It can be easy to be discouraged by set-backs. When you’ve worked diligently to bring yourself up to a certain running mileage or level of fitness, then, KA-POW-EE! You get sick, hurt, or just have responsibilities overwhelm you. The idea of starting all over again, or what feels very close to it, can be depressing. That’s when you have to realize that the true measure of fortitude is being able to do just that.
It is no good for anyone to rest on their laurels. Past achievements may be satisfying to remember, but they don’t have anything to do with your health and ability to enjoy life today. Any progress that you make here and now is to be commended. That is why I sit here fighting flu germs, after resting during the holidays and recovering from frost nip on my feet, planning my workout schedule for the next few weeks.
I did let myself have a few moments of self-pity. Or maybe we should call it a time of wistful recollection. I recalled that, before the holidays, I was so pleased to have worked up to 11.5 miles of running in one run for the first time ever. Then, after Christmas, I ran my fastest 5K race time on record. But right now, my abdominal workout consists of sneezing and drinking tea is a breathing exercise.
If there is one thing I have learned to do, it is try again. Seven pregnancies, a handful of surgeries, temporary malfunction of nerves a couple of times, and nursing a terminally ill child for two years have all taught me I can come back on the scene. And I can have fun doing it. It may seem a little like playing chutes and ladders sometimes. However, I make a bit of an action game out of the whole thing. I AM the Nampa Barefoot Lady.
The six week time frame worked well for me last time I did this in the fall. I will add two weeks onto the front of this pending plan, to help me ease back into activity after being sick. Then, I’ll get more rigorous. In the middle, I have tentatively scheduled a 5K race. I will also be working around some travel, but that will be in a warmer climate, so conducive to running barefoot!
First, my general goals:
- Test my current levels of ability in swimming, biking, and running. Not maximum abilities, just where I can begin again with comfort.
- Begin to increase my overall running mileage.
- Begin to get in at least a little barefoot running time, since the temps are reaching the 40s F
- Increase time I can swim in Fastlane without taking a break.
- Add core strengthening to my routine.
Other considerations:
- My husband has said that if I schedule one early morning spinning bike workout per week, he will join me.
- I want to gradually build strength, so I will exercise fewer days of the week and for less time during the first two weeks.
- I will wait to specifically plan the workouts for my travel week when I am a little closer to it, though I am pretty sure there will be a pool available there.
- I am having trouble deciding which day a long run works out best.
So, for weeks 1 -2:
- Monday – Early morning spinning bike w/ husband, aim for 60 minutes, with power intervals every 10 minutes for the last 30 minutes. As the weather warms up, some gardening.
- Tuesday – Late morning or early afternoon easy run, aim for 5 miles. Core work of crunches and planks. Use TRX for arms (rowing, chest press, and deltoid fly)
- Wednesday – Swim in the Fastlane in the afternoon, 20 minutes.
- Thursday – Running shorter distances 1-3 miles, testing the speeds for form and sustainability. Followed by core exercises and TRX for arms.
- Friday – Rest day
- Saturday – Swim 20 minutes, then spinning bike for 30 minutes. TRX and core work.
- Sunday – Rest day
Weeks 3 – 8, excepting pending travel week:
- Monday – Early morning spinning bike w/husband, aim for 75 minutes, gardening, swim for 20 minutes.
- Tuesday – Running w/speed work, probably only Fartleks for the first couple of weeks, keeping mileage on this day between 3 – 5 miles. Core work and TRX for arms.
- Wednesday – Swim in the Fastlane for 30 minutes, hopefully increasing total swim time to 45 or 60 minutes by the end of this 6 weeks. 45 minutes on the spinning bike.
- Thursday – Tempo run for medium distance, which will probably start at 4 miles and gradually increase to 8 miles.
- Friday – Swim for 30 – 60 minutes. Core work and TRX for arms.
- Saturday – Will this be the day for a long run? Start at about 8 miles, but get up to 13 by the end of the 8 weeks?
- Sunday – Rest day. I always benefit from one.
I’ve never trained for a 13.1 mile race before, but it’s not until mid May, and this workout time table runs out at the beginning of April. So, I could even take it easy for my travel week, have time to finish the workout agenda, and still be able to increase mileage for a couple of weeks before tapering off before the Great Potato Half Marathon.
That’s my game plan for now. It’s not too much different from what I was doing before the holidays, other than higher overall running mileage goals. I’m not going to be pushing it on the biking or swimming just yet, although I will be looking for opportunities to get out on my road bike. I might even do that first on a relaxed Sunday or two, to get a feel for it.