Past 5 days

In the end it was well worth the short trip down. 4 days of sun and 1 day of rain. The rain here is not NW rain though, didnt really bother me since the temps were around 60. For my final run today, nearly 70 degrees and sunny.

Past 5 days
Swim 4700 (2 sessions)
Bike 147 miles (4 rides)
Run 51 miles (5 runs)
Hours? I dont know, not really counting and dont really care. Around 17 hours I guess.

Got a message from ESPN radio today, they want Ann to call in next week on a live show discussing elite amateur women athletes. I thought that was pretty cool.

The running was the clincher to this block. Running over 50 miles in 5 days, with 4 of 5 workouts quality, gained some good running fitness.

Saturday: Run 11 miles. Out zone 1 back zone 3 (out 7:40, back sub 7)
Sunday: Run 8. Out zone 1 back zone 2/3 (out 8 min pace, back 7)
Monday: Run 10. Out zone 1 back zone 2 (out 7:45, back 7:20)
Tuesday: Run 6. Easy, zone 1 (8:30-45 pace)
Wed: Run 16, out zone 1/2 (7:20 pace) back zone 2/3 (7:05 pace) (1:56 total time)

The bike went well, didnt "slog" out miles just to say I biked alot of miles. But, some not easy, but not hard power zone rides.
Sat: Bike 47 (power zone 2 with several short zone 3 efforts)
Sun: Bike 25 (power zone 2 steady entire way with a few short zone 4 efforts)
Mon: Bike 35 (power zone 2 steady entire way with a few 2-3 min zone 3 efforts)
Tues: Bike 50 (power zone 2 with moderate efforts in Z3/4 on hills. Did a zone 4 continuous 12 min in final 10 miles)
Wed: No ride.

Tuesday's ride with the Mitch Gold group and Macca was fun. Macca was on schedule for a 2 hour recovery ride and I was scheduled for a Zone 2 ride with zone 3/4 efforts so after chatting with him for a few minutes here and there in the first 5 miles, I rode away to catch the lead group ahead. Good solid zone 2 ride for me at 215 watts average with several efforts in zone 4, 300-315 watts. Legs felt fresh and solid at the end of the ride. Rode back primarily with Mitch Gold who is just beginning his training for IMCDA. Ann rode up ahead with a newer pro, 10th overall at CDA in 2007. Couple of others behind us. That was about it by the final 90 minutes of riding, everyone else circled back earlier. Funny Ann mentioned to the guy she was riding with she was aiming for a top 10 finish at IMAZ in March. He looked suprised and said something like "you mean top 10 age groupers?". Ann said, no, top 10 overall. He then said something like, "I dont want to shatter anyone's goals but yeah, go for it". I guess he didnt realize that Ann placed in the top 12 overall in the past 2 IM races. Races that were highly competitive, full of pro women, IM Roth and IMWA. In fact, her total time was in the top 10 female pro times at both races. So, yeah, this guy didnt realize he was biking with a girl that that finished high overal in her last 2 Ironmen. No big deal. I know she has it in her to break into the top 10 on a great day. As an amateur at age 38, most women are no where near her calibur in the world. Yeah a few, but no more than 10. So, for her to finish in the top 10 is not only reachable, its probable on a good day. Even at her age, she can run down a few women pro's in their early 30's. So that's that. If she doesnt have a great day, so what. Nothing wrong with having goals that are actually realistic and reachable.

The swims werent much, just to keep the consistency going. Did 2 sessions in the pool, both with long intervals. One session of 3200 and the other 2500 yards.

The end of the 5 days as a long steady run went better than I expected. Cruising along the Carlsbad marathon course plucking off 7:05 mile splits in Zone 2 HR means I am near my pre IMWA running fitness. Even better, heading out at 7:20 pace in Zone 1 was encouraging to me, especially off the preceeding days of running and riding.

All runs on days of cycling were done prior to the bike. NO bricks.

Now, tomorrow thursday's plan is a nice 4000 meter swim. Friday totally off for some snowboarding. Sat am swim then snowboarding. Sunday short run and more boarding. Monday I resume a more typical schedule and will be back on the bike.