Can an Average Runner Become an IRONMAN?

Audaciously...I'm thinking, "YES!"

Week between. A week with no plan makes you love the plan.

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love the planThis was a relaxed week with no real training plan. I finished up the 20 weeks of training that I completed before my first triathlon: the 20 weeks in which I was doing about half of my final 20-week Ironman training plan. Then this is the one week before I start that actual 20-week Ironman training plan. It’s the “week between.”

You think you want a week with no plan. Until you get to said week with no plan, then you’re constantly talking yourself into and out of workouts. Then you realize that plan actually gives your mind some freedom!

Sunday – Texas State Sprint Tri!  1:39. Read all about it here. = 99 minutes

Monday – Off.  Was supposed to have a swim lesson, but it was canceled.

Tuesday – Swam 30 minutes. Just swam easily and nearly continuously. = 30 minutes

Wednesday – Was going to do circuit class and then run, but was tired and went down for a nap. Then it shifted to a bad emotion day.  Tired of this!

Thursday – Bike ride with my friend got canceled; she needed to work. Did a 45-minute cycling class then a group Full Body Architect class. = 105 minutes

Friday – Swam 30 minutes with the kids. This was fun. Never knew who was going to pop up in the lane in front of me or splashing next to me! = 30 minutes

Saturday – Ran with the running mom gals in the AM. Hadn’t been out with them in a loooong time (too many long bike rides)! Was great to catch up. = 40 minutes

Ready to get on the final 20 week plan!

TOTAL = 304 minutes = 5 hours 4 minutes

  • Swim – 73 minutes = 24%
  • Bike – 94 minutes = 31%
  • Run – 70 minutes = 23%
  • Transition – 6 minutes = 1%
  • Strength – 60 minutes = 20%

Week 21 – last week of training before 1st tri

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faster runnerThis week could be summed up: Fast running. Hard biking. Anxious swimming.

How to become a faster runner? I guess focus on swimming and biking.

Sunday – I was to do a 45-minute bike ride. I didn’t do it because 1) my husband left town in the morning and 2) and probably more importantly, I was feeling tired from the 7-hour charity bar crawl the day before! So I decided to rest up and put it off.

Monday – 50 minutes of cycling class in AM.  In the afternoon, I did – as prescribed – 2 x 5 minute swim + 3 x 5 minute bike + 3 x 5 min run. Whew, got me revved up and a little worried about the swim. Jumping in the water to go fast for a shorter distance gets me out of sync and anxious. = 90 minutes

Tuesday – 15 minute swim + 20 minute bike + 15 minute run. Realized part way through the bike time that I was supposed to do some fast segments in the middle. So I did 2 minutes of faster on the bike and did 2 purges/strides in the middle of the run.

Running feels strong right now! I like that. Yet, cycling class this week felt much harder than I wanted it to. (Is it always that way in the taper?) = 50 minutes

Wednesday – 15-minute swim, then went immediately to circuit class. I picked up my wet suit rental. I tried it on at the shop. I didn’t want to leave without knowing it fit. I’m at the upper range of the height and weight for the suit. I wriggled in pretty well. The 2 salespeople watching were impressed! It’s quite a process of inside outing and pulling and tugging (without using any fingernails). = 75 minutes

Thursday – 30 minutes on bike in cycling studio, then I was scheduled for a 20-minute run. I did 30 minutes outside. Running is feeling great these days (swimming and biking haven’t felt as great this week so let’s focus for a moment on running!). I just start out at an easy pace and it naturally builds over time. Averaged 9:17 (9:37, 9:37, 9:10 and a quarter mile averaging an 8 minute pace). That’s fast for me. 🙂 = 60 minutes

Friday – Off. Traveled to Texas!

Saturday – Picked up my rental bike. First went to the wrong Bike World location (had no idea they had 3 locations in San Antonio!). Got to the right location and I hear them talking to each other about how that bike might not have been returned. I remained calm. They found the bike. And I took my time. I watched them clean it all up and grease the chain. I rode around and had them adjust the seat a couple times. I asked them to check the tire pressure. I asked for a kit for changing tires. I asked them to review how to take off a tire, in case I needed to do that. And they loaded the bike in my rental car for me. Then after I left they had to call me to tell me I’d left my cycling shoes and helmet behind. Oh brother! Hope that’s my only idiotic move for the weekend! (It wasn’t.)

Sunday – the Triathlon! My first one! Read all about it here.

TOTAL = 275 minutes = 4 hours, 35 minutes

  • Swim – 40 minutes = 15%
  • Bike – 115 minutes = 41%
  • Run – 60 minutes = 22%
  • Strength – 60 minutes = 22%

Week 22 – headaches

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excedrin migraineAfter feeling drained emotionally last week, this week I experienced physical symptoms. Headaches every day through Wednesday.  Had to take 2 migraine pills in that time.  My husband was out of town, so I just immediately took the pills when I felt a migraine coming on. I took no chances and didn’t entertain any thoughts of trying to “gut” it out. Fit in another acupuncture/gwasha appointment on Wednesday.  Unfortunately, have taken a few Excedrin Migraine pills each day since.

