Ironman - Where Healthy Hobby Meets All Consuming Obsession

It's really amazing to me how this single event has completely taken over my every thought and action. It seems even more all consuming now that I've had to drastically reduce my training to try and get this knee healed up. Whether it's making arrangements for dog care, reading any of the collection of articles, books and blogs - searching for that kernel that will take me across the line, or just plain obsessing, IM CDA is always there. Even thoughts of starting a new career are only minorly distracting (probably since it's a triathlon related career).

Sunday I sherpa'd for the guys at the Minneapolis Marathon. They were doing the half. It started at 7:00 a.m. (as all great races do). Afterwards we got some Panera. We commented that I would still be out on the bike course. As I went to bed that evening I realized - odds were I'd STILL be out there (not on the bike) - hopefully close to the finish. That's a little daunting to say the least.

Sometimes in the midst of it, I forget how crazy this whole thing really is. A 5 1/2 hour bike ride seems completely normal to me. It's much better than a 3 1/2 hour ride in the basement, even on the computrainer. I mean who doesn't do that? Oh, pretty much everyone.

Rode an easy hour with NS Rob following an open water swim. The knee tightened up pretty good especially in the evening. It's not healed yet. I couldn't get in to PT until tomorrow. I'm hoping my shoes will arrive today (darn these wide feet and the need to order online) so I can put in 3 miles and see how that goes.

I keep trying to tell myself that I have the training in and I'll cross the line. I can't help from wondering though . . . Do I really? Looking back I've missed a couple of significant chunks of time with the bronchitis and now the knee. At this point in my training I should be just about completely wrecked and then bounce back over the next 19 days. Instead I've "tapered" early. I'd be better off if the race was this Sunday (assuming my knee could take it).

Anyhow, all of these self doubts and concerns are totally par for the course. I need to get past them though and trust the work I've done. Remind myself that the goal, the ONLY goal, for me on June 21 is to finish.

I need to ride like my century ride where I spent 1 hour 15 minutes in Zone 1, 4 hours in Zone 2 and 20 minutes in Zone 3. NOT like my Kentucky Half IM where I spent ZERO time in Zone 1, 13 minutes in Zone 2, 2 hours in Zone 3, nearly 1 hour in Zone 4 and 2 minutes in Zone 5.

If I can do that I WILL finish the marathon. I will be an Ironman. It's a matter of having the will to remove the if.

I'd like to get the last brick in the schedule in the books just to see if I can run off the bike. Time will tell.