I have gotten into a good routine of swimming 3x/week for about 4-5000 yards per session. This is more than I have swam in years and I feel like I am getting into a pretty good swim groove. I don't really have top end speed and can't hold intervals like my old swimming days, but I am confident that I am putting in the right kind of work to be faster in the water at Half and Full Distance races. I got several quality bike and run sessions in as well and I am definitely making fitness gains in both disciplines. I am finding it is becoming easier to hold faster paces on both the bike and run over longer and longer periods of time.
This week was capped off by my two longest workouts. Saturday was a 70 mile bike ride on a familiar bike route with some decent elevation changes. I actually rode on the southside of the James River near where I grew up. It is also the roads where I first started cycling seriously and fell in love with riding my bike (while hanging on to Travis Deckert's draft for dear life). The ride was warm and sunny but the wind was whipping like a SOB. It was one of those days that felt like the wind was always blasting me in the face. Nothing kills the legs like riding into a headwind for three hours. Despite the wind, I had a pretty strong ride on a pretty tough rolling route. Given the conditions, I feel very good about the ride.
On Sunday it was all about the run. The plan called for a steady state Zone 2/3 run. I decided that I would start the run off on UR campus and do some early hill work to get the legs warmed up and then head down towards the City for an out and back. After the first mile, I really got into a nice groove and felt smooth and relaxed. The weather was beautiful and I was even able to run with my shirt off. On the way out my paces were fast for how relaxed I was running. 7:30-7:45/mile felt very comfortable. This is exactly where I need to be in August. I am working to make 7:45 second nature so I can bring home my Ironman in 3:30 (or better). Little did I know, that the first half felt so smooth because I was running with the wind at my back! After getting down to Boulevard and turning back up Monument Avenue for home, I realized that I was going to be running into a pretty firm headwind for the next 6 miles. Needless to say, the back half of the run was not quite as comfortable. Despite the wind, my miles stayed consistent and my heart rate stayed in control. I ended up shorting the running route by accident, and finished my run a few minutes early. This worked out fine since Britt and I needed to head to my parents house for Easter Dinner.
Britt and I finished the weekend off at my parents house for Easter Dinner. Everyone was home for the holiday and I got to spend some time with the family. It was nice to have Lummy, Ricky and Jacko home. It is always fun to have everyone together and share one of my mom's phenomenal holiday meals. I am definitely appreciative that I have such an amazing family.
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