December recap: this is not a 2011 recap post
Let's take a look at my December - and only December - goals.
December Goals
Make sure to keep getting enough sleep and good food as training ramps back up. Mostly check.
Don't be afraid to ask for rest if you need it, but don't be a lazy bum. Check!
Get the bike fit straightened out. Oops.
Plan a mini-vacation for somewhere in the middle of IM training. You'll appreciate it when it shows up. Our mini-vacation dollars are going instead to expanding our family. That should be just as relaxing, right?
Spend more time in the pool than any other month in 2011 (14+ miles). 24+ miles in the pool this month.
I started out December feeling kind of gun-shy about getting back into a training schedule, and that shows in my goals. I was pretty concerned that my feelings of burnout were going to get worse, not better, and that's a terrifying way to feel 6 months out from ironman. I decided with my coach to push the official start of our training back a week so I could sit on the couch and eat bon-bons, and it turns out that was a really excellent call. I'm still trying to be pretty careful about not overloading on the training, but I also have a genuine fear of feeling like a giant weenie in front of my coach. I'm hoping the combination of these two will keep me honest - it's a delicate balance. My biggest goal this month was to spend a ton of time in the pool, and I did, rounding out the month with a 5x2012 yard swim on New Year's Eve with my favorite cycling buddy and a new friend. My brain stopped working around the 5K mark but my arms didn't give out until after 9K, which is pretty promising for someone who used to swim with one arm (other holding the nose).
Yeah, you try holding the phone steady after beating the shit out of your arms for 3.5 hours. It only took us 7 attempts to get this one.
I'm getting more and more adjusted to my new sick fast, although I still think a bike fit is in my near future. I spent over two seasons of House on the trainer this month, only getting outside a few times near the end of the month to learn that I have zero handling skills. But I did 40 miles on that sucker this weekend with no crotchtacular issues and very few upper back crunchies AND didn't crash in the wind. More promising news. And while I had some creaks and moans on the run this month, I can see significant improvements happening to my stupid heart on paper and have rotated into yet another new shoe that feels oh-so-good, it's almost better than beer PLUS chocolate PLUS flannel sheets.
Looking down into January, I have to say that I don't really do the resolution thing. It might be for you, and that's just dandy, but I think it's ridiculous and you're here because I'm cranky and you like it so just stop acting all offended. I make small goals every month because I want to be conscious of my life, but at least half of those are generally in jest ("OMG cook the fucking squash already." "Do not buy a major piece of furniture."). What is my bag IS, is living my life, day in and day out, and consistently trying to find small ways to make it kick some pretty serious ass. That's why I signed up for an ironman in July (did you forget?), that's why I did a diet analysis in December (still waiting for lots more feedback on that, you guys), that's why I picked April to decide to try and be a badass cyclist (pending), that's why I'm so happy that the last day of the year was exactly how I want my life to be and not the first. I don't want to binge in December and purge in January, I don't want to wait another day to try and change my life and my habits, I want to do it now and today. I'm not going to tell you that THIS YEAR I'm going to ride my bike a billion miles or stop drinking beer or exercise some meaningless amount of times per week or stop cursing or take more pictures of my ass. There will be no "how did I do in 2011?" post (spoiler, no resolutions last year either, but I wasn't as cranky about it then) and there will be no "this is all the crap I will do in 2012" post. I'm just going to keep on, keeping on. I'm a (wo)man with a plan, and it's not the jam plan (8 points to you if you have even the faintest idea what I'm talking about).
December
Yards swum (swimmed??): 42910
Miles run: 74 (ehh, I took a week off).
Days food was logged: 10
Days I felt like I had a OCD hangover from the obsessive food logging post-log: 3
Dining room tables I still have not purchased: 1
New puppies that are the reason for the above: 1
Runs where I fought with my HR so much I whipped my Garmin across the room: 1 (improvement)
Runs where I learned that chatting adds :40/mile to my easy pace: 1
Last-minute PRs set: 1
January Goals
Keep wearing the Christmas tree swimsuit until it wears out.
