My training revealed some personal limits this week, and I don’t like it one bit.
At track on Wednesday, we did 3 miles in descending 400s with 1-minute rest intervals. The goal was to do each 400 in less time than the previous. In the beginning, about 5 of us ran together, pacing off each other. Our first lap was 1:57. I made it down to 1:40 in lap 9 of 12, but in the final three intervals, I could only do 1:44 each time. My legs were screaming at me and I felt nauseous after each lap during that last mile. The others in the group were able to go faster every time, but I just couldn’t make it happen.
On Thursday, I planned to spin after work, but I felt chilled and achy, like I was getting sick. I went into super sickness defense mode, and began chugging water, sucking zinc lozenges, and skipping the workout. A few people posted about their workouts that day, and I felt guilty for flaking on my own fitness. I kept up the defense regimen on Friday, and felt okay to do a run after work that day.
On Saturday, we had a coached swim, run and core workout. I’ve been swimming with the Level 3s, though I’m slower than most of them. I try to do the higher yardage in my weekday workouts but rarely finish in the allotted time. It’s a good challenge for me, a stretch, but I try. On Saturday, I failed.
There were 3 of us in my lane, and we were circle-swimming for the drills. In one speed drill, we had to increase effort each length for 100 yards. Since I was slowest, I would leave last, forced to give the others a head start they didn’t need. They would be done much sooner than me, and would finish their 1-minute rest interval just after I arrived back at the wall, forcing me to swim again before I was really ready. Around the 6th interval, I had to skip one of the 100s because I was so out of breath. I choked back tears, which certainly didn’t help me catch my breath. Later, when we did an 800-yard continuous swim, my lane-mates lapped me several times.
It was disappointing. I know I’m a strong swimmer, and that these ladies I was swimming with are just faster and more experienced, but it was emotionally challenging to so obviously fail to keep up.
I want to succeed at my goal, completing the Ironman, but more than that, I want to do it well. It should be enough to finish, and it likely will be enough just to finish, but of course I have a number in my head. Athletes always do. Years ago, I heard a coach say that athletes usually have 3 goals for every big event:
So while finishing is enough, I’ve done the math in my head, and I know what an achievable time would be. But I also know what that "stretch" time would be, and I want that stretch time. I want to do it well, better than expected. And this hope weighs on me when I have weeks like this one.
But it’s a long way to Tahoe, and lots of work to do before then. Next weekend, I have 2 races, a practice Olympic triathlon in Monterey on Saturday and the Kaiser Half Marathon on Sunday. I’m tired just thinking about it.
At track on Wednesday, we did 3 miles in descending 400s with 1-minute rest intervals. The goal was to do each 400 in less time than the previous. In the beginning, about 5 of us ran together, pacing off each other. Our first lap was 1:57. I made it down to 1:40 in lap 9 of 12, but in the final three intervals, I could only do 1:44 each time. My legs were screaming at me and I felt nauseous after each lap during that last mile. The others in the group were able to go faster every time, but I just couldn’t make it happen.
On Thursday, I planned to spin after work, but I felt chilled and achy, like I was getting sick. I went into super sickness defense mode, and began chugging water, sucking zinc lozenges, and skipping the workout. A few people posted about their workouts that day, and I felt guilty for flaking on my own fitness. I kept up the defense regimen on Friday, and felt okay to do a run after work that day.
On Saturday, we had a coached swim, run and core workout. I’ve been swimming with the Level 3s, though I’m slower than most of them. I try to do the higher yardage in my weekday workouts but rarely finish in the allotted time. It’s a good challenge for me, a stretch, but I try. On Saturday, I failed.
There were 3 of us in my lane, and we were circle-swimming for the drills. In one speed drill, we had to increase effort each length for 100 yards. Since I was slowest, I would leave last, forced to give the others a head start they didn’t need. They would be done much sooner than me, and would finish their 1-minute rest interval just after I arrived back at the wall, forcing me to swim again before I was really ready. Around the 6th interval, I had to skip one of the 100s because I was so out of breath. I choked back tears, which certainly didn’t help me catch my breath. Later, when we did an 800-yard continuous swim, my lane-mates lapped me several times.
It was disappointing. I know I’m a strong swimmer, and that these ladies I was swimming with are just faster and more experienced, but it was emotionally challenging to so obviously fail to keep up.
I want to succeed at my goal, completing the Ironman, but more than that, I want to do it well. It should be enough to finish, and it likely will be enough just to finish, but of course I have a number in my head. Athletes always do. Years ago, I heard a coach say that athletes usually have 3 goals for every big event:
- The goal they tell everybody – “I just want to finish. That’s enough all on its own!”
- The goal they tell close friends – “I want to PR. I want to do better than the last time. I want to get this specific [achievable] time.”
- The goal they keep inside their head – “This is the number I want to beat. It’s hard, and I don’t know that I can do it, so I won’t tell anyone in case I fail.”
So while finishing is enough, I’ve done the math in my head, and I know what an achievable time would be. But I also know what that "stretch" time would be, and I want that stretch time. I want to do it well, better than expected. And this hope weighs on me when I have weeks like this one.
But it’s a long way to Tahoe, and lots of work to do before then. Next weekend, I have 2 races, a practice Olympic triathlon in Monterey on Saturday and the Kaiser Half Marathon on Sunday. I’m tired just thinking about it.
Week 11 Mileage
Tuesday, January 22 Spin – 1 hour Core – 25 minutes Wednesday, January 23 Run – 35 minutes, 3.75 miles Thursday, January 24 Rest Friday, January 25 Run – 40 minutes, 4.25 miles Saturday, January 26 – Coached Swim – 1 hour 15 minutes, 2900 yards Run – 40 minutes, 4.5 miles Core – 20 minutes Sunday, January 27, 2013 Spin – 1 hour 20 minutes | Totals Swim – 1 hour 15 minutes, 2900 yards Bike – 2 hours 20 minutes Run – 1 hour 55 minutes, 12 miles Core – 45 minutes Total – 6 hours 15 minutes |