Sunday – Swam 125m warm ups then 100m, 2 x 50m, 100m, 2 x 50m, 100m. Did 100’s slow, 50’s fast. = 30 minutes

Monday – Biked 30 minutes in cycling room.  Swim class. approx. 30 minutes of swimming = 60 minutes

Tuesday – Was going to do Tetra Blitz strength class – didn’t because of online kid camp registration. Did run scheduled for Thursday.  Was supposed to do 20 minutes. Did 4 miles. = 40 minutes

Wednesday – Biked 45 minutes in cycling room.  Chicago Tri Club (CTC) meeting in the evening, which was really valuable. Read more about the CTC meeting here. = 45 minutes

Thursday – Off.  Facilitating all day. I took a bike maintenance class in the evening. That was simultaneously enlightening and discouraging. (Changing that tire was much harder than I expected!) More on that here.

Friday – Off.

Saturday – 90 minutes on bike, including 45-minute class.  10 minute run. 30 minute swim. = 130 minutes

TOTAL = 305 minutes = 5 hours, 5 minutes

  • Swim – 90 minutes = 30%
  • Bike – 165 minutes = 54%
  • Run – 50 minutes = 16%
  • Strength – 0 minutes = 0%

Wow, totals are low the last two weeks.  I know I’ve been dealing with grief but it still feels low and makes me nervous!  Darn taper!

Week 23… slammed by grief

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slammed by griefEmotionally slammed by grief this week. Didn’t see this coming. Yet, as I reflect back, I’m sensing that I really miss the way my Dad would listen to me with his whole being, without judgment, and with unconditional support. I’ve had some misfires with communication in my extended family recently, and perhaps that made me acutely aware of what I’ve been missing. Love you Dad.

Just tried to do my best to accept the emotions, roll with them, NOT try to change them or fix them or blame myself for them, and to struggle through best I could. I gave myself permission to take some things off the training plan this week. (Good thing I’m on the taper!)

Sunday – off.

Monday – 30-minute run in the morning, average 9:31.

In the afternoon, did a 45-minute swim. 2 x 125m and 3 x 375m. Then a 60-minute bike ride. Did it alone in the cycling room. That doesn’t give me as good of a workout, compared with riding outside or doing a cycling class, so I had myself do three 4-minute steep uphill pushes throughout. I’d do 1 minute out of the saddle, try to hold the next minute in the saddle, then add in even more hill for another minute out of the saddle, then again holding steady in the saddle.

In the evening I had my swim lesson in the pool. It was cold! We did drills and swimming. Then we worked with the timer, trying to keep pace with the beeping by our ear. (Beep indicates arm entry on each stroke.) The instructor said that we – including me! – were in the green zone!! That’s good, although the swimming felt fast and sloppy to me. I asked if form went to complete crap, and the instructor said No. But it certainly suffered some! About 30 minutes of work during the hour long lesson, I’d guess. = 165 minutes

Tuesday – Woke up in a bad (very bad) emotional place. Dimmed. Unmotivated. Wanted to do nothing. I rescheduled a call, got up for 1 call, and was otherwise in bed until 1pm. I wasn’t low on sleep. I hadn’t drivien myself to a collapse. It was emotional grief, and I had no idea it was coming and couldn’t see a specific trigger. Awful. Might be the worst I’ve ever felt. Didn’t want to go to my scheduled massage (I love massages!!)…nothing.

I was to do a speed swim session and a 45-minute bike session. I called the swim session complete due to the previous night’s swim lesson and did 45 minutes in the cycling studio by myself in the early evening. Pretty easy ride. = 45 minutes

Wednesday – off.

Thursday – Planned 30-minute bike and 60-minute run. Didn’t do. Dimmed by grief. = 0 minutes

Friday – Thought I might do a kickboxing class int he morning. No go, stayed in bed. After my morning meeting, I went straight to the gym to do my workout. I didn’t trust myself to stop by home. I wanted to do this workout. I was especially excited to do a run and get some stress out. I did 30 minutes in the cycling studio, then I did a 60-minute run outside. The forecast indicated a 25% chance of rain. Wrong! 🙂 I got rained on, hailed on, and then baked in the sun for the last 1.5 miles. AND, I was so glad that I ran outdoors. Felt great to cover some miles. = 90 minutes

Saturday – Biked 90 minutes (45 minutes of a class, then 45 minutes by myself in the cycling studio). Then 10-minute run. Went well. = 100 minutes

TOTAL = 400 minutes = 6 hours, 40 minutes

  • Swim – 75 minutes = 19%
  • Bike – 225 minutes = 56%
  • Run – 100 minutes = 25%
  • Strength – 0 minutes = 0%