Tuesday run, no fartleks

RUN: 6.6 miles in 54.5 mins for an 8:15m/m pace
BIKE: 14.5 miles in 50 mins for a recovery/stretch/energy burn

I keep saying "energy burn". What the heck does that mean? I guess it makes me feel all "Ironman" to do a double like that.

The weather was super warm this morning--low 50's! It was even better in the afternoon--maybe 65F?--but I didn't get to enjoy it much. Work sucks that way.

This run was supposed to be fartleks, but DC and JM and I didn't go there. So it became my 10Kish tempo run of the week.  It's become a habit on this run for my mind to say "sh!t this is hard I want to slow down" but I don't let myself. Today my mind popped up with those thoughts and had to disagree with itself. It was hard, but a good hard, and I loved it. 8:15's!! WOW.

The bike was indoors and boring. Good time to focus on form. My week is messed up a bit schedule-wise since I'm traveling out of town starting Thursday, but I have my workouts planned around it. Which means that I'm on the bike again tomorrow for a pyramid workout. I really hope to get to the swim!! I'd hate to miss fly day.

GAH missed Monday swim!

SWIM ZERO
BIKE: 18 miles in 60 mins

I was awake at 410am, but didnt stay awake. My body was happy for the rest, my mind guilty for missing it. And when I learned later what the set was, I really regretted it. 4x500's!  I have it on the schedule for Friday.

I got the ride in, the set from CP was a little on the boring side (boring but worthwhile...) so I watched a Coach Troy DVD (Lake P) and held onto a 19mph ave for the interval.

Later in the day I emailed CP to talk about where the training plan is (Base 2 is just starting) and to discuss late season races. He mentioned a word I hadn't considered in these grand plans yet: injury.

Here I'm thinking about a 2nd full at Redman and a month later doing a 50M. And injury never crossed my mind?

I'm thinking the Redman half looks like a lot of fun!

Merry Christmas to ME! (Dec 2009)

Another Unpublished post from late December 2009....

RUN: 6.5 miles abt 56mins Xmas eve run

Merry Christmas to me! It's not often you wish yourself that, how many times do I look back at myself and send greetings? Sounds weird, I know. But Merry Christmas to me anyway.

I even have presents for myself! IMWI training starts in just days, so why not get ready for that by celebrating now? Let's review some things we need for IMWI.

Patience: time will be in short supply this year. But Patience comes in a big box, and inside are thousands of small pieces that fit together. There will be so much going on between work, Worlds, and Wisconsin. Life will be a swirl of activity, and between taking care of yourself and others, So this year for Xmas, I will tend my time like a small fire. I will take care of it, enjoy it, and make use of all I have of it. I won't rush the moment, live in the next or mourn the past. I will ride the current of time while enjoying every moment.

Courage: Courage will get you through the highs and lows of the upcoming year. This one is in a very small box, with a silver bow, and what appears initially to be but a small spark of light. But that light is like a fire in the heart, a small spark to start the day, finish a long ride, or face a fear. Some days will be brighter than others, some days the spark will nearly burn out, and on some others it will be bright enough for everyone to see. I will keep that spark of Courage burning inside, not to blind others, but to keep me going.

Belief: I may not always know what I am capable of, but I will Believe I am capable of anything I put my heart into. This gift is hard to wrap, it's fragile, like a mirror. It will be hard to believe in yourself after some hard days, and hard to find confidence to go back and do it again. But Believe in your goals, Believe in your abilities, and Believe in those around you. I will take a look at who I am in the mirror each morning, and remind myself of what you've accomplished, what my goals are, and what I am capable of.

Some stocking stuffers:

I will take care of myself, and make decisions that benefit me. My daily training will have a reason and goal. I will feed myself good food as fuel. I will not waste a day to look back on in regret. I will listen to that inner voice that I ignore too often. I will stay positive about me and about others. I will keep negative thoughts and feelings locked in a back room, to avoid letting them out to hurt me. I will value each step in this progression for what it is, a step towards a goal.

Did you always know? (Dec 2009)

Just found this post in my drafts bin, labeled for December 2009. Why didn't I publish it?

"Oh, no. No, I didn't. But I believed...I believed.

This is what I will be asking myself in September. Did I know I could finish the race?
Oh, no. No, I didn't.
But I believed...I believed."

Let March begin today

SWIM: 2000y in 55mins, MMM. 6x50mostly kicking, 2x100, then 3x500 as 200-100-200.

