ironman training

A Slave to Ironman Training (Week 22 & 23 Recap)

Miscellaneous

Where am I? What’s happening? Who am I?

As the days tick by I can feel my stress meter increasing. My mind is a blur and I am constantly tired. I am having fun don’t get me wrong. But as I whimpered “does it ever end?” to my husband yesterday on my way out the door for a run, I couldn’t help but wonder how I had gotten myself into this situation!

I can’t even remember what life was like before Ironman training.

*today is actually 47 days until LP!

I feel like every situation or event in my life is dictated by Ironman…

  • A kayaking date we scheduled months ago? No. Too tired after my long brick.
  • Happy hour? Only if it ends at 6PM, plus I won’t be drinking alcohol because I have to be up at 4AM.
  • A family party that starts at 11AM on Saturday? There’s no way I’ll make it. I will only be a few hours into my 6-hour ride and would still need to run afterwards…

And before you say “No no no…Ironman training is all about balance and still making time for your life commitments.” Not right now. I honestly couldn’t image skipping a workout because my anxiety level that I am not ready is quickly taking over my life.

I am the strongest and fittest I have ever been in my entire life…but 140.6 miles strong?! I still can’t wrap my head around it, although big training weeks do help my anxiety a bit. (See why I couldn’t imagine skipping a workout right now!?)

Week 22
Total Mileage: 182 Miles
Total Time: 18:09

Week 22 was my most fun week yet. (Remember I did say I was having fun training — just worrying a lot as well!) It was Memorial Day weekend and I knew a three day training bender was on the horizon. Over the course of the long weekend I covered 181 miles!

80 Miles on Saturday!

Saturday: 2 mile swim, 80 mile ride and 5 mile run (I felt great! I was SUPER focused on nutrition and making sure I was eating every 45 minutes and drinking a ton. You can see how this effected me and just proves even more how important nutrition is. I got done with the bike and felt perfectly fine to run.)
Sunday: 12 mile bike and 13.2 mile run
Monday: 65 mile bike and 4 mile run

By Tuesday morning I felt exhausted and could feel a cold coming on. I had pushed hard, but was proud of my efforts and discipline.

This is how I recovered after my long weekend of training!

I was also able to stock up on nutrition for the last few weeks of training. Only $70 later at Dicks…I needed to order online, but I had used up everything I had over the long holiday weekend.

Looks like Halloween!

Week 23
Total Mileage:165 Miles
Total Time:17 Hours

Week 23 was a little challenging, but having Monday off for my long ride was a life saver. That weekend I was heading up to the Finger Lakes in New York for my best friend’s Bachelorette Party and I knew some drinking and relaxing was going to take place. I actually ended up taking my first rest day since May 9 on that Sunday. That’s a good thing because we enjoyed a lot of wine all weekend!! I did still manage to get in 12.5 miles on Saturday before most of the girls were up. My other two girlfriends ran 2 miles with me (miles 7 and 8 for me), which was nice to have a little bit of company. Also I took PTO on Friday and got in another ride on the trainer and met one of my girlfriends at this AMAZING pool out in Geneva. It’s an Olympic training facility called Spire and has an Olympic size pool! In my normal pool, if I want to swim the full 2.4 Ironman distance I have to swim 87 laps — in Spire’s pool it was only 43.5 laps!

We also practiced swimming in our wet suits for a few laps since I am racing this weekend and I haven’t worn my wet suit since last July! It was just SO amazing!! My normal pool only has 4 lanes (sometimes less) and usually I have to share a lane with 2+ people. Spire has 10 lanes and the lanes are double in size, plus my friend and I were the only ones in the entire pool. It’s crazy! Definitely made me enjoy my 2.4 mile swim more than usual!

Wine tasting!

Fun to hang out with my girlfriends in the middle of the day on a Saturday — normally peak training time!

