Category: Ironman

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Discipline and Desire

It’s the oldest conflict in the book.  How do we control our desires?

The Dali Llama says we should do it through discipline, and he’s always right.  You crave cake now, but hold off and four hours later, you’re really happy you didn’t have that cake.  But how do we do that?

I’m not a big believer in willpower, but I am a fan of habit.  Slowly adding practices that move you toward a goal.

And on the road to building those habits, I have tried to build another one . . . forgiveness.

I think self-doubt is the reason we eat cake.  The more we can trust the process and forgive ourselves, the stronger we become.

It’s really important to step back and look at the body of work.  Look at the distance we’ve traveled and give ourselves credit.  It’s easy to beat yourself up when you’re down, and those opportunities are endless when training for Ironman.

I am often weak and make a lot of “mistakes.”  I skip workouts and occasionally eat cake.  But real change takes time, and it helps when I remind myself.

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Transitions in Triathlon and Life

This has been sitting in the cue for a while, but since I quit my job of 14 years on Friday, it’s probably the perfect time to release a post on transition.  

You’re running bare foot down a rough concrete path, soaking wet, and your heart is racing.  Next stop, your bike where you will fry your legs on relentless hills.  Often the quality of your ride will depend on how you handle the first two miles.

This all plays perfectly into a gem of an insight I found while reading “The Art of Learning” by Joshua Waitzkin.  He was talking about how he had trouble adapting to new cities because he traveled so much.  He missed his friends, family, home, etc.  But after a few days, he would always settle in and things would be better.

At some point he figured out that these were moments of “transition” and once he recognized that, he was able to turn up his focus and pay even more attention to being in the moment.  I thought this was a really cool insight that relates well to triathlon because, as we know, not much feels more awkward than getting off a bike to run.

Even biking after swimming takes a completely different mindset.  I can’t speak for everyone, but typically I’m breathing for dear life when I get on the bike and it’s everything I can do to slow my heart rate.

So, these transitions in life and triathlon are very similar.  It’s adapting, shifting your mind, and possibly more important, having faith.

I started thinking about this and one of my biggest transitional challenges happens every morning.  I wake up and feel completely unmotivated.  Somehow I have to shift gears and get into work mode.  That’s something that should, by nature, take time, but more often than not I go from zero to 50 in an hour.

It reminded me of something I noticed in the splits of my old neighbor’s race at Ironman Louisville last year.  He got tenth overall and first in his age group.  He swam solid, rocked the bike, then ran a 7:35 pace for the marathon.  But what I noticed was that his first two miles were extremely slow (for him).  Like over 9 minute pace.  He transitioned and let his body wake up for the run, then killed it.

This is the “patience part” of triathlon that I need to give more credibility.  In my last race at Rev3, I got up super early to do easy yoga and some meditation.  I felt like I was awake when it was time to swim.

But I got on the bike with my heart rate out of control.  My time was decent, but I can’t help wonder if I shouldn’t have taken it a little easier on the first couple miles, woke up, then hammered it.  The entire ride I was flirting with heavy breathing and I don’t think that’s my best play.

My legs were super tight off the bike, so I was forced to ease into the run and by the end was running my best.  Slow start, negative split.  That isn’t a term for nothing.  It works.

REv3 was an Olympic, and you can get away with little mistakes, but at Ironman, I will really need to carry that transition mindset into the next event.

Post Script:  Yes, I quit my job.  It was 100% my decision and long overdue.  I kept making a list of pros and cons, wants and needs, and the one thing that always came to the top for me was, freedom.  Freedom to do the things I want to do and spend time with people that inspire me.

It is now day 3 of freedom and couldn’t be going better.  I have some exciting opportunities in play and possibly more important, I feel substantially healthier.  I’m also more relaxed and in a better mood.  My genuine love for triathlon has resurfaced and that is another important side bar.  I love movement, sport, and challenge and am excited to jump into new waters.  I just have to remember to ease into the transition.

 

 

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23 Lessons with 23 Days Until Ironman Louisville

The following was one of Crushing Iron’s most read and commented on blog posts.  My neighbor is not an Ironman, but he is a man full of deep lessons that put your mind in the right place. Last year he noticed my angst building and sat me set me straight with some great Zen-like thoughts for each of the last 23 days as Ironman approached.

 
23 Lessons, 23 Days Out from Ironman – By my neighbor James

If you’ve been reading the blog, you already know my neighbor, James, thinks I’m crazy for doing Ironman.  Well, today, he popped his head through the bushes and offered some pre-race advice.

