Training Cycle

My new training cycle starts May 1st.  This is will be the plan I use to go into the four events I have planned as my "season".  Hagerstown went well and allowed me to see that my winter run training paid off pretty well and is still going strong.  A new focus on nutrition, conditioning and pre/post workout needs has me really excited for this year but mostly Nation's.  Nation's Tri is a race I want back from last year as I was really upset with how I did there last year.  With new training comes needed things for that to happen. 

 

New training shoes are the first on the list.  Yes, your race day shoes are not the ones you put the pounding miles on from training.  My training shoes are more cushioned and longer lasting all around than the shoes that I race in.  The guys at Potomac River Running have always helped out with that.  They put so much effort into making sure that you are fitted correctly in a shoe that is going to be right for your stride and for what you are needing them for.   Like always I will head back to them (I always go to the Rockville location) for new running shoes and will continue to do so! 

 

 

 

Hagerstown Report

Hagerstown was a great race.  Met a couple of really cool people, one of which sounds like it will be someone who is going to be a great training partner and even better yet, he lives like 5 minutes from me.  

Got there very early (as always) and was the first on in transition.  Picked the prime spot closest to the bike out/bike in and got the end of the rack.  Got the bike set up and ready to roll and then it was wait time.  Duathlon is a lot cleaner in transition as you are already starting off in running shoes and you have zero swim gear to contend with so it was kind of odd to have so little laying next to the bike, even for someone who keeps very little to begin with in transition anyway.  I kept taking in water and ate a couple of snacks then went on a quick jog around 9 o'clock after a stretched out.  

It was a mass start at 9:30 and to say it started fast was an understatement

1.9 mile run - 12:21

T1 - :50

10 mile bike - 29:46

T2 - :48

5k run - 22:54

Overall a 1:06:41 and I was pleased with that.  It put me in 5th in my age group which looked to be pretty tough from the times that were posted.  All three podium times were sub 1 hour and fourth place finished only about a minute faster than me.  I was happy with both runs and feel I could have had the 5k under 22 minutes but due to cramping on the bike (unsure why at this point and will explain) at mile 7 through the finish I was worried about pushing any harder on the run.  

I was plenty hydrated and thought my carb intake for the previous 72 hours leading up to the race was pretty spot on.  I am a little unsure why the cramping started and started so early.  I am going to make sure to get the bike out for some good long run/ride/run's and see if it continues to happen since it is a new bike and position is completely different than what i was used to last year.  

All in all I was very happy with the day and take it in stride.  The big races start in July and this puts me in position to really know what to work on.  

Bike...check, Shoes...check

Tomorrow kicks off the season!!!! Hagerstown Sprint Du is tomorrow morning at 0930.  Whether it is a 5k or and Ironman, you have to make sure you have everything you need for the race that day.  A couple days ago I started putting everything together in the transition bag and other than tossing some water in the bottle and making sure the tires are at 120, I am ready to go.  As always I am sure I will show up way earlier than I need to be there but that is how I like to do it.  I hate being rushed through setting up transition plus it gives me plenty of time to get all stretched out and ready to run/ride/run.  I will post this weekend how the race went.

Finalized Schedule

So I waited for some things to work out with a race orginization in the area and it never happened.  I was hoping to do one of the races I did last year that was a lot of fun and a great event but it just wasn't meant to be I guess.  So here is this years finalized schedule of events.

April 12th - Hagerstown Sprint Duathlon - Hagerstown, MD
July 13th - Maryland Olympic Duathlon  - Woodbine, MD
August 16th - General Smallwood Olympic - Indian Head, MD
September 7th - Nation's Tri - Washington, DC
October 4th - Baltimore Triathlon - Baltimore, MD

Looking forward to getting it all kicked off this weekend with Hagerstown.  I am feeling pretty good about the race and how it will go.  If I have a good day there is a shot that I can podim this one and then I'm hoping to keep my training up to do the same at Smallwood and Baltimore.  Nation's will pull athletes from all over the world and unless I can get some times down to well under my personal best times then I am just looking to have a really good race and a lot of fun with it. 

I hit my last really hard workout day yesterday with a decent swim in the morning and then finished it up with a nice bike/run brick at lunch.  Will take it easy today and then I have my physical fitness test for the Navy tomorrow.  Thursday and Friday I will do some light workouts on the bike and running just to keep things loose and ready to Run/Bike/Run on Saturday morning. 

The big thing to keep in mind is nutrition and keeping my diet decent with the good calories I need and not putting any of the ones I dont in there.  I have picked up the amount of calories I am taking in this week just to keep the energy levels up but doing it with healthy carbs and lots of good fats and proteins.  I will be sure to post some pics this weekend of the event and keep you all posted on how it goes.

Thanks Potomac River Running

Last Fall I took a part time job at a local shoe store chain here in the DC Metro area called Potomac River Running in the Rockville location.  I easily took to the job, the people who came into the store and the rest of the staff.  It is a great place to work.  The customer service is a tier above the rest and the service they provide is next to no one.  It was a the ultimate way to "work" and really enjoy what you do so that it isn't really work.  I mean come on, you get to wear shorts and a T-shirt to work and talk about nothing but endurance sports all day long with those coming in to buy shoes and other items. 

The manager at the store sent me a text one day and asked if I would like to be nominated as the featured athlete for the company at Nation's Tri in September.  I jumped on the chance.  I love the feeling of representing a name and a company when I race just like I did last year and will continue to do this year with Trinity Multi-sport.  I will be working with the other featured athletes as well as the Nation's Tri ambassadors throughout the remainder of the time leading up to the race.  It is going to be a great time and one that I will really look forward to this year.  Follow us along at the link below and see what all we are doing.  If you are looking for a destination race this year and want to see the nation's capital...this is a great one to do!

http://nationstri.com/ambassadors/overview/

http://nationstri.com/ambassadors/blog/

 

 

Du Ready

So with Hagerstown about two weeks away I decided to go and see what I could do with a makeshift "Hagerstown" at the gym.  1.9 treadmill/10 stationary/3.1 treadmill.  All said and done with I finished in 1:06:18 and that is just letting the clock run the whole time.  Transition will be a ton faster than in the gym so that cuts a minute or so off my time.  If I can shave about another minute off somewhere which I think I can I might just start the year off with a podium finish.  That would be a good way to kick the season off...kinda like Westfields last year. 
Nutrition was a big issue for me at about the midway point of last years season so really focusing on that and staying on track there.  Why do bad foods have to be the ones that taste so good.  :) 

Over It!

Another snowstorm.... not as bad as the last couple we have had but im really just over the whole winter thing.  It has worn out it's welcome and can leave anytime.  This isnt even from a.training or racing viewpoint (even though yes Hagerstown is about 2 weeks away).  Its from a pure annoyance viewpoint.  I am just ready for some nice weather. 

My 5k time is dropping so that is a good thing.  I am starting to het a better feel in the pool again and im starting to finally shed the weight I put back on since Waterman's last October.   So training is getting back to where it should be and hopefully stays that way.

I found out a couple of days ago that my training partner and friend will be in the area for Hero's in July.  It is such a fun race and for a great cause...it will be evn more enjoyable with a friend and fellow Vet out there rolling with me. 

Stay warm...train on...keep Tri-ing!