Monday, March 23, 2015

3 Final Weeks

The Coach
It's hard to believe that winter has seem to have come and gone, I remember thinking about this race in October and feeling like I had all the time in the world to get ready for a 1/2 Ironman. Add in a high maintenance 2 year old, a job move, a house move, an injury and time seems to have flown past. Amber says I've been training really well and I'll be as ready as I can be for an early season 1/2, it's hard to go into it knowing that I'm not in my 'peak form' but I have to admit that what I think is 'peak form' probably only exists in my memory. No longer can I run out my door and bang off 4:00min/kms for 21kms and feel good afterwards, now I'm struggling to get to 4:00min/kms and not feel like I'm in a full on sprint. At least it seems like the calf is under control, I've had to adjust the number of times I run a week but at least I can run. I did a 1:30 21.1k yesterday and didn't feel too bad, I'm hoping with the warmer weather and less layers I'll be able to run faster.

I've done 4- 21km runs and a bunch of shorter stuff and 4- 90km bikes with a lot of other rides so I'm hoping I have the fitness, the trouble is always going to be the heat. I guess I've done what I can do, layering up with no fan, but it is extremely hard to simulate that hot sun burning you into a shriveled mess during that 1/2 marathon. This race reminds me a lot of training for Puerto Rico back in 2011, very early season training all inside but the difference there was Amber and I were doing the training together and didn't have a toddler to take care of, major, major difference... Regardless of the result I'm going to treat it as a fun holiday with my family and just be grateful I can do this sport and remain healthy and fit. I haven't been to Florida since I was 17 and I remember it being so beautiful and temperate, so nice to just walk around in shorts and a t-shirt all the time. I'll have the first couple days thinking about the race but then I just want to spend a week and enjoy the holiday.
March 7th and riding outside, nice!