302 days until Ironman Arizona.

• Swim 400 warm-up (drills) 1 x 500, 5 x 100 on 2:30, cooldown (4 x 50)

303 days until Ironman Arizona.

No training. Insane weather here—we lost power and water, and the wind was so bad Mrs. Fat Triathlete forbade me to go out on the bike.

Can’t decide if this blizzard warning means “skip your ride” or “RIDE! RIDE! RIDE!” :)

304 days until Ironman Arizona.

I think focussing on bilateral breathing for the past couple weeks is starting to pay off: It’s getting easier.

• Swim: 1500 yards (15 x 100 on 2:30-ish), focus on bilateral breathing and catch-up.

305 days until Ironman Arizona.

Long (but not as long as usual—it’s recovery week!), easy run.

• Run 57:06, 6.12 miles, Avg Pace: 9:20, Avg HR: 151.

306 days until Ironman Arizona.

Recovery week here at Fat Triathlete training camp. I’m really undisciplined, though—I find it difficult to cut volume without increasing intensity—especially on the bike. To wit, I went for some serious hills on this ride and blasted high gears in the flats as fast as I could. I also conveniently forgot to wear my heart-rate monitor chest strap.

So much for recovery. ;)

• Bike: 1:11:36, 19.58 miles, Avg Speed: 16.4 mph, Avg HR: —, Avg Cadence 85 rpm

308 days until Ironman Arizona.

Longer easy ride today, except the return trip was into some serious wind. My usual route is all messed up by construction on the freeway—need to figure out another one.

Oh, and today somebody threw a beer bottle at me from a moving truck as they passed—I’m guessing they were doing about 40-45 mph. Luckily they missed, but wow. What the hell is wrong with some people?

• Bike 2:55:22, 47.23 miles, Avg Speed: 16.2 mph, Avg HR: 139 bpm, Avg Cadence: 91 rpm

309 days until Ironman Arizona.

Easy swim and run today.

• Swim: 15 x 100 b/l
• Run: 41:54, 4.46 miles, Avg Pace 9:24/mile, Avg HR 152 bpm

310 days until Ironman Arizona.

• Bike: 2:06:39, 36.89 miles, Avg Speed: 17.5mph, Avg HR: 148 bpm, Avg Cadence: 91 rpm.
• Run (Not a brick): 30:09, 3.3 miles, Avg Pace: 9:09/mile, Avg HR 153 bpm.

311 days until Ironman Arizona.

Today was supposed to be the second-longest swim of the week, but, well, I got trapped in an environmental disaster the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the Exxon Valdez.

About 35 minutes into my set, an older woman got in my lane without rinsing off first. As she swam off for her first lap, you could see a rainbow-colored film on the water trailing behind her. When I started swimming again, I nearly gagged from what I can only assume was three or four gallons of old-lady perfume. To add insult to injury, when I caught up with her she says to me “Boy, the pool sure has a lot of chlorine in it tonight!”

I did a few more 100s, but I felt like one of those poor animals trapped in an oil spill and quickly realized I would have to stop or risk never getting the taste of that woman’s perfume out of my mouth.

• Swim: 1500 yards bilateral breathing + catch up, 250 yards kick.

Please, please, please rinse off before you get into the pool—especially if you’re wearing your weight in perfume. Thanks.