Open water continuous swim, practice sighting and swimming straight.

30min. mix of RPE 3 and RPE 5 throughout session.

Man was I sore when I woke up this morning.  Knees more than anything.   I realized, last night, that that is my longest run EVER at night and during the week.  In my past programs, all my long runs happened on the weekend and I almost always did them in the morning.  Legs aren't already tired from the day and I had time to recover during the day.  Not so much last night.

I was also going to get up and do my ride this morning, but just couldn't get out of bed.  So did a slightly shorter one at lunch.  30 minutes instead of 45.  Legs feel much better.  Knees still stiff, but still much better.  Swim tomorrow, then long bike and short run Sunday and then I get Monday off.  I haven't looked forward to a day off like this in a long time.  And then next week is a recovery week.  Thank goodness.  This has been a long week for workouts.  Still getting used to the length. 

If it is even semi nice on Sunday, I'm riding outside.  I've got such cabin fever, it isn't funny.  And I don't know if I could do 2 hours on the drainer.  I might just lose my mind.  I don't care if it will only be 35.  That's loads warmer than it has been.  I'll bundle up and stick to the streets as long as it doesn't snow again between now and then.  PLEASE?!?!?!?!

TGIF!

90min long run. Maintain RPE of 3 throughout. Had a GU at 60 minutes and 12 oz of Accelerade.

Not a good run at all.  15 minutes in felt like the shins were starting to hurt.  That went away.  Then starting at 30 minutes in, both knees started to ache.  That never went away.  Then at the 60 minute mark, my toes
started to hurt.  Not just ache hurt, but true pain.  So I stopped to walk for about 5 minutes.  Haven't had to do that since last summer, but I did.  Started back running again with 15 minutes to go and finished strong.  Finished the rest of the Accelerade plus another 24 oz of just water.  Came home to a great dinner (I love my wife) and now I'm just sitting here in pain.  My knees are killing me.  Fortunately, I don't have to run again till Sunday.

And now, as promised, the recipe for Onion and Fontina Beer Batter Bread.  Hope you all like it as much as I do.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced onion

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (4 oz) grated fontina cheese

1 (12 oz) bottle beer (such as amber ale)

Cooking spray

1/4 cup butter melted and divided

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degree

2.  Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and sate 6 minutes or until tender.  Cool to room temperature.

3.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl, make a well in center of mixture.  Add onion, cheese and beer and stir just until moist.

4.  Spoon batter into a 9x5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray, drizzle evenly with 2 tbsp butter.  Bake for 35 minutes, brush with remaining 2 tbsp butter.  Bake an additional 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack, remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Yield 16 servings.

45 minutes at RPE 3 wth strides every 5 minutes.

Ok, so I'm sick of the cold.  Officially fed up.  I'm done.  Ready for warmth.  Need it to be warm.  Need to run outside.  Need to bike outside.  Need the warmth of the sun make me sweat outside.  It is supposed to be -5 overnight tonight.  WTF?!?!?!  Ok, we get it.  It is still winter, but does it have to be THIS cold?!?!?!?!

Seriously.  

sigh 

45 minutes with first 30 minutes at RPE4, last 15 minutes at RPE 6.

30 minutes after bike. First 10 minutes at RPE 3, last 20 minutes at RPE 5.

12 x 100 (alternate each 100 with normal breathing and bilateral) RPE 3. The key here is to keep these easy but focus on stroke and bilateral breathing.

Woof.  First full workout since a week ago Sunday.  And I had to do all three today.  Two this morning and one at lunch time.  Mercy.  But they are done and that's all that matters.  My arms are killing me.  3700 yds in two days.  I know, though, it will pay off in the end.

Cold as all get out, again.  I CANNOT WAIT FOR WARMTH!

So Castro resigned.  I wonder how Carlos and Osiris are doing and what they think about it.  I know just how much they couldn't stand him.  Maybe one day they will get to go "home" again.  Only time will tell. 

Long mental toughness day!
6 x 500, odds are RPE3, evens RPE 5
Only did 5 of them.