Last summer, while training for the CDA Ironman, I got completely and utterly burnt out of all endurance workouts. I basically had no more desire to run, bike, or swim. I wish I knew how or why this happened, because I would have tried to prevent it. I managed to get through the summer and compete in and complete my fifth ironman (with my slowest time yet for an Ultra distance Tri), but from the day I finished that race I was done training and working out and wanted nothing to do with it. This had never happened to me in the 4-5 years since I started getting into Triathlon and endurance sports.
I can't say for sure why this happened, but thankfully after about four months off from all training the desire to start getting back into shape gradually returned. I have been running a lot the last three months and I have even incorporated using a heart rate monitor into my training regiment, which is providing a level of technicality and sophistication I've never had before. Now that I've gotten accustomed to knowing my heart rate at all times while running, I don't think I could ever go back to training without it. It is a great tool to have the ability to find out exactly how hard your body is working to be able to know if I am pushing myself too hard or if I am just feeling tired or something else; either way, it is a great training tool knowing what my heart rate is. More on this later, perhaps.
This last week I reached a new personal milestone: I ran 50 miles in one week. This is a new record for me and I am hoping to maintain this kind of mileage until I am ready to start biking again. My running mileage would have to go down with an increase in biking, but until that moment comes (so far it has been too cold for me to get motivated enough to ride my bike) I am loving pushing myself and trying to become as good of a runner as I can be. Furthermore, I have done a 15-mile run every Saturday for the last couple months. It has been a great measuring stick for analysis and comparison to perform this same run in length on a consistent basis and be able to compare how I feel each Saturday on my long run and take note of the things that seem to be helping me improve and what isn't helpful.
My goals right now are first off to make sure I am in overall good enough shape to complete the HITS Full Distance (140.6) Triathlon in April in California that I signed up for a very long time ago because the entry was extremely cheap at the time. Next, I am hoping to set a new PR in a marathon sometime in the upcoming months or over the summer. Finally, I also want to complete an ultra marathon sometime over the summer or in the fall. When I think about the prospect of signing up for and setting my sights on running either a 50 km or 50 mile ultra marathon I start to feel the motivation and determination stirring around inside of me that come from setting your mind to a true challenge (like the way I felt while training for my first Half Ironman and then first full Ironman and first marathon, etc.).
I still have a lot of time to train for and -- hopefully -- accomplish these goals. This is the direction I am going in right now though.
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