A day off

I slept in today. It felt so good and my recovery from the long run is perfect.

Tomorrow, presuming that I make a very tight connection in Atlanta this evening I am taking tomorrow off and doing my long ride. Fingers crossed.

A long, fast run

In addition to my work travel, JB has a race this weekend. So I had to move my long bike and long run around to accomodate traveling to Philly for the She Rox triathlon.

I asked the locals in St. Paul where I should run and two people recommended Robbie Island. Typically, I avoid mid-day runs but I put on my shoes and headed out of my hotel at 4 pm. The plan called for an hour and 20 minute run for my long run this week. As it turns out, Robbie Island is this very long bike and run trail. It's a bit quiet and isolated for my taste so I was not 100% comfortable from a personal safety standpoint but that caused me to run a lot faster then I normally would--a good payoff. There were not many others on the trail but I did pass two women which made me feel a little better. By the time I returned to my hotel I was spent. I downed two bottles of G2 and then enjoyed a very fulfilling and well earned Kurdish meal.

Tomorrow, not sure. Maybe a day off, maybe a swim if I don't think the sleep would be a better option.

A triathlon workout

Up at 4:30 AM today. Core work then on the bike for an hour. Working my zones, working with high cadence and of course, those beloved one legged drills.

It's a brick day so off the bike I headed out for a 30 minute run. No zone 4 portions today and I for one am thankful. Strictly zones 2 and 3, it's like a vacation.

As a result of work travel, I needed to get in another swim. After work, I headed to the pool for a 45 minute swim. The masters coach was there and he decided to talk to me about my "weak kick". Uh, no kidding. I listened to what he had to say as I fully admit that I can't even say that I have a kick. I still don't get it but I have vowed that at the end of this season I will figure it out. He said I will never get faster with my pull, what I need is to get the rear motor going. That speaks to me from a competetive sense.

Tomorrow, I'm on a 6:30 AM plane so I will be doing my long run in the afternoon heat of St. Paul, MN.

What a burn

Up at 4:45 AM today. After the core work I headed to the pool.

I struggled a little mentally with my workout today but I did not hesitate or take extra time at the wall. I surged ahead and just got it done. It helped that the water was a bit cold and very noticeable when not moving. 2,950 meters today including a very cruel ending of 300 meters, alternating 50 scull, 50 swim. I thought my arms were going to fall off but the swim part was very relaxing. I am sure that was the point.

Tomorrow, not sure yet. Could be a swim, could be a brick bike and run. Working the angles to get my workout accomplished within my crazed travel schedule.

I remember when...

Not that long ago, my long run was my favorite day of the week. It was the least taxing of all my workouts and the dessert in my training program. Now I approach it with trepidation unsure of how miserable I may be.

The start to today's run was not very comfortable but I forced myself to extend the throw of my leg and increase my speed. Eventually everything hurt, no one thing more than another. I headed to Old Town Alexandria today and then ran along the river. It was a touch humid and I knew the river breeze would be refreshing. I think I lost about 10 pounds in water wait after 75 minutes of running. Unfortunately I have no idea of distance or speed as my Garmin seems to have decided to retire.

Tomorrow, in the pool and then I have to figure out how to accomplish my training goals with a lot of upcoming work travel.

Da brick

Beautiful day today, fairly low humidity and importantly few black flies. The day began with a 2 hour 40 minute ride at Quantico. I am trying a new position on my bike to help with my piriformis issue, I now rotate my hips a bit more. It all feels awkward but is admittedly no more or less painful then my usual stance. If anything my back is a bit flatter and I am more aerodynamic, for what that is worth.

Off the bike a nice little minute run. If it were any longer I would have been miserable but 15 minutes is completely doable.

Tomorrow, my long run.

Rest for the weary

A rest day today and trust that I had no trouble sleeping in until 6:30. Tomorrow, a long ride and a tiny brick run. It will be interesting to see if I can hold the new positioning on the bike. Thus far on the trainer it is not exactly comfortable.

