I have a problem.
One of the benefits of being a self-trained athlete is the ability to choose what I want to do and when I want to do it. From daily workouts to season-long race choices, I get to decide when, where, and what. While this freedom is one of the main reasons I haven't taken the next step and gotten a coach, it's also a freedom that causes some drama in my athletic sphere.
I'm very easily influenced by anything I read or see. Right now I'm working on a book that's set in the deep south, so naturally I want to go on a trip not just to Mississippi, but back in time, to when civil rights were being fought for while white ladies played bridge. Not because I want to play bridge with the white ladies..but because I want to experience that reality.
If I read a food blog, or notice a great recipe, I immediately want to go home and bake, and also eat that cookie/cake/pie/cobbler/muffin now. This is where a lot of my poor eating habits stem from...cravings brought on by amazing recipes. Reading about cookies=I want a cookie. Worse, when I get those hankering's to eat and bake, I can't stand the idea of spending my evening training. I want only to bake.
Naturally, training is no different. I read an ITU race recap, and I think "I want to devote myself to this sport. I want to train 12 hours a week, and get super fit and fast, and see how far I can take myself in triathlon." Or I read about USAT rankings and I decide that I will focus on scoring points this season, and see where I line up compared to others in my age group. But if I read someone's recap of a half marathon, say, I completely forget about the race schedule I'd set up for myself last week when I decided I wanted to qualify for AG Worlds, and want nothing more than to go for long, slow runs, and try a half marathon.
This inability to focus on one thing: baking or triathlon or racing or even the workout waiting for me at home is kind of a problem. It leads to inconsistent training, and crash training when I realize how low my weekly hours are. It leads to poor race prep. It causes me to constantly re-plan my workout weeks and season race plans, and even my daily training. Sometimes I think I spend more time planning, calculating, tallying and mapping out training plans than I actually spend training. Oh, irony. You are a bitter pill to swallow.
I don't know how other self-coached athletes find that happy balance, between training and racing while still fulfilling other hobbies, without becoming absorbed in one or the other. I guess what I need to do is keep reminding myself that I'm young. I have many years of training ahead of me. I can always focus on half marathons next year, or in the off-season. And while I don't ever want to take my life for granted, I need to be patient. Focus on my immediate goals. Try my hardest at one thing before moving on. I know that in the end, that's what'll make me most proud, and fulfilled.
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Reality Check
Training has been pretty sporadic since I started work. I've had a hard time making the jump from having no job to working 40 hours a week. Throwing training in on top of that has been, well, a learning experience. I've gotten better at working out at 5:30 in the morning, and being okay with going to bed at 8:30 at night. It's taken some trial and error to figure out what combination of work + training + relaxing works best, and I'm still trying to get the hang of making it all happen. I thought I'd been doing pretty well though--missing a workout here and there, sure, but not really falling too far behind training.
Oh, was I ever wrong.
As I end my prep cycle this week and start by first base cycle next week, I looked back on my training over the last month to see how I did with reduced workout expectations. As it turns out, I did not even come close to meeing my prep cycle weekly hours. It had actually never occurred to me before to calculate my training in hours per week. Why not? I have no idea. But I'm glad I did figure it out. It's really opened my eyes to how much I'm actually training over a period of time. It's easy, in the chaos of a week, to simply skip a workout and forget about it. But at the end of the week, missing a workout here and shortening a workout there can add up, and lead to a seriously time-deficient training week.
My prep weeks were supposed to be between 7 and 9 hours. The first week was 6.5 hours. The second, 5.5. The third was 9.5. And the last, 5.
Talk about inconsistant! Not only to I need to seriously even things out over an entire training block, I need to make sure each week is meeting its time requirements, or at least coming close. It's all about consistency.
Sometimes I think learning how to train is harder than training!
Oh, was I ever wrong.
As I end my prep cycle this week and start by first base cycle next week, I looked back on my training over the last month to see how I did with reduced workout expectations. As it turns out, I did not even come close to meeing my prep cycle weekly hours. It had actually never occurred to me before to calculate my training in hours per week. Why not? I have no idea. But I'm glad I did figure it out. It's really opened my eyes to how much I'm actually training over a period of time. It's easy, in the chaos of a week, to simply skip a workout and forget about it. But at the end of the week, missing a workout here and shortening a workout there can add up, and lead to a seriously time-deficient training week.
My prep weeks were supposed to be between 7 and 9 hours. The first week was 6.5 hours. The second, 5.5. The third was 9.5. And the last, 5.
