Solid Weekend of Training

A great solid weekend of training.  I am getting more fit, getting my heart-rate in my Zone 3 for long periods of time and feeling more comfortable. It’s a little bit of a stretch to get it into my Zone 4 and keep it there, but I am working on it. 

My weekend workouts are my longer ones keeping my shorter cardio workouts and weight sessions during the week. 

Last weekend I was able to get a seven mile run in on Saturday. It was very hot and muggy early in the day, but got it done. Followed it up Sunday with a 34 mile road ride with some good climbing. A 3.5 mile hill climb to be in fact. Bouncing back from the workouts is getting easier. 

I worked this weekend on fueling a little better than last week. Hydration played a key roll in Sunday’s ride. 

To help me stay on top of my hydration game and keeping cool, I really relied on heavily the use of my Spruzza Mist system. The hill climb had me going around 8 MPH so a lot of the cooling air effect wasn't kicking in. The added misting I did, spraying both my chest, opening up my jersey in the front, and misting both sides of my head and ears really kept me from over heating. I knew early on in the ride, I was going to be using it a lot with the hot sun rising as fast as it was without cloud cover. 

It’s amazing what either a new pair of shoes can do or not running in “zero-drop” shoes.  I can’t tell because the shoes I have been running in the past year are really broken down, or the “zero-drop” shoes they were made my legs sore. After wearing and testing out a new set of kicks on Saturday’s seven mile run, I recovered very fast and didn’t feel it the next day. 

I should have done this a long time ago, but just kept putting it off. 

Training is going well and I am very happy where I am at this point in the game. 

Week update on training

My training run partner the past two weeks. She does a great job keeping my company. 

I was able to get a little over a 4.5 mile training run in Saturday in the heat and all.  Kept hydrated and brought my daughter along on her bike.  She is such a superstar for riding along side me at my pace.  We have a fun time talking about things we see while out, like the roosters we traveled by in a neighborhood. I brought a bluetooth speaker I have and put it on her handlebars. I had the music playing, synched with my smartphone. I had the phone with me.  It worked out great, the music wasn’t too loud, but was nice to listen too and keep us motivated. It worked out to be kind of a leash. If my daughter rode off too far from me the signal would start to cut out and she knew she had to slow down or come back may way. She would pedal off ahead and stop at street corners and wait, or wait in the shade.  I had my OrangMud HydraQuiver, so I carried the water for both of us in that. So enough about that and on to the training. 

The training run went as planned. I got my run in on Saturday then turn around Sunday early morning and got a 16.5 mile road bike ride in. The ride included a 1000 foot climb over 3.5 miles. Great way to get the heart-rate to climb. 

Looking to do this bike loop next week in both directions. So I have that on my calendar.  I need to still work on getting my legs stronger both running and riding in Zone 4. 

I need to replace the tube in my training roller bikes tires. I often use this bike on the road too for quick morning  workouts. 

The training ended with this morning with 2 mile recovery run to try and work out some lactic acid in my legs. 

Here is a to a great week and getting it done. 

Hosting weekly group road rides

So last weekend was my second weekend ride as a ride leader / host.  The first week I was the only one out there. No big deal, I still got my miles in and had fun. Last weekend four others showed up bright and early for the 26 mile road course. This coming weekend will be the third week on the same course, and I am looking to add mileage and switch up the course a little. In the area where we start out, it is pretty much a lot of flat roads. Without riding to far to start, I am trying to incorporate some hills or climbs. With temperatures in the morning almost beginning to feel like fall, the cooler weather will hopefully be here soon. 

Training starts off 2014

For the past month I have been keeping my training to the set of rollers I use and a few road rides.  I have planned out my marathon training which will begin this weekend.  I have not signed up for the race yet, but will in the next few weeks.  I am not looking at setting any record time, just looking to put another under my belt.

2013 is going

I started off the year with a 20.14 mile road ride, yes it was .01 over my projected 20.13, but I'm not complaining.  The New Year is off to a great start feeling healthy and injury free.  Not as much time for training as I had hoped for, but that will come along.  The first weekend into the year I was able to get out and ride with the tri group and log a 50 mile ride.  The weather was a little chilly even in the daylight sun.  I have put the slicks back on the mountain bike to get more indoor roller rides going.  2013 is going to be a great year both training and racing, I can tell.