Phase 3 "Learning to Endure"

The past few weeks have been about building a base, and it seems that the foundation thus far has been built on solid ground. With the next few weeks being what really tests you mentally and physically, when I opened my Ironguides to the next section, I thought the phase was appropriately named "learning to endure". For those who haven't done an ironman yet, weeks 10 to 17 are what makes your race. Skip out here and there on the sessions, it'll bite you is the ass come race day. Try and smash it out and risk an injury, you have a good chance of it biting you in the ass come race day. It's such a fine line you have to walk, and when you have to do it, when you're constantly tired, achy, and fewer hours spent with the family, you really do endure...

Most of the gang spent this past weekend out at camp in Moolooaba, but with things being what they are, I spent the weekend at home and did some training around here. After the big 200km ride last week, the beginning of the week was tough, but the further I got into it, the better I felt.

Today was a great ride with a couple of the big guns, Scabs and Boom Boom, but I managed to ride comfortable and did a 30 minute run off the bike which was a little tougher than it should have been but good. 4 hours on the bike seemed to fly by and the smack talk was great fun.

All up the week looked like this.

Swimming 11.1km
Cycling 215km
running 33.5km
core 20 minutes

all up just shy of 15 hours.

Starting on Monday, I no longer have just a bike, each session is followed immediately by a run. Not sure how to take this, other than believe in the program and reap the benefits come race day.

The hours keep adding up, the miles more and more, but hey, this is ironman right...not a Sunday walk. I'm holding up well and the drive to keep getting up at strange hours of the morning is a battle I'm currently winning. Yes there's been a couple of mornings where there has been a fight between the two little Richard's on my shoulders, but the smarter one has prevailed and I've gotten out of bed and off to training.

In just over 2 weeks I have a club race to do, another half ironman and I'm really looking forward to it. There's a very good chance it'll be a non wettie swim, but that doesn't bother me one bit. I'm going to have a great race and try a few things that I plan to use come race day on May 1st. That and I managed to get a 25 minute advantage on one of my mates here. It'll be close, but here's hoping I can pull it off.

Keep training and see ya out there.

Rich the fish