75 days 9 hours 25 minutes 02 seconds

Sundays LSR was planned for 1:30:00, I didn't go any were special just walked out the front door and started running. I am trying hard to just take it easy on these runs and keep it around 10:30-12:00 pace.
I ended up running 8.01 miles in 1:20:30 with a 10:03 avg. pace.



This mornings swim was nothing special just working on my Ti technique and on my fish like skills.
1400 yards 45 minutes

Tonights workout was the first structured workout on the trainer. The warm up was three sessions of different repeats lasting around 30 minutes total.
The Main set was 2:00 at zone 2 then 2:00 recover with easy spin, 1:30 at zone 3 then 1:30 easy spin, 1:00 zone 4-5a then 1:00 easy spin and finally :30 at zone 5 all out powerful riding then :30 easy spin. Repeat 3 times.
Cool Down 8-13 minutes of easy spin zone 1-2... I just kept going until I hit 20 miles.
20 more miles down! 28 more until the challenge is complete!

78 days 21 hours 10 minutes 6 seconds

Wednesday morning was a Track workout. 10 minutes warmup stretching. .5 mile @ easy pace then 4*1000m @ race pace with 200m recovery then 10 minute cool down at a snails pace. I went a little faster on the 1000m repeats just to kick my ass a little. Overall a great workout!
4.10 miles 38:00 9:16 avg. pave

That evening I hit the train and put down 16.29 miles in 1:05:00 making it 74 more miles until my goal!

Thursday Was a choice of cross training of run for 30 minutes. I decided to work on my swim. Breast stroke warm up then more Ti drills. Then finished up with some more breast stroke. Got my 2 mile goal today torwards my ironman challenge.
1 mile 1:00:00 the pace and time is not correct on any of my swims I alway forget when I start and what lap I am on, I usually stop counting half way in...
When I got home I wanted to hit the trainer for 10 or so miles. I also wanted to try to run right after the bike just to see what it would be like. The ride was great! I kept my overall cadence over 85 the whole time. The last 10 minutes I was doing some small intervals and still kept the pace.
As soon as I hit 10 miles I jumped for the bike changed my shirt to some layers and threw on my running shoes and went out the door. A very strange thing happened here, instead of being beat and running slow I was running fast. My legs were is firing that 85 cadence, but I was running. It felt really good, I wasn't sure how far I was going to run so I just ran. Ended up running 2.65 miles at a 8:44 avg. pace. Fun Times!

Today was going to be a hour tempo run, 20 minutes warm up, 20 minutes at tempo pace then 20 minute hills. Do to the great weather I decided to stay home and use my treadmill. Set 1% @ 10 minute pace for 20 minutes... all good! Set 1% @ 8:34 pace for 20 minutes... not so good! Lasted 6 minutes in and just could not keep up anymore. I really wasn't out of breath, I just felt like I was done. Jumped of to the sides and rested for a minute. Kicked it down to 10:00 pace again and ran 10 more minutes. Just not feeling it I decided that I would walk up and down the incline. Went by 2's and increase every minute until the 12% max then decreased by 2's every minute.

I guess we all have those runs were you just don't have it. Thats ok! I don't worry about the runs didn't go right, only the ones that I am in.

81 days 9 hours 57 minutes 21 seconds

Sundays long run started off really cold. I forgot my scarf thing and my good gloves, at least i had my old gloves in my car. I ran the Lake Health Distance Classic Half Marathon course, I ran part of it last sunday. From mile 5-9 its really really hilly and gives you a great workout. Well any ways I cut the course a little short to stay in my two hour run plan.
11.57 miles 1:59:13 10:18 avg pace

Sunday night I road my bike on the trainer and got in 8 miles towards the Ironman Challenge
8 miles 31:02

Monday is cross training day so I went into the YMCA to work on my swimming. Started off with the breast stroke and then started on my Total Immersion Drills. Its only step one so its nothing to exciting yet. Basically it floating on your back with your hands on your sides and slowly kicking. Its to learn to be comfortable floating in the water. I did pretty good and felt like i was doing a good job. Then finished off with some more laps of the breast stroke.
1600 yards about 1:00:00

Monday night I got some more time in on the new bike. I hammered out 14 more to add to the Ironman challenge. It was also the longest I spent on my trainer in one setting also. One hour!

