I’m in week 30 and the final few days of training. I’m sorry for this post, it’s probably a little self indulgent. Here goes.
I’m not a natural sporty person. I started running about 6 years ago, at about the same time I started playing football. I was rubbish at football, but figured if I was a bit fitter at least I could keep up with play a bit more. I also walked Pilla to the start of the Manchester 10km one year and being near the start and feeling the atmosphere I remember thinking ‘I’d like some of this’. The first few runs were dreadful, hardly getting to a mile. I struggled with shin splits and sore calves, I had loads of niggles. Every time I went out I hurt in a different place. Sometimes my knees, then my back, then my thighs. I trained for three months for that 1st 10km and did a lung bursting 55 minutes.
I loved it.
Running has never been easy for me. I’m not one of those skinny runners with the long legs in short shorts and vest tops that seem to glide over the path. I work for every run and every mile I do. I don’t posses any talent for running but I’m a stubborn little bugger. It’s never really got easier for me, I just get a little bit faster. I’ve never really been able to stick to any sort of training plan. I’ve done three marathons and cracked a sub 4 once, on my first attempt and never got close again. So I sit here, looking back at my training and all I can think is ‘bloody hell’.
This week, fingers crossed i’m going to complete an Ironman triathlon.
I remember talking to the iron colleague probably 18 months ago thinking I could never do this. I can’t follow the plan, I’m not great at running, I can’t swim well. I don’t have the time. Its just a dream, i’ll never be that person. I did the London Marathon last year and thought I’d never get running again it was so horrible. And here I am, just a couple of swims, a couple of runs and session or two on the bike away from getting to the start line of a pretty huge event.
And if there is one thing I’ve learnt in all of this training it’s that getting to the start/putting on your trainers/getting out the door is the hardest bit.
So, over the last 30 weeks or training, I have done:
- 2307 miles of cycling
- 721 miles of running
- 65.6 miles of swimming
- For a total of about 3094 training miles
- I’ve completed 243 of the 290 training sessions (with a handful to go)
- This will be about 85% of the plan
- This works out at a little over 8 sessions a week
- 18,230 minutes of training
- Which is about 304 hours
- This has averaged at about 10.5 a week
- In that I’ve burnt approximately 230,000 calories
- Which works out at an extra 1160 or so a day (no wonder I’m eating a lot)
Whilst I wouldn’t say I’ve loved every minute, I’ve loved most of it. And I’m sure as hell going to enjoy Sunday. Looking back at one of my first posts here about my goals I said these were my aims for the day:
Swim. 2.4 miles. 1hr 30.
Bike. 112 miles. 7hrs.
Run. 26.2 miles. Sub 5.
With transition and race day faff that is a 14 hour finish.
I’m addition:
Enjoy it
Remember it
Smile
What’s the point in doing it if I don’t at least try to appreciate and enjoy the experience?
Those are still my aims. I’m not fussed about the times, I’ll be happy with anything and be ecstatic with the ones above, but it’s the last three I’m going to focus on. In getting through the training I think I’ve done more than I thought possible, so on the day it’s all just a bonus. Let’s do this.