Seven Week Itch
These are the weeks every endurance triathlete waits for. The Final Seven. Two more peak periods then taper. The beginning and the end of long, grueling, sweaty, calorie zapping workouts.
Multiple mile swims; twenty plus mile runs; and multiple one hundred plus mile bike rides. When those workouts are packaged as bricks or "two-a-days" then you get big three to four thousand calorie burning days. Ironman anyone? What the heck are we thinking?
Yesterday I watched about ten minutes of the 2012 Ironman Kona broadcast that re-ran on NBC. I had tried to not turn it on. A friend even texted to see if I was watching it. "Nope," I responded. "Makes me too anxious." He said, "I get it."
When I watch it, I can smell it, hear it, and even feel it. I don't feel the grueling parts like keeping my feet moving during the run, but instead I feel the vibe in the air, the pulsating of my heart - and everyone else's - the staggering silence the morning of the event walking down Ali'i Drive to transition; the power of the ocean start; the thump of the helicopters hovering overhead; the blaring music that always feels surreal at 6am; the starting canons explode across the Pacific; the heavy breathing when you put your face down for those first strokes of the swim; and most of all I feel that indescribable hollowness in the pit of my stomach (which I think is in my soul ;-) thinking about the daunting task head, but the amazing finishes and stories of accomplishment we have all witnessed from this event. Overwhelming.
So for the first time in a year and a half, I turned on an Ironman recap. By myself, sitting alone (except for the adopted farting bulldog, the Viagara heart patient dog, and the First Year Of College Tuition Dog, I was like a chocoholic sneaking a Lindt bar from the back of the pantry. I turned on the TV and Julie Moss was featured. Julie did her first Ironman in her 20's - and it was Kona. She did it as a research project for her exercise physiology thesis; I'm guessing she got more data than she bargained for ;-) I'm sure you have seen footage of her finish for years. In the final mile she is stumbling, crawling, sprawling, limping, collapsing, and then dragging herself to the finish. Ironically enough, that was the year I graduated from high school. I'm pretty sure I had no idea what Ironman even was at that time. I was focused on my first year of college at The University of Texas, competitive waterskiing slalom, trick, and jump - and oh, most importantly, pursuing the relationship that was just a couple months old with Steve :-) Ironman what??
But when watching the broadcast this weekend, there was Julie Moss, out of body, trying to make her way to the finish line.
Multiple mile swims; twenty plus mile runs; and multiple one hundred plus mile bike rides. When those workouts are packaged as bricks or "two-a-days" then you get big three to four thousand calorie burning days. Ironman anyone? What the heck are we thinking?
Yesterday I watched about ten minutes of the 2012 Ironman Kona broadcast that re-ran on NBC. I had tried to not turn it on. A friend even texted to see if I was watching it. "Nope," I responded. "Makes me too anxious." He said, "I get it."
When I watch it, I can smell it, hear it, and even feel it. I don't feel the grueling parts like keeping my feet moving during the run, but instead I feel the vibe in the air, the pulsating of my heart - and everyone else's - the staggering silence the morning of the event walking down Ali'i Drive to transition; the power of the ocean start; the thump of the helicopters hovering overhead; the blaring music that always feels surreal at 6am; the starting canons explode across the Pacific; the heavy breathing when you put your face down for those first strokes of the swim; and most of all I feel that indescribable hollowness in the pit of my stomach (which I think is in my soul ;-) thinking about the daunting task head, but the amazing finishes and stories of accomplishment we have all witnessed from this event. Overwhelming.
So for the first time in a year and a half, I turned on an Ironman recap. By myself, sitting alone (except for the adopted farting bulldog, the Viagara heart patient dog, and the First Year Of College Tuition Dog, I was like a chocoholic sneaking a Lindt bar from the back of the pantry. I turned on the TV and Julie Moss was featured. Julie did her first Ironman in her 20's - and it was Kona. She did it as a research project for her exercise physiology thesis; I'm guessing she got more data than she bargained for ;-) I'm sure you have seen footage of her finish for years. In the final mile she is stumbling, crawling, sprawling, limping, collapsing, and then dragging herself to the finish. Ironically enough, that was the year I graduated from high school. I'm pretty sure I had no idea what Ironman even was at that time. I was focused on my first year of college at The University of Texas, competitive waterskiing slalom, trick, and jump - and oh, most importantly, pursuing the relationship that was just a couple months old with Steve :-) Ironman what??
But when watching the broadcast this weekend, there was Julie Moss, out of body, trying to make her way to the finish line.
She was in first place when she physically started giving out. But her mind was determined. She had been expected to win, and then despite all the fortitude it took to get there, she was passed within yards of the finish. Her interview reflecting on the experience was very humbling. She said she was mad and upset for all of about 10 seconds. Then she did an about face and realized what she had just taken part in and how thankful she was to finish.
That's what Ironman is all about. Frankly, that's what training is all about, too. For the next seven weeks during odd hours of the day, getting up and knocking down those God-foresaken "long" workouts to get them checked off the "must do" list is all about "getting it done". But again, it's not about being upset about having to do it. It's about the opportunity to get out, move, breathe, and accomplish. Triathlon has been touted as a platform "where anyone can compete against oneself." Where finishing first isn't the goal, but competing against one's "inner desire to quit, and against any weakness or lack of will hidden deep within one's heart." (Experience Magazine, 2004) Whether competing or training (or whatever the "monkey" is on your shoulder that is trying to keep you from stepping up to the plate ;-) we are all working to conquer that inner voice chanting "don't do it."
So today, one swim and one run, "done", and one bike trainer ride still to go (not to mention that quick zip down the lake on my slalom ski 'just for the fun of it' :-) These next seven weeks are getting done. That little monkey telling me to sleep in or skip the bike ride can turn his frown upside down and come along for the ride, because on this shoulder there are seven awesome weeks to go of training with a purpose that's going to be fun!
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