Mission Accomplished!

Well, race day has come & gone, and what a day it was! I went into the race pretty loose because I took all the pressure off myself as far as my finish time. If I didn't reach my goal it was ok, because I didn't train as much as I should have. It's not an excuse, it's reality! You don't just wake up and do a half ironman, it takes MONTHS of preparation & training.

With me working full time, being a personal trainer and trying to get my yoga certification, that took time away from tri training. Doing the "down dog" or "triangle pose" is great, but that don't really help me at mile 45 of the bike! lol

So I went into this loose relatively loose. The goal was to finish in 1 piece. The morning of the race I got my gear checked in early and felt at ease. I pretty much chilled and checked out the other athletes. I always look at them and wonder how they trained and eventually compare myself to them: Are they ready? Am I ready? But I was still pretty loose regardless.

Here I am getting set up at daybreak and after I got everything up & and ready. These pics are courtesy of my wife the Resident Photographer:






After a while it was time to head over to the swim start:



I'm still feeling pretty relaxed at this point, because I feel if I take my time I can finish the race. At 7:30am, the race starts,and we're off! Time to start the 1.2 mile swim:


I'm on the left, in front of the dude in the light blue shorts.

I'm not a fast swimmer, but the swim is the easiest part for me. Partly because it's so monotonous. I can swim pretty much the same speed for an hour or more if need be. My only concern is getting kicked in the face, because some people don't swim in a straight line!!!! I wear contacts, so getting kicked is NOT a good look! To minimize the chance of getting hurt, I start in the back on the left. That way I can see everyone in front of me, and pass people if I can as the swim goes on.

It took about 20 minutes to get into a good swimming rhythm. People were all over the place at the start of the swim, and I had to keep looking forward a lot because there was a lot of congestion in the water. One guy was swimming so close I could see the whites of his eyes thru his goggles as I breathed on my right side. Another guy swam at an angle & I could feel the water vibration from his feet kicking right up on my ear. That SUCKS!!! It's not like you can stop and say "WTF are you doing??" You gotta keep swimming! lol

After a while, people eventually got their own space and you had room to swim. I could swim comfortably, tried to swim using as little energy as possible, because I'd need it on the bike & run! Here I am finishing the swim:



I'm feeling pretty good at this point. My swim felt good and I wasn't tired at all. I'm saying "1 down, 2 to go!" at this point.

There's no resting once you finish the swim. No resting on your laurels cuz the clock is ticking! No time to catch your breath. Get your bike & go!





This is a VERY hilly course, and it starts going uphill soon as you get on the bike:



This is why I try use as little energy as possible on the swim. Why wear yourself out on the shortest part (and many times easiest part) of the race?

When I start the bike, my wife leaves and does her own thing: she goes back to the hotel to take a nap! Then she gets up and goes to Subway for lunch,then meets me to snap pics when I finish the bike portion of the race.

As for me, the bike started out easy enough. I rode at my own pace, passing some people then getting passed. I wasn't worried about how fast others were going, just riding my own race. But what DID worry me was the heat: The sun was coming out & it was starting to get hot out there! Luckily I had my electrolytes.

Two hours into the ride I start to feel a twinge in my left hamstring. NOT GOOD, because I still had another 20 or so miles to ride over rolling hills. I pop another electrolyte.

The hills are coming fast & furious, so I really try to pace myself going over the hills. I ride an easy tempo going uphill, then go fast as I can on the downhill to make up time. Sometimes I'd stand & stretch my legs on the downhill to try ease the discomfort and catch my breath.

2.5 hours into the ride I hit Sugarloaf Mountain. I thought I was ready for it, but my left leg was not! Halfway up the hill my leg cramps up and I have to jump off the bike or fall over. Dammit man!!! I had to walk up Sugarloaf. On the way up I pop another electrolyte pill. At this point I'm eating these things like they're Starburst or something...lol

I finally get up to the top of Sugarloaf and the leg cramp is gone. I think the walking actually helped me, but at the same time, I didn't want to walk. Oh well, what can you do?

The rest of the ride was uneventful. Here I am finishing the 56 mile ride:



I start the run pretty tired. The ride took 3.5 hours,and my legs were burning! It was really hot & humid too, so I knew it was gonna be a tough run.




I usually start the run slowly, to get my running legs together. Ever try run after riding a bike? Your legs feel like bricks! That's exactly how mine felt, but I knew if I finished the bike in 1 piece, I'd finish the race.

