time is flying by

It is the end of another recovery week so of course I feel like capturing a bit of what I have been up to..

I actually went up to Snoqualmie Pass and went snowshoeing with some team mates. I had so much fun being back in the snow that I really did not want to go home and just wanted to keep playing in the snow...

Lots and lots of swim, bike, run training but I actually feel like my biggest gains have been in strength training. I have been very consistently going to the gym twice a week with Kyle and pilates once a week so I am so happy that I finally feel like my legs are getting back to where they were when I skied all winter. I am now back up to being able to do the 3 sets of 12 of single leg press with 2 (well 1 on each side) 45lb plates.

I have a new addiction - I can't get enough O.N.E. Coconut Water especially the new one's with "a splash of juice". I blame Jill who always raves about how great the stuff is for her. I pretty much live on the stuff after training. (this is just to get me through the weekend).

After a week of recovery I had so much fun getting out on a good hilly ride with Cathleen and Greg at our team bike ride and run in the SUN.
It started out pretty chilly but after climbing a long hill I felt good the rest of the ride. It was good I actually felt strong and rested on the ride and then it was great fun to run with Cathleen who really pushed me to pick up the pace off the bike.
Which I immediately fallowed up with a good 12 min soak in the lake - even managed to talk Joe into joining me for part of it.
My training levels have picked up to the levels that I feel like it is time to start taking ice baths again.. So what better way to start the next build with than a chilly soak in 46°F water. My legs feel so much better tonight and will thank me tomorrow night when I have to run intervals...

After starting the next buid phase with a 4k swim at masters I got the ok from Kainoa for my pre Ironman CDA race plans - big no on Mercer Island half marathon but a YES to the 10k. Mostly because I have got hurt on that course last summer and it is better not to risk it. I got a yes for the Wenatchee Half Marathon in April. Since the Carnation TT series is not happening this year due to construction she is going to see if she can hopefully find something else.. I will also do the Issaquah Sprint Tri just for fun since it will be the 1st time in 3 years that we will be in town for it. Since I don't have a half Ironman race on the schedule I will have to do it on my own (well hopefully with help from some great friends but not in an official race) around the end of April. I will also be doing 2 3 days training camps so that I can get to know the course.

Alright time to get to work. Only about 124 days to go and probably about 60+ ice baths :)

Bring on 2010

2009 was a good year filled with a few races and a lot of great training but I feel ready to start focusing on 2010 and the training for Ironman Coeur d'Alene in June. Sure I have been training but it is a bit more relaxed and nothing to long yet. Kainoa has been sure to let me know that starting in Jan I don't get to be as relaxed about my training... Not totally sure what that means but to be honest I can't wait. I am looking forward to double training days, long rides, runs, lots of Gu and recovery drinks and even the swims. I feel happy with where my fitness is right now and feel like after the last couple of years I will be able to not just get through the training but be able to push myself a bit more. Not to mention after a year of not having any major focus I am looking forward to having a challenge/Ironman to work towards again.

Since I'm a planner type of person I have been thinking a lot about what else I want to do this coming year both in preparation for IM CDA and after. But to be honest I have not really decided on any races. I do know that I will do two training camps in Coeur d'Alene, the 1st with a friend Michael at the end of April and then a 2nd camp with Pauole Sport team at the end of May. I really like the idea of spending plenty of time getting to know the course and taking advantage of being only about a 4 hour drive away.

As far as races I want to find a relatively flat half marathon between Feb and April.. I would prefer local but Kainoa doesn't want me to run the Mercer Island half because the road is so canted and I got hurt running the course this summer. Sam is trying to talk me into the Country Music Half Marathon but it is just a week before one of the training camps I am doing and not sure I want to travel that far. I also just looked at the Wenatchee Half Marathon which is a week earlier in April so that might be a good option. But I am still looking and open to any suggestions.

I also want to run a couple small 5k, 10k, or maybe even a sprint tri just for fun and for mental training more than anything to get used to race nerves ect. But that will probably be it before CDA - no official half ironman distance race but I talked to Kainoa and she is not worried.. I will just do one in training (maybe I can talk Kyle into pushing/pacing me).

After IM CDA I plan on pretty much taking July off - maybe do Seafair Sprint again since it is a team race but not much more than that. I would like to do a half Ironman in August or even better in September and then a marathon in the fall/winter. Though I have also been toying around with the idea of some long trail running but it all depends on how my legs hold up with the running - lately I keep having issues so we will just see.

Now I just have to figure out what we are doing for New Years Eve tomorrow night...