Timing is everything.If you want a simple and convenient run up to the Ironman, sign up one year in advance for a race that occurs before the intense heat of summer. To avoid burnout, start your real preparation about 6 months out when large numbers of your triathlon club will be out in training groups. Oh, and make an effort to be independently wealthy so that work will not interfere with your almighty training calendar.
Or if you like a challenge, pick a late season Ironman
So you can start training 11 months in advance
And so you can train through the heat of summer when no one wants to ride with you
And so you can train through the fall after most of your friends have already shut it down for the year
And so you can peak at the same time that the autumnal acceleration of work duties and trials and receptions is at its most intense.
Oh, and be sure and do it the year that fall temperatures decide never to show up in Houston.
Then you can develop some side skills in addition to swim bike and run such as
1. Eating pre-prepared crap in your car or at your desk
2. Experimenting with sleep deprivation
3. Mental calendarical juggling so that you can keep all or most of your training sessions and still do your doctor's appointments and that lame reception which lasts until 9pm after which you drive home and arrive at 9:45 and turn in 90 minutes later such that you sleep so late you miss your morning swim session (but not so late that you can avoid getting up and going early to the office) which swim session you must now fit in some time later in the day after the bike fit perhaps but before picking up the kid from school for piano lessons because of the spouse is on the scrap book retreat or perhaps this evening or perhaps tomorrow morning before the long run that is moved from Sunday to Saturday in order to run while the kid is at band contest due to the scrap booking retreat and that little thing called parenting.
Whew.
Given my somewhat timid and bookish nature, I have rarely been accused of having "balls." But right now, I'm pretty sure that whatever balls I have are in the air. I don't relish dropping them.
Ah, December. Glorious December. I can hardly wait.
Posts
10 comments:
Like I said, I do not know how anyone works fulltime and trains for IM. Now I know! It will all be worth it!
I will be right there with you - I plan to spend December eating and getting fat.
Yowza. I'm glad it's just me and my dogs. They don't ever have band practice or scrap book retreats. Work does make those workouts difficult, along with the lack of sunlight after said work, and the fact that it is just me and if my house isn't going to be condemned, then I need to spend some time doing those "normal" things like laundry and dishes. I've toyed with the maid idea...but I could use that money for more gear for the race. Dilemmas...dilemmas....
Wow, I am so feeling Molly and Greyt's comments !! I don't know how you people with kids do it... as for how I do it: I take leave. Yesterday I took an annual day so I could: nap for 6 hours, ride 2 hrs on the trainer, run 30 min on the mill, and swim for 40 min. yay for late late nov IMs !!
i thought i would love training in the fall. boy was i mistaken. i feel like i havent stopped training all year. molly, greyt, you and i will have an AWESOME december of gorging ourselves to fatness ;)
I often think of the truly looooong time you've been training for this and I think of how I didn't even decide to do my race until 4 months prior and how burned out I am on training (in spite of the days when I feel like Superwoman) and I wonder how you keep your PMA (positive mental attitude) and you do. It's amazing. Can't wait to see how you do in Cozumel and how long it takes before you can bear getting ready for St. George.
Greyhound, you are a beast. Go get 'em!
Amen! And I don't even have kids yet...
i've so been there. imfl, imaz, both in nov. hang in there. just a little bit to go. then you can rest ALL of december (in between shopping and entertaining and parties and cooking and baking and drinking, etc, etc) and start it up again in january for imsg. :-D
Uh hello, I ride with you when ever you want me to and I am not at some wedding. You always have a ride partner just a phone call away. No more weddings and trips out of town until the race. I am at your beck and call.
Post a Comment