I Feel Like I'm Back in the Game

After months of training without enough direction, I feel like I'm finally back in the training game. Don't ask me why I've needed direction because I have a slew of unaccomplished goals listed in my "Goals" tab. You would think those might have been enough. Speaking of which, I need to update that. It's too late to accomplish some of them, but I can also replace a few obsolete ones with new ones.

I think overall, I've gotten complacent with my running. I can run long distances (not quickly) without hurting too much. I've started getting faster, but I haven't done a whole lot to keep making progress there. It seems like the challenge of the Ironman has breathed new life into my training. Suddenly, everything is new and nothing is certain. Without real changes to my training philosophy and strategy, I face the real possibility of failure and that terrifies me. Under the normal circumstances I create for myself, that terror could turn very counterproductive. The difference here, though, is that I've recognized the magnitude of what I've signed up for with plenty of time to turn the terror into a positive, motivational force. And with each step I take and adjustment I make to my normal routine, I feel the empowerment snowballing into something great.

I gave up drinking, and it was honestly easier than I expected. It was like flipping a switch. And once I'd done that, I felt like the commitment was real and it was time to go big or go home. On Friday, after months and months of saying I was going to get new shoes, I marched into that Super Runners Shop and found the ones that I felt would suit my needs and I ordered a pair (they were out of stock in my size and style). This may seem small, but it was big because it was something I've put some sort of mental block on doing for forever.

Yesterday, I did my 15 mile long run. The first 11 miles went perfectly and I kept up a 10 minute pace. After that, I needed to make a pit stop which wasn't good at all and the next four miles were a struggle. But still, it's good to be doing long runs again. They feel so great once they're done, and the feeling only contributed to my overall understanding that there's a larger purpose to my training. Suddenly, I'm back to a place where I make even small, day-to-day decisions with the Ironman in mind.

Maybe this all sounds over the top. What I know, though, is that I'm reminded more than ever of why and how I got addicted to running, triathlon, and racing in general and I love that.