Thursday, April 29, 2010

Run Test, Swim, Recovery Run

Great show of the work I've been able to put in thus far this week. Swam faster than I ever have the other day and ran fast today. Wasn't the best run I've ever done, but for a 5k and where I am now after my injury, I'll take it.

After the run test around noon, I headed over to the pool for a coached swim session. Man does my backstroke suck. It sucks so bad that when it's suppossed to be used for recovery it actually takes MORE energy out of me:) Gotta work on that one!

The second run of the day was just an easy 45 minute recovery run. Nothing special, but I have to say it was nice running slow and just taking in the day. The pollen here is nuts and my allergies have been quite a burden, but it was still nice to get out and see the sun set over the water during my last couple of miles. Can't wait for summer!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Swim

Great swim today. Allergies are killing me though, but glad that when I swim my headache seems to go away.

Worked on endurance today and had some of the best numbers to date...actually THE best numbers to date. Didn't realize it until after I got out of the pool though. Funny, because I felt tired and slow the whole swim. Interesting how your percieved exertion can be so much different from what's actually happening. Too bad there's no power meter for swimming. Would have helped my confidence quite a bit:).

The rest of the day is gonna be some yardwork, appointments and rest. I've got a dull lingering headache from all the pollen that I'm hoping will go away before I get outside. We'll see. Tomorrow is a 5k running TT. Looking forward to seeing how much progress I've made since returning to regular running.

Great Quote

Found this today on Xterra pro Dan Hugo's blog. Pretty much sums up how I feel about my life too!

"I want to run through oceans of green littered with the colours of spring - I want to share in its wealth. I want to bike to the top of a clif’s edge, stand in awe, overwhelmed by space and magnificence till nothing else exists. I want to taste determination in the back of my throat as if my lungs could not contain its measure. I want to dream and turn dream to belief, undeniable resolve within self. I want to feel. I want to live and live with all I have."

Monday, April 26, 2010

Run, Weights

No entry yesterday because it was a shit day. Not because my workouts were bad, but because I had one of the nastiest migranes I've had in a long time. I used to get them more frequently, but in recent years I tend to only get about one a year, usually around this time. I've thought of all the triggers-foods, activities, stress, etc.-and I'm pretty resigned to the fact that they only occur because of alergies. I try to take pretty good care of myself, and avoid a lot of fake foods and junk (well now anyways; I used to love me some McDonald's:) ), so I'm left to thinking that the seasonal change is what does it. Nonetheless it sucks.

However, I still managed to get a swim in yesterday that was pretty good. I think the pressure of the water on my head actually made things better, while I was in the water at least. After the swim I decided to nix my scheduled bike and try to rest up for a track session I had later in the day. It wouldn't be though as I still was not recovered by the evening. So yesterday wasn't totally scrapped, it just contained one finished workout instead of three:).

Today I made up my run session. It consisted of 6 one mile repeats. I usually do these on the track, but being that time was tight and I just didn't feel like running in circles, I planned out a relatively flat circut and got to work. I was still a little bit hazy from yesterday and had one of those "shaking my head" headaches, but managed to put down some comfortably fast numbers. Good day, but I'm glad I don't have to bike or swim because I really don't have the energy. Even the weight workout may have to be scrapped because I'm just not 100% today.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back to normal and back on schedule. I have a swim and bike on tap, both workouts that I really like to do. We'll see how it goes.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Bike and Brick Run

Nothing special today. Just rode my bike a bunch of miles, got off, and ran a few more miles hard:).

