This Week: Rollercoaster Ride

This week certainly came with it's own set of highs and low, just like my HR in my new set of HR zones for my runs. However, even with the highs and lows, some big progress in my training came, especially in my running.

Last week ended with this beauty coming in the mail. All American Aquabike. Although I was injured last season, I was still able to make the best of the situation and throw down great races every month. It taught me that I have the endurance, strength and mentality to push through all sorts of pain and accomplish great things. So I am very excited for this season and what lies ahead for my triathlon career.

Swimming
I reached a breaking point in my swimming this week, and not in a good way. When Dan went to look over my stats for the week, he saw what I had left him in my athlete notes. I was pissed and I was having very large doubts about whether my swimming was going to ever be good again. I have this bad habit of comparing myself with people, because a lot of times in my past I never felt that I was good enough and I would push harder to be better than my peers or my teammates. After my long pull set on Wednesday, I had a big wave of that again and compared myself to two extremely close people in my life. And I said "I suck at swimming."

I think everyone has stumbles and doubts in their training but it shows a lot about you in how you respond to those stumbles and I did not respond well. Dan responded in the way that he knows I will listen. Gotta love those tough love e-mails where I know he is probably as pissed as I am, but it got to me and I realized I need to do the same for swimming as I do for my bike and run: put my head down and just go. Really focus on what Dan wants me to accomplish during those sets and disregard my goals and my feelings. As Dan says, "Let me do the thinking."

My friend Aaron helps me a lot in all of my training, as well, even though he is in Boulder. I text him and rant all the time, and I am so thankful that I can do just that. He knows me really well and knows where my head is at in training and races and so he can link a situation back to something and have really good perspective on it. I told him what I had said about my swimming earlier this week and he provided some really great feedback regarding all of it.

I really am thankful for both of these men in my life -- my coach, Dan for yelling at me and making me see the big picture, and for Aaron who puts things into perspective and shares experiences. I'm sure that without either of them, I'd be a doubting, angry triathlete. No one wants that.

Biking

I can't tell you how excited I am for next block of cycling.  And you are probably all laughing at that comment, because that means I have PPT's, Tabatas and low cadence in Z2, but at least it's a bigger variety? Or maybe I'm excited and come the first week I'll regret that statement. Or maybe that it's just that I REALLY miss riding outside. I hate that its sunny and warm outside in the afternoons, but because of my chaotic schedule, I am riding indoors, on my trainer at 5:30am.

The trainer has certainly provided a good foundation, one that I am actually able to see, for my cycling and my HR. I am a lot more consistent on the bike with my HR than I was a few months ago, but I crave the opportunity to get back in the saddle on the road.

I think the biggest thing I miss though, is riding outside with Dan and the guys. That was my favorite part about my training last season. I was always the only girl but being the only girl pushed me to do better and push harder and keep up with all of them. I haven't had that opportunity yet, and I truly hope that I will be able to again soon.

Running 
I'm actually excited to run. Say what? Yes, I actually get excited to go run now because I am seeing that progress being made and not feeling the pain in my knee along with it. I started running hills this week which came with a lot of apprehension about my knee and my HR, but we saw HUGE progress along with it. And huge soreness in my calves. The below is a short run that I had during the week and didn't expect the large hill at the beginning but kept plodding along until I realized what I was doing was certainly not a plod, more a jog. Although still near the top of my Z1 (144) I was able to continue to desc my HR throughout the run.

Nutrition
I feel as though I am dying without sugar. When does this diet end? When I no longer ask that question...

I had a big hiccup in my diet regime, as pointed out by coach earlier this weekend. I love Larabars and I eat them all the time (because they are gf free and allergen free). I really like to eat them before and during rides but coach let me know earlier this weekend that that is BAD. Larabars pack a lot of fat which is bad during workouts and could be the cause of my GI problems on the run. So, I am saying goodbye to Larabars and am on the search for new quick and easy snacks for my workouts. And some of them may be the delicious looking recipes that Meghan keeps posting on Facebook!

Looking Onward
I'm feeling really great about my training and where I am at because I'm seeing progress and I'm one that needs to see to believe. Contrary to what coach believes, I trust his process more and more everyday, even when I do have doubts.

This week will hopefully provide some outdoor riding accompanied by being the only triathlete not running in the Monument 10k this Saturday. I'm gonna keep listening, keep eating good foods and keep pushing through!

Oh, and the countdown is on for my first half!!