A matter of perspective

Just finished up March with across the board higher numbers vs. January and February:

(Jan/Feb/March)

Swim: 15,000/27,850/33,700

Bike: 636/644/746

Run: 59/54/73

Hours: 55/74/75

While this is heading in the right direction and is a reasonable level of training, another point of view is the comparison of 2009 YTD vs 2007 and 2008:

(2007/2008/2009)

Swim: 141,350/116,750/76,550     (-48% vs. '07/-34% vs. '08)

Bike: 2,444/2,755/2,027    (-17%/-26%)

Run: 373/421/186   (-50%/-56%)

Hours: 276/291/205  (-26%/-30%)

No surprise that my aggregate commitment to training is down 25-30% vs. the last two years--this comes with not pursuing an Ironman this year.  The biggest change (and not desired) is off-course the running--my knee problems have drastically cut into my running.  I'm sure this will be the biggest issue when I race this weekend...

The good news is that my knee is a little bit better and I'm hopeful that I can increase my running to perhaps as high as 100 miles this month....

Here and back again

I'm continuing to plug along here--in reasonable shape but obviously way behind the last two years....no surprise given my decision to focus on not focusing this year (on an IM).

Just returned from a trip to Hong Kong. On the way over I stopped in LA and road a 63 miler with Anders in the Santa Monica mountains--one climb was about 10 miles or so--it was all I wanted.

In HK I did a great hike/climb on the HK trail and got some pretty good training in.

I also, on Friday, road a bike in both Hong Kong and Delaware--pretty cool for one day (time change helps!)

Next Saturday is my first race of the season--the smithfield Sprint. I have low expceations but am looking forward to having some fun and getting a gauge on just where my fitness is....

Is that a Triathlete I see?

Well last week was a very good week indeed. Several key accomplishments:

1. Highest training load of the year at 21 hours 41 minutes
2. Highest weekly swim volume at 8200 yds--modest but getting there
3. Swim 100s now down to 1:21-1:24 and I did a 1:16 this week. Still a ways to go but not bad for me
4. Biggest bike week this year (217 miles) and longest single ride at 77 miles--respectable volume here
5. Biggest news is 2nd highest run week at 23+ miles and a pain-free (mostly) run of 9.5 miles yesterday

This was an important week--the new knee medicine seems to be working!!!

Not just have to start getting consistent.

These are trying times.....

Still working a way here. However my knee has definitely taken a turn for the worse. After the adverse reaction to the Syn-Visc I received a 3 injection cycle of a similar drug. It seems to be taking longer to work it's wonders. Also, with my snowboard trip, I seemed to beat up my knee quite a bit. As a result I have only been able to run 1-2 times per week...and significantly, I 've had pretty good pain most days.

This week was a little better. I'm aggressive about icing right after my run and I've gone back to my old shoes. I was able to run 2x and get in 10 miles this week. I'm hopeful to get in 15-20 next week and if I can get to 20-25 miles/week I could still selvage a decent season--we'll see. Anyways, Feb numbers:

Swim: 27.8k yards (vs. 15k in Jan)
Bike: 644 miles (vs 636)
Run: 54 miles (vs 59)
Total Hours: 74 (vs 55)....lots of non SBR cross training this month

Staying the course

Just finished up another solid week. 19.5 hours of training. 204 miles on the bike, 21.1 miles running, 7000 yds swimming and 1:50 invested in weight work. Last three week totals are: 54 hours (18/week); 610 miles (203) biking, 53 (18)miles running; and 18.5k (6.2) yds swimming.

Nothing spectacular but very solid and right in my target zone. Beginning to generate some training momentum as I feel the strength building in my body. Also, noticing that the pounds are starting to fall off. Things are definitely heading in the right direction.

I'll continue in the same vein for the first part of this week and then back-off for 4 days as Alex and I are headed to Mammoth Mountain in CA for a little snowboarding. I'll get a lot of boarding work in and plan on hiking a bit to get used to my crampons. Should be a nice change of pace and will allow me to hit it hard again next week.

Hitting my Stride!

Well--I've had quite a litany of excuses:

-back surgery
-real bad case of the flu (twice)
-computrainer broke
-bad reaction to my syn-visc injection...knee swelled up like a greapefruit...had to get the juice sucked out/cortizone shot/stay off of it for 3 days
-Cervelo's fork recalled
etc.

Excuses can just be another name for poor motivation.

Anyways, last two weeks were 15 hours and 19+. Hitting my stride. Feeling stronger in the pool--3100 yds today. fixed my computrainer--ready to kill myself on it! Actually ran close to 30 miles last week....

The focus now is just a steady solid 15-20 hours/week for the next 6 weeks and then I shall be ready.

Just wish the weather didn't always suck. Oops--sounds like another excuse!

Here I come!

2009 Goals

No Ironman so a little different this year:

1. Focus on racing short triathlons--I hope to race 20 triathlons this year with just 1 or 2 H-IMs

2. Training focus will be on speed work--especially running. I will target 1 running speed session/week

3. Win my AG 10 times

4. Climb Mount Rainier

Change of focus this year to include an initial foray into Alpine Mountaineering. Note change of Blog title.

Off we go!