Training week of February 9-15th

Its been awhile since I posted on here mostly because during the week I don't have time and during the weekend I just don't want to.

Last weeks training was the first time I felt very consistent.

Monday- Long swim day consisting on drill and solid 250 yd efforts. I felt good in the water and logged my full 1950 yds.

Tuesday - this was long run day, with the cold weather and still letting my lungs not get over worked from having bronchitis I took it a little easy. Consisted of 2.1 miles on the treadmill 1 mile indoor track and another mile on the dreadmill.

Wed - About a week ago I purchased some new training films for my indoor training rides and took an interval set for a go. The company who makes the films is called Sufferfest, and they don't disappoint. I was only able to get thru half of the workout before I was destroyed.

Thursday- This was the first time I've felt like everything clicked in the pool. I felt smooth and quick for the entire 1000 yd main effort and had plenty left in the tank afterward. That led into my run for the day which left much to be desired, I felt slow and heavy on the treadmill it was very unpleasant and kinda disappointing after such a great swim.

The rest of the week and weekend was spent relaxing and spending time with my family because I don't see them enough right now with work, training and school. I also needed the break as this was the first week I've gotten most of my workouts in, 5/6 isn't too bad and once its warmed my bike rides will definitely not be getting skipped like they are now.

I'm currently in a recovery week but more of that to follow later.

Knocked this train right off the tracks

Hello everyone long time no see. Well my first week of training kicked off pretty well, until bam Bronchitis. On Jan 16th I woke up unable to talk and was in basically a pitiful state. The week had started well my workouts went pretty good and I was adjusting to the volume, but getting sick pretty much ruined my perfectly laid plans. Here's the thing, I don't get sick! I hadn't been, go to the doctor, sleep all day, over all pathetic sick in over 8 years! I'm convinced actually the only reason I got sick is from pushing to hard with work, my workouts and starting school. So bronchitis pretty much ran this train of the tracks. It forced me to take the entire next week off and I returned to my workouts on Jan 27th.

This has been pretty great. I'm easing back into it and its perfect because this week was a recovery volume week in my schedule. So far I've run twice and swam once with a bike ride coming up for Friday night so I can catch up on the TV I've been missing. I cut out 2 of the 6 planned workouts this week, a swim and bike ride so I'm not over doing it again and so far the only complaint I have is that the pool is way over chlorinated. I'm lucky enough to have access to an indoor track so it limits my runs on the dread mill. Thank God.

I am looking forward to next weeks schedule though. Barring weather related closures of school and the gym it should be my first full 6 workout week. It'll be busy as I've got two tests at school next week but its just school right?

What other life responsibilities are you juggling besides training?

And so it begins...

Today marks my return to school. Blah, is about how I feel about that. It does however mark my return to the gym to prepare for the upcoming triathlon season, and with it bumps in the road already. I have had to adjust my training plan on day 1 which is not something I am really happy about. I had planned to have 3 rest days during the week to help accommodate school and my family but it looks like that's not going to be the case. The gym is far to crowded during the time frame I have available to get my workouts in. So I will lose rest day to accommodate my long swim day.

So...here is how it will hopefully look

Sunday: Long Bike- day focusing on endurance longest workout of the week to kick it off. (Road this on my indoor trainer on the 12th, it was painfully boring but free HBO weekend meant a movie to watch while I rode.)

Monday: Longer Run day- adjust my body to running off the bike this will eventually turn into a brick drill further into the season. (a brick dill is a back to back workout drill to train the body to adjust between sports, primarily from bike to run. Where your legs actually feel like bricks, hence the name.)

Tuesday: Rest day - legs will need it following bike and run days

Wednesday: Short Swim- Short Run Day

Thursday: Long Swim Day

Friday: Short Bike Day- Primarily to work on speed but to also adjust my body to riding my Cannondale Slice Triathlon bike.

Saturday: Rest Day

Monday through Thursday also mark school days, 2 of which are late nights. I've never been a fan of school so balancing late nights of school with my training is going to be a challenge.

Is anyone else out there training for something later on this year?

2014 Race Schedule

With as busy as life for me will be this coming year all of my races will tend to be very local with no more then a 25 minute drive. I am lucky enough that in the Toledo area we have a great race production company eliteendeavors.com who produce amazing races in the local area. This year I will be racing two of their events, but I will be starting my season with a race I am familiar with and is the source of my main page photo graph.

