I have never been the kind of person who can work out just for the fun of it. Even though I know it's sooo good for you and healthy and all that good stuff, I will never train consistently without a little pressure.
For the last five years, triathlon has been my thing. I went from walking my first sprint triathlon in 2008 to conquering my first Ironman in 2011. I continued to do half Ironman distance races the following year and this past summer. I fully intend to do another Ironman someday soon, and even qualify for and race at the world championships in Kona. But right now, I'm burnt out. The training schedule, metrics watching, workout juggling, and my inability to become a decent swimmer has taken it's toll. I crashed on my bike two races in a row at the end of the season. True, rain was a factor, but I also took it as a sign that I needed a breather. After 6 months of 8-13 hour training weeks, I mentally and physically came to a dead stop after the season ended.
Now I'm getting squishy.
So it's time to switch gears! I've signed up for my first marathon, the Seattle Rock 'n Roll Marathon, which takes place in June. I'm looking forward to a different kind of challenge and a training schedule that will keep me fit in LESS than 10 hours a week.
The race is now 24 weeks away, and I'm half a week in. This is what my weeks will look like.
| Sunday - Rest | Monday - Cross Train | Tuesday - Tempo Run | Wednesday - Cross Train | Thursday - Fartlek Run | Friday - Rest & Stretch | Saturday - LSD Run |
My cross train days will likely involve a spin on my bike and strength training. And in case you're wondering, the LSD run isn't as fun as it sounds - it stands for long, slow distance.
I'm excited to get into the training and am looking forward to my progress in 5, 10, and 20 weeks. It was frustrating to feel out of shape during my run this weekend, but I'm reminding myself that I'm just getting started.
Progress reports to come!
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