Mixed it up

Yesterday I started swimming at lunch and hitting the bike and run in the morning because of the wonderful mid-atlantic heat we are starting to get.  What a difference it made.  I was 50 laps into a 70 lap swim when my calf cramped up so had I had to quit.  I realized two things.  1...I swim way better after being awake for a few hours and have some calories in me and 2...if I am going to keep this up I will have to be content with one cup of coffee and maintaining better hydration!

So we started the day off with a good 2.5 mile run around base in a pretty decent time for the small hills that are here.  They are short but steep.  Made sure I hit the pool for lunch and did a nice 1500 yard swim working on speed then alternate strokes to tweak the muscles into action.

All and all... a decent workout day.

Summer is here??

Well judging from the forecast of 90 today I think its safe to say summer is finally getting here.  Warmer waters for swimming.  No more numb feet from the bike to the run.  Draining temperatures sitting the run.  Can't have it all I guess.  The beat part about the heat is you stay loose...but with that hydration is key.  Maybe cut the race morning coffee in half or.replace it with juice.  Take the time to drink an extra 6-8 oz of water before bed.  Most important is don't pass up the water stations on the course.  The last thing you want is to have a great swim and great bike to fall out in the rum cause of poor nutrition.  You see it every year to one of the top stars in Kona.  Nutrition and hydration are just as important as your brick of the day.  Now back to mine.  30 min speed pace on the bike...10 min max speed on the treadmill.  Hit the pool at lunch. 

Back in the swing

Good day today as far as getting back on track goes.  Back on diet and back on routine.  Managed to do a nice 1250 yard swim with alternative strokes followed by a nice core and strengthening routine this morning.  Then hit a good 3.5 mile run at lunch.  Didn't set a new pr for it but was only 11 seconds off so good to know I'm maintaining pace.  It's a food run to do to get ready for hero's too.  Same distance just about with a good amount of incline and decline in it.  Always feels good to have a good workout day in.the books. 

P.S.  check.out the sweet Columbia finishers badge.  See how many of those I can collect over the next couple years.  :-)

Memorial Weekend

It's always nice to have a long weekend.  After a busy week at work with organizing the Memorial Day 5k at the hospital (which was a success) and having an old friend at work for a conference I didn't get to hit the training schedule as hard as I normally would have.  Taking this weekend to relax and spend time with the family.  Might squeeze a run or two in after this sinus congestion goes away a bit more.  

I think what I am going to focus mostly on when Tuesday rolls around...is the brick works.  I have slacked on those lately.  Good 40 minute rides and 40 minute runs.  I am going to have to be selective with my swim work as I won't be able to hit two a-days for awhile do to personal reasons and not being able to go into work early in the morning for three weeks.  I will just enjoy getting to sleep in I guess and getting to be the one who takes the kiddo to school for a few days :). 

Hero's is right around the corner and I CAN'T WAIT!!!

The Bug

So one of the glories of having a pre-schooler at home....they carry disease like they are a factory for it.  4 day weekend coming up and who gets sick, my whole house.  He brings it home, the wife gets it and then I get it.  That is the usual round for such things...I usually hold it off a couple days longer than her as she is home with him more than I am but it is inevitable.  Oh well...the training must go on.   I am definitely making a couple good runs this weekend and hopefully a nice brick with the bike as well.  I am looking forward to my next Tri in June as I have a month to train for it but also its a sprint....and on a course I just ran (same course but half the distance as Columbia).  I am hoping that gives me an advantage plus I know when it comes to sprints I dont have to hold back.  I have enough endurance to go 110% the whole race and just be wrecked when I am done with it.  Hoping for a repeat of Westfields (where I won my age group) but just hitting the podium would be nice.  Happy Tri-ing!

Rest Is Over

After a deserved day off its back to the work.  With a busy week and a short one with memorial day this weekend...might be a few days of one workout per day.  Gonna make them count though.  Will git the gym this morning for some good back/shoulder/arm work then top it off with the much needed core routine.  Maybe finish it off with a 5k. 
Hero's sprint is less than five weeks away and while I didn't shoot for anything but time goals at Columbia...this sprint has the potential to get me close to the podium...and I wanna be on it!!!

