Thursday, March 3, 2016

February in review: Not spectacular, but solid

March: Some swimming, lots of biking, and a bit of running, too.
I’m having a rough week. Monday I had a work event that ran longer than planned, and yesterday I was an emotional wreck. My gas light came on while I was driving home, and stopping to fill up seemed like such a daunting task that I burst into tears and sobbed at a red light. Somehow, I managed to fill my tank, buy groceries, and prep meals for today without another breakdown. The task of washing lettuce and chopping tomatoes was actually calming and good for my psyche.

I’m not sure if it’s the cold, the dark, the added work and life stress, the lack of sleep I’m currently experiencing, or what, but I’m hoping that the doldrums of February are behind me and that March shapes up to be a sunny, warm, training-filled month.

But first, a look back, and a look at how last month’s numbers compare to last year:
Relatively consistent swimming so far this year.
Swim: I managed 6 swims, all in the pool, for just longer than 17,000 meters (10.75 miles, thanks Daily Mile) in about 7.25 hours. That works out to two swims over two of those weeks, and one swim during the other two weeks. Me being sick with a cold accounted for missing two of those during the one-swim weeks.

Feb. ’15 swim: I had a different work schedule last year, so I was able to swim an average of 2.5 times per week instead of 1.5 this year. Still, my times this year compare to where I was speed-wise last year, so I’m hoping some of that cumulative experience makes up for simply not being able to get into the pool as often.

Bike: I got on the trainer 9 times, for about 13.5 hours total. These were a mix of shorter, big-ring interval rides during the week, and longer, small-ring interval rides on the weekend. The 9 times works out to 3 weeks at only 2 rides, and only 1 week with 3 rides. Hmmm. That … doesn’t seem like enough riding.

Feb. ’15 bike: Again, different work schedule last year; I managed 14 trainer rides during February of last year. But, I have better equipment this year after buying a fluid trainer that actually works with my triathlon bike, so I’m hoping that helps minimize some of that loss.
Runs by week (since my last marathon in October)...

And by month.
Run: 6 runs, 3 each on the treadmill and on the road, for 18.25 miles in about 3.25 hours. This is all SLOOOOOW running to ease back into it, after my IT bands gave me a world of trouble last summer and fall. I do have the benefit of crazy warm February weather this year to keep me running outside.

Feb. ’15 run: This is really comparing apples to penguins, my new favorite saying I just heard this morning, as I was running 100-mile months this time last year and NOT coming off an injury. Last February I logged 115 miles, almost all on the treadmill. Eh – I’d rather come back slowly and without fanfare than re-injure myself.

My weight lifting is about the same from last year to this year, I’m doing more pre-hab (because I have to!), and my yoga and plyo sessions are down a few instances from last year. I’m not terribly surprised nor inclined to make too much of a change, although I DO need to work in more yoga … as I tell myself every single freakin’ month.

Also, I’d do a comparison of February to January, but the numbers are very similar. Imagine that I’ve been a slow, steady machine since the first of the year.

Overall: I’m satisfied with these numbers, and there were no surprises. Of course I would have liked to do more, but I feel like I did the best I could around getting sick, having a regular job, and needing to do things like cook and sleep.

Onward to March.

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