This weekend I am racing both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I am racing an Olympic distance triathlon and Sunday is my b-race of the year — my second 70.3 Half Ironman! I am super curious how Sunday will go. It’s crazy how last summer I thought 70.3 was HUGE. I mean don’t get me wrong, it still is a HUGE distance…but it’s not 140.6 huge. I am a little nervous, but considerably WAY less nervous than last summer. This will be my 4th year doing this race (but first attempt at the half distance this year). So I am pretty comfortable with the venue and how the race is ran. I am most nervous for the swim. I just haven’t done an OWS since last August. I hope I am OK in my wet suit as well. Sometimes I tend to panic and have to focus on staying calm and in control. I hate when it feels so tight that I cannot breathe! But if I breathe slowly and calmly I will be fine.

I am really hoping to PR compared to my Half Ironman last summer because I am in way better shape now and because I am comfortable at this venue. Also racing back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday will help to simulate a longer distance at race pace.

I’m chomping at the bit to see a starting line! Here’s to hoping this weekend goes smooth and helps boost my confidence levels.

Ironman Training 3 Week Recap – Weeks 19, 20 & 21

Miscellaneous

Week 19 was a fun week, primarily because I got to attend the Cleveland Triathlon Club tri camp. I only went one day (oppose to camping and going three full days), but the overall experience and knowledge gained was awesome. Plus I LOVED being able to train with other people! (Most times I am a lone wolf when it comes to training.)

Week 19
Total Mileage: 110 Miles
Total Time: 11:15 Hours

Camp was a blast and I felt really good about how I handled the hills of Mochican State Park. I know that I am good at climbing and can remain steady. To me it’s about getting it over with. Hills make long rides go faster. If I am dreading a hill at mile 24 — then mile 24 is going to appear a lot more quickly! (It’s all mental really.) Most riders just suffered up the hill ever so slowly and I felt like I was going to topple over if I slowed down like that.

The weather was fair. Decently chilly, but not totally miserable and the rain held off for Saturday at least! I also attended a swim clinic at camp and found out what has been causing my knee pain during my long swims — I tend to swim pigeon toed! (I know — seriously?!) I was given some drills to try to correct it and some pointers to think about. (Swimming is hard you guys. I don’t have the muscle memory of a good stroke. It’s constantly thinking about your motion the ENTIRE swim.)

I went to tri camp on that Saturday and then the following morning on Sunday I ran a 5K in my hometown with one of my girlfriends. I knew my fitness had increased and I am in great shape — so I figured I was going to PR this race. Although I think I’ve gotten the same time before (25 minutes). I was happy to see that I also got 3rd female overall in the 5K. This is probably because there were only 71 participants in the 5K, but STILL! (Although I was laughing to see that the 2nd overall female was in the 10-14 age group,  LOL!)

Week 20
Total Mileage: 169 Miles
Total Time: 16:39 Hours

Week 20 was my first 100-mile ride. I knew I needed to just get it over and done with. It took me just over 7 hours to complete. It left me feeling exhausted and a little worried about the 8:10 cutoff for 112 miles during the actual race. Mentally though, it was even tougher. The fact that I was out there solo didn’t help. At one point I was playing “scattergories” in my head with myself. Also I rode on a bike trail that crossed over a lot of busy roads, so I know I won’t have to stop and start like that during the actual race, which will shave down on time. I also realized I need to get better at eating on the bike. I would stop for 10 minutes at a time. During the actual race I plan to stop twice to pee and that’s it. (None of this “peeing on the bike” nonsense I have heard about!)

I was so happy to see this.

I was so happy to see this.

It was cloudy and overcast during my 100-miler and I didn’t think twice about sunscreen until it was too late.

I read online — 14 X 8 = 112. So I just need to focus on going about 14 miles per hour on the bike. In theory when I read this I was like “WOW. 14 miles per hour?! That’s nothing!!” But the bike course in Lake Placid is like no other. Hills upon hills. I’m wondering if I can maintain even 14. Luckily I live in a hilly area and have ample time to climb and practice still. I am still nervous though. Sometimes it really shakes my confidence to look down at my speed while climbing and see 12 miles per hour. My strategy will be to hold 14 during the majority of the race and allow myself to recover under 14 for 1-2 minutes after each climb. Then I will need to power the downhills. Last week I reached 41 miles per hour on a downhill. I’ve heard you can get upwards of 50 down the hills at Lake Placid!

