Can an Average Runner Become an IRONMAN?

Audaciously...I'm thinking, "YES!"

“Never say never” and all that, but seriously Never. Again.

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never say neverI’m a believer in “never say never,” you never know. I once said I was never interested in doing a triathlon. Who wanted to take on that swim? Ha! Well, evidently me.

So, never say never, but…

Never again! I’m one and done folks. This is ridiculous. The logistics alone.

I’ve got heat rash popping out on my thighs, back and butt whenever I go on a long bike ride.

I was told by my son “Mom! You came home for 1 night – no not even – 2 hours and then you leave again.”

During long rides, I get texts from home, “When are you coming back mom?”

I get up early to workout, to find the fitness center isn’t open yet (at 7:40am? Couldn’t imagine it’d be closed) or that they don’t have a stationary bike.

When traveling, I research all the details at a pool near my hotel only to find out they were closed to the public after 2pm (after telling my new co-facilitator that I couldn’t go for a drink with them, which I didn’t feel great about) Why not tell that to someone from out of town who calls ahead?

I forgot to pack my running shoes for vacation. Researched, found and bought new ones.

After my 5 hour bike ride in the South Carolina heat and humidity (heat index over 100), I went into a grocery store and couldn’t find a thing. I was totally out of it.

I’m mentally tired of figuring it out day after day.

I never need to do this again.

I believe that “one and done” can work mentally to my advantage on race day.

I’ll tackle each part of the race – each obstacle – because “today is the day.” I’m pushing through right here, right now. Not another chance around the corner. Time to be tough, be strong, keep going.

Now what I’m not likely prepared for is the chance that it can’t happen on September 11th due to weather shortening the race or a big bike malfunction or injury that keeps me from moving forward. I’m not sure I’d be ready to handle that disappointment.

 

I want the chance to do this on September 11th.

I’m ready to be one and done

I’m ready to be an Ironman Finisher!

Overwhelmed!

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game onI’m on a trip in which I haven’t had a good swim option (the hotel told me they had an outdoor lap pool. Uhmmm, no you don’t!) So I’ve pushed out 2 swim workouts and pulled up 2 runs. (Running in the New Orleans heat and humidity.)

I have three more trips in the next 2 weeks. A business partner just asked me to attend a 3-day train-the-trainer session in California in July. And this request for 3 more days out of town has sent me into a total overwhelm tailspin!

So…let’s outline the schedule!

Week of Hours What’s Needed
May 29

Cisco & Nashville

 14.5 Bike 2 hours Monday p.m. or 4:00-6:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Run 1 hour Tuesday p.m. or 5:00-6:00 a.m. Wednesday.

Swim 1 hour Wednesday p.m. after flight at 8:00 p.m. or 5:45 a.m. on Thursday.

105-minute swim on Friday in Nashville? Where?

Saturday 3-hour bike ride, 30-minute run in fitness center??? Rent bike???

Sunday swim and run after we get back.
June 5

1 day Joliet

 16 Moved things around = reasonable!
June 12

Holland, MI

 8.5 Pull 1 swim session up to Tuesday.

Run before we leave on Sunday.

Swim when we get home.

Open water swim continuous while I am there.
June 19

2 days Joliet

 11 Moved things around = reasonable!
June 26

2 days Decatur

 12.5 Run 90 minutes late morning (after already biking and swimming) or 4:30-6:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Run 30 minutes Wednesday a.m. 5:30-6:00 a.m.
July 3

Holiday

Day w/Laura

 14 Check plan, not sure everything’s in my calendar = reasonable!
July 10

California 3 days

 

 8.5 Move Monday’s swim to Sunday.

Move Tuesday to Monday (all 3 sports on Monday).

Move Wednesday’s run to Tuesday.

Tuesday run 5:00-6:00 a.m. or in evening.

Move Thursday’s bike to Wednesday.

Wednesday bike 5:30-6:30 a.m. or in evening.

Thursday Learning Group webinar from 6:00-8:00 a.m.

Week before half IM. Yikes!
July 17

3 days California

 13.5 6:00 a.m. Learning Group webinar Monday after half IM.

Move long bike to Monday and replace short bike.

60-minute run Tuesday p.m. or Wednesday 5:00-6:00 a.m.

Swim session while I’m gone?
July 24

2 days NB

 15.5 Wednesday p.m. 75-minute run.

Thursday p.m. 90-minute bike.
July 31

HH Vacation

 17 Rented bike.

Check time for August 5 swim.

Do swim by time instead of distance.
August 7

2 days Canton

 18 ??

Moved things around to make travel days reasonable, yet that puts all 3 sports big on Sunday and big bricks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Saturday 88 miles on IW bike course  + 25-minute run.
August 14

2 days Joliet

 10 Reasonable and shift bike to Saturday.
August 21

Wisconsin Dells

 13 Shift swims = reasonable!
August 28 8 No trips = reasonable!
September 4 5 No trips = reasonable!

I wrote all this out in my notebook, as I was cycling in a fitness center for 2 hours. I got more and more overwhelmed as I flipped in my calendar forward to the next week and next week and saw trip after trip after client days on-site. I was sighing and shaking my head. I’m sure the gal on the bike next to me wondered what my problem was.

