Week 6 – My highest volume week while on vacation

We are on vacation! Trying to do very minimal work and keep it to family and workouts.

Sunday – Asked yesterday at the bike shop for recommendations of where to ride. Brian from Road Fish suggested I head out to Bluffton (off island) to find safer open road riding. He said there was a group meeting at 9am. Great, I got up, packed up, headed out and got in one hour before I met up with the group. Hmmmmm…all guys, not really friendly, looked serious and fast, (one breezed by me on way to parking lot where we met) – would I be able to keep up? I was hoping for long enough to get a sense of the route. Well, they smoked me within minutes! OK. Just had to accept that I wouldn’t make the 5 hours I needed to do if I tried to go with them, so I didn’t. I at least saw the starts of the route and identified a few other roads I could ride on. Never saw them as a group again. Saw a couple individual riders after they were done, and I still had over an hour left to go. They waved at me then!

I had originally wanted to take this to a 5.5 hour ride. About 4 hours in, I decided to take this back to the original 5 hour ride. It was hot and humid out there. Upper 90s. I could see the heat rash coming out on my thighs. I was going through all the water I’d brought and hadn’t peed once. I stopped at 3:55 and put the bag of ice I’d brought around my neck which was all torqued up, especially on the left side. I use my left arm for all balancing as I’m shifting gears, getting a drink, eating food and checking for traffic. It jams things up on that side. Then I put the ice under my left butt check which was also aching. I stand up from time to time to give it a break and stretch and I’d moan out loud. The ice felt terrific and helped both areas.

Finished the 5 hours. Praise the Lord. In the middle, I’d gotten a text from my son: “When will you be home mom?” Ugh. That hurts the heart. “Couple hours Jakey. I miss you.” He replied, “OK.”

After the bike, had a 20 minute run. I’d seen a short trail by the parking lot that went in the shade. Headed there. A loop was only 5 minutes. Did some meandering around the strip mall parking areas. This. Run. Was. Awful. I stopped to rest once. I went to the bathroom (finally!) with 2 minutes left in the run. Really? 2 minutes at the time seemed like a lot of time, so I peed, then finished.

I then went into Publix to pick up a few thing the hubby had texted me. I was so hot. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t find things. I told the pharmacist who was directing me to the sunscreen, “I’m so hot. You have to tell me exactly where to go. I can’t find it.”

Wow. Ironman training is taking me to the edge. The kids have had it. I’ve had it. I’m on the brink of dehydration and I did everything smart today. I’ve got heat rash. It’s mentally tough to get through these long workouts. I’m over this. = 370 minutes

Monday – The swim workout for today was 8 x 500m. So, 4,000 meters. So I’d go out to the ocean and do 2.5 miles.

When we got up in the morning, my husband said that the water looked pretty calm. I headed out to do my miles. It was rolling more than I expected and I gave myself a couple minutes to get calm and get into a rhythm. Then 5 minutes in I heard a whistle, and I was asked by a lifeguard to get out of the water. Why? She wasn’t shouting so I had to get to her to figure it out. There was a shark sighting on the south side of the island so they were getting everyone out for 15 more minutes. I asked if this tended to happen at a certain time of day. She indicated morning. So I decided to not wait out the 15 minutes, and I headed to the pool to be with my family. I told my husband and my Mom what really happened and told the kids it was too rough to practice what I wanted to. Low tide was at 2pm. So we thought around then might be a good time to swim. Hardly!  I did the 2.5 miles starting about 2pm and the waves were whipping me around. I started heading north with the waves. It took a bit and I got into a rhythm. I swam down about .8 and then tried to turn back around. No doing! I could hardly get any mileage. My average mph went from 1.7 to 1.5 in the span of less than .1 miles. I couldn’t get anywhere. So, I got out and walked back. Ate a few pieces of watermelon to fuel and get rid of that awful saltwater taste in my mouth! Walked further south, then headed north again. Next time I got out I had only a 1/3 of a mile to go. Another walk and another short swim – getting tossed around – to get it done.

