Work to do

When I first set out on this journey almost 2 years ago, I don't think I grasped how much it would change me or how much I would learn about myself.

I have no coach.

I have no formal training plan.

I have only my determination and inner strength.

To spend countless hours by yourself - running, swimming and cycling - is a temporary inconvenience that must be fulfilled to reach the final goal. A goal I chose for myself.

If you can't tell, I'm at a very introspective stage in training. The last 10 days have been filled with just about zero training hours. What started as a rest weekend to go camping turned into travelling to Seattle for business and getting sick. I've run once in 10 days...AND THAT'S IT.

Suffice it to say, I'm a bit concerned about where that leaves me and under 5 weeks to go until race day. Even right now, I sit here at about 90% strength sipping mint tea and reflecting on how to give it my all yet not push myself over the edge, deeper into sickness or burning out.

I swam a mile this morning and it felt like 2 - shoulders and arms about to explode. Not the greatest confidence builder.

I think it's the times like these (which have occurred many times over the last couple years) when that desire to be the best really just takes over and continues to drive my actions and thoughts. It motivates me knowing how much I've done over the months and years rather than just the last 10 days.

I have a pretty good idea of what it's going to take to get to the finish line. It may not be pretty. It may not be the best possible time. But I'll be there. At the finish. Knowing I did my best.

Yes, there's still work to be done.

Training and physics?

Sir Isaac Newton was the man. Think about all the different ways you can apply his third law of physics - "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"

After realizing I missed my cycling workout this morning, I laid in bed considering how Mr. Newton's law had crept up on me.

Wednesdays have become my long swim day coupled with 1.5 hours of cross-training and weights. I spent about 1.5 hours in the pool cranking out 3000 yards (or 2700 m for you metric fans). I had only planned on hitting the 2000 yard mark given that my long swim for the previous week was 1500 yards. Well, there happened to be this gal in the pool while I was there and funny things happen in your brain when there is a little competition (however made-up it might be).

Action, reaction.

Whether it was the idea of letting a girl out-swim me or feeling good and pushing myself to do 10 more laps...and then another 10 more...I did more than I expected Wednesday morning. About 1.7 miles just under 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Rounding out the day was an hour of weights and core exercises. This was cut short by issues we're having with my son and his recent unexplained disdain for the KidZone at the gym.

Action, reaction.

Carvor screams his head off. The gym staff comes to find me. We go home. UGH.

So this morning I was supposed to go cycling - didn't make it.

Action, reaction.

1. (extra) Long swim + weights = I'm pretty sore.
2. Slept through my 3 alarms = I didn't wake up until 5:30 (missed the workout window)

So today, props to Mr. Newton. Because of your stupid law, I'm sore, I overslept and missed my bike ride :)

Newton 1, Trevor 0