a solid weekend...

Another solid weekend in the books. I am pretty tired right now and can barely keep my eyes open as I watch the Redsox hopefully hang on to beat the Yankees. I just got out of another epsom salt bath and my body is feeling good even with all the training.

So this is what went down:

Saturday:
AM - XC Race - Bake at the Lake - 4 miles
20 min warm-up
22:05 Race
50 min run after race
1:32:05 total running

I recently obtained a sponsorshp with Mizuno and one of the obigations is to compete in local running events as well as keep up racing in tri's. Saturday was my first race with the team and I was pretty nervous about it. For the first time in my very brief racing career there was some expectaion to perform well. This race was the first of the Dirt Dog cross country series. At each race along with the individual competition there is also team competition. Most of the major shoe companies were represented and some other local clubs. There were about 10 of us from Mizuno including myself and my coach. Other than my coach I had only met one of the other guys before. So the pressure was on to make a good first impression.

The course was a rocky, hilly 4 miles - true cross country. I never know how fast to go out in a running race. I find much it easier to run off the bike because then you just run as hard as your body will let you. When you start out fresh it's all about strategy and not letting yourself get gapped by too much by the lead pack. I went out kind of conservatively but was probably only 10 yards behind he leaders. The course was tough. I ended up finishing in 22:05 and I think in around 10th place (they havent published the results yet) and probably 30 - 60 seconds behind all the guys ahead of me. Out of all the people on my team I finished 2nd and was even able to hold off my coach in the last 1.5 miles. We ran side by side for about 3/4 of mile then he told me to go for it and that I better not lose to him. So I went for it and finished about 20 seconds ahead of him. I was spent. I don't know if I have ever run that hard for that long. I pretty much ran all out for the entire race.

Sunday:
AM - swim - 1.5 mile ocean swim
Midday - Bike - 3:35/36 mile mountain bike
Run - 30 min off the bike

Today was a long one. I started the day off with a mellow 1.5 mile swim with the tri club. After that I came home and hung out for a bit then headed off to the trails. I rode all throught PQ canyon and climbed to the top of black mountain before heading back. I was feeling it by the end of the bike but as soon as I got of the bike and started running I felt better. After the run I stretched for 20 minutes and headed home.

It's just after 9pm and I am about to crash. I am heading into a recovery week so tomorrows a day off and I'm sleeping in! I will start to hit hard again on the weekend but the hardest workout I have during the week will be a showdown with Marc at an aquathlon on Thursday. I am going to try and not let him whip by as much this time. We'll see... he's coming off a half marathon today so I may have a very slight chance of catching him on the run...