Listening to My Body

I am in the third month of training out of nine. Listening to my body seems to be a recurring theme.   Physically I have been doing really well, better than expected. I did have a brief encounter with my troubled knee for a week but it's getting better.  It forced me pay closer attention. I was getting lax on the run and running the pavement instead of walking it. I was not using the foam roller enough. 

If I was not training, I was doing something else, like standing 6 hours at a time. I ignored really uncomfortable pitches on the beach and ran anyway.  I was not listening to my inner self begging to put my legs up at night. At the same time I am so thrilled to be running and enjoy it so much I want to do more. The challenge is finding that balance. Allowing myself to appreciate what I can do while nurturing my knee so I can get to the start in November.  Lesson learned- continually give the knee lots of TLC. Take time to put the knee up. Sit down once in a while.

Overall my endurance has increased. I realized a few weeks ago when I volunteered at Ironman 70.3 CA Oceanside that I really could phone in that race that day. That was my reality check of where I am in my fitness. I could throw down a half, not a PR but no problem finishing. I am progressing in the run as unplanned and well, the swim. I trust the swim will follow soon. The bike- it is hard to say. Hill repeats on the bike are fine. Seems to be getting easier.  I feel strong on hills. It might be time for Double Peak repeats to strengthen me mentally  (IGNORE that, Coach Julie).  My speed in the flats is slower than I'd like. I had an organized bike event last weekend. I wanted to break 3 hours on the 56 miler.  I know this course well and each year I get faster. I tried a "time trial" the week  before and learned a lot. I was nowhere close to where I wanted to be. In the last 10 miles of the ride my muscles just said "no more. we're done." No amount of mental bullying would make me go faster. In races, I usually can pull it together, focus on my Garmin, ignore my legs and finish in the time I need. Time trial day was not that day.  I calculated my nutrition correctly but not my water intake. I finished my nutrition 3/4 of the ride and was still really hungry- like stomach growling and feeling really bummed that I ate my last home made energy bar. All I could do was think about food. I wanted a big meal, real food, not Carbo Pro. My metabolism is changing and I struggle with it. Sure, numerically I had enough calories but maybe that number needs to change or I need to consider balancing my solids and liquids better or I need to eat better dinner and breakfasts. Work in progress. Lesson learned.

I kept all of this in mind for my organized ride. I packed extra nutrition and used it. I felt a big difference. I paced myself on the way out, did not hammer the hills but instead took it easy on the uphills and flew down the descents. The plan was to draft out and ride solo on the way back. I did just that. I went in with multiple goals. The longshot of breaking 3hrs or reaching a PR on that course or finishing balanced (not bonking). I did PR on that course and was the 2^nd female overall and 36 out of 420. I know I have more work to do for my IMAZ goal time but this was good practice. I listened to my body on the ride and finished fairly satisfied with the outcome.

Time management is still a work in progress. This, by far, is the hardest part of training. I live my life down to the minute now. Every minute, every hour is filled. I write everything down. Each week I write out my time schedule for training on my Memo on my phone. 

It is a lifesaver because at 4:30am I cannot comprehend anything so I can just look at my memo and the clock and I'm either on schedule or not. Done. Wednesday mornings are the hardest. I work late Tues night and end up going to bed an hour later. Each night I pack my swim, bike or run bags with what I need including work clothes.  It's hard to be motivated at 4:30am Wednesday. I want to sleep.  I always have two workouts, a swim and either a bike trainer or run. I prefer to get everything done in the morning as it is REALLY hard to do after work. I really want to see my family after work which consists of dropping off and picking them up from swim, guard and soccer. I want to jump in and do some of it. Thank goodness James is always on top of it with the kids' crazy schedules and making dinner for all of us!!!!  He is my superhero. So each Wednesday is a test of my self discipline. Will I get up for both workouts and be really happy that I did it, will I only do one and then one after work or will I sleep in and do them after work and regret it? Most Wednesdays I have been successful in getting both workouts in before work. It really is easier. I feel better at work and I love that feeling at the end of my work day when I know I can just go home.

