2009 Year In Review

2009 was a nearly perfect year for me, and I am very grateful for it.  I had set some lofty goals:
1.  PR at all distances, all events (swim, bike, run, tri)
2.  Complete the Transrockies Run
3.  Qualify for the Boston Marathon
4.  Register for a 2010 ironman
5.  Become a RRCA certiifed running coach
 
Due to the poor economy, I [...]

Thoughts About Running Injuries

If you’re looking for a resouce on how to cure a nagging running injury, this is not it.  For a great resource on learning how run injury-free, pick up a copy of Running Strong & Injury-Free, by Janet Hamilton.  You’ll learn there are five main causes of running injuries–training errors, inappropriate footwear, inadequate flexibility, inadequate strength, and poor [...]

Morgan Hill Triathlon at Uvas

The forecast called for an excrutiatingly hot 105° but I knew my chances were still good for a PR at this event.  Having just completed a half ironman two weeks ago, I was confident and prepared. 

Swim
Water temp was 65° and Uvas Reservoir was 80% full, quite a difference from two years ago when it was nearly empty due [...]

Napa Valley Vintage Half Ironman

I was really looking forward to this event.  My local bike shop had outfitted me with a zero setback carbon seatpost for a better position on my aero bars, a set of carbon Reynolds Assault performance wheels and Vittoria Diamante Pro Tech tires.  The result was a fast, smooth, aero ride and I was planning on taking [...]

The Reality of Triathlon Training

So here I am with less than a month to go before the Napa Vintage 70.3.  I wish I could tell you about the century ride I did last weekend, the killer brick workout, the openwater swim that felt great, the speedwork where I’m pushing my lactate threshold to new limits.  I’m in my peak [...]

Incredible Feats of Endurance

Recently, there has been a series of unbelievable feats of endurance that caught my attention and captivated my imagination.  It’s probably been going on around me for many years, but it’s like when you buy a new car and suddenly you see it everywhere on the road.  Ever since I signed up for the Transrockies Run this [...]

Rest Days

Today is a rest day, one of the hardest days of the week.  I have learned to take my rest days as seriously as the long run or the long intervals or the brick.  That means not heading to the pool for an easy swim or going to the gym to flex my muscles, or spinning [...]

Winter Workouts

OK, it’s time to come clean on my workouts.  My test this year is to see if I can train for ultras and triathlons (Olympic to 70.3) at the same time, and still do a stage race at the Transrockies Run in Aug.  If only I didn’t have to work for a living.
I’m currently training for the Napa [...]

Triathlon Movie Review–What It Takes

A friend gave me this movie last year and I never finished watching it.  I was in the process of trying to decide if I would do my first ironman in 2009.  Maybe the stories of the top triathletes running 60 miles a week, cycling 350 miles a week and swimming 18 miles a week left me wondering how I [...]

Paso Robles Splash n Dash

This weekend I entered one of the smallest races I have ever done while visiting my in-laws in Paso Robles. Just a week before the Silicon Valley Marathon, I was tapering and thought a 500m swim and a 5K run was just the right combination of aerobic effort and speed work.
There must have been [...]