Karma…Week 16 in Training…
Generally, I felt great this week. Workouts were solid and didn’t feel like chores, which is always a good sign. Somehow, I still managed to miss one bike, though I got everything else done — and even added a little extra to the longest run of the week. Next week I’ll repeat this week and actually hit everything. After tha,t I’m heading out of town, so it’ll be more of a step-back week, though two days of skiing should be a nice change of pace.
Friday night, before bed, I made what was clearly a mistake. I laughed hysterically at an Instagram reel — a woman falling down stairs, perfectly synced to the drum fill in In the Air Tonight. I must’ve watched it fifty times. Naturally, God, karma, the universe, randomness — pick your explanation — did not appreciate that.
Today, with about 0.1 miles left in my run, I tripped on a busted stretch of sidewalk (which I’m officially adding to my ever-growing list of things I hate about Chicago) and went down hard. Both wrists, one elbow, and a knee are bruised and/or bloody. Don’t worry. I will learn absolutely nothing from this.
Swim 🏊
- Workouts: 2
- Total Distance: 2,500 yards
- Total Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
- Notes: Felt great in the water. Best swims I’ve had in a while. That said, swimming back-to-back days gave me strong high school swim team vibes. I’m not a fan, but I’m also at the mercy of the pool schedule. I’ll need to adjust the plan to account for that.
Bike 🚴
- Workouts: 3
- Total Distance: 37.77 miles
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Notes: Solid rides across the board. Nothing dramatic, just consistent work.
Run 🏃
- Workouts: 4 (including one off the bike)
- Total Distance: 15.20 miles
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Notes: Added a bit to the long run and felt good doing it. Even the fall didn’t undo the overall positive feel of the week.
Strength / Mobility 💪
- Workouts: I’m adding in flexibility, so far it’s about 10 minutes per day.
- Notes: Falling does not count as plyometrics.
Relative Effort 📈
- Total Weekly Effort: 739
- Notes: Up from 662, 633, and 619 the last three weeks. That’s real progress.
Reflections ✍️
Despite the sidewalk incident, this was a very good week. I felt strong, motivated, and capable. My Strava fitness score is now up to 103 — up 21% over the last 30 days, 78% over the last 90, 34% over the last six months, and 16% over the past year.
The chart still looks like a mountain range — up and down, peaks and valleys. I’d like it to be more consistent. That’s a big reason I’m training for another Ironman: the structure. The routine. The guardrails that keep progress moving forward even when motivation wobbles, or sidewalks betray me.
Next week should be another solid one. And I promise nothing about avoiding Instagram reels involving people falling down. I could watch those ALL day.