Weekly Workout Totals 07/10/2006-07/16/2006: Countdown to #53!

This week was interesting. I realized that although I am still training quite a bit, that it just feels different. I figured out that just knowing I have an Ironman race in the pipeline gives me a completely different attitude towards things. Without that "monkey on my back," I have a much more relaxed attitude towards training, and life in general. I'm not worried about whether I miss or shorten a workout or whether I went as hard as I should have during a workout. I also am able to experience just how incredibly fit I am without the added mental stress of a HUGE race looming ahead. Plus, it's summer, and this is the first summer since 1998 that I am NOT training towards some huge milestone. Sure, I want to do well in the 3 1/2 Ironmans that I'm doing, beginning this Sunday, but if I just decide to slack through them and only come out in the MOP or even BOP I won't really much care. I will know that I am Iron-fit, and that I will be able to go into next year with my Iron-base well-preserved.

I rode 100 miles yesterday with 2 women who are almost 15 years younger than me--one was my friend Cindy (who blew into town or should I say my face on Saturday), and someone I "picked up" during the ride named Pattie. I had agreed to have Cindy suck my wheel all day, or at least try to. She is the sort of athlete that can do whatever she wants as long as she decides in her head she's going to do it. She's athletically gifted that way. Not me. I have to work hard for it! But I enjoy her company and know she won't hold me back. I was a little bit ahead of Cindy about 10-15 miles into the ride and I came upon Pattie. She looked to be holding a good pace, and I wasn't sure I could stay with her. I introduced myself, and my first question to her was, "Why are you riding alone when you are so fast?" Usually I don't see too many fast women out by themselves. She said a couple of others had bagged on the ride (probably due to the heat). I asked if she minded if we rode together for a bit. Cindy caught up, we exchanged pleasantries, and forged a group. I was the pacer for much of the way, but whenever I'd have an energy lull, Pattie was right there to pick us back up. I was motivated by these girls stick-to-itiveness. Not only did we ride fast, we were able to chat much of the way! We were all holding one another to a good performance. It was H-O-T--in the 90's, and windy. We saw one rider go down with heat stroke. But we were wise and would load up our tops (and me also my shorts) with ice at each rest stop. Unfortunately for Pattie, she got to witness me peeing on the side of a road while holding onto my bike. She didn't understand how I could do that. I told her it's an art. We had missed the first aid station and we were about 30 miles into leg #2 and I had to go. Luckily, I got my shorts back on just before a huge semi turned the corner onto the road we were on! I ran :25 afterwards on a pure black high school track. It was torturous. I was so hot, and it was still very windy, and while I was supposed to run for :40, I figured :25 in the heat was enough. Hey, I didn't need to ride 100 miles, but what the heck! Not like :15 more of running is going to make a difference in my race this week, right?

Saturday I did a 2-mile open water swim. I was just about to put my wetsuit on when who shows up but Cindy. I was so happy to see her, as always, and we made a big scene of hugging and talking. She was only going to swim 1 mile, and she told me she figured I might be there. Nice surprise! Shock of shocks, I swam faster than in any of my 2.4-mile time trials for Ironman Brazil. I really just enjoyed myself. The distance was short about 500 yards--I knew right away when I got out of the water that either I am a world-class contender or the course was short! But even so, I wasn't "racing" it. I just swam relaxed and totally enjoyed it. Afterwards, I ran 2 hours along the lake (relatively). I did a triple out-and-back so I could have (relatively) cold fluid with me. It was scorching hot, too. And I ran on asphalt and sidewalks. At one point, the song, "Footloose" was on the radio, so of course I had to do some fancy footwork. Man, did I get some strange looks, but I didn't care, and it was good to know I remember how to have this amount of fun even while I am baking in a long run.

This all made me remember why it's better to do my long run on Thursday when I am riding long on the weekend. It just makes for a very tired Monday morning! On the other hand, I overdistanced everything except the run for the 1/2 Ironman, so hopefully, an "only" 1.2-mile swim and "only" 56-mile ride won't feel too bad at all! Bonus if it's only in the 80's I might actually have a decent bike and run.

As you look at the totals for the week, remember, I AM NOT IN TRAINING FOR AN IRONMAN. Maybe I just don't know how to train less :) Hey, it's fun, though!

Weekly Totals 07/10/2006-07/16/2006
Swim: 12500 yards (7.09 miles) in 4.25 hours; 22% of weekly workout time; approx. 1487 calories burned
Bike: Approx. 152.94 miles in 8.5 hours; 44% of weekly workout time; approx. 3986 calories burned
Run: Approx. 32.09 miles in 4.87 hours; 25% of weekly workout time; approx. 2208 calories burned
Strength: 1.55 hours; 8% of weekly workout time; approx. 388 calories burned
All Sports: Approx. 192.12 miles in 19.17 hours; approx. 8069 calories burned
Sleep: 8.36 hours avg./night
Stretching: 1.72 hours

Season Totals 09/12/2005-07/16/2006
Swim: 368185 yards (208.96 miles) in 129.65 hours
Bike: Approx. 4054.69 miles in 232.7 hours
Run: Approx. 1235.41 miles in 194.29 hours
Strength: 63.3 hours
All Sports: Approx. 5499.06 miles in 619.94 hours; approx. 275297 calories burned
Stretching: 68.34 hours

Season Weekly Averages 09/12/2005-07/16/2006
Swim: 8368 yards (4.75 miles) in 2.95 hours
Bike: Approx. 92.15 miles in 5.29 hours
Run: Approx. 28.08 miles in 4.42 hours
Strength: 1.44 hours
All Sports: Approx. 124.98 miles in 14.09 hours
Sleep: 8.48 hours avg./night
Stretching: 2.01 hours avg./week

Goals from Last Week:

• Do whatever my coach tells me to do. DONE (more or less). I did run a bit more than prescribed, because I hate going into a long run not having run the day before. So I ran :30 on Friday, which was another reason why I was OK cutting my Sunday brick run short.
• Work on my knee issue. It's all fixed up. All it needed was some target stretching of my rectus femoris and a little self-trigger point work.
• Do a decent swim at the 2-mile open water swim this coming Saturday. DONE. Surprised myself at just staying relaxed and putting in a good effort even though I hadn't swum much the previous few weeks.

Accomplishments this Week:

• 19 hours. WOW. While not training for an Ironman. It's a little freaky, but I'm having a bunch of fun, so why not?
• Except for Friday and Saturday nights, got plenty of sleep. I had to be up at 4:30AM both weekend days, so that put a crimp in my average weekly hours.
• Did not succumb to heat stroke even though I put in a lot of hours during the hottest parts of the day from Friday through Sunday!

Goals for Next Week:

• Stretch a bit more.
• Get my head in the game for a long race on Sunday. Wow, am I really ready for a 1/2 Ironman? I think my bike and run legs are primed for some speed. We shall see!
• Other than today, since I'm catching up on calories from yesterday still, watch the eating as I am doing a little taper for Sunday's race.
• Go into race day relaxed and happy. Enjoy the day free from worries. Celebrate my fitness!