Happy Halloween

I didn't swim yesterday because I was exhausted. But that's okay. My swimming was my strong suit by far, therefore, skipping a minor workout is okay to keep me fresh for today.

I'm a little sick today, my nose won't stop running. But instead of skipping a second day I got on the bike for the 1:16 I was prescribed. As always, my main concern on the bike is finishing the workout pain-free since my knees were keeping me on the shelf.

I definitely felt a little strain in the back of my knees during the ride so I stayed in a lower gear and just spun it out. But I was able to get through the entire 1:16. When I finished, I felt very good. The pain during the workout was more of a muscle soreness than a knee ligament or tendon pain. I was very tired but I am starting to get more comfortable on the bike.

It was a very encourtaging day. It's not every day that you see improvement in the training. Also, I am starting to get over the "bike is my overwhelming weakness" plateau. With the new sizing of my bike and the alleviation of pain, I am able to get two workouts in per week, minimum. Now I am becoming more comfortable on the bike. I am sensing my muscles that are needed for the bike getting stronger and the pain going away quicker. This is a great sign for me.

People always talk about setting clear, reachable goals for the season ahead to guide your training. At this point, I am not self-aware enough to know how good I am and how good I can be. I am still just starting to learn how to swim and cycle. It takes a lot of time in our busy lives to buy a bike, buy a trainer, a computer, to learn how to use all of those things, to start spending time in the saddle, to get over the muscle pains experienced from starting out from scratch. I've been at this for almost two years and I'm just starting to feel comfortable on the bike. Just starting.

The same with swimming. At first I couldn't find goggles that worked properly and my suit was way too loose and I could barely get from one end of the pool to the other. Now I'm averaging 1:40 per 100 yds. The thought of that was inconceivable even two months ago.

I guess the moral of the story is, you gotta keep at it. The Japanese use the term kaizen which means constant improvement. That has been the goal of my training; to constantly improve my swimming technique, to spend more time on the bike, and to squeeze a run in. Hopefully it pays off this summer.