Last night I was relaxing on the couch after training. It didn't take long until I started dozing off. Ah, the feeling of training exhaustion at the end of the day. I almost forgot that feeling.This morning I felt pretty good. All my hip joints were cracking, which is a good sign. It means everything is loose and opening up. At the end of last years season I no longer heard cracking, things were tight. Today was my first swim session since the clinic on Saturday, as well as the first in my Ironman China training plan. I was really looking forward to getting in the pool and try out what I learnt.
I've been driving Alice crazy lately because all I'm doing is simulating swim strokes wherever I go. The last time was at Reid's hockey game. I'm watching the game while my hand is stretched out over my head and I start pulling down like I'm swimming.
This is something I've never said before, "I absolutely enjoyed my swim today!". I was focused on stroke technique and could tell I got my heart rate up higher than normal. I was really stretching out and by the end of the session, felt soreness in my chest, lats, arms and shoulders. That was a first. I was even sweating a little afterwards.
My main set was 20 x 100's, with a 15 second rest in between. My fastest was 1:39 and most were in the 1:43 - 1:46. I was taking long strokes and really focusing on technique. For the first time, time flew by. It was a similar sensation I get when I run. The endorphins and concentration to keep proper technique kept my mind in the zone. I hope this continues. If it does, I may come to actually like swimming.
I got home early and decided to have a snooze and run this evening. There was no reason to rush my training and rest never hurts. The run was unusual. I started fast, my hamstrings were stressed from today's swim, then I felt pain in my left ankle/heel area, then the endorphins covered the majority of the pain and my pace slowed down dramatically for the last half of the run.
I kept telling myself, "slow down and focus on heart rate. Don't let ego get in the way. This is base building. Don't go hard and injury yourself. Your body needs to adjust to this new block of training. Relax. You haven't run much in the last three weeks. Don't worry you have 14 weeks to get faster. I think I need to lose weight to put less stress on my ankle and it should naturally improve my speed". I had all kinds of self talk.
For a few weeks I was dying to start training again. Now that I'm training, it feels good but already in two days, the sexiness of training is wearing off. It's now back to just not thinking about it and incorporating it into my daily lifestyle. One of the immediate upsides of training is that I'm not spending as much time on the computer, which I found was completely un-relaxing and addictive.
Other than eating two bowls of Special K after work, I've been eating healthy. Had I only ate one bowl, I would have been perfect. Two bowls gave me a sugar rush and when I sat up from sitting I'd get light headed. I'm starting to keep track of my daily eating and scoring it on a scale of 10.
Long Swim - 1:04:41 / 3000 meters
Mod Run - 1:12:07 / 8.33 miles / 8:39 pace / 138 avg hr
Diet 9/10
I included a video for an anxiety medication. VERY interesting.
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10 comments:
14 weeks and a lot more to come! ease into it so you dont burn out along the road! its like a cold beer(or a few cold beers) savour them there is a lot more to come! glad to hear your come back is great!
I have also been experiencing these swims lately. Run like. I had one on Monday. I always feel obligated to blog about it too cause they feel so good. Good to hear swimming is becoming enjoyable!
So, what do you eat in a day? or have you posted a day of nutrition and I haven't read that yet?
Did I mention I'm a bit nosy?
B
Sounds if you really have a new passion for swimming, if compared to last year. Keep it up and good luck with improving your swim time. I've also seen that the "heavier" the training schedule becomes and you need to find time somewhere to fit in, the internet, Pc is the first to go.
Good luck during the next 14 weeks and just keep focussing. Remember to just hang in there and do one session at a time during this crappy winter months.
Come IM China you will be so glad you stuck to the program when you pass all those people who took the short and easy road during winter.
Johan
I know what you mean about losing the sexiness of training. When i first started on this journey, I loved the idea and action of getting out and training. I was going to train to complete and become an Ironman... Now it is just a part of my daily routine, sometimes fun, but for the most part just something that needs to be done to complete an end goal. Somewhat like a job where the end result is a feeling of self satisfaction, but the initial work of researching, compiling and sorting information to get to that end goal must first be done and is itself not a whole lot of fun. I like the way you have put it in past post, "baby steps, baby steps."
I'm going to my Doctor today and get a script for B.J.'s. My wife has to believe it is a scientific fact because it is on the net. Later.
JF, according to my MAO plan I am easing into it. Only around 19 hours of training this week. haha.
D, hopefully it lasts after this first swim.
SS, I typically eat Wagon Wheels. Breakfast, lunch and Dinner. Then for snacks I have a banana. Just kidding, I also snack on Wagon Wheels. No special diet, just trying to stay away from Junk food, fried food, chocolate and beer for 6 days a week. Then one day a week I can go nuts and eat and drink like a pig. Although I'm trying to keep my beer down to 10 a sitting. That's tough.
J, thanks, I figure I'll draw on you when I run into mental strain. I'll keep saying it's possible, J did it.
B, I agree. I actually prefer it to be part of the daily routine. Then your not motivated by short term enthusiam. It feels good to get it back into the lifestyle and shuffling down the stairs in the morning. Also I'm glad you liked the video. Apparently one of my family lawyer buddies said the number one reason for divorce is men not taking their BJ medication regularly.
B
It's highly technical and I'm not sure if you have one. I use a watch. haha. Time for 15 seconds and try to get 23 steps. Each leg strike is a step. You don't have to do it for the entire run. Just a few times to make sure your doing it. After a while it you start natually running at a 90 cadence.
There are some devises on the market, but I'm not sure which ones and they WILL be expensive. If you ever find a cheap one let me know. But the 15 second timing works great.
Glad it's all coming back. That's so cool about the swimming. I'm trying to get into that zone.
I'm think I'm so anxious before getting in the pool. Damn that anxiety. lol
I went for a swim last week, I spnt an hour looking at the water and then had breakfast instead. Oo ere! Had a cold since then but I'll be back to it tomorrow evening with the tri coached swim group, then there's no stoppping me.
I love the idea of ranking your eating from 1 to 10 each day - very cool idea - I'm on to it starting today - 3/10.
Maybe because I don't have the BJ medication - I'll be consulting the Doc tomorrow for my prescription.
Laterz
Thanks, I like the diet idea too. I think I'm also going to start counting calories for a couple of weeks, just to be sure i'm on track.
Next time your looking at the water (I've been there) - jump in and do at least 500, then you may want to go to 1000. Don't let the water and your mind beat you. haha. Although going for breakfast sounded pretty good.
A good idea may be to not allow yourself to take any medication unless you do your workouts. haha
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