I start the run feeling as good as a person can feel running in 90 degree Florida heat. Basically I felt like crap! lol It was hot and I knew I had at least 2.5 hours of running to do... There were plenty people out cheering us on. Right before my wife took this pic, I told her I'd text her at mile 10 so she could come back to the race to watch me cross the line. Where was she going? Shopping of course! lol

My goal was to run the first 7 miles, then hold on for dear life, but by mile THREE I knew I was in trouble. Big trouble! I was starting to overheat. The heat was just too much. They had aid stations at every 2 miles on the run, and I grabbed as much ice & water I could. I poured ice down my suit (front & back) and put some in my cap. IT WAS HOT!!!!

At mile 4 I had to walk. I was in survival mode. This is where my lack of training/conditioning came into play. Mile 4 of the run is where I hit the wall, with 9 miles to go in the hot sun.

At this point I'm doing a run/walk: walk to an object, run to another. Run in the shady areas, walk in the sun. I did that over & over.

By mile 9 my feet are KILLING ME. I really wanted to quit at that point. But how could I? Four miles to go! Besides, I'd NEVER forgive myself if I did. I finally make it to mile 10 and send the text to my wife letting her know. I keep walking/running.

About 30 minutes later she sends the following text:

An athlete passed out. Ambulance here too hot out here!!

Wow. This is serious! I decide to shut it down & walk at that point. Eff that!!

I'm now at mile 12. At this point I reflect on the day, what it took to get here, and how I feel about it. Even though I hurt, i feel GOOD! I'm proud of myself. My time wasn't the best, but the encouragement from the other athletes makes me feel good. And I was able to complete the race, even though I felt I needed another month of training.

It's now mile 13 and I start to pick up my pace. I see the finish line & start a slow, painful jog:



Victory! I made it! God is Good! I survived this EXTREMELY tough day!

Now it's time to eat! Notice the limp and the broken sunglasses! LMAO





This race was TOUGH, but I gutted it out. I know it's crazy to do them, and sometimes dangerous, but I like to push myself to my limits to see what I can do. You only live once, why not make the best of it.

After the race it was time to shower and eat again:



Friendly's is the BEST! lol



I'm still pretty sore as I write this, but I feel good. I gave it my best shot,and have no regrets. There's something about crossing that finish line that can't be put into words. It's setting out to do something,after months of planning and preparation, and finally seeing your hard work pay off.

Triathlon is like life to me: You have many facets of it,and sometimes it doesn't go as planned. You may not get what you want when you want it, but if you keep working hard, you'll eventually reach your goal. It takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and determination. Many times you'll feel like giving up, but if you do, you'll probably regret that decision. But if you DO stay the course, the victory is just as sweet!

It's not about finshing a race for me. It's about testing my physical and mental limits. Trying to see how much I can take, and what I'm willing to do to complete the task at hand. I try use what I learn from this sport and incorporate it into my daily life:

The race is not always to the swift, but to those that keep running." Anonymous

That's my story! It was a tough day, but one I wouldn't change. I'm tired, but feel stronger for it. What's the next challenge? I'm ready! bring it on!




Till next time, Peace!

Almost Home

Well, The Day is just about here! Right now, I feel like I've gotten on a roller coaster: I'm strapped in and we're slowly going up the incline for that first huge drop. It seems like it takes FOREVER to make it to the top, and in that brief moment of time you get really nervous, anxious, and downright scared!

That's how I feel right now!

Part of my nervousness is the fact that I didn't get to train as much as I would've liked for various reasons. But that's life. In many aspects of our lives that happens. We just get really busy and can't do everything we set out to do any given day. Even though I'm not as prepared as I'd like, I'm still ready to go. I won't go for a personal best this time. It'll all be about just finishing!

Last weekend I did a 3 hour bike ride on Saturday, followed with a 10 mile run on Sunday. Those 2 training sessions were GREAT for me and my confidence. I've said this a million times: These races are just as mental as they are physical. It takes a lot of mental toughness to push yourself when you think you're at your limits...

In addition to those training sessions, I swam on Thursday for the 1st time in about 2 weeks. I HAD to swim, so I went to Seaworld: It's really the pool at Bally's, but it feels like Seaworld because everybody can see the pool while you swim, and it feels like I'm on display like I'm at Seaworld or something...lol



I wrote a blog about this pool a while ago. Click >HERE< to read more about it...lol

All in all, I had a good swim. I did my normal routine, which was to swim for 60 minutes total, with 35 minutes of non-stop forward crawl at a moderate pace. With that said, I did have some good, quality workouts. The key now is to put it all together. That's where I'm lacking...

