Its tapering time…

After two great, long workouts this weekend its time to start tapering for the race. I’m taking today off to rest and, starting Tuesday, my workouts will start to get shorter in length and will gradually drop in intensity to allow my body to rest before the big event. Eating right and getting plenty of rest will be my main focus which, after these last 6 months, is a very welcome schedule.

I received an email from Ironman Arizona over the weekend that brought up an issue and I hadn’t really put much thought into since registering; How am I going to get my tri-bike from Santa Barbara to Arizona? There are several companies that were mentioned in the email that will actually pick up your bike, disassemble and package it up, ship it to Arizona, unpack, then reassemble and give it a tune-up for Sunday’s race. Talk about full service. All of that service does come with a hefty price tag of about $300. Now granted, shipping a bike that is made primarily of delicate carbon fiber and very thin-walled aluminum is probably no easy task. I’m sure, as luck would have it, I would attempt to ship the bike myself to save a few bucks and end up with a broken ride when I took delivery in Tempe. I’m going to start asking around our local shops if there is a better, more cost effective solution but, in the end, the full service option may be the best/only option.

Long run coming up…

It looks like its going to be another beautiful day here in Santa Barbara and I’m looking forward to a weekend full of friends, kids in costumes, and a break from a busy work week. Yesterday I was able to get in a quick morning ride out to Goleta (about 20 miles total), followed by a 6 mile run, and 30 minutes in the pool. I’m less than a month away from Ironman and I’ve got today, Saturday’s long swim, and Sunday’s long ride before I start tapering down… can’t wait!

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who attended our inaugural Triathlon for a Cure fundraiser last night benefitting the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation. About 45 supporters joined us aboard the Channel Cat for a sunset cruise along the Santa Barbara coast. The winds were blowing but the cabin inside the Channel Cat was a very well-appointed refuge for our guests. Some good friends, food, drinks, and a beautiful evening out on the water equated to a night I know I won’t soon forget. In total, Triathlon for a Cure supporters raised just over $6,000 for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, a number I am very proud of and hope will continue to grow. Thank you again to everyone who donated and I appreciate your continued support.

Excited for the Channel Cat Fundraiser

Triathlon for a Cure’s inaugural fundraising event is just a day away and I am very much looking forward to an evening of fun with friends and supporters. If you’re interested in coming aboard with us for a sunset cruise with including hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine, please send me an email as soon as possible to michael@thepaskingroup.com

Sore feet

Friday’s workout had me pounding the pavement for a 22 mile run. For these longer runs, I typically go for an out-and-back route. The thought there is if I run 11 miles in one direction, I have to run 11 miles back home, eliminating any chance of my flaking out on the distance once I’m out there. Let me go on record and state that running 22 miles on a beautiful, warm, sunny Friday morning here in Santa Barbara is not my idea of an enjoyable day. It was so warm in fact that I had to change my route to ensure I had enough water break areas along the way. My legs were stiff from the previous day’s ride and I was just generally not feeling 100%. As the timer on my watch ticked off into the second hour of the run, my feet and calves became increasingly sore. By hour 3, my feet just plain hurt and, despite lathering up with sunscreen, my arms and the back of my neck were starting to get sunburn. I sucked it up toward the end and was able to finish the run averaging about 8 minutes per mile. It makes me nervous to think that I’ll have to complete an even longer run than Friday’s right after biking 112 miles… and don’t forget the quick 2.4 dip in the lake prior to that.

Hawaiian hiatus

A quick trip to Hawaii for a project I’m working on gave me the last 3 days off from training. This morning, after a solid night of sleep, I was back in the saddle for a 2 hour bike and a 30 min run. I felt stiff pedaling through the first half hour of the bike but quickly got settled in and brought up the tempo. The run felt great and I still had plenty of juice left in my legs after the quick ride. Amazing what a few days rest will do. Ironman is just a month away.

Triathlon for a Cure Fundraiser 10/28

We still have spots available on the Channel Cat for Triathlon for a Cure’s inaugural fundraising event, benefitting the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation. Your $50 donation is your ticket onboard and includes a sunset cruise along the Santa Barbara coastline, appetizers by Rincon Catering, and an open beer and wine bar.

Come help us raise money to fight the battle against the #1 genetic killer of young children, SMA.

Donate here

No fly zone turns into a 15-miler

I recently became a private pilot and had planned on taking the day off today from training to fly Sarah (sans Reese) to the bay area for a day of good food and shopping/walking around. A marine layer hanging over the airport this morning killed our plans but we decided to take advantage of our already-booked-babysitter and headed down to Ventura for the day.

My legs and lower back were sore from yesterday’s workout, 2.5 hours on the spin-bike + 1 hour on the treadmill, and an unscheduled day off was just what the doctor ordered. Unfortunately, about 20 minutes into our drive I started getting peppered with one business call after another and ended up spending the majority of the afternoon sitting in the car talking while Sarah enjoyed what turned out to be a beautiful day. When the battery in my Blackberry finally quit on me (2.5 hours later), Sarah and I got back to what we had intended and had a nice lunch in Camarillo.

I splurged a bit and ordered an angus burger with white cheddar, apple smoked bacon, sauteed mushrooms, and carmelized sweet onions. It was simply awesome and definetly well worth it. We drove home shortly thereafter and, because my afternoon hadn’t turned out the way I had hoped, I decided to work the burger off by going for a run. A little over 2 hours later and with 15 miles under my belt, I made it home just before dark.

I was motivated and felt really strong through the entire run, but its now 6am, Reese wants a lollipop for breakfast, and I’m due back in the gym for a long swim in an hour. Oy gevalt.

Rainy days

Its dark, wet, and gloomy here in Santa Barbara right now. Weather like this an Ironman does not make. I’d much prefer reading the paper and drinking my coffee from the comforts of my couch, but today calls for another sprint distance tri; 30min swim + 60min bike + 60min run. On the bright side, I’m fairly confident that I won’t be competing for lane space in the outdoor pool at my gym. The spin-bike and treadmill will round out my workout, although in pains me to have to do either in the gym. For me, one of the most attractive aspects of the sport is the fact that it keeps you outdoors. Oceans, backroads, trails, lakes, even along the occasional highway. Enough complaining, its time to get after it.

TFAC’s inaugural fundraising event

Please join us for the inaugural Triathlon For A Cure fundraising event, supporting the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation.

Come aboard the exclusively reserved Channel Cat, an 85 ft catamaran, to cruise the Santa Barbara coast at sunset.  Rincon Catering will provide hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, and a full cash bar wil be available.

Your ticket onboard is a minimun donation of $50 per person with 100% of your tax-deductible contribution going directly to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation.  You can donate by visiting TriathlonForACure.com or by clicking here.

If you are unable to join us, we encourage you to learn more about the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).  Please sign the petition to end SMA, donate generously, and spread the word!

Capacity on the Channel Cat is limited to 70, so please make a donation and reserve your ticket as soon as possible.