Rode some interesting roads today. Lots of time to think...More and more I'm dissappointed with the local politicians and the conditions of things around here. Maybe it echos some of what's going on with this country, but there just seems to be such a lack of pride in the places where we live and the little things that are important. As I said, I don't know if this is the case in other states, but simple things are just not taken care of. All people care about is what matters to them. They have no regard for others, or for the greater good of the community. Not to go off on a rant, but I just can't see how people can complain about things like teachers salaries. Yeah, so and so may make 200k a year, but what you may not know is that they've been working that job for 30 years to get what they have. Moreso, their contribution to society is priceless. I mean, these are the people that are educating your children! They're shaping the minds of future generations and still people don't find them important. And it's these very same people that complain who are not making a direct (or even indirect) contribution to society. These are the people that are making money off of other people just for the sake of making money. They're not effecting people's lives positvely. They're not making the community a better place to live. All they're doing is storing away their money like little squirrells, buying toys, and looking out for themselves. There's more to this and I could go on and on all day, but I'll end this here. This is just what I think of when I'm riding my bike and hitting the same pot holes that have been in the roads for twenty years. If you don't have respect for the appearance and well being of the community you live in, what do you have respect for?

Sorry for that, but exercising alone for 5 hours plays tricks on the mind:). Anyway, did some great work on the bike and had a terrific run after. I may need to work a bit on my fueling as I was starting to get a bit cranky by the end of the ride, but that's about it. Running-wise things are super-duper! It's incredible how easy running fast is again. And the best part is, I'm only scratching the surface. With more and more consistent work on my run (as I'm doing), I'll be flying by my first race. Very happy with everything.

Tomorrow is a big day. Swim and bike in the morning with a speed session on the track in the evening. Looking forward to it all! Only problem is that it's going to rain the whole day, but hey, it's better then not training!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Bikes and Weights

Got back on the bike today. I really think there's no training that I love more than my bike. Something about the level of suffering I'm able to attain on the bike is just awesome. It's not that I like suffering, per se, it's just that I enjoy pushing myself. Suffering is what happens when you're dying. Pushing yourself is what happens when you're being reborn! At the risk of sounding cliche, I'm really gaining a new appreciation of what I'm capable of doing, and more often than not this is happening on the bike.

So today was some sustained efforts aboard my steed, and some weight work to keep my body happy and injury free. The bike was playtime and the weights were a chore, but you have to work just as hard as you play to be balanced, so it's all good.

Tomorrow is a long ride and brick run. Looking forward to both as the weather is suppossed to be excellent and sunny. My only regret is that I'm not able to ride with a group leaving a few hours before me as I have to work in the morning. So again, I'll be left to my lonesome for a few hours. Just gotta remember that champions are made when no one is looking and I'll be ok:).

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Run, Swim, Run

Another solid Thursday in the books. Double run day with a swim sandwhiched in the middle. At first this day brought me a lot of anxiety, kind of like the type you have before a race. With hard work though, it's actually a day I look quite forward to. Not only is it a huge day of training, but a huge day at work too. basically, with training and work combined, I'm up at 5am and don't get home until 8pm. It's a long day, and I don't stop moving for one second, but I get sooooo much energy from it. This day carries me into the weekend with energy to spare and sets me up nicely to train hard until Sunday.

The first run was awesome. I headed out to one of the more rugged and technical trails here. It's used primarily for mountain biking, and is covered in rocks, roots, sharp uphills and bombing downhills. Also, it is about 100% singletrack with enough singletracks to confuse a compass. In other words, it's not exactly the speediest run, but it'll kick you in the arse more than once.

So about 20 mins in I had my first wipeout. Then at 30 mins another. And yet another around 45 mins. Gotta say though that it was the dirtiest fun I've had in a long time:) -and don't read into that-hahaha!

Swim was with coach Kerry and we worked more on form and breathing. My freestyle is to the point that we're just making minor tweeks. She says it's just about perfect and I'm not arguing:).

Second run was on a kinder, gentler trail system. Since these runs are endurance based, I'm keeping them on the trails. No need to be speedy, just get in the time on the feet. This was a much kinder session and I was able to keep my head above my feet the entire time:). Running is getting easy again and that makes me happy. Three weeks ago at this time (after my runs) I was ready to get in a coffin. Now I'm just as chipper as I was this morning. Ok, I'm not exactly chipper in the morning, but you get the idea:).

