Thursday, December 30, 2010

(sprint) Triathalon here I come

This is my first week of tracking my run/bike/swim distances.
Week starting 12/13/2010
13 Miles run
15.6 Miles biked
1.6 Miles Swam

All those numbers look very small to me compared to how much time I spent in the gym this week.    I would have had more running, but I slept through my outdoor run on Saturday.  The only time I get to exercise is early in the morning or late at night so its extra tiring (mentally mostly)  to get miles in for all three disciplines.  My swim still concerns me.  I can do the required 1/2 mile in a session at the pool, but I'm a long ways off before I can do it continuously.   Good thing I have 9 months to get ready.   However, as  I do more research I've found out there  are several sprint triathlons in NH starting in June.   So maybe I only have 6 months.

(on a blogging note, this should have been posted a week ago).

Monday, December 13, 2010

Momma said there would be days like this....

I don't know if its a lingering cold in my chest,  the 5 pounds I seemed to put on just this weekend, or just an off day.  What what a crappy day of workouts.   Did 20 laps in the pool this morning, although I was ready to give up after 4.  I could hear a gurgle in my chest as I was breathing heavy.    I did do a 50 meter swim (a full lap down and back non-stop)  for the first time so thats good.  It wasn't pretty, but it doesn't have to be yet.

Then the plan at night was do an almost 5 mile bike ride (in gym)  then hop on the treadmill and do 3 miles like I did last Thursday.  I did the bike ok,   a little slower than I did it the other day but that felt fine.  But when I stepped on the treadmill my body and mind was just not into it.  So I did hill intervals for a mile,  started at 1% for a minute, then walked a min, 2% an min, walked, up to 2 sets of 4% and then I was done.  Nothing left.

And this follows a poor outdoor run on Sunday.   I really hope its my weight that makes me sucky athlete.  I would hate to lose 25 more pounds to find out it doesn't make a difference in my performance.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Let the Tri-athalon Training Begin!!!

Foots / Ankle better.  Nuff said.

1/2 Mile Swim,   14 Mile Bike Ride.  5K run.    Roughly 9 months from now in September at Clough State Park.

The 5K run I have covered.  I figured no matter how tired I am, I can still run (or walk)  it under an hour.

14 Miles Bike Ride, well, I have no bike.   So thats an issue.   I figure around my birthday I can find a used bike to use, and I can drive myself over to lake and do the bike route.  Until then the gym is full of bikes I can pedal until my stubby legs fall off.

Then there is the swim.  This is what excites me most about the triathalon.  Swimming is something I've never done.  The concept of swimming a 1/2 mile in a lake is so foreign to me.    I'm starting from scratch, very much  the way I did with running.    Every day I swim, which is usually twice a week, I learn something new or see some improvment.

The other day I did almost 5 miles on a stationary bike, then immediately ran a 5K after on a tread mill.    My last swim workout, Friday Dec 10th,  I completed around 20 laps total.  18 is 1/2 mile.  So I can swim a bunch now compared to how I was 3 weeks ago when I started, but I can't do those laps consecutively.  There is a lot of rest between the laps or even the lengths.  And when I get tired, I get super sloppy.

Should be interesting on what happens in the next 9 months.  I still have at least one half marathon to worry about before then.