The Road to 70.3: Week 2

Another week of training is in the books! My training posts may bore some...so my apologies in advance.

This week was a good reality check for me. Tuesday morning I had the most obstacle-filled run ever. It was almost like one of those "obstacle races". Minus the mud. But it reminded me that I am not some natural born, iron-woman. It reminded me that I need to take things in stride, and listen to my body.

5 am - 82 degrees F

Mile 2 - Intense cramping in my stomach that almost had me in fetal position on the side of the road.

Mile 2-3 - Desperately trying to catch back up with the group.

Mile 3 - Wheezing. Didn't take my inhaler. Cannot get air. Keep pushing. Cursing at the palo verde trees I'm allergic to.

Mile 6 - Raw, rubbing, pain in my foot. Blister.

Mile 6-8 - Hobbling with an ugly gait, almost in tears because blister is so bad.

Mile 8 - Finished! Shoe full of blood. Ran it in a sub 8 min/mile pace, miraculously!

2 hours later - Nauseated, calves cramping, calf made a "popping sensation". I assumed my triathlon training was over.

Needless to say, after Tuesday's run - I focused the rest of my week on foam rolling and low-impact exercise! This was actually really good for me, because it forced me to stay off the road and in the pool!

I also experienced my first flat tire on my bike. Which still lies deflated in our garage. More to come later on my complex with changing a bike tire. So here are a few lessons I was reminded of this week:

• Wear good socks.
• If something is painful, don't alter your gait so you can "finish it out"
• Drink water.
• Take in electrolytes
• Check your bike tires the night before!
• Learn how to change a tire if you're going to sign up for a 60 mile bike race.

And here is my week in workouts:

• Monday: Weight trained arms in the morning. Swam for 1 mile in the evening.
• Tuesday: Ran 8 miles (Foam rolled and iced in the evening.)
• Wednesday: Swam (1800m) drills in the morning.
• Thursday: Weigh trained chest & back for 30 minutes, and did a 45 min spin class in morning
• Friday: Brick workout - 1850 m swim. 28 mile bike. (with a staple in my tire....)
• Saturday: Ran 6 miles (1st run back since the "calf popping incident" and I felt great!)
• Sunday: supposed-to-be Rest Day. However, we got an amazing monsoon Saturday night, and a group of friends were going to run Sabino Canyon. I couldn't resist. We don't get a lot of rainy days here. So ran 6 miles of insane hills (aka, up a mountain) 

I have to say I'm really enjoying this training, and am starting to fall in love with swimming!