Took me 1:24 which is significantly less than the 1:42 it took me to swim 2.5 miles in the lake by my in-laws. Maybe a tiny bit has to do with improved fitness, yet I’m thinking more had to do with riding the waves! = 90 minutes

Tuesday – The kids spent the night at my Mom’s condo last night. Keven and I had talked about how it could be the perfect morning for me to move up and get the long run done. Didn’t happen. I woke up with a low grade headache, so I took Excedrin Migraine, ate and drank a little and went back to sleep. Still woke up with a bit of a headache.

Got out to the water to get a swim in, in the calmer morning water. Started heading north – with the waves – and it wasn’t rolling me around too much, yet it was taking longer than expected to get the mileage in! The plan called for 12 x 100m, so I was doing .75 miles. I was averaging 1.0 mph, unlike yesterday’s 1.7 mph. Although it felt much easier, I wasn’t getting as far. I forced myself to get to .5 before turning around. And then the mileage went on much quicker – against the current! I guess as the waves are rolling slowly and I’m going slowly, the waves could somewhat hold me in place. But, I do not entirely understand this ocean! 45 minutes it took me!

Then some snacks and time in our condo – then off to he fitness center. I wanted to be in cooler conditions!

60 minute bike – 30 minute RPE 4, 30 minute RPE 7 – so I did 1^st half on level 7 and second half on level 12.

30 minute run – 10 minute RPE 3, 20 minute RPE 5 – so I did 10 minutes at 5.6 and then 20 minutes at 6.0 or 6.1.

Felt good. Felt strong. = 135 minutes

Wednesday – We had kayaking planned with the kids at 10:30 so we needed to leave about 9:30am. I had intended to do the 45-minute run beforehand and 90-minute bike afterwards. When the alarm went off for the run, I felt tired. I opted for sleep.

Then the kayaking! The kid’s did not love this! It was single paddling (for us parents) in a double kayak. Humid. Sweating. A decent amount of arm and core work for 2 hours. We got back to the condo, ate some lunch and then could not rouse myself. I laid down with vague notions of getting up later to workout. Didn’t happen. Kids went to Grandma’s condo to child, Kevin went out to the pool to get sun and I napped and read in bed.

My mind and body needed a rest. That’s what I’m telling myself. Now I’ll need to do these workouts Saturday morning, on travel day.

Thursday – Well-rested. Woke up before alarm. Did a little work. Left for run by 7am. Did one hourish loops and came back for water and chews (ate a goo on the run each hour). Humid!! Not that sunny. Was completely drenched by 1 hour in. Ran smart and took it very easy. Started in the 11s, crept into the 10s during middle 1/3. Then slowed down again. Average 11:11. Drank a TON of water.

Recovered poolside.

Started thinking about how I should take the rental bike to the bike shop, get the tires check and bring some more “real food” bars for tomorrow’s long ride.

Always thinking logistics. Can’t wait for a break from this! = 175 minutes

Friday – Set my alarm for 6:30 am to ride 6 hours a little off island in Bluffton like I had on Sunday. The sound was evidently down on my phone and I didn’t hear it till 8am! Crap. I didn’t want to go then, not get started till 9 and be out there until at least 3pm and miss the whole day with my family. Plus it was a million degrees out already.

