Yes it is spring finally. And with spring comes the awakening of all the critters from their winter slumber. I know cougars don't hibernate, but the bears certainly do and now the signs are starting to pop up on my favourite running trails.
Yesterday I went for a leisurely 9 miles on the trails that meander along the perimeter of Hinton. About a mile and a bit into the run I noticed an area ribbonned off and a sign which indicated the presence of a "dangerous bear". Off to the side of the trail was a baited bear trap. Fortunately I wasn't hungry as the trap was loaded with stale donuts from Tim Horton's. It would have been embarrassing making a 911 call from inside a bear trap! But I resisted and continued on. Obviously this bear has been causing some major problems to be labelled a dangerous bear.
After about another 6 miles I came upon another sign behind a lake that advertised a problem cougar in the area. Now if I have my choice I would prefer to come upon a bear. Generally the will take off as soon as they see you. Cougars on the other hand are sneaky buggers and by the time you notice him it will be too late. They are stalkers and opportunists. This trail runs along the backyards of a lot of houses so I suspect that this particular cougar is finding that cats and small dogs are a lot easier to take down then deer and other larger prey. It is also the time of year when the two year old cougars are starting to get chased away by their mothers so they start looking for their own territory. After seeing that sign I did pick up the pace and ran with heightened awareness.
It is eight weeks away from Coeur d'Alene and I feel pretty good. Supposedly the weather is going to change on the weekend and I should be able to start riding outside.
Thus far this week I have run twice for a total of 20 miles, one 10.75 run at 6:54 pace and a 9 miler a more pedestrian 7:30 rate. I also have two swims in, a 2,900 metre swim on Monday and a quick 1,200 metre dip today. Too many boneheads in the pool today to do a longer workout so I will have to try again tomorrow after work. On the bike side I have two rides in a 29 mile ride and a 33 mile ride. So with three days done in the week I am off to a good start.
Hope you are having a great week!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
I'm Still at it!
Despite the lack of posting I am right on target with training. I am still shy on the cycling miles but as of yet the weather has not co-operated to allow for the longer outdoor rides. That being said everything else proceeds at or beyond expectations.
A whole host of things has prevented me from regular blogging or even reading the ones I usually follow. Congratulations to Mike, Thomas and Jerry on fantastic efforts at the Boston Marathon on Monday. I think at the end of the day you have to go to Boston for the experience. It is really not one to expect to race, but more to relish. It is unlike any other marathon and is what all others are measured against. My hats are off to the above mentioned gentlemen and all others who raced on Monday. Great job!
Back to my training. The swimming has been a bit of a surprise as of late. Because I do a lot of drills and intervals it is really difficult to note the improvement where it counts which is over the longer distances. But lately, due to crowded pools, I have been forced to swim longer distances with out any breaks. And that is where I am noticing that I am starting to shave some time off. We're not talking tens of minutes, but it is minutes and they all count.
Despite the fact I am still not getting any really long rides in, I am getting lots of saddle time in and have also noticed improved cadence and higher wattage. Again signs of strengthening and improvement. My workouts really have focused on technique and finding that perfect gearing, cadence and power balance. I did try and ride on the roads last Sunday but after a mile and a half it was just too darned cold and I retreated to the trainer.
The running, well, just seems to be steady and solid. I have been using my brick workouts to focus on getting myself up to a reasonable pace and then settling in. Arizona was by no means a race to measure myself by. It was just too hot and I chose survival. In CDA 2007 I struggled to settle into a pace on the run. I really want to get the run done in less than 4 hours.
The next 9 weeks leading up to the race are busy with birthdays, a wedding, anniversaries, and general life happening. The key will be to keep the race in perspective, but to enjoy all the other life events happening. I am blessed that so many of our family is making the effort to come out to the wedding and if it means backing off on the training for a week or so, I'm fine with that.
Have a great day!
A whole host of things has prevented me from regular blogging or even reading the ones I usually follow. Congratulations to Mike, Thomas and Jerry on fantastic efforts at the Boston Marathon on Monday. I think at the end of the day you have to go to Boston for the experience. It is really not one to expect to race, but more to relish. It is unlike any other marathon and is what all others are measured against. My hats are off to the above mentioned gentlemen and all others who raced on Monday. Great job!