Don't strangle any fat people at the gym (I know this should be, "be encouraging and patient with new exercisers," but, come on, have you met me?).
Eat spinach more often. It worked for Popeye and appears to be one of the possibly-missings in my diet.
Clean out the iTunes library. No one needs this much Genesis.
Learn to cook eggplant in a way that does not involve pizza.
Keep rotating shoes despite a love bordering on obsession for the new pink ones.
Now go read yesterday's race report, I'm the crabby one that pulled the short straw and had to write it but I'm also the reason you don't have to read six blog posts recapping the same race. You're welcome. Oh, and if you're a party pooper like me who isn't making resolutions, let me know and we can go have a beer.
December Goals
Make sure to keep getting enough sleep and good food as training ramps back up. Mostly check.
Don't be afraid to ask for rest if you need it, but don't be a lazy bum. Check!
Get the bike fit straightened out. Oops.
Plan a mini-vacation for somewhere in the middle of IM training. You'll appreciate it when it shows up. Our mini-vacation dollars are going instead to expanding our family. That should be just as relaxing, right?
Spend more time in the pool than any other month in 2011 (14+ miles). 24+ miles in the pool this month.
I started out December feeling kind of gun-shy about getting back into a training schedule, and that shows in my goals. I was pretty concerned that my feelings of burnout were going to get worse, not better, and that's a terrifying way to feel 6 months out from ironman. I decided with my coach to push the official start of our training back a week so I could sit on the couch and eat bon-bons, and it turns out that was a really excellent call. I'm still trying to be pretty careful about not overloading on the training, but I also have a genuine fear of feeling like a giant weenie in front of my coach. I'm hoping the combination of these two will keep me honest - it's a delicate balance. My biggest goal this month was to spend a ton of time in the pool, and I did, rounding out the month with a 5x2012 yard swim on New Year's Eve with my favorite cycling buddy and a new friend. My brain stopped working around the 5K mark but my arms didn't give out until after 9K, which is pretty promising for someone who used to swim with one arm (other holding the nose).
I'm getting more and more adjusted to my new sick fast, although I still think a bike fit is in my near future. I spent over two seasons of House on the trainer this month, only getting outside a few times near the end of the month to learn that I have zero handling skills. But I did 40 miles on that sucker this weekend with no crotchtacular issues and very few upper back crunchies AND didn't crash in the wind. More promising news. And while I had some creaks and moans on the run this month, I can see significant improvements happening to my stupid heart on paper and have rotated into yet another new shoe that feels oh-so-good, it's almost better than beer PLUS chocolate PLUS flannel sheets.
December
Yards swum (swimmed??): 42910
Miles run: 74 (ehh, I took a week off).
Days food was logged: 10
Days I felt like I had a OCD hangover from the obsessive food logging post-log: 3
Dining room tables I still have not purchased: 1
New puppies that are the reason for the above: 1
Runs where I fought with my HR so much I whipped my Garmin across the room: 1 (improvement)
Runs where I learned that chatting adds :40/mile to my easy pace: 1
Last-minute PRs set: 1
January Goals
Keep wearing the Christmas tree swimsuit until it wears out.
Don't strangle any fat people at the gym (I know this should be, "be encouraging and patient with new exercisers," but, come on, have you met me?).
Eat spinach more often. It worked for Popeye and appears to be one of the possibly-missings in my diet.
Clean out the iTunes library. No one needs this much Genesis.
Learn to cook eggplant in a way that does not involve pizza.
Keep rotating shoes despite a love bordering on obsession for the new pink ones.
Now go read yesterday's race report, I'm the crabby one that pulled the short straw and had to write it but I'm also the reason you don't have to read six blog posts recapping the same race. You're welcome. Oh, and if you're a party pooper like me who isn't making resolutions, let me know and we can go have a beer.