Big Week

Today's workout marks the beginning of Week 17 of my Ironman training program. This week I will train for over 15 hours for the very first time. The week started off with a 45 minute swim followed by a 45 minute bike ride. This 45 minute bike ride is new for a Monday and quite difficult considering the heavy load placed on my legs this weekend.

Tuesday through Thursday I will train in the triathlon specific disciplines an average of 2 hrs and 20 minutes a day. In addition to this I must find time to work on my strength training at least two days. My strength training has fallen off since I herniated a disc in my neck while lifting in early May. Ironically the risk for injury will increase if I don't start strength training on a more regular basis. I just have to stay with in myself and not over do it. This is extremely difficult for me as I tend to be an "all in" kind of guy once I decide to do something.

The week finishes with a 3 hour run/bike brick on Friday and a 3 hour 40 minute bike/run brick on Saturday. Friday emphasizes the run (2 hours) followed by a short bike ride (1 hour) while Saturday stresses the Bike (3 hours) followed by a short run (40 minutes). For the week I scheduled to swim 5.0 miles, bike 155 miles and run 34 miles for a total of 194 miles. This represents by far the greatest distance I have covered in any 1 week of training.

For the fourth week in a row I will miss my Friday day off...and couldn't be happier. I am moving my Sunday workout to Friday to free up my schedule for the big day on Sunday. My wife Missy is competing in the Philadelphia Olympic Distance Triathlon in Fairmount Park. This marks her third race overall and first at this distance (1.o mile swim, 26 mile bike and 6.2 mile run). She has trained diligently and is ready to conquer this challenge.

It really is amazing to see how far she has come in such a short period of time. While pregnant with our son John in the spring of 2007, she developed a pinched sciatic nerve and was relegated to bed rest and a walker for the last 3 or so months of the pregnancy. The recovery from the sciatica and subsequent c-section delivery was slow. She did not begin training in earnest until March of 2008. At the time a quarter mile in the pool or a 2 mile run was a huge challenge. Now in less then 1 weeks time she will complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon! Though she down plays it, this is a tremendous accomplishment and I couldn't be more proud of her.

Tomorrow's workout is a 85 minute bike and a 50 minute run followed by 30 minutes of strength training. I am going to have to get to the gym a little early tomorrow. Looks like I will be standing with the 10 or so lunatics that literally wait outside for the gym doors to open at 5am. This is crazy...this is crazy.