A lot of very good insight and even suggestions given here.<br><br>
Let's take a step back to look at just how far you've come, shall we.<br><br>
You have logged so many running miles at or beyond marathon distance that they snapped a photo of you and glossed it on a magazine. Not only is that very cool but it also shows that you have the run miles in the bank, to use Merigayle's word.<br><br>
You have logged so many cycling miles, and you know you have, and you've felt pretty good, that you also know that you have the bike in the bank. Those will not disappear. Not in a long time.<br><br>
As for the swim, it sounds like you have that nailed too.<br><br>
So your training is done, complete. Do you know how many other athletes toeing the line in AZ will be able to say the same? Let me answer for you? More than you think, but still a low number. And most of them will force train right through it. Which could be smart if they're seriously not overtrained, or it could be very, very detrimental. You know this sport has a great mental component. Don't fuck with it. Pardon my French, I am practicing for my honeymoon you know.<br><br>
So your goal from here until race day is to maintain your fitness while keeping your motivation up, or at least get it off the floor. I buy that you're supposed to be tired. You are. You are pushing yourself more than ever before and doing it to unreasonable levels. No, Ironman is not reasonable.<br><br>
First task is to get your motivation up. Without it, you will not do much anyway, and when you do whatever workouts you have lined up, without motivation, those workouts will lack luster and perhaps even be detrimental. To get your motivation up, you need some rest, or at least some downtime. Forget about the event. Let it go. Just for a while. Insert an easy week and perhaps scale back entirely your weekend plans. Maybe even blow off the entire weekend. Your training is in the bank. You don't need it. You know that. Then set yourself up to get in one or two more quality long rides and runs. These do not have to be monster sessions. Just make sure they are ample and quality. Say you cycle 75 mile next weekend and 85 another. With the run, you don't need any more crazy long runs. You don't. You already have what you need. So maybe insert a 15 miler one weekend and perhaps something as long as but not necessarily so an 18 miler. But try to do these not on the day before or after a long ride. That's the double whammy that whacks your energy and thus your motivation, because it gets old, it wears on you, and sometimes it's not fun.<br><br>
Scale back, get your motivation on track, and then start from there.<br><br>
But whatever you do, always remember how far you have come, and always know that you can only withstand a high level for so long. I should know. I ride that line all the time. You've heard of my marathon-a-month streak, right? Well, it hasn't been nearly as easy as I let on. It's been a hell of a lot of fun, but fun and easy aren't the same. I've had to play games with my mental state at various times to keep from burning out. I've had to insert shorter weekend runs for several weekends in the row to keep my motivation high. And you will too.<br><br>
You are now in a tired state. Rest a bit. It will pass. And then you'll go on to rock the fucking course in Arizona. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Because we've watched you grow before our very eyes.
Let's take a step back to look at just how far you've come, shall we.<br><br>
You have logged so many running miles at or beyond marathon distance that they snapped a photo of you and glossed it on a magazine. Not only is that very cool but it also shows that you have the run miles in the bank, to use Merigayle's word.<br><br>
You have logged so many cycling miles, and you know you have, and you've felt pretty good, that you also know that you have the bike in the bank. Those will not disappear. Not in a long time.<br><br>
As for the swim, it sounds like you have that nailed too.<br><br>
So your training is done, complete. Do you know how many other athletes toeing the line in AZ will be able to say the same? Let me answer for you? More than you think, but still a low number. And most of them will force train right through it. Which could be smart if they're seriously not overtrained, or it could be very, very detrimental. You know this sport has a great mental component. Don't fuck with it. Pardon my French, I am practicing for my honeymoon you know.<br><br>
So your goal from here until race day is to maintain your fitness while keeping your motivation up, or at least get it off the floor. I buy that you're supposed to be tired. You are. You are pushing yourself more than ever before and doing it to unreasonable levels. No, Ironman is not reasonable.<br><br>
First task is to get your motivation up. Without it, you will not do much anyway, and when you do whatever workouts you have lined up, without motivation, those workouts will lack luster and perhaps even be detrimental. To get your motivation up, you need some rest, or at least some downtime. Forget about the event. Let it go. Just for a while. Insert an easy week and perhaps scale back entirely your weekend plans. Maybe even blow off the entire weekend. Your training is in the bank. You don't need it. You know that. Then set yourself up to get in one or two more quality long rides and runs. These do not have to be monster sessions. Just make sure they are ample and quality. Say you cycle 75 mile next weekend and 85 another. With the run, you don't need any more crazy long runs. You don't. You already have what you need. So maybe insert a 15 miler one weekend and perhaps something as long as but not necessarily so an 18 miler. But try to do these not on the day before or after a long ride. That's the double whammy that whacks your energy and thus your motivation, because it gets old, it wears on you, and sometimes it's not fun.<br><br>
Scale back, get your motivation on track, and then start from there.<br><br>
But whatever you do, always remember how far you have come, and always know that you can only withstand a high level for so long. I should know. I ride that line all the time. You've heard of my marathon-a-month streak, right? Well, it hasn't been nearly as easy as I let on. It's been a hell of a lot of fun, but fun and easy aren't the same. I've had to play games with my mental state at various times to keep from burning out. I've had to insert shorter weekend runs for several weekends in the row to keep my motivation high. And you will too.<br><br>
You are now in a tired state. Rest a bit. It will pass. And then you'll go on to rock the fucking course in Arizona. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Because we've watched you grow before our very eyes.
