Showing Up Every Day

Everything hurts. 

Legs...yup.  Shoulders... yup.  Hips... yup.  

I noticed this t-shirt online this morning, which kind of sums up how I feel just now. 

I'm due back to work tomorrow after a week of annual leave, and for the second time since starting to train under the guidance of Alan from Triathlonworkx, Annual Leave = Training Camp.  

And in that week, we've had some adventures, spent plenty of time out & about... but I've also seen a couple of important little pieces of progress.  More on that in a bit. 

So how's it going?  

Well, the last 3 months have seen me working harder than ever before in fitness terms, but I seem to be managing to fit it around my shifts, and with Alan's help I'm managing the fluctuations in energy levels that go with shift work, and being a middle-aged, menopausal, female athlete.  

I've also learned a lot about how this is going to progress over the next few months.  My training load is fairly static whilst on shift, but progress can be made in intensity.  Then on leave, on time off, we can ramp up the volume to push progress further. 

Together with Mark and Riof, we've been using training sessions to have plenty of adventures, too: 

A walk/run day on Moruisg and a new Munro & Corbett: 

 

Lunch out, Loch Einich by Mountain bike: 

 

Some time out on my road bike, and my new gravel bike: 

And a couple of days in Shieldaig with a swim, a bike and a run on parts of the Celtman course:

There's been plenty of indoor time too over the last 3 months, and this has been just as important as the outdoor time.  Real consistency in the pool, and in the gym.

I also had something of a revelation a couple of weeks ago, and realised that I wasn't paying anywhere near as much attention to my nutrition as I was to training.  I remember years ago a coach saying to me "You can't out-train a bad diet", and I know I am guilty of mindless snacking - when I'm tired, bored, etc etc etc.  And I wasn't getting any lighter in spite of training hard.  So I decided to try and dedicate as much effort to my diet as to my training: 

So as well as planning evening meals, as we were already doing, I decided to start planning all the rest of my food.  Within reason, and with some flexibility, but aiming to eat food that helps me, rather than hinders me.  And specifically - when I'm at work, eating only food I take with me. 

I always find it incredibly difficult - and incredibly slow - to lose weight.  But it's nice to be able to represent what I've lost so far, since June, in body fat (as opposed to water or muscle which is what most 'diets' remove): 

3.2kg down, whilst maintaining the same amount of muscle mass.  Probably the most sustainable and sensible weight loss so far in my nearly-50-years. I'm fairly sure there are a few more kg's to be found where that came from. 

So is all this effort worth it? 

Too right it is. 

I've taken almost 10 minutes off my time for a 2km open water swim so far, and after yesterday's ride Alan reported that my FTP has gone up almost 20 watts.  Faster in the water, faster on the bike - and last week I ran the first half of the Celtman run course in a time I'm very satisfied with, given we still have 8 months of training to go.  

I'm tired, but I'm getting stronger, and showing up day-by-day is getting results.  

Now... back to work for a rest!