Another morning, another slog dragging myself out of bed, another moment of questioning: why am I doing this? I reminded myself that it's always worth the effort, that I've yet to regret taking the time out of my day to exercise, while my brain said, yah, right, maybe today will be the day that it's no fun. And then I hit the road and totally forgot myself. The miles just click by on that bicycle. Tick-tock, is my latest weird mantra, as my legs go around. We rode on several not-so-nice roads this morning (ie. too many trucks, no paved shoulders), but there was so much to enjoy: horses in the green fields, deep thick mist, a sun that could barely be seen behind the fog, dampness and coolness all around. It's just amazing to me that I can get out and go places, ride into the countryside, be taken away from ordinary.
What a lovely ride. Due to a detour (okay, I missed a turn), we went a little further than planned: 37km. It felt light and lovely. I'd do it again in an instant. I've started to dream about a biking holiday: Ireland, say. Bike all day, eat, drink, sleep, repeat. Holidays aren't really in our near future, but it's nice to have something to fantasize about.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Day 333: Marathon?
I got up and swam and ran this morning. My energy level seemed back to normal, which was a relief after Friday's slog in the pool. I didn't keep track of my laps for the first 35 minutes, then started to count. Not sure why. Guess my brain needed something to do. That might be my last pool swim before I start swim lessons a week from today; the pool will be closed Friday for Canada Day. In my dreams, we get to Guelph Lake on Wednesday and swim there (unfortunately, we'd only get to do that if my husband's hamstring is still too injured to play soccer that night).
I ran afterward, going up to 4km. I tried to go fast, but it wasn't that fast. I ran 4km in about 19 minutes. Eh. In the newspaper today, there were several articles about running marathons. If I'm going to try a fall marathon, I need to start training for that now. I do have the 25km trail run to train for, too. I hope my legs hold up (injury-wise) so I can sustain some good training time.
Meantime, I'll keep up the cross-training, but I should be logging more running hours.
Last week: three runs (two quite short); one bike ride; one swim; and no yoga classes! I was just conked on the day we'd made room for yoga. I napped instead.
This week: two swims (I hope!); one bike ride; four runs (one long, if possible); one yoga class. Not super-ambitious, but hopefully enough to maintain my fitness level as we ease into summer, and I figure out exactly how little time I'm going to have to myself. No nap today, for instance. Nursery school is over for the school year, and the three-year-old wanted lots of company and attention.
I ran afterward, going up to 4km. I tried to go fast, but it wasn't that fast. I ran 4km in about 19 minutes. Eh. In the newspaper today, there were several articles about running marathons. If I'm going to try a fall marathon, I need to start training for that now. I do have the 25km trail run to train for, too. I hope my legs hold up (injury-wise) so I can sustain some good training time.
Meantime, I'll keep up the cross-training, but I should be logging more running hours.
Last week: three runs (two quite short); one bike ride; one swim; and no yoga classes! I was just conked on the day we'd made room for yoga. I napped instead.
This week: two swims (I hope!); one bike ride; four runs (one long, if possible); one yoga class. Not super-ambitious, but hopefully enough to maintain my fitness level as we ease into summer, and I figure out exactly how little time I'm going to have to myself. No nap today, for instance. Nursery school is over for the school year, and the three-year-old wanted lots of company and attention.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Day 330: Well, dear old blog
I'm wondering how long I will continue to update this blog.
I'm still training. This week looked pretty much like last week. But without a goal in sight, I'm feeling less of a sense of progress, or urgency.
In the pool this morning, I was damn near catatonic. I could hardly get myself back and forth, though I do think I've discovered a new way to move my arms that brings more force to my stroke. But it's also harder to do, takes more energy. I'm low on energy.
Yesterday, I napped on the couch after supper even though I hadn't done any exercise all day. I'd even had a massage! Tuesday, I napped in the morning after my bike ride/run, and then fell asleep again around 3:30, with two kids home (we put in a movie; I could tell I was crashing). The big kids got home from school. I made snack suggestions prone on the couch with my eyes closed. My husband arrived home from work early, so I could go to yoga. I did not go to yoga.
