29 Short Days from "D" Day

As I sit here and write this post, I can't help but wonder how things change. Just a couple of days ago I felt like I had "forever" to train for the Ironman 70.3 Augusta. Today it seems like time has flown and there's no time left.

I think the reason for is that I have crossed that magical day count of "30 days" until... That's right, it's just 29 days until...

For the most part my training has gone according to plan. For the most part I say because I did have to deal with that one week of intense back pain. But I think all's well because I have been able to pick up where I left off.

This week has been one of the best training week's I've ever had. Hit the pool on Monday for a 2000 meter swim, Tuesday and Thursday were running days, Wednesday was a bike day. This afternoon is back to the pool and tomorrow... oh, tomorrow is a long, long ride and brick day. Really looking forward to that.

During the next three weeks I plan not to ease the intensity at all, plan to pick it up some. Will have to throw in a couple of extra bricks here and there. Maybe, just maybe after each bike session I will just slap on my running shoes and go for it. That's the plan anyway.

My confidence in the water has never been this high. I can muster up to 3000 meters in one session (with occasional short breathers). Just a few weeks ago, the thought of a 3000 meter workout in the pool would have never happen.

It is in the bike that I've noticed the biggest change. I have learned to manage my cadence properly to allow a smooth transition to the run. Smooth as smooth can be. I've learned that it's easier (at least for me) to have a slower cadence (between 60-70) with a stronger pedal stroke. I find it that by doing this I can adapt to my running cadence (I call the strides taken my running cadence - not sure if this is proper lingo but it makes sense to me) a whole lot easier.

The running still strong. I have taken to the road around my neighborhood to log some serious miles. The roads around here are quiet hilly. It is not unusual to gain 1000' in elevation in a single workout. This has helped with my strength as well.

But, probably and the most noticeable change I have seen happened after I did my VO2 testing and found my training HR zones. I have not done a session without the HR monitor and have stayed, for the most part, within these zones. This HAS made all the difference in the world.

I'm looking forward to these next 29 days. When it's all said and done, I should be able to cross off another item off my "bucket list". How sweet is that?