Bananapants

*Pops up* Y hallo thar!

In my last post about the wheels falling off the bus, I may have changed the tires, but now the alternator died or something something car parts something something. I shall part with automotive analogies here and now, thankfully, but the truth is that I don’t know what my trendweight is right now, no idea how many calories I’ve shoved in my piehole this week and thank the dear and fluffy lord that I was diligent about building fitness earlier in the year because training has been intermittent at best.

Light was at the end of the tunnel with a few important additions to the team coming into place over March. Then, I had a key employee leave – they were offered a great opportunity and I wish them nothing but the best – but that meant a 2-week crash course on their very important, very essential job, which I have primarily taken over and added to the collection of everything else on my plate. However, it was also an opportunity *I* couldn’t pass up. I’ve always wanted to learn how this particular thing works more intimately. Just like I’m sure someone would do to my day-to-day (why the hell are you in all these meetings again woman?) if they came in with fresh eyes, I’ve automated and optimized a ton of it and now that the basics are handled in an hour or two that I can do distracted whilst in those meetings, I’m working on trying some different things after doing a bunch of research.

The end of March was bananapants with all this and bringing on those new people and all the other chaos going on of in my part of making a game studio do all the things. We also have a press opportunity that came around at the last minute, and it’s a TON of work but I also couldn’t pass it up. So, with allll these other things, I’m going out of town, right before the race.

I don’t normally talk about work too much here, but all this has made for 60+ hour weeks and lots of my brain share going there even when not “working” and has definitely impacted my time (sometimes) and motivation (more often) to train and do the things that make #projectraceweight happen.

Other excuses life happenings right now – our office is opening up tomorrow and I’ve been at it occasionally getting myself set up. It happens to be across the street from our old office. This means every time we’ve been there, we’ve had “nostalgia lunches” at our favorite spots and went out to dinner once with new and old coworkers. I don’t think I’m putting on weight, but I also don’t think I’m losing it.

So, what’s this done to my training schedule? *snicker* What training schedule?

I have been able to do 1-2 weekday sessions of no great import or length and kept one weekend long session which has mostly consisted of biking. Three weeks ’til the race and it’s time for me to commit to a few things to try to make up for a bit of lost time.

Swim – I had a LOVELY 1600m swim in the outdoor pool at lifetime yesterday. I think some of the lack of motivation was while the pool next to us is very CLOSE, it’s also kind of a dungeon and the pool is… adequate at best. My swim this race won’t break any records, but even with the handful of times in the pool (seven over the last few months), this mile felt happy and comfortable. However, I need to schedule in these key sessions:

• One more 1600m swim. Hopefully again in the lovely outdoor pool!
• One swim at the quarry (twice around) with my wetsuit to make sure the sausage casing still fits
• One swim once we get to the race venue in that lake (with the wetsuit)

I’d love to make it to the pool more than this, but this is bare minimum.

Bike – I’m pretty solid here. I’ve ridden ~40 miles multiple times, most of them at more effort than it will take me on race day (either on the trainer or on my road bike). I took the tri bike out yesterday to the Veloway and while I only made it 21 miles before heading home, it was for dumb reasons (wind advisory with 32+ MPH gusts making it impossible to stay in aero for more than 60 seconds, warm gatorade in my bottles + warm day = overheating, etc), but I felt just fine on my tri bike, not like last season. Thank you, stronger core and lack of back effery. Here’s some bike key sessions:

• One more TT bike ride (~1 hour). Shoal creek, after work one day.
• 1-2 lunch/after work bike rides outside. We are NOT heat acclimated right now and this is the perfect way to help it along.

Run – Here’s my Achillies heel (actually calf, but w/e). A month ago, I ran 6 miles off the bike, and was encouraged. “Only 3 more miles to build, I got this”. Then, the next week, I ran 3… and at 2.5 miles, after a lovely run where I also felt great, my calf cramped/tightened, and I had to walk it out for a bit before I was able to finish it up. I figured it needed some rest, I gave it a week, and was set to go out for a run off a 1 hour bike the week after, where it did the same thing almost immediately. I got 1.5 miles that day when I had planned 7-9. I went aggressively at fixing the problem, stretching, rolling, icing, and massaging… for all of two days and then I got busy. So, here’s where I need the most work, but not in the “I need to go out and run 9 miles” way. I just need to get to the start line uninjured.

• Daily: roll, boots, ice, stretch and self-massage the calf. Pick 2-3, on weekend days or days I have time do all of them.
• Tomorrow I will go run 1 mile. If that goes well, I’ll run a little longer the next day, and so on and so forth more days than not per week. If I can’t do long runs I’ll at least build a little volume sanely.
• I have this last pair of Hoka Clifton 1s I’ve been saving for the right race season (e.g. one where I can run faster than 11:30 min/mile). They can get a few miles on them right now if it helps me get through this race.
• Some lunch/after work walks for heat acclimation are needed
• Just in case this is dehydration-based vs muscle based – I need to step up my electrolyte intake. I’m going to make it a point to have one nuun/gatorade zero per day, at least, and probably send myself to bed with one so I drink it over the night/when I wake up before running.
• If’n all goes well, I’d love to get at least another 10k run under my belt next Saturday. If it doesn’t, I will just continue with the above with the goal to get to the start line uninjured if a bit untrained.

So, what does this look like in a potential schedule?

April 11-18

• Monday (WFO) – 1 mile run AM, swim on the way home from work, calf recovery PM
• Tuesday (WFO) – 1+ mile run AM, lunch or after work walk, calf recovery PM
• Wednesday (WFH?) – 1+ mile run AM, after work 1h Shoal Creek TT bike, calf recovery PM
• Thursday (WFO?) – calf recovery
• Friday (WFH) – 1+ mile run AM, calf recovery PM
• Saturday – 1500m wetsuit swim, longer run (TBD)
• Sunday – off

April 19-24

• Monday (WFO) – 1 mile run AM, swim on the way home from work, calf recovery PM
• Tuesday (WFH) – lunch or after work outdoor ride, calf recovery PM
• Wednesday – calf recovery
• Thursday (T) – 1+ mile run, walk, calf recovery
• Friday (T) – 1+ mile run, walk, calf recovery
• Saturday (T) – 1+ mile run, walk, calf recovery
• Sunday – calf recovery

April 25-Race

• Monday (WFH) – after work walk, calf recovery PM
• Tuesday (WFH?) – lunch or after work outdoor ride, calf recovery PM
• Wednesday (WFO) – calf recovery
• Thursday (WFH?) – 1+ mile run, walk, calf recovery PM
• Friday (T) – 1+ mile shakeout run, calf recovery
• Saturday – wetsuit swim, calf recovery
• Sunday – RACE!

It looks like not enough and a lot at the same time. Failing to plan is planning to fail, and also failing to SCHEDULE is scheduling to fail for me, so on the calendar it goes lickety split.

There is literally no other space in my life to worry about anything else, so we’ll revisit things like work/life balance goals and strength training and #projectraceweight and such after this race. As much as 2022 looked to be on the same trajectory as 2018, it’s not right now. Hopefully it can be, but just a few months delayed.