When the going gets tough, the tough put on a race shirt

This is actually my weekly training report, but it was a tough week, and I'm going to share one of my motivational tricks.

I raced on Sunday, and although I felt great at the end of the race, as the day went on, I realized how tuckered out I really was. I had pushed myself, hard. But since I am training through that race, I couldn't just take a week off, especially since I don't feel anywhere near ready for my next race, which is coming up in mid-July, my goal race (aka, my first olympic distance).

So Monday I was in the gym. I did a short treadmill warm up followed by sets of various weights for my arms, and more core work than I've done in a while. Ouch, my middle still hurts days later!

Tuesday was a rest day, imposed by my family schedule, and which I really needed.

Wednesday's plans were for a combination run with hill work and a long run. I know that this doesn't seem to make much sense in terms of training for distance, but it was really about mental training. You see, I was tired, and grumpy, and I didn't want to train. But I couldn't take a day off again. And besides, I needed the mind-over-legs practice. So the long run was to simulate a bit of how I'm likely to feel in my next race. But I had to use my favorite trick for when I'm really feeling like I can't do my planned training session - I wear a race shirt for my work out. Then, when I'm feeling all "I can't do this" I remember "I'm a triathlete" and think about my shirt. It's my proof that I really am a triathlete. It always gives me a boost of energy and fortitude and sometimes even a little spring in my step. I don't use this trick too often - I'm worried it'll stop working - but it's a great one to have on those days I really need a boost (or a kick in the pants) to even get going. I added about 1-1.5 km to my regular 10 km run to get to my trail hill. It's about 12 minutes into the run. I did 7 hill repeats there, before heading out for the long slow portion of my run. In the end, I ran longer than I've ever run before continuously, 1:36. (I've run farther in less time, but the hills added a lot of time without much distance.) I got a boost at around the 1 hour mark, and then at around 1:25 I had to remember the t-shirt again to keep going. (It's again because the last 2 hill repeats were pain-ful.) But I did it. And I taught my legs a lesson, one that hopefully they'll remember come July 13.

Then Thursday was a write-off. Husband was supposed to take the boy to swimming lessons, but he was sick, so I had to. That meant my work out time was gone.

Friday I did a hard ride in the gym. 1:17. Again, longer than I've ever done before, and it was all at a high cadence. I threw in some 'hills' too to make it even more challenging. Then finished it off with 1 km on the treadmill in 5:37. I am a big fan of doing bricks and so often do a quick run off the bike at the gym.

Saturday I headed to the pool to try and get in an easy 1500 m. I stayed away from the walls to make it more challenging, and more like open water swimming, and managed to finish in 39 minutes. I was going at a really easy pace, so I'm really happy with my time. I'd like to be able to do the swim in under 50 minutes at my next race, and it now seems doable.

So all in all, at the end of the week, I now feel like I can finish my olympic distance race in 2 weeks, which for me, is a successful week of training. It was really a week of getting myself mentally ready, and I think I've managed that.