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.