The group I am training with initiated a fun holiday run challenge. The rules are simple, run the eight days of the holiday break. Christmas through new years and earn points. The point system is easy to follow and it has kept me moving so far. You get a point for every mile. 1 point for every full hour, another point if the temp is below freezing, and another point for each mile run over threshold pace. So far, I only have 13 points, but it is more fun than anything.
Christmas night at 7pm, I figured I had to get out and run. So I put on the winter gear and braved the 12 degree temp (1 bonus point). The snow was blowing sideways so I wish I had some goggles on. I saw nobody else out at that hour except for one coyote who was running along side me, (but much faster) and about 30 feet away. I only stayed out for 2 miles, but with the bonus, it still got me 3 points.
The next day was much better as I got in a real run. 8 miles with 3 of them above threshold pace and the sun was out. Temp was still below freezing, so bonus for me.
In the mix of all this, I still need to find time to visit my favorite denver yoga studio, Qi (seasons fit). My favorite is spin yoga classes. A good mix of intense spin followed by a 30 minute yoga flow. To me, it is the perfect way to spend an hour.
Right now the temp is 33 degrees, maybe I’ll wait a little longer before going for a run so I can get that extra bonus point 
This is was the first time in my life I was actually able to finish a run on the treadmill. Usually I make it about 5 minutes, get bored, then do something else.
It helps that I have a plan I am now following. Todays workout was pretty straightforward and challenging. Actually, I found that doing it on the treadmill was a bit easier to maintain pace than it is outside. Maybe this season I will be able to get more treadmill time in and improve my overall running. Only time will tell.
The workout was a 15 minute warm-up with a couple pickups.
Main set: .5 mile x 1 HR Z4, 3minute recovery. Then 1 mile x 2 (3′) HR Z4.
Cool down.
Total time on the treadmill was 45 minutes and my heart rate was higher than my last outside run of a similar zone 4 workout.
Every so often I pull out my trigger point rollers and use them to loosen up my legs and hips. Every time I think to myself “why don’t I do this more often?”. Hopefully this time I will keep them out and handy to make the trigger point system part of my regular routine. It really does help to make my hips and IT band feel much better.
Trigger Point - Love The Hurt.
What’s the down side? IT HURTS! but it hurts so good. Especially on the hips and IT bands, which makes perfect sense because that is where I am currently the most tight. It is still early in this training cycle so I will do my best to keep using the TP system and finally free my hips from being so tight.
I usually just do the sequence on my own starting on my calf’s then adjusting to my quads. Then roll out to my IT (this is the one that hurts). Then my sciatica. All in all, it takes about 30 minutes to get my legs good and loose. And I can totally feel the difference after it is done. I highly recommend this to anybody who feels a little tight or is prone to certain injuries, such as IT band syndrome.
But they are only going to get tougher. Since joining Endurance Nation to coach me through my next ironman I have learned what their token term “work works” actually means. This is only the second week of the outseason training and I am already feeling right back in the groove and working harde than I ever did in my training last year.
Last years training was a lot of long and slow and build up longer and slower. The outcome was that I had a great race, finished Ironman CDA with no issues and crossed the finish line with a smile. That was my goal and I accomplished it in just over 14 hours. My goal this year is to shave 2 hours off that time. I believe I can finish an Ironman in 12 hours as long as I become a stronger cyclist. So, I am putting in the work.
Today’s main set on the bike was 3 x 8 minute Z4 with 3 minute recoveries. The first was the hardest, even after a 15 minute warmup with some 1 minute spin ups. Overall, I sweat buckets and feel awesome.
There is no doubt that I have been in my lazy state lately, but this was ridiculous! And it opened my eyes.
One of my favorite rides is the Boulder Peaks Triathlon bike course. It starts at the Boulder Reservoir, then heads up 36 to lee hill road and up old stage. This is short but very steep climb. We have some fun on the way down the other side then about another 18 miles of rolling hills. Overall a great fun and scenic ride. Last year I did this ride a number of times in prep for Ironman CDA. In fact, I used to do the ride, then do the Boulder Stroke and Strides (1600m swim plus a 5k run) and just consider it a fun event.
