Post-script to earlier post

I think that half of my training problem is that I have felt lost since I finished Ironman. I haven't really raced so I have been separated from the running community. I haven't felt good enough to train as I would normally train. I think that everyone expects me to be in fantastic shape and I am not right now which makes me less likely to be around other athletes so I feel like this is a vicious cycle. I had a great week this past week and it has made me feel so much better. 46 miles of biking and 11 miles of running with 1 hour of yoga is a step in the right direction. I will figure this out!

Not back in the pool yet.....

Why can't I figure out how to get back in the pool? I don't know. I am actually trying to figure out how I did this before. I fit in 3 bikes, 3 runs, and 3 swims weekly last year. Although I did not lift before and I didn't fit in yoga before so maybe it was a little easier to do but I am working on it. Soon enough I will do this swim thing - I CAN DO IT!!! I just have to plan better and I just don't really care about being home for tv shows anymore so I don't mind just staying at the gym all night. There are a couple of reasons I do not like to go to the pool. The first is that I don't want to be cold when I get out of the pool. The second is that I don't like the times that the pool is available when I can get to the gym since I have been spinning and doing yoga at random times. Third, I just missed being home so I didn't spend as much time at the gym as I should have last month, I would rather go home and do the bike. But, I didn't do enough biking this month either. I am definetly behind. It doesn't help that I am still struggling with achilles and plantar fascia issues so my progress is slowed although that should have lead me to the pool and it didn't. Plus, school has been crazy this month. I have worked more hours in January than I worked any other month this year due to basketball games and induction ceremonies. This will settle down though in February and March. I want to get it all in and will be spending more time at the gym now but I am struggling with the dinner thing since I am at the gym for so many hours and then getting home around 9 and haven't eaten dinner yet - this is not an optimal situation and I am working on fixing that (not sure how yet, but working on it).

One more thing that I feel like I need to vent about before I present the stats! I HATE spinning!!! I keep telling myself that I will grow to like it but I do not. I told my husband that if this was the only workout that I was told I could do to keep myself in shape, I would resign myself to sitting on the couch and watching tv because I truely HATE spinning. I keep going back though!!! I think the reason I hate it is because it is 1 hour of the most intense workouts that you will ever get and I am used to going out and doing 4 hours of a moderate intensity bike ride so I am not used to the extremely intense workouts in a short amount of time. Plus, I don't feel like I am improving which frustrates me. Joe says that it isn't something you can get good at and that isn't ok with me - I want it to get easier as I get better at it and that is not happening. I am a person who needs to see progress and in spinning you don't see progress just sweat and exhaustion. Plus, it is different every week so I don't feel like I can get better at it. It is the best workout you will ever get - I am a sweaty disgusting mess after - but I just don't enjoy it at all. I am doing it though because I am hoping it will get me into better bike shape for when I hit the roads in April. I keep telling myself that everytime I get on the stupid spin bike. It would be funny to listen to my thoughts while I am on the spin bike - it is an R rated show for graphic language since I am swearing the entire time.

I am still up about 7 lbs since Ironman and I am working on losing them. That is a little frustrating and scary because after this Ironman I have to figure out how to not gain the weight and then how to maintain my weight during a non-Ironman training program training year.

Here are the stats for the month. They aren't pretty but I am working hard and February has started well so I am optimistic about February!!!

January Stats:
Bike distance: 81.28 miles
Bike Time: 6 hours 21 min
Run distance: 30.57 miles
Run time: 5 hours 54 min
Elliptial distance and time 2.24 miles in 34 min
4 hrs of yoga
3 weight lifting sessions
Total miles: 114.09 miles
Total workout time (without weight sessions): 16 hrs 49 min