The BIG Day Workout!

I have told you about the "KILLER Brick" workout (http://imronman.blogspot.com/2014/09/surviving-killer-brick.html) and the "CRAZY Brick" workout (http://imronman.blogspot.com/2014/03/oh-no-lets-go-crazy-brick.html). Now, let us talk about the mack daddy workout of my 2014 IRONMAN Florida training... "The BIG Day" workout!





This is a workout that my coach, Sandy Holt, Head Coach at TriAttic (http://www.TriAttic.com), gives her IRONMAN athletes right before they start their taper. This workout is NOT designed to make you go the full 140.6 miles. It will, however, do a great deal to give you the confidence that you will be able to do that distance on race day and do it comfortably!




The Big Day workout is really a shorter, less-intense, dry-run of your IRONMAN race. This is where you confirm your nutrition, hydration, clothing/equipment, and your planned pacing. One of the biggest benefits is that it has you starting your day and each, successive activity at roughly the same time of day that you will be during your race.

I even took this dry-run a step further and ate the same things I plan to eat on race day, the day and night before the event! That is right, I plan to power my IRONMAN attempt with a 5 Guys Burgers and Fries hamburger and cajun fries! Why the hell not, right?!

Here is how The Big Day looked for me.

4:30 am: Wake up and eat same breakfast as planned for race day. Do some light stretching and mental prep.
7 - 8 am: 60-minute Race Simulation Swim. Swim One Hour at IM race pace. If unable to swim in wetsuit, use pull buoy to simulate wetsuit.
8 - 8:30 am: Head to Bike Workout.
8:30 am - 1:30 pm: 5-hour Bike Workout. WU: 1 Hour Easy. MS: 3.5 Hours at IM Race Pace. CD: 30 Minutes Easy.
1:30 pm - 3 pm: Eat and Rest. Get off legs and eat a light meal, mostly liquid.
3 - 5 pm: 2-hour Race Simulation Run. WU: 2 Miles Easy. MS: 9 Miles at IM Race Pace. CD: Run Easy until hit 2 Hours.
5:01 pm: Celebrate like a BOSS because taper starts the next day!!!

It was a very interesting day and, as with most big training days, I learned a lot. While I may not have covered the mileage I wanted and at the pace I wanted, I am very pleased with how I managed the day! The most important thing about the whole day was that I dealt with the conditions I was handed and feel confident I could have accomplished 140.6 miles!

!!!WARNING: Boring post-workout recap follows!!!

SWIM: Even with the water temperature being near the mid-80's in the pool (HOT!), my swim was one of the best, sustained swims I have ever had! I swam the fastest, 1-hour-straight set ever! YES! There is not a lot to say when everything goes right!

BIKE: During the first, easy hour of the bike, the biggest thing I noticed was that my "easy pace" heart rate was very near my "race pace" heart rate. I knew something was wrong. I was trying so hard to figure out what could be causing the heightened heart rate that I almost completely disregarded the fact that my stomach was feeling bloated and little achy. The other thing that was going on was an unseasonably warm day, with temperatures in the lower 90's. I have trained in plenty of hot weather this summer, so I did not think that was the cause of the heightened heart rate, but I am sure it did not help.

My rate of perceived effort would allow me to easily reach speeds I was accustomed to on this route, but not without a substantial spike in my heart rate, putting me outside of the ranges I needed to stay within to ensure a strong run. Having learned long ago that I am always better off sticking to the plan, I went ahead and slowed my pace to keep my heart rate under control.


My nutrition and hydration were right on target. I stopped to take a couple of photos and to refill my bottles at halfway. I was much more leisurely on this training ride than I usually am. To make it "OK" in my mind, I told myself that this was a "victory lap" to celebrate a lot of other training rides where I pushed the edges of my goal ranges and enjoyed terrific results!

I ended the ride with a smile and, looking at the data later, managed to keep my heart rate within goals, but with a pace that really suffered for the effort. Definitely a win in the "sticking to the plan" column! (Gotta find positives where you can, right?!)

RUN: I had high hopes that whatever was going on during the bike would disappear and I would be able to have a great run. I changed clothes and had about 30 minutes to hydrate and enjoy some air conditioning in the local Subway before heading out for the run.


Even though the run took place from 3 - 5 pm, it truly felt like the sun was directly overhead for the entire run. There were big, fluffy, beautiful white clouds in the sky, but they were deathly afraid of the sun and would not dare intercede to give me a hint of shade!






