Two weeks to Boise 70.3

Good training week. Some highs and one unfortunate low. Training summary: swim 5.25 miles, 4:10; bike 106 miles, 7:05; run 18 miles, 4:05; total miles 129.25, total time 15:20. Additional stretching and core work about 1 hour.

The big points of the week included good overall mileage. Also two excellent training sessions with Brian on the bike. This helped my confidence to increase as I worked on pace and rolling hills. We also completed a 1000 yard lake swim followed by a ride. Looking forward to more workouts with Capt. Brian. Amazingly, in addition to all the team support from Martin and Snohomish Bicycle, Martin announced that he would be going to Kona as well, that is Martin and family. How cool is that. Pressure is on to complete to compete. The one discouraging event was trying to crest Lord Hill and only making it about two thirds of the way. Then add insult to injury, making another start on the incline, crashing over while trying to clip in. Fortunately I didn't have any serious injuries, a little skin scrape and a bruise and maybe a little ache or two. My desire to finish the hill was gone and I was so anaerobic that I was gassed anyway. The challenge now is there to go back and work that hill. I can see that I have much to work on.

For the next week I have three hard days and three easy, one rest day.

Monday: race pace swim with intervals of 50, 100, 300, 600 yds. In the afternoon bike with race pace intervals, about 90 minutes total followed by race pace run for 30 minutes.

Tuesday: recovery ride 1:00-1:30.

Wednesday: race pace swim 1:00, afternoon BRick 35 min. ride and 45 min run.

Thursday: 30 minute swim and 1:00 run, both easy pace.

Friday: easy ride 1:30-2:00.

Saturday: Sprint Tri.

Sunday: rest

Boise 70.3 is only two weeks away. My goals are to work hard on work days, rest when available, watch my nutrition, stay healthy. During workouts I will mimic race day nutrition and continue to get ready for the event. Also this week I'll work on my nutrition plan for Boise and make sure I get the supplies I need. Sometime next week I intend to revisit Lord Hill or at least something similar.

Weather in the Northwest this Spring has not been great. We've had only a few really warm days so I'm hoping for good weather here and in Boise for the next two weeks. The next two weeks is to keep intensity up but add in plenty of rest so I will be fresh for June 11.

That is it for now, a hui hou, see you on the road.

Boise 70.3 in three weeks

Finished the last build week and entering peak development for the next two weeks. The basis of the peak weeks is to have high intensity workouts at race pace with recovery between. Also it is an opportunity to practice event nutrition plans. Peak development is followed by race week. Then depending on the results of the race, some rest and then prepare for the Tri-Monroe Olympic distance June 26.

Summary of this past week training: swim 2.2 mi. 1:37 (1000 meter test 24 min.); bike 84 mi. 6:10; run 15.3 mi. 3:25; total miles 102, 11:12; including 0:45 strength training; total training just under 12 hours. This training included time tests and more recovery so I expect to have good energy for this coming week. The Saturday shop ride with Brian and Lance was a good technique training for me. It gave me the chance to work with my new cassette, 11-28. I was able to maintain a pretty good pace overall which is encouraging. But as Brian reminds me I have a long way to go. Doable, but definitely a climb.

I have been concentrating on my nutrition with a good balance of vegetables, fruits, and proteins. I average about 5 to 7 servings of each. Carbohydrates more frequent in the earlier part of the day, particularly after training recovery meals. The balance of foods is taken from Matt Fitzgerald Racing Weight. Compared to last year at this time I am up about 7 to 10 pounds over my lowest weight last summer. I expect that my weight will drop during more intense training from mid July until October in preparation for Ironman Hawaii.

This is my training plan for this week. It is from Joe Friel's Your Best Triathlon. I have modified it to start on Monday to allow me Sunday off.

Monday:

Swim, 1:00, warm-up 6x50, 4x500, 10-20 min. cool down.

Run, 1:15, warm-up, strides, 4x8 min. zone 3 with 2 min. rec., cool down.

Strength training, 0:45

Tuesday

Swim, easy 15-30 min.

Bike, 1:30, warm-up, 6x5 min. hill repeats with recovery, 10-20 min. cool down.

Wednesday

Swim, easy 20-30 min.

Bike, 1:30, easy ride.

Run, 1:00, easy run.

Thursday

Swim, 1:00, warm-up 10x25, 4x25 paddles with 6 stroke sprint start, 4x500 race pace, 1x300 easy.

Bike-Run #1, 1:45, bike warm-up 20 min. 15 min. at race pace, run 6x9 min. intervals with 1 min. recovery, cool down 5 min.

Friday

Swim 30 min. recovery.

Bike 2:00 easy.

Run 0:45 easy.

Saturday

Bike 2:00 easy.

Run 1:00 easy.

Sunday off or make up any missed session.

Mix in a few stretching sessions and that should make the week.

