Heart Rate Zone 5, Guaranteed!

I'm guessing that you read the title of this post and expected to come here to find a workout that is going to leave you crying on the side of the road, but that will elevate your performance in every sport? No, nothing quite that beneficial, but I did find something that got me into "heart rate zone 5" (HRZ5) with almost no effort and thought I would share.



First, let's explain "heart rate zone 5" (HRZ5). Heart rate training zones are ranges that define the upper and lower limits of training intensities. The most common scales have 5 zones. Many athletes utilize their heart rate zones as a quantifiable method of guiding their workouts and determining exercise intensity. In the 5-zone scale, zone 5 is the highest. Therefore, going "zone 5" means your heart is working at or near its max.


With the new year, I finally decided that I needed to sit down and formally invite my family to come see me compete in my first IRONMAN in November. My Dad, Stepmom, Mom, and Sister all live several states away, in Kentucky. They have never seen me compete in a triathlon. I think it's quite possible that they've never seen a triathlon at all?! So, I took it upon myself to draft a thoughtful letter inviting them to IRONMAN Florida 2014 with lots of details about what to expect.



A "normal" person would simply shoot off a letter saying, "Hey, wanna come see me do this?", but I think we've established that I'm not "normal"?! In fact, I think one of my previous blog posts focused on my "Type A" tendencies pretty thoroughly! Therefore, a simple letter would not suffice. Instead, I crafted an 8-page "brochure" outlining the entire "IRONMAN weekend" and what spectating an IRONMAN event would be like. Yes, complete with photos, maps of the course, pictures of the condo, meal plans, etc.

OK, getting back to "HRZ5"! In order to put the letter together with the level of detail I thought they might be interested in (or that *I* was interested in), I had to mentally relive every part of IRONMAN Florida 2013, where I had the honor of spectating my first IRONMAN and supporting so many of my dear friends as they completed their first IRONMAN.


Putting that letter together by reliving those pulse-pounding memories was AWESOME! Not only did it allow me to mentally pay tribute to all of the great accomplishments I witnessed last year, it was a chance for me to thoughtfully consider the challenges that I will face to have my chance to experience the same.

• HRZ5 just thinking about what they accomplished!
• HRZ5 just thinking about what I will have to do to prepare!
• HRZ5 visualizing myself crossing that finish line and hearing them announce that I am an IRONMAN!

Are you HRZ5 when you think about your last big race? Are you HRZ5 when you think about your next big race?

The "off season" is definitely over. The workouts and volumes are starting to intensify in preparation for my first Triathlon (Sprint) of the season at the beginning of April. While the workouts may be heating up, the weather hasn't been doing the same. No worries, though, I'll have the memories of last year's races and my goals for this year to keep me warm! Hopefully, you are doing the same. Stay warm, stay safe, and stay healthy out there!