Lots of snippets.

Going to start doing a weekly report that will surmise workouts from Sat-Fri but since I have some stuff I thought I would get that out now.

Managed a hilly 14.2 mile run and didn't feel too good on miles 5-10. I have been noticing that a little bit and just need to get that figured out but it seems like a lot of people get that on long runs in the winter so no biggie. Also really on the weight loss push this time. Seriously I now don't have the excuses and my focus is really tightened bc of the upcoming race calendar is something that I will actually be able to do for once! This is really huge bc I really don't race that many tri's. Before this year I have only completed 2 tri's (one after 2 weeks out and still hacking phlegm) since 2006! Just crazy to me. Props on all my friends who race so much. Anyway it finally feels great to be at a point in life where I can get back to racing.

Did what I want to be my bread and butter workout this year. This was just an endurance effort with 1 hour on the trainer at 65rpm in high Z1 followed by a run to the track and 4x1 mile on the 7 min. It was pretty cold but managed (HR in parenthesis) a pretty good 6:34(146), 6:37(159), 6:44(161), 6:27(165).

I will eventually start working in efforts on the bike and then get up to 6-8 repeats on the 7. Coming down out of altitude with these times I should be rearing to go. The plan will also include some 200's in 38-39 seconds to bring the neuromuscular speed around for races. I think I can finally take living at 5800 ft and bring it around for races even though some of my run times are :15 secs per mile slower which can be frustrating and must be why I vent here about it all the time.

I also came up with monthly goals and Jan is find a training partner and swim 2x per week besides the big weight shedding since it will all be in vain otherwise.

3 hour trainer ride then run.

Had to hop on the trainer for 3 hours today at about a 60-70 cadence most of the time. Went pretty well until the last half hour. Watched the 2009 and 2010 Ironman Champs on YouTube to pass the time. The trainer is physically harder then outside at 2 hours for me. The outside weather was 37 degrees and light rain when I went for my run. I ran about .7 to the track and then hit a mile at 6:19 and was too cold and wet already to hit the second mile so I went home. I was on pace for a 6:12 and didn't let up or feel anything on that last lap so I really knew it was time to be done. Need to take more cals in next time when biking that long. Really trying to stay on the weight loss and as always I overdo it. I had a big blueberry pancake breakfast and just didn't feel hungry.

Anyway this early in the build it felt great considering my trip to Disney World was full of activity but only one workout.

November Totals and PhD

Weights 0:17:00

Swim 0:51:00 2700

Bike 14:49:00 272

Run 14:45:00 100.5

Total 30 hours 42 minutes

Days off: 9

Workouts: 33

Key Workouts: 11/10: 4x100 (1:17, 1:19, 1:19, 1:19)

Had a super good lead out until the awesome triathlon and then a few good days after that before the weather hit and I had time to think that I had ZERO race plans for next year. I really want to get into some better races as I am now expecting to break any bike and overall course records down here in southern Utah. My wife also defended her PhD so she is now a doctor so that means more time to train. Pretty good numbers this month with the 9 days off (my offseason).

There are two 5150 race in the area next year (Provo and Vegas) in June and Oct. The main thing about these races is that they offer $20,000 dollars to the pros. That means a top 3 age group means you can get your pro card. This has been a goal for a long time but I think that I have finally figured out how to race well on a given day. I was 3/4 this year and the day day I finally learned enough.

Now that life is getting back to normal I can finally train more then 7 hours a week. I have some really good plans for developing through the winter (leaving run speed until spring though). I start work again in April so until then I will be full gad looking at June 25 for the OLY in Provo. The Oct Vegas race is just a back-up so I wont get depressed if I get 4th-last.

I am also gonna find some people to train with this winter. There is a kid in town who runs sub 2 for the 800 and 26 something for 5 miles that is getting into triathlons (done one and has a road bike) so that should really help my running which will be limiting next year if my new swim plan continues to grow as it did this year. I am finally getting comfortable swimming and can see a breakthrough season approaching. My bike is also on the verge of busting through on an OLY course. My run is still the odd man out as far as achieving the consistency I need but the last sprint told me it too is laying there in waiting. Finally excited about a new year and have real goals and ideas on how to achieve those goals.

Course and Bike Records fall at Turkey Tri.

The Turkey Tri is a pool 400 yard swim, 10 mile bike, and 3 mile run. 360 people were in the race.

Swim- 6:20 (1:35 pace) 12th overall. The pool was 88 degrees (normal pools 78-82) and the air right above was thick but there was also about a 10 second run to get in and then again to get out so prolly right around 6 flat for the swim. T1 was a slow 1:15 bc i had to run a long way in my built up bike shoes for my short leg bc there is no time to ride on the shoes and the grass was wet

and frosty earlier.

