Got in a lot of time on the bike last week. Which is good because I didn't get in any runs. Pitiful!
I about died on the hills on Sunday while riding with some fellow CTCers. But I toughed it out and didn't have to get off the bike and walk home.
My legs have felt like toast all week. Probably all the cycling...
Got out last night for what was supposed to be an easy trail run to ease back into running. I don't know what it is about me and solo runs on the NC bridle loop but I just can't take it easy. I found myself racing through the forest like I was trying to win a local 5k. And not surprisingly I ended up with my fastest time yet for the 4.5ish mile loop, despite it being long because of a detour around the bridge that is out.
This fast mindset has got to go. It isn't going to work for Steelhead or for JFK. I need to learn how to slow down! (At least on the run) I get one track workout a week to get in speed and I am going to risk burnout if I can't slow down on my other runs.
Cycling on the other hand, I have no problems riding slow :) I need to get better on the hills for sure. Planning on riding the Ironman Wisconsin bike course with Wil and Trisaratops second weekend of July and if I don't want to die I better get with it.
Next two weekends training will probably be light due to two out of town weddings, so I need to make sure not to slack during the week.
I am going to overhaul training a bit. I have been getting overwhelmed with my to do list which ends in me missing more training than if I had just cut down on the load in the first place, and I have decided I don't need to get in 100% of the workouts on my planned training calendar. I am a good swimmer and runner and I don't need to worry so much if I miss a swim or run here and there or I can't get in a swim and bike on a weekday. There will be plenty of time for open water swims/bikes on the weekend.
Lots of thinking about why I am attempting the whole "going long" in the tri and running scenes lately. I am not really confident of my reasons for signing up for Steelhead and that has probably not helped my motivation to train. It's like, sure I think it's cool that I can go out and ride 30 miles then run a half marathon and that if I put my mind to it I could ride a century ride, but I am not sure that I want to have to do those things, if that makes any sense. I enjoy the speed involved in a sprint or Olympic tri, and I am not so sure I am going to take to the slower more extreme endurance of the half iron.
So major Steelhead goal right now is to find my motivation to slow down and go long.
On the running front I couldn't be more excited. I cannot wait for JFK. I think once I figure out nutrition I am going to take to the long easy trail runs. I truly think I was made to run all day, I may not be the fastest chick out on the trails but I really think my body thrives on running long.
So my new mantra for the season: SLOW.
I need to learn how to slow down and enjoy the scenic route.
I am far behind on reading blogs and I apologize. I am working on it! If I am going to continue to get in those workouts though I definitely need to cut back on time spent doing some other things. My major priorities right now are family/friends, training, and work. Everything else has kind of been put to the backburner.
Hopefully my next post will be less scatterbrained :)
18 comments:
I'm so with you on this....very hard for me to SLOW down. I need to become addicted to LSD. Not the drug kind of course. :) I actually got PISSED Sunday when I was out for my long run going freaking slow when 2 people passed me! Got all mad...huffed and puffed...and then thought about how stupid I was being! If I don't slow down, I won't make it. Pure and simple.
I feel ya on the bike thing too! Similar thoughts--my swim and run are where I need them to be, but my bike needs uber-help. :) You know who to call when you wanna ride!
Take your time and enjoy what you do. Run fast, swim fast, bike fast, but enjoy the process, and the time in between. Your post didn't seem scatterbrained at all, just true thoughts coming out. You have a lot of goals, and it's important to keep sight of them.
Enjoy the training and take it easy. training is training - leave the raceing stuf to when its important. Sounds like it is all going okay to me.
Missed you during your hiatus...though you posted more than I was expecting. Here's to you for loving the trail running. It's probably my favorite activity right now. Maybe because the endorphin rush as I get better is so prevalent. Harder to get those rushes on the bike these days. Hopefully none of my MTB pals read your blog faithfully or I'll be persona non grata for saying I prefer that feet on the ground activity!
It's all good stuff. Remember to continuly have fun in all that you do! As you run longer you will slow down automatically.
Very interesting to think through your thoughts as I evaluate my own goals for the season.
It is never easy to fit everything in that you hope to in a day...but I find the best strategy is to get in what I can and not beat myself up over what I missed!
My thoughts on this idea have already been logged in a lengthy post.(I Wish I was Slower...)
I used to run every workout hard, too, until I got a heart rate monitor and learned the value of slower recovery workouts. The HRM helped me to know I was going slow enough. Ironically, it now informs me that I never go hard enough ;)
So the blog community is not part of the family/friends category huh? :)
Does that make u feel guilty :D..
I just finished 9months of LSD. It was really hard to slow down at the start. But the payouts were awesome in the end. http://ricemantoironman.blogspot.com/2006/05/before-and-after-05-06.html
Cheers.
Rice.
I am hoping that maybe I will have some things figured out in the ultra category before you hit JFK. Maybe after all my miserable races this year I can have some good ones and try to piece together what went wrong and what you can try to avoid. Take er easy scatterbrain.
When I started running and was terribly slow, I remembered this line from a book I read to the kids: (picture a turtle singing) "Slow and steady, steady and slow, that's the way we like to go."
My turtle always wins! ;)
Whoever can figure out how to slow themselves down stands to make a lot of money sharing that secret. I still can't figure it out.
You wanna slow down, I wanna speed up!!! I wish I had your problem!!
I am sure that you will do great in these long events!
Hey – I’m a triathlete in Atlanta, and I just found this great website you or your blog audience might be interested
in. It’s sportsnutritionclinic.com – it lets you enter workouts, food intake, and a number of other factors and then gives you feedback on your within-day energy balance. It’s a great system, and it’s backed by some really credible people in sports nutrition. You should check it out! I was able to get a 30% off discount code that I’m passing along. If you’re interested, go to sportsnutritionclinic.com and
enter the code: SNCBC626 in the group/promo code field on the bottom of the signup page. Good luck!
did i comment before? .... not sure if it worked ... good ol'blogger. I like the song ... but now the vid is working .... OMG that is disturbing.
I'm with you! There's so much to do besides the computer. Thankfully a lot of people are posting less this summer, but I feel bad when I miss wishing someone good luck before a big race.
Enjoy your running this summer. Long and slow and you'll rock JFK. I can't believe it's time to start fall training!!!
Have a great weekend!
What a pity I am also in slow down situation for some pains. The bike helps a lot and I usually feel your same "toast legs". I see I have lost all your beautiful pictures in these 20 days of absence.
Isn't amazing how much time flies by when you're bloggin, well actually it's when you get to commenting for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it, it's just that I don't realize how the time just flies. As far as posting, well, just give me 5 mins.
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