"To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first." Shakespeare
For me, climbing steep hills requires a slow pace all the time! And therefore, my pace today during the Fiesta Wildflower Century Ride was slower than I would have liked. Whoever said that ride was flat LIED!
Once a year I like to fundraise for Team in Training. I knew I wanted to do a cycling event this year to help train for IMFL. My options were to do the America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride around Lake Tahoe again or the Fiesta Wildflower Century Ride in San Antonio. Because of the fundraising requirements, I decided to do the Fiesta ride. Besides, they said it was a flat ride and that would be perfect for IMFL training, right?
Saturday afternoon I headed for San Antonio. I checked into the hotel and then we drove the first part of the course. There was a hill on the map that said "caution, extremely steep hill". We wanted to see what the San Antonio folks considered steep. And after doing Tahoe, that hill wasn't really that steep, but there were some really big rollers in the first 50 miles. We thought by looking at the elevation map that the last 50 miles would be relatively flat. Wrong again.
After driving the first part of the course, we headed out to the pasta party. We ate our pasta and listened to a family share their story of losing their 4 year old to leukemia. And that is why I keep doing this. Then we headed back to the hotel to get things ready for the ride.
This morning I woke up early, ate my breakfast, got dressed and made my nutrition. We headed over to the race site and gathered with our fellow TNT teammates. Then it was time to line up. Since I was doing the century, I got to line up up front. There was several of us doing the century.
The temps this morning were a little chilly and the wind was blowing. I started out with my jacket on and ended up keeping it on for the first 40 miles. It wasn't long into the ride before we started hitting the hills. Big, long rollers. Into the wind. I told myself not to worry about speed. I had a long way to go.
At mile 17 we stopped at the rest stop so I could pee. There is something about the bike with me. Around mile 20, I have to go. Without fail. A quick stop and we were on our way. I had set my watch to beep every 10 minutes to remind me to drink. I figured we would have to stop again and sure enough, at mile 40 I did. It was at that point I decided to shed the jacket.
More hills, more wind, more chip seal. Three of my least favorite things. At mile 80 we stopped to stretch. I checked the mph on my computer and it said 15.8. I was actually pleased to see that with the course and conditions we had. But the last 20 miles were brutal. I was getting tired of being on the bike and being in aero. The wind was still blowing and the roads were still chip seal. We had been told there was another rest stop at mile 90, but we passed 90 and no rest stop. We stopped one more time to stretched and then were ready to head on in. Around 93 we passed the rest stop and then shortly thereafter, some really horrible railroad tracks. And my riding partner got a flat. Stopped to fixed that and we were on our way.
Finally we could see the end. I was so ready to get off the bike. It felt really good.
This was good for me mentally in preparation for IMFL. I am not where I want to be right now on the bike, but I know there is still plenty of time to get there. And when you are climbing a steep hill, it really doesn't matter what the pace is, does it? As long as you climb it you are improving.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Thirty Weeks
"The comes a moment when you have to stop revving up the car and shove it into gear." David Mahoney
When I saw this quote, I thought it was the perfect quote to use on the first "official" day of training for Ironman Florida. I made a decision last year to follow a 30 week competitive plan in the Be Iron Fit book. Most Ironman plans follow a week schedule that goes Monday - Sunday. Counting back from November 6, the first day of training was scheduled for Monday, April 12. But, since most plans go from Monday-Sunday and since Saturday and Sunday are the big days, Monday is usually a rest day. And so the "official" first day of training should be today.
However, I am still training for the Half Ironman coming up April 25th, so I will not be following the IM program until that is over. After the HIM, I will take rest day (as I'm sure the schedule will dictate) and then I will begin following plan. After building toward an HIM, the plan will probably feel light at first. But it will be nice to give my body a little break before building again. I've got lots of work ahead of me. No reason to burn out.
When I saw this quote, I thought it was the perfect quote to use on the first "official" day of training for Ironman Florida. I made a decision last year to follow a 30 week competitive plan in the Be Iron Fit book. Most Ironman plans follow a week schedule that goes Monday - Sunday. Counting back from November 6, the first day of training was scheduled for Monday, April 12. But, since most plans go from Monday-Sunday and since Saturday and Sunday are the big days, Monday is usually a rest day. And so the "official" first day of training should be today.
