Well, well, well.  Where have I been?  Obviously not blogging much.  After my last twofer, (blog post for 14 and 15 training weeks), I thought I would have learned my lesson.  I almost had my week 16 post done and ready, but there it sat, in draft form, untouched and waiting for pictures.  Until tonight.  Now I’m trying to catch up on the last THREE weeks.  Geez.

Where has the time gone?  I just don’t know …. it’s … Poof — gone!  Good news is my training is in the books.  More good news is that I have two more races under my belt.  

More training to come, so … Onward!

Here is what my last three weeks looked like.  This will be a very condensed version as bed time is calling (well, weeks 17 and 18 are condensed).  I know you all understand (especially if you are a blogger and this is not your full-time job).

Week 16 to Ironman Canada

Listed below are my workouts from my awesome coach, Daryl.

Monday, April 15th – SWIM – 

30:00 – 200 wu; 2 x 500s with second set faster than the first.  In between 500s – 4 x 50s easy.  2 x 100 cool down.

 (Took me 37 minutes to go 1600 yards tonight.  200 wu- 4:14 — 1st 500 – 10:49 — 4x50s: 1:07, 1:03, 1:05, 1:00 — 2nd 500 – 10:26 2×100 cool down) 

Tuesday, April 16th – RUN am/BIKE pm –

30:00 – 30min build easy to steady.

1:30:00 – 15min WU, then 3x3min hard on 3min recoveries, then steady riding.

(30 min AM run.  Legs were tired and heavy.  3.6 miles total for an average pace of 8:20.  Evening ride – Didn’t make 90 min. Sun started to go down and I was cramping in my calf. Ouch. Happy with 3 x 3 min efforts and overall pace as I rode 20 miles in 1:08:42.) 

Wednesday, April 17th – BIKE –

1:30:00 – 10min easy, then push strong steady effort using 9min on, 1min recovery pattern, 5min CD.

(To make up for missing training time last night, I went longer on my trainer this morning.  Completed 10 x 9 minute intervals.  Total time: 1:52:00.) 

Thursday, April 18th – REST –

30 min run was optional and I decided to rest. 😉

(Travel day to San Diego!  4 am wake-up call and out the door by about 5 am and headed to the airport.  Bellingham to Seattle to Portland to SD.  I arrived to find sunny weather.  Yahoooo!  Hellooooo SUN!)

Friday, April 19th – SWIM –

45:00 – 2×200 WU, 6×200 at CSS pace with 20sec recovery, 2×200 CD.

(Got to swim in an amazing outdoor pool in San Diego!! Univ of SD!!! Best pool I’ve ever been in. wu: 4:25, 4:21 3:59 4:02 4:02 4:04 4:07 1:56 1:57 did not have time for cool down. Worked on lengthening stride last CSS – so broke it up into 100’s …. think it helped.)

Saturday, April 20th – LONG RUN –

1:15:00 – 40min easy/steady, then 5, 4, 3min at HM to 10k effort on equal recoveries.

(Awesome outdoor run in San Diego. Happy to get this pace with the warm weather and no fuel or water on board. Felt awesome!! Had great intervals at about 7:30 pace or so.  8.8 miles total in 1:13:36 for an average pace of 8:22.)

Sunday, April 21st – BIKE/RUN –

1:00:00 – Spin bike if available. 20min easy, then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1min building mod hard to hard across the set. Equal recoveries. CD.

15:00 – 15min easy run off the bike, if time allows.

(If I’m being honest … I didn’t look too hard for a spin bike.  I laced up my shoes and hit the pavement, along the waterfront of San Diego again.  Decided to just take it easy and enjoy the scenery.  I finished 8 miles in an hour, way faster than I intended, but I wasn’t paying attention to pace, just how I felt.  Happy to be running an average 7:45 pace, which felt easier than yesterday’s run.  Woot!!  I finished this session off with 15 minutes of stairs.  The convention center in San Diego has some wicked fun stairs and I decided to work on my quad strength since I haven’t been on my bike in what feels like forever now — okay, Wednesday … but still.  112 stairs up, 100 down on the other side.  Up and over four times.  OUCH fest … it hurt so good.  Did just over a mile of stairs!) 

 ***

Week 17 to Ironman Canada

Monday:  Play day in San Diego!  I did some major walking!!  And, playing on the beach!

Tuesday:  Last day in San Diego.  Did an easy four miles along the water front.

Wednesday:  TRI group ride.  A little over 16 miles in one hour.

Thursday:  Rest day.

Friday:  30 min run and 30 min swim.

Saturday:  Easy run with TRI group.

Sunday:  Mt Rainier Duathlon!!  Long Course:  5.12 mile run, 28.88 mile bike, 3.79 mile run — Despite the awful weather, this was a great race!  I set out to race smart and complete my second run faster than my first run.  Mission accomplished.  Total time was 2:48:57.  Race report (I know I keep saying this ….) will be forthcoming.

Pictures for the week:

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Week 18 to Ironman Canada

Monday: 30 min swim

Tuesday: rest day

Wednesday: Tri group ride and run

Thursday: 60 min run.  Ran with Amy, who is in our TRI group.  She has a great pace and great attitude.  I just love chatting with her.  We ended up with 7.3 miles in an hour.

Friday: easy 60 min spin

Saturday: Haggen to Haggen 5K.  A PR for me!!  I was trying to break 22 minutes and ended up with 20:49.  Thrilled beyond belief!!  Thanks to my friend, Meghan, for pacing me the entire way.  I didn’t wear a watch and just went for it.

Sunday: Long Bike (3 hours) and Long Run to follow (1 hour).  Bike had 4 x 8 minute intervals within the first and third hours.  Overall, felt good with the bike.  It was a beautiful day!!  Then came the run.  Sufferfest!!  It was so hot outside and my legs were sluggish and heavy.  They barely listened to me telling them to get a move on.  I’m sure people were laughing as I was yelling at them to get going.  I endured and ended up going 7.1 miles in the hour.  Pretty happy with an 8:30 pace given I just raced the day before and rode over 55 miles right before.

Picture of the week: