10,000 Hours

My husband and I usually do double workouts at least twice a week, usually Wednesdays and Saturdays. Wednesday I met him at the gym at noon and did a warm up on the spin bike and then hit the weights - upper body.

Later that day, I decided that instead of driving from our house to our other gym (we are members of two different gyms - sad, but true. We are fanatics) for the second workout, I would run the 5 to 6 miles and then do core and squats. It was an awesome workout day. I need more of them! It's the way I use to always train.

The good thing about living in the St. Petersburg area is there are sidewalks, bike lanes and trails everywhere. I didn't have to run directly on busy roads although I did have to cross several which can get dicey with all the 80 year old drivers around here. I made it to the gym in 55 minutes, which gave me over an hour of cardio for the day. This use to be my standard, but the past six months it's been more like 20 - 30 minutes/day of cardio.

I did squats when I got to the gym, just to finish my legs off and make sure I wouldn't be able to walk for a few days and then core and stretched. My husband was nice enough to drive me home so I didn't have to run the 6 miles back.

My legs were not sore at all the next day and that surprised me. I did some pretty intense squats. I think that doing more weights all winter and increasing the reps and the amount of weight has paid off. I hope it shows during triathlon season. My first triathlon is at the end of this month and I haven't been on my tri bike or in the pool yet. 

Last year, all the strength training I did got me through the short sprint races without too much pain despite my lack of time on the bike or in the pool. All the work I did in the gym everyday seemed sufficient. I realize I wouldn't be able to do that in a longer race that requires more endurance. I would have to put in the training time to make it through one of those longer races fairly pain free. As if that's even possible!

But what's a little pain. After all "Pain is just weakness leaving the body, " right?

I admit that I am a little nervous because my first official race of the season is coming up at the end of this month and I've spent way more time reading and working on my writing than swimming and biking. I believe in the 10,000 hour rule that was introduced in the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell that says it takes at least 10,000 of doing something before you get proficient at it. Over the past 17 years I've put the 10,000 hours into swimming, biking, running and racing and now it's time to put the 10,000 hour rule to work in my writing.

The 10,000 hour rule not only means putting in the time, but it takes more than that as you can read about in this article HERE   that states not only do you have to put in the time, but you have to put in quality time as well.

Many years ago when I started biking I joined a local bike club. This got me not only riding longer, building up to Century rides, but also riding faster because I didn't want to get dropped out in no man's land and have to find my way home all alone.

When I started running, I ran with people who were a little faster than me so it forced me to go faster. Then when it came time to train for marathons, I had a small group to run and socialize with which made the time go by faster.

After learning the basics of the freestyle on my own and building up a small base, I started swimming with a masters group to help get my technique better and also get faster, since I think some of the people I was swimming with were part fish.

Recently, I started taking online writing classes to help me write better. I've also been reading a lot about writing and reading authors who write in the genres I'm interested in writing. I'm no where near the required 10.000 hours, I estimate that will take me about 7 years, but I've made the commitment and I'm on my way.

 I consider my blog writing as part of the 10,000 hours and I've been blogging for almost 3 years.

Have you used the 10,000 hour rule in your life and if so, what have you become more proficient in because of your commitment and time?

Fashion Friday - My Favorite Running Skirt and Flip Flops

This is the best running skirt I've ever purchased. I got it at Lululemon's here in Birmingham a couple of years ago. As all the Lululemon running shorts and leggings I have purchased, it has a zipper in the back for holding car keys or money and several pockets on the outside and tucked away on the inside for GU, salt pills, anything you need to get your through a long run or race. It's also great to go from your run to running errands without looking to much like you just stepped out of the gym.

The flip flops came from Saks Fifth Avenue about four years ago and I've just about worn them out. They are perfect for the beach or for wearing before and after a triathlon in transition. I shove them in my race bag before I go to the swim start and change back into them at the end of the run to get out of sweaty racing flats. Just for the record, I do NOT run in them because that would just be stupid and slow me down.  I do wish I could find another pair exactly like these, but I so far no luck!

