- Fewer 5+ hour rides through San Diego County (although I'm sure this ride volume will come soon), and more 3 hour solo smash fests.
- I bike almost every day. Clearly we know where my weakness lies!!
- In an effort to eliminate this weakness the work begins the second I start peddling! Like I said in my last post, I use to spend a lot of time in zone 1 or killing myself. Now (unless it's a recovery, coffee, chatty cruisy cruise) power application starts almost immediately.
- My intervals on the bike are a bit longer than in the past. More 3x20, 3x40 type intervals. The second the interval ends, no crusisy cruise! This is where the work pays off...back to a strong powerful zone 2 effort.
- Rest. When it's prescribed I take it! I no longer hate rest days. I work hard when I'm suppose to so I NEED recovery days to regroup physically...and mentally.
- Taper. Thankfully, after NOLA Chris pointed out that "we didn't really taper for that race." Ok, thank you for the affirmation. I thought I felt a bit tired (not too bad, just not fresh/tapered). It's all part of his forward thinking plan. I like it!
- Back to work. Within 3 days of NOLA it was back to work for kiddo Caroline! I woke up Wednesday morning and jumped in on the Swamii's train-of-pain group ride. I figured I'd roll up there and get spit off the back on the first climb. Nope, just the opposite. I had one of my best rides to date. I don't say this because I hung onto the pack for the whole ride, but because it was...dare I say it...easier than it's ever been. The rest of last week was focused and solid! 2 super solid weeks that also included a *half ironman (*swim excluded).
- When a workout isn't going well I try to listen to my body and not beat myself up over it. I've even opted mid-workout. Yesterday I got in a solid swim and then had a long ride planned. For various reasons this ride did not go according to plan. I canned it. Instead of making up for it (as I use to) I got over it and moved along with a smile and positivity today.
- Swim. When your coach has "olympic swimmer" on his resume, you can't help but feel motivated to swim faster. All I have to do is swim up to my potential! I've been working on the entry of my stroke quiet a bit this winter. This means changing the ingrained muscle memory that dates back 20years. The past few weeks things finally clicked. Ahhhhhhhhhh, yes that is what it should feel like! Effortless power finally propelling me forward!
- Where did all those chill transition runs go? Ummmm, Coach Chris...I like those ;-) Here are a few examples of my new transition run protocol:
- 4 hour ride. Legs were feeling nice-n-toasty. T-run time: 2miles cruise to find the legs. Then 12x400 sub 1:30 with only 45seconds rest. slog fest a few miles back home before falling over.
- This past friday I had a 3 hour substantial ride (with some of those fun fulled 20minute efforts). Once off the bike it was 45minutes at 6:30 for me. My legs were semi trashed going into the day, so it hurt...but what hurt worse was getting back to my car only to find that my key fell out of my pocket. Rest assured I wasn't going to re-do that run to find it! Thank you Mr. Mailman for calling AAA for me!
- Then there was the 11 mile run the weekend before NOLA-10mins 6:45, 10mins 6:15. If his goal was to make 6:45 seem "easy," mission accomplished.
- More of the same. Soon my legs won't know what pace to move off the bike- other than FAST ;-)
There you have it, a little glimpse into the fun filled hard work I've been putting in. Ultimately I don't believe there is a single format/answer to triathlon training. For me I just knew in order to really make improvements I needed change! The changes in my training have really challenged me, and, in a sick-sort-of-way, have been pretty fun.
Great job to all who raced this weekend at Wildflower, St. Croix and St. Anthony's !!!
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