Tomorrow is a strength session and some serious work on the bike. It's a short bike session which means it's gonna hurt a lot. haha, love those!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Swim, Run

Swam and ran. Nothing special, just another day. Swam some endurance sets and worked on thinking more and more about what every part of my body was doing, ala Chuckie V's blog post from yesterday. He wrote some really interesting stuff that I suggest any triathlon swimmer give a serious read. Here is a dude that didn't start swimming until 21 and didn't just become a decent swimmer, but a rather awesome one! Definintely give it a read if you get the chance.

After the swim it was right out onto the roads for a pretty hard and quick run. I wound up going a bit to fast for day, but nonetheless had a terriffic run. The legs are really coming around again and I'm so happy about that. Interesting thing happened on the run today though. With about 10 minutes to go I started to cry and got the chills-not because the run was hard, but because I realized how much I want this. I'm putting so much of myself into this and it means so much to me, I guess I just had a "happy" breakdown. When you put so much of your heart and soul into something, I guess it's impossible not to have days like this. No matter what happens I'll no one will ever be able to say that I haven't given this whole triathlon thing an honest go.:)

Off to an early bed tonight. I haven't been sleeping all that well the past couple of nights and tomorrow is a big run day (as well as work day), so I'll need my rest. Gotta make sure to rest as hard as I train:).

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Tempo Swim, Bike

Got back at it again today. After a bad nights sleep 48 hours ago, I was not exactly in the best shape to train hard today. Also, I flubbed with my caffiene "restriction" and downed one too many cups of coffee this morning and crashed right before I got in the pool.

Both the swim and the bike sessions started with less than a bang, but I managed to end both on a positive note. For the swimming, I still hit all the numbers I was suppossed to, it just hurt like hell getting there. On the bike it was the same, after a 90 minute ride, doing some hard intervals came relatively easy.

All in all it was a good day. Not as good as any of the days I had last week, but nonetheless good. Consistency is key and today was a consistent day. Nothing more, nothing less.

Tomorrow it's back in the pool and back to running again. I'm looking forward to getting a good night's sleep tonight and getting my body back in gear tomorrow.

Tempo

Monday, April 19, 2010

Weights and yard work

Instead of going crazy in the gym today I decided to work more of my core in the yard today-and I don't mean the yard as in the prison yard where the weights are, I mean the suburban yard of the house I live in. It's amazing how much core work you can get in when picking up rocks, picking weeds, and raking leaves:).

Overall I just wanted to take it easy today. My right hip is a bit sore and has been annoying me all day. I'm thinking it was from not warming up enough in the cool weather yesterday and trying to rush into my bike session. Or, it could have been the track session I yesterday evening. Either way, it was sore and it needed rest.

Tomorrow is back in the pool for some nice tempo work and then back on the bike for another session in the afternoon. I'm still very happy with the training I did the past week. I put together the best week I've ever had with the perfect mix of intensity and volume. I honestly can't think of a time when I've felt better in training:). First race is just a couple weeks away and it should go well. Looking forward to knocking off some of the rust and getting out there and competing.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Swim, Bike, Run

Solid ending to a solid weekend and week of training. I'm feeling good again and fatigue is to a minimum. I really hit the nail on the head this week. It was the perfect mix of volume and intensity.

Swim this morning was based on some sprintwork and endurance. It's ridiculous how good I'm feeling in the water. After fixing the problems with my stroke this winter and now logging some good yards, things are falling together and I couldn't be happier.

The bike ride today mixed in some strengthwork with endurance as well. It was a short one (2.5 hours), but I got in a lot of big gear work and feel terrific on the bike. It's going to be a great season bike-wise.

Finally, I hit the track soon after the bike ride to do some tempo work. I actually had to work on slowing down quite a bit to keep my numbers under control. The legs just want to go right now and that's an awesome feeling. I'm still feeling a bit of discomfort in my ankle, but it's much less than last week. I think my body is getting used to the pounding it missed for 4 months this winter. Also, I'm not running again for a couple days so whatever soreness is there should be healed by then.

