Weekly Training Log: Week of April 21st, 2014: I'm running the BolderBoulder in a speedo and nobody can stop me.

In Training: This was my final week of trying to push the volume while working full time.  I am looking forward to this summer (Ironman Boulder/Ironman Louisville) with a little more time and freedom to get in the workouts while not having to worry about being at work.
I had the highest overall training stress on the bike, paired with a 40 mile run week.  I was able to keep the intensity very high and I did not feel as though I was broken down on Sunday.

The fitness is in the bank - Now I need to get to Texas healthy.


In Life:  It was a beautiful week and an awesome weekend.  The weather is great again, and Beth put in some great work in the yard and garden.  We have an absolutely awesome back-yard and its my favorite thing about our house.  Look forward to many pictures of good times out back from this coming summer.
We got out on Friday evening to 29th street and signed up for the BolderBoulder.  It's my favorite day of the year in my hometown and we have done a memorial day BBQ every year for the past 7-8 years.  I don't think I'll be gunning for a 10k PR this year (IMTX is week before), but I am going to be running as fast as I can.




Swim: 4k yards
Bike: 215 miles/749.6 TSS!
Run: 40.5 miles 

Aiden doesn't nap much at school.  This was about 7pm on Monday evening outside our bedroom door.

First time using the grill in 2014

Yo.  You cooking something?

1,2,3 happy dogs

Weekly Training Log: Week of April 14th, 2014: Picking up the run and back to baseball!

In Training:  I have been running some consistent 40+ mile weeks and am feeling stronger because of that.  I had less time on the bike than I intended, but I don't think I'll suffer in Texas because of that.  I really feel like I have raised my ceiling a ton with all of the work I have put in on the trainer over the winter, so I have some good fitness in the bank.
I had a great run on Saturday in my Hokas.  I don't really believe in doing many "long runs," but was able to get one in to test out how my body would feel trying to hold a faster pace in the monster shoes.  It was a 16 miler done at 6:48/mile pace.  I felt strong, I felt good.


In Life: Taxes were done on time, work went well, and I got to Coors Field for the first game of the season!  Life was good.  Take a look at the pictures for the week.



Swim: 3,900 yards
Bike: 130 miles/448 TSS
Run: 41.5 miles 

This squirrel stopped play at the Rox game on Saturday.  It was hilarious.

Seriously - look at that smile.  I am a proud dad. 

Aiden has really started to love baseball

Taxes done and ready to be sent off to Colorado, Hawaii, and wherever the big guys are

Weekly Training Log: Week of April 7th, 2014: Recover before the final push for Ironman #1 of 2014

In Training:  We got back from Maui last Sunday morning and I took that day totally off.  Mon - Wed, I was dealing with some pretty bad delayed onset muscle fatigue that I suspect was due to cortisol levels from jetlag, possible nutrition, or some of the different training stimuli that I received while over in Maui.
I started feeling better on Thursday and had a solid threshold session on the bike in the am, then had some good runs over the weekend netting more than 21 miles on Sat/Sun.
I kept the run up and took it easy on the bike - it was a good lower volume week.



In Life: IT WAS HARD to wake up on Monday - Wow.  I got through it though... 4a.m. wakeup was the equivalent of a midnight wake in Maui.

Work was good as usual, and the weather has started to be consistently nice.  Spring in Colorado is my favorite - the trees are budding and the grass is turning greener.  The days are also getting longer, which makes it easier to maintain some stable energy throughout the afternoon a little easier.
We traveled again on Friday back east to Pennsylvania to be with family on Friday and were there until Sunday morning.


Swim: 4,100 meters
Bike: 73 miles/262 TSS
Run: 43.5 miles 

Grandparents day at Aidens montessori on Friday - My mom (grammie) and my mother in law (nana) were both there

Nice smile dude.  We gotta work on that one.

Snake oil?  Anything to help me think that I can break through the pointy edge of the Age Group race!

Nice spring showing in Pennsylvania

My sister Erin and Beth

I LOOOOVVVEEEEE SPRING!

Walking around the little town that my Dad spent his first few years

Weekly Training Log: Week of March 31st, 2014: More from Maui

In Training:  We were in Maui for the week up until Saturday and I was able to get five more days of riding in on the roads.  After the first 3+ hour ride @ close to IM target wattage last week, I was a bit worried about my neck and worried about staying in the aero position for the duration of the bike leg at IMTX.  After a solid week of exclusively riding outside, I have found that this shouldn't* be a problem.  I did take Monday and Sunday (travel/jetlag) totally off - So all in all, I am happy with the overall volume for the week.

Running was hilly and windy and all done in the Hokas.  I absolutely LOVE running in Hoka's on the road - they make hills/uneven terrain much, much, much easier to handle.

Swimming was still much less than I wanted to get in.  The run/drive to the aquatics center was a trek.


*knock on wood


In Life:  Again, we were in Maui for the week up until Saturday PM.  Life was great...  I took Monday off and went to the aquarium with Mom, Aiden, and Beth.  I was also able to enjoy some quiet and a few naps in there too.
It was a great spring break, and it was great to spend it with Mom and Dad (Beth and Aiden)   Maui truly is my favorite place on earth, and to be able to have a second home there is pretty amazing.  The pictures from the week again show a few things that we all did.





Swim: 5,100 meters
Bike: 208 miles/535.7 TSS
Run: 31 miles 

Right before leaving to catch the plane back home

The pool next door

I used to swim here when I was in high school and we were in Maui.  It was nice to be back there training for something.  This pool has the clearest/cleanest water ever.

I took Monday off and we all went to the aquarium at Ma'alea together

Pap and Aiden on the lawn watching a sunset

Wednesdays are logo nights (wear a branded shirt) at the Maui Brewing Co.  Dad and I (usually Erin too) have started to walk the 4 miles there to get some good beers pre dinner every Wednesday.   Routines are awesome.

Beth loves this paddle board - Mom and Dad got it a few years ago, and she has used it every time we are in Maui

I got Aiden this hat for 4.99 - not bad.  He loves it 

Lahaina aquatics center - swimming LCM

Beth and me before Dinner at Merrimans - the restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner.

Sunset from that dinner