The longer road to Ironman

We are now finishing up our 2nd week of training (only 9.5 months to go) and so far so good. I am a slow runner but I have completed 2 marathons in the past and have done 2 half marathons this year so I know I can cover the distance... eventually. I just started on the bike last summer and still need to build some climbing power but I have completed a few 60 mile rides on moderate hills so I know I will be OK there as I build on my hill training. The problem is my swimming. I just learned to swim last year and an argument can be made that I still don't know how to swim. It is frustrating because I have made huge improvements in my mechanics but I still struggle to do more the 50 yards at a time. I go to the pool and see people who are less conditioned then me thrashing through the water doing sets of 200 or more while I struggle to do a single lap. I've been swimming for a year and still can't do more then a lap at a time. My only saving grace is that I swim very differently in a wet suit. I am still a poor swimmer in a suit but at least I can cover distances.

I bring all of that up to explain why my week has been so up and down. We did track workouts and bike workouts and I felt great! I am slow but able to complete the workouts with the team and not feel like I shouldn't be here. Then we hit the pool. At first, everything is OK because we are doing drills and I have been doing many of these drills for months and I am right there with the rest of my group. Then we get to swimming 50s and I am still right there. Next we need to do 100s and 150s and I fall way back again. There is still a lot of season left, but it is frustrating to be 16 months from learning how to swim and still be so far behind.

Anyway, that is my emotional rollercoaster for the week. We are getting together tonight to start fundraising and then tomorrow I get to help cheer on my former team as they get ready for Treasure island! That will get me motivated again and feeling good!

Until next time...