New Journey

If you care to follow my new journey.....

http://beniger.blogspot.com/

Game over

Well, after nearly 4 months of training and hard work, I'm letting go of the dream to complete an Ironman Triathlon.

The Ironman has never been a lifelong dream of mine, but more of a challenge that would be cool to finish, like the marathon I did. Well the marathon didn't involve swimming. I started this journey to take a break from bodybuilding. I got my dad on board, now I don't want to bail on him, but I don't think I can do it. I'm finished, but plan to keep training with him when I'm in Tulsa to keep his dream alive and encourage him through the journey. In fact, 2 days ago we did a 45 min run (his longest training yet).

I have options of more lessons and Master's swimming, but I think we're at our financial limit with my hobbies. The Liniger family has dreams of being debt free and of home ownership. With the little one getting older and plans of future family growth, I can't hardly justify the cost of the Ironman anymore.

The running and biking have become more like chores as my training time increased and the swimming is grueling. Each day that I wake up, I do not look forward to the Tri training. I've recently compared it to doing laundry, something I hate doing, but feel a sense of accomplishment once completed.

I don't consider this experience a failure because I have learned a lot about myself. I feel that I could do the Ironman, but the cost and lack of enjoyment is not worth the family stress at this stage in my life.

For now, I'll do primarily bodybuilding training (which I LOVE!), but will keep running occasionally and do family bike rides/walks around the neighborhood.

New Direction...

My swim has improved, but at unbearably slow pace. My new plan is to give a good 70% of my attention and effort to swimming. I already know I can run and bike the distance needed, but the swim is the question.

I plan to join the local Master's Swim program. It may not be the best option, but it's cheaper than more private lessons and much cheaper than the swim weekend. The coach is a big believer in the Total Immersion method I've been studying and has completed 3 Ironman Tri's himself. My swim time will increase to 3-5 hours a week, so a positive attitude, time, practice, and a coach should help.

I'll continue to get my long bike and run in on the weekends. I'll work on overall flexibility and core strength.

12 Week Training Update

I've been triathlon training for 12 weeks now. The first several weeks were slow, but here are my totals during that time:

• 1385 min biking (23 hours)
• 761 min running (13 hours)
• 774 min swimming (13 hours)

Total time training 3814 min (64 hours). This includes strength training and other cross training.

I'm gradually adapting to the training volume. Intensity is low, but duration increases. Last week I trained 9.35 hours.

Loco en la cabesa

I've struggled with this doubt since last Thursday. I'm not making noticeable progress swimming and have had a few great weight training workouts.

Sometimes I feel that I should go back to Bodybuilding. It's cheaper, I already know what I'm doing and see results quickly with each workout.

The other side of me asks what God wants me to learn through my struggles with swimming and trying this sport of Triathlon. How a man deals with adversity says a lot about his character and his faith in what the Lord can do through him.

I don't want to be a quitter, but if I can't swim, I can't Tri. Have I exhausted all my resources and efforts to swim....NO.

First bout with doubt

No, I'm not talking about doubt that I can finish this IronMan adventure I started 10 weeks ago.

Yesterday was the first day since I started that I really missed bodybuilding. I missed lifting, feeling a good pump in my muscles, and just the lifestyle of it. I started doubting my committment and desire to complete this IronMan journey.

This morning I was leaning towards bodybuilding and decided to walk the Alcon track for some Low Intensity Cardio, then at lunch I would lift legs. Well, I walked for 5 min or so, then just wanted to run. I ran another 2.5 miles and LOVED it.

I expected to second guess myself. Anytime you step outside your comfort zone, it's difficult and you may want to quit. I'm going to press on to see how this swimming comes along.

New Toy

Brenda got me the new Garmin Forerunner 405 for my birthday a few weeks ago. It's a watch GPS and heart rate monitor. I love it (thanks honey!) It updloads my workout info wirelessly.

Here's a few links to my recent training sessions:

Benbrook ride
Alcon 5k
Sunday Long Run 40m
Trinity River Bike Ride HOT

Weight loss...

EDIT: LADIES, PLEASE DO NOT READ OR YOU WILL HATE ME!

I used both scales at the gym today after my 5k this morning and weighed in at 209.5lbs. Now I might have been a little dehydrated from the run, but I drank well over 25oz of water during and after the run.

