Start adding fuel....

Tomorrow I start the direct training and get off the build phases of training. Sort of I'm in shape now to start the real training.

Being sick the last week and a half makes it feel like I'm farther behind than I am. I should of been in shape and healthy enough to race the Carnation TT on Sunday, but you can't lose sleep over what you can't control. I feel close enough to 100% that Sunday I'll start the heavy lifting towards this years goals.

The main focus will be to slow down. I've done three years of Sprints and it's hard to switch gears from 85%-90% to 80%-85%. I have a feeling I'll have to relearn pace all over again and really not ignore feeding and refueling. 2008 was a great year and I think I can learn a lot from mainly not being afraid to push at my limits. However, pushing your limits and not pacing have two very different results.

In 2007 at the Victoria Half Marathon I pushed my limits and had a great result and PR. Whereas, 5 months later at Nookachamps 2008, I didn't pace, ran with the wrong pack that was too fast and just about died 2 minutes from the finish line. Terrible day, once you overextend you can't really fish it back in, the damage has been done. That was the 10k and I knew I'd gone out too fast at mile 3,where the half course splits off. After the split is a nasty hill that just keeps climbing. I could feel my legs dead and flat about 25yards before the climb started. Urgh Argh.....

Anyways, tomorrow starts all the real work and fun! It is work, but come on now, I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't fun.

"I am building a fire, and everyday I train, I am adding fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match."

Tomorrow I start adding fuel....

2 steps forward, 1 step back...

The last few weeks training have been going really well.

I got in some bike rides of 25-35 miles and had some explosive spin classes that left me a bit weak in the knees, in a good way. The running was feeling on track with a few 6 and 7 mile pushes of 85%-90% efforts, 3 days a week.

And the swim, I've only had 2 swims since the last time I wrote, but one was for 30 minutes and the other was a 50 minute swing doing 8 pace laps, 2 pass laps,1 minute rest, my idea of swim training. I swim at pace for a few, then in passing mode for a few. It's my PISS swim training.

A few years ago Floyd Landis had an interview in a mag and he was talking about hill training or Steep Hill Interval Training - SHIT....

I thought that was GREAT so me and Alley came up with
PISS: Passing In Swim Situation
CRAP: Continual Running At Pace

So in the thick of training to can have your days or hands full PISS, SHIT or CRAP. Sometimes PISS as number one and SHIT or CRAP as number two...

All very messy if you don't fuel or recover properly.

Anyways I've been sick for the last few days and feel pretty rundown. I know I'll get over this soon, but I feel like I'll have to yet again start training over again. It's just the preseason anxiety that happens every year. Last night was the first late night mental check list of all the things I haven't done yet, Grrh Argh...

I do know that after I get over this cold I won't be taking days off or doing token workouts to just cross off the board. Nothing lights a fire like the thought of disappointing yourself and those that support you....

Once again, back at it....

OK, I've been away for a few - sort of recharging the batteries and seeing what's up for this next year. As always, it seems too early to start training, then too late and you feel behind.

Well this year I'm focusing on the Lake Stevens 70.3, my first of that distance. I think the only others right now I want to say for sure are Federal Way Oly, Seafair Tri and Kirkland. Issaquah may be in there as well, but I need to focus on longer pacing not sprint. Don't get me wrong I'll probably get that first Issaquah in there to calm the racing nerves.

I want to avoid late season burnout that leads to fall-winter stalemate. I love the work and the training and the races, although sometiimes the races are the icing on the cake.

The other thing I want t do this year is race a few TT on the bike. The ones in Carnation should be a lot of fun and a great learning curve for pace and endurance. I was getting excited about the TT when I was re-fitting my aero bars on Luke. I ended up moving them back 3 full inches. I can't believe I was all superman style last year : )

Well, in about 3 weeks training for the Rock and Roll Seattle Marathon starts and I'm looking forward to really getting behind a good training schedule and knocking that down.

Alley as well said she wants to look at PR'ing at RNR. I think that means she's all in for the 26.2. Plus training usually means getting together with Team Cannoli from across the water so that's always fun.....

I think the later start on training is fine this year, mostly cuz there's nothing you can do about losing the last 2 months anyways, but still. The only concern is getting my swim back to where I was last year, if I can focus the next 6 weeks to swim I think the rest will fall into place. Falling in place meaning kicking my ass back into shape : )