Wow, no slow start to 2016. Seems to be the experience of many.

It was a full work week. And here’s what I accomplished for my training…

Sunday – off.

Monday – Swim session. Did my regular routine in a different order to speed it up. Usually I do all the initial drills together, then all the swimming together, then the kicking. Today did the kicking interspersed with the swimming. I get a half hour of work in, yet I miss out on some of the challenge of increasing my breathing capacity and increasing the strength in my legs for the kick. Got out of the pool and immediately went to the cycling room to ride 45 minutes.

Then, there was an opportunity through CTC (Chicago Tri Club) to try out a functional workout class at Vision Quest. So I did, in the evening. Had a good deal of ab work. Not too hard in the moment, and felt it in subsequent days! = 135 minutes

Tuesday – 60 minute rolling hills bike ride on the trainer in my house. I was multi-tasking! (see pic) = 60 minutes

Wednesday – Ran 30 minutes. Instead of strides every 5 minutes, I did a tempo run. I was finally running outside and just wanted to go a little bit fast. = 30 minutes

Thursday – 50 minute run in the morning. It felt good. Swim session in the afternoon. I was feeling tired, the week was catching up with me. I took it easy. I did the routine mixed up and interspersed my kicking and swimming. A little bit of a cop out, yet I knew I had a long swim on the schedule for the following morning! = 80 minutes

Friday – Swim session! The plan called for 2 x 750. I did it! With the exception of my 2 ocean swims in Cabo (where I lifted my head to see where I was every once in a while), I hadn’t ever swam consecutively like this. I did mostly single stroke breathing and it was a little challenging to keep track of the 50s… AND I did! I did the first one in 23 minutes, 30 seconds. I did the second one in 23 minutes, 40 seconds. Took 1.5 minute rest in between. I did some math and did a crude estimate of how long it would take me to swim 2.4 miles at a similar to slower pace. It tallied up over 2 hours. Shoot. I won’t have specific time goals for Ironman, yet I was hoping to get the swim and the first transition done in 2 hours. Okay, so it’s reachable. Yet I do need to increase my endurance (knew that!), and my speed (had been hoping my slow and steady would’ve been enough..). = 45 minutes

Saturday – 1.5 hour bike ride. Arrived 30 minutes early for a 1-hour cycling class. Then ran 15 minutes afterwards. = 105 minutes

TOTAL = 7 hours, 5 minutes

• Swim = 105 minutes
• Bike = 195 minutes
• Run = 95 minutes
• Strength = 60 minutes

Want to get in at least one strength session next week!

 

It may seem like a dramatic blog post title, but that’s what it was this week. My Dad passed on last December, and I dealt with significant grief the first half of this past year. I was so confused, dismayed and out of sorts during the first 6 months of 2015, as I experienced headaches about 4 days a week, frequent migraines, tiredness and lack of motivation. However, by the end of the summer, I felt that I knew the best courses of action for myself both physically and emotionally. I was taking better care of myself than I ever had before. It was occurring as another great gift from my Dad.

Rounding into the holiday season, I figured there was a wave of grief coming. I thought I was prepared for it. Yeah, not quite.

I had 3 migraines this week and spent a good part of 2 consecutive days in bed. It didn’t feel good physically or mentally. I worked to accept it. I scaled back on the business work I had hoped to accomplish during these slower work weeks, and did my best to mentally hit the reset button each day. I completed most of my training plan, yet not at the intensity that was probably expected.

Sunday – Migraine in morning. My gym’s pool was closed for annual maintenance so I made arrangements to use the pool at my gym’s other location in Chicago – the one downtown. I’d never been there before. The pool was much shorter in distance! I’m not sure by how much. Perhaps even half the length. Phew, I was glad that I had taken on the logistics to find another pool in which to train, but I was thinking that it wasn’t worth trying to get another guest pass to go down there again. I did 40 minute of swimming. It wasn’t quite my usual workout routine because I wasn’t sure how to convert the distances. Instead, I focused on putting in the time. Probably wasn’t as intense of a workout. = 40 minutes

Monday – Migraine in morning. (I have sumatriptan headache pills I can take. They usually get rid of the migraine within an hour and a half.) Swam with my daughter in the 4th floor family pool. (My gym has a 4th floor family pool and a 1st floor lap pool. I’m usually, of course, in the 1st floor pool, but it was still closed…) We were in the pool for 50 minutes, for about 30 minutes of work. So, this wasn’t very intense. I was sometimes swimming with a couple of rings and dropping them periodically for McKenzie to find. It was fun and I was glad I got some swimming in. Then I got in 1.5 hours on the bike. I went to a 1-hour cycling class and then stayed for an extra half hour. = 2 hours

Tuesday – Another migraine. I was wiped after 3 days of migraine. Rested.

