Focus Personal Fitness Member Challenge: Week 20

I’m going to say it out loud, so that it’s on record: I’m scheduled to compete in a triathlon at the end of the summer in Cornwall, ON.

There. I’ve done it. I’m committed; it’s public knowledge and there’s no turning back now. Considering the fitness level I started at back in October, it’s hard to believe that I’m going to do this!

Like everyone else during this time of year, I’m craving the fresh air and sunshine that outdoor exercise offers. While I’d hoped that I would be running and cycling outside a little more consistently by now, instead of on a treadmill or in a spin class, the weather has not been cooperative. Luckily, I had scheduled some time for both activities with Coach Randy, and I’m glad that I did.

In addition to running and cycling, I’ve now added another activity to my fitness portfolio: swimming. For those that know me, swimming is not my strong suit; however if I want to complete in a triathlon, it’s a non-negotiable part of the deal. Of course I know how to swim, but a more accurate way to describe what I do in the water is “not sinking.” Thankfully there are a group of adults I’m training with that are also non-swimmers. Together, we’re learning the basics of swimming laps, including the proper strokes and breathing techniques. My introduction to swimming is actually improving my performance in other sports. This has forced me to focus on breathing, which is critical to everything we do. I often find if I’m either cycling or running and I start to tense up, I can feel my breathing becoming shallow, which only makes things worse. Staying relaxed and breathing mechanically with a consistent rhythm is a learned and practiced behavior.

As far as my regular training sessions with Coach Randy go, I continue to make steady progress. Especially with my cycling, I can feel the ability to continue on a good pace for the 75-90 minutes of spinning, which I do twice per week. Now that I’ve been able to take my running sessions outdoors a few times, I’ve noticed that I do enjoy being outside much more than running on a treadmill.  Coach Randy has allowed me to increase my speed and raise my heart rate incrementally – now I’m maintaining a speed of around 6 mph. I do this 5-6 times per week for anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.

My weight has not changed much over the past month, but I continue to notice a drastic change in my energy levels – I have much more! I recently spent two weeks on the road attending trade shows in Fort Lauderdale and Las Vegas for business. While I didn’t have the time to do all my regularly scheduled activities, I did manage to squeeze in a few runs, which were so worthwhile. In years past, those shows would have exhausted me, but this year I sailed through them and came home without missing a beat. I have my training regime to thank for this.

The way goals work is that when you achieve one, you choose a new one to work towards. My next goal, albeit a lofty one, is my triathlon. I know I’ll have all of the right tools to succeed with my tri: the training, the support, and the mental and physical skills to rise to the occasion.

The team at Focus Personal Fitness has launched some fantastic new specialty training classes to keep you healthy this spring and summer. Suitable for a variety of skills sets and fitness levels, you’re sure to find something to pique your interest – there’s even a Into to Triathlon Clinic, if you’d like to join in some training fun with me!

Focus Personal Fitness Spring & Summer Specialty Training Sessions:

Focus on Bones
Intro to Triathlon Clinic
Boot Camp
Focus on Change Challenge