Training has gotten a lot harder since school started. It seems like thing after thing comes up to mess up my plan that had been going so well. I feel like my training is still progressing at a great rate, but it's harder to compare my current performance to my previous performance. Bumps and bruises aside, I feel nervous but I'm still pressing forward.
What happened this week?
Monday: 24 min row, 6 minute run, Roman chairs (back and each side: 3x20x25 lbs) then first TKD practice
Tuesday: 16 mile run (1:57:30 - 7:20min/mile) + 2 hours lifting
Wednesday: TKD Practice
Thursday: Core Craziness Type 2 x 6 sets (10/50)
Friday: 1:58 min run (16+ miles)
Saturday: UCSD Rumble (3 hours of fighting with 2x15 min breaks) + Core Craziness Type 2 without leg lifts (10/50) x 3 sets
Sunday: Biking (1:15) + Core Craziness Type 2 without leg lifts x (1:18) -- total time 2:33.
Weight: min 161.2, median 164.8
Why so much change?
The week started off just a little bit different and then changed a bunch more. On Monday, I did a small workout before practice because it was the first day of newcomers, so I had a lot of responsibilities that made it so I couldn't work out for as much time. I made up for that by working out beforehand. That turned out reasonably fine... or so I thought.
The next day, I was, if you remember from the last post, still trying to drop weight. I didn't eat all that much and I ran with 5mm neoprene socks during my 16 mile run before practice. In short, that run was rough. The net pace was quite good, but my body just felt like it was dead after around 11 miles. I had started at around 7:05 min/mile pace and by the end I was down to around 7:50. My legs basically were trying to give up, but I refused to give in. That mental battle was hard... then came lifting. My friends and coach made it easier to keep on going and pushing myself for the next 2 hours. As we got to the end of the workout, my body was entirely spent and felt like I was actually about to pass out, so I started with the ab workout that was on the ground and was able to make it through to the end.
That meant that the next day, I desperately needed to take it easy. Practice was normal, so I was able to handle it all. My legs hadn't quite recovered, so I decided to do some core and give my legs a little more rest. I had planned on doing my run on Thursday, but my legs wouldn't be having any of that. That plan worked out very well for my run on Friday. My legs felt a little tired in the beginning, but once I got going, I made a lot of mile markers in less than 7:10 min/mile pace.
Going into Saturday, I knew that I had 3 hours of potential fighting that could happen. I decided that I could fight as much as I could and then count it as a medium workout. I was thinking that I could then bike normally the following day... but after the rumble, I was quite banged up. I got kicked in the hip hard a few times, clashed with my right knee a few times and my toes weren't feeling good. I went out biking on Sunday feeling like each pedal was going to hurt a little, but my muscles would likely be fine. When I got out there, each of my leg muscles started complaining. I had fought hard on Saturday and my legs were feeling it. The bruises I had were masking the muscle fatigue. So, after around 45 minutes, I decided that after an hour or so, I would go inside and finish up the cardio with a long core workout. I proceeded to watch football and do core continually until I couldn't do core anymore.
At the end of the day, I feel like I still had a reasonable workout, even though I still haven't been able to break that 4 hour barrier to workouts. Obviously, to get to 24 hours, I'm going to need to figure out how to extend that time. I think that it might be related to how I don't consume any more than 50 Calories during these workouts. I need to start working my race-day nutrition into these workouts so that I know how to make it all work out. I think that my endurance is impressive, so I've still got time to make it all count.
Winning and Losing Part 2
You may also notice that, contrary to the mid week update's tone, I've still kept having trouble getting that weight down. It actually reflects mental challenges that I've been having to focus on training because of school and other responsibilities ramping up. It's more that it's difficult to maintain weight trends when so many transitions are going on. I just keep on getting hungry and/or keep on over-eating when I have the opportunity to. That's a very different mental challenge from being able to keep on going during a workout.
What I think might also be playing a part is those residual feelings that I'm not going to be the top competitor out there. As I discussed before, I'm not doing WTM to win it. I'm doing it for the experience of pushing myself harder than anyone thinks is sane. I'm doing it to say that I have the mental and physical toughness to just keep on going, despite everything. That's the type of person that I'd like to show myself that I am. However, I'm internally competitive so when I question if I'm capable of outperforming everyone, that's hard. Many a very smart coach has said before, "No matter how fast you are, there's always someone faster." I know that is very much true, but for some reason the prospect that it's going to be hard to win WTM is effecting my psyche for my workouts. I question my tactics and the decisions that I've made along the way and that makes me wonder if I need to drastically change things when we don't have much time at all till race day. The proper response to that type of doubt is to shake it off and keep on going with my plan. It's too late to switch anything at this point.
The key thing for me to remember is that I shouldn't even be concerned about comparing myself to others. I should just be looking at my performance and seeing if I can handle the cold and the huge athletic/mental effort that'll be required. If I think about that, I'm quite sure that I can take the athletic and mental challenge that I'll be facing on race day. Over time, I'm getting more and more worried about how my body is going to respond to the cold. Living in California, I won't be able to train all that much with it. I really need to take my parent's advice and run on the beach with periodic intimate encounters with the Pacific Ocean.
That brings me to another pledge that I'd like to make to myself that I've said before on this blog. It is not sufficient to keep on going for 24 hours without helping others. Part of being one of the toughest mudders is to embrace the mudder spirit. We are all in this together and we'll all make it through this together. Even as I'm pushing myself, I pledge to myself to look out for my fellow mudders that are hurting physically and/or mentally. If helping a mudder means that I'm no longer the leader, then so be it. It's more valuable to prove that I can push myself this hard and still show that I care about my fellow humans than to win the cash.