Talk about inconsistant! Not only to I need to seriously even things out over an entire training block, I need to make sure each week is meeting its time requirements, or at least coming close. It's all about consistency.
Sometimes I think learning how to train is harder than training!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Weekly Workouts 2/22-2/28
Tuesday 2/22
Bike: 50min. trainer ride
Run: 5 miles, home from work.
Wednesday 2/23
Bike: 45min. trainer ride
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Thursday 2/24
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Friday 2/25
Run: 25min. on treadmill
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Core Workout
Saturday 2/26
Bike: 60min. trainer ride
Sunday 2/27
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Monday 2/28
Bike: 30min. trainer ride
Run: 5mi. home from work
Weekly Hours: 9.5
Bike: 50min. trainer ride
Run: 5 miles, home from work.
Wednesday 2/23
Bike: 45min. trainer ride
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Thursday 2/24
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Friday 2/25
Run: 25min. on treadmill
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Core Workout
Saturday 2/26
Bike: 60min. trainer ride
Sunday 2/27
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Monday 2/28
Bike: 30min. trainer ride
Run: 5mi. home from work
Weekly Hours: 9.5
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Weekly Workouts 2/15-2/21
2/15 Tuesday
No Workouts.
2/16 Wednesday
Run: 30 minutes at lunch
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
2/17 Thursday
No workouts.
2/18 Friday
Bike: 60 min. trainer ride*
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
2/19 Saturday
Run: 10K Race: 46:06
2/20 Sunday
Bike: 60min. trainer ride
2/21 Monday
No Workouts.
Weekly Hours: 6.5
* I can't remember if I did that trainer ride on Thursday or Friday
No Workouts.
2/16 Wednesday
Run: 30 minutes at lunch
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
2/17 Thursday
No workouts.
2/18 Friday
Bike: 60 min. trainer ride*
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
2/19 Saturday
Run: 10K Race: 46:06
2/20 Sunday
Bike: 60min. trainer ride
2/21 Monday
No Workouts.
Weekly Hours: 6.5
* I can't remember if I did that trainer ride on Thursday or Friday
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Weekly Workouts 2/9-2/14
2/9 Wednesday
Swim: 40 minute OYO before work
Run: 30 min. at lunchtime
2/10 Thursday
Bike: 50 min. trainer ride
2/11 Friday
-No Workouts
2/12 Saturday
-No workouts
2/13 Sunday
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Run: 40 min., 3x mile repeats (7:30>)
2/14 Monday
Bike: 60 min. trainer ride
Weekly Hours: 5
Swim: 40 minute OYO before work
Run: 30 min. at lunchtime
2/10 Thursday
Bike: 50 min. trainer ride
2/11 Friday
-No Workouts
2/12 Saturday
-No workouts
2/13 Sunday
Swim: Master's Swim Workout
Run: 40 min., 3x mile repeats (7:30>)
2/14 Monday
Bike: 60 min. trainer ride
Weekly Hours: 5
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Hard Work Is Fun!
I wanted to write a little bit about the workouts I've been doing lately..not all of them, because I can't remember them all! Just some of the fun ones!
Let's see..Friday was a super fun trainer workout. 90 minutes, set up in front of the TV so I could watch the ANTM marathon while riding! Best idea ever! The workout went like this: 20 min. warm-up, then 6x 1min. one-leg rotations. Those hurt! I've got to do them more often! Then into the main set of 2min./3/4/5/6//2/3/4/5 with one minute recovery between each set. I tried to keep the rep effort levels somewhere between tempo and TT effort..kind of hard to gauge without a HR monitor, but I worked hard and that's what matters most! After that it was 3min. easy, then 5x 1min. hard/ 30sec. easy. Then a 5min. cooldown, and that was it! Super fun workout, it definitely made me work and made me hurt, and the time seemed to fly by.
Friday's swim was also pretty good..I can't remember exactly what it was, but something like 200s/200d/200IM warm-up (with specifications I can't remember), then 6x75 with drills and IM, then 2x50, 2x50IM, 2x100, 2x100IM, 2x200, 2x200IM..then I think it was 4x50, 400pull, then some fast 50s, then 100pull cooldown. Can't remember exactly, but that was the gist of it. Some of the 200s turned into 150s for me..but still it was a good workout!
Saturday was my first race of 2011! a 10k, which is the first of a year-long monthly series. I haven't been running as much as usual lately, and haven't done any speedwork since Black Diamond in September! So I was pretty sure this race was going to be more of a 'use the environment to get through the run' type thing. I was expecting to run 8:45min. miles or so, because on my shorter runs I've been chugging along at 8:30s. Not sure why, I just haven't had much speed in my legs!
