Weeks 27 & 28 of Ironman training – Friends

Week 27 and 28 in the books and with it brought my very first half Ironman distance or sometimes called a 70.3 race.  The race comprises of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run.  The race that I participated in was in Racine, WI this past Sunday.  We swam in Lake Michigan which last week had temperatures hovering around 55 degrees, on this past Sunday however it was 61 degrees...and thankfully very calm (last year's event was so rough that several racers were pulled during the swim).  The swim went well for me except for the first 300 yards or so as I was trying to catch my breath and get my man parts out of my throat because the water was so cold!  Onto the bike which got me getting passed by every sub 36 year old in the event.  I managed to make up ground during the second part of the bike and on the run.  The run also was uneventful for me which was a good thing, I just kept chipping away at the 13.1 and before I knew it I was crossing the finish line feeling great.  I'm sure I could have pushed myself much more and turned in a better overall time but I really wanted the day to be a dress rehearsal for the full Ironman in September and that means NO RACING!!  I really don't know what to expect on race day but this past weekend was a big confidence builder for me that I will finish the Ironman (so long as no outside catastrophes factor into the day).

Something that really helped me not push too hard this weekend was the fact that I knew so many people at this event.  I was constantly talking to others or looking for others on the bike and run portion that I never had time to take things too seriously and get caught up in competing against other racers.  I met a lot of these people through an Ironman WI Facebook group which has been a tremendous source for knowledge and camaraderie.  These people are from all walks of life and each has their own story for getting here, whether it's their first or their 20th Ironman, they all have been helping me out on this challenge.  Taking advantage of the opportunity to meet new people has been probably one of the greatest take-aways for me throughout this training.  I mentioned in a previous post that misery enjoys company and that rings true for any challenge we face.  I would challenge you to find others that are going through the same challenges you are facing and lean on them to pick you up and help carry you over any obstacles that stand in your way.  In the end you are the only one that can accomplish your goals, but it's nice to make some new friends along the way that can support and cheer you on your way.

Weeks 25 & 26 of Ironman training – Lessons Learned

Weeks 25 and 26 of training brought me to my very first triathlon event.  I participated in an Olympic distance tri in my current city of Verona.  For those not familiar with, the Olympic distance is a .93 mile swim, a 25.5 mile bike and a 6.2 mile run.  I completed all disciplines without incident in a just under 3 hours and took away a few nuggets from the experience.  1) The swim doesn't bother me at all, I'm calm, fast, and relaxed in the water and the crowd.  Now I'm told this can change at any moment but I don't imagine a scenario where I really panic as I can always roll to my back and float in the buoyant wet-suit until I settle down.  2) I'm slow on the bike, I seem to make up for it on the up hills but on the straight-a-ways I'm getting passed by Ms. Daisy.  I let this get into my head a few too many times during the race.  3) I need to focus more during the transition.  I left the transition from the bike to the run still wearing my biking shorts.  Now this is fine for a short 6 mile run, but this could be problematic during the 26.2 mile run as the bike shorts have considerably more padding in them which makes running uncomfortable.  4)  I'm letting my competitive nature get the best of me and I start racing the event.  This is bad, very bad as the full Ironman (the first time around) is not about racing against others or for a particular time, it's about finishing the race in the allotted 17 hours.  It doesn't matter if you come in 2,500 out of 2,500 so long as it's by 16:59:59.  If I don't come to terms with this I could have a disastrous day on September 7th risking going out way too hard and bonking at some point during the event.  I have one more practice event to get my pace under control at the half Ironman in Racine on July 20th.  This will truly be a dress rehearsal for the big day in September.  I want to have the correct pace to easily make the finish line feeling like I could continue going if necessary.

I guess you should do as I say and not as I do in your own training, even if you're not targeting any events to demonstrate your fitness.  There are lessons to be learned from each workout you do, in the form of what clothes to wear, how far to go, whether or not to pack toilet paper, what you should eat before/during/after, etc.  Store these little nuggets away and don't let anyone tell you differently about what you've learned personally about your body.  You will, over time and given enough opportunities, become an expert in what it takes to get you to your goals.  Keep after it!