Weary Week...

The magical number is now 10.  Ten weeks from today is Ironman Arizona.  This week the training really started to put the strain on me.  It's not due to the volume of training but rather trying to squeeze in  training between being a Dad to two very rambunctious young boys, working 55+ hours a week and remaining cognizant not to take my lovely wife's generosity for granted.

Monday was my RDO (regular day off) as usual.  Tuesday morning I awoke early to go to the pool for the first time since the week long maintenance closure.  I wasn't the only one eager to get back in the water as there was a line at the counter at 5:30am.  For whatever reason, the line discouraged me as I knew there would be many people lap swimming and I would undoubtedly have to share a lane.  I turned around and went home.  Tueday night after work I ran for an hour and covered 7.22 miles.  In retrospect, skipping the lap swim on Tuesday started the training strain on my body.  I should have just "nutted up" and swam.

Wednesday morning I went to lap swim and shared a lane as usual and could only muster enough energy to knock out 1600 meters.  I just wasn't into the continuous back and forth.  I knew I was going to pick up my road bike that afternoon from the local bike shop so I was anticipating putting some effort into my hour ride.  I got home a little later than expected that night, dressed and hit the road.  I was going to ride up into the canyon and push the pace harder than most of my mid-week rides.  I rode 20.1 miles in 59:49 averaging 20.2mph.  I felt good with that session which put me back into the right frame of mind.

Thursday morning came and I couldn't get my lazy butt out of bed to get to the pool.  Dam it! Another opportunity wasted.  Get with the program Quigley, you're running out of training time!  Ran after work in the heat and covered 3.64 miles in 30:13 or 8:13 avg/mile which is fast for me.  Again I felt like I regained the training focus.

Friday was another day off but not planned.  I told my boys I would take them to the local harvest festival which featured tractor pulls and MONSTER TRUCKS!  The boys had been chomping at the bit all week to go see the trucks and Friday was opening night.  We had to go on opening night so we could see the inital set of junked cars get mowed down by those Monster Trucks!  The boys loved it and it was well worth missing my scheduled ride as we left for the festival as soon as I got home from work.

Saturday morning came early and I decided to go for my long run on a challenging route that I had ridden plenty of times before but never run.  I knew it involved a long climb with a grade of 7% but I was feeling good and thought it would be a fun challenge.  My training called for a 2:15 run.  I ended up running for 1:45:00 and covered 11 miles.  I was disappointed with myself for not running the entire 2:15 but then I realized how challenging the course was that I chose and accepted it.  Not too bad for a mostly hill work out.  I got home in time to go to lap swim and had a decent time in the pool as I covered 2400 meter (1.49 miles).  Again I felt liked I refocused.

Sunday morning called for a 3 hour ride.  Again I took the road bike out and rode for 3:15.  I rode a course that was a mixture of hills and rolling terrain.  At 30 miles into the ride the wind started blowing directly into me.  One thing I cannot stand is wind on the bike ride.  I tried alternative routes to get it blowing with me or sideways.  At mile 45 it started to rain.  No big deal, it is Oregon afterall.  Rode the last 15 miles home at a decent pace after downing a chocalate GU.  Flushed a pheasant out of the farmer's field along the way and enjoyed getting to the end of the ride.  60.2 miles in 3:15 avg/18.5 mph.  Not too bad considering the weather, the terrain and my struggling this week.  105 miles of total training.

Again I have to acknowledge the support of my wife and sons.   If they didn't give me the latitude they do, I would in no way be able to pull this off.  I love you guys!

Ten weeks baby, ten more weeks.