Big push, Big work!

I recently launched the new music/choreography for Les Mills RPM and one of the instructors uses the phrase, "Big push, Big work" to help motivate the riders through the hills.

I find myself in some rolling hills...teaching, coaching, personal training, my training schedule...the hills keep on coming.

It's crunch time with teaching as our evaluators for accreditation visit and we close up the student reviews for the year. My triathlete clients are ramping up for their seasons, which starts for some this weekend! I have been working on building my personal training program and it has been steady but building new and fun workouts is always a challenge. My youth triathletes have three weeks to their goal race. Then there's my Ironman training...As I begin the push into Ironman Texas in May, I am starting to focus more on the "key workouts" versus making all the little one. I am in the Big push/Big work phase for the next couple months.

Just keep swimming...

I have progressed to a point in my Ironman training where the volume of miles starts to creep up. I have been successful at reaching the goal for the run and swim but still struggle to find the time and weather that will permit for longer rides.

Today, I procrastinated the swim twice before actually getting in the pool. At that point, I had determined that I had to swim at least 30 minutes before calling it quits! During my warm up, I made the decision that instead of trying to find a good excuse to quit and leave early, I would "just swim" without concern about pace.

My workout, 3600 yards 

400 warm up (200 swim/200 pull)
2x 10 minutes (~600)
2x 1000

I will admit that I could tell that I was slipping off my regular swim pace by the second 10-minute swim and started to get worried. With the first 1000, I just swam. Found a grove and stuck with it, that swim was my slowest all season at a 1:45/100yd. I decided to make the last set a pull and to treat it like it was the final 1000 of the race. I picked up the pace and checked my watch often, a sure sign that I was traveling out of my comfort zone. I kept repeating that a strong finish is awesome and that I had entered the canal in The Woodlands! It kept me motivated to finish the set.

Overall, I'm happy with the session. It's like when you go out for a ride and the wind is crazy, you call it a confidence booster. Today was a confidence booster in the pool. Even if I fall off the pace, I can still finish strong and get the work done!

My Journey...My Way

As a result of social media, I have an idea of what others have on their schedule for specific training. Although I have a plan for the season, I take a ride on the roller coaster of emotions..."should I be completing that distance?" "why don't I have that many activities on my plan?" "what intervals are they completing?" I recently realized that I have been allowing other athletes to influence my training decisions.

I consider myself a highly competitive person with type A tendencies. I also realize that I only have so much time to dedicate to training while keeping my work and family priorities near the top of the list.

I spent much of last evening reviewing my training plan, self coached! The key workouts are there. The work commitments are there. The vacations and family obligations are there. So now...I do my best to get my workouts completed. I understand that I can't compare myself to other athletes...I don't know their priorities, work/family balance, goals for the race, weakness/strengths in each sport.

I write this in hopes that I can calm the anxiety. That I can share that it is normal to compare yourself to others but only so long as it is healthy. You are only accountable to yourself. As long as you are complacent with your choices, you have already won the race.

In the end, this is MY JOURNEY, MY WAY!

On the run course....

Last weekend, I ran the Houston Aramco 1/2 Marathon.

After succumbing to the prospect of THREE medals, I entered the ABB 5k on Saturday to be followed by the 1/2 on Sunday. At the start line on Saturday, I heard many grumblings about "why did I think this was worth it?" "what was I thinking?" "was it necessary to wake up early two-days in a row AND pay for parking?" I towed the line with  a small contingent from my running club and one of my training partners. We made simple goals which were based on keeping the pace light since we were all running the next day.  My partner and I started easy, chatting as the time passed but soon found ourselves running faster and talking less. By the time we crossed the finish line, we had initiated a 3/4 mile kick to the finish and came in over 45 seconds/mile faster than planned. Of course we felt great and could've gone faster but we felt good.

Showing up on Sunday for the 1/2 marathon, we started to feel the effects of waking up early and having the adrenaline rush that comes with racing. Again, plans were made for pace. I am still training for my Ironman in May so I wanted to keep this run "training pace." My partner and I started slow and negative split the event. We stopped for Vaseline and photos with family. Our finish time was at the fast end of the plan but 100% on goal. It's hard to run "the plan" and not feel like you missed the mark. I am still struggling with the self-doubt and what-ifs of running a faster race but I know the plan will help me achieve my goal for Ironman.

During the first couple of miles, I found myself nostalgic for the full marathon. I have rarely run a stand alone marathon and have never finished under 5 hours. I remember saying that I should train and complete a marathon, maybe next year. It's on the bucket list! Mind you, this was in the first couple of miles of the race....by mile 10, I was singing a different tune. This distance is great! Why would anyone want to run more? Did I really say I wanted to do a full?

As the soreness has started to wane and my desire to "race" has started to settle back in...I find myself back to thinking about the full distance. What course would I want to race? Who will run with me to help me achieve my goal?

Scared...Obsessed...Determined

Scared.  Over a week ago, I started putting together an overall training plan for Ironman Texas in May. It was a time consuming but distracting adventure. I vaguely plotted my key workouts for swim/bike/run for the entire 24 weeks of my training plan. The planning began because other athletes started posting their workouts and plans for their training...reminding me that I hadn't started training or planning.

I will be here again! You are an Ironman!!!

Obsessed. Last night I became obsessed with plotting each and every workout session on my personal calendar. I usually plan my workouts, like I would plan any other meeting. This was simply an extension of that planning and included more detail. I have been reluctant to plan my schedule because I knew it would be a daunting task with the shorter amount of available time for training, my work keeps getting in the way of my training!

Determined. With my carefully laid plans, I am determined to get my key workouts completed each week. With my workouts identified, my husband will be able to keep me accountable. He appreciates the forewarning of major workouts and enjoys playing "coach" for me.

