Volume 14, Week 13: "I'm Being Tested...."

 

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."

Psalms 139:23 (NLT)

"For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow."

James 1:3 (NLT)

For me, it's the lifeguards having me move lanes for "swim club".  Whatever....

    Being tested isn't always fun. But it does push you to see what you know, how you've improved, and what you can do to get better.  This week I was tested. Well, since I'm my own coach officially, I tested myself.  Get to that after the weekly stats, with Year-to-Date stats included:

Weekly Stats: *YTD is in red from Nov 4*

• Weight: 179.6
• +2 lbs from last week-- -1.0 lbs
• Swim (x2)
• 2.84 miles (5,000 yards)--32.08 mi (56,500 yards) 
• 1:51:20--19:48:07 
• Bike (x2)
• 35.0 miles--515 miles 
• 2:08:41--33:13:09 
• Run (x3)
• 12.65 miles--178.51 miles 
• 2:05:16--28:35:15 
• Strength (x1)
• 55:44--18:58:01 
• Yoga (x1)
• 40:09--9:34:01 
• Totals
• 9 Workouts--140 Workouts 
• 50.49 miles--725.83 miles 
• 8:06:05--111:39:13 (~4.65 days)

    Only one week left then I will begin my 16-week training plan leading up to Ironman 70.3 Eagleman in Maryland on June 8th. I am putting it together, probably won't have it all set, but want at least the first couple of weeks done so I can get going for real! 

    This week was a test week. I did a swim test on Monday and a run test on Tuesday. These tests were to see where I fall with my lactate threshold.  In layman's terms, Lactate Threshold is the highest exercise intensity that you can be sustained for 60 minutes.  There is a more scientific definition for it, and I am still trying to fully grasp all of it to fully understand. (I wish I could go back to college and take some of my exercise physiology classes again--now that I REALLY want to understand it!) This test is to see where I am fitness-wise to map out what the difference will be between my low intensity and high intensity workouts.  I did not get to a bike test, that will be this week.    

    Monday I completed my lactate threshold swim test.  I had to swim a 200 yard warm-up, then 400 yards as fast as I could go.  Take a 2 minute rest, then swim 200 yards as fast as I could finish it.  Then take my average time per 100 yards for the 400- and 200-yard sets.  Those times go into a formula and, presto, I got my intensity zones for swimming.  I averaged 1:37 per 100 yards on both the sets.  Last time I took this test in August, I averaged 1:51 and 1:53 per 100 yards.  So I've dropped 14 seconds average.  For me that is a huge gain!  Even though I don't feel like I'm getting faster, I am.  Consistency has been the key.  I finished my workout to complete a total of 2,500 yards.  On Wednesday, I did another 2,500 yard total, but swam 2,150 yards nonstop.  That's the Half-Ironman swim distance (1.2 miles).  I've done it before, but lately I've been doing 1000 yard sets.  

    I completed a couple of bike days, all on my smart trainer.  Didn't get in as many as I normally do, since I wanted my Monday test day to be accurate and not skewed due to fatigue.  I'll do my lactate threshold bike test this week.  

    I did 3 runs, all on the treadmill, AKA "Judge Tread".  On Tuesday, I completed my threshold test.  It was a 10-minute warm-up, then a 30 minute run as fast I I could and sustain for the full 30 minutes.  My average HR over the last 20 minutes was my "score" and would tell me my HR intensity ranges.  Thursday I ran 60 minutes with my HR in "Zone 2".  That's where most of my training should be based off the program I'm going to follow.  I averaged 137 BPM for the 60 minutes, and had to keep the speed at a pace where I wasn't exceeding too much over that. I'll explain more about the ranges in a week or two as I make sure I can talk knowledgably about it.  I'm still learning, and putting all the pieces together.  I'll probably fully understand it sometime in October!  

    I only got one strength and one Yoga session in this week.  I can honestly say my motivation was down this week.  I knew I had to put the effort in on my threshold tests, but outside of those, I was tested when the alarm would go off. Several times I went back to bed, and decided to work out in the afternoon.  Most of the reason was I wasn't going to bed when I should have been.  I can function well off of around 6-1/2 hours of sleep as longs as I go to be early enough.  This week, though, I found myself staying up later, usually for no reason.  I'll be better this week.  Also, I did NOT eat well this week.  I had several dinners out for meetings/parties, and my lunches were just thrown together with whatever was easiest.  Not usually the healthiest options.  So my weight went up a bit.  When I see the scale go up, it discouraging.  But that's just a small checkpoint in my overall fitness.  My swim times and running HR tells me I'm getting better.  And I can still see physical evidence I'm heading in the right direction. I'm just telling myself that it's just water weight. Right? I know when I up my times and distances over the months and my workout sessions go up, I'll naturally lose some more weight.  I'm not looking for a ton to lose, just about 10-15 pounds over the next 9 months.  As long as I'm getting stronger and faster, the scale in secondary. All that does is make my wetsuit fit better!  