14 miles 1:01:01

I also Picked up some new pedals and shoes for my bike. I had some mountain bike shoes that I was using but they were to small and killed my feet 5 minutes into the ride. I got a pair of Louis Garneau Ventilator Road Shoes that were on sale at Performance bike. They feel so much better!

The pedals I got were some cr150's by forte. They are a little on the heavy side but once again they were on sale and I can always put them on my commuter and upgrade to something lighter later.

Overall I am really happy with my new bike frame and cant wait to it on the real road!

85 days 20 hours 5 minutes 10 seconds

Wednesdays morning run was done at the YMCA on the treadmill. It was a track workout. Warmup for 10 minutes then right into 4x800 meters at race pace with 200m recoveries. Warmup was 10:15 and race pace is 9:09. Then a 10 minute cool down at 10:15. Overall it was a good workout. I didn't feel to wiped out afterwards either.

Thursday I had to run outside! You can smell and feel the warmth coming back! I was scheduled a easy run for 30 minutes I ended up doing 3.14 @ 9:36 pace... One minute a mile to fast over all. Oh well it was warm and it felt right. After the run I went to the YMCA to practice my swimming.
Warmed up with 100m breast then tried my best at freestyle, but breathing felt labored and harder. I practiced some swimming in my sides to calm me down a bit and that helped. I only did about 400-500m of freestyle and finished with the breast. Little by little I'll get it.


Today was tempo and hill repeats. Started with
15 minutes @ 9:45 avg
10 minutes @ 8:21 avg
02 minutes @15:36 avg
10 minutes @ 8:50 avg
02 minutes @ 16:19 avg
Then 15 minutes up and down hills @11:05 avg

I dont have a feel for how fast I am running, I wish I push just a tad bit more on the second tempo, but Ill get it next time!

Also I got a new road bike frame to replace my felt F75 frame that was 3 sizes to big for me. So I hope to finish putting it all together and getting to take it one a test ride a little later today! Its a all carbon fiber frame so it should be lighter and hopefully the power transfer will be better. Let along its the right size bike! Ill try to post some pictures when its all together.

88 days 22 hours 36 minutes 50 seconds

Mondays was cross training. So I went swimming at the YMCA to work on my new sport swimming. I have been mainly doing the breast stroke and short periods of trying the freestyle. On thursdays swimming I am going to really try to just work on the freestyle stroke.
Swam 1 mile 1:00:00ish

19 days 1 hour
Until the Mill Creek Distance Classic! This was my very first Half Marathon that I did. Its one of the hardest around with 19 huge hills, some rolling and some that just feel that they never stop going up. Being that it was only a year ago I ran my first big distance race I am really excited to run this half to see if I can beat my time from last year. ;) I ran it in 2:30:39.60 and placed last in my age group 35-39. Some one had to clean up right? I have ran other half's sense then did pr best being 2:12:00 in october 2010 at the Cleveland Classic. I do have a goal to get a sub 2 hour half, but on this course it might not happen. I do hope to better my time from last year.

90 day 14 hours 43 minutes 29 seconds

Sundays LSR 1:45:00 Ran on part of a local half marathon course. It has some killer hills! I wanted to keep my pace down and enjoy the run. My training says 10:15 to 11:30 pace for my long runs. The last few I have been running them to fast, so i thought some hills would slow me down. From mile 3.19 to 7.5 it was all up hill. It was also the first time I ran the whole thing! Last time I ran it I pooped out and had to walk some of it. I never felt like I was worn out or felt out of breath.
The whole time running I was think of tomorrows cross training swimming and on the trainer. I have been watching a lot of videos on tri freestyle stroke and training to be a more efficient swimmer. I have only been using the breast stroke so I am excited to try to learn the freestyle stroke.

91 days 22 hours 56 minutes 13 seconds

Today was the first tempo run.

Instructions:
Today you are going to begin with a 15 minute jog. Repeat the following 4 times: run 5 minutes at tempo pace followed by 1 minute of easy running. Finish the workout with 10 minutes of light jogging.
Coach's Notes:
Tempo runs are to be done at a pace where you could carry on a conversation but you would prefer not to. However, you are not to reach an anaerobic pace. On all tempo runs: warm up for at least 10 minutes, sustain your pace for the designated time and cool down for at least 10 minutes (i.e. 45 min. (T) = 10 minutes of warm up, 25 minutes of sustained effort, and 10 minutes of cool down). Recommended heart rate is 85% of your maximum.

