Travel, workouts, and interesting...

Workouts have been going great. It has been nice to be in Tempe, AZ. The weather right now is in the low 70s.

Several months ago, I booked a good deal for my flight through Southwest Airlines. Yesterday morning, I checked a bag and bike box and paid $50. I landed in Phoenix just before 1PM. I picked up my bags and bike then caught the shuttle for the rental car. I got a pretty good deal through Priceline. It was my first time using the website. A mid-size SUV cost $20 per/day. I checked into the Residence around 2:30PM. The had some major renovations last year. The hotel looks much nicer. I assembled my bike and drove toward the course.

It was a short ride with several 1 minute intervals at Olympic effort. I felt strong. The shoulders were full of debris. I was playing a video game trying to dodge glass, rocks, and crap. It was hard to see on the way back from the Beeline Highway because the sun was shining in directly into my eyes. I finished with almost 25 miles averaging 22.6mph. I drove back to the hotel and cleaned up.

I took my bike to Tribe Multisport to get it tuned up. There store is very big. They sell a lot of triathlon gear. There were several athletes on their bikes in one of the rooms. It was a definite sweat fest going on in there. I gave the mechanic my bike and knew I needed a new chain. I also found out the cassette needed to be replaced. Thanks Andres for making it easy. On my way back, I stopped at Whole Foods to grab dinner. I ate a green chili chicken breast with mozzarella pasta salad and udon noodles. I needed a snack and grabbed a bag of fig newtons.

After a good night of sleep, I walked over for breakfast. I ate a Belgian waffle with blueberries/strawberries and scrambled eggs. I washed it all down with a glass of orange juice and a coffee. I surfed the web for a bit then headed over to the race site for a run.

It was short run. The race course is 3 loops. I managed to run most of the course except 2.5miles or so. It felt so good to run in the sun. I had a few short intervals at half marathon pace. I stopped by Starbucks for an iced grande black and white peppermint mocha and a bagel with cream cheese. Yum!!!

I chilled at the hotel for awhile before driving to the pool. I have always wanted to check out Lifetime Fitness. The facility was amazing! They are so many options for working out. They have an indoor and outdoor pool. I chose outside because I need to take advantage of warm sun while I can.

The swim was only 1800 meters. After a short warm-up, I swam 2 rounds of 100 fast straight into 400 race pace (1:15-5:49 and 1:11.5-5:37). I was slower on the first one as my body was still warming up. The second was faster than anything on Monday and I averaged 1:24.25 on the 400. As I was leaving, I saw a smoothie bar. I ordered a smoothie. It was awesome.

I was craving sushi for lunch. I headed over to Whole Foods and saw a sushi bar. I walked in and asked for a sushi bowl. She didn't have it on the menu and wasn't going to try to make it. I walked over to Whole Foods and picked up sushi there. Whole Foods is becoming my home away from home. I grabbed spicy salmon avocado and spicy tuna avocado. It was definitely better than what I would have received from the restaurant next door.

I headed back to the hotel and saw a truck, Quick Fire Response Protection. I had never seen a truck like that, so thought it was interesting. That is until the guy rolls his window down to light a cigarette. Things that make you go hmmm...

Something

After packing the bike yesterday, my throat started to feel a little weird. I immediately began taking Zicam. I slept really well and felt good this morning. I swam 2100 meters. The main set was 3x (100fast + 300 Ironman pace). It felt easy to hold race pace (1:13-4:19, 1:12-4:15, 1:12.5-4:13.5). The last 300 was averaging 1:24.5 per 100. I started to feel a little under the weather after the swim so back on the Zicam.

I made sure everything was in good order before leaving work. I ran for 40minutes. I took the dogs for over half of it then headed to the track for 2x800s at half marathon pace. I just missed my goal on the first one and made the second one by 2 seconds.

6 days to race day.

Are you kidding me?

Friday morning I swam 4200 meters. I felt great in the water. It took very little effort to go fast. The main set was 9x200 on 3:00 descending every 3. The first 2 sets went quickly, the last was a little more challenging. My fast 3 were (2:41, 2:41, 2:39). I finished the workout in 66 minutes. I inhaled a Honey Stinger waffle then went for an easy 50 minute run. It was very windy. I assumed it was going to pour on me because the clouds were very gray. I did get somewhat lucky. It rained lightly on and off for the last 40 minutes of the run. It poured after I finished. I ended up with 6.47 miles.

Yesterday morning the weather was cold, upper 20s. There was frost on the houses. The good news was the roads were dry. The weather called for a storm around 2PM. I assumed that I could stay dry, so headed out the door at 9AM. It wasn't too cold at the start. The warm-up felt hard (I looked at my data later and realized I must have been in a head wind). The workout was 2 rounds of pacing for next weekend. I used the same strip of road so I could compare rounds. My numbers were 1% higher on the second round. The winds picked up considerably. The rain also made an appearance. My feet slowly became icicles. It felt like someone was shoving ice cubes into my socks. I only managed to average 20mph for the 45+ miles. I took off all the wet clothes and grabbed my run gear. I felt like I was running on air. The goal was to run no faster than 7:30s. First mile 7:03. Are you kidding me? It did not feel that fast. I told myself to slow down. Next mile 7:13. Really? Now I felt like I was running really slow because it felt like I was taking small steps. Last mile 7:27. Close enough. It took me a couple hours to turn my feet from white back to normal.

I headed to the pool this morning for the only workout of the day. It consisted of a warm-up, some fast 25s and a long cool down. I put up the fastest times of the year on the 14-15. It always feels so easy to swim fast after fast 25s. I did 2x400s pull on 5:40 after the 25s. I finished up with 2.5k.