However, I am still training for the Half Ironman coming up April 25th, so I will not be following the IM program until that is over. After the HIM, I will take rest day (as I'm sure the schedule will dictate) and then I will begin following plan. After building toward an HIM, the plan will probably feel light at first. But it will be nice to give my body a little break before building again. I've got lots of work ahead of me. No reason to burn out.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Cap 10K and A New PR
"What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the day gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will an tolerate." John Bingham, running writer and speaker
This morning was the annual Cap 10K race. It's one of the largest (if not THE largest) 10K races in Texas. I think they said almost 20,000 runners and walkers were out there this morning. I've done this race every year for the past several years and every year I have PR'd here. I know at some point that will come to an end, and based on the weather this morning I thought today might be the day.
The forecast leading up to the race wasn't looking good and when I woke up this morning, the forecast had held. Temps in the low 60s, heavy mist and high humidity. For me, not a good combination for running. Even though I freeze while waiting for the start, I prefer temps in the 40s or 50s for racing. And humidity makes my exercise induced asthma act up. Mentally I prepared myself to NOT PR today.
When I got to the race start I stayed in my car for a bit and then headed to the port-a-potty before heading to the start line. The whole time, the mist was coming down. I wondered if it would stay the whole time. At least it would keep things cool. The race doesn't start until 8:45, so it's a late start for the race. I wondered if the sun would pop out and really make the humidity increase.
When the gun went off and we started running, I reminded myself that it was ok to go slower if I needed to. I felt like I was going somewhat slow, but was passing a lot of people and doing a lot of weaving. The first mile is a slight incline the whole way. At mile 1 I hit the split button: 8:51. Not bad, but maybe a bit too fast with the humidity. I also started to get a little side cramp and decided to take water at EVERY aid station. Grabbed some water and kept running.
After mile 1 is a tiny downhill part before another decent climb. Mile 2 split: 8:35. Then the hills come, big both up and down. Mile 3 split: 9:19. At this point I figured I was losing ground and a PR was out of the question. But I kept going. Mile 4 split: 8:36. Ok, I'm back in the game. From this point on, it's mostly flat. Maybe I could hold the pace and still do it. And even though I knew my splits, I never looked at the elapsed time. I didn't want to start calculating. Mile 5 split: 8:49. Still hanging in there with 1.2 to go.
By this point I am totally drenched in sweat. I'm trying to keep my breathing steady and keep my pace steady. I know it will be close. Mile 6 split: 8:45. At this point I look at the elapsed time and figure if I can get the last .2 done in under 2 minutes I can get a PR. I start picking up the pace. I turn the corner to head to the finish line and pick it up even more. The closer I get the faster I get. I cross the finish line and hit the garmin a few seconds later. The garmin reads 54:41. That's a PR. The official chip time was 54:38. That will go in the books!!!
I took what the day gave me did what my body would allow and came out with a result I was happy with.
This morning was the annual Cap 10K race. It's one of the largest (if not THE largest) 10K races in Texas. I think they said almost 20,000 runners and walkers were out there this morning. I've done this race every year for the past several years and every year I have PR'd here. I know at some point that will come to an end, and based on the weather this morning I thought today might be the day.
The forecast leading up to the race wasn't looking good and when I woke up this morning, the forecast had held. Temps in the low 60s, heavy mist and high humidity. For me, not a good combination for running. Even though I freeze while waiting for the start, I prefer temps in the 40s or 50s for racing. And humidity makes my exercise induced asthma act up. Mentally I prepared myself to NOT PR today.
When I got to the race start I stayed in my car for a bit and then headed to the port-a-potty before heading to the start line. The whole time, the mist was coming down. I wondered if it would stay the whole time. At least it would keep things cool. The race doesn't start until 8:45, so it's a late start for the race. I wondered if the sun would pop out and really make the humidity increase.
When the gun went off and we started running, I reminded myself that it was ok to go slower if I needed to. I felt like I was going somewhat slow, but was passing a lot of people and doing a lot of weaving. The first mile is a slight incline the whole way. At mile 1 I hit the split button: 8:51. Not bad, but maybe a bit too fast with the humidity. I also started to get a little side cramp and decided to take water at EVERY aid station. Grabbed some water and kept running.