No rest for the wicked

A reverse brick this morning. After the core work I headed out for a 30 minute tempo run. I had an adjustment done Saturday in Lake Placid by of all people the guy who designed and manufactured my bike. He dabbles in PT. I went to see him to see if there was a bike adjustment that I needed to combat my year long problem with my piriformis and sciatica. He observed that my right leg is not as long as my left leg and that I was not engaging my glutes as much as I should. His remedy: a chiropractic adjustment and a new riding position. I'm desperate so I have done both. As it turns out my run was one of the least painful that I have had in a year. Am I completely cured--no, but am I better, yes. Wahoo!!

After the run, I took my bike out on to the hills in the hood to practice for the king of the hill competition. Unlike in weeks past, I had little gas. Usually I can ride repeats on the hills for a full hour, today I made it 30 minutes before having to call it quits. I am not sure what the issue was but I deferred to my body.

I capped the day with a swim, my third of the week. Finally, I have banked three swims. It was cold but uneventful.

Tomorrow, a day of rest.

More swimming

Up before the crack of dawn. Sadly, the sun is no longer up with me in the early AM--it is that time of the year. After the course of core work, off to the pool yet again for 2,500 meters. Longgggggggg sets today but that was okay because the lifeguard was late again and longer sets mean fewer rests means I can get my workout done more quickly.

Tomorrow, my reverse brick. A run then my king of the hill workout. I decided to go back to my Thursday night swims as well--which I hate but will allow me to accomplish my three swim goal.

What to do, what to do

So my plan called for a swim yesterday and I am trying deperately to get back into the groove of swimming three days a week although secretly I enjoy swimming only twice. Given that I was in a car forever yesterday on our return from Lake Placid, I got up and headed to the pool.

2,900 meters in the pool today. I may have closed my eyes once or twice from sleep deprivation but I nonetheless completed the entire set. After work, I hopped on the bike for an hour trying to make up for my lost Monday. Perhaps it was the evening workout (I have doubts that it was my effort) but I slipped easily into zone 4 when required and admittedly to my surprise.

Tomorrow, back in the pool round two.

To sign up or not to sign up

I'll admit, I went to bed very iffy that I would get up this morning and attempt to register for the 2009 race. I do not think I could have competed in the downpour that participants endured yesterday. It is difficult enough to race at this distance but add the possibility of being miserable the entire time--no good thoughts there.

I have a theory about Lake Placid. For every year that it is beautiful on race day, the probability of the next year being miserable weather is rather high. Based on that theory, I got up at 6 and found myself walking toward the registration line at 7.

It was easy to overcome my anxiety about the downpour and potential for repeat. As I walked down Mirror Lake Drive I saw something I did not expect. Yes, triathletes and particularly Ironman triathletes are type-A (myself included) but there before me was a line that snaked for well over a half-mile--all people lined up to sign up for the 2009 race. I transitioned from convincing myself to compete to competition mode only this competition was for a slot.

I admit, I did attempt to count heads to see if I would get a slot. I left it in the hands of fate but I had little confidence that it would happen. The door opened at 9--mercifully it was a beautiful day and I did not have to wait in the rain for two hours. The process went quickly and smoothly. I was number 2,289 out of 2,500--while close, I am in for 2009. Giddyup!

Lake Placid Ironman Race Day (as a spectator)

Up early with our Ironman friends. The sky was completely overcast but even I doubted it would rain--it was not in the forecast until late in the afternoon and even then the chance was very low. As participants entered the water the rain began....and it never ended. I really can't even call it rain, it was a complete downpour from 6:30 AM to well after 9 PM. to give you an idea of its intensity I lost my contact at some point in the downpour and I was merely a spectator.