Week 21
Total Mileage: 177 Miles
Total Time: 17:20 Hours

I’ve read a lot about average training volume and time during Ironman training. I know I can’t compare myself to other people’s training, but I did read one guy’s theory that he aimed to average about an Ironman distance (140.6 miles) a week. I read that and figured it sounded pretty reasonable and it would be a good gauge for me. Obviously I am still following the Be Iron Fit guide, but this also gives me a good base to aim for. Also I followed the Intermediate Program for the first 20 weeks of training and just recently switched to the Competitive Program last week because I felt like I had more to give.

I feel like recently I have climbed over a plateau in my training. Although I am still nervous and questioning myself most days, I have honestly felt myself get stronger over the last 2-3 weeks. It’s hard to explain. On Sunday I rode 57 miles in 3:45. At first I felt defeated because I completed the Half Ironman bike in 3:10. Then after I thought about it I realized that it was a great time. My race goal is to be at 56-60 miles by 4 hours. I was 15 minutes early and I climbed A TON of hills on that ride. For the first time in weeks I felt a wave of relief wash over me…I would make it. If that ride was the first half of the race then I would have probably made the 8:10 cutoff. Having that feeling was a huge confidence boost. Also I plan to take the first lap of the bike very easy, then start hammering out the second loop, so hopefully my second loop time will be faster.

There’s so much to think about!! The constant stress hanging over your head. Can I do this? What if I fail? The breakthrough moments where you believe you can. Trying out nutrition plans. The threat of GI issues in the back of your head. What if I bonk? What if I can’t remember to eat on time? What if I stop too long and miss the cut off? The anxiety to pack everything. The nerves of a flat tire. If I’m already stressed about the cut off time — what if I flat and have to take 20 minutes to change it? So many concerns, thoughts, worries…

Then add in a little thing called buying a house and BAM…

And yes that is what’s happening. We close on our new house TWO WEEKS before the Ironman. We close July 6. Ironman Lake Placid is July 23 and we are staying the following week. My only defense is that I will be tapering, but the thought and craziness of moving and things being out of place is beyond me. My husband has assured me it’s going to be alright, but I know myself and my nerves and I know I will be a basket case. I’m not sure how this is all going to work. Training is a part time job right now. Throw in the other things and I’m not sure what will happen…

The only thing left to do is to keep plugging along I guess. I am thrilled about our new house. I’m also over the moon about the fact that I will have a home gym in the basement. It’s our first house and that is SO special, but the timing here isn’t so great. We’ve been house hunting for almost 10 months and for it to line up this way!? It’s a double edge sword. At this point I’m just laughing… laughing because I’m nervous, excited and to keep from losing my mind!

Here’s to Week 22 — CHEERS!

Ironman Training — 2 Week Recap (Weeks 17 & 18)

Miscellaneous

It has been a whirlwind past few weeks. Life has consisted of — work, Ironman training and aggressively house hunting.

Week 17
Total Mileage: 102 Miles
Total Time: 11:40 Hours

Training is tedious. I also can’t help but feel like I’m never doing enough. I know after I get a few big Ironman training weekends done I will feel a little more prepared, but I can’t help but think “How is this all supposed to come together!?”

I’ve been itching to get outside, but alas the weather in Cleveland has been cold, dreary and downright unpleasant (most of the time). We’ve had a few breakthrough days, which I’ve taken advantage of, but not nearly enough.

Week 18
Total Mileage: 117
Total Time: 13:33 Hours

Week 18 was my highest mileage volume and biggest chunk of time spent training to date. I had a giant workout planned for Saturday and of course the forecast was 100% chance of rain and 40 degrees.

