To sum up last week's efforts: one spin, one swim, four yoga, two runs (one long). I was shy one planned run--shouldn't have taken Monday off--and decided to try something different this week and start off with a run. (I did run 20km last week, which is pretty good, for me!).
This Monday morning, I crawled out of bed at 5:15am, not having watched any of the Oscars last night (lights out by 9pm). Despite having organized my stuff after supper, I was moving slowly. It felt like a Monday. I was a little late to pick up my friend, and we were in the pool five minutes past opening; not a lot off, just a little. All that changed when I got in the water. Today was different: I could swim right from the start. I found a rhythm; my mind was quiet. I used the alternate breathing for a number of lengths, and could feel my body getting more accustomed to it. There were even lengths when it felt preferable. But whenever I flailed or swallowed water (which makes me gag from the thought of how disgusting it is), I returned immediately to same-side breathing--my comfort zone. I'm thankful to have a comfort zone in the water, now.
The ease with which I entered into my (slow and steady) rhythm convinced me that I should swim twice a week. At least for the next little while. I have a long way to go as a swimmer. And it's exercise I could enjoy long-term, after my knees are shot. (Please don't leave me, knees!). With more practice, this alternate-side breathing might become my new slow and steady. My spine will thank me.
I spent 55 minutes in the pool. Did I mention that I'd felt tired, thirsty, and hungry when I woke up? I did drink water, but did not eat anything. I haven't been eating immediately before swimming, obeying that old rule about waiting an hour (or is that an old wives' tale?).
I climbed out of the pool, showered to remove the chlorine, and put on my running gear. The rec centre has an indoor track. My initial plan was to run for 30 minutes, to be home by 7:45, but after gauging my energy levels (which were good), I set a different goal for myself: I decided to run 5km at a pace of 5 minutes each. And that's what I did, precisely. I couldn't have gone 10km at the same pace without suffering, but 5km felt well within my means, and not as if I were pushing it. I'd forgotten that the track overlooks an ice rink, and the air was really cold, but that just encouraged me to keep pace. I try to maintain the feeling of a spring within my leg muscles. If I push myself past that coiled-spring feeling, I'm going too hard. That's how I pace myself.
I want to work a shorter faster run into my weekly routine, and this Monday morning timing may prove ideal. The track is comfortable and flat and indoors and saves me from splashing through puddles and ice. Perhaps I will try adding an additional kilometre at that pace, or simply speeding my pace up slightly to continue pushing myself harder. That was my second run wearing a watch. I don't love it, but I think it is useful for understanding my own pacing--taking my interior sense of pacing and measuring it objectively.
My goal is to be able to run 10km at a 5 minute/per pace. I'm not sure what would be a reasonable goal for a half-marathon pace. Maybe 5 and a 1/2 minutes per kilometre? That's not within my means right now. I'm not even positive I could run a half-marathon. I'm looking forward (in a weird way) to Saturday's long slow distance run when I test out 14km. A 6-minute pace is what I'll aim for on Saturday.
With this extra run, and a run with my friend on Wed., and the long run on Saturday, I feel confident that I'm getting enough regular mileage for the triathlon, and probably for the half-marathon, too; especially because the swims and the spin class count too, toward improving cardio-vascular fitness. I did not find it difficult to run post-swim. The two activities felt different, and I had enough energy. I did feel a bit self-conscious about my goggle-raccoon-eyes, but honestly who's looking? I didn't feel self-conscious about the rest of me. I felt--I'm feeling--more like an athlete. I know I can be over-enthusiastic about my own abilities, but I think that's how my psychology works--I'm like a dog chasing a ball that's thrown just a little beyond reach. I throw the ball just out of reach and I chase it. It's a fine line between over-estimating my own abilities and believing in my own potential. I suspect this is how I've been successful in other areas in my life, though, too; and I don't think it's the worst way to be, so long as I'm not being insufferable. (Am I being insufferable? You can tell me, really you can).
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Goals for this week: three runs (one long), one spin, two swim, four/five yogas.
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