I started off with the plan for two "easy" miles. I quickly noticed that my pace was just barely at where I usually am for an "easy" run and my heart rate was more than happy to approach my race pace. The writing was on the wall for how this run was going to be...



While I still did not know exactly what was happening with my body, I was resigned to the fact that something was up and I would just have to use the opportunity to learn as much as I could about how I would have to perform if this happened on race day. I turned my 2-hour run into a giant laboratory.

After running the first two miles at my "easy" pace, I tried to pick things up to get to race pace, but while sticking to the plan for heart rate. This ended up leading to quite a few normal-paced bursts, followed by short periods of walking to get my heart rate down to within goal range. I ended these 2-miles of "experimentation" with a pace lower than my "easy" pace and a heart rate just outside of my goal.


For the next round of experimentation, I decided that unregimented, short bursts and short walk breaks to control heart rate were ineffective so I wanted to try a more-structured, Galloway method of run/walk. I started with 3/1 (run three minutes, walk one minute) and ended with 3/2 run three minutes, walk two minutes). By analyzing the data later, I surprisingly found my overall pace to be significantly faster with a 3/2 than a 3/1. I never would have guessed that. All I can imagine is that the increased recovery on the 2 minutes of walking allowed for a faster pace on my 3-minute run segments.

With the plan being to meet family and friends for a celebration dinner after, I spent the last ~10 minutes walking, to cool down and reflect on the lessons of the day. The one thing that was foremost in my mind was that, even though my heart rate was telling me that my body was not having a good time, my legs felt great, my lungs felt great, and most importantly, my mind was clear!

DIAGNOSIS/PROGNOSIS: In talking with my wife the night after this workout, she began telling me about how sick she had been from the food we ate. In hindsight and based on how I have felt the two days after this workout, I definitely had a touch of food poisoning. My stomach is still not back to normal (Sparing you the gory details here... LOL!). Fortunately, I was not as affected as my wife, but it still did a number on me.

I do not know if I am ready to cast 5 Guys Burgers and Fries aside, as my pre-race meal, though. After all, I have had three other grueling workouts that were fueled by them and turned out great! Even though the "taper" has started, it truly is a taper. Workouts do not STOP! I have a 3:15-hour bike with a ~30-minute run this Saturday. I am thinking that Friday night will be "burger night" again and we will see how it goes on Saturday!

The most important fact was what I mentioned earlier... that I was pleased with how I managed the day! I had a plan that would have gotten me across the finish. For my first IRONMAN, that will not be my goal, but ultimately what will matter most!

To all of my 2014 IRONMAN Florida friends... WELCOME TO THE TAPER!!!

Looking Back Before Moving Forward!

On September 28, 2014, I competed in my second IRONMAN Augusta 70.3. Typically, for IRONMAN Florida athletes, my coach will simply use this race as a training day, but with the added benefit of doing all three disciplines under race conditions. No matter how well you think you have everything (effort, hydration, nutrition, etc.) dialed in, when you throw in the excitement of actual race day, you will learn something!

The IRONMAN company, World Triathlon Corporation, recognizes the value of half-distance races for full IRONMAN preparation and now even provides recommendations for those on the sign-up page for those races. They have even taken it a step further and are providing “Race Ready” packages that allow you to sign up for the half and the full at the same time. This is how I signed up for this year’s IRONMAN Augusta 70.3 and IRONMAN Florida! All in one package, nice and easy.

Two weeks before the race, my coach informed me that, since my training had been going so well, that instead of just doing the race at my IRONMAN Florida pacing, I’d be able to “race” it at a higher intensity. She was very explicit, though, to ensure that I had appropriate expectations. Especially on the run portion.

In the last year, my swim and bike have greatly improved. I have also set personal records in every run distance I have raced. However, having spent the last couple of months focusing on pacing more in line with a 26.2-mile run after a 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike, my ability to hold the intensity needed for a “fast” half IRONMAN simply was not going to come easily. I could push and maybe beat last year’s pace, but it would be very challenging.

Speaking of push… the number one message my coach gave me was to remind me that IRONMAN Florida is my “big race” and what I have been working towards all year. She insisted that if anything felt "off" at any time during IRONMAN Augusta 70.3, I was to stop pushing, pull back, and save myself for my “big race”!

