Decisions

I'm thinking about withdrawling from Ironman Texas. It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately and going back and forth with. I'm still not 100% sure what my decision will be, but right now I am leaning towards withdrawling.

There are several factors that have caused me to re-think this race. While there are personal reasons having to do with simply having too much on my plate and needing to focus, and those reasons may be more than enough by themselves, for the purposes of this blog the one reason I want to talk about is my running.

I've been running very well (for me) lately. I have raced A LOT the past few months and keep doing better and better - and this is all without following a training plan for running, not really watching my nutrition and not resting. It really got me thinking about what I could do if I hired a coach, followed a plan with specific peaks/valleys worked into training and really keyed in on my nutrition. I've never had any formal training with running, and I would really like to see what I am capable of. And, really, the bottom line is that I simply love to run. I enjoy triathlon, but sometimes it's more of a chore than a hobby to me. Ironman training requires me to cut back on my running, which I don't really want to do.

Training for an Ironman requires 15-20+ hours per week of training (or if not actual training time, then training-related time), maybe more, if you factor in drive time. It’s an incredible sacrifice not only for the individual, but that individual’s friends and family. Then there is the money involved in getting to the event and back. For me, to spend upwards of 400 hours on training and a few thousand dollars on travel and lodging, only to end up not being excited about the event makes me re-think my participation.

I haven't really started to train for this Ironman. I've been running and doing a little swimming, but my biking has been non-existent. I keep telling myself "this will be the week I start Ironman training", then the week comes and goes and I've done nothing but run. I’m having a super hard time getting a fire lit under my ass. I HATE people who complain about Ironman training. No one MAKES you do it. My theory has been if you’re going to complain about it and hate it don’t do it! Which has gotten me thinking...

I don’t really have anything to prove. I don’t feel like doing a 2nd Ironman or improving my time by 8 or 19 or 47 minutes will make me a better person. I feel like the work to reward pay off has diminished having done it once.

I have some hard choices to make. Pay attention to what I’m feeling and walk away from IM Texas before I’ve invested a ton of time into the training to pursue other things that make me happier at the moment. The risk is that I will regret my decision and wish that I was out there when May 21st comes around....