Go ahead and tri--make my day!!

Got some sunshine today on an afternoon run.  I ran my riverbottoms 10k today at  level 2 pace--7:50-8:00 min miles.  For my run for the next few months, I think I will just be trying to continue to build the base and then in the spring, I will start more intense-interval work.  As far as my three dicsiplines go, My run is my best event.  But I suffered last year from lack of speed work.  I am not so sure I want to work on that right now since it is cold and I don't want to peak early.

I am trying hard to keep good form on running:  spine straight, middle foot strike, relaxed legs, power from core.

I spun for 35 min on my bike.  I felt great.  I have a long ways to go with my bike.  I just invested in a new tri bike and I am still getting use to it.  I have a bad neck from wrestling so I have a harder time keeping my head up when I am in my areo bars.  But I will keep working on it now and get more comfortable.

I saw Tom out running so I had to go out after seening him tear it up.

Woke up a little late this morning and did a quick pool workout.  I swam a 1000 meters and set a new record for 1000 in 19: 35.  800 m spilt was 15:39.

200 splits were 3:48, 3:56, 3:58, 3:56, 3:56.  I like the grouping.  For two and a half years I have had a goal to swim under 4:00 min 200s  and do it consistantly.  I need to swim a mile now with that kind of grouping.  Oviously, I want to get faster now.  I remember starting swimming and my times were 1:40 for 50 meters and now I am at about 58.5.  The great swimmers are knocking out 40s.

Having said that, I don't think I swam too good today.  Too much going on in the pool to consentrate.  But it is nice to feel like I was not swimming well, but still have respectable times.

I will try to get a easy bike workout in tonight.

Sick day

Schedule and getting over the sickness got the best of me today.  I picked up my bike after a toon up so I will be ready to go on the bike.

Had a good workout on the bike trainer today.  I put some "Wedges" on my clipless pedals to put my foot in a more natural position.  I did not feel any knee pain, which the poduct says it will eliminate.  Went for 45 min and 5 min cool down.

Put an hour in on my bike trainer.  Felt pretty good.  Hopefully with a few more of these base workouts at 60 min, I can start adding intervals. 

I get to register for the Spudman today at noon.

Did a few minutes of strength training.

I am going to try to be aggressive about losing weight this next month.  It is difficult to diet when workingout.  I am trying to focus on eating plenty of the right foods and few of the wrong foods.  I cannot go hungry otherwise I loose it.  I will record how many servings of fruits and veggies and desserts.  One other thing I need to work on is healthy snacks.   I might record that too, just so it pushes me.

Weight +4.4

Fruits and veggie servings/dessert: 5/2

Started with a 800 in the pool at 15:28.  I was in the fast lane it keeps you working hard so you do not get swam over.  200 splits were:  3:43, 3:54, 3:52, 3:56.  I did some pull boay without paddles and ended with a 400 form in 7:44.

Lifted some in the morning.

Had my first day on a proper diet and was down two pounds.  When you clean the system out of all the garbage, you get a two pound drop.  I taught my wrestlers that.  Lots of servings of fruits and veggies today.  I have developed the habit of eating salads and stir fry so it helps.

Fruits and veggies/dessert  13/.5    healthy snacks/ unhealthy 4/0   100% whole grain.

Weight +2.4

I want to run today at lunch, but we will see what the snow does.  I woke up early and spun for 30 min, lifted and shoveled snow for 40 min.  Got to work early to take a long lunch.

Yesterday diet

F and v/ dessert 8/0  healthy snacks  2/1  12000 steps, +2.4 weight

PM:  Snow finally stopped falling.  I got off early today at work and jogged 5 miles.  I did not feel great.  I think since I grazed for lunch I might have been a little off from that.

On monday, I got in on the Spudman and I read a news report where it filled up in 3 minutes--1800 entries.  I think it was longer than three minutes.  Active opened registration early so some people got in then. 

Had a good bike workout this morning.  Thankfully I had taped Tour de France segments and that got me through a 75 min workout.  Did some lifting. 

Diet

FV/D 8/0  snacks 1/0   Weight + 1.6,  12000 steps

Today, I achieved a goal I have had since getting in the pool two and half years ago. I swam a 1600m  or mile under 32 min (31.50).  I had close splits:  3:53, 3:57, 4:01, 3:59, 4;00, 4:00, 4:00, 4:00 with the 800 split at 15:51.  My previous fastest mile was 33:30. 

I got some coaching today to work on gliding more in the pool.  So instead of celebrating, It is time to make a new goal and keep getting better.  The good age group triathletes are under 30 min. for a mile.

Diet:  +1.6,  f,v/d 8/0   Snacks 3/2,  steps 15000,

Today I have a relaxing run with the Spanish Fork group.  I ran with Dan most of the time and finished running with Tom.  It was three groups of 22 minutes for 1:08 total.  I have run with groups very little so that was a nice way to get a workout in.

I got home and decided to get on my bike.  I was going to do an easy 30 min, but a old BYU basketball game was on that BYU wins on the last second shot so I had to stay until the end and it ended up being 55 mins.

Overall a great training and dieting week.  I got on my bike four times this week which is a record.  I set a mile PR so things are looking up for a good tri and race season.

Had a relaxing slow run today.  Got my first taste of the winter fog . . . I like the clean air better.  Ran for 55 min followed by a 30 min workout on the bike trainer.

I had lost a total of 1.8 pounds from Monday to Monday.  You always want more, but that is perfect.

Did some drilling in the pool first thing.  I worked on decreasing the number of strokes.  I did pretty good when I was only doing one lap.  I had it down to 19 strokes.  But after the pool cleared out a bit, I did a 800.  I tried to relax and glide but I was up to 22-23 stokes, plus I was going slower.  So I have to either committ to decreasing stokes or stay what I am doing and get in better shape.

All the literature says to decrease stroke length.

It was 5 degrees this mornng so I bike for 70 minutes.  I felt pretty good.  I got more agressive on gearing down.

I dusted off the tredmill and jogged for 20 minutes.

Today I turn 40.  I got a tri wetsuit for my birthday.  Got a Blue 70.  I have been using a $60 shorty wetsuit so this one has so much more technology.  Hopefully, that will explain why I have have not competed as well in the swim.  I know I am slow, but not as slow as some of my times were.

Weight +.6

PM  I had some swelling at the bottom of my knee cap.  I might be swimming the rest of the week.  I might need to go see my PT.

I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning.  (I was feeling sorry about my knee) I finally stumbled my way to the pool for a seemily uneventful swim.  But I glided well and set a 800m PR.  15:11--down from 15:23. Splits of 3:48, 3:49, 3:47, 3:47.  I have never had splits where my ending splits were faster then my first ones. Or I have not had a 2 second grouping for a 800.  That was a great sign.  I tried to count my stoke count and I think I was more like 21.  After, I hit some 18s.  Last year at this time I was at 16:50 for a typical 800.

I think I have patella tendonititis in my knee.  In the late summer I got a new tri bike but did not get fitted on it.  I had my seat too low and tweaked my knee.  I have been watching it closely for the past several months.  I had two 90 min workouts in the past week.  After the last one I finally saw some swelling and I could poke and feel where it hurt.  So I have a dr. appt on Monday and I will try to get lined up with our PT.  I have been icing it and taking some Advil and muscle relaxers.

I swam today.  After my exciting PR, I thought I would try for a mile PR.  I hit the first 200 in decent time and then exploded.  The nice thing about swimming is if you lose your focus on what you are doing, then you go on to something else and drill.   No since in practicing wrong.  I did some 50 to see how many strokes.

I ran in the pool for 30 minutes after.  I had two kick boards under my arms and went at it.  Now if you think a trendmill is boring, try running in a pool for a half hour.  There was a Box Elder bug that was trying to save itself, that was the extent of the entertainment.  Plus the lifeguard was listening to some old John Denver.

For you dieters, I was told about some 0 calorie stuff.  It is from Walden Farms.  They make salad dressing, maple syrup, chocolate syrup and others.  Locally, it is sold at Payson Market under the pharmacy counter.  I bought some bacon ranch last night and it was not too bad.

Lifted at home for  about 45 min.  Rested my knee.  There is no pain right now, but I want to be smart.

It is exciting to see the success of the bloggers at Painters.  Inspirering!!

Biked today in the afternoon.  I was off work to day for MLK.  I went really easy for 50 minutes.  I met with Dr. T afterwards.  My knee was not hurting but he thought it was pateller tendonitis or bursititis.  I got an anti-inflammatory, some stretches and exercises.  Hopefully I can manage it pretty well.

Today was weigh in day and I was quite low--too low for normal.  -.4 from goal #1 weight.  If I count that weight (I don't think I can replicate it for the next couple days, that gives me 5 pounds in two weeks and 9.8 since November. 

Lifted for 30 min. and then went swimming.  Weight lifting is getting to be a critical part for me to stay healthy.  I have had things go wrong that I can manage if I lift and stretch: neck, lower back and now knee.  It takes forever just to get through all the things I need to work on.  I might need to try to lift in the evening instead of the morning.

I did drills today in the pool. I swam with the fistgloves on.  These are gloves that makes you make a fist so you do not have a full hand to catch water with.  Theya re nice to work on balance, since you can't use your hands to bail you out of an imroper stroke.   Did some 100 intervals 1:49, 1:48, 1:46, 1:44 and ended a 50 with a 47.55 at 100%.  I remember when I did a 100% at 75 seconds, world champions are at 24 sec.

Looking forward to running again.

Got outside and ran in the morning.  It was nice to be outside.  I ran the riverbottoms and saw wildlife (deer and geese) and fresh air.  At the five mile mark, my knee started to act up so I walked home. 

Professionally, I work with some health promotions with employees and health with curriculum.  That is all I get all day long is promoting dieting, and helathy lifestyles.

Lifted for about 30 min before the run.

Spun for 45 minutes at lunch. 

After having a blaaaa week of workouts, as I tried to baby my knee, I knew I needed a mental victory.  So I went swimming with the idea of getting a PR.  I knew my mile swim time was soft and the easiest to break.  Old time 31:51.  New time 30:50.  I felt good about cutting off 61 seconds off my PR.  My splits were:

3:39, 3:52, 3:50, 3:55, 3:52, 3:53, 3,55, 3:51.  800 split was 15:17  second split was: 15:33. 

I felt that I did not go too hard the first 200, but I felt really good.  Swimming the mile is a mental challenge.  I have to focus so much on technique that I cannot mindlessly do laps. 

Ran with the SF crew.  1:17 total.  Felt good.  I don't train with others so that was a treat to have company.

Biked for a hour today.  Knee felt pretty good.  Did some one leg drills.  My left leg drill is quite a bit poorer and weaker than my right.  I will have to work more on my left.

Weight:  -1.6, which is one pound down from last Monday and 1.6 under goal #1.  I will now go for goal #2 which is 5.4 away.  I have had great energy with this diet.  I have had to consume a lot of fiber to get the most out of each calorie.  I cannot have empty calories.  Minus 11.0 from November.

I decided to go after a 800m PR this morning.  I wrote short term goal on FRB, as a sub 15 min. 800.  I swam a 14:59.11.   Old PR was 15:11. I had 200 splits of 3:44, 3:46, 3:43, 3:43.  I do not think I sold myself out energy wise.  I was tired by not exhausted.  I relaxed my core better.  I have been gliding decently.  I will still work on that. 

