Derail, Hinder,Thwart

Hi, It's Laura.

 

I hope you enjoyed your weekend. I certainly did. I usually do during ski season.

 

I experienced last week the slippery slope of exercise. It’s amazing what one single choice can do to your week.

 

I do believe that I am very disciplined in my workout schedule (perhaps obsessively so at times).

 

Not that I did not work out on Tuesday, I did. My client however did not. There are so many issues in this story that I have to try to focus on just the one.

 

We were schedule to meet at the gym at 6PM. I arrived at 5:45 and when I emerged from the subway I had both a voicemail and a text message asking me where the gym is exactly.

 

Seriously! This is not our first trip to this location (my personal training takes me to many different gyms around the city). This client, Lefty had been there many times but since Hurricane Sandy, not once. This in itself is a problem. Consistency is the key to staying fit. Not showing up and rescheduling all your sessions are bad.

 

I responded to both her voicemail and text giving her the exact address and cross streets (again). I waited and waited and finally at 6:15 she arrived. She was not dressed to work out and was nearly in tears for being lost for so long. “Instead of working out, can we please go for a drink?” she asks. How can I say no? She clearly needs to talk more than she needs to punch anything.

 

We drink. We eat.

 

This is where the story turns. There were many issues to be discussed. We ate. We drank.

 

We are hanging out now. We eat. We drink. It’s late. Later than I prefer. I get home finally just after my regular bed time. (I believe it is a well-known fact that I go bed earlier than most 8 year olds.)

 

The Wednesday morning dog walk is brutal. By the time I return from my morning volunteer work, I am exhausted. Instead of going to the pool right away, I head to the sofa. It is a rare week day that I nap. I tell myself just 20 minutes then I will go to the gym. After 20, I give myself 20 more. And 20 more. So there you have it, the edge of the cliff.

 

No workout for me on Wednesday. Guilt is overwhelming and I easily succumb to it most days. My mind is wracked with how I now fit everything in that I need to fit in workout wise. My week is already well planned out and we are not here on the weekends anymore. There is just no room to add in what I missed.

 

I carry on with my week nearly as planned but one night out shifted everything. I am off the swim plan. I didn't get any ride time in. I am still kind of tired from staying up too late and drinking too much even 3 days later. (Getting older has its disadvantages.)

 

Normally, I would panic. This time I decided to forgive myself. Maturity? Stupidity? Not sure, but letting myself off the hook is a first. I rationalize that it is early December (plenty of time to train between now and July).

 

Sometimes the night out is little more important than hitting the gym. The caveat: if you are working out regularly, you are not immediately training for a race and you live healthy lifestyle (most of the time), then the night out and a missed workout should not be a big deal.

 

Allow yourself a little freedom now and again and when you get back to the gym you will be better for it.

 

Play hard! 

Laura

 

Bad Exceptions to the Rule

Hi. It's Laura.

 

I shouldn't call it a rule. It is more of a guideline.

 

I found an article in Runner's World a few years ago explaining the 20 degree rule for dressing to run outside. Whatever the temperature is outside add 20 degree and dress accordingly. For example, if running in 60 degree weather, dress for normal activity in 80 degree weather. At 80 degrees, I would wear shorts and a short sleeve shirt with a baseball hat. At 50 degrees, I would wear shorts and a long sleeve shirt or Capri pants and a short sleeve shirt. That is exactly what I wore this morning. Capri running pants and s short sleeve shirt, except it felt more like 40 degrees when I walked out the door.

 

Before I continue, I should explain that I am terribly cranky today. Perhaps it is because my run was so lousy because I certainly didn't wake up this way. I awoke cozy and warm and the bed was oh so comfy.

 

I normally look forward to my Tuesday runs and today was no exception.

 

So as I was saying, I headed out the front door and realized it was chillier than I anticipated so I went back up to the apartment to change into a long sleeve shirt. Normally a little chilly is ok today felt different

 

Once done, back to the street.

 

Central Park is just less than 1/2 mile away from my front door. So by the time I’m half way there, I am warm and ready to go. Today, a block in, I realize it is misting. Damn Damn Damn. I don’t mind misting, I don't even mind rain but today I was wearing brand new sneakers that took over a week to get fitted. I know how this sounds like a big bratty baby but I was upset that, on day one of my new sneakers, they had to get wet in the rain.

 

Mind you I am no princess [Editor’s Note: Uh… Never mind] when it comes to outdoor exercise. I have run in many downpours and don't mind it one bit. But usually I know it is raining or it is going to rain. Today, that was not the case. I checked the weather before I walk out the door. Chris Cimino did not mention rain in the forecast that I heard. By the time I entered Central Park the rain was a steady downpour. Grrrr

 

The fact that it is was pouring and I didn't know it was supposed to rain and that I was wearing brand new shoes ruined the first mile of my run. (Truth be told? The first mile usually stinks anyway.)

 

I can't tell you why this was so upsetting to me today. I spent the first mile cursing the weather man (I know, I know, colossal waste of energy and since when are weather men ever right).

 

I would like to say that everything was just fine for running conditions this morning but they weren't. My shuffle was low on battery. I was not dressed properly. I was chilly. It was pouring rain. The park was crowded (go figure! Apparently no one knew it was raining). And, it was just a little too dark from overcast to see the puddles that I stomped in (with brand spanking new sneakers)

 

I trudged on and managed to squeak out the rest of my run (actually cut short because of the rain and the shiny brand spanking new sneaks).

 

We all find excuses to not go to our workouts, excuses are easy. To actually go out to workout in spite of the excuses ultimately makes us feel better after the fact. By the time I got home, the rain had stopped and the sun started to make its way out.

