Found My Confidence

I've been feeling better the last week or so. Starting to exercise again really helped. I'm a regimented person. I have my schedule, I do not like it when things come out of no where and my schedule changes. I restarted my run streak. Today is day 8 of running at least 1 mile a day outside. The last streak ended at 283. I aim to beat that. My body seems to remember running every day and my brain seems to think we're back on track. I've been swimming and cycling. I took Thursday off work so I could attend the Team RWB Track Meet. With the extra time during the day, I decided to see if I could ride for 3 hours. I got it done. It went well, but not great. After the training I've done, just staying on the bike path, by myself, got a little boring. At the track meet, we did 5 events. The 400, 800, the mile, shot put and discus. When I first saw this, my first thought was I am a ringer for the discus throw. I threw disc in junior and senior high school. I would participate in all the events, but my focus was the discus. After riding my bike for 3 hours, I was able to run pretty well. I won the 400, then the 800. I then ran the mile in 7:20 and won the mile. 7:20 isn't my fastest mile ever, but after 3 hours of cycling and 2 short faster races, I was pretty happy with it. Then the shot put. When I was handed the shot, it took me back to high school. I threw the shot and it felt amazing.

It wasn't a world record throw, but it was fun. Thats the key why I took off work, FUN. When you get hit by a car, or hit a car, while on your bicycle, your perspective changes. At least mine did. I had the opportunity to use 10 hours comp time to enjoy a day. Go to an event that I got to relive a little bit of what I enjoyed in high school. funny thing is, I was never in this good of physical shape in high school. I just had a lot of experience throwing discus. Well, I won the shot put competition. Then the discus was brought out.

I contain my excitement. I said, "Now THIS is what I came for!" I showed the other athletes how to throw. I even attempted a spin. I fouled. No surprise since its been over 18 years since I've thrown. But man was it fun! I did get a good throw of 77 ft in. I won the event that seriously caught my attention. I was happy to win but was more satisfied to compete with Team RWB Eagles who inspire me every day with their hard work and team first spirit!

I happened to find out that 1 of my main training partners Kevin (The Machine)  was doing a long training ride on Friday. We worked it out so that I could ride with him from Xenia to London and back. Riding 57 miles after 54 miles the day before taxed my legs, but Friday went so much better. When I ride with others, it takes my mind off my legs. I don't pay as much attention to distance or speed. Just putting in the work. Plus its a blast. We joke, talk and push each other to go faster. (Kevin pushes me, the dude is just fast on 2 wheels!) I had woken up with quite the sore throat. Just what I needed 2 weeks before Ironman. What else can happen I thought. I tried to shake it off and completed the ride. I did fine through 50 miles but felt awfully sluggish the last 7. Saturday morning was Brittney's long run day. The girl crushed a 22 mile run! Im so proud of her. When she got home, I went for my run. My sore throat and head just not feeling right limited me to 2 miles. I just wasn't feeling it. I had set up a few training partners to meet up at Cesar's Creek at 7 am Sunday. I prayed I felt better in the morning. I slept ok but kept feeling my scratchy throat. Alarm went off, TIME TO TRAIN. Or not, I briefly thought. The brain said "Hey man, were not feeling great." I said, "Hey brain, we got an Ironman in 2 weeks, we gotta go give this a try." The drawer under the stove refused to open so I couldn't get to my pan that I boil my oatmeal water with. My day was not starting off right. I know the doctor at Waynesville Urgent Care, I sensed I may be visiting her if I didn't start feeling better. I got to Cesar's Creek late.  Thats not like me. I've been dedicated to this training. My morning was just off. I was about 10 minutes late and the sun hadn't risen yet. Wetsuit on and down to the water we went. I swam 3 laps, just a little over 2500 yards. The start of the swim I felt bad. Negative thoughts crept in. Triathlons mental game was on. I told myself to go back to positive thoughts and just swim. The rest of the swim went good. The wetsuit helps me so much its not funny. After the swim, Kevin, Kalen, Paul and myself got the bikes ready. I took a cough drop which helped. The ride began and I was feeling pretty good. Today I had to face the uncertainty of riding on roads. I tensed up a few times. 2 cars turned, with plenty of room and time, in front of me. No close calls. No collisions. But I was still a little jumpy. Then a dog barked and started chasing, from its enclosed yard. I jumped at that also. I apparently have a lingering "cop eating dog" fear. I chilled out. I reassured myself all would be fine. If I heard a car coming from behind me, I slowed a little and sat up to make myself more visible. I practiced my race day nutrition today. I usually don't use as much on a training ride, but I wanted to see if my plan worked today. I felt great! Never crashed on energy. Was able to climb the hills and finished strong. 4 hours, 69.5 miles crushed. I was back! A swim then long bike, I completed a training session like normal! I rode that high all evening taking my family  out to play putt putt and dinner with my in-laws. 

A few thoughts from today:

Triathlon is so much more than swim, bike, run. Nutrition, what you eat 2 days before can make a difference on race day. Mental toughness, Your own thoughts can lead you to failure or success. Training, I've spent a lot of time, especially this summer, training. When you're training for an event that can take up to 16 hours, you better put in the time to prepare. I'm lucky to train with such amazing athletes. People who have gone the distance, and athletes who are going for their first 140.6 finish. 

Trail Closed sign actually means, "Bicyclists slow down! There's a part of the trail up ahead where you're going to have to walk around heavy construction equipment to get to the other side." Walking around the equipment was no problem. Can't keep us from completing our ride! 

Finally got my confidence back that I can complete this Ironman dream. I know I will see a dr if this scratchy throat doesn't disappear. Today showed my swimming and biking are where they need to be to get me to the run. Thats where I'm the most experienced. 2 weeks from right now, I should be finished. The announcer should say my name and tell me I've earned the title I've worked so hard for. I watched another training partner, Jonathan, cross the finish line of Ironman Chattanooga tonight. It was inspiring and very cool to know I've trained with that guy! The days are screaming by, final plans are being made. 13 days, tick tock...