Training Day 2 & 3 - My body feels like jello

Yesterday I went back to running at the gym.  I was very disappointed to have snow on my car again.  I don't mind getting up early to go and exercise but I hate the cold walk to and from my car.  When I was at the gym I hopped on the treadmill and ran a quick 5 miles.  Not a very exciting morning, but I was able to maintain about an 8.5 minute mile pace.  

The interesting thing about being a swimmer that I forgot is that when you sweat while running you start to smell like chlorine.  I have been blessed to have been running next to a few stinky people the last few weeks, and now I guess I am one of them. 

This morning I went with Monique to the gym and she did the elliptical and I did the bike.  Sadly this was my first time riding a "bike" longer than 10 minutes in the past few years.  The spinning class started at 5:30, but we didn't get there until 6:00 so I decided not to join them. I didn't feel too bad, because I hate starting out training again with people who are in much better shape.  I feel less obvious when I just swim, bike or run on my own.  I managed to go for about 50 minutes and about 19 miles on the bike.  Getting off the bike my legs felt like jello. I will be honest it made me a little nervous to think that in a little over six weeks I will be getting of a much longer bike ride to then go for a long run.  

Tomorrow I plan on swimming again.  My goal is to go 3,200 + yards.  

Here we go again... Training for another Ironman in only 7 weeks. Day 1

This weekend I was out with some friends and one of them thought it would be a fun idea to run the Saint George Ironman on May 3rd.  To be clear, my friend Mike thought it would be a good idea.

I still remember the last Ironman and while, "fun" isn't exactly how I would describe it, I did have a good time.  I have not been on my bike in over a year, and I am embarrassed to say that I haven't been in a pool in at least 18 months.

I just started running about 2 weeks ago a few times a week.  I feel pretty confident that I could run 8 miles before I would need to quit.  So that leaves getting in shape to swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles all in less than 7 weeks.  I still think I should have told Mike he was crazy to do an Ironman in 7 weeks, but alas I have a hard time saying no to a good challenge.  So here we go with another adventure in training.

Day 1.

I went swimming this morning.  It turns out I still remember how to swim.  I swam 3,000 yards this morning and at moments I felt pretty good.  There was a moment where the guy in the lane next to me passed me while flutter kicking on his kick board and it really emphasized how slow I was going.  I felt like one of the old lap swimmers that I used to watch when I was younger. The old swimmers always seemed to make a lot of movement without actually moving anywhere in the water.  I only swam freestyle and a little backstroke.  I still hold onto the assumption that the only stroke I ever need to swim is freestyle except during summers when you need to swim backstroke to even out your tan while swimming outside.  Lucky for me the outdoor pool opens the day after the Ironman. I guess the tan will have to wait.