Triathlon 70.3 Training Update: Weeks 21 & 22 – Balancing Progress, Recovery & Real Life
I’m now within a month of my triathlon 70.3 and am feeling okay about my training. It’s a bittersweet thing where I’ve liked the training for the most part and it’s given me something to work toward, but I’m ready to put it to the test and not feel like I need to go workout for an hour or more every day.
Monday: Golf
Still dragging a little bit from a long weekend I opted for some light stretching and got out on the golf course.
Nutrition: I ate chicken breast for lunch, a couple cookies as an afternoon snack, and then a pasta dish for dinner.
Tuesday: Outdoor cycle
I got on the bike and went for a 10.75 mile ride in about 45 minutes. It was super windy and I still want to be faster, but I’ll get there.
Nutrition: I had a protein shake for dinner before having friends over for dinner where we made burgers.
Wednesday: Outdoor run
I got out and ran 7.75 miles at an 8:11 pace.
Nutrition: I had a protein shake for lunch with some yogurt and granola as an afternoon snack, chicken for dinner and a snack of some popcorn after dinner.
Thursday: Pool workout
I did 62 laps in our 25 yard pool, which is ¾ of the total distance that I’ll need to do for the race. I finished the workout in 39:38.
Nutrition: I had a banana late in the morning before a really late lunch of a brisket sandwich and fries. I wasn’t hungry but I was driving home and had salmon and salad with my parents for a late dinner before having a couple beers.
Friday: Golf
Friday was the first day of our annual McCoy Cup golf weekend with my brother, dad and brother-in-law. We drove out to Omaha early in the morning before an afternoon round of golf. I did not play well but was still in contention.
Nutrition: I had a protein bar in the car and then a burger for lunch and a chicken sandwich with fries for dinner. I also had a couple drinks after the round of golf.
Saturday: Outdoor run and golf
We were playing day 2 of the McCoy Cup, but I had time in the morning to go for a 4 mile run through my brother’s Omaha neighborhood. He’s close to a really nice trail through a park, but has a killer hill on the way back. I ran it at a 8:01 pace. I didn’t play well golfing for day two.
Nutrition: we had eggs and bacon before golfing and then I ate a Quest bar at the course before a steak and potato dinner after the round and a couple drinks again.
Sunday: rest
I had an 8 hour drive home on Sunday in the pouring rain so I used it as my rest day. I did a little bit of stretching when I got home.
Nutrition: I had pizza for a late lunch to break up the drive and then a protein shake around dinner time.
Monday: Outdoor cycle & run
I got out in the morning and did a quick 14 mile ride and then a quick 1 mile run to get used to the feeling of running with heavy legs fresh off the bike. I did the ride in 56 minutes and the run in 7:00.
Nutrition: I had eggs with toast for lunch with a protein shake in the afternoon and a couple cookies at work before a dinner of chicken and pasta.
Tuesday: Outdoor run
I did 6.5 miles at a 7:52 pace in the heat.
Nutrition: I had Subway for lunch and then salmon and asparagus for dinner.
Wednesday-Saturday: recovery
I tweaked my calf running and it was still nagging for a few days so I didn’t do more than just some stretching and a few body weight exercises to try to get some blood moving.
Sunday: outdoor run
My calf was finally feeling better and I got out before it got too hot and ran 4 miles at a 8:11 pace. I was still a little nervous about my calf and it was humid and in the upper 80’s even in the morning, so I went a little slower than I would have liked.
Nutrition: I had eggs and toast for lunch, hot dogs for dinner and then a protein shake later in the evening.