Friday, March 1, 2024

February Round Up

For the most part, February was an improvement over January. And that's all I can really hope for these days, isn't it?

Swimming: 4500m (2.8 mi)
Cycling: 52.98 mi
Running: 26.06 mi
Lifting: eight sessions (3:05)
Other: five sessions hockey (4:54), three days skiing (8:40), ten walks (5:21)

The good news is, the improvement came even with me essentially taking a week off thanks to getting kinda sick (which is why all the logged walking so as not to have off days).

Swimming was up 500m which isn't much, but for me these days? That is huge.

The bike was up a whole lot which is GREAT. I got outside twice and attempted my usual Miracle ride on 2.22. The trainer is still a struggle, but I'm fighting the good fight.

Running was down a mile, but that's the only thing that was down. Thanks to the hockey, though, I am seeing glimpses of improvement here and there. Which I was hoping for ... since hockey is a way more fun way to get (the benefits of) speed work in.

I lifted twice more than in January. 

Hockey we know is up - and we've officially signed up to play in Germany in September - so that is 100% going to continue to be a thing.

We also finally got up the mountain a bit more. Still need a few more days to feel like we've justified the passes, but y'know. That should come.

March we're hoping for more of the same. I know I'll have a marginal down week the second full week of the month - going to tag along to Atlanta with B so no bike or swim - but I can plan for that, so it's okay. Running is the main thing I need to do this year anyway, and that can happen everywhere, so I think (hope) I should be good. Hopefully.

Friday, February 2, 2024

January Round Up

As months go lately, January was fairly typical. Started off strong ... tapered off thanks to some travel. And, well, it is.

Swimming: 4000m (2.49 mi)
Cycling: 15.71 mi
Running: 27.13 mi
Lifting: six sessions (2:27)
Other: two sessions hockey (1:59), one session erg (:10), one day skiing (:45), eight walks (3:58), one session yoga (:25)

Swimming and riding weren't nearly as much as I'd hoped, but at least I did them somewhat. Running fell apart a bit in the later part of the month, but I'm on track with my long runs, so that's a plus. Lifting REALLY needs to get upped. Like for real.

The other has been great. Hockey is on a regular basis for at least the next few months. Skiing is going to start popping up a bit more (although the time listed might be less now that my Garmin actually tracks such things). I did walk a lot more than listed, but I'm not logging all of it in BT (except in daily notes). 

I have had better starts to my years for sure, but I've also probably have had worse. Here's hoping February ends up being somewhat better.

Friday, January 5, 2024

2024 Goals

Well, as opposed to last year, I do have marginally more direction in my goals this year.

The first and foremost being, run my first (standalone) marathon. Which will be St. George (as soon as I'm allowed to register April 1).

I have a loose training plan already and I'll fine tune it as I get to the point where the actual plan would kick in (either 16 or 18 weeks out, probably).

As for the rest of things ... I've joined a hockey team (first game Sunday) ... mostly because B and I are hoping to play in a tournament in Germany over Oktoberfest with the same group I did my Europe hockey tours with back in college.

I have a few tentative races on the schedule, but haven't signed up for anything yet:
- Icebreaker Duathlon in early March (technically a tri, but I don't do pool swim tris)
- Antelope Island Duathlon in early April (are these two races question marks due to weather? Because yes, yes they are)
- Jurassic Run 5K in late June (okay, this one is going on the schedule because it runs through a dinosaur park in Ogden and DUDE SO US)
- Echo Canyon Tri in mid-July
- either Daybreak Tri or Provo Canyon half in mid-August (partially depends on what we do (if anything) for B's birthday)
- East Canyon Half in late August (depends on if I do Provo Canyon)
- Brineman again in early September (depends on if I have the time or if I'm on a plane to Germany at the time)

A cousin also is trying to get me to do the Chicago Triathlon (probably because he couldn't talk me into doing a charity slot for the marathon) which is in late August ... but that's probably gonna be a no.

I also know that balancing a local tri season with hockey and marathon training is going to be interesting - especially because I will have to get creative with runs around the Germany trip if it happens (I've already accepted I'm probably forgoing a long run that week, but the extra rest - and sprint work from hockey! - probably won't be the worst thing). But I've never wanted to be shoved in a box, and 40 apparently is me doing all the things. So it goes.

But. Actual goals:
- Finish my marathon
- Preferably with a respectable time (if I could do around 5, I'd be thrilled)
- Stay healthy and happy with everything
- Not neglect strength and flexibility
- If I do Brineman ... do better than last year

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

December and 2023 Round Up

 Oh 2023. I'm glad you're gone. But let's talk about December first, shall we?

Swimming: 0m (0 mi)
Cycling: 39.7 mi
Running: 16.27 mi
Lifting: 16 sessions (5:41)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:18), two sessions indoor rowing (:15), four walks (1:28)

Swimming just ended up being a disaster. I did actually try to go to the gym to swim ... only to find out that the pool was closed due to a broken heater. I almost went to another gym to try ... but the amount of energy I expended just to even go that day meant that nope. Not a thing. Pretty sure I started this year being frustrated by a closed pool, so it's fitting that it ended that way, too.

