It's been a long time since I've put out an original blog post. I don't have any great excuse except I simply didn't feel like it. Have I been busy? Yes. But that's not the reason I ceased blogging. I suppose I just needed a break.
But now I feel like it again, and for me to blog about anything worthwhile I have to catch you up on what's been going on the past couple of months. When I last checked in, we had just completed Dances with Dirt. I was still healing from knee injuries and a heat stroke I suffered in Boston, and running was not quite fun again yet. I had also told you how I had committed to competing in a sprint triathlon in August, with the only purpose being to beat Dr. Burris in the first two disciplines.
First, the running. I've been building up VERY slowly, and am now at about 50 miles per week. And I just did my first speed workout this week. I'd rather be running more, but coach Scott was very smart to make me ease in. I was completely trashed from the combo of LBL and Boston. And I've run one race, a few weeks ago--the DINO 15K trail race. I shocked myself there with a 5+ minute PR there and an age group win. At that point my miles were low--like under 30--so I figured I'd have a tough day. But it actually went very well.
My next race is not until September--the Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon-where I will again try to break 1:30. I ran 1:31:03 in Houston in January, and I think I could have met the goal had it not been for the issue of having to cut off half my shoe (I'm sure I blogged about it last January) and all the vomiting I experienced during the race. After that is my fall marathon--the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November.
I am still building base right now, with just a little speed injected in. I've actually been training (during the week) with the BNL girls cross country team (coached by Bill), and I absolutely love doing that. Not only does it give me people to run with (I pretty much have to run in the morning, and the group runs with Jimmy et al. occur in the evening), but I'm really enjoying getting to know the girls. They were quiet at first, but now, as soon as we start running, they ask me all kinds of questions...about running, racing, and what BNL "used to be like." Yes, I'm that old. I will keep that up along with whatever coach Scott assigns.
Normally, I'd stop the post there--but I can't. Because there's more. I have kept my promise to train for a tri. I have been swimming about three times a week, and riding twice a week. With two of us training (Tim is training for a half Ironman), it's about all I can get in while keeping running the priority. The swimming is going well--I can swim about 1,000 meters without stopping. But that's in the pool. I have done one open water swim. It's a whole different experience, so I have to continue to work on sighting.
The biking--it has improved because Jimmy is letting me use one of his old tri bikes. A Kestrel Talon. He hasn't agreed to put it up for sale yet, but he's being gracious and letting me train on it. I haven't really told anyone...but I love that bike. Probably because it's just so much more comfortable than my other one, or maybe because I know that Jimmy rode an Ironman on it..but I love it. Bill has helped me learn how to get comfortable down in aero, and I have to say that it's now my favorite position in which to ride. I just need to put it all together--aero, cadence, knowing when to change gears--and I think I can be decent on the bike.
As far as Allen--I'm a better swimmer, and he's better on the bike. So, at this point, I'm kind of wishing I had left the run in the challenge :) But I didn't, so I have to stick with what I said originally--I want to beat him through the end of the bike leg. This means I have to really work my swim. I need to come out of the water as far ahead of him as possible. Luckily, it's a short bike ride. Otherwise, I assure you he would catch me. And he may still. But I'm going to get my butt down in aero and try to prevent it.
Jim-N-I is tomorrow...I'll write a report.
No comments:
Post a Comment