Preparation Week 2

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2008

Mo: 1:00 strength
Tu: 0:30 run / 1:00 bike
We: 0:45 swim
Th: 1:00 strength
Fr: 0:45 swim / 0:45 bike
Sa: 3:30 bike
Su: 1:00 run

Nada seems to have caught Faris' strep throat. And now my throat is scratchy and I'm coughing. I hope I can hold it off w/my new-fangled paleolithic diet. And lots of Emergen-C.

I've lost 5 lbs in about 10 days on the caveman diet. Hoping to lose at least another 5 lbs over the next 5 weeks, then maybe shoot for another 5 lbs. I don't want to look like skin-n-bones, just get as lean as possible (within reason, anyway) while maintaining muscle mass. I figure 10-15 lbs less on my body will translate into improved running economy (less weight to pound my joints), faster recovery, improved immune system function, and just better health in general. It will most definitely help w/cycling uphill. But the main goal is to boost my health and general well-being. Call me crazy but that seems like a worthy goal, even if people give me funny looks when I tell them I'm on the Paleo or Caveman diet.

My energy level seems fine. I was able to ride 65 miles on Saturday, at a decent pace, not race pace but not a slacker pace, either (not sure of the avg speed but we were at 22-24 mph every time I glanced down), and didn't ever feel carb-deficient, deprived, overly fatigued, hungry, etc. My quads were on fire toward the end of the ride, but that is to be expected regardless of your diet, and was mostly due to residual fatigue from lifting weights on Thursday.

Picked up lunch at the downtown Whole Foods today. Amazing. I have not been in that place since it opened, and at that time, I rushed in and rushed out w/out really looking around. This time, I parked in the below-ground garage and rode the escalator into the shopping area. I can't believe how drastically it has changed since it moved from across the street. It is like a mega-store in there. Although it still has a touch of the old vibe, as a crow flew past me, inside the building, on my way out the door.