I did two 100s after some drilling, at 1:44 and 1:42.  I was especially encouraged by the last 100, I was less tired than the first one, since I worked on relaxing and not stuggling. 

Did not run in the morning since it snowed a few inches and cleaned off the drive for my wife's preschool.  I hoped to get a workout lunch in but that did not happen.

At work I got to get paid to help put on a class called "how to run a marathon".  Dan and Carolyn taugth it.  It was good.  I learned some things.

After a ligth dinner and my daughters basketball practice, I got my run it.  For the first time since I started my diet, I bonked.  I did not eat enough during the day so I payed for it in energy.  When I realized I was going to bonk, I turned around and headed for home.  55 min run.

I spun for a hour, pretty uneventful. 

I got to teach "how to do a triathlon" at work today.  It was pretty fun.  I brought all my stuff to show.  Carrie helped me teach the class and I learned a few things from her.  Tri's are funny, they can be very expensive . .. . yet can be cheap.  It can be very complicated training, yet very simple.

Layed an egg swimming today.  Could not get into a good groove.  Did some drills and was done.  I will run away and come back and fight another day.

Ran at 10 AM after my daughters basketball game.  I was blowing off steam from the game as much as anything.  I saw Tom and Kim and joined them for a bit.  1:03 time.

Had an excellent bike workout this morning.  1:03 of pretty good riding.  Did three sets of one legged drills.  A few more weeks then it will be interval time.

We had a good meal sunday so official weigh in for this week will be on Tuesday.

I did a timed 800 and got a 15:18

200 splits of 3:42, 3:48, 3:53, 3:53.  I think I got a little in oxy. debt from the first quarter and did not quite recover.

My front quadrant swimming was not too good.  I drilled afterwards with the pull boay and that seemed to help with the gliding and the front quad swimming.  I did do two 100s at the end in 1:44, 1:41.  1:41 is a record.  So I did something good today.

Lifted in the morning before the swim.  I need to spend more time on my knee and strengthen the quads.

Went out on a cold windy day.  I did not want to run into the wind so I went around the Leland Mill and down the SF river parkway.  It ended up longer than I wanted to go.  But just a long base workout.  1:18

Did my first interval bike workout.  I spun for 45 min with six two min. intervals of faster pace.  Felt pretty good.

The pool employees slept in this morning so I did not wait for the sleepy heads to get their late.   So swim today, perhaps Saturday afternoon.   I came home and shoveled the driveway of snow.  The sun is shining to day so I might make a workout lunch.

 Got out at lunch and did a 35 min run.  Ran it a little faster then usual.

Did a 40 min bike ride.  Upped the intensity a bit. 

Swam in the afternoon.  I swam a 800 in 15:35.  My times are slowely slowing down so I need to get back to drilling.

3:43, 3:50, 3:48, 4:01 splits.

Got an earily start and tried a new philoophy, to do some shorter, more intense workouts, but more frequently. 

I lifted for about 15 min, then spun for 35 min.  Then ran for 35 min.  I felt pretty good through them all.  I was getting a little tired at the end of the run.

I had to get to work early this morning, so I biked for 30 instead of swimming.  Not a great workout day, but hey, I got to see millions of dollars today (I took a tour of the Federal Reserve Bank). 

I got a new scales that records your body fat, weight and hydration.  I love the scales.  I lost two pounds just getting a new scales (reads differently).   Mt podcast guy says to keep a close eye on hydration levels.  If you are dehydrated, then preformance tanks. 

Got an early start and did an acceleration run.  Just through parts of the east neiborhood that I had not been too much.  Pretty low key and would run faster for several light poles and then recover for about equal distance.  I feel faster since I have 12 pounds less than late fall.

I went swimming and did 8x 100m.  Most were 1:46, and a 1:44.  Then I ended with two 1:48.  I am not swimming as well as I had when I was setting PR's.  Sometimes swimming is like catching moon beams, you have them, then you do not. . . and you are not sure why.

Big snow last night and the this morning.  Some schools were closed in Utah.  I had a big training with Steve Aldana (wellness guru)  today so I had to get an early start.  I got the tractor and plowed the street and driveway so I lost all my workout time in the morning.

I got off after work and went for a run.  I realized I put on my older shoes, so I kept it short to about 35 min. 

After my run, I was down under my college wrestling weight (when I would come in at the first of the season), so I was excited about that. 

Went up to Orem Rec center and got some free swim coaching from a couple of buddies.  They gave me some good things to work on.  I need to relax my head and shoulders more.  By doing an elbow lead arm recovery, it will relax my shoulders.

I also bring my right hand in front of me on the catch phase where my left goes down the side more, so I will try to work on my right.  These guys love relaxed swimming.

Biked for about 35 minutes and then finished with a run of 35 min.

Ran 2 min faster, two min recovery after a 15 min warm up. Did 8 sets.   Felt great.  Ended with a 35 min bike ride.

Helped my daughters learn cross country skiing for 3 hours.

I was tired at the end of the afternoon.

Worked on relaxing my shoulders and neck today.  Did alot of laps without timing.  Then I did 8 50 meter form laps at 57-59. 

I get to go to St. George this week and bike outside. 

Got down to St. George and went out after a rain storm . . . .  I thought it was after.  It started to rain and it was cold.  I hurried home after a 35 min run.  I was so disappointed in the weather.

Yah buddy.  Finally got our and rode my bike in St. george.  It was about 55 and cloudy.  This was the first time taking my tri bike out after getting fitted.  I felt great and not too much leg burn.  I biked 10 miles up to Snow Canyon and 10 back for a hour workout.  I ran 20 min after and felt tired for the run.  Part of that would be that it was at 5-6 PM.

Swam in the Sand Hollow pool.  It is a nice facility.  Swam the mile at 31:51.  splits at 3:52, 3:58, 3:59, 3:58, 3:59, 4:01, 3:59 4:02, 15:48 800 split.

I was working on relaxing.  I was not too tired.  not as good of time as I have had, but some thing to work on.

I am a little sore so I took a day off.

As I think about it, I am sore from the bike ride thursday.  It is a complicated deal, but I hurt my neck in college wrestling and it still affects me and if I put much strain on my neck, the rest of my body feels it.

Biked an easy 10 on the trainer.  My wife is sick so I had to cut it short and help get the kids ready.

Ran an easy 35 min in the evening since I have not been able to workout in the morning.  It felt great to get out and burn some calories and enjoy the peaceful evening.

Had to do another evening workout and it did not go so well.  Walked home after a 25 min run.  Too soon after dinner.  Walking is not all bad.

Biked in the morning for 30 minutes.  Not feeling the best right now.

Ran 5.5 miles in the morning.  I had to get to work a little earlier so I had to cut my 10k run short.  8 min miles.

Got off work an hour early and the sun was shining so I took a spin on my bike around V. Cope's place.  35 min.  I flet good and still tried to have good pedaling form.  I got done and was pretty strong still.  In wrestling, my coach use to tell me if I could raise my arms after practice, I did not work hard enough.  I don't think I have to follow that now that I am training for old age.

Four weeks until a pool tri.  It is a 300 m swim, 10 bike and 5k run.  They call it a sprint and it basically is a sprint going that short.  I need to make sure I am use to going that fast.

Did my second straight day of two a days.  I did a speed workout in the morning.  I went down to the high school track and ran 3 by 800m.  My splits were 3:05, 3:08, 2:58.  Any time you can break a 6 min anything, you like that.  I did not push real hard.  With a warm up, recovery laps and cool down, I was at 35 min.

In the afternoon I got my only swim workout in for the week.  Mornings have been too hectic to get a way this week.  I was going to swim a mile, but my times started to tank after a 800 so I broke it up and worked on form and speed.  I swam the 800 in 16:15.  I am not sure what I did to swim a minute faster.  Swimming is like catching moon beams . . . there some days and not others.  I did a 200 with the pull boay, 200 with fist gloves, 300 timed, 200 fins and drills.

Had a good workout this morning--a triple.  Lifted for about 20 minutes, then did a 35 min spin workout.  I did 4x4 min fast.  I felt good.  Then I went outside . . . still pretty cold with that wind and ran for 38 minutes.  I bonked at 30 min on the run but just kept going and gutted it out. 

I finished reading (listening to the audiobook) of the book called "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan.  It is a little more fundamental than I am use to, but it is good on giving reasons to eat good.  He attacks the reductionism of nutritianism.  Meaning, breaking foods down to the small parts and then by knowing the what makes up food, then the processors  can try to replicate the food.  But the sum of the parts do not equal the whole.  He also attacks the western diet of white flour, no fats, fast food, and processed foods.  Interesting reading.

I swam this morning.  Did a timed 800 to start.  15:43.  Had to wait for traffic for a few seconds.  I did not feel too tired at the end.  200 splits at 3:48, 3:59, 3:59, 3:54.  I drilled afterwards and then did 4x 100m:  1:51, 1:47, 146, 1:47.  It was to get some of those splits to almost as fast as I was.  I am still trying to have a relaxt arm recovery, but also hit a more powerful switch.  My right hand also is crazy, so I am trying to get it to pull straigh instead of bouncing to the center of my midline.

Lifted a little before the swim.

Training is getting interesting now that I am narrowing things down for a race.  Before it was easy miles and base work.  This is why the science of tris are fun, developing workouts to get into the best shape.  In the Tri Training Bible, Joe Friel has 21 different things to work on.  I think that is overkill.  I like easy, medium, fast and hard workouts.  I will try to mix those up per week.

I went on the track and did  a 3x1 mile intervals.  Times:  6:15, 6:06, 6:02.  I thought I was going to break 6 on the last one but ran a 1:31 400 instead of a 1:29.  I felt good about things and no cramps or soreness.  Hopefully in a while, I can do this workout all at under 6 min.  My next speed workout  next week will be 6x 800 at under 3:00 pace.   I think my body reponds well to doing fast workouts.  It is nice to have 13 pounds off from fall.  By eating well, my stomach does much better in the morning too.

I did a 25 min active recovery bike workout afterwards on the trainer.  Tomorrow I will do a longer bike with intervals and perhaps some active recovery run or a good warm up run.

Friday will be a pool workout.  I think  I want to do the timed 800 again and see if I can get back under 15:30.  And then do some drills.  Depends my the time.

Saturday, I can do a longer faster run with a bike something or other.

Had to get an early start today, so I ran the MVP 5k road race at a slow pace.  After all was done, the run took longer than I planned--35 min.

Then I went and did a bike workout.  10 min. warm up, and then a 7 two min accelerations with 2 min recovery time.

I was as a little tired from two pretty hard workouts the last two days.  I went to the pool and the temperature was 88.  That is nheard on in the pool I go to.  Laps swimmers hate it warm.  The pool was busy and I decided to do 4x 300m as a workout.  I will be swimming a 300 in my pool tri, so I like to practice at that distance.

I jumped in with the fast swimmers.  All the other lane had at least two other slow swimmers in.  It is better to be the slowest in a lane than the fastest, then you do not have to pass anyone.  Well the fast people were doing 4x400.  So I jumped in with them and I always go faster when I get in with them since I am scared to death of getting run over.

I my race goal is 5:30 for the 300.  I swam 5:21, 5:12, 5: 31, 5:38.  The last one was by my self and the others were with a little drafting, especially the second one.  I did not realize that swim drafting helped that much . . . . . I might have to rethink my swim strategy in future races.

