Jeff's Zone 2

Master's Swimming

For years some of my friend's encouraged me to join a master's swimming team. I always hesitated. Big mistake.

I finally joined Naperville Waves one last Fall and I have to say it has been an amazing experience. Waves is one of the better teams around and working with the coaches (I won't name names for privacy reasons-- but you can see who they are on the website) has helped my swimming and fitness tremendously.

I would encourage anyone who really wants to get better at swimming, whether for competition reasons or just fitness, to go joint a team. I am swimming twice the yardage per week than I did preparing for IM Wisconsin, and every workout is better.

The reason I hesitated at first was that I was concerned that I would be out-classed. Well, I was pretty much right about that! ;-) There are some amazing swimmers on this team-- former college swimmers that pretty much put the best triathletes I know to shame (really-- you should see some of this!). But, where I was wrong was that it didn't matter. There are also plenty of swimmers at all levels getting in the pool, getting fast, and getting fit.

When I first started, the coaches got me to change my stroke immediately..... a combination of bad habits and old techniques (learned from my HS swimming days 20 years ago) were taking a toll. I am completely rebuilding my stroke... working on front quadrant swimming and longer distance per stroke. Faster, more efficient, and more fun. I am also being forced to swim different strokes. I am actually swimming butterfly with reasonable technique! I am *far* from where I need to be but much better than where I was. I have no doubt that I will take serious time off of my last IM swim at IM Arizona come April.

But even if you aren't planning to race, the nice thing about swimming... it is great for fitness and doesn't create the same amount of stress on the body that running and other sports can. You can get a lot more intensity in per week and recover faster.

So, for those of you who have been on the fence or wishing they could get back in the pool.... do your research on the best teams in the area and go join one.

Ironman Arizona 2008

Many of you know that I have been debating what kind of events to focus on in 2008. I love training, but need big goals. I guess not unlike work.

Last year, my focus was Ironman Wisconsin. This year shorter distance events with a goal to get faster (and it seems to be working!). Next year was the big question, but no more. I am registered along with 15 or so fellow teammates in Multisport Madness to race Ironman Arizona 2008.

Yes, long distance training through the winter in Chicago is tough, but that's what the team is for (support and company on long indoor rides!). And, we are planning to do several training camps where we can get in the outdoor cycling hours.

I promised my family that if I did another Ironman I would use it to raise money for a cause (or causes) and I have yet to figure out the details on that yet, but stay tuned! 

Risk versus Reward

I know many of you follow my blog to get news about Parlano, but I also know there are many of you who like to keep up with my recent sports/fitness endeavors. So, I thought I would share a lesson/decision I made a few weeks back at a triathlon that I think has applicability to work as well… the balance of risk and reward.

A few weeks ago I woke up at 3:30am to drive up to Lake Zurich for a triathlon. Half way there, it started to rain. By the time I got there it was a downpour with lightning. Now, in situations like this race directors are pretty smart and they won't have you go out (especially for the swim) if conditions are dangerous (lightning, heavy winds/waves, etc.). But at the same time, they are pretty motivated to do some sort of event and will often wait it out and/or modify the event.

In this case the race directors were pretty sure the race would go on at some point. But, for the first time ever, I turned in my chip and left (I wasn't the only one). Now, those of you who know me know that is very atypical behavior. I would normally tough it out. But, in this case I had to asses risk versus reward. Even if the race went on, the roads would be slick and dangerous (IMO) and the run would be miserable (wet mud-soaked shoes? No thanks.). Now, if it had been my "A" race I would have stuck it out, but it wasn't. I just didn't see the upside… but there was plenty of downside! I got in my car, grabbed a coffee, drove home, and did a good workout on the bike trainer. Much better use of my time IMO. Don't get me wrong… many people stayed and raced later that morning and I am sure had a good time. I have no issue with that. Everyone has to make the risk/reward decision for themselves.

Risk/Reward is also a decision that we all should be making in training, not just races. Joe Friel (well known cycling and multisport coach) recently wrote a blog on the subject that I found useful. This is the time of year that many of us (in the Northern hemisphere) are peaking for races and feeling invulnerable… now's when we really have to pay the most attention to how we are training. I hope those of you who are training for events/races/fitness are having great seasons!

P.S. Thanks to my buddy Howard Solomon for hosting me in SanFran last weekend. We did some awesome workouts…. Friday evening swim, double brick (20 mile ride, 4.5 mile run, 20 mile ride, 3 mile run—yes, all back-to-back) on Saturday on a fairly hilly bike route (The Paradise Loop in Marin County), and a master's swim (1.5 hours) and trail run on Sunday. Good times! J

 

Thanks for your support!

