New Approach

Yesterday began a new approach to the tri training. I'm trying to find that mix of "hippie-ness" and structure that keeps it fun and light, but also gets me faster. I do care about the races over and above the social aspects, but I still like the camaraderie of the tri club, the pomp and circumstance that accompanies events, and just being out there with like minded people cheering for each other. I can still do all that and get faster, because let's face it... faster is fun.

So, away we go in an effort to climb closer to the fast guys. I have no realistic shot at finding myself on the age group podium, but I've decided it doesn't mean I can't train like I do. That's why I'm taking the advice of Justin Daerr, a pro who spoke at our tri club. He laid out his repetitive week schedule for us, and basically said, "to get faster, you have to do this stuff over, and over, and over, and over, and over..." Thus, the following plan was born:

Week 1
Monday: Bike/Run Brick
Tuesday: Med. distance Run
Wednesday: Bike/Run Brick
Thursday: Med. distance Bike
Friday: Bike/Run Brick
Saturday: Long distance Bike
Sunday: Med. Distance Run

Week 2
Monday: Bike/Run Brick
Tuesday: Med. Distance Run
Wednesday: Bike/Run Brick
Thursday: Med. Distance Bike
Friday: Med. Distance Bike
Saturday: Long distance Run
Sunday: Rest or Recovery w/a short bike ride

and... I do that over and over and over and over

As the first race of the season nears, I'll get back in the pool, and the weeks will change in structure, but I'll keep doing them over and over and over and over. I'm blessed enough to be an above average swimmer (disclaimer: for triathlons), so I don't so much need to work on it as hard as I do my running and biking. I can get in the pool tomorrow and pound out a mile and half if I had to, so I'm figuring 1.5-2 months will be ample time to find my old speed, or at least get close to it. I've been top 10% out of the water at the local races, and top 1/3rd at the New Olreans 70.3, so I'm pretty confident I can manage this.

And so it began yesterday with a 17 mile trainer ride, accompanied by an episode of Dexter, followed by a three mile run. This morning I got in a 29 mile trainer ride. Yeah, I realize it called for a run, but I swapped Thursday and today. I gotta travel for work early on Thursday, so it'll be more logical to do a 40-50 min run that morning as opposed to an hour and a half bike ride. You gotta do what ya gotta do to work around real life, as long as you get the volume in.