This is my Journey into my Return to Ironman- 2018. It's my journal/documentation of the ups and downs of what it takes to be an age-group athlete training for an Ironman triathlon. This is more of a way for me to remember what I am doing over the course of the training season. As any Ironman Athlete can tell you, sometimes the days can blur into one training day of swim, bike, run after another. So, while some may not find this at all interesting, those that wonder...could I do an Ironman? Do I have what it takes to do an Ironman? I give you a peek into my journey and days to complete my next Ironman at Madison, Wisconsin on Sept. 9th, 2018. Forgive any misspelled words/awkward sounding sentences. I'm pretty sure I'll be be happy just to get them down on the blog. Consider it a test of your mental skills to figure out what I'm saying. I hope you enjoy reading my journey.
Overall Training Totals:
Swim 26,925 yds 12:41 hr/min
Bike ?? Miles 6:56 hr/min
Run 28 Miles 6:42 hr/min
Other/ hr/min
Strength
Overall Training Time: 26:19 hr/min
WEEK THREE:
This week starts my 7 Day Swim Challenge with my team BASE and Tower 26. The goal is to swim for 7 days straight, for whatever you can swim. My goal is 7 days for an hour each day. I asked my coach if this would be something I should try at the end of last week. His response was my week schedule with it added in less then and hour later. Guess he realized my swim skills were crappy also. So I ramp up my time this week, a good catch up for missing three days to get my bike, but still a good time. I’m off my Whole 30 but I’m trying to stay mostly focused on good foods. I am bringing in my BASE Rocket Fuel, and my Ucan fuel to see what works best for me during my heavy training week. So we shall see how this week goes.
Monday- I had my first swim for the challenge today. I had a crazy amount of new “toys” to adjust to in the pool. The major one being my first time every with a snorkel. I felt like Darth Vader with a drooling problem while I tried to get the hang of it. I also learned that you can’t push off the end the same way; otherwise you go under and swallow a huge mouth full of water thru the snorkel. That took a good five minutes of coughing to feel I didn’t aspirate all this salt water into my lungs. I also noticed a gal walking by me on a tour and she did a double take looking at me. Like, very noticeable double take. At the time, I had on my goggles, nose plug, and snorkel. I decided I needed to see what she was seeing and after my swim, I was able to see why she looked twice!! Then I felt like an aardvark or a storm trooper. My back was a bit sore when I was done, as I did a lot of kicking with fins, which I normally don’t do. And I was tired, but I felt good.
Tuesday- was a Run and Swim day(ok swim is all week). I got up early to get in my run on the treadmill, again with a tweaky left knee. But the second I was done, I had no issues with my knee at all. I do have to say, I love my Oofos Recovery shoes….They may be god awful ugly, but they are amazingly comfortable and I love them. After work I was back at the pool and getting in my evening swim, as I knew it was a long one and I couldn’t get it all done in the AM. I managed to get in about 2800 before I knew I had to stop, my right shoulder was rearing it’s ugly bicep tendonitis head, so I slowed down what I could and just swam until I hit my limit. I am loving the snorkel, feeling better, streamlined in the pool. Liking the feeling it offers with swimming. I wanted to hit up the hot tub but there were way to many people in it, so I settled for a long hot shower.
Wednesday: AM: Today was Recovery Swim. YEAH!!! This was exactly what I needed; my shoulder did good, and got stretched out with the slow workouts. I was very happy with this session. I even got in a bit of hot tub afterwards. And picked up coffee
The PM session, I was tired, but I got in for spin class, and got in a good solid hour on the bike. I was actually grateful for a slower easy session. But he did work us more than usual, so that felt good.
WHEN YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE NORMATEC BOOTS, YOU GO OLD SCHOOL WITH SKINS RECOVERY TIGHTS.
Thursday-- My AM run was again, at 2 miles my knee was tweaky. And my Garmin was off with my treadmill distance. Foot Pod on order to figure it out.
PM Swim: I was tired. My shoulder was sore. I didn’t feel like swimming. The Pool was cold. Like COLD!!!! It was another long workout, but I knew immediately I wasn’t going to get all of it done. But I was going to get an hour of it done, so I cut my warm up in half like the workout said. I did pulls with a snorkel, fins and kick board. Good. Then I did snorkel, buoy and ankle strap. Then Snorkel and ankle strap. OH MAN, I sunk like a lead balloon!! I would push off the wall, and take three strokes and my lower body immediately would sink, almost like a reverse pike. It was so ridiculous that I was starting to giggle, three strokes, sink. Three strokes, sink, three strokes sink, weird dolphin floppy kick. By the end, I was laughing so hard into my snorkel I’m surprised I wasn’t inhaling water. I came up at the end, and I unceremoniously ripped off all my head gear in a full blown laugh. The poor guy next to me was slightly puzzled I’m sure. We had a minor conversation on what I was doing, he laughed with me, and then complimented me on my stroke…before I was sinking.
Friday- I had only my swim today, I only had ONE workout today. I debated on sleeping in, but was to excited at the thought of having the evening off. So I busted out of bed and headed to the pool. It was cold as usual. I started out my swim and I forgot to grab my pull buoy, my crutch that I “have” to have to swim. But something happened in this moment, I started swimming, realized my buoy was not with me, started to stop, but realized…I have better balance, actually feel ok swimming, So I kept going. and I did my entire 400yds without it!!! I was so EXCITED!! This was a breakthrough for me. I always had trouble. With my shoulder still hurting somewhat, I focused on only form, and on being gentle with my shoulder. I did all my drills and had a relaxed swim. Then I finished with the Tech Paddles. Those were super awkward and super weird. But then, on my cool down, the magic happen. I literally swim amazing without anything!! My arms felt like sails and pulled me crazy awesome through the water!!! And I swam the 200 yd cool down FASTER then the 400yrd warm up!! I think I was most excited about my warm up and cool down with this workout, and the magic of the tech paddles!!! This was a great swim today!
