TRAINING UPDATE WEEK 4 & 5

I have been remiss in my training updates over the past 1.5 weeks but am glad to report that training has gone very well.

We have been dealing with some heavy rain and cold weather, which is something that has been a bit unusual for us over the past few years. We get rain and actual rain storms, but it seems that this year has been excessively heavy.

Training has been good nonetheless. I have been able to string together strong workout sessions in each discipline and am feeling stronger and more focused each day.

The highlights for each sport:

Swim: I have been averaging at least 3000 yards per swim. I'm feeling stronger and have focused on longer endurance sets. I have concentrated distance per stroke and form and have found myself feeling much more comfortable in the water.

Bike: My leg strength and overall base endurance has been improving. Although the weather has been a challenge, I have spent some lengthy time on the indoor turbo trainer. My coach, Muddy, holds two turbo training sessions a week at a local bike store and really works to build our aerobic engine. I have also been able to get some longer rides on the road when the weather is good.

Run: The past few weeks have been a steady build with my longest run at 2 hrs. I am focusing on very easy aerobic runs to build strength and aerobic fitness. This past Sunday, I ran the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon in San Francisco. It's the first race of the year and a great start to the season. I have a ton of friends racing and it's great to see everyone during the race. Fast or slow, it's always nice to see your friends. I ran a 1:45:47 and was very happy with the time, though I can't seem to break 1:45 to save my life.

I am feeling and looking fitter by the day. My weight is still hovering around 195-197 lbs, but I am feeling much better than I was at the start of my training cycle.

I am still trying to make good eating choices and have really stayed away from fried foods and overeating. I did have Happy Hound for my birthday and also Burger Meister for my post Kaiser Permanente Half meal. It was worth it, but only for a treat.

That's all for now.