Can an Average Runner Become an IRONMAN?

Week 3 – I’m so so so tired of this!

August 27, 2016 by Amy Riley Leave a Comment

Sunday – At my Mom’s, after arriving home from Madison yesterday afternoon and before we go to the Dells tomorrow. So, I’ll go over to Delnor fitness center, get a guest pass, and do my swim session.

I’m filling out the paperwork. They said they’d give me a free guest pass even though my friend that goes there was technically out of them! I ask about how to get through the locker room to the pool. “Oh, our pool is closed for annual maintenance.” I drop the pen, of course it is! I say, “That’s why I’m here.” Wow, unbelievable. Okay. Breathe. Smile. “Is there another pool in the area you can recommend?” Yes, another town over. I call the Norris Center, pull up directions on my phone and head over. $8. The pool length 25 yards instead of 25 meters. I don’t do any complicated math (who has any brain power left???) and tack on an extra pool lap to each segment.

Warm-Up: 2 x 200, Main: 3 x 750. I did the first one longer, so that the last one would be shorter.

I put on my watch when I arrived and surprise!, out of charge. Even though I hadn’t used it since it had last been plugged in. So I moved rings on the lane diviners and counted things out that way. = 90 minutes

Monday – Did an hour run before we left for the Dells. Ran easy, did take my route over the few slight hills in the area. = 60 minutes

Tuesday – Had a couple alcoholic beverages yesterday afternoon (and did more working out than my plan originally prescribed over the weekend) so … OFF!

Wednesday – Hour run. Ran before we got in the car to drive home. Got rained on a couple times.

Oh, and I’m doing all my runs without music these days because my iPod hasn’t worked since the 3 hour run in the rain a couple Fridays ago. Doesn’t even bother me much – which is perplexing – I love music – but after I get going, it doesn’t really register that I’m running without music!

Was supposed to do 60 minute ride when we got home, but I had too much to do to prep for tomorrows virtual course facilitation. Had to bag it. = 60 minutes

Thursday – Did 60 minutes of cycling on trainer at home from 6:40am to 7:40am so I could connect with the family, take pictures, before the kids left for their 1^st day of school.

Then took off for 2 hour run. Felt good. Passed by pretty quickly without incident. = 180 minutes

Friday – 90-minute ride on trainer in basement – no time to fit it in any other way. = 90 minutes

Saturday – Was planning to go to Ohio Street Beach in the morning to open water swim with others. Pouring! Sure I could go down there, yet what I’m looking for is an opportunity to swim with others an get splashed some. Went back to bed and dozed some.

Then I got up and decided I wanted to get out a tricky work email I needed to complete sooner rather than later. I should have time for that, then a short bike and swim session, then go to my Source Healing appointment (acupuncture) and the Chicago tri expo. Finished the work, felt great about it, packed up and heading to the gym. Started working some times in my head and I didn’t have enough time! Geez, I just wanted to work some and not be timing things and now I’m time boxed. I’d only have time for a 20-minute ride and the swim session would be squished. Crap. I went back home. I’ll have to do it later.

Instead, took the kids to Panera for lunch, then took Mckenzie with me to my Source Healing appointment. It was fun for me to have Keri, my practitioner, and McKenzie meet. It was fun for Keri too! McKenzie was her talkative self and took it all in stride. And then to the expo. It’s so much more fun to have an energetic young person with you for these things! We got done with the expo after 5pm. No way did I feel like working out after that. Plus, then I got to thinking that it wasn’t a good to do it before the tri tomorrow. Either way, it ain’t happening!

Was a bad and usual week for me for missing workouts.

McKenzie and I instead did a much needed Target run, including getting gifts for their cousins birthday party the next day.

TOTAL = 480 minutes = 8 hours

Swim – 90 minutes = 19%
Bike – 150 minutes = 31%
Run – 240 minutes = 50%

Week 4 – keeping steady

August 20, 2016 by Amy Riley Leave a Comment

Sunday – OFF!

Monday – Had calls in the morning, then drove the kids out to my Mom’s so they could spend the week there. Got back in time to fit in a half hour massage. Wow, so many knots. Scheduled another massage for the next day.

