Friday, August 28, 2009

Time Trialled out!

This week was "time trial" week in Ironman Training..

Bike: I went 11 miles in 30 minutes
Swim: I went from 1:52 (500 divided by 5) in June to
1:45 (1000 divided by 10) the other day.
Run: around 3.5 miles in 30 minutes.

Thoughts: I am really proud of my bike TT. I really, really suck on the hills but IMWA is flat, flat, flat and so was my TT. If I could only hold to 22 MPH for 112 miles, well I would be friggin' fast.
Swim: What can I say? I have been swimming 50 years. I remember the lifeguard jumping off the high dive with me when I was around 5 years old. We swam everyday of my childhood it seems. I was on the swim team for at least 10 years-never did so well but had a great time! So just when I thought I would never get faster, I found Coach Eric, a 26 year old swim genius who thinks I can do anything! Who knew? He changed my stroke pretty much completely. I had to learn to "undo" the 'ole "S stroke" I was using for the last 50 years. I learned to pull a whole different way, push back totally strangely..it all feels so awkward. BUT the proof is in the pudding. When they asked what my projected time would be in the swim at IMWA (I think they must have waves), I put 1:12! Seriously? What was I thinking? Now however I think I could actually maybe, maybe do it!

Run: Well, I just suck. It seems no matter what the distance-2 miles or 26.2 miles-it all feels hard. I was thinking as I was running this last TT, Why is this so friggin' hard all the time? It all feels like Ironman to me! I wish for once, I would have that smooth "this is so easy" feeling I have when I swim..OK, so I need some work in this area obviously! I try telling myself I am a runner, I love running, whatever..Nothing seems to work..I am considering doing a walk one minute/run one minute at IMWA though. I do walk pretty fast and doing this I can average 13 minute miles. Psychologically this may be easier for me and I do not think I averaged any faster when I "ran" the whole thing at IMCDA....Will run this by Coach.

We are off to Chama for the next 12 days of glorious training in the mountains. Where I can curse even louder when I run at 8,000 feet!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Every time I ride my bike it sucks like your description of running. Every.Time.

Unknown said...

i meant to add...good job on your TT!!

Molly said...

Look at you! Getting fast in every sport! Great job - you've been working hard for this.

Spokane Al said...

Wow - your swimming times are awesome and a 1:12 IM swim could only happen to me in my dreams.

Keep rocking!