The Perfect Storm

So far, this week has been the best workout week I've had in a while.  It definitely helped having Monday off for Labor Day.  I was able to get in an open water swim, do all of my bike rides on my bike outside, and I've gotten in all of my weight training for this week.  It's ironic that this week turned out so well considering I was having such a hard time figuring out what I was going to do.  In the end, I moved a few workouts around and here are the results:

Monday: 40 mile bike ride - 1 hr 54 min; open water swim - 20 min
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: AM -- full body strength training incl. abs- 45 min; 30 min speed work on treadmill, 30 min hill work on treadmill
PM -- 7 * 12 50s (84 laps), 30 sec between each set - 1 hr 14 min  --- this is my longest continuous swim workout .... EVER
Thursday: AM -- 20.2 mile bike speed work - 1 hr 1 min 30 sec (ave speed - 19.7 -- fastest average speed for this workout that I've been doing for about 1.5 months now); 4 mile brick run - 29:36 -- 7:23 min/mi pace.  Fastest 4 mile brick run after the 20 mile speed work.
PM -- full body strength training incl. abs - 1.5 hrs.  I kind of messed this up because I was only supposed to do 2 sets of about 10 different exercises and I for whatever reason I did 4 sets of about half of them before I realized I was doing too many. 
    * The strength program that I'm following right now is Mark Allen's 12 Best Strength Exercises.  I'm currently in phase 3.  I'll be making 4 changes.  1) on day 1, I'll be doing pull ups instead of lat pull downs; 2) on day 1, I'll be adding reverse flies; 3) on day 2, I'll be adding back extensions, and 4) I'll add some form of sit-ups to day 1 and 2.
  
I missed my tempo run tonight because I spent too much time on weights due to my mistake.  I'm going to do it in the morning and swim tomorrow night, though.  If everything works out, the only workout I'll miss this week is tomorrow's bike ride.  If I can wake up early enough tomorrow, I can get in a little before my run.  I won't be upset if I miss it all together, though.  I do have a century ride to look forward to on Saturday with an 8 mile brick run after and a 22 mile run on Sunday.  I don't think missing a 50 min easy bike ride will make or break my training.   

It's a pleasant surprise when unforeseen changes in plans turn out for the better.  The changes from this week gave me a chance to get the rest I needed to push harder and get over the plateaus that were beginning to make me dread too many of my workouts.  My enthusiasm for training has been revived and I think the next few weeks will be much better.