Race Week… Ready?

i can’t believe it’s already race week!  i signed up for the Steelhead 70.3 back on June 7th (and then a couple of weeks later signed up for IMTX in may of 2011!) and that’s pretty much when i started my “multisport” training.  I was already running and riding a lot so all i had to do was get back in the pool/ocean and start running off the bike.  easy enough.

So planned my training loosely, and had about 8 weeks to get ready for a half ironman after not doing a single triathlon since xterra worlds in october of 2008.  I have a pretty good idea of what works for me and what it would take to be ready to have fun at the race, but i couldn’t focus solely on the 70.3 with the gnarliness of the Park City Point to Point looming in early september.  luckily beth is in her build up for Kona and is getting for the 70.3 as well so I lined up my training with her and things have been a lot of fun.

i have banked a lot of miles on my bikes and on my feet and have been getting in some solid swim time, both in the pool and open water.  i have never been a fast swimmer and after the long break from it i am actually enjoying the workouts right now.  the carlsbad tri a couple of weeks ago was my welcome back to triathlon and went better than expected.

last week was another big one but the volume was down a bit, especially on the run.  i took wednesday off work and i joined beth and crew of ladies all training for various IM’s.

beth – kona, brandy – canada, katya – canada, colleen – wisconsin, caroline – canada

we rode up the coast and up into temecula and then headed back home.  another 100+ mile ride.  it’s getting easier, which is nuts to me.  5-6 hours on the bike really does get easier the more you do it and the last couple of weeks have been a huge mental confidence boost for me.  i know now that i can handle the training that will be going down next spring to get ready for IMTX.  i have never had a lot of trouble with putting big training weeks but backing up BIG days on the road was something i avoided, and would usually cap my rides around 4 hours/85 miles and save the big days for the trails.

the weekend was full of more riding, running, and swimming… but not as much as last weekend.  I am feeling good now and ready to see what happens on sunday.  I am definitely going to take easy this week before heading to Chicago on Wednesday and then up to the race course on Friday.

sunday spinning.  mid-ride refueling.

1 more day until vacation!

some photos from the week…

grass-fed flat iron steak with grilled veggies over baby spinach

Boulevard Double-Wide IPA courtesy of JP.  damn good.