This is what it looks like when it is all for fun, and there is no race on the calendar. Started a new job in July. Most of the runs/swims were in the first 6 months of the year. Only in recent weeks have I found a pool that is convenient to hit on the way to/from work and swimming should become more regular again. The dog getting old is a problem for the run stats. He was such a great trail run partner. Year in review: Road rides: 6 Miles: 138 Feet: 13,500 ft/mi: 98 MTB rides: 45 Miles: 602 Feet: 105,000 ft/mi: 175 We ride some steep, and we leave out the flat get-there-and-back stuff! Runs: 42 Miles: 145 Feet: 13,800 ft/mi: 95 Swims: 16 Miles: 11.25 Feet: 0 ft/mi: 0 Gotta learn how to swim uphill.

Swam in a salt water pool tonight. It is on my way home from work. Technically, it is on my way to work as well but that is less likely to be important. It was nice. The pool was not crowded and there were no denizens hanging around in the locker room. Time to cancel the Y membership.

Working out is good for you. So having shot bottom bracket bearings that make lots of your pedaling energy disappear as friction must also be good for you. Makes it more of a workout.

Aaaand a new job has pretty much officially closed out the racing season this year.

Ad hoc workouts continue.

Priority number one is figuring out how to get weekday runs back in the mix around the new working hours and commute. Hmm.

Running as self-medication

It goes like this. Inactivity feels good for a day or so. Then you start feeling tense. Pretty soon you are constantly stretching or shifting or adjusting yourself trying to loosen up and relax. Running makes that go away. Tired muscles feel good. In order to accommodate an aging dog, I've been doing shorter, lower intensity runs. These aren't overly taxing on either of us, so it occurred to me to increase the frequency. It turns out even a 20 minute run has persistent benefits. Turns out some of those benefits are mental. This comes as no surprise to many. Now we just have to figure out a routine with a few different trail routes in the mix to keep things from getting boring.

Can run slow now. This is an improvement. Srsly.

Used to be if I tried to stay below the aerobic threshold, steep hills meant having to walk. Now I can actually jog up hills (slowly) and keep a relatively low heart rate. Presumably this means I can build more aerobic base now. The dog likes it. He can sniff around more and still keep up.

Still doing the swim bike run.

For no apparent end other than self amusement. Haven't signed up for a race this year yet. Weird weather is making it seem like it is still winter and not already past the start of the season. Found another steep downhill trail and ran a 7:08 mile last week. Woo. Was holding back too since I had to turn around and run back up the same hill to get home.

Turning potential energy into kinetic energy.

All it takes for me to be able to run a sub 7:30 mile is a trail with 350 ft of descent.

First concern was not to trip and fall. Second was not to go out too hard and be dead on my legs when the trail turned uphill again.

Everything went as well as could be expected.

Need a race to sign up for

Looking for something in latter half of April. Preferably offroad sprint tri. Having a race on the calendar is the best motivation and I need it right now. Nothing appealing has turned up so far.

Mountain biking turns out to be good for your running performance.

Just took the dog out for a run on a 4 mile route. Thought we were just cruising along but it looks like it was about 10 seconds off a PR, and you can be sure I was trying hard on any PR that was set a few years ago.

These 2, 3, 4 and 5 hour rides that are becoming fixtures of the weekend are definitely bringing up the overall volume per week and it is no surprise that is a benefit. They are very un-boring too, which is a plus.

Like so:

Mountain Bike Video at Wilder Ranch

Zone five beats rule five after a while.

That's what I came up with after today's ride.

That climb in the middle of the elevation graph was a heck of a thing. Sloppy dirt, wet from heavy fog.

What is this thing you call "swi ming?"

First time back in the pool in the new year. Had been avoiding it fearing it would be full of resolution folks but at 8:30PM it was not bad.

Not bad! The theme for the night.

Holiday travel is not kind to a workout schedule.

Two weeks off and one week of it was cheesesteak-a-day diet and oh is that another glass of red wine?