I need to create something sustainable.  The key word in that previous sentence is “I.”  Not “we,” and not “my coach.”  No one can give me a training plan — hell, a life plan — that I didn’t have a hand in making.  It’s my goals I need to achieve.  All these plans can do is hope to help me.

One thing I love about Robb Wolf is how he basically refuses to answer questions about training athletes for their sports.  The short of it is… if the person is still progressing, if they’re happy, then why mess around?  What’s the takeaway?  The formula to get someone to continuously improve, at first, is simple.  It’s when the progression stops that it’s hard.  Why is that?

Training changes from physical to mental.  I have a 400+ lb deadlift, but if I just don’t feel like working on that, it’s not going to get any better.  I have a reliable 1:43 half marathon; if I stop running, it’ll only get worse.  At some point, I’m just going to run out of steam.  I’ve got a full-time job, 2 part-time jobs, I need to train for some races I want to run, and I’ve got a social life that is too hectic for its own good.  In the rare time that I can balance all of this stuff, I’m a rockstar.  When something gets out of balance, I’m a mess.

In the last few months, from say late February through today, I’ve been more of a mess than a rockstar.  So how do I fix that?

I’ve been burnt out before, or just tired, or something.  But in those times, I knew that if I got up at 5:30 and went to work out at 6:15, there would be a group of people that would welcome my return, which would fuel my desire to get back on track.  More and more, this is not the case — that group of people is completely different.  The community is so large that it’s hard to re-enter.

This is a different kind of burn out.  This one is making me rethink everything.  For you CrossFit haters that read my blog, it’s got absolutely nothing to do with that… I still believe that CrossFit as GPP and sport-specific training layered on top is way more powerful than the traditional weekend warrior training plan.  Everyone should know how to clean a barbell and squat effectively.

It’s time to go back to square one, to come up with goals.  I need a coach for not only my athletic ventures but for life.  A confidant that knows how to motivate me, not just yell or criticize my food log (which I don’t have at the moment).

I don’t have the answer to this one… I don’t even have a good start at an answer.  All I know is that tomorrow, I need to move.  And how I move is going to be important.

How do you bring yourself back?  Post your thoughts to comments.

This year, I’m going to publish my training plan on this blog, just to show them how they’re wrong.

You can mix CrossFit and triathlon training, so long as you do it with some intelligence.  I’m not going to go out and kill Fran then bike 56 miles.  CrossFit is a general physical preparedness training method.  It’s the foundation of my training.  You start from there, and add in your sport.

The premise

The general idea behind my training plan is that strength and power = speed.  So I’m going to focus my time on getting stronger, measuring that progress, and then applying it out on the road or in the water.

Contrary to CrossFit methodology, however, I am going to employ a periodized training plan.  There needs to be some method to the madness; some periods of building and some periods of rest.

Period 1: Get stronger

In the last couple years of races, I’ve found that getting stronger through CrossFit makes me faster and allows my muscles to work more efficiently.  So, I’m working on a 9-week Max Effort Black Box plan to increase my strength by practicing various lifts.

During this time, I’m focused almost exclusively on strength building.  I mix in shorter CrossFit workouts (in the less than 15 minute time domain).  Run a little, nothing big.  Toward the end of the 9 weeks, I’m going to get back in the pool and start swimming again.

Period 2: CrossFit Endurance

Period 2 marks the kickoff of my season.  This period will be repeated for each race I want to do, with a 6- to 8-week lead up to the race itself.  During this time I’m going to follow CrossFit Endurance workouts for swim, bike, and run.  Shorter metcon focus here as well.  Longer distance work will be mixed in from time to time, although it will be infrequent.

Period 3: There is no period 3

Basically, I’ll just repeat period 2 when I need to.  That’s the beauty of staying with a good level of GPP — you can map out a 6 or 8 week training plan for shorter distance races and do well on it.  For longer distance races, I’ll need a little more time, maybe 10 or 12 weeks, but the basic premise goes unchanged.

I’ll keep my Dailymile profile updated with my progress.

I’m going to write the end of this post first, and then I’m going to come back up here and write my original post.

Ok, original post time.  There are so many things I want to say, so I think I’m going to limit this to one topic and make more posts (I swear) over the coming weeks.

About 6 weeks ago, I was supposed to start training for the Rock n’ Roll San Antonio 1/2 Marathon.  I only needed 6 weeks because, well, I CrossFit, and I know I can run 13.1 miles.  It was just a matter of how long it would take to do so, and whether I wanted to PR that race.  Then… life kicked in.  One bachelor party in Vegas.  One trip directly from Vegas to Uruguay.  ACL.  Swine flu (serisouly, I got fucking swine flu).  Recovering from swine flu brought me to 3 weeks out from the race.  Then I had a confluence of shitty scheduling on my part (see end of post).  Fast forward to 2 weeks out.  I decided that with 2 weeks left, it was time to start training.

