10 Weeks to Vineman 70.3!

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I’m back! This may sound weird — or, if you’re into triathlon, familiar? — but a month’s worth of marathon training felt like vacation. I only have to train once a day? Swim once a week? No biking? Whee!

But now that the Big Sur Marathon is behind us – ah, happy memories! – I’ve reset the clock. It’s Vineman 70.3 training time!

10 weeks is all I got to whip my butt in shape. Oh, hello there, bike! My butt nearly forgot what you felt like. And two-a-days: can’t say I missed ya, but I’ll be seeing lots of you soon, I’m sure!

Last week was all about easing into multi-sport training while recovering from the marathon — good thing I didn’t run very hard, I guess? Here’s how it went:

Monday: Rest. Post-marathon day recovery!

Tuesday: Back at the track at 6 pm! But while everyone did kick-butt intervals (something like a gazillion reps of 3 minutes hard effort — 1 min recovery?), coach told me to do three intervals of 10 minutes steady — 1 min walk. OK then! Quads were a bit sore from Sunday, but once I got going, everything loosened up nicely and I kept 8:30-8:40 minute miles for all 10-minute steady intervals. Booyah!

The best way to recover from a marathon: get out there and walk or run, as soon as you can!

Wednesday: 6 a.m. swim. Ah, is nice to get back in the water with a purpose!

Thursday: 1.5 hrs on the bike for lunch. A little over 25 miles later, my butt decided that after an entire month of not touching the saddle, it would feel sore now. Ouch.

Friday: Short and easy 30-min runch; 9 min/mile pace. Not feeling 100% awesome – like I was getting a head cold or a super brutal bout of allergies.

Saturday:
Four repeats up and down Bernal Hill, look it up it’s legit! A little over 30 miles, but with all the climbing took 2.5 hours of riding altogether.

Sunday: A little over an hour of swimming. Add to that all the cool-air wheezing up the hill the day before and by end of the day I had all but lost my voice.

Today: Unable to speak. Husband rejoices in the quietness of the house. Easy 30-minute run round the block; 3.3 miles.

That is all! How’s everyone’s training and race calendar progressing?

Start Out the New Year Right!

Start Out the New Year Right!
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Confess: did you go to the gym on New Year’s day? Was it crowded?

Of course it was, everyone wants to start out the New Year right. Work out, eat healthy, be generally awesome. All these 30-day challenges started showing up in my social feeds, I figured: am I the only one to not do one? That’s just wrong.

But then, how to decide on a challenge? Do I want to start out 2014 by planking for a month? Ab challenge? Fitness challenge? Pushups? Lunges??? I struggled with this difficult choice, until I found just what I needed: So there you have it, the Nap Challenge for January 2014. Who’s with me? Since we’re already five days into it, you’d have some catching up to do, but I hope we’ll be able to get through it!

Seriously, though, this isn’t too far from the truth for me so far. Today’s the last day of a recovery week, which in long-course triathlon seems to be pretty radical – compared, at least, to the marathon training plans I’ve used before.

All week, I’ve been doing 30-minute runs and easy rides, not to mention 1,000-yard swims.

Perfect timing!

I had a half-hour ride on New Year’s eve, followed by a half-hour run, then a 1,150 yard swim and a 30-min ride on New Year’s day. Let’s just say, a recovery swim was never more aptly named!

Now I’m off to do a 60-minute “long” run.

As for the Nap Challenge, it’s a “rest” day. Enjoy!

Call Me Crazy

Call Me Crazy
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… because, first, it is 4:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning and yet again I am up and ready to go. It’s swim-Bike-Run time!

AND because next Sunday we will have to wake up even earlier – like 2:30 a.m.? – to head to the BIG SUR Marathon!

Remember when you were in college, and your evening was just about getting started at that time?

The Big Sur marathon is on my marathon bucket list and this year’s race has been sold out for months. So what happened?

In a fit of crazy spontaneity, I registered a relay team yesterday! True, I don’t get to run the whole race, but at least a leg or two of it, call it practice for next year!

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The relay teams have a maximum of five members and so far we have four, but thankfully there is no minimum. I will run two legs — but hey, if you’re my friend and you really, really, really want to do it with us, ping me. We’ve got a spot open.Big Sur is one of my favorite places in the area, SO pretty! Maybe we’ll go to Nepenthe for lunch after that? They make the best Mai Tais off the islands!

But why am I sitting here at 4:51 a.m. talking to you about Mai Tais when I’ve got a triathlon to head to?

Later!