As I mentioned at the end of my last post, this past weekend my schedule planned for a "Big Day" Training Day...
I knew this day was approaching... it has been on my calender for months now, and I specifically didn't plan anything this weekend because of it.
Saturday - big workout [one that would total more then a half ironman event], Sunday - OFF!
Alas, it was Saturday morning... and I slowly rolled out of bed for what would be, a late start to my day ... and to my workout.
... A result of one too many beers the night before, as I passed out just in time to miss the thrilling Olympic sport known as trampoline...
[But atleast I had my triathlete magazine with me...]
Needing to do something, but not wanting to do anything - I planned out my day.
Gym: Strength training 01:00:00, Bike 01:00:00, Run 01:00:00 and then Home to Bike 02:00:00 [as I watch my DVR'd ladies triathlon event from that morning .... 4am showing?! thanks London time difference]
[ I know.... be jealous of the neon yellow compression sleeves]
It was 30 minutes into my run when it hit me.
It was Saturday, August 4th, and it was supposed to be my "Big Day" workout... [which was definitely not what I was doing]. HOW DID I FORGET THIS?! I had nothing but anger and frustration towards myself for allowing myself to forget this important training day. I blamed the beers... I blamed the beers for being so darn delicious that it slipped my mind.. when in reality - it was my own fault. It wasn't even in my thought. Not Saturday, not Friday, not any day approaching.
Darn it ... or lets pretend those are the words that came out of my mouth.
Immediately I decided that I will just have to do the 'Big Day' workout on Sunday, and I would just have to deal with not having a recovery day after it. There wasn't a choice in the matter. With that, I ended my run... I went home, rested up, and prepared myself for the day to come [after a bit more cursing to myself of course...]
05:00 - Wake up - Stretch - Mentally Prepare.
08:00 - 09:00 Swim
09:00 - 10:30 Rest and eat
10:30 - 03:30 Bike
03:30 - 05:00 Rest and liquid diet
05:00 - 07:00 Run
I don't mind doing my bike rides on the trainer - I feel that I get a better workout because there is a non-stop resistance since I don't get the gloorriouss coast of the down hills.... or the glorious coast of the up hill because my bike is that awesome :) [Can you hear the noise Jared?] ... and considering the ChesapeakeMan is a pretty flat course, I think this is better for me.
There is also the point that riding in place... for hours on end.. going no where, is extremely boring. I feel... think.. hope[?] that this helps to strengthen me more mentally.
... aanddd besides... I still needed to watch my DVR'd ladies triathlon event :) what better motivation, yes?
I finished up the ride, rinsed off and changed into fresh clothes just in time for the storms outside to approach. I decided it was best to take my run inside.... besides, it is easier to keep on running when there are people there to see you stop...
The first hour, was great. I felt good - I felt strong - I pictured myself in the race.
And then, just as it happened with my 20 mile run the other weekend, I got to mile 10 and there it was. That ridiculously gigantic - 20 foot tall - brick wall. I backed up for speed, put my foot to the floor, and drove directly into it going 100mph....again. It wasn't my legs, it wasn't my breathing .... it wasn't even my aching knee or my old lady hip ... it was, as always, my mind. It is that mental wall that gets me every time.
Training, whether it is for a 5K or an Ironman, is 100% physical ... and 100% mental. Your mind has a great deal of control over how your body feels - and you can easily change that by changing your mindset... Triathlon is 4 disciples, swim-bike-run .. and a game of mental toughness, the later of which, is by far my weakness sport. That is the training that I need a great deal of before September 29th arrives.
As I learned during my Eagleman though, think small short goals and not the big picture. It is a lot more daunting to think 3 more miles, 10 more miles, 13 more miles or 26.2 miles, rather then just 10 minutes.
When I was a little girl, there was a time in my life that I had to graduate up from pooping my pants, to pooping in the toilet - amazing, right?
As a reward for going on the porcelain throne [nothing but class here people, nothing but class...], my sister and I would receive an M&M...
Perhaps this is to blame for my love of the little chocolate candy - but boy are they deliciouso! and when they came out with the peanut butter ones ... and the pretzel ones?! Forget about it! Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner please.
So, it was only obviously that, for every 10 minutes I ran, I received an M&M. A little jolt of sugary deliciousness to get me through hours 7 and 8 of my cardio workout.
Did it work? of course it did! I'm a girl who loves her food... especially when, chocolate, peanut butter, and salty goodness are all combined into one.
[and YES! That was my post workout dinner]
[and YES! there was more beer involved... YAY CARBS!]
[and YES! there was more beer involved... YAY CARBS!]
I eyed that clock as the time ticked away... and when that 2 hour mark hit, I slammed that stop button like I was Pressing My Luck... no whammy, no whammy, no whammy, no whammy, no whammy! STOP!
[.... Funny, I think we both had the same reaction after the button slam...]
Physically, this workout built confidence... but it was also a reminder that I still have a ways to go when it comes to building the toughness inside of me.
I have a century ride [100 miles] this coming weekend, and another one the weekend following. I am hoping these will be good mental exercises in visualization and positive thinking.
"Letting your mind have its way often cripples you with self doubt or negativity. Your body listens to what your mind tells it"
I need to replace the "Why am I doing this?" with the "Because I'm crazy - and I love it" ... the "I can't" with the "I can" ... and the "This is never going to end" with the "This is an awesome journey"
Because it is one .. despite all the pain, the sleep deprivation, and the endless training hours ... this journey of self discovery is one-of-a-kind. It is awesome, it is amazing, it is everything I had hoped it to be, and exactly what I needed.
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