Final Blog Of 2011 - What Will 2012 Bring?

Well, here it is...the final blog for 2011 and the year on the bike. Obviously by next week's blog entry I will need a new title for the blog. As for my first year back on the bike in over a decade, I think my training went very well and I actually over achieved on the side of hours and miles. Now the racing side of the year was not as expected but the collision with the car in the MonTour 75 really did put a big snag in racing plans for all of June and parts of the late fall with a recurring back problem. After getting 3 rides outside in this unusually warm December week, here are the final workout tallies for 2011:

Training Totals
Week - 5 rides/ 164miles/7hours 44minutes/ 21.2mph
Runs - 3 runs/ 19miles/ 2hours 16minutes/ 7:10 per mile
December - 25 rides/ 777miles/ 34hours 46minutes/ 22.3mph
18 runs/ 98miles/ 11hours 41minutes/ 7:08 per mile
2011- 358rides/12396miles/ 574hours 26minutes/ 21.8mph
39 runs/ 212miles/ 25hours 40minutes/ 7:16 per mile
Combined - 397workouts/ 12608miles/ 600hours 6minutes

What is in store for 2012? I have been debating a return to triathlons at the same time I am not ready to give up on the bike racing either. It will be a hectic year but knowing my ability and potential in both I know I can have a successful 2012 in each sport. After a solid two months of getting my running legs back under me, I am ready to start to add some workouts into the running schedule. The big thing now is getting motivated to get into the pool. With two weeks till the teams return to campus, I have a not so hectic schedule to get into a good rhythm of triathlon training before school starts.

And of course, we cannot forget the EPIC event TdO '12! Some early conversations in coordinating event were held over the Christmas holiday!

TdO '12 and/or Kona!!!

Follow the excitement here or Twitter (triduath40).......

A Holiday Blog! Training Never Rest.

I have to admit other than the typical holiday happenings inside: gifts, family and tons of food, you would never guess it is Christmas by the near 50 degree temperatures outside. And trust me when I say this......there is no way I am complaining about it! I have been enjoying this unseasonable December. It is funny to think that the only significant snow this fall/winter was back on Halloween weekend. Either warm or cold, it is good to get out of the Grove to recharge the battery for the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons. The difficult part is waiting until January 15th for the teams to return. With the new year approaching, a decent amount of time will be spent trying to decide what direction I want to go with my racing in 2012 - bicycle racing or triathlons?

I am somewhat torn whether it is time to return to triathlons but regardless the training during this transition period continues to go well. Another good sign is the back continues to improve to the point where weight training can start in earnest when I return to the Grove. This past week was my biggest week running since returning to a steady schedule of running the past two months. While it has not been very fast running but in another week, I will looking to start to add a track session into my running plan.

New Training Totals
Week - 5 rides/ 7hours 45minutes/ 22.7mph
4 runs/ 24.5 miles/2hours 57minutes/ 7:12 per mile
December - 20 rides/ 613 miles/ 27hours 00minutes/ 22.7mph
15 runs/ 79 miles/ 9hours 25minutes/7:05 per mile
Year - 354 rides/ 12,232 miles/ 566hours 43minutes/ 21.8mph
35 runs/185.5 miles/ 22hours 26mintes/ 7:20 per mile

This Week
5-6 rides/ 175-200 miles/ 7.5-8.5hours
3-4 runs/ 18-22 miles/ 9-10 mile long run

Some tentative discussions today on the TdO '12! Eddie MaGuire will make sure it is an EPIC event!

Decision on triathlons and Kona to be made soon!

Happy Holidays!

Early Christmas = New Car and Keurig!!

The holidays got an early start here!! After thinking about it for a little over a year, I finally pulled the trigger and purchased a new vehicle. Yesterday, I purchased a brand new Nissan Versa hatchback and of course appropriately the color is espresso black. The Versa only had 36 miles on it when I drove it off the lot to head home. A few days earlier, one of my runner's parents gave me a Keurig, which is just like leaving a kid in the candy store. If this theme continues, this year's Christmas will be all about the all might coffee bean!

The adding of running into the training schedule continues to go well even though I have been lazy about the weight training. Today, I had my longest run of the year at 9 miles. I know it does not seem like a lot but for only being back a little over 4 weeks I think the running is progressing very well. The cycling continues very well and on Thursday I topped 12,000 miles for the year on the bike. It is crazy to think that most people do not even drive that far in a year. I kind of have a new mini-goal to finish the year over 600 hours of training. I need 18 hours the next two weeks!

