Ironman training – Marathon, check. Swim distance, check. Cycling, hmmm.
As most of my Colorado peeps already know, I’m crazy fearsome of road biking. I can bang out 22 miles/hour indoors but experience anxiety/almost panic when it comes to riding alongside cars.
Day 1 cycling – managed a tour of the neighborhood; negotiated road to sidewalk.
Day 2 cycling – Lafayette, Erie, Community Park, Coal Creek Trail & downtown Louisville before riding home.
Felt way out of my comfort zone speeding downhill on Baseline from Lafayette to Erie. Emptied my stomach, then took a 20 minute break to clear my head, right myself, recenter.
All uphill coming back. Hills? Wait, I’ve got this. Cycling uphill is much more focused, controlled, almost rhythmic. Soared to the intersection at 95th & waited for my friend Matt. Hey – how ‘bout we ride downtown?
Awesome ride before tomorrow’s snowstorm.
Crushing fears & making peace with road biking. 4 months ’til Ironman.
downtown Louisville
8 days after Austin – my first run.
Knees felt a little stiff – but motivated & ready to turn around my marathon results. I came back from Austin feeling a bit defeated. My worst marathon time since last June in Alaska. I inwardly & outwardly wore the Texas humidity.
Additionally my weight is up 7 lbs. Not horrible – I’ve been enjoying Ashton’s home cooking – but starting to feel sluggish.
So…for 30 days – before my Atlanta marathon – going to improve my nutrition plan & renew focus on Ironman training.
6 days a week minimum, I will swim, bike or run.
Sunday (after church) was cycling practice — Day 1. Indoor on a stationary bike, completed 20 miles. Can’t imagine biking 112 miles (that’s another 92 miles) in only 6 months time. Jeez, seems overwhelming.
Nutrition plan – gonna add more spinach & kale to my daily meal plan, drink no less than 8 bottles of water & sleep no less than 6 hours daily. Failed Thursday, Friday & Sunday. Putting it down in print – gonna stick to the plan.
Training Progress:
Tuesday – swim (45 laps – half my Ironman distance)
Wednesday – spin class at lunch (bike)
Thurs – swim/bike (45 laps & another spin class)
Friday – swim (55 laps)
Saturday – swim/bike (45 laps & another spin class)
Sunday – bike 20 miles indoor (first time hitting 20 miles)
Monday – treadmill run, 6 miles at lunch
Go big or go home. I’m committed, I can do this.
While Sarah was getting her suntan on in El Salvador, I scored space on my favourite blogger’s site — sarahontheroad.com.
Friendly WARNING: Following Sarah’s adventures in Nunavut (Canada’s Arctic North) is crazy addictive 🙂
Early A.M. Swim Practice at -13F/-25C: {Guest Post}
3 years ago I made the move to Colorado & left my NYC career.
That year I set a goal to hike a different hike all 52 weeks. What an amazing year – saw so much of my newly adopted home state! Next in 2013, I ran a full marathon in Anchorage, Alaska.
All the while I continued to follow Sarah in Pang. Northern lights, harbor icebergs, Mt Duval, SNOW, last year’s all-girl Yukon adventure, ice fishing for Arctic Char – yeah, I’m a HUGE fan of sarahontheroad.com.
Ironman Boulder
We are now 6 months out from the inaugural Ironman Boulder! Who is getting excited?
Yep, this year’s goal — complete my first Ironman. Sure I’ve never competed in a triathlon, haven’t biked since I was 9 – yet I plan to swim/bike/run 140.6 miles on August 3rd.
My friend & coach, M is a swimmer.
I am a dreamer. I’m a goal setter. I’m an adventurer…but I’m not a swimmer.
-13 degrees F, light snow & on the road at 4:45am headed to my gym Colorado Athletic Club in Boulder – to swim. Crazy cold.
Heated outdoor pool but I punk’d out this day – chose to fight the mobs & use the smaller indoor pool (only 6 lanes).
Hot tubbed for 5 minutes to boost my body temp, then started today’s swim. Only 3 of us in the pool this early on such a bitter cold day. By 630 though, was no longer lapping up-n-back but forced to circle to permit add’l swimmers in the pool.
Kinda overwhelming with so many faster swimmers. I’ve hit my Ironman distance 5 times already (90 laps up-n-back) so I know I can hang with the endurance athletes but the sprinters – no possible way. I watch them play with their watches and stare endlessly at the water. Suddenly they dart up-n-back once, sometimes 2 times & the routine starts again. Check the watch, stare at the water, scope out the pool, stare….then zing they take off. Like flashy schools of sardines.
And me? Slow & steady – 2 strokes, head up, breathe to the right. Lap back — 2 strokes, head up, breathe to the left.
Can’t say I love swimming but I’m efficient. Breathing technique is similar to running – slow steady deep breathing.
By endurance, we conquer – Sir Ernest Shackleton
6 more months ‘til Ironman. Absolutely anything is possible.
