Tuesday, August 01, 2006

a strange sense of calm

Well, here goes....

There won't be much time for blogging or commenting this week--so it's not because I'm ignoring, but it's because I can't.

I made it through last week. I will make it through this week. The fact that the heat index is at a record-high is a good thing. When I thought about it, I realized I rode the Wisconsin course in high heat, completed a half-iron in record heat, and this weekend did a long run, a century, and a run-off in high heat. Today I will do a 2:30 bike in high heat. Tomorrow I will do hill repeats in high heat.

The heat isn't scaring me as much.

After the past month, the hills aren't either.

It's not fun. I'm not the best by far. But I can do it, and I am doing it. And I will do it again this week.

So I am ready for September 10th, 2006 to be over 90 degrees with high humidity. I have planned for it to be that way and I am assuming it will. And if it's not, then I will be pleasantly surprised.

My bike is fixed up, I have a new bike computer, and my HR monitor should be ready to go here soon.

This week's plan is longer than the 17 hours I put in last week. But I just feel sort of calm and relaxed about it. It just has to be done, and it will.

This Friday-Sunday looks similar to last week, except everything will be just a little bit longer. Swim: 4500 yards. Long run: around 18 miles. Bike: At least 100--maybe a little bit more depending on how I feel and what I get done in the time. It will be done on hills. It will be done without crowds, or much traffic--but this time with a friend and fellow IM MOO'er, IronJohnny, and not alone, which will be nice. It will be done without running out of fluids.

I don't know if it will be done without bike trouble. It should be, but if it's not, I'm ready.

I can't believe how good I felt on the run after the century. That helped me mentally a lot.

So, I've put off my long ride today long enough. It's now 4:15pm and I really need to get out there. I think it's hot enough, but not too hot that I can't do it.

So I will.

15 comments:

Donald said...

You sound like you're made of iron already.

:) said...

Yep. You are going to make it. :)

Pharmie said...

See you back sometime soon! Maybe in a few weeks when we are on taper?

tryathlete said...

If you rearrange the letters in the middle of TriSaraTops you get "A Star".

tryathlete said...

... which is a lot better than "Halt".

Rae said...

Good luck with all your training this week!!

Mojo said...

I'm proud of you for sticking it out and getting the job done.

I bet you'll enjoy race day. You are smart too, for keeping priorities straight.

TriBoomer a.k.a. Brian said...

You will be OUTSTANDING on Sept. 10!

Stay tuned...

Tracy said...

Out there with you sis... :) Out there with you...

Wes said...

Grim determination. Another positive attribute in an Ironman...

RunBubbaRun said...

Have a good training week. be careful out there with the heat. You'll do great. Can't wait to meet everybody again during IMWI.

walchka said...

Its gonna be a treat to watch you rock the course in Madison.

Chris said...

Way to go toughing it out in the heat. I'm really hoping that the weather this year isn't going to be anything like the past three years. How do you have an average temperature in the 70s historically, and then have three years straight where it's 90?!

But toughing it out now will have to well prepared, physically and mentally, should it be hot on race day. And if it's not hot, the race will feel that much better!

It's getting hard to believe how close it actually is!

Michele said...

good luck this week, sounds busy.

Lance Notstrong said...

Do you swim with you HR monitor on? What kind is it? What kind of computer did you get? I'm a tech junkie :-)