With One Eye To The Future

    I have been intentionally taking it easy the last few weeks, recuperating from my half-Ironman, and resting up for the Portland Marathon. This last week has thrown a rock in the cogs, I came down with a cold. Not a particularly nasty cold, but it has settled into my lungs, so I have been gentle with my body, swimming only once, and cycling twice. Funny thing, my mantra in the weeks leading up to my A Race was, "stay whole, stay healthy." And I did, but it was as if as soon as I let my guard down, relaxed my vigil, the first virus that came along snuck in under my sheild and attacked. I can't be too upset, I did stay whole and healthy all summer long. I told myself that if I were recovered from this cold by today, one week from the marathon, I could run it. But I am not recovered. My lungs ache, and I sound like an escapee from a tuberculosis ward. What this means is that I will not be running the marathon. There is no way my body would hold up to 26 miles either running or speed walking, in what will very likely be cold, wet weather. I would do my body far more harm than even my desire to compete can justify. Pushing the body as hard as endurance racing requires can lower the immune system, letting what is a minor virus erupt into a situation that could take me down long and hard. Between recovering from my race, and trying to recuperate from a virus has given me far more down time from training than I like. I am so accustomed to a hard workout at least six days a week, that slimming it down to three or four moderate days is messing with my head a little. It is also forcing me to not complete what I have been thinking of as the Icing on the Season. Granted, marathon is not my gig, not what I have trained for, so it would have been a bit of a struggle. But, being what could be misconstrued as sado-masochistic, I like a struggle. I actually feel more victorious after an event if there was some major suffering involved. I know, that is probably not a healthy mentality, but it is what it is. It is who I am. I like to push myself further than I probably should. What is the point of doing something easy? It should always be a challenge.
    All that being said, with one eye to the future, I am mentally working on my new training regimen. I am excited to be adding mountain biking to my training program. It will add strength and endurance to my cycling, as well as open the door to competing in off-road triathlons. That gives me a thrill of excitement as it is something I have been eyeing all summer. Everyone knows how much I prefer trail running to road running, and that would make the whole triathlon experience that much more fun. There are a number of off road triathlons around the state that would be exciting to compete in.
    During and after my 70.3 I have felt that it is the racing distance for me. It seemed perfect for my body. I want to continue training, increasing my speed and endurance in all three disciplines. I would like to shave a solid hour off of my time, and I know I can do just that. I need a more solid running base, there is no doubt about it. With better running speed and endurance, I can expend more energy swimming and running, because in theory I won't need to be so stingy, needing to hold back as much as possible for the run. In theory. I do plan on doing at least two 70.3 races next year, and a 140.6. Now, to start building that running base.
    Running, CrossFit, plyometrics, and mountain biking, added to continuing swimming and cycling. Increasing intensity, speedwork, and pushing the envelope on cardio and lactate threshold workouts. That is the plan. Explosive, intense workouts. Strength training. Core work. Speed and stamina. Power and agility. So much to work on, I am so excited. I learned so much this last year, to add to what I learned the year before, projecting into the coming year. I want to start today, and maybe this evening, I will.