Getting into a fall routine

Last week i seemed to get back into a routine a bit more; I swam 3 times about 2000 metres each time; I did two spin classes; did hot yoga three times and ran twice. I would like to runa bit more but can't always fit everything in. I ran yesterday about 8 k and ran quite fast and felt good. Also did a spin class yesterday. This morning I swam and I plan to do hot yoga after work. regarding next year, i was thinking of getting into Lake Placid by donation but I think i will forgo that on the assumption I may be going to china to the world olympic championships. It sounds a bit funny saying that but I guess i qualified and there is no reason why i couldn't go (other than it will be a big expensive trip) I will definitely do the mooseman half iron in the spring and maybe timberman in august which i have never done.

The Ups and Downs of Swimming

I was thinking today that swimming is unlike the other two sports of triathlon. Generally, the more you run or bike, the stronger and faster you become. Its not like that in swimming. You can swim alot and get sloppy with your technique and actually get slower. That is happening to me a bit right now. I swam a couple of times per week all summer but kind of wihtout much focus or insensity and then did a bunch of triathlons. My swim performance in the triathlons seems to get a bit worse as the summer went along. It wasn't bad but wasn't really great. I have been timing myself a bit the last couple of swims and i am noticeably slower. I also noticed that my stroke count is up from what it was a year ago.

when i was being coached by Dave Campbell, he used to say that I should quit swimming for a few months in the fall to give myself a break and get back at it after Christmas. I have never had the nerve to do that because I don't want to have to build up my fitness again. I used to swim 3 or 4 times per week and my swimming was stronger; going twice a week half-heartedly is not getting me anywhere. I am aiming for three times this week. I know I should be joining the masters program but the practices are at night and I just don't feel i have time to fit them in. (one of the nights, i teach at UPEI.) I taught my first spinning class of the fall yesterday and need to get a bit more enthusiastic about that.

I had a nice easy run with Greg and Corena on Sunday. I want to get back to doing a speed run on the UPEI track once a week like i was doing in the spring. this morning I swam about 2000 metres. tonight I am doing hot yoga and then swimming in the am.

Vacation and Schubie Tri

Labour Day weekend i was in Cape Cod on vacation. I took my mountain bike and did quite a bit of biking on the trails through the national park in Provincetown, Cape Cod. they have this great trail system through the dunes with paved trails and lots of rolling hills. i did a few brick workouts by adding some runs after biking. This weekend I did the Schubie Tri. It hadn't done it for a few years and they changed the bike course, making it alot harder. I was satisfied with my performance. I wasn't really mentally up for it and it showed a bit in my biking. I felt great in the run and am satisfied with a 19th place out of about 75. I don't have much planned for the fall; i will do a few roadrunner races. i have been thinking a bit about doing an ironman again sometime but don't have anything planned for next year. I enjoy the structure of the ironman training but I also enjoyed doing a lot of short races this past summer. I can't do all those races when I train for an ironman. There are still spots for ironman lake placid next year if you make the extra community fund donation. i may think about it.

weekend of aug 28/29 2010

I had a pretty active weekend with hot yoga saturday morning followed by an 80 k bike ride from Charlottetown to Lakeside and back at a pretty brisk pace. We averaged over 31 k per hour with some side winds. I felt pretty strong and as i have been saying on her, my cycling is getting stronger near the end of the season (which makes sense i guess) I have vowed to start using the trainor this winter so that when i start in the spring again it won't take as long to get back to a fairly good level. I was going to do a roadrunners race on sunday but got a bit lazy and i just went for an easy 11 k run in Charlottetown. This time last year, i was recovering from ironman canada and was somewhat sick afterwards. Its funny, my friend Corena and I both admitted that we are ready to sign up for another one if we can decide which one to do. I checked today and there are still community foundation spots available for lake placid 2011 which is the most convenient one to get to. I am going on vacation this week to Cape Cod and plan on doing lots of running. i am also taaking my mountain bike as there are some good rolling trails through the sand dunes.

Sackville Sprint

I did the Sackville sprint this past weekend; again, had a pretty good race. Its funny how in triathlon, (for me) my ability in one sport versus others comes and goes. I started the year working on my running and in May/June when I did a lot of races (red island relay, mooseman, duathonlons) my running was really strong and my biking a bit weak. I let me running go a bit and now my biking is quite strong and my running is a bit weaker again. Its hard to keep everything sharp. This week I did a lot of wining and dining and didn't exactly take it easy before the Sackville race. Still, I managed a 14th place oout of about 100 people. I plan to do Schubie in a couple of weeks and will try to train a bit for it. I also hope to do a few roadrunner races over the next couple of weeks. I am going to Cape cod for vacation over Labour Day and will do some running and biking.

Parlee Beach triathlon

I did the Parlee Beach triathlon this past weekend again. I was happy with my performance although, as with other triathlons this year, I have been noticing my placing is lower (ie 17th as opposed to 14th last year and 6 or 7th the year before). I was thinking initially that i am getting older and my friends are teasing me a bit about this. I looked at my stats from previous years and I honestly think its because the competition is getting tougher. My bike time was about the same as it was in 2007 when i came 6th overall. My bike time this past weekend which was 18th would have been the 4th or 5th fastest bike time in 2007 or 2008. My run time this year was a minute faster than last year. The swim was very short this year so its hard to compare that time. I am going to do the Sackville sprint triathlon this comming saturday. Between now and then, I may swim once or twice and run once or twice and that will be it. I am still doing hot yoga about 3 times a week and enjoying that. I am gaining flexibility all around and have fewer aches and pains. (my right foot and knee were paining in the past). I will do the Schubie triathlon in Sept and after that i am not sure what my goals will be for the fall. I might do the Terry Fox run across the fixed link.

More of the same

i am still feeling like I am not training much although I do something almost everyday. Maybe its because I am not training very intensely. Since Last week, I did the mini-tri with the gang on saturday in Brackley. We tried to swim in the waves and then we did the usual 36 k loop. I didn't do the run as I was running late for something else. On Sunday, i did 90 minutes of hot yoga. On monday, i ran 7 k out in New Glasgow and then dropped my car off in Milton at the autobody place and biked home. I did hot yoga in the evening. I didn't do anything tuesday and on wednesday, I swam 2200 m. Today, (thursday) i plan to do the rec ride tonight and swim in the morning. I will try to run tomorrow at lunch and then I am doing Parlee Beach triathlon on sunday. I do think my cycling is a bit stronger than earlier in the year which is good. My running is still pretty good as i have done a lot of races this summer. My swimming is a bit weaker than it has been but it is not too bad. we will see how it goes on Sunday.