I told him things were going well and we’re only 23 days out from the race.  He said, “Aww, dayum!  I know what’s up.  I went thru that same thing back in the day when I was gettin’ ready for my big concert.”

“Concert?”

“Oh, hell yeah, I used to tap dance for the church team.”

“No shit?”

“No shit, and it was some shit!  We drove that rusty ass van all the way to Savannah for the church championships.”

“Wow.”

“Okay Mike, I see how hard u been working and ya mind be doin flips.  Let me outline some shit, cuz I’ve been right where you at right now, and this is how ya next 23 days gonna work.”

Day 23 – That’s today, bro.  You all out here mowin the lawn with your bike gloves, but your mind… see, your mind ain’t even here.  You lookin’ off in the damn clouds and ya dog, Mattie, want some food.

Day 22 – Gonna be a lot like today, but u got a whole weekend to think about shit.  You gonna wish u could mow the lawn again, but that’s neither here or then, so u gotta keep your ass straight to the ground, u hear what I’m sayin?

“Uh, Yeah.”

Day 21 – You gonna be hungover as hell cause one of ya swimmin friends got a birthday party or some shit and I know u ain’t listenin’ to what I’m tellin you right now.  You gonna be all depressed and thinkin u need to get your head together, but Man, I’m tellin u, all u need to do is put on them tight shorts and ride that damn bike just like I would drag my ass outta bed and dance.  You feel me?

“Yeah”

Day 20 – Mondays are a trip, man.  It aint easy to get up and dance.  But you gotta dance!  Grab that little Speedo u got,  then get your ass in a lake and dance with the barracudas!

Day 19 – I know u hear what I’m sayin, but it ain’t sinkin in… look at u chewin on them little energy candy packs like they gonna help u mow the lawn faster.  Listen up!

Day 18 – Man, it gonna be mid-week and u gonna have some doubts, but u can’t let that shit up in you.  We all had our doubts, but keep ya eye on the prize.  Shine them damn shoes or eat you a salad to keep ya weight down.  You gotta be light, man.  You can’t dance all day if u got a big ass at night.

Day 17 – My lil James Jr. gonna come out that door right there and start yellin, “Mr. Mike, Mr. Mike,” and you gonna be like, “Damn, James Jr. out here screamin ‘Mr. Mike’ again.”  And you gonna be right, but he just wanna say what up.  Take a minute to say he a good kid.

“Done.”

Day 16 – Man, you start forgettin’ what day it even is.  Could be Thursday or might be Tuesday.  Don’t matta.  You know what TIME it is.  It time to put on that big ole’ watch and run your little white ass down the block a few times.

Day 15 – When I was in my prime, I’d watch me some Sammy Davis Jr. and dance right in front of the T-V all damn night.  Rollin’ that shit back on VHS until my mom spanked my ass with my own damn belt.  Aint that some shit?  Tap dancin with my boy, Sammy, and mom breakin’ bad on my ass.  The point is, you gotta get ya passion right.  I was so deep in my dance I didn’t even feel that belt, unless she got me with that buckle, then I would eject that tape, head straight to bed and ice my feet.

Day 14 – You gonna think I’m full of corn, but when you two weeks away from ya dance, you gotta forget all the moves.  Sit back with your friends and just talk about shit u don’t care about.  Hell, my boy Mincie talked out both sides his mouth bout that damn Flipper show and I just shook my head and ate biscuits.  Sound crazy, but he kept it real and real is what it is.

Day 13 – Okay, now I’m gonna tell u somethin, but it ain’t what you hope.  You gonna start worryin’ bout everything.  Like nightmare and dream shit that straight out a Stephen King movie.  Like u tryin to spot that swim buoy but ain’t got no eyes or u runnin’ on hot burnin’ coals or u forgot ya swim cap.  But that just ya mind fuckin wit u.  I had a dream once and I was dancin’ on my damn hands.  Ain’t that some Jackabilly?

Day 12 – Not gonna lie.  Day 12 ain’t for nothin’ but lettin’ your nerves calm down from that Stephen King shit.  Nothin else u can do, really.

Day 11 – Man, I started thinkin’ bout my dance routine and couldn’t remember a damn step.  You prolly gonna think u can’t run a straight line or u gonna put that tight ass wetsuit on backwards.  Mike, look at me.  Don’t take that shit personal!  You can do what you think you can’t do no matta what you think that is, or isn’t or might be.  Like Mincie used to say, “Lotta times, it is what it isn’t.”

