The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Triathlon

I am still feeling like I am trying to get back in sync with my trio-rhythms.  I had a full week of workouts and the first time since Ironman that I finally got 3 runs, 3 swims and 3 bikes in, all in one week.  I am still missing some very key workouts like core and strength and flexibility training.  Today I feel like I have been beaten up and looking back on my week, I can see why.   Monday I started my week off with a gentle swim.  Tuesday, I missed my morning bike ride, so I called my friend to do my favorite roller coaster course in the afternoon followed by a 30 minute sunset run.  Wednesday, I went to a group swim workout and drank a lot of water.  Then, Wednesday night I went out for a "hill" workout with the club I joined.  Their definition of hill repeats were 4-5 minute uphill runs with recovery on the down hill.  I ran to the meeting place from my house and then ran to the starting point with the small group that showed up.  It was one of those humiliating moments when I saw the people in front of me slowly fade away.  I was feeling nauseous before we even started the repeats and thought if I made it to the start that would be good.  I swallowed my pride and after the second one, I got a little further up the hill each time and I finished all 4 repeats.  This night was an indicator of where my fitness stands.  The next morning I got a short bike ride in and then went with my friend to share her swim lesson.  This coach has a studio with an endless pool and does video analysis.  He had me swim on the line and was taping and excited to share his discoveries to help me improve my technique with hopes that it would get rid of my shoulder issues and maybe make me a little faster (which is not of concern to me, but training pain free is my priority).  The coach went to show me the video and the camera broke.  That was just another moment of the week that made me feel a little embarrassed that somehow "I broke the camera".  I did not know my swimming was that scary!  So many people tell me I am a good swimmer and I have decent swim times when my arm is not hurting too badly, but apparently I don't catch the water and am overusing certain muscle groups.  So, I am going to get a few one on one training sessions, but I have found in swimming, it is very hard to wipe out the pattern I have been using for almost a half a century!  Friday, I went out with a small group for another open water swim.  The water was colder this week and a little choppier but we swam over 2000 meters.  Still feeling like I am being pulled down by excess weight and just not as fit as I would hope to be at this point in the season, I headed out with my training buddy for a 70 mile bike ride.  We decided to go on our own so we would not feel pressured to keep up with a faster group and so we could pick our own course.  We picked a very challenging ride with lots of hills, some short and steep and others long.  We faced Nine Mile Hill which is popular among cyclists in the area.  We were quite pleased with the steady pace we held and felt strong.  In the midst of our high from this accomplishment, we planned a long run for the next day and decided to do a 15 mile trail run on a beautiful rolling desert trail painted with spring flowers.  I ran in perfect turtle style.....very slow and very steady.  It was the first run I have done on tired legs since Ironman.  I have avoided running long on the day after my bike ride because it is refreshing to run when your legs are not impaired, but in races you do need to be prepared to run when they are tired, but maybe doing 15 for the first tired leg run might have been a little too much as I limp around from bed to chair.  As hard as the week was, every hard workout where I feel like I want to cower makes me stronger for the next workout.  The hills are truly alive right now in Arizona as our desert is in bloom and triathlons are just around the corner.  I can hear the starting gun going off, the splashing of the water, the gears changing on the bikes, and the tired legs shuffling because the HILLS ARE ALIVE with the SOUND OF TRIATHLON.  So ready or not, here we go.  I have a few races around the corner with my A race in July at the Vineman Ironman 70.3.  So many more hills to climb, but time to tell the mind I THINK I CAN, as I pedal up each hill.