Columbia Tri 2013

So what to say about Columbia.  It lived up to the hype.  Great Swim which I managed to shave three minutes off my time from the last Olympic swim I did.  The bike was a little slower for me, which I expected.  The hills were big and steep.  Overall happy with the time I posted and knew it was going to be an uphill battle for the run, in more ways that one.  The run was  a monster.  Steep inclines and lots of them.  I did manage to keep my pace decent though I would have liked to see it lower, and it will get there.  :)  I went into the bike and run with a plan and stuck with it.  Attack hills!  Everyone has to slow down for the hills.  I am lucky enough that I can power up them better than most it seems.  So I did just that.  I would hit the hills hard and it paid off.  I managed to make up some ground there both on the bike and the run.  In the long run I knew what I was facing going into one of the biggest races on the east coast every year....a stacked field.  It was fun and great race.  I stayed in the top third of the age groupers (barely pulling 47th out of 141) but I will take it.  I just wanted to have fun and see what Columbia was all about....It lived up to the expectations it sets.  It also gives me the upper hand going into Celebrating Hero's Sprint on the same course in June!!

28 min  swim
1 hr 19 min bike
48 min run

2 hr 41 min total time

WAY TO EARLY....

To be this amped up.  Was already pulling into centennial park before I would be up on a normal day.  Looking forward to get this thing going.  Hopefully the weather holds off long enough for us to get through this. 

Oh the weather

48 hours until the next race, and the forecast shows thunderstorms tomorrow and showers on sunday.  Oh joy, nothing better than being cold and wet coming out of the swim than being cold and wet the whole way through.  The temps look a little better in the low 70's so the run might be good in a little sprinkle.  However biking when it is wet is never fun.  Slower times, dangerous conditions, and just the all around discomfort of being wet on a bike for 25 ish miles.  Let the good times roll.  Taking today off to rest up for this weekend.  See if I can avoid all the temptations they will throw at me today.  I am sure there are plenty of luncheons and cakes to be disbursed all throughout the compound.  Hope all have a good Friday and I will be sure to let you know how the weekend goes.  Columbia, its time!!!

The race bug

It's back!!! Was watching a quick video of Columbia Tri from last year and got me ready to race again.  It's going to be an outstanding field with an enormous draw.  That will be a first for me as I haven't ran a race more than about 400 people yet.  It's an in water start for the swim so that will be new too.  Looking forward to it.  I have a couple of goals in mind for the event but keeping them under wraps for now to see how it goes.  This event draws a lot of big names so its all up in the air on where I will finish as of yet.  Just hoping for a better swim and run and I should be just fine. :-)

Little victories

Yesterday was a pretty good workout.  Avoided one of the almost daily cakes that flock to our command for one thing or another just in time to hit the sidewalk for a nice run.  I managed to set a new PR for a 4 mile loop I do around the National Institute of Health doing it in 27:02.
Knowing that my swim and my run are where I need to focus on lowering my times its was nice to see that.  It came from just knowing I can push myself harder.  I learned this at the race in Monticello.  I was tired and sore at the end....but I had more to use. 

Another Race Week

Focus for the week...remember that I am a newcomer to this sport.  Columbia Olympic draws approx 2500 people and knowing I am in the largest and most competitive age group means I have to remember I'm not going to place high every time.  I have a serious drive when it comes to this sport and it was getting the best of me.  I have to remember that this year is basically all practice.  What areas should I focus on more...how can I trim my transition times down...and most important, this is fun.  Going to focus on three good workouts this week, one in each discipline.  Take it easy on Thursday and Friday...maybe a light swim and jog each day just to focus on form and movement.  Go set up on Saturday and more important...HAVE FUN ON SUNDAY!!!

Weekend betwee.

With Monticello in the books and Columbia next weekend....it's nice to have a weekend off.  Did some food swim and run work this week and plan to hit it very hard up through Wednesday.  Thursday and Friday will be lighter days and rest on Saturday since I have to go check in and stage my bike that day anyway. 
Now time to focus on mothers day. :).

Back at it

1500 meter swim to Start off yesterday and a nice run at lunch.  Stayed on base and attacked the small hills we have there to practice momentum control. 
I have realized that I will have to use Columbia as a learning tool and not stress over my placing or time.  I am shooting for top ten and under 2:50 for this one.  I know its a tough course....makes me a little more giddy to get there and see how it goes. 

First Oly Report

MonticelloMan went as well as expected.  31 minute swim but everyone was slow due to cold water and poor buoy markings.  Both transitions stayed under 2 minutes so that is a plus since it was a HUGE transition area.  1:14 minute ride.  Was ok with that for the course.  Was very rolling so it was a lot of fun.  My run was pretty slow and will be hoping to improve on a 48:14 run in Columbia next weekend.  All in all for my first Olympic I took 5th out of 27 in my age group.  More importantly, we raised a good amount of cash for LLS and it was a really fun group of people.