The 6x50 was supposed to be 6x100. The 2x100 I did OK. The 3x500 was supposed to be 5x500 as 200 moderate, the last 200 faster, and the 100 at the last 200 pace. 15s rest. I just swam.

This is a frustrating swim. My form is awful, I'm distracted by the chop and other swimmers, I'm always hitting the wall or worried about hitting it, and I'm going at >80% effort all the time just to keep up. I tell others that you don't need to be fast to swim this Master's but in all reality--yes you do. For the last half hour, I was the slowest person in the pool. I was swimming 3 laps to everyone else's 4-5 in my lane alone. So I can imagine that faster lanes did 3500-4000y. So why do I do this swim?

Let me start by relaying one story from today. I'm pushing along, just trying to keep out of the way. It sux but I keep going, trying to keep my pace and focus. I rest at the wall to let the other 3 swimmers go by me. As I wait, one of the women starts talking about how unmotivated she felt today and how slow she felt today and etc. She's slow? Wow, you're not that slow, cuz I'm in your way. And she's unmotivated? Then get the F out of the pool and give me space to swim!

So why do I do this swim? Because I'm motivated to get better. And that's a bit of a revelation for me today. As much as I hate swimming, as bad as I am, and as slow as I am, apparently I'm motivated to improve. Otherwise, why would I get up at 4:10am for a 5:15 swim that I don't enjoy?

I also realized that while I'd prefer to swim alone sometimes, this is like a group run. There's peer pressure to go and there's always someone pushing at you to keep up. Swims like this are the only way I'm going to improve.

And for some reason, I like to set goals by the month. Today is Feb 28 but it's also a Monday. And Monday's are the start of my week. So consider today the 1st of the month and start thinking about goals for the next 31 days. Get 'em on paper by end of day.

It's only been 3 days

Yesterday: BIKE 60m on trainer, super low effort, 15miles?

Today:
SWIM: 600-700m in ???? (how can you lose count with such a small number?!
RUN: not done yet

Yesterday was pretty bad. I finished the bike "ride" and felt so sick I debated even going to work. But you know I did anyway. And I got nuttin done. Nuttin.

Today I woke up with the alarm at 4am for Masters, decided to go, decided to not go, decided to go, then finally left the house. The goal was a short, no plan, no interval, no "work" swim. Just stretch out, move around, and enjoy the cool water and temps.

I stretched out. I moved around. I didn't enjoy it. I was happy to see the group and CHG, but not happy about laps. No Happy Laps for me.

I was tired within 200m. By 250m I just didn't care. I hung at the wall just lost in space. After a rest I'd go again, getting sloppier and sloppier as the meters added up. CHG got me going again with a few fin-kick laps on my back. Those felt good, except my quads weren't interested. Too bad for them. I did 200m like this and decided to call it a morning.

July comes to an end

BIKE: 1hr for about 17 miles. MS of 5min hard/5min mod for 45 mins

SWIM: 1:29 for about 2000m.

Got up early to get the bike in. I knew I'd be too tired after the picnic (and I was right) to get a ride done. As much as I dislike sitting on the trainer when the weather aint that bad, this was the plan. And there was no way I'd get in 5/5 intervals on the road around here.

The swim was a near fail. I just didn't have the energy, mental or physical. The umpteenth email to come to me this week reminding my of my inability to balance things out and get things done arrived at the end of the bike ride, and I couldn't shake it off for the swim. But that's just part of it. I was tired. I ended up doing just 50s and 100s, hanging on the wall to rest. We worked on the ABC drill, getting my right arm to catch wide, and w-i-d-e arm entry. When I get it right, it feels good! When I don't, eh, I don't feel so good. But even my "oh geez what am I doing wrong" laps still came in around 1:06 for 50m.

Then near the end my left leg cramped a little. Just a minor one, it shook out in a few mins, but it spooked me. F^CK. I decided, that was it. I'm done. Get out of the pool. I got to the wall where I overheard HJ in the next lane saying she had a foot cramp. Then she pushed off the wall. Then I pushed off the wall.

In the end, the distance is only a reasonable guess. There was lots more standing around today than usual, but still I only did freestyle so it's not like the time was eaten up in the kicking sets that I opted out of.

How do I feel? I'm told my eyes have a glazed over look. A few people have asked in I'm OK (them's being CHG and PS). I tired as all hell but lovin' it. July is over! What a month! Something for the club every stinking weekend! August is for ME.

NUMERICS: planned:
SWIM
BIKE
RUN

TriSmart Masters

SWIM: 1400y? in ~60 mins
BIKE: 28 miles in 90 mins on the trainer

Having missed all 3 swims this past week, I was only somewhat eager to get back to swimming. I think I need a break from swimming.

