Tri Training Update: Part 2
And just like that we're 1.5 weeks away from race day.
The last 3 weeks especially I've been putting in hard, hard work.
5am treadmill runs I didn't think I could finish. Brick workouts (bike + run) daunting on paper but within the realm of my capabilities. Swims... well, it pays to be a former competitive swimmer even though I'm still scared of seaweed.
This training plan is still a challenge for me. I'm grateful for that. I love showing up each day to something tough and knocking it out. The training remains as much, if not more, enjoyable for me than the race itself.
Maybe harder than the physical work was last week's unplanned rest. I got knocked off my feet for a few days and needed some actual, do nothing rest days. I'm not a good rester outside of training. It took discipline to sit and ignore a few workouts. Probably because I did exactly that, when I got back to it this week it was no big deal. No great fitness lost.
An interesting, important, part of triathlons is the logistics of it all. As race day approaches I think about this more and more.
What's going to be for breakfast that morning? Where will I park and can I ride my bike with equipment from there to the start? What needs to come with me to the start of the swim and what do I leave in the transition area? (An important one for me:) what will I wear after the swim on top of my bathing suit so I have enough support to be comfortable--especially on the run? When will I be drinking water during the race, and how much, so it helps me but doesn't cramp me up? I think about shoes, hats, water bottles, backpacks, the order of laying out a towel and clothes to transition as fast as I can from swim to bike. There's lots to consider.
This race in a few days is a new one for me. I know the area and I've trained on it a handful of times. I'm eager to see what it brings. And I'm ready for it.
The last 3 weeks especially I've been putting in hard, hard work.
5am treadmill runs I didn't think I could finish. Brick workouts (bike + run) daunting on paper but within the realm of my capabilities. Swims... well, it pays to be a former competitive swimmer even though I'm still scared of seaweed.
This training plan is still a challenge for me. I'm grateful for that. I love showing up each day to something tough and knocking it out. The training remains as much, if not more, enjoyable for me than the race itself.
Maybe harder than the physical work was last week's unplanned rest. I got knocked off my feet for a few days and needed some actual, do nothing rest days. I'm not a good rester outside of training. It took discipline to sit and ignore a few workouts. Probably because I did exactly that, when I got back to it this week it was no big deal. No great fitness lost.
An interesting, important, part of triathlons is the logistics of it all. As race day approaches I think about this more and more.
What's going to be for breakfast that morning? Where will I park and can I ride my bike with equipment from there to the start? What needs to come with me to the start of the swim and what do I leave in the transition area? (An important one for me:) what will I wear after the swim on top of my bathing suit so I have enough support to be comfortable--especially on the run? When will I be drinking water during the race, and how much, so it helps me but doesn't cramp me up? I think about shoes, hats, water bottles, backpacks, the order of laying out a towel and clothes to transition as fast as I can from swim to bike. There's lots to consider.
This race in a few days is a new one for me. I know the area and I've trained on it a handful of times. I'm eager to see what it brings. And I'm ready for it.