Honu here I come...

I know that I am capable of more. Something is changing. I have made some changes with my diet and I am wondering how these changes have affected me. I have been mostly lactose and gluten free for nearly 2 weeks now. I am not cramping. I do not have any digestive issues throughout the day. My legs feel fresh longer. I feel awesome. I have ordered some bars to check it out. Tri3 bars as soon as I get them I am going to give them a go.

One thing that rings through my head is Karl saying that I dont do enough. Ok so the rest of this year I am going to more. I finally feel like I have the tools necessary to do more. Here is how my first big block has begun.

Monday-Core and Strength training. I came up with 3 different circuit type training routines on all the different body parts I think I need to work on and I will strength train 3 times a week. I have a core program that I have been trying to get to more often. I have written all this into my 10 day block plan.

Tuesday-Easy run 4. Sully and I ran 4 miles. I decided that I would turn off my brain and run comfortable. I have been wondering if my brain is too active. Here are my splits. 8:14, 8:26, 9:53, and 9:36. Total: 36:11 at 9:03 pace. With ease. The hills continue to get to me. But these hills are done faster and with no trouble. I wasnt sore or tired. Easy run at 9 pace?

Wednesday- Hill repeats. A year ago I was pumped that I could climb the sisters. This day I did them twice in the same session. Not just that I was able to keep my speed over 1 mph on each one except the last one of the last climb. It is the biggest. Total time 1:14:32 and total distance of 18.42 miles. I wasnt tired until that last one. I felt strong and in control. Funny when that happens and it surprises you. Interestingly also I burned 1500 calories in a little over an hour.

Thursday-I read my schedule wrong. I was supposed to run 10 miles and swim on saturday. A short session on saturday because of the IronGirl my wife was racing in. (SHE KILLED IT). So I ran a training run. Truth is I was pumped for trail run thursdays. Ran 4 miles at my trails. Went very well. I am feeling very strong.

Friday-Rest

Saturday-Long run. 10 miles. 10:17 pace. Very hilly run and was pumped that I can bust out a 10 miler in an afternoon. It was hot and windy but Honu will be the same way. Might as well get used to it. Way to go girls who races IronGirl today. Miserable racing conditions.

Sunday (today)-Bike/Run Brick. Planned for a 50 mile bike and 5 mile run. Extra wind and cold day made that miserable. What I got was a 45.3 mile bike and a 4 mile run. Good effort. The wind will be a factor on the Big Island so I might as well embrace it. No cramping at all today. I used another gluten free brand bar and it agreed with me. I had awesome training partners. Jen and her friend were awesome. Thank you ladies for grinding with me today.

You know you have arrived when you can just bust out a full marathon with really no real training and run 3:45 or so. Karl Stutelberg you are a machine. All 9 of his marathons under 4. Quote:

“Tell me what you feel in your room when the full moon is shining in upon you and your lamp is dying out, and I will tell you how old you are, and I shall know if you are happy”

Henri Frederic Amiel

I am completely surprised by the process my body is taking. I am feeling layers of things I didnt know was supposed to happen. I feel better now than I ever did in my 20's.

Racing Paradise

Well I returned this picture back as my header for a reason. I rode the famed Queen K highway while on vacation a few years ago and my wife snapped this lovely picture. While my Ironman World Championship dreams are a ways away, the Kona 70.3 is just a click away. After RAGE this weekend I will be on the clock with IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii. I have a good buddy and his son who moved back and I will be mostly visiting him. My wife and I get away, we get to hang with good friends, and I get to race "in paradise (as the website says)." I am pumped.

The direction of this blog is working its way out. My side job as a faculty member and teaching a class on running is getting some publicity. People are interested. I was not sure what to make of it. There are definitely some big things coming out of that. If you do not know what I am talking about here is my profile. Here is the link for class personal development. Stay tuned for my next post on that blog. It should be up sometime soon.

My week:

Monday-pushed my swim to watch national championship game. Darn Butler.

Tuesday-4 Miles easy run and long swim. Sully and I just hanging out and getting some miles in. Then in the pm long swim. 1500m time trial. Here are 250 m splits: 5:53, 6:44, 6:29, 6:41, 6:41, 6:45, ave 6:32, and total 39:15. Not really happy about it since it is not any better than last year. Hmm...may be its because I dont want to swim? lol.

Wednesday-Strength training. I have put together some functional body weight strengthening and combined a few programs to make up my own super program. I am shooting for 2 X week.

Thursday-4 miles with the dog.

Friday-Rest

Saturday-Bike/Run brick. Since the routes for RAGE this year are going to be very different mostly harder. I wanted to feel them. So 25 mile bike on a new course with more hills. 6.2 mile run on a new course with more up but it is out and back. Up 3, down 3. The cold, wind, and increased hills led to a slow bike. Cold, wind, and sore/tired calf had a slow run. I sure hope this is not what is in-store for me on saturday.

Sunday-Volunteer and long open water swim. Today the Western US Xterra championships. Fun to watch great athletes fly right by me while I kayak. I wish I could have stuck around or messed around on the courses. Seems like a "fun" bike ride and a "fun" bike. I heard they are ridiculous. I met a small group of friends for a long swim. 1500m open. Seemed like it was longer than 1500 m. My pool is much faster. That usually isn't the case. I just couldn't get into it. It was cold. Weather was gorgeous. I had fun and stuff but swimming wise is was ok. Quote:

“Hawaii has always been a very pivotal role in the Pacific. It is in the Pacific. It is a part of the United States that is an island that is right here.”

Dan Quayle

Thanks Dan.