JM led the TS master's for the club. My lane had all IB'ers and I was the BOP swimmer as usual. And I wasn't really into it. But we did two timed races--a 100y (1:40-45) and a 50y (47 seconds). My form was awful on the last 25 of the 100, definitely the reason my time suffered in that.

Reviewing the log, I have a 2:02 as a 100m PR. That's equal to ... calculating... NUTS. Sunday's swim wasn't a PR. I have to take into account that the 2:02 was a 1-wall 50m swim while Sunday's 1:4? was a 25y 3-wall swim and my turns suck.

Excuses, excuses.

The trainer ride was to burn off energy. Why do I have so much energy? I'm a bit nervous about the low training hours I have. Only 8-10 hours a week when I think I should be doing 11+. Talked to CP, he says I'm  just starting Base 2. So that also explains why I feel like I'm just repeating weeks. Base is kinda repetitive!

Wildwood 12-miler race report

RUN: 12 miles 1:41:26 for an 8:28m/m pace.

Compared to last year’s 1:42:?? for an 8:33m/m pace. Goal this year—beat last year’s time.

I started the week with what was probably a head cold, atypical as it was with chills and muscles aches (I don’t think it was flu, not severe enough), so it was an unplanned rest week. Although I didn’t rest much…only in swimming…

Either way, it was sunny, clear, low 40’s, and expected to warm up. There was some wind but along the trails the wind would be blunted. The only concern was ice—it did freeze overnight and the recent melts and light rains left a slick layer in some areas.

Breakfast: banana, sweet potato, dates, egg whites, not a good planned breakfast. Very random. Pre-race: a banana.

I didn’t warm up much, just jogged 30s or so to make sure my Brooks trail shoes were comfy. I choose those shoes because this wasn’t really a trail run, but had enough trail segments that I worried about mud getting through the meshes. Then for more warmup I talked to JP and kinda hopped around to stay warm. I knew I was overdressed (yellow windbreak coat, tech T, craft layer) but I couldn’t help myself. I hate being cold.

I was in wave 4 with about 20 others. The first mile was on paved trail—slick but flat. I kept a high pace as I warmed up. By mile 2 we were on limestone trail and more spread out so I could keep my pace and not follow another’s. The slick trail was gone until mile 6.

I had the garmin set to show average pace and I kept an eye at each mile mark. The first 4 miles on the path/trails were low 8 mins. This was encouraging, but I knew that the big hill was ahead. Right around mile 4 the course jumped onto single track along the river. I think I could see the Chubb trail area!

Mile 6 marked the half way point (50 mins) and the return to pavement. I was able to see the runners returning to the start and avoided the temptation to count women. It was a wave start race, the number of womens ahead of me was a worthless number, other than to keep my mind occupied. This was a pretty part of the course—little bridges, creeks, trees—other than the fact that the little bridges were SLICK. Just had to slow up a little and step careful.

Mile 7-ish marked the start uphill, a sustained 1 mile climb with varying grade. My pace dropped to 9m/m and the legs started to burn. Right at the top, the grade kicks up higher before a turnaround in a parking lot. Some water…then go. For some reason I expected the downhill to be faster! Where was that entire grade I just climbed?! When do I get to go fast!?

Faster it was, but not blazing. Especially since this side of the trail had a little more ice. Saw my friends on the way down, grabbed some water at the 10mi mark (my 3rd cup of the race) and headed back to the start. At this time last year, I remember having eaten a gel or two already but then still losing energy at the 11 mile mark. I distinctly remember that problem. This time around I was tired but not out of energy. But the last mile was definitely a push to get done fast. I knew the time was close! I crossed the line after a good push.

Post race- another banana! Later some veggies and chicken. Didn’t stretch much and didn’t foam roll until the next day. My right upper quads were a bit sore, other than that I was OK. I felt the race fatigue on Sunday, but was still able to train and walk.

So overall, a great effort over a long distance. Makes me wonder if I should get a 13.1 PR in this spring!? Maybe I could do a sub 1:50 without that hill in the middle of the course! And it's notable that I ate NOTHING during this race.

Got sick and fell behind!! Catching Up!

Saturday SWIM 90 mins 2 miles; BIKE 20 miles on trainer

Sunday RUN: 7.6 miles in 1:10 with CP
Monday BIKE: 2hrs and 30 miles.
Tuesday RUN: 6 miles in about 55 mins
Wedsnesday BIKE: 80 mins and 25 miles
Thursday RUN 7.5 miles in 68-ish mins
Friday (today) rest!

