The Road to the Ironman – Ouch x 2

Who say training for an Ironman is not a contact sport? I have a nice shiner on my left shin to prove there is contact, courtesy of the pool wall. I got up early on Thursday to work on my swimming, because there hasn’t been much focus on that with all the biking and running lately. I got back in the pool a couple of days ago and it was like swimming through syrup. Thursday was going to be a new day and it turned out to be a good swim until my date with said wall. I completed the 3,000 yard swim masters assignment and had a bit more in the tank so I did another 600 yards, ending up with a cool 2 miles in 1:10. A bit slower, because of the breaks between the sets so I can start to think I can do 2 miles in an hour, leaving only .4 more to go.

Now to my shin. The way I usually get out of the pool is simply lifting myself out. I push up with my arms, land on my feet, straighten up and I am off to the locker room. Today started the same way, foot slipped and crashed left into the shin! OUCH, plus some other choice words. For an area that is supposed to protect your leg MAN it hurts a lot. Oh well, if that is the worst war wound I get during this experience I will be fortunet.

Ouch #2

Friday was another ouch, but this had to do with sun once again. I am finding living in a subdivison and surrounding area that use to be cornfields there is very little shade. I started out a bit later in the morning (7ish) feeling find but when I hit an hour I am struggling because of the sun. Don’t me wrong I love the summer sun and the heat that comes along with it, especially after the Chicago winters but having some shade would be nice. Answers to my problem:

• Get up earlier, the sunrise is around 5 30
• Bring more water, I carry 20 ounces but with the heat I need more, plus bring something like Gatorade couldn’t hurt.
• Time to change shirts. I have been a big Underarmour wearer, but maybe looser shirts could keep things a bit cooler.
• Or drive to a place that has more shade.
• Run at night.
• A portable air conditioner with a long extension cord.

PS: The shin was fine.

Running totals:

Running miles treadmill: 209.60

Running hours treadmill: 31:45

Running miles outside: 248.20

Running hours outside: 38:25

New shoes: 49 miles (for my record keeping)

Biking miles: 1,129.80

Biking hours: 61:10

Spinning hours: 7:00

Swimming laps (25 yard pool) : 3,802 lengths or 1,901 laps

Swimming distance: 98,500 yards or 56 miles

Swimming hours: 21:50

Weight lifting hours: 24:10

Stair Master miles: 92.92

Stair Master hours: 11:50

Stairs in Cancun 1:05

1 pathetic game of volleyball: 1 hour

TOTAL HOURS – 205 hours and 45 minutes