Loving the build up...

Now that Silverman training is heating up, I am enjoying myself. I am faster, smarter, and more experienced than I was a year ago and I am enjoying that as well. My nutrition has been good and I have been recovering a lot better with more sleep. It is amazing what happens when the "other" stuff is on how good it makes training. I think I went sleep deprived (although self inflicted) for too long. I have been in constant control over my blood sugar and eating timing has been spot on and that is the key to continue my weight loss. Another 9 pounds in the last month and under 20% (18.7%) body fat since 1995 in college. Which brings the total now to 70. I am hoping to run Surf City at or around 215 or less. That would be another 10-15 pounds off. Here is how my week went last week and I am finished with my second training block. This one I grade a B. I had some quality work but I scratched a brick with a long run.

Monday-Swam 1150 intervals. 5 laps warm-up in 6:33, 3 laps "hard" 3:31, 2 laps recovery 2:59, 3 laps "hard" 3:30, recover 2 laps 3:06, 3 Laps hard3:27, 5 laps cool down 6:09, with a total of 29:19. I felt strong. Pretty even too.

Tuesday-Softball and abs/core.
Wednesday-Late with patients and I forgot my light for the bike so I went about 10 miles in 45 min or so. Made it a hard effort on some hills around the clinic that are the same hills I run for silverman.
Thursday-Plyometrics and accessory muscle strength. A moderate effort workout on things I dont normally get to. Went well.
Friday-Rest
Saturday-Softball tournament. Played 4 games and hit the ball very well. I kinda tweaked my knee in the outfield though. Nothing too bad
Sunday-Pushed the brick I had planned when I woke up with knee pain. It was gone by noon and gone this on monday am.
Tonight-Long swim of 1750 m. I would like to Ave 6:30. Lets see.

This next block will be more miles than the one before. In order to space out the recovery blocks to peak at Silverman I will have a recovery block shortly after this one. I have been looking at my running plan within this plan to see if there is potential for more as Karl has suggested we will see how I feel. P.S. Thanks Karl for the shout out on the Marathon Bars. I am glad you enjoyed them. Quote:

“All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.”

Ralph Ransom quotes

In case you were wondering.....

Off to a good start, block 1, and anouncement

So I spent last week out of town/recovering from Strawberry Fields. I scheduled the 2 days following Strawberry Fields just to be plain off. Then to officially begin the road to Silverman. I began with a recovery block. When I say block, I train 8/10 days. A 10 day work week, instead of 7. Per 10 days, I strive for 3 runs (one recovery, one long, and 1"quality"days), 2 bikes, 2 swims, 2 workouts (accessory muscle day/global muscle day, with core 3 days), and 1 brick (alternating between swim/bike and bike/run with 2 bike/runs per swim/bike). The other 2 days off. Then every 4th block will be a recovery block and prior to that a big block. Each big block progressively bigger finally culminating in a PR at Silverman.Usually I recap the weeks training on sunday and occasionally have a long post on sunday then a short one during the week. I am going to try to review the blocks instead of by week.

Block 1: Recovery/Colorado

Mon/tue-off.

Wed: Easy 1250 swim. No time just go and swim. What a crazy feeling it was to be the first swim after the ocean. Very still and predictable. Feels funny like after you get off the treadmill.

Thursday-Travel day to Breckenridge, CO.

Friday-Was supposed to run an easy 3 miles. Altitude sickness prevented that. I couldnt sleep much less run. Crazy Nausea, fatigue, headache, and inability to sleep. The lodge we stayed at was 12,600 feet. That is a 12,600 feet gain in 4 days (since I raced at the ocean). Problem? I think so.

Saturday-Ran 4 miles. Very slow, as my HR was waaaay out of control. Here are some pictures.

Sunday-Travel home and recover.

Monday-1500 m swim. 5 lap increments. 6:14, 6:43, 6:56, 6:53, 6:55, and 6:54. Avg 6:46, Total, 40:38. I wanted a slow-moderate paces long swim. Got it. Nice and somewhat even.

Tuesday-Softball and 4 mile run. A very hot and muggy night run after softball. Mistake, I need to do that in the morning. It is still over 100 degrees at 8 at night. Sweltering.

Wednesday- Meant to be a quality hill night on the bike but the bike fit took too long and I forgot my change of clothes bag at home. Good news I feel fit to my TT bike and I will sprinkle that bike in. I have not decided If I am going to use that bike for the race or not. Its shaky, I dont turn well in aero, and its very fast. Equation for lack of confidence. I need to strengthen to be able to command that bike.

Thursday-Long Run. 6 miles. 1:10 min. Super hot. It was 90 at 5:30 am. I need to get up earlier. Was about 20 min slow out the door and the heat got to me at the end.

Friday-Off

Beginning block 2 I am pumped to be starting to get bigger stuff in. My confidence is soaring at this time compared to last year. Now that I know I can go the distance and my conditioning has allowed me to do more than the race distances I am pumped to race this year. Dont hang on, RACE. I think that 1 hour PR is doable. Sub 7. Here are a few days of block 2.

Saturday-Long bike. 40-45 miles. Actually got 40 miles in just around 3 hours. Took some breaks, took some pictures with some new riding buddies. I cruised it. It is amazing my stronger I am than the last time I was out there by the lake. I did all bike course. Over half of it miles wise but did not include the sisters. I felt strong. The long climb out Lake Mead National Park wasnt even hard this time. Last year I could hardly ride it. I am looking forward to this. The header is taken on way on Sunday, sure makes it hard to ride with all that going on.

Sunday (today)-Rec run of 3-4 miles. 3 miles in 28 min. The fastest I have been able to run in weeks. It was overcast and not humid or hot per se. I mean 92 at 5:30 in the morning is still hot. Not overwhelming though. No walking. My new goal with EVERY run is going to be able answer the question: "Did I become a stronger runner today?" YES, Today I did.

Announcement:

I have struggled in the past with my performance at the LA Marathon. Its kinda hard to expect yourself to do better than I did at my first one, its just I did. I thought I would have handled it a lot better. My training runs went without issue, except now I know that the walking I do at the end of those long runs do not make you stronger. I signed up for another one. Surf City Marathon, February 6, 2011 I will run my second marathon. I have 12 weeks after Silverman to get ready. I have been recovering so much faster, I have already trained that much, it fits into the training year very nicely, and its a fabulous race. Done. I think may be I will 3 or so half Irons in 2011 and may be 2 marathons to get ready for IM SG or IM AZ. That for me is the ultimate goal. Quote:

"Confidence is not a guarantee of success, but a pattern of thinking that will improve your likelihood of success, a tenacious search for ways to make things work."

Dr. John Elliot

I can feel it growing.