Everything butt.

It's getting to be that time of year. Halloween. I know because I feel like I've been getting "egg'd" metaphorically speaking, for the last two or three weeks. I was talking to a friend of mine and we commiserated that it sometimes gets like that where everything seems to crumble at your fingertips and it requires a real "global" perspective of the life and style, to keep from going Richter. Challenging times will pass only when the challenges are met.

I've assumed a real layman's approach to fitness, where it's more about relieving stress than it has anything to do with becoming a better athlete. I suppose that's good to be totally focused on other things, I just wish the atmosphere were less tumultuous. The day will come.

The training has been so erratic that I can barely can recall the details. I've been mostly running 30-40 minutes, every other day at best. My last run was through the desert at sunrise during a family trip to the Colorado River last weekend. It had it's moments but it was strange to head out on a run straight out of bed without coffee. Gratuitous shot of the family on vacation at the river.

I guess the last post I promised some photos of the "great" rides I had planned around Warner Springs. Honestly, it was a bust. To get to any decent riding, I would have taken my life for granted on any of the roads out there. Busy fast traffic with no shoulder to speak of. I'm not that dumb. It was frustrating but even more so to have a clear view of Palomar Mountain and the East Grade, knowing that at any other time of year, during a training phase I would have been all over it. Turns out I could have been a lot more busy on the MTB as they just cut about 10 miles of trails (flat singletrack) which would have made for some fast action. As it turns out I did get some fun runs in on the trails. The first time I've ran with my wife in at least a year. She's a proficient runner, 4:20 marathon, but just a little slower than I'm used to. I suppose it was just about right.

Jim is back from Ironman and I am expecting to start getting some workouts sometime soon. I'd like to get the run and swim up as I'll have some time and place when we head over to the Big Island for a 12 day vacation. It's pretty cool that Jim was just there and knows where I'll be staying and can hopefully consider the location when planning the workouts. Someday I'll pack my bike over there but at this point, it'd be a lot of work.

Some work(outs)

I've been pretty slammed at work and am fortunate to not have to sweat the training.

Today was the official start of preliminary, pre-base, no load, easy training. I had a good meeting with Jim to discuss my plans for next year. I am really happy with the longer term coaching relationship as Jim is getting a chance to know me better as an athlete. This is critical to fine tuning some overall planning as well as understanding my true limiters and how that applies to my race selection and schedule. I still have to temper my ambition when setting up the race schedule as this year will be another tough one schedule wise. I've got the opportunity to get some great jobs this year and have to be careful not to make any unnecessary compromises.


The focus this year will be Xterra, with a handfull of city tri training races. We've been talking a bit about gaining some more specialized strength. One thing I've noticed is that I don't have much raw leg strength. A better balance of fast twitch muscle is what I'm after. This will put me in the gym a little more often and should begin to transform me into a more powerful type of athlete able to absorb the more intense bursts consistent with off road racing. I am also going to try and gain some leg strength on the trails by doing more straight hiking to improve strength and minimize impact.

As for the training I have been doing, it's simply what I can get in. So far it's been a couple of 30-40 min. runs, 2-3 short swims 30-45 min. focused on drills/DPS and one ride. The rides mostly going to and from picking up my van from the shop. Killing two birds. I've got the luxury now of getting in two full rest days/week which is refreshing.

On the nutrition front. I've got a pretty firm goal of dropping 5 lbs and getting down to a race weight of 155 by mid April. "It's a performance thing" -Peter Reid. I just picked up Joe Friel's book "Paleo Diet for Athletes." I've just started it and I'm pretty well aligned with what he's saying. His hypothesis is basically based on Low glycemic, nutrient dense foods with the exception of during and post-exercise allowances for higher glycemic foods to take advantage of insulin response. I was looking at some of the suggested daily plans and they look a lot like how I learned to eat during my cancer treatment. Both are focused on promoting healing and maximizing nutrient absorption.

I am expecting things to start heating up mid October wher I expect to start getting specific workouts from Jim. I'm going up to Warner Springs this weekend for a family weekend and will get in some fun workouts and should have some photos and details to post.