Power = Strength + Speed

    Feeling the training vibe rekindling deep in my core. Having a definitive plan for next season gives me better motivation. It's not like I haven't been slowly rebuilding my base after my knee forced me to take so many weeks off this summer, but now I feel my laser-like focus returning. And it feels good.
    Tonight was my first mini-brick workout in a while. A nice, solid, power workout. I am easing back into getting my legs ready for running, cautious of another over-use injury. I have been pretty steady with my leg work, cycling nearly every day for the last two months, and strength training at least twice a week. But I am just now getting back to some bipedal locomotion. I've been using my treadmill, since the sun is setting so much earlier, and as I've mentioned before, there is no place to run near my house after dark (no side walks, no shoulders on the roads, no streetlights at all). Tonight was my third "hill" session. Simple enough: 1 lap slow jog, 1 lap fast walk at max incline, repeat x5. Followed with a quick, hard triple set of explosive leg work: weighted pendulum squats, deadlift, kettlebell swing, 20 reps each x 3 sets. Then, onto the bike for a nice HIIT session: 10 minute warmup, then 20 minutes of 1 minute ascending and descending gearing pyramid maintaining high cadence, and 10 minute cool down. Finally, 10 minutes stretching.
    It was a nice leg burner evening, no doubt about it. True, it was not an endurance set, but now is not the time for endurance work. Now is the time to build speed and strength. HIIT sessions, explosive power work, strength training, speed work. That is where my focus will be for the next few months. I hate to say it, but endurance is easy for me, I can go long. Speed though, has never been my strength. Last year one of my mottoes was, "My strength is my strength." This from hearing so many athletes' stories where they say that "Speed is my strength," or "Running is my strength." For me, knowing I am not a standout in any of the three disciplines, made me realize that the one area I do standout is basic strength. I am a strong female. I am built long and strong. I can go at a steady pace all the live long day. And I am stubborn. Now, I need to make my strength and stubbornness work for me as I slowly turn strength into power, and power into speed. Power = Strength + Speed.