Last week we waved goodbye to 2022 and smiled as we welcomed 2023.
Quote of the week:
“Goodbye 2022! Hello 2023!”
~ Me 🥰
Swim highlights: 10,075 yards
Monday we were given time to free swim without a scheduled workout and it was SO AWESOME!! I swam one of my favorite workouts…3×800 with increasing effort at Ironman pace. It has been great to swim with the Masters group, but there hasn’t been any endurance swimming for me since Ironman Arizona, so getting to swim 800s made my heart happy!
Bike highlights: 128 miles
Last week’s rides were more aerobic and tempo based. A great way to ease into my relationship with Moxie!
Run highlights: 4.25 miles
I got a couple of short runs in last week, but no pics were taken.
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily 2×30 minutes full body strength
Last week was a short work week due to a blizzard + the holidays. Despite Mother Nature not letting us all get together for the holidays, we enjoyed some time with loved ones here in town as well as quiet solo time.
Quote of the week:
“Merry everything and happy always”
~ unknown
Swim highlights: 8675 yards
I had multiple swims last week with the Masters group focusing on short/fast efforts. I got a lot of help + practice working on my butterfly stroke. I REALLY enjoy the masters community and the diversity of swim workouts that we do, but with most of our swim sessions being short efforts, I REALLY miss long endurance efforts.
Bike highlights: 65.6 miles
Eeeekkkk…I got my new steed for Christmas and she is not only beautiful, but so enjoyable to ride! We are getting more and more acquainted with each other.
Run highlights: 6.45 miles
Time with these two while pounding the pavement always warms my heart (which was needed since it has been so cold)! 🥰
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily 3×30 minutes full body strength
Last week I got back to doing what I love and with it came all the doms (delayed onset muscle soreness). It feels SO good to not be able to walk straight, lift my arms above my head, and naturally squat down to the toilet seat. 😜
Quote of the week:
“DOMS: proof that you pushed yourself, so enjoy the pain.”
~ unknown
Swim highlights: 4750 yards
I ripped off the band-aid and got myself back into the pool on Friday morning. The time away was just what I needed to reset myself…so much so that my first swim back I successfully swam the butterfly stroke for the first time EVER in my life. I have lots of room for improvement. I may not be where I want to be with it YET, but I have the form down and am continuing to show up to make it better! ⚡️ 🥳
Bike highlights: 16.7 miles
I got my new bike last week! She is all built, set up, and ready to ride. We spent a little bit of time together last week to start building our relationship. I’ll get pictures out of her soon!
Run highlights: 3.07 miles
I ran with Jersey one day last week. It was a brisk run, but nothing like what our temps are going to look like this week. Sadly I didn’t any pics of this adventure.
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily 2×30 minutes full body strength
Last week was all about resting. I am taking as much time as I need to fully recover physically, mentally, and emotionally. My body is enjoying the break, but my brain is not fully on board with the rest.
Quote of the week:
“Sometimes making progress means taking rest days.”
~Unknown
Swim highlights: 2800 yards
Monday morning I made it to masters swim and was so grateful for the help on my butterfly stroke, but then the wheels fell off and my body really just wanted rest for the remainder of the week. There are no swimming pictures from last week.
Bike highlights: 0 miles
There was no time on the bike last week.
Run highlights: 2.46 miles
I ran with Isabella at a fun run on campus Friday night. My body was not fully on board with this, but it was fun to get to run with her.
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily
Last week was spent making the trek home. We left Tempe on Tuesday and made our way to Colorado to spend Thanksgiving with Tim’s sister and brother-in-law before heading home on Black Friday. It was so nice to be home and get to see our girls!
Quote of the week:
“I constantly remind myself that resting takes confidence. Anyone can train like a mad man but to embrace rest and to allow all the hard training to come out takes mental strength.”
~Ryan Hall
Swim highlights: yards
Wednesday we swam in Denver, CO. The combination of elevation + post IM racing had me grateful to just stay afloat. Saturday morning we were back at master’s swim at home. This was my first real swim with the master’s group; prior to IM I had been doing my own workouts…I have a lot of work to do!
There was no structure for my first swim back. The only goals were to move and not drown…both of which were accomplished.
Bike highlights: 0 miles
There were no bike miles last week.
Run highlights: 0 miles
There were no run miles last week, but I did get multiple walks in totaling 7.7 miles for the week.
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily from Wednesday through Sunday
Last week started with a drive from Colorado to Flagstaff and then on to Tempe. So grateful for the opportunity to visit a few national parks along the way, safe travels, and exploring new places. I crossed the start line and finish line of IRONMAN #10. I’ll have a race report after I take time to process the day.
Quote of the week:
“Race week anticipation is having belief in your race and trust in your training.”
~Vanessa Faye Foerester
Swim highlights: 10,070 yards
We did a “tour de pools” during race week. It is always fun to explore other places and their pools! Tuesday’s swim was at NAU’s 50 meter pool at 7000 feet in Flagstaff, AZ. Wednesday’s swim was at ASU’s rec services 25 yard outdoor pool at 1200 feet in Tempe, AZ. Friday’s swim was at Mona Plummer (ASU’s competition pool). Getting to swim outdoor in a swimming pool in November was amazing! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to swim in other pools! Saturday and Sunday’s swims were both in Tempe Town Lake, but more on that in another post.
Warm up:
300 easy 10×50 drills 4×50 descend
Main Set:
4x through the following:
50 Z5 (10)
150 Z4 (30) Working on getting out fast at the start of a race and settling into threshold pace
Cool Down:
200 any
Bike highlights: 164 miles
I had a couple of rides on the trainer (one in Flagstaff at 7000 feet elevation) and one in Tempe to keep the body sharp, but on Friday I got to ride outside in Tempe with one of my Coeur Sports teammates on the IMAZ run course. It was so fun to meet some of the people I have known via social media and Zoom meetings IRL!