All in all this was one of the most solid weeks of training I've ever had. It's exciting and motivating to see the changes that are taking place and the result of hard work put in.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Bike and Brick Run

Had a really solid day of training here today. Four hours endurance based ride followed by a brick run. Concentrated a bit on the hills and specific pacing during the run and just managed to have fun. I think my legs are really starting to come around and get used to running again. Today was really the first day where running was just easy again. It hasn't felt that way since I was injured. The past few weeks and the ramp up in milage are starting to pay off. Now the only thing I really need to keep in mind is not to overdo things. It'll be important to listen to my body and do what it says-something I wasn't able to do in the past.

Tomorrow is another big day-swim, bike, and run all on tap. Hopefully the weather will cooperate...

Friday, April 16, 2010

Bike work, weights

Got busy on the bike this afternoon with some threshold work. I love this workout because it's quick and effective. It's not that I don't like spending a lot of time on my bike, but for the 90 mins of work I put in today, it's hard to get much more bang for your buck!

After the bike I hit the gym for some more weight work mostly concentrating on core work and strength. This area, too, is seeing great improvement. Workouts are becoming easier to cope with, and I'm not as sore as I had been at first. This is all quite funny to me since in my "past life" I was a bodybuilding meathead:).

Anyway, all around it's been a pretty solid week of training. I'm recovering better and starting to feel stronger from each workout to the next. Got a wet and cold weekend coming up with plenty of riding to be done. Should be interesting!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Run, Swim, Run-and some new shoes!


Solid day of work today. Double run day with a swim smack in the middle. The swim really isn't much more than a technique session, but I'll count it as a workout because I still have to drive to the pool, get in the water, and shower after-sounds like training to me!:)


The first run kinda sucked as I forgot to bring my Garmin with me (shows how dependant on technology I am!). As it was to be an enddurance based run, I just went by feel. I must have gotten it right because after mapping the run I held to just about the pace I was suppossed to! Good on me!


Directly after the run I hopped in the pool for a coached technique session. My freestyle has really come a long way and now only needs minor tuning from week to week. So excited for my "new stroke" to make it's debut this summer at the races!


Finally, to end the day, it was another evening endurance run. Decided to take it to the trails for two reasons. One, my body is beat to hell from running on all the roads and concrete sidewalks. And two, I wanted to get some night time trail running in. It's been a while since I've been on the trails after dark, and my petzl headlamp was collecting some dust so I decided to bring it back to life. Had a great time other than the fact that I stepped in a big pile of dog crap somewhere along the way. Nothing pisses me off more than when people don't clean up after their dogs. It's not like I was just trouncing through the woods and happened to step in doggie doo! These are trails used by hikers and runners everyday! Plus, I wouldn't have been so mad if I had been wearing an old pair of shoes and not the ones I just got today! GRRRRR!


Anyway, about the shoes... So after not buying any new shoes for quite a while-a feat in itself for me!-I decided to pull the trigger on a new pair of K-Swiss Ultra Natural Run II's. I found them on amazon.com for a bargin and they just came today. I had the chance to try some of the very first K-Swiss running shoes and fell in love with them. However, because of a deal I had with a local running store, I wasn't able to wear them (they only carry Nike, Asics, New Balance, etc.). However, since it's a new year, I'm sportin' the K-Swiss's! They've really done some awesome stuff with their new line of running shoes and I'm excited to see what they'll have in store for the future. Not to mention, they're focus is on triathletes and that is a very cool thing for a shoe company to do. I don't think most traditionally "major" running shoe companies give a crap about triathlon, so it's great when a company embraces the sport in any way. Gotta say though, the dog crap I stepped in did go through the drainage holes in the bottom of the shoes:). Haha, I guess you can't have everything! Anyway, if you have the chance, I'd seriously consider giving their shoes a try.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Swim and Run

Had a great swim session this morning. I've said before that for me at this point it's all about getting the yards in-and that's just what I'm doing! My swimming endurance and speed have shot up out of nowhere and I'm getting that "it's easy" feeling during my big sets. I'm still not as fast as I'd want to be, but I'm consistent and I don't slow down. I guess it's better to stay steady than it is to fly and die.