So it seems the first things to go when I get sick is logging and swimming. Yet I can still bike and run?!

The sickness was probably coming on for awhile, the week prior I was dragging and tired. Saturday night I slept 10 hrs! Then Sunday after the run I came home COLD and couldn't get warm. By the afternoon I had a headache, muscle aches, stuck on the couch with space heater. Slept another 10 hrs.

Monday morning I was wiped, went to work a few hours then came home but had energy to burn and the "need" to do something. So a spin on the trainer. I felt better right afterwards but then sick again later in the evening.

Tuesday I ran from the house thinking I'd only make it a mile or two. But I lasted until 5, at which point I started to lose the mental drive. Again that night I felt sick--tired, cold, headachy, sinus pain.

Weds I skipped the swim in part out of laziness. I convinced myself that I could swim later. Did the Hills Country DVD and felt good.

Thursday it was raining but I ran anyway. I felt slow but the pace didn't reflect it all that much. I was OK enough to backtrack to find the hat I lost, but that only added a few tenths. That afternoon everything else was feeling OK but I had such severe gut pain I googled appendicitis to be sure I didn't have it! Might have been the batch of kale chips or eggplant chips I ate in the morning? Too much of a good thing?

And now Friday. I'm resting today to prepare for the Wildwood race tomorrow. I feel great, a little nervous about my tummy (which is OK) so far.

I get sick so rarely, I wonder what I got exposed to and I also wonder why I just can't stop to recover. I kept telling myself: below the neck=think about it, above the neck = HTFU and run.

Cold Thursday run

RUN: 58 mins and 6.6 miles

The usual loop with LC, IT, and BYK. Not to be boring or anything, but not much to say except that it was cold!

Very tired again, and looking forward to resting tomorrow :)

I can't even doggie paddle!?

SWIM: 1900 y in just under an hour
BIKE: 14.25 miles in about 45-50 mins

It was breast stroke day at the pool, and that's my worst one. Or so I thought. Turns out I can't even do the "doggie digs" sculling drill properly?!

Turesday run in the tornado advisory

RUN: 7 miles in 63 mins. Fartleks.

I woke up to 55F, thunder and lightning, strong winds, some hail and heavy rain. I went out the door an hour later to 55F, winds, and that's all.  Except the tornado advisory I didn't know about until I was driving. I hadn't heard from the group whether or not they were running, but I was ready to run alone if I had to. Didn't feel right contacting them to hear negative responses.

CP put fartleks in the schedule, so fartleks it was. Some were for speed, some were form, some were for hills, but all were good. But it's hard to be motivated when running alone.

Not a drop hit me. My feet stayed dry! It was almost 50F by the time I got home, and down to 40F just a little while later! Low of 18 expected tonight. Glad the run was today :)

MLK holiday weekend

SWIM: 2500y in 64 mins.
BIKE: 37.5 mi in 2hrs

Back to it even though it's a holiday! This swim was a change because instead of 4-5 girls and one guy, it was 4-5 guys and 2 girls. Where'd the regulars go?

It was a sloppy swim, I tried to keep it neat but at one point CHG said I was crossing my arms out in front of me and fishtailing. Nuts.

The bike was the first with my new cheap-o spedometer. Turns out my guesses on distance might have been underestimates. I spent the first hour doing 10 mins focused and ABP. The next hour broken up and less focuses. More of an energy-kill.

Sunday long run

RUN: 10 miles in 1:30 with the IB group.

easy
breezy
lemon
squeezy

ave HR 141

Pre FBR ride

BIKE: 50 mins, oh about 14 miles.

Did this because I was pretty sure I wouldn't be in the mood to do it later. Got a laugh thinking about how the past 3 years there would be no way I'd be on the trainer before the FBR!

Don't swim!!

Was going to swim with TB and CM today to make up for the missed swim tomorrow (did I just put a future event in the past tense?) but I opted out.

My back was still sore and "crampy" from Monday and Wednesday swims. A good and bad thing. Good because it means I'm using different (ie back) muscles to swim. Bad because it puts me behind on my swim goals.

Thursday run in the snow!

RUN: 6.7 miles in 67 mins

LC and IT joined me to run in our first real snow of the year. Took a little longer than usual! And apparently running the course backwards (done to avoid the headwinds) adds a tenth.

Rest starts NOW.

