5 whole days.....or 2 more blog posts

5, 5 effing days......FIVE.....F-I-V-E....  I will blog today, tomorrow, and on Wednesday, as we roll on Thursday.  I don't know what I'll blog about, but it will be rambling for sure (as if all my other posts weren't). 

So...this past weekend.  How was it you ask.......


I had probably the worst ride on Saturday morning. Legs felt heavy, Bike flet like it weighed 50lbs, couldn't get comfortable, couldn't find a speed.....ugghh....  It was bad enough that I wanted to toss my bike and say screw it.  I can't get about 15mph and I wanted to quit after the first 10 miles, how am I going to get 10x this?????  I've talked it out with myself and a few others about the ride.  Everyone says it's okay, except for me.  I should listen to everyone else.

Saturday was a normal day.  Soccer game, pool party for the kiddo after the soccer game, then we went to our town square where they did an old time election result party.  The judge would get a call from a disctrict and then announce it/write it on a chalk board.  It was a good time.  Right before we were about to leave I got hit with the worst pains in the world. Head, body, legs.....sore throat, drainage, chills, muscle aches.....it came on all of a sudden....out of no where.  When we got home, I got into a hot shower for 20 minutes and drank 32oz of Pedialite and 20oz of water.  I didn't pee during the night nor until about 7:30 the next morning.  I guess I was a little dehydrated.

I've been pumping my body full of all sorts of pills. Sunday was no better.

I did man up and go to the doctor this morning. No fever (Yeah!!). Got an allegry shot, B-12, amoxicillian 'script (just in case), musinex, and Zyrtec......

The doc said okay to race as of now, since there is no fever.  Suggested that I have no physical activity for a few days, hydrate lots, and limit outside exposure due to high pollen counts.

Why did this have to happen with less than a week to go???? 

Please pray (seriously) for my quick recovery.  If you're not the praying type.....just keep me in your thoughts or do an interpreative dance for my wellness. 

8 Days....and counting

It's 8:25am....and in 8 days I should be out of the water and hopefully in or just out of transition ready for the journey of 112 on the bike.....if all goes as planned (and by planned, I mean, as I hope)

Last night was another rest night.  I have lost all motivation to work out.  My body is tired, my legs are heavy, I had the "mud butt" yesterday, I have the sniffles (allergy type symptoms), and mentally drained, yet consumed with thoughts, about the race.

The realization and the gravity of what I'm about to do has hit.  It's now channeling that into posivite thoughts about how I'm ready as I'm going to be and making negatives into positives.

This is my one and only shot at becoming an Ironman.  I will not do another one.  I don't have the time or the patience to do this again.  Training for this was a task its self.....so this is it.

In the song "Lose Yourself", the beginning goes:

Look....if you had one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip

That is a mantra to go by....in Ironman, in Life, at work....anywhere.

And I know that my first few steps on the run course are going to suck.  I know this.  There is no denying or there isn't any amount of self talk that will replace that.  However....Eminem rings true again with his words at the beginning of "Til I Collapse".....

Sometimes you feel tired, you feel weak.  And when you feel weak you feel like you want to give up.  But you got to search within you, to try to find that inner strenght and just pull that shit out of you.  And get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you want to fall flat on your face and collapse.

Tonight is another off night a date night for us.  My mom is coming to watch the kiddo's and then go to J's soccer game on Saturday.  This weekend, I'm running 6 - 8 miles and also doing 35 miles on the road and possibly a short 20-30 minute run after that.  On Monday and Tuesday of next week, I'm going to get in some short rides and runs.....and probably 2 swims....then nothing until 5/18.  My last blog post will be next Wednesday (5/15) as we leave on Thursday morning.

This journey is almost over........wow.

Single Digits.....9 Days

It's all downhill from here....

I'm now just maintaining my fitness and getting extra sleep/hydration.

I've started cutting back on the bad foods that I could eat when I was doing 2 hours of work a night...both because I don't need all that fuel and because I don't want to pack any pounds on.  My calories are still on the "high" end, but they are better.....fruits, lean protein, very limited dairy, lower fiber, not as many processed carbs/sugar (trying for good/natural carbs).....

Last night I flipped a coin.  Heads was run, tails was swim.  Tails won.  Went to the pool, got in a good mile and came home, watched the end of the Ranger game (they won!!!  Woo-Hoo!!!), showered, and was in bed by 10:15 and cut the TV off after the weather report and don't remember anything until 4:30a when the baby started fussing but went back to sleep (and so did I).

Kind of a funny side note with the news.  Annie mentioned something that was on the local news the other day and I had no idea what she was talking about.  Apparently it was "all over" the news here but I had no clue.  Then it hit me....I haven't watched much news/weather since January when I started hitting my night training hard.  I get national news on my iphone feed and I check the weather on one of my local newsstation apps....but actually sitting down and watching a local and national news broadcast.....been forever. 

That's one thing that I'm going to look forward to after the race.  Enjoying some down time.....

10 Days Late

Just a little 'Third Eye Blind' reference for y'all.......'member them?

Anywho....10 days.  A few more days of just going through the motions of working out.  Not trying to build speed or endurance....just volume so the legs, lungs, head, and body don't forget.

I've gotten great words of encouragment over the last few days.  Thank you all.

Tonight is a 6 mile run (or some distance near 6) and a 35 minute swim.  I'm timid on swimming because of my shoulder.  Since I swam on Monday and it was fine, I was okay with the distance and time.  However, yesterday, it was in pain. 