New training totals:
Week - 6 rides/ 176 miles/ 7hours 46minutes/ 22.6mph
4 runs/ 20 miles/ 2hours 21minutes/ 7:00 per mile
December - 15 rides/ 437 miles/ 19hours 15minutes/ 22.70mph
11 runs/ 54.5 miles/ 7:04 per mile
2012 - 348rides/ 12056 miles/ 559hours/ 21.8mph
31 runs/ 131 miles/ 7:13 per mile

This weeks goals:
Bike - 5-6 rides/ 175-200miles/ 7.5-8hours
Run - 4 runs/ 18-22 miles/ 9-10mile long run
Lift - 2 days
Swim - still not quite motivated

TdO '12 or Kona - either way I hope the other guy is training!

Looking forward to some time in South Jersey for the holiday then of course can't wait to get the teams back to campus to get this indoor track & field season rolling!

Winter Break - 4 Weeks Is Too Long Away!

Where has the first semester gone? It is hard to believe that the track & field athletes will be starting their finals tomorrow and the campus will be empty Thursday. Tonight, I emailed all the athletes, I work with on the track & field teams, their workouts for the winter break. It is the part of the indoor track & field season that I hate. Once finals end, the athletes will be off campus for four weeks. I know many of them feel the same way I do and realize that is way too much time away. Knowing the work ethic of these athletes, they will complete what needs to be done but you wish you could have the team together to help monitor their progress and answer all questions that may arise.

This past week was another solid week of running and biking! I was able to accomplish both goals that I set for each discipline and feel very strong throughout the week. It also helps that my back problems seem to have eased a lot, at least for now. It seems to be hit or miss with back but the way it feels now, I should be able to get back into my weight training program and strengthen the lower back. Now the questions is to I have the resolve to get back into the pool????? Even after watching the Ironman broadcast yesterday and as much as I would love to go back to Kona, I am still unmotivated for the pool right now. But for now, I will continue to add running into the training schedule.

New Training Totals:
Week - 6 rides/ 175 miles/ 7hours 41minutes/ 22.7mph
4 runs/ 19 miles/ 2hours 15minutes/ 7:04 per mile
December - 9 rides/ 261 miles/ 11hours 28minutes/ 22.7mph
7 runs/ 34.5 miles/ 4hours 6minutes/ 7:04 per mile
2011 - 32 rides/ 11,880 miles/ 551hours 12minutes/ 21.8mph

This Week's Goals
Bike - 5-6 rides/ 175-200 miles
Run - 4 days/ 18-22 miles
Weights - 2 days

TdO '12 or Kona - I will be in the best shape of my life!

Even A Car & Bad Back Can Slow Me Down!

Since the mishap with the car during my race in May, my back has given me issues every so often. Even with two chiropractor appointments a week since, the back is not always 100%. Over the holiday, it acted up and really did not ease until Wednesday or Thursday of this week. And it seems to be loosening up every day and that is even with standing for the good part of 6-7 hours at a track & field meet. Yesterday marked the opening of the meet schedule for the 2011-12 indoor track & field season. It was a solid start for SUTF and the things look good for when the entire team competes together on January 22nd. Ian Quinlan , coming off a strong performance at NCAA Cross-Country National Championships, set a new SU record in the 5K by dropping a 42 second PR running 14:44.04.

Even with the bad back, I still managed to salvage a solid week of training as I continue to transition into training for the 2012 race season. I did not quite get to my running mileage goal but I was playing it safe and did not run until Friday. I was able to maintain biking everyday and reach my goals. Because of the low intensity of riding during this stretch, it does not put any pressure on the back and I can get a decent ride. Now the back is preventing me from getting the weight training that I know I will need for a very impressive 2012 racing season.

New training totals:
Week - 6 rides/ 181 miles/ 8hours 2minutes/ 22.5mph
3 runs/ 15 miles/ 1hour 50minutes/7:04 per mile
December - 3 rides/ 86 miles/ 3hours 47minutes/ 22.7mph
3 runs/ 15 miles/ 1hour 50minutes/7:04 per mile
2011 - 336 rides/ 11,705 miles/ 543hours 30minutes/ 21.8mph

December Goals:
Bike - 25 rides/ 750-800 miles
Run - 15-18 runs/ 75-90 miles

Week Goals:
Bike - 5-6 rides/ 175-200 miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 18-22 miles
Weights - 2 days

TdO '12 or Ironman '12 which to do???