In Over My Head

Oh my goodness.  What have I gotten myself into?  I'm definitely feeling more than a little overwhelmed right now.  I knew it was going to be tough, and was going to take up a significant amount of my time, but seeing it all laid out in front of me is an entirely different situation.

You see, I've decided to do an Ironman this summer.  For those of you not initiated into the world of Ironman triathlons, that's 140.6 grueling miles of competition, consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run.  For most, that probably sounds like hell.  For me, it sounds like an outstanding challenge.

So, why am I overwhelmed right now?  It's not like I didn't know this was a serious undertaking; I've done enough Half-Ironman events to know that.  But, this time, it's different.  This race is double the distance of anything I've ever done, and double the commitment.  So, I've decided to train the right way, and really take it seriously.  In the past, I've followed training schedules of my own making, and have done well enough, but I thought I could do better with a proper coach.  Enter Mile High Mountain Sports, Coach Kathy, and the TriBella women's team.  I'm counting on them to keep me accountable, challenge me, and help me prepare for this race at a much more competitive level than I could on my own.

Again, why am I overwhelmed?  Well, Coach Kathy just sent me the first few weeks of my training schedule, and it isn't pretty.  It's much more technical and focussed than anything I've ever done: fartleks, intervals, tempos, and a whole lot of training jargon that I'm not quite sure I understand.  Just looking at the proposed workouts makes my head spin.  While I understand this is exactly what I need, it doesn't make it any less intimidating.  It really makes me question whether or not I've gotten in over my head.

But I don't have time to panic.  The race is only 6 months away, so I just have to throw myself into this,  and do the best I can.  As the weeks and months go by, the training will begin to make more sense, and will become more intuitive.

I'm going to start writing regular updates to my training, to help keep track of my progress.  So, I guess the countdown to Ironman Canada is beginning.  6 months and counting...