A kick in the face is all I needed

Out to the lake this morning for the half iron distance swim. Some regular faces missing for fathers day and some familiar past faces present as gifts from the spouse for being good dads the last dozen or more weekends. We can be an addictive group, as I am sure your tri-team is if you have one, and the wives can get very used to a triathlete being at home on a weekend morning.

Had a really good swim. I watched a Ute Muckel swim technique video last week, maybe the best I have watched on just form and flow, and applied it in the water. I think it made me faster, though I was hurting in spots not normally noticed like the shoulders. But I do not think I have a good stroke once my arm catches in the water, so I will take it.

A skunk had been run over on the bridge we swim underneath. You could really smell it. One of the guys pulled out because he was gagging in the water from the stench. I mean imagine skunk being rolled over on a grated bridge and everything eventually falling into the water your swimming through at some point. Ewwww.

Last Thursday as we sat in the water before the swim, a snake swam past us, all the way across the water. That freaked some people out for sure.

After the swim, some of us went on the run into Tortilla Flats. I didn't stretch very well and my shins and ankles got crampy since it is essentially all uphill for 2.6 miles. So I had to stop every few minutes and rub them out and do some rotationals with my ankle. Coming back down, they both felt much better.

I came in last on the run today. Nothing special about that, I mean your going to come in fast a few times and last a few times. But other than the cramping, I felt pretty good. I think I am going to need to figure a way to get in four runs a week of some distance for a least few weeks before I feel comfortable with my running again. I really think it is beoming a limiter.

I think by July I can get back up to 25 miles a week and then by August between 30-35. That means being consistant with three runs averaging 7 miles and a short brick off a bike or a quick 'fitness fix' during the day once a week. Consistant being the action word. During July I will stretch one run to 12-15 miles a week.

Running longer than that is not advisable when just dealing with base / sustaining mileage. For those working a marathon only plan then you work up to 20 miles once or twice a month before the race and pepper in the 18 and 19 mile distances. However, those miles over 15 are hard fought and with the additional swim and bike training during the week, most people can trade off.

Oops, off topic. The title of this post...I was being a good samaritian today and pushed Hardcore out of the way of some submerged rocks that he was going to swim over. I had tracked poorly myself and was standing on them. He took the push and moved on and I started to draft. He then slowed down to sight and took off again, I didn't see that and took a raising heel to the nose. A little blood but not broken and the goggles went askew. I figured the sharks would come and get me if they were in the lake.

HEY! I watch the Sci-Fi channel, those things happen.