Biked 75 minutes. Plan read: WU 10 spinning @ RPE 3 Main: 7 x (5t, 3r) 3t @ REP 5, 3r at RPE 2. I was not at all sure what this meant! So I just tried to keep a steady tempo kind of effort going, while multi tasking in the cycling room.

Ran 45 minutes. Did this inside on the indoor track. Went by pretty quickly, even though my iPod hasn’t been working since the 3 hour run in the rain! Easy pace. = 120 minutes

Tuesday – Had thoughts of going to masters swim class in the morning since the kids were out of town and the timing could work. Yet then I stayed up late doing some work so I opted for sleep instead. Plus, I actually think I’m calmer in “open water” than the pool. So a busy, splashy time in the pool might panic me more than a splashy crowd in a lake. And I could just be making that up!

Swim recovery session. Warm Up: 150m, Main: 5 x 200 (50 easy, 50 build, 50 easy, 50 hard). Done. About 40 minutes.

Ran 60 minutes indoor on the indoor track again. Went well. Easy run. Then 6 x 20 second strides afterwards. 65 minutes.

Then my 2^nd massage in 2 days. Still plenty of knots. = 105 minutes

Wednesday – Facilitated all day. 2 hours on bike in fitness center. This was not a good bike (in the fitness center). Just at level 1 it was a tough push. OK. Just worked my way through 2 hours. Did some mutli-tasking. Sweated a lot! = 120 minutes

Thursday – OFF! Was up late unpacking and packing and doing work for a new opportunity.

Friday – Chose sleep over doing the short recovery swim on the calendar, since I’d be swimming the full course the next day.

On my drive up to Madison – after I was already figuring out how to carry extra water bottles in the back packets of my jersey and thinking about what the heck I’d do with my car keys during the swim event that had no gear check while all my cycling stuff was in the car [just take my key remote (they are 1 piece) in the water and hope the remote still works??] I got a notification that the swim event was cancelled.

Seriously? Again?

The swim part of my Half Ironman was cancelled. I haven’t been able to swim with others on Chicago lakefront because of travel or going out to see my husband recovering from surgery in the burbs.

I cried, I was so frustrated and disappointed. I was nervous to do the swim event, but I just wanted to do it! I was ready to have this be my last big milestone of the training and be on the taper.

Now what? Ugh. Is there another swim event I could fit in?

I stopped at a Starbucks to figure this out before I headed to my friends. I didn’t want to be distracting and didn’t want the kids upset while I searched on my computer when they wanted to play. I could do the Chicago triathlon at the end of the month. (The next weekend). I couldn’t believe it was still open for registration! So I started the registration process online as I text my coach about whether it was a good idea and I text my friend who’s done it about whether it’s splashy and crowded. Both said yes right away. I registered.

That was decided. Just still feeling confused and defeated about not being able to do a crowded open water swim. Tried to shake it off. Decided I’d do a loop on the bike course the next day. Push myself on speed. Make the most of the trip up here.

Saturday – Pouring when I got up. Just didn’t feel motivated to get up and do less than the original plan. Waited out the heaviest of the rain. Went over to Endurance House, where I’ve left for previous VQ supported rides before. Immediately I was questioning if I was going the right way! I was. Yet as I got out on the road I was still wondering whether I was going the right way…

My coach wanted me to push it more on the downhills so I had more of a steady, even, effort through out. I’m sure I was slowing down since as I struggled to determine whether I was going the right way. Then I was lost. I was pretty sure I was off course. It was a freshly paved road. I didn’t remember that from last week. I was so upset and defeated. I couldn’t think. I didn’t know what to do. I could move forward and see if it got familiar, but I might get myself into busy streets or hills I can’t do. I could go back, yet the course is only marked in one direction on one side of the street, so I might miss the marking again. I had already spent time looking at the course online and couldn’t figure out where I went wrong. I called my husband, at my wits end. He said to trust my instincts. I have none! I’m so f-ing fed up! I could just put Endurance House in my phone, head back and call this shit quits. Yet, dang it! I didn’t want to do that.

