TRI Training Week 2

This week was a bit harder than last...

I experienced a LOT of muscle soreness this week. Namely in my hamstrings. I've had to stretch everyday, and then stretch some more... and some more. I've even woken up in the middle of the night with sore, tight hamstrings to have to get out of bed and stretch. Eek! My hamstrings tend to me pretty tight anyway, so add on this new muscle growth - oweeee!!!

The good news is, when I am training I don't feel any soreness. The pain usually sets in at night or on my off days. Of course, soreness = muscle growth.

Stretching is at the top of my list so I don't injure myself. Even when I feel like curling into a ball on the couch and fading into a deep sleep. :)

Here is my week... (I know this is boring stuff, but I am hoping to use it as a personal progress gauge.)

Monday -  I swam 200 meters in the indoor pool while Chip and the kids took part in the Memorial Day festivities at the outdoor pool. It wasn't terrible, but I was pretty winded. The best part (being sarcastic) about this tough swim was that it wasn't actually 200m. I came to find out later in the week that the pool is 10m shorter than I was originally told. Yeah. That kind of stinks.

Tuesday - I went on an 8 mile bike ride going South from the bike trails behind our house. The entire way there was CRAZY windy (Parker, the town where I live, is very windy. We sit at 5900+ ft elevation and we experience a LOT of strong wind.) and uphill, so I was struggling to get to my destination, but I MADE IT! As soon as I could see the turn around spot, I was thrilled. The way home the wind was at my back and it was mostly downhill so I felt like a beast having my fastest overall speed ever - shaving off an entire minute from the last time I rode. The downside of this ride was the sideways slithering snake making his way across the path as I approached. I couldn't tell if it was a stick or a snake until it was almost too late. I missed his tail by a few inches and squealed like a little girl. I still get heebie jeebies thinking about that thing. I am not a fan of snakes. Poisonous, harmless, friendly, whatever...they are all the devil.

Wednesday was an off day and for the first time since starting this thing I was limping around like and old woman because my legs were so sore.

This was also Asher's last day of second grade and Amery was sick with a fever and nasty cough so we spent the first half of the day at the doctor's office getting treatment for Am and the second part at Asher's school celebrating the coolest kid in the school. :)

Thursday - This was a difficult day. It was pretty chilly outside by the time I was able to get to the pool and swim laps. I swam in the outdoor pool because the indoor one was full of little kids doing lessons. I swam an actual 200m this time and it was hard! I kept at it and as soon as I finished I did a VERY quick change into my running gear and started a run. The run lasted for about 5 minutes when I could no longer feel my legs. I did intervals until I hit the 20 minute mark, did some cool down and went home to crash. **Chip was awesome and grilled some mahi-mahi and veggies for me to come home to** YUM!

Friday - Off Day. Praise the Lamb! ;)
...soreness ensues

Saturday - The hardest run I have done yet. I was so sore and unmotivated - it was in all honesty the LAST thing I felt like doing. I had a lot of trouble breathing - I kept telling myself to breathe from my diaphragm and keep away from the shallow chest breaths my body wanted to revert to. Thinking about that helped a lot. I just kept pushing and pushing and my 90s hip hop station on Pandora was once again the motivation when I had none. Its really amazing what a great beat will do to get you moving!
After I got back to my house and collapsed on my driveway, I checked my stats to find it was my fastest run yet! That was so encouraging after such a hard workout.

Sunday - Today I did 10.72 miles on the bike with a climb of 402ft with headwind and hills my WHOLE WAY HOME and I made record time! Longest distance, fastest pace... you know what that means? I am getting stronger! 
Success.

Although I am still scared out of my mind for the actual race and wonder if I will truly be prepared, but little successes like that seem worth it. The fact that I can physically feel myself getting stronger on the bike is encouraging. I will take it!

This week I learned that even when I don't feel like training, it is worth it in the end. My best run happened to be my hardest run.

I suppose this spills over into most area of life... How much do we miss out on spiritually, relationally, physically, and mentally because we live by how we feel instead of what we know?  Our feelings are flighty and change on a whim, but knowledge and truth - those are steady and unchanging.

..."I don't feel like training but I know I have to finish a race in August and training is the only way I can do that."

What feelings or emotions try to get you down or keep you from doing what you know you should?

P.S. I didn't proofread this because I feel too tired, even though I know I should have. ;)