PEAK WEEK!

After completing a solid training week, I am entering into my peak week before the taper begins which means HOLD ON for just 7 more days because relief is on the way.  The body is tired.  Sleep is hard to come by with early morning workouts to beat the heat and a mind on auto pilot that wakes up even when there is extra time to rest.  It is hard to quiet the mind and the training is now more mental then physical.

        
There has been a lot of drama in Chattanooga Tennessee as Ironman draws near.....27 days to be exact.  The Ironman Event Schedule, Athletes Guide and Race Numbers have been posted, but there is a lot of chatter in the background as there are a few added elements to this event including a later rolling swim start,  extended bike course (116 miles), and many reports from locals about the conditions on the course.  The river is very warm with a strong current which could be a favorable condition but wetsuits may be out of the question.  The bike course is described a fast and furious with 4000 feet of elevation gain with a few hazardous areas with railroad crossings, potholes and poor road conditions and a pitbull.  The buzz is to save your legs for the second loop and then at the end of the bike because it is going to be one HILL of a RUN!   Ironman is still enforcing a midnight cut off time despite a late start and a longer bike course which are all still pending.  In many ways the race has already begun and we are already being challenged to adapt to the changing course conditions and unknowns the day is going to bring before we even get to the start. 











Sometimes having too much information can lead to anxiety over the things we cannot control, however, on the bright side, we have been given a gift of prior knowledge about the course which is a bonus for coming up with a PLAN OF ATTACK and how to fight back. 

Triathletes around the map, especially those who expect to be closer to the cut off are about to embark on the battle of their life.  So now is the time to quiet the mind and work on how you are going to overcome the challenges of the day.

I am just going to be a tourist taking in the sights via swimming, biking and running through Chattanooga and the surrounding towns.  I will remember why I chose to participate in another Ironman Event as a celebration of life.  I will remember why I tri for myself and for others who cannot.

PEAK WEEK GOALS include 18-20 mile run, 4500-5000 swim and a 6 to 6.5 hour bike ride.  Stay calm.  Remain focused.  Work on race plan and mental strategy.  Since there are supposedly a lot of hills on this course, I will plan out my hill dedications where I channel energy from others who inspire me and/or in their honor or memory.

Quiet the mind, Free thy soul, Get ready to swim, bike, run and roll!

MAGIC NUMBER 1292.....CHOO CHOO!