Getting out the door..

can be a challenge when you have been training non stop for almost 12 months. I was on a ride on Tues. and I rolled up on some guys riding that I have done some training with in the past. One guy asked me an interesting question. "Am I sick of all this Ironman stuff yet"? It was something along those lines. The truth is I am not. I know it can be a drag sometimes, but honestly deep down I really love to just train. The racing really isn't what I love. It is logging miles, the discipline, the power to create something. Every Ironman I have done I have learned more about myself. Everyone has been a different life experience. As for Kona, yes I am tired. I am training not just for myself, but for everyone who wishes they where leaving for Kona in 3 weeks. A couple months ago I was in a funk. Just didn't feel like training. I was talking with a friend about it and here is the e mail he wrote to me. It completely turned my training around. It gave me a different perspective. I wanted to share it so maybe it can help some finding the motivation to keep pushing. I am going to leave his name out, but just let me say that he is going to be one hell of a coach in the future.

"Hey man, I was thinking about all the stuff you're going through on top of trying to focus on Kona and I can definately understand how tough it can be to get motivated. I think the thing you have to think about is the amount of prople who would give ANYTHING to be where you are right now. Think back a few months before Arizona and how you said you would never step foot on Kona unless it was to race the Ironman. Well, now is your shot, and it could be your last. I'm not saying you won't qualify again, but you never know. The point is, you need to race this race like it will be your last one of your life. It's a big race on a big stage and you don't want to fall."

RT

Update

Well, had a great week of training and am injury free. It feels like I am doing things in training now that I didn't even think was possible 2 years ago. The week looked like this.... 27 total hours, 12k in the water, 290mi on the bike, 40 run miles, and 2 core sessions. I know this sounds strange but it feels like I have been training for 5 years to be able to do this kind of training consistently. Again, back to consistency. Anyone can put in a big week, it is when you put them in consistency that you see the most aerobic gains. IMO I thought I was going to have another big week this week, but it looks like the volume will decrease but the intensity will increase ending the week with a sprint race. I have been watching my diet, but now is the time I really start to dial in my nutrition. Thats it for today.

RT

Rain

Well got alittle wet today. I got 2:30 into my 6:00 ride and a storm rolled through. I was by the house so I justed bagged it. It wasn't that bad, got to go for breakfast and coffee with Amy. Something we haven't been able to do much of lately. The weather is starting to clear so I will be back on the bike for about another 75-80 miles. Then 4000m in the pool. Never really broke up a long ride like this. Oh well, at this point miles are miles. I am doing my first brick tommorow since IM Arizona. Interested to see how that goes since I haven't run off the bike since AZ. Each sport feels really good right now. I just can't help but wonder what is going to happen when I put everything together? I just got the ok from Ahmed to do Stonebridge sprint triathlon next weekend. Kinda excited to get in a race again. That race with come at the end of 14 days of hard training. I am going to try to go as hard as I can. It will definately simulate what it feels like at the end of an IM.....trying to go fast on extemely tired legs. Well time to get back on the bike. Later.

Ron

Group Motivation...

Well, yesterday I had about the best day of training sessions I have had in a long time. I think it was a combination of cooler temperatures, coming off a solid recovery week, and just plain getting a chance to train with some friends. I am not really big on writing about my numbers and workouts, but since I only have 4 weeks left, it seems to be the only thing I have on my mind. So you probably will get sick of hearing about training the next couple weeks.

I was able to get a steady 11.5 mile run in with some friends in the morning, and then Steve Cross joined me for a couple hours of a 75 mile ride in the afternoon. Let me tell you is was the first time I have run with anyone in about 2 years, and just had a blast. I am trying to add more of this over the next couple weeks. It just helps me get out the door and keep motivated. Thanks guys. Your support will help me with this 4 week push.

I have a pretty big week, and am holding up pretty good right now. It still is only Wednesday. There is a lot of week left. Until next time....

Day Off

After doing this for 5 years now you would think I would be used to this. It still amazes me how crappy you can feel when you take a complete day off from training. It will be my first day off in about 16 days, and a down week for me. I did the Praireman Aquabike yesterday. It felt good to get back to racing. It was my first race since Ironman Arizona. It felt good to get the competitive juices flowing again. It also served as a good benchmark to where my fitness is at at this stage of the game. Lets just say, bike was good, swim could use some work. I hope I am able to get a sprint race in before Kona just to see if everything is coming together.

Here is something I found funny. Yesterday, a friend of mine and I where watching the half Ironman. Chris Leigh won, and he was telling me all the training Chris was doing. He said he was doing like 30+ hours a week, and just was going on and on. I was having a hard time feeling sorry for the guy. Or thinking that that was some incredible feat. I mean yeah he is training 30 hours a week, but that isn't even a full time job. He does it for a living. I started think well I put in 20+ hours training, and 40 hours of real work. That is 60+ hours. I got him beat. Just being alittle sarcastic, probably because I am jealous. What really amazes me are the guys and gals that compete at this level with kids, and full time jobs. Now that is a major feat. Going to try to enjoy a recovery week and not go crazy. Until next time.......

I wish.........

I could write in my blog while I am training. It seems that is when I have all my good ideas and by the time I am finished I forget what I was thinking. Only 7 weeks until Kona and things are going really well. I am right in the middle of some pretty big build weeks. I am really tired, but in a good way, if that makes sense.
I have this online training log and at the top it has you put in your weekly goals. I have noticed a trend lately. At the top of my list for the past year, my main goal has been "consistency". Thats it, a single word. It seems that people forget that just by being consistent in training week in and week out you can make some great improvements in fitness. When training for an Ironman "consistency" takes on a whole new meaning. To me it means consistency in training, diet, and just life in general. You can accomplish anything with consistency. Take me for example. People keep asking me, what I did different this year? How did I qualify? The truth is I am not talented at any one sport. I just trained consistently for 5 years. Ironman fitness isn't an overnight process. It takes years to build the body and engine. So next time you want to push yourself in training think about how it is going to affect the consistency in your training the following week.