Wednesday – No migraine! Went for a run! 45 minutes with strides every 5 minutes for 20 seconds, starting half way through. I did this on the indoor track at the gym. Unfortunately, I don’t think this helped my headache situation because the place smelled like paint (and honestly a little bit like feet) from the annual maintenance work they were doing. = 45 minutes

Thursday – In bed.

Friday – 45 minutes run. = 45 minutes

Saturday – 2 hour cycling class. I started out the class feeling like I was on the verge of getting a headache. I kept deep breathing and stretching my neck from time to time. I left the class still feeling like I was on the verge of getting a headache. I was relieved that I did 2 hours of exercise and that it didn’t worsen. = 2 hours

TOTAL = 6 hours, 10 minutes

Not all that was planned for the week. Given the pool closure, grief, and 3 migraines; I’m going to call it an accomplishment.

 

I’m a person who likes structure and a plan. So, I actually struggle a little with the last 2 weeks of the year when the kids are off school and I’m trying to work some, do fun activities with the family, and fit in other projects around the house. Oh, and do my training!

I also started experiencing a wave of grief this week, so that was not fun or helpful. Here’s how it went…

Sunday – I did my workout with McKenzie! We did a 30-minute run together on the track at the gym. We stopped when she wanted to, and I stopped the timer when we did. It was definitely an easy – and fun – 30 minutes. Then we went down to the pool together. Here we both picked a lane and did some swimming. We were in the pool for 40 minutes. = 70 minutes

Monday – I was out at my Mom’s. Ahead of time I contacted a friend who works out at Delnor (in a nearby town) to see if I could get a guest pass there. Looked like I was going to have to spend $25 to use the facility (just add it to my Ironman training tab!!!), yet I was able to use one of her guest passes even though she wasn’t there with me. Yay! I ran for about 15 minutes, then did one of the center’s hour long cycling classes, then ran for another 15 minutes, then did about 10 minutes of arm weights. = 100 minutes

Tuesday – I got a migraine on Monday night. I’m attributing this to stress and grief at being out at my Mom’s (without my Dad – who died last December – physically present). I took my migraine medicine and was able to go out to dinner with the family. However, I was up for a few hours overnight and just needed to sleep in and recover. So I didn’t do the swim at Delnor that I was planning.

Wednesday – Went to the gym and got in my swim. 40 minutes. Then did a 70-minute run. – 110 minutes

Thursday – Christmas eve. Ran with my moms running group! Wore my Santa Hustle obnoxious red shirt and my long red and white stripped socks, because when else can you? 40 minutes. Then later I did a swim session with the kids. Everyone had their own lane. Jake popped up into mine fairly frequently. So, not super consistent or intense, but got it done. I also had a gentleman from another lane ask if I was doing the Total Immersion training program. I told him I had no idea! This seemed like good news that the drills I was doing were recognizable and seemed to be part of a quality approach to swim training that he believed in. (Of course, I figured I following a good approach, since I have a swim instructor – but I like to hear it as often as possible!) He also had some head and arm position advice for me. So, I listened and tried it out. 40 minutes of work complete (even though we were in the pool longer). = 80 minutes

Friday – Christmas! 90-minute bike ride. Was supposed to be a 75-minute ride. Read more about that here. = 90 minutes

Saturday – Off.

TOTAL = 450 minutes = 7.5 hours

 

Ugh! just missed 6 days of training. Just had a good ole knock-me-down cold. I had to prioritize sleep and the 2 days of client on-site co-facilitation I had this week. (Thank goodness I was co-facilitating with someone I’ve worked with for a while! I leaned on her heavily!! Thanks Ellen!)

I will say that I did a better job of accepting that I was sick and not angsting (too much) over the lost training. It was pretty clear I needed to rest and rest and I made sure it was 95% out of my system before I went back to it.

Saturday – Finally a workout!! Slept in and went to the 45-minute cycling class. Then did 45 minutes of running. Felt great! I felt strong after all the rest. Good to know there was some fitness in there waiting for me. 🙂

TOTAL = 90 minutes! Ha!