Anyway, there's not much more I can do now but brace myself for this wild roller coaster ride! lol

So here I am the day before, getting everything together. I have all my gear packed and ready, and here's my "food" for the race:



People are surprised that we eat during the races. Not really sure why, but I think people believe you'll get sick if you eat while working out? Maybe you will (if you eat a Bic Mac & fries, lol) but the stuff above is designed to be eaten before during, or after workouts.

The electrolytes will help prevent/minimize cramping on the bike & run, the Clif Bars will keep me from starving/bonking, the GU is for energy, and the Gatorade & water (not shown) will keep me hydrated.

The weather tomorrow will be interesting. The forecast is for showers, with a high of 95 and a low of 73. I hope it DOES rain while I'm running, because that'll keep me cool. Running in the Flawda heat & humidity is NO JOKE!

My race plan is pretty simple: race MY race. I won't worry about those around me, I'll just focus on how I'm feeling and try keep an even tempo the entire day.

On the swim I'll take my time and conserve as much energy as possible. Total 1.2 mile swim time: 45 minutes.

The bike will be interesting because of those hills. I weighed in last night at 210 pounds. The heavier a person is, the more difficult it is to ride over hills. I plan on spinning an easy gear yet keeping up a good pace. I'll ride up the hills an easy tempo, as if I'm riding the bridges in Clearwater.

People think of Florida as being flat, but this part of Florida has hills. BIG HILLS! This here is Sugarloaf Mtn. We hit this bad boy around mile 30 of the bike:



Pics don't do this monster any justice! lol



With that said, my goal is to complete the 56 mile bike in 3-3.5 hours.

The run will be the x factor. I liken my races to gas in a car. I start the swim with a full tank. I'm slightly past 3/4 full when I start the bike, and by the time I finish the bike I'm at about 1/2 tank. On the run is when I start to really burn gas! lol I'm usually good till mile 7 or so, but at mile 8, that yellow light comes on and I need fuel! My energy level starts to decrease and I start to struggle.

This all comes down to training, conditioning, and pacing. I think I try go too hard on the bike, or maybe I start out too fast on the run? Either way, that's something I have to work on, because this is where I have the most problems and lose the most time. Tomorrow I'll see what I can do to rectify that!

My goal is to finish the run between 2.5 - 3 hours, thus having a finish time around 7 hours or so. This doesn't count the time it takes in the transition areas (starting the bike & starting the run) however, so I might have to add a couple minutes to my finish time.

I'm also wearing this 1 piece suit because this will help minimize how much time I spend in the transition areas:




This is pure speculation of course, but at the end of the day, I just want to finish! It's all about starting something and finishing it at this point. I'd like a "fast' time, but if it doesn't happen I'll be happy with whatever time I get. These races aren't easy AT ALL. I'll just be happy being able to complete it.

How will I do?? I really don't know, but I do know that no matter what happens, I'm going to keep smiling and give it 110%!



Let's do this!

Stay tuned! Till next time, peace!

Emergency Stopping Only!

This time next week I'll be in Clermont, Florida (hopefully sleep) because it'll be time to race in the Florida Challenge Triathlon! I can't believe the day is just about here! Time truly flies when you have a million things to do at the same time...lol

I'm a little nervous about this one because I haven't trained as much and as hard as I would've liked. This year I've been busier than I've ever been, and unfortunately the last 2-3 weeks my training took somewhat of a back burner.

But these last few weekshave been VERY productive! I did an hour long presentation at Raymond James Financial on 5-24-11 talking about health & fitness in front of about 100 employees. It was very well received, and hopefully they'll invite me back to speak again.

I FINALLY completed my yoga classes on 5-29-11. I submitted my final exam, and hopefully I'll be a certified yoga instructor by July. Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed on that one! lol

Luckily, I DID do some light training while doing the above, so it's not like I didn't do anything at all. But at the same time, I didn't do as much as I'd like. Don't get me wrong, I feel I can finish. If I didn't think I could I wouldn't even race. My question is how will I do? How will I feel crossing the finish line? Will I feel like a million dollars, or feel like I got HIT with a million nickels? lol

Even though I've done this race 8 or 9 times previously, I don't take it lightly. Swimming 1.2 miles, riding a bike 56 miles, then running a half marathon is no joke. The mental preparation is just as important as the physical, and that's what I'm going to really work on this week. I have 1more hard training day (tomorrow) and then I'm on cruise control. Getting ready for races like this take months, and the week before the race is not the time to put in hard training. You want your body refreshed and ready to go on race day, not tired and still recovering from a hard workout the a couple days before...

