Tag: psychology of Ironman

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My Biggest Concern About Ironman Louisville

Now that I’ve quit my job of 15 years, I anticipate quite a different lifestyle.  Days will now be at my pace.  I will go to bed and wake up when I please.

My natural tendency is to lean toward night owl.  On one hand I love that because there’s something cool about doing things while everyone else is sleeping.  On the other, I’m sliding into a bad sleep pattern.

Last year I slept 3 hours before Ironman Wisconsin and I would barely call it a solid nap.  I’m not sure what’s going to happen at Louisville, but I know I have to get at least six hours . . . and do it without oversleeping the race start!

I’ve had nightmares of running to the dock and screaming, “Don’t pull up the timing mat!”  I wait in my swimskin as they put it back in place, calibrate the computer, then scream at me to “get the fuck in the water!”

Yeah, so here’s to a good night sleep in the “Ville.”

 

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Good Advice Can Come from Anyone

I wrote this a couple weeks ago and have been sticking with this leg strengthening plan.  I still haven’t been running much at all, but I sense something good going on in my body thanks to this tidbit from a guy I never expected to offer advice.

I have to admit, when I go watch a triathlon, I put a little too much thought into what I’m going to wear.  When I went to Music City Triathlon, my first thought was to wear Ironman Wisconsin Finisher’s shirt, but I opted for NashVegas as a reminder of the time I almost died.

You want the attention and praise you “deserve,” after an Ironman, I guess, but about 5 minutes after I got there, an animated gentleman excitedly asked, “You doing NashVegas this year?!?  It’s a great race!”

I regretfully said, no because I’m doing Ironman Louisville a few weeks before and that’s when he launched into his triathlon history.

“I’ve been at this for forty years… did this … and that… and this and that….”

My first inclination was to walk away, but I think there’s always something to learn…

He rambled on about his training regimen and how they do a lot with weight training…

“Look at my calves,” he said, pulling up his shorts further than necessary.

It reminded me of my Achilles and Plantar Fasciitis problems, so . . . I brought it up.

“Oh…….,” he said, throwing his foot onto a nearby curb.

“Do these calf raises… and do this… and do that… and do four sets… light weights… It’s not worth anything until you do four sets.”

In mid-thought, he turned his back, and ran toward the race course, hopping up and down in circles, yelling out, “You’re looking great!” to the runners.

Then, he was back in front of me . . . “You need to join a triathlon club.”

Honestly, I thought he was a little off his rocker, but it was mildly entertaining.

“Yeah, and do these for your upper body, and . . . did I show you my calves?”

“Um, yeah.”

“For every exercise, you need to do the opposite . . . do these for your shins,” he said as he curled his toe upward.

“I have thick shins.  Never had a problem.  Of course I’m old, and don’t go fast, but I do 100 yard repeats . . . 30 of em.”

Wow . . . I wasn’t saying anything, but with age comes wisdom and I was listening selectively.

It was the four sets of light repetitions and the counterbalance exercises . . . and the repeats.

He ran back to celebrate, shouting exuberant “You got it, girls!” as I slowly tiptoed away.

Sometimes what you learn is clarification of something you know.  You hear it from a different perspective can open your subconsciousness to the opportunities.

That afternoon I was laying around on my yoga mat and my brain suddenly realized the REAL value of calf and ankle strengthening.  Injury stems from imbalance and I have always suspected that to be my main problem.

I took it slow, but spent the next hour “waking up” my ankles.  Standing on one leg at time for 5, 10, 15, 25 seconds.  I did this progression over and over and eventually, what was nearly impossible on my left leg, became manageable.  This morning I did the same and there was already marked improvement.  In less than 24 hours I have more confidence in my left ankle where the Achilles issues nest.  I’m looking forward to see where the next 24 days take me.

Post script: Like I mentioned, I haven’t been running much at all lately, but definitely feel a sense of balance in my body.  This applies to the pool and bike as well.  I feel like my work is more “overall body” than powering through with my dominant side.  I’m accepting the flow and that is the mentality I am taking with me to Louisville.

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Caffeine and Training

Sometimes I feel like a real jackass writing about Ironman training.  I mean, who am I to figure like I know stuff?

But then, I start to rationalize . . . “Hey, maybe I do know stuff.”  Well, at least I know what’s going on in my own mind and body.  That counts for something, right?

Today, what’s going on in my mind and body is a little more stillness than usual.  Last night I ran with the East Nasty crew, then had pizza, a salad, and a Schlitz tallboy before heading home to bed at 10.  When I woke up, I felt rested for the first time in weeks.  Sleep matters.

Monday through yesterday afternoon of this week I was on edge.  I wasn’t sure why, but love to speculate about my health.  This morning it came to me.  I haven’t had caffeine for the last two days.

This is a sticky subject with me.  I have a natural lean toward having a buzz and being a tad compulsive about it.  During my college years it was beer.  For hangovers I drank water.

I used to give my buddies a lot of shit for slamming down soda (we called it pop).  I never drank coffee, either, unless it was to be cool on all night exam crams.  But a few years after college, I started a business and became a Mountain Dew whore.

I pounded yellow juice all day long and was typically short tempered, though I knew that wasn’t acting like “me.” I never openly associated my crankiness and lethargy to the drug.  In Alcoholics Anonymous they say that “Alcohol is cunning and baffling,” but now I’m starting to think the same can be said for caffeine (or any addictive substance).

Of course, this isn’t for everyone to hear.  I have a tendency to overdo things.  Like pound not one, but two large coffees in search for that edge.  I’m not even sure if I’ll stop or not, but have decided to turn that one over to a higher power.

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Iron Ego

I often wonder why I signed up to do Ironman Wisconsin.  It’s a huge physical and fiscal commitment that will take a ton of time and dedication but when I’m done . . . I walk away with a medal, t-shirt and the right to tattoo the Ironman logo on my right ass cheek.

Sometimes I wonder if this is a big ego trip that will make me feel like someone I’m not.  But the truth is, I believe this process will bring me closer to who I am.

Life can suck juice out of the best plans.  I mean, is it really natural for humans to sit in a classroom 7 hours a day until they are 22 years old, or in my case 30?  Then tackle a career by sitting at a desk 8 hours a day until you’re too old to move?  To top it all off, we spend the time that’s left on a couch or a rocking chair before hitting early bird supper.

I know I’m generalizing, but sometimes I walk around the office and look at dozens of people spending half their waking lives gazing at a computer screen.  And I can’t talk because I do the same thing, but frankly, that is some weird shit!

For me, the Ironman represents a quest to re-discover the purest form of my humanity.  It’s motivation that forces me to move, and along the way I anticipate dozens of side benefits–including some super tasty physiological treats.

But, there is definitely ego.  Or, at the very least, a need to rekindle a life of competition that faded away.  I played competitive sports most of my life and truly miss the high of winning.  But winning, when it comes to an Ironman or any kind of individual endurance sport, rarely means first place.

Winning is giving an honest effort to be your best and that is far more than clipping a few seconds off a stopwatch.  It’s about being healthy, clear, happy, honest, and releasing the person that’s been tied down in the corner.

And it’s hard when you invest this much in yourself because you have to evolve.  It takes patience and courage to leave the chair behind.  There must be movement, and when you move, it can seem like you’re running away from who you are.  But, for me, moving is simply re-discovering the best man inside and hanging out with him more often.