The Way In is Out
I’ve been struggling again. After the high of my Rev3 race in Knoxville, I’ve hit another wall. I’m desperately searching for an answer on whether or not I should do Ironman Louisville, but think my best play is to take a step back.
There are many factors going into this decision, but the biggest is: I want to race it well. Wrong or right, I have no interest in going up to Kentucky to simply finish. With that in mind, the only solution I have at the moment is to take a break from swim, bike and run.
I’ve decided to take 10 days to focus on the “little” things that will allow me to train with a purpose and hopefully race Louisville to my standards. I will be spending a lot of time on the Beso ball, foam roller, and hopefully massage tables. I will be doing yoga, planks, and glute/hip flexor exercises. I will be walking, hiking, and skipping. And quite possibly kicking back in a hammock. 
The Clock is Ticking
I already feel behind in my training and 10 days off will put me at around 10 weeks until Louisville. Ten Days for Ten Weeks.
As I contemplated this decision, I scoured the web for info on rest while training and discovered a great article with this reassuring excerpt:
Both Kienle and Crowie rest for four weeks in their off-seasons with a little alternative activity. After that period of inactivity, they build back up. That might seem like enough rest, but for a top-level pro, a six- to eight-week period of rest would be more appropriate, as Allen has shown.
Allen also took a full week completely off in early August, just eight weeks prior to Kona, something that would leave most athletes insecure so close to the most important race in the calendar. He would use this week to balance body and mind, and work on his strength of character. Read the full article
here.
Triathlon is 90% Mental, the Other Half is Physical
Of course I borrowed that from Yogi Berra and replaced baseball with triathlon, but the point is made, sort of. I think the real point is, just like that quote, this decision is confusing. I realize it sounds a bit ludicrous to take 10 days off right in peak season, but I also know it’s wise to stop building a house if you screwed up the foundation.
I really, really want to do this race, but it’s all coming from the ego. Either to prove I can battle through another ridiculously tough day, or to be a mule on display for friends who will be there watching. None of it is coming from the right place and the more I haphazardly train, the more jumbled the choice becomes.
Seriously
If I can’t get serious about training, I’m not doing the race. I really think backing off is the only hope I have for Louisville.
Take yesterday for example. I went out for an open-ended run I thought might end up around 8 miles. For the first mile my mind was screaming stop the entire time. Somehow my legs fought it off, but that’s just not how I want this to unfold.
I did finish the 8 mile jaunt, but it felt more like survival than a training run. It seemed just as hard at the beginning as it did at the end. Not even a good hard. And if that’s how it’s gonna go, I’d rather spend a little more time in this bad boy.
