a rare completely random update

Mid-November, and I've been at it for a few months now. Trying to lay down a base for when the "real" training starts in January. I have been looking over some books with training programs in them...and hoping to incorporate what I've been doing with Nick into this training program. One book I've been looking at is called IRON FIT, by Don Fink. http://www.donfink.com/ He has three different (30) week programs in there to choose from. The first is "competitive program"...umm, no. The second is "intermediate program", ummm...maybe. And the third is "just finish program"....sounds good. When I was looking them over, I thought the "just finish" was right up my alley. Now, after training for a bit...I think I might be able to handle intermediate. I might ask some people to look at them for me, and give me an honest opinion about where I stand.

THE SWIM
So far, so good on the swim. I've been doing about 3 training sessions a week in the pool, with an average of about 2,000 yards. We've mostly been doing intervals, which at first, were super hard...but now they're becoming easier and easier. I'm trying to work on my stroke as much as I can, to become more efficient and use my long ass arms...but sometimes I get caught up in going all out during interval work...which leads to not focusing on stroke as much. I don't see this as a bad thing, since going all out produces a higher heart rate, and I need swim cardio just as much as I need swim endurance.

THE BIKE
The bike is the bike. I ride, I like it... I've been doing lots of indoor stuff...well, mostly indoor stuff for the last couple of months. I'm such a puss when it comes to riding the road bike in cold weather. I'd rather be on the mountain bike any day once the weather dips under 60. (told you i'm a puss). So, indoor miles are ok, too. Can't coast, and since I got the PT-300, I can measure watts and HR there too. So, I've been focusing on some watts based intervals, and keeping tabs on the average watts afterwards. I thought about not including my warm up into those numbers, and maybe that is something I should do...since the warm up produces low watts, and kills the average. But, then again, its all time on the bike...and in Lake Placid, I'm sure there will be plenty of times when I'm just spinning and not pushing....just because.

THE RUN
Ahh, yes...the run. My least favorite by far. I'm trying though. I've been running about 3 times a week, and the longest runs are about an hour. 5-6 miles. I'm not the fastest runner, and I don't think I ever will be...and to be honest, my goal for the run in LP is to just finish. By that time, I expect to be pretty worn out, and any fitness that I've built in the run will be replaced by a will to finish. I really am not expecting my run fitness to carry me across that finish line. I will, however, keep working, and you never know, maybe I can surprise myself.

Its hard to not put goals on yourself, other than "just finish". I like to have time goals for each, and it seems doable, but I have NO IDEA what to expect. Maybe by July..but for now, the goal is to JUST FINISH...and to survive.