Week 28 - taking it outdoors!! and feeling humbled - Can an Average Runner Become an IRONMAN?

I’m proud I got myself outdoors for 2 bike rides this week. There is still a lot for me to learn and improve with my bike handling skills! And, I finished up the rides without mishap!

Sunday – off

Monday – 25-minute bike ride at home in the morning. Swim class in the evening. Then went to the gym to do a swim session: 40 minutes, did a warm up and 750m slow, focused on the timing of my breathing. = 65 minutes

Tuesday – Got out of my client sooner than I expected, so I decided – instead of doing the evening cycling class – to bike outdoors. Biked outside for 1 hour and 20 minutes. I was NOT dressed warmly enough. I should’ve had on the feet wind guards, another pair of gloves, and a windbreaker jacket. Also, didn’t thinking through the timing and it was dark during the last 20 minutes. I was lucky I happened to choose a bright blue jacket to wear. And…amazingly, I neglectged to check tire pressure before I went out! Followed up this ride with a 30-minute run. = 110 minutes

Wednesday – Skipped my swim session. Didn’t have the week’s drills from my swim instructor and didn’t feel like it. Ugh!! Don’t like skipping workouts. Yet I still had a 90-minute run on the schedule, and completing that after the work outdoors the day before felt like enough! I was tired. It was also an indoor run (it was a snowy, messy day), round and round the track. I was glad to have my friend, Christine, with me for the first half! = 90 minutes

Thursday – Skipped the scheduled swim session. Again! Not good, but here’s what I had to accept: the day before I got a headache in the afternoon and it shifted to a bad migraine. One of the worst I’ve ever had. Then I didn’t sleep well as my migraine pill wore off and left me a little shaky. So after 2 long planning meetings and a late arrival home, I decided to bag the swim session. = 0 minutes

Friday – Did a swim session! Did Thursday’s long session (instead of Friday’s scheduled short session). I worked on not turning my body too much, on reaching out tall with my arms, and breathing earlier – right away – on the stroke. = 45 minutes

Saturday – Biked 2 hours and 20 minutes and ran 20 minutes. Did this all outside. Felt good about challenging myself to take it outdoors. Thought I was over-dressing…nope! (And…I remembered! My daughter and I pumped up my bike tires.) Ate some chews on the ride. That’s tricky. My helmet felt uncomfortable on my head in the last half hour. Maybe it was bugging me because of headband, and maybe I need to look into a new helmet. (Another thing to figure out!!) I did well throughout the ride. I felt I was focused and paying attention to the people and obstacles on the lakefront. Yet, this experience was humbling! My legs felt heavier than I expected on the run. In spite of this, the tendency was to run a little fast. I averaged 9:30 on the 20-minute run, while trying to keep it slow. = 160 minutes

TOTAL = 470 minutes = 7 hours, 50 minutes