One week until Batavia Tri/Du

My favorite race of the season, the Batavia Triathlon/Duathlon is coming up a week from Sunday!  I feel like I'm in decent shape, but not great.  We will see how this weekend's training goes and how the race shapes up. 

Week of 5/18

I had my best week of swimming in quite a while. Swam 3 days (Mon, Wed and Friday) for 4,350 yds. Also got in a 20 min TT on the indoor trainer, hard 5 K TT after biking to work and a 10 mile run.  Despite dealing with a hip problem (tightness and pain), I'm pretty happy with my training. Its taken me a lot longer to bounce back after the Du Nationals than I had hoped.  Signed up for Batavia Duathlon on June 10th. 

Lapapalooza and first bike to work of Spring

Sunday I did the lapapalooza (swim as many yd. as possible in 20 min) and then Tuesday I rode to work for the first time this spring (weather has sucked!). I got in 44 lengths or 22 laps in 20  min- pretty pathetic!  Did my usual 3.5 mile TT (twice around the lake) on my way to work and it took over 11 minutes (should be possible in <10 min).  So I've got a ways to go! 
Its great to be outside again! 

Not Dead Yet Triathlon Club on Garmin

As the founder, CEO, CFO, Grand Poo Bah, President, El Presidente and Head Master of the NDY World Triathlon Club, I just posted a new and important statement about the importance of not letting our sport get dragged into politics. As a service to all my readers (0.0), I am re-posting it here:

"Dear NDY Tri Members:  It is important for us as a community to remember that triathlon and running as sport are above politics!  As I muller over the current stormy situation in our capital, I comey to the conclusion that athletic endeavors trump this patrician bickering!  We need to devos ourselves of the notion that we must take side and avoid arguing over mnuchin. If we ben carson around an attitude, Ivanka tell you that it will only hurt our sport!  When we're russian to judgement and bolten to argue over politics, then we can only collude that none of this mattis! We need to kushner our harsh rhetoric and remember, there are good people on both side, both side. Let us nazie our fellow runners as right wing or left wing, but be penceive. During these sessions, we don't want to discuss racism, sexism or the environment because these are perryless topics. Instead, it would be pruitt to discuss how the economy is doing in this melinia and the future of our country!"

Duathlon Nationals

That was a fun race and a great venue.  I didn't do as well as I had hoped: 3rd place and over 2 minutes behind the winner.  I spent the 20 minutes before the start looking at pictures of my Mom and thinking about her.  I really wanted to win for her and I do feel like I tried my best, but it just wasn't my day.

 I felt great in the first run and went into the transition in good shape. I had my usual quick transition and started the bike in first place, but got past by the eventual winner, Dave Burkhart, about 3 miles in.  I tried to hang with him, but at the turn around I couldn't hold on any longer and lost contact. The 2nd half of the bike was the worst due to cold. My whole body got stiff and I felt like I just couldn't focus on riding and pushing.  T2 was also difficult as I couldn't feel my feet or hands so I couldn't grab the heel of my shoes to get them on and couldn't get my legs going for the first mile.  I got past again, but where, I'm not sure. Spend 30 minutes in medical tent shivering and trying to warm up after the race.
       It was great having Diana there cheering me on at each transition and half way point of the run. Other than freezing, I loved the event, location and course. But best of all, I enjoyed spending the weekend with Diana and seeing the town!

Training build up

I just looked back on the total kcals as a measure of training volume for the month of March.  I don't have too much to compare to, but for at least the last year, that was the biggest month so far!  Despite all of the sadness of this past week, I'm looking forward to the race and to dedicating this race to my mom, Betty! 

Rough week

It has been a very hard week. My mom passed away last Thursday night after a long battle with lung disease and other complications.  I flew from vacation in Tucson, AZ to FL to be with my dad, sister and brother.  It was good to be all together at this very difficult time and to have a chance to remember my mom by reading through her journal and telling stories. She was an amazing person who despite physical limitations had no limits in terms of kindness, friendship and love of nature! She was always fascinated by birds and by how these beautiful creatures existed in a separate space outside of the human world. While she will always be a part of my world, I think she is now also a part of nature including the world of birds! 

A little over two weeks to go!

Ok, we're down to just 17 days to racing!  The training has been going pretty well.  Today I did a brick consisting of a fairly hard 50 minutes on the stationary bike (easy warm up for 20 and then a hard TT like effort for 30) then went outside and ran 10 K at a 7:20 pace over all (all of it was under 8, but the 5th mile was under 7 min/mile).  I felt wiped out at the end. One more hard weekend and then I can ease up a little. 

10K time trial today

Ran a 10K time trial by doing two laps on the "Grovin in the Grove" 5K course today. It was slightly hilly and cool and windy out. Given that, I had a decent run: 6:20/mile for a time of 39:20. The heart rate monitor was obviously not picking up because I'm sure I was around my max most of the way! 

One month to Duathlon Nationals

Yikes: only one month to go. Hope I can keep up the volume and intensity until I can taper!
  So far I'm pretty happy with the effort. S and S, strong and steady!