I know it’s been awhile since I checked in here, so I figured I better let everyone know what’s been going on with my life for the last week and a half.
On May 19th, I entered the Harriman Mini triathlon just north of NYC. As far as the race went, I have mixed thoughts. I think I started the swim too fast. Well, maybe not too fast, but all I know was that I was breathing too hard too fast. I have a feeling that the nerves and adrenaline at the start line elevated my heart rate, along with trying to swim in a mass of 75 other people, trying to avoid getting kicked and punched in the head the entire time. The water temperature was 63 degrees, and compared t the air that day, it actually felt warm. But about halfway through I could feel the tension from my wetsuit. It’s a surf suit, not designed to have the arm flexibility required for full on swimming. As a result of this, I spent the first ten minutes of the bike trying to get my heart rate to drop below 165. I can barely reach this when training, but for whatever reason my hear rate spikes during races. It was a cold and rainy course, but I managed to pass a few people along the way, especially on the technical, twisty descents. The run, on the other hand, totally sucked. I knew this all along, but it was worse than I had anticipated. I began to get shin splints and side stitches immediately. I think I ended up walking half of the course, and ended up taking over an hour and a half to do a 10K run.
Two days later I entered NY Presbyterian for another round of IL-2 treatments. My doctors suggested I try taking a dose of a type of chemotherapy before taking on the IL-2. Overall I managed to get 8 doses of IL-2 in me before heading home on Saturday.
I spent Sunday resting, and saw Pirates III at the movies. On Monday I felt up to doing a ride, and I took one yesterday as well. I’ve got the 66 mile Ride to Montauk this Saturday, and the weather looks good. That’s all for now.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
The forecast calls for pain
Alright- it looks like I'm in for a few days fun. A week or so that will test my limits beyond anything I have ever done before. A schedule jam packed with discomfort and suffering.
Tomorrow I will punish myself by racing the Harriman Mini triathlon. 6/10 mile swim in a ball-numblingly cold lake, followed by 29 miles on the bike (with 3000' of climbing), followed by a ten K run. Why the hell did I agree to this king of misery? The same reason most men put themselves through misery- a beautiful woman convinced tham to do it. Although I will be laughing at this beautiful woman as I pass her while she is hacking her way up the hills! (Although seriously, Court, you will fucking slay this race!)
For most people the tri would constitue enough sadomasochistic behavior for one week. But I, as we all know, am not like most people. So on monday I wil be checking into NY Presbyterian for roughly a week, where they will be pumping my body full of chemicals, pretty much causing me to puke my guts out and forgo sleep for a few days. And to think, I remember when a week of puking and hallucinations was caled "spring break" ;)
So in 24hours I will be donning my wetsuit, nervously waiting to dive in to some cold water. At least that will inspire me to swim faster- getting the hell out of that lake is going o be a huge motivator! And even though I haven't trained in almost a week due to a strained abdominal, I'm stoked for the bike (or at least beating Ceej for this leg). As for the run, well, the run is going to suck. But I knew that all along. But at least I'll be telling myself the whole race that this won't be as painful as the next week will be. And I guess all next week I'll just be telling myself that at least this isn't as painful as the pain that so many beutiful women have put me through in the past.
Tomorrow I will punish myself by racing the Harriman Mini triathlon. 6/10 mile swim in a ball-numblingly cold lake, followed by 29 miles on the bike (with 3000' of climbing), followed by a ten K run. Why the hell did I agree to this king of misery? The same reason most men put themselves through misery- a beautiful woman convinced tham to do it. Although I will be laughing at this beautiful woman as I pass her while she is hacking her way up the hills! (Although seriously, Court, you will fucking slay this race!)
For most people the tri would constitue enough sadomasochistic behavior for one week. But I, as we all know, am not like most people. So on monday I wil be checking into NY Presbyterian for roughly a week, where they will be pumping my body full of chemicals, pretty much causing me to puke my guts out and forgo sleep for a few days. And to think, I remember when a week of puking and hallucinations was caled "spring break" ;)
So in 24hours I will be donning my wetsuit, nervously waiting to dive in to some cold water. At least that will inspire me to swim faster- getting the hell out of that lake is going o be a huge motivator! And even though I haven't trained in almost a week due to a strained abdominal, I'm stoked for the bike (or at least beating Ceej for this leg). As for the run, well, the run is going to suck. But I knew that all along. But at least I'll be telling myself the whole race that this won't be as painful as the next week will be. And I guess all next week I'll just be telling myself that at least this isn't as painful as the pain that so many beutiful women have put me through in the past.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Injury sucks
Well, nothing quite like hurting yourself right before the big event. It seems that I have pulled an abdominal muscle over the weekend, and it doesn not want to heal in a speedy manner. So all week I have been on the couch, trying to heal. It doesn't help that this is a very difficult muscle to relax. I mean, even simply walking stresses it.
I don't even know how I did this. It wasn't one of those instant pain situations. Rather, this was a gradual occurance. One of those next morning things. I keep hoping it will be gone the next morning, but it never is.