We had a total of 12 participants that we were tracking, three of which were aiming to punch their ticket to Kona. The gun went off and the intimidating swim began. If you have never seen a mass start, it looks like a flock of seagulls taking off from water for flight. All you see is the water churning and you know many within it are getting pummeled. I was surprised at the number of folks who stayed on shore until the mass of bodies made it to the first buoy. Last year I was in the middle of the pack and sure I took some hits but I also got to enjoy the vaccum effect of 2,500 people swimming. I barely worked the first mile except for stopping to put my goggles back on twice.

As participants exited the water and were stripped of their wetsuits they headed up the hill to transition. No one seemed happy about the rain. Who could blame them, I would not want to descend 5 miles in driving rain much less race all 112 miles in it. At this point in time, we headed back to the condo to throw our clothes in the dryer.....for the first time. This process would repeat itself over and over throughout the course of the day.

I needed to do my long run but I really did not want to get soaked to do it. I thought of abandoning my run but buried that out of guilt. With reluctance, I strapped on my running shoes and headed down the backside of the bike course. I ran down Papa bear, Baby bear, Momma bear and little and big cherry. Eventually, the lead pro cyclists (there were two) passed me coming from the opposite direction. They were quite a distance from the rest of the field. I turned around and headed back up the hills enjoying the view of the race as it was unfolding on the opposite side of the road.

After showering and grabbing dry clothes we headed out to our tent on Mirror Lake Rd. We had already missed my coach and her husband, the speed demons had already come through. We cheered on the rest of the participants and in particular the other 10 racers we were watching. Lap one done. As cyclists headed out for lap two we trapsed after dry clothes, donned fashionable garbage bags, and sought out lunch. We decided to watch the participants come off the bike and go out on the run. We saw the pro men's field and pro women's field head out. My coach was the first in her age group out on the course and as we watched to see who was closing in on her it was clear she had built a substantial lead of well over 10 minutes. Given that the run course loops back on itself several times, I knew absent our intel that she would be able to tell Kona was hers to lose.

Eventually everyone had come in off the bike and we had several runners on the course at once. This meant we could not change our clothes. We positioned ourselves on Mirror Lake Drive and screamed at all of our peeps on the course. Of course, with 12 racers of multiple ability, we could not leave our post. First in was my coach's husband who won his age group by passing a number of guys on the run course. As the miles accumulated he just got faster and faster. Next, not too far off, my coach. She, too, won her age group which in itself is a huge accomplishment but add in the fact that last July she gave birth to her daughter. Amazing. Two tickets punched to Kona.

The rest of our field made its way to the finish line. There were those who rode in on flat tires, one who had a fixed gear as a result of a derailluer problem on the bike, among other mechanical melt downs on the bike. There was my riding partner who ran with a torn IT band, a broken right wrist, and 20 stitches to the same wrist from a separate accident. There was another woman from our swim class who was competing in her first Ironman two weeks after receiving chemo for a brain tumor. So many inspirational stories among our friends and the field of other participants. Many well deserved titles of Ironman.

Are we done with the hills?

I wanted to get out on the bike course early before the traffic picked up but it took us awhile to get out the door. It was an Adirondack day, a patchy sky that promised to rain on us but it was warm. I started with my arm warmers thinking I would need them for the 5 mile descent into Keene but I quickly abandoned them because I was overheated.

On the road out to the descent there are a few little hills, nothing horrible just enough to remind you where you are. I stopped for JB at the crest of each hill. As she crested the top she would ask, "is this where the downhill starts". The descent was nerve-wracking. Mix speed with potholes and some technical turns and the level of fear amps up. I was definitely feathering the brakes. From Keene we turned left and rode through Jay and Upper Jay--everyone's favorite part. We were easily moving at 20 mph through there with ample shoulders and smooth road. Then there is the turn at the church and a nice multi-mile climb. It's slow and steady but you just have to put your head down knowing there is a descent on the other side. Eventually we got to Hazelton Rd. or what we fondly call the finger. Why the finger? It's a road of rollers that seem innocent but can wear you down (aka it gives you the finger).

