SWBKRUN -CLOSED DUE TO TRAINING (Page 61)

Pretty low volume, but happy to be back training in all 3 sports.

January totals:

Doug-I just knew you'd post late in the day...figured you were doing some crazy double...silly me, it was A TRIPLE!  now get some rest you crazy guy.

As you can see, there's no worries about my bike miles being over the top, but I am feeling good about my run volume and endurance.  Like Susy pointed out, I'm working on being more "well rounded."  This is a nice way to say that my running sucked beyond belief in my first season (my thoughts, not hers), and it's going to be a much better year this year.  Maybe some of those people I pass on the bike won't be passing me back in the first mile of the run this year

Aloha Kids...it's that time again.  Who is racing like the wind this weekend?  Goals?  We want details!

We've talked about balancing priorities this week, but lets' dive a little deeper.  For those of us who feel we have a less developed part of our SBR game, what is it? and are you doing anything about it?  or just enjoying the whole experience for what it is--FUN!

I'll start.  No secret that my swim continues to be my "opportunity" area.   I've literally focused on it for the last three months at the expense of biking and running. Focus=drills, video taping, more drills, short intervals, long intervals, a lot of swearing .   It took some level of convincing by my coach and a whole lot of faith that this will pay off for the season.  I have seen progress in my splits, but I've probably seen equally as much progress in my confidence and endurance.    While I may only shave a small amount of time off the clock, I do believe I will enter T1 with a lot less energy expended.  Of course, I really won't know any of that until my first race so it is a gamble, but one I was willing to take.

This is the first off season where I am focusing on one sport at a time with a focus on intensity, not volume. Swim was first because it was so weak, but I do get to start run focus when I get back from Hawaii and I am super excited for it.  Biking is last and won't start until April.  Freaks me out a little, but I'm keeping the faith it will make me a better triathlete come June.

good luck racing peeps.  i'm sporting an 11 mile trail run.  looks like its gonna be pretty sloppy.  goals... pacing.  thats it.  and i don't know what that is yet.  HA!  its a hilly course... but not like leadville 50 or something stupid like that.  

less developed.  my bike, obviously.  but with any luck that's gonna change a little bit over the next few months. 

Exactly true. You are psychic! I did my morning run and lunch time swim. Then I got home and decided I would do an easy ride as I watched the Biggest Loser on the DVR. I went easy since I have a 1.5 hour ride tonight.

I walked this morning and then rolled my hips, did calf raises and used my trigger point gear. (See Suzy, it is not just sitting around).

FAVOR TO ASK OF THE GROUP - I fall into the self depreciating trap of comparing my volumes to other people and thinking "if I'm not running xx miles etc then I'm not as strong of a triathlete."   Please don't let me do that.  The goal this year is not volume Tracy and short distances are not a bad thing.   My mantra for this year is to train smart, not long and the whole work/life/train balance will really be tested this year.

No racing. The bike is my weak link, although my run weakened last year. I worked hard to get the run back because it's one of the things I enjoy the most. I am now adding in the bike and am working my way through Jorge's bike program just to give me some structure for workouts, and to get me on the bike (hopefully) 4x a week. But that will be tricky here and there what with life and all because my family comes first and  I'm still enjoying the run and my friends and for me, Fun is First (or Fun is Second behind Family is First). 

I look at peoples logs and posts to encourage and congradulate them. I do not compare myself to anyone. There are too many variables:

Our goals for the year are different.

Our strengths and weaknesses are different.

Our time constraints are different.

Our weather is probably different.

Our support at home may be different.

Same thing holds true when I am out runnin/biking, etc. If I am passed or occasionally pass someone I don't care. Maybe there are just starting and I am ner the end. Maybe I am doing LSD and they are doing tempo or intervals. I could go on, but you get my drift.

There is almost nothing to be gained by comparing yourself to anyone else. I looked at what everyone has posted for January and it lloks great to me.

Finally, I love short distance racing and have a bunch of them planned this year. I will probably enjoy them more than the long course races. Go Tracy!

