Triathlon plan changes

Hurricane Earl has lead to a change in plans. Miami Beach has been having some wicked riptides so I have decided to stay local and do the Venice Beach sprint triathlon. I am disappointed about doing a shorter distance but it is probably for the best for my reentry into the triathlon scene. Last weekend I participated with Trifit tri team in a kamikaze style weekend workout. We started Saturday with a 7 mi bike ride to Manasota Beach where we did a run/swim/run session followed by a swim/run/swim session and then biked back to Englewood beach for a picnic. We covered about .8mi swimming and 8miles running. Sunday was a bike/run/bike/run session where we went out 1:40min bike/2mile run/80min bike. It was my longest ride ever totaling 46 miles. And the pace was hard and into the wind on the way out and hard back. I was dropped from the pack of experienced cyclists but they were very encouraging on my return. Trifit is a great group of athletes and I was happy to join in even if I spent most of the day chasing the pack. The Sprint tri is this weekend then it is all eyes toward the Marine corps marathon. I hope all this cross training pays off. My runs are down to three days a week but they are very specific and intense. I definitely want to do more triathlons in the future with 1 to 2 marathons in between. Future goal will be Olympic distance triathlons next year with a future goal of a 70.3. Need a lot more riding and swimming before I sign up for one of those.

The journey has begun

Big week. Officially started triathlon training. Completed two bricks with a bike then run. Did two swims. One in the county 25 yard pool for 900yds and the other in my endless pool. Running mileage down a lot. My coach assures me this is ok. Definitely feeling the workouts. My runs have all been specific intervals or tempo. Biggest mistake this week was not hydrating and eating properly before Saturday's tempo run. Bonked nicely in the humid hot weather. Had to grab my emergency gel from the car between my fast 10min sessions. When will I learn that you need to fuel high intensity sessions more than the slow recovery runs.
My nutrition has been off this week mainly to the extra out to lunches with Addie before she leaves tomorrow for Emory. Having lunch with her is always special. Too bad this town is extremely limited in healthy choices. Off to Georgia tomorrow so the workout routine will be a little altered. Cross training by setting up dorm room.

Never say never

I like to run. It releaves stress. It makes me feel good and boosts my metabolism. I can go anytime. Just put my shoes and garmin on and out the door. No pumping tires. I like to swim but don't swim much because I would rather get wet running then jump into the water. I like to swim but just don't that much. I like to bike but have to get gear ready and check the tires. Will not ride in dark or rain. Don't really like the trainer. Hard to push myself on bike. So I like to run. That is what I told the triathalon coach. She said ok. Then I saw a triathalon on Facebook. Proceeds go to Southwest Florida Special Olympics, my favorite charity. It is a little longer than a sprint tri with 1/2mi swim, 18 mi bike and 4mi run. That should be long enough not to hurt my marathon training for Marine Corps in Oct. I'm in. Wait, I have to swim a 1/2 mile in the Atlantic. That means I need to practice-swim. Still good. Went to bookstore: 3 magazines on biking and triathalons. Triathalon coach laughed. Got her way. Now she is in complete control because I need her to get me through the swim and bike as well as run.
Then I discovered an olympic distance (they even have a HalfIM) triathalon in Morgantown Wv on August the 8th which happens to be my BD. I'm in. For next year that is. So I am shopping for Tri gear, reading tri blogs and downloading tri podcast and am hooked. I am waiting on a schedule that will add more biking and swimming to my easy run days or instead of easy run days. I was told this will make my marathons stronger? We will see. For now something to look forward to.