All about the numbers

I like numbers.  They are straightforward.  They are plain & simple.  When you look at them over time, they can speak volumes. They can show improvement or decline. They are the metrics which define my training. I love looking at each workout & seeing the good, the bad & the ugly. I used to weigh myself all the time.  Now, I do it once a week or so and it is really only before & after workouts to see what I have lost to dehydration. I started my journey to fitness in mid-2012.  I weighed in at 222 pounds. Today I weigh around 178.  I've lost somewhere around 45 pounds. I want to lose more and it will happen, I just need to give it the same focus I give to my training. A few weeks ago, I posted about my swimming improvement. After talking with a friend, they suggested I look back and see what else had been improved. Last night, I ran a 5k & took a pretty tough spin class.  This morning I got up and ran 3 miles.  I thought it would be tough, but it was surprisingly easy. When I uploaded it to my Garmin account, I named it Easy Run & added the comment "when did easy start meaning a 9:11 avg?" So I thought I would take a stroll down memory lane & see how I got to where I am today.

I started running in Sept 2012.  I use the word running loosely because it was more like short bursts of something faster than walking but not really running (in my eyes!) followed by lots of walking. My heart rate & body were in no condition to run no matter how much I wanted to. It was tough in the beginning, but thankfully I had a great support system at the gym. They convinced me to sign up for a race on New Years Eve (which is now one of my favorite races each year). My first race as a runner was Dec 31, 2012. I finished that 4 miler in 48:56 with an avg pace of 12:14. I kept running in 2013 and when New Years Eve came around again, I was out there running the four miler.  This time with a huge improvement finishing in 38:59 (9:45 avg pace). 2014 was a year of big changes - I added swimming & biking into my routine. I was concerned that I my running would fall off & my gains in speed would be lost because I wasn't running as much.  Much to my surprise, my running improved even more. This year, I finished the NYE race with a time of 35:51 (8:58 avg pace). I never thought I would be able to run at that kind of pace. I know I won't win any races, but I am so excited each time I step out the door to go train because I know I am improving myself each & every time.

This winter, I'm taking part in the performance cycle sessions that are offered at the gym again. This weekend, we are doing our 6 week FTP testing. Last year's the tests were great. I loved comparing the numbers (no surprise there!) If you want to read about them, click here for some cool graphs. When we did the original testing this January, I had a bike that was just a little off & I got a ridiculously high number (312 hahaha!).  So, I have been using my FTP from the indoor tri in January as my baseline (220).  Can't wait to see what I am able to do on Sunday.  Until then, it's all about the recovery.

Remember every step you take is a step in the right direction. Not all of us can move as fast as others, the key is to keep moving. Find your pace, embrace it & push yourself. Before you know it, you will see yourself doing things you never imagined were possible.