As I write this update, I am at home recuperating from hernia surgery. Yes, you read it right. I got a hernia. Not sure how. I am focusing on healing and recovering and being able to get back to training. I am going to use this time to heal and rest and be ready for what lies ahead with my training.
I cannot do any running or biking for a week and no swimming for two weeks. I will work with Coach Sean to work through this and be ready to train again.
As such, my streak of 13 straight Mini Marathons will come to an end. Also, I am not going to run the Geist Half Marathon like I always do on the day before that race. I am really okay with those two races, as they really don't help me per se' with my Ironman training.
This past Sunday, I rode 70 miles. On Saturday, I rode 30 miles, followed by an 8-mile run (a Brick workout). A good learning experience in a few ways. I got to experience some fatigue from the Saturday workout as well as realize that I did not take enough nutrition on Sunday on the first half of the bike.
We biked the 36-mile Nebo Ridge bike course. While it was windy on the course, I did not have the energy I needed. I was ready shut it down for the day and chalk it up to a bad training day. Thanks to Ginger for talking me through it. I ate and drank when I got back to the car and was able to bike two more 17-mile segements, so as to get in 70 miles. I felt like a different person for those two 17-mile segments. Still working on the fueling mentality needed to have the energy I need to power through the long training sessions I am going through.
Support has been a big theme lately. Thnak you to my Personal Best Training teammates for riding with me on the long bikes! (especially Joe, Ginger, Mark, Hank, and Ross). Thank you to Ron Stohler for all of the encouraging calls and texts! It has been great to get encouragement from friends on FB who have been reading my blog. Thank you!
Four months and 17 weeks worth of training in the bank. I continue to learn a lot. I learn something almost every time I go out to train, whether it be about nutrition, pacing, or the mental aspect of training for an Ironman triathlon.
We are going down to Louisville this month to ride a significant portion of the bike course that will be part of the Ironman event. I want to be as familiar with the race as I can, so as to reduce race weekend stress and settle in and enjoy it as much as possible. [I am sure there are many of you wondering how one can enjoy swimming, biking and running 140.6 miles in one day]
Thank you to Ellen for her continued support of my race and all that is involved with the training and preparation!
Along with the increase in mileage and duration of my training, I will start doing open water swimming. I want to be able to relax in open water like I have been able to do while swimming in the pool.
More to follow. Stay tuned. Thank you for reading and for your support!
I look forward to race weekend and completing a successful Ironman race, and hearing my name being called out as being an Ironman!
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