Iron News Man - October 16, 2009

By CHRIS SCHAUBLE

Updated 7:12 AM PST, Fri, Oct 16, 2009

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Time to get into a groove! Today I swim 3100 yards… the longest pool swim yet for me. I don’t wear one of those waterproof MP3 players, so it’s just my thoughts and me. Only a few times might I think to myself, “Man this is a long swim!” Usually I find myself thinking about what’s next… in my training, in my day, life in general.

I’ve been mentioning today and tomorrow’s workout all week long because they’re demanding. I have said repeatedly that when I enter the water that morning of November the 22nd to begin the swim for Ironman Arizona, I will not be afraid. I will know that my training and fitness have me prepared.

Here’s my TrainingPeaks.com schedule for today and tomorrow from Triathlon Coach Jason Healey (Notice the specific details for my ride):

Your Workouts for Oct 16, 2009
Pyramid Swim
Type: Swim
Swim 3100 yards total. Warm Up: 4 x 25 with (10" rest) then 4 x 50 with (20" rest).

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Triathlon Training

Drills: 200 yards. Choose drills from the Triathlon Training Series Swim DVD.

MS: 4 x 50 with (15”), 2 x 75 (20”), 2 x 100 (25”), 2 x 200 (30"), 3 x 300 (35"), 2 x 200 (30"), 2 x 100 (25"), 2 x 75 (20”), 4 x 50 (15").

CD: 2 x 50, 4 x 25 easy with emphasis on form.
Your Workouts for Oct 17, 2009

Type: Bike
Planned duration: 0:00
Planned distance: 0.0 miles
Ironman Arizona 3 Loop Bike Prep.

Ride Hill repeats + Steady State Effort.

Ride 90 Miles Total.

Warm up 10 -15 minutes on the flats down on Stevenson Ranch Parkway or out and back on Pico Cyn Rd (or approx 5 miles).

*Follow warm up with 4 hill repeats up Poe to the top and then back down (9.6 Miles total: 4.8 miles up/ 4.8 miles down) in zone 2 (medium to medium hard) with a touch of Zone 3 (hard) near the tops. Focus on staying seated on the climbs. Try to keep your cadence above 60 rpm.

* Then Ride 9 miles out on a rolling course and 9 miles back to the base of Poe. Riding at a medium-to-medium hard race pace effort.

Repeat the 4 Poe hill climbs and out AND the out and back route 2 MORE TIMES for a total of 3 loops.

*Once back to the base of Poe. Finish with a 10-minute cool down.
This ride will simulate the 3-loop Arizona bike route. The total Arizona route ascends 3800ft over the three loops. All the climbing is done in the first 20 miles of each loop... Just like this workout. The total ascent of this ride will be approx 4500.

Workout #2: Transition Run
Type: Run
Run 3 Miles off the bike on a flat course. Concentrate on good form and 90-step cadence per minute.

The ride will not be the longest I’ve completed. However, it will be the hardest. 90-miles is one thing. 90-miles with hill repeats is another thing entirely. Experience has taught me that with running and with riding, hill repeats eventually tax you. It’s worth repeating, I will KNOW that I can complete Ironman Arizona when I begin it!

Days until Ironman Arizona: 37!

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-Chris

Why blog? To inspire others.

Simply put, two years ago I was overweight! At 6’1” I weighed 252, and wore size 40 pants. Few people really noticed, but I did. In pictures, on TV, I was not happy with my appearance. Covering the 2007 LA Marathon for NBC4 was the last straw. Every picture I was in highlighted just how out of shape I had become.

No more! Since that time, the guy who could barely run around the block has slowly built-up his endurance and completed the 2008 Long Beach International Marathon , 2009 Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, 2009 LA Marathon, and the 2009 Vineman Ironman 70.3.

However, something happened along the way. After my first marathon, I fell into a funk. I asked myself, “Why do you feel such a let-down after a marvelous achievement?” The answer I have since learned from my coaches, I failed to set the “goal beyond the goal”. Thus, my quest for Iron was born!

I’m registered to compete in the Ford Ironman Arizona on November 22nd, 2009. Along the way, I will compete in various road races and triathlons to fuel my passion and push my training along. The intense and at times brutal training will happen after my duties as 4 a.m. to 7a.m. anchor for NBC4 have finished. The sacrifices I will make will be substantial, and for that I thank my beautiful family and friends in advance.

I invite you to share this journey with me.