Week 6 - 30% Done

Last week’s workouts:

Mon:  Rest

Tue:  Swim 1,750 yards (main sets = 8x50; 8x25); Bike 45 min. (main set = 8x1 hard hill efforts)

Wed:  Run 6 miles (easy pace)

Thu:  Swim 1,750 yards (main set = 4x200); Bike 45 min. (easy pace)

Fri:  Run 45 min. (30 easy + 15 min. comfortably hard)

Sat:  Bike 45 miles

Sun:  Swim 2,000 yards; Run 10 miles (both endurance workouts)

Total miles for the week:  92.13

  

At this point training is 30% complete (week 6 of 20 in the books).  I've logged 14.8 swim miles, 352.5 bike miles, and 99.4 run miles so far for a total of 439.6 miles - roughly the distance from Glendale to Atlanta.  I track this only because I'm a nerd for data and metrics - not for any bragging reasons.  The fact that I'm charting the weeks should also reinforce my nerd status.

After my horrendous long run from last Sunday, I resolved to dominate my schedule this week and I'm happy to report that I was successful, although the weather played a large part.  In any case, I'll take it as a confidence booster.

This was build week 2 of 3 in this part of the training cycle (after next week I will get a recovery week where the mileage drops in advance of the next build cycle).  So far I am tolerating the distances well, and I am used to the training/sleep schedule now (to the point where I’m waking up on my own at 6:30 on days when I get to "sleep in").  

Fooling around with the GoPro on Wednesday

6 miles done - home sweet home!

 I feel like my bike is dialed in.  My “just out for a ride” pace remains between 18-21 mph and I’m climbing with relative ease.  Everything just feels smooth.  The big addition to the bike this week is the XLab Sonic Wing rear hydration system, which carries two bottles and has a bag big enough for a spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, and my phone.  I’ve also installed the “sonic nut” (huh huh) which holds two CO2 cartridges and the inflation nozzle.

Also, my bike kit from the Melanoma Research Foundation came in this week.  I proudly wore it during Saturday's ride.

The highlight of my week always seems to be the long workouts on the weekend.  Since we had little league on Saturday morning, I got my long ride done Saturday afternoon on the same route as last week (Grant’s Trail, River Des Peres Greenway, Francis Park, Carondelet Park).  I added loops at Francis Park to add on 4 miles, and added a mile through Kirkwood on my way back in.  The one negative about my ride is the lack of hills – there are a few overpasses which count as short climbs, but there’s also a lot of flats or minor grades.  Perhaps I need to put in some time at Babler to work on my hill legs. Some pictures from the ride:

Newly opened trail at the River Des Peres Greenway 

 Carondelet Park - St. Louis

Clydesdale Park - St. Louis County 

Legs with dirt and bugs is a telltale sign of a good ride 

On Sunday morning I did my long swim for the week – 2,000 yards.  I viewed this swim as a success because I was able to zone out and had logged 1,125 yards before I even thought about it.  My mile pace remains around 38 minutes, which is a few minutes faster than last year.  One thing I’ve noticed is that I am hungriest after I swim.  To the point that I need to pack a snack in my bag to eat as soon as I’m out of the pool.

My long run started around 1PM on Sunday.  Fortunately the temperature was 70 degrees with a cool breeze.  Unfortunately, the temperature was 70 degrees with a cool breeze.  There was to be no heat training this week.  It looks that will change this week.  Some pics from the run:

I realize that I'm not fast, but this feels like taunting 

Beautiful church and landscaping on Harrison in Kirkwood

Eventually I will actually train with my Team Honey Badger training partners.  Maybe.  Someday!

96 days, 10 hours, 19 minutes until go time.