Pass the Pepto

One week down. Twenty five weeks to go. And it was not a pretty week. Training this week consisted primarily of interval sets: 15 x 7 (60 min). Make sense? Well, let me explain. Fifteen yards equals the precise distance from my bed to the porcelain throne. The number of repeats varied by day, but 7 was pretty much the average for the first part of the week. And the 60 minutes represents the maximum amount of rest I managed between each of these intervals. Not exactly the prescribed workout my coach had in mind for this week, but you know what they say about the best laid plans…

I was able to get in a little real training this week – some physical some mental. A very slow four mile group run on Thursday highlighted my inability to stay hydrated during the intervals of the previous three days. Then a 5K race today - one I had hoped to use to gauge my run improvement over the past month, but ended up being more of an exercise in mind over body thinking than anything. This was the first race I ever had to will myself through. The first mile went pretty well then I hit a wall. I bonked. Lack of hydration and proper nutrition during the week led to a serious energy deficit. But I didn’t quit. I finished, in no record time, but I finished.

Hopefully next week goes a little better. I know the race is still a long time from now, but I can feel that familiar fluttering of panic in my gut, reminding me that I’m not a strong swimmer and the Gulf of Mexico is NOT the same as the YMCA pool. Or maybe that fluttering is a reminder that another interval session is about to take place. I better run....till next time.