2019 - 21 February - Check In

Checkin' IN!!!

I made some changes to my blog.  It was time for change.  Like me, when I woke up on that memorable plane ride wondering if I was going to need a seat belt extender or not.  So here I am with a new template.  The main thing I did was identify a fully responsive sans copyright affiliations template.  Further, I am now able to do a few other things all the while keeping things cleaner. So it is mainly completed, just need a few more things, but I am ready to move forward.

I have started multiple activity days where appropriate.  I am reminded of the "HURRY SLOWLY" concept and making sure I build my chassis correctly (shout out to Mike Tarrolly and Robbie Bruce at Crushing Iron).  While swimming last night, I was about 800 yards in and remembered I had two great swims already, and now I just needed to merely gather volume and swim correctly.  Being completely un-coached in the water other than learning how to tread water in High school for water polo, I started this journey with a lot of unreasonable expectations.  Sure, I started swimming before my first 70.3 distance with less than 60 days.  Sure I had no idea what a pull buoy was or what drills to concentrate on or what all the little things in those crazy mesh bags were.  Looking back, the only correct thing I had was, from the time I entered the water at Sand Hollow, I needed to get from point A, around the two major buoys and stay close enough to the 20 other buoys along the way.  I was to complete that under 70 minutes.  Well I failed, I completed it in 73 minutes.  Luckily I was able to continue and finish the event, and get my  butt slapped by Tim Don about 450 yards out on course and a wee bit over the overall time requirement.

I go from that to last night.  Where I know better how to engage critical elements of the stroke.  I only use one water tool - pull buoy.  I have actual swim fitness.  Somewhere along the line I was fearful of swimming.  I dreaded it.  From the first 30 seconds getting into the pool.  The time it took to plan and get to the pool.  I even felt guilty allowing myself to encourage my wife to be at the gym in the kids club that enables our family to use the gym.  And then, somewhere along the line, it turned into a sanctuary.  It was invigorating, because no one could touch me, even me I couldn't touch myself.  I was able to identify what happened.  I leave my phone in the locker, and its just go swim.  Sure the last little bit I have been measuring simple things to try and understand my feel.

I just got finished riding on my trainer.  It was a good ride.  I was able to feel good, and its late so I am feeling a bit fatigued.  Not fatigued from the specific activity, but I am feeling the volume and the stress of getting back to things.  I like where I am currently at am curious to see where I may land this training cycle and build up to the IM 70.3 St. George.

Of note I have begun my running again, nice and slow, a lot of off activity strength work, and I do a lot of it while resting between laps in the pool.  building the blocks with consistency and trying to be smart and execute purpose along the way.

Thanks to me and my thoughts, thanks to any who read.  Post adjustment first post.  Hope y'all who like it that cross paths with it.  Good luck to me and you too.  Cheers!

And if you are feeling brave - Feb 21, 2019 podcast from Crushing Iron was most excellent Click Here!

Activities - 

I use the following trackers:

• Garmin Connect (which pushes the files to the following services):
• Training Peaks
• Strava
• and the ones I don't remember (Map my stuff via Under Armour and things like the Great Bicycle ride initiative stuff)

Honestly, I mainly use Training Peaks as I pay for an annual subscription on it now, and it is the most detailed in data and other helpful information to keep me where I want to go.

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