Spring Break

Training is finally starting to kick into a new gear.  The weather has been cooperating during this chunk of free time and my knee is tracking well.  Races are coming up, so it's time for some quality workouts that I can gauge where my paces should be. 

This evening I met up with the West Sound Triathlon Club for a track workout at my old high school.  The evening's sets were 6 x 800m at slightly under 5k pace with a 400m recovery.  It was my first return to faster paces and the workout was a solid effort by all members.  I went out too fast on the first so I dialed it back on the second then shaved seconds off each subsequent interval.  Jim Felty, a fantastic CC and track coach at Klahowya Secondary School, gave me a few pointers about relaxing my shoulders and bending slightly forward at the waist.  It made a huge difference in the last two sets.  I was able to maintain my pace and pump more with my arms, resulting in faster but comfortable times.

I've only got a few more days of this workout/recovery/party mode until I start Spring quarter but I'm looking forward to my schedule.  It kind of goes like this:

6  am Swim at the Rec Center
8  am Yoga Class
9  am Health & Disease Prevention Class
10 am Coach Development Class
11 am English
2  pm Done

I've got packed mornings but it also leaves me free for the best part of the day when I can work, train and study.  Though I will have to get good at preparing my meals the night before and eating in class (yes, I will be that guy distracting people with my awesome trail mixes).

There is only a little over a month before the Tour de Cure in Redmond on May 11 and I really need to kick my bike mileage up a notch.  If you know anything about western Washington, the weather forecasters are not to be trusted.  Though I hope they are right about this weekend presenting 60 degrees and clear skies.  I'd love to get a couple of 50 milers in and some solid runs.  Heck, why not toss a brick in there for good measure.  Either way, it's been refreshing spending time with my family and friends.