Ironman Kentucky Training- Month 6 of 8

[KSH]

Ironman Kentucky Training Month 6 of 8!

The month of June came and went. It didn’t go that fast though.

I think what I wrote on June 11th in my training log sums it up nicely (eh, I’ll let you fill in the 4-letter word. Not very eloquent, I know.):

Ironman Training- The Ultimate Mind _ _ _ _

What does that mean?

Well, anyone who has trained for or is training for an IM, can possibly understand what this means. Anyone who wants to train for one might want to know what it means.

What a roller coaster of emotions! For a good 8 months! There are days I feel strong and ready to tackle the race. Days where I feel so tired it's all I can do to get out of bed to go train.

I worry about finishing. I run my times for each discipline through my head... while I'm running, riding, swimming. What will my finishing time be? Can I do it? What are the cut off's again?

Then I remind myself that I can do it. I'll be fine. I have been training hard. I CAN DO IT!

I train and start to think about finishing and I get all teary eyed. ME? AN IRONMAN!? I am starting to tear up as I write this. I can't see how I won't be crying the whole race. HA!

I start to think about how long this journey has been and that the race is getting close. How does one hold it together the last couple of weeks, the last before the race? How does one not just go insane? Then I remind myself that I can hold it together. I just won't think about it. Is that possible?

So yea.... Ironman training is the ultimate mind _ _ _ _. A roller coaster that goes on for months! I'm ready for it to end, but also sad to know it's going to end.


About mid June is when I wrote that. I was getting pretty beat down mentally and physically from all the training. All my training sessions were pretty pathetic and I was just going through the motions. I am back on track now, but at the time I was pretty worn out.


In other news, Jonny was so sweet and gave me an early Birthday present… a airplane ticket to Kentucky! As always an amazing Ironsherpa.

I also got some awesome news! My dear friends Ryan and Libby will be coming to Kentucky for my race! I’m so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family who are willing to come watch me. I know people who race and never have anyone there to support them. Here I am with 7 people coming to watch me. I’m so fortunate.

Rest days:
June- 6 days off out of 30
May- 4 days off out of 31


Cycling Highlights:
June- 525 miles (15 miles less than May)
May – 540 miles

I had an interesting month of cycling. I did 2 bike rallies, and one 100 mile ride with some local tri people I know.

The 100 miler was fun because we (Gary, Bonny and I) met up with a group for 60 miles of the ride. It was Bonny’s first 100 mile ride ever. I have attached a picture to this email of that day with the group and of Bonny and I.

I can’t say I’ve gotten faster. Sure, a tab bit faster, but nothing that is awe-inspiring.

Otherwise, my friend Brad has been a huge support for my bike! He helped me get a compact double put on my bike, and is helping me get some new tires, pedals and a cassette put on as well. Brad was a life saver helping me out with the bike parts! I was very confused about what I needed and he ordered just the right thing.


Running Highlights:
June- 65 miles (10 miles less than May)
May- 75 miles

My knee issue is doing good, but my volume was lowered for the month to try to get it healed up.

I still did a long run every Sunday though. In fact, I did a 14 miler the day after I did 100 miles! I didn’t even get sore or tired until the next night! Just goes to show I’m getting stronger.

I also had a running buddy for one of my runs! Yes, someone who agreed to walk 5 minutes and run 2 minutes with me. Barbie and I ran together for 9 miles. That was a nice change of pace getting to actually run WITH someone. I had my best per minute mile pace in a long time on that run. Unfortunately, she has a race of her own coming up, so she is going into her taper. But she said she would be kind enough to join me again after her race. Which is very generous of her.


Swimming Highlights:
June- 24,000 yards (7,000 yards less than May)
May – 31,000 yards

I started open water swimming on Friday’s. That’s about it. Swimming has been pretty dull.


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Finally, here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

1) Me and the group from the 100 mile ride in June.
3) Bonny and I from the 100 mile ride.

[jesvetmed]

Way to go KSH... It's so nice to read your report and see you have been outdoors the entire time! No more 4 hour trainer marathons! I can't believe you are getting so close. Hang in there!

You guys must go through some sort of withdrawal, or depression, when the race is finally over. Sort of a "now what do I do with myself"????? It just seems this must consume all of your free time for so many months prior.

I am so in awe that you are doing so much! Keep it up and keep us posted. We are very excited for you!
Jes

[KSH]

Thanks Jes! I do still ride the trainer...but only 1-hour a week. I put my foot down and told my coach that 1-hour is all I can handle mentally. HA!

Oh, trust me, I'm already planning out my time after the IM!

1) Getting my IM tattoo.
2) Having a celebration party. Going to get drunk!
3) Spending time with friends who haven't seen me.
4) Going out at night. And staying out past 9:00 PM.
5) Being my boyfriends Sherpa for his HIM in October.
6) Clean my apartment.
7) Get back to Grad school (starts in September again).
8) SLEEP!

Otherwise, I will be doing a race in October. Just a Oly. Maybe. We will see.

But yea, I can't believe the journey is almost over.