Biked on the indoor trainer for 60 minutes. It had been a while since I did a longer bike workout. My bike is what will make or break me this tri season. I know that I will be improving yet fair on the swim and I usually do well on the run, but the bike has lots of potential.

I went into work early today to do a noon workout, but that got delayed to after work.  The sun was shining so I did a bike workout to the Elk Ridge Rd and back.  53 minutes Felt pretty good.  Came back and ran 3 miles on the Jr. High grass.  Overall a good workout and it was great to see the sun.

Boy, day light savings time changes are a pain.  Got an later start in the pool.  I swam a timed 800 in 15:44.  Swam 59 sec. 50s most of the time.  I then did a timed 300 in 5:35.  I felt a little better about that.  I buried my head as deep into the water as possible which brought my feet up better.  I will experiment with that.

Track workout tomorrow. 

Had a monumental workout today.  I ran a 1.5 mile warm up around the jr. high, then drove down to the high school track.  I wanted to run a 6x 800m at 6 min mile pace.

My splits were: 3:01, 2:57, 3:00, 2:59, 3:01, 2:58.  I had three minutes of recovery inbetween.  I tried hard to relax and focus on breathing.  It is easy to let you breathing get away from you, but when I breathed deep instead of rapid shallow, I did much better.,

Had a mile cool down for an hour worth of work.  Things are going as planned.  I need to put in some more swimming time--If I got the pool earlier, I could swim more, so I guess I have to use my alarm clock.

Lifted last night and got three full circuts in. 

I weight in today after the workout, and was lighter than I have seen since college (157).

After the breakthough workout yesterday, I was feeling kind of sore and tired.  I did an easy to medium bike workout on the trainer for 60 minutes.  Kind of uneventful. 

I will swim on Friday, and try to get their eariler and get longer and better workout in.  Saturday looks like a bad weather day, but I need to get outside and do some more biking.  I might go and do a bike and run on a race route and get a time on it.

I forced myself to get going and get a complete workout in.  I drilled with the pull boay for 400.  Did fist gloves for 400.  Then did a 3x300 in 5:35, 5:45, 5:45 with three minutes recovery.  Tried to bury my head, but still could not go fast.

I did not workout in the morning.  I wanted to wait and see if I could do an outside bike workout.  That did not occur and so I biked on my trainer at 3:30PM.  I slopped around all day . . .. not having the morning workout just puts the body in dead mode.  No energy, no ambition.  Now after my workout, I feel like a million dollars.

The bike workout went pretty good.  I went straight out and raced a 5k on the MVP route.  I wanted to break 21 min, since it was after the bike and I was in my training shoes and not my racing flats and I was listening to an audiobook (Fablehaven) to pump me up.  I ran a 20:15.  Miles splits:  6:25 (down hill), 6:49 (up hill), 6:59 (to end).  I think the course is a little short, but that is a pretty good tri time for me with all things considered. 

Blog testimony time:

I am 13 weeks in to using the fast running blog, and I have been pleasantly surprised at how motivating it is.  Granted with being a triathlete, I don't have too many that read the blog, Thanks, Tom, Scott, and Kim!!! But I realize the blog is more for my own good than it is to gain readers or popularity.  I appreciate feedback from them and it helps to keep me going. 

I find myself on a workout thinking about what I can write . . . granted I want it to be positive.  So I work a little harder to be able to blog something good.  I have never shared anyone my workouts, or wrote anything down.  I just woke up in the morning, tried to feel what kind of workout I wanted to do and then went a did it.  I have been learning a lot more about training in the past few months.  I subscribe to "tri-talk" podcast and have read the Traithlete's training Bible.  In both of those deals, they say that "every workout should have a purpose" So I have tried to do that.  Granted, as I approach race time, that becomes more critical, verses base time when you just get slow miles in.  So it is good to write down my workouts and have in my mind what they are for.  Perhaps, I will include the purpose of a workout in future blogs.

I really like the report feature at the end of the week.  As I compare week to week, I can see how many miles I put in, but more importantly, how many workouts I got in.  As I study my weeks, I realize that my swim meters are too low.  If I can get those back up, perhaps I can get swimming faster.

I am looking forward to a good racing season. . . .  hopefully injury free.

Start of a new week.  I got through a 50 minute run this morning.  I have felt a little sick with an upset stomach, so I am off just a bit.  I hope it feels better.  I have gone off my diet a bit and that might be causing problems too.

Swam a timed 800 to start.  15:35.  I watched some videos on people swimming last night and tried to focus on a few things.  Not a lot of change.  I did some drilling and did one 300 in 5:38 and three 100s in 1:48.

One of the post on Tri-talk said that the Total Immersion system (that I have bought into big time) is great for beginners, but not always best for more advanced.  I will try a few things out to see if that is true.

I have been fighting a low grade stomach flu or something.  I had this back in December.  Makes it so you don't want to be an working out animal, but still not so bad to take time off, and I seem to have energy.

I tried to sleep it off this morning.  I ended getting off work early and biking since it was the HDOY (hottest day of the year),

I biked to Salem and then did a loop on the Salem Tri bike.  It is very technical:  11 turns, 4 hills, a few curves and construction.  My time was 16:49 for about 10K.  It seems like I had done a 16:30 before.  I was hoping to get some time savings from having a new tribike. . . . I am disappointed at that.  But I guess it is the man more than then machine.  At least a I have a bike mark to work on now.  I need to get a flat straight course to serve as a base line too, where better areodynamics of the tribike can pay off. 

I will try a track workout tomorrow, but I am not sure how I will feel.  I am due to run 3x one mile under 6:10.

Still fighting the funny tummy.  Tried to run after work and my blood sugar was out of sorts. I felt shaky and weak.  I went on the Jr. High track and did a 800 warm up.  I did a mile, but only made it a half of mile  adn went home.  No since in beating a dead horse.

I did another time trial today to set a benchmark for the bike, and to train.  I went to the new ball parks and started at the first light pole and went out 10K and back 10 K.  This course only featured one turn, two hills (one an overpass), one rr tracks and a 4 way stop.  Most of it flat and straight.  It took me past the Benjamin church and park.  I turned around about 30 yards before a driveway with a newer house facing East.

I hit 16:34 out.  Average speed on my bike computer was 22.2.  Back was 17:00 (had to stop at the 4 way stop so that cost me 10 sec.)  With the goal of 23 MPH, I have some work to do.  I thought my new bike was going to give me a boost, but I have not documented any.  My bike computer on my old bike was a little sweet so I am not sure how I compare.

I need to work on getting faster.  As I use just a little bit bigger cog, I can get up to the 23 MPH and sustain it without creating latic acid but not for long.  That is my dilema on the bike, how to increase my latic threshhold.  I usually train just below or right at LT, but I have never done much of over LT.    If you go over LT, in a run or long training run, I never recover.

Did a timed 800 in 15:35 and then did fist gloves for 200 and one timed 300 in 5:36.  Typical of what I have been doing recently.  I got a little in oxygen debt the first 400, and so I did not compete very well the second half.  3:50, 3:45, 4:00, 4:00.

 I still have the stomach thing . . . .

Race next week.  Hope for good weather--no snow.

Race week!!

Well after 5 months of training without a race, I get to compete this weekend. My race is costing me $53 so we tightwad triathletes don’t do many.

I am doing the Icebreaker in American Fork. See Milliseconds for complete race history. http://www.milliseconds.com/ I competed last in this race in 2006. I took 11 overall out of 250 and first in my age group.

I was in pretty good shape then—similar to what I am now. I think there are 400 entered and I am in a higher age group. (I would not have taken first in the 40-44 age group).

But I have no control over who shows up. My time was 1:01.38. That time would have got 15 in 2007. My times were: 6:16 on swim, 32.24 (21.3 mph) on bike and 20:24 on the 5K run. My transitions times were 1:43 for T1 and 49 for T2.

I should break the swim time by 45 seconds—all being well. Possibly even faster. I have been doing 5:35 after swimming a half mile.

I should break the bike by maybe one half  minute. It is a hilly technical course. 

I hope to break the run by 15 seconds. For a savings of 1.5 minutes. It looks to be cold weather, so my T1 time might be a little slower, but I think I bundled up last time. Gold: Faster than 1:00.0 Silver: 1:00-1:01.30 Bronze: 1:01.30. This is assuming the T times stay the same, and the weather is not so cold that it slows everything down.

If they do a reverse tri, then my time will be a minute faster on the run, same on bike and 30 sec. faster on swim. 

Race week Monday.  I had a bad runnig week last week (only 7.5 miles) so I ran a 5K without a clock.  I pushed it a bit on the last mile.  I like to work short and sweet on the first of the race week and then very light at the end.  I like to be well rested.

I think I will get some pool time in Tuesday, a short and sweet bike workout on Wednesday, and we will see how the last two days pan out.  I might swim on Thursday and take Friday off or run on Thursday and do drill on Friday.

I have not gotten nervous about this race.  I usually do get pretty worked up before a tri.  I wonder if it is the blog that gives me an outlet and confidence instead of getting nervous.  This is weird.  Last summer, I would get an email for a race that I did not have any intention in competing in and I would get nervous.  In fact, I would not compete sometimes since I would tell myself "if you cannot enjoy a race, you are not going to get to race."  (I usually do not practice tough love on myself).  Sometimes I have to do that if I get disappointed with results that are not just perfect:  "If you cannot be happy with what you did, not since in competing". Then I get over it and feel good about things.  I always have come off a competition very motivated.

Did a timed 300 at the first in 5:30.  Then several 50s in 51.  Then a 100 in 1:46 Then fist glove workout, finished with a 100 in 1:46.

I remembered something that helped me go faster when I was creating PR's.  I like the concept of "breaking the work up"  meaning faster shorter pieces instead of big long pieces.  (think of gearing down when you go up hills, shorter, faster easier reps) I was anchoring with a fast hand instead of a powerful hand.  I tried that today and I was not too tired after the intervals that I did.

To get back to my PR, it is a matter of cutting two seconds off per lap.  I  have gone from 1:40s to 58-59s.  Pretty good swimmers are in the 40s.  So I just need to get to 55-56 and I will be much more competative.

I got a lunch time workout in.  I went to the Benjamin, and did a timed 10k.  I think I was at 23 mph and around 16 min, I was confused at my mark to end. 

Last of my harder workouts.

Lifted in the morning.

Rest day today. 

Rest day

PM update:  Milliseconds has posted the results.  I had a 1:03.46.  I took first in my age group--which was a surprise.  I posted the fasted bike second fastest run and  and third fastest swim in my age group.  There were only 19.  I had the 15th fastest run and the 13th fastest bike overall.  So I feel good about the AG win.  The previous two years, this age group has been more competative.

AM report:  I did pretty good, with the conditions--maybe a high bronze or silver preformance.  Not Gold.  My time was 1:03.13 (by my watch) so I will have to compare that with other times.  It was a windy cold tri, and it was a reverse tri--run, bike swim.  I know I did pretty good on the run, 19:15 on the 5K-- the bike was hard, up hill into the wind, but I timed a 34:30.  My first lap was 17:30, and then I did a 17:00.  I was smarter on the second lap.  I greared down up hill and competed better on the flat.