JB passed me on the finger. I know the course well, you cannot hit the gas through this section because it has an accumulative effect on what some deem the hardest part of the course, Route 73. Out of the finger we stopped at a gas station to get something to drink. There we were accosted by an obnoxious driver who refused to give us the right of way. I did have to yell at her and I felt bad for doing so but she was so in the wrong and clearly not a part of the supportive Lake Placid community.

As we left the gas station, JB asked, "Are we done with the hills"? I cannot tell a lie, I said no. JB said something about me not being supportive and may have loudly cursed at me. As we made the turn onto Route 73 we were hit with a 20 mph wind. That section (and the downhill descent) are subject to horrible winds. I knew this did not bode well for JB. There were two cyclists in front of me doing the granny march up some little rollers. I passed them but then I didn't see JB. She was eking out 7 mph and we had not gotten to the hills. Out of gas, we called back to the condo and got JB a ride back in. I rode the rest of the way solo which meant I could hit the gas on the hills.

What a beautiful course, so stunning, such a killer to your body. To all of those racers who were out on the course with me the day before the race I say, "what the heck were you thinking". I enjoyed the company but question your sanity for shredding your legs pre-race. Rest, rest, rest.

Oh my, was that thunder

I donned the wetsuit and gleefully entered Mirror Lake this evening around 5 PM. Unlike last year at this time, the water was exceedingly pleasant in temperature and if anything I was too hot in my long sleeve wetsuit.

Unusually, the buoys were already on the course. I put my head down and started swimming, catching the line and then continually running up underneath the giant buoys. JB stayed on shore as I planned to do one lap at my pace and another at hers. I was bored, and lonely, and then it got dark and I heard thunder and the water took on an ominous look. Naturally, this peaked when I was at the turnaround over a half mile from where I entered the water. I thought briefly about swimming to the shoreline and walking back through town to where JB was waiting--much as I also thought several times about turning around and having her just join me. I knew when I hit the beach that I could not do another full lap. The long sleeve suit tires me, I was overheated and my nutrition was poor on the day. Needless to say, I did promise I would take her out.

JB and I entered the water. She wanted to enter from the shore but I insisted she start under the flags to get the real feel for the course. I had her swim on my feet to experience drafting and then brought her to the rowing line which follows the entire course at Mirror Lake. You never have to spot, thus the reason I was running up under the buoys. All you need to do is follow the rope line (what everyone aims for on race day--a physical beating not for the weak at mind or body). JB was tired of waiting for me and did not want to swim too far so we maybe got in 500 meters or so before calling it quits on the day.

What a great swim but I do wish I could have done two laps. Ahhh, I'll save the desire for next year. Tomorrow, we are going to do one loop on the bike course--I cannot wait.

Buttocks workout

No real workout today other than the pain in my arse from sitting in the car for so long. We are 3.5 hours from Lake Placid and I am already anticipating how I will spend my time while alternately praying that I get in to the 2009 race.

Tomorrow, I hope to get in a lap in Mirror Lake.

Back to the pool

Into the pool today for a long 2,500 meter workout. It did not help that the lifeguard was 5 minutes late opening the door and that I had to rush off to work directly from the Y--likely still smelling like chlorine. Nonetheless, check the box on finishing my workout without time for complaints.

Tomorrow, off to Lake Placid with an overnight stop in the Catskills. I'll take it as an off day as I look forward to training on the beautiful LP course.

Your company is no longer desired

Be careful what you ask for. I told my coach I wanted to work on getting my running speed back. For the last month, all I see are zone 4 intervals. When it is all said and done I am fine with them, but leading up to lacing up my shoes I am just cursing myself for inviting the speed work.

Up at 4:40 AM today. Core work, with Della and Buddy's help this morning then on to the trainer for 45 minutes. The plan called for an hour but I wanted to ride to work so I decided not to overdue it. The bike had some one legged drills and some standing drills where my heart rate ratcheted up. Off the bike I did my 30 minute interval run. Let's just say I watered the road with sweat.

