Two a days x 3!

So St. Louis was great- Day 2 wasn't as good as Day 1 (zoo was under construction in major way, it was COLD/WINDY out, and I was hoping for 60 degree weather), but it was still filled with museums (St. Louis Art Museum SLAM was great- so big we didn't get through the whole free exhibit part, St. Louis History Museum is having a special 250 Birthday Exhibit for St. Louis that was great), zoo animals, park, and fun.  Oh- and thanks to my friend WINE!  Kids did great, but by Tuesday night I was feeling "tired" from so much vacationing- I know get out your tiniest violin out and play it on your finger.  I think I was prematurely dreading the drive back home Wednesday morning.  It was an uneventful drive, but by the time we got home, unpacked, ran to library to pick up a book on hold (priorities in my life) and home to make dinner (actually reheat the dinner my hubby prepped for us the night before- awesome guy) I was done.  I was suppose to run 3 miles that day when returning home, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  So what did that mean- I would have to do 3 two a day workouts and one day of a run- to get all my runs, bikes, and swims in for the week.  Luckily this week was a "step down" week. 

Side note- I totally believe in "step down" weeks.  All of the training plans I've ever followed has them and I think this is one of the reasons why I (knock on wood) haven't experienced too many injuries/set backs in my training/racing over the years.

So this week I needed to run 4 miles, 3 miles, and a 5K Race (basically do a fast 3.2 mile), do a 35 minute swim, 20 minute swim, bike 45 minutes and bike another 30 minutes.  I was lucky I didn't have to figure in a super long run that would have tired my legs out, but I did decide to turn the 4 mile run into a 3 mile in 27 minutes followed by 1 mile finishing me in 37 minutes (that is fast for me).  I did that on the treadmill and did a nice little ramp up by starting at 6.0 mph, and with each song increasing 0.2 mph for subsequent songs until I reached 7.0 and then stayed there for 2 songs and then started back at 6.0.  This type of ladder work out makes the time fly by for me faster on the treadmill along with the added bonus of non-stop exciting basketball games on 24/7 this weekend.  I pulled myself out of bed on Thursday morning and went to spin, which although at 5:30 a.m. is one of my easier workouts each week to get done.  Swimming later that day at the Wellness Center while kids enjoyed the "lazy river" and playing with some old neighbors.  It is nice that they are good swimmers and older now so I can do my laps, but I try to keep my shorter swims for the week on days I think I'm also going to be doing "mom duty".  My longer swim of the week was at Rec Center on Sunday.  I like going there right when it opens on Sundays, because hardly anyone is there when it opens and today another guy and I basically had the pool to ourselves for the first 20 minutes of my 35 minute swim.  I chose to work on endurance instead of speed and did 500 free style, 300 kick board (50 front kick, 50 on back kicking x 3), 300 breast stroke (easier stroke, but you don't get very far, but I've read that this stroke can help in open water swims to "calm down" and get your bearings if feeling "freaked out" in open water, then 400 free style.  My other bike was a quick 30 minutes on the trainer Friday afternoon- that morning I had done a quick 3 outside and allowed for several hours in between: trip to ice arena to let kids skate,  trip to Olive Garden with the two munchkins for lunch and a nap in the afternoon- so basically felt like working out two different days with all the stuff added in between.  Despite not a high mileage week getting all these workouts done in 4 days feel like an accomplishment.  Two a days is coming easier to me than I thought it would.  As I have to train longer miles/time this may not feel that "easy", but for now I'm enjoying it.

My only issue is when to work in a 1-2 days of "strength training".  I just can't seem to make it a priority and you know what happens when something isn't a priority for chattynatty- it just doesn't get done.  I totally know the importance of strength training, mainly injury prevention, and also the benefit of having those extra muscle fibers able to fire when needed during a race to help me push through.  So this is on my "to do" list in the upcoming week or two.  Keep you posted on whether it really does come to fruition.  Happy Sunday and Happy to have my four days, three 2 a days, done for the week- Hello Chile Cab /Merlot blend I'm having with dinner- chattynatty pour definitely!

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