It is Monday last week. I arrive at the neighborhood pool, knowing that I haven’t swum since November 12th, 2022. That was 219 days, or a little over seven months ago. It’s time, it’s time to become a triathlete again.
It’s a beautiful day with a bright blue sky. The water is cool and crystal clear. I jump in the water, put a pull buoy between my legs, start my watch and push off the wall. Within a few yards, I can already ‘feel’ my lats and triceps… I haven’t used those muscles in a while !!
Since arriving in Colorado, many people have told me that the most difficult sport to do at altitude, is swimming. Those people said that it was just so hard to breathe. I was therefore pleasantly surprised that I didn’t struggle too much with my breathing. In fact, I was really pleased with how the swim went overall. Sure I was using a pull buoy, and yes, my form deteriorated as my arms got tired, but I still felt like a swimmer.
I enjoyed the pool so much, that I ended up swimming every morning during the week. I made the decision to continue swimming with a pull buoy until I can feel some strength coming back into my swim muscles. I have been away from swimming for such a long time, that it will take time to get back to where I was last year. That is fine by me; at least I am back to doing three sports, and to being a triathlete again.
I think Waterton Canyon might be my favorite place to run
Now that I am back to doing three sports, I had to plan my week a little better, in terms of working out. For one thing, it means getting back to doing some ‘two-a-days’. Overall, I had a very good week of training, with my total volume and training stress, even higher than my big week a month ago. My week is summarized below:
Monday : Pull Buoy Swim (1,600 yards) and 40 Minute Aerobic Trail Run (4.2 miles)
Tuesday : Pull Buoy Swim (1,600 yards) and 2 Hour Aerobic Ride (36 miles / 900 feet elevation gain)
Wednesday : Pull Buoy Swim (1,600 yards) and 40 Minute Run with 4 x 3 Minutes Threshold Intervals (4.1 miles)
Thursday : Pull Buoy Swim (1,600 yards) and 1 Hour 15 Minute Trainer Ride – Big Gear Work.
Friday : Pull Buoy Swim (1,600 yards) and 40 Minute Aerobic Run (4.3 miles)
Saturday : 90 Minute Aerobic Run (10 miles)
Sunday : 5 Hour Ride (80.8 miles / 4,350 feet elevation gain)
That made for total workout time for the week of 14 hours and 20 minutes with 22.6 miles of running and 134 miles on the bike.
A very solid week of training, but what am I training for? I haven’t fully decided yet. I am eyeing up a 70.3 or two in the fall and I may do a local Olympic triathlon too. For now however, I am focussing on, and enjoying, ‘the process’.
Can You See Him?
So why the photograph with the red circle? Were you able to figure out what that dark brown ‘blob’ is in the middle of the circle? In real life, it was not small !!
During my long run in Waterton Canyon on Saturday, just as I was almost done, a woman stopped me to warn me that there was a bear in the area. A few yards ahead, two other runners had stopped, and just as I stopped running, a full grown bear crossed the road about 25 yards ahead of me. Yes, that’s right… a bear.
It was clear that the bear had no interest in the nearby humans, and just wanted to cross the road to get on with it’s business. I fumbled for my phone, but by the time I got it out, the bear had almost disappeared into the trees. Hence, the little brown blob photo above.
I guess I have to be a little more careful running in Colorado than I was in Pennsylvania. I am not worried too much about the wildlife. In fact it was really cool to see this bear. I just need to be aware of my surroundings and be prepared to adjust on the go. Not unlike the need to adjust on the go when racing as a triathlete. The good news is… I am a triathlete again.
Love your back to what you like doing best. Still I’m not happy about the bears.