I'm Learning That:

    Testing can be hard.  Whether it's going all out on a swim to see where I am on my intensity zones, or taking a test for a class, or just having your motivation tested, it's not always fun.  For my swim test, I had to go all out for 400 and 200 yards.  Now, I can swim at a comfortable pace for a long time.  I don't seem to run out of breath and the only thing I feel really restricts me is my shoulders getting tired.  But going at full speed as fast as I could go, it felt like the 400 yards were double that length. I was acutely aware of my breathing, felt my shoulders burning, and could feel my form disintegrating the longer I went.  My "normal" swim time for a 400-yard set would be close to 7:30-7:40ish.  I did this 400 yards in 6:31.  It was hard.  But that's the point.  Then I had to do another 200.  Again, it felt a lot longer than it was.  But I was done in 3:14.  Now that's fast for me. Plugging my numbers in gave me the above chart.  When I do a "Zone 2" swim, I should be pacing between 1:48 and 1:57 per 100 yards.  That's right in my comfort zone, so I know the test was working right.  But to get my intensity zones, I had to take this test.  And even though it was only a total of less than 10 minutes, it wasn't comfortable.  I know there will be a lot of training over the next 9 months that won't be fun. But it's part of the process. And if I stick with it, I'll cross the finish line.  I hated running on the treadmill--it wasn't comfortable and it seemed hard.  But I dedicated a few weeks to only the treadmill and it's not nearly as uncomfortable and isn't as hard as it was when I first started using it.  That's how a lot of my training is going to go.  And I'll have to keep testing myself every month or so to update my thresholds. That way I can keep getting better.  

Reflections in Life:

    Getting tested is a part of life. There's no way around it.  As an instructor in our HS Public Safety program, I test the kids.  Academically with their knowledge of fire information and in their hands-on skills.  And I push them to be better each time they do something that is hard.  It doesn't come easy the first time they try something. I get tested everyday too.  Sometimes it's a simple test.  Do I get out of bed when my alarm goes off at 4:35AM (and stay up) and get my workout in?  Most of the time over the last few months, I've passed.  This week, not so much. Sometimes it can be a harder test.  I would say most of the time when I'm tested in life, the subject matter is my attitude or reactions. How do I react to Julie or the boys?  A lot of times, I pass it that test.  And a lot of the time, I don't. There are times I pass, but I get a "D" on the test. 

    And God tests me.  Not in a way that He's trying to get me to fail.  But He wants to know that I'm all in and following Him.  He tests my heart.  He knows my worries and fears (see last week's blog). And the test is to see where I am. Not to give me an "F", but to show me what I need to work on.  To allow me to get back on track if I'm not where I should be. And He's right there waiting if I'm not. 

 

    I know that the tests I face either in my my daily life or the testing from God in my heart and mind is only strengthening me.  Just as the tests in my triathlon training will strengthen me.  By allowing me to better myself, to get stronger, and to work harder to overcome my deficiencies. Everyone gets tested.  Whether you see it as a test or "just life" depends on your faith.  Mine says God is behind everything.  God doesn't test (or tempt) me because he wants to see me fail.  He has my whole life in His hands, and everything that happens and all my test results (every day and in training) will lead to me being the best version of the man, husband, father, friend, worker, and triathlete that He has made me to be.  And that's all I want.  And of course, hitting the finish line is important, but it's secondary.  I want to finish strong.  In my races, in my family, in my faith, and in life in general.

**This week I am on the calendar to record as a guest on the "Everyday Ironman Podcast".  Mike and Ashley, if you're reading this, I'm excited for this opportunity, so thank you in advance.  I'll admit, I'm nervous as I listen to all the other podcast episodes and wonder what someone else will get out of listening to me.  But I know Mike and Ashley will find the right questions and story lines to make it impactful for someone.  Should be fun!  Stay tuned for how it went on next week's blog.  I'll for sure let you know when the episode will air!**

    As always, thanks for following along.  Every week I look forward to a couple of hours between Saturday and Sunday to just type out what's been going through my mind for the week.  I hope somebody can take something out of it each week, but if not, it's been good for me.  Until next week,

Keep fit, Stay THE Course, and Keep moving forward.

    

272 sleeps until IM Florida....