Wow, just wow....

Okay, who would of guessed that just a few little adjustments would make such a huge difference? I took my tire pressure from 80psi to 120psi, and lengthened the stem by probably 2". The difference was marked. Took it out for a quick shakedown, and other than it not being as friendly over the bumpy road, my average speed for 5.5 miles was 18.7, and that was over bumpy roads, and included some small hills. I was happy today, this should prove to cut 2+ minutes off of my 12mile race time.

Long Slow Distance

Today was my long slow distance day, working on building the base... Well here's the map to my LSD run... :D

http://www.mapmytri.com/route/us/wa/seattle/541124261279069580

Hate hill climbs

I hate hill climbs, I hate hill climbs, I hate hill climbs... Anyway, here's the route, time 40min 10sec...
http://www.mapmytri.com/route/us/wa/seattle/343124245085446128

Tonight we spin

Okay, not a long workout, but a challenging one, 20 minutes on the spin trainer, working on form, and cadence. I particularly dislike the spin trainer, because I feel that it's harder than road riding. I have a constant resistance trainer, so unlike riding where you just don't pedal as hard to release some resistance, it's ineffective with my spin trainer. If you slowdown pedaling, or stop pedaling, the rear wheel will stop in about 3 seconds, there's no continuous momentum. The constant resistance I find more difficult than pedaling into the wind. Anyway, I am happy with this workout.

Up and Down, into the wind...

Up and Down 9.66 miles, then into the wind around Alki Point, hate riding into the wind, it just bleeds speed off, and kills your momentum... Here's the route, and 9.66 miles, in 34m 59s.

Me Kwa Run

Just down and back, forgot exactly how far it was, thought it was around 1 mile, couldn't figure out why it was taking sooo long, turns out it's 1.98 miles... :D

http://www.mapmytri.com/route/us/wa/seattle/104124103089334770

Yay... ME...

Back at it...

Okay, I'm back, it's been a long ski season, and it's not over yet, but I'm back on the bike. Today couldn't remember how to reset my bike odometer, so no numbers, but went my usual Alki Route...

http://www.mapmytri.com/route/us/wa/seattle/107124033589558348

Anyway, the HR was right up in the 170s, good ride, stoked to be training again!!!

So anyway, there might be a Team Pirate in training, I'm trying to talk a couple of my buddies into running sprints, there may be more pirate jerseys showing up at triathlons soon!!!

Change of Status!!!

Okay, so race status has changed...
Memorial Day Triathlon (confirmed)
in Elma, WA 05/26/08
Issaquah Triathlon (confirmed)
in Issaquah, WA 05/31/08

Freezing Cold

Okay, so usually the water temp in Lake WA is upper 50's or so around this time of year, not this year!!! Freezing, but had to get used to the new suit, so 25m sprints, then back to the dock, times probably 6... It's doable, just not enjoyable...

Race Schedule

Well, it's that time again... Tri season, yay!!! I'm anticipating doing a lot more tris this year, so we'll see how this season nets out. I also was able to buy a wetsuit at SpeedyReedy (our local multi-sport store) for an incredible bargain, so now I'm racing in a BlueSeventy Reaction Suit!!! So, here's the Sched...

Beat the Bridge 8k 05/18
Elma Memorial Day Sprint 05/26 (confirmed)
Issaquah Sprint Tri 5/31 (confirmed)
Five Mile Lake Sprint Tri 6/14 (tentative)
FireCracker Sprint Tri 7/04 (tentative)
Ocean Shores Sprint Tri 7/07 (tentative)
SeaFair Sprint Tri 7/20 (space available)
Federal Escape Sprint Tri 7/28 (tentative)
Beaver Lake Sprint Tri 8/18 (tentative)
Heart of the Sound Tri 8/26
Seattle Escape from the Rock 9/09
Kirkland Sprint Tri

Beat the Bridge...

Okay, I beat the bridge on Sunday for Juvenile Diabetes... I was a little unhappy with my time, as it got thrown off by the initial crowd pushing out, I think my wave took over 2 minutes to cross the start line... It was a bumpercar match until atleast mile one, with accelerate/brakes/accelerate, move left, sidestep right... Anyway, you're probably not terribly concerned with that... Here's the times.

Distance: 8k/5miles
Time: 38 minutes 23.4 seconds
Pace: 7 minute 44 second/mile

Definitely within expected limits, probably could of cut 15 seconds off of that atleast, possibly 20. Started my final push a little too early, didn't know exactly where the finish line was, there was probably 200y that I didn't account for when I started to push, so all that was poor planning on my part.

Just another day on the grind...

Okay, so I had the wild thought... "Hey, you can beat the bridge, can't you pansy..." Well, before I committed to trying, I wanted to make sure I could make the pace. So tonight it was off to Alki for a 5 mile run (8km). I'm good... Here are the numbers...
Distance 5.02 miles
Time 39min 18sec
Speed 7.66 mph
Min/Mile 7min 46sec

Yay ME!!!