After mile 1 is a tiny downhill part before another decent climb. Mile 2 split: 8:35. Then the hills come, big both up and down. Mile 3 split: 9:19. At this point I figured I was losing ground and a PR was out of the question. But I kept going. Mile 4 split: 8:36. Ok, I'm back in the game. From this point on, it's mostly flat. Maybe I could hold the pace and still do it. And even though I knew my splits, I never looked at the elapsed time. I didn't want to start calculating. Mile 5 split: 8:49. Still hanging in there with 1.2 to go.
By this point I am totally drenched in sweat. I'm trying to keep my breathing steady and keep my pace steady. I know it will be close. Mile 6 split: 8:45. At this point I look at the elapsed time and figure if I can get the last .2 done in under 2 minutes I can get a PR. I start picking up the pace. I turn the corner to head to the finish line and pick it up even more. The closer I get the faster I get. I cross the finish line and hit the garmin a few seconds later. The garmin reads 54:41. That's a PR. The official chip time was 54:38. That will go in the books!!!
I took what the day gave me did what my body would allow and came out with a result I was happy with.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Great Day For A Bike Ride
"What I need is someone who will make me do what I can." Ralph Waldo Emerson
And that's exactly what I had today.
I was off of work Friday and hoping to get in a long ride, but the weather did not cooperate. Cycling in 20+ mph winds is not the smartest thing to do, so instead I got in a 3000 yard swim and a 2 hour trainer ride.
But today - today was different. I woke up to a slightly chilly morning that promised to get warmer as the day went on and very little winds. My TNT cycle team was meeting not far from my house and riding on the country roads near me. I had a friend pick me up with the intent on cutting the course where necessary to make it to my son's 11:00 soccer game.
When we started out, I was with two of our faster guys. My goal was to stay with them as long as I could and then cut over when I needed. But when we got to the "cut over" place, I realized that if I did that, I would be on my own. For some reason that did not appeal to me today, so I decided to stay with them and then get sagged forward if I needed to.
But I never needed to. They pushed the speed and pushed me and toward the end when it was getting close on time, they got in front and blocked my wind so we could go faster. I pulled into the soccer fields (escorted by them to make sure I was safe) just as the game was starting.
Yes, triathlon is an individual sport, but sometimes you need to ride with others who will push you to do what your body is capable of, but which you wouldn't normally push yourself to do. Thank goodness for awesome teammates.
And that's exactly what I had today.
I was off of work Friday and hoping to get in a long ride, but the weather did not cooperate. Cycling in 20+ mph winds is not the smartest thing to do, so instead I got in a 3000 yard swim and a 2 hour trainer ride.
But today - today was different. I woke up to a slightly chilly morning that promised to get warmer as the day went on and very little winds. My TNT cycle team was meeting not far from my house and riding on the country roads near me. I had a friend pick me up with the intent on cutting the course where necessary to make it to my son's 11:00 soccer game.
When we started out, I was with two of our faster guys. My goal was to stay with them as long as I could and then cut over when I needed. But when we got to the "cut over" place, I realized that if I did that, I would be on my own. For some reason that did not appeal to me today, so I decided to stay with them and then get sagged forward if I needed to.
But I never needed to. They pushed the speed and pushed me and toward the end when it was getting close on time, they got in front and blocked my wind so we could go faster. I pulled into the soccer fields (escorted by them to make sure I was safe) just as the game was starting.
Yes, triathlon is an individual sport, but sometimes you need to ride with others who will push you to do what your body is capable of, but which you wouldn't normally push yourself to do. Thank goodness for awesome teammates.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
VO2 Testing, the Rosedale Ride, and Lots and Lots of Wind
"Instead of seeing how fast you can go or how much pain your body can take, your're much better off training in a comfortable zone. This teaches your body to burn fat and spare glycogen, which will maintain your physiological health and reduce the risk of injury." Stu Mittleman
VO2 Testing
I had the opportunity last week to get tested for my VO2 max. I wear a heart rate monitor when I train outside, but I've never tested to see what my zones should be. I've done 2 mile time trials during marathon training to test for my paces for short vs long runs, but nothing official. Since I'm training for an Ironman this year, I felt it might be beneficial, so when the opportunity came up I decided to go for it.