My swim was 6:14--Kind of disappointing, but I was tired from the run and bike.

They had four wave starts, with slowest going first and fastest swim going last.  I missed the last wave by two people, so I was in the third wave.  I finished 8th all together.  There were 2 from my wave that beat me, two from the last wave and then 3 from the first two waves.  So the question is, how many from the last wave finished within 3 minutes of me finishing, and if I was with in the start time on the three others that started before me. 

Still sore from the race on Saturday. It was icy this morning so I got off work early and did the after work put put run. 

I got a side stitch on the run on saturday.  I was planning on my track work to help avoid the side stitch from going so fast, but at mile two it came on.  I was just starting to pick up more speed and then I turned down hill.  I guess a side stitch does not know the difference between running fast flat and downhill.  I started a little slower on purpose to avoid a stitch--plus the run was up hill the first mile.  I was at 6:35 the first mile so I did not go super fast (I was at 4th in my heat then) and end up third in my heat after the run.  I think my long lay off caused the stitch.  I will have to look at tapering better.  But I had a yucky stomach the whole week before the race and I took off my speed day the week before.  I love to be well rested but I have to keep the body use to the intensity of the race.

So I had to run off the side stitch today and did that by about a mile.

Training plan:  I just complete one cycle, peaking for this race.  Now I start another cycle of base work followed by faster stuff.  Now I have to work for Ragnar relay and the spudman, with a couple of road races inbetween--but I will not adjust my training for them.  So I need to train for a 10K run and 40K bike and mile swim. 

It is back to the base work.  I have not not done a long run for a while so I need to build it back up. I don't think I will abandon the speed work completely, I would like to keep doing that to keep a gradual increase in that. 

I learned I need to increase my bike base. I need longer 25-30 miles with some hills.  Eventhough my bike was comparatively my best event (13 overall compared to 15 overall for the run), this race has more great runners since the swim is so minimal--(that is why I usually do well in these pool tri's, I am decent in all events, but not being great in the swim does not hurt me as much.)  I like to bike in the heat and sun and I need to find two hour block of time to do a 30 mile workout and shower and eat or an hour and and a half to workout. 

I will go back to longer swims with drilling to keep me from tanking.  Even after three years of swimming, I still have to have everything work to enjoy and finish a mile swim without blowing up.

Bad back ache today and the same reoccuring stomach problem.  Took today off.  I need to keep lifting to keep my neck and back on shape.  I am not sure what is up.

Lifted this morning for 30 minutes.  My back is still sore, but not as bad.  I actually think it is because of my neck . . . it is a long story.  I do better when I keep up on some strength training on my neck and back.

Listened to a good podcast (Tri-talk episode 60) on reasons distance runners should strengthen the medial glute muscle.  I will check that out some more.  They say that is important to keep strong to avoid IT band problems.

Had a good swim workout.  Swam a stress free mile.  I did not really time it, but it was under 33 min.  I was trying to swim as effortlessly as possible, and did not push myself at all.  It was a base workout for the swim. 

I did 4x 50 in 51s and another 200 of drilling.

My wife called me at work and told me the airlines that we had tickets ATA to Hawaii went bankrupt yesterday.  so we spent a couple of hours working that out.  We have tickets now, but I still need to get some for my parents.  Aloha airlines went belly up too so two carriers to Hawaii went out of business in one week.  Talk about a mess!!!

Got to have a nice easy base run.  Ran my riverbottoms 10k route.  Took 50 min.I have been turning on the alarm clock to get more time to do a workout and I think my body is finally getting use to getting up earlier.

Lifted before I ran. 

In my work I have been trying to get employees to agree to a wellness plan where everyone has to go get a health screening or risk assessment. It has been interesting to watch the politics of "you can't tell me what to do with my health . . . . but I want you to pay for my health problems." 

I was going to have my truck inspected so I drove down to the shop and dropped it off and took my bike out.  I just can't stand to wait for my vehicles to get inspected or oil changed.  So I usually exercise when I wait.  I did not get it inspected (their smog machine was down) but I did get in a 1:30 bike ride.  I just had a relaxing ride.  Went up Hobble Creek Canyon where I had never been before.  They have a bike path and it was nice.  I will have to bring my girls and their bikes up there and do a bike ride and picnic.  I kind of do not like to ride my bike on separate bike/running paths, since they have lots through streets and curves, plus they usually have a limit of 15 MPH.  I like to train faster than 15. I think it is rude and unsafe to go whizzing by runners who might not know you are coming.  And if you do announce, then they scramble and panic so you don't know if they will jump in front of you.   Then if you go on the road--and it was a narrow road you feel stupid for being on the road because the drivers are thinking "what is this idot doing the road, when the city spend all that money on the bike path."  So I was not doing an agressive ride and slowed it down.

I went up Whiting Hill just for kicks. 

I finally felt the fuel bonk come up right in the last 10min.  But I was almost home so I did not pull out my granola bar.

Knees felt great.  I did not spend as much time in the areo bars, but my neck is still struggling with the lower bars of my tri bike.  I am not sure that will ever be fixed since I have had this neck injury for 18 years.

It was good to kick off the outdoor biking season with a over milage training run (over 40K or 24.8m).  Getting more of those in will be a key to my bike training.

Bought new running shoes.  Asics 2000 something.  More expensive than I usually pay $75.  Since I only log 15 miles a week, my shoes last 9 monthes.  You that clock 50 miles a week must have to buy shoes every month or two.

Ran my warm up lap around the school and the short riverbottoms route.  Felt pretty good.  Easy run.

Life is getting hectic.  We are going to Hawaii on Friday and have to get everything sorted out.  Softball for my daugher starts Wednesday.  Working out might take a back seat this week.

Spun last thing at night on the indoor trainer for 30 minutes.  Lifted for 20 minutes.

Short and sweet today.  I did a timed 800 in the crowded fast lane.  I always swim for my life when I am in with them.  I have not broke 5:30  800m for some time.  I had to wait for the speed boats to pass one time so I rested about 15-20 sec (I turned my watch off) , but did record a 14:54.  My PR is 14:59, but with the rest, it does not count as a PR.  I was not too tired. 

But here are some things I did.  I am writing this so I can remember what I did to go fast.  I have been working on keeping up the momentum by kicking when I reach.  That means going to a two beat kick a little bit more.  I reached more than I usually do. I think by reaching or getting longer, my legs came up a bit more.  I reached around the barrel a little bit better with my arm and hand. 

Ran this morning.  Ran my warmup around the school, and ran my 10k route, but cut it short.  Total time 57 min.  Felt pretty good, but some aches came on at the end.

Vegas Tomorrow and Hawaii on saturday.

Ran the running path in Las Vegas--45 min.  Biked on the recumbant for 30 min.  Good workout.

Aloha Hawaii,

After a long travel day on Saturday we made Laie, Hawaii.  I ran by the PCC and the Temple and then behind it.  It was a pretty cool run since I went beyond some gates and ended up going through jungle paths and straight up to the water tower.  I came back a differenent way and ran by a sign that said Danger explosives.  Then a dog with an attitude chased me.  Fun was had by all.

Sore muscles!! I was sooo sore.  I think the hill up to the water tower did me in.  Rest day.

Still pretty sore and we went Snorkling first thing in the morning so no workout.

Ran at lunch.  I could feel my lungs burn a bit.

Got home from scout camp and the party convention and was so wound up that I had to blow off some steam.  Biked a decent loop around V. Copes.

I have been so busy that I have not had a lot of time for the blog.  I missed most of the week with a cold and a crazy week.  I need my workout time.

Ran at lunch today for a sunshine workout.  Felt pretty good.  I have to get my milage increased of the Ragnar relay in June.  I have the Canyon Fun run this saturday, but I don't think I will taper much since Tom is not going gun ho for it. 

I am having a harder time getting back into the groove after the vacation, and cold. 

Hectic day.  30 min of lifting.  No cardio.

Got to have a training with one of the biggest names in the US in PE.  He was a big advocate of kids being active. 

Swam a timed 800 in 15:55.  It had been quite a while since I was in the pool.  I was just getting back into form and then another lay off.

Did another 800 of pull boay, fist gloves, and 4x 100 intervals.

I intended to do a tempo run on the Canyon fun run course.  After running around the Jr. high and running there, I discovered that I did not have the legs for tempo.  So I just slogged through it and ran home.

I am not sure if I was hydrated enough.  I think I have not been doing a good job recently.

Got off early from work and enjoyed some sunny biking around v copes house. 

For the fourth straight year, I ran the Canyon fun run.  All three of my daughters ran the mile race but I run the 5k.  The field had the horses in it--but it could have been a lot more competative.  Tom paced Kim to a PR!!  Good job Kim.  Darren was the race director so he did not run and Scott paced a child so he did not go all out. Pat was not quite as fast as he usually is.   Steve won and Carl took second. I was running with Spencer, Carl's 15 year old boy.  The race started off like usual.  Steve likes to play with his mice before he eats them.  At the half way point he left Carl.  I was no worse then third and fourth the whole race.  At the 2.5 mile mark, Spencer picked up the pace a bit and I did not want to chase him.  It was not worth it.  (That does not happen too often with me, but this was a C race and I did not want to get hurt or cramp.)

My daughters did not run that well.  If you do not train at all . . . .   But I am glad they ran.

Did not get out of bed and work was hectic so I layed a big fat egg today.

Ran my warm up laps and then the short course around the river bottoms.  Had a training to do at work.

Swam a timed 800 at 15:44.  I have been in the pool only once a week and I have a hard time building on that.  I did 400 with fist gloves and 4x100 intervals.  1:49, 1:46, 1:47, 1:45.

My computer has crashed on me a bit so I have not updated resently.  We are rained out of softball today so I have a little more time.

This morning was rainy so I ended up putting the bike on the trainer.  I really was not too excited to be on the trainer in May, but I do not bike in the morning and I had a busy day at work the in the evening.

So I listened to tri-talk and enjoyed the ride.  I am looking forward to an outdoor biking session saturday, if I am not too sore from laying sod on Friday. 

For the first time in about a month, I got two swim workouts in one week.  I rolled  by lazy body out of bed and did some splashing.

Did a timed 800 as usual, rather slower at 15:49.  Wanted to work on speed so I planned on doing 8x50.  At 6 my shoulder started to act up a little so I put the fins on a finished my workout with drills.

My splits were 50, 50, 49, 49, 51, 50. 

I guess I was thinking I did a mile, but I was 400 short of a mile. 

It is good to know that on a not too fast day, I am still under 16 min.  Last year at this time on a not so fast day I was at 17:30-18:00.

A breakthrough workout today.  I biked at 7:30 AM for a 25 mile bike ride.  I had to turn back and put warmer clothes on.  I don't like biking that early but I had a big day afterwards and I wanted to get the brick in.

I paced the biking pretty good for my first 25 miler of the season. I went out with much of the time at 22mph.  After the turn around, it was mostly 21 mph.

I ran the MVP 5k right after and wanted to keep around 7 min miles.  I had a 7:00. 7:15, 7:15.  So I felt pretty good to not pushing it too hard and this early in the season. 

Afterwards I coached t-ball and fast pitch.  I was dead after the fast pitch practice since I pitched batting practice.  We layed a 80 x 30 piece of ground with sod so my kids will have plenty of grass to be active on. 

