I am beginning to worry that I will not be able to squeeze enough time out of my week for proper training. I am having a difficult time getting more than 2 hours a day for training, even on weekends. Try as I might, real life seems to interfere with my ability to find large blocks of time to devote to true endurance workouts. There is always so much work to be done around the house, and there is no one to do it but me. I am trying to get my garden tilled and planted, yard debris burned while it is still okay to burn, and parts of my house painted. Not to mention housework, and the day to day chores of living. Plus, work has been kicking my ass lately. I am starting at 7:00 am so I can't manage a morning workout anymore. Theoretically, I should be getting off work at 3:30, which would, in theory, give me longer evening workouts. Theory and reality though, are two separate things. I have yet to get off work on time, instead I am putting in 9 hour days, which are kicking my ass and not leaving me with a lot of energy to devote to training. Delusional as I am, I keep hoping that things will improve, that I will manage to readjust something to make it so I am out of work on time. But that hasn't happened in 6 weeks. I admit, the overtime is great, I need the money, but it is getting to the point that the money is not worth it. Especially if it interferes with my ability to train enough to be ready for the Epic 250K.
I have set a few time frames for myself. The key factor will be my cycling stamina and endurance. I have decided that I need to be able to complete a Century ride (100 miles) by early July. As of yet, I have not gotten out for much riding, instead I am putting in diligent hours inside on the trainer. The upside of this is that I am training my legs to grind a hard gear at a high cadence for long periods of time without stopping. I can peddle nonstop for a solid 2 hours without much difficulty. This will pay off when I finally get out on the roads, which needs to be soon. I will just have to block out time for long rides once the weather is more cooperative. Fortunately, it's not like there are people who expect anything out of me once I am home. There are definite bonuses to intentionally having no social life.
My running is coming along decently. I have decided to go with a Run/Walk protocol, since my asthma seems to be a definite inhibitor for me increasing my mileage. I've noticed that even at an easy pace, once I have run about 3 miles my asthma starts to flare up. I have not been using my Qvar inhaler, I don't like the idea of continually pumping steroids into my lungs. I will, however, return to using it regularly when I get closer to my main event. A Run/Walk protocol is exactly what it sounds like: Run some, walk some. I am doing a 10:1 ratio, 10 minutes running, 1 minute power walking. This is actually a highly recommended method for novice athletes in ultra-endurance events, and I am definitely a novice.
Of course my swimming is right on track. I have upped my weekly swims to 2 miles each, 2 or 3 times a week. Last week I only swam twice, but it was because I forgot my swim bag on thursday, but I have hit the pool 3 times a week for the last month, increasing my weekly miles from 3 or 4 miles weekly, to 6 miles weekly. I am not worried about increasing my mileage much more right now, that will happen when the Cove warms up and I can swim after work.
I am trying to focus attention my my limiters, the areas that I need improvement. Swimming was a past limiter, now it is where I am most comfortable with my current rate of training, as well as my endurance, strength, technique, and sheer love of the activity. Cycling, I am getting nervous about the miles I need to be able to start clocking, as well as the needed hill training, and altitude training. Running, yes, definitely my weakest link, but I also know that I can gut out the run leg if I have to. I am increasing my run mileage gradually in the hopes of avoiding the problems with tired, strained muscles that lead to such severe leg cramps in both the Hagg Lake Trail Half, and in run leg of my 70.3. I am trying to build my cycling and running base slowly and solidly, avoiding strain and injury. I will not allow myself to cripple myself with my zeal, not this year. But I have got to increase the time I spend training. Somehow I need to make more time, but there never seems to be enough time.
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