After the swim I got out for a nice little tempo run. Kept the pace even and quick. I still need to run more to work on my stride, but it's coming along. I'm still not as smooth and efficient as I'd like to be yet on the run, but it's coming together. I think part of that may be my fear of getting injured again. I think I'm running a little "tender" on foot that had been injured. Tomorrow is a big run day and I'm going to try and do it all off road. It should give me the opportunity to worry less about slamming my foot down on the pavement, and more about efficiency. Should be a good day.

On another note, I'm already having trouble sleeping as I'm thinking about races for this season. My first race is still 3 weeks away and it kept me up last night. I guess with stepping it up in training and dedication comes the pressure of performing well. We'll see how that goes...

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Bike, Swim

After a needed easy day with just weights yesterday, it was back to the training grind today with a good tempo swim and some work on the bike.

This past weekend, although I spent close to ten hours on the bike, was actually quite relaxing. Riding with Anna and Grant really helped my spirits and got me back on track more than I thought I needed. I'm cursed/blessed to do most of my training alone. Being very self motivated, this can sometimes be a bad thing as I have a tendency to crush myself when no one is around. I've always believed that champions are made when no one's looking, and I take pride in being able to push myself quite hard when I train alone. However, that same "can do" attitude sometimes dig you into a hole. Being on a fun ride with friends and not worrying about pushing a certain pace but rather just enjoying the time out was just what I needed on Sunday and thus where the "relaxing" riding came in.

Today was back to work with intervals and more riding on tap. Had a good ride, enjoyed the weather, then went to the pool and crushed it. I felt pretty bad when I got in the water, but a couple 100 IM's were all I needed to get myself in check. Wound up having a terrific and evenly paced day of training. Didn't do too much or too little, but just the right amount at the right intensity to make things happy:).

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Just what the doctor ordered...

Almost certainly avoided catastrophe today with the help of some good friends. Grant and Anna came all the way out from the big city to ride with me today. Before this impromtu visit, I had been sitting inside thinking of reasons not to ride my bike. I was tired, toasted, and generally cranky from the past two weeks training. I had had to ditch my brick run yesterday and I was still pissed about it. Generally, it was just not a day shaping up for good training.

However, all was better the moment they said they were driving out to help "rehabilitate" my training. We got out, did an "easy" 75 or 80 mile ride, had a ton of fun, and I think I got my mojo back. I think it was just what I needed. A little "unfocused" training to get back into the swing of things.

Since returning from Spain almost 2 months ago, I've had laser focus in my training. Every session has had a purpose and every session was done to the very best of my abilities. Nearly every waking moment has been devoted to my development as a triathlete. While this determination is certainly a positive thing, I believe that balance must also be achieved. Days like today provide me with enough of just getting out there for fun to get me back to where I need to be. Focus and progression are the name of the game, but you can get so wrapped up in your own self progression that you can forget the reason you like to do what you like to do in the first place. You must have fun doing what you're doing. Without fun, things turn to work, and even though some love work, work can get tedious and your fun can turn into labor. Once that happens, at least for me, it's the beginning of the end. Call me a big kid, but all I want to do is have fun-particularly with the passion I love!

So, with all that said, I went of my training schedule a bit (sorry coach), but it got my head back. And not only did it get my head back, but it took the stress off my body for a couple days. The brain knows what the body needs, but sometimes the heart and the want to be better get in the way of rational thinking. This weekend, with the help of my friends, I was able to get my body back to where the brain knows it should be.

Yesterday, 4 Hour Ride

Wasted. Shelled. Smashed. Any of those words can describe me right now. My legs are heavy, my mind is slow, and generally, I feel like crap. I had a 4 hour ride with a brick run scheduled for yesterday. By the time I got home from the ride, I was so tired, I showered and went straight to bed. I slept for 13 hours and I'm still tired. Maybe a rest is needed.

