December Training and 2012 Race sched

Since the detox I've actually sped up quite a bit.  I've signed up for several races and now that I look at my calendar I see that I may have done it again.  I will have a huge opening season...

Feb 26- Augusta Half Marathon
March 04- Early bird sprint
March 10- Columbia Marathon
March 17- Columbia (or something) sprint 
April 21- Columbia Half iron............maybe.........This one is pending
April 28- Langley pond Int.
May 18-20-  Triple T
June 2- Potomac river swim
June 24- Morgantown Half

I suspect I will be in great shape come June.  I'm hitting it hard right now.  About 10-13 hrs a week.  Now, I know there are some people out there putting in like 15-20 in the middle of winter but, my season starts in 8 weeks and goes until November.  On that, I just don't get the retarded workouts with no real advantages.  I guess if it takes that much to be somewhat decent then go for it.  I also vowed to not get sucked into "paying for speed" thing.  I don't care how light, how aero, how coached, how much you pay....Bottom line, it's the effort, it's the flat out hard work that I will use to stomp your ass.  The big difference this season is that I am taking that every 5th week is a rest week.  I am a hypocrite I guess.  I'm 10 days straight into my 6th week and I just bought a sufferfest video....ha.  Not quite the same as buying powertaps and putting in century rides right now. 

I let the detox diet/ nutrition slide a bit.  I started to really miss candy, wings and beer.  So much so that I wasn't happy. I'm enjoying the holidays in a responsible way but, come Jan 1 I am running through another detox cycle.  I'm thinking of running it out 21 days with a "special" day in there for Natalies Birthday.  I really want to run Augusta Half well. I think my 13.1 PR is 1:29:30.  That's unacceptable.  I need to finish my 70.3 in 1:26.  I've been focusing there a bit.  The legs are strong and I'm getting faster.  Turns out that I can easily pace 6:20 off the bike (60 min tempo) for about 3 miles.  It's odd, my perceived effort is low, and my HR is in the 140's for 3 miles then BAM!  HR spikes to 185 and I'm cashed.  It's likely a fuel/endurance thing but, I'm 10 miles short so that needs worked out.  I also hit a hill at 3 miles and that doesn't help.  My longer runs sit around 705s but, I'm mostly concentrating on form and I'll admit that after 10-12 miles I start to feel it. 

That sums up what's going on right now.  I'm headed off for a quick spin.  It's another 70 degree day and I like sitting on the trainer for now.  I've never biked this much in the off season but, I'm shooting for a 2:16ish bike at Augusta 70.3 so I need to have these legs road ready in a month for when the temps warm up here.