Back to the routine
I actually like routine. I like knowing what's going to happen when. I like being able to predict how my day will play out. Don't get me wrong, I like being spontaneous too, but I definitely like routines.
This weekend started things getting back to normal. One day last week Hubby took all the Christmas decorations down, so this weekend was just cleaning up and getting things back on track. Saturday was super busy so not much got done. Sunday morning was the race then I came home and got everything done; biscuits, laundry, cleaned the house, mopped and vacuumed. I'm very pleased. I was exhausted last night and soooo ready to get into bed. Even though I did a lot of reading this weekend, it's seems I didn't spend a lot of time sitting still. Hmmmm. I watched my Total Immersion DVD yesterday as I rode my stationary bike (I rode for an hour and I also read some books).
But, as soon as the alarm went off I was ready to get up and go swimming. I got in the water and immediately started doing the TI drills. It was then it hit me. It's not that I'm not a good swimmer, I am, it's that I'm not completely comfortable in the water. I don't know exactly when that happened, as a kid I used to be part fish. So it's something that developed as an adult. The initial TI drills are just about balance. I did numerous laps balancing on my back, halfway turned on my sides, on my side with my face underwater. I did these over and over until I felt comfortable. Until my breathing calmed and getting water in my mouth or nose didn't bother me at all. Once I mastered each part I decided to try a couple of laps swimming. What a huge difference. I was calm, relaxed and moving through the water like a fish. I was able to breath bilaterally because I practiced balancing on both sides, and I was only doing 15 strokes per 25 yards. I could have swam for hours that way. So basically, TI is a hit and I will use it to refine myself in the water and become the fish I used to be.
I really feel like I'm starting from the bottom this year. I'm running slow and steady and not doing anything drastic, like I did when I started running. I'm taking the cycling clinic to learn to be a better biker. I'm doing the TI in swimming which is basically going back to the beginning and starting over. I probably should have done these things when I started doing triathlons 3 years ago instead of just, literally, jumping in. Anyway, I'm feeling confident and strong in all three areas and I think that is the most important part of all.
Speaking of running, I spent about an hour in the bookstore yesterday looking over running plans trying to find a good training program for the next few months. I didn't find anything I liked so I didn't buy anything. I have some specific things I want in a training program. The main thing is that I will only run 3 days a week. This is because of my knee, my foot, and my schedule. I'm not a 20 something who can run 4 days in a row. I need a program that's 3 days a week of good, focused runs that get me where I want to be. After looking through all the books in the bookstore I was bummed and figured I'd just cobble something together on my own. When I got home I found a Jeff Galloway book I'd forgotten about. Looking through that I found a half-marathon training plan that's perfect. It's 3 days a week with some good challenging runs and even a little speed work towards the end. I'm very excited and it starts tomorrow.
Well, I should get to work. Being back to the routine means kicking in the work again. I've been slacking the past 2 weeks.
This weekend started things getting back to normal. One day last week Hubby took all the Christmas decorations down, so this weekend was just cleaning up and getting things back on track. Saturday was super busy so not much got done. Sunday morning was the race then I came home and got everything done; biscuits, laundry, cleaned the house, mopped and vacuumed. I'm very pleased. I was exhausted last night and soooo ready to get into bed. Even though I did a lot of reading this weekend, it's seems I didn't spend a lot of time sitting still. Hmmmm. I watched my Total Immersion DVD yesterday as I rode my stationary bike (I rode for an hour and I also read some books).
But, as soon as the alarm went off I was ready to get up and go swimming. I got in the water and immediately started doing the TI drills. It was then it hit me. It's not that I'm not a good swimmer, I am, it's that I'm not completely comfortable in the water. I don't know exactly when that happened, as a kid I used to be part fish. So it's something that developed as an adult. The initial TI drills are just about balance. I did numerous laps balancing on my back, halfway turned on my sides, on my side with my face underwater. I did these over and over until I felt comfortable. Until my breathing calmed and getting water in my mouth or nose didn't bother me at all. Once I mastered each part I decided to try a couple of laps swimming. What a huge difference. I was calm, relaxed and moving through the water like a fish. I was able to breath bilaterally because I practiced balancing on both sides, and I was only doing 15 strokes per 25 yards. I could have swam for hours that way. So basically, TI is a hit and I will use it to refine myself in the water and become the fish I used to be.
I really feel like I'm starting from the bottom this year. I'm running slow and steady and not doing anything drastic, like I did when I started running. I'm taking the cycling clinic to learn to be a better biker. I'm doing the TI in swimming which is basically going back to the beginning and starting over. I probably should have done these things when I started doing triathlons 3 years ago instead of just, literally, jumping in. Anyway, I'm feeling confident and strong in all three areas and I think that is the most important part of all.
Speaking of running, I spent about an hour in the bookstore yesterday looking over running plans trying to find a good training program for the next few months. I didn't find anything I liked so I didn't buy anything. I have some specific things I want in a training program. The main thing is that I will only run 3 days a week. This is because of my knee, my foot, and my schedule. I'm not a 20 something who can run 4 days in a row. I need a program that's 3 days a week of good, focused runs that get me where I want to be. After looking through all the books in the bookstore I was bummed and figured I'd just cobble something together on my own. When I got home I found a Jeff Galloway book I'd forgotten about. Looking through that I found a half-marathon training plan that's perfect. It's 3 days a week with some good challenging runs and even a little speed work towards the end. I'm very excited and it starts tomorrow.
Well, I should get to work. Being back to the routine means kicking in the work again. I've been slacking the past 2 weeks.
Comments
A runner I know said to me very early on - "anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly." Or how else do you know when you've accomplished something?
You are doing great and are going to have a SUPER year!!!
I've bought and given away the TI book twice now.... maybe I ought to give it a third go-around! I get impatient with drills and want to get to swimming. That's probably the problem right there.