After a long day of driving with the kids from SF to Bend (taught class in SF in the morning, ended the day at dinner in Bend) – I wasn’t sure how I would feel today for our triathlon training day – 1 hr swim – 3.5 hr bike – 45 min run.

Started with a morning Long Course swim – outdoors, here in Bend. 3000m, long – stretched out and effective.  Then a quick transfer onto the bike for a 75 mile flatter – rolling ride to Sisters and back.  Close it out with a 6 mile run at Shelving Park (where we parked for the bike).  I am looking forward to this week of training.  The guys all seem to be ready to train – very little complaining, quick transitions today and overall the group was prepared for whatever the day brought.  I was impressed.

Riding up here in Bend is also unique – from horse farms to high desert plateaus – to mountain passes or even 40-50 mile flat roads, its all here.  We go a nice taste of all today.  The group might have started a bit aggressive, but that will only show itself in a few days after we layer this training for some big miles…

Observation today – after a week of training on HR in Park City – the response to wattages on the TT bike today was well aligned to what I had been seeing last week.  I feel good that the HR last week was at the right wattages, and feel even better that the HR training last week kept things more natural and tempered in this big block.  Wattages always pull you into a bigger number – if it feels good – you tend to drift higher…if it feels hard, you keep trying to re-engage into getting back onto a decent number.  You end up pushing, grinding a number that is not ideal for form, efficiency and aerobic – relaxed, sound technique riding.  Today, seeing wattages that were really good AND feeling good about the technique – form and relaxed aero position, validated last weeks training to me again.

13 days in, just under 50 hrs over training.  Another 6 to go tomorrow!  A beautiful scenic 5 hr bike via Cascade Lakes Highway and Mt Bachelor.  Then an hour run on the Deschutes River trail..

Good night – 8hrs to go…