The 3 Day Ironman

The height of Ironman training comes at about five weeks before the big day. This past weekend was just that… the pinnacle of my Ironman training. I am currently 5 week out from the race and I have been worried and dreading this weekend since April. I completed, what my wife likes call, the 3-day Ironman.

It all started Saturday morning with a 2.4 mile open water swim (OWS). My swim training has been very minimal over the past month but I was able to match the same time I completed my last 2.4 OWS one month before. For that I give myself an A-. And to top off my A- swim I won a new Xterra wetsuit in the post race raffle. Because of this I am going to bump my grade up to an A+!

Eat…
Sleep..

I rose bright an early Sunday morning for a 112 mile bike ride follow by a five mile run.
The ride felt good and no flats. It was on the actual Ironman course. I was pleased with my time, which I’ll keep to myself for now. And my new bike fit felt great, a few more tweaks to perfection. Then it was off the bike and directly to the 5-mile run. This was where things got a bit tough. I was hot, I was tired, and I kind of just wanted to be done! But it was only one loop around Tempe Town Lake with and aid station half way, which seemed like hours to reach. I managed to finish this workout which I think earns a B. Can’t think of a way to bump this score up, shucks.

Eat…
Sleep…
Work…

Now it is Monday night and it is time for the 20-mile run. And let me tell you I did not think this was going to be pretty. BUT, after the first three miles my body and legs seemed to loosen up and just got into the grove. A “quick” 3 hours and 15 minutes later I was back at my driveway feeling like a million bucks. OK, maybe not a million bucks but at least ten bucks! I’m giving myself a grade of B for the run. It was a good, steady long run.

For my 3-day Ironman I am giving myself the final grade of B. I passed, I felt pretty good (most of the time), it was a solid performance, and I now have the confidence I had been looking for to complete the real deal in 5 weeks.

Extra Credit: Brilliant Idea! Let’s get up and swim Tuesday morning and then….DO BIKRAM YOGA on Tuesday night. I really wanted that A . After 90 minutes of lying flat on my back in a pool of sweat and managing only 30% of the poses, my yoga grade can not be much better than a D. But I am going to bump my grade up to a C because it took all the strength I had to stop myself from screaming at the instructor to “TURN THIS #$^)(@$ HEAT DOWN, I’M DYING OVER HERE!!!” In some ways this workout was a failure but as far as mental toughness training it was a success!

31 DAYS to go…