I was tested on the bike as well as the run to establish my zones for each sport. I was hooked up to a mask that was hooked up to a machine and every two minutes I increased the speed on the bike. On the treadmill, the speed as well as the incline was increased.
There are many philosophies and thoughts as to whether VO2 testing is accurate to begin with (some feel the LT test is more accurate) and then there are philosophies as to how to use the information from the test. My test gave me 4 different heart rate zones. I know for Ironman, most of my training will be in zones 1 and 2. And this is where philosophies differ. The HR for zone 1 is low, yet some people feel that's where the training should be and if I need to walk to keep my HR there, then so be it. Other people suggest going by PRE (perceived rate of exertion) while watching the HR. Others say train in zone 2 which gives you a higher HR zone. Some people say train as you are going to race. Well, for short distances that would probably be zone 3. But for Ironman it will mostly be high zone 1 or low zone 2.
With all of that information, I have been paying a little bit more attention to my heart rate.
Rosedale Ride
The Rosedale Ride is an organized pay ride that benefits the Rosedale school. The Rosedale school is a special needs school, so it supports a worthy cause. And luckily for me, the route is very close to my house, because the ride was this past Saturday and I had to be at my son's soccer game by 11:00. The fields were just 3 miles off the route.
I started off at the front of the pack and the way out was great. The winds were at our back and for that first hour we averaged about 19mph. But that was soon to change. As we turned east and then south to head back to the starting line, we were hit with very strong headwinds. There were times I was doing 12mph. It was tough. And I thought for sure I was probably way over my HR range that had been established Friday night during my VO2 test.
I ended up cutting the course where I needed so that I could head to the soccer fields and made it just in time for my sons game. I was able to get in about 40 miles. And when I analyzed my data after I got home I was surprised to see that my average HR was just where it should have been for the ride based on my cycle test.
The run is where I'm having a problem, and today made it worse.
Lots and Lots of Wind
Not only was it windy the day of the Rosedal Ride, but this spring has been very windy all around. Today was no exception. On the calendar was a 1 hour run. Temps have been getting hotter so today was in the low 80s. By the end of summer, 80 will feel cold, but for now, that's HOT. With the heat I had planned on going out slower and seeing if I could stay in the low zone 2 range. But it was not meant to be. The wind gusts this afternoon were 15-20mph. I almost wimped out and stayed inside on the treadmill, but then I told myself "It may be windy at Lonestar 70.3 in 3 weeks and it may be windy at Ironman Florida in November. You have to train for it so you will be prepared."
So I headed out. And it was hot. And it was windy. There were times the wind would stop me in my tracks and there were times the wind would blow me forward. It was hard. And my HR shows it. I ended up being in high zone 2. And I could tell afterwards that the effort was too hard.
I don't want to over do it on slowing down as I have worked hard to get faster, but I know I need to run at a pace I will be able to run for a long time. And at a pace I can hold after a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike. I need to learn to train in that comfortable zone and burn fat and spare glycogen.
VO2 Testing
I had the opportunity last week to get tested for my VO2 max. I wear a heart rate monitor when I train outside, but I've never tested to see what my zones should be. I've done 2 mile time trials during marathon training to test for my paces for short vs long runs, but nothing official. Since I'm training for an Ironman this year, I felt it might be beneficial, so when the opportunity came up I decided to go for it.
I was tested on the bike as well as the run to establish my zones for each sport. I was hooked up to a mask that was hooked up to a machine and every two minutes I increased the speed on the bike. On the treadmill, the speed as well as the incline was increased.
There are many philosophies and thoughts as to whether VO2 testing is accurate to begin with (some feel the LT test is more accurate) and then there are philosophies as to how to use the information from the test. My test gave me 4 different heart rate zones. I know for Ironman, most of my training will be in zones 1 and 2. And this is where philosophies differ. The HR for zone 1 is low, yet some people feel that's where the training should be and if I need to walk to keep my HR there, then so be it. Other people suggest going by PRE (perceived rate of exertion) while watching the HR. Others say train in zone 2 which gives you a higher HR zone. Some people say train as you are going to race. Well, for short distances that would probably be zone 3. But for Ironman it will mostly be high zone 1 or low zone 2.
With all of that information, I have been paying a little bit more attention to my heart rate.
