Swim, bike, run, eat chicken wings. Some things never change. My training for the Patriotman 70.3 feels weird. Almost like it's too easy. But I swear, I'm meeting all the benchmarks and trying really hard. As a coach, I tell people that marathons are at least 10 times harder than half marathons. I think there's an even bigger divide the half and full Ironman distances. Right now it feels super manageable and *almost* completely enjoyable, so I'll take it. SWIM If there's a frustrating area for me, this is it. I have a bad right shoulder that can't handle the internal rotation of freestyle or breaststroke, so I'm left with a stroke called the combat sidestroke. I actually love doing the stroke. I feel super fluid, and I don't get tired. It's a slow stroke for an already slow swimmer, but it did get me in 31 minutes before the IMLP swim cutoff. Truth? I feel embarrassed by doing something so different. I don't swim with groups or even go to the pool with friends. One time the lifeguard at the Y yelled to me, "That's not an actual stroke! That's not the side stroke or the breaststroke or anything!" So now I stay at the always empty 18 yard pool at the Comfort Inn. There's a huge part of me that is dying for a swim breakthrough even with freestyle off limits. I mean, the Navy Seals use this stroke and they cruise. So here's what I'm telling myself: 1) It'll be MUCH easier to take 5 minutes off of my transitions rather than my swim. 2) Swimming is probably the best event to have as your slow event, since proportionally, it's such a short piece of the day. 3) Turns out I have a talent for teaching new and phobic swimmers -- so that's cool. 4) This stroke made me an Ironman, so be grateful that someone made it up! CYCLING This year, my biggest goal is to improve my bike, therefore, I've been riding every bike ever invented as often as I can.... Spin bikes, fluid trainer, Wahoo Kick'r, my fat bike, my mountain bike, rollers. See? All the bikes. I even joined a trainer group with a bunch of cyclocross guys just to put myself out there. It's so hard. I'd been discouraged about my recent FTP result and the cx guys set me straight. My friend John said, "Some people are great trainers riders and some people are great outside riders, which one do you want to be?" Well that's an easy question. He also told me that the Wahoo Kick'r will get me super fit, but won't make me a better rider -- that comes from riding outside. Maybe he was lying just to make me feel better, but I've decided to believe him. Plus, riding a bike outside in Maine in the winter? That's not for babies. RUN While it's now my least favorite of the three sports to practice, it's my lifelong sport, it's my best sport, and NOTHING give me the endorphin afterglow like a run. I've been inside and outside this winter doing all kinds of tough workouts from my coach. Yesterday was 5x1 mile repeats at or faster than HM pace, with 1 minute rest inbetween. For me that's 7:30 on down. Whoa nelly! I was intimidated to start, but I had a free hour and went for it. Walked away feeling happy and proud. I'm hoping to unlock my tri run this year. It might come down to backing off a smudge on the bike to leave a little more in my legs. I hover at 20 minutes for a 5k race, but jump up to 23-24 for a tri run. The gap for a 13.1 vs 70.3 is about 30 minutes, 1:40ish to 2:10ish. So there's that. Long story short? SO grateful to feel this level of motivation again. Plus, the shorter training is pretty rad! That said, if you're thinking about an Ironman, do it. Still the best all around experience of my whole life!
