I started the day off lighter than yesterday, 3.2 lbs to be exact. All water loss. It felt good to look at the scale and see 184 lbs again. I also started the day off with my Chinese Visa arriving. My arrangements are officially all set. I'm registered for the race and I've got my flight, hotel and Visa in place. Now all I have to do is finish the next 8.5 weeks of training injury free. I also found out that my "Brother in Arms", John Barclay, has decided to join me and do the race. It will be our second Ironman together. I'm looking forward to it.
Today was a tough day for training. It started off all wrong. I got to the pool at lunch time, all excited about finally getting to use my underwater swiMP3. I remembered the cap this time. I went to turn it on and "nothing". Notta. It didn't turn on. I was so mad and disappointed. I tried and tried and it still didn't work. I figured it must have lost it's charge, I think, I hope. I've tried to get it to work in the pool since Christmas with no luck. I feel like I'm cursed.
I swam 15 minutes and quit. I had visualized myself using the MP3 for the entire swim and now that it didn't work I was deflated and just gave up. I figured I'd charge it and comeback and finish tomorrow. I had no energy to persevere, which is highly unusual. I just wanted to get in my truck, drive back to work and try to get my head in a better place.
Once I got to my locker, I started talking to myself and telling myself that it was not having the MP3 player working that caused me to cut the swim short, why don't I do weights instead. After all, it would be the perfect time to make up yesterday's session. My head space wasn't excited about doing it, but I did it anyways. There was no good excuse not to do it and if I didn't, I'd just regret it later.
The best way to get out of a funk is to nap and that's what I did after dinner. When I woke up I felt better and was out the door by 8 pm to do my moderate paced run. I love doing moderate runs. They are to be done at a low heart rate and to me they are leisure runs. I don't care about pace at all. Moderate runs allow me to enjoy the joy of running. Tonight was no different. I took it nice and easy.
I'm still having problems with my heart rate monitor. I tried wearing layered cotton shirts today and it didn't help. Up until the 1 hour point it works perfectly, then it becomes erratic. I even stopped and wet it again with snow to no avail. I'm not sure if the problem is me or the weather. Tonight was - 11 C. In either event, I need to turn the alerts off because they are driving me crazy. At least I did enough distance tonight to surpass 600 km's of training for first 12 days of this month and had my second day of perfect eating.
Swim - 15:15 / 700 meters
Weights - 45 minutes
Mod Run - 1:45:15 / 20.0 km / 5:15 pace / 131 avg heart rate
184 lbs / 23.0 BMI
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5 comments:
Huge kudos to you for turning an abandoned swim into a weights session - that takes a strong mind.
Not sure I've ever managed to convince myself to do something like that, a bit of comfort eating and start again the next day would probably have been my course of action.
Hey and welcome to the party John Barclay. It's gonna be fun.
Hey man keep it up. Only 8 weeks to go - its just around the corner. Two months ahead of races the mind starts to rebel against the strain of training, but guess what: youre the boss! Its just 5 or so weeks then the taper starts! Be strong, thats what makes you an Ironman!!
S, thanks, I've never done that either.
TJ, I'm with yah, all I'm thinking about is 7 more long rides/runs. Your right I need to stay strong.
B
Your blog is fantastic. I stumbled on it earlier this week when I realized there is this little world of people training and blogging. Specifically I have it in my head to do an IM in 2011 and have been searching info on the different race sites and what people are doing. Your story is GREAT! Thank You for doing this! I see many similarities and can identify. March 2007 I weighed 240lbs after doing a couple marathons 7 years earlier and at age 37 I "turned on a dime" as you said in one of your posts and have now run 3 marathons since including TwinCities PR 3:31 last October. Reading what you are doing for your training and your thought process and insight into everything is really great. Informational & inspirational. I also dont eat breakfast in the morning! LOL - I do a protein shake and bar after morning training...I love your take in that post on nutrition. I dont even own a bike yet & only started swimming 1/1/10 but am considering LP or CDA or Madison in 2011. (and do a blog?!) I'm running Grandma's and Chicago marathons this year. Best of Luck the rest of your training for China and Make it Happen! Thank you for this blog and what you write, it has been really useful for me. Thanks...DR
Wow D, I'm flattered. Your story also sounds terrific. I can feel your energy and enthusiam. I love it. I like the fact that your ready to go big or go home and do an IRONMAN. Your just like John Barclay, one sprint and right on to the Ironman. I was just talking to a guy at the gym today and used the phase "pull the trigger". That's the best way to force yourself to do it, sign up and then let fear take over. Fear's an awesome motivator. haha.
good luck with your training and if you start a blog let me know. There's a whole group of us - The PFG Triathlon Club (previous fat guys) that follow each others blogs.
Good luck with the swimming and I hope you get a good bike. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
B
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