Well, as a show to myself of how out of shape I have recently become I rode the bike loop yesterday. And it sucked! The thought of actually getting off the bike and walking even occured to me! I couldn’t believe it! And I had to stop halfway through to have a honey stinger. Not because I thought it would be a good thing, but because I was ready to hurl and needed something in me.
My official start date to outseason training was this monday. And just in time too, I am starting to feel really out of shape.
For the run test, it was a essentially a 5k time trial.
- Distance: 3.03 miles
- Time: 00:25:02
- Pace: 8:16
- LTHR: 175 (my heart felt like it was going to explode for the final mile)
- Vdot: 37
The bike was a 40 minute time trial. I did it last week outdoors and redid the same test on the indoor trainer. I like the outdoor test better because I need to work on my mental focus while on the indoor trainer. That will come in time. My outdoor test results for the bike:
- Distance: 13.3 miles
- Time: 00:41:24
- Speed: 19.3 mph
- LTHR: 160
The silver lining is that I have A LOT of room for improvement.
Here I write on Halloween morning, October 31. Surrounded by snow I can hardly believe winter is upon us, several times this week I have had to literally stop and think and wonder what month we were in.
I have been running intermittently after my stress fracture flared back up stopping me from runningbthe Denver half. I have Goofy’s challenege coming up in January and I found it more important to heal for a few weeks in order to properly train for that. As it is I will finish the races that weekend but will do so at a leisurely pace.
Last night I started spin teacher training and loved it. 3 more weeks of this training. I have also been biking to work each day possible.
Swim, hmmmm, need to get back to the pool…
September 14…. I’m sitting outside in what must be close to 85 degree weather a day after running 8 miles in three top layers still shivering as I went. This is why I love fall and Colorado, you just never know what you will get.
Change, summer to fall. Focus on triathalon to focus on marathon. Heck, I even interviewed for a “real job” last week. Our daughter must have grown a full size over the course of the last month. So many changes come this time of year.
So what’s the point if this post? Transition and change can be looked at one of two ways. As a necessary evil to get from one point to the next, from summer to fall, from tri sport to focus on running or from pants thy are too short for your tot to pants that fit just right. However if you do this you miss a lot of the in between, the transitory periods that allow you time to reflect on what just happened and what might lay( grammar?)ahead. Change and transition can be wonderful moments in and of themselves allowing you to evaluate And catch your breath before marching on. This might not lead to faster times in your tri races but it will lead to a greater experience and that is how I prefer to approach things.
Steve has now been gone 10 days. Last week I was pretty good about getting out and getting my runs in, keeping on track with my training, etc. This week, not so much. I did a lot of teaching over the weekend coupled with some teacher training, I had family visiting for a night and no wonderful partner to keep me on track. I went to the grocery store and loaded up on snacks for my visitors that went untouched so now I have been grazing on them throughout the week. I had a babysitter for M on Monday night at which time I ordered pizza for them to have for dinner, with a lot left over I have been grazing on this as well. I haven’t cooked a decent meal since last week- though we have been eating a lot of fruits. Why is it that I fall so far off track so quickly when my love is gone?
I have been squeezing in some group spin yoga classes to at least maintain some fitness but why is it that I can’t drag myself out for a solo run or ride without knowing my husband is in town or at home waiting for me? A strange phenomenon indeed.
Just one more reason I consider myself very fortunate to have such a wonderful partner in life. He makes me a better eater, better athlete, better person overall!
Looking forward to tomorrow’s return!
Ahhh, Lots of yoga this weekend teaching 5 classes as well as taking 9 hours of teacher training on prenatal yoga plus squeezing in a restorative practice myself last night. What I did not do is run or bike as time did not allow it. I did have a little time out of the studio but didn’t feel like forcing our daughter in to the Bob and running for an hour when I hadn’t seen much of her.
So…… today, at some point, and if I am smart it will be sooner than later when it is hot, I need to get in my 6.5 miles of running to prep for the Denver Half Marathon In October. I have been training for the race with my local Stroller Strides group coached by Erin Johns. It is a great group of women, many of which struggle with the same things, like how do I squeeze in workouts and running without taking valuable time away from my child. However given Steve’s travel schedule the last week and this one I haven’t been able to make any of our trainings.
Time to do some quick work then pull out my five fingers and hit the trail!