Cycling was marginally respectable (by this year's standards). I attempted the yearly Stomp the Trainer challenge, but only got two days done. But I tried. And we actually had a nice day in mid-December so I GOT OUTSIDE. Because that wasn't a thing at all last year.

Running ... was a bit of a struggle.

Lifting I had a plan which helped and as for the rest of it ... I have officially decided to get back into hockey (yay?), so more of that to come. And for the rest of it ... I moved. Some.

As for 2023 ...

Everything was terrible. My swimming hasn't been that bad since 2011. The cycling was the worst since I started logging it seriously back in 2010. Running wasn't my worst year. Definitely in the bottom half (third) of years, but still marginally respectable.

My main "goal" for the year - if you even want to call it that - that I blogged about here was to get back into shape and take back my health. Did I do that? I would argue no. But I do think I might be on my way.

The best thing I can say out of 2023 is that, while it was pretty shitty, it didn't break me. And I think I can finally see some light at the other end of the tunnel.

Friday, December 8, 2023

On Pivoting

I don't know if I've mentioned it here before, but I have finally decided that I'm going to run my first marathon in 2024. And yes, I'm going to add the caveat of first standalone marathon, as I have technically schmecnically run four marathons at the end of all my Ironmans.

Years ago, I said the only marathon I really wanted to run was Boston. While I still would love and adore Boston, I realistically know that the odds of qualifying - for me - are ... not good. And yeah, I could try for a charity slot, but I loathe asking people for money, so there's also that.

But obviously, things change. Last year, while virtually cheering on friends and family at the NYC Marathon ... I decided that you know what? Maybe it's time. I haven't had a big, scary goal - one that truly does scare me - in a while and a standalone marathon does scare me.

I crowd-sourced some and got a lot of different responses, but the one that came up a bit more than others and did make the most sense - particularly given the family that runs it (or tries to run it) every year - was the Chicago Marathon.

So, as soon as the lottery opened up this year, I entered it. And yesterday was the day we would find out if our application was successful.

I ... was not.

I knew this was a possibility. I could in theory take this as a sign that, well, running a marathon isn't for me. However, I also decided on two backup options: the St. George Marathon and the Tucson Marathon.

St. George takes place in early October - usually the week of or before Chicago (week before in 2024) and Tucson in early December (it's actually this weekend).

Both have their perks.

St. George: driving distance, smaller, has won many awards for being well-organized, downhill but not crazily so, can easily sneak down to Vegas after as a reward.

Tucson: technically driving distance, obviously it's in cactusville and we all know how much I love Tucson, also downhill (a little more ridiculous though), I know some people locally.

In looking over what I'm hoping to do for the rest of next year, though, I think ultimately, St. George makes the most sense. So, when registration opens up in April, I'll be on my computer ready to sign up.

(And if I somehow miss out on that? Well, Tucson was still open as of yesterday, so I've got that as a backup to the backup plan.

Friday, December 1, 2023

November Round Up

November, you were also crap. But this is also my life.

Swimming: 1000m (.62 mi)
Cycling: 11.74 mi
Running: 17.37 mi
Lifting: eight sessions (2:26)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:14), 10 walks (3:45), one session yoga (:22)

I did hit my main goal for November, which was to survive, because clearly I'm here typing out this recap. 

And I don't know whether it's the time change, or the weather, or just the overwhelming malaise that is life for ever so many of us, but yeah. Shit's tough.

I also fucked up my little toe a bit a few days ago, so that's made things interesting. Do I lose toenails to running? No. I lose them to grocery carts and doors. At least I fucked up the left little toe for a change; I think the next time I do the right, it's giving up and not growing back.

We all know December is about doing the best you can and surviving and that's even more the case this year.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

October Round Up

Oh October. You were crap.

Swimming: 1000m (.62 mi)
Cycling: 5.7 mi
Running: 20.97 mi
Lifting: five sessions (1:23)
Other: one session elliptical (:10), two hikes (3:52), one session hockey (1:06), 12 walks (8:33), two sessions yoga (:51)

Life is a fucking struggle right now. I'll just flat out say it. It has been for a while and is continuing to be that way and I just don't know why.

I swam once.

I rode once.

I skipped runs again (and yet, somehow pulled a halfway decent 5K out of my ass).

Lifting was a joke.

Hiking was good - once here and though I logged it as one, it was really two in Acadia National Park. And we got back on the ice which was also good, and is looking to potentially be a regular thing.

I was hoping for yoga to happen at least twice a month in October - clearly that didn't happen at all.

Honestly, the only thing that saved my (literal) ass this month was joining B in his work's Walktober challenge. I had my highest ever step month, logging over 390,000 steps. I had more walks than I even officially logged.

(me not really eating much the last half of the month probably also helped, tbh).

I need to figure out my shit for November, but I have no idea how to do that yet. Survive? That's the main goal. Anything else is just gravy at this point.