Schedules and Training

Well summer has officially begun, and it brings a whole new way of looking at training. This summer, I'm working 12-hour shifts at a local hospital 3 to 4 days a week.  Also, my friend Melissa is living and training with me this summer while she does her CPE.  

All of this means that my training schedule (and life for that matter) is very different this summer.  First of all, 12-hour shifts are long.  I mean...really long. I have complete and total respect for anyone who does them for a living and am unbelievably grateful that I'm only doing them for the summer.  They also make training on those days somewhat challenging. My first day, I got up and did the elliptical trainer for about 20 mins.  The incredible soreness and fatigue I felt throughout that long day may have been because I had run hard that Monday or because that day sucked in general. Either way, it successfully discouraged me from working out the rest of the work week (through Thursday).  If I weren't training for triathlons (one sometime this summer with Melissa and one in September with Tim) I would think that only working out on days that I don't spend 12 hours running around a hospital (3-4 days a week depending on how many I work) would be completely acceptable.  However, that's not the case. I'm one of those people who has to improve every time they do something. I'm also competitive. So since Melissa is a better runner than I am right now, and the swim during the King Tut tri was so atrocious, 3-4 days a week of training just isn't going to cut it. 

Here is my tentative plan. I work at the hospital Monday-Wednesday doing 12 hour shifts every week. Every other week, I also work an 8-hour shift on Thursday.  Every Friday, I teach Spanish at noon for an hour.  So, on Sundays I want to do my long run. Then Monday can be a rest day.  Tuesday I can get up early and go to the gym (taking my scrubs to change into afterwards) for a swim.  Wednesday I can take off again (or maybe just stretch). Then Thursday I'll go back to the gym before work for a swim. Fridays I think should be my double day. I'll probably rotate which two I do every week.  On Saturdays, there is a really fun spin class at the gym, so that'll be my bike day. I figure, once my mileage need starts to exceed the class, I can always ride my bike around and to the gym before class. 

I know my plan is lopsided. I just don't know of another feasible way to arrange it. I have to be at work (about 30 mins away) at 6:45 so working out in the morning makes for a very early day.  And other than watering my mother's plants and cooking (terms of my "lease" lol) I have no other obligations on my non-work days. What do you think?

Tentative schedule

Ok, so I feel like I have to get outside opinions on this.   Here's what I'm thinking: on Mondays and Wednesdays I have class from 8-2:15 in Okc which means I have to wake up at 5:20am.  So if I'm going to work out, it has to be after class (no earlier than 3).  The thing is, I'm completely and totally EXHAUSTED when I get home on those days.  Tuesdays are easier because I just have work from 9-10:15am and then from 6:30-9 pm.  Thursdays are the worst.  I've got work from 9-10:15 then class from 2-4:30 then work again from 6:30-9.  So if I want to get anything done on Thursdays, I'll have to do it before work in the morning, or go straight from work to workout.  Fridays are completely free with the exception of the one hour class I have to teach in Okc at noon.  Saturdays are off limits until football is over (sooner born and sooner bred baby!), and as far as Sundays are concerned, I'd really like to start going to church again, but even if I don't make it, chances are I'll be working anyways so mornings are off limits. 

As far as workouts go, I know I need to work out at least 5 days a week.  There are 3 events I'm training for so each of those needs to be done twice a week (one day will double just like it was with Jessica).  The only huge change I might be considering at this point would be doubling up on Fridays instead of Tuesdays.  On one hand, I have less to do on Fridays, and potentially more daylight to work with.  On the other hand though, I kind of like having Friday as my lazy day, and only having one activity on that day leaves the weekend more open for trips (that I never end up taking).

Well, I may have just wasted my time writing all of this out because I don't think I'm going to change anything just yet.  I'll change the times for sure though.  There isn't enough daylight to work out in the evenings, and I don't have to wait for Jessica to get off work so there's no reason for me to wait anyway.  I think I'll do my doubling up on Tuesday's after my first "class".  I'm out of the house and I usually haven't showered for the day yet. Wednesdays and Saturdays I'll keep as off days.   The rest I think I'm going to keep identical to Jess and my schedule, just earlier.  

 I might also try to make swimming a more constant activity.  I'm a horrible swimmer. Anyone who knows me, or reads this blog, knows that.  But I feel like if I don't start swimming more than once or twice a week, it won't get better.  I really want to make running like that.  I can run forever. I love it, and I'd love running to be something that I just do every day...like showering or eating.  However, my running doesn't need as much work.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm out of shape.  My lungs can't handle running right now any better than my great grandmother's lungs can.  Swimming is harder.  If I can make my lungs handle swimming, running will come because it's so natural for me.  I don't know though.  I mean, do I hate swimming because I suck at it or do I hate it because I hate it?  If it's the latter, then I don't want to spend more of my time doing something that I don't enjoy.  Thoughts?

Well, as you might have guessed from my incessant rambling, I'm sitting at work, bored. But I think it's time that I stop subjecting everyone to this and just call it quits and attempt to pay attention.