Month 1 complete

So, I've finished my first month of triathlon training. I have to say though I haven't stuck completely to the schedule (seen below).

It's usually those Sunday long-swims that suffered. I just wouldn't make the time for them. Or on the double days I'd only bike or only swim because of time constraints with work. Oh well. Next week is my last week for my summer job, so I should be able to switch the work outs around. I think I may work-out for five days straight and just take the weekends off. We'll see. I can run for about 35-40min straight now, but I'm not sure on the distance. I just go by time. I can't recommend enough those Vibram barefoot running shoes. I know they look weird, but running on the balls of your feet with those shoes is completely different to running in thick-heeling classic running shoes. It makes a huge difference, and you feel more springy. Try them out if you get the chance. I biked about 17km in 36min last week, but honestly I don't know how accurate stationary bikes are for distances. I need to work on my time AND I need a real bike to train on. We'll see what happens. If that doesn't work out I'll just rent one for the race.

It's going to be a busy next two weeks. I've got my last week of summer-work and a research paper to write the first week, and a couple of conferences that I'll be working at the next. At least it'll be interesting. I also just starting using Speedo's "Pace Club" website. It looks like they provide a lot of solid work-outs with video explanations, for free. Hopefully it'll get my swimming up to par...still can't swim 750m non-stop. Which I'll have to be able to do in a month and a half.

Also, it looks like Jared and Jenn are gonna be doing the triathlon too. So that should be cool, although seeing how competitive they can be in the pool, I have a feeling come the actual day it's going to become a competition between us three. Even though they insist that it isn't.

Registered!

I sent in my registration for the triathlon today. I also realized while I was getting the stuff together at the post office that this kind of blogging really requires a phone with a camera on it. Just one little picture of the envelope to tie a post together. Oh well.

Week 2

Things are going good!

Monday: 30min run

Tuesday: 30min bike work out, 600m swim

Wednesday: Rested

Thursday: 30min bike work out, 700m swim

Friday: Should be a 20-25min run

Saturday: Rest/beach

Sunday: 1000m swim

And Jared may even do the half-triathlon as well. We'll see. He may chicken out again.

Triathlon Training: Days 1 & 2

Hello people who read this blog, long time no see.

I've started training for a triathlon that'll be in Taidong (台東) on October 2nd. I'm gonna do the half marathon since I don't think my swimming is very strong right now. SO, the distances are 750m swimming, then bike 20km (12.4 miles), and then run 5km (3.1 miles).

Unfortunately there's not really going to be anything to look at as I bike and run in Taidong, because as you can see below it's terribly ugly and boring.

So on Monday (7/18) I ran for half an hour without much complaint. Unfortunately when I got back I found I had a rather sizable blister on the ball of my left foot...so off to a good start!

Yeah. That is my foot and its blister. You're welcome.

Then today, Tuesday (7/19) I swam 800m. I know that's not much, but my orginal plan was to get on a bike machine for 20min and then to swim a short swim work-out. Sadly I had forgotten covered shoes and so I couldn't go to the part of the gym with the biking machines. That, plus the pool was packed with elderly and children apparently all getting swim lessons in how to splash around in water. Which left everyone else to do the breaststroke as slowly as humanly possible in front of my while I tried to swim. I think I need to just stick to the nearly always empty pool at Zhengda (my university).

Right, so here's my schedule for Week 1 & 2, I'm trying to build up a base level the first two weeks, so they'll be the same:
Monday: Run 30min
Tuesday: Bike 20min; swim 800m
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Bike 30min; swim 800m (pending change, I'll have to see how going from biking to swimming will feel)
Friday: Run 20min
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Swim 1000m

So that's my base level work-out. I kind of modeled it off a routine I found on Beginner Triathlete. Basically you're supposed to have two rest days (or just one, if you work out 6 days a week), and increase the length by 10% each week with one week at the end of the month as a rest week where you scale stuff back. The routine suggested I make a work-out like this:
1 Short swim
1 Short run
1 Short bike
1 Long swim
1 Long run
1 Long bike

How you space it out is up to your schedule, but you should keep the long work-outs near to rest days and so on. Anyway, I'll try to keep this up to date so that I keep myself on schedule and motivated. I'm thinking maybe I'll take pictures of places I run to, and hopefully once I've bought a bike, places that I bike to. If anyone has done triathlon before and has some advice I'm open to it. Wish me luck!