Today is a big day with a swim, bike, and run on the schedule. I'm interested to start the swim and see how I feel. It may be one of those days where I have to either pull the plug or just trudge through it. I'm hoping that some coffee will wake me up enogh to get some training in today, but at the same time Ireally don't want to go against my body too much. We'll see what happens...

Friday, April 9, 2010

Weights, Bike Intervals

Pushed some weight around in the gym again today. Ok, actually I didn't actually use all that much weight, just worked on core some stability exercises. This is something that has been neglected in the past and I'm happy to be back doing it again. Even with the small bits that I'm doing (usually around 30 mins per session), I'm seeing great gains in my core strength. This suprises me as I've always thought my core to be strong-obviously I was mistaken:).

On the bike it was short and sweet. Only about an hour and a half of actualy riding time, but with some real quality intervals mixed in. Happily, I haven't lost any of the power I've come home from Spain with! I was terrified that would happen and for it not to I'm relieved:).

I didn't manage too much sleep last night, so it's early to bed again tonight. Hopefully I can make up for it and have a good long ride tomorrow and run. Fingers crossed!:)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Run, Swim, Run

Double run session today with a swim in the middle. It was a busy day catching up on work stuff as well, so that further complicated things.

I felt like crap during the first run and just tried to take it easy. Suprisingly my pace came around and things just sort of fell into place. I finished feeling reasonably good and was off to the pool for a swim session with Coach Kerry.

Worked a ton on breast stroke and refined my front crawl. Very pleased with the technique I've developed this winter, I only have to continue to log the yards in the pool and put some power and endurance into these swim muscles!:)

The second run was something I had been dreading the entire day. Felt tired and was literally yawning beforehand. Laced 'em up and got it in anyhow. Actually wound up feeling quite good and had to pull in the reigns a bit to slow myself down from doing too much. Don't want to make that mistake again!!!:)

All in all it was a solid day of training. My left ankle is developing a bit of soreness though. Being that it is the same ankle as the foot I injured this winter, I'm going to keep a keen eye on it. I think it's just a matter of my body reacting to the bump up in milage, but nonetheless it needs to be watched. If that means missing a run session or two in order for it to not become something bigger, I'm all for it.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Swim, run

More time being tired today than anything. Even when I wake up I'm tired.

Had an OK swim today. It was a longer endurance swim, so speed was not a necessity-lucky thing because I didn't have any anyway.:) After the swim it was a 45 minute run. To say I missed the mark on this one is a bit far from the truth. Nevertheless, I wasn't quite able to stick to the plan on this one. It was REALLY hot, 92 degrees at the start of the run, and humid. Not to mention I was too pigheaded to hydrate myself during or after the swim, so that was already two strikes against me. I basically started this run with "one foot already in the grave". Looking back, I don't know how I had any reasonable idea how I was going to puch anything on this run. Anyway, it didn't go all that well and in frustration, I ended it about 3 minutes early.

So I had a bad day. No big deal. The most important thing is what can be learned through this. I've taken my medicine, softened up my hard head a bit, and will do better next time. There's always tomorrow!:)

And speaking of tomorrow, it's filled with running and swimming again! Maybe I can get some redemption and actually stick to the plan on this one!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Swim, Bike


Tired was the name of the game today. I'm still feeling all of last weeks training, and getting crappy sleep last night didn't help my case. I woke up in the middle of the night last night with a horrible nightmare. The funny thing is, the nightmare was about a race two months from now! :) In the dream, it was race morning and I was standing in the driveway of my house. The race is in a different state and I obviously had no chance of getting there. I was devestated and shaken. From what I remember, I did wind up getting to the race, but everyone had already gone off and basically was on the bike before I had even gotten in the water. The next image was of me racing on the bike to catch everyone and slowly catching up to them. Then I work up, looked at the clock, and it was 2am.


I have no idea what this dream means. Either way, I couldn't get back to sleep and I've been miserably tired all day:(.