I was worrying that I was shifting my training sessions around too much. I felt I should review the big weeks with my coach and talk with people about whether I was completely messing up the purpose of so many workouts by moving them around. I needed to research options for biking and swimming in all the cities to which I was traveling. So. Much. To. Do!!!

Then, I stopped. I thought: CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE!

I took on this game. There’s no need for me to talk to anyone. This is how I need to work it out in order to make the training happen with the work commitments that I wanted to make and that I want to keep. I don’t want to hear anyone else tell me that what I’m doing isn’t good – because it’s what I need to do. This is my game. I’m doing it my way.

And, if I can do next week – with 3 on-site work days – and a Thursday through Sunday vacation trip; then I can do any one of these weeks! Game on.

Bike maintenance class… I so was NOT the star pupil!

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toolsLast night I went to a bike maintenance class at Performance Bike.

Here are some key take-aways…

…I had no idea I was to be wiping off and lubing the chain. (Some of you might be thinking, “Duh!” Yet, I’ll admit I hadn’t even considered it.)

…I was up on all the tire checking and tire inflation information, thanks to my cycling friends!

…I was convinced to purchase a little Phillips screwdriver/Allen wrench tool so I could more easily make adjustments.

…I learned how to check over the bike for wear and tear – that seemed very good to know.

…Changing a tire is hard! I volunteered to be the other person, with the instructor, who was changing one of the tires on the demo bike.

Yeah, I couldn’t get the tire off. (I was pushing with that bright yellow tool with all my might! I had a big red indent in the middle of my palm to prove it.) I couldn’t get the tire back on. I was mushing and pushing and rolling with the pads of my thumbs. Couldn’t get that sucker back on, and I felt like I was rubbing the skin off my thumbs. Now, we can pretend it was because the bike tire was too new and not even flat…but that only helps with the taking off scenario and I don’t even think it’s true. I was NOT the star pupil I had imagined myself being. AND, I didn’t even practice with a CO2 cartridge, which is what I’d have out on the road by myself. Yikes! A bit discouraging…

Logistics, logistics, logistics

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triathlete gearTraining as a triathlete involves logistics, logistics, logistics.

I’m good at logistics. I can handle a lot of logistics. This is a LOT of logistics. Sometimes I love the challenge of figuring out how to work my schedule and make sure I’ve got everything I need for the various components of my day. Other times, (especially when I forget something or things can’t work out as planned), I get frustrated with the logistics….especially because I’m supposed to be good at logistics!

Examples…

Run inside or out? Pack 2 different sets of clothes to provide options? Or decide ahead of time and just go with it?

If I’m going to run outside, then I should swim after so I’m not out with wet hair.

Remember underwear. (Have failed at this twice!)

Remember all the shoes needed! Cycling shoes; shoes to wear to the cycling studio – these could be my running shoes or my strength training shoes, if I’m planning to do either of those; and shoes to wear for the day!

I’m doing a tri in Texas and when we go on vacation to Hilton Head this summer, I have a BIG training schedule with a 5.5 hour bike ride. So…how am I going to have a bike for both of these. Shipping my bike is a risk. Renting is tricky. It’s tough to figure out – not being a bike expert – how to get as close as I can to the same material, type and size! I made arrangements to rent a bike in Texas. I’ll bring my seat (with post) and pedals to help get the best fit. (That shouldn’t send me over the suitcase weight limit! Ha!) And I figure it’s only 12 miles, so I can make anything “close” work well. Still gotta figure out what I’m renting in South Carolina. My Coach says that if I rent aluminum (my bike is carbon fiber) that I’ll get a really good workout. So, maybe I should just do that. Yet, is that going to be too uncomfortable for the long ride? Don’t know how much of a difference it’ll make…

After planning an early morning long swim, I eventually decided to NOT swim for an hour before an on-site client day because I figured I’d likely have “goggle eyes.” Not cute. Looks like there are big bags under your eyes.

Cycle outside, in the cycling studio or in my basement. Deciding whether to go outside, you can consider weather, time to get bike ready, time to get geared up. (you need to wear a lot more clothes than you think!) Deciding to bike in the cycling studio, I check the cycling class times and durations. I want to not arrive in the middle of a class. I can often tack onto a class in way that works. Do I want to just be by myself in the studio? Sometimes it’s nice to be on that type of bike and be able to do a little bit of multitasking. Deciding whether to bike at home in the trainer: Is it convenient to be at home? Is the bike set up on the trainer?

I currently need to find time to buy or rent a wet suit, get to the bike shop for tune up, buy a tri suit??, get new pedals, set up rental for South Carolina, and attend a bike maintenance class.

Since I have flexibility in my work schedule, it’s a consistent effort to figure out how to best fit training into my schedule, shift things as needed, yet still try to meet the purpose of different training sessions. Sometimes you want them back-to-back, sometimes you want a double in a day. Can this be one night and the next morning? At this point I’m trying not to stress the “purpose” too much and just fit them in where I may.

Ordering materials. It seems like there’s always something to get! I just ordered a new swim suit (totally wore one out in 6 months!), protein bars, chews, gels, drinks. Amazing how often you need to order something!

Logistics, logistics, logistics! I guess I’m working to get even better at logistics!