Week of June 29th

I had a week of highs and lows. I did not get a chance to workout as much as I would have liked to due to work requirements but I plan to hit better this week. The new cassette works great on the hills. Last Saturday I stayed with the 23 cog on the hills to prove that I could do them, but Sunday was a difernt story. I was up late and the 70 miles took a lot out of me.

My workout schedule for next week is shown below.

Sunday - Bike 40 miles on the hills.

I did very well even though my legs were gone fort he first 20 miles from Saturdays workout and too much wine the night before.

Monday - Swim 3,000 meters

Skipped due to work.

Tuesday - Run 6-8 miles

Skipped due to work.

Wednesday - Swim 2,500 - 3,000 and Run 5 miles

Skipped due to work.

Thursday - Run 4 miles.

I ran a combination of hills, flats and downhills for 6 miles. My legs felt very tight at the end. I didn't warm or down and I think that I need to.

Friday - 3,000 meter swim and a 3 mile run

I swam 3,000 meters and felt really good. I think it is because I was accidently coming out of a tapper. I also rean 5.5 miles afterwards.

Saturday - Bike 70 miles

I actually did a brick today. I rode 45 miles in the moutains between the villages and I felt better on the hills. After the bike, I ran 5.5 miles.

Week of June 22nd - Wiesbaden - Germany

I had a second stong week of workouts this past week and I am working to put in another strong week. The hills are getting a lot easier now. I am moving through hills that at one time would have made me either stop or fight through it with pain. One thing that I am really looking forward to is getting a new cassette on my bike. I currently have a 12-23 cogset and I will be getting a 12-27 cogset. This should allow me to move through the 70.3 a little easier.



Here is a view from Saturday's bike ride.









My workout schedule for next week is shown below.

Sunday - Bike 48 miles


A picture of the vineyards just outside a small village called Hausen.



I took it easy today and only biked 48 of the 60 that I had planned. I did a 62 mile ride yesterday and then did the 6 mile run and therefore, I felt a little tight today.

Monday - Swim 3,000 meters

Tuesday - Run 6-8 miles

Wednesday - Swim 2,500 - 3,000 and Run 5 miles

Ran 8.5 miles.

Thursday - Run 4 miles.

None, work.

Friday - 3,000 meter swim and a 3 mile run

No swim nor run. Work is starting to slow me down.

Saturday - Bike 60 - 70 miles

I biked 71 miles today although it was an ugly ride. About half way into the ride it started to rain while I was in the hills so I rode down to Lorch to get to the nearest town (about 10 miles way). I then got a flat abuot halfway between Lorch and Rudesheim. I did however, conquer two of my nemisist hills without stopping. I getting better.

Week of June 15th

I had good workouts last week and I was pleased with my progress. I am more confortable on the hills in both the running and biking. I feel like I have figured out how to work the hills on the bike. I need to relax my shoulders and legs during the up hill. I recover nice ont he down hills and at times I am moving at over 30 miles an hour downhill.

My workout schedule for next week is shown below.

Sunday - Brick: Bike 52 miles and Run 4.5 miles.

I went a little longer on the bike. My legs felt a little tired today. Most likely from the 58 miles I did on the hills through the wine country. I skipped the run today to let my legs rest. I'll do the run in the morning on Monday.

Monday - Swim 1,500 meters

Swam about 1,300 meters. The pool was very crowded and I couldn't get my meters higher.

Tuesday - Run 5 miles

I ran 7 miles today and I really felt good. The first 3.5 miles were uphill and the last 3.5 miles were downhill. I took it easy coming down because my left heel and knee hurt a little again. It must be the way my foot/leg are landing as I come down the hills.

Wednesday - Swim 2,500 - 3,000 and Run 6 miles

Work prevented me from swimming but I ran 5 miles very easy today. My left knee and heel are hurting a little. Although I took a different route through the forrest today, the hills were ever present.

Thursday - Run 4 miles.

I ran 5 miles. I felt good and I'm definitely getting stronger on the hills.

Friday - 3,000 meter swim and a 3 mile run

I swam 2,500 meters today with a 500 meter warmup, 5 - 200s, 100 easy and then 10-100s. Felt good in the pool. I just need to put more time in with better workouts.

Saturday - Swim 3,500 Meters and Bike 60 - 70 miles

I biked 62 miles today and then added a 6 mile run to the end (BRICK). I really felt good but my legs were dead at the end. I hope I didn't burn them out for another 60 miles on thebike tomorrow.

Here are a few pictures from my ride and run today.

Bike and Run Scenery

Week of June 8th 2008

I am coming off a great weekend. I biked 52 miles on both Saturday and Sunday in the wine country and a little bit in the mountains. My pace was about 14.5 miles per hour which included a couple of stops for trains, navigating through small towns and exporing a bit. I plan to do the 2007 bike route on Saturday morning with a little extra to hit 60 miles.

My workout schedule for next week is shown below.

Sunday - Brick: Bike 52 miles and Run 4.5 miles.

This was a great victory today. I felt good on the bike and recovered pretty well after each hill. I didn't hit very hard ones, mostly because I wanted to do the run afterwards and also because I had completed 52 miles on the bike the day before.

Monday - Swim 2,500 meters in a wetsuit.

First time practicing in a wetsuit and it felt pretty good. The suit was little tight in the arm pits but I got used to it. Afterwards, I went to my favorite Irish pub in Wiesbaden and had a Genius and watched the European Cup Match.

Tuesday - Run 5 miles

Ran a good pace, roughly 9 minute miles for four miles. The first 2 miles was up hill and I pushed it going up and stretched it out a little ont he down hill.

Wednesday - Swim 2,500 - 3,000 in wetsuit.

I decided to run 6 miles today rather than swim outdoors in a wetsuit. It was a little chilly for the water but prefect weather for a run. I ran my best 6 miles to date with a 9.0pace. What was good about the run was that I am hitting the hills harder than I use to and I'm improving. Tomorrow, I'll swim indoors and maybe jog about 2-3 miles.

Thursday - Run 4-5 miles.
REST

Friday - 3,000 meter swim and a 2.5 mile run

I decided to rest on Thursday and do a swim followed by a run. The run was relatively easy so that I could work on my biking on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday - Swim 3,500 Meters and Bike 60 miles

I did 58 miles today on the hills in the neighboring villages surrounding Wiesbaden. While on my ride this monring, I met up with a bike tour group and went with them through the hills. I met a couple of very nice people that biked about my pace. THe German people have been extremely friendly and always helpful. I skipped the swim because bike took a lot out of me today. I'm going to go 60 -70 tomorrow easy and then do a 6 mile run. Overall this has been a good week training.