The many phases of becoming an Ironman...
You register for the race.
You realized you just spent half your savings on the entry fee.
It doesn't matter, this will be EPIC!
6 months before your Ironman you are super excited to start training.
5 months out you have started training and you are already exhausted. You wonder how are you going to make it 4 more months or exactly xxdays?
4 months out and you are starving, you can't go more than 2 hours without a meal.
3 months out your friends are sick of hearing about your Ironman, your long rides are turning into the real deal. You look at the schedule only to realize that those workouts are going to take you ALL DAY to complete.
2 months out you begin to question yourself, your coach, your friends, your life, your job none of it seems right and you are now HUNGRY & EXHAUSTED!
6 weeks out and you have turned into an Ironzilla (the equivalent of Bridezilla) Unfortunately, everyone but you realizes this, but they don't get what is wrong with you unless they too have been through it.
5 weeks out you are sure you can't do this, you realize you can't defer your entry unless you have the extra insurance or a broken leg. Mmm a broken leg...
4 weeks out you decide to get new race wheels because that will help you, for sure, they will make all the difference.
3 weeks out; doesn't taper mean just do nothing? You are sick of training. You take 3 days completely off and vow to never do another triathlon.
2 weeks out you are at the bike shop freaking out about the rubbing noise your bike is making because you haven't done any maintenance on it for the last 6 months. Your trusty mechanic informs you that you need an extra $500 worth of work on your bike and it will take 3 days to complete. This turns you back into Ironzilla.
1 week out you are trying to channel your inner calm and figure out how to cram all your race stuff, nutrition, and bike into bags and/or a bike box. Why is packing so complicated?
2-3 day out you arrive at the race site and realize that all Ironman athletes look like fitness models. Where are the "real" people that do these things?
1 day out you are in line for the bike tech AGAIN! You are so wound up you are shaking. You can't ride 112 miles with your brake rubbing!!!
Race day - all of a sudden NOTHING else matters, you line up and you ARE ready and you are HAPPY and the energy is electric. This is why people do this. You will hit your HIGHEST HIGHS and LOWEST LOWS all within the same day, you will be stronger than you ever thought possible and you will cross that line and be an Ironman!
The day after...you sign up for the next year and that is how the cycle begins again!
Coach Katie
(Thanks to Kimberley Westbury for the graphics)
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