Journey to IRONMAN: 7 Months

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook on any kind of regular occasion then I am sure you have been bombarded with all sorts of triathlon posts.  In fact you may nearly be at a place where you are ready to unfollow me just so they will stop :)  Don't do it just yet as the past month my plethora of Instagram shots have been in preparation for this blog post.  If I was thinking I should have hashtagged them all #aweekinthelife but then you get into the crazy world of hashtag madness and well, keeping consistent with my IM hashtags is about all I can handle right now!

My life is full of triathlon right now.  I eat sleep and breathe it every day.  When I had my initial meeting with my coach a few months back, I told her I HAD to have a rest day.  I just HAD to.  There was no way that I could give 7 days to a training program.  I laugh now.......today marks the 35th day of continual training and, contrary to what I thought, I do not need rest days.  I am strong.  Don't get me wrong.  I rest, but its in the form of resting work, ie. long swims planned for distance and not time.  I love my Mondays. 

I have been chronicling this journey through the method that speaks most clearly to me.....a camera and this past month I wanted to show what I do through pictures.  I am 7 months out from IRONMAN today and well on my way.......come discover a week in my life.......

Monday:  My long swim.  I love this day the most.  I get up early and meet my girlfriend at the pool for a 6am session.  The sun hasn't quite yet burst over the Las Sendas mountain and we swim.  Some days it 2000m......others its as much as 3000m.....some day soon it will eek up over 4000m.  I love it. Its quiet and contemplative in that cool water.  I recover, I pray, I think, I dream about what it will feel like to cross that finish line.  I doubt and then get back to work.  I always finish as the sun rises and illuminates the day.  Mondays are good days. 

Tuesdays:  Work starts on Tuesdays.  I have both a 1.5 hour bike ride to get in as well as a 6 mile run.  I try to run first because my coach wants me to push.  What does that mean?  Well basically for 3-4 of those miles I need to be working....harder than I want to.  I recover, I eat, I drop Lily off at school, I go to MOPS, I meet a friend for a play date.  If I rode in the morning I find myself in the gym pounding the treadmill for 6 miles (thank the Lord for HGTV) and if I ran in the morning.......I find myself on the trainer.  I take the girls to swim lessons.  I have been known to be on the trainer at 7 at night.  IRONMAN doesn't care about life's chaos.  

Wednesday:  Another swim day.  This is a drill session usually.  It ranges in distance but is at minimum 2000m.  Sometimes its sprints, other times its paddle work, and sometimes its intensity work.  Its all work, but man is it satisfying.  Wednesday is a strength day too.  Pull ups, push ups, squats, planks, lunges, ab work, back work, stretching.  I find myself back at the gym or in our backyard. No excuses.

Thursday:  Little brick day is what I have come to call it.  Bricks are workouts done back to back.  Why?.....because its harder (and you thought there was going to be a fancy answer).  I do a spin class or hill repeats on the bike followed immediately by a 4 mile run.  Transitioning the body from pedaling to running is important to work on.  Making sure the body understands that it may be fatigued, but it can still change directions and move forward.  All of this happens before 7:15am.  Life doesn't wait.

Friday:  Open Water Swim day.  Up until 3 weeks ago these swims were done in the pool, but we are now back out in the Lake.  The first 2 times back in the cold, dark, grimy lake were challenging.  Calming the mind and body while keeping good form and resisting the urge to let the cold shake you is hard. But.....when you get it.....when you embrace the factors trying to derail you, the lake becomes a friend.  Its quiet and open.  I am free from the endless flip turns and line swimming.  When you find it........its euphoric.

Saturday:  Long Bike days.  I always have a minimum of 2 hours up to 3 hours to spend on the bike these days.  Leading up to races I get to incorporate longer brick sessions.  Last weekend I had a 2.5 hour bike and a 3 mile run (one I pushed at 8:15 pace).  These sessions are where the endurance really comes to play.  I watch my heart rate, I am vigilant about fuel and water and gauging my fatigue and energy.  I must learn now.......5 hour bikes are in my future.

Sunday: My Long Run.  AHHHHH the place I am the most at home.....on my feet putting down the miles.  I love my Sundays.  Before the sun rises or church happens I run.  I am holding steady at 8 to 10 miles right now and loving every second.  I listen to my music, I pray, I think about the week I have just finished, and ponder the week ahead.  I finish strong....congratulating myself on getting 1 week closer to my goal.  Its a good place.

I also find my Sunday's are the absolutely best days for napping.  I LOVE my Sunday naps when I get them.  Sometimes sleeping is the best thing I can do for my body and it thanks me.  

So there you have it....a week in my life. I train.......full time. I mother full time. I wife full time.  I have conquered the fear of "Can I?,"  my coach knew I could.  I trust her.  I trust my body, I trust the process. No guts no glory right? I can and I will.