Slept in this rainy morning.  My back was sore so I  lifted in the morning.  If I don't keep up on the lifting, I am through.  I ran the 10k route after work.  Was at 7:30 or so miles.  50 min.  Felt pretty good, but did not push it.  It was nice to run in the sunshine. 

Swam a timed mile.  32:55.  Not too impressive.  I still have to fight the mental game swimming a mile.  I did not push it and finished relatively refreshed.

Lifted in the morning and wanted to do a lunch time workout, but that did not happen.  I had to present to the school board so I was pretty stressed at lunch.

I worked out my frustration on not getting a workout in on Wednesday and did a brick.  I ran the short riverbottoms run with the jr. high warm up.  Afterwards I biked around the golf course.

During the day my back was killing me.  It was about as bad as it has ever been.  Nate massaged my neck a bit and it feels somewhat better this evening.  I think the low areo bars of my bike is playing havic on my neck which hurts my back, hip and makes my calfs go tight.  That is a weird combination, but it is a long story.

I don't know if I can continue to use the bike, if  my neck is going to go bad.

recover from neck and back problems

Recover from neck and back problems--getting better

Ran on the grass at the jr. high.  My back was still feeling some soreness.  I had a guy look at my leg length and he said it was 1/4 inch off.  So I ran an easy 4 laps.  My back felt better later that day.

I felt pretty good so I swam.  Did a timed 800 in 15:31.  I started peaking at my watch after each lap which motivated me to swim faster.  My last 400 was faster than my first.  Drilled for 400 and then did 300 of 3x 100 in 1:46, 1;44, 1:46 which was about as fast as I go.

Down pour this morning and an all day meeting so I got on my bike trainer and gutted out a 55 min. ride.  I lifted a bit afterwards.

The neck is getting better.  I did not look up too much with my biking.  I am not sure I can keep with the tri bike, if it is going to put me in a week long tail spin after riding it.

I am looking forward to running on thursday.

I woke up a little later and heard the rain on the roof.  I remember Tom's words: There is no bad weather, just bad clothes.  So I bundled up and got drenched.  I was not cold though.  I had to cut my run short because people were waiting for me at the offic when I got there.

I ran on the grass again.

I did something I hardly ever do . . . did two run workouts in a row.  I was quite disappointed I had to cut Thursday short, so I did a harder workout . . . . at least for me.

I ran my warm up and then the river bottoms 10K.  I started at 7:30 miles and think I ended up with 7:45-8. by the time I was done.

Legs were hurting a bit at the end so I walked it in the last two blocks.

Went on our daddy daughter campout this weekend.  We stayed up in Elk Ridge and road horses and a 4 wheeler.  After I got back I went for my bike ride.  I actually rode back up to Elk Ridge on Goosenest Dr. which is a pretty good steady hill.  I then looped the SF gold course and down the river bottoms.  I went decently hard and my legs felt pretty good.  It was a battle with the neck.  We will see how I feel sunday.  Time 1:15 for a 40k ride, which is respectable on a 4 hill course.

I had forgot that I was going to race on Monday for most of last week.  On Saturday I remembered, but did not adjust any training.  Sunday was a rest day.

So I woke up on Memorial Day and was not sure I wanted to run or if I was going to register.  I registered with about 5 minutes before the race (I had warmed up).

I have been involved with this race for 12 years.  I run the course all the time.  There are many high school runners in it (since the race is a fund raiser for the track team).

I felt pretty good.  I had a oatmeal packet an hour and half before the race.  No gu today.

I first mile is wickedly fast.  It is down hill, it has lots to stupid young runners pushing the pace (I was that dumb once).  I hit the first mile marker at 5:33, and I was hanging back.  When I got to the bottom of the hill, we went to work on picking runners off.  I probally caught 7 runners in the next mile and a half.  My second mile was at 6:25.  Mile two is all up hill and is hard to get a good split.  For mile three, I pushed it hard.  6:24 with the .1  I have not ran that hard in a while (that is how I use to race--all guts all pain). But I got passed by Darin at the last stretch so I placed third in my age group.  I competed against a grundle of athletes that I had coached, some beat me for the first time ever.

So not expecting much from todays race, I ran my fastest 5k in the last 10 years.  A PR!!  I noticed that I had run a sub 18:30 as one of my goals.

I did not cramp at all.  I have to run a little more calm at the first to keep from cramping, so that paid off for me.  I thought the lead group was going to split more than they did and fall back, but they did not. 

I was pleased with the race today and it is a blessing to be able to be run.

Swam a timed 800 in 15:37.  Was a little disappointed in that I wanted to break 15:30.  Did another 600 of drills and  200 in 4x50.  I did swim my final intervals in 51, 51, 49, 48.  I have not swam a 48 in a long time.  I was up on top of the water better.

Did a hill workout with Tom and Kim.  I ran to the riverbottoms hill, and then we did 8 90 second intervals.  I tried to pace just a bit since I did not know what I was getting into.  I started to cramp a little on 6 and sandbagged it on 7 and was ok for 8.  Thanks Tom and Kim for the invite and workout.  Tom lead out and did a nice workout.

I have my next race in a month, the Wasatch Back Relay.  My leg is #12 so I have a 5k up hill, a 5 mile flat and finish the race with a down hill 5 mile.  I will go to Park City on June 9th and practice my final leg. 

I worked out on the Riverbottoms Velodrome.  I slept in and had to get to work on time so I did hill repeats on my bike on the same hill I ran with Tom and Kim yesterday.  I did four laps, going up and around the roads by pioneer cem. and down the steep road. 

I go to scout camp next week so I hope I can get some time to workout.  I have a 7 AM meeting which makes the morning workout harder to swing.  I am not always with the kids so I hope I can take some me time.

Did a timed 1600 this morning.  I wanted to break 32 min, but ended up with a 32:05.  I perhaps could have made it, but a jelly fish of hair attacked my face and I had to clean that off . . . . the joys of a old public pool.  That is right up there being the definition of gross.

I wish I could swim like I did in January, but I am still doing much better than last year. 

I looked over my mile times and I think it is the fourth fastest mile I have swam.  I don't swim the mile to often.

Biked in the morning before going to scout camp.  Decent ride.

Did a 6 mile workout at scout camp.  3 up hill, 3 down hill.  when you are on a hill, you have no choice but to do hill work.  I even drove down the really steep hills.

I took my bike and indoor trainer and did an outside stationary training at scout camp.  I was all alone in a dirt parking lot overlooking Mt. Pleasant.  It was pretty.

Snow, mud, rain, mud, hail, mud and cold at scout camp.  Miserable day to be camping.  The boys did pretty good.  Not all were prepared for bad weather.  We had a pavilion to be under most of the time so that helped a bunch.

The roads were impassable and our other scoutmaster's 4 wheel drive got stuck so I was going no where to run.

More rain and even more mud.  No workout today.  It was cold and muddy. 

No more rain, but did not workout.  Too busy of a day.  Still pretty muddy and cooler.

Left scoutcamp today and was pretty tired.  My back was starting to hurt.

I can't even walk up straight.  My back is killing.  I came home from church early today and I am a cripple.

Got a massage last night and that helped to at least keep me mobile.  Took it easy at my PE training.  At night the girls joined me at Park City and I jumped in the hot tub.  That loosened my back up.  I want for a walk last thing and felt better.

Ran on the Park City path.  Took it easy and was glad to be running.

Ran some hill work this morning.  I was going out to the riverbottoms, but nature told me to go to the Jr. High so I did some up and downs on the hills there with ending with one going down to 200 E.  Did not run really hard.  My back was kind of stiff, but I could move.

Did not get up with the alarm clock, and had to get to work early.  Big fat zero today.

After my recovery day yesterday, I wanted to go longer.  I ran my 1.5 mile warm up and then the riverbottoms 10k.  I did not feel real energetic.  Took about a hour total.

WBR next saturday.  So I am keeping off my bike.  I don't want to put any more pressure on my neck and back.

I did hill repeats up and down at the riverbottoms.  I went 2:32 up and that far down with 90 sec recovery.

I worked on going up the hills worked hard on taking a shorter stride and keeping my cadance up.  When I checked on my cadance it was at 90 per min--right were I wanted to be.  I run that on flat land and that is the bike cadance too.  90 per min is the magic cadance number.  The reason I want to have shorter step going up is that my aerobic capacity is greater than my ability to fight latic acid.  I was huffing and puffing going up the hills, but my legs did not feel fatigue.  That is the concept of "breaking your work into smaller pieces" and let the lungs and heart do the work.  Very few times do I max out on my lungs, so that was a good time to push that part.  So I have to race up hill at WBR and I want to have a good technique and stratagey.  I am acually more worried about the 5 mile down hill leg.  I have not really leanded into the hill and let myself fly, but I will have too.  Good thing it is my last leg and only 5 miles.

Happy father's day to me.  I got my Garmin 305 and more running attire.  I love it when I shop for myself.

Ran my first time with the garmin and heart rate monitor.  Still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles.

I am running WBR this week, but I thought I would go fairly hard today.  I like rest, buy my body likes to be use to fast running to run fast (avoid side aches).  I di dmy 1.5 mile warm up and then the timed 10K with the splits.  I wanted to keep close to 7 min miles.

I don't have my Garmin right now, but it was 7:02, 7:04, 7:04, 7:15, 7:35, 7:35, with a 44:20 total time.  My heart rate was 162-5 on the first three miles then climbed up over 170 for the last miles.  Miles 5, 6 are all up hill. 

I have a 3.3 up hill leg, then a 5 mile flat and then a 5 mile down hill leg.   #12 on Ragnar wasatch back relay.  I want to keep a decent pace on the first leg and not blow my legs.  The flat, I should be able to run under 7s the second leg.  The last leg should be closer to 6:40s if the hill is not too steep so I can just lean into the hill and fly.  But I have ran by feel for many years and it has served me well, so I think that will be my first decider.

Pretty uneventful swim this morning.  I have not been to the pool all month so I did an easy 800 and drills and finished with a 5x 50 in 51 secs.

It takes me a few times to get back into swimming shape, but spudman is still 5 weeks off so I will make a push in July.

Trying my more aggressive taper--is aggressive taper a oximoron?  I ran the MVP route in 7 min miles at noon.  Wanted to get some more hot weather training in.  I wanted to see also what the mile splits were on the road and on the garmin were.  I had the course .05 short.  My splits were right around 7. 

Trying to rest up for the WBR on Friday.

Rest day for Ragnar relay

I usually do not do crazy running events, but did the wasatch back relay for the first time.  I was on a masters team from my area called "CUPS"  We had 8 runners over 50, who are seasoned tough runners.  The other 4 were in their 40's.  Last year this team took second, in the master's division, so we had high hopes.  We finished at 23 hours.

We had a 4:00 start time.  Van #1 did very well.  Beating projected start times.  It was hot. I got to run at 11 at night for a 3.3 uphill run.  I can't remember my time, but I  think I averaged 8:30 miles for a "very hard" uphill run.  I felt good and was in good shape coming in.

We got about 90 min of sleep waiting for van #1 to catch up to us on the second leg.  I ran a 5 mile moderate course up a slight incline to Rockport Res.  I averaged 6:50 miles for most of the time and felt good about my race.  It was at 6 in the morning so I did not have to carry that dang flashlight around.

