Two weeks of epic training!

Being a teacher has a lot of rewarding days! Working with students to try and get them as excited about chemistry as I am and of course explosion Fridays, but I would be crazy not to mention the time off is a bonus. With these days off I can get in some awesome

training with plenty of sleep! I got some epic training days during my two weeks off, which include training runs with my track kids and riding long with pro cyclist Bobby, ex-pro Kyle, and fellow elite triathlete Marco.

The picture (from left to right) is of Keith (visiting from Boulder), Kyle, me, Bobby, Sean (who will soon be a pro cyclist), and Marco (taking photo). Great 60 mile ride out east of Sarasota.

Here are more highlights of my training:

Started my vacation in St. Augustine and got in 120 miles of riding, which included a 80 miler.

Hill running with SHS track at the celery fields

Working on my butterfly which got a compliment from the god of butterfly, Kevin McCormack - "you have a decent fly." I was ecstatic!

Rubber track workout with track team and Marco.

2 mile warm up + 4 sets of 400/800 (400 at 5K pace, 800 tempo pace) [equivalent to 5K, completed in 18:40...not bad for a training workout and no speed work] + 1 mile cool down and of course core!

Lots and lots of riding with my 10/2 power intervals (10 minutes at hardest gear just below AT and 2 minutes easy). Thanks to Kyle for his off-season intervals!

Along with power intervals, weights are a key to help develop my bike to where it needs to be.

To finish the two weeks off, I did a 5 miler trail race on New Years Eve day, which was not my best 5 miles from all the training and little speed work, but finished 6th OA and 1st AG with 29:51.

Final totals: 460 miles biking, 80 miles running, 14,000 yards in the pool

Great way to end the great year of 2011! Can't wait for 2012! Especially, meeting my new Rev3 teammates and racing Rev3!

I can't forget the reason I can train this much and the reason I am so successful-my Abigail! Had a wonderful New Years Eve!

That's a bitching sparkling shirt!