Ironman Louisville Training 2018 {Week 17}

Another peak week in the books! I had planned to cycle a couple more hours, but am happy with 16 hours in the books. 

I’m still tired. I’m still emotional at the lamest things. I’m completely ready for this training cycle to end with a great day in Louisville in less than 3 weeks. I go back and forth about feeling meh about training and feeling optimistic that I’ll cut hours off the bike and run compared to IM Wisconsin. It’s difficult to compare running races to each other, but triathlons are so incredibly different. Regardless, I’m shooting for a several hour reduction in time compared to 2016. More on my race “Goalz” in a week or 2. 

Bears home opener. Was bummed it wasn’t a flyover. 

Lowlights; 

Waking up before 4am every single day. Sleeping in would be if I set the alarm for 4:30. While the sunrises are beautiful most days,  it’s difficult to exist on an average of 5.5 hours of sleep a night. Working 47 hours a week + taking care of my family means all my workouts are before work. It would be so much easier to do doubles, but I think I’d get less sleep. 

Not being able to open water swim. There were beach hazard warnings issued again this past weekend. To feel confident, I just need one or 2 times  in my wetsuit. I am good at talking myself off the ledge during races if things get rough. 

Craving food I usually don’t eat. I have been craving red meat for the past week. I usually have red meat less than 1x a month- but I’ve eaten way more than that lately. I must be lacking in iron or other nutrients/ minerals. 

Highlights:

Booking a distillery tour while we are in Louisville. I also booked dinner reservations at an amazing place I’ve wanted to go to since I saw the chef on Top Chef a few years ago. Friday will be a fun busy day in Louisville between checking in to the race and the tour and dinner. I’m also trying to make the weekend about something other than the race for L so he enjoys it too. 

Big coach hanging out with me while I cycled. 

Having a mid month run with my run club. A photographer from Runners World followed us around because we will be featured in an upcoming article about the Chicago area run groups before the marathon. It’s always so wonderful to see old friends and make new ones!

I swam 2000 yards and it was ok. I had to stop and adjust my goggles and ear plugs multiple times. But otherwise I felt really good. 

I love my new cap. I had to get a new one because my other one was about to rip. Couldn’t justify buying a solid color one. I wanted something ridiculous. 

Looking forward:

I’m excited for a few hour reduction in workouts this week. I’ll be aiming for around 14 hours total. I guess it’s “taper.” I don’t know what I’ll do with all of my extra “free time.!?” Ha ha ha 

I need to figure out my nutrition plan for the bike. I’m debating between using Maurten and salt or going with some SiS gels + small bites of food. Once I get to the run I’m good. I just don’t want to feel like I’ve eaten at a buffet by the time I get to the run. 

Derpy Ze. 

The potential for chilly weather is starting to freak me out a bit too. I’m worried about how cold I’ll get on the bike post swim. I also don’t want to freeze on the run. If this was just a marathon, I know exactly what I’d wear. But since the run will be at a lower effort than my “racing marathon pace” I’ll have to dress a bit warmer. I plan on wearing a short sleeve jersey for the bike- and have a wind proof (?) vest I can wear.  I’ll know better in a few more weeks, but this is the kind of crap that’s going through my head now. (I know I know- basically a waste of time currently!)

We picked a bunch of peppers from the balcony garden yesterday. So many scorpion, reapers, habanero,  biquinhos and baccatums! Most of them are being dried to be turned into powder. We are also making chili oil, and have pickled  the Biquinhos. 

This week I’m running a 10 mile race on the lakefront. I’m excited to be in a race environment even though it will be on tired legs. 

To do list:

•figure out nutrition on bike

•quit thinking about the Louisville weather for another week

•eat better/drink less this week to feel good for the 10 miler 

•continue to get as much rest as possible

•start making a “packing list” for IM race weekend

•figure out how to get a Dunkin’ Donuts ham egg cheese croissant into my bike special needs bag without it going rancid. 

•decide which beer to put in my run special needs bag

•be more positive about everything. 

•focus on giving my best effort in my workouts this week. Keep easy, easy. Push on the hard workouts. 

Less than 3 weeks to go! 😂😛💥🤔🤮😭