Woah, baby! One week out? How did we get here? It was taper week and I was feeling, understandably restless with only one workout a day and trying to have more sleep and sit still a bit. I know it's totally normal to feel restless, but it was a bit hard to digest. I kept seeing what other people were doing and wondering if I should be doing more but convinced myself, not this week. Just do what you planned to do and focus on rest. There's not much else I can do now! Here is my workouts from the past week...
Monday, May 9: AM 2400 meter swim and PM restorative yoga
Monday morning I was a bike tired as I was still jet lagged from the trip back on Saturday. I couldn't get myself out of bed on Monday morning to make it to my actual swim practice that started at 6:00 a.m. but I went into work late and went to the pool a few hours after the actual swim practice and just did the workout that was up on the board.
I hadn't been in the water in what felt like a long time and I was happy to see that the workout was a long workout with just a lot of bigger swims. I didn't write down what it actually was but I swam about 2400 meters.
In the evening, I went to yoga class and it turned out to be the most perfect yoga class I could have asked for. Sometimes the classes are really tough, but this was an entirely restorative class with lots of just deep long stretches, relaxation, and nothing strenuous. I seriously couldn't have asked for a better way to stretch out and refocus after the craziness of the week before.
Tuesday, May 10: 4.41 mile run in 43:00 minutes at 9:45 min/mile
This run started off with me wanting to scream and finished with an amazing runner's high. I showed up to meet Janet for a run in the morning and first, I had to delay our run about 45 minutes because I still couldn't drag myself out of bed. We got there, and I went to start my watch, and again, as I went to start it, the thing just died and shut off. I was so annoyed.
So I started up RunKeeper and decided to just carry my phone and use this to track the run. However, after 2 minutes of running, I realized that for some reason, RunKeeper wasn't tracking with GPS and was only tracking time. It didn't calculate how far I was going. UGH. So I stopped, switched apps and tried the Nike Running app, and finally was able to track my run.
Once the technical difficulties were out of the way, I had an amazing run with Janet. We chatted the whole way and caught up on life and work and family and when we finished I had the most amazing runner's high. It was such a fabulous start to the morning and the week (since it was only Tuesday.) It made me feel really excited about the race and about exercising. I had just written how I haven't gotten a runner's high too often throughout this training, and it was amazing to have that buzz throughout the day again.
Wednesday, May 11: AM 2400 meter swim
I finally was able to get out of bed and make it to an actual swim practice on Wednesday morning. It was a really small group and we did about 2400 meters. I don't know why I can never remember what our workouts are. If I don't write it down immediately after we swim, it is gone from my mind forever apparently.
Thursday, May 12: PM 12.04 mile bike ride in 46:30 at 15.54 mph
After work I went over to the Silver Comet Trail for a 45 minute bike ride. As I drove home from work, the sky was looking a bit ominous like it was going to rain. I thought about doing my ride indoors on the stationary bike and continuing to watch New Girl, which I've become re-obsessed with lately. However, the thought of trying to take apart the pin thing in my bike and put it back together stressed me out, so I figured I would rather risk getting caught in the rain than deal with that.
It was a good 45 minutes which seemed to go by really fast and felt like nothing. Funny how that happens after riding for 4 hours at a time! I also used this as an opportunity to try out the new sunglasses I bought for riding. I have been meaning to get new sunglasses for ages and finally did. Ironically, it wasn't sunny for this ride and I did get rained on a little bit but it felt good and made me feel a bit tough. I figured it could rain during the race, right? Might as well be prepared.
Friday, May 13: AM 3000 meter swim
As I mentioned, my mind apparently goes totally blank if I don't write down the swim workout immediately after we did it. I need to start being better at that because I do like looking back at it. I remember a portion of the set because it was around a Friday the 13th theme and looked a little like this:
13 x 50s - Alternating 50 kick, 50 breathing 1-2-3-4-5... etc.
13 x 25s - Alternating 25 easy, 25 under :20 seconds
Saturday, May 14: 16.44 mile bike ride in 1:02:13 at 15.85 mph
The training plan that I have been following for the taper period had me doing a 40 minute run on Saturday and a 1 hour ride on Sunday, but I wanted to switch that around to mimic what I have been doing the rest of training with biking on Saturdays. I went back to the Silver Comet and again, the hour went by pretty quick. It was a beautiful bright sunny day and a gorgeous day to be outside. I am looking forward to training and the feeling that I "have" to do something being over, and enjoying being outside for different rides.
Sunday, May 15: 1 mile open water swim + 4.2 mile run in 40:16 at 9:33 min/mile
I joined a friend of mine and few new friends for an open water swim at Red Top Mountain State Park, a local place nearby where I bike usually, that has an area good for open water swim. I was a little bit intimidated when I first got there because everyone seemed to be very official with their swim gear and wet suits and all around seeming to know what they are doing. I realized right away that I had forgotten my watch, as it isn't something I usually think about needing for my swims (I never wear it in the pool.)
Originally I wasn't planning to do a whole workout or anything and just wanted to test out my wet suit with my triathlon suit underneath it in open water. However, everyone was going out and I figured why not. Once I got in the water, I felt really good anyways. I realized that even though everyone might have had the gear, my pace was actually a bit faster than everyone else's in the water. Since I didn't know what I was supposed to be spotting for or where to swim, I had to stop a little and wait for everyone to catch up.
While I was doing that, I realized how amazing the wet suits are because you literally do not have to do a thing and you can stay afloat. It's incredible and I think it really helped with my pace. I SOOOO hope that we get to wear the wet suits for the race next weekend!!!
After a really nice Sunday afternoon, I head out in the evening to join my old running crew, Movers and Pacers, for my Sunday run. I wanted to run for 40 minutes so I decided that it would work out really nice to get back out and join the group. I haven't been out in a really long time and it was great to be back in that routine, see familiar faces, and meet lots of new people. It was a great way to end the weekend and my last weekend of Half Ironman training!!
Monday, May 9: AM 2400 meter swim and PM restorative yoga
Monday morning I was a bike tired as I was still jet lagged from the trip back on Saturday. I couldn't get myself out of bed on Monday morning to make it to my actual swim practice that started at 6:00 a.m. but I went into work late and went to the pool a few hours after the actual swim practice and just did the workout that was up on the board.
I hadn't been in the water in what felt like a long time and I was happy to see that the workout was a long workout with just a lot of bigger swims. I didn't write down what it actually was but I swam about 2400 meters.
In the evening, I went to yoga class and it turned out to be the most perfect yoga class I could have asked for. Sometimes the classes are really tough, but this was an entirely restorative class with lots of just deep long stretches, relaxation, and nothing strenuous. I seriously couldn't have asked for a better way to stretch out and refocus after the craziness of the week before.
Tuesday, May 10: 4.41 mile run in 43:00 minutes at 9:45 min/mile
This run started off with me wanting to scream and finished with an amazing runner's high. I showed up to meet Janet for a run in the morning and first, I had to delay our run about 45 minutes because I still couldn't drag myself out of bed. We got there, and I went to start my watch, and again, as I went to start it, the thing just died and shut off. I was so annoyed.
So I started up RunKeeper and decided to just carry my phone and use this to track the run. However, after 2 minutes of running, I realized that for some reason, RunKeeper wasn't tracking with GPS and was only tracking time. It didn't calculate how far I was going. UGH. So I stopped, switched apps and tried the Nike Running app, and finally was able to track my run.
Once the technical difficulties were out of the way, I had an amazing run with Janet. We chatted the whole way and caught up on life and work and family and when we finished I had the most amazing runner's high. It was such a fabulous start to the morning and the week (since it was only Tuesday.) It made me feel really excited about the race and about exercising. I had just written how I haven't gotten a runner's high too often throughout this training, and it was amazing to have that buzz throughout the day again.
Wednesday, May 11: AM 2400 meter swim
I finally was able to get out of bed and make it to an actual swim practice on Wednesday morning. It was a really small group and we did about 2400 meters. I don't know why I can never remember what our workouts are. If I don't write it down immediately after we swim, it is gone from my mind forever apparently.
Thursday, May 12: PM 12.04 mile bike ride in 46:30 at 15.54 mph
After work I went over to the Silver Comet Trail for a 45 minute bike ride. As I drove home from work, the sky was looking a bit ominous like it was going to rain. I thought about doing my ride indoors on the stationary bike and continuing to watch New Girl, which I've become re-obsessed with lately. However, the thought of trying to take apart the pin thing in my bike and put it back together stressed me out, so I figured I would rather risk getting caught in the rain than deal with that.
It was a good 45 minutes which seemed to go by really fast and felt like nothing. Funny how that happens after riding for 4 hours at a time! I also used this as an opportunity to try out the new sunglasses I bought for riding. I have been meaning to get new sunglasses for ages and finally did. Ironically, it wasn't sunny for this ride and I did get rained on a little bit but it felt good and made me feel a bit tough. I figured it could rain during the race, right? Might as well be prepared.
Friday, May 13: AM 3000 meter swim
As I mentioned, my mind apparently goes totally blank if I don't write down the swim workout immediately after we did it. I need to start being better at that because I do like looking back at it. I remember a portion of the set because it was around a Friday the 13th theme and looked a little like this:
13 x 50s - Alternating 50 kick, 50 breathing 1-2-3-4-5... etc.
13 x 25s - Alternating 25 easy, 25 under :20 seconds
Saturday, May 14: 16.44 mile bike ride in 1:02:13 at 15.85 mph
The training plan that I have been following for the taper period had me doing a 40 minute run on Saturday and a 1 hour ride on Sunday, but I wanted to switch that around to mimic what I have been doing the rest of training with biking on Saturdays. I went back to the Silver Comet and again, the hour went by pretty quick. It was a beautiful bright sunny day and a gorgeous day to be outside. I am looking forward to training and the feeling that I "have" to do something being over, and enjoying being outside for different rides.
Sunday, May 15: 1 mile open water swim + 4.2 mile run in 40:16 at 9:33 min/mile
I joined a friend of mine and few new friends for an open water swim at Red Top Mountain State Park, a local place nearby where I bike usually, that has an area good for open water swim. I was a little bit intimidated when I first got there because everyone seemed to be very official with their swim gear and wet suits and all around seeming to know what they are doing. I realized right away that I had forgotten my watch, as it isn't something I usually think about needing for my swims (I never wear it in the pool.)
Originally I wasn't planning to do a whole workout or anything and just wanted to test out my wet suit with my triathlon suit underneath it in open water. However, everyone was going out and I figured why not. Once I got in the water, I felt really good anyways. I realized that even though everyone might have had the gear, my pace was actually a bit faster than everyone else's in the water. Since I didn't know what I was supposed to be spotting for or where to swim, I had to stop a little and wait for everyone to catch up.
While I was doing that, I realized how amazing the wet suits are because you literally do not have to do a thing and you can stay afloat. It's incredible and I think it really helped with my pace. I SOOOO hope that we get to wear the wet suits for the race next weekend!!!
After a really nice Sunday afternoon, I head out in the evening to join my old running crew, Movers and Pacers, for my Sunday run. I wanted to run for 40 minutes so I decided that it would work out really nice to get back out and join the group. I haven't been out in a really long time and it was great to be back in that routine, see familiar faces, and meet lots of new people. It was a great way to end the weekend and my last weekend of Half Ironman training!!
No comments:
Post a Comment