I rode into work today. The trails are getting a little overcrowded for my liking but still, how peaceful is it to catch a breeze next to the river in the early morning sun. Love it.

Tomorrow, back to the pool.

Alright already

A day of rest. Not because I wanted to although I admit slipping in was kind of nice.

Tomorrow, brick Tuesday--a bike and run.

Select swim option

I opted to swim today. I'll take tomorrow off for my Friday rest day. Last Thursday, after swimming I contracted some very painful stomach ailment and had to leave work early. Not to blame it on swimming but I didn't have any food so what else could it have been--ok, and I didn't drink the pool but certainly one does ingest a bit of water. In the event that I've developed some new reaction to the chemicals in the pool--aside from my constant sneezing--I thought I should swim on a non-work day just in case.

The swim was great. 3,250 meters--near Ironman performance. Loved it, still I do not know who I am in the water.

Last week I went into detail about some of the characters in the city pool. The Y also has its characters, or better yet mores as determined by the senior citizens. It seems like the seniors at the Y run the joint. They yell at people constantly. Let's say you are swimming in a lane, "their lane" reserved for anytime they feel like coming. If they show up and you are in "their lane", look for an alternative option or be prepared to get yelled at. Today, I was sharing the lane with one other person. Two separate people just jumped in and started swimming. Hello! Hey, I'm just going to keep on coming so get out of my way or get some contact and I don't care how old you are. When I explain to one of the seniors that they should ask everyone in the lane whether they want to circle swim before just jumping in he started yelling that he is an old man slow as a snail and who would care if he jumped in. Well, I kind of care because he is slow and I can't swim around two slow people but more importantly the other person may not be comfortable circle swimming. As for myself, I like the physical contact. The end result, the old guy scared the woman who was swimming in my lane away because she is uncomfortable circle swimming and there was no way he would wait his turn.

Tomorrow, a day off I think. I'm toying with riding to work but I have physical therapy after work and why undo all of that hard work. Still I don't want to pay for gas or parking. What to do, what to do.

Gone are the days

In days of yore, I used to look forward to my long runs. I would be out 2, 3 or more hours sightseeing at my running pace. Now, I struggle mentally to stay in it for an hour--and with longer runs ahead I have got to figure out how to move beyond the mental complaining. Sure I am uncomfortable, sure it is hot--there is a whole list of things one could complain about but it just makes the run longer.

Last week I started to break my run down into 20 minute segments. That helped some but what I want back--what maybe didn't even exist ever--were the pain free, long, enjoyable runs. Enough of the dread.

Good pace today, again operating under the theory that I need to make something other than my current injuries hurt. Back to physical therapy Monday, not soon enough. I was definitely feeling the effects of my ride. Next week I am heading to Lake Placid to watch the Ironman (and hopefully, sign up for 2009) and while there I am hoping to talk to the owner of Elite Bikes to see if there is some tweaking he can do to make this piriformis mess go away.

Tomorrow, a mess. Friday should have been my day off but I have company this weekend. I'll either take tomorrow off or possibly do my Monday swim. I can't decide.

Check my pulse, I think I'm dead

72 miles today, hauling the best I could on the W&OD. Unfortunately, I did get a little sunburned in the few spots I could not reach with sunscreen but what a ride. My longest to date. Granted, compared to my usual rides this is fairly flat so I used it as an opportunity to get my speed on (in between the 6,000 stop signs). There was plenty of traffic including a few who I thought would hang with me but dropped.

Of course, the purpose of the whole trip was to get to my bike shop to fix my race wheels. Plum Grove is out in Leesburg so this is not small task but they are so close to the trail, I could not resist. Tom disassembled my wheel completely and rebuilt it. No more chitty-chitty-bang-bang noise. Now I hope to sneak up on folks in stealth mode on race day instead of announcing my pass.

