My checklist:
- hired Coach Rich and joined Tri-Global
- bought a rode bike
- bought a Garmin 910xt
- bought swim suits and nose plugs (that kept slipping off my nose so I couldn’t wear them)
- bought riding shorts to soften my ride
- hired a swim instructor
- signed up for Open Water Swim
Okay, everything was checked off my list and I was ready for training week 1. Coach Rich sent me a schedule on Training Peaks, an online scheduler that provides customized training activities for the week. He prepared it, which is different than the Virtual Trainer that I just used for both the NYC Half and the Brooklyn Half. (Virtual Trainer is specifically for running half or full marathons and integrates your time into an algorithm that calculates your training program.)
In Training Peaks, my first week consisted of two rest days (Yay!), two days of swimming combined with either running or biking and two days of running and biking alone with the long ride and run on the weekends.
Not being able to swim the right way made the swim portion hard. Coach Rich wanted me to do 1600 yards of swimming or 64 laps. I could barely do 500 yards!
The bike portion was difficult too. Using riding shoes and clipping in and out was challenging. I fell several times with and without the clips. Getting on and off a bike was always difficult for me.
Even the running portion seemed hard even though I wasn’t asked to go long distances. I found it so difficult running a mile! (Did I lose it since the half marathons?)
I felt a little discouraged the first week. I questioned myself as to why I’m doing this? But I shook my head and thought, I’m going to do this.
I was actually proud of myself for getting up at 5:30 am to get these workouts done, even if I didn’t feel like it. I knew that I was doing something good for myself both physically and mentally and decided to push forward.
