Over Time, Iron training, and the NM marathon

This is my 50th post, so I thought I'd do something special...How about posting for the first time in almost a month? I became motivated to do so when I got a call from one of my idols Tricia Hoyt. Turns out she has been checking out my blog. She was nationally ranked in fitness competitions. Then she decided to try running, she qualified for Boston almost immediately. Now she owns her own buisness called Fitness on Wheels. I had no idea I was being read by such accomplished people. Here Goes:



Since the birth of my son 27 days ago my wife has been staying at home using her maternity leave. The first week of of her 6 weeks off she had payed leave. The 2nd and third week off we had enough $ saved to cover her net pay. The last 3 weeks of her maternity leave she's not getting paid and we don't have anymore $ saved to cover her income-no lack of trying on our part.



So consequently I have been working a bunch of overtime to make up her usual wages. No easy thing considering she makes more money at her job than I do at mine. I have worked a 12hr shift every night except one for the last 3.5 weeks. All my tri-buddies told me going into this that one thing or another had to give: a new born, 24 twelve hr shifts in a 28 day period, and to top it all off I'm only 10 weeks away from my Ironman debut. 10 weeks out means I am seriously ramping up my training! Anyone who has trained for an Ironman knows the feeling accompanied to the last 2 months of Iron training. To put it simply it's sheer exhaustion! I'll be pushing my body to the limit, getting as close to over training, even injury as possible without passing that fine line. The build phase of Iron training is always hard, even without waking up every 3 hrs to feed my newborn son, even without the extra shifts at work, this was going to be hard. And now that I'm actually putting all this on my plate I'm shocked to find out that I'm actually more able to handle the higher workout load now than what I was doing before.

That realization has gotten me to thinking Why? The answer was simple enough. Now that I look back I realize it's common sense. You see before I'd work 6am-6pm Wed-Sat. As soon as I got home from work I'd start working out. More often than not I wouldn't get done with my workouts until after 10pm. I'd eat, spend a little time with my bride, get 4-5 hrs sleep, then do it again. On my RDO's (regular days off) I was completely exhausted and I slept in until my daughter awoke at 8:30am. I'd take care of her until my wife got home from work at 6 or 7pm. I'd spend some quality time with my wife. And once the family was settled I'd get to training. It wasn't uncommon for me to start running at the track or riding my indoor trainer at 11pm. Often times my wife would want me to hold her until she fell asleep, so I wouldn't start my workout until 2am. Crazy I know! but simply put, my family is my #1 priority. I always made sure to fit training in when I could. No matter what, I would always train. You see, I married up. So I have to continue to look good for my wife!

Now that my wife is home all day I have been getting home from work, sleeping(not much), working out, then spending time with my family. Wow, how easy this has been! There's actually been structure and a pattern to my training and my life!!! Even with 6 twelve hour shifts of work a week, waking up frequently with a new born, sleeping during the day, and Iron training my family still has more time together, I'm getting more structured sleep, and my training has been more consistent. OH, hallelujah!

Now on to the next subject. I just finished my first big Build block of training for the Silvermamn. On Saturdays I was doing 6.5hr bricks, and on Sundays I was doing 13-14 mile runs, add what I was doing during the week I had averaged 17hr 45 min of working out a week. The last day of a 3 week build was supposed to be a 14 mile run. It happened to be on the same day as the NM half marathon. What a great opertunity! Friendly people to run with. Aid stations with people to hand me Gatorade, water, and salty snacks! And a finishing medal.

I knew I was in better shape than the time I ran my PR half marathon of 1:57. But I also knew that because of me being at the end of a vicious build cycle I was going to struggle with this run. Oh did I ever struggle! I pushed myself as hard as I ever had, but it felt like I was running in quick sand.

The nick name that my tri team "The NM Outlaws" bestowed upon me is Smilin Cody. Because I talk allot and have fun during races. That doesn't mean I'm not giving it my all, I am just a jokester when I race. And since this was a C race, also known as a training race, I was being even more goofy than usual.

Right before the race started I realized I had to go un-carb-build :) I had taken care of that awhile earlier, but when nature calls, I must answer! While I was in the Porto-potty I heard the race director start the count down. Dang it, not the way I wanted to start the day's run. About 15 seconds before the start time is when I hop out of the John, and that is exactly when the RD says over the bull horn "anyone else in the restrooms?" 150 turn and watch me depart the Porto-potty. Hi people! "Don't look at me like that" I'm thinking, "you do it too."

At every aid station there was people yelling Gatorade! And I yelled back Pollo! (Marco, pollo. Get it?) At the time I thought I was being very funny, but now that I look back I realize no one ever laughed, or even cracked a smile. I am my own biggest fan.

Around mile 10 I catch a guy who only weighs about 150 lbs. He looks at me, then does a double take. I know what's coming, I get it all the time. He says to me "are you running the 5K?"
"No I'm doing the half."
"How does a guy as big as you run so fast?"
" I have allot of stored energy" I reply.
"I'd say" he replies. Ok, now that was rude. I get the -wow most guys that big don't usually run this fast- thing all the time. I actually like hearing that. I take it as a complement. But something about the "I guess" comment rubbed me the wrong way. So I turn and look at the guy and said "If we were playing tag, you'd be it forever." And then I stomped on the gas! I kept up an 8:30 ave the last 3 miles. The guy tried to keep up, but after about a quarter mile I popped him. I popped him so hard it was audible. By the time Mr. "I have the perfect running physique" passed the finish line I had already gotten my picture taken by a photographer, found my family, drank some water, and came back to the finish line to watch him get his finishing medal. I'm not usually one to gloat, but that did feel good.

I finished 2:01. Not bad considering how hard my body had been pushed for three weeks. But I must say I was a little disappointed. I really wanted to break my 1:57 PR. I'm feeling really good about my training. I've felt better at the end of my long days than I have ever felt. I believe I'm going to conquer the Silverman!

I'd like to promise that it won;t be so long until my next post, but time has been a commodity I've been lacking recently. But I'll do my best. I will be doing the Harvest Moon half Iron 9-16. That is the Clydesdale long course championships. I'm very exited. I will at least give all you out there in blog land a post race report.

By the way, thanks for pushing me to continue posting more frequently Couch-potatoe-to-Ironman!

Thanks for reading. I'm out.