Why is it that no matter how far out I plan my first race of the season, it always comes up more quickly than expected? I think this is especially true in triathlon since I always want more time for the water to warm up! Ready or not, my first triathlon of the season is just 11 days away and I’m feeling somewhere in between excited and terrified. You know, the usual.

 

WEEK OF MAY 15, 2017

RUNNING

As per usual in these parts I went from running in a cold rain on a Monday to sweating like a farm animal on my run on Wednesday and Thursday. I prefer the cold rain but, either way, I’m going to complain. I’m proud of the running I did this past week because none of it came easy and I was constantly in my head, talking myself though the pain. If only I could get to this place in my swimming! Maybe after I do that for 15+ years…

Color coordinated – shoes (Brooks) and shorts (New Balance). More about them in the gear section…

Monday – 6 miles done as 2 mile warm-up, 3 miles at 6:15-6:30 pace, 1 mile cool down | actual paces for the 3 miles 6:44, 6:40, 6:33 | oh yeah, and this was after swimming 2,200 yards

Tuesday – preview ride on the race course and then 2.26 mile run off the bike

Wednesday – Ladder 5-4-3-2-1 minutes hard (8k effort) with half the time rest in between so 5 min hard and 2:30 recovery | paces — 6:40, 6:46, 6:38, 6:49, 6:20 | in 82 degrees!

Thursday – 15 min run off the bike | 2 miles | 7:22 pace

Total = 17.56

CYCLING

The triathlon race I’m doing for the first time (Rev3 Triathlon at Quassy) is called “The Beast of the East” since there are some serious hills on the bike course. In fact, when I rode it with some friends last week, my Garmin congratulated me for a new elevation goal (2,198 feet!) upon completion. You know what I’m dreading most? The downhill! Holy moses there is a downhill section that scared the crap out of me and I was actually hitting the brakes. My high speed was 38 mph. Lawd help me!

See my blonde friend? She bombs down hills like she’s in aย roller derby. Her max speed was 48 mph! A new record for her. I need to channel some of that in a few weeks.

Tuesday – Quassy race course ride, run off the bike | 1:38:57 | 25.6 miles | 2,198 feet of elevation gain!

Thursday – 1 hour ride with strength sessions outside, run off the bike | 17.2 miles

Friday – 40 minutes of 10 x 30 strength before swim | 12.8 miles

Total = 55.6 miles

SWIMMING

I only had two days in the pool this past week and, I have to say, I kinda loved it. Although I will try (but not too hard) to do one open water swim before the race, it’s not looking good. What I do need to do is try on an outfit with my wetsuit over it. Good times.

Monday – strength and speed sessions before run | 2,200 yards

Friday – 4 x 400 after bike | 2,200 yards

Total = 4,400 yards

GEAR

Like a child, when something colorful pops into my inbox, I get distracted and want the shiny colorful thing for myself. Such was the case when I received an email from New Balanceย with some of their new summer shorts and tanks.

I’m always in need of a nearly sheer tank for the heat of summer and who can’t use another pair of shorts? Honestly I bought these for the colors but once I tried them out on a run, I fell in love. They are honestly one of the best pairs I have had in a while. They don’t ride up, they are true to size and I’ve had zero chafing issues. What else could a runner ask for?

Accelerate Printed Hot Short

I promise they look better on a human body and not floating in space looking like men’s underwear. Really.

Here are the mesh tanks…simple, breathable and great colors.

 

THINGS I LOVE

I don’t think I properly covered my Mother’s Day weekend and I know you’re all just dying to know the details. I will say that although it’s always hard to celebrate a day dedicated to a person you no longer have, being with my kids and the gratitude I have for them just existing makes it really hard to feel anything but happy. The Bloody Mary’s also helped and watching a Mother’s Day movie classic:

And worship me, they did:

THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH

Having a fire drill at the Y when I was in my bathing suit. I mean, really? How long do we all have the stand on the lawn baking in the sun before given the all clear? Answer: way too damn long! The good news was I was more than happy to jump into the cool water. And also that there was no actual fire.

READING

I thought this was one of the best things I read all week, courtesy of Mark Remy and Dumb Runner.

I also realized the author and I share a last name so I basically wrote it…

Why Swearing Makes You Stronger | Alan Burdick | The New Yorker

 

And just when you thought Trump couldn’t possibly be anyย dumber, you see this:

 

Hey moron! Your body’s energy is not finite.

Is someone making a list of the things Trump is uneducated about? I certainly hope so and I also hope Apple makes a device that can handle a list of that magnitude.

RANDOM PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Everyone needs a little StarFire in their day. Here’s your dose for the week:

Don’t let those eyes fool you. If you dare leave your running shoes out, she will chew them to oblivion and love every second of it.

[Tweet “The Rundown is thinking ahead to the first #triathlon of the season, sporting new #gear and laughing…a lot. “]

How was your week?

Do you have any New Balance gear?

Read anything good lately?

%d