How do you recover from your first half Ironman? Take 2 days off and get back to training. We are now entering into the danger zone, a place where you continue to build your strength and endurance while trying to stay healthy as you break your body down to build it up. It seems like a contradiction. Fighting off fatigue, muscle aches, sniffles, sore throat, and a sore shoulder, you still muster up the strength to somehow get your workouts done because you know that cramming the night before is not going to help you pass this test. I had a meeting with my coach this week and we discussed the pain I have been having on and off in my arm and we changed my schedule around a little bit. We also discussed my nutrition and how to take in more calories and water during long distance on the bike. Basically you have to cram a large picnic inside of a tiny little bag on your top tube that will last you 6 to 7 hours. We talked about peaking both physically and mentally at the right time and although I am feeling anxious about getting to race day that there is much more preparation to do. I want race day to arrive because I am finally getting tired of counting and am feeling ready to JUST DO IT!
What can you do for the body that you are beating up several hours a day. Well, drink lots of water, take plenty of electrolytes, get a comprehensive massage, take lots of motrin, give yourself ice massages, and wear compression garments, and sleep and eat every few hours. The other things that help you through are texting and chatting with your teammates about how comfy your couch is, the holes in your running shoes, what to eat, what to wear, your fears and frustrations, and strategies on getting through each day, and funny Ironman jokes to take your mind off of pain or fatigue.
I did skip one workout this week. I hope when I am close to peaking I will go into my race feeling well rested. Right now it seems like we are doing one workout on top of another on tired muscles. I see many of my teammates getting faster and farther ahead of me in the water, on the bike and on land. This is just an observation and not a concern because slow and steady is right where I want to be and that is all I seem to be able to do with the tired muscles. Many of my teammates do not agree with my turtle title, but I am comfortable in my zone and that is where I will stay. I have more hope of finishing the Ironman with a slow steady pace and I can visualize the turtle taking slow steady strides and may look painfully slow, but in the end will get me to the finish on time.
This weekend started with team swim on Friday, 50 mile bike ride with some nice hill climbing and an Open Water Swim on Saturday, and finally a 18 mile run on Sunday. It seems like there is no distance that is too far these days while you are on the move. Once you stop, your body tells you otherwise.
I guess RECOVERY will have to wait!
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