Great Training Week!

Last week I was able to get in six training days in a row -- one weightlifting session, two bike rides (one spin, one trainer), and three runs. It felt really good to be able to get in that much training so early in the season -- I literally feel like I am ready to race right now, and I still have months to go before my first event. This morning I banged out five miles on the treadmill, starting at 7:24/mile pace and adding another 0.1 MPH every mile. I felt completely under control the entire time -- smooth and fluid, and barely breathing heavily (even in the last half mile, which I cranked up to 6:58 pace). I still need to figure out which races I want to do this summer -- two of the ones I was interested in have already sold out...

Back On The Trainer

So I have been keeping some really odd hours lately -- for example, this morning I woke up at 4:30 A.M. The better half and I had a really busy day planned, so I knew that getting to the gym was out of the picture. Thus, I did something I have not in a long while -- I retrieved The Black Knight out of my bike room and rode for 50 minutes on my trainer. I kept my heart rate fairly low and just focused on staying in the aerobars and riding at a nice, steady pace. It was definitely very different from the hard core, super-high heart rate spin bike workouts I have been doing lately. It also felt nice to ride on my actual bike, particularly given the fact I am still getting used to the new frame.

Training has been going pretty well the last few weeks. I have been getting in 2-3 runs (one of which is a really short one off of the bike) and 2 bike rides in pretty consistently, as well as a full body weightlifting session (chest, triceps, back, biceps, legs, and abs -- but fewer exercises of each than I would normally do). Oh, and I am currently 178 lbs, which is awesome for me this early in they year, and just 3 lbs over my goal racing weight.

Training Off To A Great Start

Well I am now nearly a month into my 2010 training, and I honestly could not be any happier -- all of the running that I did during last year's offseason has definitely paid off in terms of my overall fitness level. Yesterday morning I did a 40-minute spin bike, 10-minute treadmill run brick workout, and it could not have felt much easier (particularly for January). Today I did an easy 30-minute run on the treadmill. All I have to do now is get back in the pool soon (always a challenge for me), and I will be completely back in the swing of things. On a related note, I have signed up for a race -- the Stamford KIC IT Triathlon on June 27th. A buddy of mine who lives in Stamford did it last year and will do it with me this year, which will make it all the more fun. This race is Olympic distance, which will be my longest one of the year. I will eventually add a couple of TBD sprint races to the schedule, but it feels good to have one on the calendar to focus my training on.

I'm Back...

Well we are 12 days into the new decade and my triathlon training has started up in full swing! Last week I was able to get in two treadmill runs, a spin bike ride, and two weightlifting sessions, and so far this week I ran on the treadmill yesterday and did a quick brick workout (35 minutes spin bike, 5 minute treadmill run) this afternoon. They have these really cool new spin bikes at my gym -- they have computer displays that allow you to specify the type of workout you want to do and then track your heart rate and cadence, as well as directing you on what to do (e.g., seated climb, seated flat, sprints, jumps) and for how long (kind of hard to describe in words, but trust me, VERY COOL). As always this time of the year I am carrying a few extra pounds, but the nice thing is thanks to running through the fall and winter, my overall fitness level is much higher than usual. One other thing -- the "New Year's Resolutionaries" are at the gym in full force, but given the fact I was fully expecting them, they are not annoying me as much as they normally do...

Just Checking In

Well 2009 has nearly come to a close and I am long overdue for a blog posting. My offseason training has gone really well over the last several weeks -- I have been able to consistently squeeze in 2-3 runs and a couple of weighlifting sessions every week and have been able to keep my weight around 180 lbs. My running is going really well -- I have been cranking out 4-5 mile runs at a fairly decent pace like clockwork, which should bode really well for next year. Over the next week or so I will start hitting the bike and working in some swimming as well. I am still trying to figure out which races I will do next year, including whether or not to do another marathon. I am definitely going to stick with the smaller races next year -- they are cheaper, more laid back, and you do not have to register several months in advance (for example, the New York City Triathlon in July 2010 is already sold out). Well, that is it for now -- next week the New Year's Resolutionaries will strike again, so I have that to look forward to, which is nice...

More Offseason Workouts

This week I ran on the treadmill twice and lifted weights twice. I would have liked to have gotten one more run in, but a busy work schedule and some personal commitments made that impossible. That said, I am simply not going to allow myself to get upset about an occasional missed OFFSEASON workout. The highlight of the week was putting up 205 lbs. six times on the flat bench for the first time in forever. That certainly felt good, although I was only able to lift 225 lbs. once afterwards. The lowlight was kind of bonking on one of my treadmills runs. I actually think the treadmill is defective -- I think the speed indicator is messed up, and displays that you are running at a much slower pace than you really are (I am 92% sure I had the same problem with this treadmill once before). The only other thing of note is that I received my third place in my age group medal from the Hoboken University Medical Center 5K -- it is pretty cheesy looking, but it is not every day that I make the podium, so I am not complaining!

