Just after the first outdoor cycle of the season!
That’s right, folks. After all that swimming, biking and running action since January, I can finally put my skills to the test next Sunday when I take on the South Beach Triathlon in Miami! So far there are no pre-race jitters; as a matter of fact, I am so excited to get it started! I think winter has gotten the best of all of us, and it’s about time to feel the sun, surf and sweat that has not been in my sight for much too long now.
One week from tomorrow I head down to the Sunshine State, but until then, I have some work to do! You see, everything I do, eat and take on this upcoming week, I’ll take with me to that starting line. I must get myself in line and make sure I eat clean, sleep well and taper my workouts to give my body the adequate rest It’ll need before go time.
Happy BForge in a tank top...a tank top!!
The past 10 or so days have been intense in terms of training. Even on my “rest day” I snuck in a 1500yd swim, because, well, why not! Outside of that I swam a ton, ran really fast, cycled hard to the point of a new injured back (eek), and even got outside to bike for the first time all year! Oh and if you saw my Instagram last weekend, I jumped for joy over the fact that I was finally in a tank top outside on my run. BIG DAY, people, BIG DAY. There are just those small victories that you must celebrate, and my arms were practically shooting out confetti from my armpits.
HA. That would be awesome.
Shoe selfie post sprints down the Central Park Mall.
So I don’t really have a meal plan down just yet for this next week, but my goal is to stock the fridge with clean eats and stick to the basics. I’m already a very healthy eater, thank goodness, but I still have my cravings that I usually fill, which includes dark chocolate. I think that will have to go this week…that and all other sugary snacks that sometimes find themselves in my office…hehe. I’ll also be leaving out the cheese, which isn’t a friend to most stomachs, and serves no purpose other than it being amazing...isn't it amazing? What I will eat: lots of greens, vegetables, fruits, lean meats, rice, grains, beans. I’ll only be consuming water and black coffee, which is nothing new to me. I don’t drink any sodas or juices and I’ve given up alcohol during training (though I don’t drink it much off season either). I will need at least 7 hours of sleep a night to feel fulfilled and I’ll have to ice and elevate as often as possible.
Sounds exciting, right? You know you want to join me!
This weekend, I’ll have to shop for my necessities for race weekend. What I need: water bottles, inner tubes for my bike, race fuel (CLIF Blocks, Honey Stinger chews and waffles), drink mix (to make up for all that salt I’ll lose in the heat!), sunblock, and PAM (yes, the cooking spray - I use it to get my wetsuit on!) Between all that, we’ve got a big team long ride on Saturday and a team long run on Sunday. Time on the bike will be great to get my mind in the game! I am also very excited to see if all those intense computrainer rides all winter long have made me a speedy outdoor cyclist! I have a good feeling about it, or at least my quads do :)
*How’s your training going? Or your fitness plan in general? Do you have prep plans when you gear up for a race? I always love hearing people’s routines. Clearly, I have not gotten one down yet as it’s all over the place, so I need to solidify that.
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Getting excited,
BForge