Rosedale Ride
The Rosedale Ride is an organized pay ride that benefits the Rosedale school. The Rosedale school is a special needs school, so it supports a worthy cause. And luckily for me, the route is very close to my house, because the ride was this past Saturday and I had to be at my son's soccer game by 11:00. The fields were just 3 miles off the route.
I started off at the front of the pack and the way out was great. The winds were at our back and for that first hour we averaged about 19mph. But that was soon to change. As we turned east and then south to head back to the starting line, we were hit with very strong headwinds. There were times I was doing 12mph. It was tough. And I thought for sure I was probably way over my HR range that had been established Friday night during my VO2 test.
I ended up cutting the course where I needed so that I could head to the soccer fields and made it just in time for my sons game. I was able to get in about 40 miles. And when I analyzed my data after I got home I was surprised to see that my average HR was just where it should have been for the ride based on my cycle test.
The run is where I'm having a problem, and today made it worse.
Lots and Lots of Wind
Not only was it windy the day of the Rosedal Ride, but this spring has been very windy all around. Today was no exception. On the calendar was a 1 hour run. Temps have been getting hotter so today was in the low 80s. By the end of summer, 80 will feel cold, but for now, that's HOT. With the heat I had planned on going out slower and seeing if I could stay in the low zone 2 range. But it was not meant to be. The wind gusts this afternoon were 15-20mph. I almost wimped out and stayed inside on the treadmill, but then I told myself "It may be windy at Lonestar 70.3 in 3 weeks and it may be windy at Ironman Florida in November. You have to train for it so you will be prepared."
So I headed out. And it was hot. And it was windy. There were times the wind would stop me in my tracks and there were times the wind would blow me forward. It was hard. And my HR shows it. I ended up being in high zone 2. And I could tell afterwards that the effort was too hard.
I don't want to over do it on slowing down as I have worked hard to get faster, but I know I need to run at a pace I will be able to run for a long time. And at a pace I can hold after a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike. I need to learn to train in that comfortable zone and burn fat and spare glycogen.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A Disappointment Turns Into A Pretty Good Weekend
"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done whether you like it or not." Thomas Huxley
Well, as of Friday night about 10:00, I still didn't know if the ride would be cancelled or not, so I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. and went to bed. When the alarm went off I headed in to the computer to see what was going on. At that point the storm had still not passed and the ride was still on but the website said to stay posted for an update at 5:30.
I made my breakfast and sat in front of the computer for the next half hour waiting. The 5:30 posting said they still weren't sure - stay tuned for the next update at 6:30. What to do? If I waited until 6:30 and the ride WAS on, I wouldn't make it on time. So, I got dressed, loaded the car and stared that way, checking for updates at stop signs and stoplights. And around 6:20 the update came that the ride was being cancelled.
I headed back home, took the bike off the car so I could close the garage door, and climbed back in bed. And I stayed in bed until almost 10:00. Wow! Haven't done that in a long time.
Once I got up I knew what I had to do. It was a cold, rainy day and it would have been nice to cuddle up on the couch and watch basketball all day, but I headed to the trainer where I would be for the next two hours. I got off, ate lunch and then headed to the pool. I wasn't sure what my workout would be, but when I got there I decided to just swim straight through. 3,000 yards later I was done.
I thought I was done for the day but had told my daughter I would help clean out her closet. I spent a couple of hours helping her clean. Can I log that in my training log????
Since it had been a pretty full day, we decided Saturday night to sleep in Sunday morning and go to late service. That was nice. But as soon as we got home from church I knew I needed to get in a long run. The sun was out today, but the wind was still gusting at 20+ mph. I wimped out and hit the treadmill. But thanks to March Madness, my mind wasn't on running. Ninety minutes later it was time to stop.
So despite the disappointment of not getting in a nice, long, outdoor ride, I did get a lot of training in this weekend.
Well, as of Friday night about 10:00, I still didn't know if the ride would be cancelled or not, so I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. and went to bed. When the alarm went off I headed in to the computer to see what was going on. At that point the storm had still not passed and the ride was still on but the website said to stay posted for an update at 5:30.
I made my breakfast and sat in front of the computer for the next half hour waiting. The 5:30 posting said they still weren't sure - stay tuned for the next update at 6:30. What to do? If I waited until 6:30 and the ride WAS on, I wouldn't make it on time. So, I got dressed, loaded the car and stared that way, checking for updates at stop signs and stoplights. And around 6:20 the update came that the ride was being cancelled.
