Ch-ch-ch-changes

Two things are changing in my schedule, one starting immediately but only lasting a short while, the other not changing for a few months but could have a big effect.

First, after last night's failed workout and my (somewhat) disappointing race on the weekend, I'm starting my upcoming rest period about five days early. I don't have a good reason for why things are going downhill right now, but my best guess is that I'm on the cusp of overtraining. I'm lucky that in my daily life I almost never have a reason to miss a workout, but that also means sometimes I may end up doing too much. The major symptoms of overtraining haven't shown up yet, but with two months left in the triathlon season, I'd rather not go looking for them. Instead, I'm going to slightly cut the mileage and duration of intensity for the next week and a half leading to Belwood. I'll still go after the same speeds/intensities, but not for as long, more just to season the legs than work them over. As an example, Thursday's run will go from 5x4 minutes at I-pace to 5x1 minute. I'll still get to feel the speed, but won't risk falling off the treadmill. Hopefully these changes will let my body get caught up, and I'll be good to go again. I guess I could be a little concerned with the race coming up, but if I had to choose, I'd rather show up a little undercooked than burnt out. In June, I took a week without cycling or swimming, then a rest week, then had my best race of the year, so I should be OK. Once through Belwood, I'll be back on my usual schedule for the rest of the year.

Second, my swim coach is leaving the program at the end of the season. He'll be starting another in a different part of the city (probably too far for me to attend), so in the winter I'll have to look at other options. I don't know yet if NYAC will find another coach for the triathlon program or if it will be abandoned. I may have to look at finding a new place to do my swimming, and I don't think Douglas Snow during public swims will be a reasonable option. If it weren't for this program, I wouldn't have enjoyed swimming as much, and I definitely wouldn't have made the improvements I have in the last two years. So I have two months now to get as much useful information and progress out of Adam as I can before I'm left to the wolves.