Race morning dawned to near-perfect conditions. The swim was largely uneventful. I had the best swim I have ever had. I was head-down, with good form and strong pulls for the entire distance. The burn in my shoulders told me I had put in some effort. I was later shocked to find that I was only a few seconds faster than last year, but learned that the water flow was also greatly reduced from last year’s! I would have loved to have had last year’s water with this year’s form and strength!


Transition was smooth and I was out on the bike course. The only controllable issue I had on the bike was dropping my prescription sunglasses right after getting underway, as I fumbled to put them on. After circling back to pick them up, the rest of the bike was largely uneventful, save for much bumpier roads than last year and blustery winds! (What was up with those roads?!) I ignored the wind, stuck to my plan, and came off the bike with a good improvement in time. I can now only imagine how great it would have been had we had last year’s conditions on the bike!

Transition was, again, smooth and I was out on the run course. The first issue I had on the run was not being able to get a good feel for my pace. My Garmin was not helping me much, as the real-time pace seemed to be varying wildly. I ended up being just a few seconds above my goal paces for the first three miles. When it came time to pick it up for mile 4, I was, again, just a few seconds above. At the time, I just was not able to tell this and was still feeling great and like everything was within reach.


I cannot remember exactly where things started to change, but I think it was a water stop in mile 5 or 6, where I had already planned to walk, take in fluids, and get some cold sponges to cool my core. As soon as I started running again, I simply could not get back up to the speed I wanted. I started feeling like my right ankle was tightening up. Then there was a twinge in my left hip. Within the space of half a mile, my mind convinced me that these were all the beginning stages of a “big race”-endangering injury or, at the minimum Lupus, Ebola, and/or Psoriasis. OK, I am exaggerating a little bit...

The aches and pains were real. BUT… they were probably the same little aches and pains that I can normally just run through and will go away in short order. In my head, though, I was having a good race and the “big race” was looming only a short, 30 days away. And with that, I did what was probably the smart thing and backed off.

I worked into a rather manageable pace and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the race. I thanked twice as many volunteers as I even normally would and interacted with the crowds lining Broad Street like never before. Something I would not have been able to do if I would have been hammering the whole way home.





In the end, I was very happy with my race. A great swim and a great bike were followed by a good, not great, run. Sadly, this meant I was a few minutes slower, this year, than last year. But, I finished with a huge smile, am healthy and ready for my “big race”, and know that I will one day return to beautiful Augusta to capture that personal record!





And now, all focus is on moving forward… IRONMAN Florida! Panama City Beach, Florida. Saturday, November 1, 2014, baby!

Surviving the "KILLER Brick"!

In late-March I told you about the "CRAZY Brick", interval workout that the coaches over at TriAttic (http://www.TriAttic.com) hosted for area triathletes. You can read all about that workout and the lessons learned in my "Oh no, Let's Go... Crazy Brick!" post.


Last Sunday, my journey to my first IRONMAN at IRONMAN Florida went through a workout my coach calls a "KILLER Brick"! The "KILLER Brick" is done as:

• Bike 40-miles / Run 4-miles.
• Bike 30-miles / Run 3-miles.
• Bike 20-miles / Run 2-miles.
• Bike 10-miles / Run 1-mile.

Total mileage for the workout is 100-miles on the bike and 10-miles on the run!

This workout is great for helping you lock in your hydration/nutrition and especially for getting your body used to that transition from bike to run! If you think a standard brick will help you get in touch with how your legs feel when you run right off the bike, imagine what doing it four times in one workout will do!

Other than the logistical issues and longer "transitions", as you lock up your bike and occasionally refill your bottles from your cooler between sets, there are really no downsides compared to the many great things to learn from this workout.

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My "KILLER Brick" workout started with temperatures in the upper-60s. The workout ended a little under 8-hours later with temperatures in the lower-90s.

The "step-down" nature of the sets are a real psychological benefit to this particular workout. After the first set, you're "Nearly halfway done!" Well, 40% done, to be exact, but I trick my brain into thinking "nearly halfway". Then, as you're doing the second set, you realize that the second set is the combined distance of the third and fourth set. And, when you're done with the second set, you're "Nearly three-fourths of the way done!"

Yes, these little mind-games really helped me get through this one. Naturally, the challenge grew as the day progressed and the temperature rose. However, I managed to stay completely tuned in to my effort, my hydration, and my nutrition.

