To infinity and beyond!

Training certainly has had its ups and downs the past few weeks. I feel like this happens to all of us. One day I'll be blasting a workout, whether it be running 6 minute miles at what feels leisurely or riding away from riders at the Wakefield Tues/Thurs ride, and yet the next day a feeling of total lethargy sweeps across my body. Last Wednesday i went for a run at Burke Lake at approx. 8 in the morning. After my first loop of the lake (approx 4.65 miles) in 29 minutes I rolled my ankle. Stopping for about a minute to shake it out I was able to resume my run with little pain. About halfway through my second loop my legs began getting heavy and I began to notice my pace slowing. My half mile splits slowly increased from 3 minutes on the first lap all the way up to 3:20's after a few of these I stopped watching the splits, intent on making it back to the car and drinking the equivalent to the entire lake in water. Less than a half mile from the end I had to stop running to splash water on my face. My body was dehydrated and my legs were dead from the weeks previous training.

After a couple of days off and a solid race for me at the Reston Town Center GP 3/4 race on Sunday in which I finished 15th I decided it was time for a rematch. Monday morning I woke up to find it hot and muggy as hell but I was intent on breaking the lake. I ventured out to the lake in the 80+ degree morning and ran 2 loops in 58 minutes, learning from the previous week, I stashed a water bottle to snag on my second loop. Its amazing how much of a difference a few days off and proper hydration can make. This summer I have definitely increased the duration and intensity of my training, but I am learning to do it in an intelligent manner. I have begun to realize when my body needs an easier day and when it needs say, a day off from running, or a day of swimming to stretch things out. Listening to our bodies certainly can be frustrating at times, and is not ALWAYS the right thing to do, but more often than not, its right.

Training for tri's for almost a year know I have made some gains in every discipline of my training. My swimming has made the biggest improvements, and I no longer look like a fish out of water in the pool. Amazingly, running less and biking and swimming more have made me a stronger runner as well. I am most proud however of the gains that I have made in my biking. A year ago I would get shelled by the A riders at Wakefield 15 minutes in. Now I can ride off of the front of this group and am one of the stronger riders at this ride. Some people ask me what my goals are, do I plan on doing an ironman or what? To be honest I dont really know what to tell them. I guess constant improvement is the goal. I want to be the best i can, to infinity and beyond! I find people who are better than me and make it my goal to be able to stay with them. Next year at the Wakefield ride there is one rider who goes off the front every ride. It may or may not be my goal to stay with him, I'd venture to say it is. It reminds me of this great DMB song:


Anyway, its been a solid week of training and Im looking forward to my next triathlon, that is the Colonial Beach Tri, July 11th. I will be going to Chicago with my dad Monday the 5th and getting back the 8th, so that will mean some good running for me. It is important I be cautious though and not put in to many mile so that I do not tire myself or injure myself for the race next Sunday. It sure is great to run along the river in Chicago though! Heres how my training has looks thus far this week:
Monday- 9.3ish mi run, 2 burke lake loops in 58 minutes
Tuesday- 10 mi run in the a.m.
Wakefield ride at night for 30 mi on the bike
Wednesday- 2.5 hour, approx. 50 mile ride in Clifton, my legs felt terrible but i didn't kill it.
Thursday- 3300 swim in the a.m. set of 2 10x100's first set on 140, second on 135
Wakefield ride at night for 30 HARD mi chasing after Harymarkets Bryan Vaughn, ironic that Vaughn and gone rhyme? i think not.
Friday- Easy day, 4 mile shake out run to prepare for a long brick tomorrow with Chucky Feerick

Hope you all are having a good week, and everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July. Thanks for reading.