A Planner at Heart

For those of you that don't know me, I am a planner at heart.  So it shouldn't be surprising that every Sunday I sit down and plan my workouts for the week based on my work schedule and other commitments that I have during the week.  Here is my plan for this week:



Monday:  Run 4 miles, volleyball league after work
Tuesday: Cardio for at least 30 minutes
Wednesday: Run 4 miles
Thursday: Strength Training
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run 7 miles
Sunday: Cardio for at least 30 minutes



I started off the morning with a 4 mile run outside.  I didn't leave the house until 6:30 am, and it was still dark outside, but luckily I live near a hospital where there is a lot of activity early in the morning with people changing shifts, so I feel safe running outside.  My run stats were:

Distance: 4 miles
Time:  45:20
Average pace: 11:20/mile

This is right on track with my goal pace of 11:30 for the half marathon.  I used the Galloway method again this morning, running for 4 minutes and walking for 1 minute.  After 3 miles I was getting cold from being sweaty and running in the wind, and I considered stopping, but I knew I only had to run for 11 more minutes, and I made myself continue.  Of course afterward, I was happy that I did my full distance and didn't cut out early.  I still need to work on those negative thoughts I get while running!

A few weeks ago I ordered a new bathing suit to begin training for the swim portion of my triathlon that's at the end of April.  At 5 '10", it's very hard to find a one piece suit that actually fits right.  After reading a ton of reviews on Zappos, I finally found a suit that fits really well - the TYR Diamondback.

I would like to start using my cardio days for either biking, spinning, or swimming, but I also want to be careful not to push my self too hard with my training, as my running is really my focus right now.  The problem is that I get bored with swimming very quickly, so I don't really look forward to a swim workout.   My goal this week will to be get in one day of swimming, either Tuesday or Sunday. 

Do you plan your workouts in advance?  Do you find that it helps you to stick with a schedule?