mmm Jersey Mikes

Just had a Jersey Mikes cheese-steak, those things are awesome.
Been sticking with the training. Lots of swimming and a few easy runs and rides mixed it. Except Sunday. Ofer started up a running group so we've been getting 20+ guys to come out for the 1:25 run on Vista Trail. I've never seen such a good group of guys. No big names but all very solid guys. If we were a team we'd have one of the nastiest 25 man XC teams around! I ran with the group 2 weeks ago and it was friggin painful. Last week, with the previous week under my belt, things were much easier and I was able to actually push it and feel good. Gotta hold back though, my legs were tired after that one and I gotta keep em fresh so I can concentrate my good efforts on swimming.
A note about long runs. They're important. I ran 15 miles nearly every single Sunday for about 6 years. Now I don't have to be as meticulous so it frees me up to bike/swim more particularly during the season when those long runs would tire me out a bit too much. But during the off season I like to get back into them and get my body used to the 1:20-1:40 efforts. I think the key for triathletes is to not go longer than that if you're racing half iron or under. There's a temptation to think longer is better but you need some intensity or else the workout is pointless. I find that once I go over 1:40 there is little to no extra return AND my body takes much longer to recover. Nearly all my long runs are under 7:00 pace. If I want to race at 5:15 pace then there isn't much point in running over 7:00 except on recovery days (when I'll run quite slow).
I got slower in the pool the last couple of weeks. I had a great team goals a few weeks ago and did one of my team goal 100's in 1:01. Yesterday 1:04's felt HARD. It's a bit frustrating but I know that you just have to keep at it. It's simplistic to think that the body will follow a steady progression and get 1 second faster a week but that's not how things work. Sometimes you take a few steps back then make a huge jump forward.

Fast Food Challenge

Good long run today with a group that Ofer started. About 20 guys showed up and we ran on Vista Trail to Eldorado Springs and back. I've getting back into some running shape so it wasn't an easy 1:27 but not crazy hard. If anyone wants to come next weekend it starts from the trailhead on Hwy 93 on Sunday at 8:30am.
After going to Park City last weekend for some good training with Taylor I got sick this week so took Tuesday and Wednesday off.
Last night was the Fast Food Challenge. The competition was born out of the famous Cornell dining hall eating competitions of the 1980's and 90's. Last night was a 2.8 mile run with 5 food stops.
1) A sloppy joe and soda at a sloppy joe specialty restaurant.
2) 7 Eleven for a hot dog and Slurpee.
3) Slice of pizza and soda
4) 3 tacos at Chipotle
5) 1 chili cheeseburger at Carl Jr's.

I was a judge at Carl Jr's. There were 9 competitors and I was anxious to see who would arrive at the 5th and final food stop first. Ofer and Matt came in neck and neck but it was immediately apparent that Ofer was feeling much better. He was steadily breezing through his burger while Matt was carefully watching Ofer, sweating profusely, and spending 1 minute chewing each small bite. Ofer was out the door and to the finish: 24 minutes. Impressive - 24 minutes to run just under 3 miles and eat 5 meals. Plus he had a beer at the post race party and made it through today's entire long run!