Iron News Man - November 18, 2009
Iron News Man
For the past few days I’ve felt anxious. For whatever reason, today I feel a sense of calm, a sense of peace. I can’t pinpoint why I feel better, I just do. Perhaps it’s the realization that, for the most part, my training for Ironman Arizona is over. It’s officially time to trust my training. I think knowing that I have all my triathlon gear ready also helps my state of mind. With a tried-and-true (from previous triathlons) checklist of items to bring I know that I won’t be forgetting a thing! That’s comforting.
I just got a GREAT question from a Twitter friend, “I know you are physically prepared for IMAZ, how about mentally prepared? I think that is as big, if not bigger factor.” Yes, I’m ready. How do I know? I have finished every section of Ironman during my training. Admittedly, it was in pieces, but I know how each section of the swim, bike, and run will feel. The absolute exhaustion will be new, but with no plans to push it, it should be manageable. My philosophy heading into Ironman Arizona is adopted from Keith Davids, the Commanding officer of SEAL Team One, “You must want success. Doing something that is difficult requires that you want to be successful with every fiber of your core. The intense desire to succeed helps you overcome obstacles that crush other people.”
Here’s my TrainingPeaks.com schedule on this final Wednesday before IM Arizona from Triathlon Coach Jason Healey:
Ironman Race Week - Wednesday (for Sunday Race)
Type: Brick
Brick: Bike and Swim.
Bike:
Ride Easy for 45 minutes in Zone 1 and Lower Zone 2. Include 5 x 90 second hard effort intervals spread throughout the entire ride.
Swim:
Swim 30 to 45 minutes at race pace in the pool (include sighting drills).
I’ll do everything from LA Fitness in Valencia. I’ll swim there, and then hop on my Kuota Kueen-K triathlon bike for one final ride before the race. My weight trainer Jordan Yuam and I have decided to go ahead an shut down that part of my schedule. We agree there’s little fitness to be gained and I don’t want to tire or strain a muscle I’ll need for the 2.4-mile swim!
Days until Ironman Arizona: 4!
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