Destination MoP is FULL (of motivation!) (Page 32)

Planned to do a 60min run today.  Looked into a few possible trails.  Chose one that goes around a lake.  I got there and really enjoyed the first mile.  Then I took a wrong turn.  Followed that trail for quite sometime wondering why the lake was nowhere to be seen on my left side.  I was supposed to be going counterclockwise around the lake.  HMMMM.  I kept going a bit shy of 2 miles and made it an out and back instead of a loop.  I did see my mistake on the way back and if I do this run again I won't make the same error.  I enjoyed the terrain and being in the woods.  There were some parts that I had to walk due to mucky stream crossings and some places with footing where I didn't trust myself to run.  In addition, I tripped and almost fell a few times, but overall I like this trail.

Next time I'll take the correct path!

The road not taken, eh?  :-)

I did not do anything related to training or physical exercise for two whole days.  Was very hard not to put on my shoes and head out the door Sunday or Monday.  I felt guilty.  But I know I need some down time so I forced myself to stay home.  Still feel guilty.

Today I’ll head out for a 30 minute run.  Did do the bike commute this morning.

Massage was really nice.  I felt like a noodle afterwards.  Still think there is extra loosening up needed in my middle back area so another trip might be in store in a few weeks.  Definitely some time needed on the foam roller this evening.

Definately!  It was enjoyable though.  I hope to get back there this fall. 

I now find myself deciding between two local 5K races in late Oct/early Nov.  One is a 2 loop crosscountry race which is supposed to be decently flat with one moderate hill in each loop.  The other is part road, part trail.  I may decide based on weather.  I can't get a good map of either course with elevation, etc...  We'll see.

hoffsquared - 2011-10-13 12:47 PM Five weeks without a swim session.     Hmmm...must get back in the pool!  

Hmmm... it's been 5 weeks since I've been in the pool or on a bike... on the other hand, just finished my 5th day in a row running.  Guess 5 is in the air!

I swam once in Sept during my sprint tri and haven't swam in Oct. 

I've been in the pool a few times, but with my son.  I taught him to dive, so I guess it's not for naught!  He does a nice shallow old fashioned swim team dive from the side, LOL!  I'm sure he'd  belly flop off the blocks.

I'm hoping to get back in the pool at least once a week in Nov when I'm done coaching soccer.

Glad I'm not the only one who is not swimming regularly.

Go Stu.  Your race is coming up soon right?

I bought a full wetsuit from another BT'er.  Excited to use it!  Alas...not for many months.  I do think I will have to do some dry land drilling in it to get used to the restriction a bit.

Well this is for sure a no swim month, the base pool has been closed for repairs for the last two weekends!  No swim for me too!  Plan to get in the pool tomorrow.

I have had a cold this week and have been pushing through it until this morning. I was dressed and draging myself out the door at 6:10 am when my husband looked at me and asked why I was doing that. Chris said, "You have sick leave and you are sick so call in sick and use the day to recover.", what a novel idea.  I called my carpool to let them know I was not going to work, called and left a message for my supervisor and then went back to bed.  I slept until 1pm!  Guess I needed some rest. 

So this week was a bust, other than my strength training, but last night was our last volleyball game so I gain back two training days.  It was great to take the time to play a different sport that was just for fun but also keep strength training as my priority.  Keeping everything easy for a couple of more weeks as I build my base in strength. 

What are you doing for the off season?  Is it all tri specific or is anyone doing something different?

Also, I would like to incorporate more protein into my diet, what suggestions do you have and how do you feel about protein powders?

I've finally come up with a plan.  I'm aiming for an iron distance end of June/beginning of July next year.  Option one (preferred) is Ironman France (Nice).  Option two is Outlaw (in England).  I won't be entering anything until at least January as there are a bunch of other personal considerations that may change things, but I figure if I don't start aiming for it now I definitely won't be ready.  The final fall back option, Option three, is Steelman again (the HIM I did this year), which is 2nd July.

I started training again this week.  I went to the tri club track session, which was the first one after the September break.  I was expecting to feel really unfit, but actually felt really good.  It's amazing what a difference it is feeling nice and fresh at the beginning of a training session!  We went for a bike ride yesterday (16 miles on the mountain bikes), which also felt great - the "big" hill that at the beginning of the year was really hard work, was actually not this time.  The swim session last night was quite hard, but I took it nice and gently as it's the first time I've been swimming since August (there's obviously something in the air!).  Felt great after all of that.  The plan is to gradually build my training back up through October.  I'm going to start Jorge's bike plan from the beginning of November as I really feel like I need to work on my cycling.  The IM France bike route has a 1000m climb about a third of the way through.  I'm going to do the trainer sessions on the road bike and the outdoor sessions on the mountain bike.

I've also decided I need to become a little better informed, so I'm going to do a bike maintenance course in a couple of weeks.  Between that and the coaching course (starts next week) I'm going to have much more of a clue what I'm doing by next year...

Does anyone use a foam roller?  I have one, but don't use it as much as I should.

I found these videos on my friend's blog which I found really useful and thought I'd share them:

lower body foam roller routine

thoracic spine mobility

(disclaimer: my friend is an osteopath and a professional mixed martial artist, so we're not the intended audience for the blog, however the advice is sound).

