Race Pace till Vacation Pace

It's frustrating to get on a treadmill and go so much faster than I do when on the road.  On a treadmill you control the speed of the ground and can make yourself break that speed threshold.  I just have to make myself do that when the only thing I have control over is how fast I out one foot in front of the other.  Looking forward to vacation next week.  A nice week of sun and sand with the little family will be a lot of fun.  Ever since moving from California we have yet to really be to the ocean.  Last weekend we went to a little beach in Maryland and the kiddo had a great time collecting sea shells, see crabs, and trying to give us a heart attack with his fearlessness in the water.  Really looking forward to it.  :)

At least it isn't Monday

I knew when last week ended, this week was going to be slightly stressful.  Luckily with the help of some really good co-workers and a class filled with good students yesterday went pretty smooth.  Today should be a lot better.  I am going to go.with the philosophy I used while I was in Portsmouth a couple of weeks ago.  I am going to focus on good core strengthening and body weight mechanics in the morning with a good solid cardio session in the afternoon.  Yesterday I had a good cardio day.  Did a quick two mile hill run in the morning and then followed that with a good spin/run at lunch.  My big thing right now is diet.  Having a hard time keeping the snacking down in the evenings again.  Will try tonight to really get back in a good practice of a decent little snack before bed...luckily I'm running out of snacks and with a vacation to the beach next week we are holding off on serious groceries.  :). That should help.

Busy weeks wear ya down

It's been one if those weeks.  Two finals for school...my wife and kiddo are fighting being sick...and work kind of tossed a big one on me.  The stressors can mount up.  Realized this morning (as I overslept) that no matter how high the stress mountain gets, you can climb to the top of it.  Did pretty well on both finals...kiddo is getting better (my wife is still battling but I think on the better path)...and with the help of a great team at work we are getting the big issue worked out for next week.  I won't sit here and act like I'm anything but extremely happy today is Friday, but I'm ready for a couple of days off.  Really liking forward to the week after next for our trip to the beach...we all need a break from reality.  :)

Rest day.

Today I took a rest from intense workout.  Went in this morning and did a lot of stretching and core conditioning with very little cardio.  I think maintaining a five day workout routine every week is important but I used to take Wed off and workout on Saturday or Sunday and felt the results were a lot better.  So let's try that theory again and see how it goes.    Now its off work and on to home where my house hold is in sickness doom.  My wife has an upper respiratory issue that is taking its toll and the little one is sick too.  :(  hopefully we can knock.these bugs out pretty soon and get back to the normal life before the weekend gets here. 

Holding Pace

Did a nice 3.6 mile run today on a trail that I try and run at least once a week.  It was a decent pace and felt like I  was holding a good time most of it.  I am trying to make sure a couple times a week that I really push to run the pace I want to maintain in races.  With Nation's a couple months away I would really like to get my race pace to under 7 minutes.  Really incorporating crossfit style workouts into every week at least three times a week.  This morning was a good 45 minutes of circuit style training with continuous movement.  I am hoping it will help lean things out and speed both my run and my swim up a little bit.  That elusive 25 min olympic distance swim is out there and I want to make sure I get there in the next couple of months.

New brick

1.2 mile swim...quick change and a 3 mile run.  Felt good getting back into the brick mindset and it was definitely a confidence boost to post a 20 minute 3 mile time.  Swim time was pretty slow at 35 minutes but after a 10 day lapse in swimming and not really focusing on sleed in the water lately I was ok with it.  I will definitely be keeping that lunch routine around.  Maybe later this week I will even up it one and throw a 15-20 minute stationary bike in the mix.  With two months to focus on things until nation's...I know confidence in conditioning is still my biggest obstacle!

Home sweet home

After a week on the road its nice to be home.  Got some good work done and managed to get some good workouts in.  Ready to spend time with my little family :).

Nutrition is a must when the heat goes up

Yesterday I went to a great trail for a good run and gassed out way earlier than I planned on.  There are a lot of dangers running in the days of 90+ temperatures.  Sun exposure and dehydration being the the top two up there.  Yesterday I learned the hard way.  I needed to have more water in my system to be out there running in that.  It didn't help that the trail I was running, while a gorgeous run, was surrounded by trees on the side and open on the top.  Total sun exposure and absolutely no wind flow helped lead to the run being cut short.  A lot of times I would have just pushed through it.  Had there been more shade cover on the trail I might have.  But with that sun beating down I decided it was best to call it a day and wait for another chance on the long run.  Today I took the morning off from working out to let some muscles rest and plan on heading to the beach to run today.  I am hoping the windy conditions will make for a little bit cooler run because the temperatures are not going to fall any today.  Whether you are training for a marathon, Half-Ironman, or a 5k, be safe in your goal achievement.  KEEP TRI-ING!

Gorgeous trail!

If your are ever in the Chesapeake Va area and want a great run, go to the  Dismal Swamp Canal Trail.  It was a gorgeous run and I will definitely do it again before I leave Portsmouth.  If you come in July...hydrate.  3.5 miles did me in today but like I said...I will be back before the week is over...count on it!

