Experiments in triathlon training

Obviously triathlon training has taken a backseat since the new addition four weeks ago. :-)  On my workdays, I'm just not finding the time to fit in some workouts. After working eight to nine hours, making sure I spend a lot of quality time with the kids, and making sure Joy has time to work out and do some stuff that she needs to do, it just doesn't leave any time left over for workouts. And sleep.  Sleep is very important to me these days, whenever I can get it :).  While it might be possible to find a little time in all of that for a short one, I'm not willing to sacrifice any time from those things, as they are far more important than a work out. And while I have tried to maintain some sort of workout consistency, it just aint happening.  I have managed a few interval treadmill sessions late at night after everyone is asleep, but counting on that as part of the training plan just isn't cutting it.  So I'm down to training basically three days a week, on my days off.  Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Which leads me to the following question.  How fast can I be for a half Ironman on three days a week of training?  Here's what I'm looking at:  Wednesday with some bike intervals and a brick run.  Saturday long ride with a short brick run.  And Sunday with a spinning warm up and a Long Run.  No swimming.  Yes, I said no swimming.  I will try to squeeze some pool sessions in the last three weeks before Redman just to get the feel again, but my swim time will definitely be slow.  At worst I think I'll be giving up about 10 minutes on my swim, which is definitely not insignificant.  But, it is better than giving up 30 minutes or more on the combined bike and run if I'm less fit for those two legs because I sacrifice training time to get in the pool.  So that's the plan guys and gals.  I think I'll be able to manage a 5:45 with this, which is almost an hour off my PR(4:48), but I do want to do this race just to see what I can come up with(and I've already paid for it!).  I'm putting it all out there so you guys can journey with me through the next 10 weeks and see what race day brings!

On the plus side, I do have all that base training from Ironman Texas under my belt, and I can't have lost ALL of that fitness in the last four weeks.  Right?? RIGHT???

Blatant use of snuggly baby picture to encourage blog viewing.  But come on, aren't they just adorable?