This week was an emotional roller coaster regarding swimming. (Surprise, surprise!) In the final 20 weeks of my Ironman training plan, there are 3 weeks dedicated mostly to one of the sports. This week was the mini version of the big swim that I have in the future.

I started out the week on a swim high, let myself get pulled into doubts and concerns, and then yanked myself back out, got realistic with myself about where my skill level was at and settled myself back into the mindset and approach with which I had started the week. Whew!! More details about this roller coaster here.

Biggest lesson: Don’t compare myself to others or to where others might think I should be. Yes, listen to others advice and experiences, but then ultimately continue on my journey. My swim journey is going to need some pressure and some shake up in the coming months. Just not quite yet. And that’s that. (At least for now!)

Sunday – Recovering from sick and lack of sleep from the Museum of Science and Industry sleepover (and the night before when I couldn’t sleep and gave in and got up and did 4 hours of work in the middle of the night).

Monday – Swim 45 minutes. I’m now mapping out drills for my warm up and cool down and setting a goal for the main workout set. = 45 minutes

Wu – 50 right, left; 50 side kick; 50 3, 8, 3 with shark arms = 150m

Workout – 1000 bi for 25 every 100 (Did it! About 33 min)

Cd – 100 kick; 50 shark arms; 50 swim with fists = 200m

Tuesday – Swim 35 minutes. Then biked 75 minutes. I went to a 45-minute class 30 minutes early. The cycling instructor said the class was tough. I thought it wasn’t too bad!! = 110 minutes

Wu – 50 right left; 50 3,8,3 side kick, shark fins; 50 swim with fists = 150m

Workout – 5 x 100 = 25 min, Half of every 100 bi. (Was about 2:45 for the 100s. Swam every other 25 bi, except the last one, did right left bi bi)

Cd – 50 Kick with arms figure 8s; 50 swim w fins; 50 catch ups; 50 swim with fists = 200m

Wednesday – Circuit class. Then I did some work, ate some more, and finally moseyed on down to the pool. 45 minutes of swimming. = 105 minutes

Wu – 50 right left; 50 3, 8, 3 side kick; 50 3, 8, 3 shark fin; 50 swim w fists = 200m

workout – 8 x 100 = 24 min; Half bi. [I saw my time for the first two 100s was about 2:50. This didn’t feel good, so I stopped timing.]

Cd – 100 kick on back; 100 kick = 200m

Thursday – Another swim session! Just gotta go to the pool and not think about it. 50 minutes in the pool, wasn’t very fast today. Was supposed to do a 15-minute easy (and obviously short) run immediately after. Well, I forgot my running clothes! All this packing for the pool and now I’ve gone and forgotten to pack for the run! Ah well, I went home, had a call, did some more work, and then got dressed for an outside run. I totally enjoyed heading out for a fairly fast 20 minute run. = 70 minutes

Wu – 50 right left; 50 swim w fists; 50 kick with arm 8s = 150m

Workout – 900m – 25 bi every 100 [This did not go super well. I started off timing it, then stopped because it wasn’t going well. Was a good challenge to keep going with my bilateral every 4th length of the pool. Got it done!]

Cd – 50 kick on back; 50 kick; 50 3,8,3 shark fins = 150m

Friday – off

Saturday – I was to do a 30-minute run, 45-minute bike ride, and 15-minute swim. This is a mini version of a reverse tri session that’s in the plan about 5 months from now. I decided to do it in tri order. I want to continue to experience that sensation of getting off the bike and moving into the run, and I haven’t had a brick session recently. I didn’t get up to do the swim before the 8am cycling class as planned. (We got woken up by kid and cat things 4 times overnight – which is highly unusual. Plus, I’m going to a swim clinic tomorrow – Sunday – and am not sure how much we’ll be doing there. Plus I have a long swim on the calendar for tomorrow… Is that enough excuses??! Anyway, didn’t swim today!) I squeezed in 5 minutes of running before the hour long cycling class and then finished up the run afterwards. I was hurrying to get home in time to leave for my son’s football practice and game. I did!! = 90 minutes

TOTAL = 420 minutes = 7 hours (Huh, I thought that would add up to more! It felt like SO much time in the pool! And, I fit in a strength class. Yet, I missed Sunday – so I guess this makes sense)

• Swim – 175 minutes
• Bike – 135 minutes
• Run – 50 minutes
• Strength – 60 minutes

 

Week 33. Sunday through Tuesday went off without a hitch. Then, I got the sniffles and it degraded into a nasty pressure headache. Ugh! I really don’t like that this is 2 weeks derailed by sick within 2 months. That worries me. Just trying to hold on to the idea that it’s totally fine to be sick this far out from the race. Just trying not to let in anxiety about how run down I’ll be later in this process and how that might affect my immune system… I try to come back to the idea that my body will get stronger and better capable of handling tough training weeks.

