Top Three Swim Drills

I will try these for todays swim workout.

Ironman motivation: battle w/o honor or humanity music vid

battle w/o honor or humanity

90k biking and a flat tire

First time I made the half of the whole Ironman-Strecke. It goes two rounds so that I now know the whole course. The "hill" in the middle called "Pfannenstil" is really a huge piece of work. I was impressed. However, on the way back from Forch to Küssnacht I got a flat tire. Luckily not in a race and nothing happened, though I went quite fast downhill. "Pffffffffffffffffff", T-IM

My first Ironman

These days I am wavering back and forth concerning the Ironman distance. One day I feel strong and the next day I feel quite frightened. Can I do it? should I better quitt? Am I really prepared?

For now I am focussing on "superior biking fitness", which one of an Ironman-guy suggested. He said, that regardless how fit you are on your feet, you first have to cover the biking distance.
I read an interesting article on First Ironman? The Ten Most Common Mistakes - By Ray Fauteux .
He mentioned:
(1) OVERTRAINING: rest vs. performance vs. untrained muscles
(2) POOR DIET: supplements vs. balance vs. energy
(3) IMPROPER FINAL WEEK PREPARATION: Plan, relax & eat normal food
(4) IMPROPER PRE-RACE HYDRATION: clear urine the week before racing
(5) IMPROPER RACE-EVE PREPARATION: Rest is the order of the day.
(6) POOR SWIM STRATEGY: Avoid the crush.
(7) MISTAKES IN TRANSITION: Take your time.
(8) GOING OUT WAAAAY TOO FAST ON THE BIKE: Relax!! Don't eat or drink for twenty minutes or so.
(9) ABSOLUTELY NO RUN PLAN: Do long run-walks in training.
(10) ABSOLUTELY NO EATING-DRINKING PLAN FOR THE RUN: have a plan that you've thought out long before race day

There were some new hints for me, e.g. doing run-walks in train.
Maybe I just have to do it.
Happy training, T-IM

Crazy Hill Bike on May1st

The last weekend I hosted two triathlon-princesses from Frankfurt: Vero the Hill-queen and Alyssa the fastest Kangaroo chaser in the northern hemisphere. We did the Rapperswil-"Strecke", some commercials and wetsuit-testing in the 12° C limmat river. Great time folks! You are always welcome to any "course" or Strecke or Tri-Camp. :- )

Alyssa shortly before she got lost in the Zurich forest:


Vero, the hill-queen and Tim ascending to the frozen cold:


In front of a shield, which says: Your life will be in danger, if you swim here:

Recovery week and new aspirations

During this week - the first after the Zürich-Marathon - the focus was on recovery. Biking is going well. Spinning even allowed controlled heart-rate workouts.

I am still amazed about the booster-socks. I experienced a very quick recovery and I believe it is thanks to these socks.

Today I had the first swim after three weeks again. I was reminded that there are at least three disciplines to triathlon. I need to focus on the swim as well. ;- )

happy workouts!
the recovering free-radical

Datasport

One really good thing in Switzerland is the central database of sport results. Datasport helps to keep track of all the races you may forget: http://www.datasport.com/myds/?tim-scheffmann

Cheers, the one_free_radical

PS: I hardly have any pains from the marathon yesterday anymore. Unbelievable.

Zuerich Marthon Done

In 04:44 h I ran the Zuerich marathon yesterday. This was 14 minutes slower than my first marathon in Berlin. However, right now I am feeling much better as after the Berlin marathon. Things I learned:

* Don't push too hard at the beginning; it will be hard later. I started with 12 kmh (in the group to finish 04:00 h), later I couldn't keep up the speed.
* Better preparation pays off: This time I had no 30 km run - only 24km. Next time I will plan at least for one 30 km run.
* Too much weight is a barrier to speed. I am still above 90 kgs, which is at least 5 kgs too much for the Ironman in July!
* The "booster" - stabilisation socks were great. http://www.bvsport.ch/
* The nutrition was perfect: Iso-star in between. The last two stations I took coca-cola.
* Invite friends, they will push you through. I was surprised to see two friends together with Irina - my wife - standing at the race course; so I simply couldn't quitt.