I headed back home, took the bike off the car so I could close the garage door, and climbed back in bed. And I stayed in bed until almost 10:00. Wow! Haven't done that in a long time.
Once I got up I knew what I had to do. It was a cold, rainy day and it would have been nice to cuddle up on the couch and watch basketball all day, but I headed to the trainer where I would be for the next two hours. I got off, ate lunch and then headed to the pool. I wasn't sure what my workout would be, but when I got there I decided to just swim straight through. 3,000 yards later I was done.
I thought I was done for the day but had told my daughter I would help clean out her closet. I spent a couple of hours helping her clean. Can I log that in my training log????
Since it had been a pretty full day, we decided Saturday night to sleep in Sunday morning and go to late service. That was nice. But as soon as we got home from church I knew I needed to get in a long run. The sun was out today, but the wind was still gusting at 20+ mph. I wimped out and hit the treadmill. But thanks to March Madness, my mind wasn't on running. Ninety minutes later it was time to stop.
So despite the disappointment of not getting in a nice, long, outdoor ride, I did get a lot of training in this weekend.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Day by Day - Lots Going On
"It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time." Winston Churchill
This quote is true in life as it is in training, and it hit me last weekend as Madison and I were traveling to Houston for her volleyball tournament.
For this tournament, it was just Madison and I. I've got relatives in Houston and have driven there many times, so I know how to get there. But once there, well that's a different story. Our hotel was in downtown Houston and there are just too many roads. So before we left, I set the Tom Tom to lead me where I needed to go.
After getting gas and a quick bite to eat, we were off. My plan was to take 290. As soon as I made the turn to 290 I saw bumper-to-bumper traffic for as far as I could see. I knew it would take over half an hour just to go a few miles. Madison was suppose to be in Houston by a certain time for a team meeting and we were already pushing it timewise, so I made a quick decision to take the toll road to 71 and head into Houston that way. It's not a way I'm familiar with, but I had the Tom Tom. I just had to trust it.
Luckily Highway 71 takes you pretty much all the way to Houston so I didn't have to turn for a couple of hours. But as we got closer to Houston the Tom Tom would tell me which road to take next and which way to turn. It wouldn't tell me anything other than the next step I needed to take.
And that's when it hit me that my trip with the Tom Tom was kind of like my trip to Ironman. In both cases I know my starting point and the end point. But the journey in between is a journey I'm unfamiliar with. I have a plan (the directions from the Tom Tom and the training plan for Ironman) and as long as I follow the next step, I should arrive at my destination as planned. So for Ironman training, as long as I look at each days training schedule and follow the plan, I should be ok. I can't worry about what I have 2 months down the road. I have to accomplish TODAY's plan.
Accomplishing "today's" plan is not always as easy as it sounds, however. Driving to the tournament Friday night right after work and arriving at 9pm, then having a parent meeting, then upacking and putting drinks on ice meant it was late and I was not getting in a workout.
Despite wanting desparately to sleep in Saturday morning, I set my alarm clock for 6:30 am and got up and headed to the treadmill for an hour run. It was hard to do, but I'm glad that I did. After that it was breakfast, getting the girls to stay active, lunch and then off to the convention center for their afternoon bracket. The girls played well, but played some good teams and ended up ranked 3rd for that pool. We didn't get finished until 9:30. Then the girls still had to shower and eat dinner before getting into bed. Add to that the time change, and there was no way I was setting an early alarm for a Sunday morning workout. I told myself if I woke up on my own I would head down.
Needless to say, I sleep until that last minute alarm Sunday morning. It was up to shower, eat and load the car before heading to the convention center for todays games. The girls won one and lost one and were done. As I mentioned earlier, I have relatives in Houston. My Aunt and Uncle had come Saturday night and my other Aunt and Grandma came today. After we were done we went out to eat with them. By the time we were done and on the road it was a little after 4:00.
We got home just after 7:00. I unloaded the car and then settled in my recliner to relax for a bit before heading to bed at 9:00.