Is this a normal level of post-race tired? I've had two days off this week--nothing on Monday, nothing on Thursday. Nothing tomorrow either, due to my husband working this weekend. Three early mornings, but that's actually a light week. Who knows.
Anyway, thinking about signing up for more races. Thinking about maintaining my fitness level, rather than attempting to bump it even higher. Thinking about how much I like racing. Thinking about fitting it in with my family's activities. Thinking about how to run faster and faster (can't help myself, it's just so fun).
I'm still training. This week looked pretty much like last week. But without a goal in sight, I'm feeling less of a sense of progress, or urgency.
In the pool this morning, I was damn near catatonic. I could hardly get myself back and forth, though I do think I've discovered a new way to move my arms that brings more force to my stroke. But it's also harder to do, takes more energy. I'm low on energy.
Yesterday, I napped on the couch after supper even though I hadn't done any exercise all day. I'd even had a massage! Tuesday, I napped in the morning after my bike ride/run, and then fell asleep again around 3:30, with two kids home (we put in a movie; I could tell I was crashing). The big kids got home from school. I made snack suggestions prone on the couch with my eyes closed. My husband arrived home from work early, so I could go to yoga. I did not go to yoga.
Is this a normal level of post-race tired? I've had two days off this week--nothing on Monday, nothing on Thursday. Nothing tomorrow either, due to my husband working this weekend. Three early mornings, but that's actually a light week. Who knows.
Anyway, thinking about signing up for more races. Thinking about maintaining my fitness level, rather than attempting to bump it even higher. Thinking about how much I like racing. Thinking about fitting it in with my family's activities. Thinking about how to run faster and faster (can't help myself, it's just so fun).
Monday, June 20, 2011
Day 326: The day after
Okay, I've written enough already about the race (even got to write about it twice, when the post I'd written for chatelaine.com yesterday got lost in the ether; and in my zonked post-race state I had neglected to save a copy).
So ... here's a link to the chatelaine piece.
And here are more photos on my main blog.
Splits on the sidebar to your right.
Suffice it to say: I did it! And in under three hours, which was my goal.
:::
So ... last week's training (including the race; I guess that counts!): four runs; two bike rides (71 km total!); three swims (including one crazy lake swim); and two yogas (one class; and once on my own, outside in our yard, on Saturday afternoon).
This week: I am taking today off. But plan to bike tomorrow like usual. So, here's the tentative plan: one bike ride, three/four runs, one swim, one yoga class.
Starting in July, I've signed up for a twice-weekly swim class for triathletes, and a twice-weekly muscle-strengthening boot camp, so my training might look a bit different over the summer. Still hoping to manage some early mornings, even with the kids home from school (and therefore less naptime!). I am considering signing up for a triathlon at the end of July (shorter, so it will seem easy by comparison!). And will keep training toward the trail run in October. Can't seem to shake the training, frankly. Or the desire to test myself out in races.
The day after feels a lot like the rest of these days, come to think of it. A bit of muscle ache, a little bit tired, and ready to keep on keeping on.
So ... here's a link to the chatelaine piece.
And here are more photos on my main blog.
Splits on the sidebar to your right.
Suffice it to say: I did it! And in under three hours, which was my goal.
:::
So ... last week's training (including the race; I guess that counts!): four runs; two bike rides (71 km total!); three swims (including one crazy lake swim); and two yogas (one class; and once on my own, outside in our yard, on Saturday afternoon).
This week: I am taking today off. But plan to bike tomorrow like usual. So, here's the tentative plan: one bike ride, three/four runs, one swim, one yoga class.
Starting in July, I've signed up for a twice-weekly swim class for triathletes, and a twice-weekly muscle-strengthening boot camp, so my training might look a bit different over the summer. Still hoping to manage some early mornings, even with the kids home from school (and therefore less naptime!). I am considering signing up for a triathlon at the end of July (shorter, so it will seem easy by comparison!). And will keep training toward the trail run in October. Can't seem to shake the training, frankly. Or the desire to test myself out in races.