Assessing the overall workout afterwards, it really struck me that, even if I kept the excessive transition times in my total workout time, I'd still have over 9 hours to complete a 2.4-mile swim, an additional 12-mile bike, and an additional 16-mile run. So, if I even took 2 hours to do the swim, rode the last 12-miles at a 12 mph pace for 1 hour, and then walked the 16-miles at a 20:00 min/mi, I'd still finish well under the 17-hour cutoff. I'd have 40 minutes to spare, in fact!


While a 16-hour IRONMAN isn't what I'm planning, the confidence I gained, that I can do this, from the KILLER Brick was huge!

So, get out there and tackle a KILLER Brick to build your confidence! And if you're successful, feel free to grab a little bite to eat after, as a reward!

One In A Row!

As triathletes, we all have fears. Fear of not living up to our potential and meeting our own goals. Fear of not living up to the expectations of others. Fear of not finishing. And, many more! These certainly apply to my IRONMAN journey. More important than the fears themselves are how we proactively deal with those fears. Some common recommendations for dealing with fears are:

• Breaking Down Roadblocks: Creating a roadmap of individual tasks that will help you gain confidence. This is more valuable than simply focusing on the overwhelming totality of your final goal.
  
• Facing Your Fears: Once you've identified the individual tasks, you set out to accomplish them. You face those fears and put them aside. Examples for IRONMAN training might be completing your first 100-mile+ bike ride, completing your first half-IRONMAN distance triathlon, completing your first open water swim, etc.
• Don't Compare Yourself to Others: I sincerely hope you read my previous post, "How to ALWAYS Win!", on Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation?! MOST people will perform better and be much happier by being intrinsically motivated. Find what is inside you and within YOUR abilities and focus on that. This not only applies to races, but to individual training events! You might outswim, outbike, and outrun your training partner 99% of the time. Do NOT let an off day allow fear to creep in or intensify.
• Begin: Making the decision to simply start breaking down roadblocks by facing your fears is a commitment to finish!

One of the ways I have dealt with MY fears has been to set goals and milestones. These were roadblocks to be broken down as I faced my fears. One of my biggest goals was to do my BEST to NOT miss workouts. I am not Superman. I did not have any false, fixed expectations of not missing a single workout during the months and months of training I was undertaking for IRONMAN Florida. More than most, I have an incredibly supportive employer, family, and network of friends. They have all gone above and beyond to ensure that the daily requirements of work, family, and life, in general, have not stood in my way anymore than necessary. I plan to devote an entire post to this amazing support system in the future!

By now, I hope you have also read my "IRONMAN Florida Training Camp Lessons!" post about my big, IRONMAN Florida Training Camp?! This was a weekend of big workouts and a very important milestone in my journey. Having less than stellar workouts weighed heavily on me physically and mentally. For some reason, I also did not sleep very well during the weekend. Regardless of the weekend's let-downs, I reached deep and managed to rally and have a really strong swim on Monday.

Then, Tuesday dawned with lots of promise. Throughout the day, I was watching the weather closely and it looked like having to head home a bit early, after an eye care appointment with my youngest daughter, was going to be a real blessing! An early start might allow me to get in a tough, 1:40 bike workout just before the heavier rains came in. The weather wasn't on my side, this day. Leaving my daughter's appointment, we were met by heavy rains. By the time we got home, the rain was accompanied with thunder and lightning. No outdoor ride, for sure. Feeling a little more tired than usual, I was going to pass on a hard, trainer workout and maybe do a nice, one-hour spin to at least get something positive in.

After dinner with my daughters, I decided to take a very uncharacteristic nap. Two hours later, I awoke to stumble downstairs, give the girls final instructions for the evening, and promptly return to bed. My eyes didn't open again until the alarm went off at 4:15 am for the next day's swim workout. It was official, workouts for Tuesday... MISSED! Streak over!

When speaking with people who are undertaking "streaks" of one kind or another, you often hear of a kind of relief once that streak comes to an end. I guess I do feel that to some degree. Putting things in perspective, my body was clearly in need of some quality rest. We are always encouraged to "listen to our bodies", but often fail to do so. Based on how I felt the next day, I'm really glad I listened.

Another key thing that I've always understood and support is something I saw stated, better than I ever could have, in a recent Triathlete magazine article, "A well-planned training regimen is not a fragile house of cards, and one missed workout (even a big one) will not cause the house to come tumbling down."


