It is 330am I am working as usual and I just finished a great 60min med ball workout. After the workout a thought popped into my head. It is April 14 and I have my first track meet on May 05. For those of you counting that is 3 weeks from today. Normally this would not be such a big deal, except for several restrictions.
1: The entire province of Alberta has been under a snowfall warning for the past 2 days. Edmonton was not hit so bad (maybe 5cm) but Calgary is supposed to get 15-20cm.
2: I have not had an outdoor practice at this point
3: While transitioning between coaches within our club, I have not received a training schedule.
4: See #1
I am in great shape and feeling very strong but am getting a little worried about the start of the outdoor track season. I can be as strong as I want to be but if I cannot practice technique and actually throw a javelin I am not sure how things are going to go 3 weeks from now.
The outdoor season is not very long in Alberta and I only have a limited amount of time this year. Gotta make every day count. Every day off is a day farther away from Rio
David
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Friday, 5 April 2013
Back At It!!!
My last post was talking about the great time in Banff and my 'lazy' week of training. I am happy to say that I have been back on track over the last couple of weeks. Even working Monday-Thursday this week I have been able to get 3 hard quality workouts in plus a few other active recovery workouts. My body feeling sore tells me that I have indeed been pushing hard.
The snow has been melting like crazy here over the last 10 days and my front lawn is almost completely clear. Time to get ready to start throwing...........not quite. As we speak I look out the window of my office I can see the snow that has been accumulating in the parking lot for the past 4 hours. Edmonton is expecting to get 5-15cm of snow over the next 24 hours. Guess the hopes of throwing outside are on hold for a while. By the end of next week the temperature is supposed to be back around 7-9C so my fingers are crossed.
David
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Productive Lazy week
Just bare with me I will explain.
This week started off great. Three quality workouts in two days including a great circuit workout with Fish (Rob Fisher) and the other Capital City throwers. Feeling good and excited about possibly having a big week. However, this week was also my wife's birthday and I had planned an overnight trip to Banff to celebrate and get out of the city with the family. Banff was awesome and the weather was perfect. Coming home to a huge snowstorm and a 100 car pile up on the highway meant that our 3.75 hour drive home took 6 hours. Leaving us bagged and tired when we pulled into the garage just in time to get to bed for work the next morning. Usually on this set of shifts I can get in 4 solid workouts during the day. This week was different, lot's of work training and busy days meant no workouts at work all weekend. Feeling very sluggish I know that I need a couple good workouts to get me back in gear....monday is almost here and the start of a new training week.
I guess I was not so much lazy as buzy but you get what I am talking about.
As for productive.....While at practice on Tuesday I was able to finalize my event schedule for the spring and summer. First meet is in Calgary May 5th and then back in Calgary for May 11th. A total of 6 track meets with the potential for 2 others if I can get my act together and throw well. Of course for that to happen the 5 feet of snow on my front lawn needs to melt first so I can start throwing. Having a competition schedule for the season is a huge deal for me to work towards especially realizing that the first meet is only 6 weeks away!!!!
Train hard
David
This week started off great. Three quality workouts in two days including a great circuit workout with Fish (Rob Fisher) and the other Capital City throwers. Feeling good and excited about possibly having a big week. However, this week was also my wife's birthday and I had planned an overnight trip to Banff to celebrate and get out of the city with the family. Banff was awesome and the weather was perfect. Coming home to a huge snowstorm and a 100 car pile up on the highway meant that our 3.75 hour drive home took 6 hours. Leaving us bagged and tired when we pulled into the garage just in time to get to bed for work the next morning. Usually on this set of shifts I can get in 4 solid workouts during the day. This week was different, lot's of work training and busy days meant no workouts at work all weekend. Feeling very sluggish I know that I need a couple good workouts to get me back in gear....monday is almost here and the start of a new training week.
I guess I was not so much lazy as buzy but you get what I am talking about.
As for productive.....While at practice on Tuesday I was able to finalize my event schedule for the spring and summer. First meet is in Calgary May 5th and then back in Calgary for May 11th. A total of 6 track meets with the potential for 2 others if I can get my act together and throw well. Of course for that to happen the 5 feet of snow on my front lawn needs to melt first so I can start throwing. Having a competition schedule for the season is a huge deal for me to work towards especially realizing that the first meet is only 6 weeks away!!!!
