Here is what I’ve been up to over the last 5 weeks. This week I’m wrapping up my Base Prep Phase of training with a recovery week. Base Prep to me equals aerobic training with sport specific strength (ie. hills, paddles, big gears, etc.) and weight training focused on developing maximum strength. I’ve been averaging about 18-20 hours a week of training including one day a week of no training to allow my body to recover and absorb the work.

Next week I start my Base Phase. READ MORE

Saturday January 23rd marked race number 2 in the annual Chilly Cheeks Duathlon Series held at Cherry Creek State Park in Denver, Colorado. The weather was perfect. Sunny and 45 degrees with little wind. The roads and trails were mostly clear with the exception of a few patches of ice here and there in the shady spots. The second round of the Chilly Cheeks Series is a crazy race. The format is a 1.5 mi run, 3.5 mi bike, 2.5 mi run, 7 mi bike, and then you finish with a 50 yard dash from transition to the finish line. Your legs have no idea what you are doing to them. It’s great training and really quite fun, and a little painful being January.

With the crazy format creating several transitions, time is of essence and there are many different strategies being employed when it come to transitions. Of the serious contenders in the race, about half do the whole race in their running shoes, riding flat pedals and cages on their bike. Several others (including myself) opted to wear their helmets from start to finish. READ MORE

The XTERRA Schedule has been set and it;s easy knowing what races I will be focusing on each year. Team Unlimited (the organizers of XTERRA) select the XTERRA events that will be designated as CUP races for each year. The Cup Races are the races that the Pros race for points and money and amateurs race for Worlds slots. This year there are 5 events on the calendar, down form 8 last year. Five or six big events feels about right to me. Eight was too many and weakened the fields at many of the races. With only five this year you can count on everyone showing up and ready to throw down!

With the XTERRA Cup and Championship events on the calendar, the next step was to find the other “training” races that I will do to help prepare me for the important races. It’s no secret I like to race. I’ve said it over and over, there is no better training than racing. Within reason, the more races you can do, the better you will get. You do have to be careful not to overdo it in relation to time however. READ MORE

Over the last few weeks I have gotten back to some resemblance of triathlon training. It feels good, but I won’t lie and say it’s been easy. Getting back to work can be tough after a long break of unstructured “exercise”. The 2009 XTERRA World Championships were 12 weeks ago and it has been good to take some down time before ramping things up again for 2010. Here is a quick run-down of what I’ve been up to the last 12 week.

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