Half way point...

OMG can it really be? Have I really been doing this for this long? And I still have so much more to do!!!


And now reality hits.  

We have reached that half way point in our training. 18 weeks down, 18 more to go. It doesn't seem to be getting harder or anything but it is definitely at the point that I know I have to really make sure I hit my workouts and put in my effort into them instead of just slacking off because I'm just not up for it.  I'm enjoying the fact that now I can start riding outside, which with the winds and debris on the trails makes it a bit of a challenge, but it's so much better than just sitting on the trainer.  Granted I do LOVE my KICKR, being outside is so much different, and so much fun when you have friends to ride with.

This past weekend really took a toll on my legs. 14 miles on Saturday, which in the end I found out I was going too fast for. And then 2 hours on the bike on Sunday. My thighs were FLAMING.  I noticed a weird noise, and Stephanie did too, when I was riding and getting into some of my higher gears. Seemed like it was rubbing on the front derailer, so after searching around I found a bike shop that had a 1 day turnaround, instead of the 2 weeks others were telling me, so in to the shop Roxy goes.  At least I got another ride in today, along the Salt Creek trail and it felt pretty good. The winds killed but the ride home was nice, especially when the wind is in your back and PUSHING you down the street.

I also got in a good swim today, using my snorkel for all but the 500 warmup and stretching thru my stroke. I wasn't concerned about staying on my TT, but more with my form. This wasn't about time, but about form/style and stretching through my stroke and giving my legs a rest.  I'm getting better and better with the snorkel, and didn't have any near drownings this time around. I'm still on the fence if I'll use it for any of my races, but maybe a few Open Water swims with it will help me decide.  Now if only the weather will cooperate and give us a chance to hit the lake before Grand Rapids.

So to give me even more motivation, attached are a few links to the Boulder Run and Bike course... No doesn't scare me at all... YIKES!!!

Boulder Run Course

Boulder Bike Course

21-Swim Challenge is in the books!!!

The challenge was to based on a time trial (TT) on either a 1650m (1 mile) or 500m swim. After that there were 3 weeks of 2 days swims plus a drill. I only got in the 2 days of swim, skipping the drills, since I had to still run and bike and do weights.

So on Feb 14 I swam my my first 1650 TT in a 32:05.86 (1:54/100m).  The following weeks, the workouts were based on my TT and worked on endurance. After the first swim, I found that the TT I had was really easy, and that it was difficult to do some of my swims so slow. As it turns out I dropped my TT by :05 as my base and used that to do my workouts.

My concerns in distance swimming has been with pacing. I know how to pace when I run/bike, simply look at my Garmin and either slow down or speed up. Pretty easy. But in a pool, you can't really take the time to stop and look and try to do the math. So after a few posts back and forth on Facebook in the Tri Swim Coach 21-Day Challenge Page, I found that by setting my Garmin's alerts I can set a pace for my 50's.

So today, it was back to the pool to do my final TT. Set my 50m time alert on my Garmin to :55 and was so happy I could keep the pace. Today I swam my 1650TT in a 30:20.21 (1:49/100m). Didn't break my 30:00 goal but damn that was close.

500 Group:

	Day 1	Day 2
Week 1	300, 200, 100 moderate pace on 20s rest 200, 100, 50 build :25s rest 200 fast 30s rest 100 fast 30s rest 6×100 moderate 20s rest	3x 3×100 TT pace+10s 4×50 TT pace+10s 1×50 Easy
Week 2	2×200 on 20s rest 100 moderate 20s rest 2×300 20s rest 100 moderate 2×400 40s rest 100 moderate	6×50 TT pace, 15s rest 2×150 build, 20s rest 6×75 TT pace, 15s rest 1×300 build 6×50 TT pace, 15s rest 3×100 TT pace+5s, 15s rest
Week 3	6×200 build so first 100 easy, 2nd 100 faster, 3rd should be race pace effort 2×300 hard effort	6×25 build 15s rest 5×100 TT pace+10s, 15s rest 6×25 build 15s rest 5×100 TT pace+5s, 15s rest 6×25 build 2×100 race pace

