Ironman training....I asked for it

Mile Repeat Crew

Remember, not too long ago, I was eager to start IM training.  Well, let's go back and take that away.   In all seriousness, I love most of it.  If it was up to me, as in I did not pay Mike, I would be riding 12+ hours a week, running 4-5 days, swimming 3 days and training well over 20 hours at an all-day pace.   I tried self-coaching and let's just say after 8 weeks I had to beg my previous to take me back.   Some self-coached athletes don't do enough, some do too much but mostly we don't do what we don't like to do.  For me, that means longer runs off the bike, the trainer and strength.  Without the accountability and for someone else making the plan, I would not get it done.  I would train myself into the ground, but not in the right way. 

So as we roll 20 hours weeks here I am in the mode of 1 day at a time.  Each workout I need to be open-minded, give it my all and go with it.  Some days I am shocked, as in last Tue my mile repeats went smashingly a bit under target pace with an effort that was sustainable and today well fck me.   We added 1-mile repeat to make it 5, the pace was over the target pace and the effort was ridiculous has in too hard to hit the pace.   

Tuesdays are generally trainer/mile repeat Tuesday and it was rough.  The trainer workout is first and starts at 4:30am and I was struggling on the warm-up and let's just say it did not get better.  The 108% efforts were coming in at 100% and as I was crafting a text to coach about how tired and sore I am, how I want to nail the run .... I stopped and scrolled through Insta only to see what feels like ALL MY friends in Kona!   That was the fuel I needed.  I dialed up some music, Eye of The Tiger, which was THE only I played before every big swim in HS and College, grabbed my IMWC towel given to me at the finish line in Kona and sucked it up.  Its NO fun missing EVERY interval, but 100% beat the heck out of 0%.  I made a deposit in the training bank and was off to the run.  As Des Linden says  "just show up"

GWl + Desanco on a weekday

Tuesdays I run with my athletes- either hill repeats from my house or we need on Neptune (flat road along the ocean) for speed work and this week was a build off last week to 5x1 mile with 1 min rest.  

Today was tough from the beginning.   My GI has been wonky since Sunday and this AM was acting up, my legs were cooked and the pace was tough.  I used the workout today to channel what many of my IM runs are like, tough and painful and they are all mental.  It' often comes down to who can suffer the most, and I practiced that today.  The pace was off 5-7 sec/mile but the bigger lesson was I was not far off and just kept going.  The same mantra for race day, just keep moving!    This is a recovery week, per se, HA, after today, Wed- Fri is super chill and then Saturday is a big one.   I am going to channel Kona for that one.   

6 hours in Ocotillo- hot and windy!  #imcoz + hour run OTB
Deposit in the bank 

When the watts or pace come easily it's all rainbows and butterflies and is easy to think this is what race day will be like.  With 15 Ironman races completed, I can tell you, that most are more about enduring pain and suffering, so preparing of that is key.   When the workouts get tough, miserable, that is when you pay attention, how are you managing it, what is your mental state, what can you do to get it done?   

After all that I had a strength workout but I had to get focused and get some work done.  Around 4pm it was easy to start justifying why NOT to lift, so many great reasons.  Instead I scrolled through Inta to see everyone in Kona and I was out the door with a new Spotify playlist and got to work!  

It's easy to see make training look so easy and fun on social media, but it can be tough and that's the purpose of this post  It's also mental.   I get nervous for workouts and certain training.  I can see a 7-hour bike ride and not flinch, but a 2:30 run and I am nervous.  Whereas my training partner stresses over the bike.  It's fascinating how each of us has our pain point or stress points in training.   We need to pay attention and continue to work on those. For some its the swim, some bike, and others the run!  It's what makes this sport so exciting, complex and always room for learning!    

Where is your mental challenge?  What tools do you emply to stay tough and get through what you are worried about? 

As for Kona, not going to lie, I have major FOMO!   Race week is magical and so much fun!