Team McAlister

Where does one begin to tell the story of how great a love can be….oops…wrong beginning….but where to begin the story of the weirdness of the last couple of weeks?

I’m still paying for that little practice tri from a couple of Saturdays ago. The nagging tightness in the MCL and some other pain in the knee area are hugely annoying. Discouraging. Not to mention taking a toll on other training. I’m not throwing in the towel on running yet, but I am really, really close. I’ve received some swim coaching, but still need lots of technique work to master what I’m learning.

But get this. I’ve been thinking about a new bike and while simply moving the wheels from my bike to a test bike yesterday, the guys at the bike shop discovered that my bike frame is broken! I’ve been riding that bike quite a bit lately and doing a lot of hill climbing and DESCENDING on a frame with a broken chain stay! I’ve had a sixth sense about something being wrong, but I certainly didn’t think that.

One positive note is that the test bike is a 3/2.5 titanium in a standard configuration and geometry. With my wheels (but none of my other components), it is a fine, fast, stiff ride. Very responsive. Very strong. Gonna have to work on fit now and get my stuff off of the old frame. Not sure yet exactly what ti frame I’ll get, but even if it’s the one I rode today, it’d be a significant step forward.

Another exciting development is that I’m building a strong consensus for creating a signature road ride locally that I hope will be as fine an event as any in the country. Still, just a dream, but sneaking up on being a goal.

Tags: bikes, cycling, running, Training

The date is set for October 10. A sprint tri of 500 yd. swim, 13.5 mi. ride, and 3.4 mi. run. As a budding triFAThlete, I’m approaching this with some trepidation. Last Saturday, I went to the athletic club to work out and put together a small practice tri. It was about 100,000,000 degrees outside, so except for the swim, everything was indoors. Hit the pool for the swim – no problemo. Transitioned in the locker room….very clumsy. Had to fix a water bottle and adjust a spin bike. Rode like mad for 30 minutes at between 95-100 rpms and about 270 watts. The bike said 13.5 miles, but I was told later that was not accurate. Oh well. Anyway, had to wipe down the bike, fix another water bottle, and go back to the locker room for another transition. Then hit the track. Of course, track running is easy and simple, but all running is hard for me. I got my tunes cranked up and a running program that helps me decide when to alternate walking and running. Polished off the 3.4 miles in about 40 minutes. The entire workout, start to finish including transitions, water bottles, bike adjustments and all, took 1:50. I was happy with that. Naturally, since running was involved, I couldn’t walk afterwards for two days – cranky right knee. But I woke up this morning pain free and can walk normally. It takes a lot of massage to loosen up the muscles that control some of those knee ligaments.

So, no more running between now and the big day. Just lots of swimming and cycling. I think I’m beginning to look forward to this.

Tags: cycling, running, swimming, Training, triathlon

The day began with a little 500 yard swim.  Schuyler is ahead of me in the water and I need to catch up – especially since he and I are going to swim in SF Bay in a couple of weeks.  Yes, it was in a pool so I had lots of turns, but I don’t push off of the wall and get that good coasting/streamlining effect.  Not that it really matters since I coast like a barge going upriver.  I try to simulate never getting a rest or break on the turns.  That was a great beginning to the day and I was still feeling strong when I hit the bike trail later in the afternoon.

I set out on the route below fully expecting to ride a new personal best.  Not only did a personal best not occur, I didn’t even finish the route. Ouch!  Was it the wind?   Was it the nearly crushed testicle about half way up the penultimate (as it turns out the actual ultimate) climb?  Was it the powdered sugar doughnuts instead of a banana for my mid-morning snack?  Was it the fact that I ate only peanut butter and vanilla wafers for lunch? Or, drank only coffee all morning and not really any water?  Excuses abound.  The fact remains clear, though.  I came up short and was totally wasted at the end.

It was one of those rides that makes you fell like you’re gonna puke at the end.  And, puke you would, except for pride.  It’s been a long time since I was so toasted after a ride that it took several hours to recover, but this was one of those times.  I was too tired last night to even attempt posting this.  Today, is better than I thought it might be and I’ll go out again today, only for something a little shorter and easier.

http://j.mp/blr6sA

Tags: cycling, swimming, Training

I had some extra time today.  The longest ride this year so far, has been a bit over 2 hours – not the stuff of epic rides.  Oh, I’ve had climbing days and interval days; group rides and solo rides at brisk paces.  But, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and start getting that saddle time in.  I was feeling pretty stout and studly after Sunday’s performance, so a steady 3 hours didn’t sound all that difficult.

Armed with a brand-new playlist crafted especially for this ride (see below), the iSport ready to go, Cyclemeter all warmed up and awaiting its instructions, I hit the road about 12:15.  The set up for the ride was perfect.  Great breakfast; plenty of hydration in advance of riding; snacks for the ride; beautiful weather; a route that is safe for a solo rider and has some teeth.