Back to my training. The swimming has been a bit of a surprise as of late. Because I do a lot of drills and intervals it is really difficult to note the improvement where it counts which is over the longer distances. But lately, due to crowded pools, I have been forced to swim longer distances with out any breaks. And that is where I am noticing that I am starting to shave some time off. We're not talking tens of minutes, but it is minutes and they all count.
Despite the fact I am still not getting any really long rides in, I am getting lots of saddle time in and have also noticed improved cadence and higher wattage. Again signs of strengthening and improvement. My workouts really have focused on technique and finding that perfect gearing, cadence and power balance. I did try and ride on the roads last Sunday but after a mile and a half it was just too darned cold and I retreated to the trainer.
The running, well, just seems to be steady and solid. I have been using my brick workouts to focus on getting myself up to a reasonable pace and then settling in. Arizona was by no means a race to measure myself by. It was just too hot and I chose survival. In CDA 2007 I struggled to settle into a pace on the run. I really want to get the run done in less than 4 hours.
The next 9 weeks leading up to the race are busy with birthdays, a wedding, anniversaries, and general life happening. The key will be to keep the race in perspective, but to enjoy all the other life events happening. I am blessed that so many of our family is making the effort to come out to the wedding and if it means backing off on the training for a week or so, I'm fine with that.
Have a great day!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Happy Easter!
It was another good week with some decent workouts completed. I continue to march towards Ironman Coeur d'Alene with growing confidence. Not that I think I am going to knock off any great time, but I do feel I will perform well and complete the race strong.
I should probably finish this week with between 14 and 15 hours providing all goes well with my weekend workouts. I have had a little flare up of the Achilles after last weekend's longer run. But I know how to treat it and if nothing else it will force me on the bike!
It finally appears that spring has arrived as the snow has gone and we are experiencing temperatures in the low teens right now. The layers have been shed and it is nice to be out in shorts and t-shirts. Hopefully I can get on the road with the bike this weekend. I still don't like the fact that there is a lot of sand on the road as it really takes a toll on your chain.
Happy Easter everyone and have a great weekend!
I should probably finish this week with between 14 and 15 hours providing all goes well with my weekend workouts. I have had a little flare up of the Achilles after last weekend's longer run. But I know how to treat it and if nothing else it will force me on the bike!
It finally appears that spring has arrived as the snow has gone and we are experiencing temperatures in the low teens right now. The layers have been shed and it is nice to be out in shorts and t-shirts. Hopefully I can get on the road with the bike this weekend. I still don't like the fact that there is a lot of sand on the road as it really takes a toll on your chain.
Happy Easter everyone and have a great weekend!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Process Check
The last few weeks of training have been quite encouraging. Although I don't track my progress with a lot of science I can just tell that my strength and mental focus are right on track.
I am feeling distinct improvements in my swimming and while I have not done any time trials, I am sure that I am faster. Maybe not a lot faster, but faster all the same. Last week I had a total of 8,700 metres in the pool, with two 3,000 metre swims.
Cycling has also been on the upswing and I have been able to endure a couple of 3 hour plus rides on the trainer. The long range forecast says that the weather should be improving so I am really hopeful that I can get outside soon. Having said that I also feel the cycling power is coming along. Again I don't have a lot of evidence to that effect, but it is just a feeling.
Lastly the run. The legs have been great and seem to be able to recover very quickly. I did 18.5 miles holding 7:03 pace and I am good to go today. Which is a good thing because I have a long bike ride on the agenda.
I am 11 weeks out from CDA and there is still a lot of work to be done. But at this point in the process I feel pretty good. There will be some interruptions in the plan as we prepare for the wedding and all of the family visits, but life happens. The training is important, but certainly not the most important thing. We are very excited about the fact that almost everyone in the family is going to make it for the big day. I am lucky that I have a very close family and we always make every effort to be there for one another in any circumstance.
Speaking of CDA, I best book myself some rooms or I will be staying in a van down by the river!
Have a great weekend!
I am feeling distinct improvements in my swimming and while I have not done any time trials, I am sure that I am faster. Maybe not a lot faster, but faster all the same. Last week I had a total of 8,700 metres in the pool, with two 3,000 metre swims.
