pre 2009 post

Big plans to get away this weekend and take stock of 2008 and prepare for 2009. I'll post up the year-in-review, goals for 2009, and all that other fun stuff, but for now I'm just looking forward to the last bit of vacation for some time to come.
There's a long run scheduled but I'll have to fit it in with fires, movies, dips in the hot-tub, mountain views, and maybe a day spent on the slopes. I'm also going to map out my race schedule and training plan for the year. Exciting stuff! Stay tuned...

Christmas Break

I didn't plan on taking such a big hiatus from the blog, and training, but I'm gearing up for a new 2009 season and I have big plans. The past week and a half was dominated by my parents and sister coming out to visit us here in the desert. It was great to have them all out here and spend time with them as well as the in laws. I'm so fortunate that our families get along so well and we have the opportunity to see each other so often.

12/19 - 4 mile run
12/20 - 5 mile run to hospital to visit A's uncle, 3 mile short route home
12/21 - 1.5 hr ride on SoMo at sunset
12/22 - strength and core work
12/23 - hike with parents and sis on SoMo
12/24 - 4 mile run with A
12/25 - Christmas!
12/26 - rest
12/27 - rest
12/28 - 7 mile run w/A, 45 min functional strength training with sis
12/29 - installed new gutters
12/30 - rest

Top 10 ride the other day on South Mountain. So much has been going on lately is was great to get away for a while and ride some empty desert singletrack at sunset. Riding the singlespeed made it an even more pure experience. I really enjoyed the washes and just bombing in and out of everything just going with the flow of the ride. Stellar.

Elsie all set for SoMo

trail shot

big wheels

playing with shadowson the trail

Here's the deal

As a college administrator the last week of the academic semester is worse than when I was a student. I experience the collective stress of all of the students, who each feel their own final exam experience is the sign of the apocalypse. My way of saying it has been a crazy week at work and now that it's over it's time to get caught up on all the training that went down.

12/11 - 45min ride on trainer
12/12 - rest
12/13 - 9.2 mile run / 20 min trainer / ice-bath in the pool
12/14 - rest
12/15 - Personal training - main set was alternating a pace or incline increase on treadmill every 30 sec, until I reached incline level 6 at 6:00 minute mile pace. Hardest day yet. Puking at your office gym during lunch is not recommended.
12/16 - rest
12/17 - Personal training - another total body day. Just a solid workout. I need to post that day to remember the sequence, #, weights. / 4 mile run after work
12/18 - 30 min on trainer

How to make a bike rack (staying organized)

I think it's a safe bet that most triathletes are pretty organized. I mean gear for three different sports doesn't just show up and arrange itself in transition and finding time to balance work, life, and training takes some organizational skills as well.
Since moving to Arizona I've loved having a garage, but it despises organization. Last weekend I made some big improvements with just a little time, a little money, and quite a bit of PVC. Take a look:

parts

cutting

all cut

assembly

framed

4 bikes?

better make it 5

Actions are louder than words

I think I'm in denial. I keep telling myself, and others, that I don't know what 2009 will bring, but my actions over the past several weeks might be telling the real story. First, I got hooked up with a triathlon trainer/coach. He's been breaking me, building me back up, breaking me again, and all along the way giving me new ideas for 2009. Then, in what I consider the loudest action, I bought a new toy.

one of these things is new

Yes, I bought a trainer. When I got back into mountain biking last year I never thought it would lead to this. I'm quickly entering dangerous territory. If I ever buy one of these it is time for an intervention. Please.

Last night I went about setting up my riding space. Thanks to all those in the blog world I had a pretty good idea of what this should look like. Riding inside with the laptop and Netflix on demand is way more appealing right now than riding on the road.
Thursday: 2 mile run / 30 min on trainer

Training Update 12-10-08

Weekend
Saturday: I was all set for our long run of the week, but A was feeling lazy and it was contagious.
Sunday: 8.6 miles, I'm pretty sure this is the 2nd longest run of my life. This will all change soon enough.

Week
Monday: active recovery on the foam roller and light weights
Tuesday: 15 mile bike, bosu squats 3 x 10, lunges 3 x 10, calf raises 25# 3 x 10
Wednesday: 5 minute rowing warm-up
3 x (1 min of box jumps, 10 pull ups, 20 pushups, resistance tube shoulder raises)
3 x (1 min plank hand steps, 15 crunches, 10 bosu push ups, 10 seated rows 80#)
3 x (10 skull crushers, 10 overhand pull ups *lat pull downs for last 2 sets*, side crunches)
SMABS - 3 x
30 each - flat, knees bent, legs crossed, 90 degrees
Swiss ball handoff 15
Swiss ball rollers 30 se
Swiss ball balance 30 sec
15 leg lifts



SAMBOB - that's 90 push ups in case you didn't count

The illustrious draw of the Ironman

If you're a triathlete you know the drill.

"Oh, you do triathlons? That's the Ironman right?"

I'm sure some advertising mogul somewhere hears the cha-ching every time someone asks that question. For those of us who Tri, but not of the Ironman variety there always seems to be a let down with anyone you meet when you explain the distance or event you do compete in. As if the 1500m swim, 35k bike, and 10k run that are XTERRA Nationals in Tahoe are something for your typical weekend warrior and not really that impressive....

Part of my attitude is jealousy. I admit it. Part of it is also probably fear; I'm less inclined to admit to that. This January I'll be running the PF Changs RocknRoll 1/2 marathon here in Phoenix. This will be a big jump for me in terms of my endurance sport career and will mark the longest event I've ever competed in running wise. With all the longer run training, something I needed for next year's XTERRA season anyway, has come this nagging voice in my head that screams Ironman. Now, at this point the whole thing would be just dumb, but that 70.3 distance is sounding pretty tempting.

Is is the recognition? The personal challenge? I think it's a little of both. I raced XTERRA this year and in my first season I made Nationals. Did I have a solid performance at the big dance? No. Is there room for improvement? Tons. But instead of just focusing on XTERRA this next year I'm looking for a little added adventure, some spice, and that may just take the form of a 1/2 Ironman - 70.3.

Back to basics

I started this blog to keep up with training and hold myself accountable. Found a friend's blog with his training log and made me think I should get back to more of that on mine. We'll see how long I can keep it up the posting this time of year, but it's worth a shot.

Let's get caught up:
11/29 - 40 minute run in Papago with Tri Diva, her hubby, and A - breakfast at US Egg
11/30 - rest
12/1 - 3.5 run
12/2 - 1 mile run, 1 hr personal training - total body
12/3 - 3.5 run
12/4 - 1 mile run, 1hr personal training -total body, 2.5 mile run

I'll get back to the specific nitty gritty in the coming days. This will hopefully make for some more intense workouts as well. The main focus right now is the 1/2 marathon, but I'm also thinking of a 1/2 IM in the coming year.

An open letter

Dear James and Beth,
I started reading your blogs to learn something about triathlon and training. I'm sure that happened somewhere along the way, but today my first jar of PB2 arrived and with it the need for major props to the two of you. This stuff is amazing.
I read about it here, thought it looked interesting, and finally ordered some last week. This stuff is amazing. Thank you!

this is the stuff

This is what's in the stuff

sure beats the typical stuff

first we mixed it with icing...then cookies