I’m trying to remember life before Ironman. For over a year it was out there. It loomed even in the winter, before Ironman training began in earnest.
Now, life is back to normal.
It's back and I'm not sure how I feel. There is the elation, the feeling of did I really do that? The pride that comes with all of the mDot gear. There are the photos on Facebook, and the telling and re-telling of race day. And, then there is a feeling of emptiness, as I predicted there would be. There is no more checking my schedule every morning and see a 4 hr bike + 3000 yd swim on the schedule. There is no more anticipation of race day. And, this has caused me to realize over the past few days that I don't just thrive on a schedule, I need one to function.
So, what's next? Well, I may be crazy or stupid - or both - but I have signed up for Ironman Texas. There has been talk of this race happening for awhile, and it was finally announced 2 weeks ago that an Ironman is coming to the Woodlands on May 21, 2011. Which happens to be my birthday. I took that as a sign, and I could not resist racing in my back yard, so I signed up. My number one concern with this race is the heat. May in Houston will be hot, and it will be humid. But as my coach eloquently stated "It's not called Wimp Man. It's call Ironman."
Until then, I know I need a break. It's been hard for me not to jump right back into training; after all, it has become a part of life, what I am used to, who I am. I went from warp speed to no speed, and that has been particularly tough. On one hand, this is the best thing I could be doing. On the other hand, it's a hard pill to swallow. Over the past several months I've started to identify myself first and foremost as an athlete so this is very new territory for me. But I'm determined not to stress and enjoy the down time for what it is.
But in the meantime, I've set a few goals for myself:
Goal 1: Don't get fat in the off-season. All of the 4th of July holiday food, celebration dinners, etc etc will start to add up if I'm not careful. I'm in a wedding in August and right now the dress fits perfectly; I need to keep it that way.
Goal 2: Do some workouts, but not in a pressured way. Don't ditch my bike completely like I've done in the past; maintain my bike base so I don't have to rebuild it come December.
Goal 3: I ain't riding when it's cold [obviously this applies to Winter. I did some frigid rides last Winter]. Period. If I have to wear leg warmers, a vest, gloves, neck warmer, ear covers, windbreaker, and a parka - screw you guys, I'm going home. That is what my trainer is for.
Goal 4: Focus on other physical hobbies, not triathlon related. Maybe golf? or tennis lessons? Try that boxing class at the rec center?
Goal 5: Focus on work, exploring Austin, and hanging out with friends in a non-training capacity. I missed a lot of happy hours, get togethers, dinners and lunches during training. I want to use the downtime to reconnect with friends and family.
I think this summer will continue to be a great one :)
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