1st Weekend

This weekend consisted of an aerobic threshold run test on Saturday.  Basically after a warmup, I ran 3 miles holding a certain HR to set a baseline for later workouts.  I was able to manage a 160 HR for 3 miles at 8:00 min miles.  I'll do another test later in training to see how my aerobic base is coming along.  Today, Sunday, I did a 2 hr 15 min cycle trainer workout.  Also, did a weight workout this evening (bis and tris).  Sat in the sauna to get some blood flowing to the tired muscles.  This is the end of the first week.  It's very easy load right now.....concentrating in developing an aerobic base and building leg strength in the gym.

It's the holidays so it's hard not to be gaining weight.  But I have a long way to go, so I'm going to indulge this coming week.  Plenty of time to work it off :)  Tomorrow is a big swim test.......determining a baseline for swim fitness that upcoming swim workouts will be based on.

Friday 12/19

Still getting use to early morning wakeups.  After going into offseason mode in mid October, I have been sleeping in.  One of the mental breaks I can take.  But now it's time to get back to getting up early and getting the workout in.  Usually the AM workouts are a necessity but my current client is 3 miles from my gym so I have the luxury of working out at lunch if need to.  But I don't want to start relying on that b/c anything can come up at work and I could miss the workout.  So it's best to get it done first thing in the morning......b/c I usually have a PM workout as well.  Fridays will usually consist of an AM swim w/ strength training in the PM......and is usually a recovery day.  These will become crucial in later part of the training when intensity during the week increases.  Today consisted of:

2700 meter swim in the AM
1.5 mile warmup and some leg and lat strength training.

Thursday 12/18

Today was a little recovery day after the strength session on the legs yesterday.  Just 1 workout today.....a 6 mile recovery run done in zone 2 (easy enough that you could hold a conversation w/ someone).  Even w/ just 3 days into Training, I can already tell how I'm going to need to up my calorie intake to sustain training.  And this is low intensity.  Later in training, I'll detail a days nutrition.

Cycle / Strength Day

Woke up at 5:30am for a 1:10 cycle trainer workout.  During this base period, will focus on developing aerobic endurance.  The cycle workout was done in an aerobic heart rate Zone 3.  Trainer workouts are typically hard to do b/c its no better than running on a treadmill (boring), but I'm watching Dexter on Netflix.  Once these workouts get into more intense heart rate zones, it'll be hard to watch TV.  Then it'll turn to itunes for some heart pumping workout music.

Then after work I did a 1.5 mile warm up on the treadmill, and then hit some leg, lat, and abs strength training at the gym.  Feels good to be back focused on a race.  The goal of this first week is just get back into my training routine.  My cycling pain cave below:

Day 1

12/16 - Today marks the first day of training for IM CDA.  After a nice weekend trip to Vail to cap off my off-season that started late October that consisted of light workouts, nothing structured, and gaining a few pounds, it's time to get to work for IM CDA on June 27, 2015.  Today's workout consisted of a 3.5 mile run with hill repeats in the AM, a 1800 meter swim at lunch, and a 50 minute cycle on an indoor trainer.   The updates will be on a weekly basis, but wanted to get an entry in to mark the start of the Journey.