To put this number in perspective, last fall I was very serious with my bodybuilding and had bulked up to 242lbs and was LEAN. In less than 9 months I have lost 33lbs without dieting at all. I quit force-feeding myself meat and protein and the weight has just fallen off.

This is the first time in my life I have wanted to lose weight. I have always fought to keep weight on, to keep my hard earned muscle. It's hard to watch it melt away, but I hope it's lots of fat I'm losing.

Bottom Line:
I'm quite pleased with my physique progress thus far in my IronMan journey. I want to slowly lose weight and over the past 11 weeks I've dropped about 12lbs.

PS....Dad, please race IMFL 2009 with me! It would be an honor and privilege to go through the 16 month journey with my dad and my friend.

Swimming update

I took 5 lessons at TCU. It helped correct my body position and improved my swimming immensely, but I still have so far to go.

I ordered Total Immersion, it's a book, dvd, and drill cards to reduce drag and improve balance and comfort in the water. It's a very popular system, especially for triathletes. Like I mentioned above, I have improved, but still feel like I muscle my way through the water and am breathless at the end of 2 lengths of the pool.

Right now the first few drills are just doing a superman or just floating through the water to feel the water support you. This is quite humbling, but I am optimistic about the future results I hope to have. I don't care to get faster, I just want to be able to swim far without using much energy.

Sometimes, I suppose, you have to take a step backwards to ultimately move forward.

BRICK

Today I completed 2 different sports back to back....or what triathletes call a brick. I biked 50min (15 miles) and ran 15min immediately afterwards (1.5 miles). My transition time (time it took me to get off bike, switch shoes, and start running) was about 45 seconds.

My legs felt fine off the bike. I was even able to pull my feel out of my shoes before I stopped to make the transition quicker.

I'll probably try to add a weekly brick to my training from this point on.

Check out my training on the map: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/363162

Confidence

Many say that conquering a big feet or fear, like a marathon or climbing a mountain, can help build confidence. Anytime you step outside of your comfort zone and stretch yourself...you grow.

I've been so fortunate in my up-bringing to have parents who nurtured me and brought me up to believe I can do anything I want. I can be any profession, conquer any task, and be a success at anything. I was raised to believe I didn't have limits and am forever grateful to my folks for this.

Before the age of 30, I have already had so much success in life. I truly believe I can do all things through Christ. All my strength and ability is a gift from Him. I have and will continue to honor Him through how I use these gifts.

Learning to swim and improving my health through IronMan training is VERY difficult, but I have the confidence already....I know I can do it. I hope to inspire and encourage others and build their confidence through the process. I want people to see me doing this and be inspired to run a 5k or workout or "go for it". Whatever "it" is.

We are all capable of doing more than we think we can.

Run fat boy run

I'm now in my 10th week of training for IMFL. Well not direct training, more off season "get in shape" training. I've increased my aerobic training to over 5 hours a week now. I'm injury free and feeling good. My swimming has vastly improved, but still have a long way to go.

This post is about weight....as in body weight. I'm a lean 219 right now....down 24lbs from last winter. I haven't tried to lose weight yet, but it has happened due to not forcing myself to eat so much to maintain all the muscle. While bodybuilding over the past 12 years, I worked 24 hours a day to gain muscle and weight. It is so nice and refreshing to put the fork down when full and not force feed. I'm sure it's much healthier too. I include more fruits and veggies now, and less meat and much, much less red meat and pork.

I feel that I will race fast and reduce my chances of injuries by losing 10-30lbs. I've never dieted or tried to lose weight, so I'm not sure how this will work. I plan to continue to eat by feel and train, while my body weight changes to a natural level. If it's still too high in 4 months, I may actually cut calories on purpose. A lighter, leaner Ben is just what the doctor ordered...

Morning Training

Over the past 8 weeks I have really fallen in love with morning workouts. Here in Texas, there is a HOT 4 months of the year and how do I beat the heat? I train before work when it's in the 70's instead of after work in the 90's. Another benefit is sun exposure, the sun is not as intense at this time of day, sparing my sensitive skin from damage.

Now is getting up at 6am or earlier easy....? Now way, but you get used to it. I prepare all my clothes, etc the night before, then roll out of bed and take off. I do 90+% of my training before 8am daily....yes, even on the weekends.