Train hard
David
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Spikes and Snow
First the good news. New Spikes arrived last week!!!!!
I am very excited to finally have spikes to train in, now if I could only get outside and throw!!! Spring in Edmonton means a lot of different things and one of them is the possibility of snow. The last 2 days we have had a dump of close to 20cm. Prior to this dump we could actually see grass on our front lawn and my daughter Sydney had a world of fun splashing in puddles of melted ice. More snow just means a longer wait until I can actually start throwing. This is a big deal since the season is coming up fast. There is a big throws gala in Lethbridge in 8 weeks and I am stuck inside throwing weighted balls against a wall. No fun at all but like everything this season I must be patient.
Training Update
The excitement of training is still very much alive within me. I do not train because I have to, I train because I want to. Training has definitely been increasing. Total hours and total number of workouts are increasing from my early season numbers and I am definitely noticing a change in fitness from 4-6 months ago. Now if I can only get outside and see what all my hard work this winter has gotten me. I am meeting with Rob on Tuesday to discuss spring training and the competition season ahead. I am excited to get a lot of throwing in and attending many competitions throughout Alberta.
David
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
ITU 2014 Grand Final awarded to Edmonton!!
Yesterday was a big day for Triathlon in Canada. The ITU (International Triathlon Union) announced yesterday that Edmonton will be the host for the 2014 Grand Final. As exciting as this is for the triathlon community in Edmonton, the announcement was expected. San Diego dropped out several months ago and the ITU came to the Edmonton organizing committee and practically said, if you bid you will win. Still, great exposure for Triathlon in Edmonton and Canada.
As exciting as this news is, I am very much at ease knowing that I will not be attending as a participant. Every time something like this comes along and has little to no impact on my decision to leave the sport and pursue my Olympic Dream I feel more and more confident that I have made the right decision.
I have spent my time competing in triathlons around the world with the maple leaf on my chest and I have been so incredibly proud to do it. I cant wait to represent my country again on an international stage........but it won't be in triathlon.
4 months into my Javelin training I am still looking for excuses to train more and make myself better, stronger and faster. I check my email multiple times on Mondays just waiting to see what my training schedule looks like for the week. Everything is still exciting and it makes training that much more fun. Triathlon just was not doing that for me anymore and I am so thankful that I was able to recognize this and not push myself through a disappointing season. I think that by pulling myself out of the sport before it got to that point I am far more likely to return at some point in my future.
Congrats to the Edmonton Triathlon Academy and organizing committee on the successful World Championship bid.
David
As exciting as this news is, I am very much at ease knowing that I will not be attending as a participant. Every time something like this comes along and has little to no impact on my decision to leave the sport and pursue my Olympic Dream I feel more and more confident that I have made the right decision.
I have spent my time competing in triathlons around the world with the maple leaf on my chest and I have been so incredibly proud to do it. I cant wait to represent my country again on an international stage........but it won't be in triathlon.
4 months into my Javelin training I am still looking for excuses to train more and make myself better, stronger and faster. I check my email multiple times on Mondays just waiting to see what my training schedule looks like for the week. Everything is still exciting and it makes training that much more fun. Triathlon just was not doing that for me anymore and I am so thankful that I was able to recognize this and not push myself through a disappointing season. I think that by pulling myself out of the sport before it got to that point I am far more likely to return at some point in my future.
Congrats to the Edmonton Triathlon Academy and organizing committee on the successful World Championship bid.
David
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Still going strong
Wow I am a lazy blogger, I dont even want to look at the date of my last post but I am going to guess close to 2 months. I will blame Christmas, Work, and my Birthday. yeah.....that sounds good. But now most of that is over and as for work I am stuck here for the night.
The holiday season is always hard on training, lot's of food, sweets, treats, chocolate, and time with friends and family. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I loved every minute of the holiday season. especially the family and friends part. Long after Rio, they will be the ones left by my side, plus spending time with them helps me stay grounded and relaxed.
Training over the last 2 months has been really good. i did not get to the track for almost a month straight because of one thing or another. As a result my speed work is a bit off, but my strength and conditioning has been better than ever before at this point of the year. When triathlon training, I would not start until January, this year I am in April shape already. It is kind of a nice feeling actually knowing how far ahead I am in that regard when compared to previous years.
