Studio7 Shout Out!

I couldn't be prouder for each of my athletes who toed the line in Louisville and Wisconsin this year! Each one of them took on the challenge exceptionally well. To see each of them work through the challenges that an IM can bring was simply awesome.

Below is the IML/IMW 2010 crew that truly represented (in alphabetical order):

Julia Bonner

Scott Ellison (1st IM)

Kyle Frank (1st IM)

Jason Jordan (1st IM)

Josh Hayes

Mark Mahoney

Gary Martin (1st IM)

Mark Schuler (1st IM)

Todd Spanish (1st IM)

Jenn Tiepen (1st IM)

Dirk Wuensche (1st IM)

As a coach who takes great pride in each of his athletes I find the closing hours of an IM especially special. Some of the most intense battling takes place in the last 2 hours of an event of this length. Those who scorch the 140.6 in the low 8 range certainly battle, but I also believe the folks who are finishing with an hour to spare are something special.

I'd be remiss if I did not give Meredith Dolhare a congrats as well for tackling Roth (IM) and Regensberg (IM) with two weeks seperating the two events. She then took on one of the most challenging endurance events around; Powerman Zofingen five weeks later. A superb showing indeed!

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On the "IM in 10" end of things I am grateful to report that I was able to execute a 7 mile run at Madison w/ minimal issues. So, in the upcoming weeks I will be dialing in on adding some 'finishing touches' to my IMF 2010 preparation.

I am really looking FWD to sharing my journey and trumping traditional thinking with respect to IM preparation.

Stay tuned troops...Coach L

Ironman Louisville 2010

Its 'chilly' here in Louisville - seriously. Could not believe that I was acutally cold this morning as I walked to Einstein Bagel. The scene is vibrant and there is plenty of fit looking folk walking the streets of Louisville. Its hard not to get all fired up about Ironman when you are at the race site of one. If I could I'd jump in on this one on Sunday. Below is a quick vid from my room at Louisville:

This was the first day I was able to 'workout' and I was gitty to get my heart pumping again. Mark Olson and I took off to the University of Louisville Nata torium with hopes that we could hit the water there: http://www.uoflsports.com/facilities/lou-facilities-natatorium.html

Long story short, we walked into the place like we had swam there for years. Not a soul questioned our presence. They must have wrote us off as grad students or profs. So, we get into the pool area and there was not a single person in the water. We were fired up and quickly put suits on while on the deck (a comical story in itself as you can imagine). 30 minutes later and a mile or so under our speedo and we were done. Still, not a soul to be seen at this beautiful facility. Whats the deal we thought. This explains it:

I'd go back again tomorrow. Lesson learned: make sure to read the back of signs when things just don't seem right. The front of the sign was 'pool rules'.

Oh, no issues w/ the knee and water proof band aids don't work. After just 200 yds they were in the filters of the pool. Feeling great despite not being in the water since Latta.

Stay tuned friends,

Coach L

~1 week post-op

Happy to report that the knee is responding very quickly to rest, ice (Polar Care 500), TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), and some good old fatty fish; salmon.

Amazed at how quickly the knee has returned to 125 degrees of flexion.

Walking without any noticeable limp. Luke did take a poke at me as he mimiced my 'surgery induced swagger' the other day.

Looking FWD to seeing how all this pans out per the vision of taking on IMF in November.

As noted previously, I am very optimistic that IMF will be possible, but goals will have to be shifted quite a bit. The hopes of Kona qualification and butting heads with the big boys has long been dismissed. I'm totaly cool with that and actually find it somewhat refreshing to toe the line with no stringent expectations.

The one thing that has stayed relatively consistent this year has been the strength training. So, I look forward to seeing how this KEY component to IM training works in my favor in 2010.

Off I go to ice and elevate. Have a great day folks!

Coach L

"Speed Bumps"

I really can't stand slowing down for speed bumps. I actually avoid the breaks and throw the hands in the air as my Subaru clears em' (Luke loves it when I do this - at least he used to). I also don't like stop lights.

I am a big fan of moving and 'staying on task' once the sights are set on the target/goal.

You with me folks?

Well, as we all know metaphorical 'speed bumps' come at us at all angles when we least expect them. My immediate plans of building the engine for IMF has come to a temporary hault.

Tomorrow I will be getting my R medial meniscus worked on by Dr Pat Connor. Yep, back on February I had my L medial meniscus trimmed up (fell on my bike the day before FL 70.3) and now it is my R one. Craziness I tell ya. I believe this tear took place many years ago as I played catcher as a little tike up into college.

I really do look FWD to being fixed up and to be 100%. I truly do thank God for showing me once again how weak AND susceptible I am. I also love how He can change your course in a flicker of an eye. I trust fully in His 'guiding hand' in all things and know His plans always trump mine. Thank you Jesus!

Here is the catch troops. I still hope/intend to toe the line at IMF in 2010 if the surgery is the same as the one done in February 2010.

My poor wife must endure this with me and I appreciate her willingness to put up with me. Thanks babe!

I love a challenge and when you are forced to work through the non-optimal scenarios. Can't wait to see how this season will pan out and I intend to give all the glory and praise to Him.

Stay tuned for the 'rest of the story' friends...

Coach L

Week 1

Staying true to last year I will share total training volume per week. This may appear a bit redundant, but it holds me accountable.

9 hours and 41 min of training was had. The emphasis is on the bike (4 hrs 15 min; 124.6 miles) where 100% of the riding is on my CompuTrainer (CT). I love my CT. No dogs chasing me down, no cars taking me out, bring on flats, and I can dismount in a jiffy to re-swoddle Grace if I must. Baby monitors are the cats meow!

Coming in second to 'mounting my battleship' in the garage is the run. This came out to be 2:56 hrs or 25.1 miles. 85 to 90% of this training is done on the road.

I sealed the deal with strength training. This came out to being about 2:30 hr for the week. Two sessions with Bill (~45 min of actual strength work) and the pre-training myofascial and strength work I do prior to each workout.

No swimming has taken place since Latta (June 12, 2010). Yep, I have been keeping from the water and will plan on hitting it one time per week starting this week.

This is a very brief recap of volume in Week 1. In upcoming posts I will begin to divulge the 'nuts and bolts' of how I intend to attack IMF and the competition from an intensity/frequency perspective.

I am really looking FWD to this IM and hope to test my limits.

Stay tuned ladies and gentleman,

Coach L