Adventures in Tri - iTRYathlon training, week 4

Week 1 HERE
Week 2 HERE
Week 3 HERE

Last week was a little chaotic.

Monday: Swimming, Cross Training
30 minutes of laps in the pool. Still confusing. Followed by tank top arms, core, and glute/thighs.

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Run, Bike, Run
Ran 5 miles with The H - this turned into a really great progression run (10:34, 10:18, 10:38 (red light), 10:08, 9:37). Scheduled for 60 minutes on the bike, so we took a leisurely tour of the city for an hour, and covered just over 11 fairly hilly miles. Later that afternoon, I met up with ex-neighbor Will for 3 easy miles. DOUBLE RUN DAY.

Thursday: Cross training, Swim, Run
Tank top arms, core, stretching in the morning, followed by 20 minutes easy laps at the pool. Thursday evening was the last Renegade Racing Summer Trail Run in the series (recap below)

Friday: Rest
Although, I did ride my bike to the bank and the grocery store, so... does that count? I don't know.

Saturday: Swim, Run, Swim
Saturday was Tri La Vie practice - 20 minutes spent covering transition set up...

Followed by 30 minutes swim form drills, 6 minute run, and a 200m time trial.

Sunday: Rest
That's right. I skipped the long run. I did.... nothing. I was tired, and didn't feel well, and just sat around doing nothing.


So, the week wasn't really as productive as I would have liked. I skipped 2 bike rides, and my long run. I did say I wanted a cut-back week, and damn, did I deliver.

Running:
13 miles. I liked the double run day - I might incorporate that more in the coming weeks. I had 8 miles for the day, but it didn't feel like an 8 mile day, if that makes sense. I was THRILLED with my progression run. It was a good effort, but I was able to talk the whole time. The trail run was so fun, but SO SO SO HARD.

Swimming:
I feel like I'm making decent progress here. I am kind of lame about counting and figuring out the distance I've swum, because the pool I use is not a conventional length. When I did the 200m time trial on Saturday, though, I was pleasantly surprised at my time. I'm excited about this one.

Bike:
1 real ride, 11.3 miles. I am not really counting my Friday jaunt to run errands. I am getting more comfortable maneuvering, and switching gears around as needed to keep a consistent effort, but I really need to just put in the time in the saddle (I hate myself for saying that).

Total: 5:54 training time.


Lessons for this week...
Consistency is key. I'm keeping the swimming and running (fairly) consistent, and seeing the most gains there. The bike is lagging a bit, because I'm lazy as hell about it.
The tips for transition that Coach Martha gave us during the TLV session were great. I plan to set up a transition area of my own and practice using it a few times before race day.
I use my legs too much in the swim - my legs are strong, but I can't depend on them for this part of the event.
Related to the last point, my arms are still SO WEAK. I don't know how that is even possible, when I've been doing the stupid tank top arms isht for a billion weeks.
I spent Wednesday and Thursday doing ALL THE THINGS after my lay off, waking up super early every day, and paid for it by being pretty exhausted come Sunday. I would have liked to fit in the long run, but I'm pretty okay having skipped it.
It still surprises me how much of an effort it is to be active. I would have thought that after almost 3 years of running, I still will default to lazing around doing nothing.


Plan for this week:

Monday: Swim 45 min, Cross train
Tuesday: Run 5-7
Wednesday: Bike, 1 hour hilly; swim 30 min
Thursday: Run 6-8, Cross train
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Bike 6-9 miles, Run 2-3
Sunday: Long - 12-14

*************************************************************************

We ran the clockwise loop this time, and it was HARD. I went in swearing to Julie and Sheila that this would be easier than the last one, but... I am a giant liar. HARDER.

Somehow, Julie and I finished 3 minutes faster than the last time. We're magicians.