Coming off of camp I had a bit of a cut back week last week. Training still totalled almost 11 hours though! A couple of swims, a couple of longish runs and a couple of bikes including a 100K ride. I was falling asleep every night before 10 pm (including before 9 pm on Saturday night). Wow…just so tired… In fact, if I’ve been a little silent on commenting on blogs lately now you know why. I’ve been reading, but I’m way behind at 244 unread posts. My apologies, I promise to catch up in September!
Things started off this week with a glorious rest day coupled with a day off of work for Heritage Day on Monday. No work and no training? It was awesome! The day was spent running errands (including plenty of time spent at IKEA) and completing home projects. The pantry was completely reorganized, organization was started in the basement (including additional shelving in the basement for pantry items), the fridge was cleaned out and the bar was cleaned up. So much was accomplished!
Then back to work on Tuesday, both at the office and on the training front. This will be the biggest week of training:
-
Tuesday: 2 hour ride with hill repeats up Cochrane hill
-
Wednesday: 3000 m swim
-
Thursday: 3 hour run
-
Friday: 4000 m swim
-
Saturday: 180 km ride and a 30 min brick
-
Sunday: 40 min hilly run and a 2000 m swim
But seriously, are we there yet? Can it just be September already? I don’t want to run for 3 hours tomorrow, I don’t want to do a 4000 m swim, and I really don’t want to ride 180 km on Saturday.
I don’t want to arrive to work late tomorrow only to feel like my brain can’t comprehend work. And I’m not so keen to take a half day off on Friday so I can fit in my long swim but not leave my dog at home too long during the day. And I really don’t feel like spending 8 hours riding only to come home and feel like a zombie for the rest of the evening.
Can I just have my life back?
But really, I just have to suck it up for this week because this is the final push to the big dance on August 29th. I think people have said that the toughest part of Ironman is the journey to the start line. And it is so darn close! At times I catch myself imagining things that I see happening on the day – seeing my coach Angie, my family, my incredible teammates who we’ve all trained so hard together – and I start tearing up. How will I feel as I come down the blue carpet? I know it will be worth it – the long hours, the sacrifices, the highs and the lows.
August 29th.
It will be here before I know it!
Oh wow. YOur training week just makes me want to cry. That is SO Much training. But you’re right – don’t think, just push on. Get it in. You’re SO nearly there. And make sure that at some point in the IM you think about all this work, and pat yourself on the back.
You are right Leana – it will SOOOO be worth it!! And you will be one of the few people who sacrificed enough to get it! Hang in there – like you said – ALMOST THERE!!
I’m in the middle of coughing it out after trying to suck it up. Almost there hasn’t cut it anymore for a while now. My main thought these days is to not hurt myself as I’m shambling around like a zombie. Hope your final big week is better.
August 29th will be here AND gone before you know it. You can do it! I find it really inspiring to see people with real lives and real commitments push through this much training. It helps me get out the door when I’m tired after a long day at work…I remind myself that if people like you (or like my sister) can put in this kind of training, I can put mine in.
Only a few more weeks of zombie-ness left! Good luck!
What an enormous commitment this has been. It may not feel like it, but really, you are on the home stretch!
Good luck with the big run, ride & swim coming up. Hang in there!!! It will be worth it.
Hahahahahaha!! It is soooo normal to just want to get it done and over with — shows you are on the right track, my friend!!! You are going to be one ecstatic, sobbing hot mess of a tri chick when you come sailing down that finisher’s chute!!! Just you wait!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
It is so soon! We will be there again this year, so I will be watching for you.
I just can’t even comment, but I just know you’ll be beaming when you hear Leana K, you are an IRONMAN!!!
Hang in there you’re so close! I totally felt that way at the end of my training. You’re doing awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
don’t you get a good taper for IM training? (again, not a triathlete, so i don’t know these things) so… maybe only like 1 more big week and then ‘coast’ to the race day?
you’re probably laughing at my naivety…. haha.
hang in there leana, you are awesome! IM has nothin’ on you 🙂
I am so proud of you! You’re going to do so awesome 😀