 

Play hard!

 

Laura

 

The Swim Plan

Hi, It's Laura.

Remember when I said that I could not swim? Turns out I can and I am just a tad better than I thought I was at the sport.

Part of my getting ready to get ready plan is focusing on my swimming. I need to swim a mile in the triathlon and this time around I would like to do it better.

The only way to get better is to get in the pool and swim (Malcolm Galdwell's 10,000 hour rule). I want to just go and swim but I need a plan to accomplish the task. There is no better way than to break it down into smaller more conquerable parts.

Knowing that I needed to improve my swimming I sought out professional help. In doing my research last winter, I found an article covering the basics of swimming. I actually found a lot of articles that cover the basics of swimming. But this one spoke to me and seems to make the most sense.

You know how you start looking for something on the internet and you click on an link and in that article you click on another and another and another and another…. You have clicked on so many that you have no idea how you got where you are. Well that is how I found this one: 0-1650.

I read through the plan at first and was a little intimidated. The plan is broken down into 6 week increments and you increase your distance a little every week.

Week one for instance: swim 4, 100 meter sets, breathing for only 12 breaths between each 100.Then 4 sets of 50 meters with only 8 breaths then finally 4, 25 meter sets with 4 breaths in between WHAT?! I will drown!

Clearly, I did not.

The author is trying to expand your aqua lungs (your aerobic capability in the water). Here, today and the end of week 1, I can already see a difference.

Monday morning I did my first drills and did ok. I pushed through and at the end was surprised at how not difficult it was. The entire swim session took me 25 minutes. Hmmm.

Wednesday I got back in the pool, same drills and felt awesome. I felt strong and felt that this was totally a doable plan. My breathing was definitely better on Wednesday already and I finished 5 minutes faster than Monday.

Today. slightly hung-over. Not my fault though, I blame The Snow Bunny. She just went through a personal issue that we tried to fix with wine. (Wine, as I have found out, is only a short term fix. Damn it!)

The pool was packed. It looked like Saturday at the grocery store. I decided, because I was slightly hung-over, I would swim slowly. (This is not a joke, I really thought I could.) I would swim slow, practice technique, take nice long strokes...

Did you know that when you add technique you actually move faster because you are more efficient? Ooops! I tried, I really did. I did however stay in the slower lane and tried not to be too frustrated with the other people (due to the hangover this was actually possible).

When I finished my 700 meters I looked at the clock and realized I had only been in the pool for 15 minutes! I was shocked that it only took 15 minutes to do the workout (which now I would not even call a workout).Well Yahoo! Done for the week!

Next week is 900 meters with a different break down of drills. I will keep you posted on the progress.

The plan now is to focus on getting up to swim a mile (swimming 3 days a week). Once that is accomplished, I can cut back swimming to twice a week through Jan, Feb and March but still swimming a mile every time. I am hoping that will keep me in enough shape to start training in March. We shall see.

BTW, I did not have a single fight in the pool today.

Enjoy the weekend!

Play hard!

Laura

 

Welcome Back

Hi. It's Laura.

I didn't think I would do this again but here we go with a new blog for a new triathlon.

I tried to write over the summer after the last triathlon but found myself uninspired (oh the irony) in what to write about. I know I go on and on about goals and, now having found a new one, I feel I have more validity to what I what I have to say.

In addition, it keeps me honest. Honest about my motivations as well as keeping me on track and motivated since I will have to write about it (yes, I know, choose to write about it).

Since is this is our first day back, my intention is to keep it short and sweet we will see how that goes.

Let's start with what was learned from the last triathlon: IT WAS HARD!

The training itself was not so bad (as I remember it [Editor’s note: This is the same memory that allows women to have more than 1 child]). I didn't go back and re-read any of my posts. Each section of the race, when I thought about it, was not so awful. Overall it was hard and I can't quite put my finger on why at this moment.

What I learned from the swim? I can't swim. I only learned to swim in September of 2011 which makes me not that good. Last year was all about just getting through it. This year I would prefer to have a good time coming out of the water with an easy run to T1 (transition one is the transition from the swim to the bike). T1 is about a half mile away from the water's exit. The run is in bare feet. Last year I walked it and I peed in my wetsuit along the way. I was already tired and a little gross from the water. (Reminder, we swam in the Hudson River.) I have a plan.

What I learned from the bike ride? It was tougher than I expected. I had been pedaling my tail off all spring long and missed one aspect of training, hills. I need to focus on hill repeats, especially hill repeats on good steeps with distance. Getting off the bike into the run was painful.

I was suffering from cramping in my upper hamstrings as well as a crampy tummy. I was prepared for the tummy but not the hammies. I am already working on strengthening those upper hamstrings.

What I learned from the run? It was the most difficult of them all. Oh and I also learned: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I did not realize the day was as hot as it was because I started my adventure in the water and was wearing my cycling/running clothes underneath my wetsuit so my clothes were wet to start which had an early cooling affect. Sweat took over after a while but sweating is dehydrating. The spray guns that the organizers used were wonderful to cool my outside but didn't help for my insides. I run often even when not training for an event and had no idea that my normal 6 miler would be so grueling. I am hoping to fix that this year by training for a half marathon in March which will kick off my official triathlon training.

Right now I am getting ready to get ready by finding things in my off season that need work and focusing on those areas.

I finished the triathlon last year in 3:46:45. My goal was 3:30. My goal for this year is 3:30 and secretly hoping to finish in 3:15. I will be happy at 3:30 and ecstatic at 3:15.

I hope I can inspire you with my blogs to go out and try for your goals no matter how difficult they may seem.

Play hard!

Laura