2014 Season
Prep for the 2014 Triathlon season is in full swing, including 1:1 run coaching from Erik Stanley, founder of Trail Roots and winner of the 2013 3M Half Marathon and numerous other accolades.
One thing this has reminded me is that short course is really hard. Sure Ironman is tough, but for the most part it's a mental game, unless you are training to go sub 10hrs, when Ironman is really hard, and eats up your life. Short course training is harder, if you want to do well. I've never been so tired. For the most part tomorrow is my day off, and most other days I only train max 2-hours.
However, my run training has been really hard. When I sat down and talked to Erik, I said not only did I want to win my Age Group at this years Texas Tri series, but I thought it would be my last year of running, either one, or both knees would need replacement. To win the tri series I'd need to be faster than both my 5k and 10k individual run times, and there or there abouts for the half marathon.
So, its not only been painful to my shot knees, muscular its been exhausting. Things are going well though, I'm already running 5k PR time, there or there abouts. Tonight, I was out for an "easy" ride, and for the first time since September 2013, on my Tri bike.
I won't be making wholesale changes this year, the biggest change is really the saddle. Traditionally for longcourse I've used a long nose, gel triathlon saddle. My old saddle was wearing thing and last year I had my share of rubbing problems. Pro Triathlete and Specialized ride Tenille Hoogland was kind enough to send me one of the new Specialized Sitero Pro saddles, and fellow Canadian Pro, Stephen Kilshaw, when he was homestaying with me for Austin 70.3, fitted it.
Today though was the first time I actually rode the bike. I never really got fitted for it. Stephen replaced the old saddle like for like. It was actually very comfortable in the aero position. My butt just resting on the sides of the wide part of the saddle. Absolutely no pressure on anything forward of that. I'm not convinced I could ride it for 56-miles, the saddle is otherwise hard. However, sprint, Intermediate, Olympic first, and some 6-months to make a decision before the season ending race, half-iron distance, Kerrville Triathlon Festival.
Next-up: Capital of Texas 10,000 meters - Goal, PR Pace.