It’s been 4 months since IRONMAN TEXAS and I’ve neglected to post here. Lots to record but decided to post today because I had a pretty major break through in my training this past week.
Above shows the same two workouts one week apart. The difference in yesterday and today compared to last week is I properly fueled my workouts. While it may sound incredible, I have been training pretty hard for triathlons for the past 3 years now and I have neglected to properly fuel myself to do all that I do. Didn’t properly fuel on the bike for the brick and didn’t eat or drink anything before last week’s 10 mile run and completely fell apart at mile 5. This week; miles 9 and 10 were the fastest. 8 minute better performance this week with proper fuel.
When I think about why this would be, I think it’s because I have a strange relationship with food; well at least complicated. And I don’t think I’m unique in that regard. I eat because I enjoy the taste of food, because I’m hungry, because I’m happy, because I’m sad, because I’m bored……on and on. But I have never eaten to properly fuel my body for the endurance training I do. I have never really looked at food as fuel.
And like a lot of people, I struggle with my weight. Wanting to be thinner even though genetically, I don’t think I am predisposed to be that way. Let’s face it: I couldn’t possibly exercise any more. So that leaves how much food I consume, right? So the less the better? That has been my thinking and i now believe it is flawed.
So, after seeing rather clearly that less food actually hurts my training and performance, I am going to focus on retraining my brain to think of food as fuel. Sure, food can be entertainment occasionally. But 90% of the time, I am going to eat to fuel my workouts. And not focus on my weight. Focus on my health and performance.
I am a triathlete. I have to learn that doesn’t just mean swimming, biking and running. It also means proper fueling, stretching, getting enough sleep and mental preparation. These are the pieces I have struggled to add to the mix that are going to move me along my journey to my ultimate goal.
28 Days until Augusta 70.3 and 83 Days until IM ARIZONA. Enough time to develop habits that will impact my performance. Stay tuned for progress notes.
ironcheryl2018 