Tri Training

This week has been a huge success in terms of getting out there and getting some great exercise, as well as in the kitchen. I have been eating really well and on top of that, I can feel the difference now from just recently when I was mindlessly eating fried chicken and bread and sweets and sweet tea and all of that. It's hard, but it's worth it.

Tonight I did my first "Tri Practice Prep" where I actually swam, biked, and ran all in one night. I swam 400 meters, which is how far I'll swim on race day, and I did it in about 17 minutes (I didn't get the exact time, but I know it was between 15 and 20). I read on triathlons.net on a FAQ for "My First Tri" that "Slower swimmers will take between 15-30 minutes. Faster swimmers will take between 10-15 minutes." So it's nice to know I'm pretty much where I thought I was, which was right in the middle of the two. I'm going to actually time it on Sunday or Monday, when I swim again, to get a more accurate feel for the time. It may have been closer to 20 or between 20 and 25 and I'm just crazy. We'll see. :)

Then I biked for about 20 minutes... which weirdly only got me 2 miles on this stationary bike..... Suspicious... Since I biked 15 minutes on another stationary bike the other day and got 3 miles. Idk, maybe the bike was broken? Or maybe I'm crazy. Anyway, Sunday I'm planning on my first ROAD bike ride, so that'll be much more telling as to what I should be expecting for next Sunday.

The run started as SUUUUCH a struggle. It wasn't that I was tired, at all--I think I just didn't want to do it. And it was on a treadmill, which I'm not used to. I had to run at a faster pace than I think I normally do, which I think threw me off and made me more tired at the beginning. But of course I wasn't about to stop, so instead of trudging along, I decided to just go faster to get it over with. I put on a hardcore jam on my little pink ipod shuffle (upon which I have engraved, "Dreams + Work = Success") and pumped it up to 6.5 mph... 7 mph.... at one point I was listening to I've Got Friends, by Jimmy Eat World and Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson and was going 7.5 mph, just straight up sprinting, half dancing with my arms, gesturing at the best lyrics, and lip synching. Right there in Ramsey. Haters gone' hate. That's all I gotta say.

When I finished, I was BEEEET REDDDDD. I texted my girl Hannah and I was like, "I am DISGUSTING right now............. now THAT'S what I call a work out." I was hot and sweaty and felt amazing, and it took over 20 minutes to cool off.

Strangely, I still feel good. I don't feel exhausted, or worn out, or overworked. I just feel good. I'm anticipating some soreness tomorrow, so I'm going to go to bed early to give my muscles some time to heal and all, and I'll do a lot of stretching before bed and before I go in to work tomorrow. I'm thinking a run, weights, and some floor work tomorrow (core and arms).

After my workout, I changed into some clean, comfy clothes, and as I walked out of the restroom at the gym, sweaty, baseball cap, chaco's, pj's pants, carrying a towel and my work out clothes, I felt it: I felt like an athlete. And then it hit me that you can't just do what I'd just did without kinda sorta being an athlete. It was the coolest feeling ever. :)