1/16/2006 Workouts: Transition Time and Reality Check

7:17AM Swim 2750 yards in 1:02. Easy technique workout. I was surprised that after not having spent too much time in the water in the past few weeks that my swim golf score was way low. Part of the reason is that sometimes I have a tendency to "think too much" when I swim, and that takes away from the natural flow and gracefulness that I've cultivated. But as the workout wore on, I could feel a little upper body fatigue, but not too much. I am actually looking forward to Wednesday's swim workout, so I can see where I stand on speed.

3PM Strength, 3x20 in 1:40. This is the longest strength workout I will do all season! I wasn't sure if I was up to 3 sets of 20 (for the last 2 weeks I did 2 sets of 20 reps), but I figured since I didn't have to run today, I might as well go for it. I can tell you I will be tired from this later on today and tomorrow, but I'm glad I got right back on the strength wagon, as it will help me tolerate higher intensity workouts to come.

Mentally today I felt rather blah--coming down from the high of Goofy Challenge and not working out much last week can do that. So I'm in a transitional period, where I can still feel good inside about what I just accomplished, but it's time to switch the beacon to point at the next objective. I am really looking forward to my first run back on Wednesday, and I even feel like I'll be able to knock out 9 miles this weekend! Wouldn't that be something? Well, not really, I think I've done that before, but I have short-term memory. My biggest concern is how will my legs feel during my first bike interval workout? That may not be until next week. I dabbled a little bit at 1/2 Ironman watts on Saturday, and it felt fine. I have to say, though, those bike FT sessions are NEVER easy, but I know how strong they make me. Shit, I felt like I had almost tireless legs at Disney!

Ralph's is going to be fun. My swim volume is already there (1/2 IM swim is nothing to me), and my run volume is way over where it needs to be, so my guess is it will be time to pick up some more biking. Maybe just add 30-60' onto the long ride with some more quality work. I just can't stand "just spinning" anymore. How boring! I would rather be focusing on something really hard than just going la-di-da.

I think this feeling of "ease" about 1/2 and full Ironman distance racing is what is driving me to begin thinking about my next big challenge. Don't get me wrong--going fast at these distances takes a lot of discipline, training and execution skills--it's just that I have most of it down, at least for the level where I'm competing now.

We will have to see just how well I do at Ironman Brazil. I think that is going to be a real telling event for me. Whether or not I qualify for Kona there, it will be important for me to have a good run off the bike. 4:30 would be a good run off the bike! If I can pull that off, I'll have accomplished my next "phase" of Ironman ability.

I think I pointed to this in a previous post, but for reference sake, here is my coach's take on the development of a triathlete: http://www.cruciblefitness.com/etips/athletetable.htm Yikes I just looked at this again and believe I've reached "expert" level. What does that mean? It doesn't mean I'm the fastest person out there, but it means I am very cognizant of my limits, know that they are mostly mental, have confidence in my fitness level and ability to execute based on it, and am not afraid to bite off interesting challenges.

But I still think that 4:30 Ironman run needs to be done! And logically, I have wanted to qualify for Kona, but I know that isn't doable without that run! Or else suffering through Ironman New Zealand. Someone a little younger than me got a Kona slot there by going like 15:30!!! Sheesh, that would be loafing for me--of course I'm happy for anyone who earns a slot, but I am looking at 12-something to do it in.

If I can hit 12:15 in Brazil, then whether or not it gets me a Kona slot, I will have to think about what's next. Obviously, if I get the Kona slot, I go and race in Kona, and then I think it's time for a year away from Ironman (but not long distance!). If I don't get the Kona slot, but I still make my time goal, well, then I need to decide if getting that Kona slot is really what I want to continue to pursue. I can't answer that question right now.

I've known for several years now that my path has been to find out if I have what it takes to qualify for Kona, and knowing that if I can achieve that goal, Ultraman becomes a reality. I think I just about have it, but we need to do a test! If I fail the test this year, then I will need to look deep inside and figure out my next move.

I realize there are plenty of people (most of them, actually!) who do Ironman without any notion of every qualifying for Kona, yet they keep doing it. I don't know if I'm that sort of person. I have a feeling I would rather try something different, accomplish something new. That's why the idea of a 100-mile foot race is already actually sounding appealing to me. Again, it's one of those things I NEVER thought I would do, or really would WANT to do, but here I am begging people to enter the Western States 100 raffle for me!

I still think I'm on the path to Ultraman, though. One way or the other, I am going to do another BIG race in Kona. It's my destiny. Always has been. Hell, if I actually qualify for Kona, I may just have to finally pull off something I've been toying with for over 5 years--MOVING to Kona! I absolutely love it there, and up until 2005, had been there at least once a year since 1994. So I've figured the way for me to get back there is to qualify for Ironman Hawaii, and then I may finally take stock of my life and get my ass on the island permanently. At any rate, if I do qualify, it is going to make me think about a lot of things, and that is a problem I would DEARLY love to have!