The mental aspect of training

Last night I went to bed with every intention of getting up early for a morning swim. This morning I woke up absolutely every intention of staying in a soft warm bed. Of course it didn't help that masters swimming starts at 5:30am. Motivation is hard to come by at 5 in the morning. And that's when a little voice in my head say, "no one should over train, rest is good. Besides you're going to work out for 3 hours after work" Which I did.

Athletes have a line to walk and progress is often made if that's a very thin line. So the question is, when is the hurt something to overcome and when is it something that needs action (through inaction).

This Saturday I have a race. Part of me wants to push it, see what I can top out at and get a good workout. But I'm going to continue, the best I can, with my training model of keeping my heart rate down... At the very least I do know that it's helping change the metabolism of my cells. But it will also probably keep me from getting any stress injuries.

Taking in the scenery

- Tuesday -
48 mins running with my running coach (4.3 miles)
  
cereal, soymilk, cashews

chili, two slices of bread with butter, orange

1 hr mountain biking (where I took the photo above)

1500 yards swimming
  - wu: 400 continuous (last 50 of each 100 kick)
  - main: 10*100 (25 easy, 25 build, 25 easy, 25 build)
  - cd: 4*25 each slower than the rest

granola and soymilk

Starting week 12

Blogger ...  I've missed you! Between social obligations and -heh- training (I swear I live at the gym), I've managed to let reflecting and sharing about the journey take a back burner. But (for me) this is a very important part of the process. So here's what I've been working on:

The last session I had with my coach, we discussed food. There are some changes I have to make on a day to day basis, for example I need to eat a hearty breakfast. Also I need to figure out what I can stomach on race day.

Well, I've been the definition of a bad student prepping for a race today. I drank the night before, stayed up late, didn't get up in time to eat, and ran it dehydrated and a little hungover. Don't worry, my body at the end of the race felt bad enough to tell me to not do all that again just before a race :)

Anyway, now I'll try to keep track of what I'm eating as well as the workouts.

 - Monday -
1 hour running
   -don't like anything too sweet during activity
   -the feel good vibe was very motivating
   -starting to see the payoff of the training :)

half sized bagel with peanut butter
1/2 beer (provided post race)
chips
annie's cheddar snack

granola and almond milk

3150 y swimming
  -4*250 (swim, kick, pull, swim)
  -1950 y ladder (300, 275, 250, 225, 200...25)
  -200 cool down
     -def more motivated to push when taking masters

banana and almond butter
homemade chili (tomato, beans, onion, garlic, grass fed beef)
1 glass of wine

Back in the saddle again...

I started Tuesday off with an hour of fast walking. My heart rate wasn't staying down so it seemed like the right thing.

Wednesday I did a 2625 yard swim (5*75, 2*1000, 250), the work back fit class for 50 min, a 45 min run, and (because it felt really good to be back in the gym) I did some strength training.

Today I swam 3500 yards (6*50, 2*1500, 4*50) and ran 100 minutes.

Week 16 ended, week 15 starting

Last week I got in 60 min running, 90 min biking, 2350 y swimming, and a core exercise before picking up a spring time cold. I started to feel bad Wednesday, then Thursday went in to the doctor and had a fever. :(

It's a tricky subject, everyday that passes there is some muscle loss and general stir-craziness made worse from being an active athlete.

The immediate muscle/training loss is challenged by the overall healing from being sick. My doctors words have been echoing through my head, "We've seen a virus going around, the symptoms start the same as your symptoms, then change to a 2 week cough". Augh. That sounds pretty terrible. Especially for running.

The good doctors advice was to lie around for two days and I obliged. Then the third day I didn't and it came back a bit.

Now it's day 5 away from the doctor and trying to figure this out on my own. Where else would I turn but to google? :) This is probably the best article I've found:
http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/Scare_tactics_to_prevent_you_from_exercising_while_ill

And so... I'm giving it one more day, then I'll be back.