I've noticed increased energy throughout the day and a sense of accomplishment by checking it off my "To Do" list so early. At my work it's a great time to network with VP's of the company...the morning workout crowd typically consists of your Type A / Go Getters.

Ok, just my plug for morning workouts. But if you find yourself too busy to train later in the day, try morning workouts and plan ahead.

Time...

I am 16 months out from my first IronMan race. It's just enough time to train smart and gradually change my body to finish the race injury free. But 16 months also seems like forever....one could easily lose motivation to train and stay focused. I have such a long way to go with swimming and total endurance. I mean, I'll be on the course for 12-14 hours, most likely.

One could get lost in a 16 month training program. In fact, most training programs for an IM race are only 30 weeks or about 7 months. This gives me 9 months to build up a cardio base, stregthen my tendons and ligaments for the intense training next year. My plan is to divide up the 16 months into different "phases". This should keep my focus and attention, while building towards to final goal.

Key Point: Take consistent, small steps.....and before I know it, I'll be on the beach in Florida on race day.

Training update

Today I went out for my morning 1 hour ride....18 miles or so. Well 15 minutes into it, I got the dreaded flat tire! I didn't have a spare tube with me, so I had to wake my lovely wife to come rescue me. Today I plan to order something to carry spare stuff with me.

This week is week 8 in my IronMan Base Phase Training.

• I've put in 38.6 hours so far.
• Last week I hit 6 hours and plan to get around 7 this week.
• Swimming is 200% better. Yesterday I had my 4th lesson and I've come so far already. I am swimming flat now, can breathe, have decent form. I just have to work on my lung capacity and my efficiency.

All and all, things look great. Sometimes I struggle with the gradual adaptation (only increasing training volume 10% max per week). I am working on resting and stretching to really recover from the training.

I'm thrilled about IronMan Florida 2009!

IronMan Florida....

Well after mapping out next year's race season and many other considerations, I've decided I want to race the IronMan Florida race next fall. It's in Panama City and to register, I'm going to drive down with my dad on November 1st to watch the race on Saturday and experience it. Then on Sunday morning, I'll register for IMFL 2009!

I'm nervous just typing it....swimming 2.4 miles in the ocean is quite intimidating at this point. I have over 16 months to prepare for the race. My IMFL training of course began last month, but the real 30 week training will start April 1, 2009. I have 9 months to lose some weight and improve my swimming. Over the past 4 weeks, I've put 6.5 hours in the pool. That number should just increase over the next few months.

Bottom line...I'm excited about the challenge ahead, but as with any challenge or anytime you push yourself, it's can be tough stepping outside your comfort zone. And let's just say that swimming 2.4 miles with the sharks, then biking further than Tulsa to OKC, then running 26.2 miles is not within the site of my warm, cozy comfort zone.

Decisions, decisions....

Should I train for an Ironman off the bat or have a season of shorter races first?

The above question is what I am giving thought. By racing a season of shorter races first, I can work on building my base slowly and improve speed/performance. This would allow gradual swim improvement and speed over the course of the year.

The original/current plan is to sign up for IM Louisville or IM Florida Fall 2009. This would give me 16-18 months of training....very do-able. What I might do is a sprint tri or two in Tulsa next Spring, then maybe a 70.3 in the summer, then my full IM in Sept or Nov.

This is week 6 of my Base Building Phase. I am up to 6-7 hours of training weekly. It's a mix of swimming, biking, running, stretching, and weight lifting. I am trying to hold back and ease into the training to avoid injuries.

Overall things are going very well. The new bike (which I need to name) is very fast and I love riding it. Swimming remains my focus as I have the most room for improvement with swim technique/efficiency. I have my third swim lesson this afternoon at TCU. My lung capacity/endurance in the pool is pretty weak right now, but I am swimming much more flat and smooth.

This weekend will be a de-load weekend since I'll be in Saint Louis on a family reunion. I'll do some light training in the pool and gym at the hotel, but will use it as I time to enjoy with family and recover from the past 5 weeks of hard training.

BIKE!