Special thanks to everyone who supported me in the MS150 ride to raise money for the Illinois MS Society. My friends Andy (pictured) and Bill and I rode 102 miles on Saturday in a constant downpour. Miles 65-80 were pretty rough because I have not been training for that distance ofa ride, but I rallied at mile 80 and had a strong finish.

It was not freezing but just cold enough to get chilled if we stopped too long at the rest stops(click on the picture to see what it really looked like in the rain). Between the non-stop rain and being splashed by water from the lead bike as we drafted into the wind, it was a pretty miserable ride but well worth the cause. After all it was only 6 hours of discomfort compared to what people with MS and other diseases go through all the time. And, once you are done and warm its a great feeling to have done it.

Again, thank you for all the support and generous donations!!!!!

For any of you who would still like to donate you can do so here: http://www.msillinois.org/goto/jeschultz

17 Seconds

When I first started in triathlon I was pretty amused by all the talk about ways to cut a few seconds here and a few seconds there. The big areas are in the transition (swim to bike, bike to run). My view had always been that it wouldn't make that much of a difference compared to how long the race would take and I wasn't going to win anything anyway, so it was best to focus on the race itself.

Last year when I was training for Ironman Wisconsin I started to have a change of view. Even in a race that would take me something like 12-14 hours, I started to realize there was a big difference between finishing at 12:59.59 and 13:00.00. Or, as some of my friends know first hand, missing the cut for Kona by a few minutes.

This weekend I raced the Batavia Triathlon. It was a Sprint distance (400m swim, 14 mile bike, 4.1m run) and I was really hoping to do well (my goal was to beat 1:20.00). I had a great race. I finished in 1:16.38. That was 25^th overall out of 453 participants. My swim ranked 14^th overall and I ran 6:44's. I ranked 4^th out of 59 in my age group! There is plenty to improve upon (that's what makes triathlon so fun IMO), but I was very pleased with the effort.

So, why bring up "17 seconds"?

That's the difference between placing 4^th in my age group and placing 3^rd. I missed the podium by that little.

As I think back on the race and all the good parts I also think about my botched bike mount and the few times that I got caught behind other riders and wasn't aggressive enough to pass. And, any number of other details.

17 seconds.

Don't get me wrong, I am not at all disappointed. Trust me. It was a great race, I had a ton of fun, and it was very motivating. I said in my earlier post, it's a blessing to just be able to be out there at all. But, it's a good reminder that personally and professionally, sometimes it is worth focusing on the little things because they end up making a big difference.

Some great races last week

I had a couple of really strong races last week. The weekend before last I was in Memphis for the Memphis in May Olympic distance race. I finished in 2:18 and change... nowhere near the podium but to put it in perspective, over 20 minutes faster than my last Olympic distance triathlon (albeit 2 years ago). I didn't know what to expect going in so this was nice. The real surprise was my swim... 21:37 for 1.5K. Much faster than I had expected. Looks like some form changes I made a few weeks back really helped! My bike was good (my bike computer didn't work so I didn't have a good idea of how I was doing), I finished the 40K ride in 1:06 and change. My 10K run was OK... 46 minutes. I have a lot more running speed in me, I had to fight a little cramping this weekend but still had a decent run.... look for that time to improve dramatically over the summer.

Speaking of running speed, a group of us from Parlano ran in the Chase Corporate Challenge last last week as well. I ran the 3.5 miles in 21:50, which is slightly under 6:15 minutes/mile. That was not only a 3.5 mile PR for me but a 5K PR  as well. I think I have a good shot of going sub 19 minutes in a 5K this summer. We'll see!

Big time best wishes to my friend Howard Solomon who is doing a Sprint Distance Triathlon this weekend only a month after having radiation treatment for Thyroid cancer and having to be off of his Thyroid medication. Howard is an Ironman (the guy that got me into this crazy sport in the first place) and I have to say that even going to the start line of this race takes some serious dedication and will power no matter what the distance.   As much as I am enjoying seeing improvement in my times, this a good lesson in how privileged we are to just have the chance to get out and race. Go get 'em, Howard! 

