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The body is tired. The mind is fatigued. Yet, there is huge motivation at the knowledge that the end is but a few weeks away. The threat is to be so motivated that you ignore your body calling out for a change in the schedule or a reduction in the load.
Many will argue that at this point you are fit enough to race the longest day and that it really doesn't matter what you do, no amount of physical fitness can be gained. There is an element of psychological fitness yet to be achieved, whether it's from the strength that it takes to walk away from a session when you know your body isn't ready for it, or from the power of knowing you can finish a long swim without a wetsuit to guide you. Whichever the case, there are still goals to be achieved and training session to be accomplished.
Admittedly, racing a half iron distance race 4 weeks from Ironman was not ideal. It required and continues to require a smart and thoughtful approach as to how you recover and train immediately following the race. It was always unlikely that I possessed the self restraint to dial the run intensity back during the 3rd leg of Sunday's race. Perhaps a little naive of me to think I would. The race went very well and a significant improvement on a personal best was achieved. However, now 8 days post race, it is apparent that there was a price to be paid. Having awoken to high fatigue after good nights sleep 2 days in a row, it became very apparent that time off of training was what the doctor was ordering. Stepping away was the right move and enjoying a trip with my wife was the right medicine. A long run was on the menu for yesterday and was completed. However, it became quite apparent that the legs still had a way to go to achieve full race recovery. The second half of the run felt like the second half of the Ironman marathon. That said, a lot was accomplished during this tough effort. I learned that despite tired muscles, I could still maintain pace and be consistent, which is a key element to a good iron distance run. Simply put, it's who slows down the least. The mental boost I received from yesterday, I believe, will far outweigh the cost of extra recovery today. With my trusty lovely lady biking beside me, it was the toughest of runs, with the most satisfying results.
The next few days sees a bit of adjustment needed. Volume needs to be dialed down to a recovery level, with a new order of a 3 week taper towards Ironman CDA. This is the 2nd best part of iron distance training (1st one is the finishing line). Knowing that short 3 or 2 hr rides are merely a week away is enough to drag any overstrained triathlete out of the mire. It's the most fun we will have since last December! Can't wait.
The next week will also be spent figuring out the enjoyable parts of race week. Lodging, BBQs, socializing and enjoyment.
I just can't wait to arrive and absorb all the fun energy that surrounds race week. I used to fear it. Now, it's time to embrace it. The first few times you get the emails with the athlete guide, within which is the course info, a sudden surge is felt within you as the realization kicks in that soon you will be out there on that imaginary red line, racing the longest day.
Here's a link to that imaginary line.
Ironman Coeur d'Alene Map
https://goo.gl/maps/zZccMA2WrL72
And here's a fun finishing pic. Look at that time!
Good luck to us all!
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