Top of the Key

Another great week in the pool.  I’ve already attained the yardage I was doing at the peak of training this past year.  Tons and tons of drill and form work.  3 Masters classes per week, swimming 6 of 7 days.  I remember last year when I tried to swim 20k once, I was exhausted and physically aching.  Don’t want that to happen again, so easing it up bit by bit and really soaking up the yards.  I’m learning where alot of my weaknesses are from Jane and Tiffany at Masters, as well as video tape, which never lies.  Just need to keep plugging along.

Got a great surprise visit today as i was walking home from the gym.  See photo below:

Saturday was an awesome day.  Woke up early, got my swim in.  Then Jess and I ran together on the trails.  We set up a route to take us back to our condo where we were showing it to possible renters.  Our townhome is open for rent Dec. 1 if you know of anyone.  We then rode our bikes down to the 29th street mall to see the movie 2012.  Lots of action, good to see on the big screen.  Some apps at Zolo and a cocktail or two. Then back on our bikes home to top off the night at Southern Sun, where Jess and I could not complete one Junior Trivial Pursuit card. We both came close, but just weren’t smart enough.

Sunday I was glued to the computer watching IMAZ.  I knew of a few people racing, and Jeff was racing it as a first time Pro.  I always get sucked into watching these.  But this time, it was all familiar to me, I knew exactly where all the camera shots were coming from.  Perfect day too.  Congrats to everyone who raced.

For me, it’s no racing, just pool time.

Took a day off on Sunday from the pool.  Didn’t plan it, but the weather was too good to pass up.  We spent some time in the snow with the dogs, they loved it.  I’ve been getting in my swim groove on.  Lots of drill work, but also lots of masters classes.  I’m learning a ton about myself in the pool.  It’s a long road to travel, the road in the pool that is.  Gotta pay my dues.  I may not see anything from this off-season training.  Or maybe I’ll see a few minutes.  But most likely, in my mind, sticking with a swim plan for a few years should get me some results.

So far this week, I’ve attended 2 5:45am Master swim classes on no coffee.  Not sure why exactly, I’m not quitting my caffeine fix that’s for sure.  But just haven’t wanted to make it or drink it.  Maybe it’s a mode I’m in to make things as difficult as possible.  Early morning swim classes.  Swimming every day.  Swimming with 2 pairs of shorts on (more drag, i guess).  No coffee.  Weight sessions after Masters classes.  What is up?  Sort of feeling my way through the next 2 months.  I have a plan I wrote up, as basic as it could be, it’s still a plan.  Which I need to stay organized.  Part of it could be that come Jan 1, I’ll be in IM mode, and now this is going on my 5th IM attempt, I know what the training will involve, the day in and day out workouts combined with work.  Biking at night till 9 or 10 to get in that 2nd workout.  Right now I just need to push that off as long as possible.  Right now, I just need to swim, suck it up, and put my time in.

Today was not easy.  Felt like swimming in mud.  The last few classed I’ve been hanging on the back of my lane, even considered dropping down a lane…but that would be giving in.  So another class on Friday morning.  Tomorrow is another day!

Back to the pool for me these days.  I’m taking advantage of some ‘dead’ time in training, where I won’t start a plan till January.  With all this time, I’m going to swim, and I have a pretty good idea of where I want to get to before the end of the year.  Swimming masters 2-3 times per week, and then everything is drill…drill till i can’t drill no more.

Just finished a 16k week in the pool.  This will be my base distance moving forward.  My body has responded to the increased yardage, so I feel confident I can continue on this path.  One thing I don’t want to do is overdue it.  I’ve found from my own experience that making a big jump in distance will set you back.  It’s baby steps from here on out, trying to maintain a certain level of intensity, and form to accomplish my goals before the end of 09.

Strength training 3x week is also starting to kick in.  The soreness that you get from starting up a routine is now minimal, and I’m able to push it a bit more.  It’s good to mix it up, and I’m prolonging the start up of actual ‘planned training’ because once I start, I’ll be in the trenches till June.

Jess joined me in the pool today.  It’s always great to have company, especially my wife.  Now it’s time for dinner, Tortilla Soup, a new creation that i can smell from my office.  No doubts it will be awesome.

