Week 2 to 70.3

This week I struggled with the rookie question of how do you run races and then maintain your current training plan and not get hurt following a race.  I'll tell you what I did, didn't do, and what I shouldn't have done.

So I ran a good 1/2 marathon for good old me on Sunday and Mondays are rest days- so I took that rest with welcome arms. 

Tuesday I made myself go to the pool at 6 a.m. and swim 1000 yards.  I still have this whole hang up/intimidation factor with swimming and especially going to the "big" pool - 50 yd University wellness center pool (where some pretty phenomenal swimmers swim).  But I got my butt there and put in the time. The swim stank to say the least.  I did the yards, but I felt like I was sinking the whole time.  I just couldn't get my rhythm with my stroke or my breathing.  I felt really out of it. 

Wednesday I went to the gym in the morning and did 15 minutes on the spin bike and legs felt much better and then did 30 minutes of strength training (abs, arms, squats, lunges, etc).  I need to get a more focused routine and make sure I am maximizing this work out time for strength training since I really don't do much of it the rest of the week (another thing to add onto the endless "to do" or "want to do" list).  I was suppose to actually spin for longer that day, but just didn't get it done. 

Thursday morning I biked 23 miles.  I was suppose to bike 25, but at around my almost turn around point a storm came in and a down pour started.  I haven't rode in rain like that since about 3 years ago and it felt good to test myself out in the elements on the road bike.  However, either the rain slowed me down or I'm just slower than I wanted to be- I logged these 23 miles in 2:05 and again this messed with my head because for the 70.3 in August I would like to average 15 miles/hour and that would put me at around 4 hours on the bike- I have to bike a lot faster to reach that goal.  Which may be too much for this first time out of the shoot, but 56 miles at 11 miles/hour puts me at way more time on the bike than I want followed by the 13.1 mile run for the 70.3; so more biking and faster biking I need to do in training.  I was pretty tired after this ride and the next day my inner thighs were sore- that can't sit on a toilet sore- I know TMI, but that brings to any runner or biker's mind the soreness I'm describing. 

Friday I was suppose to do 3 miles pre swim of 1650 yds.  I ended up getting to gym late because of "life errands" (mailing packages, cashing checks, cleaning house, etc).  I ran 1.6 miles in 16 minutes and felt good.  I then met my friend and awesome swimmer Susan at the pool (the big/intimidating one) and she wanted us to swim 50- 50 yards with goal  of each 50 in 1min or less.  So 2500 yd in 50 minutes.  I knew this was lofty and likely unattainable for me.  I tried about 3-4 laps and kept on falling farther and farther behind, but the nice thing about swimming with friends- even if they are faster than you- you are always in the same lane and your end destination is the same wall.  I was able to do 1600 freestyle, 100 breast stroke and 200 kick board for a total of 1900. I felt good and was glad I went over on something I planned to do this week: goal was 1650yd ended up swimming 1900.  Susan has been a great swimming mentor.  She told me that right now I might not be able to do the 50 in 1 minute, but I should shoot for a consistent time to complete each lap in so that helps my speed/endurance in prep for racing. 

Saturday I was suppose to run 7 miles.  Me and the family traveled to Indiana for a family wedding this weekend and I had my oldest with hubby golfing and youngest with grandparents swimming and I went out for my run.  I kind of didn't feel right, right from the get go- just that off feeling.  Sometimes I get mentally challenged with running in unfamiliar places and I don't exactly know the route- I feel like I'm then constantly checking my watch for mileage, etc.  I ran slow, which I was fine with because my goal was distance not time, but as I went along I kind of felt more out of it- almost like that low blood sugar feeling.  But I had a oatmeal about 1 hour prior to running and water with me throughout so I don't think it was low blood sugar or dehydration.  Anyways- about 6.1 miles in I was crossing an intersection- had the walk sign and made it right in front of a car and totally biffed it.  I didn't trip over anything but my own foot and the street below it.  I got a little banged up in the elbow and hand and some blood, but nothing gushing and no broken bones or anything. I popped up and kept on running, horribly embarrassed.  So I took that as a sign that I needed to get my ass back to the hotel and call it quits.  I ran 6.45 miles that day and let me tell you it felt harder and longer than the 1/2 marathon I ran the week before. 

Sunday I was suppose to bike 60 minutes and run 3 miles to fulfill my training for the week, but alas after 7 1/2 hours on the road, traveling back from wedding,  out of the car only to get back into the car to go to daughter's last swim lessons, and of course it being mom's day and all- I decided I'd take a rest. 

So onto week three of training and I did decided to make myself get on the trainer today since I really did rest yesterday.  I was a total wimp and slept in instead of getting up and riding this morning, so due to after school pick up and all that "mom takes care of kids" stuff after work I road the bike for about 30 minutes.  This obviously didn't make up for my lost minutes of biking last week or the few miles I didn't complete running, but I do think that my fall on Saturday into the nicely paved street was a sign that I needed to stop.  My body is not use to running a half and then following up with two swim days, three bike days and three run days.  I'm just not there yet.  So moving on and moving forward to trying to make it a goal this week to get all the time and miles in for all three disciplines.  Keep you posted on how successful I am.