sixtyforty: "Race Week"

" I can't beleive I ate the whole thing"

All the preparation is done. well into the taper for the big "race". J is feeling awesome and surprisingly agile for being so close to go-time. I've been spending most of my time catering to her needs lately, but have been getting in a pretty consistent schedule of workouts for the past four weeks. It's like medicine that takes the edge off my anxiety. Anxious of course, like the last at bat for a retiring baller. (the ole snip snip y'all) You want to knock it out of the park for a standing ovation. But alas it is all about her and "him". It's amazing how parallel the birth process is to an "A" race, granted the race of your life, except you have no idea where the starting line is or what time it starts. GOD just says GO! Nine months of preparation, cutting out the beer and maximizing nutrition, comes down to just a few hours of execution. Nobody knows how it will turn out and a lot will be a lot of drama out there on course. Just her doing work with me helplessly encouraging the effort. So any day now, I'm guessing early tomorrow morning, Saturday, we'll cross the finish line. Pretty weak metaphor but it's the only way I can grip my hands around such a mysterious and awesome event while trying to put myself in her shoes. We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers.

As for the training, I've never had so much fun with such informal sessions. Each run sees out of control heart rate at moderate pace. It's a relief to not worry about it. I've been averaging 1500-1750 in the pool of mostly "sprint" 100s, weak side breathing, and plenty of 60-90 minute trainer workouts (lots of standing) out of necessity of proximity. I have to say the emphasis is getting and staying stronger not necessarily fitter, that will come. Once things get settled I'll be heading into some more aerobic training but for now I want to get prepared for that phase by being as strong as possible. So, the weight room has been in full effect. Supersets on the sled are:

18 rep light warm up
90% max to failure
50% of previous weight to failure
box jumps to failure
all on no rest x 3

RI is time of one set.

I'm really digging the split cable lat pulldowns with "high elbows" for the swim strength. This will hopefully even out my weak leftside pull. (this really reveals itself during fist drills).

Have you checked out the ab-wheel for functional core strength? What appears to be a hokey infomercial product produces some insane stability and good end range resistance. It is about as close to swim pull movement as I have done for the core. (the guy in the link makes it look easy, it's not)

I've been looking for a good commuter bike. One I can lock up at the Y and work but won't make me go "(f)yuck" on the way. This would do fine.