Back from Hiatus!

It's been a while since I posted and unfortunately, I was not only on a hiatus from blogging, but was also struggling with my training. I've learned a few things over the past few weeks that I'd like to pass along to everyone:
Issue #1: If you realize your training plan is not working for you, change it as soon as possible.
Issue #2: There is no “norm” when it comes to training.
Issue #3: Take a multivitamin.
Issue #4: Set reasonable and attainable goals for yourself.
Now let me address each of the above issues as I faced it in my training.

Issue #1:
What I did wrong: I purchased an Ironman Training Plan online that had received great reviews. I was very excited about following it and stuck to it without variation for my first 4+ weeks of training. By the end of about week 4, I was bored, burnt-out, and tired. I continued to try to stick to the plan, but that just wasn't working. I was becoming unmotivated and more tired. I realized things were getting really bad when I could hardly finish a 3 mile run and people I hardly knew were telling me I looked horrible. I started missing a lot of workouts and fell behind with my training. Very frustrating to admit that the plan was not working for me, because I have always been able to stick to the plan, and I like to stick to the plan.
Remedy: Not every plan will work for everyone. Change your plan as soon as you realize something is wrong. Don’t continue to push through it, knowing things are going bad. With 12 weeks left in my training, I decided to write a new plan. I’ve been following this plan for almost a week now and things are going much better. I wish I would have regrouped much earlier, but am happy that I seem to be on the right track now or at least a better track.

Issue #2:
What I did wrong: Seems like most triathletes get up in the morning and go to the pool, so obviously, I thought I should do that. However, having to get up at 5 or 5:30 AM when you don't go to sleep until 11-12 pm, does not give a person the required amount of sleep needed to successfully train for an Ironman. Bottom line, I have no control over what time I go to sleep, because I cannot go to sleep until my son goes to sleep, but I do have control over what time I get up.
Remedy: Don’t get up at 5am to go to the pool. Sleep in and get the necessary 7-8 hours of sleep I need to train, let alone function in life. Remember, your body adapts to training while resting and recovering, so if you don’t get enough rest, you’re not going to get better. I now sleep until 7AM, get up and do a run on the treadmill or a bike on the trainer or even sometimes, no AM workout. I head to the pool in the evening or on the weekend. Not the “normal” training schedule that most people follow, but it is what works best for me.

Issue #3:
What I did wrong: I have a sensitive stomach and multivitamins have always caused some stomach upset issues for me, so I have never taken one. Really not a problem for a normal person, as long as you eat right, but let’s face it, logging 20 hours of training a week is not normal, and my body was telling me that. I was achy and basically felt like I had the flu, but without the fever. It’s hard to describe, but I was hurting from the inside out.
Remedy: So I can’t stomach an adult vitamin, but I do seem to be able to handle one of my son’s Flintstones Vitamins. I got myself some of the Flintstones with Iron and have been taking one a day for a little over a week. Achiness went away completely in about 3 days after starting to take the vitamin and hasn’t returned. I’ll talk more about Iron and Vitamin D in my next blog, as they are very key nutrients for endurance athletes.

Issue #4:
What I did wrong: Even though, my training was going bad, I kept trying to push toward a challenging time goal for my race. I was becoming demotivated, because I was realizing I wasn't going to be able to acheive my goal.
Remedy: Set a new achievable goal. I initially wanted to finish the race in 13:30:00 and run the entire marathon. I have to be realistic and say that this goal is really not a reality based on my tough 4 weeks. I think running the entire marathon is still a good goal. I’ve also set the goal of just finishing the race. I might set a time goal as I get closer, but right now, I’m motivated about my current goals and am also motivated about the goal of being successful with my training.

So you’re probably thinking none of the above seem like any great training insights, and I would have never thought I would make some of these simple errors in my training, but when you’re actually in the trenches, working out, focused on your final goal, rather than taking things one step at a time, it can become very easy to overlook the basics.

A fellow triathlete coach gave me the piece of advice to never coach a relative. I have not followed this advice, as I coach my husband, and it has actually been a very good relationship for both of us. He has seen great improvement with his performance, and we get to spend time together doing something we both enjoy. I also like it, because I get very honest feedback from him about my coaching style, methods, and strategies. I think a better piece of advice might be to be cautious being your own coach. If you are self-coached, seek out a friend, relative, or training partner to help guide you through your training. You need someone to keep you honest and help keep you motivated.

My training log for this week (not where I would like to be, but it seems to be working for me!):
Monday: Run- 4 mile recovery run with my husband and son in the jogging stroller. Full set of running drills.
Tuesday: Run – 3 miles including a 1 mile time trial on the track. Not the best time for my time trial, but I made it through, which I don’t think I would have been able to do a few weeks ago.
Wednesday: Run – 5 miles on the treadmill and full set of drills. Bike- 20 miles easy.
Thursday: Run – 5 miles, Bike – 30 miles easy, Strength training