What's Been Going On????

Training, training and more training....that's what's been going on in my life!  Still working this 20 week 70.3 plan in hopes that I can kick a lil' butt come May and my first long-course Tri!  At least I hope to finish with both lungs still intact.  Man speaking of lungs, I have been an ex-smoker now for 1 year and 4 months (couldn't resist patting myself on the back a bit)!  Hard to imagine that I smoked over a pack a day for some 15 odd years!   Looking back I never could picture myself not smkoing yet now I can't picture why I ever thought that it was a good idea!!!!????  It really bums me out sometimes when my legs want to keep going on training runs, yet my lungs are screaming at the top of their lungs to stop....wait do lungs have lungs????... well you know what I mean!  Anyhoo, where I am in terms of training time looks something like 2.5 to 3 hours of swimming time, roughly 20 miles of running per week, and 6 hours of bike training.  I am still hitting the weights at this point 4-5 times per week, yet limiting the amount of shoulder and leg workouts to no more than 1 time- every other week, just to add a little "muscle confusion" in there.  I feel exceptionally strong right now.  In fact the strongest I have felt since undergrad school...I won't mention how many years ago that was!!!!   Oh yeah...I also signed up for an Indoor Tri in a couple of weeks.  It's at a local YMCA and given the $10 fee, I couldn't pass an opportunity to compete and just see where I stack up against some of the local Tri-club members (they're hosting this event).  It is a 15 minute pool swim, 45 minute spin on a stationary spin-class bike, and then an outdoor 5k.  I really am anxious to see my 5k time in a sprint distance event.  I really feel strongly that I can push hard and break the Sub-20 minute mark on the run.  I haven't see then course layout so there might be a ton of hills given this is Asheville, NC, lol! Even so I really feel that I can have a 5k PR at this event.  Looking back at my last sprint race, I think I had a 21-22 minute 5k, but there were some brutal hills on the bike course and at the finish of he run at that one.  I have also certainly gained some fitness since last September as well, so it time to find out just how much I guess!

Man the weather here the last couple of days has been incredible!  Yesterday was almost 70 and sunny and earlier today it reached 61 degrees before rain showers sat in.  Of course tomorrow and Sunday are back in the 40's for highs, so that's a bummer.  That's been very typically this season...beautiful outside while I am inside at work and then rainy and cold when the weekend rolls around.  I did get a 5 mile run in today at my favorite park/greenway so that's exciting!  I have a 2 hour session with my bike trainer tonight...yip-peeeeeeeee!  Then an even longer ride tomorrow.... that's what happens when you skip a bike session last night, lol!  I'll push through them both and have a nice hour and a half run to look forward to on Sunday....in the low 40 degree weather (yuck). 

Some other things I have been up too include revamping my swim workouts drastically.  I gained a bit of inspiration from a guy at the pool that simply kills it in his swim workouts.  Well the dude looks totally familiar and I eventually put it all together.  You see dude rocks a blue XTERRA swim cap, which of course is the color given to the pros and like I had mentioned, looks like a fish in the pool swimming.  While watching a recap of 2010 XTERRA USA Championships on TV, holy crap...... there the dude is having a amateur profile bit!  Guys name is Shiloh Mielke and he's now a pro traithlete and has been an elite trail runner since college!  Here I am sharing the pool (and keep in mind the pool at the gym is only 3 lanes) with a pro triathlete... Not certain if he gained any inspiration from my swimming but....LOL!  Well since figuring out who he is, I of course haven't seen him since but will introduce myself next time I do.  With all that said, I have really been using drills as a way to improve my speed and technique.  I have started some bi-lateral breathing, but that part is still tough.  I am using my FINIS swim board and a pull buoy these days.  I have to say this makes the hour swim workouts much more tolerable!  I have also began using more focused "workouts" with specific sets and target paces.  Since converting in this manner several weeks ago, I can already see an increase in stamina, as well as speed.  Swimmings all about fluid technique and not raw power....despite what my macho side tells me.  I guess when you think about it, swimmings a pretty humbling sport in many ways....the skimpy suits, the fact that finesse and form mean speed, and managing to not curl up in a ball of embarrasment when you inhale water and leap up to standing mid-pool coughing!

Hope anyone reading is doing fantastic and taking life by the reins....so-to-speak anyway!  As I constantly remind myself, we can achieve any goal we make for ourselves as long as we want it badly enough, have the patience to do what necessary to achieve it, and are willing to work hard while on the journey to success.....