First Training Weekend of the NEW DECADE!

Saturday January 2, 2010

Bike Ride: Hill Training doing 3 Amalfi Loops




Saturday January 2, 2010 was our first team practice of the new decade. We met at the corner of Ocean and San Vicente in Santa Monica for a team bike ride. Today we were going to tackle the Amalfi Loop. This is a very common loop in SM with a few hills to tackle. For many on our team, this would be the first time really doing some hills so I know it would feel tough for some of the newbies on our team. I remember doing this course for the first time last year and it kicked my butt. There are only two main hills on the course that are really not that bad, but if it is your first time exploring hills, while at the same time you are still trying to get comfortable with how your bike actually works, then it is pretty challenging.



I was able to complete three loops of the course and mainly took it easy, trying to help out as much of the team as possible. I could relate so much to some of the folks struggling on the hills because it is exactly what occured to me for my first Amalfi Loop. My thighs burned. I was out of breath. I even had to walk my bike half way up one of the hills because I climbed it in the wrong gear. U remember the frustration very vividly. Today, I could see the same frustration in many of their faces and tried to just encourage as much as I could. Overall the team did great and we had a successful first practice of the new year.



Sunday January 3, 2010

60 Minute Run and Swim 1600 Yards

Today I decided to do my run by joining my pals on the TNT Winter Marathon Team. Their team is training for the Arizona Rock N Roll Marathon so this week they were doing 12 miles. I only joined for 8 of them since our schedule today only called for a 60 minute run. It was fun. A lot of goofing off as you can see from the videos below.



And here is the end of my run.



Following my run today I headed over to 24 Hour Fitness to get my swim sets in. 1600 yards worth of drills today. I'm feeling much better in the pool this year. Don't get me wrong, I still have TONS of work to do but I am just not as intimidated by the swim this year like I was last year. Great workouts today. Great start this entire weekend to what is sure to be an awesome year of training in 2010.