As a tall, skinny dude, I always like to joke that my weakness is my strength. After typing that I realized that it could mean that I'm really strong and that is a weakness, or how strong I am (not) is my weakness. While I consider myself athletic, it's the latter...
As with anything you do, strengths and weaknesses are an important factor in Ironman training. You have to plan your training accordingly, and both sides can affect your training a great deal.
I think everyone knows that the best things to work on are your weaknesses. As a veteran marathoner I figure that my strength will be the run. Therefore, what I need to work on the most is the swimming and biking. While I knew how to basically not drown, I started learning how to swim for real last Spring. Seems like that is going pretty well, and I think the lung capacity and cardiovascular endurance I've built has certainly come in handy. That didn't come right away though. Breathing while running is COMPLETELY different from breathing while swimming! As for the biking, I have strong legs from running, so the back/shoulders and butt are likely going to be the problem spots :)
One of my biggest weaknesses is my lack of will-power to STOP doing things. Like when I don't take enough time off for an injury. Or, the latest problem: I couldn't say no to playing basketball this year (where I get at least one injury a season) even though I'm training for an Ironman - which is the most important goal right now. So after a good first month of training I proceeded to "tweak" my knee at last week's game, ever so slightly, when I was coming down from a jump shot. Hopefully a tweak is all it is, but I've tried swimming and biking and now I'm resorting to time off. The worrier in me is concerned about the medial meniscus. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I heal up quickly...
[Just signed up for kickball this spring - that seemed pretty harmless...]
Lastly, I'd say I have a lot of heart, will-power, and grit. Those things have gotten me through a few races in the past - including most marathons, probably. There's a part of that which scares me. I know that I can push myself past my limits. That's great for an Ironman, and perhaps even necessary, but then where's the line? I don't plan on quitting if I feel like crap, but I sure as hell am not doing this all to not finish the race.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Time Management 101
Well, here it is. The first post of the year. Didn't think it would take this long, but I guess you could say I've been a little busy...
January 2nd was the "official" start to my 6-month training period for the Kärnten Ironman and it didn't take long for me to realize that my time management skills were not quite up to snuff for an undertaking this big. Trying to sandwich in 3 or 4 runs, 3 swims, and 3 bike rides every week is not the easiest thing I've ever done. Go figure. I knew it would be tough, but I didn't realize how much more planning I had to come up with; more than just the workouts.
When you start training for an Ironman triathlon, I think you learn pretty quickly that you need to be more careful about how you schedule your training, meals, sleep, and the remainder of the day. Oh yeah, and you should probably figure out how to throw some rest days in there too! Right now I'm shooting for a rest day once every two weeks, depending on how things go (I might need one every week).
I always have considered my time management skills to be above average, but often I feel like I'm lying to myself and I know it. Time to get back to basics. Or maybe these are not-so-basics?
Thus far, I have been successful in my desired improvements on the sleep factor. Last year I averaged about 7 hours per night, and am nearly up to 8 hours per night so far this year. Yes I keep track, I'm a nerd like that. Next step, getting that sleep at the right hours! Getting up at 10 on the weekends is just not cutting it. For example, yesterday I had planned to get up at 8 AM for an easy swim, go to church and then do my long run after church. Guess what? I heard my alarm at 8, and then mumbled myself in and out of waking consciousness until about 10:30. Well there goes that plan. Throw in a full-time job, IM basketball and trying to have a life, and you got quite the full plate. I can't imagine what people with kids do! Or people with lives already for that matter ;)
I was going to post about food and meal times, but I think I'll save that as the topic for the next post.
Also, I'm starting to regret living on the third floor.
January 2nd was the "official" start to my 6-month training period for the Kärnten Ironman and it didn't take long for me to realize that my time management skills were not quite up to snuff for an undertaking this big. Trying to sandwich in 3 or 4 runs, 3 swims, and 3 bike rides every week is not the easiest thing I've ever done. Go figure. I knew it would be tough, but I didn't realize how much more planning I had to come up with; more than just the workouts.
When you start training for an Ironman triathlon, I think you learn pretty quickly that you need to be more careful about how you schedule your training, meals, sleep, and the remainder of the day. Oh yeah, and you should probably figure out how to throw some rest days in there too! Right now I'm shooting for a rest day once every two weeks, depending on how things go (I might need one every week).
I always have considered my time management skills to be above average, but often I feel like I'm lying to myself and I know it. Time to get back to basics. Or maybe these are not-so-basics?
Thus far, I have been successful in my desired improvements on the sleep factor. Last year I averaged about 7 hours per night, and am nearly up to 8 hours per night so far this year. Yes I keep track, I'm a nerd like that. Next step, getting that sleep at the right hours! Getting up at 10 on the weekends is just not cutting it. For example, yesterday I had planned to get up at 8 AM for an easy swim, go to church and then do my long run after church. Guess what? I heard my alarm at 8, and then mumbled myself in and out of waking consciousness until about 10:30. Well there goes that plan. Throw in a full-time job, IM basketball and trying to have a life, and you got quite the full plate. I can't imagine what people with kids do! Or people with lives already for that matter ;)
I was going to post about food and meal times, but I think I'll save that as the topic for the next post.
Also, I'm starting to regret living on the third floor.
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