Monday, December 13, 2010

swimming backwards

I just did what might be the most depressing thing ever.

I am at work, on nights, required to stay awake, so I figured I would create a table showing all of the "testing" that I did in 2010 (most of these are swim tests - I also found one bike test) so that I can track how I am doing this season against last season. Every time I do a swim test, I have to click back through tons of workouts in Training Peaks in order to see how fast I was last time. I decided to get organized. (Alexa-organized which means I will create this testing table but I won't clean my apartment for another 3 weeks).

I also created a table to fill in my 2011 testing so that all the times will be there in one place for comparison - i.e. my refrigerator.

What is depressing is how much I suck.

I am NEVER taking a 1.5 month off-season again. I don't care how glorious the laziness was; it's just not worth the backsliding in fitness that I am now trying to deal with.

For example. My first swim test ever was on 1/21/10. It's a 400 yd swim test that we repeat twice. Always the same. I swam a 6:20. This was after I had been training with Mary for 21 days. This improved to 6:02 by May, and has now backslid to the horribly slow time of 6:27 as of Nov. 9th. Granted, that 6:27 was like my 3rd swim after many, many weeks of NO swimming, but it's still discouraging. I test this weekend, and if that time doesn't drastically improve, I may drown myself.

I AM swimming 3x a week at the moment instead of 2x, and I'd like to keep that up as long as possible because I'm sure it will be a huge help in improving my swim.

As depressing as it is to think about the loss of fitness during the length of time that I was out of the pool and off the bike, it is even more depressing to think about how long it's been since I've really been able to run. We're talking 3 months. I ran today for 30 minutes. I can't even hold a 10 minute mile. That right there is enough to make me cry. I am not a bad runner - I should be able to pop off 8:00 - 8:30 minute miles without a problem, but I am so out of shape that I just can't do it. I'm starting to freak out because I REALLY want to see gains on the run in Ironman, and how is that going to be possible if I'm barely running?! I'm ready to say f- this injury, which is what's going to happen anyways because as of the first of the year, my chiropractor is no longer going to accept my insurance.

Going back through my training log also made me lust after high volume weeks. Screw this recovery week that I am on, give me more hours! (Ugh, I know, recovery is apparently IMPORTANT). Pssssh. And perhaps since I am on overnights, I shouldn't fight the recovery week because this week is going to be hell anyways!

4 comments:

  1. Now girl..... look back through this post and see if you can turn every negative into a positive. Like this: "so I swam a 6:27 after a period of not swimming. That's my starting point for 2011. I will smash that 6:02 and it will happen by March."..... then...... "I can not hold a 10 min mile..." can be.... "This injury forced me to be off my run for a bit, I will use it as an oppertunity.... I know Pat Wheeler ran a 3:10 marathon after not running at all for 10 weeks, because he did the protocol..... it's december, this is the time to heal it, and I will be stronger for it." remember...... it's a choice! Good work on the data sister!

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  2. Mary Eggers - ever the optimist! :)

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  3. Ok, first, your swimming is perfect, before you think I am crazy, hear me out.

    In Jan, you are at your freshest, totally recovered, the body is feeling good, all 2009 aches and pains are gone and now its time to get back into racing shape

    May, you are starting to peak, you in the best shape of the season and ready for racing

    Nov, your done racing, your tired, you have 2010 aches and pains, your body is in full recovery mode from the season. Repairing itself from a great and strenous season.

    Its perfect periodization training!!!

    As for the run, you are injuried, and sadly you have to heal, you are not alone in this, I am coming off an injuried filled season, and the only thing that scares me about my Ironman is the run. I know there will be walking involved, so I am researching speed walking and seeing if that is an option while I need a break from the running. You will do it, I can feel it

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  4. I agree with Mary!!! My swim is slower than that!! Ha ha!!

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