Running Skirt: Lululemon (similar here); Running Tank: Nike (old, but similar here ); Flip Flops: Juicy Couture (old, but similar here )

Strength Training - A Triathlete's Best Friend

I've always included strength training in my training plan so it isn't exactly something new that I just started doing a couple of years ago.  What changed in my training in January 2011 is that I went from only doing strength training twice a week for 30 minutes to at least 5 or 6 times a week for 15 to 30 minutes.  I can't believe the difference it has made in my muscle strength and endurance.

I always thought in order to have endurance, I had to spend hours on the bike or in the pool or running for miles and miles.  I know I still need to do that if I am training for a half Ironman or Ironman triathlon or a half marathon or marathon.  You have to put the time in or it will hurt!  But for short distance, I am getting by with less time on my real bike and pool and more time in the gym doing weights.

And the difference is amazing.

One thing that helps is that I have been riding, running and swimming for years and years, probably 16 or 17 years now.  I can do transitions in my sleep.  I spent a lot of time on my bike, in the pool and on the road back in 2010 when I was training for Ironman Canada.  After the race, however, I was totally burned out.  This happened to me in 2004 after I did Ironman Florida as well.  I would love to be one of those triathletes that stay focused and motivated and can compete in one Ironman after another and several half Ironman triathlons in between, but I'm not.

Fifteen months is the amount of time it takes me to get over from burnout after I complete an Ironman. I've tried to trick myself into continuing on with training after an Ironman by signing up and committing to another one immediately, but it doesn't work.  I am so unmotivated that you would have to drag me to the pool and throw me in to get me swimming.  Biking for long distances too.

Running is about the only thing I can force myself to do and that's because it's easier, requires less planning and I love it. (besides there's the Running Nazi to contend with).    I love biking too, but it requires a little more planning and equipment.  And I am extremely lazy when I'm unmotivated.

After IM Canada in August of 2010, I had already signed up for Ironman Coeur d'alene for June 2011 and Hawaii 70.3, also in June of 2011.  I made it to Hawaii and was able to finish that race with very little training, but I knew better than to attempt to do a full Ironman with no training so I bowed out.

During that time after IM Canada, when I should have been biking and swimming in preparation for Hawaii half Iroman, I was in the gym doing weights and on the exercise bike.  I only rode my real bike three times during those months and I got in the pool a total of 5 times (okay maybe 4 times) to make sure I could swim the 1.2 mile swim without drowning.

One reason I was able to not only finish Hawaii 70.3 and not be so sore the next day I couldn't move, I blame entirely on the increase in weight training and core training, done every single day in the gym.  No 3 hour bike rides or 1 hour swim session.  I did 13 mile runs with the Nazi once a week and the rest of the time, I was in the gym.

I still haven't been on my tri bike much this summer or in the pool at all, but I did do a sprint triathlon last month and was only 1 minute slower than the last time I did that triathlon two years ago.   And my bike time was faster than ever.  It was my run time that was slower and it's the only thing I been doing consistently outside the gym.  I think that is because I haven't done speed work in a while and I've trained for and run two marathons which automatically slow me down.  Overall, I was very happy with the results and my first place age group finish.

I blame my increase in weight training on the Murph.  It's all he does and he's in great shape.  My job is to get him doing more cardio.  This hasn't worked.  He can be very stubborn and hates cardio.  It's amazing how he and the Boy can come up with a zillion excuses when they don't want to do something.

My new training schedule will more than likely have to change to include more time on my actual bike and certainly more time in the pool if I'm ever going to do an Ironman or half Ironman again (which I am),  but for now this plan is totally working for me.  I do 30 minutes on the exercise bike, elliptical or treadmill and then 30 more minutes on weights, stretching and core every single day.

I am loving not having to drag myself to the pool to swim mindless laps for an hour.  The sprint triathlon was a short 400 yard lake swim.  I wasn't fast, but I was the same as two years ago and my arms weren't tired at all.  They are very strong thanks to the weight training.  I love it!  Once I combine the two, swimming laps with the weight training, I should be a much stronger swimmer than ever.

Thanks Murph!

Add caption