Big base, wager!
Iron Camp
Ever since I did my first Triathlon it seems as if I had been chasing a Kona slot. Me and about everyone else doing Ironman racing. I was racing two Ironmans per year giving myself a couple of shots at qualifying. I tracked my progress with various means; Polar heart rate monitors, SRM power meter, both of which I downloaded after every training secession and race. I calculated, parsed numbers, developed various pacing strategies until finally. I got it right. I qualified first at Coeur d ‘Alene and then again that same season at Arizona. Now in stead of focusing on the ever elusive Kona slot, I had my next 14 months already laid out. This was a welcome break but it left me a bit rudderless. I found it much easier to focus on how to get to Hawaii, than actually training for the big day.
When it comes to training I am pretty simple. All I need is a goal. The goal gives me a reason to train and focus. After the race reload and repeat. Since qualifying I had lost that impetus. I spent so much energy on getting there I never thought of what I would do after reaching my goal but I spent plenty of time thinking about what to if I never reached it. That always seemed more likely.
I managed to train last season but it sucked. My motivation was low, I short cut my base, decide I would work more on speed and….by July I was shot. I had drilled myself into a deep hole and had to take three weeks off just to dig out. I rebased in august and got into descent shape by Kona but melted on the course. That pretty much summed up my year. “Crap!” I was glad it was over. I took some time off over the winter gained a bunch of weight and by January was in no mood to start it all over again. I signed up for Coeur d’Alene 2010. I was so unmotivated that I told Amanda maybe we should just skip it. I was really starting to worry about my attitude. Was I burned out? Would I be able to work my way out of this funk? it was at this time that Amanda and I decided to take a trip to Italy in the fall instead of going to Kona, assuming that I could qualify. I was afraid that this might even make my motivation worse. With out Kona as a goal did I really need to train? Whether I did or not I knew a couple of things. I like being in shape and I like being extremely fit. since there is only one way for me to achieve that goal I sat down and laid out my training program. As I wrote it out I thought, with nothing on the line do what ever you want. So I wrote it big, very big. I’ve always wanted to lay down 3 big weeks of cycling (400+ miles per) along with a big run and swim load. Once I had it all down on paper I laughed. That is crazy volume I thought. I sent to Nick for his reaction. He laughed as well. Nick and have the kind of friendship that we can be blunt with each other. No need to sugar coat things. Nick also enjoys smack talking me. When we talked he fired away with “you will crush yourself, you’ll be so smoked that I will be able to blow you up when we go to camp!” “I dare you to try hat schedule, you won’t even make it through second week!” I had no intention of even attempting it. I figured I would use it as a guide but when Nick came at me with both barrels I fired back. I went full on WWE smack talking! After about 5 minutes of back and forth a bet was made and it was game on. I would hit all the volume and Nick would only wok out one hour per day. At Camp we would have a show down.
Thats all it took to snap me out of my funk. FUN! Thats what I had been missing. I had lost sight of what lured me to this life style. a stupid bet between friends was all the motivation I needed. Nick may be right I may be crushed or I might blow him to smithereens in the mountains. It doesn’t really matter either way it will be fun.
By the numbers
week 1: Totals (feeling great!)
Run: 49.0 mi
Bike: 351.0 mi
Sw: 12,000.0 m
Hours: 28.01
Week 2: Totals ( hanging on by a thread!)
Run: 49.3 mi
Bike: 414.0 mi
Sw: 12,000.0 m
Hours: 32.82
Week 3 (??? i’ll let you know)
