January and February by the Numbers: Prep and Base

January
Swim: 24,225 yards
Bike:  356 miles
Run: 74 miles
Weights: 7 sessions
Yoga: 1x during recovery week
Total training time:  47.1 hrs

Overall a boring month of easy efforts. Trying to get back in the swing of swimming 3 times per week, which I marginally accomplished for 2 weeks in the second half of the month but overall didn't quite stick to. I did have one stellar 4050yd swim in the second half of the month which made me hopeful that my swimming might return to me once I am able to settle into a workable schedule of 3 times per week. I kept every scheduled run and ride for the month. The runs were slow but it was good to finally be doing "long runs" of more than an hour. I was pretty good with weights 2x a week but was unable to figure out timing of lifting sessions that didn't interfere with my running or swimming. I'd say no overall strength gains but a little less of that feeling of being a limp noodle.

February
Swim: 17,350 yards
Bike:  368.5miles
Run: 74.5 miles
Strength: 3 weight sessions, 1 trx session at the Y, 3 yoga (does shoveling count?)
Total training time:  41.7 hrs


I started in on my modified Fitzgerald level 4 and 6 Half Iron plan on January 31. I had started with a Friel plan on January 1 so had a weird first week of February which was a recovery from Friel but the start of base for Fitzgerald (new plan). So I've had 2 recovery weeks in the month of February. Overall this had made for kind of pitiful numbers. I have clearly slipped (again) with the swimming, with only 7 sessions for the month (11 planned). I actually (FINALLY!) made good progress with my running. Ran every run and built my long run to a little over 10miles. On consecutive weeks my long run pace also dropped by 20 and 19 seconds while the distance increased for each one. My midweek runs have still be questionable. Running at 6:30am may just not be my thing. On the week that I had a day off and was able to do my brick with the run starting at 8am I flew around and felt invincible. I've done a short brick each week (on Tuesdays). I'm trying to tack on a short transition run after my long Sunday rides but haven't done this yet as I can't seem to convince myself to layer up and go out in the cold/wet after getting nice and toasty on the trainer. I still have hope for this once we start having temps in the 40's and warmer.


IOn the nutrition front I have finally figured out a way to consistently get my fair share of vegetables. 2 hugely successful smoothies. First a mango, spinach, flax seed combo. Second, a blueberry, spinach, and blueberry/beet/grape juice combo. Both delicious, both 5 servings of fruit/veg per  drink. Some of the winter weight is slowing coming back off. I can even zip my pants, which is a nice perk.


Happy training all!