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Trifatlete | Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead

Monster


monster-drink

There are some days when you start your run and you feel like a Monster.  Other days you need a little boost from a Monster (energy drink). I’ve been training hard the past 3-4 weeks and my mileage has been increasing but I’ve also noticed a few changes.

  • I’ve almost hit 30 pounds lost since May
  • My leg turnover is quicker and my slow pace is what my race pace was 2 months ago
  • I can run faster and longer almost with ease
  • Those running voices that tell you to stop or relax have disappeared
  • I feel like I’m gliding when I run

I’ve increased my running mileage from 20 miles a week to over 40 and that burning desire to race is coming back; However the racing I’m yearning for isn’t a running race. I have been trying to get back into the mindset of being a triathlete. I’m actually missing the swimming and biking. I’ve biked a few times but really haven’t swam at all since Aug 23, 2009. I actually want to swim.

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Mental Running Block – Over


missing-piece

You can have moments in your running life that you know stand out. It may be your first race, first medal, first win or many other things. In training you try and find those moments as they tend to get you over the various walls as you run.

I went into a triathlon funk after my biggest athletic achievement – the 70.3. I wasn’t dead physically, but mentally the race took a lot out of me. I have no idea why this all happened but I just lost my desire to race. It came back a few times but then winter was upon us and that isn’t the greatest time to train.

I picked a few races at the beginning of the year and decided to skip Triathlons this year and focus on getting faster. The only problem was that this funk I was in led me down a bad healthy lifestyle. I ate way too much and maybe had a few too many beers. All of a sudden I was up 25 pounds. Shoot all that work down the drain.

I decided to run the inaugural Worcester Half-Marathon and Bay State Marathon. My two “A” races. I wanted to run really well and try and hit 1:40 ish. Only problem….that stupid brain of mine.

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Where have I been ?


missing-link

There are times when you have all the best intentions of doing something and then all of a sudden….POW…right down the drain. I have started-stopped-started this blog many times with all the right intentions, but for some strange reason I tend to neglect it. Why ? I don’t know.

I’d like to say that I’ve now changed but really have I ? I’m not going to commit to writing every day or even every other day, but I’m going to be more frequent. I have goals and this is where I should be expressing them.

So, for the past two months I’ve been in a very beginner phase. What ? Well, I’ve been running since I was 8 years old and it’s been an up and down battle with running. This past year I became a Triathlete. What that means is that I now train for swim, bike and run. More time to train but also less chance of injury. In theory.

I’ve slowly started to increase my mileage. I’m now running between 15-20 miles a week and this month I’ll start to introduce some biking and possibly some swimming.

I am still trying to finalize my races but right now I’m looking at this as my schedule :

  • April (possible duathlon r-b-r)
  • May (Nothing yet, but a 5k would be nice)
  • June (Half Marathon in my own city & Webster Sprint Triathlon)
  • July (Appleman Sprint Triathlon)
  • August (Some Olympic Triathlon)
  • September (5 miler & 5k)
  • October (10 miler, Bay State Marathon & maybe the season ending Duathlon in Lowel)

These are my initial goal races, but things could change. I actually almost decided to do Timberman again, but my heart told me that my main goal is to try and qualify for Boston and to get faster before I do a longer triathlon again.

Next year I’m definitely doing Timberman and hopefully I will be faster and slimmer.

More to come in the near future.