I back tracked and found the turn I missed, and then I didn’t allow myself to think about it much and got back on course. It was about a 9 mile add. OK, that’s good. This was supposed to be a big day anyway. I got rained on a few times. That was fine. Although it slowed me down some because I took it a bit slower on the wet downhills. It was the sun peeking out form time to time that worried me. I didn’t have sunscreen on. Dang it. Stupid. Should just put that on regardless! Should I turn around? No, no, just keep going.

Ugh, this day is bugging me. But I’m doing it. I wanted to get through the new Barlow hill part so I could be familiar with that and know when I would dismount. I was getting through the loop but it was not feeling like a good time. I was doing less than I originally planned. I hadn’t been logging the pace desired, I was worried about sun burn! Just couldn’t get into a positive place. Just drudging through.

Then I heard the church bells. Pretty. Made me look around. Gorgeous patch work countryside – you know – where you can see one type of landscape, 1 color folding into another? I turned towards the church and there was a sign: “Free Water for Cyclists.” YES! I was going to be running low on water. I filled up my water and read their sign. How awesome! I felt the love and support! My husband text me right at this moment. I heard the ding. I called and told him about the support from the church. “God works in mysterious ways,” he said. Yup!

I didn’t go on to LOVE the rest of this loop, but I sure feel much, much lighter. Rest of ride felt much faster.

Totaled 60 miles, 13.6 mph, so nowhere near goal, yet faster. = 270 minutes

TOTAL = 610 minutes = 10.15 hours

Swim – 40 minutes = 7%
Bike – 465 minutes = 76%
Run – 105 minutes = 17%

Week 5 – monster week

August 13, 2016 by Amy Riley Leave a Comment

Sunday – OK, I didn’t go to Barrington. I got home at 10pm last night, needed to eat and take care of a few things. I would’ve had to get up at 5:30am after a day of travel and 2 sets of workouts. Ugh! Just didn’t sound fun or smart (to then come back and drive 5 hours). So I decided to go back to the gym. Started cycling at 7:40am. There’s a 90-minute class at 8:30am. Pushed it during class. Felt proud of my effort in the time before, during and after the class. I did those 5ish minute hill efforts (light hill stand, light hill sit, heavy hill stand, heavy hill sit) every 15 minutes or so.

Good effort even though it was inside.

Forgot to leave time and bring the shoes for the 10-minute run. Grrrrr.

I took my daughter to camp and traffic was bad on the way back. Got home after 6pm. Couldn’t imagine doing the 2 hour swim. Thought of doing a shortened version, but no. Wiped. = 220 minutes

Monday – 30-minute continuous swim. Got to the pool about 11am it it was crowded. A guy asked me if I wanted to share a lane. Sure! I’m on a tight schedule! We were both free style swimming and passed each other a few times before the next door lane opened up. We bumped each other somehow each time we passed one another. He kicked me in the chest one time, we bumped sides another and water got rippled over my face the third. I did NOT do well with this and that was disappointing. Was it the anticipation of knowing we’d bump? If I got anxious about this, how would I handle people all around me?

I tried to think about it – actually continued to panic myself – and determined what I could tell myself to keep my mind calm and to keep going.

Here’s what I came up with:

I will find my path.
Keep moving forward.
It’s calm when my head is down.
Adjust stroke to breathe when you want.
Settle into calm stroke.
Focus on my arms.

Then 90 minutes on the bike. Easy spin in cycling room, multi-tasking.

Went for my bike fit! Made adjustment to seat, handle bars and shoes. Glad I did this! When Ed, my bike fitter, saw that I was 5’8” and had a size 56 bike he was concerned. He thought I’d be too stretched out. But, we got exactly where we needed to be, because my torso is long and arms are so long. (I demonstrated for him how I can put sunscreen on every part of my back myself!)

Cost $200. Also my tri-shorts I’ve been racing in and doing long bike rides in wore out in a spot, so I looked at new shorts and found some I really liked. Another $75. Then I looked at helmets. Mine is so old I needed something newer and more comfortable. Another $165. Then they recommended chamois crème – a crème version of body glide for the nether regions, most effective for bike leg they say. OK! Another $23. It’s just time and $$$, people, just time and money!

