End of October, 2010

I was just rereading my blog from this time last year and I sounded a bit more motivated this time last year. I had one very hectic week at work this past week but still managed a pretty good fitness routine: 3 hot yoga classes, 2 runs, three swims and one spinning. I note on my blog last year, I was talking about doing some "intense" spiinning classes. That hasn't been the case this year. they have been poorly attended and haven't been that great. My swimming is feeling stronger now that I am doing the UPEI Swim Cub workouts. I think all summer this past year, I was just putting in time swimming without much focus or intensity. I still have only been doing two or three runs a week but when I do run, I feel faster than I used to. I am planning on booking a vacation in February to go to Arizona and do some roadbiking. It is on my list to do this week. The plane ticket is a bit expensive but I think I will just bite the bullet and do it. I will see if I can get Greg and Corena to come as well.

Didn't do the PEI Marathon

So many people asked me if i was doing the PEI Marathon that I was becoming a bit defensive about it. The truth is I did someting like 15 triathlons and multisport races this summer and felt that was enough. i have run the full PEI Marathon twice and done the half-marathon several times. I have already run several half marathons this year and didn't really see much point in doing another one; also, the half marathon course is the course i do most of my long training on so I am a bit sick of it.I think this is a big event for a lot of people who make it their one event of the year. The truth be told, as well, I don't really like running full marathons. I have done 5 marathons and three of them were in Ironman triathlons and I enjoyed them more than just running a marathon. So, otherwise, this past week, I ran a couple of times; did hot yoga three times, swam twice and did 2 spin classes. My swimming is getting stronger because i am doing the UPEI swim club training; my running feels a bit faster because I am more flexible from all the yoga I am doing and I haven't been cycling outside at all. I have been busy, been travelling and not that interested in cycling at the moment.

On vacation again

I am in Ogunquit, Maine with my mom for thanksgiving weekend. We did this trip last year and really enjoyed it. Fitness wise, this week, before leaving on thursday, I did two good swims with UPEI, one run, a spin class and three hot yoga classes. My shoulder is a bit sore from swimming. There is something wrong with my technique, I think, that causes my right shoulder to be sore. I ran this morning (saturday) for 45 minutes along the beach. Despite not running as much as I used to, I feel like I am bit faster than I used to be. I think the yoga has helped with my overall flexibility and that helps my running. I am watching the Ironman World Championships online. That is still a goal of mine in the back of my mind but it is something I would really have to focus on. It seemed realistic a year or two ago when I did Lake Placid in 11:30. I thought if I could get my ironman time below 11 hours I would be close to qualifying in my age group. If I could do that when I am 50 (3 years from now) I would qualify. We will see. Next year, I am going to do the Olympic Distance world championships and see how fast I can get over shorter distances. then, in 2012, I am going to do Lake Placid again.

End of September

This has been a hectic week at work and a hectic month in general. I am getting into a fall routine. I haven't cycled outside at all over the last couple of weeks since doing the schubie triathlon. My motivation is that not high to cycle right now as i am done racing for the season and i did alot of races. I have had a couple of exciting developments this week; one was that the UPEI swim team opened up their training to traithletes and this is just what I need ( see previous posts re my recent decline in swim performance and motivation) I have gone the last two days and it is great. When you are put in a competitive training environment you swim so much harder and faster. I was doing 50 metres today at close to 40 seconds where i was struggling to keep it under 50 seconds training on my own. I also received confirmation from triathlon canada that i am on the Canadian age group team for the 2011 World ITU Championships in Beijing, China. It is a bit of a lark because my qualification was in a race where there were not many people in my age group but nevertheless, I qualified and am able to go. It is an excuse to go to China which is someplace I would never go to. It is set for Sept, 2011. It will also give a focus to my training over the next year. This UPEI swim training will be helpful; I need to work on getting faster over ten k; and it will give me incentive to get on the bike trainor this winter. This week my training goal was 3 swims; 3 runs, 3 yoga and 2 spin classes. I should complete that by running today and tomorrow. (i have only run once so far this week) In terms of insensity, the two swims with UPEI were very intense and the one run was a fast 8 k.

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.