All you can do is tri

I’ve been feeling quite lethargic lately.  I haven’t been wanting to get out of bed or do my long workouts.  I was feeling good before this.  I can’t quite figure it out.  I’m not sick.  I’m getting sleep.  I’m getting rest from training.  I’m eating properly.  I do know that I haven’t had light therapy in about three weeks.  I got burnt last time, so I’ve avoided it for a while.  I think it’s time to get back to it.  Light therapy (tanning) was really making a difference in my mood, drive, and motivation.  I feel like it’s been sucked out of me this week.  Light therapy will be my first priority today. 

I can’t wait to get out of this gloomy state! 

That said, I haven’t been keeping to my training plan this week.  I couldn’t wake up early enough on Tuesday to get my run in.  Wednesday, I did swim for 40 mins but I got bored and almost cut it short.  Ended up doing sprint reps, 25 m/y x 10 reps.  Made it more interesting.  I also did make it to the Computrainer session only to find out I had another broken spoke.  2nd one in the last 1.5 months.  I guess when one goes the rest start to go thereafter.  So I didn’t get to workout on the Computrainer, but did get to buy a new wheel.  I almost bought a whole new bike, but pulled the reigns in and was a good girl.    Very tempting though.  Carbon is so light compared to my bike made of steel. 

So I guess lethargy only got the best of one day….  I’m taking the reigns back today though, as I can’t let anything get in the way of my training. 

Speaking of, I ran today.  Well, really I ran/walked.  Dissapointing tired run.  But at least I got out there.  30 running, 30 walking.

Sunday: Long ride, 40 miles, 3 hours - done; Long run, 4 miles, 45 mins - done.

Monday: Rest, Work extra shift 11p-7a

Tuesday: Run 45 mins or sprint workout, Work extra shift 11p-7a

Wednesday: Swim 40 mins; Bike, computrainer workout with my “other” tri club, SeaTri. Computrainer is one our sponsors and holds weekly workouts for free for members. 

Thursday: Run 45 mins; Work 7p-7a

Friday: Bike 30 mins on trainer, speed session; Work 7p-7a

Saturday: Work 7p-7a

Ran 4 miles over 45 minutes with a negative split on the out and back run. 

Biked 40 miles in the dark (10:30 pm) over 3 hours.  Slow, for a few reasons. 

1) It was dark and things just seem different when you can’t see.  I was afraid of running into those random poles on trails or missing a curve or turn or a dirt pile which I did run into, but saw it at the last second and avoided falling.  I don’t know that I’ll be doing that ever again.   

2) I couldn’t see my cyclometer, so I didn’t actually know how fast or, in my case, slow I was going. 

3) Sleep seemed to reign my life this weekend, so I guess I had a lack of “get up and go”. 

I’ve gotta get faster on the bike though in general.  I did do three pick ups during the last 1.5 miles.  That felt good. 

I think working nights is doing more to me than I thought.  For some reason, after the third 12 hour shift in a row, I have to sleep 20 hours.  I tried to get around it this weekend, or rather have control of it, but I lost. 

I got lots of sleep on Friday - 15 hours (12n-9p, 12m-6:30a).  Saturday I had planned on doing my long ride and trying out my wetsuit after the expo.  I felt great when I woke up and not so great later on in the morning.  Postponed my ride because I wasn’t feeling up to it and freaked out in the wetsuit due to the intensely cold water.  Went to bed at 10pm, then woke up really early on Sunday, 5:30am, and started tracking our Trifuel family members doing IMAZ.  I laid down around 7am to snooze until the swim results were up and ended up sleeping until 12 noon.  Had to cancel my run with my girlfriends because I wasn’t feeling very good.  Slept until 5pm.  ????  What the heck? 

Theories?  Maybe I increased my training too much in one week?  Maybe I’m coming down with something?  Maybe I just slept too much and can’t get out of the cycle?  Who knows.  All I know is, my sleep schedule is whacked and makes my training schedule very interesting.  Hence my late night ride on Sunday.  We’ll see how it goes this weekend. 

Yesterday, I volunteered at a triathlon expo here in Seattle.  Got to meet a few more triathletes in my area, check out Computrainer, register with USAT and meet Chris Lieto, Tribro’s younger bro.

