Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Terrible Tuesday

I have long forgotten the name of my defensive line coach from my senior year of high school, however I remember him well. Middle age but built like a ton of bricks, and despite appearances he was one of the nicest most inspirational men I have had the pleasure of meeting thus far. Even before he was not my position coach at first, he knew I wanted to play badly. He constantly gave me pointers, encouraged me to keep a journal, and kept pushing me despite knowing I was the smallest linemen in the conference and without any experience play time was unlikely.

This coach also kept our workouts on a very strict schedule. Mondays we watched tape and discussed anything we sucked at, Wednesday was an average day working on the other teams plays, Thursday was light again running plays, and Friday was the game. Everyone dreaded Tuesdays, it was TERRIBLE TUESDAY! This was the day that he cruelly and sadistically inflicted structure pain on us. He pushed us to our limits running, hitting, and pushing the sled. This was the day he made us stronger mentally and physically.

Right now I am unstructured and trying to figure out what my next focus should be. Since I am still a few pounds off my goal weight for the year I am working on that until I decide what to do next.

While working on the weight loss I am designating Tuesdays for the rest of the year as Terrible Tuesday. In the last few months most of my long workouts have been easy (except a few bricks), going slow and working on my mental conditioning. Today is going to be the opposite, long and hard. The tentative plan is to start with two miles of rowing, a hill workout on the stationary bike for about an hour, a steep hill walk on the treadmill, and then back to the bike for whatever it take to round out 2 hours. My goals are three- first to stimulate fat burn, second to stimulate muscle growth and HGH, and third fulfill the mental hazing I haven't had much of since my last triathlon. This whole workout will be managed by my heart rate monitor so I keep an intensity that is tough but will get me through the end.

ANYONE WANT TO COMMIT TO THEIR OWN TERRIBLE TUESDAY WITH ME??

With today's workout decided, I now am trying to decide what to do next physically. All of the plans I have looked at for my next multisport season start 20 weeks before my A race. CB and I have been discussing my real A race being a 70.3 at either Augusta, New Orleans, or Florida; in addition to competing in the Trysports Series. The training plans should overlap and I will be in a good training place when my first sprint in April falls. However, that gives me a few months before I need to start my training plan. With time to maintain I want to keep motivated. I have a few options- I can complete another 1/2 (maybe RNR AZ if I can get some cash together, if not something local), begin working toward a marathon (probably the Ellerbe marathon in Feb., very low key), or return to my first ever 5k on 1/1/11 an attempt a PR. Not a course PR, a 5k PR. That goal is somewhat lofty because my 5k PR was on a course that was not as hilly as this one,  but it is five months later and I think I am in better shape. I thought about this earlier and remembered that one of my original intentions with this blog was to try a variety of sports and document it. Not knowing which way to go I decided I should put it in my follower's hands. I feel I am up to most any of those three challenges.

WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD DO NEXT?
FEEL FREE TO SUGGEST A NEW CHALLENGE!

10 comments:

Andrew Opala said...

I think you will be harder on yourself than that coach could ever be!

I do track intervals on Tuesdays ... in fact after I post this comment I'm off to do so now.

abbi said...

Umm...work towards marathon but try for the 5K PR too?!?

KovasP said...

Do you need a challenge? Maybe just use the offseason for base mileage, long, slow distances.

Caratunk Girl said...

I hear New Orleans 70.3 is awesome. Just saying.

Since a 70.3 is your A race, I say train for the Marathon if it works for you - build your endurance..and do the 5K just to see what happens. You might surprise yourself...

Tuesdays are always hell days for me - so I am in. Busting my butt in the pain cave after work today.

Molly said...

maybe you should try something new, like yoga or a really good stretching routine?

Lucas R. Tucker said...

Kovas- I don't need the challenge as much as structure to keep me training. If I don't have the carrot of an event up front I will fall off.

Molly- I do a stretching routine every monday and thursday. I keep the gym's yoga schedule on my fridge but never seem to make it there.

Joel said...

I like the idea of Terrible Tuesdays. With my marathon training, Tuesdays have typically been my 5-mile time trial day - and I've been pushing that hard.

Have you thought about Rev3 in Knoxville? It's in May and close to you. Also, there's Rev3 in Anderson SC in October. Both will be A races for me next year. I've raced the FL 70.3 twice, and I've got to say it's a BRUTAL race. It's not hard (technically) but the heat and humidity will destroy you. Since you don't have much of either in Western NC, I'd suggest avoiding it. Just my 2 cents...

Joel said...

...and adding more credence to my response above...I live 2 hours from Orlando and train in the heat here every day, and that race still kills me!

KC (my 140 point 6 mile journey) said...

Terrible Tuesday should run from M thru F. Just sayin'. Great idea! I'm thinking you should do the Nola 70.3. Never done the Florida one but can confirm with Joel, it is always brutal that time of year. If you have other choices, i say put Florida at the bottom of the list especially in the summer months.

Andrew Opala said...

BTW I remember my coach's name Gary Lumley!

Woohoo! only ... hmmm ... 30 years ago!