I did manage to swim the full Ironman distance swim however! It was a daunting task (87 laps) and I had to psych myself up for it — but I had a blast and it really helped my confidence. I finished in 1:40 exactly and I felt good during and after. I even met a fellow triathlete at the pool who did Ironman 70.3 Ohio and was training for the Mussleman Triathlon up in New York.

I love the “Women For Tri” Facebook page! It’s so supportive and friendly. I have had a few bad experiences with social media and rude triathletes, so this page is always refreshing.

After my Ironman distance swim I hopped on the trainer for 3:20 and biked 50 miles (and also lost my mind). Then I headed out in the soggy rain and ran 4 miles. I was amazed by how good I felt. My first 3 miles were in the 9:30s and then my last mile was 8:57! I did feel like I was bonking a little during the last mile, which is a reminder that I need to eat every 3 miles or so during the run. Maybe even more. I am working on nutrition and trying to figure out what works and what my plan for Lake Placid will be.

Trying to plan out tentative nutrition plans for LP!

Ahh yes the 4th discipline of triathlon…laundry and piles of things everywhere. Thank goodness we have a spare bedroom for my Ironman changing and supplies.

This weekend I am going to an all day triathlon camp with Cleveland Triathlon Club. It will be from 8AM to 8PM… And OF COURSE…it’s supposed to rain and be 50 degrees all damn day…*sigh*

That’s OK though…maybe. I’m bummed about it yes, but the fact that I get to go and train with other people will be a nice change of pace. We might end up riding inside with our trainers, but at least I will suffer in the company of others…right??

Pray for us out here training in Cleveland!!

I like this quote because this week I had a mini meltdown trying to average out my tentative finish time for LP.

I read an article about a guy who missed the cutoff by 10 minutes so he got a DNF. How heartbreaking and devastating. I texted my husband and mom freaking out saying I wasn’t going to finish and they quietly talked me off the ledge.

I need to remember that this is my journey and I am in no real danger of “not finishing”. PLUS worrying about it like an insane person doesn’t do anything for my mental health. I know this is a common fear and once again (I’ve written about this numerous times mind you) I need to relax and trust the process. I am doing everything right. This is my race and my journey.

It’s me VS. 140.6 and with every long training day it proves I am getting closer to my dream. We are just under 12 weeks out! Let’s go!

Ironman Training Weeks 15 & 16

Miscellaneous

So far in the 17 weeks I’ve been training I have missed 2 hours and 10 minutes of training. I say this half sarcastically and half concerned LOL.

I was talking to a friend about Lake Placid the other day and she said “Feeling like my training can’t possibly be enough” and I’ve never heard more truer words!

I know from what I’ve read and comments I’ve received that it’s common to always feel behind and that you aren’t doing enough when Ironman training.I guess it’s just a huge relief to know that so many other people feel the same way. It’s just so crazy. How can you possibly prepare the body for 140.6 miles in one day? HOW?! Will I ever feel ready? I know I have gotten stronger over the past 17 weeks, but I also don’t feel nearly ready enough.

Is there ever going to be a moment where I think “YES. Bring it. I feel ready.”?! Oh sweet baby Jesus I sure hope so…

Regarding my 2 hours and 10 minutes of missed training — two hours were separate 1-hour rides each and the 10 minutes was a long run cut short due to tsunami level pouring. (In my defense I was already running right past my house so I just called it quits a tad early.)

Week 15
Total Mileage: 101
Total Time: 12:06

Week 15 was the second time I’ve ever rode my new bike outside. I was so excited to get out there and it was a beautiful day. I rode 62 miles and two of my friends rode the first 30 miles or so with me, which was nice. I was happy that most of the route was on a bike trail, so I felt safe and wasn’t just pedaling around trying to fill miles. I made sure to practice good nutrition too as I have a bad habit of not wanting to eat on the bike. This is really a priority for me — to nail down my nutrition plan for Lake Placid.

Also in Week 15 my mom and I went to a three hour bike maintenance clinic. (Figured this kinda made up for my 1-hour bike training I missed that day!) I feel so much better about changing a flat tire now, which thrills me as that is my #1 fear for the full. I still need a lot more practice, but I am getting more and more confident.

