"To keep the body in good health is a duty,
otherwise we shall not be able to
keep our mind strong and clear."
- Buddha
Tuesday's Swim - wonderful. 2 Hour Bike Ride - so nice! 2 hours is dreamy compared to last week!!!
Wednesday' Tempo Run - Complete physical and mental breakthrough for me. So, I have to admit that in my past tempo runs, I didn't always run the 5 miles or the 6 miles straight through. I would run 1 or 2 miles, then take a quick breather, and then do another 1 or 2 miles at tempo. So today I started running and was figuring out in my head that if I ran 1.5 miles before taking a break, I would take 4 breaks. . . . I'm running, feeling pretty good - I get to 1.5 miles and tell myself, "if you run 2 miles before taking a break - you only have to stop 3 times" ( at this time I am trying to get this over with as fast as possible - cause I really just want to be DONE the tempo run - my least favorite workout of the week). So I'm running along, and say "just 1/2 a mile more, then take a break". . . . I kept doing this to 5 miles, then I would tell myself. . . "you only have 1 more mile left and you will have done the WHOLE TEMPO RUN WITHOUT STOPPING!!" Ya - I did it - and I felt good!!! It was amazing what it did for me mentally! I realized that this thing is SOO MENTAL - - - I may just have to trick myself through the last 13 miles of the Ironman run! Ha Ha! Seriously though this did amazing things for me this week! Still feeling strong.
Thursday - 60 minute swim - LOVE THURSDAYS. Except that this is my last training day that the Cardston Pool will be open for me. Sigh. Next week I am going to have to have a whole new routine. I will miss the convenience of the 1 hour swim just taking 1 hour of my day . . . . next week - the one hour swim becomes: pack your lunch and snacks for the day, a 45 minute drive to Lethbridge, a 1 hour swim, a 20 minute shower, get dressed, do hair and make-up, . . . probably a Costco run, maybe hit Walmart too, lunch on the road, if I am lucky lunch at my mom and dad's, and finally a 45 minute drive home. . . and voila - the day is over. SIGH. I will definitely miss my sunrise swims at the Cardston Pool.
Friday - 5 hour bike ride. I rode to Magrath and met Karen. We continued on the highway to Lethbridge for about an hour - almost made it to Lethbridge, but turned around and we were completely blessed with an East wind - which made the ride home really nice. 5 hours, 80 miles. A good day. I am tired, but I think I could do another 32 miles. . . . if I had to. . . you know . . . for Ironman. I did a quick 10 minute run after my ride today - - all things considered - feeling good.
Saturday - 16 mile run. I felt pretty good for the first 3 miles, and then I realized that I was tired and this was hard! Yesterday's bike ride had taken a lot out of me. . . I ran the next 5 miles with my 'run like a mother' group and that helped - a good distraction. I was sad that I still had 8 more miles to go and they were done. . . but one foot in front of the other - off I went - up to the elementary school - back to the bypass ( with a quick stop at the gas station - phew). By the time I got back near my house, I was only at 15 miles - so I had to run to the Junior High and back home to fit in ONE last mile! I DID IT! Tough day, but the week is DONE! I definitely need a treat today. Duane called Glenwood Ice Cream Parlor, and I was sorely disappointed that they only had 1/2 a bucket of ice cream left ( today was their last day being open for the season - sad). Oh well - time to move on! See you next summer coconut ice cream!
As of today - - - 9 weeks till Ironman. . . and I do believe I am going to make it! It's ALL mental at this point. I am realizing, and I kept telling myself on my Saturday run - between mile 12 - 16 that I am physically ready for this. . .
I just have do do the training so that my mind will believe that I can do this - that is the key.
Believe it - Be it!
Florida Ironman 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment