We've jumped into June and it still feels like April with our cold and windy weather! The training for Ironman Racine 70.3 is going well and Team Motiv8 has had a successful first few weeks of racing.
Craig Weaver and Family wrapped up the Curwood Half Marathon in style! Craig took 2nd in his Age Group at the Half Marathon distance. Craig's wife, Susan, took first in her Age Group at the 5k distance and son, Ryan, took first in his Age Group at the 10k distance. This absolutely shows the underlying reason that Team Motiv8 exists; to help encourage families to be active together!
I raced the Hawk Island Triathlon and the Motor City Triathlon. At Hawk Island (400m, 10mi, 5k) I raced well but I wasn't as fast as I hoped to be. In fact, I was about 20 seconds slower than I was last year. Unfortunately I was about 2 min 30sec out of contentions for an Overall finish; in a sprint distance triathlon that is a fairly big time gap! I had the disadvantage of working my normal shift (24 hours at the fire department) the day before the race. So I got off from work at 7am and went straight to the race. But I finished in 1h 2min with a 2min/100 swim, 21mph avg on the bike and a 7:10/mi paced run. A good friend, Adam, did race very well taking a 3rd place OA finish and setting a new PR at that course!
Last Sunday at the Motor City Triathlon (500m, 12mi, 3.44mi) I raced very well! I set a huge personal best in swimming! I placed 6th Overall and 1st in my Age Group by over 7 minutes. I was still about 2 minutes away from a Podium Overall placement, but I am very satisfied with the performance! My swim averaged a 1min/100, biked 22 mph and runs were paced sub 7min/mi. My biggest advantage came in the swim where we had the help of a 3-4 mph current in the Detroit River - we swam mostly with the current and I used my full wetsuit as the water was a little chilly. What I find rewarding is that even if I would have experienced my "normal" swim, I still would have placed first in my Age Group. My bike split was very good and also a race PR for speed. My run followed suit where I raced a sub 7min/mi for the first time in a triathlon.
This past week was my Peak Week in the Periodization Training Plan for Racine. So my volume was huge and the speedwork on the run was intense. I hit a big benchmark in speed training on the run and completed a new 1 Mile Best Effort Run in 5m42s. I feel like the past 4 years of training and planning and analyzing data are finally paying off. While my overall training volume is much lower this year than last year, I have trained much more intentionally and spent a lot of time working on form, both in the water and on the run. Perhaps later this year I'll be able to bring my biking up and show a big break to hit avg speeds of 24mph.
Racine weighs heavy on my mind every day. I've looking back at race data from last year and trying out more specific nutritional planning. While I raced well at Racine last year, I know that my nutrition was low on a caloric base and I wasn't properly conditioned for the run. I cramped up on the run last year, partly due to nutrition/hydration and partly due to a storm that left the run course brutally hot and humid. Tuesday I will complete my final long distance bike/run session being a full distance brick session. From there I am only about 3 weeks away from Racine and will wrap up the Peak Training Plan and start my Taper.
After Racine I plan to enjoy the rest of the season with another 70.3 in September for fun, a local triathlon, a marathon and wrap up the year with the largest single mountain biking race in America - the Iceman.
I have to send out a big "Thank You!" to my family and friends who have helped me with training (support and encouragement, watching the girls and so much more). Becky has always been my biggest supporter! Marsha at Escapes Spa Therapeutic Massage, Fluid and Trinity Multisports continue to be very supportive sponsors -- You owe it to yourself to be treated the way I have been by visiting them! (Marsha even has a special offer for first time customers if you mention Team Motiv8) Please do mention Team Motiv8 when you visit or purchase from these sponsors - we get NO kickback from them when you utilize them, but they do like to hear that we are promoting them.
On the personal training front: I have set up a training studio in the PKSA Karate Saint Johns location (this link will take you to their Facebook page - please go 'Like' them. I hope to start building a solid client base in the St Johns area and still plan to meet others for sessions. I look forward with great expectations to this next month! Come out and swim, bike and run with me!
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