A big weekend

We're now just 3 weeks out from Timberman, which means one more heavy week of training and we slowly start to taper our training up until the race. Our first taper week isn't really much of a taper, but the second week our hardest workout is a 1800 yard swim, so you know that's an easy week.

The next 9 days however will not be easy. We start tomorrow with a 1800 yard swim, spend 55 miles on the bike climbing hills, and end the day with a 2 mile run. I may actually have to be carried during the 2 mile run. I'm not sure Rach's little guns are up to the task, so maybe we can hire movers who will simply push me two miles on a dolly. Until an off day on Friday we don't have a workout day less than 3 hours.

We're going to be ready for this race. As Rach has planned for my physical preparedness, I'm building up my mental preparedness.

- I printed out the elevation chart of Timberman bike and put it on the wall of my cube. Every time I want a cookie or snack, I'll look at that and think twice. Every time I want to take a day off or skip a workout, I'll look at that and know I have to have the strength in me to do it in 4 hours.

- I have the workout plan for the next 3 weeks on the wall right below the chart. It helps me to see that while those two big peaks in the bike climb are gonna be there; the training I need to be able to tackle them will be there too. I should put up the workout calendar for the last 9 months too, which would remind me of the work we've done all year. (But that would probably just make me lazy).

- I've been talking to a bunch of the folks on Beginner Triathlete who will be doing the race as well, and it's providing both extra motivation and reassurance. I've never done a race like this, and right now the course is just a series of numbers and pictures and my head. Mostly evil pictures filled with Death Stars, broken glass all over the road, and steep climbs lined with a great many clowns. Yes, I said clowns. While I dislike long days at work, and I loathe really difficult climbs, I despise clowns. And the only thing that could make a big climb harder is having the spectators all be dressed as clowns. Although that may actually creep me out enough to give me an extra adreneline surge to get up the hill faster. So having these folks help me put the difficult parts of the race in perspective really helps. Many have done the race in the past. Others have already scouted the course.

- Talking to Rach. We're in this together, have been all along. And while this blog has focused on my own personal struggles, none of the hard work I've done or successes I've had would be possible without her. On the days I can't make myself train, or the days that I feel like I'm going backwards, she's there to point me back to where we're headed.