It's About Time

It's been about a month since I mentioned anything about training here in my corner of blogland. So what have I been up to?

Earlier this year, the plan was "race to get in shape." I got in a 3 mile run as part of a biathlon relay, a bike-run biathlon, and then a 10k run on three consecutive weekends. Those three "races" were good workouts that got my brain thinking about racing again. I also realized that I need to properly warm up before the gun goes off. In these shorter races, my engine really seems to need about twenty or thirty minutes of solid work before it gets into a good rhythm. So let's hope I can stick to that in my upcoming races.

I've got my first tri of the season next weekend. It's a sprint tri. I have ignored the swim all year. Let's hope I can survive the water to get to the bike and run. This week I wanted to get in a little speed. I got home from work stepped in the shower and contemplated bailing on my run. However running has always been good therapy for me. I thought about hitting the trails, but that would have been a bit of a drive. Instead I drove ten minutes to Beekman Park - one of my new favorite places to run. I will be planning my own workouts this year and I got some inspiration from E-speed and her 800s. Here's what I did:

10 minute warmup
Run 800, jog 400, Run 400, Rest X4 with negative run intervals.

Here are my numbers:

3:18/2:04/1:30/3:00
3:11/209/1:28/3:00
3:05/2:37/1:23/2:59
2:54/2:41/1:13 ---

I would have liked to have kept those last two jog intervals closer to 2:00, but I had some loose shoe strings.

If you try this set out, I would love to know what you think about it.

Wednesday night I wanted to get in an up tempo bike ride in. I am trying to find some good places to ride so I posted my route on my club forum. I got no takers. I even promised to have a couple extra bottles of Gatorade Endurance. Oh well - just Ferrah and me, 33 miles, with the computer saying 19+ mph average. I planned my route so near the end of the ride I would have about five or six miles without stop signs, traffic, or turns. Here I could get in the aerobars, put it in the big ring, have a slight tailwind, and crank...I think Ferrah liked it.

Work has been extremely frustrating of late and it has negatively impacted my training - long days at work and sleepless nights. Well the rest of this past week of training went the hell as my allergies blindsided me Thursday. Miserable was an understatement. I tried to get to sleep early, but I had the Cavs game on in the background. Every few minutes I would wake up to hear LeBron scoring another basket. After midnight and two overtime periods, I was now wired as LeBron carried the Cavs to within one game of the finals. I was so tired, I woke up an hour after I was supposed to be at work. Luckily I have some flexibility at work.

WIBA 2007, who's in? I'll be making the pilgrimage.

Was it me or was this post Faulkner-esque? Okay last thought for today. I have yet to sign up for my "A" race, but this upcoming week will mark twenty weeks from race day.

Time to get formal.

And Go Cavs!!!