Recap of the Last Month
Training trip to Clermont Florida: This was a great time, and a very intense week of training. I put in around 17 hours of volume, with a lot of quality and higher-stress work mixed in. It was great to get off the trainer and on the road for countless reasons, but chief among them: a) this was my first chance to ride the time-trial bike outdoors and get in some good miles of handling practice and b) I almost forgot how much "fun" riding a bicycle is; the wind, pavement, and feeling of actually moving somewhere [versus watching CNN on the trainer] was really uplifting. Training with Marleigh [not indoors] was a blast, and spending time with my Coach Doug and Olympic hopeful Triathlete Ethan Brown was also really neat. I got great insight into how the elite workout, eat, and sleep, and how the importance of the later two elements of "training" rival that of the first. Other notable elements of the trip: I came too close to a gator during a tempo interval [good excuse for missing heart-rate targets], I quickly discovered why so many episodes of COPS are filmed in Florida [Vacation Village is designed to be the setting for COPS], and enjoyed sleeping between 8-10 hours a night!
Training trip to Clermont Florida: This was a great time, and a very intense week of training. I put in around 17 hours of volume, with a lot of quality and higher-stress work mixed in. It was great to get off the trainer and on the road for countless reasons, but chief among them: a) this was my first chance to ride the time-trial bike outdoors and get in some good miles of handling practice and b) I almost forgot how much "fun" riding a bicycle is; the wind, pavement, and feeling of actually moving somewhere [versus watching CNN on the trainer] was really uplifting. Training with Marleigh [not indoors] was a blast, and spending time with my Coach Doug and Olympic hopeful Triathlete Ethan Brown was also really neat. I got great insight into how the elite workout, eat, and sleep, and how the importance of the later two elements of "training" rival that of the first. Other notable elements of the trip: I came too close to a gator during a tempo interval [good excuse for missing heart-rate targets], I quickly discovered why so many episodes of COPS are filmed in Florida [Vacation Village is designed to be the setting for COPS], and enjoyed sleeping between 8-10 hours a night!
Sarasota Half Marathon: This wasn't really a priority race for me in that it came in the middle of a big training block, and thus, I only had a mini [2 day] taper for it. Nonetheless, come Thursday night of that week [start mini-t
aper] I treated this like the real deal. Also, this is the only "road running" race I have on my calendar for the Spring [all my other races are Duathlons], so that added a little urgency and excitement. I went 1:24:27, or at a 6:26 pace, which was good enough for a top 20 finish, and second in my age-group [guy got me by less than a minute, and was a helluva runner]. I was really happy with this result. The race was a 3-minute PR for me at the 13.1 distance, and the pace and race execution were almost exactly as we had planned for. Two biggest positives from this race: 1) I really let the race come to me. It was quite windy early on, and my Garmin was telling me I was running 6:40 pace when the plan was to be running a 6:20 pace. Rather than get all worried or push things too hard too early, I remember taking a few deep breaths and telling myself that I would get a tail-wind [it was an out and back course] during the second half of the race. Rather than force things, I showed patience, and sure enough, I negative split the back-half. 2) I took a risk earlier than I have ever before. Normally I hold back until about the last mile for fear of going "all-out" too soon, and having a melt-down. This time around, I trusted my training [which over the past few months has been as consistent as ever] and went into suffer-mode with 2 miles to go. It hurt like hell, but my last 2 miles were the fastest 2 miles of the race, and included 2 passes [not bad when you are up toward the front group]. Ideally I will be able to do this for longer periods of time in future races, but this is a step in the right direction. It's simple to say "I'll trust my training and suffer," but much harder to do it when you are out there racing, checking your watch, figuring out potential finish times in your head, etc, etc... All in all, this was a great morning. The weather was beautiful, Caitlin race-walked a huge 10 minute PR, and my Grandma got to come out and support both of us!
aper] I treated this like the real deal. Also, this is the only "road running" race I have on my calendar for the Spring [all my other races are Duathlons], so that added a little urgency and excitement. I went 1:24:27, or at a 6:26 pace, which was good enough for a top 20 finish, and second in my age-group [guy got me by less than a minute, and was a helluva runner]. I was really happy with this result. The race was a 3-minute PR for me at the 13.1 distance, and the pace and race execution were almost exactly as we had planned for. Two biggest positives from this race: 1) I really let the race come to me. It was quite windy early on, and my Garmin was telling me I was running 6:40 pace when the plan was to be running a 6:20 pace. Rather than get all worried or push things too hard too early, I remember taking a few deep breaths and telling myself that I would get a tail-wind [it was an out and back course] during the second half of the race. Rather than force things, I showed patience, and sure enough, I negative split the back-half. 2) I took a risk earlier than I have ever before. Normally I hold back until about the last mile for fear of going "all-out" too soon, and having a melt-down. This time around, I trusted my training [which over the past few months has been as consistent as ever] and went into suffer-mode with 2 miles to go. It hurt like hell, but my last 2 miles were the fastest 2 miles of the race, and included 2 passes [not bad when you are up toward the front group]. Ideally I will be able to do this for longer periods of time in future races, but this is a step in the right direction. It's simple to say "I'll trust my training and suffer," but much harder to do it when you are out there racing, checking your watch, figuring out potential finish times in your head, etc, etc... All in all, this was a great morning. The weather was beautiful, Caitlin race-walked a huge 10 minute PR, and my Grandma got to come out and support both of us! 
Where I'm at Right Now
In a recovery week that ends with a race-simulation this weekend, which will mirror the Duathlon National Championship distances. With that big race being only 5 weeks out, this will be a good chance to work through transitions, and see how my body reacts to the pacing that my coach and I think is appropriate given my current level of fitness. After that, I have 2 "overload" weeks where the volume and intensity of my training will peak. It will be very important to focus on nutrition and recovery during these weeks. Luckily, I'm in a real good spot with school, and exams are not until after this brutal 14 day stretch, so I should be able to minimize stress and concentrate on getting through this. These are weeks that you love to hate, and honestly, hate to love [or even like].
What's to Come
Race season!! After the overload weeks, I have a 3-week phase down into a true taper that will get me ready for the Duathlon National Championships on April 30, as well as the rest of the month of May. Overall, this four-week block should be a really exciting time! After Nats, I am racing in 3 more local [all in Michigan] Duathlons...on consecutive weekends. I have never raced consecutively like this before, so it will be something new for me. It doesn't hurt that 2 of the 3 races are shorter distances [with only 10K total of running in each], so recovering from those [shorter, run-light races] shouldn't be too much of a problem. The plan is to do only a few intense workouts in between races, and otherwise, to focus on good recovery, and to let the last 4 months of training carry me through. It will be great experience, and I look forward to seeing where I stack up both nationally, and in the state.
Stay tuned, and until next time, Train Hard, Live Hard!
This is fantastic. Really good week for you. I think you have better preparation for marathon.
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Here I read the information and Its really and highly impress me. Such an awesome information. Marathon is really my favourites in all other activity. and please you have to well prepare for this.
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