Can't deny it...I need to rest

SWIM: 1900y in 59 minutes
BIKE about 12 miles in 45 minutes

It was backstroke day and I knew going into it that I was tired. So it was a sloppy swim. Poor form. No edge. No desire. Pain in the neck. Tired triceps.

The bike ride afterwards was also a No Desire ride, but I wanted to do it. I did all I had time for.

Funny how things like this can add up to an obvious conclusion (I need to rest) yet I can't make myself do it. I'm already planning tomorrow's run and Friday's swim! Let's take a moment to describe this fatigue.

All I want to do is sit. And slouch. My back has a tight non-pain ache like it might cramp. My whole back! My arm muscles are the same. My hands are tired from typing. The hallway is too long to even walk down. I'm hoping I can get a ride to the parking lot somehow. I want to lie down (lay down? whatever) but my mind is still spinning!

I had a migraine aura last night, and I think another today. Obvious signs of fatigue. My mental status is OK, it's my body that is suffering.

I say that just minutes after saying "No Desire". Am I even paying attention?

Took a pass on the fartleks

RUN: 6.6 miles in 56 mins, about 8:30 pace

TB mentioned she might run but at a slower pace, and when I read that I started looking forward to running with her. That's a sign right there--I'm looking for a slower pace on speedwork day?

But she didn't make it. So I was in a fartlek run with JM, DC, and AB. We made it through 2 fartleks then it was my turn. I took a pass. Honestly, the whole damned loop felt like speedwork. DC and I worked on drills between intervals. I like the drills when I'm tired--they get me focused on good things.

Another Monday

SWIM: 2800y in 75 mins
BIKE: 23? miles in 75 mins

Wow that's a lot of swimming! Mostly freestyle too!

I got bored on the bike, wanted to do 90 mins just because I could with time but no go. Just got bored. I need to quit watching just television. And I need to buy a spedometer!

January 9th full moon

IB Sunday Run

RUN: 7.1 miles in 67 mins. Around a 9 min pace. Includes 5 repeats up “EK’s Hill” near the zoo.


Joined the IB group for a FP run. I wanted to do 10 miles total, but I had to be at the airport to get DH and running longer is not a good reason to be late.

Spend the rest of the day in a useless fog of mental jumble. What’s going on in my mind to cause this? Had it for a few days now.

A ride outdoors! Then a ride indoors!

SWIM: 3100m in 90 mins.
BIKE: 75-80 mins for 17 miles outdoors, then 90 mins indoors for another 23 or so miles.

I was a little slower in the swim today, trying to focus on my new drills and keep good form. For me, speed and form are mutually exclusive. I actually only finished 3100m, but I added in a small portion of the swim lesson from yesterday to round the number up. Is that cheating?

Either way, this swim put me at a whopping PR 9350 yards for the week in 3 swims (3050 + 2800 + 3500) not counting all of the swim lesson. Holy Cow!!

TB, CB, CM, and I rode outdoors shortly after the swim. We only went to the QT on Midland and back, and it was only in the high 40’s, but AWESOME! I had more energy still so I went home and rode on the trainer for a while :)

2012’s first swim lesson

I say the first because I’m sure there will be more.

Issues reviewed and worked on, in no particular order:

1.       My left arm still sweeps under me. The elbow bends and passes directly under my chest.

2.       My left arm when in front of me comes down too early and instead of being forward propulsion is instead upward in an effort to lift my head.

3.       My head is lifting up and pointing the “laser line” upwards instead of parallel with the water surface. This causes a curved, banana shape and drops my hips.

4.       My hands aren’t anchoring in the water.

Things to be thinking about:

1.       Arms to the outside, not under. I should still be on my side when the pull starts and not flat in the water. Done correctly, the outside motion is not out to the wall of the pool but instead out to my side and thus towards the bottom of the pool.

2.       Keep the left arm out in a neutral position while breathing.

3.       I don’t need to lift my head, so think about keeping the head down and trust the rotation.

4.       Think about throwing my weight/momentum forward over my shoulders. Instead of sweeping the hand back, leave it as an anchor and move the weight up and over it. The “rock at the end of a string” drill from a few Master’s ago has helped with this, but without an anchor the drill will only help so far.

5.       Practice the drill of letting the recovery arm “hit” the back of the head. This resulted in a full extension of the shoulder and what felt like a longer line in the water, but I think it was also to make sure my head stays down with my arms instead of coming out of the water to breathe.

One more run, then I rest...

RUN: 6.6 miles in 53:44, 8:08 m/m pace!!!

