T Minus 2 months

The Mont Tremblant 70.3mile Half Ironman is in less than 2 months away or 53 days left to be exact.   

I feel like I've stagnated a little bit in my training as I'm working hard to ramp up at work and learn a whole new side to digital advertising.  The one thing that I have at work now that I'm taking advantage of is my standing desk.  I was never granted one when I worked at Yahoo, but now I'm thrilled to be able to do so! I've been traveling a good amount over the last 3 weeks, so I haven't used it as much, but I think it has really helped with the strengthening of my hips and back.  I've also gotten back into going to spin class, which has been nice and makes me feel a little less guilty about missing certain group practices.

At this rate though, I've calculated that it will take me approximately 8.5 hours to complete the race. That is not good enough, and I need to really kick my own butt to get faster.

1.2mi swim @ 41min/mi = 50min

T1: 5min

56mi bike @ 11.4mi/hr = 4hr 54min

T2: 2min

13.1mi run @ 11:30min/mi = 2hr 31min

Total 70.3 calculation = 8hr 22min

I'm really going to focus on my biking and running, since I have the Brooklyn Half coming up in 2 weeks and I know the bike could make or break my race.  I need to mentally start getting into the game and not get distracted by things such as awesome weather finally returning to NYC.

Swim Camp Recap!

Here's a very delayed recap of my Tailwind Endurance swim camp experience!  I recommend this camp for everyone.  We were swimming 4 hours a day and then doing warm ups and yoga before and after for a really comprehensive and awesome athletic adventure. 

Camp was located at the Fort Lauderdale International Hall of Fame Swimming Pool, which was a 50m pool. Seriously. I want to swim only pools of this length for the rest of my life. 

Anyway, here's a summary:
1) Lots and lots of drills, and in a very good way.  I think the problem for me is that I learned to swim as a triathlete, which means I never really learned about kicking with my legs.  This is problematic in training, but not the worst thing for a race scenario.  For the rest of this season, I'm going to try to learn to kick with my legs and build up my leg muscles. 

2) Speed
We did a number of speed drills, with the goal to just wipe you out, and also see if you could attempt negative splits where possible (i think). 
3x100s without fins
3x100s with fins
= 600meters total all out, relay-style challenge.

Best 100 without fin time was 2:20
Best 100 with fin time, after 400m sprint was 1:55

3) Stroke activities!
Sculling underwater -- we would start almost at the bottom of the pool and scull for as long as we could on a single breath.
Breast stroke underwater pull -- same thing with the breathing.
Butterfly -- my first attempt!  Geez, that's a tough stroke.
Backstroke with and without fins -- Lesson learned, must learn how to swim straight when doing backstroke, or deal with the bruises of swimming into the lane lines.
Snorkle sculling -- allows you to focus on the stroke itself and then add breathing and balance in later.
Focusing on breathing, holding/pulling water
3, 5, 7 breathing activity, each 50m was breathing every 3, 5, or 7 strokes multiplied by 5 sets.
One arm stroke, 3 stroke, switch to other side for more one arm stroke crawl and on back also.

4) Review and improve
2 sessions recorded with underwater camera and on my iPhone, and a sitdown session with Coach Earl to review my stroke, breathing pattern, hip motion, and more! 

An true endurance experiment...

I've recently been visiting the crew at Finishline Physical Therapy.  They've been helping me strengthen my back, core, hips, and now calves.

I've been improving my posture and running (especially through running on their AlterG which allows me to take off 80% of my body weight) and I'm feeling really good.

Today, however, I experienced my first fall as a runner. Can't really even quite explain what happened or how I landed, but I'm left with what looks like 2 kneecaps per knee (one is a large bruise below the cap) and there is definitely going to be a lot of swelling and pain over the next few days. I'm not sure if it was ice or a very rough large pothole on the road under the expressway (read limited lighting), but it was a glorious fall which got my palms, knees and right shoulder.  All I can say is that I'm super grateful that I wasn't alone, and that it was still cold enough that I was wearing lined running pants.  I can't even imagine what my knee could have looked like.


>>Update: 4/6/14: My knee is almost fully healed up.  Still a little pink, and I feel like the strength of my knee has been compromised slightly, so that I'm a little creaky, but I think I've very much learned my lesson in making sure I'm looking at the ground when it's patchy and dark like that.  New York City really should fix that road.

Best Week Ever!

Seriously, best week ever, especially if we're talking about my workout craziness!

I worked out a total of 9hours and 40minutes between Monday-Sunday of this past week.  We're talking: swimming, biking, running, and lots of core/PT fantasticness.  I don't think I've legitimately ever worked out for 6 days straight, and this was just pure amazingness.

The Half Iron season I'd say is going pretty well, and on Saturday, I got to experience my longest bike ride ever, and it was the first time I'd been on my bike since the Nations Triathlon in September of last year.  Literally, I was in a different state the last time I rode my bike, if we're not counting the quick ride I took to get my bike home (where I also managed to totally derail my chain..)

35miles of glorious I-9/9W highway, parts of the West Side Highway, and lots of snow and ice to narrowly avoid.  It was the coldest weather I've ever ridden in, considering I've only previously trained for the NYC Triathlon with my training usually starting in late March/early April.  Needless to say, what an experience, and can't wait to do it all over again next week!

Special thank you and shoutout to my teammate, Kristin, who kept me going and got the BK team to wait for me at the foot of the GWB when I missed the turn onto the Palisades and just went the normal driving route to the GWB. :)

Seriously, still feeling a bit of the high from that ride, and have to remember to clean off my bike, cause it got reaaaal dirty, slushy and messy out there.

*Feeling solid about this season.*

Pics from the awesome ride!

Kristin and I at the Jersey/New York crossover point near Rockland County

Bikes home on the subway

Watching Carla fix her flat

Approximate 35mile map of the ride! (Took us about 2hours and 40minutes)

Brookyn, I'm coming home!

It's been an epic 2 weeks gallivanting all about Japan.  We've been walking more than 10 miles almost every day, seeing the sights (sites) and sounds of Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagasaki and more!  It's been awesome to spend quality time with my family, and also go on some fun runs around the area near our temporary apartment.

I'm headed back to Brooklyn to close out my Endless Summer Season (the race is on February 2nd!) which I have been mentoring, and then I'm super pumped to kickoff my first Half Ironman Season, which I'll be doing with Team In Training's IronBrooklyn team, of which I've previously raced with at least half of the group.  Can't wait for the exciting things to come, and here are some fun team pictures from some recent runs/races back in the BK!

Hot Chocolate 10K, Roosevelt Island!

My first run over the Williamsburg Bridge, with Papa Jimmy!  (Former NYC Triathlon teammate, Bermuda teammate, and soon to be Half Ironman Mont Tremblant teammate!) You'd never believe he was in his 50s...