Lead up to Austin...

Austin 70.3 is less than 3 weeks away. I am anxious to race, which is a good sign. The new training has been really tough, but excellent. I am doing intervals on the track (something I have rarely done in the past) and am running faster than I ever have. My body has had to “learn” how to move faster than my usual “tempo”-type of pace that I have been running for so long. I am hoping that it will translate into a FAST run at Austin! I am confident that it will. On the bike, I am doing a lot more “high-end” work than I am used to as well. Lots of big gear work, as well as intervals at high wattage AND high RPM. In the water, I am swimming intervals that are reminiscent of my College days (although not quite as fast as my College days, I am afraid). Threshold work, which includes endless sets done on little rest, as well as work with paddles to help develop strength and work on stroke efficiency. My “work days” (as far as “hard training” is concerned) are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. On these days I have to really focus and get psyched up for hard sessions in the swim bike and run. Monday and Friday are my “off” days, in which the focus is on recovery, however these days are very important as well. I have to be sure than I make the most out of my rest days, so that I am ready to hit the hard workouts that follow. I usually do some sort of “easy” workout, such as an easy spin on the bike, or an easy swim, as well as core work.


Speaking of core, at least twice a week, I have been doing a routine that my friend Jamie Fishlow taught to me in his “core class” out of Runners Edge on Tuesday nights (that along with some of Don Rourke’s core exercises). I had the pleasure of running into Jamie on the bike last week while he was out for a ride up around Huntington on his break from work. It not only broke up a long bike ride for me, but it brightened my day as well. It is always a treat to have company on a workout. Jamie is a Phys. Ed. Teacher for Huntington High School as well as a Multisport Coach (and core instructor), Ironman athlete, father, husband, and all around great guy. He can ride the hills too, which I found out on the hour that I got to ride with him through Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington!



Though I find that I train alone much of the time, I had the opportunity to train with a lot of people last week, which was SO NICE! George and I did a ride on Monday (it was supposed to be a LIGHT easy spin, but I always find that trying to stay on George’s wheel requires much more of an effort on my part…no worries though, I find that the effort ends up “opening up my legs” for the next day much better than my “barely hit any wattage” spin for an hour by myself). Also, as I mentioned my ride with Jamie, as well as a ride with a friend, Jim, that lives up in Rye, NY (Jim is doing Ironman Hawaii this year for the first time!). The ride from Rye ended up being 1:45 longer than I had scheduled (YIKES!). I felt a bit guilty about this and was concerned as I try to stick to the exact plan that is written for me, but it ended up being a good ride with the halfway point being the top of Bear Mtn (see picture). I am hoping that it doesn’t take too much out of me this week…I will soon find out during my track workout today! Of course, being an a "somewhat Type A" triathlete, I ended up opting out of a nice dinner with Jim and his girlfriend Nadine at their house, due to the fact that I would get home late and I had a HARD workout Sunday morning bright and early before heading to work at Runner's Edge. I owe them a nice dinner...maybe when they return from Kona! On Sunday, during my easy spin that preceded a challenging long run, I ran into my friends (and recent IM finishers) Nancy Cattabiani, Bill Romas and Tom & Mary-Frances Horan. I rode with them for about 45 min. SO, all is good. I am “recharged” from my training with friends and I am and ready to rock in Austin October 5th!