Integrating Weight exercises into my Training Program

One piece of training that I am still not sure how to integrate into my workout schedule is weight lifting. Often I feel I should treat the lifting program as a separate program running in parallel with the endurance (swim, bike, run) training that I do. However, no matter how hard I try to do this, I always find myself thinking about the next endurance workout and worrying that my lift will negatively affect it. For example, lifting back and biceps the day before a swim routine would certainly affect the swim. Honestly, I don't know what kind of effect this would have in the long run (no pun intended). The result of my uncertainty has resulted in a decreased number of weight lifting sessions.

My current weights program is not well defined; I will admit that. However, I think I am forming a good idea of what to do going forward. I have decided to do what I will call half body workouts (upper body and lower body). The reason I have split it into these two groups has a few reasons. First, it will allow me to merge the workouts into my training schedule based on what endurance event I am training that particular day. Second, they are both very very wide categories and I can rotate in and out a large number of exercises. I'm hoping this will prevent the urge to work the same muscle groups each time.

The Plan moving forward: Exercise with weights two days per week. If I am planning to run or bike that day than I will lift my upper body. If I am planning to swim that day, I'll do a lower body workout. Finally, I will be doing one of each each week. Again, these are just guidlines I am going to try to follow. I am slowly trying to build into following a set plan, but for now I am sticking with the general guideline approach.

Anyone out there have a good weight program integrated into their Triathlon or endurance training programs??

Sick Days

The past week has been a bad week of training on two fronts. First, the few extremely nice days we had early last week resulted in lazyiness once it got cold again. I just dont want to run on a treadmill after knowing how nice it is to run outside. Also, now that I have gotten out for a short ride on the new bike, I dont want to go to a small dark spin room. Second, the changing temperatures resulted in a bad stomach flu over the weekend and I am still attempting to fully get over it. Work in combination with being sick is not a good recipe for cardio workouts. while I feel better today, I am still fairly exausted from not eating well the past few days.

I definately believe its important to fully recover from an injury or sickness before going back into training, but today I am going to try a light and easy 5k on the treadmill. It might help to get the blood pumping and pick up my energy levels.

My nutrition has also been sub par the past week. I truely want to make a push to eat well and its is proving to be very difficult. This weekend I'll be stocking up at Sam's Club and the Local Market, so anyone out there with some advice on nutrition.... let me know now. Otherwise, I see a lot of chicken, eggs, and talapia dishes in my future.

I am not going to post the workout plan for the last week, because I didnt do it. I know, I know, not good, but its time to get back on the indoor bike and treadmill for a little while longer.