My weight workouts have been occurring at work usually 3-4 days straight while on shift then off for days off. I have a few different circuit training programs from Ron that I can do at home or anywhere with space. I am still doing some short spring work on my bike at home (under 1 min sprints) as a recovery workout. The last 2 weeks I have been able to get back to the track and get some sprints in. I love being able to take the time and do a proper run workout at the track with the team. But.......it is super frustrating training there, I figure in a 2 hour workout about 30 minutes is wasted waiting for space, coaches, other athletes, etc. I miss that about triathlon training, where it was just me and my timeline. But having the team there does lend alot of support, encouragement and competition. There is an indoor track meet this weekend, which I will be missing because of night shift but that is ok. I know the capital City members will be fine without me.
Our throwing coach Rob Fisher (remember that name, you will be hearing it alot in the next 6 months) brought me 700g and 800g throwing balls last week so that I could do some more throwing practise. Plus my new javelin spikes are on order and will hopefully be here soon!!!!!
2013 is the year of my return to track and field and I cannot wait to see my progress as the outdoor season gets closer and closer.
David
The holiday season is always hard on training, lot's of food, sweets, treats, chocolate, and time with friends and family. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I loved every minute of the holiday season. especially the family and friends part. Long after Rio, they will be the ones left by my side, plus spending time with them helps me stay grounded and relaxed.
Training over the last 2 months has been really good. i did not get to the track for almost a month straight because of one thing or another. As a result my speed work is a bit off, but my strength and conditioning has been better than ever before at this point of the year. When triathlon training, I would not start until January, this year I am in April shape already. It is kind of a nice feeling actually knowing how far ahead I am in that regard when compared to previous years.
My weight workouts have been occurring at work usually 3-4 days straight while on shift then off for days off. I have a few different circuit training programs from Ron that I can do at home or anywhere with space. I am still doing some short spring work on my bike at home (under 1 min sprints) as a recovery workout. The last 2 weeks I have been able to get back to the track and get some sprints in. I love being able to take the time and do a proper run workout at the track with the team. But.......it is super frustrating training there, I figure in a 2 hour workout about 30 minutes is wasted waiting for space, coaches, other athletes, etc. I miss that about triathlon training, where it was just me and my timeline. But having the team there does lend alot of support, encouragement and competition. There is an indoor track meet this weekend, which I will be missing because of night shift but that is ok. I know the capital City members will be fine without me.
Our throwing coach Rob Fisher (remember that name, you will be hearing it alot in the next 6 months) brought me 700g and 800g throwing balls last week so that I could do some more throwing practise. Plus my new javelin spikes are on order and will hopefully be here soon!!!!!
2013 is the year of my return to track and field and I cannot wait to see my progress as the outdoor season gets closer and closer.
David
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Tis' the Season
Tis' the season for non-training excuses. Too much food, parties, family time, extra house work, too much food, shopping, oh and did I mention food? All of these are great excuses to hold back from training. It is definitely a tough season to get through.
While I might (let’s face it I DO) get mad at myself for missing workouts this past week my family is still #1. I could have come home from work last night, ate dinner quickly, put Sydney to bed on time and hidden in the basement for a workout, I didn’t. Instead we had a nice family dinner together, had a tonne of fun withSydney
Taking time away from training for nights like this one are what keep me grounded and remind me what is truly important. The Olympic Dream is a small window of opportunity. Long after Rio 2016, my family will still be there with me. Many Olympic athletes put off careers and family life until after they have realized their true potential and goals. I went another route and don’t regret it for a second. My family has made me who I am today.
If you will excuse me I need to hit the gym……..
David
While I might (let’s face it I DO) get mad at myself for missing workouts this past week my family is still #1. I could have come home from work last night, ate dinner quickly, put Sydney to bed on time and hidden in the basement for a workout, I didn’t. Instead we had a nice family dinner together, had a tonne of fun with
Taking time away from training for nights like this one are what keep me grounded and remind me what is truly important. The Olympic Dream is a small window of opportunity. Long after Rio 2016, my family will still be there with me. Many Olympic athletes put off careers and family life until after they have realized their true potential and goals. I went another route and don’t regret it for a second. My family has made me who I am today.
If you will excuse me I need to hit the gym……..
David
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