I started really conservative, and decided to run the first 5K at a very comfortable pace. I didn't look at my watch, I didn't worry about the people around me..just cruised. I was a little sleepy but didn't feel physically tired. I was so surprised when I came through the 5K mark and saw 24:25 on the clock..I thought I was running WAY slower. So I decided to see what I could pull of in the second half..and realized if I kept at that pace I could run a sub-50 minute 10k. I picked up the pace a little for the 4th mile, then at mile 5 I started going for it. I passed a few people, which really motivated me, and I ran the last half-mile or so all out. I crossed the line in 46:56! A huge PR for me, and totally unexpected! I cannot wait to run Part 2 of the series in February--hopefully I can run a 45:-something!
After the race I ran errands all afternoon, then around 4pm hit the gym for a short swim and core workout. The swim was pitiful..I was tired. Half hour easy, nothing special. Tried to focus on the technique pointers Coach Eric and my lanemates have given me..I was too tired to really figure anything out though! Then a core workout, and I was done!
Today I was supposed to ride 2hrs and run 40min. easy, but my legs are yelling NoNoNO! So I switched tomorrow's day off with today's workouts, and am going to sit on my butt watching football all day (I never thought I'd say that! Only when the Seahawks are in the Playoffs do I care about football!!).
Let's see..Friday was a super fun trainer workout. 90 minutes, set up in front of the TV so I could watch the ANTM marathon while riding! Best idea ever! The workout went like this: 20 min. warm-up, then 6x 1min. one-leg rotations. Those hurt! I've got to do them more often! Then into the main set of 2min./3/4/5/6//2/3/4/5 with one minute recovery between each set. I tried to keep the rep effort levels somewhere between tempo and TT effort..kind of hard to gauge without a HR monitor, but I worked hard and that's what matters most! After that it was 3min. easy, then 5x 1min. hard/ 30sec. easy. Then a 5min. cooldown, and that was it! Super fun workout, it definitely made me work and made me hurt, and the time seemed to fly by.
Friday's swim was also pretty good..I can't remember exactly what it was, but something like 200s/200d/200IM warm-up (with specifications I can't remember), then 6x75 with drills and IM, then 2x50, 2x50IM, 2x100, 2x100IM, 2x200, 2x200IM..then I think it was 4x50, 400pull, then some fast 50s, then 100pull cooldown. Can't remember exactly, but that was the gist of it. Some of the 200s turned into 150s for me..but still it was a good workout!
Saturday was my first race of 2011! a 10k, which is the first of a year-long monthly series. I haven't been running as much as usual lately, and haven't done any speedwork since Black Diamond in September! So I was pretty sure this race was going to be more of a 'use the environment to get through the run' type thing. I was expecting to run 8:45min. miles or so, because on my shorter runs I've been chugging along at 8:30s. Not sure why, I just haven't had much speed in my legs!
I started really conservative, and decided to run the first 5K at a very comfortable pace. I didn't look at my watch, I didn't worry about the people around me..just cruised. I was a little sleepy but didn't feel physically tired. I was so surprised when I came through the 5K mark and saw 24:25 on the clock..I thought I was running WAY slower. So I decided to see what I could pull of in the second half..and realized if I kept at that pace I could run a sub-50 minute 10k. I picked up the pace a little for the 4th mile, then at mile 5 I started going for it. I passed a few people, which really motivated me, and I ran the last half-mile or so all out. I crossed the line in 46:56! A huge PR for me, and totally unexpected! I cannot wait to run Part 2 of the series in February--hopefully I can run a 45:-something!
After the race I ran errands all afternoon, then around 4pm hit the gym for a short swim and core workout. The swim was pitiful..I was tired. Half hour easy, nothing special. Tried to focus on the technique pointers Coach Eric and my lanemates have given me..I was too tired to really figure anything out though! Then a core workout, and I was done!
Today I was supposed to ride 2hrs and run 40min. easy, but my legs are yelling NoNoNO! So I switched tomorrow's day off with today's workouts, and am going to sit on my butt watching football all day (I never thought I'd say that! Only when the Seahawks are in the Playoffs do I care about football!!).
Friday, January 14, 2011
Masters and Mastering
Since my last post, I've been working on mastering a lot of elements in my training, namely consistency and diet.
