Keep on Keepin on

Morning Run: Four Miles
Time: 31:42
AP: 7:56
Avg bpm: 147

Rolled out of bed this morning about 15 minutes after my alarm had gone off – not too bad but I still need to work on just rolling out of bed right when the alarm goes off. Still tights and long sleeve weather here, mid 30’s in the morning, but this morning there was a “warm” breeze blowing which I haven’t felt for a couple of months now. Granted it turned into a headwind that I despised after about ten minutes, but that’s another story. I started out a bit faster than I have been for my last few runs because I was curious how my shins would react. My first mile came in around 8:48 and I felt fine so I picked up the pace for mile two and cut about a minute off my pace for that mile. My shins were still fine but in the middle of mile three I could feel the tightness creeping in so I just held my pace and tried to relax my legs. By the time I got to mile four my legs weren’t really tight anymore but they did feel a bit heavy. Since it was my last mile I wanted to at least hold the pace I had been going at for the last couple of miles (7:40ish) but I didn’t want to push myself too hard since I have a 14 miler coming up this weekend. The last mile came in at 7:27 then I knocked out a quick stretch and hurried upstairs to tend to a very pressing matter.

Yesterday morning I was up at the gym to get in a quick swim. The water was fine, a bit chilly when I first jumped in but by the time I had 25m done I was fine. My total time for 500 was 9:42 which is fine with me since I have not been swimming very much at all in the last couple of months. My training plan for the upcoming season is going to be swimming focused and I am looking forward to seeing how much my time and endurance in the water improve. Last year I was getting in around three swims a week, this year I will get in five during the weeks leading up to my first event (NAPA Valley Sprint Tri). This will be the longest Tri swim I have done at 800y; I’m confident that I can swim that distance but I think the added focus on swimming will help my time and give me greater confidence for my ocean swim (SHARKS!!!!) at the Showdown at Sundown in June.

Of course, no morning swim would be complete without a nice steam before heading home to get ready for work. I plan on getting up to the gym again on Friday for 500-750 and possibly going on Sunday as well. Maybe I will ride my bike up to the gym (I need to get back in the biking groove which was destroyed by holiday travel, weather, and my being unmotivated) and then get in a little swim. I was also thinking about getting my buddy Chris out for a short run/walk; he just bought his first pair of actual running shoes from Forward Motion and is planning on getting a little cardio into his routine. Being as how he is one of those lucky folks that has his own business and works from home he definitely has the time to do it.