The day after feels a lot like the rest of these days, come to think of it. A bit of muscle ache, a little bit tired, and ready to keep on keeping on.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Day 324: Anxiety Dreams
My pre-dawn hours were spent half-waking with the thought: Oh no! It's race day and I'm already late! And then realizing that race day was still one day off, and drifting back into anxious dreams, all revolving around the triathlon.
My favourite funny dream was where I was in an absolute state of fury when informed by race organizers that the swim portion of the race would not be held in the lake, but instead on these strange roller devices set in tracks going down a hill with just a little water running over them--like a bizarre ride at an amusement park. I was positively seething, threatening to put on my wetsuit and do the swim portion in the lake even if it disqualified me: "The swim is the most important part! I already know I can do everything else!" (It's always nice when anxiety dreams are patently improbable).
Woke with today's to-do list on my mind:
- organize and check gear: towel, shoes, socks, shorts and shirt, wetsuit and body glide, goggles, food/drink, ID, sunscreen (I don't have a cap for the run if it's sunny)
- mentally plan transitions and food/water
- practice changing bike tire (though not on my road bike, which I had tuned up yesterday)
- go to yoga class to clear my mind and focus some of this nervous energy
- get bike rack which we're borrowing from a friend
- eat freely, but no dairy (to cut down on mucus, apparently)
- review race rules and guidelines for beginners
- what am I forgetting???
Funny question (and warning: may contain too much information): Should I wear underwear under my tri-gear? I'll be wearing tri-shorts and a top under the wetsuit for the swim, and then taking off the wetsuit and biking and running in the same, so as not to have to change during the race.
I might check in here later, if I feel the urge. Meanwhile, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the length of the race: all added up together, it's a lot; I hope to complete the race in under three hours; that's my goal. I'm trying not to think about it too much, just trust I'll be able to do it as it comes at me. I'll follow Tricia's advice and do each leg pushing as hard as I can, without worrying about the next leg coming up. I did discover that I will be in the second-slowest swim group for the race, the 33-35 minute group. (The fastest group should finish in 23 minutes!!!!!). But I was relieved to see that the cut-off time for the swim is 1 hour and 15 minutes. I know I can do it faster than that!
I want to say thanks for all of your good wishes!!!! I feel buoyed by the support. It will float me all the way through the swim, be the wind at my back on the bike, and carry me across the finish line on the run. And my faithful training partner, Nath, just stopped by with a good-luck surprise: a gift certificate for a post-race massage (free babysitting included!). Verklempt I was.
So let's get this race underway, with underwear or without!
Ah, the before. It's like waiting on a baby to be born. You know it's going to happen, but you just don't know how it's all going to go.
My favourite funny dream was where I was in an absolute state of fury when informed by race organizers that the swim portion of the race would not be held in the lake, but instead on these strange roller devices set in tracks going down a hill with just a little water running over them--like a bizarre ride at an amusement park. I was positively seething, threatening to put on my wetsuit and do the swim portion in the lake even if it disqualified me: "The swim is the most important part! I already know I can do everything else!" (It's always nice when anxiety dreams are patently improbable).
Woke with today's to-do list on my mind:
- organize and check gear: towel, shoes, socks, shorts and shirt, wetsuit and body glide, goggles, food/drink, ID, sunscreen (I don't have a cap for the run if it's sunny)
- mentally plan transitions and food/water
- practice changing bike tire (though not on my road bike, which I had tuned up yesterday)
- go to yoga class to clear my mind and focus some of this nervous energy
- get bike rack which we're borrowing from a friend
- eat freely, but no dairy (to cut down on mucus, apparently)
- review race rules and guidelines for beginners
- what am I forgetting???
Funny question (and warning: may contain too much information): Should I wear underwear under my tri-gear? I'll be wearing tri-shorts and a top under the wetsuit for the swim, and then taking off the wetsuit and biking and running in the same, so as not to have to change during the race.