The rest of the day will be spent packing and relaxing.

Last warm sunny day...

I started the morning off with an easy 1500 meters. I felt a little sluggish in the pool. I had another long day at work, so I took a long lunch and squeezed in a 90 minute bike ride. It was sunny and warming up. This will probably be the last warm sunny day of the year. I started with a 25 minute warm up, 4 thirty second builds, 15 minutes cruise, 25minute at Olympic effort and finally 20 minute cool down. The 25minute felt so much easier than last week. I felt great for the first 15ish minutes. I negative split the effort by 15 watts and averaged 23.4mph. My improvement from last week was 1%. I ended up with 31.29 miles. 

Last long swim and run...

Monday morning I swam 4.2k. It was the last long swim until race day. I felt strong. My 600 splits (8:46-8:42-8:41-8:43-8:44) for an average of 1:27.2 per 100. It was almost 1 second per 100 faster than last weekend with an extra 500. After work I skipped the nap because clouds were moving fast. I took the dogs out for an easy 30 minute run.

Yesterday, I adjusted my schedule at work. I squeezed in a short nap and a 24+ mile easy bike ride. I was glad the weather stayed dry. It was a long day.

This morning I ran for 90 minutes. I felt really good. I had a few short intervals at half marathon pace. Somehow my average pace was 7:18 per mile for the run. It felt really easy. I swam an easy 2000 meters at lunch.

Cold weekend

I wasn't sure what to yesterday morning about my 5 hour ride. The temperature was low 30s when I woke up. I don't do well on the bike when it is below 40. I contemplated during the workout on the trainer. I dragged my feet until 9AM. The girls were going to ride outside, so I put on as many layers as possible and donned the most important items (Sugoi Firewall bike gloves and Pearl Izumi Amfib tights). It was cold, upped 30s when I finally started. My legs felt heavy and tired. The workout consisted of varying intervals and intensity. I added 15 minutes to the ironman effort to make it work with my first stop. I hit my power numbers on the first round. I stopped at Texaco to eat a Honey Stinger Vanilla Waffle and drink a hot cup of French Vanilla Cappuccino. I decided to do 2 loops of Johnson Creek road because there are minimal stops and very little traffic. I just missed hitting the numbers on round 2. That was all she wrote. I was very hungry so I stopped and wolfed down a Honey Stinger Waffle. For the rest of the ride, I just rode. After 2 loops, I was back at Texaco to eat another Honey Stinger Waffle and Cappuccino. I was lucky to this point about staying dry. As soon as started the last hour, it started to sprinkle. I was glad it was short lived, Ranier to Yelm. Cold is one thing, but cold and rain breaks me. I finished the ride with just over 100 miles. I changed clothes and grabbed Kona for a short 30 minute run. I expected to feel horrible since over half the ride was challenging. Instead, I felt great. I had to tell myself to slow down. My last mile was well below my goal pace. Oops. The run was so effortless. I finished with 4.02 miles. The rest of the evening was spent recovering and eating. I saw TOWER HEIST. It was entertaining.

This morning I woke up to temps in the mid to upper 20s. BRRR!!! I headed to the pool for lots of fast 25s. I felt good in the pool. I averaged 15.5s on all forty. I always feel good after swimming fast 25s. Last set was 400s pull cruise on 5:45. I finished with 3800 meters. After taking a nap, I headed to the track for a few mile repeats at half marathon effort. I put in another solid workout. The effort was the same as last week, the speed was faster. I finished with 7.22 miles in 49 minutes.

Less than 2 weeks til Ironman Arizona.

31 degrees

My appetite was back to normal on Tuesday. I rode nice and easy for almost 25 miles. The temperature has dropped steadily over the past week.

It was a nice, warm 31 degrees Wednesday morning. I was out the door by 5AM for a 2 hour run. I felt strong for the first 75 minutes. I threw in a few 4 minute intervals at stand alone marathon pace. I picked up the dogs for the last 45 minutes. Actually Fina didn't make 1 minute, so I turned around and let her back in the house. My pace slowed 20+ seconds per mile. I guess the dogs don't like to run fast when it is so cold. I was just shy of 16 miles. I cleaned up, made a smoothie and coffee, and was off to work. I squeezed a short 2k easy swim at lunch time. My legs felt a little tired. After work, the clouds decided to make an appearance. I skipped the nap and headed out. The dogs were tired. I let them run off leash, so I could run at race pace. The first was a little rough. I settled into my pace for the rest of the run. I finished up the day with almost 22 miles.

I swam an easy 2000 meters yesterday morning. I felt better in the pool. After work and a nap, I got my stuff ready for a 2 hour ride. Since my favorite cogs were bent I needed to switch out cassettes. I thought I was tightening the cassette on my first attempt, so I switched directions. Only to figure out, I was really tightening the cassette. I got it on my third attempt, which was the same as the first. I headed out at 4PM. It was cold and dry. There were some ugly clouds in the distance. I warmed up with a few 30 second efforts, rode easy for 10 minutes, then went into 25 minutes at Olympic Tri effort. My legs felt tired from the running on Wednesday. I hit my goal power number. It was only 2 watts lower than last week, but 5 minutes longer. The weather was weird. The road I did most of the ride on was dry. A road that parallels was completely wet. It was dry in Dupont as well. Only in Washington.

This morning I swam 3.6k. I felt sluggish at the beginning of the warm-up. After several hundred meters, I was ready to knock out 6x200 on 3:00 descending ever 3. I swam faster times on a faster send-off than last week. After work, I went out for an easy run. It was nice and peaceful seeing the Puget Sound. I stayed dry and finished up with 7.6 miles.