For the third leg, I got to finish out the race on a down hill.  I hit some 6:15 miles and ended with a 33 min and 6:34 average.  It finished with the who team finishing together and I sprinted as fast as I could to the line. . . . . I did not realize it was a cool thing to finish as a team.  I have now two blisters on the bottom of my feet the size of quarters.

The culture was quite interesting.  Women went bonkers with the team thing. . . . mainly mentioning women things (boobs, underware and bras).  They dressed up in weird outfits.  Decorated their vehicles.  One group even clicked coconuts all the time I saw them and they quoted Monty Python.

There were some great runners there, and also a great team spirit to work for a goal.  It was not an easy event.  I have never heard such complaining from runners who run 10-12 miles a day.  (I run 18 a week). 

I am now sick of granola bars, gatorade and gu.  Give me some real food and some sleep.

Went for an evening jog to enjoy the night and the wind started to blow, and a little rain and I was still pretty sore from the WBR, so I turned back and went home.

Ran an easy morning workout of 4 miles.

Did a before dinner bike ride--since I love to workout in the hot sun.  Went around by Val Cope's and around the golf course.  Felt pretty good.

Did a before dinner bike ride out 25 min and back by Benjamin. 

Ran a another hot weather workout at 2:00.  It was around 92.  I carried some gatorade.  Ran the riverbottoms route and to the bank.  I had to cash a check for my trip to San Antonio on Saturday.  Ran 7:45-8:30 miles.  I could feel the heat after I got done.

Now that I am a week after the WBR, I am not too excited to compete next year.  I do not like missing a night worth of sleep.  Life has been quite busy with ball games, scouts, and especially work.  I have not got caught up on sleep.

I did not get into the pool this week and will not get into the pool next week unless the hotel has a lap pool--which they never do.

Ran the riverwalk at San Antonio.  Nice and pretty run.  A lot of things happening on the run, so you think you have gone farther than you really have.

Ran the riverwalk again.  Went with my buddy for 25 min and then went and did 4x 800 in about 6:15-30 pace.

Ran the riverwalk and neighborhood for 6 miles.

Ran the riverwalk and neighborhood.  The first 25 minutes was a faster pace.  Then my buddy ran home and I did the 4x 800 again.  I was at 3:10-3:17s.

It was a while since I could take my shirt and wring it out and have lovely sweat come out of it.  As wrestlers, we use to get in the sauna and you had to have 100 drops of sweat come off your nose before your could take a break.  After one of the intervals, It only took me 90 seconds to have 60 drops of sweat fall from my face.  Now I don't make it habit of counting sweat, but the humity was fun to run in.  Good thing it was in the morning.

I am entering this at the airport, so I am home for another two weeks, then off of Oregon and the Spudman.

Just some observations on my trip to the South.  The people were very friendly.  I did not see racial tensions at San Antonio. 

The food in Texas is good--too good. There are so many over weight people in the South.  Food--unhealthy food--is so much a part of the culture.  They do not get it.  Beef is a staple.  Bacon is a food group.  I ordered pancakes one breakfast and the guy gave me bacon instead.  There is lots of unhealty foods being advertised.  No wonder when you look at obesity stats, the South is significantly worse off than the rest of the nation.  Then if you add smoking and drinking too that, the health is awful--and that is the tip of the iceberg--it will get worse and ruin the healthy care (affordable insurance) as we know it.

Happy Fourth of July

I biked a 40k out to West Mountain.  Going out, I was going great--23 mph with out too much effort.  I was thinking I was pretty cool and in shape.  Then I turned back and felt the wind, that was previously at my back.  I could barly see the plants move from the wind, but the bike is so sensative to wind.  I came back at 20-21 mph. 

This was a 4:30 work out, but I did ok with the heat.  It was overcast and I am working on keeping hydrated while moving.

Off to stadium of Fire and Hannah Montana--you know I will be screeming will all the girls with excitement.

Did an open water swim-run brick.

My Nebo tri club was doing an open water swim at 8 AM so I joined them at the reservoir.  I tried out my new wetsuit for the first time--merry christmas to me--in 07.  I was impressed with the gliding and bouyancy I got from it.  After I got tired, I was swimming just as bad as I always do, but I have high hopes for a faster swim at spudman.  We swam 50 minutes--I took two 5 min breaks during that time--every 15 minutes when my form started to struggle.  I do not like to practice swimming wrong. 

I decided to do a 10 race/run after.  I drove home and did my riverbottoms 10k.  I wanted to beat the stinking 7 minute guy.  I got 10 sec. behind him the first mile, as I got my legs and before I started to watch the garmin closely.  The next miles I caught up and passed him.  At mile 5 I was 15 seconds a head of him.  At mile four, my heart rate went up to 180 and a little above.  I have to slow down a bit and relax my run and got it back to mid 170s.  At mile 5 I have the up hill for the rest of the race.  I had a 7:49, 7:30, which was not too bad but it was a butt kicker.  I ended with a 44:30, but hit the half  (5k) at 21:20 so a 42 something is possible at spudman.

I practiced my nutritian.  I took a GU in my fuel belt and downed that at the one mile mark, then washed it down with my weak gatorade.  I usually do not drink on a fast run, but I pushed myself to get some more fluids, especially at miles 2-4.  It was after 10 AM and it was toasty.  I had two fuel belt bottles, one with gatorade and one with water.  I did good until I dumped the gatorade on my head thinking it was the water (I had switched the side the bottles were on).  I could have been a winning coach with gatorade on me.  The GU felt great in the tummy and the drink was fine.

Did a afterwork bike ride before friends came over for a BBQ.  I tried sockless and felt wicked fast without socks.  Last time I raced without socks I did not do well.  (socks cost you a lot of time in transition, so fast people do not do socks.)  It felt pretty good, but I could sure smell stinky feet when I got done.  I have been trying to go bare foot more to toughen up my feet.  I hate going bare foot.  But I will see how things go and decide later whether to go sockless at spudman.

I biked around copes, the golf course and down the riverbottoms and up the hill and finished on my 10K route.  Hit 23 mph for a decent part of it.

I lifted in the morning.  I have been really excited for the Tour de France to start and saw the prerace.  I have been taping some of the endings for a dreary winter day on the indoor trainer.

Swam in the morning.  Did a timed 800 in 16 and fist gloves and intervals.

I took my new bike in the shop and bought some pedals for my older touring bike.  I was wanted to know how the two bikes compared with speed and feel.  My older bike is more comfortable, but my neck was still worn out.  I think I am at least 1 mph faster on the new bike.  Kind of a weak workout, but had things to do . . . .

Started a 10K race to beat the 7 min man.  I was beating him by 45 sec at the 5 mile mark and pulled up and jogged home.  I was feeling some twitches and pains. 

Pretty good mid week workout.  I am keeping speed up so I should not cramp at Spudman.  I am looking at a several min improvement from last year.  I am consistantly swimming 1:20 faster on the 800 than a year ago, plus I have the wick fast wet suit that should be good for another 30-40 seconds.  If I can just pick the right line and stay on it on the swim . . .

I have the new bike and it should be faster.  I sandbagged it a little last year by getting in a peloton, and ended up with a bad bike split.  I felt good for the run though.  I had to watch my hamstrings last year on the run, so I think I can pull some more off the run.  If I hit a hard bike, I might not.  But I am in the best running shape since college.  I am 10 pounds lighter and have had a better year of practice.

Did my second open water swim with my tri club . . . except no one else showed.  So I swam the res by myself.  Had to get a big Poly to help me zip up my wet suit.  I like the feel of the wet suit.  It is a little tight in my chest . . . the joys of being a tight wad and buying online, instead of supporting the speciality shop.

It was an evening workout.

Uneventful flat recovery run.

Did a bike/swim brick.  Had breakfast and went out at 10:30 so I could hit the pool after it opened at noon.

Felt about as good as I ever had on the bike.  I did the Utah Lake/Lincoln beach route.  I always fly down, but coming back is always much more difficult.  On the Garmin I averaged 21 MPH, with the heart rate of 163.  I went about full speed--which is my typical bike training speed.  I do not get over 25 miles in, and even over 18 for that matter so I am trying to train to not bonk after 18.  I need to conserve my legs the first half of the bike, so I can be more aggressive on the second half.  I just feel so good and start going fast.  GU after 30 min on the bike will help too

Getting in the water to swim was weird.  The water felt thick.  I have never felt that before.  After swimming open water and in a wet suit--or perhaps after biking (I have never swam tired). My time was OK of the 800 (15:52).  I did set a record today on my 50m.  I hit 45.10.  I did not breath as much.  I think my fastest time before was 46.  I remember when my fastest was 75 sec.  I do not even do 75s using the fist gloves now. 

Bought some new googles that were a piece of crap, so I went to the speciality swim shop and bought the cool socket rocket type goggle.  Hopefully they will not leak.

Ran a difficult 6 miles today.  I wanted to hit 7 min but it was not going to happen after a 1.3 mile warm up.  I ran at 12:30 and it was desceptively hot.  The sun was not out, but it was pretty warm.  I had a light snack before going out, but I was still out of sorts.  I ran 7:30s for most of it with the heart rate in the mid to high 160s.  That is a high zone 4 training run (not adjusted to my personal max heart rate)  and zone 5 is racing speed.  I think I have a typically high heart rate.  I can roll out of bed in the morning at be at 120 bpm.

In the morning I was pretty still so I lifted a bit and ran after getting warmed up from the day.

Swam a timed 800 in 15:27. That is down from last weeks 16:00 after I had not swam too much. I am trying to go three times a week right before spudman to get a micro peak out of it. I usually get better after a layoff then I get worse. So I am trying to time it right. I watched a swim video with a swimmer who did a great job with the arm reach and "reach around the barrel" catch. I tried to do that more. I was a little more winded than I should have been. New goggles were ok . . . .

Had to do an evening run since I had a class in the morning to teach.  It was even a wellness class.

I biked the west mountain route.  I tried to not go out so hard and I think it helped me to do better coming back.  Perhaps it just meant I went slower all around, but I enjoy the second half better.  It looked like it was going to rain, but it did not, so it was gusty and overcast.

I have bought a lot of stuff online for my triathlons, and most of the stuff does not fit really confortable.  I might I have to go to the local tri shop and give them my $$$ from now on.

I have a good workout to do Thursday morning and then it is hitting the road for Oregon for a week and then Spudman on the way back.

Swam a timed 800 in 15:43.  I  was thinking I could swim a 15:20 after the 15:27 earlier in the week.  I just could not figure out how to go faster.  Swimming is a weird science.

Ran with Tom and Kim for a good three mile warm up.  It was fun to talk to them.  Then I hit 4x 800 in 3:15 or so.  It was enough to get my body use to going that fast.

Had a nice hilly Oregon bike ride.  It ended up a little short since I hit the end of the paved road and did not want to go up more hills.

Stopped with some energy left so I could go ride the Waver runner.  We rode on the Columbia River for several hours and I was tired after that.  I don't think I will be sore though.

Ran along the Columbia River on a trail.  It was right next to the interstate so it was not as pleasant of run as it could have been.

It took a while to warm up.  Did a 10 min warm up slow.  15 min run a little faster and then finished with 3x 3:00 min with 90 second jog. 

Taper week--so not too hard but intense enough to keep the body use to something.

Swam a timed 800 meters in a windy outdoor pool at The Dalles.