Crap. Time to regroup again. (I’m really so very tired of this.) I pulled back to Friday, what was originally on Friday and decided to swim 75 minutes continuous and run 1 hour easy. I slept some more and went out around noon to swim. It was awful. Time ticked by so slow. So slow. I wasn’t getting much distance for my efforts – which really wasn’t a problem since I was going by time – just not very motivating. By half way through my head hurt, my goggles were bugging me, my throat burned from salt water and my back hurt from getting tossed around out there. I turned around for a bit, yet it was rough and waves kept going over my head. Tiring. Annoying. Took in more crappy salt water. With 15 minutes left, I got out, gave my head a rest and walked back some. Got in and painfully counted down the 15 minutes. Took forever. Went to find my shoes, to go inside, and couldn’t find them. They weren’t behind the 2^nd blue awning set of chairs to the right. Really? Someone took my crappy beach shoes? Great. Whatever. Started walking over the hot sand through the dunes then realized I was at the wrong beach entrance! Okay, good. I’ll find my shoes, but I’ve got to go over more hot sand to get there. I was in a bad mood after this. Crossed paths with my family, they were heading to the beach. And I still had to eat, change, take the bike back (which I’d rented for extra days and then didn’t use) and run an hour. Guess I’m not going to see them much this day any way.

I got back from dropping off the bike, ate and fell asleep on the couch. I felt so physically and mentally tired. Maybe I should skip this run and take a nap? I got into bed.

Is it best to “listen to my body” and rest? Or do I push through because this is Ironman training? Was more taken out of me this week because it was so hot and humid and I got jostled around in the ocean? Or did I slow down enough to accommodate for this? I’ve never done this before. I don’t know what’s best.

I decided to run.

I didn’t want to.

Yes, I got up out of bed, grabbed my stuff and went to the fitness center. I set the treadmill on a slow pace and hammered out 1 hour.

So, when I physically don’t want to and mentally don’t want to, I can run an hour. Done. It was a great mental victory. My husband was particularly pleased for me. He was also impressed that I was in a good mood for dinner, after what he knew was a rough training day.

We had a delightful last vacation dinner by the water. = 135 minutes

Saturday – Got up at 7 am to do what I didn’t do on Wednesday. Headed over to fitness center at 7:40am. Not open! Till 9am! WTH? Okay. I’m numb at this point. I headed back to the condo to put on sunscreen. Hubby came out to the balcony as I was applying. “Fitness center not open till 8” I said incredulously. He replied “I’m impressed you’re smiling.” What else can I do?

Ran 45 minutes outside. Strides every 5 minutes for 15 until the end. Super humid. Took it slow (except for the strides!) average 10:45.

Back to fitness center – open now and I was the last person to have signed in the day before! 90 minutes on bike.

My left leg is bothering me – butt and hamstring. I’m worried my glute muscles aren’t firing fully. I might see if the gym does MAT, see if I can get these glutes back on! I don’t want to make too many adjustments because training has been going well, but I might want to address the left butt. With 25 minutes left I got off the bike and stretched. Felt better afterwards. When done I spent a couple minutes dragging a tennis ball into that side of my butt. Hope that helps. On the plane ride, I put on my compression socks. Taking recovery actions!

Got home after 6pm.

This 6 hour ride was scheduled for this weekend has been the bane of my existence for the last week and a half.

Originally planned to do it Sunday (tomorrow). Yet, we need to drive our daughter to camp that’ll take approximately 5 hours because it’s just over 2 hours away. I can’t pick her up next weekend because I’ll be in Madison biking the bike course. So we wanted to take her and offer others rides (so we could get her a ride back). After his hip surgery Kevin doesn’t want to do this amount of sitting and I don’t want him to.

SOOO…I looked where to move a 6 hour ride! Best choice looked like Friday – during vacation, that sucks – but trying to prioritize I called to extend the rental period on my bike.

Then Friday happened (see Friday! )

Now what? My coach had told me earlier that I could split it up, just within 24 hours.

So I started cycling at the gym at 7:15pm. Since I wasn’t outside I tried to push myself. I did 5+ minutes of hill work every 15ish minutes and tried to keep a good clip at the other times.

Did 2 hours and 20 minutes. 3 hours and 40 minutes to go tomorrow (next week). I’ll head to Barrington early to get outdoors with rolling hills. = 275 minutes

TOTAL = 1,180 minutes = 19.60 hours

• Swim – 210 minutes = 18%
• Bike – 550 minutes = 47%
• Run – 420 minutes = 35%

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