Spring is in the air!

Yesterday I went for a great run. I have an out and back 8.2 mile run that is really good and can be pretty challenging. I enjoyed the sun and finally having a break from the wind. The past few days have been great and training seems to be going well. Riding with Marty and my brother Brendan are definitely making a difference. Marty is now joining us on our Fri am swims as well. It will be nice when we can get those swim outside!. I have been working on a 2 swim 2 bike 2 run 2 crossfit a week. Every other week I add a thrid swim and take out a crossfit. I think that I gain a lot from swimming and the fitness will carry over. It has been working because my 100's have gotten faster and my energy is still high after the sets. I am really looking forward to the long stuff in two more weeks. This week is a modified recovery. Basically one of each. The back to build two for two weeks. My first race is going to be the JCC in Marblehead. that is always a fun race. I will be looking to take time off my split form last year and hopefully stay in the top 3 for a third straight year! We'll see!

base pace meets the stock market!

The good thing about winter training is that every once in a while you see numbers during your training that will either get you pissed or make you happy. The better thing is that not matter what number you see is that you are in the base phase phase of training. I like to take this time to look back on the fact that I am just making deposits to an account that isn't going to be ruined by the Stock Market! This is not being invested by anyone else but me and I know where to buy and where to sell and when to cut my losses or push for the bigger turn around. Last week was one of those weeks where one day numbers where through the roof and I was feeling great...then the numbers weren't so good the 401K that I have been putting into wasn't yielding the returns I was planning on. Bottom line is got some great quality training in and I know that it will come out when I need it most. The one thing the economy can't take is the ability to get out there and train when I am supposed too. I like knowing that one this is certain. I can train when I need to. Maybe it isn't at the most Ideal time...but weather running at 5 am or 10 pm it is still laying down solid concrete that I can build my house on.

March 2nd starts Base phase 2. I look forward to building a little more with some different things. The one thing that I also look forward too is that by the end of this phase it will be a little warmer and the sun will be out a little longer.

build and build and build and build

The past few days have been pretty good. I swam last night at Salem State with Coach Craig Lewin. He will probably be a pro in about a year. He is bouncing back from a broken pattella right now so he has a lot of time to spend on helping people like me. Last night was a killer. We started speed sessions to build the Lactate threshold (LT) and man did my LT build and build and build. The good thing is that I was pulling in about 1:15-1:20 for my 100's and 35's for my 50. I have been getting faster and the thing for me to do know is work on my technique. I was able to see how much benefit there is to reaching a little bit further on my stroke. I was able to keep my heart rate down slightly so I could get my recovery in the ten to twenty seconds rest that I had. I only gave up about 2 seconds on my 100. As I get better I will get more efficient and will get that second back without giving up wasted energy that can be used on the bike.

Everything else is coming along as planned. I have been gaining strength back since my broken elbow and am almost at 100% as far as actual strength goes. I am still a firm believer in CROSSFIT. I am doing that 2x a week and getting in 3 swims, 2-3 runs and 2 bikes. As the weather gets warmer I will add a bike and drop a cross fit until the Patriot. By the end of March I will be adding the long stuff. One long run and bike a week. So far so good!

I really wish I was training in California!

So the first week is coming to a close for base training. I have to admit I am pretty happy with what is going on. The week started with a great Monday morn swim. I did some interval work with 400's and worked finding my pace for this year. Tues was crossfit in the AM and good hard bike on the trainer at night. Weds my brother and I hit the pool again. Our main set was 12x100's for time at race pace. I have to stay we did pretty damn good. Sometimes he is a little to hard on himself but I got the impression he was pleased with himself too. Thurs was great bike in the AM with my brother and Marty.( Marty is co-owner of FIT WERX2) great store. We set up our trainers in the shop and get after it. Pop in a DVD and just hammer for 60 mins. Last night I went out for a 42 min run. Probably the coldest night I have ever run. I looked at the temp and it was 16 degrees. I figured you are supposed to add 15 to that when you run, so, i was looking at 31. Well i got about 3 miles out and I could not feel my face. I really was bummed because I was in a good stride and legs felt awesome but my face hurt so bad! Today I strecthed for a good 30 mins this AM and Sat I am going to do a bike/run indoors. Well, week one; done.

not a bad way to start...

I was back in the pool again to kick off my official training session for the 09 season. I had a pretty good workout. I was feeling kind of lazy when I got to the pool and was tossing things around in my head without really being able to focus on what I was doing. I got to a certain part of my session and started looking at my times and realized that I was only a few seconds off from where I was at the end of last season. My attitude totally changed and wound up have a great second half. Tomorrow is a Cross Fit in the AM with a nice moderate 50 min run at night. But depending on the snow I may find my way to the basement to push the pedals we'll see!

Let the games begin

Tomorrow starts the beginning of my training program for the Patriot Half. I am looking forward to getting back into a schedule of planned workouts and focusing on my diet again. There are a lot if things that will change for this season and look forward to the challenge of something different to help stimulate my motivation to get the best out of myself. The one bummer of the winter months is that everything is so cold and makes the mental game that much more difficult in the annual preparation for achieving my goals. The winter training time is a place for me to build my inner strength to get my body in the best possible place to take on the race scene. I have learned the hard way that sometimes thing happen for a reason and when they do figure out a way to get up and move on.

The year is going to continue no matter what happens and all I can do is enjoy the ride. Weather a broken elbow or an ultrasound for cancer or one bad ass cold, keep plugging a way and remember things could be worse. The next chapter begins at 0500 hours and I can't wait to hit the alarm! See you in the pool!

Good News

Yesterday I went back to my Dr. He told me my progress was fantastic. The bone is still "soft" as he calls it but it has grown back. I was given the ok to start running and swimming and light weights to start to rebuild the inch that I lost while in the cast. It was a relief to hear. I have never been more ready to get after it this year. I have a great training plan set out to challenge myself this spring and summer. I have registered for the patriot Half and there will be some other local races sprinkled in there too! I will get back to logged all my workouts and look forward to seeing how I progress. Swimming is going to be a big part of the late winter and early spring. I learned last year the swim fitness will carry over to run and bike but run and bike won't carry to your swim! I think that being in the water also helps the body stretch out and take pressure off the major joints like the knees and feet. I will jumping into a masters class in hopes that I can make the improvements I made last year. Lets see!