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I am a biology teacher by day but a crazy triathlete and runner at all other times.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Week 1 on a training plan

I decided it was time to start training using a training plan again. Then I made Shauna's training plan. It was so much easier to make than mine. Then I tinkered with my plan and decided I have no perspective on my abilities. I know how I used to train for an Ironman but I am not training for an Ironman. I know how I trained for my 1st 70.3 but I don't have the swim ability that I used to. I am also viewing myself as a beginner in some ways but not in others. I don't know what I am capable of. I don't think I can be objective with my own abilities. I had been training like an Ironman then I couldn't. Now what can I do? I need to be careful and I need to make sure my body responds to each workout appropriately. I don't even know what amount of discomfort I can and should tolerate with training. Those of you who aren't runners don't understand that statement. We as triathletes/runners know there is a bit of discomfort that you feel when you are racing. This is not bad pain, it's the feeling you get when you are pushing to your limits and achieving something. I embrace the burn normally but how much of this should I be embracing now. I decided to write a three week plan and see how I cope during those weeks and I contacted a coach. I decided that he can be much more objective that I can with my training. I decided that I would see what my body can do in the three weeks and how I feel and then I can ask for help. I am basically an unknown in the training world. We have no idea what to expect from me in any one workout. So, week 1 went really well. I did 2 swim workouts, 4 run workouts, and 2 bike workouts for a total of 8 workouts this week. I took one day completely off and had two days of double workouts. I felt almost like me again even though I was being conservative for many of the workouts. My mileage was ok: Swim - 1.01 miles in 46 min (I am broken in the pool. I am working on this. I have a plan!) Bike - 19 miles in 1 hr 20 min (I actually don't have an odometer on my bike so this is an estimate except for the time.) Run - 14.84 miles in 2 hrs 45 min (thought it was more but the program I used logged my one workout twice or the person who entered the workout did it twice - I'm sure it's the programs fault though!) Total mileage for the week was 34.85 miles in 4 hrs 51 min. I am no where near my peak training weeks during Ironman (20 hrs) but I am impressed with this time and distance. This means that I am training for a triathlon and a marathon again!! This week was the first time in months that I feel like myself and it is all because of my return to a training plan. This is exciting.