Recovery Mode

People often ask me how I can do long distance triathlons "at my age" (and these are usually people who don't know anything about endurance training). After holding myself back from wacking them on the head, I usually mumble something about rest, recovery, and good nutrition.

The truth is, I can still do the same things I did in my 30's, I just go slower and I definitely take longer to recover. Take this week, for instance. I did a hard half-Ironman on Sunday and did fairly well "for my age" but I was wiped out for two full days. Seriously wiped out. In fact, I felt worse than I did after the full Ironman last November.

I was very sore, sleepy, and lethargic for two full days. On Weds, I finally felt somewhat back to my old self. Most of it was catching up on sleep. We had to get up at 3:00 AM on Sunday to get to Boulder in time and I have never been so sleepy in my life as I was on Mon and Tues. That really got to me.

But yesterday I was feeling perky again and ran 30 mins in the morning and swam 40 mins in the evening. I could've run more but I had to get my mother to the hospital for hip surgery.

I really enjoyed the swim. I swam at Centennial pool at 5:00 PM and since it was really hot yesterday, the water temp was perfect. There was only one other guy there swimming so it was quiet and serene. I love swimming my own pace, on my own time. I wouldn't want to do that all the time because I would never improve but to do that once a week is just wonderful.

For some reason, I was also feeling a little melancholy. Most of the people I train with were heading to track while I was swimming alone. Part of me felt fine about that and part of me felt lonely. Its something I struggle with all the time.

I do a lot of solo training and there are pros and cons to doing that. The pros are obvious: you go when you want to and you don't have to work around someone else's schedule. You also get to listen to music and just "veg out" instead of carrying a conversation, which I enjoy very much. But it's also lonely and sometimes I think I quit sooner than I would have if someone else was there. I'm a social creature by nature and I do enjoy having someone to go with, esp during long rides.

Today, Kurt and I are going out for a short, easy ride. We don't get to go together very often so this is a real treat. Looking forward to the company!