Those crazies.
Before I ever started running...I used to be one of those people who'd be out driving and think to myself "those people are crazy"anytime I saw someone running in the rain...snow...ice...etc. If the temperature and the elements didn't align, I couldn't understand why someone would make themselves suffer.
Then I started training for my first marathon. And the runs in the rain and the snow all began to make sense. When you've got a goal in mind, you deal with the elements and get the miles done anyway. No little rain storm should make you miss a long workout (and I'm definitely not one to grind it out on the hamster wheel).
So when I saw today's weather for rain I allowed myself to grumble about it and procrastinate for a few hours before actually getting laced up and moving. I knew I wouldn't be the only one out there chugging through it...and that once I got going I'd actually enjoy myself.
...and I did.
A HR Z1-2 run was on tap (and they drive me ten shades of crazy for how slow I have to go to keep under 153bpm) for 80 minutes. Temps were hovering in the mid-upper 40's and the rain just kept coming down. I was one of those crazies...and I knew some of the people driving in the warm, dry cars along Lake Shore Drive were judging me...thinking that I was insane.
I'd exchange a small smile or head nod with just about every runner or cyclist out there. Afterall, we were all in this together today.
...and then I saw someone taking crazy to a whole new level.
On my run north...I saw a guy in a wet suit...running in and out of the water (nevermind the fact the lake isn't technically open for public swimming yet). He'd go and swim for a few minutes...come out...run on the beach and then go back in the water again. Given the fact that the water can't be warmer than 40 degrees...he brought "training in the elements" to a whole new level.
After I turned around to run back south he was coming out of the water and walking to his car. I asked him how it was, to which he promptly replied "crisp" through his chattering lips. Then when I asked what he was doing he simply said "getting my body ready for Coeur d'Alene." If you didn't know, CdA is one of the coldest Ironman swims out there...last year it was in the upper 50's.
I'm not convinced that self-induced hypothermia is the answer, but hey...to each their own. I'm sure I'm bound to do some pretty unusual things along the way to Ironman Arizona that will make you fine folks raise an eyebrow and question my sanity.
It was a good solid week of training with a bit of good ole fashion drama mixed in. Some of the week's highlights include:
- Pool being closed for a swim workout and me discovering this fact while standing on the pooldeck in my suit with towel in hand (at least I hadn't dived in yet).
- Finding myself ravenously hungry almost every day.
- A bike test that I completely and totally failed. Big! Fat! F!!!
- And my first outdoor group ride of the year including a punctured tire (thanks for saving the day, Jeff). So Little Red Riding Hood will be getting a new set of tires this week along with a nice pre-season tune up.
Here's how the week ultimately panned out for me...
Swim - 2650 yards
Bike Trainer - 1h25m
Outdoor Bike - 25.5 miles
Run - 11.8 miles
Strength - 32m
Time - 7:44
The tiredness has definitely set in as I've found myself going to bed earlier and earlier each night. Soon I'll hopefully find my rhythm and get the early morning workouts and late night meals into a solid routine. 216 days and counting...
Then I started training for my first marathon. And the runs in the rain and the snow all began to make sense. When you've got a goal in mind, you deal with the elements and get the miles done anyway. No little rain storm should make you miss a long workout (and I'm definitely not one to grind it out on the hamster wheel).
So when I saw today's weather for rain I allowed myself to grumble about it and procrastinate for a few hours before actually getting laced up and moving. I knew I wouldn't be the only one out there chugging through it...and that once I got going I'd actually enjoy myself.
...and I did.
A HR Z1-2 run was on tap (and they drive me ten shades of crazy for how slow I have to go to keep under 153bpm) for 80 minutes. Temps were hovering in the mid-upper 40's and the rain just kept coming down. I was one of those crazies...and I knew some of the people driving in the warm, dry cars along Lake Shore Drive were judging me...thinking that I was insane.
I'd exchange a small smile or head nod with just about every runner or cyclist out there. Afterall, we were all in this together today.
...and then I saw someone taking crazy to a whole new level.
On my run north...I saw a guy in a wet suit...running in and out of the water (nevermind the fact the lake isn't technically open for public swimming yet). He'd go and swim for a few minutes...come out...run on the beach and then go back in the water again. Given the fact that the water can't be warmer than 40 degrees...he brought "training in the elements" to a whole new level.
After I turned around to run back south he was coming out of the water and walking to his car. I asked him how it was, to which he promptly replied "crisp" through his chattering lips. Then when I asked what he was doing he simply said "getting my body ready for Coeur d'Alene." If you didn't know, CdA is one of the coldest Ironman swims out there...last year it was in the upper 50's.
I'm not convinced that self-induced hypothermia is the answer, but hey...to each their own. I'm sure I'm bound to do some pretty unusual things along the way to Ironman Arizona that will make you fine folks raise an eyebrow and question my sanity.
It was a good solid week of training with a bit of good ole fashion drama mixed in. Some of the week's highlights include:
- Pool being closed for a swim workout and me discovering this fact while standing on the pooldeck in my suit with towel in hand (at least I hadn't dived in yet).
- Finding myself ravenously hungry almost every day.
- A bike test that I completely and totally failed. Big! Fat! F!!!
- And my first outdoor group ride of the year including a punctured tire (thanks for saving the day, Jeff). So Little Red Riding Hood will be getting a new set of tires this week along with a nice pre-season tune up.
Here's how the week ultimately panned out for me...
Swim - 2650 yards
Bike Trainer - 1h25m
Outdoor Bike - 25.5 miles
Run - 11.8 miles
Strength - 32m
Time - 7:44
The tiredness has definitely set in as I've found myself going to bed earlier and earlier each night. Soon I'll hopefully find my rhythm and get the early morning workouts and late night meals into a solid routine. 216 days and counting...
Labels: training totals
posted by Iron Jayhawk at 4:17 PM
2 Camper Comments:
You are doing great on the workouts. I was one of the wimps in the gym today!
Great job! Well done on the week's workouts. And YES you are a bad ass for getting out there in the rain - I love that feeling!
I am sure many of the things we do this year will make "normal" people wonder about our sanity :)
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