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View albumNo longer a triathlete, but time to get in shape!
December 20
- 50m 06s
- 6.00 miles
- 08m 21s /Mi
December 19
- 1h 00m
- 18.00 miles
- 18.00 Mi/hr
- 43m 36s
- 6.00 miles
- 07m 16s /Mi
- 45m
- -----
- -----
Up early for a trainer ride. RPE = 2.
Nooner stress relief run. RPE = 6.
Depending on work, maybe even a swim tonight. Got to the pool tonight. Better swim than Sunday. I am still breaking down and rebuilding my stroke. Tonight was 500m, drills, drills, drills, 500m.
If you can't tell, I am trying to front-load the week with training to make up for the unavoidable missed sessions over the Christmas Holiday.
December 18
- 49m 46s
- 6.00 miles
- 08m 18s /Mi
I was still feeling a little run down before today's run so I decided to actually wear the HR monitor. My goal was a HR cap of 150. The first 2 miles were ok with numbers in the high 140's. I think I was keeping just under a 9 flat pace. However, when I passed one of the local military buildings my HR monitor went nuts and started giving readings in the 190s and 200s. This has happened at this point before, but usually the everything returns to normal after I pass the building. For some reason today the HR reading stayed WAY high for the entire run. I think it is time for a new HR monitor.
I hit the 3 mile turnaround point right on an 8:45 pace. That is when I started to misbehave as I saw one of my friends about 1/4 mile+ in front of me. So I decided to catch him and ended up running a mile or so with him before I decided to keep the pace up and run my way home. Probably not too smart considering the fact that I know my body is tired. RPE first half = 2-3; RPE second half = 4-5.
Easy spin tonight depending on how I feel.
December 17
- 54m 48s
- 6.00 miles
- 09m 07s /Mi
- 45m
- -----
- -----
SLOW, morning recovery run. Today is one day I wish I was wearing my HR monitor to see what was going on. RPE was 4, but should have been a very low 2 based on pace. It probably was the result of the intense training lately, and I bet the beers last night didn't help. ;)
Splish, splash later today - I promise!
My conscience kept telling me all day that I need time in the pool so I got wet tonight. Drills, drills, drills. It wasn't pretty, but it never is. :)
December 16
- 2h 29m 55s
- 49.40 miles
- 19.77 Mi/hr
- 39m 21s
- 5.10 miles
- 07m 43s /Mi
Fun brick today at Dismal Swamp. I didn't have real fresh legs, but all things considered it was a good session. Not to mention we had another BEAUTIFUL mid-December day. :)
And yes, I know there is no purple in my graph this week - tomorrow. :)
December 15
- 30m
- 9.00 miles
- 18.00 Mi/hr
- 51m 13s
- 6.00 miles
- 08m 32s /Mi
GREAT run today. Not because of the easy pace, not because of the beautiful weather; rather some philosophic life/balance/training issues came a little more into focus for me. RPE = 2.
(more later)
So, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the IronMan, training for the IronMan and how I am going to balance 20 hour training weeks with work, my daughters, and a personal life. While trying to figure out this balance, the first question I asked myself is why do an IronMan? Well, I am attempting this for very selfish reasons. I am going after an IronMan because I want to grow my physical strength, while expanding my mind and spirit. I am doing this for me and no one else. Talking to IronMen (and women) and reading blogs and books by IronMen has helped me to learn that this ‘growing’ process will not only occur on race day, rather it will occur over the course of training and continue well after the race is over. That sounds like the experience I signed up for.
Which leads me to training..........
I’ve really been struggling with my approach to training as I am not the type of person who does well with a rigid schedule. I don’t like it for work, I don’t like it in my personal life, and I sure don’t like it for training. In running I’ve been quite successful following a training ‘blueprint’, while adding and subtracting depending on my work/personal schedule. I never skimp on the time or miles, but I certainly do better when I take things as they come. For some reason, I’ve felt an external pressure to follow someone else’s IM training program to the exact minute and detail. Well, during today’s run I finally decided that is not going to work for me. I decided that I will not be a slave to the HR monitor, but I will use it as a guide from time to time. I decided that I will continue to use RPE as my evaluator, as I understand the need to train your body to be efficient at lower heart rates. I decided I am going to design my training schedule with help from numerous sources.
My new mantra is “training revolves around my life, not the other way around”. Actually that has been my mantra for quite some time, but I never formalized that thought.So, here are things I will do over the course of the next six months:
- I will enjoy every minute of this experience
- I will learn as much as possible about myself
- I will get in the proper training volume
- I will work hard
- I will do what is required
- I will focus on the long sessions
- I will learn proper nutrition
I just won’t do any of this on someone’s schedule. If this training philosophy costs me 15, 20, or 30 minutes at IM CdA (which I don’t think it will), that trade off is well worth it. I am not looking for a Kona slot. My only goal is to expand myself and become an IronMan. This IronMan experience will be a part of my life, but it will not consume my life. There are too many other things and people to appreciate. :)
So, that is why today’s run was SO GREAT. I am going to update some of my short term goals to reflect this philosophy. I expect that my training goals and training philosophy will change numerous times over the next 6 months. This is only how I feel today.
On a separate, but related note – I decided to run Disney for time. I know I have a sub 3:30 marathon in me. I won’t give Disney the typical taper/recovery time, but I think my body will still be ok. I will also use the race to practice nutrition, which after 5 marathons I still don’t have quite right. If I can avoid the mile 23 bonk, I will run sub 3:30. Again, I do this only for me. :)
December 14
- 55m
- 16.00 miles
- 17.45 Mi/hr
- 43m 15s
- 6.00 miles
- 07m 12s /Mi
Well, that will wake you up in the morning. Up early for Spinervals - Hillacious. RPE = 7. One of the things I need to work on over the next couple of months is to train my body to enjoy morning work-outs. :)
Run at lunch today and possible (???) swim tonight.
Wow, I just realized that I haven't run since Saturday. That is probably my longest time off from running all year (including marathon recovery). Decent nooner run. I wanted to stay out of my comfort zone due to my relative inactivity all week. Overall, it was a beautiful December day to be running in SE Virginia. This is why I no longer live up north. :)
My friends
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