Ironman California 70.3: Race Report

Just got back from San Diego where I competed in my first triathlon of the season: Ironman California 70.3 (a Half Ironman). Overall it was a good day. I finished in 5:54 which is slower than I had hoped, but as the first race of the season my main goal was to keep fit over the winter and assess my status at the beginning of the season, and with those goals in mind the race was a success. Here is a breakdown of my day and some thoughts:

Swim: The water temperature is usually quite cold (around 55 degrees F) however Saturday it was warmer: 60 degrees. It was actually warmer than the air temp at the start. That meant that it was not as much of a shock to the system when I got into the water (a good thing). I ended up completing the 1.2 mile swim in just over 35 minutes, which is not a super time relatively speaking but is a PR for me in a half ironman swim. I actually found the start to be more hectic than Ironman (read: I got kicked and pounded a lot) but that was OK… just need to put that out of your mind and swim. The return leg was tough because it was right into the sun. Makes you think how amazing the pros are at open water swimming given they don't get to follow the crowd like I could!

Bike: This was a touch bike course (lots of hills along the 56 miles, including 3 nasty climbs). I don't think I have driven hills that bad in the last few years, let alone cycled them! But, I was very encouraged by the ride. My legs felt stronger at the end of the ride than usual so I definitely improved biking fitness over the winter. I finished in approximately 3:05 which again is not stellar but just about what I expected this early in the season with this type of course (note: this was the first ride outside since NOVEMBER!!! All my other rides over the winter were on a computrainer) On a few of the climbs I could feel my back tighten up, and that meant….

Run: Ouch, lower back spasms. My run was disappointing. I had hoped to do the half marathon in something in the 1:45 range but a mile into the run I could feel my back in pain and knew I needed to just grit it out and survive the day. It was a shame because I could feel that my legs were strong and I was not overly exerted. The run was a double out and back along the ocean and it was really awesome. But, by then I was pretty much suffering. I finished the run in 2:05, way off my goal and PR. But, there wasn't much I could do…

I do have a couple special thanks:

First to my family (immediate and extended) for coming out to cheer me along. That was awesome, and much needed along the run!

Second to the other folks with Multisport Madness (my triathlon club) for cheering me on along the course.

Third… and this is a long story…. But the day before the race I lost my wallet along the boardwalk in Oceanside during a warmup run. It was in my tri suit. Big mistake. In addition to losing cash and credit cards, I lost my only picture ID, and that would have prevented me from completing my registration. Fortunately, the folks running the event were able to verify my identity and let me register. And, thankfully, another triathlete found my wallet and returned it to the event organizers later in the day. I won't publish his name for privacy reasons, but to the guy that returned my wallet rather than just ignoring it on the sidewalk… THANK YOU!!!!!!Note to files: this is not a good way to spend the day before a race… in the future I won't take my wallet on a run!

Overall, I am pleased with the result. A half Ironman is a hard race, and should never be under-estimated. I am satisfied to finish and assess where I stand for the next big push into the season. Now on to Memphis in May!!

Say it Ain't So!!!!!

Well, I can't believe it. Floyd Landis failed a doping test after his miraculous Stage 17 ride. I won't jump to conclusions on this because they still have to test his "B" sample and consider other possible causes, but if this is true, what a major disappointment that will be. I for one am keeping my fingers crossed that there is an explanation.... I would hate to think that such a motivating sports moment will go to waste.

Fortunately, there are real heroes out there... they just don't always where corporate sponsor logos. More on THAT subject later....

Never Give Up

Many people said the Tour de France could be boring this year because Lance was gone. Most people who follow the race didn't agree and we have NOT been disappointed.

This has been an exciting tour and some of us witnessed one of the most amazing stages of all time yesterday. Now, I am not one to get crazy about this "all time" thing because I know that there have been many amazing stages throughout the race's history. But Thursday was incredible (I only wish I could have watched it live and not read about it from a string of excited emails!!!!).

I won't describe the events that took place because there are more than enough great writeups out there, especially this one from Chris Carmichael (Lance's former coach). The short story is that Floyd Landis (American rider for Phonak) cracked hard in Stage 16 and was considered out of contention to win the race (he was one of several possible contenders). Rather than going away, he attacked like a madman on Stage 17 (a Stage filled with nasty climbs in the Alps) and essentially said "I am going to get back in this race or finish last trying" because such a break away would mean certain doom if he couldn't sustain it.  Well, he not only sustained it, he won the stage and got back in contention to win the tour-- 30 seconds back from the leader and with a key time trial yet to come (Floyd is great at time trials).

I knew this would be a great tour without Lance but I wasn't convinced someone would step up and make it so inspirational without him. Win or lose in the end (and I think he'll win-- as I predicted at the start of the Tour), Floyd taught us a great lesson yesterday about how to respond when things get tough.