Lows and Highs

Wow, I just realized how long it has been since I last updated the blog. Then I realized how many ups and downs I've experienced since my last post.

Shortly the July 4th holiday I began hitting a mental wall. My training was ok - not great, but ok - but my mind just wasn't in it. I think I was questioning all of the time and effort and if it will really be worth it. At this point, if I'm not working or sleeping, I'm training, and I've had to put just about everything else on the back burner. I'd signed up for the Dave Reynold's Biathlon, picked up my race packet the day before, and then just couldn't do it. I was in bed when the starting gun went off.

In not doing the biathlon, I was able to have two days off of training in a row - something I hadn't had in a while. I guess it was good for me, because the training for me since then has been better. Last Wednesday I got in a good speed workout - hitting 2:50's for six half-mile repeats. And last Friday I had a pretty good speed workout on the bike with my coach. We did nine 1.2-mile repeats and really pushed it.

The speed work must have helped me in last Saturday's Seashore Strider 5k race. I took second in my age group and had a PR of 19:48. I felt good enough to run the route again as a cool down, and then add another mile by running home.

Yesterday I got in a good 3-hour ride. Only in southern Delaware have I been able to do an out-and-back ride and experience headwinds both ways. I was wiped out, though, for the remainder of the day and napped most of the afternoon.

I already got my 60-minute run in today and will be swimming this afternoon. This is going to be a tough week of training but it will get me ready for my "push" phase over the next month.

Only 62 days to go!