Nice!  errr... I mean, great!  Love the plan... and love that you're re-energized after a break.  Looks like we've got a Jorge fan club here!

Not sure, Melanie.  Originally was going to do Richmond Marathon in early November, but that just isn't in the cards this year.  Might scale back and do the half.  I think I'd have a shot at breaking 1:50 which is my next time goal for HM.  Or, there's a local Mary in early December... only had about 20 people last year... lol.  I'm having alot of trouble fitting everything in right now, but had a good run this morning (of course, it was yesterday's run).  Still haven't gotten back into the 30+ / miles per week yet so all of that talk is premature.

On the wet suit, definitely do a swim in it before the race because it is a really different feel.  Also, make sure to practice getting out of it after the swim (preferably while running, etc.)  Figure out where to lubricate.

Stu

Made an absolute rookie mistake today:

I was on late shift at work so couldn't make the track session, but I've just moved to working out of a different station.  The new one has a small gym which includes a treadmill, so I decided to go do the session on the treadmill.  I was really organised this morning, got everything together for work, got my exercise clothes ready, made sure I had a change of clothes and shower stuff for afterwards, made sandwiches for lunch and dinner...

I was half way to work (about a 30min drive away) when I realised that the one thing I'd forgotten to put in was my running shoes!

I decided to do the session in the shoes I was wearing and just see how it went.  It felt okay until half way through the 4th interval, at which point my heels both suddenly started rubbing.  I cut the session short (I was going to do 5 intervals, but stopped after the 4th), and now have the beginnings of blisters on the side of both heels.  But I guess I won't make that mistake again!

LOL.  Nope.  With some mistakes, once is enough... and you'll have this story to relate when you are coaching and someone asks if having the right shoes makes any difference.  FWIW, when I forget my shoes I just do the core / leg / back workout and spin on the bike.  Happens a few times / year.  I've long since stopped obsessing over missing a workout.

Stu

OUCH!  How are the blisters healing?

My cold really wipped me out, I went to the gym on Wednesday to get my strength training done and was listening to talk radio.  I wanted to hear the next segment after the break so I was waiting in my car; next thing I knew, I was waking up...missed the segment on the radio and decided to miss the strength training ...figured I was tired.  I did get it done the next day and am back on track today.  I have not S,B, R all week but will this weekend.  Really, need to dial in my nutrition as my GI issues appeared after eating incorrectly the other day..TWO hot dogs!  That did it and I have been paying for it for two days!

Seriously, I really have to watch what I eat.  Too much of anything and I am sick.  Then I don't get the nutrition from my food I do eat and I am sluggish for days. 

Its a beautiful day out here and I am just going to enjoy some time out doors.  Hope everyone is taking advantage of the nice weather too...looks like the whole country is having mild temps!

Thought of you yesterday when I ate a chili dog at an auction.  Also not the most brilliant idea.  I've got to stick to the Whole Foods salad bar and a nice, balanced dinner and then everything is hunky dory.  When I vary much from that plan, I tend to regret it.  Hope you're feeling better and all rested up now.

Got in a 16.2 mile run today... plan was 14, but it was such a gorgeous day, I kept going.  So a mere 10 more miles and it would have been a marathon... did I mention I can hardly walk now?  LOL.  Well, if the stars align, I might try 20 next weekend... and if that goes as well as today, and the weather forecast for the race looks encouraging, maybe I'll go ahead and sign up for the Richmond Marathon.  I'm pretty sure I can run 20 on an easier course than around where I live and then I could just walk/run the last 6.2 miles.  I have no illusions about running the whole thing... just finishing and being able to walk.  Still have the fallback idea of the half, but I've done that 3x, and just can't get very excited about it this year.  We'll see.

Hope everyone is still able to get the outdoor workouts in... daylight and warmth are fading fast...

Stu

Stu, your mileage is very impressive..."oh, I just decided to keep running", my gosh that is inspiring!  I am still struggling on 5K distances.  

Just today, on my run I was thinking, I never get that runners high where you get lost in the run and just want to keep going. But then I realized, I do not come from a runner, swimming, or biking background.  My background was the hatred of running and the couch.  And then I began to wonder how many more of me are out there grinding out miles.  Do they ever get to that running high?  Suddenly, I was home and my run was over...I may have gotten lost in my thoughts but I still did not feel like running more than planned.  

Hopefully you make your mark on that mary, what an accomplishment it would be after such a difficult training season. Dang 14 miles just in training...very nice!  

Time flew for you on your run!  That's part of getting the runner's high.  

I didn't come from a running, swimming, or biking background either.  But now like all three.  Well...maybe not the swimming just yet.  I don't feel I grind out the miles on the run though anymore.

Sometimes on my runs, I realize that I've been in a nice meditative state -- and once I realize this -- it's gone, slipped away.  So I think that trying to find the state is what gets in our way.

---

My weekend was a nutritional nightmare.  Out of town for a high school marching band competition and then university chorale concert the next day.

Getting back on track today.  

Plan to get back in the pool where I'm trying to focus on not fighting the water.