Can an Average Runner Become an IRONMAN?

I’m late with my Month 2 assessment! I’m 2 weeks into the next month and just getting this delineated. Well, I’m underway with some of these goals and should be able to get the other ones done in the remaining weeks.

It feels good to be intentional about the progress I want to make in the workouts and to identify progress I want to achieve outside of the training itself.

Here’s progress from Month 2 and goals for Month 3…

I type this out and it looks good. Yet, I can’t help the immediate rise of up anxious energy in me that wants to know, “Is it enough?!”

So this week I’ve had a quite a few people ask me how training is going. I’ve replied, “If you could glimpse inside my head, you’d think I was training for a 2.4 mile swim event! Nothing more!” It’s what I think about the most. It’s what I worry about the most. I know it’s the shortest part of the race, but if I don’t get it done, I don’t get the Ironman done.

It’s been a week focused on swimming. Since my running race for Saturday was cancelled, I could shift my focus.

Sunday = Swim session. I did my new swim routine of building drills that adds up to 750m. I pushed myself to not rest too much at the ends of the pool and I got it done in 36 minutes. I shared this with my swim instructor and she commented that she thought that was pretty perfect for now. = 35 minutes

Monday = Cycle class at Galter with my friend Amy. Great to go to a different place, focus on a different kind of bike, and mix up the routine! Also, did the Below the Belt class at my gym. = 2 hours

Tuesday = Swim session. Did the same routine, a little slower at 37 minutes. = 35 minutes

Wednesday = 4 mile run. = 40 minutes

Thursday = Swim session. Did the same routine, even slower!! 40 minutes. What did improve in this session was sticking to the bilateral breathing. In the previous 2 sessions this week, when I got short of breath, I’d breathe every arm stroke for a few strokes. I didn’t do that this session, but obviously I rested more at the ends of the pools. Gotta gear back up to pushing myself at the pool ends again. I really hope to experience an endurance breakthrough soon. = 40 minutes

Friday = Off. Had a chiropractor appointment. I was feeling some twinges in my right knee. Not much, if I wasn’t planning on increasing my volume in various sports in the coming months then I probably wouldn’t have bothered with an appointment. Yet, given my goals, I thought it was smart to check it out. Seemed worthwhile. The Doc found tenderness at the IT Band insertion point on my right knee. (I’ve been proud of how much I’ve been foam rolling. Just need a little more right by the knee.) He did some ART there. Then he demonstrated how I can lift my legs up further, lying on my back, when I engage my core. So, he recommends more ab work. Huh, thought I had a strong core! I’m going to tell myself that my leg muscles must be getting so much stronger that my abs just need to catch up! And…I also need to do more hip flexor stretches.

So…I’m thinking about a streak. Runners talk about running streaks, in which they run every day. I’ve actually never been inspired by this idea. I like the idea of going hard some days and having complete rest other days. Streaks are often something folks do between Thanksgiving and New Years. I’m thinking about a streak between my birthday (which is tomorrow – Saturday!) and New Years. A streak of planks and hip flexor stretches each day. So, that would mean starting Sunday…

Saturday = 10 mile run. I didn’t taper for this (cancelled race), so I didn’t run it too fast. Yet, I did push pace a little. With some wind I averaged 9:49. Felt really good. = 100 minutes

TOTAL = 370 minutes; 6.2 hours

• Strength = 1 hour
• Swim = 110 minutes
• Bike = 1 hour
• Run = 140 minutes