Biricken it with Hill Repeats

16.11 mile bike / 4 mile run

Paul and I set out to attack the West Hills this morning. I had a few objectives in this workout.
1.Build power climbing hills
2.Work on fear descending
3.Acclimate body to running post bike

All three were successfully accomplished.

The Route - you can click on elevation to see the profile
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/or/portland/568575883042

Started off at 27th and Thurman, headed up Lovejoy/Cornell, went up 53rd to Thompson, down Thompson, up Cornell, down Thompson, back up Thompson and then down again.
Ascended and descended 1760ft. The climbing felt good and if it wasn't for the stupid descending we could have easily done a few more repeats. A new first for me was descending down Thompson. I always go down Cornell because the grade is less intense. I have to tackle this fear somehow so I opted for Thompson. It was really foggy and slippery this morning and my bike drifted out from under me 3 times, luckily I caught myself each time. By the third descent down I was starting to feel a little more comfortable, but not enough to keep doing it. One ride at a time right? I was happy with the ride as I was able to hold 180-220 watts for climbing duration and I told my fear to STFU. I really need a new bike, my cadence is too low climbing, I would have more power if I didn't have to mash so hard. Future repeats I am going to do more challenging ascents.
Here's my power profile.....

The flats are where I was breaking and praying for life on my descents

Post ride I immediately threw on my running shoes and headed up to Leif Erickson for a LSD paced run
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/or/portland/601949932234 (again you can click on elevation profile, ascended 830 ft in 2 miles)

The first 1/2 mile felt good, then my legs asked WTF? I was doing. I told them to shut up and I kept on running. Reached two miles and headed back down. Descending felt really good. Avg'd easy 9:20s heading up and 8:15s coming down. I love running up to Leif as part of a brick, great shocker on your legs. I <3 hills.

Big Ups to Paul for being the only one down to do repeats today and for waiting for my slow tail :)

Part of my soul is at the bottom of the pool

I knew better....first I lost one of the pearl earrings my father gave me at the bottom of Wickiup Reservoir and now I lost my diamond cross at the bottom of the Hillsboro 24hr Fitness. Much more then a piece of jewelry, it was a part of me.... this swim was depressing. Someone should make goggles that have tear drainage holes, I don't know how they'd go about it but they should exist

500 warm up
2 x 100 paddles
2 x 50 buoy
2 x 100 paddles

2 x 50 long glides
2 x 25 finger drags with 25 free back
(lost jewelry, spent 15 minutes searching the pool bottom only to come up empty handed)
2 x 50 - pulls
1 x 200 - fins

Bi-lateral breathing
1 x 250 slow; breath every 5
1 x 250 fast; breath every 3
Repeat x 1

Total yardage 2500

Believe it or not on the occasion I actually have a heart. Pride hurts....loosing yourself hurts.

Thanksgiving day lsd run

Hit up WIldwood this morning for an 80 min run alone through the forrest. It was such a peaceful and beautiful morning, it was a nice time to reflect on life and everything I am thankful for. I was thrilled to have Don and Alana join me for another 90 minutes, having good company really makes the time fly by. 2hrs and 50 minutes later I was done and had run 17.5 miles....longest run for me in awhile. My legs felt good, especially good considering I rolled my left ankle 3 times and my right once, but hey, it was trail run that I didn't fall on my face, which is always a good thing. Energy was high until the mile 15 but PowerGel quickly came to my aid. Odd thing, when I finished running and took off my gloves I noticed my left hand was puffed up like a vienna sausage....an hour and a half later and I still have sausage fingers, they hurt too. I'm not sure what happened, I wore gloves so I don't think I came into connect with anything....and no other part of my body is swollen. Oh well, hopefully it will go away soon. My abs hurt really bad...this is my DOMS from cross fit. What sucks even more is that I am still sick and go into these coughing fits... every time I cough it feels like someone is punching me in the gut, it hurts :(

I've worked up a killer appetite, it's time to spend time with good friends and family....and to get my gluttony on :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving

2008 has been my best year to date, I have so much to be thankful for

I am thankful that my mother is my best friend
I am thankful that I have a finally have a relationship with my father and that the cancer is not getting the best of him
I am thankful I live in a country that allows freedom of choice
I am thankful for my health and a year of being injury free
I am thankful for my long distance friends who I may have yet to meet but played huge roles of improving life quality
I am thankful for everyone that believes that one day we will find a cure and helps do what they can to support the fight against caner
I am thankful for having my dream career
I am thankful for having an intelligent, thoughtful, caring mentor as a boss.
I am thankful for all my male training friends that allowed me to tag along when I had no female peers to train with
I am thankful for the wetsuit that keeps me a float in open water swims :)
I am thankful for having a coach that knew how to push my limits and help me achieve my goals
I am thankful for all of my friends who have stuck with me through thick and thin
I am thankful for all of my new friendships this year, may they be life long.
I am thankful that idiot George Bush is finally out the door.
I am thankful that I have finally found myself
I am thankful that hard training checks my tail in place and keeps things humble
I am thankful that I live in a day of age that we have a president of another race
I am thankful for life

Cross fit recovery

Pretty non eventful - Got up at 5 am to have a nice 90 min recovery spin. Avg'd 140 watts with a 157 HR. My legs feel pretty good as does my energy. I was highly entertained this morning by an episode of The Office (The visit to Canada) and 2 episodes of 30 Rock (my do I love Tracy Morgan and Tina Fey)....along with some music break breaks between.

Looking forward to tonight, I'm making my oh so famous apple pie.

Pain In The Park - week 4

20 min warm up run

One hour of Pain In the Park. I couldn't push myself as hard as I lost my lung to the gutter half way through, none the less I had a good time as always. This week my favorite circuit was the obstacle course through the children's playground and the tag with jumping jack/push up penalties.

Monday Monday, so good to me...Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be

A little bit of speed and power and flexibility

Monday morning - 45 min Pilates

Monday evening

Run
40 min run on the treadmill. My lungs are incased with phlegm and they couldn't take the coldness of the track tonight, so I did my speed work at the gym.
10 min easy warm up at 9:00 pace
5 min stretch
10 min easy run 8:45 pace
4 x 400s at 6:40s with 2 min floats at 9:30s. I felt really good for the first 30 secs of each repeat...then about 45 sec in m chest felt suffocated (I think this is due to being sick) and 70 mins in my tummy started get queazy. I managed to do all 4 and am looking at increasing the set by 1-2 repeats a week. We'll see how that goes
5 min cool down; 9 min pace

4.6 miles total

Followed up with swim

1 x 500 warm up (I didn't feel like I needed a warm up. I took the 500 at a moderate to fast pace, I felt really good in the water)
Drills
1 x 50 A-ok, 1 x 50 fist, 1 x 50 karate, 1 x 50 long glide black line; repeat
1 x 200 paddles
Speed work
1 x 100 (25 easy; 50 hard, 25 easy = even split)
1 x 100 (50 easy; 50 hard, 25 easy =negative split)
1 x 100 (25 easy; 50 hard, 25 easy = even split)
1 x 100 (50 hard; 50 easy = positive split)
1 x 100 (25 easy; 50 hard, 25 easy = even split)
Cool down 1 x 200

1800 yards. I had a very strong and powerful swim, it felt fantastic.