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Oh Canada?

Remember way way back in August when I signed up for Ironman Canada? I spent most of the fall, winter and spring trying not to think about it too much. I signed up on the spur of the moment in the middle of my post-Lake Placid high. Then reality set in and I wasn’t running, we were moving cross country and I just wasn’t sure I was motivated enough to do it again. Well… during the past couple of weeks I’ve decided to go for it. I made it through Boston, recovered well, have plenty of time on my hands and am living in one of the best spots in the country for triathlon training. Ironman Canada is supposed to be an amazing race. Most importantly, I am excited to start training for something.

Those are some pretty convincing reasons to do it.

I have two reservations:

First, I’m behind in my training. My run base is fine. My swimming has been going pretty well also, though I do need to pick up the volume. That’s not really an issue. It’s the cycling. Until last Tuesday, I hadn’t been on the bike outside since September. And I didn’t spend much time on the trainer either. In other words, I have a fair amount of catch-up to do. And only 18 weeks to do it. On the other hand, I have ridden nearly 80 miles in the last nine days, and felt pretty good doing it. (Today was my first ride on the Guru. After the friendly and very helpful guys at Triathlon Lab built it and re-fit me, I took it for a fun, somewhat challenging ride in Palos Verdes. I’m happy to have it back!) My cycling muscles are weak and my butt isn’t used to the saddle. But, like I said, I have time on my hands. There’s no reason not to try to get into cycling fitness.

Second, it’s a bit of a logistical headache. The beauty of Lake Placid was that it was a drive away – a long drive, but a pack-up-the-car-with-everything type of trip. Penticton is a pain in the ass. It’s a long flight and then a drive. Carting all my shit up there will be more of a challenge. Also, I haven’t looked into hotels or flights. At this point, I’m sure all the close hotels are booked, so I’ll wait a while to book and see if I can grab someone else’s cancellation. Finally, I have to figure out a racing schedule for the summer. Ideally, I would do a half ironman in late June and then take a recon/training trip to Penticton in late July. Realistically, neither of those are going to happen. I haven’t been able to find a somewhat local half (I want to avoid flying) that works for my schedule. The trip to Penticton could work, but finding the time and money to make the trip is going to be challenging. Thankfully, neither of those things are going to stop me from doing the race. It’s just a little roadblock giving me slight pause.

Coach John and I have discussed a training plan for the next few weeks and I’m going to give it a shot. I’ll be spending a lot of time on the bike. Building volume and calluses. Let’s see how it goes. You know I’ll keep you posted!

Bike – April 29
Distance: 27.7 miles
Time: 1:41
Average heart rate: 131
Course: Palos Verdes Loop
Conditions: Sun and clouds, windy, low 60’s