15 June 2014 Maumee Bay Sprint Triathlon

If I raced as fast as I transitioned I would be in the Olympics!

I raced this course for the first time in 2012 and I am excited to return. With a calm open water swim and a flat bike and run course, I am hoping to put up a better time than 2 years ago. This will also be the first test of my swim skills as it boasts a 750m swim which is half the distance I will need for my end of season "A" race. This will also be the first race that my daughter is old enough to actually cheer for me as the last time I raced here she was only about 1 month old. She'll be over 2 by the time I suit up for this event.


25 June 2014 Elite Endeavors Quarry Ridge Sprint Triathlon

This is this first time I will race this event so it is brand new to me, mostly because it is the inaugural running of this race. It is also my 5th wedding anniversary! I'm am super excited that my loving wife has allowed me to race this day, but not as excited as I am to have been married to her for 5 years. She is my absolute love and I cant wait for every year after this. Plus I'm taking her on vacation the next week and letting it roll into a long 4th of July weekend, but it doesn't change that she is the best.

They really are the best cheering section!

This race will be a little different than most races as it falls on a Wednesday, instead of the usual Sat or Sun. I am a little excited for this because most of my training will come in the evening and it starts at a time by body will be used to being revved up for.

July 2014

July is still up in the air for me. There is normally another local event in he area during this month but depending on how late in the month it is I will be skipping it to ensure I am ready for my August race. Racing short distance allows for a much busier race schedule but I dont want to risk any kind of burn out for August.

10 Aug 2014 Sylvania Triathlon

This race is one that I am very familiar with. I have raced the sprint distance twice in the past and the bike course is a normal riding course of me during training. It is the first time I will be racing the Olympic Distance of 1.5k swim 40k bike and 10k run. This was the first Triathlon I ever did and the course that made me fall in love with the sport.

I finished strong and passed him in my first race ever.

I'm excited for this race to be so close to home. It is a great local event that draws very good competition from the region and I am excited to see how my jump to Olympic distance stands up against some of the best. My expectations are in no way to podium but i plant to race well. It never hurts to see how you stack up am I right?

Sept 2014

September will be an interesting month. depending on how the weather in the area holds up I may try and squeeze an early Sept race in to close out the year. If I'm not able to I will be okay with the 3/4 races I've done but it doesn't hurt to check out a race that is taking place at the BEST amusement park in the country. Rev3 is stopping by Cedar Point again this year and they added a sprint race, so we shall see.

Either way I am excited to train and race this year!

Welcome and Hello

Hello and thank you to all have taken the time out of their own busy lives to read this. I am not a writer by any stretch of the word but I intend for this endeavor to be an outlet for me as I train and race my 2014 Triathlon season. If my wonderful wife is the only one who reads this then it will be a success, as she will know how much I love her for letting me strive to improve in the sport of triathlon, and give her an understanding of how my training is going along the way.

This season will be the first I have truly dedicated myself to training and racing during the summer months. In the past I have completed 3 sprint triathlon races and took the 2013 season off as life seemed to constantly get in the way of any structured training. This season however will be a far busier year as I plan to race four times as well as close out my season with a jump to the Olympic Distance which will be a big and exciting step for me.

This season, like last will not be devoid of life intruding on a structured training plan but I have vowed myself to make it work this year. Triathlete is by far the smallest of the many caps I wear in life. I am blessed to be married to a woman that loves me for who I am. I am father to a beautiful 1 1/2 year old little girl who like her mother has all the love my heart can give. I am blessed to have full time employment and starting mid January I return to school.

With that return to school I will also begin my structured training plan for my first race in mid July (more on my race schedule to come). For those unfamiliar with the sport of triathlon it is a 3 event sport. Swim Bike Run. It can be a rather expensive sport but I try my best to keep things on the economical side. A large expense in the sport is the service of a coach to plan workouts and hold an athlete accountable. For this year I will be serving as my own coach (no one knows my limits better than I do) and will use the encouragement of my family and any who may take interest in this blog to hold me accountable. It will be a long winter but I am looking forward to the improvements I intend to make towards my racing goals this summer.

Hopefully I'll get the hang of this along the way too.