Week of rest

After a few weeks of some mostly good training, I finally have to back it down a bit.  I've been pushing the mileage lately on both the run and bike and seeing some reward mostly on the bike.  My running isn't were I'd like it to be but it is where it should be right now.  As for the swimming, well...I have a lot of work to do on that.  I have been swimming about 2-3 times per week but I'm at one of those points I'm not seeing much gain lately and may need to seek some help.  Quite simply, I need to be a better swimmer and I'm nervous about swimming without my wetsuit in Kona.  For those non-triathlon readers, the wetsuit is a huge help as it creates a lot of buoyancy, especially to pull up the hips to swim like a boat on top of the water as opposed to a dog swimming through water.  It is even a greater help to people like me who aren't the strongest swimmers. 

Up until now, the goal of all my training has been building an aerobic base; trying to get more efficient in all three aspects.  Pushing the big mileage has certainly taken its toll, mentally and physically.  Yesterday I did what was supposed to be an enjoyable easy 16 mile run but it was neither enjoyable nor easy.  I got clipped TWICE by bikers while on the trail.  This hasn't even happened to me once before.  As my friend Jess would say, "Ryan, you're bold."  And that held true yesterday after the second time someone clipped my arm biking.  I said a few choice words and continued on my way.  The less-than-fun continued as I had to stop 4 times to stretch my legs to loosen up my hamstring just so I could continue running.  I really hate having to stop while on a run as it throws off my rhythm but I really couldn't go on.  I was exactly at the half-way point when I felt a slight jerk in my lower hamstring in a step I made from the trail to the sidewalk.  Unfortunately this meant the run was over from a training standpoint and the goal was now to just make it home without further hurting myself.  This wouldn't be that big of a deal except I was 8 miles from home and I hadn't given myself any extra time more than what I needed to make it home, shower, and get off to work, especially now that I was at a slower pace.  This is just a stupid minor injury that came up when you don't rest when you should.  I have been planning a down week for the past month but this week was a little easier at work so I thought I would try to get a couple extra days in before work gets busy starting tomorrow.  This almost never works.  I need to be smarter that if I'm supposed to rest, I should rest. 

The reason I was so hell-bent on getting a couple good days in is that starting tomorrow, I switch back to working with patients in the hospital rather than in the clinic.  This makes for earlier days, usually later evenings, more overnights, and sadly, no days off until June 23rd.  So no long rides on the schedule and any long run means a 3am wake up call.  But first an easy week. 


Most of the yin and yang of my training is the direct opposite of what is occurring at work.  Fortunately for me, my residency is not a strenuous as many other specialties and, at least this year, I'm afforded the opportunity to focus more on training.  This month work pulls back at me and my training will take a backseat.  It will be a good time to both rest my body and refresh my mind.  Then I can switch the focus of my training to going faster rather than merely completing distance. 

My training I feel is mostly on par with where it should be at this time of year.  I'm very relieved to have been back training again after what amounted to almost 5 months off from any productive running with my hip flexor strain.  At this point I'm most nervous about the swim.  The bike is going very well and I know I can my run where it needs to be.  Last year at this time I was running great and found it difficult to maintain that fitness through the fall.  I'm certainly not in race shape right now, but I feel I have built a pretty good base even with those months missed. 

A quote I came across hanging in the locker of one of my favorite Dolphins players a few years back that has kept me going these past three months of long, monotonous training:

"If you want something you've never had before, you have to do something you've never done before."