A new type of threshold workout...

Well in following the Angry/ Speedy ideology war ( Angry going mostly speed /power work with a little distance, Speedy going mostly distance with a little speed.) Yesterday I decided to break my former track coach's #1 rule of speed work...go out easy and build, yesterday I went out hard and tried to hold it. My workout wasn't a long one by any standards 800 meter warm up followed by 5 x 1600m on 10:00. I did my torture de jour following an 11 mile long run on Sunday. Upon seeing the Wolcott Boys soccer team was dominating the field at the High School I went to my Alma Mater Holy Cross in Waterbury and decided to do this shit at my old black rubber stomping ground. The warm up went well the football players were finishing their scrimmage, and there was not a power walker in sight clear track for the first 1600. I did the first 1 on 6:42, I figured as long as I was going sub 7:10 ( Boston Marathon Qualifying pace.) I would be in good shape. The second didn't go as well as the flood of power walkers began to arrive. Now this particular group was mostly made up of kids that did a 100m walk 100m run 5 min. steretch/squat routine every lap. Also an older gentleman came down to do laps, apparently he must have run track in his younger pre- joint replacement days, as he decided to park himself in the inside lane, also known as the shortest way around, I didn't mind much as it brought back memories of when I was doing the 1600 and 3200 on this same piece of real estate back in the day. The second 1600 was slower a 6:46 but with having to weave in and out that could have easily cost me the 4 seconds. 1600 number 3 was slower still as the lactic acid was filling in my legs and I really had to pee. 6:55, after hitting the near by port-o-let within the confines of my break I cranked out #4 6:56. At least I was under 7 min. I started going on #5 as some teen age dude was running, with his i-pod. I decided that this runner in a sea of power walkers was going to be my target and I was going to chase him down like a gazelle on the savanah. Each lap the gap came down and finally on my last circut I went into Benard Lagat mode and sadly like the great Lagat came up short of my target. My last split was the fastest of the day 6:41. It was no "Michelle" style run, or a blazing fast Angry Sprint set. But I seemed happy with it. I might add it to the arsenal once I have more time to run, because as of September 2 my ass belongs to Central Connecticut State University.

This afternoon I just did a ride nothing major. As of Tuesday, my afternoon runs and rides will become limited as I have the class schedule of doom and gloom on tap.

Degree= more money and more time to train
R.D.

Saturday's ride and Go Bree Go!

Well Yesterday ride was supposed to be 100 miles instead it cost me $100. The first 34 miles were uneventful. I got up to the lake and around with no problem, but as I began on my way out of Washington, I heard a swift whistling sound as if somebody launched a roman candle, followed by the tell-tale thump. A Flat Shit! I know what everyone is thing Bobby had a Normann Stadler moment complete with bike tossing, explatives, crying, and vowing to give up cycling for life....sorry guys I guess Normann and I will have to save that bike tossing contest for another day. I calmly descended upon my bike bag removing my spare tube, handy tire level, CO2 , and worked on removing the wheel. One cyclist rode past and offered help, I politely declined as I inspected my tire, shit I had blistered a hole the size of the dime into in through the chords and all. I wasn't sure if I put a new tube in if it would hold up but I was out in East Bum Kill and had no cell reception for a ride. I managed to get the tire remounted I had pinched the tube a tiny bit but I only needed it to survive 7-10 miles, so I could get back to my car and to the bike shop. Well it lasted about a mile....does that count for anything. As I approached a stop sign the familar whistle of the rear tube exploding rung out again. A woman in a Subaru had stopped next to me..." What was that?" She asked..."My rear tire going flat." I replied sort of laughing sort of stunned that this had happended twice yet I don't think a pinched tube or a gash in the tire would have anything to do with it. Long story short she gave me a ride back to my car..which was cool because otherwise it would have meant more than an hour walk in bike shoes. I decided in my Brilliance to take the bike out to Newington..figuring I could pay for it on my Trek card which I forgot is on credits only....d'oh. Well while I was there I had my persky deraileur problem looked at again, but when I found out the situation on my trek card they had already found the problem and were in the middle of fixing it ( worn out chain, so they had just cracked the old one , also got a good chastising for not cleaning the bike religiously.) So what was supposed to be a $70 for new tires ( Continetial GP Triathlons...Bjoern they are handmade in Germany, so you know that they've got to be fast....Angry to still want to get rid of that other set of Conti's I 'll take them off you.) was well above $100 over that due to labor, and new parts, ie a SRAM force chain, so since my Trek Card was useless, my book fund took a hit....no offense to the good guys at Newington Bike, they do an awesome job...but I think I'm going to domy future service with my Homies Dave and Al at the Bike Rack in Waterbury, it's not the quality of service is just I'm on a college kid budget, I'll still show up for spinining this winter and who knows maybe I'll buy that aero helmet from you...also if I like the Conti's I'll probably be back for another set...but Al dosen't charge as much for labor, mainly because he showing me how to do it myself....but thank you for getting the Stomper back in ass kicking shape.

Off my bike expediture news...man I'm still hurting after that...if you follow the adventures of First Year Pro, 2007 Kona Female overall age group winner and 2008 women's runner up at Ironman Japan, Bree Wee, is racing in Canada this weekend. At last check she was in 5th on the bike, more updates as the day goes on. Or you can just follow the race at Ironman live. And yes the burning question for all Canadian tri fans she was beating the Great Lisa Bentley.

Also head on over to Sir Angry's on updates on Runner Girl Leeana's Marathon in Quebec City. With all this racing I might be motivated to leave my computer for a ride or run of my own.

The diligent tracker
R.D.

Edit #1 6:30 PM ( 3:30PM IM CDN time) Upon checking the athlete tracker after my 12 mile run Bree Wee was 6th off the bike but as of yet hasn't crossed the half marathon point, I hoping it's just Ironman live being slow with the splits, but according to them she has dropped from the top 10 hopefully it's not a DFN and if it was I hope it wasn't a major injury. Also for any Kiwis reading this, Taupo's Bryan Rhodes won for the men, Cameron Brown's winning streak might be in jepoardy next March.