What happened this week?
Monday: 24 min row, 6 minute run, Roman chairs (back and each side: 3x20x25 lbs) then first TKD practice
Tuesday: 16 mile run (1:57:30 - 7:20min/mile) + 2 hours lifting
Wednesday: TKD Practice
Thursday: Core Craziness Type 2 x 6 sets (10/50)
Friday: 1:58 min run (16+ miles)
Saturday: UCSD Rumble (3 hours of fighting with 2x15 min breaks) + Core Craziness Type 2 without leg lifts (10/50) x 3 sets
Sunday: Biking (1:15) + Core Craziness Type 2 without leg lifts x (1:18) -- total time 2:33.
Weight: min 161.2, median 164.8
Why so much change?
The week started off just a little bit different and then changed a bunch more. On Monday, I did a small workout before practice because it was the first day of newcomers, so I had a lot of responsibilities that made it so I couldn't work out for as much time. I made up for that by working out beforehand. That turned out reasonably fine... or so I thought.
The next day, I was, if you remember from the last post, still trying to drop weight. I didn't eat all that much and I ran with 5mm neoprene socks during my 16 mile run before practice. In short, that run was rough. The net pace was quite good, but my body just felt like it was dead after around 11 miles. I had started at around 7:05 min/mile pace and by the end I was down to around 7:50. My legs basically were trying to give up, but I refused to give in. That mental battle was hard... then came lifting. My friends and coach made it easier to keep on going and pushing myself for the next 2 hours. As we got to the end of the workout, my body was entirely spent and felt like I was actually about to pass out, so I started with the ab workout that was on the ground and was able to make it through to the end.
That meant that the next day, I desperately needed to take it easy. Practice was normal, so I was able to handle it all. My legs hadn't quite recovered, so I decided to do some core and give my legs a little more rest. I had planned on doing my run on Thursday, but my legs wouldn't be having any of that. That plan worked out very well for my run on Friday. My legs felt a little tired in the beginning, but once I got going, I made a lot of mile markers in less than 7:10 min/mile pace.
Going into Saturday, I knew that I had 3 hours of potential fighting that could happen. I decided that I could fight as much as I could and then count it as a medium workout. I was thinking that I could then bike normally the following day... but after the rumble, I was quite banged up. I got kicked in the hip hard a few times, clashed with my right knee a few times and my toes weren't feeling good. I went out biking on Sunday feeling like each pedal was going to hurt a little, but my muscles would likely be fine. When I got out there, each of my leg muscles started complaining. I had fought hard on Saturday and my legs were feeling it. The bruises I had were masking the muscle fatigue. So, after around 45 minutes, I decided that after an hour or so, I would go inside and finish up the cardio with a long core workout. I proceeded to watch football and do core continually until I couldn't do core anymore.
At the end of the day, I feel like I still had a reasonable workout, even though I still haven't been able to break that 4 hour barrier to workouts. Obviously, to get to 24 hours, I'm going to need to figure out how to extend that time. I think that it might be related to how I don't consume any more than 50 Calories during these workouts. I need to start working my race-day nutrition into these workouts so that I know how to make it all work out. I think that my endurance is impressive, so I've still got time to make it all count.
Winning and Losing Part 2
You may also notice that, contrary to the mid week update's tone, I've still kept having trouble getting that weight down. It actually reflects mental challenges that I've been having to focus on training because of school and other responsibilities ramping up. It's more that it's difficult to maintain weight trends when so many transitions are going on. I just keep on getting hungry and/or keep on over-eating when I have the opportunity to. That's a very different mental challenge from being able to keep on going during a workout.
What I think might also be playing a part is those residual feelings that I'm not going to be the top competitor out there. As I discussed before, I'm not doing WTM to win it. I'm doing it for the experience of pushing myself harder than anyone thinks is sane. I'm doing it to say that I have the mental and physical toughness to just keep on going, despite everything. That's the type of person that I'd like to show myself that I am. However, I'm internally competitive so when I question if I'm capable of outperforming everyone, that's hard. Many a very smart coach has said before, "No matter how fast you are, there's always someone faster." I know that is very much true, but for some reason the prospect that it's going to be hard to win WTM is effecting my psyche for my workouts. I question my tactics and the decisions that I've made along the way and that makes me wonder if I need to drastically change things when we don't have much time at all till race day. The proper response to that type of doubt is to shake it off and keep on going with my plan. It's too late to switch anything at this point.
The key thing for me to remember is that I shouldn't even be concerned about comparing myself to others. I should just be looking at my performance and seeing if I can handle the cold and the huge athletic/mental effort that'll be required. If I think about that, I'm quite sure that I can take the athletic and mental challenge that I'll be facing on race day. Over time, I'm getting more and more worried about how my body is going to respond to the cold. Living in California, I won't be able to train all that much with it. I really need to take my parent's advice and run on the beach with periodic intimate encounters with the Pacific Ocean.
That brings me to another pledge that I'd like to make to myself that I've said before on this blog. It is not sufficient to keep on going for 24 hours without helping others. Part of being one of the toughest mudders is to embrace the mudder spirit. We are all in this together and we'll all make it through this together. Even as I'm pushing myself, I pledge to myself to look out for my fellow mudders that are hurting physically and/or mentally. If helping a mudder means that I'm no longer the leader, then so be it. It's more valuable to prove that I can push myself this hard and still show that I care about my fellow humans than to win the cash.
I like the parts about taking your parent's advice (that's always great for a mom to hear) and about the importance of caring for others. Keep stopping at traffic lights; be good to your body, since it's the only one you've got in the long run.
ReplyDelete