My new year started off great. Started my new job training at Health Bridge in Crystal Lake and I am doing great on the training front and have the results to show for it. I just recently retested for my VO2 Max and went from 32.8 last May to 42.3. Basically improved from very poor to good. My swimming stroke is SO much more efficient now than it was even two months ago. My endurance still is in great need of improvement but my speed is where I need it to be for now. I can beat my wife in a 25yd sprint and she was a competitive swimmer in high school. She has since started to swim regularly so I may not be able to say that for long. My biking hasn’t changed noticeably. The winter has been killing me because I can not stand doing stationary bicycling. It is tolerable but just barely. Luckily I found some good spin classes at work that have been keeping my interest. Running has improved drastically. My mile times are dropping like crazy for short runs form 11:00 to 10:00 and slightly lower. Endurance is still an issue but my mileage is going up now that training has started for my marathon during Memorial Day weekend. I am running in the Bayshore Bank Marathon in Traverse City, MI. My mom was born there so hopefully that alone will bring me a little luck. I am hoping to break 5:00:00. I will just have to average less than 11:00 the whole race. Doable? Yes, as long as I stick to my training plan. I have bastardized a Hal Higdon plan (Intermediate I) to fit my schedule and I am also going to try to implement Crossfit Endurance training into my schedule to strengthen my week ass body. Swim and bike are going to be scaled back due to the run load being raised but that should not be an issue once I have completed the marathon and resumed Tri training a week or two after. Hopefully the recovery can be that short.

I had been spinning on Saturdays with the Multisport Madness Triathletes for their two hour long class but now that my long runs are on Saturdays I am going to hold off on that until I am consistent in my efforts on the runs. I don’t need to be set back my over-training. The Masters swim classes are also on hold too because of the same reason but also because I really don’t like having to share a lane with anyone yet. I don’t mind if it is with some swimming recreationally but I just haven’t been able to keep up with the class yet. So I have been doing partial workouts from the board later in the day.

I got to meet Joe Friel last week at a dinner held in St. Charles for his Training Bible coaches. The highlight of the night was sitting next to and chatting with Bob Scott. Check out the link for part of his history. TRUE legend of Ironman. Didn’t even know it until I got home and Googled him. Truly an honor to meet and talk with such a humble and gracious man.

One of the other reasons I went to the dinner was to talk to Scott Iott, my soon to be tri-coach. Talked to him for a while and got a phone consult set up so we could go over my Annual Training Plan for the year. I am pretty sure that it is all in good shape now so I just have to stay injury free for the rest of my life and everything will be just fine! Scott also turned me onto The Paleo Diet for Athletes for nutritional information. So far a really good read. There will be a post of the list of recommended books for all beginners to read on the blog soon.

A new event I am putting on the calendar is the Triathlon Clinic being held at Centegra Health Bridge in Huntley on Jan. 30, 2011. Check it out if you at all interested in getting yourself tested to see your true potential.