Fast and Long week-end..

OK. So I went to Texas to hang out with Liz and her TNT Triathlon team which had there big event in Austin on Monday. It was great to meet new friends with TNT and see them all succeed and cross the finish line, one of the best and most rewarding things in volunteering and working with Team in Training!

It was fast trip b/c it was busy the whole time and of course you add in a few nights of drinking and it becomes Long without much sleep. I get my long run on Friday and that was great to be running around the Memorial area again as it was missed. But I didn't miss the humidity!

OK, SO I really wanted to tell you the big news. (drum roll please....)

I signed up for my first Ultra run!!! It's called the Headlands Hundred but I will be doing the 50 Miler. It's crazy for sure but something I've had in the back of mind along with a 100 mile run some day and of course Ironman. I will be running with a group of others here in the Vegas area so that will make it more enjoyable. So be ready to watch the running numbers/volume increase! Oh the run is in about 10 weeks!!

I love it!!!! Crazy!!

rockon`

Quick...

Hi all.. Sorry, I have been on slacking part of blogging this week.

So Quickly, training this weekend was OK, except for my lack of nutrition on the long run Sunday and Bonking out around mile 14, the last 3 miles were totally crappy and it took all I had to get back to the car. Luckily, I had some great running support, otherwise I probably would have freakn' walked the whole way back!

Went to an underwater video swim taping session on Saturday afternoon and was told I pretty much Suck!! Which I already knew, haha, but not really. The good news is that I will be joining in on some swim technique stuff to help make me faster and better!! So watch out Form! One more thing to make you think about at CdA.

I am heading out of town so I will be back to blogging next week. Then I have some really crazy Exciting JohnnyTri news to let you all in on!!

Until then, Have a great and safe Memorial Day weekend!!!!!

rockon`

I'm still out there..but so is Banshee lady

Don't worry I haven't gotten abducted by aliens or lost in Area 51 but I have been on a mission! Would there be any other way, so let's get to it.

First off, in case you noticed, today the 200 day mark has been cracked and its 198 Days till Cozumel!!!

Since last week I helped out with TNT for the big 20 miler run the San Diego group had to do. I was at a couple of different water stops so it was great to keep up with the runners and cheer them on at different mileage points. They all did so well and they are ready for the big marathon, and most of all they get Taper! Which we ALL Love!!

Then Sunday it was back out the door early to get a great trail run in with my new wonderful running peeps! I really enjoy running with them (no offense Form, haha, Hey Glad to see you got a blog post up, what have you been doing, Training for an Ironman or something?) and the different areas we have run so far. Since it was Mother's Day we had to make it snappy as we all had plans to get to. But here is quick low dow. As we were running we came across all this stuff buried under this plastic tarp that was being held down by big boulder rocks that were individually wrapped in plastic grocery sacks! HUMMM!! We all wanted to know what was under it so I started kicking the boulders off only to reveal random newspapers, towels, and some other junk, so to speak. well there was also a little pan of dog food and some water so we chalked it up to some homeless persons stuff way out on the trail top of mountain. We leave, refuel at the cars and head back out in a round about way and notice the person on the mountain/hill top area where we uncovered the random stuff. This lady yells out to us something like : "Go in peace to serve the Lord, God Bless you and Happy Mother's Day!" Now maybe it would have been OK but then she immediately turned around and started putting all the rocks back on the stuff we uncovered!! By this time we were all like OK, Banshee lady is gonna come after us so let's get moving! We were back on this road from earlier and next thing you know some random blue truck is coming up behind us, but as soon as he would get closer he would slow and stop. This went on for a few minutes and was quite freaky!! We could not see who was driving as they were still too far away but this Stocking up your Prey feeling was not fun and very distracting. Finally, the truck got closer and I suggested we jump down to this other little road that paralleled the road the truck was coming on. The truck soon passed and it was some guy who waved and kept going, Weird! as its 8:30am Sunday morning and your driving down some random back road where there is nothing! OK, people do go out there and shoot there guns by evidence of all the shot gun shells laying around. Well we continued up the road we hopped on only to hear the truck over the hill. As we got closer we could see the truck stopped at the intersection of these two roads!! OH, No, I said, Turn around, we're not going by Random Truck Guy. So we head back towards the hill where Banshee lady was and as we got to the top of the this Other hill we found more stuff buried only this time it was way more organized! There was a sign on one of the tarps that said "Please do not remove. In Service to the Lord. Will return in a few minutes" Then another little plate with dog food and water and a spoon placed facing North and held down by a rock just as the other site was!! After taking several pictures we started running again but the mood was completely weird! Oh, and while there on the hill we just ran from earlier we could see Banshee lady walking!!! We thought we better get the hell outta there before she really chases us down. We got back to the cars and ended with 17 miles on the trails! It was fun and entertaining. Oh there was a time when I was leading down the road and running a little fast when all of a sudden I STOP!!! and put my arms out across to stop the others from passing me!!! There was a nice little 5' Snake laying across the road, yikes!! We had to go around him as he was not in the mood to move and really liked his sun spot, but cool a Snake!! huh!!.

