One Last Tri - Week 7
Knowing the previous week I had, this week was solely about getting back into the habit of training. I was looking forward to my first day off in nearly two months and I wanted to make sure that I was continuing my training at almost any expense. Work was still chaotic, but was finally beginning to show signs of slowing down, I have also put in my notice at my second job which will be wonderful to free up some time for recovery as well as to continue pushing my fitness levels.
Sunday - Rest Day
Goals:
Sunday was still about getting through the workweek that I was in. Working over 30 hours this past weekend after a 50 hour work week had left me feeling completely drained. All I wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep as long as possible.
Results:
It ended up being a late night at work. I was hoping to stretch before bed, but as soon as I got home I just wanted to do nothing and then sleep, and that is exactly what I did. I was able to sleep soundly through the night and woke up to coffee and breakfast in bed! This was a lifesaver and a huge motivator to tackle Monday’s workout and be back to consistent training.
Monday - Swim
Goals:
I woke up with the need to swim. It had been more than a week, nearly two, since the last time I was in the water and my fears had begun creeping in on me. The longer that I go in between swims the more difficult it seems to be to get used to being in the water. I set a goal of swimming a kilometer by any means necessary, meaning with the aid of flippers, or my snorkel, or a kick board, or a pull buoy.
Results:
As I had guessed, swimming after not being in the water for so long was incredibly difficult. I felt very uncomfortable in the water and was having a lot of trouble breathing. As soon as my face went underwater I would panic and take in water and immediately have to stop and tread water until I calmed down enough to continue. I was able to complete my kilometer, although most of it was assisted with a pull buoy and snorkel.
Tuesday - Rest Day
Goals:
I knew that Tuesday was going to be a big push to finish a project at work, and a very late night was imminent. The major goals were to stretch, maintain quality nutrition, and sleep a full eight hours.
Results:
I was able to rest up and recover well and prepare myself for a long hard effort the following day. I did a small amount of stretching that evening and began planning my next day. I was also able to meal prep some food for the week, red sauce pasta with a vegan protein option, a rice and bean bowl with steamed veggies, and some sandwiches to eat while I was on the move. Prepping food and having things ready makes me feel like it will be much easier to accomplish training!
Wednesday - Brick Workout
Goals:
For the past few weeks I have been under the impression that a brick workout was simply one were I transition between two different activities, albeit swimming, running, or biking. However, after looking this up I have realized that a brick workout is specifically a full bike workout, followed immediately by a full running workout. And so I wanted to accmplish this and begin analyzing my results. After last week and the week before allowing my training to slip it was very important that I get back into quality over quantity of training. I wanted to start off with equal time in zone on each activity and then build from there.
Results:
Originally my goal was to workout for one hour in zone 2 (Z2) on the bike, followed by one hour Z2 on the run. Due to a later night at work than expected and knowing that bedtime was of the upmost importance during this time, I had to cut it down to an hour and a half total, spending 45 minutes on the bike, and 45 on the run.
The bike went much easier than I expected, with very minimal knee pain and a steady consistent heart rate. It was a sweaty ride and I force fed myself around 300 calories as well as 32 ounces of water. This may not seem like a lot, but I want to practice taking in food right before my run and forcing myself to run on a full stomach. This will help me adjust to taking in all my calories during the bike portion of my race. As we are a month away I really want to start doing some simulation of race day scenarios to help me prepare mentally.
I went as fast as I could transitioning from biking to running, a quick clean of the stationary bike, using the bathroom, and running up the stairs to the YMCA’s indoor running track only took a matter of 3 minutes. As I began running my heart rate spiked up, my legs were feeling fairly strong but I knew I had to keep my pace slow and consistent if I wanted to stay in Z2. I struggled and spent a majority of the run peaking into Z3 but I did not slow my pace to a walk. I wanted to practice controlling my heart rate through breath work and easing off the throttle. I like that analogy of throttle and brake, it’s nice to think of my body as a motor, training it to run more efficiently and learning how to give it gas when I need it despite the burn that my muscles feel. Overall I believe the run went very well and I was happy with my results of finishing a very hard workout. A quick stretch and then off to dinner and bed ended the day quite nicely. I was left with a feeling of accomplishment.
Thursday - Hike
Goals:
Somedays it’s more important to enjoy what you’re doing than to train hard. A long hike through the woods with my dog is exactly what was needed!
Results:
There was no tracking, no training metrics to study after, I simply enjoyed the time I spent out in the woods with my dog. We hiked, through the ball in the water, and chased each other around! It was all about having fun.
Friday - Rest Day
Friday was simply a busy day at work, and a relaxing evening in. Focus on sleeping and eating good nutrition.
Saturday - Long Swim
Goals:
Going in I really wanted to complete the race distance in anyway possible. I also wanted to swim without any aids for as long as possible. Afterwards I would add in my snorkel and fins to make life easier.
Results:
The swim went really well. I was able to do the first 500m without any assistance and felt incredibly comfortable in the water. It is amazing to look back and realize how far I have come in such a short time. After the 500 meters was completed I added a pull buoy to help maintain solid form in the water. After an additional 500 meters I switched to using my snorkel and put all my focus into my form and keeping tight and aligned in the water. I am really beginning to understand that swimming is all about form and technique! This is something I wish to slow down and work on more in the future.