More Liftin'...

Today I hit the weight for chest, triceps, and legs. It was a fairly uneventful workout, aside from the fact I am starting to get a fair amount of strength back in my chest -- for the second week in a row I put up 205 lbs. five times on the flat bench, and even managed to do two reps of 225. On both sets I actually felt like I could have done one more rep, but did not want to press my luck (I rarely use a spotter, which is dumb I know). This week has been pretty textbook from a training perspective -- two runs and two weight sessions so far. I will try and hit the gym tomorrow for another short run, and weather permitting, may actually try to ride on Saturday morning...

Sunday Ride

So I actually got in one more ride outside on my new bike today. I did my normal out-and-back route along River Road to the base of the George Washington Bridge, and ended up doing a little over 17 miles. I am really starting to feel comfortable on my new bike -- I was cruising along flat sections of the ride at 21-22 MPH, with while my heart rate was fairly high, it certainly was not through the roof. I am definitely thinking about lowering the front end of my bike next year -- if I feel this comfortable already, I can certainly push the envelope a bit in the quest for additional speed. We will see if I can get any more rides in before the end of the year -- it was in the low 60s today so I felt perfectly fine with just a pair of arm warmers, but it is definitely beginning to get colder here (and I am a wimp)...

Podium!

Yesterday morning I competed in the Hoboken University Medical Center 5K Run. The following is my race report:

Pre-Race
Going into this race I really was not sure what to expect. I have been running 2-3 times a week since my last triathlon, but have not been doing any type of speed work. This was also my first open 5K in several years. Based on the 6:30 per mile pace I ran at my last triathlon in late August I was cautiously optimistic, but definitely was also mindful of the fact I often run better off the bike than completely fresh because my body is nice and warmed up. I arrived at the race start early, checked in, stretched, warmed up for a while, hit the bathroom a few times, and was ready to go.

Race
I seeded myself right behind what appeared to be the fastest runners (based on their running singlets, latest edition Garmin GPS watches, and racing flats). When the starting gun went off, it seemed like everyone took off like bats out of hell -- I was immediately passed by dozens of runners. I just focused on keeping a nice, relaxed pace and not getting caught up with the people streaming past me. In about a half a mile I began to pass plenty of runners who had obviously gone out way too hard. As I approached the first mile marker and saw that just over six minutes had elapsed, I stopped worrying about whether I had started too slowly (which is sometimes a problem for me in open running races).

As I neared the turnaround point for the race, I was definitely starting to labor a bit. I concentrated on shortening my stride and increasing my leg turnover, and kept telling myself that the pain would be over soon enough. One really nice thing about the race was given the fact it literally takes place in my back yard, I was intimately familiar with the course, having run on these very same roads countless times. I continued to occasionally pass runners, and was pleased that aside from the first quarter mile or so, no one returned the favor.

When I caught my first glimpse of the finish line with about a half a mile to go I definitely started to dig down, determined to leave everything out on the course. As I approached the final turn before the finish line, I noticed the runner in front of me glanced back to see how much distance he had on me. He was moving pretty quickly so I knew that I really did not have a chance to catch him, but I also glanced back to make sure I had a decent gap on the guy behind me (I was in no mood to get passed in the final sprint). As I crossed the finish line and looked down at my watch I was pleased -- 20:09. While my "stretch goal" was to break 20:00, given my relatively light training load and lack of speed work, I really do not think that I could have run much faster.

Post-Race
Well it turns out that my decision to make sure the guy behind me did not sprint past me before the finish was a wise one -- I ended up placing 3rd in my age group, and he was 4th! Needless to say I am really happy -- I have not placed in my age group in a race since I was in high school. This was definitely a fitting way for me to end my 2009 racing season (and this time I really mean it), as well as providing me with momentum as I head into next year. Thanks for reading!

Race Splits
Mile 1: 6:21
Mile 2: 6:30
Mile 3: 6:36
Final Time: 20:09 (6:29 pace)
Placement: 24th (top 6% overall, 3rd Male 35-39)

One More Race...

I really do not have anything terribly interesting or new to report on the training front -- I have continued to consistently run 2-3 times a week, hit the weights twice, and get an occasional bike ride in (although with the weather starting to get colder here, I think my outdoor riding this year is likely over). The real reason for the post is that I signed up for a local 5K race this upcoming Saturday morning! This will be my first open 5K in years, and I am interested to see how I do. I know one of the keys will be making sure my body is nice and warmed up beforehand -- the race is way too short to make up time if my first mile is really slow. I would be thrilled to run anywhere close to the 6:30 pace I averaged for the run portion of my last sprint triathlon, but given the fact I have not run an open 5K in such a long time, realistically I should be happy breaking 21:00. We will see...