Training - Week 3

I am slowly working my way out of my motivation slump one week at a time and week 3 of lots & lots of weeks of training went well. Now lets hope I can keep the ball rolling and have another good week this week! Oh and plus I get to race this sat :)

 

Anyhow, here's how last week went:

 

Monday - Rest day with 4 mile bike commute

 

Tuesday - Bike: (1:44) - 30.5 miles: The weather was nice so I went down to Haines Point after work. I did  6 x short loops with one long loop working on intervals. I managed to hold 23mph on the interval sets but I think the tail wind was really helping me there.

 

2 mile bike commute

 

Wednesday - Run am (:44) - 5 miles: Woke up bright and early and was out the door by 6am with my M. We did a mile warm up then headed to Lincoln Park for our track practice. Maybe because I was half sleep my legs didn't want to turn over and I felt like I was extra slow. Did 1 x 1600 - 2 x 800 - 2 x 400. Then a mile cool down by to our house.

 

Swim pm (:49) - 2500 yards: Nothing to special here. Did a ladder that started and 100 and worked its way up to 500, then back down.

 

4 mile bike commute

 

Thursday - Bike (1:00) - 15 miles: Another early morning. This time fitting in my trainer session before having to be at my desk at 7:30. I hate the trainer and this ride was no different.

 

2 mile walk commute

 

Friday - Run - (:40) - 4.7 miles: It was cold and really windy (30mph gusts). I couldn't make myself go in the dark and the cold so I went during my lunch break. It was still cold and windy and I was hoping the wind would help push me up the hill during my hill repeats. I didn't think the wind did jack sh*t but I did 7 x Cap Hill repeats and froze my butt off. Once back at work I couldn't get warm for the life of me.

 

Swim - (:49) - 2500 yards: Sick of swimming slow. My main set was 10 x 100 at about 1:40 with 10 second rest between sets. This was hard for me.

 

4 mile bike commute

 

Saturday - Bike - (2:00) - 30 miles: Way to cold out to think about riding outside, so the trainer it was :( But as much as I loaf the trainer I got a good workout in.

 

Swim - (:50) - 2500 yards - Went to the pool with my M. It was crowded and I ended up sharing a lane with some stupid people with no swim etiquette. Anyhow more speed work with 10 x (50 - 100).

 

Sunday - Run (1:19) 10 miles: I put off my run all day! I woke up with a headache that just wouldn't go away. I laid back down for a nap in hopes I would feel better and two hours later, yes a two hour nap, my head did feel better. I was stupid though and wanted junk food when I woke up and had skittles and a coke. Finally at 3 I got myself out the door for my run knowing it had only been a half hour since I ate all that junk. And guess what - my stomach hurt- no surprise there. Despite my stomach slushing around with coke in it, I had a good run. I finished up my run with a 7:45 minute mile. Which is right around were I want to be this weekend during my 14k race.

 

Happy Monday All and have a great week :)

Training Blues...

Ok, so I decided to come out of hiding and blog. I know everyone missed me. I basically just am doing a lot of rambling here, but here goes nothing: 

Somewhere between last year and this year I feel like I have lost myself. Or maybe not lost myself but lost my will to train.

 

I thought and I hoped I would feel differently once 70.3 training for Raleigh started the week of January 14th. I thought maybe I just needed structure and a pretty spread sheets to make myself excited about training again. Unfortunately my feelings didn't change and just two weeks into training I was just slugging through the workouts and missed 2 bike sessions and a swim session due to a weekend wedding in Ohio. Normally I would be upset and or mad at myself, but I enjoyed myself over the weekend and I don't regret for a second missing those workouts to see one of my best friends get married and spend time with my family.

 

Anyhow, I have really been second guessing myself as to what I really want to do and what I really want out of this sport. Yes I still love swim - biking - and running. I just feel like something is missing? Maybe that something is a goal? Last year everything was a first for me. My first olympic distance, my first 70.3, my first ironman. It was new, it was exciting! I had my eyes on the finish line and my was goal was just to finish. And all the training I put in felt amazing when I crossed those finish lines. Now, I almost feel like well I have done those things, I reached my goal, what is next? Do I really like the ironman distance, do I really care about my time, what should my goals be???

 

I have been frustrated with my running times and my swim never seems to improve. I know there is a part of me that cares because well it makes me upset and it makes me upset when I do poorly at a race. Hmm, I really don't know where I am going with all this? I know it's only Wednesday but things seem to be going better this week and I seem to be more motivated. I just hope and pray that I can find what is missing and get myself out of this slump that has been ongoing since Oct.  

 

Happy Wen All and I hope everyone is enjoying the 70 degree Jan weather :)

Starting off the New Year

Happy New Year All!!!!

 

It's been awhile since I have blogged, but I decided today to come out of hiding.

 

I started 2013 with a fun 5k yesterday and a bike ride around Hains Point.

 

The 5k was a small race and only cost $5 to get into! I loved the cost and the low key race. I actually wish more races were like this. At any rate though my running was less than exciting. I have been struggling big time lately with it. I keep getting slower rather than faster and can't seem to get it together during a race, which sucks. Even though I had fun I was still flustered at the end of day and talked poor M's ear off about it.

 

Maybe I will be able to get it together by Feb 9th for my 14k or by March 16th for my half. I would really hate to have two more races were I am no where even close to my PR. But then again all running is good running and I always need to remember that.

 

Anyhow, 2013 will be well about the same as 2012. ha. My main focus will be on getting myself across the finish line at IM Mount Tremblant along with learning how to spell it so I don't have to look it up every time :) This year though I would like to improve on my IM time instead of just worrying about trying not to die. In addition, I would like to keep a positive outlook about training and not let a bad training day or race get me down. There are worse things in the world besides having a bad day. So yeah. Stay positive.

 

Well I hope everyone had a great 2012 and started off the new year with a smile.

 

Happy Wednesday All :)