Updates

Something is definitely wrong with me; all I want to do is eat, everyday all day. Sitting at my desk at work my mind constantly wanders back to what I could possibly eat, even immediately after lunch yesterday where I ate enough to feel entirely full; I still wanted to eat as soon as I got back to my desk...

In all reality I'm doing a decent job of suppressing my food urges and with the running, biking and now swimming I'm feeling pretty decent. The hints of love handles I'd started to show are once again fading away and my body is beginning to feel pretty healthy again. Not that I ever got way out of shape, though I can always really tell when I go a couple of weeks low in exercise and high in crappy food. Now, I found individually packaged and frozen salmon fillets and chicken breasts so I've been essentially alternating my dinners between the two. Finally a great way to get and keep fish in my diet; single serving Costco salmon fillets. Loving Costco (despite the crowds) right now.

Saturday I got out for a great 8 + mile easy run around the ag land north of Greenbelt and felt great. I wasn't setting any land speed records, but at this point I know I could easily go out and run a half marathon at a solid pace. The sprint tri's 5k should be cake, so long as I make it out of the water before cut off time. Sunday I finally headed to the aquatic center and did somewhere in the ball park of 20 laps, right around the sprint tri distance I'll need to complete. While my swimming fitness is pretty bad, I was happy to note that I could swim without the shoulder being too much of an issue and that I could swim, probably better then I expected.

My freestyle stroke is still pretty inefficient, but it will get me there, even if I have to switch to breast stroke to rest a few times. I know I can make it; and maybe even beat a few people along the way in the swim, though I'm definitely not holding my breath on that one. Later in the afternoon I met up with my bro in law Brian and we did a relatively easy ride through Rock Creek Park.

I really felt like I could put some good solid efforts in on the bike which is great right after the longer run on Sunday and swim earlier in the day. One of these days I'll need to get out and really just drill it for at least the full 18 miles of the race; probably after a swim. I've never done a time trial before so I'm not sure how well I'll do with the sustained high solo effort. Unfortunately for me, the training rides with Brian are a bit easier then my training rides should be since he is just getting started on the bike.


Monday morning back to the pool for an even more solid 20 laps before work; hopefully that'll become the norm for at least 3 or 4 days a week followed up by a hard commute to work to simulate the swim then bike portions of the race. Could be a pretty good way to train considering my ride is about 16 miles each way.

In other news, I've got my first race of the season coming up on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Steel City Showdown is destined to be a good time; though hopefully I don't drink too much the night before with my buddies from college... Unfortunately Chris will no longer be able to make it to keep an eye on me and my never ending thirst the night before the race. At least now there are 9 people registered for the 35 minute 4/5 race...

Damn, I write a lot... Babble, babble, babble...