A Peek at a Training Week

Katie Bolling and Rural Girl

It's only January, but ever since people shook hands a few weeks ago the team of Vision Quest elite has been pulling out all the stops for Team Evotri.

Rural-Girl's coach, Katie Bolling, is pictured here leveling the field at the competitive Spirit of Racine half-Ironman race, and has already begun molding our small-town girl into a big time threat. Katie has Michelle building up her base by hitting the trainer and the pool on the days she's not out winning snow-shoe races in the frozen farmlands of Wisconsin, and is amped about her fitness this early in the season. Surely shaving an hour or so off of our Rural Girl's Ironman time and securing that coveted Kona slot is well within reach. Let's take a peek at a Kona hopeful's week so far:

"Triathlon training is definitely moving along as I expected. Since beginning my formal training with coach, Katie Bolling of Vision Quest, I have been putting in 12.5 - 13 hour weeks. Right now I am in the "base-building/volume mode" as Katie describes it. This phase will continue through mid March. The focus right now is on steady efforts at 65% of my max, and the purpose is to create a solid foundation upon which to build.

I've been working on long, steady swims with a lot of focus on drills and pulls so far, and have also been focusing on increasing bike strength and core/strength work 2 times a week to help improve my overall performance and stamina. A safe build on longer efforts in running and biking is also in the plan. Katie assures me that "being smart at doing a steady and conservative base-build" will help ensure that I reach my goals! She makes it sound so easy!"

And there you have it, look out Madison! Be sure to check back regularly for periodic updates on Michelle's progress both here and on her blog.

We'll be profiling all the members of Team Evotri and their superstar Vision Quest coaching partners, so stay tuned. Next up we take a peek at one of Chris Sweet's Kona bound weeks!