14 weeks in... 10 weeks out. I'm in that vast wasteland of the training plan called "The Middle." The Middle is not exciting like The Beginning ("Woo-hoo! I'm training for an Ironman! This is fun! I feel great!") or The End ("Woo-hoo! I'm about to do an Ironman! I'm almost there! I feel great!"). It's more like "Woo-freaking-hoo. I've been at this forever and there is still a long way to go. Will I ever be ready?"
This week was a recovery week, which worked out well, since I caught a cold. (For those of you playing at home, that's 2 colds within a month. This is out of the norm for me. Somebody needs to eat less chocolate/more vegetables and get more rest.)
Tuesday was my monthly Heartrate Zone Test on the bike (trainer). The numbers are showing continued improvement - hooray!
I slogged through a 10-mile run Wednesday night in the cold wind. I took it really easy because I knew I was coming down with something. The legs felt okay. It was good practice for running while thinking constantly about quitting.
Both swims this week showed slight improvement too - another second or two faster here and there at easy/steady pace.
By Thursday afternoon, I was dragging. I got through an hour recovery spin Thursday evening (in retrospect, I should have just rested). Friday, I felt like shit, so I took an unscheduled rest day - skipped both the swim and the run. I spent the day in bed.
Saturday's three hour bike ride became a 45-minute walk through the neighborhood, with a few minutes of slow jogging here and there. It felt good to get out in the sunshine and move for a bit. It would've been a great day for a ride... Oh well. Plenty of days of great riding are ahead.
Today I may hop on the trainer for an hour or two. I'll keep intensity low, just get the legs moving and keep the sit-bones used to the saddle.
Friday and Saturday marked the first time in 14 weeks that I missed workouts. I knew there would be points in training when I wouldn't be able to complete the entire week's schedule due to sickness or work or family obligations. The goal is to complete 80-90% of all workouts, and to be sure I get the necessary long rides and runs done. So, I'm unconcerned about this blip. I'd rather recover and be well more quickly. I hope to be back 100% by Wednesday for my long run.
Another milestone from the past week was my birthday. 39 years old. How the hell did THAT happen? This is my last year of racing in this age group. Come to think of it, I've always raced in this age group - I've only been running/doing tris for a few years. Next year, I will be a Master. The people in my family have done amazing things in their 40s, so I'm not afraid of it. I just don't feel 39. Yesterday I wore pigtails.
It would embarrass JC if I wrote about what he gave me, so I won't. Let's just say it was exactly what I needed. I will read it daily and think about it many times during training and during the race. He is such an incredible man.
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