The true beginning to 2011?

Finally hit my stride this week! It seems like my schedule has constantly interferred with putting in the work necessary to have enough fitness to execute more advanced workouts, but I feel that this week i had my first real solid week of training. If I can replicate this over the next 8 weeks or so I should find myself by mid-May, in pretty decent short-course form.

Consider:

--I did two FTP workouts on the bike this week. Today's workout covered 2.5 hours and 45 miles and included 15 second spin-ups (up to 500 watts), 1 min repeats at 330 watts and 5 minute repeats at 280 watts. I was hitting all of the critical energy zones: anaerobic, VO2max, and LT. I also did two separate 10 minute high cadence sets--the first at 111 rpm and the second at 116--the second was from 2:10-2:20 into my ride.

--I did brick runs after my bike rides both days this weekend. Today after the FTP workout, I went right out and ran 6.5 miles at a solid 9 min/mile pace--nice and controlled. Yesterday, after a 4 hour ride, i cruised through a 3 mile brick.

--I did a nice mile repeat workout early this week at LT pace

--In the pool, I missed one of my sessions due to having to be in NYC for two days but I did get in a 2500 yard TT at the equivalent of a 34 minute half-IM split--and I felt like I took it a little too easy in the first 1000 yards.

So, these are all good signs--tougher workouts that I seem to be handling in stride (with the aforementioned exception of tenderness in my left hip-flexor). This is a sign of growing fitness and it almost feels like a bit of an inflection point--that I'm getting strong enough to really begin to stress my body in my workouts--and as long as I stay healthy--this is where my fitness begins to elevate up to race readiness.

I'm not there by any means, I don't feel that fit yet, but I'm seeing some very positive signs for the first time in 2011. the best news is that despite the intensity and volume this week I feel very refreshed and rested and I'm definitely ready for another big week next week--in fact I'm hoping to stay on it for the next 10-14 days when I'll do a mini-taper before Oceanside.

Stats for the week:

Swim: 8,000 yards

Bike: 218 miles

Run: 45 miles

Time: 22:30