Run highlights: 32.6 miles
Both last week were at high elevation. Monday was at Arches National Park (at over 5000 feet) and Wednesday was in Flagstaff (at 7000 feet). This flatlander was definitely winded, but not as winded as I expected.
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily
Last week I began tapering the bike and mid week the swim. I do a staggered taper as I find it works best for me and keeps me fresh and ready to race. So my last long run was on Wednesday, October 26, my last long ride was on Sunday, November 6, and my last long swim was on Wednesday, November 9. With less time focused on training, I had more time to pack and prepare for our upcoming trip.
Quote of the week:
“Trust the taper.”
~Unknown
Swim highlights: 13,500 yards
Wednesday was my last long swim, so I am officially tapering all three disciplines! Hello happy dance!
Warm up:
200 swim
100 kick
200 drills
200 pull
Main Set: More effort should be exerted from one set of intervals to the next (and in theory slightly faster pacing as you work through the main set)
500 (:10 rest)
2×400 (:15 rest)
3×300 (:20 rest)
4×200 (:25 rest)
5×100 (:30 rest)
6×50 on the 1:00
8×25 sprints (:10 rest)
Cool Down:
300 any stroke
Bike highlights: 90.3 miles
All the bike miles were logged on the trainer this week. So grateful for the Coeur Velo ladies to not only ride with, but to also keep me entertained.
Run highlights: 11.4 miles
Wednesday was the last 70 degree day here in central Iowa, so I took advantage of it by getting out for a run (or two…hello double run day). Oh…and 36 hours later the windchill was 7F, so winter has definitely arrived here in central Iowa.
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily
Weekly Totals: 12 hours & 50 minutes 2×30 minutes of full body strength training
Last week I threw the Hillbilly Hike 1/2 marathon into my training plan, but I decided ahead of time to not actually “race” it but rather to use it as a long catered training run to get everything dialed in for IMAZ. I am using the knowledge I learned from racing it two weeks out from IMAZ in 2021 to better prepare myself for IMAZ 2022. The weather was craptastic, so it might have been better to race it to be done sooner, but I know that would not have helped to set me up to achieve my goals for IMAZ in less than 2 weeks.
Quote of the week:
“The person who starts the race is not the same person who finishes the race.”
~Unknown
Swim highlights: 9,300 yards
Wednesday was my longest swim of the week and it was a doozy! I’m feeling better and better every day as I shed the fatigue and fine tune the body for race day!
Warm up:
200 swim
200 drills
4×50 (25 fast/25 easy) (5 sec rest)
Main Set:
5×100 descending (20 sec rest)
500 pull (try to hold same pace as last 100) (20 sec rest)
4×100 descending (20 sec rest)
400 pull (try to hold same pace as last 100) (20 sec rest)
3×100 descending (20 sec rest)
300 pull (try to hold same pace as last 100) (20 sec rest)
Rest 2 minutes
800 swim holding best average possible
Cool Down:
200 any stroke
Bike highlights: 142 miles
All of the miles last week were on indoors on the trainer…including my last long ride before IMAZ.
Run highlights: 34.7 miles
Wednesday I had a double run day. The 7 am miles were much chillier than the 8 pm miles. It was so nice to be outside in November in Iowa with temps in the 70s. Saturday I ran the Hillbilly Hike 1/2 marathon and the weather looked MUCH different!
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily
Weekly Totals: 18 hours & 22 minutes 2×30 minutes of full body strength training
Last week was another solid week of training! The climb to this point has been pretty amazing! I love overcoming the challenges along the way and becoming the best version of myself that I can be in the process. I am at the summit of my training cycle and ready to start shedding some of this fatigue so I can fine tune this machine for IMAZ. We are less than 3 weeks until race day and I am SO FREAKING EXCITED! ⚡️
Quote of the week:
“The summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what matters.”
~Conrad Anker
Swim highlights: 11,300 yards
Wednesday was my favorite swim of the week (see workout below), with my longest swim being on Friday.
Warm up:
300 swim
4×50 descending
200 pull
100 easy
Main Set:
5×300 race effort (20 sec rest)
100 easy
Rest 1 minute
5×300 race effort (20 sec rest)
Cool Down:
100 easy
Bike highlights: 173 miles
I was so blessed with a great weather day on Saturday to get out for my last long ride. It started off chilly (35F), but there were no winds, so I put on all the layers and headed out. As the sun climbed, so did the temps and by midday it was nearly 70F.
Run highlights: 41.9 miles
Wednesday was my last long run before IMAZ. The fall colors are sure popping!
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily
Weekly Totals: 22 hours & 16 minutes 2×30 minutes of full body strength training
Last week was my last REALLY big week of training for IMAZ. I will have another big week this week with some big workouts, but overall there will be fewer hours of training this week than last. The “twist”…since I had 14 miles to run on Sunday, I decided to sign up for a local 5K and 10K race (with the 5K at 9 am and the 10K at 10 am) adding in some warm up miles and a few miles in between to get to my targeted 14 miles for the day.
Quote of the week:
“Peak week is here.”
~ME
Swim highlights: 13,600 yards
Friday was my biggest swim of the week with 5100 yards.
Warm up:
300 swim
200 drills
Main Set:
3×1500 (60 sec) at race pace
Cool Down:
100 any stroke
Bike highlights: 222 miles
I’m so grateful that I was able to rearrange my work schedule Friday so that I could get out and do my long ride on a day when the weather was a 10!
Run highlights: 41.9 miles
Last week I got to run with Isabella multiple times. I am SO incredibly grateful for the miles and conversations that I get to have with her!
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily
Weekly Totals: 26 hours & 2 minutes 2×30 minutes of full body strength training