April Training

Today is the first day of May, and I've been training pretty diligently for the past 9 weeks, so I decided to look back over the month of April and evaluate my training to see how it's going and to see what I need to improve on.

Total Training Time = 36 hours and 50 minutes.
# of Training Days = 27
# of Planned Workouts = 46
# of Skipped Workouts = 11 (1 Swim, 3 Bike, 7 Run)

Improvements
- My swim times seem to be improving. On April 1, I swam 1800 yds in 38 min. On April 8, I swam the same distance in 36:22. On April 17, I swam 1700 yds in 31:33. My yardage increased over the last two weeks, so it was tricky finding a time that was comparable. Also, I've been taking my time on the kicking and TI drills. However, on April 29, I swam 2000 yds in 44:44.
-My brick workouts have improved. The first one I did felt great, but I wasn't able to run as far as I did on the one on April 30. I'm loving the brick workouts and will probably start incorporating more of them into my training.
-My cycling has improved, I think. It's hard to judge this because I've been on the trainer so much, but I feel like I'm able to sit in the saddle for longer and that I'm able to push myself and work on my HR a little more. This is definitely my limiter, so I'll have to keep pushing myself on these workouts.

Things I Need to Work On:
- I skipped way too many running workouts. I think because I've been running and have a pretty good base, I feel less guilty about skipping the runs. However, I know that if I want to improve as a triathlete and as a runner, that I need to be getting in the speed work on my runs. I have 2 half-marathons this month, so I think once I'm done with those, I won't worry about my longer runs, and I can focus on my speed work. Also, it seems like spring might actually be here, so I should be able to get outside more to get those workouts in.

-Cycling outside. I absolutely need to get outside to ride. Because of work, I've been mostly trying to get my rides done in the early morning, but now that work is almost done, I'll have plenty of time to get out and get my rides in outside. I also need to really push myself on the bike to make myself stronger, especially with the hills.

-Stretching and core work. I haven't done a good job of making these a priority, and while I'm fairly flexible, I do need to keep working on that flexibility. I absolutely need to get my core work in because I know it will help me in all three sports. Also, it's almost summer and I would like to look good in a bathing suit by the time I head to Hawaii.

-Nutrition. I feel like I need to drop about 10 lbs to be at my "racing" weight. I've been working on a nutrition plan and hope to get that in place by the middle of May. My schedule will settle down a little, and I will be able to make more time to work on the fueling part of triathlon. Also, I'll be at my parents house, so I'll be able to cook to my heart's content.

Goals:
-Do my speed workouts each week. Right now, they are scheduled for May 6, May 13, May 18, and May 27.

-Ride outside at least once a week, preferably on my long rides.

-Continue to work on breathing on both sides during my swim.

-Add 1 workout per week dedicated to stretching and core work.

-Lose 5 lbs.

So, I think I've reflected enough on my training for the month of April. There are definitely some good things that have come out of all of that training, but there are still things that I need to continue to work on. I feel like I'm well on my way to building a great foundation for the Utah 1/2 IM, and I'm looking forward to continuing to see improvements in my training.