I'm a wuss at heart. I've been called a tough soldier, a fearless leader, a bad ass and crazy. Crazy is the only true descriptor. I am either freezing or burning up. I use a heater fan at work. I wear a down jacket when it's 50 degrees. I grew up in Minnesota but you'd never guess it (unless you hear me say MinnesoOOOta). I live in San Diego for a reason.
So signing up for an early season Ironman didn't really phase me. Training through winter? What's winter? And seasons? I have lived in San Diego for almost 2 years and I have forgotten what fall leaves look like, what real snow is, and what the warming of spring reminds me of. It's sunny and 70 for most of the year. Sometimes it rains. But it always ends up nice. At times I miss home, but when I know what's going on there now, I can't imagine setting up trainer sessions in the basement. YUCK!
The reason for the craziness? I don't have a choice. I don't have the luxury of switching my schedule, training or work, at the drop of a hat. When I lay out my week, it's pretty much set. If I miss a workout there's no room for error to make it up. I just have to suck it up. Which has been going pretty well. Thinking back:
102 mile kick off to IM training ride
Thanksgiving long run on a brisk 18 degree MN day
40 degree GWL+Descanso day
Frozen hilly Arizona Ride.
39 degree long ride and rainy long run
39 degree Joshua Tree long ride+guts
39 degree St. George 90 mile preview ride and my frozen toes:
and last weekend.I am sick of having epic workouts. Why can't it just be boring and uneventful? (and warm!) Again I have no choice but to suck it up.
Last week was all messed up. I went to bike fitting school at the start of the week and was also trying to recover from San Dieguito. I missed swim lessons, doctor appointments and a training run. But I gained so much more. A Fit Institute Slowtwitch Triathlon Fitter certification. And a "recover" 20 mile ride. Wednesday was a brutal GWL beating on tired legs. Thursday was hill repeats in the aerobars. Friday was a fast cove-shores-cove 2 mile swim with Jake. And Saturday was my day off work. I finally had a Saturday off to ride with the normal people, but everyone was bailing.
Chris and Jake were gracious enough to join me for what was sure to be a long ride with a few drops of rain. 10 min in Chris gets a flat. Through a pretty hilarious turn of events we were rolling again, thanks to a dude driving a van prepared with an apocalyptic outlook on life with a spare tube and pump. :) We made it to La Jolla and it started to rain. hard. All the way through the UCSD campus and down Torrey Pines. We got to Del Mar and it was bone dry. However, we looked like we cycled through the ocean. WTF? Suck it up.
Stopped at a shop for extra tubes/co2 and a power bar. Did the Elfin Forest, Del Dios loop and stopped again at the shop for chain lube. Got back to Torrey Pines and decided, hey why not add some repeats? And, I challenged myself to stay in my aerobars. I did it. On the third painful repeat we opted for the inside of Torrey. In aerobars. I did it.
One final challenge. Nautilus on Mt. Soledad. Why not? It's on the way home. Haha, you guessed it. In my aerobars.
Sunday was my long run. It was the longest run of my life (time and mileage). I'm into uncharted territory from now until Utah in that regard. It start out slow and with a low HR. My legs were feeling the effects of the sprint finish from Saturdays end of long ride Mission Bay Drive sprint TT dual with Jake. Did a random route around my house with a lot of hills. 1200ft of climbing over 14.75 miles. Somehow added in Hill St which was 300ft in 5 blocks. Yuck! Oh yeah, it rained too.
Two days of soppy feet. Yummy. Two days of sucking it up and getting it done. Maybe even with a little smirk.
In the thick of my build period again. Looking forward to sucking it up and racing on tired, non-rested legs for the Desert Tri in two weeks. But hey, I'm racing again. I can't wait to put my hard work to use!!
Is it here yet? 10 weeks.
This is what I look forward to every week now. I'm back, earning my hot chocolate, cove swimming on Friday mornings. Join me!
1 comment:
Will all your epic prep I hope race day isn't too boring.
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