Swim today was tough. I was tired getting to the pool, and it didn't change after the warmup. I still hit all the numbers I was suppossed to, but it definately wasn't an enjoyable training session. Slugged through it, got out, got some food, and headed home to get on the bike.


The bike was a bit more of the same, although I did wind up feeling a little better. Unfortunately, with all the people out and the roads being patched up, there were a lot of stops along the way due to construction. There are two ways I can go from my house-East or West. West is a bit more populated, with more "stuff" to see. However, you run the danger, as I found out today, of having to stop a lot more. East is less populated and better in the way that there are much less stoplights, the roads are often better, and there is MUCH less stopping to do. I'll be heading East from now on.:) Finished off the ride with some strong intervals.


Heading to bed early tonight to try and recouperate for tomorrow. Have another swim and a strong run planned for tomorrow, so I'll need my beauty sleep!:) Hopefully I'll wake up feeling like a new man tomorrow!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Monday Sunny Monday

Not much happening on the training front for today. Just really trying to recover from the past week's tough workouts. I nearly slept in-ok, I did sleep in, and almost missed my first appointment of the day. It's been years since I did that!

I wound up hitting the gym around 11 and getting in some good core work. Not too long, but quality was definately the hit over quantity today. My legs are super heavy and looking forward to another night's good sleep. I believe the only reason I've been able to work so hard this past week was by being consistent with my sleep. It's boring, and I have the bed time of a pre-schooler, but it's paying off. Also, cutting down tremendously on my caffiene has also allowed me to sleep much better at night. It was 10 o'clock this morning before I realized that I hadn't even had 1 cup yet! In the past it's been the only thing that would get me out of bed!

Tomorrow is back to work with a swim and some intervals on the bike. I'm looking forward to getting back in the water after a weekend of not being able to get in the pool because of the Easter holiday. Should be fun! And...I get to ride my tri bike again tomorrow! Oh how I've missed my baby all winter! It was nice to get in some saddle time on the cherry red TTX this past weekend. Looking forward to spending more time with it!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Sunday continued...Bike, Run

Great day of training. Managed to get in a good bike session before heading out to dinner with the family. Worked on strength a bit in today's session. I'm pushing a much bigger gear these days and it certainly improving my bike speed and efficiency. My legs are still getting used to the effort, but it's gradually coming together.

As for the run, it was all about the track today. Did some real solid interval work and I'm continually pleased with how quickly my running is coming back to me. After a winter of no running, I wasn't quite sure how I'd react. I'm still too new at this to know for sure how an injury and/or layoff will effect me. Being able to bike and swim through the winter surely allowed me to gain some fitness, but what was most important was the mental toughness it gave me. Very pleased all the way around!:)

It's off to bed now for some much earned sleep. My legs are heavy, my mind is tired, and my bed is cozy and warm. Tomorrow is some more strength training followed by "recovery tactics"-i.e. the foam roller, the stick, TP Massage kit, and stretching. Oh and of course, more sleep!:)

Happy Easter!


Shelled today. It's been a hard week of solid training and I'm looking forward to a nice easy day tomorrow filled with foam rolling, self-massage, and some weights. Mentally I'm still focused which is a nice sign that I haven't gone too far. My body is tired, but I can make it through this last semi-hard day with an easy bike ride this morning and a nice run session later this evening. I'm going to try my best to stay as inactive as possible through the day so that when I lace up the trainers later this evening, I'll feel somewhat fresh. We'll see how it goes...

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Long Ride, Run


Great day to ride the bike and run today. The Spring weather is finally here and I couldn't be happier. It's warm, sunny, and all the folks who have been hidden indoors are now out in force riding dusty bikes and running in last year's shoes! So while some people (and I know quite a few) feel that their precious roads are now being overtaken by the "weekend warriors", I feel quite the opposite. First and foremost, I'm happy that people are actually out doing something other than eating badly and driving in their ridiculously big cars consuming way to much fuel. I'm also glad for the reason that there's safety in numbers. The more cyclists and runner there are on the road, the more drivers have to be aware. Good all the way around.