Which leads me to today's training session, which was back to the bridges for some good hill training.



I have quite a few cycling jerseys, and I decided to dust this one off and wear it. I like this one because it's a pic from an actual professional bike race. The shot is taken from by a pro photographer (Graham Watson) riding on a motorcycle at the back of the peloton. You can see a couple guys ahead of the pack in the distance, and the others fast approaching with their different color helmets. The shot makes it seem like you're riding with them:




Well, I like it...lol

Anyway, back to the training. Here's a quick vid I took before I started my ride:



The goal today was to ride 3 hours pretty much as hard as I could over the bridges. The bike course is quite hilly, so I MUST simulate the race conditions as much as I can.

It was a great day to ride the bike. Here are a couple pics at the top of the the
1st bridge I ride:




Pictures really don't do this view justice. Th is the Gulf of Mexico and the water looks GREAT. Views like this make it a little easier to ride over & over these big a** bridges!



I usually ride the bridges in a seated position, kinda taking my time, but today I wanted to really push and "hurt" myself. What I mean is I wanted to ride so hard that my legs would be burning by the time I was done. I do that because I want my legs to get prepared for next week. So I did alot of standing and pedaling, trying to ride up the bridges as fast and as hard as I could. To be honest, I couldn't stand & ride all the way to the top. I'd get about 3/4 to the top and I'd have to sit down and slow my pace. But the damage was done. My legs felt it! lol

About an hour into the ride I stopped and took this quick vid:



It was a coincidence that I stopped right at that sign. That's fine, cuz it's my new motto: Emergency Stopping Only: Do NOT stop! I will NOT stop! No matter what happens next week, I'm gonna keep going!



I was feeling good at this point. My legs were holding up pretty well. I was drinking my water & Gatorade, took an electrolyte tablet, ate half a Clif Bar, and took 1 Gu. About 40 minutes later I head back to where I'm parked, which is by the other bridge.


The 2nd bridge is a little longer and harder than the 1st one, and I purposely ride this one last for that very reason. I need to make sure my legs can respond 2-3 hours into a ride when things get really tough. The last thing you want as an endurance athlete is to have your body fail on you when you need it most, which could 3, 4, or 5 hours after you start your event. You gotta dig deep and find that extra bit of energy, and to find it you have to locate it while training.

Two hours into my ride and I'm still feeling good. I'm surprised to be honest with you, because when I say good, I mean I did NOT feel like I had been riding for 2 hours. MAYBE for about 30 minutes of riding, amazingly. I was still riding aggressively and wanted to see how far I could push myself. So far my body was responding well.

I started to feel fatigue 2:45 into my ride. My legs felt tired, but no cramping (thank goodness.) I was still able to push hard, but I could feel my energy levels dropping slightly. That's fine, because on race day I won't ride as aggressively because I'll be saving energy for the run.

Here are pics on top of the other bridge as I was shutting it down:






It was a GREAT day to be outside, and quite a few people were out enjoying the perfect weather. I will never get tired of this view. They always say "never say never," but I'm sayin NEVER! lol








I'm sure after seeing these short vids why I enjoy coming out here to train!


After my ride I took my customary 15 minute cool down walk. I like to do that so I get the lactic acid out my legs, and to let them know subliminally that it ain't over yet! They still need to do some work, especially next week! lol

After my walk I get to do what I do best: lay down and relax! lol



You can see the 1st bridge in the distance:



What I like about Florida is you can ALWAYS find a small secluded spot where you can chill by yourself away from everybody. Sometimes you just need to get away from everybody, even if just for a couple minutes.






All in all,I had a GREAT ride. 3 solid hours with little problems. I think my swim and bike will be fine, but the run is the x-factor. Based on previous races, I'm able to get off the bike and run the first 7 miles w/o many issues, but at mile 8 all hell seems to break loose! It's like I have a major energy leak and it becomes a major struggle. I'm sure it's a combination of the heat and being out there for 6 + hours. I'm just plain tired at that point! lol

I really don't want to walk, but if I have to I can walk with the best of them. I can walk to EGYPT if I have to, but I'd rather not! lol

So tomorrow, I'm going for an 8- 10 mile run. That will be my last major workout b4 the race. We'll see how THAT goes!

