Remember that new beau I told you about a few months ago? We were flying high in the clouds and loving every second of our time together. It was pure bliss, a true honeymoon phase.
So, where are we now? Here’s an update on my life as I continue to date Ironman.
It’s Sunday morning and you’re about to head out the door for a run.
Fifteen minutes ago you were lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince yourself to get moving.
The good side won the battle, and now you feel motivated – proud even – to tackle your training plan, but still not happy about leaving your comfy bed.
You lace up your shoes, put on your hat, grab your keys and phone, and take one more gulp of water before stepping outside.
You lock the door behind you, zip away your keys and are almost ready to go get it.
Only one task remains before you go galloping off:
The Boulder Ironman 70.3 triathlon is comprised of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run, all set at the Boulder Reservoir, at the base of the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.
For me, the race served as the first true test of my hacked Crossfit Endurance training strategy. It was also the first time I’ve run over six miles, since injuring my foot back in February.
The race is half the distance of the full Ironman triathlon we have our sights on, and a major checkpoint on my road map to November 17.
So, how’d it go?
Freaking awesome.
Read on for a breakdown of the race, my nutrition plan, as well as two valuable lessons learned.
Also, thanks to everyone for all the well wishes and support! We’re galloping with a full head of steam toward Ironman Arizona, and appreciate you following along.
Three months ago I posted the hacked, Crossfit Endurance based training program that’s supposed to get me across the finish line at Ironman Arizona in under 12 hours.
I told you how important it is to strategically plan your weeks and prioritize your tasks so that you’re in the best position to show up, perform and hit your marks.
You saw my sample weekly training schedule that features one rest day on Mondays, and six days of training – four of which call for two workouts.
But like New Year’s resolutions, that’s all easier said than done.
Now that I’m a solid three months into the training program, and less than four months away from the big race, let’s take a look at how training is going and see whether I’ve been able to follow through on these commitments to becoming an Ironman.
Here’s my training progress report card, broken into five categories: Overall training schedule, Swim, Bike, Run, and Nutrition/Sleep/Mobility.
A patient said something the other day at work that really struck a chord with me. She was asking me about my training and my history with triathlons. She was very curious to learn what initially sparked my interest in the sport and how I got to where I am now, just four months out from completing my first Ironman. After chatting for a bit, she mentioned that she’d love to do “something like that” one day. Then, she immediately followed that thought with:
“but I’m not a runner. I can barely run one mile, it’s just not my sport.”
