Showing Up [Week 3; 17 To Go]

OK so we get back from Florida - almost through 'the sickness' that had us down for nearly two weeks - at 90% and ready to kick out some workouts!  I skipped Monday, of course, and took Tuesday as a 'day off', but cranked through the rest of the week with some success.

This week I started 'strides' or 'pick-ups' in my run workouts.  This is a great example of every workout having a purpose.  Strides are introduced into workouts for a specific purpose - speed. I do them for bike and swim workouts as well.  Basically, after a good warm-up (10-20 minutes depending on the total length of your workout), you pick-up your run pace over 20 seconds so that you are going 'cheetah' fast by second 19/20.  Returning to a run pace effort of a 2 - 4 on a scale of 10.  Repeat this about every 5 minutes until your workout is done, using that last 5 minutes as your cool down.  What this allows you to do is to FEEL what it is like to run fast without putting too much stress on your body. 

As the periodization of training continues, there is LOTS of time to get in tempo workouts where there is an extended period (10-60 minutes) of high effort work.  These are HARD DAYS that you need rest before and after to get the biggest bang for your buck.  Picking up for short 20 second strides allows that 'interval' to occur without having to 'break the bank' so to speak with your workouts.

So enough about training, Sunday was Mothers Day - how awesome is that?!?!?!! I woke up to flowers and a card at the kitchen table and little T and I read 'Dad's' eloquent Mother's Day Ode to Moi outloud together.  A wonderful breakfast was made by DH.  We went for a beautiful drive to WI.  I got to go for an hour spin outside on my tri bike that I hadn't been on in a year and a half.  (ouch!)  And I returned to dinner in the oven and a glass of wine calling out my name.

To my two favorite men in my life.  You both made being a Mom possible :)  And you both help me be the best triathlete and Mom I can be.  It's not about crossing the finish line - it's about showing up at the starting line. I love you. 

Spring Colds :( [Week 2; 18 To Go]

Week One Complete…..And then I woke up with a sore throat on Monday……

Tuesday I couldn’t breathe out of my nose, Wednesday DH had to fly out of town for work till Thursday morning and Friday we had plans to fly to Florida to see Nonna and Pup.  Surely I would be better by the end of the week; I just needed to make it to Friday.

I asked DH to stay home from work on Tuesday so I could have some help and get some work done since Monday was a wash.  I took Wednesday off in order for sick kiddo and I to try to get better.  And we’re talking about work here – not working out…I tried to work out on Monday and then….took the rest of the week off.  I wasn’t going to accomplish anything by working out when I was so sick and tired.  If I had any extra time I needed to get some sleep and REST.

So after a great Week 1: Got my bike tuned up, made it to the pool several times, got outside for a ride (It was still snowing here in May, so getting outside for a ride was a big deal), the scale was my friend every time I stepped on it – and….. I was at a standstill with my training.

For the average triathlete, who is getting normal rest (7-9 hours each night), I might not say it is necessary to rest when you are sick.  Sometimes getting your heart rate up and your body temperature elevated is just what your body needs to kick the germs in the butt that are making you feel lousy.  But in my case, and in any new Mom’s or tired Mom’s case (is there any other kind of Mom?), I say rest when you are sick.  If you just HAVE TO go to the gym, get in the sauna or the steam room. It will help elevate your temp to kill off the nasties in your body and your sinuses will feel normal for a few minutes. 

So we left for Florida on Friday afternoon - Sick Mom, Dad and Kiddo – soooo nervous to fly with a 4 month old with a stuffed up nose……and he couldn’t have done better.   I was one very relieved mama.    Goal for the trip was to get well and return home with everyone healthy – which happened for the most part.  We weren’t 100% , but we were all definitely on the mend when we left sunny Florida.

Returned home on Tuesday late night ready to get back on the training wagon after more than a full week with no workouts…On to Week Three!!

On easy days, GO EASY [Week 1; 19 To Go]

OK, so it's been a while since I've posted and as you read the next three posts (as I try to catch up), you'll understand why.

So....two and a half weeks ago......I officially started my triathlon training for a half ironman distance race in early September.  I had a plan to lead me to awesomeness.  DH agreed to watch T in the mornings that I needed to get a swim in or any morning workout.  I would try to schedule my two-a-day workout days when the nanny was here (Two days a week) so I could get everything in by the time DH got home from work.  And DH would get his workouts in when he got home from work.  We would eat dinner when he was done and T and I would go to bed soon after.  Lather.  Rinse. Repeat.

Goal for week one was simply to get it all in – total of 7 hours for the week to include one day off.  And for the most part I did that.  Only had to miss one swim, but it was on a two-a-day, so I still worked out that day.  What I didn’t factor in, and something you all would figure I knew by now with a 4+ month old, is that EVERYTHING just takes longer now.  When I got up in the wee hours of the morning to get DH to begin the duty transfer, I still had to get dressed, pump, and get out the door. What used to take me less than 10 minutes to get ready for the gym in the morning, now took me close to an hour.  Imagine thatJ

The training that I’m following is a plan on www.beginnertriathlete.com – the only free half ironman distance training plan available.  I did have to start adjusting the schedule of the workouts as the scheduled day off is Saturday for the first few weeks.  Weekends are the easiest time for me to get workouts in because DH is home to help out, so I moved the day off to a weekday.  Now, I’ve been training long enough that I’m pretty comfortable knowing how to move workouts around, but many people struggle (DH is one), knowing how to move workouts to best increase their fitness. 

There truly is a method to the madness when coaches create training plans.  You want to make sure you aren’t too fatigued when there are tough workouts to get done.  I like to remind myself “On easy days, go EASY.  On hard days, go HARD”.  When I’m rearranging my workouts to better fit my schedule I break up the workouts into easy and hard, and then alternate those workouts.  We’ll talk in depth about the importance of rest in a future post, but the short of the long is to remember that easy workouts are a type of ‘active rest’.  Difficult workouts (from a triathlon training perspective) are placed in training to increase fitness and speed.  If you aren’t rested for those workouts, then you’re basically just burning calories.  EVERY workout has a purpose.  Know what that purpose is and keep it in mind as you are training each work out.

Week One Complete…..And then I woke up with a sore throat on Monday……