Day 10 – This when u gotta make amends wit ya mom for whippin u wit that belt.  She done forgot that shit a long time ago, but it gotta clear ya head if u wanna show up on that stage.  She was just doin what she thought u needed and I damn well deserved a belt sometimes, and for real, I didn’t know Sammy and he didn’t know me, so I really can’t figure out why I was so hyped on that dude.  It really come down to who you know and takin’ care of them first.  Like yaself, Mike!

Day 9 – Them Mayans used to talk about single digit numbers like they was somethin real important and those cats had it just about right.  Am I lyin?  Made a damn sun dial and didn’t even know what the sun was.  And ate fresh food and ran all damn night.  See, that’s what you need, Mike.  Eat you some fresh food and quit runnin ya mouth.

Day 8 – Bro, we was rehearsin’ like it was no tomorrow.  They had them speakers on so loud I started doin some crazy ass dance nobody eva seen before.  The coach came over and said, “What the hell kinda dance you doin, James?”  I said, “I don’t know coach.”  He said, “Well, go ahead and save that for ya girlfriend, cause it don’t make no damn sense to me and it sure ain’t got nothin to do with the show.”  You with me, Mike?

“I think so.”

Day 7 – They say 7 is a lucky number, but when you 7 days out from ya dance, that superstition get all crazy up in ya head.  I was wearin the same socks all week and momma was like, “Damn, boy, I bought u some new socks and you gotta go stinkin up the house cause you worried bout your tap dancin.”  She was right, cuz my feet stunk like the trunk of your damn car, Mike.  Ain’t no pair of socks gonna win that race.  Change that shit up.

Day 6 – I think I told you about day 6 before when we was both on our weed eaters out front.  Day 6 is some shit cause you start thinkin’ bout runnin’ away and hidin’ in dumpsters or at ya Grandma’s crib.  Ain’t gonna work.  You gotta get ya head straight and start hearin’ the music right.  They warmin’ up the symphony and your ears betta get used to them sour notes.

Day 5 – Man, I never slept so good in my life.  I mean, I surrendered myself to the concert like I was in AA turnin’ wrongdoings over to God.  It felt good, too.  My body was light and I was movin’ like that one white dancer dude, Fred Stair and whatnot.

Day 4–  I was hearin’ them church bells in my head like u gonna start hearin’ that cannon shot.  Bam!  Over n over.  Drivin’ down the road, and cannons gonna be poppin’ all up under that runnin’ visor u got.  That gonna be a good time to stop thinkin’ bout cannons.

Day 3 – That doubt gonna be creepin’ and u just gotta remember one thing.  Ain’t no time to be doubtin’ on yaself.  Man, I kept lookin’ at my dancin’ shoes and I swear they looked too big.  Like clown shoes n shit.  I thought I WAS a clown and started tellin’ bad jokes, but people was like, “Damn, quit bein’ a clown,” and I decided that was a good idea.

Day 2– Okay.  You one day from the dance, so what you gonna do?  I thought so.  You gonna get you some damn rest.  Don’t be messin’ with that sight seein’ or shoppin’ for souvenirs.  Get you a Flipper box set and wear it out.  Get you thinkin’ bout the water and nice fish with happy little noses.

Day 1 – Mike, you my boy, but this one’s on you.

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Ironman Training Distances

My friend Corey just confirmed that he’ll be flying in to Louisville to watch me race.  He followed that text with, “So you better kick some ass.”

I told him all I could guarantee is good drama.

He asked what my longest swim, bike, and run of training have been.

I said, 2,800 meters in water, 77 on the bike and 12 miles of running.

There is no doubt I put in more mileage last year.  The fear of the unknown drove my training, and in Ironman Number One, I couldn’t take chances.

But, is 2,800, 77 and 12 enough for Ironman #2?

It’d better be, because that’s about as far as it’s going.

I love exploring this topic because my goal has always been to keep training time at the bare minimum.  I can’t tell you how many times I have stopped a workout early because I knew I could finish and didn’t want to waste another hour or jeopardize the next day.

But there is flip side to this coin.

For me, training all comes back to effort.  If I’m scheduled for a shorter workout and feel really strong, I often extend it to push my limits.

I know long workouts have their place, but I’ve never been a fan of riding 6 hours just to ride six hours.  I would much rather ride four hours hard and build.

And there’s another mental factor I bank on during a race . . . the energy.