Race came and went pretty quickly.  This is my 2nd open marathon, the previous one being Denver in 07 when it snowed and rained the whole race.  Sine then, I’ve improved my running alot, so this was a good test to see where I’m at.

The course is absolutely beautiful, and I highly recommend it to anyone on the marathon kick to try this one out.  Very hilly, deceivingly so, with lots of gradual ups and downs.  The weather was perfect.  Family was there for support which was a bonus.  And even met up with a fellow high school classmate who’s wife was running.

Different approach this time to the race in terms of nutrition, and it worked out perfectly.  Keeping it light was the goal.  Started the race slower than target race pace for the first 3 miles, as I watched hundreds of people pass me (I came in 42nd overall, so must have done something right).  After mile 3, I just locked in on overall target pace and kept it there till mile 14.  Tim said to do this so you can finish strong, and that I did.  After mile 15, where I saw my in-laws, I dropped my arm warmers and just decided to kick it up a notch.  I thought, why not, get through the next 5 miles, and then deal with the final 10k.  I’ve run a bunch of 10k’s, so just pull from those experiences when you get there.  But for right now, get these next 5 done.

Really started to pass lots of runners.  Kept drinking water and pouring it over my head, while occasionally drinking cytomax (awful, very awful).  Got to mile 20 and then it was a 10k race.  My last 6 miles averaged 7:10 pace, up there with some of my best 10k’s.  Finished really strong, except hurt alot for the last mile.  It was a gradual uphill, and felt like i was running in place.  Saw my parents at the final bend with .2 miles to go.  That got me motivated and crossed the line in just under 3:13!  Big PR for me, about 30 min.  Qualified for Boston, a goal, but not the sole one.  I really wanted to put myself in an IM situation where I’ll have to run this after swimming and biking.  That’s more important to my psyche.

Overall a great race, awesome trip and fun to see my family and new nephews.  New England is a beautiful place.  We picked the right weekend to head home with all the colors changing.

Season is wrapped up now.  Time to recover, swim, plan, swim, ride some…and swim.

Well, I’ve finally gotten over the sickness that drained me for a week out of my system.  Started up running again, with less than 2 weeks to go till my 2nd marathon ever.  Ran 3, 6, 7.5, 6, 18, 3 starting on Monday.  Yesterday was a solid set which I now plan to incorporate into my IM training next year.  3×4 at race pace on the flat south boulder creek trail.  It’s slightly uphill coming back, so i started with that 2 mile set first, then ran back 2 miles.  1/2 mile ez jog in between to mimic marathon running, you shouldn’t stop.

Body is a bit worked today, because in addition to 40+ miles this week, I’m about to get in 10,000 yards of swimming.  And I swear that 25% of that was backstroke.  It’s backstroke month at Masters, and I went twice this week.  A short swim today, then tomorrow will be test day.  A way to see how much or how little progress I’m making in the pool.  I know this is a long-term project for someone who grew up on the ocean, and rarely swam.

Received a postcard from my wife when she was in India, the front reads below, from the The XIVth Dalai Lama.  Take it to heart:

Never Give Up:
Never give up; No matter what is going on Never give up.

Develop the heart; Too much energy in your country Is spent developing the mind, Instead of the heart. Develop the heart.

Be compassionate; Not just with your friends, But with everyone. Be compassionate.

Work for peace; In your heart, And in the world. Work for peace.

And I say again, Never give up. No matter what is going on around you, Never give up.

Finally feel better today.  Been about 10 days of just enough to make it annoying.  Rode the bike on the trainer yesterday for the first time in a few weeks.  Hurt.  Even though it was a spin, those muscles are out of whack.  Been running alot up until last week.  This past week’s mileage = 0.    Oh well, makes you realize that everytime you can get out and run, you should.  Because you can be knocked down and out so quickly.  Looks like my marathon training peaked up in WP with a 22 mile progression run.  One thing is for sure, I’ll be well rested at the start line.

Kona was yesterday.  What a race.  Watched Crowie run his way to a second straight title.  His form is flawless.  My motivation was high after watching it all day.

Now, back to running for 2 weeks, then race, then slowly get back to cycling weekly.  A dash of running to stay fit, and a ton of swimming.