I came into the run tired, physically tired but mentally game. Interesting mix. Body dragging by the end of the day, a few minor aches and pains, yet still wanting a challenge. I love it!

DC and BYK showed up to run, so I knew it could be a fast pace. Yet I secretly hoped it would slow down. No dice. We were cooking. My body was tired and my quads were burning. I kept reminding myself of proper form--quick cadence, heels up, elbows--and I kept going. By the time we hit the dinosaurs I was ready to fall back off the group. But the group kept going...

...and going, and going. I was behind the group  but still on the back. As the half miles ticked by, I kept pointing out to myself: I wanted to quit a mile ago and didn't. Wanted to quit half mile ago and didn't. Wanted to quit and didn't, I CAN DO THIS!!

That worked. I did it!  I thanked them for a great pull and run. I didn't know our pace until when I logged later. Yowza!

I foam-rolled and got to work, and surprisingly felt good the rest of the day. I decided to start Rest at 7am when the run was done, and not just on Friday. CP reminded me that I need to be fresh and strong for the real work that's still to come.

And Friday just got a swim lesson scheduled in the mid-morning. Rest, rest, rest!

When to I get to rest?

SWIM: 2800y in 70 mins, fly day
BIKE: about 8 miles in 30 mins, ran out of time

I wore my penguin hat to the swim, cuz we all know penguins don't fly ;)

It was a good swim. As on Monday, I kept falling behind the group on sets but I kept at it. This is a lot of yardage for me in Masters!

I only had a few minutes for the bike since I had to be a work for a 9am meeting. I had intentions of riding the rest when I got home from work, but I needed the rest after having no days off since 26 Dec.

IronFatigue. Already feeling it :)

How does 6mi fartlek become 10mi LSD?

RUN: 10 miles in 1:31 9:06 pace, ave HR 145

The usual Tuesday fartlek run had to be changed to take DH to the airport. I was dressed and ready to go right after getting done with that, but I was on my own with no group.

The high winds over the past few days pulled the temps down from 50's to low 20's. Sunny, but no wind at least. So this was my first really cold run of this season.

The plan was 6 mi with fartleks. I managed 3 intervals in the first 3 miles but then lost interest. I was running in TGP and started planning out a long run. If I run two loops, if I run to 4 or 5 mi and turn back...how did a fartlek run turn in to a long run? And when will a 10 mile run cease to be a "long run"?

I was doing great until about mile 8 or so, at which I really started to wear down. I didn't take a day off (as CP indicated I should!) this holiday weekend and I did run 10 miles just 48hrs ago. Recipe for injury!

Foam rolled and took endurolytes. Whether or not these had any direct improvement on fatigue, hard to say. But I didn't have any of the pretty extreme fatigue and the pain I felt after last Tuesday's 10mile run. (although that was in snow, and that changes my stride).

Two workouts on the 2nd

SWIM: 3050y in 75 mins
BIKE: about 25 miles in 90 mins

A good way to start the 2012 swim season--on time!  Today was long endurance free day, I swam more aggressively than usual and kept up with the group. I would miss 50's but otherwise stayed on track. Had to change the 5x200 to 5x150.  Just too tired from Saturday's uber-long swim.

CHG's Tip of the Day: my forward arm needs to stay out longer, and when it does come down to catch it shouldn't sweep under me. Instead it should sweep under my side (because I should still be on my side). The hand should sweep out a bit. When I tried this at the end, I felt longer and better.

The bike was the usual 90 min mix of big/small and sit/stand and rest/push. I was popping Endurolytes before and after to help with the losses I had to be experiencing.

I was in a very upbeat mood all morning and spent the day off with the DH. But come dinner time I was sacked. I ended up taking a nap, my first IronNap of this season!

Still debating Redman full. I was telling some swim buddies about my thinking, and someone pointed out that everything sounds fun on January 2nd! LOVE IT!!

New Year's Day long run

RUN: 10 miles, time uncertain but it had to be around 1:30-1:40

AC and I did this one together. Ran in to SP at the start and chatted with her. It was terribly windy but warmed up as the day progressed. FINALLY broke out my new Brooks shoes (the ones I bought in October!).

Unlike Tuesday's run, I was not sore or tired afterwards. What did I do different? Drank some water after 7 miles. Ate Endurolytes afterwards. Foam rolled afterwards.

Great way to start the year off! Asked CP about what's in store for January: more bike building and run endurance specific workouts :)

And I'm thinking crazy thoughts--I'm debating the Redman Full on Sept 22nd!!! I asked CP about it, he said it's 'plenty of time to recover'.