As a mediocre, at best, age group athlete, there is no "Kona slot" in my future. I'm doing this (IRONMAN) to find what I'm capable of. I have an outstanding coach and my plan is not a house of cards. My journey will not come crashing down based on missing this or possibly even some additional, future workouts!

BUT... I did wake up, completely refreshed, at 4:15 am the next day. I shaved and got myself to the pool for a 1-hour swim workout. My 100-yard swim times were well below my usual T-Pace. I felt GREAT after! My workout streak became ONE IN A ROW! One. In. A. Row! Woot! Yahoo! Let's do this!!!

IRONMAN Florida Training Camp Lessons!

This past weekend, I came face-to-face with one of the milestones I have had for my IRONMAN Florida journey since well before even signing up. Watching my friends accomplish their IRONMAN Florida dreams last year, I made note of the incredible sense of accomplishment and confidence they gained from attending the IRONMAN Florida Training Camp. I wanted that sense of accomplishment, the confidence, and the camaraderie offered by the IRONMAN Florida Training Camp. I counted down the days.

The 2014 IRONMAN Florida Training Camp, hosted by LifeSport Coaching, with coaches from LifeSport Coaching (http://lifesportcoaching.com/) (Chuck Kemeny and Marci Gray), Velocity Multisport Coaching (http://www.velocitymultisport.com/) (Jennifer Vogel), and Revolutions Triathlon Coaching (http://www.revtricoaching.com/) (Jeff Bowman) was held the weekend of September 12 - 14 at the amazing Laketown Wharf in beautiful Panama City Beach, Florida!. This offered a chance to swim, bike, and run the IRONMAN Florida course with first-class support from a dedicated and super-helpful group of volunteers. Evening educational/Q&A sessions and networking with the other 80+ athletes in attendance was incredible!

One of the personal highlights of the weekend was finally getting to meet the incomparable Shawna Block. Shawna is an incredible triathlete and fellow blogger. Having followed the blog detailing her IRONMAN Florida journey, I have consistently wondered if she could actually be as personable and down-to-earth as she reads in her blog. Somehow… she is! Shawna is probably one of the most genuine people I have met in my life! Please go get to know Shawna over at her Building Block blog at: http://buildingblockblog.blogspot.com/.

Now, before I get to the main point of this post, I just want to, again, stress how AMAZING all of the coaches and volunteers were. They did an AMAZING job of keeping up with the 80+ athletes on the 100-mile+ bike course, the 14-mile run course, and during the mass, swim start practice on the beach. We were kept safe and well-supported throughout the weekend. Just an amazing bunch and I am grateful for their time!

Did I mention that they charged NOTHING for this training camp?! Instead, they simply invited attendees to make a voluntary donation to a collection of three charities selected by the coaches! It was an awesome feeling to get so much from this camp AND know that I was also able to do something for some very worthy causes! In fact, if you would like to make a donation (Every little bit helps!) to these worthy causes, please click here before Friday, September 19, 2014: http://www.microgiving.com/cause/im-training-camp-fundraiser-for-cops-for-kids-south-city-multisport-club-and-dsaj

Now, on to the good and bad of IRONMAN Florida Training Camp. My goal on Saturday was to ride 100+ miles of the IRONMAN Florida course. At the beginning of the ride, I had a number of things I wanted to “focus” on during this ride. I wanted to get a really good feel for the course and memorize as many landmarks as possible. Cutting my rides/runs up into chunks helps me get through them and know when and where I need to put out and pull back on my energy usage. Knowing, “I have a pretty good downhill stretch after this turn!” or “There is a turn coming up after this stretch and the wind will be at my back!”, can be a big help on race day! Another point of focus, as always, was to stay on top of my hydration and nutrition. When it was time to eat, I was eating. When it was time to take a SaltStick, I was taking a SaltStick. When it was time to drink, I was drinking. I started off slower than I wanted to and picked it up after the first 11 miles. There, I made a few, very crucial mistakes.

My minor goals were given too much focus and I lost focus of the most important goals. I did not pay attention to what should ALWAYS be your main goal… knowing your plan and listening to your body. I simply did not stay within my goals for effort. For me this can be measured by heart rate and/or rate of perceived effort (RPE). In hindsight, BOTH of these were telling me that I was riding too hard.

