Week of January 6th 2020- First Official Week of Triathlon Training and Some Non-Official Translation Gigs

It is Thursday night as I begin writing this. I hadn’t planned on returning to this blog. I mean, I’m glad that I have, but it happened naturally, not as part of a New Year’s resolution or personal goal or anything of the sort. It’s probably better that way. I’m back because I want to be, not because I’m forcing myself to be.

I was going to start weekly blogging two nights ago, on Tuesday, but as I started writing I realized there were countless battles I waged with myself over the last six months in my mind, that I had to at least attempt to explain those occurrences on the surface. Here’s that attempt at a sort of update. The following night (Wednesday) I figured I may as well start fresh with the start of the New Year and make a weekly blog post of my first week of the year.

Yep… so now it’s Thursday… Let’s see what I can remember…

 

Monday, Jan. 6th- Probably Made a 10 Week Triathlon Training Plan

I technically stayed up Sunday night until early Monday morning (3am-ish) to make a training schedule, so that counts, right? Well, I already had a plan, but upon a bit more research I found it probably would not have been ideal. It was much more intense than a beginning training schedule should be. I haven’t exercised in about a month (minus the day before and the day of that indoor triathlon I’d done on Sunday). Starting from 0 to 12 hours of exercise a week probably would not have been a good way to start the season.

So, much to my dismay, this week’s plan is about 4 hours. I mean, from 0 to 4 hours that’s still a big jump, but I am antsy. I like to progress fast and am prone to getting impatient if I don’t see results in whatever it is I do. I like positive change and more than that, I like the validation or proof of it happening. But, fine… Slow and steady, that’s what they say wins the race, right? *sigh… Lessons in patience, I guess. Today was my first day I didn’t have other engagements since getting back from my trip to West Texas with my college buddies, so apart from making a family meal plan for the week and going on an hour indoor bike ride, I just relaxed and watched T.V. with my mom.

Below will be this week’s training plan, but basically it consists of 2 one hour stationary bike rides, 2 thirty minute treadmill runs/walks, and 2 thirty to forty minute indoor pool swims.

 

Tuesday, Jan. 7th- Probably Finally Paid for Dietetic State Licensure and Translated for Brother’s Doctors Appointments

Yes, I finally took a moment to read through some important emails about my new dietetic license and the accompanying fees and continuing education requirements I need to complete. I should be getting an official card with my state license to practice dietetics in Texas in the next two or three weeks. Yay!

Other than that, I got up at 6:13am. Know how I remember that? Because my dad and brother usually leave the house by 6:10am and I was so tired I’d fallen asleep after waking up for the first time at 5:45-ish am. I kid you not, we were in the car and on our way by 6:15am. I don’t even know how I got out of bed and dressed that fast…

But, it was important to me to go. Yes, it’s my brother’s appointment, but my dad does a lot to help my brother with his health and this was his 1 year check up appointment with several different doctors and disciplines after his kidney transplant. So… yes, important. And important for me to go to ease the language barrier. I know hospitals have translators, but if I’m available, why not help out?

Case in point: while doing a sonogram we found out my brother had his gallbladder removed. Neither my dad nor my brother knew (my brother was too young to remember at the time we suspect it was removed). I’m sure my dad signed the papers necessary to allow the surgery, but there was a lot going on at the time and I highly suspect when situations get critical there’s less time to get a translator and talk through every little (or not so little) procedure. I’m glad to be back so things like this aren’t as likely to happen.

 

Wednesday, Jan. 8th- Translating for Mom’s Doctor’s Appointment and Why I Care About Language so Much

So, my family moved to the United States when I was an infant. Since I grew up here in Texas since I was about 7 or so months old, I learned English quite naturally through school. In fact, learning Spanish was tougher for me. I didn’t have a school to teach me Spanish. I just had my parents who had little formal education themselves. But, my mom was adamant. She did what she felt was most beneficial for her children. My brother and I were forbidden from speaking English at home so that we’d essentially be forced to learn Spanish through daily use. Unfortunately for my parents, this also meant the only sort of English they regularly used was in their jobs. And that’s most of what they know now.

General English is tough. My brother was a sickly child, so through large parts of my childhood, I saw my parents struggle through medical English as well. I was just a child myself so I couldn’t help them as much as I wish I could have. Now I can. I took 4 years of Spanish classes in high school. Though I could speak it when I began classes, I could not read or write it and I only knew basic vocabulary that I used around the house. In university I minored in Spanish taking another 3 years of instruction.

After university I applied to and accepted a nutrition internship in Puerto Rico in order to learn how to practice my profession in Spanish, because I knew all too well how different it is to know a language generally and to be able to use it medically. Now, I can help not only my family, but my future patients. No one should have to make health decisions for themselves or their children in a language they do not have mastery of. Yet, that’s the way it is for some people. At least while I’m here, that won’t have to be my parents anymore.

Translating for my mom’s annual physical went well and my she was finally able to address many little health problems she’s been having that she’d just not bothered to try to explain to her previous doctor. It’s a start. 🙂 Other than this little adventure, my mom joined me for the third day in a row going to the gym. It was another bike day, so one hour later we returned home to watch a couple episodes of our current favorite show (Lucifer).

 

Thursday, Jan. 9th- Finally Catching up with Amanda (intern buddy)

Woot! That wasn’t so bad! I remembered more than I thought. Other than the couple of translation stints, my days have just revolved around the exercise session planned for the day. Today it was a 30 minute treadmill run/walk. But before that, I gave Amanda a call. You guys remember Amanda, right? She was one of the interns from my program I met in Puerto Rico. When I’d been very sad the past six months I’d hardly spoken to her.

