Numbers

Pick a number, any number. 
4:  Just completed meal 4 today
2:  Just completed workout 2 and wanting to take nap 2
23:  the number of weeks left until Ironman
161:  the number of days until Ironman
2000:  the number of yards swam today
210:  the number of minutes on my bike yesterday
9:  the number of miles I ran today
3:  the time we had to wake up to get to yesterday's bike ride
10,000:  the number of Kilometers in a short race or the number of dollars spent on being a triathlete training for Ironman.

When are the numbers going to end!  How I crave just a simple run, bike or swim when you just open the door and go and let your mind wander.  When did this become such a calculated activity where you must set your alarm precisely at the time it takes to go through your morning rituals and get to your workout on time, resetting the clocks to track your mileage, heart rate, route, speed, and whatever other information your latest technology will measure, and completing a training workout with a specific distance, time and speed and heart rate to follow.  You can meet up with your teammates, but you must stay in your own heart rate zone.  What ever happened to running at a comfortable pace where you can hold a conversation?

Turtles should not be intimidated by numbers, but I came to the realization today that the rest of the journey is about pushing just a little longer, a little faster, and completing just a little bit more.  I think the days of comfort and conversation are coming to an end and the days of how much farther can you push yourself even when you are tired, your muscles are cramping, your legs and arms are empty and dehydration and depletion are setting in.  This weekend was a turning point for me as last week, I accomplished some great climbing and was beginning to feel strong, but this week, my legs never fully recouped so the weekend began on tired legs.  The battle was physical, but more mental in how much more I could get out of myself.  We returned to Canyon Lake for a ride and open water swim.  I started the ride with an unhappy stomach and overal sense of tiredness, but I felt good once I got started and then the heat took a toll, drenched in sweat and limited visibility in one eye from the constant stream pouring into it, the ride became more challenging.  I would have short periods of recovery after taking in more fluids, electrolytes and nutrition, but they never seemed to last very long.  After 3 hours I completed my second out and back to the parking area and could have easily called it a day, but I was determined to finish the last 30 minutes and though it was more climbing and slow, I PUSHED through it.  My teammates were already heading for the water, so I had to make a quick change.  My stomach did not want any more food, so I just drank some water on land and then quickly found relief in the cool water.  No wetsuit for me cause I was not going to battle trying to squeeze that on over a sweaty and salty body.  The temperature was perfect.  Not sure if it was in the 60s or 70s, but it felt GOOD!  I caught up to the team and as soon as we stopped to regroup, my left toes and inner thigh went into a group spasm and I screamed CRAMP.  My coach was with us in the water because she is now officially in training for Ironman this year and tried to rub it out.  I was not leaving, so I contemplated just pulling with my arms, but I was able to kick.  So we left we a feeling off accomplishment and the post workout high.  Someone asked me if they thought I would be ready by November and I said, "Ready or not, I am ready right now".....then Sunday came.  The alarm went off at 4:15 am.  For the first time this year, I thought, I cannot do this again.  I cannot get up another early morning and do a long workout, but I knew I had 3 friends that would be waiting for me and I was the one that said meet at 5 am SHARP (to beat the heat ofcourse).  My legs were tight and cramping and I drank some electrolytes, put my compression socks on and finished up the rituals and made it just in time (not without my friends giving me a hard time about my SHARP, but I made it!).  I was expecting some cramping and walking this morning, but we were going at a comfortable pace and I was staying in my long heart rate zone, so all was good.  But at mile 8, I started feeling fatigued.  I have yet to finish one of my long runs feeling the same from start to end...there is usually a brick wall that someone places in front of me a mile before I get back to my car (evil break layers!).  So I survived the run, but as soon as I stopped my muscles started cramping again.

I stretched and headed home contemplating the swim workout scheduled for noon in 100 degree heat.  I went home and ate meal 2 and took nap 1 and when I woke, I had that feeling again, that I could not do one more thing, not one more!  But, as one of my teammates said, I experienced that "IRONMAN GUILT" and ate meal 3 and got my suit on and drove myself to swim.  They are able to keep the water cool at ASU, so that helps....cause swimming in 90 degree water is no fun.  My coach swam in my lane today, so that pushed me a little more than I would have on my own, but there was not a lot left in the arms or legs.  Oh the so good feeling afterwards and headed home for meal 4 and longing for nap 2!  Looking forward to Monday, Monday, Monday....my day off.

Only 161 more days to count the miles, minutes, laps, speed, sets, repitions, yards, miles...Numbers, numbers, numbers.  On 3 I am going to take nap 2 and dream about meal 5.....ready....one, two, three!


23 weeks
161 days