• I went out on a Tuesday morning and did the CFE WOD.  10k, 85% effort for the first 5k, 95% effort for the second 5k.  47:something.  Not bad.
• Continued my regular CrossFit regimen.  3-on, 1-off.  Strength and metcon mixup (which I going to organize soon).
• I went out and ran a 10-mile race last Sunday.  1:17:something.  7:41 pace.  That puts me spot on for a 4-minute PR for the Rock n’ Roll.

3 weeks of training, folks.  3 weeks.  Why? Because I CrossFit.  Because I focus on strength and muscular endurance, 13.1 miles at a pretty decent clip isn’t so hard.  It just takes a while.  Combine this with some proper CrossFit Endurance protocol, and I know I’ll see huge PR’s in my future.  Maybe I can get that 25mph bike pace that I need to start placing in Duathlons.

Which brings me to my next point… CrossFit Central Endurance.

Tomorrow (and I know no one has read this in weeks, so I’m going to assume that no one will show up because of my blog, but if you do, holler!) we’re hosting a free community workout at the Austin High track.  We’ll show you some run efficiency skills and drills… breaking running into the “first principles” that Christopher McDougall so eloquently describes when he talks about his book.  Then we’re going to put you through a light CFE WOD, some 100s, hopefully using your newfound skills.

Here’s the kicker… are you ready for the kicker?

We’re going to continue these free track workouts.  Wednesday mornings (6am) and Thursday nights (6pm) in December, over at the O’Henry track.  I’m coaching the Thursday nights and one Wednesday morning… December 3, 10, and 16.  Show up.  Improve your running.  Add some quality to your miles, not trash miles.  No. more. garbage. miles.

See ya at the track!

–e

Now for the blur… quick recap since I last posted on my blog (sad, I know.  I shouldn’t have to do this)

• I participated in the LiveStrong Challenge 5k and 45-mile bike ride, raising over $300 for the LiveStrong Foundation. HUGE thanks to my supporters for donating to a great cause!
• I rode a Team Time Trial for the first time on November 2.  The Tour de Grune 27.3 miles is pretty tough — hilly, chip seal, some crosswinds.  Fun ride, but we didn’t keep the 22 mph pace I wanted.  Next year.  Moving on…
• I ran the Run for the Water 10-miler on November 8.  First distance longer than 10k since February, and it went well considering that I haven’t run.
• All kinds of cool shit is happening with CrossFit Central Endurance, Pure Austin, The Label Says Paleo… it just keeps coming.
• I’m a Nuun Ambassador.  Hell yes, Nuun!
• I’m starting to see the power of tribes and the communities that can be formed.  Mind boggling.

6:30am: 3 eggs scrambled with sausage, peppers, onion, potatoes.  coffee.

9:00am: buffalo jerky, almonds, dried chili mango.  water.

12:00pm: some more random snacks like above.

1:00pm: fajitas from taco cabana.  1 spoonful of rice, some beans.  iced tea.  some almonds, dried cranberries.

3:00pm: spark and arganine extreme into water.  some more almonds and cranberries.

4:00pm: CFE workout.

4:30pm: 1 coors light.

6:00pm – 7:00pm: a few almonds and macadamia nuts on the drive home.

8:00pm: some chips and salsa, turkey breast, brisket, corn, and carrots.  2 beers.

10:00pm-12:30am: 1 makers and water, 3 makers and coke.

Today’s WOD

• CFE: 200m run, 40 burpees; 400m run, 30 burpees; 600m run, 20 burpees; 800m run, 10 burpees.  22:50.  felt like i was sucking air the whole time.

Yay, burpees! (I'm suffering on the far right)

5:15am: 1 cup black cofee.

7:30am: 16oz pure sport recovery.

9:00am: eggs, tofu, green chiles, bell peppers, hot salsa.  1 cup black coffee.

10:30am: dried bluberries, cranberries, and pineapple, beef jerky, macadamia nuts.  water.

12:45pm: 1 accelgel 10 minutes before CFE WOD.

2:00pm: 1 freebird’s burrito: wheat tortilla, black beans, chicken, roasted peppers and onions, pico, guacamole, hot salsa.  water.

4:00pm: beef jerky, dried blueberries, pineapple, cranberries. water.

7:00pm: 1 cup italian wedding soup (carrots, meatballs, escarole), stir fry with tri-tip, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, peanut sauce, olive oil, soy sauce.  water.

10:00pm: 1 pint lemon chai nuun.

• 6 800m repeats; ~3:30 per 800.
• CFE WOD (swim): total immersion drills, CFE Intervals; 6x50y intervals, rest the length of each interval. 50-55-50-55-55-55 seconds. 600y of warm up and drills first.