All Systems Go
The preparation phase of training has officially been completed. The past four weeks I have been rejoined with my coach Doug Bush http://endurancefactor.com/, and all has been going well. My volume has ranged from 9-13 hours, I am feeling good, and best of all my Achilles tendon feels terrific. I have not been able to let go of my "Achilles tendon fear", but I hope that will come soon.
We are taking somewhat of a recovery week this week, of just about 12 hours, and then with the beginning of the new year we dive into some very specific training. Please remember how long it has been since I have been in really specific training. As I stumbled through injury last year it was "ride by the seat of my pants" training. Just getting to each starting line was in itself the victory.
Along with a return to training I have set some specific goals for myself. I think that many times when we set goals we need to say them out loud. For me that makes it real, holds me accountable, and then whether I hit the exact goal or not, I am not afraid to put myself out there.
So here is the 2007 list of goals:
My A Goals are:
1. I had my body fat tested in Florida, I'd like to get down below 10% (I am currently 12%)
2. Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman: Sub 5 hours and nail nutrition
3. Eagleman 1/2 Ironman: Sub 4:50 and nail nutrition
4. Ironman Lake Placid (best time here is 11:23) goal time is below 11:45)
5. Ironman Florida: Sub 11 hours
My B Goals are:
1. Capture as many local titles as I can (depending on how many local races I do! HA HA!)
2. 1/2 Marathon time sub 1:40
The structure of my week essentially remains the same. I swim 2-3 times, bike 4-5 times, and run 4-5 times. I strength train using functional strength programs 2 times a week and I practice yoga 2 times a week. This will be the first year I can have a concrete training schedule, I am very used to the shuffle.
Most importantly in my training is the space between my ears. Emotionally, mentally I am in a very good place. I feel clear, I feel focused, I feel ready. That is for me the most important aspect of any program. Walk through this training with doubt and fear and it will surface on race day.
On race day I am completely unaware of my competition. Frankly I don't care who is in the rack with me. Afterwards I do look through results as I admire the faster competitors, definitely. But when I am racking my bike and donning my wetsuit, I feel like I am in the eye of the Storm. The world can swirl around me but I am here, right now, with my task at hand. If that means I win, I win. If that means I get my butt kicked, then I get kicked. The only thing I can control is how I react to what happens to ME in the race. I can not always control pace, weather, drafting, etc. But I can control what I do with those circumstances.
I am looking forward to, and craving a few weeks cresting 15 hours per week. I am looking forward to early morning rides on the trainer, I am looking forward to trudging through snow. It all means one thing...... I am on my way back.
:-) Mary Eggers
We are taking somewhat of a recovery week this week, of just about 12 hours, and then with the beginning of the new year we dive into some very specific training. Please remember how long it has been since I have been in really specific training. As I stumbled through injury last year it was "ride by the seat of my pants" training. Just getting to each starting line was in itself the victory.
Along with a return to training I have set some specific goals for myself. I think that many times when we set goals we need to say them out loud. For me that makes it real, holds me accountable, and then whether I hit the exact goal or not, I am not afraid to put myself out there.
So here is the 2007 list of goals:
My A Goals are:
1. I had my body fat tested in Florida, I'd like to get down below 10% (I am currently 12%)
2. Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman: Sub 5 hours and nail nutrition
3. Eagleman 1/2 Ironman: Sub 4:50 and nail nutrition
4. Ironman Lake Placid (best time here is 11:23) goal time is below 11:45)
5. Ironman Florida: Sub 11 hours
My B Goals are:
1. Capture as many local titles as I can (depending on how many local races I do! HA HA!)
2. 1/2 Marathon time sub 1:40
The structure of my week essentially remains the same. I swim 2-3 times, bike 4-5 times, and run 4-5 times. I strength train using functional strength programs 2 times a week and I practice yoga 2 times a week. This will be the first year I can have a concrete training schedule, I am very used to the shuffle.
Most importantly in my training is the space between my ears. Emotionally, mentally I am in a very good place. I feel clear, I feel focused, I feel ready. That is for me the most important aspect of any program. Walk through this training with doubt and fear and it will surface on race day.
On race day I am completely unaware of my competition. Frankly I don't care who is in the rack with me. Afterwards I do look through results as I admire the faster competitors, definitely. But when I am racking my bike and donning my wetsuit, I feel like I am in the eye of the Storm. The world can swirl around me but I am here, right now, with my task at hand. If that means I win, I win. If that means I get my butt kicked, then I get kicked. The only thing I can control is how I react to what happens to ME in the race. I can not always control pace, weather, drafting, etc. But I can control what I do with those circumstances.
I am looking forward to, and craving a few weeks cresting 15 hours per week. I am looking forward to early morning rides on the trainer, I am looking forward to trudging through snow. It all means one thing...... I am on my way back.
:-) Mary Eggers
1 comment:
Mary,
Great post and Happy 2007!! I loved reading your goals and can't wait to see you hit them all! Let the journey begin!! Cheers to a great season. See you at some of the races! :) Merry Christmas.
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