Here my polar data:

22 hours to go - my 2nd marathon

In 22 hours I will participate in my 2nd marathon. This time I am really not sure, how I will cope with it. I had only two longer runs with 16.2 and 24.3 km. However, I kept the weekly pilage on a good level.













Here you can read a good running report about the zuerich marathon(unfortunately in German): http://www.poole.ch/sport,racereviews,zuerich-marathon-2003_de.smt

Heartbreak Hill - Zuerich/Kilchberg

Yesterday I attacked the heartbreak hill in Kilchberg, Zuerich. Great view:
It's a bit steep (18%) up to 485 m above zero starting from 400 m in 500 m something. 2 years ago I had a muscle cramp right at the increase. Since I couldn't do anything about it, I just rode on.

Today the IM Australia took place. I just saw an interview with Chrissie Wellington in connection with her race there. She said: "... all I can do is train hard and race hard!" Great attitude. With 09:03 hours she just "rolled" across the finish-line in "downunder Aussie-land" being first again.
I wish Zuerich would have the weather of Port Macquarie. Here the temperature dropped down to 4°C with rain and snow. "If it ain't raining - we ain't training." Perfect conditions for my long run today. :- >

the free radical in the rain

Pain and smart training

Sometimes we just have to go through some pain:
http://ironmanlife.blogspot.com/2008/03/bright-side-of-pain.html

Sometimes I guess it is good to quitt training sessions or high intensity training.

Sometimes I just quote the saying: "pain is weakness leaving the body."

Tempo Sport Running Session in Thalwil

This week was like coming back down to European weather conditions:

* Wednesday morning 6-7 am: running 8k in snow/rain (((freezing temperature)))

* Thursday evening: running session at the stadium in Thalwil with the Tri-shop: http://www.tempo-sport.ch/ A guy named "Phillip" showed us important excercises for running:
a) core muscle strengthening
b) flex = determines how the foot can push the body from the ground
c) running below the body
d) circle-way running

He also had some hints:
- before a competition train with over-cadence (e.g. down a mountain) while running in order to maintain a higher speed

It was great to see some 8-10 free radicals. All were absolutely in shape and I thought: I have to loose more weight!!!! While running the legs have to stand a pressure of the double-weight! Definetely a reason to go even shorter on meals. I have to drink more water!

* Friday rest.

* Saturday: biking and running.

* Sunday: running and swimming.

Mekong Vacation Training Camp

From March 8th to 24th I was travelling the Mekong region. Together with Irina I went diving, open water swimming, running next to Laotion people with flipp-flopps, spinning and athletic training in Vientianne with Frank.

In the two weeks I burned actually some calories. Good stuff! At least. Now one month before the next marathon race in Zuerich I better continue loosing some unnecessary weight.

From now on I have to neglect alcohol in any form and also I will skipp evening meals. They are useless anyway. What do I need the energy during the night?

Now I was shocked, since the weather here in Zuerich is quite cold: -4°C compared to south-east-asian +28°C in average. Today Now time to rock...

Missing Running Trainings

I ran 12 km and recognized, that I neglected running during the last two weeks. The focus was pretty much on swimming, spinning and biking. So I enjoyed running today - running into the sunset above the limmat.

equipment day

A raining, windy day in Zuerich - perfect for skipping the training schedule and go shopping. Since I am leaving Switzerland next friday for flying to Thailand (Krabi) I really have to buy some stuff to be prepared for the Thai-Trainings-Camp. ;- )

I bought the following things:

- Asics running shoes DS Trainer v.12 9.5/43.5, 240 CHF
They will become my competition shoes for 2008. Using the asics "nimbus" as my training shoe, since it is more absorbing. the DS Trainer is quite hard, but very efficient in terms of speed and weight. The guys at the triathlon shop told me, my running style looks good and I am starting to run on the forefood more and more to gain speed.
- Asics running socks 35 CHF
- new batteries for the polar heartrate-monitor-sender
- Booster Socks, Taille 11, Ref. MGG011, 73 CHF (quite expensive)
- Noene - shock absorbing soles, gr. 42, 49 CHF

From the pharmacy (for total: 190 CHF):
Magnesium, Calcium, L-Carnitin, Coral pulver

So, I admit triathlon takes quite some money from you, but I am convinced it is invested aright. I am happily taking care for my health right now, before the old age and the suffering comes along. It is also cost-efficient to invest in soles and medicals - small things with a great leverage.

