Monday Musings: Goodbye Summer, Hello Race Week!

September.  Here we are.  Summer flew by and despite the less than stellar weather, I have to say, it was a good one.  I felt I had a really good balance of fun and work.   Yes, there was some stressing about getting some training done but for the most part, I managed to get things done.  Training never felt like a grind.  These last couple of weeks, I did kinda wish I was done racing but that was just because I didn't want to get up at stupid o'clock to do a workout, ha ha.  Yes, I know I have a flexible schedule but I swim with a club and ride with a club and both of them workout in the wee hours of the morning.  So, I drag my butt outta bed and do the work.

If you follow me on Instagram and have watched my stories this past week, you will have seen me allude to some exciting things coming.  Both of them are still in the works, but I should be able to fill you in on one of them after Lake Placid.   The other one may take a bit longer.   That's all I'm going to say about that for now.  :)

This is the first week I've started to feel excited for Lake Placid.  This past month it was just some race in September that I was training for.  But now, I'm really starting to get pumped.  I know what racing in Lake Placid is like.  You finish on the Olympic Oval.  I mean seriously, how awesome is that???  It really is an amazing place to race so I have high expectations for this event.  I've been watching the weather the last few days and right now, it looks like race day is going to be amazing.  The days leading up to it, not so much.  It is going to be cold and rainy so here's hoping that Mirror Lake doesn't get TOO cold.   It was cold and windy this past weekend in Toronto so I got the opportunity to test out some layers for race day.  I definitely think I'm going to need armwarmers and a vest and I'll have to put socks on for the bike, which I don't normally do.  My feet were freezing as were my hands so it took me a while to get my socks on.  I may have to re-think my sock choice for race day.  By 40 minutes into the ride I felt much better - I was actually kinda warm so we'll see.   I know I'm going to be bringing all the layers because you can't control the weather, but you CAN prepare for it.

I've been thinking a lot about what I want my off season to look like.  I am toying with the idea of running the Hamilton Half marathon but part of me wants to take things to the trails and slow things down.  I also want to work on refining my running form and realistically I know I can't do that and train for a race.  So we'll see.  I know I will also be spending a lot of time in the pool doing drills.  I really need to improve my feel for the water.  I will also be bringing strength training back into my life, but not in the way I'm used to.  That's a post for another day.  I do know that I'll be giving myself the month of September, post L.P. to just do whatever I feel like.  There won't be much in the way of structure.  I think that is such a necessary thing at the end of one's season.  The key is to not let that lack of structure turn into skipping all the workouts so you loose all the fitness you've so hard at building.  Successful athletes give themselves a set period of either time off or easy training and when that time is up, they get back to structured training.  Why?  Because consistency is what yields results.   I could go on but for now I'll step down from my coach soap box and get on to what went down this week.

Monday:  OFF

Tuesday:  Double ride day:  29.5km with MGCC in the a.m and 23.9km with the TTC crew in the p.m.

Wednesday:  2500m swim, followed by a Total Body conditioning class <---stupidest thing I've done during taper but, it needed to be done.  I was sore for 3 days after that course.  My hamstrings are STILL feeling it today.

Thursday:  Skipped my morning run and ride and opted to ride in the p.m with G.   23.3km done

Friday:  2000m swim.  This was a tough set.

Saturday:  1300m open water swim, 40km bike, 4km run.

Sunday: 11.8km run

Swim:  5804m
Bike:  118km
Run:  16.1km

Total time:  8h 34 minutes

I'm feeling pretty good.  I do need a massage but that will be happening later.  I've been geeking out over my Training Peaks data this past week, comparing it to my data pre-Tremblant.  The numbers tell me that my fitness has improved and I'm looking to be in pretty much the exact spot I need to be to have a good race.  I will make sure I get enough sleep and eat well this week and I should be good to go!

Now I'm off to enjoy the Holiday Monday and the rest of my taper.

How was your summer?  Are you done racing or are you planning any fall races?