Think I Got it Right This Weekend

This is the first week that I've done a fairly big swim on Friday, good trainer ride and run on Saturday, and a long run and swim on Sunday. I now consider Fridays part of my weekend, in terms of big training days.

Friday was 7500 yards, yesterday was 2:30 on the trainer (at 82% of FT overall, not bad) and a :50 run, and today I did a 1:45 run followed by a 15' treadmill "hike" (5 min. each at 2%, 3% and 4% incline at 4mph) and then a 1-hour easy swim (drills mostly). I am still upright as of this writing around 3PM in the afternoon!

Each of the 3 days, I had at least 300 calories in before I started, drank 20+ oz. fluid per hour, took in about 220 cal./hour while working out, and took in at least 500 calories right after I finished. I also drank plenty of water during the day, slept like a champ (9+ hours each night), stretched at least :30, and ate rather cleanly overall. Today's post-workout meal was a big salad of red and green leaf lettuce, a can of Italian tuna packed in olive oil (drained), a handful of blackberries, a handful of grape tomatoes, 1/2 handful of anchovy stuffed olives, about a cup of alfalfa sprouts, a small drizzle of olive oil, a good dose of truffle infused cream of balsamic, and a good sprinkling of freshly ground pepper. I should have put a sliced avocado on there, too, but that may be my next snack.

Surprise, surprise, everything went pretty well, but the real tale will be told on Monday when I start another week. Getting that swim right was the hardest thing, and to an extent, getting in all the calories to replace what I'd burned.

Go ahead and laugh and say, "Sheila you should know by now that's what you need to do," which is true, but somehow it's harder for me now that Friday is a big day as well as Saturday and Sunday. But I'm starting to get this down. As I said in an earlier post, my margin of error is just less than it has ever been, and so I need to be vigilant about my nutrition almost daily now. IF I want to perform, that is.

At least it is just February, so I'm getting on track soon enough that I stand a chance at keeping things going for another 5 1/2 months.

There's a challenge at my Y called "Burn 35,000 calories in 100 days." Of course they dumbed it down so people only need to burn 350 calories a day in exercise to make the total, which is like walking 3 1/2 miles, who can't do that? Especially if you weigh more than the average 140 lbs. that most cardio machines assume as a default (which is better than 95% of the members, I'd guess). Every time I see the board, I think about how long it would take me (and I'm small) to hit that total. One of the trainers I know and I were chatting about how long it would take us. He's a young guy, so he burns like a lit match. Right now I'm burning off between 7 and 8,000 calories per week (maybe more, not really sure). Funny that I know a few people training for a double-deca Ironman (20x IM distance, yeah, crazy, huh?). I burn 6,500-7,000 doing an Ironman, but I think the average is about 9,000, so talk to those people on Day 4, they are DONE with that stupid challenge!

I want my Y to have a contest called "train with Sheila for a week." I get to pick the week. Just do whatever I am doing that week. Contestants only have to show up for workouts, and must furnish their own workout nutrition. Whoever gets the furthest into the week without crying like a little beeyotch wins. If anyone finishes, I would give them one of my Ironman medals. And a hat. Seems like a good deal, don't you think?

It was another 17-hour training week. So are the next 3 weeks. That is not an amount that I typically "hang out" at. It is usually a jumping off point for bigger training. I will say 17 hours is an amount where you "feel" it. It used to be that 14 hours was like that for me. 17 is the new 14! Good thing, too, since it is only going to get harder from here on out. Holy crap, it just dawned on me that 17 hours is the time allowed to finish most WTC Ironman races. Huh. You think I could show up and do one right about now? Yeah, I think I could show up and go under 17 hours ;)

And now, believe it or not, I need to eat some more food. Hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoys the Stupor Bowl! I may watch some of it (haven't watched a football game in a few years, why start now?) or not. I will be thinking about all the people eating all their snacks and drinking all their drinks. I am good with waiting another 5 1/2 months for my occasion to do that!