2019 - January 18 - Check' In

Finally got Liz's Christmas present to me on the wall

Checkin' IN!!!

So, Liz mentioned something the other day. She said I need to just do what I did with 2016/2017. When I can do that as a beginning of a routine to work into things, I should be able to refind me. Refind what is necessary for training. Training is and can rebecome a way of life. I need it, Liz needs me to need it and the kiddos need me to be on my A Game when I am at home.

So, I let my training peaks subscription lapse, but I am looking at options. The free version is good, but the insights available are great. Anyway, that being said, I wasn't using TP at the time. So I will gauge things as I go. My 2017 build-up was pretty strong! That being said, it's ok to be consistent and boring in the training approach.

What I recall from those moments are that things are fairly straight forward. Nose to the grind. Head down, put on shoes, showed up and put in the time and controlled the efforts with purpose and being wise about things. So, now, a few other things that Liz mentioned.

I will say some time, I am just not sure where to go with things. I am motivated mostly from within, but appreciate from time to time the camaraderie of those entrenched in the activity oriented spectrum of life. I guess that's why I get so frustrated by those caught in the burn out cycle. I don't want to get back in that whirl pool. I have mentioned it in previous posts. It is something that can be avoided, as it is more self-destructive than empowering and enabling. I am tending to lean towards knowing what I know, allowing myself some liberties and having the patience with myself for adaptations and adjustments as I come encounter those needs.

My rides on my trainer are starting to come along. I am still trying to catch the 'flow' of using a trainer indoors. It is very different. I am in one of the naturally colder rooms in the house and oh man, it heats up and I become a hot sweaty mess quick. Maybe it will help me sweat out the bloat and the water retention I need to work through. Further, I am playing and tweaking with my fit. I am feeling good for the most part except for the elbows to shoulder support. I am trying to understand better what my needs are there so I should be able to identify and find a fit that will work. My hope is that I can identify that before I can get outdoors and get comfortable out there. Anyway, what's more, the hope is that I can build up some better muscle memory and get to the point that I can just be comfortable and just get into a groove during the ride.

What else. Man flying is interesting. People get anxious and a lot of things go sideways for different folks. That being said, the guy sitting next to me on my first flight was all sorts of impatient. Oh well, Can't control another only me.

The previous stuff was written early in the week. now I was wait for the metallic bird to fly us around in chairs in the air like the majestic gods of old, i am thinking about my workouts and work week. I was able to get three runs in. They were all treadmill based. One I didn't record only b/c it was the return to running and getting back into things. That being said, I still do not like treadmills, however I do see the benefit of using it well and wisely.

My second run was much better, but about a mile in, my body was like, eject all waste NOW! Holy goodness. Gratefully I was able to control things until I got back to my hotel room. I came back and finished it as intervals. Right now its just time to get comfortable in being running again. I almost destroyed myself by increasing volume and being frustrated with my 70.3 result and thinking, I can do a 100 mile endurance run. That sounds like a great next step. No! WRONG! I did build up to 50 miles, the down side was here I am almost 14 months later, destroyed and finally liking the thought of running and building up for my next Half Iron distance. It will be good to get back in the pool and spin out my legs sometime today/tonight post travel. I just hope I get home on time. Anyway, this check in is about returning to activity - the one you began with, need to return to discipline and be patient and work it properly. Taking my time, doing a lot of concentration on breathing in my nose and exhaling out my mouth on the treadmill. My legs are giving me a bit of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, but I will work through that shortly enough. Hopefully I can get a few quality runs in outside in the near term in between or with the snowy and rainy weather of winter.

I feel like I am in a decent place mentally, and am enjoying the activity. Of course, as a husband and father, I am having to manage and find the best time for me and us to put in the time. Anyway, about time to board and I need to arrange my shuttle home!