The Dog Days Of June

It's post May long weekend and June has been a challenge when it comes to getting in some good training. Not that it's really that necessary any more, I raced the Press Run a week after the Jasper training camp and ended up running 97kms that week. It did a number on my knees and I struggled with a right knee issue on the bike for a couple weeks. I also did another 180k ride with Steve the following weekend and a 30k and 34k run, these are the weeks where training starts to feel more like a job and last Thursday when I had to do a 30k run I was really dreading it. There always comes a point in the training where you wish it was over and you could just do the race now, but I'm grateful for the rest I've been getting this week. It came at a good time because now I've been fighting a moderate flu, which I'm hoping is just a couple day thing. It couldn't have come at a worse time, the only thing you have to do in the 2 weeks leading up to an Ironman is not get sick...

Well I guess it was somewhat inevitable after a terrible April where I was sick ALL the time, May was fantastic and I had my best training month ever. June started off okay but my body was starting to break down and it simply needed some forced rest. I'll be okay by the weekend it's just frustrating to lose a little fitness leading up to your big event for the year. Regardless I'll still have an incredible race and I'm now thinking a 9:30 is possible if all goes well, it is my 'stretch' goal and I'll still be very happy with anything under 10hrs. Based on my training though I feel like a 1hr swim, 5:15 bike, and a 3:10 run is possible, add in 5 mins for transitions and there is the 9:30. Of course anything can happen on the day and it's predicted to be 30'C, the warmest day we've had was about 23'C so we'll have to see how my body reacts to the heat. I've done my share of ice baths and cold rides this year so maybe I'll finally get to feel warm.