Mission 16/60 Update - 2014 Nov 19

Mission Sixteen Sixty has just barely begun. I got into some light training last week after recovering from the EVENT known as the Ragnar Relay - Vegas. 2 pool swims (2300 and 2500 yd), 2 light strength training sessions (including core) to ease back into the routine, and 2 easy 45 minute runs was about it for the week. No riding since I still wan't really feeling like I was ready to start it all up.

Sunday was a 1/2 marathon race which went pretty well, getting a personal best time and learning a little something from it. The biggest take away was that this run reminded me how to race a run and how to push for a sustained amount of time. By doing only Iron distance races, I've felt like I lost a little perspective on how to hold a proper run pace for 13 or 26 miles. In an Ironman you start running after having swum and biked for 6 1/2 or 7 hours. Fatigue has built up and a lot of energy, both physical and mental, has been expended by the time the run is started. Finding a sustainable but comfortable pace at the beginning and THEN trying to build that pace or negative split the run of an Ironman (or any triathlon) can get lost when you're out there that long and feeling bad. This was a good refresher, along with the Ragnar Relay runs last weekend, on how to run hard and how much effort to put out.

Working on my running is part of the plan for Mission 16/60. The experience from this race, and it's take-away, is just one little piece of the puzzle. The eventual aim for the run? Be able to sustain this pace for an Ironman marathon. Don't know if that's in this body of mine but there's a good year and a half to work on it and see what kind of progress can be made.

This week includes a couple of rides, possibly only on the trainer or in spin class. I'll start some technique focused work in the pool, and will start to get into an endurance phase for strength training. I'll ease back into some regular, structured running as I look towards the Carlsbad 1/2 in January. That will mean 8 workouts for the week. As far as nearer term goals are concerned, aside from the Carlsbad 1/2 Marathon, the first tri of the season will be Oceanside 70.3 the first weekend of April.