Swedish Goggles, Other Toys and the Overall Training Season

These may be the answer. Fortunately, my wife (Coach) is able to do things like follow directions and put things together. I tried these goggles years ago, before I discovered google, and I never got passed being mind-boggled by something that wasn't already put together. I'm looking forward to trying out all my new toys.

I also got a new heart rate monitor, Sports Instrument's ECG Pro Metal. The price was incredible. It has three buttons that is supposed to set around 100 functions. I was proud of myself when I figured out the actual heart rate monitor. It wasn't picking up my heartbeat until I licked the right parts of it. Coach set the time, the alarm and did some other messing around with it. It's quite a sporty looking watch as well and looks durable.

Next week I start the my training program, which is based on the programs laid out in "Championship Triathlon Training" by George M. Dallam and Steven Jonas. It has a total of around 44 weeks of training, from sprint, to olympic, to half to full iron distances programs. This season I will add weight training (and keep it!) and plyometrics, which is a relatively new concept to me.

I'm certain that in past seasons I've had weight lifting and some of the plyometric drills, but I didn't stick with them once the season progressed. The other difference in past seasons that I hope to avoid by using these more regimented and gradual plans is some of the overtraining I've experienced in the past. I've also vowed to not allow pain to slow me down. This may be my last ironman, and I'm going to train like it.

I plan on around 10 workouts per week, with at least one weight/stretch and one plyometric/stretch workout each, plus three swim, two run and two bike workouts, roughly. The book's training plans have training six days a week, but I know I will need at least two days off as things always seem to come up. I will no doubt hit six days a week some weeks and others I won't work out more than three or four days, but hopefully I can maintain pretty consistent training.

I've also stumbled on the Pose Method (http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/pose-running-technique.html) and have ordered a jump rope to assist me in some of the drills (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHZZEdSdnOQ&NR=1). I'm hoping this method may help my running form and reduce injuries from running.