Triathlete In Training: Journal Entry #2

author : Terese Luikens
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My goals for September were to continue my daily workouts, biking at least five miles and running two miles every morning. I have also set Sundays aside as a day of rest.

By Terese Luikens
Journal Entry #2 for the month of September 2006

Summer has left the Northwest. It is a chilly 34 degrees and dark at 5:30 in the morning when I ride my bike and run my miles. My goals for September were to continue my daily workouts, biking at least five miles and running two miles every morning. It has not been a difficult goal to meet and it only takes me about forty minutes a day to accomplish it.


I have set Sundays aside as a day of rest. A friend called me this last Sunday to invite me to ride with her. The last time we rode together it was a twenty-mile workout. So I told her, “It is my day of rest, which is just as important as the discipline of conditioning.” I was surprised by my words, but it is true. Training myself to rest is as important as training my body to work hard. To rest does not mean I am inactive. It just means my activity is paced differently. For instance, one particular Sunday my husband and I took a long walk, then later in the day I went rollerblading and then in the evening I swam a few laps.


Swimming was another goal that I had for September. The days were warm enough at the beginning of the month that I swam in Lake Pend Oreille. On three occasions I swam 1/3 of a mile using the breaststroke. It was a slow but steady pace. Then a few days ago I met with my friend who was a swimmer for her high school swim team. She watched my strokes as I swam up and down the 25 meter pool at our local health club. My style is not bad but my upper body needs to be strengthened and the best way to do that is to swim lap-after-lap. She thought I should try three sets of eight laps. I think I will start with six sets of four.


She asked me what my goal was and I told her that I do not want to come in last in my division. I shall add swimming once a week to my list of goals. The other aim that I had for September was to do some bike shopping. I went into the city to shop and noted their prices. Then I went to one of our local dealers and compared prices. The prices in the city are cheaper but when I buy from our local Trek dealer, my bike tune-ups will be free for a year.  So, I ordered a Trek 7.5 FX. I am looking forward to trading in the old bike for a new one. Right now it takes me fifty minutes to ride twelve miles. I think with my new bike my time will improve.


I am feeling some benefits from my daily workouts. When I get off my bike to run my legs no longer feel like lead and without trying.  Oh! And I’ve lost five pounds!

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date: October 4, 2006

Terese Luikens