When I am back from Asia I will check my bike and the equipment therefore. Probably I have to get new biking shoes and pedals. At the same point I should then check the seat-position.

Equipping is fun.

So long,
your free radical.

What we don't change today, will change us tomorrow

Yesterday I ran 20k in 2 hrs and 15 mins in the dark. When I finished at 9 pm I recognized I missed some of the 16 km runs when my legs started cramping. Also I might have neglected magnesium-tablets as add ons to the daily food. However, I felt very strong muscelwise. My legs weren't tired or felt week. So my consitent training the last 4 weeks might really have caused some endurance-Strength. ;- )

This week at the spinning class on thursday we had a "mountain session". 1 hour constantly driving at 85 rpm with rising resistance like a mountain. The spinning instructor explained this cadence training is very important for the Ironman-Distance, so that an athlete can work "like a machine".

peak effort of training per week needed for one guy for a 10 hrs ironman = 28 hours
Blog: Tri-Geek Dreams
Post: Ironman commitment
Link: www.trigeekdreams.com/.../ironman-commitment.html

Ironman motivation

why humans are they doing an ironman?


I like the first seconds of this video: EAT SLEEP SWIM BIKE RUN EAT SLEEP ...


"unfinished business" for a tough one leg woman

Beat knows & new distance record: 3.3 km Swimming

Today I went to Beat to discuss training issues I experienced while pushing the training for the Ironman. Beat is the shopowner of Santa Monica:
http://www.santamonica.ch/ and I think also founder of erox: http://www.eroxswiss.com/. Despite that, he is a great guy having huge experience for Ironman-Training. Anyone in the triathlone scene in Zürich/ Switzerland knows him. On top he really has the right equipment in his store. We discussed four points:

1.Freezing while on long biking tours
* Beat asked me for my clothing and explained I should change my combination. New layers:
1. net-shirt
2. Frottee/Terry-Fleece
3. New breathing active windstopper jacket for biker.

2. Biking shoes feel uncomfortable while being on the road more than 2 hours
maybe they are too small. due to the long distances the feet start swallowing after a while - for short periods then the foot feels numb and squashed. We will examin this in 2 weeks. Beat needs to have a look at my shoes.

3. Running Shoes
Maybe I need new ones. we will examine them also in two weeks.

4. Nutrition I wonder why I don^t loose any gram weight - although I train like a dog. Beat suggested to hide the scale and only look in the mirrow to see if everything is okay. He said: muscles weight twice than fat and right now I am replacing a lot of fat with muscles. :-( Good and bad - since I have to carry the muscles arround in the competition.

* Kieselerde
During Long swimming sessions I experience sometimes shoulder "adjustment-pains". So I think "Kieselerde" might help. Beat said, maybe I should rest a day or plan for "recovery" training sessions.

* Additionally Beat recommended stuff called "basic balance" from "Sponser". It is a "basic mineral salt" composition. It tastes like dishwater. No joke. It^s medicine- nothing more.

* At the same time Beat said: while training for the Ironman: no milk, but soya and no yoghurt and no cheese! Man, this will be really tough for me.

In the evening I swam 3.3 km - wich is a new swimming distance record for me. 65 turns. Meanwhile I get used to flip turns. :- )
Here an example I found on youtube:
It really helps to look at the knees while turning.


Stay strong folks, the next season is approaching fast!!!
the free radical

every day some kind of sports

Ironman-training is tough. Today I really feel worn out. The training suggestions of www.2peak.com (my training software) are no easy match. Based on individual heart-rate-limits 2peak calculates automatically the intensity and length of every excercise. It arranges time periods for intensity phases, followed by endurance-and lastly recovery-zones. The length of one period is almost one week up to 10 days. Right now I am in the 3rd intensity-period 3 more "intensities" to go until the marathon here in zurich.

The last week I had nearly every day some sports:

active week

That was a great week. I feel challenged, but still full of energy. Somehow I adjusted the performance-levels/limits in 2 peak (my online trainingssoftware) new, so that the training length and intensity would adjust closer accordingly to my needs. Triathlon is fun. Sometimes madness, but fun!!!!