Well, let me begin by saying, if I complete a post during the day, I will keep the window minimized, and when I get some downtime, I work on my post until it is done. If it is really busy, then I just wait until I get home. I was about two sentences from being done with my post (it was really, really long), and of course I never "save as draft", and the power went out. The total time it took me between projects was about 20 minutes, and with two sentences left, the power goes. No matter, it happens all the time around here for no reason at all. The power was out for about 30 minutes, so we had to close the bank for 30 minutes. The customers who showed up at the door were not too happy, but that is how things work sometimes. I think that Georgia Power probably needs to increase power to this block or fix something, because it should not happen 1-2 times a week for no reason (i.e. not storm related, etc...)
Ok, now onto what I will actually be able to remember from what I wrote earlier, which for some reason is not much. Last night I ran my Chastain Loop (~ 5K), and ran in the "easier" direction (which still has hills, versus my flat run on race day). Time: 22min, 58sec. Still need to get down at least 1-2 minutes on my run for this sprint race. This weekend I believe I am going to complete a brick workout at race distance, and see what happens. I feel as if my race time on the bike should be closer to 1hr 30-32min, considering what I do on my Sandy Spring ride at 6:30p (90 degrees heat with humidity) and lots of elevation changes (mostly uphill). Have to keep the cadence high though, so that I can keep my legs fresh for the run.
I am swimming tonight, and I have dialed down the distance so that I can focus more on speed and form drills (probably shooting for 800-1000M total in main set, since race distance is 400M). Speaking of which, the hardest thing I have found yet in triathlons (for me) is improving upon one's swimming. I have had to teach myself what I think is a more proper technique than what I used to swim (yeah, watch me get a swim coach and have them tell me I am all screwed up!). I have seen my times improve somewhat (although I am not keeping a very accurate track of my times on a daily basis), and so I know I have done something right. Something else that really irks me about improving your swimming, improving your technique. When you bike or run and you try to improve your stride/pedal stroke/etc, you don't have to worry about something else possibly going out of whack. When you swim though, you might try to change your pull, and then your body position goes out of whack, etc. That is why trying to improve my swim is so frustrating right now. I do not have the money for a coach or classes, and there seems to be no one around at the gym pool that has any coaching experience. My next technique endavor is catching my arm in the water so I am pulling from the get go, rather than my old plunge my arm in till full extension, and then pull. I was reading some swim techniques somewhere (the triathletemag.com swim articles), and it was saying that you should be pulling from the time your hand enters the water, so it stands to logic that the way I am currently putting my hand in the water is incorrect.
I cleaned my bike last night! Let me tell you how dirty it was. I went through two FULL buckets of soapy water (each bucket was black water by the time I was done), and half a bottle of degreaser (note those bottles are $11.00 a piece, and they only hold about 24 ounces of the stuff, and yes it is environmentally friendly). The casette, chain and everything else is not as shiny as it was brand new (due to general wear), but at least none of it is black anymore. By the way I forgot if I had posted it already, but I have moved my seat almost all the way forward, and raised it just a bit to compensate for the move, and I feel more comfortable (less stretched out). I also seem to be generating more power as well, which bodes well for me. I will put my brick in at the Silver Comet Trail this weekend, where just two days ago someone was killed around mile #13 or 14 during the day. It was a 54 year old woman on her bike, and it sounds like she put up quite a fight. They have taken someone into custody at the time who checked in for wounds from a fight, and he just got out of jail from a sex offense. Makes you say "hmmmm..."
If I can think of anything to write later, I will get it down, along with what I do in the pool tonight. I am off to go and read everyone else's blog now.
Murtha...
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