Leveling Up

    It is time to take it to the next level. Yes, I am still base building, and as a novice endurance athlete, it is likely that my entire season building up to my big race will be all base building. I am not in this to win, place or show, I am in it to finish it. If I can do it in a timely fashion without killing myself, then all the better. After my 13 days forced layoff from swimming, I do feel like I am actually swimming stronger, after the first few swims anyway, which made me feel like I had lost a lot of conditioning. I am planning on this being a decently heavy swim week, although work, traffic, and a medical call foiled my plans for a swim last night, instead I did a decent upper body, swim specific, strength workout. Tomorrow I will try my damndest to get to the pool in as timely a fashion as possible and try to get in as close to 2 miles as I can. Saturday I am aiming for a 5K, timed.
    I am also pushing my cycling time up, and soon enough I plan on joining the B.O.B. (Butts On Bikes) group for longer weekend rides. They have done several out my way, starting at Mount Angel, and Champoeg. This will be a great motivator for me. I do need better riding gear though, mine is not wind resistant enough.
    As always, running is my weak link, my "Limiter." I ran well saturday during the Buck Mountain Mudslinger, but was pretty damned stiff and sore for two days after. I do have good recovery speed though, and will just have to keep pushing myself. It did reaffirm my decision to not do any trail runs longer than 6 or 7 miles though, since I think they will do more harm than good in my current training program. I do love trail running, but I have to keep my eyes on the prize, and train in the most intelligent manner. This means no trail half marathons this year, though maybe next year.
    In the spirit of taking it to the next level, I must focus on getting more sleep. I never get quite enough rest, and rest is vital to recovery. On that note, now that my rosemary tea is down to the dregs, it is time to go get my recovery sleep. Night time reading? Either "Twentieth Maine," a Civil War historic novel about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and his unit, or "Going Long, Training for Triathlon's Ultimate Challenge." I am leaning towards "Going Long," it is where my mind is at tonight.