Mid Season Push

Well, about half the racing season is finished and things are going pretty good. I'm not quite where I'd like to be at this point, but I'm healthy and still mentally motivated to take on the next couple weeks of intense training. I have one more triathlon planned (Detroit Lakes, August 15) and then it will be all about getting down and dirty to prepare for Du Worlds at the end of September.
I think the one thing that isn't quite where I'd like it to be right now is my run. I came out of the gates this spring running fast, but have plateaued a bit in the middle of the season.....need to find a way to bust out of that groove and move to the next level. Today I had a great 12 mile tempo run up the bluff and through the forest trails in Myrick Park. The toughest part of the run was actually my warm-up due to some intestinal problems. As I upped my pace to a tempo pace at the beginning of Grandad's Bluff my guts decided it's time to go.....NOW. I immediately did a run/waddle off the road and onto a deer trail. Let's just say I wrecked a good pair of socks, but I came out of the deal clean and ready to run. The socks saved me, but being kind of a neat freak, I was still treating my left hand like an ugly step-child for the rest of the run (I even hung my hand out the car window on the ride home until I could wash up just to be safe:) The remainder of the run was easily clicking away 6:30 miles on the flats and hammering up the hills to finish a solid workout. I would like to be running a 35-36 minute 10K off the bike in September, but I just need to keep hammering away the miles, train smart, and hope for the best. Well, I have to get be up at 5AM for a swim workout, so I better sign off. Hope everyone is doing well and I'll talk with you later (promise next time I'll not discuss the details of surviving with just socks in the woods)!

Getting There

Well, the Rochester Triathlon this past weekend was a blast! I had my own cheering section as many friends and family showed up to the race....it always seems like you push just a little harder when someone is there screaming for you. The men's elite race was extremely competitive this year with some of the fastest in the midwest showing up put down the hammer. I didn't have quite as good of a race as I had hoped for, but was able to crack the top 10 (9th place; 2:05 olympic distance). My cycling legs and running legs were off, but surprisingly the swim is really starting to come around.....each swim workout the past couple weeks I seem to be getting a little faster. This little fact has kept me positive this past week in hopes that all 3 disciplines will be spot on for Lifetime Fitness next Saturday. I was also happy to hear my training partner Jeff Fleig decided to sign up for Lifetime too.....a great guy and a great competitor. Even though we are in separate heats, you can bet we will both be picking it up a notch knowing the other is out there hammering on the same course.....I can't think of a better way to start a Saturday!!