Week 16
Total Miles: 85 Miles
Total Hours: 10:28

I finished up Week 16 on Easter weekend down in Cincinnati visiting my parents. I had to run 10 miles on Saturday so my mom and sister-in-law rode bikes while I set out on foot. Of course it started raining almost instantly as soon as I started, but I pressed on and actually felt really awesome during and after.

Hubs and I on Easter Day.

Now I don’t know if I’m just paranoid from hearing horror stories about other runners, especially recently with the woman in Seattle, but something weird happened while I was out on the bike trail. It was around mile 4 when I saw the same red truck at two different parts of the trail. Of course this section was not crowded and it had probably been 10 minutes or so since I had seen anyone. When I saw the same truck the second time (just sitting with the engine running in a driveway off of the trail) I started sprinting. My heart rate was through the roof. Part of me was saying “You’re being dramatic it’s probably someone just looking at their phone trying to find parking for the bike trail” and the other part of me was saying “Why is that truck near me again? Did it follow me? There is NO ONE around me and that is very bad”. I sprinted until I saw a few people and then I stopped to try to gather myself. I talked myself down and continued on, but decided to run without headphones for the rest of my run. It was a creepy feeling and I sure hope I was wrong and it wasn’t anything to worry about.

Despite that weird situation, the run was good and I finished Week 16 with a smaller mileage than the previous weeks.

This week I am focusing more on nutrition both directly in training and my diet during the day. I find I binge at night and undo all of the good, wholesome eating I did that day. I’m making it a priority to eat more clean and to only have ONE cheat meal a week. Nutrition is a balancing act with endurance sports. I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum — eating too few calories and bonking during workouts and eating too much and gaining weight when I’m averaging 80-90 miles a week. It takes work and sacrifice, but I know it makes a difference in my overall training and how I feel. This is my accountability post that I’m going to radar in on good nutrition!

Stay safe and keep training hard.

Ironman Training – 2 Week Recap {Weeks 13 & 14}

Miscellaneous

We are cruising through Week 15, and that means training is about half way over — which is absolutely terrifying. Some days I feel great and like I’m making progress, other days I feel panicked and behind (even though I have not missed a single workout!)

30 weeks is simultaneously forever and also not enough time…

Week 13 was my first full week at the new gym. The pool is crazy crowded every single time I go, but thankfully people are really nice and understanding. Nobody likes sharing a lane or “circle” swimming, but it’s gotta be done.

Week 13
Total Mileage: 95 Miles
Total Time: 11:03 Hours

In Week 14 I began to see some serious run improvements (and even more so in Week 15). I’m usually around a 10:00 pace. It’s comfortable for me. I venture out and do a little faster from time to time, but pretty steadily I’m right around 10 minute miles. In Week 14 suddenly a 9:20 or 9:10 pace began to feel comfortable and normal! Even into this week’s training I ran a few 8:30’s and felt really good! It’s amazing to feel a legit breakthrough like this! I can’t wait to run again tomorrow to see how I feel.

Week 14 was also my highest numbers yet. Yep…we are slowly, but surely getting there my friends!

Week 14
Total Mileage: 103 Miles
Total Time:12:17 Hours

Lately I have been throwing in my rest day whenever and wherever I need it. Sometimes it’s during the week and sometimes it nicely lands on a Sunday, in which case I sleep in and then go hiking and out to lunch with my husband!

Convenient and fun rest days!

Convenient and fun rest day hikes!

My longest indoor training ride was a few days ago in Week 14. Three and a half hours!! *GULP* It was brutal, but more so mentally than physically. Afterwards I swore off never riding indoors longer than 3.5 again, but as the week plays out, my 4-hour ride this Sunday is looking more and more like another indoor ride… UGH. I don’t know what to do. I’d have to drive 40 minutes away to find bike paths or not-super-packed roads to ride on. Also it’s pretty cold here still and I don’t want to be miserable. Nothing is more exhausting than biking around in the cold trying to fill time and/or miles.. BUT if I just do it on the trainer I don’t have to drive anywhere, it’s warm, it’s safer and I know my exact time and mileage without having to lollygag around.

