Posted by I am taking a cue from @RunningBecause and calling August the month of Accountability. I have been struggling a bit mentally with training lately, instead of starting the day with it I have been leaving it to the end of the day and getting in what I can. No one said training for an Ironman would be easy, but there are some things that are harder than I expected.
Putting in the hard work: this weekend most of my usual weekend riding buddies were out of town or otherwise occupied and therefore I dreaded my 4 hour ride all week. So I procrastinated as long as I could then finally got out on the road in the heat of the day with too little water and no sunscreen–yes, it was an epic fail. Instead of looking at it as something to make me stronger and get me ready, I was just trying to cross it off my list or turn it green in TrainingPeaks. No one is making me do this race–I signed myself up for the Ironman and now I have to do the work to get there and sometimes that is going to mean a long solo ride, but to get to the finish line it must be done.
Dealing with the tireds: the tireds is the name I have given to the general feeling of exhaustion that kind of pervades the long weeks of training. I don’t really get sore from training I just get tired. I posted up on an Ironman Florida Facebook group asking how people deal with the tireds and got some reassurance that I am not the only one dealing with this feeling and some tips for how to deal with it. Some people mentioned rest days, others nutrition…but if nothing else it’s good to know I am not the only one.
Balance: with most things in life moderation is key, but I’ve learned that training for an Ironman does not fall into that category. Can’t really get ready for a full day race by running only 20 minutes a day. Rides on the weekend take up a good portion of the day and some days I am going to the Y before and after work. Add in a job that isn’t always 8 to 5 and other things (volunteer work, housework…) and there’s not much time left for hanging out, dating or just shooting the breeze with folks. So I have to find a balance that fits for me, and sometimes it means having to say no to things that normally I would love to do like a popular 5K or going out on the town.
So now that I know about this stuff, it’s time to ratchet up the mental game and get it done! So feel free to ask me how it’s going but do wait for the answer, if I haven’t posted in a while, prompt me to post and if you would rather not hear about it all feel free to unfollow or put me on mute because if August goes as I hope it will, I will be shouting from the rooftops how excited I am about the progress I am making.
call me koko 
Thanks for that shout-out. I hope that the Accountability theme is working well for you!
I don’t know what plan or schedule you’re using, but I DO know that my husband’s is VERY VERY different from mine because of our schedules. He could NEVER accomplish the volume I can because his job is so different and quite frankly, he gets bored with the hours….so he’s doing just what he needs to do to finish. One of the 1st things I did do besides remove the iPod for all sessions was to count on training alone. I’ve done 100% of my riding and 99% or my running alone and now when someone wants to come with me I get a little pissy…..I’ve got my plans, routes, and routines and I’m not changing them…It’s helped me not rely on anyone or find a reason to procrastinate…It’s amazing how easy it is to get up at 4am when its just you and the idea that it’s time to get some work done….
Good Luck, looks like things are going pretty good though! 🙂
Thanks! I have been better about seeing training as the work to make me stronger in the last couple of weeks which has made it easier for me to make it a priority. I am learning a lot from others online sharing their approach to training, so thanks again for sharing.