I might check in here later, if I feel the urge. Meanwhile, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the length of the race: all added up together, it's a lot; I hope to complete the race in under three hours; that's my goal. I'm trying not to think about it too much, just trust I'll be able to do it as it comes at me. I'll follow Tricia's advice and do each leg pushing as hard as I can, without worrying about the next leg coming up. I did discover that I will be in the second-slowest swim group for the race, the 33-35 minute group. (The fastest group should finish in 23 minutes!!!!!). But I was relieved to see that the cut-off time for the swim is 1 hour and 15 minutes. I know I can do it faster than that!
I want to say thanks for all of your good wishes!!!! I feel buoyed by the support. It will float me all the way through the swim, be the wind at my back on the bike, and carry me across the finish line on the run. And my faithful training partner, Nath, just stopped by with a good-luck surprise: a gift certificate for a post-race massage (free babysitting included!). Verklempt I was.
So let's get this race underway, with underwear or without!
Ah, the before. It's like waiting on a baby to be born. You know it's going to happen, but you just don't know how it's all going to go.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Day 322: Time for a little rest
As I dragged myself out of bed this morning, I thought, wow, I'm going to need to sign up for something else, because this triathlon on Sunday is the only thing getting me out of bed. At this point in the week, I'm very tired.(If only I could have run the race on Tuesday, when I was positively bursting with energy and optimism and a weird continuous strength that seemed to regenerate itself throughout the day, from dawn til dusk).
But today was my fourth early morning in a row, and in my other non-training life,my eldest is sick and I'm writing toward a necessary deadline. And I'm just tired. So I went to the pool and it was lovely and early and the water felt good. I said to myself: pretend you're still asleep (this has a weirdly peaceful effect on me). And it was hard, and slow, and took me 35 minutes--again--to swim the race length. Then I swam another 500m for good measure. The kids from the swim club were there, and wow they are smooth and fast. I was envious of the girl taking a breath every six strokes and absolutely cutting through the water. She was approximately twice as fast as me.
I had a small observation about the swimming portion of the race. I don't trust myself in the water the same way as I do on the bike and while running. In the water, I'm afraid. Of a lot of things. I'm afraid of wearing myself out and losing rhythm and breath and going really slowly. I'm afraid of not being fit enough to go as fast as I want. (This is the opposite of how I've come to experience the bike and the run: I'm not afraid of absolutely crazy breathing, or of pushing past what feels even remotely comfortable, or of not being able to do it--I'm just not afraid. I know that I can go exactly as hard as I can make myself go, and that nothing bad is going to happen to me).
But in the water, I lose that confidence. Struggling for breath in the water feels dire. Pushing past what feels comfortable seems dangerous and scary. So I don't push as hard in the water. I don't even know what my limits are, really, in the water, because when I push harder, I get freaked out as my breath gets deeper and harder, and so I slow it down so as not to dissolve into panic. (And I've found with other training that it's the pushing harder that brings greater fitness, speed, and depth of endurance, so I really feel like I'm missing out on that potential in my swim training.)
Long-term, I believe that familiarity with the sport, perhaps some coaching to refine technique, and basically just practice, practice, practice will help with this.
Short-term--in terms of this race--I'm going to have to do the best that I can with the experience I've given myself, in a fairly short amount of time. The experience I have so far tells me that a) I can swim the distance and b) I do better when I relax and go slow. I've decided that this race, this very first experience, is not the place for me to take risks in the water. I don't plan to push toward limits, or anything like that, but accept my limits, and swim within them. I want to get through this swim, and then I'll hop on the bike and push those limits like crazy, and then throw on my shoes and push through the pain and the crazy breathing, and finish it up.
But the swim portion is its own beast, for me. Not like any race I've ever done before, because it's using a skill that is so new to me.
:::
Questions, questions. What will keep me motivated, going forward? Do I need to work continually toward new goals (ie. races)? Or maybe just having friends to meet in the morning will be enough. I love having friends to meet in the morning! Twice this week, I've managed to get up without meeting a friend, and both times it was twice as hard as usual.
I'm looking forward to resting for the next two days. "Sleeping in." Maybe having a tv night. I look forward to having a drink with my husband on Sunday night.
