Last week was the hard week of this month-long training block. Man, almost everything that could go wrong last week, DID, it seemed. My run was SO FRIGID. Work blew up - for a part-time job, that was WAY more stress than needed and unexpected time commitment, so that ate into being able to complete my workouts one day. And I was super tired from the harder workouts. But hey, I did them, except for that little run. Dogs and husband are still mostly alive. I am realizing that the hard weeks are really going to be HARD. Not just physically, but mentally. And really, this is the point of training, to stress you, and you get stronger as you go. Last week's lesson was that rest time and down time is VERY important and should not be sacrificed for anything. Do the best you can to preserve and protect it.
In any case on Friday I went to the pool to do my Monster Swim (for me). There was only one free lane, and all the other lanes had good swimmers in them who were fixated on their workouts, so I was happy I didn't have to disrupt anyone to ask to share. I really don't mind sharing a lane in the pool - I mean, in a tri you're going to swim with others and it gets you more used to the feel of open water swimming - but it sure is nice to have a lane to yourself for long sets. I had to swim a long warmup, lots of 50s, lots of 100s and multiple sets of 500 and 250 yards. Counting for long sets is TOUGH for me, but my coach gave me a great tip - swim 100 yards on one side of the lane, then 100 on the other, so you know the odds and evens. WAY easier to count that way! So having a lane to myself was a gift in this case.
I hopped in to start my warmup. Of course, I noticed the man swimming in the lane next to me had his Ironman swim cap on. He was older, looked to be in his sixties which, because he is a triathlete, probably meant he was in his seventies or even 80. He was a great swimmer. I got through most of my warmup before someone walked up on the deck and asked to share my lane. DARN. When I said I don't mind sharing a lane, I meant that in general I actually prefer it because it feels more like open water swimming. And because I grew up in Florida where you were always in the water with your friends having a good time, anytime I share lanes in the pool I have an enjoyable swim, really! But on that day, when I had so much counting and long sets to do, and this woman asked to share, my thought was 'UGGGGGHHHHHHH. Fine.'
Well, she was fast. I watched her form on my rests between 50s. Her elbows were always high. Maybe I could focus on that. I finished the 50s and was just about to get into my first 500 when Mr. Ironman said to me "I'm done if you want to move over and have your own lane." Cue the choir of angels above his black IM branded swim cap. I ducked under the lane divider and said "Thank you so much, Mr. Ironman!" and he laughed. I told him I was doing my first half IM in July and he absolutely LIT UP as he said "Oh, that's wonderful, you are going to do GREAT!" Pretty sure I beamed back at him as I thanked him and told him I hope so, because I am spending a lot of time in the pool already! He gave me a nice nod as he walked off and I started my long sets.
I really did have a great swim that day. It was hard. Training is just hard, which is the point. I had never swum that far in a pool - well, not that I can remember, maybe I did in my younger days, I never had a watch that told me how many yards I covered. But I kept thinking how Mr. Ironman told me I was going to do great. I believed him, and I just kept swimming. Turns out, my coach has me swimming a lot because it's a good way to increase my training volume without stressing my body as much as running does. Good to know. I also got to work on my form a bit, I've been watching some great videos on the FORM channel on YouTube and putting them into practice. I learned to be a very technically sound rower with a lot of technique practice, so why wouldn't I do my best to be a very technically sound swimmer? This is why we train, to practice, and I want to practice getting GOOD at whatever I'm doing.
Well now it's recovery week and it's glorious. I haven't even looked at the calendar but I know I'll love it. I will make sure I actually use my down time to recover - not just my body but also my mind. Over the weekend I was supposed to do a 2-hour ride outside, as the last hard workout before recovery week. Well I completely forgot me and my coach talked about me and DH riding the hard hill climb route the group did together while I was at work. So I got home from work, and me and DH took off for a 2-hour ride around the reservoir. When I got home and the workout uploaded, I saw the harder route was what I was "supposed" to do. Cue the guilt. Uggggggggggh. Slacker. NOPE, NOT EVEN ONE. I turned that thought around because I truly forgot the conversation, next time I'll check to confirm the workout. But even if I *had* confirmed the workout, the timing wouldn't have allowed me to complete that route in the number of daylight hours that were left. So, we do the best we can, and we LET IT GO, and we move on.
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| Superbowl ski day at Copper |
The progression is not just physical. I am seeing the mental progression, too. Putting my time and energy toward things I love. This really is a gift. I was joking in a group that you can be super successful at tri training if you quit your day job, and a friend got a little snippy and said "not all of us have the luxury of having a sugar daddy." I let the comment go, but I did text her later that I quit my job long before I decided to train like this, and I had worked really hard to be able to take time off, and I knew it was a gift that wouldn't last forever, but I'm super grateful I CAN do it. It's interesting how I have chosen to fill my hours - more on all that later, but wanted to note that.
And now to enjoy RECOVERY WEEK! I promise to HONOR MY REST. Hope you all have a great healthy week. :) By the way I haven't fit into these pink ski pants in over 10 years. Nice benefit to tri training!
