Ironman Training Over the Holidays Part 1

The last week of Ironman training was sporadic and inconsistent.  Training over the holidays is HARD.  Looking back at my past week of training is a little frightening.  It definitely does not resemble what one week of Ironman training should look like, and after the holidays, there will be no more excuses to have a light training week!

Day 11  – Friday 12/16: Rest (intentional)

Day 12 – Saturday 12/17 8:30am: 18.5 mile run
Nutrition: Pre Run – 2 waffles + peanut butter & agave syrup. During Run – 4 GUs.  Post Run – Chocolate Muscle Milk Light and pretzels (immediately), then leftover tofu fried rice (1 hour later).  I didn’t eat enough post run which left me feeling very lethargic.

I woke up feeling nauseous and “off”.  I had to fight with my waffles to finish 90% of them.  Needless to say, I was nervous for this run.  Nicole and I felt that the first half of the run was harder than last week’s, but surprisingly, the last half was more effortless than last week’s so it was a flop of our 16.5 mile run.  I had intended to try out salt tablets on this run but completely forgot them, and again I finished with a salty face.  The marathon is 6 weeks away, and I still need to perfect my sodium intake.  When I trained for my first marathon earlier this year, I never practiced with salt, but then on race day I had 1 packet at the starting line and 1 packet around mile 16.  Overall, I felt great, so I was very lucky that something I never practiced with didn’t have an adverse effect on me. 

Day 13 – Sunday 12/18 9am: 27 mile coastal bike + 3 mile run
Nutrition: Pre Ride – Evol breakfast burrito. During Ride – 1 waffle and 1 water bottle with 1 scoop CarboPRO + 1 scoop vitalite. Post Ride – 1 scoop P90X Recovery Formula (immediately), then veggie burger and split pea soup (1 hour later)

I felt strong on the bike and was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt the day after a really long run.  I had some major issues trying to eat and drink while riding, though, so I definitely need more practice!  It was chilly, so I had full fingered gloves on which made it nearly impossible to open my Honey Stinger Waffle.  I got it open at a stop light, and it flew out of the package onto the ground!  Nicole picked it up, blew on it, and said “10 second rule!  You don’t want to let that nutrition go to waste.” What a good training buddy!  I had a backup GU but decided to eat the tainted one anyway.  Builds character.   Next ride I’m going to try eating my food prepared out of a ziploc baggie in my bento box to see if that makes eating on the bike any easier.

Day 14 – Monday 12/19 5:45am: 45 minutes bike trainer
Nutrition: During ride – 1 banana and 1 scoop P90X Recovery formula

Normally I rest my legs in the morning and only go for a swim at night, but I knew this week would be crazy so I jumped on the bike at 5:45am.  My legs definitely felt heavy, so I focused on keeping my cadence up in the small chain ring.  Monday night my family and I did our early Christmas at my parents house and opened presents!!  Some of my triathlon gift highlights were a Timex GPS watch and a cycling jacket!

Day 15 – Tuesday 12/20 5:30am: 8 mile run
Nutrition: Pre-Run – 1 banana. Post-Ride – 2 waffles + peanut butter

I bundled up and ran to Nicole’s house in the darkness.  The early morning run felt good, and I like starting my workday with an outdoors workout. It wakes me up and gives me energy!

Day 16 – Wednesday 12/21: Rest (unintentional/Jeremy’s Bday!)
Our neighbors were SO noisy, so I had a terrible night’s sleep and decided to sleep in.  Wednesday night we celebrated Jeremy’s birthday!!  Happy 32nd birthday, baby!

Day 17 (NYC) – Thursday 12/22: Rest (unintentional)
Slept in and rushed to pack up for our trip to NYC.  Went out in Rockefeller Center just in time to catch the magic!

Day 18 – (NYC) Friday 12/23: 6×800 Yassos (7:41 min/mile 800m, 9:31 mph 400m recoveries, 5 miles total)
Nutrition: 1/2 Luna bar before, and 1/2 Luna bar after
Set my alarm and forced myself out of bed at 8:30am EST to do some speed work on the treadmill while I had easy access to the gym in my cousin’s building.  Yassos were not easy today probably because I was out late in NYC and somewhat jetlagged.  I was just happy to finish!  We spent the rest of the morning at the 911 Memorial Site which is really coming along nicely, and then hopped on a train to Boston.

Day 19 – (Boston) Saturday 12/24 Christmas Eve: Rest (unintentional)
First full day in Boston in a household of 2o.  Speaking of 20, it was 20 degrees outside when I woke up, so the So Cal girl in me justified skipping the 10 mile long run outside.  What if I got frostbite?

I’m in Boston 4 more days and get home Wednesday afternoon.  The plan is to train every day when I get back because I don’t have to go back to work until Tuesday 1/3!  (OK, maybe I’ll cut myself a break on New Year’s Day.) Stay tuned for Ironman Training Over the Holidays Part 2 when I conclude my crazy holiday training schedule, put it behind me, and get ready for a new year full of IRONMAN TRAINING!