READY!

   

Well, after today the only thing left to do is taper. Funny thing is, taper is a word that most endurance athletes hate even though it means a good reduction of training volume. It would be an interesting study to find out why we hate tapering. Regardless of reasons, it is where I am at with just one week till Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island.

This past week several workouts have given me complete confidence that 9 weeks was enough to get ready after finding out my original race was cancelled. It may not seem like a lot but on Thursday, I completed a very hilly 12.25 mile run at 7:15 per mile and have the confidence I can easily run 13.1 off the bike. In the pool, my interval times in workout dropped drastically from last week to this week and was able to hold pace from 100 yards to 400 yards. The bike continues to click on all cylinders and my comfort in the aero position increases. Today after climbing 900 feet in the first 11 miles of the ride I polished it off with the next 21 miles @ 24.5 mph! One thing I can say even with nearly 11 hours of workouts this week, I am feeling fresh!

New Training Totals:
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 152 miles/ 6.99 hours/ 21.7 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 24.75 miles/ 2.99 hours/ 7:14 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 3.75 miles/ .95 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 180.5 miles/ 10.93 hours

2012
Bike - 142 rides/ 4480 miles/ 210.01 hours/ 21.3 mph
Run - 83 runs/ 512.5 miles/ 61.70 hours/ 7:13per mile
Swim - 52 swims/ 44 miles/ 20.89 hours
Total - 277 workouts/ 5056.5 miles/ 292.6 hours

Goals This Week (Yes this is a taper....lol)
Bike - 5 rides/ 100-125 miles
Run - 3 runs/ 16-20 miles
Swim - 3 swims/  1.5-2.0 miles

Of course after this it will be time to find some more races.......I guess the real question will be can I come back a week later and compete in my hometown race that I have finished 2nd the last time I raced it 1994. Maybe Brigantine Triathlon August 4th on their 25th anniversary. And yes let's not forget TdO '12 but at this point, he doesn't want to Time Trial against me!

But first......Amica Ironman 70.3! First triathlon since Bakersfield 1998.....wow!