Taper has begun

Wednesday I began my taper with a 8 mile ride, 1 mile run and 300 meter swim. I need to focus now on getting sleep. The three days prior with the last night being the worst, my nerves won't let me sleep well. I feel my nutrition is is great and will need to add more hydration in the next few days.
Saturday I pick my packet up and prepare my transition bag. I have scheduled a last minute ride with tri members just to loosen up a little and maybe will help me sleep come Saturday night.
My next post will be a race report, with what I did right and what I did wrong.

one week until race day

This morning could have started a little better than it did. Got my bike and riding gear ready Saturday night only to wake up to having a flat before even loading the bike on the rack. Took a few minutes to replace the tube and off to the bike shop to meet up with other tri members for a ride out to Canyon Lake and back. I set off with the intention of riding the whole 43 mile route but backed out on the whole distance. Great ride. I have wanted to do the route for a long time and think I will return to the route and finish it in a few weeks.

For now though I felt I better back off the long miles. Next Sunday is my next sprint, in which I am looking to do pretty well in. This weeks workouts will start my taper.

a little over a week before race day

Training has been going well. After last Sunday's first open water swim I was able to get two pool workouts in this week. I'm am feeling very strong in the pool, really working on getting full strokes with long reaches. This weekend I have planned my last weight workout, in which I will scale back my weight while focusing on form with the lifting. Also this weekend is a longer than normal bike workout. Starting Wednesday I am taking it easy with just slow workouts and stretching. Once again I am setting pretty high goals for myself and look to do pretty well.

Weekend recap

Saturday I was able to get in a hard weight lifting workout, but much needed. On Sunday I did my first open water swim of the year. My brother followed in his kayak for safety. The total distance of the swim was about a mile. I wore my wetsuit to get comfortable in it again, and the race I am preparing for I will need it. I was pretty pleased with my workout yet still felt I could have done better. So back in the lap pool I go tonight. Took an 8 mile spin this morning to get my legs loose. This week I am focusing on the run and swim portion of my race.

Gearing up for another race

Signed up for another race in July. Mentally the last few days of training I have been thinking about Mountain Man triathlon I signed up for. When really I need to be focusing on a race I have before that one. This weekend will be my first open water training swim this year. The pool has been nice, but with an open water race coming up, I need to get comfortable back in the lake. The weekday workouts are going great and looking forward to this weekends training plan.

last weekend and upcoming weeks

Over the weekend I was able to get in a 33 mile and 9 mile ride which I needed. I started once again incorporating weights into my workout plan, and I think it is helping. Backing off from the heavy weights and working more with the low weight/ high reps. Along with the weight lifting change, I am needing to get back out on the track and do some speed work. Looking for the cooler temps at night to run in. I am feeling pretty strong in the pool and will break out the wetsuit in the next few weeks to prepare for a cold water race.

Making your own speed laces!

I have never bought a pair of name brand speed laces. Some have been given to me by others, or in goodie-bags, but I still prefer to make my own. With every new pair of running shoes I buy I purchase the supplies to make a set. Having trouble with my normal laces early on I had to adjust how I lace my shoes. Now with the elastic type laces it allows my feet to expand when landing and give my feet room in the shoes. I purchase two lace locks at .30 each and 6 yards of elastic cord, 3 yards for each shoe. Tax included it only costs $2.59, compare that to $5 to $8 at the store. There is sometimes a good variety of colors of both lace locks and cord to choose from.

Hard weekend

Saturday morning I joined a local bike shop for a ride. The pace was nice. I don't typically ride with groups. They were kind of a rude bunch of riders and doubt if I will ride with the group again. It would be nice when pulling a small group if the riders behind would take their turns pulling. I felt good on the 37 mile ride which has 4 hills built in the course. Nice climbs of an up and back sort of route. With the ride early in the day I was able to get out of the heat before it climbed near 110 degrees Saturday. Sunday I took a weight class which I needed to do. A little stiff a day later but that will be worked out today in the pool. After the ride Saturday I started my testing of PowerBar ProteinPlus drink, I was sent last week being part of the PowerBar Team Elite. The chocolate flavor was great. Still clearing crap out of my lungs and hope to be 100 percent back to normal in a week from now.