Training Update

I didn't race cross this weekend. Again. Last weekend I wasn't feeling it at all and this weekend I actually got in the car and headed out there to Astoria to race. I was about 2/3 the way there and I just felt like I shouldn't race. A good part of the decision was the money. It had been a very expensive week and spending probably 30 bucks more didn't seem like a good decision. Also, I had some eerie preminition that I was going to get hurt or something. That was most likely my mind rationalizing my cheapness, but it worked. I turned around and then drove to Forest Park and tortured myself on Springville Road. I actually rode down to the very bottom and rode up to the top which is extra torture. I did this 3 times. I hated it every time the slope would steepen after a brief leveling off. Springville never actually levels off it just sort of hurts less. The upper portion that I often do is about 3/4 of a mile long and climbs about 325-350 feet. Adding the lower portion I figure I climbed about 1500 feet in during the 4 or so miles of total climbing. Ouch. But I figure I suffered close to the same amount as I would have during the race so I didn't feel too bad.

Bridget swam this morning and I ran this evening. Bridget's swim went well, but Mondays are long for her. After swimming she goes to work from 8:30AM to 7PM. She was pretty spent but was nice enough to let me go to the rec center's gym to run. I ran for about 70 minutes with an average heart rate of 141. Pretty easy workout, but my body still is not that used to running long distances again. But it was still better than last week. I ran low intensity intervals for half the time (120 HR up to 147 HR and back down and up) and then I couldn't take the 120 HR anymore, I would get bored, so I just ran with a HR of around 147 for 30 minutes followed by a cool down.

I need to get on track with a plan, but I have yet to decide what I am going to do this year. I want to do a half ironman, but haven't decided which one. The date of the triathlon will influence when the training program starts for real.

Part of me wants to go to Kona Hawaii with part of our tax return to do the half ironman out there with Fish and maybe Dave, but it is not the best use of money.