Ironman will warp your "Perspective" on distance (and your brain)

I have probably written this post about a dozen times, usually every time I conquer or PR a new distance. For example, I still remark at the first time I ever ran three miles without stopping, then 4, then 5, then 6 (and I thought my arms were going to fall off!) and up to my first 13.1. 13.1 used to be a MONUMENTAL distance that involved taper, mental readiness, and dread. I used to get SO worked up over the distance!

That has all changed now.

I posted on my facebook page on Saturday:

I blame my coach! He sent me a voice mail the other night saying, "So I am gonna have you ride only 4 hours this Saturday. Don't worry, its gonna be a walk in park for you."

I just shook my head and said to myself, "Well, no shit! You dragged us up 230 hilly miles in 3 days only 2 weeks ago! Anything less than 5 hours is gonna be a short day!"

And you know what? He was right! 4 hours on the bike breezed by and that was the fastest (mental time) 30 min brick run I have ever done. Couldn't believe how quickly the time went by!

Oh and speaking of that run, it was a successful one.

I have been struggling with the brick runs lately, and I have figured it out. I wasn't drinking enough fluids on the bike when it was really hot out. I always drink ever 5 minutes, which is pretty often, but when you only take medium sized sips, that is still NOT enough liquid. So my thirst was quenched, but I was still going negative. This time I forced a lot more liquid into me by taking bigger sips. It worked and my stomach didn't revolt. If conditions are hot at Placid, I NEED to get 20oz/hour in, OR ELSE. I also held back on the effort level on the bike by one notch; this will be my Ironman pace.

Of course on Sunday during a short 90 min easy ride, I started going loopy. Somehow I bonked? I was thinking up some funny shit (at least I thought so).

Then I proceeded to sleep the day away. My body was TIRED. I have read a lot about the time during the Ironman taper that your body feels like it is going backwards. Boy I have felt it, especially in the pool. I haven't any consistent swims in a LONG time. Also on the run, there is this underlying dull feeling (could also be the Fumidity). Fortunately I have been told to just gut it out and that it is just your body absorbing the months and months of hard training. Come race day I should hopefully have that snap back......I just can't blow it in the first 45 minutes of the bike ;)

This morning was a "short" 1:50:00 run. I knocked off 12.5 miles . How is 12.5 miles short?!?!?! Mentally it was another quick run.Yes, training for an Ironman has warped everything.

Time to shoot an email to my coach for the next week of training. Curious to see what I will be doing!

Look forward to my next post. It will be a fun one :)