Predictably, I started getting hungry at the 1.5 hour mark, in spite of Jelly Belly Sport Beans (Lemon Lime, of course) every 20 minutes.  A small break for part of a nutrition bar and some water and back in the saddle.  Happily, at the 2 hour mark I was still feeling pretty strong.  That was just about the time, though, that the last climb hits.  No problem.  Climb. Ride around.  Descend.  Simplicity itself.

But the deal is that at the bottom of that climb, I had to turn back into what had been a strong and nasty headwind.  Granted it was only for 4 miles, but suddenly everything hurt – feet, neck, shoulders, butt.  Another short break at the turn point allowed for some adjustments in equipment as well as some stretching.

Then it was just a matter of letting that nice friendly tailwind shoot me back those last 10 miles to the finish.  Ah, yes….

Suffice to say, that back at the office it took a while to recover and now my office stinks, but I liked getting this one under my belt.

http://j.mp/b9Ptx0

Big Chief – Professor Longhair

Curly Haired Baby – Professor Longhair

She Ain’t Got No Hair – Professor Longhair

I Gotta Have It – Jace Everett

Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand – Professor Longhair

Looka, No Hair – Professor Longhair

From Four Until Late – Eric Clapton

Mardi Gras In New Orleans – Professor Longhair

Marie – Randy Newman

Longhair’s Blues Rhumba – Professor Longhair

East St. Louis Baby – Professor Longhair

Bad Things (Club Mix) – Jace Everett

Her Mind Is Gone – Professor Longhair

Rednecks – Randy Newman

Bye Bye Baby – Professor Longhair

Cadillac Style – Sammy Kershaw

Hadacol Bounce – Professor Longhair

Longhair Stomp – Professor Longhair

Louisiana Hot Sauce – Sammy Kershaw

Been Foolin’ Around – Professor Longhair

Back on My Feet Again – Randy Newman

Misery – Professor Longhair

Birmingham – Randy Newman

Little Queen Of Spades – Eric Clapton

If You’re Gonna Walk, I’m Gonna Crawl – Sammy Kershaw

She Walks Right In – Professor Longhair

Boogie Woogie – Professor Longhair

Accentuate the Positive – Dr. John

Willie Mae – Professor Longhair

Oh Well – Professor Longhair

Between The Night And Day – Professor Longhair

Right Place, Wrong Time – Dr. John

Tipitina – Professor Longhair

Hey Little Girl – Professor Longhair

Kind Hearted Woman Blues – Eric Clapton

Rockin’ With Fess – Professor Longhair

Let the Good Times Roll – Dr. John

Professor Longhair Blues – Professor Longhair

No Buts – No Maybes – Professor Longhair

Take Me Out to the Ballgame – Dr. John

In The Night – Professor Longhair

Walk Your Blues Away – Professor Longhair

I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down – Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Ball The Wall – Professor Longhair

Bald Head – Professor Longhair

Getting Mighty Crowded – Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Boyd’s Bounce – Professor Longhair

Cry Pretty Baby – Professor Longhair

(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace,

Love and Understanding? – Elvis Costello & the Attractions

Who’s Been Foolin’ You? – Professor Longhair

K.C. Blues – Professor Longhair

Guilty – Randy Newman

Traveling Riverside Blues – Eric Clapton

Byrd’s Blues – Professor Longhair

Hey Now Baby – Professor Longhair

Gone So Long – Professor Longhair

Me And The Devil Blues – Eric Clapton

Look What You’re Doing To Me – Professor Longhair

Mr. President

(Have Pity on the Working Man) – Randy Newman

Louisiana 1927 – Randy Newman

Hallelujah – Ray Charles

Nothing But The Blood – Randy Travis

Tags: cyclemeter, cycling, iSport, Jelly Belly, playlists, Training

In spite of yesterday’s small Cyclemeter meltdown, the ride itself was fine and fun.  The icing on the cake though was hitting the Vibraflex, post-ride.  You have to find a club or gym that has one of these things!  The benefits are exactly (at least for me) as touted on their web site.  The Physical Therapist at our club oversees its use and gives tips about how to maximize its use.  As good as it is, apparently, you can get too much of a good thing with it.  Like any other piece of equipment, it can be misused to your detriment.

Here it is Wednesday and, as bummed out as I was on Monday about MCL pain, today I feel like I can run forever.  Not gonna actually try that, understand.  Just sayin’…

I have a late meeting today, so a ride is out.  I’m gonna try jumping rope today and see how the MCL holds up.  No running today, but look out for the weekend!  :-)

And, lest anyone, including the fine folks at Cyclemeter, think I’m just ranting about the app, my guess is that the app works as well as it can, but the iPhone’s GPS is the limiting factor.  Of course, I’m no engineer – software, hardware, or civil – but based on the way some other location-based apps seem to work, my guess is that iPhone’s GPS model is less robust than is needed.

