Pool Session

Hit the pool today. Scored a free lane right away and put in some good work. Working to reduce times between intervals and am noticing my heart rate quickly returning to normal. The big weeks are coming up soon and I'm getting anxious.

Swim Summary:

Distance: 2500 meters

Run

It felt like 70 degrees tonight even though it was 35. Got out for a run after work on the dark country roads. I haven't been running with music for about a year, but I finally threw down and bought a new shuffle this weekend. Nice to have some company on the run, but I'm not going to become dependent on it. Got out for one hour and five minutes and could've just kept on running in these balmy temps.

Or it could be that new Paramore song.

Run summary:

Time: 1:05

Avg HR: 146

Peak HR: 170

Pool Session

Decided to pass on the Heat workout on Sunday and hit the pool solo. For one it's free, well sort of and I love knocking this out early am and having the rest of the day to catch up on life stuff before heading back to work on Monday.

Summary:

3,000 meters

Time: 1:04

Long Ride

I find myself looking forward to the weekends since my long rides fall on Saturday. I bought some gear that keeps me warm and I'm committed to doing all my long rides outside. Starting to like the feel of the mountain bike and the cold. Today I headed out on my normal route and took some new twists and turns and lots of good hills that brought me to some places I've never been before. Last year I slacked on the bike often skipping my long ride workouts. This year I need to get more saddle time to achieve my goals. Time in the saddle is good!

Summary:

Time: 2:10

Avg HR: 131

Peak HR: 164

Spinning

Spun it up tonight. Good workout with lots of hills. Feeling a bit tired after spending all of Tuesday night at the animal hospital with my dog.

Spin summary:

Time: 1.5 hours

Avg HR: 145

Peak HR: 169

Treadmills and Gyms Still Blow

Had to hit the treadmill again tonight because the vice at work is still on ultimate squeeze. Today I noticed I'm the only damn dude who sweats in the place. I mean people work out in freakin polo shirts at this place. Seriously I have no business being at this gym, but thankfully my work pays more than half the cost. Back to the sweat... I'm looked at as some kind of walking disease. I actually enjoy it and get as close to everyone I can. I love sweatin all over the damn water fountain after my workout. The probably quarantine the damn thing after I leave. Anyway back to my entry. Run was good, kept the incline at 2 and just rode it out for an hour.

Run Summary:

Time: 1 hour

Avg HR: 140

Peak HR: 165

Yoga

The last two weeks have been very tense. People coming at me every which way at work for something. Clients, coworkers, whoever...it's just been stressful. Everyone puts it on cruise control from Thanksgiving to New Year's and then they freakin put the pads on and start throwing haymakers on you. Where's the plan, we need hits, get me this release, promote this...just a day in the life. The agency's got big goals for 2008 and everyone makes it sound like earning $25 million for a mid sized agency isn't enough...greedy! So getting stretched out like a rubber band at yoga tonight was much needed. I let my problems and muscles yield into the freakin mat. Came out energized and balanced. Now time to go take some hits tomorrow.

Pool Session

Skipped the Heat group swim and instead hit the pool in the a.m. because this afternoon is loaded with way too much good football. Snagged a killer workout from the Heat site and had a lane all to myself. They even cleaned the pool for me last night.

Swim summary:

3,150 meters

Total time: 1:11

Ride

Headed out on the mountain bike for a ride this morning. Weather was good considering it's supposed to go arctic tomorrow.

Ride Summary:

Avg HR: 131

Peak HR: 161

Time:1:16

Yesterday -Dreaded treadmill run

Run Summary:

Avg HR: 143

Peak HR: 165

Time: 55:00

Spinning

Spun it up tonight with Heat at Winding Trails. Lots of hill climbing and a good workout. Doesn't compare to being outside but I'm feeling the benefits and I'm sweatin through shirts. Also got a call from trainwreck today. The dude calls me when I'm cranking but it's always good to hear from him. Guy says he's putting in 12 hours a week and I almost shit. I'm puttin in 8-10 and I'm doing an Ironman. It's his new bike that's got him training day and night. Told him to slow the F down some and spend more time with the wifey. He'll be burned up by August if he keeps at it. Timberman is a long way off and he's been bitten by the bug.

Spin Summary:

Avg HR: 145

Peak HR: 163

Time: 1:30

Run

Works been crazy so early mornings have not been happening so that means late dark running. The new gear is keeping me warm it's just fighting off the cold for the first 10 or 15 that's tough. Good times at night. Everything is still and the road's lit by the moon. Got a 50 minute run in since this is my recovery week.

Got to figure out what's up the HRM. Damn thing spikes to 240 when I start and holds that number for a few minutes. I think my chest would be blown to pieces if I ever hit that number, so somethings not calibrated correctly.

Run Summary:

Time: 51:00

Avg HR: 144

Peak HR: 165

Tuesday Night Pool Session

Swim Summary:

2,200 yards

Pool Session

Skipped the Heat workout tonight and decided to hit the pool early am. Heat was doing a 500 time trial and I didn't want to blow myself up. It was a "go at your own pace," but seriously with this crew, especially in my lane, that's hard to do. Opting to workout on my own I got in some good work and ripped off 2,900 yards. My stroke is feeling really strong and I am most impressed about how efficient I am in the water. My recovery times are dwindling too.

Swim Summary:

2,900 yards

Work horse set: 4x300 (100 fast; settle in for moderate 200) (1:00 minute rest between sets)

Long Weekend Ride

Perfect day with temps in the 40s. Not a bone chiller like last weekend. Getting used to moving slow on the mountain bike. Headed out on the same route and detoured into some parks for some trail riding and found out I suck in the woods. Xterra guys are bad ass. Heart rate spiked on some long hills and after some dude chased me off a private road...oops. Dude in wing tips turned me back...sounds soft, but the dude was red-faced pissed. Everyone in Connecticut feels like they own everything. Good ride and came of the bike fresh.