In the evening I did a 45-minute easy run. Felt great. My favorite sport! Average 9:55. = 165 minutes

Tuesday – Got up at 3:45am to fly to Ohio after staying up to 10:45pm doing work and preparing for the workshop in Ohio.

There was a client dinner. Got back to hotel about 7:45pm. Got on the bike in the hotel fitness center just before 8pm. Talked to my family, face timed with my son, answered emails, balanced my checkbook, journaled about my training. My left glute and maybe part of my hamstring were sore.

I’m telling myself to not worry about this, that it’s normal to have an ache or pain at this point in the process when I’m less than a week away from the taper (although it doesn’t feel that way when I’ve got 100 miles on the bike course and a full distance swim and lengthy (haven’t decided how much yet) bike ride and run the next week.)

Wrapped up at 10pm. Long day! = 120 minutes

Wednesday – Got back from Ohio about 7:30pm. I wanted to get in my 80-minute run if possible, so my next 2 days wouldn’t be totally jammed.

Started about 8pm. Would it be too dark? Started out light enough, but then got darker and darker. Decided to run out 40 minutes. Turned around at 30 minutes. I figured if I needed to I could run the last 20 up and down my street under the street lights. Was instead able to take another short loop on the lakefront and set myself up to finish the 80 minutes at my door step. Did strides every 5 minutes starting at 15. Helped the run go by quickly. This felt good. = 80 minutes

Thursday – I was planning to do my 3-hour run, in the afternoon, but Jake wasn’t feeling well in the morning. He didn’t go to camp. Kevin, my hubby, was with him in the morning while I was leading a webinar and on calls. I said I’d take over in the afternoon. So, change of plans. I’d do the swim session instead because Jake could swim with me part of the time and watch or be on the hope on the side for a little bit.

Warm Up = 6 x 50, Main = 3 x 700. The warm up took quite some time! Jake was talking to me in between 50s and showing me his swim “routine”. I’d say I got interrupted 2 times during each 100. After I was done with the first two 700s, he asked incredulously, “You have another one?” = 80 minutes

Friday – Did 3-hour run in the afternoon. (Had calls in the morning). Pretty early in the run it started pouring on me. I thought about looping back to the gym to run some indoors. Yet, in the end, I was already soaked and decided to just keep going. A few miles in a bike went by and it was Ed, my cycling instructor at the gym, waving to me. GREAT to get his Facebook shout out that running, with a smile on my face in a downpour is Ironman tough!

Soaked the whole time. Nice to not have sunscreen on. Chaffing followed. = 180 minutes

Saturday – BIG day! 100 miles on Ironman course and 25-minute run.

I wondered how 100 miles on the bike – on the course – would go. I’m usually sore in my left neck and shoulder by 3-4 hours in. I had my bike fit done earlier in the week and some significant adjustments were made so I was hoping the ride would feel better. Overall, things did feel better. At first I felt I was slipping back on the seat a little, yet that sensation left fairly early. I had a few times when my neck and shoulder felt sore and uncomfortable. What was nice was that the discomfort come and went.

Nutrition seemed to work well. I ate about every 45 minutes. It’s a little tough to keep track on a few roller coaster hilly roads. I just kept eating when I could, alternating between chews and picky bars.

It was tough. Miles 61 to 708 were so long and slow. Goodness it took forever for those 9 miles to click off.

My crotch was super sore and I went in with a bunch of chaffing from the wet run the day before. So it was a bit of a mess, yet really didn’t worsen much over the 100 miles.

My watch crapped out at 91 miles. I was on track for 100 so that was fine.

Told me a few things:

I can’t use my watch as my tracking device for the bike AND the run.
I need to get my cats eye installed.
I was averaging 13.2 mph for the 91 miles. I did some math, over 112 miles, this is just shy of 8.5 hours, which is essentially the bike cut off time. Yikes. That’s not much wiggle room.

Anyway, 100 miles done.

