I'm only doing one so go big or not at all.
I have been thinking about it for months and finally yesterday was the day. Registration for the Barcelona 2015 IRONMAN was officially open.
It meant I could actually register.
It meant I could put my money where my mouth is.
It meant I needed to commit to training so in 364 days I could complete the Barcelona 2015 IRONMAN.
In the 3 minutes it took me to complete the registration I went through a roller coaster of emotions from excited that I am going to do an IRONMAN to what the hell am I doing? Very opposing emotions and thoughts all mixed together. I pressed purchase. I received the notification that I was officially accepted.
Now I have 364 days to do this. I created a training schedule months ago. Physically I just need to maintain my fitness over the next few winter months before I need up the ante and increase the distance. Luckily that means 10 to 15 K runs, 1.5 to 3 K swims and 45 minutes to one hour on the bike throughout the week. It's manageable.
Now I need to start mentally preparing. I'm going to be honest the open water swim and mass start scares me to no end. I've read the books. I've made a mental note of the strategies to employ. I'm just hoping in 363 days, all the training will come together and I will make it out of the water and onto the bike.
I know I can do this. Hopefully writing about my journey will help me cross the finish line before 16:59:59 - my main goal. I just want to hear "Allison Read - you are an IRONMAN".
Tuesday, 7 October 2014
Friday, 24 August 2012
The long run
It has been quite a few years since I have run a longer run in training. Tomorrow I'm going to conquer more than two hours and fifteen minutes - my first time at that in about three years. While I'm looking forward to the run the last time I went through this training I was supported by a great group of ladies in streetsville. Tomorrow I'm on my own - mentally and physically.
It is amazing the world problems one can solve on a long run. Everything seems so clear during a long run. If world leaders went for long runs I think the problems in this world would be solved. Tomorrow I will head along the route through the river valley. For the past few weeks I have run the same route each time stretching my out and back route just a little longer. Each time knowing that if I can just get the first 20 minutes out of the way I can make the next 20 minutes and hopefully before I know it the run is over and I'm faced with my 1.5 k slow, not so gradual hill up to my place where landmarks become sign posts, bus stops and trees so I can make it to the next landmark before evaluating whether I keep going.
I know that this hill will make me stronger - physically and mentally so when I'm faced with mile 16 in the NYC marathon in a few months the mike long climb up and over the Queensboro bridge may not feel so daunting. The over isn't daunting but the up is a little steep!
NYC2012 will be my 17th marathon and third NYC marathon. Here's hoping the next few months of training go smoothly!
Tomorrow I will get out the door for 20 minutes...and plan on coming back in 140 minutes later :)
It is amazing the world problems one can solve on a long run. Everything seems so clear during a long run. If world leaders went for long runs I think the problems in this world would be solved. Tomorrow I will head along the route through the river valley. For the past few weeks I have run the same route each time stretching my out and back route just a little longer. Each time knowing that if I can just get the first 20 minutes out of the way I can make the next 20 minutes and hopefully before I know it the run is over and I'm faced with my 1.5 k slow, not so gradual hill up to my place where landmarks become sign posts, bus stops and trees so I can make it to the next landmark before evaluating whether I keep going.
I know that this hill will make me stronger - physically and mentally so when I'm faced with mile 16 in the NYC marathon in a few months the mike long climb up and over the Queensboro bridge may not feel so daunting. The over isn't daunting but the up is a little steep!
NYC2012 will be my 17th marathon and third NYC marathon. Here's hoping the next few months of training go smoothly!
Tomorrow I will get out the door for 20 minutes...and plan on coming back in 140 minutes later :)
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
the 1/2 ironman beat me
About 12 years ago I joined a learn-to-run 5 K clinic at the Mississauga YMCA...and now I have run 16 marathons and have ventured into the world of triathlons. This year I signed up for the Calgary 70.3 as I fell to some well intentioned peer pressure. A few years ago I attempted the try-a-tri and have completed three of those but my fear of open water swimming has kept me from attempting the longer distances and just sticking with the biking and my first love - running. This was going to be my year to conquer my fear. I began focusing on my endurance freestyle stroke at my Masters Swim class at the Edmonton Don Wheaton YMCA and was comfortably swimming twice the distance in the pool two or three times a week. In fact I was so focused on improving my swimming technique that the bike and run were put on the back burner. After 16 marthons and 2 double mile century rides and a single century ride over the past few years I knew that the shortest part of the 70.3 was going to be my nemesis and needed to be conquered.