I often train by myself because I put a lot of stock in fueling off the crowd.  If I can trudge through pain in isolation, running past a screaming group is icing on the cake.  I can literally be like a reset button to me.  You can be drifting off to sleep, then someone gives you a big jolt of adrenaline that lifts you over the next few miles.

This race is at least half mental and the half of that is simply faith.

I’m pretty sure nobody ever does the entire distance in one day of practice, so what’s too much?  What’s not enough?  People have been debating that one for years and I’m very curious to see if my low-end strategy plays out.

Until then, I’ll be looking for my sweet spot.  Using my final days to make me feel alive and restored rather than like I’ve been beaten over the head with a baseball bat.  I’ll have plenty of time for that the night of August 24th in the hometown of Louisville Slugger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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10 Motivational Crushing Iron Posts For Ironman

This is a list of 10 of the more popular posts from Crushing Iron to get your juices flowing for the upcoming race.  My next post will be my 10 personal favorites, many of which were written early on and haven’t been seen by the massive Crushing Iron audience.

1.  The Best Ironman Race Advice I’ve Ever Received . . . One solid bit of information that will help you get through your race.

2.  Ironman Louisville 2013 Video . . . This is a video I made while spectating last year’s race.  It’s cut to Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.”

3.  20 Things I Learned At Ironman Wisconsin . . . “If you drive the bike course, take it with a grain of salt because it seems much worse in a car.  The ride is definitely hilly, but if you recover on the downhills it is a very enjoyable ride.”

4.  The Zen of Triathlon Training – 14 Ways . . . This was written by my coach and tons of people have been reading this post.

5.  Don’t Miss Your Opportunity . . . “It really makes you think about what kind of opportunities we miss because we don’t think we’re ready.  The stuff you think about all the time, but are afraid to try because some illusion is holding you back.”

6.  Ironman Wisconsin 2013 Race Report . . . “On race Sunday, I stood on the ramp of the Ironman Swim Start with the rest of the Fab 5 while family and friends leaned over TYR sponsored fence and took pictures.  A mere 5 months after I struggled to swim 300 meters, I was ready for 2.4 miles.”

7.  10 Reasons I’m Doing Ironman Louisville . . . “The Finish Line.  It really is a party and will be a sight for sore eyes, ankles, and hip flexors.”

8.  Ironman Wisconsin Swim Start Video – Crushing Iron Trailer . . . “This highlights the pre-race nerves and the guys I raced with have some great thoughts on the race.  It’s focused on the swim, and frankly pretty awesome.”

9.  Your Choices Define The Consequences . . . “One of the biggest mistakes I consistently make is not being prepared for my workout.  Often it’s because of poor diet or hydration, but mostly it’s because I don’t make time to be ready.”

10.  I Paid $650 For Ironman And All I Got Was . . . “Signing up for Ironman felt like the epitome.  I would do many races along the way, but that big gorilla was always hanging out in the corner.  I couldn’t escape him, and in a twisted way, I didn’t want to.”

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Ironman Is Only One Day

Oneday

My “Countdown Meter” says 26 days, 19 hours, and 56 minutes.  That can only mean one thing . . . Ironman Louisville is coming fast.

It also means, four Mondays from now I will have quite a different feeling in my body . . . and mind.  Or will I?

If all goes as planned, I will have just covered 140.6 miles under a hot Louisville sun.  I will have pushed myself to the limit and achieved something most never dream of, and . . . it will be over.

What happens the day before four Mondays from now will be directly related to how I handle the time between today and the race.  The most important thing I can work on is . . . confidence.

Without faith, we are sunk.

There are many ways you can drum up belief in yourself, but for me, the best way is Nike’s model:  Just Do It.

For the next 26 days, 19 hours, and 52 minutes I will be squeezing out doubt.  Not by force, but by fueling my brain with stuff that builds confidence.

I will celebrate the victories and not dwell on the defeats.  I will expect challenges and figure out plans to conquer them.  I will face pain with courage and know that it doesn’t last forever.

Ironman is one day.

One day when we have no choice but to live in the moment and trust the accumulation of hours, days, and months of work.  The effort on that day is all that matters and whatever effort I can summons, is enough.

More than anything, I want to go into that race clear.  Free from distraction.  Unobstructed by doubt.  Ready to flow with what is.

And what is will be millions of mini-moments that happen whether we want them to or not.  There is no more room for fear, worry, or doubt.

I will be there, and technically there is no different than here.

 

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The Music City Triathlon

Oh, I’m not really going to talk about the Music City Triathlon, but it’s a damn catchy title . . . especially since the race drew tons of people and . . . happened today.