There will be a time and place for an outdoor long ride, I’m just not sure it’s this weekend.

Preparing for my 3.5 hour ride

Preparing for my 3.5 hour ride

But what am I going to do for 4 hours? I watched two stupid movies on my 3.5 hour ride and that barely did anything for me. I’ll admit I teared up around 3 hours because I was so bored and out of my mind and I wasn’t sure I was going to get through it. But afterwards I was so proud and happy to see 50 miles on my bike computer!

What do you guys do to pass the time on the indoor trainer? Movies? Music? Puzzles? Books? A tranquilizer?

Keep on keeping on… and pray for me and my 4-hour ride.

Ironman Training Recap {Weeks 11 & 12}

Miscellaneous

Week 11 started off Phase 2 of the training cycle. It was also the start of swimming three times a week 😦 BOO!! (I am following the Intermediate Be Iron Fit plan.)

Phase 1 only had me swimming two days a week and even then I thought it was a bit much! Now every time I turn around I have to get back in the pool *sigh* but I guess that should be expected as part of Ironman training. I will say though, for Half Ironman training I only swam once a week and still finished in decent time (46 minutes). There’s hope, right? Regardless I still plan on following the plan, so even as much as I complain about it I’m still going to do it!! (But can I get a show of hands and an AMEN for the girls who only wash their hair once or twice a week?! Swimming three days is really messing with my hair washing schedule! LOL!)

I can't with this meme, but for real when is there ever an open lane?!

I can’t with this meme, but for real when is there ever an open lane?!

Week 11
Total Mileage: 84 Miles
Total Time: 11:02 Hours

On March 12th the hubs turned 30! Whaaaat? That’s just crazy to me. We had an epic weekend and a big ole’ party for him. I took a much needed (and deserved) rest day the Sunday after to recover from a good night with good friends 🙂

Happy Birthday, Age!

Here’s some motivation for when you don’t feel like training and ask yourself “Why am I doing this?!” Because it makes the race achievable. Not easy, but achievable and realistic. Training is worse than the actual race.

Week 12 of training was a solid week. Although I can tell I am starting to get cabin fever. Just looking at pictures and videos of outside training makes me ache for longer and warmer days. The treadmill and trainer are starting to drive me nuts! Cruising down a country road on my bike, sun shining and birds chirping — that’s all this girl wants!

Week 12
Total Mileage: 83 Miles
Total Time: 10:54 Hours

I’ve also been trying REALLY hard to lift twice a week. Sometimes it’s a scramble and sometimes I get in a solid, non-cardio focused workout and I feel great. I was happy to see progress when I was being a complete meathead at the gym the other day. Go figure!

So today was the first day of week 13 and I ran into a snag at 5:30AM! I arrived at my gym to find the parking lot completely empty and a sketchy note on the gym door. The note said that the gym had shut down and memberships had been sent to the nearest location — 33 minutes away. Uhh NO! Homegirl had to get to work at some point today! I couldn’t drive 33 minutes away and then back again! I was annoyed, but also fired up. Yesterday I had a pep talk with myself that I needed to start pushing harder in my workouts. I’ve built a solid base and the fact that it’s literally now spring has lit a fire under my butt. I couldn’t even fall asleep last night because I was so pumped to workout this morning, then I get to the gym and it’s closed!?…

So without giving myself the opportunity to talk myself out of it, I called the YMCA near me and asked about a guest pass. They said it was $10 and I needed exact change. Low and behold I looked and had exactly $10 — and I NEVER carry cash with me ever. The triathlon gods were smiling upon me. I went to the gym as a guest and although I didn’t know where anything was I walked around like I did (LOL). Fake it til you make it, right?!

