{"id":5228,"date":"2015-09-10T17:13:21","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T17:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adjustedreality.com\/blog\/?p=5228"},"modified":"2015-09-10T17:13:21","modified_gmt":"2015-09-10T17:13:21","slug":"week-5-comedy-and-tragedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adjustedreality.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/10\/week-5-comedy-and-tragedy\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 5: Comedy and Tragedy"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

\"Sept10-5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Comedy and Tragedy, coming at you!<\/em><\/p>\n

While I am actively mourning summer coming to an end, because that means first there’s no waterpark (this was my sad face after the wah pah on Memorial Day before I found out I actually have TWO MORE WEEKENDS!!! YAY!), then soon there’s no lake paddling because it’s too cold, and then even the lovely outdoor pool becomes an exercise in “get in, get out, get on with your life”, but secretly I’m kind of looking forward to it, too.<\/p>\n

We already have 2016 season passes to the park, the lake will still be there in March when it’s warm enough to duck into it in a wetsuit (and maybe this year I’ll be brave enough to sup in chilly water since I’m better at it).\u00a0 That cycle will come back.<\/p>\n

I have on occasion been a bit… apprehensive about certain seasons.\u00a0 Summer and I have had a love\/hate relationship in the last 5 years, which became much more love once we settled in and evolved to make it much more about playing in the water, rather than trying to force myself to train in the heat for months without a break.\u00a0 Winter has always been a challenge for me, but discovering my love of cold weather running last year, I’m honestly even looking forward to it a little.<\/p>\n

But, it’s not over yet.\u00a0 September is still essentially summer here in the ATX, and I’ve got a 70.3 to contend with before it becomes all pumpkin spice and maybe digging out my tech tees instead of tanks for marathon training.<\/p>\n

Week 5 70.3 Training:<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s always weird to be like – week 5 – last peak week done, start the descent to taper… but that’s kind of how these short cycles go.\u00a0 I’m halfway in the “bring it on” camp and halfway in the “omg I need more tiiiiiime” camp, but since time slows for no woman and I know doing cram sessions to feel ready does nothing but burn me out, I’ll just keep on with the program.<\/p>\n

This week has been about finding confidence through adverse situations.\u00a0 At first, I typed shitty workouts, but that’s totally not the case.\u00a0 Don’t worry, I’ll explain.<\/p>\n

\"Sept10-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Before Sunday’s workout.\u00a0 DID NOT FUCKING WANT.<\/em><\/p>\n

Monday was not the longest day, but it was the longest swim I’ve done in a while.\u00a0 I did the normal, freaking out the first half of the first lap because it felt hard, then settling in and doing just fine for the second half, second lap, and pushing it a bit on the third.\u00a0 I kept my laps pretty consistent (I had a variance of 20 seconds total between the 3).\u00a0 And, just testing how much it gassed me – I ran 2 miles in the heat and was able to average race pace pretty easily.\u00a0 Yas.<\/p>\n

Tuesday had 4.5 pretty nice easy miles in the morning, but a last minute gametime call had us go home and Zwift on the trainer instead of pain cave class.\u00a0 Sort of messed with my head a bit, but I think I tortured myself sufficiently.\u00a0 Ran 1.5 miles off the bike at easy pace while the sun set.\u00a0 Pretty good day, even if plans changed.<\/p>\n

I’m not sure who the asshole was who planned a long run the next day, but I’m pretty sure I should punch them in the face (ow!).\u00a0 I was pretty nervous for this – it was my longest run since the marathon in February and I’d already built up almost 4 hours of training in 2 days, but I REALLY wanted to see if I could conquer it.\u00a0 Zliten was also having a SUPER rough day, so I knew the minute my head went negative and I stopped keeping his spirits up, he was done.<\/p>\n

But, long story short – we ran all over my work route and detoured to the gym for a bathroom trip and ran home as the sun set and it got dark and then I finished up miles 11-15 headlamping it around my neighborhood zoning out into the dark abyss of Burell Street.\u00a0 Like a switch, it went from pretty easy to difficult and draggy around 13 miles, but I didn’t stop running until I saw 15 miles in just under 3 hours.<\/p>\n

My husband begged off Thursday’s workouts.\u00a0 It was just a swim so I figured we’d make it up Friday.\u00a0 Then, an unfortunately rough hangover cancelled Friday’s workouts (super oops).\u00a0 All of a sudden I had a lot of shit to make up over what was supposed to be a nice relaxing holiday weekend.<\/p>\n

Saturday, we ended up having to cancel our original outdoor ride plan, but I decided it was time to just do all the crap I hadn’t yet done last week.\u00a0 I did the dozen (first time all week, oops).\u00a0 I jumped on the trainer for 30 minutes.\u00a0 Zliten and I then ducked outside for a nice 4.5 mile run.\u00a0 Then, we discovered that he lost his fitbit and ended up taking an hour retracing the run path and then finding it less than a quarter of a mile from home, run over.<\/p>\n

By the time we got to the gym for our swim, I felt stressed and rushed and grumpy.\u00a0 It took all 1700m and the shower after to feel better, but I recovered some of my mood.\u00a0 Then… we proceeded to spend all day out and didn’t get home until 10pm.\u00a0 And still we had our bike\/run to make up the next day.\u00a0 Bah!<\/p>\n

Sunday – I was so fucking not into it.\u00a0 I woke up just wanting it to be over.\u00a0 Unfortunately, I carried this attitude through most of my ride.\u00a0 Didn’t help it was late, so there was a decent amount of traffic, and it was WINDY (all caps).\u00a0 Zliten can attest to the fact that I was just swearing and grumbling and at one point he asked if I wanted to just call it and I said YES because I was just so cranky.<\/p>\n

However, I learned something about myself.\u00a0 If I’m cranky, take it out on the sport.\u00a0 I got sick of soft pedaling behind Zliten the first few miles and just got out ahead and worked.\u00a0 Then, I’d wait for him to catch up, follow him for a while, and then rinse repeat.\u00a0 I just had no tolerance for easy pace.\u00a0 I might have lost my shit yelling and swearing into the wind a few times, but that was much more productive for me THAT DAY than fuming at my husband’s (cute) ass.<\/p>\n

I felt better and better as the ride continued and at the end, we decided not to NOT brick, but since it was very late and very hot and we had already done run bonus miles this week, 1 mile was fine.\u00a0 Zliten got out ahead at first, but by the end, I reeled him in for a very hot ~9:45 min mile off a really really rough and grumpy bike.<\/p>\n

\"Sept10-4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Done, and done, with proof.\u00a0 Happier mood after.<\/em><\/p>\n

So, TL;DR?\u00a0 While it’s good to have perfect happy lala fun time training, I actually think this may have been MORE confidence boosting.\u00a0 I was really unsure how I’d handle 15 miles in the evening, the heat, and on tired legs and I did just fine.\u00a0 Going into a workout cranky and negative is NOT normal for me, but I was able to use that energy just to WORK instead of waste it.<\/p>\n

It is infinitely clear that I am ready for taper, just one more week this week of decent volume and then we start the sharpening of the stick.\u00a0 I can use it.\u00a0 I’m a ball of stress and fatigue and I’m ready to start shedding that, kthx.<\/p>\n

Summary:<\/p>\n

11 hours<\/p>\n