Tomorrow, an hour run.

A refreshing swim

Up at 4:45 AM today. Core work then off to the city pool.

I like swimming at the city pool, it is an interesting sociological study. First, there is a rush to get a lane. The queue starts forming at the door 15 minutes before it opens. Once the door is unlocked it is a race to the lanes. The pool is quite large but the Masters program takes up 4 or more lanes so the non-masters juggle for spots in the 4-5 that remain. I think I am getting a sense of the regulars. There are triathletes, some real swimmers, some with interesting "swim" strokes (emphasis on the quotation marks), and then a sizeable seniors crowd. Almost always I am next to or share a lane with one of "swim" stroke women. I try desperately to avoid the sidestroke guy who kicks me in the ribs every time we pass. There is another guy who is a senior citizen who swims two strokes and stands to breathe, swims two strokes and stands, and so on. I give him creds though, if I had to guess I would say he is a healthy, and rather tan looking octogenarian.

I completed 3,000 meters today which went fairly well but was a bit tiring. I shared the lane with an IMer, and I don't mean Ironman. Let's just say her butterfly created some serious waves.

Tomorrow, I am taking the day off from work. I am going to ride to my bike shop for some repairs. It should total something close to 80 miles then I have to cap it off with a 30 minute run--trust me that there will not be any 7 minute mile performance.

Burn baby, burn

I opted for the bike today. Up at 4:40 AM, working the core then I hopped on the trainer for 15 minutes waiting for some daylight. A bit overcast today so I had to wait longer than usual to ensure I could be seen outside. On the trainer, I did a 5 minute warm-up then some one legged drills.

With my heart rate warmed up I headed out the door for some hill repeats. I managed 8 trips up the big hill and two up the double hill by my house in just under 45 minutes. On my 7th trip up the big hill one guy who was coming down yelled, "You're almost there". Yeah, dude, for the 7th time. On another trip I got to pass a guy toward the top of the climb. As I chikked him, he shouts, "Great hill, huh". Great burn today. Each week I am aiming to get more runs in to work on my king of the hill skills.

Tomorrow, to the pool. I may go join my old masters team or I may just head over to the city pool. I'll see what motivates me in the AM.

You know you've had a good workout when...

you have to stop to yak in your neighbors yard. Mercifully, I regained my composure and its a neighbor down the street and around the corner. Not sure what prompted me to get so nauseous at the end of my run today, it was not even hot.

Up at 4:30 for brick Tuesday. Worked the core trying to get a Dara Torres 6-pack. On to the bike for an hour with some one legged drills and pushing cadence. I was right on my targeted zones which is nice. Out on the run my plan called for zone 3 and zone 4 work today. I hit those targets too but I really had to work the mental angle. It's a good thing the run was only 30 minutes, I cannot remember the Ironman brick workouts where I was on the bike for 90 minutes and then would run for 45-60 minutes after....all before work. That is a distant memory.

Tomorrow, I am just not sure. I may swim but I may also ride and follow that up with my hill repeats. I need to do my long ride on Friday this week due to company over the weekend. I don't want to toast my legs on Thursday and then follow that up with a long ride Friday--that about killed me last week.

Happy birthday to me!

Up at 4:50 AM today and did that ever hurt. We had a little neighborhood BBQ last night for my b-day and I stayed up too late watching the Olympic swim trials afterward. If only I could have slept in.

Abs and pushups then off to the pool. 2,450 meters today and it's a toss up as to what part of the workout I enjoyed the most. the 8 x 150 (odds 50 easy, 50 moderate, 50 easy, evens pull) or the 400 kick at the end, 50 fast 50 easy. Feel the burn. I have to say my legs were feeling it. I have not kicked like that in a while.

The plan today called for a 45 minute swim and hour bike and then a swim again tomorrow. This would be great except for the fact that pool access is limited. So I swam today and will get the bike in later this week.

Tomorrow, brick Tuesday. A bike and a run. Ooooo, 46 never felt so good.