Bike- 26:16 (22.9mph) 1st overall. Beat the bike record so I finally have an official bike record. The course has three turnarounds and 2 big hill after left hand turns. There was actually some wind today so I was pretty happy. Ben Hoffman rode this course in the spring in 28:20 with T2 included (which he is fast at) and I went 41 secs so take what you will. All I know is that I went way faster then this spring (28:30) and it hurt accordingly. And it is a tri and he can still out swim-bike-run me any day of the week. Hills were about 360 ft of climbing (garmin says 560). The bike portion was 25:36 according to the garmin which was wicked fast.

Run- 17:41 (5:53 pace) This part hurt. My first out on the out-n-back was brutal. My upper diaphragm was killing me. I think I need to pull back and relax for just a tiny amount of time bc after the downhill coming back in I hurt but could push finally. Second half of run was much better.

Overall course record was a 52:18 (Previously the record was 53:55). Second place was 53:50 and third was 55:26.

I won a $100 gift cert to the running store. I know the guy who owns the running store and he is signed up for IMSG but doesn't want to do it. (No training and signed up on a whim the day after.) so I am gonna see if he would try and get his entry transferred to me as a business thing since he is big in the community and sells tri stuff so it would be good to have a representative. Any thoughts on this would be helpful.

I am super duper excited about the bike given the training I had been up to. I think the aero helmet helped to be honest. Glad to run like I did after that hard on the bike. On a side note I didnt fall asleep until like 2 something which is 4 hours later then normal. Don't think it affected me but in a longer race it would.

Big week with coaching.

Had my biggest week yet with a 12:34:00. Got in zero swimming bc I found out the pool is closed for highschoolers when I can go bc they tore down the only other pool in town. Anyway I hit 125 on the bike and 42 running. The best part is that I had a lot of efforts in there as well.

I am being coached this month by Daniel Bretscher from Indiana. I saw a opportunity on his blog for a free month of coaching and I thought it would be good for the both of us. I told him I wouldn't be able to afford to actually get coached but I think he is looking to refine his long distance coaching (seems like he does a ton of cool stuff for local people) and he hit a training lull so it seemed fun. Things are going good except for the pool thing. I may change things up a bit from prescribed this week bc of the race on Sat. He had Fri off which just doesn't work for me personally so no fault of his at all. I am also going to up the swimming since I have only been in the pool something like 10 times since early June. Just trying to get more times in the pool with easy efforts between workouts.

The best thing I have gotten out of coaching so far is it is nice just having someone to report to and then actually doing workouts instead of just miles.

Weights 0:25:00

Swim 3:45:00 9900

Bike 16:02:00 312

Run 14:05:00 112.3

Total: 34:17:00

Days off: 4

Workouts: 33

Key Workouts: 10/17: Brick: Stroller pull then 5m tempo thru 5k at 19:40 for a 32:30 HR 166

10/6: Track 6x400 (86,83,82,79,77,74)

10/14: 5x400 in 1:24-1:27, 400 in 6:20.

10/19: Track 10x1/3M (69,57,57,56,53,52,48,48,49,47)

Oct Goals Report

Do two 5k's of which I want them both under 18. (WIN, not under 18 but placed well)

Swim 15,000 (Fail, pool closed for a week)

Bike 300 (WIN)

Run 140 (Fail, need to hit 35 at least)

Finally got in some good track workouts and swam a little. Some quality on the bike and just some miles. Also started to get the 1:45 or more run in a couple times which is nice. In November I am using a coach for the first time. Daniel Bretscher from Indiana is going to try coaching me. The first week is a little funky but that is more of my fault due to how my stay at home schedule has worked out. I will also need to modify some of the running to be done with the stroller. Its hard to convey how hard it is to push 50 pounds while you are running.

Nov Goals

Win sprint triathlon and go 52 minutes. (53:45 this spring)

Swim 15,000 and better quality.

Bike 300 Seems like a good distance right now.

Run 140 Need to get ramping for the weather turn.

I really need to be under 168 the whole last week of the month.

Motivation Issues

Up at 5:35 again today and just sitting here not wanting to go to the pool. Maybe this free coaching this can get me through that hurdle. That and the stinking 171.8 that I weighed in at today. Maybe it was just snapping my chain halfway up a mountain yesterday and ending my big bike for the week that I had so been looking forward to.

I may need to find another time to swim or just pick the morning a little more carefully. Only 2 out of 8 swims have been decent and only one of those has been what I would call good and complete. I just feel tired. I think for a week I may change it up and sleep in until 630 and not worry about swimming in the morning unless that is the only workout for the day.

The weather has also turned kinda to hell with feezeing temps and possible rain everyday. At least this is about how bad it is supposed to get all winter with just a little drop in temps and less rain. It just went from perfect to this. It is also perfect at random times throughout the day and I think I really just wanted that free bike ride. I do still like to have fun at this whole thing day in and day out. Maybe thats the real problem.