3rd week of the 2011 season

153

I have made a lot of changes to the weekly planning this week. Sometimes it was because I was dragged into a very nice conversation, some other times because I did not know how to get to the pool. In the end, all the training was done without over training or anything like it.

I started the week slowly, I was supposed to do some yoga on Monday but I moved it to Tuesday. So on Tuesday I rode my bike and I did the yoga session. I changed my yoga to be more strength focused. I did not know that it could be so demanding. I use no weights, only body weight, gravity, difficult positions and long breathe. Am I enjoying it? Not really but I know it helps and hopefully my muscles will not be as tight.

Easy swim on Wednesday, I keep alternating during this time of the season among just plain endurance based sessions and speed and form based sessions. I need to work on my swimming technique, I want to stop looking like a dog, but I also would like to pick up some speed and some endurance. Therefore I did a short form based session.

Thursday is a good day to swim because I go to Barcelona and I go to the Olympic size swimming pool. Once again I worked on form. I felt like my shoulders were slightly tired but once they were warm enough everything was good. Although I had intended to use the paddles but I thought it would be too much risk and I did not want to take the chance, with my heel problems I have enough injuries to worry about. Then when I came back home, late in the evening I took a short ride.

Similar to swimming this period is time to work on endurance and speed skills, so I decided to have a speed session on Friday. Not too long but a good session.

On Saturday, I went to the pool, I went too late; I was supposed to meet someone afterwards but I guess he miss lead me, anyway. I took the swim and I since I had a little bit of time left I worked on my flip turn. I do my flip turn but it sucks so I try to go to the basics and improve that aspect of my swimming pool skills. It is not a very important aspect for a triathlete, since we do not usually compete in a swimming pool, although it is something good to learn because we do mostly train in a swimming pool.

And finally I took a double session on Sunday, swimming in the morning riding in the afternoon. During the swimming, I decided to do some medley during the warm up but they were only 25m for each stroke. I was quite happy with my performance. Then I because I did not want to worry too much about the elections and I wanted to know the results when they had started to stabilize; I waited for my last session until late in the evening so I would focus on the bike and I would not be thinking about the elections or the Masters Cup Final. It was fairly easy at the beginning but the last ten minutes were quite demanding.

My sleeping disorders have not disappeared, they are milder than the week before but they have not disappeared and that worries me. Am I in a loop where I worry because I cannot sleep and therefore I cannot sleep because I am worried?

Last Friday I went through a meltdown. My heel is not cured yet and it was hurting, I barely take meds now. My insoles hurt me and I was realizing how old I am and how little I have accomplished. I also blew a job interview and I am not capable to keep up with my social duties. There are friends, who I have not contacted since I got back, not even a word, not even and email or a messenger line, nothing.

That same day I started to question everything. I questioned what I am doing with my life, I questioned what I want to do, I questioned my knowledge, I questioned why I do triathlons, I questioned my English skills. The only things that I had no doubt about them were my cowardliness or my ability to destroy relationships.

This week I was a total mess. I wanted to throw everything out of the window and leave. I was tired of everything.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y-bd3aDMGA

2nd week of the 2011 season

153

I have started to train a Little more this week. I went from a 10h week to a 12 hours week. I wanted to start slightly slower because I did not want to have much problems or being too tired at the beginning.

I have also started doing yoga. So far one session per week and I did the flexibility routine but I might move it to strength training since it is the beginning of the season.

I am still not running so I all my session were riding and swimming. I did four swims and four bike rides. And even though they are supposed to be easy they were quite demanding to me because I am not who I used to be anymore. That is why I am training again, so I can take my fitness to a peak.

Since Friday I am training again with my HR but I have not taken much attention to it.

Last week I thought I was getting closer to my ideal weight but it I not happening yet. I do not know why but it is not happening yet. Sure I lost a little bit of weight, I look fitter but not ready yet.

My heel sometimes feels better and sometimes feels bad. I have started to use the insoles and it should heal faster now. I have been for over two weeks taking meds and I am not over.

I do not know if my swims were tough but it looks like it is hard for me to swim two days in a row, the same for the bike but I know sometimes I push it on the bike and the timing was not great, because this week I rode twice within 14h and that is why I was not fully recovered. I had a very busy agenda and I had to do it that way.

Also I played a little bit of pitch and putt but I do not consider it training because it was very easy and we only played 14 holes, and since it is not golf we did not walk much. Although it was good to be pain free on the golf course. The grass was soft and I could walk very well.

On Sunday I swam from Premià de Mar to El Masnou, slightly more than 4km against the current. It felt longer and more exhausting than Cap Norfeu, even though it was 20mins shorter. The water temperature was 14ºC and on some point in dropped down to 13ºC. I had swum the day before and I was not feeling too fresh, but it was only a training session. It was not a race; it was just time to enjoy the cold water. It would’ve helped to know the skyline of El Masnou to not get that anxiety of arriving but overall it was a good day.

This week my sleeping disorders have come back again and some days I have not been able to sleep more than 5h with no nap at all. And the average sleeping time is probably around 6h per night. I do not know the cause. I might be nervous for what is coming over. I might be tired to be here. I might be anxious because of my heel. There are a million reasons for such behavior. I hope I will be able to sleep well again.

Last Monday was a sad day and I received some inputs that made me realize how many mistakes I have made in the past. I do not know why I got what I got and the way that I got it. It is just baffling me. How long will it take her to understand that it hurts me? There are easier ways to say things that are not as personal. I do not think this time was something that would urge to tell me.

Every time I think of her I run into more self doubts.

On the other hand I am tired of the things that are happening with me and the way I am talking to people. Do I expose myself too much? I feel like I am being stalked and I do not want to.

