Sometimes all you need to do is stop?!?
So since I started to officially train, things have been going pretty good. Swimming has gone much better than anticipated and running has been steady. Then I started biking... Wow. I sure hope it doesn't take my legs to long to work off the winter biking blues.
So, before this week I was most worried about the sports in this order: swimming, running, biking. Now that has completely reversed to: biking, running, swimming.
Yesterday I ran into an old friend and found out he was training for an Olympic triathlon in July. He is already biking 30 miles for his long work outs. WHAT!?! I couldn't even admit to him my long bike ride has only been 10 miles and I'm doing the triathlon in June!
Then, today I had a long run - 7 miles. This was to be the longest run I've ever done. It was the worst run I have ever done (or at least as long as I can remember). I would tell you, that this is why I never liked running, but that wouldn't be entirely true. I never liked running before because I would run too fast and always feel like I was going to puke at the end. Today it wasn't about feeling like I was going to lose breakfast, I just couldn't move. I kept thinking, "My muscles just need to warm up," "Pretty soon they will loosen up and I'll feel better," "Maybe I need to lengthen my stride. Is my stride messed up?" or "It was because I was going up-hill for so long, this is a new route and I'm just not used to it."
It never got better. By mile 4, I thought with every step I was going to fall into the Earth because every part of my body felt heavy. By mile 4.5, I had to stop. Now unfortunately, I was on a long new route that was a loop. I didn't have my phone on me, so I had to make it home. For the rest of the 2.5 miles I had left, I did a combination of walk, run, stop and stretch, repeat.
Am, I going to let one bad run stop me. NO. But I would like to know what happened. Am I tired? Not enough energy because I didn't eat enough before going out? Too much working out too fast?
On a positive note. I finished my run today, it wasn't pretty or the way I thought it would go, but I finished. That should be a good reminder of my goal for this Triathlon. I just want to finish. It may not go as well as I dream it will, but my goal is to finish and if I keep up with my training, I should be able to accomplish that.
Sometimes you do just have to stop.
