Week In Review- Karl

Monday 45 minute swim drill set
Tuesday 5.62 mile run, 1 hour, Zone 1-2
Wednesday Swim: 200 warm up; 2 x 200 with 10 second rest intervals between each 2002-3 x 100 with 10 second rest intervals between each 1006-8 x 50 with 10 second rest intervals between each 50; 300 cool down
Thursday Did VO2 max test (see post)
Friday Off
Saturday Bike: 15 min to A, LG for 10 min, TTG for 5 min; 6x90 sec to slightly lower than rp, RI 90 sec; Cool down 5 min
Run: 8 min to A; 6x1 min (pace is A to slightly lower than rp) RI 90 sec; Cool down 90 sec

With a race on Labor Day (The Austin Triathlon- Olympic distance), I used the weekend as a short taper. The set on Saturday was actually the pre-race weekend set from my Olympic training schedule I did earlier this year. I felt really good on Saturday and hope I can keep that through tomorrow's race. It looks like wetsuits will be allowed, so that will be my first experience using one in a race (1500 m one loop swim). The bike is a 3-loop, 24 miler that goes UP Congress Ave. Of course, that also means it goes DOWN Congress in the opposite direction. The run is a 2-loop, 10k. I'm using ProSport for my drink, Hammer gels, and will take a couple of Thermolyte tabs. Both of these are new for me, but I know that for a nearly 3-hour race and with temps expected to be in the mid 90's, I'll need to cut back on the sugar and make sure to replenish my electrolytes. I hope the experiment works. They say not to do anything in a race that you haven't done in training, so I'm breaking a cardinal rule. We'll see how it goes.

Because of so many new experiences in this race (distance, wetsuit, location, nutrition, etc.), I'm not putting too many "grand" expectations on myself. I want to smooth the swim, transition well with a wetsuit, have an easy bike around 17-18 mph (no trying to keep it above 20 mph as in my past two sprint races), follow my nutrition plan on the bike (drink every 10 minutes with a gel every 30 min), and hopefully have enough reserve to stay around 9 min pace on the run. If I can do that, it will be a great race, regardless of where I place.

One thing is for sure...it will be a nice feeling to have an Olympic distance tri under my belt and know that the next thing on my race calendar is the BDB 100 with my TTT teammates. Kia Kaha!