Training Diary - Week of Dec 10

Dear Training Diary....

Monday 12/10
Today is very ground hog day as it is looking every bit of last Monday. Hour plus trainer ride in AM featuring the latest 30 Rock and an earlier season ep of The Office. The quickly up to the tower for another day of internet-smithing, stitching another pixel into the internet tapestry before a 10PM 11PM launch. I did manage to squeeze away between 5 and 7 for another fun filled, magical hour of strength work with trainer Josh.

Tuesday 12/11

AM - Didn't make it into the wrapper until 11:30P last night. These are the mornings where the will of a second person is required to drag you out of bed at 4:30am and off to the pool (thanks Jen - go Team Schmitty!). Swim was efficient....long intervals so no monkey business. Have I ever told you about Lexus Lady? If not then I must but I don't have the energy for it right now. Well she was there at the pool as usual. She drags Lexus Hubby along with her now but all he did was sit in the hot tub. Can't says I blame him since it was a tempting and much warmer alternative. The eyes are still very goggle-y following this morning's workout. I gots a bad case of the goggle eyes. Google eyes (clap) they're watching you (clap, clap).

PM - I can't seem to make it through a PM run these days without music. It's a crutch. Schmitty think himself a running purist but sometimes it's the only way to get Schmitty out the door. 

Wednesday 12/12

Yes, yes I can read a calendar. Move along. Nothing to see here. Just another Wednesday folks. Some tempo spinning this morning. In the middle of a nearly 10 hour training week. Haven't seen one of these in over 3 months. Without a race in sight this volume is seemingly worthless. Especially when cold weather is in excess and sun light is in short supply. But you know what? I totally dig it. Watched a bit of that benefit concert for Sandy tonight. The line up that included (to name a few) Bruce Springteen, Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones and The Who, which meant the Garden was packed to the rafters with the middle-aged and dance challenged. To my critical eye this made the appearance of Kayne West really awkward...for both Kanye and the audience. And I don't know what was more startling, Kanye's leather kilt and jegging combo or the tan, waxed and barrel chested Roger Daltrey. 68 years young and still getting it done. Shirt be damned. I fell asleep in the middle of the whole thing. I mean, at 6 hours I think the concert lasted longer than the actual storm.

Thursday 12/13
Swapping out rest days. Moving Swim/Run to tomorrow.

Friday 12/14
AM - Shwimmy. Lots of 100s. Gotta visit Swim Outlet today...experiencing goggle failure on both the primary and backup. The jammer is thinning too, so a new Schmitty shwimmy shuite is in order. Which really is more a matter of public safety than my own prudence. (time lapse) Ok...so I purchased another pair of Aqua Sphere Kayenne Small Fit goggles because little man = little face. For my money Aqua Sphere are the go-to goggle for training and race (I actually keep a pair just for and only for racing). Wide vision and comfortable. Never had a strap break. Never been knocked off during a race (jinx!). And because I'm a cheap SOB I went with the Tyr jammer grab bag. I do like the whole element of surprise thing though. You just enter in your size and they send you whatever crazy piss poor selling color jammer left on the back room shelf. I can hardly wait.

PM - Work went absolutely dead silent in the afternoon so I was able to slip out a little after 4P for a run. Just a run. Some drill work thrown in but just a run.

Saturday 12/15

Long morning. Team Schmitty has but one lone trainer. Jen drew the short straw and peeled herself out of the wrapper shuuuper early. I rolled out of bed a short time later to brew me some wake up juice and to get my core strength out of the way. Jen vacated the trainer around 7 for her short run (brick!). I locked Bob (my tri bike) into position and away I went. The 80 minute ride required skimming three Lettermans. Billy Crystal stopped by to promote what I'm certain will be a terrible holiday family movie. Billy just found out he's gluten intolerant but that didn't stop him from deftly dropping an obscure Sebastian Cabot reference into an anecdote to describe working with Rob Reiner on "When Harry Met Sally." I did a Gatorade spit take because 1) it was unexpected and 2) because of Dave's reaction. Finished my ride and hit the wicked cold and rainy bricks for my run. With today's two plus hours and tomorrow's two hours (run/swim) I am going to tonight's work holiday party guilt free.

Sunday 12/16
Not a terribly late night last night and I drove myself so it was one drink max. Despite this incredible display of holiday work party discipline, I still surrendered to sleep this morning and woke up late in terms of getting my  run in early but still on time to make it to the pool for lap swim. Sunday is tricky at the Oak Park FFC. Minimal lap swim time inconveniently sandwiched between old mature lady water aerobics and Sunday family fun time. Which is why The Triathlife is seriously considering returning to the gym at the Loyola Hospital campus. They have a dedicated lap pool and a dedicated aerobic pool. No kiddies doing unspeakable deeds and no heavily skin creamed mature ladies to upset the PH balance in the lap pool. Yeah, yeah, I know, first world Triathlife problems. Any way, got the swim in and a few hours later made it out the door for a 9 miler. Then had two glasses of Riesling, Chinese takeout from JWok and a gluten free cupcake to recover 'cause that's how The Triathlife rolls on a Sunday night;)

- HIM