It takes time....be patient!

SD 1/2- maybe I complained but it was fun
carpooling and hanging with my GrooveTri
teammates

December was swim month for the NCC Challenge.  I swam over 100,000 yards- there were good days and bad days but all in all it was great.... come mid January I was looking for the results, mind you that was 2 weeks later.  I was expecting to be swimming strong and fast, leading the lane..where as I was struggling, swimming slower at times than I had the previous month when I was swimming 25k a week.

The reality is that it takes time for the work to take affect.... patience!  I lack patience as do most of the athletes I coach.  We work hard and want to see the results the next week- it just does not happen that way.

A few weekend's ago I had really rough San Dieguito 1/2 Marathon.  It's not just that my time was 5 minutes slower than the last time I ran it was more about how hard the effort felt, where I placed and the feeling of being slow in general.  The plan was hold back 1st 5 miles, pick it up for 5  and then all out.  But mile 6-10 was hard, harder than my heart rate showed and the all out was just not there. RPE (rate perceived effort) was HIGH and results LOW.  In any case... it happens.

I showed up the next day to Monday AM masters (hobbling) my calves were wrecked after running in Newtons (another dumb ass brilliant idea I had to run faster).  more on that later.... I was tired and sore and hopped in and warmed up feeling slow.  The set began and I came in about 5 sec/100 faster than I felt.  One of those double takes - really?  So I thought less and just swam.  I had the best workout I had had in months.   Took the sting of a sub par run and I was feeling pretty good.

Wednesday I rolled into Masters without any expectations and had the same success.  I ended up leading the lane (which has NEVER happened unless I cheat  wear paddles) and felt great. Thursday was similar and I swam Friday again to make it a 20k+ week and was swimming better than I have, ever....well since college anyway.

I was still wary this week and Monday was rough, tired from a long weekend of training. While it was a struggle the faster times were there... Today was my best swim to date and it was  a killer.  I was tapped out, HR maxed and arms were screaming after 4750 and over 3000 yard main set. they are still sore tonight- feels good

Enough about that - the point is that that is a GREAT reminder to keep working, adding miles, efforts and time and the results will come.  

On other training notes- it definitely is IN season vs OFF season.  Logging miles, hours, yards and efforts.  It feels good to feel that familiar fatigue and eagerness for a rest day as well as for the next hard workout.   Coach has me on my toes, every week is different and just when I am used to hill repeats I see 4x1 mile repeat at a scary pace.  After the San Dieguito hissy fit  disappointment he decided to make run training the priority for the next month.  What that looks like is putting my long ride (70.3 training long) mid week ( yes I can do this. But before you get all "your so lucky on me"  remember I work most Sundays for 5-7 hours pretty regularly so sneaking  in a 3.5 hour ride on a Tuesday is okay.  Saturday is long run with some quality intervals - last week was 3x20 min, this week 3x 25 and next 3x30.  Solid run indeed. Sunday is a 2 hour ride with some tough intervals - 70.3 effrort based followed by run hill repeats.  

Definitely a step away from long ride Saturday wtih a brick and run Sunday.   But at 48- gulp turning 49 this year, we need to try something different!  It's all in Mike's hands.  Turing over your training to a coach takes confidence and trust...so far so good.  He is there to talk me off the panic ledge, check in after a hard workout and explain why the next few weeks are the way they are.