I've put 35 miles on my bike since Monday....and let me tell you, that thing flies. I think after next week I'll take it in for a tune up to get things adjusted, etc. Bike shorts are by far worth there weight in gold....I have yet to be sore in the saddle after a ride. I'm averaging 18-19mph right now, hope to push that up to the low 20's in the next few weeks.

Swimming is coming along, slowly but surely. I did 100m on the kickboard for a warm up this morning. Then I did 250m freestyle. I have a few lengths of the pool that went pretty good.

I need two things right now, I need to improve my lung capacity and push myself to not take breaks at the end of a length, but I also need to improve my form. My TCU coach wants me to keep pushing myself to improve my lungs. But I heard another swim coach speak this past Tuesday night and he said "perfect practice makes perfect". So I'm trying to balance the two....I don't want to do sloppy laps in the pool to improve my lungs. I want my technique to improve, then I can build my endurance.

My training volume this week (in minutes) should reach 390 this week (6.5 hours). This is also week 5 of my "Base Phase". Goal to lose weight, learn to swim, and get my rear used to the bike seat. I'm on track thus far....

Bike and Swim

UPDATE
I've ridden the new bike 25 miles in the past 2 days. I love it! It's very fast and fun.

I had my second swim lesson last Thursday afternoon. My instructor gave me several compliments on my progress on the kickboard. She now wants me to warm up with the kickboard for 100m, then swimming freestyle for 300m. Today I did 100m on the kickboard, then 200m freestyle. I am focusing on my technique in the pool. My big struggle continues to be breathing. I feel like I can't get enough air.

Things are slowly coming together. My training volume this week is planned out to be 360 min, with 120min (or 1/3) of it in the pool. Swimming remains my #1 focus.

Swimming progress update

Since my lesson last Thursday, I've spent nearly an hour practicing my kickboard drills. I'm feeling more comfortable in the water already. I'll practice for 30 min tomorrow morning before work, then my next lesson is Thursday after work.

One of the toughest parts for me is the breathing. In most sports like running and cycling, you can breathe when you want. You can take shallow breathes every second or two if you want/need to....well this is not so with swimming. I'm learning to push all the air out of my lungs and get the most Oxygen per breathe possible. I break form when I run out of breathe.

Right now, I am patient and excited about what is to come. I know the swim technique will take a few months to really get down, but I believe I can really do it. I'm considering entering an AquaBike event at the end of September in OKC. It's a 1.2 mile swim followed by a 56 mile bike ride.

Long way to go...

Relieved.....that's how I feel after my swim lesson. I have so much work to do regarding my swimming progression. It's like I am at the bottom of a mountain looking up and get that feeling in my stomach...you know, the "Oh my goodness, I have a long ways to go". I'm sure it's like losing weight or paying off debt or any other change....change is tough.

The instructor encouraged me and made me believe I have the tools to swim the IronMan. I've scheduled 4 more lessons over the next 7 weeks. For now I have kickboard drills to work on 2x - 3x a week.

Anxiety....

I am one hour from my first swim lesson at TCU. I am nervous about the water and starting this entire process. I am confortable in my current workout routine. Learning correct swimming technique or even swimmming in general is definitely out of my realm of comfort. I am just not comfortable in the water, I can't breath or float or glide through the water.

My swimming weaknesses have been a major setback in my athletic career. As I approach this swim lesson today, I am optomistic and hopeful that I can change. I go in today with an open mind and try to put my fears aside. I want to gain comfort in the water. I want to learn to breath. I want to move efficiently in the water.

Swimming is what I need to get me off my feet and take the pressure off my joints. I am excited to begin this journey, but the fear of failure is in the back of my head. There will be times I want to quit and I just might, but I plan to give this 100% and be patient as I try to change my relationship with water.

Sink or Swim

I am honest enough to admit that swimming is not a strength of mine. It is definitely the weak link in my triathlon chain. In fact, of the 2 triathlons that I've completed, I only beat 2 people out of the water total and let's just say both of these ladies qualified for the senior citizen discount at Denny's.

Unlike other sports, you can't just power through the water. Swimming is about efficiency and technique .... gliding through the water. Today I scheduled a private swim lesson at the Texas Christian University recreation center. The lesson is not until May 28th.

My hope is that with 8-12 sessions at 1-2 per week will give me the tools I need to be an efficient swimmer.