A day of rest

Tempting, so tempting to go to the pool but I resisted. Instead, I mowed the lawn and cooked most of the day. I felt a bit off without my endorphin push but I somehow managed.

Tomorrow, a swim.

Sluggish run

I knew I should not have gone out. When my garmin did not work and I had to borrow JB's I should have taken that as a sign. The plantar fascitis is back with a vengeance so that is not comfortable when I run. So frustrating. No 7:49 mile today, I averaged 8:28 per mile with a 6:27 max. It wasn't my legs so much as my head and some stitches in my side.

At the end of my run I decided to walk up this big hill near the house to save the pounding on my foot. My neighbor passed me half-way up. When I reached the top she was 3 blocks ahead of me which I thought was out of reach one mile away from home. She was like a little carrot in front of me. I noticed on the hills that she slowed down so I sped up and cut into the gap between us. By the time we got to our street we were dead even. Now, I know she probably thinks I'm a freak but I enjoyed the challenge and having something else to think about.

Tomorrow, a day of rest....probably.

Over hill over dale

43 miles on the bike today which included some early hills. A good, long ride but I was definitely feeling my hills from yesterday. Ideally, I would not train hills one day and do my long ride the next. I like my Friday rest day but with the long weekend it felt sinful to just sit at home.

I was definitely feeling the sciatic after. My hope that the pedals would have eased whatever is contributing to my piriformis-sciatic problem has dimmed. Maybe it is time to look at a smaller crank or a new leg.

Tomorrow, I think I will try to get my long run in. I could take a day off but I think I will move that to Sunday.

Killa hilla

Up at 5:15 AM today, usual core work.

I had a plan and a "if I chicken out backup plan". The plan was to ride hill repeats in the neighborhood, the backup was to get on the trainer for 45 minutes. I did the hill repeats. There are great hills in the hood but my concern was the traffic I would share them with. It is a major bus route and with cars parked on both sides not much room to squeeze much else in. As it turns out, my timing was perfect. I did not have to share any of the uphills with the buses.

I rode up one hill 5 or more consecutive times, then I would recover on a flatter descent. I decided to mix it up by climbing a different hill by my house that has a steeper grade. I think I did that 4 or more times, I really was not counting. I kept looking at my max heart rate which was good but I know I can get it higher.

Rode to work. A beautiful day with a bit of a breeze down by the river. Unusual for the summer but it felt glorious. Tomorrow, switching the long Saturday ride to Friday.

Rush hour

Up at 4:50 AM today. I slept like a rock, loved it. Abs and pushups then off to the pool.

I think many folks must be planning July 4th getaways because the pool was packed today. I was sandwiched between two big wave-makers which is fine for simulating race conditions but a couple of times no matter what side I rotated to there was no room to breathe. A long grouping today of 400's on 30 seconds rest. Normally I would dread it but it really did make the time fly. I noticed that as I get tired I start to make air flip turns--in other words, I flip too early and when I extend my legs my toes barely touch the wall. I hate that.

Tomorrow, I think I will spin on the bike for a bit then ride into work. It would be nice to get an early departure from work in advance of the 4th but I'll reserve any celebrating until I get the official word.

What a killa

Up at 4:30 AM today, a reminder of the early Ironman days. Abs and pushups then on the bike for an hour. A tease of one leggers then some long zone 3 at 70 RPM (that took some effort) and a mix of 90.

Perfect running weather after late night thunderstorms. I think it was around 65 degrees when I left for my 30 minute run. I told my coach I wanted to work on my speed a bit so today was a mixed bag mostly zone 3 and 4 with a one minute zone 2 that I could never achieve. I still cannot bring my heart rate down, especially for only a minute. I think I might have to walk to do that and that sort of defeats the purpose. The run about killed me but as I read in an advertisement recently if it doesn't hurt you are just jogging.

Tomorrow, back in the pool and late night PT.