TGIF?

Remember when we used to think, "Thank God, it's Friday!" or TGIF? Well, Fridays have a different meaning in my world these days.

By this time of the week, I'm pretty tired from the nightly routine of swim, bike, run, and lift, that is if I ever lifted. I got in a habit of taking off Thursday nights so I would be rested for the weekend, but managed to do the bike workout last night. So here I am, Friday afternoon, with a long weekend ahead of me and I'm already tired. Not good. Here is the schedule: Fri night: swim 2.4m and run 5m (which I neglected to do this am because of laziness and a rain storm). Sat am: bike 112m (my longest bike yet) and finish the weeks strength routines. Then I'm supposed to head to a Missions meeting Sat night. I'll be comatose by then so I can sleep through the talk. Sunday: run 17m (my longest run yet). If I can get through this weekend unscathed and without injury, then I will build up a huge amount of confidence and mental discipline heading into the last few weeks of intense IM training before the taper. I'll just have to take it like a race, one lap, one pedal, one step at a time.

I have had trouble getting into a training routine through the winter. Part of it is the dark and cold weather outside. Part of it is I have had to "climb the mountain" so to speak of increasing my training volume. Although cautioned against it, I'm already looking ahead to IMAZ in Nov. Whatever my time is at IMAZ in April, I will improve upon it in Nov. Here's why: (1) The weather should be much better so I can stay consistent and get outside more often. (2) My training volume will already be "up there" so I can just keep going, after taking a few weeks off of course, (3) I can focus more on speed than distance. So far, I have been focusing on just getting my distance up there, (4) I should be able to train with some other folks around here, and (5) a little friendly peer pressure doesn't hurt either. Some will be training for CDA, Louisville, Florida, or IMAZ in Nov. Regardless, it will be fun to ride with some folks for a change. Riding by one's self through the outer reaches of Madison County can get boring. So far, I have managed to fight it though.

I found some IM videos on Youtube.com, which I have been watching every night. They get me pumped up and excited about this race! I want to put together my own video too. But it's all about the music. We'll see how it goes. While I want to take both my kids for the full family effect of the race, I also don't want to take them because I don't want any distractions and need to get proper rest for my race. Sorry boys, you may have to sit this one out. Maybe another race, another time. This one is too BIG for me to mess up!

Now after posting what I plan to do for this weekend, we'll see how well I do when I write back on Monday. So far, I have not yet completed all the workouts in a single week that my coach has given me. Sorry Coach K! I have completed most of them though. Missed only one or two long workouts and a couple of short ones during the week. Mainly, I have not done the strength work that is necessary. Each week I tell myself I will "do it"only to come up short, or way short, again and again. I think I have a pretty good routine to follow now. I just have to do it and do it consistently!!!

Oh yeah, I ordered my wet suit this week! It should be here next week so I can do a few polar bear swims before heading to Tempe. Yea! Nothing like a little hypothermia to you ready for a race!

Can't wait to write "Thank God, it's Monday!" Monday is a recovery day! Yea!

Cheers!