The saying that no one has ever done a workout they’ve regretted is so true. During my seventh week of half Ironman training for the Beach2Battleship Half Ironman, there were several days I found myself wanting to throw in the towel. Not finish my second workout of the day. Crawl into bed and watch reality TV instead of ride hill repeats after dinner. But remembering how powerful I feel when I conquer the workouts on my training plan and do more than I think I can do is amazing. I try to channel that feeling when the devil on my shoulder is whispering words of temptation.

Perhaps 7 really is a lucky number, because week #7 of my half Ironman training was a pretty stellar week for me.

Here is what the week looked like.

Monday
REST

Tuesday
Strength training: We did a workout called the Double Down for time. I did the red version weights with the white jump ropes. It looked like this:

I followed that up with 25 jumping pull ups, 25 knees to the chest, 10 push-ups, 5 inch worms, 20 leg raises and 20 windshield wipers.

Next, I hit the pool …

Swam 1,900 meters:
300-meter warm up
8 x 25-meter drills with 10 seconds rest between each
6 x 100 at moderate intensity with 5 seconds rest between each
11 x 25 at max speed and intensity with 20 seconds rest between each
8 x 25-meter kick only with 15 seconds rest between each
320-meter cool down

Wednesday
Morning: Ran 5 miles with 13 x 30-second sprints at 6:15 pace with 2 minutes of active recovery during the middle portion of the run. I didn’t have very much energy during this workout, and it was all I could do to keep my legs moving. I know it was because I didn’t eat anything or drink much before I hit the treadmill.

Evening: Rode hill repeats for a total of 1 hour on the trainer – 13.7 miles with 11 x 1 minute hill climbs in the hardest gear at maximum intensity with 2 minutes of active recovery between each. I finished this workout at 10 p.m. and was completely beat.

Thursday
Ran 8.45 miles along the Chattahoochee River starting at 6:30 a.m. with my pal Katie (@katierogo). We averaged an 8:34 pace, with our last miles at 8:28 and 7:56. This run felt tough for me. My legs were tired from the previous day’s workout and my breathing felt labored.

Friday
Morning: Strength training
My workout was a 15-minute main set doing as many reps as possible of the following:

• 5 burpeees
• 10 push-ups
• 15 sit-ups
• 20 squats
• 100 meter sprint

I did 330 reps, an increase from 304 earlier this month. Afterward, we ran around the park doing exercises for the remaining time.

After my strength workout, I picked up my bike from the shop, which was getting a tune-up and new aero bars *yipee!* I’ve never ridden with aero bars so I was excited to try them out on Saturday and see if they made a difference with my speed and comfort. I could, however, have done without the $300+ bill from the bike shop. Thank you, triathlon training.

Evening: Swam: 2,000 meters
I did a long, easy swim without stopping.

Friday night we had friends in town and went to the Braves game, complete with a big win over the St. Louis Cardinals and Friday night fireworks.

Saturday
Brick: I had one of my best bricks ever on Saturday. I rode 42.76 miles on a hilly course (2:28). We averaged over 17 miles per hour, which would have been even faster had my friend Amy (@alauth) and I not gotten lost toward the end of the ride. My aero bars were a welcome addition on Saturday. I was amazed at how much faster I was able to go in the aero position on flat terrain. In places where I would usually ride 18 mph, I was averaging 23 mph. I also achieved a milestone on Saturday of hitting my fastest speed ever on the bike at 40.7 mph down a hill. *commence happy dance*

After the ride, I ran 4 miles starting at 11 a.m. Despite the warm temperature, I was able to run a negative split. My miles looked like this: 8:41, 8:42, 8:05, 8:09. I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt after the long ride. Progress!

That workout definitely called for some post-brick relaxation …

Sunday
Swam: 1,900 meters
300-meter warm up
8 x 25-meter drills with 10 seconds rest between each
6 x 150 meters building for 50 then descending for 25 (10-second recovery between each)
8 x 25-meter kick only with 15 seconds rest between each
300-meter cool down

Biked: Rode on an indoor stationary bike for 1 hour for some easy recovery

Week #7 mileage total: 93 miles, 11 workouts, 7 hours and 54 minutes

• Swim: 3.6 miles
• Bike: 70.46 miles
• Run: 18.95 miles
• Strength training (2 hours)

Last week, I actually covered more miles in less time than any other week this season. I’m extremely excited that this week is a recovery week for me. That means some lower mileage on my bikes and runs. On Sunday, I’ll be racing in the PT Solutions Acworth Women’s Sprint Triathlon. I’m excited to see how my training is paying off so far and to get some open water and transition practice in real time. Wish me luck!

What was the best part of your training last week? What workout or milestone did you accomplish that you’re most proud of? What are you looking most forward to this week?