I’ve decided to go ahead and possibly purchase a Computrainer.  They’ve offered monthly payments of $100+, which I could definitely do.  I’m going to test it out on Wednesday and do a ride with a bunch of other people on the Computrainers to make the final decision.

Apparently, they have the Pac Crest course on file BUT I found out that it will be of no use to me this year.  Why?  Because they have completely taken out the huge climb up the mountain due to road construction.  Instead it will be mostly flat with rolling hills.  This is a bitter sweet issue.  Sweet, because I don’t have to freak out about the big climb anymore.  Bitter, because I won’t be experiencing the true Pac Crest experience.  I won’t have the story of having to gut out big steep long climbs and I’ll be missing out some spectacular views, so I’ve heard.   

Still, it is my first HIM and it will still be a challenge for me. 

Yesterday’s plan was to ride 40 miles and do my first of the year open water swim in my first wetsuit.  I decided to postpone my ride until after the swim as I found out Tribro’s brother, star Ironman champion, Chris Lieto, was going to be speaking.  Ended up staying for a few speakers and learned a few things. 

Chris was really cool.  Told him I knew his brother and talked to him about his season this year.  Super nice guy.  Good speaker.  His lecture was pretty good, humorous, and helpful on the mental side of the sport. 

After the lectures, I took off to Lake Washington.  I expected it to be cold and that I would get used to it.  I met up with two women who’ve been doing open water swims for the past couple months.  They were really nice and gave me good advice and kept an eye out for me once we were in the water.  Which was a good thing.  Because once we started swimming, I had to stop and tread water to catch my breath.  I ended up telling them to go with out me.  There was no way I was going to be able to manage. 

I’ve swam in open water before so I’m not inexperienced.  That said, the last time I swam OW was four years ago.  The water was extremely cold and choppy.  The wetsuit did a great job of keeping me warm, but the shock to my face was unbearable beyond 10 strokes.  Even treading water I had a hard time retrieving my breathing.  I tried a few more times before eventually getting out because I just couldn’t handle the cold on my face.  I figured I would get used to it after a while, but it was just sooooo intense that I couldn’t stay in long enough to get used to it.  I ended up getting out of the water and waiting for the other two, one of whom DIDN’T wear a wetsuit!!!  Talk about crazy! 

After 10 mins, I decided to try it again and see if I could stick it out this time.  Um, no.  It was impossible.  I went back to my car, changed, and then went back to wait for them.  They were amazing.  I can’t figure out how they can do it. 

I did find out that although the wetsuit, cap, and booties were great at keeping me bearably warm, my gloves didn’t help as much and made it hard to swim too because my hands were sooo cold. 

I thought I would feel disappointment at not completeing the OW swim and was actually surprised when I didn’t.  It wasn’t that I couldn’t swim, in general, it was just the cold.  I gave it all I could and I at least got out there and tried.  I am, however, in amazement that the other two could handle it.  I know I’ll be able to do it, but I’ll just wait until it gets warmer. 

I decided to take the day off in the end.  The exertion of trying to breathe while having lost my breath put a toll on my breathing muscles (diaphram, intercostals, abd) and they were pretty sore afterwards. 

Today should be better.  I’ll be tracking our Trifuelers at IMAZ, going on a 6 mile run with a few coworkers, and either going to the swim clinic or doing the bike ride I missed yesterday. 

May 6th - Bloomsday 12k, Spokane, Wa

June 2nd - Issaquah Sprint Triathlon, Issaquah, Wa

June 23rd - Pacific Crest Half Ironman, Bend/Sunriver, Or

July 8th - Valley of the Sun Triathlon (Oly), Yakima, Wa

July 14th-15th - Seattle to Portland Bike Ride

And I’m still tired after 8 hours of sleep. 

My day started yesterday with my run at 4pm, followed by 12 hours of work, then 30 min weight lifing session, and 40 min swim session.

Wt lifting involved really light weights and lots of reps.  I’m pretty bulky with muscle for a woman and would like to avoid become more muscular if it’s possible.  So my goal is to tone up the muscle I have rather than build more muscle. 