I'm so nervous right now too.  Too much emotions and feelings to really explain.

On a funny side note, coming back from lunch yesterday I flipped over to a classic rock station.  The opening riff to Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" was playing.  My hands got sweaty and I did feel a little light headed.  Really?  Holy Crap....a song....a song did that to me.

 

11 Days....and a mini-made up triathlon

11 Days.  11-flippin-days.  One-One.  Eleven........Wow.

So last night, on the schedule, was a swim.  With my shoulder pain, I wanted to test it out.  I was prepared for a 100m swim or to go the 45 minutes.  I was really hoping that it was going to be a long-ish swim.  I hadn't been in the water in a week and need to get the feel again.  The first 25m was okay, te second 25 there was some pain, the 3rd there was a little more....the 4th, there was none.  Either adrenaline kicked in or whatever is causing the pain worked itself out.  I had small twinges of pain during the swim but nothing that lasted longer than a stroke or two.

In looking at my schedule, I'm behind....I know this.  So....how do you make up fitness in 11 days??  Here's a hint.....You Can't.  But what does my simplistic mind say?  Cram....Cram like you've never crammed before.  LOL

So....I got home and decided on a quick spin.  Did an hour on the trainer and felt pretty good.  But, why stop there, I'd already completed 2/3rds of a tri.....why not go full on tri mode.  I strapped on the shoes and jogged 1.65 miles.

The 1st Annual Brad's Made Up Triathlon is:

2300m Swim

17.25 Mile Bike Ride

1.65 Mile Run.


T-1 is a drive from the pool to the house
T-2 is a tiptoe walk into the master bedroom closet to get running shoes

Finishers Swag features a warm bottle of gatorade left over from my daughters soccer match on Saturday and a 100 cal bag of popcorn.


Entry for next years race will be $40 and will not inculde a shirt, any support on the course, and/or finisher prizes.....or pictures.  Basically, I'll just take your $40.


Aiight boys and girls.......off to some meetings then hopefully the vendor that we're doing the meetings with will spring for lunch.

Weekend Review (and 12 Days Left)

12 flippin' days.....Holy Mary Mother of God......I'm at a loss for words here. It seems too close.

On the 16th, we will head down to The Woodlands to get checked in and do the IM festivities.....I can't wait.....I want it to be here NOW, but I also want it to come in about one more month.

This weekend started off great. On Saturday morning, I awoke at 5:45. Ready to go. Tossed on the running gear and off I went. No music, no Garmin, just me and the road. I know where my mile markers are so I knew when to turn around and how far I had gone. I did an out and back of 6 miles, twice, with an extra loop near the house of a mile. I got in 13.25 miles. All unsupported. No water, no gels, no nutrition. Just a small drink at mile 6 when I was back at the house. I felt really good.

Saturday was normal activities for the Donovans.

On Sunday, I woke up at 3:55a for a 75 mile trainer ride. My legs were heavy and jello-y (not sore). I decided to get up later and do the ride. 4:30a....nope, 5a.....nope, 6:30a (baby woke up - got her fed and went back to bed). 3 hours later it's 9:30a....still no.

I ended up sleeping until 10:30, ate eggs and turkey sausage, and laid on the couch with ice bag on my thigh and one on my shoulder. I have a sharp pain in my left shoulder that will not go away. I haven't swam in a week, I have been taking advil like it's pez, ice, heat, etc....still pain.  It hurt for the first few minutes of my ride when in aero, but went away.

I ended up getting in 40 miles on the trainer at 9p. A far cry from my 75 on the schedule, but some is better than none.

I'm going to try to swim tonight. An hour is on the schedule....but will play it by ear as not not hurt more.  Hope this is just a small strain.  I'm also going to spin for a little over an hour too.  Nothing fast, just a spin on the trainer.

Wow....we're close

Yesterday, I had an all day meeting so I was unable to blog.  So....my loyal followers are getting a 2 for one deal.  Free of charge.  A BOGO without a coupon, if you will.

Wednesday night, I did a solid 6 mile run.  It wasn't fast but it was complete.  I went out about an hour earlier than I normally do and it was still in the upper 70's with higher than normal humidity.  It was close to what IMTX would be about that time.  Had I been nutritioned up properly, I would/could have done more.

**side note**  I'm still freaking out about my fitness, but it is what it is.  I'm to the point of 'I should get a few more long runs in" or "I'm going to run 10 instead of 6 because that will help me out".  I know that it won't and I'm fighting the urge to do more.  Trust the plan.....just do what it says!

Last night, I was exhausted.  I had eaten like crap all day (no self control mixed with constant hunger...add in junk food.....recipie for distaster).  I felt sluggish but had a 3 hour trainer ride.  When I picked up my 7yo, she reminded me that it was "Cherry Berry Night" (a local fozen yogurt place gives 10% of sales to her school once a month).  So we went there after dinner.  When we got home, it was time to start the ride.  I said "eff this" and went to bed.  Yup....in bed by 8:30.  Asleep by 9......and didn't wake up until 6:30.

I don't feel too bad.  I probably won't make it up as there is 15 days left and the last 3 are all rest days.  I don't feel bad.....I don't.....not bad.  I'm glad I got rest.  I feel energized and ready to tackle this weekends workouts (a 75/5 brick and a 13 mile run).  Last real weekend......

Oh God....we're really close.