Then I did 25 minutes of running. My back was sore and stiff and I was super awkward at first. Didn’t take long to settle in and surprisingly hard to keep pace reasonable and not go too fast. I didn’t want to do the running – yet I could’ve run longer. (I don’t know about 23 more miles!) but definitely could’ve run more. = 470 minutes

TOTAL = 1,315 minutes = 21.91 hours

Swim – 110 minutes = 8%
Bike – 875 minutes = 67%
Run – 330 minutes = 25%

Week 6 – My highest volume week while on vacation

August 6, 2016 by Amy Riley 2 Comments

We are on vacation! Trying to do very minimal work and keep it to family and workouts.

Sunday – Asked yesterday at the bike shop for recommendations of where to ride. Brian from Road Fish suggested I head out to Bluffton (off island) to find safer open road riding. He said there was a group meeting at 9am. Great, I got up, packed up, headed out and got in one hour before I met up with the group. Hmmmmm…all guys, not really friendly, looked serious and fast, (one breezed by me on way to parking lot where we met) – would I be able to keep up? I was hoping for long enough to get a sense of the route. Well, they smoked me within minutes! OK. Just had to accept that I wouldn’t make the 5 hours I needed to do if I tried to go with them, so I didn’t. I at least saw the starts of the route and identified a few other roads I could ride on. Never saw them as a group again. Saw a couple individual riders after they were done, and I still had over an hour left to go. They waved at me then!

I had originally wanted to take this to a 5.5 hour ride. About 4 hours in, I decided to take this back to the original 5 hour ride. It was hot and humid out there. Upper 90s. I could see the heat rash coming out on my thighs. I was going through all the water I’d brought and hadn’t peed once. I stopped at 3:55 and put the bag of ice I’d brought around my neck which was all torqued up, especially on the left side. I use my left arm for all balancing as I’m shifting gears, getting a drink, eating food and checking for traffic. It jams things up on that side. Then I put the ice under my left butt check which was also aching. I stand up from time to time to give it a break and stretch and I’d moan out loud. The ice felt terrific and helped both areas.

Finished the 5 hours. Praise the Lord. In the middle, I’d gotten a text from my son: “When will you be home mom?” Ugh. That hurts the heart. “Couple hours Jakey. I miss you.” He replied, “OK.”

After the bike, had a 20 minute run. I’d seen a short trail by the parking lot that went in the shade. Headed there. A loop was only 5 minutes. Did some meandering around the strip mall parking areas. This. Run. Was. Awful. I stopped to rest once. I went to the bathroom (finally!) with 2 minutes left in the run. Really? 2 minutes at the time seemed like a lot of time, so I peed, then finished.

I then went into Publix to pick up a few thing the hubby had texted me. I was so hot. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t find things. I told the pharmacist who was directing me to the sunscreen, “I’m so hot. You have to tell me exactly where to go. I can’t find it.”

Wow. Ironman training is taking me to the edge. The kids have had it. I’ve had it. I’m on the brink of dehydration and I did everything smart today. I’ve got heat rash. It’s mentally tough to get through these long workouts. I’m over this. = 370 minutes

Monday – The swim workout for today was 8 x 500m. So, 4,000 meters. So I’d go out to the ocean and do 2.5 miles.

When we got up in the morning, my husband said that the water looked pretty calm. I headed out to do my miles. It was rolling more than I expected and I gave myself a couple minutes to get calm and get into a rhythm. Then 5 minutes in I heard a whistle, and I was asked by a lifeguard to get out of the water. Why? She wasn’t shouting so I had to get to her to figure it out. There was a shark sighting on the south side of the island so they were getting everyone out for 15 more minutes. I asked if this tended to happen at a certain time of day. She indicated morning. So I decided to not wait out the 15 minutes, and I headed to the pool to be with my family. I told my husband and my Mom what really happened and told the kids it was too rough to practice what I wanted to. Low tide was at 2pm. So we thought around then might be a good time to swim. Hardly! I did the 2.5 miles starting about 2pm and the waves were whipping me around. I started heading north with the waves. It took a bit and I got into a rhythm. I swam down about .8 and then tried to turn back around. No doing! I could hardly get any mileage. My average mph went from 1.7 to 1.5 in the span of less than .1 miles. I couldn’t get anywhere. So, I got out and walked back. Ate a few pieces of watermelon to fuel and get rid of that awful saltwater taste in my mouth! Walked further south, then headed north again. Next time I got out I had only a 1/3 of a mile to go. Another walk and another short swim – getting tossed around – to get it done.