This totally sucks- everything was going so well. Better than I expected. And than this had to happen.
I don't even know how I did this. It wasn't one of those instant pain situations. Rather, this was a gradual occurance. One of those next morning things. I keep hoping it will be gone the next morning, but it never is.
This totally sucks- everything was going so well. Better than I expected. And than this had to happen.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Slower=faster
An important part of training for any type of physical activity is being able to understand your own body. The more you understand your own physiological tendencies, the more efficient you can become. And you can apply the appropriate techniques that will provide you with the ptimum result.
Even though I have been riding bikes somewhat seriously for almost 20 years now, this year is the first time I have ever had a computer that measures cadence. I wish I had invested in one of these things years ago, because in the last two days I have made a startling discovery.
Conventional wisdom states that the optimum pedaling cadence for a cyclist is abut 90 RPM. In the past would measure this by counting my revolutions for fifteen seconds, than multiply by four. I would usually end up with a cadence pretty close to 90 RPM.
As soon as I installed the new computer, I discoverd that my cadence was actualy in the high 90s. No big deal, I thought. Efficient spinning. Good form. Just like Lance. So I would try to keep my cadence around 95 RPM, shifting gears in order to maintain the pace.
Now, one thing I crtainly need to improve upon is my leg strength and power. One of the better methods for this is to do intervals pushing a bigger gear at a lower cadence. So yesterday I decided to do a few five minute repeats, sing a big enough gear to keep my cadence around 80 RPM, and my pulse around 150 BPM.
To my surprise, when I started to push the bigger gear, I noticed something. In order to get to 150 BPM, I had to push a really big gear, and was flying. Now I intended to recvover between intervals spinning out in a low gear, around 100RPM with a pulse around 130. I decided to recover at the lower cadence, and see what happenned. I was able to go faster at 130 BPM by pushing a bigger gear than I was spinning a smaller gear at the same heart rate. I ended up having the fastest average speed of any ride I have had all year!
So I decided to try the bigger gear/slower cadence during my ride today. Even though my main focus today was climbing some steep hills, where for some pitches you don't care what your cadence is, yo just try to keep moving. On the flats I tried to keep my cadence around 80-85 RPM, and noticed an increase in average speed. I have been riding these particular roads long enough to know how fast I can go. And I was going faster than usual. All by doing one thing a little slower.
Even though I have been riding bikes somewhat seriously for almost 20 years now, this year is the first time I have ever had a computer that measures cadence. I wish I had invested in one of these things years ago, because in the last two days I have made a startling discovery.
Conventional wisdom states that the optimum pedaling cadence for a cyclist is abut 90 RPM. In the past would measure this by counting my revolutions for fifteen seconds, than multiply by four. I would usually end up with a cadence pretty close to 90 RPM.
As soon as I installed the new computer, I discoverd that my cadence was actualy in the high 90s. No big deal, I thought. Efficient spinning. Good form. Just like Lance. So I would try to keep my cadence around 95 RPM, shifting gears in order to maintain the pace.
Now, one thing I crtainly need to improve upon is my leg strength and power. One of the better methods for this is to do intervals pushing a bigger gear at a lower cadence. So yesterday I decided to do a few five minute repeats, sing a big enough gear to keep my cadence around 80 RPM, and my pulse around 150 BPM.
To my surprise, when I started to push the bigger gear, I noticed something. In order to get to 150 BPM, I had to push a really big gear, and was flying. Now I intended to recvover between intervals spinning out in a low gear, around 100RPM with a pulse around 130. I decided to recover at the lower cadence, and see what happenned. I was able to go faster at 130 BPM by pushing a bigger gear than I was spinning a smaller gear at the same heart rate. I ended up having the fastest average speed of any ride I have had all year!
So I decided to try the bigger gear/slower cadence during my ride today. Even though my main focus today was climbing some steep hills, where for some pitches you don't care what your cadence is, yo just try to keep moving. On the flats I tried to keep my cadence around 80-85 RPM, and noticed an increase in average speed. I have been riding these particular roads long enough to know how fast I can go. And I was going faster than usual. All by doing one thing a little slower.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Rider-I mean RUNNER- on the storm
Pop quiz, boys and girls. How do you the second half of a six mile run faster than your first? No, Spike, it's not the shoes. Sorry, Court, it's not pop-tarts either, but if it works for you, more power to you. And it's not EPO either, Mr. Pound- and shouldn't you be off conspiring with the French and witch hunting cyclists?
No, the answer is meteorological. Specifically, a thunderstorm. Nothing to make you pick up the pace than seeing the storm clouds forming when you've got three miles to get back to your car. And it's a lot easier to raise your pain threshold when you see lighting strikes, followed by a thunderclap a lot sooner, and louder, than you would like to hear it. Yeah, running hurts, but I have a suspiscion that getting struck by lightning hurts a lot more.
Fortunately, I managed to finish my run before getting zapped by 1.21 gigawatts of electricity, or ending up taking a shower before I got naked first. Although the cooler air form the low pressure system did provide me with a nice breeze. Even though I ran home into a headwind, it was like having a nice fan blowing cool air in my face as I ran.