The day of the bike at IRONMAN Florida Training Camp saw temperatures in the mid-90’s with a heat index well into the 100’s. Fortunately, this was not that foreign to me and I had trained in similar and even hotter. The problem I encountered was that, even though I stayed on top of my hydration and nutrition for my NORMAL effort, I was not taking in enough electrolytes for the increased effort I was putting out that day. 

The heat and the increased effort depleted my electrolytes. Going up the steep incline of the bridge, at mile 89, I started feeling the first twinges of cramping. I went over the bridge at an easy pace and pulled into a parking lot shortly after. I was doing OK until I got off of the bike to stretch. I was immediately hit with cramps. My legs (quads) locked up, tight. I have a pretty good idea that this was related to electrolytes as I was cramping everywhere… legs, groin, arms, feet, and even my jaw. Fortunately, I was not completely disabled by this and was able to do some light stretching and quickly mounted back up. The final 11+ miles were completed much, much slower than my normal pace, but I was really trying to save myself for the rest of the weekend’s workouts.(Bridge Photo)

Of all of the negatives I brought upon myself that day, I still managed to find some positives. The biggest was that I did a good job of realizing I was in trouble and changing things up to minimize the damage. Continuing to push would have been catastrophic! As it was, I was able to get back, replenish electrolytes and ended up having a very respectable swim that afternoon and ~14-mile run the next morning! Even with a body still sore from the cramping!

I have worked very hard this year and have had some really terrific, long workouts. I think this lead to a certain amount of complacency. IRONMAN Florida Training Camp could not have come at a better time to give me a proverbial smack on the nose to remind me that I am not impervious to suffering if I go to hard. You can rest assured that no matter what happens during the rest of my training and on race day, I am going to remember to always put the main focus on my plan and staying in touch with my effort as it compares to that plan!

Respect for IRONMAN!

I was raised to be respectful and with the belief that, when earned, compliments are free to give and usually quite welcomed. Serving in the U.S. Army for eight years, I learned more about “respect”, one of the Army’s listed, key values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage). Later in my military career, I served as a Behavioral Science Specialist (Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work, etc.). This gave me an even more in-depth look at the almost mystical power of a compliment.

Compliments are the simplest way to deliver praise and show our respect. They demonstrate awareness of the positive achievements of those around us. Even the most modest of people will benefit from being the object of a compliment. And… we benefit from the act of giving a compliment! Finally, not only does a compliment recognize past achievements, it is a very powerful motivator. People will often re-double their efforts to do even more of what solicited the positive feedback!

With this primer on respect and compliments out of the way, let me clarify that I am not an idol-worshipper. Oddly enough, I am more thrilled by the prospect of watching someone new to triathlons conquer their first open water swim than I would be meeting Olympian, Michael Phelps. I attribute this to how I think of myself as an “everyman”. I was never particularly “great” at any one thing, but that never stopped me from doing the best that I could at whatever activity I was engaged in. In the vein of “it takes one to know one”, I find myself rooting for the “everyman” and being more in awe of their achievements. Being one of them, I know what it takes to achieve their goals.

This brings me to IRONMAN. I have finished my base phase and, this weekend, will complete my first build phase. My coach put a very nice and motivating little message at the beginning of next week’s workout. It essentially said that I am doing great, about to begin my “Major Build Phase”, and to keep up the good work. Without looking at it again, I am not sure if it said something like that or, “Mwahahahahaha! Prepare to REALLY suffer!!!” I am afraid to confirm what it really says because I sort of black out every time I start looking at it…

All joking aside, I have always had a very deep respect for anyone able to train for and complete an IRONMAN triathlon. After spectating last year’s IRONMAN Florida, I could not say, “Good job, IRONMAN!” to enough of those weary finishers. The power of that compliment/acknowledgement was AMAZING! Their backs would straighten, they would stop wincing for a few seconds, smile, and offer a quiet, “Thank you!” I almost tear up thinking about it again.



That was probably one of the more powerful memories from that amazing experience. So much so, that when things are toughest, somewhere on the dark streets around mile-20 of the marathon, THIS is the thought I will pull up to help me push through my IRONMAN Florida 2014 bid. Yes, I want to hear the announcer say, “Ronald Harrison… YOU are an IRONMAN!”, but I think I will be even more emotional just hearing, “Good job, IRONMAN!” from friends, family, and strangers.




