off my half and mile swim times. While mechanics are vitally important in biking and running, they are more so in swimming due to the inefficiency within which us humans move through the water. I have been told that while professional swimmers might be 9% efficient through the water, amateurs are often only 3% efficient. (By efficiency, I mean what percentage of energy is actually transferred into moving the swimmer forward. As for the remaining 91-97%, this energy is lost, dissipated into the water in every direction but moving the swimmer forward). So I've set my goal high, striving for a 2% efficiency increase.

So a swim workout on Wednesday, weights on Thursday, and back to the pool Saturday for a swim lesson...and come next Monday...hopefully back in the saddle!! Stay tuned, and keep "your eye out" for soon-to-come website changes.

Injury Update

2005-12-07T07:53:00.000-05:00

I had originally planned this post to be a pontification about my 2006 race season. I was going to make bold and lofty statements, concluding with predictions of podium finishes and sponsorship phone calls. That post however has been shelved, but hopefully not for long. This post, unfortunately, is entitled "Injury Update" and is just that, an update into my latest injury.

Since the inception of my endurance oriented training, dating back to 2004 when I was preparing for the New Haven 20k, I have been battling a multitude of injuries. Some have been minor, saying hello and goodbye within a few weeks, while others I suspect will be life-long. Subsections under the life-long caption include what could be a novel written about my left shoulder, and perhaps a short story on my right knee. (Don't swim too much and never ever run on concrete). It's not quite that bad. With each of these injuries, I like to think I have successfully come to understand how to train around the injury. The key, I have found, is basically a mutual respect for the injury. If I respect the injury, the injury will respect my training, most of the time. While I am off topic now, anyone with a long-term sports injury probably speaks of his or her ailment as if it has a mind of its own. (How could you act up on me now? I stretched and warmed you up. We have a race next month! What have I done to you to deserve this?).

And I'm back. This most recent injury, and until now an unknown injury, is a pain in my left Achilles tendon. The pain is great folks, and because the Achilles tendon is used in every motion imaginable that involves the lower body, I am reminded of the damage from the moment I awake, to the moment I lay down. Now for the embarrassing part. While I'd like to tell you that I suffered this injury after ridding my bike 30 miles to the track, where I thereafter logged a quick 10k, this injury was sustained during a little less passive of a workout. To be exact, I was stretching. And yes, the way I sustained this injury screams for an analogy to be made to the Revenge of the Nerds II, "Nerds in Paradise," when we learn that Gilbert is not going to Miami with the Tri-Lambs because he broke his leg while doing a very tricky chess move.

Gilbert: "I think I'm the only guy in the world who could break his leg playing chess."

Louis: "Don't fool yourself. That was a very tricky move!"

Enough has been said, other than I have an appointment with a sport orthopedic this coming Monday, December 12. Stay tuned for the diagnosis. Thanks for viewing and pray for a minor sprain or pull! (What if uhhh, C-A-T, really spelled dog?)

A Little History

2005-12-06T08:08:00.000-05:00

2005 marks my first season training and competing in triathlons. This year has also been my first biking and swimming, other than my years as a youth, when I swam for a local country club. As for running, I have a wee bit more experience, in that I slowly jogged the 2004 New Haven 20k road race. (I emphasize slowly, as my finishing time was not much under two hours and at the three-mile mark, I was actually passed by a father pushing his child in a stroller. To my credit, however, we did meet again as I passed this obvious former Olympian at mile 9).

As for the distance and number of triathlons I completed this past season, all of my races were "sprint distance," and included the Danbury, Niantic, and Cazenovia triathlons. (A Sprint distance triathlon is the shortest distance triathlon, and typically includes a .25 to.5-mile swim, 10 to 14-mile bike, and 3.2-mile run). Overall, I am pleased with my first season achievements. I started from the couch in swimming and biking, and jogging with fathers who take their kids in tote, to finishing in the middle of the pack after my first few races. While my only goal initially was to merely finish and not get the dreaded DNF, by my final race of the season I was hooked and eager to take the next step. Aaahhh, and the next step is what this site is all about! Thanks for reading and stay tuned! Also, feel free to write any questions or comments.

The Launch

2005-12-05T08:22:00.000-05:00

The launch is upon us all! Welcome to my website dedicated to detailing my experiences training and competing in triathlons. (For those not in the know, a triathlon is a multiple-sport event consisting of swimming, biking and running, and in that order). As a first introductory remark, I would like to thank my new friend, Joseph Vinciquerra, for inspiring me to create this website. As is apparent from viewing his website (click here), I have modeled the format of this site to mirror his.

Putting aside the above, you might be asking yourself, "why would you create this website when you're not a professional triathlete, or even an aspiring professional triathlete? You're merely an age-group triathlete." (Amateur triathletes compete according to their age within specified age-groups, e.g., male 20-24, female 25-29).

To answer, I decided to create this website so that I can diary my training and racing experiences for others and myself to view. Recounting my training and racing regime publicly, makes these experiences tangible and exist beyond impressions in my head. A diary of any kind, public or private, will also provide me with a quasi-training partner. Because I do my training solo, the ability to view my last weeks and months training output, will give me an objective gauge as to the progress I've made, as well as to the progress I can expect to make in the comings months.

The second reason for developing this site comes from the motivation I will receive from the public. Knowing that others will be viewing the site, or at least potentially viewing the site, will place a sense of obligation in me to perform my best. I would not expect others to regularly log-on, if I were not striving to achieve results, citius, altius, fortius. Lastly, I chose to launch this site because it will no-doubt be fun!!

So behold, "Lucas Rocklin, Age-Group Triathlete," is born. Welcome and stay tuned where for the next few posts I'll be detailing my history in the sport of triathlon and commenting on my upcoming 2006 season. Thanks for viewing.