A “Happy Thanksgiving!” here and a “Merry Christmas!” there, but during my trip to West Texas the previous week I’d had a brief conversation with her on the phone after which I decided to try to stay in touch with her more often. It seems I wasn’t the only one struggling from post internship blues. I am so grateful to Axyl (my internship roomie) for constantly pestering me over the past few months which ultimately motivated me to study and pass that wretched exam that makes me the newbie dietitian that I am today. So… yeah… I hope I can be something like that to Amanda.

We had a nice conversation before my run and I promised to call or text sometime during the weekend, so hopefully you read something about that in the next couple of day’s sections. 🙂

 

Friday, Jan. 10th- Thunder storms, Possible Tornado, and Day off of Training

No tornado in my area as of yet and it’s almost 2am Saturday as I write this. There were thunderstorms in the evening, but nothing too bad. I guess I could have gone to the gym if I really wanted to, but I had already planned on it being my rest day. Plus, today was a cleaning day! Between the exam, recent trip, and triathlon, I had a mess of notes, clothes, and workout gear scattered around my room.

It took most of the day, but I finally got around to picking everything up and putting it in its place. After that, I took a break to watch a couple episodes of Lucifer with my mom. Perfect time to squeeze in some junk food too. 😅 I’ll get better at this healthy lifestyle thing in time, right? After that it was already 6pm, so I hastily began making dinner. It was a simple pasta dish, but what made it a lot more complicated was that I had three loads of laundry to do and Amanda called me in the middle of cooking. (Yes, three loads of laundry, because it seems past me didn’t wash clothes even once during the month she was studying for that exam. I forgive her, but only because she passed, haha. :p)

Eh, I told Amanda she could call me at the time that she did and that I wasn’t too busy, so I guess it’s my bad due to my poor time management, haha. At one point I was finishing making the alfredo sauce and putting the pasta to broil in the oven before I ran over to the laundry area to take the second load out of the washing machine and start the third load then took the wet bunch of clothes to the dryer that still held the first load which I had to empty ….all while trying to follow a conversation. Ha… good times. So much for a day off, haha! :p

The reason I’m still awake at 1:53am? I was trying to tally up costs for some essential equipment and race fees for the next couple of months. Man… triathlons can be expensive. Looks like I’ll be using that random bike I found in my parent’s backyard afterall. I’d rather spend the money on a bike trainer than a new (read: used and from a pawn shop) bike. (A bike trainer is a sort of stand that allows your bike’s wheels to turn so that you can ride your regular bike like a stationary bike. It’s great for indoor winter training or, in my case, scared of getting run over in a not very bike friendly city. 😬)

 

Saturday, Jan. 11th- Rest Day Take Two?

My mom got home from work and didn’t feel like going for a swim. I’m high key co-dependent, soo when she encouraged me to keep playing piano instead of going to the gym, I gave in. Ended up playing for like two hours when I meant to only do 30 minutes. Oops… Didn’t really do anything else this day. Just watch T.V. and be sad like usual.

 

Sunday, Jan. 12th- Planning triathlon season and more being sad

Yeah, I got really sad today. The day started well enough. I planned out my next few triathlon events I want to do during the winter and spring. I signed up for my first outdoor triathlon that will take place in March. I even went for that swim. Didn’t feel like it, but my mom did, so me being me, we went. I find it much easier to do things for other people than for myself.

I did a swim workout with a warm up and cool down. I don’t know… it just felt… slow? Too easy? The longest length was 150 meters. I know it’s just week one, but I’m impatient. 😦 and sad. Yeah, I got really sad in the evening. My mom and brother also went to the gym, so when we all got home we had dinner. My dad had cooked fajitas. It was good, but it didn’t matter. I ate and left to be alone in my room.

I hate this. I need to move on. Get a job and stop letting myself live life as if I was still in high school or something. I need my own income and my own life. As much as I care for my family, I need a life outside of them.

 

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This Week’s Triathlon Training:

• Monday
  • 1 hour stationary bike
  • 14.07 miles total
    • Average Pace 4:16 minutes per mile
    • Average Speed 14 miles per hour
• Tuesday
  • 30 minute treadmill run/walk
  • 2.25 miles total
    • 1.5 miles total running
    • 1 mile longest distance continuous run (5mph)
    • Highest speed 5.5 mph
• Wednesday
  • 1 hour stationary bike
  • 14.37 miles total
    • Average Pace 4:10 minutes per mile
    • Average Speed 14.4 miles per hour
• Thursday
  • 30 minute treadmill run/walk
  • 2.35 miles total
    • 1.9 miles total running
    • 1.15 miles longest distance continuous run (5mph)
    • 0.1 miles longest and highest speed run (6 mph)
• Friday
  • REST DAY! 🙂
• Saturday
  • 30-40 minute swim
  • Total laps/ distance
  • Average meters per minute
  • Yeahhhh… I skipped this and played piano for hours instead 😬
• Sunday
  • 30 minute swim
  • Total laps/ distance
    • 1,000 meters total in 25 minutes with breaks
  • 100 meters in 59 seconds according to one time trial
• Total: 
  • 3:30 hrs
    • 2 hr stationary bike
    • 1 hr treadmill run/walk
    • 30 minute pool swim

 

 

 

Notes:

1. Picture is of the very nice and fancy locker room where I did the indoor triathlon the past Sunday. Haha, that was an experience in and of itself. X)
2. Next week:
   1. It’ll be time to start applying to dietitian jobs. D:
   2. My mom starts her English classes again! Yay grammar!
   3. More triathlon training! 😀