2017 - Week in Review - 20 Feb - 27 Feb

Weekly Reflections and Focus

So, this week I was able to return to New York. What does that mean. Runs in Central park and along the Hudson. This week as I am starting to increase my running volume, I just stayed to CP. I am glad to report that it was like lacing up an old pair of shoes and getting back into the lane with an old friend. The challenge was not over doing it. I had a touch up Lasik procedure on my right eye on Friday, and the ophthalmologist requested I listen and not do too much. So, I waited until Tuesday and did the full 10k loop and then Wednesday and Friday followed up with 5 miles each run. It was good to get back out. I could identify many of the cues that became so common last year in my build up. I went to Whole Foods and monitored my food intake to a more vegetable rich style.

Many folks wonder why I run when I run. I find after a day of working in my corporate, rat-race day stuff that a cortisol eliminating run is best for me after 8 pm. So, in Central park I don't get out until after 9 pm most of the time. Is it safe? Are you afraid? Isn't it too cold. Heck one night, while with a colleague I met pre-run, he watched me get cougared by some 60-year-old lady while her husband smirked and wandered off to hail a cab - yes it happened. Central park is quite safe. yes, there are a few spots that you just need to keep moving. There are plenty of NYPD patrols always close and circling, but I did find the frequency and quantity less than this time last year. I am not afraid and am quite aware of my environment. no, I do not wear headphones. The events I do participate in do not allow them, so I don't train with them. I find the simplicity of not being distracted by them, nor becoming reliant on them is liberating. What's more? I am not plugged in, except to my Garmin watch and a phone app called ROAD ID - so that Liz can stalk me. I also run that late to avoid the zoo of runners that hits the park from 5 pm until about 8:30 PM EST. I mean it’s a lot of runners and cyclist all blowing off steam. It's bound to be chaotic at times and I have seen a few tempers flare.

Anyway, I also got a great swim in this week. While flying, I was listening to a podcast by the fellas over at Crushing Iron -

So, I think I figured it out. They are in the journey about where I am. Sure, I have not completed a full yet, but I have definitely converted to the lifestyle. Not to the being a dinkweed IronMan branded cronie, but to a lifestyle that is reasonable and healthy. It took me a while to awaken from the numbness of the rat-race, but I feel liberated and healthy. Sure, I am about 6-7 lbs. heavier than I want to be right now, but that will start to peel off over the next 12-14 weeks in my build up to the 70.3 St. George event I will participate in. I was in a pre-season training experiment with tridot and switched to the non-pay DIY plan and the coach assigned to me finally reached out. I was a bit disappointed that when I wasn't nailing things in program because of my Lasik eye surgery I didn't get any follow up, but bet your bottom dollar after my mistake of paying for one month they sure followed up. Yes, that one was a bit curious for sure.

Anyway, I nailed my swim this week. the main goal I had was to not let water get to my eye. I think I was successful and I put together a good 500 set and a 1000-yard set. I was right in pace for not being completely built up to where I want to be yet, but heavy periodization this winter has made a HUGE impact. I have learned to breathe - exhaling all the time under water. I have learned to breathe bi-laterally on 3 stroke, 4 stroke, 3 and 6 stroke patterns, so I am ready to just swim relaxed in Sand Hollow if I am not freezing into a different sex. But ya, I set into my swim and just went. I was not in the right mindset when I arrived as it was about 6:30 AM when I got in the water and I was watching a few others who looked like they were just killing it when I just wanted to still be asleep after a long week. One major take away, is that I tend to use a pull buoy. It mimics the position I will tend to be in while wearing a full wet suit. it also allows me to concentrate on my stroke. I am finding as I relax, concentrate on my sideways and twists in the abdomen, that I am finding my cadence and rhythm. I am adding more sit downs to my routines to help me breathe better. I plan to do sit downs the night before in the resort pool to burn in the swim. I plan to swim Saturdays in the early morning so that my body is ready for that.

So, overall, I am feeling good. it is time to up the volume in running over the next month to be at 30 or so miles weekly. I need to get more out of spinning, but hotel options suck, so I am relying on an increased run volume to carry that gap. Hopefully it will pay off in the bricks too. Sure, I could probably get a coach and be mentored a bit more aggressively, but I am not doing this for a medal. I am doing this so I am around for my children and my wife. I am hoping that Dennis will do the Iron kids stuff again. We get to see glimpses of his joy, even though he really at times like to not put out any effort. Anyway, need to pack for next week. Back to San Francisco. Cheers to any follows. Feel free to actually comment. I know this is for me, but it's nice to get a blog comment every century or so. That's a hundred miles in my world :P

Activities - Strava Logs (Shane's Strava link)

(Look for rollover links if you are Strava stalking me :) )

Monday
Activity 1 - Travel Day
Tuesday
Activity 1 - RUN
Wednesday
Activity 1 - RUN
Thursday
Activity 1 - RESTED
Friday
Activity 1 - RUN
Saturday
Activity 1 - SWIM, RUN