I can’t believe I haven’t written since September! When I was Ironman training I was writing so frequently and with so much to say! (Although it was basically just me babbling about riding my bike.)

The last time I wrote I was still deep in my “Ironman Blues” or my “Ironman Depression“. I was consumed with post-race thoughts. I felt like I had just been hit by a tidal wave and I was scampering to stay afloat. Desperately trying to preserve my Ironman body, dedication, motivation and any and all drive to ever swim, bike and run again. I was a poor, poor lost soul.

Now looking back to Ironman Lake Placid I am confused on how I ever completed the race. How did I ride 4 hours on my indoor bike trainer? Did I really swim 87 laps in the pool? How did I manage to get up early day in and day out? Like honestly how did that stuff ever happen? These days I’ve been pretty consistent with working out 6 days a week — but only for about an hour or so at a time. I constantly check my watch and die a little inside when it says only 19 minutes have passed. BUT. I am out there and that’s all that counts right now. My goal has been to stay consistent with moving my body and I’ve stuck to that. It hasn’t been pretty, but I’ve gotten it done.

I did run 8 miles on Thanksgiving last week, which left me feeling oddly hopeful for my racing future. I have even been riding my bike trainer and not just using a spin bike.

Swimming on the other hand? Hmm. I’ll leave that there. All I know is that when I get back in the pool in January I will be very angry at myself when I can only swim 5 laps without getting winded. But alas that is a tale for another day…

The tale I want to tell today — is that I registered for Ironman 70.3 Muncie 2018! The race is July 14 — which is great because July is my favorite time to race. It’s a little over a 4 hour drive from Cleveland and I love that it’s a Saturday race. I wanted to race somewhere I’d never been, but wouldn’t cost a fortune to travel to. Muncie is a pretty iconic race and the timing fit perfectly into our summer plans. PLUS it’s “only” a 70.3. Crazy how our minds shift with what we think is normal, right?

I have started mapping out my training and will use the Be Iron Fit training plan again, but for the half distance this time. (I followed BIF for full training and loved it.) I was thinking I’d train around 20-25 weeks (especially because I am starting from scratch with swimming again), but the plan only calls for 16 weeks of training. I am a little bummed because I wanted to start training the week of January 8, but the plan doesn’t have me officially starting until the week of March 26. I will start swimming early in January though, just to help build a base before “real” training starts.

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Here are some goals I’ve set for myself:

• Register for Ironman 70.3 Muncie – check
• Order and read Be Iron Fit half Ironman training book – check
• Complete at 10 mile run and feel OK – (I’ve reached 8 miles and working my way back up!)
• In January join a new gym with a new pool (FYI it’s been 129 since I’ve swam!!)
• Purchase a treadmill for my home gym (I’ve been looking online at used ones. I have a super old, tiny one that I currently use, but it’s just not cutting it any longer)
• Try to hopefully become part of a 2018 tri team (I’ve applied to quite a few)
• Get a new Garmin watch (my old one died very conveniently 2 weeks after Ironman Lake Placid)
• Keep consistently working out 6 days a week and moderately watch my nutrition over the holidays. I’m never one to pass on enjoying holiday treats (you gotta have pie, I mean come on), but that doesn’t mean I need to eat 10 cookies everyday in December