The theme of my week was….
Balance.
What changed this week? Well, a few things. Shant is up in town for a 6-week trip (!!!) which is nice. It’s been a challenge being able to balance my time with him, as well as work, as well as training. He is, thankfully, very understanding of my ups and downs and my time commitments so he’s definitely made it easy. However, the struggle internally is ablaze. Instead of lounging around on a Sunday morning, I got onto my bike trainer and then hopped out for a run. Generally, Sundays are for brunches, lounging, movies, wine, mindless eating…you get the idea. I’d love more than anything to spend lazy days and nights with him, perhaps reading, listening to music, or watching movies. However, I’d love even more to cross the IMLOU finish line! Alas, I get my “reading” and music listening in during my runs, and perhaps I can take up watching movies while on the bike trainer.
I guess we’re both trying to find balance, together. There’s something to be said when two people can still enjoy each other’s companies but still manage to have their own interests. I don’t think he’ll ever assume my triathlon craze, much as I’ll never assume one of his many interests. However, the time we spend together is time well spent, and I look forward to it at the end of every bike ride, run, and swim.
After a week away from the flu, I was ready to pick up where I left off. I found that my endurance had decreased a bit, especially in the pool. However, it seemed like I came back a bit stronger, perhaps because I finally had a chance to fully recover and rebuild my strength. Clothes are fitting better than ever and I think I might’ve worn out my trusty old reversible swim suit, so it may be time to treat myself to some new gear to roll me right into Ironman training.
Recap of week 11 base training:
7.9 hours; Swim: 3510 yards; Bike: 18 miles; Run: 8.41 miles
Monday, January 28: 1 hour 40 minutes swimming. Showed up to tri team training early to get some laps in.
Tuesday, January 29: 1 hour 10 minutes strength training. Early morning team training session.
Wednesday, January 30: 1 hour 15 minutes swimming. Showed up to tri team training early to get some laps in.
Thursday, January 31: 30 minute bike (8 miles)/30 minute (2.08 miles) run brick. The run part was done on a treadmill and I worked on 1:1 hill intervals.
Friday, February 1: 1 hour 10 minutes strength training with the tri team. This was the most intense session yet! Lots of stair running, burpees, Samoan waddles, mountain climbers, coach dragging, etc.
Saturday, February 2: Rest day. I was still feeling incredibly beat from Friday morning.
Sunday, February 3: 10 mile bike ride, 10k run around Lake Union.
Things I accomplished this week:
1) A decent brick length on Sunday. I felt great at the finish.
2) Got back into my routine. It was tiring but definitely worth it.
3) Managed to still make it to training despite distractions.
4) Exceeded my training plan for the week.
Things I learned this week:
1) Distractions will always be around me. I need to learn to prioritize.
2) More bricks. I definitely need more bricks!
3) There’s no shortcut to success. If I’m really looking to get serious about IM training, then I need to think long term.
Amara in Training 