Tag: IMAZ2013

Categories
2013

Ramblings of an Ironman-in-training

I apologize in advance for the randomness and fragmented nature of this post, but since registering for Ironman AZ back in November, that is exactly what has been happening in my mind. All day, every day, a continuation of fragmented thoughts ranging from “OMG I’m so PUMPED. Cecily Fuller YOU ARE (ALMOST) AN IRONMAN!” to “OMG I want to cry, where do I go next?”

The thought of Ironman is always there. That M-Dot symbol is there when you wake up in the morning; you chase it during each training session; it’s the seasoning on your breakfast, lunch and dinner; and it’s that bitter flavor you taste with each sip of an IPA. Friends of mine who have completed an Ironman of their own warned me that once you take the plunge and officially register, it’s all you will think about for the following year. BooksThe reality of this hits me as I sit here with a pile of anatomy flashcards to study and it’s all I can do not to break into the stack of Ironman/tri training books I just borrowed from a friend. The inner turmoil continues. So, instead, I will do neither and I will sit here and pour my feelings into my Ironman blog. I call this a happy medium.

Continue reading “Ramblings of an Ironman-in-training”

Categories
2013

Road map to Ironman AZ: Part 1

British despatch rider

If you’ve been following our #triforles training tweets, you already know we’re going full steam ahead.

And even though the race is still 11 months away, it’s never too early to map the route and jot down smart goals to set us on the right path.

So I laid out the key checkpoints on my road map to Ironman AZ to give a big-picture look at how I plan on dominating my goal: to finish Ironman AZ in 12 hours or less.

Here are the races I’ll be competing in this year:

Continue reading “Road map to Ironman AZ: Part 1”

Categories
2013

Make a plan, be the sunshine

Each week of training brings something new. A new PR, new approach, new ache, etc., etc. The past two weeks have been especially full of take-aways for my own personal growth in training and I think much of what I’ve learned/decided to set in place moving forward can be applied to anyone at the starting lines of their own training adventures. So, without further ado, here are my key headlines from the past two weeks:

Make a planCalendar
Obvious, right? Of course it’s important to have a training plan set in place not only when going after a long-distance race like an Ironman, but even if you’re training for your first 5k, half-marathon or sprint tri. Regardless of experience level, we’re all starting somewhere. If your goal is to get off of the couch and complete your first 5k race, or you’re working your way up from sprint distance to Olympic distance triathlons, you have to have a plan for how you are going to get from point A to point B – and it can’t be something you just throw together day-to-day or week-to-week on a whim. Do your research. Map out each month. Set benchmarks. Set goals. And most importantly, establish your support system. We’re all going to have “down” weeks when we’re just not feeling into it and we need to be reminded why we’re doing all of this. Make sure you have someone to tell you “hey, you wanted to do this for a reason. Let’s get some ice cream, and then suck it up and push forward to your goal.”

Continue reading “Make a plan, be the sunshine”

Categories
2013

“Triathlon swimming made easy”

Or: How I learned to stop fighting and trust the water, with Total Immersion

When I talk to non-triathlon folk about triathlon, the conversation usually goes something like this one, featuring my fictitious friend, Jessie.

Jessie: “Yo, what are the distances, again?”
Me: “For Ironman, its a 2.5-mile swim, 112-mile ride and a 26.2-mile run.”
Jessie: “For real? You’re crazy, man.”
Me: uncomfortable laughter
Jessie: “Yo, I could never do a triathlon.”
Me: “It’s not as bad as you think.”
Jessie: “Like, I guess I’d be ok on the bike and run, you know – but I wouldn’t be able to get through that swim, yo.”
Me: “Dude. That’s what everybody says. And that’s what I thought at first, too. But once you learn the right technique, the swim is the easiest part of the race.”
Jessie: “I don’t know – I just ain’t all that comfortable in the water. And yo – there’s nothing to hang on to out there in the open water. What if I panic or something?”

This gets me riled up because fearing the swim is such a common misconception – and one that I fell for too.

“But if you swim properly, you won’t get tired!” I retort, as Jessie rolls his eyes.

I go on to explain how when I went from fighting and hating the water with every flailing stroke, to swimming silently, efficiently and – most importantly – happily.

Continue reading ““Triathlon swimming made easy””

Categories
2012

Dominate your 2013 New Year’s training resolutions

Ironman AZ finish line

We triathlon-folk love us some goals.

Crossing finish lines, breaking personal records, catching up to that 68-year-old lady who just whizzed by you on the bike – it’s all fuel for the fire.

And with a new year about to begin, our blogs, journals and training plans will fill up quickly with resolutions for 2013.

The passion is great and all, but we need a strategy to help us stick to these goals and make sure they don’t fall by the wayside, like my futile quests to stop biting my nails, become more flexible and eliminate frozen pizzas from my diet (Red Baron, you sir, will be the death of me!).

I’m not going to tell you what New Year’s resolutions to set; only you can do that. But here are some tips to help you approach the process from the right angle and stay on track to dominate 2013.

Continue reading “Dominate your 2013 New Year’s training resolutions”