Here we are just 64 days out from Canada and I feel totally unprepared. I need to do some serious jam sessions in the coming weeks if I'll have any chance of completing Canada successfully. I am totally bummed out and angry about my training. Since starting to work in retail, all I want to do outside of work is sleep. I walk a mile to and from work, I stand 8+ hrs everyday (no joke... the only time I sit is at lunch), I constantly have to be on point and happy for customers (which can get very tiring when you're not cheerful or happy), I work awful hours where I'm at the store until 9:45pm at night (and I've had to close I think every Friday night for the last 2 months unless I've requested it off), and I work weekends... everything piled on top of each other makes for a very tiring work schedule that leaves very little for training. Any chance I can get, I'd rather be laying down and sleeping. The worst part, is that I don't even get to train with Justin anymore which is something we really enjoyed getting to do while training for Lake Placid - 8 hour bike rides of us time was actually very enjoyable! Now, I never have that time because my days off are on weekdays when he is working. This past week I have been a zombie... trying to squeeze in workout sessions when I can on tired legs and body. Everything takes 10x more effort than it has ever taken before. It's awful. It's an awful awful feeling.
Yesterday, while half asleep during lunch, I told myself I would allow myself to take the day off today, Friday, my day off from work. My body needs to catch up and refresh, I thought. However, the day comes and I think about Ironman and how freakin' hard it's going to be with the training I've done - scratch the day off... time to workout! I got in a run in the 90 degree heat and bike ride on the trainer... both short sessions but difficult... it helped to make me feel like I am doing SOMETHING to prepare myself for race day. (Pic from my run today... can you spy the plane in route to landing at Reagan?) Now, I just need to get myself to the pool again... I don't remember the last time I've been to the pool. Ugh, this totally sucks.
Anyways... I am not trying to ramble on. I guess it just makes me feel better to express it in someway, even if no one reads this. I am at this moment a very frustrated athlete : ( I have not enjoyed this go around of training for an Ironman... not in the slightest bit.
When I ran the Boston Marathon, my mom had gotten me two swarvoski figurines (I collect them) of a tortoise and a hare with a note:
Elizabeth - Swarovski doesn't make a roadrunner - my first choice. So I got a tortoise + a hare - after the fable - forgetting that the tortoise won. Not so good an example if you're going for a personal best!
So here's the new moral of the fable: after all the marathons, triathlons + Ironman you've been in, it's very obvious that conditioning is only part of the answer (the hare). The courage + tenacity to push through the pain (the tortoise) makes the finish possible! Good luck - I know what an achievement being in the Boston Marathon is - I'll be thinking of you.
I was thinking of this note on my run today comparing myself to the tortoise and hare... I'm all tortoise for Canada. I need to prepare for that pain in order to make the finish possible while remembering that slow and steady wins the race - my way of integrating both versions of the fable together. I guess in the end of both the tortoise wins so I guess that's good news for me. Unfortunately, I do not at this moment have the conditioning and arrogance that the hare possesses which I think you also kind of need.
Anyways... I am not trying to ramble on. I guess it just makes me feel better to express it in someway, even if no one reads this. I am at this moment a very frustrated athlete : ( I have not enjoyed this go around of training for an Ironman... not in the slightest bit.
When I ran the Boston Marathon, my mom had gotten me two swarvoski figurines (I collect them) of a tortoise and a hare with a note:
Elizabeth - Swarovski doesn't make a roadrunner - my first choice. So I got a tortoise + a hare - after the fable - forgetting that the tortoise won. Not so good an example if you're going for a personal best!
So here's the new moral of the fable: after all the marathons, triathlons + Ironman you've been in, it's very obvious that conditioning is only part of the answer (the hare). The courage + tenacity to push through the pain (the tortoise) makes the finish possible! Good luck - I know what an achievement being in the Boston Marathon is - I'll be thinking of you.
I was thinking of this note on my run today comparing myself to the tortoise and hare... I'm all tortoise for Canada. I need to prepare for that pain in order to make the finish possible while remembering that slow and steady wins the race - my way of integrating both versions of the fable together. I guess in the end of both the tortoise wins so I guess that's good news for me. Unfortunately, I do not at this moment have the conditioning and arrogance that the hare possesses which I think you also kind of need.
Another picture from my run... would you ever think of seeing this in the middle of a city? Pretty.
4 comments:
You sound VERY FRUSTRATED! I understand the feeling of not being able to do everything you want or need to do, and it can do some major damage on the psyche. Have you talked to Jo Jo the "I'll show up and see what happens" racer? He must have some tricks up his sleeve. He did do very well in both his Ironmans last year with minimal training. Plus, you have youth on your side. It will work out Lizzy. Whatever workouts you can get in make the most of them and always remember the fun of each sport and try to enjoy it.
"Just show up JoJo" here! Welcome to the club Liz, proper ironman training takes a forgiving life schedule...which neither of us has. I don't subscribe to the "volume" theory anymore, do what you can in hard, short bursts. But most importantly, do what you can and forget the rest (P90X quote). It is your own expectations of yourself that are making you hate the few workouts you can get in. It's not always about the fastest time....sometimes it is proving to yourself that you can finish something you started despite everything working against you. Be the tortoise!!! And a few epic weekends of massive training in July doesn't hurt either. Good luck!
Well said, Joey.
Ditto. :)
Wow. I have IM CDA in about 2 wks. Boy did I need to hear ALL that! Liz, Jojo....thx.
This is all fun and as life gets in the way..........what a splendid problem.
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