Swim session was 3 long sets of swimming, focusing on form, gliding and power in my stroke without maximal effort.  It felt really good.  One of the older men in the hot tub was telling me afterwards that I take nice long strokes.  He asked me if I swam in HS.  Nope, I learned how to swim as a teenager from a YMCA lifeguard.  He said it looked as though I’d been swimming for a long time.    YEA!  I’ve come a long way from where I was before as a swimmer.  Can’t wait to share that with my swim clinic coach. 

Afterwards, I headed over to Speedy Reedy for some Tri gear.  Bought a regular silicone swim cap since mine tore at swim clinic a few weeks ago; a neoprene swim cap, swim gloves and swim booties for when I jump into the freezing cold waters of Lk. Washington tomorrow to swim in my wetsuit for the first time.  Swimming with a bunch of other crazy triathletes from my local club tomorrow afternoon.  Also bought a Bento box for my Cervelo.  Will probably purchase a Profile water bottle for the front of my bike and then the two water bottle holders for the back of my seat. 

Had to finally leave the tri shop as I hadn’t slept since 4pm the day before and was getting loopy.  Went to bed at 12noon and woke up at 8:45pm tonight.  Still pretty tired.  Gonna stay up for a few more hours and then go back to bed. 

Tomorrow I’m volunteering at a Triathlon expo in the morning, hopefully followed by a long ride of 40 miles and the lake swim. 

Starting to feel really strong lately.  And mentally, more like a triathlete.  Feels good. 

Went on my quick little run today before work.  Got to the top of hill where the sidewalk was blocked.  Ignored it.  Continued to run and almost landed myself in wet concrete.  Doh!  That would’ve been messy and the end of my run. 

Today was a big hill run.  Ran out 15 mins and came back in 11 mins.  26 mins all together.  Felt good. 

I decided to forgo my lifting session today for sleep.  Last night was really busy on my floor.  I only had 7 patients, but four of them each had things going on which needed attention and delayed the rest of my night and the things I had to get done before I left.  

Therefore, I didn’t get off work until 8:45am instead of 7:30am; got home at 9:30; legs hurt and couldn’t get to sleep until 11am.  Being that I had to get up at 6pm at the latest to rush off to work, that left enough time for 7 hours of sleep if I ditched my workout today.  Ended up waking up at 5:00pm and unable to get back to sleep.  So here I am.  Ditching the workout and leaving for work soon. 

At least it was just a lifting session.  I can fit that in whereever. 

Today I did pick ups on the trainer.  10 minute warm up followed by 5 x 1 minute pick ups in light resistance, no bouncing, with 2 minute recovery spin between each.  Finished it with a 7 minute cool down. 

Now I’m off to work in a little bit. 

maybe a glitch or two.  Swam for 55 mins and ran for 30 mins today. 

The pool was super busy today.  I’ve never seen that many people try to use the fitness center pool at my hospital.  It’s usually 5 water walkers and 2 swimmers.  Today, it was 8 water walkers and 6 swimmers!  More communication than usual was needed to clarify who went where and what not.  I had been in the pool for maybe 10 minutes sharing a lane with a guy.  We had both agreed to split the lane.  All was good and happy for the said 10 minutes.  Until another lady and myself swam into eachother.  She just jumped in and joined us without letting us know she was there.  I told her to wait at the wall next time to let us know she was there.  She was nice, asked if I was okay and I extended the same kindness. 

It was wierd and coincidental that this happened today, as there was a thread on trifuel that I had read before I went to the gym about this exact kind of incident. 

After that, everything was mostly fine.  Still crowded, but I got my time in before water aerobics took over. 

Today, I tried to focus on my form, remembering all that they tell us to do at the swim clinic I attend.  I’m guessing I swam somewhere around 2000 yards/meters (whatever). 

I haven’t run in 2-3 weeks, but today’s run felt great.  Like I hadn’t really missed much.  Even the hills I dreaded beforehand were a cinch.  Nice little ego lifter.   

Now I have to stay up all night so I can sleep all day tomorrow in order to be refreshed when I go to work at 7pm and leave around 7:30 am the next day.  Woo hoo.