Week 47 - FORTY-SEVEN!!!!

The Numbers (as of 10/25):

		Pushups	Crunches	Kata	Sparring	Journey (Swim)	Journey (Bike)	Journey (Run)	Kindness	Journal	Video
Annual Totals:		44,970	44,970	426	682	6	1,250	1,066	914	46	7
						2,322
Annual Targets:		50000	50000	1000	1000	2400			1000	56	12
Percent of Annual Targets Complete		89.94%	89.94%	42.60%	68.20%	96.76%			91.40%	82.14%	58.33%

I really wish the kata number was climbing faster. It feels like it should be. I was really hoping that I'd be at 50% by the end of the month but I won't quite make it. It adds a lesson in patience to the test, I suppose. The sparring number is improving. Hopefully we can get some sparring in on Sunday mornings. It'll get there... somehow...


The Training:

I'm still enjoying the strength training. Even though it looks like I'll be sore everyday for the rest of the year. That's progress, right? Need to get more maintenance runs in, tho. Will be working that into the lunch time routine. 

Sparring is... sparring. I think I suffer from lazy-back-foot. There is more angling, but even then I feel like I'm only half way angling because my back foot isn't coming with me. I'll be working on that. And also on more snap and making sure the technique is right. 

Kata... it's hard to do 9 rounds of kata a day. I haven't maintained the numbers like I should and I know it's going to catch up with me. Thank goodness for the cushion that's build into that 9 a day number. It's shrinking, but it's there. 


The Challenges:

The lunch time routine is getting tricky. It feels strange to pull back so much on mileage but I can't do the run, the weights and the kata all on a lunch break. Keeping my head "in the game" is basically a constant thing. It's close... it's so close. That helps. And the fact that it's basically habit, that helps. I'm a bit concerned about the holidays and getting all the numbers despite the "break." Just have to stay on top of it. 


The Levels:
Motivation: Present and accounted for...
Next Event: November 16th - Big Sur 1/2 Marathon; December 7th - CIM Relay;
January 9th - Black Belt Test


Patience:
I'm trying...

Week 46 - Too Soon to Ask if We're There Yet?

The Numbers (as of 10/18):

		Pushups	Crunches	Kata	Sparring	Journey (Swim)	Journey (Bike)	Journey (Run)	Kindness	Journal	Video
Annual Totals:		44,020	44,045	363	652	6	1,250	1,051	898	45	7
						2,307
Annual Targets:		50000	50000	1000	1000	2400			1000	52	12
Percent of Annual Targets Complete		88.04%	88.09%	36.30%	65.20%	96.14%			89.80%	86.54%	58.33%

Same, same. Slowly but surely closing the gaps that need closing and keeping up with the rest. I think it will feel really good when a few more numbers spill over into the 90s. 


The Training:

It feels kind of strange to be doing such low mileage, but the shift to weight training is good. It always amazes me that no matter how often you workout, pushing just past that threshold makes you sore. It's a good thing, it means that I can work harder. And that quality matters as much as quantity. Cardio is where my heart is, but strength training needs to be more regular in my routine, it adds a few levels of challenge. 

It was a good week for sparring. There was always someone willing and able to meet early for some extra rounds and what's usually a kata day became a sparring day. I get frustrated sometimes because I just can't get the angling thing down. I think there's been some improvement but it's not consistent. And I don't have that quick movement. At least there will always be lots to work on. 

Kata... there's a lot of kata happening. I'm not quite maintaining 9 a day the way I'd like to but so far I'm being consistent enough. Just have to keep being "consistent enough" for another 75 days. Soooo close.


Closer to a Goal:


One of my personal goals for the test is to conquer 3 personal fears. Previously, I held a snake. Eew. And recently, on 10/18, I went horseback riding. I had a bad experience horseback riding when I was 10 so am pretty intimidated by horses. I realize that the horse I rode, Walter, looks like a pony in the picture, but I promise he was a full-sized horse :) One more personal fear to conquer, scuba diving. 


The Challenges:

Time management is a lot easier because the 2 hour bike rides aren't necessary anymore. At this point I feel like it's really a mind thing: Staying focused, maintaining a love for kata, not panicking about all the requirements I haven't met yet, not letting burn-out win...


The Levels:

Motivation: Stable...
Next Event: November 16th - Big Sur 1/2 Marathon; December 7th - CIM Relay;
January 9th - Black Belt Test


Discipline: Kata

Week 45 - Yes, I've Started Counting the Days

The Numbers (as of 10/11):

		Pushups	Crunches	Kata	Sparring	Journey (Swim)	Journey (Bike)	Journey (Run)	Kindness	Journal	Video
Annual Totals:		43,170	43,195	306	614	6	1,250	1,033	881	44	7
						2,289
Annual Targets:		50000	50000	1000	1000	2400			1000	52	12
Percent of Annual Targets Complete		86.34%	86.39%	30.60%	61.40%	95.39%			88.10%	84.62%	58.33%

All the numbers were a bit low this week but I'm okay with that. Recovery and rest are important, too. There are the typical low numbers, but plans are in place so I just have to to stick to it and see how things go. 


