Eureka!

For the past few weeks I've been feeling like my training has been going nowhere. I'm still struggling with my swimming, my cycling and running has been alright but nothing to write home about. I've felt like I've been in a holding pattern.

Then it hit me.

My first race isn't for another six weeks, so on the surface it would appear that I'm just trudging along with nothing "exciting" going on. But I'm not keeping the big picture in mind. Everything I'm doing now is creating the foundation for future training. I'm working on swimming skills to make me more efficient for longer swims. I'm increasing my aerobic capacity on the bike and run to build endurance. I'm getting in the habit of using time on the bike to eat and refuel the body.

I just need to keep these things in mind as I train through the next month before the racing season actually begins.

Today is an "off" day to recharge the body. I'm using it to recharge the mind as well to keep the big picture in front of me.

Great Run, No Swim

Yesterday was a full day for me, but I got up early enough to get a great run in. It was only 50 minutes, but a good one nonetheless - first half in HR Zone 2 and second half in HR Zone 3. And once again it felt great to be running outside and not on a treadmill.

After running all over the place doing errands, I got back home with just enough time to get in a recovery swim before the Y closed. I packed my bag, headed over, checked in...and stopped. All lanes were full, which presented a problem. Either I get two people in one lane to allow me in and we swim circles or I wait. Knowing how much lap swimmers here love (he said dripping with sarcasm) to swim circles and knowing how much I really do hate it since I'm not a strong swimmer, I decided to wait. And wait. And wait. And I never got in the water.

There's always been a tug o' war between the lap swimmers and the classes/rec swimmers at the Y pool. Lap swimmers feel there aren't enough lanes and the pool is too hot. I don't care about the temperature, but now that I'm swimming more often I have to agree that there aren't enough lap lanes. Or I feel that the lifeguards should be able to add/subtract lanes when the situation presents itself.

Anyway, I beat myself up a bit because I didn't get the swim in and I really need to be working on my swimming. And looking at the week ahead, there are going to be more swimming/scheduling conflicts. But I guess I should be happy that I at least got the run in. Ugh! This is frustrating.

No Highs, No Lows

This week is a recovery week. It's built into the training schedule every four weeks to give my body a break. Notice I didn't write "rest" week. I still have nine workouts planned, but they are lower in intensity and duration.

I'm feeling alright about my progression. Not great, but not bad either. I feel like I'm sort of in a holding pattern, waiting to have a breakthrough workout when I can say "that was amazing!" It hasn't happened lately.

I was talking with a running friend yesterday who feels the same way and mentioned many people feel it now. Maybe it's the pre-spring doldrums. We're all just waiting for a little warmer weather.

Today is an off day - no training sessions scheduled. So, of course, it turns out that an instructor at the Y needs a sub (and couldn't find one) for three classes tonight -- and I'm available.

Looks like my recovery week just got a little more active.

My Friend Julie

My friend Julie (see last November's marathon postings) is awesome. For a number of years she's been running marathons and half-marathons through the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program to raise funds for people with blood cancers.

Now she's gotten herself a brand-spankin-new bike and is at it again. This June, she'll ride 100 miles around Lake Tahoe in "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride." And she's set a goal of raising $3,000 for LLS. If you'd like to help her reach her goal, go here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/ambbr09/reedrides

A long time ago I worked for the Leukemia Society (before the name change) and know just how amazing the organization is. Not only does it award grant money for cutting-edge research, it provides programs that help people navigate things like insurance, support groups, etc. It's a great organization.

Video Time!

While the events are out of order on this one, and the ending leaves you saying, "that's it?" I was awestruck by the shot that begins about 40 seconds into this video. I could watch that over and over again.

Dear Mr. Road and Mrs. Trail, I've Missed You

Dear Mr. Road and Mrs. Trail,

I've missed you.

For a couple months I had to visit your distant cousins - the Treadmill twins and Ms. Stationary Bike. It was boring being inside every day with them.

But today I got to visit with you both. The sun was shining and the temperature was in the upper 50s. And for an hour and 45 minutes my bike and I sped along with you, Mr. Road, towards Georgetown and back. And right after that I spent an energizing 30 minutes with you, Mrs. Trail. You were a bit soggy in parts but overall your soft crushed limestone was a welcome feeling beneath my feet.

I can't wait to spend many more days with you like this.

P.S. Tell Grandpa Wind to take a hike. He made the first hour of my ride more difficult than it should have been. Please remind him I don't like wind!

Change of Scenery

I made a smart decision to not let life get in the way yesterday (see several January posts.) I had a meeting at the Dover Y and realized that if I came back to the office immediately after the meeting, I'd probably get sidetracked by a million other issues so I got my run workout in before I left Dover.

It was a good run and nice to have a change of scenery. As I was on the treadmill, I also thought how nice it was that no one knew me there so no one would be interrupting my session with wanting to talk to me about a class or piece of equipment or any other problem as so often happens when I train at my own Y. (Why don't people understand that when you're working out you're not "on the clock" or if they do understand that, why don't they respect it?)

Anyway, yay for me for making a good decision and working on that "life getting in the way" issue.

Bike HR Test Set

A month ago my coach performed a running heart rate test set to set my heart rate training zones. It involved running on a treadmill at progressively faster speeds an checking my heart rate at regular intervals.

Yesterday we did a bike test set with essentially the same concept. We set my bike up on a Computrainer, did a bunch of calibrations (which I didn't understand but I guess I didn't need to), and then went at it. We set the tension to a particular wattage and I rode at 18mph for three minutes, again checking my heart rate every minute. After two minutes rest, we upped the wattage. We did this about six times until we got up to 300 watts and I couldn't hold 18mph for more than a minute.

The best part about the session was that I got to ride my bike to and from my coach's house. It was only two miles each way, but it was the first time since last summer I'd been on my bike outside. Yes, it was chilly (windchill of 21) but it felt great!

New Phase

I received my second four weeks of training sessions from Kevin yesterday. I'm now past the "Pre-Base" phase and into the "Base" phase. It looks like I'm going to be training about 10-11 hours each week, with a six-hour recovery week.

This past week was a relatively good one. I was able to get in nine of the 11 workouts and had a pretty decent swim on Saturday. Meyer video taped my swimming so I can start pinpointing things to correct to make me more efficient (read: faster.)

My mental state is pretty good too. I'm healthy and feeling like this is not so overwhelming.

This is going to be a good month.