May 6th

Post Cinco De Mayo... ;) Did a quick fairly flat ish ride today, 7.25 miles... I didn't leave the office until after 1830, so home to the bike. After that shower then off to Jess's house, which might be my new running location, as she lives up by gasworks... yay!!! Here are the numbers
Distance: 7.25
Time: 22.58
Speed 18.5 mph

Course:
From the house to the .5 mile marker at Alki and back along Beach Drive...

April 30th, Late Run

Took one of my more favorite runs tonight, left the house about 2030 and headed up the hill to Fauntleroy, it's a pretty steep climb, about 150ft in about 1/4 mile, then it's down hill to the water, then around Colman Pool, back along the water on the gravel track, then a quick climb home... The scenery was beautiful tonight, you could see across the water as the sun was going down, the clouds were over Vashon, and it was raining, an interesting mix in all. Well, here are the numbers.
Distance 3.06 miles
Time 25.06 minutes
Pace 8.10 min/mile
Elevation +/- 208ft

The last monday of april...

Okay, it was a good day, sunny and warm, had the bike out. I've gotten kinda tired of the scenery running the Alki loop, so I decided it was a good day to throw the bike in the truck and head out to Lake Washington. I stopped by Performance Bike to pick up a little attachment that I bolted to my truck box that allows me to detach the front tire, and pop the fork into a hard point instead of having to lay the bike down. There is also a hard point to attach my locking cable... :D Anyway, it was good being back on the bike with a change in scenery, well, all that I did see of it... Here are the numbers

Distance 7.48 miles
Time 23.30
Avg Speed 19.2
Top Speed 30.6
Peak Climb 158ft

It's a really fast and flat course that you can mash through fairly quickly, the only tricky part was a quick climb in the middle up through Seward Park to the parking lots on top, then back down. I liked it, it was a good change of pace.

Oh, and here's a kick in my bad knee... The Pass is staying open for another weekend!!! Well, I guess I can't really complain, there's plenty of snow, and I'm riding on it... :D

Greenlake

Okay, running today at a LSD (long slow distance) pace with the daughters at greenlake, on their bikes. Only one pass, but was a nice easy run. 2.8 miles, untimed.

Hahaha, the saddle...

Okay, back in the saddle, part two...
Went hard, like dumb hard today... Well, you decide, 10.06 miles in 37.20 with a pace of 16.5 mph and a climb of 536ft in the first mile... :D The lungs were screaming, and the log (my right knee) wasn't making things any easier... Well, it was raining and there was a head wind kicking in as I rounded the corner by Salty's, but overall I'm pretty happy with these results. I'm thinking Sammamish Tri to start the season... Here's the route.

April 14th, a year later...

Okay, so I'm back in the saddle again, so to speak, it's the ending of ski season, and the beginning of tri season... This morning was my first run of the season, so here's the quick and dirty, I guess... Woke up this morning, made the rats breakfast, dropped them off at school, straight to Alki. I'm nursing a bum right knee, which has been giving me problems all ski season, so, today for about the first 1/4 mile, it felt like my right leg was a log, it was really an odd feeling... Anywho, you probably all just want times and routes, here goes...
1.5 miles out - 10.37 minutes
1.5 miles back - 12 minutes
Not half bad for not running in probably six months, and having a log for a leg, if I say so myself. :D Anyway, here's the route... More from the saddle (bike saddle) tomorrow. I also just have to say, "I LOVE MAPMYTRI.COM!"

Well, not out of ski season yet...

Okay, not out yet, but thinking ahead, and even though the price seems a little steep ($70 for a sprint) I think I'm gonna kick off the season at the Issaquah tri... Anyway, had the bike out today, and was very happy to keep a steady pace of 20+ for the first 5 miles on a fairly flat course... That was better than my race pace at Fed Escape, and I haven't been on the bike in several months... I'm feelin' it. The outsides of my thighs are a little tender, but it was a good course, down beach drive, taking the climb up from alki on California, picking up groceries at Admiral Safeway, then riding home. Ride time of 41 minutes, 10.61 miles, and a 433' vertical climb. I'm happy... Here's the route.

Starting the run again... at Alki

Okay, I can't describe the hole that's been in my life, since I haven't been running. Ever since my surgery, I've been concerned about getting my ass back out on the run. I've always hated the first couple of days of running, but today was not too bad, somewhere between 2.5 and 3 miles. A couple of stops for stretching, and my lower back is killing me, it's a posture issue though, I think I'm leaning into the run too much. However, I'm pretty happy that I'm out running again, and a big kudos to the BAT for stickin' in on the run. I'm back and it is good, GOOD!!! Oh yeah, there was some issues with a stitch in my side, which I was just reading up on, you know, what causes them, and how to fight against them, it turns out that they are actually caused by your liver... Who would of thought, huh? Today was very cold, upper 30's, but I was out running in my shorts anyway, at least the wind at Alki wasn't too bad... :D Well, enough for now, stay safe all... And merry christmas!!!