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.