I rest of the week I was able to get a few other workouts done but just my regular stuff. It's been a good week and I'm looking forward to the weekend with TNT again, and adventures in trail running!!!

rockon'

April Numbers..

Are in and calculated. Now I don't get all fancy and high tech as Form but here's the scope, if you care or just want to act like you care.. haha!

Overall training time was down just over an hour, 33 hrs 37 mins compared to March of 34 hrs 49 mins. Which is relatively good because I got close to the March distance numbers in less time!!!

April Swim was just over 1469 m short compared to March BUT only with a 12 min difference in time = Faster! Yes!! but not as fast a Mr. Form, he's a fish!!

April Bike was 18 miles shorter than March BUT 7 mins Longer = FASTER!!! (Form still faster!)

April Run was 12 miles Longer than March and obviously Longer in time but = FASTER overall pace!!! (Form still Faster!!)

I was also able to start weight training again after Rage and recovery which was the last week of the month and ended with 3 sessions of 90 mins each.

April was a great month with all Faster times and improvements! I am proud and only looking to get a little better each month.

Hats off to the Form as he is a well oiled machine these days as he nears IMCd'A and rightfully so, YOU BETTER BE!!! Keep up the good work, you're almost there buddy! 45 days!

Training this week is going great and steady. All is good and I keep smilin'..

rockon'

Weeks are so fast..

Wow, it has already been a week since I last posted.. what the heck have I been doing?

Training for one! Studying for two! Having a great time for three!

My training for last week went very well getting in a nice speed work swim and run early in the week. Then a super brick towards the end of the week that seemed to be a little warmer outside than what I was ready for and afterwards seem to whip me out and take me a lot longer to recover than expected! By Saturday it was Team in Training run day.

It was early morning to meet up with Coach Antonette and help with some sign decorations that we would put out on the course, which, turns out the peeps really like them and helped make the run easier to follow at the turns and most importantly Antonette brought Coffee!!! It was a windy morning and of course running uphill on long grades is never too fun but it builds strength and mental character. I set the signs out, talked with one of the great alumns helping at a water stop, then met up with coach to see how much longer till the faster runners got there. I then decided to head back down the road to check on the slower paced runners and some of the walkers. I talked with them and all was good! Then headed to the 1st water stop which turned out to be good because the super nice lady had to leave. I then waited for all the runners to come back through and headed back to the start area. There we all talked and got things cleaned up. A Great training run for TEAM and a great job by Coach Antonette.

Now Sunday!! Another super early wake up day and this time it was my time to get a run on but with an added twist! First off I was running with Antonette and second we are trail running!! Yes!! Our route is perfectly planned to include trails and road running to acquire 17 miles of total running. Antonette is training for a 50 miler later this year so my little 17 miles was a walk in the park for her, I really don't think she even broke a sweat before we were finished and I know she didn't even breath hard at any time. As we started running I asked for pointers on what to do and the best things she could recommened, as this is really my first official trail run. I mean I have run on some dirt just like anyone else but nothing with rocks, limbs, stubs, catcus, switch backs, gravel, and boulders! and this was also my first time to wear a Camelbak. As we started to run, the path was pretty good, nothing too strenuous but a nice a gradual uphill. The camelbak was working fine and did not bother me as much as I had expected it to. After about 4-5 miles were back at one of the cars, refill, and off we go to some other trails that are about to get harder and steeper, I was warned. Antonette lead pretty much the whole way and she is such a strong runner I felt bad at times for slowing her down and waiting for me. The trails are simply amazing and the views you get are much to be enjoyed if you can take your eyes off the trail. Once we hit the turn around point I was very glad b/c we had been running uphill for a long ways and it was killn me. I was then able to lead coming back down the trail till I got passed and once again was in the back. As I said Antonette is a very strong runner and to watch her manuver and run down the trail at fast pace is very impressive but I couldn't watch too long b/c I had to try and keep up! Finally we were back at the car to refuel again and hit the road for the final trek. It was 9.65 miles of trail running and the rest on the road to make 17. Now running on the road by this time wasn't much better as I was still running behind Antonette and she was still waiting for me at times but she was super kind to keep checking on me to make sure I was OK. If I thought she was fast and strong on the trails I should have known she would be faster on the road, and yup! she is! She had a great run and I was glad I was able to run with her and have her introduce me to the trails as I will be working those into my routine in time to come. (oh Stef and RBR, Yes, I will admit... I was pretty much Chick'd All Day Long!!)

It was a great weekend and wrapped it up but seeing Xmen Orgins: Wolverine!!!!!! you have to go see it!

208 days!! tic tok.. Ironman Cozumel!!

rockon`