Winter

Well winter came early this year. I had set aside this weekend to do all the last outdoor stuff around my house like put away the lawn furniture, cut down the hostas and put the rain barrels away. However, mother nature had different plans and now we are covered in snow and it doesn't look like it is going away any time soon.

So no biking for a while until my trainer arrives. Well I did manage to do a workout on a spin bike at the YMCA. It was really hot in there and what is with the weird red mood lighting?

Coaching Week 1

Well my week of workouts was put into Training Peaks by my coach and I am off to go do them. I have my 2x/week tri-swim class, then a couple of ellipticals, a couple of bikes, and one easy walk. I also have some strength and core training too. A big mix of stuff but it all looks doable.

I did my swim on Monday morning, and then I had a strength and elliptical on Tuesday. It works out good because my kid is at the Y for swim team practice 3 nights a week so I can use the facility there. On Wednesday I had a 45 minute bike which I did outside, but fall has hit HARD here and that was a very cold ride. Temps started in the low 40's and dipped to 37 by the end of the 45 minute ride. BRRR.

I have a really nice bike jacket which kept my upper body warm, but my face and fingers were frozen.

Hamstring

I have been going to PT for a few weeks now with only small improvement so I went back to the doctor for a follow up. He still thinks it is just a strain and sent me back to PT. This is so frustrating.

So I will keep doing elliptical and swimming and all my PT exercises and hopefully at some point I will come out of this and be good to go.

Vacation, Food, Fun and a bit of Swimming

A week long cruise in the western caribbean was on tap for the 3rd week of October. We boarded the largest cruise ship in the world Harmony of the Seas in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. Our first stop was in Labadee Haiti at Royal Carbbean's private beach. While there I was able to try my hand at a bit of open water swimming.

A bit over 500 yards. I did another little swim later in the day but ran into some rocks and scraped my hand so that was the end of that.

I did a bit of walking on the ship which had a great walking track. But with the ship moving at 20kts in the middle of the ocean it makes for a super fast walk. I did something like 10 miles in a little over a half hour!

It was a great trip, very relaxing, beautiful scenery, ate too much, but had a good time. Now it is time for some coaching led workouts!

Shultz Road Loop

I have a week long cruise coming up so no set workouts with my coach until after I get back from that. So I have been on my own to just swim and bike. Up until now, I have been doing and out and back on a road by my house. That has been fine, but the last couple of rides I have branched out to a loop ride. This is nice and convenient 18.6 mile loop with good roads with wide shoulders.

So it appears that about an hour is all I can possible stand to sit on the bike. My butt is DONE after an hour. Thankfully that's about what this loop takes. My legs are jelly about half way through as well. I got some work to do to get used to biking.

Coach

Well after some searching and a few emails and phone calls I got myself a coach. I am excited about this actually. I have never really had a true coach for anything before. My organized sports as a youth had parents as coaches but not like this.

I am looking forward to the organized aspect of coaching. I have a hard time determining what I should be doing next, how hard to do it, etc. Perfect reason to have a coach.

But I kinda actually have two coaches. Coach Nate is my triathlon coach, but I also have Coach Max who is teaching my swimming class, is my daughter's swim team coach, and has given me a lot of good advice about swimming.

Maybe I am overdoing it, but I am hoping for good times, success in my goals, and trying to stay injury free.