A Rest Day

After having done one thing or another nearly everyday for the past couple of weeks I decided to skip my swim for today and sleep in and take a rest day. I feel pretty good today, although having done a 4.25 mile run on Saturday and going for a pretty decent ride yesterday my legs are feeling a little tired. So, instead of being a super-freak about my pre-training I decided last night as I was hunkering down in the TV room watching stuff from Netflix that I would take a rest day today. I am going to be kind to myself today and just be at peace.

I have another month and a half before I start lining out my real training from week to week for my first Tri in June. So I'm going to take as many rest days as possible until then.

So Psyched!

It's been a busy week...

Monday - Lactate Threshold Field Test at LA Fitness - UGH
Tuesday - Yoga at home and Treadmill time at work
Wednesday - Swim at LA Fitness and then Elliptical and weights at work
Thursday - Yoga at home and Treadmill time at work
Friday - SWIM
Saturday - First road ride of the year...went North through Sara and then to Carty Road. Then back to work to get my car.

Now, I was supposed to run yesterday, but I decided a few days ago that we would ride because yesterday was the first Saturday that the chance of rain was pretty low. Also, I just wanted to get out on my bike. It was a good ride yesterday.

I'm going to have to be a little more flexible this week - don't want to burn out just yet. So maybe Tomorrow will be a light day, just a swim. Yeah, right...we'll see about that!

SHAMROCK RUN
Got our team number for the Shamrock on March 13. There are several people at work that are interested in running or doing the 5K stride, so I'm hoping that we'll get 15 signed up by the end of February. There's time...so we have a pretty good chance at getting that many peoples.

Been kicking around the idea of running the 8k again. My running has been pretty good in the last couple of weeks and there is still way over a month to get myself running almost 5 miles. I'm pretty sure I can do it, but I am thinking about the fact that we run up Broadway and it does kick up a little when nearing PSU - I'm going to have to start hill training again - UGH. I really hate running hills, but there are some around here so I better get at it and quit belly-achin' over it!

If you are interested in running or walking the Shamrock let me know...I'll get you the team number. $5 discount for teams...that's $27! It's like buying the Tech T and getting the run for free...or is it the other way around? Either way, it's a fun event. Thirty Thousand people fun...

See you there!

A Time to Mourn

John O'Brien
(pic pirated from Wenzel Coaching)

One of Tom's favorite spin class leaders is giving up one of his two days at LA Fitness - something about selling bikes and having a HUGE sales territory...whatever. So, I haven't really taken many of John's classes, but the ones that I have gone were always VERY good. Tom is a little bummed, but for the next few weeks Beth will be taking over the early class on Wednesday until a more permanent instructor comes up.  This is good though, Beth is another fave!

John will continue to lead on Monday Mornings, so really, it's not all bad. We just hope that he doesn't totally abandon ship!

How To Spend The MLK Jr. Holiday

Today is the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - so no workies for me today. I don't have to go to work, but then I don't get to sleep in either...right?

Nope, John decided that today would be the day that he do the Lactate Threshold Field Test...go HERE for info on LT test.

So we were up early and went off for a 30 minute suffer-fest along with a few others who want to know what their training zones are. Here are the results from the last test.

Should get some numbers in a few days. I am guessing that my results will not change much from the last test. Today was hard, but I haven't been really working out terribly hard for the past couple of months. This will help me plan for the tri training...Blue Lake Sprint Tri is JUST around the corner!

I think it's time for a nap....

so...not...motivated

This week hasn't been the best week - haven't been feeling 100% so I decided to take care of my body instead of trying to get myself to do MORE. Probably the best thing I have done all year....yeah the year is still young. I managed to get 3 days of yoga though, so really, not all that bad.

Today I brought my gym bag to work with me and decided that I felt good enough to do a speed interval workout on the treadmill upstairs during my lunch.

As of my lunch break today, I like running. We'll see how things go on Saturday.

Swim, Ride, Run Baby!

2011Upgrades

A few months ago I found an old issue of Bicycling magazine laying around the house. Before chucking it into the recycling bin I thought I would take a look through it one more time. I'm glad that I did...I came across the gear page that listed 5 items to make a road bike into a multisport machine - SCORE! I have two road bikes - so why not convert the older bike to a Time Trail bike...yeah baby!

Here are the items:

1. AERO BARS - Check! Tom got me a set of bars for my last birthday and they are AWESOME!

2. CARBON WHEEL SET - this top of the line item cost over 2 grand - if I'm going to spend that much money, I think I would just get an entry level time trial bike.

3.  HYDRATION PACK - Got this covered too - I actually went and bought a camel bak for the 2010 Blue Lake event and it was AWESOME!

4.  AERO HELMET - Okay, this one I'm asking for my birthday (got that Tom?) I have a Giro helmet picked out and if I order it at biketiresdirect.com I will get a discount with my bike club membership and get to use my VIP points. AND if I decide to pick it up at the store...no shipping CHA-CHING!

5.  SEAT POST - To change my position on the bike...more forward. Which I think will be good on my Trek as I think the reach is a touch far for me, but not so much that riding is uncomfortable. I am now wondering if a shorter stem would be good, hmmm....


So, the two main items that I am shooting for this year are:

Profile Design Fast Forward Aluminum Seat Post

 

and:

Giro Advantage 2 Helmet

Okay, so the helmet wouldn't go on the bike, but it would be helpful to cut down on wind resistance. With the addition of these two items maybe I can shave MORE time off of my fastest time last season of go HERE for those times.

It appears that I have become a little obsessed. Doing a tri is on my agenda, but riding the Time Trials is really high on my list of things to do...ALL SUMMER LONG! They are cheap (free for club members) they are close to home...and we have gotten to meet some cool people.

I am starting to realize what a geek I have become. What a sad commentary oh well, here's to riding a sub-32 minute Time Trial this year!  

VROOOM....

2011 PR

2011 PR - 37:43-ish. It's "ish" because we ended up having to stop at a railroad crossing - stupid trains, so my actual chip time was closer to 44:52...boooo...not my fault!

I THINK that this is the fastest I have run a 5K (event) in over a year. I haven't taken a look, but I'm pretty sure that I didn't run under 38:00 last year. So, my 2011 5K PR is set...maybe I can beat it a the Heart Breaker Half event next month.


Run baby run!