But whatever happens next week, I'll give it my best shot, and I'll accept whatever fate has in store for me!

Thanks for reading! Till next time, Peace!

My Mind Says "yes!" But My Body Says "Man Sit Down!"

Sometimes your body will tell you things, but we just don't want to listen! This past Saturday I planned on going for a 10 mile run. My big race is on June 12th. That is FIVE WEEKS AWAY!! Every training session counts!

The only problem with that is sometimes your body could care less when it is. If it wants you to take a break that's what you'll do. I'm usually pretty good at listening to my body and taking a break, but it's crunch time. I don't have TIME to take a break, but this weekend I really didn't feel like training. But with the race 5 weeks away, that means I really only have 4 weeks to prepare. So I felt like I HAD to get out there.

Here I am before my run:



I really didn't feel like running, and I even voiced it in my pre-run video:



The day looks like every other in Florida:



My problem is simple: I'm 42, but I still think I'm 25! Yep, I can say it. Then I'm a big sports fan. I see pro athletes like Dwayne Wade & Derrick Rose get hurt then keep plying at high levels. As an athlete, how can a person NOT get pumped to see others struggle thru adversity and prevail??

Well, a really big factor is these guys are in their early 20's. They can bounce back quicker than my old a**! I'm getting like Shaq: He was out for half the season due to an injury. Battled back and played in a game 2 weeks ago. Dude played for FIVE MINUTES before he hurt his calf muscle! The difference between him and Wade? About 12 years. The difference between me & Shaq? About 4. Dammit man! lol

So anyway, I start my run slow, cuz I'm not into it mentally. 15 minutes in I feel a little better. 20 minutes in my Achilles heel starts to hurt. I try shrug it off by stopping to stretch it a bit. I resume running and then it REALLY starts to hurt!! At that point I give up. I turn around and start the long walk back.

Yep, my right Achilles heel is hurting. This is the same foot where I had the plantar fascitis issues last year. I need a foot transplant! I think my heel will be fine in about 2 weeks, but that's 2 weeks I can't run. This really sucks, because I feel like I'm really falling behind schedule.

But I can't worry about that right now. All I can do is focus on what I CAN do, which is bike & swim. I'll deal with the run later. Besides, what will worrying do besides give me more grey hair?? lol

So, on my walk back, I decided to make the best of it and act like a tourist and take pics as I walked. There are some really nice houses on Bayshore & here are a couple of them:







Each house is different, and I've always liked the architecture out here, as well as the water (of course:)



I'm not a fast walker, and since my heel was hurting, there was no way I was going to try walk fast. The last thing I wanted to do was make the injury worse! So I took my time!

My run/walk on Saturday was about 80 minutes. I was far from tired, more aggravated than anything. It's really frustrating when things don't go as planned, but that's how life goes!

Here's my post run vid:



I feel much better as I type this. I can do jumping jacks and walk with minimal pain, but no running yet. I won't try run for AT LEAST 2 weeks. Thelast thing I want to do is reaggravate it and can't run on race day at all. (Walking 13.1 miles while in pain would be TORTURE!!!!) I'll just focus on my bike & swim in the meantime. I had some good runs before I got hurt, so I hope I can keep that fitness level up. If anything, the swim will help my heel because of the water itself. I don't have to deal with gravity and I can really flex my feet while I swim.

But I learned someting VERY important (again:) I know my body. I MUST learn to take a step back when it tells me it needs a vacation day! Well, I'm all ears now! lol

Thanks for reading! Till next time, peace!

Going Vertical

I can't believe it's April 24th. Time is really going by fast! That means my race is getting closer & closer, and that also means every training session counts! In January & February you can kinda slack a bit on your workouts, because you still have plenty time to get it together. But come April, EVERY WORKOUT COUNTS! Every lap in the pool, every mile ran, every pedal stroke. Which brings me to this weekend's workout: Hitting the bridges.

I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but riding hills is tough for me. I'm not making excuses, and I'm not I'm not complaining at all. It is what is is. Kinda like how some have a tough time with algebra. It just means I have to work harder than others to excel at them. Sometimes it's best to know what your weaknesses are so you can work on them.

