Week #23 Ironman Training

The long awaited lighter workout, increased sleep and throw away the carb counter race week is finally here!   I feel my vibration is so high right now I keep reminding myself to tone it down.  All vital energy needed for Saturday when I embark on a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run at the Patriot Half.  Reportedly my favorite distance in triathlon and this year a marker of my fitness leading into Placid. With 9.5 hours of sleep last night, I’m well on my way to a great race but I know better than anyone not to make assumptions about how race day will unfold.

Last year I did this race and started my day with undoubtedly my roughest swim experience.  After seeding myself too far back and in the middle of the pack I knew I was already in trouble.  The gun went off and I was in a washing machine of arms, legs and water which was pouring into my mouth so fast I felt like I was doing a keg stand.  Before the 1st buoy I was choking and gasping for breath.  Refusing to let this be the end of my day, I proceeded to swim kayak to kayak for the remainder of the distance. I had so much fluid in my lungs that I could only get a few strokes in at a time before I started coughing uncontrollably.  Determined to just make it to shore, I finished the swim in 1hr 5min just about double my normal 1.2 mile swim time.  I was not deterred in the least, so grateful to reach land and in full gratitude of the huge blow to my ego (that little devil needs to get hers every now and again) I made my way to T1 to grab my bike.  Still coughing profusely I took the first lap easy and then coming into the 2nd lap I started to feel better.  It was in that moment that I decided, I was going to PR the bike, PR the run and make this the fastest 70.3 I had ever raced.  With my decision made and my coughing to a reasonable level I reached my goal for the day and crossed the finish line in 6:33:38.  Definitely not what I had expected to see on the time clock but huge victories along the way far greater than a recording of numbers.

Some may say I’m out for blood this year, going to redeem my ego and crush the swim but that is not how I feel at all.  I have nothing to redeem, nothing to crush and nothing to prove.  My success will be more encompassing of my journey on Saturday.  Was I fearful, did I listen?  Was I egoic, did I react?  Was I present?  Was I calm in the face of chaos?  Did I create a story around my discomfort or did I accept my experience fully?  Of course I will be pushing it, there is no doubt I will leave it all out there but it’s the tapping into my higher mind that is the true challenge of the day.  Of course I’ve reviewed my splits from last year and have set some goals which I believe is important.  But even more important is my ability to let go of my attachment to the outcome as this is the place where I’ve found my goals get reached.

Happy Rest! Happy Race Week! Namaste.

Week #23 Recap