I got in a solid run on the treadmill with faster than normal times and then moved on to find the pool. I found it and walked in and it was packed! Like we’re talking 3 people in a lane packed. I sat on the side and got my stuff ready. The entire time I was so intimidated because everyone looked like professionals. I didn’t want to annoy them by hoping in and sharing a lane if I was much slower. Thankfully someone got out right as I was walking over and I was able to hop in and swim with just one other person (who, mind you, I was much faster than!! I had nothing to worry about.)

I swam for about 30 minutes and all of a sudden the lifeguard started pulling in the lane lines. WTF? Why? Then a nice lady explained to me that we could still swim laps, but we would all be together and it would run counter clockwise. At this point I had about 12 laps left and thought about calling it quits, because after everything that had happened that morning I didn’t want to mess around with weird stuff like this. I somehow convinced myself to stay and finish and I’m so glad I did! Swimming without lane lines and with four other swimmers was the closest thing I’ve had to an open water swim in so long! It was tiring, but just what I needed to start pushing harder in my training. I finished my laps and chatted happily with another swimmer who had asked me what I was training for. What a great way to start off a Monday! (And no I’m actually not being sarcastic!) Sure it wasn’t ideal, but it forced me out of my comfort zone (typical triathlon!) and made me push to not only get in the workout, but to finish it. It would have been much easier to accept defeat and to accept that the workout wouldn’t happen today. It was a sink or swim situation and I’m proud of myself for choosing to swim 🙂

Now I have to solve this pesky problem of not having a pool to swim in…and I better solve it quickly since I still have two more swims this week. CHEERS!

Weeks 9 and 10 Recap [Ironman Training]

Miscellaneous

We made it through phase 1!!

I honestly can’t believe I’ve been through 10 weeks of training already. I still have a long road ahead of me for the next 20 weeks, but phase 1 is officially done and I’m excited!

Week 9
Total Mileage: 83 Miles
Total Time: 10 Hours, 38 Minutes

????????????????????For the next phase I hope to be able to start getting outside a bit more, specifically on the bike. My longest indoor ride yet was 3 hours and I had cabin fever pretty bad near the end. Needless to say I was thankful to be done!!

A tired, but happy girl at 4:30AM!

A tired, but happy girl at 4:30AM! From my 2:45 hour ride in Week 9.

In Week 9 I took a solo swim on the last day, which I know is dumb since I didn’t technically have a “recovery” or “off” day for the week. But I was done by 10AM and enjoyed this nice little breakfast below. I knowwww how important rest days are, trust me. So I will be sure to incorporate one rest day a week going forward.

A good breakfast after a tough workout always helps put everything in perspective!

A good breakfast after a tough swim always helps put everything in perspective!

Week 10 was my longest time I’ve put into training so far (but week 7 was my highest millage recorded at 86 miles).

Week 10
Total Mileage: 85 Miles
Total Time: 11:05 Hours

I really enjoyed the first 10 weeks of training. I like the daily and weekly grind that comes with following a training schedule. Also for the first 10 weeks I was able to fit in all of my training in the morning and I didn’t have to pull any two-a-days or after work training. I believe this has made a huge difference in still feeling like I have a life outside of Ironman! If you incorporate training into your morning routine then the rest of your days is freed up and you don’t have to deal with it hanging over your head. Sure waking up at 4AM isn’t very glamorous, but it’s a sacrifice that I’m OK with making right now 🙂

3-hour indoor ride grind!

3-hour indoor ride grind!

Over the past 10 weeks I have trained for a total of 85.5 hours and I covered 714 miles!

Here’s a break down of my swim, bike and run training by hours and miles:

It’s been a fun 10 weeks and I hope and pray I still feel this way at the end of the next 10 weeks 🙂 CHEERS!

Ironman Training Week 8 {RECAP}

Miscellaneous

Not much to report with training week 8 — and I guess that’s a good thing!

We are just plugging right along with the plan 🙂

Week 8
Total Mileage: 82 Miles
Total Time: 10 Hours

week8The only thing I struggled with this week is finding time to weight train. I have to be really admit about carving out time for lifting. With this training plan it’s all based on time, so if I know I have an hour run and an hour swim I have to hold myself accountable for at least 15 minutes of weight training. It’s hard because I just want to get through the planned workout and not add anything more, but I know lifting is still important. Plus I have to take into consideration being sore if I do squats/lunges the day before a long ride or run.

