The Dream-Day 114

Not a good week, folks. Not sure what to make of my ankle. Doubting it's tendonitis and thinking it's more likely a stress reaction or shin splints. Either way, I'm told therapy is virtually the same. Won't run until 10/1. Focusing, instead, on PT 3x/wk, swimming, and cycling.

Ah, Fri happy hour at PT.



If PT doesn't work out, I was thinking the Wonder Twins could hook me up. Form of...

On the positive side, swim fitness has finally returned to about where it was before I "misplaced" it. That's bound to happen when races, pool closings, and a trip to the Dominican Republic get in the way. I think this was the first time since early July that I swam at the college 3x in the same week. I also included an open water swim on Thursday.

Biking continues as planned with power training twice weekly and a long (5 1/2 hr) ride coming on Saturdays. The other day, I left my house in the dark, cold (where the hell did that come from), and wind at 6:15am. I changed my strategy to mimic what I plan to do at IM by carrying 2 bottles (instead of 4) but added a small 10oz bottle carried in my bike shirt just in case. This reduced bike weight by 3lbs or 10% (huge). This unintended consequence is that it forces me to stop hourly to refill, stretch my chronically bad lower back, and regain feeling in my crotch (I know, TMI). To me, IM will be a test of endurance. So, a few more additional mins are meaningless.

After I got back from my 92 mi ride, I was thinking about my circumstances and, for the first time, seriously contemplated bailing on the whole thing. I knew from the start that running the marathon was probably not going to happen, but never imagined having to walk it. So, being simultaneously pissed off and pragmatic, I weighed my options.

Option 1: Stop training immediately, heal, and do it next year. I'd lose a lot of money as most of the fees (registration, air, hotel, etc) are non-refundable and then have to spend a lot more coin to register for 2012... The worst, though, is the thought of going through this entire process again and without knowing if I'll hold up.

Option 2: Refrain from running another 12 days, resume no matter what on 10/1, and suck it up. Meanwhile, continue swim and bike training as scheduled. Then, on 11/5, walk as much as necessary and complete this thing.

No brainer.