The plan this weekend was to hit the bridges and ride them for 3 hours. Here I am before I headed out:



As an FYI, I got this jersey before T-Mobile became a household name in the US. Back in the early/mid 90's they were a powerhouse in the pro cycling world. They were the Lakers of cycling:



This team no longer exists, but I still have my kit! LOL



I was feeling pretty good this morning as I got ready for my ride. The bike is the most important aspect of the race, because if my legs are cramped up there's no way I'll be able to run. Unfortunately that's happened tome before & I've had to walk the majority of the run as a result. NOT FUN.

Here's a quick vid before I start my ride:



The plan today was to try different riding styles up the bridges: Sometimes I'd attack & try sprint as fast as I could. Other times I'd sit in the saddle & ride at an easy pace. Other times I'd ride seated, but at a faster pace. The goal is to hit my legs in a variety of ways, in hopes they can recover enough for the next time up the bridge.

Basically I'd just be riding the bridges back & forth, back & forth. I do this to try simulate the rolling hills I'll see on race day. This would be a boring ride, except I really DO like riding hills & bridges. I like the challenge of it. But the views make it that much easier to do:

Here's a pic at the top of 1 of the bridges:




The pics really don't do the view justice, especially on that pic. Going down the bridge is an incredible view of the Gulf of Mexico.

On this pic Mexico is straight ahead (even though we can't see it;)




45 minutes into my ride I'm feeling pretty good. To be honest, I felt like I just got on the bike. Here's a quick vid I took at that point:



Up to this point I'd taken my time over the bridge. I wasn't trying to push it, just taking my time. In Flatwoods I can start off aggressively, because there are no hills there. Sometimes when riding the bridges, I can feel fine, then halfway up I'll get a leg cramp or feel like I hit a wall and can barely pedal and will fall over! So I'm ride defensively on the bridges.

I'm now an hour into my ride & I still feel good. Really good! It's now time to get a tad aggressive on these damn bridges! I start to ride as hard as I can, standing & really pushing it as far as I can up the bridge. I get anywhere from halfway to 3/4 of the way up before I sit and pedal. What I have to work on is my tempo and relaxing AFTER I ride all out. The key for me is to not fight the hill, but try ride WITH it. It's hard to explain, but the more you "fight" the hills/bridges, the more energy you use. I have to work on that.

I've been riding now for 90 minutes and I feel STRONG. I head over to the 2nd bridge now, which is the hardest. I've eaten half a Clif Bar, taken 2 electrolyte pills, and a Gu. I ride the hardest bridge last because that's the best way for me to improve. 2 hours into my ride I want to have to work VERY hard. How else will you get better? You have to keep pushing yourself.

The views from this bridge are just as nice as the other one:





This bridge is HARD!! It's longer than the other one, and seems like it takes forever to make it to the top. When I try stand & pedal I get about halfway up before I have to sit down. It takes me about 2 minutes to get to the top. I guess that would make me a "2 Minute Brotha?" Yeah, but ONLY in this instance! lol



2:15 into my ride I start to feel the effects. My left leg is starting to feel a twinge, like a cramp is trying to come. When that happens, I try to work them out by standing & pedaling at an easy cadence on the flats. I also become more aware of food & drink intake. Luckily I didn't get any cramps today, but I was definitely tired.

After the dust settled, I accomplished my mission today and rode 3 full hours. Here's another quick vid:




I was pretty tired when I shot that one. Riding bridges really wears me out, but it's a GREAT workout!!

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised that I felt much better within minutes of getting off the bike. That's a VERY good sign. That means my legs are recovering pretty well. That's GREAT, but there's s till work to do. can't get over-confident. Gotta stay focused and can't rest on my laurels!


After my ride I did my customary walk to get rid of the lactic acid in my legs:




This is a great place to train, and a great place to relax AFTER a workout:



The cool thing about living in Tampa is if you like the beach, there are PLENTY spots you can hit. Even find some nice, secluded spots like this one.



Sometimes I like the chillin out more than the actual workout! lol






All in all, I had a great workout. I'm still not fast on the bridges, but that's not my primary goal. My goal is to ride them at a good pace, while still having enough energy to run afterwards. I expect people to pass me on the bike come race day, but I want to pass them right back on the RUN! So I have to make sure I'm fresh starting the run, but still have a good ride. I'm hoping come race day I'll be able to do that. Luckily, I still have time to make that a reality. I don't have a lot of time, but I plan on using every workout forthcoming to make it happen!

Thanks for reading! Till next time, peace!