So, the girl who used to die on a mile run considers anything above and beyond a 3-mile run to be "long." She thinks that any time she subjects her tushy to more than an hour of bike riding, she is going "long." That anything over 2000 meters in the pool is "long." Well, you get the point. Long is relative.
As the weeks progress and we slowly push the envelope into "long" workouts in preparation for Iron Girl, I am learning quite a lot about myself! I used to think that going balls-to-the-wall, all-out, all the time, was the way the world ought to be. I love creaming people. Seriously, last season, I enjoyed picking off my training mates one by one and using every ounce of energy I had. I even got this nifty nickname, "Sprinter." A reputation for being "fast." (Again, this is all relative....my fast is a horrid slow day for some of you average triathletes out there, but I'm comparing myself to slow beginners here) So you can imagine my disdain when the weekly workout lists arrived and the words "slow" and "aerobic" popped up. When a target heart zone is mentioned.....and it was significantly lower than what I'm used to seeing on my lovely monitor. It was shock and horror! Slow is simply not a word that is intentional in my vocabulary.
But I've been listening. I've been.....slowing down....and letting my body get used to the increased distances. And you know what? Sure, people may be able to keep up with me at the start now, but I'm much faster than them at the finish! Ah, the joys of patience. It's pretty flippin' cool if you ask me. We finish a 1400 meter swim set and I'm ready and rarin' to go for more. Coach DOWNGRADED me to the slow lane on Wednesday night, and I'll have you know that during our 10 x 50 marker set, I lapped my lanemate 2 or 3 times and finished a good 3 minutes ahead of her! Yeah, go ahead and brand me as slow. But I have endurance.
Hell yeah!
So that is what I've been up to lately. Going slow (relatively speaking,) and long (relatively speaking), and secretly trying to convince myself I'm still as fast as I used to be.
Getting back to the way things ought to be: a diet and exercise blog chronicling the continued quest for fitness and sveltness. Continued being the operative word. Oh heck, I admit. This is mainly about triathlon. Don't say I didn't warn you!
What I've Done in My Spare Time This Week:
Blogs I Visit
- SixTwoThreeTries
- Because I Tri
- Melanie's Journey, Take 2
- 31 More Days!
- Kona Shelley
- ELF
- Athena Diaries: Tales from the Back of the Pack
- IM Able
- Steve in a Speedo?! Gross!
- Crackhead
- Neoprene Wedgie
- Tri-Geek Dreams
- My Life...in a Blog!
- Superjayman
- Roni
- Confessions of a Chinese Food Addict
- Where the Hell is Barbie?
- It Ain't Over Til The Fat Lady Sings
- I WILL be a size 6 again!
- Diet Coke and Zingers
- http://workingtowardshealthy.blogspot.com/
- http://lifeisgoodevenwhenitsnot.blogspot.com/
- http://hungrygirl.com
- http://dwlz.com
Weight Watchen Recently Updated
4 comments:
No girl, you'll be way faster than the old you! I heard Jamie Whitmore trains at 14 mph early in the season, so it feels that easy to go much faster on race day. Seems counterintuitive. Let them think you're slow in practice. It'll that much more fun to pass 'em all on race day - LOL! Go ahead, sand bag 'em:-)
Congrats chica! That rocks!! I need to get back running this coming week. The weather messed with me last week - I haven't ran since Saturday! But I'm running today!! Can't wait to hear about your first tri of the season!!
hmmm...interesting thought...slow is faster. i may have to try that w/my running, as i want to double my distance (from 3 to 6 miles!) over the next few months!
haven't signed up for my tri yet...but told some co-workers about it, and one has already signed up, and 2 others are going to!!! so i guess i need to get my butt in gear and do it!!!
This is new territory for you! Good for you!!! Sounds like you are doing great. I can't wait to hear all about your first race of the season!
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