Took me 1:24 which is significantly less than the 1:42 it took me to swim 2.5 miles in the lake by my in-laws. Maybe a tiny bit has to do with improved fitness, yet I’m thinking more had to do with riding the waves! = 90 minutes

Tuesday – The kids spent the night at my Mom’s condo last night. Keven and I had talked about how it could be the perfect morning for me to move up and get the long run done. Didn’t happen. I woke up with a low grade headache, so I took Excedrin Migraine, ate and drank a little and went back to sleep. Still woke up with a bit of a headache.

Got out to the water to get a swim in, in the calmer morning water. Started heading north – with the waves – and it wasn’t rolling me around too much, yet it was taking longer than expected to get the mileage in! The plan called for 12 x 100m, so I was doing .75 miles. I was averaging 1.0 mph, unlike yesterday’s 1.7 mph. Although it felt much easier, I wasn’t getting as far. I forced myself to get to .5 before turning around. And then the mileage went on much quicker – against the current! I guess as the waves are rolling slowly and I’m going slowly, the waves could somewhat hold me in place. But, I do not entirely understand this ocean! 45 minutes it took me!

Then some snacks and time in our condo – then off to he fitness center. I wanted to be in cooler conditions!

60 minute bike – 30 minute RPE 4, 30 minute RPE 7 – so I did 1^st half on level 7 and second half on level 12.

30 minute run – 10 minute RPE 3, 20 minute RPE 5 – so I did 10 minutes at 5.6 and then 20 minutes at 6.0 or 6.1.

Felt good. Felt strong. = 135 minutes

Wednesday – We had kayaking planned with the kids at 10:30 so we needed to leave about 9:30am. I had intended to do the 45-minute run beforehand and 90-minute bike afterwards. When the alarm went off for the run, I felt tired. I opted for sleep.

Then the kayaking! The kid’s did not love this! It was single paddling (for us parents) in a double kayak. Humid. Sweating. A decent amount of arm and core work for 2 hours. We got back to the condo, ate some lunch and then could not rouse myself. I laid down with vague notions of getting up later to workout. Didn’t happen. Kids went to Grandma’s condo to child, Kevin went out to the pool to get sun and I napped and read in bed.

My mind and body needed a rest. That’s what I’m telling myself. Now I’ll need to do these workouts Saturday morning, on travel day.

Thursday – Well-rested. Woke up before alarm. Did a little work. Left for run by 7am. Did one hourish loops and came back for water and chews (ate a goo on the run each hour). Humid!! Not that sunny. Was completely drenched by 1 hour in. Ran smart and took it very easy. Started in the 11s, crept into the 10s during middle 1/3. Then slowed down again. Average 11:11. Drank a TON of water.

Recovered poolside.

Started thinking about how I should take the rental bike to the bike shop, get the tires check and bring some more “real food” bars for tomorrow’s long ride.

Always thinking logistics. Can’t wait for a break from this! = 175 minutes

Friday – Set my alarm for 6:30 am to ride 6 hours a little off island in Bluffton like I had on Sunday. The sound was evidently down on my phone and I didn’t hear it till 8am! Crap. I didn’t want to go then, not get started till 9 and be out there until at least 3pm and miss the whole day with my family. Plus it was a million degrees out already.