Consistency..I'm not great at consistency. I always find myself readjusting my training schedule to accomodate other things. I spend so much time and energy on reworking my schedule, and am almost more focused on that than on my actual workouts. Then last week I reached a point where I realized that it's easier to just do the workouts as planned, instead of wasting so much time trying to reorganize everything every day. There are so many elements of triathlon training, and trying to adjust a tri training schedule every day is exhausting. Over the last week I've found that I've been a lot more consistent in my training. I'm still far from perfect, but I'm getting better. I don't know if this new mentality will stand the test of time, but right now it's workout out pretty well for me. I'll just keep taking it one day at a time!
In my post about water, I mentioned that since I'd been drinking more water I'd been getting less dizzy spells. Well as soon as I got back from Mexico they started up again. I decided it had to be something more than water..so I got tested for hypoglycemia, and also got my thyroid, calcium and iron levels checked. Everything came back normal, but I'm not convinced. A few days after I got my negative results I had a really bad episode on a run..I got dizzy, lightheaded, 'hot', weak and was having a hard time walking a straight line. I went right home and checked my blood sugar..68. Pretty low, but not dangerously so. Still, it's low enough to explain how I'd been feeling. So I'm keeping track of my blood sugar, and sure enough these episodes seem to occur when my blood sugar levels are below 85 or so. I've been focusing on what I'm eating more, and making sure I'm eating the right things. I've been feeling a little better overall, so hopefully I'm on the right path!
The other new development in my training..Master's swimming! Today will be my third workout with the group, and so far it's been amazing. Everyone is so nice and helpful! I'm learning so much at each workout, while I am sort of taking a step backwards in training, in that I'm focusing a lot on the basics, I'm still getting in a great workout at each practice and am breaking down everything to learn it right from the beginning. Just what I need, as a self-taught swimmer! Although breaststroke might get me into trouble..after working on it on Wednesday, I woke up to serious knee pain on Thursday morning. I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs, and definitely couldn't run or do yoga as I'd planned! I spun on the trainer but the pain didn't go away, so I decided to call it a day and rest up. This morning my knee feels %100 better, though I think I need to ease into breaststroking a little slower. Can't have knee injuries--I need my knees (haha--get it??)!
I'll post more about my actual training sessions later--I just wanted to write about some major steps in my overall training changes!
Consistency..I'm not great at consistency. I always find myself readjusting my training schedule to accomodate other things. I spend so much time and energy on reworking my schedule, and am almost more focused on that than on my actual workouts. Then last week I reached a point where I realized that it's easier to just do the workouts as planned, instead of wasting so much time trying to reorganize everything every day. There are so many elements of triathlon training, and trying to adjust a tri training schedule every day is exhausting. Over the last week I've found that I've been a lot more consistent in my training. I'm still far from perfect, but I'm getting better. I don't know if this new mentality will stand the test of time, but right now it's workout out pretty well for me. I'll just keep taking it one day at a time!
In my post about water, I mentioned that since I'd been drinking more water I'd been getting less dizzy spells. Well as soon as I got back from Mexico they started up again. I decided it had to be something more than water..so I got tested for hypoglycemia, and also got my thyroid, calcium and iron levels checked. Everything came back normal, but I'm not convinced. A few days after I got my negative results I had a really bad episode on a run..I got dizzy, lightheaded, 'hot', weak and was having a hard time walking a straight line. I went right home and checked my blood sugar..68. Pretty low, but not dangerously so. Still, it's low enough to explain how I'd been feeling. So I'm keeping track of my blood sugar, and sure enough these episodes seem to occur when my blood sugar levels are below 85 or so. I've been focusing on what I'm eating more, and making sure I'm eating the right things. I've been feeling a little better overall, so hopefully I'm on the right path!
The other new development in my training..Master's swimming! Today will be my third workout with the group, and so far it's been amazing. Everyone is so nice and helpful! I'm learning so much at each workout, while I am sort of taking a step backwards in training, in that I'm focusing a lot on the basics, I'm still getting in a great workout at each practice and am breaking down everything to learn it right from the beginning. Just what I need, as a self-taught swimmer! Although breaststroke might get me into trouble..after working on it on Wednesday, I woke up to serious knee pain on Thursday morning. I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs, and definitely couldn't run or do yoga as I'd planned! I spun on the trainer but the pain didn't go away, so I decided to call it a day and rest up. This morning my knee feels %100 better, though I think I need to ease into breaststroking a little slower. Can't have knee injuries--I need my knees (haha--get it??)!
I'll post more about my actual training sessions later--I just wanted to write about some major steps in my overall training changes!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)