Finally finished my long work hours. I now have all of May and part of June to hit it hard and try to cram as much training as I can without getting an injury.
What I really have going for me is the fact that I have always been a low mileage marathoner. I seem to do well in marathons with only 35-40 miles per week. My best marathon was run with an avg of about 50 miles per week. My 50 miler in Huntsville several years ago was run with even a lower weekly mileage. I'm hoping this also carries over to my Ironman.
Another thing I also have going for me in my strong positive attitude. One of the best books on running I have ever read was one I read back in High School. It was basically interviews with famous high shool distance runners, Jim Ryun is the one that comes to mind. It listed their training programs and race preparation. The one thing that all runners had in common in their race prep was their mental preparation and positive attitude for the race outcome. Some mentally ran the race in their head before the event, knowing exactly to the second what each lap would be cloked at. I incorporated this into my high shool racing. The mental preparation and positive attitude has carried through to this day. I may not have the best times in my age group, but it's not because of my lack of mental preparation but my lack of physical training time.
I have never quit a race before. I have finished every race I have ever registered for and I am not about to break this streak.
*****************************************************************
I had decided on two ironman training programs to follow and initially started referencing them for my workouts. But when I realized that I just did not have the time to do all the recommended training I gave up on the training program. I will still reference the training programs but not follow every single item. I am just being realistic. With my work schedule and the not as strong family support that I would have liked to have had, it will be difficult. I am confident I will finish. I just wanted to get a decent time.
I work a rotating night shift/day shift schedule that repeats itself every 5 weeks. I work two weekends out of a 5 week period. So there are lots of times when I might be doing my long run mid week.
My greatest challenge will be in the month of April, where I will be working 6 x 12 hour days, with only sundays off. The last thing on my mind on my one day off is waking up early to get a workout in. Sleep sometimes is more important than getting a early a.m. workout in.
My training week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday. This is different than most training programs but it's what I have been doing since I started keeping a log in 1999.
What I really have going for me is the fact that I have always been a low mileage marathoner. I seem to do well in marathons with only 35-40 miles per week. My best marathon was run with an avg of about 50 miles per week. My 50 miler in Huntsville several years ago was run with even a lower weekly mileage. I'm hoping this also carries over to my Ironman.
Another thing I also have going for me in my strong positive attitude. One of the best books on running I have ever read was one I read back in High School. It was basically interviews with famous high shool distance runners, Jim Ryun is the one that comes to mind. It listed their training programs and race preparation. The one thing that all runners had in common in their race prep was their mental preparation and positive attitude for the race outcome. Some mentally ran the race in their head before the event, knowing exactly to the second what each lap would be cloked at. I incorporated this into my high shool racing. The mental preparation and positive attitude has carried through to this day. I may not have the best times in my age group, but it's not because of my lack of mental preparation but my lack of physical training time.
I have never quit a race before. I have finished every race I have ever registered for and I am not about to break this streak.
*****************************************************************
I had decided on two ironman training programs to follow and initially started referencing them for my workouts. But when I realized that I just did not have the time to do all the recommended training I gave up on the training program. I will still reference the training programs but not follow every single item. I am just being realistic. With my work schedule and the not as strong family support that I would have liked to have had, it will be difficult. I am confident I will finish. I just wanted to get a decent time.
I work a rotating night shift/day shift schedule that repeats itself every 5 weeks. I work two weekends out of a 5 week period. So there are lots of times when I might be doing my long run mid week.
My greatest challenge will be in the month of April, where I will be working 6 x 12 hour days, with only sundays off. The last thing on my mind on my one day off is waking up early to get a workout in. Sleep sometimes is more important than getting a early a.m. workout in.
My training week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday. This is different than most training programs but it's what I have been doing since I started keeping a log in 1999.
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