"Back at It!"

After the Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island, I spent last week "recovering" with some long, but low intensity workouts.  The goal was to let my body recover, while keeping the good rythm I've been having in training.  As the weekend approached, I knew it was time to crank it back up.  Saturday consisted of a 3500 meter swim and a 15 mile run.  Both workouts went very well.  I feel that my swim continues to improve.  I have been focusing on my form by implementing the "catch" drill.  It has helped me get more out of each stroke by forcing me to pull the water through the entire stroke.  I also feel that I have more balance and bouyancy in the water.  I haven't been too concerned with my workout splits because I've moved from a 25 yard pool to a 25 meter pool so I'm still getting a consistent read on my times.  As for the run, I was surprised with my 7:07 pace at the Amica race and have continued to think that maybe it was a fluke.  Maybe the course was short.  That does happen sometime.  However, after the 15 mile run on Saturday at North Park, I am confident it wasn't a fluke.  I improved my personal 15 mile time by about three and a half minutes keeping about a 7:30 pace.  Good stuff.  It means I'm headed in the right direction.  If I can keep improving my weaknesses, I could achieve another breakout race come September at the 70.3 World Championships.  Sunday's workout was supposed to be a three and a half hour bike ride followed by a thirty minute run.  However, when I decided to venture from the North Hills down to Oakmont, then out to Tarentum and Saxonburg, the day's workout changed to an 80 mile ride without the run.  My ride included a stop at a one pump gas station where I had to down some Powerade and three home-baked cookies (1 choc. chip, 1 sugar, 1 peanut butter) to keep my energy level up.  By the time I got home, I only had time for a quick shower and then Laura, Luke, and I were off to Jessie and Adam's house (Jessie is my sister and Adam is her fiance) to watch the Women's World Cup Final.  Yes, I enjoy watching soccer.  I don't think it's boring.  Well, at least not when the US is playing.  I decided to take Monday completely off from working out.  I believe it is important to take a day off once a week.  This isn't always easy for me to do.  I've always been a hard worker, perhaps too hard.  Even as a WR at Duke I remember going into games feeling tired and beat up from the week's practice.  As I have gotten older, I have learned the discipline of rest.  I now implement the philosophy that sometimes less is more.  You have to train smartly with specific goals that allow your body to perform at its best.  I believe there is a lot of wisdom in this approach, and I try to implement it in my coaching as well.  So with a full week under my belt since my last race, I'm "Back at It" and looking forward to racing the Pittsburgh Triathlon in less than two weeks, while also preparing for the Championships in Vegas.  All the travel arrangements for Las Vegas are set and as my friend and triathlon mentor, Beth Shutt, says, it's time to train our butts off so we can kill it in Vegas.