Cycling has also been on the upswing and I have been able to endure a couple of 3 hour plus rides on the trainer. The long range forecast says that the weather should be improving so I am really hopeful that I can get outside soon. Having said that I also feel the cycling power is coming along. Again I don't have a lot of evidence to that effect, but it is just a feeling.
Lastly the run. The legs have been great and seem to be able to recover very quickly. I did 18.5 miles holding 7:03 pace and I am good to go today. Which is a good thing because I have a long bike ride on the agenda.
I am 11 weeks out from CDA and there is still a lot of work to be done. But at this point in the process I feel pretty good. There will be some interruptions in the plan as we prepare for the wedding and all of the family visits, but life happens. The training is important, but certainly not the most important thing. We are very excited about the fact that almost everyone in the family is going to make it for the big day. I am lucky that I have a very close family and we always make every effort to be there for one another in any circumstance.
Speaking of CDA, I best book myself some rooms or I will be staying in a van down by the river!
Have a great weekend!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Trying Something New
Lately I have had a real tough time setting my butt down in front of the computer and chronicling my latest training episodes. It’s not from a lack of anything to write about. I have definitely gotten back to firing on all cylinders on the workouts. Last week I was above the 14 hour mark with significant workouts in all three disciplines. It just seems that my days have been drifting away so quickly that there seems to be little or no time to jot down a few notes. Which then leads me to my solution, perhaps that it what I need to do. When I think of something just put it down and then all I would have to do is cut and paste it into a blog later on. This is the first attempt at doing that.
As mentioned last week I was back on track logging just over 14 hours with a definite increase in the cycling. I managed to do a mind-numbing 3 hour plus session on the trainer this Sunday. Although it is not the most interesting way to do your cycling it is necessary and also yields great benefits. Fortunately for me the weather co-operated on Saturday and I was able to do my 2 hour run outside. Other than getting chased by a stupid dog, the run was uneventful. I was a little slow; partly because of some of the trails I chose and partly because I was just slow and probably the largest contributor, not a drop of water. I have never been very good at carrying anything with me but I really need to carry at least a little drink of water. At the end of the day I managed to run 16.27 miles in 2:02.
The start of a new week and I am off to a good start with a 3,000 metre swim under my belt already. I was expecting a pool full of people today since it is Spring Break, but it was actually not too bad. Hopefully everyone has gone away on holidays!
Have a great week!
As mentioned last week I was back on track logging just over 14 hours with a definite increase in the cycling. I managed to do a mind-numbing 3 hour plus session on the trainer this Sunday. Although it is not the most interesting way to do your cycling it is necessary and also yields great benefits. Fortunately for me the weather co-operated on Saturday and I was able to do my 2 hour run outside. Other than getting chased by a stupid dog, the run was uneventful. I was a little slow; partly because of some of the trails I chose and partly because I was just slow and probably the largest contributor, not a drop of water. I have never been very good at carrying anything with me but I really need to carry at least a little drink of water. At the end of the day I managed to run 16.27 miles in 2:02.
The start of a new week and I am off to a good start with a 3,000 metre swim under my belt already. I was expecting a pool full of people today since it is Spring Break, but it was actually not too bad. Hopefully everyone has gone away on holidays!
Have a great week!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Write Off!
I think the cold is behind me now, and while last week was a bit of a write off, I am stoked to fly at it again this week.
Monday I was off to the pool for a good 2,900 metre swim. I felt really good in the water and my work out was 800 metres of warm ups and drills. Then it was 20 x 100 with 10 seconds rest and a brief 100 metre cool down.
The evening run was 7 miles in 48:00. I would really like to do a race sometime soon, but there hasn’t been anything available. There was a ½ marathon a couple of weeks ago in Edmonton but it was sold out. The next events are in May which is going to be a busy month so I am hesitant to sign up for anything right now. For all the good things about living out in a smaller community that is the one complaint I would have. Most of the events are in either Edmonton or Calgary which are 2 ½ hours and 5 hours away. I have driven in before to race but it means leaving here at 5:00 a.m. for an 8:00 a.m. race if it is in Edmonton. It doesn’t necessarily leave you poised to run your best!