Crap. Time to regroup again. (I’m really so very tired of this.) I pulled back to Friday, what was originally on Friday and decided to swim 75 minutes continuous and run 1 hour easy. I slept some more and went out around noon to swim. It was awful. Time ticked by so slow. So slow. I wasn’t getting much distance for my efforts – which really wasn’t a problem since I was going by time – just not very motivating. By half way through my head hurt, my goggles were bugging me, my throat burned from salt water and my back hurt from getting tossed around out there. I turned around for a bit, yet it was rough and waves kept going over my head. Tiring. Annoying. Took in more crappy salt water. With 15 minutes left, I got out, gave my head a rest and walked back some. Got in and painfully counted down the 15 minutes. Took forever. Went to find my shoes, to go inside, and couldn’t find them. They weren’t behind the 2^nd blue awning set of chairs to the right. Really? Someone took my crappy beach shoes? Great. Whatever. Started walking over the hot sand through the dunes then realized I was at the wrong beach entrance! Okay, good. I’ll find my shoes, but I’ve got to go over more hot sand to get there. I was in a bad mood after this. Crossed paths with my family, they were heading to the beach. And I still had to eat, change, take the bike back (which I’d rented for extra days and then didn’t use) and run an hour. Guess I’m not going to see them much this day any way.

I got back from dropping off the bike, ate and fell asleep on the couch. I felt so physically and mentally tired. Maybe I should skip this run and take a nap? I got into bed.

Is it best to “listen to my body” and rest? Or do I push through because this is Ironman training? Was more taken out of me this week because it was so hot and humid and I got jostled around in the ocean? Or did I slow down enough to accommodate for this? I’ve never done this before. I don’t know what’s best.

I decided to run.

I didn’t want to.

Yes, I got up out of bed, grabbed my stuff and went to the fitness center. I set the treadmill on a slow pace and hammered out 1 hour.

So, when I physically don’t want to and mentally don’t want to, I can run an hour. Done. It was a great mental victory. My husband was particularly pleased for me. He was also impressed that I was in a good mood for dinner, after what he knew was a rough training day.

We had a delightful last vacation dinner by the water. = 135 minutes

Saturday – Got up at 7 am to do what I didn’t do on Wednesday. Headed over to fitness center at 7:40am. Not open! Till 9am! WTH? Okay. I’m numb at this point. I headed back to the condo to put on sunscreen. Hubby came out to the balcony as I was applying. “Fitness center not open till 8” I said incredulously. He replied “I’m impressed you’re smiling.” What else can I do?

Ran 45 minutes outside. Strides every 5 minutes for 15 until the end. Super humid. Took it slow (except for the strides!) average 10:45.

Back to fitness center – open now and I was the last person to have signed in the day before! 90 minutes on bike.

My left leg is bothering me – butt and hamstring. I’m worried my glute muscles aren’t firing fully. I might see if the gym does MAT, see if I can get these glutes back on! I don’t want to make too many adjustments because training has been going well, but I might want to address the left butt. With 25 minutes left I got off the bike and stretched. Felt better afterwards. When done I spent a couple minutes dragging a tennis ball into that side of my butt. Hope that helps. On the plane ride, I put on my compression socks. Taking recovery actions!

Got home after 6pm.

This 6 hour ride was scheduled for this weekend has been the bane of my existence for the last week and a half.

Originally planned to do it Sunday (tomorrow). Yet, we need to drive our daughter to camp that’ll take approximately 5 hours because it’s just over 2 hours away. I can’t pick her up next weekend because I’ll be in Madison biking the bike course. So we wanted to take her and offer others rides (so we could get her a ride back). After his hip surgery Kevin doesn’t want to do this amount of sitting and I don’t want him to.

SOOO…I looked where to move a 6 hour ride! Best choice looked like Friday – during vacation, that sucks – but trying to prioritize I called to extend the rental period on my bike.

Then Friday happened (see Friday! )

Now what? My coach had told me earlier that I could split it up, just within 24 hours.

So I started cycling at the gym at 7:15pm. Since I wasn’t outside I tried to push myself. I did 5+ minutes of hill work every 15ish minutes and tried to keep a good clip at the other times.

Did 2 hours and 20 minutes. 3 hours and 40 minutes to go tomorrow (next week). I’ll head to Barrington early to get outdoors with rolling hills. = 275 minutes

TOTAL = 1,180 minutes = 19.60 hours

Swim – 210 minutes = 18%
Bike – 550 minutes = 47%
Run – 420 minutes = 35%