Training in Earnest

It has become painfully apparent that my training has reached a new level of intensity. I'm sore in places I didn't even know COULD be sore. I'm exhausted. My diet has become completely wacky. And I can't stop now.

I had my first bike ride this weekend. For everyone else on the team, it was their third (the first practice I didn't HAVE a bike, the second one I was in Canada on business). The plan was: run 1/2 mile, bike 18-24 miles, run 2 more miles. Having no concept of what 18 miles on a bike felt like, I didn't quite know what to expect.

First of all, it was cold. As in I-can-see-every-molecule-of-air-I'm-breathing-out cold. And it was raining. I bundled up. 4 layers on top, 3 on bottom (one of which I removed for the bike ride so my pants wouldn't get caught in the chain). After a wobbly start, I finally figured out how to get my feet in the toe cages and was on my way. 15 minutes and a tutorial from one of my mentors later, I had my gears figured out (more or less). The first few miles were quite pleasant, even with the rain. We were biking around the perimeter of Mercer Island, so there was a nice water view the entire way.

After an hour, I began to get a little anxious. How far had I gone? Where was that silly bridge I was supposed to be riding to? It seemed like an eternity, but I finally reached the bridge. I was supposed to go across the bridge and back (5 miles) but I knew that if I did that I wouldn't be able to run the two miles. I cut my ride short (come on, 13 miles isn't bad!!) and proceeded with the run. I should say walk, because as soon as I got off that bike my body was done. My legs were okay (a big thank you to my trainer Dawn!), but my chest was so tight from bending over the handlebars, I felt like I couldn't get a decent breath of air. So I mainly walked the 2 miles, but I did it!

Then I went home and slept for 4 hours.

Sunday, training continued with my first swim. Since I never learned how to properly swim, I was in the beginner's class, in the number 1 lane (the beginners of the beginners). To break my current bad habits, I spent the entire hour learning how to breath correctly (I like to have my head above the water at all times). I'm slowly getting it, but it's going to take a lot of practice.

And then today after work, I went and did my weekly weight training with Dawn.

I am so tired.