I ended up back at the YMCA on the treadmill for the workout. I have been wearing my Garmin 305 and heart rate monitor when running to see about what zone i am in when running. Warmup was fine, by ten minutes my heart rate was about 145. Thats about the normal on the easy runs. Then in the first 5 minute tempo @ 8:34 it went up to about 170-175. During recovery it dropped back down fairly quick to the 140's. I did a 2 minute recovery in between instead of one minute. The second tempo was the same on heart rate but seemed easier. The third and four were horrid! I almost felt like it was going to past out. The 10 minute cool down was more like a 5 minute walk then back up to 10:30 for the last 5 minutes. I did walk another 5 for cool down. I hope it gets easier as time goes by, I am sure it will. 

I have been stretching a lot after my runs about 5-10 minutes. I have been getting so tight lately and haven't really done a lot of stretching in the past, so I wanted to get a jump on it.

"IRONMAN YMCA"

Walking out of the cardio room I notice a pin up that said IronMan. Its a challenge of different levels to complete Ironman distances within a certain time or even smaller levels if you want. I think Gold level if you do the full distance within two weeks. Silver within 4 weeks and Bronze if done in 6 weeks. For the Elite the 26.2 has to be all running or jogging to count. It can be on the treadmill or outside. The bike 112 has to be in a upright normal position bike, not a sit down, lean back one. It can be a exercise, spin, trainer or even outside. The 2.4 swim has to be done in on lap days. None of the distances have to been done at one time. There is a log that you record all your workouts and once you hit your goal you finished that category. So of course I signed up for it. You get a cool shirt when you finish, so why not!

93 days 11 hours 00 seconds

Yesterday was a treadmill day again, i really don't mind the treadmill that much now that I have been using it a the local YMCA. I found out it helps me stay on target with my pace and intervals are easier. I had hill work that I did on the treadmill, I usually run at 1% incline. So to start I ran 15 minutes at easy 10:15 pace then I upped the incline to 3% for two minutes and back down to 1% for a 2:00 rest. Then repeated the same drill with 3.5%, 4%, 4.5% and then 5%. I have been wearing my garmin with the heart rate monitor on my workouts trying to see what zones I have been in. I notice that I run a lot in zone 3. On the hills I went into zone 4, 5% incline I was going into low zone 5. I think I max out at 185 and I was hitting 180. Is this pushing it to hard? I never felt like I was going to fall down exhausted. Who knows? I will have to research more into the heart rate zones.

Today I did some swimming and running. I am still super new to the swimming and trying to take it slow. I am swimming the breast stroke right now, witch seems to be a good place to start. The pool I swim at is 25 yards long,and after 15-20 laps seems like a 100 yards. I swam 1500 yards in 40ish minutes. It's the farthest I have swam in one session. Then legs were tired when I went into my run. I ran a easy pace for 30 minutes and a five minute cool down.

Swim: 1500 yards 40:00
Run: 3.11 30:00

96 days 8 hours 56 minutes 13 seconds

Morning,
Round two swimming at the YMCA. Today's swim went much better than last week. Felt a lot more at ease. Breathing more controlled, it's a lot different then breathing when running that's for sure! I have a lot of adjusting to do and a lot of work on my technique.

1000 yards 20:00 33:20 avg pace

Evening,
Cross training on the indoor trainer. I am trying to uses heart rate zones on the trainer. 30 some minutes at zone 2 then kicked it up to three a couple of time durning the end. Overall great day of swimming and cycling!

Zones:

1: 93-111

2: 111-130

3: 130-148

4: 148-167

5: 167-185

8.57 miles 31:00 16.59 avg. mph

97 days 19 hours 49 minutes 20 seconds

I had a choice today to run one hour at a 10k pace or one hour at easy pace. I think I taxed the fuel pump on that last run so I decided to run a sort of easy pace. Yesterday I had a achy feeling in the chest like I pushed it to hard. It could also be the swimming work out earlier in the week. Muscles screaming back at me!!! What are you doing!!!

Sundays long run easy pace should be 10:15 to 11:30. I guess 9:48 is the new 10:30.

This is also the first time I ran outside with my new Sauconys! On the tread mill I have been using a heel lock shoe tie, but today it was killing the front of my ankles , so mid run I stopped a re-laced them normal and it all worked out. The only thing is that my new shoes are dirty, I feel kind of girly saying that, it just one of those things I guess.