I’m kidding!  I have a few things to say about it.

One, it was HOT!  Two, it was WINDY.  And . . . three, I doubt I could have done it today.

But, I went down to watch, which was kinda great because I was hanging out with Nashville Running Company (NRC) Kingpin, Lee Vip.  He’s really kind of a big deal, but he has no problem handing out water or wet rags.   And today showed his aid-station-generosity isn’t limited to “running only” events, which is quite the badge of character.

If it were up to me, I would consider giving NRC naming rights for the Music City Triathlon.  The NRC-MCT has a nice ring to it.

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I spectated last year, too, because I was training for Wisconsin, but once I got down to watch I was seriously bummin’ I didn’t do the race.  In fact, I think there is some video footage of me crying because I was going for a 3 hour ride instead of doing a well organized and fun triathlon about 10 minutes from my house.  Actually, that crying footage may be from today . . . and when I missed Hot Chicken Fest.

Lots of crying video . . . and I have made no attempts to hide this part of me.  In fact, I even disclosed that “I am sensitive” in my blogging application to USAT, which was promptly rejected, and now I’m starting to wonder if this could have been the reason for my stonewalling.

I guess you have to be tough to be a USAT athlete, or even their blogger?  I don’t think owning my sensitive side means I’m not tough.  Quite the opposite, really, but in retrospect, maybe I should have used “compassionate.”

Either way, I don’t think you can fully dismiss someone as your blogger just because they declare their sensitivity.  Can you?

I mean, there are entire training courses dedicated to this issue.  If nothing else, USAT was putting money in the bank by protecting the need for blogger sensitivity training in the future.

So, back to the NRC-MCT.

There was serious pain on that course, and obviously I was reaching out to comfort many of the athletes.  Normally a little breeze is a good thing when it’s hot, but it was knock-you-over windy.  And I was literally overheating just watching Lee Vip dish out fluids.

It was a big day down on the Cumberland and I loved the new Transition set up right on Nashville’s most famous intersection.  I also heard the Olympic swim was about 200 meters long, and on a sweltering day like today, I think I speak for the organizers of the NRC-MCT when I say, “You’re welcome.”

————

Next time you go into NRC, tell them Crushing Iron sent you.

Here’s how my three hour ride went.  [follow_me]

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Is Trouble Lurking at Ironman Louisville?

I logged onto Facebook tonight and it seemed everyone in my feed was talking about their “long ride” today.  Not the best fuel for a rejected USAT blogger who is laying around in boxers after his 1:20 minute cycling meltdown.

My Ironman countdown meter shows 28 days.  I have plantar fasciitis in my right heel, a tender Achilles on my left, and I am battling a summer cold.  What’s Vegas showing as my over/under in Louisville?

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If I were a betting man, I’d be tempted to lay some huge scratch on the “over,” but, since I am not, I am cautiously optimistic about my chances.  But it has nothing to do with my mileage.

Ironman is a long damn ways and the furthest combination of any distances I’ve strung together in this training period is 77 miles on a bike.  In fact, I’ve rarely gone past 50.

My longest run has been 12 miles an it was relatively painful.

The upside to all of the injuries is that I have put in a little extra time in the water, but even those swims would be considered short by Ironman standards.

So, how will I pull this together?  Let’s add it up with 10 positives.

1.  I feel relatively good about the swim.

2.  I’m pretty sure I’ll be decent on the bike for at least 3 hours.

3.  My entire marathon at IM Wisconsin hurt, so I have experience battling the pain.

4.  I’ll have a lot of family and friends there to race for.

5.  Even though I am sick and have problems with both feet, I am pretty healthy.

6.  I love the energy at Louisville and usually perform better under pressure.

7.  By traditional standards, I will be undertrained, but should be well rested.

8.  All of these distractions have forced me to look inside and figure out solutions.

9.  Getting sick has put me on serious road to dialing in my diet.

10.  I will not go down without a fight.

If I know one thing about Ironman, it’s at least half mental.  I’ve been through the meat grinder and know how it feels.

I know the nervous energy of race morning.  I know the feel of an elbow to the face in the water.  The frustration of seeing the swim exit that seems to only get further away.

I know the pain in neck on a long windy roads.  The burn in your thighs as you climb a hill that never ends.  The unrelenting swell in your ass that eventually fades to numb.

