March 2011 Triathlon Training Summary, plus Human Race 8K

I am a bit behind. Nearly two weeks ago I did the Human Race 8K in Saint Paul.  It is an out and back course that starts a couple blocks east of St. Thomas and finishes in front of St. Thomas.  It takes place almost entirely on Summit Ave, except for the section that goes around William and Mitchell.  It was cool\cold and a little damp, by the end of the race it was sprinkling and starting to rain.  I had tough time deciding between shorts and my long tights.  I ended with the tights.  I wore three layers, a tight Under Armor wicking shirt as the base layer, a long sleeve technical shirt, and my old Gear West t-shirt.
This would be my first road race, where I really went all out, in two years.  The last time I did a road race all out was the 2009 Human Race 8K.  At that race I had a average min/mile PR.  In 2009, I did the 8K in 36:40 at 7:20 min/mile pace.  Less than a month after that race is when I stopped running for 9 months due to my tibial stress fracture.  The day I ran that race I felt pain in my left leg, continuing to think it was just shin splints that would go away.
Anyway, back to 2011.  I felt pretty good, I had not goal, eventhough secretly I wanted to go under 40 minutes.  I saw people from OHP and from Gear West, which helped get me going.  Also, my friend Eric came out to do it with me.  About 6 years ago, before I did triathlons and duathlons, Eric and I would do a bunch of 5Ks over the summer and he would always beat.  No more.  I have gotten a lot faster than him.
I went out pretty hard, and it hurt, it took about 2 miles to get into a good feeling grove.  I had to remember to keep my hands turned up, so as not to drop my shoulders and to lean forward, keep the hips forward, so I could get more on my fore/mid foot.  I think I did a good job form-wise.  The good thing about this course is that it is mostly uphill on the way out and mostly downhill on the way back.  I did not keep exact time of each mile, but I am willing to bet the first mile and the last mile were my two fastest.
In the end, my time was 38:49 which is a 7:49 min/mi.  I am very happy with this time.  Very happy.

On to the training summaries.  Below are my totals for this March and previous Marches.  The last week or so I have felt a little tired and blah during some of my workouts.  Hopefully, that is not a continuing trend.  I don't think it is, because I swam this morning and it felt pretty good.  In addition, I did almost and hour of strength training, plus about 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer.
Total is a little lower than previous years, but that is ok.  April I will need to ramp up a bit, mostly in terms of starting some speed work.  If I have not mentioned it, I am not being coached this year, which is strange in terms of working out.  Working at OHP has helped a lot, it allows me to get my bike workouts in consistently.  I think without it I would have trouble getting enough bike in at an appropriate intensity.
So far this year, my weight has been slowly trending down.  Hopefully, that continues.
I will break a million yards, since I started swimming in April 2007.

March 2011 Totals and Totals for Previous Marches

Totals and Averages Since 2007

2011 YTD and Totals Since 2007