Yesterday I got my new orange shoe laces to show my support for the ING Run For Something Better. I donated when I sign up for the lottery to be in the NewYork City Marathon.

About ING Run For Something Better

Childhood obesity has become a serious health concern across the nation. ING Run For Something Better is tackling the issue by helping kids become fit through free, school-based running fitness programs.
To make these school programs possible, ING Run For Something Better works with community partners and provides much needed grants through your fundraising efforts and donations. As a result, together we’re getting kids on the move and on the road to physical fitness.
The mission of the nonprofit program, ING Run For Something Better, is to prevent obesity in children by making fitness opportunities available in schools. We want to introduce kids to the benefits of running and physical fitness and empower children with the means to achieve a healthy lifestyle that they can maintain for the long term. And we’re making it fun for kids, too!
Please check it out at http://ingrfsb.com even if you don't donated please check out the great things they are doing.


Overall good day running. Cant wait till tomarrow! Back to the pool in the morning and on the trainer after work!

1:07:02  6.84 miles 9:48 avg pace

99 days 18 hours 32 minutes 08 seconds

The week on the treadmill continues. Today I ran for 35 minutes at 10:25 pace.Then did four 2:00 striders. The first one i ran at 9:20, second 8:15, third 7:30 and yes the fourth one 6:58. This is the first time ever that I have ran that fast for any given time, know less 2 minutes at the end of a workout. "I LOVE IT!" I did have to walk the cool down a bit.

45:00 4.40 miles 10:13avg pace

99 days 22 hours 22 minutes 20 seconds

I joined the local YMCA, mainly to take some classes like yoga and maybe there boot camp program. I thought even use there treadmills on crappy days, even thou three feet from me now is my own treadmill. I could even go swimming. Yesterday was my first day of swimming in a real real long time. I bought a new suit and even some sweet lookin goggles! To say the least I looked the part. I woke up early in hopes that there would not be to many people there. I jumped in the pool and was ready to get my swim on!

Well at least for the first 10 yards i did ok. Then I was breathing all crazy, not moving like a swimmer should... It was a total crap feast! After 50 yards for killing myself the guy in the next lane said in a very nice manner, Hey you know if your just starting off maybe you should try the breast stroke. Would you like me to show you how? I smiled and said "PLEASE" I guess anybody could of pointed out my not so goos swimming skills. So he started to show me the right way and told me to practice on this style and build up you endurance. After a few laps he gave me a couple of more tips on the kicking part and watched for a few more laps. I started to get in down about ten laps into it. I am not sure how many laps or how far I swam but I stuck with it for 20 minutes.
When I got out of the pool I could really feel the effects of the workout. Heavy arms and tired legs... Just think I still had 30 minutes of running to do!

Swimming: 500 yardish 20 minutes
Running: 3.33 miles 30:02 9:01 avg pace (not sure why I wanted to run faster to day)

101 days 09 hour 16 minutes 20 seconds

Today I went to the local YMCA that i just joined and thought I would run on the treadmills do to the super craptastic weather we had. I was scheduled for a easy 45 minute run at a easy pace. Treadmill at incline 1 and warmed up for 2-3 minutes with a nice 18:00 pace walk. Then I kicked it up to the recommended 10:15 pace for a bit. I felt like I wasn't going anywhere so I took it to a 9:45, That felt a lot better for a cruzin pace. I ran 38 minutes then started my striders, Jumped to 8:30 for 2 minutes then back down to 10:00. Next set I went back to 8:30 but felt like I had a lot more in me so I went to 8:00, Still felt strong so dropped down to 7:30 for 2 minutes. Now I was felling it! Rested back at 10:00 and felt like I was almost walking. One more time at 7:30 then walked at 18:00 for a few.
I dont think that I would of pushed my self that hard if I was outside on the road. I guess in a way I need some treadmill workouts, at least I know that it will keep me on track and push a little harder.

Tomorrow the weather is still crap, so I am going to go back to the YMCA. I am going to start with a new sport to warm up. "SWIMMING!" I am in no way a good swimmer but I hope to be some day, my cousin said something to me one time when I told him I couldn't swim... He told me ya and a year ago your didn't run either... Good Point! So we will see how it goes tomorrow.

45:02 4.69 miles 9:36 pace