091410

Goal: AM Swim, PM Run, eat healthy

Results: PM Run and Swim

Diet Setbacks: not sure, guess the scale will let me know in the morning.

I was up late last night thinking about triathlon. Many things on my mind about it. I love the sport and I love seeing the responses from my body such as weight loss, strength gains, and PR in 3 different sports. However, the downside of giving me so much to think about brings up a topic I have never talked about here.

I have a problem. I often am sleep deprived because of my problem. I do not have the ability to turn my brain off. Does that sound weird? Yes, well it's true. Often I can not fall asleep because too many things are going through my mind. It varies from time to time, sometimes I am making to do lists or I want lists, other times questions are coming to my head about how do to something or something that I want to learn about.

Lately, many nights are spent thinking about things to tweak on my bike, or about my training plan for the week, or about race planning, or many other things. Last night's thoughts were in the realm of my race schedule for next schedule. I have planned a 70.3 race to end my season next November (in error in a post a few months back I called it a Half Ironman, I had yet to realize that is trademarked). However, reading everyone's race reports for the last few months makes me want to do a REAL WTC 70.3 race. Maybe not next season but eventually. I also have put doing a full WTC Ironman on my bucket list. Not my race bucket list, my real bucket list.

Completing my half century showed my that I can ride that long, which made me think about how it's only 6 miles short of the 70.3 distance. I decided to look at times of completers. I picked Ironman 70.3 Florida, it struck me that it should be relatively flat and therefore the best for me to compare to. The most recent I could find for Clydesdales was the 2008 race. I started thinking about my times and comparing them to the last place Clydesdale. ***please note from here on I am using times for conjecture, I am NOT belittling someone else's time. I realized the times are part of a much longer race while I have only done standalone event. much love to anyone who completes any ironman event!!***I completed my half century in 3:49. The last place finisher completed in 56 miles in 3:52. I think that even after swimming I could manage that time on a course flatter than what I rode. The same person did his 13.1 run in 3:29. Even though I don't run that distance, my training runs are at a pace almost an hour faster. It made me think that if that person can do it so can I.

Now I am thinking when should I tri it? My brain tells me stick to my existing calender for next year to improve my skills (and maybe get a new bike) and do an IRONMAN 70.3 the next year.

Anyhow, after much thinking and researching last night I slept through my alarm this morning. CB turned it off and then gave me a little more sleep time. I got up early but not with enough time to make my run. After work I got in a recovery run and then swim. I set my garmin for a pace alert at 12:10 for the high speed. I often push too fast with these runs but after all the riding the last two days I needed this to be slow. I trudged along at 13 minute miles. It was tough on the hill, much tougher but usual but I needed this slow run. I was aiming for 3 miles, but the loop I ran turned out to only be 2.25 so I settled for it. After words I cooled off with 600m in the pool. 100m warm up and 5x100m for time. However, I still haven't looked at my splits. I think soon I am going to start tracking these splits on a spreadsheet so I can see if I am making any progress.

Another thing I have been thinking about is my off season. I look forward to working on my run until the my half marathon and then hopefully getting a hold of a trainer and spinervals as well as a adult swim classes. I also plan to get back to the weights and make my strength training goals before the end of year.