Favorite Beginner to Intermediate Tri Training plans

I’m six weeks into my 2011 Triathlon Training plan.  Despite my early injury set-backs, my training is going great.  In fact, I’m lovin’ it!

I am a book reader.  I love books.  My wife and I were at the local bookstore a while back, and I told her, “I love to be among the books.”  I can just feel the knowledge pouring into me as if I’m getting a new training download via the Matrix.

When I was looking to start training for Triathlons, I went and perused, borrowed, and bought a bunch of different books.

There is one book that I keep going back to.

It’s the Complete Triathlete’s Training Manual:  A Unique Training Guide for Triathletes of All Abilities, by Oliver Roberts.

I love how it makes my training plan so simple.  Its makes it easy easier to fit my training sessions into my hectic lifestyle.

In my last post, I talked about my plan.  Since, I’m only shooting for the Olympic DistancesI try to exercise, 6 days a week. Run, Swim, Bike, Swim, Run, Bike, Rest.

Now, sometimes, I miss a day or something comes up, and what I’ve done is basically turn my next weekend workout day into a brick workout, or I will move my rest day around.  I try to avoid moving the Rest Day too much, because then you sometimes get stuck working out an extended period of time without a break.  We all should know, myself included, that Rest days are just as important as our training days.

Now, something else that super-charged my recent weight loss was a Dog Dare Challenge.  Basically, my brother dog-dared me into a weight loss challenge.  We basically were both lamenting on how difficult it has been to rein in our eating habits. So, we basically created a weigh-in day, we then challenged each other to a weight-off contest based on percentages.  Then, we held each other accountable.  It went great.  I really jump started my eating plan and helped me to lower my calories I ate.  It got me in tune with my portion sizes, and I have a better idea what I’m eating.  I still have difficulty with late-night eating binges when I’m working.  My solution to that is go to sleep, but sometimes work is calling.

Parting Tip:  While you are exercising, Count down how many laps, repetitions, or time you have in your activity rather than count up.  Looking ahead keeps us more motivated rather than looking behind.  When we look behind ourselves, we become complacent with how far we have come.

Party Tip:  If you are going to Drink Alcohol, remember Alcohol has calories so adjust your eating habits accordingly.

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Drive, Dreams, and looking

It has been a while since I posted.  I am searching. Searching for something that I am not sure what it is.  I’m looking.  Part of me thinks, a metamorphosis must take place.  Another part of me thinks, the something I am searching may already be found, it just needs to be awaken.  I’m still driven.

I am deep in the throws of Triathlon training.  Its been more difficult this year.  The weather, work, and responsibilities have been throwing wrenches in my training plans.  Yet, I train.  I admit that without my already committing to a triathlon this year, I’m sure I would not be training this hard.  I’ve tried my best to workout six days a week.  My goal has been Run on Mondays, Swim on Tuesdays, Bike on Wednesdays, Swim on Thursdays, Run on Fridays, and Bike on Saturdays.  Rest on Sunday.  Since, I’ve ramped up my training plan over the past month or so, I’ve had to change training days all over the place.  I still have been able to get two Runs, two Swims, and two Bikes in each week, but just not on the planned days.

I’m still debating some intermediary races.  Possibly the local triathlon in early July or maybe the sprint triathlon in late july as a warm-up for the Chicago Triathlon at the end of August.  I’m not sure yet if I am up to the standard distance yet for the early race.

I have to say as I’ve increased my training I feel much better.  I love it!  Although, I’ve been watching calories in, and I’m a little sleepy at times. I’ve lost some of the winter weight gain, but I still have a little bit more to go.

So, back to dreams and looking… I’m still searching… when I find it, I’ll let you know.