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UPDATE:
I adapted the full 1 year Ironman training plan into a triathlon training plan specific to first timers. Available now!
After my stint with injuries in my first few weeks of training, I’m happy to announce that I finally get to complain about the pain and suffering soreness associated with a full 2 week training schedule.
In the last 2 weeks, I ran 7 times, Biked 3 times & swam 4 times and attended 6 CrossFit classes. I did miss 2 total sessions (thanks snow storm), but all in all, I got work in.
20 “workout sessions” in 2 weeks sounds like a lot, because it is. Another way to think about it is 26.5 miles of running, 38.5 miles of biking, 13,533 yds of swimming (PS: can anyone explain to me why people measure swimming in yards? pools are measured in meters.. I don’t get it), and lots of strength work in the gym.
It’s safe to say, my legs are tired. But that’s a hell of a lot better than hurt!
Anyone following along knows that I injured my IT band in my 3rd week of training. Since then, it’s been a battle of constant strengthening exercises, shoe changes, cursing under my breath stretches, and the like.
I’ve adjusted things like my cadence, how my feet hit the ground, my balance, etc. all to make for a stronger running posture.
It all culminated (at least for now) with a 10k that I ran on Sunday.
Prior to my stupid ill-advised 10 mile run from pre-training, a 10k was the furthest I had ever run, and I ran it in 47:03. Not bad for a non-runner.
I’ve got another 10k scheduled next weekend, and then plan to increase 1 mile every 2 weeks until I hit March 5th.
Not responsibly going to happen.
Could I push for it? Sure. But what I’m hyper aware of, is I’m 8 weeks into a training program that hasn’t even really started yet. Why push it now?
With the setbacks I had, I’m just going to increase to 8-9 miles, which will put me perfectly in sync with the first few weeks of the designated training program.
HUGE milestone this past week. I got upgraded to a faster lane in the pool.
For the uninitiated, “team swims” typically are set up in this manner:
| Lane 1 | Michael Phelps |
| Lane 2 | Some ex-college swimmer |
| Lane 3 | Above average swimmers |
| Lane 4-8 | Swimmers of descending speed |
| Lane 9 | Where I started |
| Lane 10 | Sometimes not even used |
So, how far up the ladder did I move? All the way to lane 1 you ask? No, what are you crazy?
I moved up 1 lane. But that 1 lane did wonders. For the last 2 weeks I’ve been completing the workouts in the 90 minute time caps (not typically the case in a slower lane), and I’m also being pushed to rest less & swim faster, all things that will continue to make me better as time goes on.
Not much to do outside on a bike when there’s an inch of ice on the ground, so I’m still trucking along on the indoor trainer.
I did however acquire a speed sensor, so I can get a sense of how fast & far I’m going, even though the only distance I’m covering are episodes in a Netflix series, instead of actual road miles.
That said, 2 things have happened in the last 2 weeks on the bike:
That type of progress (albeit only 1/6th of what I’ll need to do on race day) is nice. It’s also nice to know that I chose to stop after 1 hour, and likely could have continued at 100RPM even further.
Pretty good. It’s pretty damn hard, but it’s going well.
The hardest part thus far has been time. It’s 4am wake up calls followed by rushing home from work to change & hit the pavement. Not something I’m naturally motivated to do every single day honestly, but the perpetual fear of not being able to complete the race, usually gets me lacing up my shoes pretty quickly.
Here’s to hoping I’m writing about another successful 10k & a 7 mile run in my 10 week update.
Stay tuned.
Until next time.