Well, to say the previous week has been “active” would be a bit of an understatement. Unless you train more than me … then the statement would be silly. At any rate, I got in some good training over the past few days. My first week back to triathlon training on a schedule saw me going a bit farther and bit harder than I probably should have. I will say, however, that nothing kick-starts a season by getting your ass handed to you on consecutive training days.
The week started innocently enough with an easy 4-mile run at Shelley Lake, my beaten path. I think I could do this run blindfolded if necessary. It is flat and familiar, and I like it. I also swang (swung?) a 45-pound kettlebell for three sets of 20 that evening.
Wednesday was an hour trainer ride at an easy heart rate along with some one-legged drills. I also did snatches with the 35-pound kettlebell for three sets of eight with each arm. Thursday I don’t recall doing anything. Friday was where the proverbial shit hit the fan.
I ran with my friend Nasrin, a 42-year old female who is president of Mobile Reach. I’m doing some marketing for her company so I met her at Panera Bread in Cary (this spot also happens to be the home of Inside-Out Sports, where we do a lot of group rides during the week in the spring and summer). Nasrin and I worked for an hour, despite Panera’s ridiculous policy that you can only surf for 30 minutes! Cafe indeed!
Nas and I then ran rough-shod over a 5.8-mile run on a crazy hilly course around Inside-Out. As usual, I pleaded with Nas that we run slow. She, however, has always had a different definition of what slow and easy is. In fact, there is no running side-by-side with her. She will always be just a bit ahead, no matter what pace you are running and no matter the effort level.
At any rate, pair this with the fact that I’ve only run five times in 2009 and no farther than 4 miles. Nasrin, on the other hand, had been running and was building toward a 30-mile week in prep for her race at the Florida 70.3. Needless to say, this run hurt! This hills and Nasrin were more than enough to reduce me to walk on the final huge grade toward home. As I saw my heart rate hit 170 on the final turn, my shoestring conveniently came untied and had to stop. I told Nas to keep going. I think she was ill with me because she wanted someone to run the hill with her because it sucks so bad. Sorry I was of no help, Nas! Maybe next time when I’m in shape! 
On Saturday morning, the family and I headed to downtown Raleigh to watch the Krispy Kreme Challenge. Essentially, you run 2 miles, eat a dozen doughnuts, then run back. The guy who won, a spry 22-year-old named Eric Mack, ran 5:28 miles on the way out and only slowed to 6:05 pace on the way back, when the race was in the bag, so to speak. He won by two minutes over the next nearest guy. I could certainly eat a dozen doughnuts, but there will be no running before, during or after. 5:28 miles at any point is also out of the question for this guy. It was a fun event though, and they raised a ton of money for this charity, like $35,000 for the N.C. Children’s Hospital. The run started three years ago with 11 folks and had more than 5,000 Saturday at the N.C. State Belltower. The Dunkin Donuts right across the street had no comment and refused to be interviewed for this story.
At about noon, I met a group of about 20 for a ride of the Duke 1/2 Ironman course. I had only ridden outside once this year, so 60 miles was probably a bit much for me, but I assumed the group I was going with would want to enjoy a nice, chatty ride while we soaked in the nearly perfect North Carolina weather for February. Much to my innervation, however, I discovered that I had been lulled into a false sense of security by some cyclists who were seemingly in a large hurry all day long!
I think I averaged 18.2 miles per hour for the ride and a few generous souls, Carolyn, Patrick, and Jon, had to come back and kind of tug me along. If there was a picture under the word “Toast” in the dictionary, a candid of me at about mile 50 of that ride would have been ridiculously appropriate.
On Saturday night, my legs were already so sore, I decided to try and endure my first ice bath ever. I should have been less brave and kind of gradually reduced the temperature, but I made it work and none of my boys were injured. I must say that the soreness that I normally would have experienced did not rear its ugly head, so I’m pretty sure ice baths are here to stay at the Cornwright household.
Today is Tuesday and I am recovering from a yoga/pilates class at my old friend’s yoga studio, Albemarle Pilates and Yoga. Cindy led a group of us in what was my first-ever attempt at pilates. It was good and not too tough for me, suprisingly. I would like to practice some more arm-stands. I’m curious to know what percentage of newbie yogis tries this maneuver the first time and fall and break their noses. It seemed like a highly likely scenario as I stared at her hardwood floor while precariously perched on palms.
I’m planning on swinging my 45-pound kettlebell tonight. Actually, I’m going to snatch it a few times, too. Training is good, life is good. I hope to post myt first article in what will be a series on how I use kettlebells to supplement my triathlon training. I’m also planning a post on the best way to approach swimming if you are newcomer to the sport, so be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already!
February 10, 2009
I’m sorry, I was going to make a lame joke of, “Wow, 45lb kettleballs…your wife must be proud.”
But I decided against it; seems too crude.
So instead I’ll just say, “if you swing your kettleballs too much…you’ll go blind.”
Just for info, I am already here in Jacksonville NC. I am living on the Marine Corp Air Station New River, much nicer than Camp Lejeune. Yes, I’ll be at the first White Lake so we’ll have to meet up there.
Great way to kick off the season with that past week.