I know the delirium of hobbling off your bike to do something that seems impossible.  The illusion of running forever before you see mile one.  The cruel Ironman joke of baiting you down the Finisher’s chute on your first lap.  I know the dark, lonely existence at Mile 18 when you forget who you are.

And I also know the taste of the finish line.  The unmistakeable energy that seems to be all for you.  I know the screaming strangers and the familiar faces that welcome you home from a journey you can’t put in words.  There are not many things sweeter.

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I Got Rejected by USAT

About a month ago, USAT put out a call for an “Age Group Blogger” for USAT Nationals in Milwaukee.  I replied swiftly, with what I thought was the winning application, but unfortunately, I will not be your blogger.  Below is the letter I submitted, and I would love your input on how I could tighten things up in the event I get another chance.

Mike Tarrolly Blogger
This guy will not be your USAT blogger

Dear USAT,

Here are 10 quick reasons I think I would be an excellent blogger for USAT AG Nationals:

1.  I have no problem being referred to as a blogger.

2.  I am a marginal AG triathlete with just enough experience to be dangerous.

3.  I am originally from Wisconsin and my brother lives 3 blocks from the race.

4.  I am sensitive.

5.  I’ve worked in the news business for 14 years and (no thanks to them) understand what makes a good story.

6.  I’m a marketing director by trade, but don’t necessarily think that’s anything to write home about.

7.  I’ve been shooting and editing video for many years and have the ability to make age group athletes resemble Sebastian Kienle or Andrew Starykowicz (but not necessarily his run style).

8.  I’ve read a lot of books on triathlon and liked most of them.

9.  I have a strong command of taking and uploading pictures from my iPhone.

10.  My mother would likely come over from Beloit and supervise my writing.

Here’s a link to some triathlon videos I’ve shot and edited https://crushingiron.com/video/

Many more writing samples at www.crushingiron.com

Thank you for the consideration.

Mike

———-

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but they sent me a nice letter of rejection with a promise to keep me in their thoughts.

In the meantime I am second guessing myself in blogging and in life.

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Battling Ironman Doubt #IMLOU

Never let the future disturb you.  You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” — Marcus Aurelius

Ironman training comes with a roller coaster of emotions, and one of the most prevalent is doubt.  It doesn’t help when you’re sick a month from the race and battling Achilles and plantar fasciitis issues, but I am remaining positive and in “everything happens for a reason” mode.

Yesterday was massage day and my  therapist basically told me, “my body is a wreck.”  Oddly, it was my back and shoulders that seemed the most jacked up as she wrenched on the sore tendons.  I told her to “Make me squirm,” and it was easy to oblige.

On top of that, I started getting a sore throat Tuesday night and spent most of the day inhaling fresh juice and tons of water.  It took about a day to release that problem, but I’m still weak and congested.  One month away from Ironman and I am not sure I could comfortably run a mile.

I keep reminding myself that Ironman training is a lesson in patience.  You can’t “always” be ready to race and a major part of training is breaking your body down, so you can build it back up.  Today, I have a great opportunity.

One thing I wish I did was keep a food journal because I think that is likely where my problem lies.  I get sloppy with my diet because of ravenous hunger and next thing I know I am plowing down tortilla chips.  That’s one place for change or I may soon be smiling on the open road behind the wheel of this truck.

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Nothing about Ironman says “moderation” and honestly, that is a major conflict with my training and racing.  I get to points where my body feels invincible and push it over the edge, only to wake up the next day feeling like I got run over by my own 18 Wheeler.

With that in mind, here’s my latest thought on training for Ironman with a month left.  I’m supposed to be in “build” phase, but since I am “building” from a trough of exhaustion, I have to be careful about my workouts.  Because if I have one mantra about racing an Ironman, it is this: “I simply want to feel great on race day.”

So, that could very well mean I won’t have a full distance swim, bike, or run under my belt when I toe the line in Louisville.  In fact, I won’t even really be close in any of the three.  My longest swim is around 3,200 meters, bike is 80 miles, and run is 12 miles.  How in the hell do I think I’ll be able to do a full Ironman on August 24th?

With patience and confidence.

This race is one stroke, one spin, and one stride at a time.  None of mine will (or should) be at max effort.  For me it’s about finding your flow and managing pain.

As I write this, doubt is all over my body and mind, but it’s because of how I feel right at this moment.  My opportunity is to listen to my body.  To start fueling, resting, and “building” within my limits.

With one month left, I have to let go of doubt and fear, trust where I’ve been, and believe I will be prepared to face that moment with the same weapons I’ve been using today.

30daysPatience