Finished my work, took the dogs for a walk, and then relaxed for the night, while setting up my bike on the trainer for tomorrows workout.
Saturday- On Man, I couldn’t wake up today. I felt crappy, slightly achy and just all around massive fatigue. I wondered of I was coming down with something or just my body knowing I could relax and not have to rush through the day. Then realized it was the start of a “fun female” week. I took the dogs for their am walk, ate breakfast, and was attempting to get ready to go swim, or get my bike. But my energy was so low, so I laid down and took a quick nap, which turned into 2 hours. I finally got up, threw my sheets in the washer to prevent me from laying down, and headed off to the pool to get in my swim. Todays swim was a basic Zone 2 swim, my right shoulder was reminiscent of my days of tendonitis, So, I just swam very slow and very relaxed. I got in a good 1:12 hr/min. The shoulder felt okay. I could tell the fatigue was on me, as it took me a good 1/2 hour to just move and get out of the locker room after I dressed. I stopped at the store to buy a few things, came home and ate all carbs. Then I laid back on the bed for a minute, and was out like a light! I woke up 6 hours later. So much for finishing my bike workout, I had zero energy, and I just decided that I had to hold off on it for today. But, I needed to do something, so I took the dogs for a walk on the water, and sat and watched the sunset.
Sunday
Today I woke up and took the dogs for a walk, then ended up laying back down and slept until 11:30AM. Man was my body telling me something. I needed rest, so it took it anyway it could. I got up finally and dressed, and ran out my door to do my 5 mile run. How cool is it that I”m less then a mile from the ocean. I headed out for my run, and noticed that my pacing was faster then usual. At least from the last time I ran outside it was. Could this 7 day swim challenge be making my runs better? I looked at my watch. Yeah, I was averaging a mid 10:30 pace, some times a bit faster. I was feeling okay, I didn’t feel fatigue, so I just went by feel. I forgot my water so I think it could of been a bit better. But I got in my run in the fastest time I’ve had in a while. SCORE. And of course I got some awesome views to run with. I may have stopped a time or two to snap a few pics of this lovely day.
Seen on my Run
SWIM: Day 7 of my swim challenge with BASE and Tower 26. I had one last workout to get in. Because the place I am signed up with was closed on Sunday, I headed over to another place that had swim from 12-5 pm. I jumped in the pool and got to work. My body always feels better after my run if I go swim. It helps loosen everything up. I was about 1000 yds in when a gal asked if she could share the lane. I scooted over, apologized in advance if I went on her side doing my backwards fin kicking, and kept going. After about another 20 or so minutes during a rest, she asked me if I was that traveling Therapist who was doing an Ironman. And finally, I had just met Harley. The only other crazy person on Fort Bragg, training for and IM, she will be doing IM Santa Rosa, her second! And I’ll be at the BASE Aide station cheering her on with all my other BASE Teammates who are racing. (Backstory: Between signing up at the Mendocino Sports Club, getting my hair cut, and spin class, I had no less then 6 people tell me I had to meet Harley, she the same about me. I even got her number from my hairdresser Amy.) While I had planned to connect with her, I knew we would eventually met each other, and here we are!! We chatted for a bit, and then got back to our swim workouts. She confirmed that there are not any good places to bike here, and you have to drive about over an hour to get to any some what safe places to ride. But, I now have a bike training buddy for some of the long weekend rides! And we are about the same pace too! I’m excited for this opportunity! I finished my full workout, and it wasn’t until the cool down that i realized, I was over 3000yds!! Serioiusly? My shoulder didn’t hurt once today, I felt good in the water, I felt like I had energy to push myself, But I tried to go the 70-85% recommended. And was faster with my swim times. I finished up my last 200 yds of swimming, and I was finally done with my swim challenge!! 7 days of swimming, for at least an hour a day! 19,025 yds. 11 1/2 MILES of swimming in 7 days, for 8 hours and 57 minutes. I have only RAN 11 miles this week! I have to say that I’ve had a pretty great experience doing this challenge. And I am so glad I got to do it with a bunch of my fellow BASE Teammates.
Things I’ve noticed I’ve improved on with the swim/loved about Tower 26 workouts:
- I can now swim without using a pull buoy. All the kicking has been good with strengthening my back with using the snorkel and my body in a more streamlined position. All the other times I tried to kick with the board and my head out of the water, it aggravated my back, hence I didn’t kick, hence, weaker. Hence I only swam with my arms.
- I now feel more comfortable kicking with my legs during the swim, it’s kinda second nature, and doesn’t hurt my back.
- I love the tech paddles, similar to a fist drill. I felt an amazing swim after I used them, like my forearms were sails, pulling me magically though the water, with power, lots of power!! My speed increase with less effort.
- I loved the stretch pull cord paddles. I felt good getting in the water and feeling stronger with my arms and having that muscle memory of the warm up right before I swam.
- I like the snorkel workouts with the fins and kick-board. It kept me in better alignment, and I went faster, and felt faster, going at a slower pace. If that makes any sense.
- By workout 5, I could do my entire warm up and cool down without the buoy. This was probably one of my favorite moments, I felt comfortable in the WATER. Better then ever before!!
- If I had more money, I’d be signing up to work with Tower 26. But my limited budget, only lets me do this for now, but during off season…..
I had a good week. This was such a confidence booster. After taking a solid year off of nothing. I’m on the right path for getting back in the game.
This. Makes. Me. Happy. Now, Off to make homemade Pecan/Cranberry/Vanilla Granola as a special treat!!
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