And while I'm on the topic, I find it sad that most drivers have more regard for a squirrell than they do for a human being. I've saw people pull some amazing manuvers to miss making contact with animals, but when it comes to me riding my bike (at the speed limit no less!), they can't wait but to complain about how I'm taking up too much of their road. All this really makes me angry to know end! Nothing makes me happier than to have some idiot blow past me in their environment ruining SUV only to slam on the breaks at the Stop sign 20 yards up. Furthermore, I love passing them again at the sign. "Aren't you glad you sped up only to slam on the breaks? Way to go jackass!"


Ok, sorry for the rant, but it's ridiculous how badly drivers treat cyclists. I really want to start running ads in car magazines and on tv about the difference between a human life and an animals. Don't get me wrong, I love animals, but at least give me the same respect you would a dog running across the road. How would you feel if you were responsible for my death because you were too stubborn to actually slow down to the SPEED LIMIT!


Alright, now I'm really done:). So today's ride was great. I actually met up with a buddy of mine from highschool that I haven't seen in a couple years and rode together for about an hour. It's amazing how much you can catch up in such a short time. Other than that, not much excitement on the bike. Just some good mellow miles on a sunny Saturday.


After the bike I did a transition run. Kept it pretty fast on a nicely hilly circut. I'm very happy with how quickly my running is progressing. It's a pleasant suprise and I'll take it:).


Tomorrow is going to be quite a mess logistically. Between getting in training and seeing family, it's going to be one thing after another all day. I've got a bike session planned for the morning and a run for the evening. In between that it'll be catching up on some bills and meeting up with family for an early dinner (if you can call it that! We're getting together at 2pm...guess that would technically be "dunch" or "linner"). Right now though its relaxing with the legs up and compression tights on!

Friday, April 2, 2010

Weights, Bike Intervals

Hit the weights again. Today was much easier "feeling" than Monday. I'm focusing mostly on core and stability, so none of the exercises are crazy hard they've just gonna be done. The most important thing, for me at least, is not to go overboard. It's very easy to slip into my "meathead" mentality of the past and try to lift very heavy just to impress the highschool kids around me:). Sure I could lift much heavier than I am, but what would it do for my triathlon performance? That's the question I must continue to ask. It's not about the look, it's all about the function. Like the song goes, "It's all about performance."

The bike was, as always, a lot of fun. Some sustained efforts in there mixed in with some easy riding. Not terribly long, but nonetheless fun to get out on a beautiful day for a bike ride. The weather this weekend is suppossed to be gorgeous so it'll no doubt be great for my weekend rides.

Looking forward to getting some solid rides and runs this weekend before pigging out on Sunday for Easter with the family. Now it's off and time to get some sleep!

Yesterday-Run, Swim, Run

Too exhausted to blog yesterday. I did two run sessions with a swim sandwhiched in the middle. Both runs were an hour long, both endurance based. Nothing crazy fast, but tiring none the less.

The first run was great. The sun was shining, it was finally warm, and I felt no pain in the foot. I went out a little faster than I should've, but I was feeling good so I stuck to it. Then it was off for a swim with coach Kerry in which she gracefully kicked my ass. I guess she knows that the season's coming up soon! After that it was time to see a client, chill out, eat a bit, pick up my bike, and get back on the road for my second run. This one HURT! Wasn't so bad in the beginning, but by the end I had nothing left. I choose a hillier route this time out and it crushed me. Getting back home the only thing I had energy for was a stretch, foam rolling, a shower, and putting on my recovery tights before bed. Solid, albeit painful, day in the books!

Today is a bit easier. I'm gonna hit the weights again for some more strength and core, then on the bike for a ride this afternoon with intervals. Hopefully a little easier on the body this time:). I am happy to be getting my run legs back though. i don't feel quite as clumsy and uncoordinated on my runs, and the speed is getting there. I'm really starting to believe that this injury and the four subsequent months off were one of the best things that could have happened to me. All good!:)