Sunday – At home completed 30 minutes on the treadmill and 30 minutes on the bike trainer. = 60 minutes

Monday – off! Was perfect timing because the kids were off of school.

Tuesday – 45 minutes cycling class. 15 minute run. = 60 minutes

Wednesday –> Sunday = SICK! Grrrrr…..

TOTAL = 2 hours

 

 

4 swim sessions this week. Whew, was getting a little tired of the pool. I was feeling very little motivation to go through the full drill set that my instructor had laid out for me. (Catch-Up Drill shown here is NOT one of my favorites!)

Not that I don’t trust the value of drills – I do! Yet, when I get in the pool and I’m cold and I’m not really wanting to swim, the drills without much arm movement stress me out breathing-wise (more than regular swimming does). This stress makes me just want to jump in and start swimming. So…sometimes I did!! (Sorry Kirsten!) And, I got myself re-committed to drills by the end of the week and, after a lesson with my swim instructor, I’ve got a new plan going forward, ensuring I’ve got a plan for warm up/cool down and goals/focus for the main set of the workout.

Let’s look at the full week!

Sunday – Worked out with my daughter. We did a 20-minute run outside. This was supposed to have strides every 5 minutes, but it didn’t. It was an easy run with McKenzie. Shortly after we started out she said to me, “I like running with you Mom.” So…forget those strides, this is much better!! Then we went to the gym and jumped in the pool for a 30-minute swim. Now, no loss of intensity here even though I was with my daughter. She jumps in her own lane and I just go back and forth. And…surprise! From time to time a precious, pretty, goggled face would show up in front of my and dive down to swim underneath me. It was good to practice calm, smooth breathing while she did this! (She’s not worried about being “swam over,” like her mom is…) = 50 minutes

Monday – 30-minute swim session. This is one where I pretty much swam 50, kicked 50, swam 50, kicked 50. Did challenge my strength building or breathing endurance like I should have. Just logged the time. = 30 minutes

Tuesday – Another opportunity to check out Vision Quest. They had me out in the morning to do an FTP assessment. I was a little nervous about going “all out” for 20 minutes. I don’t know my bike pacing well enough to know what that feels like. I did pretty well. I didn’t go too hard at the beginning and was able to “up” my FTP by 7 numbers in the last  minutes. So, lesson learned, I could’ve gone a little harder in the first half. Yet, I’m pretty pleased by this effort. My FTP was 148. = 60 minutes

Wednesday – Did a Circuit class at the gym in the morning. First time I ever did that class. Liked it. It would be a good regular addition to triathlon training. Did a 45-minute bike ride at home on the trainer in the afternoon. = 105 minutes

Thursday – Ran 60 minutes outside. Really enjoyed this run. Then returned to the gym, did a tiny bit of work, and then jumped in the pool for 30 minutes. Did a little better with drills and intensity this time. 50= breathed on one side down, on other side back. 50= 3,8,3 side kick. 50= 3,8,3 side kick with fin arms. 50= catch ups. 50= kick. 50= swim bilateral. 50= kick. 50= swim bilateral, 3 down, 5 back. 50= kick. 100= bilateral down, one side back, bilateral down, other side back. = 90 minutes

Friday – Swim lesson, I arrived 25 minutes to get in some work beforehand, In total did about 40 minute of work. I was assigned 2 new drills: swim with fists; kick with fins and with my head out of the water put my arms out and cup my hands and figure 8 them to propel forward. Going to start working on getting my arms to create more propulsion! I also am to include my drills in my warm ups and cool downs. And, I am to have goals for the main part of each swim workout. I like this. This will mix it up more for me, and still ensure I get in drills. = 40 minutes

Saturday – Did 90 minutes on the bike at home. (Multi-tasking central). Followed up by 15 minutes on our treadmill. = 105 minutes

TOTAL = 8 hours

• Swim = 130 minutes
• Bike = 195 minutes
• Run = 95 minutes
• Strength = 60 minutes