The 2015 Ironman World Championships in Kona are just over two weeks away and I'll be there for my second lap of the course. I have some modest goals but this is still very much a victory lap...the reward for all the hard work and dedication I put in last year to qualify. I'll never be competitive at Kona in the same way I am at most other races. At most local and regional races I'm typically in the mix for the top 10 or better. At larger races like IM and IM70.3 I'm at least competitive for my AG podium. But in Kona I'm middle of the pack on a good day. In 2012 I was 11:34:xx with extremely little motivation to push it. I walked a lot on the marathon because I honestly didn't really care much about my time, it was hot, I was tired, and I was just happy to be there. This year I'd be satisfied if I cut that down to 10:30:xx. I think that is realistic if I can stay focused but we'll see how the day plays out. Like I said, it's still very much a victory lap I don't know if I'll be able to bury myself for no real reason. I don't feel like I have anything to prove.
I didn't really get into my training groove as early as I would have if this were truly an "A" race where I wanted to give it 100% for preparation. That's not to say I have been doing plenty of high quality training but I put off building my long rides and runs for a few weeks so they wouldn't impact my chances for qualifying for the 2016 World Championships in Cozumel at USAT Nationals. Since then I've been pretty consistent and made several trips out to get big rides in on Skyline Drive.A few weeks ago I put in a big training day where I swam an hour early then drove out to Skyline to ride 110 miles out/back from Big Meadows to Front Royal and finish with a 6-mile run off the bike. Little did I know that particular section of Skyline is the toughest out/back. It took me 6:30 for 108 miles with over 11k of climbing (just short of 400 TSS). In comparison, I did a 96 mile out/back to Big Meadows from the Rockfish Gap end twice in previous weeks in 5:20 and 5:03.
That day shelled me pretty good but I think it was definitely a turning point for my training. I got a pretty good fitness bump and most of my workouts have been strong since - especially my running. I also switched to a broken 2X per day long run and I really like it. I can put in more volume at a faster pace with less recovery. I'm definitely going to make that approach the norm for my training in the future.
At this point I'm moving into the taper but it's a very natural progression. The typical triathlete taper for a big race tends to come with increased anxiety over the reduced training load - "I need to do more". Nobody ever feels ready and everyone thinks they need just a couple more weeks of serious training before the big day. I'm not feeling any of that - I suppose due to the fact that I'm not all wrapped up about race day. I feel plenty prepared to cover the course with minimal suffering and feel like I'm coming into it with probably about the same fitness as in 2012 without being completely burnt out (see how this went last time - The Big Dance). It almost feels like I have a bit of Senioritis. I know everything is basically locked in so I'm just coasting along. For instance - it's going to be miserable for training here for the next 3 days over the weekend. Instead of fretting or doing something stupid like trying to venture out into the rain and wind to get a long ride or run in I'm going to sleep in, relax, probably hop on the trainer for an hour or two on Saturday, but otherwise just accept it is what it is. That's not to say I haven't been logging some high quality sessions recently (Strava) but I'm letting it flow much more freely and taking it as it comes.
So back to Kona - I fully intend to enjoy myself all week. I'll get in a couple swims and a ride just to stay loose but I'm not going to sit in my room the rest of the day with my legs up. Just like last 2012, I'm going to spend plenty of time walking around town checking out the expo and all the festivities, hitting the Underpants Run, visiting Kona Brewing, and having a vacation. I suppose I'll put in a long workout on Saturday as long as I'm there.
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| Underpants Run founders Paul Huddle and Roch Frey with the Wattie Ink girls |
