Code Red

You want change? YOU CAN'T HANDLE CHANGE.

With all due respect to Col. Jussep, and juxtaposing truth for change (!) I continuously feel that the need to explore this idea is important. It is for this jar-head anyway.

My training storyboard (pictured) indicates the extent of my recent minimalist approach to race preparation. Any self respecting Ironman (and that includes Ironwomen) would look at this log and immediately ask, where are your long rides and open water swims, dude?

In defense, I will plead the busy card. And while that may get me a lighter, reduced or suspended sentence, it certainly won't get me any faster come race day. And that is where we all find redemption. If judged by a jury of my peers, this log would get me life without parole. Except of course from those in my AG, who wholeheartedly approve and recommend more of the same.

Which brings us full circle. NOT MORE OF THE SAME. CHANGE NEEDED ASAP!!!

I have been doing my little two-a-day 5Ks because they fit into my work schedule, keep my metabolism boiling and maintain a level of fitness that I feel I can use to advantage when dialing up for events. As exhibit B, I respectfully introduce the fact that after my last two road trips I returned carrying an additional 5 pounds of lipids. Don't ask how I got them past TSA in San Diego. But there they were, in the usual hiding places.

Faced with the prospects of having little time to go long I devised the aforementioned plan adding our Wednesday HIT spin session and a weekend event whenever possible. You know the results of THAT work in progress!

The red lights came on last week, as in listening to the body, as blinking neon beckoned, CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE. A metabolic code red.

Go longer, go faster, go harder. Do SOMETHING different. Could have been diet. Could have been yoga. Could have been a trail run. I decided to run long for the change of it. Logged over 4.5 hours yesterday. It hurt a little last night but a easy mtn bike ride in the park at sunset washed out remaining lactate and a couple of icy cold ones eased the joint and muscle pain. Change. A long way from 5Ks.

Here is the good news: I was totally recovered this morning, and just reeled off a pain free 5 miler. So what happened: Consistency won the day. The specificity element missing in the shorter, yet more frequent runs, provided a number of beneficial side effects. Base fitness was maintained and the topic du jour, change, provided a very welcomed bit of empirical evidence. That over distance training make the shorter distances seem shorter. Please don't knee jerk a 'no duh' here as anyone who has done a fast 10K will tell you that at times it seems like a full on mary. Anyone who has done a 112 IM TT will tell you that there are massive amounts of pain in the final clicks. If I was to do all my runs at 15K, a simple 10, perhaps on race day, will seem like a walk in the park. Ride a double century and your next 56 will feel like your atop a Gold Wing instead of a Cannondale.

Change. Shake it up. See what you got, and in many cases it will show you what you need. And just so you know, that initial change to do what worked (2X5K) resulted in the elimination of the added, stored and unwanted fat.

You want me up on that wall.

Do something different today. Dismissed.