Monday morning it was VERY difficult to get up. I had a tough time staying awake at work and even went to take a nap in my car at lunch. My body would have been perfectly happy going home from work and napping again before going to bed early. I was exhausted. But my training schedule had something different on it. I wasn't sure how my workouts would go since I was so exhausted, but I did them anyway. And I felt better. And I wasn't as tired.
It's taken all week to feel like I've gotten caught up on rest, but I have managed to get in all my workouts so far. I'm hoping to get in my long bike ride tomorrow, but after a beautiful week with temps in the 70s, the forecast shows temps in the 50s with possible thunder showers and wind gust from 14-24mph. It's an organized pay ride, so it may be officially called off. In that case, I'll likely spend a few hours on the trainer. Oh joy. This time, I'm hoping the weatherman is wrong.
This quote is true in life as it is in training, and it hit me last weekend as Madison and I were traveling to Houston for her volleyball tournament.
For this tournament, it was just Madison and I. I've got relatives in Houston and have driven there many times, so I know how to get there. But once there, well that's a different story. Our hotel was in downtown Houston and there are just too many roads. So before we left, I set the Tom Tom to lead me where I needed to go.
After getting gas and a quick bite to eat, we were off. My plan was to take 290. As soon as I made the turn to 290 I saw bumper-to-bumper traffic for as far as I could see. I knew it would take over half an hour just to go a few miles. Madison was suppose to be in Houston by a certain time for a team meeting and we were already pushing it timewise, so I made a quick decision to take the toll road to 71 and head into Houston that way. It's not a way I'm familiar with, but I had the Tom Tom. I just had to trust it.
Luckily Highway 71 takes you pretty much all the way to Houston so I didn't have to turn for a couple of hours. But as we got closer to Houston the Tom Tom would tell me which road to take next and which way to turn. It wouldn't tell me anything other than the next step I needed to take.
And that's when it hit me that my trip with the Tom Tom was kind of like my trip to Ironman. In both cases I know my starting point and the end point. But the journey in between is a journey I'm unfamiliar with. I have a plan (the directions from the Tom Tom and the training plan for Ironman) and as long as I follow the next step, I should arrive at my destination as planned. So for Ironman training, as long as I look at each days training schedule and follow the plan, I should be ok. I can't worry about what I have 2 months down the road. I have to accomplish TODAY's plan.
Accomplishing "today's" plan is not always as easy as it sounds, however. Driving to the tournament Friday night right after work and arriving at 9pm, then having a parent meeting, then upacking and putting drinks on ice meant it was late and I was not getting in a workout.
Despite wanting desparately to sleep in Saturday morning, I set my alarm clock for 6:30 am and got up and headed to the treadmill for an hour run. It was hard to do, but I'm glad that I did. After that it was breakfast, getting the girls to stay active, lunch and then off to the convention center for their afternoon bracket. The girls played well, but played some good teams and ended up ranked 3rd for that pool. We didn't get finished until 9:30. Then the girls still had to shower and eat dinner before getting into bed. Add to that the time change, and there was no way I was setting an early alarm for a Sunday morning workout. I told myself if I woke up on my own I would head down.
Needless to say, I sleep until that last minute alarm Sunday morning. It was up to shower, eat and load the car before heading to the convention center for todays games. The girls won one and lost one and were done. As I mentioned earlier, I have relatives in Houston. My Aunt and Uncle had come Saturday night and my other Aunt and Grandma came today. After we were done we went out to eat with them. By the time we were done and on the road it was a little after 4:00.
We got home just after 7:00. I unloaded the car and then settled in my recliner to relax for a bit before heading to bed at 9:00.
Monday morning it was VERY difficult to get up. I had a tough time staying awake at work and even went to take a nap in my car at lunch. My body would have been perfectly happy going home from work and napping again before going to bed early. I was exhausted. But my training schedule had something different on it. I wasn't sure how my workouts would go since I was so exhausted, but I did them anyway. And I felt better. And I wasn't as tired.
It's taken all week to feel like I've gotten caught up on rest, but I have managed to get in all my workouts so far. I'm hoping to get in my long bike ride tomorrow, but after a beautiful week with temps in the 70s, the forecast shows temps in the 50s with possible thunder showers and wind gust from 14-24mph. It's an organized pay ride, so it may be officially called off. In that case, I'll likely spend a few hours on the trainer. Oh joy. This time, I'm hoping the weatherman is wrong.
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