Even though there’s only a one-hour time difference between Manila and Phuket, I always come back home feeling like I need to get back up to speed. And so that’s what I’ve been up to the past week and a half: catching up with work, sleep, and some fun with family and friends before I buckle down for my next race, Challenge Vietnam.
very motivated for Challenge Vietnam
But I knew I needed that break physically and mentally.
Last week, I had no desire to run. I still haven’t put my bike back together after Bintan. A back-to-back Nike Training Club workout and easy aerobic swim on Thursday comprised my first exercise session. I had to crawl into bed right after that one :O
I did a yoga session on Saturday and felt a little better, then swam on Tuesday. I ran today for the first time since the marathon. A steady long warm-up followed by four intervals on a 5% incline, it left me feeling strong, not spent.
There’s not a lot of downtime between my marathon and the upcoming half-ironman. I was supposed to start on my 16-week triathlon training plan from Maccax last week! Thankfully, the first two weeks of the plan are part of an adjustment period, and swimming and cycling as recovery during my marathon training has kept me reasonably sharp at those two disciplines. Having this plan also keeps me from going hard all the time in training; each session is easy to follow with the right level of intensity.
After my back-to-back race weekends, I realized anybody determined enough to finish can do so, no matter how long it takes. So really all you need is patience and a scrapper’s mentality not to give up.
However, I’m also an impatient person. You can bet I’ll put in the work to shorten the time I’m out there grinding through the course. 😉 I can’t wait to see a new part of the world and race with friends old and new!
Meanwhile, I try to look as non-sporty as possible after a big training block and race.