I'm not sure what it is about the open water - not knowing what is down below, weeds, fish, unknown things at my feet - but it isn't a YMCA pool! I ventured down to the race course four times before the actual race to try it out. The first day in the water wasn't a success - I managed to swim with my head up for a short distance but a newfoundland dog, fetching sticks in the water, kept sensing my unease and tried to help me to shore - trying to fend off a 100 pound wet dog intent on saving you while keeping ones head above water is not an easy task. On the second day I managed to get my head in the water and swam for about 20 minutes back and forth parallel to the shore about five feet from shore. I considered that a successful day. I figure I swam about 100 metres (if that) ...so only 1,800 metres shy of what I needed to do on the actual race day. Faced with my new found confidence, I attacked the third attempt and figured I managed about 400 metres. For my fourth attempt, the day before race day, I swam for about 20 minutes. I didn't want to tire my arms but felt confident that on race day I would be ready.
Then came race day...having trained and run many marathons before...I know that training and racing are two completely different ball games and no matter how hard you train things can still come off the rails on race day. I managed to get myself in the water before hand and warm up. Warming up is a relative term when the water is about 15 degrees but with the wet suit I was feeling ok. Then came my wave start. After letting a few go before me, I focused and swam to the first buoy. Feeling good, I came up to the second buoy. My freestyle endurance stroke was paying off and the third buoy was insight. Then the wheels came off. Shortly before that buoy, I lost focus and panic set in. I had difficulty breathing and no matter how I tried to refocus, I kept coming up short. Fortunately the kayakers in the water were superb and I managed to back stroke my way into the end of the swim much later than I had hoped but still within the cut off time.
After a quick transition, I hopped on my bike and tried to pedal my way through the rolling foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains to make up the time I lost on the swim. My chain came off and then a short while later my back tire went flat. I managed to get myself back up and functioning on the bike each time but just couldn't recover the extra time I spent in the swim or fixing my back tire and missed the cut off time to start the run.
After an emotional end to my first half ironman attempt, I am back training again for 2013. I will conquer the distance and will not be beaten again.
Before I get to the half ironman - I need to make it through the NYC Marathon. Training for that starts now (a few weeks late but still on target for a comfortable finish). I'm not great at keeping a running journal or log so am hoping that by using this I can keep myself updated on my training and my thoughts.
I'm not sure what it is about the open water - not knowing what is down below, weeds, fish, unknown things at my feet - but it isn't a YMCA pool! I ventured down to the race course four times before the actual race to try it out. The first day in the water wasn't a success - I managed to swim with my head up for a short distance but a newfoundland dog, fetching sticks in the water, kept sensing my unease and tried to help me to shore - trying to fend off a 100 pound wet dog intent on saving you while keeping ones head above water is not an easy task. On the second day I managed to get my head in the water and swam for about 20 minutes back and forth parallel to the shore about five feet from shore. I considered that a successful day. I figure I swam about 100 metres (if that) ...so only 1,800 metres shy of what I needed to do on the actual race day. Faced with my new found confidence, I attacked the third attempt and figured I managed about 400 metres. For my fourth attempt, the day before race day, I swam for about 20 minutes. I didn't want to tire my arms but felt confident that on race day I would be ready.
Then came race day...having trained and run many marathons before...I know that training and racing are two completely different ball games and no matter how hard you train things can still come off the rails on race day. I managed to get myself in the water before hand and warm up. Warming up is a relative term when the water is about 15 degrees but with the wet suit I was feeling ok. Then came my wave start. After letting a few go before me, I focused and swam to the first buoy. Feeling good, I came up to the second buoy. My freestyle endurance stroke was paying off and the third buoy was insight. Then the wheels came off. Shortly before that buoy, I lost focus and panic set in. I had difficulty breathing and no matter how I tried to refocus, I kept coming up short. Fortunately the kayakers in the water were superb and I managed to back stroke my way into the end of the swim much later than I had hoped but still within the cut off time.
After a quick transition, I hopped on my bike and tried to pedal my way through the rolling foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains to make up the time I lost on the swim. My chain came off and then a short while later my back tire went flat. I managed to get myself back up and functioning on the bike each time but just couldn't recover the extra time I spent in the swim or fixing my back tire and missed the cut off time to start the run.
After an emotional end to my first half ironman attempt, I am back training again for 2013. I will conquer the distance and will not be beaten again.
Before I get to the half ironman - I need to make it through the NYC Marathon. Training for that starts now (a few weeks late but still on target for a comfortable finish). I'm not great at keeping a running journal or log so am hoping that by using this I can keep myself updated on my training and my thoughts.
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