12/05/09 Coached Workout

Saturday 8:00 AM
After a bad week of workouts, I went to the coached workout today feeling under prepared. We were to run, swim and have a core workout.
We started with the run. A mile warm-up followed by 800 repeats. We were teamed up in groups of three. One person ran a lap, who was joined by person two for the second lap, and then was joined by person 3 for the third lap while person 1 rested. We were to do this for 10 each 800s. So we were to run 5 miles. Unfortunately the coaches stopped us in the middle of our 6th 800, so we only ran 3 miles.
But off to Iron U for some Nutrition training. I have been through lots of these over the years and I always feel bad afterward because I don't follow their lead. I don't eat poorly (Meenu won't allow it), but I don't want to count my calories or my percentage of protein to fats. I just don't care to be that anal about my intake. I gave up smoking and I don't drink a lot anymore and I have never been a fan of fast food, so I am not going to ruin my love of food and love of eating by weighing my food and counting each and every fat gram and calorie. I don't eat a lot of red meat, but love an occasional steak. Lots of chicken and fish, only whole wheat breads, veggies and yogurt daily. OK, so maybe I will not be the best endurance athlete out there. Newsflash... I am not going to win the Ironman Triathlon. I am going to survive it and come out the other side a little stronger in mind and in body. Maybe that is the wrong attitude to have and I will check on that mindset further into the training but as I trained for the Death Ride twice, it was always a survival attitude. I wanted to do well, I wanted to get up the hill faster and easier than I did the last time, but I knew I was not going to win. The only competition was really within myself. Can I do it??
The answer is "Yes, I can!!!!!"

After Iron U, it was off to the pool.
I felt stronger today. My stroke is coming along. I was having some cramping issues in my calves. Weird, because I was drinking lots of water, had electrolytes and also had a couple of endurolytes. Very odd...I will need to keep an eye on that.

Coach Mike asked me to start doing the Group 2 drills instead of the group 1 drills. Moving me up, that's a good sign. I am feeling better in the water and know it will come with time. I have made lots of improvements and will continue to work on my swimming.

Coach Dave cancelled the core workout so we went out for pizza instead. The Nutrition expert said it was OK, so I will follow that lead.

Until the next time......