2011 preparation

I've slowly been working on a training plan for the 2011 season. I've had my racing schedule set for a couple of months now, but I'm just starting to put pen-to-paper to figure out how I'm going to get that done. I've been doing little to no triathlon training for the last 5 weeks. I've been doing some Hatha yoga and strength training in the gym, but that has been for my general well-being instead of trying to improve triathlon performance. The reason for the break was because I never really took a break from the 2010 season. I took 2 weeks off, but I was still so stoked to continue training that I never did let my body rest. It wasn't until I started doing some running workouts sprinting up hill (hills are not my friends, which is why Bala Falls and Gravenhurst have been 2 of my worst races from a running standpoint) to improve my achilles heel, which is what ended up hurting my achilles heel (oh the ironing is delicious!). The pain in my heel crept up to my knee, which crept up to my piriformis. All these pains started during Muskoka 70.3, but weren't really felt until the Scotiabank 1/2 marathon, and I never really tried to heal them. Now, the achilles feels good, the piriformis feels good, but the knee still gives me problems. The sidewalks do not get cleared very well by my house, so each step has been perilous, and the muscles in my already weakened leg have paid the price for daily walks with Kermit.

So, that lead me to taking the last 5 weeks off from any swimming, biking, running. I must say, I rather enjoy this whole not training thing. Especially during the holidays. It serves to gain some much needed weight, gives the body a rest to see family and friends, but also provides the urgency and salivation to get out there and train. I've never followed a plan before, I've just sort of swam when I felt like swimming, biked when I felt like biking (except for the Tuesday Time Trials and spring time Saturday long rides), and running when I felt like running (except for the casual club run, and when I get the guts to take part in Kevin's speed workout). Tanya bought "the Triathlete's Training Bible" last summer (which I usurped), and I've been perusing their 'how to plan' chapter to get ideas on how to create a workout plan that I can follow without over burdening myself. I do not like to follow schedules like this. I am not a long term thinker when I'm doing things by myself because I will easily quit. The good thing about this plan is that I'm going to be creating it on a week-by-week basis. I don't know what life is going to have in store for me in April on Tuesday night at 7:15, so how can I plan a workout for that time slot? I'm going to map out my training phases, figure out an hourly schedule that will push me, but also leave me with time to have a life. That can only be done if I plan each week as the weeks go by. That's how I've always done it anyways, except in my head. Putting it on paper won't mean anything because if no one sees it and can hold me accountable, then it's easy to quit. That's why I'm going to be updating this blog on my workouts, and tweeting when/what I'll be training so that I feel a sense of responsibility. Even if no one reads it, it's still out there.