The Training:


Now that the triathlon is behind me I'll be focusing on strength training. There are about two and a half months to go, should be enough time to get a bit stronger before all the black belts come to beat me up. I'll be doing strength workouts 3 days a week and cardio (in the form of heavy bag) 2 days a week. Of course there's always the running and karate class. I'm really looking forward to switching gears.

Kata... Oh, how I miss the days when I loved me some kata. Playing catch up is rough; There's an element of it that's almost destructive to the relationship between me and the meditative state it that kata allows. And then the other element is the challenge to get them all done. I am a goal-oriented person and like when I have a goal to work towards, a measurement to reach. Right about now, I'm very thankful for that. But I also think it makes me a little crazy, because the two elements are battling and it's pure stubbornness that makes me keep going. If not for the struggle with kata, I might not be counting the days.

Sparring... I'm closing that gap fairly steadily but still think there will be a big push in the last couple of weeks. While I really wish I felt an improvement on the technical side, I'm glad that I at least feel improvement on the cardio side. Cardio for sparring is it's own thing altogether, totally different than a long run. But... those long runs/rides have helped.


The Challenges:

Now that the home stretch is here, there's some panicking every now and then: That sparring gap is intimidating; need to get my profile of Kyoshi Fierro finished; empathy training...


The Levels:

Motivation: A bit of a spike now that I get to switch it up and do some strength training.
Next Event: November 16th - Big Sur 1/2 Marathon; December 7th - CIM Relay;
January 9th - Black Belt Test


Motivation:

Week 44 (+ a day) - Triathlon = DONE!

The Numbers (as of 10/5):

		Pushups	Crunches	Kata	Sparring	Journey (Swim)	Journey (Bike)	Journey (Run)	Kindness	Journal	Video
Annual Totals:		42,570	42,595	258	590	6	1,250	1,018	864	43	6
						2,274
Annual Targets:		50000	50000	1000	1000	2400			1000	52	12
Percent of Annual Targets Complete		85.14%	85.19%	25.80%	59.00%	94.76%			86.40%	82.69%	50.00%

It's probably not hard to tell why the mileage number is my very favorite and the kata number is my nemesis. The triathlon was yesterday so I eased off on the workouts from Wednesday. That means must of my numbers are low this week, but it was the right thing to do. Now I have to get aggressive with that kata number and keep driving the sparring count up as well. That'll be a major focus from now on. 


The Triathlon:

I'm not entirely sure what to say about it. I'm REALLY glad it's over. Feels great to have accomplished that goal. Not just for testing but because I've been wanting to do a 1/2 iron for years. It could not have gone better...

The Swim - Started at 7:10 in 68° water. The wetsuit my friend loaned me made a HUGE difference (thanks TIffany). The buoyancy and the warmth were very helpful. The swim is the part I was dreading most. I didn't train properly and it's already my weakest link. But I was comfortable the whole time. Mind was clear and calm, body was was relaxed, no leaking in my goggles, no water in my ears, only got smacked a few times. I actually had a moment where I thought, "this is really nice." DID NOT expect to think a thought like that on the swim of all things. Haha. 

The Bike - The first 25 miles or so were challenging with about 3100 feet of climbing (I think). It might not have felt so hard if there were porto-potties on the route. There were exactly none. But you gotta do what you gotta do. So... I did. And as the course started to roll downward and began to flatten out, everything felt good, I felt stronger than I'd expected to. The scenery was nice, too. I was eating something every 30 minutes, sometimes more and drank lots of water. My knees started to hurt at around mile 45 but it really wasn't so bad because I knew I was almost there. And when I got off the bike at T2 they instantly felt better. 


The Run - I couldn't believe how okay I was feeling. I mean, I wasn't running at this point, just sort of... moving in a forward direction. But my body felt okay and cardio wise I felt great. For now... The run was a two-loop course. I did the first loop at about a 10 minute mile pace. Then... I wilted :) I didn't pay enough attention to nutrition on the run. By mile 8 my knees were hurting bad. At one point I stretched the hem of m shorts down as low as I could and packed ice in around my knee and lower quad. There was a lot of walking on that second run loop. But it gave me the umph to finish strong. 

And I finished. 70.3 miles in 6:55:53. And I'm good with that. Check it off the list!


The Challenges:

Not growing out of my love for kata. And... for the next couple days or so... walking normally.


The Levels:

Motivation: I just feel content right now. Content.
Next Event: November 16th - Big Sur 1/2 Marathon; December 7th - CIM Relay;
January 9th - Black Belt Test


Motivation: