Week 9 - Wednesday's musings

I was thinking the other day about toughness and living a tough life and I realized I am no where near as tough as I previously believed.

Granted I've never considered myself a "tough guy" in the classic sense, I don't go looking for fights, in fact my natural inclination is to avoid a physical confrontation at most costs, but if push comes to shove I will do what is necessary to protect those I care for and what I believe in. But being willing and able to fight is not really a true measure of toughness. I'm talking about over coming adversity, thriving in diffucult circumstances, getting back up more times than you get knocked down. And that is where I believe I lack toughness. All I have to do is look in my workout log and see all the red marks signifying a missed workout. Now I know some of those may have been legit reason's like sickness or injury but a lot, and more often than not, it's because I was tired or sore from the previous days workout. Those are from a lack of mental toughness, that lack of perseverance or a win at all cost mentality that gets one through a tough workout or out of bed at 4:30 am to go put in the work to achieve a goal.

This is what was going through my mind this morning when I so badly wanted to go back to sleep and skip my planned bike ride. I was tired and sore from yesterday and I wanted to crawl back into bed and just sleep, but I challenged myself, I asked myself if I was mentally tough enough to go through with it and I'm happy to say I answered the call and I got a good workout in.

I don't take too much pride in my minor accomplishment this morning especially when I think about how it stackes up to other individuals who are answering a much more impactful challenge. Those individuals in the armed forces, police, fireman, emergency responders and given our recent snow and ice utility workers out all day and night keeping us safe and helping restore power. They get up early answer the call each and everyday for something way more important than training for a triathlon. They really live by the catchy little tag line at the bottom of my post's when I'm just playing at it hoping I can somehow live up to their standards. Maybe I won't be fighting crime or rushing into a burning building anytime soon, but there are things I can and should be doing that can positively impact the world around me.

So today I say it with a little different meaning...

Until next time... Do today what other's won't, so tomorrow you can do what other's can't.

Week 8 - Saturday

Opted not to go run trails out at Loud Thunder, haven't run all week and figured probably should stick close to home just in case my Achilles flared up...turned out to be a good idea. I made it about half mile before it started hurting, nothing major but knew it wasn't something I wanted to push and aggravate further so I headed home to  hop on the bike trainer. Ended up getting 2 hours on the bike without any further complications.

I have a feeling this may be a nagging injury if I don't just nip it in the butt now, so looks like I may just have to have an extended break from running for awhile. Looks like I'll be getting a lot more pool time in the near future which won't be so bad I suppose. I can also spend some extra time in the gym building my strength as well and just get in lots and lots of miles on the bike.

Until next time...Do today what other's won't, so tomorrow you can do what other's can't...

...and today that means knowing when not to push through an injury.

Week 8 - Thursday

So I've been dealing with a sore Achilles tendon since after Saturday's long run and so far it is doing much better, I was really concerned that it was going to be something major and keep me from running for a long time, and just that thought really bummed me out. Not because I wouldn't be able to complete my goal of a half ironman this year but just not getting to run. It is kind of ridiculous how much I love running now when I think about how much I used to hate it another lifetime ago. When I was younger and played organized sports, running was something I had to do, and more times than not it was a punishment or viewed as such. We ran after football practice for conditioning, we ran a lot more if we had a bad practice or a bad game the previous week. Enjoyment and running weren't in the same ball field, heck they weren't on the same planet. I used to joke that I hated running so much that I wouldn't even run to my car if it was raining. Now one of my favorite things is to run in the rain oddly enough. The thought of losing something I have grown to love so much frankly scared me.

The good news is disaster, as of now, may be averted. I haven't run all week so far, skipping my easy run on Tuesday night and my run this morning and allowing may Achilles time to rest and heal up. I have been able to ride with out any pain or discomfort and may test things out tonight or tomorrow on the treadmill just to see how things are progressing.

We're planning on running trails this weekend and I would love to get out there but if I'm going to do more damage I don't want to risk it. Better to skip a run in February and heal up than potentially do major damage and be out for months on end.


Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Week 8 - Tuesday Ride

After a disappointing start to my week yesterday, I skipped my swim and subsequently beat myself up all day about it, I was ready to get after it this morning.

Bike workout went great, Achilles tendon felt just fine throughout. Still remaining cautiously optimistic about it, may try running just a little on the treadmill tonight to test it out or just get another 30 minutes on the trainer.

Until next time...do today what other's won't, so tomorrow you can do what other's can't.

Week 7 - Saturday and Sunday

Met up with the some of the usual suspects and a couple new faces for our weekly long run. Run was good finished up with 15 total for the day but afterwards once I got home my achilles tendon on my right foot flared up real bad making it painful to walk. I don't remember doing anything to hurt it but you never know sometimes what can lead to an injury.