Alternate Site/Same Results

So being out of town for a week gives me the chance to mix up the training quite a bit.  I am in a hotel but it is on another base.  Luckily for me they have an outdoor TRX area right across the street.  Went out this morning and did a decent crosstrain workout.  It ended with a mile of running, 16 TRX and body weight exercises and 3 rounds of "F" drills.  Got off work early enough today so going to enjoy the AC for a few more minutes then its out to hit the road for 5-6 miles.  Really trying to focus on diet and this week.  Got all my healthy snacks and food in my little kitchenette, now to just avoid the fast food places at the hospital we are working at!

The ever elusive alarm clock

It does happen from time to time.  4:15 is early as hell.  I remember it going off and me hitting snooze once.  Next thing I know its 4:58 and my training partner texting me asking if we can meet in the gym since it was raining.  Not gonna make the 5:06 train waking up at that time.  Haha.  Still have time to bust out a good 3 mile or so run on the treadmill before work though!

New mix of tricks

So with a little bit of reading its easy to see why I plateaued so much on my swim and my run.  I havn't seriously changed things up with my conditioning in a really long time.  Even my core workouts are generally the same exercises over and over. 

It's time to add some different elements to things.  I was progressing a lot more when I wasn't swimming everyday.  I was adding a weight routine in twice a day and doing a lot more brick workouts in thr past that I havn't been doing recently.  Time to fix the mix....crossfit is getting permanently put back in along with a good three trx workouts a week.  A must from here on out is yoga a couple times a week as well.  Not only will it help stretch muscles and ligaments out...it will also help heal things faster.  I WILL cut that 2:30 time at Nation's....its not an option at this point!

FINALLY back in the swing of things

I was able to finally get my morning routine back to what it had been a few backs.  I got in nice 3.8 mile timed run which was about a minute and a half off mark but I was still happy with it.  Went in and did a good round of plyometrics and crossfit with a guy from work for about 45 minutes after that.  With our big move at work almost complete I am definitely heading to the pool today at lunch.  Planning on getting in a good 60 minute pace swim just to get the muscles charged again and ready for it.  After Smallwood on Saturday I do know next week I need to get back into my old training schedule for my swims though.  My wife bought me a good swim workout book for my birthday I was using and got away from.  Next week that thing is coming back into the mix for sure.

Reconditioning starts today

A new week..a new training plan...a new (previous) training partner.  After a reality check on Saturday I realize I need to get back to the physical and mental readiness I had in May.  Put my diet back together and spin some things into my training that need to be there and that will be the steps I need to put me back.on track.  The two months I have until Nation's Triathlon is very much needed bit is also important for not only me but for something we are working on at work.  I have wanted to out together my own team since I moved back to the mid Atlantic and its time to make that happen.
Slow hill work for this morning and slow paced form swim at lunch.  :-)  

General Smallwood report

So General Smallwood was interesting.  It was easy to tell the it was going to.be warm and muggy out.  However when the water temp is the 85 region...you know the weather is up there.  The swim started good and I felt better about it than any swim yet this year...so for a 32 minute swim time I was kind of shocked.  Oh well.  T-1 was good.  3 minutes and change but it was a pretty long run to transition from the water and I was quick in getting on the bike so it seems to be about par.  The bike was real good.  Very Rolling course and I utilized it well pulling a 1:13 minute 40k bike.  Now to the run.  A two loop route that had some hills...long hills...they never ended it seemed.  I passed the finish line on the first lap at 22:40 and was thinking finally I was gonna get my 10 k under 45 minutes.  Not the case.  The second lap of those hills did me in and with the heat I gassed out pulling a 31 minute second 5k.  Cramped tired and drained I finished in 2 hours and 44 minutes and 9th out of 14 in my age group.  Was a rough day.  I'm glad I have two months off until nation's tri in dc.  Time to refocus...regroup...and reconfigure my training.  Thanks for the gut check Smallwood...I will take the course back in October on the Waterman's Half Ironman!!!

Game time!!

Transition set...chip on...waters hot....let's do this General Smallwood!!

Pre race prep

General Smallwood is tomorrow.  I'm hoping for good weather and not this crazy rain then sun then rain again we have been having the last few days.  Water temps are over 80 so for second race in a row we will be without wetsuits.  I prefer it that way so I was glad to see the temp rise.    Of course I will keep it in the car just in case.  Course is supposed to be flat and fast for both the bike and run.  Guess I will fond out if my hill prep run will pay of when I don't need them as much.  Will let you all know how it goes. 

Crosstrain!!!

Back at the morening and lunch workout which means I can focus on more than just swimming/biking/running...this morning I am going to get in some good yoga and stretching and follow that up with a good trx workout then possibly some rowing.  I have to do a practice physical assessment for.the navy at lunch so that kills my plan to swim today but some pushups, situps, and a good fast paced 1.5 mile run will do me some good as well.  Looking forward to the race out in Indian Head on Saturday but lore so looking forward to a long weekend!!

Twice as hard again

Back to working out twice a day a again.  I liked the routine of the last three weeks.  It was nice getting up and eating breakfast with my family every day.  I really liked taking my son to school.  But with all back to normal routine there is no reason for me not to go back to 2 adays. Gonna hit a nice long run this morning and a good swim at lunch.  Olympic distance race on Saturday so gonna stay focused on those distances.  Hoping for flat and fast!!!