And I look forward to testing my body on Sunday, putting into action all of these months of hard work. Here's hoping my son is well by then, and that nobody else gets sick.
If you'd like to come and watch (yikes!), and need details, let me know. Triathlons are pretty exciting and inspiring to watch, in and of themselves, even if you don't know the participants. And the venue is beautiful.
But today was my fourth early morning in a row, and in my other non-training life,my eldest is sick and I'm writing toward a necessary deadline. And I'm just tired. So I went to the pool and it was lovely and early and the water felt good. I said to myself: pretend you're still asleep (this has a weirdly peaceful effect on me). And it was hard, and slow, and took me 35 minutes--again--to swim the race length. Then I swam another 500m for good measure. The kids from the swim club were there, and wow they are smooth and fast. I was envious of the girl taking a breath every six strokes and absolutely cutting through the water. She was approximately twice as fast as me.
I had a small observation about the swimming portion of the race. I don't trust myself in the water the same way as I do on the bike and while running. In the water, I'm afraid. Of a lot of things. I'm afraid of wearing myself out and losing rhythm and breath and going really slowly. I'm afraid of not being fit enough to go as fast as I want. (This is the opposite of how I've come to experience the bike and the run: I'm not afraid of absolutely crazy breathing, or of pushing past what feels even remotely comfortable, or of not being able to do it--I'm just not afraid. I know that I can go exactly as hard as I can make myself go, and that nothing bad is going to happen to me).
But in the water, I lose that confidence. Struggling for breath in the water feels dire. Pushing past what feels comfortable seems dangerous and scary. So I don't push as hard in the water. I don't even know what my limits are, really, in the water, because when I push harder, I get freaked out as my breath gets deeper and harder, and so I slow it down so as not to dissolve into panic. (And I've found with other training that it's the pushing harder that brings greater fitness, speed, and depth of endurance, so I really feel like I'm missing out on that potential in my swim training.)
Long-term, I believe that familiarity with the sport, perhaps some coaching to refine technique, and basically just practice, practice, practice will help with this.
Short-term--in terms of this race--I'm going to have to do the best that I can with the experience I've given myself, in a fairly short amount of time. The experience I have so far tells me that a) I can swim the distance and b) I do better when I relax and go slow. I've decided that this race, this very first experience, is not the place for me to take risks in the water. I don't plan to push toward limits, or anything like that, but accept my limits, and swim within them. I want to get through this swim, and then I'll hop on the bike and push those limits like crazy, and then throw on my shoes and push through the pain and the crazy breathing, and finish it up.
But the swim portion is its own beast, for me. Not like any race I've ever done before, because it's using a skill that is so new to me.
:::
Questions, questions. What will keep me motivated, going forward? Do I need to work continually toward new goals (ie. races)? Or maybe just having friends to meet in the morning will be enough. I love having friends to meet in the morning! Twice this week, I've managed to get up without meeting a friend, and both times it was twice as hard as usual.
I'm looking forward to resting for the next two days. "Sleeping in." Maybe having a tv night. I look forward to having a drink with my husband on Sunday night.
And I look forward to testing my body on Sunday, putting into action all of these months of hard work. Here's hoping my son is well by then, and that nobody else gets sick.
If you'd like to come and watch (yikes!), and need details, let me know. Triathlons are pretty exciting and inspiring to watch, in and of themselves, even if you don't know the participants. And the venue is beautiful.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Day 320: Solo Bike Ride
It was meant to be a 40km bike ride with a friend, but after fearful dreaming all night long (I seem to stress in advance of getting on my bike in a way that I don't stress about, say, a long run), when the alarm went at 5am and I checked my messages, I discovered that my friend had to bail. It was so early that I went back to bed, trying to sort out what I wanted to do. I thought I'd sleep awhile longer. I didn't want to run instead, with my calf hurting, and I didn't feel like swimming either, and yoga seemed too low-key. I wanted to bike!
So I got up, got dressed, ate some peanut butter toast, and headed out, husband informed and cellphone in pocket. I've never gone for a solo ride before. I thought it would be lonely, maybe even a little bit scary. What if I got a flat tire in the middle of nowhere? But once I was out on the road, it felt just as awesome as always.
