They’re baaaaack!  I’m thrilled that Tri-Swim has signed on to sponsor Team Trakkers for another year.  This stuff is just gold!  Since we are also back in the routine of Tuesday morning swim practices (we had a GREAT full pool this morning, if you weren’t there you missed out!) I thought it was time to post another Tri-Swim Tuesday workout.

Today we worked on upper aerobic endurance.  (This is another way of saying little rest and hard swims.)  If you do this one as written you should need your Tri-Swim to wash off the chlorine AND the sweat!

Warm up:400 – 500 total

200 – 300 easy

4 x 50 kick (25 hard kick, 25 easy) no rest

Main Set: 2100 total

4 x 50 [25 sprint, 25 recovery] no rest

4 x 100 [50 sprint, 50 recovery] no rest

4 x 150 [100 @ t-pace, 50 recovery]

2 x 300 [200 @ goal race pace for 300 pool swim race, 100 recovery] no rest

2 x 150 [100 @ t-pace, 50 recovery]

Cool Down:  100 easy

In the spirit of looking forward I have finally updated my 2011 race schedule.  I had most of it worked out about a month ago but really needed to work on my goals.  I feel like I have  a good handle on what I would like to achieve so I updated my 2011 race schedule page.  (above)

My overall race schedule is very paired down.  Last year I was really burned out from traveling to the little races and that affected my training for the big races.   SO, this year there are no little races.  I am racing what I love, the half (and maybe the full) distance plus 2 out of my comfort zone different races.  Although I will only be racing 3 REV3 races (Costa Rica, Knoxville and Cedar Point) I plan to be at all the races (working w/ the amazing timing crew at the races I’m not racing) AND I will be at some of the local smaller races as a volunteer, cheerleader and coach.

I had a pretty dismal workout week this week, but since I am trying to ‘be the change‘ this season I am not going to wallow in my couch potato week, instead I’m going to focus on my Thursday swim.  I was a substitute teacher a couple days this week which was super fun, but I’m not in the groove yet to get my workouts done on the days that I sub, so I had a run Monday and a swim on Thursday and a couple of days of yoga.  My run went fine, but my swim was just, well one of those swims.

I wasn’t fast, nor was my form just so, I was just happy to be swimming and felt my ohm with the water.  I did a ladder swim, here is the workout:

warm up:  200 sw. 2 x [25 swim, 50 side kick, 25 swim]

main set:  mod. pace:  400, 300, 200, 100

Negative split sets: 300, 200, 100

Fast sets: 200, 100

Because it’s off season I had to do my 4 x 150 pull

200 cd

It made me even happier to get out of the pool and wash because I’m pretty sure the chlorine level was through the roof – my skin was literally itching while I was swimming!  Thank goodness for my trusty TRI-SWIM, otherwise I’m pretty sure I would have lost a layer or

It looks like I have finally decided on my next big race (aside from REV3 Costa Rica – but that one is really just for the sunshine and sea turtles : )  March 26th Mr. CoachKati and I will don our Saucony’s and run through the nation’s capital for a quick 26.2 mile jog.

As a bit of history my first stand alone marathon did. not. go. well.  I swore that I would only run 26.2 consecutive miles if I had just finished a 112 mi. bike ride.   And yet.  I guess it’s like childbirth which I know was a bitch at the time, but 8 and 11 years later seems like magical, wonderful days!  So, for some reason I got the marathon bug and started searching for a race that was not to far (um, Costa Rica trip in Feb.!) and one that has similar weather patterns (refer to first marathon hellish Jan. sweatfest).  So, the search landed me at the webpage of the Nation’s Marathon in Washington D.C.

Training begins now since I’ve been out of the running game for the summer.  The next four weeks are a  build period focused on getting 3 runs / week with one of them being speedwork. I am also going to try a new shoe – the Saucony Kinvara’s, which have been highly recommended by my TRAKKERS teammates.  I anticipate a couple of weeks to get them (really to get me)

It’s been a while since I’ve done a product review so I thought I would review my very favorite of all nutritional products, EFS Sports Drink. As most of you know I have Celiac Disease (or is it that I am a celiac? I never know how I’m supposed to say that) and follow a strict gluten free diet. I also have a wonky (yes, I said wonky) stomach that is pretty unforgiving during workout and race conditions. So, for years I gagged down Hammer HEED. I thought it tasted good, but in hindsight I think that was because I have such a positive cheery outlook : ) After three irondistance races I could not even look at another bottle of HEED. Don’t even get me started on the melon flavor.
Anyhow, along came my team sponsorship. One of our team sponsors is First Endurance. As part of our sponsorship we were asked to use the product for training and racing and review them. I was upfront with the powers that be about my wonky stomach and the fact that I could not endorse or blog about a product that I couldn’t use. They were very understanding and passed on Robert’s, (one of the founders of First Endurance) email address. He was very quick to respond and very helpful. All EFS products are gluten free (yay!) and several pro’s that are sponsored by the company are gluten free.

So I’m driving along today and I saw a guy riding his bike in the road going against traffic.  That got my preachy-soap-box self all revved up so I thought I would make a post out of it!  I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few months teaching my kids about bike safety so here are a few things everyone must do.  (I know, bold to say, but sometimes we all just have to accept that I do, in fact know everything and am, in fact always right.  K.  Thanks.)

1.  If you are under the age of 12 you should if at all possible ride on the side walk.    It is legal in the state of Virginia to ride on side walks, unless prohibited by local ordinances.  Even in areas of local ordinances it will be adults that are prohibited from riding on the side walk – not kids under the age of 12.

2.  Your helmet won’t help if it’s hanging on your handlebars.  DUH!    Seriously I can’t tell you how often I see this organ donor move.  If you are going to take the time to bring along a helmet, why wouldn’t you put the darn thing on your HEAD – you know, where it will work.

3.  Speaking of helmets, in many localities in VA it is required BY LAW that children under

So I’m driving along today and I saw a guy riding his bike in the road going against traffic.  That got my preachy-soap-box self all revved up so I thought I would make a post out of it!  I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few months teaching my kids about bike safety so here are a few things everyone must do.  (I know, bold to say, but sometimes we all just have to accept that I do, in fact know everything and am, in fact always right.  K.  Thanks.)

1.  If you are under the age of 12 you should if at all possible ride on the side walk.    It is legal in the state of Virginia to ride on side walks, unless prohibited by local ordinances.  Even in areas of local ordinances it will be adults that are prohibited from riding on the side walk – not kids under the age of 12.

2.  Your helmet won’t help if it’s hanging on your handlebars.  DUH!    Seriously I can’t tell you how often I see this organ donor move.  If you are going to take the time to bring along a helmet, why wouldn’t you put the darn thing on your HEAD – you know, where it will work.

3.  Speaking of helmets, in many localities in VA it is required BY LAW that children under the age of 14 wear