this weeks theme: RECOVERY

Recovery seems to be an issue. As I make this push towards RAGE and this distance I am learning all about the importance of recovery. A big thanks to Karl for posting an answer to my question about the supplement ACCELERADE. I am going to invest in some. I like what the research has demonstrated and even the literature that refutes it says that it wont harm you. Sounds like a worthwhile experiment. This weeks training will be interrupted by a flight back east for the Medicine of Running: The Triathlete, continuing education course in Charlottesville, VA. Yay for me! Thursday I will be flying, friday and saturday in class, and then flight home. I hope I am rested enough for a strong workout sunday. I will be looking forward to it.

Monday: 22.02 miles on the bike. 1:39 slow on the same hills as last week secondary to tired legs.
Tuesday: 3 mile easy run in the am 3.09 cruise at 9.23 pace for a total time of 29 flat, in the pm a swim 1750 meters here are the 250 meter splints to compare last weeks times:
5:31
5:56
5:56
6:01
6:12
6:28
6:14
42:27 total.......Whats cool is the first time I did a 1650 meter time trial I did it in 45:02. Today I did more distance in less time. 40 min seems like a doable goal for RAGE. Bike seems to be around 1:45, run 55 min. A 3:30 total goal. The bike is the limiting factor. Hmmm we'll see. QUOTE:

"Everybody is looking for instant success, but it doesn't work that way. You build a successful life one day at a time."

Lou Holtz

Ask yourself this...WHAT DID I DO TODAY TO MAKE MYSELF BETTER FOR TOMARROW?

WINDY TRAINING

Since my run on friday my legs have been rubber. Lots of wind here today but saturday was great.

Saturday: Met up with some swimmers preparing for RAGE. I didnt know it was going to be swim class. Learned some cool techniques for swimming and how to neutralize the temperature of the wetsuit and the water around me. It was the first time I can use the word comfortable in the lake. It was cold but it didnt bother me. 1000 yards open followed by the bike. The bike was my second attempt at the race course. Here are the details: 25.31 miles, 1:50:38 including not walking the bike on the big ugly hill in the middle but walking the gnarley hill at the end before I turn around and make the fast decent into where transition will be. That ride was 5 miles longer and done in less time. Next time no walking. I did take a ride and drive the run course. It will be brutal. I have my work cut out for me. I have removed the pressure of a time goal now. Be real. FINISH. Thanks a ton to Jen Grube for her help and motivation, what a rider!

SUNDAY: Long run in the wind. Not cold though BIIIIG WIIIND. Longer run than I had planned but nonetheless done. I was extremely sore and thought I could fight through it. I struggled up hill for 6 miles and down hill for 4. 10.32 miles to be exact 1:48:23. A slow 10.30 pace, was exhausted. Didnt sleep the night before and fought through it. I also ran a lot of it in the rocks since rage will be run on rocks. It was brutal. I am, again, curbing my enthusiasm with lofty time goals and try to live in the moment. JUST DO IT.

totals:
swim 2500 yards (1000 open)
ride 57.29
run 18.55



quote:

Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

a pre-weekend post

A quick note for some of the closet followers of my blog. I am hearing here and there that people are actually reading this. I would like this to be more interactive. If you read...COMMENT!! let me know what you like or dislike or disagree with or agree with...anything! I would love to hear it!

This week was good. Tuesday: Swam 1500m and tried to beat last weeks time. DID IT. here are the 250m splits like I did last week.
5:53
5:56
5:59
5:54
6:12
6:17..........35:53 some 2 min plus change faster (last week 38:04)
run 3 miles in 27:28 (9:09 pace)

WED: 18 miles in 1:23:19 reaching my max speed on a bike 35 miles per hour. Same course plus 2 miles as monday done faster and still climbing in henderson on horizon ridge area.

THURS: Stayed up too late with my brother last night so decided to skip am swim then got a migraine in the afternoon. Changed rest day to today.

FRI: run 1 mile up, 8 intervals, and 1 mile down...the goal for today was 9:30 warmup mile, 7 intervals at 8:00 on/9:30ish off, and then 9:30 cool down. here it is actually:
9:38 warm-up
on 7:48/off 9:27
11:10/929 had to wait at light, and had to change the side of the street and wait ruined this one
8:16/10:11
8:13/10:05
7:55/9:40
8:40/10:11 (up hill)
7:59/10:28 POOOPED
1.15 miles in 11:30..........................overall 9:23 pace, 5.24 miles, 49:08

Not bad. Week by week getting stronger. I had some amazing news these last few days. 2 of my wifes cousins have combined to lose nearly 100 pounds in the last few months. With a healthy diet, exercise, and a commitment to thier kids and future. Truely an inspiration and I am very proud of them. Also a runner friend of mine has begun her training to be a faster runner. I wish her luck at her race coming up in the next few months. A quote:

"You also need to look back, not just at the people who are running behind you but especially at those who don't run and never will... those who run but don't race...those who started training for a race but didn't carry through...those who got to the starting line but didn't in the finish line...those who once raced better than you but no longer run at all. You're still here. Take pride in wherever you finish. Look at all the people you've outlasted."
- Joe Henderson

a little long but true. New runners, old runners with new goals, good runners getting better, We inspire each other to get out there and do it. I LOVE IT. Enjoy doing.