Jamie's HIM/IM Training Group-CLOSED (Page 38)

On a non-training note:  I've made it through two rounds of interviews for a position with a new company. From what I know so far, weekends should be a lot more "week-endy"...i.e. less work. I've finally decided I could deal with where I am currently, but if this works out even better! Final interview later this week.

I hear you there. Last year I was terrified when I got in open water. This year I'm a MUCH stronger swimmer, so I am anxious to get in. I'm also really, really tired of staring at that black line! 

I get to run today again. Supposed to go to track, but my wife has dinner with her mom planned, so I need to get home to watch the kiddos. I may look up the workout and just do it on the treadmill. It's not ideal, but that way I'm not missing the speed work either. 

Also, finalizing my IM training plan and mentally preparing myself for what's coming as best I can. My wife signed herself up for a sprint tri in July (this wll be her first), so I'm also working on adjusting the sprint plan from BT to fit a little better with her schedule. 

Hope you all have a great day!

Congrats and good luck in securing the deal.  More free time is always a good thing.

Plan called for a one hour ride this morning with 7x4" worth of hills at about 50-60 rpm in a hard gear.  Didn't specify rest interval so I only gave myself 1 minute between each.  It wasn't quite as grueling as I thought, but I am glad it's over.  Also going to do a 30 minute continous swim later today.  Fun, fun, fun!

Riding the bike in to work this morning made me think of a Question of the Day...

Whats the best "in race" advice youve ever received?

AOTD:  "Fix your hair, even if you feel like hell,  you dont have to look like it".  That was at the first aid station coming off the bike when I was sporting a particularly bad case of helmet hair.  It made me laugh a little bit, and every race since, at the first aid station, I dump a bunch of water on my head and fix up my hair.

LOL...that's hilarious!  Best race advice I've received? Probably...relax...breath

Good luck! It's always good to keep the interview skills sharp.

Had a good double workout day yesterday, and doing an hour run tonight.

AOTD: I have no clue - I usually don't hear much of anything because I get in a zone (or I just hurt too damn much). People usually say things like "looking good" or "keep it up" and I have to stop myself from replying "yeah well I feel like crap" or "can I stop here for a nap". The worst is when you see athletes who finished way before you out on the course cheering. It just feels like they are rubbing it in. Not only did they finish super fast, they don't even look tired. Meanwhile, I have 3 miles to go and the wheels are falling off.

5 mile run in tonight.  Nice to be able to run outside and it not be freezing or dark out...that is twice in the last 4 days....liking it...

Not sure I have every gotten in race advice but that one is pretty good...nothing worse than helmet head...

So I planned to ride last night after 2 work functions...I got on the trainer and got about 10 mins in when the bike started making a strange noise...turns out I got a flat...a first for me on the trainer...so I went to change the tire so I could continue.  Only to find out my spares were the wrong size...

Strange in that I could have sworn I had the right size tires when I bought them last year...glad in the fact that I did not find that out during a race...

try again tonight...after I get some proper tubes...

I've had calf cramping during a swim before (similar to the arch of the foot cramping) but it generally goes away pretty quick and isn't sore afterwards. Is it possible you're just fatigued/over trained? Maybe adding too much volume too fast? Sounds like you just need a day off with some good stretching, foam rolling, massage, or all of the above.

It's GORGEOUS outside today - the high is over 80 today, so I'm trying to sneak out of here at lunch for a swim rather than doing it at 6pm tonight. I'm LOVING this weather. 1 hour run on Tuesday and 2 hour spin last night. My sweat rate definitely kicked up a notch. I was drenched last night.

I experimented with using a timer during my spin - every 5 minutes my watch would beep and I'd take a swig of fluids. 12 swigs per hour worked out to about 20 ounces which I think will be about right for IMTX. I'm going to try 2 swigs every 10 minutes though - seemed like I was sitting up a little too often. Otherwise, I really like taking the guesswork out of hydration. You just don't have to think about it.

In the "kind of similar but not really" category, Im starting to get tendinitis in my achilles.  Thing is, its fine biking or running, but it really bothers me swimming.  This is actually the second year in a row that this has happened to me.  Ill probably spend the next week doing lots of pulling in the pool.  After talking with a couple of my swimmer buddies, they said its not really a swim related injury, but just the stretching of my foot during the swim that makes it the most noticeable.

With all the training that we're doing, it could have been anything (hill workout on the bike you did from a couple days ago?) and just happened to show itself after the long swim.  Thats what Im thinking for my achilles at least.

Interesting....I kind of forgot about that hill workout I did earlier in the week.  Thanks for reminding me and that very well may have triggered this incident bc it definitely put a decent amount of stress on my legs that I really wasn't used to.

Hi all and happy Friday to you!  I had a one hour interview with my potential new team yesterday followed by a 40 minute interview with my potential new boss. I'm sure they think I'm technically capable of doing the job (that's a huge hurdle overcome for an IT position), I'm not sure if they all felt I'll be a good fit. There were two people I just couldn't get a good read on.  We'll see. If I end up staying where I am I can continue to use the boredom and 2 hour lunches to help ease the burden of training from my family. If not, well...I won't be as bored at work anymore.

Yesterday I did a little over 5 miles on the treadmill. Ran at 10:20 for almost a mile, then ran 4 miles straight at 8:34 (I think that was the pace. Training log is accurate and I'm too lazy to work). It was very very cool, because I found the workout was 90% mental. My body handled it just fine. HR was higher of course, but manageable. This running 6 days/week thing is working. I'm getting faster. I'll probably still be in no shape to run a fast IM marathon, but it will certainly be faster than it would have been had I not taken this time to focus on running. Next week I am going to start actually planning in a couple short bike and swim workouts. Gotta get a another trainer since my wife's new bike has been on mine

30-40 minute recovery run today...really slow...around 11:15/mile. 

good to be back home after a week on the road. I always find it tough to get what I need done when training away form home. Oh well a little quieter week is fine as I do finally kick off my IM training program today. Well really monday but April fools day seems so much more appropriate.

Winter is winding down here, snow is melting rivers are flooding, yes sping time in the prairies.

I have to admit the task ahead is seemingly daugnting now that there is only 21 weeks to race day but the prep work is done I have averaged over 12 hrs a week for the past several months so time to lay it all down and put it together.

Have a great week everyone

HUGE brick workout today - 4:20 on the trainer then a 30 minute T-run!

Long run planned for Sunday. Heading to Tahoe for the weekend - catch you guys monday or tuesday...happy weekend!