Week 2 - getting motivated

I had technical difficulties with my post this week, loosing Tuesday’s post when uploading, so this post will detail the entire week of training.

This week was about getting motivated.  This is my third year of running the Walt Disney World Marathon (2^nd Goofy!!) and I normally have a tough time continuing training during February and March.  I normally sit on my ass and do nothing.  I tend to put on weight.  This year, my running group kept me more focused with planning a ½ Marathon the beginning of April, but other than that, I was over running.  I was bitching up the hills and really not wanting to find the will to get up and out of bed on the weekends.  That’s no fun.

So I needed motivation to get moving once again.  I do not weigh myself regularly, but I took out the scale and found that I had moved up from 134-136 to 142!!!  UGH!  I secretly knew this to be true, I have a muffin top hanging over my size 27 jeans - and don’t even think about breaking on the 26’s.  But I continue to pour myself into these pants, not because they feel good, but because I need to acknowledge the fact that I’ve fallen off the wagon. 

Worst to my self-esteem, I took out my bathing suits.  Enough said.

Monday – Day of Rest!!!!  Did nothing except sit on my butt (and went to work).

Tuesday – My training schedule for my first Half Ironman is designed just to finish and not for performance.  Training was supposed to be a 30 minute run, but I did weights with a 20 minute swim.  I actually did ½ mile swim in 26:17:11.  The pool had three lanes open and was full with 2 swimmers in each lane.  I’m not a “swimmer,” barely consider myself a “runner” so instead of jumping into the pool, I asked the lifeguard for the correct swimming etiquette on how best to approach the swimmer to join them in their lane.  He told me than there are two ways of swimming laps in a group – circle swimming or just staying on your side.   Circle swimming is when you swim in a circle, counterclockwise.   My lane-mate and I decided just to split the lane keeping on our side of the black line. 

A crowded pool is great practice for close, open water swimming.  I got kicked, hit and took in water a few times, but I was sure to return the favor!  I was supposed to do only 20 minutes, but ending up doing 36 laps or a half mile.  The Half Ironman’s swim is 1.2 miles and my goal is to leave the water in a hour of less.  It is going to be tight.

Wednesday – Switched yesterday’s swim with a run for today.  I met my running partner, Janice, and headed out for 6 miles.  It was a great run, but as we were running the skies began to darken and we could feel the cold-front coming.  At mile 4.5 the sky opened up and it started to pour!!!  Only 5 miles, but way more than the 30-minute training I was supposed to do.

Thursday – The training called for 45 minutes of bike.  I worked a 12 hour day and did absolutely nothing – although I did pack my gym bag.  Looser.

Friday – moved my run for Sunday to today.  The run was for 45 minutes and we did 6 miles!  Came home and napped!

Goal for the weekend is to get my bike off the trainer, pump up the tires and ride!