Well, been a while since I checked in here!


The training, in a phrase, is moving along. I'm nearing the end of the long, long base-phase stretch. Just day in and day out, consistent, repetition. Stocking the hay in the barn.


I'm still relying on the Computrainer for a lot of my bike training, but I have gotten out on the roads over the past few weeks for some longer rides. That trend will increase, though I'll still rely on indoor riding during the week. Fortunately, the indoor training seems to translate well to the road. My longest ride to date has been a 46-miler, averaging 19 mph at low zone 3, last weekend. Followed that with a short brick run. Oh, and my new bike is terrific on the road. Comfortable and fast!


My running, which I think has been my big opportunity area, has been coming along too. My weekly long runs are in the 10-11 mile range, and I'm running about 25 miles a week. My speed is going up slightly, as my heart rate remains steady. I'm a long way from my running fitness from back in 2004-05, but happy with the progress.

I've been consistent in the pool. I'm only in twice a week, but the workouts are pretty focused and I've made measurable gains.


The first couple weeks of June mark a turning point. I'm doing my first race of the summer in a week--a sprint in Geneva, OH. I'll treat it as a workout, including my first open water swim.


The outdoor pool opens up next week as well, and I'm looking forward to that. For one thing, since the pool is literally a five minute walk from my desk at work, it opens the possibility of hitting the water during the daytime, maybe once a week. And, I just like swimming outdoors ... Feels like summer.


Finally, the build begins in a couple weeks--the long drive to September. I'm looking ahead at my calendar and figuring out the progression to rides of three hours, then four, five and six. Long days in the saddle loom in the near future. Trying to shoehorn all this in between work and life ... Fortunatey Jenny is very supportive. And I have a lot of personal time built up at work--might be cashing in a little of that.