Monday 6.0 miles/53:59/9:00 average pace
Zach couldn't join me last night so I had a nice easy solo run. I felt great the whole time - never too tired. I listened to This American Life podcast, which is really entertaining. Since I've started running more with Zach and the group, I don't rely as much on my podcasts, but they are fun to listen to. I also love Steve Runner's Phedippidations, and the Simply Stu triathlon podcast. After 5 easy miles I picked it up for a few strides in the last mile. It was hard, and my legs felt heavy at first, but they quickly remembered the drill and by the end they felt light and fast.
This morning I got up and went swimming. I did 1000 meters in 25 minutes. I decided to mix it up a bit by swimming every fifth lap hard. I only timed a couple of the fast laps, and the last one only took me 52 seconds!! That's an improvement. Otherwise I continued to focus on my rolling side to side, plus extending before each pull (the Total Immersion book calls it "winding up," like you would for a golf swing or a tennis swing). When I do it right (I think), I can really feel this. In my "wind up" I'm storing power in my entire body, and slowly release it with a strong arm pull. I want to look into lessons now, because I think I am comfortable enough to understand what they're talking about, but I don't want to continue swimming wrong. I know I need a lot of work because sometimes I find myself wondering "what am I supposed to be doing with this other arm right now?" for example. It's crazy how hard swimming really is!
So, I don't think I've specifically mentioned my upcoming race goals lately.
First, I'm focusing on running a Half Marathon on July 15th. This is the Wine Country half, which I did two years ago as my first ever half marathon. It's a flat course, and I'm going to train for a PR (current PR is 1:44:54). Zach is doing this too, his first ever long-distance race! :) Maritza is also registered and will incorporate this into her early training for the NYC Marathon. How cool is that?
Next, triathlon... Zach and I are going to do the "Tri for Fun" race which is a local race for newby triathletes. It's a non-competitive (whatever that means) and friendly environment for people who are new to the sport. That's me! I admit I'm completely intimidated and nervous by the whole idea, so this will be perfect. They hold three of these races throughout the summer, and we'll do the third, which is in August. That will be about one month before the Mission Bay Tri, which we plan on doing too. That's definitely a "real" tri, so it will be nice to have some experience going in.
I have a lot of work to do before the tri- mostly on the bike- but for now I'm focusing on training for the half marathon and getting in a few swims and bikes each week too. After the half, I will follow a specific triathlon training program to prepare. I'm really excited for all of this!!
Finally, I do plan on running a fall marathon. I'm thinking I'll do CIM again, this time running with the 3:35 pace group which would be a big PR for me. This is a ways off, but I may as well throw it out there. :)
9 comments:
I'm sure you'll do great in those races. I've been looking for back-up BQ races and CIM is on my December list.
That beginners race sounds pretty cool. When I finally make the leap I will have to look for one of those. Although, I don't know if I know how to be non-competitive. :-)
Swimming is so many things going on at once. I go to class and it's like, don't forget to extend your arm and make sure you roll and don't drop your other arm until you reach with the other and bilateral breath....oh yeah, don't forget to kick either. I feel like when I'm doing one thing right, something else is wrong.
Awesome goals. I like the way they progress towards the marathon. I'm just about ready to commit to my first marathon and was thinking about heading north (and then some) and doing Avenue of the Giants in October.
Sounds like a great plan! Always good to start with to get an idea what all this triathlon stuff is all about. Then, once you are hopelessly addicted to them (and you will be) you will start disecting every single variable looking for where you can make up time.
One piece of advise...try and practice transitions. Put your swim gear on and set up an area with all your bike stuff and practice how you will go from one to the next. Same thing with bike-to-run. This way you will have an idea how you want to lay things out at the race.
Jen, you're awesome and your goals are soooo doable, especially with your fitness levels. I'm learning a ton from your posts about swimming, and I am in the same boat as you! I want lessons too, or at least a swim stroke assessment, but I want to get more comfortable in the water, yet I don't want to keep doing it wrong, etc. I DO feel better in the water when I roll and reach/extend like you mentioned. I don't get as tired. But I really have to focus on form the entire time. Swimming really is tough, as you said.
Someday I will do a tri for fun. That's always in the back of my mind, but it's been nagging me so much lately that I think I have to sign up soon.
I'm doing the CIM also. It'll be my 3rd year and I'm hoping for a big PR as well. I just want to beat my Boston time, but I'd ultimately love to run the CIM in 3:20. We'll see...
Thanks for such a helpful blog!
nice goals Jen!! way to go on that TRI, u should do great especially with getting focusing on ur swimming.
It's a great feeling to throw out some goals, isn't it?? Graet job on balancing the swimming and running. That's an inspiration for me. Best of luck on the 1/2 training.
great training jen. and good luck with your racing. you'll rock in the tri!
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