Training Slump

Before I get back to catching you all up on my life, I thought I'd ramble a bit about training. I'm in a slump. I'm still pretty diligent about getting in 2-3 swims a week and 3 bikes...but my runs....well let's just say it's been a fight to get me out doing those.

First I have to say 'It's not all my fault'. I know, it sounds like an excuse, but it is so difficult to feel motivated to run when it's snowy, icy, freezing, pouring rain with huge puddles, etc...This winter has been tough for runners in WI. The weather has made it challenging and a bit unsafe at times. Yes, I could certainly head for a treadmill, but that is so boring I can't even begin to describe the monotony of running in one place for 45 minutes or longer. I've been lucky to run 10 miles in one week lately.

Second, everyone around me has been sick lately. I've been trying to avoid getting sick and every time I have a single symptom I take time off and rest. This has worked for me so far, but has also gotten me into a position where I don't feel like running much. It's frustrating and makes me anxious about what will happen with my running once the weather turns the corner. I definitely feel slow and probably am slower than I was a few months ago since my running has cut back a bit.

Swimming is going well. I did have my Time Trial last week and I knew during the warm-up that I was going to have a less than ideal TT. I swam a 5:55 for 400 yards. That's an official personal best for me, but I know I'm capable of much more than that. Just a few days ago at practice I was swimming my 200's in 2:48 or 2:50. The nice part about those was they didn't feel like Time Trial pace, but were quite a bit faster than my TT pace last Friday. That's the way it goes though, some days you have it and some days you don't. It's just the nature of training. You accept the bad days because you can't always have good days. It doesn't work like that.

Biking is also going well. I'm really anxious to get my bike out on the road this spring and see how my training over the winter has affected my road riding. I've worked hard on the bike and am hoping that translates into some good bike splits this summer.

I need to get back to days of long bike rides and runs...blue skies, warm temperatures, carrying water or gatorade on a hot summer day. I'll just say it, I'm sick of winter. Spring and Summer can't come soon enough....