1600 Group:

	Day 1	Day 2
Week 1	4×150 easy (TT pace+15s per 100), 10s rest 100 relaxed 4×150 moderate (TT pace+5s per 100), 15s rest 100 relaxed 4×150 TT pace (20s rest)	8×100 TTpace+5s 300 easy 4×100 TT pace+5s 300 easy 3×100 TT pace
Week 2	4×250 continuous as 100 Moderate pace, 50 fast, 100 moderate 4×150 50 moderate, 50 fast, 50 moderate 4×100 25 moderate, 50 fast, 25 moderate	4×100 TT pace+5s 20s rest 4×100 TT pace 20s rest 4×100 TTpace-2s 25s rest 6×50 TT pace-5s 25s rest 16×25 build
Week 3	4×500 Descending, meaning that each 500 gets faster. The first one should be calm and relaxed, the 3 one should be at your 1650 pace, and the 4th one should be all out. :40 second rest interval)	8×100 TT pace with :20s rest 8×75 TT pace 20s rest 8×50 TT pace 20s rest 8×25 ALL OUT 30s rest

Drill set:
200 as (25 catch up/25 swim)
100 build
200 as (25 fist/25 swim)
100 build
200 as (25 high elbow catch/25 swim)
100 build
200 as (50 8 kicks/3 strokes/8 kicks, 50 swim)
100 build

Week 15 - where has the time gone

I can't believe I'm over a 1/3 of the way done with this training program... What's more scary is that I'm more than a 1/3 of the way closer to Boulder. I'm finally feeling like I'm getting into a groove of things with my training, but my nutrition still has a way to go. I've finally "sucked it up" and accepted that I will have to spend long hours/runs on the treadmill, thanks to the wonderful weather Mother Nature is sending us. But it's weird, I'm getting comfortable on the dreadmill, that I'm just hoping this will actually make me stronger when i get out on the road.

I'm still concerned with my biking. I just don't feel like I'm getting what i should be getting out of my trainer at home. So i broke down this weekend and went out to get the Wahoo Kickr.  With what I spent on it I'm hoping it gives me the hill and resistance workouts I'm really needing.

I finally started to add in swimming to my regimine. I go 2-3 days a week. I bought a freestyle snorkel with a cardio cap to help simulate altitude. I even found a good FB page "Tri Swim Coach 21-Day Challenge" that puts out new challenges each month and that has really got me going on my swims. I'm trying to improve my TT (Time Trial) for a 1650m swim (1 mile). I just started week 3 Day 1 today and I'm finding that my major issue with my swim is the ability to pace myself in a long swim. For last week's 100 repeats I was keeping 1:35-1:40 100m pace, but for these 500's I either went out too fast and then slowed down too much in the middle or I would have too much left in the take after. How do you pace yourself in a swim??? I mean when I run/bike I can watch my Garmin and make adjustments as needed. Even though I wear my Garmin while I swim, checking my pace is not that easy to do.

Things for the trip are starting to come together too. The house is paid off, now just need to email out and let everyone know how much they each owe. Flights are booked and paid (thank to my SW miles Rich and I each only paid $5 for our flight). Due to a delay in planning the flights, Christin and Dave don't have a good direct flight so they will be coming thru Chicago and I'll meet up with Christin and fly in with her, and then Dave will go with Rich. And the car is rented. Christin and I are also starting to look at things to do out there and found a few fun stuff, then lots of micro brewerys for them since I won't be drinking until after the race. Now only to get my training and diet in order, then I should be right on track.

I'm still quite nervous and I just hope I finish. I need keep focusing on my weak areas and just make sure I don't ignore my strengths. Bad part is right now I don't feel like I'm strong in any discipline.