5 Things I learned in 2013

December 2-8

Swim: 16,100 yards (9.1 miles) / 4:25

Bike: 362 minutes / 6:02

Run: 32.45 miles / 3:40

Total: 14:07

 

Dec 9-15

Swim: 18,000 yards (10.2 miles) 4:59

Bike: 3:23 minutes / 5:23

Run: 32.71miles / 3:40

Total: 14:02

 

Recently people have been asking me to post a weekly update, so I will try my best to do so. December started the build for the 2014 season. I don’t really have any super exciting things to report from the last 2 weeks of training—lots of time staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool, riding the indoor trainer, and cold/snow filled runs—so I made a list of the top 5 things I learned in 2013. I’m a list man. A lot of emails and texts usually start out with, “Hey I have something to ask you,” followed by, “A) B) C) or 1) 2) 3).” If I list things, I can usually get to the point quickly. If I do not list things, I will probably tell you my whole life story just to ask, “A) What time is dinner and where are we eating?”

 

Let’s begin!

 

5) "Swim and bike for show, run for dough"…but you must be able to swim first! The race is not won on the swim, but it can definitely be lost on the swim. Example? Age Group Nationals - swam 26:40 1500m but was well out of my AG race. With that said, it was still an overall great day. The swim was/is my weakness, but it is getting better. I have been swimming with a squad the past couple months, and it amazes me how some of these young kids can just keep going in the pool.

See ya again in 2014, Milwaukee!

 

4) There isn’t a magic formula for running (or swimming/biking) fast. I feel that I spent a lot of time in college searching for the best way to get faster. I tried low mileage, but everything quick. I tried high mileage (my highest week ever was 82 miles, and I will NEVER run that again). I tried a mix of everything really. In the end it comes down to consistent work (and sleep!). We didn't really do anything different this year besides run less, swim more, bike more, sleep more, and stay healthy. I may not have trained like a runner, but I was still able to tie or PR every run distance 1500m and above.

1500m. BAM!

 

3) Love your body—it is the only one you get! I guess this kind of goes with #4. This year I was able to start seeing what I am capable of doing, but I never tried to lose weight. I was able to just accept my body for what it is and let the training dictate my weight. Not only was I a lot happier this year, but I was healthy and strong.

Dad and me in Vegas (Henderson to be exact, ha).

 

2) I have a coach--it is his job to make workouts and analyze the data. Steve has done a great job of figuring out how to make me a better athlete. He doesn't ask me what workouts I want to do, he tells me what I get to do. I used to think it was fun when a coach would ask me what workout I wanted to do...now I enjoy knowing that coach has it planned. For the first time in a long time, I fully trust a coach to have full control of my training. It has made it much easier as an athlete to just focus on the workouts.

 

1) Lastly, one of my favorite quotes from The Perks of Being a Wallflower, “This moment will just be another story someday.”  It took me a while to figure out what went wrong in Vegas—I had a great swim (for me), but a sub-par bike and run. I didn’t give myself much time to reflect on it, as dad and I were visiting the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Arches, and Colorado on our way back home. The following two weekends I had great races—it almost made me more upset about Vegas. Looking back on it, I had an awesome time on my trip to and from Vegas.  I finally made it west of Iowa by visiting CO, UT, NV, and AZ...I had to go through Kansas and Nebraska too, but I didn't stay any longer than I had to. The race was just another moment on this crazy 2013 journey :)

 

Some rocks I got to see after the race.

Well, thank you for reading and be safe out there while training. Let me know if you have any questions!