Or maybe I was faster on the return because it was slightly downhill.
No, the answer is meteorological. Specifically, a thunderstorm. Nothing to make you pick up the pace than seeing the storm clouds forming when you've got three miles to get back to your car. And it's a lot easier to raise your pain threshold when you see lighting strikes, followed by a thunderclap a lot sooner, and louder, than you would like to hear it. Yeah, running hurts, but I have a suspiscion that getting struck by lightning hurts a lot more.
Fortunately, I managed to finish my run before getting zapped by 1.21 gigawatts of electricity, or ending up taking a shower before I got naked first. Although the cooler air form the low pressure system did provide me with a nice breeze. Even though I ran home into a headwind, it was like having a nice fan blowing cool air in my face as I ran.
Or maybe I was faster on the return because it was slightly downhill.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Word of the month.
I have decided that my word of the month will be attack. One of the definitions for this word is to set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile, or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with. This is my attitude toward cancer. I'm going to attack this with every weapon at my disposal. Medical, mental, nutritional, I'm going after this motherfucker. Things need to change up a bit, need to take a different approach. I beileve that if I am so exhausted from working out, my body won't have anything left for the cancer cells. All of my nutrients and energy will go toward making me stronger, leaving nothing to fuel the cancer cells. Starve those bastards, basically.
Another defitition is to set about (a task) or go to work on (a thing) vigorously. So I am attacking my training and my movie. These two things take up the majority of my day. Not only does this keep me focused, it keeps my mind off of more negative things. If I'm too busy trying to get faster on the bike or improve my running endurance, I don't have time to dwell on melanoma. And worrying about getting enough good footage and music rights is far more productive than worrying about how much the IL2 treatment is going to suck. I even have a plan of what to specifically attack when I'm stuck in the hspital in a few weeks.
S right now I have gone into attack mode. It mght be time to start listenng to those Rollins Band albums again, get into te correct mindset. It's time to end the defensive mindset, and begin to attack.
Another defitition is to set about (a task) or go to work on (a thing) vigorously. So I am attacking my training and my movie. These two things take up the majority of my day. Not only does this keep me focused, it keeps my mind off of more negative things. If I'm too busy trying to get faster on the bike or improve my running endurance, I don't have time to dwell on melanoma. And worrying about getting enough good footage and music rights is far more productive than worrying about how much the IL2 treatment is going to suck. I even have a plan of what to specifically attack when I'm stuck in the hspital in a few weeks.
S right now I have gone into attack mode. It mght be time to start listenng to those Rollins Band albums again, get into te correct mindset. It's time to end the defensive mindset, and begin to attack.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Update
It’s been almost a week since I received the news that I still haven’t yet delivered the knockout punch to my melanoma. So far, I haven’t received any further news from my doctor about the next step to take, although I’m fairly certain that I will hear something tomorrow. A lot of people have been wondering how I have been handling things in the days since hearing the bad news.
Mainly, I have been working out. Every day I have done two of the following: swam, ran, or gone for a bike ride. (The exception being today- Mondays are rest days) I have actually reached the point where when I run I no longer suffer from shin splints after a mile or so. The Harriman Triathlon is less than two weeks from today, and I have every intention of being on the start line. I also plan on doing the full 100 mile route on June 2nd’s Ride to Montauk.
Mentally, I am doing okay. Probably as good or better than could be expected for someone in my situation. I haven’t had a Brian Wilson meltdown, becoming a bedridden hermit or anything like that. A few minor panic attacks here and there, but half of those are not even related to the cancer and probably would have happened anyway.
I’ve been working on my documentary, spending hours in front of the computer editing. It’s looking pretty good, although I do tend to swear at the monitor. A lot. The more high tech you go, the more things can potentially (and will actually) go wrong.
I wish I had more information to tell you all, but as of today I don’t know a hell of a lot more than I knew last week. I’ll keep you updated, though, as soon as more information becomes available to me.
Mainly, I have been working out. Every day I have done two of the following: swam, ran, or gone for a bike ride. (The exception being today- Mondays are rest days) I have actually reached the point where when I run I no longer suffer from shin splints after a mile or so. The Harriman Triathlon is less than two weeks from today, and I have every intention of being on the start line. I also plan on doing the full 100 mile route on June 2nd’s Ride to Montauk.
Mentally, I am doing okay. Probably as good or better than could be expected for someone in my situation. I haven’t had a Brian Wilson meltdown, becoming a bedridden hermit or anything like that. A few minor panic attacks here and there, but half of those are not even related to the cancer and probably would have happened anyway.
I’ve been working on my documentary, spending hours in front of the computer editing. It’s looking pretty good, although I do tend to swear at the monitor. A lot. The more high tech you go, the more things can potentially (and will actually) go wrong.
I wish I had more information to tell you all, but as of today I don’t know a hell of a lot more than I knew last week. I’ll keep you updated, though, as soon as more information becomes available to me.
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