Catching Up... T Minus 32 days to IMCdA

[KSH]

I think about the journey a lot now that I'm coming to the end. Debating signing up... and taking the plunge. Committing to a training plan that started right after a marathon. Riding 3-4 hour rides on a trainer because it's still snowing. Giving in and running 2 hours on a treadmill because it's 2 degrees, icy, and snowing (just 2 degrees and snow isn't enough). That first ride outdoors... only to have to ride the trainer the next day because it was... snowing. Watching the miles increase... the times decrease. Doing my first HIM on the way to IM (homegrown, since it was so early in the season). I can't say it wasn't hard, and I can certainly say that I learned a lot about myself and what "limits" actually are.

My next scheduled event after IM is a sprint (7 weeks from IM, lots of time). It's going to be a little strange trying to regroup and train for such a short distance after those 100 mile weekly rides. Not having to do the second loop... ahhh, that'll feel nice! I'll probably suck it up and schedule a late season HIM that's my real goal, depending on how I feel.

Some days I don't feel crazy. Mostly Mondays, which are my days off and I "pretend" to be a normal person (with insane hunger and ginormous thighs). Or, when I come here, or go to the bike shop.

WOW Colby! Really great reflections there. A lot of rung true with me... and the journey I have had.

Back in Jan/Feb/March I was doing 3-4 hour trainer rides... thanks to rain. Not to mention, I'm a cold weather whimp. If it was 40 degrees with 20 mph winds, I rode inside. Yep, did the 2-2.5 hour treadmill runs due to bad weather.

It is going to be weird to get on a bike to only ride 2-3 hours. Or less? HA!

Normal... yea... when I get ready at home versus the gym it just feels WEIRD. What? Shower at my house and eat breakfast at home? What?

I'm sure the other IM ladies who have finished or are training for one can relate!

[colby]

It is going to be weird to get on a bike to only ride 2-3 hours. Or less? HA!

Normal... yea... when I get ready at home versus the gym it just feels WEIRD. What? Shower at my house and eat breakfast at home? What?

I'm sure the other IM ladies who have finished or are training for one can relate!

I'm looking forward to being able to tell people what I'm doing on the weekends again without "the look." I learned that only two activities are allowed, and only a maximum of two hours of riding, one hour of swimming, and/or one hour of running are the limit before someone gives you the "you are crazy and I am lazy" rather than the "you are healthy and I am not as healthy but that is ok" look.

The first time:
Unassuming person: What are you doing this weekend?
Colby: riding 100 miles, running a few hours, swimming drills for a couple hours
Unassuming person: ...
Colby: what are you doing this weekend?
Unassuming person (in that "you are crazy and I am lazy" tone): uh... yard work...

The second time:
Unassuming person: What are you doing this weekend?
Colby: Uh... probably ride my bike, maybe go swimming, take my dog for a jog so she can get some exercise. Depends on the weather.
Unassuming person: Oh, that sounds fun!
Colby: So what are you doing this weekend?
Unassuming person: hoping to catch up on (insert TV show) and hang out with the family

Less specific = less crazy!

My favorite experience (I may have said this) was going to the chiropractor first thing on a Monday morning after a good weekend of riding nearly two full loops and running 3 hours, then swimming 3500 yards.

Chiro Receptionist: Hey Colby, how are you today?
Colby (failing at signing in, talking, and standing at the same time): Doing okay. Wow, I think I just misspelled my own name. And checked the wrong box. Sorry about that.
Chiro Receptionist: Yeah, you look kind of tired.
Colby: Yeah, that's pretty accurate.
Chiro Receptionist: That's what too much tequila on weekends will do to you!
Colby: Oh... I guess.

Tequila? Yeah, right.

[Wahine]

I actually bask in the glory of the "You are absolutely effing insane" look. In fact I called up an ultra endurance cycling friend of mine tonight just so that he could tell me how crazy I am for swimming in a 56 deg river.... now who's crazier me or him? (he's signed up to ride 538 miles with 40000 feet of climbing in under 48 hours)

[colby]

I actually bask in the glory of the "You are absolutely effing insane" look. In fact I called up an ultra endurance cycling friend of mine tonight just so that he could tell me how crazy I am for swimming in a 56 deg river.... now who's crazier me or him? (he's signed up to ride 538 miles with 40000 feet of climbing in under 48 hours)

56 isn't too insane... that might just be "crazy, but I know it's crazy"

538 miles with 40,000 feet of climbing.... that's "I'm so crazy I don't know I'm crazy anymore"

The one thing I've learned is to not underestimate what you can teach your body to do. I was looking at pictures of the Giro d'Italia (a local cyclist is doing it as an amateur) and thinking "well, if you trained for it... I guess it would be possible." Other people think "HOLY CRAP that's nuts."

It's all relative, right?

Maybe after I've gone through this once, I'll enjoy the shock factor next time (if there is a next time ). Sometimes when we eat dinner out on Sundays and I order something huge and then finish it all with dessert while my husband gets a to go box, I get "the look"... I look forward to touring all those places with a big freaking "IRON COLBY" sign after it's over.

[KSH]

I actually bask in the glory of the "You are absolutely effing insane" look.

HA! Yea, I gotta agree. Although at times I feel like I'm bragging because it's so outside the realm of reality for a lot of people.

But hey, we don't do an IM because we don't want a little bit of bragging rights...

[Wahine]

Hell no!! We do Ironman so that when we're 100 years old and living a a nursing home and the attendant comes in griping about their sore feet we can start in with the "Listen here young lady/man... you don't know what sore feet are!! When I was your age......" You get the idea. I'm gonna be one big bragging crotchety old chick!!