Weeks 25 through 28 of Ironman Training - Expect the unexpected

Only two more weeks after this week!  The taper has begun; this is basically taking your foot off the gas and starting to wind down the volume of each workout so your body is fresh for race day.  It is more than welcome at this point after nine long months of training!!  Having completed one Ironman before it's fun to watch all the first-timers panic now at the end of training (I was doing the same myself).  On Facebook they are all questioning if they've done enough to prepare, asking if their race plan is sound, worrying about the water temperature and whether or not the race will allow wet-suits (easier to swim 2.4 miles in a wet-suit due to the buoyancy).  I'm at ease with all of this as I know, much like a final exam in college, cramming will do you no good.

What the past 8 weeks has really driven home in my mind, and it will be applicable on race day, is to expect the unexpected.  Now my new son Dawson was unexpected, but the amount of time he sleeps each night is a variable that is not consistent.  For the most part (Jess has been taking some of these late night feedings when I have long workouts) I've been handling the middle of the night feedings.  These feedings occur anywhere from midnight to 2 AM and afterward I've just been starting my workouts for the day.  So the unexpected part is potentially only getting 5 or 6 hours of sleep before mustering the energy to plow through a 2 hour plus workout.  It's something that is just out of my control and I have to adjust the best I can and get the most out of the workout.  This will be the same on race day, sh*t will happen and I'll need to adjust and keep grinding.  Dawson has not only given me motivation for the big day, but he's also prepared me for what's is likely to come...so thank you for only sleeping a few hours each night?

In retrospect I'm not sure I would've signed up for Ironman had I known it would all be this difficult with two kids on the ground (first time around Jess was pregnant with our first).  Then again, Jess has done a ton of the heavy lifting to allow me to compete in this race again and for that I am ever thankful.  If anything, I'm using this race to show Camdyn and Dawson that they can accomplish anything they choose, regardless of the obstacles, should they set their mind to it.

Remember, the race is on 9/11 this year in Madison.  I can't say it enough how amazing and helpful it is to all the participants to have the spectators cheering them on throughout the race.  If you can make all of, or part of the day please do so, you will not regret it!