At first, my energy seemed low. I thought, uh oh, this feels like a weak week--especially after yesterday's slow swim. But the funny thing is, that the further I went, the stronger I felt, til by the end, I didn't feel ready to come home. I took a couple of extra streets in town to lengthen out the ride, plus I found a loop (which I only did once), that I could easily use on future rides. It doesn't take me that far out of town, the roads are pretty quiet at 6am, and it has some killer hills--do that a couple of times, and it'll be a killer ride. On the downhill, I actually thought my chain had fallen off because I had zero resistance in the pedals. Flying. And the uphill is a challenge, but I'm getting better at my gearing--I don't have to think about it as much as I used to.
I've only been riding now for a little over a month and a half (is that possible???), but the improvements to my fitness level have been heartening. When I got home, I checked the route, and I'd gone 31.5km. Not 40, but not bad, especially considering that I ended feeling lots of energy, and dashed out for a 2km run immediately afterward. If I could feel that good when running on Sunday, I'd be thrilled (oh wait, I'll have done a swim and an extra 10km, so it's not very likely). But the run felt good. I don't know whether I'm getting more used to the post-bike feeling, or whether I didn't push as hard as I would in a race, but I didn't have that feeling of weirdness in my legs.
Going to get the bike tuned tomorrow.
And my body is a series of aches and pains today, so I'm planning to go to yoga to stretch it out.
Nothing seems to replace that adrenalin high of a good hard cardio work-out. Nothing. I'm not quite sure how I got to this, but I can't imagine stopping now. It burns off the restlessness that would otherwise lodge in me all day. I realized that I needed it this morning--to start my day with effort and buzz. Is that a good thing? Maybe I'll choose not to label it good or bad, but just observe that it has a positive effect on my day. That I like it. That I'm managing to squeeze it in without sacrificing too much else.
Hoping for a lake swim tomorrow.
So I got up, got dressed, ate some peanut butter toast, and headed out, husband informed and cellphone in pocket. I've never gone for a solo ride before. I thought it would be lonely, maybe even a little bit scary. What if I got a flat tire in the middle of nowhere? But once I was out on the road, it felt just as awesome as always.
At first, my energy seemed low. I thought, uh oh, this feels like a weak week--especially after yesterday's slow swim. But the funny thing is, that the further I went, the stronger I felt, til by the end, I didn't feel ready to come home. I took a couple of extra streets in town to lengthen out the ride, plus I found a loop (which I only did once), that I could easily use on future rides. It doesn't take me that far out of town, the roads are pretty quiet at 6am, and it has some killer hills--do that a couple of times, and it'll be a killer ride. On the downhill, I actually thought my chain had fallen off because I had zero resistance in the pedals. Flying. And the uphill is a challenge, but I'm getting better at my gearing--I don't have to think about it as much as I used to.
I've only been riding now for a little over a month and a half (is that possible???), but the improvements to my fitness level have been heartening. When I got home, I checked the route, and I'd gone 31.5km. Not 40, but not bad, especially considering that I ended feeling lots of energy, and dashed out for a 2km run immediately afterward. If I could feel that good when running on Sunday, I'd be thrilled (oh wait, I'll have done a swim and an extra 10km, so it's not very likely). But the run felt good. I don't know whether I'm getting more used to the post-bike feeling, or whether I didn't push as hard as I would in a race, but I didn't have that feeling of weirdness in my legs.
Going to get the bike tuned tomorrow.
And my body is a series of aches and pains today, so I'm planning to go to yoga to stretch it out.
Nothing seems to replace that adrenalin high of a good hard cardio work-out. Nothing. I'm not quite sure how I got to this, but I can't imagine stopping now. It burns off the restlessness that would otherwise lodge in me all day. I realized that I needed it this morning--to start my day with effort and buzz. Is that a good thing? Maybe I'll choose not to label it good or bad, but just observe that it has a positive effect on my day. That I like it. That I'm managing to squeeze it in without sacrificing too much else.
Hoping for a lake swim tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)