I Like Bill

Bill is the other guy that I run with at lunch (see picture to the right).  I like Bill.  He is the one that always keeps everything light and funny.  Some days he'll show up hating everything that is going on around him and he just rips into anyone and everyone, but in a good and humorous way.  Other times he is just a guy, a self proclaimed "traditionally handsome" guy that just does guy things, talks about guy things and thinks about guys....err, rather things about guy things.  What are some of the other reasons that I like Bill?

• Every 5K I have run with Bill I have beaten him (even by as little as a couple tenths of a second)
• The inevitable flatulance that occurs on every run
• He becomes my running partner when Chris leaves us behind
• We complain about the same things when running
• He is a sprinter like me and he has the same hatred of Chris' easy stride that propels him along at a pace much faster than us
• He can push me in the 100M repeats we do
• He thinks like a guy and that is a good thing
• He jokes, but doesn't complain when either Chris or I are late.
• He will do any workout that Chris or I come up with without asking questions, he just smiles and does it.

So Bill is a good guy and he is good to have out on those lunch time runs.  There should be a couple times this spring and summer where we face off at a 5K....I hope that I can continue my dominance over him.

What has been going on since Tuesday?  Well, I did finally top the 2,000M barrier in the pool on Wednesday morning (yeah!).  I think it took me around 44 minutes to complete it all...I was actually following the plan up on the white board on the pool deck (it was the swim team's daily practice).  I was definitely spent at the end of it.  I was supposed to get on the bike later on that night but I was wiped, I had nothing left after a long day of work and travel.  I believe I passed out around 9:30PM.

Yesterday was a good day.  I had the job of getting my oldest on the school bus and my younges to Pre-K, which meant I got to sleep in until 6:20AM.  It is a much better way to start the day, sleeping "late" and spending it with your kids, rather than splashing around the pool at 6AM (not that I don't enjoy becoming a better swimmer, but let's be honest).  We had a good morning that included some tears when Mommy left, but ended with us all laughing and having fun.

Work was work, I am so busy, I need an assistant or two.  I did manage to get out for a strong run out at lunch.  It was an easy .5 mile warm-up, then 4 miles at half-marathon pace (7:20/mile), an 800M recovery (8:30/mile), then 1 mile at 10K pace (7:05), followed by 6 x 100M strides.  All in all it was about 6.5 miles and all of it hurt.  I must say that as much as it sucked when I was doing it, when I finished I felt like I was going to puke....actually I felt great that I had completed a tough workout, one that is going to make me a stronger/faster runner.

Today I was back in the pool and I managed 2,050M (500M warm-up; 1,000M straight swim; 400M pull buoy; 150 cool down).  I believe it was in 44:23; I wanted to go a bit longer but my strong was deteriorating fast and I thought it best to just get out while I was ahead.  I really felt my stroke during the 1,000M portion, I stayed a consistant 2:13/100M through the entire swim.  I didn't start out too fast and then fade, I managed the same pace for the first 800M and even picked it up for the last 200M (2:10/100M).  I am getting better in the water, I am trying to swim more relaxed, and focus on swimming "downhill" and having a good pull (ah, so many things to have to think about, why didn't my parents get me on a swim team when I was a kid).

Nothing on tap for tonight, although a bit of time on the bike would be a good thing.  I have a decent weekend on tap, training-wise, 5 miles plus 6 x 100M strides on Saturday and 11 miles on Sunday.  Then.....dun-dun-dun.....Monday starts WEEK 1 OF IRONMAN TRAINING!!!!!  Holy cow, it is actually here.  This is where things are going to get interesting.  Work time, peace out!