It was a 50 meter pool. I thought 50 meter pools were faster than 25 meters but this was not the case. I did a 16:30 or so. One way had a pretty good headwind. It was cold, until I got doing the laps then it was not too bad.

Rode a windy windy up hill and down hill roads. Did not push it very hard. Just enough to check out my gear and keep use to working a little.

I will blog on Thursday, which is going to be a rest day.

I have made a lot of preparations for the race.  perhaps more than I ever have.  This is my first race since leaning about tri-talk podcast.  He suggested a top 20 pieces of equipment that will save time.  I purchased many of them, and some I am just getting around to using. 

Last year I took 56 in the spudman and 48 the year before.  With my extension on my house, I did not get a good year of training.

I hope to break top 40 this year.  I think I can cut off at least 3 min.  I want to break 18 on the swim (on milliseconds) low 17s on my watch.  I was at low 19s last year.  Last year I did not compete in the bike well.  With the new bike, I can cut at least 2 min.

I have found two in my age group that are unbeatable.  There is a third that was two min faster than me last year.  There are others that will show.  The 40-44 age group has some extremely good athletes, but not as many.  Spudman usually has 95 35-39.  So I should be close to top 5 in AG.

The run will be just a tab bit faster.  I sandbagged on the bike last year which helped my run and had a great run at 43 min.  If I could break 43, I will be happy.

I have installed a GU flask, fixed my Profile water bottle, put on my spare tube and CO2.  I bought a big bottle of Hammer Gel to go in my flask.  I just about have my new goggles broken in. 

Just a quick run and some accelerations.  Felt good.

I completed my 6th time going to the Burley Idaho Spudman.  The race featured 1500 athletes.  The event is extremely popular, selling 2000 slots in 20 min.

I improved my time by four minutes from last year.  I accomplished 3 of my 4 goals and felt good coming away from the race.

At the event, there was a drowning of a 60 year old man from Provo.  I suspect it was heart problems, in as much as it was at the first of the race and he did not fight much.  He went down and it took 30 min for the divers to find him.  I hope all is well with his family.  Nation wide, 33% of Americans will die of heart disease and that does not get put on the news.

Back to the race.  My swim goal was to come out around 17 min.  My previous swims were 23, 21, 18, 19:20 and I swam a 16:16 this year.  Having a good wet suit helped alot and I rode the current better.  The start was not as hectic and I only hit  a few people.  Many stayed closer to the shore, which helped me.  I had the 89th fastest swim and 13th in my AG.  Last year I was 357 and 54.  I had a better swim than bike--that was unheard of when I started to tri.

I hit T1 about as good as expected.  Got on the bike and knew I had to not blow my legs the first half of the race.  I felt pretty good and competed well except the last part, I slowed down.  I was only passed by 3 or 4 on the bike and only one was from my AG that I did not pass later.  I did the same on the bike as last year.  I was hoping to magically go faster.  I had a new bike and areo helmet, but I had not done anything else for training.  I need a much better base (more miles) to take my bike to the next level.  For the first time, I felt I needed to work harder instead of spend more money.  I only did 5 or 6 25 mile rides.  I need some 30-50 rides.  I was 15 in my AG and 126 overall.  15th is actually my best AG finish in the bike--I was 26 last year with the same time. 1:02.  I think there was more drafting last year in my AG. 

T2 went well and I hit the run feeling good.  I took in a little too much hammer gel on my bike so I had to work a left side side ache out at mile two.  I went Garmin less and had to rely on the incorrect mile markers.  My first mile was 6:46 and I think I kept it right around that.  It was a proper 10K.  I got a 42:20.  Last year I was at 43:06.  I was passed by two people.  The splits come out to 6:49, which seem right.  I was 44 overall in the run, which is the same as last year--meaning the field was faster. 

Felt good about the season and now I have to find another race.

Ran a really easy Jr. High warm up and then around Abbie Court.  Pretty uneventful, except Kim trying to knock down Kellie P door to get her out of bed.  Funny thing, she could not hear from Disneyland.

Added up my miles on my shoes--260.  When you only go 18 miles per week, I get a few monthes out of them.  April 5th purchase date.

I am switching to some base/build workouts, especially for the bike.  I had a stressful morning so I only go my lifting in.  I got out of work early and hit the bike.  I used my road bike, hoping that I could put some COMFORTABLE miles in on that without my head falling off.  I moved the seat up and that felt pretty good.  I went on all my favorite routes in one ride (I don't get too creative on picking new routes--and I don't need too).  Around the golf course, to the base of Harry's hill, over to Goosenest, down Utah ave in Payson, out to Benjamin and back up by the new ball parks.

I averaged 157 beats per min at 18.4 mph.  I was surprized my heart rate was as high as it was with trying to go easy.  It could have been the fact it was hotter than blaze outside (4-6 PM).  I limped home on tired legs, but healthy legs.  That was great my knees felt good and my neck does not feel too tired.  It is nice to enjoy a bike ride again. 

Could not get out of bed this morning.  Still dragged myself to the pool.  Swam an easy mile in 33:27.  Felt good afterwards.

Biked after lunch to and from work.  The swamp cooler has the water turned off.  It was a pleasant 93 in my office when I left (then I biked home at 5 to cool down).

Yes that is a 9.8 miles for the tri guy. I planned on a long run and got one. Ran a 1.4 warm up and then a big loop at the riverbottoms and the tree road. I hope my knee is ok. I ran between 7:50s and 8:30 miles.

This is the first time I have swam for 45 min straight.  I tried to stay relaxed with good form.  Not exactally successful, but not too bad.  I was swimming 62 sec per laps.  Now a 800 just does not seem too long. 

I biked around West Mountain this morning.  It was cool and pretty.  I was going to go with Morgan, but he had bike problems.  I kept an even pace.  I did not have any technology other than the watch to tell me my speed.  It was kind of nice not having a pace nag.  I just went by feel and I was just trying to work on distance and not speed.  I used my road bike.  I made sure I had plenty of fluids and food.  Last time I did this ride last year I bonked.

Ran a yucky 7 miler. I was tight and not a lot of energy. I perhaps was a little sore from the bike ride on sat. 8:30 miles.

Had a great swim.  Swam a timed mile in 31:35, two min faster than last week (but I was trying to go fast this time)  My second 800 was 15:59 so that was good.  Did 400 of drills and 400 of intervals after.

Trying to conquer the mental mile.  It still takes metal effort to swim a mile.

By starting with the timed mile, I have increased my swim volume by 50%.

10 miles of evening errands on the bike and out with my oldest daugter.

I did an evening bike ride.  I ran out of daylight so I tried to go fast and sweet.  I went around the golf course and up Harry's hill.  I have only gone up that hill one other time and I remember it being harder than it was this time.  Big wind so it was a safety issue going down the hill.  I used my tri bike today.  I might try to go fast on wednesday on my tri bike and long on saturday with my road bike--that might keep me in shape with both sets of muscles.  I wish I could go more, but it just does not work.

Lifted in the morning.

Ran a lunch time sweaty 8 miles.  Quite uneventful.  I was tired and tight by the end.  I ran a new route down by the old BYU Farm and back.

Signed up for Camp Yuba tri on Sept 6th.  It is Olympic distance.  So I have to practice my mile swim and 40K bike.  The bike is kind on hilly.

A week from Saturday I get to do the Spanish Fork Crosscountry team tri.  I have done this race two other times and won them both.  It is against high school kids and a few parents.   Dave thinks he is going to beat me.  He is a good biker (the course is mountain bike, which I have to use our $100 bike) so I do not get an advantage with using my wick fast tri bike.  Last year they started with me in the bathroom and I started two min late and was still the third on my bike. 

Did a timed mile in 31:35.  15:46 at 800 so my second 800 was 15:51.  It is nice to have better balance.

Rode around West Mountain again, this time with Morgan.  He had not been putting in too many miles this summer.

The last part was quite eventful in that we joined the Utah half tri and got passed by some.  We were in 11 and 12 place--we were awesome,  (some guy was counting how many passed him on the out and back bike route.  We were passed by some super fast guys--for a 56 mile ride, they were flying.

Then we got passed by many groups of bikes going the other way.  They were on some long ride.  They were drafting (which touring bikes do) and were going on the same course as the triathlon--which they can't draft.  I wonder if that will cause problems.

I went over the rail road tracks, but there were 6 bikes with flat tires after the tracks.  Poor riders.

My knee seemed to be acting up.  I just might not be destined to do longer distances.

Ran a fairly uneventful 7 at lunch time.  I lifted in the morning. I am starting to lift again on my knee and see if I can strengthen the quads to keep the patella tendonitis out.

I did not feel my knee on the run today.  I ran 7:50s and ended with a 7:20.  I don't seem to have much speed right now, but I am in a small base/build phase as I try to peak again for Yuba.

Ran without water and actually wished I had it.  I usually don't need it. 

I am trying a more aggresive mid morning snack.  I have a good breakfast but a couple pieces of fruit does not do it for me for a snack.  I will try  a good peanut butter sandwich. 

Swam an uninsprired workout. Did a 400 (going to go for a mile, but I was not swimming too good so I switched to drills). Did 400 of pull boay and 300 of fist gloves.

Then did 6x100 in 51 and 52 seconds. Could not find speed.

Had one of my best bike workout today.  Rode a hard 27.  Went up several hills (Goosenest to Elk Ridge and down Loafer Canyon Road.

Hit 23 mph many times.  I listened to some other triathletes who talked about relaxing on the bike and that helped.  Noon workout.  Did a morning lifting session.

Ok, one of the yuckiest workout of the year as far as running goes.  Perhaps it was the two chocolate chip cookies and milk I had before running.  Or it was the hot weather or the 4 PM time.  But I did not have the legs . . . . I did a one mile warm up at the new ball park.  (I was actually checking it out to see if I wanted to have a elementary school one mile championship run there in the fall.) Then did 4x 800 in 3:20s. 

I think I was tired from the bike yesterday.  It was more than what I was use to.

Swam a timed mile and got the fast time of the summer (I have not swam the mile too many times, but I am looking on the bright side).  31:31.  The nice thing about todays swim was I was within two seconds on 200 splits 2-8 (3:57).  Usually I go back to at least 4:00min.

I worked harder than race pace.  When I went well I was reaching down deeper and getting my feet up.

I race against the high school cross country team on saturday.  Should be fun.  I have won the event two other times.

I will call this a race report.  I competed in the "fun" high school cross country team triathlon.  This is the fourth or fifth year they have done it.  Some of the athletes I use to coach are still on the high school team.  My high school coach is still there, after 21 years.

We started at the Spanish Fork reservoir.  It was a 7 AM start time and it was windy.  I had my nice cosy full wetsuit on, and few others had a wet suit.  Last year they started the race as I sat on the pot so I got a 2 min late start.  That did not happen this year.  I think I swam about 90 seconds faster than I usually do.  I felt pretty good and was leading after the first minute.  I come out of the water 57 seconds in front of second place, an dad who is a triathlete. 