Adds up to about 16 hours, in 15 sessions.

It will be difficult but if the weather cooperates I should be able to get it done.

If you are out there with me training somewhere, then a hui hou, I'll see you on the road.

Four weeks to Boise 70.3

Last two weeks of training were productive. I now have just 4 weeks to Boise, 6 weeks to TriMonroe, and 15 weeks to Kona 140.6. I'm so amazed that I'm at this point.

11 workouts this week including 3 swims 4 rides 3 runs and one weight session. Total of 132 miles and 15 hours. It is noteworthy to think that I am actually accomplishing that much work compared to where I started a couple of years ago. Thinking Ironman Kona was a five year plan, here I am trying to validate my entry in only my second season of competition. At times, I think I an just over my head.

Saturday I had a good ride with the Snohomish Bicycle shop group. It was my second group ride and I felt more confident being in the group. I'm still not nearly as fast as the group but I feel like I'm improving. During the back road hill portion I tried to copy the movements of our sweeper and found that my efficiency improved. Lesson learned. It was also the first time I could feel the advantage of drafting in a group. Hopefully next week I'll make more improvements and stay closer to the pack.

After the shop ride I was just relaxing talking with some of the other riders and after a few comments began to reflect on this total experience. Todd, one of the team members remarked that the quality of my production was way ahead of some others and I thought how great it is to be in a group of encouragers. I am thankful for my friends and mentors at the Monroe YMCA. My weekly spin classes have increased my base, and different conversations with friends and trainers helps me consider my overall plan. I have so many people who are knowledgeable who are helping me along my journey. Also I am grateful for my shop teammates. We had a great social time at Fred's to get to know each other better. I've had several opportunities to get positive feedback. Martin and Brian are so helpful with supplies and work to keep my bike in top shape. Brian is excited to increase my training and I can tell that he had given some extensive thought to how we can accomplish that. Just the act of writing it down is an encouragement. There is also the accountability which serves as a motivator. I think I can do the work and they think I can as well. I know how important it is to surround yourself with people of like interests and have found that plentiful here. Maureen continues to be my biggest fan and help out wherever she can. She's had to sacrifice by anticipating my training as we plan other things together.

One more week in the build stage, then two weeks at peak, followed by race week for a taper. As a reminder the plan I am currently following is based on Joe Friel's book Your Best Triathlon. This weeks projected plan is as follows:

Monday: recovery swim, moderate bike, short run, strength training

Tuesday: swim speed skills, possible long bike, run speed skills

Wednesday: long bike (if not Tues.) and moderate run

Thursday: swim for strength and force, long run

Friday: swim for muscle endurance, moderate bike, possible strength/stretch session

Saturday: long bike, possible moderate to long run

Sunday: off or run (if not Sat.)

More to come. Thanks for all my teammates and supporters, without whom I could not even begin to seek out the prize. Thanks for keeping me grounded and focused. Long before I ever race I will have won many honors from you. On race day you will all be with me and I can only forsee great personal accomplishment. Until then, keep watching, a hui hou, I'll be seeing you on the road.

Desire and gratitude

Desire and gratitude are two of my daily motivators. There are others such as the influence of friends and family, past experiences, daily successes, and the encouragement of people I meet day to day, but for me, every day I observe that I have been given a gift to desire to train and achieve new milestones, and I am grateful for this and all gifts provided by grace as marked by the recent Easter celebration. Each day I am not sure what I will accomplish though I have a plan to attempt each day but I am always grateful, filled with a grateful heart, that I have the opportunity to train, to believe and to profess my faith to others. Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. When I struggle or think foolishly that I can do it on my own, I am grateful for that message.

As far as training: I'm in a build 2 stage. Managed 13 workouts for a total of 18 hours this week. By Sunday night my body is pretty worn out. As I told a fellow cyclist yesterday, I am always sore. Tomorrow morning I will have a recovery swim session, about a 90 minute moderate cycle session, rest and then in the afternoon my weekly weight session. Just under 6 weeks until the Boise 70.3 race June 11. The following weeks include 3 more build weeks, 2 peak weeks, and the race/taper week. After that a bit of a rest, then training until the Tri-Monroe Olympic distance on June 26. Right now my main objective is to successfully complete the Boise 70.3 and validate my entry into the Kona Ironman Championships which then becomes my new "A" race for this season.

Training summary for this past week: swim 5 miles, 4:30; bike 80 miles 6:15; run 25.25 miles 5:45; total miles this week 110.25. Total time including strength training at 18:00 even.

Today I ran the Old Snohomish Road to Monroe. Beautiful day, low 60's temperature. Lots of cars, trucks, and cyclists, no runners. That run was about 9 miles in 2 hours. Looking forward to more intense training this week, still trying to bump up my bike mileage, and completing the entire workout plan for the week. So if you're planning on being at the Y or on the road, a hui hou, I will see you on the road.