summer in PEI

Summer for me in PEI in always a mixture of trying to train, being busy at work and busy socially. It is a game of trying to fit everything in. I am especially feeling that way this week. Last night i went out to dinner with some friends and to a play. tomorrow night, i am having my family to a BBQ. I am busy with work. I have managed to go for a run on monday; (easy 7 k) hot yoga on tuesday; swam on wednesday (again easy workout) I am trying to juggle things so i can do the cycle pei rec ride tonight (and buy gorceries and get ready for the BBQ tomorrow night) Tomorrow a.m., i plan to swim and saturday morning, I am planning to do a mini-tri with the triathlon group in Brackley. If all that happens, I will have managed some form of exercise everyday this week, which, i suppose, is more than most people but it still feels kind of "half assed" in terms of training. I have generally been feeling a bit run down since doing the triathlon on the weekend. I was geared up to try and do well in it and it did go well but since then I have been tired. Since may, I have done 3 duathlons on weekends; one half -ironman triathlon, 2 multi-sport relays solo, 2 olympic triathlons, a half marathon and some 10 k and 5 k roadraces. It might be cathcing up with me a bit. My attitude is to try and do as many races as I am able to do because it is a long winter of training. I feel like "what's the point of training if you don't do races?"

PEI triathlon

Yesterday I did the stanhope triathlon and was reasonably pleased with my performance. Afterwards, i always think i could have done a bit better. i could have biked a little harder, maybe, or run a little faster. All in all, it went pretty well. There were alot of good triathletes in the race. i was 15th out of 42. both my bike time and my run time were faster than when i did it three years ago when i came third (which suggests the competition is getting tougher) I am looking forward to just doing a few bike rides over the next couple of weeks for enjoyment rather than training. I plan to do Parlee Beach triathlon and Sackville and that may be it. I might do Schubie triathlon in Halifax but i am not sure about that.

Weekend in Vancouver

I am on my way back to PEI after a fun weekend in Vancouver. Prior to leaving last thursday, i had a good open water swim followed by a 5 k run with the tri group. My endurance for multiple legs (ie a swim followed by a run) seems good. I haven't been biking much and a bit nervous about how I will fair in the up coming PEI triathlon. It is a pretty flat course at least. I didn't do any training per se in Vancouver; i did do some water skiing and a vigorous hike up the "grouse grind" which is a 3 k hike up a mountain. I was completely soaked with sweat and my heat was pounding. It is an intense workout. I did a bit of swimming and playing around in my friend, Mark's pool. On wednesday this week, i plan to do a short bike run in stanhope to see how i feel.

souris relay

I did the souris relay this past weekend and was pleased with my performance. I came in second in the ironman (solo) division and third overall out of about thirty teams or individuals. As with all my races this season, my biking is a bit weak and my running is a bit stronger. My kayaking was strong as well. I haven't been biking much lately, other than doing races but i have been in a race just about every weekend for the past month. Sunday monring, I did hot yoga and then in the afternoon, went open water swimming in north rustico. Monday evening, i did yoga again and this morning (tuesday) i swam at the pool. My swimming has felt up and down. In the two triathlons i have done this year, I did not have really fast times. this morning it felt pretty good and I did a 500 m warmup and then 15- 100s and felt good. This weekend, I am going to Vancouver and it will be a bit of a break before doing the Stanhope triathlon at the end of the month.

work is crazy

Work this past week or so has been crazy busy and has been leaving me a bit mentally drained. that has an affect on training at times because I feel a bit tired. I did my third Cycle PEI duathlon last weekend and was reasonably pleased with my performance. I came 4th in a somewhat more competitive field. My biking is still a bit weak compared to other years but my running is probably better. On monday, I ran out in New glasgow about 7 k on a hilly route and then did hot yoga; on tuesday, I swam at lunch time ; on wednesday, I went swimming in Rustico after work for an open water swim with the tri group and then went for an easy 6 k run afterwards. I haven't had anytime for biking this week. Saturday i am doing the Souris relay solo and it sounds like there is going to be a lot of competitive people doing it.

Mixed results

I finished 30th out of about 90 people in the Fredericton triathlon last week. That is about the lowest placing i have had in the last 5 years in a Maritime triathlon. It was not completely a disaster, though. there were a lot of really good triathletes in the race but my biking was definitely weak. My running, on the other hand, was the best its been in a few years. My run time was 4 minutes faster than last year over 10 k and my bike time was 4 minutes slower. I would say there is not much difference in my swim time so i don't think my overall perfomance was much worse than last year when i finished 19th. I have been taking it a bit easy in terms of training but i have also been racing a lot since May. I have done something just about every weekend.

On Monday (day after the triathlon) i went out with a friend who was visiting and did a hard 90 k up around Malpaque and Kensington and back. I like that route and plan to do it again a few times this summer. I swam tuesday morning and did hot yoga Tuesday afternoon. I did hot yoga on Wednesday and, today, I am going to go running at lunch and do the cycle pei rec ride tonight. I am doing the cycle pei duathlon on Saturday.

no time

the past week and a half has been crazy at work and has cut into my workouts and my energy level. i feel like i am being slack despite the fact that i have already done a lot of racing this year:one half ironman, multi-sport relay, 2 duathlons, 2 10 ks, one half marathon and a 5 k race. Last week, i biked twice, did 3 hot yoga classes, swam 3 times and did a half marathon race and i still feel like i am being slack. This week so far i have swam twice and done 2 hot yoga classes. I am thinking i should run today but I don't feel like it and think I will go to hot yoga. tomorrow i am planning to bike out around Cavendish and New Glasgow. I am doing Fredericton triathlon this coming weekend and i will be interested to see how i do. I should be a little quicker on the run but i am not sure about my biking or swimming.