Ride summary:

Time: 2:11:11

Avg HR: 128

*Surprised at this number. Thought for sure it would be higher with all the climbing and trails. There were times I looked down and I was in the 150s. Hope this low HR is a good indicator of something.

Peak HR: 166

Treadmills Blow & So Do Gyms

This year I've been fortunate enough to do all my training outside...so far. The exception was my run last night. Work didn't allow me to get out early in the am and stuck in the office past 6, I had to hit the dreaded treadmill. I usually just go to the gym to swim, but yesterday I used that damn clothes hanger. Oh man did it suck. Time basically stood freakin still. I got in a 45 minute but my has the worst energy imaginable. Everyone is 50 plus and it's deserted on Fridays. It's a wellness center so you can imagine the clientele. People's workouts consist of trips to the water cooler and the only thing getting worked out is their jaws. I don't run with music so I hear it all. Swanky lawyer and VP discussing their third homes on the shore or the hottest stock. Arrghhh, just workout and sweat for god's sake. When there, I'm the only one who sweats (shirt soaking sweat) and am looked at like I have the plague. Enough rant, but I'm sure everyone has their gym stories. Don't even get me going about chest-thumping-maxed-out-two-minute-treadmill-guy-always-peering-
over-at-your-speed-trying-to-one-up-you.

Run summary:

Time: 46 minutes

Avg HR: 139

Peak: 165

Spinning

Spun it up tonight. Got a directive from JH to keep the HR lower. Last week it was way too high. Guess I was trying to be a hero or something. This week I watched the monitor and kept it under control. Class was much easier than last week flew by. Got a good workout but it has to be those long rides on the weekend that are making this seem like it cruises by.

Summary:

Avg HR: 145

Peak HR: 160

Pool Session

After swimming with Heat on Sundays it's hard to be in the pool all alone with no one to push you. No chit chattin after a set. The monotony starts building right after the warm up. It works both ways though. You can spend more time on technique and LSD without someone climbing up your ass and just zone out. Tonight I put in 45 minutes in the pool.

Swim summary:

Time: 45 minutes

Distance: 2500+

Warm Dark Night

Unlike some people I know, I had to put in a full day at the office today and it was torture. Clear skies, sun and 60 degree temps. Almost felt like it was the start of the winter thaw...in January. No hooky for me - too many client meetings. I had big plans of running at 5 am this morning but it's always hard after my Yoga night. My teacher who is a freakin rubber band does some sick relaxation exercises or hypmatism at the end of class and it always knocks me out cold. Serious REM.

So I ran in the dark, deep deep dark out here in the sticks. At least it was still warm as hell. Got out for nearly an hour and didn't have to dodge any cars or animals.

Run Summary:

Time: 50:23

Avg HR: 141

Max HR: 169

Distance: + or - 6 miles

Pool Session

Nothing better than ending the weekend with a long pool session with HEAT. Good way to work off the three fish tacos I destroyed last night too (homemade beer batter, fresh cod, cabbage and white sauce - Baja style and my specialty).

Swim workout:

3500 yards

Details:

Too much to write! Whoever writes up the workouts for HEAT loves to inflict pain. This dude was gaining on me that last 4x100s on 10 sec rest.

Bone Chiller

Headed out on the trusty mountain bike for a two hour ride today. They predicted temps in the 40s but my fingers and toes are still froze as I type this. I'm guessing it didn't get above 35. Totally forgot how slow you move on a mountain bike, and there's basically no coasting. Tried to hit some trails, but they're still covered with a good 6-8 inches of snow. Cruised up to Granby, over to Windsor, over some good hills in Bloomfield and basically got lost for two hours. Good times.

Rewarded myself with this mass of awesomeness at the end of the ride. Yeah, it split...but it was still a good roll. It was just filled with freakin loads of bustin' goodness (rice, avocado, cilantro, eggs and jack cheese). Sweat me!

Ride summary:

Total time: 2:07:17

Average HR: 138

Peak HR: 160

Yesterday 1/4

Swim 45mins - 2500 meters

Spinning

Attended the first spin class offered through our tri club Heat last night. Plenty of bikes available since it was 3 degrees outside. Apparently everyone else's car froze solid. Classes I've been in before were cake compared to this one. After a quick warm up, we took off on a climb and I'm pretty sure, or my legs are telling me today, that we didn't hit a downhill until the last two minutes.

Spent about 60 percent of the time out of the saddle. Heart rate ranged from 148 to 178 for the hour and fifteen minute spin. First time back on the pedals in a month or so and the legs responded. Hopefully they'll respond for my two hour ride this weekend.

Training Begins

The season officially started today. Thank god I was indoors since it's 18 degrees outside with a wind chill that freezes snot. I'm working with John Hirsch this year and he's promised to kick my ass. He's a pro and a guy, through his own actions, motivates the hell out of you. He chalks up some sick training days and always seems to be in some kind of forward motion.

He's going easy on me to start and then I get some severe ass kicking in a month or so. Today was just a half hour of swimming. It felt good to be back in the pool with a goal in sight. I've been swimming for a few months to just maintain, but today my mental approach and focus was on the coming season.

Today's workout:

Swim:
1. warm-up: 200swim, 200 kick, 200 pull
2. 9×50 on :55 3x(slow, med, fast)
3. 6×75 15 seconds rest (50 drill, 25 build swim)
4. 400 swim 1:00 rest,300 swim :45 rest,200 swim :30 rest,100 swim :15
rest