If you had told me a year ago that I would be doing two Ironmans (Ironmen) in a year’s time, I would have told you to STFU in the kindest way possible.
Yet, here I am – one Ironman under my belt (November 2013) and one coming up in 20 weeks (Ironman Boulder August 3rd). After the LA marathon, I gave myself 5 seconds to breathe and then jumped back into training. I am not sure I recommend this strategy, but I am usually my happiest when I am overloading myself and totally stressing myself out. Well, not really, but that’s just how the timing turned out on these races.
What does jumping back in look like? Let me show you in a sweet, little pie chart (am I the only one who gets hungry every time someone talks about pie charts? I know it’s a chart and not a baked good, but it makes me think of coconut cream pie, which is my personal favorite pie flavor).
Here is my coconut cream pie chart for the week:
The breakdown:
Swim: 5,000 yards or ~ 2.9 miles
Bike: 53.10 miles
Run: 16.45 miles
Total Miles: ~80
Total Workouts: 9
Total Workout Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes
I think it is always very humbling to start training for something again. At the peak of my IM training last summer/fall, I was doing 18 hours per week. Now 8 hours is kicking my ass. It is a process, I know.
As I pointed out on Twitter this morning, I violated my comfort zone in more ways than one this morning (sounds dirty). I went to Boulder to swim. Not just swim, but swim with a master’s group. Not just swim with a master’s group, but swim outside. Not just swim with a master’s group outside , but in 24 degree weather. Not just swim with a master’s group outside in 24 degree weather, but at 6:44 a.m.
This was uncomfortable for me, but I did it. I am not sure the others in my lane liked me very much because I had no clue what I was doing. I am an okay swimmer, but I don’t really get all the terminology like “do eight 150s on 2:45 descending…” huh? But I just asked questions and did what I was told. Then I asked if they wanted to play Marco Polo and no one did.
So, I am back to chugging my X2 Performance every morning, logging my hours, eating billions of calories and sleeping like a baby.
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What are you training for right now? IM Boulder is my big race, but hoping to do a 70.3 in June (Steamboat Springs probably) and a couple of other races as part of my training.
Favorite kind of pie? Coconut cream, followed by pumpkin.
SUAR