Wasn't able to ride later in the afternoon and I was starting to get bummed out that I might be on the shelf for awhile. Rest and multiple rounds of icing it through out the rest of the day had it feeling better this morning. I was able to get in a 90 minute bike ride today after church without any pain so I'm remaining cautiously optimistic that it's nothing major, might have to take it easy running for awhile but if I can still ride shouldn't be too bad.

Week 7 - Travel, rest days and anxiety

Sunday morning I flew to Tulsa for our annual Leadership Conference. I knew this would be a tough week for training and that's why I pushed a little harder last week. I did get a nice shake out run on Sunday afternoon after arriving, getting settled in and a short nap. Legs felt pretty good considering the high mileage on Saturday. Where we stay at has a good network of trails right behind the lodges so I was in heaven running there. Monday I hit the gym for a total body workout and Tuesday I was able to steal away after our meetings for another run. Our nights are pretty jammed pack with dinner and activities so good sleep eluded me while I was down there and that left me drained yesterday and today so I've taken the past 3 days off. I'm not disappointed in the extended rest days, I pretty much accounted for it as I laid out my plan and ultimately the rest is going to be a good thing, especially this early in the year. I can feel the anxiety and restlessness building inside me to get after it and hopefully tomorrow's long run will be just what I need. Probably not going after a marathon distance again, but should be in the ballpark of 16 miles. Ready to get back to my routine next week, I'm such a creature of habit.

Until next time ... Do today what other's won't, so tomorrow you can do what other's can't.

Week 6 - Saturday Looonnnggg Run

Yea it was a long run today...

Met up with Jay, Emily and Phil at the radio station to run, we started off with an hour out and back before running up to Trinity for the LU Press conference and fun run. We did a loop around Bettendorf with some LU peeps, it was good to get caught up with some friends. Afterwards Jay ran back to the radio station with me, on the way he mentioned how close I was going to be to 26 miles and when we rolled in I was just at 24. I would have been good with that but with only 2 more miles to go I just had to get it so I headed back out for the last 2 with Jay as he ran home. I'll admit it was great to have a marathon under my belt I was grinning ear to ear as I pulled out of the parking lot. Made a pit stop at McD's and splurged on a cheddar onion burger and McChicken, man those tasted phenomenal.

Felt great today, sitting here now I really don't feel much different than I did a couple weeks ago when I knocked out 14.

Thanks Jay for giving me that little extra motivation to go for it.

Until next time... Do today what other's won't, so tomorrow you can do what other's can't.

Week 6 - Wednesday Swim and Weights

Almost did it again, almost let the seductive ways of the snooze button lure me back to bed. Gave myself a little pep talk and reassured the fact that I would appreciate the workout once it was done.

Swim: 2000 yards
WU: 200 swim, 200 pull, 100 kick
MS: 1200 yard swim
CD: 200 pull, 100 kick

Weights
5 rounds of 5 thrusters (95#), 30 soccer toe taps, core
3 rounds of 10 hang cleans, 10 walking lunges with medicine ball twist.
Finished up with multiple varieties of box jumps and plyo push ups.

Week 6 - Monday and Tuesday

Okay so I've slacked a bit on updating my blog so I'll catch up the last 2 days in one.

Yesterday I really did not feel like getting up and working out and I gave in to the temptation to sleep a little longer. I really wish I hadn't and I was not happy with myself for allowing that to happen, luckily I had the opportunity to get a swim in over lunch and I took advantage of it and was really glad I did, I ended up getting in a good 2000 yard swim.

That evening I jumped on the bike trainer while Deanna walked on the treadmill and the boys played Wii before dinner, I have really grown to love working out at night after work. For the longest time it was something I really struggled with but lately I have really enjoyed it, probably because I know that it is so much better than the alternative which is just sitting around watching TV. I know these evening workouts are not going to last forever as the boys will begin Soccer and then Baseball soon and evenings will be filled with practices, I will still find away to squeeze in some training, I can always run during their practice.

This morning I jumped on the bike again, I probably should have run instead but since I have to move my long bike ride to Friday morning (traveling to Oklahoma for work early Sunday) today was really the only day to get in my 90 minute ride. I went a little harder than I wanted too last night and that left my legs sore and tired to start this mornings ride but they eventually warmed up. I did the following workout.

WU: 10 minutes easy spin
MS: 6 x 10 minute sets at expected Half Ironman speed with 2 minute easy spin between sets.
CD: Remaining time alternating every minute between easy and medium speed

I got this workout from Triathlete.com and have been meaning to do it for sometime, pretty tough workout especially on tired legs. I definitely took it easier than I think I could have but my legs are tired from 4 consecutive days of cycling. I have an optional ride tomorrow that would make 5 straight days before taking Thursday night off, it may end up not getting done or just real easy, or I could recover well in the next day and half and power through. I feel like lately I have been recovering really well so I'm optimistic. I have an easy 30-40 minute run tonight and then my long swim tomorrow morning.

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.