At lunchtime today I was able to squeeze in a little over 8 miles in just under an hour. The trails are still a tad icy so the footing was tricky. I was over dressed as well so together they conspired against me running any pace.
With 13 weeks to go to Coeur d’Alene, my focus needs to shift to more cycling and a few longer runs. The running doesn’t concern me as I know with a few more mid-distance runs I will be okay for that section of the ordeal. It is the damn bike again! Further complicating things is that it is still going to be awhile before I can get the bike on the road. So I will just have to do the best I can and hope my discipline can get me through a few long rides on the trainer.
Have a great day!
Monday I was off to the pool for a good 2,900 metre swim. I felt really good in the water and my work out was 800 metres of warm ups and drills. Then it was 20 x 100 with 10 seconds rest and a brief 100 metre cool down.
The evening run was 7 miles in 48:00. I would really like to do a race sometime soon, but there hasn’t been anything available. There was a ½ marathon a couple of weeks ago in Edmonton but it was sold out. The next events are in May which is going to be a busy month so I am hesitant to sign up for anything right now. For all the good things about living out in a smaller community that is the one complaint I would have. Most of the events are in either Edmonton or Calgary which are 2 ½ hours and 5 hours away. I have driven in before to race but it means leaving here at 5:00 a.m. for an 8:00 a.m. race if it is in Edmonton. It doesn’t necessarily leave you poised to run your best!
At lunchtime today I was able to squeeze in a little over 8 miles in just under an hour. The trails are still a tad icy so the footing was tricky. I was over dressed as well so together they conspired against me running any pace.
With 13 weeks to go to Coeur d’Alene, my focus needs to shift to more cycling and a few longer runs. The running doesn’t concern me as I know with a few more mid-distance runs I will be okay for that section of the ordeal. It is the damn bike again! Further complicating things is that it is still going to be awhile before I can get the bike on the road. So I will just have to do the best I can and hope my discipline can get me through a few long rides on the trainer.
Have a great day!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Relapse
After a brief stint of feeling better, my cold came back resulted in some half-hearted and missed workouts this week. Not to worry though, I am sure I will be back up to speed sooner rather than later.
This cold has dragged on though, and it probably doesn't help that I continue to push through it. Hopefully it is not a sign of anything more sinister.
Today I finally felt some strength in my legs and I was able to knock off an even eight miles in just over 55 minutes. We'll see if the legs agree with me tomorrow.
There are also some promising signs that spring may be on it's way. Temperatures were in the double digits today and on the plus side to boot! The sun is also beginning to feel like it has a little more strength in it and did a good job polishing off the last of the snow. I am really hopeful that I can get on the roads pretty soon with the bike. The trainer rides, while highly efficient and effective, do start to wear a little thin right about now. As much as I despise fighting the wind outside, I am actually looking forward to it now.
So while this week won't be the banner week I was looking for to kick off the final phase of training, it will have to do. I am feeling optimistic about the next few weeks and I should be able to start making up some ground.
I just got a bunch of new books from Chapters this week so I will fill you in once I start reading them. I just started reading "The Logic of Life - The rational economics of an irrational world", by Tim Harford. It looks interesting and appears to be an easy read.
Have a great week!
This cold has dragged on though, and it probably doesn't help that I continue to push through it. Hopefully it is not a sign of anything more sinister.
Today I finally felt some strength in my legs and I was able to knock off an even eight miles in just over 55 minutes. We'll see if the legs agree with me tomorrow.
There are also some promising signs that spring may be on it's way. Temperatures were in the double digits today and on the plus side to boot! The sun is also beginning to feel like it has a little more strength in it and did a good job polishing off the last of the snow. I am really hopeful that I can get on the roads pretty soon with the bike. The trainer rides, while highly efficient and effective, do start to wear a little thin right about now. As much as I despise fighting the wind outside, I am actually looking forward to it now.
So while this week won't be the banner week I was looking for to kick off the final phase of training, it will have to do. I am feeling optimistic about the next few weeks and I should be able to start making up some ground.
I just got a bunch of new books from Chapters this week so I will fill you in once I start reading them. I just started reading "The Logic of Life - The rational economics of an irrational world", by Tim Harford. It looks interesting and appears to be an easy read.
Have a great week!
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