6-Weeks to a Swimmer's Mile

Below is an interesting challenge to build endurance to a swimmers mile, 1650 yards.

You should perform each workout three times per week.

Week 1- 700
4x100 Rest 12 breaths between 100s
4x50 Rest 8 breaths
4x25 Rest 4 breaths

Week 2- 900
200 Rest 12 breaths
4x100 Rest 10
4x50 Rest 6
4x25 Rest 4

Week 3- 1200
400 Rest 12 breaths
200 Rest 10
4x100 Rest 8
4x50 Rest 4

Week 4- 1500
600 Rest 10 breaths
300 Rest 8
4x100 Rest 6
4x50 Rest 4

Week 5- 1600
1000 Rest 8 breaths
4x100 Rest 4
4x50 Rest 4

Week 6 (2 days)
1200 Rest 6 breaths
3x100 Rest 4
3x50 Rest 4

Last day of week 6-
1650 straight!

Found at http://ruthkazez.com/swimming/ZeroTo1mile.html

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Did that really happen? After studying off and on for 180 days, I finally sat down to take my exam.

I was offered the opportunity to get certified and jumped at the chance to expand my knowledge. I was more concerned with learning than thinking about training clients. My facility prioritizes certification from NASM as opposed to the other agencies, so I signed up and got started!

I received a textbook and access to online learning tools including chapter reviews/videos, flashcards, and a practice exam (self study). When I finally got strict with my studying regime, I added some notes from a friend that helped immensely.

After "studying" which included reading the textbook and watching the videos, I took the practice exam and was disillusioned by my score of 58%. This was going to be harder than I had hoped. I started making notecards but soon realized that I was going to have hundreds of cards...that I likely wouldn't actually study.

When I had put off studying for as long as possible, I had about 35 days until my 180 day window expired. I started by marking off 2 hours on my calendar each day for studying, even if I didn't study it was a visual cue that I should be! Just like I schedule exercise, I tried to schedule studying. In addition, my husband took the kids out for hours at a time so that I could work without distractions.

To be honest, I crammed all the information I could during a 7 day period. I tried to stay calm and focus on the big picture. A friend had recommended mnemonic devices for memorizing the overactive/underactive muscles used during assessments so I tried to memorize one each day. Then I charted exercises for each phase on a chart to find patterns that would help me differentiate them on the exam.

*Side note: I had always had a difficult time remembering the difference between cardiac output and stroke volume...don't you know that it showed up on the exam!

I'm excited to close the door on the stress of this test and focus on the path forward. Already thinking of how I can integrate my new skills into my current sessions at the gym.

How do you stay motivated?

Staying motivated for fitness can be difficult with mounting pressure from your to-do list. Whether it's the laundry pile, completing your kid's homework, a presentation due at work, or getting dinner on the table, setting priorities is hard even in the best of circumstances.

There is no magic recipe for motivation but there are some tips to help you stay focused.

1. Create an achievable goal and visualize it. Write it down, how will you feel when you complete it?  
2. Make a list of your reasons for this goal. Make it personal.
3. Break it down into smaller goals. It's hard enough to stay motivated over the long-term. Create smaller chunks that will reward your hard work along the way.
4. Have a strategy but be flexible. Don't let yourself give up, just try one more time until you reach your goal.
5. Determine ways to overcome setbacks. There will always be a bump in road, your job is to pre-think of ways to get back on track. Be it a quote or a friend that is battling illness, find the will to continue on your path.

What makes a good training partner?

A good training partner can motivate you, keep you accountable, and push you harder. Finding the right partner is like finding the perfect pair of jeans, it takes time but the right one "just fits"!

Six keys to being a good training partner

1. Show up on-time and prepared, just like you would for a business meeting or interview.
2. Everyone has a bad day, monitor your partner's progress and offer to take the load off to keep from injury.
3. We all appreciate constructive feedback, offer ideas to improve their form. Sometimes you need to hear what others see. 
   
4. Know your position. You don't have to be the one the "knows everything" all the time. It's okay to listen without offering advice.
5. Use your partner to motivate you, there's a reason there's no "I" in team. Build camaraderie, trust, and unity to help encourage your partner.
6. Show up with a workout plan. It's nice to be "off the hook" for preparing the workout but do your fair share of the work and bring ideas to the table too.

USA Triathlon Coaching Clinic

After coaching group workouts at the YCMA for several years, I made the decision to make myself "official" through the attainment of USA Triathlon Coach Certification. I applied to be 1 of 40 individuals deemed worthy of the coaching certification process at the expense of $555 and 2-days of training in a location that would require flights, lodging, and food. Whew!

I attended the clinic in Las Vegas in October, partly because I used to live there and had some friends that I could meet up with and partly because I thought I could squeeze some adult time in with my husband. (Side note: My husband thought it was VERY cool to be the spouse along for the business trip, including sleeping in late and "playing" while I was stuck in a room all day for lectures.) The clinic was 2- days of lecture based presentations made by three individuals. Topics included exercise physiology, running/cycling/swimming/strength skills, nutritional strategies, sports psychology, coaching as a business and planning.

Overall, the clinic was informative. It did not delve deeply into specifics of any topic. I would have hoped that it would have focused more on planning and coaching as a business but I suppose that is what continuing education will provide.

After the completion of the clinic. We received a coaching manual and a link to take the multiple choice/short answer/training plan portions of the exam. In addition, it is required to provide proof of CPR/AED certification, pass a background/criminal check, and sign an ethics agreement to become fully certified.

I passed my exams and became a coach, that was the easy part! I've now launched my coaching business with the hope of starting small and leaving room to grow.

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