[Tri Girl]

Yay, KSH! I'm so proud of you. Even tho the training volume was less than May, I'll bet you're doing more quality mileage than before and really hunkering down and focusing on the race.
And yeah, IM is the ultimate mind @*. One minute happy and confident, one minute, terrified and insecure. I equated my 9 months of IM training to being pregnant. The whole time training I was getting ready for race day; preparing my things, getting it all laid in place. And then race day came and was awesome, amazing, and unbelievable. Then I suffered from major post pardem (sp?) depression afterward. For about 6 months I was lost and didn't know what to do. After I'd done the ultimate, I had nothing to look forward to; nothing to work towards. For the first time in my life I think I was actually a little depressed (but I'd talked to other IM finishers in my tri club and most had the same sorts of feelings lasting various amounts of time). You can't devote every waking moment of your life to one thing then not feel a little sad when it's all over. What was NOT like being pregnant was that after the race I didn't lose sleep at night (gained a lot in fact), and I didn't have to be responsible for another little person (a good thing indeed).

You keep going. You're going to not only finish, but finish in plenty of time and cross that line STRONG, PROUD, and COURAGEOUS!!!!



now please let some of your iron energy rub off on me since I really haven't been one teensy tiny little bit motivated to train for my race~ not even a hint of motivation

[alpinerabbit]

BEST BEST BEST of luck for month 7, 8 and your big day!!

[IronSnoopy]

You're going to do great at Louisville. You're doing the time, and at some point it switches from physical to mental. You've got both down!

You got it!

Having your peeps there makes such a big difference, too!

Most important of all, just cherish the whole event. You only get one first IM!

[Wahine]

Good work KSH!!! It looks like things are going really well for you. Stick with it. And you know what, it's really fun to be a sherpa for someone else after your race. It'll be good to support Jonny. Keep it up!!

[colby]

You guys must go through some sort of withdrawal, or depression, when the race is finally over. Sort of a "now what do I do with myself"????? It just seems this must consume all of your free time for so many months prior.

Yeah, they even have a name for it... Post-Ironman Blues. I don't really feel down, but I do feel the "now what?" It's good that KSH has a post-IM plan.

I have a sprint tri in about 5 weeks, it seems like a blink of the eye... maybe I'll find a late season Olympic or HIM or something before I start marathon training. I am a little disappointed that I didn't get into the local sprint tri this weekend, I think I could have at least made a good showing of it (missed the signups by a few minutes -- filled up fast!!). I'm going to try to volunteer instead, maybe it'll get me back in the spirit.

Anyway, back to KSH

[colby]

Looking good, KSH!! If I can do it, you can do it.

You described a lot of the same stuff I went through, for a while there it was training for training's sake, and not really energizing. I swear it's all part of the mental preparations to handle any situation -- if you can get through a crappy couple weeks of training, making it through one day is a minor issue in comparison.

I very much agree with the pregnant analogy - the irony is that a friend of mine IS pregnant and due this month, so we've effectively been "training" together. The complaints, changes in your body, hunger, and struggles are actually scary similar. My chiropractor has this laundry list of things that happen to pregnant ladies and people like me who train for crazy endurance events.

Stick with it... you'll get there. Start writing that "what I'll do after I finish my Ironman" list...

1. Smile for the camera at the finish line (this is harder than you might think)
2. Tell them that yes, you really are okay (unless you aren't, then please ask for help)
3. Drink some water and get some food, if you want
4. Go to the bathroom... before you get in the car, because the minute you get in the car, you'll want to go to the bathroom
5. Change clothes, my god does that feel good
6. Sit down... remember the last time you sat on something that you didn't have to pedal or use hand sanitizer afterward? Yeah, that was 14+ hours ago.

Somewhere in there, you find your family members, who try to communicate with you, and you look like a zombie, and say "I don't know" a lot. You might want to work out a "recovery plan" if there are things you like to drink or eat that they can have handy for you -- I had to be reminded to drink some water and be handed cheese and crackers. You know what the best thing is? That first post-IM shower. Pure heaven.

Next, you tell everyone who asks, I am walking funny because I DID AN IRONMAN. YES FOLKS, THAT'S RIGHT. I AM FREAKING AWESOME.

Okay, so maybe you're thinking a little longer term and this experience is a little fresh in my mind...

Keep it up, KSH. Your Iron Dream is almost complete.

[KSH]

HA! Thanks Colby! You are funny!

I already told my crew that I will be out of it when I'm racing. That I get loopy after going for a few hours... so they better be ready for me to not answer any questions!

Yea, I can't believe the dream is almost complete! WOAH! Just typing that hits me hard. Can it already be over? Yet part of me is really READY for it to be OVER! Getting up at 5:30 AM to train these days is really taking a toll on my mental well being!

[solobiker]

You are doing great!! I know it is hard to stay focused and sometimes it probably feels like you have never run a day or biked a day in your life but you are well on your way to be an IM Champ!!

[KSH]

You are doing great!! I know it is hard to stay focused and sometimes it probably feels like you have never run a day or biked a day in your life but you are well on your way to be an IM Champ!!

Yea, it does! Some days I go out and ride and I totally rock it with a 18 mph average. Other days I struggle to keep a 16 mph average. It's so frustrating. I don't have any confidence in my abilities as I'm not consistent.

There are rides or people I would love to ride with... but I'm not sure if I will be able to keep up that day until I get going. I can't pick a faster group ride and KNOW I will not get dropped. *sigh*

On the upside, on my shorter rides (up to 30 miles)... when I have a good day and the wind isn't blowing 20 mph... I'm able to keep up with people who use to drop me. I've even seen 18.6 and 19 mph averages after a ride! And that's on routes that are not completely flat.