At times I fall into the same comparison "trap" as Suzy.  It doesn't discouage me, but sometimes it just makes me wonder how others get that much training in.  Could be more time, better climate, goals, etc.  We each do what we can and do the best with what we have.

No racing for me, but I wish I could be out there doing that 11 mile trail race with John!!  Good Luck out there John!

I've had two days off since my long run on Sunday and I'm READY TO GO AGAIN!!!  Woot Woot!!  Today is going to be a short run (4 mile-ish) with some speed intervals and I'm also going to do my run drills tonight.  Can't wait to get off work and get out there.

Not racing here...still trying to decide on my 2012 schedule.  Good luck John and anyone else racing.

Bike is the major weakness for me.  Trying to build it up...I am loving one legged drills

If this becomes anything but fun for me then I'm done.   

Jan numbers:

?Bike: 21h 22m 50s - 341.98 Mi
Run: 7h 51m 01s - 51.63 Mi
Strength: 2h 45m

Starting to ramp back up.  I swear I do get that winter blues or whatever.  The sun out the last few days has made me feel great.

Very well said Doug.

A thing of beauty!  Nice response.

WHAT?!?!?!

Decided to pass on the "Fat A$$ Marathon" run with the Ultra guys this weekend.  Don't feel like my legs are quite ready to make the leap from 20 to 26.  Going to stick with my plan and catch up with those guys later in the season.

Still focused on the run training since my first race will be a marathon, but trying to add in more bike this month.  It's the area that I know I need the most improvement, also my least favorite of the three disciplines. Still trying to figure out where the time will come from to add more bike time. So far looking like about 4 am, making the bike seem all the more unappealing....

Right now all 3 sports are less developed while I am healing but I have maintained a lot of cardio and strength fitness through cross-training. Swimming should be my limiter and I am back at the pool working on building a little distance and speed.

What I am doing to develop better skills is that I continue to gain knowledge and support from this great MG to help me improve.

I have a local 5k race on Saturday... not looking to set any PR's just throw down a solid run at my 5k pace.

Less developed?  How about completely non-developed... My swim.  I haven't been in the pool in over 6 months and I'm procrastinating at all time exemplary levels to avoid it. 
Good news is, once spring hits our new house has a pool... so no more excuses, it's right there.

I think you mean Tracy, not Suzy. 

I'm in 100% agreement with keeping the Fun Factor at a high level doing all of this. However, I also wanted to share something that was shared with me today. As some of you already know, I went to a very small college with a very strong swim program. Said school also has a strong alumni tradition, and right now the swimmers are gearing up for their conference meet in a few weeks, followed by DIII Nationals. We get emails from the team with reports on their training and cool little psych speeches and thoughts, and we alums send them cheers and good wishes and stories from years past. Today's email had a cool story that the sender had come across online. I liked it and wanted to share it. To me the punchline doesn't mean that we always have to be faster, but always challenging ourselves, and that means with the limitations and changes of life, our bodies, our priorities, etc. It inspired me.

“Bruce had me up to three miles a day, really at a good pace. We’d run the three miles in twenty-one or twenty-two minutes. Just under eight minutes a mile.

So this morning he said to me “We’re going to go five.” I said, “Bruce, I can’t go five. I’m a helluva lot older than you are, and I can’t do five.” He said, “When we get to three, we’ll shift gears and it’s only two more and you’ll do it.”

I said “Okay, hell, I’ll go for it.” So we get to three, we go into the fourth mile and I’m okay for three or four minutes, and then I really begin to give out. I’m tired, my heart’s pounding, I can’t go any more and so I say to him, “Bruce if I run any more,” –and we’re still running-” if I run any more I’m liable to have a heart attack and die.”

He said, “Then die.” It made me so mad that I went the full five miles.

Afterward I went to the shower and then I wanted to talk to him about it. I said, you know, “Why did you say that?”

He said, “Because you might as well be dead. Seriously, if you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life. It’ll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.”

you're right kyla, hillary biscay does have a nice pool.