It’s definitely a balancing act — but I’m learning that’s what Ironman training is all about. It’s a constant balance between life and training and to never stopping juggling everything you have to do. What’s one more thing to throw in the air into the juggle, right?

weightsHappy training week 9! Cannot believe we are almost in double digits.

 

 

Ramping Up – Training Week 7

Miscellaneous

Week 7 has been my highest mileage and time tracked to date with training for the full. (When I was training for 70.3 Ohio I hit 100 miles one week near the end.) I am very happy with how this week went, especially at an indoor triathlon on Sunday.

Week 7
Total Mileage: 86 Miles
Total Time: 10 Hours, 15 Minutes

????????????????????I had THE most fun yesterday at the Beachwood Mandel JCC Indoor Triathlon! Talk about a great event! Everything was so well-run and organized. The volunteers were great.  Everyone was super friendly, helpful and inspiring. The pool was clean, the music was great on the bike and the cheers while running was much appreciated. They even had photographers taking pictures of the athletes. The photos and even the results were up online within 24 hours of the race. (Also the long sleeved t-shirts are great too!) If you are local and looking for an indoor triathlon — look no further than this event. I highly recommend it!

Somewhere on the run - dying inside, but somehow I managed to smile. It hurt so good!

Somewhere on the run – dying inside, but somehow I managed to smile. It hurt so good!

I am SUPER happy with my results at the indoor tri. I placed 2nd in my age group (out of 6) and 5th female overall (out of 38). My numbers weren’t too far off from the four women who finished in front of me. I feel very hopeful about the progress I’ve made in 7 weeks. I am taking training very seriously though. Even after the tri I had to get on the treadmill and run another 55 minutes to finish up my training for the day. Although my quads were killing me because I went so hard at the race, I bit the bullet and got it done. Needless to say I am sore today — but the good kind of sore. It was awesome to test my body at that high of intensity to really see where I’m at.

Also I was assigned #23…perhaps a sign for July 23, 2017??  🙂

Indoor Tri Results
15 Minute Swim: 28 Laps (1,400 yards)
20 Minute Bike: 9.94 Miles (a little disappointed I backed off at the end thinking of my strategy for normal races)
20 Minute Run: 2.5 Miles

In the hurtlocker - keeping 120 RPM for 20 minutes!

In the hurtlocker – keeping 120 RPM for 20 minutes!

Sometimes I think I’m in over my head and sometimes I prove to myself just how strong I already am. There is still a long, hard road ahead of me, but little glimpses of yesterday help me see the path that I’m on and reinforce that I’m doing it correctly. I WILL be ready.

Happy training week 8!

img_5851

Training Week 6 {Recap}

Miscellaneous

Training is just rolling right along…

Week 6
Total Mileage: 76
Total Time: 8 Hours, 53 Minutes

week-6Nothing super crazy this week. My first 2-hour indoor ride proved to be quite boring. I started at 4:15AM to be able to make it in on time to my 8AM meeting at work. This week I have a 2:30 indoor ride and I’m already dreading it. I need to look up good movies to watch during training. It has to be inspiring, upbeat and keep my attention. I’ve been watching Gilmore Girls lately, but I’ve found that it might be the worst show on earth to watch during training. You watch that show with a glass of wine, not during a 2+ hour spin.

fullsizerenderThe hardest thing about waking up at 4AM to train is getting to bed on time! It’s amazing how difficult it is to have everything wrapped up and be in bed by 9PM some nights. Hopefully I can become better at this. I even started setting a “warning” alarm around 8PM. My husband is already making fun of me, but at week 7 I know it’s only going to get crazier! So far I have not had to pull any two-a-days. I’ve been able to get all my training in before work in the morning in one long session. I know this is going to get trickier and I have a few hurdles with commitments and training this week — but hopefully I can stick with the plan!

Happy training week 7!