I have often heard that the actual IRONMAN race was just a celebration of all of the hard work done just to get to the starting line. As I live through that, it becomes so much more than just words. It is so much more than just the training. I have jokingly written about the number of bike bottles I have to clean each week and the amount of dirty laundry from all of this training. And, I am sincerely flabbergasted by how much effort I have to put in to packing multiple gym bags and backpacks when I have a swim before work, a run or bike after work, and God-forbid, a family or social obligation after THAT! If you see me wearing running shoes with my suit and dress shoes on a run, just shyly point it out?!


So, here is to you, IRONMAN! I just want to let you know that I am one of your biggest fans. My respect for you is growing every day, every mile, every dirty bike bottle, every load of laundry, and every time I pack another gym bag! I admire you more than words can express and hope to one day, soon, be like you!



OK, time to go look at next week’s workouts…

Find YOUR Confidence!

Sunday called for the first and shortest "Big Day" workout I will be completing on my way to IRONMAN Florida. This consisted of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 1.5-hour run. All meant to be executed as I would on race day, mimicking the intensity, equipment, clothing, hydration, nutrition, etc.

I showed up at the pool at 10 am only to realize that I had misread the hours on their website and the pool didn't actually open until 11:30 am. With thunderstorms projected for mid-afternoon, I decided that waiting around to start my swim would be ill-advised. I jumped forward and decided to do the bike, run, and then the swim. I figured this change would just increase my chances of missing the afternoon showers on the bike and run.

Well, the weatherman forgot to tell Mother Nature about his little "forecast". Within ten minutes of starting my ride, the rain started. Slowly, at first, but picking up intensity until it became a full-on downpour. The rain drops were huge and started to actually hurt. Visibility was becoming worse and worse and the roads were starting to become more obscured by debris and puddles. This first squall lasted ~45 minutes before breaking up into clear patches with periods of light rain. I was finally able to pick up the pace and hoped that the worst was over. I made the final turn for the last 14-mile stretch when the sky darkened and an even worse storm hit. This one not only had a wall of rain, it came complete with thunder, lightning, and swirling winds!

I made it back to my truck, changed, and started my run in what had turned into a very light rain. I would normally welcome the cooling rain on a run, but after being so waterlogged on the bike, a squishing, sloshing 1.5-hour run was not the highlight of the day. The worst part was thinking about the effect that the early, but distant, rumbles of thunder were going to have on my swim. Our local pools are definitely safety-conscious and will close at even the hint of a rumble of thunder!

Somehow, my luck turned. I finished my run, quickly drove to the pool, and ended up being greeted with a beautiful, sun-drenched, afternoon swim! YAY! Big Day #1, SURVIVED! And therein lies my confidence builder.

Rather than be disappointed by a slower than normal bike pace or a truck full of sweaty, stinky gear holding more water than I thought remotely possible, I looked for the positives. I found things to help build my confidence. Well, at least my confidence that if I'm faced with a rainy, stormy, waterlogged race day, I'm going to be able to make it!

Personally, I am building the most confidence by being as consistent as I can be with my training. Life happens, so it is nearly impossible to hit the mark and complete every workout, meeting every goal for that workout. And, we always have to listen to our bodies and our mental health! Physically, there are DEFINITELY those days where skipping a workout is going to be much, much more beneficial than simply slogging through with poor form. Psychologically, mental fatigue (burnout) is real and must be avoided. VERY few of us are trying to make a living at this, right?! So, if it is supposed to be fun and it becomes no longer fun, why do it?! Do not get to that point. Take a break when needed.

What have you done to find YOUR confidence?

• Fixed a flat tire.
• Completed a particularly difficult workout.
• Felt GREAT after that long swim, bike, or run.
• Conquered an open water swim.
• Made yourself get up for that EARLY morning workout.
• Made yourself go to bed so you can get up for that EARLY morning workout. (LOL!)
• Put together days or weeks of consistent training.
• Pushed through that workout in inclement weather.

Like stacking up bricks in a wall or tying knots in a rope, think of each brick or knot as one of those accomplishments you have had during your training. Look not only for the obvious accomplishments, but for the successes that are the result of overcoming adversity!

I tend to think that the lessons learned and confidence gained by overcoming adversity can be more valuable. After all, what will you likely find more valuable on race day, the confidence/ability to change a flat tire or the memory of the personal record (PR) you set at that early season race?

Start stacking up your bricks or tying your knots! Your day is coming!