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Ironman Dreaming

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

It has only been 2.5 weeks since my last race and my race mojo tank is already filling up!

I’ve been giving my body plenty of TLC in the form of good food, yoga, stretching and self massage. I knew for sure that my training mojo was coming back when I had a dream/nightmare about racing a tri with some of my blogger buddies, got my bike stolen and frantically ran around my home town in Connecticut trying to find it. I think my legs miss my bike and are trying to convince me to hop back on.

I’m still sticking with my “purposeful nothingness” training plan for another week or two, but I’m starting to get psyched for next year.

The biggest thing on the plan: IRONMAN!

Or should I say “Ironman??”

As Sam can attest, I’m very slow and deliberate about making any decision. The thing is that once I do, I’m dead set on meeting my goal. Racing an Ironman has always been a part of the long term plan, but I’ve never really known when. I’ve come to accept that I will never have as money or free time as I want, and my job will always be more demanding and and stressful than I wish.

While on a run a few weeks ago, I saw a car with a bumper sticker that said “Don’t Postpone Joy.” Bumper stickers usually say some pretty lame and fleeting stuff, but this one really stuck with me. When you boil it down, it is really the reason why I race in the first place. Training, competing and crossing that finish line, so I do it. No questions asked.

There will always be another excuse to put off finally making that commitment to signing up for an ironman, but do I have it in me to try and pull it off in 2010? The half ironman distance used to be pretty scary to me, but now I have a really good understanding of the kind of training needed to pull off a half, and don’t have any worries about being able to get myself to the finish line. Now that I’ve gotten convident with the 70.3 distance (and only slightly faster) is it time to step it up?

As always, tough questions are always best answered by people smarter than myself. I asked some of my twitter followers. Here are the responses I got.

Question: Hey Ironmen. How did you know you were ready to take on the full 140.6?

PatWheeler: don’t let people fool it’s so mentally hard because phyiscally your wrecked and your willing the legs to turn over. Sign up!!
bradbirkel: easiest way to get over the mental hump is to close your eyes and jump… quickly.
cyktrussell: Thought the first step was to pick out a tatoo?
DavyRockett: I didn’t really feel ready. I just did it.
tahughes: I didn’t know if I was ready, but I was inspired to take the plunge by a friend who signed up before me.
j_hirsch: when your ready to commit to the training. Its mental, not phyiscal. Oh and be injury free if possible.If you want it,its yours
HardyBreed: when you get tires of seeing those 140.6 stickers on the soccer moms minivan.
goSonja: when just thinking about it made me giddy excited, and when I knew I was motivated enough that I could train alone for it.
bquigley: you’re never “ready”… Just committed.
megankillian: i did IM without doing any triathlon beforehand. i guess i just knew i’d like it. it was more of a “why not” than a “why”
IronmanBobby: never did. Even after I did it I wasent sure

One thing is clear from my conversation with the masses. Mental commitment is more important than mental preparation.

I definitely have the desire to get there. I get rushes of adrenaline watching Ironman Hawaii on TV every year (but strangely fall asleep while watching the New York marathon…). I have the commitment to add it to my training pland and build up a solid base, but my main concern is keeping that up when the training gets tough in June and July. That is what I need to be sure of before drawing a line in the sand…

So tri peeps, what do you think?