 

I do well with the schedules and organization but every now and then my body begs for a day off. A day off work, a day off training, a day off mentally preparing for the next race day or for whatever is on the schedule. In the last 3 months, I fought that pretty hard. I cannot slip up because one slip up leads to a bigger and becomes a huge problem. It is balanced  just right as it is. However, if I don’t pay attention to my body then my body will eventually take over and knock my a$$ down. And that’s exactly what happened this week. My kids have been sick and I am always exposed to illness daily at work. I’m fine. I exercise and eat well and I keep everything obsessively balanced, right? Monday morning I wake up with a sore throat (I have been feeling scratchy for the last week but ignored it) and I felt like I got hit by a truck, well really by a small SUV. I really should call in sick. But I think about when I have been really sick- like Salmonella sick or gastroenteritis or influenza sick. I get Bronchitis once a year thanks to smoking parents in my childhood. I’m used to that and work through it. I also had sick patients scheduled that needed help. It’s not that bad. Except that hit by a truck feeling which I rarely get. Oh well, Suck it up. I loaded up on decongestants and herbal tinctures and was fine at work. I did sleep through my morning training which meant I had to do it in the evening. Swimming sounded awful and cold. I could barely breathe much less imagine being cold and dealing with swim breathing. That doesn’t matter, I need to work through this and swim anyway. I can do it after work, I will be fine. I may plan on going even slower today and explain to my coach why my swim was sooo slow. My coach finds out I am sick on social media and says “Shut down the training. Don’t force it and end up sicker, please.” Makes sense but I’m reluctant. I take my swim bag and running shoes to work and see how my day goes. My intention is to train anyway. I have a light training weekend coming up so I cannot afford to decrease my training now. The meds wear off by about 4:30. I’m tired and just want to sleep right there in my office. I trudge home and sleep. I wake up to do some ab work and am short of breath with sit ups. That’s messed up. Okay body, you win. Sleep it is. Tuesday morning I wake up, throat still sore, more crap in my chest but I only feel like I got ran over by a large car. I can go to work but there is this little voice inside that says I really need a total day off. Not happening today I have a long patient day. I have already given in and decided to take today off training. So that’s enough, right? Max out on the decongestants and have a productive day at work. Meds wear off at 5 and I’m exhausted and cranky. I have 2 more hours of work left. I come home and getting off the couch is a monumental task. Okay, if I rest tonight I will wake up better tomorrow. I set my bike on the trainer and prepare for the Wednesday workout. I’m doing this! I WILL feel better. Wednesday morning I wake up in time for my swim. I get up and feel dizzy. The little voice of reason is screaming “day off! Sleep! Please, pretty please!” I feel like crap- the large car has become a large SUV. 

    

Ok I guess day 3 of not training. That’s a very stressful thought. I’m not getting better and breathing is a challenge. I can deal with bronchitis, I cannot deal with bronchitis and feeling like I’ve been beaten down. My niece’s wedding is this weekend and I CANNOT BE SICK. There are babies there that I want to see more than anything (my great-nephews and niece)! And that was the final straw, the final motivator that allowed my voice of reason to take the floor. I called in sick. I felt awful and guilty. But the goal today is sleep and rest. And not to dare do housework or catch up on all the thinks left behind once training started.

Being home allowed me to reflect on how I have constructed my life since February, desperately trying to keep the schedule just right. I know I have limited time in the day and a lot of commitments. I also know I can make it work. I always do. But I need to listen to that little voice of reason rather than fighting it. A day off is ok. I realize in training Tuesday is my day off which consists of a 11 hour workday seeing 3-4 patients an hour and boxing 1 hour in the morning before work. My work is awesome but it is hard and takes a toll on my mind and body. I think I may need to change something. Maybe once every 1 or 2 months I can have a full day off. We’ll see.