Tags: cyclemeter, MCL, running, Training, Vibraflex 550

I want to believe.  I really do.  Today, I was pressed for time, so I went for a little 1 hour ride, a bit over 16 miles, with 2 nice mile-long climbs.  Cyclemeter has handled this route, or a reasonable facsimile, before.  Supposedly good GPS signal.  But the result we got was a stinker.  No reason to post it.

So Cyclemeter remains at best a B student.  You really need a good bike computer if you never want a disappointment.   http://j.mp/cVz1Fk This is not real.  :-(

Tags: cyclemeter, cycling, Training

Armstrong and Torres, that is, need extra massage therapy and stretching after intense workouts, then don’t we all?  lol  Okay, so they’re elite, professional, big-time athletes.  They’re also young enough to be my children.  And, they always (pretty much) have been in top condition relative to the gen pop.  Granted, having cancer and babies plays havoc on your body, but they dedicated themselves to their sports and their livelihoods.  Look at Lance in Comeback 2.0 when he’s “fat and out of shape”, getting ready to prep for his return to pro cycling.  I’m pretty sure most of us don’t have those muscles.

So what about those of us who are aging weekend warriors, trying to ward off the ravages of time, not to mention dissolute living?  An intense workout for us is no less intense because it would be nothing to a younger elite athlete.  Intensity, afterall, is relative.  Lactic acid, fatigue, weaknesses are all amplified in us precisely because we don’t do as much, don’t have the underlying base conditioning, and are getting older.  Follow Lance’s tweets and you’ll get a picture of a guy who realizes he’s not as young as he once was.  Still great;  still competing at the highest level; still a force in his sport.  But, clearly, still on the high side of the age bracket.  Dara is the same way.

I follow their training regimens and try to get tips from what they do.  The two clearest messages seem to me to be: 1) do something every day toward your goals; and, 2) make sure that stretching and massage are always included in your recovery – every day.  The first lesson does not mean that you run every day or cycle every day or swim every day.  Cross-training is hugely important.  Variety isn’t just the spice of life – it seems to be a sure path to better health (and, if you do have a specific activity that you favor) to better performance.  The second lesson has been especially painful to me.  The single most important component to my workouts is now both stretching and massage – afterwards.

If you’ve followed the last couple of days or so, you’ve read how I raved about my pain free workout only to be almost immobile the next day.  Well, here it is 2 days post pain free workout and I’m pain free again.  Why?  If you answered “stretching and massage” go to the head of the class!  Quick re-cap: Sunday – pain free workout; Monday – can’t walk.  Monday afternoon – short, easy 1 hour spin-type ride to loosen things up some.  Then to the gym for a session on the Vibraflex.  OUCH! and WOW!  Then, home for the usual stretching and massage.  And, today?  Pain free again!

In case you’re wondering, we’re not sponsored by any of the products that we mention on here.  We’re not nearly good enough for that!  This is stuff that we use to make our training lives easier or better or happier in some way.  So when we give props to something, it’s because we’ve tried a bunch of stuff and this is something we think merits a mention.  That said, a shout out goes to the Muscle Trigger Points app for iPhone.  I love that little app!  Because of it, I have been able to discover the source of several aches and pains and take actions to alleviate the same.  Beats taking a handful of Alleve every 4 hours (which btw, I’m not necessarily opposed to).

AND I ALMOST FORGOT….eating well is very important for older athletes as well….and I dislike that part about as much as I dislike running in general.

Tags: Dara, iphone, Lance, massage, Muscle Trigger Points, stretching, Training, Vibraflex 550

it’s a start of sorts.  Today, I jumped rope 6×100 on 30 seconds splits, then went out for a run/walk.  http://j.mp/cNzcCR So, that’s the run-only portion.  The walking added about another .75 miles for a total of about 1.6 miles.  Here’s the thing though: it was all PAIN FREE!  That’s right! For the FIRST time since early September, I’ve had a non-cycling workout without any knee pain.

After the run, the medial collateral ligament began to tighten and ache – as expected.  However, I’ve been sitting here with the massage ball working mainly on the vastus medialis muscle in the quadriceps and Mr. MCL is loosening up which makes the pain go away.  Further massage of the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and the sartorius will complete the recovery.

This is really fine!  :-)

And, I used Cyclemeter on iPhone for the stats today.  Seems to have worked fine.

Tags: cyclemeter, cycling, knee pain, massage, Training