I need to tell someone to leave me alone in a nice way. How can I do that? How can I do that when I have not showed any interest for a long time? And her talk is so ridiculous that I even feel sorry for her because nothing makes sense.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnFIPpV8zPI

1st week of the 2011 season

153

I have started to train again. So far I am only riding and swimming. My foot is not OK yet, but it feels a lot better.

This week I started to train with new exercises and I think they will help overcome the plateau that I was in, specially swimming. Now I have to watch the clock a lot more. Although so far I am just trying to get in to shape again.

It looks funny how hard is to start working out again, even the smallest effort looks huge. I used to be able to do those exercises at a much greater effort and it was easier. But I feel a lot better. And my body is getting leaner again.

On Tuesday I went to test my swimming skills, worse than I thought but this is just a starting point. I have a whole season to improve that pace.

On Thursday I went to the big pool again and I did a very long session, probably longer than what I should have done and I cramped my calf, it was such a huge cramp that I can still feel the effects of it. It has not affected my training although I had a hard time walking after the leg was at rest, but now I am almost pain free from it.

On Saturday I was very lazy and I went to the swimming pool very late, the good thing from doing such thing is that I saw lights at my old hockey club and I decided to go watch some hockey. The girls were playing and I felt well looking at it. I also thought that I could join them, I know it can’t be because I haven’t skated for 12 years and I lack all the skills but since sometimes I feel so good I feel like I could do anything, and the girls are not as demanding as the men. I also met an old friend of mine who was injured but he still plays.

Unfortunately, I can’t run right now because I could’ve been cross training and it sucks that I can’t do it. It would be very helpful for me to do a little more than just swimming and riding. It would be great to be able to play some tennis or any other sport, although I can’t do them because of my heel.

This week I have also tried to contact you back, it has been impossible for me to reach you, your phone was either off or you were out of signal. Man up and pick up the phone and face your dues.

Last Friday I went to a party with some friends. It had been a long time since I went out. It was great. I had a lot of fun and I enjoyed the company. I’ll miss you as much as I had missed you. I don’t like to say good bye because I know it will take us a long time to meet again. I hope everything goes well with you. I have to say that I felt very good at the party because I did not need to explain myself to anyone, I was relieved, and the people there knew me enough not to ask certain questions.

I have just received a present from you, what a big surprise. I haven’t had the chance to write you back but thank you. You did not need to do that but the calendar was very nice.

I have been dealing on how I could end a friendship without hurting anyone. Have I been too nice to you? Didn’t you notice I did not care about you? Do you realize that most of your talk is nonsense? I wish I could be nice to you saying good bye.

Once again you have popped out into my head. And by chance I was able to read an old post of mine and I think I just feel the same. It has been a long time since I had that posted and it just feels like I could copy and paste it here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdBym7kv2IM&feature=related

week 30 in review (last week of the program)

153

Last Saturday, two days ago, the Ironman took place. I was supposed to go but because of my heel tendinitis I was not able to travel. I still have some pain. I would like to congratulate James Cunnama and Jessica Jacobs, this year’s winners, and the rest of the finishers.

The last qualifier for Kona of my age group finished 56^th overall and needed 9h24min33sec, although his overall time without transitions was just below 9h18mins. His split times were 56mins38sec for the swim, 4h52mins8sec for the bike and 3h29mins11sec for the run.

Knowing my strengths and weaknesses I have to admit that even though I would’ve loved to qualify I would’ve had a very hard time. I don’t think I would’ve been able to make up in the run all the lost time in the swim and on the bike. So some people might think that it was actually a good thing for me that I have missed the race. Well it is not. I wanted to compete and put myself out there and see how I do against the others.

Anyway, this week I had a lot of down time because I could not race. Now the dream will have to wait.

This week I have put a lot of time thinking what the goals for next season could be. It has been hard to decide but now I have a schedule for next year and I hope I will recover soon and I’ll be able to train as planned. I have scheduled each and every week for the next season. I know what I kind of work I’ll have to do to meet my goals. I know every competition I am willing to compete, what I expect from them and what will be the work load for the next 52 weeks.

Last Friday I went back to the doctor to see why my heels hurt. She told me that my Fifth metatarsal is shorter than it should be therefore I twist my foot when I walk and that is what caused my tendinitis. From now on I’ll have to wear an insole to help me walk better. Quoting my doctor “You should be glad you only have tendinitis”. So it was worse than I expected. I hope I will recover soon. Luckily for me she told me that I can start training again with swimming and riding as long as it doesn’t hurt and that I can start running slowly when I feel better.

I had a chance to start training a few days ago, but I was sick and I couldn’t go outside. So this week just couldn’t be worse. I start to feel better but I am not feeling well yet.

Some people around me were very happy that I couldn’t go to the race. I was not happy. Even though it was good for me, financially speaking, I wanted to go and now I want to race more than I wanted before.

I am more committed to the sport, I know myself a lot better. I know who I am and I know who I want to be, and I think I’ll be there in two years time.

I was talking to a friend this week and she made me realize what I have felt and what I still feel. I did not know I was still feeling this way until she made me realize about it. I know I might have prioritized something else and may be when we were together I did many mistakes by making wrong decisions. But I needed to blend many sides of my life. And there are things that I must do every day.

I have been thinking about my competitive advantages again and I don’t see any in me. Some people say that I have a lot of will power. Well it might not be true or I only use it when I needed and when I like something. Otherwise, this will power just goes away.

I am getting all this input from other people on what I should do and what I should not do. I am getting very tired and I need to get out of this soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBHZFYpQ6nc