I did go for socks on transition.  I took a few luxuries, since I figured I was going to beat them anyway.  We went zooming down the hill and traveled along the highland canal road.  It is a dirt road so I had to use my $100 Walmart mountain bike instead of the tri bike.  I did not have clips for my feet so it was a different pedal stroke for me since I could not lift at all.  I ave. 16 mph on the dirt road.  We finished at Mt. Loafer elem and dropped the bike and switched the garmin over to running from bike mode.  The run course is 2.5 miles on the Salem Days course.  I was please with how good I felt on the run.  I hit a 6:00 mile then a 6:05.  It is down hill but the second mile was not a lot of down hill.  Came in feeling good and 6 min ahead of the field.  I have taken first place all three times I have competed in this event.  I am not sure if I had the fastest split on the run.  We there were some good runners, but I am not sure how they competed after the swim and bike.  I am pretty sure I won the bike leg, even though one of the high school boys prides himself on biking (I beat him on the bike last year).

I ran the course backwards to my bike and then biked back up to the resevior.  That is the first time I have biked up to the resevior--and my legs have felt that all day. 

As an advocate for wellness, it is nice to go back to my old high school team and be able to compete at that level as a 40 year old.  I hope many of them will value fitness enough to stay fit when they are 40 and beyond.

I lifted in the morning, after sleeping in.  Then I felt good enough to do a recovery run.  I was still sore from Saturday.  I ran 3 miles at 8 min then I visited the crapper. . . after that much of a rest, my legs felt better.  I ran a 7:40, 7:20, 6:47 with finishing on the last mile of the MVP run.  I felt great all day from the run (not from the visit to the crapper).

I added push ups to my lifting.  So I do back extensions, sit ups, three way neck, trapezius pull with the bands, glute lift on stability ball and wall squats with the ball.  All lifts are critical to keep me moving!

Rode an excellent workout at lunch.  I did the "Elk Ridge figure 8".  I went up Mt. Loafer Dr. to Elk Ridge down Elk Ridge Dr. over to Goosenest and back up to Elk Ridge Dr.  A nice balance between flats and hills.  I was going fast for some reason home.  I am not sure if the wind was at my back.  Sometimes I can go fast after going up a hill. 

Got stung for my second time this month.  As I was scrambling to scratch the sting, a bug flew in my mouth.  The joys of biking.

I am trying to sneak an extra bike in this week and cut out one swim.  I will swim in the morning and that will be my only swim this week.  I had better make it worth it.

I think the higher miles is helping my bike.

Started off my swim workout by blowing up. 

My time dropped to 4:05s for the 200 so I bagged the time swim and started to drill.  All the favorites for the drills-- fist gloves, pull boay and even fist gloves with the pull boay, handpaddles and flippers.  I think that was the first time I used every trick in my bag . . . . swim bag that is.

By the end of my drills I put all the toys away and did some old fashioned kick drills on my back, which I have not done without flippers too often.

I did 4x200 after the drills and for some reason was going a little faster than I usaully do.  50 sec instead of 51-52.  I wonder if I had to kick harder on the finless drills, which caused me to kick harder on the interval swim.  I will have to do some more finless drills and check out my hypothesis.

An excellent work out.  I started on the track.  I did a 9x400.  Most of the splits were 1:25 or 1:23.  # 8 was 1:20.  I felt great, and often wondered how I ran four laps 15 seconds per laps faster back in high school.  Ran a recovery 200 in between (1:45).

Ran a 3 mile cool down.

An evening bike workout.  Felt great for this workout.  I did the Elk Ridge figure 8 but I added going around the golf course to start.  Most flat was at 23 mph. 

Had to go to a scout meeting all day so I had to get a earlier workout in.  I figured I was going to need an easier workout since I had just hit a breakthrough bike workout Friday evening.  I ran 30 min of recovery run and then 23 min of faster running. 

Three run workouts in this week and only two bikes, but the bikes were good solid workouts.  Two weeks until Yuba, so I have another work week next week and then the taper.

Did an evening run and it did not work.  I bonked at the 2.5 mile mark and never recovered.  I walked it home.  I will fight another day.

May have been the family home evening treats threw me off.

Did a 3 x 400 with drilling in between.  It was hard to make it all work, but I did have some faster times on the 400. 

Biked an all out 14 out and back.  Tried to push it and keep my speed up.  I was not really impressed with my speed.  I am not so paranoid about going harder at the first of the race now.  I did hit the wall at 18.

Here it is Thursday, and I have not entered any blogs this week.  Busy time.

I ran a 6 x 800.  I wanted to run 2:55.  I actually hit 2:55 on 4 of them and was at 2:54 and 2:57 on the others.  I was a littled disappointed that I did not run a sub 1:30 on the second lap on any of them.  The first lap was just as fast as my 400 workout last week (1:22-1:25).   When I relaxed and tried to pace and not sprint, I did better.  Felt good all run and I should not cramp next week at Yuba.

Snuck in a mile swim as I took the girls to the pool.  Strapped a life jacket on my youngest girl and they played while I worked.  32:35.  My elbow had a pain as I turned so I had to be careful on the wall.  Thought I was going to come up with a goose egg today since I slept in.

I rode with some members or our Nebo Tri club.  I planned on going for a couple hours then run a 10 K.  I got a flat tire on Harry's Hill.  I fixed it (I have never changed a tube on the road.  The tube did not set in good and it looked quite ugly and unsafe. I went back home and planned on going out again, but I did not.  I figured if I went out I would not have any energy to do anything else so I did not. 

I washed the windows and screens on the house for 4 hours . . . . .

I guy at our church talked about the book "Love Languages" (I found out later, he has not read the book) but it reminded me of what my wife's language is, which is "service"  So happy 13th anniversary, I cleaned the windows.

Ran a 10k with my daughter on the bike.  Felt kind of tired when I got done.  Mostly around 7:30 pace.

Just lifted in the morning.

Did a timed 800 and drills.

Lifted in the morning.

I will be well, well rested for my tri on saturday.

Did some accelerations on my 20 min course.  Tune up for the big Yuba tri.

I do not know when I am going down and who is going with me.

I was waiting to do my race report after they posted results, but last time I did this race, they were pretty tardy on posting results.

The Camp Yuba tri is a smaller tri an hour from my home.  I went down by myself last night and slept in the back of the van in the parking lot.  I even got to sleep before 10PM and got a great sleep.

There were 300 total participants in the two races, 130 were the olympic and 270 in the sprint.  I did the olympic.  I competed in 06 and took third overall, but there were only about 20 participants.

In 06 I remember freezing before the swim and then the water felt great.  I bundled up more this morning and then put my wet suit on 15 min before so warmth was not an issue this year. 

Swim.  The swim was typical hectic start with smashing into people.  After a few minutes of frenzy swimming, I settled into a good stroke pattern.  The swim was a triangle with big orange boays to sight.  I found if I breathed every stroke as I approached the boay for the turn, I was better off, since it made sighting easier.  I peeked at my watch after the first lap of 750 meter (half way point) and saw I was at high 13s, that made me feel really good since I turtled out a 36 min swim on 06.  The wet suit felt great as far as boayancy.  I kept a decent line and did not zig zag too much, but I still had my moments.  I came out of the water at 28 something and stripped the wet suit, ran up the ramp to the first timer at 29: 37.  I will take a 7-8 min improvement anytime.  I was not too winded and feeling good.  I estimate I was 16-20 place coming out of the water

T1:  Since I already had by wet suit off, T1 was pretty easy.  I went sockless--eventhough on a race like this, I knew that 20 seconds would not make much of a difference.  In large races, that mean places.  I put on my helmet and glasses and ran out of transtion. 

Bike:  I had my shoes attatched to the bike and put them on after 40 seconds on the bike.  The bike route is a long loop, with some hills and bumpy roads and cattle guards.  I was praying that I would not get a flat, since I got one the last two times I rode.  I quickly passed one or two people then got smoked by two riders.  I thought I was going fast 24 mph, but the first one just zipped right by.  I think he won.  I picked off a few more then the roads got extremely long.  You could barely see a rider up a head and I knew I had to chase him (or her).  I picked off a few more doing that.  It took miles to catch one person.  That is a disadvantage to this race . . . .no one to race.  At about the 18 mile mark there was a few miles of out and back.  Then I could see at least someone.  I saw I was 10th.  Then I picked off a few more and then went into T2 with no one close.  Some of the roads were bumpy and that was not fun.  1:12

T2:  Took my shoes off before.  Met up with the sprint athletes.  I did well in t2.  I attached my Garmin to my fuel belt and turned it on before the swim.  I never did get it on my wrist, so I carried it.  I ran out of GU on the bike, so I was glad to have a carbo boom in the fuel belt for the run.

Run.  The run was quite hilly and was hard to establish a good pace.  I wanted to beat 7 min miles. 

Mile 1:  Mostly flat but needing to recover from the bike.  My feet were numb (from cold and stress of the bike).  7:16 mile

Mile 2:  7:32.  Some uphill.  I was in the mist of many of the sprint runners--especially the slow runners, so it was fun to pass someone, but no one to compete against with a good pace.

Mile 3: 7:10  Got to go down the gravely hill, finally saw an olympic athlete and passed him.  He was 43.  I also saw Shane who is 40 a ways back on a short out and back.  He beat me at Spudman so I was thinking I was going to get beat by him today, but he did not compete that well.

Mile 4:  Still up hill 7:38.  I see a guy way up there, I set my sights on him and figure I can catch him.

Mile 5:  6:32  The guy a head take a nice long water break, lets me catch up a little more.  Now we have down hill.  I used the hill and ran well.  Passed him.  After I was barely be able to see the next olympic so I knew the "race" was over.

Mile 6: 7:26.  Back up some hill and on the flat.  I was putting good distance on the guy behind me so no reason to go too fast. Total time 46:16 and I had it as 6.36 miles.  Garmin said 7:16 average.  That is the first tri race with the garmin and it kept nice company.  I like having the pace split and knowing how much longer to go.

The awards were a bust.  The organizer went with a new chip company and it was flop.  I think I got first in AG since if any ahead of me would be overall winners.  I was pretty tired, but felt good about how I competed.  It was a hard course compared to spudman.  It threw me off a little to go the extra half hour on my gels, but it worked out. 

As much as I squawked about going inside on the bike, I jumped on the indoor trainer for 52 minutes for a recovery ride.  I was not ready to run and wanted an easy workout.

Just an easy jog.

Did a speed walk for three miles.  It felt nice to be out in the cool air and doing a relaxing walk.

Swam for 45 minutes with breaks only to work on yes, new googles.  No time on the laps.  tried to keep my hand from crossing mid line.

Easy run.  My quads seem  like they are tighter than they should.  Going to take it easy until they are good.

Went out for an easy lovely bike ride.  Went out not knowing where I was going to end up.  Ekpt my speed at a relaxed 18 mph at 130-140 bpm.  Took my comfortable bike and ENJOYED.

Easy run.

30 min on the bike, 30 min lifting.  Work is a bear right now.  I will come up for air in October.

Little longer run.  Down the bottoms, across tree road and back down the bottoms and up on Scienc.  Knee seems tight and a little swollen.  Not good.

Biked for 20 min in the morning.  Had an early start and work is hetic.

30 minutes of windy slow running at 4:00.  Went into work at 5 AM and got a good start on creating reports for our district data day.  I rode my bike to and from work twice just to keep me from going crazy on a total computer day.

Easy ride on the trainer.

My knee has a little swelling, I have a hectic time at work, and I am out of season and I am just going to enjoy working out for workout sake for a while.  I am taking a mental and physical break.

Easy run